Quote from MOON-E »Yes, though you're right in saying it's a characteristic and not a state as outlined in the rules. Still not a mode though...Quote from Legend »I thought states of a permanent were things like tapped, untapped, flipped, upside down, etc. Is Legendary a state of a creature/permanent? I really don't know. I've always thought of it (and Monstrous/Renowned) as characteristics rather than states. Would the following card be in the sate of legendaryness after ascending?
That adage isn't actually true (the majority of mechanics aren't even Split or Kicker, most are just "A" or "If A then B"). I'm not trying to argue that it's true, just that it illustrates the difference between a modal effect like disciplines and a bonus effect like monstrous or renown.You forgot (at least) one... "A and B", "modal-kicker" as seen in Entwine and Fuse.
I don't see how these arguments relate to larger issue at hand.
My argument is against the use of DFCs as a solution to the memory issues facing the op cards. Unless the powers and toughnesses of the creatures will be radically different between modes, then one or more counters is the proper solution - as in the cases of Renown and Monstrous. If the powers and toughnesses of the creatures will be radically varied between modes, then DFCs are the solution.
Upon thinking about it, it would be interesting to use DFCs along with Destiny and to have each face of the cards play into a different archetype. It would be pretty f'n cool to have a limited control deck that could change gears to aggro without even sideboarding. Seems like it would be fun to design and develop too - though challenging.
The difficult part would be the reminder text.
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She's is generic green the same way Chandra is generic red, Jace is generic blue and Liliana is generic black. That's the point of these characters, to be a posterboy of their colors. In fact she feels a lot like a green version of Liliana Vess.
I wonder how many of you would dislike her if she was printed in the initial cycle of PW cards. The design team can't keep publishing cards as if every player have been playing the game from many years. From set themes, art direction, to face characters, to level of complexity, standard always needs a fraction of cards that behaves as if they where the first and only set of MTG ever printed. The reason is that for starting players, that IS the case and they need something representative of the game to chew.
Not printing core sets was a HUGE mistake. Imagine yourself starting to play magic during Kaladesh-Amonkhet-Ixalan standard. You wouldn't know wtf the game is about - is it about dinosaurs fighting vampires or grimdark egyptian mythos ? The game is all over the place and building up brand recognition for players starting now is impossible because the art direction, color themes, mechanics, everything is changing from set to set. MTG is about it's colors and what they represent but it's really difficult to understand that via advanced sets where colors subsidize flavors and mechanics and not the other way around.
So maybe you don't need a set where green is just forest animals and elves, blue is fishes and nerd mages, black is zombies and evil people, red is fire and goblins and cool mages and white is all things lawful good. But new players definitely do in order to digest the game, taste something that is not setting dependant and grookable.
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I think no one is arguing that. All sets have good and bad art, but the bad art in this case is really, really bad.
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If that was true then one couldn't ever argue for bad art. Someone could draw a kitten for Scarab God and your claim imply this is fine because someone might like it.
This cards looks like low quality action figures, I would hate to ever play with any of those cards.
1
I think people defending Battlebond art are missing the point. There is a complaint about the art direction and a complaint about the execution. Noone is mad about purple hair. I think in this stance most of us are sharing our frustration with art execution.
It's just bad, there is no way around it. Can people honestly say they like MTG because they have cards that looks like Impetuous Protege, Proud Mentor, Fan Favorite, Thrilling Encore ? Best case scenario you tolerate the bad art.
MTG creative department has been really lacking recently but this is a new low.
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Pyreheart: This is too oppressive and narrow at the same time. It will completely devastate some opponents and do nothing against others. While this is acceptable for most cards because some times you draw then and sometimes you do not, it's not really a good feature for a commander.
SIDENOTE
Indestructible + Mass damage is the WRC theme in my Zendikar set (they are themed around Nahiri followers). I can vault for the theme. It's very underused in magic in general and there's a lot of synergies everywhere. However I think it works a lot better in limit where the play patterns are way less varied then in constricted and the environment can be adjusted to one deck being about mass removal (for example, I have no go wide or token theme in my set because of this).
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Acrobatics U
Instant (C)
Choose One -
Feats of Strength 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature gains +3/+3 until end of turn.
If a Black creature is targeted this way, that creature gains Menace until end of turn.
If a Red creature is targeted this way, that creature gains Trample until end of turn.
Trapeze Artist 2R
Creature - Human Artist (U)
Whenever Trapeze Artist attacks you may pay U. If you do, it gains Flying until end of turn.
Whenever Trapeze Artist deals combat damage to a opponent, you may pay W. If you do,
gain 2 life and untap it.
3/2
Unicycle 1
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gains +1/+1 and gets Haste.
Equip 3
Equip creature with power equal to its toughness 0
Liontamer 3G
Creature - Human Warrior (R)
When Liontamer enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 white Cat creature token.
1W, T: Put a +1/+1 counter on each Cat creature you control.
3R, T: Target Cat you control fights target creature.
2/4
Fire Eating 3W
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a instant or sorcery spell would deal damage, you may pay X. If you do, prevent X damage that would be dealt by it.
If U mana was spent to pay for X, scry X.
If R mana was spent to pay for X, Fire Eating deals X damage to any target.
Sword Swallowing 1BB
Enchantment - Aura (M)
Enchant Player
At the beginning of enchanted player upkeep, that player draws a card.
Whenever enchanted player is dealt combat damage, sacrifice Sword Swallowing and it deals 6 damage to enchanted player.
Solay, Traveling CircusWUBRG
Legendary Creature - Avatar (M)
At the beginning of your upkeep choose up to 5 different target players. For each player choose one that hasn't been chosen this turn -
- Target player creates two 1/1 white Human creature tokens.
- Target player draws a card.
- Target player sacrifices a creature.
- Solay deals 2 damage to each creature target player control.
- Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature target player control.
5/5Later I will comment your cards !
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I considerer it non-interactive because the game doesn't expect you to interact with artifacts/enchantments the way it does regarding creatures. This is the case because not all colors have access to artifact removal and the colors who does are not expected to main deck it. Moat is unprintable these days but a creature with moat ability is still a possibility.
Other issue is that you ability creates a token separated from the creature, so if your opponent spend a card to destroy the token you are up in card advantage.
While you can certainly play around and still beat a opponent with several Sigil tokens, the mechanic just provide overwhelming value late game. Play 2 random award critters and your wind drakes now attacks like Air Elementals. The same is true for Exalted but the main difference is that the opponent may force you to block and chip away your Exalted critters. In your mechanic you can chip block/trade and still keep the late game value.
Awards cards would have to cost really high in order to be balanced. Your Honor Guard for example is completely utterly bonkers. At 1W this is better then any other 2 drop in Ixalan block except for the 2 mana merfolk/vampire lords in their respective archetypes. That card would need to cost at least 3W and with multiple award creatures in the format, that still run the risk of being too good.
If you are really sold into this award idea I think you should at make it a kicker variant, like the previously suggested.
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The main theme of this plane is that magic has to kept secret (yeah, this is a World of Darkness ripoff). Revealing the existence of the super natural to the ordinary citizen is very dangerous as it causes retaliation by the ruling force of the plane: the Clockwork - a machine that rules over almost all parts of this plane and commands a army of machine men in disguise. Instead of guilds that are organized and have a hierarchy, the Aggregations are more or less like schools of thought. Their defining feature is their stance in how to cope with the existence of the Clockwork as well was what kind of magic they tend to teach each other.
WU are artificers and sages who tries to live alongside the Clockwork by understanding it's inner workings and avoid it's wrath at any cost.
UB are paranoid dimensional mages who tries to escape the persecution by traveling to distant, alien worlds.
BR commune with demons and efreets to obtain wealth and pleasure in life. They live the contradiction of trying to exploit their gifts while risking their life for it.
RG are animalists who see the Clockwork as a colonizer and the struggle against it as the struggle to preserve their traditions. They survive by living among themselves in rural communities, isolated from the non-magical humans.
GW are spiritualists who befriends and nurture spiritual creatures who are invisible to the Clockwork. They believe in a primordial force that will one day break free and destroy the Clockwork.
WB are assassins for hire from ancient times who excels in death magic. This is the only truly hierarchical aggregation. They have several inner rules to not disturb the Clockwork - aside from working for it occasionally.
UR are very traditional alchemists, elementalists and summoners who believe practicing magic is a end in itself. They downplay the clockwork as mere machine and don't pay attention to it. They think magic will develop to a point humans will abandon technology - until that day they live in exile.
BG are heretic cultists who believe magic is their birth right. They despise non-magic people and the Clockwork, to the point they slaughter and slave then whenever History allows. They live in secret, parallel societies.
RW are the most recent Aggregation and they don't have any tradition in magic. Instead, they excel at recruiting more people to their cause. They are the most organized effort to overthrow the Clockwork and seek to liberate all mankind.
GU are animists who charts, protects and guide people to Havens - hidden sanctuaries where the influence of the clockwork is diminished.
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The first Highard set is centered on the siege of Telba, a ancient holy city, home to the Khaldor dynasty. The second set is Kingdom Fall, and tell the story of the aftermath of Telba's fall. If it's not obvious, Highard is a Homage to Fallen Empires, while Kingdom Fall is a homage to the Darkness (as it has the inquisition theme).
Today i will share a batch of white common creatures. I will not disclose the themes of the set - the idea is that by looking at the cards alone you can figure it out. If you can't, it's because the design is not good and need revision !
Ok, enough talk.
Apprentice Squire W
Creature - Human Soldier {C}
T: Add W to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to play equipments or activate abilities of
equipment.
1/2
Blood Martyr W
Creature - Human Cleric {C}
Sacrifice Blood Martyr: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
1/1
Soaring War Hawk 1W
Creature - Bird {C}
Flying
3: Soaring War Hawlk looses Flying until end of turn. Any player may activate this ability.
2/1
Farmhand Reserves 1W
Creature - Human Soldier {C}
Hold Position 3WW (At the end of each opponent attack step, if you didn't take combat damage this turn,
you may play this card by paying for it's Hold Position cost).
When Farmhand Reserves enters the battlefield, if it's Hold Position cost was paid, put two +1/+1 counter
on it and gain 4 life.
2/2
Bastion Sentry WW
Creature - Human Archer {C}
Bastion Sentry has Reach for as long as you control a Wall.
2/3
Highlands Outrider 2W
Creature - Human Knight {C}
Vanguard (This creature must be blocked if able)
Vigilance
1/4
Attended Knight 2W (REPRINT)
Creature - Human Knight {C}
First Strike
When Attended Knight enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
2/2
Skyrider Lookout 3W
Creature - Human Scout {C}
Flying
When Skyrider Lookout attacks, you may untap up to one another attacking creature you control. That creature gains +0/+2 until end of turn.
3/2
Village Garrison 3W
Creature - Wall {C}
Defender
When Village Garrison enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
0/4
Heavy Infantry 4W (REPRINT)
Creature - Human Soldier {C}
When Heavy Infantry enters the battlefield, tap target creature.
3/4
Telban Warhost 5W
Creature - Soldier Army {C}
Ranks 5 (This creature enters the battlefield with 5 +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever it is targeted by a opponent's spell or ability you may remove a +1/+1 counter from it. If you do, counter that spell or ability).
Vigilance
0/0
Battlement Strike W
Instant {C}
Target blocking creature gains +4/+0 and First Strike until end of turn.
Oppressive Rays W (REPRINT)
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless it's controller pays 3.
Activated abilities of enchanted creature cost 3 more to activate.
Dawnday Preachings 1W
Instant {C}
Choose One:
Warcharge 1W
Sorcery
Target creature gets +3/+3 and gains Vanguard until end of turn. (Creatures with Vanguard must be blocked if able)
Arms Lesson WW
Sorcery
Distribute two +1/+1 counter among one or two target creatures.
Battle Orders 2W
Instant
Creatures you control gain +1/+1 until end of turn. Token creatures you control gain +2/+2 until end of turn instead.
Grainworks 2W
Sorcery
Hold Position 3W (At the end of each opponent attack step, if you didn't take combat damage this turn,
you may play this card by paying for it's Hold Position cost).
Gain 5 life. If Hold Position cost was paid, draw a card.
Power of Conviction 3W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and Lifelink.
Militia Assault 3W
Instant
Militia Assault deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Purging Light 5W
Sorcery
Purging Light costs 1 less for each Plains you control.
Exile target creature.
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Just not worth it.