Lawful? Command 1WW
Instant
Choose two:
•Exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield
•Target player creates a 1/1 white bird token with flying
•Exile target tapped creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
•Rebound
The fact that rebound doesn't target should (sometimes) add some risk when you want max value. Also the delay may make it so, you can't always afford to go for it.
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Scry 2
•Draw a card
•Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
I think the restriction to noncreature spells is necessary here to keep it a 2drop.
Hateful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile up to three cards from graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
the graveyard hate would normally target, but as it's likely the weakest mode already, I didn't want to add any risk to it
Spiteful Command R
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Deals 1 damage to target creature
•Deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker
•Target creature can't block this turn
•Target land doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step
Playful? Command GGG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Create a 2/2 green wolf token
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto a creature you control
•Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control
•Target player sacrifices an artifact
Honestly, I just ran out of -ful words, and ideas towards the end.
Originally I wanted to allow the wolf token to fight if necessary, but then I figured this corner-case isn't worth making the fighting mode unsafe by targeting only the opposing creature, for an effect that would feel borderline red anyway on a noncreature spell. The +1/+1 counters still don't target, since I consider being able to put those onto the wolf to be a bit more important.
The balance on these cards looks quite good overall, though the black one's Cabal Therapy mode does push the envelope on a 2cc instant. Putting rebound as one of the modes on the white one is a little strange, though I guess putting a static ability as a modular option technically works. You'd need to put the card into a set with rebound as a set mechanic, which does limit design if you intend these for a set. The modular options leave no room for reminder text, and rebound is a fairly complex mechanic.
I think you should amp up the red one to at least RR, as its current form is very lackluster compared to the others. The green one should be either GG or 1GG to be consistent too.
The R&D observation on Commands when they did the second set in Tarkir was that they wanted either every mode to target or none of them to, to avoid the the risks you mentioned on some of them. What your end goal for use of these cards is will affect how important that needs to be, but if your exercise is to "design like R&D", then that should be a goal.
Lawful Command - This is a really cool use of Rebound, but it also makes this significantly stronger than the others. Since its an instant, you could Exile/Rebound on their EOT, and then do two other modes on your upkeep (it would also confuse people that they could choose rebound again but it wouldn't work).
Mindful Command - This one probably needs to be 1UU and buff the counter option a little. It does have the same problem of Cryptic with two modes targeting and two modes not.
Hateful Command - This has the highest potential upside of these cards, but super situationally. You could probably buff the graveyard exile ability more since its significantly less powerful than the other modes.
Spiteful Command - Like before, buff it and raise the cost. "Destroy target artifact" could be used here. Also, Spiteful is really close to Hateful.
Playful Command - Joyful maybe? The first two abilities should target, because its really hard to make the third one not target. Two counters is also very strong for GG if its target cant be responded to.
Design like R&D isn't strictly the goal, I'd say, but a good enough approximation, and except for the white one where one mode doesn't target on purpose, I think it ideally should apply here. Anyway, updates:
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Target player draws two cards, then puts two cards from their hand on top of their library in any order
•Target player Scries 2
•Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
Rather than up the mana-cost and buff the scry and the counter mode, I decided to get rid of the "draw a card", as counter, tap, and draw made this a bit too close to cryptic. I think I like the self-contained brainstorm+get rid of them option, and 2cmc and not discarding should not make this too close to looting. Might need a bit more work though.
Hateful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile all permanent cards from graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
the graveyard hate is stronger now, and a bit more elegantly non-targeting (permanents only so it isn't the most generic effect possible), but I feel like the first mode is maybe still a bit too powerful, especially if you cast thoughtseize on turn 1. Yet, the last mode doesn't work on a sorcery and would probably suck at 3cmc. So I probably need to change something about it.
Resentful Command 1RR
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Deals 2 damage divided as you choose among up to two target creatures
•Deals 2 damage to target player or planeswalker
•Destroy target artifact
•Up to two target nonbasic lands don't untap during their controller's next untap step
I figured, 4 damage total needs to be 3cmc, even if the distribution is somewhat strange; at that mana cost, freezing only one land would be too weak, but an unconditional two would probably be too strong against slower decks, not with any individual other mode, but with all the options. Also, preventing blocking feels a bit redundant with damaging players, and creatures, so artifact destruction it is now.
Also, resentful is probably still a bit close to hateful.
Joyful Command 1GG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto target creature you control
•Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control
•Target player creates a 2/2 green wolf token
•Target player reveals the top two cards of their library, puts a creature card from among them into their hand and the rest on the bottom of their library
All modes target now. Wolf is below the two modes that can't target it to make this fact as clear as possible. Now without the option to create a 4/4 creature, 1GG should be fair enough. Since the artifact disruption made this a bit too close to Dromoka's Command, I replaced it. The problem with joyful is, the fight mode doesn't fit it at all, while with playful, it works somewhat. But neither is ideal.
