A cycle of 1CCC creatures. They're all 3/4 for now and disruptive. I tried for them to be powerful, but balanced
Isolation Angel 1WWW
Creature - Angel (3/4)
Flying, Vigilance
When enters, exile target creature an opponent controls with power 4 or greater until ~ leaves.
Quenching Sphinx 1UUU
Creature - Sphinx (3/4)
Flash, Flying
When enters, counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}.
compared to existing designs, stronger body, weaker counterspell. I'd say, still a bit more powerful in total than Frilled Mystic, which might mean it's too powerful at a slightly easier mana cost.
Cruel Demon 1BBB
Creature - Demon (3/4)
Flying, Menace
When enters, target opponent sacrifices a creature.
Bolttongue Dragon 1RRR
Creature - Dragon (3/4)
Flying, Haste
When enters, ~ deals 3 damage to any target.
That's the second one that has me worried it's overpowered, simply for dealing 6 to the face the turn it comes down. But replacing Haste with First strike would look inelegant on a 3/4, while not being able to target players would make it inconsistent with pretty much every spell with either "Lightning" or "Bolt" in its name, which are basically the best fits I found to replace the "Flame" of Flametongue Kavu (I realize "Flametongue" has its own meaning that has nothing to do with tongues. I just don't care). Of course, my Angel isn't precisely based on a specific card either.
Reclamation Hydra 1GGG
Creature - Hydra (3/4)
Trample
When enters, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Whenever damage is dealt to ~, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Most of these are very high or above the curve for their effect and power/toughness, especailly the blue one. The green one, alternately, is probably over costed when you look at cards like Questing Beast for what Green can do at 4 CMC.
White is the closest to right, as its removal is the most situational and its body is pretty typical for a 4 CMC white creature.
The high toughness on the blue one in combo with flash means it can counter OR surprise block ans survive, which Frilled Mystic and Mystic Snake typically cannot.
Red and Black are both close but neither color - and red especailly - don't normally get fliers this efficiently costed. Since you aren't putting flying on the Green one, I'd suggest dropping it from both of these and filling another Keyword in on each so the cycle doesn't look like four-fliers-and-one-not
Quenching Aven 1UUU
Creature - Bird Wizard (3/2)
Flash, Flying
When enters, counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}.
Now a 3/2, as that's still plenty good on a flier, and no longer a sphinx, as it'd be too small. You're right, it's not supposed to surprise-block and live
Cruel Horror 1BBB
Creature - Horror (3/3)
Deathtouch, Menace
When enters, target opponent sacrifices a creature.
The way it was almost could have read "can't be blocked", now there's more room for decisions. One less toughness to keep it in bolt range, and because it no longer needs to justify being a demon.
Bolttongue Devil 1RRR
Creature - Devil (3/2)
First Strike, Haste
When enters, ~ deals 3 damage to any target.
And this is the main reason why the above changed their creature types, as this can't be a dragon or phoenix without flying. The toughness reduction is purely to justify first strike, so they still all have three abilities. I considered making it a 4/1, but with first strike that'd be huge in itself, and 2/1 double strike would have issues with anthems and pump spells, so 3/2 it is.
Reclamation Hydra 1GGG
Creature - Hydra (3/5)
Trample
When enters, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Whenever damage is dealt to ~, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Isolation Angel 1WWW
Creature - Angel (3/4)
Flying, Vigilance
When enters, exile target creature an opponent controls with power 4 or greater until ~ leaves.
Quenching Sphinx 1UUU
Creature - Sphinx (3/4)
Flash, Flying
When enters, counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}.
compared to existing designs, stronger body, weaker counterspell. I'd say, still a bit more powerful in total than Frilled Mystic, which might mean it's too powerful at a slightly easier mana cost.
Cruel Demon 1BBB
Creature - Demon (3/4)
Flying, Menace
When enters, target opponent sacrifices a creature.
Bolttongue Dragon 1RRR
Creature - Dragon (3/4)
Flying, Haste
When enters, ~ deals 3 damage to any target.
That's the second one that has me worried it's overpowered, simply for dealing 6 to the face the turn it comes down. But replacing Haste with First strike would look inelegant on a 3/4, while not being able to target players would make it inconsistent with pretty much every spell with either "Lightning" or "Bolt" in its name, which are basically the best fits I found to replace the "Flame" of Flametongue Kavu (I realize "Flametongue" has its own meaning that has nothing to do with tongues. I just don't care). Of course, my Angel isn't precisely based on a specific card either.
Reclamation Hydra 1GGG
Creature - Hydra (3/4)
Trample
When enters, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Whenever damage is dealt to ~, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
White is the closest to right, as its removal is the most situational and its body is pretty typical for a 4 CMC white creature.
The high toughness on the blue one in combo with flash means it can counter OR surprise block ans survive, which Frilled Mystic and Mystic Snake typically cannot.
Red and Black are both close but neither color - and red especailly - don't normally get fliers this efficiently costed. Since you aren't putting flying on the Green one, I'd suggest dropping it from both of these and filling another Keyword in on each so the cycle doesn't look like four-fliers-and-one-not
Creature - Bird Wizard (3/2)
Flash, Flying
When enters, counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}.
Now a 3/2, as that's still plenty good on a flier, and no longer a sphinx, as it'd be too small. You're right, it's not supposed to surprise-block and live
Cruel Horror 1BBB
Creature - Horror (3/3)
Deathtouch, Menace
When enters, target opponent sacrifices a creature.
The way it was almost could have read "can't be blocked", now there's more room for decisions. One less toughness to keep it in bolt range, and because it no longer needs to justify being a demon.
Bolttongue Devil 1RRR
Creature - Devil (3/2)
First Strike, Haste
When enters, ~ deals 3 damage to any target.
And this is the main reason why the above changed their creature types, as this can't be a dragon or phoenix without flying. The toughness reduction is purely to justify first strike, so they still all have three abilities. I considered making it a 4/1, but with first strike that'd be huge in itself, and 2/1 double strike would have issues with anthems and pump spells, so 3/2 it is.
Reclamation Hydra 1GGG
Creature - Hydra (3/5)
Trample
When enters, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Whenever damage is dealt to ~, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
One extra point of toughness here.