# Athena Turns the Spear — three mana

Built-in imagegen; inspected full card. Correct 1RW glyphs, complete modal rules including 4 damage, preserved art/frame/footer, no flavor.

[Image](A03-athena-turns-the-spear-3mana.png) · [Actual prompt](A03-cost-prompt.txt)

```yaml
id: A03
name: Athena Turns the Spear
mana_cost: '{1}{R}{W}'
colors:
- R
- W
type_line: Instant
rules_text: 'Choose one —

  • Creatures you control gain hexproof and indestructible until your next turn.

  • Athena Turns the Spear deals 4 damage to each attacking or blocking creature.'
power: null
toughness: null
rarity: mythic
replaces: Austere Command
primary_role: answer
signature: true
myth_source: https://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerIliad5.html
myth_connection: 'Iliad 5.846–863: Athena deflects the spear aimed at Diomedes, then
  guides his answering strike. The modal spell offers divine shelter or a counterstroke
  against creatures committed to combat. It adapts a duel into a formation-level intervention,
  without sweeping every opposing army.'
narrative_beat: The chariot becomes the turning point.
design_note: Three-mana instant with two exclusive choices. Protection grants abilities
  to the creatures present on resolution until the caster’s next turn. The second
  mode deals a fixed 4 damage to all attacking or blocking creatures, including friendly
  ones. It cannot clear idle blockers before attackers are declared and does not scale
  with the army. Additional protection from another paid spell can spare friendly
  combatants; this is a two-card interaction, not this card granting both modes.
signature_demo: Choose protection to preserve Athena and an established token formation
  through a destroy sweeper and later targeted removal until your next turn. Alternatively,
  before declaring blockers, deal 4 to an attacking formation of small creatures while
  your noncombatants survive; 6/6 Krakens survive absent other damage. After blockers,
  your own 4/4 tokens also die to the damage mode unless separately protected. This
  remains a major defensive intervention rather than a table-wide offensive clear.
counterplay: The chosen mode is announced on casting. Protection does not stop sacrifice,
  toughness reduction, untargeted exile or bounce, nor damage to players; later creatures
  do not gain the abilities. The damage mode leaves noncombatants and creatures with
  sufficient toughness alive, and protection, indestructible or prevention can save
  combatants. Existing marked damage matters. Neither mode targets. Copying the spell
  preserves its mode; the two modes cannot be combined by a normal copy.
art_brief: Athena catches a descending spear above a chariot, her calm hand stopping
  the impact; a single bright counterstroke across the lower frame, minimal background.
tokens: []
```