Eye of Nidhogg is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Enchant creature Enchanted creature is a black Dragon with base power and toughness 4/2, has flying and deathtouch, and is goaded. (It attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.) When Eye of Nidhogg is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to its owner's hand.
Complete guide
Eye of Nidhogg is a legendary Aura that transforms any creature into a terrifying, aggressive threat. By turning a creature into a 4/2 Dragon with flying and deathtouch, it forces chaos on the battlefield through the goad mechanic. This enchantment is particularly resilient, as it returns to your hand whenever it is destroyed or the enchanted creature leaves the battlefield.
A Drastic Transformation
When Eye of Nidhogg is attached to a creature, it completely overwrites its existing colors, creature types, and base stats. The creature becomes a black Dragon with base power and toughness 4/2, regardless of what it was before. It retains any supertypes, such as Legendary, but loses its original tribes. It also gains flying and deathtouch, making it an excellent attacker that can trade with almost any blocker.
The Mechanics of Goading
The enchanted creature is permanently goaded while the Aura is attached. This means it must attack each combat if able, and it must attack a player other than you if possible. If the creature cannot attack another player (for example, if you are playing 1v1), it still must attack you if able. Note that if the creature is tapped or affected by a 'can't attack' restriction, the goad requirement is ignored for that combat.
Recursive Power
One of the strongest features of Eye of Nidhogg is its triggered ability. When the enchantment is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it returns to its owner's hand. This happens whether the Aura itself is destroyed by an effect, or if the enchanted creature dies, is sacrificed, or simply stops being a creature (like a Vehicle reverting to its non-creature state).
Interaction examples
Black Market ConnectionsYou use Black Market Connections to create a 3/2 Shapeshifter token. In your post-combat main phase, you cast Eye of Nidhogg on that token. The token loses its 'Changeling' property and all other types, becoming a black Dragon with base power 4/2. On your next turn, because it is goaded, it must fly over blockers to strike an opponent, utilizing its new deathtouch to ensure any brave flyers that block it are destroyed.
Phyrexian ArenaIf your opponent casts a spell to destroy Eye of Nidhogg while you have Phyrexian Arena on the board, the Aura's ability triggers as it hits the graveyard. It immediately returns to your hand. On your next turn, after drawing your extra card from Phyrexian Arena, you can simply cast Eye of Nidhogg again, perhaps on a different creature, to continue the cycle of aggression.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Eye of Nidhogg
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If, during a player's declare attackers step, a creature that player controls that's been goaded is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can't attack, or hasn't been under that player's control continuously since the turn began (and doesn't have haste), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having a creature attack a player, its controller isn't forced to pay that cost, so it doesn't have to attack that player.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Eye of Nidhogg overwrites all previous effects that set the creature's base power and toughness to specific values. Any power- or toughness-setting effects that start to apply afterward will overwrite this effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a creature may become lethal if Eye of Nidhogg becomes attached to it or unattached from it during that turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Eye of Nidhogg overwrites all colors and creature types the enchanted creature has. It's just a black Dragon. The creature keeps any supertypes it has (such as legendary), as well as any other card types it has (such as enchantment).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Attacking with a goaded creature doesn't cause it to stop being goaded. If there is an additional combat phase that turn, or if another player gains control of it before it stops being goaded, it must attack again if able.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature doesn't meet any of the above exceptions and can attack, it must attack a player other than the controller of the spell or ability that goaded it if able. If the creature can't attack any of those players but could otherwise attack, it must attack a planeswalker an opponent controls, a battle an opponent protects, or the player that goaded it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Eye of Nidhogg may enchant a permanent that is only temporarily a creature, such as a Vehicle. If this happens, Eye of Nidhogg will be put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action once the creature stops being a creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature you control has been goaded by multiple opponents, it must attack one of your opponents that hasn't goaded it, as that fulfills the maximum number of goad requirements. If a creature you control has been goaded by each of your opponents, the creature must attack an opponent (rather than a planeswalker or battle), but you choose which opponent it attacks.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Effects that modify the creature's power and/or toughness without setting base power and/or toughness will apply to the creature no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change its power and/or toughness and effects that switch its power and toughness.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
Being goaded isn't an ability the creature has. Once it's been goaded, it must attack as detailed above even if it loses all abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
Commentaires
- Sois le premier à commenter cette carte.
Read next
Meta decks with Eye of Nidhogg
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.