[MTG] Let's Make Some Commanders

[Amechra]

So, we've had a thread for more general Magic cards. What about one for potential Commanders?

Here, I'll start us off:



(I can't change rarities in my version of Magic Set Editor. Mentally sub in Rare or Mythic Rare, whichever seems more appropriate.)

[aimlessPolymath]

Alright. I don't actually have MSE, but here's a small design I came up with, based on something I saw on the custommagic subreddit:

Mellori, Peerless Tactician | 2WW
Legendary Creature - Human Knight (Rare, I guess?)
Exalted, First Strike
Creatures you control have T, R: Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn
Creatures you control have T, G: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn
3/3

The basic idea is a commander that can be played in decks of multiple color identities, not just the one in their casting cost, by having off-color abilities. This commander can be played in RW, WG, or RWG decks, for example. It fits a strange space between tokens and voltron, where tokens turn into combat tricks? It definitely messes with combat math in a big way.

Edit: Mellori is now a Knight. Buffed both bonuses by +1/+0.

[Knitifine]

Alright. I don't actually have MSE, but here's a small design I came up with, based on something I saw on the custommagic subreddit:

Mellori, Peerless Tactician | 2WW
Legendary Creature - Human Samurai (Rare, I guess?)
Exalted, First Strike
Creatures you control have T, R: Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn
Creatures you control have T, G: Target creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn
3/3

The basic idea is a commander that can be played in decks of multiple color identities, not just the one in their casting cost, by having off-color abilities. This commander can be played in RW, WG, or RWG decks, for example. It fits a strange space between tokens and voltron, where tokens turn into combat tricks? It definitely messes with combat math in a big way. Considering buffing it to +2, to make the mana cost not as taxing.

It's interesting, but I think green would prefer to +1/+1 rather than +0/+1. I feel that's more white.

[Amechra]

If Mellori is a Samurai, they should probably have Bushido. It's kind of the Samurai "thing". There is one Samurai without Bushido, and it's a flip card that gets it when it flips.

I think it would be fine if you went with +2/+0 for R and +1/+1 for G.

[Giegue]

I made a few commanders out of boredom a while back. Two of them where seirous, and one of them was made on something of a dare. Sadly, I lost one of them, but the silly one and one of the seirous ones I managed to dredge up. The more seirous one is a Specter tribal commander in grixis who's mechanical nich is translating the single target discard your specters provide to shared discard for all the table. In multiplayer formats, single-target discard is bad, which means without a proper way to make all that that single target discard punish the other 2-3 opponents commander specter tribal just isn't really viable. The way I have him working now seems balanced, but clunky/inelligent, so I'd appreciate any help making him achieve what he's intended to do but in a better way! I'll post him below:



The second, sillier commander I made was something a friend "challanged" me to make. I have a friend who plays Yugioh who I always try to convert to magic. I always fail, and it's become kinda a joke between us that "maybe I'd play MTG if it had....I don't know..catgirls"...and thus this commander was born. I didn't want to go full joke with it, though, and instead of making it Un-level silly I wanted to make a catgirl-commander that could be at least slightly sorta kinda feesable in the MTG universe. Likewise, I didn't want to go the traditonal green or white route, because lore-wise I wanted to make her a evil/spoiled princess, because I'm a twisted kind of person who enjoys characters that contrast "cute" looks with absolutly vile personalities and abilities. The weird result was a commander that I wanted to, mechanically, lend itself to one of my favorite deck archetypes: Stax.

In that respect, I think I made what could be the premire stax commander if it was actually a real card. My only concern with her is she may be a tad too powerful but I can't say for sure. Any thoughts/help with her general balance would be most appreciated. Like the specter lord, I'll post her below:



Any thoughts/suggestions on fixing both of these commanders would be most appreciated!

[aimlessPolymath]

Hmm.

I have no constructive criticism other than vague feelings, but I was inspired to create my own version of Azaghast.
Edit: Actually, Azaghast looks (from the art) like a Dragon Specter.


Azaghast, Hateful Specter 2BB
Legendary Creature - Spectre (Mythic rare?)
Flying
Whenever a player discards a card, you may pay 1B. If you do, every other opponent discards a card.
1U: Return target creature to their opponent's hand.
R: Discard a card. If you do, draw a card. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
2/2

[Knitifine]

These cards from my homebrew set are meant to be playable in Commander.

Spoiler: Genesis Gate Rares (5/5)

Show

Genesis Gate - WUBRG
Legendary Artifact
CARDNAME enters the battlefield tapped.
Tap, tap one legendary white creature, one legendary blue creature, one legendary black creature, one legendary red creature and one legendary green creature: Target player wins the game.

Gate Attendant - WUB
Legendary Creature - Spirit
Hexproof, Indestructible
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, search your library for a card named Genesis Gate and put it on the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
1/1

Prophet of Doom - 1BG
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life.
When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield, create a 2/2 black zombie creature that enters the battlefield tapped.
3/2

Genesis Beast - WGR
Legendary Creature - Beast
Vigilance, Trample, Haste
You may tap a card named Genesis Gate instead of paying this creature’s mana cost.
5/4

Archmage Aboreus - 5UR
Legendary Creature - Wizard
Return up to seven instants and sorceries from your graveyard to your hand.
You may play any number of instants or sorceries that have a total CMC of 7 or less at the beginning of each combat without paying their mana cost.
7/7

Genesis Beast and Gate Attendant should be treated as having Partner, though this couldn't be added because of certain practices.

