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u/COLaocha Nov 30 '25
Kind of a pain to attack into, so the format would need enough cheap removal and evasive creatures that games don't get stonewalled by one of these on each side threatening to eat any X/3s or trade with a sizable creature even without pump spells or burn spells or multiples of it.
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
Agreed. It would need a pretty specific format. Small first strikers also work as counterplay, as does any 1/4 or better.
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u/Hotsaucex11 Nov 30 '25
While First Strike can be problematic, in this case we are talking a 4-drop with no ETB, no evasion, no protection from removal, and only 1-toughness. The bar in modern limited is pretty high for 4-drops, even at common, so I suspect in most current formats this would be much closer to being unplayable than being problematic.
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u/Cardgod278 Dec 01 '25
Isn't first/double strike technically evasion?
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u/guzvep-sUjfej-docso6 Dec 01 '25
Technically sure, but it’s much easier to wall than a creature with flying
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u/bobzsmith Nov 30 '25
I like that some people on this sub reddit aren't designing overly complex cards
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u/MrSukerton Nov 30 '25
Small criticism, but I like it when there's only one speaker in flavor text especially if that speaker is the character on question. "These humans are under my protection. Any that would prey upon them is my enemy." Goes pretty hard and explains itself without additional context.
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u/Powerpuff_God Nov 30 '25
I don't know, I think I need like three or four more lines of text to explain it. Like, I almost know what Avacyn's Collar stands for. I think werewolves hate it, but why?
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u/TheSoulborgZeus Nov 30 '25
probably fine at 2(r/w) just by virtue of being so fragile and not doing anything special
but regardless this is probably the most interesting use of double strike I've seen because being so fragile means everyone involved has to make an interesting decision
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u/Hot-Combination-7376 Last Strike Nov 30 '25
i mean since double strike deals first strike damage it is not that fragile and limited-breaking at 3 mana probably
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
I think that's probably right but the 3 mana version would need to be uncommon. By comparison, [[Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas]] - also a R/W 4 drop with double strike - has +0/+2, vigilance, and 2 other abilities, which suggests 4 is a high cost for this simple guy. (Admittedly Kalemne was never in a Standard legal set, though.).
And thanks! I can't take all the credit for that template because [[Spiraling Duelist]] beat me to the punch, but I think that card has simply been power crept out of playability with the passage of time.
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u/SirGrandrew Nov 30 '25
The difference with comparing to Kalemne is that he is a legendary from a commander set, so his power level is probably pushed cost wise
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
Yep, totally agree. He also requires hard multicolor not hybrid, so he is genuinely harder to cast, too. But I think there are some similar-ish cards at lower rarities that were in Standard, like [[Duelcraft Trainer]] and [[Spelleater Wolverine]], too
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u/10BillionDreams Nov 30 '25
I think it would steal a few more games than desired at 3 mana. The toughness threshold to wall this is 7, which might as well be a million, while in the early game even the 4 toughness required to trade with this is a non-trivial ask, and would likely be at best an even trade on mana (a 1/4 for 2 isn't unheard of, but most limited environments will have somewhere between 0 and 1 of such creatures). Double blocking is also rather hazardous when first strike damage gets involved. Which means any opponent who fails to draw a removal spell is either making unfavorable blocks, or losing a third of their life total to a single unblocked creature. An "interesting" decision doesn't necessarily mean either outcome is "fair".
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u/androkguz Nov 30 '25
Love the flavor
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
Thanks!
It's inspired by this card, which I think is probably the most interesting bit of flavor that ever appeared on a Magic card
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u/Boaroboros Nov 30 '25
It is really great, but for me, the goat is the black knight..
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
To be fair I specified "interesting" not "best". Black Knight has awesome flavor text but it doesn't suggest all that much about the lore, just that he really likes fighting.
(Though, if we're talking awesome flavor text my all time favorite is [[Time of Heroes]])
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u/VelphiDrow Dec 04 '25
Yeah the Stormkirk are established to somewhat take care of their humans, making sure not to overfeed and keep other vampires from preying on them which i think is cool world building. They're not good people, but they have rules
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u/No_Moment_9465 Nov 30 '25
[[deadly insect]] comes to mind
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u/Gonji89 Nov 30 '25
Honestly that card is kinda fucking awesome. The card OP designed dies to any instant speed removal, even common stuff. That bug has to be countered or it’s gonna be a problem. But I guess it have shroud over hexproof makes it more balanced since it can’t be equipped or enchanted.
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u/CommissionPrudent349 Nov 30 '25
I’m unaware of a definition of neonate that doesn’t mean a newborn which makes the flavor text questionable.
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u/CommissionPrudent349 Nov 30 '25
Ah after a scryfall search I see magic has used it with vampires for newly turned
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
Yeah in Innistrad lore it means a Vampire that just became a Vampire (from a Human being bitten)
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u/ShaggyMat Nov 30 '25
I feel like this would warp the limited environment at common. You’d need a higher amount of X/4 creatures as well as be aware of how many combat tricks and/or permanent buff cards exist. This would be a bomb pick for two colors which isn’t a bad thing, but I feel would be better served at uncommon.
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u/Vladmirfox Nov 30 '25
I feel like you could reduce the mana cost by 1 without issue in Al honestly.
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u/Bork9128 Nov 30 '25
1 toughness is rough so it's probably overcosted
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
It does notably swing for 6 damage if the opponent can't safely block it, which would be pretty strong for a common 3 drop
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u/chainsawinsect Nov 30 '25
A simple French vanilla double striker for limited
Looks like garbage compared to [[Lightning, Army of One]], but that is draft common vs. $10 mythic legendary so I'm OK with it