Friendship is Card Games: Micro-Series and Friends Forever #5 · 12:58pm Nov 20th, 2016
Between hearing things and Pinkie Pie, this week’s theme appears to be insanity. Let’s see how nuts it gets.
Micro-Series #5: Pinkie Pie
Huh. I know most of Equestria’s natural processes are on manual override, but earthquakes? Who handles those, and why? Is there a group of geokinetic earth ponies relieving tectonic tension, masseuses of the mantle keeping the country from breaking out in volcanoes?
Also, I do appreciate the homage to Jurassic Park. Keep still, Twilight. She tracks her prey through movement.
Heh. After Pinkie's earthshaking entrance, Twilight’s only reaction is an affectionate smile. Lovely, subtle bit of characterization there.
I’m not sure if I should be concerned about Pinkie drinking hundreds of bottles of cola or impressed by how she’s cutting back.
Ah yes, Ponyacci. I’m already rather well acquainted with him thanks to scoots2 and Sketcha-holic’s work.
Hello there, stallion who certainly isn’t Ponyacci.
Wonderful moment for Pinkie. Ponyacci may be her idol, but she just wants more joy. Mr. Iccaynop here needs it.
Understandable motivation. That routine looks exhausting, and it’s only a matter of time before that walrus juggling catches up to him.
Also, I do love the casual tail control Ponyacci displays as he rinses off. Party pony puissance, exceptional earthen ability, or species-spanning standard? You decide!
Interesting discussion here between a rational outsider and a fan so devoted that she feels entitled to more from the object of her devotion. It feels familiar at times.
Huh. Applejack literally is a background pony in this issue.
I do love seeing diegetic sources for musical numbers.
How many party cannon models and manufacturers are there, anyway? I’d like to flip through an issue of Fun & Ammo some time.
I knew the ending was coming, but I still like seeing it. Other than the fact that some inconsiderate couple named their foal Trollo Lollo.
It honestly feels weird to see another friendship report after all this time. Nostalgic, but weird.
I find it appropriate that this was sort of an unofficial Friends Forever comic. Pinkie defines herself through her relationships. A story of her at her best should include at least one of her friends to act as a support.
Speaking of which…
Friends Forever #5: Fluttershy & Zecora
I don’t get it. Why is this shocking? Fluttershy’s entire talent is communicating with animals.
Seriously, not getting it. Let’s see… this was published in May 2014, so the story for it had to be written several months before that. That’d put it some time around early Season 4. I suppose there might have been some ambiguity, though the pep talk in “Hurricane Fluttershy” seems like straightforward word-for-word communication. This entire premise feels off.
Huh. I’m surprised Rarity’s sewing machine only spoke. I thought it was a Singer. 
I assume “the crazy one” is meant to be Pinkie Pie. Entirely reasonable. The great sage Gummy ensures she harms naught.
… And now there are houses just behind Fluttershy’s cottage when the establishing shot on the previous page showed no such thing. It’s like this issue is trying to get me to hate it.
So, rather than the unicorn-staffed hospital or Celestia’s personal student (and one of her best friends,) Fluttershy’s first choice for a likely magical malady is to go into the Everfree Forest. Alone. Without telling anypony. While still suffering from said malady.
…
Yeah, I’m pretty sure this issue is trying to get me to hate it.
I can definitely see Zecora having issues with Equestrian units. The rest of the planet probably uses metric.
This isn’t the worst Zecora dialogue I’ve read. Not the best, but not the worst. Also, nice touch with having her rhyme during the word association portion.
A Jaffa stick? I didn’t know Zecora had contact with the Goa’uld.
I know the Everfree’s been rendered largely toothless over time, but I still find it hard to believe that a pair of near-kittens weren’t eaten already.
Oh. Huh. The animals actually can talk. That’s bizarre.
I’d question why Angel took on such a menacing tone when they were just planning a surprise party… but this is Angel Bunny we’re talking about here. Even if he wanted to address Fluttershy nicely, he has a reputation to maintain.
Okay, so I guess the animals speaking in plain Equish is new, but it still feels off on a number of levels. Of course, when Discord’s involved, I shouldn’t expect consistency.
I’d complain about the Crystal Empire/Kingdom issue, but I wouldn’t expect freshly uplifted animals to appreciate the finer geopolitical nuances between the two terms, especially when the place is only one city big.
The Guinan/Q dynamic between Zecora and Discord is interesting but unsupported. They’d need a long history to make it work, and unless Zecora is secretly immortal, she’d have only ever had dealings with Discord on the day of his release… and possibly at some point after “Keep Calm and Flutter On.” Still, their dialogue makes them sound like long-time adversaries. One could do a lot with that, but one would need to do a lot of legwork to justify it.
Another hit and miss this week. Pinkie’s entry in the micro-series shows her at her best, but everything about the Friends Forever issue feels poorly thought out. Still, let’s see what I can make of this:
Flock Together 3W
Sorcery
Create two 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying.
Conspire (As you cast this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it.)
Not all tweets are mating calls and territory markers.
The Great Ponyacci 3WW
Legendary Creature — Pony Rogue
If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead.
At the beginning of each player’s end step, that player gains 2 life.
”Wa-hey-hey! Who’s ready to laugh?”
3/4
Chilling Salve U
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Vanishing 2 (This Aura enters the battlefield with two time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
When Chilling Salve enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Remain Unconvinced 1U
Instant
Counter target spell that targets you or a permanent you control. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
“A commendable attempt.”
—Ponyacci
Active Hallucination 2U
Instant
Target noncreature artifact becomes an Illusion creature in addition to its other types until end of turn. If that artifact isn’t a Vehicle, its power and toughness are each equal to its converted mana cost.
”When your sewing machine criticizes your stitching, it’s time to take a break.”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Compressed Recap 2U
Instant
Draw cards equal to the number of cards target opponent drew this turn.
Pinkie can detail the events of the past month in a matter of seconds.
Tears of a Clown B
Instant
Choose one —
• Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn.
• Target creature deals 1 damage to itself.
Entwine 3 (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
”But doctor, I am Ponyacci!”
“Ponyacci, Ponyacci” 1B
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Ponyacci, Ponyacci”.
1B, Sacrifice “Ponyacci, Ponyacci”: Return target creature card with converted mana cost X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is the number of verse counters on “Ponyacci, Ponyacci”.
Zecora’s Interrogation 2B
Sorcery
Scry 2, then reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a creature card, target opponent loses X life and you gain X life, where X is that card’s power.
”I came here to heal and soothe, but threats to ponies I’ll remove.”
Laugh Until It Hurts 2BB
Sorcery
All creature get -2/-2 until end of turn. Whenever a creature dies this turn, its controller loses 1 life.
”Moderation is key. Too much of a good thing can turn out very bad.”
—Ponyacci
Comedic Mentor 3B
Creature — Pony Rogue
Black creatures you control have lifelink.
”If you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?”
2/2
Screaming Powder 1R
Instant
Screaming Powder deals 6 damage to target creature or planeswalker that was dealt damage this turn.
”Some things I make to ease the tense. Some others are for self-defense.”
—Zecora, zebra shaman
Scheduled Tremor 2RR
Sorcery
Scheduled Tremor deals 3 damage to each creature without flying and each player.
Suspend 2—1RR.
Whenever a time counter is removed from Scheduled Tremor while it’s exiled, it deals 1 damage to each creature without flying and each player.
Celebratory Stampede 2G
Sorcery
Until end of turn, creatures you control gain trample and get +X/+X, where X is the amount of life you’ve gained this turn.
Joy works just as well as fear in sending the herd forward.
Bestial Legion 2GG
Creature — Beast
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 on Bestial Legion.
When Bestial Legion dies, create X 1/1 green Squirrel creature tokens, where X is Bestial Legion’s power.
You don’t stop them. You just chase them away so they can regroup.
2/2
Jaffa Stick 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Untap equipped creature during each other player’s untap step.
Equip 2
”A length of wood’s a useful tool for a wise mare or a fool.”
—Zecora, zebra shaman
Explosive Crate 3
Artifact Creature — Construct
Defender
When Explosive Crate dies, you may have it deals 3 damage to target creature.
Morph 3 (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up at any time for its morph cost.)
0/3
Alchemical Accident UR
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target instant or sorcery spell. Alchemical Accident deals 2 damage to that spell’s controller.
• Counter target activated or triggered ability of a creature. Alchemical Accident deals 2 damage to that creature.
Unexpected Uplift 2(gu)(gu)
Enchantment — Aura
Flash
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card.”
Fluttershy had had many conversations with her animal friends, but she wasn’t sure what to think about their sudden interest in politics.
Discord’s Gift 2URG
Instant
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with converted mana cost 4 or less. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. If you do, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy. Then put the exiled cards on the bottom of your library in a random order. (A copy of a permanent spell enters the battlefield as a token copy of that permanent.)
Hurry Scurry 3GW
Instant
Create a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token for each creature you control.
Squirrels live in a near-constant state of panic, making them excellent sentries and auxiliaries.
As a bonus: there's a Youtube version of Pinkie's song in the comic, with EileMonty doing the vocals.
Laugh, Ponyacci, Laugh!
That is an interesting Zecora idea. On a totally unrelated note might I recommend Wise Beyond Her Years by Pen Stroke
Hey, look, I'm here the day this was posted!
I like how Chilling Salve basally makes the creature "chill" for a few turns. And it plays on the "be frozen" aka "don't untap for a turn" thing Blue does every now and then,
The first thought I had with Tears of a Clown was that you could make a creature kill itself with the Entwine, which is probably what you were going for with it. Then I realized you could have two different targets and it's a true combat spell instead of just another Black creature kill. Very nice design here.
That's a painful rhyme on Screaming Powder's flavor text. Appropriate, but I would have used "sooth" instead of "ease" to make it less painful.
I just wish to remind my dear listeners that the Scheduled Tremor our city council has planned will be happening in two turns. Make sure all your children are safely off the floor and that your fine china is secure.
Alchemical Accident is also a nice design. I really do want to see more things that counter activated or triggered abilities. Though you do need to standard reminder text disclaimer of "(Mana abilities can't be targeted.)".
Discord’s Gift is basically just Cascade without the keyword.
I think the following would work
But, if you don't want to actually use Cascade then it's fine as is.
I could see them doing a "Cascade without Cascade" every now and then outside of Alara. It's a fun mechanic but Cascade in and of itself is too flavor tied to Alara.
On Hurry Scurry's flavor text: I don't think they are in constant panic, I think they've just got too much energy than they know what to do with.
Maybe I'll be here next week on time as well. <_< >_>
Maybe... .