Came up with this today. I was thinking about the idea of: "How do you get a discount summon?" I couldn't get the "short-term" flavor well without really going into Vanishing/Fading territory; everything else felt clunky and bleh. So, here's a couple examples of what I cooked up.
Windriding Drake
2U
Creature - Drake
2/2
Contract U - 2 (You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice it at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay 2.)
When you pay Windriding Drake's 2 contract, target creature gains flying until end of turn.
When Offering and Echo have a baby, I guess? Astute readers can figure out why it says U and 2 for the costs! The original wording was "unless you pay the remainder of its mana cost". A bit confusing, if flavorful (you paid some already, now do the rest). In some ways, I kind of like this double-cost approach, which is to say it basically has a form of echo if you do it for cheap, but you don't really get any benefit out of it unless you pay up, including the creature. For example, here's a prototypical black card:
Hired Saboteur
2B
Creature - Human Rogue
2/2
Contract 1B - 3BB (You may pay 1B rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice it at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay 3BB.)
When Hired Saboteur comes into play, target player discards a card.
When you pay Hired Saboteur's 3BB contract, target player discards two cards.
Windriding Drake
2U
Creature - Drake
2/2
Contract U (You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, it enters the battlefield tapped and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.)
This basically feels like "suspend 2 - u" to me, though. The creature's there, but it can't do anything for a turn, effectively. It's still in play to be used somehow, though.
I do like Windriding Drake, but I feel like this isn't a keyword, but rather an indicator (or whatever Threshold, etc. are)
Contract - You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, it enters the battlefield tapped and doesn't untap during it's controller's next untap step.
Otherwise you can't really change around reminder text, it's confusing if it's different on each card (aside from things clearly indicated outside of the reminder, like the cost)
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Never ever create a card without taking the extra minute to double check it.
This feels kind of like the "memoriam" keyword I'm still bouncing around in a just-recently-started set, though different.
Memoriam <cost> (If you didn't pay <cost> to play this card, at the beginning of your next upkeep, you may pay whatever cost you paid to play this card. If you don't, sacrifice this.)
Obviously it's meant to go with costs like (2/W)(2/W) and the like (where the memoriam cost tends to be whatever the least-colorless option would be), though for cards where there's an option to pay a different cost instead of the normal mana cost (or in combination with things like Dream Halls or cost-reducing enchantments/artifacts) it makes things interesting as well.
Yeah, this will see print eventually. It is similar to things WoTC has already done and has enough flavor and playability to find its way into a set. Good idea and will look forward to seeing it in the "stolen ideas from WoTC" thread at some point.
I did a little bit of wording change on the original one. I don't think it's a problem to omit the word "cost" here, and in some ways makes it all the more flavorful! Bonus?
Also, I made more stuff based on the first one (which I like more):
Master of Riddles (Rare)
3UU
Creature - Sphinx
4/4
Flying
Contract 1U -- 3UU
When you pay Master of Riddles' 1U contract, draw a card.
When you pay Master of Riddles' 3UU contract, draw three cards.
This means you'll get a temporary 4/4 flier that nets you a card before it resolves. Then, you pay the 3UU on the next upkeep (if able or want to) and get three more cards.
Alternative wording Master of Riddles (Rare)
3UU
Creature - Sphinx
4/4
Flying
Contract 1U -- 3UU
When you pay Master of Riddles' first contract, draw a card.
When you pay Master of Riddles' second contract, draw three cards.
I don't think this is as clear. The intention is that "first contract" references the 1U, "second contract" the 3UU.
Bounty Hunter (Uncommon)
1R
Creature - Human Warrior
3/1
Haste
Contract R -- 1RR
When you pay Bounty Hunter's 1RR contract, Bounty Hunter deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
It moonlights as a *spark elemental! Isn't it cuuuute?
Earthbringer Druid (Common?)
1G
Creature - Elf Druid
1/1
Contract G -- 2GG
T: Add G to your mana pool.
When you pay Earthtiller Druid's 2GG contract, search your library for two basic lands cards and put them into play tapped, then shuffle your library.
I originally had this as a very questionable 0/2GG contract creature. Changed this largely because of elfball. I can't decide if this should be a common or uncommon because of the doubleup of land tutor.
With the "first/second contract" wording, it's not unclear (and in fact it's more clear for situations like Contract R - R)... and it allows for an expansion into X-contract territory if necessary (you pay the first in place of the mana cost, the second at the beginning of your first upkeep after it comes into play, the third at the beginning of your second upkeep after it comes into play, and so on).
EDIT:
Also, how about something like: Reversal of Terms1UR
Instant
Reveal target card with a contract from your hand. Switch its first two contracts' costs.
Posting another iteration for feedback. I was considering something a little silly, for the sake of clarity, but I'm divided on it so I'd like to hear what others think. Of course, there's new stuff. Yes, Mercenary is on purpose, even though the original rendition was "reverse Rebels". I also considered "Ally" for a creature type.
Earthchanger Sage
2G
Creature - Human Wizard
3/2
Hire G; Contract 1G (You may pay G rather than pay the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay its contract.)
When you hire Earthchanger Sage, sacrifice a land.
