I always love how fun it is to go backs to the wall with B"you lose life" spells. How each step closer you are to 1 life makes everything so the game could go either way. It is very thrilling to win a game at close to 1 life or win a game with close to 0 cards in library, if you get what i am saying.
Then there is life gain which is so totally impactless in commander(or any other format) unless it is used as a padding or getting yourself out of a hitch. The closer you are to 1 life makes every lifegain matter more while above around 30 is overkill. abovee 40 is like useless.
I went with Angel as like commanders who can actually beat face and Fat Flying Angels are the way to go I think. In keeping with Angel He keeps his Flying and 4/4 stats, which are the stats of most angel tokens.
He has Lifelink as that is his schtick after all.
Also he is GWB as they are the life-gainiest of colors
BAMF ANGEL. Also picture him as not a demure angel, picture him as a BAMF angel with scars, non-decoration blade SPEAR, big wings that look like they could actually carry him and his big-big-killing weapon. Also armor would be nice, a battle worn armor even better. If he is scantily clad (If your into that, I'm into that) make sure he actually has armor in strategic places. BAMFness must come first before Hornyness. Think Gisella,
that is BAMF. Please not Bruna, that is playboy material. Sigarda does both nicely.
Moving on A LIFEGAIN deck would probably have lotsa ways to gain life. Problem is Lifegain gain gives no immediate impact and could "have too much life, too little juice" effect. So his first ability should be a "PAYOFF" for lifegain (including his own lifelink). Or it should use life as a resource ala Night's Whisper.
Numiel, Angel of Dire Need1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Fying, Lifelink
At the end of your turn, you may pay 8 life. If you do return target creature card with converted mana cost 4 or less from your graveyard to your hand. 4/4
So he It tried to think of other ways to use life as a resource, but this one is neater, and simpler and better reflect that GBW best returns creatures from the graveyard. However I wanted to focus him on Lifegain/Suicide rather than Reanimator so it returns the creature to hand instead of battlefield.
It is also flavorful as "COOL angel that saves you from perdition"
Payment of 8 life is 8 because, he can lifelink that in two attacks. Also it is a multiple of 4, and the angel has so many 4s it would be a shame to not put in as much 4s as possible.
Other payoffs i thought of but reasoned to be too much
1. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, then Scry X.
2. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, then Scry X, then reveal and add to hand (andlose life equa to CMC)
3. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, tokens
4. Whenever you gain life, tokens
5 Whenever you lose life, draw cards
.
Then we need to reflect some additional incentive for the Suicide Aspect. He needs to play nicely with low life and I recalled Fateful Hour. It was bad but it would fit so nicely. So what was a nice way to reflect GBW (again) that would fit as a crutch situation as Fatefoul Hour? I then happened upon collective blessing then thought ANTHEM! Then I saw Glorious Anthem and that sealed the deal. An anthem is his secondary abiity.
Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+3 +3/+0 and have lifelink.
It sorta combos itself, Disentomb creatures, pay 8 life, get into Fateful Hour zone, Buffs your lifelinkers, so you can afford to pay 8life, so you can disentomb even more creatures, so you wont runt out of creatures to pump. Best of all it is simple. I tried +1/+1, +2/+2, +3/+3 but reasoned that +3/+0 would be better (and crutchier) and more exciting if creatures died all the time, having less toughness does that and reinforces your need to use Angels disentomb ability. +3/+0 also puts the 4/4 angel into that 3 hit commander club which is nice (though kinda borked). I reasoned against giving blanket lifelink, as having blanket lifelink gets you too much life, and that much padding causes stale unexciting board states.
+3/+0 is a THREE and kinda dampens his FOUR style. but maybe jamming too much fours was not such a good idea and +4/+0 is certainly too strong.
Version 2 and 3 now has added versatility.
V2 has group assist, allowing political plays. Also now hates graveyard creature strategies. Much more versatile. Can repeatedly activate payments in a turn helping activate Fateful Hour at DIRE NEED.
Version 3 added a Phyrexian Arena for creature cards effect. Combined with version 2, this allows mimicking Version1's Disentomb ability.
Numiel, Angel of Dire Need1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
At the end of your turn, you may pay 8 life. If you do, return target creature card with converted mana cost 4 or less from your graveyard to your hand. Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life. 4/4
Original Version
Has a Disentomb effect at end of turn by paying 8 life.
Fateful Hour has "as long as you have 5 or less life" as a reminder.
--------------------------- Numiel, Angel of Dire Need1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
Pay 4 life: Return target creature card from a graveyard to the top of its owner's library. Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life. 4/4
Version 2 replaced 8 life Disentomb ability.
Replaced with a 4 life Reclaim activated ability.
