R/W anti poison haster

[GerryMander]

NAME
{R}{W}
Creature - SOMETHING
Haste
When NAME comes into play, you lose all of your poison counters.  NAME gains +1/+1 until end of turn for each poison counter lost in this way.
2/2


He's still good even if you don't play against someone who plays poison.


CURRENT WORDING:

Xolot Leech-Eater
1RW
Creature - Shaman Warrior
2/1
Haste
Xolot Leech-Eater comes into play with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of poison counters you have.
When Xolot Leech-Eater comes into play, you lose all poison counters.
The transformation of poison into medicine, and evil into good, is an art whose expression must be tailored to the field of battle.


CHANGES:
-lowered cost and made it so they were +1/+1 counters
-reworded *Ephraim*
-name *Bram*
-creature type/flavor text *Bram*

[Ephraim]

I'd reallylike to see this cost something besides {R}{W}. I hate cards that have unequal proportions of different colours of mana -- at the very least because it means they cost three specifically coloured mana in the first place. This would be fine at {W}. If it's undercosted a little (for the specific set in which it will appear) that's probably okay because this would almost certainly have to be a rare.

[Jacob Orlove]

This could get a permanent bonus and still be fine, I think.

[Ephraim]

Heh, I misread the card. I thought it got +1/+1 counters, rather than until-end-of-turn bonuses, already. I agree with Jacob.

[GerryMander]

how about if I cost it at {W}, make it a 2/1, and make the +1/+1s permanent.

I am kind of afraid that this could result in a R/B/w poison yourself for a big creature deck.

[Jacob Orlove]

That'd be fine.

[Ephraim]

Gerry, that's precisely the sort of interact that I, for one, am trying to encourage for a set centered around poison counters. Suppose you're building up for a big creature or some other large effect, when your opponent, who has been waiting for an opportunity, drops the last three poison counters on you for the victory -- that's just the cool sort of thing I want to happen -- people poisoning themselves for the benefits it will provide in a properly designed deck. The tension between having many poison counters being good for their spells and having ten poison counters be death is what I hope will make this idea interesting.

[brianb]

This sort of card makes it clear that the power-level of the poison mechanic cards will have to be rechecked later in light of the other cards in the set.  If the cards that give poison counters stay black/green, and the cards that counteract poison or can take advantage of having poison counters are red/white, the mana difficulties inherent in building such combos should keep them in check.  That's why when I was kicking around the idea of a poison necro, I wanted it costed at BBGG.  We should also focus the mana fixers mostly in RW and BG.  That makes sense thematically (with the two opposing gods and everything) and mechanically.

[MrZuccinniHead]

how about calling it Syphoner

[GerryMander]

Syphoner just sounds bad.

changes made.


SOMEONE of Horzatl was the first to discover that the followers of Quiacatl were not immune to their own venom.


Just a flavor text idea, but for it to work, we would have to establish a main R/W guy.

[Matt]

That's a good text.

[Ephraim]

I'm not quite sure it works, the way it's worded. I think the timing is bad on the When/As the card comes into play. I think it would be better worded:

When ~this~ comes into play, you lose all poison counters. Put a +1/+1 counter on ~this~ for each poison counter removed this way.

Yes, this means that a burn spell could kill this before its CIP ability triggers. If you absolutely want to avoid that, the following wording might work:

~This~ comes into play with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of poison counters you have.
When ~this~ comes into play, you lose all poison counters.

[GerryMander]

changes made

the flavor text would only work if we established at least one leading R/W character...

[Bram]

Nice. How about:

Oxot, Leech-Eater
1RW
Creature - Shaman Warrior
2/1
Haste
Oxot, Leech-Eater comes into play with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of poison counters you have.
When Oxot, Leech-Eater comes into play, you lose all poison counters.
The transformation of poison into medicine, and evil into good, is an art whose expression must be tailored to the field of battle.

The flavor text is a literal quote from a piece on the Aztec Ozomahtli period.

The 13-day period Ozomahtli (Monkey) is ruled by Patecatl. The 13 days of of this trecena are influenced by the quest for cures of all the various ills that befall us: the quest to obtain power that can overcome misfortune lies at the heart of the warrior's purpose. The transformation of poison into medicine, and evil into good, is an art whose expression must be tailored to the field of battle. These are good days to fashion a war shield and collect articles for your medicine bundle; bad days to allow infections to fester.

Obviously, our guy oxot is some sort of witch doctor. He uses leeches to cure people from poisoning. Then, before entering battle, he prepares the leeches he used and consumes them for strenght in the battlefield. It fits with the cards mechanics as well as the bit about the actual Aztec ritual.

I'm not crazy about the name Oxot, but I like the Leech-Eater thaing and the flavor text. Who's with me?

[Jacob Orlove]

That name sounds like a Legend.

[Ephraim]

I was going to suggest something that's evocative of the same sort of spirit as "Feathered Runner," namely "Crested Warrior"

[Bram]

That name sounds like a Legend.

Yeah I know I dont think this needs to be a legend for reasons other than flavor. How bout Xoloth Leech-Eater then? There could be multiples.

[Jacob Orlove]

As long as it's "(word) leech eater" rather than "(word), leech eater" it doesn't have to be legendary. Punctuation is important!

[Bram]

Yeah, I realise that. I initially worded him to be a personality rather than a race. The comma was intentional. But it does indeed kind of force legendary status upon him, which I don't see as necessary. Xolot Leech-Eater would be like Llanowar Elves rather than Mirri, Cat Warrior. And I think that would work  better on this card.

[Laurie Cheers]

I'm not sure we want too many "remove poison counters" effects. I mean, having counters needs to be a disadvantage; if you can remove them so easily it won't be one!
What if this guy was just

"~ gets +1/+1 for each poison counter you have".

[GerryMander]

Xolot Leech-Eater it is then.

I could contribute a specifice Leech-Eater to the quote.

Laurie:  Not all cards we make make it into sets.  It is best if we try certain things from multiple angles so the best one gets in there.

[Bram]

How about my flavor text? It's tailor-made for the message this card is trying to convey. For thise that hate to scroll back:

The transformation of poison into medicine, and evil into good, is an art whose expression must be tailored to the field of battle.

[GerryMander]

Deal!

24 hour clock

[Matt]

Closed and added.[/color]