MTG Salvation

Quote from tenangrychickens »

Caleb's Brainsteam R
Insatnt (u)
Draw three cards, then put two cards at random on top of your library.

Random effects are rare (often literally) because they can backfire and not all players like them. Therefore I'm hesitant to put random effects on uncommons. I'm also not a fan of color-shifting cards so closely, especially iconic cards like Brainstorm, because then the differences between the colors start to blur. That being said, brilliant name for this card. Who is Caleb?

Next. This is not an Un-card.

Chipmunk Winterhoarder | G
Creature - Squirrel (R)
G: Put a nut counter on target nonland permanent you control.
Each permanent you control with a nut counter on it has "2, Sacrifice this permanent: Draw a card."
1/1

This doesn't come off as green at all. Sacrificing permanents to draw cards feels black to me. I'm not sure about the mana cost on the abilities - I feel it would need playtesting. It mostly amounts to a repeatable half-Altar's Reap on a stick, and I'm not sure dividing the cost in two really adds anything.

Crushing Taxation 5WB
Enchantment {R}
Creatures you don't control have "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this creature unless you pay 1 life."
The Orzhov have no compunctions about taxing their charges to death. After all, the dead pay taxes too.

It's slightly off for a Red draw card, but only a little. Red draw normally has draw-then-discard, not draw-then-pseudo-shuffle. Ultimately a bit too strong for one mana, because you effectively just draw three and wait two turns for two cards you know. Planning has value, so I'd stick this at 1R cost. The cost is fine for a Sorcery with that effect.

Have a largely unneeded mana fixer:

Converter Sliver GU
Creature - Sliver
All Slivers gain " , : Add X mana of any combination of colors to your mana pool."
1/1

Hmmm.... may need to cost higher (though then it can gain a bigger body), but otherwise no issue.


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Groundsmelting 1R
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Groundsmelting, sacrifice any number of untapped lands.
Search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost X or less and put it onto the battlefield, where X is three times the number of lands sacrificed this way.
There is always enough metal in the soil to make a treasure.

The untapped lands part may be a bit unwieldly, but what do you think? Sacrifice 1 land, get a Trinisphere, sacrifice four lands, get a Blightsteel Colossus...

Quote from magac »

Hmmm.... may need to cost higher (though then it can gain a bigger body), but otherwise no issue.


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Groundsmelting 1R
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Groundsmelting, sacrifice any number of untapped lands.
Search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost X or less and put it onto the battlefield, where X is three times the number of lands sacrificed this way.
There is always enough metal in the soil to make a treasure.

The untapped lands part may be a bit unwieldly, but what do you think? Sacrifice 1 land, get a Trinisphere, sacrifice four lands, get a Blightsteel Colossus...

I love this card when you're getting a Blightsteel, but it seems a little too broken when you're fetching Trinisphere and I agree with you about sacrificing untapped lands being kind of unwieldy. I'd probably change it to:

Groundsmelting X2R
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Groundsmelting, sacrifice X lands.
Search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost four times X or less and put it onto the battlefield.

Anyway, here's mine:

Tundra Explorer G
Creature - Elf Scout (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control two or more Plains, transform Tundra Explorer.
1/1

//

Glacial Awakener
(green/white) Creature - Elf Shaman
When this creature transforms into Glacial Awakener, put a soul counter on up to two target Plains you control.
Lands you control with soul counters on them are 3/3 white Elemental creatures in addition to their other colors and types.
1/1

I'm thinking it might be too strong at one mana, but it requires a lot of setup, gets hosed by boardwipes, and it's pretty hard to get it going without access to duals or shocks. Thoughts?

Quote from FortunaImperatrixMundi »

This doesn't come off as green at all. Sacrificing permanents to draw cards feels black to me. I'm not sure about the mana cost on the abilities - I feel it would need playtesting. It mostly amounts to a repeatable half-Altar's Reap on a stick, and I'm not sure dividing the cost in two really adds anything.

Crushing Taxation 5WB
Enchantment {R}
Creatures you don't control have "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this creature unless you pay 1 life."
The Orzhov have no compunctions about taxing their charges to death. After all, the dead pay taxes too.

Noticed you got skipped. I feel that it's a tad bit overcosted, as by the time this gets on to the battlefield, there'll be lots of little creatures that your opponent wouldn't mind sacrificing. The flavor is perfect.

As fo Tundra Explorer/Glacial Awakener, I feel it's not powerful enough to be a rare, but too powerful to be at one mana. I would probably raise its body and cost up and change it so only one plains gets the soul counter.

