I'll cede that Aluren and Savage Summoning are green, but the first is symmetrical and a really old design that I don't think they'd print today, and the second is creatures only. And creatures are green's thing. Finally, Vedalken Orrery does mean any colour has access to flash. But I see that like Moonglove Extract or Meteorite - they don't mean direct damage is blue now, they just show any colour can pay more to get some effects out of its slice of the colour pie.
Again, I'll cede that Xantid Swarm is green, but 1) that's an attack trigger (i.e. a green thing) and 2) that's a flying creature with 0 power. I'm not sure they'd print that today either. There's also City of Solitude, but that's desperately old too.
I'm not sure what colour gets to expand when opponents can cast spells, but as a game rule kind of change, I'd guess white. Maybe blue, because it's changing timings. But not hybrid. What makes it red, Reap? (And to pre-empt, please cite cards, not 'chaos flavour makes it red!')
I like that hybrid design, dave. Is there precedent for modal combat damage triggers? It can definitely be done in the rules, I just don't remember seeing it before and wonder what other designs you're channelling?
A reminder for everyone else that you've got a couple more days to submit a design if you're keen.
I'm not sure about Steelpost. I think it needs a bit more oomph. Maybe X/X but lose the ward (keep defender)? Shinepost works, although I don't know if the world is ready for SixteenPost :).
I think this actually points out that end of turn effects should happen last in the end step to prevent things like this (a loophole that professionally should not exist).
This would change the intended functionality of other cards (probably most notably Dress Down). When this first came up as a problem with Waylay, WotC themselves decided to change how that individual card worked rather than changing the rules.
Why affect printed cards for your hypothetical one, when you can instead use the wording rowan suggested that does exactly what you want? You can just say 'thank you', it'll feel so much nicer than being stubborn. I really love it when someone else tries to help me solve a problem and together we achieve my goal!
Other people have said stuff I agree with. Going to add a couple of points:
Blackhole Cultist - paying UB for a 2/2 with haste or first strike would feel weird to me. Even more so than BB. But I do think this is interesting design space, even if I'm not sold on this specific execution.
Lecturer of Orzhov Ethics - Along with it being too small to be a giant, horrors and lecturers aren't associated with the Orzhov. Ghosts + priests, sure. Heck, make it a thrull. Thrulls are fun. But not a horror. And why does it need phasing? It's not a strong card as is. EDIT: phasing makes more sense for balance reasons now it's bigger. But I think it would make more sense flavour-wise for a ghost (i.e. a spirit). Also why doesn't the return cards from graveyard ability target? I can't see a good design reason why it wouldn't.
Gargantuan Cretin - B for a 2/2 is too strong for most formats. Flavour-wise, why does it mill things or draw cards or lose life? Also, you know in Magic the giant creature type is those big fee-fi-fo-fum guys who live up beanstalks, right? It's not used for extra big versions of regular creatures. So what the heck does a half-giant, half-imp look like?
Yeah, with that wording, the activation needs a mana cost. Free Threaten is too good, even if it costs you a land. As worded you can even activate again during your turn to steal and sac another tapped creature.
Can you define what you mean by "Eternal Playable"? Legacy? Vintage? Commander?
I mean, that was just my inspiration. 'Eternal-playable' isn't one of the rules, people can design for whatever format they like. But for me, it was 'What if Warkite Marauder but for Legacy?' because that's the format I follow most closely. But anyone can enter anything - Standard, Pioneer, Vintage, Limited, whatever. Heck if you've got an Alchemy or Un-set design, I'd love to see it.
Warfin Marauder 1U
Creature - Merfolk Pirate
Flying
Whenever CARDNAME attacks, target creature loses all abilities and has base power and toughness 0/1 until the beginning of your next turn.
2/1
This is clean, simple and fun. The name is neat. The extended duration and unlimited targeting makes it a lot better for Commander especially - was that what you were aiming for, rowan?
Hey CCC! I recently played Warkite Marauder in a friend's Cube, and it won me a couple of games almost singlehandedly by taking out my opponents' only flying blockers.
It got me thinking, what does an Eternal playable version of this card look like? I love the ideas in this forum, and I'd love to see your designs for cards inspired by Warkite Marauder.
