Cool Card Design of the Day3/25/2013 - I'm not entirely sure this idea was already presented, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Regardless, I wanted to get your opinion on this version of oppress for Ankh-Theb. It wouldn't be a major keyword for the set, just a smaller one with the purpose of communicating another theme of the plane. Maybe appearing on just 10 cards between common and mythic.
I'm a bit worried that having multiple Act of Treason effects at common will punish people for doing what they want to do: playing their creatures. That said, given that I proposed a gold mechanic to do something similar, I definitely think there's some fun to be had in this space.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we could use an exchange of creatures to make for fewer "oops, you're dead" moments.
Slave Trade (When ~ enters the battlefield, you may exchange control of two target creatures with lesser power until end of turn. Untap those creatures, they gain haste until end of turn.)
On second thought, that basically has you sacrificing one of your creatures to get past a blocker. Maybe
Make Example (When ~ enters the battlefield you may sacrifice another creature. If you do, tap target creature, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.)
I think there was a similar gain-control mechanic on one of the cards for the cat mummy weekend art challenge.
ReplyDeleteOppress is exciting to read as a keyword, the promise of lots of cards that let you steal your opponent's things sounds great, and my guess is that only taking smaller creatures does a lot to balance this. When you play act of treason, if you aren't taking their biggest guy, you're still probably going to have a hard time attacking.
It's interesting to note that effects that let you sacrifice creatures are not only a great combo with Oppress, but they counter it pretty well on the other side of the field.
Also:
Moses GG
Creature (R)
Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, gain control of all permanents you own.
"Let my people go!"
2/3
i submitted a similar mechanic on my entry in that called subjugate. maybe that is what you are thinking of?
DeleteI don't think it needs to be restricted to an Act of Treason effect; it could be an ability word. Some creatures could tap a creature with less power; some could be unblockable by creatures with less power, etc.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I saw the announcement for Theros and I think it has similar potential to an Egyptian set - a really fascinating, mysterious world that fills you with a sense of wonder. I think an Egyptian set should also have this sense of wonder that mythology creates. It shouldn't just be about domination, greed, and power struggles. I'm for having that element in the set, it should definitely have Taskmasters, Pharaohs, maybe great deities that grant power. But I'm not for making that into a dominant theme for the set. Focusing only on greedy ambition and sacrificing things for power feels very one dimensional to me. Those things should just be just one part of the color pie in this set and just one of the many subthemes in the set. Also, focusing on greed and ambition doesn't seem to pay respect to the real life culture that this is based on.
We definitely need to capitalize on the wonder and mystery of Egypt.
DeleteWhether its ambition or something else, Ankh-Theb needs a well-defined identity outside of the location. Every successful modern block has had that and we can't compete without it.
I agree with Chah. These themes already have a well-established place in the color pie. We need something else.
DeleteAgain, totally fine with something else, I just haven't heard anything else.
DeleteThat there are already cards that touch on that theme and that they're predominately aligned with one color is no reason to reject that theme. Innistrad was about horror which had previously been entirely black. Zendikar was about lands (mechanically—thematically exploration/adventure), which had previously been entirely green.
The other theme we've talked about is the afterlife, an advanced desert kingdom that dabbles in the unnatural prolonging of life vs. the river/oasis kingdom that represents natural abundance, and the idea that the gateway to the next world has been blocked for some reason and the dead have nowhere to go.
DeleteThe first is a legit theme (or could be if we commit fully to it); the second is just a conflict; and the third is just a plot.
DeleteOppress is cool. Along the same lines as m y Hypnotic mechanic: http://magiccarddesignideas.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/tartis-the-world-and-the-storyline/
ReplyDelete