My only problem with the card is that there is noone else in the artwork for her to... have fun with. On that note I don't like the way she's looking at me...
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(8 votes)
Good for dealing a little damage to your own guys, or to kill that obnoxious beater in desperation, but mostly for Johnnies...on another note, Stuffy Doll!!!!!
Hmmm...four arms, but no Mirrodin metalwork, at least none that's obvious.
...
...Ex-Simic Ravnican vedalken?
Cyberium
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Cards like Phyrexian Tyranny and Underworld Dream that forces opponent to lose life when they draw cards comes to mind...
Qazior
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
I so want her. Awesome card!
Kryplixx
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
Gotta love U/R.
kmagefyre
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(3 votes)
NIN the Pain Artist? What's she holding? Is that a music reference in her flavor text? Somebody at Wizards is a fan of Trent Reznor, methinks. Aside from that, a fun card with all sorts of ridiculous combo potential. It's parent colors both offer mind control options, which is a great way to get new "test subjects."
MuffinMafia
★★☆☆☆ (2.4/5.0)(4 votes)
You know shes one of those cards that looks a whole lot better when you look at it the second time. :)
I got a new hobby and its torturing my pets. Least they don't die so I can torture them, again, and again till i decide to draw 14 cards off them and kill um....
SocialExperiment
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(5 votes)
Spitemare would be awesome here. Pay 4 mana, draw two cards, Spitemare Shocks somebody.
In game terms, I like the idea of her zapping a Nested Ghoul repeatedly.
In flavor terms, I like the idea of her idly sitting at home, tasing her cat so she can remember some spells.
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Polski - there's no doubt that Swans of Brynn Argoll is one of her best combos. Huge card advantage for yourself, starting with as little as 3 mana for 2 cards. @Dragonmaster - there are very few decks which function well by giving your opponent card advantage. ^^
Personally, I've thrown her into a casual UR deck focused around repeatable removal and card advantage. There are 13 creatures that can directly ping creatures (3 x Nin, 4 x Cunning Sparkmage, 4 x Spitemare, 2 x Niv-Mizzet), 3 Trinket Mages to fetch them the 2 Basilisk Collars (as well as other targets in Elixir of Immortality and Everflowing Chalice), and 4 x Swans of Brynn Argoll to act as a decent 4 mana beater as well as providing great synergy with any of these pingers.
Most importantly, it's fun whilst still being competitive in a casual environment.
Dr.Pingas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Atali: There were definitely an abundance of metal-free Vedalken on Ravnica (native or not), and she resembles them far more than any other more artifact-influanced versions of either Esper/Alara or Mirrodin (though, as it's been mentioned, she shares there four-armed qualities).
Khultar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
she will be my wife
Atali
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@SkyknightXi Vedalken are NOT native to Mirrodin, Vedalken are NOT native to Ravnica, Vedlaken are known to be native to Alara, but Alaran forms do not have four arms, that is a feature unique to the mutant subrace of Mirrodin. However, Nin's physical features do not resemble Mirran Vedalken (except for the arms). She may represent a fourth, yet unknown population of Vedalken. --- My point in saying that Vedalken aren't native to Ravnica or Mirrodin is (since neither population resemble the Alaran population), there MUST be an unknown source population somewhere.
jasonreeson
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card could be pretty sweet with Stuffy Doll on your side of the board!...point and draw cards...deal an equal amount of damage!
lorendorky
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
She looks like Asajj Ventress from The Clone Wars.
And she doesn't have four arms, she is wearing her coat like some sort of foppish dandy, or a Final Fantasy character.
Alsebra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@DarthParallax - Hell, combining Nin here with a few other Commander cards and you can rapidly mill your opponent(s) into the ground. Riddlekeeper and Avatar of Slaughter come to mind...
Feralsymphony
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Character Bio: Despite her famed career, Nin does not see herself as a torturer. Nin seeks to awaken a deeper consciousness within her "clients" by exploring their personal limits. She believes every nerve ending is a pathway to self-knowledge.
