Howdy! I’ve built these 3 commanders to be on the higher power level, but they have a few issues regarding lengthy text, and one’s slightly weaker than the rest.
I apologize for the sketchy links, but I felt this was the simplest way to post the card images. Here are my personal questions for the cards, but the more input the better:
Is Merlak way to broken with the amount of artifact cloning that exists (like approach of the second sun cloning)
Should Void have an ETB land sac, due to the color limitations outside of high cmc wraths?
How gimmicky can Xyrix get in a cEDH environment regarding infinite combo potential?
First, please post card text in the forums, with pics if you like, but definitely readable without having to click links and squint at pics.
Merlak doesn't make sense. The replacement effect for casting is make the equipment token? Also, Imprint is not a keyword anymore. Your card has to specify what is being exiled (which it doesn't)
Is your intent that the spell that would have been cast is being imprinted on the equipment token? If so, I can help you with the wording later.
Void is the most printable of these. I'm not sure if it would be fun, but more doable.
Not that there are no humans on Lorwyn, so the flavor text doesn't make sense.
Xyrix is broken, with any free discard outlet (Wild Mongrel) it can draw the entire deck. I'd replace drawing a card with something else. I don't see and white or red in him. Blue/Black definitely, maybe red as a stretch, but the white just feels tacked on.
Thanks for the input. I’ve decided to rework Merlak so he doesn’t use imprint.
Merlak, Master Spellsword1WUR
First Strike
You may exile instant and sorceries you cast as they resolve. If you do, create a colorless token artifact equipment named “Spellsword” with “Equiped creature gets +1/+0. You may sacrifice this artifact to add 1 to your mana pool. You may use this mana only to cast instant and sorcery spells. Equip 1” equipped to this creature.
1/3
For Void I‘d change the flavor and give him an etb effect.
Void, Mana Obstructionist4WU
Hexproof
Opponents cannot cast spells if they control more permanents than you. 4: Exile Void, Mana Obstructionist until end of turn. Any player may activate this ability. Whenever Void, Mana Obstructionist enters the battlefield, gain life equal to half the number of untapped lands you control rounded down. Using the bones of fallen giants, the kithkin created a larger threat than they could’ve imagined.
4/6
Finally for Xyrix I’m changing the first and second ability and mana cost.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage2UBR
Whenever you discard a card, Xyrix deals 1 damage to target player. Whenever you sacrifice a non-token creature, create a 0/2 blue illusion creature token with “When this creature becomes the target of a spell, sacrifice it.” 1, Sacrifice a creature: target player discards a card, mills one, then draws a card. Magic is relative, resources are not.
1/4
Xyrix is still strong, but with slightly less card advantage.
When a card has multiple abilities each ability gets its own line, you don't run the abilities together like a long paragraph. Such a format entails a single ability with multiple parts. That obviously isn't what you want as you have activation costs midway through abilities that way.
Merlak, Master Spellsword, this wants to be a reflexive trigger on a replacement effect. Not just a replacement effect. It's very simple you replace "If you do" with "When you do" so its a trigger that goes off when you exile an instant or sorcery. Also a minor question. Do you want to exclude copies of spells from the treasure making potential? To get an idea of proper wording look at Nahiri, the Lithomancer and Estrid, the Masked for creating objects with multiple abilities that are meant to be attached to creatures.
You may exile instant and sorceries you control as they resolve. When you do, create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Spellsword attached to ~. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0," "Sacrifice this artifact: add C. Spend this mana only to cast instant and sorcery spells," and "Equip 1"
Void, Mana Obstructionist, this is a very oppressive control finisher in the mirror. The turn off effect doubles as protection and lifegain easily putting you ahead from either behind or already ahead. I wouldn't say it's busted or even too good but its definitely on the stronger side.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage is very busy. Its three separate abilities in which two have synergy and the third is worded to make you think it synergizes with the others but it doesn't. This is kind of a trap. To better synergize and make it a double-edge sword for powerlevel concerns.
Whenever a card is put into a player's graveyard from anywhere ~ deals 1 damage to that player.
Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken creature, create a 0/2 blue Illusion with "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it. 1, Sacrifice a creature: Target player draws a card, mills a card, and discards a card.
The spellsword needs a tweak on the sacrifice wording, so it is correctly a cost to generate the mana.:
You may exile instant and sorceries you control as they resolve. When you do, create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Spellsword attached to ~. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0," "Sacrifice Spellsword: Add 1. You may use this mana to only cast instant and sorcery spells," and "Equip 1"
With this effect exiling the spell isn't really necessary anymore. This could easily make the equipment just as a cast trigger.
