French Vanilla Format Deck

[Killer Joe]

At G.A.S.P. we have a Theme Game following our regular MML game and mine and Mooseman's friend Nick runs the game. One of the themes this years is going to be "French Vanilla".

See, I wanted to have a creature feature theme game using only creatures with NO ABILITIES like Grizzly Bears and Merfolk of the Pearl Trident and Scaythe Zombies and the likes.

But Nooooooo, Nick thinks that there might be too many stale mates,....hmmmm, maybe. So he met me half way and said what about using creatures with only 1 aword abilities like "Flying", "Trample", "Fear", "Intimidate" and such. I think there are exceptions like Protection from: X and First Strike but I'll have to check.

So, where do I start? How do I look up cards with one word abilities (and no thanks to BANDING, Mooseman and everyone else who remember the days before we had light bulbs).

How about Slivers!!!!!!! he-he
Talon (first strike)
Muscle (+1/+1) not sure if this one would be allowed in the theme
Winged (flying)
Crystalline (Shroud)

any suggestions?

 

[rokapoke]

Definitely go for banding. If you can walk and chew gum, you can figure out banding. And it's actually really strong.

 

[Spiderman]

Where are you looking up the cards? On Gatherer or Apprentice? Either should have an box where you can search for text on the card...

If you can walk and chew gum

I hope KJ qualifies...

 

[Oversoul]

See, I wanted to have a creature feature theme game using only creatures with NO ABILITIES like Grizzly Bears and Merfolk of the Pearl Trident and Scaythe Zombies and the likes.

Does this mean no non-creature cards? You mention Crystalline Sliver, which I fully believe has been the strongest sliver in the game since it was printed, but this would be one case where it wouldn't work.

But if I'm reading this correctly, wouldn't almost all slivers be banned anyway? I mean "all sliver creatures have X" is not one word.

 

[Mooseman]

Maybe, no activated or triggered abilities and creatures static abilities only affect themselves. So Muscle Sliver would be fine, but it would only affect itself and no other creatures.
How about only creatures, basic lands and instants......

 

[train]

to get around the stalemates:

Shadow...
Trample...

I still use Crystalkeep... It's good to see the rulings with the cards in my mind...

 

[Killer Joe]

For Vanilla creature feature I can see the stalemate problem.

For the French vanilla Creature Feature there wouldn't be stalemates.

In creature features, as far as I know, no other card types except for land are allowed, right?

I like Moosie's idea about creatures, basic lands and instants. but for me I'd like it to be creatures with no abilities, basic lands and simple instants like Fog, Giant Growth, Lightning Bolt, Disenchant (for artifact creatures), Counterspell (mana leak would be considered complicated compared to counterspell), Dark Ritual, Terror, Boomerang....
No cntrip cards either since they have additional wording. This is all in my opinion because non-complicated cards for some folks are EVERY magic card.

 

[Mooseman]

If you allow keyword abilities.... just list them.... Shadow, Haste, death touch, etc.... and only for the creature with the keyword... no sliver crap....
Now the instant thing you mentioned.... no cantrips.... that is a lot harder. what would be a bad instant?

 

[Oversoul]

Now the instant thing you mentioned.... no cantrips.... that is a lot harder. what would be a bad instant?

I don't think I follow...

 

[Mooseman]

How about what is a complicated instant?

 

[Killer Joe]

Instant spells that are simplistic in both wording and mechanical:
Counterspell/Cancel
Red instants that have: "~This~ deals x damage to target creature or player"
Disenchant/Naturalize
Doom Blade
Giant Growth
Fog/Holy Day
Jump
Boomerang
Dark Ritual

Those kind of easy spells.

 

[Mooseman]

Yeah, but what is a complicated one? Cantrips?

 

[Killer Joe]

Ok, I can't exactly 'define' a complicated instant so my guess is that NONE exist, right?

So Reweave which reads; "Target permanant's controller sacrifices it. That player reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a card that shares a card type with the sacrificed permanant, that player puts that card into play, then shuffles his or her library."
Splice onto Arcane 2UU

and Counterspell
"Counter target spell."

...are just about the same in complexity, right?

I suppose if there a complexity rating scale that that would be helpful in me trying to describe an easy and short texted spell.

Jeezsh, smart people, whaddya gonna wit dem!?

 

[Ransac]

How about Complex = More than 1 sentence of text (unless a sentence includes an additional cost) OR more than 1 action per card

Multiple actions would include "then" (to show an order of actions) and other similar words. "Then" Complex: i.e.: Merfolk Looter: Draw a card, then discard a card.

Looter is a bad example since it's not a vanilla creature, but still.


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Oversoul]

I think any attempt to develop a "complexity" standard for cards is doomed to failure.

 

[Mooseman]

I think any attempt to develop a "complexity" standard for cards is doomed to failure.

I agree....

Maybe limit the number of instants to 10 and no two the same.

 

[Killer Joe]

Oh, I wouldn't agree with 'doomed to failure' but I would agree that an agreement on what is 'complex' to one person is easy-peesy to another.

Maybe rarity is the way to go. Use 10 common instants.