CallmeMerry
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hit opponent's creature with Nin, sac a Whirlpool Warrior and follow up with either a Cerebral Vortex or Runeflare Trap (or both), for an unexpected victory (all being instants just cast on opponent's turn). Hit a creature for 2, so opponent has drawn 3 cards a turn, sac the warrior (say a hand of 5), means they have drawn 8, the vortex pushes the card count to 10 and takes 10 damage followed by runeflare for a total 20 damage. There are plenty of other things that work with this (use Trade Secrets for one or using Standstill to push into the late game).
Kitty_the_Kat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I kinda like the idea of destroying a troublesome creature with this girl and then throwing down some Windfall action to fill your hand back up.
bfugitive
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My EDH general. She's a boss. Counter and big burn, big red threats, etc. She combos nicely with Stuffy Doll, Psychosis Crawler, and Venser's Journal. She's great for getting extra value out of ETB creatures, like Mulldrifter and Sea Gate Oracle. Literally, one of the most fun cards i've ever played with. I really recommend it.
Tips/Card Recommendations:
-Use cards with both ETB abilities and 'dies' abilities (I'm looking at you, Keiga, the Tide Star). -If your playgroup doesn't like Niv-Mizzet as a general, throw him in the deck (Cheaper generals are better anyway). Your draws turn into card AND board advantage. Same with Psychosis Crawler. -Lighthing Greaves is pretty crucial (obviously, it's EDH). -I have a hard-on for Elixir of Immortality in any blue deck. Using her with ETB creatures and burning them after they're dead leaves you with a full GY. Crack the Elixir, and next turn, dump mana into her ability and possibly net them (and your counterspells, etc) back! -Remember, she can always nuke herself. If you find her alone for a couple of turns and your hand looking barren, you know what to do. She's a cheap general and easy to replace.
repete
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Take the blue-centered wedge and nin makes great friends with Protean Hydra.
CometKing
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Note the circular "inputs/connections" on Vedalken Shackles..? I bet her tools fit connect perfectly to them...
I think this gives a Red's Act of Treachery/take control cards an ending/better use. I steal your creature (Training Ground in place) and kill it off (after attacking you with your creature, drawing the cards myself off your creature. I really think this gives blue control and red control cards the rest of the story. Control 'em, kill 'em, draw cards.
FatLenny
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Perfect for the colors she's in. Just add Consecrated Sphinx and Niv-Mizzet and target your opponent's creatures with her ability and you've got a hell of a deck right there. The huge draws help Izzet's counterburn run smoothly and fuel Gelectrode and Izzet Guildmage-related tomfoolery as well.
TrazocW
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Atali
a quick gatherer search shows a total of seven Vedalken that seem to be getting along just fine on Ravnica, native or not. Vigean Graftmage even has an extra set of arms. Nin being on Ravnica is not beyond possibility.
TomYoung
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
May I ask why nobody has mentioned Psychic Possession? Sure they still get the cards, but you do too!
each turn you get to draw massive cards and hopefully kill off one of their creatures.
izzet_guild_mage
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
For style points, make 100+ mana and burn out your Laboratory Maniac. At any rate, I really love this card. It's funny just how much one more toughness would've done for it, though.
Mr.Wimples
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Pretty underrated methinks. Making creatures blow up into cards is ever so handy.
Rancid_Raptor
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
So many combos with this card. Shes my General.
Nin + Stuffy Doll = Way to draw cards While hurting an opponet.
Nin+ Repercussion = They now lose a creature AND life for cards.
Nin + Cerebral Cortex/Sudden Impact= they take damage for each card they drew.
nin+ Vicious Shadows= same as above
Nin + Niv-Mizet + Indestructable Creature = Draw cards, and do damage to whatever you want for each card.
Nin+ Basalisk Collar= No matter how much damage you do, it dies, plus you gain life.
Dragonmaster3.0
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Whoa, whoa, whoa, is she holding a gun?! A magical gun? YOWCH, that would be everybody's favorite equipment!
Ipsilont
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Setting: Me and Nin on a blind date
Me: So what do you do for a living? Nin: I'm a Pain Artist Me: ... ok ... what exactly does a "Pain Artist" do? Nin: (in an alluring voice) Would you like to tap me to find out? Me: o_O
steev
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(5 votes)
Make her indestructible with Darksteel Plate, then have her zap herself repeatedly with Shared Fate on the field to exile the top X cards of your opponent's library every time.
