Ah, there is another option; make Midnight Vampire a vanilla 2/1 (stats not seen since Coldsnap, and then back as far as Starter and Portal), and change this to be a 3/4 Lifelink.
The only question is on cost. I suspect this one could be left the same, but Krovikan Scoundrel etc are 2/1s - overcosted by Child of Night. But is too cheap?
(((Nightcaster))) and Marshdrinker Xenarth can't really change because they have the set's keyword abilities and I think their sizes are correct. That leave this and Bog Crocodile.
Of the two abilities, I think I want to drop Deathtouch as Black is already a bit too aggressive for my taste in this set's setting; but 3/4 is not really a very valid Black vanilla set of stats.
So, perhaps Bog Crocodile should become 3/4 Swampwalk (probably at ), and this should become a 3/2 vanilla. It's then equivalent to Warpath Ghoul, Moriok Reaver and Barony Vampire (oh, and Python) - so perhaps it should becomeBarony Vampire. The flavour can be made to work, but it would be my 2nd black reprint where I'm subconsciously trying to have only 1 per colour.
The comparison with Dimir Machinations indicates it may be a tad overcosted; this can't target you, leaves the unwanted cards in the library, and doesn't Transmute.
Ah, except that's a Sorcery. Possibly fair enough, then.
I think I may have undercosted this. On the one hand, it usually does more than Fate Transfer (a single creature won't usually have 5 counters on it); but on the other hand it does limit the counters you can move and the direction you can move them.
Vampires have a bit more licence to be large, so made this guy beefier. Of course, he's now a very nice target for his own ability, which pushes his cost up; I think is about the right place for this, but he needs testing.
3/3 is a bit big for a human, so this was an obvious choice for allowing my Medium creatures to diversify. AaFo's Random Card Comment on Scathe Zombies points out that 2/2 is well below the curve (Mindless Null notwithstanding), so gave this a little bit of extra juice.
There, fixed. Midnight Vampire is my new vanilla.
Of course, ironically, I now have no reprints in black common - but that's a situation I'm happier about than having 2!
Name change, add cost
Ah, there is another option; make Midnight Vampire a vanilla 2/1 (stats not seen since Coldsnap, and then back as far as Starter and Portal), and change this to be a 3/4 Lifelink.
The only question is on cost. I suspect this one could be left the same, but Krovikan Scoundrel etc are 2/1s - overcosted by Child of Night. But is too cheap?
Ah, I now have no Black vanilla common. I should.
(((Nightcaster))) and Marshdrinker Xenarth can't really change because they have the set's keyword abilities and I think their sizes are correct. That leave this and Bog Crocodile.
Of the two abilities, I think I want to drop Deathtouch as Black is already a bit too aggressive for my taste in this set's setting; but 3/4 is not really a very valid Black vanilla set of stats.
So, perhaps Bog Crocodile should become 3/4 Swampwalk (probably at ), and this should become a 3/2 vanilla. It's then equivalent to Warpath Ghoul, Moriok Reaver and Barony Vampire (oh, and Python) - so perhaps it should become Barony Vampire. The flavour can be made to work, but it would be my 2nd black reprint where I'm subconsciously trying to have only 1 per colour.
I wondered about making it cantrip, but it's plenty wordy enough already. I guess I have to have some bad cards :)
Yeah, this is an Instant, and also easier to cast at versus . This cost is probably about right.
OTOH, I can't really imagine myself wanting to play this in Limited or Constructed...
No disassemble Number 5!
The comparison with Dimir Machinations indicates it may be a tad overcosted; this can't target you, leaves the unwanted cards in the library, and doesn't Transmute.
Ah, except that's a Sorcery. Possibly fair enough, then.
Modal spells use em-dash, not colon.
Fateseal 3, as you say. Reminiscent of Dimir Machinations. The name is a nice nod to the way it interferes with Augury.
Hmm. In fact, I wonder whether this card would read better if I dropped the word "charge" and upped the cost?
I think I may have undercosted this. On the one hand, it usually does more than Fate Transfer (a single creature won't usually have 5 counters on it); but on the other hand it does limit the counters you can move and the direction you can move them.
Recost and drop Toughness to compensate
Vampires have a bit more licence to be large, so made this guy beefier. Of course, he's now a very nice target for his own ability, which pushes his cost up; I think is about the right place for this, but he needs testing.
3/3 is a bit big for a human, so this was an obvious choice for allowing my Medium creatures to diversify. AaFo's Random Card Comment on Scathe Zombies points out that 2/2 is well below the curve (Mindless Null notwithstanding), so gave this a little bit of extra juice.
Swap with Bog-Route Highwayman
Swap with Nightcaster
Yarau Nightcaster, Bog Crocodile, Noricum Nobility & Marshdrinker Xenarth are too close in cost and stats.