Black Artifact Destruction

[Shadow-Walker]

So this is my attempt at an in-flavor artifact kill for black with some other stuff thrown in.  Unfortunately it uses entwine and doesnt fit in my sets or perhaps themanadrain set as were cutting down keywords in that as well but perhaps it could get added.

BB2
Sorcery
Choose One-Target noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost until end of turn and you lose that much life; or destroy target nonblack creature.  It cant be regenerated.  You gain life equal to that creature's toughness.
Entwine: 2

So it functions as a poor dark banishing+life gain or a a one-shot karn or expensive artifact destruction.  Originally cc was 1 lower and entwine 1 higher but this is probably more balanced.

[Shadow-Walker]

Current Wording
Xenic Curse
BB2
Sorcery
Choose One- Target noncreature artifact becomes a 4/2 artifact creature until end of turn, or all creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.
Entwine 2

*Changes*  Made it work: Jacob Orlove and Jebus
Name: Laurie Cheers

[Jacob Orlove]

That's actually a good idea. I opened this thread expecting a card that absolutely could not be made, but I have to say, this concept a pleasant surprise.

Where is says "you lose that much life"--what are you referring to?

[Jebus]

You know, that doesn't work.

If you entwine it, you have to pick two different targets.

[Shadow-Walker]

That much life refers to the mana cost that determines p/t,  I suppose it could be more clear.
Shit, your right Jebus.  Do you know of a way to make it work how I want?  Perhaps make the Banishing effect "until end of turn you gain "<Dark Banishing>, you may only use this once per turn".  But that is quite complicated.

[Jebus]

There is no way you can get it to target the same permanent with Entwine.

Although the most obvious reason on the original version would be that the permanent won't be in a state that satisfies both requirements, there is another reason that stops you from doing this.

No spell can target the same thing multiple times.  Period.

[Shadow-Walker]

Okay so now that ive edited to my suggested fix (lack of brevity aside) is there any reason this should not work?  The spell itself no longer targets a creature.

[Jebus]

Okay so now that ive edited to my suggested fix (lack of brevity aside) is there any reason this should not work?  The spell itself no longer targets a creature.

Hmm...

"or until end of turn you gain "destroy target nonblack creature. It cant be regenerated. You gain life equal to that creature's toughness and lose this ability."

You gain the ability? Are you trying to kill me?

[Shadow-Walker]

Well channel does it. (I really want to make this)

[Jebus]

Well channel does it. (I really want to make this)

No, Channel doesn't give you any abilities.

[Jacob Orlove]

Why not just have the removal ability be global? Here's a sketch of what I'm thinking of:

4BB
Choose one: Target noncreature artifact becomes a 3/3 artifact creature until end of turn, or all creatures get -3/-3 until end of turn.
Entwine 2

That would have to be rare, but it makes sense that this effect would be rare anyway.

[Shadow-Walker]

"You gain "Pay 1 life: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool" until end of turn."
I see little difference between this and what I did.  Regardless I will probably just go the global route.

[Jebus]

"You gain "Pay 1 life: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool" until end of turn."
I see little difference between this and what I did.  Regardless I will probably just go the global route.

Channel
{G}
Sorcery
Until end of turn, any time you could play a mana ability you may pay 1 life. If you do, add to your mana pool.

[Shadow-Walker]

I pulled the channel wording off mtgnews spoiler generator, so I guess they need to update (and Im sorry you were right again).  If I formatted it like the current channel would it be alright?

[Jebus]

If I formatted it like the current channel would it be alright?

Probably not.  Needing a target really gums up the works.

I'd just go with the Global Thing.

[Shadow-Walker]

So I edited it to basically Jacob's suggestion though I messed with the numbers to try and keep the same casting cost.  Just out of curiosity Jebus, would you mind explaining why targeting screws up that last templating suggestion?

[Jebus]

It's just clunky and confusing for the most part.

It's unclear when the target must be declared.  It would probably have to be declared with the other target for the spell, which wouldn't allow you to target the same permanent.

And since that isn't what you are trying to get with that, the rules can't really support an effect like that.

[Shadow-Walker]

Would "Kicker 3: When you play this spell, if you paid the kicker cost, copy it" have worked?
That would actually give you more options.

[Jebus]

You mean putting Kicker on an entwine spell to copy it?  Doesn't that sound a bit too convoluted?

[Shadow-Walker]

Well you wouldnt have entwine, youd just make it like like a charm with kicker.

[Jebus]

Well you wouldnt have entwine, youd just make it like like a charm with kicker.

If you copy a modal spell, you copy the mode it was played in.

[Shadow-Walker]

Jebus, you are so wise.  It's sad that my friends consider me to be their rules guru.

[Matt]

4/2 seems really random. Why not just make it 2/2?

[Shadow-Walker]

I wanted all its abilities to be decent and a 2/2 until EoT seems really weak for 4 mana. Also black tends to make power>toughness creatures.  If this were made an instant dropping the creature to 2/2 would be fine.

[Laurie Cheers]

I really like this card now. Very elegant.

My only concern is that without Entwine, half of the card is too weak. Infest is extremely useful, whereas Karn's Touch is pretty puny at 4 mana.
How about a Nausea effect instead?

BB
Sorcery
Choose one - target noncreature artifact becomes a 4/1 artifact creature until end of turn; or all creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn.
Entwine 2? 3?

Perhaps BB is too aggressive, I'm not sure.

Suggested names;
Xenic Curse (to parallel Xenic Poltergeist)
Metal Disease
Fight or Die

[Shadow-Walker]

This really needs a name, I like the Xenic Curse kinda.  I dont care for the nausea effect though.

[Necrologia]

I hate to bump really old threads, but I like this card. Is it possible to go with something closer to the original text with the new targeting rules in Champions?

[Laurie Cheers]

Sure. The original wording works exactly as intended.

[Jebus]

No, it wouldn't work as intended.

There is no way a single permanent would ever have the qualities to make both targeting restrictions work for it.

[Jacob Orlove]

There were a lot of entwine cards where half the card was much weaker, like Barbed Lightning. I think the entwine version is fine, power-wise.