Lord Gryndfel (Rare) 2BGU
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric Wizard
3/4 BGU, T: Regenerate target creature. You gain control of that creature if it regenerates this way.
I'd like to take a whack at some common exalted cards. Exalted has been printed in every color but red, and I'd like to see it in red this time around. I think it should probably be in two other colors, and specifically the colors where the "Commander-style" / "play one legend" cards are going to get the most support. I actually think that UBR / Grixis makes the most sense for the way exalted will be used in this set. Does anybody else agree?
Right, UBR feels right for a boost-one-legend playstyle. It feels like Avacyn Restored's loners, like I said, which doesn't work together with exalted at all, but the similarity in style is astounding. This is the Dark Lord cheered on by his evil subjects. Imagine Sauron battling one on one with Isildur or whomever, with a crowd of hooting Orcs saying "Crush 'im, Sire!" and "Stupid puny man!" and all that.
To be really old-school Gryndfel should be part white a la Debt of Loyalty!
Imagine if red's exalted weenie were a 0/1 for R or a 1/1 for RR with exalted and haste. That would be an interesting dynamic. That'd probably have to be at an uncommon slot.
Imagine if red's exalted weenie were a 0/1 for R or a 1/1 for RR with exalted and haste. That would be an interesting dynamic. That'd probably have to be at an uncommon slot.
I was thinking much the same thing.
I think you could get away with 1/1 exalted + haste for 1R. Probably even at common.
Tairne of the Piercing ShotGW
Legendary Creature - Elf Archer (R) W: Tairne gets +0/+1 and gains vigilance until end of turn. GW: Tairne gets +1/+1 and gains reach and first strike until end of turn. 3GG: Tairne gets +7/+7 and gains trample until end of turn. "Straight through those worthless foes!"
2/1
Fradraz Yirl, Lanternlyre Bard2RG
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Exalted
Whenever Fradraz Yirl deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may cast a sorcery card with the same converted mana cost as that spell from your hand without paying its mana cost. Yirl's celebrated opera Fire's Final Triumph had an explosive premiere.
2/2
Bohun, Knight of Coals3RR
Legendary Creature - Ogre Knight (R)
Exalted
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, each player sacrifices an artifact and a land.
4/4
Ighokmin, Meteor LichUBR
Legendary Creature - Zombie Wizard (M)
You don't lose the game for not being able to draw a card.
At the beginning of each opponent's end step, if that player has fewer than one-tenth of the cards in his or her library as they did at the beginning of the game, that player loses the game.
0/6
Yoichi UmezawaB
Legendary Creature - Human Archer Assassin (R)
Protection from enchantments BB, T: Destroy target creature if an odd number of creatures have died this turn.
1/1
Bykheos the Unstoppable5RR
Legendary Creature - Cyclops (R)
Trample
If a "destroy" effect or lethal damage would cause Bykheos to be destroyed, instead exile Bykheos, it deals 4 damage to target creature or player, then return Bykheos to the battlefield under its owner's control.
7/7
Tordeas, Our Defeater3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature - Sphinx (M)
Flying, deathtouch
Instant and sorcery spells with "all" in their text you cast cost 2 less to cast. T: Add WW to your mana pool.
3/4
Good stuff Void. Truly retro. I especially like Fradraz!
Hell's Gatekeeper (Mythic) 4BR
Legendary Creature - Elder Demon
6/6
Haste
When Hell's Gatekeeper enters the battlefield, search your library for up to two cards named Hellhound and put them onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Duchess Ufectra (Uncommon) UBR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
1/1 UBR, T: Duchess Ufectra deals 1 damage to target player. That player discards a card and you draw a card.
Yeah, but attacking with a 0/1 to get exalted pump doesn't seem compelling when you can just, you know, attack with one of your actual exalted creatures.
Maybe you don't want to sacrifice one of your creatures with Exalted but want to be able to attack immediately. If we use it at all, it's probably better suited as an uncommon for Limited purposes. Wouldn't want a deck full of these but one could be a fun surprise.
Gold Dragon (Mythic) 1WUBRG
Creature – Elder Dragon
5/5
Flying
You control all multicolored permanents.
Swamp-King Slarge (Rare) 4B
Legendary Creature - Giant Slug
4/3
Swampwalk
Whenever Swamp-King Slarge attacks, put a slime counter on target land. That land is a Swamp for as long as it has a slime counter on it.
When Slarge leaves the battlefield, remove all slime counters from all permanents you don't control.
Dethrone (Uncommon) W
Instant
Exile target legendary creature.
Turn to Worms (Common) 2B
Instant
Destroy target creature. Its controller puts three 1/1 black Worm creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Return of the King (Uncommon) 3W
Sorcery
Return target legendary creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains indestructible.
Nether Abyss (Rare) 3B
Legendary Enchantment
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a nonlegendary creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are no legendary creatures on the battlefield, sacrifice Nether Abyss.
Elementality (Mythic) WUBRG
Legendary Enchantment
Whenever you cast Elementality or another spell, draw a card for each of that spell's colors.
Wisdom of the Ages (Uncommon) 3UU
Sorcery
If you have fewer than seven cards in hand, draw cards equal to the difference.
Transmute (Uncommon) 1BB
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Transmute, discard a card.
Search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost equal to the discarded card's converted mana cost, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Lightning Strike (Uncommon) 2R
Instant
Lightning Strike deals 4 damage to target creature or player.
I don't know why, but when I stumbled across this I felt compelled to post it here. Perhaps because D&D was apparently such a huge influence behind Legends.
Recent most excellent threads concerning Magic's color pie and some people's tendency to negate the philosophical relevance of color pie with relativistic philosophy got me thinking about a way to discuss the motivation behind, if not the morality of, each color without reducing or even relegating them to relativism. I think most if not all of us understand amorality if not the concept of "beyond good and evil" - at least intellectually, theoretically, philosophically, and so on, but probably not experientially. I thought it might help to put them into some sort of context that essentially forces us to examine them like human beings with moral motivations instead of pseudo-gods with amoral aspirations - rather than imagining that if a known serial killer kicked down your front door and put an axe through your child's skull, you'd just shrug and say "some serial killers are emotional, and this serial killer probably thinks he or she had logical intentions for murdering my child and certainly isn't evil because evil doesn't exist."
Anyways, my search for an alternative context by which to compare and contrast the colors led me to the D&D alignments and which alignments best fit the colors of Magic to give an overall picture of the overarching principles of each color.
(For those of you who don't know, Wizards makes D&D and M:tG.)
Here's my lineup:
W - Lawful Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral
U - Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil
B - Neutral Evil, Lawful Evil, Chaotic Evil
R - Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Good
G - Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral
or the short (and I might add, traditional) version:
W is Lawful U is Neutral B is Evil R is Chaotic G is Good
This may not be especially relevant here (or anywhere), but it's fun food for thought.
Clave Witch2U
Creature — Merfolk Cleric [C]
Hexproof
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[2/1]
Chorus of the Deep1U
Enchantment [C]
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, defending player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Infamous Heel4B
Creature — Ogre Warrior [C]
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[3/3]
Necrodrome AgentB
Creature — Human Assassin [C]
Deathtouch
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[0/1]
Wire Jumper1R
Creature — Goblin Berserker [C]
Haste
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[1/1]
Path of Destruction3R
Enchantment — Aura [C]
Enchant land
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, destroy enchanted land.
Stuff looks good. I'm not a fan of the names Infamous Heel and Wire Jumper. Mechanically the cards are okay but 'meh'. The enchantments are super great. I think Chorus of the Deep could/should be better than Jace's Erasure due to risk of creature death. Perhaps "...puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard for each creature you control."? Or just give it a fixed mill N. More ideas:
Goldenbough (Rare) 2G
Legendary Creature - Treefolk
2/4 T: Reveal any number of multicolored cards in your hand. Add W, U, B, R, or G to your mana pool for each card revealed this way.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears (Uncommon) 2G
Instant
Add R to your mana pool for each creature that attacked this turn.
Add W to your mana pool for each creature that blocked this turn.
Add B to your mana pool for each creature that died this turn.
Pacify (Common) W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays X, where X is the difference between your life total and enchanted creature’s life total.
