The WORST Magic: the Gathering Limited Cards of 2023

[@GiganticPawUnit]

Nothing to do with the cards, but that sweater looks really comfortable.

[@buddha6920]

That does look comfy...great now I'm gonna be online shopping for the next 3 hours😅🤣😂

[@gerudo4sale861]

Fun fact: its actually made of recycled magic cards

[@dickhammerbush172]

Just a personal opinion, but for me it looks like getting strangled by a really weak guy.

[@michaelgriffith7033]

I thought the same thing! Plus how cute I thought the snowmen looked.

[@Meekspuffs]

Nizza is stylin’ and profiling into 2024

[@bobfranklin2572]

There's honestly been a lot of subtle changes to mtg the last year or two that i do really quite like. Stun counters are honestly fantastic

[@ouroboros1672]

Ward's been another great addition.

[@Gorrgrim]

I wouldn't say subtle, a lot of huge changes recently

[@breadpower]

finality counters too

[@bobfranklin2572]

@Gorrgrim i meant moreso that the more subtle stuff is sneakily fantastic

[@andreschion2334]

Amusedly, I think Doubling Season was also in Wilds of eldraine, which is just the same as Primal vigor minus the symmetry

[@dualmonkeyx]

Yeah I predicted #1 as soon I saw the video title. I remember drafting that set and being like "Isn't this just the same as that OTHER card I've seen in this set" and then rereading it and being like "OHHHHHH I'm not touching that with a 10ft pole".

[@gakk8658]

Vat of Rebirth is incredible with treasures. ONE didn't have any treasures. RIP Vat of Rebirth. Geth, Thane of Contracts is just shockingly bad in limited. Reverse antheming yourself would be worth it only if you immediately won the game. Otherwise it's one of the biggest downsides printed on a card since the mid 90s.

[@kaiseremotion854]

If it was symmetrical it might be worth it but bleh

[@michaelcollins4534]

​@kaiseremotion854 if it were symmetrical I'd wager it would be one of the strongest cards in the set. Kill all your opponents X/1's and you draft to account for it

[@kaiseremotion854]

@@michaelcollins4534 hmm, I would love to test that sometime tbh

[@deansilvers9088]

Kaervek the Spiteful had that ability and it was decent, combined with the reanimation I suspect it would be a very solid card

[@fleshreaper5933]

I run vat with anvils every once in a while, gets quite fun.

[@namesubjecttochange7781]

I think that Zoyowa's justice was meant to have synergies with the permanents that act like spells (Inverted Iceberg, Tinker's Tote, etc.), but even then just being able to discover 2 or 3 situationally from a 2-drop is really terrible.

[@deansilvers9088]

I saw it on a runaway Boulder and I thought that was cool

[@BostonMoose513]

Happy New Year! Your talk on duress made me think you should do a video with biggest difference between win rate vs. tournament play.

[@fatpad00]

Iirc he did a video on limited traps that was mostly cards that are good in constructed but I think it's been quite a while

[@gyrasolune5436]

also oh my god I didn't realize the funniest part of watcher in the water where 'it puts a stun counter on things, but it doesnt /tap/ them'

[@pedropimenta896]

Font of Powet to mill yourself. Lost Isle Calling to create multiple tentacles for the Kraken card. Then the -1/-1 bro to kill your tentacles.

[@dcnole]

I wonder how much better Seizan would have been if it triggered on end step rather than upkeep. Your opponent would have the option of holding up mana to await their draw 2 and possibly play those cards before you play yours (since you're presumably tapped out from having cast Seizan), but at least you were assured of getting 2 cards to offset the absurd blowout scenario of your opponent killing Seizan immediately after drawing 2. I think that would be have been a much more interesting card. I am sure WOTC Play Design tested that option. It's so obvious. Was it really too overpowered?

[@YourAdHere4]

The card is from OG kamigawa block. that probably answers your question

[@dcnole]

@@YourAdHere4 Oof, yeah, I forgot it was a reprint. And, yes, that does indeed answer the question. With the exception of about 15 cards across 3 sets, that whole block was super powered-down. Well, I wonder if WotC would make a new card for a modern-day set exactly like Seizan but that draws on end-step? I don't think it would be broken.

