Phantom Nishoba
Creature — Cat Beast Spirit
Trample
This creature enters with seven +1/+1 counters on it.
Whenever this creature deals damage, you gain that much life.
If damage would be dealt to this creature, prevent that damage. Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature.
- CMC
- 7
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GW
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Commander 2017
- Price
- $0.23
- EDHREC rank
- #13549
Phantom Nishoba hits the board as a 7/7 trample lifelink with seven +1/+1 counters acting as a damage shield — effectively a 14-point life swing that eats removal twice before it dies. Seven mana is the cost, and in Commander that's the whole story: Antler Skulkin can recycle its counters, and Nethroi, Apex of Death reanimates it for free since its base power is zero.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Nethroi, Apex of Death
Phantom Nishoba's base power is zero, which means Nethroi, Apex of Death can return it from the graveyard at no additional cost — you get a 7/7 trample lifelink back for free as part of a mutate trigger that's already pulling multiple creatures.
Arahbo, Roar of the World
Phantom Nishoba is a Cat, so Arahbo, Roar of the World's eminence trigger lands on it every combat — stacking a free +3/+3 onto a body that already shrugs off the first seven points of damage makes it one of the hardest threats in the deck to profitably block or burn out.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Phantom Nishoba belongs: the singleton format's slower clock gives it time to matter, and the 40-life total makes its lifelink relevant instead of marginal. It's legal in Legacy and Vintage but sees no meaningful play there — seven mana for a creature that doesn't win the game on the spot simply can't compete with those formats' efficiency bar. Oathbreaker is the one non-Commander 60-card-adjacent format where it's legal, and the same logic applies: it's a solid threat in any shell that can cheat or ramp into it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Antler SkulkinAshnod's AltarPhantom Nishoba
Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite sacrifice triggers
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.23 bulk tier
At $0.23, Phantom Nishoba is deep bulk — zero barrier to acquiring copies. That price reflects casual demand rather than competitive scarcity, and there's no reason to expect it to move.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.