I was mainly thinking of this as a mechanic for a class oriented set, in particular for the Scout class which would be UG or UGw.
Here it is:
Seafaring Scoundrel2U
Creature - Human Scout
When Seafaring Spy enters the battlefield, explore (exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Reveal it, then put the exiled cards on the bottom of your library in random order.)
When Seafaring Spy explores an island, draw a card.
2/2
Guerilla Leader1G
Creature - Elf Scout
Add the beginning of your end step, explore.
When Guerilla Leader explores a forest, it gains hexproof until the beginning of your next turn.
2/1
Mahuta, Champion of MuragandaGG
Legendary creature - Human Scout
When Mahuta, Champion of Muraganda enters the battlefield, explore.
When Mahuta explores a basic land, put three +1/+1 counters on it.
1/2
The reveal is redundant, exiling the cards reveals them. It seems like an interesting ability, though showing the contents of your deck to your opponent may not be viewed favorably. And the ability will make it feel as though you are mana screwing yourself even though it should have no noticeable effect(yes people are irrational, you still have to think about how they would see things even if irrational).
I like how it can differ between what kinds of lands it cares about exploring.
Scarab Hunt1G
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step, you may tap an untapped creature you control. If you do, explore target land. (Put a +1/+1 counter on that land. Then, you may untap it.)
Whenever you explore a land, create a 1/1 black insect creature token.
I know the reveal part is redundant but it reads kinda weird without it. Good points on the newbie feelbads though. Any thoughts on how to address those issues?
Cascade does the same thing without the redundant reveal and seems to read fine, but that may be because you actually perform an action with the specified card.
Any fixes to this perceived problem would increase the abilities power. Such as putting the land into your hand, giving you the option of putting the land on top or bottom after the other cards are randomly placed on bottom, or even putting the land into play. If any of these are acceptable then you would have to increase the cost or decrease the power of your cards across the board, I think the land on top or bottom is the least disruptive because it isn't card advantage and it can only guarantee land drops but not non land cards.
Hey, maybe "Explore" should be "Cascade for Lands"
Explore (When you play this spell, reveal the top card of your library until you reveal a land card. Put it onto the battlefield tapped, then put the other revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
That sounds like fun. Green gets to explore for 1G, other colors for -4?
Or maybe it should go to the hand? Then it could cost G in G and 2 for everything else?
Or, maybe it can be #ed.
Explore 4 (When you play this spell, reveal the top 4 cards of your library. You may put a land card revealed in this way onto the battlefield (or hand?) and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
I don't think it's a good idea to make the mechanic put a card in hand. That limits the design possibilities a lot. This design is less like Cascade and more like a controllable build-around Clash. I think land on top or bottom is a great fix, though.
Explore - exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Put it on the top or bottom of your library then put the rest on the bottom of your library in random order.
It's still kinda funky saying bottom twice but I can't think of a good alternative.
Survey - To survey, reveal the top card of your library until you reveal a land card. You may put that land on the top of your library or into your graveyard, and the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order. (Grave because putting it on the bottom with the other cards just means you might draw it again... and if you don't topdeck it, you don't want to draw it...)
This shows a lot of your deck to your opponent. I'm wondering if you could have the ability only occasionally trigger:
Leaf Collector 1G
Creature - Elf Druid
Common
When ~ enters the battlefield, explore. If you reveal a land card, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. (To explore, look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
2/1
Sage of the Seas 4U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Uncommon
When ~ enters the battlefield, explore. (To explore, look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
Whenever you reveal a land card by exploring, tap target creature an opponent controls.
3/3
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Gaymer
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.
@entombedhydra: I think there's something here, but still the top of library vs graveyard thing has an asymmetry which still feels not quite perfect to me.
@virdiancircle: This does solve the readability issues, however I think this really goes against the spirit of what I was looking for. Your version is a perfectly serviceable mechanic but I was looking for a mechanic that is low variance (in constructed at least) and encourages the player to build around it. In particular I wanted to encourage mono-coloured decks, which is something few other mechanics really incentivize.
@virdiancircle: This does solve the readability issues, however I think this really goes against the spirit of what I was looking for. Your version is a perfectly serviceable mechanic but I was looking for a mechanic that is low variance (in constructed at least) and encourages the player to build around it. In particular I wanted to encourage mono-coloured decks, which is something few other mechanics really incentivize.
Ah easy done, just amend the trigger (i.e. ...reveal [a Forest / an Island] card).
I think the player can still build around this, as you only have to focus on stacking the top card of your library instead of many. It also allows you to have multicolour decks (particularly handy in Limited).