[@afonsogouveia7930]

Loved the in depth explanation for why the cards performed as poorly as they did. I think something that's always been true but is even more prominent with these new sets that are faster and faster - if the card doesn't impact the board or give card advantage immediately it's a liability in limited.

[@gyrasolune5436]

Isn't Zoyowa's Justice kiiiiiiiiiiiind of a red protection spell if you think about it? I can't help but feel like the 'neatest' use case for it is that, since it's an instant, if you're a creature-heavy red deck you can use it to save a targeted creature by way of replacing it with something of the same mana value. Since you shuffle it into your library too, depending on what you 'saved', if it's like the single highest mana value card in your deck you might straight up just have flickered it. Don't get me wrong it's still obviously flawed - but I DO think it's a /really/ interesting idea for how you do 'red flicker / protection', just with the caveat that there could be some randomness involved. I could see it being sort of a prototype to a class of card we might see a lot more often. (I generally like how they've been doing this recently, experimenting with how different colors accomplish similar tasks.)

[@jackvogel701]

This is a bit of a stretch anyway, but discover doesn’t only hit the same mana value. If this always gave a you a three drop back when you hit a three drop, maybe you’d have a point, but you can hit a two drop when you’re “saving” your two drop so that’s not great

[@Gorrgrim]

a pretty valid point. I don't think most players considered using it on themselves and probably most players don't know how to use this card right

[@banjothulu]

Maybe it'd be good as a sideboard card if your opponent had like 3 Petrifies? Still, a random 2-drop creature would probably be better on average.

[@VolvoxSocks]

Duress was surprising that it was THAT bad (I know it's not great in limited, generally). I was curious to see how it played in Strixhaven, which is pretty much the best limited format for it i could think of, and it's still just average (54.6%) I do wish we got some slower limited formats in the near future. It'd be nice for "do nothing" card to get a chance to do something.

[@davidlundquist1979]

LCI feels pretty slow in general. That is, until you run into the one person who bit the bullet and actually drafted dinosaurs. Once they hit the five or six mana they need to start playing their curve-toppers, things speed up real quick.

[@Cthuski]

In "normal" limited duress is bad but its actually quite good in most powered cubes or any environment where the games arent generally decided by curving out/playing creatures and attacking over several turns

[@FreddyChoppins]

A tried the green/blue scry deck during the LotR set and yeah...it was BAD. Went green/white and never looked back.

[@davidlundquist1979]

Really? W/G Food is the only archetype that might actually be worse. During LotR drafts, I never forced Rakdos Amass, but I always seemed to end up there naturally, and I went undefeated most of the time. Not because I'm that good, but because the red and black cards are that good.

[@FreddyChoppins]

@davidlundquist1979 I didn't do the food route, I think I played relying on counters with stuff like Ozolith, Aragorn, Arwen, Mortal Queen and just counter-focused stuff like Botanical Brawler. A food deck was the first deck I was excited to try and I think it took me like 3 games before it clicked how bad it was 😄

[@oldirtysean00]

Zoyowa’s Justice has blown me out a few times as a 1 time maze of Ith effect. That was fun.

[@lark7311]

Not even kidding a couple days ago someone used Zoyowa's Justice on one of my creatures and I hit the same creature off It lmaooo. Plus it had a etb effect so they basically bounced it xd,

[@krisdaschwab912]

Blinked, not bounced :)

[@Volttikoira]

You had the same #1 pick as me both in 2022 and 2023. In my opinion you have a decent taste in music.

[@jordanb722]

I'm curious if there's extra adverse selection in 17 lands. Do good players pick the bad cards? or are the bad players picking the bad cards on 17 lands and amplifying the loss effects? food for thought.

[@blacklancejeo6625]

I won my limited games with Vat of Rebirth during prerelease, so I was shocked this loses games more often than not

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

I am seriously considering Vat of Rebirth for a Abzan phyrexian deck. Between the altars, the expected board wipes and proliferate getting oil counters should be easy. And it is a recurring effect unlike most reanimation spells. Bringing back big scary toxic creatures after a board wipe certainly sounds fun for me. Edit: Oh, for Limited. That ecplains things.

[@toonvanzijl2351]

Will you be doing any Khans of Tarkir runs? I've enjoyed it up till now. Wouldn't mind watching a run.

[@tylerneumann3460]

While some of these cards fit better in edh seizan works there because you pair it with things that punish drawing cards as for primal vigor its more of a why bother card because we have anointed procession parallel lives and doubling season

[@adambeers8763]

Are you no longer posting your limited content on yt?

[@fatpad00]

"Primal vigor would probably be better if it wasnt symmetrical" Yes. That card is also in the set, lol, its called Doubling season

[@qou2600]

Zoyowa's Justice seems like a combat trick for a go wide deck. Attack with the team, whoever they block shuffle it back in to your deck

[@NizzahonMagic]

How would that ever be good?

[@qou2600]

@@NizzahonMagic I wasn't thinking it would be any good, just that's the best case I could see using it where you could consistently get the effect you were going for. Like a worse Valorous Stance

[@BenCragg1]

I'm not sure how I missed this, but how is Seizan sometimes a three for one?

[@michaelgriffith7033]

Okay, I saw Duress and was surprised. It makes total sense it's not great (or good) in limited. I see it a lot in 60 card standard games.

[@connormackinnon7772]

I played seizan in my first pre-release this year 😂 live and learn haha

[@m2pt5]

Primal Vigor is literally Doubling Season but worse, for the same mana cost. And they were in the same damn set, wtf.

[@makenshao9886]

I love the little guys on the back of this video ☃️

[@cax1175]

Hey Nizzahon, I'm on vacation in Japan. I hope you have a great New Year. I appreciate your content and consistency especially.

[@vahnthemannraseru1810]

I'm really surprised as how these cards are perceived . I thought complete opposites with some of these cards. The facts are good to see though.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

I know Limited is your main wheelhouse and is a bit easier to find empirical data about, but I think it’d be cool to see your take on worst cards of the year in some other formats.

[@matthewutech5970]

The problem is called Edh. Almost every card Nizzahon can point at will have a very non zero numbers of defenders.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

@@matthewutech5970Well, I meant doing it for individual formats. And EDH could just not be included, or he could go and look at how many decks each card is in on EDHREC, like he does for other lists that include EDH.

[@banjothulu]

It'd be very hard to quantify the worst card in a competitive constructed format, as the vast majority of cards are simply not strong enough to even make it into decks. In limited, almost any card is at least playable, and players will sometimes need to dig deep to try to salvage a bad draft or sealed pool.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

@@banjothulu That’s a really good point. Thanks for the insightful response.

[@Valerie-nm1gr]

A while ago he did a video based on the worst cards in Standard at the time, which might scratch the itch of what you're looking for. It's definitely interesting to consider "the worst cards" without having so many slots dedicated to stuff from the 90s made by people who literally had no idea what they were doing.

[@pedropimenta896]

As Foretold doesnt remove Time counters when you cast spells, so Proliferate away!

[@cax1175]

18:00 Who is gonna play mill in a poison counter aggro format. Gross.

[@RibusPQR]

Great cards do something right away. The best cards do multiple things. The worst cards do nothing.

[@paulbbryan]

I love Compulsion. I use it in a fun kitchen table deck that generates infinite mana and I use the Compulsion to find a win condition.

[@NizzahonMagic]

Yep, this list is only about Limited -- and only about Limited this year. In its original printing, it was actually good Limited card!

[@איתןשי]

Couldn't the Watcher be paired with a copy spell like people do with Dark Depths?

[@VolvoxSocks]

There weren't any cards that copied creatures that way in that set. Keep in mind, that like the Dark Depths combo, whatever is copying Watcher needs to already be on the battlefield. Stuff that enters as a copy will also get the stun counters.

[@איתןשי]

​​@@VolvoxSocks could it not work like that in larger formats that do have these options though? I am imagining it as a poor man's alternative to Dark Depths I am not an active MTG player (no money 😢) so I am not up to date with the format other than Nizzahon's videos

[@aphios2]

Really liked this video.

