On behalf of all magic users, we bow to you Master.
I look forward to making a deck with you, even if it sucks.
pedrodyl
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Nicol Bolas get out of my head! Leave my brain alone!!
SgtSwaggr
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(8 votes)
So fitting that this is the first multicolored card in a core set. Welcome back!
Xilinoc
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(8 votes)
The one Planeswalker to rule them all.
Actually, scratch that. Sauron would be his minion.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
yay six planeswalkers in one set!
Totema
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I hear so much hype about M13 being the first core set to have multicolored cards, and this guy ends up being the only one. *sigh*
WarioMan
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
This and Gilded Lotus should be AWESOME in a ramp deck. Pulling one out in 4-5 turns is NOT a laughing matter, especially in Standard where a LOT of popular fatties will soon rotate out, making him harder to kill off.
bowlofgumbo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hands down the M13 reprint about which I'm least excited. Great card, but for some reason it didn't feel like an appropriate reprint, even in spite of all the Alara shout-outs the set boasts. Hard to be critical with so many great reprints in m13 though :P
SkyknightXi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So now we have precedent for letting multicolor cards in the core sets. GOOD. Time to start sniffing through the Invasion, Ravnica, and Shards of Alara blocks for candidates for uncommon and rare cycles in M14.
DarthParallax forgot to give credit to voltaire-"when youre evil" for the song for those that didnt know. This card and Worldfire are what i want from M13. Epic in my triple deck.
Cloudchaser.Kestrel
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
DarthParalax XD - that made me laugh so hard. Good job sir!
Bix96
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(10 votes)
I had the honor of playing against this today....and by honor I mean frustration. This may as well say "when bolas comes into play torture your opponent mercilessly until they concede"
5/5 for the pure pain he brings
PinkMage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(31 votes)
Why does this card exist?
- It was clearly not made for standard, the mana cost is absurd. elesh norn literally comes out a turn earlier and liliana of the veil already came out and poped her ultimate on turn 8. Also, last time i checked running 3 colors in standard has never been competitive, even with dual lands standard is too limited of a format to run such an unfocused deck realistically. Sure there are 3 color pod decks and gimmicks but nothing straightforward enough to use Nicol Bolas.
-In other formats the card is still crappy, he is turn 8 in vintage, and because of his type there are no ways to cheat him into play. Jace, the Mind Sculptor blows him out of the water and would be the infinitely even if you decide to run a deck that was r/b/u.
-In casual play, the card is degenerate to use, i understand the effect Wizards was going for, to make your opponent visibly sigh in agony when you play him, and unfortunately the card does this and prevents other casual players from wanting to play with you period. If two people agree to non-tourny style play, cards like this are taboo no-no's.
-That leaves us with one more thing, collecting. People will argue that this was printed for collectors who want to get their hands on an awesome-looking dragon planeswalker that has hypothetically day-dreamy game enders on it. However, By printing this card AGAIN they have effectively shot collectors in the back and reduced his price by $40 making him literally one of the most unsaught-after mythics in the games history.
That leaves us with one conclusion. This card was printed because the people who create and print Magic: the Gathering don't actually play their own game. This card was printed because someone just simply liked the card and wanted to print it again. Possibly it was because it appeals to 13 year old boys who end up spending their money on the game instead of saving for college and live a life doomed with missed opportunity. Perhaps the card was printed because they have to include one bad mythic in each set. Who knows? the fact is that this *** over-rated card worthless 13 year old wet dream mythic card was printed again and it is just as useless as it was last time it was printed only this time even cheaper to buy.
DarthParallax
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(14 votes)
What I like most about M13 is that if you put all the really stupid stuff together, you get Nicol Bolas' Personal "I Hate you so Now You Die" Deck :)
4x Augur of Bolas to find the stuffs.
4x Gem of Becoming and 4x Gilded Lotus to play the rest of the stuffs.
4x Omnisciences to play the stuffs.
4x Diabolic Relevation to get the stuffs.
a Worldfire, a Liliana of the Dark Realms, a flock of Thundermaw Hellkites, and some other stuffs to KILL. THEM. ALL!!!!
I'm not sure how I'm going to follow up my last homage to MAGIC's Ultimate Dark Lord. Wait, that's a lie: >:D
EDIT: C1455 is quite correct. Voltaire is the artist who wrote the following song. However, what C1455 forgot to mention is that Voltaire is clearly a Slave of Bolas, so actually the song belongs to The Dragon. Everything Belongs to The Dragon.
(also it gives me an excuse to autocard to Slave of Bolas :3
When the Devil is too busy
And Death's a bit too much They Call on me by name you see For my special Touch!
To the gentlemen I'm Misfortune To the ladies, I'm Surprise
But Call me by any name
Any Way It's All The Same!
