Almost a year ago, I made a topic about a pair of partner legends designed to lead a BRGW deck. As Saskia the Unyielding ended up not being a Warrior despite looking the part and having an ability that would fit a Warrior tribal deck very well, I made both my cards Warriors. Now I have a new pair of Warrior legends for this quad, though one of them is technically a new version of one of the previous legends, an alternate version if you will.
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
At the beginning of combat during your turn, for each opponent, create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token. Those tokens gain "At the beginning of the end step, exile this creature". Then creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Haste
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is that creature's power.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Haste
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is that creature's power.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
In Tarkir's new timeline, the krumar tradition does not exist, and Gvar Barzeel is a Kolaghan warrior, exemplifying the Brood's signature brutal aggression.
Oret of the Dromoka1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, bolster X, where X is that creature's toughness. 1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
Oret of the Dromoka1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior T, Sacrifice another creature: Bolster X, where X is the sacrificed creature's toughness. T, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Create an X/X white Spirit Warrior creature token, where X is the exiled card's toughness.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
In the original Tarkir timeline, Oret was a traitorous Abzan who was punished through severance of his family ties to Anafenza. In the new Tarkir, Oret slew Anafenza at her behest so he could gain standing among the Dromoka, yet secretly paid tribute to their ancestors in the form of amber relics, proving himself more loyal in this timeline.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
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.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
What's black about Gvar?
Sacrificing another creature for its power doesn't seem neither G nor W, and definitely not GW.
You could easily solve those problems (flavor aside) by making Gvar RG (maybe changing its ability to +x/+x) and Oret to BW.
Also, I don't feel just tapping on 3-drop to put 13 counters from Emrakul seems fair. I feel it needs an activation cost at least.
Oret's story and abilities scream Abzan. He circumvents the teachings of Dromoka and sacrifices creatures for power. His abilities are too strong as is, they need a black activation costs probably B and xB.
Gavar should be another creature because a 6/3 haste for 4 that doesn't die eot is too strong. Or they drop haste so you can get the 6/3 but it's not built into the cards.
What's black about Gvar?
Sacrificing another creature for its power doesn't seem neither G nor W, and definitely not GW.
You could easily solve those problems (flavor aside) by making Gvar RG (maybe changing its ability to +x/+x) and Oret to BW.
Also, I don't feel just tapping on 3-drop to put 13 counters from Emrakul seems fair. I feel it needs an activation cost at least.
You have read Anafena and Oret's story, right? Oret beheads Anafenza to spare her from a Dromoka dragon's breath. And in so doing, he gained standing among the Dromoka. Ostensibly he's executing heretics, but in truth it's mercy killing, setting them up to return as Spirits to lend aid in the future.
Oret's story and abilities scream Abzan. He circumvents the teachings of Dromoka and sacrifices creatures for power. His abilities are too strong as is, they need a black activation costs probably B and xB.
Gavar should be another creature because a 6/3 haste for 4 that doesn't die eot is too strong. Or they drop haste so you can get the 6/3 but it's not built into the cards.
It's intentional that the card has a black bent to it, considering Oret still supports the Abzan's practices in secret. Green can sacrifice creatures for +1/+1 counters, and white can exile cards from the graveyard to turn them into tokens. The focus on toughness in both cases is also completely in keeping with the endurance theme. At any rate, executing heretics is not only acceptable within Dromoka's philosophy, it's Dromoka law.
I did have Gvar grant Dash to creature cards you own.
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Each creature card you own that isn't on the battlefield has dash. The dash cost is equal to the mana cost.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
But I ended up aiming for a design that plays well with Dash, to reward players for running cards that already have Dash in the deck. The lack of blackness in the effect does bug me, but we must remember that black is more than just sacrifice, and Kolaghan plays into the more aggressive side of black.
How about this?
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Creatures you control have haste and attack each turn if able.
Whenever ~ or another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
I feel like this design is a bit sexier, so I'll add it in the OP.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
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.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Sacrificing a creature to get its power is fine you had to get the creature into play either using another card to cheat it out or paying its casting cost. Creating the token is within pie(barely), it being reanimation means it should be limited to low costing or power creature. but its broken because you don't have to pay anything. Dropping Emrakul, the Promised End in the bin from any number of effects and then bring it back at not cost is completely unfair.
You do know the effects are tied to toughness and not power, right? And you also know the token isn't a copy of the original card? It just has P/T matching the toughness of the exiled card. And honestly it isn't much different from Varolz, the Scar-Striped and Death's Shadow. Still, in the interest of balance, I'm willing to look at alternatives. Just a Sigarda-style exile for a 1/1 token, then?
Oret of the Dromoka1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior T, Sacrifice another creature: Bolster X, where X is the sacrificed creature's toughness. 1, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
I just felt it would look nicer if the two abilities mirrored each other as "toughness matters" effects.
