Vampire Nighthawk is a great design, a fun aggressive creature that despite not having the best stats for it's cost, really shows off what evergreen keywords can do, and what they can do together.
So I thought to myself - How many keywords can I shove on a 1 drop.
Here's what I think we could get:
Eldric the SaneW
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance
Reach
Flash
First Strike
Lifelink
1/2
More or less, this is the Akroma of 1-drops... and I hate to say it, I don't know if he'd see much play. With flying, he'd see play. Reach + First Strike helps to make him an interesting, and possibly useful.
Really, though, all this guy is good at is being a target for equipment and auras... and I'm okay with that.
In any case, on a more practical note, here's a cycle of evergreen keyword having 1 drops - a strict cycle of 1/1s for C.
Sprite SpyU Creature - Faerie Wizard (C) Flying, Flash 1/1
Precedent: Faerie Miscreant, Hypnotic Siren, Judge's Familiar, Mausoleum Wanderer Kjeldoran PikemenW Creature - Human Solider (C) Flash, First Strike 1/1
Precedent: Mosquito Guard, Boros Recruit
Note: If the set also has a flash, first strike knight, I think this could be subbed for Lifelink, First Strike... which is rather interesting in itself. Making it an archer with Reach and First Strike could work too. Nether WidowG Creature - Spider (C) Reach, Deathtouch 1/1
Precedent: Gnarlwood Dryad Menacing WhelpR Creature - Goblin Warrior (C) Haste, Menace 1/1
Precedent: Legion Loyalist, Village Messenger, Skitter of Lizards, Insolent Neonate Diseased VerminB Creature - Zombie Rat (C) Menace, Deathtouch 1/1
Precedent: Ruthless Ripper
Alternatives: Something with Deathtouch and lifelink would be interesting (not better, but not terrible), but steps on Vampire Nighthawk's heels. Menace works really well on a Deathtoucher, I think, since you effectively kill your opponent's 2nd worst creature, instead of their worst. However, equipping it means you get to kill both.
And, really, that's what these guys should serve to do - encourage you to equip, enchant, or drop +1/+1 counters and anthem effects.
I genuinely hope the upcoming 2019 Core set features cards like this - cards that teach new players about the evergreen keywords, and encourages them to make interesting deckbuilding decisions.
At present, WOTC is trying to push 1 drops by giving them stupid amounts of abilities (This from the creator of Eldric the Sane...) or by making them tremor-proof by making them 1/2s, or just making them 2/1s. 1/2s and 2/1s are important. Elsewhere I've argued green can get a 1/3 Treefolk for G even, and that's a vanilla I want to see printed for tribal as well as just general principle. But I like this "double keyword" template for common 1/1s as well. I don't think you'd ever choose most of these over Elite Vanguard, but they're still neat deckbuilding options.
Note: I love Ranger of Eos. I genuinely hope as many invitational cards as possible get reprinted in the upcoming core set, but this is one of the most straightforward, but really adds spice to your generic White Weenie archetype. Suddenly you're not just running playsets of the best 1 drop, you're toolboxing. Dark Confidant is probably too good to make the cut, and Meddling Mage is 2 colors, something that I'm not sure we want a core set to be. Solemn Simulacrum could make it though...
If we are only shooting for "isn't op in any constructed formats," and are honestly trying to maximize the number of keywords I think we can go at least one further.
Eldric the (in)Sane W
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance, Reach, Flash, First Strike, Lifelink, Defender
1/2
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
- Manite
If we are only shooting for "isn't op in any constructed formats," and are honestly trying to maximize the number of keywords I think we can go at least one further.
Eldric the (in)Sane W
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance, Reach, Flash, First Strike, Lifelink, Defender
1/2
Eldric the Sane is a fair design. It might see play in a tribal Human or tribal Solider deck. Bogles would certainly test him in Modern.
Your cycle is very strong, some of them are pushed too far. I can't remember the last time a set had this many good one drops at common. I could imagine the next core set having perhaps 2 cards like this, or maybe 3 to 4, but some being uncommon or with a drawback.
Sprite Spy is definitely creature creep but I could see Wizards doing this (although probably at uncommon).
Kjeldoran Pikemen is also rather pushed when you compare it to Zealous Guardian. I wouldn't mention this if it wasn't a common though.
Kjeldoran Pikemen is is probably fine, because it's green and their creatures are pushed the most, but this is very similar to Deadly Recluse.
Menacing Whelp could be fine if it weren't two relevant creature types.
Fankly they all seem fair, with Diseased Vermin being probably the strongest (it's not too much stronger than Tormented Soul, since they can just choose not to block).
The two with deathtouch seem uncommon rather than common though, for power-level concerns in limited. Keep in mind we already have Sacred Cat in white, which is probably better than the pikeman in a lot of cases.
Lubdub, Elite SpyU
Creature - Faerie Spy - Mythic Rare
Flying, Flash, Disposable (2, sac: Draw a card.), Skulk, Looter (When this creature deals damage to an opponent, draw a card, then discard a card.), Rebound (If this is the target of a spell or effect, you may return it to its owner's hand.)
1/1
Lubdub, Elite SpyU
Creature - Faerie Spy - Mythic Rare
Flying, Flash, Disposable (2, sac: Draw a card.), Skulk, Looter (When this creature deals damage to an opponent, draw a card, then discard a card.), Rebound (If this is the target of a spell or effect, you may return it to its owner's hand.)