Stuff looks good. I'm not a fan of the names Infamous Heel and Wire Jumper. Mechanically the cards are okay but 'meh'. The enchantments are super great. I think Chorus of the Deep could/should be better than Jace's Erasure due to risk of creature death. Perhaps "...puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard for each creature you control."? Or just give it a fixed mill N.
Thanks!
As for Chorus of the Deep vs. Jace's Erasure, I think the better comparison is vs. Angelic Benediction. Chorus is mostly there for the robust, enchantment-based exalted. The mill is just garnish.
Infamous Heel and Wire Jumper: I'm working towards an idea here. It's not fully expressed yet, but remember these once I drop some flavor / setting tidbits.
And so Exalted is the returning mechanic. I have mixed feelings/thoughts about this (because I'm a huge fan of exalted). Honestly, I didn't think there would be any key/ability word mechanics - custom or otherwise - other than evergreens since Legends didn't have any. If we have a returning mechanic, that means we have a suite of mechanics. In my opinion, the only non-evergreen, returning key/ability word mechanics Legends II should have are those already found on reprints.
Otherwise, I think we're heading towards "fix Kamigawa" territory again. Legends was raw and wild. It was poorly refined yet well defined despite the absence of keywords doing the work for us (as both players and designers). I think that should be one of our goals even though it goes strongly against our contemporary mindsets. It is natural for us to want to establish and/or find order. Legends was a very abstract set yet was just ordered enough for us to grasp while leaving so many unanswered questions that we're still talking about it today. That's a far greater achievement than copying and pasting the current status quo of set skeletons and design and calling it Legends II.
I guess what I'm saying/asking is, can we please make a set with zero (non-evergreen) key/ability words other than those found on the purple reprints and instead make 400ish cards that speak for themselves? As much as I appreciate all of the recent "how to make a cookie cutter set" threads, I'm frankly kind of sick of them and would like to be part of something right-brained - impulsive, unrefined, raw - for a little while. I hope yall do to because that's what makes Legends so legendary in the first place.
For 25,000 years, the elder dragon Nicol Bolas studied the Multiverse, raiding its secrets for purposes known only to him. Then, calamity struck in the form of the Dominarian time rifts. These rifts were so powerful that their Mending caused the reality of the Multiverse to warp, and the nature of the planeswalkers' spark to suddenly change. Bolas had one such spark. When the rifts closed, so closed 25,000 years of the elder dragon's memories and machinations. In the centuries since the Mending, Bolas desperately tried to scheme his way back to the ultimate power he once nearly possessed. Despite all of Bolas's treachery, the elder dragon remained in fugue about the terrible masterwork that he nearly completed centuries ago. Now, in the elder dragon's absence, his darkest achievement has completed itself.
Hail Discordia!
Assembled from more than 25,000 years of fractured planes and broken timelines, Discordia is an artificial plane of Bolas's design, forever churning in the eye of chaos. Heroes, villains, and relics of great power were pulled across the gulfs of time by Bolas and assembled in Discordia, a place where beautiful cities can give way to blasted wastelands in the blink of an eye, through a cataclysmic process called the planequake. Shards of a thousand worlds exist here, their inhabitants in a constant state of fear that the next planequake will shift their world and place it next to a hostile realm of depraved killers, feral beasts, or worse. Nearly every Discordian remembers the encounter with Bolas that brought them to the plane, but in Bolas's absence, the rage or kinship they once felt towards the elder dragon has given way to more pressing concerns, such as their desperate struggle for survival.
The Necrodrome
The raw chaos of Discordia was always meant to be hammered into a weapon of absolute law. That the blacksmith left Discordia's forge before its completion is of little consequence to those who understand how to work the plane's raw elements. Now, the most powerful of Bolas's captured realms has ascended to become Discordia's upstart master. The dread Necrodrome, an immense construction of flesh and dark metal, swims through the chaos of Discordia's planequakes, professing its doctrine of death to every one of Bolas's planar captive across the waves of time. Two by two, the masters of the Necrodrome pit the Discordian demiplanes against one another, extracting the victors as agents, and sending the losers to serve in death as foot soldiers against any realm that resists them. The ultimate goal of the Necrodrome's unseen masters is first to unite Discordia under its rule, then use the plane to stage a war against the entire Multiverse.
