Black Waltz 11B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (U)
Deathtouch
When Black Waltz I enters the battlefield you may search your library for a card named Waltzing Wavecrasher. If you do, shuffle your library and then place Waltzing Wavecrasher on top.
1/1
Waltzing Wavecrasher2U
Creature - Cat Fish (C)
When Waltzing Wavecrasher enters the battlefield, if you control a creature named Black Waltz 1, tap target creature an opponent controls. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
3/2
Black Waltz II2B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (U)
Flash, Flying
When Black Waltz II dies you may search your library for a creature named Black Waltz III and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.
2/2
Black Waltz III3B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (R)
Flying
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.).
Exile a wizard construct from your graveyard: Remove a +1/+1 counter from Black Waltz III.
3/3
Notes: The generic portion of the mana cost and p/t's of each successive waltz matches with their number. Their abilities also shows the progression between Waltzes in that the first's ability tutors a common creature to the top of the library, the second's ability tutors a rare creature to the hand, and the third's ability brings itself back potentially over and over.
Waltzing Wavecrasher is a play on the Sealion from FFIX (hence the types Cat Fish). It has a synergy with Black Waltz 1 that enables it to be a sort of Frost Lynx+ when BW1 is on the battlefield. Black Waltz 2 is given flash and flying to match with the addition of wings and the teleport abilities from FF9, but like the game this creature is largely just the precursor to Black Waltz 3. BW 3 has undying to reflect its return in Disc 2 of FF9, and to add some spice to this card and make this more than a French vanilla, I added the final ability that can remove the +1/+1 counter from undying, and potentially allow this to recur repeatedly. I thought the exiling a wizard construct cost was evocative of when Black Waltz 3 destroys all of the black mages in FF9 and it places a limitation on the use of this ability.
I'm not familiar with this part of FF, so I can't comment on flavor in that respect. I will not that I would not have noticed without your comment the 1/2/3 mana cost arrangement. Most people see patterns like that in mana value, but the generic costs tend to get glossed over when reading to figure out the total needed to cast a spell.
First general note, its odd having a Construct that isn't an artifact. Its doable, just odd.
Second, you are underestimating the power of being able to search a card, and thusly I and II are undercosted.
I, having both deathtouch and the tutor ability, means it effectively kills one of their cards for no loss of your own. This needs to be 1BB or 3B, not 1B. It would be fine at 2 without Deathtouch.
II, again, is too strong at 2/2 for 3 with Flash, Flying and getting a card for dying. I can flash it in to trade for an attacking X/2, and then be up a card. This would be fine without flash and mana value 3 (probably at 1BB, though)
III's ability should be at sorcery speed or have a cost attached, so that the opponent can have opportunities to interact with it while avoiding threat of activation. As is, its a near infinite flying blocker/attacker is almost impossible to remove.
I'd suggest tweaking the III so you can only use II to refresh its undying. Otherwise, its significantly more powerful than it should be.
Black Waltz III 3B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (R)
Flying
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.).
Exile a card named Black Waltz II from your graveyard: Remove a +1/+1 counter from Black Waltz III. Activate only as a sorcery.
3/3
I was initially going to cost these at 1,2, and 3 but the ability on BW1 is not something that can be done on a 1CC creature. Wizard construct is a flavor choice - the black mages in FF9 are Wizards, but also were created in an underground factory as a weapon of war -- some of them find their own purpose outside of war. The game discusses how they don't die, they stop.
I disagree that BW1 is doing too much at 2CC though. A 1/1 deathtouch is a common limited set inclusion that generally costs 1 mana (Hired Poisoner). For 1 additional mana it's not unreasonable for this to have the ability to fetch a single copy of a specific common. There's already examples of cards that do this and more at common(Squadron Hawk).
I do agree that BW 2 and 3 need a bit more tuning though if I want to maintain those costs (and I do). While we've already seen blue get a flash wind drake at common (Vexing Gull), black shouldn't have this without a drawback and this is that with upside.
Appreciate your suggestion on BW3 and I don't mind some small amount of parasitism, but I don't know that the entire vertical cycle should be parasitic. Wizard constructs already narrows the scope to Black Waltzs' and a few other creatures within this set (and changelings). Agree with the sorcery speed restriction as well.
I disagree that BW1 is doing too much at 2CC though. A 1/1 deathtouch is a common limited set inclusion that generally costs 1 mana (Hired Poisoner). For 1 additional mana it's not unreasonable for this to have the ability to fetch a single copy of a specific common. There's already examples of cards that do this and more at common(Squadron Hawk).
The notable differences between this and squadron hawk is that (a) Squadron Hawk doesn't trade with anything but an X/1 and (b) every time you cast Hawk after the first one you get no cards, so the first time it is strong at 2 mana and then the other three are overcosted Aven Skirmisher. Every one of your BWIs nets you a card from your deck and either one of their creatures or removal spells. That's a two card advantage swing off 1 two drop, too strong for two mana unless you're putting it at rare.
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (U)
Deathtouch
When Black Waltz I enters the battlefield you may search your library for a card named Waltzing Wavecrasher. If you do, shuffle your library and then place Waltzing Wavecrasher on top.
1/1
Waltzing Wavecrasher 2U
Creature - Cat Fish (C)
When Waltzing Wavecrasher enters the battlefield, if you control a creature named Black Waltz 1, tap target creature an opponent controls. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
3/2
Black Waltz II 2B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (U)
Flash, Flying
When Black Waltz II dies you may search your library for a creature named Black Waltz III and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.
2/2
Black Waltz III 3B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (R)
Flying
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.).
Exile a wizard construct from your graveyard: Remove a +1/+1 counter from Black Waltz III.
3/3
Notes: The generic portion of the mana cost and p/t's of each successive waltz matches with their number. Their abilities also shows the progression between Waltzes in that the first's ability tutors a common creature to the top of the library, the second's ability tutors a rare creature to the hand, and the third's ability brings itself back potentially over and over.
Waltzing Wavecrasher is a play on the Sealion from FFIX (hence the types Cat Fish). It has a synergy with Black Waltz 1 that enables it to be a sort of Frost Lynx+ when BW1 is on the battlefield. Black Waltz 2 is given flash and flying to match with the addition of wings and the teleport abilities from FF9, but like the game this creature is largely just the precursor to Black Waltz 3. BW 3 has undying to reflect its return in Disc 2 of FF9, and to add some spice to this card and make this more than a French vanilla, I added the final ability that can remove the +1/+1 counter from undying, and potentially allow this to recur repeatedly. I thought the exiling a wizard construct cost was evocative of when Black Waltz 3 destroys all of the black mages in FF9 and it places a limitation on the use of this ability.
First general note, its odd having a Construct that isn't an artifact. Its doable, just odd.
Second, you are underestimating the power of being able to search a card, and thusly I and II are undercosted.
I, having both deathtouch and the tutor ability, means it effectively kills one of their cards for no loss of your own. This needs to be 1BB or 3B, not 1B. It would be fine at 2 without Deathtouch.
II, again, is too strong at 2/2 for 3 with Flash, Flying and getting a card for dying. I can flash it in to trade for an attacking X/2, and then be up a card. This would be fine without flash and mana value 3 (probably at 1BB, though)
III's ability should be at sorcery speed or have a cost attached, so that the opponent can have opportunities to interact with it while avoiding threat of activation. As is, its a near infinite flying blocker/attacker is almost impossible to remove.
I'd suggest tweaking the III so you can only use II to refresh its undying. Otherwise, its significantly more powerful than it should be.
Black Waltz III 3B
Legendary Creature - Wizard Construct (R)
Flying
Undying (When this creature dies, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a +1/+1 counter on it.).
Exile a card named Black Waltz II from your graveyard: Remove a +1/+1 counter from Black Waltz III. Activate only as a sorcery.
3/3
I disagree that BW1 is doing too much at 2CC though. A 1/1 deathtouch is a common limited set inclusion that generally costs 1 mana (Hired Poisoner). For 1 additional mana it's not unreasonable for this to have the ability to fetch a single copy of a specific common. There's already examples of cards that do this and more at common(Squadron Hawk).
I do agree that BW 2 and 3 need a bit more tuning though if I want to maintain those costs (and I do). While we've already seen blue get a flash wind drake at common (Vexing Gull), black shouldn't have this without a drawback and this is that with upside.
Appreciate your suggestion on BW3 and I don't mind some small amount of parasitism, but I don't know that the entire vertical cycle should be parasitic. Wizard constructs already narrows the scope to Black Waltzs' and a few other creatures within this set (and changelings). Agree with the sorcery speed restriction as well.
Thanks for your feedback.
The notable differences between this and squadron hawk is that (a) Squadron Hawk doesn't trade with anything but an X/1 and (b) every time you cast Hawk after the first one you get no cards, so the first time it is strong at 2 mana and then the other three are overcosted Aven Skirmisher. Every one of your BWIs nets you a card from your deck and either one of their creatures or removal spells. That's a two card advantage swing off 1 two drop, too strong for two mana unless you're putting it at rare.
I missed that, conflated it with BWII