MTGNexus Single Card Critique Thread/One Card at a Time

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 4 years ago

MTGNews had this thread, so does MTGSalvation, now we have it here.

This thread is an ongoing place for isolated card ideas that may not merit making a whole new thread. When you post here, please at least critique the previous card. Posting a new card is optional.

Here's my first design, from a cycle of Kamigawa-setting enemy duals.

Sun-Gleaming Peak
Land (R)
Sun-Gleaming Peak enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add R or W.
Channel - RW, Discard Sun-Gleaming Peak: Target creature with flying and/or first strike gets +0/+1 and gains double strike until end of turn.
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Post by SecretInfiltrator » 4 years ago

That channel ability is totally redefining the scope of what a channel ability is from "proto-evoke/bestow that takes an essential ability from this card and grants it to another target for a turn" to "any effect you get out of discarding this card".

I doubt sure that's an improvement from this sample card alone.

The ability goes out of its way to be complicated in restriction but is not really having the flavor to carry that complexity weight of the mechanics.

This feels more like an uncommon dual land - the rarity most appropriate for utility effects that boost certain themes e. g. this "keyword matters" theme.

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Post by Krishnath » 4 years ago

I gotta agree with SecretInfiltrator on this, the land feels more like an uncommon than a rare. It hits the battlefield tapped, with no upside other than tapping for two colors, and the other ability is no longer relevant once it is in play.

As for the Channel, it seems like a much better iteration of the mechanic in what we ended up with officially. It is essentially an uncounterable combat trick which in instant form is cheaper and usually common, but it still doesn't justify the high rarity. If you are worried that it may be to good at common, you can increase the cost by one colorless, but I don't really think it is necessary due to the dual color requirement.

-

Now, I am wondering, is this Moxen balanced?

Mox Quartz 0
Legendary Artifact (M)
Mox Quartz enters the battlefield tapped and does not untap as normal.
At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay 1 life, if you do, untap Mox Quartz.
T: Add one mana of any color.
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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 4 years ago

Mox Quartz - There are a lot of drawbacks to this but I'm still not sure they're enough. Pain isn't a very big drawback, after all; you have lots of life to work with and the faster your deck the more you can just pay without concern. ETBtapped is a significant drawback, but we can compare this card to Lotus Bloom insofar as it's free delayed artifact mana, and it's possibly better than suspend since you can just untap this or conveniently use Amulet of Vigor. Ultimately, the most important drawback is legendary, but this might be a too cheap and easy way to get one free mana of any color whenever you want. I know you had the best of intentions here but this is at least a swingy card if not an overpowered one.

Gale Cobra 1BGU
Creature - Snake (R)
This spell can't be countered.
Flash
Haste
4/4
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Post by Krishnath » 4 years ago

Yeah that was what I was afraid off. Any suggestions on how to make it more balanced? Upping the life requirement perhaps, or making it ping you when it enters the battlefield?

As for the Gale Cobra, I like it, it is kind of powerful, but all the abilities are on color, and it lacks any innate protections which means that if your opponent has a decent removal spell, it won't even be much of an issue. Also interesting that it has both Flash and Haste, it rarely matters, but can lead to some fun plays, keeping it in hand to be a surprise blocker for example. The three different colors in its casting cost is also a balancing factor that makes sure that although it only costs four to cast, it isn't so easy to cast that it would be dangerous.
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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 4 years ago

Worth noting is that three creatures have both flash and haste: Samut, Voice of Dissent, Izzet Staticaster, and Raging Kavu. Two of them have T abilities that would make haste relevant on an opponent's turn, but the Kavu is a French vanilla, meaning it has those (partially redundant) abilities just for corner cases - naturally there are times when you can't or don't want to cast a spell on an opponent's turn.
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RowanKeltizar
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 4 years ago

Gale Cobra: pretty vanilla, but I like it. Generally, I like the abilities to be a bit more synergistic. Normally, creatures with flash can do something useful when they hit the battlefield (besides block). A classic example: Venser, Shaper Savant. Instead of haste, I might use deathtouch. Just a thought.

Speaking of flash, here's a card:
SPOILER
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You might think this is overpowered, but look at some of the cards wizards is printing these days. However, white tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to these types of effects. This was also specifically made to go in my Kaalia, Zenith Seeker commander deck. :smirk:
Last edited by RowanKeltizar 4 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
WRBKaalia, Zenith Seeker - Certified Air Raid Material
WBElenda, the Dusk Rose - Drain and Gain
WRAurelia, the Warleader - Tokens/Equipment
URNiv-Mizzet, Parun - Controlled Burn primer
BRGHenzie, "Toolbox" Torre - Creature Feature
BRGSoul of Windgrace - Lands Matter
RGWGishath, Sun's Avatar - I'M YOUR DADDY
GWUBAtraxa, Praetors' Voice - Artifact Stax Beatdown
Budget Starter Decks
UBSygg, River Cutthroat
WU Shorikai, Genesis Engine
Image

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Post by Scarman » 4 years ago

RowanKeltizar wrote:
4 years ago
Speaking of flash, here's a card:

Image

You might think this is overpowered, but look at some of the cards wizards is printing these days. However, white tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to these types of effects. This was also specifically made to go in my Kaalia, Zenith Seeker commander deck. :smirk:
The power ceiling is really high with this card, but I find it difficult to imagine how it plays under "normal" cirumstances. I´ll try and evaluate it, but take this with a grain of salt.

Radiance as a mechanic affects both players, so you should modify the effect to be symmetrical or remove the keyword. The change I would make is to turn this effect into a "Choose a color" one, to make it less swingy with etb/death triggers. I also suggest you remove the last effect (as it doesn´t necessarily fit the concept of the card) unless you increase the casting cost by W.

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Post by RowanKeltizar » 4 years ago

@Scarman Thanks a bunch for your critique! You are absolutely right about the radiance mechanic. Because that extended the text, I went ahead and took away the last ability, although that kind of hurts to do so. I really wanted this to be card advantage machine for white. But you're right, the first ability is powerful enough

....but I did give her protection from colorless for the lulls. :P

Here she is:
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The ability wording might still need some adjusting.
WRBKaalia, Zenith Seeker - Certified Air Raid Material
WBElenda, the Dusk Rose - Drain and Gain
WRAurelia, the Warleader - Tokens/Equipment
URNiv-Mizzet, Parun - Controlled Burn primer
BRGHenzie, "Toolbox" Torre - Creature Feature
BRGSoul of Windgrace - Lands Matter
RGWGishath, Sun's Avatar - I'M YOUR DADDY
GWUBAtraxa, Praetors' Voice - Artifact Stax Beatdown
Budget Starter Decks
UBSygg, River Cutthroat
WU Shorikai, Genesis Engine
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Post by Scarman » 4 years ago

RowanKeltizar wrote:
4 years ago
Scarman Thanks a bunch for your critique! You are absolutely right about the radiance mechanic. Because that extended the text, I went ahead and took away the last ability, although that kind of hurts to do so. I really wanted this to be card advantage machine for white. But you're right, the first ability is powerful enough

....but I did give her protection from colorless for the lulls. :P

Here she is:
SPOILER
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The ability wording might still need some adjusting.
You´re welcome!
Giving her protection from colorless makes sense, given how she can interact with every color.
Just to be clear, I think that you could make this new effect one-sided if you wanted to, as now you can revive a smaller amount of creatures; you´d just have to remove the keyword "Radiance". But that´s for you to decide ;) (To make this change would mean having Angel of Illumination being comparable to Rise of the Dark Realms in terms of card design.)
The wording seems fine, the only ambiguous part might be if you want players to pay mana of the color you decided or one "of any of that creature´s colors" (although by reading the card it seems pretty clear to me that the latter interpretation is the correct one).


Leyline of Symmetry {2}{U}{U}
Enchantment
If Leyline of Symmetry is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
Whenever a player casts a spell that targets a permanent, each other player copies that spell. Each of those players may choose new targets for their copy.

I didn´t create this card with a specific purpose in mind, I just thought that the idea of a Leyline that works as an equalizer was cool.
Looking at this card, though, I think it would be best suited to be run by tempo decks in a midrange matchup, as it rewards the resilience of threats rather than their power.
I wonder if it could be too much to deal with when hardcast while being ahead on board.
Thoughts?

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Post by Ink-Treader » 4 years ago

Leyline of Symmetry: It's narrowness vs. Hive Mind makes it a little harder to break, but Slaughter Pact will do the trick. A hand containing the Leyline, a 0 drop creature, and Slaughter Pact isn't improbable to get. Only a Turn 1 kill vs. 1 person (in multiplayer, all but the first copy to resolve will end up countered), but that's all you need in a 1v1.

EDIT:

Bribed Judge 1B
Creature - Human Advisor (R)
If the game would end in a draw, instead you win the game.
1/3

Is there an easy way to win with this concept, I wonder? That's fast at least. Divine Intervention inspired this, but there's other ways to end a game in a draw.

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Post by Scarman » 4 years ago

Ink-Treader wrote:
4 years ago
Leyline of Symmetry: It's narrowness vs. Hive Mind makes it a little harder to break, but Slaughter Pact will do the trick. A hand containing the Leyline, a 0 drop creature, and Slaughter Pact isn't improbable to get. Only a Turn 1 kill vs. 1 person (in multiplayer, all but the first copy to resolve will end up countered), but that's all you need in a 1v1.

EDIT:

Bribed Judge 1B
Creature - Human Advisor (R)
If the game would end in a draw, instead you win the game.
1/3

Is there an easy way to win with this concept, I wonder? That's fast at least. Divine Intervention inspired this, but there's other ways to end a game in a draw.
I was sure Slaughter Pact required a nonblack, nonartifact creature... Well, my fault. Thanks for catching that! I will try and see if I can fix the card, I already have a couple of ideas.

As for Bribed Judge, I think a better way to word its effect is: "If an action takes place that would cause the game to end in a draw, you win the game instead."
My guess is, that the fastest way to get there is "by technicality", that is, by setting up a infinite mandatory loop with Animate Dead and Worldgorger Dragon:
Play Animate Dead with Bribed Judge in play → Reanimate Worldgorger DragonWorldgorger Dragon triggers → Animate Dead and Bribed Judge are exiled → Sacrifice Worldgorger Dragon → Return Animate Dead and Bribed Judge to the battlefield → Target Worldgorger Dragon
This way the loop should be proven, and the game should end in a draw by game rules, but at that time you would still have Bribed Judge on the battlefield, and therefore the replacement effect would trigger.
If that´s correct (I am no judge), you should be able to win as early as turn two with Dark Ritual, Entomb (Worldgorger Dragon), Bribed Judge, and Animate Dead. It´s for you to decide whether that´s too early, but consider that the Judge still has to survive one turn, and that if it dies you somehow have to get rid of it from the graveyard. I didn´t find any combos faster than this one.

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Post by Morpic_Tide » 4 years ago

Worldgorger Dragon needs to be under an automatic effect, not Animate Dead, though, as Animate Dead targets. Unless Worldgorger Dragon is the only legal target of Animate Dead, I suppose.

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Post by Scarman » 4 years ago

Morpic_Tide wrote:
4 years ago
Worldgorger Dragon needs to be under an automatic effect, not Animate Dead, though, as Animate Dead targets. Unless Worldgorger Dragon is the only legal target of Animate Dead, I suppose.
Exactly: for the loop to happen, each player´s graveyard must have no creatures in it except copies of Worldgorger Dragon.


Setback {1}{U}
Instant
Return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand. You and that creature's controller draw a card.

Edit: Improved grammar.

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Post by Morpic_Tide » 4 years ago

Unsummon is very rarely played, but this is useful in the case of applying it as an expensive Flicker with the option to use it for pseudo-removal, as it draws you a card to get to proper solutions when they cast it again, and draws two cards if used on your own creature, making it slightly above curve on card draw for the "cost" of replaying a creature. Which is actually going to be an upside, since you're never using it on something that doesn't have a stupid ETB effect.

Resuming my crossposting habits, here's a "sunburst" Mutate:

Cumbersome Shieldstone
Artifact Creature - Wall
Mutate
Defender, Hexproof

When this creature mutates, give target creature you control a Vigilance counter if White mana was spent, a Flying counter if Blue mana was spent, a Deathtouch counter if Black mana was spent, a First Strike counter if Red mana was spent and a Trample counter if Green was spent.
2/5

---

This saves your investment from removal, but disallows you from using all those offensive keywords that build up, instead fully committing the stack to being a "sprocket" you keep dumping mana and cards into. In return, each time you Mutate from that point forward, you're getting keywords on a creature based on what colors were spent. Which can be directed at itself, allowing you to spend ubr to turn a creature you control into a Flying Deathtouch Firststrike Hexproof Defender with 2/5 in stats.

And, if I understand the rules correctly, it shuts off the Legendary rule because it's only the one on top that counts for types and name.

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Post by void_nothing » 3 years ago

Hm, cumbersome is right. A lot of words and a lot to keep track of. The combination you mentioned sounds problematic; UBR is really cheap for a blocker that cannot be dealt with outside of a really big indestructible creature or mass removal. Still, "enhanced mutate" is good design space.

Ruthless Hunt 1BG
Sorcery (R)
Choose one -
• Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
• Search your library for a creature or planeswalker card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
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Post by Pygyzy » 3 years ago

void_nothing wrote:
3 years ago
Hm, cumbersome is right. A lot of words and a lot to keep track of. The combination you mentioned sounds problematic; UBR is really cheap for a blocker that cannot be dealt with outside of a really big indestructible creature or mass removal. Still, "enhanced mutate" is good design space.

Ruthless Hunt 1BG
Sorcery (R)
Choose one -
• Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
• Search your library for a creature or planeswalker card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Hmm, this card is definitely strong. It would see a lot of play but personally I'm just not a huge fan of these types of cards. It'll make Spikes happy, but to me (Johnny) it's just another kill spell with a bonus tacked on. Although most of the time it'll be played for the second ability. I guess it green cuz of the creature search?

Consider this card:

No Remorse BBB
Sorcery
Choose one —
• Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
• Search your library for a card and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

It does everything your card does and more but without green. So why add green? Ah, I see now. It's supposed to reference Garruk. In that case, I could see a case being made for it, but it'd need more obvious references to garruk IMO. And even then I'd still second guess it. It's funny because those are definitely garruk abilities, just feels off.

Planeswalker specific search doesn't feel particularly black or green to me. Always saw it as more or less solely white. Yes black has search and green creature search but planeswalker IMO is white.

That leaves it in a weird spot. You can't add a color or remove the green if it's supposed to be a garruk card but I wouldn't print it as is without a compelling reason.

At Long Last WBB
Sorcery (R)
Choose one -
• Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
• Search your library for a legendary creature or planeswalker card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

That feels right to me. If it absolutely has to stay BG maybe:

Ruthless Hunt 1BG
Sorcery (R)
Choose one -
• Destroy target nongreen creature or nongreen planeswalker.
• Search your library for a black creature card or black planeswalker card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

Now there's Garruk!

Overall: Good card for Spikes, 3 mana is pushed but 4 makes it unplayable. I'd be happy with it at BBG.

Seasonal Combustive Disorder XR
Instant
You can only spend exactly R to cast this spell and it costs 1 less for each first of the month so far this year. X can't be greater than 12. Seasonal Combustive Disorder deals X damage to target creature. Celebrate this month's holiday.
New Year - If that creature dies this turn, exile it.
Valentine - Exchange control of that creature with one you control.
St. Patrick - Until end of turn, all creatures are green and can't block.
April Fool - End the phase.
Memorial - Create Abe, a 0/X white, blue, and red Noble creature token.
Father - Create a token copy of that creature. Exile it at end of combat.
Independence - Deal X damage to all creatures with flying.
Remembrance - Combat damage also damages it's source this turn.
Labor - Creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Halloween - Instant cards have flashback equal to mana cost this turn.
Thanksgiving - Players create a Food token for each tapped land.
Christmas - Players create a Treasure token for each untapped land.

The card is printed sideways with the type line and text box directly below the name taking up as little space as possible. Each holiday name is on a small type line above a small text box containing the corresponding ability, arranged 4X3, resembling a calendar. Wording is non-standard for space. Using Who // What // When // Where // Why, I determined you could fit 12 text boxes on a card barely.

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Post by spacemonaut » 3 years ago

Pygyzy wrote:
3 years ago
Seasonal Combustive Disorder XR
Instant
You can only spend exactly R to cast this spell and it costs 1 less for each first of the month so far this year. X can't be greater than 12. Seasonal Combustive Disorder deals X damage to target creature. Celebrate this month's holiday.
New Year - If that creature dies this turn, exile it.
Valentine - Exchange control of that creature with one you control.
St. Patrick - Until end of turn, all creatures are green and can't block.
April Fool - End the phase.
Memorial - Create Abe, a 0/X white, blue, and red Noble creature token.
Father - Create a token copy of that creature. Exile it at end of combat.
Independence - Deal X damage to all creatures with flying.
Remembrance - Combat damage also damages it's source this turn.
Labor - Creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Halloween - Instant cards have flashback equal to mana cost this turn.
Thanksgiving - Players create a Food token for each tapped land.
Christmas - Players create a Treasure token for each untapped land.

The card is printed sideways with the type line and text box directly below the name taking up as little space as possible. Each holiday name is on a small type line above a small text box containing the corresponding ability, arranged 4X3, resembling a calendar. Wording is non-standard for space. Using Who // What // When // Where // Why, I determined you could fit 12 text boxes on a card barely.
This card is unprintable.
  • This text is 150% the amount found on Greater Morphling, which is already at the minimum font size we see printed on non-planeswalker cards. Note people reading WWWWW only have to read eighteen words; this is 168 words they will have to read at reduced size. Just because it's technically possible doesn't mean it should be done.
  • MTG is made for an international market, but this card doesn't function outside the USA. Some English-speaking countries have holidays sharing some of these names, but they occur in completely different times of the year: you may be interested to know Australia's labor day occurs on March, May, or October depending on what state you're in. (Compare Spirit of the Season which is usable anywhere. People in equatorial regions can reference calendar seasons, and people in the Arctic or Antarctic can do the same or rule that it's always winter for a joke.)
  • Calling out Fathers day but not Mothers day would not fly. Maybe a creature card that represents a dad or dads (like if Kynaios and Tiro had a kid) could do it, but there ought to be a similar card for mothers in the same set.
  • Several of these effects are not red: Thanksgiving (generating large amounts of lifegain for everybody would be green or white), Labor (blue), Independence (green), April Fool (blue), St Patrick, Valentine (blue). Regarding St Patrick: A color can only make things its own color. Red cards can only make things red. Only blue gets to change things to colors other than itself.
  • There's some critical problems with power level. In St Patrick's Day, this card reads ", Instant: Creatures can't block." During February, this card is Switcheroo for . During November, for only , this card is a board wipe for anything in combat and deals 10 damage to any one creature that isn't in combat. Remember, this card will be cast for .
  • Red isn't meant to do enormous amounts of spot damage, that's a specific design choice to differentiate it from black creature removal. Blasphemous Act is a color pie break.
Also, some text is missing: Halloween needs to specify the graveyard, and Abe should be legendary.

My suggestion: Dial it in. Do fewer things. Make your designs more focused. Not every rule should be broken just because it's technically possible, and not everything should be done that technically can be. Take some of these modes and put them on other cards where they can shine in their own right for more than 1/12th of the year and with appropriate colors and costs.

Look at peoples favorite cards this year—many of them have three or fewer lines of rules text (even counting word wrap). More isn't better.





Jailer's Chant 1W
Enchantment
When this permanent enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at end of turn.
Splice onto creature 1W (As you cast a creature spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's abilities to that creature spell. That creature keeps these abilities as it enters the battlefield.)
Last edited by spacemonaut 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.

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Post by Pygyzy » 3 years ago

@spacemonaut Great tips thanks. You brought up a lot of things I was worried about. The best solution is to break it up so I think I'll do that. But I'll try to fix some of its issues
It won't fit: I have Who // What // When // Where // Why and I pulled it out to measure. Using the smallest frames, you can fit 12 text boxes on a card with only a name line and type line, text is the problem. It's probably not worth the trouble tho.
Casting it for just Rcouple things here: I tried to balance it by making the early months a benefit, the middle swingy but situational and the higher more mutual because of its cost. It's supposed to be unpredictable. You kill a creature ya but who knows what else. What if you have flyers you don't wanna kill? I don't think it work well enough.
Also this card was a test run for "X spell that you don't pay X." That actually works so I did get one win outta this haha. I was mostly exploring its capabilities

Everything else - there's numerous probably insurmountable issues but I'll at least proxy it once and see what I can do.

Thanks again.

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Post by BOVINE » 3 years ago

Hungry Hatchlings GG
Creature - Dinosaur R
At the beginning of each upkeep, if this creature isn't a token, create a token copy of it.
Whenever a creature dies, if this creature isn't a token, tap all creatures named Hungry Hatchlings and you gain 1 life.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield with greater power than the number of Hungry Hatchlings on the battlefield, return all Hungry Hatchlings to their owner's hand.
1/1
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B O V I N E

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Post by CamraMaan » 3 years ago

So I'm new to posting in the CCC section, nonetheless posting much on Nexus or before in Salvation in general, so I'm doing my best with critiquing... but let me know where I can improve. Similarly, I'm new to posting card concepts, but I probably have over 200 card concepts jotted down in various notebooks, so I'll be throwing some out here occasionally. Most came from deck plans of the past, but they are really kind of all over the place.
BOVINE wrote:
3 years ago
Hungry Hatchlings GG
Creature - Dinosaur R
At the beginning of each upkeep, if this creature isn't a token, create a token copy of it.
Whenever a creature dies, if this creature isn't a token, tap all creatures named Hungry Hatchlings and you gain 1 life.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield with greater power than the number of Hungry Hatchlings on the battlefield, return all Hungry Hatchlings to their owner's hand.
1/1
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My initial reaction is to creating a copy during each upkeep of each player's turn... that would make this mighty powerful. Perhaps only one upkeep per turn cycle? I mean in a format with four players, this would generate four copies per cycle. If that is the desired situation, then it needs to cost more to cast, and probably have some kind of balancing element of negative impact to you. Too much power, too much going on. If you make it only during your own upkeep, it's a lot more sane.

As for the second section, it makes more sense to just say whenever a non-token creature dies, tap all Hungry Hatchlings, then gain 1 life from each HH (copy/token or not), or gain 1 life from the non-token/copy creatures, or only from the token copies. But be more specific either way. On top of that, do you really want them all to tap if any non-token creature dies? It gives your opponents a lot of control over tapping them all by killing/sacrificing a peon creature, potentially right after your untap to start your turn. If you are generating them really fast, then saccing a peon (or killing a non-token Hungry Hatchling) is worth it to hamstringing your army.

The third section attempts to balance the playing field, but I think it probably does so too effectively, removing tokens from the game and returning each Hungry Hatchling to your hand pretty easily, resetting the whole token-collection process, unless your first section was actually intended to trigger with every player's upkeep, creating copious amounts of creatures, but also making it nigh impossible to trigger the third section.

If I were to recommend changes, I would say first to make it trigger only during your upkeep, then probably just remove the second section. But if you make the base Hatchling creature 0/1, and give it the ability to tap and give other Hungry hatchlings +1/+0, then keep the copy generation during every upkeep, and keeping the second section removed, it might work... Something like:

Hungry Hatchling GG
Creature - Dinosaur R
*At the beginning of your upkeep, if this creature is not a token, create a token that is a copy of it.
*Whenever a creature enters the battlefield with greater power than the total number of Hungry Hatchlings on the battlefield, return all Hungry Hatchlings to their owner's hand.
1/1

or

Hungry Hatchling 2RR
Creature - Dinosaur R
*Tap: all other Hungry Hatchlings get +1/+0 until end of turn.
*At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if this creature is not a token, create a token that is a copy of it.
*Whenever a creature enters the battlefield with a power or toughness greater than the total number of Hungry Hatchlings on the battlefield, return all Hungry Hatchlings to their owner's hand.
*At the beginning of your combat phase, if you have an even number of Hungry Hatchlings, all Hungry Hatchlings gain defender until end of turn.
0/1

Jumping off to my own stuff, this is one I was tinkering with recently...

Blood Marker Vampire 3BBB
Creature - Vampire (M)
Flying, Haste
*Tap: Put a blood counter on target creature an opponent controls, then tap it. Creatures with blood counters do not untap as normal during the untap phase.
*During your upkeep, put a blood counter on each creature with a blood counter on it. When a creature has three blood counters, remove the counters, gain control of the creature, and untap it. It gains the Vampire creature type and the color black. Then put a +1/+1 counter on Blood Marker Vampire for each creature you gained control of this way.
*If Blood Marker Vampire leaves the battlefield, remove all blood counters from each creature and untap them. Then return each vampire creature to it's owner, and put a +1/+1 counter on each creature that changes controllers this way.
2/5

I'm open to all suggestions, including help with text wording and formatting, and organization. I have other name options of Vampire Recruiter, or Bloody Vampires if the artist leans towards multiple vampires. I know blood counters have been used before, so I don't know if this usage would cause any issues. I may also be aiming high with Mythic versus Rare, as it's ability to dominate a game is limited and delayed at best, unless a combo could abuse it. My first thought was 5cc (3BB) and a 3/3, but it seemed like it needed more heft and cost, and subsequently my gut started to push towards mythic status, but I'm second guessing it. Thoughts?
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spacemonaut
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Post by spacemonaut » 3 years ago


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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 3 years ago

spacemonaut wrote:
3 years ago
Jailer's Chant 1W
Enchantment
When this permanent enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at end of turn.
Splice onto creature 1W (As you cast a creature spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's abilities to that creature spell. That creature keeps these abilities as it enters the battlefield.)
So this is a damn clever way to use splice but I really don't think the name fits - blink, even with a delayed return, doesn't say "jail" to me. Banisher Priest does.

Could this card have flash?
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Post by CamraMaan » 3 years ago

spacemonaut wrote:
3 years ago
Jailer's Chant 1W
Enchantment
When this permanent enters the battlefield, exile another target nonland permanent. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at end of turn.
Splice onto creature 1W (As you cast a creature spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's abilities to that creature spell. That creature keeps these abilities as it enters the battlefield.)
First, you forgot to add it's rarity, which would determine relative casting cost. I like the card otherwise. I might change the text to add "spell" in "Splice onto creature [spell] 1W" But it looks good otherwise. I like splicing it onto a creature spell, but it might be too accessible...? Might be too strong in that respect, so the casting cost and rarity would be relative to this.
Last edited by CamraMaan 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
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CamraMaan
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Post by CamraMaan » 3 years ago

void_nothing wrote:
3 years ago
So this is a damn clever way to use splice but I really don't think the name fits - blink, even with a delayed return, doesn't say "jail" to me. Banisher Priest does.

Could this card have flash?
How about The Cleric's Wink...? I also like the idea of A Wizard's Wink better, since this can target any permanent, but that usually trends blue, even though wizards are everywhere. Just some extra options.

Any thoughts on my Blood Marker Vampire...?
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