Vedalken Chronometer
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Dec. 10, 2023, 5:47 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
Since WotC has been printing more cards that have activated abilities that can be used only as sorceries, I have created this card:
Vedalken Chronometer Show
I modeled this card after Vedalken Orrery, and I had contemplated extending it effects to card in its controller's hand and graveyard, but I thought that that would make it too powerful (which does make me somewhat sad, since I dearly would like to be able to use Slimefoot and Squee's ability as an instant).
What does everyone else say about this card? Do you like it?
wallisface says... #3
I’d be costing this card as , as the ability fits squarely in Blues colour-pie, and i’m not sure its an effect you’d want to make colourless just because it’s soo blue.
There’s a lot of effects that are completely broken at instant-speed, but at 4 mana to get this card out, it’s less of an issue because most 1-v-1 games are coming to a close by the time this’d be played anyway. I imagine this would cause all sorts of problems in slower formats like commander though, so the casting cost might need to be if you’re respecting that format.
December 13, 2023 8:51 p.m.
wallisface I'm not sure that it's exclusively blue--it's definitely blue-something, but the cards that let you do something "any time you could cast an instant" are white and blue, for equipping and planeswalker loyalty abilities, respectively, and those colors plus green equal "as though it/they had flash" for another type of instant-speed-ness: Ride the Avalanche, Alchemist's Refuge, etc. There's just not a lot of precedent for this ability. I see the blue aspect, I'm just not sure blue-exclusive is the way to go.
Actually, going or might be okay, with heavier color requirements.
December 13, 2023 10:30 p.m.
wallisface says... #5
legendofa agreed 100%. I think the big takeaway is that it shouldn’t be colourless.
December 13, 2023 11:19 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #6
wallisface, if Vedalken Orrery is colorless, why would its equivalent for abilities need to have a color?
legendofa, why would this card need to be more expensive than Vedalken Orrery?
December 17, 2023 12:42 p.m.
wallisface says... #7
Vedalken Orrery is an old card with outdated philosophies. I’m not convinced it would be colourless if it were printed today.
December 17, 2023 12:48 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #8
wallisface, I see, and that make sense, but I am very glad that it is colorless, since I have it in every EDH deck of mine that does not contain blue.
December 17, 2023 12:50 p.m.
DemonDragonJ I expect a lot more potential abuse and weird corner cases coming from using sorcery-speed abilities at instant speed than casting spells at instant speed. There's less of a foundation to build on--it's pretty much only equipping and activating planeswalkers loyalty abilities that have "any time you may cast an instant" cards, and even then only one or two of each. I'm choosing to be cautious in my costing because the effect can potentially make games much more complicated and swingier.
December 17, 2023 1:05 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #10
legendofa, I see, so do you think that it would be better to alter this card so that it does not give its benefit to planeswalkers?
December 17, 2023 1:06 p.m.
wallisface says... #11
DemonDragonJ as worded, this card already doesn’t benefit planeswalkers - they have a few more restrictions to remove to allow them to be triggering during an opponents turn. Note the wording on Teferi, Master of Time has to specify more than just “instant speed”.
December 17, 2023 1:33 p.m.
It's effects like Fractured Powerstone and Aggravated Assault that I think would cause confusion.
legendofa says... #2
This is a tough one. Going back over the discussion in the other thread, it's a delicate balance to get right. I think it's okay, but I would put this in the "dedicated playtest for balance" file. It's the sort of effect that's super niche and needs to built around, but it could turn games completely over. I'm not sure what the right cost would be, so if I saw this, I would lean toward being cautious and price it at or mana and make a note for playtest confirmation.
December 10, 2023 7:29 p.m.