At the end of the day, first turn advantage is a pretty big deal. When games rush by too quickly for one extra card to matter and proactive answers hold sway, early advantages can quickly snowball and allow a player to take over a game. Even the few cards that soften this advantage, Force of Will chief among them, often put you at an active card disadvantage in the process.
I wanted to play around and see if I could make some cards to help absorb this advantage. In the end, I came up with the following mechanic.
Anticipation- Discard CARDNAME: CARD EFFECT. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Unlike FoW, you don't have to burn an extra card to soften the first turn advantage. Unlike Mental Misstep, however, these cards are much harder to splash in decks without the right colors. The moment you have a single land, after all, Anticipation "turns off". Instead of being a "free" spell (which can cause real problems later in the game), it's a "before-you-can-pay" spell (slowing your enemy down for 1 turn).
Obviously, the design space presented by Anticipation is INCREDIBLY SMALL. All effects have to be largely reactive to keep the player on the play from using them (and to keep the odd landless deck from spewing them out for the win). Likewise, these effects can only really respond to things that your opponent might do on turn 1. Even so, a small cycle or two of these cards might soak an attack by a goblin guide, blank an Inquisition of Kozilek, blow up somebody's Mox, or perform similar tasks.
Example cards
Oracle’s Foresight
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
Anticipation- Discard Oracle’s Foresight: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Weight of Ages
Sorcery
Exile target artifact or enchantment.
Anticipation- Discard Weight of Ages: Exile target artifact or enchantment with a converted mana cost of 1 or less. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Clever Sabotage
Instant
Counter target spell with a converted mana cost of 3 or less.
Anticipation- Discard Clever Sabotage: counter target spell with a converted mana cost of 0. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Spatial Redirection
Instant
Return up to two target nonland permanents to their owners’ hands.
Anticipation- Discard Spatial Redirection: return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. Its owner may draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Forsaken Existence
Sorcery
Return target permanent card from an opponent’s graveyard onto the battlefield under your control.
Anticipation- Discard Forsaken Existence: return target permanent card that was put into an opponent’s graveyard this turn onto the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Dark Bargain
Sorcery
Exile up to two target cards from target opponent’s graveyard. For each card exiled in this way, create a 2/2 black zombie creature token
Anticipation- Discard Dark Bargain: exile target card from target opponent’s graveyard. If you do, create a 2/2 black zombie creature token. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Backdraft
Instant
Deal 2 damage to each creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
Anticipation- Discard Backdraft: Deal 1 damage to target creature that entered the battlefield this turn. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Clear Away
Sorcery
Tap up to two target land cards. Those lands don’t untap during their owners’ next untap steps.
Anticipation- Discard Clear Away: Target land doesn’t untap during its owner’s next untap step. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Living Barricade
Instant
Create five 0/1 green plant creature tokens.
Anticipation- Discard Living Barricade: If any opponent controls one or more creatures, Create a 0/1 green plant creature token. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Wilf Reclamation
Instant
Return target card that was put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn to your hand.
Anticipation- Discard Ranger’s Cache: Return target card that was put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn on top of your library. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
While I know that wizards is unlikely to ever print cards like these, I am still interested in hearing any thoughts you might have on this topic.
I can control no lands on lots of turns; not just turn 1.
The big conceptual problem with this is that Wizards likes games to go on for more than 5 turns, on average. So this means that every one of these cards's extra effects are virtually useless for the majority of the game. Unless you don't run lands, or run ways to get rid of lands.
I'm also not a fan of this being an ability word and getting significantly less than playing the card.
Suggestion: Ready Counter1U
Instant
Counter target sorcery or instant spell unless it's controller pays 3. InsightV1 0(You may cast this spell for its insight cost if you have seven or more cards in hand.)
Insight will combo with aggressive card draw, or aggressively not playing lands? But - really - it's just a counterspell you can use on turn 0.
You could also do: InsightV2 0(You may cast this spell for its insight cost before your third turn.)
or InsightV3 (You may cast this spell for free before your first turn.)
V1 seems fair, V2 seems restrictive on what you could put it on, and V3 have the same problem as yours do - in that its designed to use only under rare circumstances (IE, before your 1st turn; IE only those games where you go 2nd OR during leyline situations). But the text is far less as well.
Interesting, V3 seems like it'd have to be reactive. You'd get an erase to deal with leylines, of course, but you'd also get a Wing Shards to deal with 1st turn wins, a counter to deal with channelfireball, etc. Maybe you could get a 1/1 creature with flash or something?
Still, maybe even V3 should have a cost, the cost can be 0 for some cards, but exiling cards or milling yourself or the like might be fair game too.
V3 was basically what I was going for, in a nutshell. Considering that Insight does nothing more than negate first-turn advantages (IF your opponent follows highly specific lines of play), I kind of doubt that any additional costs are required if the effects are highly reactive.
Backdraft
Instant
Deal 3 damage to target creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
Insight (you may cast this spell for before your first turn).
Clever Sabotage
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell unless its owner pays .
Insight (you may cast this spell for before your first turn).
I named it "Insight" initially due to wanting it to count for the # of cards in hand - if you've got 7 (IE, opening hand), you're good to go).
V1's benefit is that while you can do a cycle of free spells, you could also do some "Wisdom" mechanic spells - IE, care about handsize.
Backdraft - Try this:
Blackdraft V22R
Instant
Deal 3 Damage to target creature.
Insight.
I think a higher CMC here works well because this is going to see play in limited no matter what, and whether it sees play in constructed depends upon how often you need to bolt your opponent's creature if they play first. It's an interesting metagame option.
Removed "that entered the battlefield this turn" because on 1st turn it doesn't matter, and later you're paying enough that it doesn't matter. Short and Sweet.
Clever Saborage - Same worries here. This is probably a perfectly fine spell on turn 2, but I feel if you're getting to play it for free on turn 0, you should have a slightly less efficient spell. The easiest way is to bump it to 2U.
Final thought: If you're going with V3, I expect this is a cycle of uncommons or "spike" rares; IE 5 or 6 cards with the keyword.
But if you go with V1, then you can do the same uncommon "play for free" cycle, as well as some others where Insight offers discount, but doesn't make it free.
Spatial Redirection 2UU
Instant
Return up to two target nonland permanents to their owners’ hands.
Anticipation- Discard Spatial Redirection: return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. Its owner may draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
I want this card to exist simply so my legacy manaless dredge can have an out against leyline of the void
I think the anticipation cost should be to discard into exile instead of the graveyard. The effect is still powerful but leaves you with a little more thought into how badly you need to use the effect now or cast the spell later.
I wanted to play around and see if I could make some cards to help absorb this advantage. In the end, I came up with the following mechanic.
Anticipation- Discard CARDNAME: CARD EFFECT. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Unlike FoW, you don't have to burn an extra card to soften the first turn advantage. Unlike Mental Misstep, however, these cards are much harder to splash in decks without the right colors. The moment you have a single land, after all, Anticipation "turns off". Instead of being a "free" spell (which can cause real problems later in the game), it's a "before-you-can-pay" spell (slowing your enemy down for 1 turn).
Obviously, the design space presented by Anticipation is INCREDIBLY SMALL. All effects have to be largely reactive to keep the player on the play from using them (and to keep the odd landless deck from spewing them out for the win). Likewise, these effects can only really respond to things that your opponent might do on turn 1. Even so, a small cycle or two of these cards might soak an attack by a goblin guide, blank an Inquisition of Kozilek, blow up somebody's Mox, or perform similar tasks.
Example cards
Oracle’s Foresight
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.
Anticipation- Discard Oracle’s Foresight: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player this turn. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Weight of Ages
Sorcery
Exile target artifact or enchantment.
Anticipation- Discard Weight of Ages: Exile target artifact or enchantment with a converted mana cost of 1 or less. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Clever Sabotage
Instant
Counter target spell with a converted mana cost of 3 or less.
Anticipation- Discard Clever Sabotage: counter target spell with a converted mana cost of 0. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Spatial Redirection
Instant
Return up to two target nonland permanents to their owners’ hands.
Anticipation- Discard Spatial Redirection: return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. Its owner may draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Forsaken Existence
Sorcery
Return target permanent card from an opponent’s graveyard onto the battlefield under your control.
Anticipation- Discard Forsaken Existence: return target permanent card that was put into an opponent’s graveyard this turn onto the battlefield under your control. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Dark Bargain
Sorcery
Exile up to two target cards from target opponent’s graveyard. For each card exiled in this way, create a 2/2 black zombie creature token
Anticipation- Discard Dark Bargain: exile target card from target opponent’s graveyard. If you do, create a 2/2 black zombie creature token. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Backdraft
Instant
Deal 2 damage to each creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
Anticipation- Discard Backdraft: Deal 1 damage to target creature that entered the battlefield this turn. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Clear Away
Sorcery
Tap up to two target land cards. Those lands don’t untap during their owners’ next untap steps.
Anticipation- Discard Clear Away: Target land doesn’t untap during its owner’s next untap step. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Living Barricade
Instant
Create five 0/1 green plant creature tokens.
Anticipation- Discard Living Barricade: If any opponent controls one or more creatures, Create a 0/1 green plant creature token. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
Wilf Reclamation
Instant
Return target card that was put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn to your hand.
Anticipation- Discard Ranger’s Cache: Return target card that was put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn on top of your library. Activate this ability only if you control no lands.
While I know that wizards is unlikely to ever print cards like these, I am still interested in hearing any thoughts you might have on this topic.
The big conceptual problem with this is that Wizards likes games to go on for more than 5 turns, on average. So this means that every one of these cards's extra effects are virtually useless for the majority of the game. Unless you don't run lands, or run ways to get rid of lands.
I'm also not a fan of this being an ability word and getting significantly less than playing the card.
Suggestion:
Ready Counter 1U
Instant
Counter target sorcery or instant spell unless it's controller pays 3.
InsightV1 0 (You may cast this spell for its insight cost if you have seven or more cards in hand.)
Insight will combo with aggressive card draw, or aggressively not playing lands? But - really - it's just a counterspell you can use on turn 0.
You could also do:
InsightV2 0 (You may cast this spell for its insight cost before your third turn.)
or
InsightV3 (You may cast this spell for free before your first turn.)
V1 seems fair, V2 seems restrictive on what you could put it on, and V3 have the same problem as yours do - in that its designed to use only under rare circumstances (IE, before your 1st turn; IE only those games where you go 2nd OR during leyline situations). But the text is far less as well.
Interesting, V3 seems like it'd have to be reactive. You'd get an erase to deal with leylines, of course, but you'd also get a Wing Shards to deal with 1st turn wins, a counter to deal with channel fireball, etc. Maybe you could get a 1/1 creature with flash or something?
Still, maybe even V3 should have a cost, the cost can be 0 for some cards, but exiling cards or milling yourself or the like might be fair game too.
Backdraft
Instant
Deal 3 damage to target creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
Insight (you may cast this spell for before your first turn).
Clever Sabotage
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell unless its owner pays .
Insight (you may cast this spell for before your first turn).
Yeah, that seems to work
I named it "Insight" initially due to wanting it to count for the # of cards in hand - if you've got 7 (IE, opening hand), you're good to go).
V1's benefit is that while you can do a cycle of free spells, you could also do some "Wisdom" mechanic spells - IE, care about handsize.
Backdraft - Try this:
Blackdraft V2 2R
Instant
Deal 3 Damage to target creature.
Insight.
I think a higher CMC here works well because this is going to see play in limited no matter what, and whether it sees play in constructed depends upon how often you need to bolt your opponent's creature if they play first. It's an interesting metagame option.
Removed "that entered the battlefield this turn" because on 1st turn it doesn't matter, and later you're paying enough that it doesn't matter. Short and Sweet.
Clever Saborage - Same worries here. This is probably a perfectly fine spell on turn 2, but I feel if you're getting to play it for free on turn 0, you should have a slightly less efficient spell. The easiest way is to bump it to 2U.
Final thought: If you're going with V3, I expect this is a cycle of uncommons or "spike" rares; IE 5 or 6 cards with the keyword.
But if you go with V1, then you can do the same uncommon "play for free" cycle, as well as some others where Insight offers discount, but doesn't make it free.
I want this card to exist simply so my legacy manaless dredge can have an out against leyline of the void
Modern: (G/U)Infect (G/U)Tron
Legacy: (U/B)Tezzeret (U/B)(W/U)Miracles(W/U)(B/G)Dredge(R/W)
Commander:(U/R)Mizzix (U/R)(W/U)Sydri(U/B)(W/U)Zur(U/B)
This gives the mechanic more utility beyond Legacy, and gives more for each colour to do (i.e. green).
Tree of Knowledge
3G
Creature - Treefolk
Insight G
3/3
Custom Card / Set Reviewer
When reviewing custom cards / sets, I look for (a) flavour, (b) function, and (c) cohesiveness, generally through a risk focus.