Otherwise, this is an interesting commander now. He might even have room for some other trinket ability, something that happens when he has some high number of equipment equipped to him maybe?
Otherwise, this is an interesting commander now. He might even have room for some other trinket ability, something that happens when he has some high number of equipment equipped to him maybe?
The only scary thing with not exiling immediately is flashback. The trinket ability could be interesting, but I think it might be too wordy. Plus if you tutor for an ironworks you’ve got the board on lockdown with a ton of disposable mana.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage is very busy. Its three separate abilities in which two have synergy and the third is worded to make you think it synergizes with the others but it doesn't. This is kind of a trap. To better synergize and make it a double-edge sword for powerlevel concerns.
Whenever a card is put into a player's graveyard from anywhere ~ deals 1 damage to that player.
Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken creature, create a 0/2 blue Illusion with "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it. 1, Sacrifice a creature: Target player draws a card, mills a card, and discards a card.
I would personally change from anywhere to hand or library. That makes him super oppressive if you give your tokens deathtouch.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage is very busy. Its three separate abilities in which two have synergy and the third is worded to make you think it synergizes with the others but it doesn't. This is kind of a trap. To better synergize and make it a double-edge sword for powerlevel concerns.
Whenever a card is put into a player's graveyard from anywhere ~ deals 1 damage to that player.
Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken creature, create a 0/2 blue Illusion with "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it. 1, Sacrifice a creature: Target player draws a card, mills a card, and discards a card.
I would personally change from anywhere to hand or library. That makes him super oppressive if you give your tokens deathtouch.
It was meant to harm yourself when you sacrifice. The from field to graveyard is the weakest portion so cutting it in fear of it overwheling your opponents seems foolish.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage is very busy. Its three separate abilities in which two have synergy and the third is worded to make you think it synergizes with the others but it doesn't. This is kind of a trap. To better synergize and make it a double-edge sword for powerlevel concerns.
Whenever a card is put into a player's graveyard from anywhere ~ deals 1 damage to that player.
Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken creature, create a 0/2 blue Illusion with "When this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, sacrifice it. 1, Sacrifice a creature: Target player draws a card, mills a card, and discards a card.
I would personally change from anywhere to hand or library. That makes him super oppressive if you give your tokens deathtouch.
It was meant to harm yourself when you sacrifice. The from field to graveyard is the weakest portion so cutting it in fear of it overwheling your opponents seems foolish.
I see what you mean. I was just worried about how plunge into darkness works with that change.
Otherwise, this is an interesting commander now. He might even have room for some other trinket ability, something that happens when he has some high number of equipment equipped to him maybe?
The only scary thing with not exiling immediately is flashback. The trinket ability could be interesting, but I think it might be too wordy. Plus if you tutor for an ironworks you’ve got the board on lockdown with a ton of disposable mana.
The Flashback isn't going to be an issue; its like getting a +1/+1 counter when you cast a spell which is just fine with flashback in commander. Same with Ironworks, on extra equipment per spell isn't going to break anything. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer is just fine.
As it is, this has an interesting play style for a Jeskai commander: Cast a bunch of spells and then try to attack in to kill with commander damage. Something to protect him would be good, like "Sacrifice three artifacts: [CARDNAME] gains hexproof until the end of turn."
As it is, this has an interesting play style for a Jeskai commander: Cast a bunch of spells and then try to attack in to kill with commander damage. Something to protect him would be good, like "Sacrifice three artifacts: [CARDNAME] gains hexproof until the end of turn."
I would personally change from anywhere to hand or library. That makes him super oppressive if you give your tokens deathtouch.
It was meant to harm yourself when you sacrifice. The from field to graveyard is the weakest portion so cutting it in fear of it overwheling your opponents seems foolish.
I see what you mean. I was just worried about how plunge into darkness works with that change.
Plunge into Darkness. It works in your favor. You sacrifice the creatures as part of the resolution so you will gain the life before you are dealt damage.
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https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691064630054879294/737130825442918460/1595733158304049.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691064630054879294/737131200942178364/Void_Mana_Obstructionist.png
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691064630054879294/737137248889208882/1595816675549505.png
I apologize for the sketchy links, but I felt this was the simplest way to post the card images. Here are my personal questions for the cards, but the more input the better:
Is Merlak way to broken with the amount of artifact cloning that exists (like approach of the second sun cloning)
Should Void have an ETB land sac, due to the color limitations outside of high cmc wraths?
How gimmicky can Xyrix get in a cEDH environment regarding infinite combo potential?
Merlak doesn't make sense. The replacement effect for casting is make the equipment token? Also, Imprint is not a keyword anymore. Your card has to specify what is being exiled (which it doesn't)
Is your intent that the spell that would have been cast is being imprinted on the equipment token? If so, I can help you with the wording later.
Void is the most printable of these. I'm not sure if it would be fun, but more doable.
Not that there are no humans on Lorwyn, so the flavor text doesn't make sense.
Xyrix is broken, with any free discard outlet (Wild Mongrel) it can draw the entire deck. I'd replace drawing a card with something else. I don't see and white or red in him. Blue/Black definitely, maybe red as a stretch, but the white just feels tacked on.
Merlak, Master Spellsword 1WUR
First Strike
You may exile instant and sorceries you cast as they resolve. If you do, create a colorless token artifact equipment named “Spellsword” with “Equiped creature gets +1/+0. You may sacrifice this artifact to add 1 to your mana pool. You may use this mana only to cast instant and sorcery spells. Equip 1” equipped to this creature.
1/3
For Void I‘d change the flavor and give him an etb effect.
Void, Mana Obstructionist 4WU
Hexproof
Opponents cannot cast spells if they control more permanents than you. 4: Exile Void, Mana Obstructionist until end of turn. Any player may activate this ability. Whenever Void, Mana Obstructionist enters the battlefield, gain life equal to half the number of untapped lands you control rounded down.
Using the bones of fallen giants, the kithkin created a larger threat than they could’ve imagined.
4/6
Finally for Xyrix I’m changing the first and second ability and mana cost.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage 2UBR
Whenever you discard a card, Xyrix deals 1 damage to target player. Whenever you sacrifice a non-token creature, create a 0/2 blue illusion creature token with “When this creature becomes the target of a spell, sacrifice it.” 1, Sacrifice a creature: target player discards a card, mills one, then draws a card. Magic is relative, resources are not.
1/4
Xyrix is still strong, but with slightly less card advantage.
Merlak, Master Spellsword, this wants to be a reflexive trigger on a replacement effect. Not just a replacement effect. It's very simple you replace "If you do" with "When you do" so its a trigger that goes off when you exile an instant or sorcery. Also a minor question. Do you want to exclude copies of spells from the treasure making potential? To get an idea of proper wording look at Nahiri, the Lithomancer and Estrid, the Masked for creating objects with multiple abilities that are meant to be attached to creatures.
Void, Mana Obstructionist, this is a very oppressive control finisher in the mirror. The turn off effect doubles as protection and lifegain easily putting you ahead from either behind or already ahead. I wouldn't say it's busted or even too good but its definitely on the stronger side.
Xyrix, Grixis Arch-Mage is very busy. Its three separate abilities in which two have synergy and the third is worded to make you think it synergizes with the others but it doesn't. This is kind of a trap. To better synergize and make it a double-edge sword for powerlevel concerns.
You may exile instant and sorceries you control as they resolve. When you do, create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Spellsword attached to ~. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0," "Sacrifice Spellsword: Add 1. You may use this mana to only cast instant and sorcery spells," and "Equip 1"
With this effect exiling the spell isn't really necessary anymore. This could easily make the equipment just as a cast trigger.
Otherwise, this is an interesting commander now. He might even have room for some other trinket ability, something that happens when he has some high number of equipment equipped to him maybe?
The only scary thing with not exiling immediately is flashback. The trinket ability could be interesting, but I think it might be too wordy. Plus if you tutor for an ironworks you’ve got the board on lockdown with a ton of disposable mana.
I would personally change from anywhere to hand or library. That makes him super oppressive if you give your tokens deathtouch.
I see what you mean. I was just worried about how plunge into darkness works with that change.
The Flashback isn't going to be an issue; its like getting a +1/+1 counter when you cast a spell which is just fine with flashback in commander. Same with Ironworks, on extra equipment per spell isn't going to break anything. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer is just fine.
As it is, this has an interesting play style for a Jeskai commander: Cast a bunch of spells and then try to attack in to kill with commander damage. Something to protect him would be good, like "Sacrifice three artifacts: [CARDNAME] gains hexproof until the end of turn."
Yeah I like that. Works well with white.