Pet Jace
Custom Cards forum
Posted on April 30, 2016, 5:59 p.m. by Hobbez9186
I'll come right out and say that this isn't a serious card suggestion. Well, not as it is stated anyway. It could be interesting as a different type of mana acceleration for Blue, but this is just me having fun and wanting to share a smile with someone.
I do actually have a blue beta named Jace that has a Shadows Over Innistrad Fat Pack Poster behind his little tank sitting next to my desk. I thought it would be fun to make a card that simulates taking care of him.
The first thing about having a pet: you have to feed it. With fish, you can definitely over feed it and it will surely die. That's the inspiration for the first ability, keep him alive.
The second ability is flavored after the process of emptying the tank and refilling it with water. If it wasn't running the risk of having way too much text on the card, I would have added something like "Exile Jace and remove a food counter. Add UU to your mana pool, then return Jace, Prodigy of Atlantis to the battlefield under your control."
This would have been perfect since I have to take him out of the tank to change the water and then put him back in. It also would have been a nice evasion, but without careful wording it would completely break the card. The reason it must be done during the first main phase is because I have to remember to do it every morning (at least every other) or he will die. Also, it just seems more balanced as an actual card.
The last little clever nuance is that he is a Legendary creature, and much like an actual beta fish you are not allowed to have two on the board at the same time or one of them will die.
So, the way this card works(with a different name and whatnot) is that it allows you an extra mana every turn, as long as you paid for the extra mana the turn before (or prepaid two counters two turns before). Not broken, but incredibly useful because there are a ton of Blue instant spells that only cost 2 mana that you could pull off without any land open. You can also pay 1 to add a counter and remove it right away for the 2 mana quickly in a pinch, but only once since you have to tap him and then sacrifice him if it wasn't your first main phase.
Overall it seems pretty balanced and useful, and even if you don't use the mana ability right away he at least has haste and can attack for 2 quick damage.
Again this is just me having fun, but after thinking about it a card like this could be a very interesting variation of Llanowar Elves for Blue. Blue likes to make things complicated anyway, so I think it's very fitting :)
Thanks for reading along, I hope you enjoyed another create-a-card exercise from your friendly neighborhood Hobbez.
DERPLINGSUPREME says... #4
if the mana addition happens at upkeep, it will empty, causing the mana to be unusable except for costs and instants. try doing it at main phase 1.
April 30, 2016 8:28 p.m.
Hobbez9186 says... #5
Main phase it is, I'll have to change that when I get back to my computer.
And the image is literally just a photo of my tank. I felt bad leaving him in my office all the time so I gave him a watchful eye to keep tabs :)
Thanks for the comments guys :)
April 30, 2016 9:49 p.m.
Considering it's confined to a tank, this totally needs Islandhome.
May 1, 2016 12:07 a.m.
Hobbez9186 says... #7
Islandhome, lol I had to look that one up (apparently printed on less than 20 blue cards in fifth edition). I like it, it's too bad it is a retired "mechanic". It is probably a better fit than Islandwalk, but I'll keep it the way it is simply because Islandhome hasn't been used in many many years.
Great comments and suggestions, perhaps I'll draw up a blue sea creature and try to refine the abilities for actual use :)
EverythingIsK says... #2
This is a pretty neat idea, and I love the card image. :)
Certainly a little color pie break on blue's side, but none the less a cool idea.
April 30, 2016 7:05 p.m.