I do acknowledge though that Bolster and Dash don't exactly compliment each other well, especially the way I implemented them here. I'm of course interested in iterating until we find a match that works as well as what I did last time.
Oret of the Dromoka1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, bolster X, where X is that creature's toughness. 1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
Now how's that? This version of Oret feels a bit like Twilight Drover, but with more zing, though I do miss the sacrifice effect a bit. Now we just need a new Gvar that plays well with him...
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior3BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
At the beginning of combat during your turn, for each opponent, create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token. Those tokens gain "At the beginning of the end step, exile this creature". Then creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Hmm, that has potential as well. This Gvar plays well in multiplayer, and his effects feel more balanced between black and red, not to mention he synergizes better with this Oret. I think I'll put these in the OP.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
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.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
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Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior 2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
At the beginning of combat during your turn, for each opponent, create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token. Those tokens gain "At the beginning of the end step, exile this creature". Then creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Haste
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is that creature's power.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior 2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Haste
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is that creature's power.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
In Tarkir's new timeline, the krumar tradition does not exist, and Gvar Barzeel is a Kolaghan warrior, exemplifying the Brood's signature brutal aggression.
Oret of the Dromoka 1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, bolster X, where X is that creature's toughness.
1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
T, Sacrifice another creature: Bolster X, where X is the sacrificed creature's toughness.
T, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Create an X/X white Spirit Warrior creature token, where X is the exiled card's toughness.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
In the original Tarkir timeline, Oret was a traitorous Abzan who was punished through severance of his family ties to Anafenza. In the new Tarkir, Oret slew Anafenza at her behest so he could gain standing among the Dromoka, yet secretly paid tribute to their ancestors in the form of amber relics, proving himself more loyal in this timeline.
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.
Bolster is not a flashy enough keyword action to re-use without reminder text.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Sacrificing another creature for its power doesn't seem neither G nor W, and definitely not GW.
You could easily solve those problems (flavor aside) by making Gvar RG (maybe changing its ability to +x/+x) and Oret to BW.
Also, I don't feel just tapping on 3-drop to put 13 counters from Emrakul seems fair. I feel it needs an activation cost at least.
Gavar should be another creature because a 6/3 haste for 4 that doesn't die eot is too strong. Or they drop haste so you can get the 6/3 but it's not built into the cards.
You have read Anafena and Oret's story, right? Oret beheads Anafenza to spare her from a Dromoka dragon's breath. And in so doing, he gained standing among the Dromoka. Ostensibly he's executing heretics, but in truth it's mercy killing, setting them up to return as Spirits to lend aid in the future.
Scourge of Skola Vale is a three drop with a similar ability.
It's intentional that the card has a black bent to it, considering Oret still supports the Abzan's practices in secret. Green can sacrifice creatures for +1/+1 counters, and white can exile cards from the graveyard to turn them into tokens. The focus on toughness in both cases is also completely in keeping with the endurance theme. At any rate, executing heretics is not only acceptable within Dromoka's philosophy, it's Dromoka law.
I did have Gvar grant Dash to creature cards you own.
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior 2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Each creature card you own that isn't on the battlefield has dash. The dash cost is equal to the mana cost.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
But I ended up aiming for a design that plays well with Dash, to reward players for running cards that already have Dash in the deck. The lack of blackness in the effect does bug me, but we must remember that black is more than just sacrifice, and Kolaghan plays into the more aggressive side of black.
How about this?
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior 2BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
Creatures you control have haste and attack each turn if able.
Whenever ~ or another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
I feel like this design is a bit sexier, so I'll add it in the OP.
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.
Oret of the Dromoka 1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
T, Sacrifice another creature: Bolster X, where X is the sacrificed creature's toughness.
1, Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
I just felt it would look nicer if the two abilities mirrored each other as "toughness matters" effects.
I do acknowledge though that Bolster and Dash don't exactly compliment each other well, especially the way I implemented them here. I'm of course interested in iterating until we find a match that works as well as what I did last time.
Oret of the Dromoka 1GW
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior
Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, bolster X, where X is that creature's toughness.
1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Create a 1/1 white Spirit Warrior creature token.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
1/4
Now how's that? This version of Oret feels a bit like Twilight Drover, but with more zing, though I do miss the sacrifice effect a bit. Now we just need a new Gvar that plays well with him...
Gvar Barzeel, Kolaghan Warrior 3BR
Legendary Creature — Orc Warrior
At the beginning of combat during your turn, for each opponent, create a 2/1 black Warrior creature token. Those tokens gain "At the beginning of the end step, exile this creature". Then creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn.
Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)
3/3
Hmm, that has potential as well. This Gvar plays well in multiplayer, and his effects feel more balanced between black and red, not to mention he synergizes better with this Oret. I think I'll put these in the OP.
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.