Cowardice of Curs

[Ephraim]

Cowardice of Curs
{B}
Creature — Hound
3/1

Cowardice of Curs can't block.

***

Did you know that the name for a group of curs is "cowardice?" I didn't until this morning, but I think it's such an exciting name for a card that I jumped on it right away. I need to think up some perfect flavour text to round this out, but I think the flavour going on here already, along with the intuitive, elegant mechanic makes this card just right.  In no case do I think that this is overpowered. Black continuously gets Spineless Thug, a 2/2 for that can't block and which nobody plays. An improvement on Spineless Thug would not break the game. Black also has a history of getting 3/x creatures with a penalty for two mana. The penalty on this isn't as bad as that of Raving Oni Slave, Blind Creeper, or Wretched Anurid, but this also has two fewer toughness than any of those and a nominally higher mana cost.

The name, in addition to being a real term, has alliteration. Both parts of the name exude flavour:
  a. Cowardice accurately describes a creature that can't block.
  b. Cur accurately decribes a 3/1 creature – it's a pack of mangy, violent dogs, in poor health

***

Current Wording:

Cowardice of Curs
{B}
Creature — Hound
3/1

Cowardice of Curs can't block.

[dandan]

This is certainly do-able. It does seem a touch strong although nobody but me played with Hasran Ogress. I might consider adding the old 'last-strike' ability from Spitting Slug

All creatures blocking Cowardice of Curs gain first strike until end of turn.

Or the good old cowardly Orgg attacking and blocking restriction

~This~ may not attack if opponent controls an untapped creature of power greater than 1. ~This~ cannot be assigned to block any creature of power greater than 1.

I quite like the Orgg restriction as the cowardly Curs would still pounce on a defenceless Merchant Ship (0/2) but would wimp out of combat with a mighty Mountain Goat. Likewise many Walls or even a Leper would not deter the Curs but an Eager Cadet could hold them at bay.

[Jacob Orlove]

I really like this card as-is.

[JAG]

I agree with Jacob.  i don't think this card needs too much more of a drawback to be in the right place on the curve for a black creature.  The only think I see is that the drawback is more of a red one than a black one.  In order for it to really be a black drawback, you should be losing life or losing resources in some way, not just restricting the abilities of your card.  For example, see the difference bet/n Skittering Horror and Ogre Taskmaster. 

To be honest, this feels like a perfect Red card in everything except for the mana cost.  It seems simply easier to make the card Red than to rework the card to make it more Black.

Also, i'm not sold on the name.  It just doesn't seem right.  "[The] Cowardice of Curs" sounds like an Enchantment.  Unless, of course, the group term for curs is "a cowardice,"which I seriously doubt.  It is possible, i suppose, but I am skeptical.

-JM

[Ephraim]

1. Yes, the name for a group of curs is "cowardice." It was the first thing I mentioned in my commentary. For reference, see this page. Looking more closely, I call dibs on the card name "Implausibility of Gnus."

2. For recent examples of black creatures that can't block, see [card]Villainous Ogre[/card], [card]Nezumi Cutthroat[/card], and [card]Razorjaw Oni[/card].

(My apologies if this post came across as unnecessarily terse. It is almost three in the morning, though.)

[Necrologia]

Being unable to block is a very black drawback. Black is the most selfish color, so you'd have a hard time convincing a black creature that jumping in front of that Darksteel Collossus is in it's best interests. Red accomplishes a similar drawback through the "must attack each turn it able" clause. Right now, this seems fine flavor, power, and cost wise. Good card.

[Liam-K]

1. Yes, the name for a group of curs is "cowardice." It was the first thing I mentioned in my commentary. For reference, see this page. Looking more closely, I call dibs on the card name "Implausibility of Gnus."

I demand a bizzare pack name cycle.

[Jacob Orlove]

1. Yes, the name for a group of curs is "cowardice." It was the first thing I mentioned in my commentary. For reference, see this page. Looking more closely, I call dibs on the card name "Implausibility of Gnus."

I demand a bizzare pack name cycle.

I already made Sleuth of Bears and Fesnying of Ferrets and I think another couple random ones.

[Liam-K]

Without unifying flavor text it is useless =p

[Godder]

I did some Cascade token generators here using the pack names.

[Anusien]

Ephraim Glass, king of the vanilla creature.

Thumbs up as is.

[Ephraim]

24 Hour Clock

[Bram]

Closed and added.