Apanirum, Nature's Downfall 3BR
Legendary Creature- Apanirum
Menace
Whenever Apanirum deals damage to a creature, that creature's controller sacrifices a land. If that player has no lands, exile Apanirum and that player searches his deck for three lands and puts them onto the battlefield tapped.
RR,sacrifice a land: Apanirum deals 4 damage to target creature or player.
4/4

Gah, I blanked on the wording.

Seems to be the sort of thing that should be Split Second or have the 'can't be countered' wording. Or just be a non-permanent with Shroud. It's a keyword that has no business existing on what it's on, simply because it's redundant.

Have a crosspost of my workaround to Ninja Pirate Robot Zombie denial:

Overcomplicated Looter 3(U/B)
Artifact Creature - Ninja Pirate Construct
Bushido , Islandwalk
When Overcomplicated Looter deals damage to a player, that player may discard an Artifact. If they do, negate damage equal to that Artifact's CMC and put a number of Gold Artifact tokens with "Sacrifice Gold: Add 1 mana of any color to your mana pool" equal to that artifact's CMC into play under your control.
When Overcomplicated Looter would be sent to the graveyard, you may sacrifice 3 non-creature artifact tokens and Transform it instead.
2/2

//

Redundant Scrapper
( ) Artifact Creature - Ninja Pirate Construct Zombie
Skulk, Swampwalk
When Redundant Scrapper deals damage to a player, you may sacrifice an artifact. If you do, put a number of Gold Artifact tokens with "Sacrifice Gold: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." equal to the sacrificed Artifact's CMC into play under your control.
When Redundant Scrapper would be sent to the graveyard, you may pay RGW and Transform it instead.
2/2

---

Not sure how it costs out, but it's almost impossible to use in Commander without cheesing the colors.

Quote from Quilt »

I have a deck that needs this:

1RR - Sorcery

Gain control of target creature or artifact until end of turn. Untap it. If it is a creature, it gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and {T} this turn.)

Basically an Act Of Treason variant that gets artifacts too.

I'ld like to point out that my card got printed, five years later: Hijack

Do you mean Bushido or Ninjutsu? Anyway, if that's Ninjutsu, the cost is a bit too low. And yes, anyway, given that his normal side gives your opponent artifact tokens but require YOUR artifact tokens to transform, it's weird..... I guess that name is already informative enough on the silliness of this card, even if for the most part I think this may be printed verbatim.


Anyway, next.

Solitary Fanglord 2GG
Creature - Wolf (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there is no other Wolf on the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Solitary Fanglord.
3G, T: Solitary Fanglord fights another target creature. If that creature is a Wolf, prevent all damage that would be dealt to Solitary Fanglord this way.
3/3

Comments?

Hmmm... complicated. So you're saying that for anything with 4+ toughness, this card will hit them, but anything less and they survive? Or do you mean that it deals damage until 1 toughness is left untouched? Eitherway, given the lack of actual killing ability, this surprisingly may be ok. Interesting.


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Chandra, Combustive Prankster 4RR
Planeswalker - Chandra (M)
[+1]: Create a red enchantment token named Seal Of Fire. It has "Sacrifice this permanent: This permanent deals 2 damage to target creature ot player."
[+1]: Until end of turn, whenever a nonland, nontoken permanent you control is put into graveyard from the battlefield, that permanent deals 1 damage to each opponent.
[-8]: Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile four instant and/or sorcery cards. For each instant and/or sorcery card exiled this way, you may either cast it without paying its mana cost or have Chandra, Combustive Prankster deal 2 damage to each opponent and each creature an opponent controls.
4

I know, somewhat incongruent.....

Quote from magac »

Chandra, Combustive Prankster 4RR
Planeswalker - Chandra (M)
[+1]: Create a red enchantment token named Seal Of Fire. It has "Sacrifice this permanent: This permanent deals 2 damage to target creature ot player."
[+1]: Until end of turn, whenever a nonland, nontoken permanent you control is put into graveyard from the battlefield, that permanent deals 1 damage to each opponent.
[-8]: Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile four instant and/or sorcery cards. For each instant and/or sorcery card exiled this way, you may either cast it without paying its mana cost or have Chandra, Combustive Prankster deal 2 damage to each opponent and each creature an opponent controls.
4

I know, somewhat incongruent.....

Incongruent, yes, but I love the first ability, and the ultimate is very fun. The second ability is obviously good with the first, but I would want it to show up in an environment that helps it, such as an environment with Clues.

