Weekend Art ChallengeGreetings, artisans! Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your single card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, and everyone is encouraged to give feedback. You may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times, though only the version rendered will be included in the review, if someone volunteers to render the cards.
Haven't had a chance to review last week's challenge yet, but it's quick to put up a new one.
Design a card for this art that features a new or under-used form of card advantage. Failing that, card advantage appropriate to common.
Isli, Muse of Fabacin
ReplyDeleteWU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue Druid
If an Aura you control would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, choose one:
- Return it to its owner's hand instead.
- Attach it to target creature you control instead.
2/2
Rare.
DeleteGiven that this will always be a creature in play, I'd rather just move it instead of having the bounce option. Also this needn't hose Naturalize. What about: "If an enchanted creature you control would leave the battlefield, you may first attach all auras attached to it to another creature."?
DeleteAny reason why this isn't green? I can see tricolor including blue, but a nongreen Druid looks really odd.
DeleteThe effect, as worded, is a replacement effect, but it includes the word "target", something that's only done with spells and abilities that go onto the stack.
There are white druids.
DeleteThe bounce option is to protect your auras from wrath effects.
There are three white druids and two of them are from Planar Chaos. In fact, 122 of the 129 druids in Magic are green, two more have green activations, and another three tap for mana. That said, I don't think this needs to be green, just replace Druid with Cleric or Wizard.
DeleteNever thought I'd see so much debate over a subtype. Sure, Human Rogue Wizard it is.
DeleteI don't know enough about timing to know whether this actually works against Wrath effects. Isn't Isli dead by the time the Auras actually start falling off?
DeleteAlso, the rules text might need to reflect the fact that Auras can enchant things other than creatures.
The first part is correct, with variations thus:
Delete-If Wrath of God is played, all creatures will die, WoG will finish resolving, then all Auras will die.
-If Planar Cleansing is played, Isli will see the Auras dying at the same time as herself, so all the creatures will be put into the graveyard and all the Auras will put into your hand at the same time. Then Planar Cleansing finishes resolving.
-If Austere Command is played, choosing "enchantments" and either one of the two creature modes, first all Auras' dying will be replaced with Isli's ability. Depending on which creature mode was chosen, you can then choose to either bounce them, or attach them to creatures that aren't going to get destroyed when the second part of the Command goes off.
The second part is easy -- just word it "attach it to a permanent it could legally enchant" instead. This also gives you a little added protection if, say, you have Pacifism on a creature representing lethal combat damage.
Would this work?
DeleteIf an Aura would leave the battlefield, or if a permanent would leave the battlefield and you control an Aura attached to that permanent, choose one:
- Return that Aura to its owner's hand.
- Attach that Aura to another target permanent.
Gennyrhall Enforcer 2RWW
ReplyDeleteCreature - Human Warrior (R)
Flash
When Gennyrhall Enforcer enters the battlefield, target creature attacks you this turn if able. Gennyrhall Enforcer gains protection from creatures until end of turn.
3/6
Given that the first part of the trigger requires this to be played before attacks, it's almost never going to achieve the blowout it promises. Also, with toughness this high the protection ability feels extraneous.
DeleteWell, it's always able to force one guy in to attack (and hopefully kill), which is the intent.
DeleteI mean, at that point it's just a really convoluted way to write Tail Slash.
DeleteIt's not quite the same, but I see what you mean. How about mythic with one or more of: each creature target opponent controls, can block any number of creatures, creatures you control gain protection from creatures (honestly I'll likely drop the protection)?
DeleteThe first two abilities, dropping the protection, sounds clean enough, though I'd also want to up the stats (and potentially cost) in order to make it more likely that the +1 CA will actually happen -- 3/6 isn't doing a whole lot against 4/4s and 5/5s, even if it can block multiple of them.
DeleteI agree with Jenesis-- dropping the protection clause and beefing up the stats slightly is a good way to go.
