Niblis of Frost MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Flying,Prowess
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Niblis of Frost offers card advantage and control, pivotal for maintaining a strategic edge in games.
  2. Its prowess and tapping ability can disrupt opponents, making it a versatile asset in decks.
  3. Immediate removal and board control strategies can efficiently counteract the Niblis of Frost threat.

Text of card

Flying Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Niblis of Frost offers a distinct form of card advantage in MTG games. By leveraging its prowess ability, each time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, it gains +1/+1 until the end of the turn, potentially making it a bigger threat and forcing opponents to address it, often at a two-for-one cost to them.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, Niblis of Frost can help keep the board clear of opponent’s creatures. This indirect resource acceleration can hinder your opponent’s development, allowing you to maintain a tempo advantage.

Instant Speed: The key feature of Niblis of Frost is its ability to tap an opponent’s creature at instant speed each time you cast an instant or sorcery spell. This can significantly disrupt your opponent’s strategy by neutralizing potential blockers or attackers, giving you more control over the flow of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Niblis of Frost doesn’t ask you to discard cards directly, piloting a deck that maximizes its potential often demands specific spells to trigger prowess. This can sometimes leave you in a position where you need to manage your hand carefully, balancing the spells you cast with what you hold back, which for some players might feel like a virtual discard requirement.

Specific Mana Cost: Commanding both blue and white mana for its casting cost, Niblis of Frost may not fit seamlessly into all deck builds. The need for dual mana types can make it challenging to summon unless your deck is tailored for such a color scheme, which may restrict its inclusion to certain deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana (two of which are specifically blue), Niblis of Frost can be seen as a significant investment in the early to mid-game. In these crucial turns, deploying resources effectively is key, and there is a vast array of choices available that could potentially offer more immediate board impact or provide better mana efficiency.


Reasons to Include Niblis of Frost in Your Collection

Versatility: Niblis of Frost offers a unique combination of offense and defense, making it a flexible addition to blue-based control or tempo decks. Its flying ability allows it to serve as both a threat in the air and a solid defensive blocker.

Combo Potential: Thanks to its prowess ability, Niblis of Frost gains +1/+1 whenever you cast a noncreature spell, coupling well with instant and sorcery-heavy decks. It also taps down potential blockers or attackers with each cast, disrupting your opponent’s board and paving the way for strategic plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creatures play a prominent role, Niblis of Frost holds its ground. It can tap down the competition and grow stronger with each instant or sorcery cast, giving it a consistent presence against various popular decks.


How to beat

Niblis of Frost is a creature card that can be a formidable opponent in the game of Magic: The Gathering. With its prowess ability, it gets stronger whenever you cast a noncreature spell, which can quickly turn it into a significant threat. To counter Niblis of Frost effectively, consider using removal spells that can bypass its prowess trigger. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch it before it has the chance to grow out of control. It’s also worth playing around the card’s ability by timing your spells carefully or waiting until the opponent’s turn to avoid giving it additional power.

Another strategy to handle Niblis of Frost is to limit its effectiveness by controlling the board. Cards that enforce tap-down mechanics or those that prevent untapping during the next untap step, such as Sleep or Frost Breath, can render Niblis of Frost temporarily harmless. Additionally, utilizing abilities like hexproof or indestructible can protect your creatures from being targeted by its triggered ability, giving you the upper hand in combat situations.

When faced with Niblis of Frost, the key is to remain proactive and consider your removal options, board state, and the sequencing of your plays. By keeping these factors in mind, you can mitigate the impact of this chilling adversary and maintain control of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring MTG strategies deepens your understanding of the game, and Niblis of Frost is a prime example of a card that can alter the dynamics of a match. Its prowess and capacity to control the battlefield can be game-changing, especially for spell-centric decks. Balancing your deck to extract its full potential is an exhilarating challenge, and we encourage you to experiment with its various synergies and applications. For those keen on refining their gameplay and mastering the subtleties of MTG, Niblis of Frost offers a rewarding avenue to explore. Learn more with us and make each card play a step towards victory.


Cards like Niblis of Frost

Niblis of Frost brings a unique blend of control and aggression to the playing field. Its prowess ability paired with the capacity to tap potential threats mirrors the functionality of creatures like Icefall Regent. While Icefall Regent locks down a single target upon entering the battlefield, Niblis of Frost has the recurring ability to contain multiple threats over time, triggered through casting spells.

Delving deeper, we find Dungeon Geists, which also offers a freezing effect on creatures. It’s a reliable way to incapacitate a key piece of an opponent’s strategy. Yet, unlike Niblis, Dungeon Geists doesn’t have the repeated freeze effect throughout the course of the game. Then there’s Frost Titan, another staple in the realm of tapping adversaries. It doesn’t just tap a creature, but also demands an additional cost from opponents who attempt to target it. Frost Titan offers a larger presence on the board, but it lacks the synergy with instant and sorcery spells which Niblis of Frost capitalizes on with its prowess.

The versatility and board control granted by the Niblis of Frost make it stand out amongst its peers, particularly in decks focusing on spell casting. It’s a card that can turn the tempo in your favor by consistently disrupting your opponent’s plan while growing in power with every spell you cast.

Icefall Regent - MTG Card versions
Dungeon Geists - MTG Card versions
Frost Titan - MTG Card versions
Icefall Regent - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Dungeon Geists - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Frost Titan - Magic 2011 (M11)

Cards similar to Niblis of Frost by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Undercover Operative - MTG Card versions
Hisoka, Minamo Sensei - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Sower of Temptation - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Phantom Monster - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Vapor - Chronicles (CHR)
Tradewind Rider - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Archivist - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Thieving Magpie - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Inga Rune-Eyes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Laboratory Drudge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undercover Operative - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Hisoka, Minamo Sensei - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Johnny, Combo Player - Unhinged (UNH)
Dream Prowler - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Clone - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Cytoplast Manipulator - Dissension (DIS)
Crookclaw Transmuter - Time Spiral (TSP)
Dreamborn Muse - Tenth Edition (10E)
Turtleshell Changeling - Lorwyn (LRW)
Sower of Temptation - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Glen Elendra Archmage - Eventide (EVE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Niblis of Frost MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Eldritch Moon Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Niblis of Frost and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Niblis of Frost Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2020-04-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 615472015normalblackIgor Kieryluk
22016-07-22Eldritch Moon PromosPEMN 72s2015normalblackJosu Hernaiz
32016-07-22Eldritch MoonEMN 722015normalblackJosu Hernaiz
42016-07-22Eldritch Moon PromosPEMN 722015normalblackIgor Kieryluk
52020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1202015normalblackJosu Hernaiz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Niblis of Frost has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Niblis of Frost card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2016-07-13 If multiple effects say that a creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step, those effects all apply during one untap step. For example, if you cast two instants in one turn and target the same creature twice with Niblis of Frost’s ability, that creature will only spend one untap step without untapping.

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