Hello all!
Decided I would join up to share some ideas I've been working on....
The mechanics/keywords I've created here are all first drafts and constructive feedback is very welcome! I know Magic tends to favor mechanics that move the game towards conclusion (e.g. Raid) but I wanted to design a couple of mechanics that allow for more variance in combat or at least creates some unique tensions. So without further ado....
Resist- You may cast this creature for its resist cost during the declare blockers step on an opponent’s turn. Return it to your hand at the end of combat.
Notes: Think of it as dash for blockers or a weaker flash.
City Patrol2W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Resist 1W (You may cast this creature for its resist cost during the declare blockers step of an opponent’s turn. Return it to your hand at the end of combat.)
1/4
Karmic Adjudicator3RW
Creature – Angel Warrior(U)
Flying
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to Karmic Adjudicator, Karmic Adjudicator deals that much damage to that creature’s controller.
Resist 1RW
3/3
Deathly Interceptor1UB
Creature – Vedalken Assassin (R)
Deathtouch, Menace
Resist UB
Whenever a creature dealt combat damage by Deathly Interceptor dies, draw a card. 2U: Target creature an opponent controls must attack this turn if able.
2/3
Velana, Tenacious Guardian4GG
Legendary Creature – Treefolk (M)
Trample, Reach
Resist 2GG
When Velana, Tenacious Guardian enters the battlefield target creature you control gets two +1/+1 counters.
3/4
Desperation - If this creature would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card from you hand to activate this creature’s desperation ability.
Notes: Desperation provides improved defensive utility for card disadvantage.
Baby Horned TurtleU
Creature – Turtle (C)
Desperation-If Baby Horned Turtled would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and Baby Horned Turtle gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
1/1
Leonin Swordguard1WW
Creature – Cat Soldier (U)
First Strike, Vigilance
Desperation – If Leonin Swordguard would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and Leonin Swordguard gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Volcanic Mage2RR
Creature – Human Mage(R)
: Deal 2 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature’s controller.
Desperation—If Volcanic Mage would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and deal 4 damage to that creature.
2/2
Eos, Magister of Tomorrow5UU
Legendary Creature – Sphinx (M)
Flash
Flying
Desperation-If Eos, Magister of Tomorrow would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and take an extra turn after your next turn.
6/4
Burden - Before an opponent can declare you or a planeswalker you control as the target of an attack they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden.
Notes: A taxing effect that isn't based on each creature attacking you. Notably it can appear on all permanent types!
Freeze Radius1U
Enchantment- (U)
Burden
When Freeze Radius enters the battlefield scry 1 and tap target creature. That creature does not untap during its opponent’s next untap step.
Calmbringer2U
Creature – Merfolk Wizard (U)
Burden
At the beginning of your upkeep if you have not been attacked since your last turn, draw a card.
2/2
Veteran Peacekeepers3W
Creature – Human Monk (R)
Burden (If an opponent would attack you or a planeswalker you control they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden first)
: Create a token that is a copy of Veteran Peacekeepers except it doesn’t have this ability.
2/4
Aegia, Ascended Gatekeeper3WWW
Legendary Creature – Angel (M)
Flying
Burden (If an opponent would attack you or a planeswalker you control they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden first)
When Aegia, Ascended Gatekeeper enters the battlefield create three 1/1 white Human tokens with Burden.
4/4
Hope you enjoyed some of these designs! Looking forward to hearing your input.
Burden shouldn't be a keyword, because there shouldn't be several cards with that kind of effect. Maybe one or two, and NOT at common. It seriously slows the game down.
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"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Resist has timing issues. If you cast it during declare blockers, it'll stay on the stack until declare blockers is over, so you won't be able to block with it no?
It won't be able to block, but not because it "stays on the stack". You declare your blockers as a turn based action in the first part of the declare blockers step, THEN players get priority. By the time you could even start casting it, you'd have already declared blockers. You need to be able to cast it during the declare attackers step instead.
