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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 4:00PM
#21
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2007
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As far as player expectations for a merfolk walker, I can think of a few:
- Kiora, who is
  by all accounts. I'm expecting a merfolk walker in Gatecrash or Dragon's Maze, due to the sudden resurgence of Fish on Ravnica. Kiora, as I understand, focuses on summoning big leviathans and other deep-sea beasties.
You aren't going to get Kiora. She's already been eliminated. We have Gideon and Domri Rade in Gatecrash and Kiora doesn't match the world besides. Brady specifically said she has virtually nothing in common the Simic, so color isn't going to be something you can rely on matching here.
Dragon's Maze has Ral, and the chances of getting a sixth walker are miniscule, particularly if they are BOTH from DotP in the same set.
Since we're talking about faith here, I can see a  fish walker, though an argument can be made for sticking to mono-blue just to work with the most avenues of play (thinking about Commander specifically).
Blue clerics don't work. They instantly turn into wizards and try to explain the world through the arcane.
Honestly, I'm not sure if blue even believes in the divine...
Point is, race expectations shouldn't come into factor or Ajani should have dealt with equipment.
That's good info; didn't know it before!
Leonin and Merfolk are in two wildly different camps. Leonin are a cool tribe and all, but Merfolk had such a zealous following that it was only through fan demand that they came back to Magic. Ignore this at your peril.
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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 4:20PM
#22
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2008
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Hm. What peril though, really? People barely pay attention to us as it is, I have a hard time imagining how things could actively get worse :P
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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 6:07PM
#23
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Leonin and Merfolk are in two wildly different camps. Leonin are a cool tribe and all, but Merfolk had such a zealous following that it was only through fan demand that they came back to Magic. Ignore this at your peril.
The thing is, what does the classic merfolk deck do? We uh... we don't get out to deck construction or such around these parts. We're weird.
And what can you really get on a walker that would work towards those ends? Islandwalk? Should merfolk already have that?
Aside from that, here's something too... she's a merfolk, but she isn't intrinsically tied to merfolk strategy or even the culture.
Her religious aspects are much MUCH more important than her race or really her sexual orientation.
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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 6:07PM
#24
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Hm. What peril though, really? People barely pay attention to us as it is, I have a hard time imagining how things could actively get worse :P
No such thing as bad publicity!
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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 6:12PM
#25
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2008
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Hm, Scion, if you were to design a 'walker that had to fit the criteria of "appealing merfolk" and "avatar-summoning cleric," how would you do it? You're probably better at this than most of the other people here.
...by which I apparently mean me and Barinellos T_T
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6 months ago ::
Dec 06, 2012 - 6:20PM
#26
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Hm, Scion, if you were to design a 'walker that had to fit the criteria of "appealing merfolk" and "avatar-summoning cleric," how would you do it? You're probably better at this than most of the other people here.
...by which I apparently mean me and Barinellos T_T
Well, if we were to make her a card that is...
I mean c'mon, I've designed more characters in the archives than everyone else.
Which incidentally, we probably need to move some stuff over there. I know Rishima needs to be fully added.
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6 months ago ::
Dec 07, 2012 - 10:53AM
#27
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2007
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Hm, Scion, if you were to design a 'walker that had to fit the criteria of "appealing merfolk" and "avatar-summoning cleric," how would you do it? You're probably better at this than most of the other people here.
...by which I apparently mean me and Barinellos T_T
Well, if we were to make her a card that is...
I mean c'mon, I've designed more characters in the archives than everyone else.
Which incidentally, we probably need to move some stuff over there. I know Rishima needs to be fully added.
I apologize if I muddied the waters here. Not every walker needs/gets a card. I just see it as worth consideration.
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6 months ago ::
Dec 07, 2012 - 11:59AM
#28
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Date Joined:
Dec 12, 2008
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Oh, it's absolutely worth consideration. But like Barinellos said, we're weird and don't really know deck archetypes :P Teach, oh YMTC Master!
