Weekend Design ChallengeClick through to see this design requirements for your single card submission, due Tuesday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which you may use to revise your submission any number of times. I will aim to review the most recent submission from each designer some time on Tuesday, in the comments below.
Design a card that can counter a spell. Aim for something that rewards cunning. Bonus points if it does so thematically.
Where's the art?
ReplyDeleteThis week it's a "weekend design challenge" not "weekend art design challenge" :)
DeleteAh, okay. I thought so but it still says "Click through to see this weekend's art" at the top
DeleteForgot to update that text. Also forget I wouldn't be around Monday. Reviews coming later today, hopefully.
DeleteVoid Powder
ReplyDelete1
Artifact - Rare
When Void Powder enters the battlefield, secretly name a card.
Whenever a card you named with Void Powder becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may reveal the name you chose, counter the spell or ability and return Void Powder to your hand.
Void Powder reads a lot like a conspiracy, you just happen to make your choice during the game instead of before.
DeleteWhen I first read this, I thought you were naming what card you were protecting against, which was interesting. Your things might be safe from my murders but not my Tragic Slips.
Instead, Void Powder has you choose a card you're protecting. In most Limited decks, your opponent might not be sure whether you chose your okay aggressive creature, your good-ish utility artifact, or a bomb you haven't played yet. In Constructed, though, I can imagine their being no mystery behind your choice 80% of the time. You're either naming your biggest threat on the board, or lynchpin to your strategy.
More importantly, Void Powder deals with absolutely any spell your opponent can throw at your most important card. No guessing, no conditions, your thing is safe. That's not as fun as trying to guess what your opponent might try next.
Void Powder also returns to your hand after it does its thing. The brilliant thing about that is I can save up spells and mana to cast two so I can deal with your favorite card. (Or three to deal with two of them, etc.) The terrifying thing about that is you then replay Void Powder on your next turn, still for just {1} and guaranteeing safety for your next best thing.
I'm no Eternal expert, but I expect this would be one the most powerful cards printed for the format since Urza's Legacy.
If instead you had to name the card you want to counter, you'll be guessing what removal's in your opponent's hand/deck. That would push the Constructed metagame toward a diverse removal suite and give players something to think and bluff about.
The design started as:
DeleteVoid Powder
1
Artifact - Rare
As CARDNAME ETB's, name a card.
Permanents with the chosen name have "Whenever this permanent becomes the target of a spell or ability for the first time in a turn, counter that spell or ability."
I changed it to its current incarnation thinking it would be more fun/interesting and because the challenge asked for "rewarding cunning".
Naming the opponent's card I've never really liked - we shouldn't punish new players for not memorizing all the cards IMO.
Honestly the design might just be:
Void Powder
1
Artifact - Rare
Sacrifice Void Powder: Target permanent you control gains hexproof until end of turn.
That is a ton cleaner, and still very strong. Nice.
DeleteKeikku Dori 3U
ReplyDeleteEnchantment (M)
Before a player casts a spell, they must announce that they are casting it and declare it's CMC without revealing it's name. Then if any of that player's opponents guesses it's name correctly, counter than spell.
[i]I knew you were gonna do that[/i]
Prepare for rediculous mind games. The way I THINK the rules work, you still need to tap out for your pool before you do this, which should help; but would also lead to some finky mindgames. I made it global for ballance and to have some crazy as heck gam,es were everyone is trying to play around eachother and there decks.
I hope it would be REAL fun in Commander
Even assuming this works within the rules (and I'm not convinced it does), it sounds like the kind of card that only the griefer-Johnny who plays stuff like Warp World and Knowledge Pool is going to enjoy. For everyone else, the game screeches to a halt either because no one wants to risk playing any spells or everyone is taking ten minutes to debate over what the most likely card(s) at any given mana cost in their opponents' decks are. This is especially unfortunate if a player's commander has been taxed multiple times.
DeleteDoesn't this get super-weird with X spells? Casting a 5-point fireball, you tap six mana but announce "1"?
DeleteI think this could be a lot of fun, though.
Perhaps making it like this:
Spells are cast face-down to the stack.
(3): Name a card and reveal a face-down card on the stack. If you do, and its the named card, counter it. Any player may activate this ability.
You don't need the CMC stuff because your opponent had to tap the lands in advance to cast the spell.
