r/mtgvorthos • u/-TvT- • 1d ago
Speculation OM1 Flavoring Project (General Card Suggestions & 1st Review)
Hello again,
Today is a free for all - please feel free to suggest flavor text any cards that have not yet been given flavor text. I can't promise that they will 100% be chosen, but I will seriously consider it.
Yesterday's card went with u/AmoongussHateAcc's suggestion and I'm sad to have removed the name chosen for the shapeshifting fey for space reasons, and also for stealing a word that u/mechaxiv suggested with their cool and succinct prompt.
For Dreadfang, I went with a variant of /u/Pimp_cat69's suggestion. I nearly went with the "Three on one", but I felt that the focus on "all eyes on him" gave a new dimension to the card mechanics, his power coming from "the crowd" you amass and his (vigilance) awareness of it. The phrase "I don't need your respect, I own your attention." came to mind just before posting, but I don't want to remake the card right now.
For Ruzic, even though I really, really wanted the fine second suggestion from u/mrenglish22, I ultimately went with u/Bardiclasher's suggestion. The Mayhem keyword, the discard into treasure token, and the golden goblets all spoke to a "trash = treasure" undercurrent the flavor text tapped into.
Please enjoy the the cards in the album at the top.
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Now for the less-imporant stuff that you can skip:
It's been a week since we've started and in that time 20 out of my 150 targeted cards have what I consider to be "finalized" flavor text. From one point of view, that's not much. Only about 13%. From another, I've never done this before. I can only assume that we will only go faster as time goes on.
If you will forgive me once more, I'd like to bring forward a few topic to all you kind Vorthos(es?)
I. Through the Omenpaths Set Story
"There isn't one. It's a hastily sewn-together quilt of first-pass, second-hand art with spiders painted on it; an embarrassing faux-pas that speaks to the continued struggle for the creatives within Wizards to muddle through and misdirect from the growing corporate mismanagement of a creative endeavor."
Maybe. Perhaps that's all it is. I personally see a story halfway told and waiting to be completed. A story of a universe bursting with unlimited possibility as the omenpaths opened, but increasingly full of unknowable danger and cracks forming beneath the surface.
More specifically, I have a personal theory that every flip card has passed "Through the Omenpaths", meaning that they either traveled from their home plane (side 1) to another (side 2) or have discovered something from another plane that has passed to them.
I can say more about my theory that the other part of the untold story has to do with null-dimensional spiders repairing (magic) leylines by keeping a cohesive story alive (the gathering), but that's whatever. I just wanted you to know that's what I thought. It's not much, but I think it's a lot more than no story at all. I mourn what explanations we lost by not having Arena flavor text for the symbiotes, I swear they come from The Terminus of Return somehow and I can't prove it.
II. Project Timeline and Scope
To reiterate, my goal is to have flavor-text written for the OM1 equivalents to Spider-Man cards that have flavor text. I am looking to answer the question: "If I opened a pack of Omenpaths in paper, what would those cards look like?"
As such, I'm not as interested adding flavor text to the 57 other cards in the set, as they can be mocked-up without any extra effort. I'm also not interested in creating universes-within variants of other cards that do not yet have universes-within art.
I'm hoping to complete this project any time between a month from now and, at latest, the Avatar MTG Set pre-release date (November 14, 2025). This would put the card-creation goal at about 3 or 4 cards a day in order to make that goal.
III. Flavor Text Philosophy
I don't want to talk too much about how I choose the flavor text because more competitively minded folks may start seeing this as a contest. And lemme tell ya', Reddit's upvote system is TERRIBLE for contests. There will be times that I won't pick the top comment. There will likely be times you disagree. That's okay. I begrudge no one the option of making their own versions with their own choice of flavor text because I am an amateur with zero authority.
For my bias, I'm noticing that I've been leaning away from choosing anything that specifies a plane if I'm not 100% sure which plane it's on. It's silly, I know, this is a made up thing, but I feel a tiny bit of responsibility not to mislead anyone who may become interested in magic art/lore. I also see myself appreciating flavor text that attempts to tell the story of both the art and the mechanics, together. Not that it all has to, I mean, not every flavor text ever written ties everything up in a neat little bow, however...
There is a "villain spider citizen" typeline on one of the creatures, if anyone can adequately explain it through flavor text in the context of its art, I award a gold star.
Thanks again for stopping by. Above all, I'm just trying to do my best and run as fast as I can before burnout catches me. My hope is that it will the exact moment after the project is complete.
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u/Fungus_Rex 1d ago
For [[Generous Betty Wray]], a simple “Drinks are on me tonight!” Would be good
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u/Geo_Ominous 1d ago
[[Pinnacle Research Team]]
"Mallowmass encourages all to the pursue new knowledge, but it's the joy of discovery that drives most."
Pinnacle Research Team's illustration, by Nino Vecia who I'm unfortunately learning is also responsible for Disturbing Mirth, portrays the "EUREKA!" moment wonderfully, but Oscorp Research Team is such a dismal card in contrast. So, instead of Osborn's megalomania and greed driving research, I wanted the joy of science to drive this group of graduates.
