Set Name: Shandalar Three letter code: SHD Set size: 250 Mechanics: Retain, Inherit, Wizardry, Animate, Slivers Block Structure: Large standalone set. Eventual small second set.
On Shandalar, the mana is so abundant, that it is all sentient, and the common people use minor spells as an everyday convenience. Wizards, shamans, druids, monks, and clerics alike use the incredibly rich mana of the plane to fuel their spells or to create powerful artifacts. Centuries ago, the Guardian, a servant of the planeswalker Kenan Sahrmal, established five guilds of magic, each responsible for teaching and guarding the use of the five colors of mana. From the Guardian's teachings, the kingdom of Thune was built, where the use of white magic has been perfected. In the forests of Kalonia, on the other hand, the human and elven druids rely on the rich green mana to communicate with the beasts of the wild. While the mountains of Valkas are incredibly rich in red mana, in the Eloren Wilds all flavors of mana are equally abundant, and its people have become adept at all the magical disciplines.
But all is not well on Shandalar. While the armies of Thune clash against the ever-growing Sliver threat, Liliana has returned to Shandalar in an attempt to lift the Curse of the Veil. She delved deeper into the Onakke Catacombs and recklessly unleashed ancient horrors trapped inside. The Curse of the Veil, built to reincarnate the ancient Onakke civilization, is no longer only threatening Liliana's soul. The necromancer is constantly followed by the mysterious Raven Man, who is taunting her and foretelling her doom.
Themes & Mechanics
Retain {mana}(You may store up to {mana} in your mana pool as steps, phases, and turns end.
Wizardry — Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability, {effect}.
Inherit(Then, if you cast this spell from your hand, you may teach up to one target creature to cast it. Exile this card and that creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.)
Animate N — {mana} (If you cast this spell for its animate cost, it enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Construct artifact creature with N +1/+1 counters on it.)
Abundance/Ratain - Have you playtested these? They seem mathy and tracky. I guess (to reduce tracking issues) you could put “mana” cards in token slots which players could use to track their stored up mana by placing dice on them, like the experience counter token cards, but that won’t solve the math problem.
Mimic – Mechanically beautiful. The flavor is really, really off. How about “Invoke” in light of Convoke? Mimic Invoke could be given its own cost to ease development and open up some design space.
Wizardry – This is a nice set mechanic that also offers tons of fun backwards compatibility. I like the wording on Arbiter of Evos Isle better than that of Kapsho Initiate, but I’m not sure if either is technically correct.
Possess – I hate to say this, but Bestow does this better. imo a death trigger would be more interesting and just as, if not more, flavorful. So it would be a Haunt riff, which it already is, so that shouldn't be an issue. Example:
Cemetery Rat (Common) B
Creature - Rat
1/1
Deathtouch
Possess B(When this creature dies you may pay B. If you do, exile it possessing target creature.)
Possessed creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch.
Tribrid – Tribrid has always seemed like jumping the shark to me. But what do I know.
Abundance/Ratain - Have you playtested these? They seem mathy and tracky. I guess (to reduce tracking issues) you could put “mana” cards in token slots which players could use to track their stored up mana by placing dice on them, like the experience counter token cards, but that won’t solve the math problem.
The idea is that you can use either token cards as you also suggested, or you use dice on the creatures that have retain, because they all only retain one color of mana. Problem here is, that you shouldn't interpret these dice being tied to the creature. The mana doesn't vanish if you can retain it with another creature. The strong monocolor focus should make it easier to track.
Mimic – Mechanically beautiful. The flavor is really, really off. How about “Invoke” in light of Convoke? Mimic Invoke could be given its own cost to ease development and open up some design space.
Mimic is a bad name. I want to change it, but it should be a name that suggests "Teaching this spell to others."
Wizardry – This is a nice set mechanic that also offers tons of fun backwards compatibility. I like the wording on Arbiter of Evos Isle better than that of Kapsho Initiate, but I’m not sure if either is technically correct.
It's a few extra words, but if it makes it clearer, I'll use the Arbiter wording.
Possess – I hate to say this, but Bestow does this better. imo a death trigger would be more interesting and just as, if not more, flavorful.
The flavor is based on the Liliana story, where she is possessed by the chain veil and turned into a vessel for the Onakke spirits that will consume her if she doesn't get rid of the curse. I don't know it's worth to build an entire mechanic for it.
Well, I'm still not sure what the problem was (far as I can tell, something really wrong going with the Firefox built-in pdf viewer). I ended installing FoxIt (Adobe Acrobat has been crashing for no visible reason for months now). First impressions:
Agree with Legend about Mimic's flavor problem. The mechanic is not a bad idea, but it has a separate problem: what is the point of making a mechanic that lets you cast stuff without paying in a set with retain? That mechanic is just begging for a nice big-cost mechanic to go along with it.
Which abundance is not because you basically get to generate mana and half the time you're just sitting on it doing nothing (because that mana is either hoarded or used to power the mana pool/abundance cards without actually casting spells)!
The design feels dubious because it has two pairs of mechanics that blatantly rely on each other to function. Wizardry only makes sense because of Mimic and Abundance only really makes sense because of Retain! Already one such mechanic (i.e. Ingest, which only worked because of the processors) is dubious, but two pairs? It just feels like... it's hard to voice it... something like misunderstood or misplaced synergy.
As a side note, I'm really not sure that all-colors retain is a very sound mechanic. It give ramping in all colors and mechanics based around generating mana are not typically succesful.
If I saw Inspirit Mana in a set, I'd want to throttle MaRo. It's a five-mana draw spell... that has no guarantee whatsoever that will draw even a single card even if you've gotten five lands out by turn five! The only card I can think of that is about as bad is Ribbons of the Reikai, but Inspirit is apparently an uncommon! If I were drafting, I would not be surprised in the least to wheel that card every single time.
A more personal peeve: I don't like seeing a set/block without a returning mechanic
I think there's some potential, but I'm not impressed by the choice of mechanics. Overall the set seems to veers hard toward the spikey end of the spectrum.
Agree with Legend about Mimic's flavor problem. The mechanic is not a bad idea, but it has a separate problem: what is the point of making a mechanic that lets you cast stuff without paying in a set with retain? That mechanic is just begging for a nice big-cost mechanic to go along with it.
I can never think of a good mana sink mechanic. I don't know why. Maybe Possess can become one.
The design feels dubious because it has two pairs of mechanics that blatantly rely on each other to function. Wizardry only makes sense because of Mimic and Abundance only really makes sense because of Retain! Already one such mechanic (i.e. Ingest, which only worked because of the processors) is dubious, but two pairs? It just feels like... it's hard to voice it... something like misunderstood or misplaced synergy.
I disagree here. Wizardry is meant to synergize with the activated abilities of creatures which I plan to do a ton of. They'll also partly solve the mana sink problem. Mimic is just an additional way how Wizardry synergizes. Abundance works without Retain, but of course it would feel a bit awkward in a set without it. Unlike Ingest, which doesn't do anything without processors.
As a side note, I'm really not sure that all-colors retain is a very sound mechanic. It give ramping in all colors and mechanics based around generating mana are not typically succesful.
I'm a big fan of ramping, what can I do? I want to limit the "generate and store crazy amounts of mana" cards to green, while the other colors only use retain to smooth the mana curve, or to hold up instants / activated abilities. For example, there shouldn't be a good expensive creature in blue because of that.
If I saw Inspirit Mana in a set, I'd want to throttle MaRo. It's a five-mana draw spell... that has no guarantee whatsoever that will draw even a single card even if you've gotten five lands out by turn five! The only card I can think of that is about as bad is Ribbons of the Reikai, but Inspirit is apparently an uncommon! If I were drafting, I would not be surprised in the least to wheel that card every single time.
