tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post1525891825698862315..comments2024-03-11T02:32:15.295-04:00Comments on Goblin Artisans: GDS3 Prep: A Set in Four CardsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-26748322586659875092018-01-07T12:28:17.810-05:002018-01-07T12:28:17.810-05:00This is such a great twist on the exercise. Good p...This is such a great twist on the exercise. Good picks all around. As far as SoI, I might pick something less demon-y to show off Delirium, but otherwise that's a good spread. zefferalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13845251416516553492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-14363489557706327552018-01-07T11:43:53.882-05:002018-01-07T11:43:53.882-05:00No critique here is harsh. It's how we learn. ...No critique here is harsh. It's how we learn. I was leaning too heavily on the set name carrying the intent here, when it used some uncommon terminology. Nich Grayson did some set remixes, including a fascinating one for DGM, where he kept some cards and card titles, but redesigned the set knowing now what we wish we knew then. The vision for this was more, what if we were designing Homelands today as a stand-alone draftable expansion from scratch. So it's not a "return to Homelands" so much. That's what <a rel="nofollow">Joven</a> and <a rel="nofollow">Serra Angel</a> were pointing to. <br /><br />Meditate critique is all valid, and worth teasing out. There's a solid GU-centric mechanic in there, and it's worth developing. zefferalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13845251416516553492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-64622742306195936592017-12-25T11:30:23.632-05:002017-12-25T11:30:23.632-05:00Thanks, Jay.
The rune counters were inspired more ...Thanks, Jay.<br />The rune counters were inspired more by experience counters than energy, in that the cards that care about it just care about what's been accumulated rather than spending them - lower rarities would hit bonuses at certain thresholds, while higher rarities might have fully scaling effects. I could potentially see it as a revisiting of energy, though.<br />Accelerate is always an attack trigger, whereas different cards offer different way to get rune counters. This creature is probably part of a common cycle that generate a rune on attack, but I can see where that could lead to confusion.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11472705405477104508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-5140790050613184292017-12-25T10:41:14.851-05:002017-12-25T10:41:14.851-05:00Welcome!
This is mostly very sweet. Industrial Opp...Welcome!<br />This is mostly very sweet. Industrial Oppression theme seems clear.<br />The rune counters make me wonder why they're not energy, especially given the set's thematic similarity to Kaladesh. The attack-and-get-a-counter thing is also being done by accelerate. Can you consolidate those two mechanics?Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-64210938103140986232017-12-25T00:58:03.521-05:002017-12-25T00:58:03.521-05:00This is definitely a great idea you guys have here...This is definitely a great idea you guys have here. I'm glad Hipstersofthecoast promoted you, I wouldn't have known about the blog otherwise.<br /><br />Montegra, the Spell Factory<br /><br />Horsepower Imprinter 2G<br />Creature - Centaur Artificer (C)<br />Whenever CARDNAME attacks, you get a rune counter.<br />As long as you have three or more rune counters, CARDNAME has trample.<br />3/2<br /><br />Security Crackdown 3W<br />Enchantment (U)<br />When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 white Soldier tokens.<br />As long as you control three or more Soldiers, creatures you control have vigilance.<br /><br />Mass-Produced Dismissal 3UU<br />Instant (C)<br />Standardized (this costs 1 less to cast for each card with Standardized in your graveyard).<br />Counter target spell or activated ability.<br /><br />Bolero, Sanguine Strikebreaker 3BR<br />Legendary Creature - Vampire (R)<br />Haste, Accelerate (whenever this creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it)<br />Remove a +1/+1 counter from CARDNAME: Regenerate CARDNAME.<br />3/1Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11472705405477104508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-34707441800820310522017-12-18T17:46:19.976-05:002017-12-18T17:46:19.976-05:00It all started off with a through experiment: What...It all started off with a through experiment: What if a powerful green/white entity or plainswalker were an villain, or at least the antagonist? (Also, whether there could be a blue/black "hero," which I'm still trying to figure out)<br /><br />That eventually lead me to the idea of a powerful green/white plainswalker taking control of a plane and driving out the darkest/blackest influences (so no demons or vampires in the set). But she becomes so obsessed that the idea that she's beating back evil "death" forces that she loses it and actually part of her understanding that death is part of the natural life cycle. Therefore she's forcing this plane to grow out of control, while at the same time trying to keep any dark forces from gaining traction there.