Hello and welcome to the brand new blog that will be alternating with the Magic Super Cube!

For anyone unaware Magic Project: Omega is a custom set that I will be designing from the ground up, using Alpha/Beta/Unlimited (ABU) as inspiration for a new series of cards that will pay homage to the first set of Magic, while using current card design philosophy to make the cards.

This set is going to err on the higher side of power, much stronger than a Standard set and a touch stronger than a Modern set.

This is a not for profit project, the cards I make are not for sale, and you can use them for your own needs, but please don’t pass them off as your own design.

I also welcome any critique of the cards, because I am not a perfect card designer and I am sure to make some mistakes so if you think a card could be tweaked, please comment.

With all that being said, let’s take a look at the first few cards, The Boon Cycle.

The Original Boons

In ABU, the Boon cycle as they have become known are a series one mana instants that have an effect that deal with the number three.

They are Healing Salve which gains 3 life or prevents 3 damage, Ancestral Recall which draws three cards, Dark Ritual which adds three black mana, Lightning Bolt which deals three damage, and Giant Growth which gives a creature +3/+3.

Now these cards wildly differently in quality, and that is because Magic is the first trading card game and no one really knew what made a really strong card.

I say that, but Ancestral Recall being the clear outlier in power was known from the beginning, considering it is the only Rare member of the Boons Cycle.

When looking at how I wanted to represent these cards in this custom set, I wanted to level the playing field, while also making sure to set the stage for what a Common card in this set would be.

Design Approach

When I first started even thinking about doing this project, the first cards I thought about were the Boons.

The reason is because while ABU is known for the Power Nine and the Dual Lands, the Boons are also some of the most recognizable cards from the set. I wanted to have them set the tone for the project, and wanted to do my own take on what a current Boon cycle could look like.

Since these cards are going to err on a higher power level, I could be a little more bold with the design choices, especially at Common.

I looked at the original Boons and took note of the most important aspects: one mana, instant, and something to do with 3.

It was that last part that struck an idea into my mind; what other series of cards in Magic has something to do with 3? Charms.

Charms are modal spells that when cast have one of three effects occur. These effects are generally weaker versions of stronger cards, but the benefit is the option to choose which effect to have at a discounted rate.

So the plan was to make a cycle of charms that echoed the original Boon cycle, while also having effects that could be done in those colors.

Again, I want these cards to have some level of balance with each other, especially for a cycle of Common cards.

I also decided to have another fun quirk to play with. Since these charms are going to be one mana spells with three effects, I wanted the effects to have something to do with two. It’s goofy, I’ll admit, but it does make things easier to work around.

The Cards

When making the actual cards, I went about making the modes of the charms as such: First effect is a reference to the original card; Second effect is a form of removal; Third effect is a combat trick.

The best part of a modal spell is the need to choose what you need at that time, which is why I went this direction. While having the direct reference was intentional, having other options expand to show what the colors can do now was the key.

One thing that made this complicated was balancing certain effects, especially regarding the blue charm.

While I do like the current designs, I do think the blue one is still pretty strong.

Not the most groundbreaking design, but functional in what I’m aiming for: strong commons that not only reference the original Boons, but also show what else the color can do.

Ancestral Charm is still probably the strongest of the cycle, mostly because the soft counter spell is at a better rate than others of this type and a one mana draw two with no downsides is still very strong.

Salve Charm is probably the weakest of the cycle, but it does have the better third mode when compared to the others in my opinion.

Otherwise, I do think that the cycle as a whole came out well in what I was trying to do.

Like I said this will alternate with the Magic Super Cube, so next week will be the Magic Super Cube. Any feedback is appreciated and encouraged, and I hope to see you all next time!

Peace,

From, J.M. Casual