This set takes a similar approach as was taken in Magic: Origins, but follows the stories of five of Magic's more nefarious planeswalkers.
Nahiri, a native of Zendikar (GW), experiences her first planeswalk to the dwarven utopia of Doharum (WB).
Tezzeret abandons his home plane Esper (WU), visiting the neighboring Grixis (UR).
Aisha departs her mind palace of Noctus' Dreamscape (UB), becoming Ashiok in the process of sparkwalking to the artistic realm of Aenyr (BG).
Tibalt escapes from Innistrad (BR) to the wild wests of Lorado (RW).
Garruk finishes his work on Ringsir (GU), and searches for greater prey on Shandalar (RG).
A. Players should feel like they are either villains or anti-heroes through gameplay. I strive to achieve this by focusing on five more primal feelings:
Powerful
Intelligent
Immoral
Determined
Wounded
B. Showcase the selected planes in a way that respects the source material.
C. Maintain a balance between distinct location settings and a cohesive limited environment.
Frenzy N (Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, it gets +N/+0 until end of turn.)
Traps: If <condition>, you may pay a reduced cost for a trap.
Machinate - T, Tap an untapped artifact you control: <effect>.
Possess (When this creature enters the battlefield, it possesses target creature an opponent controls until either leaves the battlefield.)
Torture (You can harm your creatures to cast this spell. Each creature you put a -1/-1 counter on while cast this spell pays for .)
The Tibalt creature side update is probably the best change here.
Lorado for the wild west plane? Halfway between Laredo and El Dorado? Seriously? I like the idea of her starring in High Plains Drifter, Emphasis on the Plains Because She's White-Aligned and a Kor, though.
Old comments still stand. Nahiri's planeswalker side probably needs work to feel right/not crib from Akroma's schtick or from Tezzeret's.
The folding of the shuffle into the search your library action may seem like a good idea, but it's not worth the terminology confusion when you have to shuffle at a different time than as the last part, such as with to-top-of-library tutoring.
So that’s where you’ve been. Seriously, did you do this yourself – flavor, art, and all? It’s totally awesome! I really love this set idea. And I love the cards. Assume a card is highly admired unless mentioned here.
Questions: Have you playtested Hunt? I stopped commenting on big hunt creatures because they all have one thing in common, which, ironically, is that they aren’t common. Commons with hunt should largely be small with one or two mediums so they have to swarm a big creature to take it down. Large hunters simply equate to Visara the Dreadful. Have you considered making Hunt: (This creature can attack your opponent’s nonartifact creatures.)? It would nerf it a tad and open up a modicum of design space / set dynamics.
Comments: As much as I love what I’m seeing, I’m not picking up on a strong “villians/origins” vibe. There just isn’t quite enough flavor in the card names to convey it.
Noctus Stalker – There’s plenty of precedent for 4/3 black commons for 5cmc. But this would be the first 5/4 black common for cmc 5. Zero are common, two are uncommon, six are rare.
Noble Horde – An etb trigger feels (and is) really odd on this. Imo when it dies, scry 2 would be more appropriate. Or “scry 1 for each neg counter on it”?
Cloaked Highborne – This has uncommon written all over it, and it’s spelled “lifelink”. Abzan Guide is the only common creature with lifelink and power greater than three. The package is just too good for common – a total Limited wrecking ball. Also, there only four other creatures with lifelink and toughness greater than three. “etb you gain 4 life” would be pretty nice for a common, especially after a couple of Ashiok’s Visions or a Tendriled Dead.
Dessicate – Nice cycle. I like it and think it’s perfectly acceptable, but do you think WotC would do this?
Cg07 – Odd that every existing green 3/3 with flash is Uncommon and up, but there’s plenty of common creatures dancing around those stats. It’s hard to believe that, this is in a sense, a somewhat novel design. I like it.
Cg09 – Well, I thought two green creatures with flash at common was unheard of, but as it turns out, Time Spiral had Ashcoat Bear and Havenwood Wurm. The difference between those and yours is those are early and late game cards respectively, while both of yours are midrange. Something to consider when tweaking.
Cg10 – I like Trample and love Hunt, but I don’t like them together, especially on a common. The tension between the two is a bit uncomfortable at this rarity. Speaking of rarity, this is a rare caliber card very nearly on par with Visara the Dreadful.
Cg12 – This has to be the best card in the entire set. Way too good for common. The closest equivalent is Equestrian Skill, which, nevermind, it actually doesn’t even come close. This and cg05 could single-handedly close out a game on turn 4. Also, I just noticed that there aren’t any creatures with regenerate at common. This is a good move and a bad move at the same time, in that regenerate loses relevance in a set with Wither but gains relevance in a set with Hunt. You might want to include at least one regenerator.
Cr07 – Again with the tension between abilities. Hunt is already doing so much with both flavor and mechanics that it doesn’t need to team up with other abilities very often, (especially evasion abilities (especially especially at common)).
Waterhole Sucker – You really don’t like blue do you?
Filigree Elder – artifact vedalken? I don’t get it.
Sunwing Harrier – Personally, I support Ship as a creature type, but (and you probably already know this), “Ship” is a retired creature type. I’m not suggesting you change it (quite the contrary), I’m just saying in case you weren’t aware.
Oracle Cancrix – Scry 3 isn’t the stuff of commons, certainly not such a beefy blue creature with flash to boot. Augury Owl is the closest comparison. In fact, it’s the only comparison, and doesn’t even
Shortcircuit – Flavor fail.
Swiftwheel Sentry – This is rather complicated for common. Not everyone’s as smart as you.
Etherium Veteran – Slightly complicated and really powerful, especially in the land of Hunt. Absorb 1 should be the standard at common. How about something like W: Card Name gains absorb 1 until end of turn? And/or all cards with Absorb should have reminder text.
I hope this set has a theme to make the player feel like a villain just as Origins had a theme of personal growth and development.
Actually... with the sparking 'walkers this seems a lot like "Villainous Origins" rather than just "Villains" which is... sad?
This is a critical thing to keep in mind, and I will very much be paying attention to what the set makes people feel when it comes time to playtest. Traps are an inclusion in large part because of how they work towards that atmosphere, but I'll definitely work more on making the flavor a bit more nefarious.
The Tibalt creature side update is probably the best change here.
Lorado for the wild west plane? Halfway between Laredo and El Dorado? Seriously? I like the idea of her starring in High Plains Drifter, Emphasis on the Plains Because She's White-Aligned and a Kor, though.
Old comments still stand. Nahiri's planeswalker side probably needs work to feel right/not crib from Akroma's schtick or from Tezzeret's.
The folding of the shuffle into the search your library action may seem like a good idea, but it's not worth the terminology confusion when you have to shuffle at a different time than as the last part, such as with to-top-of-library tutoring.
Nahiri's card has been backburnered a bit while the rest of the set shakes itself out. Expect her backside to change at some point.
As for shuffle wording, I don't see that as an issue. I think even a new/er player would understand "Search your library for a basic land card, then put it on top of your library. (Shuffle your library after you search it.)" Partially because otherwise the effect does nothing, and partially because the search happens before the "where do I put this card?" explanation.
@Legend - I didn't want to quote your whole post, but that's some very detailed feedback. Thank you! I'll be paying attention to it going forward.
I recant my statement about Hunt not jiving with evasion mechanics. I was thinking it worked like "T: Fall of the Hammer". But the "hunter" can be blocked by creatures it isn't attacking, so yeah, evasion makes sense. And it isn't effectively Viscera the Dreadful after all.
The power level of the medium and large Hunters remains dubious. I'm mostly curious about how a large creature with Hunt plays out. How would it not dominate the battlefield, generating massive card advantage over a relatively short period of time? I suspect that they'll warp limited and doubt that Wither is enough to counterbalance them. Consider Krosan Vorine, the biggest common with Provoke.
Also, if a 5/5 trample, hunt for 6 is a Common, what's left for higher rarities?
Lots of flux on this. Primarily, Nahiri sparks her way to Doharum rather than Lorado. I still really want to use Lorado though, so I'm sending Tibalt there instead - which actually works better for that set's flavor. As for the question of whether I've done the flavor work myself... yes and no. Every plane in this set is either (a) a canon plane in the Wizards lore, or (b) a plane being developed by another community member. I've been collaborating with each of those creators on how best to integrate their work into my own, and it's been going very well so far.
