Ancient Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness. It existed before time, and will so after.
0/0
Ouroboros Hatchling0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard. The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Worldeater Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Ancient Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness. It existed before time and will so after.
0/0
Black Hole0
Sorcery (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn. The fruit of a black lotus.
Celestial Phoenix0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control. Born of star fire.
2/2
Commitment0
Sorcery (U)
Target player gets a loyalty counter. You gain 1 life. The people will continue to fail you, but to give up on them is to give up on yourself.
Divide By Zero0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-8 loyalty: Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents target player controls to the chosen zone. How do you know the side you’re on isn’t better than the one to come?
Emperor Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (M)
Emperor Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game. For millenia it awaits a master.
4/4
Eternity0
Creature — Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns. “You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
Flower Plower0
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
-1 loyalty: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each of its colors. Its totally groovy man.
The Fool0
Legendary Creature — Human Nomad (R)
The Fool’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of loyalty counters you have. Even if you betray his trust, that does not change his trust.
*/*
Guardian Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (U)
Guardian Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
If Guardian Kirin would be destroyed, regenerate it. It will serve till the bitter end.
3/3
Harbinger Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (C)
Harbinger Kirin costs an additional -2 loyalty to cast.
Flying (This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.) It ushers in the coming of the lotus king.
2/2
Kirin Hooves0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-3 loyalty: Put a 4/4 Kirin creature token with flying thats all colors onto the battlefield.
Living Lotus0
Creature — Plant (C) The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The lotus is very fragile, but still the lotus is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Lotus Charm0
Instant (C)
Choose one —
• Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield.
• You gain 1 life.
• You get a loyalty counter.
Lotus Dust0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Until your next turn, if target permanent would be destroyed, regenerate it. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Lamp0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: You gain 1 life. (You get a loyalty counter.) Be a light unto yourself.
Lotus Posture0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-X loyalty: Exile the top X cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn. Let come what will, let go what will.
Lotus Pulse0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Season0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. (You get a loyalty counter.) They carry the seeds of infinity.
Ouroboros Circlet0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would be destroyed, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Ouroboros Hatchling0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard. The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Paradox0
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant yourself
-5 loyalty: Each opponent skips his or her next turn. Everything comes from nothing. Nothing is the sum of all things.
Phoenix Bloom0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control. “There can only be creation after destruction.” — Taha, Lotus Keeper
Phoenix Cycle0
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control. “Just like the phoenix this entire multiverse and everything in it will perish, only to be reborn again.” — Taha, the Lotus Keeper
Pollinate0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life. An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead. When here becomes there.
Spacial Rift0
Instant (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move target nonland permanent to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn. Neither time nor death can escape it.
Taha, Lotus Keeper0
Planeswalker — Taha (M)
Starting Loyalty: 0
Taha, Lotus Keeper enters the battlefield with all of your loyalty counters on him.
0: Target creature’s base power and toughness become 0/0 until end of turn.
-20: Target player’s life total becomes 0.
Worldeater Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Zen Tutor0
Sorcery (U)
Search your library for a card with converted mana cost 0 and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it. If you try, you miss. It comes effortlessly or not at all.
As I said on the main thread for this set, O cost is not a doable theme for an entire colour. Playing a purple deck would change the very core mechanics of the game. Yes, that sound like a good thing, but it's really, really not. Magic is designed around these base mechanics, balanced around them, marketed off them. Removing the mana system as a factor, even just for a small subset of cards, is terribly damaging for the game. It's broken, it's unfun, it's distracting from the essence of the game. Not to be overly critical, but I have absolutely no doubt that this would NEVER work, no matter how interesting it may seem.
While the most innovate aspects of the color I want to reserve for set release, here are some more things in the abstract vein of Purple. Though it may not be something that could or would work for the game, its something that fulfills a flavor-plot for my set so I'll be doing it as a design exercise anyway.
Celestial Phoenix0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control. Born of star fire.
2/2
Living Lotus0
Creature — Plant (C) The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The flower is very fragile, but still the flower is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Ouroboros Circlet0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would die, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Pollinate0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life. An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead. When here becomes there.
Theorizing and setcrafting are probably my favorite aspects of custom card creation, more than actually playing with the cards themselves.
But I have to wonder, how does Purple actually feel in playtesting? Are you the person who made all of those purple core set cards I've seen about?
Yeah I've been tinkering with it for some time now. I haven't been able to playtest with them yet since I haven't had something I've been proud enough of to warrant moving to playtest yet, but some of the newer design space I've been branching into is looking promising for facilitating the shenanigans. The majority of (C) cards will be showcasing the new design space, but here is another wonky purple --
Eternity0
Creature - Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns. “You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
To me the flavor is solid. I like the idea of cyclicity and it is one I am trying to figure out how to execute within the color pie bounds for my own set.
There are a lot of resources in Magic which the game normally tries to draw our attention away from. Skipping turns, phases, rearranging spells on the stack, land drop for the turn, untapping for the turn, moving cards between zones, number of spells you can cast, number of permanents you can control, number of turns the game has been played so far, the total number of spells you have played, the size of your library, undoing previous actions, etc.
There is enough space in my opinion that purple could be its own color, if magic were a digital game only and hence the above design space had less tracking complexity.
However I think purple's philosophy already exists within the color pie. And I share DJK3654's concerns.
Well the flavor here is that each "purple" card is define as a card that is all colors.
Its major themes are BEAUTY • INFINITY/ZERO • SPACE/GRAVITY.
It is directly associated with THE Black Lotus and hence its "All Colors".
I'm going to upload a FULL IMAGE SPOILER shortly. I decided against waiting and will flesh out some feedback before going along with set design anyway and see what other people think --
Ancient Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness. It existed before time and will so after.
0/0
Black Hole0
Sorcery (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn. The fruit of a black lotus.
Celestial Phoenix0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control. Born of star fire.
2/2
Commitment0
Sorcery (U)
Target player gets a loyalty counter. You gain 1 life. The people will continue to fail you, but to give up on them is to give up on yourself.
Divide By Zero0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-8 loyalty: Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents target player controls to the chosen zone. How do you know the side you’re on isn’t better than the one to come?
Emperor Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (M)
Emperor Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game. For millenia it awaits a master.
4/4
Eternity0
Creature — Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns. “You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
Flower Plower0
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
-1 loyalty: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each of its colors. Its totally groovy man.
The Fool0
Legendary Creature — Human Nomad (R)
The Fool’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of loyalty counters you have. Even if you betray his trust, that does not change his trust.
*/*
Guardian Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (U)
Guardian Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
If Guardian Kirin would be destroyed, regenerate it. It will serve till the bitter end.
3/3
Harbinger Kirin0
Creature — Kirin (C)
Harbinger Kirin costs an additional -2 loyalty to cast.
Flying (This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.) It ushers in the coming of the lotus king.
2/2
Kirin Hooves0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-3 loyalty: Put a 4/4 Kirin creature token with flying thats all colors onto the battlefield.
Living Lotus0
Creature — Plant (C) The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The lotus is very fragile, but still the lotus is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Lotus Charm0
Instant (C)
Choose one —
• Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield.
• You gain 1 life.
• You get a loyalty counter.
Lotus Dust0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Until your next turn, if target permanent would be destroyed, regenerate it. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Lamp0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: You gain 1 life. (You get a loyalty counter.) Be a light unto yourself.
Lotus Posture0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-X loyalty: Exile the top X cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn. Let come what will, let go what will.
Lotus Pulse0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Season0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. (You get a loyalty counter.) They carry the seeds of infinity.
Ouroboros Circlet0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would be destroyed, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Ouroboros Hatchling0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard. The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Paradox0
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant yourself
-5 loyalty: Each opponent skips his or her next turn. Everything comes from nothing. Nothing is the sum of all things.
Phoenix Bloom0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control. “There can only be creation after destruction.” — Taha, Lotus Keeper
Phoenix Cycle0
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control. “Just like the phoenix this entire multiverse and everything in it will perish, only to be reborn again.” — Taha, the Lotus Keeper
Pollinate0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life. An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead. When here becomes there.
Spacial Rift0
Instant (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move target nonland permanent to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn. Neither time nor death can escape it.
Taha, Lotus Keeper0
Planeswalker — Taha (M)
Starting Loyalty: 0
Taha, Lotus Keeper enters the battlefield with all of your loyalty counters on him.
