Friendship is Card Games: Spike at Your Service · 1:35pm Dec 20th, 2015
I’ve noticed an interesting pattern. My least favorite episodes of each season alternate between ones that feature Spike and ones featuring Rainbow Dash.
The Dash episodes are in the even seasons: “The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well” and “Daring Don’t.” I don’t take much issue with Dash’s behavior, though her fame withdrawal and sense of entitlement towards A. K. Yearling are pretty terrible. With those two, it’s the world building that bothers me. I can’t like a story that gives Ponyville a road that goes right off a cliff (and, you know, a cliff) or one that establishes that Ahuizotl is real while giving zero thought towards the implications in a world where Celestia seems to have a pretty tight lid on things (to say nothing of the Mane Six seeming to go north to get to a Mesoamerican jungle.)
The Spike episodes are in the odd seasons: “Owl’s Well That Ends Well,” “Princess Spike,” and this week’s subject, “Spike at Your Service.” I’d like to thank Bookish Delight for posting a blog earlier this week that encouraged me to look at the episode with fresh eyes instead of just looking to reaffirm my old grievances. Let’s see how this goes.
A dozen books doesn’t seem too terrible for Twilight. Still, I have to wonder if this was last-minute cramming that Celestia sent to her as destiny came to a head. “Sunset Shimmer’s due back soon, there are some discrepancies in Tartarus, I can’t remember the last time I checked on the Tree of Harmony… That filly needs her wings and she needs them yesterday!”
It’s kind of sad to see that Spike’s Twilight-independent aspirations are so limited. This may be a form of overcompensation after the events of “Secret of My Excess.” After all, if Spike’s desires can so easily spiral out of control, then the safest course of action is for him not to want anything. Still, that he seems to have no goals beyond serving Twilight is… well, it’s kind of understandable, given his upbringing, but it’s still a bit depressing.
Wow. How terrible is Cherry Berry at tying knots if walking into one is enough to undo it? Still, she is doing with her mouth…
Also, while I commend Spike for trying to correct his own mistake, I have to condemn Ponyville’s pegasi for just standing by and letting the nonflying dragon chase the easily caught balloon. Seriously, he ran right past Raindrops.
And here we get to the first main gripe of the story: Spike is a fire-breathing dragon. Timberwolves are wolves made of timber. Yes, they may be damp and not burn very well. Yes, Spike may hesitate to use his breath to hurt others, which would be laudable in a situation other than self-defense. The point stands: The dragon should not be afraid of a pack of disgruntled topiaries, assuming their wooden fangs can even pierce his scales.
That being said, I actually do like the 3D effect for the timberwolves. It makes them seem alien and otherworldly when contrasted against the normal animation style, emphasizing the eldritch nature of the Everfree Forest, something that really fell off in later seasons. From Season 4 on, that can be attributed to the rejuvenation of the Tree of Harmony, so in a way, this episode can be thought of as the Everfree’s last hurrah.
It’s funny, yes, but the delimbed timberwolf looking at the camera in shock before gravity kicks in really ruins the mood of the scene. This is a fight scene, not a Wile E. Coyote short. Aside from that, I do appreciate Applejack being a badass. I just wish Spike had a chance to do the same.
The use of “rocket” as a verb isn’t that surprising. We knew ponies have rockets back during “Boast Busters.” Trixie used them for their original pyrotechnic purpose.
So, the earth pony came to investigate the runaway balloon. Sure, it’s the ever-dependable Applejack, but is today some kind of no-flight pegasus holiday? Heck, even AJ was a little foolhardy to not bring backup into the freakish hell-forest. Of course, that would complicate to whom Spike would owe his life debt…
Open mind, FoME, open mind.
Okay, earth ponies almost certainly have some kind of mass-influencing magic if Applejack can tether the hot air balloon to herself, especially since she’s ridden in that very balloon before with other passengers. Though I suppose it could just be a matter of the balloon just barely generating enough lift to get its own basket off the ground... though if that's the case, then we get into how the thing probably should've been sagging by the time they left the forest, what with being unattended, unless the burner—
Sorry. Tangent. Continuing on.