Challenge rules
It has to turn creatures into 0/1s with no abilities.
It should probably be Blue. I know this effect can be White (see Darksteel Mutation), but I feel like Red or Black prefer to kill stuff, and it doesn't seem very Green either. You've got some fun artifact, colourless, snow etc. design? Cool. I'd love to see it.
Please include what format(s) and power-level it's designed for. If you're pitching one mana 3/1s with the Marauder's ability, I won't be expecting you to say it's for Standard unless you're throwing in some hefty drawbacks too.
I'd like some flavour. I'm a bit of a Vorthos, and while I'm not expecting you to come up with a whole new setting, I'd like at least a flavourful name. Flavour text optional, but encouraged.
You can throw in as many entries as you like. That said, if it's functionally the same card or 95% of something you've already submitted, but with different flavour text, that feels a bit like playing the odds - I encourage you to be surgical and make each design feel unique.
The winner will be decided by CCC forum consensus. A simple show of hands should do it. If someone's done lots of cards, make it clear which one you're voting for. If we have a tie, I'll have the deciding vote because I organised this.
The challenge is open until 30 September. Voting will be open from 1-2 October and I'll announce a final winner on 3 October.
What do I win?
I mean, the short answer is nothing. But, like, the respect of your peers? That's its own reward! This is just meant to be a bit of fun. Not interested? No problem.
I have questions!
Ask and I will answer.
My design
I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring and offer some inspiration at the same time.
Enchanting Morgan 1UU
Creature - Merfolk (R)
Whenever Enchanting Morgan attacks, target creature loses all abilities and has base power and toughness 0/1, and target land becomes an Island for as long as you control Enchanting Morgan.
2/1 Her magic alters not only men's perceptions, but the very earth they walk on.
Design notes and considerations
I'm not 100% sure that wording is right. I basically want both the land and creature-changing effects to last for as long as you control Enchanting Morgan. I know you smart people will tell me if I've fluffed something somewhere.
This is designed for Legacy Merfolk. I've been really pleased to see that deck get some powerful new tools recently. I'm not sure if this would make the cut, but I'd hope people would at least test it. I think it's around the power level of Tide Shaper, but probably a bit weaker. It does come in off a Vial and is repeatable land and creature denial, but being a whole extra mana and having to survive to attack is a whole thing. And, while it's broadly unblockable thanks to Lord of Atlantis and his many friends, any removal spell at the right time could lead to a massive blowout.
I cut the two 'defending player controls' because they ate a lot of character count, because I'm not designing for multiplayer, and because, heck, if you want to turn your Caverns into Islands to get out from under a Blood Moon, I say that's a neat little line and more power to you. I also changed it to 'for as long as you control ~' instead of 'for as long as ~ remains on the battlefield' because that was shorter and close to functionally identical in Legacy.
Finally, I can see it's likely to cause memory issues, especially in paper and double especially if there's more than one, so there's probably a version that uses Flood counters or something and says 'Creatures with Flood counters on them have base power and toughness 0/1 and lose all abilities. Lands with Flood counters them on are Islands.' I haven't done that because it would make having multiples stronger without 'When ~ leaves the battlefield, remove all Flood counters from all permanents.', which also eats a ton of characters.
What's a morgan?
I came across morgans/morgens as a child, when I was way too into mythology. If you're not familiar with them, Wikipedia can tell you more. They're water spirits, but mostly in stories they just drown people in existing bodies of water, rather than being able to magic them up. I'll concede that's a bit of a flavour stretch.
I'm also not 100% on the name, given how close 'enchanting' is to Magic's enchantment card type, which this does nothing with. All the alternatives (alluring, enthralling, beguiling etc.) I considered didn't convey it changing not just the mental world, but the physical one too.
And no, I know there wouldn't be space for flavour text on a physical card. It's just for the purposes of the challenge.
That's it!
Thanks for reading. I'd appreciate any feedback on my design and I'm eager to see yours too!
A few notes: first, I'm not sure if this is a translation thing, but is the name meant to be Sand Trap? Like a bunker on a golf course? Because 'Trap Sand' is not a common English phrase. I feel like what you're looking for is Quicksand, but that's already a card and so is Quagmire, so my suggestion is 'Shifting Sands', which sounds a bit more normal. (Heck, if it's good enough for Mario...)
Second, I'm not sure about this idea of being burned and gnawed. It's sand, and the flavour is you get stuck in it, but then you get out. I'll let that go, but I think you could get in hot water (or stuck in quicksand) with that 'natives' stuff. Native peoples being savages who rescue you only to eat you or whatever is a pretty tired trope, and more than a bit racist. You mentioned wanting it to combo with your snake, so maybe use that in the flavour text? 'The treacherous sands are prowled by the only creature that can safely traverse them' or something?
Finally, I think this is functionally Threaten for tapped creatures. (Activate in opponent's EOT. You get the creature. Delayed trigger is set up for next EOT. You untap and can attack with the creature. Then you sac Trap Sand at your EOT, then lose control of the creature). Is that intentional?
I'm sure this combos great with that card you mention. I'm just not sure it's any good in a vacuum (i.e. Limited).
I get a 0/7 for 1CC? That kind of thing hasn't been playable in decades. And I can sacrifice a creature to get a 2/8? Also not great. It does regenerate, but four mana is a lot. But I guess if someone is foolish enough to stick a Pacifism or something on a 0 power creature, I can stop that too? Niche. Oh and there's something about more power if I sac something I don't own? Very, very niche.
I'm not sure who is playing this, when Vampire Aristocrat and Nantuko Husk exist. They're more splashable and actually turn sideways without needing other cards.
Finally, I want to check on this statement: "the pseudo-commander infinite casting effect may warrant the pushed cost", specifically what do you mean by "infinite casting"? The regeneration?
Him losing the indestructible when he's got a Kryptonite counter on is *chef's kiss* - a masterful matching of flavour and mechanics. Nice work, Rowan.
This was designed with commander in mind, though at a time before universes beyond was a concept.
I like the first strike idea. Would keeping his base stats low but adding double strike be out of hand?
I'm not sure first strike really does anything because of the indestructible - he's not exactly trading with 4/3s without it, you know?
I did like rowan's idea of giving him more abilities to represent his powers. Here's my take on this design:
Superman 3RWU
Legendary Creature - Avatar
If you have cast another spell named Superman this game, Superman enters the battlefield with a Kryptonite counter on it.
Flying, vigilance, haste 2W: Superman gains double strike and indestructible until end of turn. 2U: Target creature doesn't untap in its controller's next untap step. 2R: Superman deals 1 damage to target creature.
If you would lose the game and Superman does not have a Kryptonite counter on it, instead, your life total becomes your starting life total, exile Superman and end the turn.
4/4
I've tried to make the design symmetrical, even though I think Superman is pretty purely White in flavour in most incarnations. I added a couple of abilities to represent his super strength/invulnerability, frost breath and laser vision. Vigilance covers X-ray vision, and we do super speed with haste and flying with, well, flying. A bit kitchen sink, but that's his character design.
I scrapped the flash to keep the cost down, because I'd added haste, and because every time I saw it, it made me think of The Flash
Finally, I tidied up the 'save the world' restart the game ability - slightly to save words, but also so he has some weaknesses (heck, maybe milling is his Kryptonite).
Staying true to the character, he should probably just have indestructible all the time, but I think that would probably be a bit oppressive at this cost. Now he's kind of a souped-up Lightning Angel.
The only problem with this version is it wouldn't really fit on a card, unless you are very good at squinting
See, this all hits the nail on the head. The choice you run into is: do you make Superman the keyword & ability soup his powers dictate, or do you make him the guy that saves the day? I'm starting to think the answer is some kind of double card mechanic.
Yeah, it seems that, unlike Superman, we can't do it all. I'd be interested in seeing your double card design though, caulkwrangler.
I'll cede that Aluren and Savage Summoning are green, but the first is symmetrical and a really old design that I don't think they'd print today, and the second is creatures only. And creatures are green's thing. Finally, Vedalken Orrery does mean any colour has access to flash. But I see that like Moonglove Extract or Meteorite - they don't mean direct damage is blue now, they just show any colour can pay more to get some effects out of its slice of the colour pie.
Limiting when your opponents get to cast cards is a white thing (Grand Abolisher, Silence/Orim's Chant, the white bit of Teferi, Time Raveler, the white bit of Dragonlord Dromoka).
Again, I'll cede that Xantid Swarm is green, but 1) that's an attack trigger (i.e. a green thing) and 2) that's a flying creature with 0 power. I'm not sure they'd print that today either. There's also City of Solitude, but that's desperately old too.
I'm not sure what colour gets to expand when opponents can cast spells, but as a game rule kind of change, I'd guess white. Maybe blue, because it's changing timings. But not
My vote goes to user_938036's Shape Trader for thinking outside the box and finding a different way to do the effect. A fun little card.
Voting open until tomorrow. Winner declared on Monday.
A reminder for everyone else that you've got a couple more days to submit a design if you're keen.
This would change the intended functionality of other cards (probably most notably Dress Down). When this first came up as a problem with Waylay, WotC themselves decided to change how that individual card worked rather than changing the rules.
Why affect printed cards for your hypothetical one, when you can instead use the wording rowan suggested that does exactly what you want? You can just say 'thank you', it'll feel so much nicer than being stubborn. I really love it when someone else tries to help me solve a problem and together we achieve my goal!
Blackhole Cultist - paying UB for a 2/2 with haste or first strike would feel weird to me. Even more so than BB. But I do think this is interesting design space, even if I'm not sold on this specific execution.
Lecturer of Orzhov Ethics - Along with it being too small to be a giant, horrors and lecturers aren't associated with the Orzhov. Ghosts + priests, sure. Heck, make it a thrull. Thrulls are fun. But not a horror. And why does it need phasing? It's not a strong card as is. EDIT: phasing makes more sense for balance reasons now it's bigger. But I think it would make more sense flavour-wise for a ghost (i.e. a spirit). Also why doesn't the return cards from graveyard ability target? I can't see a good design reason why it wouldn't.
Gargantuan Cretin - B for a 2/2 is too strong for most formats. Flavour-wise, why does it mill things or draw cards or lose life? Also, you know in Magic the giant creature type is those big fee-fi-fo-fum guys who live up beanstalks, right? It's not used for extra big versions of regular creatures. So what the heck does a half-giant, half-imp look like?
I mean, that was just my inspiration. 'Eternal-playable' isn't one of the rules, people can design for whatever format they like. But for me, it was 'What if Warkite Marauder but for Legacy?' because that's the format I follow most closely. But anyone can enter anything - Standard, Pioneer, Vintage, Limited, whatever. Heck if you've got an Alchemy or Un-set design, I'd love to see it.
This is clean, simple and fun. The name is neat. The extended duration and unlimited targeting makes it a lot better for Commander especially - was that what you were aiming for, rowan?
It got me thinking, what does an Eternal playable version of this card look like? I love the ideas in this forum, and I'd love to see your designs for cards inspired by Warkite Marauder.
Challenge rules
- It has to turn creatures into 0/1s with no abilities.
- It should probably be Blue. I know this effect can be White (see Darksteel Mutation), but I feel like Red or Black prefer to kill stuff, and it doesn't seem very Green either. You've got some fun artifact, colourless, snow etc. design? Cool. I'd love to see it.
- Please include what format(s) and power-level it's designed for. If you're pitching one mana 3/1s with the Marauder's ability, I won't be expecting you to say it's for Standard unless you're throwing in some hefty drawbacks too.
- I'd like some flavour. I'm a bit of a Vorthos, and while I'm not expecting you to come up with a whole new setting, I'd like at least a flavourful name. Flavour text optional, but encouraged.
- You can throw in as many entries as you like. That said, if it's functionally the same card or 95% of something you've already submitted, but with different flavour text, that feels a bit like playing the odds - I encourage you to be surgical and make each design feel unique.
- The winner will be decided by CCC forum consensus. A simple show of hands should do it. If someone's done lots of cards, make it clear which one you're voting for. If we have a tie, I'll have the deciding vote because I organised this.
- The challenge is open until 30 September. Voting will be open from 1-2 October and I'll announce a final winner on 3 October.
What do I win?I mean, the short answer is nothing. But, like, the respect of your peers? That's its own reward! This is just meant to be a bit of fun. Not interested? No problem.
I have questions!
Ask and I will answer.
My design
I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring and offer some inspiration at the same time.
Enchanting Morgan 1UU
Creature - Merfolk (R)
Whenever Enchanting Morgan attacks, target creature loses all abilities and has base power and toughness 0/1, and target land becomes an Island for as long as you control Enchanting Morgan.
2/1
Her magic alters not only men's perceptions, but the very earth they walk on.
Design notes and considerations
I'm not 100% sure that wording is right. I basically want both the land and creature-changing effects to last for as long as you control Enchanting Morgan. I know you smart people will tell me if I've fluffed something somewhere.
This is designed for Legacy Merfolk. I've been really pleased to see that deck get some powerful new tools recently. I'm not sure if this would make the cut, but I'd hope people would at least test it. I think it's around the power level of Tide Shaper, but probably a bit weaker. It does come in off a Vial and is repeatable land and creature denial, but being a whole extra mana and having to survive to attack is a whole thing. And, while it's broadly unblockable thanks to Lord of Atlantis and his many friends, any removal spell at the right time could lead to a massive blowout.
I cut the two 'defending player controls' because they ate a lot of character count, because I'm not designing for multiplayer, and because, heck, if you want to turn your Caverns into Islands to get out from under a Blood Moon, I say that's a neat little line and more power to you. I also changed it to 'for as long as you control ~' instead of 'for as long as ~ remains on the battlefield' because that was shorter and close to functionally identical in Legacy.
Finally, I can see it's likely to cause memory issues, especially in paper and double especially if there's more than one, so there's probably a version that uses Flood counters or something and says 'Creatures with Flood counters on them have base power and toughness 0/1 and lose all abilities. Lands with Flood counters them on are Islands.' I haven't done that because it would make having multiples stronger without 'When ~ leaves the battlefield, remove all Flood counters from all permanents.', which also eats a ton of characters.
What's a morgan?
I came across morgans/morgens as a child, when I was way too into mythology. If you're not familiar with them, Wikipedia can tell you more. They're water spirits, but mostly in stories they just drown people in existing bodies of water, rather than being able to magic them up. I'll concede that's a bit of a flavour stretch.
I'm also not 100% on the name, given how close 'enchanting' is to Magic's enchantment card type, which this does nothing with. All the alternatives (alluring, enthralling, beguiling etc.) I considered didn't convey it changing not just the mental world, but the physical one too.
And no, I know there wouldn't be space for flavour text on a physical card. It's just for the purposes of the challenge.
That's it!
Thanks for reading. I'd appreciate any feedback on my design and I'm eager to see yours too!
Second, I'm not sure about this idea of being burned and gnawed. It's sand, and the flavour is you get stuck in it, but then you get out. I'll let that go, but I think you could get in hot water (or stuck in quicksand) with that 'natives' stuff. Native peoples being savages who rescue you only to eat you or whatever is a pretty tired trope, and more than a bit racist. You mentioned wanting it to combo with your snake, so maybe use that in the flavour text? 'The treacherous sands are prowled by the only creature that can safely traverse them' or something?
Finally, I think this is functionally Threaten for tapped creatures. (Activate in opponent's EOT. You get the creature. Delayed trigger is set up for next EOT. You untap and can attack with the creature. Then you sac Trap Sand at your EOT, then lose control of the creature). Is that intentional?
I get a 0/7 for 1CC? That kind of thing hasn't been playable in decades. And I can sacrifice a creature to get a 2/8? Also not great. It does regenerate, but four mana is a lot. But I guess if someone is foolish enough to stick a Pacifism or something on a 0 power creature, I can stop that too? Niche. Oh and there's something about more power if I sac something I don't own? Very, very niche.
I'm not sure who is playing this, when Vampire Aristocrat and Nantuko Husk exist. They're more splashable and actually turn sideways without needing other cards.
Finally, I want to check on this statement: "the pseudo-commander infinite casting effect may warrant the pushed cost", specifically what do you mean by "infinite casting"? The regeneration?
Just use your super vision!
Okay, fair enough. I figured I was probably running over on the word count.
Yeah, it seems that, unlike Superman, we can't do it all. I'd be interested in seeing your double card design though, caulkwrangler.