Since the cat's out of the bag enough to go this route, I'm taking a stab at the "10 new keywords" thing.
Disclaimer: These are all preliminary and nowhere near balanced or playtested. It's strictly brainstorming.
Return to Ravnica
* Azorius - Interject {COST} (You may cast this as though it had flash by paying an additional {COST}.)
* Izzet - Splice onto instant/sorcery
* Rakdos - Dementia — X, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
* Golgari - Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
* Selesnya - Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Gatecrasher
* Orzhov - Extortion {N} (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays N life.)
* Dimir - Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling that many cards from the top of that player's library.)
* Gruul - Thrash {N} (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals N damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
* Boros - Strikeforce — When ~ and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, {EFFECT}.
* Simic - Augment {N} — {COST} ({COST}: Put {N} +1/+1 counter(s) on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Aerial Observer (Common) WU
2/2
Creature - Human Advisor
Interject W(You may cast this spell as though it had flash by paying an additional W.)
Flying
Aerial Observer enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter if it's not your turn.
Azorius Skyscriber (Uncommon) 3UU
4/3
Interject 1U(You may cast this spell as though it had flash by paying an additional 1U.)
Flying
When Azorius Skyscriber enters the battlefield, if it's not your turn, draw two cards. Otherwise, draw a card.
Keyword Theme: Azorius reacts to the situation, but requires resources to "properly prepare". Or something like that. Azorius will have the monopoly on "flash" effects, and reward you for going the extra mile. This is just a preliminary thing for "Azorius Ideas"(tm), since the more I think about it, the more I don't think it will really contribute to good gameplay.
Warden of Vitu-Ghazi
4GW
Creature - Elemental
3/4
Vigilance
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Keyword Theme: Similar to convoke, it basically lets you make use of your spare creatures in combat, particularly those that wouldn't have a chance of doing much to enemy lines. Also plays into the "we work together!" theme of Selesnya.
Gigafreeze (Common)
1U
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures.
Splice onto instant or sorcery 1U
Dragonflight (Common) UR
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Splice onto instant or sorcery UR
Brainrush (Uncommon)
1UR
Instant
Discard your hand and draw that many cards. If you have no cards in hand, draw two cards instead.
Izzet Steamblaster (Uncommon)
2UR
Creature - Goblin Wizard
2/1
T, Discard two cards: Draw two cards.
Izzet: I don't need to explain splice do I? While it's not technically new, it does innovate splice, and people have been toting it for Izzet as a possibility for a loooong time. Also, Izzet Chronarch would still be amazing in Limited, I'll wager. Izzet theme would still be about spells and the like, but they'd get a bit more support there.
Pyremaniac (Common) BR
Creature - Goblin
2/2 B, Discard Pyremaniac: Exile target card in a graveyard.
Dreadbringer (Uncommon) 4BR
Creature - Horror
1/1 Dementia — Dreadbringer enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Defile (Rare) 3BRR
Sorcery Dementia — Destroy up to X target creatures, artifacts, and/or lands, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Burning Rush (Common) 3R
Instant Dementia — Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Maniacal Laughter (Uncommon) 3BB
Sorcery Dementia — Target player discards X cards, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Sink into Madness (Common) 2B
Instant Dementia — Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Painful Desire (Rare) 3BBB
Enchantment Dementia — X, Sacrifice Painful Desire: Draw X cards and you lose X life. X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Rakdos - Basically an improved, scalable form of Hellbent. One problem with this ability versus Hellbent: it's really hard to choose effects with a 1-7 scale, as compared to on/off, simply because things get ridiculously swingy. Even a "common burn" spell gets really farkin' good.
Golgari Dreadwurm 3BG
5/4
Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
Rotweaver Zombie (Common) 2B
3/1
When Rotweaver Zombie dies, target player loses 1 life.
Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
Golgari: Straightforward. A riff on Retrace. Golgari would also have a "dies" subtheme - Innistrad block synergy?! - with a little bit of saproling or zombie token production tied into that. Think Golgari Germination reprinted, for example.
Taj Debtclaimer (Common) 3WB
Creature - Spirit
3/3
Extortion 2 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 2 life.)
Teysa, Karlov Matriarch (Mythic) 2WWBB
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor
4/4
Lifelink
Extortion 4 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 4 life.) 4WB: Exile Teysa, Karlov Matriarch, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
Indenture (Mythic) 3WB
Enchantment
Extortion 8 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 8 life.)
If a creature would be exiled by Indenture, gain control of it instead for as long as you control Indenture.
