This is my take on the Suvnica project that was worked on in 2013 by the Goblin Artisan blog, most particularly Jay Zeffren (Zefferal).
While Zeffren wrote up a significant amount of the lore and flavor (in particular the guild profiles), the vast majority of designs and mechanics, especially in this first set, are mine. Specific credit will be given wherever appropriate.
[2015-04-24] Thread created
[2015-04-26] Description of the Compact and profiles for and castes added.
[2015-04-28] Added :symur:, and castes.
[2015-04-29] Added white (including semihybrid) and colorless commons.
[2015-05-01] Full common set posted.
[2015-05-13] Spoilers removed for reworking. Casteless conflict removed from backstory. New preview cards for Telengor, Zhavi and Tezzi.
[2015-05-16] Reworked White and black commons posted.
[2015-05-18] New set of blue commons posted.
[2015-05-22] Small updates (see post #2)
[2015-06-02] Various white and black cards updated, added green and red commons.
[2015-11] Update with replaced mechanics for Aynsele and Zhavi
[2015-12-03] Slight update to guild profiles, mostly to account for new mechanics. Removed card previews. Bulkmight renamed Invigorate.
Planeswalker's Guide to Suvnica
The Grand Experiment
Ravnica is hardly the sole plane to have developed a guild system. It is in fact a rather widespread system of social organization in the Multiverse, but it does not, however, usually arise on its own. In many instances, these systems are in fact offshoots, engineered creation of the Infinite Consortium at the behest of Nicol Bolas himself. Why Bolas wishes this type of society to be found across the multiverse is unknown, and since none of them is less than a thousand years old, hardly anyone remains that could answer this question besides the elder dragon himself.
Suvnica (known to the Consortium as world U in lineage S, the 19th lineage of the grand experiment) is in fact the youngest of these. To its original inhabitants, this was a massive colonization project of an uninhabited plane. They were recruited, some covertly, many unknowingly, across the multiverse to form the initial population on a welcoming new world. The guild system was instigated from the very outset of colonization as a way to immediately create much needed social structure in the budding civilization no less than two different guilds (The Zhavi and the Rimid) were tasked with the initial implementation (and later the enforcement) of the incredible, all-encompassing spell known to the Suvnicans merely as the Compact.
Soon a sprawling capital had appeared, pulled out of the ground by collectively driven spells even more massive than the Compact itself, and it wasn't very long before a few satellite establishment had been created along the coast that Suvnica had been built on, and deeper in the Hermland, as the uncolonized land was known. With no recollections ever (thanks to the Rimid's dedicated work) of a time when the caste system did not exist, the future looked bright for Suvnica. Sadly, this was not to be, for Suvnicans would soon find and entire plane turning against them and no possibilities to leave, or even memories of such possibilities.
The Compact
On Suvnica, membership in a caste is, predictably enough, mostly dependent on your birth. You belong to the caste that your parents belonged to. In practice, this simple rule is far more complicated than some of the castes wished. For starters, the Compact (to the Zhavi's dismay) actually includes no rules about intercaste romances or even marriages. The latter, however, are still seen as incredibly taboo. Children born of such idylls usually are considered to belong to their mother's caste unless the father's caste make a formal request to the contrary. A significant number of unlucky souls have been relegated to the casteless.
Each caste was assigned by design certain industries and civic duties (for example, enforcement of the Compact itself is devolved to the Zhavi). Respect of these divisions is traditionally seen as sacred, and even the castes that have grown to be the most strongly opposed to the Compact avoid violating these rules, if only because doing so would bring the full magical force of the compact against them.
The orthodox view is that the compact (much like the Guildpact) was designed to prevent any one caste to grow in power to a degree that it overshadowed the other. In practice, several castes, not least of which those that are tasked with enforcing the pact to begin with, are clearly dominant over the others. They are, unsurprisingly enough, the strongest proponent of the Orthodoxy. The knowledge that the Compact is an artificial creation rather than some universal rule is a well-kept secret, knowledge of which is considered heretical and ground for immediate execution by any Zhavi enforcer.
Suvnica's Response
The first sign that anything was amiss, although no one could have predicted it at the time, occurred two hundred years after Suvnica was founded, fifty years after the completion of the city's third rampart. It is now known as the March of the Artin. Unknown to the Consortium, even more so to the colonists, there did exist a sentient race on the plane. The Artins, who call themselves the Arktons ("The first ones"), are a race of sentient bears whose evolution was greatly accelerated, it appears, by the appearance of Suvnica. This was the conclusion reached by both Tezzi and Suiroza scholars, since Suvnica's foundation was the only event seemingly correlated with the Artins' foundational myths.
According to the Artin, the Hermland was rapidly becoming more and more hostile to life, and they sought refuge into the Suvnican society. Although by now the very idea of people living outside the Compact of Castes was deemed entirely heretical by most Suvnicans, and particularly the Zhavi, many Artin did integrate into Suvnican castes, particularly into the Gilrog and the Grohm. And yet all the horrible events they had described, the increasingly monstrous and deformed creatures the Hermland spewed far away from Suvnica grew closer, grew ever more horrifying until only a few still dared to ever exit the walls of the city. Eventually Suvnica had to abandon its outposts, whose population were evacuated back to the city, and who are now, centuries later, all but myths of their own.
Suvnica, as the Artin call it, was defending itself against a magic alien to itself. The seemingly neverending waves of horrors that periodically swiped through the city were in fact planar "antibodies". And the increasing hostility of the land itself, a planar inflammation. For the most part, however, Suvnicans, who have now for centuries battened down the hatches and shuttered themselves inside their city, are entirely unaware of the situation, a situation which, if they take no actions against it, is bound to result in the annihilation of the city an most, if not all its inhabitants.
And so this is the state of Suvnica as we come and...
Meet the Players
The Zhavi Council
The Zhavi function as the governing agency of the Compact, ensuring compliance and punishing transgressions. As the enforcers of the Compact, they are seen as being the highest ranked of the castes, and are the most strict about adherence to its requirements within the caste. Without exception, every member of the Zhavi is born that way. No one is able to join, or even serve any function other than as menial labor within the Zhavi's territories.
The Zhavi exercise a strict intra-caste hierarchy. At the top are the individuals that actually oversee enforcement of the Compact: the judges and tribunals. In practice, because the Zhavi prefer to apply their justice in the swiftest possible, few people are ever actually put on trial for violations of the Compact. In a typical case, a Zhavi agent acts as judge, jury, and merciless executioner. A third party has to intervene to actually invoke the right to a trial. Unsurprisingly, the Zhavi tend to operate in the shadows so as to not trigger such trials. In practice, the most common Zhavi method of law enforcement is covert assassinations, and less commonly the use of curses and similar types of magic to neutralize perceived threats to the Compact.
The Zhavi have complete monopoly over the application of justice, but not its enforcement (enforcement of common criminal law is devolved to a different caste), nor legislation of the Compact, although they are allowed to interpret the latter. This last element is by far the most frustrating aspect of the Compact, for it prevents them from acting against anything not specifically forbidden by the Compact. Prime among such heresies is the very existence of the Casteless.
Promotion within the Zhavi can be based on merit or influence, but is also primarily a function of heredity. A number of very prominent families in the Zhavi are always filling choice societal roles and setting the standard that members of other castes strives for.
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
The original Orzhov achieved a black goal (self-empowerment) through white means (empowerment of the group). The Zhavi apply a black mean (ruthlessness) to a white end (enforcement of the law). In that regard, they are best seen as a dark incarnation of the Azorius.
Most of this guild profile was written by Zefferal, but the third and most of the second paragraph are by me.
The Rimid
The Rimid are a large clan of vampires completely shunned by the other castes. The nature of their curse requires that they feed on the thoughts and memories of others, a practice that, in addition to being incredibly painful, non-Rimid obviously find threatening and repulsive. Like other vampires, consumption of their victim's vital etheric fluids create thralls. In the Rimid case, these are not new vampires but being entirely devoid of personality, independent thoughts and initiative, and known as the Voidminded. Essentially Rimid victim become zombies subordinated to one or more vampire masters. This, possibly more than the stealing of thoughts and personality traits, is probably the main reason the caste is so neglected. Even members of castes that don't practice the degrees of insularity ordered by the Compact do their best to avoid any type of association with the Rimid (The Zhavi appreciate that they can call on them when needed, but still treat them little better than Riffraff). As a result, the Rimid have been forced to become largely self-sufficient, no easy feat when one considers that the pact does not (to most people's knowledge) assign them specific industries or ways of life. They practice all manner of trades, they police within their own ranks, and they live exclusively within their own territories.
For most, this is the extent of their knowledge of the Caste. Its members know better. Because their curse make them essentially memory wipers, they were originally tasked with ensuring that the Compact was established as immutable as early in Suvnica's history as possible. They were also tasked with removing the knowledge of others planes and planeswalking from anyone who came to acquire it, or traveled to Suvnica with it. The nature of this task means that they are one of only two castes fully aware of the actual origins of Suvnica -- even the fanatical Zhavi were all too happy to submit to the process.
The Rimid originally were proponents of the Compact, seeing it as a safeguard from annihilation by other castes. In recent times, the practical impact of being completely shut out from the rest of the world and living under the poor conditions that they are subject to has left them feeling like they would be better without the pact's burdens, despite the loss of its benefits. As a result and due to their knowledge, they are possibly, unbeknownst to the Zhavi, by far the worst enemies of the Compact.
They sustain themselves by preying on those too disconnected from society to be missed. They also have been known to offer incredible rewards to people's families to those who sacrifice their own lives to the Rimid. One recent sacrificial victim was a Cimis prophet. As a group of Rimid were feasting on his thoughts, they encountered a vague premonition about impending doom. The thought was lacking in detail, but they know that at the very least the prophet foresaw that a large number of Rimid would be wiped off the face of Suvnica. Since that time, the caste has grown more aggressive in their pursuit of knowledge, a practice that already had become a compulsive requirement of the vampiric curse.
Voidmind – [To do X], turn a creature you control face-down.
Voidmind is used primarily as a cost, but many of those cards also count colorless creatures.
The original Dimir sough ultimate power through information (a blue mean to a black end). The Rimid instead seek information in a rather bleak and black fashion
The voidminded and the Rimid's true purpose are ideas of mine. The rest of the profile is by Zefferal
The Tezzi
Having been assigned the fine arts as their primary remit, the Tezzi are primarily entertainers of various sorts. They are musicians, acrobats, artists and actors, as well as poets, playwrights, and philosophers. They also are the home to most of Suvnica's intellectual anarchists, believing the pact that governs their lives to be inherently evil. They revel in minor breaches of the rules and ordinances, never passing an opportunity to play an embarrassing trick on the stoic Zhavi, brutish Radkar, and sycophantic Aynsele.
Some Tezzi verge into inventing and independent research, doing so in a haphazard "backyard genius" fashion. Since organized scholarliness id formally a Suiroza domain, Tezzi researcher work with stubborn independence. The joke goes that the problem with a Tezzi attempt at solving anything is that they have to repeat every mistake that their predecessors made before they can start discovering new ones to make.
Their favorite methods involve the a magic that according to the principles as understood in Suvnica, violate the principles of magic. According to orthodox comprehension as taught by the Zhavi and Suiroza, life cannot be created from nil. Existing creatures can be summoned, but this is understood as a form of teleportation. Life can be enhanced or brought back into what was once alive, it can also be transfered and so on, but creation ex nihilo was thought to be impossible. That is, until the Tezzi, always eager to strike at seemingly impregnable credos, cheerfully began to do just that, turning innocuous spells into living, breathing beings. This has only made the Zhavi even more eager to label the entire caste as heretical.
Tezzi members often use their wit to make a person averse to change see the futility of their stubbornness. They open people's eyes to alternative viewpoints not through direct statements of their opinions and beliefs, but by subtly nudging their target in a direction to reach the same conclusion on their own. They wish to show the world the futility of bureaucratic systems, of allowing individuals to be controlled and suppressed. They are master of weaving spells within works of art, and there's a reason Tezzi performances are most commonly described as "charming"!
Tezzi groups are historically the ones that have most frequently openly revolted against the Compact, but when they do, they are always met with brutal suppression by its supporters. Because of this, their numbers began to pale in comparison to those of other castes. They are kept alive by complete disregard for the pact's prohibition of integrating external members into the caste via adoption or intermarriage, but primarily by the fact that the Compact itself makes it impossible to wipe a caste entirely. This leaves them in the somewhat position of being protected by the very thing they seek to get rid of. The average Tezzi would tell you this is the very essence of being a member of that caste.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, [Effect]
Here we are digging more into the trickster side of blue and simultaneously into the artistic side of red. The Tezzi seek to achieve freedom by changing people's outlook on the world.
I've mostly expanded on the guild's interaction with the Compact, their approach to science, and a brief explanation of their mechanic. Most of the profile is Zefferal's writing.
The Aynsele
The Aynsele are the primary priestly caste of Suvnica. They function as spiritual advisors, teachers, and philosophers. They maintain temples throughout the plane, guiding their members on spiritual enlightenment and serenity. The Aynseles each know the role they are destined to fulfill, and no matter how menial, they don't begrudge it. After all, would not the wolf die of cold were its hairs to abandon it? Each member serves to empower those who outrank them so that the caste as a whole is able to serve its spiritual goals as best as it can.
Aynsele high priests have occasional prophesies which are instrumental in forming the caste's policies and goals. Each of their temples houses a champion, an individual that played a central role in their prophesies. Among the temple's primary functions are to help that champion reach her ultimate potential and realize the role destiny has chosen for her, and to protect her from others that may wish to see her destiny interrupted.
Aynsele are among the strongest proponents of the Compact. They believe that its prevention of intercaste conflict greatly benefits society, and that it helps individuals stick to the paths fated for them. While they accept tributes of food and gold from other castes in exchange for the spiritual guidance, tutelage and Asylum, non-Aynsele are forbidden from entering the inner-temple areas, a trespass punishable by death.
Early in the history of Ravnica, the Aynsele have instituted a non-negotiable policy of Asylum. This policy served to emphasize the caste's self-proclaimed neutrality within what they felt was the constant bickering of Suvnican politics. No one, regardless of caste status, can be forced under duress to leave an Aynsele Temple or have any harm brought unto them. To do so would be seen as a terrible crime amongst all citizens of Suvnica, and even though they'd rather not (for they are the most frequently frustrated by the rule in the first place), the Zhavi would find themselves compelled to set up a trial against the criminal.
Leadership (At the beginning of your combat, put a fate counter on a creature you control. That creature is your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Selesnya traditionally plays wide. Aynsele instead plays "build your own champion".
This mechanic Has seen a lot of iterations in my design, but is still roughly based on the concept of lpaulsen's Devoted. I wish I could make it a little less wordy, but overall I'm happy with it
My only addition to Zefferal's profile is the rule of Asylum.
The Grohm Brotherhood
The Grohm are a caste promarily composed of a large number of nomadic families. They travel in small bands throughout the Wildspace, a network of unbuilt areas within the Rampart, sometimes as families, sometimes as comrades. They all have a deep sense of wanderlust, rarely staying in one area for very long. Even the groups frequently disband, as they are not shy about pointing out the things about their companions that drive them up the wall. Still, while they typically have a quick temper, they see little value in deceit and feigning tolerance of annoyances, so intra-caste arguments rarely escalate beyond harsh words and perhaps a fistfight, followed by a reconciliatory beer and an amicable parting of ways.
Grohm are typically skilled hunters and foragers, very capable of living off the land, without too much regard to whose land it is. Many are also skilled farmers and gardeners, and their work brings much of the food into the city, as they are amongst the few that regularly dare to exit it. In fact, Grohm are expected to spend at least a week every year in the Hermland. A few Grohm have even established permanent camps, avoiding constructions so as to nod bring upon them the rage of the land. Between this and including a majority of the native Artin, the Grohm are the guild with by far the most knowledge of Suvnica outside the city. Their constant sharing of origin stories also mean that, despite the Rimid's best attempt, they are the only other guild aware (if not entirely knowingly) of Suvnica's artificial creation.
Sometimes wandering within the Rampart can lead to clashes with members of other castes, but most of these are aware that the odds of beating Grohm in a skirmish are against them, and feel that it is not worth the trouble knowing that the poachers will be gone within a few days. They most frequently come into conflict with the Zhavi over their repeated attempts (not all of them unsuccessful) to tame the notoriously unruly and aggressive native fauna of Suvnica, for the ever-suspicious Zhavi deem all from outside the Rampart a treat to the city's existence. Many Grohm make a modest living as adventurers for hire, acting as muscle and trackers for groups or individuals. However, the coin is rarely their prime motivation for doing any of this, and the moment that they grow suspect of their chances, weary of their company, or bored with the task, they won't hesitate to pick up and find a new adventure to tell stories about to their brothers.
While they adhere to the spirit of the Compact, believing that it ultimately acts to their benefit, they will openly disregard any of its tenets to which they can't find a good reason to continue adhering.. This is especially the case when it comes to permitting joining of the caste (as demonstrated when most of the Artin joined). As a result, while there are many families in the Brotherhood that can tell camp stories of their ancestors' accomplishments and prominence within the Grohm, there are just as many whose parents and grandparents belonged to other guilds - or none at all.
Invigorate -- Whenever ~'s power or toughness increases, [effect]
The Grohm use their green strength to keep themselves mostly red and free of the bonds of the Compact. This is in opposition from the Gruul whose search for nature was powered by (in the words of Zefferal) "an incredibly emotional mission of revenge on the guilds that disenfranchised them, unrestrained aggression against any obstacle standing in their way".
Invigorate is probably going to be the most fiddly mechanic to develop since it relies on other card to trigger itself, but if Heroic can be done, so can this (plus it can be triggered in many more ways than Heroic).
My contributions to Zefferal's vision are mostly restricted to the integration of the Artin and the Grohm's interaction with the Hermland. I have Groovelord to thank for this better name suggestion.
4 mythics nonartifact spells unassigned as to color
2 rare noncreature artifacts or lands
Telengor Fiend
Creature — Demon (M)
When Telengor Fiend enters the battlefield, destroy target colored permanent. The native demons of Telengor took about as well as the rest of the plane to Suvnica’s alien magic.
