Lord of the NazgûlHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Growing Shadow

Every time you cast an instant or sorcery, Lord of the Nazgûl triggers to create a 3/3 black Wraith creature token with menace. Once you reach the threshold of nine Wraiths, his power surges, transforming every Wraith you control—including himself—into massive 9/9 threats until the end of the turn.

Understanding Protection from Ring-bearers

Wraiths you control have protection from Ring-bearers. This means they cannot be damaged, enchanted, equipped, blocked, or targeted by any creature your opponent has designated as their Ring-bearer. This makes your Wraiths excellent blockers against the most dangerous creature on your opponent's side of the field.

Resolution Step-by-Step

When you cast an instant or sorcery, the Lord of the Nazgûl's ability goes on the stack above that spell. First, you create the 3/3 Wraith token. Second, the game checks how many Wraiths you control. If you have nine or more, the base power and toughness of all your Wraiths becomes 9/9. Note that this check happens after the token is created, helping you reach that magic number faster.

Common Pitfalls

Remember that the 9/9 transformation is a layer 7b effect that sets base power and toughness. Any +1/+1 counters or other effects that modify power/toughness without setting it (like equipment or anthems) will be applied on top of the 9/9 base. Also, the Lord of the Nazgûl is himself a Wraith, so he counts toward the nine-creature requirement and receives the 9/9 boost.

Interaction examples

Multiplying the Nine

Lord of the NazgûlRoaming Throne

If you have Roaming Throne on the battlefield with 'Wraith' chosen, casting a single instant or sorcery will trigger Lord of the Nazgûl twice. You will create two Wraith tokens instead of one, making it much easier to reach the nine-Wraith threshold for the 9/9 stat boost.

The Ghostly Shield

Lord of the NazgûlSolemn Simulacrum

If your opponent has designated their Solemn Simulacrum as a Ring-bearer, it cannot block Lord of the Nazgûl due to his protection. Furthermore, if the Simulacrum attacks you, Lord of the Nazgûl can block it and will take zero damage from the encounter.

Creating the Horde

Lord of the NazgûlWraith

When you cast an instant, you create a Wraith token. Even if this token is your only other creature, both it and the Lord of the Nazgûl have menace and flying respectively, making your board state difficult to interact with even before you hit the nine-Wraith limit.