The replacement ability was triggred, but changed to an active ability to hose graveyard strategies and strengthen against responses from opponent grave hate.
Because replacement ability can now be triggered multiple times a turn to repeatedly hose graveyard strategies, or can help achieve Fateful hour much much quicker.
Adds a group Assist ability, gravehate can double as political instrument allowing allied opponents (lol) to reclaim a much needed creature.
Fateful Hour lost reminder text.
------------------------- Numiel, Angel of Dire Need1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
Pay 4 life: Return target creature card from a graveyard to the top of its owner's library.
At the end of your turn, reveal the top card of your library. If it is a creature card, add it to your hand and you lose 4 life. Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life. 4/4
Version 3
Has end of turn, creature Phyrexian Arena effect.This can effectively copy Version 1's Disentomb for 8 life while having Version 2's versatility for graveyard hate and group assist.
Fateful Hour lost reminder text. Cannot actually fit.
I like to think that Lifegain EDH would have a LOT of lifegain to make the 8 life payment seem little. Also the payment must be huge to allow it to reach Fateful hour.
Also I would like to not return in play, as that would reinforce him into too much reanimator when his focus should be Lifegain/LifeIsResource.
Although I get what you mean, 8 life for a Disentomb seems pretty weak when Reanimate could probably get any creature for less life. But I like it bigger payment as it really makes you decide whether or not his disentomb would be the right choice. Sometimes payment as life seems so little that the choice to not play them and save life is never chosen. I want situations to arise where "Do I want that Disentomb or Do I need to save up my Money Life?". And that does not seem possible with "miniscule" payments of 4 life.
4/4 for 4 is like one of its green aspects. I originally thought 4/4 for 5, but 4 mana and no ETB makes him far from tier 1. I like to think 4/4 for 4 gives him a "power floor" or that is as weak as he gets, since his disentomb ability can be seen as gravy.
For Brainstorming
Maybe we could replace the disentomb ability with another ability. But what must remain is to add a reason to have lifegain, life is a resource.
Here is another I thought of.
At the end of your turn, you may pay life in multiples of 4. For each 4 life paid this way, you may return target card from a graveyard to the top or bottom of its owner's library.
or
Pay 4 life: Return target card from a graveyard to the top or bottom of its owner's library.
What I think about this is it can still be flavored as "Angel saves soul from Hell" but also acts as a way to be different from reanimator strategies that we are trying to stay away from. I prefer the second version as it is simpler and can really push your life into the Fateful Hour zone.
Also this effect is not Card Advantage! not a +1! It also simplifies the board state and that is very very welcome.
Also I get what you mean about the art, it looks Izzet but the feel is what im going for, the BAMF Angel Look, the who looks like he about to smash face. I will try to find a better Image.
Then there is life gain which is so totally impactless in commander(or any other format) unless it is used as a padding or getting yourself out of a hitch. The closer you are to 1 life makes every lifegain matter more while above around 30 is overkill. abovee 40 is like useless.
I went with Angel as like commanders who can actually beat face and Fat Flying Angels are the way to go I think. In keeping with Angel He keeps his Flying and 4/4 stats, which are the stats of most angel tokens.
He has Lifelink as that is his schtick after all.
Also he is GWB as they are the life-gainiest of colors
bladeSPEAR, big wings that look like they could actually carry him and his big-big-killing weapon. Also armor would be nice, a battle worn armor even better. If he is scantily clad (If your into that, I'm into that) make sure he actually has armor in strategic places. BAMFness must come first before Hornyness. Think Gisella,that is BAMF. Please not Bruna, that is playboy material. Sigarda does both nicely.
Moving on A LIFEGAIN deck would probably have lotsa ways to gain life. Problem is Lifegain gain gives no immediate impact and could "have too much life, too little juice" effect. So his first ability should be a "PAYOFF" for lifegain (including his own lifelink). Or it should use life as a resource ala Night's Whisper.
So he It tried to think of other ways to use life as a resource, but this one is neater, and simpler and better reflect that GBW best returns creatures from the graveyard. However I wanted to focus him on Lifegain/Suicide rather than Reanimator so it returns the creature to hand instead of battlefield.
It is also flavorful as "COOL angel that saves you from perdition"
Payment of 8 life is 8 because, he can lifelink that in two attacks. Also it is a multiple of 4, and the angel has so many 4s it would be a shame to not put in as much 4s as possible.
Other payoffs i thought of but reasoned to be too much
1. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, then Scry X.
2. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, then Scry X, then reveal and add to hand (andlose life equa to CMC)
3. Whenever you gain life, you may instead lose that much life, tokens
4. Whenever you gain life, tokens
5 Whenever you lose life, draw cards
.
