1) See, with Tempered Steel, you DID have backups if you didn't draw the namesake card. You had Signal Pest and Steel Overseer. Those guys can convert a field full of Memnites and Ornithopters into a win - THAT'S what I mean by backup. I would know, because I built the deck.
What backup do you have with Ensoul Artifact? Let me put this another way: name me something powerful that you can do with Ornithopters and Darksteel Citadel, that DOESN'T involve Ensoul Artifact.
You can always use Shrapnel Blast, or use the Ornithopters with Springleaf Drum to accelerate into bigger stuff, like Soul of New Phyrexia. Just take a look at the decklist posted before, although it's not perfect, it already has powerful backup plans.
You seem to forget that a deck with Ensoul Artifact still consists of 60 cards, not just the mentioned 12 (4 of which are lands btw).
Yeah I didn't notice that card in the list before. I don't know if I like it though. It certainly is an interesting combo, but getting it Abrupt Decayed or Naturalized in response to the Valakut triggers is definately not fun. Every copy beyond the first is also a dead draw, and without any means to protect the combo, this would be too frail for my taste. I do like the backup plan though.
Regardless, you can scapeshift at 6 lands, and only sac 4 for the valakuts with it out. no mountains required.
That won't work, because Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle is actually not a mountain. You need any number of Valakuts + five mountains (i.e. Stomping Ground, Blood Crypt, Mountain etc.) + another mountain entering the battlefield in order to deal any damage. So a successful Scapeshift needs at least 7 lands (1 Valakut + 6 Mountains) and can only deal 1 x 3 x 6 = 18 damage. For a second Valakut (=more damage) you would have to wait until you get to eight lands before scapeshifting.
Edit: Ah, nevermind. Didn't see the Prismatic Omen. Very interesting combo.
If a creature you control is the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, you may sacrifice that creature and pay 0 rather than pay Evolution Trap's mana cost.
You may put a green creature card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Only downside I see is that it would be abusable by Spellskite, but I don't think that's a problem.
For the hatebear, I would suggest to change it to "Players can't sacrifice permanents. Any player may pay 2 to ignore this effect until end of turn."
I really like your design. However, for this card to be printable, I think we'd have to loose the control effect of the ultimate. Taking control is either red or blue, in the color pie; never black or green (i believe). Also, as much as Id love those wolves to be 2/1, if its an ability costing Garruk zero loyalty counter, that might be a tad on the strong side. Keep it up
Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it The points you mentioned troubled me too, especially the ultimate. But I guess that happens when you try to design a Planeswalker while in a hurry
I made the wolves 2/1 because I felt Garruk with only 1/1s was rather useless against creatureless decks, as he can't really increase his loyalty against those. But I guess you're right.
The ultimate didn't really feel black to me either. I didn't want anything green, because Garruk left most of that color behind, as is indicated by the casting cost. So a lots-of-big-tokens ultimate wasn't good. Something like Rise of the Dark Realms wasn't really Garruk-y, even for a cursed Garruk. I really wanted him to hunt down stuff, and going as deep as into the opponent's library to kill the targets felt right. Just exiling those cards or putting them into the graveyard doesn't really impact the game though, so I wanted to do more with those cards. But I guess I have an idea for that.
-15 Name up to four nonland cards. Exile all permanents with those names target player controls. Search that player's graveyard, hand and library for all cards with those names and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
I guess something like that is better. It feels deeply black to me, and lets Garruk really extinguish his targets. Naming four cards may be too much, but I really like the effect. What do you think about it?
I could see Aven Mindcensor getting a reprint aswell in either M15 or Khans if Chord of Calling is in M15. Just to make sure there is some hate in case it gets out of hand.
Whenever a creature or Planeswalker is put into an opponent's graveyard from the battlefield, Garruk, the Mad Hunter gains loyalty equal to that cards converted mana cost.
0 Put a black 2/1 Wolf creature token with Deathtouch onto the battlefield under your control.
-4 Destroy target creature or Planeswalker.
-15 Search target opponent's library for up to two creature and/or Planeswalker cards and put them onto the battlefield under your control. They gain "If this card would leave the battlefield, exile it instead."
