Azorius dragon Commander
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Aug. 2, 2015, 2:26 p.m. by Izu_Korasu
Ishai, Envoy to Ojutai
Legendary Creature - Dijnn Monk
Flying, Prowess
Whenever a creature you control with flying deals combat damage to a player, you may look at the top card of your library. You may put it on either the top or the bottom of your library, then draw a card.
3/4
based on the figure speaking the flavor text of Cunning Breezedancer. originally a dragonspeaker to Dragonlord Ojutai this djinn gained some of his power and acts as an envoy for the dragonlord providng additional intel.
canterlotguardian says... #3
The way the dragonspeaker (the one that isn't Sarkhan lol) was hyped in that one lore article, I was really hoping she was going to end up being an actual Legend in DTK. Hype unfulfilled... :|
August 2, 2015 3:12 p.m.
Izu_Korasu says... #4
@FAMOUSWATERMELON i was trying to play around with the cost/power level of the card and was considering the bump in cmc, i opted for as the extra blue does seem to add to the value the card can have. I would like to keep Ishai at 4cmc and nerf the ability rather then raise the cost, so I'll shift it to combat damage like Ojutai's.
@canterlotguardian thats partially the reason I chose this theme for the card. Ojutai is a fun card, but none of the current Azorius commanders currently fill this void.
August 2, 2015 3:42 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #5
As is, I wouldn't recommend this commander to anyone. The design doesn't benefit any strategy I can think of. Not that it does nothing, but it does very little.
August 2, 2015 3:49 p.m.
Izu_Korasu says... #6
@Magical Hacker Well what would you change?
I built it as a flying lord that follows the way of the Ojutai. Flying creatures will be the main theme here, Favorable Winds, Thunderclap Wyvern and Warden of Evos Isle more then likely making appearances. With the added benefit of a nerfed Anticipate on attack
August 2, 2015 3:56 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #7
Here's something to think about: Why would I run this as a commander over Dragonlord Ojutai or Kangee, Aerie Keeper ? I would try to differentiate it from just being a not-so-great mix of those two. Also, I'm not feeling anything particular 'Jeskai/Ojutai monk' from this.
Just an idea: Ishai, Ojutai Envoy2UW Whenever you cast a non-creature spell, target creature you control gains flying until end of turn. Whenever a creature you control with flying deals combat damage to a player, you may look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your hand, or on the bottom of your library. If you put it on the bottom of your library, draw a card. 3/3
The first ability is prowess-like and that he doesn't come with flying gives the flavor of Ishai learning form Ojutai and aspiring to be like his dragonlord.The second ability harkens to Dragonlord Ojutai 's ability and gives Ishai a 'lord' feel without feeling the same as all the pump lords the strategy already hads. I used Tibor and Lumia as sort if a baseline, as that was the sort of feel I was getting from the card.
August 2, 2015 4:50 p.m.
Izu_Korasu says... #8
@golgarigirl i like the proposed changes, but Ishai would then need to become a human and basically becomes a more lord-y Mistfire Adept. Djinn creatures generally have flying built in but flying+prowess and your new ability feel like a solid build for a general, thankyou for your input.
August 2, 2015 6:30 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #9
I'd scrap it and start from the bottom and rethink the whole design. Since rebound is the new mechanic for the jeskai, why not use it as a base line for what you want to do?
Ishai, Envoy to Ojutai
Legendary Creature - Djinn Monk
Whenever you cast a spell from exile, draw a card.
, 
: Target instant or sorcery you control gains Rebound. (If you cast that spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast that card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
3/4
August 2, 2015 7:03 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #10
Actually, about 1/2 of the Tarkir Djinn have flying, and the other 1/2 have prowess...pretty even split. But I get the worry. And I forgot about Mistfire Adept.
@ MagicHacker: I would play the junk out of the rebound version!
August 2, 2015 7:45 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #12
I have 2 concerns about the rebound design:
1.) It feels almost as if the card wants to be WUR, as all the new rebound cards are in those 3 colors, not just WU. I don't think the 3 color design really fits the OP's ideas, but I would say 1WUR would be a fine CMC if we made the creature smaller, like a 2/3.
2.) Straight up 3 mana to rebound a spell is super cheap for some of the shenanigans you could do with high CMC rebound spells. I would say the rebound cost should be X, where X is the card's CMC to encourage rebounding the kinds of smaller effects we often see on rebound cards, as opposed to, for example, rebounding a Cruel Ultimatum or something silly like that.
August 2, 2015 8:21 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #13
uhhhh... what.
Also, Cruel Ultimatum is red and black, so how could it be in that commander deck?
August 2, 2015 9:25 p.m.
golgarigirl says... #14
I've been playing too much Jeskai rebound...Shu Yun little leaders, and Staggershock is my favorite rebound of all time. So sure, Azorius it is.
I was just listing examples with the ultimatum, but do you really want someone paying 3 mana for a Time Stretch or a Storm Herd?
August 2, 2015 9:37 p.m.
Izu_Korasu says... #15
Ishai was initially placed into the time period between the khans dominance and the draconic lords. besides jeskai kinda dies when narset drops red and becomes a walker (the clans are only really 2 colored). So the abilities that i was building on were based on that transition.
@Magical Hacker, at this point your building a very different general with a very different decklist .. Azorius already has a number of utility generals, and a number of control generals so this was themed to be focused on the skys, and on the dragons/sphinx/spirits etc that now rule them.
Rebound is almost strictly a WU ability (3 red, 2 black, 1 green, 7 white, 8 blue+Cast Through Time) with that said the rebound general that your forcing into this thread should have its ability at 
, not sure if the balancing requires the or not.
August 2, 2015 9:40 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #16
golgarigirl, sorry to disappoint you xD
Sure you are paying three mana, but you have to also pay ten for both of those spells, AND it has to resolve. so I don't see the cost as too cheap. Especially on a 4 toughness 5-drop.
IzuKorasu, I'm merely suggesting that this character can be built in a way that can be used for a specific strategy (spellslinger gimmicks).
In fact, I'd argue that there are more azorius commanders for a flying-themed deck than there are spellslinger commanders (as for utility/control generals, any commander can pilot an amazing control deck so... yeah).
Also, I wouldn't have suggested anything specific unless I was specifically asked for one... So as for the ability, your version would completely break cantrips.
FAMOUSWATERMELON says... #2
It feels a bit too good for 4CMC. Perhaps bump it up one colorless?
August 2, 2015 3:05 p.m.