Cool Card Design of the Day10/15/2014 - This 'invoke' mechanic was basically invented by George Gone. It's like evoke for auras. One of the downsides of auras that always takes second stage to their grave potential for card disadvantage is how often they're just stuck in your hand. This site has messed with mechanics like living weapon already (and before living weapon was revealed), so let's explore this other solution.
The way this template presents the alternate-casting option is a little awkward—considerably moreso than evoke was on Mulldrifter and friends—but better than the activated discard option (because of that damn sorcery clause) and better than "You may cast this without targets" which works but relies on the player to understand that means it'll go immediately to the graveyard.
Reactions?
This plays similarly to bestow from theros. What if it worked the exact same way?
ReplyDeleteSeparate the costs, and make it so that you can either A) cast the spell, or B) enchant a creature, and when the enchanted creature dies, the spell goes off, just like with bestow how the creature falls off.
something like:
Fiery Invocation 3R
Enchantment - Aura
When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Enchanted creature gets +3/+0
Invoke 1R: You may pay this for its invoke cost to cast as a sorcery with "Whatever this cards leave the battlefield effect was. in this case deal 3 damage to target"
Thoughts? its kind of a hybrid between evoke and bestow
If we're adding ETB or LTB effects, I'd want to go the whole way:
DeleteFiery Invocation 3R
Enchantment - Aura
Invoke 1R (You may cast CARDNAME without a target for 1R. It goes to the graveyard when it ETB.)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+0.
When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
I like the idea a lot, and like most of the sample cards, especially fiery invocation. But I think to work it needs to have a more consistent match-up between aura-effect and sorcery-effect.
ReplyDeleteI would consider having them give creature buffs, with an instant-mode that does the same thing as an instant UEOT, but that only goes part-way to solve the problem of "they're useless without a creature".
Bestow-lite, like bestow, but only one or the other, not getting the creature back when the aura falls off, would be similar for pump-auras, but too much like bestow.
I like the conceptual connection between "+3/+0" and "3 damage", but I'm not sure if there's a way to make the connection intuitive enough. I guess the trouble is, evoke creatures were vanilla-creature plus spell-effect. But there's no such thing as a vanilla aura.
Maybe have them all have a P/T boost and a spell-like effect, and get the spell-like alone effect for a cheaper cost?
I could see making them all work like Spy's Invocation.
DeleteI was thinking about this the other day, but on mostly vanilla/french vanilla creatures, and I quite like it both there and on Auras.
ReplyDeleteSilverpelt Unicorn 3W
Creature - Unicorn (C)
Lifelink
Spellbound - You may cast Silverpelt Unicorn as a sorcery with "You gain 6 life."
2/2
That sort of thing. I'm quite a fan, it's basically split cards but for permanents which is quite cool.
This mechanic could go on anything, really. Though it would be least appropriate on sorceries and instants, and is most appropriate on auras since there are times you *can't* cast them otherwise.
Delete