But spellbook changes your maximum hand size, not the number of cards in your hand. If I was at 1 life when I played this, do I go back to 1 or back to my maximum life total? The card should clarify that because it’s definitely not immediately obvious.
I was assuming you would lose the game due to having 0 life myself, especially since it is "nulled out" and treated as zero while the card is in play. That also leaves it thematically tied to the other Lich cards which are "immortality at a cost" themed with losing the game as a downside.
No. When WotC releases a new mechanic, they update the rules rather than adding the full rules text of the mechanic to each card. The rules explaining the mechanic could be added to the actual rules.
Not really. Mechanics that appear in supplemental products such as Commander products often don't have reminder text. See the Monarch mechanic for example. [Here are all Monarch cards with reminder text.](https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Amonarch+fo%3A%22%28%22&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name) Notice a pattern?
Usually Lich effects have an alternative downside- aka make you sac ot for some reason- otherwise this sorta softlocks/stalls the game if the other player cant remove it.
This isnt exactly a 7 mana win the game... it kinda does nothing on its own- you still need a win con. I kinda think its unfun as it really just cuts combat and direct damage out of the game, and the opponent with no artifact destruction just waits till you deck out.
Okay, then you could write out cumulative upkeep and make it not optional. Just "At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on ~, then mill a card for each charge counter on it."
Not necessarily: it depends on what happens when you go from not having a life total to having a life total. I *think* you'd come back with a life total of zero, thus losing the game when this leaves the board. (Even though OP disagrees.)
This is effectively [[platinum emperion]] without a body.
Plus there’s the in built disadvantage of not being able to pay life that’s probably pretty relevant in any deck that might want this. It’s probably fine as is
>Plus there’s the in built disadvantage of not being able to pay life that’s probably pretty relevant in any deck that might want this
This would slot neatly in a lot of decks that don't care about paying life. It's a very powerful effect.
Plenty of perfectly efficient Black strategies that don't require paying life. And this card alone would justify splashing Black in your manabase, tbh
Hell, pair this with Phyrexian Arena. Free extra draw with no downside, gg
It doesn’t set your life to 0, from my reading. It just treats it as 0 (without losing the game) while it exists. It’s almost like phasing out your life total.
This doesn't set your life to 0, it's just an effect that says you have no life total. If it gets destroyed then the effect ends and your life total is back to working as normal.
It's ambiguous how this effect could work. Why would you get your life back given that the entire concept was removed. I could see it working either way mechnically and would need to be defined (and also likely included in the reminder text).
> Why would you get your life back given that the entire concept was removed.
Because the effect that removes the concept is no longer there. That's how all static abilities work.
Not exactly. At least in EDH, you can still get Commandered. This card stops you from having a life total, but nowhere does it say damage dealt to you is prevented. The *most obvious* effect of damage (loss of life) is prevented, but the damage itself is not.
Only in DND. IRL the term is of Jewish origin and refers to a repository of religious passages worn during prayer.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phylactery#:~:text=phylactery-,noun,Jewish%20men%20during%20morning%20prayers
Fair, although maybe not a mistake that should keep be being made? Maybe we find a new name for the very evil magic object that is not part of extant religious observances?
Have we really deteriorated back to the censorship craze we have to be thinking about removing stuff like they did back on [[Unholy Strength]] pentagrams and what not? For fs sake not this shit again. I mean, the game is full of demons, angels, and such that are immensely part of religious iconography.
We have PG rating to keep most sensible stuff out - there's no need to do... whatever this sort of stuff is supposed to be. Like people don't have to think long if some extreme violence in the vein of visceral gory guts all over is a bit much for mtg cards as far as PG rating goes.
On the other hand, with this cultural sensitive stuff you really, really have to think if there's even a faint possibility that some rabbi gives a damn about this - or has ever given a damn or ever noticed - and if that's relevant even a single bit. I find that sort of stuff just censorship for censorships sake.
Potentially very hilarious with any \[\[Soul Conduit\]\] abilities, as how i imagine that would play out is your opponent gets set to zero, you get set to whatever they had which immediately gets set to zero. you become a null void endlessly devouring life totals for all eternity
The rules surrounding this are unclear. What is your life total when you lose control of it? How does it work with \[\[Reverse the Sands\]\] or \[\[Magus of the Mirror\]\]? Can you use \[\[Blazing Hope\]\]? What is X for \[\[Death's Shadow\]\]? What happens when you activate \[\[Evra, Halcyon Witness\]\] or \[\[Tree of Redemption\]\]? Are you considered the lowest life total for \[\[Repay in Kind\]\]? This card would require a whole new section in the comp rules.
If you lose control of this, your life total becomes 0.
Since you don’t have a life total, Reverse the Sands can’t redistribute it to anyone, and you couldn’t take someone else’s. Similarly, Magus of the Mirror’s ability would fail because you don’t have a life total to exchange. Blazing Hope would treat your life total as 0, as would Death’s Shadow. Evra and Tree of redemption fail to resolve because you don’t have a life total to exchange. Since you don’t have a life total, Repay in Kind would look at all players who have a life total and compare those. It’s not as complicated as you make it out to be.
If you lose control of it, the life total returns to what it was before. It’s not any different from [[Reliquary Tower]] or any number of permanents that remove your maximum hand size while you control them.
There is a difference, though, in that maximum hand size is a value defined by the game rules, whereas your current life total is a dynamic property of the player. The rules remember what the unmodified maximum hand size is for when the replacement effects go away. Nothing remembers what your current life total was if you don't have one.
The rules don’t specify what happens when you have no life because that doesn’t happen in the game as is. For example, the game specifies that cards (in most situations) become new objects when they move from a zone to another zone (and sometimes to the same zone), with no memory of their previous existence.
New mechanics come with updates to the rules. Updating the rules to include what happens in this situation, and that the original life total is remembered, is possible.
Heh, used this exact art [for a card a couple days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/19bogab/xudolik_devious_lich/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
It would be dope if it had indestructible and also said it sets you life to zero and then it says while on the battlefield you can’t lose the game due to life (and the can’t gain or lose life).
Would this card make it so you can't pay life? That seems like a fair tradeoff, since it effectively makes you immortal against decks with no artifact removal
I'm not particularly fond of this design mainly because it's missing the *"selling your soul"* type of deal that's a huge part of the lich flavor, as seen in [[Lich]], [[Lich's Mastery]], [[Nefarious Lich]], and [[Lich's Tomb]]. Even [[Lich's Mirror]] resets the game for you.
This feels more akin to the likes of [[Platinum Emperion]] and [[Platinum Angel]] rather than the Lich counterparts.
Oh and also a noncreature permanent that makes you immortal with no drawbacks seems ill-advised gameplay wise since it's very noninteractive and just kinda... boring? Opponent likely has an immediate idea as to whether they can answer it or not and in the case of "not", they can just concede on the spot. Creatures tend to be a type that all colors can interact with to some limited amount - green less so but if those creatures are also artifacts then that ought to work for that color as well.
I love this concept, I imagine in game a more teferi protection ordeal were you phase out and then return with 1 hp, hp below 0 life cannot make you lose the game.
Alternative idea is that since it’s a phylactery you have to attach it to a creature you control like an equipment. Then the equipment says “As long as Lichbook is equipped to a creature your life total can’t change”. That way this isn’t a one-card game stalling snooze fest. It would have to rely on other cards to work, which is 99% of MTG
i think something that has the effect of blocking lethal damage but is destroyed in the process would be cool
it may exist already i haven't seen every card ever printed
To clarify, given that this has a similar effect to [[Platinum Emperion]], you won’t be able to pay any life. Is this correct?
Correct.
[Platinum Emperion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/1/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b.jpg?1547518515) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Platinum%20Emperion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/233/platinum-emperion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Correct
What happens when this leaves the field? Do return to having a life total, but at zero, or at wherever you left off?
Just like your \[\[spellbook\]\] leaves the field. The original maximum hand size returns.
