With these creatures returning to the battlefield at the beginning of your next upkeep instead of the end step, this mechanic makes much more sense. I'm ok with it now :thumbsup:.
What about also triggering the returning to the battlefield when the fortification leaves play?
However, wouldn't it be much cleaner to just have T in the activation costs of all shelter abilities rather than "use only before combat" (btw, activate is the term now)? And it leaves you more design space, combining it with vigilance for example.
Garrison [cost] ((T, Pay [cost]: Exile this creature underneath a fortification* you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep or when that fortification leaves the battlefield, return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.)
*had to rephrase that so the reference in the second sentence would be clear. Also, this doesn't trigger when the fortification becomes unattached from the land. Should it?
I like shelter more btw.
Garrison [cost] ((T, Pay [cost]: Exile this creature underneath a fortification* you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep or when that fortification leaves the battlefield, return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.)
*had to rephrase that so the reference in the second sentence would be clear. Also, this doesn't trigger when the fortification becomes unattached from the land. Should it?
I like shelter more btw.
I had it requiring a foritfied land rather than a fortification because I don't want to encouarge playing fortifications but not attaching them to land (that's like playing equipment but not attaching to a creature). As far as it triggering when the land becomes unattached... that just gets confusing and wordy, it's one of those places where I think the game overrides the flavor.
As to the name... I thought shelter sounded a bit too much like running and hiding. I actually did a thesaurus search of foritfy and garrison popped up, and I loved it. To me, the word garrison evokes the flavor of it all so much better than shelter.
I got one idea left (it's ugly):
"Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep or when that land isn't fortified, return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.
When it leaves the battlefield, it's no longer fortified. When the fortification is destroyed or becomes unattached, it's no longer fortified.
Btw, rules question. Can you "pay" T? I know you can in my CCG.. mixing it always up with magic
I got one idea left (it's ugly):
"Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep or when that land isn't fortified, return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.
When it leaves the battlefield, it's no longer fortified. When the fortification is destroyed or becomes unattached, it's no longer fortified.
Btw, rules question. Can you "pay" T? I know you can in my CCG.. mixing it always up with magic
While T: is a cost, I don't think it's ever referred to as being 'paid'.
As far as the wording of the mechanic... I don't see any way to make something un-garrisoned when the fortification becomes unattached and it not be ugly. For gameplay purposes, I don't see an issue with simply ignoring this. So when something is garrisoned, it's done, and it comes back at the beginning of your next upkeep no matter if the fortification that garrisoned it is destroyed or unattached.
Also, a rules question - the creatures that are coming out of garrison are not affected by summoning sickness, since they've been in your control since the beginning of your upkeep, correct?
" A creature has summoning sickness if it has not been continuously controlled by a player since the beginning of that player's most recent turn." != beginning of upkeep
" A creature has summoning sickness if it has not been continuously controlled by a player since the beginning of that player's most recent turn." != beginning of upkeep
So it needs to be worded differently, unless we want them to have summoning sickness every time. Maybe they return at the beginning of the next end step, but tapped?
I think they at least shouldn't be on the battlefield during the opponent's turn. If it's only flavor wise to dodge wraths, sorcery removal ect. Otherwise it's just a convoluted tap-symbol.
Also the fix to the problem should be easy:
"Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield under your control. It has haste. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery."
Updated wording of the mechanic. Also, I'm going with the name garrison simply because I think it fits best for the flavor of the mechanic.
Garrison [Cost] (T, Pay [Cost]: Exile this creature under target fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Probably the best way to do it. Maybe not very elegant, but it gets the job done and can provide some interesting choices, given the right cards.
Next, I've been working more on the set and intend to post updated white cards as well as the first run at blue. For now, here is a cycle that needs balancing, but I think is needed for drafting purity. (Also, along these same lines, I've got a cycle of enchantments that I might very well go back and straight up add to the first set)
(^ Potentially too powerful.)
Halo of the Silver Flame1W
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and gains lifelink and prismatic.
Equip 1
Staff of the Silver Flame1U
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gains “UU, T: Tap or untap target creature” and prismatic.
Equip 1
Scythe of the Silver Flame1B
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets intimidate and gains prismatic.
Equip 1
Hammer of the Silver Flame1R
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and gains trample and prismatic.
Equip 1
Cloak of the Silver Flame1G
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gains hexproof and prismatic.
Equip 1
You'll notice that these cards are gold framed (with colored highlights). This will be the norm for everything with Prismatic, and the original set will get an update to reflect this. This, I think, makes the prismatic cards more visibly striking and gives them an identity away from the colorless cards even further.
EDIT: Here's what I'm working with in blue at the moment. I won't be surprised if some are wildly over/under-tuned, but the basic design is there for the most part.
