The levelers are screwing with my perception of card worth vs. mana cost over time. I keep looking at the final form of the leveler, which is usually pretty impressive, and ignoring how much mana it's going to take to get there over how long. This is a great example of that. For a long time, Null Champion is unimpressive. It's probably not going to do anything for you for a long time. But it can eventually become a 7/3 regenerator, which is ridiculous. I don't really know how to call this one.
Thorn_Shade
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I'm all for it. 3 1/2 stars. Havent played it yet so i shouldent even comment but as a long time casual player i've been waiting for common creatures with rediculous casting costs and good abilities so between guys like this and thngs like hand of emrakul we get some good pauper ammo to boot, keep up the good work R&D... also that person is right, at least its not mindless null :o)
pigknight
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
It's a zombie. I'm sure that's why its 1B instead of just B and the high level cost.
No idea why it has to cost 2. Levelers need to be somewhat relevant at all levels. Sure, it's a 4/2 on turn 3 with minimal mana commitment, but a 1/1 for 2 is weak.
Edit: I take it back. It's still a 4/2 on turn three, and when you're playing limited ROE, that's pretty golden.
WhiteyMcFly
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
This card has saved my ass many times. Fact is, it really shines turn 3. you don't even need to level it up any further most of the time.
Sironos
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
in a black/blue deck with venerated teacher, this guy would be okay.
Azure_Dreamer
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
The opponent will have to block this creature when it reaches the final level. and when he's blocked by a deathtouch creature (like the ever-so-popular Vampire Nighthawk), just regenerate Null Champion. Smother is a different story...
Kurraga
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Level up dudes are so good in limited formats where a lot of the time you have tons of spare mana and nothing to spend it on, it can be a solid creature and then become a nice bomb later on (RoE draft has way too many bombs, though, between the Level dudes the eldrazi and a few others) outside of that it's pretty useless.
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I like it, but Nirkana Cutthroat is usually better. Someone should put this in a zombie deck, though. I bet it would shine.
count_dorku
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This plus proliferate (say, Contagion Clasp) equals "remember that thing about only levelling up in your own turn? Yeah, screw that."
majinara
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(2 votes)
It's only good, if you play it on turn 2 and attack on turn 3. Even then it's just ok, it's not awesome. In any other situation it's bad. A 7/3 regenerator for fifteen mana? A 4/2 for 5 mana? A 1/1 for two mana? It's all horrible. Other reasons why it suck: even once you spent 15 mana on it, an opponent can just lightning bolt it in response to the last activation. Then you wasted 15!!!! mana on a 4/2 dude. That's insane. And to play it often on turn 2 and attack on turn 3, you are forced to put many of these guys in your deck. Which is bad, because you keep drawing them late game, when they suck (because a 1/1 for two mana, a 4/2 for 5 mana or a 7/3 regenerator for 15 mana all suck in the late game). Levelling this guy also prevents you from playing other threats, and it still dies to any bear. 1/5
Mr.Wimples
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I run it in a blue/black aggro proliferate deck along with Armor Thrulls. Get a nice 9/7 regenerator running around by turn 5 can be tough to deal with.
Enemy_Tricolor
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
It and Shattered Angel should make out. Then David Lynch can film closeups.
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Not great, but if for some reason it gets fully leveled, outrageously hard to get rid of and very threatening. Plus, one of the most relevant tribes I know of.
Vastator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Okay, This card deserves at least a 4/5 rating.
This is one of the most effective cards for a mono-black especially when paired with a Lashwrithe. The shock value is stunning.
I managed to get this thing up to a 16/10 in one go - no I'm not fibbing you, yes this is in mono-black deck built to hoard like a proper zombie or vampire deck and to buff up like any self respecting green deck
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
While it takes a mana investment, this is a T3 4/2 haste essentially. Yeah it's a 5-mana 4/2, but that's pretty usable potentially. It's the same power as a Putrid Leech but instead of life it's mana. Use Grim Discovery or volt charge as a kill spell and you'll get to a 7/3 dude somewhat quickly without additional investment.
T1 Training Grounds T2 this guy T3 2 counters + spell pierce T4 2 counters + counterspell
Seems feasible.
MechaKraken
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card CAN be good, and I have won games with it. It will need some help though to be competitive in casual. Run him with Venerated Teacher and Training Grounds. Ghostly Flicker is great to cast on the teacher, speeding the champion up to max power much faster. Lighthouse Chronologist is a great diversion, people will often use their kill spells on that long before they even look at the champion.
If you can, try to fit proliferate cards like Contagion Clasp or Steady Progress in too, to speed up the leveling process even more. Should you get him to max level, he is fantastic and plenty hard to remove (still vulnerable to exile or stuff like Act of Treason, so be careful). Distortion and Mizzium Skin can be great pump cards for him too =)
Comments (20)
Edit:
I take it back. It's still a 4/2 on turn three, and when you're playing limited ROE, that's pretty golden.
In any other situation it's bad. A 7/3 regenerator for fifteen mana? A 4/2 for 5 mana? A 1/1 for two mana? It's all horrible.
Other reasons why it suck: even once you spent 15 mana on it, an opponent can just lightning bolt it in response to the last activation. Then you wasted 15!!!! mana on a 4/2 dude. That's insane. And to play it often on turn 2 and attack on turn 3, you are forced to put many of these guys in your deck. Which is bad, because you keep drawing them late game, when they suck (because a 1/1 for two mana, a 4/2 for 5 mana or a 7/3 regenerator for 15 mana all suck in the late game). Levelling this guy also prevents you from playing other threats, and it still dies to any bear.
1/5
This is one of the most effective cards for a mono-black especially when paired with a Lashwrithe. The shock value is stunning.
I managed to get this thing up to a 16/10 in one go - no I'm not fibbing you, yes this is in mono-black deck built to hoard like a proper zombie or vampire deck and to buff up like any self respecting green deck
T1 Training Grounds
T2 this guy
T3 2 counters + spell pierce
T4 2 counters + counterspell
Seems feasible.
If you can, try to fit proliferate cards like Contagion Clasp or Steady Progress in too, to speed up the leveling process even more. Should you get him to max level, he is fantastic and plenty hard to remove (still vulnerable to exile or stuff like Act of Treason, so be careful). Distortion and Mizzium Skin can be great pump cards for him too =)