D
DÛke
Guest
...
Agreed about Counterantics. The problem with it is: it can be too good at times, but also so bad at others. However, I imagine it to be good more than bad: Blue can draw a lot of cards, so...
But 2UU for it is not worthy, certainly a cost of merely U is really breaking the lines; so I will go with 1U.
Counterantics (1U)
Enchantment
Remove a Counterantics cards in your hand from the game: counter target spell.
Agreed about Counterantics. The problem with it is: it can be too good at times, but also so bad at others. However, I imagine it to be good more than bad: Blue can draw a lot of cards, so...
But 2UU for it is not worthy, certainly a cost of merely U is really breaking the lines; so I will go with 1U.
Counterantics (1U)
Enchantment
Remove a Counterantics cards in your hand from the game: counter target spell.
D
DÛke
Guest
Dusk of Spirits (2BB)
Sorcery
Pay any amount of life. For each 2 life paid this way, each player removes a permanent he or she controls from the game.
Gravitational Spirit (3U)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Spells cost 2 more to play.
Whenever a player plays a spell, return Gravitational Spirit back to owner’s hand.
3/3
Nostalgia (U)
Instant
Return target instant or sorcery spell that was put into your graveyard this turn back to your hand.
Merger (3UUU)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
As long as Merger is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game to play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost until end of the turn.
5/5
Spiritual Radiation (R)
Enchant Creature
Play Spiritual Radiation only on a creature you control.
R: Enchanted creature gains -1/-1 until end of the turn and put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a 2/2 Red creature with haste and with "sacrifice this creature at the end of the turn." Play this ability only when you can play a sorcery.
Sorcery
Pay any amount of life. For each 2 life paid this way, each player removes a permanent he or she controls from the game.
Gravitational Spirit (3U)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Spells cost 2 more to play.
Whenever a player plays a spell, return Gravitational Spirit back to owner’s hand.
3/3
Nostalgia (U)
Instant
Return target instant or sorcery spell that was put into your graveyard this turn back to your hand.
Merger (3UUU)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
As long as Merger is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game to play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost until end of the turn.
5/5
Spiritual Radiation (R)
Enchant Creature
Play Spiritual Radiation only on a creature you control.
R: Enchanted creature gains -1/-1 until end of the turn and put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a 2/2 Red creature with haste and with "sacrifice this creature at the end of the turn." Play this ability only when you can play a sorcery.
D
DÛke
Guest
Paranoid Measures (1U)
Sorcery
Counter the first spell your opponent plays on his or her next turn. At the end of that player's next turn, if he or she did not play a spell, return Paranoid Measures back to your hand.
Ice Storm (3U)
Sorcery
Tap up to 2 target permanents.
Up to 2 target permanents don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Soular Twins (1GG)
Creature - Elf Spirit
When Solar Twins comes into play, search your hand, graveyard, and library for a Solar Twins card and put into play.
Whenever a Soular Twins card is put into the graveyard from play, sacrifice all other Soular Twins cards.
2/2
Sorcery
Counter the first spell your opponent plays on his or her next turn. At the end of that player's next turn, if he or she did not play a spell, return Paranoid Measures back to your hand.
Ice Storm (3U)
Sorcery
Tap up to 2 target permanents.
Up to 2 target permanents don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Soular Twins (1GG)
Creature - Elf Spirit
When Solar Twins comes into play, search your hand, graveyard, and library for a Solar Twins card and put into play.
Whenever a Soular Twins card is put into the graveyard from play, sacrifice all other Soular Twins cards.
2/2
Oversoul
The Tentacled One
Dusk of the Spirits reminds me of Forbidden Ritual, but without anyone here to slap an errata onto it so that it sucks. I think it would be a cool card You know, with Carrion or Tombstone Stairwell or something...
Merger reminds me of Dream Halls. It looks pretty much impossible to break though in that way. It could be really cool with card drawing and a few Denying Winds or something...
Now, I'm usually against the idea of weakening creature enchantments. I mean, how many decent creature enchantments are there? But your Spiritual Radiation looks like it might be stronger than you want it to be. You do realize that with something like Wall of Stone you're getting a lot of little guys at reasonable speed, right? If it were any card other than a creature enchantment, I'd say it's too strong. I guess it's still insane, but I can't find it in my heart to recommend making it worse. I guess you'll have to bear the burden of that decision yourself, unless someone else feels differently on the subject and has a recommendation...
There is already an Ice Storm card in Magic. It's a green LD card...
Soular Twins is just great and it would so fun to try to break them...
Everything else seems okay too...
Merger reminds me of Dream Halls. It looks pretty much impossible to break though in that way. It could be really cool with card drawing and a few Denying Winds or something...