This is going to make the rules go crazy, since casting is when they check for costs, legal targets, etcetera.
DeleteAttempting an alternative template:
Players can't cast spells from their hands.
Cards in players' hands have "Exile this card face-down from your hand: Each opponent names a card. If this card wasn't named, you may cast it this turn."
I lost the CMC angle, but the basic idea still seems to be there. I agree that this would be awesome in Commander, especially since it makes tutors worse.
Reminds me a little of the game Citadels, where you risk losing your whole turn if you choose your most obvious gameplay option for that turn.
DeleteThis + Telepathy also locks out the game.
DeleteI suppose Commander is a broken format anyway, and people can still cast their commanders, but still...
Let's assume this can work—I'm optimistic.
DeleteIn Constructed, players are going to have to build around this in a big way, trading some of their playsets for singles and doubles (4 Murders become 2 Murders and 2 Anguished Unmakings, for instance), and concentrating on certain CMCs (I can't play any card that's the only one of that CMC in my deck).
Adding variance to Standard might be a good thing, but forcing it might not be appreciated, and this reduces variance in some ways even as it promotes it elsewhere.
Honestly, you could even remove the CMC information and you'd still be making a huge impact on the way Constructed normally plays out (b/c consistency is power and tourney players memorize every decklist they know of).
But that's only because this has the power to counter every card a player casts for the rest of the game. If it can only work once, or if it's risky to use (because it costs a lot to guess, or there's a penalty for being wrong), that would be a totally different story.
It's great to be aware of multiplayer Magic, but we don't want to make cards worse in that format. If all your opponents can guess, they'll all guess differently to maximize chances of countering your spell, and the game will shut down for everyone.
Taking the feedback I would go with Ipaulsen's version. It removes the CMC aspect and lets you play stuff at instant speed.
DeleteSomething like
Keikakku Dori 3U
Enchantment (M)
Players can't cast spells from their hands.
Cards in players' hands have "Exile this card face-down from your hand: Target opponent names a card. If this card wasn't named, you may cast it this turn."
[i]I knew you were gonna do that[/i]
Technically not a counter spell, but I think it keeps the spirit if not the letter.
Of course an easy rewording coukd fix that.
Thoughts?
Home Field Advantage R
ReplyDeleteInstant (U)
Cast Home Field Advantage only during your turn.
Counter target spell.
Moonbeam Bruiser 2U
DeleteCreature- Illusion U
When an opponent casts a spell, sacrifice Moonbeam Bruiser and counter that spell.
4/4
Font of Denial U
Enchantment (U)
UU, Sacrifice Font of Denial: Counter target spell.
Home field denial is a bleed I'm happy with, but it feels green to me.
DeleteI'm not sure I'd want to give green the ability to counter flash creatures, although it's very much in a red/green space. Could be:
DeleteHome field advantage RG
Instant (U)
Cast Home Field Advantage only during your turn.
Counter target spell. Deal 2 damage to that spells controller.
If we're to use R&D's precedent, a red-green counter in almost any set is a non-starter, but I still believe that's misguided.
DeleteIt does feel green to me that Home Field Advantage only works during your turn. And it's plenty red that it burns your opponent too. It's also simple.
Is a RG counter better (in general, or as an argument for nonblue counters) than a red one and/or a green one, I don't think so, but if we imagine a gold set in the future where countermagic is spread more widely, then I totally buy this one.
Monkey Business 1U
ReplyDeleteInstant (Unc)
Counter target spell. If you do, it's controller creates a 3/3 green ape creature token.
"What do you mean, that's not what you meant to summon?"
Similar to Swan Song, I tried to think what counterspells should and shouldn't do, and tried to aim for somewhere where it was useful against "oh shit, I must counter that" spells, but not just overwhelming card advantage. It's hopefully more useful than more expensive counterspells because you have to have it, but don't need to keep lots of mana up. But I'm not sure -- developer comments?
I considered costing it at GU, but decided it was ok monocolour.
Per the Kaladesh rules update, Monkey is now a recognized creature type...
DeleteOh, is that *new*? I wondered where all the monkeys came from. Now you say, I remember thinking it makes sense there were monkeys in India, but I forgot there hadn't been *any* before.
Deletehttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=10558
DeleteZodiac Monkey was printed as a Monkey!
