tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post1436367058357662110..comments2024-03-11T02:32:15.295-04:00Comments on Goblin Artisans: M13 White PlaneswalkerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-48220259224307519292012-04-03T09:45:28.600-04:002012-04-03T09:45:28.600-04:00It depends on the amount of Hexproof in the enviro...It depends on the amount of Hexproof in the environment. Thrun alone makes me give pause.GeorgeGonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-4165584021399359032012-04-03T09:41:07.821-04:002012-04-03T09:41:07.821-04:00Wait, so she's actually transforming your land...Wait, so she's actually transforming your land/creature/whatever *into* the aura?Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-58397649942968146662012-04-02T19:02:58.503-04:002012-04-02T19:02:58.503-04:00Low starting loyalty and the high + are ostensibly...Low starting loyalty and the high + are ostensibly due to flavor - in this case, Julea is more less the survivor of genocide. She's not frail, but she's not going to stand up and take a mortal blow for you- she's got a refugee's flight instinct. But simultaneously, as she has more of her kin under her wing, she grows considerably more loyal. Her ultimate is an almost literal representation of this idea - that as long as there's one member of this team/species/ideal going strong, it's indefatigable. <br /><br />The -X sacrifice is white in the same way the sacrifice in Polymorph is blue. She also naturally rewards you for going +3 before going -X by giving you both a target for your aura and letting you search for up to CMC 5, rather than CMC 2.Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-14884978283742084542012-04-02T15:08:28.130-04:002012-04-02T15:08:28.130-04:00I don't think it would be kosher to put Phyrex...I don't think it would be kosher to put Phyrexian Processor on a white PW.<br /><br />And is Worship fun? I've never really interacted with it outside of extremely casual circumstances, but it always struck me as something that isn't quite "good", but when it works it's just extremely tedious.metaghosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18301191638894756414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-58820566554082919832012-04-02T13:45:48.899-04:002012-04-02T13:45:48.899-04:00Could Sovereign is pretty cool. Why the low starti...Could Sovereign is pretty cool. Why the low starting loyalty and high plus ability? The sacrifice cost does important work keeping the second ability from being broken (fetch Burden of Guilt every turn?), but what's the flavor? How do we justify a sacrifice in white?<br /><br />I like that path best, but Wingsong makes me think about a 'walker that's all about life.<br />Lifey McMeddlesworth 1WW [3]<br />+2: Each player gains 2 life.<br />-X: Lose X life. Put an X/X white Avatar token OTB.<br />-4: Each player's life total becomes target player's.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-15362086818772287182012-04-02T13:23:43.315-04:002012-04-02T13:23:43.315-04:00Oh, I like Worship as a planeswalker emblem. It...Oh, I like Worship as a planeswalker emblem. It's a bit cheaper than most spells turned into ultimates, but that's because the Disenchantability is a key vulnerability; without that it is indeed very ultimate-worthy. I like this second idea.AlexChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05674122775216494431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-34909879963707721922012-04-02T09:57:30.336-04:002012-04-02T09:57:30.336-04:00Mechanical alternatives, with a little more synerg...Mechanical alternatives, with a little more synergy between the abilities.<br /><br />Julea of Wingsond 1WW [2]<br /><br />+2: Each player gains 3 life.<br />-2: Until the end of your next turn, creatures without flying can’t attack.<br />-10 Put X 1/1 white Pegasus creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield, where X is your life total.<br /><br />AND/OR<br /><br />Julea, Cloud Sovereign 4WW [2]<br /><br />+3: Put a 1/1 white Pegasus token with flying onto the battlefield.<br />-X: Sacrifice a permanent. Search your library for an Aura card with converted mana cost X and put it onto the battlefield.<br />-8: You gain an emblem with “If you control a creature, damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead.”Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-82976909119710923782012-03-29T17:50:06.872-04:002012-03-29T17:50:06.872-04:00So the Pattern of Rebirth goes on Martyr of Sands ...So the Pattern of Rebirth goes on Martyr of Sands and gets you Iona? I have no idea if that's broken or weak in Legacy, where it's legal.<br /><br />You were definitely right put -1 on the Moat ability. A lot of decks would auto-lose to this if you could do Moat forever.<br /><br />Life gain into Storm Herd is very cool, but I think you're right that it feels too similar to Ajani.<br /><br />That ability and what Goldmane does have both play somewhat like "survive, run away, and heal until you can bring the fleet in" and yet that _flavor_ somehow actually feels black to me. Kind of cowardly and self-serving. But it's not a huge tweak to go for a grizzled combat medic who's all about staunching the blood loss and calling in the cavalry.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-91890364085060239982012-03-29T17:42:56.517-04:002012-03-29T17:42:56.517-04:00That's actually a damn good point.
Worship wo...That's actually a damn good point.<br /><br />Worship would be a sexy emblem, indeed, for a controlling build.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-86326852781275311122012-03-29T17:35:53.025-04:002012-03-29T17:35:53.025-04:00Aron's ultimate is quite neat.
I'd add &q...Aron's ultimate is quite neat.<br /><br />I'd add "Worship emblem" "Godhead of Awe emblem" (ie Humility-lite) or Mirrorweave as potential ultimates.<br /><br />I'm not really sold on a White Weenie PW being the thing to push, partly because of how powerful Ajani and Elspeth have been at doing that in their heydays, but also partly because I'd like to think part of the draw of White Weenie would be not having to play planeswalkers/super-expensive cards. Not a big argument, but it's where I'm coming from.Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-43530145650837729152012-03-29T17:22:56.011-04:002012-03-29T17:22:56.011-04:00I mean, the ultimate can win the game itself if yo...I mean, the ultimate can win the game itself if you go +2 the turn you play her, untap, and then Pattern of Rebirth, but I agree it's not an everyday thing. Partially my thinking was that you would play her half the time specifically for the Moat, which can sometimes more or less win the game on its own. I tried out 2WW and 4WW versions of her with Moat as the only common ability, using it as 0: or +: abilities, and/or making it "can't attack you or Julea". The neat thing about the way it's worded right now is that you can attack on the ground this turn, but if you want to stack successive moats, you do give up that ability. However, more than likely, you get around that like you would if you play Moat in your deck - by having fliers or an alternative win condition.<br /><br />You're right that the Moat wording is odd in multiplayer, and I wasn't thinking about that (but was trying to keep a not-quite-all-upside Moat to keep it balanced at 1WW). <br /><br />I was trying to make a 1WW planeswalker that was a little more of a build-around-me, as much or many of the generic abilities have already been taken, but you're right that the abilities don't read as remotely connected.<br /><br />I'd be keener on a "+2 Each player gains 3 life" and a Storm Herd ultimate, as that would be a little bit awesome, but I'm admittedly way too afraid of how much that looks like Goldmane. Would the flavor of "survive, run away, and heal until you can bring the fleet in" sell? Would you be interested by that?Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-17948938439940976792012-03-29T17:07:14.776-04:002012-03-29T17:07:14.776-04:00So far I've only shot down ideas and not share...So far I've only shot down ideas and not shared any of my own. That feels unfair, so let me share an idea so that you can all get your evil internet revenge.<br /><br />There have been a lot of neat ideas so far to crib off of, but the one that excites me the most is a White Weenie Walker. Ajani and Elspeth have have been solid additions to WW during their time, but what if we made a walker that was entirely focused on that archetype?<br /><br />First abilities to consider: <br /> Make a 1/1.<br /> Team +1/+1.<br /> Team first strike.<br /> Place a +1/+1 counter.<br /> Tap a creature.<br /><br />Second abilities to consider:<br /> Make 2-3 1/1s<br /> Team +2/+2<br /> Team +1/+1 and first strike.<br /> Resurrect a guy.<br /> Super-Tap a creature.<br /> Tap all defenders.<br /> Exile a creature.<br /> Fetch a small creature card.<br /><br />Ultimate abilities to consider:<br /> Make an army of 1/1s.<br /> +1/+1 emblem.<br /> Sleep.<br /> Resurrect all.<br /> Trinisphere emblem.<br /><br />Feel free to add to these lists.<br /><br />First attempt at grouping abilites:<br /><br />Aron, Cenn Marshal 1WW<br />Planeswalker-Aron<br />+1: Creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain lifelink until EOT.<br />-1: Search your library for a creature card with CMC 1 and put it OTB.<br />-4: Gain an emblem with "Players can't play spells with CMC greater than the number of creatures you control."<br />{2}Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-32160931182043242302012-03-29T15:51:33.286-04:002012-03-29T15:51:33.286-04:00I don't know why I have so much trouble with a...I don't know why I have so much trouble with a sentient Pegasus (or Unicorn or Horse) while I've come to accept the Rhox, Loxodon or Leonin. Maybe it has to do with the fact that horses are for riding where cats and rhinoceri are not (admittedly grey on elephants). I guess I don't want to be bossing around a creature between my legs only to discover it is not only intelligent, but able to blink between planes and probably to meet her own destiny rather than to help me with mine.<br /><br />Ignoring the creative concept for now, let's look at the abilities. I could definitely get behind an everyone-gains-life ability on a planeswalker with an alt-win condition. Whether it's poison, milling or Felidar Sovereign. I could maybe get behind it if it was central to the character (IE a pacifist healer) and her other abilities gave you evasion and or large amounts of pump.<br /><br />It's odd to me that the second ability is a global Moat. Why can't opp A attack opp B? Why not just "You* can't be attacked by creatures without flying?"<br />* Could be "You," "CARDNAME," or "You and CARDNAME" for different effects. The last is the most straightforward.<br /><br />The last ability is cool, but not really an Ultimate. It's not going to win any games by itself; You'll have to turtle up like crazy to get to Eldrazi Conscription's 8 loyalty cost. That, the fact that it has an additional cost in sacrifice, and that you can do it for just 1 leads me to believe this ability would be an excellent 2nd ability.<br /><br />The entire package? None of these abilities has anything to do with each other. Well, the first two both draw out the game considerably.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-3994770072821028752012-03-29T10:46:18.855-04:002012-03-29T10:46:18.855-04:00I've been working on how to build a pegasus th...I've been working on how to build a pegasus that doesn't fall apart two days later. Continuing my "anthropomorphs, eh" bit from earlier, I thought it would be interesting to see where else we could take the concept. I'll go ahead and show the card and then break it down.<br /><br />Julea, Cloud Sovereign 1WW [2]<br />+2: Each player gains 3 life.<br />-1: Until the end of your next turn, creatures without flying can't attack.<br />-X: Sacrifice a permanent. Search your library for an Aura card with converted mana cost X and put it onto the battlefield. <br /><br />I don't want to try and write out too much of her backstory, but in brief she's basically one part Shadowfax, one part The Last Unicorn, and two parts King Arthur. All the pegasi of her home plane died off from some pox or plague that ravaged the entire plane. She travels from plane to plane, searching for pegasi to band together and resettle a new homeland. However, while she is able to find them here and there, they are scarcer than they should be and she is searching for the reason why. Is there a darker force that is behind all of this, can she rule as sovereign over the others, etc. etc. You know where this goes. <br /><br />The real central thing I was working around was the Moat ability. Moat's a decently fun card (for the right set of players) but not one that most (any) players get to play with. I had experimented with a number of other "flighty" abilites to represent Julea's very strong "flight" response that has managed to keep her alive in the face of the loss of her entire people. I really think the flavor should sell well — she's basically literally flying you up to the clouds for a turn. <br /><br />I'm a little proud of the ultimate ability, as I think I balanced the numbers on it pretty well. It's not "destroy all permanents", but it encourages deckbuilders to run any number of different things and try and pace when she would pull the trigger. The two uses I thought would be most worthwhile would probably be next-turn search for Pattern of Rebirth or going +2+2+2-search for Eldrazi Conscription, but that's just my instinct. It feels like across Ajani and Elspeth, white ultimates have already taken up a lot of design space, but this again goes in a different direction. <br /><br />Lastly, the +2 ability. I'm not sold that gaining 3 life is the best way to go about it, but it's clean, different enough from Ajani and Tirel's lifegains, and plays fine. I'm definitely open to other ideas, though, especially if anyone has other symmetrical effects that could work well.<br /><br />I've tried to keep this as brief as possible, as there are a LOT of things involved in PW design and they all seem worth discussing, but if you have any questions, let me know!Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-63458098185466757872012-03-27T13:53:31.107-04:002012-03-27T13:53:31.107-04:00We have O-Ring and Judge Soul currently.We have O-Ring and Judge Soul currently.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-18728069884984821712012-03-27T12:52:31.997-04:002012-03-27T12:52:31.997-04:00Pardon my memory issues, but does the set already ...Pardon my memory issues, but does the set already include Journey to Nowhere or Oblivion Ring? My idea was to make a planeswalker version of that. The ultimate is Balance, but the more I think about it the less impressive it is to me.<br /><br />Also, on second thought, I would probably change the trigger to 'When ~ leaves the battlefield'.Jacob Munfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12449154843255824938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-82509878161359933282012-03-27T08:58:27.627-04:002012-03-27T08:58:27.627-04:00@Wobbles
It's funny, because I almost specific...@Wobbles<br />It's funny, because I almost specifically don't think about loyalty as P/T. Within this setup, though, that's a great way of making the land-tax/what-have-you possibly relevant at 6 CMC.<br /><br />@Jay<br />I was debating as to whether the -Path ability should be -2 in the style of Ajani Vengeant. The last ability (hypothetically) represents Dall finally blowing on his horn and giving a call-to-arms. Mechanically, it was designed to be something different from every white ultimate we've seen so far, and an emblem that you don't hate to stack. +6/+6 is a timmy sort of ultimate, that looks like it can win you the game naturally, but isn't by any means a sealed deal (given that Dall doesn't, say, produce tokens). Lastly, I was hoping his +ability would be one that could be enticing (and would play neatly with Path) but often or on repeated use would be less and less helpful. +1,-2,+6, maybe?<br /><br />There's always the challenge of making a planeswalker simple enough (without overlapping Ajani Goldmane or Elspeth) while also keeping some amount of the abilities *exciting*.Pasteurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02058331124653341978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-5402900869642561172012-03-27T00:48:56.752-04:002012-03-27T00:48:56.752-04:00I agree that balance is unexciting on this guy. Yo...I agree that balance is unexciting on this guy. Your version is better, but it's nothing I'd expect to see on a card. I think it's probably the wrong path to explore. I perfer your version of the first ability. That's a lot cleaner.<br /><br />Maybe:<br />-X: You gain double X life.<br /><br />Simple, and plays towards his generous nature.<br /><br />or<br /><br />-12: You gain an emblem with "No more than one creature can attack you each turn."<br /><br />That works with his role as a peacekeeper.<br /><br />or<br /><br />-12: Put tokens onto the battlefield under your control that are copies of every creature your opponents control.<br /><br />It's like a reverse Balance! It's a bit out of flavor for white, but White has gotten cards like Soul Mirror and Pure Reflection before.Wobbleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11494097707732649864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-41927018925836404112012-03-26T23:25:47.122-04:002012-03-26T23:25:47.122-04:00It feels weird to say, but I'm underwhelmed by...It feels weird to say, but I'm underwhelmed by Balance. Dall is going to fill your hand and put lands into play - so all you're getting is an expensive conditional Wrath. What if the Balance effect was more powerful?<br /><br />Dall Vindler 5W {8}<br />+3: Search for up to three basic Plains, reveal and put them in your hand. Shuffle.<br />-3: Exile target nonland permanent, its owner gains control of target land you control.<br />-10: Each player chooses a number of lands he or she controls equal to the number of lands controlled by the player who controls the fewest, then exiles the rest. Players exile cards in hand and exile creatures on the battlefield the same way. You get an emblem with "Opponent's can't play cards with the same name as cards in exile."GeorgeGonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-81327555035592390502012-03-26T22:13:09.159-04:002012-03-26T22:13:09.159-04:00That's a lot of card advantage, but for 6 mana...That's a lot of card advantage, but for 6 mana, perhaps it's not that far off. Certainly exciting. The first ability seems needlessly cute.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-80588040716017939322012-03-26T16:57:35.794-04:002012-03-26T16:57:35.794-04:00@ Dan - There aren't too many concise methods ...@ Dan - There aren't too many concise methods for permanently boosting your weenies such that when you cataclysm you get to keep a big thing that isn't impacted by the +-ability. But yes, +1/+1 counters, token creation, pinging, card drawing, and a number of other abilities are not so interesting any longer.metaghosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18301191638894756414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-82076988212848350332012-03-26T16:36:28.920-04:002012-03-26T16:36:28.920-04:00Oh, and I figured the First strike/lifelink pairin...Oh, and I figured the First strike/lifelink pairing worked well as a rattlesnake sort of option against opposing creature decks -- the opponent has to decide whether to make unfavorable blocks, or take the double life swing.<br /><br />I'm not sure how relevant or powerful the first strike is; it could probably playtest in a standard proxy deck (use UW humans as a template; switching out some number of Mirran Crusaders/Thalia).Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10417959233780755818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-68601788114441543022012-03-26T16:32:03.786-04:002012-03-26T16:32:03.786-04:00I imagined him (her?) as a kithkin first, but then...I imagined him (her?) as a kithkin first, but then I wasn't sure if that fit a core set, but the test name was catchy (and I'm terrible at naming cards) so that's what I went with.<br /><br />I liked my -2 ability 'cause it lets you play a sweeper in a weenie deck (which I'm finding surprisingly fun in the last couple months). I also like Ghost's +1 pretty well, but +1/+1 counters from planeswalkers is getting played out. Also the cataclysm will play against the weenie deck a lot of time (ie, you cataclysm and keep your bear; the ramp deck keeps its Huntmaster/Titan analogue.)Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10417959233780755818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-50672916014754779232012-03-26T16:23:17.908-04:002012-03-26T16:23:17.908-04:00I don't know for sure; tournament relevance wi...I don't know for sure; tournament relevance will depend on what M13 and the fall expansion look like. But I do know the current standard meta is extraordinarily hostile to her. <br /><br />For example, in this weekend's SCG Open, half the top 16 was playing Ratchet Bomb, and another quarter was playing some combination of Elesh Norn, Slagstorm, or Black Sun's Zenith.<br /><br />The one Elspeth T. competitive-level advantage has over EKE is that at 5cc, she complements new Sorin and Garruk Relentless instead of competing with them.<br /><br />Since it seems like the biggest factors keeping token-based strategies in general (and Elspeth in particular) are in Scars block, it seems like Elspeth T. could be worth playing if she stuck around after they rotated out.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10417959233780755818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-45499915018633886332012-03-26T16:10:15.058-04:002012-03-26T16:10:15.058-04:00Champion of the Weenies
1WW
Planeswalker - Weenie ...Champion of the Weenies<br />1WW<br />Planeswalker - Weenie Champ<br />Loyalty - 3<br />+1: Creatures you control gain protection from converted mana cost 3 or greater until your next turn.<br />-2: Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature.<br />-6: Each player chooses from the permanents he or she controls an artifact, a creature, an enchantment, a land, and a planeswalker, then sacrifices the rest.metaghosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18301191638894756414noreply@blogger.com