Card Design Voting (mono green and white/green)

Community Set

squire1

21 June 2012

3378 views

So after a little break for the design team to take care of some real life stuff, we are back. There were a lot of really great ideas flying around. So let's take a look at what we have.

Voting Rules

  1. Each player should vote for their favorite cards below. Vote for one green card and one green/white card. You may vote for cards by users or design team members.
  2. Each player should provide feedback on the cards for which they voted, such as possible changes.
  3. Each player may provide feedback on any of the other cards that are presented as well. Just be clear on what cards your are voting for and which ones you are simply commenting on.
  4. Design team members will not be voting, so if you do not like their designs and you all vote for something else, we will not win (which is fine).

To help with your decisions, this link will give you some background about Morglen:

http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2011/sep/1/community-set-morglen-summary/

Alright, here we go. Take a look at these card designs and vote for your favorites.


Green Cards User designs

Sorok Explorer by IronHead
Design Team comments and suggestions:

So with this card we felt like the design was really simple and nice, but most of all, needed. We are a little light on mana fixing, so this guy could be a nice add. The only problem we had with this card is that the name has Sorok in it. At this point in the story the shards are 5 mini planes that cannot get to each other, so we need to change the name.
Sacrifice to Nature by LordofStensia
Design Team comments and suggestions:

We liked this card a lot. It felt like a take on Harrow. We liked the idea better if the lands came in untapped, but that may be pushing it. I mean with Birds of Paradise and a Viridian Emissary to sac to this you could have 9 mana at the beginning of turn 5, or more actually. So maybe into play tapped it fair. You guys talk it our. Another thing about this card is the name. Having "Sacrifice" in the name makes the textbox look confusing, because you have to sacrifice something for this card.
Needlebark Stalker by Thedren_The_Inquisitor
Design Team comments and suggestions:

Simple, good, moving on.
Zyanth'l's Corpse Hound by hazzaismyname
Design Team comments and suggestions:

Again simple, good, moving on.
Hunger by zandl
Design Team comments and suggestions:

A cute simple and powerful design. It may need to be +1/+1 or +2/+2 just because of the trample aspect. But very good.

Green Cards Design Team designs
Because of the aforementioned real life delays the design team only has two submissions this time.

Green/White Cards User designs

Fierce Centaur by IronHead
Design Team comments and suggestions:

Very clean french vanilla design. Very appropriate here.
Broadening Horizons by Dritz
Design Team comments and suggestions:

Very nice aura. It almost makes the above card. I think we all liked it, but it might be pushed at this cost. It possibly needs an increase in cost or one less ability. Increase in cost should do it though.
Ambassador of the Submissive by Jarrod_0067
Design Team comments and suggestions:

I have the silliest issue with this card. The name is about to characters too long. I can't stand it when the text gets squished. I think we can all get over that, but I am just saying. Otherwise, fine design.
Woodlands Mage by JamesHughes
Design Team comments and suggestions:

The ability should likely require the creature to tap. In green a repeatable ability like gaining life equal to the number of lands you control is pretty hardcore. It might even need an ability cost increase or have it be half the lands you control. But for sure it needs to tap.
Flow of Energy by dude1818
Design Team comments and suggestions:

I think we reworded this significantly before posting it. We tried to keep it doing what it was supposed to do. Wording may still be wrong. The cost could maybe decrease. You will usually not gain more than 3-5 life with this. The name may need a change as well. "Flow" is kinda the Irindu thing, which also has green. Don't want to confuse people.

Green/White Cards Design Team designs
Because of the aforementioned real life delays the design team only has two submissions this time.


All votes must be submitted in the comments below by midnight EST on Tuesday, June 26th, 2012.

This article is a follow-up to Card Design Challenge (mono green and white/green) The next article in this series is Card Design Challenge (common lands)

LordofStensia says... #1

Votes:

Mono-green: Sprawling Cover (I would vote for my own but, whatever)

White-Green: Broadening Horizons (with an increased CMC of at least 1, ideally 2)


My submission's name, Sacrifice to Nature, could be changed to Offerings to Nature. Now that I think of it that actually sounds better regardless of the text.

June 21, 2012 10:19 a.m.

squire1 says... #2

you can vote for your own if you wish

June 21, 2012 10:42 a.m.

IronHead says... #3

Facepalm Sorok explorer should be named Morglen Explorer.

June 21, 2012 11:04 a.m.

enril says... #4

Votes:Sacrifice to Nature by LordofStensiaGrinja Warrior by Design Team

Comments:

**

Mono-green

My choice was between Sorok Explorer and Sacrifice to Nature.

Sorok Explorer seems more powerful (a bit o/p?) than Sacrifice to Nature (at least outside of standard where he can fetch almost any dual land).

Sacrifice to Nature has good synergies with memento and any leave play effects. I agree that the lands should come into play tapped.

Comparing with Harrow: Harrow always removes a mana source (the land) when you play it but StN might even add another (Viridian Emissary Eg) so comes into play tapped seems necessary for balance.

As for the name, I am thinking something like Tribute to Nature or Tharin'l Ritual or Tribute to Growth

**

Grinja Warrior also seems to get too big too fast? Its pretty good aggro as a 2-drop. With a turn 3 Lingering souls, you got a 4/5 hitting already. I like the concept and synergy of the card but I am worried that it might be o/p. Not sure though.

Fierce Centaur is pretty nice except I think it should be 4/4?

Broadening Horizons should definitely cost more.

**

Thats about my 2cents worth. Hope it helps. (:

June 21, 2012 11:46 a.m.

Nightmist says... #5

Vote: Needlebark Stalker

Comment: Very balanced card. I like this a lot.

Vote: Broadening Horizons

Comment: Increase the cost to 1GW, GWW or GGW. Other than that I think it has potential.

June 21, 2012 11:52 a.m.

JamesHughes says... #6

I know i meant to make it tap, I just don't remember if I put T on the page...

But, I definitely vote for broadening horizons. Might I suggest one more colorles mana in the cost, and/or the creature has to be green, white or both to get the +1/+1 counters?

June 21, 2012 12:28 p.m.

squire1 says... #7

I actually like that. What do people think of broadening horizons staying the same cost but have this as the text?

Enchant creature

If enchanted creature is white, it has vigilance.

If enchanted creature is green, it has trample.

If enchanted creature is green and white, it has "At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature."

June 21, 2012 12:58 p.m.

theburchman says... #8

Sorok explorer is very pushed and should either only fetch basics or be a 0/1. Sakura tribe elder is too good in R&D's opinion.

The Walking loam also seems very pushed. Like 2 mana isn't a lot. I'd expect the top 5 cards in almost any deck to have lands and so milling them off in a synergistic way (dredge/Life from the loam) and then ramping twice for two mana seems borked. Also fetchlands make it retarded. Maybe only return basics, or make it cost more.

The Woodlands Mage would destroy draft. Look at Elder of Laurels , a rare that is great in draft, but gives less bonus P/T than this thing will in the average game, this thing costs less to activate, and can sit there and gain you life if you need to.

June 21, 2012 4:14 p.m.

theburchman says... #9

Sacrifice to nature is basically this card. Primal Growth

June 21, 2012 4:34 p.m.

Dritz says... #10

Votes:

Hunger

zandl

I always like Giant Growth and fresh and different takes on that seem good to me, this is also a rarity higher than Giant Growth so it giving trample as well doesn't seem bad to me.

If people disagree then making it a Sorcery wouldn't necessarily nerf this card because you are likely going to use this on the attack anyway and it gives trample which makes up for the fact that they would prefer to chump your boosted creature.

Broadening Horizons

Dritz

Yep, voting for my own card again, I'm glad to see people are discussing it. :) Any iteration costing one more or squire1 's design above are just fine with me.

I tried to push its power because it costs both colors and Auras are traditionally very susceptible to removal. Raising its costs or putting conditions on its abilities is fine with me though. I mean, it is just an uncommon.

On the flip side of that, I feel that if the cost is raised to 4 that the card won't get played because you will have to wait a long time to get anything out of the third ability.

June 21, 2012 4:40 p.m.

squire1 says... #11

At theburchman. While I agree with some of your points. You don't accomplish much by not voting. It is like not voting for a presidential candidate but saying how you hate his opponent. No real point to that.

June 21, 2012 5:34 p.m.

hazzaismyname says... #12

I agree sorok should be weakened a little. but i think i will go for

hunger

and Ambassador of the submissive. If you have an issue with the length you can change it to ambassador of the meek, or ambassador of the servile

June 21, 2012 11:56 p.m.

zandl says... #13

At least on my browser (Chome), the images of all the user-submitted cards are far too small for me to read. The design team's entries are fine, though.

June 22, 2012 12:52 p.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #14

Mono-Green Vote: Sacrifice to Nature. Like everyone else, it think its name should probably be changed to Tribute to Nature or something like that. Also, as it stands now with the lands coming into play tapped, it seems a little under powered. I may suggest making it cost 3G and having the lands come into play untapped, or making it an instant and keeping the lands coming into play tapped - that way you can respond to a removal spell or after you block so that you lose less value for your sacrificed creature. Though I would tend to just raise its cost to 3G.

Green-White Vote: Broadening Horizons. Its cost should probably be raised to 1GW. I think 2GW would probably be too much because its an aura.

June 22, 2012 3:41 p.m.

JamesHughes says... #15

zandl right click the images and select Open in new Window. Then they're normal sized. Ps. Thanks squire1 , i like that idea too XD

June 22, 2012 7:05 p.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #16

@ squire1 - So the creature would only get vigilance if it was white and trample if it was green and only get +1/+1 counters if it was both green and white? If that's what you meant, it seems kind of underpowered.

If you didn't want to change the mana cost, you could maybe have it read:

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature has "At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on enchanted creature."

If enchanted creature is green, it has trample.

If enchanted creature is white, it has vigilance.

Or something like that. That way it's never a dud, and can be more use in a three color deck and doesn't have to be on a green-white creature just to be any good. Just throwing it out there, of course.

June 22, 2012 8:10 p.m.

Dritz says... #17

FlavorfulSages idea sounds the best to me if my original iteration is considered overpowered. I just want to point out that Auras require you to have a creature already, cost you a card and let you get 2 for 1ed really simply which is why I tried to cost it aggressively.

June 22, 2012 8:25 p.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #18

I think Dritz has a good point about auras. I'm a fan of keeping the card with all its abilities intact and maybe just raising the cost up to 1GW. Just look at Armadillo Cloak . Broadening Horizons has a potentially bigger up-side and that's why it fits well as an uncommon - I think 1GW would be a good cost if GW seems potentially broken.

June 22, 2012 8:45 p.m.

squire1 says... #19

Points well taken and I may agree now. A bit more.

June 22, 2012 10:27 p.m.

squire1 says... #20

As for the images. Idk why. I will ask boss man. They are all odes for the same dimensions.

June 22, 2012 10:29 p.m.

zandl says... #21

Huh. Yeah. They still appear really small on this page, but opening each individually makes them larger. Weird.

Anyways, my votes are for Hunger and Fierce Centaur.

I suppose Hunger's token bonus could be lowered to +2/+2 and trample if it's found to be too powerful. I just don't want it to be a Sorcery since Sorcery-speed combat tricks... aren't.

I like Fierce Centaur the most by default. The rest of the multicolored cards mostly feel over-powered IMO except for Terra Healer, which I feel would just be one of those cards that's last in a draft.

The rest of the Green cards feel over-powered to me, as well. A 3/3 Shroud for 3 that comes back when it dies? Rare. Rampant Growth on a creature (that finds Shock-lands, mind you) with no drawback (like Sakura-Tribe Elder )? Rare, if it would even be printed. The Vigilance/Memento creature doesn't seem strong enough for an Uncommon slot, especially when a better keyword, Shroud, is found with Memento on a stronger, cheaper creature. Sacrifice to Nature seems more balanced, but I think it might make Morglen too fast. Turn-1 thing, Turn-2 Memento dude with some Memento-triggered thing, Turn-3 swing, this, Memento, and +2 lands, Turn-4 Bomb that should've been Turn-6, but now even with Memento dudes.

P.S. Hunger's rules text should be fixed to "end of turn" instead of "end of that".

June 23, 2012 12:57 p.m.

IronHead says... #22

I agree my explorer is too strong. For green I vote Hunger and for Green/White I vote for Fierce Centaur.

June 23, 2012 1:07 p.m.

dude1818 says... #23

For green, I vote Sorok Explorer aka Morglen Explorer. That's a very important ability, especially in a multicolor set. It may need to specify basic land, though.

For green/white, I vote Flow of Energy. Maybe call it Cycle of Energy? FWIW, I spent a while trying to template it properly. The way it's said here will rarely do anything. You create a regeneration shield prior to damage being dealt. The way i said it ("Regenerate target creature. When that creature regenerates this turn, you gain life equal to the damage removed from it."), it does two things: 1) create a regeneration shield, and 2) create a triggered ability that triggers when the shield is activated. The triggered ability causes you to gain life equal to the damage dealt to the creature, e.g. if I chump-block a 7/7 with my 2/2, I would gain 7 life.

June 23, 2012 2:04 p.m.

squire1 says... #24

I do apologize that we changed it that way. If we changed the functionality. That was not our intention. We wanted it to do what you said but the wording sounded clunky. I don't know of any card that has an effect like this. We liked the idea, but talking about damage removed from it may confuse some players though that is what happens. I hate that regeneration is a pre shield thing now. Why can they make it a replacement effect or something.

June 23, 2012 2:54 p.m.

If I may vote for my own card, I say Needlebark Stalker in the mono green color, but for the green white I choose Ambassador of the Submissive, on the conditions that the name is changed to Ambassador of the Meek, and that it generates two tokens instead of the three, three tokens and a body is entirely two powerful for an uncommon

June 25, 2012 2:26 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #26

I don't see Ambassador of the Submissive as being overpowered at all for an uncommon, in fact I think if anything it might be just slightly underpowered. For example it only puts 4 power and 5 toughness on the board for 4 mana, and two colors, with no other abilities. Cloudgoat Ranger is a mono colored card at uncommon and puts three tokens on the board for a total of 6 power and 6 toughness (yes it does cost 1CMC more but it's also mono colored) plus it has a relevant ability. If anything I think Ambassador could use an additional ability, or be a 2/2 at the very least. That's just my take on it.

June 25, 2012 11:41 a.m.

zandl says... #27

I hate the argument that a card being multicolored means it's harder to cast and, therefore, should cost less.

Because unless you're casting Last Stand , two colors easy very easy to come by in every format.

If anything, a card being multicolored makes it stronger because people will assume it should cost less to cast, when in reality, the spell is stronger than a mono-colored counterpart.

This is all in generalization, of course, but you get the picture.

June 25, 2012 12:53 p.m.

Jarrod_0067 says... #28

guys guys guys! Think of it as an all-in Lingering Souls , without the flying

June 25, 2012 1:01 p.m.

zandl says... #29

But Lingering Souls is probably the closest thing to broken in Standard right now. They put an enemy-colored Flashback cost on it and thought it would be okay. Then it took about 2 weeks for it to be banned in Block Constructed and find a home in Legacy decks.

June 25, 2012 1:07 p.m.

zandl says... #30

Ambassador of the Submissive is also fine as an Uncommon. Making it a 2/2 would be 5 power for 4 mana. It's already 4 power, 4 bodies, 4 creature ETB triggers, and sacrifice-effects fodder.

June 25, 2012 1:11 p.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #31

Multi colored cards should, in general, cost a little less, or be a little more powerful, or do somthing that a single color cannot do on its own, not only becouse it is sometimes harder to cast but also becouse it further restricts the kinds of decks it can go into. Cloudgoat Ranger only costs 1CMC more and has a good ability, plus puts 2 more power and 1 more toughness on the board and can be more easily played in more decks than Ambassidor plus a mono white deck. That seems to me like an awful lot to gain for just 1CMC more. It's just one reference, but I think it's a relevant comparison. There has to be some extra benifit to playing a multi colored card or else there would be little point in playing it over mono colored cards. It takes more work, so you should get more reword.

June 25, 2012 4:07 p.m.

sprawling cover is simply amazing and broadening horizons is really cool too

June 25, 2012 7:16 p.m.

Think of it as 5 elvish bodies that have very real and a very large impact with tribal effects, true Lingering Souls make spirits and Cloudgoat Ranger make kithkin, but elves is a major tribe and anything that makes a lot of them for a cheap cost can become immensely powerful... Imagine if you will, If Lingering Souls costed 2U and flashed back for 1W and created 2/2 blue merfolk... INSANELY overpowered card because of their creature typing. Adding Ambassador of the Submissive, plus Elvish Archdruid and Joraga Warcaller slightly too good my dear people,

June 26, 2012 5:31 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #34

Creature type should definitely be taken into account with regards to power and cost. However, you bring up a question that I think needs answering. How far back are we looking to balance the cards? Block, Standard, (extended), modern, legacy? I think we should only really attempt to balance as far as standard, because anything more than that becomes much much harder and because I think that any farther than that and we get only deminishing returns. I'm not saying we shouldn't use older cards as reference but that we can't possibly take into account the possible interactions a card might have with every other card made - wizards has a hard enough time with it let alone us. So if we are balancing as far back as standard then that effects the power and cost of certain cards differently than if we are balancing farther back, like elves. Like I said, I vote for standard or block, but either way I think we just need to come to an answer.

June 26, 2012 8:16 a.m.

squire1 says... #35

We will be playtesting in all formats

June 26, 2012 9:28 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #36

That's certainly ambitious. In that case, since we are taking into account all cards, I am more likely to agree with Thedren_The_Inquisitor's position, that because they are elves, it makes them more powerful. I was operating under the assumption that the cards where only being balanced for block or standard purposes, especialy because I'm more a fan of Limited formats than anything. So it's good I asked.

I might suggest changing the token type to soldier or some other less tribal type and then slightly boost the power of the card, and or give it an interesting ability. Or even have it produce only 2 elf tokens and then give it an interesting ability. As it stands now I think it is a little uninteresting and underwhelming in block or limited and maybe too good in extended formats which obviously isn't a good combination. I feel like the addition of some relevant, flavorful and interesting ability could really help it.

June 26, 2012 11:55 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #37

Just wanted to clarify that I didn't mean that Ambassador is a boring card or a poor design. I think its a good design with an interesting and flavorful concept and that it might just need some fine tuning, as do most designs.

June 26, 2012 5:02 p.m.

Jarrod_0067 says... #38

Okay, I suggest:

2 elf tokens, tokens have vigilance?

June 27, 2012 1:55 a.m.

enril says... #39

For Ambassador of the Meek:3 0/2 G/W Elf Soldier Tokens with Deathtouch?

June 27, 2012 6:41 a.m.

zandl says... #40

@enril: Mythics aren't being suggested in this topic.

June 27, 2012 6:44 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #41

I like Jarrod_0067's suggestion of 2 tokens and an ability that gives your creature tokens vigilance. The abillity is very flaverful, and because it acts on tokens and not elves, it has more relevance and flavor in block and limited. It could also be a nice "build around me" card.

June 27, 2012 9:56 a.m.

enril says... #42

@zandl: well i thought we were saying that the card was underpowered. since the block doesnt have that many pump spells. dropping 3 0/2 tokens isnt exactly mythic right? at most rare. :P but i get what you mean, rethought about it, seems too strong.

anyone interested in judgement's if its in graveyard ability? (not sure if this is in theme but just putting it out there.)e.g. As long as Ambassador of the Meek is in your graveyard and you control a nontoken elf creature, creature tokens you control gain vigilance.

June 27, 2012 10:01 p.m.

Dritz says... #43

@enril I think that the functioning from the graveyard ability could be a cool addition but I don't think that sort of ability has been on any card used thus far and is hardly an evergreen ability. If people think that it by itself would be a cool one card only dose of flavour then I could certainly agree with that.

About Broadening Horizon's power level one last time. M13 is releasing a cycle of equipment that give an ability and have the same Upkeep=+1/+1 counter abilty as the enchantment I made but conditioned to a single color.

(Ring of Xathrid , Ring of Valkas , Ring of Thune , Ring of Kalonia , and Ring of Evos Isle )

I think that compared to those, which were described in a Wizards article as something likely to mostly see play in limited the cost and an unconditional giving of counters ( as the tradeoff for costing two colors and not being able to be passed around like the Rings can be ) aren't overbearing for what it does.

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/li/199

I'll shut up about my card now. :P haha

Back to Ambassador of the Submissive. I think that given that giving elves another way to spam the field with lots of little elves might be too strong in and of itself. Things like Joraga Warcaller , Heritage Druid and Priest of Titania are amazingly powerful with many little elves. Even if you just combine the card with Elvish Archdruid you get a massive boost in elf centric mana and a little horde of boosted beasties. Making the tokens fewer or giving them defender or some other draw back and I think it would be a very cool and flavorful card without being ludicrously powerful with any sort of Elf tribal support.

I would also like to point out that the colors for Ambassador of the Submissive also fits into Rhys the Redeemed EDH and seems like it would be pretty good there. Maybe I'm wrong though. :P

/random rant. :P

June 27, 2012 10:45 p.m.

Jarrod_0067 says... #44

Isn't Elvish Promenade more powerful? And also at uncommon?

June 27, 2012 11:30 p.m.

Dritz says... #45

@jarrod_0067

While it is true that Elvish Promenade can be vastly more powerful there is also the possiblity of it doing nothing after a Wrath effect. While that hardly makes it fair at least there is a modicum of drawback. This gives you a solid amount of elves guaranteed which is a benefit in and of itself. Your point is decidedly valid though.

June 28, 2012 12:13 a.m.

Dritz says... #46

Derp, Jarrod_0067 Sorry about that.

June 28, 2012 12:13 a.m.

FlavorfulSage says... #47

Hunting Triad puts 3 elf tokens into play, costs 4CMC and is uncommon. If Ambassidor put 2 tokens into play plus gave your tokens vigilance, (while on the field) it would be slightly more powerful than Hunting Triad but it also should be. It not only costs another colored mana to play, it costs a different color. In that case it isn't strictly better than Hunting Triad because its casting cost prevents it from being played in a deck more than Hunting Triad and it takes more work. Hunting Triad also has a second ability.

June 28, 2012 8:33 a.m.

Dritz says... #48

Fair enough, I withdraw my point.

June 28, 2012 8:39 a.m.

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