Rules guide · Legendary Creature

Nekusar, the MindrazerHow it works & interactions with other cards

By the ManaCount desk· 5 min read· Commander Masters· August 4, 2023

Nekusar, the Mindrazer 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.

01

Official card text

At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional card. Whenever an opponent draws a card, Nekusar deals 1 damage to that player.

How it works : Nekusar, the Mindrazer

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability causes you to put cards into your hand without specifically using the word "draw," it doesn't count as drawing cards and it doesn't cause Nekusar's second ability to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.

02

Popular combos

Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #1
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Peer into the Abyss
Near-infinite card draw for target opponentNear-infinite damage to one opponentNear-infinite draw triggers for target opponentTarget opponent loses the game
1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing an opponent to draw cards equal to half their library and causing them to lose half their life total, rounded up.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way.
3Resolve the first trigger, dealing 1 damage to the opponent.
4If the opponent has 0 or less life, the opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger and/or until the opponent loses the game.

Peer into the Abyss — #1
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Peer into the Abyss
Near-infinite card draw for target opponentNear-infinite damage to one opponentNear-infinite draw triggers for target opponentTarget opponent loses the game
1Cast Peer into the Abyss by paying , causing an opponent to draw cards equal to half their library and causing them to lose half their life total, rounded up.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way.
3Resolve the first trigger, dealing 1 damage to the opponent.
4If the opponent has 0 or less life, the opponent loses the game due to having zero or less life.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger and/or until the opponent loses the game.

Windfall — #2
Windfall + Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Phyresis
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #2
Windfall + Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Phyresis
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #3
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Phyresis
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
2Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
3Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
4If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger.
6If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
7Repeat from step 2.

Echo of Eons — #3
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Phyresis
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
2Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
3Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
4If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger.
6If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
7Repeat from step 2.

Windfall — #4
Windfall + Tainted Strike + Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Tainted Strike by paying , giving Nekusar infect until end of turn.
2Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
3Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
4Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Tainted Strike — #4
Windfall + Tainted Strike + Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Tainted Strike by paying , giving Nekusar infect until end of turn.
2Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
3Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
4Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Windfall — #5
Windfall + Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Grafted Exoskeleton
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #5
Windfall + Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Grafted Exoskeleton
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Windfall — #6
Windfall + Glistening Oil + Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Glistening Oil — #6
Windfall + Glistening Oil + Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Windfall by paying , causing each player to discard their hand and then draw a number of cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
2Nekusar triggers for each card drawn this way, giving each opponent a poison counter for each card they drew.
3Each opponent loses the game due to having ten or more poison counters

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #7
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Tainted Strike
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Tainted Strike by paying , giving Nekusar +1/+0 and infect until end of turn.
2Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
3Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
4Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
5If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
6Repeat from step 4 for each remaining trigger.
7If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
8Repeat from step 3.

Echo of Eons — #7
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Tainted Strike
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Tainted Strike by paying , giving Nekusar +1/+0 and infect until end of turn.
2Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
3Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
4Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
5If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
6Repeat from step 4 for each remaining trigger.
7If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
8Repeat from step 3.

Nekusar, the Mindrazer — #8
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Grafted Exoskeleton
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
2Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
3Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
4If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger.
6If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
7Repeat from step 2.

Echo of Eons — #8
Nekusar, the Mindrazer + Echo of Eons + Grafted Exoskeleton
Each opponent loses the game
1Cast Echo of Eons by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
2Nekusar triggers for each card your opponents draw.
3Resolve the first trigger, causing the opponent to get a poison counter.
4If the opponent has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game as a state-based action.
5Repeat from step 3 for each remaining trigger.
6If needed, cast Echo of Eons from your graveyard for its flashback cost by paying , causing each player to discard their hands and draw seven cards.
7Repeat from step 2.

03

Legal formats

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Official source