Flip Commanders
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Oct. 18, 2020, 11:52 p.m. by StasisAbuser
Magic Origins brought us legendary creatures that transformed into planeswalkers, such as Jace, Vryn's Prodigy Flip, and Liliana, Heretical Healer Flip while Nicol Bolas, the Ravager Flip followed later.
I figured why not go back to that set up, while providing more of a commander focus with other popular planeswalkers.
Here are a couple of my rough ideas without going too far in depth with card design:
Sorin, Heir to Markov Manor // Sorin, Vampiric Master
3/4 Legengary Creature - Vampire Knight
Lifelink, Menace
If your life total is 50 or greater, exile Sorin, Heir to Markov Manor and return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control.
Planeswalker:
Starting loyalty: 4
As long as you control three or more vampires, vampires you control have flying
+2 Until the beginning of your next turn, your opponents can't gain life
-3 Each opponent loses four life, you gain life equal to the amount of life lost this way.
-8 You get an emblem that says "Creatures you control have indestructible and creatures your opponents control lose indestructible and can't gain indestructible."
Vraska, Undercity Dweller // Vraska, Bane of Isperia
2/3 Legendary Creature - Rogue Assassin
Deathtouch
Whenever two or more creatures an opponent controls dies, exile Vraska, Undercity Dweller and return her to the battlefield transformed her owner's control.
Planeswalker:
Starting loyalty: 3
+2: create a 1/1 black snake creature token with wither
-2: Put a -1/-1 counter on each creature you don't control
-10: You get an emblem that says "Attacking creatures you control have infect."
Let me know what you all think. My apologies for the sub-par formatting, still learning my way around this site.
plakjekaas says... #3
I think flipping them at the beginning of your end step is pretty feelbad, every opponent gets a swing at them before you've activated a loyalty ability even once.
October 19, 2020 12:35 a.m.
StasisAbuser says... #4
plakjekaas For some reason I kept thinking the transformations happened during the end step for the ORI legendaries. Clearly I need more sleep. Will edit the OP.
October 19, 2020 12:59 a.m.
Sorins flip condition seems like it's too high of a bar and the vraska doesn't seem very powerful
October 19, 2020 5:56 a.m.
RiotRunner789 says... #6
I like Sorin but it should probably read "if your life total is 10 higher than your starting life total" rather than 50 life.
Also, since he's more difficult to flip, you could change his + ability to Tainted Remedy and each player gains 1 life.
October 19, 2020 10:49 a.m.
StasisAbuser says... #7
shadow63, if this were to be released in a standard legal set I agree, however my aim/vision is more that of a commander precon.
After posting Vraska I forgot to add a static ability to her planeswalker side. Any ideas outside of deathtouch synergy?
Yeah my bad on that.
The Tainted Remedy ability would be neat.
Those of you who have posted or are reading this, feel free to add some other cards that could build on this cycle. Maybe PWs like Teferi, Nahiri, Ral, etc.
October 19, 2020 4:08 p.m.
The original flip-walkers' condition represents some of the circumstances for their spark ignition coupled with game mechanics.
For instance Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh Flip flips by dealing damage. In her lore, as a child she attempts to hide her pyromancy as it is seen as forbidden and outlawed. In an attempt to run away, she accidentally blasts some of the village huts which sets on fire, and Chandra flees. The law enforcement believes some of the villagers are responsible and sentences them to death by locking them inside the burning huts. When Chandra sees that her family is among the accused, she surrenders. The law enforcement don't believe that she is solely responsible and continues to burn the villagers, and proceed to execute Chandra by sword. At this point Chandra's spark ignites in response to Chandra's distress and she is planeswalked to another plane.
The capture on the game piece is her dealing damage, making herself become known, starting the events leading up to her capture, attempted execution, and spark ignition.
If you take a character like Sorin, he wasn't always a Vampire. The plane he was from had famine and sought in desperation alternative ways to sustain themselves. This led Edgar Markov to seeking blood gifts from a Demon, eventually transforming himself and later Sorin into vampires. Sorin's transformation was gruesome and the trauma ignited his Spark.
If you aim to make flip walkers, I would suggest to tell this story, in however way you interpret those events by game mechanics. Seeing as it was done in desperation, perhaps the trigger should not be bound to life gain, but something else? Perhaps Sorin by himself is a strong creature that keeps draining you of life, and when you're at a threshold, he transforms - becoming a vampire planeswalker and can aid in gaining you life back. That's one way to interpret it from a game mechanic standpoint.
I know it's unlikely to matter in context of the game, as things have to be balanced, but Sorin is what is known as an "Old Walker" - a planeswalker from before the Mending. These planeswalkers were essentially gods with unfathomable powers and immortality - Serra (another Old Walker) created an entire plane of existence for herself and those who sought to worship her benevolent being, and she created angels out of nothing. These planeswalkers were vastly reduced in power with the Great Mending. An event that sought to heal the world from the scars left by Old Walkers recklessly using their powers. However even reduced by the Mending these Old Walkers are still leagues stronger than the new generation of planeswalkers - like Chandra and Gideon. Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker was also an Old Walker - which is partially why he was able to take on so many opposing planeswalkers during the War of the Spark.
November 9, 2020 10:25 a.m.
StasisAbuser says... #9
Tzefick My Magic lore knowledge is severely lacking so I did not take into account spark ignitions. I really like your interpretation of a Sorin Flip Walker.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Here's to hoping WOTC gives us these cards while also sticking to Magic lore.
Omniscience_is_life says... #2
Yeeeeessss more flipwalkerssssss
October 19, 2020 12:10 a.m.