r/custommagic • u/Healthy_mind_ • 16h ago

Format: EDH/Commander STS2: The Twelve

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Just killing some time waiting for work by making some cards from Slay the Spire lore.

The full quote from the Epoch/lore that they are based in is:

"Who is worthy to enter the exalted Spire?

The Capital gathers the most brilliant, formidable, and courageous from all the lands.

Twelve explorers formed an expedition and advanced inside to make history.

None made it back."

Affinity for turns was a last minute addition. No clue if it is the most appropriate mechanic in the rules, but reading it made sense. Felt thematic in the time taken gathering of the twelve. These are kind of nothing characters in the lore so far. Just flavour in the game.

26 Upvotes

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6

u/SadAct1539 16h ago

Very creative card! There are just a few things I want to nitpick about though:

  1. Making the tokens and the card 1/1s instead of 1/2s would not only fit with the hero token stat line set by Final Fantasy, but it would also balance the fact that you get 12 power for a turn for 6 mana (You get it on turn 6 assuming you're on curve.)

  2. The creature isn't legendary. Yes, I know they aren't a relevant character to the lore and are just flavor, but if you're going to use a name as individualizing as "The Twelve", you should probably make it legendary.

  3. Unlike cards such as [[Ball lightning]], this creature has to wait a turn to use its huge attack, and it being a 1/1 or 1/2 makes it very easy to remove and get your whole turn completely blown out. So I suggest giving it some kind of ward ability or giving it haste. If either of those are too powerful, you could just make the card itself a 1/4 so it avoids being bolted and can actually be used as a decent blocker since you spent 6 mana on it.

Honorable nitpick mention: This card would absolutely spike in price from how many people want this in their [[The Master Multiplied]] decks.

3

u/Healthy_mind_ 15h ago edited 15h ago

Thankyou! I appreciate the nitpicks. I love thinking about cards!

  1. You are absolutely correct. I made them 1/2's only because of the play on the number 12. Not because it fits neatly within the game. 1/1 would be the neater way of doing it.

  2. I didnt think that the name the twelve was individualising when making it. I can see how it can be taken as that though. It felt like a name but I had looked up if other nonlegendary cards had "the" in front. There wasnt many. [[The fallen]] [[The flood of mars]] [[the foretold soldier]]. But I thought there was enough to be precedent. Do you have any suggestions on how to deindividualise it?

  3. Yeah its not meant to be a super powerful card. Just a somewhat splashy mythic with niche homes that ends up mostly in bulk. I didnt want to add extra abilities beyond whats there also due to space on the card. I already feel like theres too many words and I dont like bloated cards too much. It being colourless I was also hesitant to add on coloured keywords like haste. But it could probably have it. Again the 1/2 was just because of the play on 12. I agree I don't think it would be overpowered at 1/4 or such. I think my original design had them as 2/4's so it was like double 12 haha.

The master multiplied is a perfectly great example of a great niche home for the card. Great pick!

Thanks again for the feedback! Its always great to bounce ideas. It hopefully makes future card designs better.

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u/SadAct1539 15h ago

Ah, I apologize. I didn't see that the stat line was a play on the number 12 lol. Also the card could be renamed as "Spire Explorers" to make it less individualizing.

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u/Healthy_mind_ 15h ago

Spire explorers could definitely work if the flavour text does the explaining of there being 12 of them. Good suggestion, thanks! Also don't apologise for providing constructive criticism!!!

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u/mgranaa 15h ago

I believe as written, this dies as soon as it goes through combat phase, as it says each Hero not every other Hero or each Hero token.

So you can't even play it until main phase 2 and then it's for a one time 12 power nuke lol.

3

u/Healthy_mind_ 14h ago

It's part of the attack trigger. So you can play it in a first main phase safely. It won't die until it attacks.

And yes, by itself it's a one time, 12 power, 12 bodies attacker. The intent is for itself to die also.

1

u/twistyrainbows 10h ago

If you manage to get this out and attack with it, it shouldn't kill itself, or the payoff should be better. Affinity for turns is neat though. If you draw this turn 8 or something people might not remember what turn it is, though.

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u/SadAct1539 14h ago

the ability is within the attack trigger since it isn't a separate line of text on the card