Ellen, the Generous

Custom Cards forum

Posted on Sept. 25, 2020, 11:29 p.m. by DemonDragonJ

I usually avoid being overtly political in games, but I do, on occasion, make bargains with other players, notably by agreeing to provide them with a benefit in exchange for them not making any hostile movies toward me, so I have decided to design a creature that works into such a strategy (plus, the name was too good of a pun to not make), and here is the result of my work.

Ellen, the Generous Show

Ellen, the Generous

Casting Cost:

Legendary Creature - human advisor

Power/Toughness: 2/2

Vigilance.

,,: target opponent chooses clue, food, or treasure, then creates a token of the chosen kind; creatures that that player controls cannot attack you or a planeswalker that you control this turn.

,: target opponent draws card, then you gain life equal to the number of cards in that player's hand; that player cannot cast spells this turn.

This card was partially inspired by Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer, in that it provides an opponent with a benefit but makes them unable to harm the player. She has vigilance so that she can attack and block, but still use her abilities.

What does everyone else think of this creature? Is she a good design?

RiotRunner789 says... #2

I feel the second ability is waaay too strong. For 2 mana, you basically lock someone out. Maybe if it was sorcery speed only or the ability read something along the lines of being unable to target you or spells or permanent you control until your next turn.

September 26, 2020 1:01 a.m.

Massacar says... #3

Additionally, the second ability could be reworked to be "target player can only cast spells on their turn" sort of effect.

September 26, 2020 9:56 a.m.

DemonDragonJ says... #4

Massacar, RiotRunner789, what if the ability made spells that that player casts be more expensive?

September 26, 2020 7:24 p.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #5

Maybe. You could also consider a one-sided Rule of Law effect. So they get the bonus of card draw but are limited on how it actually benefits them.

September 27, 2020 1:29 a.m.

DemonDragonJ says... #6

RiotRunner789, that is an interesting idea, but I first wish to experiment with making all spells more expensive, rather than limiting that player to a single spell, so here is my new version of the card:

Ellen, the Generous Show

Ellen, the Generous

Casting Cost:

Legendary Creature - human advisor

Power/Toughness: 2/2

Vigilance.

,,: target opponent chooses clue, food, or treasure, then creates a token of the chosen kind; creatures that that player controls cannot attack you or a planeswalker that you control this turn.

,: target opponent draws card, then you gain life equal to the number of cards in that player's hand; until end of turn, all spells that that player casts cost more to cast.

What do you think of this version of the creature?

September 27, 2020 8:48 a.m.

RiotRunner789 says... #7

I'd say that's still a powerful card without being broken or shutting down your opponent by itself.

Last idea I would have for it, at least to make it more EDH playable, would be to change "target opponent" to "any number of target opponents." This at least bumps the power level a bit but without denying everyone from casting spells. Though, if you do make the change, the life gain may need to be toned down a bit.

September 27, 2020 11:55 a.m.

Tzefick says... #8

It's definitely an interesting cards, but I must say that the most recent iteration's second ability still seems too powerful for just 2 mana, even if it grants the opponent a card draw.

It's a legendary creature at 3 CMC that is Esper colors. Most people dislike the additional costs that Grand Arbiter Augustin IV entails. Granted that is to all players and is passive and not active. However it being an active may actually be an upside because then it can be manipulated to basically lock out a player. What's the risk in giving them card draw, if they cannot cast anything?

Althought most single-target kill spells are instant speed, so you're still just making that player increase their chances to find one to kill the Advisor... There's a bit give-and-take / risk-vs-reward.

However consider cards like Aura of Dominion, ( Crab Umbra ), Freed from the Real, Pemmin's Aura, and Vigean Graftmage can relatively easily untap it.

For 5 mana and giving that opponent 2 card draws and gaining yourself a bunch of life, you make everything they cast cost more... That's pretty brutal in terms of taxing. And it can be your Commander. Factor in that the opponent wont play many cards - at least at sorcery speed - and you will be gaining increasingly more life for each activation, in Esper colors that could easily turn that life gain into kill pressure through Sanguine Bond, Vizkopa Guildmage, or Aetherflux Reservoir.

Thinking about it, it's not actually all that powerful (compared to many other things in Magic), but it REALLY would suck to be on the receiving end, especially in a color that either has very few instant speed cards or nothing effective to use it on. Being locked out of the game is an even worse gameplay experience than being killed - at least IMO.

---

May I suggest an alternative that is more flexible?

alternative Show

Ellen, the Generous

Legendary Creature - Human Advisor

Vigilance.

, : Target opponent chooses clue, food or treasure, then creates a token of the chosen kind. Until your next turn, creatures that player controls cannot attack you or planeswalkers you control.

, : Target opponent draws a card, then you gain life equal to the number of cards in that player's hand. Until your next turn, spells that player casts costs an additional to cast. That player may pay 2 life to pay for each of this cost.

2/2

---

This way you still get to tax them, but they can opt out by paying life. So you cannot lock people down, you can just make it very costly to cast spells - 4 life per spell is still quite a ratio for 2 mana and tapping a creature. Additionally in formats like Commander you cannot hinder players that early in the game, as most people are willing to pay the life to continue playing magic. I got rid of the timing perspective by simply stipulating a "Until your next turn." to increase the power of the ability - or rather decrease the power of instant speed versus this effect.

Overall I think this makes the card less problematic. It also more easily doubles as a way to drop people in life - rather efficiently might I add - than keeping people from playing.

It could be considered to make it a group hug effect that affects all players - including you. So you choose what hinders the table from round to round and what compensation you give. Since you control the activation, you can choose when to apply it so you are the least hindered by its effects. You can also delay the activation so other players might not be hindered and thus use it politically.

Anyway, food for thought.

October 12, 2020 11:07 a.m.