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Whistling Sentry | 2W
Creature - Kor Scout Ally
When Whistling Sentry blocks a creature, you may put an Ally creature card from your hand onto the battlefield blocking another target creature.
1/4

Given that Allies have a tendency to get out of hand in large numbers, and that they like other Allies entering the battlefield, I'm pretty leery of this. 1/4 is only slightly subpar stats for 2W in the first place, after all.

Inexorable Oak 1G
Creature — Treefolk Warrior (C)
Trample
2G: Blossom 4 (If this creature has not flowered, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Then, if there are 4 or more +1/+1 counters on this creature, it flowers.)
2/2
Nothing impedes an oak on the march.

Seems a little powerful to be common, mainly because of trample. I would either bump up the cost or rarity. Blossom is a pretty neat keyword.

Wall of Mirrors 4
Creature - Wall
Defender
When Wall of Mirrors blocks a creature, it deals damage equal to that creature's power.
1: Target attacking creature gains +1/+0 until end of turn. Play this ability only on your opponent's turns.
0/6
Psychologists have known for years that looking at one's reflection in the mirror brings self-confidence and pride in a person. Too much, in fact.

Overcosted? Undercosted? Walls tend to vary in abilities and effects so it's hard to judge how much this one in particular should cost.

EDIT: This was overpowered, which I suspected. Thanks Fortuna for the critique!
Wall of Mirrors 4
Creature - Wall
When Wall of Mirrors takes combat damage from a creature, it deals that much damage to that creature.
1:Target attacking creature gains +1/+0 until end of turn. Play this ability only on your opponent's turns.
0/4

That seems really strong; it blocks and kills most creatures, although you need to spend a mana or two on it in some cases. It kills even much, much larger creatures, so long as they're square or power-shifted, because it deals damage when it blocks, not when it takes damage. I would drop the toughness to 4 and make the trigger "When Wall of Mirrors takes combat damage from a creature, it deals that much damage to that creature". That way, it won't be able to block and survive as easily.

Seize the Vision UR
Sorcery - U
Look at the top five cards of your library. Exile up to two of them and put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. Until end of turn you may play the exiled cards.
It is not enough to allow the future to drift by your sight. You must reach out and take the vision that best suits your needs.

Well you've basically done a second version of Monstrous. They're exactly the same. Also this is very strong for a common. By turn three you can have a 6/6 which is bonkers. Blossom/Monstrosity 1 or 2 would be fine.

Sensei Iron-Paw 1RW
Legendary Creature: Fox Samurai {R}
Vigilance, Bushido 1
Whenever a creature you control blocks, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to that creature’s controller.
1R: Target creature attacks this turn if able.
2/3

Quote from Subject16 »

Well you've basically done a second version of Monstrous. They're exactly the same. Also this is very strong for a common. By turn three you can have a 6/6 which is bonkers. Blossom/Monstrosity 1 or 2 would be fine.

Sensei Iron-Paw 1RW
Legendary Creature: Fox Samurai {R}
Vigilance, Bushido 1
Whenever a creature you control blocks, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to that creature’s controller.
1R: Target creature attacks this turn if able.
2/3

...no? Blossom puts on one counter at a time. Assuming only land drops, you can have a 3/3 on turn 3, a 4/4 on turn 4, a 5/5 on turn 5 and a 6/6 on turn 6.

I think Iron-Paw is too cheap for the cost. You can have some beefy 6/6 defender on board then force an opponent's creature to commit suicide and deal massive damage to opponent with so little mana. The costs all over him need need to be ramped up, I believe.


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Aethercore Behemoth 5BBR
Creature - Elemental (M)
Aethercore Behemoth's power and toughness are each equal to the number of E you have.
Lifelink
If you would gain, lose or pay life while you still have E, you gain, lose or pay that many E instead.
*/*

Too expensive or utterly busted beyond repair?

I don't understand why this is black or red. It comes off as mono-white to me. The ability's hard for me to evaluate, because I haven't played around much with Kaladesh, but I worry it may make it too easy to generate energy.

Here's the card that got skipped over, for convenience, and also another card.

Seize the Vision UR
Sorcery - U
Look at the top five cards of your library. Exile up to two of them and put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. Until end of turn you may play the exiled cards.
It is not enough to allow the future to drift by your sight. You must reach out and take the vision that best suits your needs.

Killing Winter 2UB
Sorcery - R
During each opponent's next untap step, that player must sacrifice a permanent for each permanent they untap.