Now, I'm usually against the idea of weakening creature enchantments. I mean, how many decent creature enchantments are there? But your Spiritual Radiation looks like it might be stronger than you want it to be. You do realize that with something like Wall of Stone you're getting a lot of little guys at reasonable speed, right? If it were any card other than a creature enchantment, I'd say it's too strong. I guess it's still insane, but I can't find it in my heart to recommend making it worse. I guess you'll have to bear the burden of that decision yourself, unless someone else feels differently on the subject and has a recommendation...
There is already an Ice Storm card in Magic. It's a green LD card...
Soular Twins is just great and it would so fun to try to break them...
Everything else seems okay too...
D
DÛke
Guest
...
You are completely accurate about Spiritual Radiation. It kind of scares me too, but again, we can't let its potential power be treated as if it was its ownmost power - remember, it needs another card to make it work, and for that matter, it needs a card that combos well with it, like you mentioned, such as Wall of Stone. It can't really be "too good" because it requires a creature with at least toughness of 3 to really abuse it. Otherwise, it is only a good card, at best. Sure it looks scary at first glance, but upon thought, it descends to simply good.
I envisioned Merger simply because there are far too many cards that are just over priced, in all colors. Merger is able to play any of those cards, no matter the mana cost, no matter what colors they are, at instant speed; add to that the fact that Merger is a 5/5 flier, and you have a card that is both great in control decks at mid-game, all the way to end, not to mention the cool tricks you can pull over your opponent's head, like playing a Wrath of God when you are completely tapped out, when you don't even have the ability to generate White mana, and, above all, as an instant. All in all, a great card...
Dusks of Spirit, as I think about it now, is in fact too similar to Forbidden Ritual, and I don't really like my cards to be that similar, so if I were making a set, it would be x-ed out simply for that reason. Oh well. Merger, on the other hand, is not much like Dream Halls - for one, it will not be banned. For another, it lets you play any card of any color, at instant speed. Pretty different.
More cards soon...
You are completely accurate about Spiritual Radiation. It kind of scares me too, but again, we can't let its potential power be treated as if it was its ownmost power - remember, it needs another card to make it work, and for that matter, it needs a card that combos well with it, like you mentioned, such as Wall of Stone. It can't really be "too good" because it requires a creature with at least toughness of 3 to really abuse it. Otherwise, it is only a good card, at best. Sure it looks scary at first glance, but upon thought, it descends to simply good.
I envisioned Merger simply because there are far too many cards that are just over priced, in all colors. Merger is able to play any of those cards, no matter the mana cost, no matter what colors they are, at instant speed; add to that the fact that Merger is a 5/5 flier, and you have a card that is both great in control decks at mid-game, all the way to end, not to mention the cool tricks you can pull over your opponent's head, like playing a Wrath of God when you are completely tapped out, when you don't even have the ability to generate White mana, and, above all, as an instant. All in all, a great card...
Dusks of Spirit, as I think about it now, is in fact too similar to Forbidden Ritual, and I don't really like my cards to be that similar, so if I were making a set, it would be x-ed out simply for that reason. Oh well. Merger, on the other hand, is not much like Dream Halls - for one, it will not be banned. For another, it lets you play any card of any color, at instant speed. Pretty different.
More cards soon...
D
DÛke
Guest
Alright, here's the fixed Merger:
Merger (4UU)
Creature - Spirit Legend
Flying
As long as Merger is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game. If you do, until end of the turn, you may play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost and whenever you can play an instant.
5/5
The "Legend" status is added because I really wanted to alter the mana cost from 3UUU to 4UU. A 5/5 flier for 6 mana is actually a great deal, so I didn't want the card to be perfectly, perfectly functional as a solid creature and as a control/combo freak's favorite card.
Ok, more later...
Merger (4UU)
Creature - Spirit Legend
Flying
As long as Merger is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game. If you do, until end of the turn, you may play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost and whenever you can play an instant.
5/5
The "Legend" status is added because I really wanted to alter the mana cost from 3UUU to 4UU. A 5/5 flier for 6 mana is actually a great deal, so I didn't want the card to be perfectly, perfectly functional as a solid creature and as a control/combo freak's favorite card.
Ok, more later...
D
DÛke
Guest
Hmmm...
Actually, I'm all about details. I do love the name - simple, and quite descriptive of the card; I imagine a spirit creature that can "melt" or "be one with" the energy of anything, hence the ability. Here's the final card, with the new name:
Unii (4UU)
Creature - Spirit Legend
Flying
As long as Unii is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game. If you do, until end of the turn, you may play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost and whenever you could play an instant.
5/5
Well, as far as Ice Storm is concerned, I was thinking about it, and I wasn't sure if it was worth it at all or not. Besides, I want something completely different - still, I do want a solid control/delay card, so here's a completely new version:
Psychotic Gravity (2UU)
Sorcery
Tap up to 2 target creatures and deal 1 damage to each of them. Creatures tapped this way don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Time Bug (U)
Instant
Counter target spell and return it back to owner's hand. Copies of that spell can't be played for the remainder of the turn.