1/1
Is this okay?
It doesn't work - Rebound is an existing keyword (and one that doesn't work on permanents). Disposable isn't bad (though I'd like a better word), and loot would be better as an action word (To loot, draw a card, then discard a card) - meaning it would be 'When this creature deals damage to an opponent, loot.' Would likely specify combat damage there as well.
If we are only shooting for "isn't op in any constructed formats," and are honestly trying to maximize the number of keywords I think we can go at least one further.
Eldric the (in)Sane W
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance, Reach, Flash, First Strike, Lifelink, Defender
1/2
So I thought to myself - How many keywords can I shove on a 1 drop.
Here's what I think we could get:
Eldric the Sane W
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance
Reach
Flash
First Strike
Lifelink
1/2
More or less, this is the Akroma of 1-drops... and I hate to say it, I don't know if he'd see much play. With flying, he'd see play. Reach + First Strike helps to make him an interesting, and possibly useful.
Really, though, all this guy is good at is being a target for equipment and auras... and I'm okay with that.
In any case, on a more practical note, here's a cycle of evergreen keyword having 1 drops - a strict cycle of 1/1s for C.
Sprite Spy U Creature - Faerie Wizard (C) Flying, Flash 1/1
Precedent: Faerie Miscreant, Hypnotic Siren, Judge's Familiar, Mausoleum Wanderer
Kjeldoran Pikemen W Creature - Human Solider (C) Flash, First Strike 1/1
Precedent: Mosquito Guard, Boros Recruit
Note: If the set also has a flash, first strike knight, I think this could be subbed for Lifelink, First Strike... which is rather interesting in itself. Making it an archer with Reach and First Strike could work too.
Nether Widow G Creature - Spider (C) Reach, Deathtouch 1/1
Precedent: Gnarlwood Dryad
Menacing Whelp R Creature - Goblin Warrior (C) Haste, Menace 1/1
Precedent: Legion Loyalist, Village Messenger, Skitter of Lizards, Insolent Neonate
Diseased Vermin B Creature - Zombie Rat (C) Menace, Deathtouch 1/1
Precedent: Ruthless Ripper
Alternatives: Something with Deathtouch and lifelink would be interesting (not better, but not terrible), but steps on Vampire Nighthawk's heels. Menace works really well on a Deathtoucher, I think, since you effectively kill your opponent's 2nd worst creature, instead of their worst. However, equipping it means you get to kill both.
And, really, that's what these guys should serve to do - encourage you to equip, enchant, or drop +1/+1 counters and anthem effects.
I genuinely hope the upcoming 2019 Core set features cards like this - cards that teach new players about the evergreen keywords, and encourages them to make interesting deckbuilding decisions.
At present, WOTC is trying to push 1 drops by giving them stupid amounts of abilities (This from the creator of Eldric the Sane...) or by making them tremor-proof by making them 1/2s, or just making them 2/1s. 1/2s and 2/1s are important. Elsewhere I've argued green can get a 1/3 Treefolk for G even, and that's a vanilla I want to see printed for tribal as well as just general principle. But I like this "double keyword" template for common 1/1s as well. I don't think you'd ever choose most of these over Elite Vanguard, but they're still neat deckbuilding options.
Note: I love Ranger of Eos. I genuinely hope as many invitational cards as possible get reprinted in the upcoming core set, but this is one of the most straightforward, but really adds spice to your generic White Weenie archetype. Suddenly you're not just running playsets of the best 1 drop, you're toolboxing. Dark Confidant is probably too good to make the cut, and Meddling Mage is 2 colors, something that I'm not sure we want a core set to be. Solemn Simulacrum could make it though...
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.
Eldric the (in)Sane W
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier Archer (R)
Vigilance, Reach, Flash, First Strike, Lifelink, Defender
1/2
- Manite
You forgot haste.
Your cycle is very strong, some of them are pushed too far. I can't remember the last time a set had this many good one drops at common. I could imagine the next core set having perhaps 2 cards like this, or maybe 3 to 4, but some being uncommon or with a drawback.
Sprite Spy is definitely creature creep but I could see Wizards doing this (although probably at uncommon).
Kjeldoran Pikemen is also rather pushed when you compare it to Zealous Guardian. I wouldn't mention this if it wasn't a common though.
Kjeldoran Pikemen is is probably fine, because it's green and their creatures are pushed the most, but this is very similar to Deadly Recluse.
Menacing Whelp could be fine if it weren't two relevant creature types.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
The two with deathtouch seem uncommon rather than common though, for power-level concerns in limited. Keep in mind we already have Sacred Cat in white, which is probably better than the pikeman in a lot of cases.
- Rabid Wombat
Creature - Faerie Spy - Mythic Rare
Flying, Flash, Disposable (2, sac: Draw a card.), Skulk, Looter (When this creature deals damage to an opponent, draw a card, then discard a card.), Rebound (If this is the target of a spell or effect, you may return it to its owner's hand.)
1/1
Is this okay?
It doesn't work - Rebound is an existing keyword (and one that doesn't work on permanents). Disposable isn't bad (though I'd like a better word), and loot would be better as an action word (To loot, draw a card, then discard a card) - meaning it would be 'When this creature deals damage to an opponent, loot.' Would likely specify combat damage there as well.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist