Let's Make a Set

[LinkCelestrial]

I like that. Something like,

Garrison *effect* (at the beginning of combat on your turn you may have this creature gain defender. If you do *effect*)

This is also pretty much the exact opposite of Ruthless. Quite fitting. I dig. It could be a little bit too much though. Maybe to tone it down a bit.

Garrison *effect* (At the end of your turn, if you didn't attack with a creature this turn *effect*)

However I feel like that makes it not good enough. We could always just make cards with Garrison and scale it back if we need to.

[LinkCelestrial]

What does everything think of Ruthless, Efficiency, Garrison/Valour, Nurture/Spell Shield (needs a new name)? What about Devotion, Loyalty and Grudge?

I feel like Ruthless is near perfection.

I think that I prefer the "your next spell" version of Efficiency however the non stacking version of "if you cast a spell" is probably better and it also allows for something other than cost reduction. So vote towards that.

I like the gains defender version of Garrison best.

I think Spell Shield just might be a sometimes better usually worse hexproof. So vote towards Nurture.

Devotion is one of my favourite mechanics so is like to include it.

Loyalty can probably just be modified into devotion to simplify things. Probably easier that way.

Grudge sounds really good to me. It's not a "you lose cause you played X" it's a bit of a bonus against some other colours while still keeping the card playable.

We still need some ideas for black, and I'm of course open to new thoughts and ideas on everything.

[Splicer]

I much prefer fleshing out the story first, that way the cards fit into it.

[redwolv]

What does everything think of Ruthless, Efficiency, Garrison/Valour, Nurture/Spell Shield (needs a new name)? What about Devotion, Loyalty and Grudge?

I feel like Ruthless is near perfection.

I think that I prefer the "your next spell" version of Efficiency however the non stacking version of "if you cast a spell" is probably better and it also allows for something other than cost reduction. So vote towards that.

I like the gains defender version of Garrison best.

I think Spell Shield just might be a sometimes better usually worse hexproof. So vote towards Nurture.

Devotion is one of my favourite mechanics so is like to include it.

Loyalty can probably just be modified into devotion to simplify things. Probably easier that way.

Grudge sounds really good to me. It's not a "you lose cause you played X" it's a bit of a bonus against some other colours while still keeping the card playable.

We still need some ideas for black, and I'm of course open to new thoughts and ideas on everything.

I like the +x/+0 ruthless, plus attaching stuff like trample or other effects when a creature goes ruthless. +1 vote

Nurture +1 vote

Garrison sounds fun, i feel like white would be the first to get attacked (foe of both red and black) in the story. Maybe lore is of them holding the line till something happens?

I like effiency as "the next card you cast this turn cost less" version. Can always include some cards with effects if they are not the first spell cast on the turn, just without a mechanic name. I think it goes well with blues combo-y nature. Reguardless of style i like the effect +1 vote.

Black,  i came up with was "blood rites" whenever you cast this spell you may pay 1 life, each opponent loses 2 life. But its a very meh effect. Or maybe "last rites" whenever this creature dies _________. Could maybe fit the animator stuff? I normally don't make black cards cause its hard to find balanced, cost effect stuff.

I like, deco, grudge, etc.

[LinkCelestrial]

We could have Blood Rites as a kind of kicker cost. Worded like exploit kinda.

Blood Rites X (when you cast this spell you may pay X life)

If the Blood Rites were paid *effect*

[redwolv]

We could have Blood Rites as a kind of kicker cost. Worded like exploit kinda.

Blood Rites X (when you cast this spell you may pay X life)

If the Blood Rites were paid *effect*

Sure, works for me i was just trying to come up with something to start off with. Sometimes your bad idea can soark someones good one.

[LinkCelestrial]

So I've been thinking about the story. As always advice and criticism welcome. None of this is cannon unless everybody is cool with it. *insert* means I don't have a name or whatever so feel free to help fill those in. I'll be addressing the kingdoms as their colour as I don't have names for them either. I'm trying to work a Planeswalker for each colour into the story so bear with that as I don't have too much knowledge on how that all works. 

The five kingdoms of the plane *insert* have been at war throughout the ages. The balance of power ever tilting. Twenty some years ago the black kingdom nearly conquered all. A very powerful Necromancer by the name of *insert* ascended to the throne. He amassed an army from the corpses the war had made and began his assault. The red kingdom, catching wind of this, marched immediately. Their forces were crushed by the horde of the undead and the few that managed to get past their stubbornness and survive by fleeing were all that remained. In this battle a young squire's spark ignited, the death of his comrades and flurry of undead causing the ignition. Not knowing that he had any magic whatsoever he fled via Planeswalking without knowing what exactly he was doing. The red kingdom in shambles with those that survived preparing for a last stand, or if some had their way another offensive. The black kingdom marched on the green kingdom. A beautiful Haven of a city as much nature as man made. The sheer numbers of undead overwhelming them. The Haven is now ruins. The survivors of the green kingdom fled into the forest. They then began gorilla warfare against the black kingdom. Striking swiftly then melting back into the trees. It was however just a nuisance to the black kingdom which marched upon the white kingdom. Having heard of the black kingdom's approach and tactics, the white kingdom had already prepared. A siege began. Days turning to weeks, months. On the brink of starvation the defences were overwhelmed. Any chance the white kingdom had was lost as their warriors were as weak as the people. Amidst screams and the shamblings of the undead the Necromancer and his apprentice entered the chambers of the King. The King lay dead, his two sons and daughter at his side. For he had refused to eat while any of his subjects may starve. This suited the Necromancer just fine. As his apprentice held off the family he began a spell, the King of the white kingdom rising from his throne and turning on his children. In this a righteous furry took hold of the king's daughter. Her spark ignited. She had wished to learn to fight with her brother's at a young age. However she was not allowed to. Vowing it as her duty to protect the people she practiced in secret. Skills that kept her from dying within the first few minutes of her spark being ignited. Her brothers and herself fought the Necromancer, his apprentice and their father turned against them. One of her brothers fell, and in the moment that should have been the end the palace windows shattered. An elite force of the blue kingdom had arrived. Knowing of the black kingdom's assault they had begun preparations. The vast majority of the blue kingdom was off the shores of the mainland, protected by Krackens and other beasts of the sea. They knew they were not easy targets and thus allowed the black kingdom to pave the way. But now they interfered, to kill the Necromancer before he could make a legion out of the dead of the white kingdom. Now a three way battle raged. One of the blue Mages undid the spell keeping the white king in the Necromancer's clutches. From there the Necromancer was killed, his apprentice taken hostage. The blue kingdom agreed to allow *insert* and her brother peace for the time being and left with their prisoner.

From these ashes the kingdoms have been rebuilding.

The apprentice escaped. His whereabouts unknown. He has perfected and past the skills of his master. I'm heavily leaning towards him having become a Planeswalker and having traveled to other planes in search of power. He then returns to *insert* and ascends to the throne of the black kingdom.

The squire whose spark ignited traveled to another plane, learning as much as he could. He returned to his homeland shortly before it's king was assassinated and the next one (Darius) rose to power. He returned with a friend he made in his journey, a green Planeswalker. This is very much frowned upon by his peers due to the segregation between colors.

The surviving brother of the white kingdom became king. His sister honing her skills but refusing to leave the kingdom with her Planeswalking abilities out of sheer loyalty to her kingdom.

The green kingdom now refuses to settle in one place. It's inhabitants having become part of the forest. Helping it grow and becoming close with the beasts that live there.

The black kingdom has been silent. Biding its time.

The blue kingdom, unknown to the rest of the kingdoms, used the previous war to put many high ranking people in each kingdom under their influence. They currently are amassing more knowledge (like always.)

When the black kingdom assassinates the leader of the red kingdom it is because of the blue kingdoms influence. The new leader of the red kingdom, Darius, twists this into an excuse to assault the white kingdom. Igniting war once again.

From this we can get,

Black: Reanimator themes. {Grave Betrayal} style stuff. I'd love a {Grim Return} reprint with flavour of the reanimation of the white king. The Necromancer as a legendary? The apprentice as a legendary/Planeswalker.

White: Garrison! Yeah! Defensive stuffs. The king's daughter as a Planeswalker.

Red: Darius as a legendary. The squire as a Planeswalker.

Green: some situational hexproof. Nurture (based off their caring for the forest and befriending the beasts within it.) Rare land of the Haven.

Blue: {Mind Control} effects. Counter magics (duh). Efficiency doesn't quite fit but I still like the mechanic.

What do ya'll think? 

[Splicer]

We could have Blood Rites as a kind of kicker cost. Worded like exploit kinda.

Blood Rites X (when you cast this spell you may pay X life)

If the Blood Rites were paid *effect*

Dunno, could be overpowered...

[LinkCelestrial]

We could have Blood Rites as a kind of kicker cost. Worded like exploit kinda.

Blood Rites X (when you cast this spell you may pay X life)

If the Blood Rites were paid *effect*

Dunno, could be overpowered...

As long as it's reasonably costed and none of the effects are OP it should be fine. What do you think of the story so far?

[Splicer]

I rather enjoy it. I think the flavour could be fleshed out into the cards, especially with red mages fleeing. I also would like to point out that it's "guerrilla warfare", not "gorilla".

[LinkCelestrial]

I rather enjoy it. I think the flavour could be fleshed out into the cards, especially with red mages fleeing. I also would like to point out that it's "guerrilla warfare", not "gorilla".

I knew I spelled that wrong. I have a couple of card ideas kicking around. I'll work on them more and post some ideas.

[redwolv]

So i have a few things with the story. We want each of the current kings to be legendaries. So having the apprentince take the throne wouldn't work, also when/how did his spark ignite. So how about this,

after he escaped he hunted down his mentors body, to activate a contingency plan. A spell his mentor prepared/taught him should his mentor die. This spell should have siphoned all his life to bring the mentor back. But as the spell litterally sucked the life his spark ignited in defense and gave him enough power to not only survive but to twist the spell making his mentor and would be killer into his first real minion. Still smart enough to work independently yet bound to the apprentice's will.  he left his mentor behind to rule and build the kingdom for the next war, once he returned.

[LinkCelestrial]

I had an idea where the apprentice brings all the old rulers back with reanimation spells. That'd be a good excuse to have the black kingdom's King. The apprentice could also work independently which I like better.

Also thinking that his spark ignites when he escapes. Probably on the way to the blue kingdom when the boat goes down in a Storm or whatever.

[redwolv]

I had an idea where the apprentice brings all the old rulers back with reanimation spells. That'd be a good excuse to have the black kingdom's King. The apprentice could also work independently which I like better.

Also thinking that his spark ignites when he escapes. Probably on the way to the blue kingdom when the boat goes down in a Storm or whatever.

Fair enough

[redwolv]

So i got kinda a crazy idea with blue. It bugs me also that blue would suddenly step in, most island nations perfer isolationism. A nation protected by a monster filled sea would not join into the fight unless they had a reason. So bare with me, and hear my "crazy" idea.

I don't know why but when blue came in to save white for some reason i saw tem as riding sphixes. As we all know they are powerful manipulative creatures. So here it is.

Blue isn't a nation of humans (i saw every kingdom as being human, another thing we should address if that will be the case or each color has a race, or go like kahns with world made of multipe races all co-mingled)

Anyway, so while the blue nation is lead/made up of a specfic/human races, like the others. In truth they are actually ruled by their "pets/mounts" the sphinxes without even knowing. *insert* is the true ruler and blues planeswalker. Their king *insert* is in control as far as he knows, manipulated by the sphinx so he can rule from the shadows. This could help tie into the theme of {mind control} and also effiency bit by their effience use of controlling the populous. I was thinking the walker could be like this, i am up for changes on the abilities but like the ultimate. Give or take some numbers to balance.

Sphix, the overlord {4}{U}{U}

+1 target creature can not attack until your next turn.
+2 target creature can not gain defender and must attack on its controllers next turn.
-8 gain control of all creatures target player controls
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