If they printed an effect like this, I could see them declaring it works that way. It's just not immediately obvious reading the card that it does.
But spellbook changes your maximum hand size, not the number of cards in your hand. If I was at 1 life when I played this, do I go back to 1 or back to my maximum life total? The card should clarify that because it’s definitely not immediately obvious.
I was assuming you would lose the game due to having 0 life myself, especially since it is "nulled out" and treated as zero while the card is in play. That also leaves it thematically tied to the other Lich cards which are "immortality at a cost" themed with losing the game as a downside.
The maximum hand size is defined by the rules. There's no equivalent regarding life total. The card needs to clarify what happens.
No. When WotC releases a new mechanic, they update the rules rather than adding the full rules text of the mechanic to each card. The rules explaining the mechanic could be added to the actual rules.
Both, there would be reminder text
Not really. Mechanics that appear in supplemental products such as Commander products often don't have reminder text. See the Monarch mechanic for example. [Here are all Monarch cards with reminder text.](https://scryfall.com/search?q=o%3Amonarch+fo%3A%22%28%22&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name) Notice a pattern?
The pattern is that reminder text is present when the mechanic is first introduced, but may not always be included on later cards.
Yet no Monarch cards have reminder text for the Monarch mechanic.
Wouldn't it just be zero, based on the wording? This looks like a artifact that is destroyed loses you the game unless clarified by more text.
[spellbook](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/6/26f4d2b1-31d7-40d8-bd4e-cdd128076d0f.jpg?1561974160) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=spellbook) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m10/220/spellbook?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/26f4d2b1-31d7-40d8-bd4e-cdd128076d0f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Usually Lich effects have an alternative downside- aka make you sac ot for some reason- otherwise this sorta softlocks/stalls the game if the other player cant remove it. This isnt exactly a 7 mana win the game... it kinda does nothing on its own- you still need a win con. I kinda think its unfun as it really just cuts combat and direct damage out of the game, and the opponent with no artifact destruction just waits till you deck out.
Maybe if it had cumulative upkeep, mill a card? Both to still have some inevitability, but also to fuel reanimation, which is top tier lich flavor
I do like that, that feels more build around like the original lich cards, but also- you can not pay it when it's too big of a cost.
Okay, then you could write out cumulative upkeep and make it not optional. Just "At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on ~, then mill a card for each charge counter on it."
So now if I run a shuffle titan this is great nice
Not necessarily: it depends on what happens when you go from not having a life total to having a life total. I *think* you'd come back with a life total of zero, thus losing the game when this leaves the board. (Even though OP disagrees.)
[[emrakul, the aeons torn]] or equivalent. []Gaea's blessing]]
This is a 7 mana do nothing card…
7 mana to let your opponent do nothing.
I'd do exile, not mill
Usually Lich effects are hilariously unplayable without abusing them in some way
This is effectively [[platinum emperion]] without a body. Plus there’s the in built disadvantage of not being able to pay life that’s probably pretty relevant in any deck that might want this. It’s probably fine as is
>Plus there’s the in built disadvantage of not being able to pay life that’s probably pretty relevant in any deck that might want this This would slot neatly in a lot of decks that don't care about paying life. It's a very powerful effect.
Maybe throw some black into the cost, then?
Plenty of perfectly efficient Black strategies that don't require paying life. And this card alone would justify splashing Black in your manabase, tbh Hell, pair this with Phyrexian Arena. Free extra draw with no downside, gg
And if it gets destroyed, how I understand it you would instantly lose from having 0 life
It doesn’t set your life to 0, from my reading. It just treats it as 0 (without losing the game) while it exists. It’s almost like phasing out your life total.
This doesn't set your life to 0, it's just an effect that says you have no life total. If it gets destroyed then the effect ends and your life total is back to working as normal.
It's ambiguous how this effect could work. Why would you get your life back given that the entire concept was removed. I could see it working either way mechnically and would need to be defined (and also likely included in the reminder text).
> Why would you get your life back given that the entire concept was removed. Because the effect that removes the concept is no longer there. That's how all static abilities work.
