Stillness

Base health 2 or less covers most entities played today: 248 of 297 in the nine community lists posted on The Gate. All 40 in the Kagoro Boost list qualify, and 32 of 35 in Miss the Rage. Against a wide, cheap board, Stillness stops nearly every attack on their next turn.

It roots only what is in their Garden when it lands. Entities they play or portal next turn aren’t Rooted, though only Charge entities like Scarlett can attack right away. Their leader isn’t an entity, so a leader holding a weapon still attacks, and Rooted doesn’t stop abilities or Defender.

It is a cheaper Sandcoil Python: 2 IKZ less, rooting by base health 2 or less instead of base attack 3 or less. Python also stops bigger, low-attack entities like Mizuki (3/4) and Trade Guild Cavalry (3/3); Stillness doesn’t.

Lord of the Woods, Kasumigami is the 9-cost version that roots by base cost 6 or less, nearly every entity. Everything Stillness roots has base health 2 or less, so unless a buff lifts it past 5 health, a Silence portaled in the same turn destroys one.

Quicksand destroys entities with 2 health or less for 5 IKZ, nearly the same group, so after a Quicksand, Stillness has little left to root. Stillness is for the turn you need time and a 4/4 on board.

Stillness is Verdant, so Koyama Farm Potter can find it from your top 5. Gate Power 0 makes it a poor Gate body, so play it into your Garden, where the 4/4 can attack next turn.

Its roots turn on the full set’s payoffs too: Hart of the Forest (+1/+1 with two Rooted), Sanzu Courier (Defender), Wandering Herbalist (heal), Blossom of the Valley and Curse of the Grove.