Null Champion MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie Warrior
Abilities	Level Up
Released	2010-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Rise of the Eldrazi
Set code	ROE
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	121
Frame	2003
Layout	Leveler
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chris Rahn

Key Takeaways

Null Champion thrives in graveyard-centric decks, bringing versatility and recurring board presence.
Levelling up transforms it from a basic creature to a threatening force, enhancing board state adaptability.
Its demand for specific mana and high levelling cost can pose deck building and in-game challenges.

Text of card

Level up (: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.) LEVEL 1-3 4/2 LEVEL 4+ 7/3 : Regenerate Null Champion.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Null Champion has the potential to be a key player in decks aiming for graveyard strategies. With its recurring ability to enter and leave the battlefield, the Null Champion works seamlessly with card synergies that capitalize on creature cards cycling in and out of the graveyard, thereby maximizing the player’s card utility and maintaining momentum throughout the game.

Resource Acceleration: When you level up Null Champion, it can evolve from a simple 1/1 creature into a significant threat. This scaleable enhancement represents not just a creature on the board but a flexible investment that can adapt to the evolving state of the game, potentially saving mana as further development might not be required immediately.

Instant Speed: Despite the Null Champion not being an instant itself, it benefits from any instant speed interaction in your game. Summon the champion when the coast is clear, or confidently build it up when it’s safe to do so, knowing you can respond with instant speed spells to protect it or remove threats at crucial moments. The inherent threat of instant speed actions in MTG allows Null Champion to be a dynamic part of your strategic play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Null Champion’s level-up ability necessitates the discard of handy cards, often leading to a dilemma of resource management for players who might prefer retaining their hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Null Champion requires an exclusive blend of mana, one black and one generic, which potentially constricts its seamless integration into multicolored or off-theme decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Elevating Null Champion to its pinnacle combat potential involves a substantial mana investment, which is significantly more demanding when compared to other creatures that can be more impactful upon entry.

Reasons to Include Null Champion in Your Collection

Versatility: Null Champion is a flexible inclusion in creature-based decks looking for a robust late-game option. Being able to level up and become a significant threat allows this card to adapt as the game progresses, fitting various board states.

Combo Potential: This card offers synergy with strategies centered around +1/+1 counters and creatures’ power. Its level-up ability can be exploited by effects that untap creatures or otherwise manipulate counters, turning Null Champion into a formidable force within combo-centric decks.

Meta-Relevance: Given its resilience to sorcery-speed removal when not leveled up, Null Champion has relevance in metas with heavy creature removal. As gameplay shifts, its ability to go untargeted can provide a tactical edge, earning its place in your MTG arsenal.

How to beat

Null Champion ranks among those creatures in Magic the Gathering that can slip under the radar until it transforms into a formidable threat. Initially entering the battlefield as a seemingly innocuous 1/1 creature for two mana, its level up ability allows it to become larger with each passing turn. The key to combating a Null Champion is to deal with it swiftly before it reaches a higher level where it starts to dominate the battlefield.

To effectively counter this creature, removal spells are your best friend. Timing is crucial – a simple Shock or Fatal Push in the early game can dispatch Null Champion before your opponent invests more mana into leveling it up. It’s also weak to board wipes like Wrath of God, which can reset its progress regardless of its current level. Additionally, using counter magic when your opponent attempts to cast it can nullify the threat entirely. Remember, letting a Null Champion go unchecked is a mistake that could cost you the game, so handle it early and with decisive action.

Mindful play and strategic use of removal and counters ensures that this potential nuisance remains just a minor footnote in your path to victory.

Cards like Null Champion

Null Champion is a unique creature in MTG, offering a special twist on creature utility and advancement. It’s akin to cards like Figure of Destiny, which also evolves as mana is invested into it over time. However, Null Champion stands out with its regeneration ability, providing resilience that Figure of Destiny lacks. Also, with its level up mechanic, it becomes a powerhouse on the battlefield once fully leveled, unlike Figure of Destiny, which offers different abilities at each stage.

Knight of the Reliquary is another card that rewards players for their long-term investment, growing stronger as more lands find their way into the graveyard, but it doesn’t provide the same level of transformation. Null Champion’s transition from a mere 1/1 creature to a formidable 4/2 threat equipped with regeneration is a distinctive characteristic within MTG’s vast array of creatures. The level up mechanic demands strategic timing and resource allocation, rewarding patient and tactical players.

Considering all the factors, Null Champion’s gradual growth and sustainability on the field make it a notable card for those looking to build a strategy around adaptable and evolving creatures within MTG.

Knight of the Reliquary - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Null Champion MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi, 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 Null Champion and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Null Champion has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Null Champion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2010-06-15	A creature’s level is based on how many level counters it has on it, not how many times its level up ability has been activated or has resolved. If a leveler gets level counters due to some other effect (such as Clockspinning) or loses level counters for some reason (such as Vampire Hexmage), its level is changed accordingly.
2010-06-15	Effects that modify a leveler’s power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Glorious Anthem, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature’s power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness.
2010-06-15	Effects that set a leveler’s power or toughness to a specific value, including the effects from a level symbol’s ability, apply in timestamp order. The timestamp of each level symbol’s ability is the same as the timestamp of the leveler itself, regardless of when the most recent level counter was put on it.
2010-06-15	If another creature becomes a copy of a leveler, all of the leveler’s printed abilities — including those represented by level symbols — are copied. The current characteristics of the leveler, and the number of level counters on it, are not. The abilities, power, and toughness of the copy will be determined based on how many level counters are on the copy.
2010-06-15	The abilities a leveler grants to itself don’t overwrite any other abilities it may have. In particular, they don’t overwrite the creature’s level up ability; it always has that.