I can see that Rabid Bite is an inspiration for this card, especially the cost. However, at instant, I have to disagree this can cost 3 mana. I remember also there's that Support card from BfZ block that deals damage instead of fighting, but that is a 5-mana sorcery. If you insist this as instant, it may need to cost 5, or at worst 4; 3 may be too much.

EDIT: Ok, I can see the interesting scenario in which you target an opponent's creature with this instead (unless you forgot that).... still doesn't justify the 3 mana cost, but interesting.


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Interject U
Instant (U)
Counter all other spells except the first spell and the last spell on the stack. If no spell is countered this way, draw a card. (Do not include Interject when checking which spell is the first and which is the last)
"Could you just stop blathering now? It's grating."

So this is something of mostly a Storm or Cascade counter or such.... way too narrow, so at the very worst you can cast this on an empty stack and get a cantrip instead. Too lousy?


EDIT:

Interject U
Instant (R)
Counter all other spells except the first spell and the last spell on the stack. If no spell is countered this way, draw a card. (Do not include Interject when checking which spell is the first and which is the last)
"Could you just stop blathering now? It's grating."

Well this is a very powerful card for one mana. It's a versatile cantrip that can deal with a lot of counterspell chains, which is really strong for its mana cost and rarity. You could bump this up to two mana and make it a rare and it'll still be very strong (although the words may be a little complex).

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Earthcaller Kassim 3BRG
Legendary Creature: Human Shaman {Mythic}
You may play an additional land on each of your turns. If you do, that land enters the battlefield tapped.
You may play land cards from your graveyard.
"The Druids claim to serve the earth, but their worship only goes to the surface, unaware of its true potential."
5/5

I mainly created this because Jund has a lot of really nice land related effects (Like Gitrog, Wurm Harvest and the new Omnath) but doesn't have a good commander to support it. So here's one that I think will help without being too powerful (as in re-using wastelands over and over).

The first ability here doesn't quite work. When multiple effects let you play additional lands, the game has no way of telling which effect is letting you play which land, and in fact deliberately refrains from doing so. (This is so you can't, for example, flicker Oracle of Mul Daya and get an extra land play.) I think the closest to this ability which could legally exist is "You may play an additional land on each of your turns. Each land you play beyond the first each turn enters the battlefield tapped."
The second problem I have with this is that it's not red at all. In fact, it's not even really black - both abilities could be printed in mono-green without issue.
Finally, you note reusing Wasteland over and over. This card doesn't do anything to prevent that, beyond limiting it to once a turn - which is still rather too often for my tastes. If a player stalls out at five or six lands, this plus a wasteland will lock them out of the game pretty quick. I'm not sure this is a problem as such, but you mentioned being concerned about Wasteland so I thought it was worth mentioning.

Rewoven Conjuring 2GU
Instant {R}
Counter target creature spell. If a spell is countered this way, you may put a creature card with converted mana cost equal to or less than that spell's converted mana cost from your hand onto the battlefield.

For some reason I think this would be safer at at least 5 mana given the double swing. Otherwise acceptable.


I hope this card also works for commanders.

Skillwhisper Adept 2GU
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
As Skillwhisper Adept enters the battlefield, name a creature card.
Skillwhisper Adept has all the activated abilities of all face up creatures and creature cards with that name, even if they are not on the battlefield.
"A master can seek power beyond what can be seen."
4/4

So this can copy activated abilities of creatures on the field, creatures on the grave, creature cards that have been exiled face up, even creature spells and hopefully even your commanders in command zone. Comments?

I feel the wording on Skillwhisper Adept could be confusing to new players and may make them think they could name any creature card in the game, not just a face up card in any zone. You could say "Skillwhisper Adept has all activiated abilities of that creature as long as the named creature card is face up in any zone." Otherwise it seems good.

Holy Resonance WU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever a non-token creature enters the battlefield under your control, create a token that is a copy of the creature Holy Resonance is attached to. Exile that token at the beginning of your next upkeep.

Goes infinite with a flickerer and any useful ETB or sac outlet. Is there a new Twin deck in the works? Pretty terrifying in Limited or EDH with anything with a good ETB as well.

Melt Away 1W
Instant {U}
Remove all blocking creatures from combat. (Blocked creatures remain blocked.)

Weird name, but otherwise seems ok; a bit like Holy Day that doesn't work against tramplers.


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Reicheron, Realm Of The Departed
Legendary Land (R)
At the beginning of each end step, if a creature has died this turn, you gain 1 life.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if there are three or more creature cards in each player's graveyard.

Comments?