Cathodion was designed when the sudden mana boost was a drawback. When mana burn was exiled from the rules, Cathodion became the biggest creature costing without a drawback. In fact, I think Endless One is the only other 3/3 for without a drawback.
Gaining 1 life isn't very powerful or exciting, that is true, but I don't think a 3/3 for 3 needs a powerful boost.
I'm not suggesting that the ability needs to be more powerful, I'm saying that because it is so minor it is more elegant to simply remove it.
I understand that your aiming at a Bottle Gnome callback that that isn't ideal but in that case making this not a 3/3 for 3 is probably the route you want to go.
Basically I'd suggest deciding which element is more important, and concentrate on that aspect of the design rather than making a sub-optimal design that fulfills both roles.
Chrome Gnome - 3
Artifact Creature - Gnome (U) 3, Sacrifice Chrome Gnome: You gain 3 life.
3/3
Way better. now even though the effect is overcosted it feels more relevant, has better aesthetics and actually fits the Bottle Gnome requirement even better.
Peasant cubes sometimes play Cathodion as a 3/3 for 3 vanilla, so this seems like a strict upgrade to that. Still, it still feels like a 3/3 vanilla, functionally.
I think that it would have the same problem as Cathodion in player evaluation, where a 3/3 with an upside gets undervalued because the upside doesn't appear to be very good.
What's "player evaluation"? Feeling like a 3/3 vanilla for 3, with a minimal upside, isn't a problem to me. In fact, that's what I was hoping for. I wouldn't want a large bonus on a card with already pushed stats - you get hated out of this forum pretty quickly when you suggest stuff like that! So yeah, small upside, perfect.
I also like Gleng's suggestion, the additional 3s are nice.
For the card to be pushed enough for constructed/cube it would have to gain 3 life for 0, Sacrifice:, or 6 life (or drain for 3) for 3, Sacrifice:. Any less powerful versions than that are absolutely fine for constructed, and fine for limited if it at least an uncommon.
Bottle Gnomes and Cathodion are not exactly power-houses.
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Artifact Creature - Gnome (U)
Sacrifice Chrome Gnome: Gain 1 life.
3/3
I figure it's a cross between Bottle Gnomes and Endless One.
.
We have had the Odd 3/3 for 3 such as Cathodion
Though the lifegain here is so minor that the design may well be better without it.
Any particular context here we should be aware of?
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Gaining 1 life isn't very powerful or exciting, that is true, but I don't think a 3/3 for 3 needs a powerful boost.
.
I understand that your aiming at a Bottle Gnome callback that that isn't ideal but in that case making this not a 3/3 for 3 is probably the route you want to go.
Basically I'd suggest deciding which element is more important, and concentrate on that aspect of the design rather than making a sub-optimal design that fulfills both roles.
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Chrome Gnome - 3
Artifact Creature - Gnome (U)
3, Sacrifice Chrome Gnome: You gain 3 life.
3/3
Way better. now even though the effect is overcosted it feels more relevant, has better aesthetics and actually fits the Bottle Gnome requirement even better.
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
I think that it would have the same problem as Cathodion in player evaluation, where a 3/3 with an upside gets undervalued because the upside doesn't appear to be very good.
Draft my Peasant Cube.
I also like Gleng's suggestion, the additional 3s are nice.
.
Bottle Gnomes and Cathodion are not exactly power-houses.