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Renaissance Set — Design Phase
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For the ideas I found interesting so far:
- I like White/Blue faeries to emphasize the optimistic nature of the plane, as they contrast with the mischievous nature of the Black/Blue faeries of Lorwyn.
- Green/Black gorgons work pretty well with the sculptor theme
- Sirens also make sense since their singing ties into Art, maybe a benevolent-shifted version like for the faeries would be interesting as well (we don't have to add both tribes if they feel too similar), so basically Merfolks but with the name Sirens to dig in the singing trope?
- Golems make a lot of sense to me as well for the scultpure aspect. Are statues Golems or Constructs by the way? I guess Constructs?
- White/Black vampires fit quite well in the aristocratic aspect of the Renaissance I believe, and they fit right in the life theme (much more than Zombies as the black characteristic race should I add.)
- Elves are poets, they should fit perfectly in this world ^^
- I believe White/Red Dwarves could make sense if we focus on them as artistic craftmen that make jewelry and other pretty things.
- All the iconic races are probably a good idea just because we'll find plenty of beautiful art for them (Angels/Sphynxes/Demons/Dragons/Hydras)
Side note, I'm still slowly making my way through making a common sheet so we get an actual idea of how it could play out
Also what do we have so far I want to start helping
I am personally really busy at work until January where I can promise I'll make everything I can to shake things up, but I'll try to post things before that if I can. Meanwhile what you can do to help and are interested in drafting it would be to build small decks using cards and mechanics of the set to give us feedback on what you think works and what doesn't ^^ We don't really have an exhaustive concept card file I'm afraid (I have a partial one on my side) but that's something I intend to fix in January. For the update on where we are at, I'll try to post something quick until we start a fresh thread ^^
- Find a good Green/White archetype and make it work. The Group Hug archetype is really difficult to set in motion at common because the whole archetype is weird enough that it usually requires higer rarities. That said, the few common designs I did that I liked for this archetype looked really promising as they set a really unique tone that fits the optimistic Renaissance theme super well.
- Find the focus of the Blue/Black Rogue archetype at common. I'm struggling a bit with this one as well because in my head their main focus is to steal things from your opponent which is hard to do at common. On top of that, it's supposed to be the graveyard-matters archetype as well as a tribal archetype. So far, what I have at common looks like a mismatch of stealing/milling/discarding/unblockable/lords cards that would need to focus on a clearer strategies. Mill could actually be a thing at common maybe with rogues caring about the number of cards in an opponent's graveyard, while higher rarities bring ways to steal from that opponent's graveyard,
- Find good life-matters design space. We want the right balance where the novelty of our mechanic theme can shine through synergies and make a unique play environment while being subtle about it, weave it with other archetypes. That requires a lot of simple but clever common designs ^^
Here's an archetype uncommon for you. Do you like?
Apprentice Sculptor 3W
Creature - Human Artist
At the beginning of your end step, if you gained psylian life this turn, create an 0/1 colorless Clay artifact creature token.
2G: Put a +1/+1 counter on target Clay creature. Activate this ability only once per turn, and only any time you could cast a sorcery.
"I try to inspire these kids to paint today / But all they want to do is toss around clay."
- Ozir the Poet, "Ballad of the Weary Painter"
2/4
I tried to balance it as best I could. What do you think?
1) How would you template it the right way? I'm honestly not even sure how you would say that in english in an actual conversation, let alone on a Magic card ^^"
2) How broken do you think this is compared to this, for instance:
1. Better wording: "Choose target opponent with the most life. For each 3 life you have more than them, add {g} to your mana pool." I'm not a wording expert like @modnation675, you might want to contact them.
2. Like I said, very low power. Might wanna bump it down to a rare.
I think it should have an two mana abilities:
{t}: Add {c} to your mana pool.
{t}: For each 3 life you have more than each opponent, add {g} to your mana pool.
1) On wording: Is there a way to avoid targeting? It's not very digital-firendly and has weird protection/hexproof interaction which makes it less realistic overall. For Faiths_Guide's version, I wonder if it doesn't give you mana for EACH opponent in multiplayer? Would "more than ANY opponent" work in MTG terms?
2) On power level being too low: Don't forget you can have more life than your starting life total so this card can give you an unlimited amount of mana for zero initial investment.
3) On legendary supertype: I like the idea though drawing multiple legendary lands is especially bad. But I think it's particularly appropriate on a land that produces multiple mana yes.
4) On rarity: Keep in mind that Mythic Rare is different from other rarities in that it doesn't mean it's stronger. A strong staple will be put at Rare, while a flashy one or two-of would be put at Mythic. I really believe this card is the definition of a Mythic Rare, because it's more flashy than robust.
5) On the "T: Add C to your mana pool" ability: The original design is a "high risk / high reward" card, I think this would make it too unbalanced as a "barely no risk / high reward."
5) Drawing a land that does absolutely nothing unless conditions are met is a little too restrictive in my mind. I think WoTC is trying to avoid that as well.
@TezzeretofCarmot21, good question XD I got the feeling that WotC was having some trouble coming up with legendary lands for Shadows/EMN
Also, random black design for Black while I was trying to find a Sign in Blood design that wouldn't mess up with you psylian life in a more subtle way than "You lose 2 nonpslian life":
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may have target creature you control gain rebirth until end of turn. The rebirth cost is equal to its mana cost. (Pay its rebirth cost, Exile this nonreborn creature: Return it to the battlefield reborn with two +1/+1 counters on it. Rebirth only as a sorcery.)
I actually think it could give a very decent Rare/Mythic Rare with a few twists. Maybe for the Michelangelo card?
Michelangelo Card
4WW
Creature - Human
4/4
When CARDNAME enters the battlefiel, you may exile any number of nonreborn creatures you control. If you do, return them onto the battlefield reborn with two +1/+1 counters on them.