well more than i'd want to see sarkhan going for that much. sarkhan isn't nearly as relevant to the ENTIRE HISTORY OF MAGIC and will pull that much influence. my point is, wizards is going to make chase rares. they're going to make tournament level cards. wouldn't you rather one of those cards be nicol bolas than see our dragon god reduced to a 50 cent binder while some jar jar binks character's card goes for 30 bucks?
again, with the exception of teferi there hasn't been this relavant of a character printed in a LONG time.
Yes, while I hate to admit it I agree with you. If bolas was a 50cent rare I'd be sad...he really is deserving of being a 50$ rare in the flavor sense of it. (Flavor = money? Zomg lol)
Yes, while I hate to admit it I agree with you. If bolas was a 50cent rare I'd be sad...he really is deserving of being a 50$ rare in the flavor sense of it. (Flavor = money? Zomg lol)
Good call on that one though.
arcane, as a side question are you just like me, bored at work all day? haha i feel like we're the only ones commenting on these boards all day before 5ish...
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker UUBBRR
planeswalker - nicol
+1: each player discards a card
-3: each opponent discards a card. you draw cards equal to the amount of cards discarded this way
-10: remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game
4
he's tournament viable (well, sorta) gets through incinerate and if you get his +1 right away gets around flame javs, his abilities are mind-related, as that is how Mr. Bolas likes to attack, and has a plane-shattering mega-ability.
Let's go through this logically, using what we know of planeswalker design up to this point.
This guy is going to be the flagship of the set, so has to appeal to as many demographics as possible.
Planeswalkers are fun when they sit in play gaining incremental advantage now with the threat of a huge game swinging effect soon. As such, they do not play well with high casting costs. Loyalty is then calculated based on the strength of their abilities.
Nicol Bolas should retain his colours. So this gives a probable casting cost of 1:symu::symb::symr:
He is infamous for his ability, so he is the discard guy so his abilities will reflect this, and work with discard. Tutoring is out as this is on Liliana Vess already. As you are paying a tri coloured cost, you can get a 1 mana discount and pay a total of 4 rather than 5, and start forcing opponents to discard. But this is a gold card, so needs more oomph than discard one a turn, so lets make it discard a card at random as the core ability. Turn 4 is a good turn to start doing this, yet not broken (cf hypnotic specter). It gives moments of tension and excitement AFTER the opponent has deployed the critical first 3 lands, so they are not shut out of the game completely. While we're in reanimation colours, why not let him nail you too.
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
Now it would be hard to imagine Nicol Bolas without his signature ability, too game changing at 4 mana so needs to be built up to instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
Finally we need to give him spice that works with the previous 2 easier to deduce powers. Reanimation has already been done on the black planeswalker, and this guy is supposed to be iconic so we have to have something with some kick. Let's take the most powerful card ever for inspiration, but restrict it to using your opponents yard so it isn't broken.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
There that works well - you start messing with peoples heads, you might hit some lands so you can play them and start to have their colors to play their other things, and you can also try to shred their whole hand before playing it against them. All starting from turn 4, to put some pressure on.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1:symu::symb::symr:
Loyalty 4
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
That's my guess. Plus it ties in with flavor - this planeswalker lost most of his power, so his one recourse is to learn as much magic as possible, not just from Grixis colours. So he is very interested in sucking new ideas out of your opponents head before defeating them with it.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 3UBR
Planeswalker - Nicol
+1: Pay UBR or sacrifice Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker.
-5: Target player discards his or her hand.
-7: Search your library for any number of cards named Cruel Ultimatum or Nicol Bolas and remove those cards from the game. You may play these cards without paying their manacost.
Loyalty: 4
Isn't he the one on the ultimatum ^^
the plus ability would probably have to be greater, such as +2
Let's go through this logically, using what we know of planeswalker design up to this point.
This guy is going to be the flagship of the set, so has to appeal to as many demographics as possible.
Planeswalkers are fun when they sit in play gaining incremental advantage now with the threat of a huge game swinging effect soon. As such, they do not play well with high casting costs. Loyalty is then calculated based on the strength of their abilities.
Nicol Bolas should retain his colours. So this gives a probable casting cost of 1:symu::symb::symr:
He is infamous for his ability, so he is the discard guy so his abilities will reflect this, and work with discard. Tutoring is out as this is on Liliana Vess already. As you are paying a tri coloured cost, you can get a 1 mana discount and pay a total of 4 rather than 5, and start forcing opponents to discard. But this is a gold card, so needs more oomph than discard one a turn, so lets make it discard a card at random as the core ability. Turn 4 is a good turn to start doing this, yet not broken (cf hypnotic specter). It gives moments of tension and excitement AFTER the opponent has deployed the critical first 3 lands, so they are not shut out of the game completely. While we're in reanimation colours, why not let him nail you too.
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
Now it would be hard to imagine Nicol Bolas without his signature ability, too game changing at 4 mana so needs to be built up to instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
Finally we need to give him spice that works with the previous 2 easier to deduce powers. Reanimation has already been done on the black planeswalker, and this guy is supposed to be iconic so we have to have something with some kick. Let's take the most powerful card ever for inspiration, but restrict it to using your opponents yard so it isn't broken.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
There that works well - you start messing with peoples heads, you might hit some lands so you can play them and start to have their colors to play their other things, and you can also try to shred their whole hand before playing it against them. All starting from turn 4, to put some pressure on.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1:symu::symb::symr:
Loyalty 4
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
That's my guess. Plus it ties in with flavor - this planeswalker lost most of his power, so his one recourse is to learn as much magic as possible, not just from Grixis colours. So he is very interested in sucking new ideas out of your opponents head before defeating them with it.
i very much appreciate the thought put into this one. here are my critiques of it. the ultimate isn't much of an ultimate. with 4 turns until it hits, meaning turn 8 typically, there isn't going to be much use for target player discards his or her hand. which no one would really mind because my other issue is that his second ability is WAY too strong for a plus 1. even as you pointed out, yawg's will is one of the most powerful cards ever printed, and be able to do it every turn on command (yes your opponent's gyard isn't enough of a drawback) is just insane. i feel like we're getting closer tho
I think that the new Nicol Bolas will reflect the old one to a degree, but I sincerely doubt that he'll have 3 discard abilities. I think each ability will reflect one of his colours.
Also, there's no way that a 7/7 dragon that normally costs 8 mana will be a 4 mana planeswalker. He probably won't be 8 mana, but I think that 4 mana is substantially undercosted.
2UBR
+1: each player discards a card at random from his or her hand.
-3: each player discards his or her hand.
-8: remove all permanents from the game.
[5]
I dont think nicol bolas is there just for you, he is there for a reason, why would a very powerfull planeswalker be your servant? you however are prepared to be his servant just to make sure you survive the fight right?
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :xmana::symu::symb:
Planeswalker - Nicol
-1 creatures you control gains ":symb::regeneration" and fear
-2 draw a card for each creature in graveyard
-4 target player removes half of his permanents from game and loses half of his life, rounded up.
Loyalty: X
or
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :symu::symu::symb::symb::symr::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol Bolas
+1 creatures you control gains ":symb::regeneration" and fear
-2 draw a card for each creature in your graveyard
-8 target player removes half of his permanents from game and loses half of his life, rounded up.
Loyalty: 5
arcane, as a side question are you just like me, bored at work all day? haha i feel like we're the only ones commenting on these boards all day before 5ish...
Yes, I'm a programmer. Alot of my day is waiting for code to compile, jobs to execute, or queries to finish running. So I have forum time.
Let's go through this logically, using what we know of planeswalker design up to this point.
This guy is going to be the flagship of the set, so has to appeal to as many demographics as possible.
Planeswalkers are fun when they sit in play gaining incremental advantage now with the threat of a huge game swinging effect soon. As such, they do not play well with high casting costs. Loyalty is then calculated based on the strength of their abilities.
Nicol Bolas should retain his colours. So this gives a probable casting cost of 1:symu::symb::symr:
He is infamous for his ability, so he is the discard guy so his abilities will reflect this, and work with discard. Tutoring is out as this is on Liliana Vess already. As you are paying a tri coloured cost, you can get a 1 mana discount and pay a total of 4 rather than 5, and start forcing opponents to discard. But this is a gold card, so needs more oomph than discard one a turn, so lets make it discard a card at random as the core ability. Turn 4 is a good turn to start doing this, yet not broken (cf hypnotic specter). It gives moments of tension and excitement AFTER the opponent has deployed the critical first 3 lands, so they are not shut out of the game completely. While we're in reanimation colours, why not let him nail you too.
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
Now it would be hard to imagine Nicol Bolas without his signature ability, too game changing at 4 mana so needs to be built up to instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
Finally we need to give him spice that works with the previous 2 easier to deduce powers. Reanimation has already been done on the black planeswalker, and this guy is supposed to be iconic so we have to have something with some kick. Let's take the most powerful card ever for inspiration, but restrict it to using your opponents yard so it isn't broken.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
There that works well - you start messing with peoples heads, you might hit some lands so you can play them and start to have their colors to play their other things, and you can also try to shred their whole hand before playing it against them. All starting from turn 4, to put some pressure on.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1:symu::symb::symr:
Loyalty 4
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
That's my guess. Plus it ties in with flavor - this planeswalker lost most of his power, so his one recourse is to learn as much magic as possible, not just from Grixis colours. So he is very interested in sucking new ideas out of your opponents head before defeating them with it.
you forget that planeswalkers' small abilities are a build-up towards their ultimate ability.
garruk untaps lands (play more creature spells) and produces okens for a big fat overrun.
jace makes you and your opponent draw cards thinning the deck for the big mill
liliana dumps creatures into the grave and tutors (usually kill spells) for mass ressurection
goldmane gains life for a bigger serra avatar token
chandra burns your opponent for a big burning finish
vengant stalls (or kills) beaters to set up for a boom
tezzeret untaps artifacts for mana (oblisks) and fchs arifacs for big march.
sarkhan vol.... aggro? yah aggro ftw.
follow that so bolas won't hav a +discard and a -big discard bcaus no hand'll b lft to discard.
you forget that planeswalkers' small abilities are a build-up towards their ultimate ability.
garruk untaps lands (play more creature spells) and produces okens for a big fat overrun.
jace makes you and your opponent draw cards thinning the deck for the big mill
liliana dumps creatures into the grave and tutors (usually kill spells) for mass ressurection
goldmane gains life for a bigger serra avatar token
chandra burns your opponent for a big burning finish
vengant stalls (or kills) beaters to set up for a boom
tezzeret untaps artifacts for mana (oblisks) and fchs arifacs for big march.
sarkhan vol.... aggro? yah aggro ftw.
follow that so bolas won't hav a +discard and a -big discard bcaus no hand'll b lft to discard.
Exactly, that's how the walkers work. Check my model for how I think bolas would have a "build up"
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :1mana::symu::symu::symb::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol
+X: Discard X Cards.
-2: Remove target planeswalker from the game, then draw a card.
-7: Remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
This model wants you to hate out your hand for an insane effect. Kill your opponents walkers, netting you cards....then when you've cleared opposing walkers build up to the final and BAM!! Sweep the board leaving only you and your walkers.
Exactly, that's how the walkers work. Check my model for how I think bolas would have a "build up"
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :1mana::symu::symu::symb::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol
+X: Discard X Cards.
-2: Remove target planeswalker from the game, then draw a card.
-7: Remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
This model wants you to hate out your hand for an insane effect. Kill your opponents walkers, netting you cards....then when you've cleared opposing walkers build up to the final and BAM!! Sweep the board leaving only you and your walkers.
oh come on, double blue? double black maybe. i still feel like they won't go with some +X templating quite yet. who knows tho, with a walker like nicol they could very easily throw something we've never seen on a walker before to represent how out of place he really is. maybe he comes in with 6 loyalty and has only one ability.
-2: Destroy 2 Target Permanents
Elegant, Powerful, and different. I dunno, its just so hard to imagine a nicol bolas planeswalker without something that makes you just go "wow"
Exactly, that's how the walkers work. Check my model for how I think bolas would have a "build up"
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :1mana::symu::symu::symb::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol
+X: Discard X Cards.
-2: Remove target planeswalker from the game, then draw a card.
-7: Remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
This model wants you to hate out your hand for an insane effect. Kill your opponents walkers, netting you cards....then when you've cleared opposing walkers build up to the final and BAM!! Sweep the board leaving only you and your walkers.
That's horrible.
I'm sorry, I'm just being honest. "Discard X Cards" doesn't work right because it's not like a Mill effect where any number less than X will make you lose. The cost of your ability reads "Put X Loyalty Counters on Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker: Discard X Cards". Since the X is part of the cost, the card won't check for how many cards are actually IN your hand at the time, just upon resolution. So declaring 3000 is, apparently, legal. You'd have no hand, but a mighty Loyal planeswalker. In which case you'd have a good amount of turns removing everything else.
If you wanted a Planeswalker-type theme, go with:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1UUBR
Planeswalker- Nicol
+1: Target Nonland Permanent is a Planeswalker in addition to it's other card types. Put a loyalty counter on that permanent.
-2: Deal 1 Damage to each Planeswalker.
-13: Remove all Nonland, Non-Planeswalker Permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
I'm sorry, I'm just being honest. "Discard X Cards" doesn't work right because it's not like a Mill effect where any number less than X will make you lose. The cost of your ability reads "Put X Loyalty Counters on Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker: Discard X Cards". Since the X is part of the cost, the card won't check for how many cards are actually IN your hand at the time, just upon resolution. So declaring 3000 is, apparently, legal. You'd have no hand, but a mighty Loyal planeswalker. In which case you'd have a good amount of turns removing everything else.
If you wanted a Planeswalker-type theme, go with:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1UUBR
Planeswalker- Nicol
+1: Target Nonland Permanent is a Planeswalker in addition to it's other card types. Put a loyalty counter on that permanent.
-2: Deal 1 Damage to each Planeswalker.
-13: Remove all Nonland, Non-Planeswalker Permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
The rules would adjust for it, obviously. You can't declare X since you can't pay X. It's an exception to the rules that applies to planeswalkers X abilities, where the cost is a hybrid between both sides of the colon.
Howsabout something simple, elegant, AND busted? Something along the lines of this:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 2URB
Planeswalker - Nicol
+1: Draw a card.
-2: Deal 3 damage to target creature or player.
-5: Target opponent discards their hand.
Loyalty: 4
Not only does this touch on his tri-coloredness, he's aggressively costed, has 3 relevant abilities, basically the best + ability ever, and rules the endgame. Sure, he doesn't "win the game" like Sarkhan Vol, but he doesn't need to. He's a walking pile of card advantage that is also a tribute to his older card.
I also like that this version of the card discards your opponent's hand the turn after he comes out, just like the original did.
The rules would adjust for it, obviously. You can't declare X since you can't pay X. It's an exception to the rules that applies to planeswalkers X abilities, where the cost is a hybrid between both sides of the colon.
Sure you can- You can declare X to be 0 or infinity, with any number in between. Unlike Chandra, you're adding Counters to the Planeswalkers, and the official rules do not put a maximum on the number of Loyalty Counters a planeswalker may have. You can't pay/remove what isn't there, so an X cost on Chandra is okay because it's taking away counters and has a limit. Adding counters does not have a limit, and the addition of counters for an ability is a cost, NOT an effect.
