My New MtG Set Idea
General forum
Posted on Feb. 8, 2018, 3:58 a.m. by Cybersix
Not sure if this should go in 'Custom Cards'..?
I was thinking of a new MtG set concept of my own. I call it 'Carnival of Souls'. The inspiration is films like 'Something Wicked This Way Comes', all those killer toy/doll/puppet horror films, and that 'Evil Circus' that always seems to crop up in so many JRPGs.
The Carnival is either its own Plane with a wandering portal or some kind of caravan/ghost train/whatever that travels around the Multiverse. It is 'bigger on the inside' of course, and is more than just a simple circus, it is more like Disney World/Sea World/a zoo etc all rolled into one.
There are hat-tips and 'visits' to lots of the pre-existing MtG Planes, and perhaps even different times. Of course, there are nefarious goings on and the some kind of villain similar to Ashiok or some kind of Agent of Bolas who drains the souls of innocent patrons.
Creature Types: Human, Zombie, Spirit, Beast, Goblin, Cat, Wizard, Demon, Minion, Nightmare, Illusion, Kithkin, Golem, Treefolk, Dwarf, Giant, Ogre, Mutant (representing Circus Freaks)
New Creature Types:
Puppet (especially Zombie Puppet): these are often the created out of existing creatures. They are artifact creatures.
Toy: An artifact that lies inert until acted upon by another spells effect, i.e. a killer doll that is inoffesnive until 'the curse' is active...
Adult: Creatures in this set only frequently have the Adult or Child type in addition to their other types. Other cards affect these cards differently depending on if the creature is a Child or Adult. Because it bills itself as a funpark, the Carnival is often visited by kids and parents on different planes. It also uses magic to turn adults into child-slaves, and vice versa.
Child: Weaker versions of Adult creatures. An Adult may be turned into a Child by magic.
Clown: Clown creatures are often Goblins, but may be most any type including Demon Clowns.
Old Mechanics:
A few Suspend cards might be fun if the time-travelling circus concept is used.
Imprint can be good for 'funhouse mirror' type cards.
Not sure if 'Energy' or experience counters is how I would represent the big bads sucking souls...energy feels more mechanical to me.
Someway to represent the circus suddenly vanishing, a trope in the fiction. I hate the Phasing mechanic, so maybe Fading counters..? Or even face-down..?
New Mechanics:
Age: In this set, lots of different cards will affect creatures differently depending on if they are Child or Adult. Further, spells can transform creatures into Adult or Child, perhaps best represented by token. Leaving aside the effects of other cards, creatures with Child counters on them are 0/1 creatures. A Creature with the type 'Child' who gets an Adult counter gets +1/+1.
Puppetize: A non-Artifact creature may be sacrificed by the effect of some cards in order to put into play a Zombie Puppet creature or sometimes, token.
Hypnotize: A cheaper, crappier version of the 'Threaten' mechanic, Hypnotize taps a target creature, then gains control of it 'til end of turn.
Conjure: Similar to the Ninjutsu mechanic from Kamigawa.
Astound & Enthrall: Tap Child creatures and gain 'soul energy', however that is represented.
Reprints: Puppetmaster, Fatestitcher, Stuffy Doll, Balduvian Bears,
Lands: Mirror Maze, Big Top, Midway, Aquarium, Spook House, Herpetarium (Snake & Reptile House), etc.
Captive Planeswalkers Concept: Some of the famous MtG Planewalkers have been caught by the Carnival and 'de-aged' like that old X-Men issue. In this set, these 'baby' Planeswalkers are not actual Planeswalkers but Legeendary Child creatures who, with the right cards, may be Exiled to put a Planewalker of the appropriate name you own from outside the game into play.
Hat-Tip Cards Inspired by the existing MtG Multiverse:
Argothian Brothers Urza & Mishra-Legendary Human Child Artificer
Lili: Legendary Human Child A bratty goth girl...
Wide-Eyed Kithkin: Kithkin Child: from Lorwyn
Liberator of Innocents: Adult Angel: from Alara, can get rid of opponents 'soul energy' however that is represented.
Young Marchesa: Human Child Wizard
can't think of more right now.
Card Rough Ideas:Ringmaster, Goblin Clown, Killer Clown, Sad Clown, Seductive Lady, Lion-Tamer, Bareback Rider, Elephants, Fantastic Beasts, Funhouse Mirror Image golems, killer dolls, puppets, Cabinet of Doctor Cagliari, Somnambulist, Trained Beast, Psychic Fortuneteller, Gypsy Wagon, Trapeze, Pie, Kewpie Doll, Test of Strength, Childish Hijinks, Dark Corruption, Sawn-In-Half, etc.
I would welcome any card or mechanic ideas to flesh this out, or if the thread should be moved to 'Custom Cards'.
This sounds like quite a fun, flavorful set--almost too flavourful, I think you might have too many new mechanics! My couple criticisms:
I'm not overly a fan of the adult-child mechanic as written. Mechanics attached to creature subtypes do not really work (see the old Walls, prior to the advent of defender). Further, while the flavour is fun and set-specific, the recent string of set-specific language is a tad problematic (i.e. Eternalize will not be seen again for a while, since it is so tied up with Amonkhet lore). Rather than be a characteristic of the subtype, how about an ability akin to monstrous?
For example:
Emaciated Urchin
Creature - Human
Infantile 1 (when this creature enters the battlefield, place 1 -1/-1 counter on it. When you pay its childish cost, remove all -1/-1 counters from it, and it becomes mature.)
So long as Emaciated Urchin is mature, it has "sacrifice a creature with a lower power than Emaciated Urchin. Emaciated Urchin gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
Those who survived learned sweet rolls were not the Carnival's only tasty treats.
1/2
As for soul-sucking mechanics, -1/-1 counters are a pretty appropriate way to deal with this. I agree energy is the wrong way to go (besides, energy is a terrible mechanic).
February 8, 2018 10:09 a.m.
Also great card idea, cannibal that eats children :)
February 8, 2018 11:56 p.m.
I can't see wizards a creature type-clown in a black boarded set.The idea could be fun, but it just doesn't seem like Magic should seem.
February 20, 2018 6:29 a.m.
How is 'Clown' that much different from published types like 'Coward', 'Minion', 'Mutant', or my favourite, 'Sand'?
February 21, 2018 1:01 p.m.
Pray tell, how exactly should Magic seem? We've had sets from all manner of era, based on wildly disparate geographies. Clowns are firmly a part of European tradition. The word itself can be dated to the second half of the 16th century (referring to a rustic man), and its use to mean a foolish character followed shortly thereafter . (Source: Oxford English Dictionary). Clearly the clown is not a modern invention, and could easily fit with many of the sets Magic has released.
Further, there is precedent for a character's job being used for a creature subtype. Even if we ignore the obvious (Soldier, Wizard, Druid, etc.), we have creaturs with the "Advisor" subtype, which indicates Magic's willingness to have fairly specific job title categorized as their own subtype.
Overall, I think "Jester" or "Fool" might be a better choice of word for the subtype, as these terms are a bit more broad, and do not carry the same modern connotations as "clown." But, word choice aside, I do not see an issue with the underlying concept behind the new creature subtype.
shadow63 says... #2
That sounds really cool I think it could be really interesting. Sounds like your a fan of doctor who
February 8, 2018 6:37 a.m.