I just want to design cards that you have to figure out how to use, OR cards that present an in-game goal for you to achieve with a built-in reward. A majority of new cards in the sets these days are too obvious and mostly have synergy built into themselves instead of the player having to figure out how to optimize the usefulness of the card.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Seven Knights gathered under a single banner, but soon came to learn one more would join their cause.
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Brute Power1G
Instant (U)
The next creature spell you cast this turn can't be countered. That creature enters the battlefield with two additional +1/+1 counters.
Riftscape Mirage1W
Enchantment (R)
Whenever another nonland permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may pay 2. If you do, exile that permanent, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
Vanishing 4
IIW: Geest invasion
Neat. Not sure how much I like the vanishing on this, but being able to dodge removal or turn our abilities into blinks is cool.
Waning ArchonXW
Creature - Archon (R)
Vanishing X (This permanent comes into play with X time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Flying
Creatures with power lower than the number of time counters on Waning Archon can’t attack you.
4/4
IIW: Secrets, whisper and hidden things
You do realize that if you play this for zero, it'll never have a last time counter to remove and never die? Cool idea, but it doesn't particularly work as a creature.
one of the first cards I posted on the MTGS forums.
Opportunities UnexploitedBB
Instant (R)
Search your library for four cards with different names. An opponent chooses two of those cards. Exile the chosen cards and put the rest into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.
IIW: continue a pre-existing potential cycle
Cool. I'm a bit wary of Entomb-style effects, but this one might be alright.
Quthron, Master of the Mirror :3mana::symu::symg:
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard (M)
Hexproof
Grandeur - Discard another card named Quthron, Master of the Mirror: For each other creature you control, put a token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield.
4/4
Pro-Fix
IIW: Wedge Keywords
Sweet, although potentially confusing with all the tokens.
Admittedly from a different thread. Now for one that doesn't suck.
Second Sifting(B/W)(B/W)
[U]Sorcery[/U] [U]
Return up to one target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand for each W that was spent to cast ~. Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to your hand for each B that was spent to cast ~.
IIW: 4-8cmc auras
It's a bit inelegant, but works fine. Strong but fair card.
This was in the first thread I ever posted on MTGS. LET'S MAKE IT WORK!
Illusion of ChoiceUB
[U]Instant[/U] (R)
Change the text of target permanent by removing all instances of the phrase "you may". (Reminder text is unaffected.)
Draw a card.
I didn't actually look at the comprehensive rules on the issue of keywords and text replacement, but I'm basing this on the fact that Glamerdye doesn't affect fear.
I know, it's not the same, but the idea is the same.
IIW: Flip it, switch it, or turn it around.
Haha, cool. I'm not sure there's that many things you can really sabotage with this but it's still neat. What about just taking out "may" so it can affect things like "its controller may" as well?
Joltcracker Veteran2RR
Creature - Goblin Shaman (U)
Haste
When Joltcracker Veteran enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
2/2
Clank, Abyssal Oyster2UUU
Legendary Creature — Oyster (R)
Hexproof
Whenever a creature becomes tapped, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. U, Tap an untapped creature you control: Tap target creature.
3/3
IIW: A plane with no mana
A bit of Glare of Subdual with some freezing too. Could be a really strong attack prevention card.
Glacial Extractor3
Artifact (C) S: Tap target creature, add 1 to your mana pool.
This mechanic is in my brain a lot lately, but it hasn't fit a challenge lately, so here's a fixed glacial extractor:
Glacial Extractor3
Artifact (UC)
When Glacial Extractor enters the battlefield, draw a card. S,T: Tap target creature, add 1 to your mana pool. "Of course power remembers its source. A constant lingering memory of the origin is in all of us and all of our works. Even power's memory has power." -Azath, Noetimancer
IIW: More extractors.
Closer to balanced, although I'd still raise the cost by one or two and/or drop the cantrip. Keep in mind there's no reasons not to run snow basics over regular basics, so snow mana isn't much of a drawback.
Epic UltimatumXXUR
Sorcery (R)
Exile the top X cards of your library. For each nonland card with converted mana cost 1 or greater exiled this way, put Y time counters on it, where Y is its converted mana cost. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend.
IIW: Choose your favorite IIW you have ever created and design a card to meet that challenge.
