Nest of Scarabs 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.
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Official card text
Whenever you put one or more -1/-1 counters on a creature, create that many 1/1 black Insect creature tokens.
How it works : Nest of Scarabs
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect has you put more -1/-1 counters on a creature than it has toughness, you’ll put all of those counters on it and create that many Insects, even if that makes its toughness a negative number.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with wither or infect deals damage to a creature, the controller of the creature with wither or infect puts that many -1/-1 counters on the second creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
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#1
Blowfly Infestation + Nest of Scarabs
Infinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTB
- 1Put a -1/-1 counter on any creature you control with toughness equal to one.
- 2The creatue dies as a state-based action due to having zero toughness.
- 3Nest of Scarabs and Blowfly Infestation trigger.
- 4Resolve the Nest of Scarabs trigger, creating a creature token.
- 5Resolve the Blowfly Infestation trigger, putting a -1/-1 counter on any creature you control with toughness equal to 1.
- 6Repeat from step 2.
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#2
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Blood Artist
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite -1/-1 counters
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing another creature.
- 2When the creature dies, Blood Artist triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and target opponent to lose 1 life.
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on any other creature and causing you to draw a card.
- 4If the creature who had the counter placed has 0 toughness, it dies as a state-based action.
- 5Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a 1/1 Insect creature token.
- 6Repeat until your opponents do not control any more creatures, or until you draw your library.
- 7If you have cards remaining in your library, you may repeat this combo any time a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control.
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#3
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Zulaport Cutthroat + Nest of Scarabs
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite -1/-1 counters
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing a creature, targeting any creature an opponent controls.
- 2When the sacrificed creature dies, Zulaport Cutthroat triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and each opponent to lose 1 life
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on a creature an opponent controls, and causing you to draw a card.
- 4Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a creature token.
- 5Repeat.
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#4
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Bastion of Remembrance
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite -1/-1 counters
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing a creature, targeting any creature an opponent controls.
- 2When the sacrificed creature dies, Bastion of Remembrance triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and each opponent to lose 1 life
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on a creature an opponent controls, and causing you to draw a card.
- 4Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a creature token.
- 5Repeat.
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#5
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Grave Venerations
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite -1/-1 counters
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing a creature, targeting any creature an opponent controls.
- 2When the sacrificed creature dies, Grave Venerations triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and each opponent to lose 1 life
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on a creature an opponent controls, and causing you to draw a card.
- 4Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a creature token.
- 5Repeat.
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#6
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Deathgreeter
Near-infinite -1/-1 countersNear-infinite card drawNear-infinite creature ETBNear-infinite creature LTB
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing another creature.
- 2When the creature dies, Deathgreeter triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and target opponent to lose 1 life.
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on any other creature and causing you to draw a card.
- 4If the creature who had the counter placed has 0 toughness, it dies as a state-based action.
- 5Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a 1/1 Insect creature token.
- 6Repeat until your opponents do not control any more creatures, or until you draw your library.
- 7If you have cards remaining in your library, you may repeat this combo any time a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control.
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#7
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Vengeful Bloodwitch
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite -1/-1 counters
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing a creature, targeting any creature an opponent controls.
- 2When the sacrificed creature dies, Vengeful Bloodwitch triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and target opponent to lose 1 life
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on a creature an opponent controls, and causing you to draw a card.
- 4Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a creature token.
- 5Repeat.
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#8
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician + Nest of Scarabs + Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER // Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel
Destroy all creatures opponents controlDestroy each creature that enters the battlefield under an opponent's controlLockNear-infinite lifegain triggers
- 1Activate Yawgmoth by paying 1 life and sacrificing another creature.
- 2When the creature dies, Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER // Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel triggers, causing you to gain 1 life and target opponent to lose 1 life.
- 3Resolve the Yawgmoth ability, putting a -1/-1 counter on any other creature and causing you to draw a card.
- 4If the creature who had the counter placed has 0 toughness, it dies as a state-based action.
- 5Nest of Scarabs triggers, creating a 1/1 Insect creature token.
- 6Repeat until your opponents do not control any more creatures, or until you draw your library.
- 7If you have cards remaining in your library, you may repeat this combo any time a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control.
Related cards and tokens
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Legal formats
historictimelessgladiatorpioneermodernlegacyvintagecommanderoathbreakerbrawlcompetitivebrawldueltlr
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Meta decks with Nest of Scarabs
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.