I am looking at starting an after school program next year in which kids and even adults of all ages can participate in playing Magic The Gathering. The attempt here is to create something balanced, fun and easy to pick up. I will explain all the rules below.
RULES:
Format: Paper Casual Pauper Sub-Format: Vanilla creatures and the worst versions of the best cards. Other: No sideboards, so every deck must be self sufficient.
Pretty straight forward rules. Now if you aren't familiar with what Vanilla means or what I mean by the worst of the best cards I will also explain that.
Vanilla Creature: A creature with zero abilities IE: Flying, tapping, ect. So in other words a Hurloon Minotaur. Worst version of the best cards: We all know exactly how good Unmake and Journey to Nowhere are but instead of those we will be restricted to something like Pacifism. Another example would be rather then using Lightning Bolt we are restricted to the use of Seal of Fire.
Below is a deck that gives you an idea of what I am going for, obviously this deck has no low cost creatures, and even in a Vanilla deck that is important. It is only for reference to show the level of power I want each deck to have.
I need decks for each color, and I am not opposed to having some multi-color decks out there as long as they stay within the confines of deck power levels. I know we can create some aggro Vanilla decks via basic goblins, power house decks via beasts and the like and many more. I encourage everyone to submit ideas because I need several different decks for this program.
I am also open to suggestions to better this idea as this format is still up in development so chime in and let me know what you think.
Should enchantments, instants, sorcery's and artifacts grant abilities? All the creatures will be even for the most part, but will doing this effect balance? Since we are playing Vanilla perhaps permanent enchantments may be too powerful since the lack of removal may be an issue.
Should abilities only be granted until end of turn via an instant such as Brute Force?
I like the idea! Sounds like a really fun program that will also help kids learn the game, use critical thinking skills and even to socialize and learn to show good sportsmanship.
One thing I don't really agree with is keeping only vanilla creatures. I understand where you're coming from. You don't want a Blue deck filled with flyers, but the White deck can't block them so it's practically an auto loss. Maybe you could maybe use 1-2 of a card that has one ability that is usually associated with the color. That way they'll sorta learn the color pie and at the same time it will help them learn threat assessment as they play. Like a Blue deck could have Storm Crow so the Red deck knows to save a Searing Spear for it and not use all it's burn right out the gate.
Should enchantments, instants, sorcery's and artifacts grant abilities? All the creatures will be even for the most part, but will doing this effect balance? Since we are playing Vanilla perhaps permanent enchantments may be too powerful since the lack of removal may be an issue.
Should abilities only be granted until end of turn via an instant such as Brute Force?
I think you should stick to instants and sorceries if you want to use cards to grant abilities. Enchantments would be pretty strong and so would Artifacts.
I think showcasing each colors strengths would be a benefit, the red deck could feature haste and have your typical Raging Goblin as a one drop.
I just didn't want exactly what you said, blue to dominate because green can't deal with flight and all the other bad matchups.
In terms of keeping abilities only instant and sorcery based, what if the enchantment and artifact grant your Vanilla creatures your decks themed abilities such as flight or haste? I don't think I want white to be able to have vigilance, first strike, and lifegain.
In terms of keeping abilities only instant and sorcery based, what if the enchantment and artifact grant your Vanilla creatures your decks themed abilities such as flight or haste? I don't think I want white to be able to have vigilance, first strike, and lifegain.
Something like Cobbled Wings would be good if you do want to include Artifacts. Gives a simple ability and still teaches artifacts and equipment. Cobbled Wings is probably a bad example though since putting that on a stronger creature would be a bit broken in this meta.
The White deck doesn't have to have all the abilities. I only meant to use one to showcase in each deck. Thraben Valiant is a good choice because it has Vigilance, but at the same time, it has the lowest toughness so if they do block with it, it will die.
Are you necessarily looking for the worst versions of certain cards, or would anything that is strictly worse than something else be suitable? If this is for newer players, I would recommend 'bad' deckbuilding practices. Don't include 4 of each of your 'best' (worst?) cards. Have a couple 4-ofs, but include some more interesting or powerful 1-ofs. It'll help the players begin to understand deckbuilding better, while getting them excited to play that really awesome card and, if you include a range of cards, (in terms of their power) they'll learn to differentiate good cards from bad and become better at Magic.