SL: 5
His first ability is the only way to increase Garruk's loyalty. It reflects his cursed mind and his pleasure in hunting and killing things. Should only work for cards leaving the battlefield, otherwise there could be some unfair Thoughtseize stuff going on.
The 0 is Garruk's standard token generating ability. The token's deathtouch ability can help to increase Garruk's loyalty.
The -4 is a Hero's Downfall effect. Garruk hunts Planeswalkers, and I guess he would kill creatures on the way. Garruk can increase his loyalty by killing creatures/planeswalkers with CMC 5+.
His Ultimate underlines the hunt for Planeswalkers even further. He forces them to help him, and later kills them for good. Same for creatures. Exile effect also prevents ultimate loops.
You can always use Shrapnel Blast, or use the Ornithopters with Springleaf Drum to accelerate into bigger stuff, like Soul of New Phyrexia. Just take a look at the decklist posted before, although it's not perfect, it already has powerful backup plans.
You seem to forget that a deck with Ensoul Artifact still consists of 60 cards, not just the mentioned 12 (4 of which are lands btw).
They would still have to search their library for zero lands ^^
That won't work, because Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle is actually not a mountain. You need any number of Valakuts + five mountains (i.e. Stomping Ground, Blood Crypt, Mountain etc.) + another mountain entering the battlefield in order to deal any damage. So a successful Scapeshift needs at least 7 lands (1 Valakut + 6 Mountains) and can only deal 1 x 3 x 6 = 18 damage. For a second Valakut (=more damage) you would have to wait until you get to eight lands before scapeshifting.
Edit: Ah, nevermind. Didn't see the Prismatic Omen. Very interesting combo.
Only downside I see is that it would be abusable by Spellskite, but I don't think that's a problem.
For the hatebear, I would suggest to change it to "Players can't sacrifice permanents. Any player may pay 2 to ignore this effect until end of turn."
Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it
I made the wolves 2/1 because I felt Garruk with only 1/1s was rather useless against creatureless decks, as he can't really increase his loyalty against those. But I guess you're right.
The ultimate didn't really feel black to me either. I didn't want anything green, because Garruk left most of that color behind, as is indicated by the casting cost. So a lots-of-big-tokens ultimate wasn't good. Something like Rise of the Dark Realms wasn't really Garruk-y, even for a cursed Garruk. I really wanted him to hunt down stuff, and going as deep as into the opponent's library to kill the targets felt right. Just exiling those cards or putting them into the graveyard doesn't really impact the game though, so I wanted to do more with those cards. But I guess I have an idea for that.
-15 Name up to four nonland cards. Exile all permanents with those names target player controls. Search that player's graveyard, hand and library for all cards with those names and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
I guess something like that is better. It feels deeply black to me, and lets Garruk really extinguish his targets. Naming four cards may be too much, but I really like the effect. What do you think about it?
But yes, I guess Chord will be in M15.
Garruk, the Mad Hunter 1GBB
Planeswalker - Garruk
Whenever a creature or Planeswalker is put into an opponent's graveyard from the battlefield, Garruk, the Mad Hunter gains loyalty equal to that cards converted mana cost.
0 Put a black 2/1 Wolf creature token with Deathtouch onto the battlefield under your control.
-4 Destroy target creature or Planeswalker.
-15 Search target opponent's library for up to two creature and/or Planeswalker cards and put them onto the battlefield under your control. They gain "If this card would leave the battlefield, exile it instead."
SL: 5
His first ability is the only way to increase Garruk's loyalty. It reflects his cursed mind and his pleasure in hunting and killing things. Should only work for cards leaving the battlefield, otherwise there could be some unfair Thoughtseize stuff going on.
The 0 is Garruk's standard token generating ability. The token's deathtouch ability can help to increase Garruk's loyalty.
The -4 is a Hero's Downfall effect. Garruk hunts Planeswalkers, and I guess he would kill creatures on the way. Garruk can increase his loyalty by killing creatures/planeswalkers with CMC 5+.
His Ultimate underlines the hunt for Planeswalkers even further. He forces them to help him, and later kills them for good. Same for creatures. Exile effect also prevents ultimate loops.