Vampire Nocturnus :1mana::symb::symb::symb:
Creature — Vampire (Mythic Rare)
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
As long as the top card of your library is black, Vampire Nocturnus and other Vampire creatures you control get +2/+1 and have flying.
3/3
Talk about the flavor, design, and anything else related to the card. Are vampires being elevated to 'staple race' status like zombies? If they are, will they not suck (:sweat:) anymore? Will wotc use the top of the deck as a way to determine 'day/night'? And if so, will there be a mirror version of this card in white? All this and more in...speculation. Never mind.
Seriously, is this card any good? As long as the top of the library is a black card, which we all know is hard to do when running a card with :symb::symb::symb: in its casting cost, this is a 5/4 flier for 4. Not bad for a black creature.
The whole "reveal the top card" conditional-ness is a bit weird though... doesn't strike me as very flavourfull.
This wasn't my discovery, but someone else pointed out that maybe it's like that because having a black card on top of your library is like it being nighttime, when the vampires come out. All the same, a quirky card.
Overall, it's alright, and could get better if there are other good vampires in M10. However, it has me wondering why it's a mythic and not something like Queen of Ants.
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What would you attempt... if you knew you could not fail?
Overall, it's alright, and could get better if there are other good vampires in M10. However, it has me wondering why it's a mythic and not something like Queen of Ants.
It's Mythic most likely because it's a global effect. Queen of Ants is just a cheaper Verdant Force that you have to pay into to get the tokens. Just think of the Vampire in a deck of Changelings, I wouldn't mind have a 6/5 flying Chameleon Colossus attacking on turn 5. My question is do the effects stack? If I have 2 of these out, I don't see legendary on the line, will my creatures get +4/+2?
Even in mono black, it's ability is off 1/3rd of the time at best. With the ability on, it's worse than Demigod, barring some other aggressively costed Vampires.
EDIT: The wording on this is strange. Shouldn't it be "Vampire creatures you control..."? I guess they're trying to remove any chance of misunderstanding by new players.
What we're doing here is akin to taking the text of Moby Dick, locating specific words therein, rearranging them to create a passage from Fight Club, and concluding from this evidence that Tyler Durden is based on Ahab.
This wasn't my discovery, but someone else pointed out that maybe it's like that because having a black card on top of your library is like it being nighttime, when the vampires come out. All the same, a quirky card.
I brought this concept up in another thread. It was the first thing that jumped out at me when I saw the card. However, I've figured out since WHY it occurred to me so quickly.
I had to go back in the archives to confirm this, but about 4 1/2 years ago, MaRo wrote a design column about the Kamigawa split cards. (HERE)
"How did they [flip cards] come into being?
... Night and Day
As with all mechanics in the Kamigawa Block, things began with the story. ...
It quickly became apparent that a common theme of Japanese mythology was transformation. To capture the flavor of the environment, the block needed to have one or more mechanics that had a transformational element....
The earliest mechanic was dubbed Day/Night. The idea behind it was that the game would have two states, the Day state that represented the mortal world and the Night state that represented the spirit world. Certain creatures would gain a bonus during Day while others would gain one during Night. ...some trigger would turn the game state to Night where all the Night effects would happen.
In simple design terms, this played like threshold (in that it was a global change that affected everything) ... A Hard Day/Night
The design team was easily able to design cards that changed with the transition from Day to Night. The real problem was figuring out how the toggle from Day to Night, and back to Day, would happen. ..."
Is this discussion, that probably took place close to five years ago, the root of the vampire's card design? I think it's quite possible.
This card has me wondering what other creatures might get a lord in M2010 that haven't been giving them in the past. Traditionally only weenie tribes like elfs, goblins, soldiers, or zombies got them. I wonder if perhaps an angel one might be in order. Give all angels +1/+2 and lifelink if the top card of your library is white?
Anyways, I do like this card. Sure it isn't all that powerfull and unless they start printing alot more vampires perhaps not even that playable in type 2, but I like how it is different from the usual all other Xtype creatures get +1/+1 and landwalk as a static ability. Instead it gives them unholy strength and flying conditionally in a flavorful way.
Even in mono black, it's ability is off 1/3rd of the time at best. With the ability on, it's worse than Demigod, barring some other aggressively costed Vampires.
EDIT: The wording on this is strange. Shouldn't it be "Vampire creatures you control..."? I guess they're trying to remove any chance of misunderstanding by new players.
Personally, i like this card and it's mechanics, especially if it has a white counterpart and the day/night effect is new effect in the game. Even better if they make more vampires. Based on the declared idea of getting back to basic fantasy themes, it would seem likely as vampires are as iconic in fantasy/horror as just about anything else.
I brought this concept up in another thread. It was the first thing that jumped out at me when I saw the card. However, I've figured out since WHY it occurred to me so quickly.
[...]
Is this discussion, that probably took place close to five years ago, the root of the vampire's card design?
No.
I think it's quite possible.
Yes it is logically possible.
Play with the top of library revealed is, mechanically, nothing more than a checker that you are playing a Very Black Deck - which I know we'll hear about from Rosewater, eventually.
If he does say this is a follow up of Night / Day, he is BSing. Sure, he can claim it played a part in the design process... but it's not actually a Night / Day mechanic, not unless other cards in the format care about the same thing in exactly the same way.
I was intrigued though if there could be some systematic relation of the effect to the colours - the library-revealing effect (is there an iconic card other than Future Sight? - because Future Sight should be associated with the cast-enabling). It's curious to think about because it has both an upside and a downside... but in practice it's more downside.
And I think it would be associated with some colours more than others. Blue of course would actually be interested in peeking, while for Black it somehow communicates its sense of not caring about knowledge in and of itself; Black wants what will work, and doesn't need to understand anything.
I'm sure that it's in White and Green (in the same sense, too), and not Red. But I can't quite put words to it. Maybe later they'll come to me.
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I think the reveal mechanic can fit in red. It's kind of like being so reckless, that it becomes obvious what you're going to do next, if that makes any sense.
Blue: It wants to know more, so it'll look at the top of the deck
Black: Knowledge is power.
Red: It's getting so reckless that it's becomming obviouse to everybody that's gonna happen next (yes I repeated the above)
White: ????
Green: ????
I have a harder time with White and green that with the other colors. (Though it's existed in those colors before, There were a few in the Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block, and the clash mechanic revolved around revealing the library, so I think that showing off the top if a prismatic thing that all colors can tap into.)
I think the reveal mechanic can fit in red. It's kind of like being so reckless, that it becomes obvious what you're going to do next, if that makes any sense.
Blue: It wants to know more, so it'll look at the top of the deck
Black: Knowledge is power.
Red: It's getting so reckless that it's becomming obviouse to everybody that's gonna happen next (yes I repeated the above)
White: ????
Green: ????
I have a harder time with White and green that with the other colors. (Though it's existed in those colors before, There were a few in the Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block, and the clash mechanic revolved around revealing the library, so I think that showing off the top if a prismatic thing that all colors can tap into.)
White is always very prepared, and they're very defensive so their moves are telegraphed.
Green causes the top of the library to bloom into a flower.
I wish he effected bats would have better synergy with the best vampire printed skeletal vampire.
I don't get the flying either don't most vampires fly?
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Don't you see that the whole aim of Moderators is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make infractions literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten.
Well, I don't really like it and I've been a fan of just about every other lord card ever printed. I don't really hate the design. It's just not useful for vampires unless we're going to get a bunch of cheap, efficient ones in the near future. Now, a vampire lord should have an effect that doesn't need a swarm.
Vampire Lord 5BBB
Creature- Vampire
Flying
Other vampires you control gain "When this creature deals combat damage to a player, put X +1/+1 counters on it where X is the damage dealt."
4/4
The current lord is basically here to make Phantom Monsters, Air Elementals, and dragons a bit bigger half the time? A lord like that is good for swarms. If you have a swarm full of medium to fat fliers, why isn't your opponent dead yet? In the case that they're not, conditional pumping probably isn't going to help.
Now, by itself, it's an overcosted Hill Giant that's a 5/4 flier for 4 half the time. Sure, it can be swingy, but it's not going to be that much better than Threshold- ~ gets +2/+1 and flying. I'm not even sure it's that playable in limited with that mana cost and the inconsistancy. I'd probably take a french vanilla 5/5 flier for 6 over it any day.
However, it has me wondering why it's a mythic and not something like Queen of Ants.
I have a hunch that the only reason it is mythic is because it will be the rare facecard for the black precon deck. I imagine that there will be five cards like this, one for each color (queen of ants is the green one), that could have been normal rare, but were bumped up to mythic to make precons seem more appealing to random people.
As far as the card itself goes; it would be fun finisher in a mono black (or a black/x deck where the splash color is made up of gold cards) deck with dark confidant and sensei's divining top.
oh, how I badly hope/wish this means that black will be getting the boost it's missed since time spiral. throw in some card draw somewhere, a decent sweeper, and more metaphorical "boom" sticks, and my favorite archetype might just make a comeback!
