Velos, Traitor to Artifice

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Posted on May 2, 2020, 2:20 p.m. by TheCardPool

I don't know about anyone else, but I love artifacts and building decks around artifact-based commanders. However, I've noticed some of the best color combinations for artifacts like or are sometimes lacking in commander options. I've wanted a new Dimir artifact commander for a while, to for your consideration, here's one I thought might be cool:

Velos, Traitor to Artifice

Legendary Creature—Zombie Artificer

Deathtouch

As an additional cost to cast Velos, Traitor to Artifice, pay X life. Create an X/X colorless Construct artifact creature token.

When Velos enters the battlefield, choose target artifact you own and control. As long as that artifact remains on the battlefield, Velos has hexproof and indestructible.

Tap three untapped artifacts you control: Draw a card. Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

1/1

Too strong? Too weak? Cool synergy? Thoughts?

Dromar39 says... #2

I think x wouldn't be in the casting cost, just as additional cost. Unless your paying mana and life. I feel flavor wise he should sacrifice artifacts not tap them. Sac two artifacts you control: draw a card. Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

May 2, 2020 3 p.m.

TheCardPool says... #3

Ghosthunter39 I appreciate the thoughts! I do like the idea of him sacrificing artifacts instead of tapping them. Might enable even more shenanigans and maybe make the effect a little less potentially powerful.

I experimented with the idea of him having a static casting cost and just letting players pay X life, but in a game like commander that means people could just pay a ton of life for a giant token, which could spell all kinds of problems. Tying him to an X mana cost seemed less abusable. But what do you think?

May 2, 2020 3:11 p.m.

Dromar39 says... #4

What about . Add when ~ etb you may pay life, if you do put an X/X colorless Construct token into play. Could probably make him a 1/3.

May 2, 2020 5:39 p.m.

TheCardPool says... #5

TypicalTimmy ha, I had the exact same thought about Darksteel Relic! Definitely a fun combo. And you also followed my logic exactly with the X and casting ability: I wanted to make sure, because it could be a large investment, you get something out of it regardless of whether he’s countered or not (it’s also very Dimir in flavor). The double X is a bit pricey, and as per Ghosthunter39’s comments I considered making Velos a set cost and you just being able to pay whatever life you wanted to cast him. But I was worried that could potentially be VERY broken. Your thoughts on that?

The character idea I had here was a lich dude who tied his life force to a giant guardian Construct, which is what the X creates here. Flavor-wise you’re supposed to pair him with that, but he can go with any artifact for gameplay reasons.

I think there’s a few knobs we could try to turn here:

  1. Should the X/X Construct he creates ALSO be indestructible? That could make it much scarier.

  2. I like surveil, but I’d like to use a more generic card advantage mechanic here. Maybe scry X as well when you cast?

  3. OR we could push it even further and do a dig through X top cards and pick one to add to your hand effect.

May 3, 2020 7:51 a.m.

Tzefick says... #6

My first impulse is to say that it seems weak. Next is to avoid the built in deathtouch + indestructible combo which just stales combat and it's on a Commander that enables it himself.


I didn't read your last reply that states you wanted a lich type creature. My suggestions below are not considering that, sorry.

How would you feel about Velos himself being an artifact too?

Modular Velos Show

And if we try our hand at cheating:

Cheating Velos Show

June 16, 2020 11 a.m.

Tzefick says... #7

My last reply was made in a bit of a hurry, so I completely forgot to mention it's an interesting design and it would be cool with an artifact themed Commander. Like TypicalTimmy also points to, I like the functional part of himself creating a target for him to plant a phylactery into (the object the lich binds their soul to, to achieve immortality). It's a neat little packaged deal. In many fictional works, destroying the phylactery destroys the lich as it acts as the lich's actual mortal body (like seen on Phylactery Lich), so this is actually an even better lich - I like it.

If I were to suggest something for the lich style you want; I would still ditch the deathtouch + indestructible combo by removing the natural deathtouch, again just because it's a nasty combination that doesn't really take anything to achieve. I assume you still want the creature to be immortal so indestructible from having the phylactery cannot be the keyword to go.

From an interaction perspective I would not have the phylactery grant him hexproof too. That's just way too many defensive measures and a lack of interaction makes for an annoying/unpleasant experience. That's especially true for a Commander which can come back again and again.

I'm not sure what role you want the Construct to fulfill. Are you supposed to lean into it, make it big and use it as a giant beater? Are you supposed to just use it as an artifact for other purposes like sacrifice it or use it with Velos' ability? Is it somewhere in between? Right now I feel like you'll never want to make the Construct more than a 1/1 artifact you use to sacrifice or tap for the ability because of how costly it is for just a token. I wouldn't really do much to improve the quality of the token by granting it keywords but you could make the cost of making it bigger, less exhausting to pay.

A little flavorwise bewilderment; why is he a traitor to artifice? It looks like he creates artifacts and use them to keep himself alive while zapping others for life. He could be a traitor to whomever trained him or whatever organization he served.

Here's my take on your lich Show

June 17, 2020 9:29 a.m.

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