Nihil Spellbomb MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact

Key Takeaways

  1. Nihil Spellbomb disrupts foes and nets card draw for a modest mana investment.
  2. Instant speed activation offers strategic flexibility and battlefield control.
  3. Mana specificity may limit deck inclusion, requiring careful consideration.

Text of card

, Sacrifice Nihil Spellbomb: Exile all cards from target player's graveyard. When Nihil Spellbomb is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay . If you do, draw a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nihil Spellbomb offers a strategic edge by allowing a player to exile an opponent’s graveyard and draw a card with its activated ability. This can disrupt the opponent’s plans and replenish your hand, maintaining a strong position in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Nihil Spellbomb’s low casting cost facilitates resource allocation. This enables a rapid deployment on the battlefield, leaving mana reserves open for other critical plays.

Instant Speed: The beauty of Nihil Spellbomb lies in its flexibility. You can activate it at instant speed, giving you the liberty to respond to graveyard strategies or threats at the most opportune moment, without disrupting your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the less appealing aspects is that in order for you to gain the card advantage by drawing a card, you must sacrifice not only the Nihil Spellbomb itself but also pay one black mana. This potentially disrupts your hand and may not be an optimal play if you are trying to maintain a strong board presence without sufficient mana resources or alternate draw options available.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of the Nihil Spellbomb’s draw ability is specifically tied to black mana. This mana specificity can limit its inclusion in decks that don’t have easy access to black mana or prefer running cards with a more flexible mana base for their utility effects.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the initial cost of one generic mana to play is reasonable, factoring in the black mana required to draw means investing a total of two mana to fully utilize this artifact. When compared to other graveyard hate options, which may offer similar exile effects without the additional cost for a card draw, Nihil Spellbomb can represent a higher and more color-restricted investment for the combined functionality it provides.


Reasons to Include Nihil Spellbomb in Your Collection

Versatility: Nihil Spellbomb is a staple artifact that slots seamlessly into various deck archetypes, excelling in its role as graveyard control. It offers both an answer to graveyard-centric strategies and cantrip potential, which makes it exceedingly practical in numerous situations.

Combo Potential: It can easily function in tandem with cards that benefit from artifacts entering or leaving the battlefield, adding a layer of strategy to decks that capitalize on such synergies. The ability to exile a graveyard and draw a card when it leaves the field can also be paired with recursion tactics for repeated value.

Meta-Relevance: With graveyard-based decks frequently dominating the competitive scene, Nihil Spellbomb has proven itself as a mainstay. Its potential to disrupt opponents’ strategies whilst minimally impacting one’s own gameplay secures its importance across various metas.


How to beat Nihil Spellbomb

Nihil Spellbomb is a powerful utility artifact in Magic: The Gathering, designed to disrupt graveyard strategies. Players often deploy this card to exile an opponent’s graveyard contents, and if black mana is spent, to draw a card, creating a significant swing in resources. When facing Nihil Spellbomb, the key is to minimize the impact it can have on your game plan.

Countering this artifact before it can be activated is the most direct way to combat its effects. Cards like Naturalize and Krosan Grip can destroy Nihil Spellbomb, the latter having the added advantage of being uncounterable thanks to Split Second. Alternatively, one can strategically bait the Nihil Spellbomb’s activation by presenting less critical graveyard targets first.

Moreover, holding onto instant-speed responses allows you to act in reaction to the Spellbomb’s activation. This can force the Spellbomb’s controller to make a move during a time that’s less advantageous for them. Lastly, including cards that benefit from being targeted by such graveyard hate—like the Eldrazi that shuffle the graveyard back into the library—can turn Nihil Spellbomb’s strength into a disadvantage. Through careful play and well-chosen counters, Nihil Spellbomb can be neutralized effectively.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the subtle intricacies of Nihil Spellbomb can mark the difference between a good player and a great one in MTG. This artifact, due to its dual ability to control graveyards and potentially draw cards, is a tactical gem waiting to be polished in your deck. Whether you’re disrupting opponent strategies or seeking that all-important card advantage, grasping the full potential of Nihil Spellbomb is key. Keen to broaden your strategic horizons and harness the full power of this multifaceted card? We encourage you to dive deeper into its capabilities. Enhance your gameplay and deck-building finesse with continued learning, starting right here. Elevate your MTG mastery with us.


Cards like Nihil Spellbomb

Nihil Spellbomb stands as a valuable asset in MTG for players looking to disrupt graveyard strategies. This card mirrors Tormod’s Crypt in its function, both allowing a player to exile an opponent’s graveyard at no cost. However, Nihil Spellbomb takes it a step further by offering an optional card draw component, simply by paying one black mana when activating its effect.

Relic of Progenitus is another analogous option, with both passive and active graveyard management abilities. It continuously keeps graveyards in check by exiling single cards but can also be sacrificed to exile all graveyards and draw a card, albeit at a higher cost. Grafdigger’s Cage is slightly different but related, providing a proactive approach by preventing cards from entering the battlefield from graveyards or libraries.

Ultimately, Nihil Spellbomb’s low cost and potential for card advantage make it a competitive choice in MTG decks focused on managing graveyards, particularly for those that can leverage the coloring for drawing a card.

Tormod's Crypt - MTG Card versions
Relic of Progenitus - MTG Card versions
Grafdigger's Cage - MTG Card versions
Tormod's Crypt - The Dark (DRK)
Relic of Progenitus - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Grafdigger's Cage - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Nihil Spellbomb by color, type and mana cost

Vorpal Sword - MTG Card versions
Egon, God of Death // Throne of Death - MTG Card versions
Sphere of Annihilation - MTG Card versions
Necrogen Spellbomb - MTG Card versions
Executioner's Capsule - MTG Card versions
Vector Asp - MTG Card versions
Hex Parasite - MTG Card versions
Augmenting Automaton - MTG Card versions
Corrupted Key - MTG Card versions
Witch's Cauldron - MTG Card versions
Mind Carver - MTG Card versions
Bag of Devouring - MTG Card versions
Reaper's Talisman - MTG Card versions
Blood Fountain - MTG Card versions
Clay Revenant - MTG Card versions
Vat of Rebirth - MTG Card versions
Dross Skullbomb - MTG Card versions
Bloodthorn Flail - MTG Card versions
Lead Pipe - MTG Card versions
Vorpal Sword - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)
Egon, God of Death // Throne of Death - Kaldheim Promos (PKHM)
Sphere of Annihilation - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Necrogen Spellbomb - Mirrodin (MRD)
Executioner's Capsule - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
Vector Asp - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Hex Parasite - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Augmenting Automaton - Aether Revolt (AER)
Corrupted Key - Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2021 (CMB2)
Witch's Cauldron - Commander Masters (CMM)
Mind Carver - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
Bag of Devouring - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Reaper's Talisman - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)
Blood Fountain - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Clay Revenant - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Vat of Rebirth - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Dross Skullbomb - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
Bloodthorn Flail - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan (LCI)
Lead Pipe - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nihil Spellbomb MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin and Commander 2013, 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 Nihil Spellbomb and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nihil Spellbomb Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by Franz Vohwinkel.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 1872003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
22013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2492003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
32017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2182015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
42018-03-16Masters 25A25 2262015normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
52020-09-26The ListPLST SOM-1872003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
62022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 1521997normalblackFranz Vohwinkel

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nihil Spellbomb has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-03-16 You may activate Nihil Spellbomb's first ability targeting any player, even one whose graveyard has no cards in it.

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