That's pretty pushed. I think the 3 damage is unnecessary and unlikely to be printed. Getting Smash to Smithereens on a 2/1 body isn't likely to be a cut and paste type card design. Maybe something a little more reasonable would be to add haste or menace ala:
Maniac Vandal 2.0 2R
Creature - Human Berserker
Menace
When Panicked Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/1
Manian Vandal 2.1 2R
Creature - Human Berserker
Haste
When Panicked Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/1
That's pretty pushed. I think the 3 damage is unnecessary and unlikely to be printed. Getting Smash to Smithereens on a 2/1 body isn't likely to be a cut and paste type card design. Maybe something a little more reasonable would be to add haste or menace ala:
Maniac Vandal 2.0 2R
Creature - Human Berserker
Menace
When Panicked Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/1
Manian Vandal 2.1 2R
Creature - Human Berserker
Haste
When Panicked Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
2/1
But that's repetitive artifact destruction, which I think is much more pushed than the 3 damage.
What about as a renowned trigger?
Frantic Vandal 2R
Creature - Human Warrior
Haste
Renown
When ~ becomes renowned, destroy target artifact.
2/1
Again, keeping it at least modestly attractive w/o an artifact target while still making you jump through a bit of a hoop for the destroy
I mean, it's repeated artifact destruction two turns later and you're giving up two damage each time and it can only repeat if your opponent has literally no blockers to just kill it off the first time.
Renown needs a Renown value. At one this is decent, probably playable. At 2 this seems really good.
Is it asking too much to put the effect on a 2cmc creature?
Shatter Vandal 1R
Creature - Human Warrior
When Shatter Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact
2/1
Perhaps RR instead of 1R?
This seems way too pushed at 1R. Even RR is probably pushing it. Compare to Torch Fiend, Hearth Kami, and Reckless Reveler, all of which are considerably weaker than this card and are borderline cubeable as-is (I know they were in wtwlf's cube ~2-3 years ago and are still in consideration at 720 today).
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Even Pillage on a stick would be cool. I miss Pillage and it probably would get played.
Pillaging Vandal 1RR
Creature - Human Warrior
When Pillaging Vandal enters the battlefield, you may destroy target artifact or non-basic land. It can't be regenerated.
2/1
However, Manic Vandal with menace would be nice as well.
If they're not printing stone rain/LD, then they're certainly not printing it on a 3 mana creature that can also kill artifacts. That card is actually insane and better than all the other variants here by a mile.
I agree that its nuts, but a man can dream. Again I'd be super happy with just Menace. It even sounds cool.
I had another idea for a card today
Joltergeist 1UR
Creature - Spirit
When ~ enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owners hand.
When ~ enters the battlefield, ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/2
It's Man-o'-War with point of damage in Izzet...this would never be printed as worded. The only precedent for a 3CMC 2/2 w/ Unsummon is Man-o'-War and Aether Adept. Tacking on a ping might seem like a fair trade for adding a second and different color mana, but when you consider how many times this is a 2-for-1 or quasi-3-for-1, you realize how much that point of damage matters. This sort of design isn't impossible, but I think it needs to be narrowed down a bit:
Joltergeist 1UR
Creature - Spirit
When Joltergeist enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to target creature, then return that creature to its owner's hand.
2/2
You can snipe a shrimp or bounce something bigger, not both and no damage to the face. Even still this is an upgrade to Man-o'-War. I think the cube world would still be shocked to see this card printed. It is a hard card to balance. At CMC 4, it loses a lot of its appeal for cubing. At 5 with flying or some other ability, the 1 damage doesn't seem like enough, but bumping to 2 would bring us right back to the start.
I'd like a necromancer variant that can activate the same turn it comes into play.
1B Something Necromancer 1.0
Creature - Human Wizard 2B, Sacrifice Something Necromancer: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
1/1
or
2B Something Necromancer 2.0
Creature - Human Wizard 1B, Sacrifice Something Necromancer: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2
Flickering Celestial1WU Creature - Angel Elemental
Flash
Flying 1: Exile Flickering Celestial until end of turn. 2/2
Spirit Calls1WB Enchantment
When Spirit Calls enters the battlefield, each opponent loses one life and you create a 1/1 white and black spirit creature token with flying.