Betrayal in the Depths2U
Sorcery (U)
Target creature an opponent controls fights another target creature an opponent controls.
Blinksea CephalopodUU
Creature — Squid (C)
Whenever Blinksea Cephalopod dies, target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
1/2
Blinksea Kraken7UU
Creature — Kraken (M)
Trample
Purity — As long as blue is the only color among permanets you control, creatures your opponents control with 3 power or less come into play tapped and don’t untap during their controller’s untap step.
7/5
Blinksea Tide3UU
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of each opponent’s upkeep, that player puts the top X cards from the top of his or library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of islands you control. 3UU, Tap a fortified island you control: Target player puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. (use this ability only once per turn)
Clouded AssaultU
Sorcery (U)
As an additional cost to cast Clouded Assault, tap target fortified island you control.
Target blue creature is unblockable until end of turn.
DissolutionU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3.
Dissolution costs 2 more to cast for each card named Dissolution in any graveyard.
Erode1UU
Sorcery (U)
Return target land and all its attachments to its owner’s hand.
Flee to the ReefsU
Instant (C)
Garrison target creature you control (Exile that creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield.)
Draw a card.
Fleetfin Merfolk2U
Creature — Merfolk (C)
Flash
Purity — As long as blue is the only color among permanents you control, Fleetfin Merfolk has “U: Return Fleetfin Merfolk to its owner’s hand”.
1/1
Halt Summons2UU
Instant (C)
Counter target creature spell. That spell’s owner cannot cast creature spells until end of turn. “Those creatures — you will not need them.”
Reefhome Hunter2U
Creature — Merfolk (C)
Garrison U(Pay U, T: Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Whenever Reefhome Hunter enters the battlefield, untap target blue creature.
1/1
Revisionist History2U
Sorcery (C)
Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
If you control a fortified island, draw a card.
_____ of the Silver Flame cycle
Obviously the idea here is to have cheap commons that enable purity in a draft environment. While purity was possible in Caeia, it was a bit more difficult than I would have liked (as mentioned before, I'll likely be putting a cycle of common enchantments into Caeia in a future update)
Of these, the black version worries me the most. Although it works as a purity enabler, it can also be read as 'equipped creature is unblockable' in most scenarios. Don't know if I want that level of evasive aggresion at common, only time and testing will tell.
Betrayal in the Depths
I feel like, philosophically, this is spot-on for blue. However, mechanically it's difficult, as it is basically blue creature removal. Could possibly be costed higher, given an additional casting cost, or scrapped entirely in a future build.
Blinksea Kraken
I'm curious to know what people think of this card. I'm leaning toward it being balanced, if possibly on the weak side (with 5 toughness), given that it's mythic and high-costed.
Clouded Assault
Though I like the idea I've got here, I'm afraid this is both two narrow and, at the same time, too powerful. Is on my watch list.
Dissolution
I can see this being highly controversial. Looking forward to hearing people's thoughts. This, too, is on my watch list.
Erode
This intent here is to provide an on-color method of dealing with fortifications. However, having it just target fortifications seemed too narrow. Might need to be costed higher, since it's a land bounce.
Flee to the Reefs
On the watch list. I love the idea of blue having other methods to garrison its creatures - it seems sneaky and very blue-ish, however this is both a combo enable and a solid combat trick. We'll see.
Sanctum of Thought
Make sense? Thoughts?
Shroudscale Scout
I like the idea of this guy, and it feels pretty blue. Playtesting will tell if it's too powerful. (probably needs to cost 1 more)
Spectral Displacement
Somewhat redundant with erode, and with fewer issues since it isn't a land bounce. Might make the cut and move Erode to set 3.
Steal Ability
Possibly too narrow, even for a rare, in this set.
Tentacled Queen
I'm fond of this idea. EtB effects work so well with Garrison. Still, on the watch list.
EDIT: Added text spoilers for those who can't see or don't want to see images!
Halo: Pumping toughness and lifelink is unsynergistic. +1/+1? Otherwise, vigilance? Staff: Should cost only U. Scythe: So, this is basically unblockability, but it has to be equipped during the upkeep to get the full benefit? This is very awkward, mechanics-wise. Hammer: Ok :thumbsup:. Cloak: Some additional bonus would be ok.
