General Custom Cards: The Lab

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
The artwork looks like an Instant or sorcery being cast by that Human Shaman.
I agree, but couldn't be be bothered to look for better art for a card I don't even know if I'm going to add. Testing first, the kinda placeholder art is fine for now :)

If you come across something that would fit the colors and effect, I'm happy to take suggestions though! Doesn't have to be a human.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Testing two more customs. Reevaluate was found a bit lackluster last time, so I added investigate to make it, basically, a better Whispers of the Muse (which doesn't cut it, to be fair). Oketra's Monument made me want to make a monument for the spells deck as well. The Monument has total placeholder art at the moment, by the way. Any thoughts on the cards themselves?

Reevaluate.full.jpg Chandra's Monument.full.jpg
 
Are your Spells decks mono red?

Otherwise I would consider a version that doesn’t only enable red instants and sorceries.
 
Can I ask a maybe silly question:
Unspent mana empties from your mana pool at the end of each phase, right? So after the damage phase of combat, your mana pool empties and then you go to your postcombat main phase. So why does Aanetra empty your mana pool a second time? Is there Omnath or some other consideration?
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Can I ask a maybe silly question:
Unspent mana empties from your mana pool at the end of each phase, right? So after the damage phase of combat, your mana pool empties and then you go to your postcombat main phase. So why does Aanetra empty your mana pool a second time? Is there Omnath or some other consideration?

It's a triggered ability that goes on the stack. If it didn't make you lose unspent mana, you could tap all your untapped lands for mana with the trigger on the stack, then let it resolve, and tap those lands again. It's the difference between having X mana available twice in a turn, or two times X available in that same turn. Aanetra is designed, not so you can play an 8 drop on turn 4, but so you can play two 4 drops on turn four.
 
It's a triggered ability that goes on the stack. If it didn't make you lose unspent mana, you could tap all your untapped lands for mana with the trigger on the stack, then let it resolve, and tap those lands again. It's the difference between having X mana available twice in a turn, or two times X available in that same turn. Aanetra is designed, not so you can play an 8 drop on turn 4, but so you can play two 4 drops on turn four.
That's it. Thanks!
 
a 25 card megacycle for you

Artificial Angel {5}
Creature - Angel Golem
Flying, Vigilance
{3}{W}{W}: If an opponent has more cards in hand than you, return ~ from your graveyard to your hand. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
4/4

Palintron {7}
Creature - Construct
Flying
When ~ enters the battlefield, untap up to seven lands.
{2}{U}{U}: Return ~ to its owner’s hand.
4/5

Self-Driving Car {1}
Creature - Construct
Haste
{B}, Sacrifice ~: Each player sacrifices a creature.
1/1

Automated Blacksmith {3}
Creature - Construct
{R}: Create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Sword. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0," and equip {1}.
2/2

Lifeless Statue {2}
Creature - Golem
Defender
{G}: ~ loses defender and gains trample until end of turn.
3/3

Shifting Phantasm {W}
Creature - Spirit
Protection from instants
{U}: You may exile target card from a graveyard. If you do, scry 1 and untap ~.
0/1

Polite Hypocrite {W}
Creature - Human Cleric
{B}: ~ gains lifelink until end of turn.
2/1

The Dumbest Boy Alive {1}{W}
Legendary Creature - Human
{1}{R}: Attacking creatures you control gain first strike until end of turn.
3/1

Peaceful Mentor {2}{W}{W}
Creature - Human Monk
Creatures with +1/+1 counters on them can't attack.
{G}: Put a +1/+1 counter on another target creature.
2/2

Starlight Pickpocket {1}{U}
Creature - Faerie Rogue
Flying, Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, return another permanent you control its owner's hand.
{W}: Return ~ to its owners hand.
2/2

Blood Swindler {U}
Creature - Vampire Rogue
Flying
{B}: You may remove a +1/+1 counter from target creature. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
1/1

Warp Elemental {3}{U}{U}
Creature - Elemental
Flying
When ~ enters the battlefield, draw a card.
{R}: ~ gains prowess until end of turn. (Multiple instances of prowess are additive.)
3/3

Knowledge Elemental {2}{U}
Creature - Elemental
{G}, {T}: Add {c} for each card in the opponent's hand.
1/3

Void Worshipper {B}
Creature - Human Cleric
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life.
{5}{W}: Exile target creature until ~ leaves the battlefield.
2/1