Did they consolidate at some point? *google*
DeleteAh! http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Monkeys says portal printed some monkeys, but they were changed to apes for a core set. But then several monkeys were changed back to monkeys for kaladesh.
This is pretty solid. And not a bad argument for non-blue countermagic (because it would be a solid mono-green counter in such a world).
DeleteIt can counter anything—which is awfully easy—but crafting decks/boards where you don't mind giving out free 3/3s could reward a bit of work.
Fun flavor.
Interfere With Fate {6}{U}
ReplyDeleteInstant
Counter any number of target spells.
~ costs {3} less to cast for each target beyond the first.
... that one has problems and isn't really cunning-y. Here's a totally different counterspell instead
DeletePsychic Interference {2}{U}
Instant
Target player draws a card.
Then counter target spell if its controller drew a card this turn other than the first one he or she draws in each of his or her draw steps.
Verbal Lapse {U}
DeleteInstant
Counter target spell.
Its controller may cast a spell that costs the same or less without paying its mana cost.
^ Can be used as a conditionless counterspell against hellbent opponents, a conditional counterspell when you're desperate, or an expensive way to squeeze out your own spells when you normally wouldn't be capable: when you're missing the colours, or as a makeshift quicken.
DeleteFinal entry.
How often is that just U: Counter target spell? Pretty much any time after turn 4/5, right?
DeleteDepends on the deck you're up against, but yeah, it does get to that point without too much difficulty..
DeleteI thought about maybe giving your opponent the option to draw a card instead but - and this may be a terrible reason - I wasn't happy with the wording.
I'd imagine this would need to cost more to be printable or need more of a cascade style drawback so your opponent always winds up on cards and mana
DeleteVerbal Lapse {U}
DeleteInstant
Counter target spell.
Its controller may draw a card.
Then its controller may cast a spell that costs less without paying its mana cost.
~
wordier but probably fairer & more interesting! card advantage is really important! ... it also makes it a better self-support counterspell
note that i bumped it to 'less' vs. 'the same or less'
Verbal LApse counters anything for just one mana, but it draws your opponent a card and "gives them mana" to cast something else.
DeleteI would definitely have to playtest this to get a solid sense how strong and how fun it is. If we assume it's okay to print (I'm guessing it's VVStrong), I imagine your opponent doesn't get to leverage the last part 50% of the time or much more. There's definitely cleverness for the player to optimize that (and for the opponent to do the same).
Would be easier if it literally gave them mana:
Counter target spell.
Its controller draws a card and adds mana to his or her mana pool equal to the countered spell's mana cost.
Forecast 4UU
ReplyDeleteInstant (U)
You may reveal Forecast as you draw it. If you do, play with it revealed as long as it’s in your hand and you may cast it for UU rather than pay its mana cost.
Counter target spell.
That's neat.
DeleteIt miracles into Counterspell but they know it's coming.
Digging it.
I almost wonder if it shouldn't unreveal (and the cost revert) at your next upkeep.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUnwinding Mage 1UU
DeleteCreature - Human Wizard (R)
U, T: Counter target spell. Its controller draws a card and untaps up to X lands, where X is that spell's converted mana cost.
2/2
Verbal Lapse on a stick!
DeleteIt's like your fateseal-looting your opponent (because you turn a card they want to cast into a random card), but it's better than that because you're also trumping time-sensitive plays.
Guessing this is oppressive when you can use it every round, but maybe that means opponent holds spells back until they can definitely re-use the mana, etc.
Actually...
Deletea really cute effect would be
"You may counter the first spell each player casts each turn. Whenever a spell is countered this way, its controller draws a card and gains mana equal to the countered spell's mana cost"
Cute/Brutal.
DeleteAt least its symmetrical.
Here's a card I designed for the current set I'm working on.
ReplyDeletehttp://puu.sh/rsrTi/5536cffa23.jpg
Loomreef Nullmage 1U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard (U)
Fatebound (When this enters the battlefield, exile a card from your hand face-down, then draw a card.)
T, Reveal the fatebound card and put it on the top or bottom of your library: Counter target spell with converted mana cost equal or less than the fatebound card’s converted mana cost.
