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If an ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana instead.

Some abilities produce mana based on the type of mana another permanent or permanents “could produce.” The type of mana a permanent could produce at any time includes any type of mana that an ability of that permanent would produce if the ability were to resolve at that time, taking into account any applicable replacement effects in any possible order. Ignore whether any costs of the ability could or could not be paid. If that permanent wouldn’t produce any mana under these conditions, or no type of mana can be defined this way, there’s no type of mana it could produce.

To “tap [a permanent] for mana” is to activate a mana ability of that permanent that includes the {T} symbol in its activation cost. See rule 605, “Mana Abilities.”

An ability that triggers whenever a permanent “is tapped for mana” or is tapped for mana of a specified type triggers whenever such a mana ability resolves and produces mana or the specified type of mana.

A replacement effect that applies if a permanent “is tapped for mana” or tapped for mana of a specific type and/or amount modifies the mana production event while such an ability is resolving and producing mana or the specified type and/or amount of mana.

If an object’s enters-the-battlefield triggered ability or replacement effect refers to X, and the spell that became that object as it resolved had a value of X chosen for any of its costs, the value of X for that ability is the same as the value of X for that spell, although the value of X for that permanent is 0. This is an exception to rule 107.3i.

The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means “Tap this permanent.” A permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the cost. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. See rule 302.6.

The untap symbol is {Q}. The untap symbol in an activation cost means “Untap this permanent.” A permanent that’s already untapped can’t be untapped again to pay the cost. A creature’s activated ability with the untap symbol in its activation cost can’t be activated unless the creature has been under its controller’s control continuously since their most recent turn began. See rule 302.6.

Nyxathid's two abilities are linked: The second one refers only to the player chosen by the first one. If another creature becomes a copy of Nyxathid (due to Mirrorweave, for example), the second ability won't do anything because a player was never chosen as a result of the first ability. This is true even if a different ability allowed a player to be chosen as that creature entered.

Nyxathid tracks the hand size of the chosen player even if that player ceases to be an opponent of its controller. (This could happen if that player gains control of Nyxathid, for example.)

In a multiplayer game, if the chosen player leaves the game, Nyxathid's second ability simply won't do anything anymore.

If a spell or ability causes the chosen player to draw cards and then discard cards, Nyxathid's power and toughness changes accordingly as that spell or ability is resolving. For example, if the chosen player has five cards in hand and a spell causes that player to draw two cards then discard two cards, Nyxathid will start out as 2/2, then become 1/1, 0/0, and finally 2/2. This is because cards are always drawn one at a time, but multiple cards may be discarded at once. Although Nyxathid momentarily had 0 toughness while that spell was resolving, it isn't put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action because state-based actions aren't checked until the spell has finished resolving.