I think everyone is highly undervaluing Flash on the blue 5/5. Flash is more valuable than haste, or lifelink, or first strike, at least in blue. I remember reading something way back that talked about why Beast Attack costed 2GGG - it was because they didn't want blue decks to be able to cast it.
The reason they've been doing this is because they know that being able to play all instants and flash creatures is so much more powerful. There's a reason Think Twice sees tons of play in standard and Divination doesn't see any. Not having to tap mana on your own turn, forcing your opponent to play around Azorius Charm and Mana Leak and being able to utlize the mana with Think Twice if they do nothing is so strong.
Even with all those cards I mentioned in the format, UWR flash is still a super strong deck in Standard and Modern. Wizards has finally figured out ways to add cards to the format to fight those decks, and you want to print a 5/5 flash for 3UU? Just... don't.
These are all pretty broken. They need a mana cost on the ability to tie them to their specific color, or the effects need to be things that all colors can do, that is, not lightning bolt.
The black one is particularly crazy. It's like a turn two uncounterable Mind Twist / Balance, or a least a Mind Rot, which costs 3 for a reason. Imagine activating it on turn two against a Standard aggro deck in game 2 or 3. Name creature? You discard all your relevant cards. Imagine activating on turn two against a Legacy storm deck. Name sorcery or instant, you lose.
State of Flux
Search your library for four land cards with different names. Choose one at random and place it on the battlefield, choose another at random and place it into your hand then exile the rest. The shuffle your library.
Is this a sorcery or instant? I agree with Xyx, though it isn't red either way.
Brink of Madness
Sorcery
Any player may discard his or her hand. If no player does, each puts the top ten cards of his or her library.
Each puts the top ten cards of his or her library... where? Into their hand, graveyard, into play? I'm pretty sure you mean graveyard, but again, this is not a red card in any mode at all. It could be black, though.
I like the dragon a lot, though it feels like it has too much toughness.
I mean why I would chose a shock over this how is paying two mana to make your next burn more powerful than using that same two mana and dealing 4 damage with shock or 6 lighting bolt.
Mana is not the only cost you pay to cast 2 Lightning Bolts from your hand. It costs two cards. Last I checked, you draw only one card a turn, so getting four damage out of one card in a linear burn deck is better than getting 3 out of a single lightning bolt.
Extra Oomph 1R
Instant
The next instant or sorcery you cast this turn gains, "This card deals two damage to target creature or player."
Draw a card
Flashback 1R
Umm... this is silly. Have you seen Think Twice? Also, Zap, which underpowered, I admit. Anyway, the point of this card is not to hand value to players on a silver platter, actually, exactly the opposite. It's supposed to be tricky to get the value out of this. That's why being a sorcery makes sense, because the restriction allows the card to cost less and to create more interesting decisions for the player.
Extra Oomph R
Sorcery
The next instant or sorcery you cast this turn gains, "This card deals two damage to target creature or player."
Flashback R
This card can only give 4 damage for RR because of the restrictions. It also has the nice sublety that you can always cast it from your hand for RR and get at least a sorcery speed Shock.
Tell me one good reason why you just don't make it a direct burn spell? Apart from that, a 2cmc Shock with a real Shock for flashback: Pretty underpowered for a sorcery. Make it an instant.
It isn't a direct burn spell because the drawback allows it to cost less. But you're right, it's pretty weak. I'd rather have it as a sorcery, and cost R and R to flashback. Compared to Firebolt, as a direct burn spell this would be insane, but with the Johnny restriction it's probably ok.
Hmm... 8 p/t for 5 mana. Could be ok, could be overpowered. Afaik, not even green gets a vanilla 8/8 for 5cmc - and green is powercreep.
Costing six would make some sense for aestetics, but I don't think costing five is too good, as obviously there's no universe in which this gets played in a competitive constructed format.
I kind of see an argument for NOT costing six, because that creates a false impression that everything takes six damage, so costing five fits the red ideology of being slightly off-kilter, a little bit of chaos.
First off thank you for your lengthy and in-depth feedback!
Well thank you for your time and effort putting your set together.
