One of my card design obsessions is finding new ideas for lands, especially dual lands. Lately, I've been fiddling with a technology that Wizards seems to have abandoned a while ago in favor of going all-in on ETBT variations.
Frozen Sea
Land T: Add W or U to your mana pool. You may pay 1 life. If you don't, Frozen Sea doesn't untap during your next untap step.
Or, a slightly more powerful template:
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Frozen Sea doesn't untap during your next untap step unless you pay 1 life.
Some other riffs, borrowing from various tapland cycles:
Crystal Wonderland
Land T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Crystal Wonderland doesn't untap during your next untap step.
When you untap Crystal Wonderland, you gain 1 life.
Seaside Watchtower
Land T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Seaside Watchtower doesn't untap during your next untap step.
When you untap Seaside Watchtower, scry 1.
Tidal Plain
Land T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Tidal Plain doesn't untap during your next untap step unless you control a Plains and or an Island.
And an interesting idea for a one-off land:
Resonant Cavern
Land 1, T: Add two mana of the type spent to activate this ability to your mana pool.
Crystal Wonderland. I don't think this is good for players in overall. You are trying to offset one drawback with life gain, but the life gain part is either meaningless most of the time or building a deck to take advantage of that isn't going to be good enough.
Seaside Watchtower. Very similar case of the above, but I think that repetable scry 1 for free is broken.
Resonant Cavern. I like it but it's probably broken. You are basically making a land that acts as a Mana ritual for all colors, which can boost almost any deck.
Frozen Sea. Nice, I had this same idea a long time ago.
Tida plain. It is weaker than checklands, but it has the advantage of being able to enter untapped regardless of any other lands. Maybe R&D has already came up with this very same concept at one point in time. Why AND, not OR?
Crystal Wonderland. I don't think this is good for players in overall. You are trying to offset one drawback with life gain, but the life gain part is either meaningless most of the time or building a deck to take advantage of that isn't going to be good enough.
Seaside Watchtower. Very similar case of the above, but I think that repetable scry 1 for free is broken.
I'm not sure repeatable scry 1, every other turn, starting the turn after it comes down, at the cost of a mana every other turn, is particularly broken, but yes, there are decks that can use it. I haven't tested any of these much, but I'd think these would be most tempting for control decks that don't have better options or need additional sources.
Resonant Cavern. I like it but it's probably broken. You are basically making a land that acts as a Mana ritual for all colors, which can boost almost any deck.
I'm not sure, but I think you're overestimating what Resonant Cavern can do. It's essentially a weaker Reflecting Pool, adding a mana of a type already in your mana pool, but with the upside that it can take advantage of nonland sources that Reflecting Pool can't.
Frozen Sea. Nice, I had this same idea a long time ago.
Tida plain. It is weaker than checklands, but it has the advantage of being able to enter untapped regardless of any other lands. Maybe R&D has already came up with this very same concept at one point in time. Why AND, not OR?
Actually, it was supposed to be or. Always pay attention to what you type >.<
Frozen Sea
Land
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. You may pay 1 life. If you don't, Frozen Sea doesn't untap during your next untap step.
Or, a slightly more powerful template:
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Frozen Sea doesn't untap during your next untap step unless you pay 1 life.
Some other riffs, borrowing from various tapland cycles:
Crystal Wonderland
Land
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Crystal Wonderland doesn't untap during your next untap step.
When you untap Crystal Wonderland, you gain 1 life.
Seaside Watchtower
Land
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Seaside Watchtower doesn't untap during your next untap step.
When you untap Seaside Watchtower, scry 1.
Tidal Plain
Land
T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Tidal Plain doesn't untap during your next untap step unless you control a Plains
andor an Island.And an interesting idea for a one-off land:
Resonant Cavern
Land
1, T: Add two mana of the type spent to activate this ability to your mana pool.
RWU
GUB
WBR
URG
BGW
• Recent Card Ideas • My Drawings at DeviantArt
Seaside Watchtower. Very similar case of the above, but I think that repetable scry 1 for free is broken.
Resonant Cavern. I like it but it's probably broken. You are basically making a land that acts as a Mana ritual for all colors, which can boost almost any deck.
Frozen Sea. Nice, I had this same idea a long time ago.
Tida plain. It is weaker than checklands, but it has the advantage of being able to enter untapped regardless of any other lands. Maybe R&D has already came up with this very same concept at one point in time. Why AND, not OR?
I'm not sure repeatable scry 1, every other turn, starting the turn after it comes down, at the cost of a mana every other turn, is particularly broken, but yes, there are decks that can use it. I haven't tested any of these much, but I'd think these would be most tempting for control decks that don't have better options or need additional sources.
I'm not sure, but I think you're overestimating what Resonant Cavern can do. It's essentially a weaker Reflecting Pool, adding a mana of a type already in your mana pool, but with the upside that it can take advantage of nonland sources that Reflecting Pool can't.
Actually, it was supposed to be or. Always pay attention to what you type >.<
RWU
GUB
WBR
URG
BGW