So I have been brewing ideas and trying to imagine what Stryxhaven could have in store for us. Obviously we know it is a school for Mages. When most of us think of Mages, we think of Wizards, being centered in Blue and sometimes Red, and sprinkled amongst the other colors. When I think of Mages in mtg, I think of cards that are heavily "activated ability" and "instant and sorcery" themed. For this design, however, I wanted to break up a potential "School for Mages" into their respective magical class subsets: Cleric, Wizard, Warlock, Shaman, and Druid; and have it be heavily mono-colored focus to accentuate what magic each of those colors is best at. To tie all of these themes together, I came up with the idea of each House in the School of Mages having an Archmage that is a powerful legendary monocolored creature that defines the House.
Archmage Vectis3BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic) BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 1BB: Each opponent loses 2 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. 2BB:Destroy target creature.
3/5
Each of Archmage Vectis's abilities represent what Black mages do best: Reanimate, Life drain and gain, and Murder. The card acts as a mana sink for abilities that represent common magic tropes for the color of Black, all while being a Warlock Vampire.
Its a good concept. However that first ability is very strong when repeatable. I wouldn't want to add t to the cost of their spells however I do like the idea of making them stronger and adding discard a card. I'm not certain on the numbers but making the first ability a true resurrection instead would be a good start.
From a power level standpoint, all three abilities are too strong/cheap for instant speed unlimited activation abilities. Each of those abilities would cost roughly that with the expenditure of a card to get the effect once. Further, having the drain scale by the number of opponents makes it even more problematic in Commander.
Its base cost can actually come down 1, and there are a couple of ways you could balance the abilities. Probably the less desirable way would just be straight up increase the costs by 2-3 each. A better way would be make them Tap abilities
Archmage Vectis 2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic) 1BB, T: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 2BB, T: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. 3BB, T: Destroy target creature.
3/5
Limiting the activations to sorcery speed and once per turn would also work, but fitting all that text would be troublesome.
Archmage Vectis 2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic) 1BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery. 2BB: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery. 3BB: Destroy target creature. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
3/5
I would like this being printed as is, but only because I know this card is going to immediately bite the dust 9/10 times it hits the battlefield. Magic's current standing is that things need ETBs or be protected in order to get value out of them, and while this card can provide tremendous value, it does not do it immediately.
I suppose raising the ability costs by 1 each would be reasonable, but we have seen cards in the past that do very similar things
Those are examples of them being repeatable which is true, but they are very very Mana intense. The abilities on this card need some form of limitation. Weather it be once a turn, or costing more. As it stands right now it's too powerful.
So it sounds like something like this would be best?
Archmage Vectis2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic) 1BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 2BB: Each opponent loses 2 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. 3BB: Destroy target creature.
4/4
The first two abilities feel very underpowered imo when raising the ability costs by 1.
So it sounds like something like this would be best?
Archmage Vectis2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic) 1BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 2BB: Each opponent loses 2 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. 3BB: Destroy target creature.
4/4
The first two abilities feel very underpowered imo when raising the ability costs by 1.
I like this version best.
Think of the first two abilities as gravy in most cases. They are there to add utility when you aren't blowing up creatures, or for when you have infinite mana.
The drain ability is fine at 4 actually. 4 mana for a 4 point life swing is acceptable on a repeated ability.
Archmage Vectis 3BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic)
BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
1BB: Each opponent loses 2 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
2BB:Destroy target creature.
3/5
Each of Archmage Vectis's abilities represent what Black mages do best: Reanimate, Life drain and gain, and Murder. The card acts as a mana sink for abilities that represent common magic tropes for the color of Black, all while being a Warlock Vampire.
What do you guys think?
Its base cost can actually come down 1, and there are a couple of ways you could balance the abilities. Probably the less desirable way would just be straight up increase the costs by 2-3 each. A better way would be make them Tap abilities
Archmage Vectis 2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic)
1BB, T: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2BB, T: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
3BB, T: Destroy target creature.
3/5
Limiting the activations to sorcery speed and once per turn would also work, but fitting all that text would be troublesome.
Archmage Vectis 2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic)
1BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
2BB: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
3BB: Destroy target creature. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
3/5
That's not really helpful feedback, Reap. What does "overzealous" even mean in this context? Probably what?
I suppose raising the ability costs by 1 each would be reasonable, but we have seen cards in the past that do very similar things
Dunes of Zairo
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Innistrad - The Darkest Night
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Commander: Allies & Adversaries
Maybe for aesthetics purpose, but I think it would be neat if each activated ability cost BBB rather than the 2, 3, 4 build up
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
Omnath, Locus of Rage
Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
Toshiro Umezawa
Thraximundar
Jirina Kudro
Geist of Saint Traft
Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
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Archmage Vectis 2BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Warlock (Mythic)
1BB: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2BB: Each opponent loses 2 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
3BB: Destroy target creature.
4/4
The first two abilities feel very underpowered imo when raising the ability costs by 1.
I like this version best.
Think of the first two abilities as gravy in most cases. They are there to add utility when you aren't blowing up creatures, or for when you have infinite mana.
The drain ability is fine at 4 actually. 4 mana for a 4 point life swing is acceptable on a repeated ability.
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
Omnath, Locus of Rage
Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
Toshiro Umezawa
Thraximundar
Jirina Kudro
Geist of Saint Traft
Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
This site has me constantly saying "Some peoples' kids"