Arcane Foundry › Commanders › Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Legendary Planeswalker — Nixilis · {3}{B}{B} · Black commander
+2: Each opponent loses 1 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
−2: Create a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying. You lose 2 life.
−8: You get an emblem with "{1}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: You gain X life and draw X cards, where X is the sacrificed creature's power."
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath can be your commander.
Build an Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath deck →
What Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath actually does
Read off the card by the same engine the Forge and Analyzer use — this is the mechanical classification, not a summary.
- Activated ability+2: Each opponent loses 1 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
- Activated ability−2: Create a 5/5 black Demon creature token with flying. You lose 2 life.
- Activated ability−8: You get an emblem with "{1}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: You gain X life and draw X cards, where X is the sacrificed creature's power."
What an Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath deck wants
The plan the Forge derives for this commander: the roles it fills and how many of each.
- 12× Life loss that is not combat damage — each opponent loses life, repeatably
- 16× Creatures you are happy to sacrifice — a free sac outlet on the commander is worthless with nothing to feed it
- 4× A team pump that actually pumps tokens
- 12× Make creature tokens — a static anthem or a go-wide commander needs a board to be wide
- 5× Actually remove one problem permanent — preventing its damage is not removing it
- 1× Answer a whole board at once
- 9× Find the exact card the plan needs
- 7× Refill your hand
- 2× Keep a permanent you control alive through removal
Best cards for Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Ranked by an engine that reads what each card does — its real cost, its delay and how reliably it works — rather than counting how often other people play it.
Life loss that is not combat damage — each opponent loses life, repeatably
- Zulaport Cutthroat2 mana
- Leechridden Swamp0 mana
- Marionette Apprentice2 mana
- The Meathook Massacre2 mana
- Mirkwood Bats4 mana
- Ayara, First of Locthwain3 mana
- Bastion of Remembrance3 mana
- Bontu's Monument3 mana
Creatures you are happy to sacrifice — a free sac outlet on the commander is worthless with nothing to feed it
- Hangarback Walker0 mana
- Skeleton Crew4 mana
- "Lifetime" Pass Holder1 mana
- Death Tyrant5 mana
- Bastion of Remembrance3 mana
- Infestation Sage1 mana
- Nested Shambler1 mana
- Nurgle's Rot1 mana
A team pump that actually pumps tokens
- Nesting Grounds0 mana
- Zulaport Cutthroat2 mana
- Patchwork Banner3 mana
- Crashing Drawbridge2 mana
- Eldritch Immunity1 mana
- Not Dead After All1 mana
- Ayara, First of Locthwain3 mana
- Bastion of Remembrance3 mana
Make creature tokens — a static anthem or a go-wide commander needs a board to be wide
- Endless Ranks of the Dead4 mana
- Trendy Circus Pirate0 mana
- Myr Battlesphere7 mana
- Andúril, Flame of the West3 mana
- Liliana, the Last Hope3 mana
- Nest of Scarabs3 mana
- Field of the Dead0 mana
- Grave Titan6 mana
Actually remove one problem permanent — preventing its damage is not removing it
- Defile1 mana
- Tragic Slip1 mana
- Infernal Grasp2 mana
- Fatal Push1 mana
- Bitter Triumph2 mana
- Black Sun's Twilight1 mana
- Cut Down1 mana
- Erebos's Intervention1 mana
Answer a whole board at once
- Do or Die2 mana
- Force of Despair3 mana
- Accursed Marauder2 mana
- Bontu's Last Reckoning3 mana
- Innocent Blood1 mana
- Coils of the Medusa2 mana
- Forced March3 mana
- Nature's Ruin3 mana
Find the exact card the plan needs
- Demonic Tutor2 mana
- Diabolic Intent2 mana
- Vampiric Tutor1 mana
- Imperial Seal1 mana
- Insatiable Avarice1 mana
- Diabolic Intent2 mana
- Grim Tutor3 mana
- Liliana Vess // Liliana Vess0 mana
Refill your hand
- Skullclamp1 mana
- Orcish Bowmasters2 mana
- Black Market Connections3 mana
- Braids, Arisen Nightmare3 mana
- Morbid Opportunist3 mana
- Phyrexian Arena3 mana
- The One Ring4 mana
- Kederekt Parasite1 mana
Keep a permanent you control alive through removal
- Cryptothrall4 mana
- Lightning Greaves2 mana
- Swiftfoot Boots2 mana
- Eldrazi Monument5 mana
- Commander's Plate1 mana
- Mithril Coat3 mana
- Akroma's Memorial7 mana
- The Walls of Ba Sing Se8 mana