After derping around doing flavorful designs for Coldbloods, I finally worked up the nerve to dive in and start doing the meat of design work. This is my first pass at the blue commons. None have been play tested and I understand that several could have severe redflags, but I wanted to start with a little bit more complexity and trim it down. Most missing things; name, flavor text, creature type; will be ironed out later.
CU01 2U
Creature
~ has flying as long as it is attacking.
2/3
CU02 2UU
Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, return an instant or sorcery spell from your graveyard to your hand.
Prowess
1/1
CU03 1U
Creature
Flying
When ~ enters the battlefield, draw a card.
1/1
CU04 U
Creature
5U: Draw a card.
0/1
CU05 U
Creature
0/4
CU06 1U
Creature
Whenever ~ attacks, the next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn costs 1 less to cast.
1/2
CU07 2UU
Creature
Flying, Prowess
2/2
CU08 3UU
Creature
Flying
When ~ dies, put a 2/2 blue bird creature token with flying into play.
3/3
CU09 4UU
Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature. It does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
5/5
CU10 3U
Sorcery
Target creature gets +2/+0 and is unblockable until end of turn.
Lore- If you've cast another spell this turn, another target creature gets +2/+0 and is unblockable until end of turn.
CU11 1U
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
CU12 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell.
Tap target creature, it does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
CU13 U
Sorcery
Look at target player’s hand.
Draw a card.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, look at the top two cards of your library and put them back in any order.
CU14 4UU
Sorcery
Return up to two target creatures to their owner’s hand.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, you may put those creatures on top of their owner’s library in any order instead.
CU15 1U
Sorcery
Put three 0/1 blue creature tokens with defender into play.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -2/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
CU17 1U
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has “The first spell you cast each turn costs 1 less to cast.
CU18 U
Enchantment- Aura
Flash
Enchant Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +0/+2
CU11 1U
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
This is a design I like, but I doubt Wizards would give control something that good. I could see us getting it at UU though.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
Blue usually doesn't get fog effects that are this good. This would probably cost one more.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
This is very strong color pie violation. Blue is literally 5th in token creation, it can't get 3 bodies for 2 mana at common.
CU13 U
Sorcery
Look at target player’s hand.
Draw a card.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, look at the top two cards of your library and put them back in any order.
I like this card a lot. Good design and I think if we got a new cantrip that was meant to be played in Modern, this could be it.
I don't get any of the feel of your set from these commons. The cards are very core set-y and defensive. Two cheap common walls and an 0/1 defender maker seems excessive.
On these cards, Lore is just random upside, which might be why these cards feel so much like core set cards. Usually you want the commons that have your set mechanics to be the exciting. If you want blue to be defensive, give it some cool things to do when it buys that extra time. I feel like a blue commons deck would lose to a couple mid-sized creatures.
I don't get any of the feel of your set from these commons. The cards are very core set-y and defensive. Two cheap common walls and an 0/1 defender maker seems excessive.
On these cards, Lore is just random upside, which might be why these cards feel so much like core set cards. Usually you want the commons that have your set mechanics to be the exciting. If you want blue to be defensive, give it some cool things to do when it buys that extra time. I feel like a blue commons deck would lose to a couple mid-sized creatures.
I understand that these might feel "Core set-y" but don't most set's commons before flavor has been added. I made some changes to add some more exciting cards but I'm not sure that this is a problem that can easily be fixed. I'm not sure where you're coming from with the Lore commons not seeming exciting. CU14 is incredible with Lore activated and the main draw to being in blue and taking all the Lore enablers. I'll also say that after some preliminary play testing people are really excited to play blue because the color has great card flow to accompany the Lore cards.
I think my feedback may have been misunderstood. Rather than making individual commons "more exciting", I was suggesting you put your set mechanics on more cards. Khans, for example, has 7 blue cards using set mechanics, plus 3 gold-blue commons using set mechanics. The use of set mechanics is part of what gives a set its feel, especially in the absence of flavor. CU14 is certainly powerful. I'd imagine there should be more than one board-impacting Lore card (and more than 2 overall). While Lore says "please play lots of cheap spells", there aren't many Lore cards to reward you for doing so.
I think my feedback may have been misunderstood. Rather than making individual commons "more exciting", I was suggesting you put your set mechanics on more cards. Khans, for example, has 7 blue cards using set mechanics, plus 3 gold-blue commons using set mechanics. The use of set mechanics is part of what gives a set its feel, especially in the absence of flavor. CU14 is certainly powerful. I'd imagine there should be more than one board-impacting Lore card (and more than 2 overall). While Lore says "please play lots of cheap spells", there aren't many Lore cards to reward you for doing so.