I suppose the primary goal may be to infact give out starter decks, such as you would buy from the store, but obviously Pauper only. So perhaps I could change the format to include everything but just not be all that great.
I'm not sure really, the main goal was to make decks as even as possible and without over-powered cards in them since this is mostly for young kids.
I would draw the line at decks like what I have in my signature, I'm not saying they can't feature some of the spell cards or even an ability like we talked about above, but I don't want complex strategy decks like Brainstorm at the end of the opponents turn so you can flip a Delver of Secrets and set this or that up. Simplistic is my main objective.
Maybe I could feature a simple Haste Goblin deck, nothing to speedy in terms of casting cost though. Something similar with flight for blue.
Wow, I completely missed this thread for some reason. It's very interesting!
If I may, I find that Magic, at the very core of what it is, is naturally balanced. Take any decks from a core set and remove the bombs, and you'll end up with decks that can't beat each other.
Creatures and spells of each colour are made to counter the strategies of their opposing colours. Green can't block flying creatures, that's true. But it has beefier creatures, which, when played right, balance out by having a better end-game.
With a balance of burn spells and faster (but weaker) creatures, Red can play a tempo game, and not have to bother with evasion.
With it's good defense and combat-oriented spells, White tries to come out on top through the combat step.
Blue has the weakest creatures, but they are evasive and backed up with bounce spells, simple counters and card draw. It wins through the inevitability of drawing more cards and disguising its next move with instant spells.
Black has creatures that can sometimes be stronger than average, but sport drawbacks for their power (ie Foul Imp or Serpent Warrior). Where it makes up in power is it's ability to destroy creatures outright with spells, or weaken them.
In this kind of metagame, I see Black being overpowered. Of course, it depends on the cards you decide to put into the deck. I really like the idea of having lots of 1-ofs and 2-ofs, as it makes the games less repetitive, and allows you to explore more of each colour. This is about discovery, after all. So as you might have noticed, I don't agree with the "vanilla" idea. Let the colours do what they're good at. It all evens out in the end. As for enchantments and artifacts, I agree with what you wrote. Nothing permanent. Choose wisely what you'll put in there, as they can make or break a deck. I do think it's important for the new players to experience all permanent types, though (expect Planeswalker, Snow and Tribal).
The idea is still on the drawing board for now. I still trying to develop fair decks. The actual program won't start until this year so I still have time to make at-least two decks of each color.
The idea is still on the drawing board for now. I still trying to develop fair decks. The actual program won't start until this year so I still have time to make at-least two decks of each color.
Any prototype decklists to show or is it still too early for that?
RULES:
Format: Paper Casual Pauper
Sub-Format: Vanilla creatures and the worst versions of the best cards.
Other: No sideboards, so every deck must be self sufficient.
Pretty straight forward rules. Now if you aren't familiar with what Vanilla means or what I mean by the worst of the best cards I will also explain that.
Vanilla Creature: A creature with zero abilities IE: Flying, tapping, ect. So in other words a Hurloon Minotaur.
Worst version of the best cards: We all know exactly how good Unmake and Journey to Nowhere are but instead of those we will be restricted to something like Pacifism. Another example would be rather then using Lightning Bolt we are restricted to the use of Seal of Fire.
Below is a deck that gives you an idea of what I am going for, obviously this deck has no low cost creatures, and even in a Vanilla deck that is important. It is only for reference to show the level of power I want each deck to have.
I need decks for each color, and I am not opposed to having some multi-color decks out there as long as they stay within the confines of deck power levels. I know we can create some aggro Vanilla decks via basic goblins, power house decks via beasts and the like and many more. I encourage everyone to submit ideas because I need several different decks for this program.
I am also open to suggestions to better this idea as this format is still up in development so chime in and let me know what you think.
4 Axegrinder Giant
4 Borderland Minotaur
4 Canyon Minotaur
4 Hurloon Minotaur
4 Minotaur Warrior
3 About Face
4 Ember Shot
Sorcery's 12
4 Acceptable Losses
4 Burning Fields
4 Demolish
21 Mountain
THINGS I AM ON THE FENCE ABOUT:
Should enchantments, instants, sorcery's and artifacts grant abilities? All the creatures will be even for the most part, but will doing this effect balance? Since we are playing Vanilla perhaps permanent enchantments may be too powerful since the lack of removal may be an issue.
Should abilities only be granted until end of turn via an instant such as Brute Force?
W White Weenie
One thing I don't really agree with is keeping only vanilla creatures. I understand where you're coming from. You don't want a Blue deck filled with flyers, but the White deck can't block them so it's practically an auto loss. Maybe you could maybe use 1-2 of a card that has one ability that is usually associated with the color. That way they'll sorta learn the color pie and at the same time it will help them learn threat assessment as they play. Like a Blue deck could have Storm Crow so the Red deck knows to save a Searing Spear for it and not use all it's burn right out the gate.
The abilities creatures could be:
Moonglove Winnower
Talruum Minotaur
War Mammoth
Thraben Valiant
Storm Crow
I believe all those represent what I mean. None of them are too strong and can be handled, but also show off their colors.
I think you should stick to instants and sorceries if you want to use cards to grant abilities. Enchantments would be pretty strong and so would Artifacts.
I just didn't want exactly what you said, blue to dominate because green can't deal with flight and all the other bad matchups.
In terms of keeping abilities only instant and sorcery based, what if the enchantment and artifact grant your Vanilla creatures your decks themed abilities such as flight or haste? I don't think I want white to be able to have vigilance, first strike, and lifegain.
W White Weenie
Something like Cobbled Wings would be good if you do want to include Artifacts. Gives a simple ability and still teaches artifacts and equipment. Cobbled Wings is probably a bad example though since putting that on a stronger creature would be a bit broken in this meta.
The White deck doesn't have to have all the abilities. I only meant to use one to showcase in each deck. Thraben Valiant is a good choice because it has Vigilance, but at the same time, it has the lowest toughness so if they do block with it, it will die.
Maybe a White deck would be:
22 Plains
Creatures
4 Thraben Valiant
4 Alaborn Trooper
4 Devoted Hero
4 Glory Seeker
4 Trokin High Guard
3 Fortify
3 Safe Passage
4 Divine Verdict
Sorceries
3 Captain's Call
2 Iona's Judgment
3 Terashi's Cry
W White Weenie
I'm not sure really, the main goal was to make decks as even as possible and without over-powered cards in them since this is mostly for young kids.
I would draw the line at decks like what I have in my signature, I'm not saying they can't feature some of the spell cards or even an ability like we talked about above, but I don't want complex strategy decks like Brainstorm at the end of the opponents turn so you can flip a Delver of Secrets and set this or that up. Simplistic is my main objective.
Maybe I could feature a simple Haste Goblin deck, nothing to speedy in terms of casting cost though. Something similar with flight for blue.
W White Weenie
If I may, I find that Magic, at the very core of what it is, is naturally balanced. Take any decks from a core set and remove the bombs, and you'll end up with decks that can't beat each other.
Creatures and spells of each colour are made to counter the strategies of their opposing colours. Green can't block flying creatures, that's true. But it has beefier creatures, which, when played right, balance out by having a better end-game.
With a balance of burn spells and faster (but weaker) creatures, Red can play a tempo game, and not have to bother with evasion.
With it's good defense and combat-oriented spells, White tries to come out on top through the combat step.
Blue has the weakest creatures, but they are evasive and backed up with bounce spells, simple counters and card draw. It wins through the inevitability of drawing more cards and disguising its next move with instant spells.
Black has creatures that can sometimes be stronger than average, but sport drawbacks for their power (ie Foul Imp or Serpent Warrior). Where it makes up in power is it's ability to destroy creatures outright with spells, or weaken them.
In this kind of metagame, I see Black being overpowered. Of course, it depends on the cards you decide to put into the deck. I really like the idea of having lots of 1-ofs and 2-ofs, as it makes the games less repetitive, and allows you to explore more of each colour. This is about discovery, after all. So as you might have noticed, I don't agree with the "vanilla" idea. Let the colours do what they're good at. It all evens out in the end. As for enchantments and artifacts, I agree with what you wrote. Nothing permanent. Choose wisely what you'll put in there, as they can make or break a deck. I do think it's important for the new players to experience all permanent types, though (expect Planeswalker, Snow and Tribal).
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Have you had a chance to try it out yet XBM? Anything to report?
W White Weenie
Any prototype decklists to show or is it still too early for that?