Hivis_of_the_Scale
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
IS THAT... Tali'Zorah nar Rayya WITHOUT HER MASK!!!???
Kelptic183
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
First thing I thought of was Vigor, but it's sadly a green card. So the next thing I thought of was Animar, Soul of Elements. I'll draw twelve cards, get twelve counters, then drop Eldrazi and Blightsteel Colossus out of my hand for free, thank you very much.
alphagprime
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Molten Psyche if you can ensure enough mana to make it worth while.
awkward colours, but a bunch of fun with Protean Hydra.
blindthrall
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Sexy.
Too bad she doesn't have a bigger back end so she could experiment on herself.
DarthParallax
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Nine Inch Nails, the Pain Artist.
or Nice is Neat, the Pain Artist if your parents asked what 'NIN' meant when you were buying CD's, and you were really devious. ;D
LordOfTheFlies87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Now with staff.
YellowWalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Oh, hello Stuffy Doll, I was thinking about this comb- Oh, you've already built me a deck? Thanks man.
jstorrie
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Surely this little lady's getting a reprint in Return to Ravnica block, right?
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Would not want to use this on my opponents creatures, unless I had a good reason.
kbx00bm
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
One of the most awesome, underrated EDH/Commander Generals out there. Very low costed, meaning its very good for competitive EDH 1v1 Duels and such. Has so much potential. And Izzet Colors are simply the best color combination in Magic. No Discussion :D Why would anyone give this less than 5/5?!
RunedServitor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Kill one of their creatures, then explode them with Runeflare Trap. In some ways, the best thing about this card is the absence of the word, "may". They have no choice about drawing the cards.
Four arms? Just like a certain surgeon, Franken Fran! Not to mention the whole 'darksteel plate, tortures herself' makes her quite the masochist. Though I guess that was implied anyways.
Brad Rigney is becoming one of my favorite artists very quickly. This is a great piece, but it's unfortunate that however long I've been looking at this card, I only just now noticed that Nin has two pairs of arms...
Oh... and good card.
Derizueg
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I think that she would make such a cute couple with Tibalt.
fenixissoawesome
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
*other side of the table*
Woah woah woah. In response to that, I'm flashing in Notion Thief.
Hate me yet?
AmericanVigor
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
She's an essential part of my Thraximundar EDH/Commander deck. The more Thrax grows with +1/+1 counters, the more Nin can zap him without dealing lethal damage, and the more cards you can draw. If Thrax is on the board, without +1/+1 counters and just 6 toughness, you can zap Thrax with Nin without dealing lethal damage for an amazing card draw payoff - seven mana for five cards. Nin can zap Thrax again and again, potentially for greater amounts each time without lethal damage, for extreme card advantage.
Nin has one of the best card draw: mana spent ratios in the game, and all EDH/Commander decks with blue and red should highly consider her inclusion.
StyrofoamKing
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Played my new Nin Commander deck... MAN does she love indestructible creatures. Darksteel Myr, Manor Gargoyle, Stuffy Doll, Creepy Doll... actually, she kind of likes Dolls in general. Now that I think about it, she's probably the one putting that Stuffy doll in the Black Vise, isn't she?
Mr.Freshness-Timmy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run her with nekusar and just kill my opponents creatures. They love card advantage; to death.
Awesome commander in my "bad neighbor" deck (borrow your stuff, then break it or don't return it). Even so, she usually just ends up "comboing" with 7-8 mana targeting herself to draw me a new hand. She's such a masochist like that :-)
Comments (61)
On that note I don't like the way she's looking at me...
...
...Ex-Simic Ravnican vedalken?
What's she holding?
Is that a music reference in her flavor text?
Somebody at Wizards is a fan of Trent Reznor, methinks.
Aside from that, a fun card with all sorts of ridiculous combo potential. It's parent colors both offer mind control options, which is a great way to get new "test subjects."
I got a new hobby and its torturing my pets.
Least they don't die so I can torture them, again, and again till i decide to draw 14 cards off them and kill um....
In flavor terms, I like the idea of her idly sitting at home, tasing her cat so she can remember some spells.