I'm the FLY! in your SOUP! :O
I'm the PEBBLE! in your SHOE! o.O
I'm the PEA! beneath your BED! @.@
I'm a BUMP on every HEAD! X.X
I'm the PEEL on which you SLIP! :O
I'm a PIN! in every HIP! O.o
I'm the THORN! in your SIDE! @.@
Makes you WRIGGLE and WRITHE X.X
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D
This is the LIFE, you see--
GRISELBRAND tips his hat to me!
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!
Your TEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED
While there's Children to make SAD
While there's Candy to be Had
While there's Pockets left to Pick
While there's Granny left to TRIP down the STAIRS
*I'LL* be There, I'll be waitin' round the corner--
It's a Game: I ALWAYS WIN IT! 'Cause there's One born every Minute!
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D
This is the Life, you see
WITHENGAR tips his hat to me!
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!
Your Tears are all the PAY I'll ever Need
I. Pledge. Your Allegiance! To---All my Darkest Plans!
And I Promise on Your Damned SOUL
You'll! Do as You Are Told!
Lord Bolas has not ever seen-
a soldier quite like you!
Not! Only! Hates his job, but Forced to Do It! >:D
I'm the FEAR! That keeps you WICKED!
I'm the SHADOWS! on the WALL!
I'm the MONSTERSthey're BECOMING I'm the NIGHTMARE! in your SKULL!
I'm a DAGGER in your BACK
And Extra Turn Time Walk! upon THE RACK I'm the Quivering of your Breath
A Stabbing pain, a Sudden DEATH >:D
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D >:D
This is the LIFE, you see!
The DEMONS tips their hats to ME! >:D
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!!!
Your TEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED!!!!!!!!!!!
And I'd do it all for FREE Your FEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED! >:D
It gets so Lonely....being EVIL....:/
What I'd do to see a smile....
Even for a little while?
And no-one loves youwhen you're evil...:'(
I'm LYING through my TEETH! >D
Your Tears are all the Company I NEED!!!!!! >:D
(Note: There are 13 Evil Smileys >:D in this Song Tribute to the Forever Serpent, The Emperor of Madara, The Slayer of Kings, The Scourge of the Multiverse, His Omnipotence, His Omniscience, The Last Elder Dragon: Nicol Bolas)
TheWrathofShane
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(5 votes)
@Pinkmage Go back to Wow.
This guy is nasty when he hits the board. 8 Mana is not that hard to get, even in 3 colors. You have to build your deck around doing these things, but still it is a different and fun way to play. There was some nasty Bolas Decks in Alara that was nothing but annoying LD and control until they got their win condition out, this planeswalker. And trust me, he is a win condition....
CammyWhite
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(10 votes)
PinkMage's argument felll apart when he said that this card is taboo in casual
If your casual meta stops being friends with you because you play Nicol Bolas, you don't need new cards, you need new friends.
Bob111634
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(6 votes)
Pinkmage, I have nothing to say to you, you obviously have NO skills at magic or you would understand that a tri-coloured deck is very strong. Darthparallax, kudos to you. ALL HAIL BOLAS!
and either a Dark Ritual or another Kaleidostone to generate the final black mana and you can have him out turn 1. I know it's an absurd combination of cards, but it's fun to dream and hypothesize.
Ombulance
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
@Pinkmage I run him in my standard deck, and I have gotten quite a bit of wins because of him. He hits the field and he just starts screwing up the field to my advantage. So much awesomeness.
Jeikobu
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Pinkmage You say that Wizard's printed this because they don't play their own game, well, do you play this game? Or are you just too bad at Magic to realize how good this card is?
TheAmberSpyglass
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Every deck I've made and ran Nicol has won me more than my aggro-blue and UW control.
Wurmcaller
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(6 votes)
Started playing last year, pulled Bolas last week at prerelease as my first planeswalker. Never managed to get him out as I either had the mana but not him or him and not the mana. Put him into my G/B ramp deck and added a decent amount of fixing to pay his blue and red cost. Pretty excited to try him out, he seems really fun to play.
Edit: I've managed to get him out now on a semi-regular basis. He's absolutely ridiculous once he hits the field, even if I never pull off his -9. Plus, starting at 5 loyalty keeps him from being easily burnt on arrival. Still, I feel like a huge jerk whenever I manage to get him out because he just trounces people.
@PinkMage, you say this card sucks in every way including casual, and yet you bring up Mind Sculptor? I would much rather stare down Bolas than having to deal with Mind Sculptor's carnival of frustration. And why do you berate this one card so terribly? It's like Nicol Bolas killed your parents or something.
Plus, as others have said, part of making this card good is finding the right cards to match it with. Although it looks like an expensive Timmy wet dream, it ends up being a great reward for Johnnies who know how to get it out efficiently.
j_mindfingerpainter
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(11 votes)
Today Gavin Verhey wrote this article about how to win in Standard by using a deck that could take out the other archetypes. Towards the end of it, he wrote: "If only there was an expensive, powerful Planeswalker who fits right into a blue-black-red control deck, dealt with any permanent type, and had an ultimate that should usually win you the game on its own. It would be great if a card like that was in Standard. It would also be cool if that character was some kind of legendary, iconic creature from Magic's storyline who previously had a non-Planeswalker card version of himself..."
