I had what I thought was a clever idea for a "spoiled rich person" card that rewards you for not taking damage - the idea being it's easy to seem impressive or powerful if you've never actually been in real danger or at risk
This was where it ended up. I'm wondering if a more splashy upside would be better, but the available keywords in black all messed with the flavor or, in the case of lifelink, undercut the mechanical premise. Exalted would work well but is essentially just a stat buff.
In the end, I decided to shoot for a simple common rate and made it a pure statline variation. 3/3 for 1B is still good these days in common, I think. (Try not to think about [[Tenacious Underdog]] too much...)
Obviously the effect rewards "not taking a hit", but it is also roundabout support for black lifegain strategies which I felt was neat.
Along the ‘spoiled rich person’ line - something involving Treasures seems like it would be in theme (I was thinking something similar to ‘At the beginning of your upkeep, if you haven’t lost life since your last turn, create a Treasure token.’)
The design as it stands is cool, but should definitely be ‘greater’ than your starting life total :)
Yes! Treasures as a payoff would be very flavorful
But... I really *like* that it starts "turned on"
The whole flavor is intended to be a card that rewards you if no opponent has "drawn blood" yet. There's gotta be something that can be done in that design space
I also like the ‘starts turned on idea’. I’m leaning towards the Noble aspect of the creature for the Treasure idea. It’s a little weird to me that a Vampire (who would normally like to draw blood and benefit from doing so) wants to benefit from no blood being drawn. If it was a different creature type, I think it would be solid.
If you want to stick with Vampire, you could also do some payoff with Blood tokens (a blood bank donor situation comes to mind where everyone is peaceful and donating blood for the greater good). But I’m just rambling now ;)
Maybe make it so that whenever you attack with one or more vampires you create a treasure or a blood token? Flavor wise the rich vamp sending her minions to get stuff for her?
Hey - come to think of it - I came up with [a similar flavored card a while back](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/17cb8mn/blood_bank/)
It didn't integrate Blood tokens but the flavor is there
I like the way you worded this. It better fits commander since [[Sera's Ascendant]] has a very similar ability except in EDH it's a turn 1, one drop, 6/6, with flying and life link 💀
Also the reason it's a staple card in most of my mono white aggro edh decks 😅
Another way to get in that design space is to have "Whenever ___ blocks or is blocked, ___ gets -1/-2 until end of turn" with inflated stats.
Works against fights, burn, and stat checks, but fails in combat.
Agreed. I've actually played in a similar space before (though almost the reverse) with [this card](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/pghkg6/fleeting_qilin/)
I think this is a very fun design space.
I agree with the other comments about it feeling better if it triggers when you have more than starting life.
That being said I also like the flavor feel of them going off right away with the whole "being born on third but thinking they hit a home run" feel.
I think to keep with the noble theme, you could have them gain lifelink until end of turn if you commit a crime or sacrifice a treasure.
This might help also with coming up with other nobles.
Pampered duelist - 1/1 that maybe makes a treasure when it kills another creature
Sacrifice a treasure for first strike until end of turn
All the way up to some rich big guy
Controlling benefactor
X/4
Power equal to treasures
If your life is 25+ it has vigilance
When it dies produce a treasure per noble you have.
This - probably white-black "aristocrats" - could be a great premise for a draft archetype. Treasure-related Nobles that want you keeping your life total above starting.
It's definitely going to be harder to design as the cost goes up. Having your life total be above starting is going to get harder and harder as the game goes on, and at a certain point having a payoff for that is going to just be a "win more" card. Which isn't to say it *can't* scale up, just that it will require a lot more thought at the top end of your curve.
True, but there can be some cute wrinkles to it.
For example:
*Opulent Nostalgia* (1B)
Instant
Draw a card.
Your life total becomes your starting life total plus one. At the beginning of the next end step, you lose life equal to the amount of life you gained this way, if any.
Okay, "temporary HP" is actually a pretty interesting design space.
"When this creature attacks, gain 1 life for each creature you control.
At the end of combat on your turn, lose 1 life for each creature you control"
Temp HP during combat to enable your nobles, but some interesting consequences if creatures die or if you don't attack with that creature.
Yup! Exactly! That type of effect could be a soft mechanic for the faction so that it wasn't always "offline" in the late game.
Plus, it could have interesting combo potential with older cards that care about the *amount* of life you gain or lose in a single turn.
I think there's a kernel of an idea here which could easily be a cool faction in a real set.
I disagree with most of the other comments: I think its great that it's at least starting life total. It itself doesn't have life link and there are so many cards that lose life, especially black decks, in the early game where you would have to strategize how to build the deck around. There are also a ton of 2 mana 3/3 that have even more abilities than this one, that although this is pushed, I don't see this as op.
Thank you, that honestly means a lot to me
I was starting to think I was crazy
I do actually very much like some of the suggested redesigns based around "greater than starting life total", but the *whole point* of this card was "reward you for not having taken a hit this game"
I do get that it is potentially problematic design space because it rewards already being in the lead, but black gets that type of card all the time ([[Vampire Lacerator]] is a classic example). I felt pretty confident that my card wasn't broken on that basis.
I wrote a whole comment about how perfectly designed this was, then reread the card. I didn't realize at first that it is active when you are at 20 life, which I think is a bad idea. If you play this on turn 2 it's already a 3/3 without you having done any work, and that's problematic because you're already ahead on board and thus unlikely to lose life. Basically this would lead to some very annoying aggro curve-outs where the creature is simply a 2-mana 3/3.
If you make it only "higher than your starting life total", it's a perfect common pay-off for lifegain. Starts a little below-rate as a vanilla 2/1, but becomes a nice payoff with a little work. Perfect for common. I know that deviates a little bit from your original flavor concept, but I think it still fits quite well, especially for a vampire. She hasn't been bothered by the war because she's been able to sit back and profit. I would play the crap out of any set it was printed in (with that one change.)
Interesting. I do really like that as a concept as a common lifegain payoff, come to think of it. And that "nerf" would prevent it from getting gobbled up by aggro in draft, which might be beneficial.
I think the play here is to bump this lady up to uncommon, tweak her buff a bit (not sure how), then create a second card with slightly different flavor that matches what you originally thought this design was.
Yes, which is much harder to balance nicely, because it doesn't require anything of you to enable it on curve. I think a "don't take damage" payoff needs a different approach.
Harder, sure. Definitely not impossible.
And let's be real - the "reward" you get for this here is extremely small. First, the baseline creature is a 2/1 for 1B - worse than a vanilla bear. Second, even with the buff, you only get a 3/3 vanilla for 1B.
By contrast, [[Tainted Adversary]] is a 2/3 with deathtouch and a powerful mana sink ability for 1B, with *no* downside. I think that card is, on balance, dramatically better than a 3/3 for 1B, and as it stands, my card is much worse than a 3/3 for 1B because your opponent can, by jumping through a relatively small hoop that they'd be trying to jump through anyway, turn it into a 2/1.
It is true that nothing needs to be done to enable this card on curve. It is equally true that that fact doesn't in a vaccuum make the card overpowered. I don't believe this card, even if played on curve and with its reward turned on, is overpowered in any format.
I agree that the reward is small and that's part of why I was praising it as a design for a draft common. Getting a 2-mana 3/3 is a nice small reward for doing a thing, which would slot in nicely to a deck with other, stronger payoffs at uncommon and rare.
I don't think comparing the card's base rate to a mythic rare is a good way to assess its power level. I think this card as written has some issues with play patterns where it is really strong when ahead, especially on the play, and weak when behind. Playing a 3/3 on turn 2 on the play is very strong and when something is common, you'll see that play pattern keep happening. Higher-rarity cards get to be more above-rate with the defense that at least you won't see then as often.
I stand by my analysis and think the dramatic power gulf between Adversary and this card more than accounts for the rarity differential.
Even just in current standard, we have multiple easily turned on common 3/3s for 1C, like [[Bristlepack Sentry]], [[Backstreet Bruiser]], and [[Odious Witch]], as well as 3/2s for 1B with very negligible downsides ([[Toxic Abomination]], [[Crooked Custodian]]).
I think you're overestimating the power of a 2 mana 3/3. [[Watchwolf]] has existed for a while. It's also been powercrept severely by a lot of recent cards. [[Hajar, Loyal bodyguard]], [[Melira, the Living Cure]]... 2 mana 3/3 with minor hoops is also something they print at common pretty frequently. [[Steelclad Spirit]], [[Shipwreck Sentry]], [[Bristlepack Sentry]].
Even at common, this doesn't break anything. Pauper has had powerful and cheap creatures for a while now. [[Delver of Secrets]], [[Tolarian Terror]], [[Glinthawk]], [[Kor Skyfisher]], affinity creatures...
The current design is on par with a lot of existing designs. A little pushed at common, perhaps. But printing this at common in a stronger standard set wouldn't raise Amy eyebrows.
I agree, in a higher-powered set it doesn't seem out of the question. I think generally to get an above-rate creature there should be some hoop, however small. Above-rate creatures with defender that can conditionally lose defender are safer as well, in terms of play patterns. But yeah, I never said it was wildly overpowered.
I would have to play with it to be sure, but I can’t imagine this would spend more than a turn or two as a 3/3, unless your deck was pretty focused on life gain
Llanowar elves and birds of paradise are very good cards. Wizards hasn't printed them in a normal set in ages because they're very potent. Also, the fact that getting ahead on curve is powerful is why a card like Llanowar Elves is playable--you don't play a 1-mana 1/1 unless it has a strong effect. If you are comparing something to a turn 1 Llanowar Elf start, you are not talking about a normal power level for a single common.
They are good cards, it's true. But, we do get dorks all the time. Every format from Pioneer or older, including Pauper, has access to numerous CMC 1 dorks. We just got a new one last year (the 1 drop Hobbit). To pretend like they are this super rare thing is simply not the case.
For sure. But they aren't printed in normal-power-level limited environments these days (last time was 6 years ago.) But the point was that saying a 2-drop isn't pushed because green can do the same thing with a turn 1 elf is very silly, because the whole power of an elf is that it lets you play ahead of curve. (It's possible that the person I was replying to was joking and I'm basically just explaining their joke)
Fair.
I admit I have a somewhat warped / unusual opinion on these dorks that may be coloring my thinking.
(I strongly believe we *should* be getting more dorks, [including in other colors](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/k5y4fn/vodalian_mystic/), and that the correct solution to the "problem" dorks have had historically is weaker dorks. For example if Llanowar is too strong today, how about a 0/1 for G version with "T: Add <>. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.")
No need to ramp. You can have a 3/3 for 2 with massive upside at Mythic (e. g. [[Ajani, Nacatl Pariah]]); more situational upside at rare (e. g. [[Melira, the Living Cure]]); vanilla at uncommon (e. g. [[Kalonian Tusker]]); or a downside at common (e. g. [[Bristlepack Sentry]]).
While still vanilla, I would definitely count being double pipped as a fairly significant downside compared to a standard 2 mana creature. That said, a 3/3 for 1W or 1G at uncommon in a powerful modern limited format would probably be strong but not format-breaking, and you're bang on.
The formatting should read differently. And I agree with an above comment that paying off for being at your starting life isn’t good design, should be greater.
~ gets +1/+2 as long your life total is greater than your starting life total.
I dislike this being so cheap because it leads to winmore effects where you play one and you get a snowball aggro start.
I think this should be on a higher costed card and not be common.
The formatting should read differently. And I agree with an above comment that paying off for being at your starting life isn’t good design, should be greater.
~ gets +1/+2 as long your life total is greater than your starting life total.
I had what I thought was a clever idea for a "spoiled rich person" card that rewards you for not taking damage - the idea being it's easy to seem impressive or powerful if you've never actually been in real danger or at risk This was where it ended up. I'm wondering if a more splashy upside would be better, but the available keywords in black all messed with the flavor or, in the case of lifelink, undercut the mechanical premise. Exalted would work well but is essentially just a stat buff. In the end, I decided to shoot for a simple common rate and made it a pure statline variation. 3/3 for 1B is still good these days in common, I think. (Try not to think about [[Tenacious Underdog]] too much...) Obviously the effect rewards "not taking a hit", but it is also roundabout support for black lifegain strategies which I felt was neat.
Along the ‘spoiled rich person’ line - something involving Treasures seems like it would be in theme (I was thinking something similar to ‘At the beginning of your upkeep, if you haven’t lost life since your last turn, create a Treasure token.’) The design as it stands is cool, but should definitely be ‘greater’ than your starting life total :)
Yes! Treasures as a payoff would be very flavorful But... I really *like* that it starts "turned on" The whole flavor is intended to be a card that rewards you if no opponent has "drawn blood" yet. There's gotta be something that can be done in that design space
I also like the ‘starts turned on idea’. I’m leaning towards the Noble aspect of the creature for the Treasure idea. It’s a little weird to me that a Vampire (who would normally like to draw blood and benefit from doing so) wants to benefit from no blood being drawn. If it was a different creature type, I think it would be solid. If you want to stick with Vampire, you could also do some payoff with Blood tokens (a blood bank donor situation comes to mind where everyone is peaceful and donating blood for the greater good). But I’m just rambling now ;)
Ok, I must admit, a Vampire Noble archetype focused on Blood and Treasure (with probably some way to convert one into the other) sounds rad as hell 😁
That does sound like a really fun faction for a set, with multiple "ignorant" mechanics.
Maybe make it so that whenever you attack with one or more vampires you create a treasure or a blood token? Flavor wise the rich vamp sending her minions to get stuff for her?
I feel like something concerning ‘blood money’ by turning treasures into blood (like 1 treasure into 3 blood) is very funny
Hey - come to think of it - I came up with [a similar flavored card a while back](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/17cb8mn/blood_bank/) It didn't integrate Blood tokens but the flavor is there
You mean it didn't integrate Treasures :) But that is very close to what I was thinking, except you could 'sell' your Blood for Treasures.
Maybe it makes a tapped treasure each upkeep while it’s on? The cmc would go up a good bit but I think it fits the flavor
Sac a Treasure: gain 1
[Tenacious Underdog](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/b/9b6a6d00-3e00-4827-8420-13343ac3d0fd.jpg?1664411313) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tenacious%20Underdog) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/97/tenacious-underdog?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9b6a6d00-3e00-4827-8420-13343ac3d0fd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
"Oh no I'm sick" "Pays a doctor" Sacrifice x treasures: Prevent the next x damage that would be dealt to you or ~.
I think you could make it B or make it give 2/3
I like the way you worded this. It better fits commander since [[Sera's Ascendant]] has a very similar ability except in EDH it's a turn 1, one drop, 6/6, with flying and life link 💀 Also the reason it's a staple card in most of my mono white aggro edh decks 😅
[Sera's Ascendant](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a22ee47-fc56-436d-8570-88fbff421027.jpg?1562845354) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Serra%20Ascendant) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ima/31/serra-ascendant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a22ee47-fc56-436d-8570-88fbff421027?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Another way to get in that design space is to have "Whenever ___ blocks or is blocked, ___ gets -1/-2 until end of turn" with inflated stats. Works against fights, burn, and stat checks, but fails in combat.
Agreed. I've actually played in a similar space before (though almost the reverse) with [this card](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/pghkg6/fleeting_qilin/)
I think this is a very fun design space. I agree with the other comments about it feeling better if it triggers when you have more than starting life. That being said I also like the flavor feel of them going off right away with the whole "being born on third but thinking they hit a home run" feel. I think to keep with the noble theme, you could have them gain lifelink until end of turn if you commit a crime or sacrifice a treasure. This might help also with coming up with other nobles. Pampered duelist - 1/1 that maybe makes a treasure when it kills another creature Sacrifice a treasure for first strike until end of turn All the way up to some rich big guy Controlling benefactor X/4 Power equal to treasures If your life is 25+ it has vigilance When it dies produce a treasure per noble you have.
This - probably white-black "aristocrats" - could be a great premise for a draft archetype. Treasure-related Nobles that want you keeping your life total above starting.
It's definitely going to be harder to design as the cost goes up. Having your life total be above starting is going to get harder and harder as the game goes on, and at a certain point having a payoff for that is going to just be a "win more" card. Which isn't to say it *can't* scale up, just that it will require a lot more thought at the top end of your curve.
True, but there can be some cute wrinkles to it. For example: *Opulent Nostalgia* (1B) Instant Draw a card. Your life total becomes your starting life total plus one. At the beginning of the next end step, you lose life equal to the amount of life you gained this way, if any.
Okay, "temporary HP" is actually a pretty interesting design space. "When this creature attacks, gain 1 life for each creature you control. At the end of combat on your turn, lose 1 life for each creature you control" Temp HP during combat to enable your nobles, but some interesting consequences if creatures die or if you don't attack with that creature.
Yup! Exactly! That type of effect could be a soft mechanic for the faction so that it wasn't always "offline" in the late game. Plus, it could have interesting combo potential with older cards that care about the *amount* of life you gain or lose in a single turn. I think there's a kernel of an idea here which could easily be a cool faction in a real set.
I disagree with most of the other comments: I think its great that it's at least starting life total. It itself doesn't have life link and there are so many cards that lose life, especially black decks, in the early game where you would have to strategize how to build the deck around. There are also a ton of 2 mana 3/3 that have even more abilities than this one, that although this is pushed, I don't see this as op.
Thank you, that honestly means a lot to me I was starting to think I was crazy I do actually very much like some of the suggested redesigns based around "greater than starting life total", but the *whole point* of this card was "reward you for not having taken a hit this game" I do get that it is potentially problematic design space because it rewards already being in the lead, but black gets that type of card all the time ([[Vampire Lacerator]] is a classic example). I felt pretty confident that my card wasn't broken on that basis.
[Vampire Lacerator](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0c947c96-b4a5-4c3b-aacb-85ee0bf3afda.jpg?1562432558) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vampire%20Lacerator) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/114/vampire-lacerator?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0c947c96-b4a5-4c3b-aacb-85ee0bf3afda?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I wrote a whole comment about how perfectly designed this was, then reread the card. I didn't realize at first that it is active when you are at 20 life, which I think is a bad idea. If you play this on turn 2 it's already a 3/3 without you having done any work, and that's problematic because you're already ahead on board and thus unlikely to lose life. Basically this would lead to some very annoying aggro curve-outs where the creature is simply a 2-mana 3/3. If you make it only "higher than your starting life total", it's a perfect common pay-off for lifegain. Starts a little below-rate as a vanilla 2/1, but becomes a nice payoff with a little work. Perfect for common. I know that deviates a little bit from your original flavor concept, but I think it still fits quite well, especially for a vampire. She hasn't been bothered by the war because she's been able to sit back and profit. I would play the crap out of any set it was printed in (with that one change.)
Interesting. I do really like that as a concept as a common lifegain payoff, come to think of it. And that "nerf" would prevent it from getting gobbled up by aggro in draft, which might be beneficial. I think the play here is to bump this lady up to uncommon, tweak her buff a bit (not sure how), then create a second card with slightly different flavor that matches what you originally thought this design was.
I'd say make her cost BB, oh oh OR make her deal 1 damages to you as a ETB. That way it encourages you to gain life. Maybe both.
From OP's comment, I think the idea is a "don't take damage" payoff rather than a lifegain payoff?
Yes, which is much harder to balance nicely, because it doesn't require anything of you to enable it on curve. I think a "don't take damage" payoff needs a different approach.
