Weekend Art Challenge
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Deconstructing Theros: Monstrosity
PAX Prime is about to commence, and with it a deluge of information regarding the upcoming fall set will be presented at WotC's various PAX presentations and parties. Of course, quite a bit has already been revealed through official sources, and even more has filtered through everyone's favorite rumormongers. Jay has begun the process of taking a critical eye towards the design of Theros with his piece on Enchantment Creatures, and I'm going to continue things by taking an in-depth look at the aptly-named keyword-thing Monstrosity. To those concerned with being spoiled about content coming from unofficial sources, my analysis will be focused on the known monsters — Polukranos, World Eater; Shipbreaker Kraken; and Ember Swallower — with reference to other revealed cards (like Ordeal of Purphoros.
So let's get into it.
So let's get into it.
Suvnica Week 11 Review: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Guilds are great and all, but even multicolor sets need some monocolor love. Let's see what guild-neutral cycles you guys came up with.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Deconstructing Theros: Enchantment Creatures
Let's take a brief look at the new mechanics coming up in Theros. Today, enchantment creatures.
Spoilers Ahead:
Designing Suvnica, Week 13: Gangster's Paradise
Theros previews are right around the corner. I'm hoping to wrap up this stage of Suvnica design right around the time that the RtR block starts fading into the background. With that in mind, this week we're rolling right along with another guild keyword, as well as another cycle challenge.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
CCDD 082813—Electric Reaction
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/28/2013 - I wanted to capture the jolt of electrocution that shocks its victims, causing them to jerk away. Below are two very similar damage/bounce effects that play quite differently.
8/28/2013 - I wanted to capture the jolt of electrocution that shocks its victims, causing them to jerk away. Below are two very similar damage/bounce effects that play quite differently.
Suvnica Guild Profile: The Radkar
(This is part of a series of documents that are meant to provide snapshots of each of the guilds. These documents will probably be updated with some regularity. They are meant to provide a starting reference point when developing new cards and ideas for the guilds.)
{B}{R} The Radkar
The Radkar take the perspective that if a power vacuum exists, someone is going to fill it, and that someone might as well be them. They are shameless opportunists, with little guiding philosophy beyond making sure that the guildpact works for them and not the other way around.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
CCDD 082713—Dark Path
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/27/2013 - Dark Path looks like a Sylvan Scrying that you can upgrade to a Diabolic Tutor. But really, it's a Diabolic Tutor that you can cast for less when all you want is some land. The difference? Intention. (Which is worth nothing in a printed product, because most or all of your audience will never hear your intention.)
8/27/2013 - Dark Path looks like a Sylvan Scrying that you can upgrade to a Diabolic Tutor. But really, it's a Diabolic Tutor that you can cast for less when all you want is some land. The difference? Intention. (Which is worth nothing in a printed product, because most or all of your audience will never hear your intention.)
Monday, August 26, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Weekend [Art] Design Challenge 082313—Enchantments Matter
Weekend Art Challenge
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
CCDD 082213—Truefire
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/22/2013 - Not sure how the idea of being able to cast multicolored red spells as if they were monocolored got into my head. Not sure how I settled on red as the color to do it, either; I'm certainly not married to that choice.
8/22/2013 - Not sure how the idea of being able to cast multicolored red spells as if they were monocolored got into my head. Not sure how I settled on red as the color to do it, either; I'm certainly not married to that choice.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
CCDD 082113—Yavimaya Mulchcaster
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/21/2013 - This design's well over a year old. It's pretty clearly uncommon both in complexity and card advantage. Comparisons to Eternal Witness are inevitable; the point was to make something worse, but not strictly worse.
8/21/2013 - This design's well over a year old. It's pretty clearly uncommon both in complexity and card advantage. Comparisons to Eternal Witness are inevitable; the point was to make something worse, but not strictly worse.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Designing Suvnica, Week 12: Bottom Feeders and the Ascended
Alright guys. We're halfway done with our first round of mechanics solicitations. This week we'll be throwing two more guilds into the ring. In the meantime, because last week's challenge went up late, I'll leave it open a few more days before reviewing the non-guild cycles.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Tesla: 5 Ways to Position the Mecha Mechanic
We are still trying to figure out how to position the Mecha mechanic for our Tesla set. (To see what the Mecha mechanic is, click here.)
