Atomize
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Dec. 4, 2015, 2:53 a.m. by Ledfeelcrank
Atomize 
Instant
Exile target creature. It's controller discards up to 1 card, then draws that many.
Red version of Path to Exile/Swords to Plowshares. I read maro say that red was supposed to be above white for creature removing so I made this to be a slightly better version of Path/Swords (he said Path as a mistake) to keep the balance. I imagined it for use in EDH only.
ScruffySpydr says... #3
Doesn't seem very red, making the opponent discard. And i understand trying to make it a path to exile, how about making it feel more red by saying "exile target creature that was dealt damage this turn". It puts in a stipulation, which red exile is likely to have. Since is a bit situational it's good at the 1 cmc. If the idea is letting your opponent tutor, then maybe "that creature's controller searches for a creature card with cmc of 1 or less." It feels very red while having a functionality like path.
December 4, 2015 10:28 a.m.
Serendipitous_Hummingbird says... #4
Exile target creature. You lose life equal to it's power
That would be an interesting twist. Free exile on 0/x creatures but almost worthless against massive ones
December 4, 2015 11:26 a.m.
ScruffySpydr says... #5
@Serendipitous_Hummingbird, I think losing life equal to power for removing a creature feels black. Especially with the irony of killing walls at no cost and killing bigger creatures costing you dearly. That effect doesn't seem very red to me.
December 4, 2015 11:33 a.m.
RussischerZar says... #6
Damage would be more appropriate for red @ Serendipitous_Hummingbird.
i.e. "Exile target creature. That creature deals damage to you equal to it's power."
December 4, 2015 11:40 a.m. Edited.
Ledfeelcrank says... #8
@ M a g i c a l H a c k e r That's a good idea -- I'll change it.
@ScruffySpydr It doesn't make the opponent discard, it gives them the choice to do some red rummaging or not.
I think that making it situational would make it far less powerful of a card than Path is; with Path you get to exile, so long as the creature is a legal target, no questions asked, on top of which the 'downside' is pretty laughable. Since I'm looking to make a card superior at removing a creature than Path, it's currently not a situation removal spell.
I know exile doesn't feel that red, but red does exile things - Yamabushi's Flame - this would just be the first time that the effect simply says exile. This is, of course, bending things. I don't claim at all that this fits perfectly into how things have been or currently are for each color, just trying to put red ahead of white in creature removal for EDH, and I think that that requires some flavours bending a bit (given that maro even admits Path and Swords were mistakes to print, and are too good). Even blue now has Reality Shift, which only costs 1 more than path and only leaves them a 2/2.
December 4, 2015 12:35 p.m.
ScruffySpydr says... #9
I can see what you're saying, and yes you want it strictly better but remember path hands them a land, I think ramping your opponent is a downside. I'm sticking to giving them a small creature like a 1/1 elemental
December 4, 2015 12:44 p.m.
griffstick says... #10
Swords to Plowshares says exile target creature its controller gains life equal to its toughness . why not try exile target creature you loose life equal to it toughness. Then it's truely the red version or for the Path to Exile version exile target creature you sacrifice a land.
December 4, 2015 12:50 p.m.
Ledfeelcrank says... #11
I like the ideas. I think that those trade-offs, while a very close mirror to the original, would make the cards slightly worse that their white equivalents.
I can imagine getting out of a tight spot without much life to spare through Swords to Plowshares, but if I had to lose the life that it would just kill me.
Also, and I could be wrong - I haven't thought too much about this one yet - but I would rather them have a free basic land than me have to destroy one of mine.
I want to make versions of those cards that the white mage wishes they could play instead of their own versions, basically.
December 4, 2015 1 p.m.
ScruffySpydr says... #12
Could go Desperate Ritual with it, or it could Fling the creature at the opponent of the controller.
MagicalHacker says... #2
I'd say make it up to two discards and it's perfect.
December 4, 2015 7:33 a.m.