5/5
Chilling Ancients
Creature — Spirit (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
When Chilling Ancients enter the battlefield, tap target creature if was spent to cast Chilling Ancients. Hödekins do not always succeed in driving away the spirits of the dead.
2/2
Collapse the Rempart
Instant (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Exile target creature that dealt damage this turn.
Bearer of Truths
Creature — Human Soldier (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
, : Create a colorless 1/1 human token.
Tokens you controls have "Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
2/2
Translucent Wisps
Instant (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Target creature becomes colorless and gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
Draw a card if was spent to cast Translucent Wisps.
Master of Turnabouts
Creature — Faerie (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flash
Flying
When Master of Turnabouts enters the battlefield, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the amount of nonblue mana spent to cast it.
1/2
Divert Plans
Instant (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
You may cast Divert Plans without paying its mana cost if it's the first spell you cast this game.
You have hexproof until end of turn.
Headstone Visions
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Enchant creature
: Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
, sacrifice a creature: Return Headstone Visions from your graveyard to your hand.
Bituminous Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Bituminous Hödekin can't be blocked unless no other creatures are blocked. The roads go wherever they want.
4/3
Smotherer Demon
Creature — Demon (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flying
When Smotherer Demon enters the battlefield, creatures target opponent controls lose all activated and triggered abilities until Smotherer Demon leaves the battlefield.
4/4
Sparks of Memories
Sorcery (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Sparks of Memories deals 1 damage to target creature. If was spent to cast Sparks of Memories, Sparks of Memories deals 1 damage to that creature's controller.
Rainbow Flames
Sorcery (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Rainbow Flames deals 4 damage divided as you choose among one or two target creatures and/or planeswalkers. They are all colors and yet none of them.
Wyldfyre Summoner
Creature — Viashino Shaman (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Haste
: Wyldfyre Summoner gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
When Wyldfyre Summoner dies, add X mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool at the beginning of your next main phase, where X is Wyldfyre Summoner's power.
2/2
Hermland Explorer
Creature — Bear Druid (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
When Hermland Explorer enters the battlefield, if was spent to cast it, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
1/2
Sentry of the Vale
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, Sentry of the Vale gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/1
Pervasive Rejection
Instant (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Destroy target artifact, enchantment or planeswalker.
Champion's Attendant
Creature — Human Cleric (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +1/+0.
1/1
Enlightened Ascetic
Creature — Cat Monk (C)
When Enlightened Ascetic enters the battlefield, you may destroy target enchantment.
1/1
Bathhouse Hödekins
Creature — Spirit (C) "To our hödekins, dirtiness is next to castelessness."
2/2
Sundrop Shrine Fateful
Creature — Cat Cleric (C)
Sundrop Shrine Fateful enters the battlefield with two fate counter on it.
, Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: You gain 1 life.
2/1
Seller of Songbirds
Creature — Human (C)
When Seller of Songbirds enters the battlefield, Create a 1/1 white Bird creature token with flying.
1/2
Soup Kitchen Squad
Creature (C)
Whenever Soup Kitchen Squad or another creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, you may tap target creature.
2/3
Squad Savior
Creature — Bird Knight (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has flying.
2/1
Courthouse Warden
Creature — Human (C)
Flying
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
2/2
Barkcaller
Creature — Elephant (C)
: Barkcaller gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
3/2
Revoker of Absolutions
Creature (C)
Vigilance
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
3/3
Oppressive Rays
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays 3.
Activated abilities of enchanted creature cost 3 more to activate. The real problem is how easy it makes it for the Zhavi to find you.
Training Session
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +2/+2. If its base power is 2 or less, untap it and it gains first strike.
Revoke Caste
Instant (C)
Tap target creature. It becomes colorless until end of term. Prevent all damage it would deal this turn.
Call for Juries
Instant (C)
Create two 1/1 black Kor tokens with lifelink.
Mobile Palisades
Instant (C)
Each creature you control can block an additional creature this turn.
Draw a card.
Lucent Bolts
Instant (C)
Lucent Bolts deals 4 damage divided as you choose among one or two target attacking or blocking creatures.
Magistrate Bodyguard
Creature (U)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/2
Collegium Member
Creature (U)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has first strike.
2/1
Heraldist Page
Creature (U)
Heraldist Page gets +1/+1 as long as you have a champion.
2/2
Flashy Justiciar
Creature (U)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
When enters the battlefield, target creature can't attack or block this turn.
3/1
Zhavi Guarantor
Creature (U)
, Sacrifice a creature: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
2/2
Wielder of the Light
Creature — Angel (U)
Flying, First strike
: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to and dealt by Wielder of the Light this turn.
3/3
Subvert Justice
Instant (U)
The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to you or a permanent you control this turn, prevent that damage. Subvert Justice deals 3 damage to target creature or planeswalker you don't control.
Strict Asylum
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When enchanted creature attacks or blocks, exile it. The Aynsele takes the prohibition against violence within their temple with the utmost seriousness.
Suncharge
Instant (U)
Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt this turn to creatures you control with base power 2 or less.
Imperious Diktat
Sorcery (U)
Exile target monocolored permanent. If there’s one thing the Zhavi hate, it’s someone who doesn’t make it clear what caste they claim membership of.
Zhavi Bailiff
Creature (R)
Flash, Defender
: Zhavi Bailiff can block an additional creature this turn.
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
0/4
Master of the Aviary
Creature — Bird (R)
Flying
Whenever a creature you control becomes a champion, create a 1/1 white Bird creature token with flying for each fate counter on it.
2/3
Luminate of Clearstream
Creature — Dwarf Knight (R)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Whenever your champion attacks, create a 3/3 white angel token with flying tapped and attacking.
2/4
Common Cause
Enchantment (R)
When Common Cause enters the battlefield, exile up to two target nonland permanents with converted mana cost 2 or less until Common Cause leaves the battlefield. Being a Boros is not a crime in and of itself. Acting like one, now...
Treacherous Purge
Sorcery (R)
Cast Treacherous Purge only if you control four or more creatures.
Destroy all creatures.
Angelic Destiny
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+:4mana: , has flying and first strike, and is an Angel in addition to its other types.
When enchanted creature dies, return Angelic Destiny to its owner's hand.
Mostly for flavor purposes
Infiltrated Lemuel
Creature — Merfolk Rogue (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Infiltrated Lemuel can't be blocked.
1/1
Voidminded Lieutenant
Creature — Zombie Warrior (C) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Voidminded Lieutenant, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Flying, Prowess
2/1
Fate Sealer
Creature — Human Advisor (C)
Fate Sealer enters the battlefield with three fate counters on it.
, , Remove a fate counter form a creature you control: Draw a card, then discard a card.
2/2
Street Philosopher
Creature — Naga (C)
1/3
Shushing Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (C)
: Shushing Hödekin gains menace until end of turn.
3/2
Untouchable Delegate
Creature — Naga Wizard (C)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/3
Wyldwater Voidmind
Creature — Serpent (C)
Wyldwater Voidmind can't attack unless you control a colorless creature. "You can make a Voidmind out of anything. Sapience is only required if you intend to derive sustenance in the process."
— Thrallmaster Exvaren
6/6
Spellward's Twitch
Instant (C)
Target creature gains hexproof until end of turn. Untap it.
Rimid Investigations
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top three cards of target player's library. You may put any number of those cards in that player's graveyard, then put the rest back in any order.
Draw a card.
Frantic Glances
Instant (C)
Creatures you control gain " : Scry 1." until end of turn. (To scry 1 , look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Tightrope Act
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains flying until end of turn. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery this turn, instead each creature you control gets +1/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Uncertainty
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant colored creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
When Uncertainty is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
Clash of Minds
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand. If you control a colorless creature, you may put it on top of its owner's library instead.
Transfer Ideas
Instant (C) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Transfer Ideas, turn a creature you control face down.
Draw a card for each colorless creature you control.
Tezzi Parade
Instant (C)
Tap up to three target permanents. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, those permanents don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps.
See Through Guile
Instant (C)
Counter target spell. Untap up to two target creatures or basic lands.
Hödekin of the Gate
Creature — Spirit (U)
, : Exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control. Better than any guard you could think of.
1/1
Fatebreaker :symx:
Creature (U)
Fatebreaker enters the battlefield with X fate counters on it.
: Move a fate counter from Fatebreaker onto target permanent.
: Tap all nonland permanents with fate counters on them.
1/1
Memorial Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flying
Memorial Hödekin's power and toughness are each equal to the number of colorless creatures you control.
*/*
Library Warden
Creature (U)
Flash
When Library Warden enters the battlefield, exile target target noncreature, nonland card from a player's graveyard.
When Library Warden dies, you may put the exiled card into its owner's hand.
2/2
Tezzi Riotmaster
Creature (U)
: The next time a creature enters the battlefield under your control this turn, it gains haste and can't be blocked this turn. Only a heretical mind could think you can control chaos, but it takes a truly deranged one to actually succeed.
3/4
Awaken the Reflections
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creatures. Its controller creates X 1/1 blue Illusion creature tokens, where X is the exiled creature's converted mana cost.
Amnesia Expedition
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a colorless creature enters the battlefield under your control or a creature you control is turned face-down, target player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard.
Reality Drain
Instant (U)
Counter target permanent spell. (A permanent spell is an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell.)
Never Seen Before
Instant (U) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Never Seen Before, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Creatures your opponents control get -2/-0 until end of turn for each colorless creature you control.
Out of Sight
Instant (U)
Return target permanent to its owner's hand. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, instead return two target permanents to their owners' hands.
Excelling Spellkin
Creature — Faerie (R)
Flash
Flying
When Excelling Spellkin enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool equal to Excelling Spellkin's power. Spend that mana only to cast a creature or a sorcery spell. If you do, you may cast that spell as though it had flash.
2/1
Debauch
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, its controller adds to their mana pool equal to the countered spell's converted mana cost at the beginning of their next main phase.
Satirical Impersonation
Sorcery (R)
Choose a nonlegendary creature on the battlefield. Target creature you control becomes a copy of that creature until end of turn. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, instead each other creature you control becomes a copy of that creature.
Vilgrem's Intercession
Sorcery (R) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Vilgrem's Intercession, turn any number of creatures you control face down.
Gain control of target creature if its power is less than or equal to the number of colorless creatures you control. "Giving up is such sweet sorrow."
Mnemonic Trespass :symx:
Sorcery (C)
Choose X different card types. Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a card of each chosen type, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard. If there are no cards left in that player's library, they shuffle their graveyard into their library.
Realign the Futures
Sorcery (M)
Exile target player's library. Until end of turn, that player may cast any number of instant and sorcery cards exiled this way without paying their mana cost and as though they had flash.
Drainpipe Vermin
Creature — Rat (C)
When Drainpipe Vermin dies, you may pay B. If you do, target player discards a card.
1/1
Sewer Stalker
Creature — Shade (C)
, Sacrifice Sewer Stalker: Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures on the battlefield.
1/1
Chittergang
Creature — Rat (C)
Whenever Chittergang attacks or blocks, each player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.
2/2
Barterer of Fate
Creature — Kor (C)
Barterer of Fate enters the battlefield with two fate counter on it.
Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: Barterer of Fate gains flying and deathtouch until end of turn.
1/3
Corrupt Advocate
Creature — Human Advisor (C)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/2
Dutiful Attendant
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
When Dutiful Attendant dies, return another target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/2
Soulless Custodian
Creature — Kor Wizard (C)
, Exile Soulless Custodian from your graveyard: Create a 1/1 black Kor creature token with lifelink. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
1/4
Soothcloud Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (C)
Flying
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/2
Voidminded Rushdagger
Creature — Zombie Assassin (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
4/2
Zeftelen's Favorites
Creature — Hound (C)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
: Zeftelen's Favorites gains first strike until end of turn.
2/4
Blanker of Minds
Creature — Vampire Wizard (C) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Blanker of Minds, turn a creature you control face-down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Menace
4/5
Rip out Beliefs
Sorcery (C)
Reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put a card from among them into your hand. You lose life equal to that card's converted mana cost. Put the rest into your graveyard.
Split Skulls
Instant (C)
Split Skulls deals damage to target creature equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
Conscience Spoil
Instant (C) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Conscience Spoil, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Target creature gets -2/-2 for each colorless creature you control.
Mental Agony
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards two cards and loses 2 life. Joining the Voidminds is an especially unpleasant experience.
Crypt Implosion
Sorcery (C)
Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard, then target player loses life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
Home Invasion
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature or land.
Eyeless Onlooker
Creature — Skeleton Rogue (U)
, Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard: Return Eyeless Onlooker from your graveyard to your hand.
1/2
Piecemeal Forces
Creature — Rat (U)
Deathtouch
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
1/2
Soulhewer Shade
Creature — Shade (U)
Flying
Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Soulhewer Shade gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/2
Wailer of Epitaphs
Creature — Spirit (U)
Whenever a nontoken creature card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. Hödekins will obsess over the strangest things.
2/2
Dweller in the Wall
Creature — Vampire (U)
Dweller in the Wall can't block and can't be blocked. Voidmind — , Turn Dweller in the Wall face-down: Destroy target creature. Only the Rimid share in knowledge of the secret Zhavi passageways.
2/1
Taxer of Opprobrium
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
, Pay 2 life: Spells you cast costs less to cast until end of turn.
1/5
Blind to the Eternities
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent gets -2/-2 and can't have counters put on it.
Voidmind Entrustment
Enchantment (U)
Colorless creatures you control get +1/+1.
: Return target colorless creature you control to its owner's hand.
Sort the Souls
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target creature with power 2 or less and target creature with power 3 or more.
Enforce the Compact
Sorcery (U)
Each opponent loses X life, where X is 1 plus the number of colors amongst permanents that player controls. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
Impaler of Memories
Creature — Vampire (R)
Whenever a creature card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, if it had flying, Impaler of Memories gains flying until end of turn. The same is true for first strike, double strike, dampen, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance.
3/3
Mnemonic Titan
Creature — Spirit (R)
Menace, Deathtouch
Mnemonic Titan gets +1/+1 for each creature card in your graveyard.
Sacrifice another creature: Regenerate Mnemonic Titan.
3/3
Skewer
Instant (R)
Skewer costs 2 less to cast if it targets a planeswalker.
Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
Out of Mind
Sorcery (R) Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Out of Mind, turn X creatures you control face down.
Target player loses X life, then you gain twice that much life, then that player puts three times that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.
Review Punishment
Sorcery (R)
Choose two target creature cards in your graveyard. Return one to your hand and the other to the battlefield under your control.
Forbidden Wares
Enchantment (M)
Skip your draw phase.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay :symx: . If you do, search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost X , reveal it and put it in your hand, then shuffle your library.
Fated Whistleblower
Creature — Human (C)
Haste
Fated Whistleblower enters the battlefield with three fate counters on it.
, Remove a fate counter form a creature you control: Target creature gains haste until end of turn.
1/1
Dragonfly Band Guards
Creature — Viashino Warrior (C)
First strike
1/2
Grohm Machetist
Creature — Goblin Scout (C) Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Machetist's power or toughness increases, it gains menace until end of turn.
2/1
Operatic Aspirant
Creature — Viashino (C)
3/2
Hödekins of the Anvil
Creature — Spirit (C)
Haste
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) To a Tezzi smith, there is no such thing as too many hödekins.
2/2
Grove Wanderer
Creature — Bear Berserker (C) Invigorate — Whenever Grove Wanderer's power or toughness increases, create a 1/1 red Viashino token with haste.
3/3
Liftoff Viashino
Creature — Viashino (C)
: Liftoff Viashino gains flying until end of turn.
4/2
Pressing Lunk
Creature — Giant (C)
Whenever Pressing Lunk attacks, target creature gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.
4/2
Inflamed Fury
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
So-Called Mishap
Instant (C)
So-Called Mishap deals 2 damage to target creature or player. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, So-Called Mishap deals 4 damage to that creature or player instead.
Incandescent Response
Instant (C)
Choose one or both —
* Counter target instant spell.
* Incandescent Response deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Never heckle the bard.
Madcap Skills
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+0 and has menace. (It can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Hostile Realm
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant land
Enchanted land has " : Target creature can't block this turn." "This very plane rejects our city."
Raging Debate
Sorcery (C)
Discard your hand, then draw a cards. If two or more cards are discarded this way, draw three cards instead.
Summon the Stage Hands
Sorcery (C)
Create two 1/1 red Viashino tokens. Encore — Those tokens gain haste if you cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Chandra's Outrage
Instant (C)
Chandra's Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature's controller. It wasn’t about justice. It wasn’t about rules. It was about fairness.
Crashing Party
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target land. Create a 2/2 green Bear token.
Fireleaf Scout
Creature — Viashino Scout (U)
First strike
Whenever Fireleaf Scout or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Fireleaf Scout deals 1 damage to each opponent.
2/1
Wallbasher Allies
Creature — Spirit (U)
Haste
: All creatures able to block Wallbasher Allies this turn do so. A hödekin has no need of walls to know where a field ends and another begins.
3/1
Grohm Conscriptor
Creature — Human Warrior (U) Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Conscriptor's power or toughness increases, gain control of another target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
2/1
Anarchist
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
When Anarchist enters the battlefield, you may return target sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Jump off the Stage
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast Jump off the Stage, sacrifice a creature.
Counter target instant or sorcery spell.
Read the Crowd
Sorcery (U)
As an additional cost to cast Read the Crowd, discard a card.
Scry 2, then draw two cards. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery this turn, instead scry 4, then draw two cards.
Humiliation Conga
Instant (U)
Create a 1/1 red Viashino token, then Humiliation Conga deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of creatures you control.
Street Festival
Enchantment (U)
At the end of each player's turn, Street Festival deals 2 damage to that player unless that player's cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Magmatic Subsidence
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target artifact or land. Scry 2. (To scry 2 , look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
Empty the Dens
Sorcery (U)
Create three 2/2 green Bear tokens with haste.
Wyldwoods Slasher
Creature — Viashino Berserker (R)
First strike Invigorate — Whenever Wyldwoods Slasher's power or toughness increases, Wyldwoods Slasher gains double strike until end of turn.
