Mortality

[Lanidrak]

Does a creature with "ablaze" or "growth" still get to keep increasing its stats after a quintessence has been used on it?
Also, otyughs increase in stats even after quint has been used.
Technically, you have to target the 'immaterial' creature to use its ability, so I think these are additional loopholes.

No, because they are not 'targets'. The ability applies only to the creature itself, ie, the target is self.

Growth abilities continue to work when a creature has been immortalized.

Personally - taking this discussion back to your card idea - I think that a card which removes immortal status from a single creature should be implemented. Think about it.

If a player desperately wants to make a creature of his immortal he has to include Quintessences in his deck and therefore 'slowing' the deck down.

If you are afraid/want to counter an immortal creature, you could include Mortality, therefore both of your decks are 'slowed' down. This way, it will simply be a matter of luck/card shuffle/hands on depending who gets the Immortality/Mortality cards in their hands.

If a player happens to get an early Elite Otyugh with Quintessence, your only defense - well, there is no defense.
1)Your only option would be to get a Lava Destroyer (something with Growth) on the table and then to likewise Quintessence it.
2)Or, alternatively, to carry a few blessings/chaos powers to make your Lava Destroyer have more HP than the Otyugh.
3)Even more desperately, bring out 2 or more creatures in one turn and hope the Otyugh is distracted in removing the first two, giving you time to grow the 3rd beyond the Otyughs hp.

In the second scenario, there are numerous cards which can just as easily reduce the Destroyers HP making him just another meal for the Otyugh. Firebolt, Lightning, Icebolt, Drain Life... to name a few.

The third scenario is entirely dependent on whether you are fighting the AI or a player.

In conclusion, the game desperately needs something to counter Immortality.

@Bobcamel. If immortality is a status which removes the criteria that a creature can be targeted. Surely the game mechanics must check for immortality. If this is the case, surely a spell like Mortality could be made to only target creatures with the Immortality status.

[bobcamel]

I say, let's make it so only Immaterial things can target Immaterial things, and a card or two that makes you Immaterial so you can target them with whatever you want. It could even be Dimensional Shield, it shifts you out of phase and that's what happens to Immaterial creatures as well, so you'd be able to see and touch and slay each other. And then you can use all the direct damage you want. Any sort of Immortality removal so you can target them afterwards as well could be implemented, but I don't feel like this'd be necessary.

Infernal Gate: Permanent (8 Darkness quanta)
Shift (free): Pay up 10 HP to go out of the phase for 1 turn. You're immune to anything material and able to target other immaterials in there. The gate has to recharge for 2 turns afterwards.

[Lanidrak]

Just a quick reply for now, have to go cook dinner soon.

How is your suggestion any more simple than a card that removes Immortality? I nearly choked on my tea when I read what you suggested (no offense). I agree that Immortality is the only way to make 100% sure a creature is 100% safe, hence the immortal part. But a card which removes Immortality, ie Mortality will be the ONLY way to make an Immortal creature 100% mortal. Ie. you can kill it/target it/etc.

[bobcamel]

Who said it is meant to be simple? I do not want just some simple exception card that against all odds can hit something out of this dimension.

Also, I said that the Mortality thing can stay, as long as it is conjoined with this sort of inducing targetablity.