Fatebound reminds me of a card I haven't yet written the CCDD for, and also a mechanic Wobbles proposed recently. On its own, it's just looting (I say 'just' but enthusiastically approve of more smoothing mechanics like this), yet I expect most of the cards with fatebound to do something with the exiled card.
DeleteLoomreef Nullmage uses that card to counter a cheaper card. That encourages you to exile an expensive card from your hand and not land. That limits the value of its smoothing, but it's great to cycle your 7-drop on turn 2.
Was anticipating that the exiled card would need to match CMC exactly, but depending on how we use fatebound elsewhere, this might be better.
I would definitely add a mana cost to the activation.
Not sure if this is black bordered but:
ReplyDeleteExploit the Weakness 1C
Enchantment
As ~ enters the battlefield, secretly choose a number.
Sacrifice ~: Reveal the chosen number and counter target spell with the chosen mana cost.
Depending upon the set, it might be 1U.
DeleteI would play the bejeezus out of this at 1C.
DeleteRarity?
Rare
DeleteSecret notes are awkward for black-border, but valid, I think.
DeleteBeing able to choose the number as you play Exploit means you're thinking of a specific card you don't want your opponent to cast and preventing it.
And then your opponent is trying to figure out which card you fear most and hoping they can bait your Exploit the Weakness with the lesser of their spell options at that cost. But they probably can't.
This has promise. I could see it proving unfun in testing, or maybe being great fun.
It would be ideal if the opponent could play around this. Maybe it has a time-limit. Or they can pay to guess and remove it:
DeleteX: If X is the number ~'s controller chose, destroy ~. Any player may activate this ability.
Might is right GG
ReplyDeleteInstant rare
Counter target spell.
If an opponent controls one or more creatures, put three +1/+1 counters on one of those creatures.
In what format(s) do you envision this being reasonable?
DeleteIf this said "target noncreature spell" it would feel much more OK, for two reasons. One, you couldn't use it to counter an opponent's first creature of the game and avoid the drawback that way. Two, it's more plausibly in-color-pie because Green already hates artifacts and enchantments, and gets some conditional tools against instants and sorceries.
DeleteI don't like that a green mage can cast this when their opponent has no creatures to embiggen. "Noncreature" would help with that (while feeling greener on its own).
DeleteOther than that, yeah. Sweet green counter.
Turtles all the way down 1G
ReplyDeleteInstant (C)
Each creature gains hexproof until end of turn.
Draw a card.
Heh. Here's a green counterspell that's not even challenging the current color pie. Should it cost just two and draw a card, idk, but the design is super printable.
DeleteTry Again 3UU
ReplyDeleteInstant (r)
End the current turn. The player whose turn it is takes an additional turn after this one.
Wish this weren't monoblue, but anything else would raise too many eyebrows. (Also maybe undercosted? But development could bump this to 4UU/higher if needed.)
This is really cool. I don't mind it at 3UU, but if anything it ought to be mythic, since Time Warp is pretty much confined to mythic nowadays and this is strictly better for all intents and purposes, sans exile clause (just cast it during your end step when you didn't have anything left to do in your turn anyway).
DeleteAlso a super interesting decision point in counterspell mode - do I care enough about your spell(s) right now, to let you draw a card and untap your lands?
I'd love to see this as "End target opponent's turn. That player takes another turn after this one." To prevent it from just being straight time walk
DeleteHow about: "End the turn. If it was an opponent's turn, they take an additional turn after this one."
DeleteSo you can use it as a regular ol' Time Stop on your turn too, if you need one.
See also: Start Anew
DeleteWhat is the point of that {1/U} mana symbol (if I'm reading it correctly)?
DeleteI think it means C/U hybrid? Not quite sure how that translates flavorwise, but I think it was part of one of the spotlight challenges a few months back.
DeleteI think mythic and "Exile CARDNAME." are both probably good additions.
Time Warp is one spell that absolutely can't cost the same as an instant. I can pass my turn, keep my mana open, respond to what you do, and then give myself an extra turn if I still have mana open.
DeleteI can alternately counter your spell, restarting your turn so you get a new card, a new untap, and a new combat step. For five. Which is a terrible Cancel.
Unless I counter your spell during my turn, in which case I get Cancel plus most of a Time Warp.
All of that is why I agree the solution isn't to up the cost, but to focus the card's purpose. What it's doing is cool enough, it doesn't need to do everything.
