So the next block, Amonkhet, takes place on a world apparently controlled by Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker. http://magic.wizards.com/en/content/amonkhet-info
I figure there is going to be a new Bolas PW card, here's my stab at it. I think the card should remain grixis colors - I could see perhaps a 5-color Bolas after he becomes "fully powered" when all his machinations come to fruition, but typically I would just expect him to remain true to grixis colors. He should obviously be big and powerful and flashy, and I think it would be cool if he had something that set him apart from other planeswalkers so far - an enters the battlefield ability.
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, gain control of target permanent.
+2: Target player draws 2 cards and loses 2 life.
-3: Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-8: Search your library, graveyard, and cards you own from outside the game or in exile for five cards and exile the rest. Put the chosen cards on top of your library in any order.
Bolas is all about control and power and is a master manipulator, and I wanted his battlefield ability to represent that. He has an immediate, huge impact on the board thanks to this. Is it too strong when tacked onto a pw this size? What if it just stole a creature or planeswalker instead?
His + ability isn't nearly as fearsome as + ability on his first planeswalker card, but it's a steady way to gain card advantage and Sign in Blood feels very appropriate for a villain as ambitious as Bolas.
I'm not in love with the -3 ability, but I think it should be some powerful attack. I made it 7 damage as a callback to his original p/t and the ultimate of his first pw card.
His ultimate is basically Doomsday but without the life loss and with a wider range of cards to search. I think it's the perfect representation of Bolas's schemes all coming together. You get to stack your deck with whatever combo or game winning series of cards you need. It isn't an instant-win but it should pretty much guarantee victory unless your opponent can mill you out or you were on the verge of death anyway.
I didn't put a ton of thought into balancing the starting loyalty or ability costs yet, but I figured that a 6-mana 3-color walker should be pretty darn strong. Hope you like!
Thanks for the comment!
I agree with you that it's probably too pushed for 6, with that enters ability. It's kind of Dragonlord Silumgar but on a much more dangerous permanent and you can't lose whatever you steal.
I don't want to jack up his cost too much because I want him to be castable in standard and a three-color 8-drop outside of green seems unlikely. What about this?
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, gain control of target permanent.
+2: Target player draws 2 cards and loses 2 life.
-3: Bolas deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-8: Search your library, graveyard, and cards you own in exile for five cards and exile the rest. Put the chosen cards on top of your library in any order.
Not big changes, but the control ability now has a cost to it, and he's a bit more expensive.
I think his ultimate is underwhelming. Doomsday is strong, but would it be too good if it was Doomsday + Time Warp. It is an ultimate for a 3 color 7 drop.
I also feel that his starting loyalty could be higher or his plus could be a +3.
I like the Time Warp + Doomsday. THe old Nicol Bolas Ult basically said I WIN which the new ULT does not at all but it does set you up to win the game.
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Ophelia Le Doux (R/B)
Creature - Vampire Assassin
Haste First Strike
1/1
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, gain control of target artifact or creature.
+2: You draw 2 cards and lose 2 life.
-3: Bolas deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-9: Search your library for five cards and exile the rest, then put chosen cards on top of your library in any order. Take an additional turn after this one.
Nice, but I am not sure if it isn't time for "the most ultimate" ultimate.
Bolas should be dripping with flavor but needs not to be necessarily competitive playable, and I think with some upkeep cost, to tribute his old version.
What about:
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 4UBR
Loyalty 6
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2 life and sacrifice a creature. If you do, put three loyalty counters on Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet.
-4: Exile up to three target nonland permanents.
-7: Gain control of up to three creatures and/or planeswalkers.
-15: Target player loses the game.
Or is it too much? If there could be direct, simple, straightforward ultimate, it should be his.
(And with 6 loyalty, we can use Dark Intimations as well for immediate second ability...)
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2 life and sacrifice a creature. If you do, put three loyalty counters on Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet.
-4: Exile up to three target nonland permanents.
-7: Gain control of up to three creatures and/or planeswalkers.
-15: Target player loses the game.
