I'm not really sure what your first comment is trying to say. I think the mechanic will play well and this is a card that will help that. Maybe you're referring to the threshold problem, where an entire limited format was ruined because players didn't like discarding their whole hand to get threshold and a small benefit. Which is a fair complaint.
I think this mechanic falls closer to madness than threshold in that way and madness is a much loved mechanic.
I'm not making "a bunch of niche combos" currently there is a 3 mana 3/1 that pings and a rolling thunder variant. Both of which fall into the open-ended area. I have no intention of making any other cards that are hardcore battleforged only. This card is me wanting 1 late pick card to pay off battleforged drafters.
Coin flips are not inherently fun, fun is subjective and a lot of people don't like coin flips happening often.
You might always get something, but if a player needs one of the effects to happen to win the game and they lose because they got the wrong one, they won't be happy about it at all. It stops players from being able to plan out their next few turns accurately, which is one of the best skills in magic and one of the most enjoyable things about it.
Also it might be a fun novelty the first few times, but if a player got 2 of these they'd probably end up flipping 30+ coins by the end of the event. I don't think it would still be fun by the end, especially if you're losing games because of the ability.
Sure if this card flipped coins some people would find the card fun. But I don't think it would lead to a lot of fun games.
But since everyone hates this card here is what I think could make it less objectionable. 1 Change the flavour so it seems less like a coin flip card. 2 Make it white red, so it's obvious that it should only go in the battleforged deck. 3 Change it so "deals 1 damage to target creature", to make it playable in non-battleforged decks, however I think this would make the card really busted.
Here's the thing: as a magic designer, you can't make 100% cards that you want to play. Not everyone enjoys the same things, but a good magic set has things for everyone. Not everyone is a Spike.
Secondly, I don't get your desire to make a bunch of niche combos with battleforge. I think it would be better to have more open-ended cards that get better when you're playing it, rather than bad cards that require it. 1 or 2 build-around cards are sufficient.
If it's a bird, it must fly. If don't want the entire tribe to fly, choose a different creature type. Otherwise you have the Whippoorwill problem: many, many players will see a bird in the art and play as though it has flying anyway.
Well some cards need flying in the set. Doesn't mean all eagles need to be flying. I mean flying takes a lot of effort and maybe not all of the eagles want to fly all the time.
Maybe we should design a mechanic wherein all of the eagles can fly for a cost?
You kidding me? Coin flips are fun? Most especially in limited, where the set is probably going to end up.
Best of all, win or lose the flip, you probably win something. In constructed I think you might be right but I still think it's a common and I still think it ought to be a 50% ping 50% buff
Yeah, but you're not going to ever play this card without any battleforged, you might play it with 2 or 3 and accept that half the time you're just going to ping your opponent with it.
This card's role in the set is to be an uncommon combo with battleforged to make sure the archetype functions. If we do use battleforged this card is one of the cards that will make the archetype feel cohesive and play well. I do not believe this would be true with the coin flip change.
Coin flips are cumbersome and almost always lead to bad gameplay, I am trying to encourage good decisions and planing. Magic already has a sufficient amount of variance. Also I don't care about lowering the cost, the card is where I want it to encourage it being played in the way I want it to be played.
If you would like I can change the flavour, or you can do it if you want.
Here's the thing, without battleforged, this will always deal 1 damage to an opponent. It is powerful but it's boring. You might personally hate coin flips but it fits thematically with the card. It also means we can lower the cost.
With the coin flip, this is either going to deal a damage and ping a creature or buff your battleforged at the cost of 1 health.
If you're rushing for resources, you'll probably throw away what you don't need. Sending to graveyard is anti-synergistic with Initiative so now they are REALLY thrown away.
The majority of juggernauts attack each turn if able. I feel it was a worthwhile addition to weaken this card. Glasswing also seems to suggest flying so I have it to it. Does seem a little strong now though, as it'll most of the time be a 3/1 flyer for 2.
I'm not really sure what your first comment is trying to say. I think the mechanic will play well and this is a card that will help that. Maybe you're referring to the threshold problem, where an entire limited format was ruined because players didn't like discarding their whole hand to get threshold and a small benefit. Which is a fair complaint.
I think this mechanic falls closer to madness than threshold in that way and madness is a much loved mechanic.
I'm not making "a bunch of niche combos" currently there is a 3 mana 3/1 that pings and a rolling thunder variant. Both of which fall into the open-ended area. I have no intention of making any other cards that are hardcore battleforged only. This card is me wanting 1 late pick card to pay off battleforged drafters.
Coin flips are not inherently fun, fun is subjective and a lot of people don't like coin flips happening often.
You might always get something, but if a player needs one of the effects to happen to win the game and they lose because they got the wrong one, they won't be happy about it at all. It stops players from being able to plan out their next few turns accurately, which is one of the best skills in magic and one of the most enjoyable things about it.
Also it might be a fun novelty the first few times, but if a player got 2 of these they'd probably end up flipping 30+ coins by the end of the event. I don't think it would still be fun by the end, especially if you're losing games because of the ability.
Sure if this card flipped coins some people would find the card fun. But I don't think it would lead to a lot of fun games.
But since everyone hates this card here is what I think could make it less objectionable. 1 Change the flavour so it seems less like a coin flip card. 2 Make it white red, so it's obvious that it should only go in the battleforged deck. 3 Change it so "deals 1 damage to target creature", to make it playable in non-battleforged decks, however I think this would make the card really busted.
Here's the thing: as a magic designer, you can't make 100% cards that you want to play. Not everyone enjoys the same things, but a good magic set has things for everyone. Not everyone is a Spike.
Secondly, I don't get your desire to make a bunch of niche combos with battleforge. I think it would be better to have more open-ended cards that get better when you're playing it, rather than bad cards that require it. 1 or 2 build-around cards are sufficient.
If it's a bird, it must fly. If don't want the entire tribe to fly, choose a different creature type. Otherwise you have the Whippoorwill problem: many, many players will see a bird in the art and play as though it has flying anyway.
Well some cards need flying in the set. Doesn't mean all eagles need to be flying. I mean flying takes a lot of effort and maybe not all of the eagles want to fly all the time.
Maybe we should design a mechanic wherein all of the eagles can fly for a cost?
You kidding me? Coin flips are fun? Most especially in limited, where the set is probably going to end up.
Best of all, win or lose the flip, you probably win something. In constructed I think you might be right but I still think it's a common and I still think it ought to be a 50% ping 50% buff
I called it glasswing because the race is Eagles and the card is a glass cannon.
But yeah flying makes this card way too good.
We can't start putting flying on cards just because they have wings if there's going to be a race of eagles.
Yeah, but you're not going to ever play this card without any battleforged, you might play it with 2 or 3 and accept that half the time you're just going to ping your opponent with it.
This card's role in the set is to be an uncommon combo with battleforged to make sure the archetype functions. If we do use battleforged this card is one of the cards that will make the archetype feel cohesive and play well. I do not believe this would be true with the coin flip change.
Coin flips are cumbersome and almost always lead to bad gameplay, I am trying to encourage good decisions and planing. Magic already has a sufficient amount of variance. Also I don't care about lowering the cost, the card is where I want it to encourage it being played in the way I want it to be played.
If you would like I can change the flavour, or you can do it if you want.
You forgot to add power and toughness btw.
Added Skeleton Code
Here's the thing, without battleforged, this will always deal 1 damage to an opponent. It is powerful but it's boring. You might personally hate coin flips but it fits thematically with the card. It also means we can lower the cost.
With the coin flip, this is either going to deal a damage and ping a creature or buff your battleforged at the cost of 1 health.
I'd reword the flavour text. At the moment it doesn't flow enough to be cool and it's too clunky to be funny.
Added Skeleton Code and Intimidate
Added Skeleton Code
Changed rarity and added code
Added Skeleton Code
If you're rushing for resources, you'll probably throw away what you don't need. Sending to graveyard is anti-synergistic with Initiative so now they are REALLY thrown away.
The majority of juggernauts attack each turn if able. I feel it was a worthwhile addition to weaken this card. Glasswing also seems to suggest flying so I have it to it. Does seem a little strong now though, as it'll most of the time be a 3/1 flyer for 2.