Nahiri, the Unforgiving 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
Compleated (can be paid with
,
, or 2 life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters.) +1: Until your next turn, up to one target creature attacks a player each combat if able. +1: Discard a card, then draw a card. 0: Exile target creature or Equipment card with mana value less than Nahiri's loyalty from your graveyard. Create a token that's a copy of it. That token gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
Complete guide
Nahiri, the Unforgiving is a versatile Boros planeswalker that brings the ruthless efficiency of Phyrexia to the battlefield. Whether she is forcing your opponent's hand or reforging lost weapons from the graveyard, her presence demands immediate respect.
Phyrexian Flexibility
Nahiri features the Compleated keyword, allowing you to cast her for four mana or for three mana and 2 life. If you choose to pay life, she enters with only 3 loyalty counters instead of 5. Regardless of how you pay, her mana value is always 4. Her first +1 ability forces a creature to attack a player, which can disrupt defensive strategies or force an opponent into a bad block. The second +1 provides essential card filtering by discarding and then drawing.
Forging from the Grave
The most unique part of Nahiri's kit is her 0 ability. It targets a creature or Equipment card in your graveyard with a mana value strictly less than her current loyalty. As the ability resolves, it checks her loyalty again; if her loyalty has dropped below the target's mana value, the ability fails. If successful, you exile the card and create a Copy. This token gains haste and must be exiled at the beginning of the next end step.
Common Mistakes
A common error involves the 'attacks a player' restriction. If a creature is forced to attack by Nahiri, it cannot attack a planeswalker. However, if that creature is tapped or has a cost to attack (like Propaganda), the controller is not forced to pay, and the creature doesn't have to attack at all. Also, remember that the 0 ability checks loyalty on resolution—if an opponent deals damage to Nahiri in response to the ability, the target might become illegal.
When to Play Nahiri
Nahiri shines in aggressive decks that can capitalize on temporary tokens or in midrange shells that need to cycle through their deck. Since her 0 ability scales with her loyalty, using her +1 abilities early can set up powerful plays later, like bringing back a high-impact creature for one final swing with haste.
Interaction examples
Nahiri, the UnforgivingWhen casting Nahiri, the Unforgiving, you decide whether to pay the {R/W/P} symbol with mana or 2 life. If you pay {1}{R}{R}{W}, she enters with 5 loyalty. If you pay {1}{R}{W} and 2 life, she enters with 3 loyalty. This choice dictates which cards in your graveyard you can target with her 0 ability immediately.
CopyIf Nahiri, the Unforgiving has 5 loyalty, you can use her 0 ability to target a creature in your graveyard with mana value 4 or less. You create a Copy token of that creature. The Copy gains haste, allowing it to attack immediately, but you must exile that token when the next end step begins.
Suppose you activate the 0 ability of Nahiri, the Unforgiving targeting a mana value 3 card while she has 4 loyalty. If an opponent casts a spell to deal 2 damage to Nahiri before the ability resolves, her loyalty drops to 2. When the ability attempts to resolve, it checks her loyalty, sees 2 is not greater than the target's mana value of 3, and the ability does nothing.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Nahiri, the Unforgiving
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature targeted by the first loyalty ability can't attack for any reason (such as being tapped), then it doesn't attack. If there's a cost associated with having it attack, its controller isn't forced to pay that cost. If they don't, it doesn't have to attack in that case either.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The last loyalty ability will check Nahiri's loyalty as the ability tries to resolve to see if the target is still legal. If it's not, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. The card won't be exiled and no token will be created.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
A hybrid Phyrexian mana symbol contributes 1 toward the mana value of a card, even if life is paid for it. Specifically, Nahiri's mana value is always 4.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
The compleated ability looks only at whether a player chose to pay 2 life for a Phyrexian mana symbol as they were casting the spell. If a player paid life for some other reason while casting the spell, that will not reduce the number of loyalty counters the planeswalker enters the battlefield with.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Other replacement effects that would change the number of loyalty counters Nahiri enters with will apply as normal.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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