Nix MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	2007-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Future Sight
Set code	FUT
Number	55
Frame	future
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Brian Despain

Key Takeaways

Nix enables card advantage by disrupting opponents’ free-casting strategies at critical moments.
Offers indirect resource acceleration by preserving mana while countering opponent spells.
Strategically versatile, Nix can be a meta-relevant addition to counter certain deck archetypes.

Text of card

Counter target spell if no mana was spent to play it.

"There is no shortcut to work done true and well. The Creators learned this to their sorrow, the first time they made the world." —Githri the Prisoner

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nix offers a unique mechanism for impeding your opponent’s strategies through card denial. When played wisely, it can negate a key spell that an opponent cast without paying its mana cost, potentially disrupting their game plan and handing you a subtle yet significant upper hand.

Resource Acceleration: Although Nix itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the preservation of your mana resources by preventing an opponent’s free spell can equate to a form of indirect resource acceleration. In this way, Nix helps maintain parity in situations where your opponent might otherwise bypass mana costs.

Instant Speed: The strength of Nix lies in its ability to be played at instant speed. This quality allows you to react in a timely manner to spells that cheat the conventional mana system. By holding off on Nix until the perfect moment, you retain the flexibility to make the most impactful decision based on your opponent’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks Nix presents is the necessity to discard a card when using its ability. This condition can be particularly taxing when your hand is already dwindling, potentially forcing you to give up a crucial card that could sway the game’s outcome.

Specific Mana Cost: Nix calls for a blue mana, which means it fits primarily into blue or multicolor decks running blue mana. This can be restrictive as it may not seamlessly integrate into a deck that isn’t focused on blue mana strategies, limiting its versatility across different types of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Nix can be a powerful card under the right circumstances, its mana cost is significant when compared to other options. For two mana, some players might expect a more immediate or impactful result, and there are various alternatives available that could provide a better return on investment without the additional discard cost.

Reasons to Include Nix in Your Collection

Versatility: Nix is incredibly flexible and can be a crucial counterplay in decks that aim to guard against unanticipated spells, particularly those that are played without being cast or via alternative costs.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in environments conducive to combo plays, as it can disrupt an opponent’s intricate spell sequences without costing you a significant portion of your mana resources.

Meta-Relevance: Given that many competitive formats often rotate to include strategies that rely on cheat-casting spells or using alternative casting costs, having Nix on standby could be a game-changer, making it a metagame silver bullet.

How to Beat

Nix is a blue instant card that can potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy in Magic: The Gathering by countering a spell if no mana was spent to cast it. This unique feature makes it adept at handling alternative casting strategies, such as those deploying free spells or leveraging cost-reducing tactics.

To effectively counteract Nix, consider adjusting the timing of casting your spells. Since Nix only targets spells that haven’t had mana spent on them, try to keep your mana available to cast spells traditionally. Another tactic is to bait your opponent into using Nix prematurely by presenting a less critical spell as a target. Post-sideboarding, consider bringing in cards that can’t be easily countered or those that provide mana permanents to ensure your spells still resolve.

Furthermore, having a diverse array of casting costs within your deck could minimize the impact of Nix, as it’s less efficient against a spread of alternative mana costs. In summary, careful playstyle adjustments and strategic deck building can mitigate the disruption caused by Nix, ensuring your key spells have a higher chance of hitting the battlefield unscathed.

Cards like Nix

Nix is a unique counter spell in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, akin to other mana manipulation cards. Its particular niche lies in its ability to counter spells that were not cast from the player’s hand without costing any mana itself. This zero-cost feature draws a parallel with other notable free spells like Force of Will, which also counters a spell at no mana cost but requires the additional cost of exiling a blue card from your hand and paying 1 life.

Comparatively, we see Pact of Negation which offers a free counter, but with a twist – it comes with a delayed cost that could be burdensome if not planned for. In effect, Nix provides players the means to disrupt opponent strategies that rely on alternative casting methods such as cascade or reanimation, something neither Force of Will nor Pact of Negation specifically address.

When assessing these cards, Nix shines in its ability to offer a unique and specific answer in the metagame. It holds a strategic position as a countermeasure against decks heavily reliant on avoiding the traditional casting route, without the immediate or delayed costs associated with its counterparts.

Cards similar to Nix by color, type and mana cost

Blue Elemental Blast - MTG Card versions

Whispers of the Muse - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nix MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight, 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 Nix and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nix has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2007-05-01	Nix can target any spell. The condition is checked only on resolution.
2007-05-01	Nix checks whether any player paid mana to cast the spell, not whether its current controller did. If Commandeer is cast on a spell, then Nix is cast on that spell, Nix won’t counter it unless the player who originally cast that spell spent no mana to cast it.
2007-05-01	Nix doesn’t check whether a spell’s mana cost is 0. Rather, it checks how much mana was actually spent to cast it. It can counter a spell with mana cost 0 (such as Slaughter Pact), a spell cast via an alternative nonmana cost (such as Allosaurus Rider) or alternative cost of (such as Basking Rootwalla), a spell whose cost to cast it was reduced to 0 (such as Frogmite), a spell cast without paying its cost due to an effect (such as suspend or Mindleech Mass’s ability), or a copy of a spell, among other possibilities. It will not counter a spell that had an additional or alternative mana cost paid to cast it, regardless of that spell’s mana value (such as a face-down spell cast with morph, or an Ornithopter cast while Trinisphere is on the battlefield, for example).