Maybe five mana is a bit too safe. I still think the card is good in Commander or as a splash in a green deck, where the most mana craziness will happen. At four mana, I think it would be very good.
I think there's some potential, but I'm not impressed by the choice of mechanics. Overall the set seems to veers hard toward the spikey end of the spectrum.
One of your main critiques was the lack of a mana sink. The question here is, does the set need a dedicated mana sink mechanic or can you solve the mana sink problem just by having a ton of activated abilities on creatures? Would that lead to too much board complexity?
How about this? Wait, before you read any further, you have to close your eyes and repeat to yourself out loud the word "Limitless" until a smile breaches your face. It helps if your singy and theatrical Shakespearean about it. Once you've done so, you may continue.
Sphinx’s Inspiration (Common) 1WU
Instant
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
Draw two cards. You gain 1 life for each additional mana spent to cast Sphinx’s Inspiration.
Spout Elemental (Common) 2U
Creature – Elemental
2/3
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Spout Elemental enters the battlefield, target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard for each additional mana spent to cast Spout Elemental.
Grave Gorger (Common) 1B
Creature – Zombie
2/1
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Grave Gorger enters the battlefield, exile target card from a graveyard for each additional mana spent to cast Grave Gorger.
Enervator (Common) 3G
Creature – Elemental
3/3
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Enervator enters the battlefield, target creature gets +1/+1 for each additional mana spent to cast it
I think there's some potential, but I'm not impressed by the choice of mechanics. Overall the set seems to veers hard toward the spikey end of the spectrum.
One of your main critiques was the lack of a mana sink. The question here is, does the set need a dedicated mana sink mechanic or can you solve the mana sink problem just by having a ton of activated abilities on creatures? Would that lead to too much board complexity?
Limitless is a pretty balanced Timmy-Johnny-Spike mana sink.
There should be a "random" theme somewhere, even if it's just a minor one...
My reasoning for that is:
Shandalar was first introduced as a plane in the Microprose 4th edition PC game. There were five cards specific to that game, each having some sort of random effect. Being the first time this plane was seen, and being a unique theme to the plane, random effects should be in a set/block centered around Shandalar.
EDIT: Correction...there were 12 cards unique to the game, and thus unique to Shandalar.
All cards I post are designed for custom sets...just saying
Don't hold so fast to your idea of what Magic and the Color Pie is or should be. Just because it was done in the past, but isn't done in the present doesn't mean it can't be done at all. Likewise, just because it wasn't done at all doesn't mean it can't be done.
Here's a tip: If you suggest changing a card...it's helpful to suggest HOW it should be changed.
But "Multikicker" sounds so stupid and Limitless has the same multikicker cost on every card. (EDIT: It's actually more like X, but WotC doesn't do X at common anymore.) But now that you mention it, Apoquallyp could use multikicker as a returning mechanic and mana sink.
How about this? Wait, before you read any further, you have to close your eyes and repeat to yourself out loud the word "Limitless" until a smile breaches your face. It helps if your singy and theatrical Shakespearean about it.
I do like the sound of the name Limitless, but it's basically X. Not in the "That's Kicker!" "Then everything is Kicker!" kind of way, but it's really identical to X. Although...
Sphinx's InspirationX1WU
Instant (U)
You draw two cards and you gain X life.
What? Why Slivers? There's dozens of actual mechanics to choose from.
Because Slivers are part of Shandalar lore.
----------
What I'm currently thinking: Retain: Storing only colorless mana would make it more palatable, yes, but it doesn't feel Shandalarian. You have the heavily white-aligned Thune, heavily red-aligned Valkas etc. and an overabundance of mana. Why should you be restricted to colorless? It's also necessary to make Abundance work. Abundance: While I think this is very flavorful, it might not play very well. If you add more mana to your mana pool than you use, you always have to announce exactly which colors you are floating. If you don't use the floating mana, you might feel bad about it. Also, it's not really an ability word since the mana value is always different. Maybe this should be a theme instead of a mechanic. Mimic: I think this mechanic produces too many problems with Wizardry because it forces a very awkward wording. Removing it allows us to change the Wizardry wording to the very simple... Wizardry: Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability, {effect}. Possess: Don't see anything wrong with it. Don't love it either.
Meanwhile, here's a cool rare that works into the "creatures casting spells" theme that Mimic was trying to do:
Arcane Prodigy1U
Creature - Human Wizard (R) U, T: Exile target instant or sorcery spell you control as it resolves. U, T: You may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with Arcane Prodigy. She has learned the spell and used it against you long before you’re finished speaking it.
1/2
Shandalar was first introduced as a plane in the Microprose 4th edition PC game. There were five cards specific to that game, each having some sort of random effect. Being the first time this plane was seen, and being a unique theme to the plane, random effects should be in a set/block centered around Shandalar.
Can you link me those? I'd like to take a look at them.
I do like the sound of the name Limitless, but it's basically X. Not in the "That's Kicker!" "Then everything is Kicker!" kind of way, but it's really identical to X. Although...
Sphinx's InspirationX1WU
Instant (U)
You draw two cards and you gain X life.
...is a really cool design.
It is, but that would limit the set's mana sinks to uncommons+. WotC no longer prints X at common. I guess it was too confusing to their baseline demographic. Limitless fixes that by turning the printed variable into mere counting.
Retain: Why should you be restricted to colorless?
Simplicity. Less tracking. Less math. Why can't heavily color aligned factions not store up and benefit from colorless mana? Personally, I don't feel as though it detracts from each faction's distinctiveness whatsoever.
Mimic: I think this mechanic produces too many problems with Wizardry because it forces a very awkward wording. Removing it allows us to change the Wizardry wording to the very simple...
In that case, I'd like to use it as a Golgari mechanic if you don't mind - "Scrounge".
Arcane Prodigy1U
Creature - Human Wizard (R) U, T: Exile target instant or sorcery spell you control as it resolves. U, T: You may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with Arcane Prodigy. She has learned the spell and used it against you long before you’re finished speaking it.
1/2
I do like the sound of the name Limitless, but it's basically X. Not in the "That's Kicker!" "Then everything is Kicker!" kind of way, but it's really identical to X. Although...
Sphinx's InspirationX1WU
Instant (U)
You draw two cards and you gain X life.
...is a really cool design.
There is one difference: Limitless spells have a constant CMC. Otherwise they are functionally the same.
That doesn't work. Your lands still produce colored mana. If abundance doesn't require a specific color, the problem gets even worse, because you're no longer restricted to what color you can tap your lands for.
Shandalar was first introduced as a plane in the Microprose 4th edition PC game. There were five cards specific to that game, each having some sort of random effect. Being the first time this plane was seen, and being a unique theme to the plane, random effects should be in a set/block centered around Shandalar.
Can you link me those? I'd like to take a look at them.
This shows all twelve of the cards from the game. I understand most of them would be EXTREMELY difficult to do with physical cards, BUT they are a precedent to Shandalar being the "random effect" plane.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MEMNARCH FOR PRESIDENT!!!
All cards I post are designed for custom sets...just saying
Don't hold so fast to your idea of what Magic and the Color Pie is or should be. Just because it was done in the past, but isn't done in the present doesn't mean it can't be done at all. Likewise, just because it wasn't done at all doesn't mean it can't be done.
Here's a tip: If you suggest changing a card...it's helpful to suggest HOW it should be changed.
I have been watching this for a while and I don't really "believe" in your mechanics, but I'm interested to see where this is going. I probably will make a preliminary playtest with your first bunch of cards to see whether I'm misjudging retain/abundance.
