You Make the Set 5

[Thomas David Baker]

We are doing this in our Multiverse app:

http://mv.bluebones.net/

(Old shared Google spreadsheet for this is here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag7TtjWsLhYkdHBBUHF4RG... )

Channel Fireball just did Top 8 Mechanics:

* Retrace

* Dredge

* Landfall (not for attacking like Steppe Lynx - Grazing Gladehart and Roil Elemental style)

* Scry

* Flashback

* Kicker

* Flying

* Cycling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiNNg5aj-xo

I wonder if we could use that, or some of that, as the basis of You Make the Set 5.  I know that some of you were keen on Landfall.

Not sure when we would play it out but some time in late May probably?

[Kieran Symington]

So here we go, an updated commons list. Similar to the last one but there have been a few changes:

CW01 - creature, small, lifegain BLESSED PILGRIM
CW02 - creature, small, lifegain DETERMINED PILGRIM
CW03 - creature, small, soulsong FANATICAL DEVOTEE
CW04 - creature, small, lifelink, flying SUNSOUL LARK
CW05 - creature, small, lifegain SOUL GUARDIAN
CW06 - creature, small, soulsong, flying ANARA FALCONER
CW07 - creature, small, tapper, TOWER WARDEN
CW08 - creature, small, flicker, SOULSTAIR GUIDE
CW09 - creature, small/medium, soulsong, flying EXALTATION OF LARKS
CW10 - creature, medium, soulsong, SOULBRETHREN
CW11 - instant, lifegain FREYA'S BLESSING
CW12 - instant, creature removal OVERPOWERING LIGHT
CW13 - instant, team boosting RISE UP
CW14 - enchantment, aura, creature removal GIBBET CONFINEMENT

White seems pretty settled. The only three that could be changed are SOULSTAIR GUIDE (though I quite like having the effect available), GIBBET CONFINEMENT (LONG JOURNEY can do almost the same thing) and one of BLESSED PILGRIM/SUNSOUL LARK (because they’re practically the same only the Lark has to attack to get the life).

CU01 - creature, small, flying, topcard, portent DEEPWATER GRASPER
CU02 - creature, small, (flying), topcard MINDLEECH AVIAN
CU03 - creature, small, foresight TOWER SENTINELS
CU04 - creature, small, flying, topcard DIVINER'S FAMILIAR
CU05 - creature, small, flying, portent, SHIMMERSPRITE
CU06 - creature, large, topcard MINDCOIL SERPENT
CU07 - instant, counterspell (hard) DISSONANCE
CU08 - instant, counterspell (soft) INVALIDATE
CU09 - instant, bounce BANISH
CU10 - instant, card drawing THOUGHT SHARDS
CU11 - instant, card sifting RUMINATE
CU12 - enchantment, aura, creature control, foresight TIME'S BONDAGE
CU13 - instant, card sifting THINK FAST
CU14 – sorcery, auspice MITECRAFTING

Blue at common looks totally fine. I’ve moved MITECRAFTING down from uncommon to fill the sorcery slot and give blue something worth doing with Portent at common.

CB01 - creature, small, foresight, regeneration FLAYED SENTRY
CB02 - creature, small, flying, drain LIFE-STEALER
CB03 - creature, small, graveyard COFFIN BREAKER
CB04 - creature, small, creature removal GRAVE GEIST
CB05 - creature, small/medium, graveyard GRAVESHADE
CB06 - creature, medium, graveyard DALGATH RAIDER
CB07 - creature, medium, graveyard UNDERVAULT HORDE
CB08 - creature, small/medium, deathtouch DALGATH PROWLER
CB09 - creature, small, intimidate DALGATH THUG
CB10 - sorcery, creature removal THROW FROM THE TOWER
CB11 - instant, creature removal WITHERING DECAY
CB12 - sorcery, graveyard retrieval RAID THE VAULTS
CB13 - sorcery, discard, portent, HORRIFYING VISION
CB14 - instant, graveyard BLIND THE EYE

Everything looks good here, too. DALGATH THUG was what we needed here as he adds some evasion and another 3-drop to black.

CR01 - creature, small, first strike, foresight BLOODSEER
CR02 - creature, small, direct damage, MAGE FANATIC
CR03 - creature, small, looting, RADICAL MAGE
CR04 - creature, small, looting, IMPATIENT MAGE
CR05 - creature, small/medium, intimidate, TYROSHI RAIDERS
CR06 - creature, small/medium, madness ANGRY GIANT
CR07 - creature, medium/large, looting SLAVE HELLION
CR08 - creature, small, first strike DUELING MAGE
CR09 - instant, damage, looting PAGEFLAME
CR10 - instant, damage, madness HOT UNDER THE COLLAR
CR11 - instant, looting, haste LOOTING CHARM
CR12 – sorcery, ‘panic’ ANXIETY ATTACK
CR13 – enchantment, power boost, haste RAGE HARNESS
CR14 –

Hmm. There’s one slot left. Probably should be a spell, but DOUBLE TROUBLE seems a bit off as it’s Red’s only flashback spell in the whole set. Could just put in TYROSHI SABATEUR but he always seems a little weak.

CG01 - creature, small, mana production DREAMSMITH
CG02 - creature, small, search CENTAUR PRECEPTOR
CG03 - creature, small, lurking LURKING CYCLOPS
CG04 - creature, small/medium, intimidate DREADGLADE HOWLER
CG05 - creature, medium, reach, foresight MIND’S EYE BOWMAN
CG06 - creature, medium, foresight, vigilance CYCLOPS SENTRY
CG07 - creature, medium, portent, shroud STALKING BOAR
CG08 - creature, medium/large, trample BLUNDERING CYCLOPS
CG09 - creature, large, trample ENGORGED MURLODONT
CG10 - enchantment - aura, pt boosting PRUDENT ADAPTATION
CG11 - instant, combat trick HEROIC END
CG12 - instant, flying destruction BLOODVINE'S THORNS
CG13 - sorcery, enchantment/artifact destruction SIMPLE OFFERING
CG14 –land search RUIN CULTIVATOR / CAREFUL CULTIVATION

Looking good here. Just need to decide between CAREFUL CULTIVATION and RUIN CULTIVATOR for the land searching slot.

CC01 - creature, small PORTAL THOPTER
CC02 - creature, large GRAVEN SERVITOR
CC03 - equipment, scry PRESCIENCE WAND
CC04 - foresight CARROMANTIC CANDLE
CC05 – equipment AMBASSADORIAL GARB
CC06 – land NOXIOUS FEN
CC07 – land RIDGESIDE CACHE
CC08 – land FOALING GROUNDS
CC09 – land TRANQUIL POOL
CC10 – land SANCTIFIED FIELD

And done! EXILE CAMP moves up to uncommon, which seems reasonable.

So other than Red, which needs one card and White which may need a card or two replacing I think we’re pretty much set for commons. So everyone pile in and make us a Red spell!

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Regarding red, we have a glut of cards at uncommon, perhaps we could just shift one down to common to fill the slot?

Likely candidates include:

Empty the Libraries

Echo of the Phoenix

Disdainful Research

Echo might be a little too complex for U, and Research too good or too redundant (we have a lot of looting at common).

[Kieran Symington]

Not sure any of those uncommons really look like commons. Plus since a lot of the red uncommons are pretty similar (looting mostly) it should be easy enough to trim them down. I think we definitely need a new non-looting, non-direct damage spell. No idea what it could be right now though!

[Paul Hodgson]

power boost? first strike for the team? force a creature to attack? increase power & reduce toughness (+ give first strike?)? put creatures into play (dragon fodder/thatcher revolt style)? x damage that can be divided between creatures & players (joke!)

[Thomas David Baker]

I like Double Trouble in R commons.  It's obviously not a high pick but it's different enough from the other cards that I think it might surprise us in some less-common decks.  That said, Kieran has added Forgotten Ritual which is pretty damn cool and more synergistic with the rest of R.

I think we need to put our latest set to the test and start to whittle down to the "final" set.  How about Monday night at mine?  Or maybe in Penderel's Oak although I'd have to bring my laptop.

87 commons needs to come down to 80.  62 uncommons down to 36.  40 rares down to 24.

Getting there but I think some more playing feedback is essential.

[Kieran Symington]

More playtesting is definitely needed. Should be able to make yours on Monday if anyone is up for it.

Thomas David Baker said:

I think we need to put our latest set to the test and start to whittle down to the "final" set.  How about Monday night at mine?  Or maybe in Penderel's Oak although I'd have to bring my laptop.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

I should be able to make this. Is it worth us testing with multiples of the commons?

I'll try and get a chance to take another pass at the rares today so we can potentially slim down the possibles.

[Thomas David Baker]

Mine at 6.30pm (or come earlier if you want but I may have to be on Skype a bit) then?

Multiple commons is good I think.  Any pre-slimming we can do is good.

[Paul Hodgson]

Can't make it tonight I'm afraid, next time maybe

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Okay, I should be there around 6:15 ish.

Thomas David Baker said:

Mine at 6.30pm (or come earlier if you want but I may have to be on Skype a bit) then?

Multiple commons is good I think.  Any pre-slimming we can do is good.

[Kieran Symington]

Just to be awkward, I'll be there around six - though you can then put me to work cutting cards out if you've printed any by then.

[Thomas David Baker]

Sounds like a plan.