Pandora : Do Quests, Find Phat Lewt, and Level Up

I am taking a bit of a break on Ruin, my enemy color set, to work on a set focused around Level Up.

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MTG SET : Pandroa

Set Focus : Level-Up and other quest/adventure like mechanics.

COLOR PIE--

White : Order / Morality (Manners) | Peace / Law
Black : Selfishness Above all else / at the expence of others | Paranoia / Omnipotence (Unlimited power)
Blue : Logic / Technology | Omniscience (Know everything) / Intellect
Green : Instinct / Survival | Growth / Nature
Red : Chaos / Impulse | Freedom / Action

COLOR ROLES--

White : Aiding others, searching for ancient relics of their old Gods
Black : Getting ahead of everyone else, ruining other peoples progress, finding ancient weapons
Blue : Seeking knowledge for knowledge sake, they already know A LOT but keep to themselves to help preserve the knowledge
Green : Working together towards a common, seeking out ancient/lost areas and sanctuaries
Red : I find shinies, I make money! Fearless spelunkers

Story:

On the plane of Pandora, adventure can be found anywhere. From the top of the mountain range to the bottom of the sea; treasures of a long forgotten world are rich for the taking. Pandora was once the epicenter of the multiverse; a major trade hub for beings of all races, but, more importantly, Planeswalkers. But, one day that all stopped and all traces of their existence were lost to the earth. Some say a war ensued and threw the plane into chaos, others think that the Gods smithed them for unknown reasons, while others don't quiet care and just want to make a quick buck. Follow the adventure and assemble a team to brave this world as you Level-Up and find clues as to why the plane was abandoned all those years ago.

SET ONE: Pandora (250 TOTAL) (120 Common 70 Uncommon 50 Rare 10 Mythic)

SET TWO: UNNAMED (150 TOTAL) (60 Common 40 Uncommon 40 Rare 10 Mythic)

SET THREE: UNNAMED (200 TOTAL) (80 Common 55 Uncommon 40 Rare 25 Mythic)

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What do I want to do with this set? :

I want players to have a feel that they are going on an adventure, making allies, doing quests, slaying monsters, and getting phat lewt. I basically want this to have the same feel any MMORPG has. You start off small and work up to something bigger and better while learning from your scars along the way. I want the storyline to also follow that process. I want a rag-tag group of aspiring adventures to start off small doing simple tasks which actually turn into BIG quests. In the end, they all get what they want and unlock the secret to this plane.

What am I trying to avoid doing? :

Don't over complicate a card or ability. I want the cards to feel right while still remaining to the lore and flavor of the story. I won't do what Legends did with Orcs that can't block White creatures or Dwarves that can't be on the battlefield if an Orc is on your battlefield. That may break the story line if you run a deck with the bad guy and the good guys on your side, but I will leave that part of the story in the story and not force play to change to the story word for word.

I also do not want this to be seen as another Zendikar type set. While Zendikar has the same idea of people exploring the ruins of this mysterious world, it should be nothing like that. I am simply taking the Level-Up mechanic from Zen and making the entire block focus on feeling like you are leveling up by killing monsters, doing quests, and exploring the world.

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~Zuty

Need some help with this one ... So please give me feedback.

I want Quests to be a main part of this set alongside Level Up, but I don't know if I want to do what Zendikar did with quests or try something new.

So the way Zendikar quests work is basically this:

When ~SOMETHING HAPPENS~ put a quest counter on THIS.
A. Remove X counters from THIS and Sac THIS to do THIS.
B. As long as THIS has X or more counters THIS HAPPENS.

Pretty simple.

The way WoW quest card works is like this:

This card comes into play in your resource zone. (AKA. It's mana)
A. Pay X (and flip this over so you can't keep doing this) : DO THIS
B. IF THIS HAPPENS pay X (and flip this over so you can't keep doing this) : DO THIS

That's a bit different then the first example and it is doable in MTG, but you would need to put a cost on it and it obviously wouldn't be a mana source like quests in WoW.

Here is an example:

QUESTNAME
U
Enchantment - Quest
Quest U (To complete a quest pay its quest cost and then discard it.)
When you complete QUESTNAME draw two card.

So for U you drop this down and at anytime you can pop it to do what ever it says when you complete it.
I see the example this way: A two card draw at sorcery speed for 2 mana. Island, THIS, next turn you don't draw a land OH SHIT YOU ARE SCREWED, or wait I can tap my island and pop this for two new cards and hopefully grab a land.

So how does that look? To overpowered to underpowered?