Alright, I'm on board with this, I'll change one of the 2- mana stalling cantrips to a Lore card.
CU09 4UU
Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature. It does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
5/5
This seems like a lot of value for a 6 cmc common creature in blue. I haven't even found one that has those same stats without a downside. Consider adjusting the P/T or adding a downside.
CU08 3UU
Creature
Flying
When ~ dies, put a 2/2 blue bird creature token with flying into play.
3/3
Messenger Drake is the closest card I found with roughly its same value, but getting a guaranteed Wind Drake after this thing dies seems a wee bit pushed.
CU18 U
Enchantment- Aura
Flash
Enchant Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +0/+2
Maybe this could tap/untap instead? Blue doesn't get straight up tap a creature all that often without a Twiddle or a freeze effect tied to it. Plus it just plays naturally better as a defensive trick if you could untap.
CU12 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell.
Tap target creature, it does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
Consider putting "Tap up to one target creature" so that this card could function without a creature on board. It also leads to too many feelbad moments where you have to tap one of your own creatures to counter a critical spell.
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CU01 2U
Creature
~ has flying as long as it is attacking.
2/3
CU02 2UU
Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, return an instant or sorcery spell from your graveyard to your hand.
Prowess
1/1
CU03 1U
Creature
Flying
When ~ enters the battlefield, draw a card.
1/1
CU04 U
Creature
5U: Draw a card.
0/1
CU05 U
Creature
0/4
CU06 1U
Creature
Whenever ~ attacks, the next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn costs 1 less to cast.
1/2
CU07 2UU
Creature
Flying, Prowess
2/2
CU08 3UU
Creature
Flying
When ~ dies, put a 2/2 blue bird creature token with flying into play.
3/3
CU09 4UU
Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature. It does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
5/5
CU10 3U
Sorcery
Target creature gets +2/+0 and is unblockable until end of turn.
Lore- If you've cast another spell this turn, another target creature gets +2/+0 and is unblockable until end of turn.
CU11 1U
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
CU12 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell.
Tap target creature, it does not untap during it’s controllers next untap step.
CU13 U
Sorcery
Look at target player’s hand.
Draw a card.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, look at the top two cards of your library and put them back in any order.
CU14 4UU
Sorcery
Return up to two target creatures to their owner’s hand.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, you may put those creatures on top of their owner’s library in any order instead.
CU15 1U
Sorcery
Put three 0/1 blue creature tokens with defender into play.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -2/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
CU17 1U
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has “The first spell you cast each turn costs 1 less to cast.
CU18 U
Enchantment- Aura
Flash
Enchant Creature
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature.
Enchanted creature gets +0/+2
Instant
Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
This is a design I like, but I doubt Wizards would give control something that good. I could see us getting it at UU though.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
Blue usually doesn't get fog effects that are this good. This would probably cost one more.
CU16 1U
Target attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Draw a card
This is very strong color pie violation. Blue is literally 5th in token creation, it can't get 3 bodies for 2 mana at common.
CU13 U
Sorcery
Look at target player’s hand.
Draw a card.
Lore- If you’ve cast another spell this turn, look at the top two cards of your library and put them back in any order.
I like this card a lot. Good design and I think if we got a new cantrip that was meant to be played in Modern, this could be it.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
On these cards, Lore is just random upside, which might be why these cards feel so much like core set cards. Usually you want the commons that have your set mechanics to be the exciting. If you want blue to be defensive, give it some cool things to do when it buys that extra time. I feel like a blue commons deck would lose to a couple mid-sized creatures.
You're probably right. Reduced to -2/-0, which, considering Hydrolash, should be fine.
I think producing defensive tokens is a fine way for blue to produce tokens without undermining its central weaknesses.
I understand that these might feel "Core set-y" but don't most set's commons before flavor has been added. I made some changes to add some more exciting cards but I'm not sure that this is a problem that can easily be fixed. I'm not sure where you're coming from with the Lore commons not seeming exciting. CU14 is incredible with Lore activated and the main draw to being in blue and taking all the Lore enablers. I'll also say that after some preliminary play testing people are really excited to play blue because the color has great card flow to accompany the Lore cards.
Alright, I'm on board with this, I'll change one of the 2- mana stalling cantrips to a Lore card.
Messenger Drake is the closest card I found with roughly its same value, but getting a guaranteed Wind Drake after this thing dies seems a wee bit pushed.
Maybe this could tap/untap instead? Blue doesn't get straight up tap a creature all that often without a Twiddle or a freeze effect tied to it. Plus it just plays naturally better as a defensive trick if you could untap.
Consider putting "Tap up to one target creature" so that this card could function without a creature on board. It also leads to too many feelbad moments where you have to tap one of your own creatures to counter a critical spell.