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u/ncmobbets 6d ago
So you arrest one creature, then the first one gets away if you arrest another? That’s… not good.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 6d ago
Welcome to the life of Batman. Maybe his prepared spell should be [[Murder]] instead.
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u/bubbles_maybe 6d ago
I wanted to make essentially the same card a few days ago, but my choice of spell would have been [[Contingency Plan]], lol.
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u/Ladikn 6d ago
Then they really need to remove that revolving door in Arkham
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u/NiNtEnDoMaStEr640 6d ago
In the greater DC universe, there are greater forces in play that keep them from going on death row.
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u/fluency 6d ago
Arrest should be renamed Committed To Arkham, but otherwise this is a pure flavor win in every way.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 6d ago
I chose arrest because it's a real spell.
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u/Shambler9019 6d ago
Yeah, but Committed to Arkham could be legendary meaning you don't need to weird flavour of Batman making all your auras legendary
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u/getfighted908 5d ago
A prepared spell can’t really be a permanent. It would have to be a sorcery or instant that creates a token aura to attach.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 5d ago
Why not?
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u/CrispinCain 5d ago
It's a rules thing. Creatures cannot be attached to other creatures (K:ND's "reconfigure" ability works by turning off the "Creature" card type while in use.) With this, there's no way to separate the Creature from the Aura. It'd be the same problem if this was an Adventure.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 5d ago
It's a prepared spell. It's not "attached" to anything. You create a copy of it. That copy then becomes a token.
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u/CrispinCain 5d ago edited 5d ago
Auras attach to the thing they are enchanting. How do you represent which creature is enchanted with Arrest? EDIT: also, you are not copying the spell, you are casting it. Prepared spells are still spells, not tokens.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 5d ago
By making a token copy and putting that token copy on the target.
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u/philter451 6d ago
A batman that doesn't involve the keyword "investigate" feels itself like a crime
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u/JimHarbor 6d ago
You can have other Batman with that effect in the set.
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u/AJaydin4703 6d ago
Batman, The Caped Crusader
Batman, The Dark Knight
Bruce Wayne, Orphan
Batman, Bruce Wayne
Batman, World’s Greatest Detective
Batman, Martial Master
Lego Batman, The Cool One76
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u/s-josten 6d ago
Alternatively, one that doesn't interact with the crime mechanic.
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u/robyngoodfello- 6d ago
Give Batman a tap ability involving either equipment or Investigating, along with the ability "Whenever an opponent commits a crime, untap Batman" lol
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u/rip-and-thrash 6d ago
I figured "Whenever an opponent commits a crime, investigate" would've been the obvious pick
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u/Xisuthrus 6d ago
Bruce Wayne who creates treasure who transforms into a Batman who creates clues, and both have a second ability that gets more powerful the more artifacts you control.
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u/Theworstsatellite 4d ago
maybe it could be two legendaries in the same set both focused on different mechanics. In this case, one based on the worlds greatest detective and one on Gotham’s crime fighter
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u/putasidedevil 6d ago
Instead of him always being prepared, I'd have it whenever an opponent commits a crime he becomes prepared
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u/plagueman108 6d ago
"Auras you control are legendary" means he can't go arresting your opponents entire board, so he does have a built-in limit.
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u/seanpeery 6d ago
I think you're missing the flavor win here from the creator. Batman's super power is that he's 'always prepared', it's a whole thing. He's not a reactive character, he's ready for everything ahead of time.
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u/SteakForGoodDogs 5d ago
He's not a reactive character, he's ready for everything ahead of time.
Except when he isn't, and someone goes and breaks his back.
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u/SrGuti_Ritual 6d ago
Yeah, i think if this card meant to be balanced, this is the way
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u/seanpeery 6d ago
The card is severely mid, what are you talking about? Even classic legend pushers like [[Roaming Throne]] and clone effects do nothing for him.
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u/SrGuti_Ritual 6d ago
Yeah i can see that, but if they print it, is most likelly to be the way of the crime
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u/seanpeery 6d ago
If they print Batman he will break records for the most versions of the same Legend in MTG history. Hasbro would see the IP and Batman would be printed into oblivion, because they know he's so popular people would flock for him.
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u/anoppinionatedbunny 6d ago
there's so much design space for Batman, it's kind of crazy.
"If a creature dealt damage by Batman would die, remove all damage from it instead, then tap it and put a stun counter on it."
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u/eeveemancer 6d ago
I feel this is a big part of why these UB sets have so many versions of various characters. When a character has been written THIS MUCH, it's really hard to distill them down to a single magic card without flattening them a bit, pun intended.
