Apologies to everyone for having edited my post. I assumed that because we had said that we could only have one post with our votes on it that I would have to go back to that post and change it when I had a change of heart. As far as I know the deadline for votes hasn't passed yet so complain if you want, but I can change my vote if that's what I decide until then.
Regardless I won't edit any more posts and do what zdtsd did to change his vote instead.
Okay, what we have here. Now I have a legit opportunity to change my mind and vote for another player. The only thing that logically makes sense will be to vote for Gruul. But just like I said before, I am not going to do anything to save myself. See it? I am not going to vote against Gruul to save the situation even though I can. Which can make you think we are on the same side. Can it be true? Keep in mind, Gruul player voted against me which means we both can't be on Bolas side at the same time. Can't beat this logic, right?
So only option to fix the situation I see here is Gatewatch player (yes, I am talking about you) reconsidering your vote against me, because at least one player who voted against me doesn't belong to Bolas clique and makes a huge mistake right now. That's all.
I don't know if it's fear of Bolas or jealousy, but... Void posts his thoughts, solemnly defending one of the worst cards, to have so many people switch to probably the best card of the triangle, second at worst. I posted mine before him, and no one tried to discuss me on this. Should I take my post, repeat it, but without spoilers, just so you see it?
Whatever: If you ask me, there are two bad designs, Aleto and Raptorchan, and Aleto is worse of them. I think also there is a triangle of possible inspiration: Izzet, Rakdos, Gruul. It is related to no-quest mechanics. They are centered in Izzet, which creates an army and kills one creature with gain, while Gruul is only creating an army, and Rakdos is killing with gain. They are all flavored to fit a quest now, sure. But out of those cards, Izzet is searching in text, Gruul has good for searching Boars instead of Beasts as on other cards, and Rakdos has nothing like this. Why would any guild want to share secrets by having its members killed?! And it's not even sharing, it is a gain for the controller! I don't see how this card fits any of the quests really. It looks to me that Mergatroid either saw Cantripmancer's card or both inferred a quest is about killing something and gaining something for it or gathering an army to kill one threat. In the first scenario, it's possible Ragnarok is Bolas as well, as he and Mergatroid both took the wrong mechanics from Catripmancer, but in both scenarios Mergatroid is Bolas.
As a Guildpact player (oh, I said "Gatewatch" in the previous post? How funny) I hope so. Without knowing who exiled player was, it would raise paranoia among Guildpact players to the whole new levels, meanwile Bolas team still will be operating freely and communicate secretly which seems like a win-win situation for them.
I think the point would be to keep exiling players until the final two at which point three possibilities are in play the final two are both bolas, guild pact or one each.
If the third is what occurs the exiled players vote one final time based on all previously created cards.
I think the point would be to keep exiling players until the final two at which point three possibilities are in play the final two are both bolas, guild pact or one each.
If the third is what occurs the exiled players vote one final time based on all previously created cards.
I think we keep exiling players until all Bolas players are outed. If that ends up with one person from each team left, then we're in a predicament. Perhaps a third party would need to get involved?
I think we are testing this format now (on production, because that's the best way of testing ), whatever solution JuanCu proposes for this game is fine by me, but I think it would be fair if we know as soon as possible.
I'll remind Cantripmancer to vote. (EDIT: beat me to it :D.) Going forward, I'll set a time limit of 48 hours to cast a vote, otherwise, it counts as a vote for oneself.
Apparently I forgot about the killing phase, which made me want to keep Exile's allegiances in secret, but I have another idea to compensate (a twist for R2+.) So yes, I'll announce the player's allegiance.
Apparently I forgot about the killing phase, which made me want to keep Exile's allegiances in secret,
What? Really?
I don't want to tell you how to run your game, but Mafia doesn't work without knowing whom you've eliminated. That's some of the most crucial information in finding voting patterns till it's too late. Otherwise it's a guessing game that the evil side is guaranteed to win.
So sorry for my absence. Weekends are abysmal for me.
One overarching guiding principle for me is going to be what the card does. Name and flavor can be icing on the cake, but a card that seems ambiguous in effect but completely relates to the quest in name and flavor text is exactly the kind of card that Boros is going to be trying to pass off as legit. One additional note: I started off trying to design cards for quest #3, but most of my results were either cards specifically for multiplayer games, or cards that focused on card draw/searching, so I'm pretty much in the vein of "card draw/searching at least loosely fits quest #3". With all that said, let's dive in.
Quote from Cantripmancer »
Dynamob Blast2UR
Sorcery (U)
Search target library for a creature card with power 1 or less, put it onto the battlefield under your control, then that library's owner shuffles it.