Believe it or not Cloudrider Griffin is not actually designed to be good. It's designed to be marginal, to be just able to get there. There's quite a few cards like that in this set.
I see what you mean here. I think you're right that +1/+1 counters would be too much work, and that white doesn't need another strong flyer. But the thing with triggers like this is that if it's a very small reward, then it just feel unsatisfying as a player, almost like it's hardly worth remembering that it has an ability at all. Since you already have a 2/2 flyer for 3W, why not make this a 1/1 flyer for 2W that gets +2/+2 on landcycling? It just feels like you can get there and go off every once in a while by getting two triggers, it's like an achievement. I know you keep saying you want a slow limited environment, but I don' think a 1/1 flyer for 3 will be killing people before turn 7.
Red is color of not blocking, and green is the color of creatures being forced to block. Made to total sense to me.
In general, landwalk is an ability that is much much less interesting and flavorful in game than on paper. On paper, it sounds cool and adds even more land-matters to a set. In game, it almost always feels like a waste of text or completely overpowering, with nothing in the middle. So I don't like the idea of landwalk, but it's your set.
What if Cloudrider Griffin got a +1/+1 counter from landcycling instead? I mean, it's pretty unlikely someone will ever landcycle twice in one turn, and opponents are only ever going to do it on end step. It also may be cleaner to only trigger when you landcycle. It could also get +2/+2 till end of turn, just to make it a more significant bonus for jumping through a hoop.
On Dustcloud Animus, it was just a tiny bit jarring to see reach on a white card. White so rarely doesn't have flying instead, and I don't think it would make much sense for ground creatures to block a tornado storm.
I wish Gift of the Serpent were a real card.
Trained Umbrosk probably doesn't need to be triple-white to cast. It's pretty rare to see triple cost cards at common. There are only like 3 cards ever printed at common with a triple cost, and when something costs 7 mana it's mostly irrelevant anyway. Same with entire cycle.
For Umyuk Mystic, I get that you want to emphasize the lands-matters theme, but the condition of having a basic plains is taking up text and mindspace for absolutely zero in-game value, the only value is in telling the reader that lands are important in this world. This card will never be played outside of limited, where the caster will always have a basic plains. Just to nitpick. Same with all the Mystics.
I think Capture could cost 3UU. Confiscate costs 4UU and does everything Capture does, and Capture is mostly just Mind Control with the possibility of Annex.
For Crushing Whirlpool, do you mean to say X of that player's choice, or what?
Herald of Aragus could probably cost 1U, and possibly even just U. Maybe if you restrict it to sorcery speed then U is fine, because of mana-denial possibilities.
Serpent's Suffering probably doesn't need to cost 8. I'd say 7 is enough.
Blazing Firecat could probably get another point of power or toughness, not sure which.
Negoti Whirlwind could probably cost 2 less.
Animus Mound is really weak compared to Vulshok Morningstar, which is already not a very strong card. It could cost one less to equip, in compensation.
Ambush Canyons seems more like a WR ability than GR. Or just W.
Cloudkeep Citadel is just worse than Fountain of Cho and company.
Desert Landmark might be fine to come into play untapped, power-wise.
It's a bit confusing that some lands have a one-time use charge counter ability and others sacrifice themselves to do a one-time ability. I can imagine that being very difficult to remember which is which. In general, I like the charge counter thing much more. Players hate sacrificing their lands, and the land mass thing is going to be a real problem if people are sacrificing lands.
Zaanuu, the Shaper's Realm should probably come into play tapped, since it's like Vesuva except waaaaaay better.
Frogstorm 2G (Uncommon)
Instant
Put two 1/1 green frog tokens with reach onto the battlefield for each creature with flying target opponent controls.
There isn't a whole lot of precedent for frogs with reach, especially frog tokens with reach. Wouldn't Spiderstorm or Insectstorm make more sense? Though if it were insects, they would probably have to have flying instead of reach for flavor.
Mindwaste Wurm2B (Common)
Creature - Wurm
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player loses 2 life unless he discards a card.
2/2
I really like this. It's tough to make discard interesting, but this card just introduces a lot of decisions into combat math in limited that I like.
Cavernous Woods (Common)
Land
~ enters the battlefield with three charge counters on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a charge counter from ~. T: Add GG to your mana pool. Play this ability only if there are no charge counters on ~.
As already stated, super slow. I once had something like this, like this:
Name
Land
~ enters the battlefield tapped.
Echo 2 T: Add 2 to your mana pool.
I honestly don't know if this is too good, but it doesn't seem too overpowered to me. Pretty high-risk high-reward.
Lavascape Mauler2R (Common)
Creature - Hound
Whenever ~ attacks, you may have it deal 2 damage to target creature.
2/1
Also as already said, this is incredibly strong for common, and would be a first-pick uncommon even in a strong limited environment.
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Giving blue good creatures with flash does things like the standard Mystical Teachings/ Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir deck, which leads to incredibly slow draw-go gameplay which Wotc is clearly trying to never make viable again in any format, by printing things like Cavern of Souls, Abrupt Decay and cycle, Liliana of the Veil, Voice of Resurgence, Kessig Wolf Run and cycle.
The reason they've been doing this is because they know that being able to play all instants and flash creatures is so much more powerful. There's a reason Think Twice sees tons of play in standard and Divination doesn't see any. Not having to tap mana on your own turn, forcing your opponent to play around Azorius Charm and Mana Leak and being able to utlize the mana with Think Twice if they do nothing is so strong.
Even with all those cards I mentioned in the format, UWR flash is still a super strong deck in Standard and Modern. Wizards has finally figured out ways to add cards to the format to fight those decks, and you want to print a 5/5 flash for 3UU? Just... don't.
The black one is particularly crazy. It's like a turn two uncounterable Mind Twist / Balance, or a least a Mind Rot, which costs 3 for a reason. Imagine activating it on turn two against a Standard aggro deck in game 2 or 3. Name creature? You discard all your relevant cards. Imagine activating on turn two against a Legacy storm deck. Name sorcery or instant, you lose.
Is this a sorcery or instant? I agree with Xyx, though it isn't red either way.
Each puts the top ten cards of his or her library... where? Into their hand, graveyard, into play? I'm pretty sure you mean graveyard, but again, this is not a red card in any mode at all. It could be black, though.
I like the dragon a lot, though it feels like it has too much toughness.
Mana is not the only cost you pay to cast 2 Lightning Bolts from your hand. It costs two cards. Last I checked, you draw only one card a turn, so getting four damage out of one card in a linear burn deck is better than getting 3 out of a single lightning bolt.
Umm... this is silly. Have you seen Think Twice? Also, Zap, which underpowered, I admit. Anyway, the point of this card is not to hand value to players on a silver platter, actually, exactly the opposite. It's supposed to be tricky to get the value out of this. That's why being a sorcery makes sense, because the restriction allows the card to cost less and to create more interesting decisions for the player.
Extra Oomph R
Sorcery
The next instant or sorcery you cast this turn gains, "This card deals two damage to target creature or player."
Flashback R
This card can only give 4 damage for RR because of the restrictions. It also has the nice sublety that you can always cast it from your hand for RR and get at least a sorcery speed Shock.
What do you mean a balanced can trip would be better? I just don't know what you're trying to say, sorry
What cards are you thinking of?
It isn't a direct burn spell because the drawback allows it to cost less. But you're right, it's pretty weak. I'd rather have it as a sorcery, and cost R and R to flashback. Compared to Firebolt, as a direct burn spell this would be insane, but with the Johnny restriction it's probably ok.
Wolfir Silverheart, nuff said.
Altar W
Enchantment
Exalted
Extra Oomph 1R
Sorcery
The next instant or sorcery you cast this turn gains, "This card deals two damage to target creature or player."
Flashback R
Two-Face 3WB
Sorcery
Put a 4/4 white Avatar token with defender into play.
Put a 4/4 black Avatar token that can’t block into play.
Trade 7UUU
Sorcery
Exchange control of all permanents you control with all permanents target opponent controls.
Leech B
Creature
Intimidate
Whenever you cast a spell, each opponent gains one life.
2/2
I kind of see an argument for NOT costing six, because that creates a false impression that everything takes six damage, so costing five fits the red ideology of being slightly off-kilter, a little bit of chaos.