Whenever an source an opponent controls activates or triggers an ability, if it a source with the same name has already activated or triggered an ability this turn, it's controller loses one life, and you create a 1/1 white and black spirit creature token with flying.
Shifting Lux1WR Creature - Shapeshifter Elemental
Haste, Vigilance, Reach
When Shifting Lux enters the battlefield, target creature an opponent controls can't block and it's abilities can't be activated until end of turn.
When Shifting Lux attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn and deals 1 damage to target opponent.
When Shifting Lux blocks, it gets indestructible until end of turn. 1/2
Lifebloom1WG Enchantment
When Lifebloom enters the battlefield, gain 4 life and scry 3.
Creatures you control get +0/+1, vigilance, and spells your opponent's control that target them cost 2 more to cast.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, gain 1 life.
Sacrifice Lifebloom: Target permanent you control gets indestructible and hexproof until end of turn. Until end of turn, spells and abilities your opponents control can't cause you to sacrifice permanents. Creatures you control get +0/+4 until end of turn.
Void Maw1UB Instant
Void Maw can't be countered by spells or abilities unless the controller of that spell or ability exiles a card from their hand with converted mana cost 4 or greater.
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard.
Each opponent exiles the top 4 cards of their library.
If Void Maw is cast but does not resolve, each opponent exiles a card from their hand chosen at random, exiles the top 2 cards of their library, and loses 3 life, and you gain life equal to the total amount of life lost.
Earth Wave1UR Creature - Elemental
Haste, Trample, Hexproof
Whenever Earth Wave attacks, you may sacrifice a land and discard an instant or a sorcery from your hand, if you do, it gets a +1/+1 counter. 3/1
Dancing Dryad1UG Creature - Nymph Plant
When Dancing Dryad enters the battlefield, Scry 3.
Hexproof, Prowess, Vigilance, Reach 1/4
Ashrender1BR Creature - Elemental
Wither, First Strike, Haste
When Ashrender enters the battlefield, exile all non-enchantment permanents from target opponent's graveyard, that player takes damage equal to half the number of cards exiled that way, rounded up.
Whenever a creature, land or artifact an opponent controls would enter the graveyard, exile it instead. 2/3
Oroboros Spiral1BG Creature - Snake Wall
Defender
Hexproof, First Strike, Deathtouch
When Oroboros Spiral enters the battlefield, you may gain life equal to the number of creatures on the battlefield or creature cards in a graveyard of your choice. 1/2
Thunder Eye1GR Creature - Avatar
Trample
When Thunder Eye enters the battlefield, you may tap target artifact, it doesn't untap during it's controller's next untap step.
When Thunder Eye is discarded due to a spell or ability you don't control, dies, or is countered, you may exile target artifact. 3/4
Lifebloom is insane, I think it does way too many things.
Also does Void Maw really need that first clause of exiling a card to counter it, when you get so punished for doing so?
Without that clause you could also counter it yourself in clutch situations.
Ah, yeah, you're probably right. I did these a bit too quickly without going back to look over or edit them. Mostly my objective was to make more options for the 2 color options that fit flavor and mechanics wise for how those colors work and work together to some degree, particularly ones that aren't legendary. I wasn't even that sure of going for 3 cmc for all of them when I started them.
Primeval Fire1RG
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cost to cast Primeval Fire, discard a land card.
Primeval Fire deals damage equal to the number of lands you control to target creature and that creature’s controller.
Notes: Searing Blaze that scales! Their are some added drawbacks in being multicolor and requiring you to pitch a land, but the worst case scenario for this card (assuming you cast it with land and not by ramping with elves or something) is 3 to a creature and 3 to the face for 1RG and it just gets better when drawn later in the game.
Searing PotentialR
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase reveal a card at random from your hand.
If the revealed card is a mountain, add RR to your mana pool.
If the revealed card is a red instant or sorcery, deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
If the revealed card is a red creature, create a 1/1 red elemental creature token.
Notes: At the cost of 1 mana and a little information about your hand you get repeated (albeit random) value! No love for artifacts/enchantments, but you do gain more control over the effect you get as your hand gets smaller, like Cursed Scroll.
Rolling InfernoRRR
Sorcery (R)
Multikicker 2
Rolling Inferno deals 2 damage plus an additional 2 damage for each time it was kicked to your opponents and each creature they control.
Notes: Scaling multiplayer Bonfire of the Damned, but with a heavier commitment to red required. It can be a one sided volcanic fallout, or a one sided Inferno at 4RRR.
Stashed ExplosivesR
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Whenever enchanted creature untaps it deals 3 damage to its controller.
Notes: A fun burn variant. It guarantees 3 damage when placed on a tapped creature. It discourages your opponent from attacking/using tap abilities with that creature. Works well with effects that tap down your opponents creatures. May need to be 2 damage.
Absorbed and AblazeXRB
Sorcery (R)
Absorbed and Ablaze deals X damage to target creature. That creature’s controller loses X life and you gain X life.
Notes: Name needs work. That aside, this card let's you burn and drain simultaneously. For X = 2 you kill an X/2 creature, your opponent loses 2 life, and you gain 2 life!
Aftershock1RR
Instant (R)
If a creature you control attacks and is not blocked, you may cast aftershock without paying its mana cost.
Aftershock deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Notes: If blue can have free spells so can red. This is probably still too good, An alternative would be making this into lightning bolt costing R if the creature is not blocked. Seems a bit rough to make this a rare that is worse than lightning bolt though, but bolt is incredible value....
Primeval Fire1RG
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cost to cast Primeval Fire, discard a land card.
Primeval Fire deals damage equal to the number of lands you control to target creature and that creature’s controller.
Notes: Searing Blaze that scales! Their are some added drawbacks in being multicolor and requiring you to pitch a land, but the worst case scenario for this card (assuming you cast it with land and not by ramping with elves or something) is 3 to a creature and 3 to the face for 1RG and it just gets better when drawn later in the game.
Problem I see here is that multicolor slots are just way too jam-packed in Cube. I can't see this cracking in to the top five Gruul cards, or even the top 7, which means it'd be relegated to, at best, extremely large (1080+), Pauper/Peasant (depending on its rarity), or gimmick (i.e. all-Gold) Cubes.
The design seems fine but not absurd.
Searing PotentialR
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase reveal a card at random from your hand.
If the revealed card is a mountain, add RR to your mana pool.
If the revealed card is a red instant or sorcery, deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
If the revealed card is a red creature, create a 1/1 red elemental creature token.
Notes: At the cost of 1 mana and a little information about your hand you get repeated (albeit random) value! No love for artifacts/enchantments, but you do gain more control over the effect you get as your hand gets smaller, like Cursed Scroll.
This, on the other hand, seems like it can be EXTREMELY swingy. Getting 2-3 tokens out of this is absurd value. Getting RR out of this on turn two for a four drop is pretty crazy (especially given that it sticks around to do more stuff). Pinging off several creature seems really strong as well.
Of note, you probably want this to use a nested trigger a la Heart-Piercer Manticore so that you aren't forced to target when you don't reveal a spell. I.e. "At the beginning of your precombat main phase, reveal a card at random from your hand. When you reveal a Mountain this way, X. When you reveal a red instant or sorcery card this way, do Y. When you reveal a red creature this way, do Z"
Rolling InfernoRRR
Sorcery (R)
Multikicker 2
Rolling Inferno deals 2 damage plus an additional 2 damage for each time it was kicked to your opponents and each creature they control.
Notes: Scaling multiplayer Bonfire of the Damned, but with a heavier commitment to red required. It can be a one sided volcanic fallout, or a one sided Inferno at 4RRR.
Triple red is harsh, but this seems like quite the blowout. The fact that it's a one-sided version of two cards that are pretty decent on their own for only 1->R shift should be an indicator that you're a bit imbalanced here.
