Battle For Algoran: Post cards here

Thatcardartist7Thatcardartist7
in Custom Card Discussion
Thanks to all who have joined the fight to claim Algoran! This is where you will submit the cards which will hopefully make their way into the set. I will rank the created cards and critique them for the future. The only requirement to make it into the set is match up to your competitors. The highest ranked cards will be officially added. Here"s generally how I rank.

Spelling: If a card has a spelling error by its final form, it will not be considered. All cards can be reformed until the release date (to be determined). If a card is wired incorrectly, it must be reformed.

Rulings: If you are not certain about a ruling, please ask around the discussion to clarify. Im a stickler so watch out.

Artist: If you list the artist, a small bonus is awarded.

Flavor: If a card fits with the lore well, or the effect fits well with the card concept, bonus points are awarded. For example, new blood is one of the most flavorful cards in the game.

Functionality: This is to highlight that this is a SET. Cards should interact with each other well, and synergies should be present. This also includes a cards draftability, as a set is to be drafted at some point.

Balancing: If a card is deemed too powerful, I can't include in the set. I'll explain what's too powerful, and give you a chance to change it.

Thank you for the help in making Algoran great!

For now though, I'd like to ask that you help me pioneer mechanics for each faction. Any ideas?
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Comments

  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    I thought some of the Acolyte cards could have a gain control mechanic that changes the creature's colour to white, to represent conversion to the order...
  • Thatcardartist7Thatcardartist7
    Could be interesting. Call it like, indoctrinate or something
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    That's a pretty good name, yes...
  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    edited February 2018
    I think something similar to provoke would be called for, along with skulk, unblockable, deathtouch, etc. for rogues as simple keywords. As for more advanced, perhaps something akin to dethrone, except more varied in what the ability does. Perhaps overthrow. Perhaps it could trigger on something else too. Number of permanents is possible.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    And you could follow it up by giving benefits to W/U creatures or W/U creatures matter effects, which would tie up the whole mechanic.
  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    Perhaps this would work;
    Overthrow- Whenever this creature attacks a player that controls more permanents than you, {effect}.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    image

    @Thatcardartist7: First draft of 'indoctrinate'. Card might be slightly OP. However, mechanic kept in check by requirement to control all the permanents used to gain control of the creature in order to retain the creature. This aspect of the mechanic does three things:

    1. Wording makes it easy to put on both instants/sorceries and permanents.
    2. Flavourwise, represents brainwashing and tempting the gullible convert with wealth (if tapping lands/artifacts), or coercion (if tapping creatures). Also allows for the convert becoming 'disillusioned' with the order and leaving (on that topic, some cards could introduce clauses that 'punish' converts who defect).
    3. Feels white enough to use on white cards, considering creatures can also be tapped for it.

    What do you think?

  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    edited February 2018
    image
    If Overthrow works for you, this could be a card.
  • DoctorFroDoctorFro
    Ooh, me likey...although we should make it so that we can evergreen that ability because the first part of it is a little wordy...maybe that is just me
  • Thatcardartist7Thatcardartist7
    @KalamMekhar I do really like the idea, but I do find that the mechanic is extremely easy to disrupt. Perhaps an indoctrinated creature can't be targeted by spells or abilities your opponents control, to represent the closed atmosphere a cult relies on. I also think that a rewording is due, as that is an awful lot of reminder text. Besides that, the mechanic pleases me to an indescribable degree.

    @Chasmfiend The mechanic seems really fitting, but I do have a slight issue with this card particularly. I haven't yet decided that gold would be a token present within the set. If we included them, it would need to be closed and repeated like clues were. Besides that, it seems slightly clunky due to the long first section, but I'm not sure if that's fixable.

    @DoctorFro Make it evergreen...how? If we made it a keyword it would make little sense, and making it evergreen by the traditional definition doesn't make it less wordy, just included in most sets.
  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    @Thatcardartist7 that makes sense. mostly I just made that card as an example of Overthrow, not as an actual possibility. However, not all tokens are widespread through out the set they appear in. There are only 2 instances of gold tokens I know of, and many cards have unique tokens for them. (coughcoughamonkhet)
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    image

    Indoctrinate version 1.2

    This time, it is a bit harder to disrupt, and also scales with higher orders of indoctrinate (so, even uncommons can get indoctrinate 1, but higher orders will be rare). Also condensed the text a bit. Let me know how this is. I had also considered your idea, which is a flavour win, but my only concern was that white rarely gets hexproof and variants.

    And another thing: other factions could have creatures that say 'can't be indoctrinated'. Perhaps the wild animals of the forests whom the druids communicate with, or a particularly thick barbarian.
  • LujikulLujikul
    edited February 2018
    First entry for Barbarians.

    image
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    My other idea for a mechanic was discourse counters, to showcase the other side of the Synagogue Acolytes: their education and knowledge.

    image

    (The text formatting on Immersive Reading is awful, though; wish I could make it look better)

    image

    This would give the Acolytes some depth, I feel. Where indoctrinate could be a largely white mechanic, this could be their largely blue mechanic.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    image

    Here's a slightly different use of discourse counters. Also combos well with the above two enchantments, particularly the first.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    The final thing I wanted to suggest for the acolytes is the use of face-down exile effects. While not a mechanic per se, this could be used to represent the secrecy of cults, as you mentioned, and has some interesting design space to work with, and can lead to some sneaky plays.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    For instance:

    image

    (couldn't resist the Valve reference)
  • Thatcardartist7Thatcardartist7
    @KalamMekhar
    The new version of indoctrinate is nice, but I would like the creature to become blue for the sake of multicolor matters. I don't want to make cards specifically referencing white creatures in a WU faction. I still might like my idea, but I do see where your argument sources. I also love the idea of discourse counters, as I already mentioned in my comment on scholarly debate. As for the face down exile, I think it's certainly workable as long as it's relatively closed and not on too many cards. A minor mechanic, but a good one.

    We're almost done with the acolytes, so I may need you guys to make cards for a different faction when we are. Thanks again for the help.
  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    Only five acolytes is almost done? A typical first set for a plane has ~250 cards in it. 250/5 is 50, with some leeway, let's say of ten. That would be 40 cards for the Acolytes at least, not five.

    Of course, it's your set, you decide, @Thatcardartist7.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    @Chasmfiend: I think @Thatcardartist7 meant in terms of mechanics, not cards.
  • sorinjacesorinjace
    edited February 2018
    .
  • ChasmfiendChasmfiend
    oh. k then. I'll think about that.
  • sorinjacesorinjace
    edited February 2018
    Entry #2 (edited):
    image
  • sorinjacesorinjace
    edited February 2018
    Entry #3 (edited):
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  • sorinjacesorinjace
    edited February 2018
    Entry#4 (edited):
    image
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    Ok I've just found out from @Tomigon that my wording of indoctrinate is incorrect as it isn't an activated ability. Here's an updated wording:

    image

    Any better now?
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    It does become more wordy, though.

    And another thing: should I change the wording to say 'nonland permanents'? Seems a bit difficult to deal with multiple lands.
  • Thatcardartist7Thatcardartist7
    To start, @KalamMekhar yes. nonland is an ability wording I meant to suggest. Also, I believe that on some occasions we may be forced to leave the reminder text out of the card. While sort of breaking a rule, it doesn't really violate any huge principles.

    @Chasmfiend KalamMekhar was correct, I was referring to mechanics. I'd like to get all the mechanics worked out before finishing any factions.

    @sorinjace
    1: Algoran battle medic is too powerful, and worded incorrectly. Compare to tenacity and consider that it also has indoctrinate. Indoctrinate is used wrong, as it should read when Algoran Battle Medic enters the battlefield, . Also the card is a battle priest, so indoctrinate seems inappropriate. That mechanic is for the more cult-like aspects of the Synagogue.

    2: Fort of the scholars is too powerful. Putting a free counter on anything every upkeep for free is broken. The ability is fine, but the upkeep trigger should say something closer to at the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay {1},

    3: The cards shouldn't have the planeswalker watermark. Those aren't given randomly, and instead are only given to cards representing important parts of the story, and are only on rares and mythics.

    Also, KalamMakhar is correct, indoctrinate must be reworded. If you have any cards that have it, please reword it.
  • sorinjacesorinjace
    edited February 2018
    what does indoctrinate need to be reworded as? (nevermind, I just scrolled up to see the updated card @KalamMakhar has submitted.) also, Algoran Battle Medic was influenced by Frontline Medic mostly. Fort of the Scholars was influenced by the rare cards that are rare like Grim Backwoods, Vault of the Archangel, etc. etc. I will edit it as such, but I feel it still needs to put a discourse counter on something when it comes into play at least just to feel more like a card that is in the Algoran set. As for the planeswalker watermark, I didn't know those was exclusively for anything specific. I thought the cards looked more professional with the watermark. Sigh* I'll have to redo a lot of cards if this is the case. No one ever said anything to me about that on here. Thank you.
  • KalamMekharKalamMekhar
    edited February 2018
    @Thatcardartist7: maybe we could put in the reminder text on commons and uncommons, but omit it for mythics and the more complex rares, where text space is at a premium. It's not a particularly difficult mechanic to understand, even for newer players, just very awkward to word properly.
This discussion has been closed.