Brainwash*W
Enchantment — Aura [C]
Enchanted creature can't attack unless its controller pays 3.
Silent Legion*2WW
Creature — Rykor Soldier [R]
First strike, vigilance
Silent Legion can't attack unless you pay 2.
As long as Silent Legion is attacking a player, that player can't cast spells or activate abilities.
[4/4]
Brain wash should be attack and block ut then it is a weak oppressive rays
Brainwash is a reprint. I know it's underpowered, but it's a perfect flavor and mechanics fit for this set, so I'm going with it. I imagine it will still be Limited playable, albeit a low pick. White Control players shouldn't fret, since I have Will Crippler at common.
Silent Legion's ability does stop working at end of combat. I worded it differently from Xantid Swarm so that your opponent can't respond to the attack declaration by casting spells. They've got to do it before you declare the attack.
I'm totally up for re-statting Mindmapper, but I want it to be a Surrakar, and I want it to be Telepathy on legs. I would not be opposed to a 2/1 for 1U, but 1/1 feels too small for a race of hulking land shark people.
What is a Rykor and why is that one headless? Those are my biggest questions.
Rykors are a fictional race created by Edgar Rice Burroughs for his Barsoom setting. I am appropriating them for my own purposes here. They are all headless. You can read about Burroughs's version if you click that link.
My take on Rykors is somewhat different. They are still fundamentally a bio-engineered race of unthinking, headless bodies, which is in keeping with Burroughs's version. But on this plane, Rykors are controlled at a distance by their Psion masters. When a Rykor is dormant, it can only perform a few basic reflexive tasks such as self-defense. But when it is awakened, an incorporeal head of pure psionic energy appears on its shoulders, and the Rykor performs whatever task its master commands. Rykors have no independent will whatsoever. Thus, they make the ideal guards for the towering arcology-fortresses of the Psions.
No for Legion his effect should be until the end of the combat phase since they can still murder your creature in their blocking or the damage phase.
"508.1j Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4."
"511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see rule 505)."
Creatures are considered to be attacking until the end of combat step.
I like the self-taxing mechanic on the White cards, good mechanical and flavor fit.
My one comment is on the Surrakar. Players do love knowing what's in their opponents' hands, but Hidden Information is so important to making the game fun and exciting that I think telepathy effects need to be done sparingly. I think gameplay would be improved if the Surrakar instead had 'when this ETB, look at each opponent's hand' in which case you could make it a 2/3.
My one comment is on the Surrakar. Players do love knowing what's in their opponents' hands, but Hidden Information is so important to making the game fun and exciting that I think telepathy effects need to be done sparingly. I think gameplay would be improved if the Surrakar instead had 'when this ETB, look at each opponent's hand' in which case you could make it a 2/3.
That's a fair assessment.
Part of what makes me excited for him, though, is that he's a lot easier to kill than a Telepathy. I probably wouldn't want Telepathy in this block, because that's tantamount to saying that psionic decks need to pack maindeck enchantment removal. I expect him to get zorched the second he hits the board. But in that brief moment, you'll get to peek at everybody's hand, and I think that sounds fun.
You could be right, though, and he could lead to analysis paralysis, with all of the psionic stuff floating around. I kind of want to playtest it out and see.
I am really pleasantly surprised with the ideas for this set! I read up about the themes from the link and its way more imaginative than I had imagined.
Also, on the topic of the Surakkar; I made the same card for my Ravnican Consortium set, and it was as follows:
Telepathic Spy1U
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Your opponents play with their hands revealed.
1/2
The card was actually quite fun and made games interesting. Telepathy was always an interesting card, but when you put it on a creature it makes for a different type of strategy. He can be a blocker, but at the same time he's much easier to remove than the original enchantment.
I think for your personal idea, I would make it a 2/3. Surakkar, to me, should be given the Minotaur treatment, where they're a little beefier than most on average!
It's fine if you want to include Brainwash for flavor reasons, but you should be aware of its real powerlevel.
It is stone unplayable. An Evil Presence/Defensive Stance level 14th pick. The only decks which were interested in Oppressive Rays were the aggro decks, because they could kill people before they got enough mana to get around it, and saw a higher percentage of their cards in the early game.
Private Mod Note
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I primarily play limited, so most of my spoiler season comments view cards through that lens.
It's fine if you want to include Brainwash for flavor reasons, but you should be aware of its real powerlevel.
It is stone unplayable. An Evil Presence/Defensive Stance level 14th pick. The only decks which were interested in Oppressive Rays were the aggro decks, because they could kill people before they got enough mana to get around it, and saw a higher percentage of their cards in the early game.
I think it may perform slightly better in this environment... from what little idea I have of it already. At the very least, I like it because it is also a pretty elegant response to seethe, at least if your opponent is planning to seethe anything out on his/her turn.
Again, I have no illusions that this is anything other than a low pick.
Strange Foes Strike from Every Side!
Headless Sentinel* 1W
Creature — Rykor Soldier [C]
Headless Sentinel can't attack unless you pay 1.
[3/3]
Brainwash* W
Enchantment — Aura [C]
Enchanted creature can't attack unless its controller pays 3.
Silent Legion* 2WW
Creature — Rykor Soldier [R]
First strike, vigilance
Silent Legion can't attack unless you pay 2.
As long as Silent Legion is attacking a player, that player can't cast spells or activate abilities.
[4/4]
Thoat Rider* 2GG
Creature — Vedalken Warrior [C]
[4/4]
Mindmapper 2U
Creature — Surrakar Scout [U]
Your opponents play with their hands revealed.
[2/2]
Silent Legion should be until end of combat phase to me
Mindmapper is good for control vs control builds though I feel he could be a 1/1 and be one mana cheaper to be more competitive.
Ophelia Le Doux (R/B)
Creature - Vampire Assassin
Haste First Strike
1/1
Gold: 0
Inventory: Clothes
Abilities:
Traits: Speed
Experience: 6/20
Mana: R
Odula Besa (U/B)
Creature - Vampire Artificer
T: Target artifact creature gets your choice of -1/-0 or +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Gold: 41
Inventory: Adventurer's Clothes, Basic Artificer Toolkit, 3 pounds of Basic metal.
Abilities: N/A
Current Goals:
Experience: 1/20
Mana: 2(U/B)(U/B)
Silent Legion's ability does stop working at end of combat. I worded it differently from Xantid Swarm so that your opponent can't respond to the attack declaration by casting spells. They've got to do it before you declare the attack.
I'm totally up for re-statting Mindmapper, but I want it to be a Surrakar, and I want it to be Telepathy on legs. I would not be opposed to a 2/1 for 1U, but 1/1 feels too small for a race of hulking land shark people.
Dunes of Zairo
SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
A Community Set
Commander: Allies & Adversaries
Ophelia Le Doux (R/B)
Creature - Vampire Assassin
Haste First Strike
1/1
Gold: 0
Inventory: Clothes
Abilities:
Traits: Speed
Experience: 6/20
Mana: R
Odula Besa (U/B)
Creature - Vampire Artificer
T: Target artifact creature gets your choice of -1/-0 or +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Gold: 41
Inventory: Adventurer's Clothes, Basic Artificer Toolkit, 3 pounds of Basic metal.
Abilities: N/A
Current Goals:
Experience: 1/20
Mana: 2(U/B)(U/B)
My take on Rykors is somewhat different. They are still fundamentally a bio-engineered race of unthinking, headless bodies, which is in keeping with Burroughs's version. But on this plane, Rykors are controlled at a distance by their Psion masters. When a Rykor is dormant, it can only perform a few basic reflexive tasks such as self-defense. But when it is awakened, an incorporeal head of pure psionic energy appears on its shoulders, and the Rykor performs whatever task its master commands. Rykors have no independent will whatsoever. Thus, they make the ideal guards for the towering arcology-fortresses of the Psions.
"508.1j Each chosen creature still controlled by the active player becomes an attacking creature. It remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 506.4."
"511.3. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase begins (see rule 505)."
Creatures are considered to be attacking until the end of combat step.
Ophelia Le Doux (R/B)
Creature - Vampire Assassin
Haste First Strike
1/1
Gold: 0
Inventory: Clothes
Abilities:
Traits: Speed
Experience: 6/20
Mana: R
Odula Besa (U/B)
Creature - Vampire Artificer
T: Target artifact creature gets your choice of -1/-0 or +1/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Gold: 41
Inventory: Adventurer's Clothes, Basic Artificer Toolkit, 3 pounds of Basic metal.
Abilities: N/A
Current Goals:
Experience: 1/20
Mana: 2(U/B)(U/B)
My one comment is on the Surrakar. Players do love knowing what's in their opponents' hands, but Hidden Information is so important to making the game fun and exciting that I think telepathy effects need to be done sparingly. I think gameplay would be improved if the Surrakar instead had 'when this ETB, look at each opponent's hand' in which case you could make it a 2/3.
Part of what makes me excited for him, though, is that he's a lot easier to kill than a Telepathy. I probably wouldn't want Telepathy in this block, because that's tantamount to saying that psionic decks need to pack maindeck enchantment removal. I expect him to get zorched the second he hits the board. But in that brief moment, you'll get to peek at everybody's hand, and I think that sounds fun.
You could be right, though, and he could lead to analysis paralysis, with all of the psionic stuff floating around. I kind of want to playtest it out and see.
Also, on the topic of the Surakkar; I made the same card for my Ravnican Consortium set, and it was as follows:
Telepathic Spy 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Your opponents play with their hands revealed.
1/2
The card was actually quite fun and made games interesting. Telepathy was always an interesting card, but when you put it on a creature it makes for a different type of strategy. He can be a blocker, but at the same time he's much easier to remove than the original enchantment.
I think for your personal idea, I would make it a 2/3. Surakkar, to me, should be given the Minotaur treatment, where they're a little beefier than most on average!
Dunes of Zairo
SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
A Community Set
Commander: Allies & Adversaries
It is stone unplayable. An Evil Presence/Defensive Stance level 14th pick. The only decks which were interested in Oppressive Rays were the aggro decks, because they could kill people before they got enough mana to get around it, and saw a higher percentage of their cards in the early game.
Interested in Custom Card Creation.
My Cube:Cardinal Custom Cube
A custom version of a third modern masters: MM2019
(filter->rarity to see in set rarity).
Again, I have no illusions that this is anything other than a low pick.