And I thought of course, Bolas. Expensive, check. Powerful, triple check. Planeswalker, check. Fits into U/B/R control deck, check. Dealt with any permanent type, (combo of +3 or -2) check. Game-winning ultimate, uh 7 damage? Check. Iconic non-planeswalker. Nicol Bolas. Check.
If your deck is looking to go big, might as well go the biggest and most glorious there is.
I really feel Nicol Bolas is going to make a decent impact this time around (in ravnica standard). He certainly has enough power and there are very reasonable ways such as Gilded Lotus or Liliana 3.0 (hello watery grave/blood crypt) to make sure you have the mana to cast him without dipping in green.
TheWallinator74
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
All Planeswalkers shall kneel before the omnipotent Lord Bolas.
If you would so foolishly choose not to, then your very existence is hereby forfeit, as Lord Bolas has no need for those who would defy his insurmountable might.
Don't forget to play your Prince of Thralls before busting that -9 for a little added insult.
muggtonp
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(6 votes)
Nicol Bolas, Painswalker
swords_to_exile
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(15 votes)
PinkMage: "last time i checked running 3 colors in standard has never been competitive"
Because Jund NEVER won anything, did it?
12fingerJIM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Bought four packs today, this was in the second. Should be fun to see my friends' reactions.
Hermeezey
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you can get 8-multicolored mana for bolas, I can get 6-tri blue mana for volition reins
Lotsofpoopy
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The king of the planeswalkers, Nicol Bolas! This guy is nasty!
rollinsclone
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This could be a deck's only win condition and it could still be viable. I've only lost one game that I got him out in and that was because I was staring down a Blightsteel Colossus AND an Emrakul. And I actually would have won that game had my opponent not top decked an All Is Dust.
8 mana almost feels undercosted with his power. All hail Bolas.
rical
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i got 2 of thesis guys from 2 separate booster packs back to back. its amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VasmanLight
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
That -9 seems to be pretty ... overwhelming .
fullbringer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Chromatic Lantern from RtR will make this playable :)
atemu1234
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's back, and better than ever! @Pinkmage Has anyone ever told you you say "literally" too much?
SirZapdos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just noticed that this card is blue, black and red, and can destroy enchantments. Blue, black and red normally can't destroy enchantments. Lord Bolas laughs at your color pie!
warlord123456789
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
All hail bolas! He is the best planeswalker in my opinion :
ZGMFX13A
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@PinkMage
"3 colors in standard has never been competitive..." you say? I think everybody who plays knows what "JUND" is sir. Oh btw, almost 100% win ratio whenever I land Bolas. Nuff' said.
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
It annoys me that whenever my opponents play him he's a pain in the ass for me. Whenever I play him it's always in an awkward situation where I have to use his -2 to steal a big scary-ass thing that would otherwise destroy me. This is always followed by him getting gutted by some weak little flyer or burn spell. Sigh.
Kaleidostorm
★☆☆☆☆ (1.6/5.0)(4 votes)
If Bolas ever officially dies (highly unlikely), I imagine the Intrepid Hero with a Storm Crow on his shoulder casually reclining against Nicol's forehead with a pipe in his hand and a dejected look on his face. It would be as if he had prematurely reached his final goal in life, and now he realized he'd have to find a new hobby.
DacenOctavio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've had mixed results with this card. Very win-more card whose best application is in an Omniscience deck. I've never really had him survive a full two turns.
TwentyFifthBaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I play him with Wildfire the next turn, practically guaranteeing his survival. A probable board wipe as well as annihilating their lands? Good times. Results may vary.
VirusVescichetta
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've never actually won with him directly. Whenever I drop him my opponent just ends up conceding after I've stripped him of everything he cherishes. There's something downright evil about winning only because your enemy has given up after you've tortured him for three or four turns. The flavour of this card is truly delicious that way. You don't win WITH him, you win BECAUSE of him.
Casey130
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
splashed black in my Izzet deck just for him :)
docstorm
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If this 'walker hits the field, your opponent must deal with it or he likely dies. 5/5
Ferlord
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
His abilities had better have been good! 8 mana, particularly in 3-colours, ISN'T what you'd call "aggressive".
I found that he was the easiest player in the DotP 2013 game, despite being the "end boss"... AND HE PLAYED MOXS. YOU KNOW, THE EXPENSIVE ONES.
All in all, when M13 was in limited play, he was a weird pick. His $6 price-tag and play-ability in standard (or lack of) wasn't what convinced people to play him. No, people would usually first-pick him JUST IN CASE someone's going grixis colours and might be able to get him out.
Without the Grixis love in Alara, this is and will be a difficult card to get out, always. But once you do, oooooh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.
