Flagbearer - Twincast/Fork guy

[Guardian]

Cardname
1UW
Creature - Wizard Flagbearer
During each player's turn, the first spell or ability an opponents play that could target cardname do so. You may add a copy of that spell or ability on the stack.
1/3

The basic idea is to have a wizard that can collect the energy of a spell played or ability against him. But by doing so, nobody would target it, because wizards are not known for their muscles. So by making him a partial flagbearer, the problem is solved. The colors used are self explanatory.

Runic Herald
1UW
Creature - Human Wizard
Whenever an opponent plays an instant or sorcery spell or ability that could target Runic Herald for the first time each turn, if that spell or ability does not target Runic Herald, that spell or ability's controller changes one of its targets to Runic Herald. Copy that spell or ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.
1/2

Changes:
JAG: Wording and simpler stuff, creature type
Ephraim: Wording, name
me: Some clarifications, lowered CC
asmoranomardic: Toughness
Matt: Wording, upped CC back to original, copy like the original

[Ephraim]

Your idea isn't identical, but I wanted to point out a similar card already in the master list:

Magnetic Magician

Creature -- Human Wizard
1/1
Whenever a spell or ability is put onto the stack, if that spell or ability could target Magnetic Magician but doesn't, that spell or ability's controller changes one of its targets to Magnetic Magician.
Discard a card from your hand: Magnetic Magician can't be the target of spells or abilities this turn.

I don't know if that changes the way you want your card to work or not, but I figured you ought to know about this one.

[Limbo]

Not that I can make the decision for guardian, but I think the idea is different and cool enough to warrant its own card.

[Guardian]

Ephraim, I think my car is different from the Magnetic Magician, but there sure are some similarities and I can see your point. But the Fork thing makes the spell more interesting. Let's say that my opponent play Ashes to Ashes, even if there are two targets, you may copy the effect. The opponent will have to make serious decisions about the targetting spells he plays first. That's the part I like about flagbearers. You have no choice, but to target them if you can. But making it work more than once would probably be too powerful, so I put the first spell of efect restriction.

[JAG]

Cardname
1UW
Creature - Wizard Flagbearer
During each player's turn, the first spell or ability an opponents play that could target cardname do so. You may add a copy of that spell or ability on the stack.
1/3

The basic idea is to have a wizard that can collect the energy of a spell played or ability against him. But by doing so, nobody would target it, because wizards are not known for their muscles. So by making him a partial flagbearer, the problem is solved. The colors used are self explanatory.

Cardname
1UW
Creature - Wizard Flagbearer
During each player's turn, the first spell or ability an opponents play that could target cardname do so. You may add a copy of that spell or ability on the stack.
1/3

Changes:

Ok, to start off, you would have to word the Flagbearer ability the way it's listed on Magnetic Magician. 

Second, I think you mean "You may put a copy of that spell or ability on the stack. You may choose new targets for the copy."  The way you have it, the Fork ability will almost always do nothing, since you can't retarget.  As much as someone may want to Reckless Spite the same two creatures twice, I don't think that's really what you're going for.

-JM

[Jacques]

It also needs to say instant, sorcery, or ability that could target it.  Or just copy it if it is an instant or sorcery.

[asmoranomardicodais]

I would also lower its toughness, so that a shock could kill it. This is a very powerful ability, since your wasting one of their cards (worst case: shock, best case: searing wind) and them gaining that card to use on them. Plus you have a creature. That's pretty powerful, and I feel you should only get it once from the creature.

Also, here's another idea: Let it be played as an instant. That way, you can catch them playing something, and force them to change the target to your wizard. If you did that though, it should probably cost 4cc

[Ephraim]

This suggestion is functionally a little bit different, but I think it would be more interesting and a little bit less broken. I have also templated it as closely as possible to the way I think this would actually be printed. Yes, it is ridiculously ugly, but the flagbearer ability is very grotesquely worded. Causing it only to affect the first spell each opponent plays makes it a templating nightmare.

The second ability I've given it is different from what you had, which only affected spells that the creature attracted with its ability. I figured this is a little bit more interesting, but also tacks on a cost to make it a little bit more difficult to play.

Whenever an opponent plays a spell or ability that could target ~this~ for the first time each turn, if that spell or ability does not target ~this~, that spell or ability's controller changes one of its targets to ~this~.
Whenever ~this~ becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may pay . If you do, copy that spell or ability spell or ability. You may choose new targets for that spell or ability.

[Guardian]

Ephraim, the wording you propose is indeed awful (from an aestetic point of view), but it is indeed what I intended to do. If I do tack an activation cost, I believe I could lower the CC to UW though. In both cases, the ability may be used on turn 3, but the mana investment makes it less powerful. And I believe we should stick to sorceries, instants and abilities, because it becomes a nightmare with enchant creatures. And I want to be able to copy sorceries too, so I'll add a little something.

Asmoranomardicodais, your point is taken for the toughness.

[JAG]

btw, just proofreading the new version, and you don't have to say "play this ability when you could play an instant" since it's a triggered ability and you "play" it whenever it triggers.  I think there's also an extra "spell or ability" in there.  And, finally, for wordiness, you can simply say "You may choose new targets for the copy."  It's a bit annoying to have to keep saying "spell or ability" so we should cut it whereever we can.

guess this one wouldn't be getting flavor text, hmm?

-JM

[Guardian]

Anybody has an idea for the name? I suck at that unless I create a card from a name.

And besides, the name, anything need to be changed?

[JAG]

one last change:  Shouldn't this have a "race" creature type?  I vote something that's not human, but as for what that is...maybe Penguin?

hmm, a cardname...first try, "Banner Mage"?  I don't really like that one, but trying to capture the flagbearer-thing in the name and then the wizard part...

What kind of magic is "forking" exactly?  Do we know? 

Something like "Pennant Mage" is all i can think of at this hour.

-JM

[Guardian]

Is it absolutely necessary to have a race for this guy?

For the name, would "Runic something" work? I was playing Final Fantasy VI and Celes has the Runic ability where she absopbs an enemy spell to gain MP. I think it would fit the card nicely.

[JAG]

it is now current convention for all non-artifact creatures to have a race.  After all, what non-artifact creatures are there that aren't part of any species?

The problem with the name is that it should include some reference to a flag (hence the flagbearer creature type and ability) and some kind of wizard-like title.  I'm not sure 2 adjectives (flagbearer + runic) will work for the name.  We can always try it to see how it looks, but I'm a bit skeptical of having 2 descriptive words in the name.

-JM

[Ephraim]

He really shouldn't have the flagbearer type. He has an ability that is similar to, but not identical to the real flagbearer ability. Since the game could become confusing if you controlled another flagbearer (one that had the real ability) and this creature, if it had the flagbearer type, I suggest some other type. This is a "clever" ability, so "Fox Wizard" mighy be appropriate types to go along with a name like "Runic Herald." or "Runic Defensor."

[Guardian]

Ephraim, your name suggestions are rock solid. I'll choose Runic Herald as it I like the messenger stuff.

And if nobody has something to add, I'll start the 24h clock.

[Matt]

Once a card has a name, you should turn all the "~this~" in the text into that name.

[Guardian]

Oops... Changes made.

24h clock.

[Matt]

Is there no way to simplify this wording? It might not even fit in the text box. What if it automatically copied the spell - sure we'd have to boost the mana cost but it would shorten the wording significantly.

[Guardian]

Does the new proposed wording make sense?

[Matt]

Almost, you've got the grammar wrong. It would have to be:

Whenever an opponent plays an instant or sorcery spell or ability that could target Runic Herald for the first time each turn, if that spell or ability does not target Runic Herald, that spell or ability's controller changes one of its targets to Runic Herald and copies that spell or ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.

But, why does this only work the first time each turn? You could cut that clause off pretty easily, and it wouldn't change much, because most targeted instants, sorceries, and abilities are going to kill this guy.

[Guardian]

I want the once clause because I don't like the possibility of making it indestructible and screw all the opponent's spells.

[JAG]

i thought the point of it was that it screwed the opponent's spells.  I don't mind at all that it could seriously screw the opponent if you made it indestructible.  This guy is not a one-time Fork magnet.  He's quite a bit cooler with the possibility that they'd have to worry about his ability constantly while he's in play.

also, the way you have it worded currently, the opponent would control the copy but you would choose the targets.  Rather strange.

-JM

[Jacob Orlove]

You want this wording:

Whenever an opponent plays an instant or sorcery spell or ability that could target Runic Herald for the first time each turn, if that spell or ability does not target Runic Herald, that spell or ability's controller changes one of its targets to Runic Herald.  Put a copy of that spell or ability on the stack. You may choose new targets for the copy.

[Matt]

Jacob: I thought about that, but I don't think we need to mention the stack. Twincast doesn't.

[Jacob Orlove]

Whoa, you're right. Just do "Copy that spell or ability. You may choose new targets for the copy."

[Guardian]

Hopefully, the last changes are made.

24h clock

[Matt]

Closed and added.[/color]