Poison Trick

[Limbo]

As Poison Game is nearing completion, I thought I could create another card that plays with the poison theme. It kinda borrows an ability from Wizard's You make the card #3, but what the heck:

Poisonous Cure
1WR
Instant
Remove target creature from the game and target player gains poison counters equal to its power. Then return the creature to play and that player loses poison counters equal to its toughness.
Sometimes a cure inflicts more damage than it heals

The idea is easy. This is obviously a nice combat trick in combination with some poison shenenigans (sp?). As for most creatures (power-toughness)=< 0, this will usually cure some poison, but it can inflict some poison as well, if used on a ball lightning or something.

I costed it 1WR to make it not suck, but I am wondering if there should be a limitation on the player that heals / receives poison (as in, the creatures controller only).

Thoughts / ideas / comments?

Current Wording:
Poisonous Cure
Enchantment
2WB
At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay 3. If you do, target player receives a poison counter. If you don't, target player loses a poison counter.
See? With a little effort, the medicin turns into a most lethal poison.
somebody, Cabal Cleric

Changes:

[Ephraim]

Grab the Viper was very themely for red, even though it didn't necessarily fit with the direction that we were tentatively taking red with the Aztec set. This card, however, could easily be {W}{G}. That would mean that both colours are nominally associated with curative magic in general, but also that one colour would specifically be associated with curing poison and the other would be associated with inflicting poison.

[Limbo]

Grab the Viper was very themely for red, even though it didn't necessarily fit with the direction that we were tentatively taking red with the Aztec set. This card, however, could easily be {W}{G}. That would mean that both colours are nominally associated with curative magic in general, but also that one colour would specifically be associated with curing poison and the other would be associated with inflicting poison.

Very, very good point. My reasoning was that the "inflict damage while curing damage was kinda red", but I like it better in green actually. Mana cost changed.

[rvs]

Who steals this card from YMTC3? Isn't it the same with replacing poison for life?

[Matt]

Yeah, blatant theft like this is  :shock:

[Limbo]

It is indeed efficient borrowing, but it still makes for a cool card. But I am open to suggestions, so what could we do to keep a nice trick in combo with some poison dealing / healing?

[Matt]

Maybe a Vibrating Sphere/False Cure takeoff?

Name
Cost
Enchantment
During your turn, if an opponent would get a poison counter, instead that player gets two poison counters.
During opponents' turns, if an opponent would gain a poison counter, instead they lose a poison counter.

Or something. Please don't use the above, it's a terrible card idea, just something to get the creative juices flowing.

[Ephraim]

Exercise caution if you decide to pursue the avenue that Matt suggested. This card is already in the master list (crucial text bolded):

Quiacatl's Incarnation
{B}{G}{G}
Legendary Creature -- Avatar
0/7
If a player would get a poison counter, that player gets two poison counters instead.
, remove a poison counter from target player: Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play under that player's control.
When snakes draw near, the God is here. --Xolot proverb

[Limbo]

Hmm, I will think of a new poison trick soon.

[Limbo]

Ok, how about this:

Poisonous Cure
Enchantment
3WG
At the beginning of your upkeep target player receives or loses a poison counter.
A small change in application, a large change in result.

[Limbo]

Or this:

Poisonous Cure
Enchantment
2WB
At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay 3. If you do, target player receives a poison counter. If you don't, target player loses a poison counter.
See? With a little effort, the medicin turns into a most lethal poison.
somebody, Cabal Cleric

[Limbo]

Comments? Anyone?

At the moment it is a thing that wins in 10 turns, if you keep committing mana to it every turn. Can it be costed more aggressively?

[Ephraim]

I don't like this very much. It clearly can't win games on its own, since it would cost you 30 life to dole out ten poison counters. Furthermore, even if your deck does have the cards to support this -- other poison cards, life gain, etc. If you don't find them, though, then this begins to unravel the work you'd begun to do (although the way it's worded, I guess maybe that's not true, since you can give an opponent poison counters whenever you have life to spare and remove poison counters from yourself, whether you have any or not, when you don't have life to spare.) Furthermore, I don't find it particularly interesting now. Whatever tension it generates is lost in the fact that in a worst-case-scenario (for your opponent), this is going to take ten turns to kill them and you're going to pay 30 life to make that happen. Nobody is afraid of Darksteel Reactor and I don't think that anybody's going to be afraid of this.

[Limbo]

The payment is in mana, not in life, so I think / hope that changes your opinion about the cards somewhat?