Dynamob Blast deals damage to target creature equal to the total power of all creatures you control. "Looking for a straw in a haystack
to break the camel's back."
--Mob chant
So yes, when I sat down to design, I figured making a card that said "search all libraries, graveyards, and hands for a creature named Fblthp" would be a wee bit of a tip-off to Bolas, so I designed a two-part card, hoping that Bolas agents would look at the second effect as the focus and miss the search aspect. In particular, note that my card searches "target" library, not just my own, in reference to the quest detail that Fblthp "could be anywhere".
Quote from Subject16 »
Trygon Courier2GU
Creature - Beast (Uncommon)
Flying GU, T: Remove a +1/+1 counter from Trygon Courier: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Adapt 1GU
Whenever one or more +1/+1 counters are placed on Trygon Courier, look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. If it fails to deliver a message on time, it digests it to ensure its secrets are kept hidden.
2/3
This seems to be addressing quest #3 (transfer of spells) the same way I addressed #1: do several things, one of which fits the quest. It's not a spectacularly specific element, but it's enough (and in the card proper) to make me lean Guildpact.
Quote from Cardz5000 »
Chains of Paranoia1UB
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Flash
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes tapped, its controller puts a number of cards equal to its toughness from the top of their library into their graveyard. 1U: Tap enchanted creature. “Even the Old Gods will fall prey to their own imagination.”
—Lazav
I agree that being the only player to address quest #2 makes Cardz highly likely to be Guildpact. It's possible that he just designed a card that was completely off-base and tried to compensate with flavor text, but...the effect feels right. Locking a Nephilim down indefinitely while depleting their resources/working toward an alt-win. Yup, strongly Guildpact.
Quote from Mergatroid_Jones »
Bloodwitch GalaBR
Instant (R)
Until end of turn, when a creature dies, its controller loses 2 life and draws a card.
Destroy target creature. Every thought she thought and spell she knew written in blood.
This feels like a stretch to fit quest #3, but I guess any card-drawing at least fits the bill to some extent? It's rough because the card's normal use would be against an opponent, which wouldn't help get cards into your hand...and if you are otherwise sacrificing/losing your creatures to get cards, you're also losing a lot of life...but that's sorta Rakdos' thing, so...ok? Best option for Boros Agent thus far in the card list, though.
Quote from Raptorchan »
Diplomatic Mail3WU
Instant (U)
Draw three cards.
Addendum — If you cast this spell during your main phase, create a 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance.
Azorius can use their special service to make sure their letters won't be read by Dimir agents, but also let them know there is something worth hiding.
Again, I get mindmeld from this because Raptor seems to be taking the same path I did: do two things, one which addresses the quest (#3), one which does something else entirely. I sorta feel like if Raptor were a Boros Agent, they would have tried to tie in the name/flavor more strongly? Lean Guildpact.
Quote from zdtsd »
SpelltitheWBB
Instant
Target opponent chooses 2 nonland cards in his or her graveyard and exiles them. You may cast those spells for as long as they remain exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast them. "Orzhov confiscations are commonplace and ignored. Perfect." -Lavinia
Overall fits well with the concept of "transfer spells to our arsenal" (although not as much "from an ally"), but the "an ally" part was part of why I avoided quest #3 entirely. I kept getting stuck on cards designed for multiplayer and it was bogging me down. Likely Guildpact.
Quote from Amuzet »
Dromad Hauler2(G/W)(G/W)
Creature - Camel Beast (C)
Dromad Hauler can block an additional creature each combat.
When Dromad Hauler blocks two or more creatures, draw a card. The fur of a dromad can keep saplings and secrets safe.
2/6
Again, it's card draw, so technically fits quest #3, imo, but it's not a very reliable way to achieve the end. Very weak connection, light Guildpact lean.
Quote from Superbajt »
Findbroker's Deal3BG
Sorcery
Choose one or both:
Return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
You may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. There's nothing totally lost in a city with findbrokers.
Solid "hey, let's get a creature from a variety of places into play". Strongly likely to be Guildpact.
Quote from BlazingRagnarok »
Frenzied Digging3RG
Instant
Sacrifice any number of lands you control. For each land sacrificed this way, create a 4/4 red and green Boar creature token with trample. Fblthp? That's a type of truffle, isn't it?
This is exactly the kind of card I would expect to come from a Boros Agent. What quest is this fulfilling? Is it searching for a creature, tiny or otherwise? Nope. Is it creating something designed to stop the Nephilim, specifically referenced as embodying many types of magic? Nope. Is it moving spells into an arsenal? NOOOOOOOPE. I have ZERO doubts: this is a Boros Agent. The name and flavor text are 100% tacked on in a desperate (frenzied) attempt to make a connection, but there's NO connection in the card itself.
