Wednesday, March 9, 2016

CCDD 030916—Demonic Connoisseur

Cool Card Design of the Day
3/9/2016 - The big problem with tutor effects is that players tend to get the same thing with them time and again, leading to repetitive gameplay. What if there were a tutor that could never get the same thing twice?


8 comments:

  1. Ha ha! Fantastic. Seems like it would be legitimately viable in a Magic Online only set. If you went that way, it could read:

    Search your library for a card Demonic Connoisseur hasn't searched for in the last year, put it into your hand. Shuffle your library.

    Also, I presume you said 'Shuffle' for same reason that we now say "dies?'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To be honest, more out of designer laziness, but I like your justification. What else would you shuffle?

      Delete
    2. Exactly! It's entirely obvious! And it's safe to say we won't be seeing anything else that needs to be shuffled introduced in the future.

      I don't totally approve of the kibosh on shuffle effects that Wizard's has started. There are a few neat commons and uncommons I've designed which ended up looking cramped because of the extra words "Shuffle your library" or "Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order." This relieves a bit of that pressure.

      Delete
  2. Ooh. Fascinating idea. I like the aim.

    I assume it means "ever" even between games? If so, I'm concerned, people will hate it like they hate chaos confetti, and there will be arguments about practice games, does that count? And if it's constructed viable, the price of unmarked copies could go through the roof...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did mean "ever." Better to make a card some people hate than a card no one cares about either way.

      Of course the very real issue that there isn't room to note more than a few searches limits it's real-world viability. Suppose we could say "if there's space left to write on ~."

      Delete
  3. Trying to think of a way something like this could work in black border. Maybe:

    Demonic Spy (1BB)
    Sorcery (R)
    Search your library for a card and exile it face-down, then shuffle your library. Target opponent names a card. If the card you searched for isn't the named card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.

    Obviously you could still choose the same card over and over again, but unless you play with different people every single game that probably isn't the best idea. Maybe it should also let you draw a card as a consolation prize if your opponent guesses correctly.

    Perhaps this could work in a Conspiracy set:

    Demonic Connoisseur (1BB)
    Sorcery (R)
    As you cast CARDNAME, note the name of a card not already noted as you cast cards named CARDNAME.
    Search your library for a card with the name noted as you cast CARDNAME, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I approve of Demonic Spy…"

      The Demonic Conspiracy resets after the event? I can dig it.

      Delete