Ability Criticism

As part of a complementary set we are doing based on Battle for Westvale(https://mtgcardsmith.com/user/ElMagici/sets/29269), I came up with this ability, and I need some opinions.

Ability: Planelock (This creature can't change zones, if creature life is 0 or below, tap it, it doesn't untap during it's controller's untap step)

Story-wise, this ability represents the magical disruption of the plane caused by a misfired legendary spell destroying the Planar Overseer (https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/planar-overseer), causing some creatures to not only being unable to die, but neither can be caged or vanished out the plane.

Mechanically speaking, this is a semi-nerfed-but-still-overpowered ability that prevents the creature to be exiled or destroyed by removals but at the same time, taking a hit can knock them out for two turns.

Comments

  • @ElMagici
    It needs some work. One glaring issue is that, as it doesn't specify from where, it isn't even technically legal to draw this card as it leaves the library. I think I have a reasonably simple wording variant that solves all the issues I have with this.

    Planelock (If a spell, ability, or state-based action would cause this creature to leave the battlefield, tap it instead. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step.)

    There's probably a better keyword name for this.
  • Oh, yes, that will be nice, thanks!
  • @ElMagici
    I think there are still a lot of problems with this though. This could result in a lot of weird combinations that were never meant to exist.
  • I'll add that you should be careful as it obviously makes the creatures immensely difficult to remove. A priori it feels too oppressive to be a mechanic, it looks more like an ability you put on a Mythic rare as a one-of. I don't think you want that on a common more than you'd want commons with indestructible.

    That said, it could maybe be justified to keyword it for a cycle of rare/mythic cards if it is really important for the set? It's a bit weird but MaRo mentioned they'd be ready to go as low as five cards in a set to justify keywording a mechanic ^^
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