Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker: A Commander Card Review

TL;DR Summary

Nicol Bolas is a formidable and powerful commander card in Magic: The Gathering. As a legendary planeswalker, it boasts significant abilities to destroy non-creature permanents, gain control of creatures, and deal devastating damage to opponents. Its versatility and impact make it a staple in many formats.

Detailed Card Mechanics and Interactions

Nicol Bolas's abilities are centered around its three modes: +3, -2, and -9. The +3 mode allows the player to destroy any non-creature permanent on the battlefield, effectively clearing the way for future plays. This ability can be used to disrupt opponents' plans or clear the board of problematic permanents.

• Card advantage: By destroying non-creature permanents, Nicol Bolas creates card advantage and sets up his next play.
• Life total interaction: In the -9 mode, Nicol Bolas deals 7 damage to a target player or planeswalker. This can lead to an opponent losing life and becoming vulnerable.

The -2 mode grants control of a target creature, allowing the player to take command of an opponent's creature and use its abilities themselves. This can be particularly useful in controlling key creatures or disrupting opponents' lifegain strategies.

• Control interaction: By taking command of a creature, Nicol Bolas can turn it into a formidable force on his behalf.
• Lifegain disruption: In the -2 mode, Nicol Bolas can disrupt opponents' lifegain strategies by controlling their creatures.

Finally, the -9 mode unleashes Nicol Bolas' full fury upon a target player or planeswalker. The targeted player discards seven cards and sacrifices seven permanents of their choice, making this ability nearly impossible to recover from.

• Discard interaction: In the -9 mode, Nicol Bolas forces his opponent to discard seven cards, limiting their draw options.
• Permanent sacrifice: By sacrificing seven permanents, Nicol Bolas can clear the board and gain a significant advantage.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Nicol Bolas's abilities make it an excellent commander for controlling strategies that rely on disrupting the opponent's board or gaining control of key creatures. Some examples of strategic uses include:

• Disrupting opponents' plans: Use the +3 mode to clear the board of problematic permanents, allowing you to set up your own strategy.
• Controlling key creatures: Utilize the -2 mode to take command of an opponent's creature and use its abilities against them.
• Sacrificing for value: In the -9 mode, sacrificing seven permanents can be used to create a strong board presence or disrupt opponents' life total.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Nicol Bolas is commonly played as a control-oriented commander. Its abilities make it an excellent choice for decks that focus on disrupting opponents' plans or gaining control of key creatures.

Some deck archetypes that benefit from Nicol Bolas's abilities include:

• Merfolk: Nicol Bolas's ability to destroy non-creature permanents can be particularly effective in Merfolk decks.
• Golgari: The -2 mode grants control of a creature, making it an excellent choice for Golgari decks that rely on controlling key creatures.
• Mono-red burn: The +3 mode and -9 mode allow Nicol Bolas to deal significant damage to opponents.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Nicol Bolas is consistently viable in competitive formats. Its abilities make it a formidable opponent in both one-on-one matches and multiplayer settings.

In recent years, Nicol Bolas has become increasingly popular as a commander due to its ease of play and overall power level.

• Competitive viability: Nicol Bolas remains a staple in many competitive formats due to its versatility and impact.
• Ease of play: Its abilities make it an excellent choice for players who want to focus on controlling strategies rather than complex combos.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

Nicol Bolas's abilities interact with other cards in various ways:

• Other card interactions: The +3 mode can create card advantage by destroying non-creature permanents, while the -9 mode deals damage to opponents.
• Permanent destruction: The +3 mode allows Nicol Bolas to destroy problematic permanents.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Nicol Bolas is one of the most iconic planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering. His art depicts him as a powerful, ancient being with immense magical abilities.

In terms of flavor, Nicol Bolas is often portrayed as a master manipulator who uses his cunning and magical prowess to bend reality to his will.

Historically, Nicol Bolas has been featured prominently in various Magic: The Gathering sets, including "Time Spiral" and "Zendikar".

• Art style: Nicol Bolas's art features him as a powerful, ancient being with immense magical abilities.
• Flavor profile: His flavor is often portrayed as a master manipulator who uses his cunning and magical prowess to bend reality.

Conclusion Summary

Nicol Bolas is a powerful commander card that excels at disrupting opponents' plans or gaining control of key creatures. Its versatility and impact make it an excellent choice for controlling strategies that rely on clearing the board or taking command of opponent's creatures.

In competitive formats, Nicol Bolas remains a staple due to its ease of play and overall power level. As with any commander card, careful deckbuilding and strategy are crucial to unlocking Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker's full potential.