Spirit of Negation (3U)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Return a permanent you control back to owner's hand: counter target spell unless its cast pays 1.
2/2
Dark Saviour (2B)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
As Dark Saviour comes into play, seach your library for a card and put into your hand, than shuffle your library. Then, your life total becomes 1 until the end of your next turn.
3/2
Spirit Tap (B)
Instant
Gain 5 life. At the end of your next turn, you lose 4 life.
Actually, I'm all about details. I do love the name - simple, and quite descriptive of the card; I imagine a spirit creature that can "melt" or "be one with" the energy of anything, hence the ability. Here's the final card, with the new name:
Unii (4UU)
Creature - Spirit Legend
Flying
As long as Unii is in your hand, you may remove it and 2 other cards in your hand from the game. If you do, until end of the turn, you may play a card in your hand without paying its mana cost and whenever you could play an instant.
5/5
Well, as far as Ice Storm is concerned, I was thinking about it, and I wasn't sure if it was worth it at all or not. Besides, I want something completely different - still, I do want a solid control/delay card, so here's a completely new version:
Psychotic Gravity (2UU)
Sorcery
Tap up to 2 target creatures and deal 1 damage to each of them. Creatures tapped this way don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Time Bug (U)
Instant
Counter target spell and return it back to owner's hand. Copies of that spell can't be played for the remainder of the turn.
Spirit of Negation (3U)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Return a permanent you control back to owner's hand: counter target spell unless its cast pays 1.
2/2
Dark Saviour (2B)
Creature - Spirit
Flying
As Dark Saviour comes into play, seach your library for a card and put into your hand, than shuffle your library. Then, your life total becomes 1 until the end of your next turn.
3/2
Spirit Tap (B)
Instant
Gain 5 life. At the end of your next turn, you lose 4 life.
Oversoul
The Tentacled One
Looks good, but I'm wondering if Dark Saviour and Spirit Tap might be a little weak...
And I think it would be cooler if the life loss happened first with Spirit Tap, but more importantly the card's not usable unless the overall change is more than just gaining one life...
And I think it would be cooler if the life loss happened first with Spirit Tap, but more importantly the card's not usable unless the overall change is more than just gaining one life...
D
DÛke
Guest
...
Well, I agree, but I'm always cautious about posting the original version of the cards because sometimes the cards are too powerful, so I change them before posting them; or sometimes I would have a new idea, but then downplay it and simplify it until it becomes playable and, more importantly, balanced.
But here's the extent of danger that the original idea for Dark Saviour imposed:
Dark Saviour (2BB)
Sorcery
Your life total becomes 1.
At the end of your next turn, your life total becomes 20.
As for Spirit Tap, I agree as well. Let's try a new version...
Spirit Tap (1B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 2 life.
Different variations can be created, of course:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 8 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 2 life.
Or...
Spirit Tap (2BB)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.
Or we can go more radical:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose half your life, rounded up.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
And of course, many variations of that version:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 4 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
Or...
Spirit Tap (1BB)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 5 life.
Feel free to toy around with the idea...I want something unique and...rather...useful...
Well, I agree, but I'm always cautious about posting the original version of the cards because sometimes the cards are too powerful, so I change them before posting them; or sometimes I would have a new idea, but then downplay it and simplify it until it becomes playable and, more importantly, balanced.
But here's the extent of danger that the original idea for Dark Saviour imposed:
Dark Saviour (2BB)
Sorcery
Your life total becomes 1.
At the end of your next turn, your life total becomes 20.
As for Spirit Tap, I agree as well. Let's try a new version...
Spirit Tap (1B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 2 life.
Different variations can be created, of course:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 8 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 2 life.
Or...
Spirit Tap (2BB)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you gain 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.
Or we can go more radical:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose half your life, rounded up.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
And of course, many variations of that version:
Spirit Tap (B)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 4 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 2 life.
Or...
Spirit Tap (1BB)
Enchantment
As Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 10 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 5 life.
Feel free to toy around with the idea...I want something unique and...rather...useful...
I
Istanbul
Guest
This seems more fairly costed AND more in flavor with black.
Spirit Tap (1BB)
Enchantment
When Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 5 life.
During your upkeep, put a Drain counter on Spirit Tap.
At the beginning of your draw phase, target opponent loses 1 life for each Drain counter on Spirit Tap and you gain 1 life for each Drain counter on Spirit Tap.
If Spirit Tap ever has 6 or more Drain counters on it, sacrifice it.
When it CIPs, you lose 5 life. (-5)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 1. (-4)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 2. (-2)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 3. (+1)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 4. (+5)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 5. (+10)
Then Spirit Tap goes away.
I think this card is more fun, too. Does your opponent whip out a Demystify early, and make you lose 5 life? Maybe on turn 3, resulting in a net gain of 1 life? Or does it go all the way and gain you a total of 10 life?
Spirit Tap (1BB)
Enchantment
When Spirit Tap comes into play, you lose 5 life.
During your upkeep, put a Drain counter on Spirit Tap.
At the beginning of your draw phase, target opponent loses 1 life for each Drain counter on Spirit Tap and you gain 1 life for each Drain counter on Spirit Tap.
If Spirit Tap ever has 6 or more Drain counters on it, sacrifice it.
When it CIPs, you lose 5 life. (-5)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 1. (-4)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 2. (-2)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 3. (+1)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 4. (+5)
During your next upkeep, drain an opponent for 5. (+10)
Then Spirit Tap goes away.
I think this card is more fun, too. Does your opponent whip out a Demystify early, and make you lose 5 life? Maybe on turn 3, resulting in a net gain of 1 life? Or does it go all the way and gain you a total of 10 life?
D
DÛke
Guest
...
I thought about the drain effect, but I stayed away from it because it seemed too powerful. Generally, I try to stay away from counters (Fade counters, +1/+1 counters, etc...). I just don't like them very much, unless they are necessary. That, and your version of Spirit Tap reminds me of Subversion, whereas some of my versions should remind you of Delusions of Mediocrity. I was aiming for a Delusions of Mediocrity more than Subversion, though I do like the drain effect. If only we can do it without the counters...
What about Dark Saviour...
I thought about the drain effect, but I stayed away from it because it seemed too powerful. Generally, I try to stay away from counters (Fade counters, +1/+1 counters, etc...). I just don't like them very much, unless they are necessary. That, and your version of Spirit Tap reminds me of Subversion, whereas some of my versions should remind you of Delusions of Mediocrity. I was aiming for a Delusions of Mediocrity more than Subversion, though I do like the drain effect. If only we can do it without the counters...
What about Dark Saviour...
D
DÛke
Guest
...
Meanwhile...more cards...
Libra Knight (2UU)
Creature - Spirit Knight
Libra Knight can't be the target of spells or abilities.
Whenever a permanent comes into play, its controller returns another permanent he or she controls back to owner's hand.
2/2
Scorpio Knight (2UU)
Creature - Spirit Knight
First Strike
As Scorpio Knight comes into play, return target creature back to owner's hand.
Tap: return target creature back to owner's hand as long as it is a creature with the same name as the creature that was returned by Scorpio Knight as it came into play.
2/2
Meanwhile...more cards...
Libra Knight (2UU)
Creature - Spirit Knight
Libra Knight can't be the target of spells or abilities.
Whenever a permanent comes into play, its controller returns another permanent he or she controls back to owner's hand.
2/2
Scorpio Knight (2UU)
Creature - Spirit Knight
First Strike
As Scorpio Knight comes into play, return target creature back to owner's hand.
Tap: return target creature back to owner's hand as long as it is a creature with the same name as the creature that was returned by Scorpio Knight as it came into play.
2/2
D
DÛke
Guest
...
Starchild (UU)
Creature - Spirit
Discard a creature card from your hand: Starchild becomes a copy of that creature until end of the turn. You may play this ability whenever you could play an instant.
1/1
Spiritual Union (2RR)
Sorcery
Put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a Red creature with power equal to the total power of all creatures you control, and with toughness equal to the total toughness of all creatures you control. The creature has haste, trample, and "at end of the turn, sacrifice this creature."
Envision (W)
Instant
Put an artifact, creature, or enchantment card from your hand into play. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay that cards total mana cost. If you can't, return it back to owner's hand.
Sustenance (3WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 5 life.
Spirit Flutter (2WW)
Sorcery
Choose target permanent. At the beginning of that permanent’s controller next upkeep, that player pays an amount of mana equal that permanent’s mana cost. If he or she can’t, that player sacrifices the permanent.
Fill With Illusions (1UU)
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals the top 3 cards of his or library, and puts all artifact, creature, land, and enchantment cards revealed this way into play under his or her control, and shuffles all other cards revealed this way back into his or her library. At the beginning of your next upkeep, that player chooses 5 permanents he or she controls and shuffles them back into his or her library.
Drain of Will (U)
Sorcery
Until the beginning of your next upkeep, spells cost your opponent 1 more to play, and cost you 1 less to play.
Mask Essence (U)
Instant
Target permanent loses all of its abilities until end of the turn.
Nameless Aquarian (8)
Colorless Creature
You may return 4 lands you control back to owner's hand instead of paying Nameless Aquarian's mana cost.
Your spells maybe played by only paying the colored mana in their total mana cost.
1/5
A note about Nameless Aquarian: it is not a mistake that I made him a colorless creature as opposed to simply an artifact creature. Thought through, an artifact creature is completely different than a colorless creature; an artifact creature is something devised, built, and designed from an exterior source; it is not an organic creature; it would be paradoxical to have an "Artifact Creature - Spirit" - because Spirit is an essence, and artifacts can perhaps possess everything but essence, as in, Spirit, or any kind of organic or meta-organic nature (soul, spirit, mind, consciousness, will...). Being colorless, however, implies a type of "anarchy" as to what "color" the creature or...the spell...is restricted to. If anything, higher, or more refined creatures that have transcended the color scheme (culture, creature size, apperance, creature type, and even mana cost) cannot be placed under a specific color. I emphasized how such creatures also transcend mana cost, that implying that all the colorless creatures and spells should by their very definition either cost 0 mana to cast or have an alternative playing cost, such as the case of the Nameless Aquarian. Thus, the difference between an artifact and a colorless creature are manifold and fundamental to card developers. For one, no colorless creature will ever have a creature type. Rather, the creature type is simply ignored, as in, the card will simply state "Colorless Creature," indicating nothing whatsoever as to the creature's type. Colorless creatures and spells, like mentioned above, can all be played for an alternative playing cost, that is, if they did not cost 0 to begin with. Also, colorless creatures are in no way or fashion effected by anything that effects artifacts. In that sense, they are in a league of their own...
Starchild (UU)
Creature - Spirit
Discard a creature card from your hand: Starchild becomes a copy of that creature until end of the turn. You may play this ability whenever you could play an instant.
1/1
Spiritual Union (2RR)
Sorcery
Put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a Red creature with power equal to the total power of all creatures you control, and with toughness equal to the total toughness of all creatures you control. The creature has haste, trample, and "at end of the turn, sacrifice this creature."
Envision (W)
Instant
Put an artifact, creature, or enchantment card from your hand into play. At the beginning of your next upkeep, pay that cards total mana cost. If you can't, return it back to owner's hand.
Sustenance (3WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 5 life.
Spirit Flutter (2WW)
Sorcery
Choose target permanent. At the beginning of that permanent’s controller next upkeep, that player pays an amount of mana equal that permanent’s mana cost. If he or she can’t, that player sacrifices the permanent.
Fill With Illusions (1UU)
Sorcery
Target opponent reveals the top 3 cards of his or library, and puts all artifact, creature, land, and enchantment cards revealed this way into play under his or her control, and shuffles all other cards revealed this way back into his or her library. At the beginning of your next upkeep, that player chooses 5 permanents he or she controls and shuffles them back into his or her library.
Drain of Will (U)
Sorcery
Until the beginning of your next upkeep, spells cost your opponent 1 more to play, and cost you 1 less to play.
Mask Essence (U)
Instant
Target permanent loses all of its abilities until end of the turn.
Nameless Aquarian (8)
Colorless Creature
You may return 4 lands you control back to owner's hand instead of paying Nameless Aquarian's mana cost.
Your spells maybe played by only paying the colored mana in their total mana cost.
1/5
A note about Nameless Aquarian: it is not a mistake that I made him a colorless creature as opposed to simply an artifact creature. Thought through, an artifact creature is completely different than a colorless creature; an artifact creature is something devised, built, and designed from an exterior source; it is not an organic creature; it would be paradoxical to have an "Artifact Creature - Spirit" - because Spirit is an essence, and artifacts can perhaps possess everything but essence, as in, Spirit, or any kind of organic or meta-organic nature (soul, spirit, mind, consciousness, will...). Being colorless, however, implies a type of "anarchy" as to what "color" the creature or...the spell...is restricted to. If anything, higher, or more refined creatures that have transcended the color scheme (culture, creature size, apperance, creature type, and even mana cost) cannot be placed under a specific color. I emphasized how such creatures also transcend mana cost, that implying that all the colorless creatures and spells should by their very definition either cost 0 mana to cast or have an alternative playing cost, such as the case of the Nameless Aquarian. Thus, the difference between an artifact and a colorless creature are manifold and fundamental to card developers. For one, no colorless creature will ever have a creature type. Rather, the creature type is simply ignored, as in, the card will simply state "Colorless Creature," indicating nothing whatsoever as to the creature's type. Colorless creatures and spells, like mentioned above, can all be played for an alternative playing cost, that is, if they did not cost 0 to begin with. Also, colorless creatures are in no way or fashion effected by anything that effects artifacts. In that sense, they are in a league of their own...
Oversoul
The Tentacled One
I don't really like the Scorpio Knight, but the other one seems fine. I guess it's just a matter of taste...
Volrath's Shapeshifter is already broken or nearly so. This Starchild thing could be rather crazy...
"I'll Swords that guy for ya..."
"Pitch Zephid."
"I'll Disk!"
"Pitch Lord of Tresserhorn and regenerate."
"Great..."
"Now I'll attack."
"Block with everything."
"Pitch Polar Kraken."
"Then I'll have to take 6 trample damage..."