AwkwardInvasion
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So let's see.. +3: Kill anything, except creatures. Lord Bolas will not tolerate other people having nice things. -2: Steal creature. Because while Bolas hates you, He is not wasteful. -9: Screw you. If he hits the table, and you can avoid dying immediately, he helps you get so far ahead it's not even funny. Land, enchantments, artifacts, all go away. Oh you wanted to swing with your Sun Titan? Nope. not to mention his last effect is just devastating in every way. It's pretty much over if you hit someone with it.
Stinga
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
GO AWAY! I WANT MORE THAN ONE BAD GUY!
MizzetBolas5
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My favourite card, absolutely brilliant!
Blackhawk9000
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(7 votes)
Now this is the story all about how My life got {T}, turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the King of a place called al-air
In west Dominaria born and raised In the Multiverse where I spent most of my days Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool And all shooting some good guys outside of the school When a couple of guys, they were up to some good Started making trouble in my neighbourhood I got in one little fight and Madara got scared And said "You're moving with your spark into al-air"
I whistled for a portal and when it came near the Sarkhan Vol said "fresh" and saw a thing like a mirror If anything I could say that this thing was rare But I thought nah, forget it, yo homes to al-air!
I pulled up to a plane about seven or eight And I yelled to Sarkhan "Yo, Vols smell you later!" Looked at my kingdom I was finally there To sit on my throne as the prince of Alar(a)
If you find yourself on the wrong end of Bolas' wrath, just hope you're packing Dreadbore.
Lifegainwithbite
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Damn-good: Read the magic rulings on planeswalkers.
Amazing control card - gets rid of anything you don't like, takes what you want and game-winning ultimate. Expensive but amazing if you can get it out. 4/5.
Smoke_Stack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so good but takes soooo long to get out. I'm glad I own a copy cuz he is fun to play but I doubt I'd ever take him to a Modern night and expect to get him into play.
tokenmage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I didn't know how lucky I was to draw him in my first toolkit but it took me a while to get around making a R/U/B deck, strangely I haven't officially win a game with nicol bolas, so far everybody just quit whenever I play him. overall: annoying ability but you have to work to summon him, and boy does it feel satisfying when you play him 4.9/5
SavageNavajo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I made a deck with him and 3 other planeswalkers. Was in a 3 person game. My friend Played Avacyn Angel Of Hope and I had Bolas in my hand. Mana ready and all. Played him took control of her :) Wreaked Havoc all the time with my Bolas deck :) :)
Dubey
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
There is a reason we call him Nicol Bollocks
RamenAwesome
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I've been trying to build a deck around this guy for awhile now. Its not perfect, but one thing is certain, if you drop this guy and your opponent doesn't have:
Then your opponent weeps. Oh such bitter tears does he weep. I've played him several times thanks to Gilded Lotus and no one I've faced has ever managed to kill him through brute force.
WolfWhoWalks
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run this in my Scion EDH deck, 'cause, you know, he's FREAKING NICOL BOLAS, the baddest-ass dragon of ALL TIME! Also, it's a great card or whatever.
Megadog
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Notably, the only planeswalker who's type is not the first word in his name.
SAUS3
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Karn Liberated didn't quite poop on this guy, but he pretty much did. He can exile any permanent, make players 'discard' to exile, and his ultimate also makes you win. All that, and he costs less, and is completely colourless.
He's definitely not worse than karn though. His abilities are actually quite a bit more powerful. Karn is just more likely to land and do something.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Nicol Bolas does not bother with pointless superlatives, for he is
PLANESWALKER
dsdnova
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
BAMF. End of discussion
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hidden Strings and affordable duel lands make this much much easier to play. All of the sudden he's castable on T6 with no acceleration, and you only need a single B U and R to get him out.
With mana producing artifacts/fixing it becomes even easier.
JarieSuicune
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
So, something I've had trouble finding out:
I play Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. Then I increase his Loyalty Counters to some significant number (I don't care how/ when; just assume he's now got 15 Loyalty Counters). Then I play Mycosynth Lattice; he's now an Artifact. Now I play March of the Machines. Nicol Bolas is now an Artifact Creature Planeswalker, with 15 Loyalty Counters on him, and an 8/8. My opponent uses Chandra Nalaar to deal 10 damage to me, and every creature I control.
What happens to Bolas? Does he take 10 creature damage AND lose 10 Loyalty Counters, then go to the Graveyard as a state-based action? Just take creature damage? Just lose Loyalty?
I built an amazing deck around this guy. So worth it. The mana is based around Sol Rings, Chromatic Lanterns, and Gem of Becoming. I use Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas as early as turn 2 to start grabbing my artifacts. I also run blue, black, and red artifact lands, a couple swamps, islands, and mountains, and two Blood Crypts. I use Augur of Bolas opposite of Tezzy to get spells when I need them. I usually try to net one of my Lim-Dul's Vaults and then sweep through my whole deck for Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. I use Mishra, Artificer Prodigy to double the output, and combo Tezzeret's -2 ability to turn an artifact land in to a 5/5, sac it, draw the five cards that I put to the top with Lim-Dul's Vault. Kinda just keep repeating this process until Bolas drops. Usually right before he hits, I'll clear the field with Damnation, Terminate, and/or Lightning Bolts if needed. Bolas drops, I have a full hand and access to absurd amounts of mana and tutoring through my deck. On more than one occasion, I've dropped Bolas turn 4... My friends have grown to hate this deck already.
