will it work to word a planeswalker's ability as:
+2: Any number of target lands become the basic land of your choice until end of turn.
I want to be able to prevent your opponent from playing anything else this turn, while enabling color fixxing on your end.
So, will this work and are their any shorter wordings?
Mystery Ball R
Sorcery
You and target opponent each secretly choose a number. Then, reveal the chosen numbers. You may pay X, where X is the closer of your number to the following - your number minus the difference between your number and your opponents number; or the difference between the numbers. If it's a tie choose one and if X would be negative X is 0. If you pay, Mystery Ball deals damage equal to your number to that player. If you don't pay or if X is your number, Mystery Ball deals damage equal to the total of the numbers to you and tap all lands you control.
After three seperate readings how about: Mystery Ball
Sorcery-
Secretly chose a number, then target opponent chooses a number. If the differance between the two numbers is less than half your number let X be your number minus the difference, otherwise let X be the differance between the numbers. If you pay ~ deals damage equal to the number you chose to the target opponent, otherwise it deals damage to you equal to the total of the numbers you and your opponent chose, then you tap all lands you control.
Functionally this is the same, but I think follows a little better. As for thinking about the ability, whenever tageted the opponent would simply always choose zero, making this a very wordy blaze against conservative players, and a huge backfire for risk takers. I think that this is the first blaze variant I've seen that is worse than blaze, and I don't say that beause of how complicated it is, rather that it actually plays out worse than blaze
Generally using the idea that we can write over the rules is highly problematic. Yes if a card breaks the rules you follow the card, but that is really more of a statement on how those cards work. i.e. Mirror Gallery. But following the, "cards trump rules" idea how would we resolve when two cards clash? I don't care about the text on your Quagonoth, my counterspell clearly states that I counter target spell. The rules are much more an explanation of how different cards work together than a restriction on one card, so setting them aside is the same as setting aside any card that might conflict with this card.
Having said that, if you really want to put a land into play, then: Flash Land
Land- forest
Sacrifice a land: put ~ onto the battlefield.
and, considering you'll be drafting this, will there even be two flash lands to combo with the original design? If not you could stick with that.
Any ideas for a template such that you could only play one land replacer a turn?
Would: Maze Wanderer1GG
Creature- Minotaur
You may only play ~ when you could play a land.
When you cast ~ you may not play lands for the rest of the turn.
4/4
work such that after the first you could play a second?
I disagree that hard counters need UU in their cost. And I think Dromar would agree that, while a hard counter should not be some simple splash, it doesn't nesecarily need UU.
Having said that I think these cards (except for the white) are too strong for three mana in general. I would bump them all up by :1mana:.
One thought is that when a creature goes to attack it will be travelling down a tunnel, so if it gets blocked, the creatures blocking it won't be able to encircle it, rather will have to line up to fight it. This could be represented by only being able to be blocked by one creature at a time, or even some sort of banding ability, wherein creatures could enque for an attack and once they are blocked the attacking player would choose the order in which damage is dealt to the attacking creatures, just like how damage is dealt to a blocking group.
Maybe:
Enqueue(When this creature attacks you may choose another attacking creature you control, if you do any creature blocking that creature or this creature are blocking the other aswell, you choose the order in which blocking creatures deal damage to attacking creatures.)
and the... O GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE! NOT BANDING NOOOO!!!!!
It's basically just 'paying life' but towards mill. I can see the validatiy of your critique, but players like doing things on the cheap and you have the added bonus of being able to have the pyre interact with the ability.
Players will not mind being closer to milled out any more than they will mind being closer to 0 life, but they will really hate seeing their bomb go to exile. Playing further knowing their answer is gone forever would be disapointing. I think exilling face-down would be a good comprimise. It really doesn't change pyre, but players won'y have the pessimistic prediction laid out for them.
I think Pyre is an ability with alot of potential. I have put this ability on a few red cards. You just need to be careful about balancing between constructed and draft.
Ex:
Burn for Planting RG
Sorcery-
Pyre -XX(as you play ~ you may shuffle your library and then exile the top xx cards)
Shuffle X target cards into your library.
Though, I would reword it from a may ability, to simply an action to allow for cards like:
Hallucinate Insight 2U
Sorcery-
Draw a card then look at the top 3 cards of your library.
Flash back- Pyre 4(Shuffle your library then exile the top 4 cards).
I always love using phrases with cards, "You just got swerved", "do you need a doctor for that headache", "I hear the printed new solid gold cards, I guess that makes this a good time to treasure hunt", "did you see the forecast today?", et cetera..
I always loved exclaiming "bet you didn't see my sneak attack comming!" as I threw down a ninja. So I would go for "Sneak Attack" for ninjitsu.
I have no good suggestions for bushido though.
It's been awhile, so I don't know if you'll see this pieces, but my two cents on sneak could be summated to, I don't see it working out well.
Often it seems like alot of awesome to have a card that wee could say is ballanced because the hoops to jump through are so narrow that there deserves to be a big cake on the othere side, but this style of balancing is ballanced like an elephant on a needle, sure it is 'balanced' but a slightbreeze can send it toppling.
Sneak will either need to be restricted to only triggering when your opponet causes the mill or discard or it will need to be on cards so inconsiquential that it won't matter.
Then if you do put it that your opponent has to trigger it you will either need to make discard/mill so powerfull that is is worth the sneak creatures, which would require some rediculous mill/discard.
Either way I just don't see it working out.
Bravo! These are all mechanically compelling and dripping with flavor. I especially love Crusader Griffin and Aurora Griffin .
Looking at Enemy of the Guildpact you could say Pro tapped, but I think it reads much better as pro tapped permanent.(also it needs a period) I think Crusader is fine, powerwise, but Illuminating Griffin does seem udercosted. Being able to attack and block all day every day seems a bit much for 3.
I agree that there needs to be a red walker with something other than burn. Chandra Ablaze's second is the right idea. I disagree that said planeswalker should be playable in RDW. Flavorwise and mechanically I don't think it will turn out well. Planeswalkers should build to something, and RDW just doesn't have the time to wait.
I like the ability, and I think it has great footing in all three colors, but I would just leave it on creatures. Maybe you could simply have the mimic gain the text (and p/t) of their targets, that way you build monstrosities and just give the red mimics outright haste.
Something like: Huckleberry1GG
Creature- Beast Shapeshifter
~ gains +1/+1.
Mimic 4G(You may play this for its mimic cost, if you do it gains the text and power and toughness of a creature on the battlefield.)
2/2
Best Competitor2R
Creature- Elemental Shapeshifter
Haste. At the end of your turn if ~ did not deal damage to an opponent sacrifice it.
Mimic 3R(You may play this for its mimic cost, if you do it gains the text and power and toughness of a creature on the battlefield.)
2/1
+2: Any number of target lands become the basic land of your choice until end of turn.
I want to be able to prevent your opponent from playing anything else this turn, while enabling color fixxing on your end.
So, will this work and are their any shorter wordings?
After three seperate readings how about:
Mystery Ball
Sorcery-
Secretly chose a number, then target opponent chooses a number. If the differance between the two numbers is less than half your number let X be your number minus the difference, otherwise let X be the differance between the numbers. If you pay ~ deals damage equal to the number you chose to the target opponent, otherwise it deals damage to you equal to the total of the numbers you and your opponent chose, then you tap all lands you control.
Functionally this is the same, but I think follows a little better. As for thinking about the ability, whenever tageted the opponent would simply always choose zero, making this a very wordy blaze against conservative players, and a huge backfire for risk takers. I think that this is the first blaze variant I've seen that is worse than blaze, and I don't say that beause of how complicated it is, rather that it actually plays out worse than blaze
Having said that, if you really want to put a land into play, then:
Flash Land
Land- forest
Sacrifice a land: put ~ onto the battlefield.
and, considering you'll be drafting this, will there even be two flash lands to combo with the original design? If not you could stick with that.
Would:
Maze Wanderer1GG
Creature- Minotaur
You may only play ~ when you could play a land.
When you cast ~ you may not play lands for the rest of the turn.
4/4
work such that after the first you could play a second?
Having said that I think these cards (except for the white) are too strong for three mana in general. I would bump them all up by :1mana:.
Encouraging Cry 2G
Enchantment Aura
Enchant up to three creatures.
Enchanted creatures gain +1/+1 and trample.
This way you won't get 2for1'd. If one creature gets killed the aura is still attached to a legal target(s) and stays around.
Maybe:
Enqueue(When this creature attacks you may choose another attacking creature you control, if you do any creature blocking that creature or this creature are blocking the other aswell, you choose the order in which blocking creatures deal damage to attacking creatures.)
and the... O GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE! NOT BANDING NOOOO!!!!!
but really it does make sense to me.
Players will not mind being closer to milled out any more than they will mind being closer to 0 life, but they will really hate seeing their bomb go to exile. Playing further knowing their answer is gone forever would be disapointing. I think exilling face-down would be a good comprimise. It really doesn't change pyre, but players won'y have the pessimistic prediction laid out for them.
Ex:
Burn for Planting RG
Sorcery-
Pyre -XX(as you play ~ you may shuffle your library and then exile the top xx cards)
Shuffle X target cards into your library.
Though, I would reword it from a may ability, to simply an action to allow for cards like:
Hallucinate Insight 2U
Sorcery-
Draw a card then look at the top 3 cards of your library.
Flash back- Pyre 4(Shuffle your library then exile the top 4 cards).
I always loved exclaiming "bet you didn't see my sneak attack comming!" as I threw down a ninja. So I would go for "Sneak Attack" for ninjitsu.
I have no good suggestions for bushido though.
Often it seems like alot of awesome to have a card that wee could say is ballanced because the hoops to jump through are so narrow that there deserves to be a big cake on the othere side, but this style of balancing is ballanced like an elephant on a needle, sure it is 'balanced' but a slight breeze can send it toppling.
Sneak will either need to be restricted to only triggering when your opponet causes the mill or discard or it will need to be on cards so inconsiquential that it won't matter.
Then if you do put it that your opponent has to trigger it you will either need to make discard/mill so powerfull that is is worth the sneak creatures, which would require some rediculous mill/discard.
Either way I just don't see it working out.
Looking at Enemy of the Guildpact you could say Pro tapped, but I think it reads much better as pro tapped permanent.(also it needs a period) I think Crusader is fine, powerwise, but Illuminating Griffin does seem udercosted. Being able to attack and block all day every day seems a bit much for 3.
Something like:
Huckleberry 1GG
Creature- Beast Shapeshifter
~ gains +1/+1.
Mimic 4G(You may play this for its mimic cost, if you do it gains the text and power and toughness of a creature on the battlefield.)
2/2
Best Competitor 2R
Creature- Elemental Shapeshifter
Haste. At the end of your turn if ~ did not deal damage to an opponent sacrifice it.
Mimic 3R(You may play this for its mimic cost, if you do it gains the text and power and toughness of a creature on the battlefield.)
2/1
But, that's just my take on it.