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Mechanics

CardName: Pathside Bandits Cost: 3b Type: Creature - Human Bandit Pow/Tgh: 2/2 Rules Text: Flash When Pathside Bandits enters the battlefield, destroy up to one target tapped creature. Flavour Text: The remainders of the Paths are a common place for an ambush Set/Rarity: Camadoon Uncommon

Pathside Bandits
{3}{b}
 
 U 
Creature – Human Bandit
Flash
When Pathside Bandits enters the battlefield, destroy up to one target tapped creature.
The remainders of the Paths are a common place for an ambush
2/2
Updated on 07 Jun 2019 by Froggychum

History: [-]

2017-09-13 22:08:57: Froggychum created the card Pathside Bandits
2017-12-02 18:23:04: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

This and Angry Raiders are just disgusting. Personally, I wouldn't even have these at rare.

Why do they also have the same mana cost and p/t?

Angry raiders isn't overpowered, if it is could you use a helpful nooby guide to explain how?

As for this, i will put in a tap symbol (christ how did i forget that xD?)

2017-12-04 20:36:29: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

Froggy, when formatting abilities, generally you use this template:

>[Mana Cost], [Tap/Untap], [Additional Cost]: [EFFECT].

As for why it's overpowered, I think a lot of your cards have effects that are extremely strong, but "balanced" by some sort of drawback. As for Angry Raiders, the reason why it's overpowered is because it's a common that turns all of your cards into Lightning Strike, a premium quality common/uncommon in every limited format that it's in. The same issue showed up in the other card I commented on - Clotter - you "balanced" the tutor ability by making them pay 6 life, as if that will deter players from using the ability to often. The rule of thumb with Magic is that, due to the size of the card pool, there's a good way to turn any "drawback" you add to a card into an upside.

See, for example, Lion's Eye Diamond. A very strong card - basically Black Lotus - that is "balanced" by needing to discard your entire hand to use it. Yet now it's a staple of many legacy and vintage decks (and also restricted in vintage), because people learned how to nullify or take advantage of its downside.

Furthermore, while you should strive to make commons exciting, there's a fine line between "exciting" and "holy crap, I'm snap picking this because it's broken beyond hell". Repeatable effects - see the two cards of yours I mentioned earlier - are generally dramatically more powerful than any single card with that same effect, and costed appropriately. Those effects should generally be avoided at common unless they're weak, appropriately costed, or contribute to your set themes as a whole. This is one of the primary reasons why Capsize is so hated in Commander, and why Sprout Swarm was hands-down the best card in the Time Spiral block limited format. Since players are going to be able to pick up multiple commons, you want to avoid cards that basically say "remove me or you're going to lose", because having multiple cards like that pop up over the course of a game can be troubling. As a general rule of thumb, look to sets like Innistrad, Theros, Khans of Tarkir, and more recently Shadows over Innistrad to get a feel for what kinds of roles commons should play in your set. If you don't play limited, try playing draft or sealed a couple times so you can get a feel for how limited decks come together and what kinds of effects players of certain types of decks want.

Other than what I'm saying, I highly recommend reading Maro's articles on design, or even commenting on other sets to ask about their cards - I'm sure most designers on here would be happy to share what their design process was for one of their cards. The more designs of other people you are exposed to, the more you can understand what types of cards people might like and want to play with.

thank you for all that, I will be looking around here and trying to get a better understanding of Magic design (i'll probably read some official articles too)

I'm sorry it's taking so long for me to get good at making cards, when I started I thought I would be great, I was a little disappointed to say the least, now I know I can always rely on you guys for help and support.

Also I think I figured out a way to make this less powerful. But it might still need anoter nerf

2017-12-05 19:55:24: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

basically should I keep the flash?

Flash is not traditionally {r} + having it here makes the card more defensive which also isn't exactly in {r}'s nature.

I would drop it. Also, maybe add "may" on that etb ability?

Yep flash leaves, sorry for the color pie violation!

And yes, I do think I will add a may, if it happens there were no tapped guys on opponents side, then you would be forced to ping your own, who wants that? (besides Dinos xD)

2017-12-06 20:15:42: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

Being forced to ping something is very red. It's kinda trinket text; because well, you just won't cast it except when you have a target in mind.

I'd say lose the flash too; just for simplification. The tapped thing is still gonna be tapped on your turn. But I'm not massively wedded to that. Instant-speed damage is a thing red can do, and dropping a sudden blocker is something anyone can do sometimes. Just need to make sure that the flavour is speed, rather than sneaky. e.g. Bogardan Hellkite is pretty much the same card as this, only huge :)

Which is a point - if it doesn't lose the flash - does this need to be uncommon? Not really for complexity (though it has a bit) but for boring repeatable "Oh, I'd better not attack, he'll just summon a 2/3 blocker deal 1 extra and kill it"

Given the fact that it complicates combat math and is a potential 2-for-1, yeah, it probably does need to be uncommon if it keeps flash.

dammit! I MEANT TO LOSE THE FLASH LAST EDIT! Very sorry, i dont know how i forgot!

Also I think you are right, i think i'll lose the may, lose the choice basically.

2017-12-07 20:19:17: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

should I append "you don't control" onto the end?

actually nah, i like its compatibality with Dinos :3

That last point is a very very nice sneaky combo piece. Very good design.

thank you so much!

2018-01-05 23:18:35: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits
2019-05-22 21:45:06: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits
2019-06-06 21:54:04: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits:

i would give this flash but it feels sneaky rather than speedy so im going to change this into a black card, since it is now teritary in flash.

2019-06-07 20:33:48: Froggychum edited Pathside Bandits

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