Duel basically forces your opponent's creatures to block one of your creatures (whether tapped or not) that are attacking and with the keyword (this is called "dueling", and yes it looks like an aggro version of provoke). This is optional, though, so you aren't forced to have someone block your Duel creatures.
If a duel has a number right after it (ex. Duel 3), it means they will get that many +1/+1 counters on it at the start of the duel (right before damage is dealt when the forced-block happens). The counters do not go away. Block restrictions DO NOT apply (flying creatures can duel creatures without flying). Lastly, your choice to make any of your creatures duel is done BEFORE blockers are declared.
Abilities and spells may still be played (if possible) during a duel.
Sample Card:
Highway Scoundrels2BB
Duel 1 (When ~ attacks, you may choose a creature the defending player controls. If you do, put 1 +1/+1 counter on ~. It is now blocked by that creature. Block restrictions do not apply with this effect.)
Whenever this creature duels, its controller draws a card.
2/2
Summary: Duel is just a Bushido+Provoke and no block restrictions. And you don't untap whoever you force-block, just directly block.
(The comment below made me give changes so that I can explain this mechanic more clearly)
You have inadequately explained your mechanic. If I understand you want it to be a provoke variant with a built in bushido but you want to ignore the if able and just push through with rules. That's all fine but your explination is confusing at best. You say it gets counters but they go away when the duel ends. Did you mean it goes away right after the duel? Often resulting in the death of the dueling creature. Or did you mean end of turn? Why use counters at all? Based on what you said I'm guessing you mean to ignore all blocking restrictions such as flying or shadow. That's cool but you need to be explicit if that's what you meant. If not then your restrictions need to be clearer. How does duel function with normal blocking? This all needs to be cleared up.
Sorry for my terrible explanation. I have edited it so that it's much more clearer.
Yes, it's supposed to ignore block restrictions and be a Provoke+Bushido, and no, the counters don't go away, I screwed up my ideas for this mechanic.
Some minor note: The mechanic doesn't untap a creature to block a duel creature you control, it directly blocks it and is treated as though it was untapped (even if it isn't).
Ok, that's much clearer and I think I can get you some basic working rules texts to properly explain what's happening, or at least reminder text.
Duel X(When ~ attacks you may choose a creature the defending player controls. If you do, put X +1/+1 counters on ~ it is now blocked by that creature.)
Provoke was a reasonable, strong ability. This is a significantly stronger provoke so it will need to reflect that in cost. I think the highest you could keep Duel on Highway Scoundrels is 2 but I would make it a 2/2 with duel 1.
You said you gave bad stats to any creature with duel, but the +1/+1 counters encourage them to use the ability whenever possible, and therefore encourages opponents to just not play any small creatures to avoid giving you the duel counters. Duel punishes small creatures above and beyond just killing them. There are plenty of cards that punish small creatures in Magic, such as Rakdos Charm, Batwing Brume, or Massacre Wurm, but it's not a good idea to make it into a keyword mechanic since that warps the whole format into not just killing small creatures, but punishing them by advancing the other player's board state.
What you basically have is a stronger Prodigal Pyromancer or Blood Cultist, and even in morerecentdesigns these sorts of cards can never easily remove creatures above 1 toughness without support from some other card (Irencrag Pyro need a separate card draw effect, Spikeshot Elder needs an aura or equipment, and Tracker needs another bigger creature). Cards that can repeatedly remove creatures by themselves tend to cost a lot of mana, like Hateflayer or Avatar of Woe.
So, in general, I'm thinking this keyword is too op to exist. I tried looking for a way to balance the keyword so that it isn't too ridiculously powerful, but I couldn't really find the answer.
If I made the counters be -1/-1 counters, then it's just an even worse provoke. Maybe I'll just con this mechanic as a failure and try finding another better one instead.
One thing that should help this ability at least somewhat is to not have the power boost be permanent, but instead be until end of turn, and to have the requirement that the target creature for the duel is untapped, so there is some counterplay possible if someone doesn't want a particular creature to be forced into a duel (No dueling against mana-dorks, for example). Your highway scoundrels would then be something like:
Highway Scoundrels2BB
Duel 1 (When ~ attacks, you may choose an untapped creature the defending player controls. If you do, ~ gains +1/+1 untill end of turn. It is now blocked by that creature. Block restrictions do not apply with this effect.)
Whenever this creature duels, its controller draws a card.
2/2
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If a duel has a number right after it (ex. Duel 3), it means they will get that many +1/+1 counters on it at the start of the duel (right before damage is dealt when the forced-block happens). The counters do not go away. Block restrictions DO NOT apply (flying creatures can duel creatures without flying). Lastly, your choice to make any of your creatures duel is done BEFORE blockers are declared.
Abilities and spells may still be played (if possible) during a duel.
Sample Card:
Highway Scoundrels2BB
Duel 1 (When ~ attacks, you may choose a creature the defending player controls. If you do, put 1 +1/+1 counter on ~. It is now blocked by that creature. Block restrictions do not apply with this effect.)
Whenever this creature duels, its controller draws a card.
2/2
Summary: Duel is just a Bushido+Provoke and no block restrictions. And you don't untap whoever you force-block, just directly block.
(The comment below made me give changes so that I can explain this mechanic more clearly)
Yes, it's supposed to ignore block restrictions and be a Provoke+Bushido, and no, the counters don't go away, I screwed up my ideas for this mechanic.
Some minor note: The mechanic doesn't untap a creature to block a duel creature you control, it directly blocks it and is treated as though it was untapped (even if it isn't).
Duel X(When ~ attacks you may choose a creature the defending player controls. If you do, put X +1/+1 counters on ~ it is now blocked by that creature.)
Provoke was a reasonable, strong ability. This is a significantly stronger provoke so it will need to reflect that in cost. I think the highest you could keep Duel on Highway Scoundrels is 2 but I would make it a 2/2 with duel 1.
You said you gave bad stats to any creature with duel, but the +1/+1 counters encourage them to use the ability whenever possible, and therefore encourages opponents to just not play any small creatures to avoid giving you the duel counters. Duel punishes small creatures above and beyond just killing them. There are plenty of cards that punish small creatures in Magic, such as Rakdos Charm, Batwing Brume, or Massacre Wurm, but it's not a good idea to make it into a keyword mechanic since that warps the whole format into not just killing small creatures, but punishing them by advancing the other player's board state.
What you basically have is a stronger Prodigal Pyromancer or Blood Cultist, and even in more recent designs these sorts of cards can never easily remove creatures above 1 toughness without support from some other card (Irencrag Pyro need a separate card draw effect, Spikeshot Elder needs an aura or equipment, and Tracker needs another bigger creature). Cards that can repeatedly remove creatures by themselves tend to cost a lot of mana, like Hateflayer or Avatar of Woe.
- Rabid Wombat
If I made the counters be -1/-1 counters, then it's just an even worse provoke. Maybe I'll just con this mechanic as a failure and try finding another better one instead.
Highway Scoundrels2BB
Duel 1 (When ~ attacks, you may choose an untapped creature the defending player controls. If you do, ~ gains +1/+1 untill end of turn. It is now blocked by that creature. Block restrictions do not apply with this effect.)
Whenever this creature duels, its controller draws a card.
2/2