I would put Blood Artist ability on the enchantment instead of its current ETB ping ability.
Otherwise really cool reanimator card!
Otherwise really cool reanimator card!
General Custom Cards: The Lab
- Thread starter anotak
- Start date
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Feel free to steal the idea and adapt it to your own needs
I was specifically looking for a 3 cmc enchantment card that's comparable to Blood for Bones and Dread Return. If you want it to be a little bit stronger, go ahead and turn it into a 2 cmc sorcery
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Sometimes you're looking for a few small effects that aren't really worth their own slot, but would make for some interesting actions. For example, I'm currently cubing Teferi's Time Twist, which is just a bit too unwieldy for my tastes. I would also love some cantrips that... do something more than just be a one mana cantrip if need be. I kinda like this design.
Art link
Still... Wondering if that second bullet isn't a bit too strong for one mana with stuff like Mystic Snake and Hostage Taker floating around in my cube.
Art link
Still... Wondering if that second bullet isn't a bit too strong for one mana with stuff like Mystic Snake and Hostage Taker floating around in my cube.
Chris Taylor
Contributor
Man Julie's got some chops, that art is amazing.
I wouldn't worry too much, cloudshift exists. Make it hexproof until EoT if you want something similar but different
I wouldn't worry too much, cloudshift exists. Make it hexproof until EoT if you want something similar but different
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Oh that's right, I already forgot about Cloudshift again :') And yeah, Julie Dillon is an amazing artist!
I like Ondezeeboot's Cylix of Creation design.
I added it to my cube in a version that couldn't ultimate and create an X/X artifact Construct creature token. Instead it could investigate (Create a Clue token)
During Eldraine spoilers, I have changed it to this. It might be all over the place but I personally really like how it plays out because it feels useful but not oppressive in any stages of the game.
I added it to my cube in a version that couldn't ultimate and create an X/X artifact Construct creature token. Instead it could investigate (Create a Clue token)
During Eldraine spoilers, I have changed it to this. It might be all over the place but I personally really like how it plays out because it feels useful but not oppressive in any stages of the game.
I like that card! I think it's a very good idea and not "all over at the place" at all.
1) Making tokens is clean
2) Tokens have fun and interesting interactions that straight mana or draw don't have.
3) The top end is very fair. Jayemdae Tome is clearly below power level, as is a 3-mana Ivory Tower.
Coming into play tapped also prevents it from being a Worn Powerstone or replacing itself too quickly. Only issue I see is that having repetable life gain and draw on the same card is a very strong but it shouldn't be an issue for a custom card that won't see Standard play. After all, how strong is it compared to planeswalkers?
1) Making tokens is clean
2) Tokens have fun and interesting interactions that straight mana or draw don't have.
3) The top end is very fair. Jayemdae Tome is clearly below power level, as is a 3-mana Ivory Tower.
Coming into play tapped also prevents it from being a Worn Powerstone or replacing itself too quickly. Only issue I see is that having repetable life gain and draw on the same card is a very strong but it shouldn't be an issue for a custom card that won't see Standard play. After all, how strong is it compared to planeswalkers?
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I have a few rules for my cube when it comes to custom cards and one of them is that they may not be combat tricks.
The reason for that is simple: Enemy cannot prepare for it because they doesn’t know the card exists.
You can ignore all above if your play group knows your cube 100 % and play with it as much as you do.
The reason for that is simple: Enemy cannot prepare for it because they doesn’t know the card exists.
You can ignore all above if your play group knows your cube 100 % and play with it as much as you do.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
That's a really, really good rule of thumb. In this particular case I'm not too worried, as this effect exists and is cubed at this cmc and color, e.g. Gods Willing and Emerge Unscathed. Dream Voyage falls kinda into the same category, as all of its effects can be replicated/approximated with 1 cmc blue spells, but the combination of -3/-0 and flicker at 3 cmc is new, I think. Certainly something to keep in mind and see if that doesn't irk my drafters!
I can foresee a friendly argument during your next tournament.
Thwart the Attack gets cast and wins a combat for a player. The losing player starts complaining about he does not think it is cool to put in custom combat tricks. The winning player asks “Why not” to which he responds he could not see that card coming because it is home made. This is when either you or the winning player uses the argument “But this card could just as well be God’s Willing and had it been that you would have no complaint. Simply because God’s Willing exists and costs the same mana, this card Thwart the Attack is allowed in the cube even as a custom card.”
And this is a fallacy if you ask me.
If that is an argument, then anything custom made goes because there already exists 25.000 unique MtG cards.
Is this the reason why a home made combat trick should be allowed or do you have another argument?
Thwart the Attack gets cast and wins a combat for a player. The losing player starts complaining about he does not think it is cool to put in custom combat tricks. The winning player asks “Why not” to which he responds he could not see that card coming because it is home made. This is when either you or the winning player uses the argument “But this card could just as well be God’s Willing and had it been that you would have no complaint. Simply because God’s Willing exists and costs the same mana, this card Thwart the Attack is allowed in the cube even as a custom card.”
And this is a fallacy if you ask me.
If that is an argument, then anything custom made goes because there already exists 25.000 unique MtG cards.
Is this the reason why a home made combat trick should be allowed or do you have another argument?
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
What I meant is, if your opponent has exactly one Plains open, they could conceivably have a combat trick that protects their creature (i.e. Gods Willing). They could not have a card that deals 3 damage to an attacking creature (since Impeccable Timing costs ). Ergo, a player might assume that it's safe to attack with their 3/3 into their opponent's board. As long as your custom combat tricks lie within the realm of what opponents could conceivably expect from existing combat tricks it's okay. If you include combat tricks that affect the board in a way that would not be possible with existing cards given the amount and type of mana your opponent has at their disposal, then you've got a potential problem as a designer (if this is something that disgruntles your players). Investigate, as featured on Thwart the Attack, is a rider that does not (typically) affect the board, much like the "scry 1" on Gods Willing. The base effect affects the board in the same way existing cards are able to do, meaning the conclusion that attacking with the 3/3 is safe holds. That's why I think Thwart the Attack is okay. Had Thwart the Attack instead dealt 3 damage to an attacking creature, rather than grant protection, I would have had a custom card that did something at a rate that no player would be able to expect based on their knowledge of existing cards. That would be aggravating for enfranchised players, so that would not be okay in my book. In the example, the attacking player would lose their 3/3 unexpectedly, potentially leading to negative emotions. Anyway, my point is that Thwart the Attack does not defy player's expectations of what someone can do with a single white mana.
Dream Voyage, for me, threads the line. Flickering a creature in response to removal is akin to giving it hexproof, which can be done at a single. Using it to effectively untap a blocker is also fair game, since stuff like Twiddle exists. It's close enough in function to what blue already can do that I'm willing to try it out, but I accept that I might be wrong on this one, since there are some use cases that can't be done at a single , and especially the combined mode at . I'll have to wait and see.
). Ergo, a player might assume that it's safe to attack with their 3/3 into their opponent's board. As long as your custom combat tricks lie within the realm of what opponents could conceivably expect from existing combat tricks it's okay. If you include combat tricks that affect the board in a way that would not be possible with existing cards given the amount and type of mana your opponent has at their disposal, then you've got a potential problem as a designer (if this is something that disgruntles your players). Investigate, as featured on Thwart the Attack, is a rider that does not (typically) affect the board, much like the "scry 1" on Gods Willing. The base effect affects the board in the same way existing cards are able to do, meaning the conclusion that attacking with the 3/3 is safe holds. That's why I think Thwart the Attack is okay. Had Thwart the Attack instead dealt 3 damage to an attacking creature, rather than grant protection, I would have had a custom card that did something at a rate that no player would be able to expect based on their knowledge of existing cards. That would be aggravating for enfranchised players, so that would not be okay in my book. In the example, the attacking player would lose their 3/3 unexpectedly, potentially leading to negative emotions. Anyway, my point is that Thwart the Attack does not defy player's expectations of what someone can do with a single white mana.Dream Voyage, for me, threads the line. Flickering a creature in response to removal is akin to giving it hexproof, which can be done at a single
. Using it to effectively untap a blocker is also fair game, since stuff like Twiddle exists. It's close enough in function to what blue already can do that I'm willing to try it out, but I accept that I might be wrong on this one, since there are some use cases that can't be done at a single , and especially the combined mode at . I'll have to wait and see.That is exactly the argument that I will call a fallacy. I do not agree with you as you have only taken step 1 in your argumentation.
It is not very likely that your cube would run a God’s Willing because it is very low power. This is what every player will think when they play the cube. Attacking into an open God’s Willing is therefore a safe attack. Same with blocking.
Therefore we are back at this: Unless your players know your cube just as well as you do and helped you design it just as much as you designed it, then home made combat tricks is a no go because they will feel cheated when the surprise is being cast.
It is not very likely that your cube would run a God’s Willing because it is very low power. This is what every player will think when they play the cube. Attacking into an open God’s Willing is therefore a safe attack. Same with blocking.
Therefore we are back at this: Unless your players know your cube just as well as you do and helped you design it just as much as you designed it, then home made combat tricks is a no go because they will feel cheated when the surprise is being cast.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Let's agree to disagree then, because Gods Willing is a card I would be perfectly fine with at my power level. Also, I don't foresee my players getting hung up over a custom Gods Willing.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I did in the past, but found I wanted just a little bit more than scry 1, so I switched to Shelter, but found I wanted just a little less cmc. Thwart the Attack is the perfect compromise for me. 1 cmc protection that also draws a card!
Chris Taylor
Contributor
My take: there's 25k magic cards that could be in a cube at any given time. No one has a list in their head of all the combat tricks that can be played for , they've got generalities: Gods willing and the like, righteous blow and the like, condemn and other hard removal spells, etc.
They're not going by name, they're going by effect. The name may be unique, but that doesn't matter outside meddling mage, the possibility space is just too high. The effect does, and it's not even that uncommon.
Also I'm deff stealing that, I even run a white artifact theme.
, they've got generalities: Gods willing and the like, righteous blow and the like, condemn and other hard removal spells, etc.They're not going by name, they're going by effect. The name may be unique, but that doesn't matter outside meddling mage, the possibility space is just too high. The effect does, and it's not even that uncommon.
Also I'm deff stealing that, I even run a white artifact theme.
I was bouncing around cantrip ideas, and I thought something like this would be an interesting play. Not too flashy, but it's conditionally tempo and card advantage. It's also a whiff if you hit a planeswalker or most other legendaries.
The wording seems clear to me, but the "otherwise" bit might be confusing to someone else? Not sure.
So I want to create a draft set (cube) from real cards and custom cards to compliment weird and crazy archetypes. I don't want these cards to be overcomplicated or overpowered, I want to just reuse some mechanics.
Candy Sword
Artifact- Clue Equipment Food Treasure
, sacrifice Candy Sword: add one mana of any color.
,, sacrifice Candy Sword: draw a card.
, , sacrifice Candy Sword: you gain 3 life.
Equipped creature gains +1/+1
Equip
-----------
The Floor is Lava
Enchantment
Whenever a creature comes into play, The Floor is Lava deals 1 damage to each creature, which didn't enter the battlefield this turn.
-----------
Sand Command
Sorcery
Choose one. If you control a Desert or if there is a Desert card in your graveyard, choose all three instead:
* Distribute two -1/-1 counters between two or less creatures.
* Scry 1, then scry 1 again.
* Sand Command deals 2 damage to target player or planeswalker and you gain 2 life.
-----------
Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature -- Construct Equipment
2/2
(It is not a creature when used as equipment.)
Vigilance
Equip
Equipped creature gains +2/+2 and has vigilance.
Whenever equipped creature dies, you may exile Filigree Exoarmor. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Please leave your thoughts!
Candy Sword
Artifact- Clue Equipment Food Treasure
, sacrifice Candy Sword: add one mana of any color.,, sacrifice Candy Sword: draw a card., , sacrifice Candy Sword: you gain 3 life.Equipped creature gains +1/+1
Equip
-----------
The Floor is Lava
Enchantment
Whenever a creature comes into play, The Floor is Lava deals 1 damage to each creature, which didn't enter the battlefield this turn.
-----------
Sand Command
Sorcery
Choose one. If you control a Desert or if there is a Desert card in your graveyard, choose all three instead:
* Distribute two -1/-1 counters between two or less creatures.
* Scry 1, then scry 1 again.
* Sand Command deals 2 damage to target player or planeswalker and you gain 2 life.
-----------
Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature -- Construct Equipment
2/2
(It is not a creature when used as equipment.)
Vigilance
Equip
Equipped creature gains +2/+2 and has vigilance.
Whenever equipped creature dies, you may exile Filigree Exoarmor. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Please leave your thoughts!
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
Except for The Floor is Lava, these all are quite wordy, and not all of them work.
Candy Sword is super cute, but has a typeline that I don't think will fit. Definitely a useful card though.
The Floor is Lava is a cute idea, but I worry that it's too easy to turn this into a repeatable Pyroclasm. Also, what deck wants this? Aggro has the tools to trigger it often, but doesn't want to wipe its board. Midrange/control has a harder time to trigger this often, unless they play token cards like Hordeling Outburst, in which case we return to my initial fears of this card being a repeatable Pyroclasm. In short, the trigger is a nice puzzle to solve, but the reward makes for miserable gameplay.
Sand Command is cute desert interaction. I would just turn the second mode into scry 2, or even surveil 2 if you want to make it more interesting. Scry 1, scry 1 is going to be a meh a lot of the time (that is, whenever you want to draw the top card of your library). The card also feels far more black than green, might I suggest "target creature with flying or planeswalker" instead? That does potentially change this into more of a sweeper if you have a desert, so maybe the first ability should be balanced around that? Maybe "put a +1/+1 counter on target creature and a -1/-1 counter on another target creature"? That would also make the card feel more green, by the way.
Filigree Exoarmor literally doesn't work. There's a rule that says equipment that's also a creature can't equip another creature. You'ld have to do some next level shit to get it to work as is. Or, you could turn it into an equipment version of bestow. Basically, one of the below options. Also, why the hybrid mana on the equip? You've already paid to cast it. Either both should be hybrid, or both should be normal imo.
Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature - Construct
: ~ loses this ability and becomes an Equipment. Attach it to target creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.
Vigilance
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.
When equipped creature dies, you may exile ~. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature - Construct
Implant (If you cast this card for its implant cost, it’s an Equipment spell that enters the battlefield attached to a creature you control. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.)
Vigilance
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.
When equipped creature dies, you may exile ~. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Candy Sword is super cute, but has a typeline that I don't think will fit. Definitely a useful card though.
The Floor is Lava is a cute idea, but I worry that it's too easy to turn this into a repeatable Pyroclasm. Also, what deck wants this? Aggro has the tools to trigger it often, but doesn't want to wipe its board. Midrange/control has a harder time to trigger this often, unless they play token cards like Hordeling Outburst, in which case we return to my initial fears of this card being a repeatable Pyroclasm. In short, the trigger is a nice puzzle to solve, but the reward makes for miserable gameplay.
Sand Command is cute desert interaction. I would just turn the second mode into scry 2, or even surveil 2 if you want to make it more interesting. Scry 1, scry 1 is going to be a meh a lot of the time (that is, whenever you want to draw the top card of your library). The card also feels far more black than green, might I suggest "target creature with flying or planeswalker" instead? That does potentially change this into more of a sweeper if you have a desert, so maybe the first ability should be balanced around that? Maybe "put a +1/+1 counter on target creature and a -1/-1 counter on another target creature"? That would also make the card feel more green, by the way.
Filigree Exoarmor literally doesn't work. There's a rule that says equipment that's also a creature can't equip another creature. You'ld have to do some next level shit to get it to work as is. Or, you could turn it into an equipment version of bestow. Basically, one of the below options. Also, why the hybrid mana on the equip? You've already paid
to cast it. Either both should be hybrid, or both should be normal imo.Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature - Construct
: ~ loses this ability and becomes an Equipment. Attach it to target creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.Vigilance
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.
When equipped creature dies, you may exile ~. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Filigree Exoarmor
Artifact Creature - Construct
Implant
(If you cast this card for its implant cost, it’s an Equipment spell that enters the battlefield attached to a creature you control. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.)Vigilance
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has vigilance.
When equipped creature dies, you may exile ~. If you do, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
What if Candy Sword did something like...
Candy Sword
Artifact - Equipment
Equip
Equipped creature gets +1/-1
When equipped creature dies, choose one --
* Create a Clue token.
* Create a Food token.
* Create a Treasure token.
Fixed Skullclamp!
Candy Sword
Artifact - Equipment
Equip
Equipped creature gets +1/-1
When equipped creature dies, choose one --
* Create a Clue token.
* Create a Food token.
* Create a Treasure token.
Fixed Skullclamp!
What if Candy Sword did something like...
Candy Sword
Artifact - Equipment
Equip
Equipped creature gets +1/-1
When equipped creature dies, choose one --
* Create a Clue token.
* Create a Food token.
* Create a Treasure token.
Fixed Skullclamp!
How about just- not skullclamp? Make it a better Short Sword and have it give equipped creature +1/+1?
Chris Taylor
Contributor
I think I like this better as "Artifact that creates a ton of weird tokens" card
Do you have some too?
Artifacts that creates a ton of weird tokens, that is? Because I’d love to see them.