The next question I'd like to put to our readers is about the technologically advanced world of
Ekkremes. The original pitch and several of the subsequent variations used a mechanic called "Operate" to represent the interaction between people and machines. However, this mechanic comes with some problems: it reverses the usual direction of attachment, it takes creatures out of combat readiness (which is inherently something players won't want to do), and it requires a hefty chunk of text and complexity points. Is there a way Operate can be improved? Should we scrap it and find something different, or find a compelling new angle on the existing mechanic?
How can we mechanically portray human/machine interaction in Ekkremes? If we use Operate, what kind of designs will make it work best? If not, what replaces Operate?
Here's the version of Operate I've been working with, originally proposed by Nich Grayson in the forums. It's still a lot of text, but un-operating is simple, and it works well on big mecha-creatures.
ReplyDeleteTank 4
Artifact Creature
~ can't attack or block unless it's being operated.
Operate 2 (2: Tap an untapped creature you control, you may choose not to untap it during your untap step. It's operating this as long as it's tapped. Operate as a sorcery.)
5/5
Electric Fence {2/R}{2/R}
Artifact
Operate {2/R} ({2/R}: Tap an untapped creature you control, you may choose not to untap it during your untap step. It's operating this as long as it's tapped. Operate as a sorcery.)
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, if ~ is being operated, it deals 1 damage to that creature.
Smooth Operator U
Creature
Artifacts ~ is operating have hexproof
1/1
To me the biggest question with "operate" is how do we keep it from feeling like Mirrodin 3.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I do like one of these mechanics for a color that
wants to be aligned with the artifact "faction".
Pillage: When ~ deals damage to a player target land doesn’t untap during it’s controller’s next untap step. Add one colorless mana to your mana pool at the beginning of the next main phase.
or
Pillage (NUMBER): When ~ deals damage to a player add 2 colorless mana to it's controller's mana pool at the beginning of the next main phase.
My stance is that Operate needs to work with attacking instead of replacing it. In the forums I proposed something like this:
ReplyDeleteOperate—[COST]:Do X for each tapped creature you control.
or this:
Operate—Whenever one or more creatures you control attacks, do X for each tapped creature you control.
One more option:
Operate (Whenever a creature you control becomes tapped, untap ~.)
[COST], T: Do X.
This doesn't feel like the creature is operating the machine at all though.
DeleteTekran Siege Column 3
DeleteArtifact Creature
Whenever ~ attacks, it gets +1/+1 for each other attacking creature.
1/1
Tekran Shield Wall 2
Artifact
Whenever a creature you control attacks, it gets +0/+2 until EOT.
Tekran Assault Wheel 3
Artifact
Whenever three or more creatures you control attack, ~ becomes a 5/3 attacking artifact creature until EOT.
How about just
ReplyDeleteOperator #: Tap # creatures you control, EFFECT. Some examples.
Rusted Sentry 2
Artifact
Operate 1: ~ becomes a 3/3 artifact creature with defender until the end of turn.
Mana factory 2
Artifact
Operate 2: Add 1 mana of any colour to your mana pool.
and an alternative version of Doomsday Battlecruiser from my pitch:
Rare
Doomsday Battlecruiser
7
Artifact Creature - Airship
Flying, Vigilance
Operate X (Tap X untapped creatures you control)
When ~ attacks a player it deals X damage to each creature he or she controls, where X is the number of creatures that operated it this turn.
4/3
For the most part this execution could almost go without keywording, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But in that case we are not be able to use James' 'Smooth Operator' card which would make me sad.
Steamflogger Scarback 1R
ReplyDeleteCreature - Goblin Rigger (U)
Untap ~: Sacrifice ~ at the end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/1
Do you all see where this is going?
Power Infuser 2
Artifact (C)
Assemble 4 (you may tap an untapped creature you control and pay 4 to have that creature put a contraption counter on ~.)
T, remove a contraption counter from ~: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
I would want a special frame to make this slightly less texty - but you get the picture.
Blastwire Cutter 3
Artifact (U)
Assemble 2 (Reminder text)
T, Remove a contraption counter from ~: ~ deals 1 damage to target attacking creature.
Smoldercharger 4
Artifact (R)
Assemble 6 (Reminder text)
T, Remove a contraption counter from ~: Destroy target nonartifact creature.
But but… Steamflogger Scarback doesn't let you use any of these artifacts twice in one turn or for greater effect!
DeleteThe whole assemble/counter thing doesn't seem worth what is almost functionally identical:
N, T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Effect.
What if you didn't lose the counters?
T: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each contraption counter on ~.
Goblin Kite 0
ReplyDeleteArtifact-Equipment (cmn)
1: Equipped creature gets +1/+0 until EOT and gains flying. At the beginning of the next end step, it loses flying and gets -0/-1 until EOT.
Equip 1
Tekran War Machine 3
Artifact-Equipment (unc)
Equipped creature is 5/3, can't be blocked by creatures with defender and must attack each turn if able.
Equip 2
Vedalken Drakesuit 2
Artifact-Equipment (rare)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has flying.
If equipped creature would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy ~.
Equip 2
Armzord 2
Artifact-Megazord Equipment (uncommon)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Whenever equipped creature attacks, each other attacking creature equipped with a Megazord gets +2/+0 until EOT.
Equip 2
Tekran War Machine is a great way to use equipment to portray big vehicles for your creatures to drive.
DeleteSeptic Truck 3
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature loses all abilities and becomes a 2/4 creature with deathtouch.
Equip 2
It's a little weird that in combat, the driver dies and not the machine, but it's not too bad.
I think that you support Operate in two ways:
ReplyDelete1) Provide ways to Operate without limiting the combat phase. The Convoke version of Operate allows for this both mechanically and flavorfully: the machines require either mana or manpower to run, and in a world with limited resources sometimes the mana isn't enough.
Similarly, making token production a big part of the set allows for both combat and Operation in one turn, as well as something for small creatures to do late game.
2) Make Operating fun. Use machines as alternate win conditions: a poison machine, a mill machine, a life gain Felidar Sovereign esque machine. Make winning by Operating viable in limited. Create combos to work towards, big splashy effects that make the lack of combat worth it.
To make this work you'd need ways to interact with Operating creatures.
You can even use the combat phase: a creature can choose to attack or operate. If it chooses to operate, the "defending" player can choose to have a creature he controls fight that creature.
The flavor I feel is ultimately worth solving the problem.
The last poster came really close. The idea to portray is that these machines are really powerful. Then print these effects at either rare or mythic and make them a planeswalker style effect that can only be ticked while being operated. This adds the neat effect that while operating a machine the creature can be attacked and potentially killed like a planeswalker but leaving the machine to be operated by the next creature.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I was pondering was a new symbol that means "tap an untapped creature you control", which can be used as a cost. I'll denote it with the letter K for now. For example:
ReplyDeleteChronoscope (Common)
0
Artifact
K: Look at the top card of target player's library.
Big Treadmill (Uncommon)
2
Artifact
KK, T: add 2 to your mana pool.
Ghost Cannon (Rare)
4
Artifact
KKK, T: ~ deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
The big problem with this as a possibility is that it's another "alternate ways to pay for stuff" mechanic, which I don't like at all as a companion to twobrid.
Heh.
DeleteEven so, K has potential. It's not as innovative as Q, but also completely safe. What kind of icon would we use to represent a creature tapping…
Ok, so here's my pitch:
ReplyDeleteWhat are the most popular tropes about robots?
You've got: giant mecha (gundam, power rangers, voltron), everyday objects coming to life (transformers, anything with a talking computer), and creatures of pure logic (data, terminator)
If we're going for an artifact set, those are the tropes that I think would be interesting to explore.
So how does Magic do that?
Ornithoper Prototype 3
Left Artifact Creature- Component (C)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a Right Component, you may transform and combine them.
2/1
///
Ornothopitic Dreadnaught
Artifact Creature- Omega
Flying
Whenever Ornothopitic Dreadnaught deals damage, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Prototype Gearbox 3
Right Artifact- Component
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a Left Component, you may transform and combine them.
///
t: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool
4/4
Volted Spear 2
Left Artifact- Equipment Component (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a Right Component, you may unattached Volted Spear, transform and combine them.
Equipped creature gains +1/+1 and first strike.
Equip 2
///
Lightning Engine
Artifact Creature- Omega
Double Strike
2: Lightning Engine gains +1/+0 until end of turn.
----------
So the idea is that in the world of Ekkremes, the artificers of the plane use their artifact magic to construct simple machines, but those machines are all potential components of much larger more devastating machines. By using both Innistrads DFC technology and BFM tech, we can create modular parts. You don't need to draft Half A with Half B, any combination of a Left and a Right will form a scary monster with elements of both of the original cards.
All of the backs will have to be creatures, with the right sides having power and toughness (and maybe some abilities) and the left just being boosts, the name and the card type.
Thoughts?
One thing I would also address: There might be a temptation to allow these to combine with colored cards. I'd resist that urge. Getting the critical mass of Rights and Lefts needed is going to be hard enough without having to jump through the hoops of the colorwheel.
DeleteAt least in the first set of the block.
I really like this idea, but it's really parasitic and even if we move past that, there are a few kinks we need to iron out before we know if it's plausible.
Delete1. The right/left delineation needs to be something players will remember about the card without checking. Maybe one half has to be an equipment and the other a plain artifact. Maybe they're equipments that combine when attached to special artifact creatures.
2. What happens when I cytoshape one of these in response to its trigger?
3. The keyword action assemble fits well here, can we make Steamflogger Boss work? I think so. Here's my proposed version:
Screw Turner {3}
Artifact Creature-Contraption Rigger (C)
Whenever a Contraption equipment becomes attached to ~, assemble it.
2/2
/////////////////////////
Turner of Tides
Artifact Creature-Contraption Rigger (C)
5/5
Welding Torch {2}
Artifact-Contraption Equipment (C)
Equipped creature has first strike.
Equip {3}
//////////////////////
Double Strike
Under this model Steamflogger Boss would allow you to flip over another card when one of your riggers got equipped. We'd need some sort of rule allowing you to glomp a lonesome ability side onto a prexisting creature (like an aura entering the battlefield from somewhere besides the stack).
Awesome idea, Duncan. Duel Masters has done almost this exact thing, but this is the first time I can imagine it working for Magic. I agree that getting a left and a right is hard enough that we don't need any other qualifications to be met. I also agree with Jules that "Left" and "Right" aren't worth being supertypes but we can make this work.
DeleteThe left-side always being one type and the other side always being another (where our choices are artifact creature, equipment and plain artifact works. Another option is to handle it all in the subtype. Maybe the left side is a chassis and the right an engine, or the left is an upgrade and the right is a machina. Whatever.
I like Jules idea that these are contraptions to be assembled. I mean, that's what they are. I'm not sure I follow his proposed setup, but here's another possibility:
Legsuit 2
Artifact-Equipment Component
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has haste.
//
Bipedal
Artifact
This creature gets +2/+2 and has haste.
Flywheel 2
Artifact-Component
T: Untap target permanent.
//
Unwinding
Artifact
Vigilance
Whenever this creature attacks for the first time each turn, gain an additional combat phase after this one.
Sentry Zord 4
Artifact Creature-Zord Component
3/3
//
Sentry
Creature-Zord
4/4
Mecha Rigger 2R
Creature-Goblin Rigger
T: Assemble a creature component you control into a contraption or assemble a noncreature component you control into a contraption you control. (To assemble a component, transform it and add it to the left of any existing components in that contraption).
2/2
Why not players assemble a contraption as large as they like?
I agree in principle, but I think the assembly needs to be part of the assembled cards, otherwise it's just plain confusing. Once we're at that point we need creature components which begs the question of why the equipments added text instead of doing the same thing by staying equipments and transforming.
DeleteThat indicates to me that I was wrong. If we want to do this in a way that makes Steamflogger Boss work we need one half to be artifact creatures and the other, non-equipment artifacts. Maybe they should just all be creatures?
Runner Bot 4
Artifact Creature-Contraption Rigger (C)
Haste
Whenever another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, ~ assembles itself or another contraption.
2/2
///////////////////////////////////
+Artifact +Creature-+Contraption +Rigger
+Haste
+2/+2
(the plus notation indicates appending these attributes to the joint card).
There's probably a better way to do the trigger, and maybe we don't even need DFCs at all. The way I'm looking at it you would just stack the assembled creatures so that all of their text boxes and P/T boxes showed and add those together.
@jules
Delete!) I think the left/right or 1/2 distinction is probably something best left to the layout of the cards. Like a more obvious Arrow than the normal Innistrad creatures. I also just chose Left/Right as an easy go to, if you were going for flavor, you could go with Alpha/Beta ->Omega or whatever.
2) Probably the same thing that happens when you cryoshape a DFC card, it becomes a copy of the creature until end of turn. I guess you could have it stop the transformation, but that's a rules detail that probably wouldn't come up often.
3) Flavorfully, sure, some sort of Contraption/Rigger nonsense might work. But these aren't really contraptions, they are huge war machines. Steamflogger Boss is a fine little design puzzle, one that could inspire another aspect of the world. But not these. For one thing, it adds tons of extra hoops to jump through. I mean, it's enough of a struggle to get two of these into play to make one super machine, and the Boss wants two in play? PASS.
@Jay
Yeah, this was inspired by Dual Masters. The problem I see with things like "This creature gets +2/+2 and has haste." is that A) It really breaks the flavor of this being one big card and B) It makes the final P/T harder to see. That's also the issue with allowing players to just keep adding on to these, it really increases the board complexity.
The mechanic is certainly less parasitic if you just allow the parts to glom onto any other artifact or artifact creature. Unfortunately, what it doesn't allow is for both parts to be exciting. Transform and combine works more like a Thran Golem, the creature gets a boost from the add on, but is also becomes more powerful itself.
Armored Stagecoach 4
Artifact Creature- Beta (C)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control an Alpha, you may transform and combine them.
1/5
///
Artifact Creature- Omega
4/20
I never thought of Ekkremes as a Mech setting. But transforming two cards into one big creature would definitely sell that idea. I have no idea how to create modular left and right art for them though. It would be great if you could really dynamically merge the two cards, but that can't work in a card game format. Also, DFC have to have the Sun and Moon symbols, (don't they?) so how do we flavorfully express them with this? I most like the Transformers model where these are all creatures, especially for commons, since we don't have to many different ways to put Tap effects on commons. And equipment seem to present a better alternative to transforming, so they should be downplayed. Here's my take on the ability, as Duncan expressed it:
DeleteJetfire Chimera
4
Artifact creature - Chimera
2/2
Flying
Left Component - At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a Right Component, you may transform it and NAME, then combine them.
///
Jetscream
Artifact Creature - Chimera
Flying, trample
Irontread Chimera
5
Artifact Creature - Chimera
5/5
Right Component - At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a Left Component, you may transform it and NAME, then combine them.
NAME can't block.
///
Treadfoot
5/5
Making the transform effect free and optional is the most exciting part for me. Getting one of each type on the board is enough of a hurdle, I don't see any reason to add more. Plus, once they're combined there's no going back. That's barrier enough, in my mind. I'd like to playtest this mechanic with about 5 left component and 5 right components.
I've been toying with a technologically advanced world for a little while. My keyword was Unaligned. I know the idea isn't brand new, but it creates a faux sixth color. Here's a few of them.
ReplyDeletehttp://madolaf.blogspot.com/search/label/Unaligned
It's absolutely worth considering specifically-colorless mana costs (ala unaligned and Jon Louck's GDS2 darkness set) next to sunburst or twobrid.
DeleteUnaligned mana obviously anti-combos with sunburst, so if they were in the same set it would be to define two different factions and they would never appear on the same card. (Technically, you could use unaligned mana to add to the overall cost of a sunburst card without allowing the maximum effect of that card to rise, but that'd be poor design.) These cards would have no synergy (unlike sunburst and twobird) and would force two very different kinds of decks, with nothing in between.
While that stark contrast will highlight the conflict between these two factions very well, I suspect it would lead to the bipolar infect vs metalcraft gameplay that so many people hated about Scars.
What about unaligned and twobrid? Both use non-standard mana symbols, so already I feel like they're fighting for visual identity in the top-right of our cards. If you put both on the same card—! 2/R, for example—We're asking the player to pay either !R or !2 (I'm using '!' to identify the strictly colorless mana symbol). So we're actively rewarding the player for having both colorless mana and red mana and punishing them for not having colorless mana.
I wouldn't say that's a non-starter, but it's certainly no slam-dunk. Next up, we should consider the inevitable 2/!. I'm not sure how that'll look, but it's at least an interesting concept. You can pay two of any combination of colors or you can pay one strictly colorless-mana. That actually feels pretty neat. You can cast this spell without !, it just costs you one more. I think there's potential there, provided this symbol makes visual sense.
Soulless Dwarf 2/! R
Artifact Creature-Dwarf
!, T: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/2
As interesting as that is, I'm not sure you could get away with 2/! in the first set of a block. You might have to start with just ! in the first set, then introduce 2/! in set two or three.
Finally, let's consider the possibility that unaligned and twobrid coexist in the set, but never on the same card. Twobrid tells the player you'll get this card cheaper if you have the right color, but you can play it any deck. Unaligned tells the player you must acquire a colorless mana source to cast this card / use this ability. Those colorless sources don't help you optimize your twobrid cards, and the colors you're running to optimize those don't make you more likely to cast your unaligned cards.
So the mechanics exist in contrast with each other. But, you can use R to cast a 2! card and you can use ! to cast a 2/R card so you can put twobrid cards and unaligned cards in the same deck. They won't synergize, but they're not mutually exclusive either. We could use these mechanics to define our two factions without preventing players from mixing and matching (though again, doing so will be suboptimal).
One more thought on !. One of the prolems with Jon's set was how unappealing cards that required ! to cast at all were. 2/! solves that, but another option is to keep ! out of the mana cost of spells entirely, and use it only in optional costs like activated abilities, and kicker-type effects (including but not limited to multikicker, entwine, buyback, flashback, evoke, split cards).
If you'd like a Contraption/Riggers mechanic:
ReplyDeleteAssemble (Whenever this creature becomes tapped, put an Artifact Contraption token onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Put a charge counter on target artifact.")
So:
Atog Machinist R
Creature- Atog Rigger (C)
Assemble
Sacrifice an Artifact: Atog Machinist gains +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
Contraptions don't do anything on their own, but they can add a bit of a charge to anything.
The reason I proposed the tie in with your DFC mechanic, but would never propose it for something like this is that Assemble has to mean something, just like transform does. I doubt that we'll ever find something that feels more like assembly than actually combining your cards (barring actually building 3D models in game or something really out there). This mechanic doesn't NEED to be assembly, but it's the best shot we'll have at it for a long, long time.
DeleteThe problem is that it doesn't work with Steamflogger Boss, which is the entire reason you'd want to use assemble in the first place. I can't think of a good, clean way to get this mechanic to work. Neither your nor Jay's mechanics really work when doubling. And Steamflogger says they HAVE to double. So instead of enabling the mechanic, the boss makes it significantly harder to use. Plus, if you have to outsource the ability to Riggers, then assembling a contraption takes even more pieces to get started.
DeleteYou are right that assemble needs to be a keyworded action like Transform. But it could also be a keyworded action like detain, populate, or proliferate. So really my sample card should look like:
Atog Machinist R
Creature- Atog Rigger (C)
Whenever Atog machinist attacks, assemble a contraption. (Put a colorless Artifact Contraption token onto the battlefield that has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add a charge counter to target artifact".)
Sacrifice an Artifact: Atog Machinist gains +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
Assemble is the perfect word for "put an artifact token onto the battlefield". We've never had non-creature tokens, so it's an interesting area of explore. And it has the added advantage of actually working with the Boss.
I'd rather do something awesome than reprint Steamflogger Boss. I'd even be happy to define Assemble in a way that is completely incompatible with Steamflogger Boss if the result is really fun and different, which I think we could have here.
DeleteI think a successful implementation of Contraptions would make Ekkremes exciting. Operate's excitement level pales in comparison. Here's a mechanic I've come up with, along the lines of Operate:
ReplyDeleteJolt Barrel (Common)
0
Artifact - Contraption
Assemble 4 (Any number of creatures with total power 4 or greater can tap to assemble this card. It enters the battlefield disassembled and can’t attack, block, or have its abilities activated unless its assembled.)
T: Tap target creature. Disassemble Jolt Barrel.
The reminder text pushes five lines. So what the cards do are restricted. However, I think there's still a lot of opportunity with the ability, since it lets you trade tempo (in this case using a creature to attack or block) for mana.
Brass Whelp (Uncommon)
2
Artifact Creature - Contraption Hound
5/3
Assemble 5 (Any number of creatures with total power 5 or greater can tap to assemble this card. It enters the battlefield disassembled and can’t attack, block, or have its abilities activated unless its assembled.)
If Brass Whelp would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and disassemble it.
Btw, this keyword works with Steamflogger Boss. It even explains why the Riggers are granted a power boost and haste. My intention for the doubling effect is that Riggers can participate in paying to assemble two contraptions at a time. But that other creatures might be needed to hit their Assemble requirements.
This versions isn't as awesome as assembling 2+ cards into one, but if that version proves too crazy, I could definitely get behind this one. Artifacts that fall apart instead of disintegrating and can be rebuilt isn't revolutionary, but it is very neat.
DeleteHere's my long form answer to Hav's initial questions:
DeleteThe unique thing about Ekkremes's artifacts is that they're creations of mechanics, tinkerers, and artificers. They are not autonomous living things like artifacts of Esper or Mirrodin. The Steampunk theme is great and must play differently than previous artifact-sets.
An Operate-style mechanic does a lot of work showing that these artifacts are tools of the plane's denizens.
I prefer Assemble to Operate because it gets around the attachment issue. You tap the creatures to assemble and that's it. There's no need to track who's operating what. It's not perfect though. It's still wordy and complex. But, it's wordiness seems much more flavor driven then anything I could come up with for Operate. So the complexity is mitigated because it's makes flavor sense. It still taps the creatures which keeps them from combat, but I think any form of operate or assemble actions should have this tension. We just need to make sure that the reward for setting creatures aside to operate/assemble is worth it. James's Power Plant///Robot Factory, and George's Serum Fountain///Power Coils///Gorilla Press were big misses for me, because they both reward you with resources you've already spent to get them. If you think of creatures as the mana sources used to pay for these operate/assemble effects, the reward can't be mana or small tokens. On the other hand, Brass Whelp gives you a big dude for the one turn cost of tapping some dudes. And if he dies, you can reassemble him later. I think the payoff is much more attractive.