Tentacled Queen: Tentacles, eh? Fine, power wise Telvan Merfolk: 2/1! Steal Ability: If you target an activated ability, then it's targetting it as in targeting a spell. Just give the creature all activated abilities of that creature. Spectral Displacement: Unattach. This should cost more or not be able to kill Auras. Shroudscale Scout: Say that word 10 times, lol :D. "If Shroudscale Scout would die". Sanctum of Thought: I don't like this. The reason is that you turn all your creatures into Azure Mages, but with the extra of having to go through the garrison thing for no reason. Also, it's very parasitic (does nothing without fortifications) and really slow. Revisionist History: Top four? Reefhome Hunter: Untapping a blue creature during your upkeep is a very narrow use. 1/1 for 3? Mistcover Herons: Come on, give these guys some more power. Halt Summons: Could cost 1UU. For 4 this is really bad. Greenfin Serpent: Forestwalk seems kind of random, but ok. Fleetfin Merfolk: NEEDS... MORE... POWER! Flee to the Reefs: Make it "up to one target creature" so you can just cycle it, then you get: Erode: "and all permanents attached to it". Dissolution: First overpowered spell. The fact that you just want to play one of these doesn't justify the fact that this is the best counterspell ever. Clouded Assault: Increase the cost and make it affect all blue creatures? Distortion Strike laughs at this card. Blinksea Tide: Oh jeez, this is the next Jace, Memory Adept for limited. This just kills people in 1-2 turns. Blinksea Kraken: More symmetry in P/T and cost would be nice. He seems to have missed the M10-changes. Blinksea Cephalopod: 1/3? Betrayal in the Depths: This isn't blue. Cost: Blood Feud
Overall: Solid cards, most of them a bit low in power level. Nothing seems to be eldrazinized though?!?
Halo: Pumping toughness and lifelink is unsynergistic. +1/+1? Otherwise, vigilance?
I like the lifelink a heck of a lot more than the +0/+2 (that was basically tacked on). Vigilance + Lifelink too OP at this cost/rarity?
Staff: Should cost only U.
Makes Sense
Scythe: So, this is basically unblockability, but it has to be equipped during the upkeep to get the full benefit? This is very awkward, mechanics-wise.
Yeah, like I said I was a bit worried about this one. I don't want to give Deathtouch because that's on an equipment in set 1. Thoughts on a black ability that isn't so complicated/powerful?
Cloak: Some additional bonus would be ok.
I'll consider giving it more, though tbh I'm ok with it as-is.
Telvan Merfolk: 2/1!
Hmm... maybe. I don't want a high aggression level though. I'd feel better about 1/2, though that doesn't fit the card all that well.
Steal Ability: If you target an activated ability, then it's targetting it as in targeting a spell. Just give the creature all activated abilities of that creature.
Makes sense.
Spectral Displacement: Unattach. This should cost more or not be able to kill Auras.
Or maybe return them (auras) to their owner's hands?
Sanctum of Thought: I don't like this. The reason is that you turn all your creatures into Azure Mages, but with the extra of having to go through the garrison thing for no reason. Also, it's very parasitic (does nothing without fortifications) and really slow.
I can handle this being parasitic, (though it would actually fit better ON a fortification, save the wordiness of the reminder text).
Revisionist History: Top four?
Possibly. I'm walking a fine line (see Blinksea Tide) between mill being useful and downright OP in draft.
Reefhome Hunter: Untapping a blue creature during your upkeep is a very narrow use. 1/1 for 3?
I expected that kind of feedback, but I think I like the card. He's not SUPER useful, but he's pretty neat and can enable some fun combos during your main phase (I'm thinking about putting in some 'doesn't untap during your untap step' type cards)
Mistcover Herons: Come on, give these guys some more power.
Something I'm very intentionally trying to do is not make available effecient, aggressive, evasive creatures. This guy having flying and hexproof makes him pretty hard to deal with as is - I'm afraid to give him more power because I want the format to be slow.
Halt Summons: Could cost 1UU. For 4 this is really bad.
I dunno, I don't think it can cost less than 4 in this format. There's a LOT of back and forth between creatures, more so than usual even, per my playtesting (and feedback) from set 1 - stopping your opponent from casting that creature spell when they need it the most is gamebreaking here.
Greenfin Serpent: Forestwalk seems kind of random, but ok.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of this myself. Was a half-hearted attempt at color hosing that really feels out of place. Expect this guy to get the axe.
Fleetfin Merfolk: NEEDS... MORE... POWER!
Maybe.
Dissolution: First overpowered spell. The fact that you just want to play one of these doesn't justify the fact that this is the best counterspell ever.
Still, I like the basic premise... how to make it balanced. Maybe make it a 1U hard counter?
Clouded Assault: Increase the cost and make it affect all blue creatures? Distortion Strike laughs at this card.
Yeah, this is really bad when compared to distortion strike. However, unblockability is coming at a premium here because of the way the format works. I want to be real careful on cheap ways to provide evasion.
Blinksea Tide: Oh jeez, this is the next Jace, Memory Adept for limited. This just kills people in 1-2 turns.
Yeah, will need to be balanced.
Blinksea Kraken: More symmetry in P/T and cost would be nice. He seems to have missed the M10-changes.
Gonna make me seem to be a noob, but could you elaborate?
Betrayal in the Depths: This isn't blue. Cost: Blood Feud
The cost may be wrong (2UUU?), and ultimately it's very possibly something that blue just shouldn't get, mechanically. However, I feel that it's philosphically very blue.
Overall: Solid cards, most of them a bit low in power level. Nothing seems to be eldrazinized though?!?
Eldrazi stuff is coming. For design purposes, I'm kinda considering all Eldrazi cards seperate from the other colors.
I think there may be an issue with the wording/functionality of Garrison. In particular "exile ~ under a fortification you control."
I say this because (as far as I know) "exile" is a zone that exists outside of the game, and the only reason players actually put an exiled card underneath another card is as a formality/method of reminding them that X was exiled by Y (moreover, this is only relevant with cards like Journey to Nowhere or Karn Liberated).
For instance, if my Goblin Piker was exiled by your Oblivion Ring, by placing my card under yours, we both have a way of remembering that if the Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield, my Goblin Piker will return to the battlefield under my control). I don't think there is anything in the rules that states my Piker is literally exiled "underneath" your Ring.
I think that if you want to create a zone that counts as exile, but is also located specifically underneath a certain permanent, you will have to create some other guidelines/rules to establish this. I am by no means an authority on rules of the game, but I also don't think there has ever been a precedent for "exile X under Y", or that wording a card in such a manner would work with the current rules.
I think there may be an issue with the wording/functionality of Garrison. In particular "exile ~ under a fortification you control."
I say this because (as far as I know) "exile" is a zone that exists outside of the game, and the only reason players actually put an exiled card underneath another card is as a formality/method of reminding them that X was exiled by Y (moreover, this is only relevant with cards like Journey to Nowhere or Karn Liberated).
For instance, if my Goblin Piker was exiled by your Oblivion Ring, by placing my card under yours, we both have a way of remembering that if the Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield, my Goblin Piker will return to the battlefield under my control). I don't think there is anything in the rules that states my Piker is literally exiled "underneath" your Ring.
I think that if you want to create a zone that counts as exile, but is also located specifically underneath a certain permanent, you will have to create some other guidelines/rules to establish this. I am by no means an authority on rules of the game, but I also don't think there has ever been a precedent for "exile X under Y", or that wording a card in such a manner would work with the current rules.
You're right, and I feel a bit dull for not thinking about that. Anytime (AFAIK) that a card references something it exiles, it is said to be exiled 'with' it and not 'under' it.
I believe the correct wording would be:
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile this creature with target fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Though, so far as I can tell, there is no precedent for a card being exiled 'with' something in this way (as it's kinda in reverse). Something about this wording seems 'off' to me.
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile this creature with target fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Though, so far as I can tell, there is no precedent for a card being exiled 'with' something in this way (as it's kinda in reverse). Something about this wording seems 'off' to me.
What the heck does 'with' mean? Is the land the source of the ability? Is the land exiled as well as the creature? Does the creature stay in exile forever if the fortified land leaves the battlefield, or becomes un-fortified before the upkeep happens? Do you need to control multiple fortified lands to garrison multiple creatures at once? Why doesn't this ability just require you to control a fortified land, and skip the unwieldy targeting requirement?
As far as I know, there are no tournament-legal cards that care about the physical position of cards relative to each other.
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile ~. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery, and only if you control a fortification.)
What the heck does 'with' mean? Is the land the source of the ability? Is the land exiled as well as the creature? Does the creature stay in exile forever if the fortified land leaves the battlefield, or becomes un-fortified before the upkeep happens? Do you need to control multiple fortified lands to garrison multiple creatures at once? Why doesn't this ability just require you to control a fortified land, and skip the unwieldy targeting requirement?
As far as I know, there are no tournament-legal cards that care about the physical position of cards relative to each other.
Emphasis added.
Removing the weird targeting requirement is probably what's going to have to happen, though it feels off to me then (even though, for all intents and purposes, it's the same). The original idea is that the creature is garrisoned (exiled) with a fortification, but ultimately the only reason for that is to convey flavor through rules.
EDIT:
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile ~. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste until end of turn. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery, and only if you control a fortification.)
Removing the weird targeting requirement is probably what's going to have to happen, though it feels off to me then (even though, for all intents and purposes, it's the same). The original idea is that the creature is garrisoned (exiled) with a fortification, but ultimately the only reason for that is to convey flavor through rules.
EDIT:
This would work I think.
Just to nitpick wording, I think it would be better off just reading "it has haste" rather than "until end of turn". This is how the Suspend creatures are worded, I believe.
Just to nitpick wording, I think it would be better off just reading "it has haste" rather than "until end of turn". This is how the Suspend creatures are worded, I believe.
Didn't think about Suspend. I guess that makes sense.
EDIT: And reading WotC's description of suspend, they didn't care about it having haste indefinitely, so I guess that's not a big deal for me either!
Blue needs a non-creature mythic. I was thinking something to the tune of this. Thoughts? (Also, the name is for lulz, need a serious name for it)
Temporal Canter XXU
Sorcery (M)
Use only U to pay for X
Draw X cards
If X is greater than 3, take an extra turn after this one.
Too costly? it's 9 mana to get the extra turn (and the card isn't dead even if you can't get to that point), but if you DO get to that point, it reads 'draw 4 cards and take an extra turn.'. Maybe have it be that if X is greater than 3, you can choose whether to draw or timewalk?
EDIT: For comparison and continuity's sake, I'm looking at Time Warp and Opportunity, and their combined cost is 11, as opposed to 9 here. However, this does have the restriction of being only blue mana... does that make up for the reduction in cost by 2?
Opportunity is an instant, so you can't really compare.
As-is, this is a horribly inefficient draw spell that should never be cast for anything less than X=4 (though X=2 isn't completely horrible...), and only in mono-blue EDH decks. I'd get rid of the blue X requirement if you want it to be on par with other Mythics in Limited.
Opportunity is instant, so the comparison isn't valid.
I'd say it's fine, but use >= wording instead of >. I misread it the first time. XUUU and take the extra turn at 5 would be ok. With the three blue mana symbols in the cost, you could drop the only U on X clause.
Maybe add an "Exile ~" clause to it.
Well, the thing is I don't really want it to compete with other mythics necessarily. Rather, I see it functioning as a reinforcement of the 'mono-color matters' theme of the block, as well as a late-game finisher to break down the wall of low cost defensive creatures/spells.
If I used >=, it would be a Time Walk + Draw 4 for 7, which sounds a bit OP to me, but I might be wrong. Also, I guess I could remove the U and have it just be XX
EDIT: For those people who are more visual, a render -
I'll be posting more later today, working on a bit of black at the moment.
Also, I want to open this up to anyone who wants to throw not only feedback, but designs out there. Any ideas you contributors can think of for individual cards, cycles, or themes/mechanics that would work in this set are more than welcome to submit your ideas. Any ideas I take for the set will be appropriately credited.
Updated the front page with many spoiler images. This represents the bulk of where I stand currently with the set. Note: Most of these images, especially those outside of white and blue, are unbalanced and represent merely the initial design, not the final product.
Finally, some links may have been broken from previous posts within the page. I don't intend on fixing them, but the front page should have images for anything that was previously linked.
Makes sense.
How would you suggest wording it?
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
*had to rephrase that so the reference in the second sentence would be clear. Also, this doesn't trigger when the fortification becomes unattached from the land. Should it?
I like shelter more btw.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
I had it requiring a foritfied land rather than a fortification because I don't want to encouarge playing fortifications but not attaching them to land (that's like playing equipment but not attaching to a creature). As far as it triggering when the land becomes unattached... that just gets confusing and wordy, it's one of those places where I think the game overrides the flavor.
As to the name... I thought shelter sounded a bit too much like running and hiding. I actually did a thesaurus search of foritfy and garrison popped up, and I loved it. To me, the word garrison evokes the flavor of it all so much better than shelter.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
I got one idea left (it's ugly):
"Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep or when that land isn't fortified, return it to the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery.
When it leaves the battlefield, it's no longer fortified. When the fortification is destroyed or becomes unattached, it's no longer fortified.
Btw, rules question. Can you "pay" T? I know you can in my CCG.. mixing it always up with magic
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
While T: is a cost, I don't think it's ever referred to as being 'paid'.
As far as the wording of the mechanic... I don't see any way to make something un-garrisoned when the fortification becomes unattached and it not be ugly. For gameplay purposes, I don't see an issue with simply ignoring this. So when something is garrisoned, it's done, and it comes back at the beginning of your next upkeep no matter if the fortification that garrisoned it is destroyed or unattached.
Also, a rules question - the creatures that are coming out of garrison are not affected by summoning sickness, since they've been in your control since the beginning of your upkeep, correct?
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
So it needs to be worded differently, unless we want them to have summoning sickness every time. Maybe they return at the beginning of the next end step, but tapped?
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Also the fix to the problem should be easy:
"Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield under your control. It has haste. Activate this ability only at any time you could cast a sorcery."
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Probably the best way to do it. Maybe not very elegant, but it gets the job done and can provide some interesting choices, given the right cards.
Next, I've been working more on the set and intend to post updated white cards as well as the first run at blue. For now, here is a cycle that needs balancing, but I think is needed for drafting purity. (Also, along these same lines, I've got a cycle of enchantments that I might very well go back and straight up add to the first set)
(^ Potentially too powerful.)
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and gains lifelink and prismatic.
Equip 1
Staff of the Silver Flame 1U
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gains “UU, T: Tap or untap target creature” and prismatic.
Equip 1
Scythe of the Silver Flame 1B
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets intimidate and gains prismatic.
Equip 1
Hammer of the Silver Flame 1R
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and gains trample and prismatic.
Equip 1
Cloak of the Silver Flame 1G
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Prismatic (As this permanent enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep choose a color. This permanent is that color and no others.)
Equipped creature gains hexproof and prismatic.
Equip 1
You'll notice that these cards are gold framed (with colored highlights). This will be the norm for everything with Prismatic, and the original set will get an update to reflect this. This, I think, makes the prismatic cards more visibly striking and gives them an identity away from the colorless cards even further.
EDIT: Here's what I'm working with in blue at the moment. I won't be surprised if some are wildly over/under-tuned, but the basic design is there for the most part.
Betrayal in the Depths 2U
Sorcery (U)
Target creature an opponent controls fights another target creature an opponent controls.
Blinksea Cephalopod UU
Creature — Squid (C)
Whenever Blinksea Cephalopod dies, target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
1/2
Blinksea Kraken 7UU
Creature — Kraken (M)
Trample
Purity — As long as blue is the only color among permanets you control, creatures your opponents control with 3 power or less come into play tapped and don’t untap during their controller’s untap step.
7/5
Blinksea Tide 3UU
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of each opponent’s upkeep, that player puts the top X cards from the top of his or library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of islands you control.
3UU, Tap a fortified island you control: Target player puts the top five cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. (use this ability only once per turn)
Clouded Assault U
Sorcery (U)
As an additional cost to cast Clouded Assault, tap target fortified island you control.
Target blue creature is unblockable until end of turn.
Dissolution U
Instant (U)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3.
Dissolution costs 2 more to cast for each card named Dissolution in any graveyard.
Erode 1UU
Sorcery (U)
Return target land and all its attachments to its owner’s hand.
Flee to the Reefs U
Instant (C)
Garrison target creature you control (Exile that creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield.)
Draw a card.
Fleetfin Merfolk 2U
Creature — Merfolk (C)
Flash
Purity — As long as blue is the only color among permanents you control, Fleetfin Merfolk has “U: Return Fleetfin Merfolk to its owner’s hand”.
1/1
Greenfin Serpent 4U
Creature — Serpent (U)
Islandwalk, Forestwalk
3/3
Halt Summons 2UU
Instant (C)
Counter target creature spell. That spell’s owner cannot cast creature spells until end of turn.
“Those creatures — you will not need them.”
Mistcover Herons 1UU
Creature (U)
Flying, Hexproof
1/1
Reefhome Hunter 2U
Creature — Merfolk (C)
Garrison U (Pay U, T: Exile this creature underneath a fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Whenever Reefhome Hunter enters the battlefield, untap target blue creature.
1/1
Revisionist History 2U
Sorcery (C)
Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
If you control a fortified island, draw a card.
_____ of the Silver Flame cycle
Obviously the idea here is to have cheap commons that enable purity in a draft environment. While purity was possible in Caeia, it was a bit more difficult than I would have liked (as mentioned before, I'll likely be putting a cycle of common enchantments into Caeia in a future update)
Of these, the black version worries me the most. Although it works as a purity enabler, it can also be read as 'equipped creature is unblockable' in most scenarios. Don't know if I want that level of evasive aggresion at common, only time and testing will tell.
Betrayal in the Depths
I feel like, philosophically, this is spot-on for blue. However, mechanically it's difficult, as it is basically blue creature removal. Could possibly be costed higher, given an additional casting cost, or scrapped entirely in a future build.
Blinksea Kraken
I'm curious to know what people think of this card. I'm leaning toward it being balanced, if possibly on the weak side (with 5 toughness), given that it's mythic and high-costed.
Clouded Assault
Though I like the idea I've got here, I'm afraid this is both two narrow and, at the same time, too powerful. Is on my watch list.
Dissolution
I can see this being highly controversial. Looking forward to hearing people's thoughts. This, too, is on my watch list.
Erode
This intent here is to provide an on-color method of dealing with fortifications. However, having it just target fortifications seemed too narrow. Might need to be costed higher, since it's a land bounce.
Flee to the Reefs
On the watch list. I love the idea of blue having other methods to garrison its creatures - it seems sneaky and very blue-ish, however this is both a combo enable and a solid combat trick. We'll see.
Sanctum of Thought
Make sense? Thoughts?
Shroudscale Scout
I like the idea of this guy, and it feels pretty blue. Playtesting will tell if it's too powerful. (probably needs to cost 1 more)
Spectral Displacement
Somewhat redundant with erode, and with fewer issues since it isn't a land bounce. Might make the cut and move Erode to set 3.
Steal Ability
Possibly too narrow, even for a rare, in this set.
Tentacled Queen
I'm fond of this idea. EtB effects work so well with Garrison. Still, on the watch list.
EDIT: Added text spoilers for those who can't see or don't want to see images!
EDIT 2: Added my thoughts on specific designs.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Staff: Should cost only U.
Scythe: So, this is basically unblockability, but it has to be equipped during the upkeep to get the full benefit? This is very awkward, mechanics-wise.
Hammer: Ok :thumbsup:.
Cloak: Some additional bonus would be ok.
Tentacled Queen: Tentacles, eh? Fine, power wise
Telvan Merfolk: 2/1!
Steal Ability: If you target an activated ability, then it's targetting it as in targeting a spell. Just give the creature all activated abilities of that creature.
Spectral Displacement: Unattach. This should cost more or not be able to kill Auras.
Shroudscale Scout: Say that word 10 times, lol :D. "If Shroudscale Scout would die".
Sanctum of Thought: I don't like this. The reason is that you turn all your creatures into Azure Mages, but with the extra of having to go through the garrison thing for no reason. Also, it's very parasitic (does nothing without fortifications) and really slow.
Revisionist History: Top four?
Reefhome Hunter: Untapping a blue creature during your upkeep is a very narrow use. 1/1 for 3?
Mistcover Herons: Come on, give these guys some more power.
Halt Summons: Could cost 1UU. For 4 this is really bad.
Greenfin Serpent: Forestwalk seems kind of random, but ok.
Fleetfin Merfolk: NEEDS... MORE... POWER!
Flee to the Reefs: Make it "up to one target creature" so you can just cycle it, then you get:
Erode: "and all permanents attached to it".
Dissolution: First overpowered spell. The fact that you just want to play one of these doesn't justify the fact that this is the best counterspell ever.
Clouded Assault: Increase the cost and make it affect all blue creatures? Distortion Strike laughs at this card.
Blinksea Tide: Oh jeez, this is the next Jace, Memory Adept for limited. This just kills people in 1-2 turns.
Blinksea Kraken: More symmetry in P/T and cost would be nice. He seems to have missed the M10-changes.
Blinksea Cephalopod: 1/3?
Betrayal in the Depths: This isn't blue. Cost: Blood Feud
Overall: Solid cards, most of them a bit low in power level. Nothing seems to be eldrazinized though?!?
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
I like the lifelink a heck of a lot more than the +0/+2 (that was basically tacked on). Vigilance + Lifelink too OP at this cost/rarity?
Makes Sense
Yeah, like I said I was a bit worried about this one. I don't want to give Deathtouch because that's on an equipment in set 1. Thoughts on a black ability that isn't so complicated/powerful?
I'll consider giving it more, though tbh I'm ok with it as-is.
Hmm... maybe. I don't want a high aggression level though. I'd feel better about 1/2, though that doesn't fit the card all that well.
Makes sense.
Or maybe return them (auras) to their owner's hands?
I can handle this being parasitic, (though it would actually fit better ON a fortification, save the wordiness of the reminder text).
Possibly. I'm walking a fine line (see Blinksea Tide) between mill being useful and downright OP in draft.
I expected that kind of feedback, but I think I like the card. He's not SUPER useful, but he's pretty neat and can enable some fun combos during your main phase (I'm thinking about putting in some 'doesn't untap during your untap step' type cards)
Something I'm very intentionally trying to do is not make available effecient, aggressive, evasive creatures. This guy having flying and hexproof makes him pretty hard to deal with as is - I'm afraid to give him more power because I want the format to be slow.
I dunno, I don't think it can cost less than 4 in this format. There's a LOT of back and forth between creatures, more so than usual even, per my playtesting (and feedback) from set 1 - stopping your opponent from casting that creature spell when they need it the most is gamebreaking here.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of this myself. Was a half-hearted attempt at color hosing that really feels out of place. Expect this guy to get the axe.
Maybe.
Still, I like the basic premise... how to make it balanced. Maybe make it a 1U hard counter?
Yeah, this is really bad when compared to distortion strike. However, unblockability is coming at a premium here because of the way the format works. I want to be real careful on cheap ways to provide evasion.
Yeah, will need to be balanced.
Gonna make me seem to be a noob, but could you elaborate?
The cost may be wrong (2UUU?), and ultimately it's very possibly something that blue just shouldn't get, mechanically. However, I feel that it's philosphically very blue.
