MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
Mechanics, Mechanics (HALP!)
So, uh, yeah. I was looking at my few mechanics, and decided that only two had any real potential. The first, (Applause, applause) is an unset ability, and is fine as-is. The other is what this discussion is for.
Audacity - If this creature's toughness is 1, {EFFECT}
Audacity was a mechanic I created very specifically after the name. Since it was first posted on a card that killed itself with -0/-1 counters, it made sense that it would trigger when the creature Audaciously hovered on 1 toughness. Flavorfully, this works.
It is supposed to function like Delirium, Threshold, Morbid, Fateful Hour, et cetera. However, it is in its current state not a set-worthy mechanic. It works well on the cards it's on, but to build a set around it would be like building a set around Fateful Hour. It isn't a well-formed mechanic and it would be like forcefeeding someone red-black decks. It doesn't mesh well, as in.
So, what I want to do is take the original idea of Audacity, and transform it into something more fun, more playable, and therefore something people would WANT to use, instead of something they HAVE to use (I'm looking at you, bushido.)
I say I want to, but actually, I want the rest of you people to do it for me. At the moment my magic-playing friends aren't playing magic, and it's difficult to test ideas by myself.
So yeah. Here are the original cards, FYVdP:
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/empowerment-of-yin
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/deathstep-dancer
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ruthless-quickblade
Audacity - If this creature's toughness is 1, {EFFECT}
Audacity was a mechanic I created very specifically after the name. Since it was first posted on a card that killed itself with -0/-1 counters, it made sense that it would trigger when the creature Audaciously hovered on 1 toughness. Flavorfully, this works.
It is supposed to function like Delirium, Threshold, Morbid, Fateful Hour, et cetera. However, it is in its current state not a set-worthy mechanic. It works well on the cards it's on, but to build a set around it would be like building a set around Fateful Hour. It isn't a well-formed mechanic and it would be like forcefeeding someone red-black decks. It doesn't mesh well, as in.
So, what I want to do is take the original idea of Audacity, and transform it into something more fun, more playable, and therefore something people would WANT to use, instead of something they HAVE to use (I'm looking at you, bushido.)
I say I want to, but actually, I want the rest of you people to do it for me. At the moment my magic-playing friends aren't playing magic, and it's difficult to test ideas by myself.
So yeah. Here are the original cards, FYVdP:
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/empowerment-of-yin
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/deathstep-dancer
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ruthless-quickblade
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Also, audacity is an ability word, not a keyword ability, and that is how I intend it.
As for your suggestion, that just isn't something I could work with. Flavorfully, it fits to a point, and blocking to draw a card would be primary white/green, secondary blue, and I could see it happening, but then you have to consider what kind of blue creatures are audacious. I mean, white has "rebel" for anything, green has elves everywhere, and then blue has... kithkin and faerie and merfolk and lots andandots... so that works. Really, it seems sound, but for some reason I'm compelled to look for a flaw in it. It just feels, off.
Of course, it's a keyword, so I won't be using it anyway, but it does work in theory. You should try it out with someone(s) (sometwo? Polypeople?) on a few french vanilla card to see how it flows, if you like it. It rubs me the wrong way for some reason. Like it shouldn't exist.
I just mentally exhausted myself trying to find something wrong with Corwinnn's suggestion and I don't know why.
I can't think right now, but that idea seems sound... ugh. I'll get back to you on this.
The idea I was shooting for is that you have to have some nerve/courage to be audacious... so that part needs to be conveyed
@Tomigon's also has that same idea... facing greater odds and reaping a reward
I think what you might want to do with this is determine a) what the difficulty you face is or b) what the color inspired reward is or c) maybe both, and build around that...
Example...
Blue
Audacity -- Whenever this creature attacks, if defending player controls more creatures than you, draw a card.
Green
Audacity -- Whenever this creature attacks, if defending player controls more creatures than you, put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control.
I want Audacity to be a state based, not action based, effect. A static, not a triggered, ability. Like Morbid, and all the others, the ability itself can be triggered, but the condition is more loosely defined. This opens up a lot more avenues.
Imagine if Morbid was, instead of "if a creature died this turn", "whenever the first creature dies each turn". That would be very limiting as an ability.
So there. I have again rejected an idea without contributing to the solution in any particular way. But I know what I want now.
Thanks for the suggestion, which is what I asked for, but it isn't what I want.
THIS DISCUSSION IS SO VERY MUCH CLOSED.