Tuesday, August 29, 2017

CCDD 082917—Regal Bastion & Raider's Encampment

Cool Card Design of the Day
8/29/2017 - There are numerous ways to restrict when a land can best fix your colors, but one we've seen almost none of is the timing restriction. Today's card pairs a timing restriction with an event that you usually have no control over but can generally expect regardless:


Regal Bastion is obviously better for control decks with instants and/or abilities you're happy to activate during combat, and having a clear identity like that is a big plus. Most any-color lands are rare, but this one is hard enough to leverage that it shouldn't be unbalanced at uncommon. It's possible we simply don't want that many of them in Limited, but if the set wants it at all, that frequency is likely welcome.

Our bonus card today doesn't follow the original inspiration, but is the logical follow up to Regal Bastion:


It's generally much better to reward players for active play, and incentivizing attacking will always lead to fun and help games end.

4 comments:

  1. I like Raiders Encampment a lot! Bastion is more conditional and awkward. Maybe

    Palace of Vengeance
    Land
    Whenever you're dealt combat damage put a vengeance counter on ~.
    T: Add <> top your mana pool
    T, Remove a vengeance counter from ~: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

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    Replies
    1. That works. We could also just open it up:

      Battlefield Viewpoint
      Land
      T: Add {C} to your mana pool
      T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if a creature is attacking.

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    2. Would we want to print

      Instants Land
      Land
      T: Add {C} to your mana pool.
      T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast instants or cards with flash.

      Delete
    3. It's entirely conceivable, though I would vote against it, because the deck it enables isn't as fun to play against.

      Delete