Friendship is Card Games: A Canterlot Wedding · 2:01pm Aug 23rd, 2015
Oh boy. This one. No episode can compare when it comes giving me mixed feelings. I won’t air the longer years-old grievances unless someone actually wants to hear them, but in my book, this is the iffiest finale. Let’s take a closer look.
I do like how Twilight telekinetically fixes the frosting after Pinkie steps in a cake. I just hope there was a disinfecting element as well…
Rarity provides a textboox example of being unable to even.
Putting aside the equus ex nihilo problems the episode tries to paper over with a few flashbacks, Twilight not knowing Cadence’s full title raises a question of just how much Cadence tried to keep her nature as royalty separate from her babysitting. She probably wanted Twilight to see her as a pony and not some quasidivine figure… though that didn’t seem to be an issue for one of two alicorns in the world at the time—
Deep breaths. We’re not getting into this.
More pertinently, given that Twilight has never mentioned her brother until now, it seems that communication issues run in the family. (That, or Chrysalis said she wanted to tell Twilight, though that raises the question of how long she’s replaced Cadence.)
I am surprised that no one seems to notice the circle of purple around Canterlot. This may support one hypothesis that ponies have less sensitive color vision than we do, hence their frequent use of bright colors.
“Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend.” I suppose Celestia would be too awe-inspiring, but what about Spike? (Putting aside how the series premiere was basically the story of The Little Unicorn Who Had No Friends.)
Shining’s blue-on-blue eyes kind of creep me out. I know it’s so his sclera don’t get lost in his coat (as shown when his eyes go blue-on-white,) but it makes him look less “captain of the guard” and more “Fremen.” Do you have to pass the Gom Jabbar to become a guardpony? Do tatzlwurms produce the water of life? Did Twilight shrilly declare her brother to be the Kwisoatz Haderach when she was three?
That attempt at a retcon with Shining Armor seeing Twilight off as she left for Ponyville… Well, it can hold up. Twilight grousing over being ordered to make friends could be seen as thinking she has enough in her brother, or a way to ignore the pain by focusing on something else. Still, it feels shaky.
“Ever since I moved to Ponyville, we’ve been seeing each other less and less.” Implying that they’ve been seeing each other at all. Must have been offscreen… which raises the queston of when to fit that in the “three seasons in one year timeline.”
No. We are not getting into that quagmire again.
What exactly is the citywide shield meant to do? It’s not keyed to only repel changelings. Luna wouldn’t need to open a hole in it to pass through later on if that were the case. Still, I hope it at least lets gasses through.
I do love how Pinkie excretes party supplies. Just another casual bit of breaking reality. 
I also like the guards’ expressions as Twilight walks by. “Oh, hey, it’s the captain’s little sister! How’ve you been— Oh horseapples, she is pissed.”
What exactly do the royal sisters think they’re going to accomplish by standing on a balcony and looking through a telescope?
So, Celestia requested an increase in security from before Shining and Cadence were even engaged? Sorry, Shiny, that doesn’t really hold water. It would imply months of higher militarization in Canterlot, if not a flagrantly impossible number of years. News probably would’ve gotten out of the unusual number of guards about.
Also, a shield only one pony can maintain. Yeah, that doesn’t seem like a massive strategic weakness at all.
Okay, I’m going to ask: Why is a princess foalsitting? We’ve gotten some great answers in fanfiction, but the show itself provides no justification for an alicorn working for pocket money.
Ah yes, Cadence’s love spells. I’m just going to assume that Celestia made absolutely sure that her niece had complete and total understanding of the ethical and moral implications of that kind of magic.
I love the musical direction in the kitchen scene. Applejack’s doing things? Cue the banjos!
“I know how you brides can be.” Huh. That’s an interesting question. How many cousins’ weddings has Applejack been to? How many has she helped with? She may be the most experienced of the Mane Six in this regard. Especially given Pinkie’s “one party fits all” mentality.
One the one hand, I can understand Rarity being leery of taking requests after “Suited for Success.” On the other… it’s a royal wedding. Asking for the bride’s input might be advisable.
Girls, maybe you should listen to the pony who’s known both the bride and groom for longer than a day. Just saying.
I’m not saying Twilight is entirely in the right, certainly not for what she does later. (Seriously, not the best way to express your concerns.) The others are trying to help, but a little faith would be nice, especially given the “Lesson Zero” debacle. If nothing else, it would be nice if they didn’t casually dismiss her concerns. Again.
“Cadence is downright evil! I better run off without confronting her or asking Shining for an explanation!” Oh, Twilight…
Okay, I take back what I said earlier. The rest of the Mane Six are gleefully hugging idiot balls. Making them bridesmaids apparently makes up for everything ever. Though I do appreciate Rainbow Dash being concerned about her dress being Rainboom-compatible.
I assume Celestia never had a free moment to listen to Twilight’s concerns prior to the rehearsal. At least, I hope that’s the case.
Apparently, healing magic doesn’t count as casting a spell on somepony. You’d think “casting a spell” wouldn’t have any negative connotations in a society full of unicorns.
And no sympathy for Twilight whatsoever. You know, the two-time savior of the world. May have some valid concerns. At the very least, shunning her is not going to do wonders for her mental state.
Ah, pointy ponies. One of my favorite alternate art styles.
Apparently, Chrysalis can teleport. That, or she doubled back and flew up to the balcony of the… well, it probably isn’t a chapel. Ballroom?
Yes, nopony will ever think to look for the lynchpin of the Bearers of Harmony. Surely not. Chrysalis’s plans… Well, I’ll get to that.
Depending on the biology of alicorns, I don’t think Cadence has gotten food or water for the entirety of her imprisonment. It’s entirely possible that Chrysalis left her to die.
You probably know how the “This Day Aria” opens with deceptive cadence and moves to authentic cadence as the singers change. It’s still a really cool stealth pun.
Headcanon: The Lyrical Self-Infringement Protection Act of 2365 made information divulged in musical numbers inadmissible in court.
Oh, wow. I only just realized how the chandelier in Cadence’s room reflects the shape of Chrysalis’s crown as her shadow intersects it. Nice touch.
So, how is Celestia justifying the glowing green eyes and vacant expression on the captain of the guard?
One nice touch: In lieu of Twilight, it looks like Spike is Shining’s best dragon. The two of them should be closer than they appear to be most of the time.
So… was the bouquet there the whole time, or what?
Chrysalis’s reveal was fantastic. There wasn’t a single hint of the changelings prior to the episode. Chryssy didn’t just infiltrate Canterlot, she flew under the hype radar.
That said, somepony (say, Celestia,) hitting her in the middle of her monologue might have been advisable.
Speaking of whom, I’m going with underestimation, Celestia not wanting to nuke the ballroom, and the love for the alicorn thereof being especially potent. On a Doylist level, I understand the need to address the easy solution. That doesn’t mean I like Celestia getting Worfed.
Using the Elements would be a great plan… provided Twilight can open the vault. Kind of a concern there.
There’s a strangely fluid effect to the dive-bombing changelings. Curious.
Hmm. It is possible for the Mane Six to bluff changelings. If there is a hive mind, it isn’t a passive one.
Heavy Weapons Pie is still one of the greatest things ever. Rule of Funny does not preclude martial applications of cartoon logic.
Okay, let’s look at Chrysalis’s plan: Infiltrate Canterlot. Weaken the shield that was put into place after what appears to be an intelligence leak. Allow army to feed on love… by spreading fear. Yeah, this just doesn’t compute. Changelings are infiltrators. Couldn’t they have just stuck to being duplicate background ponies and feasted off of Equestria with nopony the wiser?
This sort of thing is why I think Chrysalis is only ten years old. This is not the plan of a multimillennial mastermind. This is the plan of an impetuous bully to whom subtlety and subterfuge are unpleasant necessities that must be endured until it’s time to gloat. I suppose the cocoons could be Matrix-pod-style emotion harvesting devices, but we don’t get evidence of that.
Love giving somepony strength is a lovely but absolutely ridiculous sentiment, says the changeling queen.
The first time I saw the repulsion spell, I thought Shining Armor was going to ascend. Or the couple would fuse. Seriously, that kind of magic seems like it should have a lasting effect on the casters.
Twilight’s parents are allowed to exist for no more than ten seconds at a time. It happened during her tenth birthday; they don’t really like to talk about it.
The biggest miracle of the episode? Two instances of Cutie Mark Crusader Flower Fillies with no casualties.
Applejack will not be denied her hat.
“I now pronounce you mare and colt.” Well. That’s kind of denigrating for Shining Armor.
I do love how Dash can now perform Rainbooms on cue. While going up. Somepony leveled up recently.
Oh, Luna. A glorious battle, and you were… well, indisposed, certainly. I’m going to say she was quieting Cthulhu’s dreams in sunken R’lyeh.
Don’t get me wrong. For all my grousing, this was still an enjoyable episode, and it gave us one of the most versatile plot devices in pony fiction. It just nags at me like an itchy sweater in places.
Now, let’s get to the cards:
Song of Siblings 1W
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on Song of Siblings.
1W, Sacrifice Song of Siblings: Put a 2/X white Unicorn Soldier creature token onto the battlefield, where X is the number of verse counters on Song of Siblings. That creature has “All damage that would be dealt to you is dealt to this creature instead.”
“Love is in Bloom” 2W
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Love is in Bloom”.
1W, Sacrifice “Love is in Bloom”: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to each creature you control this turn, where X is the number of verse counters on “Love is in Bloom”. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way.
Gelatinous Containment 3W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, loses all abilities, and can't have or gain abilities.
A changeling cocoon feeds on the magic of its captive, making it exactly as strong as it needs to be.
Overwhelming Joy 3W
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent gains life, that player can’t cast spells this turn.
2W: Target opponent gains 5 life.
Bliss fills the mind until there’s no room for anything else.
Songbird Choir 3W
Creature — Bird
Flying
When Songbird Choir enters the battlefield, you may distribute two verse counters among one or two target Songs.
Music comes instinctually to most creatures on Ungula, but none more than the birds.
2/2
Captain Shining Armor 3WW
Legendary Creature — Unicorn Soldier
Vigilance
Other Soldier creatures you control get +1/+1.
X, T: Prevent the next X damage that would be dealt to you and to each other creature you control this turn.
”I wish I weren’t necessary. Not all wishes are granted.”
3/3
Royal Legion 3WW
Creature — Unicorn Soldier
Vigilance
Royal Legion’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control plus the number of Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns you control.
Equestria rarely marches to war, but it always stands ready.
*/*
Siege Barrier 4W
Creature — Wall
Defender, reach
Siege Barrier can block any number of creatures.
W, Tap another untapped creature you control: Siege Barrier gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is the tapped creature’s toughness.
0/7
Changeling's Thrall 1UU
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature has base power 0.
”If I let them have free will, who knows what they might do?”
—Queen Chrysalis
Claim the Bouquet 1UU
Instant
Change the target of target spell or ability with a single target.
One should always remember that an Element of Harmony and its Bearer are far from the same thing.
"This Day Aria" 1UU
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on "This Day Aria".
U, Sacrifice "This Day Aria": Put onto the battlefield a token that's a copy of target creature with converted mana cost X or less, where X is the number of verse counters on "This Day Aria".
Bewitched Bridesmaids 2U
Creature — Unicorn Minion
1G: Prevent all combat damage that Bewitched Bridesmaids would deal this turn. Any player may activate this ability.
Certain instinctual drives can override even the most powerful mind control.
3/2
Impersonate 2UU
Sorcery
Exile target creature. Another target creature becomes a copy of that creature until end of turn. Return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
”Walk a mile in another’s horseshoes? Way ahead of you.”
—Smug Superiority, identity juggler
Repulsion Wave 2UU
Instant
Choose a creature type. Return all creatures of the chosen type to their owners' hands.
”Get out of my city.”
—Shining Armor
Changeling Infiltrator 3U
Creature — Shapeshifter Rogue
U: Until end of turn, Changeling Infiltrator becomes a copy of target creature defending player controls and gains this ability. Activate this ability only if Changeling Infiltrator is attacking.