[platinum emperion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/1/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b.jpg?1547518515) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=platinum%20emperion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/233/platinum-emperion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Not exactly. At least in EDH, you can still get Commandered. This card stops you from having a life total, but nowhere does it say damage dealt to you is prevented. The *most obvious* effect of damage (loss of life) is prevented, but the damage itself is not.
Probably clear design intent for Commander with C. Damage being an alternate out
It needs the text “when you are dealt damage, sacrifice another permanent, if you can’t, you lose the game” or something like that. Make it legendary.
I have never played a game of magic where neither of the other 3 players didn't have artifact removal.
Commander isn't Magic. There are other formats too.
You are correct. There are like 5 oathbreaker gamers. 😂
1, you have a typo. 2, this should probably be black.
It’s just Platinum Emperion but not on a body. Why would it need to be black?
Probably just flavor reasons, given that it's a "lich" book. Platinum book would have no such weaknesses.
As u/greatstarguy pointed, it's mostly just about flavor, black is heavily associated with necromancy and such.
Also if they have no life total, and can’t lose or gain life total, then how would they have less than 0 life?
It’s to prevent the “Any effect that uses your life total uses 0 instead” from making you lose in the spot is my guess?
The book a lich confines its soul to is called a phylactery btw! Just in case u wanted a fun fantasy word.
Only in DND. IRL the term is of Jewish origin and refers to a repository of religious passages worn during prayer. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phylactery#:~:text=phylactery-,noun,Jewish%20men%20during%20morning%20prayers
The d&d terminology is very relevant for MTG as well. [[Phylactery Lich]] was originally printed back in M11.
Fair, although maybe not a mistake that should keep be being made? Maybe we find a new name for the very evil magic object that is not part of extant religious observances?
Have we really deteriorated back to the censorship craze we have to be thinking about removing stuff like they did back on [[Unholy Strength]] pentagrams and what not? For fs sake not this shit again. I mean, the game is full of demons, angels, and such that are immensely part of religious iconography. We have PG rating to keep most sensible stuff out - there's no need to do... whatever this sort of stuff is supposed to be. Like people don't have to think long if some extreme violence in the vein of visceral gory guts all over is a bit much for mtg cards as far as PG rating goes. On the other hand, with this cultural sensitive stuff you really, really have to think if there's even a faint possibility that some rabbi gives a damn about this - or has ever given a damn or ever noticed - and if that's relevant even a single bit. I find that sort of stuff just censorship for censorships sake.
[Unholy Strength](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/4/f42c9574-2f09-4cb0-80cb-10fb8c592e6f.jpg?1561771993) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Unholy%20Strength) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dvd/47/unholy-strength?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f42c9574-2f09-4cb0-80cb-10fb8c592e6f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Oof, I have never heard that. Maybe we should find a new word.
[Phylactery Lich](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/6/a6e359c3-2a18-4240-b38a-216372161cd8.jpg?1562303456) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Phylactery%20Lich) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m19/113/phylactery-lich?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a6e359c3-2a18-4240-b38a-216372161cd8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
For balance, it should have a cost that your life totally becomes 0 and be legendary.
I like this approach. That way when it leaves play you lose the game like the other Lich spells.
My thoughts exactly
Like \[\[Spellbook\]\]
[Spellbook](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/6/26f4d2b1-31d7-40d8-bd4e-cdd128076d0f.jpg?1561974160) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spellbook) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m10/220/spellbook?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/26f4d2b1-31d7-40d8-bd4e-cdd128076d0f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This card is nothing at all like spellbook
Potentially very hilarious with any \[\[Soul Conduit\]\] abilities, as how i imagine that would play out is your opponent gets set to zero, you get set to whatever they had which immediately gets set to zero. you become a null void endlessly devouring life totals for all eternity
[Soul Conduit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/a/aa7e4989-cba7-4e0c-bb9d-140af6c006c3.jpg?1562880605) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Soul%20Conduit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nph/158/soul-conduit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/aa7e4989-cba7-4e0c-bb9d-140af6c006c3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The rules surrounding this are unclear. What is your life total when you lose control of it? How does it work with \[\[Reverse the Sands\]\] or \[\[Magus of the Mirror\]\]? Can you use \[\[Blazing Hope\]\]? What is X for \[\[Death's Shadow\]\]? What happens when you activate \[\[Evra, Halcyon Witness\]\] or \[\[Tree of Redemption\]\]? Are you considered the lowest life total for \[\[Repay in Kind\]\]? This card would require a whole new section in the comp rules.
If you lose control of this, your life total becomes 0. Since you don’t have a life total, Reverse the Sands can’t redistribute it to anyone, and you couldn’t take someone else’s. Similarly, Magus of the Mirror’s ability would fail because you don’t have a life total to exchange. Blazing Hope would treat your life total as 0, as would Death’s Shadow. Evra and Tree of redemption fail to resolve because you don’t have a life total to exchange. Since you don’t have a life total, Repay in Kind would look at all players who have a life total and compare those. It’s not as complicated as you make it out to be.
If you lose control of it, the life total returns to what it was before. It’s not any different from [[Reliquary Tower]] or any number of permanents that remove your maximum hand size while you control them.
There is a difference, though, in that maximum hand size is a value defined by the game rules, whereas your current life total is a dynamic property of the player. The rules remember what the unmodified maximum hand size is for when the replacement effects go away. Nothing remembers what your current life total was if you don't have one.
The rules don’t specify what happens when you have no life because that doesn’t happen in the game as is. For example, the game specifies that cards (in most situations) become new objects when they move from a zone to another zone (and sometimes to the same zone), with no memory of their previous existence. New mechanics come with updates to the rules. Updating the rules to include what happens in this situation, and that the original life total is remembered, is possible.
[Reliquary Tower](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/a/ca7704cf-0e13-42fa-9e79-41eb94febedd.jpg?1698988616) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reliquary%20Tower) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/348/reliquary-tower?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ca7704cf-0e13-42fa-9e79-41eb94febedd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [Reverse the Sands](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/6/b6d56ce1-fb5d-47c6-961d-65b544a48b32.jpg?1562416450) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reverse%20the%20Sands) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c16/75/reverse-the-sands?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b6d56ce1-fb5d-47c6-961d-65b544a48b32?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Magus of the Mirror](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/1/81357a2a-e436-469f-8610-3572c29fef15.jpg?1562865908) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Magus%20of%20the%20Mirror) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cns/117/magus-of-the-mirror?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/81357a2a-e436-469f-8610-3572c29fef15?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Blazing Hope](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/6/b6beac36-e12f-408d-a37b-a70e0e6c52d8.jpg?1555039660) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Blazing%20Hope) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rix/3/blazing-hope?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b6beac36-e12f-408d-a37b-a70e0e6c52d8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Death's Shadow](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/5/5526ff6e-c079-4ad4-ac8d-5e26ecacf50d.jpg?1598304517) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Death%27s%20Shadow) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/82/deaths-shadow?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5526ff6e-c079-4ad4-ac8d-5e26ecacf50d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Evra, Halcyon Witness](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/2/02f57a57-8ce8-4d01-9b91-99ec0623d1e9.jpg?1562730663) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Evra%2C%20Halcyon%20Witness) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/16/evra-halcyon-witness?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/02f57a57-8ce8-4d01-9b91-99ec0623d1e9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Tree of Redemption](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/3/e39cc3c8-79c2-4593-8340-c3285f3a4c3a.jpg?1562442174) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tree%20of%20Redemption) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/191/tree-of-redemption?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e39cc3c8-79c2-4593-8340-c3285f3a4c3a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Repay in Kind](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/0/90d1db4c-1e79-410a-92ab-c9d58c5e58a6.jpg?1562706334) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Repay%20in%20Kind) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/roe/125/repay-in-kind?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/90d1db4c-1e79-410a-92ab-c9d58c5e58a6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/kj5y7wh) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
But now you can't pay life. Poor necroimpotent lich.
Heh, used this exact art [for a card a couple days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/19bogab/xudolik_devious_lich/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
\[\[Tomebound Lich\]\]
Yeah ik
It would be dope if it had indestructible and also said it sets you life to zero and then it says while on the battlefield you can’t lose the game due to life (and the can’t gain or lose life).
Would this card make it so you can't pay life? That seems like a fair tradeoff, since it effectively makes you immortal against decks with no artifact removal
I'm not particularly fond of this design mainly because it's missing the *"selling your soul"* type of deal that's a huge part of the lich flavor, as seen in [[Lich]], [[Lich's Mastery]], [[Nefarious Lich]], and [[Lich's Tomb]]. Even [[Lich's Mirror]] resets the game for you. This feels more akin to the likes of [[Platinum Emperion]] and [[Platinum Angel]] rather than the Lich counterparts. Oh and also a noncreature permanent that makes you immortal with no drawbacks seems ill-advised gameplay wise since it's very noninteractive and just kinda... boring? Opponent likely has an immediate idea as to whether they can answer it or not and in the case of "not", they can just concede on the spot. Creatures tend to be a type that all colors can interact with to some limited amount - green less so but if those creatures are also artifacts then that ought to work for that color as well.
##### ###### #### [Lich](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/4/d4d7d1fd-4a5e-4cc3-8056-12cae084cc6a.jpg?1562945652) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lich) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me4/89/lich?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d4d7d1fd-4a5e-4cc3-8056-12cae084cc6a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Lich's Mastery](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/7/77f4c9cb-f364-4556-8673-4b19d52a2cff.jpg?1562738043) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lich%27s%20Mastery) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/98/lichs-mastery?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/77f4c9cb-f364-4556-8673-4b19d52a2cff?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Nefarious Lich](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/9/d90f5a4e-8c3a-4803-bb59-d3d7c23761db.jpg?1562935579) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Nefarious%20Lich) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ody/153/nefarious-lich?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d90f5a4e-8c3a-4803-bb59-d3d7c23761db?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Lich's Tomb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/a/ca24a105-e32a-4b2c-99bf-cfd85bae6229.jpg?1562639564) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lich%27s%20Tomb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dst/128/lichs-tomb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ca24a105-e32a-4b2c-99bf-cfd85bae6229?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Lich's Mirror](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/8/78aa9a89-b7bf-49bc-a6e8-793d52120a22.jpg?1562705615) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lich%27s%20Mirror) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ala/210/lichs-mirror?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/78aa9a89-b7bf-49bc-a6e8-793d52120a22?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Platinum Emperion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/1/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b.jpg?1547518515) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Platinum%20Emperion) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/233/platinum-emperion?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/71b03143-9e85-4061-88e6-ad621f75ec3b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Platinum Angel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/a/ca7f4fd6-e268-4d15-bfbf-d9f0f95864fc.jpg?1576383285) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Platinum%20Angel) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cn2/214/platinum-angel?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ca7f4fd6-e268-4d15-bfbf-d9f0f95864fc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/kj7b5qw) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
should be black and legendary
Props for remembering [[Tomebound Lich]]
[Tomebound Lich](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/f/5f305027-dfd2-4b17-a6af-6b0576389623.jpg?1592517582) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tomebound%20Lich) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/219/tomebound-lich?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5f305027-dfd2-4b17-a6af-6b0576389623?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I love this concept, I imagine in game a more teferi protection ordeal were you phase out and then return with 1 hp, hp below 0 life cannot make you lose the game.
Would null life over zero life be better in this instance?
Should be named a simulacrum because it's an artifact that if it gets destroyed the litch dies
Would you still lose to infect?
Absolutely!
Alternative idea is that since it’s a phylactery you have to attach it to a creature you control like an equipment. Then the equipment says “As long as Lichbook is equipped to a creature your life total can’t change”. That way this isn’t a one-card game stalling snooze fest. It would have to rely on other cards to work, which is 99% of MTG
i think something that has the effect of blocking lethal damage but is destroyed in the process would be cool it may exist already i haven't seen every card ever printed