I have been doing a bunch of playtests over the last few weeks with both draft and sealed of my custom set. However I have a few cards that either haven't come up much or that I'd like a second opinion on. Please make sure you check the mechanics of the set as well so you are aware of some of the basic interactions especially when it comes to the Reshape mechanic.
My comments in BLUE
Tidal IngusUU
Creature - Elemental {U}
Vanishing 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever Tidal Ingus attacks, you may have target creature get -2/-0 until end of turn.
2/1
Supposed to be a powerful aggressive blue creature that rewards the player for using reshape to keep it in play for longer. Currently nullifies any 2/2 bears but I'm wondering if making it cost 1U would be ok as it is hard to get it down on turn two if your not playing mono.
Grimflame Rite1BR
Enchantment {U}
Whenever you sacrifice a permanent, you may have Grimeflame Rite deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
Supposed to be a build around card for the black/red colour pair as it triggers off reds vanishing creatures while getting extra value out of sac effects in black. However this really fits badly on the curve as they want to be playing a creature on turn 3 but I'm worried about power level if I make it simply cost BR. I haven't had this show up much in playtests so I would like to hear if you think this is too strong or too weak.
Daywatch Commander1WW
Creature - Human Soldier {R}
Vigilance
Glorious 2 (At end of combat, if this creature attacked or blocked this turn and has less than two +1/+1 counter on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Each other creature you control has Glorious X, where X is its converted mana cost. (Multiple instances of glorious trigger separately.)
2/2
This card was originally a little stronger and costed at 2WW however it has consistently been under-performing at playtests and now has been reduced in cost as it was fighting the same slot as Watcher of the Balance (BELOW).
Watcher of the Balance3W
Creature - Human soldier {R}
Glorious 3 (At end of combat, if this creature attacked or blocked this turn and has less than three +1/+1 counter on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Whenever you put one or more +1/+1 counters on Watcher of the Balance, you may put that many +1/+1 counters on each other creature you control.
2/2
A new card that replaces a card I was unhappy with. Havent changed the name yet which is why it doesn't really fit. This is very strong but seems difficult to trigger if played later in the game. Would making this a 2/3 push it over the edge? Not really worried about this for draft but I just realized this can go infinite it you have two of them.
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2 Extra Cards that need balance checking.
Master Spellsnatcher2U
Creature - Human Wizard {R}
Whenever an instant or sorcery card is put into an opponent’s graveyard from anywhere, you may exile it. 1U,T, Sacrifice Master Spellsnatcher: Copy a card exiled with Master Spellsnatcher. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
2/3
Defensive ChargeXWW
Sorcery {U}
Put X 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life for each creature you control.
Grimflame Rite: Since it's supposed to combo with Vanishing, I think it should come down the turn before your vanishing creatures disappear, so that would be turn 5 or so? You can increase the cost to 3BR and make it deal 2 damage like Furnace Celebration. If you want to keep it at 1 damage, you can reduce the cost to 2 I think.
Daywatch Commander & Watcher of the Balance are both fine.
Master Spellsnatcher: I would increase his cost to 3U and not require sacrificing it to activate the ability. Something like "1U, T: Copy a card exiled with Spellsnatcher, then put that card on the bottom of its owner's library. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost." Getting only a 1 for 1 at best is kinda meh.
I have been doing a bunch of playtests over the last few weeks with both draft and sealed of my custom set. However I have a few cards that either haven't come up much or that I'd like a second opinion on. Please make sure you check the mechanics of the set as well so you are aware of some of the basic interactions especially when it comes to the Reshape mechanic.
My comments in BLUE
Tidal Ingus UU
Creature - Elemental {U}
Vanishing 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever Tidal Ingus attacks, you may have target creature get -2/-0 until end of turn.
2/1
Supposed to be a powerful aggressive blue creature that rewards the player for using reshape to keep it in play for longer. Currently nullifies any 2/2 bears but I'm wondering if making it cost 1U would be ok as it is hard to get it down on turn two if your not playing mono.
Grimflame Rite 1BR
Enchantment {U}
Whenever you sacrifice a permanent, you may have Grimeflame Rite deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
Supposed to be a build around card for the black/red colour pair as it triggers off reds vanishing creatures while getting extra value out of sac effects in black. However this really fits badly on the curve as they want to be playing a creature on turn 3 but I'm worried about power level if I make it simply cost BR. I haven't had this show up much in playtests so I would like to hear if you think this is too strong or too weak.
Daywatch Commander 1WW
Creature - Human Soldier {R}
Vigilance
Glorious 2 (At end of combat, if this creature attacked or blocked this turn and has less than two +1/+1 counter on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Each other creature you control has Glorious X, where X is its converted mana cost.
(Multiple instances of glorious trigger separately.)
2/2
This card was originally a little stronger and costed at 2WW however it has consistently been under-performing at playtests and now has been reduced in cost as it was fighting the same slot as Watcher of the Balance (BELOW).
Watcher of the Balance 3W
Creature - Human soldier {R}
Glorious 3 (At end of combat, if this creature attacked or blocked this turn and has less than three +1/+1 counter on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Whenever you put one or more +1/+1 counters on Watcher of the Balance, you may put that many +1/+1 counters on each other creature you control.
2/2
A new card that replaces a card I was unhappy with. Havent changed the name yet which is why it doesn't really fit. This is very strong but seems difficult to trigger if played later in the game. Would making this a 2/3 push it over the edge? Not really worried about this for draft but I just realized this can go infinite it you have two of them.
-------------------------------
2 Extra Cards that need balance checking.
Master Spellsnatcher 2U
Creature - Human Wizard {R}
Whenever an instant or sorcery card is put into an opponent’s graveyard from anywhere, you may exile it.
1U,T, Sacrifice Master Spellsnatcher: Copy a card exiled with Master Spellsnatcher. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
2/3
Defensive Charge XWW
Sorcery {U}
Put X 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life for each creature you control.
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Grimflame Rite: Since it's supposed to combo with Vanishing, I think it should come down the turn before your vanishing creatures disappear, so that would be turn 5 or so? You can increase the cost to 3BR and make it deal 2 damage like Furnace Celebration. If you want to keep it at 1 damage, you can reduce the cost to 2 I think.
Daywatch Commander & Watcher of the Balance are both fine.
Master Spellsnatcher: I would increase his cost to 3U and not require sacrificing it to activate the ability. Something like "1U, T: Copy a card exiled with Spellsnatcher, then put that card on the bottom of its owner's library. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost." Getting only a 1 for 1 at best is kinda meh.
Defensive Charge: Too good for an uncommon.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!