Ulreon (The plane of wars)
Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 11:04 pm
Hey guys!
This is where I'll be posting info on my first custom set. I've been working on it off and off for a good while now, but there is still a ton of work to do. My goal is to give an overview of the set, and if everyone here is willing, solicit some much needed feedback about the design and direction of it.
Overview:
Ulreon is my take on a set where the main theme revolves around massive armies and the factions fielding these troops. My plan for the set is to break it down into the three color wedges that we all know and love, but flavored to match this plane. For instance, will be the High Elves. This set is inspired by the idea of a planeswalker not in charge of a ragtag band of creatures, but of a tremendous host of soldiers.
Mechanics:
To aid in this, there are three (and a half) mechanics that are meant to assist players in gameplay, while conveying the flavor of the world.
These mechanics are as follows:
1. Training. Training is an ability word that denotes a specific method your creatures possess for gaining keyword counters. The flavor represents an experienced creature passing on their skills to a fresh recruit/weaker creature. An example of training can be found on the card below: (Please note, the exact costs and effects will likely change for balance reasons.)
High Elf Gryphonmaster
Creature - Elf Soldier
Flying (R)
Training — , : Tap up to four untapped creatures you control with converted mana cost 4 or less. Put a flying counter on each creature tapped this way. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
4/5
Upon receiving feedback about the problems with training, I have decided to table training as a mechanic for the set. Instead, I think I will make a new mechanic to represent tactics or some other aspect of large armies to fill the spot formerly occupied by training.
2. Inscription. Inscription is a keyword ability that involves exiling a card from your hand, which then allows the player to cast a spell for a different cost, usually less than the card's original casting cost. The flavor represents the ancient and powerful magic of the High Elves and Undead that is inscribed into a spell as it is cast. Just like kicker, if a spell's inscription cost was paid, you may word it as: "If this spell was inscribed..." An example of this can be found on the card below:
Reckless Study
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
Inscription (You may cast this spell for its inscription cost by exiling a card from your hand.)
3. Deploy and Formation. Thanks to the contributions of people on this forum, this mechanic has started to take shape. Deploy and Formation always come bundled together and can be seen here:
Deploy -- Create a 1/1 green Elf Soldier creature token with formation.
Formation Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, each other creature you control with formation that is able to attack or block does so as well.
The flavor of these mechanics is meant to represent sending out your army of troops, and the organization that prevents individual soldiers from going rouge and fighting on their own. The reason for this mechanic was to hopefully allow for more tokens to be produced compared to the average set and preventing games of limited from dragging on due to an abundance of chump blockers that could severely hinder big creatures without trample. An example of this can be found on the card below:
Dwarf Company
Creature - Dwarf Soldier (U)
Deploy — When Dwarf Company enters the battlefield, create three 1/1 red Dwarf Soldier tokens with formation.
: Up to two target creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
4. ??? This one will most likely be a returning mechanic, but I am still debating which one to bring back for this set. Biggest contender for this right now is Renown.
Upon further reflection, and in light of training being out, I am strongly leaning towards Heroic or Raid for this spot. Battalion could work, but I suspect it would compete for the same space as formation, and Raid may clash the tendency of deploy being an etb in most cases. This leads me to tentatively consider Heroic to be the leading mechanic for this area.
Factions:
The main factions of the set will be
: The Humans
: The High Elves
: The Undead
The Dwarves
The Wood Elves
Each faction will likely have a theme, such as artifacts for the dwarves, instants and sorceries for the high elves, and so on.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the project is still in its infancy, but the concept is there and at this point, my main focus is to start nailing down draft archetypes, the final mechanics, and identities of the factions. Thanks for reading, and any feedback or criticism would be most welcome.
This is where I'll be posting info on my first custom set. I've been working on it off and off for a good while now, but there is still a ton of work to do. My goal is to give an overview of the set, and if everyone here is willing, solicit some much needed feedback about the design and direction of it.
Overview:
Ulreon is my take on a set where the main theme revolves around massive armies and the factions fielding these troops. My plan for the set is to break it down into the three color wedges that we all know and love, but flavored to match this plane. For instance, will be the High Elves. This set is inspired by the idea of a planeswalker not in charge of a ragtag band of creatures, but of a tremendous host of soldiers.
Mechanics:
To aid in this, there are three (and a half) mechanics that are meant to assist players in gameplay, while conveying the flavor of the world.
These mechanics are as follows:
1. Training. Training is an ability word that denotes a specific method your creatures possess for gaining keyword counters. The flavor represents an experienced creature passing on their skills to a fresh recruit/weaker creature. An example of training can be found on the card below: (Please note, the exact costs and effects will likely change for balance reasons.)
High Elf Gryphonmaster
Creature - Elf Soldier
Flying (R)
Training — , : Tap up to four untapped creatures you control with converted mana cost 4 or less. Put a flying counter on each creature tapped this way. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
4/5
Upon receiving feedback about the problems with training, I have decided to table training as a mechanic for the set. Instead, I think I will make a new mechanic to represent tactics or some other aspect of large armies to fill the spot formerly occupied by training.
2. Inscription. Inscription is a keyword ability that involves exiling a card from your hand, which then allows the player to cast a spell for a different cost, usually less than the card's original casting cost. The flavor represents the ancient and powerful magic of the High Elves and Undead that is inscribed into a spell as it is cast. Just like kicker, if a spell's inscription cost was paid, you may word it as: "If this spell was inscribed..." An example of this can be found on the card below:
Reckless Study
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
Inscription (You may cast this spell for its inscription cost by exiling a card from your hand.)
3. Deploy and Formation. Thanks to the contributions of people on this forum, this mechanic has started to take shape. Deploy and Formation always come bundled together and can be seen here:
Deploy -- Create a 1/1 green Elf Soldier creature token with formation.
Formation Whenever this creature attacks or blocks, each other creature you control with formation that is able to attack or block does so as well.
The flavor of these mechanics is meant to represent sending out your army of troops, and the organization that prevents individual soldiers from going rouge and fighting on their own. The reason for this mechanic was to hopefully allow for more tokens to be produced compared to the average set and preventing games of limited from dragging on due to an abundance of chump blockers that could severely hinder big creatures without trample. An example of this can be found on the card below:
Dwarf Company
Creature - Dwarf Soldier (U)
Deploy — When Dwarf Company enters the battlefield, create three 1/1 red Dwarf Soldier tokens with formation.
: Up to two target creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
4. ??? This one will most likely be a returning mechanic, but I am still debating which one to bring back for this set. Biggest contender for this right now is Renown.
Upon further reflection, and in light of training being out, I am strongly leaning towards Heroic or Raid for this spot. Battalion could work, but I suspect it would compete for the same space as formation, and Raid may clash the tendency of deploy being an etb in most cases. This leads me to tentatively consider Heroic to be the leading mechanic for this area.
Factions:
The main factions of the set will be
: The Humans
: The High Elves
: The Undead
The Dwarves
The Wood Elves
Each faction will likely have a theme, such as artifacts for the dwarves, instants and sorceries for the high elves, and so on.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the project is still in its infancy, but the concept is there and at this point, my main focus is to start nailing down draft archetypes, the final mechanics, and identities of the factions. Thanks for reading, and any feedback or criticism would be most welcome.