DeleteGennyrhall Enforcers 4RWW
DeleteCreature - Human Warrior (R)
Flash
Gennyrhall Enforcers can block any number of creatures.
When Gennyrhall Enforcers enters the battlefield, each creature target opponent controls attacks this turn if able.
5/9
We're getting a little absurd stats-wise for a Human, but how's this?
Whoa, that escalated quickly! Those stats are bigger than I expected and the abilities got bigger too-- this is now a straight-up blowout in Limited. Which I think is totally fine for a 7-mana rare, even though it wasn't quite what I was imagining.
DeleteIf you're worried about the stats, just imagine it's a group of 2/2 and 2/3 Humans.
DeleteGrim Excavator 3BG
ReplyDeleteCreature - Elf Rogue (C)
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, return target creature or land card from your graveyard to your hand.
P/T 2/2
DeleteI'm not sure I'd describe this as "underused" since most sets have no realistic way to get lands into the graveyard. Nevertheless, I like this a lot anywhere that it works.
DeleteSo, it's a common Gravedigger that costs an extra G and also... um... blanks land destruction once you're at 6+ mana? And gets back your fetchland if you're stuck on 5 mana in Khans limited?
DeleteI'm not seeing it yet. If it said "permanent card" (which I understand to be within Green + Black's ability) I could get somewhat more excited.
Can this still be common if it says "permanent card" under NWO? Warden of the Eye was uncommon, and at uncommon this is just a bad Eternal Witness.
DeleteI couldn't find any NWO commons that say "permanent card" (the Rebels from Time Spiral block are the most recent ones), but "permanent" does seem to be part of the NWO common vocabulary-- just look at the Runemarks.
DeleteMonastery Loremaster (Dragons of Tarkir update to Warden of the Eye) uses non-permanent, non-land card, and is generally much more complex than this.
DeleteKeeper of Songs Unheard 5U
ReplyDeleteCreature-Human Advisor (R)
If a card would be put onto the bottom of your library from anywhere, put it into your hand instead.
3/6
Good thing this costs 6 mana -- the possibilities are frightening! Some that come to mind:
Delete-Keeper + Dig Through Time = UU: Draw 7 cards
-Keeper + Proteus Staff + no other creatures = Draw your deck
-Keeper + Lim-Dul's Vault + lots of life = Draw your deck
-Keeper + Hideaway lands = Repeatable "Draw 4 cards"
I also had this idea, and I like it (was gonna make mine a 3/3 flier for 4UU, or 2UUU).
DeleteThis would have been a very cool Theros rare.
DeleteI feel like this needs to be, "The first time this turn..." to prevent abuse. Then it can cost less.
DeleteI think this ought to be fairly balanced in competitive formats-- if you're looking for 2-card combos that require 6+ mana and win you the game, Hive Mind and Primeval Titan are better bets. I'm not so sure about casual and Commander, but power-level balance is less crucial in those formats. I like this card as a fun Johnny rare, and Johnny doesn't care too much about mana efficiency anyway.
DeleteJokul Singer RR
ReplyDeleteCreature Support – Human Rogue (U)
Supported creature gets +1/+1 and can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.
Support 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Support only as a sorcery.)
Jokul bards sing victory from the front lines.
2/2
Support is a new permanent subtype. Rules are standard boilerplate, but the relevant ones are:
314.5 Some permanents have the subtype "Support." A Support can be attached to a creature. It can't legally be attached to an object that isn't a creature.
314.5c If a Support is a creature and is supporting a creature, it cannot attack or block. A Support can't support itself.
I'm confident that Support enchantments work, but I'm optimistic that Creature Supports or Artifact Creature Supports can be made to work. At its most basic, this would be a way of giving the colored mana of enchantments and the card advantage of equipment a new avenue.
By "subtype", you mean "type", right? Like Tribal? Is it meant to retroactively remove the Equipment and Aura subtypes from the game?
DeleteHow does an Equipment count as card advantage?
Ideally, support is a subtype, which can appear on any permanent type, though the focus is on Creatures and Enchantments. It's not meant to retroactively change any existing cards. (It appears to the left of the long dash because it scans much better that way.)
DeleteEquipments provide card advantage in the same way that Aura's don't - it's the problem they were created to solve. If I enchant my 3/3 with a Curiosity and you block with your 3/3, I've been two-for-oned. If I equip my 3/3 with Rogue's Gloves and you block with your 3/3, it's one-for-one, and I can use the gloves again.
The design is cool-- I'm reading Supports as basically the creature equivalents of Auras and Equipment, and as somewhat like a repeatable Bestow. (I don't believe putting Support on other types of permanents is a good idea: it runs into more rules issues and fights for mindspace with Auras and Equipment.)
DeleteSeparately, I'm interested in hearing why you think the Singer provides card advantage. She only does one job at a time, leaves you open to a Soulbond-style blowout from removal, and almost never gets to save or kill a creature in combat. Those aren't necessarily bad things, but I wouldn't analyze this as a source of card advantage.
You may be right about keeping it to creatures only, and you have a point about Jokul Singer. There's probably some more fun and suble ways to affect combat to be done with this type, but for the sake of this challenge I'll go with this.
DeleteWatchworthy Singer 1GG
Creature Support - Human Rogue
Supported creature gets +1/+1. Whenever supported creature dies, draw two cards.
Support 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Support only as a sorcery.)a
May the bards sing of the life you lived.
2/2
Renew 1GG
ReplyDeleteSorcery - (Common)
Return two cards at random from your graveyard to your hand.
---
This is certainly not original, but I think it is very underused. This exact effect was on Make A Wish previously, but saw very little play, both because of the cost and tempo oriented nature of the format, but the effect is an interesting Green divination I think. I've downgraded the rarity from Uncommon to Common here, which I don't expect is a problem as the card slots into the format appropriately, but open to discussion on that.
I will now wait patiently for Jules to pop in and say that in his ISD draft experience, Make A Wish was a must play!
This card is pretty cool, and the effect is certainly green. Does it confused players with black too much to be at common?
DeleteFull disclosure: unlike Pitchburn Devils, Make a Wish was not a good card in ISD draft. :)
DeleteWell that's disappointing, I thought we might be living in parallel universes!
DeleteTavern Troublemaker 3B
ReplyDeleteCreature- Human Rogue (Common)
3/1
When CARDNAME dies, target opponent skips his or her next draw step.
The ability here is roughly equivalent to Black Cat's, but hopefully it's slightly less bad-feeling than random discard, and it gets better rather than worse as the opponent runs low on cards in hand. The other difference is that a 3/1 is much more likely to actually trade with a creature or removal spell instead of just chump-blocking, which is what creates the card advantage here.
Skipping draw step is awkward because in tournaments, the implications for forgetting are a lot worse than your average GRV, and it gets even thornier now that players don't have to remember their opponents' triggers. Could the Chittering Rats effect work?
DeleteYes, the Chittering Rats / Chimney Imp ability is also a possibility. Though it's not quite the same-- it stacks when you use it multiple times in a turn, and it doesn't do anything when the opponent's on zero cards.
DeleteThere's plenty of precedent for this kind of thing in tournaments thanks to Miracles, Pacts, and such. The awkward part is the way this effect would force everyone to pay attention, not just the people who chose to build their decks that way.
Here's the nightmare scenario I'm envisioning:
DeletePlayer A attacks with Troublemaker. Player B blocks with a 3/3. Damage happens and the Troublemaker dies.
Player A says "Go."
Player B controls no tapped lands and has no upkeep effects. She draws a card.
Judge!
Is this a missed trigger? If so, what kind of trigger is it?