3/1
Sacrificial Dragon
Creature — Dragon (R)
Flying
When you cast Sacrificial Dragon, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, create X 1/1 red Viashino tokens with haste, where X is the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost.
4/4
Revolve
Instant (R)
Return target instant or sorcery spell to its owner's hand. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, scry 2.
Rebellious Intents
Instant (R)
Rebellious Intents deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
Spell Cramming
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay R. If you do, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (It remains exiled if you don’t.)
Chandra, Free and Outraged
Planeswalker — Chandra (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+1: Draw a card unless a player has Chanda deal 2 damage to them.
-2: Creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
-XX: You get X emblems with "Sacrifice this: This deals 3 damage to target creature or player"
Squashing Squash
Creature — Plant (C)
Defender
: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
0/2
Aynsele Scholar
Creature — Elf Shaman (C)
: Put a fate counter on Aynsele Scholar.
, Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Alderbosc Hödekins
Creature — Spirit (C)
, sacrifice Alderbosc Hödekins: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a creature from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. It is very hard to get lost in the Alderbosc.
Lifebond Spider
Creature — Spider (C)
Reach Invigorate — Whenever Lifebond Spider's power or toughness increases, you gain 3 life.
2/3
Garden Infiltrator
Creature — Dryad (C)
Forestwalk (This creature can't be blocked as long as defending player controls a Forest.)
Whenever Garden Infiltrator attacks and isn't blocked, another target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Aynsele Overseer
Creature — Naga Warrior (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by your champion this turn dies, you may draw a card.
3/2
Denraiser
Creature (C)
When Denraiser enters the battlefield, if you control a creature with a fate counter on it, create a 2/2 green bear token.
3/3
Aynsele Leader
Creature — Rhino Knight (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +2/+2 and can't be blocked by two or more creature.
3/3
Artin Acolyte
Creature — Bear Warrior (C) Invigorate — Whenever Artin Acolyte's power or toughness increases, creatures you control gain trample until end of turn.
5/4
Reined Wurm
Creature — Wurm Mutant (C)
Reined Wurm can't be your champion.
8/6
Accede to Fate
Instant (C)
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it.)
Call of the Wyldwood
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent gets +1/+1 and has "Untap this during each other player's untap step."
Throw over the Rempart
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Awaken the Bear
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn. The early bear gets to smash your skull.
Garden Stroll
Instant (C)
Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. It deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don't control. Aynsele champions never truly leave the temple gardens.
Escape into Rebirth
Sorcery (C)
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. If you control a creature with a fate counter on it, draw a card.
Elmspring Shieldbearer
Creature — Elf Monk (U)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has " : regenerate this creature."
1/1
Grohm Storyteller
Creature — Rhino Shaman (U)
Tap another creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only once each turn.
1/3
Fated Artin
Creature — Bear Shaman (U)
When Fated Artin enters the battlefield, distribute two fate counters among one or two target creatures you control.
, , Remove two fate counters from among creatures you control: Create a 1/1 white bird token with flying.
2/2
Farmhands of Alderbosc
Creature (U)
Trample Invigorate — Whenever Farmhands of Alderbosc's power or toughness increases, you may have target land you control become a 3/3 Elemental creature with haste until end of turn. It's still a land.
4/3
Kiteweaving Spider
Creature — Spider (U)
Reach, Deathtouch
Kiteweaving Spider can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach.
: Target creature gains reach until end of turn.
2/4
Foreseer of the Destined
Creature — Cat Shaman (U)
Vigilance
When Foreseer of the Destined enters the battlefield, search your library for a white or green creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
4/4
Pacifying Pollen
Instant (U)
Prevent all damage creatures without fate counters on them would deal this turn.
Camouflaged Companion
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "You may have this creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked."
Fate of the Fallen
Enchantment (U)
When Fate of the Fallen enters the battlefield, put a fate counter on target creature.
Creatures you control with fate counters on them get +1/+1 and have "When this creature dies, draw a card.".
Mirrored Will
Sorcery (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn, then create a X/X green Elemental creature token, where X is the targeted creature's power.
Wyldwood Ally
Creature — Spirit (R) Invigorate — Whenever Wyldwood Ally's power or toughness increases, you may put a land from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.
1/1
Champion of the Unwilling
Creature — Knight (R)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +2/+2 and has trample.
1/2
Lambslayer Hydra
Creature — Hydra (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may pay 1. If you do, put a fate counter on Lambslayer Hydra.
Lambslayer Hydra gets +1/+1 for each fate counter on it.
When Lambslayer Hydra dies, you gain life equal to the number of fate counters on it.
3/3
Overwhelming Fate
Sorcery (R)
Put two fate counters on a creature you control. Until end of turn, creatures you control gain trample and get +X/+X , where X is the greatest number of fate counters on a creature you control.
Call of Alderbosc
Instant (R)
Choose one or more—
* Creatures you control gain hexproof until end of turn
* Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control.
* Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature with flying.
Legends of Elder Telengor
Sorcery (M)
As an additional cost to cast Legends of Elder Telengor, reveal a card in your hand.
Exile the top X cards of your library, where X is the revealed card's converted mana cost, then create Y 2/2 green Bear tokens, where Y is the total mana cost of all cards exiled this way.
Angels' Emissary
Creature — Human Shaman (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has vigilance.
3/3
Aynsele Loyalist
Creature — Rhino Archer (C)
Flash
When Aynsele Loyalist enters the battlefield, creatures with flying can't attack or block this turn.
2/4
Artin Riverwarden
Creature — Bear Berserker (C)
Trample Invigorate — Artin Riverwarden's power or toughness increases, you may untap target creature. That creature blocks Artin Riverwarden this turn if able.
3/2
Enroll into the Hunt
Sorcery (C)
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap it. It gains trample, haste and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card." until end of turn.
Sweep over the Crowd
Sorcery (C)
Create two 2/2 blue and red drake tokens with flying and haste.
Banish into the Sun
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Banish into the Sun deals damage to that player equal to that creature's power. Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, you may cast Banish into the Sun as though it had flash.
Memory Sipper
Creature — Vampire (C) Voidmind — Turn a creature you control face-down: Memory Sipper gains flying until end of turn.
3/4
Dampener Voidmind
Creature — Zombie (C)
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/2
Interpreter of the Pacts
Creature — Kor Cleric (C)
Lifelink
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/3
Peal of the Doombell
Sorcery (C)
Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn and gain your choice of vigilance or menace.
Peaceminder Artin
Creature — Bear (U)
Whenever Peaceminder Artin or another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 1.
2/2
Sundial's Shadow
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, you may tap target permanent.
Sun Remittance
Instant (U)
Return target creature you control to your hand. If that creature was your champion, you may return target creature card with the same converted mana cost from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature becomes your champion.
Grohm Farmworker
Creature — Goblin (U)
Whenever Grohm Farmworker attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Farmworker's power or toughness increases, the next spell you cast this turn costs less to cast
2/2
Rhox Bandleader
Creature — Rhino Warrior (U)
Haste
Rhox Bandleader's power and toughness are each equal to the total number of red and green permanents you control.
*/*
Colossal Might
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +4/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
Sudden Acrophobia
Sorcery (U)
Creatures with flying lose flying until end of turn, then Sudden Acrophobia deals 3 damage to each of those creatures Not everyone is afraid of flight, but everyone should be worried when flight becomes impossible.
Disillusionist
Creature — Vedalken Rogue (U)
, : Disillusionist deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
, : Draw a card, then discard a card.
1/4
Saw in Half
Instant (U)
Saw in Half deals 4 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
Levitator Madcap
Sorcery (U)
Create a 2/2 blue and red Drake creature token with flying. Encore — It gains haste and gets +1/+0 until end of turn if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Mass Protests
Instant (U)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays , then exile Mass Protests.
Until your next turn, whenever a player casts a spell, you may copy Mass Protests. If you do, you may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
Mnemonic Hurler
Creature — Vampire Shaman (U)
Flying, Prowess Voidmind — Turn a creature you control face-down: Target creature you control gets +1/+1 and gains flying until end of turn.
4/4
Contempt of the Voidminds
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. You lose 4 life.
Blinding Souls
Instant (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Target creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the returned card's power.
Voidminding
Sorcery (U)
Draw a card, then choose land or nonland. Target player reveals their hand and discards a card of the chosen category. If they can't, you draw another card.
Oppression Judge
Creature — Dwarf Cleric (U)
First strike
Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate Oppression Judge.
3/1
Unimpeachable Warden
Creature — Elemental (U)
Flying
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn.
3/5
Enforced Community Service
Enchantment (U)
Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
Activated abilities of nonland permanents your opponents control cost an additional 2 life to activate. In Suvnica, "to sweat blood" is rarely a figure of speech.
Lawful Exactions :symx:
Instant (U)
Exile target nonland permanent with converted mana cost X.
Aynsele Banisher
Creature — Angel (R)
Flying
When Aynsele Banisher enters the battlefield, exile target planeswalker or creature until Aynsele Banisher leaves the battlefield.
4/5
Armelle, the last Champion
Legendary Creature — Elf Warrior (R)
Whenever Armelle, the last Champion or another creature that shares a color with it enters the battlefield under your control for the first time each turn, you may draw a card. If you do, untap Armelle.
Other creatures you control get +2/+2.
4/6
Enliven the Gardens
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for up to two basic land cards or creature cards with converted mana cost , reveal those cards, and put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Soul of Telengor
Creature — Elemental (R)
Flash
When Soul of Telengor enters the battlefield, each creature you control gains +3/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Rumgarr, the Den Mother
Creature — Bear Warrior (R)
Other creatures you control that share a color with Rumgarr, the Den Mother have base power and toughness 4/4 and haste.
, : Create a 2/2 green Bear token.
3/2
Teeth of the Ancestors
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all artifacts and enchantments, then Teeth of the Ancestors deals X damage to up to one target creature or player, where X is 3 plus the number of permanents destroyed this way. The Artin refer to thunder as the roar of the Ancestors, and lighting strikes where they bite.
Oenanda, Dramamonger
Creature — Faerie Rogue (R)
Flash, flying, haste
When Oenanda, Dramamonger enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 blue and red Drake token with flying for each other spell that was cast this turn which shared a color with Oenanda, Dramamonger.
2/1
Groundhog Day
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase. Encore — Take an extra turn after this one instead if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn. "I think I’ve seen this show before..."
The Show Must Go On
Instant (R)
Exile each creature you control. For each creature exiled this way, create a 2/2 blue and red Drake creature token with flying. Those tokens gain haste until end of turn.
Vilgrem, Rimid Overseer
Legendary Creature — Vampire Wizard (R)
Deathtouch
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
Other creatures you control that share a color with Vilgrem, Rimid Overseer have dampen.
3/6
Intrusive Thoughts
Sorcery (R)
Target player discards two cards.
You draw a card and lose life equal to the total converted mana cost of the discarded cards.
Repell Psychosis
Sorcery (R)
Choose one or more —
* Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
* Return target instant card from your graveyard to your hand.
* Return target sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
Exile Repell Psychosis.
Obligations Elemental
Creature — Elemental (R)
Each creature your opponents control doesn't untap during its controller's untap step unless that player pays 1 life.
4/4
Zeftelen, the Doubletalker
Legendary Creature — Kor Assassin (R)
Whenever a creature you don't control die, its controller loses life equal to that creature's toughness.
Creature you control that share a color with Zeftelen, the Doubletalker have deathtouch and lifelink.
3/3
Vindicate
Sorcery (R)
Destroy target permanent. "The only pity you can expect from justice is a painless death."
—Zeftelen, the Doubletalker
Angel of Rebirths
Creature — Angel (M)
Flying, trample
If a creature card would be put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
Whenever a card become exiled from anywhere, create a 1/1 white bird token with flying.
6/4
Pluck More Ideas :symx:
Sorcery (M)
Look at the top X cards of target opponent's library. Exile one of those cards and put the rest on the bottom of that player's library in any order. You may play that card for as long as it remains exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast it.
Spellfetcher Phoenix
Creature — Phenix (M)
Flying, haste
: Return Spellfetcher Phoenix and target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. It lives as long as it remembers even a single spell
2/2
Mevaram of Taremel
Planeswalker — Mevaram (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+1: Exile target permanent you control, then return it to the battlefield face-down under its owner’s control.
-2: Target player sacrifices a nontoken creature or planeswalker.
-7: Exile all nonland permanents you don’t control, then return them to the battlefield face-down and tapped under their owner’s control.
Zhavi Demon Worshipper
Creature — Kor Cleric (M)
Whenever Zhavi Demon Worshipper attacks and isn't blocked, other creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
Whenever Zhavi Demon Worshipper becomes blocked by one or more creatures it gets +2/+0 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.
1/5
Harmonic Mantle
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature is colorless and has " : Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."
Equip 1
Aynsele Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Aynsele Memorial enters the battlefield, target creature you control gets +1/+1 and gains vigilance until end of turn.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Grohm Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Grohm Memorial enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 red Viashino token.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Tezzi Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Tezzi Memorial enters the battlefield, scry 1.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Rimid Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Rimid Memorial enters the battlefield, target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Zhavi Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Zhavi Memorial enters the battlefield, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Blinkstone Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
, : Exile equipped creature. Return it to the battlefield tapped and attacking under your control at the beginning of your next declare attackers step.
Equip 3
Sunbathed Glen
Land (R)
Sunbathed Glen enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sunbathed Glen enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Sprouting Ravine
Land (R)
Sprouting Ravine enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sprouting Ravine enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Caldera Retreat
Land (R)
Caldera Retreat enters the battlefield tapped.
When Caldera Retreat enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Sunken River
Land (R)
Sunken River enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sunken River enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Gloomy Forum
Land (R)
Gloomy Forum enters the battlefield tapped.
When Gloomy Forum enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
The whole shtick with laws and breaking them and punishments for breaking them is really cool.
"Dark Justice" is an abomination of naming that reeks of time spent browsing /tg/ and /v/ threads while salivating over Warhammer40k power-fantasy tales.
Rescue that poor mechanic from its name, and you have a really cute concept going there!
Aww, but it's better if it's cheesy and over-the-top!
I love the concept of the set and the flavor. I'm such a sucker for faction-based storylines though!
Dark justice, voidmind, and bulkmight are all good mechanics, even if dark justice is parasitic. In this case the parasitism is good and forms a theme.
Incarnate, I don't like - blue and red seem the least likely colors to make tokens and having an alternate effect to a spell be just making a bunch of vanilla tokens technically creates variance but very little excitement. I'd give somebody the ability to make 1/1 colorless Humans, to fit with the colorless creatures theme, just not the Izzet-alikes. Keep the concept of alternate-effect spells though!
Meanwhile, leadership is bad-parasitic. It kind of feels like... exalted, but more ham-handed.
Incarnate, I don't like - blue and red seem the least likely colors to make tokens and having an alternate effect to a spell be just making a bunch of vanilla tokens technically creates variance but very little excitement. I'd give somebody the ability to make 1/1 colorless Humans, to fit with the colorless creatures theme, just not the Izzet-alikes. Keep the concept of alternate-effect spells though!
The mechanic does two (three, in fact) things that are to the set: it allows U/R to concentrate further into instant and sorceries (though I admittedly haven't given used the freed space quite as much as I probably should have for cards useful to the other guilds), it lets the set have more colorless creatures (though I suspect I might have a little too many of them in the end), and it pulls the guild away from Izzet in mechanical feel.
UR tends to gravitate in the same areas always, and I wanted to make sure Tezzi had a very different feel from Izzet. I don't believe UR tokens is a bad theme idea. Red tokens are a classic, after all (and I can think of three constructed- or limited-significant blue token makers in standard). Plus other factions have had similar issues before: white extort and blue (!!) ferocious certainly come to mind.
What the guild needs is probably more/better reward for the colorless/token theme, though not all are obvious. Maybe I should just go for Trumpet Blast instead of Rally the Forces...
Meanwhile, leadership is bad-parasitic. It kind of feels like... exalted, but more ham-handed.
I'm not denying the mechanic is parasitic. It does, however, represent the guild to a T, and I tried to make sure these cards are individually playable. For the most part they are more playable than the average Populate card was, and you only need two to really start reaping the rewards (especially if one of them is the inconspicuous Squad Savior).
Dark Justice: I don't really like the name, I think the wording could be improved (maybe put the ability word before the first line instead of the trigger) but otherwise I love it. It seems like it plays well and sounds epic when you read it.
Voidmind: It's interesting but it makes me want ways to turn this drawback into an upside, and there aren't ways to flip up these creatures. Maybe cards that check colorless creatures plays well enough, I'm not sure.
Incarnate: It's weak, has weird flavor, and isn't exciting. This should definitely be redesigned.
Leadership: I love this mechanic. Not totally sure if the counter should be a fate counter, but I can't think of an alternative at the moment.
Bulkmight: Seems okay. Good but not great. I don't like the name.
Dark Justice
The law mechanic is definitely an interesting concept. However, as is, it has some serious memory issues. Imagine a player has three different creatures with Dark Justice on the battlefield. Now every time the opponent wants to make an action they need to check if that action is against the law and what exactly will happen. Your incarnation of the mechanic mitigates the second problem, but you still have to remember all the consequences of breaking one of the laws. It's a mechanic that reads nice but will play horribly in complex boardstates. Personally I think either the law itself or the consequence should be streamlined across all cards. So either you ban the same thing on all Dark Justice and each card has different effect, or the reverse. I'd prefer the second option with a simple effect that can go on a lot of creatures.
Maybe like this:
Drawing cards is against the law.
Dark justice (Whenever an opponent breaks the law, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Voidmind
This is a very out there mechanic and I honestly have no idea how to rate this. It reads weird at the beginning, but I have the feeling this could be a very deep mechanic with a lot of design space, depending on where you go with it.
My only gripe is that maybe Voidmind is too big (in scope) for a mere guild mechanic.
Incarnate
To be honest, I do not understand the point of this mechanic. It feels neither blue-red nor do I see any useful application for overcosted 1/1 creatures nor do I understand why you went for the weird wording, instead of having something like this:
Incarnate (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for 3.)
