General Custom Cards: The Lab

[Chris Taylor]

Maybe at RR1? I do love battle cry + fires on a card

 

[Lucre]

Boy's boys... lets not get too hung up on the little things just yet, it was just an idea. Maybe that card is fine without being an avatar for some entity of terrible mean?

Gimme ideas for more of these jerks

Lugash's Sign
Legendary Enchantment (M)
Creatures you control have haste and trample
When your devotion to red is 5 or more Lugash's Sign is a 4/4 indestructible red creature.

^ That one gave me shivers

Caliban in Alignment
Legendary Enchantment (M)
When Caliban in Alignment enters the battlefield draw three cards then discard 2 cards.
When your devotion to blue is 5 or greater Caliban in Alignment is a 4/4 indestructable creature with flying.

^ I'm imagining some sort of celestial phenomenon where the stars are aligning and it's some time of change or upheaval, maybe there are lots of star gods, who can say. I'm just throwing it out there. Could be whispers on the north wind or Hastur's illumination, I haven't flavored anything yet. Do any of you fine gentleman have sweet blue ideas for a hybrid / devotion set?

Uncanny Totem
Legendary Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of each combat step you may give target creature +3/+3 until end of turn.
Whenever your devotion to green is 5 or more uncanny totem is a 5/5 indestructible creature.

^ Was thinking it could give the bonus as an upkeep thing and also just do it when it comes into play for the sake of legendary abuse. Not sure with the flavoring of it yet.

Tribute to Lush
Legendary enchantment (M)
Whenever you tap a land for mana you may add an additional 1 of any colour to your mana pool.
When your devotion to green is 5 or more Tribute to Lush is a 6/6 indestructible creature.

So many ideas! so much room to edit them all!

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Scholar of the Four Winds
Creature - Human Wizard
When Scholar of the Four Winds enters the battlefield, draw as cards, then discard three cards, where X is your devotion to blue.
1/3

Mind Grinder
Creature - Human Wizard
At the start of each opponent's upkeep, that player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is your devotion to blue.
1/5

 

[Onderzeeboot]

So...

Moorland Haunt
Nephalia Drownyard
Kessig Wolf Run
Gavony Township
Vault of the Archangel
Desolate Lighthouse
Slayers' Stronghold

Apparently they printed some totally sweet lands for the utility land draft in Innistrad block. Anyone noticed this cycle isn't complete? I mean, sure, you could run inferior cards like...

Stensia Bloodhall
Grim Backwoods
Alchemist's Refuge

But let's be honest, those three aren't all that special. I know hundreds of people have probably already come up with replacements, but that won't stop me from making up my own. Have you guys thought of some cool things?

Null Farm
Land
, : Each player discards a card and loses 2 life. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Undying Court
Land
, : Target creature gains undying until end of turn.

Mutagen Vent
Land
, : Proliferate.

 

[Changling Bob]

Invocation of Tytos
Legendary Enchantment (M)
When Invocation of Tytos enters the battlefield, exile another target creature or planeswalker
When Invocation of Tytos leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control.
When your devotion to white is 5 or more Invocation of Tytos is a 5/5 indestructable creature.

Both of these are models are similar but function very differently vs legendary rule interaction. Tytos is much more like the kamigawa dragons whereas blood compact is something you'd keep in hand until your other one got vindicated somehow. I can imagine a blue version that allows you to sift through cards when she comes into play or one with a more persistent effect that you can use over and over.

Recommend the 'exile $target as long as this is on the battlefield' tech, if you want these to kamigawa dragons nicely. As is, the newer one will automatically do the perma-exile due to the window for state based effects, rather than doing the same as the other one. This may be your inte

wait they changed that rule didn't they? what. goddamnit

 

[Onderzeeboot]

And two random ideas...

Spirit of Reparations
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets you or a creature you control, you may draw a card.
2/3

Recycling Plant
Land
: Add to your mana pool.
Each land card in your hand has cycling .

 

[Chris Taylor]

And two random ideas...

Spirit of Reparations
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets you or a creature you control, you may draw a card.
2/3

Thats quite the upside on Kor skyfisher

 

[Onderzeeboot]

True, it's quite pushed. It is two colors however, and at it's a bit lackluster.

 

[Suicufnoc]

I may have the black lifegain tie in I've been looking for:
Bloodsucker 1B
creature - vampire
If you would gain life, put that many +1/+1 counters on ~ instead.
2/1

Though I don't like that it turns off pridemage

 

[Chris Taylor]

Alright, I've broken down. I broke my rule. I designed a planeswalker

 

[Suicufnoc]

Seems fair. The -1 doesn't feel particularly Black. Maybe just sac a creature: destroy a creature? ala stronghold assassin

 

[Onderzeeboot]

That emblem O_O

You're missing periods at the end of your first and last abilities by the way [/nitpick]

 

[Chris Taylor]

Seems fair. The -1 doesn't feel particularly Black. Maybe just sac a creature: destroy a creature? ala stronghold assassin

I would but the reach is the part of the ability I like. Also it being mostly dreadbore. Maybe I should just though, it does feel more black.

I dunno I wanted something bigger and badder. That's why it's sac 2 creatures, I wanted it to feel a bit untenable on average.

That emblem O_O

You're missing periods at the end of your first and last abilities by the way [/nitpick]

Ah I knew there was something. His name is also different than his typeline, I noticed that.

also pfft the emblem. Who has ever actually cast a walker ult outside of EDH anyways? And outside of Garruk Wildspeaker/Koth of the Hammer

 

[anotak]

I would but the reach is the part of the ability I like. Also it being mostly dreadbore. Maybe I should just though, it does feel more black.

I dunno I wanted something bigger and badder. That's why it's sac 2 creatures, I wanted it to feel a bit untenable on average.



Ah I knew there was something. His name is also different than his typeline, I noticed that.

also pfft the emblem. Who has ever actually cast a walker ult outside of EDH anyways? And outside of Garruk Wildspeaker/Koth of the Hammer

that +1 seems kind of nuts, its pure card advantage for a 3-mana walker +1, that's never been done before.

the -1 sure, you accomplished it feeling untenable. that's not really the design style of planeswalkers though. they're supposed to feel powerful from every angle.

re: emblem
i think that emblem probably needs to be -8 for a 3 mana walker and a +1 you will currently pretty much activate every time. the current -1 is desperation only. and no its not just koth and garruk.
these are all ultimates in both cube and constructed that happen pretty often:

 

[Suicufnoc]

I think the +1 would be fine if it said one target instead of up to 1 target. Make it harder to activate

 

[Chris Taylor]

that +1 seems kind of nuts, its pure card advantage for a 3-mana walker +1, that's never been done before.
the -1 sure, you accomplished it feeling untenable. that's not really the design style of planeswalkers though. they're supposed to feel powerful from every angle.
re: emblem
i think that emblem probably needs to be -8 for a 3 mana walker and a +1 you will currently pretty much activate every time. the current -1 is desperation only. and no its not just koth and garruk.
these are all ultimates in both cube and constructed that happen pretty often:

I keep forgetting phyrexian arena has a downside for the card advantage. There's a bit because it can be attacked, but it likely isn't enough.
Ultimates: Jace's is a bit of a formality, any PW in play for the 10 odd turns it takes to get there probably won you the game a long long time ago. I'll agree on tezz, Elspeth and Domri, (Occasionally, but still. That is a lost lost game) but Lilianna takes forever to get to her ultimate (especially since she almost always comes down and -2's and you don't always tick her up) and the others take forever as well.

I'll make it -9 for good measure. Like I said, these things almost never matter.

 

[anotak]

liliana ultimates all the time in legacy, i've probably seen more liliana ultimates than tezz and elspeth ultimates combined

 

[Onderzeeboot]

also triggers frequently, and what an ultimate it is!

 

[Chris Taylor]

Yeah maybe it's the way my cube is designed but I've seen literally 5 plansewalker ultimates since it's inception: Koth, Koth, Garruk, Tamiyo and Lilianna

 

[Suicufnoc]

 

[Onderzeeboot]

That's pretty glorious

 

[Lucre]

You guys should like totes talk about my cool ideas too.

And two random ideas...
Spirit of Reparations
Creature - Spirit
Flying
Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets you or a creature you control, you may draw a card.
2/3

Recycling Plant
Land
: Add to your mana pool.
Each land card in your hand has cycling .

I made the plant before in several incarnations so you know I'm down with that kind of idea.

The spirit's ability is something I'm usually more like to put in green but I believe I've made GW hybrid version of it before.

I keep forgetting phyrexian arena has a downside for the card advantage. There's a bit because it can be attacked, but it likely isn't enough.
Ultimates: Jace's is a bit of a formality, any PW in play for the 10 odd turns it takes to get there probably won you the game a long long time ago. I'll agree on tezz, Elspeth and Domri, (Occasionally, but still. That is a lost lost game) but Lilianna takes forever to get to her ultimate (especially since she almost always comes down and -2's and you don't always tick her up) and the others take forever as well.

I'll make it -9 for good measure. Like I said, these things almost never matter.

Comparing arena to a walker seems weird and silly to me. I do find your 2nd ability to be awkward, though it might be fine as a deliberate engine. I just don't tend to like my walkers so blatant, but you know, Regrowing a creature is usually sooooooo much worse than drawing a card and boy could the world use more raise dead effects and black walkers.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Comparing arena to a walker seems weird and silly to me. I do find your 2nd ability to be awkward, though it might be fine as a deliberate engine. I just don't tend to like my walkers so blatant, but you know, Regrowing a creature is usually sooooooo much worse than drawing a card and boy could the world use more raise dead effects and black walkers.

My basic idea was that they were both cards for that give you a card each turn (however different)

Regrowing a creature is usually worse until it's better: late the card you draw will always be gas, whereas arena can hit land land.
also arena kills you and this doesn't

Lucas: I like the enchantments that animate based on devotion with the ETB triggers. Seems like something that should be used sparingly though, as opposed to just one of the mechanics

 

[Lucre]

yeah but arena dies to way fewer things than this thing does. Drawing land is also just not awful and arena doesn't require you to build your deck around it to be effective. I am not here to debate the merits of raise dead though.

I am absolutely interested in making Devotion one of the sets main mechanics. I'm thinking 2 devotion commons per colour and one uncommon. I think I have a template for the non rare devotion cards that will come up, here is where I tool around to see what is possible though. I feel like all of those will be iconic mythics that will appear one per colour per set maybe.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Devotion is awesome. I fully expect it to turn in a returning mechanic somewhere down the line.

I also thought of a weird hybrid card...

Smoke Bomb
Instant
Play Smoke Bomb only during combat after blockers are declared.
Tap each blocking creature and prevent all combat damage it would deal this turn. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step. You may have each attacking creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked this turn.