Cool Card Design of the Day10/17/2011 - What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Especially when you're green. I had the idea, "counter each spell targeting your creatures and put a +1/+1 counter on them instead." The simpler implementation is pretty powerful, so I stuck it on a small legendary creature so that it's at least vulnerable to creature combat, Pyroclasm and wrath effects.
There's another simple implementation that's less abusable and that's making the shield work only for the creature with the ability (or the creature enchanted by the aura with the ability... hmm, I might like that best).
We can keep it global and make it a bit less absurd (it is supposed to be a little absurd, after all):
Countering three removal spells with one preemptive enchantment seems like a pretty good deal. It could be wasted if your opponent has none, but it'll more than likely be a huge thorn in their side. Frankly, if your rare enchantment isn't a thorn in your opponent's side, there's something wrong.
EDIT: Some great comments have led me to revise this design. I think this is more clearly balanced, safe from abuse and much cleaner. Thanks, guys.Another way to template this: Whenever a spell an opponent controls targets one or more creatures you control, they gain hexproof until EOT. If that spell is countered for lack of targets, sacrifice ~ and put a +1/+1 counter on each of those creatures.
I like it. Baby asceticism.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of balance, I'd compare each to Kira, Great Glass Spinner, who is a solid and fairly balanced creature with a similar (but weaker) effect.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with retaliatory permanents of this nature is that they rely on your opponent's cooperation. Taiem, Sanctifier will never counter a Doom Blade, because your opponent has no incentive to cast one. Needs to be an instant.
ReplyDeleteBoth might as well just give your creatures hexproof. But this:
ReplyDeleteTaiem, Sanctifier 2G
Legend
Whenever damage would be dealt to another creature you control, prevent that damage and put a +1/+1 counter on it and Taiem instead
1/1
Would be a pain. It's a lot harder to avoid dealing damage to an opposing creature than it is targeting it.
Turn one birds of paradise, turn 2 lightning greaves, turn 3 Taiem. Attempt to equip the greaves to the bird, Taiem counters the ability and puts a counter on the bird, repeat. Swing with an enormous bird for the win.
ReplyDeleteCountering spells is really not green, but I think you could get a similar effect with regeneration.
ReplyDeleteA stronger option would be turning Otherworldly Journey into an enchantment. Now it feels white though.
Havelock/Duncan, you're right that your opponent will never target a creature while Taiem is in play, but Natural Resistance requires that they waste a few creature removal spells to turn *any* of them back on. In that context, it should probably just happen _once_.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous is right that there are free activations that break this. We'll have to remove "or ability" but that's just as well since green hates spells that hurt its creatures but kind of respects creatures that target creatures.
Countering any old spell isn't green, but countering spells that target your creatures is very green. Shared Fate evolved into hexproof.