Kadaver666
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Mono green mana ramp with this guy as win condition...IT'S SO CRAZY IT MIGHT JUST WORK!!!!!!!
okay maybe not mono green, but prime green elves, a playset of Gem of Becomings, a couple Blood Crypts, Watery Graves and Steam Vents with the rest Forests and you're set. Maybe a Gilded Lotus and some Verdant Havens for additional mana and it's doable.
Haywood
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@JarieSuicune: damaging a planeswalker always removes loyalty counters, regardless of whether it's also a creature. Rule 119.3 states "damage may have one or more of the following results". 119.3c says that planeswalkers lose loyalty and 119.3e says creatures get damage, and if you're both, you get both. So in your example, Bolas takes 10 damage and loses 10 loyalty, and is then destroyed.
flare1122
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolute favorite planeswalker the guy is a dominating force as soon as he hits the field. I run him in my Progenitus EDH deck and one of my favorite instances with this guy was a one on one game I had him and his bestest buddy Karn liberated out turn 5 the guy scooped a couple turns after.
Samfu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I played a casual game with my friend using him. I destroyed his permanents until he had o ly seven permanents and seven cards in his hand ^^ I decided to use his Ultimate, but my friend scooped the instant he saw it. He refuses to play with me ever again.
jonrds
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@megadog
Clearly Nicol Bolas is Japanese
Hunter06
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Did he see any play in this standard?
4/5 Stars
Opeth2010
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I agree with flare1122 that this guy is a dominating force as soon as he hits the battlefield. However, I must also note that having tried to play this guy many, many times, I've always won the game immediately without using any of his abilities that very turn almost every time I've ever resolved him. They call this a 'win more' card, as in "You're already going to win, so why not just win more?" That said, this guy is pretty useless unless you are using a really aggressive ramp strategy or some type of reanimator strategy. Unfortunately, Planeswalker Reanimator wasn't really a deck this past year in Standard. I never needed this guy, even when I got him in sealed. Big time coolness factor though. I really, really, really wanted him to be good, but he's just way too expensive.
Ruaranicus
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Sadly, by making Nicol's planeswalker type 'Bolas', WotC have crushed any chance that his lesser-known cousin, Carl Bolas, may have had of becoming a 'walker. Poor Carl... no doubt that was part of Nicol's scheme all along...
FlingIt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I.
AM.
FKING.
NICOL.
BOLAS.
EidolonDragon
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
The Ten Commandments of Nicol Bolas:
1) All your mana are belong to Bolas. 2) Bolas shall do whatever it is that Bolas desireth to do. 3) Those that fail to recognize the greatest power, Bolas, shall meet the Ultimatum of Cruelty. 4) Thou shalt please Bolas with the destruction of thine foes while Bolas uses you. 5) Thou shalt recruit those annihilated with Bolas into the Church of Bolas. 6) Thou shalt not have what Bolas does not wish for thou to possess. 7) Thou shalt own one or more Icy Manipulators and Analyze them Deeply. 8) The finest pawns have pawns of their own; thou shalt use small effigies of the exalted Bolas to commune messages to thine pawns. 9) Thou hungers for his command, and thou shall polish his Gems of Becoming for a taste of his power. 10)None shall stand against Bolas, for there exists no folly greater.
absreim
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Notable in that this card provides enchantment removal in colors that usually don't have access to it.
Reaginicwolf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this card is seriously broken, all Nicol Bolas abilities are awesomely over powered. the plus 3 ability, destoy artifact, land, or enchantment. minus 2 ability, basically a mind control and by far the most useful in edh (mind control their commander). minus 7 ability, discard hand seven points of damage and sacrifice seven permanents. in a grixis control deck he is awesome glad I own a copy.
lovablejames
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Remember kids, after your opponent has cast the mighty bolas there is a scoop phase allowed quickly after he hits the field.
Mr.Freshness-Timmy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Nobody has mentioned the most obvious play with this guy; you get a 3/3 for free after you cast this with beast within and an opponent in commander!
Reishyn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I Have No Cards And I Must Scoop
JimmyNoobPlayer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Reishyn:
Hate. Let me tell you how much I've come to hate Nicol Bolas. There are 60 wafer-thin cards that fill my deck. If the word 'hate' was printed on each in letters a nanoangstrom tall, that would not be one-billionth of the hate I feel for Nicol Bolas at this micro-instant. Hate. Hate.
syntheticbiology232
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I live to serve the dragon
Takno
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So… Master Bolas lord of all that is is a great card and all that… I just find his first ability a bit out of color… Black removal is almost entirely about creatures, sure it has some land removal but it's mainly creatures and only a few cards that deal with artifacts and nothing that is mono-black that deal with enchantments. Red has artifact and land removal, burns for creatures and yet again no artifact removal. And Blue… Blue's removal is mainly temporary things like bouncing and the like sure we have Rapid Hybridization now but it's one card among all the others. The "non-creature" permanent wording is something I think is mainly in Green's domain… so why strap it on a Grixis Planeswalker? Something along the lines of "destroy target artifact, creature or land" would have been more appropriate in my opinion.
