Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, (effect).
This mechanic is designed to embody the headstrong temperment of the Boros while playing into its combat mastery theme. Giving a bonus for attacking into a blocker is a good way to encourage interaction on both sides of the board. Not only that, but with Boros' minor weenie theme, it plays well with another subtheme of the guild that embodies combat mastery: combat tricks. Attacking with a small creature into a blocker could be tricky, as you would normally be likely to lose the attacker, even with the challenge bonus. That's why the mechanic encourages building the deck around having lots of ways to turn the tide of combat in your favor. Combat tricks are a great way to do this.
Below are lots of examples using the challenge mechanic, as well as a few cards that play well with the mechanic or with the combat trick theme.
Gleaming ViashinoRW
Creature - Lizard Soldier U
Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets ~, ~ deals 2 damage to that player.
Whenever you cast a spell that targets ~, you gain 2 life.
2/2
Boros Charger2R
Creature - Elemental Soldier U
3/2
Haste Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, exile the top card of your library face-down. You may look at and cast that card this turn.
Brazen RecruitW
Creature - Human Soldier U
1/1 Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Torchbearer1R
Creature - Goblin Soldier R
2/1
You may cast sorcery and Aura spells that target ~ as though they had flash. Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, add RR to your mana pool. Until end of turn, this mana doesn't empty from your mana pool as steps and phases end.
Drill SergeantR
Creature - Human Soldier R
2/2
Haste, trample
At the beginning of combat on your turn, each opponent creates a 1/1 colorless Dummy artifact creature token with defender.
Another Round1RW
Sorcery R
Untap all creatures. There is an additional combat phase after this one, followed by an additional main phase.
Boros LegendRW
Legendary Creature - Human Knight R
*/2
Vigilance
~'s power is equal to the number of attacking creatures.
Whenever you cast a spell, if ~ is attacking, create a tapped and attacking 1/1 red and white Soldier creature token.
Angry Infantry3R
Creature - Minotaur Soldier C
2/3 Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, it gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
Battering Phalanx2R
Creature - Soldier C
1/5
Trample
Mage Fighter1W
Creature - Human Wizard U
1/1
Whenever you cast an instant, sorcery, or Aura spell, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Granter of Wings2W
Creature - Human Wizard C
2/2 Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, you may have another target creature you control get +1/+1 and gain flying until end of turn
Merciful Soldier3W
Creature - Human Soldier C
3/3 Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, you may tap target creature.
Battle WardenWW
Creature - Human Soldier R
All creatures have vigilance.
2/2
Boros Bladedancer2RW
Creature - Human Soldier U
2/1 Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, target attacking creature gains double strike until end of turn.
I find the concept of 'could block' as strange, I'm not sure everyone would actually understand what it means, because most of the time it simply means if they control an untapped creature, but then you have problems with any actually evasive creatures and instant speed evasion and tapping. I'm also not a fan of the fact that a single untapped creature could trigger any number of challenge cards. The concept really make me want to suggests making it a on blocked trigger(and usually stronger), but that just being a riff on afflict makes me hesitant.
I find the concept of 'could block' as strange, I'm not sure everyone would actually understand what it means, because most of the time it simply means if they control an untapped creature, but then you have problems with any actually evasive creatures and instant speed evasion and tapping. I'm also not a fan of the fact that a single untapped creature could trigger any number of challenge cards. The concept really make me want to suggests making it a on blocked trigger(and usually stronger), but that just being a riff on afflict makes me hesitant.
"Could block" vs "untapped" is important, especially when cards like Headstrong Brute and Tattered Haunter frequently appear at common. I want those cases to matter. Otherwise, it wouldn't be very intuitive.
Also, making it into a "whenever this creature is blocked" trigger ruins most of its strategic charm. It's a bluff mechanic. Sure, you get your little challenge bonus when you attack with your small dude into my big dude, but do you have anything to back it up? Should I take the damage or take the bait? During my turn should I attack and just not give you a challenge bonus or do I leave my blocker up to try to kill your challenger? Do I have amny instant-speed tricks I can use to outplay you when you swing in?
These questions are fun. Not to mention, a mechanic works a lot better when your opponent can't directly prevent it from triggering. If it triggered just on being blocked, your opponent could just take the damage and deny you the bonus. At least afflict usually came with a saboteur trigger to incentivize blocking. That doesn't work as well in red/white.
"Could block" is, I think, much easier to grok than it is to define in the rules. That said, I love this design space.
Defining it depends on the timing. Basically, at the time that this trigger resolves, is there anything that currently prevents a creature defending player controls from being declared as a legal blocker on this creature? If not, you get a bonus. What happens before or after doesn't matter.
"Could block" is, I think, much easier to grok than it is to define in the rules. That said, I love this design space.
Defining it depends on the timing. Basically, at the time that this trigger resolves, is there anything that currently prevents a creature defending player controls from being declared as a legal blocker on this creature? If not, you get a bonus. What happens before or after doesn't matter.
How does this mechanic interact with War Cadence and/or menace? Just making certain.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
How does this mechanic interact with War Cadence and/or menace? Just making certain.
As long as the block is possible, even if the player has to jump through a hoop, you'd get the trigger. If your challenger has menace and defending player controls two untapped creatures, you get the bonus, even if they choose not to double-block. If that player only has one creature, you don't get the bonus because that creature couldn't legally block yours.
War Cadence is trickier though, as the game doesn't have a good way to track how much availible mana a player has that isn't in their mana pool. I'd have to rule that in that particular case, if War Cadence's ability was activated pre-combat, the challenge bonus wouldn't happen due to the game only seeing the "can't block" part of its ability.
For the record, I avoud putting designs like this on challenge creatures specifically because of the confusion. So no menace challenger and no War Cadence effects.