As cruel as any mirror, and much more aggressive.
2/2
Love Siphon 1B
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent gains life, you may have that player lose 1 life. If you do, you gain 1 life.
The taste of love is literally indescribable. Only changeling telempathy can convey the sensation.
Beam Duel 1R
Sorcery
Multikicker 1R (You may pay an additional 1R any number of times as you cast this spell.)
Target creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each time Beam Duel was kicked. Then that creature fights target creature you don’t control.
Pony Sharpshooter 1RR
Creature — Pony Warrior
Pony Sharpshooter doesn’t untap during your untap step.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, untap Pony Sharpshooter.
T: Pony Sharpshooter deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
1/1
Crush of Bodies 3R
Enchantment
R, Tap an untapped creature you control: Crush of Bodies deals 1 damage to target creature.
Enough people working together can solve any problem.
Stress Test 2G
Sorcery
Target player sacrifices an artifact or enchantment. If you control a blue or black permanent, that player sacrifices another artifact or enchantment.
”Any shield that can’t hold up against a month-long siege isn’t worth the effort.”
—Shining Armor
Action Figure 3
Artifact Creature — Construct
You may have Action Figure enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it's still 1/1 and is an artifact in addition to its other types.
"Equestrian toy companies always make sure their products are as accurate as possible. Unlike some companies I could mention…"
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
1/1
Crocodile Tears WU
Instant
Target creature gains hexproof and protection from creatures until end of turn.
”Pony sympathy is useful even when left uneaten.”
—Queen Chrysalis
Ray of Decomposition BG
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. That permanent’s controller loses 2 life.
Changeling magic excels at making objects as ragged as changelings themselves.
Banish Beneath 3(wu)(wu)
Instant
Put target creature on the bottom of its owner’s library.
Cold flames encircled Twilight. As she sank through the floor, the last thing she saw was a cruel grin and glowing eyes.
Urgent Message 3WU
Instant
Draw cards equal to the damage dealt to you this turn.
The worse the peril, the more important the missive.
Chrysalis, Changeling Queen 4UB
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying
1U: Until end of turn, target creature you control becomes a copy of another target creature. The "legend rule" doesn't apply to creatures with that creature's name this turn.
1B: Target creature gets -0/-1 until end of turn. Chrysalis, Changeling Queen gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
3/3
Mi Amore Cadenza 4RW
Legendary Creature — Avatar
Alicorn (This card is a Pony Pegasus Unicorn at all times.)
Flying, lifelink
3RW, T, Tap another untapped creature you control: Mi Amore Cadenza deals damage equal to its power plus the other tapped creature's power to target creature or player.
3/3
Mirror Match 4URG
Sorcery
For each creature target opponent controls, untap that creature and put a token that's a copy of it onto the battlefield. That token has haste and "Creatures with the same name as this creature block it if able." Exile the tokens at the beginning of the next end step.
Canterhorn Caverns
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn spells.
The peril of the caves is matched only by the value of the crystals.
Changeling Hive
Land
Changeling Hive enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add G, U, or B to your mana pool.
Slime drips, drones chitter, and the queen plots, all in the name of love.
I love this finale, its my second favorite one (You can probably guess wich one is mine.) And I just have to say
This line is kin of mfunny to me. I just love how in 'fix fics' where they want to make sure that in no uncertain terms that the mane 5 are the bad guys and will not let them have another side like one-dimensional idoits, that they will use this as an excuse.
"Oh, they woulnt look for her."
BS, writers and Chrysalis!
What makes you think that the MOMENT they found Twilight missing, they wouldn't first ask Ponyville and then turn Canterlot upside down in hunting for her. They were being mad at a little brat, they didn't hate her. They were most likely going to apologize later after little miss "I want my brother to myself" was done crying her eyes out. Then, they would've found out she was missing and then hunted her down.
Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest.
TIME TO HIDE, COWARDS!
She did specify pony.