I love this. Just for giggles, I'm going to offer a version with different ultimate wording, wording which Mark Rosewater has been trying to introduce to the game but so far without success.
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet | 4UBR
Planeswalker - Bolas
Loyalty 6
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2 life and sacrifice a creature. If you do, put three loyalty counters on Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet.
-4: Destroy up to three target nonland permanents.
-7: Gain control of up to three target creatures and/or planeswalkers.
-15: Destroy target player.
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I figure there is going to be a new Bolas PW card, here's my stab at it. I think the card should remain grixis colors - I could see perhaps a 5-color Bolas after he becomes "fully powered" when all his machinations come to fruition, but typically I would just expect him to remain true to grixis colors. He should obviously be big and powerful and flashy, and I think it would be cool if he had something that set him apart from other planeswalkers so far - an enters the battlefield ability.
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, gain control of target permanent.
+2: Target player draws 2 cards and loses 2 life.
-3: Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-8: Search your library, graveyard, and cards you own from outside the game or in exile for five cards and exile the rest. Put the chosen cards on top of your library in any order.
Bolas is all about control and power and is a master manipulator, and I wanted his battlefield ability to represent that. He has an immediate, huge impact on the board thanks to this. Is it too strong when tacked onto a pw this size? What if it just stole a creature or planeswalker instead?
His + ability isn't nearly as fearsome as + ability on his first planeswalker card, but it's a steady way to gain card advantage and Sign in Blood feels very appropriate for a villain as ambitious as Bolas.
I'm not in love with the -3 ability, but I think it should be some powerful attack. I made it 7 damage as a callback to his original p/t and the ultimate of his first pw card.
His ultimate is basically Doomsday but without the life loss and with a wider range of cards to search. I think it's the perfect representation of Bolas's schemes all coming together. You get to stack your deck with whatever combo or game winning series of cards you need. It isn't an instant-win but it should pretty much guarantee victory unless your opponent can mill you out or you were on the verge of death anyway.
I didn't put a ton of thought into balancing the starting loyalty or ability costs yet, but I figured that a 6-mana 3-color walker should be pretty darn strong. Hope you like!
I agree with you that it's probably too pushed for 6, with that enters ability. It's kind of Dragonlord Silumgar but on a much more dangerous permanent and you can't lose whatever you steal.
I don't want to jack up his cost too much because I want him to be castable in standard and a three-color 8-drop outside of green seems unlikely. What about this?
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, gain control of target permanent.
+2: Target player draws 2 cards and loses 2 life.
-3: Bolas deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-8: Search your library, graveyard, and cards you own in exile for five cards and exile the rest. Put the chosen cards on top of your library in any order.
Not big changes, but the control ability now has a cost to it, and he's a bit more expensive.
I also feel that his starting loyalty could be higher or his plus could be a +3.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
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)
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 3UBBR
Loyalty: 5
When Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet enters the battlefield, gain control of target artifact or creature.
+2: You draw 2 cards and lose 2 life.
-3: Bolas deals 7 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
-9: Search your library for five cards and exile the rest, then put chosen cards on top of your library in any order. Take an additional turn after this one.
Bolas should be dripping with flavor but needs not to be necessarily competitive playable, and I think with some upkeep cost, to tribute his old version.
What about:
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet 4UBR
Loyalty 6
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2 life and sacrifice a creature. If you do, put three loyalty counters on Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet.
-4: Exile up to three target nonland permanents.
-7: Gain control of up to three creatures and/or planeswalkers.
-15: Target player loses the game.
Or is it too much? If there could be direct, simple, straightforward ultimate, it should be his.
(And with 6 loyalty, we can use Dark Intimations as well for immediate second ability...)
Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet | 4UBR
Planeswalker - Bolas
Loyalty 6
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2 life and sacrifice a creature. If you do, put three loyalty counters on Bolas, Lord of Amonkhet.
-4: Destroy up to three target nonland permanents.
-7: Gain control of up to three target creatures and/or planeswalkers.
-15: Destroy target player.