Wait, so if my opponent is ahead of me, they get to *checks notes* draw cards and get further ahead? And for that, I get a Trained Armodon that can turn my permanent mana into temporary mana?
Is there a two-card combo or something I'm not seeing?
Using land types here would be tacky, and increase their domain too much being fetchable. We're not preserving suspense and challenge for what they do. Especially in that they do not want to enter the battlefield tapped. Nothing added is worth that drawback.
I'm not saying 'add basic types', I'm saying 'rename the ones with "Island" and "Forest" in the names'.
I'm not sure about using basic land names in card names. I think they usually give lands that include land names the type as well (see the Mistveil Plains cycle). The same logic that a card called Crystalline Giant should have the Giant creature type.
Agree on haste until EOT. I like Pokerkingdave's suggestion of making the zombie bigger. Maybe a 2/2 zombie with Decayed?
I wouldn't be living up to my username if I didn't support Halloween lands, but I'm not quite sure what the goal is here. Are they basically just manlands, but you need something in your graveyard to activate them? That seems okay, but I agree with Pokerkingdave - the utility seems narrow.
I'd also personally cut the scry and lifeloss - for me, it distracts from the interesting thing you're aiming for.
Flavour-wise, I get there's a difference between cornfields and pumpkin fields, but I think this needs tweaking for clarity. The deep, dark, spooky woods has a horror pedigree going back to before Perrault, so I'd make the green one embrace that.
Man, I'd hate for Red Stompy to have this in Legacy. Mildly less oppressive in Delver I think, but only mildly. And that format doesn't even play ETBT lands.
Card seems okay. I think you can probably stretch the second mode to "colour or colours". First mode should target. It's also out of pie, but not wildly so, and is pretty underpowered vs. Noxious Revival so probably fine. Maybe for a set that cares about landfall?
Not sure about the name - I read the thread and expected a mashup of Dark Banishing and Banishing Light. And maybe the art would make the flavour clearer, but the text reads like removal (white mage/cleric/whatever uses their own purity to ignite something else).
I think Jungle Rot probably shuts down creature strategies a bit too hard in multiplayer at that mana cost. So maybe switch to just your upkeep, or add 2. It's a neat little design, though.
Zombie Rot - I'd be keen to stick with 'dies' (for flavour, not just balance) and I agree with rowan, it's maybe a shade too cheap.
I like the idea of a saga that eventually becomes a traditional enchantment.
Settling the Wilds has the same issue that Earthcraft does with Squirrel Nest. I know it costs more mana and you get some notice that it's coming and you can interrupt them when they try to go off, but also Earthcraft is banned in basically everything. Not sure if this is sufficiently powered down for Modern.
For the auras, I actually like the idea of a creature getting powered up over time. So chapter I, it gets first strike, then chapter II, vigilance etc. until it all disappears on the last chapter. More Crystalline Giant vibes vs. the temporary menace on A Blaze of Glory (although I understand in this instance, it not having menace means it's more likely to get blocked and die).
Separately from any conversations about absolute power level, I think this leads to really swingy games. Sometimes (admittedly very infrequently) you randomly have all four copies of Ethereal Armor in your hand, and your opponent starts turn 2 at 3 life. Sometimes you get horrifically blown out by Gut Shot. I'm just not sure it's a super fun design.
Appreciate the answer. It does not surprise me that when there are two relatively obvious pronunciations that are based on real words, you'd pick a third one that isn't.
I'm curious, how is Sovereignition pronounced? Is it sovereign-ition or sovere-ignition? I assume the latter because that sounds more fun (although a bit like a red burn spell that deals more damage to a player if they're the monarch)? If that's the case, I know it's a less perfect portmanteau, but people are more likely to get it right if you change to Soverignition.
This is a smart design, but it's very narrow. Maybe let it target either player so it can be hate too? I could see it in a set that had more Eldrazi that move things from exile to graveyard, or maybe if there was a card that said "~ gets +3/+3 as long as there are no cards in your graveyard." or something. It's awkward because it needs the card draw to be remotely well costed, but that also prevents you from giving it flashback or buyback or something.
In my view this is kind of cool, but it's definitely not simple. I also don't think it's any colour other than white, so paying UR for it feels off to me.
Rules people: does "Abilities can't trigger more than once a turn." work as a simpler wording for the second ability? And maybe something like "Players can't activate abilities of permanents they control more than once a turn, except for mana abilities." for the first ability? I know it's still clunky and I know it's functionally different, but honestly, cutting people off their second Llanowar Elves is unfun and I feel like there's only a handful of cards in graveyards and hands you'd want to activate more than once a turn.
Hi CCC! I follow Legacy where there are lots of cards from Magic's history. It's an extremely powerful format, and it's been going basically forever. And unfortunately that means there are some cards I really like that don't quite cut it any longer. Often, they're just at the edge of playability. So I've taken some classic designs and tried to find ways to make them Legacy playable by tweaking up their power level just a touch.
I haven't come up with actual names, I just want to make it clear what cards I'm homaging. And mostly looking for comments on Legacy playability, costs etc.
Exile Counterspell UU
Instant
Exile target spell
Better against stuff like Uro. Not sure if it's strong enough, though.
Spells Snare U
Instant
Counter target spell with mana value 1 or 2.
Bowmasters is great, but Spell Snare is too narrow and Minor Misstep isn't a patch on Mental Misstep. I figured I'd mash them together. Is it good enough? Should it be 2 or less?
Mega Preordain U
Sorcery
Scry 3
Draw a card
Better Ponder is probably too strong. Is Mega Peek (U Instant, Scry 2, draw) more acceptable?
We will, we will Tourach you 1B
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards
Probably too easy to splash. Not sure how to fix this one.
Cheap Splinter Twin 1RR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has "T: Create a token that's a copy of this creature, except it has haste. Sacrifice that token at the beginning of the next end step."
Still to expensive for Legacy? I don't think sacrifice vs. exile matters to that deck, but I thought why not see if some deck wants cheap Kiki-Jiki?
Shatter sucks in 2023 R
Instant
Destroy target artifact. ~ deals 2 damage to its controller.
I actually think Smash to Smithereens is stronger. Maybe it needs to hit planeswalkers too or something?
Man, remember when Cranial Extraction was sideboard material? 1BB
Sorcery
Choose a nonland card name. Search target player's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with that name and exile them. Then that player shuffles.
I think this effect probably isn't strong enough for Legacy, even at 3.
Energy Cell Petal 0
Artifact T, Sacrifice Energy Cell Petal: Add C
Very dangerous because of Storm. But less good in Turbo Initiative, the stompy decks etc.
Permanent Shadow of Doubt
Enchantment
Spells and abilities your opponents control can't cause their controller to search their library.
Not sure if this should be UB because it's pretty oppressive on T2 on the play.
Grafdigger W
Creature - Human
Creature cards in graveyards and libraries can't enter the battlefield.
Players can't cast spells from graveyards or libraries.
2/1
For D&T, natch.
Sheoldred's Verdict 2BB
Choose one:
Each player sacrifices all creatures they control.
Each player sacrifices all planeswalkers they control.
Entwine 2
More of a mashup than a tweak, but still.
Urza's Construct 2
Artifact creature - Construct
Urza's Construct gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.
0/0
Again, not really a tweak, but I wanted to throw 8-Cast a bone.
One last thing to Ponder. Are shocklands that only deal you 1 playable as duals 5-8 in two-colour decks or do those decks only want utility lands?
Is there a two-card combo or something I'm not seeing?
I'm not saying 'add basic types', I'm saying 'rename the ones with "Island" and "Forest" in the names'.
Agree on haste until EOT. I like Pokerkingdave's suggestion of making the zombie bigger. Maybe a 2/2 zombie with Decayed?
I'm also a Six-y Beast fan. The game theory mind games are great, as they are for The Toymaker's Trap.
I'd also personally cut the scry and lifeloss - for me, it distracts from the interesting thing you're aiming for.
Flavour-wise, I get there's a difference between cornfields and pumpkin fields, but I think this needs tweaking for clarity. The deep, dark, spooky woods has a horror pedigree going back to before Perrault, so I'd make the green one embrace that.
Not sure about the name - I read the thread and expected a mashup of Dark Banishing and Banishing Light. And maybe the art would make the flavour clearer, but the text reads like removal (white mage/cleric/whatever uses their own purity to ignite something else).
Zombie Rot - I'd be keen to stick with 'dies' (for flavour, not just balance) and I agree with rowan, it's maybe a shade too cheap.
I like the idea of a saga that eventually becomes a traditional enchantment.
Settling the Wilds has the same issue that Earthcraft does with Squirrel Nest. I know it costs more mana and you get some notice that it's coming and you can interrupt them when they try to go off, but also Earthcraft is banned in basically everything. Not sure if this is sufficiently powered down for Modern.
For the auras, I actually like the idea of a creature getting powered up over time. So chapter I, it gets first strike, then chapter II, vigilance etc. until it all disappears on the last chapter. More Crystalline Giant vibes vs. the temporary menace on A Blaze of Glory (although I understand in this instance, it not having menace means it's more likely to get blocked and die).
Rules people: does "Abilities can't trigger more than once a turn." work as a simpler wording for the second ability? And maybe something like "Players can't activate abilities of permanents they control more than once a turn, except for mana abilities." for the first ability? I know it's still clunky and I know it's functionally different, but honestly, cutting people off their second Llanowar Elves is unfun and I feel like there's only a handful of cards in graveyards and hands you'd want to activate more than once a turn.
I haven't come up with actual names, I just want to make it clear what cards I'm homaging. And mostly looking for comments on Legacy playability, costs etc.
Exile Counterspell UU
Instant
Exile target spell
Better against stuff like Uro. Not sure if it's strong enough, though.
Spells Snare U
Instant
Counter target spell with mana value 1 or 2.
Bowmasters is great, but Spell Snare is too narrow and Minor Misstep isn't a patch on Mental Misstep. I figured I'd mash them together. Is it good enough? Should it be 2 or less?
Mega Preordain U
Sorcery
Scry 3
Draw a card
Better Ponder is probably too strong. Is Mega Peek (U Instant, Scry 2, draw) more acceptable?
We will, we will Tourach you 1B
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards
Probably too easy to splash. Not sure how to fix this one.
Cheap Splinter Twin 1RR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has "T: Create a token that's a copy of this creature, except it has haste. Sacrifice that token at the beginning of the next end step."
Still to expensive for Legacy? I don't think sacrifice vs. exile matters to that deck, but I thought why not see if some deck wants cheap Kiki-Jiki?
Shatter sucks in 2023 R
Instant
Destroy target artifact. ~ deals 2 damage to its controller.
I actually think Smash to Smithereens is stronger. Maybe it needs to hit planeswalkers too or something?
Man, remember when Cranial Extraction was sideboard material? 1BB
Sorcery
Choose a nonland card name. Search target player's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with that name and exile them. Then that player shuffles.
I think this effect probably isn't strong enough for Legacy, even at 3.
Energy Cell Petal 0
Artifact
T, Sacrifice Energy Cell Petal: Add C
Very dangerous because of Storm. But less good in Turbo Initiative, the stompy decks etc.
Permanent Shadow of Doubt
Enchantment
Spells and abilities your opponents control can't cause their controller to search their library.
Not sure if this should be UB because it's pretty oppressive on T2 on the play.
Grafdigger W
Creature - Human
Creature cards in graveyards and libraries can't enter the battlefield.
Players can't cast spells from graveyards or libraries.
2/1
For D&T, natch.
Sheoldred's Verdict 2BB
Choose one:
Each player sacrifices all creatures they control.
Each player sacrifices all planeswalkers they control.
Entwine 2
More of a mashup than a tweak, but still.
Urza's Construct 2
Artifact creature - Construct
Urza's Construct gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.
0/0
Again, not really a tweak, but I wanted to throw 8-Cast a bone.
One last thing to Ponder. Are shocklands that only deal you 1 playable as duals 5-8 in two-colour decks or do those decks only want utility lands?