MTG: Nissa Revane – Good Planeswalker or Bad Planeswalker?
Another new planeswalker? Sounds great! However, this one is a little different. It’s tribal! Find out the pros and cons of this card and join the discussion!
Nissa Revane
The new planeswalker and a first for cards of its type. This planeswalker is a tribal planeswalker. Of course, that isn’t a card type, but simply a term for a card that fits into only one type of deck with one type of creature. Of course, this card had to fit into my least favorite creature type, elves. Elves are possibly the most powerful of the tribal cards, so why do they need a planeswalker?
But that’s neither here nor there. This card deserves an evaluation just like all the other new planeswalkers. Let’s check out the good and bad and then make a decision on this card’s rating as a planeswalker. I will offer my own opinion at the end, but please feel free to comment and tell me what you think.
(I apologize for the small size of the image. I’ll try to get a larger picture uploaded when I can.)
The Good
Of the planeswalkers from Zendikar (so far revealed), this card is the only with a decent mana cost. Five is a little too high. With a mana cost of only four this card has some serious speed to it and should appear early in an elf deck. As I’ve said before, with planeswalkers speed is power.
This ability puts an elf right into play! Not only that, but the elf it puts into play isn’t too bad (pictured below). The elf in question actually returns to your library when put into a graveyard. This means that this ability is still usable later on in the game (if you some of your Nissa’s Chosen get destroyed). Also, you can search your library even if you don’t have a Nissa’s Chosen in your deck if you just want to shuffle your library. However, there’s no reason not to use the second ability which we’ll get into now…
This ability adds counters, making this the second planeswalker to have its first two abilities add counters. Besides that, two life for each elf?! That’s better than Wellwisher! Of course, Wellwisher is for each elf in play, but it’s rare to have elves fighting elves. Even so, the fact that you get twice as much life should compensate. An amazing ability that I can hardly believe. Then again, the next ability is even more crazy…
This ability puts all your elves (or as many as you want) from you deck into play. That’s incredible! This is truely a game over ability. Many planeswalkers final ability doesn’t mean the end of the game, but this one almost gaurantees it. An army of elves in one turn. Luckily, the cost of this ability is high and the loyalty cards that this card comes into play with is the lowest on any planeswalker. Still… this ability will end a game, and that’s amazing.
The Bad
A nice ability in standard and useful, but what about those who don’t want to use Nissa’s Chosen? This means that this ability is basically useless for a good portion of people who will be using this card in vintage or casual. As a mostly casual player I find this ability to be too specific for this set.
Speaking of specifics, this card is only usable in an elf deck. It’s the first planeswalker that is so locked into a deck type. Usually planeswalkers are locked by color alone, but this card is useless to everyone not using elves. However, I bet it will sell for a pretty penny though!
The only other bad thing about this card is the loyalty counters. It comes in with only two! That means that you won’t be able to get it higher than three loyalty counters on the first turn its out. This means it is the world’s largest target for Lightning Bolt in standard. It will be a huge target and getting the last ability off may prove impossible. However, it’s not the end of the world and is actually a fair trade off for the power of this card.
So, is this card good or bad? Let’s get to the final decision!
The Decision
Despite how much I hate elves this card is great. It takes elves further toward the perfect tribal creature type. This card is simply out of control. It’s amazing. It’s one of the best planeswalkers I’ve ever seen. It’s in the top three perhaps!
So, why only 8/10? Well, think about this: only some people can use this. If a card is amazing, it should be versatile, while this card is locked into elves. Also, the low toughness is a bit of an issue. Howver, still an incredible card.
What do you think? Tell me all about your opinions on this one and thanks for reading!
