Friendship is Card Games: Ponyville Days · 11:58am Mar 19th, 2017
Less than twenty-four hours left in the Imposing Sovereigns contest. If your story is still in the submission queue by the time midnight rolls around, send me a PM or post a link on the contest blog.
Moving on to this week’s comic, this one presents an interesting situation: I’m actually not too familiar with this storyline beyond a certain point. More genuine first impressions than usual incoming.
I always like seeing Twilight take on more responsibilities after earning her wings. It helps make her ascension feel like it really means something.
“Don’t let anything crazy happen,” she says. You’d think Twilight would’ve learned better by now.
Heh. The Apples have no patience for exposition. And I can’t blame them; the mayor even dropped an “As you know.”
I’m going to have to agree with the Apples’ logic on this one. Stinking Rich wouldn’t have built his stand without something to sell, and the Apples provided the product.
Are you seriously telling me that Twilight didn’t clearly designate what she considered the first structure in Ponyville?
Given Rarity’s connections, I’d think she was already a tourist destination.
Also, wow. One of Rarity’s vices is an insatiable hunger for notoriety, but the excuse for getting Dash to side with Filthy Rich… Wow. The Bearer of Loyalty, everyone. Siding with whichever group is less boring.
No, Applejack’s in the right here. Rarity is being self-absorbed; the only reason she’s even opposing the Apples is because of an appeal to her ego.
Also, points to Dash for trying to break up the dispute. Of course, this is Rainbow Dash we’re talking about. Relying on her for conflict resolution isn’t going to end well.
Seriously? This entire storyline hinges on Twilight Sparkle leaving a key detail of a plan ambiguous. I suppose it’s possible that she thought it was obvious, but this smacks of incredible narrative laziness.
Secession doesn’t exactly work on the municipal level.
So… did the Apples just happen to have a pie catapult on hoof, or did they build it since the dispute started?
Let's take a moment to consider the mare on the right. Her cutie mark is the faces of her foals, which means that either this mare was a blank flank until she gave birth, or her magical butt tattoo extrapolated the appearance of her children years before they were born. I’m not sure which possibility concerns me more, though the fact that she brought her young, impressionable children to this quasi-political protest strikes me as more worrisome than either.
Again, you can’t split a small town down the middle and expect it to work. This is Ponyville, not Berlin.
Applejack’s back-and-forth on backing down makes the conflict feel even more frivolous. She now seems driven not by conviction but by spite. (Also, “out of my hands”? Didn’t think AJ would drag her human counterpart into this. 
)
I was going to say something about Granny hearing Applejack from that far away, but the oversized ear trumpet actually addresses that. The impossibly perfect aim, on the other hand, I find more than a little ludicrous. Especially since Granny had no way of knowing where Rarity and Dash were. I suppose Pinkie might have spotted them by peeking across the gutter.
Kind of odd how the pro-Rich side is wearing the old-timey outfits on the cover but are using them as weapons in the story itself. (There’s also the question of why settler ponies were even wearing clothes, but down that road lies madness.)
Say what you will about this storyline, but it gave us Cranky Doodle Donkey shoving a pie into Diamond Tiara’s face. If nothing else, that should be cherished.
You know the situation is out of hand when Screwball is pointing and laughing.
So, is Twilight ever going to say which building she had in mind, or is she just going to chastise Ponyville for being insane? Because that’s a bit like yelling at the tide for going out.
Inexplicably pink Mrs. Cake. (ding)
Wow. Not even a Twilight speech is enough to resolve this. (Though, again, clarifying the initial ambiguity might work.) This commemorative plaque is up there with Discord at his worst when it comes to breaking up the Mane Six. Truly, wood and brass are the greatest villains of Equestria.
Well, that or this is exaggerated to the point of insanity. One of the two. Though as I said, Ponyville being crazy is something one should expect.
… See, now we’re just getting ridiculous. Unless ponies can move at speeds comparable to F1 racers, the congregating hordes should not be converging on hoof. Is this another unlabeled gag storyline? Fimfiction’s genre tags have clearly spoiled me.
Okay, so the crowds are a day away. That’s… almost reasonable? There’s still the matter of them being visible from town. Like, “you can count individual bodies” visible. Though that may be more on the artist.
Twilight tried appealing to everypony’s better nature. Maybe just mention that literally half of Equestria is coming?
You know, I can’t help but think of “P.P.O.V.” with this storyline. At this rate, the first structure in Ponyville will actually be a bunyip lair in a cave that connects to an aquifer.
Name-dropping Celestia would probably get Rarity in gear. And after all of her concern about tourist traffic, you’d think she’d want to look good in front of such a massive crowd.
Okay, I do like prodding Dash in the ego to get her on board. (As opposed to prodding Rarity to start the conflict in the first place. I'd like to think she was a little less frivolous than that at this point in her life.)
I’m with Spike. The only time “Pinkie Pie” and “detailed and historically accurate” should be in the same sentence is if the topic is rock farming, baking, or partillery.
The Big Lebowski jokes have been enjoyable and unobtrusive. I approve. Abide, even.
I really like how individually asking each Crusader guarantees they’ll do something more fitting their talents than in “The Show Stoppers.” Good strategy there.
Also, I can only imagine what Twilight asked Gummy to do. Perhaps a philosophy symposium.
Wait, wait, wait. Ponyville’s first town hall was destroyed by a dragon swarm? Dragon swarm? How many dragons to the swarm, exactly? What else was lost? There’s a story I’d much rather hear about.
Also, if Pinkie’s memorized the tour, why is Twilight providing talking points now?
“Where history meets cake!” Eh, I’ve heard worse taglines.
Yeesh. Forget dragon swarms. This tourist swarm looks even more destructive.
Huh. Back before the Cutie Map, Spike was using Twilight’s cutie mark to alert her to danger. Funny parallel there.
To be fair, given Star Swirl’s tendency to treat time as something that happens to other ponies, he very well might buy his favorite cookies at Sugarcube Corner. Also, nice touch to have Doctor Whooves and Roseluck in the tour group when Pinkie’s talking about time travelers… though it does feel odd to have Ponyville natives mixed in there.
Huh. I don’t think there’s ever been two-page spreads in multiple issues of a single storyline before.
That is an elegant solution to the issue of which structure was first. If only Twilight had included in her initial notes. 
Also, I’m not sure how to feel about the Riches getting screwed out of the commercial plaque. On the one hand, their family did build the commemorated building. On the other, they carry a large chunk of the responsibility for this whole mess.
In all, this story fails for one key reason: When the series premiere involves ponies befriending each other so hard they shoot magical, purifying rainbows, “work together” is the absolute last message anything related to the series needs to send. All of equine society hinges on cooperation between individuals and the tribes. Trying to have an entire town go it alone detonates the bedrock of all equine civilization.
To put it simply, this story is out of place in Equestria, and it shows in how awkward it is. At least the next main comic storyline is up front about not taking itself too seriously.
Now, let’s see what I can make out of a fabric even more distasteful than calico…
Crusty Cannonade 2W
Instant
Crusty Cannonade deals 4 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. You gain 4 life.
As delicious as it is devastating.
Growing Obligations 2W
Enchantment
Legendary creatures have “Cumulative upkeep 1.” (At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player puts an age counter on each legendary creature he or she controls. Then for each of those creatures, that player sacrifices it unless he or she pays its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
Recalcitrant Donkey 2W
Creature — Donkey Citizen
Kicker 2W (You may pay an additional 2W as you cast this spell.)
When Recalcitrant Donkey enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, create a 2/2 white Donkey creature token.
Recalcitrant Donkey can’t attack unless you control another Donkey.
3/4
Bonnet Blinder 3W
Creature — Pegasus Artificer
Flying
When Bonnet Blinder enters the battlefield, target opponent creates a colorless Equipment artifact token named Hat with equip 1 and “Equipped creature gets +0/+1.” Attach it to a creature that player controls.
Equipped creatures your opponents control can’t attack or block.
3/2
Ponyville Siege 3W
Enchantment
As Ponyville Siege enters the battlefield, choose Apples or Riches.
• Apples — Instant and sorcery spells you control have lifelink.
• Riches — Whenever you cast an Aura or Equipment spell, draw a card.
Room for Interpretation 1U
Instant
Target instant or sorcery spell’s controller may have you copy that spell. If he or she doesn’t, counter it. If you copy the spell this way, you may choose new targets for the copy.
”Are you sure you meant to do that?”
Misinformant 2U
Creature — Pony Rogue
Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, fateseal 1. (Look at the top card of an opponent’s library. You may put that card on the top or bottom of that player’s library.)
”And here’s where the zombie uprising almost took place!”
1/3
Unicorn Couturiers 2UU
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
When Unicorn Couturiers enters the battlefield, gain control of target Aura or Equipment. You may attach that permanent to another permanent to which it could be attached.
”On you, it looks good.”
3/3
Pampered Pets 1B
Creature — Hound
Whenever Pampered Pets attacks or blocks, you lose 1 life.
They are as accustomed to excess as any member of the Manehattan elite.
3/2
Scornful Loner 2B
Creature — Pony
When you control three or more creatures, sacrifice Scornful Loner.
”Communities are mindless expressions of ancient herd instincts. Some of us prefer to think for ourselves.”
4/3
Disrupting Bolt 1R
Sorcery
Tap target land. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Draw a card.
Electricity and mana don’t always mix.
Unexpected Development 2R
Sorcery
Each player exiles the top card of his or her library. Each player who exiled a land card this way puts it onto the battlefield. Each other player casts the card he or she exiled without paying its mana cost if able.
Escalating Tension 3R
Enchantment
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a strife counter on Escalating Tension.
All creatures get +1/+0 for each strife counter on Escalating Tension.
3: Put a strife counter on Escalating Tension or remove one from it. Any player may activate this ability.
Choking Dust 4R
Enchantment
At the beginning of each end step, Choking Dust deals X damage to each creature, where X is the number of creatures that entered the battlefield this turn.
Trampling isn’t the only hazard of tightly packed ponies.
Impulsive Secession 4RR
Sorcery
Target opponent chooses half the creatures he or she controls, rounded up. Untap those creatures and gain control of them until end of turn. They gain haste until end of turn.
”The west-by-southwest shall rise again!”
Dragon Swarm 6RRR
Sorcery
Create three 5/5 red Dragon creature tokens with flying.
”Two dragons are a mated pair, three a swarm, and any more a very busy night.”
—Princess Luna
Tourist Herd 3GG
Creature — Pony Citizen
Whenever a land enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 green Pony creature token.
”Tourists only come in two quantities: Not enough and too many.”
—Marion Mare, mayor of Ponyville
4/4
Homespun Frock 1
Artifact — Equipment
Multikicker 2 (You may pay an additional 2 any number of times as you cast this spell.)
When Homespun Frock enters the battlefield, create a token that’s a copy of it for each time it was kicked.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Equip 2
Protesting Pie Tosser 1RW
Creature — Pony Citizen
Lifelink
(rw), T: Protesting Pie Tosser deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Her ammunition is sweet. Her disposition is anything but.
0/1
Suit Up 2(rw)
Instant
For each Equipment, attach that Equipment to target creature. (Control of the Equipment doesn’t change.)
”Fill the skies with cloth!”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
I haven't read this issue, but it sounds frustrating.
Don't you know? Everypony wore layers of wool back then, even in the heat of summer. I don't know how they did it.
This is the part where I suddenly jolted awake*, stopped reading, shook my head, and said, "What the... Did that just say what I thought it said?" Then after seeing that it did indeed just say what I thought it said, I followed the link to see this spectacle for myself.
* Not that I was sleeping, of course. That's just the closest I can get to describing the shock.
There is a scene in a Discworld novel, I suddenly remember, where a time traveler visits Nanny Ogg several times in the course of her life in order to get the services of the greatest midwife ever to live.
I can sort of see Star Swirl appearing in the vicinity of Mane Street, Ponyville several times across the ages searching for the precise moment of the universe's greatest cookie.
Yeah, this was a story that failed mostly on its premise for me, so I'm not sure I ever would've liked it. I didn't hate it or anything, though. As far as bad MLP comics go, it's pretty inoffensive.
Good lord, Misinformant (the card) is horrible.
Oh, not in terms of power level (although I think that, if it were real, it'd have a shot at being played professionally) but in terms of frustrations.
Seriously, I could easily see it become the most hated card in Magic.
Even then, it only half worked...
4462725
It's Fateseal taken up passed 11. And the devs themselves weren't fond of that mechanic.