Regarding the name for "mimic": What do you think about "lore" i. e. you cast a spell and it becomes part of the teachings of your people, who then can recreate it. It feels like a fitting term for a graveyard mechanic in general as well since both "lore" and the graveyard evoke connotations of "old".
Also it fits with "wizardry"'s flavor.
Talking of wizardry... have you considered the more straightforward/open-ended merrow mechanic instead i. e. "Whenever ~ becomes tapped"?
This shows all twelve of the cards from the game. I understand most of them would be EXTREMELY difficult to do with physical cards, BUT they are a precedent to Shandalar being the "random effect" plane.
Having played the Micropose game I disagree both with the idea that the astral cards are cards that should be strived to be recreated in gameplay and with the implied notion that they were somehow representative of the feel of the cards overall. When they appeared (mostly in form of Rainbow Knight and Aswan Jaguar) their feel was also not pronounced "random", but more "dynamic". Such a feel can probably be created i many different ways e. g. I feel that the draft mechanics of Conspiracy recreated that feel more than truly random mechanics like coin flips etc. would.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
Regarding the name for "mimic": What do you think about "lore" i. e. you cast a spell and it becomes part of the teachings of your people, who then can recreate it. It feels like a fitting term for a graveyard mechanic in general as well since both "lore" and the graveyard evoke connotations of "old".
Also it fits with "wizardry"'s flavor.
That's a good name. I'd use it if I'd still use Mimic. But we could also use it for the replacement (see below).
Talking of wizardry... have you considered the more straightforward/open-ended merrow mechanic instead i. e. "Whenever ~ becomes tapped"?
It's now "Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability," which I think is very elegant to read. "Whenever becomes tapped" is too broad for my taste.
Having played the Micropose game I disagree both with the idea that the astral cards are cards that should be strived to be recreated in gameplay and with the implied notion that they were somehow representative of the feel of the cards overall. When they appeared (mostly in form of Rainbow Knight and Aswan Jaguar) their feel was also not pronounced "random", but more "dynamic". Such a feel can probably be created i many different ways e. g. I feel that the draft mechanics of Conspiracy recreated that feel more than truly random mechanics like coin flips etc. would.
I also feel that the random effects were put in there just because they could in a digital game.
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I think I have the perfect replacement for Mimic. Arcane Prodigy is a cool card, so let's just make that the mechanic. This is what Consign should have been.
Inherit(Then you may exile this card inheriting target creature you control. That creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
Sulfuric Boulder2R
Sorcery (C)
Sulfuric Boulder deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Inherit (Then you may exile this card inheriting target creature you control. That creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
Variants:
Sorcery-speed restriction on the second cast.
Taps the creature that learns the spell and no sorcery restriction.
Sorcery-speed restriction on sorceries, none on instants.
I like the tap variant because it avoids using "inheriting" or whatever it will end up being called, and it ensures that the opponent always has time to kill the creature. It should have one of those two restrictions
Sulfuric Boulder2R
Sorcery (C)
Sulfuric Boulder deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Inherit (Then you may tap an untapped creature you control and exile this card. If you do, that creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
If I'm not mistaken, to invoke means (in the context of fantasy) to summon something (a being, a power) for assistance. I don't think that this fits very well here.
Introduction
Set Name: Shandalar
Three letter code: SHD
Set size: 250
Mechanics: Retain, Inherit, Wizardry, Animate, Slivers
Block Structure: Large standalone set. Eventual small second set.
On Shandalar, the mana is so abundant, that it is all sentient, and the common people use minor spells as an everyday convenience. Wizards, shamans, druids, monks, and clerics alike use the incredibly rich mana of the plane to fuel their spells or to create powerful artifacts. Centuries ago, the Guardian, a servant of the planeswalker Kenan Sahrmal, established five guilds of magic, each responsible for teaching and guarding the use of the five colors of mana. From the Guardian's teachings, the kingdom of Thune was built, where the use of white magic has been perfected. In the forests of Kalonia, on the other hand, the human and elven druids rely on the rich green mana to communicate with the beasts of the wild. While the mountains of Valkas are incredibly rich in red mana, in the Eloren Wilds all flavors of mana are equally abundant, and its people have become adept at all the magical disciplines.
But all is not well on Shandalar. While the armies of Thune clash against the ever-growing Sliver threat, Liliana has returned to Shandalar in an attempt to lift the Curse of the Veil. She delved deeper into the Onakke Catacombs and recklessly unleashed ancient horrors trapped inside. The Curse of the Veil, built to reincarnate the ancient Onakke civilization, is no longer only threatening Liliana's soul. The necromancer is constantly followed by the mysterious Raven Man, who is taunting her and foretelling her doom.
Themes & Mechanics
Retain {mana} (You may store up to {mana} in your mana pool as steps, phases, and turns end.
Wizardry — Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability, {effect}.
Inherit (Then, if you cast this spell from your hand, you may teach up to one target creature to cast it. Exile this card and that creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.)
Animate N — {mana} (If you cast this spell for its animate cost, it enters the battlefield as a 0/0 Construct artifact creature with N +1/+1 counters on it.)
Slivers
Monocolor vs. Multicolor
Cards
Status
Mechanics 90%
Story 40%
Worldbuilding 60%
Cards 30%
Development 0%
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Mimic – Mechanically beautiful. The flavor is really, really off. How about “Invoke” in light of Convoke?
MimicInvoke could be given its own cost to ease development and open up some design space.Wizardry – This is a nice set mechanic that also offers tons of fun backwards compatibility. I like the wording on Arbiter of Evos Isle better than that of Kapsho Initiate, but I’m not sure if either is technically correct.
Possess – I hate to say this, but Bestow does this better. imo a death trigger would be more interesting and just as, if not more, flavorful. So it would be a Haunt riff, which it already is, so that shouldn't be an issue. Example:
Cemetery Rat (Common)
B
Creature - Rat
1/1
Deathtouch
Possess B (When this creature dies you may pay B. If you do, exile it possessing target creature.)
Possessed creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch.
Tribrid – Tribrid has always seemed like jumping the shark to me. But what do I know.
The idea is that you can use either token cards as you also suggested, or you use dice on the creatures that have retain, because they all only retain one color of mana. Problem here is, that you shouldn't interpret these dice being tied to the creature. The mana doesn't vanish if you can retain it with another creature. The strong monocolor focus should make it easier to track.
Mimic is a bad name. I want to change it, but it should be a name that suggests "Teaching this spell to others."
It's a few extra words, but if it makes it clearer, I'll use the Arbiter wording.
The flavor is based on the Liliana story, where she is possessed by the chain veil and turned into a vessel for the Onakke spirits that will consume her if she doesn't get rid of the curse. I don't know it's worth to build an entire mechanic for it.
I think if you have a reason to do it, there's no problem with it. But something like tribrid vanillas are of course pointless.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
I don't get how creatures casting from graveyard is teaching to others.
I don't know, is that too far-fetched?
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Try this one without text: Here.
If that doesn't work, I'll upload text versions tomorrow.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
I think there's some potential, but I'm not impressed by the choice of mechanics. Overall the set seems to veers hard toward the spikey end of the spectrum.
I can never think of a good mana sink mechanic. I don't know why. Maybe Possess can become one.
I disagree here. Wizardry is meant to synergize with the activated abilities of creatures which I plan to do a ton of. They'll also partly solve the mana sink problem. Mimic is just an additional way how Wizardry synergizes. Abundance works without Retain, but of course it would feel a bit awkward in a set without it. Unlike Ingest, which doesn't do anything without processors.
I'm a big fan of ramping, what can I do? I want to limit the "generate and store crazy amounts of mana" cards to green, while the other colors only use retain to smooth the mana curve, or to hold up instants / activated abilities. For example, there shouldn't be a good expensive creature in blue because of that.
Maybe five mana is a bit too safe. I still think the card is good in Commander or as a splash in a green deck, where the most mana craziness will happen. At four mana, I think it would be very good.
Slivers then? Problem is, what can you do with slivers that hasn't been done already?
One of your main critiques was the lack of a mana sink. The question here is, does the set need a dedicated mana sink mechanic or can you solve the mana sink problem just by having a ton of activated abilities on creatures? Would that lead to too much board complexity?
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
How about this? Wait, before you read any further, you have to close your eyes and repeat to yourself out loud the word "Limitless" until a smile breaches your face. It helps if your singy and
theatricalShakespearean about it. Once you've done so, you may continue.Sphinx’s Inspiration (Common)
1WU
Instant
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
Draw two cards. You gain 1 life for each additional mana spent to cast Sphinx’s Inspiration.
Spout Elemental (Common)
2U
Creature – Elemental
2/3
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Spout Elemental enters the battlefield, target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard for each additional mana spent to cast Spout Elemental.
Grave Gorger (Common)
1B
Creature – Zombie
2/1
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Grave Gorger enters the battlefield, exile target card from a graveyard for each additional mana spent to cast Grave Gorger.
Enervator (Common)
3G
Creature – Elemental
3/3
Limitless (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay any amount of mana.)
When Enervator enters the battlefield, target creature gets +1/+1 for each additional mana spent to cast it
etc...
The Wizardry mechanic is great imo. It's just ultra simple like Inspire.
Storing colorless mana would make it more palatable. And if you like Limitless and use it, it'd synergize quite well.
What? Why Slivers? There's dozens of actual mechanics to choose from.
Limitless is a pretty balanced Timmy-Johnny-Spike mana sink.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
My reasoning for that is:
Shandalar was first introduced as a plane in the Microprose 4th edition PC game. There were five cards specific to that game, each having some sort of random effect. Being the first time this plane was seen, and being a unique theme to the plane, random effects should be in a set/block centered around Shandalar.
EDIT: Correction...there were 12 cards unique to the game, and thus unique to Shandalar.
All cards I post are designed for custom sets...just saying
Don't hold so fast to your idea of what Magic and the Color Pie is or should be. Just because it was done in the past, but isn't done in the present doesn't mean it can't be done at all. Likewise, just because it wasn't done at all doesn't mean it can't be done.
Here's a tip: If you suggest changing a card...it's helpful to suggest HOW it should be changed.
But "Multikicker" sounds so stupid and Limitless has the same multikicker cost on every card. (EDIT: It's actually more like X, but WotC doesn't do X at common anymore.) But now that you mention it, Apoquallyp could use multikicker as a returning mechanic and mana sink.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
Sphinx's Inspiration X1WU
Instant (U)
You draw two cards and you gain X life.
...is a really cool design.
Because Slivers are part of Shandalar lore.
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What I'm currently thinking:
Retain: Storing only colorless mana would make it more palatable, yes, but it doesn't feel Shandalarian. You have the heavily white-aligned Thune, heavily red-aligned Valkas etc. and an overabundance of mana. Why should you be restricted to colorless? It's also necessary to make Abundance work.
Abundance: While I think this is very flavorful, it might not play very well. If you add more mana to your mana pool than you use, you always have to announce exactly which colors you are floating. If you don't use the floating mana, you might feel bad about it. Also, it's not really an ability word since the mana value is always different. Maybe this should be a theme instead of a mechanic.
Mimic: I think this mechanic produces too many problems with Wizardry because it forces a very awkward wording. Removing it allows us to change the Wizardry wording to the very simple...
Wizardry: Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability, {effect}.
Possess: Don't see anything wrong with it. Don't love it either.
Meanwhile, here's a cool rare that works into the "creatures casting spells" theme that Mimic was trying to do:
Arcane Prodigy 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
U, T: Exile target instant or sorcery spell you control as it resolves.