Should building a Mecha be risky? Should it be safe? Should it happen very often, or should it be a rare occurence? Should it be merely strong, or game-endingly powerful? Should Mecha Parts be abundant in the set, or should they only be a small portion of the set?
Some combinations of answers will not make sense; for example, if Mechas are a small portion of the set, they probably can't join up very often. (Although it's interesting to think, "What if they could? How would it work?")
Here are some configurations that can make sense.
- The All-in Aura Style
- The Totem Armor Style
- The Banding Style
- The Crown of Empires Style
- The Scavenge Style
Friday, August 16, 2013
Designing Suvnica, Week 11: Five-Card Cycle
Getting a late start this week. Sorry about that. We'll skip the keywords and do two more on Monday. For the weekend, let's think about non-guild alligned rare cycles.
Weekend Art Challenge 080813—IgorKieryluk
Weekend Art Challenge
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
CCDD 081513—Goblin Enthusiast
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/15/2013 - Another one drop. Does outclassing Raging Goblin mean Goblin Enthusiast can't be common?
8/15/2013 - Another one drop. Does outclassing Raging Goblin mean Goblin Enthusiast can't be common?
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Announcement of Tesla Playtest #2
We will have a playtest of Tesla on Saturday, August 17, starting 4:00 PM EST/1:00 PM PST/9.00 PM BST.
We'll play online using a free tool called LackeyCCG, available on both Mac and Windows. The main test should take about an hour. You can stay and play out more matches if you have time. Otherwise, you can shout out on Twitter to have a match with the other playtesters whenever you have time over the next few days.
We'll play online using a free tool called LackeyCCG, available on both Mac and Windows. The main test should take about an hour. You can stay and play out more matches if you have time. Otherwise, you can shout out on Twitter to have a match with the other playtesters whenever you have time over the next few days.
Lessons from Tesla Playtest #1
We test-drafted our Tesla set on Tuesday, August 6.
We used a mockup set consisting of core set-like cards as well as Infect cards to provide a counterpoint to the Mecha faction.
Click here to see what Mechas are.
Here's the list of cards we used.
We used a mockup set consisting of core set-like cards as well as Infect cards to provide a counterpoint to the Mecha faction.
Click here to see what Mechas are.
Here's the list of cards we used.
» Click to open «
(These are placeholder cards used to test the correct number of Mechas in packs.)
Creature ― Human Shaman
When Auramancer enters the battlefield, you may return an Aura card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2
Banishing Light
2W
Instant
Exile target attacking or blocking creature.
Call the Plague 2W
Instant
Put two black 1/1 Horror creature tokens with infect onto the battlefield.
Charging Griffin 3W
Creature ― Griffin
Flying
Whenever Charging Griffin attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Courier Hawk 1W
Creature ― Bird
Flying, vigilance
1/2
Forced Worship 1W
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack.
2W: Return Forced Worship to its owner’s hand.
Frantic Salvage 2W
Instant
Put any number of target artifact cards from your graveyard on top of your library. Draw a card.
Gleam of Resistance 4W
Instant Creatures you control get +1/+2 until end of turn. Untap those creatures.
Basic landcycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Guardian Body 3W
Artifact Creature ― Body
Vigilance
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Guardian Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->3/7
1/5
Leonin of Norn 1W
Creature ― Cat Soldier
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1/3
Moment of Heroism 1W
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink until end of turn.
Salvage Scout W
Creature ― Human Scout
W, Sacrifice Salvage Scout: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/1
Selfless Cathar W
Creature ― Cleric 1W, Sacrifice Selfless Cathar: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
Shielded Passage W
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.
Shriek Raptor 3WW
Creature ― Bird
Flying
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/3
Siege Mastodon 4W
Creature ― Elephant
3/5
Solemn Offering 2W
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain 4 life.
