General Custom Cards: The Lab

[Onderzeeboot]

I think you're really close to a cool mechanic, but I don't like that the relevancy of the market is dictated by the colors you and your opponent are playing. I would make cards in the marketplace effectively cost colorless mana, like Hostage Taker, and then balance around that. So...

Wage Theft
Instant
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put that card onto the market instead of into that player's graveyard. (Any player may cast cards on the the market, and they may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast those spells.)

 

[Velrun]

That solves one of the problems in my opinion.

Now the balance part seem near impossible. I for one would never put Wage Their into my deck because 80 % of the time my opponent would simply cast the card again. The moment we get to a point where the Wage Theft player mostly get to cast the spell we are on the wrong side again.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Yeah, maybe the Counterspell (or the mechanic) is just hard to balance.

 

[Tzenmoroth]

I feel like you should only be able to play cards from the market during your own turn. The only time you can ever play a card on the market on your opponent's turn is when the card is an instant and then since both players simultaneously can cast it, its going to get disgustingly messy. It might force each player to very clearly state each round of priority on every step of the turn, which can slow the game down a ton for almost no added fun.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I feel like you should only be able to play cards from the market during your own turn. The only time you can ever play a card on the market on your opponent's turn is when the card is an instant and then since both players simultaneously can cast it, its going to get disgustingly messy. It might force each player to very clearly state each round of priority on every step of the turn, which can slow the game down a ton for almost no added fun.

So, if Wage Theft is somewhere between the Failure part of Failure // Comply and Dismiss, you're saying...

Wage Theft
Instant
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put that card onto the market instead of into that player's graveyard. (Any player may cast cards on the the market during their turn, and they may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast those spells.)

I like that better than what it was, yeah!

 

[anotak]

i was back and forth on the color restrictions stuff, as at the same time i don't want to necessarily dilute color identity stuff but maybe that's not such a big deal here.

as far as priority goes, i always forget that people find it difficult because it comes pretty naturally to me. you don't really have to talk about it much directly, it flows pretty naturally with how people play the game.
but i think you're right that maybe "only on your turn" might work better

Now the balance part seem near impossible. I for one would never put Wage Their into my deck because 80 % of the time my opponent would simply cast the card again. The moment we get to a point where the Wage Theft player mostly get to cast the spell we are on the wrong side again.

you've never countered their 5 drop, untapped, and played a 5 drop?

agreed that the balance does seem quite difficult to hit though!

 

[Velrun]

i was back and forth on the color restrictions stuff, as at the same time i don't want to necessarily dilute color identity stuff but maybe that's not such a big deal here.

as far as priority goes, i always forget that people find it difficult because it comes pretty naturally to me. you don't really have to talk about it much directly, it flows pretty naturally with how people play the game.
but i think you're right that maybe "only on your turn" might work better

Yeah it comes natural to most people and 100 % of all veterans. But it will be one of the most advanced mechanics ever and it is dangerous territory. Your own turn kind of solved this problem.

you've never countered their 5 drop, untapped, and played a 5 drop?

agreed that the balance does seem quite difficult to hit though!

Yes I have but that is hardly what we are debating.

This is a three mana spell. I said it would give the opponent the card again 80 % of the time. I might be wrong about those statistics but if we want it to be powerful against 5 drops we should maybe make it an expensive counterspell instead. Like Spelljack.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I think it will be much lower than 80% (assuming colorless mana), since you control when this is cast and your opponent isn't often going to be so ahead on mana that you can't cast the thing you countered on the next turn. Unless you are playing against a ramp deck of course, but in that case, delaying the inevitable might be exactly what you're looking for. Since unlike Spelljack this gives them a chance to recast the threat, and requires you to pay the mana, I think it's fine as is? Unless you want to change the spell more fundamentally of course.

 

[anotak]

i also had it originally at 2 mana, but your choice on that depends on what you want out of your power level as a cube designer

 

[Velrun]

Agreed!

Give it a try Then report back after next tournament.

 

[anotak]

i mean i don't have people to play with really anymore for a while now.

so i just post the cards as i come up with them sometimes because it's still fun to design.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

i mean i don't have people to play with really anymore for a while now.

so i just post the cards as i come up with them sometimes because it's still fun to design.

It is, isn't it Too bad you don't have people to play with though

 

[Chris Taylor]

I think my format wants delve cards but actual delve itself runs counter to the whole "pile up your graveyard" thing I'm encouraging. I'm looking to try this instead:

Given that people do occasionally deck themselves in my drafts and that this might encourage you to "delve away" different cards than normal, I think this works better than my previous idea of just "costs 1 less per card in your graveyard", which (even with a price increase) proved to be too easy.

Also I just wanted to share that name pun with everyone

 

[anotak]

any particular advantage to not using "put on the bottom in random order"?

 

[Onderzeeboot]

any particular advantage to not using "put on the bottom in random order"?

If you shuffle the cards you have the chance to actually draw them again within a reasonable time frame.

 

[Velrun]

I am in the opposite boat. Whenever I see the word “shuffle” on a card I instantly cut it unless it is suuuper interesting, unique and/or necessary. My cube is almost shuffle-free now.

 

[Chris Taylor]

I am in the opposite boat. Whenever I see the word “shuffle” on a card I instantly cut it unless it is suuuper interesting, unique and/or necessary. My cube is almost shuffle-free now.

I run 4 brainstorms

 

[Velrun]

I run 4 brainstorms

And I run 2. And a little shuffling. In this way you have to work to make Brainstorm shine. And games don’t last forever.

 

[safra]

I really like the shuffle clause. It's hard to enough kinds of shuffle in a brainstorm format, imo.

 

[Velrun]

I've got a custom variant of wrench mind that says "...discards 2 cards or a planeswalker" because nobody ever cared about whatever artifact they had in their hand, whereas a planeswalker you might actually hesitate about pitching to save on card advantage.

That’s awesoooome!!

Do you also have a Thirst for Knowledge or Compulsive Research variant because that sounds sick?

Also do you mind uploading the card so we can see the art/name, flavor etc?

 

[Chris Taylor]

That’s awesoooome!!

Do you also have a Thirst for Knowledge or Compulsive Research variant because that sounds sick?

Also do you mind uploading the card so we can see the art/name, flavor etc?

Honestly I kinda like both those cards Since you're casting it yourself it's all about maximizing the chances it works, rather than when you're casting something on your opponent and randomly getting hosed.


Flavor text is slightly over the top...

 

[Velrun]

Great name!

It evokes the feeling of mental instability (discard) and it specifically refers to the absense of kindred (planeswalkers).

Flavor text might be a bit much
My suggestion:
“Did I hear something?” Because that is what lonely people who have grown semi-insane say? Like Gollum.

Another suggestion:
“What is the sound of one mind vanishing?” To mirror Wrench Mind.

I believe the rarity should either be common or uncommon. Wrench Mind is common.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Good calls on the flavor text.

It could be an uncommon? I think at the time I made it anything that even referred to planeswalkers was a rare (Hero's Downfall).

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Good calls on the flavor text.

It could be an uncommon? I think at the time I made it anything that even referred to planeswalkers was a rare (Hero's Downfall).

They've relaxed a little in that regard, if only a little.

 

[anotak]

Hooting // Tendrils

Hooting
Sorcery
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for .)

Create a 4/4 green Ape creature token with Trample.

//

Tendrils
Sorcery
Target player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.

Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.)