Resist has timing issues. If you cast it during declare blockers, it'll stay on the stack until declare blockers is over, so you won't be able to block with it no?
It won't be able to block, but not because it "stays on the stack". You declare your blockers as a turn based action in the first part of the declare blockers step, THEN players get priority. By the time you could even start casting it, you'd have already declared blockers. You need to be able to cast it during the declare attackers step instead.
Is there any reason it needs to be restricted to a specific part of combat? Just let it be "during an opponent's combat step" and have it return to hand at end of turn the way Dash does.
I agree with mondu's assessment of Burden. There's a reason there's never more than one Propaganda in any given set, and so few overall.
Does changing Resist from "during the declare blockers step" to "at the beginning of the declare blockers step" correct the problem? Or do I need to just go with "after any opponent declares attackers (attacking you or a planeswalker you control)..."
Likely going to scrap Burden, but any more thoughts on Resist or Desperation (either the mechanics/keywords themselves or some of the mock designs) would be greatly appreciated!
Does changing Resist from "during the declare blockers step" to "at the beginning of the declare blockers step" correct the problem? Or do I need to just go with "after any opponent declares attackers (attacking you or a planeswalker you control)..."
Likely going to scrap Burden, but any more thoughts on Resist or Desperation (either the mechanics/keywords themselves or some of the mock designs) would be greatly appreciated!
There is no difference between something triggering at the beginning/end/during a step they all trigger once you move to that step(I believe all cards have been erratad to trigger at beginning to remove this confusion). I think it would be best to change the ability to putting the creatures into play blocking a creature rather than just casting and allowing you to block. It better captures the flavor and cuts out random abuse of ETBs. Otherwise you would need to use it in the Declare attackers step.
Burden - Ghostly Prison is a terribly oppressive mechanic to print in multiples at common.
Desperation - Imagine you didn't keyword this, and had it just be an activated ability; IE: Discard a card: ~ gets +0/+4 until end of turn. Now that card is less clunky and actually useful as a madness outlet.
Resist - Name needs work, and mechanic needs work. I'd much rather have this be something like this:
Resist [cost] (When an opponent declares an attacker this could block if it was in play, you may pay [cost]; if you do ~ enters the battlefield blocking that creature. Then, at the end of combat return ~ to its owner's hand.)
Now you don't need to reference declare blockers step, and resisters always block.
As I mentioned previously, Burden is being scrapped.
I don't agree with making Desperation an activated ability. If one needed only to discard a card then maybe this would be an elegant solution, but the clutch to this mechanic is that it is only usable when it blocks a creature with power equal or greater to its toughness.
Appreciate the wording suggestion on resist. Obviously the mechanic needs work, I don't present it as infallible and part of the reason I bring my ideas here is to workshop them with other users. Alternative suggestions for the mechanic name assuming I adopt your wording for how it works?
Private Mod Note
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Decided I would join up to share some ideas I've been working on....
The mechanics/keywords I've created here are all first drafts and constructive feedback is very welcome! I know Magic tends to favor mechanics that move the game towards conclusion (e.g. Raid) but I wanted to design a couple of mechanics that allow for more variance in combat or at least creates some unique tensions. So without further ado....
Resist- You may cast this creature for its resist cost during the declare blockers step on an opponent’s turn. Return it to your hand at the end of combat.
Notes: Think of it as dash for blockers or a weaker flash.
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Resist 1W (You may cast this creature for its resist cost during the declare blockers step of an opponent’s turn. Return it to your hand at the end of combat.)
1/4
Karmic Adjudicator 3RW
Creature – Angel Warrior(U)
Flying
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to Karmic Adjudicator, Karmic Adjudicator deals that much damage to that creature’s controller.
Resist 1RW
3/3
Deathly Interceptor 1UB
Creature – Vedalken Assassin (R)
Deathtouch, Menace
Resist UB
Whenever a creature dealt combat damage by Deathly Interceptor dies, draw a card.
2U: Target creature an opponent controls must attack this turn if able.
