I just got the idea to make an avatar of my MTGO username, mosskirin, and put it in the front of my trade binder with some flavor text serving as a calling card, inviting people for some Pauper matches.
It's a bit like an invitational card, combining lots of elements I love:
Moss Kirin 2GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds GG.
2/4
Some people might consider it a bit excessive in complexity for a common, but well, it's not much worse than Sakura-Tribe Springcaller and I've always hated NWO
I love Green ramp decks. This fulfills a role similar to Veteran Explorer in Legacy Nic Fit, where it's a symmetrical ramp effect which the opponent won't be able to use as effectively.
I also just love symmetrical effects in general, with Flame Rift and Price of Progress as two of my favorite cards. I've always been fascinated how they promote creative thinking in building your deck to benefit more from a symmetrical effect, rather than just being obviously good. Damnation is a lot more interesting than Plague Wind.
I also like cards that target the top meta decks of the format. In Pauper's case, Izzet Delver. Similar to Penumbra Spider, the 2/4 reach stats is very strong against both Lightning Bolts and transformed Delver of Secrets.
I think the power level of this is relatively fair, and maybe even conservative. The opponent getting the first chance to use the mana ramp is a big strike against the card. Having a CMC of 4, as opposed to the 1 CMC of Eladamri's Vineyard or Magus of the Vineyard, limits how explosive it can be.
At first this let each player search their library for two basic lands, and put them onto the battlefield tapped. But I think that just added unnecessary shuffling, and also buffs the Skreds of Izzet Delver.
Some other variations:
Moss Kirin 2G
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds G.
1/3
Moss Kirin 1GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds GG.
2/3
Maybe too pushed.
Moss Kirin 2GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
When Moss Kirin enters the battlefield, each player reveals the top 4 cards of their library, and puts up to one enchantment card revealed this way into their hand, and the rest on the bottom of their library in a random order.
2/4
I also love Enchantress decks.
Moss Kirin 2G
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
When Moss Kirin enters the battlefield, each player reveals the top 3 cards of their library, and puts up to one enchantment card revealed this way into their hand, and the rest on the bottom of their library in a random order.
1/3
It does have the same triggered ability as a rare card (well, two) but at the same time, Magus of the Vineyard in particular is rare for the reasons of a) being a Magus and b) having an ability that's, as you say, explosive as hell when it's triggering on turn two. Said cards tend to be mostly used in Commander these days anyway.
I think if anything would force this to be not common it isn't complexity but how much it'd speed games up; one of these coming down in a Limited game is fine but two or more on the table begins to get a little silly. Still, that hopefully shouldn't happen THAT early or THAT often, but keep in mind that this existing really limits the number of other common mana ramp you can put in a Limited environment.
All in all I like the design and flavor.
For the alternate versions, the first (adding G) is so okay as to be innocuous, the second one (1GG 2/3) is indeed too much for common based on the reasons I gave that would possibly push the first version into uncommon but increased, and both the enchantment-finding versions are fine but wordy.
I don't think this card would be printed in a regular set nowadays where Wizards puts a huge focus on Limited for the reasons void_nothing mentioned, but I think it works as a common no problem if you remove it from that context.
The reach add-on may be a power adjustment, but since the card is supposed to represent the chosen name first and foremost, I don't think it really fits. When I think of moss, I think of it clinging to rocks on the ground, not reaching high up into the air...
The reach add-on may be a power adjustment, but since the card is supposed to represent the chosen name first and foremost, I don't think it really fits. When I think of moss, I think of it clinging to rocks on the ground, not reaching high up into the air...
I don't know; I think it fits. Kirins fly, and this one is weighted down by the fact that it has a coat made of moss, so it can sort of only jump up defensively but not fly on the attack.
It's a bit like an invitational card, combining lots of elements I love:
Moss Kirin 2GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds GG.
2/4
Some people might consider it a bit excessive in complexity for a common, but well, it's not much worse than Sakura-Tribe Springcaller and I've always hated NWO
I love Green ramp decks. This fulfills a role similar to Veteran Explorer in Legacy Nic Fit, where it's a symmetrical ramp effect which the opponent won't be able to use as effectively.
I also just love symmetrical effects in general, with Flame Rift and Price of Progress as two of my favorite cards. I've always been fascinated how they promote creative thinking in building your deck to benefit more from a symmetrical effect, rather than just being obviously good. Damnation is a lot more interesting than Plague Wind.
I also like cards that target the top meta decks of the format. In Pauper's case, Izzet Delver. Similar to Penumbra Spider, the 2/4 reach stats is very strong against both Lightning Bolts and transformed Delver of Secrets.
I think the power level of this is relatively fair, and maybe even conservative. The opponent getting the first chance to use the mana ramp is a big strike against the card. Having a CMC of 4, as opposed to the 1 CMC of Eladamri's Vineyard or Magus of the Vineyard, limits how explosive it can be.
At first this let each player search their library for two basic lands, and put them onto the battlefield tapped. But I think that just added unnecessary shuffling, and also buffs the Skreds of Izzet Delver.
Some other variations:
Moss Kirin 2G
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds G.
1/3
Moss Kirin 1GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player adds GG.
2/3
Maybe too pushed.
Moss Kirin 2GG
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
When Moss Kirin enters the battlefield, each player reveals the top 4 cards of their library, and puts up to one enchantment card revealed this way into their hand, and the rest on the bottom of their library in a random order.
2/4
I also love Enchantress decks.
Moss Kirin 2G
Creature - Plant Kirin (C)
Reach
When Moss Kirin enters the battlefield, each player reveals the top 3 cards of their library, and puts up to one enchantment card revealed this way into their hand, and the rest on the bottom of their library in a random order.
1/3
New Green version of Augur of Bolas/Sea Gate Oracle.
Corrupt Control B | Burn R | UG Turbofog UG | White Weenie W | GW Tethmos WG | BG Cycling Combo BG
Enchantress GBW | Colorless Tron C | Red Deck Wins R | UG Madness UG | Mono-G Tron G | UR Puzzlehorns UR
Rhystic Tron WU| WU Prowess WU | BR Reanimator BR | Mono-R Control R | Stompy G | Temur Tron URG
Mardu Infinite Priest WBR | 85-Card Dredge BRG | Elves GU | Boros Bully RW | Jeskai Familiars RWU
It does have the same triggered ability as a rare card (well, two) but at the same time, Magus of the Vineyard in particular is rare for the reasons of a) being a Magus and b) having an ability that's, as you say, explosive as hell when it's triggering on turn two. Said cards tend to be mostly used in Commander these days anyway.
I think if anything would force this to be not common it isn't complexity but how much it'd speed games up; one of these coming down in a Limited game is fine but two or more on the table begins to get a little silly. Still, that hopefully shouldn't happen THAT early or THAT often, but keep in mind that this existing really limits the number of other common mana ramp you can put in a Limited environment.
All in all I like the design and flavor.
For the alternate versions, the first (adding G) is so okay as to be innocuous, the second one (1GG 2/3) is indeed too much for common based on the reasons I gave that would possibly push the first version into uncommon but increased, and both the enchantment-finding versions are fine but wordy.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
The reach add-on may be a power adjustment, but since the card is supposed to represent the chosen name first and foremost, I don't think it really fits. When I think of moss, I think of it clinging to rocks on the ground, not reaching high up into the air...
I don't know; I think it fits. Kirins fly, and this one is weighted down by the fact that it has a coat made of moss, so it can sort of only jump up defensively but not fly on the attack.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