<br /><br />Except there's a big dramatic irony undercutting her that she's too mad and obsessed now to realize: Uncontrolled growth leads to disease and the mutations that she sees as a threat. Afflictions and mutations her obsession with all things growing (even as she fights even harder to kill these things). Reave is intended to be a consequence of things not being truly allowed to "leave" the cycle of life by dying. Storywise the hermits represent mages who have fled up into the mountains to try to get away from the overgrowth. And there's a blue/white faction that has to live on a flotilla of boats because all the wild growth has made land life too dangerous (either through creature mutations or spreading diseases).<br /><br />Originally retaliate was an even more complicated mechanic that was like if "Storm" were limited to the stack it was on. It was intended to demonstrate the idea that even magic itself was growing and exploding out of control in unexpected ways.<br /><br />Ultimately I think "retaliate" is a mechanic I think I'll have to kill and maybe just resurrect an existing keyword mechanic like replicate or overload that fits the world better.Larcenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02637510675812632748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-78197840742544118002017-12-18T11:21:46.433-05:002017-12-18T11:21:46.433-05:00Welcome, Scott.
Mutate could be fun.
Retaliate ...Welcome, Scott.<br /><br />Mutate could be fun. <br /><br />Retaliate isn't great for common because it uses terminology we don't expect most players to know, though it could probably be templated to avoid that.<br /><br />Reave could be fun.<br /><br />Mutate and Reave seem like they want to belong to different blocks, because their flavor seems entirely unrelated and their gameplay is very similar (both are effects that trigger when you do something you need another card to make happen).<br /><br />Rashma needs to answer the question of what happens when a creature with */* loses the ability that sets its P/T.<br /><br />I'm not seeing a through-line between 'overgrowth,' mutate, retaliate, reave, and angels/afflicted. What is the theme of this set?Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-79691804346776867332017-12-15T22:27:45.805-05:002017-12-15T22:27:45.805-05:00Set Name: Overgrowth
Fetid Tatterwings BB1 (Uncom...Set Name: Overgrowth<br /><br />Fetid Tatterwings BB1 (Uncommon)<br />Creature – Afflicted Bat<br />Flying<br />Mutate: Whenever any counters are placed on Fetid Tatterwings, it gains lifelink and menace until the end of the turn.<br />3/1<br /><br />Warned by the Wind U1 (Common)<br />Instant<br />Return target creature you control to its owner's hand.<br />Retaliate: If Warned by the Wind is on the stack in response to an opponent's non-creature spell, you may tap another target creature. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.<br /><br />Nightscrape Hermit R1 (Common)<br />Creature—Human Mage<br />Reave: When Nightscrape Hermit comes into play, if a card left your graveyard this turn, Nightscrape Hermit deals 2 damage to target creature or player.<br />2/1<br /><br />Rashma, Angel of Purity WW4 (Rare)<br />Legendary Creature—Angel<br />Flying, Vigilance.<br />While Rashma, Angel of Purity is on the battlefield, afflicted creatures lose all abilities (even when not on the battlefield). <br />4/4<br /><br />I'm still kind of nailing down the mechanics themselves and I'm betting that the flavor of "retaliate" looks like it doesn't belong with the other abilities.Larcenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02637510675812632748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-28077726476630745912017-12-14T13:10:39.199-05:002017-12-14T13:10:39.199-05:00Mage-Ring- Flavor thumbs-up. Not sure about manafl...Mage-Ring- Flavor thumbs-up. Not sure about manaflare, though. It's interesting, nonintuitive, and tough to evaluate. (Also probably wants to be templated as a trigger.) Most of the time it's basically an activated ability, but when I want to activate it more I'm going to be annoyed by the limitation. Not super resonant either.<br /><br />Ampryn Agent- Morph? Sure. But I wish you'd taken morph to a new place (I've long been wanting off-color morph costs) rather than re-concepting it again with no mechanical update. Flavor-wise I get that subterfuge is a major thing on Vryn, which seems reasonable.<br /><br />Voidmage Prodigy- Good reprint find, and tells me a lot about the creative and mechanical feel of the plane. With this in your four cards, you probably don't need Ampryn Agent-- the Prodigy represents morph better. Also potentially a hint at Wizard tribal.<br /><br />Trovian Sparkmage- More Wizards, more Manaflare. OK. Not sure what new information I'm getting here, except that magic on Vryn is a big deal.<br /><br />Overall- Vryn is a cool plane concept and WotC will surely do it at some point. But in these four cards I don't feel like I got a complete look at the set. What's the tagline / conflict / mechanical identity / overarching theme? Manaflare and Morph are both reasonable mechanics, if unexcitingly executed, but with these four cards I get the impression they're the only things going on in the set, and that's disappointing.lpaulsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07772860908442278112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-19099236920055054282017-12-14T09:49:58.569-05:002017-12-14T09:49:58.569-05:00Lone Centaur - Set symbol and centaur tell me this...Lone Centaur - Set symbol and centaur tell me this is supposed to be greekish, but this doesn't really tell me much else about the set other than the mechanic. Which would be fine, except there's such a disconnect between a mechanic named monstrous, its presence on a 2/2 -> 1/1 creature, and what the mechanic is actually doing. <br /><br />City Planner - This tells me that there are temple auras in the set, which is a cool design decision. The planner's Cultured ability tells me that they add a tap ability to the land, but it still feels bland overall. The card tells me a lot about the set, but doesn't make me excited about it.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure invoke is meant to turn your Master of Lightning into a renewable shock, but that's not how it works the way its written. That would have to be an ability word that parrots the creature's activated ability. As is, it just makes it hard to lose to a discard if you have R open. Based on context, I'm guessing that your sets gods are spirits, which is absolutely fine. Was this designed pre-Threros or in response to it?<br /><br />Heroic is a frustrating mechanic because its venn diagram is part hexproof, part indestructible. It's a little strange as a named set mechanic because its so narrow. As a keyword ability, other cards can reference it, but because of its narrowness it almost becomes a hashtag mechanic.<br /><br />My biggest takeaway from this is, if I was designing a greek-inspired set that wasn't Theros, what would it look like?zefferalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13845251416516553492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-67862225735292350992017-12-14T08:31:34.942-05:002017-12-14T08:31:34.942-05:00I was going to do renders and have full reviews fo...I was going to do renders and have full reviews for these, but people in the comments have been providing great feedback already, so let's maybe keep these here.<br /><br />Ice Age was norse inspired, but that was a long time ago. I suppose my biggest design question is the use of snow mechanic in a spiritual successor to Ice Age. It would be like if whatever the next Japanese-inspired plane was highly mechanically similar to Kamigawa. It could make sense, but let's distinguish our planes. <br /><br />Thor is an interesting take, but its missing some splash. Obviously Norse world needs a take on gods, but the best thing about these challenges is that you can tell us that there are gods without showing us one. An uncommon god lord would tell us so much more about the set than a single depiction of a god would. <br /><br />Very cool submission overall. Norse world is definitely on the shortlist, and this is making think a lot about what else might be in it.zefferalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13845251416516553492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-33906256826651879362017-12-13T17:03:33.022-05:002017-12-13T17:03:33.022-05:00Would metamorphosis be too complicated if it also ...Would metamorphosis be too complicated if it also exerted the creature? You are a lot less likely to use it repeatedly if you have to commit your big creature for 2 full turns. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04658299210469303843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-68740154927796661422017-12-13T14:34:54.709-05:002017-12-13T14:34:54.709-05:00I thought about making Sparkmage with only {R} as ...I thought about making Sparkmage with only {R} as the activation cost, but maybe I should have, even with prowess. Maybe if I upped the cmc?<br /><br />I really felt that Prodigy was the reprint that wants to be in vryn, (since there's tons of wizards and we already have a voidmage discipline present there), which necessitates morph being reprinted as well. Since there are a couple of factions that actively spy on one another and magic is fairly rampant, it felt natural to have morph.<br /><br />I thought about adding a different mechanic (recharge) that will regrowth when you cast a spell of a higher cmc, (similar to soulshift), but morph was taking up too much complexity space.<br /><br />Would this have been a better 'morph preview?'<br /><br />Core-State Constable {1}{W}{W} (Rare)<br />Creature - Human Wizard<br />Morph {3}{W}<br />When Core-State Constable ETB or is turned face-up, turn target creature an opponent controls face-down. <br />Face-down creatures can't attack, block, or be turned face-up.<br />{1}{W}: Turn ~ face-down.Skyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329168455575789365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-53607264149184669432017-12-13T14:12:05.273-05:002017-12-13T14:12:05.273-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Skyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329168455575789365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-162927540323648872017-12-13T13:35:06.497-05:002017-12-13T13:35:06.497-05:00Vryn is a great choice.
Mage-Ring is printable, a...Vryn is a great choice.<br /><br />Mage-Ring is printable, and iconic of Vryn. (Maybe a stronger uncommon would make more of an impact?)<br /><br />Morph is fine, but you really have to make a case for bringing it back because of its complexity cost. I like "ETB or turned face up" but that's not enough alone. Prodigy is a neat reprint, especially casting it on Vryn, but I really want to see morph do something new.<br /><br />Sparkmage is disappointing. I want the effect that's limited by mana and spells to be as good as <a rel="nofollow">Prodigal Pyromancer</a>, not worse.<br /><br />I get that Vryn is a tech-ish plane with wizards and thieves. Good representation!Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-16187279282491664682017-12-13T13:27:00.124-05:002017-12-13T13:27:00.124-05:00You did a great job selling the set's theme. B...You did a great job selling the set's theme. BUGS.<br /><br />And this: "I think if I were to go forward with a set like this, I'd probably just grab Monstrosity, make Swarm some kind of token-making mechanic, and have more insect/bipedal tension cards like Chitiknight" preempts all my major advice.<br /><br />I will say that bugs are normally tiny, and I was sure the 1-CMC/toughness-matters was there to care about bugs, but apparently all the bugs are huge? If so, why do we care about little things? Don't make the humans adopt bug-like behaviors, then it's bugs-that-aren't-bugs-because-they're-huge-VS-bugs-that-aren't-bugs-because they're humans: We don't get a proper conflict OR a proper bug!Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-50455330050257160742017-12-13T13:18:53.336-05:002017-12-13T13:18:53.336-05:00I agree with Ipaulsen entirely.I agree with Ipaulsen entirely.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-58215277456984238612017-12-13T13:13:59.979-05:002017-12-13T13:13:59.979-05:00The nontoken clause on 'small' needs to go...The nontoken clause on 'small' needs to go. Odd that 0/1 creatures are too small.<br />Angry Peasant should not count itself.<br /><br />What is Hand of the Tax Collector? Is it a hand? A giant? A giant hand? Mechanically solid (though it's slightly odd that the green ability grants it lifelink).<br /><br />Agreed with Ipaulsen on memorize. Battle Scholar should make you cast the spells it memorized, rather than try to cast them itself.<br /><br />I get the sense that dissent is rising as the populace is oppressed, but that's it. Dunno which side the scholars are on.Jay Treathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09428861685923241850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-44090988905812796992017-12-13T13:03:18.310-05:002017-12-13T13:03:18.310-05:00Deputize is a really resonant, clean, and overall ...Deputize is a really resonant, clean, and overall great design. :)KingRitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236555527666561613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-13200019753674323332017-12-13T12:57:58.460-05:002017-12-13T12:57:58.460-05:00Vryn
Mage-Ring (Common)
Land
{T}: add {C} to your...Vryn<br /><br />Mage-Ring (Common)<br />Land<br />{T}: add {C} to your Mana pool.<br />Manaflare {2}: put a charge counter on Mage-Ring. Activate this ability only whenever a player casts a spell.<br />{T}, remove X charge counters from Mage-Ring: add X Mana of any one color to your Mana pool.<br /><br />Ampryn Agent {2}{B}(Uncom)<br />Creature - Human Rogue<br />Morph {1}{B}<br />When ~ ETB or is turned face up, destroy target tapped creature.<br />3/2<br /><br />Voidmage Prodigy {U}{U}(rare, reprint)<br />Creature - Human Wizard<br />Morph {U}<br />{U}{U}, sacrifice a wizard: counter target spell.<br />2/2<br /><br />Trovian Sparkmage {2}{R} (Common)<br />Creature - Human Wizard<br />Prowess<br />Manaflare - {R}, {T}: Trovian Sparkmage deals 1 damage to target player. Activate this ability only whenever a player casts a spell.<br />2/1Skyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329168455575789365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-58722626600916028592017-12-13T10:30:10.044-05:002017-12-13T10:30:10.044-05:00Ah, cool, I like that flavour.
I'm not sure i...Ah, cool, I like that flavour.<br /><br />I'm not sure it should be monstrosity. I think "metamorphosis" as a name carries a lot of weight here. And I do like the doubling-size.<br /><br />However, the benefits of monstrosity, having a non-fixed increase allows development more choices in tuning cards, of only happening once (else it's way strong) still hold true.<br /><br />What I'd really like to see is a *similar* mechanic different in some important way, but I'm not sure what that might look like.Jack (cartesiandaemon)https://www.blogger.com/profile/08258267965242039995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-78317955221992261872017-12-13T10:18:25.407-05:002017-12-13T10:18:25.407-05:00Yeah, I wanted a giant Insect mechanic that wasn&#...Yeah, I wanted a giant Insect mechanic that wasn't Monstrosity... but maybe I should have just gone for Monstrosity! I loved the idea of doubling your creature's size.<br /><br />I wanted the main mechanical tension of the set to be about size -- giant insects, and tiny humans. It doesn't carry through these four cards super well, but I wanted the Insects to be roaming the world, wrecking stuff and getting bigger, while the bipedal races were forced to live in basically ant colonies underground and take on insect-like behaviors.<br /><br />Another option would be to have the bipedals take on attributes of the giant insects a la Dragons of Tarkir, so you have giant spiders and the people who work with them/admire them, and so on for various kinds of insects.<br /><br />Yeah, Swarm is developmentally problematic. I liked the idea of switching 1-drops on their heads and making them more appealing for a deck, while also making them worse top-decks later in a game. I think some kind of token-making mechanic is probably better though; agreed.<br /><br />I think if I were to go forward with a set like this, I'd probably just grab Monstrosity, make Swarm some kind of token-making mechanic, and have more insect/bipedal tension cards like Chitiknight.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />Carl Duzetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07786232615099927217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-3028456298714429852017-12-13T10:16:34.333-05:002017-12-13T10:16:34.333-05:00Junior Scribe 1U
Creature - Human (C)
When Junior ...Junior Scribe 1U<br />Creature - Human (C)<br />When Junior Scribe enters the battlefield, Scry 3.<br />When a Legendary Creature enters the battlefield you may return Junior Scribe to your hand.<br />1/3<br /><br />Elvazonian Poet 1GG<br />Creature - Elf Warrior (C)<br />T: Add G to your mana pool<br />3/3<br /><br />Spiked Penguin 2B<br />Creature - Bird Minion (C)<br />When Spiked Penguin enters the battlefield, put a +1/-1 counter on target creature.<br />2/3<br /><br />Antique Profiteer R<br />Creature - Goblin Artificer (C)<br />2R, T: Attatch target equipment you control to a creature you control.<br />1/1Wobbleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11494097707732649864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-88848689615269191812017-12-13T09:30:39.083-05:002017-12-13T09:30:39.083-05:00That makes sense, that sounds like a reasonable su...That makes sense, that sounds like a reasonable suite of weirds.<br /><br />Oh, thank you for the offer! Alas, that's probably about all I have to say, I'll leave further updates to you. But maybe get a blog or a forum where you can talk online about the set in more detail, if that would help?Jack (cartesiandaemon)https://www.blogger.com/profile/08258267965242039995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5479847193762153273.post-58257163941176506582017-12-13T08:03:41.578-05:002017-12-13T08:03:41.578-05:00Whoops and there's one red enchantment that ei...Whoops and there's one red enchantment that either says all creatures can't block (even) grants all creatures haste (odd).KingRitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236555527666561613noreply@blogger.com