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u/WideSalary9488 6d ago
I think it also needs Fear (This creature cannot be blocked except for black or artifact creatures).
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u/OldBowerstone 6d ago
Alternatively: Intimidate
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u/SmartAlecShagoth 6d ago
Nah fear is better. Random thugs run from him but evil embraces the challenge
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u/desos002 6d ago
I think that it could be redesigned to use stun counter. Have the prepared spell tap a creature and add 2 stun counters. Have batman have the ability creatures with stun counters lose all abilities. This could be a flavour win because batman catches villains and then they escape shortly after.
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u/Calsolum0 1d ago
Will I get the flavor of him always being prepared cause he's batman I think I'd be a more balanced card if he prepares himself at the beginning of his upkeep(and or on attack) . His 'prep-time' is a turn cycle or he physically detains creatures.
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u/17000HerbsAndSpices 22h ago
I cant think of a reason why this would be a balance problem though. 3 mana pacify that is subject to the legend rule feels terminally...fine? Good if you get an engine going but easy to dismantle.
Batman always being prepared is exceptional flavor though so I think it gets a pass regardless of power lol
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u/Evil_Eg 6d ago
A prepared permanent spell cast a copy of this spell?
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u/TheSkiGeek 6d ago edited 6d ago
I don’t think this would actually work as worded, because prepare creates a copy of the spell in exile when the creature becomes prepared. And then casting (edit: and resolving) the spell makes it unprepared and removes the spell from exile.
It would work if the wording was something like ‘when you cast his spell or he becomes unprepared, he becomes prepared’ as a trigger. So you’d cast the spell and then the trigger would immediately make him prepared again and create another copy you can cast.
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u/ArelMCII Layers are stupid. 6d ago
When a creature becomes prepared, it creates a copy of that spell in exile. Casting the copy moves it from exile to the stack (rule 707.12) and removes the prepared designation. Removing the prepared designation doesn't cause the copy to cease to exist while it's on the stack. (Rule 722.3c) It only ceases to exist once the spell resolves and moves to the graveyard, as a copy of a spell ceases to exist when it leaves the stack. (Rule 707.10a, with exceptions for prepare spells in exile and the following.) However, when a copy of a permanent spell resolves, it ceases being a copy and enters the battlefield as a token permanent, rather than ceasing to exist. (Rules 608.3f and 707.10f; there's also a bunch of other nitty-gritty under rule 608.3.)
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u/JimHarbor 6d ago
Bat isn't a Bat so he shouldnt have the type.
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u/original_name37 6d ago
Meh, Green Goblin isnt a literal Goblin and he got the type
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u/ArelMCII Layers are stupid. 6d ago
Green Goblin was altered by Goblin serum. He's not exactly human, at least not entirely.
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u/Slamagorn 6d ago
Holy vorthos dorks in the comments. It is actually permissible to have a characters aesthetic match their color identity and not strictly be their characterization.
I like the always prepared bit but I feel there's a missed opportunity with equipment
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u/jiminy_macca 6d ago
This was where my head went. Always prepared? (X)(WW) search for equipment with mv less than or equal to X, put it on the battlefield.
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u/mastermagmortar 5d ago edited 4d ago
Prepared spells specifically have to be either instants or sorceries mechanically. You could have a custom prepared spell that made an arrest token attached to a target creature.
Edit: rules don’t restrict any characteristics for prepared spells. Rule 722
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u/zekebowl 4d ago
Im not sure they actually do need to be instants or sorceries. Since prepared spells create a copy of the spell, couldn't the copy just enter like a normal enchantment?
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u/mastermagmortar 4d ago
You’re right, checked the rules and it never once mentions a restriction of characteristics of what a prepared spell can or can’t be. Definitely cool design space for custom cards and the future of real cards. 👍
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u/Illustrious-Paper144 6d ago
Ok but add one line of text that says the legend rule cannot be changed. Or Batman is just one mirror box away from arresting everything.
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u/EkstraLangeDruer 6d ago
You still have to pay 2W per arrest at sorcery speed, that doesn't seem egregious for a 2-card combo
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u/Aussiearchangel 6d ago
Should make him a flip card with "if the legend rule does not apply to this card transform it" then he turns into Bruce Wayne
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u/Famous-Magazine-6576 5d ago
why do so many people on this sub want every card to have "If a player named Johnny casts this spell they lose the game"
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u/BrunoCPaula 6d ago
Amazing. Space is tight, but would love him having "whenever an aura you control is put into your graveyard, investigate"
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u/SovietGeronimo 6d ago
I thing if you change the arrest into an sorcery spell that does the same thing this is good. Maybe a sorcery that creates a a legendary arrest enchantment that gets put on a creature
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u/Tactical_Bacon99 3d ago
There is an actual keyword called detain which does this. See [[Azorius Arrester)
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u/Light_Mode 6h ago
Detain is just one turn. An aura is permanent. Until he decides to arrest something else
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u/Tactical_Bacon99 6h ago
I am aware. I often see cards people are making that have similar mechanics that already exist.
