Arlinn... Buff Her

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TheDragonHermit
TheDragonHermit Posts: 465 Mover and Shaker
in MtGPQ General Discussion
Arlinn needs a buff, maybe some small adjustments to her abilities so that she can still be used for her abilities. The lack of werewolves in standard has forced an obsolescence on her that other Planeswalkers simply will not have. While there is a new R/G Walker coming in this apparent forced obsolescence leaves a bad taste in my mouth and would actually discourage me from buying any of the newer Walkers knowing it will happen to them too, though there is no evidence to suggest this is no more than an oversight. The simple and not to major buff would be to change the triggers from werewolf only to werewolf or wolf, still thematically sound and doesn't expand the effected cardpool too much or otherwise change up one of the initial form abilities to a token generator so there is one on either side.
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  • blacklotus
    blacklotus Posts: 589 Critical Contributor
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    not going to happen any time soon if ever, unfortunately. especially with d3 getting a new developer to take over this project after Hibernum has closed down. 
  • Gotcha617
    Gotcha617 Posts: 88 Match Maker
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    How bout just get the new green/red pw and send Arlin to a farm upstate where she can go play with other werewolves 
  • TheDragonHermit
    TheDragonHermit Posts: 465 Mover and Shaker
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    Because it is a bad practice to make a product that suddenly fails to work. This is an issue that hasn't effected other Planeswalkers to the same extent, which suggests that it wasn't intentional, but it is very frustrating, for me at least. Anyway I like Arlinn's gimmick, and would prefer to see this child of the night restored to fighting form.
  • Gotcha617
    Gotcha617 Posts: 88 Match Maker
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    Almost all the pw from last set are going to be as severely handicapped as Arlin is now 
  • Gotcha617
    Gotcha617 Posts: 88 Match Maker
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    Once vehicles are out sha is garbage, all the others use energy for abilities
  • Szamsziel
    Szamsziel Posts: 463 Mover and Shaker
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    Not true. Mana gain of saheeli and combination of strong colors make her usable even after rotation. 
  • Gotcha617
    Gotcha617 Posts: 88 Match Maker
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    Didn't say she wasn't playable...Arlin is playable due to color combo. Abilities are useless which is the point being made about arlin
  • HypnoticSpecter
    HypnoticSpecter Posts: 190 Tile Toppler
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    Her first ability is still good.
  • ElfNeedsFood
    ElfNeedsFood Posts: 944 Critical Contributor
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    They did buff her by issuing a new R/G planeswalker to replace her. The cycle continues...
  • TheDragonHermit
    TheDragonHermit Posts: 465 Mover and Shaker
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    ElfNeedsFood said:
    They did buff her by issuing a new R/G planeswalker to replace her. The cycle continues...
    That is not a buff, that is a replacement, and mechanically not even that.  Everyone who bought Arlinn invested either crystals or real money for her, then undoubtedly sunk quite a bit of runes to level her up. That is a decent time, and possibly a money, cost partially out the window. Yes her first ability is good and works well, but that is hardly the same as what we had with her.
  • octal9
    octal9 Posts: 593 Critical Contributor
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    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
  • khurram
    khurram Posts: 1,078 Chairperson of the Boards
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    octal9 said:
    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
    Just nope. That would be a travesty. 
  • Kinesia
    Kinesia Posts: 1,621 Chairperson of the Boards
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    Many of the abilities could be changed to "werewolf or wolf" and they would work. There are wolves in origins. Not great but it'd help.
  • TheDragonHermit
    TheDragonHermit Posts: 465 Mover and Shaker
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    Kinesia said:
    Many of the abilities could be changed to "werewolf or wolf" and they would work. There are wolves in origins. Not great but it'd help.
    Actually not being great but usable would put her in about the place that other Walkers would be when their set leaves standard.
  • Grenade110
    Grenade110 Posts: 53 Match Maker
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    Arlinn is the hardest hit from the Standard rotations of any Planeswalker and yes the Kaladesh Planeswalkers will be impacted by the rotation to come but nowhere near as bad as Arlinn. Look at their abilities.

    Saheeli:
    1) Generates Thopters and Energizes. 

    This is so unreliant on block mechanics that it will still be useful. Even without the energy being useful it's slightly better than Garruk's first at all levels.

    2) Remove energy and boost Constructs.

    This may end up being the hardest impacted of her abilities. It could still be used on occasion but it is rarely used now anyway.

    3) Fetch Vehicles to battlefield. 

    Ixalan is rumored to have vehicles and has been since June. If these rumors are true then this ability would still be relevant. Yes, there probably wont be a Boomship among them but there will be something to fetch.

    Nissa2:

    1) Convert and Energize.

    The gem conversion is still useful. Converts an extra gem in comparison to N1 but no life gain or card draw so not quite level with the original.

    2)Support that energizes on green match.

    Won't be beneficial except in rare cases that are all about powering up her last ability. 

    3) Energize and boost creatures. 

    Guaranteed to boost all your creatures +20/+20 for a turn. Usefulness is still there. Power level may drop but still useful.

    Tezzeret2:

    1)Energize and Fabricate.

    Even without the energy the fabricate is useful. 

    2)Token that fabricates and self pumps on energy.

    While this will weaken with less energy and all his first ability can be enough to maintain this ability. It can also work nicely with cards such as Blightcaster. 

    3) Damage to opponent when your supports get destroyed. 

    As it isn't tied to any block mechanics it will still be useful.

    Dovin: 

    1) Energize and gain mana.

    Planeswalkers that generate their own mana can always be useful. The energy can fuel his other abilities. 

    2)Support that energizes and can net card draws.

    Since this sustains itself to a degree it will still help.

    3)Support that pumps creatures via Overload. 

    Can still impact a game even without outside sources generating energy but it will be weaker.

    Chandra2:

    1)Destroy gems and Energize.

    Weaker than C1 and Koth even now but with the Kaladesh overload cards it can help. Post rotation it will suck but it still can help a little. It needs to be boosted to include damage. If it read at level 60... "Destroy 4 gems, energize 4, and deal 4 damage to opponent" it would be perfect. 

    2)Remove energy and deal damage to creature.

    Sucks and will suck more. Should be like Dovin's second ability. "Create support with ABT energize 1, Overload: damage to creature." 

    Without that it will always suck.

    3)Remove energy on spell cast for damage. 

    It's usefulness is arguable even now but after rotation it will suck without a change.

    Ajani2:

    1) Gain life and Energize. 

    It will still be ok but that's it.

    2)Energize and pump.

    Pumping is always helpful.

    3)Support that can prevent damage based on energy when created.

    Will be rarely worth it but not worth it too often now.

    So, of the Kaladesh 6 the hardest hit post rotation will be Chandra and she is the weakest even now.

    At least they've learned and the Amonkhet/Hours Planeswalkers aren't as heavily tied to the block.

    Gideon3 does work great with embalm but he can be solid without it.

    Liliana3 as always is Zombie girl so as long as she has Zombies shes good. Her first can make creatures into Zombies so she can survive without them a little. 

    Nissa3 ties to cycling but even without it she is solid.

    Elspeth works with exert or any activated gems.

    Samut just wants to smash face so as long as there are faces to smash she will be strong.

    Arlinn and Chandra2 are both doomed to be useless without updates.

  • octal9
    octal9 Posts: 593 Critical Contributor
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    khurram said:
    octal9 said:
    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
    Just nope. That would be a travesty. 
    I don't disagree. Unfortunately there are limited ways to make her other abilities usable without a full rework of all of her abilities. You have to have a way to create a werewolf. You could maybe swap the two second abilities? That gives permanent access to her full power, but it would still be slow (her loyalty costs are too high). 

    Her strength has always been in her color combo. In Standard, Samut does that better now - for better or for worse. 

    I'm not sure which of the two is stronger in Legacy. 
  • fiirst
    fiirst Posts: 438 Mover and Shaker
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    octal9 said:
    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
    +x / +x and gain werewolf subtype would be appreciated , x = level of 1st ability ,
  • Grenade110
    Grenade110 Posts: 53 Match Maker
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    fiirst said:
    octal9 said:
    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
    +x / +x and gain werewolf subtype would be appreciated , x = level of 1st ability ,
    I would say that her first ability should be a little more flavorful. 

    Level 1: Creature you control gains Werewolf type.

    Level 2: Creature you control gets +1/0  gains Werewolf type.

    Level 3: Creature you control gets +2/0 and gains Werewolf type.

    Level 4: Creature you control gets +3/+0 and gains Werewolf type. 

    Her second ability would need a slight rework also but pushing her current first ability into the second spot could solve this issue.
  • TheDragonHermit
    TheDragonHermit Posts: 465 Mover and Shaker
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    Grenade110 said:
    fiirst said:
    octal9 said:
    6 Loyalty: Target Human you control gains the Werewolf subtype.

    her first is an amazing ability and this is a big nerf to it, but it at least makes her other abilities usable. 
    +x / +x and gain werewolf subtype would be appreciated , x = level of 1st ability ,
    I would say that her first ability should be a little more flavorful. 

    Level 1: Creature you control gains Werewolf type.

    Level 2: Creature you control gets +1/0  gains Werewolf type.

    Level 3: Creature you control gets +2/0 and gains Werewolf type.

    Level 4: Creature you control gets +3/+0 and gains Werewolf type. 

    Her second ability would need a slight rework also but pushing her current first ability into the second spot could solve this issue.
    How about:
    Level 1: target creature gets werewolf subtype
    Level 2: target creature gets +2/+2 and werewolf subtype
    Level 3: target creature gets +2/+2, berserk and werewolf subtype
    Level 4: target creature gets +2/+2, berserk, trample  and werewolf subtype
  • MTG_Mage
    MTG_Mage Posts: 224 Tile Toppler
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    Any PW that uses has abilities that rely on block specific mechanics (such as energy) or a specific creature type, will lose usefulness over time. There are several that PWs that this affects. They are all still usable, its just at most one of their 3 abilities are useless and the other 2 rely on each other, which of course greatly reduces the power of the PW since there is no card interaction. In the case of Arlinn, 5 of her 6 abilities rely on werewolves.

    Arlinn should just have her middle two abilities switch from her human and werewolf sides.
    That way she generates werewolf tokens and can flip using loyalty (assuming both her 3rd abilities still flip her if no werewolves are in play).
    It makes her comparable to Gideon Ally of Zendikar.

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