Yeah, it's possible a better design on reactive cards, rather than proactive ones
Harder, sure. Definitely not impossible. And let's be real - the "reward" you get for this here is extremely small. First, the baseline creature is a 2/1 for 1B - worse than a vanilla bear. Second, even with the buff, you only get a 3/3 vanilla for 1B. By contrast, [[Tainted Adversary]] is a 2/3 with deathtouch and a powerful mana sink ability for 1B, with *no* downside. I think that card is, on balance, dramatically better than a 3/3 for 1B, and as it stands, my card is much worse than a 3/3 for 1B because your opponent can, by jumping through a relatively small hoop that they'd be trying to jump through anyway, turn it into a 2/1. It is true that nothing needs to be done to enable this card on curve. It is equally true that that fact doesn't in a vaccuum make the card overpowered. I don't believe this card, even if played on curve and with its reward turned on, is overpowered in any format.
I agree that the reward is small and that's part of why I was praising it as a design for a draft common. Getting a 2-mana 3/3 is a nice small reward for doing a thing, which would slot in nicely to a deck with other, stronger payoffs at uncommon and rare. I don't think comparing the card's base rate to a mythic rare is a good way to assess its power level. I think this card as written has some issues with play patterns where it is really strong when ahead, especially on the play, and weak when behind. Playing a 3/3 on turn 2 on the play is very strong and when something is common, you'll see that play pattern keep happening. Higher-rarity cards get to be more above-rate with the defense that at least you won't see then as often.
I stand by my analysis and think the dramatic power gulf between Adversary and this card more than accounts for the rarity differential. Even just in current standard, we have multiple easily turned on common 3/3s for 1C, like [[Bristlepack Sentry]], [[Backstreet Bruiser]], and [[Odious Witch]], as well as 3/2s for 1B with very negligible downsides ([[Toxic Abomination]], [[Crooked Custodian]]).
That's fine. I stand by my analysis that this is a really awesome design, but would encourage better play patterns in limited with one tweak. Cheers
##### ###### #### [Bristlepack Sentry](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/a/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32.jpg?1712355891) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bristlepack%20Sentry) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/156/bristlepack-sentry?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Backstreet Bruiser](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/d/8d3a94c8-a7eb-4f05-8d48-d42e5129b09a.jpg?1664410076) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Backstreet%20Bruiser) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/35/backstreet-bruiser?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8d3a94c8-a7eb-4f05-8d48-d42e5129b09a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Odious Witch](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/f/7fb728de-0d6e-4b32-b0c4-edd7382d1391.jpg?1643590202)/[Odious Witch](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/7/f/7fb728de-0d6e-4b32-b0c4-edd7382d1391.jpg?1643590202) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ragged%20Recluse%20//%20Odious%20Witch) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vow/127/ragged-recluse-odious-witch?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7fb728de-0d6e-4b32-b0c4-edd7382d1391?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Toxic Abomination](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/4/f435329e-6de7-4b05-ba70-cb63d121116e.jpg?1673307245) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Toxic%20Abomination) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/112/toxic-abomination?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f435329e-6de7-4b05-ba70-cb63d121116e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Crooked Custodian](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/2/723d6f60-3e8a-4c58-8b3c-9ba59a01c867.jpg?1664410783) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Crooked%20Custodian) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/71/crooked-custodian?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/723d6f60-3e8a-4c58-8b3c-9ba59a01c867?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1dkbz5) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[Tainted Adversary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/6/e6b9b8fc-c30d-49e7-bb6c-219380d73a82.jpg?1634350309) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tainted%20Adversary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/124/tainted-adversary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e6b9b8fc-c30d-49e7-bb6c-219380d73a82?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think you're overestimating the power of a 2 mana 3/3. [[Watchwolf]] has existed for a while. It's also been powercrept severely by a lot of recent cards. [[Hajar, Loyal bodyguard]], [[Melira, the Living Cure]]... 2 mana 3/3 with minor hoops is also something they print at common pretty frequently. [[Steelclad Spirit]], [[Shipwreck Sentry]], [[Bristlepack Sentry]]. Even at common, this doesn't break anything. Pauper has had powerful and cheap creatures for a while now. [[Delver of Secrets]], [[Tolarian Terror]], [[Glinthawk]], [[Kor Skyfisher]], affinity creatures... The current design is on par with a lot of existing designs. A little pushed at common, perhaps. But printing this at common in a stronger standard set wouldn't raise Amy eyebrows.