Operate can be improved by making the cost worth the effect. Instead of paying mana, you are commiting creatures. That's a huge deal. Those creatures are unable to attack for you, or block, but can still get hit by removal. Thinking about creatures as another resource outside of combat is a huge shift in gameplay, and I find it pretty exciting. personally, I prefer an version that doesn't use counters or flip over, or merge cards together. And I prefer Contraptions with assemble to Machina with operate. But wither way, the challenges and rewards remain the same.
Steamflogger Boss' important line of text: If a Rigger you control would assemble a Contraption, it assembles two Contraptions instead.
ReplyDeleteI propose Assemble as a Morph/DFC variant.
The front side of all contraptions will be the same:
Contraption - 2
Artifact - Contraption
Tap an untapped creature you control to begin assembly of this Contraption. (A creature may assemble only one Contraption at once.)
The back reads thusly:
Assemble - Cost. You may transform ~ at any time for its Assemble cost. Each creature assembling ~ reduces its assemble cost by 1.
Contraption - 2
DeleteArtifact - Contraption
Tap an untapped creature you control to begin assembly of this Contraption. (A creature may assemble only one Contraption at once.)
/////
Stasis Field
Artifact - Contraption
Assemble - 4. You may transform ~ at any time for its Assemble cost. Each creature assembling ~ reduces its assemble cost by 1.
T: Tap target nonland permanent. It's activated abilities cannot be activated until end of turn.
Contraption - 2
Artifact - Contraption
Tap an untapped creature you control to begin assembly of this Contraption. (A creature may assemble only one Contraption at once.)
///
Ring Cell Generator
Assemble - 2: You may transform ~ at any time for its Assemble cost. Each creature assembling ~ reduces its assemble cost by 1.
T: add 2 to your mana pool.
Contraption - 2
Artifact - Contraption
Tap an untapped creature you control to begin assembly of this Contraption. (A creature may assemble only one Contraption at once.)
////
Improvised Explosives
Assemble - 3. You may transform ~ at any time for its Assemble cost. Each creature assembling ~ reduces its assemble cost by 1.
Sacrifice ~: ~ deals 5 damage to target attacking creature.
Can I pay mana for the assemble cost, or is tapping creatures the only way?
DeleteWhat is the value in making all contraptions look the same when you first play them?
How do you keep the back-side of a DFC secret using checklist cards / not using sleeves?
1) Mana. Tapping creatures is a reduction / balancing piece, although it could be required that at least one creature tap to assemble.
Delete2) The value is the same as for Morph. Hidden information. Creating a subgame as to which Contraption to target / destroy.
3) Simple: play the checklist face down. If not for Morph taking up that entire space I'd only use one side and have them all be face down anyway.
2) I get the gameplay, the question is what is it about contraptions thematically that specifically wants to play like morph?
Delete3) Face-down cards on the battlefield are defined as 2/2 colorless creatures.
2) The concept is making something out of nothing. Imagine piles of parts around the battlefield, with artificers turning them into improvised devices.
DeleteThere are other ways to implement this i.e. parts tokens... but this is just my first thought.
3) I know that's the case. The other option is to have checklists and a separate token you can keep in your sideboard.
Put the checklist face down and the Contraption front side on top of it. Inelegant, but it works.
Examples of cards that support:
ReplyDeleteLittle Rigger - 1R
Creature - Goblin Rigger
If you would assemble a contraption, ~ also assembles that contraption.
2/1
Fire-Fist Canonist 2RR
Creature - Goblin Rigger
Whenever you assemble a contraption, you may pay R. If you do, ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
3/3
Skyline Rigger - 3U
Creature - Merfolk Rigger
Whenever you assemble a contraption, ~ gets +1/+1 and has flying until end of turn.
2/2
Scholar of Machina - 1U
Creature - Merfolk Rigger
Whenever you assemble a contraption, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
1/2
Repair Call - 2/W 2/W
Sorcery
Put two 1/1 white artificer tokens onto the battlefield. If 4 was paid in this way, instead put four 1/1 white artificer tokens onto the battlefield.
Elton, Chief Operator - 2WW
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer
Whenever you would assemble a contraption, put a 1/1 white artificer token onto the battlefield tapped, assembling that contraption.
3/4
Iris, Assemblor Extraordinaire - 1UU
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer
Contraptions you control have Assemble X - where X is the number of creatures you control.
2/2
Thok Thok, Trash Picket - 2RR
Legendary Creature - Goblin Rigger
T: You may assemble a contraption from your graveyard. If you do, exile it at end of turn.
3/3
Technovirus - 2BB
Enchantment
Whenever a creature assembles a contraption, put a -1/-1 counter on that creature.
Plague of Parts - 3BB
Instant
Destroy all creatures assembling target contraption.
Clumsy Hands - 2G
Enchantment - Aura
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2. It can't assemble contraptions.
Slippery Fingers - 1G
Instant
Destroy target Contraption.
I think the morph-like gameplay is a lot more interesting when the cards do something in their initial form. If I play a morph I may be going for something awesome...or I may just need a 2/2. If I play a contraption I can only be trying to assemble it. What's more, the surprise factor is a lot less relevant without the possibility of changing after blocking or becoming blocked.
DeleteI like the flavor of piecing together random scraps, but I think it's better represented by actually piecing together different cards than by having mysterios scrap piles.
Assembling needs to be a keyworded action done by riggers to meet the text of Steamflogger Boss.
DeleteYou don't assemble contraptions, riggers do. Also, with this ability, the creature might be assembling a contraption, but that creature does not assemble the contraption.
Finally, Steamflogger boss is a replacement ability, so it turns off the ability to just assemble one contraption and turns it into two contraptions. I'm not sure how you intend that to work here.
Creatures should assemble contraptions.
DeleteRiggers should just get the bonus.
That's fine too, the problem is that with your version of assemble, it's YOU that assembles the contraptions. Whenever YOU assemble a contraption. The mechanic needs to work so that only creatures/spells can assemble.
DeleteJay and Jules convinced me that a blank face is incorrect, but I still think a DFC is the way to go. Something like Quests?
ReplyDeleteRiggers will have the ability to assemble for free, or with a bonus.
Juggernaut Starter Kit - 2
Artifact - Contraption
Assemble # - Attach a creature you control to ~. Assemble only as a sorcery.
Creatures assembling ~ must attack if able. If three or more creatures are assembling ~ during combat, build ~.
///
Colossal Juggernaut
Artifact Creature
Trample
~ must attack if able.
If ~ would die, instead disassemble ~
6/5
Baby's First Bomb - 1
Artifact - Contraption
Assemble 2 - Attach a creature you control to ~. Assemble only as a sorcery.
Creatures assembling ~ have: "Sacrifice this creature: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature."
When a creature assembling ~ dies, build ~.
///
Big Bomb
Artifact - Contraption
Sacrifice ~: ~ deals 3 damage to you and 3 damage to target creature or player.
Contraptions can also just be artifacts that get combined to reduce their activation costs.
ReplyDeleteIcy Contraption - 4
Artifact - Contraption
1, T: tap target permanent.
4, T: tap target permanent, then you may activate the ability of each artifact attached to ~ without paying its activation cost.
Ping Component - 3
Artifact - Contraption
3, T: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
6, T: tap target permanent, then you may activate the ability of each artifact attached to ~ without paying its activation cost.
Rigger Man - 1R
Creature - Goblin Rigger
When ~ ETB, ~ assembles two contraptions. Assembled contraptions are attached together. Effects that would destroy one contraption dissassemble them all.)
2/1
Big Rigs - 3GG
Creature - Giant Rigger
Trample
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, ~ assembles up to three contraptions. (Assembled contraptions are attached together. Effects that would destroy one contraption dissassemble them all.)
4/4
Assemble can also just mean "activate the abilities of target artifact without paying its costs."
Delete