I have to wonder whether Cherry Berry’s grumpiness is more because she suspects Spike was responsible for making the balloon drift away or because of her annoyance at her own difficulties with tying knots.
And now we come upon the second gripe: Spike’s sudden clumsiness. From the moment he’s on his own, he can barely walk two feet before bumping into something, and it only worsens when he’s trying to help Applejack. This is Twilight’s cook, maid, and general aide. He loses all competence this episode solely so Applejack will find his help more undesirable. Yes, he’s being overenthusiastic, but come on.
I know it’s a little thing, but hearing door latches on an apple cellar just feels weird.
Huh. Waterskiing implies motorboats, or at least enough pegasi willing to drag ponies around on bodies of water that there’s a market to be had in manufacturing the things.
I do like both the idea of Spike’s personal code and the mechanics by which he explains it. The code itself is a clear reaction to “Dragon Quest,” Spike trying to be better than the dragons he’s encountered before through a strict set of morals (though as with his minimal aspirations, it seems to be a case of overcompensation.) The musical cues are also great, the medieval instruments making it clear how this is a form of chivalry for Spike, with Applejack as his liege lady. Meanwhile, his ability to burn objects to put them into indefinite stasis, a dragonflame-operated hammerspace, is a fascinating expansion of his magic.
Dragon. Eating. Timberwolves. 
Am I really supposed to take this seriously?
I know Twilight’s seemingly callous obliviousness has angered others, but I can actually understand it. Fun fact: My sister practiced coming out of the closet to me several times before telling our parents. It was still news to me when she did it for real, because she’d intentionally done it while I was reading, playing video games, or otherwise distracted. I can definitely understand being so engrossed in something that you block out even important news from loved ones.
Spike can cook. We see Spike help with the baking in “A Bird in the Hoof” and make godlike nachos in “Twilight Time.” Yes, that pie probably smells and tastes fine to a dragon’s truly omnivorous palate, but Spike can cook.
The Bearer of Honesty feels it’s wrong to let another labor under a misapprehension. The Bearer of Generosity… would use a life debt for all that it’s worth. It’s always important to remember that the Mane Six are more than their virtues. 
I do love that Dash is working on a novel. Or was. We never really hear about it after this, and I honestly can’t say I’m surprised. She strikes me as more of a short story writer.
You had a broom, Spike. How did you remove the sink’s U-bend?
It’s a shame Pinkie wasn’t there for the rock tower. It probably would’ve been nostalgic.
“Bad news, he actually finished building the whole rock tower.” Said as Spike is walking onscreen, and while he was clearly already within earshot. Wow.
If nothing else, at least Spike retains his skills as a masseuse.
Okay, Applejack shocking Twilight out of her fugue state by jostling an inkwell is pretty funny.
The dragon code is certainly important to that dragon. Others seem to live largely by a code of “Everything I can take belongs to me.”
Pinkie is worryingly prepared when she needs to put a friend’s life in peril.
Rarity does make a good point. Applejack isn’t the first pony I’d think of when it comes to acting. Of course, if the Method Mares are any indication, ponies don’t have much dramatic capability to begin with.
I can definitely believe that Spike counted all of that grass. Inventory management is a key part of maintaining a hoard.
I guess Granny Smith never told Applejack about how timberwolves are deathly afraid of banging pots.
The giant timberwolf has a crown. Nice touch. Less nice is how it’s defeated. Judging by it’s reaction, it can’t believe it anymore than I can. It’s an animate pile of deadfall. Why does it need to breathe?
Even at the end, Spike comes off as a little uncomfortably clingy. On the other hand, that could be seen as relief, since he gets to be back with his sister/mother/etc.