Stashed ExplosivesR
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Whenever enchanted creature untaps it deals 3 damage to its controller.
Notes: A fun burn variant. It guarantees 3 damage when placed on a tapped creature. It discourages your opponent from attacking/using tap abilities with that creature. Works well with effects that tap down your opponents creatures. May need to be 2 damage.
At one mana this seems a bit overbalanced (compare to Lust for War at three mana), but even then I'm not sure I'd cube it.
Absorbed and AblazeXRB
Sorcery (R)
Absorbed and Ablaze deals X damage to target creature. That creature’s controller loses X life and you gain X life.
Notes: Name needs work. That aside, this card let's you burn and drain simultaneously. For X = 2 you kill an X/2 creature, your opponent loses 2 life, and you gain 2 life!
A Drain Life variant that hits both the creature and the player. Seems fun, though again, as a multicolored card I'd be hard-pressed to run this in my cube section. Maybe make this straight black? It'd be an Exsanguinate variant that hits a creature instead of every opponent (and becomes riskier as you lose the lifedrain on them if they nuke or sac the creature in response)
Aftershock1RR
Instant (R)
If a creature you control attacks and is not blocked, you may cast aftershock without paying its mana cost.
Aftershock deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Notes: If blue can have free spells so can red. This is probably still too good, An alternative would be making this into lightning bolt costing R if the creature is not blocked. Seems a bit rough to make this a rare that is worse than lightning bolt though, but bolt is incredible value....
If you want this to be freecastable only during combat, it should be "If you control an unblocked creature". If you want it to be castable for the remainder of the turn when a creature goes unblocked, its probably best to key off of dealing combat damage to an opponent. Probably should say "Red creature" or require you to control a Mountain for color-limiting reasons, so White Weenies can't get a bunch of free Bolts just for being able to connect with dudes.
Of note, the majority of free-cast burn spells hit creatures only. See Flameshot, Pyrokinesis, and Thunderclap, with Fireblast being the sole exception. You have to be very careful when designing free burn spells that can target players, as a critical mass of them can mean games that end out of nowhere too often.
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Blue needs 1-drops. Not sure if #2 is good enough but they're all close.
Sword-Carrying Early Looter U
Creature - Faerie Rogue
Flying
Blue 1-drop #1 can't block.
Whenever Sword-Carrying Early Looter deals combat damage to a player, if you control three or fewer lands, draw a card, then discard a card.
1/1
Delve Fueler U
Creature - Human Pirate
Delve Fueler can't be blocked.
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card into its owner's graveyard.
1/1
Removal Stopper U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Whenever a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays 2.
1/1
Bouncy Fun Time U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard U, T: Return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand unless its controller pays 1. 3U, T: Return another target creature you control to its owner's hand.
1/1
#1 seems kind of weird. Can't block isn't really a blue drawback, maybe give it high flying instead? The loot is very strong, but shutting off after the third turn is kind of lackluster.
#2 actually seems a little overpowered. Jace, the Mind Sculptor demonstrated the power of selective topdeck denial, this could easily contribute to mana screw or flood for your opponent while acting as both a repeatable scry 1 and graveyard fuel for yourself.
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A few more ideas for Green ramp/fixing/land animation.
Terra Conqueror1RG
Creature – Human Shaman Warrior (M)
Haste, Trample RG: Terra Conqueror gains +2/+0
When Terra Conqueror attacks you may search your library for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Target land an opponent controls does not untap during its controller’s next untap step.
2/3
Notes: Part Cultivate and part Rubble (Reduce/Rubble). Terra Conqueror ramps while taking advantage of red's new experimental land lockdown ability. The fetching ability also helps ensure you have the mana to pump Terra Conqueror for an alpha strike later.
Worldly CultivatorG
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
If you would play a land that shares a type with a land you already control, you may instead exile that land and search your library for a basic land with a different type. Put that land onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
1/2
Notes: A fixer that helps you get to all five colors no matter what type of land you draw.
