Sphinx of Jwar Isle

Designing Creature Cards

Did you design Sphinx of Jwar Isle or Calcite Snapper? Those are two of my favorite creatures ever.

I did not do Sphinx of Jwar Isle but I very much did do Calcite Snapper. That card will forever be known to me by its playtest name - Convertible Turtle.

Calcite Snapper Creatures Playtesting Sphinx Sphinx of Jwar Isle Turtle

Shroud vs Hexproof

I read your entire Tumblr to make sure you hadn't answered this yet: do you feel like not being able to use shroud shuts off some avenues of design space? Cards like Scythe Tiger and Sphinx of Jwar Isle are somewhat balanced by your inability to enchant or equip them, and I always found that neat. Hexproof doesn't have that, instead allowing for broken interactions with enchantments and equipment that can lead to unfun, one-sided games.

I feel like I’m honor bound to answer you as you took the time to read my whole blog. (No easy task.) We don’t feel that we can have shroud and hexproof at the same time because we don’t want people to have to learn two words that almost do the same thing. Which is better, shroud or hexproof? It’s something we’ve been talking about. What do you all think, if we only do one which one should it be - shroud or hexproof?

Blogatog / Tumblr Design Space Enchant Enchantments Equip Equipment Hexproof Scythe Tiger Shroud Sphinx Sphinx of Jwar Isle

Mythic Rares Justification

How do you justify hyper-efficient creatures like Sigarda and Thrun as mythic rares given the "mythics must have the potential to do something awesome" rule? These two do get slight leeway due to being legendary and flavorful, but mechanics-wise they're not all that special given that neither really has that much more "awesomeness potential" than, say, Sacred Wolf or Sphinx of Jwar Isle. Efficiency alone doesn't justify mythic rarity.

I believe you are not giving legendary and flavorful enough weight. Those things alone for many players can make a card feel awesome.

Creatures Flavor Mechanics Mythic Rares Rarity Rules Sacred Wolf Sphinx Sphinx of Jwar Isle Wolf

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