Then we need to reflect some additional incentive for the Suicide Aspect. He needs to play nicely with low life and I recalled Fateful Hour. It was bad but it would fit so nicely. So what was a nice way to reflect GBW (again) that would fit as a crutch situation as Fatefoul Hour? I then happened upon collective blessing then thought ANTHEM! Then I saw Glorious Anthem and that sealed the deal. An anthem is his secondary abiity.
It sorta combos itself, Disentomb creatures, pay 8 life, get into Fateful Hour zone, Buffs your lifelinkers, so you can afford to pay 8life, so you can disentomb even more creatures, so you wont runt out of creatures to pump. Best of all it is simple. I tried +1/+1, +2/+2, +3/+3 but reasoned that +3/+0 would be better (and crutchier) and more exciting if creatures died all the time, having less toughness does that and reinforces your need to use Angels disentomb ability. +3/+0 also puts the 4/4 angel into that 3 hit commander club which is nice (though kinda borked). I reasoned against giving blanket lifelink, as having blanket lifelink gets you too much life, and that much padding causes stale unexciting board states.
+3/+0 is a THREE and kinda dampens his FOUR style. but maybe jamming too much fours was not such a good idea and +4/+0 is certainly too strong.
Version 2 and 3 now has added versatility.
V2 has group assist, allowing political plays. Also now hates graveyard creature strategies. Much more versatile. Can repeatedly activate payments in a turn helping activate Fateful Hour at DIRE NEED.
Version 3 added a Phyrexian Arena for creature cards effect. Combined with version 2, this allows mimicking Version1's Disentomb ability.
So we arrive here
ART by http://jasontn.deviantart.com/art/Angel-Knight-486127358
Art by Mr Steph
Numiel, Angel of Dire Need 1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
At the end of your turn, you may pay 8 life. If you do, return target creature card with converted mana cost 4 or less from your graveyard to your hand.
Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life.
4/4
Original Version
Has a Disentomb effect at end of turn by paying 8 life.
Fateful Hour has "as long as you have 5 or less life" as a reminder.
---------------------------
Numiel, Angel of Dire Need 1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
Pay 4 life: Return target creature card from a graveyard to the top of its owner's library.
Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life.
4/4
Version 2 replaced 8 life Disentomb ability.
Replaced with a 4 life Reclaim activated ability.
The replacement ability was triggred, but changed to an active ability to hose graveyard strategies and strengthen against responses from opponent grave hate.
Because replacement ability can now be triggered multiple times a turn to repeatedly hose graveyard strategies, or can help achieve Fateful hour much much quicker.
Adds a group Assist ability, gravehate can double as political instrument allowing allied opponents (lol) to reclaim a much needed creature.
Fateful Hour lost reminder text.
-------------------------
Numiel, Angel of Dire Need 1GWB
[BAMF angel pic]
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Lifelink
Pay 4 life: Return target creature card from a graveyard to the top of its owner's library.
At the end of your turn, reveal the top card of your library. If it is a creature card, add it to your hand and you lose 4 life.
Fateful Hour - Creatures you control get +3/+0 as long as you have 5 or less life.
4/4
Version 3
Has end of turn, creature Phyrexian Arena effect.This can effectively copy Version 1's Disentomb for 8 life while having Version 2's versatility for graveyard hate and group assist.
Fateful Hour lost reminder text. Cannot actually fit.
Also I would like to not return in play, as that would reinforce him into too much reanimator when his focus should be Lifegain/LifeIsResource.
Although I get what you mean, 8 life for a Disentomb seems pretty weak when Reanimate could probably get any creature for less life. But I like it bigger payment as it really makes you decide whether or not his disentomb would be the right choice. Sometimes payment as life seems so little that the choice to not play them and save life is never chosen. I want situations to arise where "Do I want that Disentomb or Do I need to save up my
MoneyLife?". And that does not seem possible with "miniscule" payments of 4 life.4/4 for 4 is like one of its green aspects. I originally thought 4/4 for 5, but 4 mana and no ETB makes him far from tier 1. I like to think 4/4 for 4 gives him a "power floor" or that is as weak as he gets, since his disentomb ability can be seen as gravy.
For Brainstorming
Maybe we could replace the disentomb ability with another ability. But what must remain is to add a reason to have lifegain, life is a resource.
Here is another I thought of.
or
What I think about this is it can still be flavored as "Angel saves soul from Hell" but also acts as a way to be different from reanimator strategies that we are trying to stay away from. I prefer the second version as it is simpler and can really push your life into the Fateful Hour zone.
Also this effect is not Card Advantage! not a +1! It also simplifies the board state and that is very very welcome.
Also I get what you mean about the art, it looks Izzet but the feel is what im going for, the BAMF Angel Look, the who looks like he about to smash face. I will try to find a better Image.
EDITED:
UPDATED OP