Quote from void_nothing »
Sunhome Bloodhounds3W
Creature - Hound (R)
Vigilance R, T: Choose a card name. Reveal the top two cards of target opponent's library and put each of them that's a creature card with the chosen name onto the battlefield under your control. They gain haste until end of turn. At the beginning of the end step, return them to their owner's hand. Put all cards not put onto the battlefield this way on the bottom of their owner's library in any order. "Maybe they have to sniff every door in the city but they'll find what we're looking for." - Mor Kenek, Wojek investigator
2/3
This feels like a very creative way to find a creature "anywhere", and the "choose a card name" adds a nice touch of specificity to tie in with the very specific name of Fblthp. Strong Guildpact lean.
For me, it's no contest. I will be voting BlazingRagnarok, but first I want to ask some questions:
@Raptor: Which quest do you feel BlazingRagnarok/Gruul is addressing, and why does it "fit the challenge right well"?
@Amuzet: What are your thoughts on Gruul?
@JuanCu: I'd recommend against ANY editing, even for small typos. In the Mafia subforum we use "EBWODP", which stands for Edit By Way Of Double Post, to indicate fixes we would have made if we could edit.
@Everyone: I'd recommend previewing your post and reading before actually posting it, especially if minor typos and errors bug you like they do me.
Also @JuanCu: I agree that not learning the voted player's alignment will be a buzzkill. In Mafia we call that a No Flip game (not to be confused with a non-Fblthp game) and it's extremely maddening. By "killing phase", are you talking about the equivalent of Night in Mafia? I didn't think Bolas Agents would get to "kill" a Guildpact player, that all elimination would be by card design/voting. I...don't know that I'm opposed to this, as it more matches Mafia. And in the end, it's your contest, so you run it as you like.
I'd like Raptor and Azuret to have a chance to respond to my questions, but since I'm late to the party, I'll go ahead and:
Vote BlazingRagnarok
(Again, would still love some discussion before the voting period ends.)
I am still sure Gruul card fits the Fblthp quest nice, that's why I don't want to vote against it. Think about it, it creates Swines (even not Beasts!) to find something by smell, and it fits the Gruul idea of ruining everything (sacrificing lands) even when they are trying to be helpful (harm will probably be much bigger than value) and has simple and clever Gruul flavor. And last but not least, Gruul is my favorite clan (and I wanted to take it but living in a different timezone doesn't help) and I can say I know their philosophy pretty well. Also the card is simple and, yeah, more or less universal, just like mine. So of course I feel it even more deeply and can say I am ready to take a leap of faith and don't vote against Gruul representative. I am surprised you guys can't see it, but oh well, at least 5 (now 4) players voted against me, so why should I complain. My vote stands.
What you're saying is the flavor HAS to be original because of the cleverness of the truffle/Boars connection and the character of the Gruul as a whole? I can see you thinking that but I'm drawing the exact opposite conclusions.
Thing is, the flavor IS perfect for the challenge but the effect couldn't be more off, considering RG have multiple ways of searching for or recurring creature cards.
My take is Ragnarok made this serviceable and good design assuming he'd get to battle something... panicked and couldn't think of Nephilim flavor... and desperately made a clever but tenuous flavor text.
What you're saying is the flavor HAS to be original because of the cleverness of the truffle/Boars connection and the character of the Gruul as a whole? I can see you thinking that but I'm drawing the exact opposite conclusions.
Thing is, the flavor IS perfect for the challenge but the effect couldn't be more off, considering RG have multiple ways of searching for or recurring creature cards.
My take is Ragnarok made this serviceable and good design assuming he'd get to battle something... panicked and couldn't think of Nephilim flavor... and desperately made a clever but tenuous flavor text.
I guess our thoughts went separate ways this time.
Because personally I have no idea which Guildpact card can make someone think we are going to battle something big and scary.
Even though Gruul player voted against me, I think he is just a mislead Guildpact player.
Well, there are ]boar creature tokens in the game already, and since the Raze-Boar is a thing, I don't think the use of Boars is that significant. Seriously, how does sacrificing lands and creating 4/4 trample creatures address any of the quests?
Actually...we should get the dope straight from the Boar's mouth, as it were.
@BlazingRagnarok: Flavorful interpretation is cute and all, but Boros Agents can slap any old flavor text onto a card. How does your card mechanically achieve any of the quests? Even flavorfully (assuming quest #1), if you as the Gruul guild were told "hey, we need to find this small artifact creature; it could be "anywhere". Design a spell that helps us do that." Why is your first instinct to sacrifice lands and create a bunch of 4/4 tramplers???
