APC – See, that’s better. It’s hard to kill a guy in an APC. Even harder, apparently, than killing a guy in a tank. This is essentially the artifact version of safe haven. Yeah, your guy is safe, but he can’t do anything. Except Safe Haven could be used at instant speed, and worked well with comes into play abilities, whereas this…can’t. I guess it could be used to protect your Teferi, but then can’t blue protect Teferi anyway? This is the unplayable card in the cycle.
Overall – All right, a couple of things right off the bat. First of all, I don’t like using modern war machines on magic cards. It does separate this cycle from the pack, but it just feels like we’re talking about a different game. I understand that there is a flavor justification for it, and I tried to put the best face on it, but…I just don’t like it. Steampunk and Dwarf Tech is about as modern as I’m willing to go with magic.
Secondly, let’s talk about the garrison mechanic. I don’t have a problem with having a version of equip that represents a place, but I think as a practical matter is will be difficult to garrison more than one creature. How are you going to represent that on the board? Put it between the creatures? Turn it sideways onto of the creatures? How are you going to get that APC across all four cards? I think what we’ve got here is an interesting idea that will suffer in execution. Permanents that affect more than one other permantent should have static effects, like global enchantments and artifacts (Meekstone and Angelic Chorus, for example.) I just don’t think this mechanic is going to work.
Evu: While somewhat complex, Garrison seems like a very interesting mechanic with a lot of potential. My biggest problem with this entry is that it can't just be a cycle. Like equipment in Mirrodin, garrisons would have to be plentiful in the set that introduced them. If these three garrison cards had similar abilities, that would justify calling them a cycle, but in fact they have very different abilities, and I don't think we have enough information to say whether the "Transport" type or the "military vehicle" theme contributes to their being a cycle. That's unfortunate, because I think that these cards individually are among the strongest in the competition. One thing that isn't clear, though, is whether there is a limit on how many creatures can be garrisoned to a single permanent -- it makes sense that there would be, but the rules don't explicitly state it.
7 Comments
Everyone knows the best cycles are the ones where the cards have very little to do with eachother :). Fun stuff, perhaps I shall try it again someday.
On another note, I found a way to break vision of delusion if it only cost one life; thought I cannot recall what now(It was just some crazy dude watching over my shoulder that pointed it out).
Always like seeing these articles. In defence of Emblem of Fealty, being able to dig out basic lands is an ability that all colours are granted to a lesser extent, usually through artifacts or lands. Compare with Solemn Simulacrum, Journeyer's Kite, Wayfarer's Bauble, the Scourge landcyclers, Terramorphic Expanse and Terminal Moraine. Curiously, it was only in Mirrodin block that equipment had coloured transfer costs... :)
I agree with Evu about the Solitary Cycle not being a good thing for limited. I totally forgot about that angle when I designed these.
I do feel that these cards are overpowered, but they need to be because the deck that they would be played in are really lacking in power as compared to other decks featuring 4 x power cards. They are also only 3 cards in a 60 card deck, which reduces their overall effect.
The comments also asked when does black ever deal damage ... consume spirit, corrupt, and soul burn come to my mind.
Thanks for running the contest. It was a fun exercise.
I had forgotten about Journeyer's Kite. See, the others require that the card be used to get the one land, so they don't represent a way to accumulate mana and thin all the lands out of your deck. This card is much more like the Scourge stable One with Nature, which if you remember ONS limited was a pretty darn good aura, even with the potential for disadvantage. You make a good point about the Kite, though.
You are absolutely right about black dealing damage in life draining situations. I should have been more clear; I'm looking for a flavor justification for these cards' effects. Why does the black mage drain your life when he roars? Why does his library have to be singleton in order for it to work?
It was certainly an original mechanic! I hope you'll consider submitting to this month's contest as well.
I love the feedback article. I tried to make the Necromorphs a undead race that se them selves as the supreme race, even over other undead, by being able to shape change and mock other races' abilities. As far as Cannible corpse, yea I was having issues trying to get the wording right and figued i would get negative feedback on it. I jsut tried to do my best. Thanks for the feedback!.
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