Zarina is an attempt at creating a more benevolent Rakdos character, a witch who specializes in domination, pain, and pleasure.
Zarina, Domination Witch3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Each creature has "Damage dealt to this creature also causes you to gain that much life." (For creatures controlled by opponents, "you" refers to their controller.)
If another creature would die, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
Her first ability is where the "domination" part comes in: gaining control of a creature with power less than her power. The second ability grants a reverse lifelink ability to creatures; when they get hurt, their controllers get healed, thus "pleasure". The "pain" part comes in here:
Zarina's Whip3
Legendary Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "T: This creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature. Untap that creature." X: Equipped creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.
Equip 3
But, Zarina takes good care of her playthings, and her third ability helps ensure they return safely to their owners.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
"Whenever damage is dealt to a creature, its controller gains that much life.
At the beginning of your combat phase, you may gain control of target creature with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
If another creature would die, return it to its owner's hand instead."
Here's another brush up. The final ability is a bit over-the-top. Although it seems polite to recycle their creatures, the ability is open-source as it's written, and prevents all creatures from being destroyed. This is a hard-lock that takes away from interactivity in an unintuitive way. It removes the aspect of challenge (of creature removal), with way too many other benefactors alongside it. The balance of power is thrown way off here. You might want to consider concentrating that operating function to only creatures that would be destroyed by Zarina. Currently, Wrath of God becomes Evacuation.
The final ability is a bit over-the-top. Although it seems polite to recycle their creatures, the ability is open-source as it's written, and prevents all creatures from being destroyed. This is a hard-lock that takes away from interactivity in an unintuitive way. It removes the aspect of challenge (of creature removal), with way too many other benefactors alongside it. The balance of power is thrown way off here. You might want to consider concentrating that operating function to only creatures that would be destroyed by Zarina. Currently, Wrath of God becomes Upheaval.
Originally, she had a tap ability that basically did what the Whip does sans untapping with that exact rider. Admittedly, the symmetric saving ability feels more white, and while I wouldn't object to a RWB dominatrix legend, for the purposes of a benevolent BR legend, I can change that third ability to something more interpersonal. I'd prefer to keep the damage-dealing ability to the Whip, as I like the idea of a domme using Equipment (though that's another point in favor of a RWB domme). Maybe she could have some manner of mana pump ability?
Zarina, Domination Witch3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Each creature has "Damage dealt to this creature also causes you to gain that much life." (For creatures controlled by opponents, "you" refers to their controller.) BR: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature. If that creature would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
That feels good. Then it's like a quasi-indestructible that also heals the targets's controller.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
That's fine. I would like to further point out though that benevolence has no place in black or red. You would definitely need to include white here for that. It's thought that black does hold some neutral ground, in being symbolic of the dead/spirits of the afterlife. However, even then it takes a melancholy overtone, (such as representing spirits stuck in limbo), and otherwise, it has a purely evil standing (representing malicious or evil serving spirits).
The middle ability still wants to be summarized as, "Whenever damage is dealt to a creature, its controller gains that much life."
That's fine. I would like to further point out though that benevolence has no place in black or red. You would definitely need to include white here for that. It's thought that black does hold some neutral ground, in being symbolic of the dead/spirits of the afterlife. However, even then it takes a melancholy overtone, (such as representing spirits stuck in limbo), and otherwise, it has a purely evil standing (representing malicious or evil serving spirits).
The middle ability still wants to be summarized as, "Whenever damage is dealt to a creature, its controller gains that much life."
No place, eh?
Benevolence is not restricted to white. Every color can be benevolent and care about others. I would consider adding white for the additional Equipment support, but I also like the idea of a benevolent BR character, especially one themed after my own personal interests. Giving lifegain to your opponents does feel white, though. What if the lifegain was limited to creatures you control? And while I still like the idea of templating "masochism lifelink" the same way as regular lifelink, I suppose the triggered version is more convenient from a comprehension standpoint.
Zarina, Domination Witch3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Whenever a creature you control is dealt damage, you may gain that much life.[/i] BR: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature. If that creature would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
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Zarina, Domination Witch 3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Each creature has "Damage dealt to this creature also causes you to gain that much life." (For creatures controlled by opponents, "you" refers to their controller.)
If another creature would die, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
Her first ability is where the "domination" part comes in: gaining control of a creature with power less than her power. The second ability grants a reverse lifelink ability to creatures; when they get hurt, their controllers get healed, thus "pleasure". The "pain" part comes in here:
Zarina's Whip 3
Legendary Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "T: This creature deals damage equal to its power to target creature. Untap that creature."
X: Equipped creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.
Equip 3
But, Zarina takes good care of her playthings, and her third ability helps ensure they return safely to their owners.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
At the beginning of your combat phase, you may gain control of target creature with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
If another creature would die, return it to its owner's hand instead."
Here's another brush up. The final ability is a bit over-the-top. Although it seems polite to recycle their creatures, the ability is open-source as it's written, and prevents all creatures from being destroyed. This is a hard-lock that takes away from interactivity in an unintuitive way. It removes the aspect of challenge (of creature removal), with way too many other benefactors alongside it. The balance of power is thrown way off here. You might want to consider concentrating that operating function to only creatures that would be destroyed by Zarina. Currently, Wrath of God becomes Evacuation.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Originally, she had a tap ability that basically did what the Whip does sans untapping with that exact rider. Admittedly, the symmetric saving ability feels more white, and while I wouldn't object to a RWB dominatrix legend, for the purposes of a benevolent BR legend, I can change that third ability to something more interpersonal. I'd prefer to keep the damage-dealing ability to the Whip, as I like the idea of a domme using Equipment (though that's another point in favor of a RWB domme). Maybe she could have some manner of mana pump ability?
Zarina, Domination Witch 3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Each creature has "Damage dealt to this creature also causes you to gain that much life." (For creatures controlled by opponents, "you" refers to their controller.)
BR: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature. If that creature would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
That feels good. Then it's like a quasi-indestructible that also heals the targets's controller.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
The middle ability still wants to be summarized as, "Whenever damage is dealt to a creature, its controller gains that much life."
No place, eh?
Benevolence is not restricted to white. Every color can be benevolent and care about others. I would consider adding white for the additional Equipment support, but I also like the idea of a benevolent BR character, especially one themed after my own personal interests. Giving lifegain to your opponents does feel white, though. What if the lifegain was limited to creatures you control? And while I still like the idea of templating "masochism lifelink" the same way as regular lifelink, I suppose the triggered version is more convenient from a comprehension standpoint.
Zarina, Domination Witch 3BR
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of combat on your turn, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than ~'s power until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
Whenever a creature you control is dealt damage, you may gain that much life.[/i]
BR: ~ deals 1 damage to target creature. If that creature would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
3/3
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.