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Understanding Nezumi Prowler's Threat on the Battlefield

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty gave us a slick suite of ninjutsu-based shenanigans, and Nezumi Prowler is a spicy exemplar of that philosophy. For a mere {1}{B}—two mana for a 3/1 artifact creature with the Ninja trick—you’re getting more than a low-cost statline. Its true power lies in the moment it enters the battlefield: it brings a tempo swing by bouncing an unblocked attacker back to your hand and cheating in a surprising threat tapped and attacking. On top of that, the ability that triggers when it lands can hose your opponent’s board plans by granting deathtouch and lifelink to one of your creatures until end of turn. That combination—ninja tricks plus a flexible pseudo-flank—has made it a thorn in the side of many midrange and control shells 🧙‍♂️🔥.

Nezumi Prowler is black-aligned through and through, with a nimble 3/1 body that can threaten quick interaction if left unchecked. The set’s theme emphasizes covert removal and surprise plays, which makes Prowler’s presence feel both deceptive and dangerous. Because it’s an artifact creature, it also interacts nicely with a number of sideboard options that care about artifacts or ninjutsu-adjacent tactics. Understanding the card’s cost and the timing of its ETB (enter-the-battlefield) trigger helps you plan both pre- and post-sideboard lines, especially in metas where unblocked attacks and ninjutsu tricks are common ⚔️.

What to hate in the sideboard

When you’re building a sideboard specifically to disrupt Nezumi Prowler, think in layers: kill it outright, disrupt the ninjutsu you’re worried about, and protect your life totals while pressuring back. The following toolbox categories align with a wide range of MTG archetypes, from modern to legacy. 🧩

• Direct removal and exile — Cards that destroy or exile Nezumi Prowler on sight are the most straightforward answer. Look for well-timed removal such as Go for the Throat, Murderous Rider, or Hero's Downfall. In a pinch, targeted exile options also do the job, especially if you can respond after it ETBs and before it poses a bigger threat. The key is to catch it before it can sneak in untapped trouble behind a lone unblocked attacker 🔎.
• Artifact and global disruption — Since Nezumi Prowler is an artifact creature, artifact hate can slow down or neutralize the engine behind any ninjutsu shenanigans in a deck that relies on other artifacts. Think along the lines of artifact destruction or parity-enforcing approaches that disrupt the broader game plan, not just the Prowler alone 💎.
• Anti-ninjutsu and tempo plays — Some sideboards incorporate tempo-based countermagic or bounce effects that prevent the Prowler from sticking around long enough to threaten a big blow. If your deck has cheap bounce or counter options, you can push back the opp’s midrange plan by repeatedly answering each threat before it becomes a major issue 🎲.
• Mass removal with care — Sweepers that clear the board can be a double-edged sword, since Nezumi Prowler is not immune to board wipes. If your meta tolerates it, a well-timed sweeping effect can reset the board while your opponent tries to get value from ninjutsu shenanigans. Always weigh the risk to your own board state before pulling the trigger 🔥.
• Life-link break and deathtouch control — Since Nezumi Prowler grants deathtouch and lifelink to a creature you control, you may want to include effects that sever lifegain lines or neutralize deathtouch threats. Cards that grant temporary lifelink to your threats or shred a creature with deathtouch can tilt exchanges in your favor ⚔️.

In practice, a pragmatic sideboard plan often looks like a handful of solid removal spells, a couple of artifact-hate pieces, and a few tempo or control tools that help you answer the Prowler without over-committing to a single tactic. The goal is to deny your opponent the tempo advantage of ninjutsu while keeping your life total intact and preserving the flexibility to pivot into your own plan as the game unfolds 🧙‍♂️.

“Ninjutsu is a gateway—Nezumi Prowler invites you to think not just about what’s on the battlefield, but what’s in your hand and how you spend your mana.”

Let’s talk practical numbers and timing. If you’re in a midrange shell with black subset colors, you’ll likely want at least one of each of the above categories in your 75. The trick is to keep your removal cheap enough to cast on tempo turns and save your bigger answers for the late game when the Prowler’s value begins to recede as you stabilize the battlefield. And yes, adding a dash of humor with a well-placed pun about ninjas and night raids helps when you’re neck-deep in a long, grindy match 🧙‍♂️🎨.

Incorporating the Neon Dynasty flavor

Nezumi Prowler belongs to Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty’s motor of cunning plays and artifact synergy. Its unblocked-attack enabler is a classic ninja strategy—hurl in a threat, then surprise with a trick that makes your board disadvantage feel reversible. This is precisely why its presence in a metagame often pushes players toward anti-ninjutsu responses, even in control or disrupt-heavy lists. If you’re building a cache of sideboard options from a deck that wants to race the clock, you’ll want to balance tempo—with a hint of artifact hate—and the ability to answer quickly when the Prowler appears tapping and attacking from nowhere 🔥.

As you tune your sideboard, remember that Nezumi Prowler isn’t a one-card menace. It’s a catalyst for how your opponent approaches combat and how you manage your own attacking and blocking decisions. The card’s color identity (black) and its tricksy ETB effect mean the most reliable approach is to keep your removal sharp, respect the tempo window, and stay nimble with your own sideboard transitions. The game plan—stay a step ahead, keep your life total safe, and pick your moment to strike—and you’ll be ready to meet Nezumi Prowler with confidence 🧙‍♂️💥.

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