Comments (88)
I look forward to making a deck with you, even if it sucks.
Actually, scratch that. Sauron would be his minion.
This card ALSO means we won't need the kind of reminder text that was on Marsh Goblins, Dark Heart of the Wood (The Dark version only), and Scarwood Goblins.
This may as well say "when bolas comes into play torture your opponent mercilessly until they concede"
5/5 for the pure pain he brings
- It was clearly not made for standard, the mana cost is absurd. elesh norn literally comes out a turn earlier and liliana of the veil already came out and poped her ultimate on turn 8. Also, last time i checked running 3 colors in standard has never been competitive, even with dual lands standard is too limited of a format to run such an unfocused deck realistically. Sure there are 3 color pod decks and gimmicks but nothing straightforward enough to use Nicol Bolas.
-In other formats the card is still crappy, he is turn 8 in vintage, and because of his type there are no ways to cheat him into play. Jace, the Mind Sculptor blows him out of the water and would be the infinitely even if you decide to run a deck that was r/b/u.
-In casual play, the card is degenerate to use, i understand the effect Wizards was going for, to make your opponent visibly sigh in agony when you play him, and unfortunately the card does this and prevents other casual players from wanting to play with you period. If two people agree to non-tourny style play, cards like this are taboo no-no's.
-That leaves us with one more thing, collecting. People will argue that this was printed for collectors who want to get their hands on an awesome-looking dragon planeswalker that has hypothetically day-dreamy game enders on it. However, By printing this card AGAIN they have effectively shot collectors in the back and reduced his price by $40 making him literally one of the most unsaught-after mythics in the games history.
That leaves us with one conclusion. This card was printed because the people who create and print Magic: the Gathering don't actually play their own game. This card was printed because someone just simply liked the card and wanted to print it again. Possibly it was because it appeals to 13 year old boys who end up spending their money on the game instead of saving for college and live a life doomed with missed opportunity. Perhaps the card was printed because they have to include one bad mythic in each set. Who knows? the fact is that this *** over-rated card worthless 13 year old wet dream mythic card was printed again and it is just as useless as it was last time it was printed only this time even cheaper to buy.
4x Augur of Bolas to find the stuffs.
4x Gem of Becoming and 4x Gilded Lotus to play the rest of the stuffs.
4x Omnisciences to play the stuffs.
4x Diabolic Relevation to get the stuffs.
a Worldfire, a Liliana of the Dark Realms, a flock of Thundermaw Hellkites, and some other stuffs to KILL. THEM. ALL!!!!
I'm not sure how I'm going to follow up my last homage to MAGIC's Ultimate Dark Lord. Wait, that's a lie: >:D
EDIT: C1455 is quite correct. Voltaire is the artist who wrote the following song. However, what C1455 forgot to mention is that Voltaire is clearly a Slave of Bolas, so actually the song belongs to The Dragon. Everything Belongs to The Dragon.
(also it gives me an excuse to autocard to Slave of Bolas :3
When the Devil is too busy
And Death's a bit too much
They Call on me by name you see
For my special Touch!
To the gentlemen I'm Misfortune
To the ladies, I'm Surprise
But Call me by any name
Any Way It's All The Same!
I'm the FLY! in your SOUP! :O
I'm the PEBBLE! in your SHOE! o.O
I'm the PEA! beneath your BED! @.@
I'm a BUMP on every HEAD! X.X
I'm the PEEL on which you SLIP! :O
I'm a PIN! in every HIP! O.o
I'm the THORN! in your SIDE! @.@
Makes you WRIGGLE and WRITHE X.X
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D
This is the LIFE, you see--
GRISELBRAND tips his hat to me!
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!
Your TEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED
While there's Children to make SAD
While there's Candy to be Had
While there's Pockets left to Pick
While there's Granny left to TRIP down the STAIRS
*I'LL* be There, I'll be waitin' round the corner--
It's a Game: I ALWAYS WIN IT!
'Cause there's One born every Minute!
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D
This is the Life, you see
WITHENGAR tips his hat to me!
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!
Your Tears are all the PAY I'll ever Need
I. Pledge. Your Allegiance! To---All my Darkest Plans!
And I Promise on Your Damned SOUL
You'll! Do as You Are Told!
Lord Bolas has not ever seen-
a soldier quite like you!
Not! Only! Hates his job, but Forced to Do It! >:D
I'm the FEAR! That keeps you WICKED!
I'm the SHADOWS! on the WALL!
