The "Let's Design a Set Together" Game

[DarthFerret]

~Green Anti-Blue Creature ~
GG
Creature - Bear
Protection from blue.
2/2


Ransac, cpa trash man

If Green is to be true anti-blue, can the creature have a special ability such as If this creature blocks or is blocked by a blue creature, it gains +3/+3 and Trample until end of turn. Instead of the Pro Blue?

Also, against blue, flying is almost a must in all creatures....not sure how to structure this, but being a blue player, a flyer is my most feared enemy. (harder for me to play against dragons, angels and the like!)

 

[Ransac]

I dunno. A 2/2 flying pro-blue for GG seems pretty good. You have to spend RG or UR for a 2/2 with either ability.

Now, a 1/1 flying pro-blue for GG would work, but I still wonder if that's a bit too good. Keep in mind that we're working on developing green anti-blue around GG cost.


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Limited]

Question: Should we use the names as given or alter them slightly to make it only based on Norse mythos?

I think we should alter them slightly; you want to create your own 'world' with the same feel as nordic mythology, but I think literally copying would narrow our design space

And, I'm worried infringing on ancient copyright

 

[Limited]

Land of the Lost Elves G
T, Remove a card in your hand from the game: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
1/1

Great.. but perhaps, like the Sage Elf, it should only make non-blue mana?
I've been thinking about a Mox Elf; an Elf for which you pay G and remove a land from your hand from the game when it comes into play.. too powerfull?

Cowardly Djinn 4UU
Creature - Djinn
Flying, Retreat
5/5

I don't have a clear idea of how powerfull Retreat is, but I think we want to consider making this 4/5 (or even 4/4) for 4UU. A 5/5 flying for 4UU isn't really above the curve, but I get this weird idea Retreat might turn out to be really good.

Coward's Balloon 1U
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, return ~ to its owner's hand.
Retreat

Shouldn't this do anything beyond bouncing and retreating? Enchanted creature gains flying or something?

Cowardly Lion UW
Creature - Lion
Retreat
2/1

cool. Simple and cute, just the way I like 'm (cards that is)

Cowardly Ghost BU
Creature - Ghost
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell or ability, return it to its owner's hand. That player loses 2 life.
Retreat
2/2

Cowardly Ghost BU
Creature - Ghost
Flying
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell or ability, return it to its owner's hand and lose 1 life.
Retreat
2/2

Here are two version of the Cowardly Ghost: I think they are both way too powerfull. A 2/2 flying for 2 mana is good and usually the return-to-hand is a drawback, but because of Retreat this becomes a Rock-And-Hard-Place for your opponent. Either he'll let you draw a card for 2 mana and a life or he can let you keep a cheap flying creature.
So, already good, but now think of the following: its immune to permanent removal. A Last Gasp simply makes you lose a life.. and gives you a card!
This doesn't even take into consideration that you could play with cheap ways to target it, so that you can block with it and prevent it from dying.. and draw a card (and lose a life, but you have probably prevented a lot of damage by blocking).
On the one hand, I feel it needs to cost 2BU and be 2/1.. on the other hand I'd like to leave it as is and then totally build a deck around it

Black Anti-Blue Discard Spell BB
Instant
Target player reveals his hand. If there are any blue cards or islands in that opponent's hand, that player must choose and discard 2 cards. Otherwise, that player chooses and discards 1 card.

Also, the black one seems a bit imbalanced. At first, I had it as a Sorcery that cost 1BB, but I noticed that the other spells were instants at CC, so I made the change to fit the cycle. Any tinkering?

Works for me. Stuff like Distress cost two and gives the caster a choice..

Red Anti-Blue Burn Spell (Similar to Lightning Dart, but only for Blue)
RR
Instant
~this~ deals 2 damage to target creature. If that creature is blue, ~this~ deals 4 damage to it, instead.

Isn't this an excisting card? Wait... (after trying Singe, Lunge and Purge I finally just gathered for stuff that deals two damage
Parch!
Not quite the same manacost, but not very different.. Perhaps this could be a reprint?

White Anti-Blue Life Spell WW
Instant
Prevent all damage from any one source. If that source was blue, gain life equal to the damage prevented.

Totally weird, but it fits the cycle..

Green Anti-Blue Creature GG
Creature - Bear
Protection from blue.
2/2

I have no problems with this card.. Should be uncommon though..

 

[turgy22]

Coward's Balloon 1U
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Whenever enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, return ~ to its owner's hand.
Retreat

Shouldn't this do anything beyond bouncing and retreating? Enchanted creature gains flying or something?

Um, yes. That's exactly what I was thinking... just forgot to type it in. It should also give the creature flying.

Cowardly Ghost BU
Creature - Ghost
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell or ability, return it to its owner's hand. That player loses 2 life.
Retreat
2/2

Cowardly Ghost BU
Creature - Ghost
Flying
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell or ability, return it to its owner's hand and lose 1 life.
Retreat
2/2

Here are two version of the Cowardly Ghost: I think they are both way too powerfull. A 2/2 flying for 2 mana is good and usually the return-to-hand is a drawback, but because of Retreat this becomes a Rock-And-Hard-Place for your opponent. Either he'll let you draw a card for 2 mana and a life or he can let you keep a cheap flying creature.
So, already good, but now think of the following: its immune to permanent removal. A Last Gasp simply makes you lose a life.. and gives you a card!
This doesn't even take into consideration that you could play with cheap ways to target it, so that you can block with it and prevent it from dying.. and draw a card (and lose a life, but you have probably prevented a lot of damage by blocking).
On the one hand, I feel it needs to cost 2BU and be 2/1.. on the other hand I'd like to leave it as is and then totally build a deck around it

Hmmm... you're probably right. Sometimes I forget how good creatures can be when you can't kill them. I was more focused on abusing the retreat mechanic and BU and 2 life seemed like a reasonable price to pay for drawing a card. I think we should keep the life loss at 2, but maybe make it a 1/1 flyer. A 2/1 for 2BU just seems really bad to me.

 

[Ransac]

~Sage Elf~
1G
T: Add G, R, B, or W to your mana pool
T: Add U to your mana pool. Sage Elf deals 1 damage to you.
1/1

Limited: So you'd completely take out tapping for blue?

~Sage Elf~
1G
T: Add G, R, B, or W to your mana pool
1/1


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Limited]

If we are doing the Blue VS The Rest, than the Sage Elf should not tap for blue.. Totally in flavor mana elf!

@Turgy: It kinda figured that giving some creature a balloon, it would get flying.
And yes, a 2/1 for 2UB is really bad, so I agree it should be a 1/1 for UB.. and targetting it costs you two life.

 

[DarthFerret]

This kind-of goes away from y'all's current tack, but this came to mind just today. With the amount of card limiting artifacts, (Cursed Rack, Rackling, Black Vise, The Rack, etc....) I think we might look at the opposite direction...

No name yet
4
Artifact
At the end of each players discard phase, that player discards cards or draws cards until he/she has 2 cards in his or her hands.

No flavor text yet

I think this would work, because if I remember correctly, the Untap Phase and the Discard Phase are both phases in which neither player can play a card, tap for an ability or any other action. This would definately be an interesting idea.

I think the casting cost is properly aligned, but I am sure this card needs a LOT of tweaking.

 

[Mooseman]

This kind-of goes away from y'all's current tack, but this came to mind just today. With the amount of card limiting artifacts, (Cursed Rack, Rackling, Black Vise, The Rack, etc....) I think we might look at the opposite direction...

No name yet
4
Artifact
At the end of each players discard phase, that player discards cards or draws cards until he/she has 2 cards in his or her hands.

No flavor text yet

I think this would work, because if I remember correctly, the Untap Phase and the Discard Phase are both phases in which neither player can play a card, tap for an ability or any other action. This would definately be an interesting idea.

I think the casting cost is properly aligned, but I am sure this card needs a LOT of tweaking.

314. Cleanup Step

314.1. If the active player’s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand size (normally seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce the hand size to that number (this game action doesn’t use the stack).

314.2. After discarding, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage is removed from permanents and all “until end of turn” and “this turn” effects end (this game action doesn’t use the stack).

314.3. If the conditions for any state-based effects exist or if any triggered abilities are waiting to be put onto the stack, the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. Once the stack is empty and all players pass, another cleanup step begins. Otherwise, no player receives priority and the step ends.


Even though players can not start a stack during this step, once a triggered ability starts a stack, players can respond.
This could set up an infinate loop as there would always be a stack and another cleanup step.

I don't believe there is a discard phase, it's part of the cleanup step.

Maybe, players skip their discard, instead players draw or discard as needed for their hand size to equals 2.
Since this is a replacement effect, it will not use the stack..... I think.
Anyone else?

 

[Limited]

You can't 'skip your discard' because it isn't a phase/step anymore.. and skipping your clean up step is just begging for trouble (Staying Power anyone?)

Maybe something like:
"At end of each players turn, if that player has less than two cards in his or her hand, that player may draw two cards. If that player does, he or she can't play spells or abilities until end of turn"

Is this cutting the abuse back enough?

 

[turgy22]

I think half of this card is easy to fix: Just say that each player's hand size is reduced to 2.

As far as the drawing part, here's some ideas:
1) At the end of each turn, if a player has less than two cards in hand, they may draw cards until they have two cards in hand.
2) Move it to the upkeep.

 

[Mooseman]

How about :
Maximum hand size is 2. At EOT players must draw cards until their hand size is exactly 2.

Nevermind.... I missed Turgy's response.....

 

[Limited]

Why didn't I think of that?
I don't want to change it to upkeep; it means you can play all the sorceries you draw..

How about:
"At end of your turn, if any player has less than two cards in his or her hand, that player may draw cards until he or she has two."

This way, you benefit from it because you have built your deck around it but they get their cards earlier..

 

[Mooseman]

I think the card drawing shouldn't be a choice.

 

[Limited]

So:
"At end of your turn, if any player has less than two cards in his or her hand, that player draws cards until he or she has two."

 

[Mooseman]

So:
"At end of your turn, if any player has less than two cards in his or her hand, that player draws cards until he or she has two."

With max hand size of 2...... That's my take on it.

 

[Limited]

Giving everybody a handsize of two is not a card drawing tool; its a sorcery that lets your opponent discard 4 or 5 cards. I don't think you should have an artifact that does that (or at least it should cost more than 4 mana)

 

[Mooseman]

No name yet
4
Artifact
At the end of each players discard phase, that player discards cards or draws cards until he/she has 2 cards in his or her hands.

I'm just trying to word it to fit what DF wanted.

Giving everybody a handsize of two is not a card drawing tool; its a sorcery that lets your opponent discard 4 or 5 cards. I don't think you should have an artifact that does that (or at least it should cost more than 4 mana)

I don't understand........ I'm sorry if I'm dense, but could you explain?

 

[DarthFerret]

Basically what I was trying to get out of this, was an artifact that made your hand exactly 2 cards at the beginning of your opponents turn. I wanted to do this at a point where cards could not be played thus eliminating any possibility of any infinite loops or anything.

 

[Limited]

And I misread DF's original post; I missed the part about discarding down to two.

My point is that setting the max handsize to two, is just a way to make other people discard a lot of cards when it comes into play. Suppose you play a weenie deck, empty your hand and play this artifact. You draw some extra cards, which is nice. Kinda like Heightened Awareness or Bottled Cloister.
But now, your opponent, holding 6 cards, also has to play four card on his/her next turn or lose them. The drawback of the drawing being symmetrical has already been trumped by massive amount of cardadvantage.
So, if you have an artifact has a beneficial effect for you (drawing cards) you can offset it by making it symmetrical or adding a drawback. In this case you do both (both players may perhaps draw cards but get their handsize restricted to two) and this gives you two dimensions in which your deck can be better adapted to the artifact than your opponents deck.

(card idea I got during that rant:

Thougthcontorter 2UB
Whenever you would draw a card, instead an opponent searches your library for a card a you put that card in your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player discards cards equal to the amount of damage that was dealt.
5/3