Suncharged Head 1W
Artifact Creature ― Head
Lifelink
2/1
Teslan Artificer 2W
Creature ― Human Artificer
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Teslan Artificer gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
2/2
Wild Griffin 2W
Creature ― Griffin
Flying
2/2
Creature ― Zombie Warrior
When Armored Skaab enters the battlefield, put the top four cards of your library into your graveyard.
1/4
Bonds of Quicksilver 3U
Enchantment ― Aura Flash
Enchant creature Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Brine Shrike 3U
Creature ― Bird
Flying
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/1
Chained Throatseeker 4U
Creature ― Serpent
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Chained Throatseeker can’t attack unless defending player is poisoned.
5/5
Cloaking Head 1U
Artifact Creature ― Head
Whenever Cloaking Head becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays 2.
1/3
Coral Merfolk 1U
Creature ― Merfolk
2/1
Divination 2U
Sorcery
Draw two cards.
Faerie Mechanist 3U
Creature ― Faerie Artificer
Flying
When Faerie Mechanist enters the battlefield, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
2/2
Fuel for the Cause 2UU
Instant
Counter target spell. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Greater Drake 5UU
Creature ― Drake
Flying
When Greater Drake enters the battlefield, draw a card.
4/4
Hysterical Blindness 2U
Instant
Creatures your opponents control get -4/-0 until end of turn.
Neurok Invisimancer 1UU
Creature ― Human Wizard
Neurok Invisimancer can’t be blocked.
When Neurok Invisimancer enters the battlefield, target creature can’t be blocked this turn.
2/1
Regress 2U
Instant
Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
See Beyond 1U
Sorcery
Draw two cards, then shuffle a card from your hand into your library.
Sirensong Rapture 1U
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -2/-0 and attacks each turn if able.
Spire Monitor 4U
Creature ― Drake
Flash, flying
3/3
Steady Progress 2U
Instant
Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Draw a card.
Thopter Body 2U
Artifact Creature ― Body
Flying
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Thopter Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->3/5
1/3
Thrummingbird 1U
Creature ― Bird Horror
Flying
Whenever Thrummingbird deals combat damage to a player, proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
1/1
Traumatic Visions 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell.
Basic landcycling 1U (1U, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Sorcery
Target player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life.
Basic landcycling 1B (1B, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Death-beam Head 1B
Artifact Creature ― Head
Deathtouch
1/2
Duress B
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a noncreature, nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Gloomhunter 2B
Creature ― Bat
Flying
2/1
Gutter Skulk 1B
Creature ― Rat
2/2
Ichor Fumes 2B
Instant
Put two -1/-1 counters on target creature.
Infected Imp B
Creature ― Imp Horror
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Whenever you cast a black spell, Infected Imp gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
Morbit Plunder 1BB
Sorcery
Return up to two target creature cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Necrotic Cur 2BB
Creature ― Hound
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Necrotic Cur enters the battlefield, return target creature card with infect from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Nested Nim 4BB
Creature ― Zombie
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Nested Nim dies, put a 2/2 black Horror token with infect onto the battlefield.
4/2
Nightwing Shade 4B
Creature ― Shade
Flying 1B: Nightwing Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Phyresis 1B
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has infect.
Progressive Madness 4B
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards at random. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Roadblock Body 3B
Artifact Creature ― Body
1B: Regenerate Roadblock Body. Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head, you may unatp Roadblock Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->4/4
2/2
Spread the Sickness 3BB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature, then proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Swarm of Souls 3B
Creature ― Spirit
B: Swarm of Souls gains Intimidate until end of turn.
3/3
Tendrils of Despair 3B
Instant
Tendrils of Despair deals damage equal to the number of Swamps you control to target creature. You gain that much life.
Vampiric Artificer 2B
Creature ― Vampire Artificer
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, Vampiric Artificer gains flying and lifelink until end of turn.
2/3
Withered Nim 2B
Creature ― Zombie
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Withered Nim dies, if an opponent is poisoned, draw a card.
2/2
Sorcery
Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of turn. It gains haste.
Concentrated Barrage 3R
Instant
Choose target creature. Each creature you control deals 1 damage to that creature.
Demolish 3R
Instant
Destroy target land or artifact.
Fanatical Ritualist R
Creature ― Goblin Shaman
1, T, Sacrifice Fanatical Ritualist: Add RRR to your mana pool.
1/1
Fiery Fall 5R
Instant
Fiery Fall deals 5 damage to target creature.
Basic landcycling 1R (1R, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Flameborn Hellion 5R
Creature ― Hellion
Haste, trample
Flameborn Hellion attacks each turn if able.
5/4
Goblin Shortcutter 1R
Creature ― Goblin Scout
When Goblin Shortcutter enters the battlefield, target creature can’t block this turn.
2/1
Incinerating Wave 1R
Sorcery
Incinerating Wave deals 1 damage to each creature. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.
Molten Necropede 1R
Creature ― Insect
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Molten Necropede dies, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
1/1
Ogre Remedial 4R
Creature ― Ogre
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
R: Ogre Remedial gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/4
Pitchburn Devils 4R
Creature ― Devil
When Pitchburn Devils dies, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
3/3
Rally the Forces 2R
Instant
Attacking creatures get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
Redcleave Goblin 3R
Creature ― Goblin
Haste
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/2
Rerouting Head R
Artifact Creature ― Head
Rerouting Head can only be blocked by two or more creatures.
1/1
Riot Devils 2R
Creature ― Devil
2/3
Speeder Body 2R
Artifact Creature ― Body
First strike
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Speeder Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->4/3
2/1
Tangle Ogre 2RR
Creature ― Ogre
Trample
3/4
Volt Charge 2R
Instant
Volt Charge deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Vulshok Heartstoker 2R
Creature ― Human Shaman
When Vulshok Heartstoker enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Wild Guess RR
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Wild Guess, discard a card. Draw two cards.
Creature ― Snake
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1G: Regenerate Blight Mamba.
1/1
Charging Behemoth 6G
Creature ― Beast
Whenever Charging Behemoth becomes blocked, it gets +5/+5 until end of turn.
5/5
Dawntreader Elk 1G
Creature ― Elk
G, Sacrifice Dawntreader Elk: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
2/2
Elvish Rapporter 2G
Creature ― Elf Shaman
When Elvish Rapporter enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
2/1
Ezuri’s Archers G
Creature ― Elf Archer
Reach
Whenever Ezuri’s Archers blocks a creature with flying, Ezuri’s Archers gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/2
Gift of the Gargantuan 2G
Sorcery
Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a creature card and/or a land card from among them and put the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Glistener Elf G
Creature ― Elf Warrior
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1/1
Goliath Body 5G
Artifact Creature ― Body
Trample
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Speeder Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->8/5
6/3
Heat-tracker Head 4G
Artifact Creature ― Head
Heat-tracker Head must be blocked if able.
3/3
Nantuko Resister 2GG
Creature ― Insect
4/3
Plight Widow 2GG
Creature ― Spider
Reach
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/4
Plummet 1G
Instant
Destroy target creature with flying.
Prey Upon G
Sorcery
Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.
Ranger’s Guile G
Instant
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains hexproof until end of turn.
Ranger’s Path 3G
Sorcery
Search your library for up to two Forest cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Rot Wolf 2G
Creature ― Wolf Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Rot Wolf this turn dies, draw a card.
2/2
Rotted Hytrix 4G
Creature ― Beast
3/6
Spidery Grasp 2G
Instant
Untap target creature. It gets +2/+4 and gains reach until end of turn.
Teslan Bounty 5G
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
Basic landcycling 1G (1G, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
White
Auramancer 2WCreature ― Human Shaman
When Auramancer enters the battlefield, you may return an Aura card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2
Banishing Light
2W
Instant
Exile target attacking or blocking creature.
Call the Plague 2W
Instant
Put two black 1/1 Horror creature tokens with infect onto the battlefield.
Charging Griffin 3W
Creature ― Griffin
Flying
Whenever Charging Griffin attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Courier Hawk 1W
Creature ― Bird
Flying, vigilance
1/2
Forced Worship 1W
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack.
2W: Return Forced Worship to its owner’s hand.
