Ajani's planeswalker powers?
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Feb. 2, 2014, 5 p.m. by Rhinowarrior
Assuming that ajani is white and green and that he will be making an appearance in journey into nyx, what so you think his powers will be?
I could see something like this.
Ajani, Bane of malevolence
2WWG
4 loyalty counters
+1 Gain 1 life for each creature you control
-2 Tap 3 creatures you control. Exile up to 2 mainland Permanente your opponent controls.
-8 exile all permanents except for creature tokens.
Just speculation. I honestly don't know what to expect. What are your thoughts?
Rhinowarrior says... #3
Yes I meant nonland. It autocorrected. An thank for the input. I am just kinda throwing stuff out there to start a conversation. What do you think he will be like?
February 2, 2014 5:10 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #4
I honestly have no idea. I've paid very little attention to Standard since THS was announced, and I don't have a good enough grasp of the block and Ajani to make a useful prediction.
February 2, 2014 5:17 p.m.
I can see ajani having some sort of pump effect like
-1 Distribute 3 +1/+1 counters among creatures you control
February 2, 2014 5:19 p.m.
I really dislike the +1. If you have many creatures to make it effective, you likely don't need the life gain anyways and the effect is wasted when you're behind. It's such a win-more effect, imo. I also have an issue with the -2. Even Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker targets only one permanent per turn.
February 2, 2014 5:40 p.m.
I doubt we will see him as titled more towards G/W, so I think 2GW or 3GW is reasonable. However, I could also see him as a 1GW, depending on how much development wants to push him.
The +1 is reasonable for a 3 or 4 drop. I'd expect a little more value from a 5-drop. It's a typical ability for Ajani, but I would personally hope for something that supports creatures more.
The -2 does not feel green-white and, like Epochalyptik said, is not how planeswalkers usually work. Ajani Vengeant might have had something similar, but a G/W Ajani should be less directly aggressive and more supportive of your creatures.
The -8 doesn't synergize with the other abilities. It is a typical white ability, but it's not really green and it seems more like Elspeth or Gideon than Ajani.
Given the environment, a +1 giving +1/+1 counters to a group seems likely. A - ability similar to Ajani, Caller of the Pride 's seems to fit the heroic theme, although we could also see a more defensive side to Ajani. The ultimate could be any number of things, from a Collective Blessing Emblem to a Overrun effect. My money would be on something relating to your life-total, however.
February 2, 2014 5:44 p.m.
Rhinowarrior says... #8
Guys I was just throwing shit out there to get a conversation going. I asked what your thoughts were on the planeswalker. Not on what my thoughts were. If you are going to critique the template I put up, could you at least provide some counter examples. I'm just curious.What about for the amount of creatures that your opponent controls. Would that work?
February 2, 2014 5:45 p.m.
The first ability is terrible. The second ability is incredibly over powered and the ult makes absolutely no sense on the card...
February 2, 2014 6:16 p.m.
Honestly it's best not to pose a hypothetical in the OP if you can avoid it - things tend to work out like this in my experience. It's not that the people are mean-spirited, quite the opposite. It's that Magic players tend to be analytical, and if you present something for them to analyze they seize the opportunity. Don't take it personally.
Anyway, to answer your question - I really want 1GW and it would be a nice contrast to the casting costs of Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Kiora, the Crashing Wave . However I'm thinking 2WG or 3WG is more likely since it's in between, and more expensive cards are more flavorful with green.
I'm hoping that none of his abilities have to do with lifetotal because while that is very much in line with Ajani, we've seen so much of it before that I think it's time for something fresh. I think that we could see an ability that generates tokens, and one that buffs somehow. If it's 2GW, the + will probably be a buff and the - would generate tokens. The only problem with this theory is that Ajani would most likely make 2/2 cats, and Garruk Wildspeaker and Garruk, Primal Hunter both set the bar by producing 3/3s. One way to remedy this would be making him 2GW, and letting his +1 produce a 2/2 cat. Problem is we have a standard set for 4 cost walkers producing tokens off their + abilities in the form of Elspeth, Knight-Errant and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad , so that might be too powerful depending on the relative strength of his - ability.
Here's what I would like to see, and I think this would be ok:
Ajani, planeswalker that is Ajani 2GW
Planeswalker - Ajani
+1: 2/2 Cat
-1: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until EOT
OR maybe
-1: Target creature gets +4/+4 until EOT
-7: Exile up to 3 noncreature permanents.
3 loyalty
February 2, 2014 6:17 p.m.
The thing to remember about planeswalkers is that not only must they fit within their color boundaries, they must also fit within creative's view of their personality. Ajani, Elspeth and Gideon are all white planeswalkers, but they have very different personalities, and therefore abilities. Gideon wants to get into the fight, to become a part of the rank and file and take action to stop evil. Elspeth wants to hide, to be just a normal person, not a special hero, so she creates tokens instead of actively fighting. When pressed, however, she is forced to act directly, but she always feels like she is destroying everything she touches when she does this, and so must leave.
Ajani is somewhere in between. He is not a direct fighter like Gideon, nor does he want to hide like Elspeth. His magic is the magic of aid, of making others the best they can be. He brings out the best in your creatures, but also in you. He does not directly attack, not as mono-white at least, but instead focuses on turning others into their best form.
