Not sure I agree with you there. Since it was meant as a joke and never going to see the light of day, anything they do would be a surprise at this point. Second, contraptions are things put together usually poorly that have some function but barely. Contraption is a negative connotation even though sometimes it's associated with an invention. There's the good invention and then there's the contraption that is shoddily made. So I thought about this and said why not make something that does serve a purpose but falls apart afterward. That's why the token exists and sacks to perform something that gets the job done. Whether it's adding energy for something else or reducing the cost of some colorless thing (I was going to say make an artifact cost one less or ability of an artifact cost one less, but it's functionally the same and doesn't force you into the corner necessarily of only playing this with artifact heavy decks).
I think its been stated in other threads about Contraptions, but it bears repeating. Contraptions should just be a token artifact that does nothing and Riggers should give artifacts abilities thus giving Contraptions abilities. For similar reference the splicers from New Phyrexia.
As for the argument about 'The creature has to make the contraption' design is gonna have to bite the bullet flavor/mechanic wise and give it similar treatmeant to Exploit. Creature can't physical can't make Contraptions any more than they can sacrifice themselves or other creatures for Exploit. As long as it written '{Cardname} assembles a Contraption.' and is a Rigger then Steamflogger Boss can be reprinted without problem.
yeah I saw it as a minor point honestly.
And sure it would be great to have an artifact token that needed assembling in order to be useful. But rather than go that route, I've made assemble into a keyword like investigate that is the act of creating an artifact token for some use. If we want to speculate about a contraption that is assembled or disassembled and make contraptions useless without riggers, fine, but IMO I don't want an artifact just sitting there doing nothing if my creature gets killed. I don't want to keep track of that. And I don't want each rigger to create a different contraption. The artifacts that exist are the finished products to me. The vehicles and equipment and fortifications etc. Those are the things that the riggers really want to build. But they use makeshift things when they have to to get the job done.
If the contraption itself is underwhelming then suggest another contraption that's cool. I went through various ideas. Including "search your deck for an equipment, vehicle, or fortification and put it on top of your deck after shuffling." and "Reveal the top card of your deck and put it into your hand if it's an equipment, vehicle or fortification"
Darth Vedik: We know it'll never be a thing. Neither will any of our card designs ever. But we still have fun speculating and creating stuff.
We had investigate which generated clues, so I decided let's go back to assembling a contraption. Instead of you investigating though, it's your creatures which assemble the contraptions (and they are usually made with artifacts.
Mechanic: Assemble a contraption
Text: Assemble a contraption (Create a colorless artifact contraption token with, "t, Sacrifice this artifact: Add 1 or gain one energy counter.")
preferably with colorless mana as a symbol and energy counter as another symbol
Yeah real time mafia is hard. I played a game once where I was a little girl and could spy on the mafia. I correctly got one person lynched and then the mafia killed me AND the witch doctor (town) killed me. It was stupid.
About time for a new clan thread. I mean....I've been pushing for it for a while since I never stop by anymore. swishh has agreed to host the next thread though so that makes me happy!
Chase, love, I've just been lingering once in a while. No one said much in here and no one asked to be added to the front page so I just didn't have anything to say. But school is over now and for at least a month I don't have any classes. And I really do enjoy theros block a lot.
Dr. Worm: I'm definitely a Johnny Timmy kinda player. I like to combo out but I don't play necessarily to win; I want to just enjoy the game itself. There are a lot of cards in this block that get my creative juices flowing, especially for modern.
muzy: There were some plants from M14 of course. Ajani's Chosen, Blightcaster, Oath of the Ancient Wood, Awake the Ancient, Corrupt, Howl of the Night Pack, Nightmare, Quag Sickness, The Staff cycle, and to a lesser extent Liliana of the Dark Realms for the heavier idea of mono color, celestial flare to deal with indestructible creatures, flames of the firebrand as a removal spell that could theoretically target your own creature with heroic, vile rebirth to fight some dredge strategies. (to a much lesser extent)
Nykthos is probably the card with the most potential just because it lets you go big in any color whatsoever so long as you play permanents. Right now I'm thinking about how many creatures in White are WW and how many useful enchantments in blue are UU (like opportunity, and annex, volition reins, and confiscate and the like)
I am enjoying deckstorming with all the theros cards. Heroic seems like it will be very good if people will commit to building around it. I like the slower pace and I LOVE the fact that it's not rampantly multi/three colored. I'm tired of multicolor. I want it to be special again.
As huge a fan of Harkness I am sad to say I've never seen any of torchwood. It just wasn't who enough for me. (Not past the first episode so I guess "never" isn't completely accurate") I have to go back and give it a shot.