I get what you mean about incentivising mono-coloured deck builds, however a mechanic named 'explore' implies going to different places, and thus multi-colour. I wonder if an ability style like Akoum Hellkite might work, where any land is okay but a specific type works best. You could have this wording on uncommons and rares, and have commons be just basic lands.
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Gaymer
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.
I get what you mean about incentivising mono-coloured deck builds, however a mechanic named 'explore' implies going to different places, and thus multi-colour. I wonder if an ability style like Akoum Hellkite might work, where any land is okay but a specific type works best. You could have this wording on uncommons and rares, and have commons be just basic lands.
When we discussed explore for Pyrulea I had a similar attitude and suggested that you always get to have a certain bonus (putting the land card in your hand in this case) and get an aditional bonus if the explored/discovered land fits the wanted type.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
When we discussed explore for Pyrulea I had a similar attitude and suggested that you always get to have a certain bonus (putting the land card in your hand in this case) and get an aditional bonus if the explored/discovered land fits the wanted type.
I think that having a line for the trigger, a second line for a positive outcome, and a third line for the bonus outcome is a bit too much text and is still too random of a mechanic for my liking. I think there's more design space and more impact on deckbuilding and gameplay when it's more of a predictable build-around.
I think that having a line for the trigger, a second line for a positive outcome, and a third line for the bonus outcome is a bit too much text and is still too random of a mechanic for my liking. I think there's more design space and more impact on deckbuilding and gameplay when it's more of a predictable build-around.
Isn't that basically the same level of "much text" and "random of a mechanic" as prowess or exert? At least as I conceptualize it.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
Isn't that basically the same level of "much text" and "random of a mechanic" as prowess or exert? At least as I conceptualize it.
Duergar Gold PannerWUG
Creature - Dwarf Scout
When Duergar Gold Panner enters the battlefield or attacks, explore (look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
Whenever Duergar Gold Panner explores a land, create a colorless artifact token called Gold onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If that land is an island, create three Gold tokens instead.
3/3
Actually I'll admit that's not so bad, I'll admit. I do fail to see how Prowess and Exert are as random, though.
Duergar Gold PannerWUG
Creature - Dwarf Scout
When Duergar Gold Panner enters the battlefield or attacks, explore (look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
Whenever Duergar Gold Panner explores a land, create a colorless artifact token called Gold onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If that land is an island, create three Gold tokens instead.
3/3
Actually I'll admit that's not so bad, I'll admit. I do fail to see how Prowess and Exert are as random, though.
Because you didn't follow through with my suggestion. As I said: There would be one bonus that would be always the same - putting the land card into your hand e. g.
Duergar Gold PannerGWU
Creature - Dwarf Scout
When Duergar Gold Panner enters the battlefield, explore. (Look at the top card of your library. If it's a land card you may reveal it and put it into your hand. Otherwise you may put it on the bottom of your library.)
Whenever a creature you control explores a nonbasic land, create a colorless artifact token named Gold. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."
3/3
Approximately.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
It's still random in the same sense I was concerned about. If you build around my version, you are guaranteed to get the same outcome every time, but with your version it'll be something like a 1/3 at best to get the bonus, barring any library manipulation.
It's still random in the same sense I was concerned about. If you build around my version, you are guaranteed to get the same outcome every time, but with your version it'll be something like a 1/3 at best to get the bonus, barring any library manipulation.
Your version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get Gold
Get specific land: get additiional Gold
My version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get a card
Get specific land: get additiionally Gold
Your version:
gets to trigger multiple times since it happens on every attack
My version:
gets to trigger multiple times since it also gets boni from other explorers
Both versions:
rely on library manipulation
My version:
is itself library manipulation
Am I misreading something? According to my read you have the still three levels of success: Miss, partial success, total success.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
It's still random in the same sense I was concerned about. If you build around my version, you are guaranteed to get the same outcome every time, but with your version it'll be something like a 1/3 at best to get the bonus, barring any library manipulation.
Your version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get Gold
Get specific land: get additiional Gold
My version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get a card
Get specific land: get additiionally Gold
Am I misreading something? According to my read you have the still three levels of success: Miss, partial success, total success.
You are only looking at the last one they did which was a visualization of your mechanic, their mechanic always hit because it revealed until a land. Yours only looked at the top.
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Here it is:
Seafaring Scoundrel 2U
Creature - Human Scout
When Seafaring Spy enters the battlefield, explore (exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Reveal it, then put the exiled cards on the bottom of your library in random order.)
When Seafaring Spy explores an island, draw a card.