Frantic Salvage 2W
Instant
Put any number of target artifact cards from your graveyard on top of your library. Draw a card.
Gleam of Resistance 4W
Instant Creatures you control get +1/+2 until end of turn. Untap those creatures.
Basic landcycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Guardian Body 3W
Artifact Creature ― Body
Vigilance
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Guardian Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->3/7
1/5
Leonin of Norn 1W
Creature ― Cat Soldier
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1/3
Moment of Heroism 1W
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink until end of turn.
Salvage Scout W
Creature ― Human Scout
W, Sacrifice Salvage Scout: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/1
Selfless Cathar W
Creature ― Cleric 1W, Sacrifice Selfless Cathar: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
Shielded Passage W
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.
Shriek Raptor 3WW
Creature ― Bird
Flying
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/3
Siege Mastodon 4W
Creature ― Elephant
3/5
Solemn Offering 2W
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain 4 life.
Suncharged Head 1W
Artifact Creature ― Head
Lifelink
2/1
Teslan Artificer 2W
Creature ― Human Artificer
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Teslan Artificer gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
2/2
Wild Griffin 2W
Creature ― Griffin
Flying
2/2
Blue
Armored Skaab 2UCreature ― Zombie Warrior
When Armored Skaab enters the battlefield, put the top four cards of your library into your graveyard.
1/4
Bonds of Quicksilver 3U
Enchantment ― Aura Flash
Enchant creature Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Brine Shrike 3U
Creature ― Bird
Flying
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/1
Chained Throatseeker 4U
Creature ― Serpent
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Chained Throatseeker can’t attack unless defending player is poisoned.
5/5
Cloaking Head 1U
Artifact Creature ― Head
Whenever Cloaking Head becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays 2.
1/3
Coral Merfolk 1U
Creature ― Merfolk
2/1
Divination 2U
Sorcery
Draw two cards.
Faerie Mechanist 3U
Creature ― Faerie Artificer
Flying
When Faerie Mechanist enters the battlefield, look at the top three cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
2/2
Fuel for the Cause 2UU
Instant
Counter target spell. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Greater Drake 5UU
Creature ― Drake
Flying
When Greater Drake enters the battlefield, draw a card.
4/4
Hysterical Blindness 2U
Instant
Creatures your opponents control get -4/-0 until end of turn.
Neurok Invisimancer 1UU
Creature ― Human Wizard
Neurok Invisimancer can’t be blocked.
When Neurok Invisimancer enters the battlefield, target creature can’t be blocked this turn.
2/1
Regress 2U
Instant
Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
See Beyond 1U
Sorcery
Draw two cards, then shuffle a card from your hand into your library.
Sirensong Rapture 1U
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -2/-0 and attacks each turn if able.
Spire Monitor 4U
Creature ― Drake
Flash, flying
3/3
Steady Progress 2U
Instant
Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Draw a card.
Thopter Body 2U
Artifact Creature ― Body
Flying
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Thopter Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->3/5
1/3
Thrummingbird 1U
Creature ― Bird Horror
Flying
Whenever Thrummingbird deals combat damage to a player, proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
1/1
Traumatic Visions 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell.
Basic landcycling 1U (1U, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Black
Absorb Vis 6BSorcery
Target player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life.
Basic landcycling 1B (1B, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Death-beam Head 1B
Artifact Creature ― Head
Deathtouch
1/2
Duress B
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a noncreature, nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Gloomhunter 2B
Creature ― Bat
Flying
2/1
Gutter Skulk 1B
Creature ― Rat
2/2
Ichor Fumes 2B
Instant
Put two -1/-1 counters on target creature.
Infected Imp B
Creature ― Imp Horror
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Whenever you cast a black spell, Infected Imp gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
Morbit Plunder 1BB
Sorcery
Return up to two target creature cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Necrotic Cur 2BB
Creature ― Hound
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Necrotic Cur enters the battlefield, return target creature card with infect from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Nested Nim 4BB
Creature ― Zombie
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Nested Nim dies, put a 2/2 black Horror token with infect onto the battlefield.
4/2
Nightwing Shade 4B
Creature ― Shade
Flying 1B: Nightwing Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Phyresis 1B
Enchantment ― Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has infect.
Progressive Madness 4B
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards at random. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Roadblock Body 3B
Artifact Creature ― Body
1B: Regenerate Roadblock Body. Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head, you may unatp Roadblock Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->4/4
2/2
Spread the Sickness 3BB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature, then proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Swarm of Souls 3B
Creature ― Spirit
B: Swarm of Souls gains Intimidate until end of turn.
3/3
Tendrils of Despair 3B
Instant
Tendrils of Despair deals damage equal to the number of Swamps you control to target creature. You gain that much life.
Vampiric Artificer 2B
Creature ― Vampire Artificer
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, Vampiric Artificer gains flying and lifelink until end of turn.
2/3
Withered Nim 2B
Creature ― Zombie
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Withered Nim dies, if an opponent is poisoned, draw a card.
2/2
Red
Act of Treason 2RSorcery
Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of turn. It gains haste.
Concentrated Barrage 3R
Instant
Choose target creature. Each creature you control deals 1 damage to that creature.
Demolish 3R
Instant
Destroy target land or artifact.
Fanatical Ritualist R
Creature ― Goblin Shaman
1, T, Sacrifice Fanatical Ritualist: Add RRR to your mana pool.
1/1
Fiery Fall 5R
Instant
Fiery Fall deals 5 damage to target creature.
Basic landcycling 1R (1R, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Flameborn Hellion 5R
Creature ― Hellion
Haste, trample
Flameborn Hellion attacks each turn if able.
5/4
Goblin Shortcutter 1R
Creature ― Goblin Scout
When Goblin Shortcutter enters the battlefield, target creature can’t block this turn.
2/1
Incinerating Wave 1R
Sorcery
Incinerating Wave deals 1 damage to each creature. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.
Molten Necropede 1R
Creature ― Insect
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
When Molten Necropede dies, it deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
1/1
Ogre Remedial 4R
Creature ― Ogre
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
R: Ogre Remedial gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/4
Pitchburn Devils 4R
Creature ― Devil
When Pitchburn Devils dies, it deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
3/3
Rally the Forces 2R
Instant
Attacking creatures get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
Redcleave Goblin 3R
Creature ― Goblin
Haste
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/2
Rerouting Head R
Artifact Creature ― Head
Rerouting Head can only be blocked by two or more creatures.
1/1
Riot Devils 2R
Creature ― Devil
2/3
Speeder Body 2R
Artifact Creature ― Body
First strike
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Speeder Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->4/3
2/1
Tangle Ogre 2RR
Creature ― Ogre
Trample
3/4
Volt Charge 2R
Instant
Volt Charge deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Proliferate. (You may choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Vulshok Heartstoker 2R
Creature ― Human Shaman
When Vulshok Heartstoker enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Wild Guess RR
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Wild Guess, discard a card. Draw two cards.
Green
Blight Mamba 1GCreature ― Snake
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1G: Regenerate Blight Mamba.
1/1
Charging Behemoth 6G
Creature ― Beast
Whenever Charging Behemoth becomes blocked, it gets +5/+5 until end of turn.
5/5
Dawntreader Elk 1G
Creature ― Elk
G, Sacrifice Dawntreader Elk: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
2/2
Elvish Rapporter 2G
Creature ― Elf Shaman
When Elvish Rapporter enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
2/1
Ezuri’s Archers G
Creature ― Elf Archer
Reach
Whenever Ezuri’s Archers blocks a creature with flying, Ezuri’s Archers gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/2
Gift of the Gargantuan 2G
Sorcery
Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a creature card and/or a land card from among them and put the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Glistener Elf G
Creature ― Elf Warrior
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
1/1
Goliath Body 5G
Artifact Creature ― Body
Trample
Combine (At the beginning of your end step, if you control a Head you may unatp Speeder Body and that Head and transform them joined as one card inheriting any Auras, Equipment, and counters.) ->8/5
6/3
Heat-tracker Head 4G
Artifact Creature ― Head
Heat-tracker Head must be blocked if able.
3/3
Nantuko Resister 2GG
Creature ― Insect
4/3
Plight Widow 2GG
Creature ― Spider
Reach
Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
2/4
Plummet 1G
Instant
Destroy target creature with flying.
Prey Upon G
Sorcery
Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.
Ranger’s Guile G
Instant
Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains hexproof until end of turn.
Ranger’s Path 3G
Sorcery
Search your library for up to two Forest cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Rot Wolf 2G
Creature ― Wolf Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Rot Wolf this turn dies, draw a card.
2/2
Rotted Hytrix 4G
Creature ― Beast
3/6
Spidery Grasp 2G
Instant
Untap target creature. It gets +2/+4 and gains reach until end of turn.
Teslan Bounty 5G
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
Basic landcycling 1G (1G, Discard this card: Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Lands
Shimmering GrottoLand
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Suvnica Week 10 Review, Part 2: There's No Place Like Home (Grohm Keyword)
Moving right along, the Grohm prevented an interesting challenge. Maro has already discussed the difficulty in designing for this particular color pairing. This is exacerbated for the Grohm since, unlike the Gruul, their Red connection is more about freedom than agression, and their Green is more about connecting with nature than of being the biggest baddest dude in the field.
CCDD 081413—Souldregger
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/14/2013 - A decent method to make one-drops relevant in the late game is to give them an ability that scales, but you have to be careful with abilities that scale with the the number of turns, like Stromkirk Noble (who works because his ability is conditional on a successful attack). For triggered abilities, you can make it an ETB trigger like Goblin Bushwhacker, a dying trigger like Doomed Traveler, or an attack trigger like Legion Loyalist.
8/14/2013 - A decent method to make one-drops relevant in the late game is to give them an ability that scales, but you have to be careful with abilities that scale with the the number of turns, like Stromkirk Noble (who works because his ability is conditional on a successful attack). For triggered abilities, you can make it an ETB trigger like Goblin Bushwhacker, a dying trigger like Doomed Traveler, or an attack trigger like Legion Loyalist.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Suvnica Week 10 Review, Part 1: Power of Equality (Suiroza Keyword)
Well, we have a whole mess of new keywords to consider. Let's dive in. First up, we'll consider submissions for the Suiroza.
CCDD 081313—Blastwand .33
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/13/2013 - This is the card I made based on Taresivon's Pazblade Retributor. While it half wants to live in Tesla and half in Frontier, the effect is reasonably simple, turning anything into an Ashmouth Hound or Somberwald Vigilante* (hence the discount for using red mana). *That can also defend.
8/13/2013 - This is the card I made based on Taresivon's Pazblade Retributor. While it half wants to live in Tesla and half in Frontier, the effect is reasonably simple, turning anything into an Ashmouth Hound or Somberwald Vigilante* (hence the discount for using red mana). *That can also defend.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Report of Tesla Playtest #1 — Changes in the Mechas
On Tuesday, I managed to test-draft with James Bartolotti, hubatish, Jules, and myself. This isn't the first playtest for Tesla, but for convenience I would like to call it playtest #1.
Thank you for your Mecha design ideas. Your input was helpful in creating the test draft set. I could not incorporate all of the different ideas, especially since I only had time to finish the Commons. But any of the ideas are potentially seeds for future ideas. I would like to discuss them in the next few posts.
For this post, I would like to show the Mecha designs I adopted for the test. (The names have been slightly edited since the test and I've added art as well.)
Thank you for your Mecha design ideas. Your input was helpful in creating the test draft set. I could not incorporate all of the different ideas, especially since I only had time to finish the Commons. But any of the ideas are potentially seeds for future ideas. I would like to discuss them in the next few posts.
For this post, I would like to show the Mecha designs I adopted for the test. (The names have been slightly edited since the test and I've added art as well.)
Weekend Art Challenge 080913—Neon Knights
Weekend Art Challenge
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which I will try to provide, and which everyone is welcome to provide as well.
