General Custom Cards: The Lab

Chris Taylor

Contributor
So, I feel like GW is a color that wants this less than UB?
Also like, do we need planar chaos? Just make this an enchantment instead of an artifact
LOVE the art, I'm gonna use that for something
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
So, I feel like GW is a color that wants this less than UB?
Also like, do we need planar chaos? Just make this an enchantment instead of an artifact
LOVE the art, I'm gonna use that for something
All fair points, I was just thinking yesterday how well this would fit in GW according to modern design principles :)

And yeah, the art doesn’t quite fit an artifact creature, because I had this idea at, like, midnight, and wanted to get it out of my head so I could go to bed :D
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
All custom? (I’m guessing yes)
I like the Strix now
Good question, I don't know if it should or will be all customs. I imagine the mana base is unlikely to be all customs, at the very least. I also would like some enchantment-based green ramp, and there isn't anything available I think that I could colorshift, since aura-based ramp is exclusive to green. There are other categories that are pretty exclusive to one color, like burn for red and discard to black.

Adrokar, Dream Chieftain.jpg Prized Protector.jpg Imrid Cutpurse.jpg Dinosaur Egg.jpg
Roaming Reincarnation.jpg Recurring Daydream.jpg
Sia’s Summons.jpg Reenchanted Skeleton.jpg
Sia, Master Magician (1).jpg Answered Incantations.jpg
 
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Do white enchantment-based ramp and flavor it as farm fields, or do something inspired on Colossal Plow.

Cool designs! Are those artworks made with an AI? You could mention that, since you cite yourself twice.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Yeah, they are made with AI (don't look at the hands please :p). Not nearly as good as a real artist at creating original art, but much more affordable! As it happens, in these particular cases I made both the card / proxy, as well as the art, so I'm credited twice. Simply saying "AI art" in the credits doesn't really work, since there are a lot of other people making AI art that I'ld have to credit by name. Maybe I could do "AI art by Onderzeeboot"? Doesn't really solve the problem of double credits though.
 
Wow, AI art has really improved in months. I only thought of it because the faces on Adrokar. That skeleton and those faces on Prized Protector are amazing. Credit yourself as you want, of course, for me it was more a matter of curiosity about which AI was used in case they were made that way.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
I adore the picture for Adrokar

On the flip side I don’t think Prized Protector looks like an enchantment at all.
Yeah, that one is tough, not going to lie :) If you have any ideas how to make it look more like an enchantment I'ld appreciate it!

Wow, AI art has really improved in months. I only thought of it because the faces on Adrokar. That skeleton and those faces on Prized Protector are amazing. Credit yourself as you want, of course, for me it was more a matter of curiosity about which AI was used in case they were made that way.
I used MidJourney for these (v4 to be precise)! There are numerous things the engine can't do, but it can also make some amazing pictures! Which is amazing for someone with neither the skill to make, nor the money to buy enough art to illustrate all my custom designs :D
 

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Man I've gotta learn how to use MidJourney at some point. I've definitely been in a position where I've looked for a LONG time, basically having been at the bottom of a scryfall search.
 
I am trying to design Mew and Mewtwo for my Pokécube as "super hard to cast but you win the game 98% of the time"-cards, but I feel like it's hard to hit the sweet spot. I am trying to craft draft situations where people are motivated to try and build a deck, that can cast them, but also game situations where the opponent, if they did something right, might have a glimmer of hope to beat them. Basically, I don't want people to scoop after someone reveals a card, indicating they'd cast that now, but both would rather not bother playing it out.

Right now, I feel like both of these are tempting enough to buildaround but far too unbeatable for their effects to really matter.

XC11 Mewtu.jpg

Mewtwo, the Last Experiment 11
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying
Wenn Mewtwo enters the battlefield, you control target player during that players next turn.
If Mewtwo would leave the battlefield, exile it instead and it deals 11 damage to each Pokémon.
11/9

Maybe I have to word the first ability like Emrakul's? And what could I do with the "I destroy everything just like in the movie"-ability?


Y5 Mew.jpg

Mew 5WUBRG
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, indestructible
Mew can be the user of any attack card.
When Mew enters the battefield, for each color, search your library for a card of that color and exile it. Then shuffle. You may play those cards this turn without paying their mana costs.
10/10

For evaluating purposes, you can mostly ignore the part about attack cards. Just freecasting five good spells from your deck is probably way too nuts already ...
 
I am trying to design Mew and Mewtwo for my Pokécube as "super hard to cast but you win the game 98% of the time"-cards, but I feel like it's hard to hit the sweet spot. I am trying to craft draft situations where people are motivated to try and build a deck, that can cast them, but also game situations where the opponent, if they did something right, might have a glimmer of hope to beat them. Basically, I don't want people to scoop after someone reveals a card, indicating they'd cast that now, but both would rather not bother playing it out.

Right now, I feel like both of these are tempting enough to buildaround but far too unbeatable for their effects to really matter.

View attachment 8082

Mewtwo, the Last Experiment 11
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying
Wenn Mewtwo enters the battlefield, you control target player during that players next turn.
If Mewtwo would leave the battlefield, exile it instead and it deals 11 damage to each Pokémon.
11/9

Maybe I have to word the first ability like Emrakul's? And what could I do with the "I destroy everything just like in the movie"-ability?


View attachment 8083

Mew 5WUBRG
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, indestructible
Mew can be the user of any attack card.
When Mew enters the battefield, for each color, search your library for a card of that color and exile it. Then shuffle. You may play those cards this turn without paying their mana costs.
10/10

For evaluating purposes, you can mostly ignore the part about attack cards. Just freecasting five good spells from your deck is probably way too nuts already ...
The problem is that both already leave the opponent way behind if they answer the creature.
Maybe like:
Costalot
Flying
Ward 8?-x where x is the number of hit counters on costalot
When costalot attacks put a hit counter on it. Then defending player sacrifices x creatures, where x is the number of hit counters.
10/10

This card can be answered, but it requires a different angle. Also, there is not an immediate huge advantage which already ends the game.
 
I reworked them both a bit, making them more castable and more beatable.

Mewtwo {9}
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, Ward 3
When ~ etb, you gain control of target opponent during that player’s next turn. After that turn, that player takes an extra turn.
10/7

Costs two less now and got ward 3, but it has the "fair" mindslaver ability and doesn't wipe the board anymore.

Mew {3}{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, vigilance, ward {3}
Mew can be the user of any attack card.
{3}: Scry 3, then look at the top card of your library. If it's a pokémon or attack card, you may cast it without paying it's mana cost.
9/9

Also costs 2 less, also ward 3 but no immediate value. Instead you can go off with multiple activations starting the next turn. The vigilance is important because that way Mew can "use" an attack spell and still attack in regular combat.

They look better?
 
I reworked them both a bit, making them more castable and more beatable.

Mewtwo {9}
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, Ward 3
When ~ etb, you gain control of target opponent during that player’s next turn. After that turn, that player takes an extra turn.
10/7

Costs two less now and got ward 3, but it has the "fair" mindslaver ability and doesn't wipe the board anymore.

Mew {3}{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}
Legendary Pokémon - Psycho
Flying, vigilance, ward {3}
Mew can be the user of any attack card.
{3}: Scry 3, then look at the top card of your library. If it's a pokémon or attack card, you may cast it without paying it's mana cost.
9/9

Also costs 2 less, also ward 3 but no immediate value. Instead you can go off with multiple activations starting the next turn. The vigilance is important because that way Mew can "use" an attack spell and still attack in regular combat.

They look better?
Mewtwo is still very strong. Mew is not too strong
 
Which knobs could I tune to make it weaker? On the same power level as Mew preferably. And wothout losing the mindslaver ability completely (I just love that).
 
If we look at both cards:
Mewtoo has immediate and tremendous value. Mew not, but mew has inevitability. Leaving mew alive for one turn is doable, but probably already game over. However, mew leaves the opponent at least searching one turn for an answer.

Mindslaver, even this weaker variant plays out as follows: either the opponent can play its answer card, if in possession of and mana wise available or they are used against the opponent. Similarly, very bad attacks are made. Hence, having the slaver ability as an etb will work out as follows: oppo looks at the board, hand, etc, and has an answer or very very likely concedes.

You seem hellbent on slavering, but immediately slavering leads to either nothing to slaver or conceding. You also wish that the opponent keeps on playing to find an out. So a solution would be to have the slaver ability later and “answerable”, e.g.,

mewtwo 4
Kicker x put x +1/+1 counters on ~
Flying (or shadow?)
At the beginning of your upkeep add a +1/+1 counter on ~.
At the end of combat, if ~ attacked, you may remove 4 +1/+1 counters from ~. If you do you gain control of target opponent during that player’s next turn. After that turn, that player takes an extra turn.

sacrifice 2 permanents: remove a +1/+1 counter from ~. Any player may play this ability.

2/2

There, a tad wordy but it is strong, has the slaver ability, leaves the opponent playing for an out, wins the game if that out is not found.
 
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