Niblis of Frost
Creature — Spirit
Flying
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Eldritch Moon
- Price
- $0.38
- EDHREC rank
- #7668
Niblis of Frost locks down a creature every time you cast an instant or sorcery, turning a spell-heavy gameplan into a repeatable tap-and-freeze engine. The cost is a four-mana 3/3 with no immediate impact — you need a deck already casting multiple spells per turn to justify the slot, and Zethi, Arcane Blademaster is exactly that deck.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Zethi, Arcane Blademaster
Zethi, Arcane Blademaster repeatedly copies instants from the attack trigger, which means Niblis of Frost generates a tap effect for each copy — turning a single attack step into a board-wide freeze.
Hylda of the Icy Crown
Hylda of the Icy Crown rewards you with tokens and stat buffs every time you tap a creature your opponents control, so Niblis of Frost's tap triggers feed Hylda's payoffs directly, doubling up the value of every spell you cast.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Niblis of Frost earns its slot in spell-slinger builds where casting three or more instants and sorceries in a turn is routine — tap down blockers before combat, tap down threats at instant speed, and watch the board grind to a halt. Outside Commander, it sees essentially no competitive play: Modern and Pioneer have faster, more resilient threats at the same mana cost, and Legacy isn't interested in a four-mana creature that doesn't win the game immediately. Niblis of Frost is a Commander-specific tool, full stop.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.38 bulk tier
At $0.38, Niblis of Frost is bulk — easy to pick up as a throw-in or cheap order filler. Bulk rares with narrow homes rarely climb in price, so don't expect it to move unless a new spell-heavy commander pushes demand.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.