Lattice-Blade Mantis MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Insect |
| Released | 2023-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Phyrexia: All Will Be One |
| Set code | ONE |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 173 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Durion |
Text of card
Lattice-Blade Mantis enters the battlefield with two oil counters on it. Whenever Lattice-Blade Mantis attacks, you may remove an oil counter from it. If you do, untap it and it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"Urabrask doesn't think big enough." —Glissa Sunslayer
Cards like Lattice-Blade Mantis
Lattice-Blade Mantis finds its place in the roster of unique creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its abilities echo those of a card like Thrummingbird, which also boasts proliferate. Lattice-Blade Mantis takes an aggressive stance with its combination of proliferation and combat advantage, giving it an edge in certain strategies. Thrummingbird, while maintaining the ability to spread more counters, lacks the immediate board presence that the Mantis can establish upon landing.
Looking over to the likes of Cloudfin Raptor, we notice similarities in the potential to grow stronger. Both cards can evolve to become serious threats, but the Mantis offers the added benefit of not relying on other creatures to scale. Then there’s Viral Drake, another proliferate advocate, yet it situates itself differently by providing infect and flying at a higher mana investment. The Drake serves a more specific role tailored to infect strategies, whereas Lattice-Blade Mantis provides versatility in its support to a wider array of counter-centric decks.
Thus, while each card has a context where it might shine, Lattice-Blade Mantis establishes itself as a valuable asset for players looking to aggressively enhance their creatures and widen their control over the battlefield with every swing.
Cards similar to Lattice-Blade Mantis by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Lattice-Blade Mantis grants an upper hand by potentially equipping your creatures with increased power, creating an opportunity to eliminate opposing creatures while sustaining your board presence.
Resource Acceleration: Its synergy with artifact-related ramp cards accelerates your resource accumulation. Integrating it into decks focused on artifact manipulation can lead to swift and effective mana boosting.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of activating its ability at instant speed allows for strategic depth. Line up your plays with the Lattice-Blade Mantis’s equip ability to catch opponents off-guard and make immediate game-changing moves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Lattice-Blade Mantis requires a player to discard a card, which can be a significant setback, especially when hand size is crucial towards the late game.
Specific Mana Cost: Featuring a mana cost that includes both colorless and green, this card might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks that are not focused on green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at a higher mana cost for its abilities, it can be considered less efficient when compared to other creatures in the same mana range that could provide a more immediate board presence or utility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Lattice-Blade Mantis proves to be a flexible card, easily slipping into multiple deck archetypes. Its adaptability shines in environments where artifact synergies are valued, as well as in decks that are keen on manipulating +1/+1 counters.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability to become an artifact can synergize with various strategies revolving around artifact manipulation. It can feed into combos that trigger off artifact creatures, elevating it beyond a mere creature card to a multi-faceted tool within a deck.
Meta-Relevance: Given that MTG’s metagame fluctuates frequently, including cards that hold up in diverse scenarios is crucial. Lattice-Blade Mantis holds its ground, especially if your playgroup or local meta features decks that can exploit its dual nature as both a creature and an artifact.
How to beat
The Lattice-Blade Mantis presents an intriguing challenge in MTG. With its unique capacity to bolster your artifact synergies, overcoming this card requires strategic disruption. The first step in dismantling its effectiveness is targeting the artifact reliance of your opponent’s deck. Cards that specifically deal with artifacts, such as Abrade or Naturalize, can be crucial in breaking the synergy that Lattice-Blade Mantis aims to establish.
Another angle to consider is to sidestep the direct confrontation and focus on taking control of the battlefield. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Doomskar effectively remove Lattice-Blade Mantis along with other threats your opponent may have developed. It’s also worth contemplating the removal of the enchantments or other permanents that benefit from the Mantis’s lattice counter distribution.
Ultimately, remaining adaptive and aware of your own deck’s strengths in response to cards like Lattice-Blade Mantis is key. Whether through targeted removal, board-wide resets, or even hand disruption tactics to prevent it from being cast, maintaining a versatile strategy is your best bet to triumph over the mechanical menace of the Lattice-Blade Mantis.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lattice-Blade Mantis MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 Lattice-Blade Mantis and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Lattice-Blade Mantis has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lattice-Blade Mantis card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-02-04 | Untapping Lattice-Blade Mantis as its last ability resolves doesn't remove it from combat. |