Ob Nixilis, the Fallen MTG Card


Leveraging landfall with Ob Nixilis boosts power and inflicts life loss, ideal for tempo and control playstyles. It demands a firm commitment to black mana, thus shaping and sometimes limiting deck construction strategies. Desecration Demon and Titania, Protector of Argoth, offer similar playstyles but differ in board presence and utility.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Demon
Abilities Landfall
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may have target player lose 3 life. If you do, put three +1/+1 counters on Ob Nixilis, the Fallen.

His spark lost, he plots revenge upon the plane whose corrupting mana fractured his soul.


Cards like Ob Nixilis, the Fallen

In the realm of powerful planeswalkers and land-centric strategies, Ob Nixilis the Fallen stands out as a formidable creature in MTG. Drawing a parallel to other cards, we can compare Ob Nixilis to Desecration Demon in terms of being a threatening creature that grows in power. Desecration Demon, while lacking the landfall ability, also has the potential to become larger as the game progresses. However, it gives the opponent the choice to sacrifice creatures to tap it, a control element that Ob Nixilis the Fallen does not share.

Another analog we find in MTG is the card Titania, Protector of Argoth. While Titania focuses on returning lands from the graveyard to the battlefield, her power also scales with land play. Unlike Ob Nixilis, her strength lies in the ability to create elemental tokens, offering a different flavor of land-related advantage. Lastly, Rampaging Baloths also echoes the landfall theme, by generating tokens with each land entering the battlefield, different from Ob Nixilis’s power boost and life loss mechanic.

When considering the unique abilities and board impact of creatures in MTG, Ob Nixilis the Fallen carves its niche with its direct damage and ability to become a game-ending force in sync with a land-rich playstyle.

Desecration Demon - MTG Card versions
Titania, Protector of Argoth - MTG Card versions
Rampaging Baloths - MTG Card versions
Desecration Demon - MTG Card versions
Titania, Protector of Argoth - MTG Card versions
Rampaging Baloths - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ob Nixilis, the Fallen by color, type and mana cost

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Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ob Nixilis the Fallen stands out as a foremost choice for players looking to maximize their card advantage. When you landfall – that is, when a land enters the battlefield under your control – Ob Nixilis allows you to force an opponent to lose 3 life while you gain as much. This effect, combined with additional land drop cards, can swing the balance of health totals significantly in your favor over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: This card’s inherent synergy with resource acceleration is undeniable. Through the simple action of playing lands, which is already integral to the game’s flow, Ob Nixilis becomes a formidable creature. Each landfall not only contributes to your mana base but also turns into an incremental power increase for Ob Nixilis, effectively consolidating your board position and ramping up the pressure on your opponents in one fell swoop.

Instant Speed: While Ob Nixilis the Fallen does not operate at instant speed, its landfall ability does. This gives you the strategic flexibility to play lands on your opponent’s turn through effects that put lands onto the battlefield during their turn, triggering life loss and power gain unexpectedly. The ability to interact on your opponent’s turn introduces an element of surprise that can be tactically advantageous.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One aspect of Ob Nixilis the Fallen that might deter players is its reliance on having a strong land play strategy. Without a steady supply of lands to either discard or play, its potential is significantly diminished, potentially leaving players at a disadvantage if unable to utilize its landfall ability effectively.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Ob Nixilis includes three black mana symbols, demanding a heavy commitment to black mana in a player’s deck. This requirement restricts deck flexibility, making it a less universal fit than cards with a more forgiving color profile.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of five, including three of those being specific to black, Ob Nixilis the Fallen can be a costly play. There are alternatives with lower mana costs that may provide quicker or more immediate effects on the game, potentially giving opponents a strategic speed advantage.


Reasons to Include Ob Nixilis the Fallen in Your Collection

Versatility: Ob Nixilis the Fallen is a dynamic card capable of fitting into multiple deck archetypes. Its landfall ability, which allows you to place a -1/-1 counter on an opponent’s creature whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, is useful in both aggressive and control strategies, making it a valuable asset in various gameplay scenarios.

Combo Potential: The landfall trigger of Ob Nixilis can be exploited in decks that prioritize land plays. Couple it with cards that permit multiple land drops per turn or with land recursion tactics, and you unlock the potential for substantial life loss and creature control, which can swiftly turn the tides in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In the ever-changing MTG competitive landscape, a card like Ob Nixilis the Fallen has a place, particularly if the meta favors strategies where gradual damage and board control are key to victory. The adaptability to interact with the board simply by playing lands keeps this card relevant and often unexpected in many game situations.


How to beat

Ob Nixilis the Fallen can be a formidable foe on the MTG battlefield, with the power to rapidly increase in strength and deal serious damage through land drops. To effectively counter this behemoth, consider targeted removal spells or exile effects, which are particularly efficient against singular threats like Ob Nixilis. Cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can dispatch him before he becomes a larger problem. In addition, landfall triggers, the catalyst of Ob Nixilis’s power, can be mitigated by restraining the number of lands your opponent plays with land destruction or through controlling strategies that limit land search capabilities.

Circumventing the issue can also come in the form of indirect tactics like enchantments that prevent damage from a specific source, like Protection from Black, rendering Ob Nixilis’s ability ineffective. Additionally, keeping a close watch on life total management helps in cushioning the impact of his triggered ability. Utilizing these strategies ensures your deck can stand resilient against the aggression posed by Ob Nixilis the Fallen and similar high-impact MTG cards.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving deeper into the folds of MTG strategy often reveals the hidden strengths and potential weaknesses of cards like Ob Nixilis the Fallen. By understanding the pros and cons of such a dynamic card, you can better prepare your deck for the challenges that await on the battlefield. Whether it’s integrating this imposing figure into mana-heavy black decks or countering it with precise removal, the knowledge you gain today can determine your victories tomorrow. For those looking to refine their strategies and collections, a deeper exploration awaits. Join us at BurnMana, where insights into the game’s finest details can help you claim your next win with confidence.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ob Nixilis, the Fallen MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Iconic Masters, 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 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ob Nixilis, the Fallen Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2017-11-17. Illustrated by Jason Felix.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 1072003NormalBlackJason Felix
22017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1012015NormalBlackJason Felix
32020-09-26The ListPLST IMA-1012015NormalBlackJason Felix

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ob Nixilis, the Fallen has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-10-01 The landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability (such as Rampant Growth) causes you to put a land onto the battlefield under your control. It will even trigger when a spell or ability causes another player to put a land onto the battlefield under your control (as can happen with Yavimaya Dryad’s ability, for example).
2009-10-01 When a land enters the battlefield under your control, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves.