Cascadatog

[asmoranomardicodais]

The more I think about it, the more I like my suggestion. Maybe with a little twist? How about: First conjured, first served. ?

"You don't have to eat your words. He'll do it for you."

Unless anyone has better flavor text ideas, its between these two. My only problem with the atog lord's one is that it sounds very similar to Auratog's "The Auratog enjoys eating its wards." Other than that, I like it. Bram's is my second choice, though I'll use it if everyone agrees that the atog lord's is too similar. 

[Bram]

A theriac is an ancient remedy against various poisons. In esoteric literature, it is sometomes used as a cure to all ilnesses or evil (kind of like a panacea). It doesn't make sense, really, but then again, neither does lumatog.

[asmoranomardicodais]

Yeah, I don't really care for the name that much, but the only other name I've seen that comes close to being as good as it is your Runatog, and that seems a) Not derived from another language, and b) seems like it would hit artifacts or enchantments, not spells. At least light to me has something to do with spells in the process of being cast. Maybe make the name to play upon the fact that spells are chanted to be cast?

Chantatog?
Lingistatog?

(I hate both those, but I still can't think of a really good name).

[Bram]

Oh, no, Lumatog is fine. It's just, well, all these Atog cards have crappy names (except possibly Chronatog). There's no way to make this one cool all of a sudden, let alone obviously in flavor (as eating the stack is such an abstract concept). I don't think I ever complimented you on the idea, though, which I'd like to do here, 'cause it's awesome.

[EDIT] Cascadatog is obviously horrible, but why not Cascatog? That seems to at least partially convey the meaning as well as sounding like something WotC could do.

[TheWellknownBrownie]

The more I think about it, the more I like my suggestion. Maybe with a little twist? How about: First conjured, first served. ?

"You don't have to eat your words. He'll do it for you."

Unless anyone has better flavor text ideas, its between these two. My only problem with the atog lord's one is that it sounds very similar to Auratog's "The Auratog enjoys eating its wards." Other than that, I like it. Bram's is my second choice, though I'll use it if everyone agrees that the atog lord's is too similar. 

The second one is definitely the best.

[LordHomerCat]

I agree, mr. Atog Lord's suggestion is better (and more in line with the new atog flavor text also).  Although, the Urza quote made me laugh pretty good (I can imagine him in his shop (or what have you) trying to cast spells, as the tog just keeps eating them right out of the air).

[asmoranomardicodais]

I agree it's good, but is it too similar to Auratog's? ("The Auratog enjoys eating its wards")

[The Atog Lord]

I agree it's good, but is it too similar to Auratog's? ("The Auratog enjoys eating its wards")

Too similar? Well, of course they're similar; but is that a bad thing? They're both Atogs. They both eat what are for all intents and purposes "magical energy." Consider the recurrent flavor texts which refer to "Hans." They tie together similar cards from different blocks, across years of card creation.

[Ephraim]

I agree it's good, but is it too similar to Auratog's? ("The Auratog enjoys eating its wards")

Seconded.

If I may try my hand...
At the academy, mischievous students often sought to disrupt formal duels by sneaking one of these mana-munching menaces into the arena.

(C'mon, how can you not like flavour text that uses the words "mana-munching menaces?")

[Bram]

The problem with that one is that it's more deceptive even than mine, since the thing doesn't actually eat mana.

For about half a second there, I thought about making an Atog that eats mana in your mana pool. Then Iremembered that this is basically what Nantuko Shade is :)

[Matt]

It's been pointed out that this is pretty strong with my cascade looter card. Now, I'm not averse to changing my card if I have to, but this is going to be just as broken with any cheap cascade card, so I think the problem lies more in the 'tog. It would be easily fixed by tacking a mana cost on, like Foratog.

[Bram]

I dunno. It still requries Scrutinize (plus the two mana it costs) in addition to paying 1 for every +2/+2 activation. Mind you the Scrutinize copies don't resolve at that point. It's not really much different from creature that has a 1 mana costing +1/+1 activation cost (Carrion Ants instead of Whateveratog) and then playing Berserk (as the second card rather than Scrutinize) on it.

[Matt]

I would be comfortable I suppose if this combo were two colors, or at least not blue, which is supposed to have the worst creature pump!

[The Atog Lord]

Oh, no! I just wrote a multi-paragraph reply about why he shouldn't be weakened. And then I hit "post" and closed the window. But it didn't post because Matt had posted while I was typing mine. ARRRG!

Ok, Ok, let me try to reconstruct what I had said.

I'd really hate to see this guy made weaker. Remember Foratog? Well, I've played with everyone monochromatic Atog extensively, and I can assure you that despite being the same color as Berserk, Foratog's mana requirement made him the worst of the bunch.

Do you really think Cascadatog would be broken with Cascade? I don't. The very best you could get would be "1: ~this~ gets +2/+2 until end of turn." And that also requires that you find the Cascade spell, and that you pay the Cascade spell's mana cost. Compare this to Lodestone Myr + Time Vault -- a two card combo that makes a trampling creature of infinite power.

As he is, Cascadatog is just promising enough that he'll make Timmy's mind race with possibilities. But I'm pretty sure he won't be overpowerful in practice. I think he's just at the level of being exciting without being degenerate, which is a pretty good place for a Magic card. If he is weakened, he will become just another Mudhole.

[Matt]

I think Mudhole is a little harsh, but I agree that it's probably okay. It just doesn't feel right. And of couse it prevents use from making anything with a cascade of zero.

[Bram]

I think we shouldn't have Cascade 0 anyway, though.

[Matt]

But we also couldn't have cascades of, say, giving the opponent 1 life, or letting the opponent draw a card, or anything like that.

[asmoranomardicodais]

But you could make cascade--give the opponent two life, or cascade--the opponent may draw a card would be fine, since they could easily draw a way to deal with the atog while your pumping him up. Although, if you are still worried, we could put a "You may only play this ability X times per turn" clause, though the number would have to be at around 5 or 10.

[asmoranomardicodais]

I just had a thought; Does anyone like Congnatog at all?

We still need flavor text, Although I might give up and use The Atog Lords. Help, were almost done with this card!

[Marco]

Do you mean Cognatog? (As in Cognivore.)

[asmoranomardicodais]

Do you mean Cognatog? (As in Cognivore.)

Oops. Yes. I like that name, even though it might be too close to cognivore to be usable.

[Bram]

I like both Cognatog and my suggestion (Cascatog) better than Lumatog. But that's just me.

[Marco]

I like Cognatog! (Aside from Cognivore, it's not too close to Chronatog, is it?)

[Matt]

Cognatog would be great, and no, it's not too close to anything.

[The Atog Lord]

I'm not sure about the name "Cognatog." The prefix "Cogna" would lead one to think of a relative, from which we get the English word "Cognate." On the other hand, a "Cogni" prefix might be better suited for our purposes.

I'd rather see the prefix "Cogni," from which English gets the word Cognition. Because a Cognatog would be an Atog which eats those things to which it is related. In other words, an Atogatog.

[asmoranomardicodais]

But how would we use the prefix Cogni- and keep the "i"?

Cognitog?
Cogniatog?

All the other names flow into the suffix -atog. That's why I took Cogni- and made it Cogn- and added -atog. I don't see another way of doing it.

[The Atog Lord]

You know, Cascadatog is a perfectly fine name...

[asmoranomardicodais]

I don't know, I don't like names of cards having to do with keyworded abilities. For instance, if Odyssey had the following card:

Bizarre Flashback
BB
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards.
Flashback 4BB


The name just wouldn't be a good fit. I don't know, I liked the name, but I think we better stick to a name that isn't also a mechanic.

[Matt]

Well, there's Aura/tog, so there's at least some precedent for Cogni/tog (as opposed to Cogni/atog), even if most (all) of the others use the "prefix/atog" construction.

[The Atog Lord]

Though, all other Atogs do contain the word "Atog."

If Cascadatog won't work, one option is "Magatog," from magus/a/um, an adjective meaning "Magical." The problem there of course is that it sounds like Megatog.

Another option would be stackatog. That would be funny, at least.