If you choose, you may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times. I will post and review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Monday, life permitting. To help ensure I recreate your design accurately, please use CARDNAME instead of ~ and don't use the {} symbol images in your submissions.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
CCDD 080813—Essence Reflection
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/8/2013 - Enchantment/Aura copying/token-making is generally avoided because there haven't been any good ways to mark what's what and avoid memory issues so far. I'm honestly not sure how you could do that as a multi-card mechanic. Essence Reflection is a shot at doing it on a single rare.
8/8/2013 - Enchantment/Aura copying/token-making is generally avoided because there haven't been any good ways to mark what's what and avoid memory issues so far. I'm honestly not sure how you could do that as a multi-card mechanic. Essence Reflection is a shot at doing it on a single rare.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
CCDD 080713—Tales of Wandering
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/7/2013 - Timmy doesn't care for deck-thinning effects, and Johnny may not be interested in a one-time effect like this. Spike, on the other hand, is always looking for incremental advantage and improving the consistency of his draws is on his list.
8/7/2013 - Timmy doesn't care for deck-thinning effects, and Johnny may not be interested in a one-time effect like this. Spike, on the other hand, is always looking for incremental advantage and improving the consistency of his draws is on his list.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
CCDD 080613—Bad Dream
Cool Card Design of the Day
8/6/2013 - Bad Dream is a discard spell with a built-in mini-game.
8/6/2013 - Bad Dream is a discard spell with a built-in mini-game.
Designing Suvnica, Week 10: Back in Black
And we're back! I've been itching to dive back into this. I didn't have the time to finish out the remaining guild profiles while I was studying, and that's hopefully something I'll be able to do over the course of this week. In the meantime, for this week's challenge, we'll be coming up with keywords for two more guilds this week, plus a bonus design challenge.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Suvnica Guild Profile: The Suiroza
(This is part of a series of documents that are meant to provide snapshots of each of the guilds. These documents will probably be updated with some regularity. They are meant to provide a starting reference point when developing new cards and ideas for the guilds.)
{W}{U} The Suiroza
The Suiroza are driven by the idea that it is the environment in which an individual is fostered that is the sole factor in determining that individuals potential and limits. They have a very controversial practice within the guild of removing children from their parents immediately after birth and raising them in guild-run schools and academies.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Filling Out the Tesla Draft Test Packs
In a few days, we will be testing our Mecha mechanic for Tesla by drafting with a mockup set. The details of the test draft are here. The main purpose of this test is to find out the approximate numbers and color scheme necessary for Mechas decks to be reliably draft-able.
I will compile the mockup set since it may take too long to do it through discussions and votes on each step. But I will be using this post as a working space so that you can make comments and suggestions on what reprints and/or original cards should go into this test set.
You don't need to read the card lists below if you just want to follow what's happening with Tesla. It's more like a series of notes rather than an article. Also, feel free to suggest reprints etc. that would fit in the test without reading the lists below.
I will compile the mockup set since it may take too long to do it through discussions and votes on each step. But I will be using this post as a working space so that you can make comments and suggestions on what reprints and/or original cards should go into this test set.
You don't need to read the card lists below if you just want to follow what's happening with Tesla. It's more like a series of notes rather than an article. Also, feel free to suggest reprints etc. that would fit in the test without reading the lists below.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Tesla Draft Test Announcement
We will have a test draft of Tesla on Tuesday, August 6 starting 16:00 PST/19:00 EST.
We'll draft online using a free online tool called LackeyCCG, available on both Mac and PC. The drafting should take about an hour. Then you can stay and play out the matches if you have time. Otherwise, you can shout out on Twitter to have a match with the other drafters whenever you have time over the next few days.
Anyone who is interested in card design is welcome. You'll need to download and set up the necessary tool in advance. If you're interested, please contact me for details at goblinartisanchah@gmail.com.
We'll draft online using a free online tool called LackeyCCG, available on both Mac and PC. The drafting should take about an hour. Then you can stay and play out the matches if you have time. Otherwise, you can shout out on Twitter to have a match with the other drafters whenever you have time over the next few days.
Anyone who is interested in card design is welcome. You'll need to download and set up the necessary tool in advance. If you're interested, please contact me for details at goblinartisanchah@gmail.com.