Nothing overly creative here, just some designs that fill in gaps. Going for playable (Standard or Modern) but not obsoleting playable creatures already in print.
Webwatch Spider - There is no other X/4 vigilance creature bellow three mana. I think this would be fine at 1/3 for GG. (Even then Leonin Den-Guard and Serra Avenger are the only X/3 vigilance creatures currently bellow three mana.)
Once-Struck Paladin - Bizarre protection ability. I had a similar flavored hexproof-ish ability for an aggressive mid-sized green creature that learns from the past:
CARDNAME can’t be the target of spells your opponents control with the same name as a card in a graveyard.
Cohorts of the Bident - Seems more like a green or white design. Blue is supposedly the color that should get weirder protection abilities, although it doesn't happen very often. For example, I've thought that a creature with a Runed Halo would be interesting in blue.
As CARDNAME enters the field, name a card or token.
CARDNAME has protection from the chosen name. (It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything with that name.)
That ability with flash would serve a similar role to being able to surprise block and survive a large creature, then hold it off for latter turns.
Reinforced Walker - Steel Wall without defender seems fine.
Half the Mountain - Weird but funny name if it has the right artwork. A few years ago, I would have thought that P/T was too much for that mana cost, but it might be fine now. If with testing it was a little too good, a fun flavorful drawback could be to mirror its ability similar to Tormented Soul so it also can't block creatures with power 1 or less because they are too small for him to see.
Watchers of Fendeep - Would probably be 2/4. If it needs to be pushed, 2/5 seems like enough. Maybe 3/4 would be better but that might want a different creature type.
Protection from a specific card's name is never going to be printed. Either name a card and that card can't be played, aka Meddling Mage, or just make the toughness higher or prevent all damage done to him from red sources. There is protection from instants and sorceries, but I doubt that there is need for protection from red instants and sorceries.
Webwatch Spider - There is no other X/4 vigilance creature bellow three mana. I think this would be fine at 1/3 for GG.
Wow, you don't know what you just started, bro. LOL
After reading that, I started writing out a chart of what you can "get" for G, 1G, GG, 2G, etc. Then got sidetracked into some major data analysis on creatures' power, toughness, and mana cost. Very interesting correlations so far! Maybe somebody has already noticed what I'm seeing, I dunno. I haven't even read Wizards' design articles in about 7 years. I see the creatures they're putting out, that tells me everything I need to know.
It's looking like 1/4 IS the appropriate cost for my Spider. I'm going to write this up in the next few days and post it. Looks like it's going to be interesting (at least for me!) heheheh.
Cohorts of the Bident - I've thought that a creature with a Runed Halo would be interesting in blue.
As CARDNAME enters the field, name a card or token.
CARDNAME has protection from the chosen name. (It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything with that name.)
That ability with flash would serve a similar role to being able to surprise block and survive a large creature, then hold it off for latter turns.
I like your take on it.
Cohort of the Bident - 4U
Creature - Merfolk Soldier
Flash
As Cohort of the Bident enters the field, name a card or token.
Cohort of the Bident has protection from the chosen name. (It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything with that name.)
2/6
Half the Mountain - Weird but funny name if it has the right artwork. A few years ago, I would have thought that P/T was too much for that mana cost, but it might be fine now.
Yeah, it's hard to design 6 mana creatures that are good enough to see some play, but aren't just stupid 20/20 trample. So I was thinking about that uncommon 7/7 Beast for 4GG, which is okay but not really playable anywhere. If green can have that, then maybe red can have the same thing but +1/-3 and a minor ability that is mostly for flavour? *shrug* Not sure.
Watchers of Fendeep - Would probably be 2/4. If it needs to be pushed, 2/5 seems like enough.
Well there's a 2/5 for 3B already, Rotted Hulk, nowhere near playable. For the same cost there are also lots of 3/3 creatures with big upsides to them, and a 4/2 with upside. 2/6 with a small upside doesn't feel inappropriate to me, if I'm aiming for something that would actually see constructed play. But I'll do some more analysis on it and post my results later. Thanks man.
Protection from a specific card's name is never going to be printed.. There is protection from instants and sorceries, but I doubt that there is need for protection from red instants and sorceries.
Quite true, Wizards probably wouldn't design it that way. But sometimes I disagree with their design decisions and go all-crazy-like.
But yeah, I was just fooling around with the idea, not predicting that it will see print. I agree with you that protection from instants might be better. That keeps the flavour of being immune to lightning, which I see as mostly an instant type thing. Sorcery burn seems more associated with lava or flame. (But I'm sure there are crossovers on both sides.)
Once-Struck Paladin - 1WW
Creature - Human Knight
First strike
Protection from instants
3/3
None of these are Constructed playable but Once-Struck Paladin is an interesting design idea (although the card is utterly outclassed by Brimaz; just a 3/4 Vigilance is usually better than a 3/3 first striker and Brimaz doesn't die to Lightning Bolt without help).
The 1/4 spider is terrible. Vigilance is barely better than trinket text on it (except against haste creatures) as it will almost never be able to attack (it will live but just 'bounce' in combat with most creatures). Skylasher was basically never played even in Standard when Delver was a thing, and Skylasher outclasses this card.
In today's Magic, I'd cost that spider at WG and make it 2/4. End result would be a 2 drop a little weaker than Fleecemane Lion, and one that might see play against Delver in older formats. (GG is possible but legitimately good creatures with vigilance tend to be white).
Oh and if you want to make Once-Struck Paladin worthy of consideration in Modern, give it lifelink so that it is a competitive combat creature. Even then, it would be unplayable in today's Standard due to the prevalence of Siege Rhino.
Half the Mountain is cool, but Kalonian Hydra is a considerably better combat creature for one less mana and was never played. Different colours but they serve much the same role - a creature that kills the opponent fast, but dies to 4 toughness based removal.
Webwatch Spider - GG
Creature - Spider
Vigilance, reach
1/4
Once-Struck Paladin - 1WW
Creature - Human Knight
First strike
Protection from Lightning Bolt
3/3
Cohorts of the Bident - 4U
Creature - Merfolk Soldier
Flash
Protection from green
2/6
Reinforced Walker -
Creature - Construct
0/4
Half the Mountain - 4RR
Creature - Giant Warrior
Half the Mountain can't be blocked by creatures with power 1 or less.
8/4
Watchers of Fendeep - 3B
Creature — Treefolk Shaman
Other black creatures you control get +1/+0.
2/6
.
Once-Struck Paladin - Bizarre protection ability. I had a similar flavored hexproof-ish ability for an aggressive mid-sized green creature that learns from the past:
Cohorts of the Bident - Seems more like a green or white design. Blue is supposedly the color that should get weirder protection abilities, although it doesn't happen very often. For example, I've thought that a creature with a Runed Halo would be interesting in blue.
CARDNAME has protection from the chosen name. (It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything with that name.)
That ability with flash would serve a similar role to being able to surprise block and survive a large creature, then hold it off for latter turns.
Reinforced Walker - Steel Wall without defender seems fine.
Half the Mountain - Weird but funny name if it has the right artwork. A few years ago, I would have thought that P/T was too much for that mana cost, but it might be fine now. If with testing it was a little too good, a fun flavorful drawback could be to mirror its ability similar to Tormented Soul so it also can't block creatures with power 1 or less because they are too small for him to see.
Watchers of Fendeep - Would probably be 2/4. If it needs to be pushed, 2/5 seems like enough. Maybe 3/4 would be better but that might want a different creature type.
Wow, you don't know what you just started, bro. LOL
After reading that, I started writing out a chart of what you can "get" for G, 1G, GG, 2G, etc. Then got sidetracked into some major data analysis on creatures' power, toughness, and mana cost. Very interesting correlations so far! Maybe somebody has already noticed what I'm seeing, I dunno. I haven't even read Wizards' design articles in about 7 years. I see the creatures they're putting out, that tells me everything I need to know.
It's looking like 1/4 IS the appropriate cost for my Spider. I'm going to write this up in the next few days and post it. Looks like it's going to be interesting (at least for me!) heheheh.
I like your take on it.
Cohort of the Bident - 4U
Creature - Merfolk Soldier
Flash
As Cohort of the Bident enters the field, name a card or token.
Cohort of the Bident has protection from the chosen name. (It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, or enchanted by anything with that name.)
2/6
Yeah, it's hard to design 6 mana creatures that are good enough to see some play, but aren't just stupid 20/20 trample. So I was thinking about that uncommon 7/7 Beast for 4GG, which is okay but not really playable anywhere. If green can have that, then maybe red can have the same thing but +1/-3 and a minor ability that is mostly for flavour? *shrug* Not sure.
Well there's a 2/5 for 3B already, Rotted Hulk, nowhere near playable. For the same cost there are also lots of 3/3 creatures with big upsides to them, and a 4/2 with upside. 2/6 with a small upside doesn't feel inappropriate to me, if I'm aiming for something that would actually see constructed play. But I'll do some more analysis on it and post my results later. Thanks man.
Quite true, Wizards probably wouldn't design it that way. But sometimes I disagree with their design decisions and go all-crazy-like.
But yeah, I was just fooling around with the idea, not predicting that it will see print. I agree with you that protection from instants might be better. That keeps the flavour of being immune to lightning, which I see as mostly an instant type thing. Sorcery burn seems more associated with lava or flame. (But I'm sure there are crossovers on both sides.)
Once-Struck Paladin - 1WW
Creature - Human Knight
First strike
Protection from instants
3/3
.
Shouldn't it be
"..cards named Lightning Bolt"?
What about:
If 3 damage would be dealt to ~, prevent that damage.
(Note: First strike already gives some protection from creature damage so not that different functionally).
The 1/4 spider is terrible. Vigilance is barely better than trinket text on it (except against haste creatures) as it will almost never be able to attack (it will live but just 'bounce' in combat with most creatures). Skylasher was basically never played even in Standard when Delver was a thing, and Skylasher outclasses this card.
In today's Magic, I'd cost that spider at WG and make it 2/4. End result would be a 2 drop a little weaker than Fleecemane Lion, and one that might see play against Delver in older formats. (GG is possible but legitimately good creatures with vigilance tend to be white).
Oh and if you want to make Once-Struck Paladin worthy of consideration in Modern, give it lifelink so that it is a competitive combat creature. Even then, it would be unplayable in today's Standard due to the prevalence of Siege Rhino.
Half the Mountain is cool, but Kalonian Hydra is a considerably better combat creature for one less mana and was never played. Different colours but they serve much the same role - a creature that kills the opponent fast, but dies to 4 toughness based removal.