Even though it has a target, the target is "target opponent", so it doesn't need to be announced at the time you would normally choose a target. It's not a trigger that has a visible impact on the game state. The last two categories are kind of similar -- changing the game rules and having a non-visible impact -- but in any case, the trigger isn't missed as long as the controller points it out at the relevant time. In this case, Player A pointed it out as soon as Player B drew a card in her draw step, the first time he would know whether or not she took an illegal action, so we can say that he demonstrated awareness of it. (Note that verbally announcing it has no effect whatsoever -- if you say "Trigger, extra turn" for casting Emrakul, but let your opponent untap without saying anything at that time, they get to say you missed it.)
As for Player B, she's completely in the clear, since players are actively incentivized to pretend that their opponents' rule-altering triggers don't exist when it would be detrimental to them, and as such she can't get a penalty.
However, Player B isn't supposed to have an extra card in her hand, so how can we fix this game state? Unless the top card of the library was already known due to an effect like Courser of Kruphix, the standard procedure is to put back a card at random, meaning that the game state is unfixable and that since neither player got a penalty, they get to continue being sloppy and deviating from what the game state should be as long as they want.
There's two solutions I see to this issue. One is to release this card in a set that only exists on Magic Online or similar, which is a pretty ugly fix given that there's no logistical reason this couldn't be done on paper. The second is to be totally unintuitive and change "target opponent" to "target player." This way, even though it's "obvious" who the correct player is to target, Player A will be forced to say "target you" as soon as the Troublemaker dies and Player B can't feign unawareness of the skipped draw step. (I'm aware that Player A could do this even without the changed wording, but realistically...?) I went hunting through Khans cards and Abzan Advantage, Cunning Strike, Dead Drop, and more all use the "target player" wording for an obvious "why would you ever target yourself" effect for reasons that aren't due to space-saving, so I imagine that would read fine for this card too.
(Apologies for the wall of text for critiquing, ultimately, a single word on the card that doesn't pertain directly to the challenge -- but as a judge, I take this seriously!)
Understood. I didn't realize the details of how this worked. And changing to "target player" is an excellent idea. New text:
DeleteWhen CARDNAME dies, target player skips his or her next draw step.
Besides, now it has a lenticular mode that's useful against Phyrexian Tyranny. :-)
Jenesis: Wow, I had not realised what a can of worms it is. I think it's totally useful to point out this sort of edge case, all designers benefits from learning about it (although I generally judge card designs without caring whether the templating is exact, unless the problem is a rules problem which CAN'T be fixed).
DeleteFor this card, I don't know enough about it, "target player" makes sense, but would "may have" have a similar effect, or not fix the problem?
Adding "may" would require the controller to make a choice before passing the turn (even if that choice is "yes, duh"), so it works. However, there are currently no "may" effects that cause a step, phase, or turn to be skipped without some additional effect happening.
DeleteA may is going to be very useful, target player is also very useful. Having something as large as skipping a step probably warrants at least uncommon. Skipping parts of the game has memory issues as explained above. Also, consecutive applications of this ability do stack, the same as having multiple Yoseis die. I do like the way this works and it feels like a black ability, how does it relate to the art? I guess you're going for, "Don't get in a barfight with her."?
DeleteSerenity Seal
ReplyDelete2GG
Enchantment - Common
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, destroy another target artifact or enchantment.
Sacrifice CARDNAME: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
I imagine you could do a full cycle of double-seals, though some (unsummon) would be more unfun than others.
Given that Return to Dust is uncommon, I have a hard time seeing this at common.
DeleteI like the idea of double seal, but I want the sac cost to equal the mana cost so there are shields down moments and to widen the possible effects.
DeleteAlso skeptical of the commonness. I'd believe there is a common cycle and an uncommon cycle, and this is in the uncommon one.
Agreed. Double-Naturalize that you can save half of seems like enough of a swingy sideboard card that it should be uncommon.
DeleteOther than that, I really like the design.
I'd be interested to see a Seal with Kicker, where the ETB triggers if kicked.
DeleteHere goes, a powerful card advantage engine at common:
ReplyDeleteEndless Elixir 2
Artifact (C)
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, draw a card.
3, T: Return all other cards named CARDNAME from your graveyard to the battlefield, then sacrifice CARDNAME.
In a grindy fornat this is probably too good, but otherwise I think the effect is slow enough it won't take over many games but will feel great when it does. Another question is whether this should be a more open ended uncommon.
Eh, going for a sexier way for White to draw cards.
DeleteEndless Elixir 1
Artifact (U)
2, T: Sacrifice CARDNAME, target opponent gains 2 life, you draw a card.
Whenever an opponent gains life, you may pay W. If you do, return CARDNAME from your graveyard to play.
Flavor: Talk flows so much more freely after a few drinks
So... like Punishing Fire / Grove of the Burnwillows, except on a single card?
DeleteThe design isn't working for me for some reason. I feel like it's a bit too in-your-face about what it's doing.
Sure. Do you think the flavor comes through if the card doesn't make the opponent gain life? So, same card, just without the target opponent gains 2 part?
DeleteYes, I like that idea.
DeleteDrinking Contest 1G
ReplyDeleteSorcery
Draw a card.
If you control a creature with higher toughness than any creature an opponent controls, draw two cards instead.
I'd hoped for something splashier, but went for a simple variant on green "get card draw as long as you can keep playing creatures" card draw. I wasn't sure about the explicit conditional, but it seemed simpler than trying to do something like "the player who controls the creature with highest toughness". And unlike some green card draw, it rewards you for committing larger creatures even if you might be behind in a board stall against a larger number of creatures, which seems appropriate, but more useful than "only if you can damage the opponent" card draw spells.
Love this. Rarity?
DeletePower would be more in line with what green tends to do, but I suppose toughness works in the context of flavor. It's rather embarrassing when an Enormous Baloth loses a drinking contest to a Wall of Stone, though.
I'm a little concerned with how efficient this is. Divination sees Standard play now and then. Maybe this slight variation:
DeleteReHarmonize 2GG
Sorcery - (U)
Play ~ only if you control a creature with the greatest toughness or tied for the greatest toughness.
Draw 3 cards.
Cycling 2.
I like the original version a lot, and I don't think it's too strong. It's only worth casting when it's "on", and turning it on requires you to go against the usual pattern for Constructed deckbuilding. I'm not sure I'd want this in the same format with Sylvan Caryatid and Courser of Kruphix, but otherwise it seems fine.
DeleteAgainst most decks, if you're playing Green, it will basically always be a two mana divination. When it isn't, it cycles. Two mana Divination is nuts!
DeleteOh I realize it isn't the Beastmaster template, it is actually a worse template. Given that, it might be okay. I think I'd prefer ties to count for purposes of the mirror, but that makes it bonkers at 2 mana.
DeleteI don't like the idea of playing a Drinking contest where you're going to lose.
DeleteHuh? Wobbles, I don't understand your comment.
DeleteWobbles is saying, if I understand his point, that he doesn't like that the card has a cycling mode given the name.
DeleteI definitely agree with that thematically, and I'd rather just give it cycling than have it cycle for you if you play it and it doesn't work.
It seems that WotC is okay with adding "draw a card" to white's lifegain spells (most recently seen as Resupply in Dragons of Tarkir.) So here's an Uncommon to draft with all your lifelink creatures:
ReplyDeleteVisit the Meadhall (UNCOMMON)
1WW
Instant
Gain 2 life, then draw a card for each 2 life you’ve gained this turn.
“Listen, mage. My patrons learn more hearing tales by the fire than you will ever get from your dusty old books.”
—Brynhillde, barkeep
Very cool idea. My first reaction was, "I want to see this in a set with Angel's Mercy". (Or better yet, Lone Missionary.)
DeleteAs a fun draft-around uncommon that isn't worth playing on its own, this should probably cost 2W rather than 1WW.
Out of color pie, white isn't supposed to get multi-card draw. It's great at answers, so it has to be bad at securing a constant supply of them.
Deletelpaulsen, I love a card that makes you consider drafting and playing Angel’s Mercy. Double W in the mana cost helps with a few things. It let’s the spell be cheaper than four mana so you can potentially cast another lifegain spell then it in a single turn. It keeps Green and Black players from drafting it as a splash, so the deck that gets it can really build around. Finally, lifegain effects appeal to new players, and I want them to get this card without having to pick it too early.
DeleteCzynski, this challenge is begging us to stretch the color pie, when it says new or underused card advantage. Survival Cache from Rise of the Eldrazi was another Uncommon multicard draw in White with a hoop at about the same level of difficulty as Visit the Meadhall.
Czynski, I understand the philosophy of not letting White have all the answers and some means to get them, but that idea is not fairly applied to all colors. Blue more and more is getting answers to go along with it's high concentration of ways to get them. And Black is rife with threats and means to obtain them. I have eyes open about card draw in White, and agree it should not be too common. But at the same time, it is way underused compared to every other color.
DeleteCzynski, one more thing. The way White is given card advantage is typically making tokens, and my first design reflected that (Gain 2 life, then put a 2/2 white Soldier tokens onto the battlefield for each 2 life you gained this turn.) but I changed it to stretch advantage and meet the challenge requirements.
DeleteDrawing lots of cards is supposed to be a hard limit for white the way destroying enchantments is a hard limit for red and black. There are easy two-card combos that make this give you a nearly full hand, so this is way, way over the line.
DeleteAgree with Czynski that card draw is supposed to be out of bounds for White. Note that cards like Survival Cache and Mentor of the Meek are consistently referred to as mistakes.
DeleteI like the idea though, I just don't think it is mono-White. Also, I think it would be better as setting up a trigger "Whenever you gain life this turn, draw a card" than looking back at the life you had already gained.
I kind of like "Creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn. Whenever you gain life this turn, draw a card." on a UW card.
I don't know what to say. Both Survival Cache and Mentor of the Meek have both been reprinted in Commander products. So if it makes you feel any better, imagine Visit the Meadhall would be printed in a Commander product.
Delete@Tommy - or a WG card! That does sound like a fun effect.
Delete@Tommy — this is Mark Rosewater saying that Mentor of the Meek was not a mistake, but simply something White should only get on special occasions:
Deletehttp://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/90167272743/do-you-feel-mentor-of-the-meek-was-a-mistake-card
A lifegain oriented Glimpse of Nature would be pretty neat.
Mark Rosewater has more recently said it was a mistake. Here: http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/116827495508/so-if-ive-got-this-right-its-the-end-result
DeleteThis isn't the only time its come up, but it was the first one I found.
By the way, quote from Mark: "If I had it over, I would not make Mentor of the Meek. As mistakes go, it’s less abusive of letting colors do things they shouldn’t do than other color pie breaking cards, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a mistake."
DeleteI'm going to refer to this design as a Segment 5 card, based on his article from April 6th, which I believe prompted the questin on April 15th about Mentor of the Meek.
Deletehttp://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/bleeding-cool-2015-04-06
"Segment #5: The "On Rare Occasion" Cards
"This next segment is effects that are normally out of color pie but that we allow to exist very occasionally—usually on special cards. Dragons existing outside of red fall into this category, as does big green fliers. Because these effects are so rarely used we try to be careful and save them for where they will matter most. It's why, for example, I was upset with Hornet Queen in Magic 2015 but supportive of the mono-green Dragons in Fate Reforged and Dragons of Tarkir. Hornet Queen, while flavorful in a vacuum, does very little to play into the overall themes of Magic 2015. In contrast, the Tarkir block is defined by the existence of the Dragons. If big green fliers is something we only get to use every five years or so, Tarkir block clearly was the proper choice."
Tommy, one thing I overlooked was your idea of the effect looking back versus looking forward. Looking forward, like Glimpse of Nature, is a more powerful effect because you have the rest of the turn to trigger it and can create infinite loops. Looking back is a one time transaction and prevents combo abuse. I think the fact that this looks back and is a one time effect makes it more acceptable as a White draw effect precisely because it can't be abused.
DeleteI'm not sure I understand your combo point Nich, if you have a combo to gain infinite life, why not do that first? Also, if you have a combo to gain infinite life, why do you need to draw infinite cards?
DeleteAs far as color pie, I think there is definitely space to be less conservative about it than Mark Rosewater and still be reasonable.
The Commander decks are bad about the color pie, and I don't think they will get any better, at least as far as reprints go. Their goal is to make readymade decks with cards people in the format play, and people who play Commander want cards like Harmonize for their mono-Green deck or Mentor of the Meek for their mono-White deck precisely because those cards do something the color is not supposed to do. This is the danger of bending the color pie, your mistakes live forever in Commander decks. For some, that is a price worth paying, and for others it isn't.
I didn't mean a combo to gain infinite life, just to gain enough life after casting Visit the Meadhall to "go off" as you draw and play spells.
DeleteLook at Elves with Glimpse of Nature. In that deck you cast the Gllimpse and then for every elf you play you get a card, usually another elf. You use Heritage Druid's ability to tap all the elves you just played to pay for the new ones you've drawn. It's a nearly self propelling combo. Eventually you draw Craterhoof Behemoth cast it and attack for lethal.
That deck doesn't generate infinite mana first then cast Glimpse. It needs to feed itself as it draws. If Visit the Meadhall worked like Glimpse, it could similarly string spells together, gaining life with Soul Warden or whatever until it "goes off." having it look at what has happened prior to it being cast eliminates all that. Unless you've ultimated Ajani, Mentor of Heroes or whatever. But I wasn't worried about that. As you said, by that point you already effectively have infinite life.
Vigilant Harper {2}{G}{W}
ReplyDeleteCreature - Elf Bard Cleric (Uncommon)
Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, choose target creature card in your graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Return that card to the battlefield under your control.
3/3
----
I think that restricting this to your creatures only makes it limited enough to show up below rare, but I might be wrong there. Obviously very hard to use to its maximum potential, especially in Limited.
I like how limiting this to your own creatures moves it from B into GW. At that point it's like a much improved regeneration effect (improved because it also stops sac and -/-, lets you reuse ETB abilities, and lets you block with the creature immediately).
DeleteBetween the complicated rules text and the overall efficiency of the card, I'd be inclined to put it at rare. But as you said, there's a case to be made for uncommon too.
Drinking Contest 1R
ReplyDeleteSorcery (c)
Each player discards any number of cards, then draws as many cards as he or she discarded.
So... everyone ends up with the same number of cards that they had before, except that you've also spent an extra card and 1R? That doesn't sound like card advantage to me. Not that this is necessarily a bad design, though I'd be inclined to cost it at R and put it at uncommon.
DeleteInnkeep 2RR
ReplyDeleteCreature - Human (r)
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control you may pay 1. If you do, discard a card, then draw a card.
2/2
Welcome!
DeleteI like this design-- it seems solid and flavorful, and it takes Red in a different direction from where it normally goes. I'd suggest moving the discard into the 'you may pay' clause, unless you want the effect of drawing cards when you have no cards in hand.
Also, at rare this can probably afford to be a bit more efficient. You could drop a mana from the cost or from the 'you may pay', or you could boost the stats.
I like the idea of being able to draw a card when hellbent. As is, it is able to gain positive card advantage instead of just card selection, which I took to be part of the challenge. If I changed it to what you suggest then I would likely reduce the mana cost , but as is I think it should be inefficient since repeatable selection in red is traditionally expensive.
DeleteThank you for the feedback!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUna Rioghain 1WG
ReplyDeletePlaneswalker-Una (Mythic)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, put a loyalty counter on Una Rioghain.
+0: Each player reavels the top card of their library. For each nonland card revealed this way, put a 1/1 Human creature token unto the battlefield. Each player draws a card.
-7: You get an emblem with "Whenever an opponent draws a card, you gain 2 life.
Loyalty(3)
This was more of top-down design. I was trying for a bartender feel to her and her ability's.
DeleteHer first ability represented people coming into her pub. No one comes into her establishment without paying! I also just saw a cool design that had this template so I had to put my own riff on it.
Her last ability was representing her knowledge over all the rumors and gossip and uses it to her advantage.
Her middle ability I wanted to synergize with the other two ability's. I also wanted to reveal the cards my opponent were drawing to show how nothing goes through her bar without her knowing about it. I remembered parley so I used that (but without the keyword, as I felt it wouldn't look right on a planeswalker.) It also shows selling her own info to get what she needs.
This card can combo with itself very well and can be built around very easily. I was a little bit worried if it was op but development would fix it if there was.
I like the first ability and the use of Parley a lot, and your flavor justification is great. At first the ultimate struck me as underpowered-- all that work for (basically) double Ajani's Mantra?-- and was concerned that the abilities didn't give the player enough control over Una's loyalty.
DeleteThen I noticed the synergies you mentioned and my opinion of the card went way up. Given that you'd expect it to gain loyalty *and* churn out a token or two every turn, and considering how hard it is to kill, I'd say this should cost 2WG at the very least.
That's one of the things I find very difficult is the balance between design and development. At first I thought about having her ult be somewhere closer to -5 or only gaining 1 life. But then I thought to make it a little more powerful (since it is her ulty) and uped it to two life. That resulted in the perfect scenario were you would gain 2 life each turn, gain 2 two tokens each turn, and 2 loyalty each turn (that's if parley works all the time). That not counting draw steps or players casting creatures.
DeleteSo on turn three you can get a 5 loyalty planeswalker and two tokens. then your opponent plays a creature on his turn followed by a creature of your own and you can get her emblem right there at the cost of sacrificing her. On turn four! The emblem wont win you the game but still.
So with all this in mind I will up her mana cost as its the easiest way to balance her without takeing away any of the flavor. Thanks!
Una Rioghain 2WG
DeletePlaneswalker-Una (Mythic)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, put a loyalty counter on Una Rioghain.
+0: Each player reavels the top card of their library. For each nonland card revealed this way, put a 1/1 Human creature token unto the battlefield. Each player draws a card.
-7: You get an emblem with "Whenever an opponent draws a card, you gain 2 life.
Loyalty(3)
I would love to play test this card!
Boyung Rhythmmage UR
ReplyDeleteCreature -- Human Wizard
When you cast a noncreature spell, if its converted mana cost is greater than the number of +1/+1 counters on ~, put a +1/+1 counter on ~ and draw a card.
1/1
To get the most out of her, you must keep casting bigger and bigger spells.
Red's "must attack" I feel is underused as card advantage as it is a really nice way to pick off utility creatures that you don't want to waste your burn on.
ReplyDeleteI made it symmetrical to make it a little more interesting and it plays into reds common wish to be aggressive anyway.
I added the provoke like effect to allow you to take out mana elves or abuse your own tap abilities.
This could potentially be a rare but I currently feel it is awkward enough that it probably feels more satisfying to be an uncommon.
Liquor Peddler [3][R]
Creature - Human Rogue (Uncommon)
At the beginning of each player's combat, untap each creature with the lowest power among creatures that player controls. They gain haste and attack this turn if able.
3/2
The problem is that this won't pick off most utility creatures, since by definition, most utility creatures have tap abilities.
DeleteMaybe in a world with a lot of Azure Mages, or in an environment where a lot of the tapping is limited to sorcery speed, like Outlast.
DeleteI like the flavor, though I'm curious whether WotC would print references to alcohol. In a game with murders and dismemberment, maybe it's not over the line.
Renders for this week's challenge have been sent.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, to all the new folks this week!