Legacy of Innistrad

Exodus
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Post by Exodus » 4 years ago

Legacy of Innistrad is a custom-made set taking place on Innistrad; I started working on it right after Avacyn Restored, and since a lot of time passed, what started as a sequel can now be considered an alternate reality which doesn't take into consideration post-Tarkir events; Battle of Zendikar never happened, SOI and the Gatewatch never happened, and we take off right after Sorin freed Ugin from his bathtub, and right where we left the plane: this time, it is the forces of evil's turn to be cornered.
My objective was to experiment with Auras, trying to come up with something original, although since the plane is Innistrad, I knew that the graveyard was supposed to matter; flavor-wise, this translates in a couple of Aura-and-Equipment-matters mechanics representing the wards, reinvigorated by Avacyn's return and now protecting cathars and peasants, and a mechanic inspired by Soul Separator representing the struggle of darkness in a world suddenly too bright for its tastes; Curses also make a return, supporting the Aura theme.
Mechanics
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1 – Crusade (WURG)

This is the mechanic of the forces of good: it symbolizes cathars arming themselves for the battles to come. The ability triggers when the creature itself enters the battlefield, and again when an Aura or an Equipment enter the battlefield.

Goldnight Vanguard 1R
Creature — Human Soldier
Common
First strike
Crusade – Whenever Goldnight Vanguard, an Aura or an Equipment enters the battlefield under your control, you may have Goldnight Vanguard deal 1 damage to target creature.
1/2


2 – Ward (WUR)

There is only so much space for Auras and Equipments in a set: even pushing that space to the limit, I felt Crusade wouldn't have worked as fine as Constellation or Metalcraft without some kind of shenanigan; I think this "support" mechanic was the weak point of the previous version of the set and caused me a lot of headaches. In the end, I thought to introduce an "Aura token" with no effect in itself, artificially increasing the number of Auras in the set.
Ward shows on instant and sorceries and acts a bit like kicker, a bit like rebound: you can pay a higher cost for the spell and exile it when it resolves, putting an Aura token on a creature in the process; you may cast the spell again from exile, but it can only target a creature enchanted by an Aura you control (including the token).

Dutiful Watch W
Instant
Common
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Ward 1WW (If you cast this spell for 1WW, exile it as it resolves, then create a white Aura enchantment token with "Enchant creature" and assign it to target creature. You may cast a warding spell from exile, choosing a creature enchanted by an Aura you control.)


3 – Wraith (UBRG)

... I have no proof for it, but I swear that I came up with this mechanic BEFORE the coming out of Amonkhet; the thing is, this mechanic is identical to Embalm and Eternalize, except it creates a tiny 1/1 black Spirit instead of a fat 4/4 Zombie.
Personally, I didn't like Embalm and hated Eternalize with a passion; I find they contributed to clog a set already impossibly aggressive, and didn't let players take a breath during the match.
Wraith should shift the focus on the creature's ability without being too oppressive, and should work like a simple flashback for creatures.

Dryad of Wittal 1G
Creature — Dryad
Common
When Dryad of Wittal dies, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
Wraith – Sacrifice a land (Sacrifice a land, exile Dryad of Wittal from your graveyard: Put a token on the battlefield that's a copy of Dryad of Wittal, except it's a 1/1 black Spirit instead of its normal colors and types. Activate this ability only when you could cast a sorcery.)
0/2


4 – Curses (WUBRG/focus on B)

Curses felt at home on the plane that sprouted them; they are a much welcome glue for the Aura theme.

Curse of the Unblinking Eye 2U
Enchantment — Aura Curse
Common
At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player puts the top card of his/her library into his or her graveyard, then all other players scry 1.


5 – Double-faced cards (WUBRG)

We're on Innistrad...

Fateweaver Shaman 2B
Creature — Human Shaman
Uncommon
When Fateweaver Shaman enters the battlefield, each player discards a card.
Sacrifice another creature: Transform Fateweaver Shaman.
2/1
/
Doomsealer Witch
Creature — Human Shaman
Uncommon
When this creature transforms into Doomsealer Witch, you may return target Curse card from your graveyard to the battlefield under your control, then attach it to target player.
3/3
LImited Archetypes
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WU: Spirit Tribal

WB: Lifegain matters

WR: Crusade Aggro (loose)

WG: Human Tribal

UB: Zombie Tribal/Mill

UR: Spells matter/Prowess

UG: Self-mill (loose)

RB: Vampire Tribal

BG: Death matters/self-sacrifice

RG: Werewolf Tribal
Lore
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Avacyn Restored

Three years passed since the destruction of the Helvault and the return of Avacyn; following the "algorithm" imprinted on her by Sorin Markov, the archangel quickly rallied the remnants of the angelic hosts, restoring hope in the hearts of humanity. Following her guide, cathars and common people were able to repel the assault of the forces of darkness, restoring balance on the plane: unlike the previous periods of crisis, however, Avacyn's powers didn't begin to fade after evil had been put in check (like Sorin had envisioned), but kept increasing, strengthening wards and spells cast in her name to a point never seen before. Archmages suddenly found themselves wielding an immense power, its strength directly proportional to their faith, while cathars discovered that the mere sight of their blessed weapons under the moon repelled evil spirits, and that they now inflict grievous wounds even to the most resilient of monsters; this anomaly was most evident in the region of Stensia, where for centuries the angels couldn't even set foot due to the weakness of their powers in that land.
The cause of such a radical change in Avacyn's behaviour is unknown; among the few who know the truth about the angel's origins, some, like Sorin's grandfather Edgar Markov, believe that the time she spent in the Helvault changed something into her; others, like Olivia Voldaren, think that Sorin finally revealed his true colours and is planning the destruction of their race.
The only certainty is that the angel's strength has kept increasing, and right now there is probably no force on Innistrad that can hope to challenge her directly.

The effects on the human population were a double-edged sword: men and women from all provinces were overjoyed to join the cause, even from those regions where resignation to a grim destiny was most radicated; on the other hand, a veil of paranoia crept in the most isolated hamlets, since Avacyn started to direct her anger not only against monsters and skaberen, but even towards the traditional ways people used for centuries to protect themselves.
This stance deeply worries Sigarda and her host, composed almost entirely by angels not created by Avacyn herself whom, in order to better protect humanity, never hesitated to use the natural and supernatural forces now declared heretic. Gisela, on the other hand, dedicated herself to the Crusade with unyelding passion: she never understood Avacyn's reluctance to eradicate completely the horrors of the plane, and is now overjoyed at the thought of purifying Innistrad with her flames.

Overall, these events were perceived by most as the beginning of a golden age; they became convinced that the angel's recent disappearance had been a test of faith, and this deeply influenced the political balance between the four provinces.


The four provinces

Gavony, a region whose status was put in jeopardy by the events of Dark Ascension, is once again the epicenter of the civilized world. Thraben was rebuilt as the seat of the Avacynian church, and the archangel herself took residence in the cathedral; her presence has become so strong that it keeps evil away from the walls, granting a protection without precedent to its citizens; for maybe the first time in its history, Innistrad has a place that can be considered completely safe.
Because of this, many people sought to emigrate from the outer provinces to Gavony, and from the outskirts to the walls of the holy city; this in turn drove the Church first to enlarge an already gigantic settlement, and later to extablish severe immigration laws; the new Lunarch (an iron-willed man by the name of Aginolf, full of hate towards any kind of heresy) didn't lose any time in negating access to the city to Kessigers and Nephalians, on the grounds of their reputation of lukewarm faith.
For a while the issue was ignored by Avacyn, who rarely left her quarters in the cathedral; when Bruna and Sigarda, uncertain on how to behave on the matter, asked for her guidance, the archangel's response was swift and brutal: she simply landed in front of the Lunarch during a celebration and accused him of collusion with the Skirsdag cult, then incinerated him on the spot. Then she declared to the masses: "Don't close your heart to those who would join us, don't seek safety for yourselves alone: soon the walls of Thraben will be the seashores."
These words, known as the "Declaration of Hope", marked the beginning of the Crusade: an open war declared by Avacyn against the horrors infesting the world.


In Kessig, the Host of Herons didn't spare efforts in protecting the population during Avacyn's absence, a feat that wasn't forgotten; even after the archangel's return and the gift of the Cursemute bestowed on the wolfir, Sigarda kept a special place in the common people's hearts.
The angel feels conflicted: under the wolfirs' watch the forests are safer, and the wards' restoration make her host's work easier, but Avacyn's actions after the Declaration of Hope alarmed her. Inquisitors swarmed the country, preaching absolute fealty to the Church's decrees and recruiting too many young people into military service, just when villages most need them to rebuild and tend to the crops destroyed by fire and curses; wolfirs, whom Avacyn personally entrusted to her care, started behaving strangely, hiding from her and neglecting to inform her about the apparition of strange creatures, never seen before, in the depths of the Ulvenwald; finally, the sudden increase of diabolical activities around the Ashmouth, an occurrence that drove Avacyn to send Gisela in her aid, to investigate the issue. The two sisters never saw eye to eye on a number of matters, and Sigarda is frustrated by Gisela's blind acceptance of the Crusade, and of the inquisitors' efforts in changing her people's way of life.


The inquisition acted even more ruthlessly in Nephalia; Gisela may have been sent in Kessig, but the Goldnight host always had its headquarter in the region, and here cathars and angels doubled their efforts in destroying necromancers and purging the influence of Stromkirk vampires. Disregarding the unwritten laws that kept in check the complex social tissue of Havengul, Drunau and Selhoff, the troops of the Church started going openly after heretics, skaberen and vampires: the conflict quickly escalated into a civil war, won by the Church only at the cost of grievous losses among the population; Selhoff has been reduced to a ghost town, while Runo Stromkirk barely managed to keep its hold over Drunau, now a grim fortified town where humans openly live as slaves of the few surviving vampires. Most skaberen labs have been burned to the ground, and the "art" survives only in the deep chasms under the Ditch since the upper structures collapsed, extinguishing the black market it once hosted.


Stensia is a land radically altered; the vampires' dominion, absolute here since immemorable times, has been put in jeopardy when the restrictions put on Avacyn by Sorin were lifted: the cathar' forces quickly regrouped and invaded the region through Kruin pass, forcing Edgar Markov to forsake its ancient domain.
The old vampire was taken by surprise and tried to contact his nephew, to no avail (we'll see that Sorin had left for Zendikar after the Helvault shattered, and is presently "phased out" on Tarkir in the temporal rift opened by Sarkhan when he saved Ugin's life).
Sensing something amiss, Edgar had the presence of mind to not challenge the army of the Church directly, but couldn't persuade the other bloodlines to do the same; only Olivia took his advice, while the Falkenrath family and the lesser houses marched out to meet the enemy on the outskirts of Wollebank; taken by surprise by the descent of Avacyn herself on the battlefield, the vampires' forces were obliterated, their leaders captured and executed while the few survivors scattered at the four corners of the province.
After two years of skirmishes, the vampires' situation is more desperate than ever: Edgar and Olivia barely managed to keep control of the outer valleys, and established their headquarter near the old Maurer Estate.
Feel free to comment at will; any suggestions are welcome!

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 4 years ago

Crusade looks good. I like the little touch of making it also an ETB triggered ability so it's immediately useful.

Ward, if I recall correctly, had some complexity problems in the original version and this makes it more comprehensible but it's still quite complex. That's not really an issue for just one keyword but in this version it feels like it's just being used for the sake of being fiddly; outside of context it seems like a non-restrictive restriction (since you can just put the Aura token on whatever) for a mechanic that seems like it just wants to copy the spell, period. What you could do here, imo, is put the token on the creature that the spell targeted, but instead of cast-from-exile on the instant or sorcery card, use copy-from-exile so you can reuse the same effects by warding.

Wraith is just fine - making a cheaper 1/1 would play differently than making a more expensive 4/4 so it's not a "worse eternalize" in my mind - except that Wraith is both a creature type and not a verb as activated ability keywords typically are. Unfortunately haunt is already used, and for a bad and maligned ability, so some Spirit-themed verbs you could use: spectralize, dwell, spook...
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Exodus
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Post by Exodus » 4 years ago

I swear I never considered the existence of a Wraith creature type O_O for a grand total of 5 cards in all the history of Magic. Oh well.

Thanks for your review: I was quite happy with this version of Ward because it is simple, but I suppose it is indeed a bit fiddly: the intent was indeed to restrict the second casting on the same creature, but I chose to extend it to other enchanted creatures in order to support the general Aura theme. Perhaps it's not interesting enough.

I'd like to know what do you think of the two previous iterations:
Overloadward
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Gryff Explorer 4U
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Flying
Ward 2U (2U, discard Gryff Explorer: Create a white enchantment Aura token with "Enchant creature" and assign it to target creature. Creatures enchanted by Auras you control have flying until end of turn.)
3/3

Forceful Conscription 1RR
Sorcery (U)
Ward 5R (5R, discard Forced Conscription: Create a white enchantment Aura token with "Enchant creature" and assign it to target creature, then take control of all creatures enchanted by Auras you control. Untap those creatures. They have haste until end of turn.
I think this would be a bit more fun, and a bit more powerful: the problem here is that there's no way to word it identically for creatures and for spells. I honestly don't know how much of an issue that would be (Detain had a slightly different wording for monocolor/multicolor for example), and one of my playtesters pointed out that some spells (like FC, above) become too strong.

Toolboxward
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Forceful Conscription 1RR
Sorcery (U)
Ward 5R (5R, exile this card from your hand with a ward token on it: Create a white enchantment Aura token with "Enchant creature" and assign it to target creature, then you may copy an exiled warding spell you own and cast the copy without paying its mana cost, choosing as a target a creature enchanted by an Aura you control.
The mana pie should be safe (you need the correct color to exile each warding spell in the first place); this "saves" the warding spells in exile, allowing you to choose the most suitable one each time...
...still, I think the design flaws are quite evident, starting with the sheer complexity of the process.

NUMBERS
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Post by NUMBERS » 4 years ago

I think Ward is a really interesting mechanic!

I think every variant you've proposed does something interesting, but in a somewhat complex way? My thought might be to remove the exile side of the mechanic and instead make it more of an alternate casting cost that causes it to immediately throw out an Aura and then resolve differently (sometimes). Perhaps something like:

Motivated Conscription 1RR
Sorcery
Ward 5R (You may cast this spell for its ward cost. When you cast it this way, create a White enchantment Aura token with "Enchant creature" and assign it to target creature.)
Gain control of target creature, untap it, and it gains haste until end of turn. If you cast this spell for its ward cost, gain control of each creature enchanted by an aura you control, untap them, and they gain haste until end of turn instead.

(The wording on that is likely overly sloppy and wrong, but I hope the intent shows through.)
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able archer
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Post by able archer » 4 years ago

Thinking a bit about how I'd make the previous post work...

Conscriptor's Blessing
Sorcery {U}
Ward (You may pay an additional as you cast this spell. When you do, create a white Aura enchantment token with enchant permanent attached to another target permanent.)
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. If this spell was warded, gain control of each enchanted creature until end of turn. Untap those creatures. They gain haste until end of turn.

The play pattern here is:
a. pay 3 mana to cast Act of Treason; or
b. pay 7 mana to cast (2+N)x Act of Treason at minimum, N increasing with the number of warded spells you cast previously.

Another example:

Tinkerer's Blessing
Instant {C}
Ward
Tap or untap target artifact, creature or land. If this spell was warded, for each other artifact, creature or land that's enchanted, tap or untap that permanent.

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