@Dragonmaster - there are very few decks which function well by giving your opponent card advantage. ^^
Personally, I've thrown her into a casual UR deck focused around repeatable removal and card advantage. There are 13 creatures that can directly ping creatures (3 x Nin, 4 x Cunning Sparkmage, 4 x Spitemare, 2 x Niv-Mizzet), 3 Trinket Mages to fetch them the 2 Basilisk Collars (as well as other targets in Elixir of Immortality and Everflowing Chalice), and 4 x Swans of Brynn Argoll to act as a decent 4 mana beater as well as providing great synergy with any of these pingers.
Most importantly, it's fun whilst still being competitive in a casual environment.
Vedalken are NOT native to Mirrodin, Vedalken are NOT native to Ravnica, Vedlaken are known to be native to Alara, but Alaran forms do not have four arms, that is a feature unique to the mutant subrace of Mirrodin. However, Nin's physical features do not resemble Mirran Vedalken (except for the arms). She may represent a fourth, yet unknown population of Vedalken.
---
My point in saying that Vedalken aren't native to Ravnica or Mirrodin is (since neither population resemble the Alaran population), there MUST be an unknown source population somewhere.
And she doesn't have four arms, she is wearing her coat like some sort of foppish dandy, or a Final Fantasy character.
Despite her famed career, Nin does not see herself as a torturer. Nin seeks to awaken a deeper consciousness within her "clients" by exploring their personal limits. She believes every nerve ending is a pathway to self-knowledge.
Tips/Card Recommendations:
-Use cards with both ETB abilities and 'dies' abilities (I'm looking at you, Keiga, the Tide Star).
-If your playgroup doesn't like Niv-Mizzet as a general, throw him in the deck (Cheaper generals are better anyway). Your draws turn into card AND board advantage. Same with Psychosis Crawler.
-Lighthing Greaves is pretty crucial (obviously, it's EDH).
-I have a hard-on for Elixir of Immortality in any blue deck. Using her with ETB creatures and burning them after they're dead leaves you with a full GY. Crack the Elixir, and next turn, dump mana into her ability and possibly net them (and your counterspells, etc) back!
-Remember, she can always nuke herself. If you find her alone for a couple of turns and your hand looking barren, you know what to do. She's a cheap general and easy to replace.
I think this gives a Red's Act of Treachery/take control cards an ending/better use. I steal your creature (Training Ground in place) and kill it off (after attacking you with your creature, drawing the cards myself off your creature. I really think this gives blue control and red control cards the rest of the story. Control 'em, kill 'em, draw cards.
a quick gatherer search shows a total of seven Vedalken that seem to be getting along just fine on Ravnica, native or not. Vigean Graftmage even has an extra set of arms. Nin being on Ravnica is not beyond possibility.
each turn you get to draw massive cards and hopefully kill off one of their creatures.
At any rate, I really love this card. It's funny just how much one more toughness would've done for it, though.
Making creatures blow up into cards is ever so handy.
Nin + Stuffy Doll = Way to draw cards While hurting an opponet.
Nin+ Repercussion = They now lose a creature AND life for cards.
Nin + Cerebral Cortex/Sudden Impact= they take damage for each card they drew.
nin+ Vicious Shadows= same as above
Nin + Niv-Mizet + Indestructable Creature = Draw cards, and do damage to whatever you want for each card.
Nin+ Basalisk Collar= No matter how much damage you do, it dies, plus you gain life.
Me: So what do you do for a living?
Nin: I'm a Pain Artist
Me: ... ok ... what exactly does a "Pain Artist" do?
Nin: (in an alluring voice) Would you like to tap me to find out?
Me: o_O
Basalt Monolith/Power Artifact combo == forced drawing of the opponent's entire library? :D
Too bad she doesn't have a bigger back end so she could experiment on herself.
or Nice is Neat, the Pain Artist if your parents asked what 'NIN' meant when you were buying CD's, and you were really devious. ;D
Oh, you've already built me a deck? Thanks man.
Oh... and good card.
Woah woah woah. In response to that, I'm flashing in Notion Thief.
Hate me yet?
Nin has one of the best card draw: mana spent ratios in the game, and all EDH/Commander decks with blue and red should highly consider her inclusion.