Basically, I made it a morph for spells, except without the morph up option.
To go even further, you could actually make the cards creatures with channel or evoke. Unless of course, the UR guild cares about instants and sorceries.
Leadership
A cute one, that probably works well as a guild mechanic. The only problem I see is the tracking thing with the counters. It seems unnecessarily clunky. Maybe just look for the creature you control with the highest power or converted manacost or something that is inherent to each card. That would do away with the counters.
Bulkmight
Let's just assume that it is possible for the game to check if a creature's power or toughness increases. (Even if it's not, you could just add a rule.) The one thing I don't like about the mechanic is that it only works with a subset of cards: Pump spells. And then it doesn't work well with all of them. Basically it's a mechanic that focuses entirely on combat tricks (and fire breath auras), because anthem effects would trigger only once, even though they're permanent.
I think another interesting variant could be like this:
Bulkmight - This creature has double strike as long as its power or toughness is higher than its base power or toughness.
Well, this post kind of reads as if I don't like any of your mechanics, but the only one I don't really like is incarnate, and that's only because I believe it's in the wrong colours. The rest of the mechanics are interesting, but need a little refinement.
The law mechanic is awesome. You may recall that it was proposed for RVC Azorius by TurboJustice last winter 2014. (Whom also gave proper credit to Detektor.) It was was well received, but eventually knocked for being too complicated in numbers because they fed off of each other. They’re like Slivers on crack.
I still love the mechanic so I’m delighted to see it being used. Also, it’s really sexy in (W/B) Zhavi Council.
I like how Dark Justice uses a delayed trigger. It poses some tracking issues, but greatly reduces immediate complexity. One issue that the mechanic still poses is exponentiality (which is a word I just made up), which means… law and justice snowballs wildly and/or shuts your opponents out of the game either through sheer power or mere complexity. My “solution” so far is: Identical laws are redundant.
Think about it:
If four people witness a thief steal one item, the thief is charged for one count of theft, not four.
But if one person sees a thief steal four items, the thief is charged for four counts of theft, not one.
(I realize this statement isn’t legally proper, but you get it.)
So, if I control four Tax Collectors (below) and an opponent gains life, that opponent hasn’t broken the law four times, just once. So there isn’t an exponential infraction of the law, just one instance of a law being broken, so each Tax Collector will get only one +1/+1 counter (not 16 or w/e it would be).
If I control two Criminal Investigators, two Court Marshals, and two Tax Collectors, and an opponent gains life, I’d draw one card, return one creature to its owner’s hand, and put one +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
I don’t think the wording you’re using is quite proper. I suggest the wording of the cards below. I don’t imagine the following cards are amazing. They’re just intended to convey Law & Justice's potential. Hope this helps.
COMMON Criminal Investigator (Rare) 1U
Creature – Human Rogue
1/3
It’s against the law to block Criminal Investigator. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may draw a card.
Court Marshal (Common) 2U
Creature – Human Soldier
2/3
It’s against the law for your opponents’ creatures to fight. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may return target creature to its owner’s hand.
Tax Collector (Common) 2W
Creature – Human Advisor
2/2
It’s against the law for your opponents to gain life. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a +1/+1 counter on Tax Collector.
Azorius Ancestor (Common) 1WU
Creature – Spirit
2/2
Flying
It’s against the law for your opponents to cast spells during your turn. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, untap all creatures you control.
UNCOMMON Captain of the Guard (Uncommon) WW
Creature – Human Soldier
2/2
It’s against the law for opponents to target creatures you control. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Rules of Engagement (Uncommon) 1WU
Enchantment
It’s against the law for your opponents to cast spells during combat. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may copy target instant spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
RARE Military Detachment (Rare) W
Creature – Human Soldier
1/1
It’s against the law for creatures to attack you or planeswalkers you control. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
Azorius Law-Writer (Rare) 2W
Creature – Vedalken Advisor
1/4
It’s against the law for your opponents to destroy permanents you control. Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, destroy target permanent.
So, if I control four Tax Collectors (below) and an opponent gains life, that opponent hasn´t broken the law four times, just once. So there isn´t an exponential infraction of the law, just one instance of a law being broken, so each Tax Collector will get only one +1/+1 counter.
If I control two Criminal Investigators, two Court Marshals, and two Tax Collectors, and an opponent gains life, I´d draw one card, return one creature to its owner´s hand, and put one +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
Hmm, are you sure about that? Breaking the law would still trigger all their Justice abilities, what exactly keeps it from resolving individually? Each one goes on the stack, each one gets resolved, nothing says that the same Justice ability can't resolve as often as you control it.
Sorry, but I really don´t get your reasoning behind that, am I missing something?
Now, about the Mechanics:
Dark Justice
Aside from the rather childish name(sorry bout it), this is a rather interesting mechanic. However, a keyworded mechanic with different triggers AND different resolutions is way too convoluted. It creates a lot of memory issues, can´t imagine it´s very nice to play with it.
Voidmind
Also very interesting, will there be a way to morph those cards face up again? For it beeing part of a cost, it seems to reap not that high of a reward, especially if it means you lose whatever good creature you had to a 2/2 bear. Nice upgrade early game, make all your weak U creatures into something stronger, but what then?
Incarnate
Well, it is obviously supposed to go with Voidmind to increase the amount of colourless creatures you have, aside from that it´s very, very not blue. It also doesn´t feel neither very trickster nor artistic. Instead of a good spell, you made a 1/1 creature.....timid clapping
Whereas Dark Justice was too unique for each cards, Incarnate is exactly the opposite. Not really a problem, but repeating the same trick forever also isn´t very artistic or witty.
It feels much more Esper than anything else. Creating uniform colourless creatures(almost artifacts) with magic would fit more to a purely scientific faction.
Leadership
I aggree with void_nothing, it really feels like Exalted+1. It also accumulates very fast and will be hard to shut down, which is always a concern. I mean, you can´t just always expect an opposing deck to run full on counter creature instead of having it´s own strategy.
It also doesn´t really feel spiritual which the guild is supposed to be, even with the fate counter. You just keep casting creatures and go broad, which is very Selesnya and Zoo like. But what is spiritual about having lots of creeps?
Bulkmight
Again, very interesting, even though I don´t get how the name reflects that mechanic. But how is this green? Yes, switching power and toughness is kinda green, but the ability let´s you draw and discard a card, which is just red.
Pretty nice with an empty hand though, since every boost becomes a cantrip.
Sorry, but I really don´t get your reasoning behind that, am I missing something?
I think I'm thinking about this right.
Identical laws are redundant (you may have missed that part):
I control a Criminal Investigator and two Tax Collectors.
My opponent gains 1 life, which breaks my Tax Collectors' law, which in turn triggers each Justice ability once.
So I draw a card from Criminal Investigator and put a +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
Then I attack with Criminal Investigator and my opponent blocks it, which breaks Criminal Investigator's law, which in turn triggers each Justice ability once again.
So again I draw a card from Criminal Investigator and put a +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
Well, yes they are redundant (heh..), though they each still trigger.
Your last example is correct, but previously you mentioned having 2 Criminal Investigators but only drawing one card. That can't be right. Either a card per Investigator or no card at all.
It's a confusing mechanic which is why we passed it up as a guild mechanic in the first place despite its seductive flavor. I intend to implement it in a vertical cycle though.
EDIT - It would be extremely helpful for giving feedback if you could explain your design skeleton. Looking at your cards, with the amount of colorless and gold cards, which are not sorted by CMC, I find it very difficult to assess how you intend for the set to look as a whole. For example, what are your proposed curves for each color and each color combination? How many gold cards does each guild get and what are your cycles? What starting point did you use as your skeleton?
Finally, I'm left wondering what your design goals are with this set. Looking over all of the cards I find the colorless vs. multicolored to be the thing that sticks out to me the most. Is this intentional, or are you trying to focus more on the guilds? I think if the latter is the case it may be worth going back to the drawing board and soliciting mechanics feedback outside of this thread.
The design skeleton (which is now need a serious adjustment, see below) is a mix of the RTR and SOM skeletons. It can be seen on Multiverse (with a lot of bonus designs XD). When I next update the presentation, I'll probably make sure to put it in CMC order rather than alphabetical.
Thinking about my design goals made me realize there was a problem with them. I started out with one goal: design a set making use of the Suvnica reversed guild philosophy creative. This mandate a design goal for a multicolor set. As I developed the background, another mechanical element grafted itself onto the set (one I've tried before and will probably try again): Colorless matters. However it turns out I subconsciously integrated additional goals: fixing the complete failure of Return to Ravnica block to properly address the guildless conflict and actually providing an evolution of hybrid mana.
Now it should be clear and obvious that fixing the failure of the gateless storyline is entirely inappropriate for a block design that's not even set in Ravnica in the first place. Furthermore, it caused to have two distinct conflicts: one between colored cast member Suvnicans and colorless casteless Suvnicans, and another between colorless Telengor natives and Suvnicans that are both colorless and colored. That cannot work, and it's obvious that the set would be all the better if I ditched the colorless=casteless component. Besides it makes the other caste marker (colorless cards all have two types, colorless never more than 1) more flavorfully pertinent when it's no longer the least obvious marker of difference! Had anyone even noticed it?
SO. My new plan is for a 3-set block structure (it always was, but the third set was poorly defined in my head). The first two blocks have a much lower-key colorlessness element concentrated in their mechanics (the , and mechanics all have colorless elements), a couple twobrid spells (reflecting use of Telengor magic by suvnicans) and probably a single colorless cycle at each nonmythic rarity. The third set properly puts up the Telengor/Suvnica conflict that is alluded in the Rimid and Cimis guild profiles. I may or may not keep semihybrid cards. I like how they increase the proportion of multicolor and encourage guild decks without requiring two-colors for casting, but I suspect them of adding needless complexity (not to mention that they can be frustrating to design!).
A cute one, that probably works well as a guild mechanic. The only problem I see is the tracking thing with the counters. It seems unnecessarily clunky. Maybe just look for the creature you control with the highest power or converted manacost or something that is inherent to each card. That would do away with the counters.
I aggree with void_nothing, it really feels like Exalted+1. It also accumulates very fast and will be hard to shut down, which is always a concern. I mean, you can´t just always expect an opposing deck to run full on counter creature instead of having it´s own strategy.
It also doesn´t really feel spiritual which the guild is supposed to be, even with the fate counter. You just keep casting creatures and go broad, which is very Selesnya and Zoo like. But what is spiritual about having lots of creeps?
Leadership is unashamedly parasitic. But then so was populate, and as I said earlier, it seems far too flavorful to drop: all the Aynsele of a temple backing their champion. As long as the cards can still be individually playable (and I believe for the most part they are more playable than the average populate cards), I can live with the mechanic being parasitic. I'd love if someone could come up with a way to track who the leader is that can be written down with a shorter reminder text, though. Any guild mechanic that is very creature-based will have a zoo feeling, and especially so in white. That a fearsome champion would have a number of supporters/attendants from its temple makes perfect sense to me.
The law mechanic is definitely an interesting concept. However, as is, it has some serious memory issues. Imagine a player has three different creatures with Dark Justice on the battlefield. Now every time the opponent wants to make an action they need to check if that action is against the law and what exactly will happen. Your incarnation of the mechanic mitigates the second problem, but you still have to remember all the consequences of breaking one of the laws. It's a mechanic that reads nice but will play horribly in complex boardstates. Personally I think either the law itself or the consequence should be streamlined across all cards. So either you ban the same thing on all Dark Justice and each card has different effect, or the reverse. I'd prefer the second option with a simple effect that can go on a lot of creatures.
Aside from the rather childish name(sorry bout it), this is a rather interesting mechanic. However, a keyworded mechanic with different triggers AND different resolutions is way too convoluted. It creates a lot of memory issues, can´t imagine it´s very nice to play with it.
Dark Justice has been giving me lots of trouble, and I can't believe that I didn't think of the Heroic/devotion approach of having either multiple triggers and a single effect (probably the extort drain effect) or a single trigger (probably combat damage to the owner or casting spells during your turn) and various effects. Thank you both for pointing those possibilities. As far as the name goes, I'm entirely open to a new one, though I do think this one is fitting.
This is a very out there mechanic and I honestly have no idea how to rate this. It reads weird at the beginning, but I have the feeling this could be a very deep mechanic with a lot of design space, depending on where you go with it.
My only gripe is that maybe Voidmind is too big (in scope) for a mere guild mechanic.
Also very interesting, will there be a way to morph those cards face up again? For it being part of a cost, it seems to reap not that high of a reward, especially if it means you lose whatever good creature you had to a 2/2 bear. Nice upgrade early game, make all your weak U creatures into something stronger, but what then?
Luckily I am not restricted by the peculiar logistic issues of mechanic reusability. I originally intended for there to be some cards that could turn face-down creatures you do not control, but the mechanic was eventually narrowed to caring about colorless creatures (adding a nonkeyworded Reality Shift is certainly a tempting option, though). Given the flavor is of identity and memory drain, these creatures are NOT intended to turn face-up again. Clearly, though, I need to adjust the curve for more 2/1s and 1/Xs so that turning them up is more often an improvement. There are some rewards, like Aerial Deployment and Looting Madcap. Higher rarities are intended to include at least one lord, and the next set has a blue Cavalry Pegasus for colorless.
To be honest, I do not understand the point of [incarnate]. It feels neither blue-red nor do I see any useful application for overcosted 1/1 creatures nor do I understand why you went for the weird wording, instead of having something like this:
Incarnate (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for 3.)
Basically, I made it a morph for spells, except without the morph up option.
To go even further, you could actually make the cards creatures with channel or evoke. Unless of course, the UR guild cares about instants and sorceries.
Well, it is obviously supposed to go with Voidmind to increase the amount of colourless creatures you have, aside from that it´s very, very not blue. It also doesn´t feel neither very trickster nor artistic. Instead of a good spell, you made a 1/1 creature.....timid clapping
Whereas Dark Justice was too unique for each cards, Incarnate is exactly the opposite. Not really a problem, but repeating the same trick forever also isn´t very artistic or witty.
It feels much more Esper than anything else. Creating uniform colourless creatures(almost artifacts) with magic would fit more to a purely scientific faction.
As much as I like spellmorphs (I have in fact designedsome myself), Voidmind flavors face-down creatures as having essentially undergone Ego Erasure, making it impossible to use the trick for Tezzi spells. I am very sensitive to the flavor issue thouhh, and the tokens clearly cannot remain 1/1 colorless humans anyway now that the colorless stuff is restricted to Telengor. I'd make then 1/1 colorless flying spirits if that didn't conflict with Red's color pie.
Generally speaking, I do not believe that U/R token is an invalid theme in itself (certainly no less than, say, B/W warriors!), but U/R as a whole will need serious revision if it doesn't have access to colorless matters in red.
Let's just assume that it is possible for the game to check if a creature's power or toughness increases. (Even if it's not, you could just add a rule.) The one thing I don't like about the mechanic is that it only works with a subset of cards: Pump spells. And then it doesn't work well with all of them. Basically it's a mechanic that focuses entirely on combat tricks (and fire breath auras), because anthem effects would trigger only once, even though they're permanent.
I think another interesting variant could be like this:
Bulkmight - This creature has double strike as long as its power or toughness is higher than its base power or toughness.
You know, with R/G being flavored already as the guild closest to Telengor, I'm wondering if I shouldn't move Incarnate there... though the fact it can't help with Voidmind anymore is enough of an argument to negate the idea! I'm entirely open to a new name. Really Bulkmight is a placeholder because I haven't been able to think of a better one (Might makes Right sounds childish even to me!).
It was intended that bulkmight rares and uncommons would trigger themselves or even others:
Grohm Farmworker
Creature - Goblin Warrior (U)
Whenever Grohm Farmworker attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Bulkmight - Whenever Grohm Farmworker's power or toughness increases, the next spell you cast this turn costs less to cast.
2/2
And as for the density of triggers, well, people thought that about heroic too, and that worked out alright, didn't it? An Artin Acolyte type of effect or two go a long way in helping. However, it is rather obvious now that I say it that I should probably have made those multicolored, duh XD.
Again, very interesting, even though I don´t get how the name reflects that mechanic. But how is this green? Yes, switching power and toughness is kinda green, but the ability let´s you draw and discard a card, which is just red.
Pretty nice with an empty hand though, since every boost becomes a cantrip.
I think you may have misread the mechanic. The only card I posted that refers to P/T switching is blue (Tezzi Freethinker). Sadly Grove Wanderer doesn't work that way, and I'm dubious a "Bulkmight: draw a card" effect can be done at common...
I think you may have misread the mechanic. The only card I posted that refers to P/T switching is blue (Tezzi Freethinker). Sadly Grove Wanderer doesn't work that way, and I'm dubious a "Bulkmight: draw a card" effect can be done at common...
? The RG mechanic refers to p/t switching, since that's apparently Bulkmight's thing. Or what do you mean?
I am very sensitive to the flavor issue thouhh, and the tokens clearly cannot remain 1/1 colorless humans anyway now that the colorless stuff is restricted to Telengor. I'd make then 1/1 colorless flying spirits if that didn't conflict with Red's color pie.
I personally like the flavour of cards to be able to tell me a bit what each faction is about. Wizards really captured that in each edition of Ravnica, which made it a very good set, including other stuff of course. That's why I don't think Incarnate is a good mechanic for a trickster and artist caste, it's too boring.
Tezzi could have a much more complicated spell mechanic, which would be more fitting to the colours and the Izzet inspiration. For example extra costs per spell which give it a totally alternate effect. It would be an hommage to Izzet too.
Any guild mechanic that is very creature-based will have a zoo feeling, and especially so in white. That a fearsome champion would have a number of supporters/attendants from its temple makes perfect sense to me.
It kinda does, but it feels more military and lawful than spiritual. Would never have guessed that this guild has anything to do with religion, Leadership would actually work really well for Boros.
Dark Justice has been giving me lots of trouble, and I can't believe that I didn't think of the Heroic/devotion approach of having either multiple triggers and a single effect (probably the extort drain effect) or a single trigger (probably combat damage to the owner or casting spells during your turn) and various effects. Thank you both for pointing those possibilities. As far as the name goes, I'm entirely open to a new one, though I do think this one is fitting.