Maybe my fellow Gaymers can help me out in another matter that's been on my mind. This one a little more lighthearted. In honor of Magic's first explicity (albeit subtle) gay card - Guardians of Meletis - I wanted to do a card alter. I was thinking of putting some iconic gay couple type image to replace the ordinary card art. Like Apollo and Midnighter or some such.
Anyone have any great brainstorms they want to share? Anything you think would look great? Or send a great message? Or get a good laugh?
Make it Jund-colored? That would actually have the best mechanicals and flavor.
Momentary Neurosis1B
Instant (u)
Exile all cards in target player's hand. At the beginning of the next end step, return those cards tot hat player's hand, then he or she discards a card.
How annoying would this be on an isochron scepter. It would start at the draw step and get rid of a card each turn. Definitely not Ignorant Bliss. Probably too strong? One note I'd exile the cards face down. Do it at the end of their turn and they never have cards during your turn. Then they discard a card. I think maybe there's too much power here at instant speed.
Next:
Frighthawk 3BB
Enchantment Creature - Nightmare Bird
Bestow 5BB
Intimidate, Deathtouch, Lifelink
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has Intimidate, Deathtouch, and Lifelink
3/3
This card is cute, and I can see how it would lead to some tricky game scenario when it's relevant. But it's so narrow it might as well give you a game win for pulling it off.
Speaking of alternate win conditions.
Slaughterhouse Rules :3mana::symr:
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of the end step, if 20 or more damage was dealt to any number of creatures and/or players this turn, you win the game.
A very likely scenario with multiple boros reckoners on the field. PRobably the right cost too, but let's see *think* 2 boros reckoner + this + Anger of the gods.
Swing for 6. 3 damage to each reckoner. 6 more damage to the opponent. so that's 18 eh. One more creature on the field wins the game. Anger of the gods with 7 creatures on board wins the game. Maybe could cost more with that in mind.
Next:
Boon Naiad - 2GG
Enchantment Creature - Nymph
Bestow 4GG
Boon Naiad and enchanted creature get +2/+2 for each aura attached to it.
2/2
I don't know if that works and if any card has referred to "phyrexian mana" but I like the concept a lot. I'd also make it cost 9 with 7 and two
Overlycomplicatedsupernarrowenchantment - 1U
Enchantment Creature - Incarnation
Bestow 1U
Enchanted creature gets +0/+3 2UU: Target aura permanent with bestow becomes a creature. If the creature it enchanted had bestow it becomes an aura. Attach that aura to that creature.
0/3
Okay, sorry. I think you hit the cost right on the head here, but if you're really worried, the card would probably be fine once its toughness was knocked down to 5.
I'm not completely sure though, but I'm pretty sure.
Next, my first ever planeswalker! (yes I know this card is from this thread but I couldn't pass up the chance to maybe improve him, make him more unique, more original, more me, more awesome? PLEASE POUR ON THE CRITICISM I CAN TAKE IT)
Bly Dden-Rael2:symwu::symgw:
Planeswalker - Bly +1: Choose one — Put a 2/2 white and green Wolf creature token onto the battlefield; or put a 1/1 white and blue Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield. 0: Tap or untap up to two target nonland permanents. -5: Put five 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. 3
I dunno why that person said this card wasn't good it's nigh on broken. +1 and you get a 2/2 or a 1/1 flying is already great. Planeswalkers who protect themselves are good and ones that do it while using a + ability are even better. The 0 ability is boring, but honestly it could be useful to force attacks through even though it's not super exciting. And the last one is sick. The last ability is after three turns you get 20 power of flying damage = whutt. That's a really really good ability. Having said that it's not exactly unique or original compared to Sarkhan Vol since he is a 4 mana 4 loyalty -6 get 5 4/4 flying as well. (comes down the same turn, and pops off the same turn)
Regarding Scae the heartland queen. For the first ability you might consider making it Up to one target creature. Because otherwise you can't activate her ability unless there's a creature on the battlefield and it's not very planeswalkery to me. The last ability is interesting and I'd cost it similarly to Tamiyo's ultimate. The haste feels weird on it. And you might want the modifier "to the graveyard from anywhere" to make it more clear.
Next:
Orobis's Hoodwink - 1U
Instant
Exile target artifact or enchantment. At the beginning of the next end step return that card to the battlefield under its owners control unless it is an aura.
Originally it just returned to the battlefield regardless of type, but I couldn't figure out how to word it to let an aura come back attached to a permanent/player. So it's a flicker effect for enchantments/artifacts but exiles auras permanently. And the reason I worded it like this is so that you can't just exile a bestowed creature forever (it falls off and becomes a creature)
Well, you can either use that old school wording, or you can also make it "at EOT, if a nontoken creature has enters field under your control this turn, draw a card". Either way, I'm concerned that this sort of effect on a 3/3 3cc body is a bit too strong. No need to cost too much as this guy is weaker than Primordial Sage, but 3/3 for 4 should be the minimum. or 1/1 for 3, since this is a bit of Cylian Elf, which is still risky.
Next
Acquaintance of Nyx2WW
Enchantment Creature - Archon (R)
Flying
Spells you cast that target enchantments you control cost 2 less to cast. Though not bound by honor to the gods, he helps relay their blessings to their subjects.
3/3
Cheapens Bestows if you use it on your enchantment creatures, for starters. Is 2 discount too much?
Also I wanted to comment on this: Honestly I wish it said "Spells you cast that target enchantments cost 1W less to cast." so it could make things like disenchant free but also reduce your bestow cost considerably. It would favor white by reducing it by 2 and everything else by 1. (Assuming you bestow onto your own enchantment creatures)
15 mana for a 20 toughness creature. Haste and defender makes me laugh but I'm ok with it. The discard a legendary giant is so bizarre I'd just prefer not to see it regardless of flavor. 10 damage to a creature, 5 damage to a player, or 2 damage to each other creature is a suite of abilities that makes him worth the 15 mana. You obviously want to play this with tooth and nail and Stuffy Doll or something right?
I guess it's ok at that mana. I doubt I'd play him in EDH unless I had a really good colorless general maybe? I like when Giants have reach as well so in all a pretty decent card.
Next:
"Molotov Cockroach" - 3RG
Creature - Insect Elemental
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Molotov Cockroach it gets +X/+0 until end of turn where X is its power.
2/6
i think the ability on this is potentially degenerate so I had a hard time figuring out the cost and p/t ratio. I had it at 0 power at one point, but even a 0/3 for 3 is just an invigorate/pump spell and berserk away from winning turn 3.
Skullbind Wizard - 1B
Creature - Nightmare Wizard t: Choose target creature then reveal the top card of your library. That creature gets -X/-X until end of turn and you lose X life where X is the revealed card's converted manacost.
2/1
yeah I saw it as a minor point honestly.
And sure it would be great to have an artifact token that needed assembling in order to be useful. But rather than go that route, I've made assemble into a keyword like investigate that is the act of creating an artifact token for some use. If we want to speculate about a contraption that is assembled or disassembled and make contraptions useless without riggers, fine, but IMO I don't want an artifact just sitting there doing nothing if my creature gets killed. I don't want to keep track of that. And I don't want each rigger to create a different contraption. The artifacts that exist are the finished products to me. The vehicles and equipment and fortifications etc. Those are the things that the riggers really want to build. But they use makeshift things when they have to to get the job done.
If the contraption itself is underwhelming then suggest another contraption that's cool. I went through various ideas. Including "search your deck for an equipment, vehicle, or fortification and put it on top of your deck after shuffling." and "Reveal the top card of your deck and put it into your hand if it's an equipment, vehicle or fortification"
Darth Vedik: We know it'll never be a thing. Neither will any of our card designs ever. But we still have fun speculating and creating stuff.
Mechanic: Assemble a contraption
Text: Assemble a contraption (Create a colorless artifact contraption token with, "t, Sacrifice this artifact: Add 1 or gain one energy counter.")
preferably with colorless mana as a symbol and energy counter as another symbol
About time for a new clan thread. I mean....I've been pushing for it for a while since I never stop by anymore. swishh has agreed to host the next thread though so that makes me happy!
Dr. Worm: I'm definitely a Johnny Timmy kinda player. I like to combo out but I don't play necessarily to win; I want to just enjoy the game itself. There are a lot of cards in this block that get my creative juices flowing, especially for modern.
muzy: There were some plants from M14 of course. Ajani's Chosen, Blightcaster, Oath of the Ancient Wood, Awake the Ancient, Corrupt, Howl of the Night Pack, Nightmare, Quag Sickness, The Staff cycle, and to a lesser extent Liliana of the Dark Realms for the heavier idea of mono color, celestial flare to deal with indestructible creatures, flames of the firebrand as a removal spell that could theoretically target your own creature with heroic, vile rebirth to fight some dredge strategies. (to a much lesser extent)
Nykthos is probably the card with the most potential just because it lets you go big in any color whatsoever so long as you play permanents. Right now I'm thinking about how many creatures in White are WW and how many useful enchantments in blue are UU (like opportunity, and annex, volition reins, and confiscate and the like)
I am enjoying deckstorming with all the theros cards. Heroic seems like it will be very good if people will commit to building around it. I like the slower pace and I LOVE the fact that it's not rampantly multi/three colored. I'm tired of multicolor. I want it to be special again.
I suggest Portia and Ellen
How annoying would this be on an isochron scepter. It would start at the draw step and get rid of a card each turn. Definitely not Ignorant Bliss. Probably too strong? One note I'd exile the cards face down. Do it at the end of their turn and they never have cards during your turn. Then they discard a card. I think maybe there's too much power here at instant speed.
Next:
Frighthawk 3BB
Enchantment Creature - Nightmare Bird
Bestow 5BB
Intimidate, Deathtouch, Lifelink
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has Intimidate, Deathtouch, and Lifelink
3/3
A very likely scenario with multiple boros reckoners on the field. PRobably the right cost too, but let's see *think* 2 boros reckoner + this + Anger of the gods.
Swing for 6. 3 damage to each reckoner. 6 more damage to the opponent. so that's 18 eh. One more creature on the field wins the game. Anger of the gods with 7 creatures on board wins the game. Maybe could cost more with that in mind.
Next:
Boon Naiad - 2GG
Enchantment Creature - Nymph
Bestow 4GG
Boon Naiad and enchanted creature get +2/+2 for each aura attached to it.
2/2
Overlycomplicatedsupernarrowenchantment - 1U
Enchantment Creature - Incarnation
Bestow 1U
Enchanted creature gets +0/+3
2UU: Target aura permanent with bestow becomes a creature. If the creature it enchanted had bestow it becomes an aura. Attach that aura to that creature.
0/3
I dunno why that person said this card wasn't good it's nigh on broken. +1 and you get a 2/2 or a 1/1 flying is already great. Planeswalkers who protect themselves are good and ones that do it while using a + ability are even better. The 0 ability is boring, but honestly it could be useful to force attacks through even though it's not super exciting. And the last one is sick. The last ability is after three turns you get 20 power of flying damage = whutt. That's a really really good ability. Having said that it's not exactly unique or original compared to Sarkhan Vol since he is a 4 mana 4 loyalty -6 get 5 4/4 flying as well. (comes down the same turn, and pops off the same turn)
Regarding Scae the heartland queen. For the first ability you might consider making it Up to one target creature. Because otherwise you can't activate her ability unless there's a creature on the battlefield and it's not very planeswalkery to me. The last ability is interesting and I'd cost it similarly to Tamiyo's ultimate. The haste feels weird on it. And you might want the modifier "to the graveyard from anywhere" to make it more clear.
Next:
Orobis's Hoodwink - 1U
Instant
Exile target artifact or enchantment. At the beginning of the next end step return that card to the battlefield under its owners control unless it is an aura.
Originally it just returned to the battlefield regardless of type, but I couldn't figure out how to word it to let an aura come back attached to a permanent/player. So it's a flicker effect for enchantments/artifacts but exiles auras permanently. And the reason I worded it like this is so that you can't just exile a bestowed creature forever (it falls off and becomes a creature)
Also I wanted to comment on this: Honestly I wish it said "Spells you cast that target enchantments cost 1W less to cast." so it could make things like disenchant free but also reduce your bestow cost considerably. It would favor white by reducing it by 2 and everything else by 1. (Assuming you bestow onto your own enchantment creatures)
15 mana for a 20 toughness creature. Haste and defender makes me laugh but I'm ok with it. The discard a legendary giant is so bizarre I'd just prefer not to see it regardless of flavor. 10 damage to a creature, 5 damage to a player, or 2 damage to each other creature is a suite of abilities that makes him worth the 15 mana. You obviously want to play this with tooth and nail and Stuffy Doll or something right?
I guess it's ok at that mana. I doubt I'd play him in EDH unless I had a really good colorless general maybe? I like when Giants have reach as well so in all a pretty decent card.
Next:
"Molotov Cockroach" - 3RG
Creature - Insect Elemental
Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Molotov Cockroach it gets +X/+0 until end of turn where X is its power.
2/6
i think the ability on this is potentially degenerate so I had a hard time figuring out the cost and p/t ratio. I had it at 0 power at one point, but even a 0/3 for 3 is just an invigorate/pump spell and berserk away from winning turn 3.
Yup you should! I promise no shenanigays!
Yeah I hope he's at the OKC grand prix and is nice. And...I hope Brian Kibler is there and that I don't make a fool of myself ogling him >_>
Creature - Nightmare Wizard
t: Choose target creature then reveal the top card of your library. That creature gets -X/-X until end of turn and you lose X life where X is the revealed card's converted manacost.
2/1
Next:
Spiritomb
Sableye
Dragonite