@Raptor: Do you really not see how Cardz5000's card works to "contain" Nephilim (not specifically battle them)?
I think the point would be to keep exiling players until the final two at which point three possibilities are in play the final two are both bolas, guild pact or one each.
If the third is what occurs the exiled players vote one final time based on all previously created cards.
I think we keep exiling players until all Bolas players are outed. If that ends up with one person from each team left, then we're in a predicament. Perhaps a third party would need to get involved?
Unless I'm mistaken, just like in Mafia, if at any point the Bolas Agents equal or outnumber the Guildpactians, they win because they just keep voting Guildpactians out (as indicated in the OP rules).
Regardless I won't edit any more posts and do what zdtsd did to change his vote instead.
Somehow I confused them.
Deal with it.
Cantripmancer (Izzet) is the only one who hasn't voted yet, and depending on how they vote we either get a tie or Azorius is exiled.
So only option to fix the situation I see here is Gatewatch player (yes, I am talking about you) reconsidering your vote against me, because at least one player who voted against me doesn't belong to Bolas clique and makes a huge mistake right now. That's all.
Whatever: If you ask me, there are two bad designs, Aleto and Raptorchan, and Aleto is worse of them. I think also there is a triangle of possible inspiration: Izzet, Rakdos, Gruul. It is related to no-quest mechanics. They are centered in Izzet, which creates an army and kills one creature with gain, while Gruul is only creating an army, and Rakdos is killing with gain. They are all flavored to fit a quest now, sure. But out of those cards, Izzet is searching in text, Gruul has good for searching Boars instead of Beasts as on other cards, and Rakdos has nothing like this. Why would any guild want to share secrets by having its members killed?! And it's not even sharing, it is a gain for the controller! I don't see how this card fits any of the quests really. It looks to me that Mergatroid either saw Cantripmancer's card or both inferred a quest is about killing something and gaining something for it or gathering an army to kill one threat. In the first scenario, it's possible Ragnarok is Bolas as well, as he and Mergatroid both took the wrong mechanics from Catripmancer, but in both scenarios Mergatroid is Bolas.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
If the third is what occurs the exiled players vote one final time based on all previously created cards.
I think we keep exiling players until all Bolas players are outed. If that ends up with one person from each team left, then we're in a predicament. Perhaps a third party would need to get involved?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Apparently I forgot about the killing phase, which made me want to keep Exile's allegiances in secret, but I have another idea to compensate (a twist for R2+.) So yes, I'll announce the player's allegiance.
I don't want to tell you how to run your game, but Mafia doesn't work without knowing whom you've eliminated. That's some of the most crucial information in finding voting patterns till it's too late. Otherwise it's a guessing game that the evil side is guaranteed to win.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
One overarching guiding principle for me is going to be what the card does. Name and flavor can be icing on the cake, but a card that seems ambiguous in effect but completely relates to the quest in name and flavor text is exactly the kind of card that Boros is going to be trying to pass off as legit. One additional note: I started off trying to design cards for quest #3, but most of my results were either cards specifically for multiplayer games, or cards that focused on card draw/searching, so I'm pretty much in the vein of "card draw/searching at least loosely fits quest #3". With all that said, let's dive in.
So yes, when I sat down to design, I figured making a card that said "search all libraries, graveyards, and hands for a creature named Fblthp" would be a wee bit of a tip-off to Bolas, so I designed a two-part card, hoping that Bolas agents would look at the second effect as the focus and miss the search aspect. In particular, note that my card searches "target" library, not just my own, in reference to the quest detail that Fblthp "could be anywhere".
This seems to be addressing quest #3 (transfer of spells) the same way I addressed #1: do several things, one of which fits the quest. It's not a spectacularly specific element, but it's enough (and in the card proper) to make me lean Guildpact.
I agree that being the only player to address quest #2 makes Cardz highly likely to be Guildpact. It's possible that he just designed a card that was completely off-base and tried to compensate with flavor text, but...the effect feels right. Locking a Nephilim down indefinitely while depleting their resources/working toward an alt-win. Yup, strongly Guildpact.
This feels like a stretch to fit quest #3, but I guess any card-drawing at least fits the bill to some extent? It's rough because the card's normal use would be against an opponent, which wouldn't help get cards into your hand...and if you are otherwise sacrificing/losing your creatures to get cards, you're also losing a lot of life...but that's sorta Rakdos' thing, so...ok? Best option for Boros Agent thus far in the card list, though.