I'm the MONSTERSthey're BECOMING
I'm the NIGHTMARE! in your SKULL!
I'm a DAGGER in your BACK
And Extra Turn Time Walk! upon THE RACK
I'm the Quivering of your Breath
A Stabbing pain, a Sudden DEATH >:D
And it's so EASY when you're EVIL! >:D >:D
This is the LIFE, you see!
The DEMONS tips their hats to ME! >:D
I do it all because I'm EVIL! >:D
And I do it all for FREE!!!
Your TEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED!!!!!!!!!!!
And I'd do it all for FREE
Your FEARS are all the PAY I'll ever NEED! >:D
It gets so Lonely....being EVIL....:/
What I'd do to see a smile....
Even for a little while?
And no-one loves you when you're evil...:'(
I'm LYING through my TEETH! >D
Your Tears are all the Company I NEED!!!!!! >:D
(Note: There are 13 Evil Smileys >:D in this Song Tribute to the Forever Serpent, The Emperor of Madara, The Slayer of Kings, The Scourge of the Multiverse, His Omnipotence, His Omniscience, The Last Elder Dragon: Nicol Bolas)
Go back to Wow.
This guy is nasty when he hits the board. 8 Mana is not that hard to get, even in 3 colors. You have to build your deck around doing these things, but still it is a different and fun way to play. There was some nasty Bolas Decks in Alara that was nothing but annoying LD and control until they got their win condition out, this planeswalker. And trust me, he is a win condition....
If your casual meta stops being friends with you because you play Nicol Bolas, you don't need new cards, you need new friends.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Channel
Kaleidostone
Elvish Spirit Guide
and either a Dark Ritual or another Kaleidostone to generate the final black mana and you can have him out turn 1. I know it's an absurd combination of cards, but it's fun to dream and hypothesize.
I run him in my standard deck, and I have gotten quite a bit of wins because of him.
He hits the field and he just starts screwing up the field to my advantage.
So much awesomeness.
You say that Wizard's printed this because they don't play their own game, well, do you play this game? Or are you just too bad at Magic to realize how good this card is?
Edit: I've managed to get him out now on a semi-regular basis. He's absolutely ridiculous once he hits the field, even if I never pull off his -9. Plus, starting at 5 loyalty keeps him from being easily burnt on arrival. Still, I feel like a huge jerk whenever I manage to get him out because he just trounces people.
@PinkMage, you say this card sucks in every way including casual, and yet you bring up Mind Sculptor? I would much rather stare down Bolas than having to deal with Mind Sculptor's carnival of frustration. And why do you berate this one card so terribly? It's like Nicol Bolas killed your parents or something.
Plus, as others have said, part of making this card good is finding the right cards to match it with. Although it looks like an expensive Timmy wet dream, it ends up being a great reward for Johnnies who know how to get it out efficiently.
And I thought of course, Bolas.
Expensive, check.
Powerful, triple check.
Planeswalker, check.
Fits into U/B/R control deck, check.
Dealt with any permanent type, (combo of +3 or -2) check.
Game-winning ultimate, uh 7 damage? Check.
Iconic non-planeswalker. Nicol Bolas. Check.
And then he says that it's Karn Liberated.
It seems Gavin was major trolling me...
I really feel Nicol Bolas is going to make a decent impact this time around (in ravnica standard). He certainly has enough power and there are very reasonable ways such as Gilded Lotus or Liliana 3.0 (hello watery grave/blood crypt) to make sure you have the mana to cast him without dipping in green.
If you would so foolishly choose not to, then your very existence is hereby forfeit, as Lord Bolas has no need for those who would defy his insurmountable might.
So make like Sarkhan the Mad and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas. Join the legions of Lord Bolas.
Because Jund NEVER won anything, did it?
8 mana almost feels undercosted with his power. All hail Bolas.
@Pinkmage Has anyone ever told you you say "literally" too much?
"3 colors in standard has never been competitive..." you say? I think everybody who plays knows what "JUND" is sir. Oh btw, almost 100% win ratio whenever I land Bolas. Nuff' said.
I found that he was the easiest player in the DotP 2013 game, despite being the "end boss"...
AND HE PLAYED MOXS. YOU KNOW, THE EXPENSIVE ONES.
All in all, when M13 was in limited play, he was a weird pick. His $6 price-tag and play-ability in standard (or lack of) wasn't what convinced people to play him. No, people would usually first-pick him JUST IN CASE someone's going grixis colours and might be able to get him out.
Without the Grixis love in Alara, this is and will be a difficult card to get out, always.
But once you do, oooooh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.
+3: Kill anything, except creatures. Lord Bolas will not tolerate other people having nice things.
-2: Steal creature. Because while Bolas hates you, He is not wasteful.
-9: Screw you.
If he hits the table, and you can avoid dying immediately, he helps you get so far ahead it's not even funny. Land, enchantments, artifacts, all go away.
