I made one for a contest and decided to have some more fun and complete the cycle
Turquoise Powerbead(G/U)
Artifact (U) T, Sacrifice Turquoise Powerbead: Target creature gains hexproof until end of turn. If that creature is white, put two +1/+1 counters on it. Algae of the Lucent Depths sense only magic and purity of one's soul.
Silver Powerbead(W/B)
Artifact (U) T, Sacrifice Silver Powerbead: Return target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand. If that card is blue, return it from your graveyard to the battlefield instead.
Amethyst Powerbead(U/R)
Artifact (U) T, Sacrifice Amethyst Powerbead: Draw two cards, then discard a card at random unless you discard a black card. The dead usually hold more wisdom than the living.
Serpentine Powerbead(B/G)
Artifact (U) T, Sacrifice Serpentine Powerbead: Target creature or red spell gains deathtouch until end of turn. This vicious toxin is sentient enough to choose its carrier.
Amber Powerbead(R/W)
Artifact (U) T, Sacrifice Amber Powerbead: Choose one ―
- Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
- Target green creature gets +1/+1 and gains double strike until end of turn.
Serpentine one feels a bit swingy. It's much weaker then the rest in most cases but much stronger when you pair it with Goblin Chainwhirler's effect. But that's probably fine - just my brain screaming for perfect symmetries.
Coral is a strange name for the last one... It doesn't evoke the (R/W) colors and has no connection with green either. I suggest Amber (it's orange like most (R/W) things and it is forest-related). I think that one also needs some rework too. +1/+1 and first strike is not really great effect when the opponent knows it's coming.
I think that one also needs some rework too. +1/+1 and first strike is not really great effect when the opponent knows it's coming.
You might have a point if it was sorcery speed, but effects like Seal of Strength are very relevant since it changes combat math. You can still swing your two 2/2s past their 3/3, for example.
A name change wouldn't hurt, though.
I think all of these are great. As with any cycle of effects-based-on-color, some are going to be slightly preferable to others.
Though in a vacuum I'm left wondering why these are artifacts instead of instants, it's not hard to justify it in an artifact-centric or permanent-centric set, or in any set that wants a higher permanent count, like if revolt or ascend are in it.
Thanks guys, Amber is indeed a better name for the (R/W) one, changing!
To answer the question as to why are these artifacts. Well, that was part of the challenge in the contest. The design space for such effects is very nice though, as functionally the're quite different from instants/sorceries.
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Turquoise Powerbead (G/U)
Artifact (U)
T, Sacrifice Turquoise Powerbead: Target creature gains hexproof until end of turn. If that creature is white, put two +1/+1 counters on it.
Algae of the Lucent Depths sense only magic and purity of one's soul.
Silver Powerbead (W/B)
Artifact (U)
T, Sacrifice Silver Powerbead: Return target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand. If that card is blue, return it from your graveyard to the battlefield instead.
Amethyst Powerbead (U/R)
Artifact (U)
T, Sacrifice Amethyst Powerbead: Draw two cards, then discard a card at random unless you discard a black card.
The dead usually hold more wisdom than the living.
Serpentine Powerbead (B/G)
Artifact (U)
T, Sacrifice Serpentine Powerbead: Target creature or red spell gains deathtouch until end of turn.
This vicious toxin is sentient enough to choose its carrier.
Amber Powerbead (R/W)
Artifact (U)
T, Sacrifice Amber Powerbead: Choose one ―
- Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.
- Target green creature gets +1/+1 and gains double strike until end of turn.
Serpentine one feels a bit swingy. It's much weaker then the rest in most cases but much stronger when you pair it with Goblin Chainwhirler's effect. But that's probably fine - just my brain screaming for perfect symmetries.
Coral is a strange name for the last one... It doesn't evoke the (R/W) colors and has no connection with green either. I suggest Amber (it's orange like most (R/W) things and it is forest-related). I think that one also needs some rework too. +1/+1 and first strike is not really great effect when the opponent knows it's coming.
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras
You might have a point if it was sorcery speed, but effects like Seal of Strength are very relevant since it changes combat math. You can still swing your two 2/2s past their 3/3, for example.
A name change wouldn't hurt, though.
I think all of these are great. As with any cycle of effects-based-on-color, some are going to be slightly preferable to others.
Though in a vacuum I'm left wondering why these are artifacts instead of instants, it's not hard to justify it in an artifact-centric or permanent-centric set, or in any set that wants a higher permanent count, like if revolt or ascend are in it.
- Rabid Wombat
To answer the question as to why are these artifacts. Well, that was part of the challenge in the contest. The design space for such effects is very nice though, as functionally the're quite different from instants/sorceries.