Belching Dragon (Take 3)

[Ephraim]

Belching Dragon
{R}
Creature -- Dragon
5/4

Flying
At the end of your turn, if Belching Dragon is untapped, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player and 2 damage to you.

***

Okay, I admit it - I'm obsessed with this name and I want to get it on a card in the TMD set.

I really enjoy cards that force you to make a choice - in the case of this bad boy, the choice is to attack or to get some direct damage at the end of turn (pricey direct damage, anyhow.) Direct damage coupled with damage to oneself is an old, but reliable red theme. It's also a good way to capture the flavour of a none-too-discriminating dragon with indigestion -- the idea being that if he doesn't get his flame on in combat, then he's going to be gassy at the end of your turn. ^_^

[Ephraim]

Current Wording:

Belching Dragon
{4}{R}{R}
Creature -- Dragon
5/5

Flying
At the end of your turn, if Belching Dragon is untapped, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player and 2 damage to you.

[LoneTear]

What about:

Belching Dragon
4RR
Creature -- Dragon
5/4
Flying
If ~this~ attack, put a charge counter on it.
At the end of turn, if ~this~ has no charge counters on it, it deals 2 damages to target creature or player and 2 damages to you. Then remove all charge counters from ~this~.

BTW, I like it. And I think you can put it as a "standard" 5/5 dragon.

[Ephraim]

I'm not sure I want to use counters to keep track. Furthermore, the way you're worded it doesn't make a whole lot of sense - if there are no charge counters on it, there are no charge counters to remove. Anyhow, I don't mind somebody attacking, then using something to untap their Dragon (or casting Eternal Warrior on it). I intentionally made the end-of-turn ability reasonably weak, so it wouldn't be totally abusive to get both an attack and a use of the ability.

I suppose I could make it 5/5. I sort of wanted it to be shock-bait, if it were the only creature in play and untapped at the end of your turn; if you manage to get this out really quickly and there's no other creatures on the board yet, I wanted there to be some reasonable way to get rid of the thing.

[Malhavoc]

Are you aware that this creature's ability triggers even the turn it comes into play, since of course it cannot attack that same turn?

[Bram]

How could one *not* be aware of that? I mean, it simply says 'at EOT when a condition is met, do this'. Turns in which you play creatures (however rare they may be in T1) still qualify as turns, right?

Do you see this as a problem?

[Malhavoc]

How could one *not* be aware of that? I mean, it simply says 'at EOT when a condition is met, do this'. Turns in which you play creatures (however rare they may be in T1) still qualify as turns, right?

Do you see this as a problem?

Not necessary, but if Ephraim wanted this creature to be able to do damage the turns in which the controller decided to not attack, then it would be more in flavor to avoid the creature do the 2 damage the turn it came into play. That's want I meant.

[Ephraim]

Yes, I wanted the effect to trigger even the turn the creature comes into play.

[Matt]

It's a lot like Nim Abomination, in that respect.

I like this card, but 5/4 seems like an odd choice for a dragon.

[Ephraim]

I'll just make it a 5/5, then. With a converted mana cost of six, there's little chance this will be the first creature on the table, anyhow.

[Jacob Orlove]

5/5 is much nicer.

[johnstown713]

It doesn't seem overpowered and actually seems a little weak.  If there are no creatures on the board then do you still take damage.  Of course you would attack but it still doesn't seem like it is balanced wheter it is under or overcosted.  It has to be a 5/5 or else it just wouldn't work.

Johnstown713

[Ephraim]

Its end of turn function deals damage to target creature or player. If there's no other creatures on the table and you're somehow prevented from attacking/tapping the dragon, you can just have it deal the damage to your opponent (and take two yourself, obviously.)

[johnstown713]

Sorry my bad I guess I missed that part.  I guess it seems to fit now.

Johnstown713

[Silverdragon]

I don't like the idea of having it deal damage the turn it came into play. Perhaps you should use a wording like the one on Erg Raiders.
Or you could make it like Razormane Masticore to shoot every turn.
Another suggestion is to use counters: "Every turn ~this~ did not attack put a charge counter on it. Remove two charge counters: ~this~ deals 2 damage to any target."
My last idea is to make it like a giant Orcish Artillery (Attack or Tap to shoot). I think this would be a good idea because this way after the dragon dealt damage he can not serve as a blocker anymore, and maybe you can figure out a way to shoot multiple times effectively.

[Ephraim]

I really dislike the idea of using counters to keep track of when this can and cannot deal damage. It's very easy to keep track of whether something is tapped or untapped at any given instant in time. Simplicity is elegant.

As far as Razormane Masticore goes, keep in mind that it comes with a severe drawback to balance the damage. You have to discard a card every turn to keep Razormane Masticore around. Furthermore, it can only deal damage to creatures.

I'd rather not make it too similar to Orcish Artillery, since that's the same basic principle behind Sparksmith. I wanted this to be a little bit different in that getting the two damage out of it does leave you with a blocker the following turn, at the expense of losing a 5/5 flying attacker and taking two damage yourself.

[Jacob Orlove]

The current version is good, honestly.

[Ephraim]

24 Hour Clock

[Matt]

Closed and added.[/color]