Darkheart Shaman1GB
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
Deathtouch
Pay 3 life: Search your library for a forest or swamp card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
2/3
Ensoul the Earth1GG
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your end step, you may tap any number of untapped lands you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep those lands become 1/1 green creatures with indestructible and hexproof until end of turn.
Notes: May need to adjust casting cost. There's not a precedent for this effect. It's a repeatable Life (Life//Death) with a splash of Heroic Intervention. May also need to drop indestructible.
Whisper to the Woods 2G
Instant (R)
Multikicker 1G
Untap target forest you control. It becomes a 2/5 green Treefolk creature until end of turn. Repeat this effect for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Treefolk you control get +1/+1 for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Notes: Wording is probably off for the repeat effect part. Also doubles as a fun combat trick.
Bounteous SerenityG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step if you have not cast any spells this turn you may search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
A few more ideas for Green ramp/fixing/land animation.
Terra Conqueror1RG
Creature – Human Shaman Warrior (M)
Haste, Trample RG: Terra Conqueror gains +2/+0
When Terra Conqueror attacks you may search your library for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Target land an opponent controls does not untap during its controller’s next untap step.
2/3
Notes: Part Cultivate and part Rubble (Reduce/Rubble). Terra Conqueror ramps while taking advantage of red's new experimental land lockdown ability. The fetching ability also helps ensure you have the mana to pump Terra Conqueror for an alpha strike later.
This seems absurd. 2/3 Haste Trample self-pump is about par for a gold cornerstone uncommon. Rampant Growth on attack is a better version of a four mana ability on a 2/3, and that's ignoring the massive boost this gets by being able to attack immediately, all but guaranteeing you the trigger. AND THEN you tack a land-ice ability onto it, which, triggering every turn, is effectively a Stone Rain on cast. So you've got a better Centaur Rootcaster + non-echo Avalanche Riders + Relentless Hunter-level value on a three mana card that gets extra benefit from stapling several of these abilities together. Absurd.
Worldly CultivatorG
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
If you would play a land that shares a type with a land you already control, you may instead exile that land and search your library for a basic land with a different type. Put that land onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
1/2
Notes: A fixer that helps you get to all five colors no matter what type of land you draw.
This is interesting, but the wording is kind of awkward and really shouldn't be on a replacement effect.
What about making it something like this instead:
"At the beginning of your precombat mainphase, you may exile a Forest card from your hand. If you do, search your library for a Mountain, Plains, Swamp, or Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, and then shuffle your library."
This still keeps your intended functionality of allowing you to branch out your mana, but with a cleaner and clearer wording and not an awkward replacement-effect-that-should-probably-be-a-trigger.
Darkheart Shaman1GB
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
Deathtouch
Pay 3 life: Search your library for a forest or swamp card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
2/3
This I like. The life cost is appropriately high, it's got the right riders so it isn't insanely abusable, and it provides a solid payoff over time if you can afford the life payments.
Ensoul the Earth1GG
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your end step, you may tap any number of untapped lands you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep those lands become 1/1 green creatures with indestructible and hexproof until end of turn.
Notes: May need to adjust casting cost. There's not a precedent for this effect. It's a repeatable Life (Life//Death) with a splash of Heroic Intervention. May also need to drop indestructible.
I think this is maybe fair? The Life part of Life/Death was always the weaker one. Making lands into 1/1's is fairly weak overall, and this telegraphs it while also only being usable every other turn. Maybe tick the cost up to 4 since this does provide a lot of inevitability with the Indestructible, but without it this card would honestly be hot garbage.
Whisper to the Woods 2G
Instant (R)
Multikicker 1G
Untap target forest you control. It becomes a 2/5 green Treefolk creature until end of turn. Repeat this effect for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Treefolk you control get +1/+1 for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Notes: Wording is probably off for the repeat effect part. Also doubles as a fun combat trick.
Why not make this Strive? Strive is designed to increase the cost based on the number of targets.
"Strive 1G
Untap any number of target forests you control. Those forests become 2/5 Treefolk creatures until end of turn.
For each time ~'s Strive cost was paid, Treefolk creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn"
"Choose target forest you control, then choose another target forest you control for each time ~ was kicked. Untap those forests. They become 2/5 Treefolk creatures until end of turn.
Treefolk creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn for each time ~ was kicked"
Power-wise this seems about right, maybe slightly overpowered. As an alpha-strike, you need to pour 9 mana into it to get 4 5-power creatures, which is mostly on par with Rude Awakening for an out-of-nowhere kill. More often, it seems like it would be used to ambush 2-3 creatures for 5-7 mana, which can be a bit of a blowout, but is fairly expensive as far as a limited removal spell goes. I feel like the fact that it can do both is what has me concerned. Maybe tweak the treefolk stats to 2/2 so they don't basically guarantee surviving the ambush?
Bounteous SerenityG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step if you have not cast any spells this turn you may search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
This seems slightly weak in most decks (though grabbing ANY land is strong, especially since the land comes in untapped), and crazy OP in G/U draw-go. Turn one this, turn two Drawstep Vendilion Clique, turn three Mystic Confluence?
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Re: Worldly Cultivator. Your wording would require a forest to use the ability and I want my design to trigger off of any duplicate land. E.G. a swamp if you already have a swamp in play.
Alls I'm saying is it's feasible and would make it a more attractive prospect. It's not like they've never stuck Smash to Smithereens on a dude before.
Your designs are fine and do a bit to make the guy more attractive when destroying an artifact isn't something you can do.
Maybe in the vein of Exert cards we could see something like:
Frantic Vandal 2R
Creature - Human Warrior
Haste
As Frantic Vandal attacks, you may exert it. When you do, destroy target artifact.
2/1
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Alls I'm saying is it's feasible and would make it a more attractive prospect. It's not like they've never stuck Smash to Smithereens on a dude before.
Your designs are fine and do a bit to make the guy more attractive when destroying an artifact isn't something you can do.
Maybe in the vein of Exert cards we could see something like:
Frantic Vandal 2R
Creature - Human Warrior
Haste
As Frantic Vandal attacks, you may exert it. When you do, destroy target artifact.
2/1
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What about as a renowned trigger?
Frantic Vandal 2R
Creature - Human Warrior
Haste
Renown
When ~ becomes renowned, destroy target artifact.
2/1
Again, keeping it at least modestly attractive w/o an artifact target while still making you jump through a bit of a hoop for the destroy
Shatter Vandal 1R
Creature - Human Warrior
When Shatter Vandal enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact
2/1
Perhaps RR instead of 1R?
[180 classic cube]
I mean, it's repeated artifact destruction two turns later and you're giving up two damage each time and it can only repeat if your opponent has literally no blockers to just kill it off the first time.
Renown needs a Renown value. At one this is decent, probably playable. At 2 this seems really good.
This seems way too pushed at 1R. Even RR is probably pushing it. Compare to Torch Fiend, Hearth Kami, and Reckless Reveler, all of which are considerably weaker than this card and are borderline cubeable as-is (I know they were in wtwlf's cube ~2-3 years ago and are still in consideration at 720 today).
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Pillaging Vandal 1RR
Creature - Human Warrior
When Pillaging Vandal enters the battlefield, you may destroy target artifact or non-basic land. It can't be regenerated.
2/1
However, Manic Vandal with menace would be nice as well.
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I had another idea for a card today
Joltergeist 1UR
Creature - Spirit
When ~ enters the battlefield, return target creature to its owners hand.
When ~ enters the battlefield, ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/2
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Joltergeist 1UR
Creature - Spirit
When Joltergeist enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to target creature, then return that creature to its owner's hand.
2/2
You can snipe a shrimp or bounce something bigger, not both and no damage to the face. Even still this is an upgrade to Man-o'-War. I think the cube world would still be shocked to see this card printed. It is a hard card to balance. At CMC 4, it loses a lot of its appeal for cubing. At 5 with flying or some other ability, the 1 damage doesn't seem like enough, but bumping to 2 would bring us right back to the start.
