As long as they continue the recent trend of making planeswalkers that don't auto-win if not immediately answered and don't require to be built around in the slightest, I don't care if they give them banding.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When I hit my 3000 post mark, I'm gone for good.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
As long as they continue the recent trend of making planeswalkers that don't auto-win if not immediately answered and don't require to be built around in the slightest, I don't care if they give them banding.
Gideon gets "Band with other PWs."
Wait a sec...
Given the current ruling why not "Gideon bands with other Gideons."
I love it. It's not terribly shocking, custom card creators have been exploring that design space for a decade, but it is really elegant space. Hopefully it opens the door for triggered abilities and not just flat static abilities. I want to see PWs with No Mercy for themselves or Thousand-Year Storm. They'll probably start with really simple things like Anthems or cost reduction etc, but the design space allows for abilities that can be much more evocative of the flavor of walkers. Plus, they can be costed a bit more aggressively because of the much more common ways of dealing with walkers.
Overall, this is a great move that evolves the card type when, as one poster pointed out already, they were becoming too predictable in execution (even if the results are still often powerful).
I like the idea but they really just become super enchantments.
The clear delineation between Enchantments and Plainswalkers is nice.
To be fair, loyalty and loyalty abilities distinguish planeswalkers more from enchantments than, say, artifacts that act like enchantments, for which there is no additional rules baggage to differentiate them.
I would also second mikeyG's excitement about triggered abilities as well. There is design space for planeswalkers that can gain or lose loyalty in ways other than the usual sources.
But but but, doesn't this kinda defeat the point of being a PW as opposed to, say, an Enchantment?
Not really? Particularly if the static abilities are contingent upon having a certain number of loyalty counters (which I hope they don't do, but could be a great way of creating tension, interesting situations for plays, and differentiates these planeswalkers from enchantments).
The complexity and interactivity are completely different. Planeswalkers always have a suite of abilities that provide flexibility, tension, and flavor (this is not true of enchantments). Planeswalkers are also interacted with differently than enchantments given that they can be attacked and damaged. Both of those mean that the same static ability can be on an enchantment and a planeswalker but the two cards will play differently which creates deckbuilding choices. A basic anthem will be different than an Elspeth that has a static anthem ability even if they share the same basic utility. Different decks will choose one or the other, and the same game states play differently depending on which you have out. Static abilities are design space shared by basically all nonland permanent card types and the same basic effect plays differently on each because of how they are interacted with and how each card type plays.
My only concern re: enchantments is what happens when a set needs a utility effect seen in most blocks. What happens when an effect typically seen at rare or lower gets pulled up to mythic to be utilized on a planeswalker instead? It's unlikely a set would have an anthem and the Elspeth I used as an example. Clearly that can be balanced and worked around, but it's still a consideration.
So this is how removal is like now, aside from universal removals:
White - Artifact, enchantment, creature, land
Blue - Bounce, counter, transform, or control
Black - Creatures, PWs, hands.
Red - Artifacts, lands, PWs (via damage)
Green - Non-creatures
Technically, planeswalkers with static abilities have been done.
And even three with a triggered ability.
But as for more distinct static abilities? Only if they serve a greater purpose than simply novelty's sake. I don't picture PWs getting static effects you could just as easily put on artifacts or enchantments like anthems. Loyalty abilities are one of their distinct features, so it makes sense to focus on those. I could however see static effects that affect other planeswalkers, like an Ajani PW with "other planeswalkers you control enter the battlefield with an additional loyalty counter on them" or a Gideon PW with "other planeswalker spells you cast cost 1 less to cast." Same for triggered abilities.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
But as for more distinct static abilities? Only if they serve a greater purpose than simply novelty's sake. I don't picture PWs getting static effects you could just as easily put on artifacts or enchantments like anthems. Loyalty abilities are one of their distinct features, so it makes sense to focus on those. I could however see static effects that affect other planeswalkers, like an Ajani PW with "other planeswalkers you control enter the battlefield with an additional loyalty counter on them" or a Gideon PW with "other planeswalker spells you cast cost 1 less to cast." Same for triggered abilities.
I echo this. If you start putting anthem effects etc on walkers then they just become expensive enchantments. If you give walkers powerful static effects, then the only way to differentiate them is to keep giving them loyalty abilities. But, if you do that, then that essentially gives the walkers 2 ability triggers per turn which is busted. This would cause a balancing problem where either A) you have to make the walkers have a super high CMC relative to the effects (in which case the lower CMC walkers and/or enchantments/artifacts will be played instead) OR B) you make the static effect and the loyalty abilities both bad (in which case the walkers dont get played).
When Elspeth, Returned Champion enters the battelfield she gains 2 loyalty counters.
Creatures You countrol get +2/+2 and have lifelink
0 Exile target creature, it returns to the battelfield at the beginning of the next end step
-3 Exile all creatures with power 4 or greater
-5 All creatures you control gain +2/+2 and flying until end of turn.
(3)
I mean that that may be busted, but you can also lightning strike her in response to the etb trigger.
Basically took elspeth, made her black/white, put the emblem effect on her instead of as an emblem, that way it can be destroyed. I change the emblem from flying to lifelink since that is more on flavor for the mana color, and the fact shes been dead, so if she came back she should have some sort of bw flavor I think. Everything else is based off the suns champion card, but exile instead of destroy, for flavor reasons. (journey through the underworld and coming back.... or not.)
Even if a PW has a static ability (or a triggered ability), it should still interact with loyalty in some way. So, for example, you could get an Elspeth with "As long as Elspeth has 5 or more loyalty counters, creatures you control have indestructible." or a Ral Zarek with "Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost X less, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Ral." in place of the current Ult abilities - meaning that you'd want to balance use of the other abilities with these buff effects. Triggered abilities could work the same, such as a Gideon with "Whenever a creature you control attacks, put a loyalty counter on Gideon." in place of a plus ability, or a Tamiyo with "Whenever you cast a spell, you may remove a loyalty counter from Tamiyo. If you do, draw a card." in lieu of the normal minus (or 0) ability. Essentially, looking at static abilities or triggered abilities that would fill a slot one of the PW's other abilities would otherwise take, and interacting in similar ways to the corresponding abilities, rather than just being things like "Creatures you control get +1/+1". If we had an anthemwalker, I could almost see it being like this:
Ajani, Pride Leader 1WW
Legendary Planeswalker - Ajani (M)
+1: Up to one target creature gains first strike until your next turn.
-1: Create a 1/1 white Cat token with lifelink.
Creatures you control get +X/+X, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Ajani, Pride Leader.
(1)
I doubt the balance is anywhere near what would be expected, but that's the general idea.
I think Ajani would have a lifegain-triggered loyalty ability. Kinda like his Pridemate, but as a planeswalker. I like the idea of PWs with triggered abilities that put loyalty counters on them as a reward for doing something they like. Ajani likes healing, Tibalt likes hurting, Gideon likes leading an army into battle, etc.
"Whenever Gideon attacks, put a loyalty counter on him for each other attacking creature."
"Whenever damage is prevented by a source you control, put a loyalty counter on Teyo."
"Whenever you draw a card, put a loyalty counter on Jace."
"Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a loyalty counter on Narset."
"Whenever a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Liliana."
"Whenever a red source you control deals noncombat damage, put a loyalty counter on Chandra."
"Whenever you cast a red spell, put a loyalty counter on Jaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with first strike, double strike, or haste attacks, put a loyalty counter on Samut."
"At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal any number of Dragon creature cards from your hand, then put a loyalty counter on Sarkhan for each Dragon creature you control and each Dragon card you revealed this way."
"Whenever a source you control deals damage to a permanent or player, put a loyalty counter on Tibalt."
"Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Nissa."
"Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Vivien."
"Whenever you cast a white or blue spell, put a loyalty counter on Dovin."
"Whenever a red or green creature you control attacks, put a loyalty counter on Domri."
"Whenever you gain life, put a loyalty counter on Ajani."
"Whenever a white or black creature you control enters the battlefield or dies, put a loyalty counter on Kaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with lifelink deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Sorin."
"Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a loyalty counter on Ral."
"Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Saheeli."
"Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Vraska."
"Whenever a creature you control deals or is dealt damage, put a loyalty counter on Huatli."
"Whenever a green or blue creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Kiora."
"Whenever a card is returned to your hand from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Tamiyo."
They may not all have triggered loyalty-gaining abilities, but I think it an elegant alternative to +N loyalty activated abilities.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
I think Ajani would have a lifegain-triggered loyalty ability. Kinda like his Pridemate, but as a planeswalker. I like the idea of PWs with triggered abilities that put loyalty counters on them as a reward for doing something they like. Ajani likes healing, Tibalt likes hurting, Gideon likes leading an army into battle, etc.
"Whenever Gideon attacks, put a loyalty counter on him for each other attacking creature."
"Whenever damage is prevented by a source you control, put a loyalty counter on Teyo."
"Whenever you draw a card, put a loyalty counter on Jace."
"Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a loyalty counter on Narset."
"Whenever a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Liliana."
"Whenever a red source you control deals noncombat damage, put a loyalty counter on Chandra."
"Whenever you cast a red spell, put a loyalty counter on Jaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with first strike, double strike, or haste attacks, put a loyalty counter on Samut."
"At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal any number of Dragon creature cards from your hand, then put a loyalty counter on Sarkhan for each Dragon creature you control and each Dragon card you revealed this way."
"Whenever a source you control deals damage to a permanent or player, put a loyalty counter on Tibalt."
"Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Nissa."
"Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Vivien."
"Whenever you cast a white or blue spell, put a loyalty counter on Dovin."
"Whenever a red or green creature you control attacks, put a loyalty counter on Domri."
"Whenever you gain life, put a loyalty counter on Ajani."
"Whenever a white or black creature you control enters the battlefield or dies, put a loyalty counter on Kaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with lifelink deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Sorin."
"Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a loyalty counter on Ral."
"Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Saheeli."
"Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Vraska."
"Whenever a creature you control deals or is dealt damage, put a loyalty counter on Huatli."
"Whenever a green or blue creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Kiora."
"Whenever a card is returned to your hand from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Tamiyo."
They may not all have triggered loyalty-gaining abilities, but I think it an elegant alternative to +N loyalty activated abilities.
This, this is what I've been trying to figure out how to say simply. I agree we are at least going to see some of this.
The other static I imagine we'll see attempted is like BluesEclipse wrote where the effect is dependant on the number of counters, but my guess is there will be no plus ability at all. The planeswalker can either support the team or sacrifice themself for the greater good.
Example:
Jace, Master Strategist
At the beginning of your upkeep scry X, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Jace, Master Strategist.
-1: Draw a card.
-4: Search your library for an instant or sorcery, reveal it, and put it in your hand.
(4)
Being able to plus a planeswalker with an X static ability is straying into the needing to be super careful realm. While they might occur in this set, I would assume the planeswalker would have a high cost to make it harder to abuse.
I think Ajani would have a lifegain-triggered loyalty ability. Kinda like his Pridemate, but as a planeswalker. I like the idea of PWs with triggered abilities that put loyalty counters on them as a reward for doing something they like. Ajani likes healing, Tibalt likes hurting, Gideon likes leading an army into battle, etc.
"Whenever Gideon attacks, put a loyalty counter on him for each other attacking creature."
"Whenever damage is prevented by a source you control, put a loyalty counter on Teyo."
"Whenever you draw a card, put a loyalty counter on Jace."
"Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a loyalty counter on Narset."
"Whenever a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Liliana."
"Whenever a red source you control deals noncombat damage, put a loyalty counter on Chandra."
"Whenever you cast a red spell, put a loyalty counter on Jaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with first strike, double strike, or haste attacks, put a loyalty counter on Samut."
"At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal any number of Dragon creature cards from your hand, then put a loyalty counter on Sarkhan for each Dragon creature you control and each Dragon card you revealed this way."
"Whenever a source you control deals damage to a permanent or player, put a loyalty counter on Tibalt."
"Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Nissa."
"Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Vivien."
"Whenever you cast a white or blue spell, put a loyalty counter on Dovin."
"Whenever a red or green creature you control attacks, put a loyalty counter on Domri."
"Whenever you gain life, put a loyalty counter on Ajani."
"Whenever a white or black creature you control enters the battlefield or dies, put a loyalty counter on Kaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with lifelink deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Sorin."
"Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a loyalty counter on Ral."
"Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Saheeli."
"Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Vraska."
"Whenever a creature you control deals or is dealt damage, put a loyalty counter on Huatli."
"Whenever a green or blue creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Kiora."
"Whenever a card is returned to your hand from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Tamiyo."
They may not all have triggered loyalty-gaining abilities, but I think it an elegant alternative to +N loyalty activated abilities.
This, this is what I've been trying to figure out how to say simply. I agree we are at least going to see some of this.
The other static I imagine we'll see attempted is like BluesEclipse wrote where the effect is dependant on the number of counters, but my guess is there will be no plus ability at all. The planeswalker can either support the team or sacrifice themself for the greater good.
Example:
Jace, Master Strategist
At the beginning of your upkeep scry X, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Jace, Master Strategist.
-1: Draw a card.
-4: Search your library for an instant or sorcery, reveal it, and put it in your hand.
(4)
Being able to plus a planeswalker with an X static ability is straying into the needing to be super careful realm. While they might occur in this set, I would assume the planeswalker would have a high cost to make it harder to abuse.
It can be made super safe by adding a restriction like Tuvasa the Sunlit. She isn't as effective as an Enchantress. -> "Whenever you gain life for the first time of the turn, Ajani gains 1 loyalty counter." Or maybe "At the beginning of each end step, if you gained X or more life this turn, Ajani gains 1 loyalty counter."
We got a Garruk with trigged ability instead of a ultimate (the flip one) and that Garruk was reprinted not long ago.
Don’t think it is impossible and think it would be a good design space for planeswalkers. Also it would probably help doing functional but not reprints of enchantments on the reserved list (cause they would be planeswalkers and thus more vulnerable and easy to interact )
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
It’s a matter of “when”.
Gideon buffing an army?
Moved to Speculation - Wildfire393
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Anthem Gideon, Thought Reflection Tamiyo, Torpor Orb Dovin... there are many possibilities.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Very much like an enchantment that could be removed even by mono red. Especially red.
That might boost red’s position in color pie further. I approve.
Will PWs have flavor text too?
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Gideon gets "Band with other PWs."
Wait a sec...
Given the current ruling why not "Gideon bands with other Gideons."
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Overall, this is a great move that evolves the card type when, as one poster pointed out already, they were becoming too predictable in execution (even if the results are still often powerful).
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
The clear delineation between Enchantments and Plainswalkers is nice.
To be fair, loyalty and loyalty abilities distinguish planeswalkers more from enchantments than, say, artifacts that act like enchantments, for which there is no additional rules baggage to differentiate them.
I would also second mikeyG's excitement about triggered abilities as well. There is design space for planeswalkers that can gain or lose loyalty in ways other than the usual sources.
Not really? Particularly if the static abilities are contingent upon having a certain number of loyalty counters (which I hope they don't do, but could be a great way of creating tension, interesting situations for plays, and differentiates these planeswalkers from enchantments).
The complexity and interactivity are completely different. Planeswalkers always have a suite of abilities that provide flexibility, tension, and flavor (this is not true of enchantments). Planeswalkers are also interacted with differently than enchantments given that they can be attacked and damaged. Both of those mean that the same static ability can be on an enchantment and a planeswalker but the two cards will play differently which creates deckbuilding choices. A basic anthem will be different than an Elspeth that has a static anthem ability even if they share the same basic utility. Different decks will choose one or the other, and the same game states play differently depending on which you have out. Static abilities are design space shared by basically all nonland permanent card types and the same basic effect plays differently on each because of how they are interacted with and how each card type plays.
My only concern re: enchantments is what happens when a set needs a utility effect seen in most blocks. What happens when an effect typically seen at rare or lower gets pulled up to mythic to be utilized on a planeswalker instead? It's unlikely a set would have an anthem and the Elspeth I used as an example. Clearly that can be balanced and worked around, but it's still a consideration.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
White - Artifact, enchantment, creature, land
Blue - Bounce, counter, transform, or control
Black - Creatures, PWs, hands.
Red - Artifacts, lands, PWs (via damage)
Green - Non-creatures
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Absolutely, she was exactly who I had in mind when I said that. It's a nifty pseudo-protection and completely in flavor for her.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
And even three with a triggered ability.
But as for more distinct static abilities? Only if they serve a greater purpose than simply novelty's sake. I don't picture PWs getting static effects you could just as easily put on artifacts or enchantments like anthems. Loyalty abilities are one of their distinct features, so it makes sense to focus on those. I could however see static effects that affect other planeswalkers, like an Ajani PW with "other planeswalkers you control enter the battlefield with an additional loyalty counter on them" or a Gideon PW with "other planeswalker spells you cast cost 1 less to cast." Same for triggered abilities.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
I echo this. If you start putting anthem effects etc on walkers then they just become expensive enchantments. If you give walkers powerful static effects, then the only way to differentiate them is to keep giving them loyalty abilities. But, if you do that, then that essentially gives the walkers 2 ability triggers per turn which is busted. This would cause a balancing problem where either A) you have to make the walkers have a super high CMC relative to the effects (in which case the lower CMC walkers and/or enchantments/artifacts will be played instead) OR B) you make the static effect and the loyalty abilities both bad (in which case the walkers dont get played).
I just dont see it.
Here :
Elspeth, Returned Champion. 3BW
When Elspeth, Returned Champion enters the battelfield she gains 2 loyalty counters.
Creatures You countrol get +2/+2 and have lifelink
0 Exile target creature, it returns to the battelfield at the beginning of the next end step
-3 Exile all creatures with power 4 or greater
-5 All creatures you control gain +2/+2 and flying until end of turn.
(3)
I mean that that may be busted, but you can also lightning strike her in response to the etb trigger.
Basically took elspeth, made her black/white, put the emblem effect on her instead of as an emblem, that way it can be destroyed. I change the emblem from flying to lifelink since that is more on flavor for the mana color, and the fact shes been dead, so if she came back she should have some sort of bw flavor I think. Everything else is based off the suns champion card, but exile instead of destroy, for flavor reasons. (journey through the underworld and coming back.... or not.)
Ajani, Pride Leader 1WW
Legendary Planeswalker - Ajani (M)
+1: Up to one target creature gains first strike until your next turn.
-1: Create a 1/1 white Cat token with lifelink.
Creatures you control get +X/+X, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Ajani, Pride Leader.
(1)
I doubt the balance is anywhere near what would be expected, but that's the general idea.
"Whenever damage is prevented by a source you control, put a loyalty counter on Teyo."
"Whenever you draw a card, put a loyalty counter on Jace."
"Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a loyalty counter on Narset."
"Whenever a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Liliana."
"Whenever a red source you control deals noncombat damage, put a loyalty counter on Chandra."
"Whenever you cast a red spell, put a loyalty counter on Jaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with first strike, double strike, or haste attacks, put a loyalty counter on Samut."
"At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal any number of Dragon creature cards from your hand, then put a loyalty counter on Sarkhan for each Dragon creature you control and each Dragon card you revealed this way."
"Whenever a source you control deals damage to a permanent or player, put a loyalty counter on Tibalt."
"Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Nissa."
"Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Vivien."
"Whenever you cast a white or blue spell, put a loyalty counter on Dovin."
"Whenever a red or green creature you control attacks, put a loyalty counter on Domri."
"Whenever you gain life, put a loyalty counter on Ajani."
"Whenever a white or black creature you control enters the battlefield or dies, put a loyalty counter on Kaya."
"Whenever a creature you control with lifelink deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Sorin."
"Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a loyalty counter on Ral."
"Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Saheeli."
"Whenever a creature you control with deathtouch deals damage, put a loyalty counter on Vraska."
"Whenever a creature you control deals or is dealt damage, put a loyalty counter on Huatli."
"Whenever a green or blue creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a loyalty counter on Kiora."
"Whenever a card is returned to your hand from anywhere, put a loyalty counter on Tamiyo."
They may not all have triggered loyalty-gaining abilities, but I think it an elegant alternative to +N loyalty activated abilities.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
This, this is what I've been trying to figure out how to say simply. I agree we are at least going to see some of this.
The other static I imagine we'll see attempted is like BluesEclipse wrote where the effect is dependant on the number of counters, but my guess is there will be no plus ability at all. The planeswalker can either support the team or sacrifice themself for the greater good.
Example:
Jace, Master Strategist
At the beginning of your upkeep scry X, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Jace, Master Strategist.
-1: Draw a card.
-4: Search your library for an instant or sorcery, reveal it, and put it in your hand.
(4)
Being able to plus a planeswalker with an X static ability is straying into the needing to be super careful realm. While they might occur in this set, I would assume the planeswalker would have a high cost to make it harder to abuse.
It can be made super safe by adding a restriction like Tuvasa the Sunlit. She isn't as effective as an Enchantress. -> "Whenever you gain life for the first time of the turn, Ajani gains 1 loyalty counter." Or maybe "At the beginning of each end step, if you gained X or more life this turn, Ajani gains 1 loyalty counter."
Don’t think it is impossible and think it would be a good design space for planeswalkers. Also it would probably help doing functional but not reprints of enchantments on the reserved list (cause they would be planeswalkers and thus more vulnerable and easy to interact )