Merchant of Boredom

[ivko]

It was very hard to make this card in a way to prevent one-turn kill combos. We even needed to changed the card once, and it still has (remote?) combo potential.

The intent of this card was to let you make a suicide attack, and then refuel your board in the Reinforce phase, all of course without it being totally useless in other scenarios. I guess though that it is too slow for Rage Rush, which would rather much prefer Flame Serpent instead.

Do you guys think we even need to change the card? I am personally not 100% sure, even if it is not very playable - provided it doesn't spawn any degenerate combos, it feels like a premature change to me.

[SashaIr]

How about making it 3 mana, RXX? This breaks combo possibilities. It might be ok to make it enter the board with 3 Energy, although it might be too strong this way (especially at 3 mana cost).

[komsiant]

Mb just add 1 or 2 mana cost on his ability instead of energy cost?

[Maximvs]

Make it legendary. Make it so it cannot bring itself back. Also don't make it cost 1 extra energy per card, rather, make it cost a minimum of 1 energy.

[SashaIr]

Making it Legendary doesn't fix anything. It's even worse this way, you can just keep using its power of another copy on it and its energy increases every time. The OTK combo with Bloodborn Prince and Death-Curse Shaman and/or Infernal Vultures and/or any card of that kind is still there. The only way is to make it 3 levels, but it feels like a weak card anyway.

This card should fit greatly in the W/R Energy deck I run, but it just doesn't, it's totally useless: it might bring back a Forcemage, but nothing more (no Frost Elemental, no Phoenix, no Elder, no Titan, nothing - it wouldn't even bring back cards that I don't play but might fit, like Runelit Incarnate, Cinderflame, or Charged Aurite).

It should at least get some "At the start of your turn, +1 Energy" or something like that. I'd love some energy transfer effect, but it's a complete redesign and it doesn't fit the flavor, probably.

[Burdis]

Too early to change in my opinion, does not seem like a great card but there are older cards that are worse and other things that need attention.
I feel if a card is only just released it should be given more of a chance to finds its place.

(This is if we are talking about underpowered cards. If a card is only released and already clearly broken and abusable thats a different matter.)

[Zadorec]

I just had an idea, while I was writing in the Harbinger topic.

Currently tainted (other than Harbinger) is strictly a setback. Neither of the rest of the cards interract with tainted in any way at all.
Since other than Merchant and Harbinger the other cards are relatively fine, how about breaking this stigma with Merchant? This could solve the current possible infinite combo issue too.

I thought of something like: (Maybe give it better stats, but if it would be strong enough with the new mechanic, maybe it is fine like this.)
When Merchant of Souls enters the field, gain X energy, where X is the ammount of life you lost this turn.
E(1) Play a non-spirit creature with level 2 or less from your graveyard using Merchant of Souls' energy to pay that card's mana cost. Use this power during your turn.

It would start from 0 energy, or maybe more depending how strong it would be.
If it would be too strong X could be halved rounded up/down. Or something like: it starts with for example 1 energy, and gets X halved rounded up energy when enters.
Maybe we should make it legendary, or maybe since it costs a lot, it is fine if they play 2 of it the same turn.

We probably don't want him bringing himself back, so:
-It should state non-Spirit non-"Merchant of Souls" (maybe give it a new subtype, like "Summoner", so non-Summoner).
Summoner type could be added to new creatures that can summon many things, and happen to look quite different from being spirit, and we wouldn't want them to be reincarnated over and over again with Merchant. Maybe Harbinger and Banshee should be a Summoner too, and let Merchant summon Spirits too (though that might still be a little problematic bringing back Mesmerizing Spirit or Disquisitive Spirit or ... Shifting Aurite ... non-Spirit stays lol )
-Simply make him a spirit (though he doesn't really look like one).
-Make him 3 lv.

[Cruel_TeK]

what merchant needs is better stats. the 3/2 3sp 3 mana goblin never sees play

and now a 4 mana creature can't even deal with a lowly zombie, something is off. look at any of the other new cards stats. why does red get shafted?

[Maraut]

My gut feeling is telling me that Merchant should exhaust himself to use his ability. If he can't bring back more than one creature per turn, there shouldn't be any obnoxious combos to be made with him, and we can discuss giving him more energy.

EDIT: All right, how about this one:

Whenever an allied (? non-summoned ?) creature dies, Merchant of Souls gains +1 Energy.

Zzz: Play a non-spirit creature with level 2 or lower from your graveyard using Merchant of Soul's energy to pay that card's mana cost. Use this ability only during your turn.

[SashaIr]

My gut feeling is telling me that Merchant should exhaust himself to use his ability. If he can't bring back more than one creature per turn, there shouldn't be any obnoxious combos to be made with him, and we can discuss giving him more energy.

EDIT: All right, how about this one:

Whenever an allied (? non-summoned ?) creature dies, Merchant of Souls gains +1 Energy.

Zzz: Play a non-spirit creature with level 2 or lower from your graveyard using Merchant of Soul's energy to pay that card's mana cost. Use this ability only during your turn.

I like it, looks good! It should probably be a Support if reworded like that. Maybe also make it 3 HP?