Tender of Mysteries

[Ephraim]

Tender of Mysteries
4U
Creature -- Sphinx
3/5

As long as you control a Cleric, a Shaman, and a Wizard, whenever Tender of Mysteries deals combat damage to a player, draw that many cards.

***

Current Wording:

Tender of Mysteries
4U
Creature -- Sphinx
3/5

Flying
As long as you control a Cleric, a Shaman, and a Wizard, whenever Tender of Mysteries deals combat damage to a player, draw that many cards.

***

I wanted to create a Sphinx and I was pretty sure that I wanted it to have a Curiosity-like ability.  I considered using the Pack mechanic that I created, but I've realized since then that I don't altogether like mechanics that encourage decks composed entirely of one creature type.  Particularly since there are few sphinxes, I wasn't crazy about that idea.  Tonight, I hit upon this idea.  In my opinion, Clerics, shamans, and wizards represent the three most noteworthy varieties of magic-wielding creatures, but they seldom appear together in the same colour.  I thought that it would be an interesting variant of the general Pack concept to require certain creatures to be in play for a benefit to evolve.  Rather than make it arbitrary, though, I chose those three creature types because they feel like a "complete" roster, to me.

For those interested, maybe we could create some other creatures that key off controlling Hounds and Cats, Soldiers, Warriors, and/or Samurai, and/or Knights, or Humans, Elves, and Dwarves.

[Titanium Dragon]

Is there some reason this sphinx doesn't fly? Almost all Magic sphinxes seem to have wings and the flying ability.

Also, this is really weak. Needing four creatures in play is an awful lot and the payoff isn't amazing considering the bother. I'd cut it down to two types so it is more reasonable to achieve.

[Ephraim]

Is there some reason this sphinx doesn't fly? Almost all Magic sphinxes seem to have wings and the flying ability.

Also, this is really weak. Needing four creatures in play is an awful lot and the payoff isn't amazing considering the bother. I'd cut it down to two types so it is more reasonable to achieve.

It was supposed to fly.  Thank you for pointing out that I had missed that.

As for the ability, which two creature types do you think are most representative of this ability?  Picking only two of the three that I started with makes the card feel lees complete and, by extension, more arbitrary.  If nothing else, giving it flying, as I intended, will make it a decent creature in limited, even without the curiosity ability.  The curiosity ability then, however weak it might be, will make this card a "build around me," which isn't so terrible.

[Jaynel]

I think it would be cool if the Sphinx gained attributes by being in the presence of diiferent creature types, not necessarily all 3 at the same time. Controlling a Wizard would give it Curiosity, controlling a Dwarf would give it first strike (or something), etc.

[Ephraim]

I think it would be cool if the Sphinx gained attributes by being in the presence of diiferent creature types, not necessarily all 3 at the same time. Controlling a Wizard would give it Curiosity, controlling a Dwarf would give it first strike (or something), etc.

Which creature types should I use, though? Again, I specifically picked clerics, shamans, and wizards because to me, they don't feel arbitrary.  Because they're all magic-user creature types, it wouldn't make much sense to give the Sphinx any pure combat abilities.  If wizards grant a curiosity ability, clerics could grant Absorb 1, but that still leaves shamans.  What should they grant?

I'll consider the idea, but I think that it would be pretty tricky finding the "right" three abilities to grant, plus it makes the card considerably more complicated.  I kind of like it being a simple, flavourful card.  The ability is weak in the big picture, but would be powerful if you had a deck optimized to abuse it, which is fun, in my opinion.