Eldrazi stuff is coming. For design purposes, I'm kinda considering all Eldrazi cards seperate from the other colors.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
I say this because (as far as I know) "exile" is a zone that exists outside of the game, and the only reason players actually put an exiled card underneath another card is as a formality/method of reminding them that X was exiled by Y (moreover, this is only relevant with cards like Journey to Nowhere or Karn Liberated).
For instance, if my Goblin Piker was exiled by your Oblivion Ring, by placing my card under yours, we both have a way of remembering that if the Oblivion Ring leaves the battlefield, my Goblin Piker will return to the battlefield under my control). I don't think there is anything in the rules that states my Piker is literally exiled "underneath" your Ring.
I think that if you want to create a zone that counts as exile, but is also located specifically underneath a certain permanent, you will have to create some other guidelines/rules to establish this. I am by no means an authority on rules of the game, but I also don't think there has ever been a precedent for "exile X under Y", or that wording a card in such a manner would work with the current rules.
Pauper's Cage Podcast (Classic Pauper)—http://www.mtgcast.com/?cat=232
Cinemalarkey Podcast (Movie Reviews)—http://cinemalarkeycast.libsyn.com/
You're right, and I feel a bit dull for not thinking about that. Anytime (AFAIK) that a card references something it exiles, it is said to be exiled 'with' it and not 'under' it.
I believe the correct wording would be:
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile this creature with target fortified land you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
Though, so far as I can tell, there is no precedent for a card being exiled 'with' something in this way (as it's kinda in reverse). Something about this wording seems 'off' to me.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
What the heck does 'with' mean? Is the land the source of the ability? Is the land exiled as well as the creature? Does the creature stay in exile forever if the fortified land leaves the battlefield, or becomes un-fortified before the upkeep happens? Do you need to control multiple fortified lands to garrison multiple creatures at once? Why doesn't this ability just require you to control a fortified land, and skip the unwieldy targeting requirement?
As far as I know, there are no tournament-legal cards that care about the physical position of cards relative to each other.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
Garrison [Cost] (t, Pay [Cost]: Exile ~. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return it to the battlefield. It has haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery, and only if you control a fortification.)
Pauper's Cage Podcast (Classic Pauper)—http://www.mtgcast.com/?cat=232
Cinemalarkey Podcast (Movie Reviews)—http://cinemalarkeycast.libsyn.com/
Emphasis added.
Removing the weird targeting requirement is probably what's going to have to happen, though it feels off to me then (even though, for all intents and purposes, it's the same). The original idea is that the creature is garrisoned (exiled) with a fortification, but ultimately the only reason for that is to convey flavor through rules.
EDIT:
This would work I think.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Just to nitpick wording, I think it would be better off just reading "it has haste" rather than "until end of turn". This is how the Suspend creatures are worded, I believe.
Pauper's Cage Podcast (Classic Pauper)—http://www.mtgcast.com/?cat=232
Cinemalarkey Podcast (Movie Reviews)—http://cinemalarkeycast.libsyn.com/
Didn't think about Suspend. I guess that makes sense.
EDIT: And reading WotC's description of suspend, they didn't care about it having haste indefinitely, so I guess that's not a big deal for me either!
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Temporal Canter XXU
Sorcery (M)
Use only U to pay for X
Draw X cards
If X is greater than 3, take an extra turn after this one.
Too costly? it's 9 mana to get the extra turn (and the card isn't dead even if you can't get to that point), but if you DO get to that point, it reads 'draw 4 cards and take an extra turn.'. Maybe have it be that if X is greater than 3, you can choose whether to draw or timewalk?
EDIT: For comparison and continuity's sake, I'm looking at Time Warp and Opportunity, and their combined cost is 11, as opposed to 9 here. However, this does have the restriction of being only blue mana... does that make up for the reduction in cost by 2?
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
As-is, this is a horribly inefficient draw spell that should never be cast for anything less than X=4 (though X=2 isn't completely horrible...), and only in mono-blue EDH decks. I'd get rid of the blue X requirement if you want it to be on par with other Mythics in Limited.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
I'd say it's fine, but use >= wording instead of >. I misread it the first time.
XUUU and take the extra turn at 5 would be ok. With the three blue mana symbols in the cost, you could drop the only U on X clause.
Maybe add an "Exile ~" clause to it.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
If I used >=, it would be a Time Walk + Draw 4 for 7, which sounds a bit OP to me, but I might be wrong. Also, I guess I could remove the U and have it just be XX
EDIT: For those people who are more visual, a render -
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Also, I want to open this up to anyone who wants to throw not only feedback, but designs out there. Any ideas you contributors can think of for individual cards, cycles, or themes/mechanics that would work in this set are more than welcome to submit your ideas. Any ideas I take for the set will be appropriately credited.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
Finally, some links may have been broken from previous posts within the page. I don't intend on fixing them, but the front page should have images for anything that was previously linked.
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)