Heroes of Legend!
Kidnapped through time by Bolas, then stranded in fugue on Discordia to die at the hands of Necrodrome warlords, legendary heroes both notorious and new have found a common purpose: to defy the Necrodrome's law of death. These heroes seek to restore their lands and people to the times and places of their origin, or if that is impossible, simply to escape Discordia and win great victories across a Multiverse both strange and new. Within Discordia's forge of destruction, new leaders may rise up to break the hammer that would crush them. Will a new epoch of legends arise? Or will the realm of death suffocate the shards of the Multiverse's history?
<-- The above flavor stuff is, of course, entirely up for debate.
But, minus the flowery prose, the basic idea is: as many disparate settings / characters as you want, united only with this plot device of these mini-realities being forced to fight each other to the death in the Necrodrome, which is something like a combination between the Death Star / the Roman Coliseum / a WWE cage match.
And the Necrodrome stuff doesn't really have to play into anybody's individual cards, I'm proposing it basically as background info. If you want to totally ignore it and focus on your own creative stuff, that's what the idea of Discordia is there for: to explain why it doesn't all have to make sense together.
I guess what I'm saying/asking is, can we please make a set with zero (non-evergreen) key/ability words other than those found on the purple reprints and instead make 400ish cards that speak for themselves? As much as I appreciate all of the recent "how to make a cookie cutter set" threads, I'm frankly kind of sick of them and would like to be part of something right-brained - impulsive, unrefined, raw - for a little while. I hope yall do to because that's what makes Legends so legendary in the first place.
I think you're mis-characterizing Legends 1 a bit, here. Legends 1 introduced a BUNCH of major mechanics for the first time:
Legendary (duh)
Multicolor
Enchant world
Bands with other
Rampage
That said, I agree with the sentiment of not hanging this whole set on 3-4 keyword mechanics that somehow define the "themes". I think there should be a lot of strange bedfellows: a little tribal here, a little graveyard there, etc. But I don't think the set will work if it's just 300+ one-offs. That's not how Legends 1 worked, anyway. There was still a bit of structure to it.
Lord Gryndfel (Rare)
2BGU
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric Wizard
3/4
BGU, T: Regenerate target creature. You gain control of that creature if it regenerates this way.
I'd like to take a whack at some common exalted cards. Exalted has been printed in every color but red, and I'd like to see it in red this time around. I think it should probably be in two other colors, and specifically the colors where the "Commander-style" / "play one legend" cards are going to get the most support. I actually think that UBR / Grixis makes the most sense for the way exalted will be used in this set. Does anybody else agree?
To be really old-school Gryndfel should be part white a la Debt of Loyalty!
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I think you could get away with 1/1 exalted + haste for 1R. Probably even at common.
Tairne of the Piercing Shot GW
Legendary Creature - Elf Archer (R)
W: Tairne gets +0/+1 and gains vigilance until end of turn.
GW: Tairne gets +1/+1 and gains reach and first strike until end of turn.
3GG: Tairne gets +7/+7 and gains trample until end of turn.
"Straight through those worthless foes!"
2/1
Fradraz Yirl, Lanternlyre Bard 2RG
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Exalted
Whenever Fradraz Yirl deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may cast a sorcery card with the same converted mana cost as that spell from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Yirl's celebrated opera Fire's Final Triumph had an explosive premiere.
2/2
Bohun, Knight of Coals 3RR
Legendary Creature - Ogre Knight (R)
Exalted
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, each player sacrifices an artifact and a land.
4/4
Ighokmin, Meteor Lich UBR
Legendary Creature - Zombie Wizard (M)
You don't lose the game for not being able to draw a card.
At the beginning of each opponent's end step, if that player has fewer than one-tenth of the cards in his or her library as they did at the beginning of the game, that player loses the game.
0/6
Yoichi Umezawa B
Legendary Creature - Human Archer Assassin (R)
Protection from enchantments
BB, T: Destroy target creature if an odd number of creatures have died this turn.
1/1
Bykheos the Unstoppable 5RR
Legendary Creature - Cyclops (R)
Trample
If a "destroy" effect or lethal damage would cause Bykheos to be destroyed, instead exile Bykheos, it deals 4 damage to target creature or player, then return Bykheos to the battlefield under its owner's control.
7/7
Tordeas, Our Defeater 3UB
Legendary Artifact Creature - Sphinx (M)
Flying, deathtouch
Instant and sorcery spells with "all" in their text you cast cost 2 less to cast.
T: Add WW to your mana pool.
3/4
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Hell's Gatekeeper (Mythic)
4BR
Legendary Creature - Elder Demon
6/6
Haste
When Hell's Gatekeeper enters the battlefield, search your library for up to two cards named Hellhound and put them onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Hellhound (Common)
BR
Creature - Devil Hound
2/2
Haste
Are we doing uncommon legends?
Duchess Ufectra (Uncommon)
UBR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
1/1
UBR, T: Duchess Ufectra deals 1 damage to target player. That player discards a card and you draw a card.
Raging Kobold (Common)
0
Creature - Kobold
0/1
Haste
Dinner called. That's weird and funny. Can we make it relevant?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Isn't Exalted in red?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
1WUBRG
Creature – Elder Dragon
5/5
Flying
You control all multicolored permanents.
Swamp-King Slarge (Rare)
4B
Legendary Creature - Giant Slug
4/3
Swampwalk
Whenever Swamp-King Slarge attacks, put a slime counter on target land. That land is a Swamp for as long as it has a slime counter on it.
When Slarge leaves the battlefield, remove all slime counters from all permanents you don't control.
Dethrone (Uncommon)
W
Instant
Exile target legendary creature.
Turn to Worms (Common)
2B
Instant
Destroy target creature. Its controller puts three 1/1 black Worm creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Return of the King (Uncommon)
3W
Sorcery
Return target legendary creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains indestructible.
Nether Abyss (Rare)
3B
Legendary Enchantment
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a nonlegendary creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are no legendary creatures on the battlefield, sacrifice Nether Abyss.
Elementality (Mythic)
WUBRG
Legendary Enchantment
Whenever you cast Elementality or another spell, draw a card for each of that spell's colors.
Wisdom of the Ages (Uncommon)
3UU
Sorcery
If you have fewer than seven cards in hand, draw cards equal to the difference.
Transmute (Uncommon)
1BB
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Transmute, discard a card.
Search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost equal to the discarded card's converted mana cost, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Lightning Strike (Uncommon)
2R
Instant
Lightning Strike deals 4 damage to target creature or player.
or the short (and I might add, traditional) version:
This may not be especially relevant here (or anywhere), but it's fun food for thought.
Creature — Merfolk Cleric [C]
Hexproof
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[2/1]
Chorus of the Deep 1U
Enchantment [C]
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, defending player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Infamous Heel 4B
Creature — Ogre Warrior [C]
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[3/3]
Necrodrome Agent B
Creature — Human Assassin [C]
Deathtouch
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[0/1]
Wire Jumper 1R
Creature — Goblin Berserker [C]
Haste
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
[1/1]
Path of Destruction 3R
Enchantment — Aura [C]
Enchant land
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, destroy enchanted land.
Goldenbough (Rare)
2G
Legendary Creature - Treefolk
2/4
T: Reveal any number of multicolored cards in your hand. Add W, U, B, R, or G to your mana pool for each card revealed this way.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears (Uncommon)
2G
Instant
Add R to your mana pool for each creature that attacked this turn.
Add W to your mana pool for each creature that blocked this turn.
Add B to your mana pool for each creature that died this turn.
Pacify (Common)
W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block unless its controller pays X, where X is the difference between your life total and enchanted creature’s life total.
As for Chorus of the Deep vs. Jace's Erasure, I think the better comparison is vs. Angelic Benediction. Chorus is mostly there for the robust, enchantment-based exalted. The mill is just garnish.
Infamous Heel and Wire Jumper: I'm working towards an idea here. It's not fully expressed yet, but remember these once I drop some flavor / setting tidbits.
