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Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin

Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin

Legendary Creature — Demon

Ob Nixilis wants a deck that keeps making its creatures bigger turn after turn. It also works in a deck built around Demons or Library Manipulation.

  • Mana cost2 genericblackred
  • Black, Red ()
  • Power / toughness4 / 3
  • RarityMythic

Flying, trample

Whenever one or more opponents each lose exactly 1 life, put a +1/+1 counter on Ob Nixilis. Exile the top card of your library. Until your next end step, you may play that card.

Build a deck with Ob Nixilis Find it in the app

Archetypes

Cards That Fit Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin

Picked for what they do in Ob Nixilis's deck. When two cards do the same job, the one with the lower comes first. All of them fit Ob Nixilis's color identity.Mana ValueThe total amount of mana a card costs, all added up. A card costing two generic and one green has a mana value of three. Wizards renamed this from "converted mana cost" in 2021, so older cards and articles may still use the old name.Sol RingOpen the full glossary

plan6

The 6 Cards

plan6

The 6 Cards

Rulings for Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin

explain how Ob Nixilis works in tricky situations. They come from Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic.RulingThe official answer to how a card works in a tricky situation. Most rulings are written by Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic, and a few are notes from Scryfall, the card database Magic players use. A ruling explains a card. It does not change what the card says.Open the full glossary

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

If you don't play the card, it will remain exiled.

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

Ob Nixilis's last ability looks at all combat damage dealt to an opponent in total to determine whether it triggers. For example, if three 1/1 creatures deal combat damage to an opponent, that player loses 3 life. Ob Nixilis's ability won't trigger.

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

Ob Nixilis's last ability will trigger if an opponent is dealt exactly 1 damage, pays exactly 1 life, or loses exactly 1 life some other way.

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

Playing the card exiled with Ob Nixilis follows the normal rules for playing that card. You must pay its costs, and you must follow all applicable timing rules. For example, if the card is a creature card, you can cast that card by paying its mana cost only during your main phase while the stack is empty.

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

Unless an effect allows you to play additional lands that turn, you can play a land card exiled with Ob Nixilis only if you haven't played a land yet that turn.

Wizards of the Coast 12 May 2023

You may play the card exiled with Ob Nixilis even if Ob Nixilis leaves the battlefield or you lose control of it.

6 rulings, all written by Wizards of the Coast. Read the originals on Gatherer ↗

Similar Commanders

Commanders that share the most with Ob Nixilis, and what they share.

Color identityEvery color of mana symbol on a card, in its cost and in its rules text. Your commander's color identity sets the limit for your whole deck: every other card has to fit inside it. A deck led by a green and white commander cannot play a card with any blue in its color identity.Open the full glossaryBRPlayers write colors as letters: B for black, R for red.+1/+1 Counters+1/+1 counter decks put small markers on their creatures that make each one permanently bigger, and keep adding more every turn. Each +1/+1 counter adds one to a creature's power (the damage it deals) and toughness (the damage it can take).Open the +1/+1 Counters pageCounter EngineAdds +1/+1 counters over and over rather than once. A counter here is a small permanent marker that raises a creature's power and toughness for good. It is not a counterspell, which is a different thing entirely. Something that adds them every turn makes your whole board bigger and keeps it that way. Hardened Scales, Corpsejack MenaceOpen the Counter Engine page+1/+1 CountersPuts +1/+1 counters on creatures, permanently raising their power and toughness. Unlike a temporary boost that wears off at end of turn, these markers stay put and stack up over a long game. Hardened Scales, The Great HengeOpen the +1/+1 Counters pageLibrary ManipulationCards that let you look at, rearrange or play from the top of your deck, so you control what you draw next.Open the Library Manipulation pageImpulse DrawExiles cards from the top of your library and lets you play them for a short time, usually only that turn. You have to use them or lose them. Act on Impulse Prosper, Tome-BoundOpen the Impulse Draw page