Fulcrum Stance

[Laurie Cheers]

"One common spell that is not a disenchant, protection, damage prevention, or lifegain"

Fulcrum Stance
W
Instant
Choose target creature.
If that creature is white and isn't tapped, you may tap it rather than pay Fulcrum Stance's mana cost.
The creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.


Current Wording:

Fulcrum Stance
W
Instant
Tap any number of target creatures you control. Creatures that become tapped this way get +1/+1 and gain first strike until end of turn.

[Upinthe]

I like the idea of giving white a combat trick, but this card seems underpowered. You'd almost always want a [card]Guided Strike[/card] over it.

Also, the wording is confusing and I don't think it works. An alternative cost can't be part of what you do after the spell has resolved.

[Zelc]

You could try this wording:

Name
Cost
You may tap a untapped white creature you control rather than pay ~this~'s mana cost.
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
If you paid ~this~'s alternate casting cost, ~this~ must target the creature you tapped to pay ~this~'s alternate casting cost.

The biggest problem I see is that I'm not sure if the game rules define what "alternate casting costs" are.  An alternative would be "If you played ~this~ without playing ~this~'s mana cost, ~this~ must target the creature you tapped as a cost to playing ~this~."  However, this means that if for some reason you played this for free (Mind's Desire?), there would be no legal targets for this spell.

[Laurie Cheers]

I tried to find a concise wording that worked, and ended up with this (completely different, and longer) version, which I think has a pretty good flavour to it.
This card is probably more powerful, even though you can't get away without paying the mana cost.

[stolen]

That wording is kinda...long and confusing?  This should do basically the same thing:

Fulcrum Stance

Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gains +2/+2 and first strike.
Enchanted creature cannot attack or use any ability that has as part of its activation cost.

The problem is that it loses the flavor.  ~.~

[Laurie Cheers]

You're right. It's essentially the same thing as Cagemail, isn't it.

How about this one, then?

Fulcrum Stance
1W
Instant
Tap any number of target untapped creatures you control. They get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

[stolen]

Yeah, Cagemail...that old thing, that I'll pretend I had been thinking of but actually wasn't.

Anyway, I like the new Fulcrum Stance.  It's interesting, it's flavourful, and it's a whole lot simpler than the other version...

[Alfred]

Fulcrum Stance
W
Enchant Creature
When Fulcrum Stance comes into play, tap enchanted creature.
When enchanted creature becomes untapped, sacrifice Fulcrum Stance.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2, may block as though it weren't tapped, and has first strike and "You may choose not to untap this creature during your untap step".

Errrr.... This is too complicated methinks.

[Jacob Orlove]

You're right. It's essentially the same thing as Cagemail, isn't it. :(

How about this one, then?

Fulcrum Stance
1W
Instant
Tap any number of target untapped creatures you control. They get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

"any number of target untapped creatures" sounds bad, somehow. Is there a better way to make this target? Should it just be a global effect for all your guys?

[Laurie Cheers]

Hmm. Is it the "target untapped" that you object to?
 
Fulcrum Stance
Instant
Tap any number of target creatures you control. Creatures that become tapped this way get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

[Jacob Orlove]

Yeah, that last version is fine. I do think I'd prefer something like this, though:

Fulcrum Stance
Instant
Tap all creatures you control. Creatures that become tapped this way get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

[Laurie Cheers]

No, I don't want to force the player to tap everything. That weakens the card too much.

Realistically, this card is only going to be useful in blocking - you block, then tap the creature to give it first strike. If it's going to make you tap everything, it seems like it would be way too situational. I'd much prefer to have Smite.

All right, one more try.

Fulcrum Stance
W
Enchant Creature
Play Fulcrum Stance any time you could play an instant.
Enchanted creature has "T: This creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn".

[Malhavoc]

Back to the first mechanic:

Fulcrum Stance
W
Enchant Creature
When Fulcrum Stance comes into play, tap enchanted creature.
When enchanted creature becomes untapped, sacrifice Fulcrum Stance.
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2, may block as though it weren't tapped, and has first strike and "You may choose not to untap this creature during your untap step".


It could be easier to change it like this:

Fulcrum Stance
W
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2, has Defender and first strike.

[stolen]

My favorite is still this one:

Fulcrum Stance
Instant
Tap any number of target creatures you control. Creatures that become tapped this way get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

[Laurie Cheers]

Clock.

[Ephraim]

Are absolutely certain that this wording works? Do you want all creatures targetted by the spell to get the bonus or only those that weren't tapped to begin with? I think that it might be necessary to word this, "Creatures that become tapped this way..."

[Laurie Cheers]

Good call.