I feel a "Supreme Judge" has very little to do with drawing cards when you're attacked. Which is why I think the new Isperia is a big bummer.
Then I got to thinking about more fitting designs and came up with this. It would probably be my favorite card in the set if it were real.
Isperia, Supreme Judge 2WWUU
Legendary Creature - Sphinx
Flying
As Isperia, Supreme Judge enters the battlefield, name a nonland card.
Cards named with Isperia can't be cast. WU: Name an additional card.
4/6
I get what you're getting at, but why not make the activation able to blink her instead? This card is only going to see play in EDH anyway (I mean, most likely), so why make it that much better in that format?
I would always and only target the player who would play this card. This would be some amazing bull****. And I do agree that Isperia isn't that great, not even in edh.
That is not fun. To play with, any advance knowledge means you're locking them down, so unless you're the Spikiest of Spikes, the victory won't be all that rewarding. Playing against, you'll likely scoop, unless you have a winning board presence already. It's just not fun. As was said, blink it to make it a tweak on Meddling Mage, and it might be doable.
That is not fun. To play with, any advance knowledge means you're locking them down, so unless you're the Spikiest of Spikes, the victory won't be all that rewarding.
Well, I'm kind of 100% spike, so that probably explains why this appeals to me.
Another reason I really like this card is because it promotes deck diversity. A format with such a card as a big player would mean that it's not safe to, say, play 4x Dreadbore as your removal suite and call it a day.
But yes, I think a self-blinking ability would work well too, and even prevent memory issues.
Censoring cards, even if it is potentially a lot of cards, still doesn't feel very judge-y. With that name, I would expect some sort of destruction or exile ability. For example, maybe something like:
Whenever an opponent attacks you with one or more creatures, you may exile target permanent that player controls.
It forces opponents to overextend and play more threats. If you are doing your job of countering or killing at least some of their creatures, then they can't attack you. For multiplayer it encourages people to attack elsewhere, rather than put a giant target on you.
I do agree with your power and toughness switch to 4/6 though. Makes it harder to kill and takes a little longer or other cards to kill your opponents.
Another reason I really like this card is because it promotes deck diversity. A format with such a card as a big player would mean that it's not safe to, say, play 4x Dreadbore as your removal suite and call it a day.
And then it becomes a guessing game what of the 10 different removals your opponents draw. A format where this card would be a big player, doesn't sound like fun. No matter how spike you are.
I agree that the new Isperia takes the passivity of the Azorius to a fault, but being able to block more than one card is aggravating, to say the least, thus the following alternative:
Isperia, Supreme Judge2WWUU
Legendary Creature - Sphinx
Flying
As ~ enters the battlefield, name a nonland card.
The named card can't be played.
At the beginning of your end step, you may have target opponent choose a number greater than zero and a color. If you do, reveal your hand. If you don't reveal exactly the chosen number of cards of the chosen color, you may exile ~, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
4/6
Here, there is the possibility of changing the named card, but it's not easily abused. Plus, the 'riddle' aspect of Sphinxes is restored.
And then it becomes a guessing game what of the 10 different removals your opponents draw. A format where this card would be a big player, doesn't sound like fun. No matter how spike you are.
I wonder how you came to be the fun judge (heh) for everyone, "no matter who they are".
It does sound a lot of fun to me, since this kind of minigame is one of the things I love the most about Magic. Different strokes for different folks.
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Censoring cards, even if it is potentially a lot of cards, still doesn't feel very judge-y.
Yes, technically, making laws is the main incumbence of the legislative power, not judiciary. Still, it feels close enough to me.
That said, I also really like your design. Punishing criminals does sound a lot more judge-y than drawing cards.
Card designers are notorious for being Johnnies. The love the clever design. Anyways, I love this card, reminds me of Iona and just seems like something U/W would want to end the game with. Slowly and painfully nullifying everything your opponent can do. It costs 6, four of which is colored. You had your chance to have fun in the first 6 turns, now its my turn to have fun. Its not even a 100% "I win". With build diversity its extremely easy to deal with.
Card designers are notorious for being Johnnies. The love the clever design. Anyways, I love this card, reminds me of Iona and just seems like something U/W would want to end the game with. Slowly and painfully nullifying everything your opponent can do. It costs 6, four of which is colored. You had your chance to have fun in the first 6 turns, now its my turn to have fun. Its not even a 100% "I win". With build diversity its extremely easy to deal with.
Cards that encourage worse, less consistent decks in order to work are bad. Standard is a competition to see who can build the best well-oiled machine, and you're defending a card that gets to throw that out the window because it throws that out the window. It's easy to say "People will deal with it by making decks a different way," but dealing with the actual environment this sort of thing creates is another matter entirely.
Isperia, Supreme Judge2WWUU
Legendary Creature -Sphinx
Flying, Vigilance WU: Search target opponent's library for a nonland card and exile it. That player searches your library for a nonland card, and exiles it.
Players can't cast spells with the same names as cards exiled by ~.
When ~ leaves the battlefield, shuffle all cards exiled by ~ into their owners' libraries.
5/5
Still controlly, but with a hitch that prevents abuse. Likely swung it into bad territory, but...I dunno.
I think Isperia just needs an additional ability to round out her Judge-ness.
Isperia, Supreme Judge :2mana::symw::symw::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Sphinx
Flying
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, you may draw a card.
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player may pay for each card in your hand. If that player doesn't, he or she can't attack you or a planeswalker you control this turn.
6/4
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Then I got to thinking about more fitting designs and came up with this. It would probably be my favorite card in the set if it were real.
Isperia, Supreme Judge
2WWUU
Legendary Creature - Sphinx
Flying
As Isperia, Supreme Judge enters the battlefield, name a nonland card.
Cards named with Isperia can't be cast.
WU: Name an additional card.
4/6
*****
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I get what you're getting at, but why not make the activation able to blink her instead? This card is only going to see play in EDH anyway (I mean, most likely), so why make it that much better in that format?
When in doubt, call a judge.
Objectivist here. Hit me up to talk philosophy.
Infraction for censor evasion.
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Another reason I really like this card is because it promotes deck diversity. A format with such a card as a big player would mean that it's not safe to, say, play 4x Dreadbore as your removal suite and call it a day.
But yes, I think a self-blinking ability would work well too, and even prevent memory issues.
*****
ricklongo and RicardoLongo on MTGO
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It forces opponents to overextend and play more threats. If you are doing your job of countering or killing at least some of their creatures, then they can't attack you. For multiplayer it encourages people to attack elsewhere, rather than put a giant target on you.
I do agree with your power and toughness switch to 4/6 though. Makes it harder to kill and takes a little longer or other cards to kill your opponents.
And then it becomes a guessing game what of the 10 different removals your opponents draw. A format where this card would be a big player, doesn't sound like fun. No matter how spike you are.
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Here, there is the possibility of changing the named card, but it's not easily abused. Plus, the 'riddle' aspect of Sphinxes is restored.
It does sound a lot of fun to me, since this kind of minigame is one of the things I love the most about Magic. Different strokes for different folks.
Yes, technically, making laws is the main incumbence of the legislative power, not judiciary. Still, it feels close enough to me.
That said, I also really like your design. Punishing criminals does sound a lot more judge-y than drawing cards.
*****
ricklongo and RicardoLongo on MTGO
*****
Visit my gaming blog: http://www.gamingsweetgaming.blogspot.com
****************
Check out Rick's Picks, my PureMTGO article series
****************
Cards that encourage worse, less consistent decks in order to work are bad. Standard is a competition to see who can build the best well-oiled machine, and you're defending a card that gets to throw that out the window because it throws that out the window. It's easy to say "People will deal with it by making decks a different way," but dealing with the actual environment this sort of thing creates is another matter entirely.
When in doubt, call a judge.
Objectivist here. Hit me up to talk philosophy.
Isperia, Supreme Judge 2WWUU
Legendary Creature -Sphinx
Flying, Vigilance
WU: Search target opponent's library for a nonland card and exile it. That player searches your library for a nonland card, and exiles it.
Players can't cast spells with the same names as cards exiled by ~.
When ~ leaves the battlefield, shuffle all cards exiled by ~ into their owners' libraries.
5/5
Still controlly, but with a hitch that prevents abuse. Likely swung it into bad territory, but...I dunno.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
Isperia, Supreme Judge :2mana::symw::symw::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Sphinx
Flying
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, you may draw a card.
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player may pay for each card in your hand. If that player doesn't, he or she can't attack you or a planeswalker you control this turn.
6/4