Nightmare MTG Card


Nightmare’s strength scales with swamp count, making it a persistent and growing threat. Requires card discard upon use, posing a potential disadvantage in play. Blends well with land-based strategies, increasing its damage and control capabilities.
Card setsReleased in 32 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Nightmare Horse
Abilities Flying
Power *
Toughness *

Text of card

Flying Nightmare's power and toughness both equal the number of swamps its controller has in play.

The Nightmare arises from its lair in the swamps. As the poisoned land spreads, so does the Nightmare's rage and terrifying strength.


Cards like Nightmare

The enduring appeal of Nightmare in Magic: The Gathering can be attributed to its straightforward power level calibration with the keys of the swamps. Each swamp you control boosts Nightmare’s might, akin to how Llanowar Wastes augments Llanowar Elves. Nightmare’s direct link to land type exemplifies its strength, as seen with the card Squelching Leeches, which also mirrors this growth pattern, its power and toughness directly correlated to the number of swamps in play.

Another parallel can be drawn with the card Korlash, Heir to Blackblade, which not only gains power and toughness in conjunction with the number of swamps you wield but also incorporates an extra layer of versatility with its Grandeur ability, giving it the potential for greater land acceleration. Then, there’s Nightmare’s flying capability, similar to the card Mortivore, which, while lacking the potential to soar over the battlefield, compensates with its ability to grow from graveyards, presenting a different but equally potent scaling threat.

These comparisons illuminate that while cards like Nightmare have their unique quirks and flavors, the core idea of power growth linked to land remains a compelling and impactful strategy within the vast and varied world of Magic: The Gathering. Nightmare’s iconic status is both a testament to its history and an enduring effect that aligns land count with looming threat.

Llanowar Wastes - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Squelching Leeches - MTG Card versions
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade - MTG Card versions
Mortivore - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Wastes - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Squelching Leeches - MTG Card versions
Korlash, Heir to Blackblade - MTG Card versions
Mortivore - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Nightmare by color, type and mana cost

Demonic Hordes - MTG Card versions
Ihsan's Shade - MTG Card versions
Necrosavant - MTG Card versions
Cateran Slaver - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Lancer - MTG Card versions
Face of Fear - MTG Card versions
Wire Surgeons - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Chittering Harvester - MTG Card versions
Crossway Troublemakers - MTG Card versions
Anurid Murkdiver - MTG Card versions
Gempalm Polluter - MTG Card versions
Nefashu - MTG Card versions
Twisted Abomination - MTG Card versions
Visara the Dreadful - MTG Card versions
Iname, Death Aspect - MTG Card versions
Deathcurse Ogre - MTG Card versions
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth Demon - MTG Card versions
Ascendant Evincar - MTG Card versions
Demonic Hordes - MTG Card versions
Ihsan's Shade - MTG Card versions
Necrosavant - MTG Card versions
Cateran Slaver - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Lancer - MTG Card versions
Face of Fear - MTG Card versions
Wire Surgeons - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Chittering Harvester - MTG Card versions
Crossway Troublemakers - MTG Card versions
Anurid Murkdiver - MTG Card versions
Gempalm Polluter - MTG Card versions
Nefashu - MTG Card versions
Twisted Abomination - MTG Card versions
Visara the Dreadful - MTG Card versions
Iname, Death Aspect - MTG Card versions
Deathcurse Ogre - MTG Card versions
Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth Demon - MTG Card versions
Ascendant Evincar - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nightmare is a spell that can become a repeatable source of advantage, particularly in a deck designed around swamp synergies. Each turn, Nightmare’s power and toughness can grow, potentially offering an increasingly threatening presence that must be answered by your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana pool, Nightmare synergizes with effects that count the number of swamps you control, effectively becoming a more significant threat with each additional swamp. This indirectly pressures your opponents by demanding a faster response, acting as a passive form of resource acceleration

Instant Speed: Although Nightmare itself does not have instant speed, in formats where it’s legal, it can benefit from the vast array of instant speed spells and abilities within MTG that manipulate the number of swamps on your battlefield or in your deck, making Nightmare unexpectedly lethal during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing a Nightmare card often demands that you discard another card from your hand. This mechanic can put you at a resource disadvantage, particularly if your hand is already dwindling or if the discarded card is crucial to your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Nightmare creatures typically require black mana, making them less flexible for multi-color decks. If you’re not running a deck with sufficient black mana sources, casting a Nightmare could be a considerable challenge.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The power level of Nightmare cards usually comes with a steep mana cost. They are often outpaced by creatures of the same cost bracket providing immediate board presence or having lower overall costs for a similar impact on the game.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nightmare thrives in decks built around Swamp manipulation and can serve as a powerful finisher. Its strength grows with each Swamp you play, making it a threat that scales with the game’s progression.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that increase your Swamp count or change land types, Nightmare’s damage potential skyrockets, creating devastating impacts on the battlefield and synergizing well with land-focused strategies.

Meta-Relevance: As decks that employ graveyard strategies or value high-power creatures remain popular, Nightmare maintains its status as a formidable presence. Its relevance in games can shift the tide, making it a card worth considering for competitive play involving dark-themed or Swamp-centric decks.


How to beat

The Nightmare card is one that can send shivers down the spine of many Magic: The Gathering players. This iconic creature card’s power and toughness are determined by the number of Swamps you control, which means its strength can grow significantly in a dedicated black mana deck. Overcoming this creature requires strategy and understanding of the game mechanics.

One effective method to counter Nightmare is to leverage land destruction or land alteration strategies. By disrupting your opponent’s Swamp count, you can diminish Nightmare’s power to a manageable level. Cards like Blood Moon can transform all nonbasic lands into Mountains, significantly weakening Nightmare’s combat potential. Additionally, creature removal spells such as Path to Exile can exile Nightmare, bypassing its size and ensuring it doesn’t impact the battlefield further. Finally, control decks that limit creature abilities can keep Nightmare at bay, preserving your chances of a victory against this terrifying monstrosity.

To wrap it up, while the Nightmare card can be a daunting force, it’s not invincible. With the right removal spells, land disruption, and control strategies, you can contain the threat and emerge victorious in your duels against this fearsome creature.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nightmare MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Nightmare and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nightmare Magic the Gathering card was released in 27 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1181993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1191993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1191993NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1191993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1191993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1201993NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1201993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1201993NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
91995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1501993NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
101995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1501993NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 1841997NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
121999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1461997NormalWhiteMelissa A. Benson
132001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 150★1997NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
142001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1501997NormalWhiteCarl Critchlow
152003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1502003NormalWhiteCarl Critchlow
162003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 150★2003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
172005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1502003NormalWhiteCarl Critchlow
182005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 150★2003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
192007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 164★2003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
202007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1642003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
212009-07-17Magic 2010M10 1072003NormalBlackCarl Critchlow
222013-07-19Magic 2014M14 1082003NormalBlackVance Kovacs
232014-07-18Magic 2015M15 2762015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
242015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 2822015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
252016-04-08Welcome Deck 2016W16 82015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
262017-04-15Welcome Deck 2017W17 172015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
272020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 122015TokenBlackYeong-Hao Han
282020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 542015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
292020-09-26The ListPLST W17-172015NormalBlackVance Kovacs
302022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1152015NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
312022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4121997NormalBlackMelissa A. Benson
322023-09-08Wilds of EldraineWOE 62015TokenBlackRaymond Swanland

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nightmare has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-04-01 If you control 0 swamps, then the Nightmare has 0 toughness and will be put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based action right before the next player gains priority.
2009-10-01 Nightmare’s power and toughness changes as the number of Swamps you control changes.
2013-07-01 Nightmare’s ability counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just ones named Swamp.
2013-07-01 The ability that defines Nightmare’s power and toughness works everywhere, not just on the battlefield.