Multiverse: Varlan the Grower

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CardName: Varlan the Grower Cost: 3GU Type: Planeswalker - Varlan Pow/Tgh: /4 Rules Text: [+1]Choose up to three target creatures. Put a +1/+1 counter on each of them. [-2]For each counter on target permanent, put another of those counters on that permanent. [-20]For each creature, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature. Flavour Text: Set/Rarity: Multiverse Design Challenge Mythic

Varlan the Grower

Planeswalker – Varlan

+1Choose up to three target creatures. Put a +1/+1 counter on each of them.
-2For each counter on target permanent, put another of those counters on that permanent.
-20For each creature, put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of that creature.

Updated on 15 Feb 2012 by Link

History: [-]

2011-07-24 03:49:50: Link created the card Varlan the Grower

by Link:

This Planeswalker is very dear to me, since he's based on my favorite card (Gilder Bairn). This doesn't mean you can't comment or criticize, but please don't steal him. :)

by Link:

For Challenge # 004.

by Alex:

Yay, a Gilder Bairn planeswalker!

Abilities look sensible. Costs are mostly fine, except... -20? When he only has a +1?

by Link:

It has to be high, because he can target himself with his -2. I suppose it could be 12, so he'd get it a turn earlier.

by Alex:

Ohh... oops, yeah, I didn't realise the -2 was actually a + :)

(Which is silly, because I've targeted many a planeswalker with Gilder Bairn in my time.)

by jmgariepy:

That's awesome! It has the minor problem of being a Planeswalker that tells you what to do (activate the first ability a few times, then activate the second a few times, then activate the third) which makes the Planeswalker feel like he's on automatic. The payoff is worth it, though, in my opinion. I find it funny that you don't have to activate the -20 if you don't want to. Feel free to just let this guy go into the hundreds. I've never had a Planeswalker so loyal to my cause.

by Link:

He'd be so annoying to try to kill with creatures... After a certain point, it would just never happen. lol

2012-02-15 23:40:32: Link edited Varlan the Grower:

Made wording modern? Weird that it wasn't. Also made him copy all creatures.

by cmeister2:

Loyalty 4
T  A1  A2  Max
1  5   4   5
2  6   6   6
3  7   8   8
4  9   12  12
5  13  20  20
6  21  36  36
7  37  68  68
8  69  132 132

Edit - bah, can't display tables :( but yeah, ultimate on T5 assuming no other loyalty lost.

by jmgariepy:

I need to find a way to turn this guy into a creature, Fate Transfer his counters onto a Helix Pinnacle which I have also made a creature, then change the loyalty counters into Helix counters. It's been 18 years Magic! Why can't I do this incredibly complicated thing yet?

by Alex:

You could animate Helix Pinnacle in two or three ways, then use Sudden Spoiling on it to remove shroud (after it already has some tower counters); then use Gilder Bairn and this guy to your heart's content, or perhaps Leech Bonder to put a tower counter on something else so make it easier to repeat in other turns; then another use of Sudden Spoiling followed by Fate Transfer to put them back. (The Sudden Spoiling could also be Lignify, in the first case attached via Simic Guildmage or Nomad Mythmaker or assorted other ways.)

So the only bit of your request that you can't do is turning loyalty counters into tower counters or vice versa. Apart from with Giant Fan.

by jmgariepy:

I suppose a real Johnny wouldn't be as intimidated as I am. I knew Giant Fan existed and discounted it. The trick is to reduce the cost of Giant Fan's activation, then find a way to infinitely untap it. I could come up with many ways to do that...

Sudden Spoiling is a nice catch... I suppose this all is doable, if you're willing to use Unglued. I forgive Magic... evidently you can do anything in this game if you put your mind to it.

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