So I've been working on a Zendikar block called Zendikar Enraged, with the second set being Oathbreaker. I'm planning on showcasing the first in the forums sometime within the next month but I've hit a small roadblock. I want Equipment to play as much of a part as they did in Zendikar rather than the pitiful showing in BFZ but there just isn't much design space left in vanilla common equipment. I could make some functional reprints or tweak some cards in a minor way but I'd rather they felt special in some way. On the other end of the spectrum, I don't want them to be the driving force of the set. I have some ideas and I want to gauge how taboo they are:
The first was a Chroma -> Devotion rework of Living Weapon:
Stoneforged - When this equipment enters the battlefield, create a 0/0 colorless Elemental creature token, then attach this to it.
The idea here being that the Stoneforgers are now crafting weaponry out of living elementals.
The second idea was delving into colored equipment. Zendikar has always been a Plane known for having very pungent and powerful mana. I can see this as one of the few settings where equipment forged with colored mana could be acceptable in a flavorful way. It's a very polarizing topic which is why I'd like to see what people think now.
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Oh, what's that you say, Karn? You remove poison counters? You should tell that to Mr. Rosewater.
The problem with this is you want them to feel special in some way but living weapon requires a simple +p/+t as a base so you can't use it on the more interesting equipment. Look at original Zendikar and see how many equipment don't have a static +p/+t. 11 of 16 don't give static toughness. So if you want to relive OG Zen then this isn't the mechanic you want.
That's precisely what I want, though. I feel like the equipment from Zendikar and Worldwake worked because they were mostly very simple. I feel like there just isn't much design space left for simple equipment at common so something along the lines of Living Weapon forces the effects to be relatively simple while also being unique.
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Oh, what's that you say, Karn? You remove poison counters? You should tell that to Mr. Rosewater.
You could go with your colored equipments idea but with a spin, by having monocolored hybrid ( etc) card costs or equip costs, representing colorless mana still being plentiful and used by adventurers as the world and its people recover from the Eldrazi (Wastes, etc).
You could go with the other suggestion and have unconventional equipment effects/abilities, such as equipment that does something when it becomes attached to a creature, taking advantage of equipment's flavorful inherent ability of being used by multiple adventurers.
You can combine the above, e.g:
Scholar's Compass2
Whenever Scholar's Compass becomes attached to a creature, you may scry 2.
Equip
(Power level and complexity of the above is questionable though (edit: questionable for a common I mean), if we compare to Witches' Eye.)
Living Weapon is a relatively flashy mechanic that will likely distract from the other stuff you're doing in the set.
Maybe have a cycle of landfall equipment? For example:
Sustaining Sword 1
Artifact- Equipment
Equipped creature has lifelink. Landfall- Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature.
Equip 2
Granite-Crafted Blade | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Landforge (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, target land you control becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature. Attach this to it.)
Equipped creature gets +2/+1
Equip 2
And what about a weapon that is handed down through generations of explorers, which carries the energy of those who have wielded it before?
Well-Worn Dagger | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Whenever Well-Worn Dagger becomes attached to a creature, put a legacy counter on it.
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each legacy counter on Well-Worn Dagger.
Equip 3
Granite-Crafted Blade | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Landforge (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, target land you control becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature. Attach this to it.)
Equipped creature gets +2/+1
Equip 2
And what about a weapon that is handed down through generations of explorers, which carries the energy of those who have wielded it before?
Well-Worn Dagger | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Whenever Well-Worn Dagger becomes attached to a creature, put a legacy counter on it.
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each legacy counter on Well-Worn Dagger.
Equip 3
I really like both of these ideas, especially because they are good references to awaken and level up. (Though I do think landforge makes your lands a bit too vulnerable.)
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The first was a Chroma -> Devotion rework of Living Weapon:
Stoneforged - When this equipment enters the battlefield, create a 0/0 colorless Elemental creature token, then attach this to it.
The idea here being that the Stoneforgers are now crafting weaponry out of living elementals.
The second idea was delving into colored equipment. Zendikar has always been a Plane known for having very pungent and powerful mana. I can see this as one of the few settings where equipment forged with colored mana could be acceptable in a flavorful way. It's a very polarizing topic which is why I'd like to see what people think now.
You could go with your colored equipments idea but with a spin, by having monocolored hybrid ( etc) card costs or equip costs, representing colorless mana still being plentiful and used by adventurers as the world and its people recover from the Eldrazi (Wastes, etc).
You could go with the other suggestion and have unconventional equipment effects/abilities, such as equipment that does something when it becomes attached to a creature, taking advantage of equipment's flavorful inherent ability of being used by multiple adventurers.
You can combine the above, e.g:
Scholar's Compass 2
Whenever Scholar's Compass becomes attached to a creature, you may scry 2.
Equip
(Power level and complexity of the above is questionable though (edit: questionable for a common I mean), if we compare to Witches' Eye.)
But yeah, just some ideas.
Maybe have a cycle of landfall equipment? For example:
Sustaining Sword
1
Artifact- Equipment
Equipped creature has lifelink.
Landfall- Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature.
Equip 2
Granite-Crafted Blade | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Landforge (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, target land you control becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature. Attach this to it.)
Equipped creature gets +2/+1
Equip 2
And what about a weapon that is handed down through generations of explorers, which carries the energy of those who have wielded it before?
Well-Worn Dagger | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Whenever Well-Worn Dagger becomes attached to a creature, put a legacy counter on it.
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each legacy counter on Well-Worn Dagger.
Equip 3
I really like both of these ideas, especially because they are good references to awaken and level up. (Though I do think landforge makes your lands a bit too vulnerable.)