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5 Comments
Drakdrium13, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
I see your point. This card is all about its second ability though. Perhaps it should be 7/10
Wolfbane, posted this comment on Sep 27th, 2009
This card is incredible, even just as an additional threat. I too agree that Elf decks(my own even) can kill in 5-6 rounds so her last ability probably won’t get used much, but if for some reason you’re having trouble getting land or your opponent’s destroying all your land(both of which can occasionally happen, even to elf decks which are designed by nature to be the ultimate land/mana getters) you can fall back on her to get up to 4 good elf creatures into play, then pump your life. I think one thing that seems to have been missed here is you can completely build a deck around her. Yes she only has 3 life after the first turn, but she’ll also be protected by a 2/3 elf that if it dies will just go to your library to be grabbed again so unless your opponent’s already in a position to do you lots of damage(over and above what any of your creatures already in play can block), only something like lightning bolt can finish her. Then the next turn you can bring out another 2/3 elf. By turn 8 you’ve had 4 free creatures put into play(elves nonetheless, so they combine with other things, such as the wirewood hivemasters to create insect tokens, wellwishers for life, timberwatch elves to add extra +1/+1 to the target creature of choice, elven archdruids to add more mana and make them 3/4 creatures, elfish champions to make the 3/4 creatures and give them forest walk etc etc. I have no idea why it was said that these 2/3 elves don’t work well with other elves…sure their only special ability it to go to the library instead of graveyard, but the are a 2/3 elf that only costs 2 mana, how many elves can say that?) and you’re two turns away from totally annihilating your opponent, and the simple threat will make your opponent focus on trying to get rid of Nissa instead of focusing on what should be a massively growing elven army that’s going to run them over(probably literally with overrun), possibly awhile before she’s able to use her final ability. I don’t see how any deck would be slowed down by her presence. Assuming she gets out by turn 4(in an elf deck it’s very conceivable she could come out sooner with things like elfish pioneers and llanowar elves) you’ve basically paid 4 mana for a 2/3 elf(assuming you use that ability) and given yourself a buffer 3 life or you can gain 2–4 life(assume 1-2 elf creatures by turn 3) and still have the additional 3 buffer. So, in review, gain 5-7 life(3 encapsulated in a planeswalker), or 3 life and a 2/3 elf creature all for 4 mana, not a bad cost even if she died the next turn(especially since your opponent will most likely have to use their lightning bolt or similar on her, so you’ve gone up a card if you used the chosen ability, as you’ll each have a card in the graveyard but you’ll have one in play), and if she doesn’t, then you go for 2-6 life the next turn(possibly even more depending on how many elves you get out, though you may also lose some depending) or another 2/3 elf. So overall, even if you assume she’s going to die after the first turn you play her, you still get something from her at a pretty decent cost, and you make your opponent sweat.
Drakdrium13, posted this comment on Oct 13th, 2009
ok
Shyrim1999, posted this comment on Oct 19th, 2009
No offense but i love this card even if it has no real use for tourny play.Seing how lorwyne cycled out.I only play casual play anyways.I have been playing since ravi block. Since then i have been playing elves. When lorwyne came out i was in heaven because of impervious perfect,elvish promenade and other tribule elf cards that just straight up kicked butt.When i saw nessa revane i was in love.The art was perfect the Abilitys were perfect.My friends would tremble before my elves when i got nessa revane.Hell they tremble before the deck now.It went from mono green deck to a red/green burn beatdown deck.Since the transfermation it’s 5-0 aginst my friends.Multi player wins 2-0.So it’s doing great in casual play.Anyhow all around score for Nessa Revane 10/10.If you don’t like get over it more pretty elven planeswalker for me.
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Mike1229, posted this comment on Sep 9th, 2009
upon further review of this card I have come to a conclusion:
It is going to take at least 7 turns to get this card out and kick off its 3rd ability. yes thats awesome but thats only if it is uninterupted. having played elves for a solid 7+ years in vintage now and seeing the onslaught block come and go, Ive noticed a reocurring theme of elves winning the entire game in a matter of 5-6 turns. this might sound stupid but this card might actualy slow down your vintage elf decks by preventing a productive offensive 3rd or 4th turn and encouraging the use of a certain 2/3 that does not interact well with other elves.. While an awesome card, Nissa will flourish in standard much more than vintage. thats just my thoughts. great card tho. and great article