I think I read a theory somewhere that Cadence started with a huge grand bouquet, and she nibbled at it during her imprisonment, which is how she got fed and why it's so small when Twilight finds her.
To be honest, my personal headcanon regarding Chrysalis runs along the lines of "Hamstrung by her own arrogance." I get the impression that she is in fact a legitimate tactical genius BUT didn't see any threat this "late in the game" from the captain of the guard's little sister--she was just a scholar who required a locked-away artifact to do anything serious to an army, after all. Part of this attitude stems from the changeling's (again headcanon) magical empathy and resultant artificial hive mind; obviously creatures that can't directly read each other's emotions are broken or cattle in some way, so they clearly can't be as smart as tactically minded Chrysalis who, let's point out, managed to infiltrate and impersonate a PRINCESS (albeit minor) and mind control the captain of the guard in such a way that Equestria's armed forces wouldn't be a match for hers.
Basically, without that repulsion spell Chrysalis would have won. But she was so caught up in the "Changelings are Superior" dogma that she didn't catch it.
Gelatinous Containment has a problem.
Can't attack or block is an ability.
How about "Enchanted creature loses all abilities, can't attack or block, and can't have or gain other abilities."?
My headcanon on this is that Alicorns are really tough, and can if necessary slow their life processes to a crawl while slowly converting mass to energy to sustain themselves. I don't know if Chrysalis knew this, nor if she cared. She probably would have been just fine with it if Cadance had died, though she would rather have kept her alive to drain her love. Chrysalis is evil.
I think she didn't realize that non-Changelings could channel emotional energies that way.
Silly Fan. Don't you know that pony brides all gain the temporary ability to summon bouquets at will?
"I am Heavy Weapons Pie, and this," *clattering unicorn noises* "is my weapon."
The implications of Cadence's power being universally usable are both thematic and hilarious.
Shining: "Honey, why are there scorch marks on the bed? Were you making love to Ball Lightning again?"
Cadence: "Our first duty is to the realm, sweetie, and your love's not strong enough to blast Nicol Bolas off the battlefield."
I kind of wish she had a similar ability for players, like, mana + tap + you can't cast spells until the end step of your next turn: do X damage to target creature or player, where X is Cadence's power plus the number of cards in your hand. But that's just my fanservice brain talking.
Right, let's try to actually reply to people this week...
3340927
Yeah, that really showcases how poorly Chrysalis knows Twilight and the other Bearers. The Elements she knew about, going by the lengths to which the changelings secured the vault, but the Bearers themselves? Not so much.
3340942
Good point about Spike, and I like that theory. Though it still raises the question of water. Those didn't seem like especially drippy caves.
3340955
I can buy it. Chrysalis does do a lot of good covert work offscreen, with the infiltration and sneaking a massive army into Canterlot airspace. She also plays the crowd masterfully. But that mindset of cattle and ranchers led her to a fundamentally flawed plan. Changelings could've ruled from the shadows, but she craved the spotlight, a dangerous desire in a changeling.
3340957
Actually, it's a characteristic, not an ability, much like indestructible was before it became a keyword. A fine distinction, but an important one. Furthermore, it comes from the Aura itself. We'd have a problem if it were "Enchanted creature has 'This creature can't attack or block.'"
3341016
Yeah. I may not have her serving Nyarlathotep, but I'm certainly not arguing about Chrysalis's villainy. A few other traits, maybe, but not that.
3341156
"Say hello, weapon!"
"Hello, everypony."
"Isn't she great?"
3341205
"Whoa. I thought 'sleeping with lightning' was just an expression. Twi, your sister is hardcore."
"An expression for what?"
"I'll tell you when you're older."
"I'm three months older than you."
"Yeah, but it's a pegasus thing. It won't really make sense to you until the end of next season."
"Why?"
3341322 Um... maybe she uses alicorn shenanigans to pull water vapor out of the air? (Could be unicorn- and/or pegasus-based, depending on headcanon.) Or she found an underground river or something?
3341322
Of course, now I want to know what 'sleeping with lightning' is a euphemism for, too.
