Nissa became the next Planeswalker to undergo compleation by the powerful Phyreixan threat in Magic: The Gathering’s newest set Phyrexia: All Will Be One, Wizards of the Coast revealed today.
The multiversal threat is at an all-time high. Phyrexia has been restored and many of the multiverse’s most powerful beings, the Planeswalkers, have been turned into artifice through a process known as compleation.
Compleation removes the entity’s soul and replaces its physical body with the unique organic metal of the Phyrexians. It started with Tamiyo being transformed in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, followed by Ajani’s corruption by the Phyrexians. ONE will bring more Planeswalkers closer to the Phyrexian vision of perfection leading up to the storyline’s climax in the summer with March of the Machine.
Nissa, Ascended Animist is the compleated version of the Green-aligned Planeswalker and includes two Phyrexian mana symbols and a game-winning ultimate that can be activated the turn she enters the battlefield.
Nissa joins Vraska, Lukka, and Nahiri as compleated Planeswalkers in the days leading up to the first day of ONE spoiler season on Jan. 17. ONE releases on Feb. 10.
Nissa, Ascended Animist
- Mana value: 3GGPP
- Type: Legendary Planeswalker Nissa
- Rarity: Mythic Rare
- Starting loyalty: Seven
- P: Players may pay two life or one Blue mana to cast. If life was paid, Nissa, Ascended Animist enters the battlefield with two fewer loyalty counters.
- Plus-one: Create an X/X Green Phyrexian Horror creature token, where X is Nissa, Ascended Animist’s loyalty.
- Minus-one: Destroy target Artifact or Enchantment
- Minus-seven: Until end of turn, creatures you control get +1/+1 for each Forest you control and gain Trample.
Nissa is a solid, versatile Planeswalker that will likely find a home in Standard as a finisher within Green creature-based decks. When the full seven-mana cost is paid, Nissa can immediately use the ultimate, which is a powerful overrun effect that will almost certainly end the game. This ability to quickly end the game will be enough justification for running one or two copies in Mono-Green Midrange in Standard.
The Phyrexian mana allows Nissa to come down two turns sooner. She would enter the battlefield with three loyalty when life is paid for both Phyrexian mana symbols. The +1 will create a 4/4, which is a strong body that will stop aggressive decks from attacking. This ability continues to scale through turns, creating more powerful tokens that can eventually swing for lethal with the help of Nissa’s ultimate.
The -1 is fine, but it’s not an ability players should prioritize using. Green has access to better ways to deal with Artifacts or Enchantments, however, having this option is a nice benefit when the need arises.
