Did I just solve white's draw problem?
General forum
Posted on Oct. 1, 2021, 4:37 a.m. by TypicalTimmy
So there I am, laying in bed, trying to sleep when my brain said: "Hey Tim, question. You know how struggles to draw? And you know how countless forums, threads, videos, discussion boards and MTG experts all try to figure out how to 'fix' it? Why do they all seemingly go about it the wrong way?"
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"Huh, that's weird, Tim's consciousness. Care to elaborate?"
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"Certainly, and thanks for asking. So you know how likes to draw because it thrives on the experience of information?"
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"How so?"
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"Well, cares about information. The whole concept of is to know the most, at all times. Therefore, it tries to draw as often as possible."
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"Yeah, sure. That makes sense."
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"Well, you know how seeks to optimise resources by using them as a means to an end? For example, paying life and sacrificing creatures. is ambitious, and will literally kill itself just to gain power."
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"Okay, go on..."
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" cares about the force of nature. You typically draw off of green as larger and larger creatures enter the battlefield, not unlike unleashing a stampede or elemental forces; The more raw potential you let loose, the more you create."
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"And for ?"
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" is excited, emotional, erratic and energetic. It acts impulsively, which is why it gets impulse draw, as well as looting and digging and other stuff. It wants its power and it wants it now and it doesn't care about the next turn because it wants to win immediately."
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"Huh. So what's your thoughts on ?"
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"Well, what does want? It wants unity. Fellowship. Community. It wants status. It wants structure. It wants control. What wants is to unify a state and create impenetrable defenses to be the last one standing."
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"So, we need to find something that draws for , based on ... unity?"
Unite Forces
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control four or more creatures, draw a card.
Arm the Citizens
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. If you control five or more creatures, draw a card.
Maximar, Regaled Leader
Legendary Creature - Human Nobel
Token creatures you control get +1/+1 and have vigilance.
At the beginning of your end step, if you had three or more creatures enter the battlefield this turn, draw a card.
2/3
Reinforced Barracks
Artifact Creature - Wall
Defender
When Reinforced Barracks enters the battlefield, if you control three or more creatures, draw a card.
, : Blocking creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
0/3
Inspire Courage
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn where X is the number of creatures you control. If X is five or more, they gain vigilance until end of turn. If X is 10 or more, draw three cards.
Enveloping Prayers
Instant
Cast this spell only if you control exactly one creature and were attacked this turn.
Prevent all combat damage dealt this turn. Draw three cards at the beginning of your next end step.
Merci, Archangel of Compassion
Legendary Creature - Angel
Flying, Vigilance
At the end of combat on your turn, draw a card for each nontoken creature you control that died this turn. You may cast up to one creature spell from your graveyard until end of turn.
4/5
National Power
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control the most number of creatures on the battlefield, draw three cards. Draw an additional card if you are the only player who controls their Commander.
World Summit
Sorcery
Draw a card for each legendary creature you control.
So yeah. That's pretty much it.
Thoughts?
I actually think that this is more in line with , both in terms of flavor and mechanically. The type of unity white wants is more like Alms Collector and Secret Rendezvous.
I think Sigarda's Splendor is the kind of thing white should have more of, along side investigate and tax effects.
October 1, 2021 9:59 a.m.
Reminds me of Ephara, God of the Polis and Camaraderie.
October 1, 2021 10:10 a.m.
I've always agreed with "White doesn't want card advantage. White just doesn't want you to have card advantage as well." Basically, white doesn't try to pull ahead like the other colours, it just tries to slow things down enough that it doesn't need to pull ahead. It doesn't matter how many tutors you have if Aven Mindcensor is in play. No point in casting Blue Sun's Zenith with a Spirit of the Labyrinth on the board. White is the great equalizer in MtG, it levels the playing field (literally, with Armageddon) to ensure fair play among all players.
October 1, 2021 10:13 a.m.
IHATENAMES says... #6
I like these card design ideas. Tbh white is a good leveler like someone else said but fails to help itself most of the time. It deserves a better card draw engine. To be better in edh my favorite format A:better finishers. B:card draw that us better. C:Cheaper effective resources (some key white pieces feel over costed for the effect) example ramp feels slow or just bad sometimes.Loyal Warhound an opponent needs to have more lands.
October 1, 2021 11:03 a.m.
wallisface says... #7
I like the effort put in here, and it doesn’t feel like it’s breaking the pie, but it does seem like one of the many suggestions put to Rosewater on Blogatog where he replied “we don't want white to get card draw that way”.
I’d like to add, that while the EDH consensus is that white is a bad colour, the same is not the case for other formats (imo, in modern its the strongest colour, as far as being able to perform on its own). I personally like that the white cards you suggested are priced-out of being viable in other formats (because of high-cmc). I think going forwards if Wotc can give white card-draw at costs that make them only viable for commander, then all formats will be in a better place.
October 1, 2021 4:34 p.m.
My main problem with the whole card draw topic is that white is the only color that can't do it. "But white isn't supposed to--", right, I get that.... but it's the ONLY color that can't. Blue can draw cards every turn from various means. Black can draw stupid amounts of cards in short bursts dependent on paying life or sacrificing creatures (Vilis, Broker of Blood, God-Eternal Bontu). Red can use rituals and treasures etc to make use of some "Exile cards from the top of your library" effect alongside it's plentiful discard and draw effects. Green can outdraw literally every other color with ETB triggers (Elemental Bond etc), cast triggers (Beast Whisperer etc), and the stupidity that is power triggers (Return of the Wildspeaker etc.) White is the only color that can't do it. It would be a different argument if, say, green or black lacked its draw power. It needs something. I understand that it "Doesn't want to" but it needs... something. The custom cards up top are a good way to fix that, though I doubt they'd ever print something like them.
Since white is so high on lifegain, I'd love to see more cards like Griffin Aerie or Angelic Accord, but with card draw instead of tokens. Again, probably will never see print, though...
October 2, 2021 3:58 p.m.
< pessimisticRant > If we started seeing cards like one of the two Tims described, that would mean that would now actually have card draw... which unfortunately I don't think will every really happen. And to me that form of card draw for mono-white kinda sounds better/more-powerful that what mono-red can manage, which would in turn push red down on the priority list for card draw, ultimately restructuring the existing color pie. If we did see white draw power like described in the OP, it would unfortunately have to be infrequently.
The fact that white is last in draw power, and that that can never really change, means players will always be wanting more in this category. Any "solution" to this problem is still going to have to leave white as weakest in draw power, and will ultimately be considered a half-measure, especially by us EDH players.
Any method used to help mono-white keep pace, would have to be subtle, imo, and unable to result in actual, true card advantage. So what if they just increased the amount of cantrips? Maybe make them conditional, like having a certain amount of life, or creatures? But have there be kind of a lot of them.
Also, what if they printed more control/interaction with the philosophy Epidilius detailed in their post. Like a common 1-drop in white that reduces the number of cards an opponent draws, perhaps by X, where X is the number of creatures you control. Or maybe another one-drop that says "The next time an opponent would draw a card, you draw a card instead." So it would just reduce their draw count by one, while cantripping for you. < /pessimisticRant >
If I came off like a jerk at all, it's because I've been hurt... by lack of card-draw in , so I'm bitter. =( Please forgive my attitude.
October 2, 2021 6:27 p.m.
zendikarincarnate says... #11
huh. and this came to you when you were half asleep? sounds like fate wants to make white great again.
October 4, 2021 7:59 p.m.
I like the idea of card draw based on having multiple creatures on board, that would seem like a white type effect. I also like the idea of card draw based on life gain, "if you gained 4 or more life at end of turn draw a card." Seems like WOTC doesn't want to allow White to have ramp or advantage, instead they want to provide cards that either help white catch up to it's opponents or slow them down.
October 4, 2021 10:19 p.m.
I don't think card draw like this is a good thing to give white. It's supposed to be worse at card draw than the other colors, and colors' weaknesses are their most important aspects. Also, even if white did need more card draw, this sort of thing would be too much better when you're ahead compared to when you're behind to be a major aspect of a color, in my opinion.
Idoneity says... #2
This is a rather enticing methodology for mono-White to have card advantage. By the holy and numinous Colour Pie, it aligns quite well. In terms of gameplay standards, this could work.
I have had great success drawing cards in mono-White with my Yomiji commander deck. It loops baubles using a vast meiny of cards and ramp, thereupon being able to maintain pace with the table quite readily.
Shameless Plug
I like this. The cards are largely terrible, but I am aware that this is not the point. The mechanic is the cynosure, and this seems promising.
October 1, 2021 6:26 a.m.