Pattern Recognition #299 - White Commons

Features Opinion Pattern Recognition

berryjon

5 October 2023

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Good day everyone! My name is berryjon, and I welcome you all to Pattern Recognition, TappedOut's longest running article series. I am something of an Old Fogey and a definite Smart Ass, and I have been around the block quite a few times. My experience is quite broad and deep, and so I use this series to try and bring some of that to you. Be it deck design, card construction, mechanics or in-universe characters and the history of the game. Or whatever happens to catch my attention each week. Which happens far more often than I care to admit. Please, feel free to talk about my subject matter in the comments at the bottom of the page, add suggestions or just plain correct me.

Good morning, or whatever time it is when you read this! Today, as foreshadowed by last week's article, I will be going back to my set-in-development of Solle: The Rising Sun and finish rounding out the Commons.

Now, for those of you who haven't caught up with this, this is a long-term project of mine as part of this series, to put all of my comments about card and set design and good and bad design to the test and to create a working Standard Legal set. And because there is little in the way of making auto-threading of articles in multiple ways, I focus on the larger PR series. Therefore I have to manually insert links to the previous works. To that end, in order of more recent to the oldest:

The Commons
The Commons
The Commons
The Commons
Legendary Rares, Part 3
Legendary Rares, Part 2
Rare Tribal Lands and the First Legend
Solle Bible, Setting and Goals
Core Mechanics for the Set
Color Distribution for the Set
The Tribes of Solle
The Themes of Solle
Basic Set Design Concepts
The Besics of Set Design

Woof, that's a lot. And honestly, I don't blame you one bit if your eyes gloss over. Now, some of you may be wondering how the recently announced Thunder Run set is going to affect this, and for now, I'm not worried. I'll talk about that next time when I do an overview of what I've done so far, and how things have changed due to your feedback. I love feedback! Discussion makes me happy!

Anyway, the White Commons. , like is pretty heavy on the creatures, and the creature support, while at the same time, is less focused on Green's Instants and Sorceries. Instead, they work more on the angle of Enchantments at this point. With that in mind, here is how the colour is going to shake out in terms of allotment:

CW01 - Creature     CW12 - Creature     
CW02 - Creature     CW13 - Enchantment 
CW03 - Creature     CW14 - Enchantment 
CW04 - Creature     CW15 - Enchantment 
CW05 - Creature     CW16 - Instant
CW06 - Creature     CW17 - Instant
CW07 - Creature     CW18 - Instant
CW08 - Creature     CW19 - Sorcery
CW09 - Creature     CW20 - Sorcery
CW10 - Creature     CW21 - Sorcery
CW11 - Creature

12 creatures is a good thing for me, as it means I can have 4 of each for my two mechanics in this colour, Explore for the Scout tribe, and Renown for the Nobles. The other four, well, has no lack of reliable and proper creatures at this point that I can draw inspiration from.

Diving Hawk
Creature - Bird
Flying
While it is your turn, Diving Hawk has First Strike.
"You should be wary of what goes up, child." - Alba Taedere
1/1

The inclusion of the conditional First Strike is something that Wizards has done before at this rarity, and will do again. This card is a definite downgrade from Battlefield Raptor, so it's within reach of this level of play without issue. I could still make it a 2/1 for , but that seems excessive at this point in time.

Venerable Monk
Creature - Human Cleric Monk
When Venerable Monk enters the Battlefield, you gain 2 life.
"Wherever we go, we bring our faith with us."
2/2

This Reprint is an easy card to slot in as lifegain on ETB is standard issue, and Cleric is a supported - but not in this set - tribe. Which means that in the end, I feel no regrets about this reprint. It's also an alternate for the 2/2 Lifelink creature that could be here at this point.

Advancing Guard
Creature - Kor Soldier
They patrol the roads, the paths and pretty much everywhere else they can.
3/1

This set's Vanilla creature is another reprint. Or rather, a functional one. Unlike , the Bear of White is a 3/1 and not a 2/2, meaning to me that this is another safe include in the set. Honestly, it's not someone's first pick in a draft environment, but 3 power is a threat on an otherwise empty board.

Distracting Horn-Stomper
Creature - Dinosaur
Whenever Distracting Horn-Stomper attacks, tap target creature an opponent controls.
_"Hualti, why did you do that?!?"
"Because it was funny!" - Saheeli and Hualti.
2/3

I think the P/T on this guy may be too low, but this ability is quite fine for an MV4 creature. And it's a dinosaur, so you can't go wrong with that!

As a reminder for the next set, the creatures with the Scout Subtype get the Explore Mechanic, and I want to compliment without invalidating the cards with the same mechanic in . Which shouldn't be too hard, right?

Clifftop Watcher
- Creature - Human Scout
Vigilance
When Clifftop Watcher enters the Battlefield, it Explores.
"It's beautiful up here. The view alone was worth the journey."
1/2

Perhaps a little underpowered, as you can get a Keyword Soup at Uncommon - see Aerial Responder. I think a conditional 2/3 Vigilance for this cost, or an extra land could be a good trade, but again, I'm not totally convinced of that. This may require more extensive testing or feedback.

High-Gale Winddrifter
Creature - Dinosaur Scout
Flying
When this creature enters the battlefield, it Explores.
"Wherever they go, I know we can find the way."
2/2

Another mid-range aggro card for the color, with evasion. 2/2 or 3/3 is still pretty viable. Being a Dinosaur Scout is a question on my end, but again, Dinosaurs are Cool.

Skullshield Guard
Creature - Human Scout
When this creature enters the battlefield, it Explores.
: Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control. That creature gains Indestructible until the end of the turn.
"A head this big? Can block a lot of things. Mostly."
1/1

This one starts to use all those +1/+1 counters these colors are getting, and while I thought about it, I figured this was pretty much the safest way to remove them that wasn't casting Disenchant on something. Because there are a surprising amount of creatures in this colour that you can sacrifice to do that. I was also tempted to make this creature a 0/0, but didn't want to risk confusion or bad plays at common. That's what Uncommon is for!

Flatlands Scout
Creature - Kor Scout
When this creature enters the Battlefield, Explore, Explore.
"I can see forever here, and yet I know there is always more to see. Why not come with me?"
3/3

If there is a Common White creature I can cut and replace without hesitation, it's this guy. But I do, at some point, want to reinforce that you can Explore multiple times on the same creature. I'm surprised I didn't do it over with my commons, but hey, it's a long project in the works.

Now, for the next four, Renown is the relevant mechanic, and is attached to the Noble creature type. Renown happens when the creature deals combat damage to a player, and adds N +1/+1 counters on contact.

Bannerless High-Born
Creature - Human Noble
First Strike
Renown 1
"When he raises his sigil high, he will have the recognition of his parents." - Alba Taedere
2/3

First Strike is common enough at this level, and it's a slight tweak from Stalwart Aven. I can't argue with this, though I just wish I could have justified reprinting Topan Freeblade to reuse that gorgeous art. Also, she's a Soldier, not a Noble.

Alms-Giving Hierarch
Creature - Kor Noble
Renown 1
While this creature has a +1/+1 counter on it, it has Lifelink.
"It is our duty and our blessing to give to those with less fortune than us."
1/1

A 2/2 with Lifelink for this mana cost is already acceptable at common, so I'm just cheating a little and incorporating the Renown Mechanic to go with it.

Suncrowned Second Son
Creature - Human Noble
Renown 2
"Lo there, do I go before thee, o'father.
Lo there, do I go before thee, o'brother.
To the end, where I will wait for all."
4/4

Large relatively vanilla creature that gets bigger when it hits. Nothing impressive here at all, so improvements can be implemented.

Stoneshield Guardian
Creature - Human Noble
Renown 1
While this creature is Renowned, if a source would deal damage to it, prevent 1 of that damage.
"This shield has seen Solle through thick and thin. It'll do me just fine."
2/2

I'm not sure if I want this card here or at uncommon - or as an artifact. But for now, it goes here, a nice blocker with a minor bit of damage reduction.

For the Enchantments, while I have three slots available to me, My research indicates that they tend to be pretty much the same in all sets. One Pacifism effect, one Aura that makes the creature bigger (with some caveats) and a set-mechanic Enchantment. So this should actually be pretty easy!

Pacifism
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block.
"No! Do not tempt me from my oaths! Now leave me."

In fact, why not start with a classic reprint? Nothing wrong with this at all!

Light Footfalls
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted Creature gets +1/+1 and has ": This Creature cannot be blocked by target Creature this turn."
"Hah! You didn't hear me coming, and neither will they!"

Doesn't have Flash, so that's kinda OK? And this isn't actually unblockable, it just removes one creature from blocking the enchanted creature. That's what multiple creatures are for, right? Right!

Seeing Further
Enchantment
The first time a creature you control gets one or more +1/+1 counters on it each turn, Scry 1.
: Scry 2.

No quote here, not sure what to write. But this card is a support card for the side of things in terms of providing some small degree of benefit aside from just the counters themselves. Now, I absolutely can turn the Scry 1 into Scry X, where X is the number of counters put on that creature, but I wanted some degree of feedback first.

Instants and Sorceries are also pretty well established at this complexity. The only real limitation I need to adhere to at this point is to not have cards that have multiple targets. Now, while I have 3 Instants and 3 Sorceries flagged for this section, I could just as easily do 2-4 or 4-2 without concern. So for now, let's just stick to an even split and see where we go from there.

Revitialize
Instant
You gain 3 life.
Draw a card.
"Good food, good drink, good friends! What more could you ask for?"

Kill Shot
Instant
Destroy target attacking creature.
"Listen. Feel. Wait for the right moment. Then strike."

Inspired Charge
Instant
Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn.
"FOR SOLLE!" - Alba Taedere.

And you know what, try as I might, I couldn't really justify not putting in more reprints here. These are all solid choices, they represent a variety of options for at this rarity, and nothing too complicated is here.

Summon the Guards
Sorcery
Create two 1/1 white Soldier tokens.
"Did you think I was alone?" - Davriel Cane

Not quite Captain's Call, but this is a little cheaper. And token generation is pretty reliable, all things considered.

Out of the Wilderness
Sorcery
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the Battlefield. Put a +1/+1 counter on it.
"How brave of you, good hero. To survive the wilds of this place is an adventure in of itself."

Another developing staple for White, the Resurrection at common, often with an upside! Well, in this case, it's a +1/+1 counter because that's what is doing this set. And themed as some poor schmuck staggering out of the woods, not yet dead, but stronger for the experience.

Fuse to Stone
Sorcery
Exile target Creature.
"Horrible, horrible way to die. No chance to save yourself."

And lastly, we get a slightly over-priced single target removal effect. Given that the usual cost is , I'm thinking that this will either be paired with 's mana acceleration, or a capper to 's control. I could drop the cost if feedback suggests it.

And that is that. 21 new cards. Well, for the set. I feel like I was heavily leaning into reprints this time, but that's alright. I had to do a lot of new stuff for the creautures here.

I am looking forward to your feedback and suggestions, that's for sure. But for now, here is the status of the set;

I will have to do the Artifacts and lands next time, then take a break and give a Commons retrospective, including major changes over time. Still plenty of work to do, that's for sure. I'm just doing this myself, and these are meant to be done in teams over the course of 18-24 months!

Thank you all, and join me next week when I talk about something else. It'll be the Big 300! Woo! Internet Cookies for everyone!

Until then please consider donating to my Pattern Recognition Patreon. Yeah, I have a job, but more income is always better. I still have plans to do a audio Pattern Recognition at some point, or perhaps a Twitch stream. And you can bribe your way to the front of the line to have your questions, comments and observations answered!