Custom Set - Belenon
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Dec. 18, 2016, 4:16 p.m. by ABadMagicPlayer100
I've been looking for inspiration to get started on a custom set for a while now. After last week's Magic Story, I was thinking it would be neat if there was a plane where all of the denizens were aware of the existence of other planes, but I couldn't figure out a plausible lore reason for this.
The other day, I was looking at buying up all of the Planechase planes I don't own already, and I thought that Windriddle Palaces was a super unique ability. Upon closer examination, I noticed that Edge of Malacol is set on the same plane: Belenon. There is no obvious connection between the two plane cards other than they both do weird things.
I realized that the perfect connection for these two issues would be if, long ago, some major event on Belenon tore a rift in the fabric of the plane, causing the Blind Eternities and other planes to be visible in the sky of certain parts of Belenon, causing strange magical events to occur all across the plane.
I plan to start designing this set soon, and I'd like some help hashing out mechanics and lore.
I really like the Bomat Courier ability of exiling cards face down. I'd like to make this a keyword action called "inscribe," which could trigger for various reasons. Cards could then perform actions on cards that have been inscribed on them. Here's a concept card I have:
Concept Show
I'd like to add one or two more keywords and one ability word (like battalion from RTR block if you are unfamiliar).
Also, to anyone who is an artist, I need a cool set symbol. I can't do art well at all, and it's near-impossible to find custom set symbols online. To anyone who is willing to help out, thanks!
What are all of your thoughts? I think this one will be fun to design.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #3
thecakeisalie42 I'm planning on keeping inscribe cards at low numbers and it won't appear at common so that board complexity will not be affected substantially. The concept card is just one example of how inscribe could be used; not all of them would cheat cards into play. I also think that fact that you have no way of knowing which cards are inscribed balances the sample ability fairly well.
December 18, 2016 5:07 p.m.
I like the idea of inscribe, seems like it rewards deck building with controllable randomness.
Is the lore you are goining for like 1 way mirrors into other planes Just randomly appear around the plane allowing observation and replication but no interaction
This being the case reflection and immitation of otherworldly thing leads to some interesting ideas
Perhaps for a plotline a powerful new agent could be using the naturally accuring portholes to monitor and observe the multiverse, I think the rift could have shut Belenon from planeswalkers making it both completely isolated and the most connected place in the mutiverse.
and because I wont to make a card:
Unobtrusive observation
Sorcery
look at the top card of each player's library.
look at target players hand.
Draw a card.
"flavour text"
December 18, 2016 8:48 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #5
Bobbbyyy: I want to represent the idea of the Blind Eternities leaking/mingling into Belenon, but wasn't sure about how that would manifest itself. I really like the "one-way mirror" idea, as it explains why the ornamentation on Windriddle Palaces is so similar to something you might see on Kaladesh.
I was also thinking of something similar to the idea that you had about Belenon being isolated in the multiverse, so I'm glad to see others are coming up with that same thought.
I like Unobtrusive Obeservation, but I think it would play nicer with inscribe and read better if all three lines targeted a player. May just use the tweaked version in the set...
December 18, 2016 10:23 p.m.
thecakeisalie42 says... #6
For the blind eternities leaking, you could use phasing to show things losing their stability, or just use colorless LD as a theme.
If it's isolated, what would be the lore reason for you (a planeswalker) being there? A Kaladesh invention or accident? It would be interesting if people from Kaladesh started coming to this plane and ending its isolation.
Could even base it around australian/aboriginal lore to fit that theme.
December 18, 2016 11:38 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #7
thecakeisalie42 I was thinking that as a result of the blind eternities leaking into the plane, it would be harder for planeswalkers to detect, but not impossible. One could end up there on a first planeswalk (by accident), if you were born there, or otherwise knew how to find it.
I like the idea of phasing but I'm unsure how much design space there is. I will experiment and see if it seems to fit.
December 19, 2016 1:24 a.m.
Postmortal_Pop says... #8
Instead of phasing you could do a controlled flicker effect, like some things have a hard time remaining tangible because they're being pulled slowly into the blind eternities
belenonian mists
Creature elemental
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to belenonian mists.
flavor based name- at the beginning of your combat phase, exile belenonian mists then return it to the battlefield at the end of your combat phase.
2/2
Guardian of the void
Creature- human
Whether guardian of the void enters the battlefield, untap all creatures got control
Flicker- whenever a player attacks with three or more creatures, exile guardian and return it to the battlefield under its owners control.
0/4
Intangible coward
Creature spirit?
Unblockable
Flicker- whenever intangible coward becomes the target of a spell or ability, exile it, then return it to the battlefield at the end of the phase.
1/1
December 19, 2016 7:09 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #9
Postmortal_Pop interesting... it also fits the flavor of weird things happening. I like it.
December 19, 2016 2:04 p.m.
Postmortal_Pop says... #10
Also, looking at malacol, the art reminds me of the time spiral fungus like Sporoloth Ancient but the ability reminds me of the older fungus ability like Fungus Sliver. Either of these could be a decent mechanic for black/green.
December 21, 2016 12:28 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #11
Possible mechanic idea:
Rigid (CARDNAME cannot leave the battlefield unless it would be destroyed by an effect that says "destroy" or damage)
What do you guys think? I'm stuck on how to properly template it, but my goal was to have the exact opposite of indestructible.
December 25, 2016 1:54 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #12
If I keep Rigid (or the same ability with a different name), I'd like a mechanic to go on spells, rather than permanents.
December 25, 2016 2:18 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #13
I'm actively researching a morph variant for instants and sorceries, as it fits the flavor of weird phenomena, but I'm not sure if there's enough design space.
December 25, 2016 2:20 a.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #14
I don't think the design space for Morphing an Instant or Sorcery is limited, but, it would have some interesting implications. Would it be cast, or would it have a form of split second since Morph is a special action and doesn't use the stack? Would that not mean that all sorcery Morphs have Flash? Does that mean that Sorcery Morphs exist at all?
Another thing I was thinking about when I saw this was, what if you could have all of the phases do the exact opposite of what they are intended to do? For instance, a legendary enchantment or artifact that says "When this enters the battlefield, choose an effect:
- If a player were to discard a card, draw a card instead.
- If a player were to be dealt damage, that player gains that much life instead.
- If a player were to draw a card, that player puts a card from his or her hand on the bottom or top of his or her library instead.
- When a creature with power 4 or greater is declared as an attacker, untap it and remove it from combat. That player chooses an opponent and the opponent gains life equal to the attacker's power."
I mean, some of the effects might have a higher impact than others, but, that's true for almost all modal spells. I enjoy the idea of making things not quite work as intended in Magic, it's a unique phenomenon. Good luck with the set design!
December 25, 2016 2:51 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #15
Serra_Sentinel, I think un"morph"ing would be only be allowed at the time the spell could be cast.
As for the modal card, I like the idea, but I don't want to put that effect in colorless where everyone could have it. I think I want to put more of an emphasis on enemy colors than is usual in a set, so with that in mind, what color(s) would you think that flavors into the most?
December 25, 2016 5:11 p.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #16
Red and Blue. Blue because manipulating the Aether or time and Red because Chaos.
December 25, 2016 5:17 p.m.
Just brainstorming, but if the enemy colours are:
UG, UR, WB WR and BG
UR morph spells (crazy aether)
UG flash instants and hold the mana up for morph?
RW temple Knights ( equipment?)
BG malocal fungus tribal or counters?
WB temple priests? Exile synergy at uncommon rare?
December 26, 2016 2:40 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #18
Bobbbyyy I think I'll try UR Spells (with "sporph"), WB flicker ability, UG inscribe, BG counters/growth theme, and RW Rigid matters (i.e. zero toughness creatures, strong enchantments, etc.)
I also need themes for the ally colors but I don't want to play them up as much. Might try WU Walls (to depart from the normal flying theme), UB unblockable things (plays well with the B growth cards), GW flicker with inscribe etb effects as clear strategies. At a loss for best approach to RB and RG. Everyone's thoughts?
December 26, 2016 3:01 a.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #19
Shouldn't there be a cost to a black growth card? Like, it's a Giant Growth but, until end of turn, whenever that creature deals damage, you lose that much life?
December 26, 2016 3:54 a.m.
It might be more like subtle strike and other +1/+1 counters
December 26, 2016 4:34 a.m.
i think for flavor reasons with malacol the BG growth cards need delays or ways of making them dormant. so the cards only grow if you don't untap them. or perhaps something like suspend where the card is exiled first then comes in at a later time. etc.
December 26, 2016 10:40 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #22
aholder7 is correct, I believe that the BG growth cards are like a hibernation/fungal growth hybrid, where the creatures must remain dormant to improve.
December 26, 2016 1:55 p.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #23
Giant Catarpillar 1
Creature --- Insect
Tap, add or to your mana pool.
You may choose not to untap Giant Catarpillar during your untap step. If you don't, put a metamorphosis counter on it. If Giant Catarpillar has 3 or more metamorphosis counters on it, remove them and transform it.
0/4
The Broodmother
Creature --- Insect Horror
Flying, Death touch
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay . If you do, create a copy of Giant Catarpillar.
2/6
How's this for a dormant growth card?
December 26, 2016 8:49 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #24
I like the design but DFCs are more complexity than I want to put in the set.
December 26, 2016 9:16 p.m.
thecakeisalie42 says... #25
Really, Outlast is pretty dormant growth if you wanna do a +1/+1 counters theme.
December 26, 2016 10:10 p.m.
thecakeisalie42 says... #26
The thing with Rigid is it doesn't exactly synergize with itself at all. The only way to use it to your benefit is with sthg like "Exile all Creatures"
I can see them being useful in modern/legacy as they dont die to Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, but other than that I'm not ecstatic.
I would like to see it on Trolls, as they are known for being very resilient and it would fit well thematically/flavorfully. The isolation of the plane could make it a home/paradise for them.
December 26, 2016 10:51 p.m.
also to make rigid any good you'd need to have a lot of removal that exiled creatures instead of destroyed them. which means any grave interactions are pretty hampered.
December 27, 2016 1:24 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #28
One of the things I want to try is Rigid on noncreatures. Lots of the best removal for noncreatures is exile only, especially stuff that exiles nonland permanents because it usually hits multiple card types.
December 27, 2016 1:47 a.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #29
If strange things happen to planes walkers, or the plane itself for that matter, why not have the colors become the things that they despise most? Blue becoming impulsive and rash, Red becoming reserved and thoughtful, Green is small and evasive, Black gives away its power to others, and White just wants power for the individual. This only happening to Planes walkers that accidentally end up on the plane might have something to do with the flavor of the Plane itself.
December 27, 2016 12:38 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #30
I don't want to break the color pie, I just want weird things going on. Adds an extra layer of design complexity and I'm already tackling a lot.
December 27, 2016 2:01 p.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #31
My apologies. I knew that breaking the color pie was a little, let's say, ambitious at best. At any rate, hasn't the Outlast mechanic already been done for Green and Black (as well as White) from Abzan in Khans? Which would cover the dormant growth effect you were looking for.
December 27, 2016 8:08 p.m.
i think he's looking to make a mechanic that forces the card to stay tapped as opposed to tapping it.
December 27, 2016 10 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #33
Outlast doesn't quite fit the flavor, and this "malacol ability" allows more than one counter on more than one creature. It's more flexible.
December 27, 2016 10:56 p.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #34
"Stagnate --- This enters the battlefield tapped. You may choose not to untap this during your untap step. If you don't, put a time counter on it."
This maybe? And then have the permanent interact with the time counters that it puts on itself? I apologize if it seems like I'm just spamming.
December 28, 2016 1:29 a.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #35
Not a problem at all. Currently, the "malacol mechanic" is an unnamed mechanic (and will remain that way), and it exchanges some number of turns tapped for some number of +1/+1 counters. Because it's only very loosely tied together, it gives lots of flexibility and design space.
On another note, you've all been super helpful in hashing out mechanical and flavor design. I was originally intending this to be a solo project, but I'd like to extend an invitation to you all to continue helping. I'm going to start posting batches of new cards every few days, and you can all feel free to tweak names, flavor text, types, and any other aspect of design. After a few batches, I'll start taking suggestions for cards if you feel inspired to design any. This is turning out to be a fun community project. :)
December 28, 2016 2:48 a.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #36
Sure, I mean, this sounds fun. It's not like I have many better things to do at the moment.
December 28, 2016 6:15 a.m.
thecakeisalie42 says... #37
I'm sorry if I sound like a naysayer, I honestly like this set and want it to do well. I keep saying negative things and feeling bad :(
But anyway, this really seems to not be very different from outlast. You are still, at the core, trading tempo for +1/+1 counters. Note that outlast was not used outside of limited. I'd test the two counters extensively to see if they are balanced. You could also try time, charge, spore or other counters.
What about skipping untap (or other phases) for other benefits? Or you could add cards that care about tapped creatures.
One thing that this mechanic allows for an interesting tapland effect, like +1/+1 counters.
Just some thoughts.
December 28, 2016 7:42 p.m.
What if you word it as an ability word
Grow(or other name) --- you may choose not to untap ~ during your upkeep, if you do EFFECT
It requires the creature to be tapped so hence attack or tap once
Enveloping lichen
Creature fungus
Grow ---- you may choose not to untap ~ during your upkeep, if you do create a token copy of ~.
2/2
Fungal wall
Creature fungus
Defender
Grow ----you may choose not to untap ~ during your upkeep, if you do untap all creatures you control at the beginning of the next end step
T: untap target fungus
0/5
December 28, 2016 9:40 p.m.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #39
I like the +1/+1 counters, and I like the trading time for tempo, but outlast is less flexible that I'd like, otherwise I would bring that back.
Here's the first batch of cards. Let me know what you all think!
December 28, 2016 9:55 p.m.
Serra_Sentinel says... #40
I think Misguided Research should deal two damage to you since it is, after all, Misguided.
December 29, 2016 1:28 a.m.
I concur with Serra_Sentinel, and I think the Learned Scholar should maybe be Blue and Red instead of Blue and Green. Malacol might be a little strong, with the repeatable pumping of creatures for . Other than that, I think those look great.
February 1, 2017 9:29 p.m.
I don't know if it's the type of thing you're looking for, but http://game-icons.net/ could be useful for a set symbol. (Hyperlink isn't working.)
February 19, 2017 8:42 p.m.
It seems like the game mechanic version of the Blind Eternities is cards coming from outside the game. For example, Coax from the Blind Eternities lets you get a card from outside the game, and the flavor text talks about Emrakul appearing from the space in between planes. I think it would be really cool to represent the Blind Eternities in that way.
thecakeisalie42 says... #2
I think you should have mill be viable. I like the concept of being able to punish people for using that power.
One difficulty will be keeping the battlefield clean with a bunch of cards underneath others. Also, it seems to me like this block will result in nothing but cheating high cmc spells into play. Not trying to crap on your idea, just some considerations.
December 18, 2016 4:23 p.m.