I
Istanbul
Guest
You know, I was pondering Spiritmonger today.
First, I wondered, 'How does a card like this make it past all the R&D personnel, all the playtesters, and everyone else? Didn't *somebody* point at it and go 'Ummmm...wait, this thing is *insanely* broken'?'
Then I got to thinking...how much SHOULD it cost as is?
Okay. We start with a 6/6. Green gets a 6/6 for 6. Why not? It gets a 2/2 for 2 (Grizzly Bears), it gets a 3/3 for 3 (Trained Armodon), let's give it a 6/6 for 6.
Now then. Let's make it gold. Give it another color. A non-aligned color. Okay, bump the casting cost down by 1. Now we have a 6/6 creature for 3BG. Balanced? Yes. But boring. Let's spice it up a bit.
First, let's give it the ability to change color. That should increase its casting cost by 1, in an environment like this (so dependent on color).
Now, let's give it the ability to regenerate. On a big fatty, especially in this environment, that can be severely difficult to deal with. (Wrath, and...um...oh.) Add B to the casting cost.
Now, let's have it grow every time it hits a creature. Combined with regeneration, that can make it *very* strong; let's add 1 to the casting cost.
So what we now have is our 6/6 beast for 5GBB. That's eight mana, kids, and two of it is black.
But instead, what do we get? All this for 3GB! That means that Spiritmonger is essentially *half* the cost it should be. A 6/6 that can survive most any combat, push through any COPs or T.Moats, and keep swinging turn after turn.
I recall a kid I used to play Magic with coming into the store where I now work. I described it to him, and he said, 'It's gonna replace Blastoderm!' I replied, 'Replace? Blastoderm *wishes* it was this good.' Eerie.
Thoughts?
First, I wondered, 'How does a card like this make it past all the R&D personnel, all the playtesters, and everyone else? Didn't *somebody* point at it and go 'Ummmm...wait, this thing is *insanely* broken'?'
Then I got to thinking...how much SHOULD it cost as is?
Okay. We start with a 6/6. Green gets a 6/6 for 6. Why not? It gets a 2/2 for 2 (Grizzly Bears), it gets a 3/3 for 3 (Trained Armodon), let's give it a 6/6 for 6.
Now then. Let's make it gold. Give it another color. A non-aligned color. Okay, bump the casting cost down by 1. Now we have a 6/6 creature for 3BG. Balanced? Yes. But boring. Let's spice it up a bit.
First, let's give it the ability to change color. That should increase its casting cost by 1, in an environment like this (so dependent on color).
Now, let's give it the ability to regenerate. On a big fatty, especially in this environment, that can be severely difficult to deal with. (Wrath, and...um...oh.) Add B to the casting cost.
Now, let's have it grow every time it hits a creature. Combined with regeneration, that can make it *very* strong; let's add 1 to the casting cost.
So what we now have is our 6/6 beast for 5GBB. That's eight mana, kids, and two of it is black.
But instead, what do we get? All this for 3GB! That means that Spiritmonger is essentially *half* the cost it should be. A 6/6 that can survive most any combat, push through any COPs or T.Moats, and keep swinging turn after turn.
I recall a kid I used to play Magic with coming into the store where I now work. I described it to him, and he said, 'It's gonna replace Blastoderm!' I replied, 'Replace? Blastoderm *wishes* it was this good.' Eerie.
Thoughts?