Casting spells during your turn would be a great general trigger. The effects could be negligible for cheap/common creatures and gradually stronger into the higher rarities. Should happen in almost every colour anyway, and if not you discouraged your opponent successfully. It also has a nice "don't interrupt me/don't talk back" feeling.
I think you may have misread the mechanic. The only card I posted that refers to P/T switching is blue (Tezzi Freethinker). Sadly Grove Wanderer doesn't work that way, and I'm dubious a "Bulkmight: draw a card" effect can be done at common...
? The RG mechanic refers to p/t switching, since that's apparently Bulkmight's thing. Or what do you mean?
I'm pretty sure I didn't somehow changes "Whenever ~'s power or toughness increases" into "Whenever's power and toughness are switched" on five different cards without noticing, and since indeed not a single spoiled card with Blkmight uses the word "switch" anywhere in its rule text, I'll reiterate that you seem to have somehow mistaken what the mechanic is about.
If you're using "switching power and toughness" to mean "altering power and toughness", you might want to do it without using an existing rules term already related to power and toughness
I personally like the flavour of cards to be able to tell me a bit what each faction is about. Wizards really captured that in each edition of Ravnica, which made it a very good set, including other stuff of course. That's why I don't think Incarnate is a good mechanic for a trickster and artist caste, it's too boring.
Tezzi could have a much more complicated spell mechanic, which would be more fitting to the colours and the Izzet inspiration. For example extra costs per spell which give it a totally alternate effect. It would be an hommage to Izzet too.
I consider Leadership to be my "complicated mechanic" in this set (especially now that I'm simplifying Dark Justice). Luckily I already have a ready-made mechanic for Tezzi. Incarnate was created to put out colorless tokens and to be a strictly instants-and-sorceris mechanic. The original Suvnica Tezzi mechanic was meant to be usable on most spell types, but can be very well restricted to instant and sorceries:
Knife Madcaps1R
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Encore - If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, that creature gets +3/+0 instead.
Curtain DropUU
Instant (U)
Counter target instant or sorcery spell. Encore - If a spell is countered this way and you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, you may copy the countered spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
Aerial Ballet1UR
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 red and blue Drake creature token with flying onto the battlefield. Encore - It gains haste UEOT if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Any guild mechanic that is very creature-based will have a zoo feeling, and especially so in white. That a fearsome champion would have a number of supporters/attendants from its temple makes perfect sense to me.
It kinda does, but it feels more military and lawful than spiritual. Would never have guessed that this guild has anything to do with religion, Leadership would actually work really well for Boros.
You do realize that Selesnya's flavor is also that of a religion? They were far more militaristic than the Aynsele about it. Aynsele needs you to go large, but the formal reward is one singularly powerful creature, something that Selesnya's extremely egalitarian approach wouldn't allow.
Casting spells during your turn would be a great general trigger. The effects could be negligible for cheap/common creatures and gradually stronger into the higher rarities. Should happen in almost every colour anyway, and if not you discouraged your opponent successfully. It also has a nice "don't interrupt me/don't talk back" feeling.
I'll probably have to wait until formal playtests to know whether casting spells during my turn or casting spells during combat (on either turn) is most interesting.
I'm pretty sure I didn't somehow changes "Whenever ~'s power or toughness increases" into "Whenever's power and toughness are switched" on five different cards without noticing, and since indeed not a single spoiled card with Blkmight uses the word "switch" anywhere in its rule text, I'll reiterate that you seem to have somehow mistaken what the mechanic is about.
If you're using "switching power and toughness" to mean "altering power and toughness", you might want to do it without using an existing rules term already related to power and toughness
Oopsie, yes I meant increasing/decreasing P/T, not switching them witch each other. My initial criticism still applies, it's just not very green.
Encore is much, much better than Incarnate.
You do realize that Selesnya's flavor is also that of a religion? They were far more militaristic than the Aynsele about it. Aynsele needs you to go large, but the formal reward is one singularly powerful creature, something that Selesnya's extremely egalitarian approach wouldn't allow.
Yes, so??? Still doesn't change the fact that there is hardly anything spiritual or religious about the Leadership mechanic. Yes, we get it, they choose a temle champion and all that jazz, but that's only apparent after you read the guild description. Honestly, when I first read through your cards without background stories I thought you made Aynsele into GW Boros, which could work in a GW Wheeny Humans kin of way.
By the way, thanks for having meticulous spoilers, it makes reading through your start post so much easier!
Yes, so??? Still doesn't change the fact that there is hardly anything spiritual or religious about the Leadership mechanic. Yes, we get it, they choose a temle champion and all that jazz, but that's only apparent after you read the guild description. Honestly, when I first read through your cards without background stories I thought you made Aynsele into GW Boros, which could work in a GW Wheeny Humans kin of way.
By the way, thanks for having meticulous spoilers, it makes reading through your start post so much easier!
I'm curious. Suvnica Boros (aka Sorba) are a guild originally charged with enforcing civilian justice, who have evolved to view the compact's laws (especially their Zhavi implementation) itself as a violation of that justice, and they have essentially gone rogue as enforcers and vigilantes. To represent their "protect the small guy" mentality, their mechanic is called Dauntless:
Dauntless - [effect] as long/if you control the creature with the lowest power.
Benevolent Captain
Creature - Dwarf Warrior (C) Dauntless - When Benevolent Captain enters the battlefield, if you control the creature with the least power, put a 2/2 red and white Warrior creature token on the battlefield.
2/3
New World HelixRW
Instant (U)
New World Helix deals 2 damage to target creature or opponent and you gain 2 life. Dauntless - If you control the creature with the lowest power, instead New World Helix deals 3 damage to target creature or player and you gain 3 life.
Would you suggest I should swap around the Aynsele and Sorba mechanics?
Would you suggest I should swap around the Aynsele and Sorba mechanics?
No, Dauntless works nicely for the caste you described. However, how does it work when creatures are tied for power? It's also very hard to shut it off, just a few 0/4 walls or soemthing and you got Dauntless for life.
No, Dauntless works nicely for the caste you described. However, how does it work when creatures are tied for power? It's also very hard to shut it off, just a few 0/4 walls or soemthing and you got Dauntless for life.
Thanks. And it does require that you specifically have the lowest power. It's not so hard to shut off if all you need is to have a 0/x of your own (there's a reason that the captain makes a 2/2 token and not a 1/1 XD). It's intended to be the harder build with high-reward deck of the set, kinda like the Evolve deck in Gatecrash.
I originally included a common colorless card with " : ~ gets -1/+1 UEOT" in my file to further enable the strategy, but I've since learned creatures CAN have negative power, so I probably shouldn't keep it because that's counterintuitive to most players (me included!).
I've posted reworked sets of white and black commons. I'm struggling a little with how to distribute my guild mechanics (I suspect myself of putting too many cheap creatures in black) and probably won't have confirmation until I've had a chance to test the set. Right now I'm tentatively alternating the card costs between colors.
I've dropped semihybrid cards. I'm not clear whether to drop multicolor hybrid entirely yet. Monocolor hybrid/twobrid is definitely staying.
I'm also introducing some mono-colored secondary themes. Currently the plan is as follow:
self-mill/recursion
lifegain matters (yes this needs a card or two more)
colorless matters doesn't belong in rav or suv and i doubt there's room for it anyways.
I would agree if it weren't for the fact that two different blue mechanics (Voidmind and the u/w mechanic in set 2) both make colorless creatures.
More accurately: Voidmind by definition is a "colorless matters" mechanic. I just intend to slip a few extra "colorless matter" cards without voidmind into blue, e.g.
Overextend
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays . If you control a colorless creature, counter that spell unless its controller pays instead.
While Zeffren wrote up a significant amount of the lore and flavor (in particular the guild profiles), the vast majority of designs and mechanics, especially in this first set, are mine. Specific credit will be given wherever appropriate.
[2015-04-26] Description of the Compact and profiles for and castes added.
[2015-04-28] Added :symur:, and castes.
[2015-04-29] Added white (including semihybrid) and colorless commons.
[2015-05-01] Full common set posted.
[2015-05-13] Spoilers removed for reworking. Casteless conflict removed from backstory. New preview cards for Telengor, Zhavi and Tezzi.
[2015-05-16] Reworked White and black commons posted.
[2015-05-18] New set of blue commons posted.
[2015-05-22] Small updates (see post #2)
[2015-06-02] Various white and black cards updated, added green and red commons.
[2015-12-03] Slight update to guild profiles, mostly to account for new mechanics. Removed card previews. Bulkmight renamed Invigorate.
Planeswalker's Guide to Suvnica
The Grand Experiment
Suvnica (known to the Consortium as world U in lineage S, the 19th lineage of the grand experiment) is in fact the youngest of these. To its original inhabitants, this was a massive colonization project of an uninhabited plane. They were recruited, some covertly, many unknowingly, across the multiverse to form the initial population on a welcoming new world. The guild system was instigated from the very outset of colonization as a way to immediately create much needed social structure in the budding civilization no less than two different guilds (The Zhavi and the Rimid) were tasked with the initial implementation (and later the enforcement) of the incredible, all-encompassing spell known to the Suvnicans merely as the Compact.
Soon a sprawling capital had appeared, pulled out of the ground by collectively driven spells even more massive than the Compact itself, and it wasn't very long before a few satellite establishment had been created along the coast that Suvnica had been built on, and deeper in the Hermland, as the uncolonized land was known. With no recollections ever (thanks to the Rimid's dedicated work) of a time when the caste system did not exist, the future looked bright for Suvnica. Sadly, this was not to be, for Suvnicans would soon find and entire plane turning against them and no possibilities to leave, or even memories of such possibilities.
The Compact
Each caste was assigned by design certain industries and civic duties (for example, enforcement of the Compact itself is devolved to the Zhavi). Respect of these divisions is traditionally seen as sacred, and even the castes that have grown to be the most strongly opposed to the Compact avoid violating these rules, if only because doing so would bring the full magical force of the compact against them.
The orthodox view is that the compact (much like the Guildpact) was designed to prevent any one caste to grow in power to a degree that it overshadowed the other. In practice, several castes, not least of which those that are tasked with enforcing the pact to begin with, are clearly dominant over the others. They are, unsurprisingly enough, the strongest proponent of the Orthodoxy. The knowledge that the Compact is an artificial creation rather than some universal rule is a well-kept secret, knowledge of which is considered heretical and ground for immediate execution by any Zhavi enforcer.
Suvnica's Response
According to the Artin, the Hermland was rapidly becoming more and more hostile to life, and they sought refuge into the Suvnican society. Although by now the very idea of people living outside the Compact of Castes was deemed entirely heretical by most Suvnicans, and particularly the Zhavi, many Artin did integrate into Suvnican castes, particularly into the Gilrog and the Grohm. And yet all the horrible events they had described, the increasingly monstrous and deformed creatures the Hermland spewed far away from Suvnica grew closer, grew ever more horrifying until only a few still dared to ever exit the walls of the city. Eventually Suvnica had to abandon its outposts, whose population were evacuated back to the city, and who are now, centuries later, all but myths of their own.
Suvnica, as the Artin call it, was defending itself against a magic alien to itself. The seemingly neverending waves of horrors that periodically swiped through the city were in fact planar "antibodies". And the increasing hostility of the land itself, a planar inflammation. For the most part, however, Suvnicans, who have now for centuries battened down the hatches and shuttered themselves inside their city, are entirely unaware of the situation, a situation which, if they take no actions against it, is bound to result in the annihilation of the city an most, if not all its inhabitants.
And so this is the state of Suvnica as we come and...
Meet the Players
The Zhavi Council
The Zhavi exercise a strict intra-caste hierarchy. At the top are the individuals that actually oversee enforcement of the Compact: the judges and tribunals. In practice, because the Zhavi prefer to apply their justice in the swiftest possible, few people are ever actually put on trial for violations of the Compact. In a typical case, a Zhavi agent acts as judge, jury, and merciless executioner. A third party has to intervene to actually invoke the right to a trial. Unsurprisingly, the Zhavi tend to operate in the shadows so as to not trigger such trials. In practice, the most common Zhavi method of law enforcement is covert assassinations, and less commonly the use of curses and similar types of magic to neutralize perceived threats to the Compact.
The Zhavi have complete monopoly over the application of justice, but not its enforcement (enforcement of common criminal law is devolved to a different caste), nor legislation of the Compact, although they are allowed to interpret the latter. This last element is by far the most frustrating aspect of the Compact, for it prevents them from acting against anything not specifically forbidden by the Compact. Prime among such heresies is the very existence of the Casteless.
Promotion within the Zhavi can be based on merit or influence, but is also primarily a function of heredity. A number of very prominent families in the Zhavi are always filling choice societal roles and setting the standard that members of other castes strives for.
The Rimid
For most, this is the extent of their knowledge of the Caste. Its members know better. Because their curse make them essentially memory wipers, they were originally tasked with ensuring that the Compact was established as immutable as early in Suvnica's history as possible. They were also tasked with removing the knowledge of others planes and planeswalking from anyone who came to acquire it, or traveled to Suvnica with it. The nature of this task means that they are one of only two castes fully aware of the actual origins of Suvnica -- even the fanatical Zhavi were all too happy to submit to the process.
The Rimid originally were proponents of the Compact, seeing it as a safeguard from annihilation by other castes. In recent times, the practical impact of being completely shut out from the rest of the world and living under the poor conditions that they are subject to has left them feeling like they would be better without the pact's burdens, despite the loss of its benefits. As a result and due to their knowledge, they are possibly, unbeknownst to the Zhavi, by far the worst enemies of the Compact.
They sustain themselves by preying on those too disconnected from society to be missed. They also have been known to offer incredible rewards to people's families to those who sacrifice their own lives to the Rimid. One recent sacrificial victim was a Cimis prophet. As a group of Rimid were feasting on his thoughts, they encountered a vague premonition about impending doom. The thought was lacking in detail, but they know that at the very least the prophet foresaw that a large number of Rimid would be wiped off the face of Suvnica. Since that time, the caste has grown more aggressive in their pursuit of knowledge, a practice that already had become a compulsive requirement of the vampiric curse.
The Tezzi
Some Tezzi verge into inventing and independent research, doing so in a haphazard "backyard genius" fashion. Since organized scholarliness id formally a Suiroza domain, Tezzi researcher work with stubborn independence. The joke goes that the problem with a Tezzi attempt at solving anything is that they have to repeat every mistake that their predecessors made before they can start discovering new ones to make.
Their favorite methods involve the a magic that according to the principles as understood in Suvnica, violate the principles of magic. According to orthodox comprehension as taught by the Zhavi and Suiroza, life cannot be created from nil. Existing creatures can be summoned, but this is understood as a form of teleportation. Life can be enhanced or brought back into what was once alive, it can also be transfered and so on, but creation ex nihilo was thought to be impossible. That is, until the Tezzi, always eager to strike at seemingly impregnable credos, cheerfully began to do just that, turning innocuous spells into living, breathing beings. This has only made the Zhavi even more eager to label the entire caste as heretical.
Tezzi members often use their wit to make a person averse to change see the futility of their stubbornness. They open people's eyes to alternative viewpoints not through direct statements of their opinions and beliefs, but by subtly nudging their target in a direction to reach the same conclusion on their own. They wish to show the world the futility of bureaucratic systems, of allowing individuals to be controlled and suppressed. They are master of weaving spells within works of art, and there's a reason Tezzi performances are most commonly described as "charming"!
Tezzi groups are historically the ones that have most frequently openly revolted against the Compact, but when they do, they are always met with brutal suppression by its supporters. Because of this, their numbers began to pale in comparison to those of other castes. They are kept alive by complete disregard for the pact's prohibition of integrating external members into the caste via adoption or intermarriage, but primarily by the fact that the Compact itself makes it impossible to wipe a caste entirely. This leaves them in the somewhat position of being protected by the very thing they seek to get rid of. The average Tezzi would tell you this is the very essence of being a member of that caste.
The Aynsele
Aynsele high priests have occasional prophesies which are instrumental in forming the caste's policies and goals. Each of their temples houses a champion, an individual that played a central role in their prophesies. Among the temple's primary functions are to help that champion reach her ultimate potential and realize the role destiny has chosen for her, and to protect her from others that may wish to see her destiny interrupted.
Aynsele are among the strongest proponents of the Compact. They believe that its prevention of intercaste conflict greatly benefits society, and that it helps individuals stick to the paths fated for them. While they accept tributes of food and gold from other castes in exchange for the spiritual guidance, tutelage and Asylum, non-Aynsele are forbidden from entering the inner-temple areas, a trespass punishable by death.
Early in the history of Ravnica, the Aynsele have instituted a non-negotiable policy of Asylum. This policy served to emphasize the caste's self-proclaimed neutrality within what they felt was the constant bickering of Suvnican politics. No one, regardless of caste status, can be forced under duress to leave an Aynsele Temple or have any harm brought unto them. To do so would be seen as a terrible crime amongst all citizens of Suvnica, and even though they'd rather not (for they are the most frequently frustrated by the rule in the first place), the Zhavi would find themselves compelled to set up a trial against the criminal.
The Grohm Brotherhood
Grohm are typically skilled hunters and foragers, very capable of living off the land, without too much regard to whose land it is. Many are also skilled farmers and gardeners, and their work brings much of the food into the city, as they are amongst the few that regularly dare to exit it. In fact, Grohm are expected to spend at least a week every year in the Hermland. A few Grohm have even established permanent camps, avoiding constructions so as to nod bring upon them the rage of the land. Between this and including a majority of the native Artin, the Grohm are the guild with by far the most knowledge of Suvnica outside the city. Their constant sharing of origin stories also mean that, despite the Rimid's best attempt, they are the only other guild aware (if not entirely knowingly) of Suvnica's artificial creation.
Sometimes wandering within the Rampart can lead to clashes with members of other castes, but most of these are aware that the odds of beating Grohm in a skirmish are against them, and feel that it is not worth the trouble knowing that the poachers will be gone within a few days. They most frequently come into conflict with the Zhavi over their repeated attempts (not all of them unsuccessful) to tame the notoriously unruly and aggressive native fauna of Suvnica, for the ever-suspicious Zhavi deem all from outside the Rampart a treat to the city's existence. Many Grohm make a modest living as adventurers for hire, acting as muscle and trackers for groups or individuals. However, the coin is rarely their prime motivation for doing any of this, and the moment that they grow suspect of their chances, weary of their company, or bored with the task, they won't hesitate to pick up and find a new adventure to tell stories about to their brothers.
While they adhere to the spirit of the Compact, believing that it ultimately acts to their benefit, they will openly disregard any of its tenets to which they can't find a good reason to continue adhering.. This is especially the case when it comes to permitting joining of the caste (as demonstrated when most of the Artin joined). As a result, while there are many families in the Brotherhood that can tell camp stories of their ancestors' accomplishments and prominence within the Grohm, there are just as many whose parents and grandparents belonged to other guilds - or none at all.
Telengor Fiend
Creature — Demon (M)
When Telengor Fiend enters the battlefield, destroy target colored permanent.
The native demons of Telengor took about as well as the rest of the plane to Suvnica’s alien magic.
5/5
Chilling Ancients
Creature — Spirit (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
When Chilling Ancients enter the battlefield, tap target creature if was spent to cast Chilling Ancients.
Hödekins do not always succeed in driving away the spirits of the dead.
2/2
Collapse the Rempart
Instant (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Exile target creature that dealt damage this turn.
Bearer of Truths
Creature — Human Soldier (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
, : Create a colorless 1/1 human token.
Tokens you controls have "Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
2/2
Translucent Wisps
Instant (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Target creature becomes colorless and gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
Draw a card if was spent to cast Translucent Wisps.
Master of Turnabouts
Creature — Faerie (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flash
Flying
When Master of Turnabouts enters the battlefield, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the amount of nonblue mana spent to cast it.
1/2
Divert Plans
Instant (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
You may cast Divert Plans without paying its mana cost if it's the first spell you cast this game.
You have hexproof until end of turn.
Headstone Visions
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Enchant creature
: Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
, sacrifice a creature: Return Headstone Visions from your graveyard to your hand.
Bituminous Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Bituminous Hödekin can't be blocked unless no other creatures are blocked.
The roads go wherever they want.
4/3
Smotherer Demon
Creature — Demon (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flying
When Smotherer Demon enters the battlefield, creatures target opponent controls lose all activated and triggered abilities until Smotherer Demon leaves the battlefield.
4/4
Sparks of Memories
Sorcery (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Sparks of Memories deals 1 damage to target creature. If was spent to cast Sparks of Memories, Sparks of Memories deals 1 damage to that creature's controller.
Rainbow Flames
Sorcery (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Rainbow Flames deals 4 damage divided as you choose among one or two target creatures and/or planeswalkers.
They are all colors and yet none of them.
Wyldfyre Summoner
Creature — Viashino Shaman (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Haste
: Wyldfyre Summoner gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
When Wyldfyre Summoner dies, add X mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool at the beginning of your next main phase, where X is Wyldfyre Summoner's power.
2/2
Hermland Explorer
Creature — Bear Druid (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
When Hermland Explorer enters the battlefield, if was spent to cast it, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
1/2
Sentry of the Vale
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, Sentry of the Vale gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/1
Pervasive Rejection
Instant (R)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Destroy target artifact, enchantment or planeswalker.
Creature — Human Cleric (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +1/+0.
1/1
Enlightened Ascetic
Creature — Cat Monk (C)
When Enlightened Ascetic enters the battlefield, you may destroy target enchantment.
1/1
Bathhouse Hödekins
Creature — Spirit (C)
"To our hödekins, dirtiness is next to castelessness."
2/2
Sundrop Shrine Fateful
Creature — Cat Cleric (C)
Sundrop Shrine Fateful enters the battlefield with two fate counter on it.
, Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: You gain 1 life.
2/1
Seller of Songbirds
Creature — Human (C)
When Seller of Songbirds enters the battlefield, Create a 1/1 white Bird creature token with flying.
1/2
Soup Kitchen Squad
Creature (C)
Whenever Soup Kitchen Squad or another creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, you may tap target creature.
2/3
Squad Savior
Creature — Bird Knight (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has flying.
2/1
Courthouse Warden
Creature — Human (C)
Flying
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
2/2
Barkcaller
Creature — Elephant (C)
: Barkcaller gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
3/2
Revoker of Absolutions
Creature (C)
Vigilance
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
3/3
Oppressive Rays
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays 3.
Activated abilities of enchanted creature cost 3 more to activate.
The real problem is how easy it makes it for the Zhavi to find you.
Training Session
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +2/+2. If its base power is 2 or less, untap it and it gains first strike.
Revoke Caste
Instant (C)
Tap target creature. It becomes colorless until end of term. Prevent all damage it would deal this turn.
Punching Light
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target tapped creature.
Call for Juries
Instant (C)
Create two 1/1 black Kor tokens with lifelink.
Mobile Palisades
Instant (C)
Each creature you control can block an additional creature this turn.
Draw a card.
Lucent Bolts
Instant (C)
Lucent Bolts deals 4 damage divided as you choose among one or two target attacking or blocking creatures.
Creature (U)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/2
Collegium Member
Creature (U)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has first strike.
2/1
Heraldist Page
Creature (U)
Heraldist Page gets +1/+1 as long as you have a champion.
2/2
Flashy Justiciar
Creature (U)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
When enters the battlefield, target creature can't attack or block this turn.
3/1
Zhavi Guarantor
Creature (U)
, Sacrifice a creature: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
2/2
Wielder of the Light
Creature — Angel (U)
Flying, First strike
: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to and dealt by Wielder of the Light this turn.
3/3
Subvert Justice
Instant (U)
The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to you or a permanent you control this turn, prevent that damage. Subvert Justice deals 3 damage to target creature or planeswalker you don't control.
Strict Asylum
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When enchanted creature attacks or blocks, exile it.
The Aynsele takes the prohibition against violence within their temple with the utmost seriousness.
Suncharge
Instant (U)
Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt this turn to creatures you control with base power 2 or less.
Imperious Diktat
Sorcery (U)
Exile target monocolored permanent.
If there’s one thing the Zhavi hate, it’s someone who doesn’t make it clear what caste they claim membership of.
Creature (R)
Flash, Defender
: Zhavi Bailiff can block an additional creature this turn.
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
0/4
Master of the Aviary
Creature — Bird (R)
Flying
Whenever a creature you control becomes a champion, create a 1/1 white Bird creature token with flying for each fate counter on it.
2/3
Luminate of Clearstream
Creature — Dwarf Knight (R)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Whenever your champion attacks, create a 3/3 white angel token with flying tapped and attacking.
2/4
Common Cause
Enchantment (R)
When Common Cause enters the battlefield, exile up to two target nonland permanents with converted mana cost 2 or less until Common Cause leaves the battlefield.
Being a Boros is not a crime in and of itself. Acting like one, now...
Treacherous Purge
Sorcery (R)
Cast Treacherous Purge only if you control four or more creatures.
Destroy all creatures.
Enchantment — Aura (M)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +4/+:4mana: , has flying and first strike, and is an Angel in addition to its other types.
When enchanted creature dies, return Angelic Destiny to its owner's hand.
Creature — Merfolk Rogue (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Infiltrated Lemuel can't be blocked.
1/1
Voidminded Lieutenant
Creature — Zombie Warrior (C)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Voidminded Lieutenant, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Flying, Prowess
2/1
Fate Sealer
Creature — Human Advisor (C)
Fate Sealer enters the battlefield with three fate counters on it.
, , Remove a fate counter form a creature you control: Draw a card, then discard a card.
2/2
Street Philosopher
Creature — Naga (C)
1/3
Shushing Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (C)
: Shushing Hödekin gains menace until end of turn.
3/2
Untouchable Delegate
Creature — Naga Wizard (C)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/3
Tezzi Freethinker
Creature — Sphinx (C)
Flying, hexproof
3/2
Wyldwater Voidmind
Creature — Serpent (C)
Wyldwater Voidmind can't attack unless you control a colorless creature.
"You can make a Voidmind out of anything. Sapience is only required if you intend to derive sustenance in the process."
— Thrallmaster Exvaren
6/6
Spellward's Twitch
Instant (C)
Target creature gains hexproof until end of turn. Untap it.
Rimid Investigations
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top three cards of target player's library. You may put any number of those cards in that player's graveyard, then put the rest back in any order.
Draw a card.
Frantic Glances
Instant (C)
Creatures you control gain " : Scry 1." until end of turn. (To scry 1 , look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Tightrope Act
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery this turn, instead each creature you control gets +1/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Uncertainty
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant colored creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
When Uncertainty is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
Clash of Minds
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand. If you control a colorless creature, you may put it on top of its owner's library instead.
Transfer Ideas
Instant (C)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Transfer Ideas, turn a creature you control face down.
Draw a card for each colorless creature you control.
Tezzi Parade
Instant (C)
Tap up to three target permanents.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, those permanents don't untap during their controllers' next untap steps.
See Through Guile
Instant (C)
Counter target spell. Untap up to two target creatures or basic lands.
Creature — Spirit (U)
, : Exile another target creature you control, then return that card to the battlefield under your control.
Better than any guard you could think of.
1/1
Fatebreaker :symx:
Creature (U)
Fatebreaker enters the battlefield with X fate counters on it.
: Move a fate counter from Fatebreaker onto target permanent.
: Tap all nonland permanents with fate counters on them.
1/1
Memorial Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (U)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Flying
Memorial Hödekin's power and toughness are each equal to the number of colorless creatures you control.
*/*
Library Warden
Creature (U)
Flash
When Library Warden enters the battlefield, exile target target noncreature, nonland card from a player's graveyard.
When Library Warden dies, you may put the exiled card into its owner's hand.
2/2
Tezzi Riotmaster
Creature (U)
: The next time a creature enters the battlefield under your control this turn, it gains haste and can't be blocked this turn.
Only a heretical mind could think you can control chaos, but it takes a truly deranged one to actually succeed.
3/4
Awaken the Reflections
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creatures. Its controller creates X 1/1 blue Illusion creature tokens, where X is the exiled creature's converted mana cost.
Amnesia Expedition
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a colorless creature enters the battlefield under your control or a creature you control is turned face-down, target player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard.
Reality Drain
Instant (U)
Counter target permanent spell. (A permanent spell is an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell.)
Never Seen Before
Instant (U)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Never Seen Before, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Creatures your opponents control get -2/-0 until end of turn for each colorless creature you control.
Out of Sight
Instant (U)
Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, instead return two target permanents to their owners' hands.
Creature — Faerie (R)
Flash
Flying
When Excelling Spellkin enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool equal to Excelling Spellkin's power. Spend that mana only to cast a creature or a sorcery spell. If you do, you may cast that spell as though it had flash.
2/1
Debauch
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, its controller adds to their mana pool equal to the countered spell's converted mana cost at the beginning of their next main phase.
Satirical Impersonation
Sorcery (R)
Choose a nonlegendary creature on the battlefield. Target creature you control becomes a copy of that creature until end of turn.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, instead each other creature you control becomes a copy of that creature.
Vilgrem's Intercession
Sorcery (R)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Vilgrem's Intercession, turn any number of creatures you control face down.
Gain control of target creature if its power is less than or equal to the number of colorless creatures you control.
"Giving up is such sweet sorrow."
Mnemonic Trespass :symx:
Sorcery (C)
Choose X different card types. Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a card of each chosen type, then puts all cards revealed this way into their graveyard. If there are no cards left in that player's library, they shuffle their graveyard into their library.
Sorcery (M)
Exile target player's library. Until end of turn, that player may cast any number of instant and sorcery cards exiled this way without paying their mana cost and as though they had flash.
Creature — Rat (C)
When Drainpipe Vermin dies, you may pay B. If you do, target player discards a card.
1/1
Sewer Stalker
Creature — Shade (C)
, Sacrifice Sewer Stalker: Destroy target creature if it has the least power or is tied for least power among creatures on the battlefield.
1/1
Chittergang
Creature — Rat (C)
Whenever Chittergang attacks or blocks, each player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.
2/2
Barterer of Fate
Creature — Kor (C)
Barterer of Fate enters the battlefield with two fate counter on it.
Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: Barterer of Fate gains flying and deathtouch until end of turn.
1/3
Corrupt Advocate
Creature — Human Advisor (C)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/2
Dutiful Attendant
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
When Dutiful Attendant dies, return another target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/2
Soulless Custodian
Creature — Kor Wizard (C)
, Exile Soulless Custodian from your graveyard: Create a 1/1 black Kor creature token with lifelink. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
1/4
Soothcloud Hödekin
Creature — Spirit (C)
Flying
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/2
Voidminded Rushdagger
Creature — Zombie Assassin (C)
Devoid (This card has no color.)
4/2
Zeftelen's Favorites
Creature — Hound (C)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
: Zeftelen's Favorites gains first strike until end of turn.
2/4
Blanker of Minds
Creature — Vampire Wizard (C)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Blanker of Minds, turn a creature you control face-down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Menace
4/5
Rip out Beliefs
Sorcery (C)
Reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put a card from among them into your hand. You lose life equal to that card's converted mana cost. Put the rest into your graveyard.
Split Skulls
Instant (C)
Split Skulls deals damage to target creature equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
Conscience Spoil
Instant (C)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Conscience Spoil, turn a creature you control face down. (It is a 2/2 creature.)
Target creature gets -2/-2 for each colorless creature you control.
Mental Agony
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards two cards and loses 2 life.
Joining the Voidminds is an especially unpleasant experience.
Crypt Implosion
Sorcery (C)
Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard, then target player loses life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
Home Invasion
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature or land.
Creature — Skeleton Rogue (U)
, Put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard: Return Eyeless Onlooker from your graveyard to your hand.
1/2
Piecemeal Forces
Creature — Rat (U)
Deathtouch
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
1/2
Soulhewer Shade
Creature — Shade (U)
Flying
Exile a creature card from your graveyard: Soulhewer Shade gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/2
Wailer of Epitaphs
Creature — Spirit (U)
Whenever a nontoken creature card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Hödekins will obsess over the strangest things.
2/2
Dweller in the Wall
Creature — Vampire (U)
Dweller in the Wall can't block and can't be blocked.
Voidmind — , Turn Dweller in the Wall face-down: Destroy target creature.
Only the Rimid share in knowledge of the secret Zhavi passageways.
2/1
Taxer of Opprobrium
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
, Pay 2 life: Spells you cast costs less to cast until end of turn.
1/5
Blind to the Eternities
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent gets -2/-2 and can't have counters put on it.
Voidmind Entrustment
Enchantment (U)
Colorless creatures you control get +1/+1.
: Return target colorless creature you control to its owner's hand.
Sort the Souls
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target creature with power 2 or less and target creature with power 3 or more.
Enforce the Compact
Sorcery (U)
Each opponent loses X life, where X is 1 plus the number of colors amongst permanents that player controls. You gain life equal to the life lost this way.
Creature — Vampire (R)
Whenever a creature card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, if it had flying, Impaler of Memories gains flying until end of turn. The same is true for first strike, double strike, dampen, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance.
3/3
Mnemonic Titan
Creature — Spirit (R)
Menace, Deathtouch
Mnemonic Titan gets +1/+1 for each creature card in your graveyard.
Sacrifice another creature: Regenerate Mnemonic Titan.
3/3
Skewer
Instant (R)
Skewer costs 2 less to cast if it targets a planeswalker.
Destroy target creature or planeswalker.
Out of Mind
Sorcery (R)
Voidmind — As an additional cost to cast Out of Mind, turn X creatures you control face down.
Target player loses X life, then you gain twice that much life, then that player puts three times that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard.
Review Punishment
Sorcery (R)
Choose two target creature cards in your graveyard. Return one to your hand and the other to the battlefield under your control.
Enchantment (M)
Skip your draw phase.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay :symx: . If you do, search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost X , reveal it and put it in your hand, then shuffle your library.
Creature — Human (C)
Haste
Fated Whistleblower enters the battlefield with three fate counters on it.
, Remove a fate counter form a creature you control: Target creature gains haste until end of turn.
1/1
Dragonfly Band Guards
Creature — Viashino Warrior (C)
First strike
1/2
Grohm Machetist
Creature — Goblin Scout (C)
Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Machetist's power or toughness increases, it gains menace until end of turn.
2/1
Operatic Aspirant
Creature — Viashino (C)
3/2
Hödekins of the Anvil
Creature — Spirit (C)
Haste
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
To a Tezzi smith, there is no such thing as too many hödekins.
2/2
Grove Wanderer
Creature — Bear Berserker (C)
Invigorate — Whenever Grove Wanderer's power or toughness increases, create a 1/1 red Viashino token with haste.
3/3
Liftoff Viashino
Creature — Viashino (C)
: Liftoff Viashino gains flying until end of turn.
4/2
Pressing Lunk
Creature — Giant (C)
Whenever Pressing Lunk attacks, target creature gets +1/+1 and gains trample until end of turn.
4/2
Inflamed Fury
Sorcery (C)
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
So-Called Mishap
Instant (C)
So-Called Mishap deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, So-Called Mishap deals 4 damage to that creature or player instead.
Incandescent Response
Instant (C)
Choose one or both —
* Counter target instant spell.
* Incandescent Response deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Never heckle the bard.
Madcap Skills
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+0 and has menace. (It can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Hostile Realm
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant land
Enchanted land has " : Target creature can't block this turn."
"This very plane rejects our city."
Raging Debate
Sorcery (C)
Discard your hand, then draw a cards. If two or more cards are discarded this way, draw three cards instead.
Summon the Stage Hands
Sorcery (C)
Create two 1/1 red Viashino tokens.
Encore — Those tokens gain haste if you cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Chandra's Outrage
Instant (C)
Chandra's Outrage deals 4 damage to target creature and 2 damage to that creature's controller.
It wasn’t about justice. It wasn’t about rules. It was about fairness.
Crashing Party
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target land. Create a 2/2 green Bear token.
Creature — Viashino Scout (U)
First strike
Whenever Fireleaf Scout or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Fireleaf Scout deals 1 damage to each opponent.