Mindful command doesn't need to be non-creature on the counter, since Force Spike is fine at U, and having scry 2 and loot 2 on the same card is awkward. I'd replace scy 2 with "Target player puts four cards into their graveyard" , which will also read better that "Target player scries"
Hateful command should remove opponent's graveyards rather than all. Also, I feel like Resentful or Spiteful actually works better for this one, since its very ...well... spiteful to your opponents.
Still not sure what the name of the red one should be. That's my only quibble there.
Joyful Command would work better without targeting. Especially the impulse ability isn't green if you can target an opponent. How about these 4 modes?
Joyful Command 1GG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Look at the top two cards of your library. You may reveal a creature or land card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
•Create a 2/2 green Wolf creature token.
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto a creature you control.
•Creatures you control gain trample until the end of turn.
Since Censor actually saw some play, I didn't want it to be a cantripping Force Spike. But now that it doesn't cantrip, it's probably fine. And I absolutely agree that scry 2 is a bit awkward.
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Target player draws two cards, then puts two cards from their hand on top of their library in any order
•Target player puts the top four cards of their library into their graveyard
•Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
Your version of Joyful Command certainly isn't bad. The trample mode will likely only ever be combined with the +1/+1 counter mode, but since it can create a 4/4 creature again, a relatively situational mode is not a bad thing. Also the modes fit the name well enough.
About the black one, I'm still not sure. Removing only from opponents' graveyards is certainly reasonable. Maybe it's actually ok for the first mode to be so powerful, given how situational all of it is, but between all of the modes, I feel like you'd commonly get adequate value for a 2drop instant, while sometimes getting a lot more.
Yet, making it a 3drop would mean the blue one would also have to be a 3drop in order to not be the only one breaking the rule. And the anti-storm mode of the black one would need a complete rework, as it couldn't just drain for twice the amount--randomly catching them having played two spells is just too likely for that, and 3cmc is not adequate for a reactive hate-piece.
While I originally called the black one "hateful" for being a hate-card, you're right that "resentful" still matches what it does, while distancing a bit from "spiteful", which feels much more red then "resentful". So for now:
Resentful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile all permanent cards from opponents' graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
As to the black one being powerful, the only reason Cabal Therapy is strong is the flashback. The fact that you can see on the first cast and know what to pick on the second makes it that strong. For your command, it's just going to be a shot in the dark unless you've spent resources elsewhere to see their hand first.
That's true about therapy, but presumeably that command wouldn't just exist in legacy, and often enough you can actually guess what the opponent has in hand, at least with a high enough probability that it's worth it if you get value from some other mode; and there's enough X/1 utility creatures that the -1/-1 mode should do something not just against tribal decks, and token decks; and using the last mode as "drain 2 life" needn't be the most terrible thing. I don't think the median value you get from it is outrageous, or even that great, but three modes are somewhat decent, even when not used as hate. I guess it would either be a sideboard card, or one that commonly gets boarded out.
You're right that it's probably fine though. It is still a hate card, and while evaluating it, I keep forgetting that those need to be potentially very powerful.
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Instant
Choose two:
•Exile target creature you control, then return it to the battlefield
•Target player creates a 1/1 white bird token with flying
•Exile target tapped creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
•Rebound
The fact that rebound doesn't target should (sometimes) add some risk when you want max value. Also the delay may make it so, you can't always afford to go for it.
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Scry 2
•Draw a card
•Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
I think the restriction to noncreature spells is necessary here to keep it a 2drop.
Hateful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile up to three cards from graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
the graveyard hate would normally target, but as it's likely the weakest mode already, I didn't want to add any risk to it
Spiteful Command R
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Deals 1 damage to target creature
•Deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker
•Target creature can't block this turn
•Target land doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step
Playful? Command GGG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Create a 2/2 green wolf token
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto a creature you control
•Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control
•Target player sacrifices an artifact
Honestly, I just ran out of -ful words, and ideas towards the end.
Originally I wanted to allow the wolf token to fight if necessary, but then I figured this corner-case isn't worth making the fighting mode unsafe by targeting only the opposing creature, for an effect that would feel borderline red anyway on a noncreature spell. The +1/+1 counters still don't target, since I consider being able to put those onto the wolf to be a bit more important.
Are those cards somewhat balanced at least?
The R&D observation on Commands when they did the second set in Tarkir was that they wanted either every mode to target or none of them to, to avoid the the risks you mentioned on some of them. What your end goal for use of these cards is will affect how important that needs to be, but if your exercise is to "design like R&D", then that should be a goal.
Lawful Command - This is a really cool use of Rebound, but it also makes this significantly stronger than the others. Since its an instant, you could Exile/Rebound on their EOT, and then do two other modes on your upkeep (it would also confuse people that they could choose rebound again but it wouldn't work).
