Lucoth Scout (W)
Creature - Lucoth
1/1
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for another card named Lucoth Scout and put it into play, then shuffle your library.
Lucoth Scout can't attack or block unless another card named Lucoth Scout does.
Crystal Reaver (2WW)
Creature - Lucoth
1/1
First strike
When Crystal Reaver comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for up to two cards named Crystal Reaver and put them into play, then shuffle your library.
Crystal Reaver can't attack or block unless another card named Crystal Reaver does.
Lucoth ??? (1W)
Creature - Lucoth
1/2
When this comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for a card with the same name as target Lucoth and put it into play, then shuffle your library.
This can't attack or block unless another card named Lucoth ??? does.
So, this is the mechanic for my race of subterranean humanoid-crystal-bug things. They have an ant-like mentality and rely on mass-teamwork to survive and advance the colony. I went through several different mechanics before settling on this one. It's wordier than I'd like, but the flavor is right and I think it would play interestingly.
I'm still considering dropping the "can't attack or block" drawback. I'm also considering changing it to "unless another Lucoth attacks or blocks." That encourages a tribal strategy, but doesn't necessarily require one. (I don't want the mechanic to be too insular.)
Other ideas? Should the number of cards searched for always be the same? Should they make tokens instead of searching?
Some other (simpler) mechanics I had considered...
"New banding" abilities, like Angelic Page and Advance Scout.
"Tap an untapped creature: Do something," a la Field Surgeon. Possibly "Tap an untapped Lucoth..." instead, though that's a little too much tribal.
I really like the race's idea, but I feel you didn't quite get them right yet. As is, the "pacifism" abilities makes them uber-fragile, and like you said, it's probably too wordy for their own good. Maybe give them activated abilities to make them useful even when there isn't a copy of them in play to attack or block?
I think that "unless another Lucoth..." is better than requiring the specific one, and the search ability is interesting, but it will require a LOT of shuffling, plus it will lead to some really good weenie decks, that are VERY vulnerable to mass burn/*** type effects.
Don't drop the drawback, or your 1/1 for W becomes WAY too good.
Incidentally, why are they white? Is it because they are organized/soldierly? That makes sense, I guess.
I like the tribal idea better than the name exclusive version. It's still a drawback, but it feels truer to the workings of a colony, rather than having specific types of crystal ants being able to work together. Or, you could just make the restriction attacking, and leave them able to block reguardless of who you control. Example...
Lucoth Scout W
Creature - Lucoth
Lucoth Scout has defender unless you control another creature named Lucoth Scout.
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, search your library for a card with the same name and put it into play. Shuffle your library.
1/1
Hmm, Its a cool idea... I initially had a few qualms about the power level but the drawback really helps to regulate them. Be cool to see more of these...
Is there a reason you want them to trigger off Elvish Piper, Tooth and Nail and others like them? The norm has always been "when ~ comes into play, if you played it from your hand...," so I'm wondering if there's a reason you're going with this instead. Though it is a bit cleaner, and isn't all that much more abusable.
I prefer it searching up another copy to making a token copy. It makes it more fun with Dual Nature and Echoing Truth, but more importantly adds a certain limit.
Changing it up sometimes might be fun, going for two other copies in play, one in hand and one in play, or the Skyshroud Sentinel ability instead.
Perhaps the can't attack or block thing would be better as Pharmalade's suggestion so it's not quite so harsh.h I'd split it up into two abilities: Defender and "~ loses defender as long as another card named ~ is in play" so it'd also let you print a spiffy legendary something that says "all Lucoths lose defender" or open it up to other fun interactions.
Some tangent ideas: A Plague Rats equivalent, maybe just pumping toughness, or having a rangestrike creature dealing damage equal to the number of Lucoths. Reprinting Echoing Truth in some fashion in the same set would be great as both a hoser on offense and an enabler on defense or some loony combo.
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My anecdotal evidence disagrees with yours! EXPLAIN THAT!
Thanks, guys. Based on the feedback, I think I'll go ahead and go with the tribal "unless another Lucoth does" text.
Quote from Zith »
Is there a reason you want them to trigger off Elvish Piper, Tooth and Nail and others like them? The norm has always been "when ~ comes into play, if you played it from your hand...," so I'm wondering if there's a reason you're going with this instead. Though it is a bit cleaner, and isn't all that much more abusable.
Well, the "from your hand" clause has to be there so the newly tutored creatures don't trigger themselves when they come into play. I removed the usual "if you played it" part because it just didn't seem necessary.
Quote from Zith »
Some tangent ideas: A Plague Rats equivalent, maybe just pumping toughness, or having a rangestrike creature dealing damage equal to the number of Lucoths. Reprinting Echoing Truth in some fashion in the same set would be great as both a hoser on offense and an enabler on defense or some loony combo.
I like the idea of including an Echoing Truth style card.
I read through these and like the ideas. The unless you control another ~ mechanic seems to want keyworded like Radiance or Threshold.
It would clean up some cards but might seem wordier with reminder text
I like the name exclusive version better than synergy with attacks and whatnot, because its easier to keyword as such:
For example.
Lucoth Scout W
Creature - Lucoth Solitude — Defender (Lucoth Scout has defender unless you control another Lucoth Scout.)
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for a card named Lucoth Scout and put it into play. If you do, Shuffle your library.
1/1
Solitude itself doesn't do anything and I like the name, feels right. As far as the reminder text, I made it permanents so artifacts that become creatures would still benefit from other copies. Take off the reminder text and you have a much cleaner card.
Also, it should be you may search your library, because if its known that no more copies are there, why search?
Well, an ability word doesn't let you remove any text, it just puts a label on it so people get the connection. Since they all share a creature type, it really doesn't need an ability word. However, I can see it being a true keyword like so: Nervous(~ has defender unless you control another creature with the same name.) Or more flexibly: Nervous - [condition] (~ has defender unless [condition is met].)
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My anecdotal evidence disagrees with yours! EXPLAIN THAT!
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Creature - Lucoth
1/1
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for another card named Lucoth Scout and put it into play, then shuffle your library.
Lucoth Scout can't attack or block unless another card named Lucoth Scout does.
Crystal Reaver (2WW)
Creature - Lucoth
1/1
First strike
When Crystal Reaver comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for up to two cards named Crystal Reaver and put them into play, then shuffle your library.
Crystal Reaver can't attack or block unless another card named Crystal Reaver does.
Lucoth ??? (1W)
Creature - Lucoth
1/2
When this comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for a card with the same name as target Lucoth and put it into play, then shuffle your library.
This can't attack or block unless another card named Lucoth ??? does.
So, this is the mechanic for my race of subterranean humanoid-crystal-bug things. They have an ant-like mentality and rely on mass-teamwork to survive and advance the colony. I went through several different mechanics before settling on this one. It's wordier than I'd like, but the flavor is right and I think it would play interestingly.
I'm still considering dropping the "can't attack or block" drawback. I'm also considering changing it to "unless another Lucoth attacks or blocks." That encourages a tribal strategy, but doesn't necessarily require one. (I don't want the mechanic to be too insular.)
Other ideas? Should the number of cards searched for always be the same? Should they make tokens instead of searching?
Some other (simpler) mechanics I had considered...
"New banding" abilities, like Angelic Page and Advance Scout.
"Tap an untapped creature: Do something," a la Field Surgeon. Possibly "Tap an untapped Lucoth..." instead, though that's a little too much tribal.
• Recent Card Ideas • My Drawings at DeviantArt
I really like the race's idea, but I feel you didn't quite get them right yet. As is, the "pacifism" abilities makes them uber-fragile, and like you said, it's probably too wordy for their own good. Maybe give them activated abilities to make them useful even when there isn't a copy of them in play to attack or block?
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Don't drop the drawback, or your 1/1 for W becomes WAY too good.
Incidentally, why are they white? Is it because they are organized/soldierly? That makes sense, I guess.
Lucoth Scout W
Creature - Lucoth
Lucoth Scout has defender unless you control another creature named Lucoth Scout.
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, search your library for a card with the same name and put it into play. Shuffle your library.
1/1
-Pharmalade.
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I prefer it searching up another copy to making a token copy. It makes it more fun with Dual Nature and Echoing Truth, but more importantly adds a certain limit.
Changing it up sometimes might be fun, going for two other copies in play, one in hand and one in play, or the Skyshroud Sentinel ability instead.
Perhaps the can't attack or block thing would be better as Pharmalade's suggestion so it's not quite so harsh.h I'd split it up into two abilities: Defender and "~ loses defender as long as another card named ~ is in play" so it'd also let you print a spiffy legendary something that says "all Lucoths lose defender" or open it up to other fun interactions.
Some tangent ideas: A Plague Rats equivalent, maybe just pumping toughness, or having a rangestrike creature dealing damage equal to the number of Lucoths. Reprinting Echoing Truth in some fashion in the same set would be great as both a hoser on offense and an enabler on defense or some loony combo.
Well, the "from your hand" clause has to be there so the newly tutored creatures don't trigger themselves when they come into play. I removed the usual "if you played it" part because it just didn't seem necessary.
I like the idea of including an Echoing Truth style card.
• Recent Card Ideas • My Drawings at DeviantArt
It would clean up some cards but might seem wordier with reminder text
I like the name exclusive version better than synergy with attacks and whatnot, because its easier to keyword as such:
For example.
Lucoth Scout W
Creature - Lucoth
Solitude — Defender (Lucoth Scout has defender unless you control another Lucoth Scout.)
When Lucoth Scout comes into play from your hand, you may search your library for a card named Lucoth Scout and put it into play. If you do, Shuffle your library.
1/1
Solitude itself doesn't do anything and I like the name, feels right. As far as the reminder text, I made it permanents so artifacts that become creatures would still benefit from other copies. Take off the reminder text and you have a much cleaner card.
Also, it should be you may search your library, because if its known that no more copies are there, why search?
Nervous (~ has defender unless you control another creature with the same name.)
Or more flexibly:
Nervous - [condition] (~ has defender unless [condition is met].)