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6 months ago ::
Dec 07, 2012 - 12:53PM
#29
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Date Joined:
Jul 24, 2010
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*Ahem* To begin: Lesbian mermaid with glasses.
Wow, Barinellos. Wow. :P
Seriously, though, I really like where this character is going.
Shush you! I'm not sure if it was directed at how many untapped qualities she hits or if you were commenting about how fetishtastic she seemed.
I literally lol'd when I read Keeper's comment the first time. That was fantastic. Coral would really make horrible weapons. Bone weaponry would probably be more workable and has real world sources to draw from. Besides, fish bones are SHARP.
When they have them. Most fish bones are just cartilage, you know. That's why most fish fossils (outside the Cambrian period) are shark teeth. But seeing as this is Magic, things like Leviathan and Kraken parts would be good substitutes. Now, a quick message before I have to go to work: If I can find the time, I'd love to add my touch to this. That said, it probly won't be this week. Maybe Sunday; but it's a big IF. We'll have to see. Also, as soon as you said glasses, it made me think of a certain pink Pisces. Anyone else?
Profile Picture taken with implied permission from Trildar. My to-read list (suggest yours!) 1. Legacies - Barinellos 2. Something by HairlessThoctar (would you like to suggest which one to start on?) the rest of my sig
Show
MAGIC IS HIGHLY MODULAR.
Right, chaps! Bunch of monkeys on the ceiling! Grab your eggs and fours and let's get the bacon delivered!
Proud winner of the That was probably the most deranged introduction I ever have seen.
Award.
What if we ended up in the Futurama universe?
Show
I suppose the downside is that it would be just like now, only in the future. And I couldn't get on the internet for places like this, because... well... you saw the episode. Not that going online full-body wouldn't be cool...
All I know is that this place would be a lot steamier if we went in full body.
And I'd blame Keeper for it.
Sound advice
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Oh my god dude you've gotta stop lighting your own stuff on fire periodically.
Time for me to show off.
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6 months ago ::
Dec 07, 2012 - 1:08PM
#30
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Date Joined:
Oct 21, 2007
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Oh, it's absolutely worth consideration. But like Barinellos said, we're weird and don't really know deck archetypes :P Teach, oh YMTC Master!
A big part of being a game designer is knowing what's fun for people. You have to know what they expect; what they want. Writing flavor, by the way, uses similar tools. In anything, you cannot ignore human nature nor the desires of your audience. To do so reeks of hubris and unprofessionalism.
All that being said, not every walker gets a card nor needs one, and I'm not going to wade in on B's thread and stifle her creativity! I mentioned the card thing more to get different vantage points than anything else.
Here's a thought exercise:
Imagine that R&D came to you with the cards below and said "Hey, we have these cards that are interchangeable in the set. Both will serve the metagame and be exciting for players. We need you, creative guys, to stick a backstory on them." Given Barinellos' design for her planeswalker, and given that you have to make this choice (i.e. there is no 'I wouldn't do it') which would you choose to fit her story?
Fish Walker - 
Planeswalker - XXXXX
+1: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
-2: Target player draws two cards, then discards two cards.
-5: Put four 1/1 blue Merfolk creature tokens onto the battlefield. Then, if you control seven or more Merfolk creatures, take an extra turn after this one.
3
Fish Walker -
Planeswalker - XXXXX
+1: Put a 1/1 blue Merfolk creature token onto the battlefield.
-1: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control becomes tapped, tap target permanent.
-3: Return all tapped creatures to their owner's hands.
3
Fish Walker -
Planeswalker - XXXXX
+1: Put a 1/1 blue Merfolk creature token onto the battlefield.
-2: Each player puts a creature he or she controls on top of his or her library.
-7: Target player separates all creatures he or she controls into two piles. Gain control of all creatures in one pile. Return the others to their owner's hands.
3
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