Would flipping it to casting cost and kicker make it too much better? It would obsolete Suntail Hawk.
2011-10-09 01:28:15:
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commented on the cardset Illorica
This set is about a conflict between the humans, elves/treefolk, and merfolk/ faeries. I'm trying not to do overt tribal things to avoid tromping on the toes of Lorwyn.
The factions are organized into enemy color triads, though there aren't any multicolor cards except a few mythics, as has been a tradition in recent sets. Instead, cards have off-color kicker and activated ability costs.
Humans are white, with blue and red costs.
Elves are green, with white and black costs.
Merfolk are blue, with black and green costs.
Centaurs are red, with green and blue costs.
I haven't put any cards from the other factions on Multiverse yet. This is because I have a decision to make. I'm making a less-than-conventional set structure, with very few cards in each set and four sets to a block. This is because I'm not really trying to emulate Wizard's current block model, but rather tell a vague story and practice at making sets. The story is mainly based on the character of Marthanos as he develops and eventually becomes a planeswalker.
The choice I face right now is this: I'm considering not including black in the first set, and possibly red as well. Both colors are included in payments, but I might not make cards of those colors. I can't decide whether or not this is a really bad idea. It mainly springs from the story, where the red and black factions don't really appear until later. Can I receive some thoughts on this?
What if I made his second ability "All creatures blocking target creature gain first strike UEOT"? Then it can't be used offensively, though it's much better on the defense. I wanted white in this set to be rather defensive, though.
Wow. That is very weird and very cool. has never been part of an equip cost before, but I think it works fine. It's probably because people might get confused between whether you need to tap the equipment or the equipped creature.
No, that's not what I mean. I'm referring to the Oblivion Ring + instant-speed-bounce trick, that was originally used with Faceless Butcher + instant-speed sac. If you cause this to leave play before the ETB ability resolves, then the leaves-play ability goes on the stack on top of the ETB ability. Then the leaves-play ability resolves, doing nothing; then the ETB ability resolves, exiling the target with now no hope of restoration.
It's a reasonably well-known trick, and it leads to pretty yucky situations. This card seems to have just accidentally made the trick far, far easier.
I suggest you make the activated ability either sorcery-speed, or "At end of turn, exile ~ then return it to the battlefield".
Okay, the wording isn't quite right here, but this makes it harder to break. Can be part of an equip cost? Do I need to spell it out?
Alternately, it could sacrifice itself if it equips more than once in a turn.
That probably is too good, to be honest with you. It's a turn three kill with any unblockable creature, since you can just keep equipping it to the same creature over and over again. There should, at the very least, be a mana activation involved.
Hmm... I rather want to give it lifelink, too, but I'm afraid that the "free" equip cost might make that too good. I need to see if I can get my boyfriend to playtest with me.
You mean it would be circumvented by blinking so fast that the permanent just stayed exiled, right? But wouldn't that only work if it returned immediately?
Same mana cost as The Mimeoplasm, I'm now realizing, and a similar ability. How do the two compare?
Would flipping it to
casting cost and 
kicker make it too much better? It would obsolete Suntail Hawk.
This set is about a conflict between the humans, elves/treefolk, and merfolk/ faeries. I'm trying not to do overt tribal things to avoid tromping on the toes of Lorwyn.
The factions are organized into enemy color triads, though there aren't any multicolor cards except a few mythics, as has been a tradition in recent sets. Instead, cards have off-color kicker and activated ability costs.
Humans are white, with blue and red costs.
Elves are green, with white and black costs.
Merfolk are blue, with black and green costs.
Centaurs are red, with green and blue costs. I haven't put any cards from the other factions on Multiverse yet. This is because I have a decision to make. I'm making a less-than-conventional set structure, with very few cards in each set and four sets to a block. This is because I'm not really trying to emulate Wizard's current block model, but rather tell a vague story and practice at making sets. The story is mainly based on the character of Marthanos as he develops and eventually becomes a planeswalker.
The choice I face right now is this: I'm considering not including black in the first set, and possibly red as well. Both colors are included in payments, but I might not make cards of those colors. I can't decide whether or not this is a really bad idea. It mainly springs from the story, where the red and black factions don't really appear until later. Can I receive some thoughts on this?
What if I made his second ability "All creatures blocking target creature gain first strike UEOT"? Then it can't be used offensively, though it's much better on the defense. I wanted white in this set to be rather defensive, though.
Added first strike.
I went with making it sorcery speed. It's a ton of words, though. Maybe I'll make it an end-of-turn thing.
Wow. That is very weird and very cool.
has never been part of an equip cost before, but I think it works fine. It's probably because people might get confused between whether you need to tap the equipment or the equipped creature.
No, that's not what I mean. I'm referring to the Oblivion Ring + instant-speed-bounce trick, that was originally used with Faceless Butcher + instant-speed sac. If you cause this to leave play before the ETB ability resolves, then the leaves-play ability goes on the stack on top of the ETB ability. Then the leaves-play ability resolves, doing nothing; then the ETB ability resolves, exiling the target with now no hope of restoration.
It's a reasonably well-known trick, and it leads to pretty yucky situations. This card seems to have just accidentally made the trick far, far easier.
I suggest you make the activated ability either sorcery-speed, or "At end of turn, exile ~ then return it to the battlefield".
First strike would make all the difference, yes.
Yeah, that seems sensible.
Hm, that's true.
Ooh. Interesting. Doesn't seem obviously bad.
Hee. Certainly. That'd be pretty unique and yet simple too.
Okay, the wording isn't quite right here, but this makes it harder to break. Can
be part of an equip cost? Do I need to spell it out?
Alternately, it could sacrifice itself if it equips more than once in a turn.
Oh. Very true.
Let's try something weird.
That probably is too good, to be honest with you. It's a turn three kill with any unblockable creature, since you can just keep equipping it to the same creature over and over again. There should, at the very least, be a mana activation involved.
Hmm... I rather want to give it lifelink, too, but I'm afraid that the "free" equip cost might make that too good. I need to see if I can get my boyfriend to playtest with me.
Changed to giving a single token.
Yeah, I was trying to avoid it being shut off... but I guess saving all of those words might be worth it.
You mean it would be circumvented by blinking so fast that the permanent just stayed exiled, right? But wouldn't that only work if it returned immediately?
What if I also gave them first strike, and perhaps reduced it by one mana? Titanic Ultimatum can't be a combat trick, while this can.
Haha, yeah. Definitely. I probably won't be moving him again.
I made it target player to see if people could come up with combos. The obvious one is with Marthanos, Battle Paladin.
I changed his first ability so it's less confusing.
I may change it to "target white creature."