Yeah, that's neat. I'm not sure what cost would make this worth playing, but my gut tells me this is not it. XURG perhaps.
Mercurial Pegasus2RRW
Creature - Pegasus (Mythic)
First Strike, Flying, haste
Whenever Mercurial Pegasus deals attacks, choose a number of target attacking creatures equal to its power. Those creatures gain flying and first Strike until end of turn. Warriors and monsters alike get dragged into its jetstream as it races towards perfection.
2/3
IIW: 7cmc for a 6/6, no funny stuff for the cost
At five mana, this is pretty underwhelming, especially for a mythic. Lower it to RRW and we're in business. Victory's Herald is the closest comparison I can make.
Desperate Reversal1WB
Sorcery
All creatures get -3/-3 until end of turn. Fateful Hour - If you have 5 or less life, exile all creatures instead. Desperation can make a man sacrifice the world for what he knows he needs.
IIW: A wedge mythics
Fateful hour is generally a bad mechanic. I like the way you used it here though. Compared to Infest it might be a little overdone though.
Brute Power1G
Instant (U)
The next creature spell you cast this turn can't be countered. That creature enters the battlefield with two additional +1/+1 counters.
IIW: Fishes
Neat. It's quite strong, but the fact it has to be used on the same turn you cast the creature makes it fine. Uncommon is an interesting choice.
Thorncrown Coven1GB
Creature — Human Shaman (U) (G/B),T: Remove all counters from target creature. Until end of turn, it gets -1/-1.
1/1
iiwsig
Why is this green at all? I think removing all of them is a bit too good, but at the same time wouldn't be surprised to see the effect printed either...
Haha, cool. I'm not sure there's that many things you can really sabotage with this but it's still neat. What about just taking out "may" so it can affect things like "its controller may" as well?
Yeah, my main issue is that if I tried to expand it's utility out like that then we'd have weird sentences like "Each player sacrifice a creature". This way everything changed by this still works.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Check out the thread for my cube if you have the time, and tell me how terrible it is.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Rakaborn Battlefury2RWU
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying, haste
Hearten 2 (Whenever this creature attacks, target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn and this creature gets +2/+0.)
3/4
Blessed CrusaderWW
Creature - Human Knight (U)
First strike, Purge (If a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn would die, exile it instead.)
2/2
Burn to Ash1R
Instant (C)
~ deals 3 damage to target creature. Purge (If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.)
The ability is worded slightly differently on creatures and spells to be correctly errata-ed onto older cards such as Pillar of Flame and Yamabushi's cards.
This isn't exactly a build-around-me type of wedge mechanic (perhaps it would work in a graveyard set), but I always thought it worked really well in these three colors both mechanically and flavorfully.
IIW: Replicate
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"In the beginning, MTG Salvation switched to a new forum format.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
It was at that moment that I realized: I'm kinda just making these things up. We can just write the rules the way we want them to work. People will have fun, and people will get it.
Cascade is so RUG. So RUG it hurts. Here's a mechanic for RUG, it's called -weave. When you X-weave, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an X card, then put that card into your hand. It's essentially cycling meets cascade.
Weavesplicer1RUG
Creature-Iquati Shaman (R)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery card, creature-weave. All Iquati magic takes at least partial flesh.
1/3
IIW: More of this kind of Iquati merging of instants, sorceries, and creatures.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Author of Spinning the Top, help for veterans and newbies alike looking to break into the multiplayer environment.
The only safe lotus variant: White Lotus0
Artifact
Sacrifice White Lotus, Q: Add three mana of any one color to your mana pool. Answering a simple puzzle to unleash legendary power
Mind-Reader's Mangrove1GUB
Creature - Treefolk (U)
Psycheblast 2 (This creature enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters for each card that left a player's library this turn.)
Remove two +1/+1 counters from Mind-Reader's Mangrove: You may look at any number of other players' hands.
0/0
Okay, that's horrible reminder text. What actually gets counted are the number of cards drawn, milled, put onto the battlefield, or exiled and not returned to the library (that is, cascade will only count for a single card towards psycheburst). This card could probably just be (U/B), but the mechanic seems like it at least sort of fits into green as well.