[@flobo23]

Guten Rutsch! As we say in Germany. Feel hugged, best wishes to your rats and keep on your fine work!

[@alaraplatt8104]

ummm nobody told me about canonized in blood... ive been overrating this card this whole time lol

[@SomersBugtopia]

...How?

[@alaraplatt8104]

​@@SomersBugtopiaehh its like the worst luminarch aspirant ever : 3

[@zarator7429]

@@alaraplatt8104 On top of it being more situational than luminarch aspirant (like, a lot), I think some ppl may also have overlooked the fact that, unlike most of the "good" +1/+1 counter engines, like the Aspirant, this one gave (when it gave) you the counter at the end phase, and not on the precombat phase when it would have mattered the most. Maybe if that was the only flaw it would've still been ok, but that certainly didn't help either.

[@nightowl0815]

Vat of rebirth is awesome with PowbO

[@heavyonthemustardplz]

Cool video!

[@XEndlessSteelX]

The Watcher in the Water could have costed 1B and would have been bad regardless

[@WRanger87]

So many “do nothing enchantments” could be fun and playable at 1 mana

[@mrcrowe1848]

i get what you're saying but that's way overboard lol. i'd run it for 1b. if you get a single tentacle out that blocks and stuns the creature that it chumped, that's two turns of holding back a creature and you can continue to do that with card draw mechanics. the card would be silly good for 1b.

[@XEndlessSteelX]

We're talking about limited here. Though "I'd run it" isn't really a great compliment for a Mythic.

[@spirituallyricalmiracle2048]

Really love your vids

[@Sulmor85]

So, the lesson is "Rares and Mythic Rares are often garbage" 😅

[@John_Doe974]

Zoyowa's Justice doesn't even guarantee they get something else, after shuffling the target could be the top spell of appropriate mana value. What a stupid card

[@danielcurren2119]

prismatic omen though works for a five color command deck, when you need your lands fixed to get the right combination

[@Almarvl]

Duress???? That's harsh dude. I know it's not the best discard, but it certainly is NOT the worst, Come On!

[@xxANBUxx]

This is for limited, where most decks are just creaturs

[@vinrael7544]

To be fair, there were plenty of worse cards around, so obviously bad they wasn't played enough that 17lands could provide a winrate for those cards. For me, the worst card of the year was also one of the WOE bonus sheet: Blood Moon.

[@NizzahonMagic]

I said as much in the intro.

[@justinwendt3472]

All will be one is the worst limited set ever lol. Total shit

[@davidlundquist1979]

I see someone never drafted original Ixalan. Consider yourself lucky.

[@elijahlyons8164]

thats true, i want my discard spell to get their bomb in limited.

[@elijahlyons8164]

geth is like lurrus if you pair him with an x/1 with a really relevant etb

[@elijahlyons8164]

that theory is much more reliable in constructed.

[@zackestin1368]

even then youre forced to spend 3 mana and tap him instead of just casting, and it adds an exile clause that lurrus doesnt do.

[@7someone]

I think the worst part of this cards is there ability’s cost to much.

[@tmille171]

These are actually only the ten worst cards people still somehow put in their decks in sufficient quantities to register on 17lands. Far worse cards actually exist that 17lands users wouldn't even try to experiment with.

[@NizzahonMagic]

I said as much in the intro.

[@tmille171]

@@NizzahonMagic Looking at some other numbers could give a better sense of both the cards that haven't reached that bar (because GP has a lower threshold), and also how bad the cards really are when played. GP WR / GNS WR / IWD (negative). For example, Zoyowa's Justice has a hilarious -7.2pp, whereas Canonized in Blood is only -1.9pp, not nearly as noxious a card (merely in a bad color/deck).

[@r4v4g3r]

Day 2 of requesting a name change on “Nizza Notes” 🙏

[@thomassynths]

These are some of the BEST cards released this year. Skill issue dude.

[@NizzahonMagic]

lol

[@elijahlyons8164]

1st

[@ShinjiGetsGrounded]

king