Apologies for the delay on my followup. Finally got around to watching through the Blackened Skies reviews.
Blackened Skies is the set I've worked the longest on. It started way back here on Cardsmith as my first custom set and, just like all of my sets, continues to be iterated on to this day. Blackened Skies was concepted shortly after Kaladesh released out of my desire to see a more gritty/"traditional" steampunk aesthetic in the game. Over time, the set came into its own as a "tapping artifacts matters" set, as multiple more-or-less-individually-designed mechanics happened to come together under that theme, smog counters and configure especially.
From the beginning, I knew Blackened Skies wanted the technology vs. nature theme at its core, because that tends to be a common theme among the steampunk genre, and I also knew I wanted to do a more unique nature aesthetic, so I went with Mushroom Men as a faction in the set. I wanted them relatively detached from the artifact theme of the set, so I decided to focus on a modal spells matter theme, since it was at the time, and still to this day is, an untouched mechanical theme. Personally, I just enjoy modal spells and abilities for the sheer flexibility they offer players, and I think they improve the gameplay experience, so I thought it would be fun to have an archetype where they are encouraged. So far it has played well in limited and I'm pretty happy with where it is.
You did correct figure out how Gadgets work. I wanted a mechanic that gave the mechanical theme of assembling a bunch of gears that spin and lock together. My original mechanical through ended up being too "combo-tastic" in constructed (spawning the rather infamous "White/Blue Time Vault" deck in the standard format it was in), so I pivoted into a mechanic similar to mutate. They play in the exact same space as mutate, merged permanents, and if one gadget is destroyed, the entire assembly under it gets destroyed with it. They're a very heavy risk vs. reward sort of mechanic, where going tall can net you huge amounts of potential, but at the cost of being many-for-oned by artifact removal.
Keeper of Order in particular was designed as a hatebear for constructed. It puts a pressure valve on combo decks, and was a popular sideboard staple in its standard format. I can say with confidence that increasing its stats at all would make it too strong. To date there has never been a 3 mana 3/3 flash flyer (the closest thing being Plumeveil, which has bigger stats, but also has defender), and this has an additional ability along with it. The idea was that opening this in limited, the average player would still be happy to have it purely because it's an efficiently-costed flash/flyer.
I think you are overestimating the strength of the dual lands. They are on the stronger side. However, one important distinction they have compared to shocks is that shocks have their cost paid up front and capped at 2 damage. The smog lands, however, make you continue paying that cost unless you want to take a turn off with them, and you still have to take damage the turn you tap them to remove the counter. Shocks, on the other hand, can come in tapped with no damage taken, saving you that life. With a smog land, you are guaranteed to take at least 1 life of damage using them. In their standard format, they were definitely a popular dual land cycle, but no stronger than the checklands they shared the format with.
On an unrelated note, I'd like some feedback about the videos so I can improve them. General feedback is encouraged, though I'd specifically like to know these things: - Do you watch the videos that review cards that are not your own? - Did you enjoy the special guest episodes? - Is there anything I can do to make the videos more entertaining?
- Do you watch the videos that review cards that are not your own? Absolutely! I really enjoy hearing what you have to say! - Did you enjoy the special guest episodes? I liked it. I don't think it's a "must" for the series, but I wouldn't mind seeing more of this. - Is there anything I can do to make the videos more entertaining? I'd be interested in seeing a bit more of a structured review process, like clear steps where you review each aspect of the card (e.g. Start with first impressions in general, then move on to mechanical evaluation, and after that review art and flavor). Maybe give each category a score and average them out to get your card grades.
Also, if at any point you feel like you've got too much on your plate, I'd be happy to try my hand at reviewing some of the cards submitted to take a load off your shoulders.
- Do you watch the videos that review cards that are not your own? There aren't any videos that review my own cards, but I have watched a few and I definitely plan to watch more.
- Did you enjoy the special guest episodes? I really liked the special guest episodes. I think having opinions from different perspectives is really cool.
