Return of the Nightstalkers MTG Card

Return of the Nightstalkers - Portal Second Age

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	7
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	1998-06-24
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Second Age
Set code	P02
Number	88
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Randy Gallegos

Key Takeaways

Instantly reclaiming multiple creatures from the graveyard enhances your hand and poses a formidable threat.
Despite the need for a dedicated mana base and discard, its tactical utility in black decks is undeniable.
Its tribal synergy and ability to shift the game make it a unique asset in specific MTG deck archetypes.

Text of card

Return all the Nightstalker cards from your graveyard to play. Then destroy all your swamps. (Treat these Nightstalkers as though they just came into play from your hand.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Return of the Nightstalkers enables you to bring multiple creatures back from your graveyard to your hand, replenishing your resources and giving you a significant advantage as you refill your hand with potential threats.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly create mana, it recovers valuable creatures that can impact the board significantly, indirectly accelerating your gameplay by saving the resources you’d otherwise spend on drawing or searching for those creatures.

Instant Speed: Being able to play Return of the Nightstalkers at instant speed provides flexibility, allowing you to wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to make a strategic decision, potentially avoiding sorcery-speed removals and keeping your opponent guessing about your next move.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Involving a mandatory discard, Return of the Nightstalkers can be detrimental when your hand is already depleted, potentially forcing you to toss valuable cards just to get it on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: With its precise mana symbols, this card requires a dedicated mana base, which can be challenging in decks that run more than two colors, possibly causing a hiccup in your mana curve during crucial moments of play.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a significant cost to summon, this card competes with numerous alternative creatures and spells that could offer immediate board impact or versatility at a lower investment, making it an occasional dead draw in fast-paced matches.

Reasons to Include Return of the Nightstalkers in Your Collection

Versatility: Return of the Nightstalkers is a unique card that can serve multiple roles in black-based decks. With its ability to bring back creature cards directly onto the battlefield, it supports strategies from reanimator themes to late-game revival plays, ensuring that your graveyard is always a resource to reckon with.

Combo Potential: This card holds significant combo potential, especially in decks that focus on sacrificing creatures for value. It can become a game-changer by reusing powerful enter-the-battlefield effects or by simply overwhelming opponents with previously defeated creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ever-changing MTG landscape, the ability to recover key creatures can be a tactical advantage in various meta environments. If graveyards are a battleground in current play, Return of the Nightstalkers could provide the crucial edge needed to outmaneuver your opponents.

How to beat

Return of the Nightstalkers is a unique card in MTG that can be challenging to play against. The card brings creatures back from the graveyard, creating a persistent threat that needs to be managed carefully. To beat Return of the Nightstalkers, players should consider employing graveyard hate cards, such as Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt, which can exile cards from the graveyard, removing the ammo that Return of the Nightstalkers needs to be effective. Using exile effects preemptively can be a powerful strategy.

Control decks equipped with counterspells like Counterspell or Negate can be excellent for mitigating the impact of Return of the Nightstalkers, stopping the spell before it ever resolves. For those who prefer a more aggressive approach, playing cards that force the opponent to discard, such as Thoughtseize or Duress, can help to ensure that Return of the Nightstalkers never makes it from the hand to the battlefield. On the board itself, sweepers like Wrath of God can clear out all creatures resurrected by this formidable card before they wreak havoc.

Ultimately, playing around and countering Return of the Nightstalkers requires awareness of your opponent’s graveyard and keeping control over it. Effective sideboarding and timely plays are key to overcoming the challenges presented by this powerful card.

Cards like Return of the Nightstalkers

Return of the Nightstalkers is an intriguing card that finds its kinship with other creature-based revival spells in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to Zombify, a spell that also allows players to return a creature from the graveyard to the battlefield. While Zombify focuses on a singular resurrection at a lower cost, Return of the Nightstalkers brings back all Nightstalkers at a heftier mana fee.

Visiting the family of resurrection spells, we also encounter the likes of Patriarch’s Bidding. This spell revives creatures of a chosen type for each player, echoing Return of the Nightstalkers’ tribal synergy, though it benefits opponents as well. In terms of mana efficiency and broader impact, Patriarch’s Bidding competes closely, though the exclusive nature of Return of the Nightstalkers to one’s own Nightstalkers can be a crucial tactical advantage.

Ultimately, when evaluating Return of the Nightstalkers alongside its peers, it stands out for players who craft decks centered upon tribal themes, particularly Nightstalkers. Its capacity to turn the tide by summoning an entire tribe from beyond the grave makes it a compelling choice in the appropriate deck archetype within Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Return of the Nightstalkers MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age, 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 Return of the Nightstalkers and other MTG cards: