[Assorted][Daily] SecretInfiltrator's SecretBase

[SecretInfiltrator]

The definite SecretInfiltrator-Thread to help my Custom Cards stay organized this time and put a little less strain on the "One thread per day" Rule.

This first post is going to be updated as I make more posts and cards.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Cart of the Day 2019-07-11:

Avatar of the Void

C

Creature — Avatar

Avatar of the Void's power and toughness are each equal to the number of colorless nonland permanents you control.

*/*

[void_nothing]

I'm really worried about Avatar of the Void being one mana; it seems like it could be fuel for Something Dumb in an artifact deck. It might almost be okay if it didn't count itself and needed support to stay alive.

[SecretInfiltrator]

It's certainly close. I'm really wary of making a 1-drop that cannot sustain itself. Part of me takes into account that in the future artifacts and colorless go their own separate ways.

Cart of the Day 2019-07-12:

Knight in Shining Armor

WW

Creature — Human Knight

First strike
Brilliant creatures have double strike. (Anything that is an enchantment, enchanted or legendary is brilliant.)

2/2

[SecretInfiltrator]

Cart of the Day 2019-07-13: >

Whisper Campaign

U

Instant

Target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
Maneuver (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it to your maneuver pile or cast a card from your maneuver pile without paying its mana cost.)

_{EDIT: Added "until end of turn" 2019-07-14}

[void_nothing]

I really suggest using a bigger size if you're going to use the card frame tags. Otherwise, you're going to cut off names and typelines.

Whisper Campaign is missing an "until end of turn" and something about maneuver is off (I think it's calling the exiled maneuver cards a "pile" - that's just not a term Magic has used since its earliest days). Free casts are obviously extremely powerful, but there are built-in limitations here that make me think the mechanic is just fine. Maybe "...cast an exiled card with maneuver you own..." for lenticularity, but obviously that has more balance concerns.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Yeah, I'm still hoping the cardtext frames receive some upgrade. Maybe it's going back to text cards for me. The large frame just wastes too much space...

Whisper Campaign is missing an "until end of turn" and something about maneuver is off

Where would you add "until end of turn"? Note that this is a "now or never" Epic Experiment, not Spark of Creativity by design: Since you know the content of the pile (and always have the option to add a card to the pile if you have no use for a maneuver right now), you can plan around the timing in ways you cannot apply to face-down cards in your library.

(I think it's calling the exiled maneuver cards a "pile" - that's just not a term Magic has used since its earliest days).

Like Ixalan's Boneyard Parley? A pile is just a grouping of cards used here to make easier reference. I intentionally avoid "suspended" rules. No card in the maneuver pile is actually "free" since you only get it in the pile by casting it in the first place - hence I introduce this nonstandard pile-wording over the "more lenticular" wording. It also turns out a "pile" is an extremely grokkable concept and memory aide. If you just allow any random exiled card with maneuver to be flashed back you require additional attention to any card that gets exiled. Having a specific spot to collect them helps a lot.

[void_nothing]

I would add "until end of turn" after -2/-0.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Yeah, no indefinite p/t changing intended. Changed.

Cart of the Day 2019-07-14: >

Commune with the Dead

B

Sorcery

Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a Skeleton, Vampire, Zombie or Swamp card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

[void_nothing]

Neat! Just... neat. Was going to say it feels Innistradi, but no Skeleton tribal on that plane. Feels Liliana though. Maybe this would be a card whose art shows her on some different-feeling "World of the Dead"?

[SecretInfiltrator]

Interesting question. Have we ever seen Liliana interacting with Vampires? She's mostly associated with Zombies - also Specter's during her difficult phase before WotC decided to make their characters more focused. A result of that focus is that Sorin gets dibs on Vampires now, too. But Innistrad totally has all three of them.

But most planes have,so a Innistrad-themed copy of this would make an interesting Core Set card that multiple tribes could pick up - or a deck featuring Death Baron. That's actually a good card to mention, because it is a great example where I'm coming from with this card: Alara didn't have a dedicated theme of Zombies and Skeletons, but enough to give us a tribal effect that could pull together a deck otherwise not supported. Those cards speak to me. I guess Grixis is another "World of the Dead".

The definition of what I'd consider "undead" for this card comes from Undead Slayer, btw.

Card of the Day 2019-07-15: >

Illegal Search R
Sorcery (U)
Discard all cards in your hand, then investigate twice that many times.
Inadmissable in court, but just good enough for some vigilante justice.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-16: >

Gand Broodling G
Creature — Insect (C)
Incubate (When this dies, create a 1/1 green Insect creature token.)
1/1

[void_nothing]

Fine keyword; this is something that really should take a number, however, because you'll probably want to have bigger creatures that generate more tokens and writing incubate multiple times is not something you probably want to do.

The card itself is Tukatongue Thallid.

[SecretInfiltrator]

We have afterlife now, so I guess you are right. I just like the lack of parameters aesthetically.

Card of the Day 2019-07-17: >

Quell WU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays its mana cost.
"Without Minamo's aid I could not imagine how our people could stand against the formless kami."

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-18: >

Dimir Voidmaw UB
Creature — Spirit (U)
Flying, ingest
Your opponents can't cast spells that share a name with cards ingested by ~.
1/3

[void_nothing]

Quell's great.

Dimir Voidmaw is a little funky because there's nothing intrinsic to ingest that tracks what cards what creatures specifically caused to be exiled, but I think you could make it work.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Ingest is a triggered ability. If there is a triggered ability exiling cards and a linked ability caring about those cards printed on that card, then the rules actually create a need to track. The card itself serves as a reminder that you now have to pay attention how you stack your triggers. This is not different than Fiend Hunter etc.

Card of the Day 2019-07-19: >

Olivia's Celebration BR
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control that has dealt damage to it this turn.
Vampire festivities are as cruel as they are decadent.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-20: >

Ransack the Place RG
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast ~, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
You may play an additional land this turn.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-21: >

Be Fruitful GW
Sorcery (U)
Populate twice.
Multiply and replenish the earth.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-22: >

Mirror Hex WB
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn and its controller loses 1 life.
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn and its controller gains 1 life.

[TearsOfTomorrow]

Interesting question. Have we ever seen Liliana interacting with Vampires? She's mostly associated with Zombies - also Specter's during her difficult phase before WotC decided to make their characters more focused. A result of that focus is that Sorin gets dibs on Vampires now, too. But Innistrad totally has all three of them.

But most planes have,so a Innistrad-themed copy of this would make an interesting Core Set card that multiple tribes could pick up - or a deck featuring Death Baron. That's actually a good card to mention, because it is a great example where I'm coming from with this card: Alara didn't have a dedicated theme of Zombies and Skeletons, but enough to give us a tribal effect that could pull together a deck otherwise not supported. Those cards speak to me. I guess Grixis is another "World of the Dead".

The definition of what I'd consider "undead" for this card comes from Undead Slayer, btw.

Card of the Day 2019-07-15: >

Illegal Search R
Sorcery (U)
Discard all cards in your hand, then investigate twice that many times.
Inadmissable in court, but just good enough for some vigilante justice.

We did see Liliana making use of a Vampire! It was back in Agents of Artifice, i.e. Jace's and Liliana's debut book. See, back then folks still weren't sure as to what they wanted planeswalkers to actually do in the lore, so they had them stick mostly to summoning. Jace was therefore seen summoning faeries, drakes and a sphinx, Tez got mechanical beings, Baltrice got elementals and Liliana got undead which, yes, included a vampire at one point. After Sorin's introduction that bit was never mentioned again.

By the way, there are many cards in this topic which I like, but this Illegal Search here is my favorite one. Really cool design.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Have we ever seen Liliana interacting with Vampires? She's mostly associated with Zombies - also Specter's during her difficult phase before WotC decided to make their characters more focused. A result of that focus is that Sorin gets dibs on Vampires now, too. But Innistrad totally has all three of them.

We did see Liliana making use of a Vampire! It was back in Agents of Artifice, i.e. Jace's and Liliana's debut book. See, back then folks still weren't sure as to what they wanted planeswalkers to actually do in the lore, so they had them stick mostly to summoning. Jace was therefore seen summoning faeries, drakes and a sphinx, Tez got mechanical beings, Baltrice got elementals and Liliana got undead which, yes, included a vampire at one point. After Sorin's introduction that bit was never mentioned again.

I do not consider lore for mechanical precedence. Also if it happened before Liliana of the Dark Realms (which marked a time when Wizards decided that they are not focused enough with their planeswalker concepts) it's iffy anyway. No Liliana card ever went there - and as you recognize already. Everything there ever was is probably outdated anyway.
*shrug*

By the way, there are many cards in this topic which I like, but this Illegal Search here is my favorite one. Really cool design.

Thanks. : )

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-23: >

Obsessive Tweaking UR
Sorcery (U)
Scry 1.
You may draw a card. If you don't, return ~ to its owner's hand.

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-24: >

Clan Druid BG
Creature — Orc Druid (C)
When ~ enters the battlefield, draw a card and lose 1 life.
T, Pay 1 life: Add B or G.
1/1

[SecretInfiltrator]

Card of the Day 2019-07-25: >

Agrus's Cohort RW
Creature — Human Soldier (U)
Menace
Whenever ~ attacks, attacking legendary creatures gain indestructible until end of turn.
1/1