Again, I get mindmeld from this because Raptor seems to be taking the same path I did: do two things, one which addresses the quest (#3), one which does something else entirely. I sorta feel like if Raptor were a Boros Agent, they would have tried to tie in the name/flavor more strongly? Lean Guildpact.
Overall fits well with the concept of "transfer spells to our arsenal" (although not as much "from an ally"), but the "an ally" part was part of why I avoided quest #3 entirely. I kept getting stuck on cards designed for multiplayer and it was bogging me down. Likely Guildpact.
Again, it's card draw, so technically fits quest #3, imo, but it's not a very reliable way to achieve the end. Very weak connection, light Guildpact lean.
Solid "hey, let's get a creature from a variety of places into play". Strongly likely to be Guildpact.
This is exactly the kind of card I would expect to come from a Boros Agent. What quest is this fulfilling? Is it searching for a creature, tiny or otherwise? Nope. Is it creating something designed to stop the Nephilim, specifically referenced as embodying many types of magic? Nope. Is it moving spells into an arsenal? NOOOOOOOPE. I have ZERO doubts: this is a Boros Agent. The name and flavor text are 100% tacked on in a desperate (frenzied) attempt to make a connection, but there's NO connection in the card itself.
This feels like a very creative way to find a creature "anywhere", and the "choose a card name" adds a nice touch of specificity to tie in with the very specific name of Fblthp. Strong Guildpact lean.
For me, it's no contest. I will be voting BlazingRagnarok, but first I want to ask some questions:
@Raptor: Which quest do you feel BlazingRagnarok/Gruul is addressing, and why does it "fit the challenge right well"?
@Amuzet: What are your thoughts on Gruul?
@JuanCu: I'd recommend against ANY editing, even for small typos. In the Mafia subforum we use "EBWODP", which stands for Edit By Way Of Double Post, to indicate fixes we would have made if we could edit.
@Everyone: I'd recommend previewing your post and reading before actually posting it, especially if minor typos and errors bug you like they do me.
Also @JuanCu: I agree that not learning the voted player's alignment will be a buzzkill. In Mafia we call that a No Flip game (not to be confused with a non-Fblthp game) and it's extremely maddening. By "killing phase", are you talking about the equivalent of Night in Mafia? I didn't think Bolas Agents would get to "kill" a Guildpact player, that all elimination would be by card design/voting. I...don't know that I'm opposed to this, as it more matches Mafia. And in the end, it's your contest, so you run it as you like.
I'd like Raptor and Azuret to have a chance to respond to my questions, but since I'm late to the party, I'll go ahead and:
Vote BlazingRagnarok
(Again, would still love some discussion before the voting period ends.)
I am still sure Gruul card fits the Fblthp quest nice, that's why I don't want to vote against it. Think about it, it creates Swines (even not Beasts!) to find something by smell, and it fits the Gruul idea of ruining everything (sacrificing lands) even when they are trying to be helpful (harm will probably be much bigger than value) and has simple and clever Gruul flavor. And last but not least, Gruul is my favorite clan (and I wanted to take it but living in a different timezone doesn't help) and I can say I know their philosophy pretty well. Also the card is simple and, yeah, more or less universal, just like mine. So of course I feel it even more deeply and can say I am ready to take a leap of faith and don't vote against Gruul representative. I am surprised you guys can't see it, but oh well, at least 5 (now 4) players voted against me, so why should I complain. My vote stands.
Thing is, the flavor IS perfect for the challenge but the effect couldn't be more off, considering RG have multiple ways of searching for or recurring creature cards.
My take is Ragnarok made this serviceable and good design assuming he'd get to battle something... panicked and couldn't think of Nephilim flavor... and desperately made a clever but tenuous flavor text.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I guess our thoughts went separate ways this time.
Because personally I have no idea which Guildpact card can make someone think we are going to battle something big and scary.
Even though Gruul player voted against me, I think he is just a mislead Guildpact player.
Actually...we should get the dope straight from the Boar's mouth, as it were.
@BlazingRagnarok: Flavorful interpretation is cute and all, but Boros Agents can slap any old flavor text onto a card. How does your card mechanically achieve any of the quests? Even flavorfully (assuming quest #1), if you as the Gruul guild were told "hey, we need to find this small artifact creature; it could be "anywhere". Design a spell that helps us do that." Why is your first instinct to sacrifice lands and create a bunch of 4/4 tramplers???
@Raptor: Do you really not see how Cardz5000's card works to "contain" Nephilim (not specifically battle them)?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I'd consider changing my vote if Raptorchan could give a believable and description of their card design process before the deadline strikes.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.