Xianlu: Cardlist | Visual spoiler | Export | Booster | Comments | Search | Recent activity
Mechanics | Skeleton | Bequeath Abilities | Flavor & Plot | Intro Pack Decklists | Draft Archetypes

CardName: Empty Fort Ploy Cost: 3UU Type: Sorcery Pow/Tgh: / Rules Text: Scry 4. Any opponent may skip their next turn. If no player does, exile the top four cards of your library. You may cast any number of cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs. Exile Empty Fort Ploy. Flavour Text: "The most cunning enemies are the easiest to fool." -Longming the Unparalleled Set/Rarity: Xianlu Mythic

Empty Fort Ploy
{3}{u}{u}
 
 M 
Sorcery
Scry 4. Any opponent may skip their next turn. If no player does, exile the top four cards of your library. You may cast any number of cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs. Exile Empty Fort Ploy.
"The most cunning enemies are the easiest to fool."
-Longming the Unparalleled
Updated on 02 Nov 2017 by Mal

Code: MU02

History: [-]

2017-11-01 14:59:45: Mal created and commented on the card Empty Fort Ploy

As much as I don't like the self-exile clause, I feel its fairly deserved here. Not sure about the power level or the mythic-ness of this card, so I am open to suggestions. Wanted a flavorful interpretation of the relatively famous Empty Fort Strategem. Souped-up version of Distant Memories.

Significantly better in multiplayer if you can convince some patsy to skip their turn.

2017-11-01 15:05:58: Mal edited Empty Fort Ploy:

Forgot to add the Face-down clause.

Dunno, I think I'd rather get 4 spells off in multiplayer.

But yes, you're always going to put a small number of cards on the bottom, fail to hide a grin, and get something good out of it. Nice card.

Actually, I think you might be able to simplify the exile clause by delaying it:

"If no player does, exile the top four cards of your library. You may cast..."

There's less risk involved for the caster this way, since they will either cast the spells for free or eventually draw them. Whether that's a good thing or not comes down to individual taste, I suppose.

Oh, also, This sorcery has a power and toughness. Maybe it was originally a creature? It's a good thing it isn't a creature now, since it would lead to very boring choices (I would never let you take another turn. I'd assume one of the spells you're drawing into is an Unsummon, and you'd do this all again on your next turn. And the turn after that...)

For the same reason, this should probably exile on resolution. It's harder to Relearn every turn, but if there's even a chance that that's a possibility, I would never let you take an extra turn in this situation either.

2017-11-02 04:12:15: Mal edited Empty Fort Ploy:

No longer has a power and toughness.

Durr. I started off designing a completely unrelated mythic and just forgot to remove the P/T.

I like the idea of eventually drawing the cards regardless. The original intention with the design was that you could bluff if what you scried was total crap (like a one-drop and 3 lands), and exile them anyway instead of possibly exiling what you wanted. I think your version makes for more intuitive scrying on the part of the caster, so I'll use that instead. Makes it a bit more threatening for the opponents as well, though it might make the decision to skip a bit easier. Only downside is less flavorful (since it you decide to give them an extra turn, you don't immediately know if they were bluffing or not), but the details of the original story are pretty malleable anyway.

2017-11-02 04:18:42: Mal edited Empty Fort Ploy:

Delayed exiling off the top until after the decision is made.

2017-11-02 12:00:13: Mal edited Empty Fort Ploy

Add your comments:


(formatting help)
Enter mana symbols like this: {2}{U}{U/R}{PR}, {T} becomes {2}{u}{u/r}{pr}, {t}
You can use Markdown such as _italic_, **bold**, ## headings ##
Link to [[[Official Magic card]]] or (((Card in Multiverse)))
Include [[image of official card]] or ((image or mockup of card in Multiverse))
Make hyperlinks like this: [text to show](destination url)
How much damage does this card deal? Lava Axe
(Signed-in users don't get captchas and can edit their comments)