Oh you wanted to swing with your Sun Titan? Nope.
not to mention his last effect is just devastating in every way. It's pretty much over if you hit someone with it.
My life got {T}, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the King of a place called al-air
In west Dominaria born and raised
In the Multiverse where I spent most of my days
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool
And all shooting some good guys outside of the school
When a couple of guys, they were up to some good
Started making trouble in my neighbourhood
I got in one little fight and Madara got scared
And said "You're moving with your spark into al-air"
I whistled for a portal and when it came near the
Sarkhan Vol said "fresh" and saw a thing like a mirror
If anything I could say that this thing was rare
But I thought nah, forget it, yo homes to al-air!
I pulled up to a plane about seven or eight
And I yelled to Sarkhan "Yo, Vols smell you later!"
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the prince of Alar(a)
Wait for it.... WAIT FOR ITTTT !!!
BLAM !! turn 6 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
If you find yourself on the wrong end of Bolas' wrath, just hope you're packing Dreadbore.
Amazing control card - gets rid of anything you don't like, takes what you want and game-winning ultimate. Expensive but amazing if you can get it out. 4/5.
overall: annoying ability but you have to work to summon him, and boy does it feel satisfying when you play him 4.9/5
a) A counter or really powerful burn
b) A Dreadbore
or
c) A Vampire Hexmage
Then your opponent weeps. Oh such bitter tears does he weep. I've played him several times thanks to Gilded Lotus and no one I've faced has ever managed to kill him through brute force.
He's definitely not worse than karn though. His abilities are actually quite a bit more powerful. Karn is just more likely to land and do something.
PLANESWALKER
With mana producing artifacts/fixing it becomes even easier.
I play Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. Then I increase his Loyalty Counters to some significant number (I don't care how/ when; just assume he's now got 15 Loyalty Counters). Then I play Mycosynth Lattice; he's now an Artifact. Now I play March of the Machines.
Nicol Bolas is now an Artifact Creature Planeswalker, with 15 Loyalty Counters on him, and an 8/8.
My opponent uses Chandra Nalaar to deal 10 damage to me, and every creature I control.
What happens to Bolas? Does he take 10 creature damage AND lose 10 Loyalty Counters, then go to the Graveyard as a state-based action? Just take creature damage? Just lose Loyalty?
Similarly, I want to make him an Equipment this way with Bludgeon Brawl then have a Chandra-turned-Creature (from Karn, Silver Golem, Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, or Toymaker) pick him up to smack my opponents silly from the sheer nonsense of it all.
EDIT:
I built an amazing deck around this guy. So worth it. The mana is based around Sol Rings, Chromatic Lanterns, and Gem of Becoming. I use Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas as early as turn 2 to start grabbing my artifacts. I also run blue, black, and red artifact lands, a couple swamps, islands, and mountains, and two Blood Crypts. I use Augur of Bolas opposite of Tezzy to get spells when I need them. I usually try to net one of my Lim-Dul's Vaults and then sweep through my whole deck for Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. I use Mishra, Artificer Prodigy to double the output, and combo Tezzeret's -2 ability to turn an artifact land in to a 5/5, sac it, draw the five cards that I put to the top with Lim-Dul's Vault. Kinda just keep repeating this process until Bolas drops. Usually right before he hits, I'll clear the field with Damnation, Terminate, and/or Lightning Bolts if needed. Bolas drops, I have a full hand and access to absurd amounts of mana and tutoring through my deck. On more than one occasion, I've dropped Bolas turn 4... My friends have grown to hate this deck already.
okay maybe not mono green, but prime green elves, a playset of Gem of Becomings, a couple Blood Crypts, Watery Graves and Steam Vents with the rest Forests and you're set. Maybe a Gilded Lotus and some Verdant Havens for additional mana and it's doable.
Clearly Nicol Bolas is Japanese
4/5 Stars
AM.
FKING.
NICOL.
BOLAS.
1) All your mana are belong to Bolas.
2) Bolas shall do whatever it is that Bolas desireth to do.
3) Those that fail to recognize the greatest power, Bolas, shall meet the Ultimatum of Cruelty.
4) Thou shalt please Bolas with the destruction of thine foes while Bolas uses you.
5) Thou shalt recruit those annihilated with Bolas into the Church of Bolas.
6) Thou shalt not have what Bolas does not wish for thou to possess.
7) Thou shalt own one or more Icy Manipulators and Analyze them Deeply.
8) The finest pawns have pawns of their own; thou shalt use small effigies of the exalted Bolas to commune messages to thine pawns.
9) Thou hungers for his command, and thou shall polish his Gems of Becoming for a taste of his power.
10)None shall stand against Bolas, for there exists no folly greater.
Hate. Let me tell you how much I've come to hate Nicol Bolas. There are 60 wafer-thin cards that fill my deck. If the word 'hate' was printed on each in letters a nanoangstrom tall, that would not be one-billionth of the hate I feel for Nicol Bolas at this micro-instant. Hate. Hate.
All in all 4.5/5 due to this little thing.