Whenever a white creature enters play, its controller gains 1 life. That creature gains hexproof and +0/+2 until its controller's next upkeep step.
Whenever a black creature enters play, Blessed Doorway deals 1 damage to that creature and to that creature's controller.
Relentless WarriorRR Creature - Human Soldier Uncommon
First strike, Haste
Relentless Warrior can only be blocked by creatures with first strike or haste. Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
2/1
****
Next: No animals drank from the shallow pool, though water was scarce. The hunters noticed this too late.
Whenever you would draw a card, you may put a counter on Journey to Enlightenment instead. 1: Remove a counter from Journey to Enlightenment. Flip a coin. If you win the flip, draw two cards. If you lose the flip, reveal the top card of your library. Target opponent may place the top card of your library into your graveyard.
Twiddle Bear GU
Creature - Bear Wizard [uncommon] T: Twiddle Bear deals 1 damage to target creature that shares a color with Twiddle Bear. U,T: Tap or untap target permanent that shares a color with Twiddle Bear.
2/2
Sometimes bears would drink from pools near the academy where powerful magics were tested. Most died, but some began to exhibit strange mutations.
One of the first cards I ever owned (in my very first The Dark booster I ever opened), I have to give the vote to Maze of Ith. It helped me win quite a few games, with opponents forgetting about it until they'd howled/giant growth'd/unstably mutated a beast and sent it over for an expected kill.
Without a doubt, library destruction. It always seemed so wrong to me, like burning books. It made me angry! (And I guess that's the point). I remember not long after I first started playing Magic one of my friends got a Millstone & a Jester's Cap, and I hated those cards with a near-blinding passion. They seemed so invasive, like a bathroom-cam or something. *shudders*
Yep, so definitely library invasion for my personal hatreds. For some reason (rather irrationally, I guess) it always felt like some sort of filthy cheating to me, when general discard/land destruction/control just felt like part of the game.
I'd kill for an updated Shandalar RPG with the new cards. Heck, they could keep the original 1997 Microprose game and just give us updated card sets and I'd be happy.
That said, I'd love to see some side-quests/cut-scenes/plots related to some of the more colorful characters in Magic's lore, though.
A week ago I played four games against my cousin, and that's been the sum tally of games I've played against a human (I recently managed to get Shandalar (for fun AI/RPG battles) working) in the last five years or so.
I have to say it was a blast, as it was a casual sort of gaming experience, and we were helping each other out and trying and remember all of the instant/interrupt rules.
I'd definitely cast a vote for Watchwolf and Sanctuary Cat. I also like Mowagh's submission of Valiant Guard; my first time seeing the card, but its low cost and high defense make it my kind of card. Plus, it has some nice card art.
I think I'd probably give the nod to Watchwolf, just because I've always been partial to White/Green (that's the deck I'm currently running Shandalar 2010 edition). I remember being quite surprised and pleased that it was a 3/3; I fully expected it to be a 2/3 when first discovering one.
I hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by bringing this thread back; I didn't see anything in the forum rules specifically mentioning thread necro, or the length that defines necro. If I missed it, apologies in advance! I haven't been around here since 2008, and I was glad to see the community is still thriving.
My interest in the game was rekindled when I had a chance to play a few games with my cousin (we found an old box in his attic with Magic cards from when we used to play growing up - revised, homelands, and a few fallen empires cards.) We had a great time playing a few hands, trying to remember the rules, etc., and I started thinking about the (sometimes) excellent flavor text on the cards. I was happy to see a thread listing several favorites.
Here's a few that I've always enjoyed:
Trained Armodon: These are its last days. Better to grow broad and heavy. Better that the enemy is crushed beneath its carcass.
I always thought it carried a fatalism somewhat uncommon in green, and all the more striking for it. It sounds more like something from black, and I think that's partly why I liked it so well. Also, a bit of sadness that whatever "enemy" the Armodon was expected to kill was most likely just the enemy to the rider/trainer of the Armodon, and no real concern to the animal itself. Are we hearing the voice of the trainer, or a generic anthropomorphism? For whom is it better? Kind of chilling.
Goblin Shrine "I knew it weren't no ordinary pile of—you know."Norin the Wary
In a world of horrific beasts and nigh-inconceivable monstrosities, the thought of someone restraining himself from the utterance of profanity is strangely bizarre and charming. I also like the nod toward the discovery of other cultures/totems/customs/etc. being totally bewildering.
Sea Serpent Legend has it that serpents used to be bigger, but how could that be?
This was the first magic card that I ever saw. Period. Right away I was hooked with the art style and the concept, and the flavor text sold me on the whole thing. I loved the imagery of some "commoner" seeing the giant head of a sea beast cresting the waves, all raging animal power, and someone rendered speechless by the though of something even bigger. But how could that be? How could this thing *be*?
I couldn't find any cards with more than 4 U in gatherer, so these Beebles need to be some pretty nasty monsters to warrant this cost. Let's try:
Bigby's Bounding Beebles :9mana::symu::symu::symu::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Beebles
Flying.
3/2 If Bigby's Bounding Beebles enters play from anywhere but your hand you lose the game. At the end of your turn, if you control less than five islands, you lose the game.
Creatures you control are unblockable and gain U,T: Return target non-land permanent to its owner's hand.
Whenever Bigby's Bounding Beebles deals combat damage to an opponent you may search your library for a card, then place it in your hand. Then, shuffle your library.
If Bigby's Bounding Beebles goes to a graveyard from play you may draw three cards.
Creature - Beast [uncommon]
T: Target creature gets +1/+2 until end of turn.
1/3
Enchantment Uncommon
Whenever a white creature enters play, its controller gains 1 life. That creature gains hexproof and +0/+2 until its controller's next upkeep step.
Whenever a black creature enters play, Blessed Doorway deals 1 damage to that creature and to that creature's controller.
Creature - Human Soldier Uncommon
First strike, Haste
Relentless Warrior can only be blocked by creatures with first strike or haste.
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
2/1
****
Next: No animals drank from the shallow pool, though water was scarce. The hunters noticed this too late.
Enchantment
Whenever you would draw a card, you may put a counter on Journey to Enlightenment instead.
1: Remove a counter from Journey to Enlightenment. Flip a coin. If you win the flip, draw two cards. If you lose the flip, reveal the top card of your library. Target opponent may place the top card of your library into your graveyard.
Next: Giant Anemone
Creature - Bear Wizard [uncommon]
T: Twiddle Bear deals 1 damage to target creature that shares a color with Twiddle Bear.
U,T: Tap or untap target permanent that shares a color with Twiddle Bear.
2/2
Sometimes bears would drink from pools near the academy where powerful magics were tested. Most died, but some began to exhibit strange mutations.
Enchantment
Creatures lose all abilities and become 2/2 blue creatures. Creatures gain "~ is unblockable as long as defending player controls an enchantment."
"The prophecy has been fulfilled! It's time for the dawn of a new age!"
****
Next: "Soft laughter followed us for days during our trip through the Wirewood. We never found its source." - Erklane, expedition leader
Artifact
T:, Sacrifice a land: Gain 2 life and draw a card.
"The entire forest, for this box? How could it be worth all of this death?" - Master Excavator
NEXT:
Sourwood Sprites
Creature - Human Cleric
2/1
When ~ comes into play choose a color.
T: Tap target creature of the chosen color. That creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
It is the story of a man who did insane things because he put in practice what many Saints have preached.
****
Next:Laros cursed and checked his map. He'd wandered in a complete circle - again.
Yep, so definitely library invasion for my personal hatreds. For some reason (rather irrationally, I guess) it always felt like some sort of filthy cheating to me, when general discard/land destruction/control just felt like part of the game.
That said, I'd love to see some side-quests/cut-scenes/plots related to some of the more colorful characters in Magic's lore, though.
I have to say it was a blast, as it was a casual sort of gaming experience, and we were helping each other out and trying and remember all of the instant/interrupt rules.
I think I'd probably give the nod to Watchwolf, just because I've always been partial to White/Green (that's the deck I'm currently running Shandalar 2010 edition). I remember being quite surprised and pleased that it was a 3/3; I fully expected it to be a 2/3 when first discovering one.
My interest in the game was rekindled when I had a chance to play a few games with my cousin (we found an old box in his attic with Magic cards from when we used to play growing up - revised, homelands, and a few fallen empires cards.) We had a great time playing a few hands, trying to remember the rules, etc., and I started thinking about the (sometimes) excellent flavor text on the cards. I was happy to see a thread listing several favorites.
Here's a few that I've always enjoyed:
Trained Armodon:
These are its last days. Better to grow broad and heavy. Better that the enemy is crushed beneath its carcass.
I always thought it carried a fatalism somewhat uncommon in green, and all the more striking for it. It sounds more like something from black, and I think that's partly why I liked it so well. Also, a bit of sadness that whatever "enemy" the Armodon was expected to kill was most likely just the enemy to the rider/trainer of the Armodon, and no real concern to the animal itself. Are we hearing the voice of the trainer, or a generic anthropomorphism? For whom is it better? Kind of chilling.
Goblin Shrine
"I knew it weren't no ordinary pile of—you know."Norin the Wary
In a world of horrific beasts and nigh-inconceivable monstrosities, the thought of someone restraining himself from the utterance of profanity is strangely bizarre and charming. I also like the nod toward the discovery of other cultures/totems/customs/etc. being totally bewildering.
Sea Serpent
Legend has it that serpents used to be bigger, but how could that be?
This was the first magic card that I ever saw. Period. Right away I was hooked with the art style and the concept, and the flavor text sold me on the whole thing. I loved the imagery of some "commoner" seeing the giant head of a sea beast cresting the waves, all raging animal power, and someone rendered speechless by the though of something even bigger. But how could that be? How could this thing *be*?
Bigby's Bounding Beebles :9mana::symu::symu::symu::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Beebles
Flying.
3/2
If Bigby's Bounding Beebles enters play from anywhere but your hand you lose the game.
At the end of your turn, if you control less than five islands, you lose the game.
Creatures you control are unblockable and gain U,T: Return target non-land permanent to its owner's hand.
Whenever Bigby's Bounding Beebles deals combat damage to an opponent you may search your library for a card, then place it in your hand. Then, shuffle your library.
If Bigby's Bounding Beebles goes to a graveyard from play you may draw three cards.