2/2
Guerilla Leader 1G
Creature - Elf Scout
Add the beginning of your end step, explore.
When Guerilla Leader explores a forest, it gains hexproof until the beginning of your next turn.
2/1
Mahuta, Champion of Muraganda GG
Legendary creature - Human Scout
When Mahuta, Champion of Muraganda enters the battlefield, explore.
When Mahuta explores a basic land, put three +1/+1 counters on it.
1/2
I like how it can differ between what kinds of lands it cares about exploring.
Compare to this:
Any fixes to this perceived problem would increase the abilities power. Such as putting the land into your hand, giving you the option of putting the land on top or bottom after the other cards are randomly placed on bottom, or even putting the land into play. If any of these are acceptable then you would have to increase the cost or decrease the power of your cards across the board, I think the land on top or bottom is the least disruptive because it isn't card advantage and it can only guarantee land drops but not non land cards.
Explore (When you play this spell, reveal the top card of your library until you reveal a land card. Put it onto the battlefield tapped, then put the other revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
That sounds like fun. Green gets to explore for 1G, other colors for -4?
Or maybe it should go to the hand? Then it could cost G in G and 2 for everything else?
Or, maybe it can be #ed.
Explore 4 (When you play this spell, reveal the top 4 cards of your library. You may put a land card revealed in this way onto the battlefield (or hand?) and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
Explore - exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Put it on the top or bottom of your library then put the rest on the bottom of your library in random order.
It's still kinda funky saying bottom twice but I can't think of a good alternative.
Survey - To survey, reveal the top card of your library until you reveal a land card. You may put that land on the top of your library or into your graveyard, and the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order. (Grave because putting it on the bottom with the other cards just means you might draw it again... and if you don't topdeck it, you don't want to draw it...)
Leaf Collector
1G
Creature - Elf Druid
Common
When ~ enters the battlefield, explore. If you reveal a land card, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. (To explore, look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
2/1
Sage of the Seas
4U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Uncommon
When ~ enters the battlefield, explore. (To explore, look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
Whenever you reveal a land card by exploring, tap target creature an opponent controls.
3/3
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.
@virdiancircle: This does solve the readability issues, however I think this really goes against the spirit of what I was looking for. Your version is a perfectly serviceable mechanic but I was looking for a mechanic that is low variance (in constructed at least) and encourages the player to build around it. In particular I wanted to encourage mono-coloured decks, which is something few other mechanics really incentivize.
Ah easy done, just amend the trigger (i.e. ...reveal [a Forest / an Island] card).
I think the player can still build around this, as you only have to focus on stacking the top card of your library instead of many. It also allows you to have multicolour decks (particularly handy in Limited).
I get what you mean about incentivising mono-coloured deck builds, however a mechanic named 'explore' implies going to different places, and thus multi-colour. I wonder if an ability style like Akoum Hellkite might work, where any land is okay but a specific type works best. You could have this wording on uncommons and rares, and have commons be just basic lands.
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.
When we discussed explore for Pyrulea I had a similar attitude and suggested that you always get to have a certain bonus (putting the land card in your hand in this case) and get an aditional bonus if the explored/discovered land fits the wanted type.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
I think that having a line for the trigger, a second line for a positive outcome, and a third line for the bonus outcome is a bit too much text and is still too random of a mechanic for my liking. I think there's more design space and more impact on deckbuilding and gameplay when it's more of a predictable build-around.
Isn't that basically the same level of "much text" and "random of a mechanic" as prowess or exert? At least as I conceptualize it.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Duergar Gold Panner WUG
Creature - Dwarf Scout
When Duergar Gold Panner enters the battlefield or attacks, explore (look at the top card of your library, and if it's a land card you may reveal it.)
Whenever Duergar Gold Panner explores a land, create a colorless artifact token called Gold onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If that land is an island, create three Gold tokens instead.
3/3
Actually I'll admit that's not so bad, I'll admit. I do fail to see how Prowess and Exert are as random, though.
Because you didn't follow through with my suggestion. As I said: There would be one bonus that would be always the same - putting the land card into your hand e. g.
Approximately.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Your version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get Gold
Get specific land: get additiional Gold
My version:
Don't hit a land: get nothing
Hit a land: get a card
Get specific land: get additiionally Gold
Your version:
gets to trigger multiple times since it happens on every attack
My version:
gets to trigger multiple times since it also gets boni from other explorers
Both versions:
rely on library manipulation
My version:
is itself library manipulation
Am I misreading something? According to my read you have the still three levels of success: Miss, partial success, total success.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO