Hey, User! If you do not know who I am, I somehow know who you are via the {{USERNAME}} template! Magic, isn't it? But you're after the purpose of this blog, yes? Allow me to explain. It is June the 2nd in 2017 at the time I've typed those very words (or the 1st, depends on your timezone); and we have roughly 2 weeks and a half until set 2 drops. Now - I think it'd be a good idea to let people into my world. The art of the ninja mushroom. Enter... The Nightcap Dojo.
Overview[]
Nightcap is one of the Plant heroes, with the 
Kabloom and 
Smarty classes. This gives you access to any lane you want thanks to Smarty, and the ability to power up your plants in order to and anything out of your way with your Kabloom cards. Typically thought to only use Rush-Room decks (get it?), Nightcap's entire plant selection is frail and often have low stats overall, at the trade-off being thanks to your superpowers and turn 1 cards, you can flood the board with your mushrooms and other cards quickly to get your pain train on the tracks. Of course - this does not mean he is perfect, but Nightcap is no joke. It's hard to play Nightcap well due to his card selection in set 1 being awfully frail and by base 
being low. Allow me to help... What can you do about this? Easy! Let me tell you.
Superpowers[]
Your superpowers as Nightcap are as follows: More Spore, Storm Front, Whirlwind and your signature Mush-Boom. These superpowers are all situational due to their functions, but when played right; they can turn the tides of the battle given correct and proper usage.
Mush-Boom - Your signature ability does 2 damage to a zombie in a lane (given one is there or is a Gravestone) and then it summons a Poison Mushroom in the lane you used it in. Mush-Boom is best used to remove an injured zombie that is strong, or one you are weakened by the existence of, for example - Chimney Sweep or Gargologist. Don't forget that Poison Mushroom is 1/
, so even if the 2 damage doesn't destroy your zombie target, you can follow it up with another trick should you want to use one. And if it DOES destroy your zombie target, you are most likely able to do 3 damage with it's 
Anti-Hero 2 trait in consideration, thus making it a 3/1 as long as no zombie is in its path.
Storm Front - The key component to your big pushes (turns 1-4 preferably) - Storm Front provides + 1/1 to all of your plants that are still standing in play. This superpower benefits your Team-Up plants as there are 2 plants in one lane, such as Shroom for Two, or if that doesn't take your interest, you can bring inanimate plants with 0 to life to fight for you, but the only examples in Nightcap's classes are Seedling and Electric Blueberry. You CAN stack these boosts with Berry Angry for incredible power early on, especially after you've played Pineclone on your horde of plants. But beware. Storm Front is outright countered by Acid Rain, which Immorticia and Brain Freeze have; but only on the 3 ground lanes by default.
Whirlwind - If your direct damage cannot bring this one zombie down, you have the 1 cost tornado, Whirlwind. This is by far not the best trick Nightcap has, but it can be a lifesaver. Try to destroy all but your preferred Bounce target before you play this trick, and you will get the best value out of it. This can of course clear the way for your Anti-Hero plants, and set up for crucial moments that matter. If there are any zombies like Fireworks Zombie or a legendary zombie like Zombot Plank Walker, hold it off unless you NEED to use Whirlwind to wrestle back control from your zombie opponent - but if it does not work, beware the peril it can put you in with their "When Played" effects.
More Spore - This superpower puts down 2 Button Mushrooms in two random lanes available. On face value, these little mushrooms aren't that strong, and are typically used as shields. Which - yes, you can do that; or you can use Petal-Morphosis or the aforementioned Pineclone to get the most use out of them, on top of doing other things. You can of course get some mushroom synergy from them with Buff-Shroom and Punish-Shroom, but I think the best uses for them are to use Petal-Morphosis on then to not only draw a card, but turn them into something that is ALWAYS more useful than them (unless you get a Seedling or another 1 /1plant).
Advantages and disadvantages[]
Advantages[]
- Nightcap has access to most defensive measures, like the aforementionned Bouncing, Team-up, and even
Freeze decks. - Nightcap has the most Mushrooms in the game, AND the most powerful early game cards in terms of base stats (thanks to Magic Beanstalk, Wild Berry and the Anti-Hero plants.)