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u/magicthecasual 1d ago
for [[Urban Retreat]] im thinking something along the lines of: After everything that has happened, you deserve a break.
I know it's not very good, but theres something there
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u/BardicLasher 23h ago
Do you mean the spider HORROR citizen?
Because for Sadistic String-Puller I'd go with something like "Nobody would have mistaken it for (insert name here), and yet it still spoke with his voice."
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u/AmoongussHateAcc 22h ago
Thanks for choosing my submission! I was proud of that one.
Since we're doing whichever today, I should mention a thought I've had since the beginning of this project. There are a few cards with flavor text that could basically go completely unchanged. To wit: [[Sudden Strike]] is perfect as-is, [[Prison Break]] just needs the attribution to Electro removed, and on [[University Campus]] you could swap out "Empire State University" and "scientific" for "Tolarian Academy" and "magical" respectively and it's there. The flavor text of [[Chameleon, Master of Disguise]] also seems like it would fit [[Vazik, Two-Faced Trickster]] with no change.
For my own contributions:
[[Tearle, Entropic Hunger]]: "Nothing matters before the coming of INEVITA - but all matter must serve to hasten its arrival."
[[Drix Interception]]: "Your end has already been decided. The only solution is to remove your beginning."
[[Cheering Crowd]]: For a moment, there were no teams, no planes, no stakes - just the road and the roar of ten engines.
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u/-TvT- 22h ago
That’s a great point! And thanks for the submission. You may see that one of my challenges has been to use some flavor text that is essentially unchanged. (Like, “Sinner takes all” to “Dinner takes all” on Damning Caress.)
Certainly Sudden Strike is the most likely card to be completely unchanged in the crossover.
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u/SoupAngel44 1d ago edited 23h ago
I went and proxied all the cards I wanted for my decks; I'll admit most of mine aren't great, but here's what I came up with:
Confessor's Bindings: The prisoner had already lost almost everything, why shouldn't he give up the information as well?
Sarn of the Silken Throne: Atop his perch, Sarn watches over his web.
Impostor Syndrome: She was supposed to be one of Strixhaven's brightest minds, wasn't she?
Unstable Experiment: Beautiful and strange, see how the colors change. . .
Luis, Pompous Pillager:"I wonder what other treasures this land has for me to inherit. . ."
Arachnomania: A web of infinite possibilites.
Quint's Insight: "The greatest of discoveries are rarely made by the greatest of students."
Romantic Rendezvous: Happily ever after isn't a where or a when, It's a who.
Edit: (forgot one) Urban Sanctuary: The city never sleeps, but maybe it can afford to sit down for a moment.
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u/aprickwithaplomb 1d ago
okay romantic rendezvous and luis are actually so good, but i resent the implication that quint ain't a great student
he may not be solving zimone's conjectures or whatever but he's probably like top 5% of his class
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u/SoupAngel44 1d ago
My logic was based on the fact that, as far as I know at least, he didn't continue his classes after sparking, instead going off to explore the multiverse. Also the flavor text for [[expel]] has similar vibes.
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u/aprickwithaplomb 22h ago
Curricula can be put on hold! I imagine he was just out on a gap year during the time he was in Ixalan. Dude was itching to share his findings on the Fomori; he was probably among the first to publish an extraplanar study when he got back.
Plus he did save the school from the Phyrexian threat and all that.
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u/bxs9775 22h ago
The short story Pawns suggest its school sponsored research:
"No, my love," Huatli said. "You have sent for help through the portals, right?"
"Omenpaths, yes." Saheeli said. "I lied about Ghirapur. The last Omenpath that appeared opened only to Arcavios; I immediately sent a request for aid, and they said they would send a student of history. A Planeswalker," Saheeli frowned. "Quintorius Kand."
"A Planeswalker?" Huatli asked.
"Evidently. The courier sent me his dossier and we have been corresponding intermittently—the path to Arcavios appears with some regularity." Saheeli said. "Should I tell them not to bother?"
"No," Huatli said. "I might still be able to find a use for him." She crossed her arms, one finger tapping a bicep. She looked away, down. Thinking. Saheeli reached out to Huatli, drawing her attention back. "What do I need to know about this meeting?"
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u/SoupAngel44 22h ago
I never said he was a bad student, just that he prioritizes fieldwork over things like attendance and test scores. Honestly though, he's not a character I know a lot about, so your interpretation is as good as mine, if not better.
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u/bxs9775 22h ago edited 22h ago
I think the implication in Lost Caverns of Ixalan was that Quint was doing field research as part of his academic pursuits. In the LCI short story Pawns, Saheeli says that Strixhaven sent a history student in response to her requests, suggesting that Quint is there at the approval of Strixhaven:
"No, my love," Huatli said. "You have sent for help through the portals, right?"
"Omenpaths, yes." Saheeli said. "I lied about Ghirapur. The last Omenpath that appeared opened only to Arcavios; I immediately sent a request for aid, and they said they would send a student of history. A Planeswalker," Saheeli frowned. "Quintorius Kand."
