Possessed Nomad MTG Card


Possessed Nomad - Torment
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Nomad Horror
Abilities Threshold, Vigilance
Released2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set nameTorment
Set codeTOR
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number13
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byEric Peterson

Key Takeaways

  1. Strategic advantage gained from death-triggered abilities, enhancing card advantage and game control.
  2. Facilitates indirect resource acceleration, maintaining board presence with less mana investment.
  3. Combines well with instant-speed spells, adding a layer of flexibility and disrupting opponent strategies.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Attacking doesn't cause Possessed Nomad to tap. Threshold Possessed Nomad gets +1/+1, is black, and has "o B, oc T: Destroy target white creature." (You have threshold as long as seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Possessed Nomad empowers players with the ability to keep pressure on their opponents. When it is transformed into a Horror, it offers the potential to control the game by turning each of your creature’s deaths into a strategic advantage, potentially drawing more cards and outmaneuvering opponents with superior options.

Resource Acceleration: While Possessed Nomad doesn’t directly produce resources, the value it contributes can streamline your plays. By effectively using the creatures lost in battle, it can shift the momentum of the game, allowing for more impactful plays in future turns. This can lead to indirect resource acceleration as you maintain threats on the board with less mana investment overall.

Instant Speed: Possessed Nomad’s abilities contribute to a flexible strategy. Although not at instant speed itself, it can synergize with instant speed spells in your arsenal. By holding back these spells, you can dictate the flow of combat to your advantage, making sure Possessed Nomad transforms at a time that disrupts your opponent’s strategy the most.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To fully benefit from Possessed Nomad’s abilities, players are often required to let go of valuable cards. This trade-off can backfire, especially when your hand is already depleted, making it a tough choice during critical moments in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Possessed Nomad demands a precise mana alignment to cast, necessitating both white and black mana. This specialized requirement can restrict deck-building options and makes it a less flexible choice for decks that operate on a broader color scope.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an investment of three mana that includes two specific colors, Possessed Nomad is on the pricier side for its capabilities. In the diverse world of Magic, there are numerous alternatives that may present more impactful effects or synergies at a similar or lesser cost, which often leads players to opt for other cards to fill their deck slots.


Reasons to Include Possessed Nomad in Your Collection

Versatility: Possessed Nomad stands out for its adaptability in various deck archetypes. With its capability to transition from an aggressive creature to a formidable blocker thanks to the Vigilance ability, it can seamlessly fit into both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: Its threshold ability, which turns it into a 3/3 black Zombie Nomad with protection from white, offers synergy in decks focused on graveyard mechanics. This transformation can be a springboard for surprise plays and enhance strategies revolving around creature type interactions and protection abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In the ever-shifting landscape of the game, cards that offer protection against specific colors can be game-changers. Possessed Nomad, with its inherent flexibility and protection feature post-transformation, can be a valuable asset when facing decks that heavily rely on white spells or creatures, establishing it as a meta-relevant choice.


How to beat

Possessed Nomad, a card from the Torment set, presents a challenging obstacle with its versatile abilities on the battlefield. To effectively manage this threat, consider using creature removal spells that can bypass its protection from white attribute. Cards such as Doom Blade or Murder are excellent choices offering a swift solution to eliminate Possessed Nomad from play.

Alternatively, countering the card before it has a chance to hit the field is another viable strategy. Spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent Possessed Nomad from ever becoming an active threat. For those who have already let Possessed Nomad enter play, employing board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the field without targeting specifics, circumventing its protection.

It’s important to note that while Possessed Nomad can be daunting, it’s not indestructible. By carefully selecting the right removal tools or controlling the pace of the game with counters and wipes, players can confidently handle the challenge it poses. Balancing your deck with these solutions will prepare you for not only Possessed Nomad but a multitude of potential threats throughout your Magic: The Gathering matches.


Cards like Possessed Nomad

Possessed Nomad is a unique figure in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. When compared to other cards, Possessed Nomad stands out due to its threshold ability, which transforms it into a 3/3 creature with protection from white. This duality of form resembles the transformation attributes found in cards like Civilized Scholar, which alternates between a researcher and a monstrous brute. However, Civilized Scholar flips based on card draw, while Possessed Nomad relies on a robust graveyard.

Looking to Transformed Abomination, the parallel here hinges on the threshold mechanic, but Abomination leans into the theme of card regeneration instead of gaining protection. Moreover, it becomes a more substantial 5/5 creature. This differentiation highlights the adaptive strength each card offers in various game situations. Another similar card, Gangrenous Goliath, also thrives on a populous graveyard, but it focuses on tapping Clerics for a devastating creature destruction effect.

Assessing Possessed Nomad within its peer group, its unique blend of protection abilities and dependence on graveyard size provides MTG players with a versatile defensive option, especially valuable in metagames where white spells are rampant.

Gangrenous Goliath - MTG Card versions
Gangrenous Goliath - Onslaught (ONS)

Cards similar to Possessed Nomad by color, type and mana cost

Shaile, Dean of Radiance // Embrose, Dean of Shadow - MTG Card versions
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Ostiary Thrull - MTG Card versions
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Teysa Karlov - MTG Card versions
Basilica Bell-Haunt - MTG Card versions
Resolute Rider - MTG Card versions
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Shaile, Dean of Radiance // Embrose, Dean of Shadow - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Orah, Skyclave Hierophant - Zendikar Rising Promos (PZNR)
Felisa, Fang of Silverquill - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)
Elenda, the Dusk Rose - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Ghost Council of Orzhova - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Ostiary Thrull - Guildpact (GPT)
Voracious Hatchling - Eventide (EVE)
Harvest Gwyllion - Eventide (EVE)
Alms Beast - Gatecrash (GTC)
Triad of Fates - Theros (THS)
Unyielding Krumar - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Cliffhaven Vampire - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Restoration Gearsmith - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Aryel, Knight of Windgrace - Commander Masters (CMM)
Seraph of the Scales - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Teysa Karlov - Commander Masters (CMM)
Basilica Bell-Haunt - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Resolute Rider - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Spiteful Squad - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Barrowin of Clan Undurr - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Possessed Nomad MTG card by a specific set like Torment, 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 Possessed Nomad and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Possessed Nomad has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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