- Is there anything I can do to make the videos more entertaining? I'm not sure. Editing the videos and adding in effects will always make the video a little more entertaining, but I know it would be more difficult and time consuming. I think the videos are perfectly fine without anything extra. Again, I think this is super cool what you're doing.
For such a popular franchise, there is surprisingly little fanart or even official art out there for Borderlands. So I had to use subpar pictures for some of them. Sorry about that.
Amara and Axton were my attempts at making flexible commander type cards. A bit too complicated mechanically, I admit. One thing you didn't talk about is that Axton in its current state can boost any artifact creature, not just the turret.
With Moxxi, I intentionally tried to make the draw replacement ability a bit risky, since she's all about gambling as a casino and arena owner. Didn't work out super well.
Handsome Jack is based more on his character than what he was as a boss in the games. His abilities are supposed to represent 1. Him protecting himself with both human body doubles and hologram clones, both of which he used in-game. 2. Overwhelming his opponents with his sheer wealth and cruelty, just throwing away money to prove he's better and meaner than you. He's a petty, sadistic sociopath with the resources of an intergalactic hypercorporation. Synergies with playing expensive cards would be a theme for his cards.
Cyclone was not a great card choice, should have picked something else, in retrospect.
@hileandr Sweet! I think you and Islandsnake give great feedback on all the cards you review. Love the videos.
I thank you both for all the nice things you've said about my cards, I try my best to make good cards that are balanced; and I thank you for the constructive criticism, all of it makes since and will not go unheard.
@hileandr Thank you for this! Yeah, I'll definitely have to make some HEAVY adjustments to Taroga. I didn't think of his game-breaking qualities when I made him. I'll shoot you the final edit, no need to review it on video though. I enjoyed watching your critique, and think your judgment is fair. Maybe I'll send you another card sometime (Hopefully one that's more fun to review) after you're current workload is lessened. Thanks again! Your critiques help me grow as a player :>
For such a popular franchise, there is surprisingly little fanart or even official art out there for Borderlands. So I had to use subpar pictures for some of them. Sorry about that.
Yeah I get it, and no need to apologize; but I have to rate cards based on all qualities and presentation is one of them. Generally, when I can't find good art for a card, I tend to adjust my design so that I can find good art (for example, you could turn Scooter into a "Mechanic Savant" card without making him Scooter.)
With Moxxi, I intentionally tried to make the draw replacement ability a bit risky, since she's all about gambling as a casino and arena owner. Didn't work out super well.
I see. Perhaps you could make the ability activated but introduce a coin flip. Or maybe something like this: "{b/r}: Reveal the top card of your library. You lose life equal to its mana value. If it's a Rogue or Equipment card, put it into your hand. Otherwise, put it on the bottom of your library." That way it has some risk/reward aspect to it but it also works with the lifelink to offset the risk. Just a random idea, it's your card.
Cyclone was not a great card choice, should have picked something else, in retrospect
I actually don't mind cyclone, I just think it needed a few adjustments, but I thought the design itself and the idea were cool.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for being a good sport! I know it's tough to have your designs criticized, so thank you for taking it in stride.
Thank you for this! Yeah, I'll definitely have to make some HEAVY adjustments to Taroga. I didn't think of his game-breaking qualities when I made him. I'll shoot you the final edit, no need to review it on video though. I enjoyed watching your critique, and think your judgment is fair. Maybe I'll send you another card sometime (Hopefully one that's more fun to review) after you're current workload is lessened. Thanks again! Your critiques help me grow as a player :>
Thank you for putting yourself out there! It's not that easy. I'd love to see some more of your cards, and don't worry about my workload, I don't do these reviews in order, and I'm trying to give everyone an equal amount of visibility, so I'll probably get to yours sooner than you think.
@hileandr Thanks for the 4/5 on all of the cards! Real quick, I noticed you had playlists for each date and each cardsmith, but I would recommend condensing it down to each cardsmith, and just adding to it with a new review. Would make it easier to browse things on the channel, at least in my opinion!