Is the theme pro wrasslin
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Otherwise, I think we're heading towards "fix Kamigawa" territory again. Legends was raw and wild. It was poorly refined yet well defined despite the absence of keywords doing the work for us (as both players and designers). I think that should be one of our goals even though it goes strongly against our contemporary mindsets. It is natural for us to want to establish and/or find order. Legends was a very abstract set yet was just ordered enough for us to grasp while leaving so many unanswered questions that we're still talking about it today. That's a far greater achievement than copying and pasting the current status quo of set skeletons and design and calling it Legends II.
I guess what I'm saying/asking is, can we please make a set with zero (non-evergreen) key/ability words other than those found on the purple reprints and instead make 400ish cards that speak for themselves? As much as I appreciate all of the recent "how to make a cookie cutter set" threads, I'm frankly kind of sick of them and would like to be part of something right-brained - impulsive, unrefined, raw - for a little while. I hope yall do to because that's what makes Legends so legendary in the first place.
For 25,000 years, the elder dragon Nicol Bolas studied the Multiverse, raiding its secrets for purposes known only to him. Then, calamity struck in the form of the Dominarian time rifts. These rifts were so powerful that their Mending caused the reality of the Multiverse to warp, and the nature of the planeswalkers' spark to suddenly change. Bolas had one such spark. When the rifts closed, so closed 25,000 years of the elder dragon's memories and machinations. In the centuries since the Mending, Bolas desperately tried to scheme his way back to the ultimate power he once nearly possessed. Despite all of Bolas's treachery, the elder dragon remained in fugue about the terrible masterwork that he nearly completed centuries ago. Now, in the elder dragon's absence, his darkest achievement has completed itself.
Hail Discordia!
Assembled from more than 25,000 years of fractured planes and broken timelines, Discordia is an artificial plane of Bolas's design, forever churning in the eye of chaos. Heroes, villains, and relics of great power were pulled across the gulfs of time by Bolas and assembled in Discordia, a place where beautiful cities can give way to blasted wastelands in the blink of an eye, through a cataclysmic process called the planequake. Shards of a thousand worlds exist here, their inhabitants in a constant state of fear that the next planequake will shift their world and place it next to a hostile realm of depraved killers, feral beasts, or worse. Nearly every Discordian remembers the encounter with Bolas that brought them to the plane, but in Bolas's absence, the rage or kinship they once felt towards the elder dragon has given way to more pressing concerns, such as their desperate struggle for survival.
The Necrodrome
The raw chaos of Discordia was always meant to be hammered into a weapon of absolute law. That the blacksmith left Discordia's forge before its completion is of little consequence to those who understand how to work the plane's raw elements. Now, the most powerful of Bolas's captured realms has ascended to become Discordia's upstart master. The dread Necrodrome, an immense construction of flesh and dark metal, swims through the chaos of Discordia's planequakes, professing its doctrine of death to every one of Bolas's planar captive across the waves of time. Two by two, the masters of the Necrodrome pit the Discordian demiplanes against one another, extracting the victors as agents, and sending the losers to serve in death as foot soldiers against any realm that resists them. The ultimate goal of the Necrodrome's unseen masters is first to unite Discordia under its rule, then use the plane to stage a war against the entire Multiverse.
Heroes of Legend!
Kidnapped through time by Bolas, then stranded in fugue on Discordia to die at the hands of Necrodrome warlords, legendary heroes both notorious and new have found a common purpose: to defy the Necrodrome's law of death. These heroes seek to restore their lands and people to the times and places of their origin, or if that is impossible, simply to escape Discordia and win great victories across a Multiverse both strange and new. Within Discordia's forge of destruction, new leaders may rise up to break the hammer that would crush them. Will a new epoch of legends arise? Or will the realm of death suffocate the shards of the Multiverse's history?
But, minus the flowery prose, the basic idea is: as many disparate settings / characters as you want, united only with this plot device of these mini-realities being forced to fight each other to the death in the Necrodrome, which is something like a combination between the Death Star / the Roman Coliseum / a WWE cage match.
And the Necrodrome stuff doesn't really have to play into anybody's individual cards, I'm proposing it basically as background info. If you want to totally ignore it and focus on your own creative stuff, that's what the idea of Discordia is there for: to explain why it doesn't all have to make sense together.
I think you're mis-characterizing Legends 1 a bit, here. Legends 1 introduced a BUNCH of major mechanics for the first time: