Monday, October 10, 2016

CCDD 101016—Narcissitic Demon

Cool Card Design of the Day
10/10/2016 - It's Cult Week on Goblin Artisans. Here's a demon fit for a Conspiracy set.


As straight-forward as that is, it's also pretty harsh: What if you open this pack 1 and no one opens one of the set's cultists? (We'd official make cultist a creature type.)


This version is unfortunately texty, but can be drafted and played all on its own, while still rewarding you for first drafting some cultists.

19 comments:

  1. It's clear that it would be a very different paradigm, but why not build toward a Squadron Hawk style of draft-bonus? Something like:

    "Reveal CARDNAME and any number of Cultists at the end of the draft [effect]"

    That way you can audible into it at any point, or push for the synergies early.

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    Replies
    1. Because the stakes are higher?

      I'd seriously consider your method if you still had to reveal the demon when you draft it, but if it's secret, you're not visibly affecting the draft. I want players near to wonder if they should hate draft crappy cultist cards.

      That does sound more fun than my design.

      Delete
  2. Reveal ~ as it's drafted.
    At the end of the draft, each player (including you) may reveal any number of drafted cultist cards. Give ownership of ~ to one of the players who revealed the most cultist cards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But, uh, I've never played a Conspiracy draft in my LIFE. I was just trying to make something that would affect the draft x)

      Delete
    2. That's pretty neat, though. Super unique, and appropriate enough. I probably don't count it as a draft pick, or else give some advantage to you if you try to pick it.

      Delete
    3. "Pretty neat." No, that's really sweet.

      Delete
    4. I like it. Just print it instead of a basic land.

      Delete
    5. More ambitious solution:

      You get one pack of crazy cards like this and open them face up on the table before the draft starts. Some cards, like this, will go to people with the most of something, but others might go to the first player to do something, etc etc.

      Delete
    6. Nice.
      Would be neat if we could keep the crazy pack modular enough to be drafted with most sets.

      Delete
    7. Make them "creatures with power 1"? Fawning weak cultists for a narcissistic demon, & an attribute that appears in every set

      Delete
    8. Oh man that sounds awesome. Great idea!

      Delete
    9. Yeah, definitely want to keep them generic, but once you do, the possibilities are endless.

      Delete
    10. I'd worry that such a mechanic hits the "Ripple Problem" where normally low powered picks get massively rewarded if you draft enough of them. This would be worse because you could be randomly hosed if you came in second.

      Delete
    11. It would certainly create a new puzzle for players to solve, and require extensive playtesting.

      I don't think "Most 1 power creatures" is quite the right thing, for exactly the reason Duncan suggests, but I do feel like cards that create the right incentives exist.

      Delete
    12. I forget that some players don't find nontoken 1/1 creatures aesthetically pleasing & fun to playbecause there are gameplay consequences to having them around. (This is not sarcasm, I really do have a soft spot for them.)

      Delete
  3. Narcissistic Demon
    6BBB
    Creature - Demon - Rare
    Flying, Trample
    When you draft Narcissistic Demon, you may reveal and remove any number of Cultists you drafted from your draft pool. Note the number removed.
    Narcissistic Demon costs X less to cast, where X is the highest number noted with a card named Narcissistic Demon.
    6/6

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  4. Narcissus Demon 3BB
    Creature Demon (R)
    Flying
    When Narcissus Demon enters the battlefield each player sacrifices two creatures. If Narcissus Demon is sacrificed this way you lose the game.
    2B, Reveal Narcissus Demon from your hand: Search your library for a black cultist creature card and put it into the battlefield tapped. Shuffle your library.
    6/5

    ReplyDelete
  5. Narcissistic Demon 3BB
    Creature - Demon (R)
    Draft Narcissistic Demon face up.
    Other players may reveal Cultist cards as they draft them. Whenever a player reveals a card this way, you may (must?) offer that player one card in your card pool in exchange. That player may accept the offer.
    Flying, trample
    5/4

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Make it a 'may' and convince me I really want all the cultists, and this becomes very cool.

      Delete