Take Ajani, Caller of the Pride . His first two abilities obviously fit in this shell, making your creatures big and unleashing their hidden prowess. But his ultimate seems out of place. Out of place, until you realize, those cats are made from your very life essence. Ajani took your spirit, and turned it into a literal army.
A G/W Ajani will have embraced community even more. In a heroic set, he will bring out the best in the one and the many. And for his ultimate, he will transform your very soul into your weapon.
February 2, 2014 6:34 p.m.
AnagonLordofSnakes says... #13
Here's an idea.
1ggww
Ajani, empath of resurgence
Planeswalker-ajani
+1 put an x/x cat avatar token onto the battlefield, where's x is the number of lands you control
-2 until your next turn, creatures you control gain your choice of either hexproof or double strike
-7 you get an emblem, "creatures you control get +x/+x, where's x is the number of lands you control
(4)
February 2, 2014 6:40 p.m.
AnagonLordofSnakes That +1 seems super OP. Better version of VOR, especially with Karametra, God of Harvests .
February 2, 2014 7:33 p.m.
AnagonLordofSnakes says... #15
tman007 it's super color restricted. More so than any other planeswalker that exists. But yeahh....
Maybe instead
+1 target land you control becomes an x/x car avatar with power and toughness equal to the number of lands you control, it's still a land
February 2, 2014 8:13 p.m.
@AnagonLordofSnakes It's not as restrictive as Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker .
More importantly, it's a significant departure from how Ajani's previous incarnations. Why does Ajani care about lands?
February 2, 2014 8:28 p.m.
@raithe000 ~ I really like your breakdown of planeswalker "personality" controlling the types of abilities the walker will have.
Well put sir.
I'm in the school of thought that IF ajani is in fact in the JIN set that he'll PROBABLY
1) Be green white
2) he'll have some sort of creature buff happening. (No clue if it'll be a permanent buff like the +1 of Ajani, Caller of the Pride )
Aside from that I'm clueless. Lol
February 2, 2014 9:01 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #19
His abilities will likely revolve around gaining life or counters on his +1/2/. Getting tokens, buffs or counters on his -1/2/. His ultimate frankly could be anything, but the two white ajani's ultimates also involved tokens.
My guess:
3GW
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control, they untap.-3: Put two 2/2 white cat creature tokens into play-7: You get an emblem, which says: Each land you control is a 3/3 Elemental Creature with trample. They are still lands.
Loyalty: 4
February 2, 2014 9:32 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #20
3GW
+1: Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control, they untap.
-3: Put two 2/2 white cat creature tokens into play
-7: You get an emblem, which says: Each land you control is a 3/3 Elemental Creature with trample. They are still lands.
Loyalty: 4
February 2, 2014 9:34 p.m.
Rhinowarrior says... #21
I would actually like to see ajani with an ability that compliments the amount of lands that you have! Nice idea. This would help make karametra a bit more playable. Especially if ajani is 3 or 4 mana.
February 2, 2014 10:04 p.m.
AnagonLordofSnakes says... #22
If you guys don't like my idea that's no problem. Either way I'm hoping that ajani is white green I'd like to add it to my karametra edh deck
February 2, 2014 10:11 p.m.
Rhinowarrior says... #23
@AnagonLordofSnakes I like your idea if that counts! Haha great synergy with karametra if your predictions are true!
February 2, 2014 10:38 p.m.
Ajani, the Bestowed - 2GW
+1: Until your next turn, creatures you control gain +0/+3, first strike, and vigilance.
-2: Put three +0/+3 Indestructible Green and White Enchantment Creature tokens with vigilance onto the battlefield with "3: Attach this creature to another target creature as an Aura. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature. Enchanted creature gets +0/+3 is indestructible and has vigilance. "
-8: You gain an emblem that's basically a slightly less powerful version of Primeval Bounty
Loyalty: 3
February 3, 2014 1:22 p.m.
@brownkidd Are you trying to make Jace, the Mind Sculptor look weak? The +1 alone is broken as hell.
February 3, 2014 1:25 p.m.
Ultimaodin says... #27
I actually thought Ajani would have a land effect as well. That said I expect it to be more like:
2GW
Ajani, Sun's Restorer
Planeswalker - Ajani
+1: Target permanent gain's hexproof until the beginning of your next upkeep.
-2: Target creature get's +X/+X and trample until end of turn, where X is the number of lands you control.
-6: Put X X/X Green and White Cat Enchantment Creature tokens onto the battlefield under your control, where X is the number of lands you control.
(3)
Reasoning:
manacost: Has to be 4. With Brimaz be the solid 3 drop cat and the Selesnya God at 5, clearly Ajani would have to be 4cmc to fit on curve. Plus the idea that the God is stronger and Ajani is of superior 'level' to Brimaz just seems in Flavour.
The +1: Argh, I probably made this too OP, probably will just be creature but somehow protecting the land seems like something GW Ajani would do.
The -2: because Unflinching Courage exists.
The -7: The Leonin will rally behind Ajani as your mana base grants them power and will.
Starting Loyalty - because lets face it, Wizards are being asses in the starting loyalty department for this whole block. (excluding Elspeth)
Epochalyptik says... #2
The -2 is unreasonable. First, "mainland" means nothing in MTG. Do you mean nonland? Also, planeswalker abilities are typically designed to not rely too heavily on board state. Among other things, that means no additional or pseudo-additional costs.
It's kind of hard to tell at this point. I guess that's why this is speculation, though.
February 2, 2014 5:07 p.m.