Designing Legendary Cards

I am not sure how many people are guilty of doing this apart from myself:
I don't make legendary creature actual characters.

This might need some explanation. I do give them names, but it is mostly a formality; a way to make a creature legendary to distinguish for one reason or another. But it is important to remember that MTG is a medium of stories. The legendary creatures are characters and other legendary things are plot-relevant in some way or another.

I am honestly not entirely sure why I made this thread, other than curiosity as to who else does this and to announce that I am going to try to change that flaw in my legendary cards, whether by adding story components to existing legendary cards I made or by creating a story while making it and doing my best to accurately represent the character or thing in question.

Comments

  • I make legendaries because their easier for me. But I don't give them special names, I just mass produce them.
  • @Bowler218, the name is what the technical thing that gives it legendary typing.
  • the legendary rule is that you can't have two legendary creatures with same name out or you have to sac one
  • My legendary creatures are sometimes characters, sometimes not. Sometimes I just make a legendary creature legendary for balance or because it makes more sense, but sometimes I'll have a character who I have as being quoted for a random piece of flavour text and just spontaneously generate an entire background of cards and flavour because I can find the right art and I want to make cards for their archetype.
  • @gamerAwsome101, the way that they are named is a defining trait of legendary creatures.
  • you like bob the destroyer vs the destroyer
  • @gamerAwsome101 That's because Zurgo is a specific character. He was the khan of the Mardu, but in the timeline with dragons he was demoted to a person who rang bells and woke the Kholagan clan for battle. Something like that, anyway.
  • Whenever I want to make a legendary creature/artifact/land/anything, I always try to create at least a mini-story behind to get a good idea of what I am going for. This way, their abilities have an explanation behind them; they exist for a reason beyond "uh yeah and he has trample because why not". Whenever I look at one of my legendaries, I know how flavorfully their rule text links to their story. I find it much more satisfying than just legendaries for the sake of legendaries.

    If I can't think of a good character to stick an interesting ability on, I just make a non-legendary card and amp the rarity.
  • I make legendaries that are characters without story.
    normally I list their personality/backstory in the card name.
  • Whenever I make a legendary card, I like to add some story to it, even if it's just inside my head and not written down.
  • I make legendaries because of commander. Also I just make them up on the spot
This discussion has been closed.