Lesser Null Mantis | Greater Null Mantis

[OdinVanguard]

NAME: Lesser Null Mantis ELEMENT: Darkness COST: 4 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 2|3 TEXT: : Anti-magic - Stop the next spell card cast and gain +1|+1. Absorbs per turn until then. Immune to spells.	NAME: Greater Null Mantis ELEMENT: Darkness COST: 6 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 5|6 TEXT: : Anti-magic - Stop the next spell card cast and gain +1|+1. Absorbs per turn until then. Immune to spells.

ART: OdinVanguard Created using Hexagon, Bryce7, and GIMP IDEA: OdinVanguard NOTES: "Secrets and Misdirection rule the day today" "Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. Focus your energies on thwarting your opponent's schemes today. Repurpose them to your own ends." Anti-magic is a slightly different take on creature protection. It does not outright prevent targeting, but any effect are negated. I.e. if shot with a lightening bolt, it takes no damage. This trait also prevents positive buffs as well. anti-magic DOES NOT stop creature or permanent abilities E.g. an otyugh could chow down on a lesser null mantis without a problem, a red nymph could blast it to bits with rage, eternity could rewind it, etc. Antimagic will persist even if the creature is lobotomized. Similarly, null matrix will completely negate the next spell a player casts. If there is more than one mantis with this ability active, then each mantis will consume a different spell. The ability will last until a spell is cast or the mantis dies / leaves play / is lobotomized. Activating it a second time before it absorbs a spell will have no effect. The mantis will absorb until the anti-magic effect consumes a spell. If you run out of aether, it dies. This creature should be an excellent candidate for a hybrid cost card as well. SERIES:

[ARTHANASIOS]

What about Relic & Null Mantis infinite buff combo? 8)

[Ginyu]

I really like the mechanic, but I see the possibility to abuse it with Dim Shields... even when it costs 2 per turn to absorb 1 spell like Deflag. It's no total protection at all, but very good however.

[Rutarete]

+2 cost for +4/+4? Dang

I like how it can be used to nullify the opponent"s spells

[Treldon]

Great art!

As for the active skill: is it for any spell cast after the skill is activated? By either side?

Also, if I activate the skill in turn n, and then I cast a spell in turn n+5 for example, is it still consumed?

[OdinVanguard]

Great art!

As for the active skill: is it for any spell cast after the skill is activated? By either side?

Also, if I activate the skill in turn n, and then I cast a spell in turn n+5 for example, is it still consumed?

It affects both sides (i.e. it will eat your next spell if you cast one after activating, otherwise it will eat your opponent's next spell if they cast one next instead).

And yes, once activated, the mantis simply waits for the next spell that gets cast, no matter who casts it and no matter how long it has to wait.

What about Relic & Null Mantis infinite buff combo? 8)

I figured that would be an automatic exception... Even so, its not really an infinite buff. The mantis' ability only absorbs 1 spell per activate, so at best you are paying 2 + 1 for +1|+1. Thats pretty inefficient.

+2 cost for +4/+4? Dang

I like how it can be used to nullify the opponent"s spells

Hmm... Remember that upgrade typically counts for +1 effective cost as well...still, I may have over done it a bit
I guess +3|+3 would be better...

[ddevans96]

No reason to exclude Relic - as you said, it's not really efficient, so it may as well be allowed for the quirkiness :3

[ARTHANASIOS]

What about Relic & Null Mantis infinite buff combo? 8)

I figured that would be an automatic exception... Even so, its not really an infinite buff. The mantis' ability only absorbs 1 spell per activate, so at best you are paying 2 + 1 for +1|+1. Thats pretty inefficient.

 It is not inefficient if you play it right. You activate Null Mantis' ability and wait for your opponent to play. After your opponent's turn, if not spell was played, you play your Relic and reactivate Null Mantis' ability for 2 . That way, you have an expensive grower but a grower with both spell immunity (which is almost as good as immortality) and spell controll. Moreover, a single Relic can be used multiple times to buff more than a single Null Mantis.
 Still, I don't think the Relic & Null Mantis combo is very OP and I think it would be nice to have Relic do something useful for once.

[artimies7]

Does Shard of Wisdom / Psion trigger this card's ability? This + Gravity Pull would make for a slight defence against Aether, but it'd be a situational one.

it would be nice to have Relic do something useful for once.

inb4 Relic deck spam

[andretimpa]

Does Shard of Wisdom / Psion trigger this card's ability? This + Gravity Pull would make for a slight defence against Aether, but it'd be a situational one.

it would be nice to have Relic do something useful for once.

inb4 Relic deck spam

If I understood the efect correctly, both using SoW and GP on it would just waste the cards with no effect. But if for some effect (like mutating a GP'd creature) you could get a creature with this ability, then GP would work as usual.

Facing against a psion would not change anything in this case, as GP only redirects physical damage

[Treldon]

Does Shard of Wisdom / Psion trigger this card's ability? This + Gravity Pull would make for a slight defence against Aether, but it'd be a situational one.

If I understood the efect correctly, both using SoW and GP on it would just waste the cards with no effect. But if for some effect (like mutating a GP'd creature) you could get a creature with this ability, then GP would work as usual.

Facing against a psion would not change anything in this case, as GP only redirects physical damage

I believe the question was whether Psion's attack would be nullified by the Mantis or not, since it is spell damage

[Espithel]

The card's ability has been rather specific.

"next spell card"
Psion is a creature card that deals spell damage.


Conversely, SoI/Chimera, being a spell, would also be consumed, yes?

As for the card...
The fact it can counter spells so easily actually disturbs me slightly. I would like it if the consume effect only lasted a turn, so you had to pay upkeep.