I guess, but not-so-good on the flavor. How does one build a wall and enter battle at the same time?
I'm just a bit confused about Mortar Giant, I must just be missing some secondary meaning of "mortar" or something. Can you explain that one a bit?
Well thank you for your time and effort putting your set together.
I see what you mean here. I think you're right that +1/+1 counters would be too much work, and that white doesn't need another strong flyer. But the thing with triggers like this is that if it's a very small reward, then it just feel unsatisfying as a player, almost like it's hardly worth remembering that it has an ability at all. Since you already have a 2/2 flyer for 3W, why not make this a 1/1 flyer for 2W that gets +2/+2 on landcycling? It just feels like you can get there and go off every once in a while by getting two triggers, it's like an achievement. I know you keep saying you want a slow limited environment, but I don' think a 1/1 flyer for 3 will be killing people before turn 7.
I was thinking of cards like Master Warcraft, Deftblade Elite, Odric, Master Tactician.
What if Cloudrider Griffin got a +1/+1 counter from landcycling instead? I mean, it's pretty unlikely someone will ever landcycle twice in one turn, and opponents are only ever going to do it on end step. It also may be cleaner to only trigger when you landcycle. It could also get +2/+2 till end of turn, just to make it a more significant bonus for jumping through a hoop.
On Dustcloud Animus, it was just a tiny bit jarring to see reach on a white card. White so rarely doesn't have flying instead, and I don't think it would make much sense for ground creatures to block a tornado storm.
I wish Gift of the Serpent were a real card.
Trained Umbrosk probably doesn't need to be triple-white to cast. It's pretty rare to see triple cost cards at common. There are only like 3 cards ever printed at common with a triple cost, and when something costs 7 mana it's mostly irrelevant anyway. Same with entire cycle.
For Umyuk Mystic, I get that you want to emphasize the lands-matters theme, but the condition of having a basic plains is taking up text and mindspace for absolutely zero in-game value, the only value is in telling the reader that lands are important in this world. This card will never be played outside of limited, where the caster will always have a basic plains. Just to nitpick. Same with all the Mystics.
I think Capture could cost 3UU. Confiscate costs 4UU and does everything Capture does, and Capture is mostly just Mind Control with the possibility of Annex.
For Crushing Whirlpool, do you mean to say X of that player's choice, or what?
Herald of Aragus could probably cost 1U, and possibly even just U. Maybe if you restrict it to sorcery speed then U is fine, because of mana-denial possibilities.
Serpent's Suffering probably doesn't need to cost 8. I'd say 7 is enough.
Blazing Firecat could probably get another point of power or toughness, not sure which.
Negoti Whirlwind could probably cost 2 less.
Animus Mound is really weak compared to Vulshok Morningstar, which is already not a very strong card. It could cost one less to equip, in compensation.
Ambush Canyons seems more like a WR ability than GR. Or just W.
Cloudkeep Citadel is just worse than Fountain of Cho and company.
Desert Landmark might be fine to come into play untapped, power-wise.
It's a bit confusing that some lands have a one-time use charge counter ability and others sacrifice themselves to do a one-time ability. I can imagine that being very difficult to remember which is which. In general, I like the charge counter thing much more. Players hate sacrificing their lands, and the land mass thing is going to be a real problem if people are sacrificing lands.
Zaanuu, the Shaper's Realm should probably come into play tapped, since it's like Vesuva except waaaaaay better.
There isn't a whole lot of precedent for frogs with reach, especially frog tokens with reach. Wouldn't Spiderstorm or Insectstorm make more sense? Though if it were insects, they would probably have to have flying instead of reach for flavor.
I really like this. It's tough to make discard interesting, but this card just introduces a lot of decisions into combat math in limited that I like.
As already stated, super slow. I once had something like this, like this:
Name
Land
~ enters the battlefield tapped.
Echo 2
T: Add 2 to your mana pool.
I honestly don't know if this is too good, but it doesn't seem too overpowered to me. Pretty high-risk high-reward.
Also as already said, this is incredibly strong for common, and would be a first-pick uncommon even in a strong limited environment.