Cool Card Design of the Day 11/18/2014 - Here's a partial cycle of auras that upgrade from simple+small effects to bigger effects when you can afford it.
This is a cool idea, and I'll have more comments, but to start off I wonder how many people will realize that activating the ability of Dream Trap doesn't disable the first part?
This isn't a white end result, either, is it? Gaining control of a creature is a blue result. (It also happens to be the blue aura, so I'd avoid it even if it was in-color.)
How about gaining life equal to the creature's power? Or Tapping it down and preventing it from untapping for a turn?
I think aesthetics are super important with this kind of cycle, which means going out of your way to make the two abilities feel connected. The blue aura does an excellent job at this, but I think the other two could go further in this direction.
For example, I think the Black one would feel better if it activated to give -4/-4 (so a net of -6/-6). You can see this on cards like Tragic Slip, that feels so much righter with -13/-13 then it would with "destroy".
For Aspen Blessing, I'd suggest:
Aspen Blessing 2G
Enchatment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has hexproof.
5G: Put four +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
I agree the aesthetics are important and I dropped the ball for black and green. I like your solution for black a lot. For green, I'd simplify with "has +3/+3 / gets +6/+6" or something.
These auras could be used to give more room to show off the large iconic creatures of a given set. Initially they can grant the creature an iconic ability unique to their colors Big Iconic, and then fully transforming them when you have enough mana.
Draconic Inspiration R Enchantment - Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature has "R: Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn." 5R: Enchanted creature is a Dragon with flying and base power and toughness 6/6 until end of turn.
Alternatively they could be used to tell a story about an increasingly skilled specialist.
Embermage Ascension R Enchantment - Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has haste. 5R: Enchanted creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
R Enchantment - Aura (U) Enchant enchantment At the beginning of enchanted enchantment's controller's upkeep, ~ deals 1 to each creature that player controls. 5R: ~ deals 3 damage to each creature controlled by enchanted enchantment's controller.
Spectral Invocation 2W Enchantment - Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+2 and has vigilance. 5W: Exile enchanted creature and target creature it blocks.
Blazing Spirit 1R Enchantment - Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and must attack each turn if able. 5R: Enchanted creature deals 2 damage to each other creature. Creatures damaged this way can't be regenerated this turn.
If Spectral Invocation exiled (or sacrificed) itself rather than the enchanted creature, that would make for a pretty sweet Guardian Angel aura.
I like that you paralleled the 2s in Blazing Spirit's two abilities, though they don't feel super-connected. (They do feel more connected than my B and G cards.) We also shy away from "can't regenerate" text when not absolutely necessary. Inspires:
Blazing Spirit 1R Enchantment - Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and must attack each turn if able. 5R: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn and must attack this turn if able. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
I don't like that Blazing Spirit sends mixed messages about whether I am supposed to put it on my creature or your creature. Perhaps something a la Lust for War:
I like your idea, that would be abused certainly by tap or untap skill. Imagine a permanent that can steal your opponent creature every turn, that really strong and broken card especially in control.
Whenever enchanted creature becomes tapped it deals 3 damage to its owner.
5R: Gain control of ENCHANTED creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
Cool Card Design of the Day
This is a cool idea, and I'll have more comments, but to start off I wonder how many people will realize that activating the ability of Dream Trap doesn't disable the first part?
ReplyDeleteI expect a good number will miss it at first, though the 'untap' in the ability is a decent queue.
DeleteAnother option for this cycle would be to sacrifice the aura for the bigger effect.
I was actually going to suggest that. I think Mind Control is totally gone out of uncommon, but I do like the template.
Delete'cue'
DeleteRed is easy: first strike, activate for +6/+0. White is harder, weirdly. I might go with
ReplyDeleteMoral Objection 1W
Aura
Enchanted creature has defender.
5W: Gain control of enchanted creature for as long as you control Moral Objection.
which has a white end result but doesn't really use white means to get it.
This isn't a white end result, either, is it? Gaining control of a creature is a blue result. (It also happens to be the blue aura, so I'd avoid it even if it was in-color.)
DeleteHow about gaining life equal to the creature's power? Or Tapping it down and preventing it from untapping for a turn?
The white end result is that the creature moves from not attacking to blocking for you.
DeleteI think aesthetics are super important with this kind of cycle, which means going out of your way to make the two abilities feel connected. The blue aura does an excellent job at this, but I think the other two could go further in this direction.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I think the Black one would feel better if it activated to give -4/-4 (so a net of -6/-6). You can see this on cards like Tragic Slip, that feels so much righter with -13/-13 then it would with "destroy".
For Aspen Blessing, I'd suggest:
Aspen Blessing 2G
Enchatment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has hexproof.
5G: Put four +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
I agree the aesthetics are important and I dropped the ball for black and green. I like your solution for black a lot. For green, I'd simplify with "has +3/+3 / gets +6/+6" or something.
DeleteThese auras could be used to give more room to show off the large iconic creatures of a given set. Initially they can grant the creature an iconic ability unique to their colors Big Iconic, and then fully transforming them when you have enough mana.
ReplyDeleteDraconic Inspiration R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has "R: Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
5R: Enchanted creature is a Dragon with flying and base power and toughness 6/6 until end of turn.
Alternatively they could be used to tell a story about an increasingly skilled specialist.
Embermage Ascension R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has haste.
5R: Enchanted creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature or player.
R
ReplyDeleteEnchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant enchantment
At the beginning of enchanted enchantment's controller's upkeep, ~ deals 1 to each creature that player controls.
5R: ~ deals 3 damage to each creature controlled by enchanted enchantment's controller.
Playtest name of Tongue Twister or Editor's Migraine.
DeleteHow about this one?
ReplyDeleteSpectral Invocation 2W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+2 and has vigilance.
5W: Exile enchanted creature and target creature it blocks.
Blazing Spirit 1R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and must attack each turn if able.
5R: Enchanted creature deals 2 damage to each other creature. Creatures damaged this way can't be regenerated this turn.
If Spectral Invocation exiled (or sacrificed) itself rather than the enchanted creature, that would make for a pretty sweet Guardian Angel aura.
DeleteI like that you paralleled the 2s in Blazing Spirit's two abilities, though they don't feel super-connected. (They do feel more connected than my B and G cards.) We also shy away from "can't regenerate" text when not absolutely necessary. Inspires:
Blazing Spirit 1R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and must attack each turn if able.
5R: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn and must attack this turn if able. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
I don't like that Blazing Spirit sends mixed messages about whether I am supposed to put it on my creature or your creature. Perhaps something a la Lust for War:
DeleteBlazing Spririt 1R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes tapped it deals 3 damage to its owner.
5R: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
I like your idea, that would be abused certainly by tap or untap skill. Imagine a permanent that can steal your opponent creature every turn, that really strong and broken card especially in control.
DeleteWhy not like this?
DeleteBlazing Spririt 1R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes tapped it deals 3 damage to its owner.
5R: Enchanted creature deals 3 damage to target creature or player and deals 3 damage to itself. Tap enchanted creature.
I started typing a long response about how much better your card was then mine, and then realized I typed the wrong thing. It was supposed to be:
DeleteBlazing Spririt 1R
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes tapped it deals 3 damage to its owner.
5R: Gain control of ENCHANTED creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.