In the end… no, I still don’t like it. There are some interesting ideas, yes, but the sheer amount of contrivance needed to make the story work is just shameful. Still, those ideas make for great card fodder:
Study Fugue 2W
Enchantment
Spells each player casts cost 1 more to cast for each card that player drew since the beginning of his or her most recent turn.
”Books can take you to other worlds, but that usually means leaving this one.”
—Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic
Minimal Ambition 3W
Enchantment
Players can’t search libraries.
”I’m happy where I am. I’ve never dreamt of more because I don’t want it.”
—Spike
Breathing Assistance 1U
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, untap all creatures you control.
”Well, it would be one less thing to worry about…”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Drama Coach 1U
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
T: Untap another target creature.
”Emote, Celestia banish you! Emote!”
1/1
Minor Disturbance 1U
Instant
Choose one or both —
• Tap target permanent.
• Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1.
”Who moved my quills!?”
—Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic
Sudsplosion 1U
Instant
Tap target creature you don’t control. Creatures tapped this way don’t untap during their controllers’ next untap step.
Overload 4UU (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)
Drifting Currents 2U
Enchantment
At the beginning of each player’s end step, that player returns an untapped creature he or she controls to its owner’s hand.
Anything will wander off if it’s given enough time to itself.
Character Assassination B
Sorcery
Destroy target planeswalker or legendary creature.
“Reputation isn’t everything, but it counts for a lot.”
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Choking Hazard B
Instant
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Recover 1B (When a creature is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 1B. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, exile this card.)
Tainted Morsel 2B
Enchantment
At the beginning of each opponent’s upkeep, if that player’s life total is equal to or greater than his or her starting life total, sacrifice Tainted Morsel. If you do, that player loses 8 life.
Dragon recipes are more chemical than culinary.
Rock Tower 1R
Creature — Wall
Defender
When Rock Tower dies during combat, it deals 6 damage to each creature it blocked this combat.
”You call that a tower? I could punch through that flimsy mess!”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
0/3
Unfortunate Event 3R
Sorcery
Target player sacrifices a permanent.
Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its costs.)
Somehow, there was lemon juice everywhere.
Scatterbuck 5R
Instant
Scatterbuck deals 6 damage divided evenly, rounded down, among up to four target creatures.
”Mess with an earth pony and you’re going to have a bad time.”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
Everfree Timberwolf 2G
Creature — Elemental Wolf
G: Regenerate Everfree Timberwolf
Like weeds, timberwolves seem fragile, but are quite difficult to keep down.
3/1
Timberwolf Alpha 3G
Creature — Elemental Wolf
Timberwolf Alpha’s power is equal to the number of Forests you control plus the number of Forest cards in your graveyard.
1G: Regenerate Alpha Timberwolf
Every splinter a fang. Every thorn a claw.
*/1
Shining Swine 3G
Creature — Boar
1G: Shining Swine gains hexproof until end of turn.
It's no cleaner than any other well-groomed creature, but its peers make it look immaculate by comparison.
3/4
Bestial Roar 5GG
Instant
Until end of turn, attacking creatures get +1/+1 for each attacking creature and gain trample.
”You should hear my dragon impression.”
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Logchopper 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+0.
Sacrifice a land: Attach Logchopper to target creature you control.
Equip 3
Most farm tools can double as instruments of destruction.
Provoking Marionette 3
Artifact Creature — Wolf Construct
Defender
At the beginning of combat on each opponent's turn, you may have target creature that player controls attack this turn if able. If you do, Provoking Marionette blocks that creature this turn if able.
A lupine shape is enough to trigger anypony’s fight-or-flight response.
1/3
Recreational Balloon 3
Artifact
2, T: Target nonattacking creature gains flying and defender until end of turn.
”We’re not going anywhere but up and down unless you plan on getting out and pulling.”
—Cherry Berry, aviatrix
Life Debt 2(wb)U
Enchantment
Flash
When Life Debt enters the battlefield, it becomes an Aura with enchant creature. Return to the battlefield a creature card in a graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn and attach Life Debt to it.