[Primal Fury]

So, we've had a thread for more general Magic cards. What about one for potential Commanders?

Here, I'll start us off:



(I can't change rarities in my version of Magic Set Editor. Mentally sub in Rare or Mythic Rare, whichever seems more appropriate.)

That's really neat, but why does the spells name change to witchcraft? Shouldn't it be a type change instead?

[Durazno]

"Witchcraft" would have to be a recognized type of spell, I think, and they don't really do Tribal spells anymore. You can have protection from a named spell.

That said, I think it would be wise to specify that the spells she can change be noncreature.

[aimlessPolymath]

"Protection from spells named Witchcraft" should make it function as intended, I think.

Alright, jankiest Commander I can imagine, overriding rule 201.4:

~
Cost: 3CC (?)
Legendary Creature (MRare)
1: This creature's name becomes any name you choose. Activate this ability at any time and from any zone.
Text on any card that refers to itself by name instead refers to this creature, if it has the same name as that card.
2/2

[Amechra]

Alright, a fixed Kiria, as well as a surprisingly versatile UB commander.

[aimlessPolymath]

Interesting. The Infanta seems to do two things:
-A massive card advantage tool against any deck that can cast from exile.
-A madness/lesser card advantage engine for yourself.

The thing that seems strange about it is its madness ability, which is rather difficult to enable intentionally? You need to get it from the command zone, onto the battlefield, into your hand via one card, and discard it with a second to get any payoff, and I'm fairly sure its static ability wouldn't trigger on its own.

Edit: Meant that the static ability wouldn't trigger on the Commander's own madness ability.

[Knitifine]

Interesting. The Infanta seems to do two things:
-A massive card advantage tool against any deck that can cast from exile.
-A madness/lesser card advantage engine for yourself.

The thing that seems strange about it is its madness ability, which is rather difficult to enable intentionally? You need to get it from the command zone, onto the battlefield, into your hand via one card, and discard it with a second to get any payoff, and I'm fairly sure its static ability wouldn't trigger on its own.

I'm fairly sure self-bouncing your commander is a fairly common tactic in blue in response to removal for the mana advantage. If you're already running a madness deck, it quite possible that it's madness ability might trigger.

[Amechra]

I'll confess, she has Madness because it's A) flavorful, and B) you might not be running her as your commander.

For reference, Cascade, Madness, and Rebound all cast from exile. Similarly, it covers the Red "exile cards from my library, then play them this turn", as well as UB's "exile a card, you can play it later" (Ashiok, Nightveil Spectre, Jeleva, etc).

Oh, and she's GREAT with Cipher.

I might actually need to make her triggered ability more expensive...

[Durazno]

Do you think Infanta's first ability could work with Eminence?

[Cosi]

More Partners:

2WU
Legendary Creature - Bird Cleric
Flying
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, scry 1 and gain 1 life.
Partner
2/4

4UB
Legendary Creature - Spirit
When ~ enters the battlefield, return up to one target creature card and up to one target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4

1BR
Legendary Creature - Elemental
Whenever a player casts a spell, ~ deals 2 damage to that player unless he or she discards a card.
Partner
3/2

1RG
Legendary Creature - Beast
Trample, Haste
~ gets +5/+5 as long as you control ten or more lands.
Partner
2/2

2GW
Legendary Creature - Elf Druid
Whenever another non-token creature enters the battlefield under your control, create a 1/1 green Saproling creature token.
Partner
2/2

Random Stuff:

2RUG
Legendary Creature - Elemental
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, if you control ten or more lands, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy.
3/3

3RR
Legendary Creature - God
Undying, First Strike
4RR, remove a +1/+1 counter from ~: Discard your hand, then draw seven cards.
6/3

1WRU
Legendary Creature - Djinn
Prowess, Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a non-creature, non-land card from your graveyard on top of your library.
2/2

[Sgt. Cookie]

About a year ago, I made some two-colour commanders inspired by Jori-En. Take a look.


And yes I know cards don't usually reference the stack or "resolving" spells.

[Amechra]

The Infanta's ability... it could work as an Eminence ability, but A) you still woldn't be able to trigger its ability by casting it, and B) you'd probably never actually end up casting your commander, which is boring.

About a year ago, I made some two-colour commanders inspired by Jori-En. Take a look.


And yes I know cards don't usually reference the stack or "resolving" spells.

Vardin Marvo and Magara can be reworded to "whenever you successfully cast your second spell in a turn, ---".

As for Cosi, I really like that 2RUG elemental - that's a surprisingly harmonious set of effects right there.

[Amechra]

A different take on Gruul colors:

[Knitifine]

A different take on Gruul colors:

This card is pretty far out of green's color pie. A better secondary color for this card would be white or blue.

[Amechra]

This card is pretty far out of green's color pie. A better secondary color for this card would be white or blue.

Mana ramping and psuedo-lure effects are very much in Green's color pie. I might tweak the first ability though - boosting all of your equipment like that is a bit much, and dropping a bunch of cheap equipment can get oppressive fast.

Hmm...

EDIT: I like this version a bit more: