Araveil
Custom Cards forum
Posted on March 18, 2022, 12:16 p.m. by Ashdust
The card-maker I use has a word limit, ultimate is supposed to say "Demon in addition to its other types."
Some of you may have read a card I made a little while ago, called Farloynn. On that page, I mentioned a Knight-Paladin from Dominaria learning a forbidden secret. This is that character, and how he got to where he is.
Araveil was a knight-paladin from Dominaria, pious and righteous in his ways. He only served his plane, and the gods he looked up to for guidance. He protected the people from evil and was renowned as a hero. Then, he began to hear voices. Whispers invaded his head, driving him slowly insane. Unbeknownst to him, these voices were from one of the seven Elder Demons holding a forbidden secret. The Demon whispered the horrible secret in Araveil's ear, and he slowly became insane and sadistic. When the Demon finished, the power of the secret changed Araveil, physically and mystically. His armor fused to his skin, and he slowly changed into a demon. He gained a terrifying power, one that forever changed Dominaria. He had the ability to draw out the inner demons of others in a physical form. This was accomplished in a battle of will, and being a Paladin, Araveil usually held the advantage. Once you lost, you'd be able to feel a demon tearing through your body. You'd still be there, and if your will was strong enough, you may even be able to push the demon down, but once the demon was free, it was usually there to stay. Araveil has control of these demons. On the outside, the Demons are made of pure fire, a hulking mass of flame that has the raw strength of ten mortal men. Araveil also held a relic, a sword originally called Cleansingfyre, now known as Corruptingfyre. If Araveil loses the battle of will, he will challenge his enemy to single combat. If you refuse, he sends his demon army at you. If you accept, he pulls out Corruptingfyre, and you engage in the most desperate battle you'll ever face. If Corruptingfyre makes contact with human flesh, it will transmute it into volcanic rock. Therefore, if you take a hit, you'll be petrified as a statue, permanently. However, if you cut Araveil first, he would let you live. After taking complete control of Dominaria, and taking the title of the God-Paladin, Araveil was approached by the skeleton planeswalker named Farloynn, who offered him a deal. He could hand over his power, or he could die and have it ripped from him. Araveil laughed and engaged Farloynn in a battle of wills. This was a grievous mistake. Farloynn had an infinite mental capacity and this overwhelming defeat ripped the demon out of Araveil, which killed him instantly. Farloynn took the secret for himself and took Araveil's soul as well. The people of Dominaria were freed from their demons and began to rebuild. The statues were left as memorials, and Corruptingfyre was left in the ground, unable to be removed. Araveil was turned into a statue of volcanic rock himself and was left as a statue in the center of the plane.
This gives you a small idea of how powerful Farloynn is. Without even engaging, he defeated a man who had made himself into a god in a matter of seconds. Suggestions are welcome.
TypicalTimmy says... #3
My thoughts, since you asked.
- MV is appropriate and nicely balanced for what he does
- +2 for 3 damage is a hard sell. Normally I'd say +1. However you'll see below why I think the +2 can stay. Given that he is 5MV and three colors, getting out on curve will be very difficult so I actually think the 3 damage can be directed at any target, not just creatures.
- That -1, I would rework slightly. Rather than become a 5/5 Demon, maybe make him a Creature - Demon with power and toughness equal to his loyalty? So if you immediately -1 the turn you cast him (assuming he has haste), he would drop down to a 3/3. However, if you +2 the first turn and -1 the following, he would drop from 6 loyalty to 5, making him a 5/5. From this point forward he just grows. You wait three turns, he grows from 4 initial loyalty to 6 the turn he ETB. Then 8 the following. Then on his third turn you -1 and now suddenly he's a 7/7. But here's where some of the concern is... First strike and deathtouch means he only needs to deal 1 point of damage. As a 7/7, 6 of that damage is wasted. Without trample, that excess 6 means nothing. And with indestructible, having 7 toughness is just as good as 1 toughness. So while the idea is cool, the evergreen abilities you have chosen actually make the design moot. So you'd either need to select new keyword abilities, or change how his stats function. Because even as a core 5/5, the keyword abilities still pose the same issue; a 1/1 with indestructible, deathtouch and first strike is just as powerful as a 5/5.
- Love that emblem. Maybe add "except it is a BLACK Demon."? Purely for flavor.
- 4 starting loyalty for a 5 mana Walker is perfectly fine. If anything it's a little under for 3 colors, but that's what makes the +2 appropriate. If he ETB at 6 loyalty, then the +2 would be a hard sell. But I think ETB 4 loyalty with a +2 is perfectly reasonable.
Overall, I'd just rework the -1 slightly.
Then maybe up the +2 to hit anything and not just creatures and add Black to the emblem purely for flavor.
March 18, 2022 3:10 p.m.
TypicalTimmy: I like all of your suggestions, but I can't go back and change them at the moment. I'll probably fix it later. What do you think of the lore?
March 18, 2022 3:45 p.m.
Should I add a "He can't attack the turn he enters the battlefield clause"?
And also, should I replace the indestructible with "Prevent all damage that would be dealt to him"?
And should I specify that he's still a planeswalker?
Looking at Gideon planeswalker cards hAH
March 18, 2022 4:04 p.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #6
Very busy today making five shipping crates. I'll reply later.
March 18, 2022 4:58 p.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #7
Just got off work. 14 hour day. Ugh. Gross.
Gideon is a special exception because of what his magical powers are (were), which was basically making anything he wanted to be indestructible. He often channeled this through himself, which is why he was always a Planeswalker who prevented all damage dealt to himself.
When Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker becomes a creature, his card no longer has the Planeswalker type. This is important because whenever a Planeswalker is dealt damage, that damage translates into a permanent loss of loyalty.
If a Planeswalker was also a creature "in addition to it's other types", but DID NOT have the text Gideon has where you prevent all damage, then it doesn't matter if the Planeswalker in question has indestructible or not.
If it is at 5 loyalty, and it is dealt 5 damage, and you remove 5 loyalty counters and it becomes 0, it dies. Indestructible or otherwise, it dies.
So you have two options:
- Make him a creature "in addition to his other types" and stipulate that damage does not remove loyalty - or prevent all damage - or translate damage into something else.
Or
- Make him an indestructible creature NOT in addition to his other types. Now that he isn't a planeswalker, the rules for loyalty removal no longer apply and he can soak as much damage up as he wants to without dying
Ashdust says... #2
Suggestions are especially welcome if you're TypicalTimmy
March 18, 2022 1:33 p.m.