Nef-Crop Entangler 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
Trample (This creature can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.) You may exert this creature as it attacks. When you do, it gets +1/+2 until end of turn. (An exerted creature won't untap during your next untap step.)
Complete guide
Nef-Crop Entangler is an efficient aggressive threat from the Amonkhet block that utilizes the exert mechanic to punch through defenses. By choosing to push this Human Warrior to its limits, you can temporarily increase its stats and utilize its trample ability to secure damage. This guide will walk you through the nuances of exerting your creatures for maximum combat efficiency.
Understanding Exert
Nef-Crop Entangler features the exert mechanic, which allows you to choose to exert it as it is declared as an attacker. If you do, it gains +1/+2 until the end of the turn, but it will not untap during your next untap step. Note that you can only exert a creature at the moment you declare it as an attacker; you cannot choose to exert it later in the combat phase, nor can you exert a creature that was put onto the battlefield already attacking.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, enter the Declare Attackers step and choose Nef-Crop Entangler as an attacking creature. At this moment, decide whether to exert it. If you choose to exert, the 'When you do' triggered ability goes on the stack. This trigger resolves before your opponent declares blockers, meaning Nef-Crop Entangler will be a 3/3 with trample during the Declare Blockers and Combat Damage steps. Finally, after the turn ends, the +1/+2 bonus wears off, and the creature remains tapped through your next untap step.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that exerting is the same as 'tapping and freezing' from other spells. You cannot exert a creature unless a specific effect, like the Entangler's own ability, allows you to. Additionally, if an effect untaps your exerted creature before your next untap step, or if it has Vigilance, the 'won't untap' penalty simply expires without effect, allowing you to use the creature normally.
When to Play It
Nef-Crop Entangler is best used when your opponent has small blockers with 1 or 2 toughness. Because it has trample, the +1/+2 buff from exerting ensures that even if it is blocked by a 1/1, it can deal 2 damage to the player. It is also a Warrior, which may provide synergies with other tribal effects in your deck.
Interaction examples
Professional Face-BreakerYou declare both Nef-Crop Entangler and Professional Face-Breaker as attackers. You choose to exert the Entangler, making it a 3/3 with trample. If the Entangler deals even 1 point of trample damage to the player, or if the Face-Breaker connects, Professional Face-Breaker's ability triggers to create a Treasure token. Because the Entangler became a 3/3, it is much harder for your opponent to block effectively without losing a creature.
Ornithopter of ParadiseIf you have Ornithopter of Paradise on the battlefield, you can use its mana to cast Nef-Crop Entangler early. On a subsequent turn, if you exert the Entangler to attack, it will stay tapped during your next untap step. However, the Ornithopter of Paradise will still untap normally, ensuring you have the mana available to cast more spells even while your Warrior is resting from its exertion.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Nef-Crop Entangler
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
You can't exert a creature unless an effect allows you to do so. Similar effects that "tap and freeze" a creature (such as that of Decision Paralysis) don't exert that creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If an exerted creature is already untapped during your next untap step (most likely because it had vigilance or an effect untapped it), exert's effect preventing it from untapping expires without having done anything.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If you gain control of another player's creature until end of turn and exert it, it will untap during that player's untap step.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
All cards in the Amonkhet set that let you exert a creature let you do so as you declare it as an attacking creature, as do some of the cards in the Hour of Devastation set. You can't do so later in combat, and creatures put onto the battlefield attacking can't be exerted. Any abilities that trigger on exerting an attacking creature will resolve before blockers are declared.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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