Qasali Battlemage 2G
Creature - Cat Shaman Scout
When Qasali Battlemage enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact if R was spent to cast it.
When Qasali Battlemage enters the battlefield, destroy target enchantment if W was spent to cast it.
Reach 2/2
Kederekt Battlemage 2B
Creature - Zombie Warlock Rogue
When Kederekt Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a Haste counter on it if R was spend to cast it.
When Kederekt Battlemage enters the battlefield, you mill 3 cards if U was spend to cast it. T, Sacrifice Kederekt Battlemage: Add UR. 2/2
Varakna Battlemage 2R
Creature - Viashino Warrior Berserker
When Varakna Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it if G was spend to cast it.
When Varakna Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it if B was spend to cast it.
Menace, Trample 2/2
Valeron Battlemage 2W
Creature - Human Cleric Knight
When Valeron Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a vigilance counter on it if G was spent to cast it.
When Valeron Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a ward 2 counter on it if U was spent to cast it.
Exalted 2/2
Vectis Battlemage 2U
Artifact Creature - Vedalker Wizard Artificer
When Vectis Battlemage enters the battlefield, you gain 2 lifes if W was spent to cast it.
When Vectis Battlemage enters the battlefield, each opponent loses 1 life if B was spent to cast it. WB, T: Untap target artifact. 2/2
The original intention of the battlemage designs (and off-color kickers in Invasion block in general) was that they would give the base card an ability not in that color if you paid the kicker, while on-color kickers gave you "more" of whatever the card was already doing.
The red one doesn't really give you anything red can't do with those counters, and the green ability on the white mage also is squarely white already.
Further, the power level of these is all over the place. The green one s a potential three for one, but also will just be a 2/2 for three in a lot of games, where the black and blue ones are very weak.
I appreciate the attempt to do invasion "style" battlemages without using kicker, but kicker lets you charge more mana and so make the abilities more exciting and more niche (since you can just not pay for killing a thing if your opponent doesn't have it).
The white one is probably the best pattern to follow, by picking a keyword counter for each color and using that for each card boosted by that color. Then there's always utility in spending the mana, and no feel bad if you assemble GWR on turn three and they don't have any artifacts or enchantments to destroy.
Ah, my reflex point of reference for "Battlemage" was the invasion block ones, and the Alara battlemages remind me too much of the Apprentice cycle from Invasion that I'd forgotten they existed.
That said, I'll hold to my analysis of the play patterns/powerlevel. I think its a neat idea, just the actual pay offs need tweaked for consistency/balance.
Creature - Cat Shaman Scout
When Qasali Battlemage enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact if R was spent to cast it.
When Qasali Battlemage enters the battlefield, destroy target enchantment if W was spent to cast it.
Reach
2/2
Kederekt Battlemage 2B
Creature - Zombie Warlock Rogue
When Kederekt Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a Haste counter on it if R was spend to cast it.
When Kederekt Battlemage enters the battlefield, you mill 3 cards if U was spend to cast it.
T, Sacrifice Kederekt Battlemage: Add UR.
2/2
Varakna Battlemage 2R
Creature - Viashino Warrior Berserker
When Varakna Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it if G was spend to cast it.
When Varakna Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it if B was spend to cast it.
Menace, Trample
2/2
Valeron Battlemage 2W
Creature - Human Cleric Knight
When Valeron Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a vigilance counter on it if G was spent to cast it.
When Valeron Battlemage enters the battlefield, put a ward 2 counter on it if U was spent to cast it.
Exalted
2/2
Vectis Battlemage 2U
Artifact Creature - Vedalker Wizard Artificer
When Vectis Battlemage enters the battlefield, you gain 2 lifes if W was spent to cast it.
When Vectis Battlemage enters the battlefield, each opponent loses 1 life if B was spent to cast it.
WB, T: Untap target artifact.
2/2
The red one doesn't really give you anything red can't do with those counters, and the green ability on the white mage also is squarely white already.
Further, the power level of these is all over the place. The green one s a potential three for one, but also will just be a 2/2 for three in a lot of games, where the black and blue ones are very weak.
I appreciate the attempt to do invasion "style" battlemages without using kicker, but kicker lets you charge more mana and so make the abilities more exciting and more niche (since you can just not pay for killing a thing if your opponent doesn't have it).
The white one is probably the best pattern to follow, by picking a keyword counter for each color and using that for each card boosted by that color. Then there's always utility in spending the mana, and no feel bad if you assemble GWR on turn three and they don't have any artifacts or enchantments to destroy.
And those are the main inspiration for these cards, with a little mecanical mesh here and there...XD
That said, I'll hold to my analysis of the play patterns/powerlevel. I think its a neat idea, just the actual pay offs need tweaked for consistency/balance.
It's a little more flavorful, evocative of the land they are coming out of fantasy.