At the Art, Flavor and Storyline forum, we are having a little discussion on a couple of unused creature types. Mostly class-types like Townsfolk, Citizen, Merchant, Noble, Farmer... Our logic is that in an organized society (such as that of most Humans, Goblins, Elves, Rhox...) these things would exist and would occasionally be relevant on a card.

It would be interesting to see how these creature types could be used on actual cards, so I'm asking the talented folks of YMtC to come up with examples. Thank you already.

Easiest Example

Generic Citizen
Creature-Citizen
Every empire exists of dozens of citizens that need protection.
1/1

I love townsfolk. I'll work on this.

I've actually been working on merchant tribal for my return to Mercadia set. I'll try to dredge up some examples if I can find them, I love merchants.

I've been working on a set that includes nobility recently, where the aspect of nobility is actually a primary mechanic. Here's some "mechanics-first" drafts that depict both traditional and non-traditional "Lords." (Ignore racial types for now, because I am undecided currently).


And some supporting roles that could potentially fit extra classes:

Town Blacksmith
Creature - Human Citizen
: Add to your mana pool. Use this mana only to play equipment.
1/2

He's a little tougher because hes a blacksmith.

Town Noble
Creature - Human Noble
Citizens you control get +0/+1.
1/3

Average Joe
Creature - Human Citizen
A deck can have any number of cards named Average Joe.
1/1

Town Mayor
Creature - Human Noble
Town Mayor gets +1/+1 for each Citizen you control.
: Search your library for a Citizen and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards. Activate this ability only if you control a Town.
1/1

Random Town
Land - Town
When Random Town enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 white human citizen token onto the battlefield.
T: Add to your mana pool.

Militia
Creature - Human Citizen
If you control a Citizen, you may tap a Soldier you control instead of pay Militia's mana cost.
2/2

Town Preacher
Creature - Human Citizen
Towns you control produce instead of colorless.
1/1

Social Outcast -
Creature - Elf Citizen
Humans you control has protection from this creature.
, : Target creature gets +1/+2 until end of turn.
"I entered the citizenry, cheated by the beautiful words that came out from hollowed hearts, thinking that I will have a place within this big city. Yet, all I met from these humans were contempt and distrust. Thankfully, I found out I wasn't the only one."
1/1



Opinionated Noble -
Creature - Human Noble
, Tap a non-Human creature you control: Put a +1/+1 counter on target Human.
"Human rights, Ivan? Do you see upon their faces that which resembles our kind? No, I am afraid not. I had accepted them into my city to be nothing more than manual labor, to occupy the lowest caste of my city, to become the ugly stain that every city has. Stains such as them should be grateful to be even within my walls. A lesson you will do well to bear in mind, Ivan of House Perode."
1/2



Ivan, of House Perode -
Legendary Creature - Human Noble
Exalted, Trample
~ gets +1/+1 for each Citizen you control.
, : Gain control of target Citizen or put two 1/1 white Citizen creature tokens onto the battlefield.
As long as you live under the shelter of House Perode, he will be the champion that lights your path.
3/3

XXXX

Metalwork Artisan -
Creature - Human Artisan
Tap two Citizens you control, : Put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature onto the battlefield. Activate this ability only at any time you could activate a sorcery.
1/2

I'm working on some set ideas. Your Citizen is actually the token that my set produces from the Recruit mechanic. Here's an example:

Outpost Garrison
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant land.
Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, you may pay . If you do, put a 1/1 white Citizen creature token onto the battlefield.


The thing about my set was that, to reduce complexity, all colors of "empires" produced 1/1 white citizens, and then used them in different ways.

At the end of the day, how each group of people use their citizens is more important than how those citizens are represented. For example, white forms an army and protects its citizens (army-wide buffs), while black and red use its citizens as fodder and/or as sacrifices (Sacrifice another creature: CARDNAME gains +2/+2 until end of turn).


That said, if you're looking for some basic stuff, here you go:

Hearthborn Citizen
Creature - Citizen
When Hearthborn Citizen dies, gain 2 life.
0/1

Venturing Townsfolk
Creature - Townsfolk {C}
When Venturing Townsfolk dies, draw a card, then discard a card.
0/1

Merchant of the Inevitable
Creature - Merchant {C}
When Merchant of the Inevitable dies, target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
0/1

Hedonite Noble
Creature - Noble {C}
When Hedonite Noble dies, discard a card and Hedonite Noble deals 2 damage to target player.
0/1

Generational Farmer
Creature - Farmer {C}
When Generational Farmer dies, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
0/1

Is this creature concept different enough from an Artificer?

Frankly, not much. It could be artificer really. What I envision was some kind of hierarchy within, and artisans were like the head of a workshop, whereas the two citizens are his apprentices or workers. The only difference is the inclusion of outside help and admittedly, it really isn't much.

Personally, I believe in Townsfolk, Advisor, and Noble for "noncombat" classes. Noble could have been "Lord" but that was wiped away for good reason. I think Imposing Sovereign is one of the best arguments for the existence of such a class. As to Townsfolk... I'm not sure why they were offed, since they expressed "normal person" very well in a way Creature - Human [no class] does not.

I love the flavor of this.

Farmer
Creature -Farmer
When ~ enters the battlefield, untap target land.
1/2

At first I was thinking more of the Magus of the Candelabra ability, but I think there is more room for design as an etb effect. I guess this ability was blue during Urzas block, but it feels pretty green to me. I imagine this ability could easily end up broken, so it would have to be tested extensively. Not sure if it should be 'untap up to one target land' or if it's fine as is.

This is my citizen card from the Wizards forums:

Citizen's Patrol
Sorcery
Cast ~ only after combat.
Put five 1/1 white Citizen creature tokens onto the battlefield. Exile them at the beginning of the next end step.

The flavor being that a group of citizens show up after a battle, look around, then leave before it gets too dangerous again. The card itself doesn't do anything, but there would probably be plenty of interactions in a custom set. For example:

Noble Leader
Creature - Human Noble
Vigilance
~ enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each creature you control.
1/1

or

Demon
Creature - Demon
Flying
Sacrifice five creatures you control: Return ~ from your graveyard to the battlefield.
5/5

Thx. I was pretty concerned how people would perceive it. No idea why, but first few thoughts upon seeing the citizen creature types were social problems.


And I realized I missed out something on the artisan typing when I typed it, which was the intention of a social standing by creature typing. Something I think artisan brings across better than artificer but then again, maybe something Magic doesn't need.