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1B Something Necromancer 1.0
Creature - Human Wizard
2B, Sacrifice Something Necromancer: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
1/1
or
2B Something Necromancer 2.0
Creature - Human Wizard
1B, Sacrifice Something Necromancer: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2
[180 classic cube]
Not sure they'd make a strictly better Fencing Ace though. Perhaps as a Legendary?
Creature - Angel Elemental
Flash
Flying
1: Exile Flickering Celestial until end of turn.
2/2
Spirit Calls 1WB
Enchantment
When Spirit Calls enters the battlefield, each opponent loses one life and you create a 1/1 white and black spirit creature token with flying.
Whenever an source an opponent controls activates or triggers an ability, if it a source with the same name has already activated or triggered an ability this turn, it's controller loses one life, and you create a 1/1 white and black spirit creature token with flying.
Shifting Lux 1WR
Creature - Shapeshifter Elemental
Haste, Vigilance, Reach
When Shifting Lux enters the battlefield, target creature an opponent controls can't block and it's abilities can't be activated until end of turn.
When Shifting Lux attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn and deals 1 damage to target opponent.
When Shifting Lux blocks, it gets indestructible until end of turn.
1/2
Lifebloom 1WG
Enchantment
When Lifebloom enters the battlefield, gain 4 life and scry 3.
Creatures you control get +0/+1, vigilance, and spells your opponent's control that target them cost 2 more to cast.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, gain 1 life.
Sacrifice Lifebloom: Target permanent you control gets indestructible and hexproof until end of turn. Until end of turn, spells and abilities your opponents control can't cause you to sacrifice permanents. Creatures you control get +0/+4 until end of turn.
Void Maw 1UB
Instant
Void Maw can't be countered by spells or abilities unless the controller of that spell or ability exiles a card from their hand with converted mana cost 4 or greater.
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard.
Each opponent exiles the top 4 cards of their library.
If Void Maw is cast but does not resolve, each opponent exiles a card from their hand chosen at random, exiles the top 2 cards of their library, and loses 3 life, and you gain life equal to the total amount of life lost.
Earth Wave 1UR
Creature - Elemental
Haste, Trample, Hexproof
Whenever Earth Wave attacks, you may sacrifice a land and discard an instant or a sorcery from your hand, if you do, it gets a +1/+1 counter.
3/1
Dancing Dryad 1UG
Creature - Nymph Plant
When Dancing Dryad enters the battlefield, Scry 3.
Hexproof, Prowess, Vigilance, Reach
1/4
Ashrender 1BR
Creature - Elemental
Wither, First Strike, Haste
When Ashrender enters the battlefield, exile all non-enchantment permanents from target opponent's graveyard, that player takes damage equal to half the number of cards exiled that way, rounded up.
Whenever a creature, land or artifact an opponent controls would enter the graveyard, exile it instead.
2/3
Oroboros Spiral 1BG
Creature - Snake Wall
Defender
Hexproof, First Strike, Deathtouch
When Oroboros Spiral enters the battlefield, you may gain life equal to the number of creatures on the battlefield or creature cards in a graveyard of your choice.
1/2
Thunder Eye 1GR
Creature - Avatar
Trample
When Thunder Eye enters the battlefield, you may tap target artifact, it doesn't untap during it's controller's next untap step.
When Thunder Eye is discarded due to a spell or ability you don't control, dies, or is countered, you may exile target artifact.
3/4
Ah, yeah, you're probably right. I did these a bit too quickly without going back to look over or edit them. Mostly my objective was to make more options for the 2 color options that fit flavor and mechanics wise for how those colors work and work together to some degree, particularly ones that aren't legendary. I wasn't even that sure of going for 3 cmc for all of them when I started them.
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cost to cast Primeval Fire, discard a land card.
Primeval Fire deals damage equal to the number of lands you control to target creature and that creature’s controller.
Notes: Searing Blaze that scales! Their are some added drawbacks in being multicolor and requiring you to pitch a land, but the worst case scenario for this card (assuming you cast it with land and not by ramping with elves or something) is 3 to a creature and 3 to the face for 1RG and it just gets better when drawn later in the game.
