Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator

Planeswalker series
Ashiok (nightmare)
	Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
	Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears

Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator is a Black Nightmare Planeswalker, introduced in 2024 along with the Wilds of Eldraine card set.

A mono black PW, Ashiok nevertheless retains the bonuses to Blue of the first and second of her name, and two of their loyalty abilities are related to the Exile zone, as were Ashiok, Nightmare Muse's abilities.

Other than the Exile and fetching cards, which abilities power up the third, their loyalty abilities are more generic than their predecessors; Wicked Manipulator's second summons tokens, albeit highly dangerous Berserker  tokens with Deathtouch . Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator's third resembles the third of Kaya, Orzhov Usurper, making the opponent lose X life and weakening their creatures by X, where X is the number of cards they have added to the Exile with their first and third.

Manipulator's third represents Webcore's new premise for the mechanics of Loyalty abilities. Because the third relies on the first two to be powered up, goes the reasoning, the third can be at full power even at low levels; only the first two need to be less potent. Consequently, a level 16 Ashiok's A3 is the same as a level 60's.

Ashiok, Nightmare Muse is the first of a small number of playable Planeswalkers in MtGPQ which embody Ashiok at different points in their life.

Abilities

Counting the Black Sheep : Passive ability

When you lose life during your turn: Exile the top card of your library. This card gains the Nightmare Emblem. If that is a Black card — You gain life equal to half that card's mana cost. This effect can trigger only once per turn.

Ability 1 - Pulled from Dreams

Pick 2 of the first 4 cards from your library. Fetch those cards. They gain 7 mana. Exile all the cards not fetched this way. Those cards gain the Nightmare emblem.

Ability 2 - Tangible Fears

Create 6 Black Nightmare Tokens. You may have them gain Imminent Death.

Ability 3 - You’ll Never Sleep Again

Exile the top 10 cards from your library. Those cards gain the Nightmare Emblem. Opposing creatures get -X/-X until the beginning of your next turn. Your opponent loses X life. You gain X life. X is the number of cards with the Nightmare Emblem in your exile.

Black Nightmare

Black Creature - Nightmare [Token, Berserker, Deathtouch]

When this creature deals combat damage to your opponent's Planeswalker: Exile the top card of your library. This card gains the Nightmare Emblem.

When this creature dies or loses a reinforcement: You lose 5 life. 1/1

Story

"Ashiok travels the Multiverse in perpetual search of the perfect embodiment of fear. After tasting nightmares from Mirrans and Phyrexians alike, Ashiok told Elspeth that they had a new purpose, and planeswalked to Eldraine, and keeps observing the minds affected by the Eternal Slumber. What they want with it, is still unknown."

<< Ashiok, Sculptor of Fears' Story

Starting Deck

Card name	Type	Cost	Color	Rarity	Set
The End	Missing card data
Neva, Stalked by Nightmares	Missing card data
Conceited Witch	Missing card data
Not Dead After All	Missing card data
Rat Out	Missing card data
Blightcaster	(6)	6			ORI
Nightsnare		12			ORI
Read the Bones		4			ORI
Reave Soul		3			ORI
Infernal Scarring	(2)	6			ORI

Links

• Release Notes 6.3.0