I most likely forgot how I was wording the ability when kung this card. I think I used the wording of of Element Evader's text on the other cards with shirk.
The shirk trigger occurs when you activate shirk.
The additional timing ability may not be necessary.
I know little of design, why is a delayed replacement effect a bad design choice?
When does a shirk trigger occur? Activating the ability or preventing damage?
I think triggering on an activated ability that creates a delayed replacement effect is a plain bad design choice.
In addition the complexity on this ability is unnecessarily hiked up. I am positive the distinction between attacking and nonattacking creature is not worth the additional text here.
Sorrow tied a number of Settle cards to lands with activated abilities (which targeted the Settled creature.) That gives the mechanic more relevance.
This card seems to be a freebee... I which I don't think is a bad thing, as long as there aren't many of them (Because, yeah... it isn't very interactive. It just says "Don't play more Settle creatures than you have land".)
That said, Sorrow, I think this would work better if it said "Henbane Herbalist has deathtouch as long as the land it settled is untapped." That, at least, is more interactive. And sounds kind of flavorful to me too. Can't use those herbs if the planeswalker keeps tapping the land.
Also a shame you can't put "If a land is destroyed, this creature is unsettled". Because, well, wouldn't you be?
Maybe that's an exciting direction to go? Settle := "Until a land you control is destroyed"
Would play quite differently, but have a similar effect of making LD interesting, since it would turn EVERYTHING off. And therefore also allow you to put a bit more oomph behind the effects it can grant.
I most likely forgot how I was wording the ability when kung this card. I think I used the wording of of Element Evader's text on the other cards with shirk.
The shirk trigger occurs when you activate shirk.
The additional timing ability may not be necessary.
I know little of design, why is a delayed replacement effect a bad design choice?
I don't disagree; the card would be more appropriate in green.
Land discard felt flavorful going off of the name. Would increasing the cmc to 3 or make the cost BB work?
This should be an intervening if-clause ("At the beginning ..., if ..., you may ....")
Same is true for hearty reminder text, I think.
Considering what green is this card should be black.
So the eponymous spell is a common?
Discard spells with cmc <= 2 intentionally don't allow you to force an opponent to discard land cards since the resulting mana screw strangles games.
You go straight against this with this card and push a desperately unfun gameplay.
I always though damage redirection could be red, but damage prevention seems like one of the least red things to have around.
I could see e. g. absorb go full Bant and even black to an extent (compare indestructible), but red?
Why does shirk work different on this card than on Torchheart Loner and Element Evader etc. ?
When does a shirk trigger occur? Activating the ability or preventing damage?
I think triggering on an activated ability that creates a delayed replacement effect is a plain bad design choice.
In addition the complexity on this ability is unnecessarily hiked up. I am positive the distinction between attacking and nonattacking creature is not worth the additional text here.
@Mal:
I think you're beating a dead horse, my friend. See the comments of Scatter & Stelgian Deepdiver.
Since this is an activated ability, it will probably read better as
>Shirk 2
(
: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to this creature.)
Or
>
: Shirk 2. (Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to this creature.)
Right now it reads like a keyword or alternate cost when it's an activated ability. It is an activated ability, right?
Oooh, evil evil risky finisher. Like it.
Fixed some wording
Sorrow tied a number of Settle cards to lands with activated abilities (which targeted the Settled creature.) That gives the mechanic more relevance.
This card seems to be a freebee... I which I don't think is a bad thing, as long as there aren't many of them (Because, yeah... it isn't very interactive. It just says "Don't play more Settle creatures than you have land".)
That said, Sorrow, I think this would work better if it said "Henbane Herbalist has deathtouch as long as the land it settled is untapped." That, at least, is more interactive. And sounds kind of flavorful to me too. Can't use those herbs if the planeswalker keeps tapping the land.
Also a shame you can't put "If a land is destroyed, this creature is unsettled". Because, well, wouldn't you be?
Maybe that's an exciting direction to go? Settle := "Until a land you control is destroyed"
Would play quite differently, but have a similar effect of making LD interesting, since it would turn EVERYTHING off. And therefore also allow you to put a bit more oomph behind the effects it can grant.