For a little fun. Each player answers the Magic card-related trivia question put by the previous player, then poses a new question. If you think a previous answer is wrong, also tell everyone.
First up: Of all permanents that can produce more mana on the turn they enter play than they cost to cast (e.g. Sol Ring), which has the highest converted mana cost?
OK, 'Instant Creature' is just going to be a rules headache when people start trying to use Flash Counter to counter it. Just stick with the '~this~ can be played any time you can play an instant' wording.
Generally the cards don't look bad though.
Void - finally a use for One With Nothing
Actually, the 'instant creature' idea is one I've thought Wizards should have done a while ago. I've no problem with Flash Counter being able to counter these creatures - Flash Counter can counter every other spell your opponent can play during your turn, so why not instant-speed permanents?
One with Nothing hadn't seen print when I made up the idea of Void. I hadn't noticed the synergy - thanks for pointing that out!
Anyway, one more 'preview' card - this one is arguably the most powerful creature since Eternal Witness, but I think it's balanced - if a little 'pushed', as Wizards call it.
Jeera, Starlight Custodian WW
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric (R)
White creatures you control get +1/+1. (This includes Jeera.) Her soul shines as a beacon, illuminating the faithful.
1/1
Contest rules: Each player posts a card (real or made-up) that is woefully underpowered or broken. The next player creates a card that is true to the theme of the original card, but balanced. Then, they create an unbalanced card for the next player.
Eg. If the person before me had left
Chimney Imp 4B
Creature - Imp
Flying
When ~this~ is put into any graveyard from play, target opponent chooses a card in their hand and puts it on top of their library
1/2
I might respond with
Chimney Imp of Doom 3BB
Creature - Imp
Flying
When ~this~ is put into any graveyard from play, target opponent chooses three cards in their hand and puts them on top of their library. (That player chooses the order)
2/1
First up:
Eratos, Harbinger of Disaster 2WR
Legendary Creature - Human Knight
When ~this~ comes into play, destroy all lands.
3/3
Glorify 1WW
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant Permanent
Enchanted permanent is indestructable. (Destroy effects and lethal damage have no effect on it). A million prayers can achieve any miracle.
Wardweaver 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C) T: Target creature cannot be the target of spells or abilities this turn.
1/2
Dogma of Rakthos UUU
Legendary Enchantment (R)
You control all enchanted creatures. The touch of Rakthos changed the high priests. To their supporters, they were an inspiration. To anyone else, they were insane.
Disciple of the Void B
Creature - Human Cleric (R) Void - When you have no cards in hand, ~this~ gets +1/+1 and is indestructable. (Destroy effects and lethal damage have no effect on it).
1/1
Shock R
Instant (C)
~this~ deals 2 damage to target creature or player. Never argue with a thunderstorm
Elvish Hunting Party 2GG
Instant Creature - Elf Warrior (U) (You may play ~this~ at any time you could play an instant)
When ~this~ comes into play, put 2 +1/+1 counters on target creature.
2/2
Touch of the Sky 1WU
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has flying and "Whenever this creature deals damage, you gain that much life."
Enchanted creature is 3/3.
Dreams of Rakthos is a set I'm working on at the moment. It is set in a world which is dominated by the church of a powerful, monotheistic religion (the worship of Rakthos, a white-aligned sun god).
Anyway, here's the first preview. I'll be printing up these cards and running the odd draft with them, and as a result, comments/criticisms/flames are welcome. Anyone from Melbourne, Australia might even get a chance to draft this set when it's finished. Most of the cards are new, but there's quite a few reprints - perhaps more than normal for a Magic set.
Mechanics-wise, this set sees the return of Fading, and has a lot more 'the number of fading counters on this card matters' effects than Nemesis did. There's also a semi-keyword ability (e.g. Channel), Void, which grants a card additional effects if you have no cards in hand.
Jitte is going to be really dangerous with that WR 1/2 doublestriker.
Turn 1: Plains
Turn 2: Mountain. 1/2 dude
Turn 3: Land, Seething Song, Jitte, Equip, manaburn to 19, attack, Jitte has 4 counters, opp at 18
Turn 4: Kill an X/1 blocker (e.g. Hearth Kami), remove 3 counters for +6/+6, attack, hit for 7 first strike and 11 regular damage, opp at 0
That's harsh. You'll seldom pull off this, but just getting 4 counters a turn is obscene. Doubt it's bannable, but it's a worry.
A few questions to everyone who thinks that the Bible's word on gay marriage should be law:
1. I've just found a millenia-old book that it's OK to sell my daughter into slavery. How much do you think is a fair price in these days?
2. The same book states that it is sinful to touch a woman whilst she is menstuating. I want to avoid sin, so how do I know which women to keep away from? Most are offended when I ask them.
3. The same book states that it is God's will that 'thou shalt not kill', but also that God caused a flood that led to an almost complete genocide of humanity. How can I reconcile this difference? Can I kill people en masse if I deem them sinful?
I could go on forever... but my point is simple. Believe in your God if you wish, but don't force your 'morals' onto other people.
What people often forget is that all the presidents, regardless of political affiliation, are very patriotic and want whats best for the country.
No, they want what is best for the wealthy. Hence Bush's tax cuts for the rich, Clinton's healthcare broken promises, and Reagan's attacks on unions.
Back to the main question. The day the media comes out urging a general strike against the occupation of Iraq is the day I'll believe that there's a 'liberal media bias'. The day the press tells us that Saddam Hussein wasn't the first ruler of Iraq to use poison gas to murder rebellious Kurds, but that it was Winston Churchill. The day the shattered lives of Iraqis murdered in the war are given the same attention as those of fallen soldiers. The day mercenaries are no longer called 'civilian security contractors'. The day that the media campaigns for better wages for low-paid workers.
Yep, I'm a radical, or according to this test a 'whining rotter'. The only good fascist is a dead fascist.
My answers:
Q1-17, 19-22, 24-28, 30: all strongly disagree
Q18, 29: both mildly disagree
Q23: Very vaguely worded, if I interpret correctly I mildly agree.
Let's let a famous supporter of the war say what it's really about.
From the New York Times, by Thomas L. Friedman. My emphasis throughout.
This is a tough call, but I hope the elections go ahead as scheduled on Jan. 30. We have to have a proper election in Iraq so we can have a proper civil war there.
(some text removed for brevity)
What the Bush team has done in Iraq, by ousting Saddam Hussein, was not to "liberate" the country -- an image and language imported from the West and inappropriate for Iraq -- but rather to unleash the latent civil war in that country.
With that in mind, does anyone still think these elections are democratic? Fair? Free? Liberating?
According to every poll taken in the last 18 months, a majority of Iraqis support (to varying degrees) the armed resistance against the US. But the resistance fighters are outlawed, and thus unable to run or vote in the election. In a free, fair election, Muqtada al-Sadr would easily get 25-30% of the vote, Saddam would get around 10-15%, and even al-Zarqawi would get at least 5% of votes. But, of course, the US aren't allowing refugees from Fallujah to vote unless they return to the hell that was their city.
No wonder so many Iraqis are boycotting the election!
The only hope for democracy in Iraq is for the occupying forces to be driven out. Let's hope it can happen with as little bloodshed as possible - 100000 dead Iraqis and 1450 dead Americans is 101450 too many.
Jeera, Starlight Custodian WW
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric 1/1
White creatures get +1/+1. The blazing light of her soul illuminates the faithful and smites the evildoers.
Atogatogatog WWUUBBRRGG
Legendary Creature - Atog 10/10
Sacrifice a legendary atog: Atogatogatog gets +10/+10, haste and trample until end of turn. It loves an old fashioned family meal...
First up: Of all permanents that can produce more mana on the turn they enter play than they cost to cast (e.g. Sol Ring), which has the highest converted mana cost?
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature does not untap during its controller's untap step.
Next: Chains of Mephistophiles (probably badly misspelt)
Actually, the 'instant creature' idea is one I've thought Wizards should have done a while ago. I've no problem with Flash Counter being able to counter these creatures - Flash Counter can counter every other spell your opponent can play during your turn, so why not instant-speed permanents?
One with Nothing hadn't seen print when I made up the idea of Void. I hadn't noticed the synergy - thanks for pointing that out!
Anyway, one more 'preview' card - this one is arguably the most powerful creature since Eternal Witness, but I think it's balanced - if a little 'pushed', as Wizards call it.
Jeera, Starlight Custodian WW
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric (R)
White creatures you control get +1/+1. (This includes Jeera.)
Her soul shines as a beacon, illuminating the faithful.
1/1
Eg. If the person before me had left
Chimney Imp 4B
Creature - Imp
Flying
When ~this~ is put into any graveyard from play, target opponent chooses a card in their hand and puts it on top of their library
1/2
I might respond with
Chimney Imp of Doom 3BB
Creature - Imp
Flying
When ~this~ is put into any graveyard from play, target opponent chooses three cards in their hand and puts them on top of their library. (That player chooses the order)
2/1
First up:
Eratos, Harbinger of Disaster 2WR
Legendary Creature - Human Knight
When ~this~ comes into play, destroy all lands.
3/3
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant Permanent
Enchanted permanent is indestructable. (Destroy effects and lethal damage have no effect on it).
A million prayers can achieve any miracle.
Wardweaver 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
T: Target creature cannot be the target of spells or abilities this turn.
1/2
Dogma of Rakthos UUU
Legendary Enchantment (R)
You control all enchanted creatures.
The touch of Rakthos changed the high priests. To their supporters, they were an inspiration. To anyone else, they were insane.
Disciple of the Void B
Creature - Human Cleric (R)
Void - When you have no cards in hand, ~this~ gets +1/+1 and is indestructable. (Destroy effects and lethal damage have no effect on it).
1/1
Shock R
Instant (C)
~this~ deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Never argue with a thunderstorm
Elvish Hunting Party 2GG
Instant Creature - Elf Warrior (U)
(You may play ~this~ at any time you could play an instant)
When ~this~ comes into play, put 2 +1/+1 counters on target creature.
2/2
Touch of the Sky 1WU
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has flying and "Whenever this creature deals damage, you gain that much life."
Enchanted creature is 3/3.
Keep watching for more cards...
Anyway, here's the first preview. I'll be printing up these cards and running the odd draft with them, and as a result, comments/criticisms/flames are welcome. Anyone from Melbourne, Australia might even get a chance to draft this set when it's finished. Most of the cards are new, but there's quite a few reprints - perhaps more than normal for a Magic set.
Mechanics-wise, this set sees the return of Fading, and has a lot more 'the number of fading counters on this card matters' effects than Nemesis did. There's also a semi-keyword ability (e.g. Channel), Void, which grants a card additional effects if you have no cards in hand.
First previews are in the next post!
Turn 1: Plains
Turn 2: Mountain. 1/2 dude
Turn 3: Land, Seething Song, Jitte, Equip, manaburn to 19, attack, Jitte has 4 counters, opp at 18
Turn 4: Kill an X/1 blocker (e.g. Hearth Kami), remove 3 counters for +6/+6, attack, hit for 7 first strike and 11 regular damage, opp at 0
That's harsh. You'll seldom pull off this, but just getting 4 counters a turn is obscene. Doubt it's bannable, but it's a worry.
1. I've just found a millenia-old book that it's OK to sell my daughter into slavery. How much do you think is a fair price in these days?
2. The same book states that it is sinful to touch a woman whilst she is menstuating. I want to avoid sin, so how do I know which women to keep away from? Most are offended when I ask them.
3. The same book states that it is God's will that 'thou shalt not kill', but also that God caused a flood that led to an almost complete genocide of humanity. How can I reconcile this difference? Can I kill people en masse if I deem them sinful?
I could go on forever... but my point is simple. Believe in your God if you wish, but don't force your 'morals' onto other people.
No, they want what is best for the wealthy. Hence Bush's tax cuts for the rich, Clinton's healthcare broken promises, and Reagan's attacks on unions.
Back to the main question. The day the media comes out urging a general strike against the occupation of Iraq is the day I'll believe that there's a 'liberal media bias'. The day the press tells us that Saddam Hussein wasn't the first ruler of Iraq to use poison gas to murder rebellious Kurds, but that it was Winston Churchill. The day the shattered lives of Iraqis murdered in the war are given the same attention as those of fallen soldiers. The day mercenaries are no longer called 'civilian security contractors'. The day that the media campaigns for better wages for low-paid workers.
That's a day I look forward to...
Yep, I'm a radical, or according to this test a 'whining rotter'. The only good fascist is a dead fascist.
My answers:
Q1-17, 19-22, 24-28, 30: all strongly disagree
Q18, 29: both mildly disagree
Q23: Very vaguely worded, if I interpret correctly I mildly agree.
With that in mind, does anyone still think these elections are democratic? Fair? Free? Liberating?
According to every poll taken in the last 18 months, a majority of Iraqis support (to varying degrees) the armed resistance against the US. But the resistance fighters are outlawed, and thus unable to run or vote in the election. In a free, fair election, Muqtada al-Sadr would easily get 25-30% of the vote, Saddam would get around 10-15%, and even al-Zarqawi would get at least 5% of votes. But, of course, the US aren't allowing refugees from Fallujah to vote unless they return to the hell that was their city.
No wonder so many Iraqis are boycotting the election!
The only hope for democracy in Iraq is for the occupying forces to be driven out. Let's hope it can happen with as little bloodshed as possible - 100000 dead Iraqis and 1450 dead Americans is 101450 too many.
Oh, and check out this site. www.sa.org.au
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric 1/1
White creatures get +1/+1.
The blazing light of her soul illuminates the faithful and smites the evildoers.
Legendary Creature - Atog 10/10
Sacrifice a legendary atog: Atogatogatog gets +10/+10, haste and trample until end of turn.
It loves an old fashioned family meal...