Runo Stromkirk
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Dec. 16, 2016, 5:51 p.m. by wereotter
So it's been a while, but I'm still pretty disappointed that such an important figure in Innistrad lore didn't get a card in the last block, even though he's now quoted much more in flavor text, and we also didn't get his card in the Commander 2016 product as I would have hoped. I've been working on trying to design an appropriate card for him.
As background, here's a few things we know about him: he pre-dates the Avacynian church and was a high priest worshiping an ancient sea god. We see his respect for the sea in his flavor text for Awaken Horror.
He set up his clan in Nephalia, and at one point in the history of the territory he actively encouraged the deforestation of the province through the building of elaborate ships and fine works of art.
Stromkirk bloodline vampires are said to be able to transform into mist, Elusive Tormentor Flip is very likely someone of his bloodline because of this ability.
Some of his other flavor text seems to indicate his enjoyment on feasting on the minds of his enemies in addition to their blood.
All of this makes me think that he's very likely to be a blue-black aligned vampire, which might be why we didn't see him in the set since that was the zombie color set up, and I'll defend this with Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge being an indication that blue-aligned vampires can and do exist on the plane.
I've come up with this:
Front
Runo Stromkirk 3BU, Legendary Creature - Vampire
Flying 2/4
At the beginning of your upkeep, target player discards a card, and you draw a card.
Whenever Runo Stromkirk becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, transform it.
Back
Mists of Nephalia, Legendary Creature - Elemental
Flying, unblockable 4/2
Whenever this creature transforms into Mists of Nephalia, it gains hexproof until the end of turn.
Discard a card: transform Mists of Nephalia. Any player may activate this ability.
VampireArmy says... #3
The "any player may activate" thing is pretty much phased out as a rule but over all it's alright. Not sure why being targeted transforms him. That part doesn't fit with what the card appears to want to do.
December 17, 2016 12:20 a.m.
Since he gains hexproof when he transforms, it's a way the creature protects itself from targeted removal. He'll transform in response to being targeted, then be hexproof on the effect's resolution making him an invalid target, and the effect fizzles. I wanted him to have a mist form transformation, and that seemed a good way to do it. That's not to say there's not a better way. I also considered having him turn into an enchantment that prevents all damage that would be dealt to and by creatures you control with a similar discard mechanic to turn him back to a creature.
Also I wanted it to play into the block mechanics, particularly madness and delirium.
December 17, 2016 12:35 a.m.
Sim_Will_CMcantfindmehopefully says... #5
What if instead of that, his transformation was a pay off for additional hand attack, like reverse hellbent: "At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have at least 3 more cards in hand than your opponents, transform Runo Stormkirk". Certainly worded differently, but I kind of like the mechanic of this and it allows him to be answered before he flips which feels more fair.
December 17, 2016 2:12 a.m.
Except that with his abilities as is, you don't really want to flip him. I'd rather draw two cards and make someone discard than have a 4/2 unblockable flier.
That flip mechanic isn't bad but his whole ability set would need to be reworked to incorporate it.
December 17, 2016 2:20 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #7
I want his flip side to be a 0/2 that prevents all combat damage dealt to him ala Fog Bank. Then it gives you an incentive to discard and flip it back.
December 17, 2016 8:06 p.m.
Good point. I like that. Would you remove that anyone can discard to flip him back if that's the case? Seems like there'd be less use for that ability if his back side was reduced in power.
December 17, 2016 8:11 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #9
Well they already threw one card at him to turn him into a hard to kill wall. What benefit would there be to throwing another one at him to turn him back?
December 17, 2016 8:53 p.m. Edited.
True though the way the front side is worded, your opponent could flip him with something as simple as Topplegeist or Gideon's Lawkeeper so they're not nesecarrily down a card.
December 17, 2016 9:41 p.m.
Though I guess it might just be simpler to give him a trigger that his controller can discard a card to give him hexproof when he becomes targeted.
December 17, 2016 9:50 p.m.
Postmortal_Pop says... #12
I think if you kept the mist how it is and made it a 1/4 or something it would be perfect. You could draw up what you need then flip it to go aggro
December 19, 2016 6:41 a.m.
That works too. I'm still milling around the idea that his back side is basically Statecraft. Makes his back side still valuable if you need to be on defense, but eventually you'll want him back on the front face.
Sim_Will_CMcantfindmehopefully says... #2
This is interesting, I'm not sure I like the cost to ability ratios, but certainly interesting.
December 16, 2016 10:53 p.m.