Design Thread: Finish an Incomplete Cycle
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Nov. 13, 2013, 1:50 p.m. by MinscAndBoo
Wizards like to do cycles--cards that implement a theme for each color, guild, etc. But they don't always finish them! For instance, we still need the other five one-drop hybrids that started in Return to Ravnica with Judge's Familiar , Slitherhead , etc. And what about the rest of the Thornscape Battlemage , Nightscape Battlemage , etc., cycle? The only wedge-color version we have is Ana Battlemage .
Or pick a shard such as Bant Charm : What would the wedge-color versions look like?
Or, pick a card that currently exists by itself--say, Followed Footsteps --and build a cycle around it!
My contribution: We have Morphling , AEtherling , Torchling and Thornling , Here's a vision of the black and white versions.
Lots more cycles need completing: Let's see your ideas!
Look very balance, for once I like to see well designed card that consider existing concept. I really like their abilities and are very colour-centric. It's just the name that I'm having a little issue with.
November 13, 2013 2:10 p.m.
One thing that annoyed me (and all my friends that happen to prefer guilds that got bumped into Gatecrash) was that they just killed off the hybrid 1 drop cycle (Dryad Militant , Judge's Familiar et cetera) and the uncounterable cycle (Slaughter Games , Loxodon Smiter et cetera). To that end I made up two cards off the top of my head to fill in the space for my preferred guild (I'll make up a few others if an idea occurs to me).
This one is pretty self explanatory. I avoided making it a 2/1 because having that many of those in Standard could get silly.
This one is a reference to Serra Avenger which is one of my favorite cards of all time. It picked up a little design inspiration from Spark Trooper in relation to Ball Lightning with a 1 cmc increase for adding lifelink while tacking on 'Can't be countered' for essentially free as the rest of the cycle did. Considering that Abrupt Decay and Loxodon Smiter as comparables I feel it isn't too overdone. :P
November 13, 2013 2:24 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #5
Would it sound better as Fury of the Gruul?
Secret Theft
1BUU
Sorcery
Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his graveyard until a land card is revealed. You may cast a sorcery or instant card from among them without paying its mana cost.
The Dimir learned of the Implicit Maze almost as fast as Miv-Mizzet himself.
November 13, 2013 2:33 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #6
Dammit, that should say "Secret Theft can't be countered."
Simic Predator
3GGBB
Creature- Beast Mutant
Simic Predator can't be countered.
Hexproof, trample
Remove a +1/+1 counter from target creature you control: Put 2 +1/+1 counters on Wilds.
4/3
November 13, 2013 3:13 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #7
Last one.
Devotion to the Council
2WWBB
Enchantment
Devotion the the Council can't be countered.
Whenever you cast a spell, each opponent loses 1 life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
The Obzedat requires absolute obedience forever.
November 13, 2013 3:20 p.m.
IAmKingTony says... #8
Trostani's Call | XGGWW
Sorcery (M)
Put a 3/3 green Centaur creature token onto the battlefield under your control, then populate X times.
November 13, 2013 3:49 p.m.
Well this isn't really an incomplete cycle but it is a cycle so I think it fits.
After seeing the 0 cost pacts and the zeniths I couldn't resist making something like this:
Rectify X
Instant
Rectify is Blue.
Use only Blue mana to pay X.
As an additional cost to cast Rectify pay 2 times X life.
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 2 times X.
Exile Rectify.
Frantic Bolt X
Instant
Frantic Bolt is Red.
Use only Red mana to pay X.
As an additional cost to cast Frantic Bolt pay 2 times X life.
Frantic Bolt Deals 2 times X damage to target creature or player.
Exile Frantic Bolt.
Mind Blast X
Instant
Mind Blast is Black.
Use only Black mana to pay X.
As an additional cost to cast Mind Blast pay X life.
Target player reveals his or her hand.
You choose up to X non-creature, non-land cards from it.
That player exiles those cards.
Exile Mind Blast.
Zealot's Prayer X
Instant
Zealot's Prayer is White.
Use only White mana to pay X.
As an additional cost to cast Zealot's Prayer pay 2 times X life.
Put X +1+1 counters on each creature you control.
Exile Zealot's Prayer.
Photosynthesis X
Photosynthesis is Green.
Use only Green mana to pay X.
As an additional cost to cast Photosynthesis pay 2 times X life.
Put 2 times X 1/1 Green Saproling tokens onto the battlefield.
Exile Photosynthesis.
November 13, 2013 4:10 p.m.
Syndicate Bully - B/W
Creature- Human Rogue
Extort
When Syndicate Bully attacks, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain life equal to the life lost this way.
He's after more than your lunch money
0/2
November 13, 2013 4:17 p.m.
Send into Eternity | 1WB
Instant (R)
Send into Eternity can't be countered.
Exile target nonland permanent.
Provoke Insanity | UB
Sorcery (R)
Provoke Insanity can't be countered.
Name a nonland card. Target opponent reveals his or her hand and discards all cards with that name. Draw a card for each card discarded this way.
Soulspark Angel | 2WRR
Creature - Angel (R)
Soulspark Angel can't be countered.
Flying, trample, haste
5/3
Ghor-Clan Behemoth | 3RG
Creature - Beast (R)
Ghor-Clan Behemoth can't be countered.
Bloodrush -- 2RG, Discard Ghor-Clan Mastyx: Target attacking creature gets +6/+6 until end of turn.
When you bloodrush Ghor-Clan Mastyx, you may put it onto the battlefield instead of into your graveyard.
6/6
Assimilation | 2GU
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Flash
Assimilation can't be countered.
You control enchanted creature.
November 13, 2013 6:07 p.m.
KrosanTusker says... #12
Send into Eternity is Vindicate but better!
Assimilation is Control Magic but better!
I do like Ghor-Clan Behemoth/Mastyx but surely the bloodrush would have to cost more than its mana cost because you get more stuff from it. Maybe as a 4/4, bloodrush for 7 or something?
November 14, 2013 6:12 a.m.
MinscAndBoo says... #13
Some really nice designs, guys! Love the uncounterables especially.
@GoldGhost012 The exclamation point in the card name is key. :)
@agGravity Thanks--you're right; some other names for the B version could be Graveling, Duskling, Ichorling...and for the W one, how about Godling, Cloudling (would need to add flying) or maybe Nornling.
@Dritz I agree, the hybrid one-drops were so cool and they dropped the ball on those! Nice Boros bros there :)
@IAmKingTony Love the "populate X times"! Wizards have said they wished they'd printed more token generators, and that one's awesome but also balanced.
@CW Powerful cards, would be interesting to see an X-spell cycle without an initiating color.
@Jp3ngu1nb0y Haha love the flavor text.
@emrakool Those are pretty busted, but so awesome. Maybe add 1 mana to the cost of each? Naaaah....
November 14, 2013 5:05 p.m.
megawurmple says... #14
For the hybrid cycle, how about this?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enforcer of Taxes
W/B
Lifelink, Extort
1/1
Money doesn't collect itself.
November 14, 2013 6:01 p.m.
megawurmple says... #16
Thanks, I thought the flavour text was quite good as well, which is really something given that most of my flavour texts are awful.
November 15, 2013 5:14 p.m.
megawurmple says... #18
KrosanTusker The cycle is cool, but the W kicker on the B/G/W Mage seems like a blue effect rather than a white one (see Wall of Frost etc.)
November 16, 2013 2:07 p.m.
KrosanTusker says... #19
Also see Kor Hookmaster , Entangling Trap and Ajani Vengeant , but I agree blue gets that more than white does.
November 16, 2013 5:29 p.m.
megawurmple says... #20
True, but on a card so centred on the advantages of different colours, I feel a more White ability would be a better fit.
November 16, 2013 6:14 p.m.
Warrior of the Code: (U/B)
1/1 Unblockable
Yeah, it's pretty uncreative but it plays to dimir's strategies.
Illusion of Power: UUB
Can't be countered by spells or abilities.
Counter target spell. If there are ten or more cards in your opponent's graveyard, copy that spell first, you may choose new target(s) for the copy.
(W/R)WR: Boros Recruiter: 3/2 First Strike Haste. Can't be countered. When Boros Recruiter enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 r/w solider token w haste onto the battlefield under your control.
GoldGhost012 says... #2
Starting on finishing up the RTR "can't be countered" cards.
Gruul Smash!
2GGRR
Sorcery
Gruul Smash! can't be countered.
Choose one or more: destroy target artifact; destroy target enchantment; or destroy target land.
The Gruul have no limitations of what they will smash.
November 13, 2013 2:05 p.m.