When you pay Earthchanger Sage's contract, search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Angel of War
5WW
Creature - Angel
5/5
Hire 2WW; Contract 7WWW
Flying, first strike, vigilance, lifelink
When you hire Angel of War, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
When you pay Angel of War's contract, return any number of target creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. Those creatures gain haste until end of turn.
I personally like the set up of the ability in the original post, but what you've done in the last post is pretty cool. I think the Sage's costs should be Hire R; Contract 1G.
Though the idea of 'hiring,' say an Angel like you have, seems pretty funny, and to me it the flavor of hiring creature implies that any player can use its abilities or gain control of it.
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Windriding Drake
2U
Creature - Drake
2/2
Contract U - 2 (You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice it at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay 2.)
When you pay Windriding Drake's 2 contract, target creature gains flying until end of turn.
When Offering and Echo have a baby, I guess? Astute readers can figure out why it says U and 2 for the costs! The original wording was "unless you pay the remainder of its mana cost". A bit confusing, if flavorful (you paid some already, now do the rest). In some ways, I kind of like this double-cost approach, which is to say it basically has a form of echo if you do it for cheap, but you don't really get any benefit out of it unless you pay up, including the creature. For example, here's a prototypical black card:
Hired Saboteur
2B
Creature - Human Rogue
2/2
Contract 1B - 3BB (You may pay 1B rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice it at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay 3BB.)
When Hired Saboteur comes into play, target player discards a card.
When you pay Hired Saboteur's 3BB contract, target player discards two cards.
Windriding Drake
2U
Creature - Drake
2/2
Contract U (You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, it enters the battlefield tapped and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.)
This basically feels like "suspend 2 - u" to me, though. The creature's there, but it can't do anything for a turn, effectively. It's still in play to be used somehow, though.
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
Contract - You may pay U rather than the mana cost of this spell. If you do, it enters the battlefield tapped and doesn't untap during it's controller's next untap step.
Otherwise you can't really change around reminder text, it's confusing if it's different on each card (aside from things clearly indicated outside of the reminder, like the cost)
Memoriam <cost> (If you didn't pay <cost> to play this card, at the beginning of your next upkeep, you may pay whatever cost you paid to play this card. If you don't, sacrifice this.)
Obviously it's meant to go with costs like (2/W)(2/W) and the like (where the memoriam cost tends to be whatever the least-colorless option would be), though for cards where there's an option to pay a different cost instead of the normal mana cost (or in combination with things like Dream Halls or cost-reducing enchantments/artifacts) it makes things interesting as well.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Most Nominated for Random Categories, 2013
Also, I made more stuff based on the first one (which I like more):
Master of Riddles (Rare)
3UU
Creature - Sphinx
4/4
Flying
Contract 1U -- 3UU
When you pay Master of Riddles' 1U contract, draw a card.
When you pay Master of Riddles' 3UU contract, draw three cards.
This means you'll get a temporary 4/4 flier that nets you a card before it resolves. Then, you pay the 3UU on the next upkeep (if able or want to) and get three more cards.
Alternative wording
Master of Riddles (Rare)
3UU
Creature - Sphinx
4/4
Flying
Contract 1U -- 3UU
When you pay Master of Riddles' first contract, draw a card.
When you pay Master of Riddles' second contract, draw three cards.
I don't think this is as clear. The intention is that "first contract" references the 1U, "second contract" the 3UU.
Bounty Hunter (Uncommon)
1R
Creature - Human Warrior
3/1
Haste
Contract R -- 1RR
When you pay Bounty Hunter's 1RR contract, Bounty Hunter deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
It moonlights as a *spark elemental! Isn't it cuuuute?
Earthbringer Druid (Common?)
1G
Creature - Elf Druid
1/1
Contract G -- 2GG
T: Add G to your mana pool.
When you pay Earthtiller Druid's 2GG contract, search your library for two basic lands cards and put them into play tapped, then shuffle your library.
I originally had this as a very questionable 0/2GG contract creature. Changed this largely because of elfball. I can't decide if this should be a common or uncommon because of the doubleup of land tutor.
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
EDIT:
Also, how about something like:
Reversal of Terms 1UR
Instant
Reveal target card with a contract from your hand. Switch its first two contracts' costs.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Most Nominated for Random Categories, 2013
Yes, Mercenary is on purpose, even though the original rendition was "reverse Rebels".I also considered "Ally" for a creature type.Earthchanger Sage
2G
Creature - Human Wizard
3/2
Hire G; Contract 1G (You may pay G rather than pay the mana cost of this spell. If you do, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of your next upkeep unless you pay its contract.)
When you hire Earthchanger Sage, sacrifice a land.
When you pay Earthchanger Sage's contract, search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Angel of War
5WW
Creature - Angel
5/5
Hire 2WW; Contract 7WWW
Flying, first strike, vigilance, lifelink
When you hire Angel of War, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
When you pay Angel of War's contract, return any number of target creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. Those creatures gain haste until end of turn.
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
Though the idea of 'hiring,' say an Angel like you have, seems pretty funny, and to me it the flavor of hiring creature implies that any player can use its abilities or gain control of it.