2/3
Velana, Tenacious Guardian 4GG
Legendary Creature – Treefolk (M)
Trample, Reach
Resist 2GG
When Velana, Tenacious Guardian enters the battlefield target creature you control gets two +1/+1 counters.
3/4
Desperation - If this creature would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card from you hand to activate this creature’s desperation ability.
Notes: Desperation provides improved defensive utility for card disadvantage.
Creature – Turtle (C)
Desperation-If Baby Horned Turtled would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and Baby Horned Turtle gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
1/1
Leonin Swordguard 1WW
Creature – Cat Soldier (U)
First Strike, Vigilance
Desperation – If Leonin Swordguard would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and Leonin Swordguard gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Volcanic Mage 2RR
Creature – Human Mage(R)
: Deal 2 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature’s controller.
Desperation—If Volcanic Mage would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and deal 4 damage to that creature.
2/2
Eos, Magister of Tomorrow 5UU
Legendary Creature – Sphinx (M)
Flash
Flying
Desperation-If Eos, Magister of Tomorrow would block a creature with power equal to or greater than its toughness you may discard a card and take an extra turn after your next turn.
6/4
Burden - Before an opponent can declare you or a planeswalker you control as the target of an attack they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden.
Notes: A taxing effect that isn't based on each creature attacking you. Notably it can appear on all permanent types!
Artifact Creature – Wall (C)
Defender, Burden
1/4
Freeze Radius 1U
Enchantment- (U)
Burden
When Freeze Radius enters the battlefield scry 1 and tap target creature. That creature does not untap during its opponent’s next untap step.
Calmbringer 2U
Creature – Merfolk Wizard (U)
Burden
At the beginning of your upkeep if you have not been attacked since your last turn, draw a card.
2/2
Veteran Peacekeepers 3W
Creature – Human Monk (R)
Burden (If an opponent would attack you or a planeswalker you control they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden first)
: Create a token that is a copy of Veteran Peacekeepers except it doesn’t have this ability.
2/4
Aegia, Ascended Gatekeeper 3WWW
Legendary Creature – Angel (M)
Flying
Burden (If an opponent would attack you or a planeswalker you control they must pay 1 for each permanent you control with Burden first)
When Aegia, Ascended Gatekeeper enters the battlefield create three 1/1 white Human tokens with Burden.
4/4
Hope you enjoyed some of these designs! Looking forward to hearing your input.
"Sometimes, the situation is outracing a threat, sometimes it's ignoring it, and sometimes it involves sideboarding in 4x Hope//Pray." --Doug Linn
Is there any reason it needs to be restricted to a specific part of combat? Just let it be "during an opponent's combat step" and have it return to hand at end of turn the way Dash does.
I agree with mondu's assessment of Burden. There's a reason there's never more than one Propaganda in any given set, and so few overall.
Likely going to scrap Burden, but any more thoughts on Resist or Desperation (either the mechanics/keywords themselves or some of the mock designs) would be greatly appreciated!
Desperation - Imagine you didn't keyword this, and had it just be an activated ability; IE: Discard a card: ~ gets +0/+4 until end of turn. Now that card is less clunky and actually useful as a madness outlet.
Resist - Name needs work, and mechanic needs work. I'd much rather have this be something like this:
Resist [cost] (When an opponent declares an attacker this could block if it was in play, you may pay [cost]; if you do ~ enters the battlefield blocking that creature. Then, at the end of combat return ~ to its owner's hand.)
Now you don't need to reference declare blockers step, and resisters always block.
I don't agree with making Desperation an activated ability. If one needed only to discard a card then maybe this would be an elegant solution, but the clutch to this mechanic is that it is only usable when it blocks a creature with power equal or greater to its toughness.
Appreciate the wording suggestion on resist. Obviously the mechanic needs work, I don't present it as infallible and part of the reason I bring my ideas here is to workshop them with other users. Alternative suggestions for the mechanic name assuming I adopt your wording for how it works?