The common Hunt creatures will be getting revisited with Provoke designs in mind. I've been getting a lot of feedback from a variety of sources, and there have been a lot of changes from the current album already.
I'm not so worried about Black Lotus, but Lotus Bloom does cause some concern for Modern.
@Void: Just for you, I prioritized a new look for Nahiri.
Nahiri, Stoneforge Cavalier1WW
Legendary Creature - Kor Artificer (M)
When Nahiri enters the battlefield, create a colorless artifact Equipment token with "Equipped creature gets +1/+1." and "Equip 1."
Whenever an equipped creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may exile Nahiri. If you do, return her to the battlefield transformed.
2/3
// Nahiri, Planar Nomad
Planeswalker - Nahiri (M)
[+1]: Create a colorless artifact Equipment token with "Equipped creature gets +1/+1." and "Equip 1."
[-2]: Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and put that card on top of your library. (Shuffle your library after searching it.)
[-6]: Each player sacrifices lands until they control the same number of lands as the player who controls the fewest lands. Players discard cards and sacrifice creatures the same way.
[3]
For the -2, you do have to reveal the card since it is a specific search, Artifact or Enchantment. Also, look at Liliana vess's card in M15 for what the wording for the -2 should look like. Other than that, I like the card.
I'm not sure about absorb for two reasons, the first is quite simply that R&D has stated straight up that they tried a couple times and just couldn't balance the thing. As single cards it can be done, but it's dubious that as a set- (or worse, block-level) mechanic it can be salvaged.
The other reason is a flavor one. If you've got five clear "factions" and five mechanics... there's no way you can't have the mechanics and faction align without upsetting the players. Currently as far as I can tell it goes:
Hunt -> Garruk (Hunt is a GREAT idea, btw)
Wither -> Tibalt
Unravel -> Ashiok
Traps -> Nahiri
And this leaves Absorb for Tezzeret. Not only does this not work flavorwise, but I think tezzeret really, REALLY wants something artifact-y. I note that unlike the Imgur gallery, the cards on Planesculptors don't seem to feature absorb. Does that actually reflects a change in the design? Because I really like that "artifact Cohort" mechanic (which I would chastise you for not naming if it ever ends up in the set as currently shown on planesculptors XD).
I'm going to test Absorb, but I'm already preparing to cut it in favor of artifact-cohort. I'm open to naming that, but I have no good ideas for names. If you have suggestions, I'd love to consider them.
I want to go with something along the lines of "interlock" i.e. the artifacts combining in a common work. If the set were in french, I'd call it engrenage, which doesn't have a handy one-word translation in english, sadly: "gearwork" and "cogwork" just don't sound as good.
Regarding the planeswalkers:
I agree that Nahiri's -2 needs to take her further away from Tezzeret's design space (if only for obvious standard concerns). Honestly, I think you should put that one on Tezzy and put something entirely different on her. Maybe something like "Equipped creatures you control gain protection from everything UEOT"?
Ashiok takes WAY too long to transform IMO. Personally I think there should be some sort of mill on their planesalker side, but the flip is a bigger concern to me, especially since the exile on the front side, for such a high cost (BB for 1/3 is quite under the curve to me) does nothing until and unless you get to transform them.
Flavorwise, I think you should really given the front face a much less gendered name. That they are genderless is a MAJOR shtick and going "hey, here's the gender they used to be!!" really doesn't jive at all (plus it would be pretty insulting to many people who identify as genderqueer).
I feel that Garruk's +1 should untap, if only to echo Wildspeaker's +1. If that's too powerful, it can easily just be a provoke than can alternatively untap your stuff.
Speaking of Wildspeaker, I doubt reusing the same ability for a higher cost at the same spot on a planeswalker that is harder to transform would fly. Maybe that token can have trample? Or be bigger? (Garruk is the only one, I believe, to have ever reused the exact same ability to begin with, but it was as a +1 and a -1, so "exact" can be disputed.)
The common Hunt creatures will be getting revisited with Provoke designs in mind. I've been getting a lot of feedback from a variety of sources, and there have been a lot of changes from the current album already.
took the time to browse through most of the gallery:
I appreciate very much how each card is for flavor purposes assigned to a specific plane that befits its color. The few exceptions are mostly what I'd expect (some black Esper and Grixis cards). This wasn't the case at all in Origins, and that bothered the Vorthos in me very much. It's impressive how you manage to ensure all the planes that are shared with origins have different color pairs, too.
Sadly, I'm really not getting much of a feel for what kind of plane Ringsir is.
The mechanical distribution means that I find that lone black trap downright offensive. I mean, I expect that the mechanics may spread into a third color at higher rarities, but that single black trap really offends the aesthetics to me because no other mechanic is in three colors at common. That there is ALSO a black artifact cohort card (somewhat more excusable on account of esper being also black) is doubly weird. Feels like you ran out of ideas for black and grabbed mechanics assigned to other color pairs.
Tendriled Dead means I expect some ways to remove counters will be available (although I'd be happy if it didn't have unravel. Gotta have some puzzle cards in there!)
Churning Sinkhole's graveyard exiling feels random. It worked on Burn Away because of Delve, but here it doesn't seem to do anything.
While we're talking about graveyard, I don't have the reference point to tell how powerful Dire Turnabout is compared to Unhinge, and whether the latter is still admissible at common. Still, I'd keep an eye on it (even for its cost, Grave Exchange turned out more powerful than people expected).
Badlands Tracker is a card I would never design because I simply don't wanna have to explain how these mechanics interact (or rather how they don't). Mind you this is a very "design like R&D" comment. the sort of advanced playgroups involved in playtesting this stuff likely wouldn't have any problem, so feel free to ignore the issue.
Instant-Speed version of Sizzle is a very strange design choice. The sort that has spike screaming for blood. That cmc/damage ratio has almost always had something extra. Would you consider Puncture Blast and take the wither off Puncturing Javelins?
Speaking of, I'm pretty sure the correct template for the latter card (which may not be common) is the one found on Pinnacle of Rage.
Lashing viper, at that particular combination of cost, P/T and ability, doesn't feel like a green common. It would probably do fine as a functional reprint of Goliath Beetle.
Both that card and Sacred Stalker (is that one a Sacred Wolf reference?) are exceedingly unusual stats for green in general, and green commons in particular. The stalker can almost certainly be a 2/2 at that cost (especially with Wither in the set).
Is Stalker's Strength really supposed to be a Lorado card? Feels like a Shandaler or Zendikar one to me, especially with that art.
Roiled Roots seems revelatory of a weird "scry 2" obsession I've noticed in other designers. Incidental scry should generally be just 1, especially on commons. Otherwise the card may become played for the scry.
A quick search leads me to believe that +5/+5 is higher than is normally allowed on a common (Become Immense was an uncommon), AND may be undercosted. I'm also not fond of how the card is discounted for doing literally the default use of it (ambushing a bigger guy).
Expose the Wilds being able to grab an instant seems like a severe color pie breach.
For some reason, most of your black lands have a very phyrexian/mirran feel to me.
Not design/flavor things:
Veteran's Reflexes and Pilgrim's Eye aren't marked as reprints.
Sacred Stalker – I’m a huge fan of flavor nods, but this is a bit too cheesy even for me. Consider “Stalking Wolf” for a name (which also sounds more villainous).
EDIT: btw, excellent update. The commons look very clean and cohesive. What's your secret for finding good art? (I get sick of looking for art after about 10 minutes.)
Here is something that Wizards wouldn't do, but your custom card audience might appreciate with all the work you are putting into this already: since the final cards will probably have flavor text rather than plane names, could you still add watermarks to sort them into the ten planes?
EDIT: Are you aware that Kathari is not a place but the name of a race of vulturous Avens?
Private Mod Note
():
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]
Hmm, I could definitely see adding watermarks. Also I was under the impression Kathari was a place, so thank you for the correction!
@Legend - Sacred Stalker was designed after I was burnt out on naming creativity, so it was more out of convenience than attempted nodding. I'll change it to Stalking Wolf. As for art, I save anything I see that might look good as magic art. I've been doing that for several years now, so my art folder is over 5000 images large. Normally that would be too much to sort through, but I save them with various tags in the names eg "green wolf pack creature" so I can filter them down.
@Legend - Sacred Stalker was designed after I was burnt out on naming creativity, so it was more out of convenience than attempted nodding. I'll change it to Stalking Wolf.
Archon of Oppression3WW
Creature - Archon (M)
Flying
Other creatures lose all abilities and have base power and toughness 1/1.
3/3
Psychic MasteryXXUUU
Sorcery (M)
Search target player's library for X nonland cards. Cast those cards without paying their mana costs. (That player shuffles his or her library after searching it.)
I'll Do It Myself3BBB
Legendary Enchantment (M)
You can't cast creature spells.
Whenever you cast a spell, choose one -
* Destroy target creature.
* Each opponent loses 3 life and you gain 3 life.
Revel in Chaos2RR
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of each player's end step, choose target creature at random that player controls. Exchange it with a random creature other players control.
Evolution Catalyst2G
Creature - Elf Shaman (M) 1G, T, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost equal to 1 plus the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost and put that card onto the battlefield. (Shuffle your library after you search it.)
2/2
Archon of Oppression - I was going to say this does a poor Godhead of Awe impression before I realized the Godhead doesn't wipe abilities. Uh. Humility's still pretty good, right?
Psychic Mastery - This should definitely be opponents' libraries only, because as-is it's basically a five-mana copy of Worldfire or Omniscience.
I'll Do It Myself - It seems like the legendary here is... slightly more for functionality than flavor, and the name is probably overly Archenemy-scheme-like. Would be great if it were called Dirty Work.
Revel in Chaos - Is this mythic-worthy?
Evolution Catalyst - For that matter, is this? The original Birthing Pod was just rare, and has a few serious advantages over Evolution Catalyst.
Humility is very good, but it doesn't die to removal. I'm hoping that downside is enough to make the archon's oppression have fair counterplay.
Good call on psychic hitting opponents only.
Dirty Work sounds fine. Legendary is indeed more mechanical here.
Revel and Catalyst need some juice before they can really be mythic I think, but they're the direction I'd like to take the mythic slots. Red feeding on chaos and green embracing survival of the fittest.
The set file/link in the main post has been updated with mythics, some rares, and a few uncommons. It also reflects a couple revised subthemes for color pairs.
This set takes a similar approach as was taken in Magic: Origins, but follows the stories of five of Magic's more nefarious planeswalkers.
Nahiri, a native of Zendikar (GW), experiences her first planeswalk to the dwarven utopia of Doharum (WB).
Tezzeret abandons his home plane Esper (WU), visiting the neighboring Grixis (UR).
Aisha departs her mind palace of Noctus' Dreamscape (UB), becoming Ashiok in the process of sparkwalking to the artistic realm of Aenyr (BG).
Tibalt escapes from Innistrad (BR) to the wild wests of Lorado (RW).
Garruk finishes his work on Ringsir (GU), and searches for greater prey on Shandalar (RG).
C. Maintain a balance between distinct location settings and a cohesive limited environment.
Traps: If <condition>, you may pay a reduced cost for a trap.
Machinate - T, Tap an untapped artifact you control: <effect>.
Possess (When this creature enters the battlefield, it possesses target creature an opponent controls until either leaves the battlefield.)
Torture (You can harm your creatures to cast this spell. Each creature you put a -1/-1 counter on while cast this spell pays for .)
Visit Planesculptors for the latest version of the set.
A more detailed story skeleton and a set skeleton will follow.
Actually... with the sparking 'walkers this seems a lot like "Villainous Origins" rather than just "Villains" which is... sad?
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
Lorado for the wild west plane? Halfway between Laredo and El Dorado? Seriously? I like the idea of her starring in High Plains Drifter, Emphasis on the Plains Because She's White-Aligned and a Kor, though.
Old comments still stand. Nahiri's planeswalker side probably needs work to feel right/not crib from Akroma's schtick or from Tezzeret's.
The folding of the shuffle into the search your library action may seem like a good idea, but it's not worth the terminology confusion when you have to shuffle at a different time than as the last part, such as with to-top-of-library tutoring.
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Questions: Have you playtested Hunt? I stopped commenting on big hunt creatures because they all have one thing in common, which, ironically, is that they aren’t common. Commons with hunt should largely be small with one or two mediums so they have to swarm a big creature to take it down. Large hunters simply equate to Visara the Dreadful. Have you considered making Hunt: (This creature can attack your opponent’s nonartifact creatures.)? It would nerf it a tad and open up a modicum of design space / set dynamics.
Comments: As much as I love what I’m seeing, I’m not picking up on a strong “villians/origins” vibe. There just isn’t quite enough flavor in the card names to convey it.
Noctus Stalker – There’s plenty of precedent for 4/3 black commons for 5cmc. But this would be the first 5/4 black common for cmc 5. Zero are common, two are uncommon, six are rare.
Noble Horde – An etb trigger feels (and is) really odd on this. Imo when it dies, scry 2 would be more appropriate. Or “scry 1 for each neg counter on it”?
Cloaked Highborne – This has uncommon written all over it, and it’s spelled “lifelink”. Abzan Guide is the only common creature with lifelink and power greater than three. The package is just too good for common – a total Limited wrecking ball. Also, there only four other creatures with lifelink and toughness greater than three. “etb you gain 4 life” would be pretty nice for a common, especially after a couple of Ashiok’s Visions or a Tendriled Dead.
Dessicate – Nice cycle. I like it and think it’s perfectly acceptable, but do you think WotC would do this?
Cg07 – Odd that every existing green 3/3 with flash is Uncommon and up, but there’s plenty of common creatures dancing around those stats. It’s hard to believe that, this is in a sense, a somewhat novel design. I like it.
Cg09 – Well, I thought two green creatures with flash at common was unheard of, but as it turns out, Time Spiral had Ashcoat Bear and Havenwood Wurm. The difference between those and yours is those are early and late game cards respectively, while both of yours are midrange. Something to consider when tweaking.
Cg10 – I like Trample and love Hunt, but I don’t like them together, especially on a common. The tension between the two is a bit uncomfortable at this rarity. Speaking of rarity, this is a rare caliber card very nearly on par with Visara the Dreadful.
Cg12 – This has to be the best card in the entire set. Way too good for common. The closest equivalent is Equestrian Skill, which, nevermind, it actually doesn’t even come close. This and cg05 could single-handedly close out a game on turn 4. Also, I just noticed that there aren’t any creatures with regenerate at common. This is a good move and a bad move at the same time, in that regenerate loses relevance in a set with Wither but gains relevance in a set with Hunt. You might want to include at least one regenerator.
Cr07 – Again with the tension between abilities. Hunt is already doing so much with both flavor and mechanics that it doesn’t need to team up with other abilities very often, (especially evasion abilities (especially especially at common)).
Waterhole Sucker – You really don’t like blue do you?
Filigree Elder – artifact vedalken? I don’t get it.
Sunwing Harrier – Personally, I support Ship as a creature type, but (and you probably already know this), “Ship” is a retired creature type. I’m not suggesting you change it (quite the contrary), I’m just saying in case you weren’t aware.
Oracle Cancrix – Scry 3 isn’t the stuff of commons, certainly not such a beefy blue creature with flash to boot. Augury Owl is the closest comparison. In fact, it’s the only comparison, and doesn’t even
Shortcircuit – Flavor fail.
Swiftwheel Sentry – This is rather complicated for common. Not everyone’s as smart as you.
Etherium Veteran – Slightly complicated and really powerful, especially in the land of Hunt. Absorb 1 should be the standard at common. How about something like W: Card Name gains absorb 1 until end of turn? And/or all cards with Absorb should have reminder text.
Recharge – Flavor wiff.
As for shuffle wording, I don't see that as an issue. I think even a new/er player would understand "Search your library for a basic land card, then put it on top of your library. (Shuffle your library after you search it.)" Partially because otherwise the effect does nothing, and partially because the search happens before the "where do I put this card?" explanation.
@Legend - I didn't want to quote your whole post, but that's some very detailed feedback. Thank you! I'll be paying attention to it going forward.
I recant my statement about Hunt not jiving with evasion mechanics. I was thinking it worked like "T: Fall of the Hammer". But the "hunter" can be blocked by creatures it isn't attacking, so yeah, evasion makes sense. And it isn't effectively Viscera the Dreadful after all.
The power level of the medium and large Hunters remains dubious. I'm mostly curious about how a large creature with Hunt plays out. How would it not dominate the battlefield, generating massive card advantage over a relatively short period of time? I suspect that they'll warp limited and doubt that Wither is enough to counterbalance them. Consider Krosan Vorine, the biggest common with Provoke.
Also, if a 5/5 trample, hunt for 6 is a Common, what's left for higher rarities?
The common Hunt creatures will be getting revisited with Provoke designs in mind. I've been getting a lot of feedback from a variety of sources, and there have been a lot of changes from the current album already.
@Void: Just for you, I prioritized a new look for Nahiri.
Nahiri, Stoneforge Cavalier 1WW
Legendary Creature - Kor Artificer (M)
When Nahiri enters the battlefield, create a colorless artifact Equipment token with "Equipped creature gets +1/+1." and "Equip 1."
Whenever an equipped creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may exile Nahiri. If you do, return her to the battlefield transformed.
2/3
//
Nahiri, Planar Nomad
Planeswalker - Nahiri (M)
[+1]: Create a colorless artifact Equipment token with "Equipped creature gets +1/+1." and "Equip 1."
[-2]: Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and put that card on top of your library. (Shuffle your library after searching it.)
[-6]: Each player sacrifices lands until they control the same number of lands as the player who controls the fewest lands. Players discard cards and sacrifice creatures the same way.
[3]
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
The other reason is a flavor one. If you've got five clear "factions" and five mechanics... there's no way you can't have the mechanics and faction align without upsetting the players. Currently as far as I can tell it goes:
Regarding the planeswalkers:
Any updates yet?
EDIT: btw, excellent update. The commons look very clean and cohesive. What's your secret for finding good art? (I get sick of looking for art after about 10 minutes.)
EDIT: Are you aware that Kathari is not a place but the name of a race of vulturous Avens?
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
@Legend - Sacred Stalker was designed after I was burnt out on naming creativity, so it was more out of convenience than attempted nodding. I'll change it to Stalking Wolf. As for art, I save anything I see that might look good as magic art. I've been doing that for several years now, so my art folder is over 5000 images large. Normally that would be too much to sort through, but I save them with various tags in the names eg "green wolf pack creature" so I can filter them down.
Cool. Now I can be listed as a contributor.
Creature - Archon (M)
Flying
Other creatures lose all abilities and have base power and toughness 1/1.
3/3
Psychic Mastery XXUUU
Sorcery (M)
Search target player's library for X nonland cards. Cast those cards without paying their mana costs. (That player shuffles his or her library after searching it.)
I'll Do It Myself 3BBB
Legendary Enchantment (M)
You can't cast creature spells.
Whenever you cast a spell, choose one -
* Destroy target creature.
* Each opponent loses 3 life and you gain 3 life.
Revel in Chaos 2RR
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of each player's end step, choose target creature at random that player controls. Exchange it with a random creature other players control.
Evolution Catalyst 2G
Creature - Elf Shaman (M)
1G, T, Sacrifice a creature: Search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost equal to 1 plus the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost and put that card onto the battlefield. (Shuffle your library after you search it.)
2/2
Psychic Mastery - This should definitely be opponents' libraries only, because as-is it's basically a five-mana copy of Worldfire or Omniscience.
I'll Do It Myself - It seems like the legendary here is... slightly more for functionality than flavor, and the name is probably overly Archenemy-scheme-like. Would be great if it were called Dirty Work.
Revel in Chaos - Is this mythic-worthy?
Evolution Catalyst - For that matter, is this? The original Birthing Pod was just rare, and has a few serious advantages over Evolution Catalyst.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Good call on psychic hitting opponents only.
Dirty Work sounds fine. Legendary is indeed more mechanical here.
Revel and Catalyst need some juice before they can really be mythic I think, but they're the direction I'd like to take the mythic slots. Red feeding on chaos and green embracing survival of the fittest.
http://www.planesculptors.net/set/magic-villains#cards