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Actual Truth:
"You heard it here folks:
Anyone who disagrees with "Jack from NC" is an idiot."-The Dead Weatherman
It's funny, when I saw this card I thought it was too good. 5/4 fliers for 4 that get better the more you have in play? Yes please. If Mono-Black Control, or Suicide Black are possible in the new format, this should see play. No matter what it's a Mythic Vampire Lord, so it will be played at a lot of kitchen tables. Casual Vampire decks have been missing some love.
I like the fact that they are using a new flavor for vampires, the concept of vampires being stronger at night, weaker during the day.
The standard flavor for vampires has for the majority been based around the Sengir Vampire ability with dealing damage to creatures or sometimes players(sucking their blood) making the vampire stronger. The occasional vampire has done it differently like Sengir Nosferatu representing the ability to change into a bat, a few like Soul Collector representing the concept of vampires turning their victims into new minions and a couple like Crovax, the cursed who show the craving for blood by requiring a sacrifice.
This is the first time they've made a card which showcases the nocturnal nature inherent in vampire mythology.
That said aside from flavor and the cool factor of vampire tribal, it's less than impressive.
Even in mono black, it's ability is off 1/3rd of the time at best. With the ability on, it's worse than Demigod, barring some other aggressively costed Vampires.
EDIT: The wording on this is strange. Shouldn't it be "Vampire creatures you control..."? I guess they're trying to remove any chance of misunderstanding by new players.
I actually think it's because they want the Nosferatu to get the bonus regardless if it's a vampire anymore.
Creature — Vampire (Mythic Rare)
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
As long as the top card of your library is black, Vampire Nocturnus and other Vampire creatures you control get +2/+1 and have flying.
3/3
Talk about the flavor, design, and anything else related to the card. Are vampires being elevated to 'staple race' status like zombies? If they are, will they not suck (:sweat:) anymore? Will wotc use the top of the deck as a way to determine 'day/night'? And if so, will there be a mirror version of this card in white? All this and more in...speculation. Never mind.
Seriously, is this card any good? As long as the top of the library is a black card, which we all know is hard to do when running a card with :symb::symb::symb: in its casting cost, this is a 5/4 flier for 4. Not bad for a black creature.
This wasn't my discovery, but someone else pointed out that maybe it's like that because having a black card on top of your library is like it being nighttime, when the vampires come out. All the same, a quirky card.
Overall, it's alright, and could get better if there are other good vampires in M10. However, it has me wondering why it's a mythic and not something like Queen of Ants.
It's Mythic most likely because it's a global effect. Queen of Ants is just a cheaper Verdant Force that you have to pay into to get the tokens. Just think of the Vampire in a deck of Changelings, I wouldn't mind have a 6/5 flying Chameleon Colossus attacking on turn 5. My question is do the effects stack? If I have 2 of these out, I don't see legendary on the line, will my creatures get +4/+2?
EDIT: The wording on this is strange. Shouldn't it be "Vampire creatures you control..."? I guess they're trying to remove any chance of misunderstanding by new players.
Guildmaster Jarad
I brought this concept up in another thread. It was the first thing that jumped out at me when I saw the card. However, I've figured out since WHY it occurred to me so quickly.
I had to go back in the archives to confirm this, but about 4 1/2 years ago, MaRo wrote a design column about the Kamigawa split cards. (HERE)
"How did they [flip cards] come into being?
...
Night and Day
As with all mechanics in the Kamigawa Block, things began with the story. ...
It quickly became apparent that a common theme of Japanese mythology was transformation. To capture the flavor of the environment, the block needed to have one or more mechanics that had a transformational element....
The earliest mechanic was dubbed Day/Night. The idea behind it was that the game would have two states, the Day state that represented the mortal world and the Night state that represented the spirit world. Certain creatures would gain a bonus during Day while others would gain one during Night. ...some trigger would turn the game state to Night where all the Night effects would happen.
In simple design terms, this played like threshold (in that it was a global change that affected everything) ...
A Hard Day/Night
The design team was easily able to design cards that changed with the transition from Day to Night. The real problem was figuring out how the toggle from Day to Night, and back to Day, would happen. ..."
Is this discussion, that probably took place close to five years ago, the root of the vampire's card design? I think it's quite possible.
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Anyways, I do like this card. Sure it isn't all that powerfull and unless they start printing alot more vampires perhaps not even that playable in type 2, but I like how it is different from the usual all other Xtype creatures get +1/+1 and landwalk as a static ability. Instead it gives them unholy strength and flying conditionally in a flavorful way.
Painter's Servant makes every card in your deck black.
Personally, i like this card and it's mechanics, especially if it has a white counterpart and the day/night effect is new effect in the game. Even better if they make more vampires. Based on the declared idea of getting back to basic fantasy themes, it would seem likely as vampires are as iconic in fantasy/horror as just about anything else.
No.
Yes it is logically possible.
Play with the top of library revealed is, mechanically, nothing more than a checker that you are playing a Very Black Deck - which I know we'll hear about from Rosewater, eventually.
If he does say this is a follow up of Night / Day, he is BSing. Sure, he can claim it played a part in the design process... but it's not actually a Night / Day mechanic, not unless other cards in the format care about the same thing in exactly the same way.
I was intrigued though if there could be some systematic relation of the effect to the colours - the library-revealing effect (is there an iconic card other than Future Sight? - because Future Sight should be associated with the cast-enabling). It's curious to think about because it has both an upside and a downside... but in practice it's more downside.
And I think it would be associated with some colours more than others. Blue of course would actually be interested in peeking, while for Black it somehow communicates its sense of not caring about knowledge in and of itself; Black wants what will work, and doesn't need to understand anything.
I'm sure that it's in White and Green (in the same sense, too), and not Red. But I can't quite put words to it. Maybe later they'll come to me.
Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
Blue: It wants to know more, so it'll look at the top of the deck
Black: Knowledge is power.
Red: It's getting so reckless that it's becomming obviouse to everybody that's gonna happen next (yes I repeated the above)
White: ????
Green: ????
I have a harder time with White and green that with the other colors. (Though it's existed in those colors before, There were a few in the Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block, and the clash mechanic revolved around revealing the library, so I think that showing off the top if a prismatic thing that all colors can tap into.)
White is always very prepared, and they're very defensive so their moves are telegraphed.
Green causes the top of the library to bloom into a flower.
I don't get the flying either don't most vampires fly?
Vampire Lord 5BBB
Creature- Vampire
Flying
Other vampires you control gain "When this creature deals combat damage to a player, put X +1/+1 counters on it where X is the damage dealt."
4/4
The current lord is basically here to make Phantom Monsters, Air Elementals, and dragons a bit bigger half the time? A lord like that is good for swarms. If you have a swarm full of medium to fat fliers, why isn't your opponent dead yet? In the case that they're not, conditional pumping probably isn't going to help.
Now, by itself, it's an overcosted Hill Giant that's a 5/4 flier for 4 half the time. Sure, it can be swingy, but it's not going to be that much better than Threshold- ~ gets +2/+1 and flying. I'm not even sure it's that playable in limited with that mana cost and the inconsistancy. I'd probably take a french vanilla 5/5 flier for 6 over it any day.
The mechanic fits red.
If they want to have the black-creatures-get-powerful-at-night flavor, why not just reprint Bad Moon or create a similar card?
For Faranheit456, Green has the mechanic of conditionally getting the top card (Rowen, Call of the Wild, Primitive Etchings) or Card selection (Mirri's Guile, Sylvan Library, Natural Selection). Not sure though if these are in current pie config.
I have a hunch that the only reason it is mythic is because it will be the rare facecard for the black precon deck. I imagine that there will be five cards like this, one for each color (queen of ants is the green one), that could have been normal rare, but were bumped up to mythic to make precons seem more appealing to random people.
As far as the card itself goes; it would be fun finisher in a mono black (or a black/x deck where the splash color is made up of gold cards) deck with dark confidant and sensei's divining top.
i think its more to affect himself. Unfortunately it makes the ability feel more... tacked on...
Fun new vampire? check. Tournament playable vampire? uncheck. Mythic rare? rather this than another tournament staple mythic...
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Actual Truth:
The standard flavor for vampires has for the majority been based around the Sengir Vampire ability with dealing damage to creatures or sometimes players(sucking their blood) making the vampire stronger. The occasional vampire has done it differently like Sengir Nosferatu representing the ability to change into a bat, a few like Soul Collector representing the concept of vampires turning their victims into new minions and a couple like Crovax, the cursed who show the craving for blood by requiring a sacrifice.
This is the first time they've made a card which showcases the nocturnal nature inherent in vampire mythology.
That said aside from flavor and the cool factor of vampire tribal, it's less than impressive.
Machius proudly supports R_E's right to Rumour!
Garlic Grove
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
You cannot be attacked by Vampires.
I actually think it's because they want the Nosferatu to get the bonus regardless if it's a vampire anymore.