RB x spell

M4ks · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

I've recently had an idea for a burn spell in a post Ravnica environment and thought to share the idea to get some feedback and ideas.

Here it is:

Death Flame
XRRR

Spend only black mana on X.

Death Flame deals damage to target creature or player equal to 2 times X.

I personally believe the drawback is heavy enough to ensure that the card isn't broken and at the same time the lack of dual lands in post ravnica t2 format will make sure that people don't "cheat" the color requirements. I am in fact aware of the presence of urborg, however decks that are able to get 3 red up will have trouble either drawing the urborgs, or finding discard outlets if they were to include all 4 copies in hopes of hitting one naturally.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated

Spyx · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 680

That's a nice card you made. it's pretty balanced as well.

ebbitten · Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 26

Very balanced, although i'm not sure which deck would really want to mess with its mana base enough to get a slightly better blaze.

GoodFella · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 18

make it that it gains life for each point of damagae dealt and reduce to XRR and you got yourself a descent and playable card so it reads:

Consuming Flame XRR
Sorcery
Spend only black mana on X.
Consuming flame deals 2 times x damage to target creature or player and you gain 2 times x life.

jared · Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 12

it's balanced enough until i play urborg...

GoodFella · Joined: 03 Sep 2006 Posts: 18

And we all kno how busted 2 card combos that need comitment to two colours and need 6+ mana to drain 6-8 dmg are right jared?

M4ks · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

M4ks · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

GoodFella, didn't see you at the nats ptq? you're never around nowadays, you know andrew tink-a-kee won nats? wonder if he will stop working at 401 now.

Avata · Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 124

On the one hand, graven cairns still exists, so it's not *that* hard to swing the cost in a r/b deck by any means.

what balances it though, is the cost when it becomes a strong choice.

4 mana = 2 dmg for this, 3 for demonfire
5 mana = 4 dmg for this, 4 for demonfire
6 mana = 6 dmg for this, 5 for demonfire

So you're paying six mana before demonfire is the inferior choice, and even then, you're only doing six damage. I'd try something like this, perhaps:

Bad Drain Life Fireball

XRRR

Deal X damage to target creature or player. For each black mana spent to pay this spells cost, you gain one life and target opponent loses one life.

This gives the spell added functionality, in that you could pay BBBRRRRR to deal 5 damage and make the opponent lose three life, killing a creature or going for 8 to the dome, etc.

Otherwise, the only way to truly use this as a full strength X spell is
to have 3 red sources exactly, and the rest black.

Toshi · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 20

The first version was beautiful there was no reason to change it. Adding life game is just rediculous. The flavor of the card was captured perfectly the first time, and it IS playable.

M4ks · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

Thank you Toshi,

Looking over the replies, it seems to me the card would be unbelievably powerful if it did the same thing and drained life and I have no wish to nerf it in power just to add the funcionality of the life gain. The card was originally designed as a finisher and life gain does not particularly play well with the effect of winning the game. Furthermore the flavor of investing three red mana and additional black mana DOES go well with doing more damage than usual (red spell base with black magic fueling the dmg) however not so much with actually draining life (once more red spell base)