"Then after combat damage goes on the stack, I'll Demonic Consultation for Phage and pitch her."
"Wow, I just lost to some bad cards there..."
Hopefully it's not as scary as it sounds to me though...
Spiritual Union looks just great. I thought at first it might be too good, but all things considered, I might even think about lowering the casting cost. It looks like a balanced card overall, potentially breakable but not overpowered. Good job with this one...
Envision seems to cost too little and Sustenance too much. I'd rework the casting costs there in some way as well as renaming Sustenance (the name of a Masques card I think).
Spirit Flutter looks great too.
I would thoroughly test Fill with Illusions for brokenness, as it's rather suspect for that sort of thing. Lim-Dul's Vault could use more friends to help it out...
I can't think of what I would play Drain of Will with, but it looks fine. I just wish something could make it more interesting, but it is balanced...
Mask Essence looks to lead to potential rules nightmares (the Humility/Opalescence thing all over again) but is not otherwise problematic as I see it...
I understand the colorless creature thing, but it just looks so silly by itself. I am having trouble finding a way to express this, but Scragnoth is a good example. It just was out of flavor even though if other stuff had been printed in the set that corresponded with it or something, such might not be the case. This things acc might make it sort of overpowered. The way it is currently worded, all artifacts can be dropped for FREE! Oh wow, I didn't realize at first how broken this thing is. Yeah, it's completely insane...
Volrath's Shapeshifter is already broken or nearly so. This Starchild thing could be rather crazy...
"I'll Swords that guy for ya..."
"Pitch Zephid."
"I'll Disk!"
"Pitch Lord of Tresserhorn and regenerate."
"Great..."
"Now I'll attack."
"Block with everything."
"Pitch Polar Kraken."
"Then I'll have to take 6 trample damage..."
"Then after combat damage goes on the stack, I'll Demonic Consultation for Phage and pitch her."
"Wow, I just lost to some bad cards there..."
Hopefully it's not as scary as it sounds to me though...
Spiritual Union looks just great. I thought at first it might be too good, but all things considered, I might even think about lowering the casting cost. It looks like a balanced card overall, potentially breakable but not overpowered. Good job with this one...
Envision seems to cost too little and Sustenance too much. I'd rework the casting costs there in some way as well as renaming Sustenance (the name of a Masques card I think).
Spirit Flutter looks great too.
I would thoroughly test Fill with Illusions for brokenness, as it's rather suspect for that sort of thing. Lim-Dul's Vault could use more friends to help it out...
I can't think of what I would play Drain of Will with, but it looks fine. I just wish something could make it more interesting, but it is balanced...
Mask Essence looks to lead to potential rules nightmares (the Humility/Opalescence thing all over again) but is not otherwise problematic as I see it...
I understand the colorless creature thing, but it just looks so silly by itself. I am having trouble finding a way to express this, but Scragnoth is a good example. It just was out of flavor even though if other stuff had been printed in the set that corresponded with it or something, such might not be the case. This things acc might make it sort of overpowered. The way it is currently worded, all artifacts can be dropped for FREE! Oh wow, I didn't realize at first how broken this thing is. Yeah, it's completely insane...
D
DÛke
Guest
...
Major problem!
Nameless Aquarian. I did not at all catch the artifact thing...great job there. It is not supposed to do that at all. I do agree that it looks silly, and it is even more silly than you think simply because I am not really planning to make other such cards. Hmmm...
First, the Libra Knight and Scorpio Knight are just for fun - I was aiming for a Zodiac theme, but it got boring and old really fast. The Nameless Aquarian, however, stays...perhaps with a big face lift?
Philosopher's Tome (8)
Legendary Artifact
You may return 4 untapped lands you control back to owner's hand instead of paying Philosopher's Tome mana cost.
Your colored spells maybe played by only paying the colored mana in their total mana cost.
Perhaps it is fixed now? Nevertheless, it is still a might card...but do notice that the alternative playing cost actually hurts the card's ability - sure it makes things easier to cast, but it takes away your land. But hey, when you can cast Time Travel and Denying Wind at lightning speed, it suddenly becomes worth it.
And I smiled throughout your supposed episode concerning Starchild, which you indeed dramatized.
The episode you described is hard to pull, but not at all impossible. It should be obvious that the card is in fact made to be played exactly as you described: to be a full bag of tricks in one card. Give me one good example of a "combo" deck that has as its main kill card a creature card, and for that matter, a 1/1 creature card. You have to keep in mind, indeed, that most of the cards you have described in your episode are creature cards, and, like you mentioned, are bad creature cards to begin with. How mindful would it be having a deck fillld with useless creatures, most of which heavely depending on the existence of a little 1/1 creature called Starchild?
The one good point you brought, which completely shatters the card, is the fact that there is already a card that resembles it - Volrath's Shapeshifter. It's rather too similar for my taste, and hence, worthless. But still, the concept of the card, to me, seems fairly balanced, though to be honest, I have no clue how "broken" Volrath's Shapeshift is, so you might know things that I don't...
Envision, I believe, is good at cost 1W; I do think that a cost of merely W is good enough. Or else, would you mind giving me reasons as to why it should cost 2W, WW, or 1WW even? As for Sustenance...I was scared that it might be too good when combined with stuff like Yawgmoth's Bargain. Sigh. All I want is a "good" life gain card for white...that's all...too bad everyone will be quick to abuse it...
Overcome (WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 4 life.
Spiritual Union (RR)
Sorcery
Put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a Red creature with power equal to the total power of all creatures you control, and with toughness equal to the total toughness of all creatures you control. The creature has haste, trample, and "at end of the turn, sacrifice this creature."
The reason I had Spiritual Union at 2RR is due to its great potentiality - for some reason, I thought it can be better than Ball Lightning. But now as I think about it, although it can, it still depends on the existence of few other cards in order to be useful. So I went along and lowered the cost to merely RR.
I really don't like Fill With Illusions as it is...something about it just doesn't "speak" to me. Perhaps change it into something else later, as I really like the name, at least.
Drain of Will...more interesting? I don't like the name, so here's something different:
Will Dominion (1U)
Sorcery
The next spell your opponent casts costs him or her 2 more to play. The next spell you cast costs you 2 less to play.
And finally...forget all about Masked Essence...
Major problem!
Nameless Aquarian. I did not at all catch the artifact thing...great job there. It is not supposed to do that at all. I do agree that it looks silly, and it is even more silly than you think simply because I am not really planning to make other such cards. Hmmm...
First, the Libra Knight and Scorpio Knight are just for fun - I was aiming for a Zodiac theme, but it got boring and old really fast. The Nameless Aquarian, however, stays...perhaps with a big face lift?
Philosopher's Tome (8)
Legendary Artifact
You may return 4 untapped lands you control back to owner's hand instead of paying Philosopher's Tome mana cost.
Your colored spells maybe played by only paying the colored mana in their total mana cost.
Perhaps it is fixed now? Nevertheless, it is still a might card...but do notice that the alternative playing cost actually hurts the card's ability - sure it makes things easier to cast, but it takes away your land. But hey, when you can cast Time Travel and Denying Wind at lightning speed, it suddenly becomes worth it.
And I smiled throughout your supposed episode concerning Starchild, which you indeed dramatized.
The episode you described is hard to pull, but not at all impossible. It should be obvious that the card is in fact made to be played exactly as you described: to be a full bag of tricks in one card. Give me one good example of a "combo" deck that has as its main kill card a creature card, and for that matter, a 1/1 creature card. You have to keep in mind, indeed, that most of the cards you have described in your episode are creature cards, and, like you mentioned, are bad creature cards to begin with. How mindful would it be having a deck fillld with useless creatures, most of which heavely depending on the existence of a little 1/1 creature called Starchild?The one good point you brought, which completely shatters the card, is the fact that there is already a card that resembles it - Volrath's Shapeshifter. It's rather too similar for my taste, and hence, worthless. But still, the concept of the card, to me, seems fairly balanced, though to be honest, I have no clue how "broken" Volrath's Shapeshift is, so you might know things that I don't...
Envision, I believe, is good at cost 1W; I do think that a cost of merely W is good enough. Or else, would you mind giving me reasons as to why it should cost 2W, WW, or 1WW even? As for Sustenance...I was scared that it might be too good when combined with stuff like Yawgmoth's Bargain. Sigh. All I want is a "good" life gain card for white...that's all...too bad everyone will be quick to abuse it...
Overcome (WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 4 life.
Spiritual Union (RR)
Sorcery
Put a Spirit token into play. Treat it as a Red creature with power equal to the total power of all creatures you control, and with toughness equal to the total toughness of all creatures you control. The creature has haste, trample, and "at end of the turn, sacrifice this creature."
The reason I had Spiritual Union at 2RR is due to its great potentiality - for some reason, I thought it can be better than Ball Lightning. But now as I think about it, although it can, it still depends on the existence of few other cards in order to be useful. So I went along and lowered the cost to merely RR.
I really don't like Fill With Illusions as it is...something about it just doesn't "speak" to me. Perhaps change it into something else later, as I really like the name, at least.
Drain of Will...more interesting? I don't like the name, so here's something different:
Will Dominion (1U)
Sorcery
The next spell your opponent casts costs him or her 2 more to play. The next spell you cast costs you 2 less to play.
And finally...forget all about Masked Essence...
I
Istanbul
Guest
Let me give you a not-as-difficult-to-obtain example.
"Discard Phantom Warrior. Attack."
"Okay...I guess I don't block."
"Discard Phage. You lose."
BTW, I don't like Spirit Tap being a Delusions of Mediocrity - that's a BLUE ability, and having it in black kicks the color wheel in the nuts. The whole idea is that the life gain is an illusion, and when it goes away, so does the life.
Oh, and forget Bargain with Envision. It'd be soooooo much more powerful on Phyrexian Dreadnought. Since you aren't PLAYING the Dreadnought, just putting it into play, you don't have to sac creatures...and you can pay that 1 next turn, can't you? Turn 2 Phyrexian Dreadnought, anyone?
"Discard Phantom Warrior. Attack."
"Okay...I guess I don't block."
"Discard Phage. You lose."
BTW, I don't like Spirit Tap being a Delusions of Mediocrity - that's a BLUE ability, and having it in black kicks the color wheel in the nuts. The whole idea is that the life gain is an illusion, and when it goes away, so does the life.
Oh, and forget Bargain with Envision. It'd be soooooo much more powerful on Phyrexian Dreadnought. Since you aren't PLAYING the Dreadnought, just putting it into play, you don't have to sac creatures...and you can pay that 1 next turn, can't you? Turn 2 Phyrexian Dreadnought, anyone?
D
DÛke
Guest
...
Well, I guess you guys are right. But in any case, Starchild just became worthless anyway since it has an older brother - Volrath's Shapeshifter. I do see how mighty it is though...
I see your point about Black having its own "Delusions," but look Spirit Tap more carefully: it is nothing like Delusions. To begin with, you actually "tap" into your own dark spirit (or pay life) when Spirit Tap comes into play. So far, that is within Black's nature: to pay life for some advantage. The advantage happens to be life gain, which is also perfectly fine because Black does gain life, just usually it "drains" them from other players - as is the case with Drain Life and Soul Feast. The only difference between Spirit Tap and those cards is that the person who pays the life is also you - period. And believe it or not, that sounds more of a Black thing than anything else, since it implies a kind of spiritual suicide or even "cannibalism." I really like the card's concept, and also your concept, but as much as I like to, I don't think it fits the card's "nature" to have it drain even more life afterwards, since the whole concept of it is to drain life from yourself, and reward yourself for it afterwards.
As for Bargain and Envision - I never feared that. When I brought up Bargain in the conversation, it was in reference to Overcome:
Overcome (WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 4 life.
I am more worried about Overcome than Envision.
...though you have a valid point as far as Envision/Phyrexian Dreadnought goes. But let me ask you this, and feel free to enlighten me, how many other creatures can Envision be abused with in such an absurd manner? Besides, I believe the Dreadnought reads:
"If Phyrexian Dreadnought would come into play..."
That implying from anywhere. And if I am wrong, than it is not exactly a big surprise to us that the Dreadnought can be played so easily, since...cards like Unearth, Animate Dead, Victimize, Exhume, and plenty of others would pretty much do the exact same thing - especially Unearth. The thing about the Dreadnought is: you still have to sacrifice that many creatures when it comes into play, which makes playing it with Envision utterly laughable.
Well, I guess you guys are right. But in any case, Starchild just became worthless anyway since it has an older brother - Volrath's Shapeshifter. I do see how mighty it is though...
I see your point about Black having its own "Delusions," but look Spirit Tap more carefully: it is nothing like Delusions. To begin with, you actually "tap" into your own dark spirit (or pay life) when Spirit Tap comes into play. So far, that is within Black's nature: to pay life for some advantage. The advantage happens to be life gain, which is also perfectly fine because Black does gain life, just usually it "drains" them from other players - as is the case with Drain Life and Soul Feast. The only difference between Spirit Tap and those cards is that the person who pays the life is also you - period. And believe it or not, that sounds more of a Black thing than anything else, since it implies a kind of spiritual suicide or even "cannibalism." I really like the card's concept, and also your concept, but as much as I like to, I don't think it fits the card's "nature" to have it drain even more life afterwards, since the whole concept of it is to drain life from yourself, and reward yourself for it afterwards.
As for Bargain and Envision - I never feared that. When I brought up Bargain in the conversation, it was in reference to Overcome:
Overcome (WW)
Instant
Until the end of your next turn, you don’t lose the game as a result of having 0 life total. Gain 4 life.
I am more worried about Overcome than Envision.
...though you have a valid point as far as Envision/Phyrexian Dreadnought goes. But let me ask you this, and feel free to enlighten me, how many other creatures can Envision be abused with in such an absurd manner? Besides, I believe the Dreadnought reads:
"If Phyrexian Dreadnought would come into play..."
That implying from anywhere. And if I am wrong, than it is not exactly a big surprise to us that the Dreadnought can be played so easily, since...cards like Unearth, Animate Dead, Victimize, Exhume, and plenty of others would pretty much do the exact same thing - especially Unearth. The thing about the Dreadnought is: you still have to sacrifice that many creatures when it comes into play, which makes playing it with Envision utterly laughable.