Training Grounds
{U}
Enchantment
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost up to {2} less to activate. This effect can't reduce the amount of mana an ability costs to activate to less than one mana.
Dunno about standard, but somewhere in Magic there is going to be a creature that appreciates this (besides the levelers that cost 3 to level, obviously.) Let's find it!
EDIT: NOTE TO EVERYBODY
1: Make sure you read the second sentence of the effect. Also note that this only takes off colorless mana.
2: Activated abilities are of the form "cost: effect." Multikicker, anything with "when," "whenever," etc. is no good.
3: Won't work with Cycling and Unearth as it can only affect "creatures," i.e. creatures on the field. Creature cards are not creatures.
As a connoisseur of fun, interesting matches, I still to this day have not been able to craft that "perfect deck"; the deck that I can play and have fun over time, doesn't get boring, but simultaneously is fun to play against. I honestly don't think it exists. It's like a unicorn. A ninja unicorn.
This makes spawnsire a much scarier finisher for a U control deck...
edit: nath'd!
Even without 2 though...you essentially convert all your mana into tokens at opponent's EoT. U control only needs 1-2 turns of that to pop the ultimate.
Training Ground + Skywatcher Adept = Easy leveling
Training Ground + Enclave Cryptologist = Easy leveling
Training Ground + Beastbreaker of Bala Ged = Easy Leveling
To understand the simple concept of "Easy Leveling", take this example:
Turn 1: Breeding Pool, Training Ground
Turn 2: Forest, Beastbreaker of Bala Ged
Turn 3: Forest, Level three times and swing with a 4/4 who is 1 level away from being a 6/6 Trampler your very next turn.
Rage Nimbus + Training Ground = R: Target creature attacks this turn if able (Very Good) Ambassador Laquatus + Training Ground = 1: Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. (Mill for 9-12 anyone?)
Any Ravnica Guild Mage + Training Ground = More efficient creature, trust me you will understand why.
Is... I hate to ask this... Is this standard playable?
Unlikely, as it does nothing on its own, but not impossible, as it's properly costed and has good combo potential. I think it's more likely to see play in the older formats because a larger cardpool means better combo potential; however, those formats generally have better combos already, so we'll see.
Most likely it's one of those cards like Amulet of Vigor where people say, "Someday, this will be broken."
Come on spawnsire of Ulamog will only need 18 mana for its big ability but two of these means unlimited tokens (at a cost of 1 sac one of the generated tokens to put 2 more out repeat an infinitum) then use that infinite mana to pop his big ability and win
Every rarity gets good cards. That means that some mythic rares will be tournament quality as will some commons, some uncommons and some rares. My promise wasn't that mythic rares wouldn't get good cards but that we wouldn't limit the good cards to only being mythic rare.
Bear this in mind the next time a powerful mythic rare is spoiled
Thanks to chaostheory90 for finding this quiz for me
Ant Queen + Training Ground = G: Put a 1/1 green Insect creature token onto the battlefield.
Djinn of Wishes + Training Ground = UU, Remove a wish counter from Djinn of Wishes: Reveal the top card of your library. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. If you don't, exile it.
Private Mod Note
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it doesn't apply to unearth and (multi)kicker, right?
Yes, because these are not permanents when being cast or in the graveyard and Training Grounds only affects creatures you control, so they must be on the battlefield.
As a note, Morph creatures get affected, as in it reduces the "flip" cost by 2. Not an activated ability. Whoops.
It is also good with the three-color dragons like Oros, the Avenger. Also good with most of the RAV Guildmages, like Dimir Guildmage.
Dunno about standard, but somewhere in Magic there is going to be a creature that appreciates this (besides the levelers that cost 3 to level, obviously.) Let's find it!
EDIT: NOTE TO EVERYBODY
1: Make sure you read the second sentence of the effect. Also note that this only takes off colorless mana.
2: Activated abilities are of the form "cost: effect." Multikicker, anything with "when," "whenever," etc. is no good.
