Spire-Spanner Spider (Common) 5GG
Creature - Spider Mutant
5/7
Reach
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.) The highly regarded simic biomancer, Maven Vernex, was its creator, keeper, and last meal in captivity.
Mutadon (Common) 2G
Creature - Elephant Mutant
3/3
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Simic Biomancer (Common) (G/U)
Creature - Vedalken Wizard
1/2
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.) Do not despise the day of small beginnings.
Hydroponic Tank (Common) 3U
Creature - Wall
0/6
Defender T: Add G to your mana pool.
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Plaxwing Drake (Common) 4UU
Creature - Drake Mutant
4/3
Flying
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Hippoplatymus (Uncommon) 6GU
Creature - Hippo Platypus
8/4
Trample
Mutate 2 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to two other target creatures become a copy of this creature until your next turn.) When released, he went immediately to the water system, found a pod of hippos, and took it over.
You're really hitting 'em out of the park lately. I dig this a lot and I'm glad there's a Simic mechanic that doesn't involved +1/+1 counters; I've seen people propose "biomantic"-feeling abilities without counters, but this in particular is nice and can be used for a lot.
Simic Biomancer is the absolute rocks in Limited. Maybe I'm overevaluating how well this beats threats? Maybe would be better as a 1/2.
I love that you turned Omnibian into its own mechanic. I like the way it lets you transition from a defensive board of mutating your opponents creatures into something with less power, to offense with a big mutate on your small creatures that had slowed the game down.
On the subject of individual cards, I don't like Hydroponic Tank, a mono blue card shouldn't produce G without some kind of restriction. Simic Biomancer feels like it should have a higher mutate number. I love the rest of the designs.
Flavor is amazing, but I'm not sure this amount of copying can be worked at common.
And some of those reads are way overboard: A card like Mutadon can be read as essentially a 3/3 haste vigilance card with "prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to this creature", and all it demands is that you have another creature to copy onto when it ETBs. As a common 3-drop, that is completely insane.
On the subject of individual cards, I don't like Hydroponic Tank, a mono blue card shouldn't produce G without some kind of restriction.
I agree with this critique of Hydroponic Tank, and also wonder what the point of the card is. 3U seems like a lot to pay for 0/6 in power/toughness and some green mana. Making another of your creatures an 0/6 doesn't seem that strong and is highly situational. Mutating an opponent's creature seems even less helpful, since you're giving them a wall that you probably can't attack through (although it does stop their creature from attacking for a turn).
Simic Biomancer feels like it should have a higher mutate number. I love the rest of the designs.
If Simic Biomancer had a higher Mutate number it would be busted in Limited beyond belief, since you could basically Snakeform two creatures for one mana!
This is a really awesome mechanic. I'm also glad to a see a simic mechanic that isn't all about counters.
a) This is probably obvious, but you definitely need to do a guy with flash.
b) I'd drop mutate having a number, just to lower the complexity a little on what's already a complicated mechanic. You could still do "mutate two" and such with card-specific wording. I'd also suggest this wording:
"When ~ enters the battlefield, mutate up to N target creatures. (Those creatures become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)"
I think this would make the mechanic a little easier to grok.
@Astrolabe - There will be one with flash. I like your keyword action wording. I'll try it both ways and let my playtesters decide.
@Circeus - There are a few cards such as Yeva's Forcemage that kinda do this, except it's a straight up pump. Not to mention Vehicles.
About Hydroponic Tank - I'm not sure about this yet. It's supposed to be a signpost that Simic should be looking for ramp. If it's used offensively, it has the tricky "drawback" of ramping your opponent at the cost of a blocker. I want to at least playtest it.
Maybe the wisest thing to do with Hydroponic Tank is to invert the colors, despite the fact that blue-tapping-for-green is more flavorful? No rule against a green creature being able to tap for U in the right environment - look at Elves of Deep Shadow and Avacyn's Pilgrim.
Spire-Spanner Spider (Common)
5GG
Creature - Spider Mutant
5/7
Reach
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
The highly regarded simic biomancer, Maven Vernex, was its creator, keeper, and last meal in captivity.
Mutadon (Common)
2G
Creature - Elephant Mutant
3/3
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Simic Biomancer (Common)
(G/U)
Creature - Vedalken Wizard
1/2
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Do not despise the day of small beginnings.
Hydroponic Tank (Common)
3U
Creature - Wall
0/6
Defender
T: Add G to your mana pool.
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Plaxwing Drake (Common)
4UU
Creature - Drake Mutant
4/3
Flying
Mutate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to one target creature become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
Hippoplatymus (Uncommon)
6GU
Creature - Hippo Platypus
8/4
Trample
Mutate 2 (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may have up to two other target creatures become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)
When released, he went immediately to the water system, found a pod of hippos, and took it over.
Simic Biomancer is the absolute rocks in Limited. Maybe I'm overevaluating how well this beats threats? Maybe would be better as a 1/2.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
On the subject of individual cards, I don't like Hydroponic Tank, a mono blue card shouldn't produce G without some kind of restriction. Simic Biomancer feels like it should have a higher mutate number. I love the rest of the designs.
And some of those reads are way overboard: A card like Mutadon can be read as essentially a 3/3 haste vigilance card with "prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to this creature", and all it demands is that you have another creature to copy onto when it ETBs. As a common 3-drop, that is completely insane.
Responding to post #3: I agree with this critique of Hydroponic Tank, and also wonder what the point of the card is. 3U seems like a lot to pay for 0/6 in power/toughness and some green mana. Making another of your creatures an 0/6 doesn't seem that strong and is highly situational. Mutating an opponent's creature seems even less helpful, since you're giving them a wall that you probably can't attack through (although it does stop their creature from attacking for a turn). If Simic Biomancer had a higher Mutate number it would be busted in Limited beyond belief, since you could basically Snakeform two creatures for one mana!
a) This is probably obvious, but you definitely need to do a guy with flash.
b) I'd drop mutate having a number, just to lower the complexity a little on what's already a complicated mechanic. You could still do "mutate two" and such with card-specific wording. I'd also suggest this wording:
"When ~ enters the battlefield, mutate up to N target creatures. (Those creatures become a copy of this creature until your next turn.)"
I think this would make the mechanic a little easier to grok.
@Astrolabe - There will be one with flash. I like your keyword action wording. I'll try it both ways and let my playtesters decide.
@Circeus - There are a few cards such as Yeva's Forcemage that kinda do this, except it's a straight up pump. Not to mention Vehicles.
About Hydroponic Tank - I'm not sure about this yet. It's supposed to be a signpost that Simic should be looking for ramp. If it's used offensively, it has the tricky "drawback" of ramping your opponent at the cost of a blocker. I want to at least playtest it.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Unexpected Benefits | 1G
Enchantment
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control that shares a name with it.
I like this. It would also cross over with Selesnya well.