Twice Bitten, Once Rightous
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Oct. 31, 2020, 10:51 p.m. by JANKYARD_DOG
Funny story...
Watching all these Halloween themed shows got me thinking about vampires and Werewolves and the possibilities of one being 'twice bitten'. Dug a bit and apparently a Werewolf can become a vampire hybrid but a vampire cannot become a werewolf... probably on the account that they're already dead but I digress. Through the workday I developed a bit of headcanon, and considering our revisit to Innistrad and it being Halloween...
Enter Innistrad; a land in turmoil after the devastation that was Nahiri and her buddy Emrakul. Avacyn is no more, factions of The Divine, The Damned, Man and Beast all vying to fill the proverbially empty power vacuum. In one such battle the well known Luminarch Marshal Odric and his forced are pinned between both Vampire and the Werewolves. During the entanglement Odric is separated and gets bit at the same instant by both a Vampire and a Werewolf. In a frenzy he manages to slay his assailants and turn the tides, forcing a retreat of the non human forces at which point he decides in his own shame and horror to steal away into the night.
No one can make heads or tails of where the Marshal may be, thus creating yet another void to be filled as time passes and the worse is assumed. In this time Odric has secluded himself as he undergoes a change like no other, trying with every shred of his faith to hold onto both his sanity and humanity. After a long struggle he finally succumbs to the overwhelming urge of both the primal and the thirst.
Now a new terror stalks the darkness of the Ulvenwald, drawing werewolves and all manner of beasts together. The balance of power is about to be tilted:
Legendary Creature - Vampire Werewolf
Haste, Rampage 1
At the beginning of your combat step, creatures you control gain first strike if a creature you control has first strike. The same is true for deathtouch, doublestrike, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, and trample
You may choose not to transform non human creatures you control.
5/4
Struggled with his colors a bit so this would obviously be a commander card. He's originally white and I like the idea of a Naya Werewolf commander, however o wanted to capture the vampire aspect (black), Werewolves main green and both overlap red. Was Jund for a bit but didn't feel right. Anyway, add to the story, critique, etc. Thought I'd share even though I know the likelyhood is slim being as the return to Innistrad is split sets by faction, among other reasons.
Daveslab2022 says... #4
Why not? What should it say instead? I guess it could say “nonhuman creatures you control gain static abilities” similar to Necrotic Ooze but then that means everything on the card, not just haste and double strike and anything else you might give him.
November 1, 2020 10:27 a.m.
Look at Soulflayer and Odric, Lunarch Marshal they have to have a defined list
November 1, 2020 11:07 a.m.
Giving a creature all keyword abilities is not a good idea. Because there are a few keywords that make it very complicated to resolve or work out on a card in play. Like do you want a creature to have equip without losing being a creature? You may not want your own creature to have shroud. Or phasing, cumulative upkeep, shadow, echo, epic, fading, or any of the many other keywords that could potentially confuse the game mechanics or make the card unusable.
There is a reason cards like the ones shadow63 are very specific in the keywords they can gain or share.
November 1, 2020 1:37 p.m.
I forgot to mention this;
Mj3913, I do like the theme and flavor of your Odric, Twice Bitten card. I would change his P/T to something closer to 3/5 or 4/4 even. He is more expensive mana-wise because of color reqs than either of the 2 incarnations of him. And this is an aggressive form of him due to the influence of the moon and the thirst, right? He also may be a little out of control.
I like his second ability. But for his 1st ability I would change it to something more in line with his other cards and flavor it with what's happened to him. For example; creatures you control gain Frenzy 1 or Rampage 1 or similar. (Because hes a little out of control and its influencing creatures around him.). And then something like; At the beginning of combat creatures you control gain lifelink, deathtouch or flying until end of turn if a creature you control has lifelink, deathtouch or flying. Or something along those lines.
November 1, 2020 2:57 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #8
I was trying to find a way to keep it short by saying "keywords that Odric has" he would only ever have creature related abilities on him. Though I suppose worded that way someone could give him defender and kill the mood I guess. I'll try the long way i guess. Maybe shorten the list to the more aggressive abilities.
My reasons for P/T: 4 mana in anything green is easier to achieve in most formats anyway. 3/2 body speaks more to agression while throwing caution to the wind, also having doublestrike is potentially double power. Haste makes it so he can attack the turn you play him, that being said 8 power alone, while also potentially doubling the power of all other creatures you have can be pretty scary. Adding stats to me makes him feel overpowered and therefore less likely to see print. I could very well be wrong in that assessment given the recent power creep in the latest sets. But perhaps adding something conditional like the Rampage/Frenzy either additionally or instead of doublestrike might work.
November 1, 2020 8:08 p.m.
I did overlook the double strike. Then I would consider changing to only first strike or making him a 2/4 or similar. Since he's a "lord" type creature you want him to survive a bolt or common removal.
November 1, 2020 8:41 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #10
Edited above: upped stats to 5/4, trades doublestrike for Rampage 1, made ability akin to Marshal except all aggressive and only owners combat.
Tried fitting rampage into the ability but unsure of wording would you just say 'rampage, rampage X, or would you have to be specific and say Rampage 1 and 2?. Also unsure if it should be a spreadable ability at all.
November 1, 2020 8:52 p.m.
You could give him lifelink, since he’s a vampire. As a werewolf, haste seems to fit nicely. Then he’ll give all your other creatures 2 abilities at the least. And they wouldn’t be too overwhelming I don’t think.
RiotRunner789 says... #2
It would be fun to see the two tribes have some intersecting cards.
As far as your Odric, for his cost he could be more powerful. He'd pass for original ravnica power level but not today.
November 1, 2020 12:11 a.m.