U, T: You may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with Arcane Prodigy.
She has learned the spell and used it against you long before you’re finished speaking it.
1/2
Can you link me those? I'd like to take a look at them.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
It is, but that would limit the set's mana sinks to uncommons+. WotC no longer prints X at common. I guess it was too confusing to their baseline demographic. Limitless fixes that by turning the printed variable into mere counting.
How many Slivers would the set require?
Simplicity. Less tracking. Less math. Why can't heavily color aligned factions not store up and benefit from colorless mana? Personally, I don't feel as though it detracts from each faction's distinctiveness whatsoever.
Unless its all colorless.
In that case, I'd like to use it as a Golgari mechanic if you don't mind - "Scrounge".
That is cool!
There is one difference: Limitless spells have a constant CMC. Otherwise they are functionally the same.
I don't know how I want to do Slivers yet. They could become the five-color theme.
That doesn't work. Your lands still produce colored mana. If abundance doesn't require a specific color, the problem gets even worse, because you're no longer restricted to what color you can tap your lands for.
I see it more as a Dimir mechanic if I had to choose, but sure, feel free to use it.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/arcana/124
This shows all twelve of the cards from the game. I understand most of them would be EXTREMELY difficult to do with physical cards, BUT they are a precedent to Shandalar being the "random effect" plane.
All cards I post are designed for custom sets...just saying
Don't hold so fast to your idea of what Magic and the Color Pie is or should be. Just because it was done in the past, but isn't done in the present doesn't mean it can't be done at all. Likewise, just because it wasn't done at all doesn't mean it can't be done.
Here's a tip: If you suggest changing a card...it's helpful to suggest HOW it should be changed.
Freaking-A that old art is so awesome! I miss the old art. WotC needs to fire w/etf's his name that's the art director and hire someone with class.
Regarding the name for "mimic": What do you think about "lore" i. e. you cast a spell and it becomes part of the teachings of your people, who then can recreate it. It feels like a fitting term for a graveyard mechanic in general as well since both "lore" and the graveyard evoke connotations of "old".
Also it fits with "wizardry"'s flavor.
Talking of wizardry... have you considered the more straightforward/open-ended merrow mechanic instead i. e. "Whenever ~ becomes tapped"?
Having played the Micropose game I disagree both with the idea that the astral cards are cards that should be strived to be recreated in gameplay and with the implied notion that they were somehow representative of the feel of the cards overall. When they appeared (mostly in form of Rainbow Knight and Aswan Jaguar) their feel was also not pronounced "random", but more "dynamic". Such a feel can probably be created i many different ways e. g. I feel that the draft mechanics of Conspiracy recreated that feel more than truly random mechanics like coin flips etc. would.
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
That's a good name. I'd use it if I'd still use Mimic. But we could also use it for the replacement (see below).
It's now "Whenever you tap a creature to activate an ability," which I think is very elegant to read. "Whenever becomes tapped" is too broad for my taste.
I also feel that the random effects were put in there just because they could in a digital game.
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I think I have the perfect replacement for Mimic. Arcane Prodigy is a cool card, so let's just make that the mechanic. This is what Consign should have been.
Inherit (Then you may exile this card inheriting target creature you control. That creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
Sulfuric Boulder 2R
Sorcery (C)
Sulfuric Boulder deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Inherit (Then you may exile this card inheriting target creature you control. That creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
Variants:
I like the tap variant because it avoids using "inheriting" or whatever it will end up being called, and it ensures that the opponent always has time to kill the creature. It should have one of those two restrictions
Sulfuric Boulder 2R
Sorcery (C)
Sulfuric Boulder deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Inherit (Then you may tap an untapped creature you control and exile this card. If you do, that creature gains "T: You may cast the exiled card.")
Possible names: Inherit, Lore, Emulate
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!