Part 1 : Guide on designing MTG Cards.

[NeuroDeus]

Mana vs. Power/Toughness chart.

0cc - 0/1
1cc - 1/1
2cc - 1/2
3cc - 2/3
4cc - 3/3
5cc - 4/4
6cc - 5/5
7cc - 5/6
8cc - 6/6
9cc - 7/7
10cc - 8/7

This chart shows the number of mana is paid to cast a creature without any abilities. Sometimes the differences would be one more toughness and one less power. Some rare cases are like the Savannah Lion who is a -rare- 2/1 creature with only 1 white mana. This being one of those creatures that makes the game more interesting. Certainly we are not going to find lots of 3/3 creatures with only three mana but possible.

Mana vs. Power/Toughness chart with creatures with flying.

0cc - none
1cc - 0/1
2cc - 1/1
3cc - 2/2
4cc - 2/3
5cc - 3/3
6cc - 4/4
7cc - 5/5
8cc - 5/6
9cc - 6/6
10cc - 7/7

Well flying is a bit of a hard one. Take Cloud Sprite, who is a 1/1 for one B mana with flying. The weakness is it can only block flying creatures. The usually cost to pay a creature with flying is usually +1 mana or +2 mana...

More next time...

IMPORTANT : I WANT THIS TO BE CRITIZED AND DISCUSSED SINCE I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A COMPLETE GUIDE TO DESIGNING CARDS.

[Edited by NeuroDeus on 10-19-00 at 01:02 PM]

 

[Spiderman]

Maybe modify the flying chart to say

1cc - 0/1

because there's Will O' Wisp (who has the additional ability to regenerate)

And this is built in flying, not activated abilities like the Cloud Sprite you mentioned or Goblin Balloon Brigade or that 1cc Merfolk that can gain flying?

 

[nodnarb24]

And don't forget the great ornithopter a 0/2 flyer for 0 mana and no downside. You haven't lived until a black player has killed you with an ornithopter with unholy strength.

 

[Thallid Ice Cream Man]

I wouldn't suggest making as many generalizations as you made about power-toughness. For example, green creatures without abilities are usually better than those without them, but green flyers almost always stink horribly. You should split the power/toughness by color.

Also, the main reason to create cards is that people can express their individuality. No offense, but the only people who are going to follow cguidelinescreated by someone else are people who don't have much that is important to contribute anyway. What's the point of creating more cards with no abilities? People as well enjoy making card ideas, that they know will not be printed ever by WOtC, and not caring about that either. No offense, but this proposed "guide to making magic cards" is not a good idea.

[Edited by Thallid Ice Cream Man on 10-19-00 at 04:49 PM]

 

[Zadok001]

Re: P/T

In general, Power is more important than toughness for any given creature. Thus:

~total mana cost~ = (.7 * ~power~ + .3 * ~toughness~)

For creatures with power of 1 or greater. Grizzlies cost 2, Hill Giants cost 3, etc... Maybe the curve is a bit off, though.

Flying usually adds 1 colored mana to the casting cost, as does Trample, First Strike, Haste, and Protection. Drawbacks subtract 1-3 mana from the casting cost, depending on severity.

 

[MrXarvox]

and none of these rules apply to walls, where you can get a 0/5 that can block shadow for 1R (wall of distortion)...
although that curve of .3 mana used to pay for toughness is about right, consider wall of wood.