Multiverse: Denval, Leonin Cleric

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CardName: Denval, Leonin Cleric Cost: 5W Type: Legendary Creature - Cat Cleric Pow/Tgh: 6/5 Rules Text: Vigilance Whenever one or more creatures attack, you may sacrifice a non-creature permanent. If you do, creatures you control are indestructible until end of turn. Flavour Text: Set/Rarity: New Mirrodin Mythic

Denval, Leonin Cleric

Legendary Creature – Cat Cleric

Vigilance
Whenever one or more creatures attack, you may sacrifice a non-creature permanent. If you do, creatures you control are indestructible until end of turn.

6/5

Updated on 01 Mar 2013 by jmgariepy

Code: MW01

Active?: true

History: [-]

2013-02-26 05:37:28: jmgariepy created the card Denval, Leonin Cleric

2013-02-26 05:52:20: jmgariepy edited Denval, Leonin Cleric

by jmgariepy:

Another take on Denval. I think I'm closer here than with the other three ideas. Some points:

One bad thing is okay. Two bad things is a bad card. There's nothing that makes a card hated more than the fact that it adds insult to injury. Denval, Leonin Cleric ii not only had a slew of poor options, but it asked you to be the defending player in order to trigger them. That wasn't cool. I added Vigilance, and a trigger that requires attacking creatures... I still want Denval to play defense, but now it isn't in your face.

White doesn't really sacrifice creatures, so I'm glad I've got Denval sacrificing other things to save all your dudes.

I originally kept the 'choose one' and gave you the option to gain 5 life instead of making your team indestructo. I like the feel of that card more, since the theme of Denval is 'tough decisions', and that can be a hard choice. But the phrase "Whenever... if you... choose one" was just too much to parse.

Speaking of tough decisions... this card secretly does have two drawbacks (the choice to sacrifice a permanent is one), but I don't think the second problem is noticeable until you begin to play with Denval. You have to choose to sacrifice permanents and decide whether or not to make your creatures indestructible at the beginning of combat. That's before combat tricks or blocks. If my opponent has a team of 3 Hill Giants, and I have Denval and six lands, it isn't really obvious how I should proceed. That's a bit of the thought process I wanted this card to have, but it doesn't call attention to the 'bad' qualities of the card itself.

Power higher than Toughness. Otherwise, players wouldn't need to sac stuff as often. That defeats the point of the card.

I still feel this card is missing something, though. I experimented adding "Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield, gain 1 life." as a rider... but it doesn't make sense on this card. 7/5 looks weird on white. Not sure what little bit I can add to make him feel more Mythic, though. Maybe something will come to me. (Maybe a weird protection? I'll have to think about it.)

by Alex:

Oh, I like this one a lot more than the last three. Still sacrifices stuff, but saves the village by doing so.

2013-03-01 03:41:09: jmgariepy edited Denval, Leonin Cleric

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