3: Won't work with Cycling and Unearth as it can only affect "creatures," i.e. creatures on the field. Creature cards are not creatures.
EDIT: Some stuff.
Spawnsire + 1 Training Ground = infinite ETB triggers; 2 Training Grounds = infinite mana and ETB triggers and tokens.
Ant Queen => G: Make an ant token
Filigree Sages => U: Untap an artifact
Fyndhorn Brownie => G: Untap a creature
Glider Bairn => G/U, untap: Double counters. (Good with levelers, anyone?)
Sphinx of Magosi, Ethersworn Adjuticator, Masticore, Merfolk Seastalkers, Feral Hydra, etc.
Guildmages, esp. Izzet Guildmage (+ Rite of Flame = inf. mana)
Magus of the Coffers, Magus of the Scroll, Seismic Mage, etc.
MOAR EDIT: Feel free to check this search. Or this one.
Practice for Khans of Tarkir Limited:
Draft: (#1) (#2) (#3) (#4) (#5)
edit: nath'd!
Even without 2 though...you essentially convert all your mana into tokens at opponent's EoT. U control only needs 1-2 turns of that to pop the ultimate.
Turn 1: Training Ground
Turn 2: Flamekin
Turn 3: Get RRRRRRRR
In Limited, you can use Hada Spy Patron with Training Ground to get a turn three 3/3 Shroud Unblockable, which is quite good given the format.
-ktkenshinx-
Training Ground + Enclave Cryptologist = Easy leveling
Training Ground + Beastbreaker of Bala Ged = Easy Leveling
To understand the simple concept of "Easy Leveling", take this example:
Turn 1: Breeding Pool, Training Ground
Turn 2: Forest, Beastbreaker of Bala Ged
Turn 3: Forest, Level three times and swing with a 4/4 who is 1 level away from being a 6/6 Trampler your very next turn.
tap any amount of creatures for only U each, anyone?
Turn 1: Island, Training Ground
Turn 2: Land, Perilous Research, binding the Ground to search for better cards.
Ambassador Laquatus + Training Ground = 1: Target player puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard. (Mill for 9-12 anyone?)
Any Ravnica Guild Mage + Training Ground = More efficient creature, trust me you will understand why.
What part of CREATURES don't you understand?
Magus of the Scroll
[/CARD]
Unlikely, as it does nothing on its own, but not impossible, as it's properly costed and has good combo potential. I think it's more likely to see play in the older formats because a larger cardpool means better combo potential; however, those formats generally have better combos already, so we'll see.
Most likely it's one of those cards like Amulet of Vigor where people say, "Someday, this will be broken."
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EDIT: Doh right doesn't lower it to below 1. Stupid me, thinking Magmaw was broken in two by this.
An animated monolith is a creature.
Practice for Khans of Tarkir Limited:
Draft: (#1) (#2) (#3) (#4) (#5)
RW Boros Bushwhacker RW
:):) New Player, so chill out if I've said anything stupid and you feel like flaming :):)
Ahh, that's right. Damn, reading fail.
EDIT: 'Nathed
Bear this in mind the next time a powerful mythic rare is spoiled
Thanks to chaostheory90 for finding this quiz for me
Djinn of Wishes + Training Ground = UU, Remove a wish counter from Djinn of Wishes: Reveal the top card of your library. You may play that card without paying its mana cost. If you don't, exile it.
I am a creative and exuberant individual; a lover of knowledge and enthusiast of rationality. The things that I value in life are learning, friendship, and passion; it is with these factors that I attain a great deal of information and companions. My goal in life is to have fun learning as much as I possibly can while enjoying all there is within the world. At my best I'm insightful, imaginative, and powerful; at my worst I'm volatile, uncontrollable, and childish.
Yes, because these are not permanents when being cast or in the graveyard and Training Grounds only affects creatures you control, so they must be on the battlefield.
As a note, Morph creatures get affected, as in it reduces the "flip" cost by 2.
It is also good with the three-color dragons like Oros, the Avenger. Also good with most of the RAV Guildmages, like Dimir Guildmage.