3342160
Hmm. Probably trying to have intercourse in an active storm cloud. Or trying to bed one of the Wonderbolts.
Mirror Match is a game ender.
You missed a word there, "She may be the most <snip>".
She was asleep, in her sound-and-sun-prof room.
It's the only way she can make contact with Azathoth to make sure he stays asleep, Cthulhu is small potatoes.
As for the episode itself this is one of those ones where it is very obviously part of a "show" and not a "world". The characters all act in ways that further a plot and are contrary to both common sense and previously established characterizations.
This is also one of those episodes that is very obviously a commercial for toys, since the hype up for the royal wedding in real life and then the hidden villain angle.
And speaking of Chrysalis I can kinda of maybe see her dropping the ball at the end, because she did have the whole thing in hoof but really, when you have a race that is the best at subterfuge of course you go all out attack </facepalm>. Vainglorious leaders are the worst.
This is an episode that I say "Oh, neat world building ideas" and ignore the actual plot of the darn thing. That's what is great about fanfiction and that "Alternate Universe" tag, and in fact this episode right here is why I'd probably never write a story without said AU tag because I don't think I can play this farce straight.
Now for the cards.
I take it "Big Brother Best Friend Forever" is too long of a card name so you went with Song of Siblings instead? It looks like the official song title is B.B.B.F.F. so you could go with "B.B.B.F.F." instead.
This is just me trying to have all of the songs be of the "<quotation mark> <song title> <quotation mark>" format.
Overwhelming Joy is one of those cards that you just want to find a way to make broken. Something with them losing life when they gain it, but it couldn't be an "instead" effect. Unless you didn't care about the Silence effect, Lava Axe for 2W is pretty nice after all.
I was thinking that Claim the Bouquet was kinda expensive but there is only one card that has that effect. There are eight other that change a spell with a single target and one that changes an activated ability with a single target. The closest would be Shunt and I'm fine with Blue being able to do more in this area than Red.
Repulsion Wave is kind-of an inverse Whelming Wave. I like it.
I want to make some kind of Macross joke about Beam Duel but I'm drawing a blank.
I never thought I would say this but, sorry Pony Sharpshooter I prefer the Goblin over you.
Though if you run some sort of token production the pony one is pretty good.
Any particular reason Stress Test is checking for enemy colors? Neither Blue nor Black are known for their artifact or enchantment hate, in fact White and Red are much more well known for such things and are allied colors to Green.
This one just feels very odd to me color pie wise, like you're forcing it into an enemy colors just because that's where the FiM Changelings would best fit.
Well, Crocodile Tears is just a game ender. Have to cast removal in response and if you're playing White and relying on your various "target attacking creature" spells you're just out of luck.
Umm, I guess that Urgent Message wasn't urgent enough to show up before the attack happened.
"Hey, the dragosns are going to attack you!" "What, again! They just did!" "Umm, opps?"
I think the last line of text on Mirror Match should read "Exile the tokens at the beginning of the next end step."
I'm basing this off Nacatl War-Pride because it also produces mass token that go away at end of turn, whereas the various other cards that say "Exile it at" only ever produce one token at a time.
Oh, hey look, Changeling Hive! I produces the colors I said the FiM changelings would probably be! Image that!
Still don't think Stress Test should check for enemy colors.
3342364
Not really, since all the token you make would get blocked by the original creatures. unless you threw out some kill spells as well, or if some of the copies had menace or were unblockable or other such things.
No, the real game ender is Crocodile Tears, hexproof and protection from creatures? No "retribution" spells or blockers on that 20/1 thankyouverymuch.
Yeah, this episode's plot was silly. All the good guys juggled idiot balls, and the villain's plan was textbook 80s supervillain fare. Which is a shame since the villains' identity was so cool and had so much potential. I guess you can come up with whatever explanation for Chrysalis's stupidity that you want.
Though you forgot to mention her biggest blunder: Imprisoning Twilight within spitting distance of the real Cadence. Seriously, did she want them to escape? Given how easily they managed to do so, during a freaking musical number no less (and thus in under 30 seconds of airtime), I almost want to say "yes".
