Pool of Legend Concepts
Custom Cards forum
Posted on April 25, 2015, 9:06 p.m. by KalvinHobbez
Okay so I got some more pretty cards to show you guys, might as well call them Legends now, too. Anyways, here's three little legends I had ideas for.
Dualcaster Mage combined with X copying a spell. I've never seen an X copy, so I wanted to give a try at it. Of course it can be a very dangerous thing to mess with, probably why it isn't seen too often. I just like the way Dualcaster Mage and alike spelljacks can take a wincon in an EDH deck and get really interesting.
Reutilizing a Boros card I showed a bit ago, I wanted to retry damage redirection. I see some cards that do this, but nothing specifically like Gwelin can accomplish. Redirect damage to self as a drawback from something, or Blasphemous act for extra mana to get some player damage in. She might be a bit crazy and her mana cost might be kicked up, though.
These two abilities used to be two separate commanders in a way, but then I merged them together for an interesting take on graveyard reanimation and creature cheats. Think of it like a general form of Yawgmoth's Will and kinda Heartless Summoning, but with their own balances to merge better. Probably will throw in the exile graveyard effect to balance her out more, too.
So yeah more legends to ponder on and prolly see how they are broken. I'll past the images as standalone in my next post for people wanting to get quick looks.
DERPLINGSUPREME says... #3
Those are really cool! I especially like the last one, jhonnies will go NUTS over it.
April 25, 2015 9:08 p.m.
I like the last one a lot as well, but I feel it might be a little too strong when you consider that Melira, Sylvok Outcast is a thing and green and black combined have the most creature tutors. Would allow for some incredibly broken plays by allowing X be infinite, playing colorless creatures for free from hand and graveyard plus playing big things for almost free. To combat this, maybe make it so that they get -1/-1 until your next upkeep to combat this?
April 25, 2015 9:19 p.m.
Just realized I typed "to combat this" twice and can't edit it T_T
Really shouldn't visit forums and post when I'm tired zzz
But again, really love these custom cards and the art for them is really cool.
April 25, 2015 9:20 p.m.
DERPLINGSUPREME says... #6
oh gosh.
now I REALLY want the last one to exist.
maybe a -x-x counter instead? just one of them?
April 25, 2015 9:21 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #7
I like the first one, but the cost seems like it gets prohibitive quickly. You should also reword the ability such that the ETB ability only triggers if X =/= 0. Also, ETB abilities use "when" because the object only enters the battlefield once under most circumstances. Use of "whenever" is reserved for situations in which a trigger condition could be expected to occur multiple times and generate multiple corresponding triggers.
The second one seems pretty powerful given that you can just redirect any amount of damage from any source as long as you have mana. You also need to work on the wording here. Is this a redirection effect or a prevention effect? You need to specify using the language, and it needs to be clear what the source of the damage is. A prevention effect allows your legendary card to be the source, while a redirection effect requires the original source to still be the source.
The third one is good, but you again need to work on wording. Always fit your cards into standard wording and templating.
Specifically, you can't just reference X without defining it. You need to frame the ability somehow; currently, nothing is defining X.
April 25, 2015 9:21 p.m.
UpsetYoMama says... #8
These look like a lot of fun. The first dude would be awesome in most any UR deck, the art on the second one is stunning and the ability looks like a lot of fun, and someone would find a way to break the last one.
I think you would also want to reword the second ability on Lori. There's something a bit off on it. Grammatically, creatures (plural) doesn't align with it (singular).
You could also consider making it an activated or tap ability rather than a static one. Tapping may make the card not as useful, so an activated ability would be more fair. That way it could always be disrupted by the likes of Stifle or Voidslime.
April 25, 2015 9:32 p.m.
Try wording like this for Lori:
"Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may reduce its cost by (X). If you do, that creature enters the battlefield with X -1/-1 counters.
: You may play target creature card from your graveyard."
April 25, 2015 9:45 p.m.
lemmingllama says... #10
Aark seems to cost too much for his ability. A dualcaster mage for 6 mana isn't very efficient, and adding on commander tax makes this a little crazy.
Gwvelin looks pretty amazing. Very political commander, I love it.
I think Lori would be cool if X was defined in her casting cost as adding +1/+1 counters, and the cost reduction was equal to the number of counters on her. Of course, this would also mean that some creatures would die, but it makes it interesting. Still, I love a Heartless Summoning/Havengul Lich mixture.
April 25, 2015 10:07 p.m.
DERPLINGSUPREME says... #11
no, its duakcast for 5. its triples for 6, 4 for 7, etc
April 25, 2015 10:09 p.m.
KalvinHobbez says... #12
I don't see why people go so crazy on wording when these are specifically just custom cards made up to show off a concept. I mean as long as you can understand what the card means then the wording shouldn't be too much of a problem unless it's something like a source dealing damage and isn't being stated.
Example probably being also what was said about Aark needing X =/= 0. But thinking about it...why does it need to be stated? If you copy an ability 0 times, you just don't have any copies to choose targets for.
The ability is damage redirection and makes the damage be deal to a new target. If Gwvelin would deal the damage then it'd be prevention and then dealing the damage again instead. Also was tempted to buff up her mana cost due to the X being a lil crazy, but due to having to need 1 mana per each point of damage I felt like it could have been somewhat balanced. Maybe make her have to tap for the ability too?
Also would Melira, Sylvok Outcast not trigger due to the ability of them entering with -1/-1 counters would not trigger altogether? As the -1/-1 counters are that alternative part of the cost needing for it to happen, then I think it gets weird. Also I don't want the reanimation to be an activated ability because of the way the two abilities could synergize with the way it is now.
April 25, 2015 10:11 p.m.
Ahh, I see how Lori could be broken when she's worded like that... Infinite etb/death triggers from one card. Ew.
April 25, 2015 10:14 p.m.
KalvinHobbez says... #14
Also about Aark being an overcosted Dualcaster, yeah that's a problem that six mana for one copy is a bit weird, but with his capability of going into high mana costs to triple copy a spell for 8 mana can get a bit scary for the implications. I do admit that as a commander the 2 additional would mess him up...I might make him XXUR then.
April 25, 2015 10:15 p.m.
DERPLINGSUPREME says... #15
oops. iz 2x. It should only be 1x if you ask me.
April 25, 2015 10:19 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #16
lori + ulamog = infinite targeted permanent destruction, lori + kozilek = infinite draw.... kind of ridiculous.
April 25, 2015 10:53 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #18
Of you define lori's x with an x you pay when you play her it gets infinitely more fair. Still breakable. But. Less so.
Also on what I said, you would need something to stop the shuffle effect from happening. or something like vedalken orrery to give things instant speed
April 25, 2015 11:16 p.m.
Maybe a Priest of Urabrask type effect where you get the mana back when it enters the battlefield? Of course, then it'd probably have to be worded as an etb effect...
April 25, 2015 11:23 p.m.
KalvinHobbez says... #21
Um, you can't infinitely cast Eldrazi. You can cast them as a 0 mana 2/2 with those effects for someone like Kozilek, but they are shuffled in your library and you have to find them again either way. But yeah I could probably have some sort of way that you get a fixed amount for X when she enters. Maybe like Phyrexian Processor where you can maybe pay life when she enters.
April 26, 2015 12:13 a.m.
KalvinHobbez says... #22
Also the shuffle effects can't really be stopped either I don't think. Stuff like Leyline of the Void can stop it...but of course he never enters the graveyard from that. Also what commander isn't breakable that people like to play, I mean really.
April 26, 2015 12:14 a.m.
asasinater13 says... #23
I ended on the way to do it, make them instant. vedalken orrery makes it harken because you resound to the shuffle trigger by casting
April 26, 2015 9:01 a.m.
Leafbladefighter says... #24
The last one... You guys are all trying to hose it and break it at the same time, and failing. It's fine the way it is.
April 30, 2015 11:55 p.m.
@Leafbladefighter As it is made in the picture in OP, it is most certainly not fine in a balanced sense lol. With that card on the field alone, you can infinitely play something like Solemn Simulacrum to not only pull every basic land in your deck out for free, but also draw your entire deck if you so desired. Draw your whole deck searching for an Eldrazi and Melira, play Melira for 
then drop a free Eldrazi.
KalvinHobbez says... #2
April 25, 2015 9:07 p.m.