General Custom Cards: The Lab

[Chris Taylor]

Apparently every designer contributing loves Raised by Wolves, because I've seen multiple nods to it
I've always kinda wanted a more beefy green 6, and this works way better than a 6 drop that dies to pyroclasm ought to.


This is a sweet little minigame. I like that it's on a creature, but the parts aren't really meshing together into a whole here. Once that gets ironed out though, I love this card.


Certainly powerful, and you can be almost certain WotC wouldn't print this sort of thing at any cost. In a set where landfall actually matters, no matter the cost or size, an effect like this just makes sure that when your deck is working, it never stops working. That's not really an interesting card, even if it is a really effective one.


Terramorphic Expanse was too strong I do like the design, even if I balk at the power level.
Edit: okay the land etb untapped. That's better than I thought.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Okay, now time to make fun of things:


Why is this so defensive? You already have a toughness matters aspect on the card, but this doesn't work on blocking creatures like similar effects?
As a designer, you really need to encourage players to attack, not lean into the reticence newer players feel.


Someone's really excited to add this to the worst EDH deck I've ever seen.


Choice Reprints


Look, I get that landfall is in the set, but how did you manage to sink below unknown shores?


This is squire levels of bad.


This is both bafflingly worded and probably really good, but only defensively. It's the worst of all worlds


Okay, so you've opened your 7 mana white mythic! How big is it?
Oh.
Okay so it's gotta do something REALLY splashy right?
Oh, it gains me life.
Well it's probably super strong once it's in play right? I mean it is mythic.
Oh your opponent can just kill it for free on the blocks if they have 7 power total on their board. Hell, they can do it on the attacks too, if you block at all.
It doesn't even have the shuffle in clause (See Purity), or the graveyard ability from the judgement incarnations (see glory)

 

[Onderzeeboot]

I can't believe this name wasn't taken already! Also, I secretly adore this spell, even though it's probably bad



I also redid Dyed Dawn, back to it's first incarnation basically, but with a cleaner templating now. In my mind it's perfect Velrun, shush



And I found out Primal can do really subtle things with great impact.



Is this too good?:

 

[Velrun]

I am very happy with all your spoiled Primal cards!

 

[Velrun]

Some of those cards are really spicy, Chris!

Is it just me or does the link not work anymore?

From among the cards I would test, I would only make this one change:
It doesn't seem like I would ever want to simply lose 1 life for no effect if there is a lose 3 life to draw two cards. I would probably put the card drawing ability down to 1 card.

 

[psly4mne]

My recent updates/additions:


Scout went through a few iterations, and I think this version should be fair but still useful. Paying the CMC of the creature should make it a pretty safe design.
Wave is fairly new. I think the loot mode might be too much added complexity, but I'm probably going to leave it as is unless it becomes a problem.
The lands I just mocked up today. The manlands should be slightly pushed and noticeably stronger than the real UR/UG ones. The BR Horizon needs flavor text, and I'm not thrilled with the name.

 

[Velrun]

Primordial Grove: Very cool!

Volcanic Waste: Great name and art.

Wave of Silence is one of those cards that everyone would like to try and run at least one time to see how it feels. It is sort of odd how strong it is, how much it feels like Umezawa's Jitte and how it actually turns completely off if everything is dead or if there is nothing with counters on them on the battlefield. You do not have any issues with running 3-colored cards?

 

[psly4mne]

That is the feel I was hoping for on Wave of Silence. This version of the design was suggested by one of my players and I liked it enough to put it in as-is.

I don't really have problems with 3-color cards. If they show up late in the draft, they can randomly reward a player for being in the right color combo, or if no one is willing to splash for them they can go last pick, but I don't really see that as a problem.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

So, I was inspired by an old post about Meteorite vs Gilded Lotus to make a strictly better Astral Cornucopia. I think this would play pretty well in cube, might replace my copy of Gilded Lotus with it!


Art link

 

[Velrun]

So, I was inspired by an old post about Meteorite vs Gilded Lotus to make a...

You're welcome

By the way that old thread and the arguments you had with Lucas made me put Meteorite into my newest cube format It fits perfectly, thank you very much! <3

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Hey, I was looking for playable black ninja's, and this was pretty sweet in testing!



Edit: I also updated the art for Sun Gem!



This is an awesome card by the way. Only played a few games with it, already a fan

Also, somebody at Wizards of the Coast hire this woman! I mean, look at her art, it's wonderful!

 

[Chris Taylor]

Okay thats a sweet art for sun gem, I might steal that idea now

Why doens't graveyard ninjitsu sacrifice the creature though?

Edit: you have clearly chosen the wrong art for sun gem:

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Okay thats a sweet art for sun gem, I might steal that idea now

Why doens't graveyard ninjitsu sacrifice the creature though?

Edit: you have clearly chosen the wrong art for sun gem:

Haha, I saw that art as well, but it doesn't really look like a mana generating thing when cropped

Graveyard ninjutsu doesn't sacrifice because it's ninjutus. I templated it after commander ninjutsu, i.e. naming the additional zone it can be activated from.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Yes, but your command zone is an extension of your hand, where your graveyard isn't.
Hell, a ton of mechanics and sets exist to emulate that connection

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Yes, but your command zone is an extension of your hand, where your graveyard isn't.
Hell, a ton of mechanics and sets exist to emulate that connection

Sure, I could rename it eternal ninjutsu or something.

 

[Velrun]

It's a very dangerous mechanic because it makes the creature immortal and it gives all your future creatures a self-bounce opportunity.

Lots of requirements though so maybe it's fair. I can just imagine a situation where an opponent is like: "How am I suppose to deal with this?"

I much prefer Meteorite over that monstrosity However i do think Chris is right that the third artwork could be used for mana production. It feels a bit like Gem of Becoming

 

[Chris Taylor]

I'm testing gem tonight, if it's too good I'll let you know

 

[Onderzeeboot]

It's a very dangerous mechanic because it makes the creature immortal and it gives all your future creatures a self-bounce opportunity.

Lots of requirements though so maybe it's fair. I can just imagine a situation where an opponent is like: "How am I suppose to deal with this?"

Well... it's only a 2/1 first strike. I think they can figure out how to deal with it (play an x/3, for example). Also, self-bounce on the condition that something you want to bounce gets through. I could drop the first strike if it turns out too strong though, that would make the card a good deal weaker.

I much prefer Meteorite over that monstrosity However i do think Chris is right that the third artwork could be used for mana production.

Monstrosity? Monstrosity! Why, thanks for the flattering words! I really like the card in play so far, it's flexible, but it never feels over the top, and I have cast it for 3 mana a few times already to deal with utility creatures on curve. Might be one of the best customs I've ever designed, honestly!

Also... Okay, okay... I'll switch the art!

Spoiler

 

[Velrun]

Actually I find the card quite cool

But

That mana cost is ugly. I would much prefer XX or XXX.

If XXX is chosen, it could also ETB life gain to mirror the damage.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Actually I find the card quite cool

But

That mana cost is ugly. I would much prefer XX or XXX.

If XXX is chosen, it could also ETB life gain to mirror the damage.

Eh, is such a harsh mana cost though. There's a reason Astral Cornucopia isn't even played in Commander. Considering that Meteorite is fine as a one mana generating artifact, but that you don't always want to pay , you could also try...



Alternatively, I could totally see the design work as a colored artifact:



Edit: Actually... That might be the right design for my cube anyway, since red is both about ramp, and about artifact interaction. Huh. I mean, it's obviously a lot less flexible, but it's more on color, and it's meaningful for the color.

Thoughts?

 

[Chris Taylor]

Oh the red version is cool!

 

[sigh]

That art fits a red spell better too. Really nice

 

[InfinityBlack14]

Stick with the red. Great idea.

 

[Velrun]

Everything about the card feels red. Also it solves the ugly mana cost.

Feels very Ixalan if you ask me.

 

[Velrun]

Now.. How do we give it Primal?

Kidding