No Vanilla for me, thank you.

[Oversoul]

Thumbs up on the new idea for the Shados. It removes the rules baggage attached to the type, prevents possibly degenerate effects (like the one I mentioned with Unnatural Selection), and leaves room for sundry other effects like having Shados that get +2/+2 for each other Shado and such...

Now about your other cards...

Duality is freaky. I can't tell whether it's safe or not, but I can't think of anything that would break it. Put it on a watch list or something, I guess.

Negation may be too good in the right deck. It is a hard counter for U. The drawback is extreme, but there are plenty of ways to nullify it. On the other hand, it is only a couterspell, which isn't broken...

Unruhe is either too good or a truly awesome card that would see a lot of use in black control decks. I'm going with the latter for now.

Everything else seems fine. Death Toll is multiplayer funnessity.

 

[Kode]

Negation is one of my favorite ideas - simple, eye-catching, and also rather effective. I don't know how you say there are plenty of ways to nullify the drawback; not that there are no ways, mind you, but that I do not see them. Nevertheless, it is an orgasmic card for a Blue player.

Duality is not freaky, but very freaky. The cost seems cheap, merely 3UU; to gain notable advantage it needs to fork either 2 averge spells, 3 very averge spells, or 1 grand spell (i.e. Time Travel), and in every case, large supplies of mana is required; thus, it is best played in reaction towards your opponent's spells, at the end of the turn, after they have cast 2 or so instants/sorceries - it's a neat card, but not as powerful as it seems at all.

Unruhe is a Black player's dream card - not just for control, but even for suicide or anything else. A Black Lightning Bolt with Drain Life attached to it...seems like a stable.

 

[Kode]

Card 1 [2U]
Enchantment
Spells cost 1 more to play for each Counter on this.
Whenever a spell is cast, put a Counter on this.

Card 2 [3U]
Creature - something
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on this to draw a card.
2/2

Card 3 [5UU]
Creature - something
When this deals combat damage to a player, return a permanent that player controls back to owner's hand.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on this to tap target creature.
5/5

Card 4 [UU]
Creature - something
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter this to return target permanent back to owner's hand.
1/1

Card 5
Sorcery
Target creature gains +2/+2 until end of the turn. Return that creature back to owner's hand at the end of the turn.

 

[Kode]

Card 6 [4]
Artifact Creature
As an additional cost to play ~, discard a card.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on this to deal 2 damage to target creature.
4/4

Card 7 [BB]
Creature - shado
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on this to put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
2/2

 

[Oversoul]

It all looks pretty good. Card 6 could be especially cool.

Card 1 is the only one that worries me.

 

[Kode]

I don't like Card 1 anyway, though I do see your point.

Revisions of all other cards, minus card 1 and card 7 (I don't like card 7):

Inspired Bluewing [3U][Common]
Creature - Nova Bird
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on Inspired Bluewing to draw a card.
(2/2)

Deep Blue [4UU][Rare]
Creature - Nova Beast
When Deep Blue deals combat damage to a player, return a permanent that player controls back to owner's hand.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on Deep Blue to tap target creature.
(5/4)

Fluttering Bluewing [UU][Common]
Creature - Nova Bird
Flying
Fluttering Bluewing can't be the target of spells or abilities.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter Fluttering Bluewing to return target permanent back to owner's hand.
1/1

Psychic Supernova [Common]
Sorcery
Target creature gains +2/+2 until end of the turn. Return that creature back to owner's hand at the end of the turn.

Nova in the Machine [4][Rare]
Artifact Creature - Nova Beast
As an additional cost to play Nova in the Machine, sacrifice a creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a -1/-1 counter on Nova in the Machine to deal 2 damage to target creature.
(4/4)

 

[Kode]

Rituality [1BB][Rare]
Instant
Sacrifice all creatures you control. Search your library for a copy of each creature sacrificed this way and put into play, then shuffle your library.

Showdown [2R][Common]
Sorcery
Showdown deals 6 damage to target creature or player. Any player may pay X to prevent X damage dealt by Showdown.

Psychotic Episode [XU][Uncommon]
Instant
Put the top X cards on your library into your graveyard and then draw X cards.

Invisible War [1UU][Uncommon]
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose target creature. That creature is unblockable until the end of the turn.

 

[Kode]

Knight Fanatic [1RR][Common]
Creature - Knight
Haste, trample.
Whenever Knight Fanatic deals combat damage to a creature or a player, you may sacrifice it to double all combat damage it dealt this turn.
(2/1)

Mantra Singer [W][Rare]
Creature - Monk
Remove another permanent you control from the game: you gain 1 life. When Mantra Singer leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner's control.
(1/1)

Devout Visionary [1W][Uncommon]
Creature – Monk
Remove another permanent you control from the game: tap target creature. When Devout Visionary leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner’s control.
2/2

Solitary Exile [1W][Common]
Creature – Monk
Remove a permanent you control from the game: Solitary Exile gains +1/+1 and protection from creatures until end of the turn. When Solitary Exile leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner’s control.
(1/2)

Omen [2WW][Rare]
Legendary Creature - Spirit
Trample
Omen may block any number of creatures.
Omen gains -*/-*, where * is the number of other permanents you control.
(9/9)

 

[Oversoul]

I appreciate that you have no essentially bad cards, and yet manage to avoid outright brokenness.

I think one card in particular is unbalanced though. Braingeyser was only recently unrestricted. Stroke of Genius is STILL restricted. Even Prosperity, which benefits your opponent and is sorcery speed, sees plenty of use.

In Vintage, Keeper decks are now relying on Skeletal Scrying (partially because it's black).

Your version (Psychotic Episode) is quite possibly better than any of these cards. It could easily be like +4 card advantage at instant speed, WITH THE BONUS OF DUMPING STUFF INTO YOUR GRAVEYARD!

Also I think it would be really cool if Fluttering Bluewing had synergy with Pychic Supernova. But the sorcery speed of the one and the upkeep only access to the ability of the other prevents that from happening...

 

[Kode]

Good calls.

Psychotic Episode originally removed X cards from the top of the library and had the caster draw X cards. Then I figured it wouldn't make the greatest difference in the world if it dumbed those cards into the graveyard; but surely enough, recent sets have focused so much on graveyard that it can be outrageous in the right deck - better than any card drawing card every printed.

What do you think of the original version, which I present here:

Psychotic Episode [XU]
Instant
Remove the top X cards on top of your library from the game, then draw X cards.

The philosophy behind this version is simple: the more you get, the more you'll hurt yourself in the long run. Not to mention that the more you get, the more likely you will lose good, essential cards. Sure, it nets great card advantage, but that at the cost of losing what you potentially want to draw to begin with. What do you think?

And I think it would be cool, actually, if all the Nova creatures had the synergy you desire, though I am afraid it might make the cards too good. Try these versions:

Inspired Bluewing [1UU][Common]
Creature - Nova Bird
Flying
Put a -1/-1 counter on Inspired Bluewing: draw a card.
(2/1)

Deep Blue [4UU][Rare]
Creature - Nova Beast
When Deep Blue deals combat damage to a player, return a permanent that player controls back to owner's hand.
Put a -1/-1 counter on Deep Blue: tap target creature.
(4/3)

Fluttering Bluewing [UU][Common]
Creature - Nova Bird
Flying
Fluttering Bluewing can't be the target of spells or abilities.
Put a -1/-1 counter Fluttering Bluewing: return target permanent back to owner's hand.
1/1

Psychic Supernova [Common]
Instant
Target creature gains +1/+1 until end of the turn. Return that creature back to owner's hand at the end of the turn.

A note about Psychic Supernova: it was sorcery because I wanted the bonus to be +2/+2. At instant speed, if it gave +2/+2, return the creature, and is had a casting cost of one U, it would be a downright powerful card, better than even Giant Growth due to its multifunction. That, and it would also be better than Unsummon, a stable Blue card, because it would have %90 similar function and %100 additional positive function, a function that is essentially questionable since it is not generally seen as a Blue function (I'm talking about the +2/+2 bonus). At merely one U, instant speed, +1/+1 and the built-in Unsummon seem very balanced, though almost borderline weak. Nevertheless, in Blue Beatdown - which doesn't really exist but which I'm trying to change - a card like Psychic Supernova is priceless - it can boost the creatures a little, protect you, do both, or combine beautifully with cards like the Nova creatures.

Tell me what you think about the new versions of the Nova creatures and their Psychic Supernova.

Also, what do you think about the Monks and their Omen?

 

[Oversoul]

Well, +1/+1 is significantly weaker than +2/+2. But I think that the trade for instant speed makes the card more blue-style. So it's probably a good idea...

The new Novas are, I think, more versatile than the older versions. Versatility is cool, so nice job there.

Omen is not my favorite card here, but it's not my style either, so maybe that's the problem. I think it could work, but I'm not sure what with...

The monks are a bit stronger from my perspective, and could make for a super crazy casual deck at least. Once again, I'm not positive what I would use with them. But they have potential...

The RFG version of Psychotic Episode is tuned down a lot from the scary graveyard version. But after seeing the success of Skeletal Scrying, it still seems like too much, since your card is better than Scrying. Eating your library up is not good for you, but Demonic Consultation is harder on the library than Psychotic Episode, and it's one of the most broken cards in Ice Age (if not THE most). What about adding 1 to the mana cost, in order to balance it out more?

 

[Kode]

Your inputs are greatly appreciated. Are you the only person who visits this forum or something? I was hoping for more input and more ideas from more people.

I hope you didn't fail to observe the synergy between the monks and the Omen. The basic Monk theme is this: they remove permanents from the game temporarly for different effects; Omen, and few other cards I am thinking about, get stronger the less permanents there are in play. They compliment each other greatly - but I do like the cards to be great in themselves, so if you don't like Omen by itself, without the Monks, it means it needs to be altered. Each card needs to be a standalone first, before being a complimentary addition to other cards.

When I created Omen, I saw it like this:

At best, you have 4 lands and no other permanents upon casting Omen, thus it is a 5/5 creature with trample that can block all attackers for 4 mana. Not bad at all! But this case is at best - so let's suppose you're playing a type of control and 2 other permanents in play, plus 4 lands - Omen is then 3/3. Not that good but still a good deal considering its abilities. What I'm thinking is a Omen in a Blue/White control atmosphere, or in a Monk or Ritualist (I'll explain the Ritualists later) atmosphere, or something completely creative. My best bet at making Omen a good card in itself is emphasizing its strengths as a good creature for control decks. It already can block very well, so that's great. It would even be better if it could attack and still block - thus, Vigilance will replace Trample, not to mention it is also more more of a White flavor. A good control card needs to be hard to kill; I do not desire to give it solid protection, so I will give it something like this: "Remove a permanent you control from the game: Omen gains protection from a color of your choice until end of the turn." Not only does that help perserve it, but it also combines greatly with Omen's conditional p/t. In the process, the casting cost is increased to 3WW, unless, of course, I decrease its initial p/t to 8/8, which I will do. This decrease should not ruin the card given that Omen now has the ability to both protect itself and gain control of its p/t, not to mention the Vigilance and the ability to block everything - with protection added - he almost beats Morphling. No? Or am I going too far in that assumption?

The new Omen:

Omen [2WW][Rare]
Legendary Creature - Spirit
Vigilance.
Omen may block any number of creatures.
Omen gains -*/-*, where * is the number of other permanents you control.
Remove a permanent you control from the game: Omen gains protection from the color of your choice until end of the turn.
(8/8)

Let me know what you think please.

 

[Istanbul]

Originally posted by Oversoul
Eating your library up is not good for you, but Demonic Consultation is harder on the library than Psychotic Episode, and it's one of the most broken cards in Ice Age (if not THE most).

Necropotence.

Not just the most broken card in Ice Age, but the most broken card ever printed.

Demonic Consultation is pretty strong, though.

 

[Kode]

Demonic Consultation is tougher on the library, I guess.

So in conclusion:

Psychotic Episdoe [X1U][Uncommon]
Instant
Remove the top X cards on top of your library from the game and then draw X cards.

New cards:

Entrancer [UU][Rare]
Creature - Monk
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may remove a permanent you control from the game. If you do tap target permanent. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. When Entrancer leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner’s control.
(1/1)

Mediator [1U][Uncommon]
Creature – Monk
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may remove a permanent you control from teh game. If you do, draw a card. When Mediator leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner’s control.
(1/2)

Safe From Harm [W][Rare]
Enchantment
You may play Safe From Harm whenever you could play an instant.
As Safe From Harm comes into play, remove up to 3 target permanents you control from the game. When Safe From Harm leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner's control.

 

[Kode]

Eternal Recurrence [3UU]
Enchantment
Sacrifice Eternal Recurrence: counter target spell. For the remainder of the game, at the beginning of that spell’s caster upkeep, if the spell countered by Eternal Recurrence is an instant or sorcery, put a copy of it on the stack.

Alpha [3WW]
Enchantment
As Alpha comes into play, remove all other non-land permanents from the game. When Alpha leaves play, return all permanents removed by it back into play under owner's control.

Omega [3WW]
Enchantment
Whenever a non-land permanent comes into play, remove it from the game. When Omega leaves play, return all permanents removed by Omega back into play under owner’s control.

 

[Oversoul]

Istanbul: I've heard it said several times that Necropotence is the most broken card in the game. While it is an amazing card and an old favorite of mine, Yawgmoth's Bargain is considerably more broken.

Safe from Harm could be a cool (and versatile) card. I would definitely make Alpha and Omega Enchant Worlds.

I guess I can see some nasty beats going on with Omen, particularly the new version.

 

[Spiderman]

Originally posted by Kode
Your inputs are greatly appreciated. Are you the only person who visits this forum or something? I was hoping for more input and more ideas from more people.

I visit, but am not really the creative type when it comes to these kind of things. I have no idea about the people who still come here but haven't posted: Isty, Mikeymike, Rooser? Two formerly prolific card-creators no longer visit: Duke and Foundation of Rancor, although apparently Duke has come back for a little while for now.

 

[Kode]

Well that just sucks then. Spiderman, even if you are not creative to create cards, I am sure you have an idea of which cards are appealing, at least to you personally, and which are just plain vanilla or are uninteresting as far as you're concerned. Which colors do you play anyway?

Here's the idea inspired by Enchant World cards.

Super creature type: Godly Creatures. Like Enchant World cards, only one Godly creature can be in play at a time. The one that has been in play the shortest amount of time (most likely the one just played or had come into play) remains in play while the other one is destroyed. Not sure if I will actually use this idea, but I'm sure it can be handy, though only if there are plenty of good Godly creatures.

 

[Spiderman]

Well, to tell the truth, I get info overload when I see that many cards/info in a post. I'm not really good at balancing cards when there's that many (I figure other people can do that) and if it ever became a real set, I'd try to play with them anyway so I figure it doesn't matter right now Sorry.

I play all colors.

 

[Kode]

Well, what's your favorite deck if you have one, and which card is it missing? You know, that one card that you wish was printed to solidify your deck or just plain make it a monsterous creation. In all decks I've built, I always find myself saying if only and a card idea would pop up in my head. What would the card your deck is missing do?

That's basically how I come up with cards and card ideas, I just find myself sifting through the cards I hypothetically need. That, and throughout the process of sifting, I get a lot of other ideas.

A black control deck with a lot of discard can really use this card, for example:

[example black control discard card][4BB]
Sorcery
Target player loses 2 life for each card less than 7 he or she has in hand.

See, this card would be ideal in a discard decks; makes discard a lot more viable. Actually I like it enough to put it into the real set. Now, for something complimentary but useful on its own:

[complimentary hand removal card][2B]
Enchantment
When this comes into play, target player chooses 3 cards from his or her hand and reveals them to all players. Remove those cards from the game. When this leaves play, return all cards removed by this back to owner's hand.

Now the cherry on top:

[cherry on top black control creature][3BB]
Creature - something very special
This gains -*/-* for each card your opponent has in hand.
Put a -1/-1 counter on this: this deals 1 damage to target creature and you gain 1 life.
7/6

There you go. I just created 3 really nice cards because I had one great idea. And I could come up with more, too.