Deatheater Shaman2BGW [R]
Creature - Human Shaman Salvage - At the beginning of each end step, if two or more permanents were put into a single graveyard from the battlefield this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. To embrace death is to welcome the most inevitable force known to the living.
3/3
Emaciate, mostly in black. Damage caused by this creature causes each opponent to lose that much life (like an inverted lifelink)
Starving VampireB
Creature - Vampire C
Emaciate (Damage caused by this creature causes each opponent to lose that much life)
1/1
Corrupt PriestBW
Creature - Cleric U
Emaciate, Lifelink
1/4
Ghastly Ghoul1BG
Creature - Spirit R
Haste, Emaciate
Whenever a creature dies, if it's the second creature that died this turn, you may return Ghastly Ghoul from your graveyard to the battlefield
3/1
Void ArchmageBGW
Creature - Human Wizard M
Haste, Emaciate
Whenever Void Archmage attacks, you may exile target creature.
When Void Archmage dies, return each creature exiled with Void Archmage to the battlefield under their owner's control
3/4 There is power in silence
Not my mechanic (yay more gds2 mechanics woo), but I always thought it would make a lot of sense in the WBR wedge.
Vyscovian Bloodknight1WBR Creature - Human Knight (R)
First strike Breakthrough - Whenever Vyscovian Bloodknight attacks and any of your attacking creatures aren’t blocked, creatures you control gain lifelink and ":symrb:: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn." until end of turn. Vyscovian virtues dictate that the potential for godhood lies in all soldiers; it simply takes an extraordinary tactician to unleash an army of deities.
4/2
Necrabound Darksayer - WGB
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
1/2
Graven Mosslord - 4GB
Creature - Fungus(U)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, return target permanent from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4
Necra Spectre - 3BB
Creature - Spirit Knight(R)
Flying
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.) Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card.3/3
Mezzernix, Keeper of the Dark - 5WGB
Legendary Creature - Spirit Shaman(M)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
You may play ~ from your graveyard as long as your graveyard contains 10 or more cards in it.
6/6
If you look at the things Green White and Black all agree on, the list comes to this:
Lifeplay: Mostly Black does pay life, but it has minor applications to green and white, who are best at gain life effects.
Resurrecting cards: All 3 do this. Green mostly salvages anything to your hand, white has the least, and usually most expensive options, and it's been black's bread and butter for a long time.
Death Matters: All three have cards that give bonuses when you lose permanents.
Soulbleed, in theory, is a simple effect, yet it utilizes everything Necra has to offer. It also keeps itself in check as an ability by costing you a resource you can build around(life), and by not letting you excel out, but with the proper sac engine, it could still be very good.
EDIT: Decided to add some more examples at other rarities.
At five mana, this is pretty underwhelming, especially for a mythic. Lower it to rrw and we're in business. Victory's Herald is the closest comparison I can make.
As foretold, it would be flat, boring and not-win-enough compared to the original idea of it getting double strike if 5 or more creatures gained flying with its ability.
Kronar, Ageless Conqueror3RUG
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior (m)
First Strike, Haste, Pillage (When this creature deals combat damage to a player,
you may destroy target artifact he or she controls.)
Whenever a spell or ability you control would destroy an artifact an opponent controls,
you may gain control of that artifact instead. The war against the invaders raged for years before he appeared to rally the clans.
He taught his followers how to capture war machines instead of destroying them. The
invasion was quelled after only five victories under his command.
5/5
Gaea's SifterGU
[U]Creature - Wall[/U] [C]
Defender Sift 1--When ~ etb, put the top 1 card of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 1 or less from your graveyard into your hand.
0/4
Grave Rotation2UB
[U]Enchantment[/U] [U] Sift 3--When ~ etb, put the top 3 cards of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard into you your hand.
Sacrifice ~: Target player shuffles target card from his or her graveyard into his or her library.
Big Papa3BGG
[U]Creature[/U] [R] Sift 4--When ~ etb, put the top 4 cards of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 4 or less from your graveyard into you your hand.
~'s power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
*/*
Y'all get offended to easily.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
We're from the future. Get with the program.
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
Now you are required by Internet law to photoshop sun shades (sun monocle?) on your avatar.
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
I prefer monocleshades. Here, have an emoticon.
|D|
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
Brute Power 1G
Instant (U)
The next creature spell you cast this turn can't be countered. That creature enters the battlefield with two additional +1/+1 counters.
IIW: Fishes
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Thorncrown Coven 1GB
Creature — Human Shaman (U)
(G/B),T: Remove all counters from target creature. Until end of turn, it gets -1/-1.
1/1
iiwsig
Neat. Not sure how much I like the vanishing on this, but being able to dodge removal or turn our abilities into blinks is cool.
You do realize that if you play this for zero, it'll never have a last time counter to remove and never die? Cool idea, but it doesn't particularly work as a creature.
Cool. I'm a bit wary of Entomb-style effects, but this one might be alright.
Sweet, although potentially confusing with all the tokens.
It's a bit inelegant, but works fine. Strong but fair card.
Haha, cool. I'm not sure there's that many things you can really sabotage with this but it's still neat. What about just taking out "may" so it can affect things like "its controller may" as well?
Fine. Not much else to say on it.
A bit of Glare of Subdual with some freezing too. Could be a really strong attack prevention card.
Putting the Zen back in Zendikar.
Closer to balanced, although I'd still raise the cost by one or two and/or drop the cantrip. Keep in mind there's no reasons not to run snow basics over regular basics, so snow mana isn't much of a drawback.
Yeah, that's neat. I'm not sure what cost would make this worth playing, but my gut tells me this is not it. XURG perhaps.
I guess that's fine. Doesn't do a whole lot apart from dodge removal, wraths, and make pushing through attackers a nightmare. Which is plenty.
At five mana, this is pretty underwhelming, especially for a mythic. Lower it to RRW and we're in business. Victory's Herald is the closest comparison I can make.
Dangerous. This was only safe on Maelstrom Wanderer because he cost a lot - at four mana, double cascade is too strong.
Fateful hour is generally a bad mechanic. I like the way you used it here though. Compared to Infest it might be a little overdone though.
Neat. It's quite strong, but the fact it has to be used on the same turn you cast the creature makes it fine. Uncommon is an interesting choice.
Why is this green at all? I think removing all of them is a bit too good, but at the same time wouldn't be surprised to see the effect printed either...
Cardz5000 - welcome back!
Next: Wedge Keywords
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, my main issue is that if I tried to expand it's utility out like that then we'd have weird sentences like "Each player sacrifice a creature". This way everything changed by this still works.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying, haste
Hearten 2 (Whenever this creature attacks, target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn and this creature gets +2/+0.)
3/4
IIW: Fishes
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Point being, I really hope we see Cascade the next time wedges roll around.
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
Blessed Crusader WW
Creature - Human Knight (U)
First strike, Purge (If a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn would die, exile it instead.)
2/2
Burn to Ash 1R
Instant (C)
~ deals 3 damage to target creature. Purge (If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.)
The ability is worded slightly differently on creatures and spells to be correctly errata-ed onto older cards such as Pillar of Flame and Yamabushi's cards.
This isn't exactly a build-around-me type of wedge mechanic (perhaps it would work in a graveyard set), but I always thought it worked really well in these three colors both mechanically and flavorfully.
IIW: Replicate
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Comic Book Set
Archester: Frontier of Steam (A steampunk set!)
A Good Place to Start Designing
Weavesplicer 1RUG
Creature-Iquati Shaman (R)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery card, creature-weave.
All Iquati magic takes at least partial flesh.
1/3
IIW: More of this kind of Iquati merging of instants, sorceries, and creatures.
The only safe lotus variant:
White Lotus 0
Artifact
Sacrifice White Lotus, Q: Add three mana of any one color to your mana pool.
Answering a simple puzzle to unleash legendary power
Trust in the Savior. Through him we are protected. We follow his works. He will lead us to perfection.
Creature - Treefolk (U)
Psycheblast 2 (This creature enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters for each card that left a player's library this turn.)
Remove two +1/+1 counters from Mind-Reader's Mangrove: You may look at any number of other players' hands.
0/0
IIW: Improbability.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Creature - Human Shaman
Salvage - At the beginning of each end step, if two or more permanents were put into a single graveyard from the battlefield this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
To embrace death is to welcome the most inevitable force known to the living.
3/3
IIW: A wedge mythic
Starving Vampire B
Creature - Vampire C
Emaciate (Damage caused by this creature causes each opponent to lose that much life)
1/1
Corrupt Priest BW
Creature - Cleric U
Emaciate, Lifelink
1/4
Ghastly Ghoul 1BG
Creature - Spirit R
Haste, Emaciate
Whenever a creature dies, if it's the second creature that died this turn, you may return Ghastly Ghoul from your graveyard to the battlefield
3/1
Void Archmage BGW
Creature - Human Wizard M
Haste, Emaciate
Whenever Void Archmage attacks, you may exile target creature.
When Void Archmage dies, return each creature exiled with Void Archmage to the battlefield under their owner's control
3/4
There is power in silence
IIW: Pressure
WUB Esper Control
Legacy
WU Miracles
Edh
WUBErtai, the corrupted
Modern
GR Welcome to the Jungle
Vyscovian Bloodknight 1WBR
Creature - Human Knight (R)
First strike
Breakthrough - Whenever Vyscovian Bloodknight attacks and any of your attacking creatures aren’t blocked, creatures you control gain lifelink and ":symrb:: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn." until end of turn.
Vyscovian virtues dictate that the potential for godhood lies in all soldiers; it simply takes an extraordinary tactician to unleash an army of deities.
4/2
iiwsig
Creature - Human Cleric(C)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
1/2
Graven Mosslord - 4GB
Creature - Fungus(U)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, return target permanent from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4
Necra Spectre - 3BB
Creature - Spirit Knight(R)
Flying
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card.3/3
Mezzernix, Keeper of the Dark - 5WGB
Legendary Creature - Spirit Shaman(M)
Soulbleed(Whenever this creature dies, you may return target non-land permanent with converted mana cost less than this card from the graveyard to the battlefield. If you do you lose X life, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that permanent.)
You may play ~ from your graveyard as long as your graveyard contains 10 or more cards in it.
6/6
If you look at the things Green White and Black all agree on, the list comes to this:
Lifeplay: Mostly Black does pay life, but it has minor applications to green and white, who are best at gain life effects.
Resurrecting cards: All 3 do this. Green mostly salvages anything to your hand, white has the least, and usually most expensive options, and it's been black's bread and butter for a long time.
Death Matters: All three have cards that give bonuses when you lose permanents.
Soulbleed, in theory, is a simple effect, yet it utilizes everything Necra has to offer. It also keeps itself in check as an ability by costing you a resource you can build around(life), and by not letting you excel out, but with the proper sac engine, it could still be very good.
EDIT: Decided to add some more examples at other rarities.
IIW: Red cards you'd like to see.
As foretold, it would be flat, boring and not-win-enough compared to the original idea of it getting double strike if 5 or more creatures gained flying with its ability.
Kronar, Ageless Conqueror 3RUG
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior (m)
First Strike, Haste, Pillage (When this creature deals combat damage to a player,
you may destroy target artifact he or she controls.)
Whenever a spell or ability you control would destroy an artifact an opponent controls,
you may gain control of that artifact instead.
The war against the invaders raged for years before he appeared to rally the clans.
He taught his followers how to capture war machines instead of destroying them. The
invasion was quelled after only five victories under his command.
5/5
IIW: Arabian Nights
Creature - Human Soldier {C}
First strike, frenzy
2/1
Oros's Warmonger WBR
Creature - Human Soldier {U}
Creatures you control have frenzy 1.
3/4
IIW: A card with a Gatecrash mechanic.
[U]Creature - Wall[/U] [C]
Defender
Sift 1--When ~ etb, put the top 1 card of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 1 or less from your graveyard into your hand.
0/4
Grave Rotation 2UB
[U]Enchantment[/U] [U]
Sift 3--When ~ etb, put the top 3 cards of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard into you your hand.
Sacrifice ~: Target player shuffles target card from his or her graveyard into his or her library.
Big Papa 3BGG
[U]Creature[/U] [R]
Sift 4--When ~ etb, put the top 4 cards of your library into your graveyard and then put target card with converted mana cost 4 or less from your graveyard into you your hand.
~'s power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
*/*
IIW: 4-8cmc auras