A few mechanics for potential new set coming from me.
Smashing Barbarian1RG
Creature - Ogre Warrior(C)
Embolden (At the beginning of your combat step, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn, for each spell you've cast this turn)
3/3
Ghuri Heartmage1GW
Sorcery(C)
Vigilance
Forcemage - When ~ enters the battlefield target creature get +2/+2 and vigilance until the end of turn.
2/2
Devout Priest1W
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Sanctified 2 (Whenever damage would be dealt to this creature, that source's controller may pay 2. If they don't, prevent that damage.)
1/1
Solomn Flyer1UB
Creature - Bird Artificer(C)
Enhanced - As long as one or more permanents are attached to this creature it gets +2/+0 and flying.
2/3
Traitor's Blade3RB
Sorcery(C)
Roguery (This spell costs 1 less for each creature you control that dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn)
Destroy target creature. If a white creature is destroyed this way, add RB to your mana pool.
Embolden is pretty close to Prowess. Is there any reason it couldn't just be a version of Prowess that triggers off of every spell?
Forcemage is probably too specific to get an ability word.
Sanctified is, also, too specific to keyword.
Enhanced is a weird case. Almost every card with a similar effect only checks equipment, and there are a few that only check auras. An ability word for the equipment version would probably work.
Embolden is pretty close to Prowess. Is there any reason it couldn't just be a version of Prowess that triggers off of every spell?
It does substantially change what's happening. Prowess triggering at instant speed is one of it's major design qualities.
A version of Prowess which simply triggers off everything would simply mean designing weaker creatuers so instead of Jeskai Windscout, I get something like:
Ghuri Windscout3U
Creature - Bird(C)
Flying
SuperProwess(Whenever you cast a spell this gets +1/+1 until the end of turn)
1/1
In order to balance the effect. It's not something that's impossible but difficult too exciting.
Forcemage is probably too specific to get an ability word.
Sanctified is, also, too specific to keyword.
Not entirely sure what your getting at here. What's wrong with keywords/abilities being specific?
Enhanced is a weird case. Almost every card with a similar effect only checks equipment, and there are a few that only check auras. An ability word for the equipment version would probably work.
Enhanced works similarly to those, but I kinda like it broader. Why don't you like it as is?
OK, had a little time to think and test some of these. Two of them I like right now, and that's enbolden and Forcemage. So a couple more designs to look either parts of the design space.
Fissure Seeker2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior(U)
Embolden (At the beginning of your combat step, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn, for each spell you've cast this turn)
At the begging of your combat step, if you cast two or more spells this turn, target creature can't block this turn.
2/2
Protection Spider3G
Creature - Spider(C)
Flash
Reach
Forcemage - When ~ enters the battlefield, target creature gets +1/+3 and reach until the end of turn.
1/3
And the others allied pairs will get variations/new mechanics.
First the RB saboteur inspired mechanic can go a couple places.
Traitor's Blade2BB
Sorcery(C)
Destroy target creature.
Roguery - If a creature you control dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn, add BBB to your mana pool.
Fire Starter1R
Creature(C)
Roguery - When ~ enters the battlefield, if a creature you control dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn, you may destroy target artifact.
2/1
Which could work as an alternative to the first Roguery.
The other two took some rethinking. I want all mechanics to have a certain amount of synergy. There's also other factors I won't go into. The UW mechanic is called Retreat:
Redemption Priest1W
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Retreat (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may return a creature you control to it's owner's hand)
When Redemption Priest enters the battlefield, if you payed it's retreat cost, you gain 3 life.
2/2
And a new UB mechanic built around flyers. I'm trying to think of a good mechanic to fit. The best so far is codenamed flightcraft:
Sky Denial2UU
Instant(C)
Counter Target Spell.
Flightcraft - If you control two of more creatures with flying you may draw a card.
Return to the Night3B
Instant(C)
Put up to two target creature cards from your graveyard on top of your library.
Flightcraft - If you control two or more creatures with flying, return those cards to your hand instead.
Although a good flyers themed mechanic could probably replace this.
Embolden - Mysticake points out that this is really close to prowess, but stops just short of what I am thinking: This could probably just be swapped out directly for prowess and allow you to get slightly better designs and more fun play choices.
Otherwise, leaving it like it is, I would change it to an attack trigger and possibly make it storm-y and count other player's spells too:
Embolden (When this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each spell cast this turn.)
Forcemage - I'm assuming that the ability will always give pump equal to the creature's own power/toughness and include its own abilities, similar to bestow and bloodrush. I worry that these creatures might have to be slightly overcosted similar to bestow. This could easily become too much pump for a set. Plus, as you pointed out with your second example, any defensive creatures with this ability would also need to have flash which could easily become too many flash creatures for a set. The flash creatures are problematic also because they can target themselves and/or still block while pumping another creature.
- The name might be forcing a bit too narrow of a flavor. Maybe something like: embody, illustrious, manifest
Sanctified - I don't really like keywords that put costs for other players to pay. Two simple inversions of this could be:
Sanctify 2(2: Prevent all damage a source of your choice would deal to this creature this turn. Sanctify only once each turn.)
Sanctify 2(You may pay up to 2 each turn to prevent that much damage to this creature.)
Enhanced - Do you have plans for another permanent type that can be attached to creatures? This should probably just be worded like Auriok Glaivemaster + Flaring Flame-Kin.
Enchanced -- As long as CARDNAME is enchanted and/or equipped, it gets +1/+1.
Roguery - If this only goes on sorcery cards and creature cards, then the wording could be simplified like bloodthirst.
Roguery -- If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, [effect].
- The name is slightly odd. "Ruthless" would be better flavor fit I think. Possible synonyms of ruthless: brutal, callous, cutthroat, merciless, sadistic, savage, vicious
Retreat - Many keywords are often compared as being derivative of kicker, but this is basically just kicker. Plus two of these cards can fuel themselves in a repeating loop, which could become very problematic.
Flightcraft - Metalcraft for creatures with flying? meh, okay.
- There are a lot of mechanics (like your roguery or your forcemage) that already benefit indirectly from hard to block creatures. Do we really need one that specifically calls it out.
First up, this is a bottom up set so flavour/mechanic names can wait for the time being.
Enbolden, I'm not sure why this is getting Prowess comparisons, perhaps it's simply because Khans is at the front of people's minds. The main focus here mechanically is getting players to cast lots of spells precombat. Silvercut's change, to triggering on attack looks better. I'm unsure about whether to include opponents spells, but I'll keep it in for now.
Fissure Seeker2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior(U)
Embolden (When this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each spell cast this turn.)
At the begging of your combat step, if you cast two or more spells this turn, target creature can't block this turn.
2/2
Forcemage - That actually was supposed to be another creature, it even says so on my mockups. I'm too worried about defensive abilities as they are pretty rare, and the odd card with flash won't hurt as long as it's not too powerful.
Retreat - Perhaps the effect doesn't work as an extra cost. How about:
Redemption1WW
Instant(C)
Retreat (When you cast this spell you may return any number of creatures you control to it's owner's hand)
Gain 5 life. If you returned a creature you control to it's owner's hand this turn, gain 10 life instead.
Keeping it off creatures to avoid loops would be a good idea. Given this new template I wonder if we can really push it as such:
Scope2UW
Instant(C)
Retreat (When you cast this spell you may return any number of creatures you control to it's owner's hand)
Gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand. If you returned a creature you control to it's owner's hand this turn, gain twice that much life instead.
Flightcraft - This is the ability I'm least excited about. Flyers matter feels like an easier theme this color combination than Enhanced. I'm going to hold off for now and see if I can think of something better.
You know I just had funny thought. Prowess might have a place in this set afterall. Only instead of the GR mechanic, I might use it for the UB mechanic.
Enbolden, I'm not sure why this is getting Prowess comparisons, perhaps it's simply because Khans is at the front of people's minds.
It is the odd trigger condition on embolden. If this was before KTK, then people would probably just be recommending to simplify embolden like this:
Embolden (Whenever you cast a spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn.)
KTK has been released though, and that is almost prowess, so that is why people are making that suggestion. Using an attack trigger cleans up the odd trigger (while also allowing Relentless Assault shenanigans). My suggestion to count all spells is because that would help to distance it further from prowess.
Retreat - Perhaps the effect doesn't work as an extra cost.
Your previous wording worked fine, I was just concerned that it was too much essentially kicker. Most other "Isn't this just kicker?" mechanics have a more restricted effect. (Entwine, splice, replicate, evoke, retrace, overload, fuse, bestow) Retreat has a restricted cost, but still has a wildly open-ended effect like kicker.
Actually a better idea to use for the UW mechanic:
Redemption2WW
Instant(C)
BounceVoke (This spell costs 1 less for each creatures you control that you return to it's owner's hand when you cast it)
Gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Complicated to read, probably clear when you see it once in action.
If I go down this route, then I'm certainly not having two cost reduction mechanics in the set, so I guess that leaves the combat damage based effect as threshold. I still prefere the weaker original effect over Silvercut's alternative so I think I'll riff off that.
Instir MadnessB
Sorcery(C)
Target player discards a card.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, instead that player reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
The effect here checks that the targetted player was dealt combat damage. I could include instant effects along this line as well.
Burn the Masses2R
Instant(C)
~ deals 3 damage to target player.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, ~ deals 1 damage to each creature that player controls as well.
And also work it on permanents.
Something that sounds really cool5BR
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step, target player discards his or her hand.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, you may exile up to one card discarded this way. You may cast that card from exile during your next turn.
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Smashing Barbarian1RG
Creature - Ogre Warrior(C)
Embolden (At the beginning of your combat step, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn, for each spell you've cast this turn)
3/3
Ghuri Heartmage1GW
Sorcery(C)
Vigilance
Forcemage - When ~ enters the battlefield target creature get +2/+2 and vigilance until the end of turn.
2/2
Devout Priest 1W
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Sanctified 2 (Whenever damage would be dealt to this creature, that source's controller may pay 2. If they don't, prevent that damage.)
1/1
Solomn Flyer1UB
Creature - Bird Artificer(C)
Enhanced - As long as one or more permanents are attached to this creature it gets +2/+0 and flying.
2/3
Traitor's Blade3RB
Sorcery(C)
Roguery (This spell costs 1 less for each creature you control that dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn)
Destroy target creature. If a white creature is destroyed this way, add RB to your mana pool.
Forcemage is probably too specific to get an ability word.
Sanctified is, also, too specific to keyword.
Enhanced is a weird case. Almost every card with a similar effect only checks equipment, and there are a few that only check auras. An ability word for the equipment version would probably work.
It does substantially change what's happening. Prowess triggering at instant speed is one of it's major design qualities.
A version of Prowess which simply triggers off everything would simply mean designing weaker creatuers so instead of Jeskai Windscout, I get something like:
Ghuri Windscout3U
Creature - Bird(C)
Flying
SuperProwess(Whenever you cast a spell this gets +1/+1 until the end of turn)
1/1
In order to balance the effect. It's not something that's impossible but difficult too exciting.
Not entirely sure what your getting at here. What's wrong with keywords/abilities being specific?
Enhanced works similarly to those, but I kinda like it broader. Why don't you like it as is?
Fissure Seeker2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior(U)
Embolden (At the beginning of your combat step, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn, for each spell you've cast this turn)
At the begging of your combat step, if you cast two or more spells this turn, target creature can't block this turn.
2/2
Protection Spider3G
Creature - Spider(C)
Flash
Reach
Forcemage - When ~ enters the battlefield, target creature gets +1/+3 and reach until the end of turn.
1/3
And the others allied pairs will get variations/new mechanics.
First the RB saboteur inspired mechanic can go a couple places.
Traitor's Blade2BB
Sorcery(C)
Destroy target creature.
Roguery - If a creature you control dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn, add BBB to your mana pool.
Fire Starter1R
Creature(C)
Roguery - When ~ enters the battlefield, if a creature you control dealt combat damage to an opponent this turn, you may destroy target artifact.
2/1
Which could work as an alternative to the first Roguery.
The other two took some rethinking. I want all mechanics to have a certain amount of synergy. There's also other factors I won't go into. The UW mechanic is called Retreat:
Redemption Priest1W
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Retreat (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may return a creature you control to it's owner's hand)
When Redemption Priest enters the battlefield, if you payed it's retreat cost, you gain 3 life.
2/2
And a new UB mechanic built around flyers. I'm trying to think of a good mechanic to fit. The best so far is codenamed flightcraft:
Sky Denial2UU
Instant(C)
Counter Target Spell.
Flightcraft - If you control two of more creatures with flying you may draw a card.
Return to the Night3B
Instant(C)
Put up to two target creature cards from your graveyard on top of your library.
Flightcraft - If you control two or more creatures with flying, return those cards to your hand instead.
Although a good flyers themed mechanic could probably replace this.
Thoughts?
Otherwise, leaving it like it is, I would change it to an attack trigger and possibly make it storm-y and count other player's spells too:
Forcemage - I'm assuming that the ability will always give pump equal to the creature's own power/toughness and include its own abilities, similar to bestow and bloodrush. I worry that these creatures might have to be slightly overcosted similar to bestow. This could easily become too much pump for a set. Plus, as you pointed out with your second example, any defensive creatures with this ability would also need to have flash which could easily become too many flash creatures for a set. The flash creatures are problematic also because they can target themselves and/or still block while pumping another creature.
- The name might be forcing a bit too narrow of a flavor. Maybe something like: embody, illustrious, manifest
Sanctified - I don't really like keywords that put costs for other players to pay. Two simple inversions of this could be:
Enhanced - Do you have plans for another permanent type that can be attached to creatures? This should probably just be worded like Auriok Glaivemaster + Flaring Flame-Kin.
Roguery - If this only goes on sorcery cards and creature cards, then the wording could be simplified like bloodthirst.
- The name is slightly odd. "Ruthless" would be better flavor fit I think. Possible synonyms of ruthless: brutal, callous, cutthroat, merciless, sadistic, savage, vicious
Retreat - Many keywords are often compared as being derivative of kicker, but this is basically just kicker. Plus two of these cards can fuel themselves in a repeating loop, which could become very problematic.
Flightcraft - Metalcraft for creatures with flying? meh, okay.
- There are a lot of mechanics (like your roguery or your forcemage) that already benefit indirectly from hard to block creatures. Do we really need one that specifically calls it out.
Enbolden, I'm not sure why this is getting Prowess comparisons, perhaps it's simply because Khans is at the front of people's minds. The main focus here mechanically is getting players to cast lots of spells precombat. Silvercut's change, to triggering on attack looks better. I'm unsure about whether to include opponents spells, but I'll keep it in for now.
Fissure Seeker2R
Creature - Goblin Warrior(U)
Embolden (When this creature attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each spell cast this turn.)
At the begging of your combat step, if you cast two or more spells this turn, target creature can't block this turn.
2/2
Forcemage - That actually was supposed to be another creature, it even says so on my mockups. I'm too worried about defensive abilities as they are pretty rare, and the odd card with flash won't hurt as long as it's not too powerful.
Retreat - Perhaps the effect doesn't work as an extra cost. How about:
Redemption 1WW
Instant(C)
Retreat (When you cast this spell you may return any number of creatures you control to it's owner's hand)
Gain 5 life. If you returned a creature you control to it's owner's hand this turn, gain 10 life instead.
Keeping it off creatures to avoid loops would be a good idea. Given this new template I wonder if we can really push it as such:
Scope 2UW
Instant(C)
Retreat (When you cast this spell you may return any number of creatures you control to it's owner's hand)
Gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand. If you returned a creature you control to it's owner's hand this turn, gain twice that much life instead.
Flightcraft - This is the ability I'm least excited about. Flyers matter feels like an easier theme this color combination than Enhanced. I'm going to hold off for now and see if I can think of something better.
It is the odd trigger condition on embolden. If this was before KTK, then people would probably just be recommending to simplify embolden like this:
Embolden (Whenever you cast a spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until of turn.)
KTK has been released though, and that is almost prowess, so that is why people are making that suggestion. Using an attack trigger cleans up the odd trigger (while also allowing Relentless Assault shenanigans). My suggestion to count all spells is because that would help to distance it further from prowess.
Your previous wording worked fine, I was just concerned that it was too much essentially kicker. Most other "Isn't this just kicker?" mechanics have a more restricted effect. (Entwine, splice, replicate, evoke, retrace, overload, fuse, bestow) Retreat has a restricted cost, but still has a wildly open-ended effect like kicker.
Redemption 2WW
Instant(C)
BounceVoke (This spell costs 1 less for each creatures you control that you return to it's owner's hand when you cast it)
Gain life equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Complicated to read, probably clear when you see it once in action.
If I go down this route, then I'm certainly not having two cost reduction mechanics in the set, so I guess that leaves the combat damage based effect as threshold. I still prefere the weaker original effect over Silvercut's alternative so I think I'll riff off that.
Instir MadnessB
Sorcery(C)
Target player discards a card.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, instead that player reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
The effect here checks that the targetted player was dealt combat damage. I could include instant effects along this line as well.
Burn the Masses2R
Instant(C)
~ deals 3 damage to target player.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, ~ deals 1 damage to each creature that player controls as well.
And also work it on permanents.
Something that sounds really cool5BR
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step, target player discards his or her hand.
Sabateur - If that player was dealt combat damage this turn, you may exile up to one card discarded this way. You may cast that card from exile during your next turn.