Wobbless guessed Illusionary Armor and I face-palmed. That's not one of the cards that inspired this, as this was designed July 2012, but I had forgotten about Illusionary Armor (despite it being just 9 months old) when I posted this. Probably would've skipped it if I'd remembered, because they're nearly identical.
Illusionary Armor and Crystalline Nautilus? Anyway I think this needs to either use "destroy" or grant the ability to the creature since you can't sacrifice your opponent's permanent.
MaRo has now said that Unstable Mutation, in the abstract, is Red. Leaden Fists, I can see as blue. Illusion of Power, in my opinion, is unquestionably black.
I didn't think about this as a "deal with the devil," but now that I have I agree. Given that it's a blue ability used in a very black way I'd save this for a set where it could be multicolored.
That argument leads down a slippery slope that R&D seems intent on taking. It shouldn't matter what a color has done in the past, just what is currently in it slice of pie. Thinking otherwise leads us to continue making Terrors for 20 years.
Black has had 7 Skulking cards; blue has had 15 pingers, but I'm not about to let those come back.
Whatever blue's done in the past, this card seems flavorfully and mechanically black - both as a Power-with-fragility and also as "this is literally removal".
The flavor's spot on, and I certainly wouldn't give this to mono blue, but it's clearly treading on the toes of a blue ability. If we give this to black we'd better be willing to let white give -X/-X to attacking creatures and red make your opponent randomly discard and then draw because they're equally valid.
An argument can be made for that position, but I haven't heard anyone make it and it's certainly not the stance that R&D seems to be taking.
"CARDNAME can't block" is a black ability. But "Target creature can't block" is definitely not one.
Likewise, even if we claim "when CARDNAME is targeted, sacrifice it" as solely blue, I think "when enchanted creature is targeted, its controller sacrifices it" is again a horse of a different color.
I'm arguing that granting the skulk ability is significantly blacker than -X/-X is white. (Though I'm less sure it's better than offensive random discard in red, because that seems justifiable color-pie-wise, especially given Wheel of Fortune effects.)
(Likewise, I'd potentially be okay with 2W Instant "Target attacking creature gets -2/-2" because that honestly makes as much or more sense than the direct damage that white sometimes/often gets under those circumstances.)
Cool Card Design of the Day
Wobbless guessed Illusionary Armor and I face-palmed. That's not one of the cards that inspired this, as this was designed July 2012, but I had forgotten about Illusionary Armor (despite it being just 9 months old) when I posted this. Probably would've skipped it if I'd remembered, because they're nearly identical.
ReplyDeleteIllusionary Armor and Crystalline Nautilus?
ReplyDeleteAnyway I think this needs to either use "destroy" or grant the ability to the creature since you can't sacrifice your opponent's permanent.
"its controller sacrifices it"
DeleteUnstable Mutation!
ReplyDeleteUnstable Mutation is the first of my two direct inspirations.
DeleteIllusions of Grandeur
DeleteI sure hope we don't spiral out of time before someone guesses the second...
DeleteSkulking Knight?
DeleteWait, you said "two blue cards."
DeleteGossamer Phantasm?
DeleteTime... spiral? I would guess Leaden Fists, but it was in Future Sight, and is already an Unstable Mutation riff.
DeleteMoonlace, for the combo potential?
Delete(If not for the Time Spiral hint, I would have said Ice Cage.)
DeletePongify?
DeleteI would have just guessed Oakenform with a downside for being off color.
Unstable Mutation and Leaden Fists, because both pump a creature (by +3/+3) and/or remove a creature.
DeleteMaRo has now said that Unstable Mutation, in the abstract, is Red. Leaden Fists, I can see as blue. Illusion of Power, in my opinion, is unquestionably black.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about this as a "deal with the devil," but now that I have I agree. Given that it's a blue ability used in a very black way I'd save this for a set where it could be multicolored.
DeleteI could totally see this as mono-black. Skulking was originally a black ability.
DeleteThat argument leads down a slippery slope that R&D seems intent on taking. It shouldn't matter what a color has done in the past, just what is currently in it slice of pie. Thinking otherwise leads us to continue making Terrors for 20 years.
DeleteBlack has had 7 Skulking cards; blue has had 15 pingers, but I'm not about to let those come back.
I agree about that slope.
DeleteBut I'm not sure why it's a problem for black to have this ability. Power with fragility is a very black concept.
Whatever blue's done in the past, this card seems flavorfully and mechanically black - both as a Power-with-fragility and also as "this is literally removal".
DeleteThe flavor's spot on, and I certainly wouldn't give this to mono blue, but it's clearly treading on the toes of a blue ability. If we give this to black we'd better be willing to let white give -X/-X to attacking creatures and red make your opponent randomly discard and then draw because they're equally valid.
DeleteAn argument can be made for that position, but I haven't heard anyone make it and it's certainly not the stance that R&D seems to be taking.
"CARDNAME can't block" is a black ability. But "Target creature can't block" is definitely not one.
DeleteLikewise, even if we claim "when CARDNAME is targeted, sacrifice it" as solely blue, I think "when enchanted creature is targeted, its controller sacrifices it" is again a horse of a different color.
I'm arguing that granting the skulk ability is significantly blacker than -X/-X is white. (Though I'm less sure it's better than offensive random discard in red, because that seems justifiable color-pie-wise, especially given Wheel of Fortune effects.)
Delete(Likewise, I'd potentially be okay with 2W Instant "Target attacking creature gets -2/-2" because that honestly makes as much or more sense than the direct damage that white sometimes/often gets under those circumstances.)
Delete