As for your cards:
Changeling's Thrall seems pretty cool. Siege Barrier jumps out as an interesting card too but probably isn't as good as it sounds, for its price.
Repulsion Wave looks fun too, but sideboard at best. Still, imagine a tribal deck having all its creatures returned to its hand at once.
Love Siphon: Now you just need to find some cards that say "all players gain (1 or 2) life". I know they exist.
Beam Duel: I like the flavor. If you're already strong enough, you can just fight them, or you can give them a little boost first. I think it'd make more sense as +1/+1 though, since she did survive the duel still standing.
Pony Sharpshooter: I'm too lazy to go looking, but I guarantee you there's ways to turn this into an infinite combo. Which is fine, the game's allowed to have infinite combos. (Played without a combo, but in an appropriately creature-heavy deck, it's still a pretty cool card).
Stress Test: Another cool, fun card. Might even be able to force them to sacrifice a combo piece with no other choices, and in the normal case it's card advantage.
Action Figure: Cute. Also very powerful if you copy someone with good abilities that don't depend on their base P/T; it can't be a legend, but 3 mana is pretty cheap for a second copy of an ability you paid 6 or 7 for. Then again, a proper Clone is 3U, so this'd mostly be useful in non-blue.
Urgent Message: Probably game-winning if cast at the right time. Sadly you have no mana left over and paying life doesn't count, so options to (productively) do damage to yourself first are pretty sparse.
Mi Amore Cadenza: So Cadence's power is... a big burn spell? For the Alicorn of Love? I know she does a big flashy attack in this episode, but that doesn't really fit.
Mirror Match: Player 1 plays progenitus. Ready for a knockout blow next turn. Player 2 just smiles. (In all seriousness, I wonder if it'd be more fun if it was slightly cheaper but no creatures except the clones could attack this turn? That's certainly more flavorful.)
What really irritates me is that in the final analysis, Chrysalis was strictly unnecessary. Think about it for a second before the flame war heats up.....this would have worked just as well as the story of a closed-mouthed little 'girl' who doesn't think to talk much about her super-important family to her new social circle because of a fear of sounding boastful freaking out because everyone's too busy settling down a Bridezilla to listen to her panic-induced paranoia. Adding in a monster-of-the-week isn't really necessary.
As for the massive stupidity of most everyone, no wonder you had Best Pony fix it in Sideboard and no wonder Trinary used it as a sort of jumping off point for a battle with Discord.
3342767 Yes, all the tokens are blocked by the original creatures. Leaving the rest of your creatures unblocked. Even if your only other creatures are a few 5/5's, if you play that later in the game, that's still an insta-kill.
3342986
Yes, there is that, not something I thoguht of at first. My mistake.
3342364
Which is why it costs seven mana in three colors. Though I will note that there's a four-mana instant with a similar effect.
3342767
Edits made where appropriate.
Stress Test: This is part of a cycle, along with Pink Punch, Wild Surmise, Mental Dissonance, and a red card I have planned for "Wonderbolts Academy."
Crocodile Tears: If you think that's impressive, consider the version that's monocolored and has splice.
3342775
I think the idea was to have Twilight kill the real Cadence after taunting her into a blind frenzy. Of course, Chrysalis did minimal research for her role, so... yeah, that didn't go well.
Love Siphon: You'd have to keep it alive, but Putrid Warrior certainly works.
Beam Duel: Red doesn't do a lot of toughness boosting, and laser fights don't feel very green. Flavor and the color pie had to come to a compromise.
Mi Amore Cadenza: Love is hard to portray in a game built around killing your opponent, and Cadence's magic has enough unpleasant implications without making it outright mind control, even in temporary form. So I went with the "big burst of weaponized love" model.
3342965
I suppose that's true. How would you have done everything after Celestia telling off Twilight at the rehearsal?
3343123 I'd have her sitting at the doughnut shop crying about how everything is changing too fast only to have Cadence show up and admit what a butt she was being which leads to the inevitable happy ending. It might not sell toys but it would be a pretty good episode of Weekenders.