Mindful Command - This one probably needs to be 1UU and buff the counter option a little. It does have the same problem of Cryptic with two modes targeting and two modes not.
Hateful Command - This has the highest potential upside of these cards, but super situationally. You could probably buff the graveyard exile ability more since its significantly less powerful than the other modes.
Spiteful Command - Like before, buff it and raise the cost. "Destroy target artifact" could be used here. Also, Spiteful is really close to Hateful.
Playful Command - Joyful maybe? The first two abilities should target, because its really hard to make the third one not target. Two counters is also very strong for GG if its target cant be responded to.
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Target player draws two cards, then puts two cards from their hand on top of their library in any order
•Target player Scries 2
•Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
Rather than up the mana-cost and buff the scry and the counter mode, I decided to get rid of the "draw a card", as counter, tap, and draw made this a bit too close to cryptic. I think I like the self-contained brainstorm+get rid of them option, and 2cmc and not discarding should not make this too close to looting. Might need a bit more work though.
Hateful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile all permanent cards from graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
the graveyard hate is stronger now, and a bit more elegantly non-targeting (permanents only so it isn't the most generic effect possible), but I feel like the first mode is maybe still a bit too powerful, especially if you cast thoughtseize on turn 1. Yet, the last mode doesn't work on a sorcery and would probably suck at 3cmc. So I probably need to change something about it.
Resentful Command 1RR
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Deals 2 damage divided as you choose among up to two target creatures
•Deals 2 damage to target player or planeswalker
•Destroy target artifact
•Up to two target nonbasic lands don't untap during their controller's next untap step
I figured, 4 damage total needs to be 3cmc, even if the distribution is somewhat strange; at that mana cost, freezing only one land would be too weak, but an unconditional two would probably be too strong against slower decks, not with any individual other mode, but with all the options. Also, preventing blocking feels a bit redundant with damaging players, and creatures, so artifact destruction it is now.
Also, resentful is probably still a bit close to hateful.
Joyful Command 1GG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto target creature you control
•Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control
•Target player creates a 2/2 green wolf token
•Target player reveals the top two cards of their library, puts a creature card from among them into their hand and the rest on the bottom of their library
All modes target now. Wolf is below the two modes that can't target it to make this fact as clear as possible. Now without the option to create a 4/4 creature, 1GG should be fair enough. Since the artifact disruption made this a bit too close to Dromoka's Command, I replaced it. The problem with joyful is, the fight mode doesn't fit it at all, while with playful, it works somewhat. But neither is ideal.
Hateful command should remove opponent's graveyards rather than all. Also, I feel like Resentful or Spiteful actually works better for this one, since its very ...well... spiteful to your opponents.
Still not sure what the name of the red one should be. That's my only quibble there.
Joyful Command would work better without targeting. Especially the impulse ability isn't green if you can target an opponent. How about these 4 modes?
Joyful Command 1GG
Sorcery
Choose two:
•Look at the top two cards of your library. You may reveal a creature or land card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
•Create a 2/2 green Wolf creature token.
•Put two +1/+1 counters onto a creature you control.
•Creatures you control gain trample until the end of turn.
Mindful Command UU
Instant
Choose two:
•Target player draws two cards, then puts two cards from their hand on top of their library in any order
•Target player puts the top four cards of their library into their graveyard
•Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1
•Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step
Your version of Joyful Command certainly isn't bad. The trample mode will likely only ever be combined with the +1/+1 counter mode, but since it can create a 4/4 creature again, a relatively situational mode is not a bad thing. Also the modes fit the name well enough.
About the black one, I'm still not sure. Removing only from opponents' graveyards is certainly reasonable. Maybe it's actually ok for the first mode to be so powerful, given how situational all of it is, but between all of the modes, I feel like you'd commonly get adequate value for a 2drop instant, while sometimes getting a lot more.
Yet, making it a 3drop would mean the blue one would also have to be a 3drop in order to not be the only one breaking the rule. And the anti-storm mode of the black one would need a complete rework, as it couldn't just drain for twice the amount--randomly catching them having played two spells is just too likely for that, and 3cmc is not adequate for a reactive hate-piece.
While I originally called the black one "hateful" for being a hate-card, you're right that "resentful" still matches what it does, while distancing a bit from "spiteful", which feels much more red then "resentful". So for now:
Resentful Command BB
Instant
Choose two:
•Name a non-creature, non-land card. Each opponent reveals their hand and discards a card with that name.
•choose a creature type. creatures of that type get -1/-1 until eot.
•Exile all permanent cards from opponents' graveyards.
•Each opponent loses life equal to the number of spells they have cast this turn. You gain that much life.
You're right that it's probably fine though. It is still a hate card, and while evaluating it, I keep forgetting that those need to be potentially very powerful.