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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!


Image from Wizards.com

Top 10 New MTG Cards of 2016

#2 - Nahiri, the Harbinger
- SHADOWS OVER INNISTRAD

Reviewed Dec. 30, 2016

Constructed: 4.5
Casual: 4.25
Limited: 4.25
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale:
1 - Horrible  3 - Average.  5 - Awesome

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Nahiri, the Harbinger
 
I have to admit to a certain strong bias in favor of this card that arises from my following of the expansions' backstories. Nahiri's existence was first hinted at in the story for the original Zendikar block, where the history of Sorin and Ugin binding the Eldrazi recounted a third member of their group, the mysterious "Lithomancer". They also hinted that the founder of the order represented by Stoneforge Mystic was a planeswalker, and so Nahiri's appearance was a major payoff for fans from that era. Not only is she fit for the cover of an epic graphic novel, she adds another card advantage/selection option to the increasingly crowded field of red midrange decks - and she actually gives Ajani Vengeant competition in his role. 
 
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Limited: 4/5
Multiplayer: 4/5
EDH/Commander: 4/5
James H.

Nahiri, the Harbinger (12/29)

 

Overall rank: 2

My rank: 1

 

Nahiri was one of the "sleeper" cards of Shadows Over Innistrad; while other cards seemed flashier and more impressive at first, Nahiri quietly made a name for herself as being absurdly powerful.

 

The reason Nahiri is so good is that she ticks quickly towards her potent ultimate, but she also gives a lot of utility beyond it. Exiling an enchantment or troublesome permanent gives her a lot of value in decks not geared around her ultimate (and it's effective removal in colors that sometimes have trouble getting it). Her +2 synergizes well with madness, and it also gives the two worst card-advantage colors some form of card advantage they can make use of.

 

Nahiri's ultimate is her main draw, and it's game-ending. Fishing out Emrakul, Ulamog, or another fatty to swing into your opponent, regardless of format, is a play that shortens games. It goes off at -8, two turns after she resolves, and a resolved Nahiri is a ticking time bomb as she moves closer to ending the game on the spot.

 

She's surprisingly powerful in many formats, and she's versatile beyond that. For that reason, I picked her as my top new card of 2016.

 

Constructed: 5

Casual: 4.5

Limited: 4.5

Multiplayer: 4

Commander: 4


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