I'd love to review your cards, but a full set is a lot. I recommend you post them here in small batches in whatever order you think is best for me to get the feel of the set. Take a look at what @Arceus8523 is doing with his sets.
In regards to your question about Hrondaayl's name, I looked up how it sounded before I wrote it, and knew it was pronounced more like Ruun-Dale. I don't know why I wrote "Rone-Dale". I am indeed American, but I have done foreign language classes and know some of the accents. I think the one I get correct most consistently is the grave, which goes about an e and makes it sounds more like "Ay".
MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
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Yes, I plan to review all cards posted here, but I want to make sure to get a range of different cardsmiths
Blackened Skies is the set I've worked the longest on. It started way back here on Cardsmith as my first custom set and, just like all of my sets, continues to be iterated on to this day. Blackened Skies was concepted shortly after Kaladesh released out of my desire to see a more gritty/"traditional" steampunk aesthetic in the game. Over time, the set came into its own as a "tapping artifacts matters" set, as multiple more-or-less-individually-designed mechanics happened to come together under that theme, smog counters and configure especially.
From the beginning, I knew Blackened Skies wanted the technology vs. nature theme at its core, because that tends to be a common theme among the steampunk genre, and I also knew I wanted to do a more unique nature aesthetic, so I went with Mushroom Men as a faction in the set. I wanted them relatively detached from the artifact theme of the set, so I decided to focus on a modal spells matter theme, since it was at the time, and still to this day is, an untouched mechanical theme. Personally, I just enjoy modal spells and abilities for the sheer flexibility they offer players, and I think they improve the gameplay experience, so I thought it would be fun to have an archetype where they are encouraged. So far it has played well in limited and I'm pretty happy with where it is.
You did correct figure out how Gadgets work. I wanted a mechanic that gave the mechanical theme of assembling a bunch of gears that spin and lock together. My original mechanical through ended up being too "combo-tastic" in constructed (spawning the rather infamous "White/Blue Time Vault" deck in the standard format it was in), so I pivoted into a mechanic similar to mutate. They play in the exact same space as mutate, merged permanents, and if one gadget is destroyed, the entire assembly under it gets destroyed with it. They're a very heavy risk vs. reward sort of mechanic, where going tall can net you huge amounts of potential, but at the cost of being many-for-oned by artifact removal.
Keeper of Order in particular was designed as a hatebear for constructed. It puts a pressure valve on combo decks, and was a popular sideboard staple in its standard format. I can say with confidence that increasing its stats at all would make it too strong. To date there has never been a 3 mana 3/3 flash flyer (the closest thing being Plumeveil, which has bigger stats, but also has defender), and this has an additional ability along with it. The idea was that opening this in limited, the average player would still be happy to have it purely because it's an efficiently-costed flash/flyer.
I think you are overestimating the strength of the dual lands. They are on the stronger side. However, one important distinction they have compared to shocks is that shocks have their cost paid up front and capped at 2 damage. The smog lands, however, make you continue paying that cost unless you want to take a turn off with them, and you still have to take damage the turn you tap them to remove the counter. Shocks, on the other hand, can come in tapped with no damage taken, saving you that life. With a smog land, you are guaranteed to take at least 1 life of damage using them. In their standard format, they were definitely a popular dual land cycle, but no stronger than the checklands they shared the format with.
That is my policy.
On an unrelated note, I'd like some feedback about the videos so I can improve them. General feedback is encouraged, though I'd specifically like to know these things:
- Do you watch the videos that review cards that are not your own?
- Did you enjoy the special guest episodes?
- Is there anything I can do to make the videos more entertaining?
Please let me know!
I would like your opinion on this card, when you get the chance.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/conjure-into-existence-1?list=user
Absolutely! I really enjoy hearing what you have to say!
- Did you enjoy the special guest episodes?
I liked it. I don't think it's a "must" for the series, but I wouldn't mind seeing more of this.
- Is there anything I can do to make the videos more entertaining?
I'd be interested in seeing a bit more of a structured review process, like clear steps where you review each aspect of the card (e.g. Start with first impressions in general, then move on to mechanical evaluation, and after that review art and flavor). Maybe give each category a score and average them out to get your card grades.
Also, if at any point you feel like you've got too much on your plate, I'd be happy to try my hand at reviewing some of the cards submitted to take a load off your shoulders.
There aren't any videos that review my own cards, but I have watched a few and I definitely plan to watch more.
I really liked the special guest episodes. I think having opinions from different perspectives is really cool.
I'm not sure. Editing the videos and adding in effects will always make the video a little more entertaining, but I know it would be more difficult and time consuming. I think the videos are perfectly fine without anything extra.
Again, I think this is super cool what you're doing.
Grasp of the Vine
Wanted Thief
Xanmire, Bloodthirsty Tyrant
Descendant of Deception
@Ashdust
@ShadowReign (5 videos)
Some notes from my end:
For such a popular franchise, there is surprisingly little fanart or even official art out there for Borderlands. So I had to use subpar pictures for some of them. Sorry about that.
Amara and Axton were my attempts at making flexible commander type cards. A bit too complicated mechanically, I admit. One thing you didn't talk about is that Axton in its current state can boost any artifact creature, not just the turret.
With Moxxi, I intentionally tried to make the draw replacement ability a bit risky, since she's all about gambling as a casino and arena owner. Didn't work out super well.
Handsome Jack is based more on his character than what he was as a boss in the games. His abilities are supposed to represent
1. Him protecting himself with both human body doubles and hologram clones, both of which he used in-game.
2. Overwhelming his opponents with his sheer wealth and cruelty, just throwing away money to prove he's better and meaner than you. He's a petty, sadistic sociopath with the resources of an intergalactic hypercorporation. Synergies with playing expensive cards would be a theme for his cards.
Cyclone was not a great card choice, should have picked something else, in retrospect.
I thank you both for all the nice things you've said about my cards, I try my best to make good cards that are balanced; and I thank you for the constructive criticism, all of it makes since and will not go unheard.
Here's a new batch of cards for you to review when you get the chance:
Shinkoru, Emperor of Evolution
Syr Aban, Adventurous Sorcerer
Underground Assassin
Conjure into Existence w/ updated reminder text
@TGBCGakurenZelthorn (8 videos)
I hope to see more of your cards in the future!
For your convenience, Hrondaayl's name is pronounced Rone-Dayl.
The hybrid mana on Sabrina, Unshackled Time is to denote her color identity since there are no hybrid borders for planeswalkers yet.
Milina is designed more for the Corrinella and Milina's Revolution sets.
Nuclear Rage Blast is not a nuclear explosion, just a large blast of Rage Mana that has similar effects minus the fallout.
Yeah Statue of Liberty is definetly too strong
Note for context: All of these cards are 5-colored, and five of them are 3-mana cards. I'd like the casting costs to remain as they are.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/yao-buke-ji-living-idol-3
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/demon-of-blessings-1
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/guardian-qilin
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/elderwood-dragon-3
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/demon-parade-2
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/coiling-serpent-2
Can ya judge this card, please? Thanks.
@Dom_Rocks (3 videos)
@Ashdust (2 videos)
One is a smaller set, just 55 cards, that tells the stories of five planeswalkers that appear across future sets I'm working on.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/user/East2West/sets/54786
The other is a fully draftable set and the first in a series I'm working on.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/user/East2West/sets/49127
If that's too much, don't worry about it. I know it's a lot. Thanks!
I'd love to review your cards, but a full set is a lot. I recommend you post them here in small batches in whatever order you think is best for me to get the feel of the set. Take a look at what @Arceus8523 is doing with his sets.
@Mila
Certainly, I will review those next round!