Orzhov: Retaining the "bleeding" theme, only the mechanic is much more closely tied to that. While being unfair. Because they're Orzhov. Creatures with extortion will traditionally be weaker (power/toughness) due to the fact they can potentially do so much more.
Mindwrack (Common) UB
Sorcery
Target player exiles the top seven cards from his or her library.
Dimir Thoughtleech (Uncommon) 2UB
Creature - Spirit
3/1
Dimir Thoughtbreaker is unblockable.
Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling cards from the top of that player's library.)
Dimir Broker (Common) 4UB
Creature - Vampire
Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling cards from the top of that player's library.)
Dimir Broker enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each exiled land card target player owns.
Dimir: Taking the mill a bit more direct, now. They'll typically have a higher power to compensate for increased library size. Dimir will have ways of getting guys through enemy lines (cards like Tricks of the Trade), or heavier evasion.
Gruul Knuckleduster
RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Thrash 1 (This creature may assign up to two combat damage to defending player or planeswalker if able and if blocked.)
Spineback Wurm
4GG
Creature - Wurm
4/4
Thrash 2 (This creature may assign up to two combat damage to defending player or planeswalker if able and if blocked.)
Gruul:
Boros Sergeant (Common) 1RW
Creature - Human Warrior
2/2 Strikeforce — Whenever Boros Sergeant and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Boros Sergeant gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Seraph of Valor (Rare) 3RWW
Creature - Angel
4/3
Flying, vigilance Strikeforce — Whenever Seraph of Valor and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Seraph of Valor is indestructible this turn.
Novijen Skywatch (Uncommon) 1U
Creature - Vedalken Mutant Scout
2/1
Augment 2 — 3U (3U: Put two +1/+1 counters on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Cytoplast Skywatch has flying if it has any +1/+1 counters on it.
Novijen Construct (Common) 3GG
Creature - Mutant
4/3
Augment 2 — 2GG(2GG: Put two +1/+1 counters on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Novijen Construct has trample if it has any +1/+1 counters on it.
Simic Cytografter (Uncommon) 2GU
Creature - Vedalken Mutant
1/1
Augment 1 — 2GU(2GU: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.) T: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Activate only if Simic Cytografter has a +1/+1 counter on it.
Interject X (You may cast this card as though it had flash if you pay X more to cast it.)
- Wording derived from Rout, albeit Rout's oracle text has not changed
Dementia - This spell costs X less to cast, where X is equal to 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Recombinate is worded correctly, as per Retrace
Mindwrack is also worded correctly as per Wither, Poisonous and Infect.
- I like mindwrack, very Dimir-like.
- Recombinate could probably use a better name, just not sure what
- Dementia should be a keyword as it provides the same benefit to each card.
- Interject does suit the Azorius well too.
Some good work here.
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Interject is fine, but not very exciting. So is recombinate.
Dementia works, but it's a bit confusing to read the first time. I'm sure people would learn how to play with it, but it's still awkward.
I don't really like mindwrack because it makes it hard to assess risk. For instance, take a look at infect. If a creature with infect hits you, it's pretty bad (10 poison instead of 20 life), but if it hits your creature, it's also bad (-1/-1 counters instead of damage.) This means that it's appropriately risky to block or to not block. However, this this mechanic, the creature becomes weaker when it hits players (40~60 cards vs. 20 life) but has the same efficacy dealing with creatures. For instance, if I made a card with 5 power, it would be incredibly hard to block since it kills almost everything in combat, yet would have very little impact when it actually connects with me.
You've also got the problem where you have to keep track of your library count. Yes, this is true of all mill decks, but it puts more power in the hands of the defending player. Most mill cards are direct, you don't have to make any decisions when someone Glimpse the Unthinkables you. However, you do have to make decisions when a creature attacks you, which means you would most likely want to keep track of the cards in your library.
An easy fix to the first problem would be to mill twice as many cards as the creature's power, but i don't there's a way around the second problem.
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It was at that moment that I realized: I'm kinda just making these things up. We can just write the rules the way we want them to work. People will have fun, and people will get it.
Interject - I'm always a fan of flash. Seems to fit well thematically.
Splice - Yes! The same mechanic would work for sorceries and even other card types if they have any strange ideas.
Dementia - Feels like a fixed Hellbent. I, atleast, never wanted to play with hellbent because it was an all or nothing thing. Having it inactive because I had just 1 card in my hand was annoying.
Recombinate - The name almost feels simic, but the basic idea seems sound. I'd prefer something that scaled based on either the sacrificed creature's power, toughness, CMC, or even on the number of creatures sacrificed.
