A few months ago I created something called Trump Cards, Powerful effect putting you at 10 life. The few games i played however needed up having the trump card do absolutely nothing as no one cast them (Never needing to.)
So I was going to do something different this time.
Blessings:
These cards will have a requirement to play but they act like an emblem.
I don;t have all the kinks worked out yet but i have a few ideas.
Blessing of the Sun God
You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color.
or
You may tap lands to produce mana of any color.
Actually that is all i have right now. I had more but most focused on just making lands producing mana of a certain color (Like Urborg) Or one that mass produced color (Like Cabal coffers) (I feel the only color that would not break with that ability is red.) I also had one that was double mana production, so your lands tapped for 2 (Though only add C plus the color it already produced, Really good for eldrazi or other colorless decks)
So I am looking for help. The goal is 12 (As was my last one which sadly only got to 10) But i need creative help.
If your looking to spice up EDH, the first places you should look are the Conspiracy cards and the Heros from Theros. I've used both in varying rule sets and they've radically changed how some games played out. I've also used planechase and archenemy to alter how EDH is played and while there are balance issues(archenemy was too weak so changed the normal scheme to pick one of top three) they've made for interesting games. Your card is already a conspiracy Worldknit, so give them a look over and see what you like and how you would like to change them.
If your looking to spice up EDH, the first places you should look are the Conspiracy cards and the Heros from Theros. I've used both in varying rule sets and they've radically changed how some games played out. I've also used planechase and archenemy to alter how EDH is played and while there are balance issues(archenemy was too weak so changed the normal scheme to pick one of top three) they've made for interesting games. Your card is already a conspiracy Worldknit, so give them a look over and see what you like and how you would like to change them.
I hate archenemy but i do like planechase a d have 86 planes to play with.
this is more similar to the old Vanguard variant which has been around awhile than it is to conspiracies. it appears someone else on these here forums also recently had
New card type: Condition. This is an experimental idea of mine, but this is how it works. Like conspiracies, you choose one to start out in your command zone. Unlike conspiracies, you can only choose one. Conditions define how specific aspects of the game work for you, for example: "Face down cards on the battlefield you own are 2/2 creatures." vs "Face down cards you own on the battlefield are lands with 'T: This land produces C.'" Basically, depending on what condition you have, some cards may work differently. Of course, given that, some cards may only be played under certain conditions (see what I did there?) because of the effects they use. This could impose some interesting deckbuilding restrictions without affecting what colors a deck is allowed to play.
Vanguard features over-sized character cards that granted special abilities while modifying your starting life total and/or hand size.
i just did a quick scan thru some of the original Vanguard set, and it looks like your Blessing of the Sun God already has an analog in the form of Mirri, the Cat Warrior. she starts the player off with an additional 5 life tho, instead of reducing their starting life total. i like your idea of having a drawback to go along with the reward, which would make it possible to play a blessing against a player who chose not to play one.
are you thinking everyone could only have one Blessing, just like having one Commander or one Vanguard?
if the drawbacks were made to stack, i could see having multiple Blessings per player. also, what if Blessings didn't come with drawbacks but in order to play them you had to also start off with an equal number of Curses (or whatever the drawback cards might be called considering Curse is already a card type)?
this could also be done by giving each Blessing a positive point value and each "Curse" a negative point value, and you'd have to have both sides balance out. so you could basically mix and match to your liking.
some alternate names for Blessings and Curses could be "Strengths and Weaknesses," "Features and Flaws," or "Boons and Banes."
My first one (Trump Cards) had a heavy penalty or doing thing such as wiping the board, wiping all creatures attacking you an also not taking damage, Getting a MASSIVE hexproof, trample, Indestructible wurm, Timetwistering, Having no maximum handsize and drawing extra cards, doubling your army (But all these are at the cost of your life total becoming 10.)
This is less game warping benefits but not such a huge drawback. Yes you must reach a requirement but that has yet to be discussed.
I do like the conspiracy idea though, they already have their requirements and while Hidden agenda is a problem, the others can be used in a normal commander match.
Thinking maybe something like a variation of Emblems, but you begin the game with it, rather than getting it from a planeswalker.
Also they would have to share all colors with your deck.
So I was going to do something different this time.
Blessings:
These cards will have a requirement to play but they act like an emblem.
I don;t have all the kinks worked out yet but i have a few ideas.
Blessing of the Sun God
You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color.
or
You may tap lands to produce mana of any color.
Actually that is all i have right now. I had more but most focused on just making lands producing mana of a certain color (Like Urborg) Or one that mass produced color (Like Cabal coffers) (I feel the only color that would not break with that ability is red.) I also had one that was double mana production, so your lands tapped for 2 (Though only add C plus the color it already produced, Really good for eldrazi or other colorless decks)
So I am looking for help. The goal is 12 (As was my last one which sadly only got to 10) But i need creative help.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
I hate archenemy but i do like planechase a d have 86 planes to play with.
I will have to look into the conspiracy cards.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Vanguard features over-sized character cards that granted special abilities while modifying your starting life total and/or hand size.
i just did a quick scan thru some of the original Vanguard set, and it looks like your Blessing of the Sun God already has an analog in the form of Mirri, the Cat Warrior. she starts the player off with an additional 5 life tho, instead of reducing their starting life total. i like your idea of having a drawback to go along with the reward, which would make it possible to play a blessing against a player who chose not to play one.
are you thinking everyone could only have one Blessing, just like having one Commander or one Vanguard?
if the drawbacks were made to stack, i could see having multiple Blessings per player. also, what if Blessings didn't come with drawbacks but in order to play them you had to also start off with an equal number of Curses (or whatever the drawback cards might be called considering Curse is already a card type)?
this could also be done by giving each Blessing a positive point value and each "Curse" a negative point value, and you'd have to have both sides balance out. so you could basically mix and match to your liking.
some alternate names for Blessings and Curses could be "Strengths and Weaknesses," "Features and Flaws," or "Boons and Banes."
This is less game warping benefits but not such a huge drawback. Yes you must reach a requirement but that has yet to be discussed.
I do like the conspiracy idea though, they already have their requirements and while Hidden agenda is a problem, the others can be used in a normal commander match.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Also they would have to share all colors with your deck.