When determining whether a creature could block all creatures the other is blocking, take into account evasion abilities (like flying), protection abilities, and other blocking restrictions, as well as abilities that allow a creature to block multiple creatures or block as though a certain condition were true. Take into account whether those creatures are tapped, but not whether they have costs to block (since those apply only as blockers are declared).
My impression would be that any static ability or modifier that passively changes rules on blocking would count, but activated abilities / spells that could allow a block if they were used, doesn't. Yet even that doesn't clear up war cadence because of the "block as though a certain condition were true". I think that the way it would come down is that war cadence requires you to actually pay the mana to remove the 'cannot block' passive modifier, and thus all creatures would be "can't block" up until you choose to pay that amount or not, at which point they would become either legal blockers or not, which might be relevant with extra-combat-phase effects like seize the day
My impression would be that any static ability or modifier that passively changes rules on blocking would count, but activated abilities / spells that could allow a block if they were used, doesn't. Yet even that doesn't clear up war cadence because of the "block as though a certain condition were true". I think that the way it would come down is that war cadence requires you to actually pay the mana to remove the 'cannot block' passive modifier, and thus all creatures would be "can't block" up until you choose to pay that amount or not, at which point they would become either legal blockers or not, which might be relevant with extra-combat-phase effects like seize the day
That's pretty much how I imagine it working, yeah.
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This mechanic is designed to embody the headstrong temperment of the Boros while playing into its combat mastery theme. Giving a bonus for attacking into a blocker is a good way to encourage interaction on both sides of the board. Not only that, but with Boros' minor weenie theme, it plays well with another subtheme of the guild that embodies combat mastery: combat tricks. Attacking with a small creature into a blocker could be tricky, as you would normally be likely to lose the attacker, even with the challenge bonus. That's why the mechanic encourages building the deck around having lots of ways to turn the tide of combat in your favor. Combat tricks are a great way to do this.
Below are lots of examples using the challenge mechanic, as well as a few cards that play well with the mechanic or with the combat trick theme.
Gleaming Viashino RW
Creature - Lizard Soldier U
Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets ~, ~ deals 2 damage to that player.
Whenever you cast a spell that targets ~, you gain 2 life.
2/2
Boros Charger 2R
Creature - Elemental Soldier U
3/2
Haste
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, exile the top card of your library face-down. You may look at and cast that card this turn.
Brazen Recruit W
Creature - Human Soldier U
1/1
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Torchbearer 1R
Creature - Goblin Soldier R
2/1
You may cast sorcery and Aura spells that target ~ as though they had flash.
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, add RR to your mana pool. Until end of turn, this mana doesn't empty from your mana pool as steps and phases end.
Drill Sergeant R
Creature - Human Soldier R
2/2
Haste, trample
At the beginning of combat on your turn, each opponent creates a 1/1 colorless Dummy artifact creature token with defender.
Another Round 1RW
Sorcery R
Untap all creatures. There is an additional combat phase after this one, followed by an additional main phase.
Boros Legend RW
Legendary Creature - Human Knight R
*/2
Vigilance
~'s power is equal to the number of attacking creatures.
Whenever you cast a spell, if ~ is attacking, create a tapped and attacking 1/1 red and white Soldier creature token.
Angry Infantry 3R
Creature - Minotaur Soldier C
2/3
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, it gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
Battering Phalanx 2R
Creature - Soldier C
1/5
Trample
Mage Fighter 1W
Creature - Human Wizard U
1/1
Whenever you cast an instant, sorcery, or Aura spell, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Granter of Wings 2W
Creature - Human Wizard C
2/2
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, you may have another target creature you control get +1/+1 and gain flying until end of turn
Merciful Soldier 3W
Creature - Human Soldier C
3/3
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, you may tap target creature.
Battle Warden WW
Creature - Human Soldier R
All creatures have vigilance.
2/2
Boros Bladedancer 2RW
Creature - Human Soldier U
2/1
Challenge - Whenever ~ attacks, if a creature defending player controls could block it, target attacking creature gains double strike until end of turn.
Also, making it into a "whenever this creature is blocked" trigger ruins most of its strategic charm. It's a bluff mechanic. Sure, you get your little challenge bonus when you attack with your small dude into my big dude, but do you have anything to back it up? Should I take the damage or take the bait? During my turn should I attack and just not give you a challenge bonus or do I leave my blocker up to try to kill your challenger? Do I have amny instant-speed tricks I can use to outplay you when you swing in?
These questions are fun. Not to mention, a mechanic works a lot better when your opponent can't directly prevent it from triggering. If it triggered just on being blocked, your opponent could just take the damage and deny you the bonus. At least afflict usually came with a saboteur trigger to incentivize blocking. That doesn't work as well in red/white.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
How does this mechanic interact with War Cadence and/or menace? Just making certain.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
War Cadence is trickier though, as the game doesn't have a good way to track how much availible mana a player has that isn't in their mana pool. I'd have to rule that in that particular case, if War Cadence's ability was activated pre-combat, the challenge bonus wouldn't happen due to the game only seeing the "can't block" part of its ability.
For the record, I avoud putting designs like this on challenge creatures specifically because of the confusion. So no menace challenger and no War Cadence effects.
My impression would be that any static ability or modifier that passively changes rules on blocking would count, but activated abilities / spells that could allow a block if they were used, doesn't. Yet even that doesn't clear up war cadence because of the "block as though a certain condition were true". I think that the way it would come down is that war cadence requires you to actually pay the mana to remove the 'cannot block' passive modifier, and thus all creatures would be "can't block" up until you choose to pay that amount or not, at which point they would become either legal blockers or not, which might be relevant with extra-combat-phase effects like seize the day