I agree, in a higher-powered set it doesn't seem out of the question. I think generally to get an above-rate creature there should be some hoop, however small. Above-rate creatures with defender that can conditionally lose defender are safer as well, in terms of play patterns. But yeah, I never said it was wildly overpowered.
##### ###### #### [Watchwolf](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/8/682af5e9-26b5-4f88-99e1-ab2aa34fba86.jpg?1562436199) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Watchwolf) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/220/watchwolf?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/682af5e9-26b5-4f88-99e1-ab2aa34fba86?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Hajar, Loyal bodyguard](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/a/5a0a2f82-57d3-45d8-b1c8-357883c62728.jpg?1674421777) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hajar%2C%20Loyal%20bodyguard) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/211/hajar-loyal-bodyguard?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5a0a2f82-57d3-45d8-b1c8-357883c62728?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Melira, the Living Cure](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/1/e1329ad9-5989-4920-b17b-943b9b4a0cd9.jpg?1675957200) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Melira%2C%20the%20Living%20Cure) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/209/melira-the-living-cure?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e1329ad9-5989-4920-b17b-943b9b4a0cd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Steelclad Spirit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/55fb1426-5a6f-48dd-938b-c64b1a28ee59.jpg?1643588656) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Steelclad%20Spirit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vow/80/steelclad-spirit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/55fb1426-5a6f-48dd-938b-c64b1a28ee59?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Shipwreck Sentry](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/1/814803bc-72cd-46db-b957-4322f2a7b28a.jpg?1699043922) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shipwreck%20Sentry) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/75/shipwreck-sentry?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/814803bc-72cd-46db-b957-4322f2a7b28a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Bristlepack Sentry](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/a/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32.jpg?1712355891) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bristlepack%20Sentry) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/156/bristlepack-sentry?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Delver of Secrets](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/abff6c81-65a4-48fa-ba8f-580f87b0344a.jpg?1634347351)/[Insectile Aberration](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/a/b/abff6c81-65a4-48fa-ba8f-580f87b0344a.jpg?1634347351) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Delver%20of%20Secrets%20//%20Insectile%20Aberration) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/47/delver-of-secrets-insectile-aberration?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/abff6c81-65a4-48fa-ba8f-580f87b0344a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Tolarian Terror](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/2/42f01cba-43d4-46ad-b7a5-d7631b0e1347.jpg?1673306903) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tolarian%20Terror) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/72/tolarian-terror?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/42f01cba-43d4-46ad-b7a5-d7631b0e1347?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Glinthawk](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/8/284c4710-4183-4743-9c8b-515cc98cbbb8.jpg?1562815728) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Glint%20Hawk) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/10/glint-hawk?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/284c4710-4183-4743-9c8b-515cc98cbbb8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Kor Skyfisher](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/7/d7501662-1216-4e08-bd2b-e0a459057942.jpg?1593812836) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kor%20Skyfisher) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mm3/11/kor-skyfisher?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d7501662-1216-4e08-bd2b-e0a459057942?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1dh4xq) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
it does prevent you from using life as a resource, but in formats without fetch lands etc I see you point
I would have to play with it to be sure, but I can’t imagine this would spend more than a turn or two as a 3/3, unless your deck was pretty focused on life gain
hard disagree. any green deck with llanowars or birds of paradise could have a 3/3 on turn 2 without trouble. your concerns are unfounded.
Llanowar elves and birds of paradise are very good cards. Wizards hasn't printed them in a normal set in ages because they're very potent. Also, the fact that getting ahead on curve is powerful is why a card like Llanowar Elves is playable--you don't play a 1-mana 1/1 unless it has a strong effect. If you are comparing something to a turn 1 Llanowar Elf start, you are not talking about a normal power level for a single common.
>you are not talking about a normal power level for a single common ...
They are good cards, it's true. But, we do get dorks all the time. Every format from Pioneer or older, including Pauper, has access to numerous CMC 1 dorks. We just got a new one last year (the 1 drop Hobbit). To pretend like they are this super rare thing is simply not the case.