Oil Demon {3}{B}{B}
Creature - Demon
Flying
{X}{U}: Exile ~ from your hand with X climate counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a climate counter, and draw a card. When the last is removed, it enters the battlefield under an opponent's control.
6/6


Decaying Cerberus {2}{B}{B}
Creature - Zombie Hound
~ enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it.
{R}, Remove a +1/+1 counter from ~: ~ deals 1 damage to any target.
0/0

Boneshaper Priest {1}{B}
Creature - Elf Shaman
{G}, Discard a creature card: Search your library for a creature card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
2/2

Earthquake Elemental {3}{R}{R}
Creature - Elemental
Trample, haste
{2}{W}{W}, Sacrifice ~: Destroy all lands.
5/3

Kinesthetic Learner {1}{R}
Creature - Human Monk
Haste
{1}{U}: If ~ dealt damage to a player this turn, draw a card. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/1

Library Arsonist {2}{R}
Creature - Human Rogue
Haste
{1}{B}, Sacrifice ~: Any player may have ~ deal 5 damage to them. If no one does, target player draws three cards.
3/2

Reckless Driver {R}
Creature - Human Rogue
~ can't block.
{2}{G}, Sacrifice ~: Destroy target artifact. Activate this ability only if ~ dealt damage this turn.
2/1


Young Wanderer {G}
Creature - Elf Nomad Cleric
{T}, {W}: Put a +1/+1 counter on ~. If an opponent controls more lands than you, you may put a land card from your sideboard or the basic land box onto the battlefield.
1/1


Kelp Spider {2}{G}{G}
Creature - Spider Plant
Reach
{4}{U}{U}: Reveal the top card of your library. You may play it without paying its mana cost.
4/4

Bulldozing Baloth {4}{G}{G}
Creature - Beast
Trample
{B}{B}{B}: Destroy target land.
6/6

Party Animal {1}{G}
Creature - Beast Druid
{T}: Add {G}.
{R}, Sacrifice ~: Add {R}{R}{R}.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Wait... Boneshaper Priest doesn't require tapping for its activated ability? Fauna Shaman was underpowered?

Reckless Driver's activated ability, on the other hand, seems severely overcosted. That's literally going to do nothing (except being a 2/1 for {R}) 99% of the time. It's an aggressive drop that hits the table before the opponent probably has an artifact around, and they will never play one unless they can defend against a 2/1, which is a fairly trivial job.

Also, Palintron is missing the casting cost, but I'm guessing {7} from the name and the inspiration. Don't know how I feel about a "colorless" Palinchron. You still need blue to go infinite, I guess?

Other than that... too many cards!
 
Wait... Boneshaper Priest doesn't require tapping for its activated ability? Fauna Shaman was underpowered?

Reckless Driver's activated ability, on the other hand, seems severely overcosted. That's literally going to do nothing (except being a 2/1 for {R}) 99% of the time. It's an aggressive drop that hits the table before the opponent probably has an artifact around, and they will never play one unless they can defend against a 2/1, which is a fairly trivial job.

Also, Palintron is missing the casting cost, but I'm guessing {7} from the name and the inspiration. Don't know how I feel about a "colorless" Palinchron. You still need blue to go infinite, I guess?

Other than that... too many cards!
re: boneshaper priest: was thinking about survival of the fittest tbh

re: reckless driver: it's a nice plus on a 2/1 for 1

edited palintron before you posted, yes, 7.


and well. idk, yeah i guess it is too much. but it wouldn't be a megacycle otherwise!
 
Automated Blacksmith {3}
Creature - Construct
{R}: Create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Sword. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0," and equip {1}.
2/2

It’s not firebreathing but equipmentbreathing :p

And holy cow that card can run away with a game. The definition of stomping on someone who is already lying down :p
 
It’s not firebreathing but equipmentbreathing :p

And holy cow that card can run away with a game. The definition of stomping on someone who is already lying down :p
no love for "swordbreathing"?

and yeaaaa i'm sure the numbers on that are real wrong. needs playtesting.
 

Laz

Developer
It's a triggered ability that goes on the stack. If it didn't make you lose unspent mana, you could tap all your untapped lands for mana with the trigger on the stack, then let it resolve, and tap those lands again. It's the difference between having X mana available twice in a turn, or two times X available in that same turn. Aanetra is designed, not so you can play an 8 drop on turn 4, but so you can play two 4 drops on turn four.

It is perhaps telling that I have heard talk of this as the most broken card previewed so far...
wildernessreclamation.jpg
 
I like the 2B cmc-4 tutor! Elegant, probably has a lot of play to it. Usually the 2C limited tutors are 1/1s - Imperial Recruiter, Spellseeker, Goblin Matron - or 2/2s (Borderland Ranger, Trinket Mage, Trophy Mage) depending on how strong the effect is. I think 'card with CMC 4' is niche enough that you can run her as a 2/2, like Trinket Mage, but it might be better to test her as if she's more like a Recruiter / Spellseeker variant at 1/1.

I'm running someone from here's "Mist Seer", which is a 2BB 4/4 that tutors any card to the top of your library, but it isn't actually card advantage, so it has the beefier body. Maybe you could go for something that plays well with your Demonic Pact / Braids decks and have it be, like, a 3/2 menace for 2B that vampiric tutors a 4-drop? idk
 
that's potentially interesting and neat

one potential concern: maybe it won't get used for that and instead will get used to play some generic Good Stuff-y 4 drop more often? (is that actually bad tho?)
 
ok look i've got some questionable ideas again.

Undead Sellsword {B}
Creature - Zombie Mercenary
~ can't block.
When ~ would go to the graveyard from anywhere, put it on the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/1

Traveling Merchant {1}{W}
Creature - Human Nomad
When ~ enters the battlefield, choose 3 cards at random from the undrafted part of the cube and put them on the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
1/2

Arms Dealer {W}{B}
Creature - Human Rogue
When ~ enters the battlefield, put Demonspine Whip, Mask of Riddles, Behemoth Sledge, Sunforger, and Silverskin Armor onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/2

Wage Theft {U}{U}
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 play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)


Dumpster Diver {1}{G}{G}
Creature - Human Shaman
Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, put target exiled card or card in a graveyard on the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/2

Pawn Broker {1}{R}
Creature - Human Rogue
At the beginning of your draw step, you may put a card from your hand onto the market and then draw an additional card. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/1

Quiet Explorer {1}{G}
Creature - Elf Druid
Put up to four land cards of your choice from the basic land box or your sideboard onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/2

Hostile Takeover {1}{B}{B}
Sorcery
Target player puts their hand onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Lotus Dealer {2}{G}
Creature - Human Nomad
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a Black Lotus onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
3/3

Bargain Bin {1}
Artifact
When ~ enters the battlefield, exile a Yawgmoth's Bargain, Cruel Bargain, Dark Bargain, Moonlight Bargain, Bargain, and Bargaining Table.
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one of the exiled cards at random, and put it onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Currency Crash {5}{U}{U}
Sorcery
Put all permanents onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Market Speculation {2}{U}
Instant
Reveal the top five cards of your library and separate them into two piles. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Put that pile onto the market and the other into your graveyard. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Old Binder {0}
Artifact
Exile ~: Choose ten cards from Alpha at random, and put them onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Open Bazaar
Land
{T}: Add {c} to your mana pool.
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast cards from the market.

Risky Investment {1}{R}
Sorcery
~ deals 2 damage to any target.
If ~ was cast from your hand, put it onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)

Sellsword Captain {2}{B}
Creature - Mercenary
Mercenaries you control get +1/+1.
When ~ enters the battlefield, put Alley Grifters, Doomed Necromancer, Spineless Thug, and Skulking Fugitive onto the market. (Any player may play cards in the market as if they were in that player's hand.)
2/2
 
I have something in my cube called The Marketplace so naturally my eyes widened when I saw your mechanic :p Although they work entirely different.

I feel like the matter of ‘who has priority’ makes this mechanic a little too advanced. Veteran players obviously know but I would be a bit leery printing something like this.

Then comes the balance. Take Risky Investment as an example. It is not very risky if you have 4 mana. However the card is suuuuuuuper bad if your opppnent gets to cast it from the market. I mean you both spend two mana but you actually lost a card. And it doesn’t feel risky at all if your opponent isn’t red because they will never be able to cast it. So how do you balance these cards to a degree where they are not twice as good as they should be (2 spells in 1 card) without letting your opponent get too much free value and thus you also losing out on 50 % of the card. I feel like the effect is either too good or too weak no matter what numbers you put on the cards because it totally depend on your opponent’s mana base.

Cool theme though!
 
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