1. Recombinate X(You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing creatures with total combined power//toughness//converted mana cost of X in addition to paying its other costs.)
2. Recombinate X(You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing X creatures in addition to paying its other costs.)
Mindwrack - Like MOON-E mentioned, doubling the 'mill' would probably make this much more doable. Doing such would consequently make most common/uncommon mindwrackers have fairly low power. Perhaps it could be:
1. Mindwrack(If this creature would deal combat damage to a player, you may instead exile the top X cards from that player's library, where X is equal to its power.)
2. Mindwrack X(If this creature would deal combat damage to a player, [you may] instead exile the top X cards from that player's library)
As for the library count issue, I guess people would simply need to keep track of that themselves, as they do with life and poison? That would usually just entail counting permanents, hand size, and the graveyard, then subtracted from 40, 60, 99, or whatever. You'd never have to count more than half your deck.
So I'm having a bit of trouble feeling inspired by what they could do with Selesnya for a "new keyword". Nothing really comes to mind except Convoke, frankly, because that seemed like a really good fit for a community-oriented guild (especially one as token driven as it was, with Selesnya Evangel as a power card for it, as memory serves).
So I pose the question: what suits for a "harmonial community"? Strength in numbers, in other words. Convoke provided that by letting you do things more cheaply (stronger things sooner like Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi), or took advantage of the excess (ohai Glare of Subdual... which would totally be mythic in today's age, imo, because of Limited power balance).
That said, I can't help but wonder if they're going to return Madness for Rakdos. They can certainly clean up the reminder text, for example, to use the above cards. Strictly speaking (right now), if you want to madness something, you exile it upon discard and play it for its madness cost. I say, couldn't they just go the same process as Panglacial Wurm, which is "doing something in the middle of something else"? See 'my' reminder text below for what I mean. It still gets the point across of "do it as you discard or not at all", but it would technically not hit the graveyard if you do madness it, as if the card gets sucked onto the stack in transit from your hand to graveyard.
Rakdos Spinebreaker (Uncommon) 7BR
Creature - Giant
7/7
Madness 3BR(You may cast this for its madness cost as you discard it.)
Mass Defile (Mythic) XXBR
Sorcery
Mass Defile deals X damage to target player and each creature he or she controls.
Madness XBR(You may cast this for its madness cost as you discard it from your hand.)
^ Yes, I know this version is a riff off of Bonfire of the Damned, but it's solely to illustrate a point.
Rakdos Spinebreaker (Uncommon) 7BR
Creature - Giant
7/7 Dementia - Rakdos Spinebreaker costs X less to cast, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Defile (Mythic)
XBRR
Sorcery Dementia - You may choose up to X targets for Defile, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand (excluding Defile). You can't choose the same target more than once.
Defile deals X damage to each target creature, planeswalker or player.
Rakdos - Basically an improved, scalable form of Hellbent. Wording on the ability word isn't final and ambiguous, but to make it clearer: Rakdos Spinebreaker would cost BR if you had an empty hand. It would cost 3BR if you had five cards in hand (7-5 = 2; 5 cards is "2 cards less" than seven.) Likewise, Defile would let you have up to 8 different targets if you were empty, and 4 targets if you had four cards in hand (7-4 = 3 additional targets).
well basically i found the Rakdos Dementia was overall most Interesting on top of another guilds...seriously
7/7 Beefy giant for just two mana???
well i just need to cast Dangerous Wager from AVR. and that Defile was easily Rakdos personal Bonfire of The Damned although it was more suicidal
and somehow i feel if Dementia ability was living up Mark Rosewater's Aim to put a dire pressure on Black & Red players to be Extreme
i was hoping there'll anymore awesome b/r Creatures again like jagged poppet or rakdos pit dragon
Rakdos Spinebreaker (Uncommon) 7BR
Creature - Giant
7/7 Dementia - Rakdos Spinebreaker costs X less to cast, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Defile (Mythic)
XBRR
Sorcery Dementia - You may choose up to X targets for Defile, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand (excluding Defile). You can't choose the same target more than once.
Defile deals X damage to each target creature, planeswalker or player.
Rakdos - Basically an improved, scalable form of Hellbent. Wording on the ability word isn't final and ambiguous, but to make it clearer: Rakdos Spinebreaker would cost BR if you had an empty hand. It would cost 3BR if you had five cards in hand (7-5 = 2; 5 cards is "2 cards less" than seven.) Likewise, Defile would let you have up to 8 different targets if you were empty, and 4 targets if you had four cards in hand (7-4 = 3 additional targets).
well basically i found the Rakdos Dementia was overall most Interesting on top of another guilds...seriously
7/7 Beefy giant for just two mana???
well i just need to cast Dangerous Wager from AVR. and that Defile was easily Rakdos personal Bonfire of The Damned
and somehow i feel if Dementia ability was living up Mark Rosewater's Aim to put a dire pressure on Black & Red players to be Extreme in their resolution
i was hoping there'll anymore awesome b/r Creatures again like jagged poppet or rakdos pit dragon
*makes random updates to existing posts, specifically Rakdos cardz*
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but this came up for a possible Orzhov bit of evilness that's grossly in flavor with them:
Taj Debtclaimer (Common) 3WB
Creature - Spirit
3/3
Extortion 2 (When this creature enters the battlefield, exile target creature. Its last controller may pay 2 life to return it to the battlefield under his or her control.)
^ Bleeding, Orzhov flavor, and plain evil if you "can't pay".
Teysa, Karlov Matriarch (Mythic) 2WWBB
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor
4/4
Extortion 4 (When this creature enters the battlefield, exile target creature. Its last controller may pay 4 life to return it to the battlefield under his or her control.) 4WB: Exile Teysa, Karlov Matriarch, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
about Dimir's Mindwrack... surely if you're going that way they must have a lot of unblockable and Intimidate mechanic.
making their creatures has lower toughness than their power was reasonable too althought it wasn't so blue afterall(traditionally Blue has high Defense & low attack rate). i understand that means the Dimir was "great for dealing damage to player but horrible in combat against other creatures" it suits very well with their spirit creatures
*adds a bunch of stuff, particularly to Rakdos, and a couple changes to Orzhov, particularly the wording on extortion*
And yes, I feel particularly proud of the wording of this card:
Indenture (Mythic) 3WWBB
Enchantment
Extortion 8 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pay 8 life.)
If a creature would be exiled by extortion you control, gain control of it instead for as long as you control Indenture.
Common cycle of Nothing Exciting; you can guess the rest if I give you one, right?
Azorius Sigil 2
Artifact ,T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
Gruul time! Though it might be swingy. Still thinking about it.
Brawl — {COST}: CARDNAME fights target creature. If CARDNAME survives, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Gruul Knuckleduster
1RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Brawl — 1R, T: Gruul Knuckledust fights target creature. If Gruul Knuckleduster survives, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Thrash {N} (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals {N} damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
Gruul Knuckleduster
RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Thrash 1 (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals 1 damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
the new mechanic of each guild is supposed to have synergy with the old mechanic
here's one for the Izzet that works well with replicate:
SpitsparkR
Instant
Surge (When you cast Neuron Dance, copy it for each other instant and each sorcery spell you control.)
Spitspark deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
I had an idea for Golgari that is almost similar as yours but a little bit changed, it went like this:
Withered Harverster 2BBG (Rare)
Creature - Zombie Plant Wizard
When Withered Harverster enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 green Plant Zombie token onto the battlefield for each creature that died this turn.
Reincarnation (You may cast this card from your graveyard by exiling a creature and paying the difference in mana costs between this and the sacrificed creature. Mana cost includes color.) 2/4
I had an idea for Golgari that is almost similar as yours but a little bit changed, it went like this:
Withered Harverster 2BBG (Rare) Creature - Zombie Plant Wizard
When Withered Harverster enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 green Plant Zombie token onto the battlefield for each creature that died this turn.
Reincarnation (You may cast this card from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature and paying the difference in mana costs between this and the sacrificed creature. Mana cost includes color.) 2/4
So it's an infite combo with one in the GY and one in play?
the new mechanic of each guild is supposed to have synergy with the old mechanic
here's one for the Izzet that works well with replicate:
SpitsparkR
Instant
Surge (When you cast Neuron Dance, copy it for each other instant and each sorcery spell you control.)
Spitspark deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Heh. 4 consecutive Spitsparks gives 10 damage for 4 mana.
I don't know if I should shake my head or applaud.
the new mechanic of each guild is supposed to have synergy with the old mechanic.
Splice works with replicate, you know. (it does cool things, too)
You've got a cool idea, so save it for elsewhere, but synergizing Mechanic that makes copies of spells with Mechanic that makes copies of spells is a little boring imo.
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Convoke your attackers, basically! Not sure how much of a memory issue there is attached to this, to be honest ("you tapped how many for this one, again?").
Warden of Vitu-Ghazi (Common)
4GW
Creature - Elemental
3/4
Vigilance
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
So for example, this will be a 4/5 that is tapped if it attacks alone (and you use the ability).
That doesn't feel significant enough of a boost, honestly.
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It was meant to be a cross between Convoke and Exalted. I'll note that you can, in theory, make a creature huge (token production would have to be limited of course <- Draft archetype?!), but you're also leaving yourself more vulnerable in the process.
Plus, more than one "Conjoin" creature pumped up amplified the potential lack of defense on your end. It's the kind of thing that requires playtesting to be certain of, and to that I just point at the disclaimer in the OP.
Exalted lets you keep back blockers and such. This removes blockers, and puts all your power onto one creature, which is easily chump-blocked. The only reason this ability worked before on Bramblesnap is because it had trample.
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Boros! Three minimum seemed the ideal number as compared to two. Again, disclaimer.
Boros Sergeant (Common) 1RW
Creature - Human Warrior
2/2 Strikeforce — Whenever Boros Sergeant and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Boros Sergeant gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Seraph of Valor (Rare) 3RWW
Creature - Angel
4/3
Flying, vigilance Strikeforce — Whenever Seraph of Valor and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Seraph of Valor is indestructible this turn.
"As long as ~ is attacking or blocking with two or more other creatures you control,"
And for triggers:
"Whenever ~ attacks or blocks with two or more other creatures you control,"
The "two or more" feels weird, but I don't think Magic uses "at least".
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Disclaimer: These are all preliminary and nowhere near balanced or playtested. It's strictly brainstorming.
* Azorius - Interject {COST} (You may cast this as though it had flash by paying an additional {COST}.)
* Izzet - Splice onto instant/sorcery
* Rakdos - Dementia — X, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
* Golgari - Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
* Selesnya - Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Gatecrasher
* Orzhov - Extortion {N} (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays N life.)
* Dimir - Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling that many cards from the top of that player's library.)
* Gruul - Thrash {N} (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals N damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
* Boros - Strikeforce — When ~ and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, {EFFECT}.
* Simic - Augment {N} — {COST} ({COST}: Put {N} +1/+1 counter(s) on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Aerial Observer (Common)
WU
2/2
Creature - Human Advisor
Interject W (You may cast this spell as though it had flash by paying an additional W.)
Flying
Aerial Observer enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter if it's not your turn.
Azorius Skyscriber (Uncommon)
3UU
4/3
Interject 1U (You may cast this spell as though it had flash by paying an additional 1U.)
Flying
When Azorius Skyscriber enters the battlefield, if it's not your turn, draw two cards. Otherwise, draw a card.
Keyword Theme: Azorius reacts to the situation, but requires resources to "properly prepare". Or something like that. Azorius will have the monopoly on "flash" effects, and reward you for going the extra mile. This is just a preliminary thing for "Azorius Ideas"(tm), since the more I think about it, the more I don't think it will really contribute to good gameplay.
Warden of Vitu-Ghazi
4GW
Creature - Elemental
3/4
Vigilance
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Keyword Theme: Similar to convoke, it basically lets you make use of your spare creatures in combat, particularly those that wouldn't have a chance of doing much to enemy lines. Also plays into the "we work together!" theme of Selesnya.
Gigafreeze (Common)
1U
Instant
Tap up to two target creatures.
Splice onto instant or sorcery 1U
Dragonflight (Common)
UR
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains flying until end of turn.
Splice onto instant or sorcery UR
Brainrush (Uncommon)
1UR
Instant
Discard your hand and draw that many cards. If you have no cards in hand, draw two cards instead.
Izzet Steamblaster (Uncommon)
2UR
Creature - Goblin Wizard
2/1
T, Discard two cards: Draw two cards.
Izzet: I don't need to explain splice do I? While it's not technically new, it does innovate splice, and people have been toting it for Izzet as a possibility for a loooong time. Also, Izzet Chronarch would still be amazing in Limited, I'll wager. Izzet theme would still be about spells and the like, but they'd get a bit more support there.
Pyremaniac (Common)
BR
Creature - Goblin
2/2
B, Discard Pyremaniac: Exile target card in a graveyard.
Dreadbringer (Uncommon)
4BR
Creature - Horror
1/1
Dementia — Dreadbringer enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Defile (Rare)
3BRR
Sorcery
Dementia — Destroy up to X target creatures, artifacts, and/or lands, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Burning Rush (Common)
3R
Instant
Dementia — Target creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Maniacal Laughter (Uncommon)
3BB
Sorcery
Dementia — Target player discards X cards, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Sink into Madness (Common)
2B
Instant
Dementia — Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Painful Desire (Rare)
3BBB
Enchantment
Dementia — X, Sacrifice Painful Desire: Draw X cards and you lose X life. X is 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Rakdos - Basically an improved, scalable form of Hellbent. One problem with this ability versus Hellbent: it's really hard to choose effects with a 1-7 scale, as compared to on/off, simply because things get ridiculously swingy. Even a "common burn" spell gets really farkin' good.
Golgari Dreadwurm
3BG
5/4
Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
Rotweaver Zombie (Common)
2B
3/1
When Rotweaver Zombie dies, target player loses 1 life.
Recombinate (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing a creature in addition to paying this card's other costs.)
Golgari: Straightforward. A riff on Retrace. Golgari would also have a "dies" subtheme - Innistrad block synergy?! - with a little bit of saproling or zombie token production tied into that. Think Golgari Germination reprinted, for example.
Taj Debtclaimer (Common)
3WB
Creature - Spirit
3/3
Extortion 2 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 2 life.)
Teysa, Karlov Matriarch (Mythic)
2WWBB
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor
4/4
Lifelink
Extortion 4 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 4 life.)
4WB: Exile Teysa, Karlov Matriarch, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
Indenture (Mythic)
3WB
Enchantment
Extortion 8 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pays 8 life.)
If a creature would be exiled by Indenture, gain control of it instead for as long as you control Indenture.
Orzhov: Retaining the "bleeding" theme, only the mechanic is much more closely tied to that. While being unfair. Because they're Orzhov. Creatures with extortion will traditionally be weaker (power/toughness) due to the fact they can potentially do so much more.
Mindwrack (Common)
UB
Sorcery
Target player exiles the top seven cards from his or her library.
Dimir Thoughtleech (Uncommon)
2UB
Creature - Spirit
3/1
Dimir Thoughtbreaker is unblockable.
Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling cards from the top of that player's library.)
Dimir Broker (Common)
4UB
Creature - Vampire
Mindwrack (This creature deals damage to players in the form of exiling cards from the top of that player's library.)
Dimir Broker enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each exiled land card target player owns.
Dimir: Taking the mill a bit more direct, now. They'll typically have a higher power to compensate for increased library size. Dimir will have ways of getting guys through enemy lines (cards like Tricks of the Trade), or heavier evasion.
Gruul Knuckleduster
RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Thrash 1 (This creature may assign up to two combat damage to defending player or planeswalker if able and if blocked.)
Spineback Wurm
4GG
Creature - Wurm
4/4
Thrash 2 (This creature may assign up to two combat damage to defending player or planeswalker if able and if blocked.)
Gruul:
Boros Sergeant (Common)
1RW
Creature - Human Warrior
2/2
Strikeforce — Whenever Boros Sergeant and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Boros Sergeant gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Seraph of Valor (Rare)
3RWW
Creature - Angel
4/3
Flying, vigilance
Strikeforce — Whenever Seraph of Valor and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Seraph of Valor is indestructible this turn.
Novijen Skywatch (Uncommon)
1U
Creature - Vedalken Mutant Scout
2/1
Augment 2 — 3U (3U: Put two +1/+1 counters on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Cytoplast Skywatch has flying if it has any +1/+1 counters on it.
Novijen Construct (Common)
3GG
Creature - Mutant
4/3
Augment 2 — 2GG (2GG: Put two +1/+1 counters on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
Novijen Construct has trample if it has any +1/+1 counters on it.
Simic Cytografter (Uncommon)
2GU
Creature - Vedalken Mutant
1/1
Augment 1 — 2GU (2GU: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Augment only once and only as a sorcery.)
T: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Activate only if Simic Cytografter has a +1/+1 counter on it.
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
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Yasova Dragonclaw
- Wording derived from Rout, albeit Rout's oracle text has not changed
Dementia - This spell costs X less to cast, where X is equal to 7 minus the number of cards in your hand.
Recombinate is worded correctly, as per Retrace
Mindwrack is also worded correctly as per Wither, Poisonous and Infect.
- I like mindwrack, very Dimir-like.
- Recombinate could probably use a better name, just not sure what
- Dementia should be a keyword as it provides the same benefit to each card.
- Interject does suit the Azorius well too.
Some good work here.
Atrius' Posts 1W
Instant
You win target thread. If you aren't Atrius, Atrius wins that thread instead.
"Wait, can you actually win a thread?" - Atrius.
Dementia works, but it's a bit confusing to read the first time. I'm sure people would learn how to play with it, but it's still awkward.
I don't really like mindwrack because it makes it hard to assess risk. For instance, take a look at infect. If a creature with infect hits you, it's pretty bad (10 poison instead of 20 life), but if it hits your creature, it's also bad (-1/-1 counters instead of damage.) This means that it's appropriately risky to block or to not block. However, this this mechanic, the creature becomes weaker when it hits players (40~60 cards vs. 20 life) but has the same efficacy dealing with creatures. For instance, if I made a card with 5 power, it would be incredibly hard to block since it kills almost everything in combat, yet would have very little impact when it actually connects with me.
You've also got the problem where you have to keep track of your library count. Yes, this is true of all mill decks, but it puts more power in the hands of the defending player. Most mill cards are direct, you don't have to make any decisions when someone Glimpse the Unthinkables you. However, you do have to make decisions when a creature attacks you, which means you would most likely want to keep track of the cards in your library.
An easy fix to the first problem would be to mill twice as many cards as the creature's power, but i don't there's a way around the second problem.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Comic Book Set
Archester: Frontier of Steam (A steampunk set!)
A Good Place to Start Designing
Splice - Yes! The same mechanic would work for sorceries and even other card types if they have any strange ideas.
Dementia - Feels like a fixed Hellbent. I, atleast, never wanted to play with hellbent because it was an all or nothing thing. Having it inactive because I had just 1 card in my hand was annoying.
Recombinate - The name almost feels simic, but the basic idea seems sound. I'd prefer something that scaled based on either the sacrificed creature's power, toughness, CMC, or even on the number of creatures sacrificed.
1. Recombinate X (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing creatures with total combined power//toughness//converted mana cost of X in addition to paying its other costs.)
2. Recombinate X (You may cast this from your graveyard by sacrificing X creatures in addition to paying its other costs.)
Mindwrack - Like MOON-E mentioned, doubling the 'mill' would probably make this much more doable. Doing such would consequently make most common/uncommon mindwrackers have fairly low power. Perhaps it could be:
1. Mindwrack (If this creature would deal combat damage to a player, you may instead exile the top X cards from that player's library, where X is equal to its power.)
2. Mindwrack X (If this creature would deal combat damage to a player, [you may] instead exile the top X cards from that player's library)
As for the library count issue, I guess people would simply need to keep track of that themselves, as they do with life and poison? That would usually just entail counting permanents, hand size, and the graveyard, then subtracted from 40, 60, 99, or whatever. You'd never have to count more than half your deck.
So I pose the question: what suits for a "harmonial community"? Strength in numbers, in other words. Convoke provided that by letting you do things more cheaply (stronger things sooner like Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi), or took advantage of the excess (ohai Glare of Subdual... which would totally be mythic in today's age, imo, because of Limited power balance).
That said, I can't help but wonder if they're going to return Madness for Rakdos. They can certainly clean up the reminder text, for example, to use the above cards. Strictly speaking (right now), if you want to madness something, you exile it upon discard and play it for its madness cost. I say, couldn't they just go the same process as Panglacial Wurm, which is "doing something in the middle of something else"? See 'my' reminder text below for what I mean. It still gets the point across of "do it as you discard or not at all", but it would technically not hit the graveyard if you do madness it, as if the card gets sucked onto the stack in transit from your hand to graveyard.
Rakdos Spinebreaker (Uncommon)
7BR
Creature - Giant
7/7
Madness 3BR (You may cast this for its madness cost as you discard it.)
Mass Defile (Mythic)
XXBR
Sorcery
Mass Defile deals X damage to target player and each creature he or she controls.
Madness XBR (You may cast this for its madness cost as you discard it from your hand.)
^ Yes, I know this version is a riff off of Bonfire of the Damned, but it's solely to illustrate a point.
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
well basically i found the Rakdos Dementia was overall most Interesting on top of another guilds...seriously
7/7 Beefy giant for just two mana???
well i just need to cast Dangerous Wager from AVR. and that Defile was easily Rakdos personal Bonfire of The Damned although it was more suicidal
and somehow i feel if Dementia ability was living up Mark Rosewater's Aim to put a dire pressure on Black & Red players to be Extreme
i was hoping there'll anymore awesome b/r Creatures again like jagged poppet or rakdos pit dragon
well basically i found the Rakdos Dementia was overall most Interesting on top of another guilds...seriously
7/7 Beefy giant for just two mana???
well i just need to cast Dangerous Wager from AVR. and that Defile was easily Rakdos personal Bonfire of The Damned
and somehow i feel if Dementia ability was living up Mark Rosewater's Aim to put a dire pressure on Black & Red players to be Extreme in their resolution
i was hoping there'll anymore awesome b/r Creatures again like jagged poppet or rakdos pit dragon
I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but this came up for a possible Orzhov bit of evilness that's grossly in flavor with them:
Taj Debtclaimer (Common)
3WB
Creature - Spirit
3/3
Extortion 2 (When this creature enters the battlefield, exile target creature. Its last controller may pay 2 life to return it to the battlefield under his or her control.)
^ Bleeding, Orzhov flavor, and plain evil if you "can't pay".
Teysa, Karlov Matriarch (Mythic)
2WWBB
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor
4/4
Extortion 4 (When this creature enters the battlefield, exile target creature. Its last controller may pay 4 life to return it to the battlefield under his or her control.)
4WB: Exile Teysa, Karlov Matriarch, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
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
making their creatures has lower toughness than their power was reasonable too althought it wasn't so blue afterall(traditionally Blue has high Defense & low attack rate). i understand that means the Dimir was "great for dealing damage to player but horrible in combat against other creatures" it suits very well with their spirit creatures
And yes, I feel particularly proud of the wording of this card:
Indenture (Mythic)
3WWBB
Enchantment
Extortion 8 (When this enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature unless its controller pay 8 life.)
If a creature would be exiled by extortion you control, gain control of it instead for as long as you control Indenture.
Common cycle of Nothing Exciting; you can guess the rest if I give you one, right?
Azorius Sigil
2
Artifact
,T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
Gruul time! Though it might be swingy. Still thinking about it.
Brawl — {COST}: CARDNAME fights target creature. If CARDNAME survives, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Gruul Knuckleduster
1RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Brawl — 1R, T: Gruul Knuckledust fights target creature. If Gruul Knuckleduster survives, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Thrash {N} (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals {N} damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
Gruul Knuckleduster
RG
Creature - Human
2/2
Thrash 1 (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, this creature deals 1 damage to the blocked or blocking creature.)
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
here's one for the Izzet that works well with replicate:
Spitspark R
Instant
Surge (When you cast Neuron Dance, copy it for each other instant and each sorcery spell you control.)
Spitspark deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Withered Harverster 2BBG (Rare)
Creature - Zombie Plant Wizard
When Withered Harverster enters the battlefield, put a 1/1 green Plant Zombie token onto the battlefield for each creature that died this turn.
Reincarnation (You may cast this card from your graveyard by exiling a creature and paying the difference in mana costs between this and the sacrificed creature. Mana cost includes color.)
2/4
So it's an infite combo with one in the GY and one in play?
Good point...maybe exiling the other creature will do the trick...XD
Heh. 4 consecutive Spitsparks gives 10 damage for 4 mana.
I don't know if I should shake my head or applaud.
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
You've got a cool idea, so save it for elsewhere, but synergizing Mechanic that makes copies of spells with Mechanic that makes copies of spells is a little boring imo.
Lyzolda, the Blood Witch | Maga, Traitor to Mortals | Mayael the Anima | Rafiq of the Many | Rhys the Redeemed
Sasaya, Oorochi Ascendant | Sygg, River Cutthroat | Thada Adel, Acquisitor | Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
Convoke your attackers, basically! Not sure how much of a memory issue there is attached to this, to be honest ("you tapped how many for this one, again?").
Warden of Vitu-Ghazi (Common)
4GW
Creature - Elemental
3/4
Vigilance
Conjoin (This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each untapped creature you control that you tap as this attacks.)
So for example, this will be a 4/5 that is tapped if it attacks alone (and you use the ability).
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
Lead Tesla, a community set designed by everyone and led by me, over at Goblin Artisans. Index of articles here!
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
Plus, more than one "Conjoin" creature pumped up amplified the potential lack of defense on your end. It's the kind of thing that requires playtesting to be certain of, and to that I just point at the disclaimer in the OP.
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
Lead Tesla, a community set designed by everyone and led by me, over at Goblin Artisans. Index of articles here!
Boros Sergeant (Common)
1RW
Creature - Human Warrior
2/2
Strikeforce — Whenever Boros Sergeant and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Boros Sergeant gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Seraph of Valor (Rare)
3RWW
Creature - Angel
4/3
Flying, vigilance
Strikeforce — Whenever Seraph of Valor and at least two other creatures you control attack or block, Seraph of Valor is indestructible this 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
"As long as ~ is attacking or blocking with two or more other creatures you control,"
And for triggers:
"Whenever ~ attacks or blocks with two or more other creatures you control,"
The "two or more" feels weird, but I don't think Magic uses "at least".
Lead Tesla, a community set designed by everyone and led by me, over at Goblin Artisans. Index of articles here!