The only way to make it work is if you make it wordy, such as "+X: Discard X Cards. If you can't discard X cards, remove X Loyalty counters from Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker" (Which would work because the cost puts the counters on, then the effect resolves later)
I heard somewhere there was a leak of the names of all the cards that are being released in Conflux... and one of them was "Nicol Bolas - Planeswalker"
In any case, I am personally upset by the idea that Nicol Bolas would be made into a "Neo-Walker" as he was on the level of Demi-Godhood (not quite Godhood, but definitely stronger than even the 9 Titan Planeswalkers). Last we heard, Nicol Bolas had gone off to create a new plane on his lonesome. So I have a feeling that any limitation of his powers as per the neo-walker rules (i.e. the Neo-Walkers are not powerful enough to create new planes as per the introduction article regarding them from WotC) would seriously cause a rampage of Nicol Bolas' destructive tendancies!!!
I could see however that Nicol Bolas may be the only being powerful enough to cause the "Flowing Together" for which the Conflux set gets its name.... short of it being caused by an actual deity such as Gaea or Kjeld or something.... But in any case I have never heard of either Gaea or Kjeld having influence outside of their respective planes.
I heard somewhere there was a leak of the names of all the cards that are being released in Conflux... and one of them was "Nicol Bolas - Planeswalker"
I'm sorry, I'm just being honest. "Discard X Cards" doesn't work right because it's not like a Mill effect where any number less than X will make you lose. The cost of your ability reads "Put X Loyalty Counters on Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker: Discard X Cards". Since the X is part of the cost, the card won't check for how many cards are actually IN your hand at the time, just upon resolution. So declaring 3000 is, apparently, legal. You'd have no hand, but a mighty Loyal planeswalker. In which case you'd have a good amount of turns removing everything else.
Why did nobody read when I pointed this out before? At least someone else knows nitpicky rules and reads this thread.
My guess for Bolas goes along these lines:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 2UBR
Planeswalker - Nicol
+1: Each player draws a card, then discards a card.
-3: Search target opponent's library for [two? three?] cards and remove them from the game. That player then shuffles their library.
-X: Search your library for a card with CMC X or less and RFG it. Until end of turn you pay play it without paying it's mana cost. If you do, you lose X life.
Loyalty: 4
The only thing is that I don't think all that would fit on a card.
Elspeth "we must fight to protect order and justice!"
Tezzeret "No! he will break all my artifacts and stomp my head!"
Vol "powerful dragon must be brought to heel!"
Ajani "**** this Im outta *planeswalks to lorwyn* wow what hell is this place?"
Little lorwyn goblin "this be the place of bad art and Tribes!!!"
All other Alara planeswalkers "hey where did ajani go???"
just demonstrates the long names of cards.... and the card: Total War demonstrates the ability for Wizards to fit an enormous amount of Rules Text on to a single card....
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"As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero." -- Varsuvius, Order of the Stick
just demonstrates the long names of cards.... and the card: Total War demonstrates the ability for Wizards to fit an enormous amount of Rules Text on to a single card....
A) this was in ice age when they did even smaller text than that.
B) It's reall just normal size font on total war I think.
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With all, put the same thing except with / in front of what type of tags they are (like [/card]) to close them.
Card: [card]
Hybrid: :symub: = order doesn't matter
For those who haven't noticed, "Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker" has the exact same number of characters as "Kokusho, the Evening Star". So without having to shrink the card title text, the highest cost it could have is a colourless cost followed by at most 3 coloured symbols. And that'd be a tight fit. Since Nicol is U/R/B either he's lost one of his colours, or he's gonna get crowded.
A) this was in ice age when they did even smaller text than that.
B) It's reall just normal size font on total war I think.
and they can't do small font on newer cards, why exactly? Just because the newer formating rules say so I suppose? What poppy ****... if they had a card with a lot of rules text, they would most certainly use smaller font.
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"As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero." -- Varsuvius, Order of the Stick
For those who haven't noticed, "Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker" has the exact same number of characters as "Kokusho, the Evening Star". So without having to shrink the card title text, the highest cost it could have is a colourless cost followed by at most 3 coloured symbols. And that'd be a tight fit. Since Nicol is U/R/B either he's lost one of his colours, or he's gonna get crowded.
Clearly MSE uses a bigger font then because in MSE even four symbols squishes the name slightly (as I pointed out before).
I expect to see nicol at UBR or 2UBR, though 1UBR is also possible.
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Yes, while I hate to admit it I agree with you. If bolas was a 50cent rare I'd be sad...he really is deserving of being a 50$ rare in the flavor sense of it. (Flavor = money? Zomg lol)
Good call on that one though.
arcane, as a side question are you just like me, bored at work all day? haha i feel like we're the only ones commenting on these boards all day before 5ish...
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker UUBBRR
planeswalker - nicol
+1: each player discards a card
-3: each opponent discards a card. you draw cards equal to the amount of cards discarded this way
-10: remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game
4
he's tournament viable (well, sorta) gets through incinerate and if you get his +1 right away gets around flame javs, his abilities are mind-related, as that is how Mr. Bolas likes to attack, and has a plane-shattering mega-ability.
LOL syphon mind.
official rules advisor. it gets me there.
This guy is going to be the flagship of the set, so has to appeal to as many demographics as possible.
Planeswalkers are fun when they sit in play gaining incremental advantage now with the threat of a huge game swinging effect soon. As such, they do not play well with high casting costs. Loyalty is then calculated based on the strength of their abilities.
Nicol Bolas should retain his colours. So this gives a probable casting cost of 1:symu::symb::symr:
He is infamous for his ability, so he is the discard guy so his abilities will reflect this, and work with discard. Tutoring is out as this is on Liliana Vess already. As you are paying a tri coloured cost, you can get a 1 mana discount and pay a total of 4 rather than 5, and start forcing opponents to discard. But this is a gold card, so needs more oomph than discard one a turn, so lets make it discard a card at random as the core ability. Turn 4 is a good turn to start doing this, yet not broken (cf hypnotic specter). It gives moments of tension and excitement AFTER the opponent has deployed the critical first 3 lands, so they are not shut out of the game completely. While we're in reanimation colours, why not let him nail you too.
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
Now it would be hard to imagine Nicol Bolas without his signature ability, too game changing at 4 mana so needs to be built up to instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
Finally we need to give him spice that works with the previous 2 easier to deduce powers. Reanimation has already been done on the black planeswalker, and this guy is supposed to be iconic so we have to have something with some kick. Let's take the most powerful card ever for inspiration, but restrict it to using your opponents yard so it isn't broken.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
There that works well - you start messing with peoples heads, you might hit some lands so you can play them and start to have their colors to play their other things, and you can also try to shred their whole hand before playing it against them. All starting from turn 4, to put some pressure on.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1:symu::symb::symr:
Loyalty 4
+1: Target player discards a card at random.
+1: Until end of turn you may play cards in target opponent's graveyard. If a card would be put into that opponent's graveyard this turn, remove it from the game instead.
-7: Target player discards his or her hand.
That's my guess. Plus it ties in with flavor - this planeswalker lost most of his power, so his one recourse is to learn as much magic as possible, not just from Grixis colours. So he is very interested in sucking new ideas out of your opponents head before defeating them with it.
the plus ability would probably have to be greater, such as +2
Many thanks to Sgt. Chubbz of Damnation studios.
i very much appreciate the thought put into this one. here are my critiques of it. the ultimate isn't much of an ultimate. with 4 turns until it hits, meaning turn 8 typically, there isn't going to be much use for target player discards his or her hand. which no one would really mind because my other issue is that his second ability is WAY too strong for a plus 1. even as you pointed out, yawg's will is one of the most powerful cards ever printed, and be able to do it every turn on command (yes your opponent's gyard isn't enough of a drawback) is just insane. i feel like we're getting closer tho
Also, there's no way that a 7/7 dragon that normally costs 8 mana will be a 4 mana planeswalker. He probably won't be 8 mana, but I think that 4 mana is substantially undercosted.
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Real men wear pink.
(Here is my Have/Want list: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=112800 )
+1: each player discards a card at random from his or her hand.
-3: each player discards his or her hand.
-8: remove all permanents from the game.
[5]
I dont think nicol bolas is there just for you, he is there for a reason, why would a very powerfull planeswalker be your servant? you however are prepared to be his servant just to make sure you survive the fight right?
Thank you for Heroes of the Plane Studios for this awesome sig.
Legacy:
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Shardless BUG (retired)
UW Stoneblade (retired)
Maveric (retired)
Thopters (retired)
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Planeswalker - Nicol
-1 creatures you control gains ":symb::regeneration" and fear
-2 draw a card for each creature in graveyard
-4 target player removes half of his permanents from game and loses half of his life, rounded up.
Loyalty: X
or
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :symu::symu::symb::symb::symr::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol Bolas
+1 creatures you control gains ":symb::regeneration" and fear
-2 draw a card for each creature in your graveyard
-8 target player removes half of his permanents from game and loses half of his life, rounded up.
Loyalty: 5
Decks:
EDH: :symbw::symuw::symub:Merieke Ri Berit:symbw::symuw::symub:
Archenemy EDH: Reaper king
(")(")
GONZO
Genius, fast, and long eared.
Yes, I'm a programmer. Alot of my day is waiting for code to compile, jobs to execute, or queries to finish running. So I have forum time.
you forget that planeswalkers' small abilities are a build-up towards their ultimate ability.
garruk untaps lands (play more creature spells) and produces okens for a big fat overrun.
jace makes you and your opponent draw cards thinning the deck for the big mill
liliana dumps creatures into the grave and tutors (usually kill spells) for mass ressurection
goldmane gains life for a bigger serra avatar token
chandra burns your opponent for a big burning finish
vengant stalls (or kills) beaters to set up for a boom
tezzeret untaps artifacts for mana (oblisks) and fchs arifacs for big march.
sarkhan vol.... aggro? yah aggro ftw.
follow that so bolas won't hav a +discard and a -big discard bcaus no hand'll b lft to discard.
official rules advisor. it gets me there.
Exactly, that's how the walkers work. Check my model for how I think bolas would have a "build up"
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker :1mana::symu::symu::symb::symr:
Planeswalker - Nicol
+X: Discard X Cards.
-2: Remove target planeswalker from the game, then draw a card.
-7: Remove all non-planeswalker permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
This model wants you to hate out your hand for an insane effect. Kill your opponents walkers, netting you cards....then when you've cleared opposing walkers build up to the final and BAM!! Sweep the board leaving only you and your walkers.
oh come on, double blue? double black maybe. i still feel like they won't go with some +X templating quite yet. who knows tho, with a walker like nicol they could very easily throw something we've never seen on a walker before to represent how out of place he really is. maybe he comes in with 6 loyalty and has only one ability.
-2: Destroy 2 Target Permanents
Elegant, Powerful, and different. I dunno, its just so hard to imagine a nicol bolas planeswalker without something that makes you just go "wow"
That's horrible.
I'm sorry, I'm just being honest. "Discard X Cards" doesn't work right because it's not like a Mill effect where any number less than X will make you lose. The cost of your ability reads "Put X Loyalty Counters on Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker: Discard X Cards". Since the X is part of the cost, the card won't check for how many cards are actually IN your hand at the time, just upon resolution. So declaring 3000 is, apparently, legal. You'd have no hand, but a mighty Loyal planeswalker. In which case you'd have a good amount of turns removing everything else.
If you wanted a Planeswalker-type theme, go with:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 1UUBR
Planeswalker- Nicol
+1: Target Nonland Permanent is a Planeswalker in addition to it's other card types. Put a loyalty counter on that permanent.
-2: Deal 1 Damage to each Planeswalker.
-13: Remove all Nonland, Non-Planeswalker Permanents from the game.
Loyalty: 4
The rules would adjust for it, obviously. You can't declare X since you can't pay X. It's an exception to the rules that applies to planeswalkers X abilities, where the cost is a hybrid between both sides of the colon.
Howsabout something simple, elegant, AND busted? Something along the lines of this:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 2URB
Planeswalker - Nicol
+1: Draw a card.
-2: Deal 3 damage to target creature or player.
-5: Target opponent discards their hand.
Loyalty: 4
Not only does this touch on his tri-coloredness, he's aggressively costed, has 3 relevant abilities, basically the best + ability ever, and rules the endgame. Sure, he doesn't "win the game" like Sarkhan Vol, but he doesn't need to. He's a walking pile of card advantage that is also a tribute to his older card.
I also like that this version of the card discards your opponent's hand the turn after he comes out, just like the original did.
Probably broken, but WHO CARES?
Currently 62/265 cards.
Sure you can- You can declare X to be 0 or infinity, with any number in between. Unlike Chandra, you're adding Counters to the Planeswalkers, and the official rules do not put a maximum on the number of Loyalty Counters a planeswalker may have. You can't pay/remove what isn't there, so an X cost on Chandra is okay because it's taking away counters and has a limit. Adding counters does not have a limit, and the addition of counters for an ability is a cost, NOT an effect.
The only way to make it work is if you make it wordy, such as "+X: Discard X Cards. If you can't discard X cards, remove X Loyalty counters from Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker" (Which would work because the cost puts the counters on, then the effect resolves later)
In any case, I am personally upset by the idea that Nicol Bolas would be made into a "Neo-Walker" as he was on the level of Demi-Godhood (not quite Godhood, but definitely stronger than even the 9 Titan Planeswalkers). Last we heard, Nicol Bolas had gone off to create a new plane on his lonesome. So I have a feeling that any limitation of his powers as per the neo-walker rules (i.e. the Neo-Walkers are not powerful enough to create new planes as per the introduction article regarding them from WotC) would seriously cause a rampage of Nicol Bolas' destructive tendancies!!!
I could see however that Nicol Bolas may be the only being powerful enough to cause the "Flowing Together" for which the Conflux set gets its name.... short of it being caused by an actual deity such as Gaea or Kjeld or something.... But in any case I have never heard of either Gaea or Kjeld having influence outside of their respective planes.
Honestly this makes the most sense for Nicol Bolas' flavor...
3 guesses why this thread started.
Why did nobody read when I pointed this out before? At least someone else knows nitpicky rules and reads this thread.
My guess for Bolas goes along these lines:
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker 2UBR
Planeswalker - Nicol
+1: Each player draws a card, then discards a card.
-3: Search target opponent's library for [two? three?] cards and remove them from the game. That player then shuffles their library.
-X: Search your library for a card with CMC X or less and RFG it. Until end of turn you pay play it without paying it's mana cost. If you do, you lose X life.
Loyalty: 4
The only thing is that I don't think all that would fit on a card.
My Tamanoa decklist (RGW), infuriating my brother since it's so junky!
You would be surprised what all they can fit on a single card....
for example the card: Our Market Research Shows That Players Like Really Long Card Names So We Made this Card to Have the Absolute Longest Card Name Ever Elemental
just demonstrates the long names of cards.... and the card: Total War demonstrates the ability for Wizards to fit an enormous amount of Rules Text on to a single card....
That's an un card. They would only wind the name of a card around on an un card, like wizards of the coast ultimate customer service nighmare is the only other card to recieve such an honour.
A) this was in ice age when they did even smaller text than that.
B) It's reall just normal size font on total war I think.
Card: [card]
Hybrid: :symub: = order doesn't matter
Spoiler: [spoiler]
Deck: [deck]
and they can't do small font on newer cards, why exactly? Just because the newer formating rules say so I suppose? What poppy ****... if they had a card with a lot of rules text, they would most certainly use smaller font.
Clearly MSE uses a bigger font then because in MSE even four symbols squishes the name slightly (as I pointed out before).
I expect to see nicol at UBR or 2UBR, though 1UBR is also possible.