I was most disappointed with how Rarity practically hijacks Rich's side of the conflict. A feud between the adults of the Apples and Riches over who were the true founders of Ponyville was a neat premise. It never went away but Filthy never quite got the screentime to fully capitalize on.
I look at that image and I can only think "SPLUT!".
This line made me chuckle. I really enjoy how fanon (does that have one 'n' or two?) Star Swirl is a time traveler while somewhat canon Star Swirl dealt with alternate dimensions and not so much with time. At least as far as I know he never did anything time magic wise in any version of canon.
It is not the first, nor will it be the last, time the comics have tried to force a kind of Aesop lesson on the readers that doesn't really fit the characters telling it or setting it is being told in.
I had to look up what "Recalcitrant" meant. I enjoy learning new words.
Bonnet Blinder is a fun little card in an of itself but would totally ruin the various Cat based equipment decks.
I'm not really sure about the "Apples" part of Ponyville Siege. White does deal some damage to creatures at times but isn't well known for spells that would benefit from having lifelink. I guess it depends on your format and how well you can build your deck around it. I'd probably just rather it be some sort of straight up life gain, like maybe gaining 1 life when you cast an instant or sorcery or maybe gain life equal to the CMC (converted mana cost, not the Crusaders) or the amount of white symbols in the cast spell.
Just, lifelink for White instants and sorceries doesn't strike me as being that useful, unlike the "Riches" half which is much easier to work with.
I really like Room for Interpretation. I'm a fan of both conditional counter spells and copy effects, and this does both of them very nicely.
You missed a prime chance to use "fateseal" on Misinformant.
I just really want to see "fateseal" get used more often... .
I like how Unicorn Couturiers can be used to move an expensive piece of equipment you already own around, especially if you use 'blink' effects of some type.
I guess the players would cast their cards off of Unexpected Development in turn order, so if the active player had a counter-spell they'd not be able to cast it because of no valid target but if the second player was the one with the counter spell they'd be able to cast it, targeting the first spell. I'm a little fuzzy on how these cards work at the best of times and it's a bit late for me right now.
I'm a little sad that players can deescalate something called Escalating Tension but that's a fun part of the card.
We need more abilities that all players can activate, they often make games with more than two people more fun and even add another layer to "normal" games you don't see often.
I feel that Dragon Swarm should also destroy a land, or maybe a Fortification, to be more thematically appropriate.
I just want to see more Fortifications... .
Also, addendum to the flavor test: If it's during the day then it's a "migration".
You get a Homespun Frock! And you get a Homespun Frock! And you get a Homespun Frock! Homespun Frocks for everyone!
4462966
It is really only "fateseal 1". Just, every time an opponent's cast a spell. Nothing too crazy about that.
The great thing about reminder text is it's a bit flexible based on the need as long as you hit the major points. And the only major point when it comes to fateseal is it can only be done to an opponent, not just any player. And the amount in the value, but that is kind of a given.
One 'n'. TBF everyone mixes up 'canon' and 'cannon'.
As for Starswirl, he did create the time travel spell Twilight used and Starlight modified. And the Journal of The Two Sisters did allude to him researching such magic.
4463796
Yes, exactly: that's the point.
Fateseal is a profoundly unfun mechanic to be on the receiving end of, and I'd wager that if it were more used it would be as hated as land and hand destruction.
It's the perfect mechanic for a bully to taunt a victim with, and there's no way to really fight against it.
In the case of the specific card, Misinformant though, the problem is that it kills ALL combo and synergy decks in their crib; especially because, oh, you wanted to draw your way out of this problem? Too bad, that just means I'm sticking more and more lands on top of your deck for you to fume against.
The only way to fight that thing is to kill it (duh) or to...Stop playing spells. Which is the whole reason Winter Orb and Stasis were so reviled.
4463994
Upon further consideration, you make an excellent point. Misinformant has been patched to be a lot less recurable.
4464039
Oh wow.
The new version is much, much better, to the point I actually like it: this feels like a niche card that you could potentially build a deck around.
It'd be a clunky deck, probably including all cards with fateseal ever printed (both of them!) and not actually very good, but still!
This would probably be a cherished card for some players, while not being game-breaking.
Great edit! :-)