Beacon of Light

[Matt]

Beacon of Light
2
Artifact -- Treasure
You may play Beacon of Light any time you could play an instant.
When Beacon of Light comes into play, all white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn and all black creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
Sacrifice Beacon of Light: Counter target spell that targets a white creature.

All of a sudden, night turns to day! The forces of good are emboldened, the forces of evil cower in terror, repulsed by the harsh, unforgiving light!

The last ability was added so that it had something to do besides being an "artifact instant".

[Matt]

Current Wording:
Beacon of Light
2
Artifact -- Treasure
You may play Beacon of Light any time you could play an instant.
When Beacon of Light comes into play, all white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn and all black creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
Sacrifice Beacon of Light: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to white creatures this turn.

[brendan]

This is really really good compared to all the other cards that either do +1/+1 or -1/-1, as this does both, is cheaper, and colourless. Plus it has a possibly useful other ability.

It doesn't really matter, but this obsoletes half a dozen other cards all at once. None of those have ever been all that playable though.

[Matt]

It doesn't totally obsolete stuff like [card]Warriors Honor[/card], because it's color-specific.

[Jebus]

I think 2 is a bit undercosted.

I'd price it as 3 or 4 at least.

[Matt]

Please note that this is extremely narrow; it's only good when you're playing white and your opponent is playing black. Narrow cards need to at least work well when they ARE useful, because that's so rare.

[Jebus]

Please note that this is extremely narrow; it's only good when you're playing white and your opponent is playing black. Narrow cards need to at least work well when they ARE useful, because that's so rare.

Just noticed the "until end of turn" bit.

Now I think this card isn't powerful enough.

[GerryMander]

what is an artifact -- treasure?

i do like how the card gives it until end of turn when it is played, but it needs another ability besides being able to counter stuff.  

this is obviously a white based artifact.  white can prevent you from doing stuff, but it cannot counter stuff.  i think we already came to this conclusion, so the second ability needs to be changed.

[Jacob Orlove]

[card]Vigilant Martyr[/card]
White can counter some limited stuff, but generally with the sacrifice of a permanent, not with a spell.

[Bram]

It doesn't totally obsolete stuff like Warriors Honor, because it's color-specific.

Yeah, but at least Warrior's Honor had a pic of a half-naked, Bat'leth-weilding African hottie on it.

i do like how the card gives it until end of turn when it is played, but it needs another ability besides being able to counter stuff.

Yup. I think that the first ability is enough. The second ability makes little sense to me. But what are you left with then? Now while I personally could sort of enjoy the fact that on the turn after this, you have an artifact lying around that does nothing, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. So we'd need it to have some ability other than the CIP one. But any ability I can come up with would be random.

I have opposed the 'artifact instant' thing quite vehemently before, but that was when someone just tried to make a colorless spell, so to speak. Even so, I don't really like this. Oh well.

[GerryMander]

[card]Vigilant Martyr[/card]
White can counter some limited stuff, but generally with the sacrifice of a permanent, not with a spell.

yeah, but black has been able to kill noncreature artifacts before.  just cuz a color got an ability once before, doesn't mean it should continue to have it.

couldn't you just make this "Sacrifice CARD:  Creatures you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn."?

that is TOTALLY a white ability, and it will basically do the same thing.

[Matt]

'Treasure' is a subtype I've already given several of our artifacts. Right now it doesn't do anything in particular, but I have several cards that interact with the subtype in the works.

The reason this is playable as an instant is that it's supposed to be a surprise, like Leonin Bladetrap. If black creatures knew you had this, they wouldn't get close enough to be -1/-1-burned by its light.

couldn't you just make this "Sacrifice CARD: Creatures you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn."?

that is TOTALLY a white ability, and it will basically do the same thing.

Yeah but that's a lot stronger too. It's practically a Falter effect. The extra ability should be subordinate to the main one - i.e., a little throw-in bonus, and it also must be something a Beacon of Light would do after its primary 'charge' was used up.

I just realized, this probably isn't clear: I'm envisioning this as a little object like glass bottle or other trinket you break in an emergency. Like a road flare of holy light. And no, I don't mean 'beaker'.

[Jacob Orlove]

What if you could sac it to prevent a couple points of damage?

[Matt]

That could work. Should it prevent one or two, or should it work only on white creatures and prevent all?

[Jacob Orlove]

I think either two to anything or one to each white creature.

[Matt]

Changes made. I would have liked to a one-use Lashknife Barrier effect, but the card is long enough as it is.

[Bram]

I'd go with all damage for white critters. That way, it's be more flavorful and less random IMO. I wouldn't have much against this card if it did that.

[Matt]

Wording updated. Twenty-four hour clock.

[Jacob Orlove]

This is pretty sweet.

[Ocifer]

This is incredibly strong, especially in limited. But screw it, I love it. White, more than any other color, needs this. I say power-level be damned, let it slide. If it's not too powerful to be restricted then it's just powerful enough.

[Matt]

I still don't see how this is overly strong. It's just a standard combat trick unless you happen to be playing against a black deck.

[Matt]

Closed and added.[/color]