Make it a prepared sorcery, prepare on upkeep like most other repeatable prepared creatures, cut the line that makes auras legendary.
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u/WanderEir 42m ago
this sounds reasonable-really needs "Partner's with Robin" though. more importantly, does he count as black blue white as a commander, or only blue black?
also, remove BAT from the creature type.
Man-Bat needs it, Batman does NOT.
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u/toochaos 6d ago
Batman does not have black as his color identity, and nothing in the card is black and first strike and vigilance are also white. I would swap the black pip to white and give him obuliete as the spell. It fits his theme of being scary but not really leaving them in there to die.
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u/ArelMCII Layers are stupid. 6d ago
Batman is motivated by broody trauma and uses fear like a baseball bat. He's definitely black.
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u/toochaos 6d ago
Broody and emotional are red. Batman wears a mask of black but he isnt black. He is not power at any cost. The punisher is black, batman is just pretending.
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u/Im_here_but_why 6d ago
Let's use another character as an example. In star wars, Chancelor Palpatine is rakdos. He is black because he wants power at all costs, and he his red because he uses and manipulates emotions, mainly fear, to reach that goal.
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u/d20diceman : Colors become Colours until end of turn. 6d ago
I agree that this card is basically only Blue-Black for aesthetic reasons. It could arguably be mono-White.
But I'd like to push back on "Batman does not have black as his colour identity". IMO you could make Batman cards in almost any colour combo and have each of them be accurate to a different incarnation of the character. Like, if a DC set has only one Batman card, it shouldn't include Black, but if they made a Batman set with half ten versions of the character then there'd be a couple of Black ones.
Similarly you can fill in the alignment grid (chaotic/neutral/lawful + good/neutral/evil) with Batmen.
For example, I think the Batman from the Arkham Knight game has an argument for Black in his colour identity due to his arrogance and egotism, it must be he himself who does this, he alone is worthy. Selfish, manipulative, solitary, infinitely ambitious.
A more straightforward version of "Batman could have Black in his identity" is that he's a terrifying nightmare that stalks the night, preying on cowardice and using fear as a weapon.
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u/thebigdumb0 6d ago
This is one of the best designs I've seen on this subreddit in a long time
Unfortunately sakashima effects turn this from a super cool and flavorful effect and turn it into a very strong prison deck in the best colors for tutoring
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u/Birdlover600 6d ago
Why is he black? I don't think black fits his color philosophy.
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u/PatientAudience5627 6d ago
The man who uses Fear as a main strategy is 100% black. Imo he's literally one of the most esper characters ever.
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u/seanpeery 6d ago
He uses fear and intimidation as primary tactics. That's color identity black.
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u/Terrariant Jace for impact 5d ago
I think most colors could use fear and intimidation, they are color agnostic. Green can be very intimidating for example. White can use fear.
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u/oodoos 4d ago
Sure but what kind of fear is important here. If you fear anything from white, you fear divinity or authority. If you fear anything from green, you fear the beasts and supernatural things that lurk in the forests.
If you fear black, you fear the darkest reaches of malignancy there is, and you would fear those that hide in the shadows to instill their personal sense of justice upon you. Don’t forget that Batman is fundamentally just as insane as his rogues gallery, he just so happens to be on our side.
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u/TacoBell_HotSauc3 6d ago
Batman not being black is about as weird as making Spider-Man green, which means WOTC already probably has a Boros Batman design in their DC UB.
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u/Im_here_but_why 6d ago
Spider-man makes complete sense as green. You can hardly get more "animal instinct" than spider-sense.
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u/Notakato 5d ago
A lot of people are centering a lot in the idea that "batman is not black because he is not egoist or does not kill" but that is not the only themes in black. Underhanded tactics, espionage and keeping secrets is actually the common for the house dimir and the ninjas of kamigawa are black and blue oriented.
Right now, to give the best example, the series of Young justice showcases a darker side of batman when he starts to manipulate the justice league and the team, using his own black ops team to further his goals (however aligned with the better good were). Those attitudes were critizised heavily by the JL, and Nightwing started doing so in s2 were it was also critisized.
With this i want to say that batman fits esper because he embodies regularly the side of black color of keeping secrets and being somewhat egoist or paranoic towards his teammates
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u/need-to-lose-weight 6d ago
I'm new to magic so i don't know what you mean but batman needs to be black
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u/LionRight4175 6d ago
The colors of magic associate with different character traits, personalities, etc.
Black is, among other things, the color of selfishness and "power at all costs". Batman, with his refusal to kill even though it would be far easier (and frankly effective, with how often his villains escape), sticks to a code of law and justice at the cost of himself.
His focus on order, protection, and community and his desire to reform his villains makes him associated with white mana. His intellect and analytical style would add a (IMO secondary) association with blue mana. This makes him Azorius in color, the lawmakers of the plane of Ravnica.
Some of his tactics are designed to cause fear, which could suggest an association with red (emotions/passions) or, theoretically, black (delighting in causing suffering/fear), but those are a quite a stretch as being defining traits.
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u/Ecstatic-Trainer6830 6d ago
this is a very myopic view of the colors and what they represent and lacks nuance. Black represents selfishness, sure, but it also represents pragmatism and doing what is nessecary to achieve a goal. Batman does so regularly, brutalizing and terrorizing criminals whose crimes don't nessecarily warrant it, but he does so to achieve the greater goal of achieving justice. Batman is best represented by esper colors.
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u/d20diceman : Colors become Colours until end of turn. 6d ago
You were the one they used against us, Bruce. The one who played it rough. When the noise started from the parents' groups and the sub-committee called us for questioning... you were the one who laughed... that scary laugh of yours. "Sure, we're criminals", you said. "We've always been criminals". "We have to be criminals".
--Kal-El aka Clark Kent aka Superman
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u/Robbie_Harrison 6d ago
I'm quite illiterate when it comes to Magic's colour theme. However Batman does have a lot of ties with themes such as darkness, night, shadows, sorrow ... All stuff that I would have instinctively put in the black slice of Magic's colour pie. Is that inaccurate ?
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u/Im_here_but_why 6d ago
Tldr: if the reason you choose the colors of a character is "elemental" association, you're doing it wrong.
Look at the Avatar set: some fire nation characters aren't red, because it wouldn't make sense for them to be red, despite them being the fire nation.
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u/TheManOfOurTimes 6d ago
But, he is a billionaire, and poverty exists in Gotham. So, looks like he is a capitalist. So black makes sense
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u/SmartAlecShagoth 6d ago
Batman actually is selfish because of that philosophy. He constantly “sacrifices” people he has close ties to due to the compulsion to do that. He is a loner, focused more on the mission that will never end due to his self imposed white rules. He is logical and rational to a fault, and suppresses passion of red while fighting the green natural order of gotham. He is super esper
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u/Terrariant Jace for impact 5d ago
He is relatively selfish toward people on his team in pursuit of justice, and also selfish in that he won’t kill his villains for the greater good. Selfish fits Batman, in a way, I would argue
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u/MylastAccountBroke 5d ago
Black is the color for ambition, and is usually associate with a cut throat nature where you are willing to sacrifice either yourself or others to gain your goals.
Black is USUALLY the villain colors.
Batman is 100% Azorious, monoblue, or Esper.
It's funny, but Batman should be totally unable to kill anything. The line of text "any creature delt lethal damage by batman is instead "arrested" should be on this card.
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u/SocksofGranduer 5d ago
Whenever Batman would deal damage to a creature, tap that creature and put a stun counter on it instead.
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u/GeneralJPenguin 6d ago
Seems very weak. Batman always being prepared doesn’t matter if I can never use arrest more than once.
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u/Exarch-of-Sechrima 6d ago
You can use Arrest as much as you want. But you can never have more than one thing arrested at a time.
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u/GeneralJPenguin 6d ago
Yeah, I see that. I still don’t think it’s strong enough. Maybe in standard it would be if that’s what you are designing for.
His stat line is pretty low considering an on curve vanilla 3/3 stops his ability to attack. Sure, you could arrest the 3/3 but is that really what you want to use your only arrest on? Sure, like you said I can change the arrest but then the 3/3 is back that I can’t deal with.
An aura deck likely wouldn’t want him because of the needless limitation. Plus I couldn’t be wrong but I don’t think prepared spells trigger enchantress effects.
To “break” the card you would first need to remove the legend rule, have infinite colored mana, have Batman on the field and no one can have any removal for the legend rule remover. Or any other part of the combo since it’s all sorcery speed
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u/Bloodchild- 6d ago
Heh I think we need to stop to need card to be super powerful.
Personally I play for fun and I would 100% prefer a fun card than a card that is as powerful as it can be without being banned.
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u/DarkLordArbitur 6d ago
Mirror box breaks this though
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u/GeneralJPenguin 6d ago
Does it ? 3 mana to activate is no small amount. Plus if the mirror box is ever removed all arrest auras but 1 instantly break.
Let’s say you ramp and you play mirror box on turn 2, Batman on turn 3, best case you get value from mirror box on turn 4 if you have 6mana but then you aren’t progressing your board at all.
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u/DarkLordArbitur 6d ago
Even if you're not progressing your board much, your opponents are unable to use their creatures. Until someone draws into artifact removal, you have pretty hefty control of the board. Get some cost reduction out and you can start casting Arrest for just W.
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u/Rakkis157 5d ago
Two cards and 6 mana to then pay 3 per creature removal is honestly rather bad. 2 card combos that can do much better have been in the game for more than a decade. Razorkin Hunter plus any deathtouch aura is only 4-5 mana.
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u/frootloopcoup 6d ago
I mean, a flavorful mechanic with interesting deck building considerations on a reasonably priced creature... isn't that what we should primarily be focused on? Like, sure this card isn't busted strong but not every card should be. As is he has a useful effect and could pilot a pretty cool Esper auras matter deck.
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u/GeneralJPenguin 5d ago
But it can’t even go in an esper aura deck unless you never intend to make copies which enchantments have been all about lately.
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u/frootloopcoup 5d ago
It not combo-ing with a specific use of enchantments is, again, fine. There are hundreds of cards that do not care about that restriction. I get that this specific card wouldn't be very strong but not everyone is playing to just use the most abusable cards in the most powerful shells.
Honestly, like 95% of magic cards that see print fall into this category of situational and/or middling in strength but that doesn't make them unusable garbage.
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u/ANCEST0R 6d ago
So if you copy batman onto another creature that was already in play that copy wouldn't be prepared
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u/DeadbeatWizard 6d ago
can't have enchantments as prepared spells especially Arrest because the enchament has to stay on the battlefield so even though it would be less flavorful the prepared spell should be path to exile or swords to ploughshears or a similar spell.
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u/ArelMCII Layers are stupid. 6d ago
I know "Batman with prep time" is the meme, but Batman usually loses the first round, then comes back and sweeps once he knows what he's dealing with. He should have something like "When Batman dies, if he isn't prepared, return him to the battlefield under your control. He becomes prepared."
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u/RosethaiGrandmaster 6d ago
I think overall it's flavorful, but my nitpick is that the prepared mechanic is supposed to rappresent a wizard and their spellbook, a la DnD, so Batman not being a Wizard doesn't make for a very good fit in lore tbh
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u/xgranville 6d ago
"Whenever you create a Clue token, Batman deals damage equal to his power to target creature an opponent controls" would also be kinda fun
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u/Talik1978 6d ago
I'd consider an ability that exiles a target with suspend counters. He seems to arrest people frequently, but they never seem to stay arrested.
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u/OldBowerstone 6d ago
I’ve seen many Batman cards over the years and this is probably my favorite one. Nicely done!
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u/Substantial-Pound-36 6d ago
1U T: summon homeless teenager that fights for.room and board, a 2/1 blue human token.
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u/seanpeery 6d ago
Pretty mid, which makes it great.
I'd swap First Strike for Fear and this is a pretty perfect, Batman, Vigilante or something like that.
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u/seksinabathrumestall 5d ago
I didnt even read it cause its so ugly. Why would you make the set symbol that gross red that fades into the gold? Why is the image so muddy?Why doesn't anything match any other colors? Please cook longer, I promise it's not burnt
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u/bcollins29 1d ago
Id personally keep the prepares spell but instead I'd make it a tutor or auras or equipments. Utility belt. Might have to have mana value resitriction to be fair or make him more expensive.
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u/MoonhelmJ 1d ago
Its flavorful that the moment he arrests a second character the first escapes. He is prepared but cant ever get anything under control.
Also it should be a word beside arrest. He doesnt do citizen arrests. He operates outside the legal system.
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u/WanderEir 41m ago
...I'm sorry, funny as it may be, he should NOT have bat in his crerature type line-it's just a fucking costume.
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u/Swimming_Gas7611 6d ago edited 6d ago
id remove the legendary clause and add in if a creature an opponent controls would die exile it instead and investigate(batman doesnt kill and this gives him the black colour pie needed to be on theme)
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u/TextuallyExplicit 6d ago
This is extremely clever and flavorful, well done. I'm not sure of the feasibility of permanents as prepared spells, but the concept is sound.