RimedeerWW
Snow Creature — Elk [U]
Protection from nonsnow
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[1/1]
Endless Iceworm3BB
Snow Creature — Worm [C]
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[4/4]
Hoar-Cloaked BatB
Snow Creature — Bat [U]
Flying, deathtouch, lifelink
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[0/1]
Stalking Sabertooth3G
Snow Creature — Cat [C]
Flash
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[3/2]
Great Taiga Sloth4GGG
Snow Creature — Sloth [R]
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
All creatures able to block Great Taiga Sloth do so.
[7/7]
Others following your project more closely probably already know the answer to this, but is there a reason why players won't play all their basic lands as Snow-Covered? The way I read these, they're strong in limited but unplayable* in constructed.
*: In multicolor decks, which tend to arise because of colors' weaknesses and the need to shore those weaknesses up.
Others following your project more closely probably already know the answer to this, but is there a reason why players won't play all their basic lands as Snow-Covered?
Yep, it's because snow basics aren't automatically provided in unlimited quantities in draft. So, drafters have to hunt down their own snow mana sources (which are ample in this environment, but still need to be drafted strategically.) It's a pretty trivial obstacle to overcome in Constructed, but the challenge there is that snow and multicolor are at cross-purposes in this meta, so these are all meant to push you towards monocolor in Constructed. Again, this environment will have ample support for that in the form of colorless snow spells that can be played in any snow deck (to shore up those weaknesses.)
I'd be sad if nobody found room for in Constructed for Rimedeer or Hoar-Cloaked Bat, because those two are already challenging to work with in Limited (can't just draft any snow mana source, you've got to draft on-color snow mana for those two.) I mean, a solid weenie that can't be touched by anything that isn't snow, and a mini Vampire Nighthawk... is there really no hope for them?
EDIT: Oh, and BTW, here is the dire contingent from Dominaria. Those 10 plus these 5 are the sum total of dire creatures for this block.
Rimedeer feels like the Trinisphere of the format to me: if the decks that play it become too good at preying on the decks that don't, eventually everyone will play it, at which point it becomes bad and loses its purpose in the format.
Double white also means it's hard for the monored snow deck to splash it.
Rimedeer feels like the Trinisphere of the format to me: if the decks that play it become too good at preying on the decks that don't, eventually everyone will play it, at which point it becomes bad and loses its purpose in the format.
Sounds like a self-regulating ability to me!
I mean... is that a bad metagame dynamic, really?
Also, it should function differently depending on format.
That's a cool creature. The Timmy in me is leaping for joy. Actually, all of these cards are pretty cool. Save for the colors, however, I feel like Endless Icewurm would make more sense in place of the Sloth, and the sloth to be a common creature, only because of flavor reasons. I could see more people having to block the wurm, well, rather than the sloth haha. Somehow I can't grasp the concept of a bunch of knights or warriors grouping up to block the sloth. They're all very nice cards though. I like Dire.
Since the leading discussion seems to be about the Rimedeer, I would like to point out that I would rather like to see this as a Enemy of the Guildpact type of mini cycle, where you have a common for protection from snow and a common with protection from nonsnow. Just a thought.
That's a cool creature. The Timmy in me is leaping for joy. Actually, all of these cards are pretty cool. Save for the colors, however, I feel like Endless Icewurm would make more sense in place of the Sloth, and the sloth to be a common creature, only because of flavor reasons. I could see more people having to block the wurm, well, rather than the sloth haha. Somehow I can't grasp the concept of a bunch of knights or warriors grouping up to block the sloth. They're all very nice cards though. I like Dire.
Since the leading discussion seems to be about the Rimedeer, I would like to point out that I would rather like to see this as a Enemy of the Guildpact type of mini cycle, where you have a common for protection from snow and a common with protection from nonsnow. Just a thought.
I don't love the flavor of Endless Iceworm, but...
I'm trying to base each of the block's 15 dire creatures on real-world (not fantasy) animals.
I'm trying not to double-up on any creature types within those 15.
I'm trying to pick creatures that make some amount of sense for an arctic / sub-arctic environment.
I needed a 4th black creature (already had a Rat, an Insect, and a Bat).
I will absolutely welcome flavor improvements, though.
I like the idea of a "protection from snow" symmetry with the Rimedeer, but I've long ago made the executive decision that snow is never a liability in this meta. There are no snow hosers to be found.
That's a cool creature. The Timmy in me is leaping for joy. Actually, all of these cards are pretty cool. Save for the colors, however, I feel like Endless Icewurm would make more sense in place of the Sloth, and the sloth to be a common creature, only because of flavor reasons. I could see more people having to block the wurm, well, rather than the sloth haha. Somehow I can't grasp the concept of a bunch of knights or warriors grouping up to block the sloth. They're all very nice cards though. I like Dire.
Since the leading discussion seems to be about the Rimedeer, I would like to point out that I would rather like to see this as a Enemy of the Guildpact type of mini cycle, where you have a common for protection from snow and a common with protection from nonsnow. Just a thought.
I don't love the flavor of Endless Iceworm, but...
I'm trying to base each of the block's 15 dire creatures on real-world (not fantasy) animals.
I'm trying not to double-up on any creature types within those 15.
I'm trying to pick creatures that make some amount of sense for an arctic / sub-arctic environment.
I needed a 4th black creature (already had a Rat, an Insect, and a Bat).
I will absolutely welcome flavor improvements, though.
I like the idea of a "protection from snow" symmetry with the Rimedeer, but I've long ago made the executive decision that snow is never a liability in this meta. There are no snow hosers to be found.
I didn't realize you capitalized on Worm vs Wurm, otherwise I'd have picked up on something! I think its great you're using realistic creatures, I don't think there's enough of that in MTG. Anyhow, I welcome the flavor and totally approve of it. I don't know how big the Great Taiga Sloth is, but is it still big enough to be blocked by everything? Maybe a Mastodon or Mammoth would do. I'm not opposed to the sloth, but I just can't imagine this
being a big blocker. I know, they're big and ground based in the arctic, I'm just trying to be funny.
It's interesting you have no snow hosers. I like the idea; I am one of those people who find it dumb that Wizards prints something like Erase or Back to Nature following a set that was enchantment themed. It's not like we needed those cards; enchantments are not out of control. Anyhow, I do like your idea of no hosers. Are there non-snow hosers? Because I would really, really, really like to see something like Back to Basics or Manabarbs for nonsnow lands. Actually, you can prioritize that to be the number 1 card I'd like to see printed in this set (next to the giant frozen kraken card that I am excited to soon see).
Stalking Sabertooth3G
Snow Creature — Cat [C]
Flash
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[3/2]
Stalking Sabertooth seems significantly more efficient than most existing green common creatures with Flash and power 3 (there are none with power 4 that I know of) and is even on par with some uncommons that have Flash and power 3 or 4.
That being said it's probably right where King Cheetah should be at these days.
Set 2 of 3 in Dominaria block
Rimedeer WW
Snow Creature — Elk [U]
Protection from nonsnow
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[1/1]
Endless Iceworm 3BB
Snow Creature — Worm [C]
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[4/4]
Hoar-Cloaked Bat B
Snow Creature — Bat [U]
Flying, deathtouch, lifelink
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[0/1]
Stalking Sabertooth 3G
Snow Creature — Cat [C]
Flash
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
[3/2]
Great Taiga Sloth 4GGG
Snow Creature — Sloth [R]
Dire (This enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if mana from a snow source was spent to cast it.)
All creatures able to block Great Taiga Sloth do so.
[7/7]
*: In multicolor decks, which tend to arise because of colors' weaknesses and the need to shore those weaknesses up.
I'd be sad if nobody found room for in Constructed for Rimedeer or Hoar-Cloaked Bat, because those two are already challenging to work with in Limited (can't just draft any snow mana source, you've got to draft on-color snow mana for those two.) I mean, a solid weenie that can't be touched by anything that isn't snow, and a mini Vampire Nighthawk... is there really no hope for them?
EDIT: Oh, and BTW, here is the dire contingent from Dominaria. Those 10 plus these 5 are the sum total of dire creatures for this block.
Double white also means it's hard for the monored snow deck to splash it.
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I mean... is that a bad metagame dynamic, really?
Also, it should function differently depending on format.
That's a cool creature. The Timmy in me is leaping for joy. Actually, all of these cards are pretty cool. Save for the colors, however, I feel like Endless Icewurm would make more sense in place of the Sloth, and the sloth to be a common creature, only because of flavor reasons. I could see more people having to block the wurm, well, rather than the sloth haha. Somehow I can't grasp the concept of a bunch of knights or warriors grouping up to block the sloth. They're all very nice cards though. I like Dire.
Since the leading discussion seems to be about the Rimedeer, I would like to point out that I would rather like to see this as a Enemy of the Guildpact type of mini cycle, where you have a common for protection from snow and a common with protection from nonsnow. Just a thought.
Dunes of Zairo
SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
A Community Set
Commander: Allies & Adversaries
I like the idea of a "protection from snow" symmetry with the Rimedeer, but I've long ago made the executive decision that snow is never a liability in this meta. There are no snow hosers to be found.
I didn't realize you capitalized on Worm vs Wurm, otherwise I'd have picked up on something! I think its great you're using realistic creatures, I don't think there's enough of that in MTG. Anyhow, I welcome the flavor and totally approve of it. I don't know how big the Great Taiga Sloth is, but is it still big enough to be blocked by everything? Maybe a Mastodon or Mammoth would do. I'm not opposed to the sloth, but I just can't imagine this
being a big blocker. I know, they're big and ground based in the arctic, I'm just trying to be funny.
It's interesting you have no snow hosers. I like the idea; I am one of those people who find it dumb that Wizards prints something like Erase or Back to Nature following a set that was enchantment themed. It's not like we needed those cards; enchantments are not out of control. Anyhow, I do like your idea of no hosers. Are there non-snow hosers? Because I would really, really, really like to see something like Back to Basics or Manabarbs for nonsnow lands. Actually, you can prioritize that to be the number 1 card I'd like to see printed in this set (next to the giant frozen kraken card that I am excited to soon see).
Keep up the great work!
Dunes of Zairo
SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
A Community Set
Commander: Allies & Adversaries
As for the size...
Some pleistocene ground sloths were as big as elephants!
And since this is Magic, I can arbitrarily make them bigger.
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).
Stalking Sabertooth seems significantly more efficient than most existing green common creatures with Flash and power 3 (there are none with power 4 that I know of) and is even on par with some uncommons that have Flash and power 3 or 4.
That being said it's probably right where King Cheetah should be at these days.
Have you playtested it?