15 more formats
Confidence:StrongSolidPlausibleTentativeSpeculative
- Legendary Creature — Human Noble VillainB
Copy engine: one card makes a copy of a creature every turn, and the other's enter-the-battlefield effect rewards each copy. Real, repeatable value — the partner can't untap or re-enter the copier, so it never goes infinite.
- Legendary Creature — Human Scientist Villain // Legendary Creature — Goblin Human VillainBRU
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Norman Osborn pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- ArtifactC
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Currency Converter pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Skeleton RogueB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Tinybones, Trinket Thief pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Creature — DinosaurRW
Both cards produce the same kind of effect (shared token subtype).
- 2BBEnchantmentB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Midnight Oil pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Creature — Spirit // Enchantment — AuraU
One-shot copy enabler: a card enters as a copy of another (Phantasmal Image, Body Double, Phyrexian Metamorph), firing the partner's substantive ETB once. Not a repeating chain — fires once on entry — but valuable when the partner's ETB is combo-grade (graveyard reanimator, mana doubler, etc.).
- Creature — Zombie WizardBU
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Lazotep Chancellor pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Human WizardB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and The Raven Man pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- EnchantmentBG
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Insidious Roots pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Vampire WarriorR
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Ivora, Insatiable Heir pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- ArtifactC
Copy engine: one card makes a copy of a creature every turn, and the other's enter-the-battlefield effect rewards each copy. Real, repeatable value — the partner can't untap or re-enter the copier, so it never goes infinite.
- Legendary Creature — Goblin Human VillainB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Green Goblin, Back for More pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- ArtifactR
One-shot copy enabler: a card enters as a copy of another (Phantasmal Image, Body Double, Phyrexian Metamorph), firing the partner's substantive ETB once. Not a repeating chain — fires once on entry — but valuable when the partner's ETB is combo-grade (graveyard reanimator, mana doubler, etc.).
- Artifact Creature — ConstructC
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Containment Construct pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Human Doctor VillainB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Moonstone, Harsh Mistress pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Creature — Human SoldierW
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Valiant Rescuer pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Human WizardR
Copy engine: one card makes a copy of a creature every turn, and the other's enter-the-battlefield effect rewards each copy. Real, repeatable value — the partner can't untap or re-enter the copier, so it never goes infinite.
- Creature — Jackal WarriorR
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Flameblade Adept pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Human WizardBU
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Creature — Human Shapeshifter AssassinBU
One-shot copy enabler: a card enters as a copy of another (Phantasmal Image, Body Double, Phyrexian Metamorph), firing the partner's substantive ETB once. Not a repeating chain — fires once on entry — but valuable when the partner's ETB is combo-grade (graveyard reanimator, mana doubler, etc.).
- Creature — FoxW
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Flourishing Fox pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Creature — DinosaurGR
Both cards produce the same kind of effect (shared token subtype).
- Legendary Creature — Insect VillainB
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Swarm, Being of Bees pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
MTG Arena only
Synergies with cards played only on MTG Arena (including Arena rebalances). They aren't available in paper Magic.
Confidence:StrongSolidPlausibleTentativeSpeculative
- Creature — Human MonkR
Copy engine: one card makes a copy of a creature every turn, and the other's enter-the-battlefield effect rewards each copy. Real, repeatable value — the partner can't untap or re-enter the copier, so it never goes infinite.
- Creature — Human SoldierW
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Benalish Partisan pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Legendary Creature — Djinn NobleU
Nurturing Bristleback has cycling, and Calim, Djinn Emperor pays off whenever a card is cycled — the Astral Slide / Lightning Rift engine shape.
- Artifact Creature — Phyrexian ShapeshifterU
One-shot copy enabler: a card enters as a copy of another (Phantasmal Image, Body Double, Phyrexian Metamorph), firing the partner's substantive ETB once. Not a repeating chain — fires once on entry — but valuable when the partner's ETB is combo-grade (graveyard reanimator, mana doubler, etc.).
- Enchantment Creature — NightmareB
Fear of Ridicule creates token copies, feeding Nurturing Bristleback's ETB or copy payoff.
- Creature — Bat ClericB
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Creature — HumanC
Ominous Traveler bounces a permanent, enabling Nurturing Bristleback's recast / spell-cast trigger.
- EnchantmentG
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Legendary Creature — Human AssassinG
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Creature — InsectG
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Legendary Creature — Human NobleGRW
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Creature — Frog DruidBG
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Legendary Creature — Bird MonkRUW
Xho Cai, Flickering Talon blinks (exiles and returns) a permanent, re-firing Nurturing Bristleback's enter-the-battlefield effect.
- Legendary Creature — Human ClericUW
Niambi, Beloved Protector returns creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, re-firing Nurturing Bristleback's enter-the-battlefield effect.
- Legendary Planeswalker — TeferiUW
A-Teferi, Time Raveler bounces a permanent, enabling Nurturing Bristleback's recast / spell-cast trigger.
- Creature — Elf DruidGRW
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- EnchantmentUW
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Legendary Artifact — SpacecraftW
Candela, Aegis of Adagia bounces a permanent, enabling Nurturing Bristleback's recast / spell-cast trigger.
- Artifact Creature — Equipment PhoenixR
Forgeborn Phoenix returns creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, re-firing Nurturing Bristleback's enter-the-battlefield effect.
- Creature — Human ClericW
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
- Artifact Creature — ConstructB
Forgefire Automaton returns creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, re-firing Nurturing Bristleback's enter-the-battlefield effect.
- Creature — Vampire SoldierB
Legion Reconsecrator returns creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, re-firing Nurturing Bristleback's enter-the-battlefield effect.
- Creature — Dragon // Sorcery — OmenGRU
Stonehide Ancient bounces a permanent, enabling Nurturing Bristleback's recast / spell-cast trigger.
- InstantU
Paths of Tuinvale bounces a permanent, enabling Nurturing Bristleback's recast / spell-cast trigger.
- Creature — Human SoldierW
Both cards trigger when a creature enters the battlefield — they fire together.
Wirewood Guardian5GGCreature — Elf MutantG
Timberland Ancient4GGCreature — TreefolkG
Balamb T-Rexaur4GGCreature — DinosaurG
Slavering Branchsnapper4GGCreature — LizardG
Generous Ent5GCreature — TreefolkG
Crested Herdcaller3GGCreature — DinosaurG
Regisaur Alpha3RGCreature — DinosaurGR
Rocksteady, Crash Courser4GGLegendary Creature — Rhino MutantG
Autarch Mammoth4GGCreature — Elephant MountG
Saber-Tooth Moose-Lion4GGCreature — Elk CatG
Linvala, the Preserver4WWLegendary Creature — AngelW
Elvish Aberration5GCreature — Elf MutantG