Khalim, Master of Many

Custom Cards forum

Posted on March 14, 2017, 3:29 p.m. by DemonDragonJ

Some time ago, I had an idea to make cards that became more powerful if a player controlled a certain permanent, so I spent time refining that idea, and I produced a legendary creature who has several signature spells, which are acceptable on their own, but become much more powerful if their creator is present (symbolizing from a flavor perspective that the creator can cast their own spells much more effectively than can another mage).

The creator of this spells is mage named Khalim, who became bored of studying only one form of magic and traveled far and wide to learn many different styles of magic, eventually devising his own signature spells. I have not developed a more detailed backstory for Khalim than that, but I do not need to do so, at the present time. Due to his many years of studying, Khalim has devised a spell of each color, and they are as follows:

Khalim's Anger Show

This card takes inspiration from Urza's Rage, Sizzle, and Pyroclasm, dealing a greater amount of damage, which becomes unpreventable, if Khalim is present.

Khalim's Might Show

Without Kahlim, this card is strictly worse than Overrun, although I did make its casting cost less strict to balance that. However, with Khalim, it becomes strictly better than overrun. I know that menace is usually associated with black and red creatures, but I believe that it makes sense from a flavor perspective in this case, especially considering that Bellowing Tanglewurm gives green creatures intimidate.

Khalim's Spite Show

This card is modeled after Wit's End, but with both a lower, albeit stricter, mana cost, as well as additional effects, since I believe that that card is simply too expensive for too little of an effect.

Khalim's Valor Show

This card is intended to be a combat trick, akin to Aerial Maneuver, Call to Glory, Glorious Charge, Guardians' Pledge, Mighty Leap, Break of Day, Inspired Charge, Sanctified Charge, Show of Valor, Hold the Line, and so forth. Should there be an "untap all creatures that you control" clause, so that it can be used defensively as well as offensively?

Khalim's Will Show

Without Khalim, this card is exactly the same as Cancel, one of the worst counterspells in the game, but, with Khalim, it is better than Dismiss; with that being said, should I reduce the number of cards drawn to a specific number, such as one or two?

After seeing these cards, I imagine that the anticipation for Khalim himself must be very high, so, without further ado, here he is, in all of his glory:

Khalim, Master of Many Show

Khalim himself can find one of his own spells, so he naturally has great synergy with them. His having hexproof and prowess are indicators of his immense magical skill, but I knew that I would need to keep his power and toughness low to balance those abilities. His "draw and discard" ability represents his ability to find a new solution by abandoning a previous one.

What does everyone think about these cards? How well did I do with them? Do you have any suggestions for them?

DemonDragonJ says... #2

I spent much time devising the above cards, but I just now thought that Khalim should have some artifacts associated with him, as well, so here they are:

Khalim's Codex Show

Naturally, someone who has studied many different forms of magic would need to record everything that they have learned, so this book is where Khalim has stored all of the knowledge that he has acquired. Without Khalim, this card is no different from Jayemdae Tome, but, with him, it is better than the tome.

Khalim's Crystal Ball Show

This card is to help a player cast Khalim and his signature spells; without Khalim, it is simply identical to a Manalith but, with Khalim, it is vastly superior to that card. Both this card and the previous card are legendary to prevent a player from having multiple copies of them on the battlefield simultaneously, as doing so would make them too powerful. What does everyone think of the name of this card? I like it, but I am considering replacing the word "ball" with either "scepter" or "crown," because they sound cooler.

Khalim's Creation Show

This creature is intended to be a guardian for Khalim, so it naturally receives a bonus when he is on the battlefield. Unlike Kahlim, who focuses on strategy and tactics, his creation instead focuses on pure force and power, hence its abilities. Should it have higher base toughness and power, or is it acceptable as it is?

March 14, 2017 3:48 p.m.

DemonDragonJ says... #3

I forgot to mention this in my above post, but I think that Khalim would be too powerful if he could fetch his artifacts, so is it better that he cannot?

March 14, 2017 3:49 p.m.

Tk4890 says... #4

This idea feels like a cross between a more refined (read as powerful) form of the new planeswalker decks that wizards is releasing and the Helm of Kaldra, Shield of Kaldra and Sword of Kaldra. It certainly is interesting, try proxying it up and building a commander or something around it, if your playgroup accepts the idea.

March 14, 2017 4:20 p.m.

Boza says... #5

Several things:

  • The black one is by far the worst. Wit's End is a horrible magic card and adding some random bonus to it does not make it better. How about something like:

Khalim's spite
2BB
Choose two card types. Target opponent reveals their hand and discards up to 2 cards of the chosen type. If you control Khalim, that opponent loses life equal to number of cards of the chosen types in their graveyard.

  • Green one and white one scale with the number of creatures you control, which is not really flavorful I think for a lonely mage who travels to study magic.

  • How about green one - Choose any number of permanents or players, then add 1 counter on them of a type they already have. If you control Khalim, double the counters instead.

  • How about white one - Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield under your control. If you control Khalim, exile up to one creature an with power less than the ressurected resurrected creature.

March 15, 2017 4:32 a.m.

DemonDragonJ says... #6

Boza, I like the green and white card as they are, but I certainly would not object to adjusting Khalim's spite.

How is this idea?

Khalim's Spite Show

I reduced the overall mana cost of the card, but kept it as being the most color-intensive of the cards, and I changed its effect to hurt a player more severely.

What do you think of it, now?

March 26, 2017 10:27 p.m.

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