3341322
Was that a rules change at some point? The example I remember was putting Lignify on a Vigean Hydropon. You'd have a 5/9 Treefolk that could attack and block.
This is the example I remember from the comprehensive rules:
112.2a Abilities can be beneficial or detrimental.
Example: “[This creature] can’t block” is an ability.
3344249
The Lignified Hydropon trick works because the Hydropon has the ability "Vigean Hydropon can't attack or block," which Lignify takes away. Pacifism and its ilk apply the limitation without giving any abilities. If they did, they would use the phrase "Enchanted creature has". Instead, they just alter the behavior of the creature. It's the same reason you can't use Lignify to get around, say, Ghostly Prison. The effect changes the behavior of the creature without altering the card text.
3343123 Well, to me trying to represent "love" would mean your creatures supporting each other. The first thing that springs to mind is something like "T, Discard a card and tap an untapped creature you control: Search your library for a creature that shares a (type and/or color) with the tapped creature, reveal that card, and put it in your hand." Or "Tap an untapped creature you control: Target creature you control gets +X/+Y, where X is the tapped creature's power and Y is its toughness." Or to be fancy you could try something like giving creatures fake soulbond (bookkeeping would be a nightmare so probably not).
Convoke and Dredge are other examples of mostly non-combat ideas represented through magic cards ("working together" and farming respectively), but they're not really what you need here.
I'll grant you no toughness on the beam duel, but it still seems weird that it doesn't help you survive the duel. Maybe "If you kicked Beam Duel two or more times, instead target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don't control." (Two kicks = 3RRR, for which you could probably kill it outright anyways).
Edit: In fact, here, let me design two cards:
Matchmaking 1GW
Sorcery
Search your library for a creature card which shares a color and a creature type with target creature you control, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If the revealed card has a converted mana cost 2 or less, put it onto the battlefield instead.
To the Princess of Love, finding somepony's perfect match is no more difficult than identifying matching boots.
Love Channel 2W
Instant
Tap an untapped creature you control. Untap another target creature you control, and it gets +X/+Y until the end of the turn, where X is the first creature's power and Y is its toughness.
Stolen love can be used to power great magic, but it is nothing compared to love freely given.
Mi Amore Cadenza complaint: The card says “~ deals damage equal to its power plus…”. Shouldn't that be ‘her power’?
Well, that's the first two seasons done. All that's left before I can release these is to work out which of these are from which episode and add images for the last five episodes.
4430201
The only cards that get gendered pronouns are planeswalkers and creatures that transform into planeswalkers. Everything else is an "it" according to convention, even cards that represent multiple entities acting as a single creature.
4430210 Wait, really? I could've sworn the rule was that all characters with established genders get referred to with gendered pronouns on their cards. I asked MaRo about this; will update soon enough.
EDIT: Stupid phone interface, I meant to add commentary!
Consider this: *Twilight* is a Kwisatz Haderach. My headcanon is that the reason for the high power and similar names of the "SkyLight LightVerb" crew is that they're all products of a secret conspiracy's eugenics program, meant to breed unicorns who could overthrow the Diarchy and restore unicorn rule. This probably makes Starlight Duncan Idaho (as written by Kevin J. Anderson & Brian Herbert, I mean). After all, she was an even greater success (at least in terms of power) than Twilight or Sunset.
5170521
Wait, if Twilight's a Kwisatz Haderach, that implies the pony Bene Gesserit is an exclusively male organization... which could lead us back to the Royal Guard, at least until it was opened to mares in late Season 8. My question about the Gom Jabbar stands.
Maud, meanwhile is clearly the Quartzite Has-a-Rock.
5170599
Possibly on the Gom Jabbar. Definitely on the pony Bene Gesserit being an all-stallion organization. Perhaps founded by Star Swirl.
I was going to ask if you'd seen Maud'Dib on a Tatzlwurm, and then I saw you commented on the derpibooru page... 6 years ago. Sometimes it feels weird to be just getting into a fandom as its source material is wrapping up, heh.
Also, I love how Pony Sharpshooter is both a potential counter to squirrel shenanigans and a way to convert squirrel shenanigans into instant damage.