2/1
Wallbasher Allies
Creature — Spirit (U)
Haste
: All creatures able to block Wallbasher Allies this turn do so.
A hödekin has no need of walls to know where a field ends and another begins.
3/1
Grohm Conscriptor
Creature — Human Warrior (U)
Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Conscriptor's power or toughness increases, gain control of another target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
2/1
Anarchist
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
When Anarchist enters the battlefield, you may return target sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Jump off the Stage
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast Jump off the Stage, sacrifice a creature.
Counter target instant or sorcery spell.
Read the Crowd
Sorcery (U)
As an additional cost to cast Read the Crowd, discard a card.
Scry 2, then draw two cards.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery this turn, instead scry 4, then draw two cards.
Humiliation Conga
Instant (U)
Create a 1/1 red Viashino token, then Humiliation Conga deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of creatures you control.
Street Festival
Enchantment (U)
At the end of each player's turn, Street Festival deals 2 damage to that player unless that player's cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Magmatic Subsidence
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target artifact or land. Scry 2. (To scry 2 , look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
Empty the Dens
Sorcery (U)
Create three 2/2 green Bear tokens with haste.
Creature — Viashino Berserker (R)
First strike
Invigorate — Whenever Wyldwoods Slasher's power or toughness increases, Wyldwoods Slasher gains double strike until end of turn.
3/1
Sacrificial Dragon
Creature — Dragon (R)
Flying
When you cast Sacrificial Dragon, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, create X 1/1 red Viashino tokens with haste, where X is the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost.
4/4
Revolve
Instant (R)
Return target instant or sorcery spell to its owner's hand.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, scry 2.
Rebellious Intents
Instant (R)
Rebellious Intents deals 3 damage divided as you choose among one, two, or three target creatures and/or players.
Spell Cramming
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay R. If you do, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. (It remains exiled if you don’t.)
Planeswalker — Chandra (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+1: Draw a card unless a player has Chanda deal 2 damage to them.
-2: Creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
-XX: You get X emblems with "Sacrifice this: This deals 3 damage to target creature or player"
Creature — Plant (C)
Defender
: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
0/2
Aynsele Scholar
Creature — Elf Shaman (C)
: Put a fate counter on Aynsele Scholar.
, Remove a fate counter from a creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Alderbosc Hödekins
Creature — Spirit (C)
, sacrifice Alderbosc Hödekins: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a creature from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
It is very hard to get lost in the Alderbosc.
Skynet Warden
Creature — Elf Archer (C)
, : Skynet Warden deals 1 damage to target creature.
Whenever your champion attacks, untap Skynet Warden.
2/2
Lifebond Spider
Creature — Spider (C)
Reach
Invigorate — Whenever Lifebond Spider's power or toughness increases, you gain 3 life.
2/3
Garden Infiltrator
Creature — Dryad (C)
Forestwalk (This creature can't be blocked as long as defending player controls a Forest.)
Whenever Garden Infiltrator attacks and isn't blocked, another target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Aynsele Overseer
Creature — Naga Warrior (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by your champion this turn dies, you may draw a card.
3/2
Denraiser
Creature (C)
When Denraiser enters the battlefield, if you control a creature with a fate counter on it, create a 2/2 green bear token.
3/3
Aynsele Leader
Creature — Rhino Knight (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +2/+2 and can't be blocked by two or more creature.
3/3
Artin Acolyte
Creature — Bear Warrior (C)
Invigorate — Whenever Artin Acolyte's power or toughness increases, creatures you control gain trample until end of turn.
5/4
Reined Wurm
Creature — Wurm Mutant (C)
Reined Wurm can't be your champion.
8/6
Accede to Fate
Instant (C)
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it.)
Call of the Wyldwood
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent gets +1/+1 and has "Untap this during each other player's untap step."
Throw over the Rempart
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
Awaken the Bear
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn.
The early bear gets to smash your skull.
Garden Stroll
Instant (C)
Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. It deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don't control.
Aynsele champions never truly leave the temple gardens.
Escape into Rebirth
Sorcery (C)
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. If you control a creature with a fate counter on it, draw a card.
Creature — Elf Monk (U)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has " : regenerate this creature."
1/1
Grohm Storyteller
Creature — Rhino Shaman (U)
Tap another creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only once each turn.
1/3
Fated Artin
Creature — Bear Shaman (U)
When Fated Artin enters the battlefield, distribute two fate counters among one or two target creatures you control.
, , Remove two fate counters from among creatures you control: Create a 1/1 white bird token with flying.
2/2
Farmhands of Alderbosc
Creature (U)
Trample
Invigorate — Whenever Farmhands of Alderbosc's power or toughness increases, you may have target land you control become a 3/3 Elemental creature with haste until end of turn. It's still a land.
4/3
Kiteweaving Spider
Creature — Spider (U)
Reach, Deathtouch
Kiteweaving Spider can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach.
: Target creature gains reach until end of turn.
2/4
Foreseer of the Destined
Creature — Cat Shaman (U)
Vigilance
When Foreseer of the Destined enters the battlefield, search your library for a white or green creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
4/4
Pacifying Pollen
Instant (U)
Prevent all damage creatures without fate counters on them would deal this turn.
Camouflaged Companion
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "You may have this creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked."
Fate of the Fallen
Enchantment (U)
When Fate of the Fallen enters the battlefield, put a fate counter on target creature.
Creatures you control with fate counters on them get +1/+1 and have "When this creature dies, draw a card.".
Mirrored Will
Sorcery (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn, then create a X/X green Elemental creature token, where X is the targeted creature's power.
Creature — Spirit (R)
Invigorate — Whenever Wyldwood Ally's power or toughness increases, you may put a land from your hand onto the battlefield tapped.
1/1
Champion of the Unwilling
Creature — Knight (R)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion gets +2/+2 and has trample.
1/2
Lambslayer Hydra
Creature — Hydra (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may pay 1. If you do, put a fate counter on Lambslayer Hydra.
Lambslayer Hydra gets +1/+1 for each fate counter on it.
When Lambslayer Hydra dies, you gain life equal to the number of fate counters on it.
3/3
Overwhelming Fate
Sorcery (R)
Put two fate counters on a creature you control. Until end of turn, creatures you control gain trample and get +X/+X , where X is the greatest number of fate counters on a creature you control.
Call of Alderbosc
Instant (R)
Choose one or more—
* Creatures you control gain hexproof until end of turn
* Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control.
* Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature with flying.
Sorcery (M)
As an additional cost to cast Legends of Elder Telengor, reveal a card in your hand.
Exile the top X cards of your library, where X is the revealed card's converted mana cost, then create Y 2/2 green Bear tokens, where Y is the total mana cost of all cards exiled this way.
Creature — Human Shaman (C)
Leadership (Before combat on your turn, if you have no champion, designate one by putting a fate counter on that creature. It's your champion until your next turn. Champions attack and block alone.)
Your champion has vigilance.
3/3
Aynsele Loyalist
Creature — Rhino Archer (C)
Flash
When Aynsele Loyalist enters the battlefield, creatures with flying can't attack or block this turn.
2/4
Artin Riverwarden
Creature — Bear Berserker (C)
Trample
Invigorate — Artin Riverwarden's power or toughness increases, you may untap target creature. That creature blocks Artin Riverwarden this turn if able.
3/2
Enroll into the Hunt
Sorcery (C)
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap it. It gains trample, haste and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card." until end of turn.
Sweep over the Crowd
Sorcery (C)
Create two 2/2 blue and red drake tokens with flying and haste.
Banish into the Sun
Sorcery (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Banish into the Sun deals damage to that player equal to that creature's power.
Encore — If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, you may cast Banish into the Sun as though it had flash.
Memory Sipper
Creature — Vampire (C)
Voidmind — Turn a creature you control face-down: Memory Sipper gains flying until end of turn.
3/4
Dampener Voidmind
Creature — Zombie (C)
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
2/2
Interpreter of the Pacts
Creature — Kor Cleric (C)
Lifelink
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
1/3
Peal of the Doombell
Sorcery (C)
Creatures you control get +2/+1 until end of turn and gain your choice of vigilance or menace.
Creature — Bear (U)
Whenever Peaceminder Artin or another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 1.
2/2
Insolent Angel
Creature (U)
Flying
: Regenerate Insolent Angel.
3/3
Sundial's Shadow
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, you may tap target permanent.
Sun Remittance
Instant (U)
Return target creature you control to your hand. If that creature was your champion, you may return target creature card with the same converted mana cost from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature becomes your champion.
Grohm Farmworker
Creature — Goblin (U)
Whenever Grohm Farmworker attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Invigorate — Whenever Grohm Farmworker's power or toughness increases, the next spell you cast this turn costs less to cast
2/2
Rhox Bandleader
Creature — Rhino Warrior (U)
Haste
Rhox Bandleader's power and toughness are each equal to the total number of red and green permanents you control.
*/*
Colossal Might
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +4/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
Sudden Acrophobia
Sorcery (U)
Creatures with flying lose flying until end of turn, then Sudden Acrophobia deals 3 damage to each of those creatures
Not everyone is afraid of flight, but everyone should be worried when flight becomes impossible.
Disillusionist
Creature — Vedalken Rogue (U)
, : Disillusionist deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
, : Draw a card, then discard a card.
1/4
Saw in Half
Instant (U)
Saw in Half deals 4 damage to target creature or player. If a creature dealt damage this way would die this turn, return it to its owner's hand instead.
Levitator Madcap
Sorcery (U)
Create a 2/2 blue and red Drake creature token with flying.
Encore — It gains haste and gets +1/+0 until end of turn if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
Mass Protests
Instant (U)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays , then exile Mass Protests.
Until your next turn, whenever a player casts a spell, you may copy Mass Protests. If you do, you may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
Mnemonic Hurler
Creature — Vampire Shaman (U)
Flying, Prowess
Voidmind — Turn a creature you control face-down: Target creature you control gets +1/+1 and gains flying until end of turn.
4/4
Contempt of the Voidminds
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. You lose 4 life.
Blinding Souls
Instant (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Target creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the returned card's power.
Voidminding
Sorcery (U)
Draw a card, then choose land or nonland. Target player reveals their hand and discards a card of the chosen category. If they can't, you draw another card.
Oppression Judge
Creature — Dwarf Cleric (U)
First strike
Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate Oppression Judge.
3/1
Unimpeachable Warden
Creature — Elemental (U)
Flying
Interdict (Whenever a creature with power higher than this enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.)
: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn.
3/5
Enforced Community Service
Enchantment (U)
Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
Activated abilities of nonland permanents your opponents control cost an additional 2 life to activate.
In Suvnica, "to sweat blood" is rarely a figure of speech.
Lawful Exactions :symx:
Instant (U)
Exile target nonland permanent with converted mana cost X.
Creature — Angel (R)
Flying
When Aynsele Banisher enters the battlefield, exile target planeswalker or creature until Aynsele Banisher leaves the battlefield.
4/5
Armelle, the last Champion
Legendary Creature — Elf Warrior (R)
Whenever Armelle, the last Champion or another creature that shares a color with it enters the battlefield under your control for the first time each turn, you may draw a card. If you do, untap Armelle.
Other creatures you control get +2/+2.
4/6
Enliven the Gardens
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for up to two basic land cards or creature cards with converted mana cost , reveal those cards, and put one onto the battlefield tapped and the other into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Soul of Telengor
Creature — Elemental (R)
Flash
When Soul of Telengor enters the battlefield, each creature you control gains +3/+0 until end of turn.
2/2
Rumgarr, the Den Mother
Creature — Bear Warrior (R)
Other creatures you control that share a color with Rumgarr, the Den Mother have base power and toughness 4/4 and haste.
, : Create a 2/2 green Bear token.
3/2
Teeth of the Ancestors
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all artifacts and enchantments, then Teeth of the Ancestors deals X damage to up to one target creature or player, where X is 3 plus the number of permanents destroyed this way.
The Artin refer to thunder as the roar of the Ancestors, and lighting strikes where they bite.
Oenanda, Dramamonger
Creature — Faerie Rogue (R)
Flash, flying, haste
When Oenanda, Dramamonger enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 blue and red Drake token with flying for each other spell that was cast this turn which shared a color with Oenanda, Dramamonger.
2/1
Groundhog Day
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that attacked this turn. After this main phase, there is an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase.
Encore — Take an extra turn after this one instead if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
"I think I’ve seen this show before..."
The Show Must Go On
Instant (R)
Exile each creature you control. For each creature exiled this way, create a 2/2 blue and red Drake creature token with flying. Those tokens gain haste until end of turn.
Vilgrem, Rimid Overseer
Legendary Creature — Vampire Wizard (R)
Deathtouch
Dampen (Creatures blocking or blocked by this creature get -1/-0 until end of turn.)
Other creatures you control that share a color with Vilgrem, Rimid Overseer have dampen.
3/6
Intrusive Thoughts
Sorcery (R)
Target player discards two cards.
You draw a card and lose life equal to the total converted mana cost of the discarded cards.
Repell Psychosis
Sorcery (R)
Choose one or more —
* Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
* Return target instant card from your graveyard to your hand.
* Return target sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
Exile Repell Psychosis.
Obligations Elemental
Creature — Elemental (R)
Each creature your opponents control doesn't untap during its controller's untap step unless that player pays 1 life.
4/4
Zeftelen, the Doubletalker
Legendary Creature — Kor Assassin (R)
Whenever a creature you don't control die, its controller loses life equal to that creature's toughness.
Creature you control that share a color with Zeftelen, the Doubletalker have deathtouch and lifelink.
3/3
Vindicate
Sorcery (R)
Destroy target permanent.
"The only pity you can expect from justice is a painless death."
—Zeftelen, the Doubletalker
Creature — Angel (M)
Flying, trample
If a creature card would be put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
Whenever a card become exiled from anywhere, create a 1/1 white bird token with flying.
6/4
Pluck More Ideas :symx:
Sorcery (M)
Look at the top X cards of target opponent's library. Exile one of those cards and put the rest on the bottom of that player's library in any order. You may play that card for as long as it remains exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast it.
Spellfetcher Phoenix
Creature — Phenix (M)
Flying, haste
: Return Spellfetcher Phoenix and target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
It lives as long as it remembers even a single spell
2/2
Mevaram of Taremel
Planeswalker — Mevaram (M)
Starting Loyalty: 4
+1: Exile target permanent you control, then return it to the battlefield face-down under its owner’s control.
-2: Target player sacrifices a nontoken creature or planeswalker.
-7: Exile all nonland permanents you don’t control, then return them to the battlefield face-down and tapped under their owner’s control.
Zhavi Demon Worshipper
Creature — Kor Cleric (M)
Whenever Zhavi Demon Worshipper attacks and isn't blocked, other creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.
Whenever Zhavi Demon Worshipper becomes blocked by one or more creatures it gets +2/+0 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.
1/5
Artifact — Equipment (C)
Equipped creature is colorless and has " : Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."
Equip 1
Aynsele Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Aynsele Memorial enters the battlefield, target creature you control gets +1/+1 and gains vigilance until end of turn.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Grohm Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Grohm Memorial enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 red Viashino token.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Tezzi Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Tezzi Memorial enters the battlefield, scry 1.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Rimid Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Rimid Memorial enters the battlefield, target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Zhavi Memorial
Artifact (U)
When Zhavi Memorial enters the battlefield, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Blinkstone Armor
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
, : Exile equipped creature. Return it to the battlefield tapped and attacking under your control at the beginning of your next declare attackers step.
Equip 3
Land (R)
Sunbathed Glen enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sunbathed Glen enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Sprouting Ravine
Land (R)
Sprouting Ravine enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sprouting Ravine enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Caldera Retreat
Land (R)
Caldera Retreat enters the battlefield tapped.
When Caldera Retreat enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Sunken River
Land (R)
Sunken River enters the battlefield tapped.
When Sunken River enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
Gloomy Forum
Land (R)
Gloomy Forum enters the battlefield tapped.
When Gloomy Forum enters the battlefield, add to your mana pool.
: Add or to your mana pool.
"Dark Justice" is an abomination of naming that reeks of time spent browsing /tg/ and /v/ threads while salivating over Warhammer40k power-fantasy tales.
Rescue that poor mechanic from its name, and you have a really cute concept going there!
I love the concept of the set and the flavor. I'm such a sucker for faction-based storylines though!
Dark justice, voidmind, and bulkmight are all good mechanics, even if dark justice is parasitic. In this case the parasitism is good and forms a theme.
Incarnate, I don't like - blue and red seem the least likely colors to make tokens and having an alternate effect to a spell be just making a bunch of vanilla tokens technically creates variance but very little excitement. I'd give somebody the ability to make 1/1 colorless Humans, to fit with the colorless creatures theme, just not the Izzet-alikes. Keep the concept of alternate-effect spells though!
Meanwhile, leadership is bad-parasitic. It kind of feels like... exalted, but more ham-handed.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
The mechanic does two (three, in fact) things that are to the set: it allows U/R to concentrate further into instant and sorceries (though I admittedly haven't given used the freed space quite as much as I probably should have for cards useful to the other guilds), it lets the set have more colorless creatures (though I suspect I might have a little too many of them in the end), and it pulls the guild away from Izzet in mechanical feel.
UR tends to gravitate in the same areas always, and I wanted to make sure Tezzi had a very different feel from Izzet. I don't believe UR tokens is a bad theme idea. Red tokens are a classic, after all (and I can think of three constructed- or limited-significant blue token makers in standard). Plus other factions have had similar issues before: white extort and blue (!!) ferocious certainly come to mind.
What the guild needs is probably more/better reward for the colorless/token theme, though not all are obvious. Maybe I should just go for Trumpet Blast instead of Rally the Forces...
I'm not denying the mechanic is parasitic. It does, however, represent the guild to a T, and I tried to make sure these cards are individually playable. For the most part they are more playable than the average Populate card was, and you only need two to really start reaping the rewards (especially if one of them is the inconspicuous Squad Savior).
Voidmind: It's interesting but it makes me want ways to turn this drawback into an upside, and there aren't ways to flip up these creatures. Maybe cards that check colorless creatures plays well enough, I'm not sure.
Incarnate: It's weak, has weird flavor, and isn't exciting. This should definitely be redesigned.
Leadership: I love this mechanic. Not totally sure if the counter should be a fate counter, but I can't think of an alternative at the moment.
Bulkmight: Seems okay. Good but not great. I don't like the name.
Dark Justice
The law mechanic is definitely an interesting concept. However, as is, it has some serious memory issues. Imagine a player has three different creatures with Dark Justice on the battlefield. Now every time the opponent wants to make an action they need to check if that action is against the law and what exactly will happen. Your incarnation of the mechanic mitigates the second problem, but you still have to remember all the consequences of breaking one of the laws. It's a mechanic that reads nice but will play horribly in complex boardstates. Personally I think either the law itself or the consequence should be streamlined across all cards. So either you ban the same thing on all Dark Justice and each card has different effect, or the reverse. I'd prefer the second option with a simple effect that can go on a lot of creatures.
Maybe like this:
Dark justice (Whenever an opponent breaks the law, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Voidmind
This is a very out there mechanic and I honestly have no idea how to rate this. It reads weird at the beginning, but I have the feeling this could be a very deep mechanic with a lot of design space, depending on where you go with it.
My only gripe is that maybe Voidmind is too big (in scope) for a mere guild mechanic.
Incarnate
To be honest, I do not understand the point of this mechanic. It feels neither blue-red nor do I see any useful application for overcosted 1/1 creatures nor do I understand why you went for the weird wording, instead of having something like this:
Basically, I made it a morph for spells, except without the morph up option.
To go even further, you could actually make the cards creatures with channel or evoke. Unless of course, the UR guild cares about instants and sorceries.
Leadership
A cute one, that probably works well as a guild mechanic. The only problem I see is the tracking thing with the counters. It seems unnecessarily clunky. Maybe just look for the creature you control with the highest power or converted manacost or something that is inherent to each card. That would do away with the counters.
Bulkmight
Let's just assume that it is possible for the game to check if a creature's power or toughness increases. (Even if it's not, you could just add a rule.) The one thing I don't like about the mechanic is that it only works with a subset of cards: Pump spells. And then it doesn't work well with all of them. Basically it's a mechanic that focuses entirely on combat tricks (and fire breath auras), because anthem effects would trigger only once, even though they're permanent.
I think another interesting variant could be like this:
Well, this post kind of reads as if I don't like any of your mechanics, but the only one I don't really like is incarnate, and that's only because I believe it's in the wrong colours. The rest of the mechanics are interesting, but need a little refinement.
I still love the mechanic so I’m delighted to see it being used. Also, it’s really sexy in (W/B) Zhavi Council.
I like how Dark Justice uses a delayed trigger. It poses some tracking issues, but greatly reduces immediate complexity. One issue that the mechanic still poses is exponentiality (which is a word I just made up), which means… law and justice snowballs wildly and/or shuts your opponents out of the game either through sheer power or mere complexity. My “solution” so far is: Identical laws are redundant.
Think about it:
If four people witness a thief steal one item, the thief is charged for one count of theft, not four.
But if one person sees a thief steal four items, the thief is charged for four counts of theft, not one.
(I realize this statement isn’t legally proper, but you get it.)
So, if I control four Tax Collectors (below) and an opponent gains life, that opponent hasn’t broken the law four times, just once. So there isn’t an exponential infraction of the law, just one instance of a law being broken, so each Tax Collector will get only one +1/+1 counter (not 16 or w/e it would be).
If I control two Criminal Investigators, two Court Marshals, and two Tax Collectors, and an opponent gains life, I’d draw one card, return one creature to its owner’s hand, and put one +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
I don’t think the wording you’re using is quite proper. I suggest the wording of the cards below. I don’t imagine the following cards are amazing. They’re just intended to convey Law & Justice's potential. Hope this helps.
COMMON
Criminal Investigator (Rare)
1U
Creature – Human Rogue
1/3
It’s against the law to block Criminal Investigator.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may draw a card.
Court Marshal (Common)
2U
Creature – Human Soldier
2/3
It’s against the law for your opponents’ creatures to fight.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may return target creature to its owner’s hand.
Tax Collector (Common)
2W
Creature – Human Advisor
2/2
It’s against the law for your opponents to gain life.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a +1/+1 counter on Tax Collector.
Azorius Ancestor (Common)
1WU
Creature – Spirit
2/2
Flying
It’s against the law for your opponents to cast spells during your turn.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, untap all creatures you control.
UNCOMMON
Captain of the Guard (Uncommon)
WW
Creature – Human Soldier
2/2
It’s against the law for opponents to target creatures you control.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Rules of Engagement (Uncommon)
1WU
Enchantment
It’s against the law for your opponents to cast spells during combat.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, you may copy target instant spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
RARE
Military Detachment (Rare)
W
Creature – Human Soldier
1/1
It’s against the law for creatures to attack you or planeswalkers you control.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, put a 1/1 white Soldier creature token onto the battlefield.
Azorius Law-Writer (Rare)
2W
Creature – Vedalken Advisor
1/4
It’s against the law for your opponents to destroy permanents you control.
Justice - Whenever any of your laws are broken, destroy target permanent.
Hmm, are you sure about that? Breaking the law would still trigger all their Justice abilities, what exactly keeps it from resolving individually? Each one goes on the stack, each one gets resolved, nothing says that the same Justice ability can't resolve as often as you control it.
Sorry, but I really don´t get your reasoning behind that, am I missing something?
Now, about the Mechanics:
Aside from the rather childish name(sorry bout it), this is a rather interesting mechanic. However, a keyworded mechanic with different triggers AND different resolutions is way too convoluted. It creates a lot of memory issues, can´t imagine it´s very nice to play with it.
Also very interesting, will there be a way to morph those cards face up again? For it beeing part of a cost, it seems to reap not that high of a reward, especially if it means you lose whatever good creature you had to a 2/2 bear. Nice upgrade early game, make all your weak U creatures into something stronger, but what then?
Well, it is obviously supposed to go with Voidmind to increase the amount of colourless creatures you have, aside from that it´s very, very not blue. It also doesn´t feel neither very trickster nor artistic. Instead of a good spell, you made a 1/1 creature.....timid clapping
Whereas Dark Justice was too unique for each cards, Incarnate is exactly the opposite. Not really a problem, but repeating the same trick forever also isn´t very artistic or witty.
It feels much more Esper than anything else. Creating uniform colourless creatures(almost artifacts) with magic would fit more to a purely scientific faction.
I aggree with void_nothing, it really feels like Exalted+1. It also accumulates very fast and will be hard to shut down, which is always a concern. I mean, you can´t just always expect an opposing deck to run full on counter creature instead of having it´s own strategy.
It also doesn´t really feel spiritual which the guild is supposed to be, even with the fate counter. You just keep casting creatures and go broad, which is very Selesnya and Zoo like. But what is spiritual about having lots of creeps?
Again, very interesting, even though I don´t get how the name reflects that mechanic. But how is this green? Yes, switching power and toughness is kinda green, but the ability let´s you draw and discard a card, which is just red.
Pretty nice with an empty hand though, since every boost becomes a cantrip.
I think I'm thinking about this right.
Identical laws are redundant (you may have missed that part):
I control a Criminal Investigator and two Tax Collectors.
My opponent gains 1 life, which breaks my Tax Collectors' law, which in turn triggers each Justice ability once.
So I draw a card from Criminal Investigator and put a +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
Then I attack with Criminal Investigator and my opponent blocks it, which breaks Criminal Investigator's law, which in turn triggers each Justice ability once again.
So again I draw a card from Criminal Investigator and put a +1/+1 counter on each Tax Collector.
No?
Your last example is correct, but previously you mentioned having 2 Criminal Investigators but only drawing one card. That can't be right. Either a card per Investigator or no card at all.
It's a confusing mechanic which is why we passed it up as a guild mechanic in the first place despite its seductive flavor. I intend to implement it in a vertical cycle though.
I want to start with a question of JetEvans:
The design skeleton (which is now need a serious adjustment, see below) is a mix of the RTR and SOM skeletons. It can be seen on Multiverse (with a lot of bonus designs XD). When I next update the presentation, I'll probably make sure to put it in CMC order rather than alphabetical.
Thinking about my design goals made me realize there was a problem with them. I started out with one goal: design a set making use of the Suvnica reversed guild philosophy creative. This mandate a design goal for a multicolor set. As I developed the background, another mechanical element grafted itself onto the set (one I've tried before and will probably try again): Colorless matters. However it turns out I subconsciously integrated additional goals: fixing the complete failure of Return to Ravnica block to properly address the guildless conflict and actually providing an evolution of hybrid mana.
Now it should be clear and obvious that fixing the failure of the gateless storyline is entirely inappropriate for a block design that's not even set in Ravnica in the first place. Furthermore, it caused to have two distinct conflicts: one between colored cast member Suvnicans and colorless casteless Suvnicans, and another between colorless Telengor natives and Suvnicans that are both colorless and colored. That cannot work, and it's obvious that the set would be all the better if I ditched the colorless=casteless component. Besides it makes the other caste marker (colorless cards all have two types, colorless never more than 1) more flavorfully pertinent when it's no longer the least obvious marker of difference! Had anyone even noticed it?
SO. My new plan is for a 3-set block structure (it always was, but the third set was poorly defined in my head). The first two blocks have a much lower-key colorlessness element concentrated in their mechanics (the , and mechanics all have colorless elements), a couple twobrid spells (reflecting use of Telengor magic by suvnicans) and probably a single colorless cycle at each nonmythic rarity. The third set properly puts up the Telengor/Suvnica conflict that is alluded in the Rimid and Cimis guild profiles. I may or may not keep semihybrid cards. I like how they increase the proportion of multicolor and encourage guild decks without requiring two-colors for casting, but I suspect them of adding needless complexity (not to mention that they can be frustrating to design!).
As for the guild mechanics
Leadership is unashamedly parasitic. But then so was populate, and as I said earlier, it seems far too flavorful to drop: all the Aynsele of a temple backing their champion. As long as the cards can still be individually playable (and I believe for the most part they are more playable than the average populate cards), I can live with the mechanic being parasitic. I'd love if someone could come up with a way to track who the leader is that can be written down with a shorter reminder text, though. Any guild mechanic that is very creature-based will have a zoo feeling, and especially so in white. That a fearsome champion would have a number of supporters/attendants from its temple makes perfect sense to me.
Dark Justice has been giving me lots of trouble, and I can't believe that I didn't think of the Heroic/devotion approach of having either multiple triggers and a single effect (probably the extort drain effect) or a single trigger (probably combat damage to the owner or casting spells during your turn) and various effects. Thank you both for pointing those possibilities. As far as the name goes, I'm entirely open to a new one, though I do think this one is fitting.
Luckily I am not restricted by the peculiar logistic issues of mechanic reusability. I originally intended for there to be some cards that could turn face-down creatures you do not control, but the mechanic was eventually narrowed to caring about colorless creatures (adding a nonkeyworded Reality Shift is certainly a tempting option, though). Given the flavor is of identity and memory drain, these creatures are NOT intended to turn face-up again. Clearly, though, I need to adjust the curve for more 2/1s and 1/Xs so that turning them up is more often an improvement. There are some rewards, like Aerial Deployment and Looting Madcap. Higher rarities are intended to include at least one lord, and the next set has a blue Cavalry Pegasus for colorless.
As much as I like spellmorphs (I have in fact designed some myself), Voidmind flavors face-down creatures as having essentially undergone Ego Erasure, making it impossible to use the trick for Tezzi spells. I am very sensitive to the flavor issue thouhh, and the tokens clearly cannot remain 1/1 colorless humans anyway now that the colorless stuff is restricted to Telengor. I'd make then 1/1 colorless flying spirits if that didn't conflict with Red's color pie.
Generally speaking, I do not believe that U/R token is an invalid theme in itself (certainly no less than, say, B/W warriors!), but U/R as a whole will need serious revision if it doesn't have access to colorless matters in red.
You know, with R/G being flavored already as the guild closest to Telengor, I'm wondering if I shouldn't move Incarnate there... though the fact it can't help with Voidmind anymore is enough of an argument to negate the idea! I'm entirely open to a new name. Really Bulkmight is a placeholder because I haven't been able to think of a better one (Might makes Right sounds childish even to me!).
It was intended that bulkmight rares and uncommons would trigger themselves or even others:
Creature - Goblin Warrior (U)
Whenever Grohm Farmworker attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Bulkmight - Whenever Grohm Farmworker's power or toughness increases, the next spell you cast this turn costs less to cast.
2/2
And as for the density of triggers, well, people thought that about heroic too, and that worked out alright, didn't it? An Artin Acolyte type of effect or two go a long way in helping. However, it is rather obvious now that I say it that I should probably have made those multicolored, duh XD.
I think you may have misread the mechanic. The only card I posted that refers to P/T switching is blue (Tezzi Freethinker). Sadly Grove Wanderer doesn't work that way, and I'm dubious a "Bulkmight: draw a card" effect can be done at common...
? The RG mechanic refers to p/t switching, since that's apparently Bulkmight's thing. Or what do you mean?
I personally like the flavour of cards to be able to tell me a bit what each faction is about. Wizards really captured that in each edition of Ravnica, which made it a very good set, including other stuff of course. That's why I don't think Incarnate is a good mechanic for a trickster and artist caste, it's too boring.
Tezzi could have a much more complicated spell mechanic, which would be more fitting to the colours and the Izzet inspiration. For example extra costs per spell which give it a totally alternate effect. It would be an hommage to Izzet too.
It kinda does, but it feels more military and lawful than spiritual. Would never have guessed that this guild has anything to do with religion, Leadership would actually work really well for Boros.
Casting spells during your turn would be a great general trigger. The effects could be negligible for cheap/common creatures and gradually stronger into the higher rarities. Should happen in almost every colour anyway, and if not you discouraged your opponent successfully. It also has a nice "don't interrupt me/don't talk back" feeling.
I'm pretty sure I didn't somehow changes "Whenever ~'s power or toughness increases" into "Whenever's power and toughness are switched" on five different cards without noticing, and since indeed not a single spoiled card with Blkmight uses the word "switch" anywhere in its rule text, I'll reiterate that you seem to have somehow mistaken what the mechanic is about.
If you're using "switching power and toughness" to mean "altering power and toughness", you might want to do it without using an existing rules term already related to power and toughness
I consider Leadership to be my "complicated mechanic" in this set (especially now that I'm simplifying Dark Justice). Luckily I already have a ready-made mechanic for Tezzi. Incarnate was created to put out colorless tokens and to be a strictly instants-and-sorceris mechanic. The original Suvnica Tezzi mechanic was meant to be usable on most spell types, but can be very well restricted to instant and sorceries:
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Encore - If you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, that creature gets +3/+0 instead.
Instant (U)
Counter target instant or sorcery spell.
Encore - If a spell is countered this way and you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn, you may copy the countered spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
Sorcery (C)
Put a 2/2 red and blue Drake creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
Encore - It gains haste UEOT if you've cast another instant or sorcery spell this turn.
You do realize that Selesnya's flavor is also that of a religion? They were far more militaristic than the Aynsele about it. Aynsele needs you to go large, but the formal reward is one singularly powerful creature, something that Selesnya's extremely egalitarian approach wouldn't allow.
I'll probably have to wait until formal playtests to know whether casting spells during my turn or casting spells during combat (on either turn) is most interesting.
Oopsie, yes I meant increasing/decreasing P/T, not switching them witch each other. My initial criticism still applies, it's just not very green.
Encore is much, much better than Incarnate.
Yes, so??? Still doesn't change the fact that there is hardly anything spiritual or religious about the Leadership mechanic. Yes, we get it, they choose a temle champion and all that jazz, but that's only apparent after you read the guild description. Honestly, when I first read through your cards without background stories I thought you made Aynsele into GW Boros, which could work in a GW Wheeny Humans kin of way.
By the way, thanks for having meticulous spoilers, it makes reading through your start post so much easier!
I'm curious. Suvnica Boros (aka Sorba) are a guild originally charged with enforcing civilian justice, who have evolved to view the compact's laws (especially their Zhavi implementation) itself as a violation of that justice, and they have essentially gone rogue as enforcers and vigilantes. To represent their "protect the small guy" mentality, their mechanic is called Dauntless:
Creature - Dwarf Warrior (C)
Dauntless - When Benevolent Captain enters the battlefield, if you control the creature with the least power, put a 2/2 red and white Warrior creature token on the battlefield.
2/3
Instant (U)
New World Helix deals 2 damage to target creature or opponent and you gain 2 life.
Dauntless - If you control the creature with the lowest power, instead New World Helix deals 3 damage to target creature or player and you gain 3 life.
Would you suggest I should swap around the Aynsele and Sorba mechanics?
No, Dauntless works nicely for the caste you described. However, how does it work when creatures are tied for power? It's also very hard to shut it off, just a few 0/4 walls or soemthing and you got Dauntless for life.
Thanks. And it does require that you specifically have the lowest power. It's not so hard to shut off if all you need is to have a 0/x of your own (there's a reason that the captain makes a 2/2 token and not a 1/1 XD). It's intended to be the harder build with high-reward deck of the set, kinda like the Evolve deck in Gatecrash.
I originally included a common colorless card with " : ~ gets -1/+1 UEOT" in my file to further enable the strategy, but I've since learned creatures CAN have negative power, so I probably shouldn't keep it because that's counterintuitive to most players (me included!).
I've dropped semihybrid cards. I'm not clear whether to drop multicolor hybrid entirely yet. Monocolor hybrid/twobrid is definitely staying.
I'm also introducing some mono-colored secondary themes. Currently the plan is as follow:
colorless matters doesn't belong in rav or suv and i doubt there's room for it anyways.
I would agree if it weren't for the fact that two different blue mechanics (Voidmind and the u/w mechanic in set 2) both make colorless creatures.
More accurately: Voidmind by definition is a "colorless matters" mechanic. I just intend to slip a few extra "colorless matter" cards without voidmind into blue, e.g.
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays . If you control a colorless creature, counter that spell unless its controller pays instead.
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