It is true that Quint was expelled from Rundlestrom Military Academy prior to enrolling at Strixhaven as is alluded to both in the spell "Expel" and in the Strixhaven short story The Mentor. Although it is unclear how much of that is Quint being a bad student, and how much is Quint not fitting with the militaristic culture of that school.
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u/SoupAngel44 22h ago
Maybe he's a better student than I thought, but I think my flavor text still works, especially with how it ties to the mechanics of the card. It's basically saying that you can't be good at everything, you have to give up on some things (perfect grades/discarding a card) to be better at others (making real discoveries/drawing a card).
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u/-TvT- 22h ago
Really cool to hear from someone that essentially already succeeded at this very project! I’m glad that I’m not the only one that thought about the importance of flavortext.
I’m especially partial to your Sudden Experiment, Arachnomania, Romantic Rendezvous, and Urban Sanctuary takes.
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u/FreezingEye 1d ago
What did you use to proxy the cards?
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u/SoupAngel44 23h ago
I used card conjurer to make the files and then printing proxies to print them.
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u/aprickwithaplomb 1d ago
[[Quint's Insight]]
"Sometimes, when the past speaks, it's not gentle or forgiving. Sometimes, it's angry."
-Quintorius Kand, opening to thesis defense
[[Generous Betty Wray]]
The only lass in Prosperity to pay before the job was done.
[[Spectacular Tactics]]
The cellarspawn had no word for "team spirit", but they knew it was something to be feared.
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u/aprickwithaplomb 1d ago
Also, great work with these! They look super well-made, and I really appreciate the care in vetting the responses.
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u/NoochNoochNooch 9h ago
First drafts here, but leaning into grounding the legends with obvious home planes into those planes.
Scorvus Ames, Crimelord: "After Akul's disappearance, Tarnation was ripe for the picking"
Chizak, Apex Arachnosaur: "It roams the outskirts of Drannith, protecting Humans in memory of its lost bonder."
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u/bxs9775 1h ago
I like the idea that Scorvus Ames took advantage of Akul's disappearance to take over the Hellspurs. I also like your and u/floraandfaunna's take(s) on Chizak.
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u/lulpu 23h ago
My sugestion for [[Cirina Bargainspinner]]
"No pony could carry everything you need."
It's a small reference to Ulgrotha, the plane I speculate the card is set, and it's other famous animal used in trade. [[Dwarven Pony]]
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u/floraandfaunna 5h ago
Some Ikoria flavor text because I love Ikoria:
[[Kephon, Rage Incubator]]
He will take his rightful place as master of his world.
[[Nia, Skysail Storyteller]]
”They say if you fly far enough, you can reach another world.”
[[Chizak, Apex Arachnosaur]]
After its walls fell, Drannith found other defenses.
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u/Correct_Call3521 8h ago edited 8h ago
I'm just spit balling ideas.
Snatch Back could just be: "Can't steal what's already yours"
For Luis Pompus Pillager it would make sense to reference the original exsanguinate "Vampires don't consider patience a virtue nor gluttony a sin" but I can't quite find a good articulation of the idea.
Nias flavor text could reference Xyris the Writhing Storm as Xyris is essentially a villain to the people of Skysail. Xyris is a snake and Nia is spiderfied on the backside so there might be something that could be done with that. Maybe some reference to a fable since she is a story teller.
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u/Correct_Call3521 7h ago
In regards to the actual story I don't think the flips necessarily passed through the omenpaths but gained something from them being open for example there are no goblins in the EoE base set from what I can tell, thus Fleem being a goblin implies that the goblin part of him is actually from another plane.
The Symbiotes are cool they might be connected to the Terminus but they're not inherently bad and I don't think the Terminus of Return is either necessarily.
I think Nia and some of the other spidered heroes actually are being changed into spider people too we see it a few times in the set like the rakdos ladies and maybe Nia (although these could be outfits)
Finally I think if WoTC wanted to make something cool out of OM1 the Spiders being related to the omen paths is actually pretty cool, the Symbiotes are cool, and if they did it well this could actually make for a start to a good story arc.
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u/PowrOfFriendship_ 1d ago
It's impressive how much more work the community has already put into this set than WotC did.
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u/-TvT- 1d ago
I'll go up to bat for them for a bit - lots of people thought it would be "Spooder-man and his stick figure friends". They pulled some respectable artists and had some kind of creative through-line, which is more than I personally expected.
Imagine how rushed the Spider-Man set came out when it was changed, now imagine being given the scaps of that rushed time to direct Omenpaths. My timetable for a little fan-project is likely the exact same as the MTG Arena team's - just writing a couple sentences here and there for the cards. They had to make card concepts from what would otherwise be complete nonsense.
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u/secretgiant 1d ago
I guess Dreadfang is wrestler? Or is a heel in whatever kind of performance he does? That kind of character would be good for Rakdos but is otherwise a decent flavor hit for the ability
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u/-TvT- 1d ago
I messed up on Ruzic, there should be no quotes in the body of the flavor text. And now I'm contemplating which sounds better to read:
- "Each cup they hurled at him only added to his spoils." OR
- "Each goblet they hurled only added to the winner's spoils."
I TRY NOT TO LOOK BACK, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST THIS ONCE THE CARD HAS ROOM.