You control enchanted creature.
Eternal Servitude 4UB
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
When enchanted creature dies, return that card to the battlefield under your control.
Noble Dragon 4RW
Creature — Dragon
Flying, vigilance
1RW: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
True nobility is not granted through titles but earned through deeds.
4/4
I'm glad I'm not the only one who actually likes the 3D timberwolves. :B
I've heard two theories for Spike's loss of competence.
One: Timberwolf breath is actually a mild nuerotoxin, and Spike basically spent this episode unable to coordinate.
Two: Spike is Twilight's Familiar... which means he's ONLY competent when helping Twilight.
The timberwolves were so awesome that I was inclined to overlook all the faults with this episode. I guess they were just sufficiently scary to make a baby dragon forget that he can breath fire.
That's one of the reasons why “Secret of My Excess” is one of my least favorite episodes. I can understand why the episode appeals to Sparity shippers, but I feel that it did a lot to stunt Spike's character growth. It makes it seem like he's not allowed to want anything more than being Twilight's younger brother/servant.
Maybe timberwolves are damp wood? That wouldn't burn fast enough for Spike to even do damage before they were all over him.
Regarding your sister coming out. I was spoke to a woman at a truck stop for a good ten minutes before seeing an older man (maybe twenty years her senior) go to an ATM, get several hundred dollars, and then leave with her in the direction of all the semis. Didn't occur to me that she was a hooker until someone pointed it out.
I would imagine Life Debt to be UB as well considering it deals with taking things that are dying.
3631118
...Okay, I'll take it.
Which was obviously done just to create a mortal peril for a hero to save somepony from. Though the cliff isn't that impossible -- we've seen in long shots that Ponyville has some fairly steep hills in the background, and there could be a road along a cliff on one of those hills.
I can see Ahuizotl being real and living in some odd corner of land which is technically Equestria but little-traveled, unknown to Celestia. The bit where they go northwest to reach a tropical jungle is seriously weird, though.
(*nods*) His romantic aspirations seem to work that way as well -- I think he wants to, essentially, become Rarity's Number One Assistant. That's actually a point of compatibility between Spike and Rarity -- Rarity is insanely hard-working and would do well with a mate who worked alongside her.
It's rather contrived, because Cherry Berry is an aeronaut -- she spends a lot of her time tending to that balloon. You'd think she'd be good at it.
This is part of a general writing problem in which -- because Spike acts like such a harmless and innocent little creature -- the writers themselves forget how physically tough he is and how dangerous he can be. In-universe, Spike seems to have very strong inhibitions against using his abilities against other living beings, which actually makes sense given that he would have had to be taught to avoid doing so in order to be safe around Ponies.
This is what bothers me about the episode as well. Spike acts throughout it as if he's under some sort of a curse. He seemingly can't do anything right, even things we've seen him do right before. Events are being dragged around to serve the plot, rather than the plot springing naturally from the events.
I mean, they didn't have to do it this way. Applejack, who is normally proud and self-reliant, wouldn't like the idea of having her own personal servant. She would dislike it even if he were serving competently. Spike's service would embarrass her, and yet she'd find it difficult to bring herself to drive him off, because Applejack is also extremely nice.
In general, my problem with the episode is that it's Spike-centered and they utterly-ignore Spike's known capabilities in favor of the demands of the plot. He is weakened to the level necessary to allow the plot they want; the writers could have instead told the story by letting it emerge naturally from Spike's capabilities. The plot still would have worked, just a bit differently in the details.
This, too, was my main problem with this episode. he's never had trouble doing any of this stuff for Twilight before, why now? I think maybe he's subconsciously sabotaging himself to go back to Twilight.
I don't remember this part, then was it?
Pinkie Pie, like any plainswalker that wants to live past their first little other-worldly jaunt, is prepared for anything.
And now for the cards.
As a primary blue player I love me instant speed card draw. So while Study Fugue is a good card I don't like it. Then again if I'm really playing a "Draw-Go" deck I don't cast much on my turns anyways.
I can understand that you were going for a color and type shifted Mindlock Orb with Minimal Ambition but I could see this costing one less in white. But, eigh, it's fine.
Drama Coach; ; ), XP, ^_^
I'll be honest, Life Debt doesn't feel like a Blue card to me. It feels more like either a White card or a White-Black card.
This is more creature reanimation than creature steal; the latter is what Blue does while the former is what Black does and White dabbles in. Having said that Black does it most this card has a more White "feel" to it.
So Character Assassination is a cheaper and easier costed but slightly more restricted and yet at the same time more flexible version of Dreadbore?
Adding cycling to a card is not always the best idea, sometimes you just need the card to have the chance of being dead in the hand as a counter cost to running it.
I mean, without the cycling Character Assassination would probably still see play in Standard, at least in the sideboard. It's VERY playable in Commander format though.
I'm not a fan of adding cycling to cards that are still rather playable despite their "limited" use.
You could use Recreational Balloon to keep a creature from attacking. I do understand the "nonattacking" clause on it, and I understand the intended use, but, well, the game is about finding out the unintended uses of cards.
Eternal Servitude is a good Blue-Black card. slightly expensive, but well costed for what it does.
3631487
See my comments above, but, in short, the card doesn't feel at all Blue to me.
You've just described the episode I expected to see. It's a shame that it never occurred to them to write it that way.
FOME.
Dude.
You... gave Spike entirely speculative abilities (when has Spike ever consistently been able to use his fire in an offensive nature? He melted some ice and lit a torch once but that episode was also highlighted as the most special of special cases and a sign of character growth; let's put aside the fact that he still managed to only puff smoke and a couple of licks and be afraid of timberwolves in the last two episodes we had), failed to see the forest for the trees in terms of his character story (even after I explained it and gave references), nitpicked a bunch of things that don't matter to the story being told or fall well within the sphere of dispelife...
...and then declared the episode bad entirely for things it wasn't responsible for.
It's okay to not like watching the episode (I don't like watching Simple Ways b/c Rarity acts terrible in it but there's nothing wrong with how the episode is written or structured). And while you owe nothing to me... I'm sorry this flies in the face of your idealized Spike--I've been there--but you've done nothing to convince me that this one isn't on you.
3631761
On the one hand, reading the comment you linked to does highlight a trend in Spike's character that I sincerely hadn't noticed before, though I'm not really seeing how "Dragon Quest" enters into it. The undercurrent of anxiety in proving himself to be noble would fit into the pattern of Spike shooting himself in the foot when unsure of himself.
On the other, thinking that the fire-breathing dragon can breathe fire doesn't really feel like speculation. Spike has used his breath as a tool in the past, as with the mentioned scene in "A Bird in the Hoof," and will in the future, as when he melts a padlock in "Inspiration Manifestation." He even used it defensively to try to ward off crystals in "The Crystal Empire, Part 2." I admit, I can understand his being so afraid that it wouldn't come to mind, certainly not in such a violent context, but dragons running from wood feels as wrong as a bunch of aggressive origami bullying a pair of scissors.
On the third hand emerging from my torso, don't think that every point I raise was meant to criticize the story. Some of these are just amusing headscratchers that I bring up with every review.
And on one of my feet, none of this explains how timberwolves can survive disassembly yet still choke to death. That's not a minor gripe. That's the resolution of the climax.
In all, you do have some good points, and some of this likely is, for lack of a better term, the reality of the show not living up to my expectations. Still, even from the most objective stance I can manage—which admittedly isn't much—I feel that the episode is rife with conspicuous contrivances in establishing and resolving the conflict, and that Spike's troublesomeness in between was heavily overplayed.
3631118
I've heard the familiar theory before, and I'm not fond of it, if only because of D&D crunch: The boosts from being a familiar wouldn't be that significant to most very young dragons unless Twilight is much higher level than her friends.
I've never heard the neurotoxin theory before, and I have to say, that one makes a great deal of sense. Good thing ability damage naturally heals over time.
3631265
The key, as in all things, is balance. The trick will be for Spike to learn how to find a happy medium between servile asceticism and mindless greed.
3631527
Imagine the stir that letter from Twilight must have caused.
3631652
The hammerspace showed up when Spike belched up an index card and incinerated it. It seems that he can send things to himself and delay them in transit indefinitely.
Study Fugue: Read it carefully. That surcharge lasts until your next turn, so you'll be paying even on someone else's.
Character Assassination: You do make a good point. I suppose I just don't like the idea of making cards that could easily be dead weight, and cycling gives me an easy out. Still, this is what happens when most of one's play experience comes from Limited. I'll take off the cycling.
Recreational Balloon: Oh, I'm well aware of that use. Heck, I allude to it in the flavor text.
3631487, let's get you in here to discuss the next one.
Life Debt: This feels like a corner case to me. Stealing a creature at the moment of death could be seen as blue, black, or even white. Black gets the stuff that doesn't care about how long the creature's been dead. Blue steals the living and has been known to copy the dead, but Planar Chaos cards are always muddy when it comes to color pie matters. White has Adarkar Valkyrie and Debt of Loyalty, which is basically Life Debt that doesn't actually let the creature die.
This is a long-winded way of saying that I'll change the cost to 2(wb)U.
3631965
With Dragon Quest Spike was constantly standing on ceremony to try and impress those moronic teenage dragons. His moment of competence and personal revelation came when it was time for him to take a stand for what he thought was right (with the phoenix eggs) versus trying to go with that crowd yet again.
And yes, I've read you enough to know when you're pointing out oddities and actually criticizing something.
I said the above things with that in mind.
Anyway, with regards to the timberwolves... yes, they're "wood," but they're also wolves (as in living organisms), and they're also magic wooden wolves. The creatures in this show have consistently been shown to share the traits of everything they're made up of, both to their advancement and detriment. Windigoes. Cockatrices. Bugbears. etc. Yes, it would be nice if they showed him trying to burn them, I guess, but those are still LARGE WOLVES and Spike is a little dragon. They'd still be just as flammable if they were organic wolves, yet just as ferocious, so I honestly don't see the problem with the wood thing.
Most importantly, they're shown to be able to shrug off disassembly like they're nothing because of their magic, and just reassemble. If they were burned to ashes? Who's to say they couldn't just magically regenerate from that somehow? So choking them out with a rock attacks their "organic wolf" side.
Finally, when all else fails... well, cartoons, dood. I'm not even trying to use that as a dismissal--we're trying to create a piece of entertainment here, and in that sense, there's always a clip I come back to (and which I wish people in this fandom would keep in mind more often):
The rock thing was funny, man.
Also made for a good David vs. Goliath moment.
3632083
Thanks for providing an alternate viewpoint.
Yeah, I'm definitely thinking about this too much.
3632047
I never, ever got why people were mad at Daring Don't's worldbuilding, and I never will. It seems to be a retread of "Celestia should be all-powerful goddess herpaderp" when we've seen repeatedly that she's anything but. So just like she has no pull in the realm of dragons or griffons or Diamond Dogs, so Ahuizotl exists and Equestria has a criminal underworld. Sure.
More to that, though, has anyone ever given thought to Celestia just deciding that maybe she shouldn't try to stifle her kingdom in every facet (because, you know, that way lies police states), or deciding Daring's got things well in hoof already, or even has Daring on her payroll? Like, there's nothing about DD's worldbuilding that doesn't make perfectly rationable sense (except maybe the jungle thing but Equestria Is Not Earth), but I saw way too many people butthurt about their headcanons on this one even in the face of that episode giving us ten billion more possibilities to work with.
3632121
It's fandom, overthinking is what we do. It's just... we need to know when we are, I guess. I'm certainly not trying to stifle your thinking here, I... guess I'm just trying to point out bits where stress isn't needed. Too much stress is bad.
Your response to people not being able to believe how "neglectful" Twilight had been reminds me of how I feel about people being incredulous about her not mentioning she had a brother. It took years for my friends to figure out I had siblings beyond my little brother, and I'm one of five kids. It just didn't tend to come up in conversation, even though I spoke with my friends on a daily basis.
Interesting interaction between choking hazard and the alpha timber wolf, by the way.
3632047 Yep, I figured U for the flash ability and both W and B both deal with...well, deals of life and death. Esper colors work for it because it has to do with the deal either being for the greater good or malign purposes. Perhaps sort of a lazurus effect?
I'm not quite sure what to make of Breathing Assistance. My initial thought was "ok," but then I read it closer and realized it was kind of silly. Then I realized it got around things not untapping during untap steps and lets you do some silliness during your upkeep, but I just... don't know.
I've never been a fan of the recover mechanic. If it didn't have the "otherwise" it'd be great, but as is it's too easy for it to backfire.
3632047
In normal play this will only ever make your spells cost one more, because of the card you draw during your draw phase and only on that turn you draw it.
HOWEVER, if you are running a true "Draw-Go" deck then you play the majority of your spells on your opponents turn, instant speed card drawing being some of the key parts of that deck type as well as counter-spells; and you only ever play your card draw and the end of their turn in-case you need to play your counter-spells. And any cards you draw on their turn are going to make the spells you play on your turn cost more, but, well, "Draw-Go" doesn't play much on their own turn.
I mentioned instant speed card draw because I did read the card correctly, you misunderstood my comment on the card.
I missed the "this turn" rider on Life Debt the first time around and went back and reread it after your "at the moment of death" comment. It does make it feel a little Blue so yeah, the new cost is good. Without that rider though I don't think it;d be any kinda of fit for Blue.
Which goes to show you how defined each color is and how little changes can make a card fit or not fit into the ideal of what each color should and shouldn't do.
3632224
Yeah, casual conversation doesn't always go to family. It's more that we never saw any evidence of Twilight having a brother that bothered me. At least with Maud Pie, we had a little foreshadowing in "Pinkie Pride."
And the interaction is entirely intentional.
3632301
Much like the idea itself, Breathing Assistance is weird and seemingly unnecessary unless you actually have something that needs or wants a respirator.
3632302
I misphrased it; that wasn't at all what I wanted it to do. I've since made an adjustment.
3632421
I think the new version of Study Fugue should use the "has drawn" vernacular, a-la
Cerebral Vortex and Molten Psyche, over the "draw" vernacular that is has now.
So now it doesn't shaft Instant speed card draw on your turn and still makes your normal draw per-turn cost you. With either version you are less likely to be casting anything if you play a Sorcery speed card draw first or if you're running things like Howling Mine.
It was an interesting card either way, I'm just not sure what you want it to actually do. I know it's meant to shaft excess drawing to represent the studying but it is a matter of timing in when the cost increase starts and ends.
I think the previous version was probably more what you were wanting it to do.
3632134 I have an entirely separate problem with it, one that has nothing to do with Celestia's falliablity (she's fallible; exhibit A is Nightmare Moon) or whether or not Indiana Pones is appropriate for the setting (a four-hooved archaeolgist definitely belongs in this universe).
Simply put, it takes a glimpse at the fiction of this world and retroactively makes it nonfiction. A little bit of the worldbuilding about what Ponies write about and the shape of their fantasies is lost, which annoys me.
Now if they tie that back into a plot about the Golden Door from Gen 1... actually that's a splendid idea. BRB, writing.
3633472
I've heard this too, and it's still objectively wrong, for multiple reasons.
First because Equestria is a magical fantasy world already I mean did you really think Jones-style pulp adventures weren't going to ever be a part of it
Second because the fact that Daring and Yearling are the same pony is known to only a few of her customers and some shady folk who work their evil machinations under the radar and it's in their best interest to keep it that way. To everyone else, those are still possible fantasies that ponies read and write about. There's no "lore loss" brought about by that episode. You and I are just omniscient viewers (or as omniscient as the screen will allow us to be).
Daring Do and her exploits are still a part of the Equestrian in-world fiction lexicon. You just got to go backstage.
3633490 Huh. Actually. For the benefit of Daring Do fanfic writers, I need to figure out a pony pun for Robert Ripley - so that she can mention him as a predecessor. Ol' Ripley (Believe him or not) was basically IRL Indiana Jones...
Knowing that there's real world PRECIDENT honestly makes me feel a lot better about it, is what I'm saying.
You have a card called Unfortunate Event ... with retrace.
Am I the only one who's mind immediately jumped to "A Series of Unfortunate Events" ?
3633536
Did you think the lemon juice in the flavor text was a coincidence?
3633490
I like to imagine that the "character" Daring Do was the result of Yearling trying to get funds for her archaeology department at whatever university she is a professor at, so she tried selling dramatized versions of a couple of the expeditions she was on. Unfortunately, she was not a writer, and her stories ended up being both fantastical and dry, and she couldn't find a publisher, until a small one in Canterlot (personal headcanon ties this to the notion of Twimom the author) decided to give her some help at polishing the story, and "Sapphire Stone" was born. Ahuizotl actually really LIKES being famous in Equestria, and her rival archaeologist (I cannot for the life of me remember his name) doesn't try to C&D her, because that would result in him having to admit to a lot of very unethical activities in a court of law.
3633745 I completely missed that connection, but that seems even more obvious in retrospect
My main beefs with the episode are about the same as yours, primarily the way they make Spike terrible at everything he does, when the episode would work just as well if he was competent. Also, it would make the episode significantly better if Spike's Noble Dragon Code was explicitly something he came up with for himself (to deal with the disappointment of meeting the teenage jerkdragons in Dragon Quest), and if Twilight made it clear that it matters to him.
(On Daring Don't, I share Bliss Authority's dislike of losing a layer of fiction from the show, but I'm also annoyed by the way it takes away a lot of the meaningfulness of Read It and Weep. The ending of that episode added to her character, and changed her from somepony disdainful of reading and eggheadedness, to somepony who actually loves books. Whereas Rainbow Dash being a super fangirl of a real Daring Do is not really any different from her being a super fangirl of the Wonderbolts.)
End result is, I quietly ignore Spike at Your Service, and delegate Daring Don't into a fanfic epic Rainbow Dash wrote to cope with the delay of the latest book.
Limited Ambition, and especially its flavor text, feel really green.
4737085
There have been four anti-searching cards in Magic: one white, two blue, one black, and one red. (If you're wondering how the math works out, the answer is Shadow of Doubt.) Given the flavor of the card, it had to be one of black's enemies, so I went with the one that had some precedent.
I really liked the idea of this episode. Unfortunately, the execution left a great deal to be desired.
Spike is a good way towards achieving a Buddha-state by eliminating desire from his life. If only he could get rid of his ignorance so easily. I am now trying to imagine Spike the Bodhisattva.
Earth ponies being able to manipulate their own mass seems likely, honestly - perhaps it's just borrowing a bit of the earth's mass, or lending some of their own to it. It's big enough that it'd hardly notice most of the time, anyway.
Cards:
Rock Tower is interesting - it's a color-shifted, but more appropriate-feeling Cathedral Membrane. Unfortunate Event feels more black than red to me - and of course, that flavor text. I see what you did there.
5176783
Well, he certainly did a lot of work to free the other dragons from earthly desires over the course of the series.
Also, red has gotten a few "sac a permanent" effects. See Misguided Rage and Silverclad Ferocidons as examples.