0: Target creature’s base power and toughness become 0/0 until end of turn.
-20: Target player’s life total becomes 0.
Worldeater Ouroboros0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Zen Tutor0
Sorcery (U)
Search your library for a card with converted mana cost 0 and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it. If you try, you miss. It comes effortlessly or not at all.
Using the loyalty symbol in costs of non-planeswalker permanents while defining it as putting the counters on YOU doesn't make sense considering the rules for loyalty abilities are already defined for all permanents. Are they still one activation per permanent? Or is it restricted to one activation that affect loyalty counters on you (Which also doesn't make sense to me. Loyalty to yourself?)? Is there a reason they're auras that only enchant you? Is there a point to that, rather than just making them normal enchantments?
Also, some of them are obviously broken like Lotus Pulse. A free card every turn at no initial cost would be played in a ridiculous amount of decks.
Using the loyalty symbol in costs of non-planeswalker permanents while defining it as putting the counters on YOU doesn't make sense considering the rules for loyalty abilities are already defined for all permanents. Are they still one activation per permanent? Or is it restricted to one activation that affect loyalty counters on you (Which also doesn't make sense to me. Loyalty to yourself?)? Is there a reason they're auras that only enchant you? Is there a point to that, rather than just making them normal enchantments?
Also, some of them are obviously broken like Lotus Pulse. A free card every turn at no initial cost would be played in a ridiculous amount of decks.
Yeah, the idea is that you get you can only activate one loyalty ability per turn per planeswalker. Since you are a planeswalker you get to activate an ability. Using loyalty as additional costs however like the Kirin's doens't count as activating a loyalty ability. There are flavor reasons for the "enchant yourself" as well as mechanical ones that interact with the Aura sub-type.
How is this for a Lotus Pulse fix?
Lotus Pulse0
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
When Lotus Pulse enters the battlefield, exile an Aura you control.
/+1\: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
In my opinion these need not be purple. Just give them the 5-color color indicator. They cost no colored mana, yet are all colors, like the lotus as it blooms into mana. I think this utilizes unique themes, but wonder whether they are backed by a unique philosophy. To me it seems like this philosophy is every color and no color. But every color and no color already have representations in Magic, as 5-color cards and colorless cards respectively.
I like the designs. Frankly, they are extremely impressive. You have overcome the core problem of 0 (that you might just play out your hand super fast) by using turn skips, loyalty abilities, and requirements for casting spells. I think these are impressive enough to give a spin in a deck. I can see it being really tough playtesting and deckbuilding with these though. Without the constraints of the mana system, you have to really carefully and analytically assess what the limiting factors are in your brew, i.e. how many loyalty builders to play vs. how many loyalty spenders, etc.
I agree, playtesting will be where I can determine whether this will work out or not and what other variables I will need to work with. But part of "purple"'s flavor theme is paradoxes, so the 0 being both colorless, and all color is one of those paradoxes. That and the Ouroboros captures central themes really well and flavorfully as well as the Zen Enso symbol being nearly identical.
In what format do you anticipate all of these cards not being broken at once? All of the creatures with more than 2/2 p/t are busted with AEther Vial. Lotus Pulse is +1 card a turn (while shamelessly stealing from red's meager attempts to get more color pie for itself, to boot). Lotus Season makes free chump blockers, and Ancient Ouroboros is an infinite free chump blocker. I could honestly see myself playing Black Hole in Vintage if it meant wiping out my opponent's entire board.
On the other end of the scale, why doesn't Ouroboros Hatchling have the Relentless Rats clause? Two 2/2s or a 3/3 at the cost of warping your deck does not seem like a great deal.
Why are Celestial Phoenix and Phoenix Cycle basically the exact same card? It seems like you're really stretching for design space.
Why isn't Singularity an instant?
How does loyalty on players work? If a creature damages me, can it hit my loyalty in addition/instead? I don't like the idea of adding an element of the game that can't be interacted with at all.
In what format do you anticipate all of these cards not being broken at once? All of the creatures with more than 2/2 p/t are busted with AEther Vial. Lotus Pulse is +1 card a turn (while shamelessly stealing from red's meager attempts to get more color pie for itself, to boot). Lotus Season makes free chump blockers, and Ancient Ouroboros is an infinite free chump blocker. I could honestly see myself playing Black Hole in Vintage if it meant wiping out my opponent's entire board.
On the other end of the scale, why doesn't Ouroboros Hatchling have the Relentless Rats clause? Two 2/2s or a 3/3 at the cost of warping your deck does not seem like a great deal.
Why are Celestial Phoenix and Phoenix Cycle basically the exact same card? It seems like you're really stretching for design space.
Why isn't Singularity an instant?
How does loyalty on players work? If a creature damages me, can it hit my loyalty in addition/instead? I don't like the idea of adding an element of the game that can't be interacted with at all.
This was the kind of crticial feedback I was hoping for. Some of the things you mentioned can be fixed up with the overall set skeleton. Shooting for 81 "Purple" cards by the end of the exhibition. Stealing R's Lotus Pulse effects could probably be done without and cancel those effects for Purple. The Aether Vial issues I thought might be able to be worked around by rather than adding an additional cost to cast the Kirin creatures they have a "Exile this when it enters the battlefield unless you pay \-2/.
As far as player loyalty, I was thinking having certain isolated (C) cards like Demolish in the environment, which can remove some/all counters from a player, but for the most part intended that they be somewhat like Poison Counters and Mana-Base in general which for the most part can't be interacted with.
A lot of these are good points that I need to address as I keep working on the balancing issues, but none the less, I'm still confident it can be done, just comparing the developments in this thread compared to some of my older attempts at Purple.
Also Singularity was meant to be instant. Type-o error. -_-
Ancient Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness.
It existed before time, and will so after.
0/0
Ouroboros Hatchling 0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard.
The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Worldeater Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Ancient Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness.
It existed before time and will so after.
0/0
Black Hole 0
Sorcery (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn.
The fruit of a black lotus.
Celestial Phoenix 0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control.
Born of star fire.
2/2
Commitment 0
Sorcery (U)
Target player gets a loyalty counter. You gain 1 life.
The people will continue to fail you, but to give up on them is to give up on yourself.
Divide By Zero 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-8 loyalty: Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents target player controls to the chosen zone.
How do you know the side you’re on isn’t better than the one to come?
Emperor Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (M)
Emperor Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game.
For millenia it awaits a master.
4/4
Eternity 0
Creature — Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns.
“You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
Flower Plower 0
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
-1 loyalty: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each of its colors.
Its totally groovy man.
The Fool 0
Legendary Creature — Human Nomad (R)
The Fool’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of loyalty counters you have.
Even if you betray his trust, that does not change his trust.
*/*
Guardian Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (U)
Guardian Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
If Guardian Kirin would be destroyed, regenerate it.
It will serve till the bitter end.
3/3
Harbinger Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (C)
Harbinger Kirin costs an additional -2 loyalty to cast.
Flying (This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.)
It ushers in the coming of the lotus king.
2/2
Kirin Hooves 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-3 loyalty: Put a 4/4 Kirin creature token with flying thats all colors onto the battlefield.
Living Lotus 0
Creature — Plant (C)
The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The lotus is very fragile, but still the lotus is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Lotus Charm 0
Instant (C)
Choose one —
• Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield.
• You gain 1 life.
• You get a loyalty counter.
Lotus Dust 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Until your next turn, if target permanent would be destroyed, regenerate it. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Lamp 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: You gain 1 life. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Be a light unto yourself.
Lotus Posture 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-X loyalty: Exile the top X cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn.
Let come what will, let go what will.
Lotus Pulse 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Season 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. (You get a loyalty counter.)
They carry the seeds of infinity.
Ouroboros Circlet 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would be destroyed, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Ouroboros Hatchling 0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard.
The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Paradox 0
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant yourself
-5 loyalty: Each opponent skips his or her next turn.
Everything comes from nothing. Nothing is the sum of all things.
Phoenix Bloom 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control.
“There can only be creation after destruction.” — Taha, Lotus Keeper
Phoenix Cycle 0
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control.
“Just like the phoenix this entire multiverse and everything in it will perish, only to be reborn again.” — Taha, the Lotus Keeper
Pollinate 0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life.
An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity 0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead.
When here becomes there.
Spacial Rift 0
Instant (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move target nonland permanent to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn.
Neither time nor death can escape it.
Taha, Lotus Keeper 0
Planeswalker — Taha (M)
Starting Loyalty: 0
Taha, Lotus Keeper enters the battlefield with all of your loyalty counters on him.
0: Target creature’s base power and toughness become 0/0 until end of turn.
-20: Target player’s life total becomes 0.
Worldeater Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Zen Tutor 0
Sorcery (U)
Search your library for a card with converted mana cost 0 and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.
If you try, you miss. It comes effortlessly or not at all.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
Celestial Phoenix 0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control.
Born of star fire.
2/2
Living Lotus 0
Creature — Plant (C)
The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The flower is very fragile, but still the flower is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Ouroboros Circlet 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would die, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Pollinate 0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life.
An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity 0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead.
When here becomes there.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Yeah I've been tinkering with it for some time now. I haven't been able to playtest with them yet since I haven't had something I've been proud enough of to warrant moving to playtest yet, but some of the newer design space I've been branching into is looking promising for facilitating the shenanigans. The majority of (C) cards will be showcasing the new design space, but here is another wonky purple --
Eternity 0
Creature - Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns.
“You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
I was wondering what people thought of the flavor so far though. Owing to this type of philosophical vein - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Well the flavor here is that each "purple" card is define as a card that is all colors.
Its major themes are BEAUTY • INFINITY/ZERO • SPACE/GRAVITY.
It is directly associated with THE Black Lotus and hence its "All Colors".
I'm going to upload a FULL IMAGE SPOILER shortly. I decided against waiting and will flesh out some feedback before going along with set design anyway and see what other people think --
Ancient Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (M)
If Ancient Ouroboros would be destroyed, regenerate it.
Ancient Ouroboros can’t be put into a graveyard from the battlefield for having 0 or less toughness.
It existed before time and will so after.
0/0
Black Hole 0
Sorcery (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn.
The fruit of a black lotus.
Celestial Phoenix 0
Creature — Phoenix (C)
Flying
When Celestial Phoenix enters the battlefield, exile a creature you control.
Born of star fire.
2/2
Commitment 0
Sorcery (U)
Target player gets a loyalty counter. You gain 1 life.
The people will continue to fail you, but to give up on them is to give up on yourself.
Divide By Zero 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-8 loyalty: Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move all nonland permanents target player controls to the chosen zone.
How do you know the side you’re on isn’t better than the one to come?
Emperor Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (M)
Emperor Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game.
For millenia it awaits a master.
4/4
Eternity 0
Creature — Avatar (R)
When Eternity enters the battlefield, you skip your next three turns.
“You exist in time but you belong to me.”
8/8
Flower Plower 0
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
-1 loyalty: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each of its colors.
Its totally groovy man.
The Fool 0
Legendary Creature — Human Nomad (R)
The Fool’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of loyalty counters you have.
Even if you betray his trust, that does not change his trust.
*/*
Guardian Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (U)
Guardian Kirin costs an additional -3 loyalty to cast.
Flying
If Guardian Kirin would be destroyed, regenerate it.
It will serve till the bitter end.
3/3
Harbinger Kirin 0
Creature — Kirin (C)
Harbinger Kirin costs an additional -2 loyalty to cast.
Flying (This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.)
It ushers in the coming of the lotus king.
2/2
Kirin Hooves 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-3 loyalty: Put a 4/4 Kirin creature token with flying thats all colors onto the battlefield.
Living Lotus 0
Creature — Plant (C)
The lotus’s strength is not like that of the rock. The rock is hard. The lotus is very fragile, but still the lotus is stronger than the rock because it is more alive.
0/3
Lotus Charm 0
Instant (C)
Choose one —
• Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield.
• You gain 1 life.
• You get a loyalty counter.
Lotus Dust 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Until your next turn, if target permanent would be destroyed, regenerate it. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Lamp 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: You gain 1 life. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Be a light unto yourself.
Lotus Posture 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
-X loyalty: Exile the top X cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn.
Let come what will, let go what will.
Lotus Pulse 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Lotus Season 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. (You get a loyalty counter.)
They carry the seeds of infinity.
Ouroboros Circlet 0
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
If enchanted creature would be destroyed, sacrifice Ouroboros Circlet and regenerate enchanted creature.
Ouroboros Hatchling 0
Creature — Ouroboros (U)
Ouroboros Hatchling gets +1/+1 for each card named Ouroboros Hatchling in your graveyard.
The more it eats, the bigger it gets.
0/0
Paradox 0
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant yourself
-5 loyalty: Each opponent skips his or her next turn.
Everything comes from nothing. Nothing is the sum of all things.
Phoenix Bloom 0
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant yourself
+1 loyalty: Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control.
“There can only be creation after destruction.” — Taha, Lotus Keeper
Phoenix Cycle 0
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 Phoenix creature token thats all colors onto the battlefield, then exile a creature you control.
“Just like the phoenix this entire multiverse and everything in it will perish, only to be reborn again.” — Taha, the Lotus Keeper
Pollinate 0
Instant (C)
Put a 0/1 Plant creature token that is all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 1 life.
An entire forest is contained within one seed.
Singularity 0
Sorcery (C)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, move it to the chosen zone instead.
When here becomes there.
Spacial Rift 0
Instant (R)
Choose graveyard, hand or exile. Move target nonland permanent to the chosen zone. You skip your next turn.
Neither time nor death can escape it.
Taha, Lotus Keeper 0
Planeswalker — Taha (M)
Starting Loyalty: 0
Taha, Lotus Keeper enters the battlefield with all of your loyalty counters on him.
0: Target creature’s base power and toughness become 0/0 until end of turn.
-20: Target player’s life total becomes 0.
Worldeater Ouroboros 0
Creature — Ouroboros (R)
When Worldeater Ouroboros enters the battlefield, exile each other permanent you control, then put that many +1/+1 counters on Worldeater Ouroboros.
0/0
Zen Tutor 0
Sorcery (U)
Search your library for a card with converted mana cost 0 and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.
If you try, you miss. It comes effortlessly or not at all.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Also, some of them are obviously broken like Lotus Pulse. A free card every turn at no initial cost would be played in a ridiculous amount of decks.
Yeah, the idea is that you get you can only activate one loyalty ability per turn per planeswalker. Since you are a planeswalker you get to activate an ability. Using loyalty as additional costs however like the Kirin's doens't count as activating a loyalty ability. There are flavor reasons for the "enchant yourself" as well as mechanical ones that interact with the Aura sub-type.
How is this for a Lotus Pulse fix?
Lotus Pulse 0
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant yourself
When Lotus Pulse enters the battlefield, exile an Aura you control.
/+1\: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (You get a loyalty counter.)
Sort of a level up for the loyalty abilities.
I agree, playtesting will be where I can determine whether this will work out or not and what other variables I will need to work with. But part of "purple"'s flavor theme is paradoxes, so the 0 being both colorless, and all color is one of those paradoxes. That and the Ouroboros captures central themes really well and flavorfully as well as the Zen Enso symbol being nearly identical.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
On the other end of the scale, why doesn't Ouroboros Hatchling have the Relentless Rats clause? Two 2/2s or a 3/3 at the cost of warping your deck does not seem like a great deal.
Why are Celestial Phoenix and Phoenix Cycle basically the exact same card? It seems like you're really stretching for design space.
Why isn't Singularity an instant?
How does loyalty on players work? If a creature damages me, can it hit my loyalty in addition/instead? I don't like the idea of adding an element of the game that can't be interacted with at all.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
This was the kind of crticial feedback I was hoping for. Some of the things you mentioned can be fixed up with the overall set skeleton. Shooting for 81 "Purple" cards by the end of the exhibition. Stealing R's Lotus Pulse effects could probably be done without and cancel those effects for Purple. The Aether Vial issues I thought might be able to be worked around by rather than adding an additional cost to cast the Kirin creatures they have a "Exile this when it enters the battlefield unless you pay \-2/.
As far as player loyalty, I was thinking having certain isolated (C) cards like Demolish in the environment, which can remove some/all counters from a player, but for the most part intended that they be somewhat like Poison Counters and Mana-Base in general which for the most part can't be interacted with.
A lot of these are good points that I need to address as I keep working on the balancing issues, but none the less, I'm still confident it can be done, just comparing the developments in this thread compared to some of my older attempts at Purple.
Also Singularity was meant to be instant. Type-o error. -_-
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.