Nulltread Gargantuan MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Released | 2009-04-30 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Alara Reborn |
| Set code | ARB |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 6 |
| Number | 102 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Anthony Francisco |
Key Takeaways
- Utilize Nulltread Gargantuan’s bounce effect to retrigger creature benefits and advance your board state effectively.
- Maneuver its green-blue specific mana cost strategically within compatible decks for optimized deckbuilding.
- Consider the tempo trade-offs when leveraging Nulltread Gargantuan’s overall cost against its board impact.
Text of card
When Nulltread Gargantuan comes into play, put a creature you control on top of its owner's library.
It crushes all underfoot, yet leaves no trace of its passage—no trampled debris, no flattened souls, not even a hoofprint.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Nulltread Gargantuan enters the battlefield, it offers a unique form of card advantage by allowing you to return a creature you control to your hand. This can be particularly advantageous if that creature has a valuable enter-the-battlefield effect, essentially granting you a reusable resource. It’s a strategic way to maximize the potential of your creature cards.
Resource Acceleration: While Nulltread Gargantuan itself does not directly produce mana or treasure, it facilitates resource acceleration by freeing up your mana. By replaying a creature with a beneficial enter-the-battlefield effect, you’re effectively gaining those advantages without having to invest additional cards from your hand, propelling you forward in terms of board presence and potential plays.
Instant Speed: Although Nulltread Gargantuan is cast at sorcery speed, its impact on the board is immediate and disruptive, akin to the advantages provided by instant speed interactions. By bouncing a creature back to your hand, you can adapt to the ebb and flow of the game, forging opportunities for rapid change on the battlefield at a crucial moment, much like the flexibility offered by instants.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For Nulltread Gargantuan to enter the battlefield, you must return a creature you control to your hand. This can put you at a tempo disadvantage, especially if you’re returning a creature with a beneficial on-field ability or you’re left without any other creatures to play.
Specific Mana Cost: With its green and blue mana cost, Nulltread Gargantuan is restricted to decks that run these colors. This limitation can affect deckbuilding flexibility and may not fit into multicolored decks that lack a consistent mana base for these colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Casting a 5/6 creature for three mana is a solid deal, but considering the returning of a creature to your hand, it comes with an indirect cost. This trade-off may not always be beneficial, especially compared to other creatures in the 3-mana cost range that don’t set you back a creature on the board.
Reasons to Include Nulltread Gargantuan in Your Collection
Versatility: Nulltread Gargantuan offers a unique blend of significant power and utility. Its ability to bounce another creature to its owner’s hand allows players to reuse enter-the-battlefield effects or save key creatures from removal.
Combo Potential: This creature pairs well with cards that benefit from constantly recycling creatures. Its synergy with bounce and flicker mechanics makes it a valuable asset in deck strategies that capitalize on reusing creature abilities.
Meta-Relevance: Given its substantial size for the mana cost, Nulltread Gargantuan can hold its own in a meta that favors larger creatures and midrange playstyles. The tempo advantage it offers could sway the board state in your favor in the right matchups.
How to beat
Nulltread Gargantuan stands out in the creature lineup for its sheer power and tricky casting condition of returning a creature you control to your hand. Facing this card in battle can be intimidating, but there are strategic plays that can turn the tide in your favor. One effective technique is to maintain control over the battlefield by using removal spells when the opponent attempts to capitalize on Nulltread Gargantuan’s enter-the-battlefield effect. This approach limits the benefit they receive from playing the card and can leave them at a tempo loss.
To further counter the presence of Nulltread Gargantuan, leveraging cards with flash that can be played in response to its summoning allows you to keep the battlefield populated while also dealing with the threat immediately. Cards that force sacrifice upon the opponent provide another layer of defense, as they necessitate the Gargantuan’s owner to make difficult choices about which creatures to keep on the field. These tactics ensure that even when facing such a formidable creature, you can still navigate towards victory.
Ultimately, incorporating these methods into your game plan not only disrupts the advantage that Nulltread Gargantuan might present but also enhances your capacity to adapt and maintain control, making it a manageable challenge during your Magic: The Gathering duels.
Cards like Nulltread Gargantuan
Nulltread Gargantuan stands out in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. This powerful card bears resemblance to other heavy hitters, such as Woolly Thoctar, offering substantial stats for a relatively low mana cost. What sets Nulltread Gargantuan apart is its unique enter-the-battlefield ability that requires players to return a creature they control to their hand.
In the landscape of creatures, we also find Roil Elemental that leverages landfalls to gain control of opposing creatures, yet unlike Nulltread Gargantuan, it lacks the immediate board presence and bulk. Another card, Man-o’-War, also allows for a creature bounce, however, it targets any creature and not just ones controlled by the player who cast it. Man-o’-War is smaller in size but provides more targeted control which can be disruptive for opponents.
Delving deeper into card strategy, Nulltread Gargantuan offers a unique combination of aggressive stats with a potential downside, or upside, depending on if you can reuse a valuable enter-the-battlefield effect of your own creature. It exemplifies the careful balance and forethought required in deck construction and play decisions in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Nulltread Gargantuan by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nulltread Gargantuan MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Nulltread Gargantuan and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nulltread Gargantuan has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nulltread Gargantuan card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-05-01 | If you control no other creatures, you’ll have to put Nulltread Gargantuan on top of its owner’s library. |
| 2009-05-01 | Nulltread Gargantuan’s ability doesn’t target the creature you put on top of its owner’s library. You don’t choose one until the ability resolves. No one can respond to the choice. |