~Zuty

For reference, here's Courier's Capsule:

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=174800

What's the difference between your quest templating and basic activated abilities that sacrifice the permanent. Like the above one.

Your example is quite overpowered. Notice Courier's Capsule does the same thing for an extra mana in the cost and in the activation

Slyphidine wrote:For reference, here's Courier's Capsule:

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=174800

What's the difference between your quest templating and basic activated abilities that sacrifice the permanent. Like the above one.

Your example is quite overpowered. Notice Courier's Capsule does the same thing for an extra mana in the cost and in the activation

Was mostly just tossing out an example, but I glanced at Counsel of the Soratami which for 3 draws 2 and it's common. So for 4 you get two with the capsule and for 3 you draw two. Of course, with the wording I had, you could finish the quest as an instant thus making it extremely better then both.

So what if it were worded like Level Up:

Quest X (To complete a quest pay X and discard it. You can complete quests only as a sorcery.)

Still, that just makes it a UU Sorcery to draw two, no draw backs ... Sign in Blood at least has a draw back on it for doing the same thing and still being two color costed (Night's Whisper does the same at 1B, but its an Uncommon while Sign in Blood is Common)

Maybe I should make it so Quests have a "Summoning Sickness" You can't really grab a quest and be like 'DONE.' as soon as you get it.

Quest X (To complete a quest pay X and discard it. You can complete quests only as a sorcery. You cannot complete a quest, unless it has been under your control since the previous turn.)

Or is that to much of an overkill?

~Zuty

I really think adding in the 'Useable only as a Sorcery' line makes it balanced enough. Giving it 'summoning sickness' only means I will be cutting the costs back on Quests and it causes to much confusion. Even if I made it so that they come into play tapped and you have to tap it as part of the cost, it just means people will be tapping and untapping their Quests which is more work and makes them bad.

~Zuty

I also forgot to bring this up, its a new keyword I call Terraform.

Terraform (When this creature would be put into a graveyard from the battlefield, instead tap it and it becomes a land that taps for one mana of its color.)




Additional Rules:

Spoiler:

~Zuty

Changed Quest to this:

(To complete a Quest pay it’s Quest cost and then discard it. Quests cannot be completed the turn they enter play.)

~Zuty

Terraform has some real terrible memory issues. how can anyone tell if it's still a creature or if it's a land? plus a LOT of your additional rules aren't really self-evident, especially the thing about changing the color changes the color of mana produced. that just doesn't jive with the rules.

i'd do something like this:

Terraform into Plains (If this permanent would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, search your library for a basic Plains card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle your library.)

OR (breaking new ground, no pun intended):

Terraform into Plains (If this permanent would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, put a Plains land token into play tapped. {It has "T: Add W to your mana pool."})

MidniteEffort wrote:Terraform into Plains (If this permanent would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, put a Plains land token into play tapped. {It has "T: Add W to your mana pool."})

I really like this one better. I don't want it to be that they search and grab a land when this dies, I want it to be that the giant red guy falls over and turns into a mountain. The only issue with MSE (there may be a way around this that I just don't know about) is that I can't do 'Terraform into {LANDNAME} (If this permanent would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, put a {LANDNAME} land token into play tapped. [i]{It has "T: Add {LANDCOLOR} to your mana pool.")

But that just means I will need to make five Terraform reminder texts. But your suggestion Steve is a lot better then the jumble I have, thanks.

Also, I changed Quest to this :

(To complete a Quest pay it’s Quest cost and then discard it. Quests cannot be completed the turn they enter play and they can only be completed as a Sorcery.)

That means you have to wait an entire turn to finish the quest and I can add cards that destroy quests, counter quests being finished, or Quicken the completion for you. I am going to try and use old OP abilities and make it balanced this way since you need to wait a turn to finish it (IE. Tinker 2U Sac an artifact. Quest 2UU - Search for an artifact and play it.)

So how does everyone like that? To good? To bad? To OP? To weak?

~Zuty

Zuty wrote:The only issue with MSE (there may be a way around this that I just don't know about) is that I can't do 'Terraform into {LANDNAME} (If this permanent would be put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, put a {LANDNAME} land token into play tapped. [i]{It has "T: Add {LANDCOLOR} to your mana pool.")

oh i'm sure you can do that kind of stuff. i'll fool around with it and see what i can do. i'll get back to you.

MidniteEffort wrote:oh i'm sure you can do that kind of stuff. i'll fool around with it and see what i can do. i'll get back to you.

Thanks man, I am sure there is a way you can do it.

~Zuty

for some reason, the parameter function isn't allowing me to add a variable mana symbol in the reminder text. i wouldn't worry about the reminder text "It has T: Add W to your pool"; everyone should know what a Plains does/is.

MidniteEffort wrote:for some reason, the parameter function isn't allowing me to add a variable mana symbol in the reminder text. i wouldn't worry about the reminder text "It has T: Add W to your pool"; everyone should know what a Plains does/is.

True, I would then just need to do Terraform {name}. Thanks tho.

~Zuty

Oh also, I went back over the set and changed a lot of stuff around and added new stuff. I just need to figure out what old mechanics I want to have. So far I have Quest and Terraform for new ones, I had to make a custom one for Level Up and Landfall, and I am thinking of using Buyback/Flashback/Kinship (since people work together to accomplish quests in the lore)

The set is all about going on quests, going into dungeons, fitting bosses to steal their treasure, joining forces with other allies to accomplish tasks, etc. Basically anything you do in WoW or any other RPG.

~Zuty

MSE came out with Leveler templates so I went back and edited a bunch of my shit. One thing I did change was a 6 card set of Mythic Rare Legends. Each costing two colored mana (BB, UU, WW, RR, GG, UR) with the same level up cost. At level 4 they each become a 'Hero'. I am currently writing the story behind each character, but imagine that when they hit the field that is when they just started off. At level 4, that is how powerful they will be by the end of the story.

Please rate and comment. Keep in mind that they are Mythic and Legendary and I want to keep the casting cost, level up cost, and the level all the same. So the only thing I am looking to change are P/T and maybe tone down their abilities or increase them. I want this cycle of cards to kick major ass. They are like a bar lower then a planeswalker.



Aspyn - Leader of Clan Mytheria. This courageous and self-centered elf will take on even the toughest task and try her hardest to complete it, even if that means she or others get hurt in the process. She is a quick thinker and very smart, but stubborn like a child.



Aster - Knight of Clan Mytheria. Aster is a very quiet and serious man. He witnessed his entire family be murdered before his eyes and then was forced to help his families murder or be killed himself. Aster plotted how he would take down his new master and when the right time came Aster single handedly took down his master and his entire organization. Aster is also the oldest in the clan and he takes offense to people calling him old, unless that person is a woman, because beneath his gruff and serious skin lays the heart of a noble and chivalrous knight. Aster is very loyal to his clan and takes pride in everything he does.



Batyah - Mystic of Clan Mytheria. Batyah is very skilled in Blue magik. While Batyah is very frail and weak, she is able to summon monsters to fight for her as well as get rid of any threat that may be coming her way. Batyah is very shy and soft spoken, but she will rise to the occasion when she needs to and quickly step in. She is best friends with Laila who seems to get her into lots of trouble.



Laila - The Hot Headed Fighter and TechnoAngel of Clan Mytheria. Laila is a hot tempered, energetic, and spunky angel. She is one of the few remaining angels, but she was shunned by her fellow species because of her extreme interest in two things angels don't normally like: Machines and Fighting. Laila is an extremely skilled mechanist who focuses heavily on making herself more powerful in combat. Laila is known for picking fights with complete strangers just to try out any new toys she may have created.



Rezlak - Tinkerer of Clan Mytheria. Calling this little goblin smart would be an insult. Rezlak's IQ is higher then most humans and because of that fact he was exiled from his Goblin tribe. Rezlak is also very small, even for Goblin standards. Rezlak is always creating new things, whether they be mechanical suits of armor, new weapons, new transportation, and other small toys. Even though his machines are spectacular and YEARS ahead of their time, Rezlak is never truly impressed with his own work. He is always working to improve his works. He was surprised to see how interested Laila was in his work that he took her on as his apprentice. The duo create all the gadgets that Clan Mytheria use in their adventures.



Vanessa - The Magi of Clan Mytheria. Vanessa is an orphan and was raised in a secluded area by magi who practiced in all sorts of magik. Vanessa was eager to learn magik too, so eager in fact that she started learning it at the age of 4 and had completely mastered every tome she could get her hands on by the age of 14. She had achieved a feat that other magi spent their whole lives to achieve; the other magi suspected her of being the incarnation of a much more powerful and dangerous magi and for this they banished her. While Vanessa is skilled in all colors of magik, she is most known for using blue and red. Batyah has even joked with her asking her if when the elder magi asked her if she wanted to learn red or blue magik she said both. Vanessa is very hyperactive and rarely sleeps. She looks up to Aster like a daughter would to a father. Aster is often cold her because Vanessa reminds him of his own daughter whom he lost.

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Let me know how you like them.

~Zuty