Did I mention this is cool?
Furious Retort
ReplyDelete1RG
Instant(U)
Counter target Blue instant. Furious Retort does X damage to target creature or player, where X is twice the countered spell's converted mana cost.
- Sometimes, it's matter over mind
Should probably be a rare or the doubling is unnecessary
DeleteAnother red-green counter, eh? I'm definitely sensing a theme here. This is very red, what with Essence Backlash et al. AFAICT, it's only green because green also hates blue. That's not inspiring, but it is valid. Especially since green kind of hates instants.
DeleteNot sure the doubling is needed, in which case this could cost less, but Dev might need the higher cost and keep the doubling.
Command Stillness 1U
ReplyDeleteInstant (R)
Name a card. If it's an instant or sorcery card, counter all spells with that name. Otherwise, permanents with that name entering the battlefield this turn don't cause abilities to trigger.
Neat and strong, hates well on storm and a few combos. Does this wording prevent named auras from enchanting their targets?
DeleteNot sure why this does two very different things. Preventing ETB effects is clearly what makes this special, so why not just remove the instant/sorcery clause? (And then making it cheaper, or add a cantrip or flashback).
DeleteThere's definitely an argument that the sorcery/instant clause keeps the intention of this card purer, and that's valid, I just find that weaker than focusing.
DeleteTo Pasteur's point, I think attaching Auras as they enter the battlefield doesn't count as a triggered ability.
DeleteTo Jay's point... yes, the fact that it has two modes is for flavor reasons, and because the second half would be too narrow on its own.
So if "counter target spell" can't cost UU anymore, and it generally gets a rider ability at 1UU, why can't we try 2U? Cancel isn't so powerful that everyone would splash it, is it?
ReplyDeleteConvolute is s card
DeleteTraditionally unconditional counters require UU, much as Wraths require WW and unconditional black kill spells tend to require BB. It's a way of making control-deck-building decisions more interesting, since control decks generally find it easier to splash cards than aggressive decks do.
DeleteYeah, a 2U counter is very splashable, and that allows more decks that otherwise not blue to play it, which is a bit dangerous (and an argument for not moving countermagic outside of blue). Not sure it's unprintable, though. I'd be curious to see.
DeleteDisregard UB
ReplyDeleteInstant (U)
Counter target ability an opponent controls. If a creature’s ability is countered this way, destroy that creature.
“Your magic is worth nothing. Your life is worth even less.”
Probably needs to say "activated or triggered ability" and probably doesn't need to say "an opponent controls". Otherwise, beautiful design (and super-scary).
DeleteHow is this not a card name yet?
DeleteAnyway, sweet card.
The definition of 'ability' isn't super-clear on cards, so I agree specifying "activated or triggered" would help clarify. Also, you can't counter a static ability without breaking some brains.
DeleteThis is neat. My concern is that destroying a creature is so much better than countering, what, a single forecast trigger, or a single artifact activation, that it might as well only target abilities of creatures.
Iacane Powder
ReplyDeleteConspiracy
Hidden agenda
When you reveal CARDNAME, counter all spells with the chosen name.
Cards with the chosen name can't be cast.
Could be really unfun, but could be hilarious fun particularly between games as people try to work out what you'll name *this* match.
i like the counter part of this, but the meddling mage half seems really brutal. Especially in a group multiplayer game if this turns off 3+ of your cards and counters something you can't really recover.
DeleteI would 100% play this purely for the opportunity to quote Vizzini.
DeleteSeems stronger than Conspiracies typically want to be (since they're "free" and always drawn). Maybe remove the second sentence (as Wobbles suggested) and cost the activation at U? That's still quite the beating when it activates.
This is definitely a strong conspiracy, and it seems like something that should be. The fact that it doesn't exist already makes me think they tested it and nixed it, but we can't know that.
DeleteI very much like that you have to choose before the game and there's only one game in multiplayer, so you're guessing based off the draft, not earlier games.
Probably it wants to either reveal to counter in the moment or prohibit all spells, rather than both.
It's all about the Vizzini!
DeleteI think getting rid of the meddling mage is right; why bother keeping it face-down anyway. I think it might be better as, "When you reveal CARDNAME, return all permanents and spells with the chosen name to their owner's hands." So it's a mass-bounce and counterspell.