Tireless Infantry (Formerly White Uncommon Blocker)

[Anusien]

I was looking at the Skeleton with the "Must block each turn if able" and I had an interesting idea.  What if we revoked the "if able"?

[Midrange White Uncommon] - 1WW
Creature - CreatureType
This can block as though it were untapped even while tapped
This must block each turn if able.
2/3

That wording is really awkward, but I feel like it's sort of an interesting card.

Current Version:

Tireless Infantry - 1WW
Creature - Human Soldier
As long as Tireless Infantry is tapped, it can block as though it were untapped.
This must block each turn if able.
Always back before dawn.
2/3

[parallax]

This is cool.

"~This~ can block as though it were untapped." should be sufficient, but it is slightly unclear. Would simply "Vigilance" be enough, or do you want to prevent him from being granted a tap ability a la Hermetic Study or Ocular Halo?

[Anusien]

I want this to be able to block no matter what.

[andrewpate]

The templating most consistent with other cards that I can think of (considering Masako the Humorless, Sword of the Paruns, Giant Tortoise, etc.) would be:

"As long as ~this~ is tapped, it can block as though it were untapped."

[Matt]

Do you think we could get away with "~this~ can block while tapped"? So simple, it's just GOT to work!

[Anusien]

I'm wary of saying "it can block while tapped" without specifying that it can only block shit it could block while untapped, since otherwise it causes some serious confusion.

[parallax]

I think andrewpate's suggestion is the best. It still feels a little redundant, but it is very clear and concise.

As long as ~this~ is tapped, it may block as though it were untapped.

[Anusien]

Yeah, that's what I figured to but I wanted to wait a little bit before changing it.
I changed it.

So, looking for flavor.  If possible, I'd like to avoid something boring, like Humans, or Soldiers.  I really like the Leonin, but I'm not sure that fits the flavor of the card.  What about a Nomad of some sort?  Nomad Sentry?

[Mindstab_Thrull]

Flavourwise, then, for creature type you'd want something that was omnipresent - like a spirit or a ghost. Something that's always around. And as 'overused' as it might seem, I think Spirit or something like it is probably your best choice.

[Harlequin]

Alternately you could have it an activated abiltiy like:

:Put ~ into combat blocking target attacking creature (that is attacking you?), use this ability only once each turn, only durring the declare blockers step, and only if ~ is not already in combat.

The "not already in combat" part takes care of this card blocking multiple creatures.  It leaves crazy things open for multiplayer as well, unless we want to restrict it to only your turn.  It also get very very interesting if you tack on "this creature blocks each turn if able"  because you would actually have to attempt to block your own creatures if you haven't declared ~ as an attacker.

Just a thought.

[Anusien]

I'm not sure the rules can force you to play an activated ability.  As interesting as that card is, I'm not sure it's worth the layers and layers of complexity that it adds to the card.  Might be worth a spin-off though.

[Mindstab_Thrull]

Harlequin: Try wording like this

: ~ blocks target attacking creature. Play this ability only once each combat, only during the declare blockers step, and only if ~ is not in combat.

[parallax]

Harlequin, that's an interesting but wholly different card.

I think the current wording on Anusien's card is perfect. Now all it needs is a name.

[Anusien]

Nomads are a tribe I'd love to explore, but I can understand it not fitting the flavor.  Does Spirit make sense, or is there another good tribe?

By the way, to start on a name, adjectives like Vigilant, Eternal, Ready all help fit.

[Anusien]

Anyone got help with a name?

[Varl]

Anyone got help with a name?

White Rhino.

[Nazdakka]

Roving Guardian/Eternal Guardian

Flavour text to the effect that wherever this guy goes, he still protects his homeland.

(editted in 'Eternal Guardian')

[Matt]

I like White Rhino. It's too plain but it catches me anyway,

[Anusien]

It's cute, but I'm not sure it matches the ability.  If we don't use it, we definitely need a rhino card, since we're almost at a tribe (2 rhino cards).  Plus, Rhinos aren't white, even if you spraypaint them.

[andrewpate]

Plus, Rhinos aren't white, even if you spraypaint them.

http://www.rhinos-irf.org/rhinoinformation/whiterhino/index.htm

[Liam-K]

White Rhinoceros: From the Afrikaans word describing its mouth: weit, meaning "wide"; early English settlers in South Africa misinterpreted the "weit" for "white".

Still not white.

[Anusien]

Plus, Rhinos aren't white, even if you spraypaint them.

[parallax]

I think White Rhino is a great name for some other card.

This card in particular doesn't feel like a Rhino. And Rhinos in general don't feel very white. Rhinos are green.

This card is all about combat, so I think a militaristic flavor is best. You could go with an adjective-noun pair: Stalwart Troops, Stout Guard, Ever-ready Infantry, whatever-the-white-nation-for-this-block-is Soldier. Or maybe this could be cavalry? That would explain why it could go attack, but still get back in time to defend against the counter-attack. Or it could be sneaky, like a Guerilla.

determined
Synonyms:   active, eager, energetic, enthusiastic, grind, hard-working*, hyper*, incessant, indefatigable, industrious, jumping, perky, persevering, resolute, steadfast, strenuous, unflagging, untiring, unwearied, unwearying, vigorous

Unflagging Infantry? Tireless Soldiers? Vigorous Cavalry?

[Matt]

ALBINO RHINO, it even rhymes!

[Godder]

White has elephants, so maybe that would be a more appropriate creature type. Also there is actually such a thing as a White Rhino.

Incidentally, albino doesn't rhyme with rhino in English, only in American .

[andrewpate]

Well, it's still a sight rhyme, with which William Blake would be perfectly comfortable.

Elephants typically have trample or some other means of representing their crushing power (e.g., Rogue Elephant).  They are a cool and flavorful creature type, but I don't see them being any better than rhinos for this card in terms of addressing what parallax pointed out, namely that the card doesn't seem like a large mammal.  It's more like a soldier of some kind.

You could attempt some sort of flavor where it can actually fight while asleep.  Like some kind of shaman that astral projects while dreaming.  It would rely a lot on the artwork, I think, but the right flavor text could help make the concept clear.  Just a thought.

[Anusien]

Clock?

[Negator131]

Is the interaction with stuff like Psionic Gift too outside the flavor of this card to just give it Vigilance and say "~This~ must block if able" rather than avoiding the rules hazard with a 'If ~This~ is tapped, it may block as though it were untapped' wording?

[zeus-online]

There are currently only 2 rhino's in all of magic, and both are Green, so i'd have to assume that rhino's in magic are "Green" (as in part of the color green in magic) regardless of the color (as in actualy color on the animal) they have in the real world.

/Zeus

[Matt]

Don't forget Ebony Rhino!