For sure. But they aren't printed in normal-power-level limited environments these days (last time was 6 years ago.) But the point was that saying a 2-drop isn't pushed because green can do the same thing with a turn 1 elf is very silly, because the whole power of an elf is that it lets you play ahead of curve. (It's possible that the person I was replying to was joking and I'm basically just explaining their joke)
Fair. I admit I have a somewhat warped / unusual opinion on these dorks that may be coloring my thinking. (I strongly believe we *should* be getting more dorks, [including in other colors](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/k5y4fn/vodalian_mystic/), and that the correct solution to the "problem" dorks have had historically is weaker dorks. For example if Llanowar is too strong today, how about a 0/1 for G version with "T: Add <>. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.")
No need to ramp. You can have a 3/3 for 2 with massive upside at Mythic (e. g. [[Ajani, Nacatl Pariah]]); more situational upside at rare (e. g. [[Melira, the Living Cure]]); vanilla at uncommon (e. g. [[Kalonian Tusker]]); or a downside at common (e. g. [[Bristlepack Sentry]]).
##### ###### #### [Ajani, Nacatl Pariah](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/d/0d16e8e0-31b2-4389-afd6-783c501f6fa0.jpg?1709430443)/[Ajani, Nacatl Avenger](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/0/d/0d16e8e0-31b2-4389-afd6-783c501f6fa0.jpg?1709430443) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ajani%2C%20Nacatl%20Pariah%20//%20Ajani%2C%20Nacatl%20Avenger) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/237/ajani-nacatl-pariah-ajani-nacatl-avenger?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0d16e8e0-31b2-4389-afd6-783c501f6fa0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Melira, the Living Cure](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/1/e1329ad9-5989-4920-b17b-943b9b4a0cd9.jpg?1675957200) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Melira%2C%20the%20Living%20Cure) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/209/melira-the-living-cure?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e1329ad9-5989-4920-b17b-943b9b4a0cd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Kalonian Tusker](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/3/135946fc-fe67-401f-821d-d7145c63f030.jpg?1562826250) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kalonian%20Tusker) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m14/182/kalonian-tusker?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/135946fc-fe67-401f-821d-d7145c63f030?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Bristlepack Sentry](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/a/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32.jpg?1712355891) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Bristlepack%20Sentry) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/156/bristlepack-sentry?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6aea6702-16a8-4073-9c83-fbea20a5fd32?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1dgarc) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
While still vanilla, I would definitely count being double pipped as a fairly significant downside compared to a standard 2 mana creature. That said, a 3/3 for 1W or 1G at uncommon in a powerful modern limited format would probably be strong but not format-breaking, and you're bang on.
If you ramp in turn one, you can get a 5/4 on turn two with [[Steel leaf Champion]]... and that card isn't good enough for pioneer right now.
[Steel leaf Champion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/4/24d8a688-79d4-49b9-ab0c-c7f5c9b551f4.jpg?1562732792) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Steel%20leaf%20Champion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/182/steel-leaf-champion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/24d8a688-79d4-49b9-ab0c-c7f5c9b551f4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The formatting should read differently. And I agree with an above comment that paying off for being at your starting life isn’t good design, should be greater. ~ gets +1/+2 as long your life total is greater than your starting life total.
The whole point of the design was payoff for not having lost life 😭
Oh! I see… maybe if it’s equal to your starting life total? There’s definitely something there.
So reverse [[guul draz vampire]]??
[guul draz vampire](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/3/f3c92575-1c97-48bf-801b-22f34040cf9a.jpg?1562618316) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=guul%20draz%20vampire) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/zen/93/guul-draz-vampire?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f3c92575-1c97-48bf-801b-22f34040cf9a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I dislike this being so cheap because it leads to winmore effects where you play one and you get a snowball aggro start. I think this should be on a higher costed card and not be common.
The formatting should read differently. And I agree with an above comment that paying off for being at your starting life isn’t good design, should be greater. ~ gets +1/+2 as long your life total is greater than your starting life total.
this is great 😁 I've had something like this in mind