- Nightcap has Amphibious cards to cover the water thanks to his Smarty class.
- Nightcap has THREE tribe synergy groups - Mushrooms, Beans, and Berries. He also can use Freeze decks like mentioned before.
- Nightcap has the most deadly board clear method of the entire plant heroes - The Great Zucchini followed by Sour Grapes. If he for some reason does not have the former, Mayflower can supply him with the card he needs, AND MORE (such as Smashing Pumpkin or Squash which he cannot use normally.)
- Rescue Radish can Bounce his "When Played" plants so he can use them as much as he'd like as long as he can keep it up - this can be devastatingly effective with cards like Dandy Lion King and Bean Counter to deal a lot of damage, and then follow up from them.
Disadvantages[]
- Nightcap has a huge weakness to Crazy cards, especially The Chickening which can wipe out his entire attacking force no matter what Nightcap uses if it is used twice (and as long as it doesn't include legendary plants).
- Nightcap is also vulnerable to one specific Hearty trick - Weed Spray - which can wipe out most plants he can play on turn 3 and before it, excluding Wild Berry, Magic Beanstalk, Poison Mushroom and Poison Ivy.
- Nightcap lacks card drawing apart from Petal-Morphosis and the effect of Magic Beanstalk.
Thank you. This is BoltBlizard, going off. The morale of the story is...
Nightcap doesn't only use mushrooms to beat you. He uses many, many secret plant arts.
Set 2 update![]
..It is now the 9th of June in 2017, and it is time for an update. Set 2 is upon us now. The Mushroom has received more from it! Let's take a look at that down below.
More Card draw[]
Nightcap's card drawing has been expanded, and Conjuring is functioning as a plus. Thanks to cards like Planet of the Grapes and Cosmic Mushroom, it is really good to use both of them, preferably the former, on most occasions.
More direct damage[]
Thanks to the likes of Banana Bomb and Banana Launcher, Nightcap has an easier time dealing with turn 1 zombies like Arm Wrestler without using any mushrooms so to speak of. He also has Lava Guava and Astro-Shroom to thank for this.
Stronger early games[]
Thanks to the inclusion of Environments like Mushroom Grotto, flooding the field has never been harder. He can follow this up with a powerful turn 3 Invasive Species, and on the following turn - a Pineclone rush is a good idea. On the next turn, Molekale is recommended, especially if you have Storm Front in your hand - though be mindful the one Puff-Shroom won't be affected by Molekale as it was made by the Mushroom Grotto, most likely after the effect took place.
Speaking of better early games - Nightcap now has more clever inclusions that didn't grace the surface before, like Mars Flytrap to steal the charges from the opponent's Super-Block Meter, and Laser Cattail as a good follow-up to a plant protecting it, like Navy Bean. Thanks to Cool Bean, Nightcap has an easier time against gravestones as he does not need to worry as much with the newly revealed zombies - and can pick them off later.
More lane control[]
Nightcap no longer needs to stick to Snapdragon and Lightning Reed, for now he has Shooting Starfruit and Dark Matter Dragonfruit as his saving graces, and both can tip the tides in favor of the mighty mushroom. Shooting Starfruit is best used as a simple way to get rid of weak zombies in his way, while Dragonfruit banishes the strong, and purges tricks into extinction (essentially).
Bog of Enlightenment can weaken strong land zombies - should they be powered up - so Nightcap can take more hits, and then still turn them back. Pair Pearadise allows our favorite fungus to put on the pressure with more force and overwhelming strength, allowing you to replicate your Sergeant Strongberries even quicker - allowing for a turn 6 Berry Loop combo, kicked off by Berry Blast. This gives Nightcap even more usefulness too, and consider Mars Flytrap's effect to steal charges of the Super-Block Meter before hand.
Nightcap really gained a lot in Galactic Gardens. Those are my views. Adios, plants, zombies and others. Keep growing!
Starter Decks[]
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