Searing Potential R
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase reveal a card at random from your hand.
If the revealed card is a mountain, add RR to your mana pool.
If the revealed card is a red instant or sorcery, deal 1 damage to target creature or player.
If the revealed card is a red creature, create a 1/1 red elemental creature token.
Notes: At the cost of 1 mana and a little information about your hand you get repeated (albeit random) value! No love for artifacts/enchantments, but you do gain more control over the effect you get as your hand gets smaller, like Cursed Scroll.
Rolling Inferno RRR
Sorcery (R)
Multikicker 2
Rolling Inferno deals 2 damage plus an additional 2 damage for each time it was kicked to your opponents and each creature they control.
Notes: Scaling multiplayer Bonfire of the Damned, but with a heavier commitment to red required. It can be a one sided volcanic fallout, or a one sided Inferno at 4RRR.
Stashed Explosives R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Whenever enchanted creature untaps it deals 3 damage to its controller.
Notes: A fun burn variant. It guarantees 3 damage when placed on a tapped creature. It discourages your opponent from attacking/using tap abilities with that creature. Works well with effects that tap down your opponents creatures. May need to be 2 damage.
Absorbed and Ablaze XRB
Sorcery (R)
Absorbed and Ablaze deals X damage to target creature. That creature’s controller loses X life and you gain X life.
Notes: Name needs work. That aside, this card let's you burn and drain simultaneously. For X = 2 you kill an X/2 creature, your opponent loses 2 life, and you gain 2 life!
Aftershock 1RR
Instant (R)
If a creature you control attacks and is not blocked, you may cast aftershock without paying its mana cost.
Aftershock deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Notes: If blue can have free spells so can red. This is probably still too good, An alternative would be making this into lightning bolt costing R if the creature is not blocked. Seems a bit rough to make this a rare that is worse than lightning bolt though, but bolt is incredible value....
Problem I see here is that multicolor slots are just way too jam-packed in Cube. I can't see this cracking in to the top five Gruul cards, or even the top 7, which means it'd be relegated to, at best, extremely large (1080+), Pauper/Peasant (depending on its rarity), or gimmick (i.e. all-Gold) Cubes.
The design seems fine but not absurd.
This, on the other hand, seems like it can be EXTREMELY swingy. Getting 2-3 tokens out of this is absurd value. Getting RR out of this on turn two for a four drop is pretty crazy (especially given that it sticks around to do more stuff). Pinging off several creature seems really strong as well.
Of note, you probably want this to use a nested trigger a la Heart-Piercer Manticore so that you aren't forced to target when you don't reveal a spell. I.e. "At the beginning of your precombat main phase, reveal a card at random from your hand. When you reveal a Mountain this way, X. When you reveal a red instant or sorcery card this way, do Y. When you reveal a red creature this way, do Z"
Triple red is harsh, but this seems like quite the blowout. The fact that it's a one-sided version of two cards that are pretty decent on their own for only 1->R shift should be an indicator that you're a bit imbalanced here.
At one mana this seems a bit overbalanced (compare to Lust for War at three mana), but even then I'm not sure I'd cube it.
A Drain Life variant that hits both the creature and the player. Seems fun, though again, as a multicolored card I'd be hard-pressed to run this in my cube section. Maybe make this straight black? It'd be an Exsanguinate variant that hits a creature instead of every opponent (and becomes riskier as you lose the lifedrain on them if they nuke or sac the creature in response)
Aftershock is already a card.
If you want this to be freecastable only during combat, it should be "If you control an unblocked creature". If you want it to be castable for the remainder of the turn when a creature goes unblocked, its probably best to key off of dealing combat damage to an opponent. Probably should say "Red creature" or require you to control a Mountain for color-limiting reasons, so White Weenies can't get a bunch of free Bolts just for being able to connect with dudes.
Of note, the majority of free-cast burn spells hit creatures only. See Flameshot, Pyrokinesis, and Thunderclap, with Fireblast being the sole exception. You have to be very careful when designing free burn spells that can target players, as a critical mass of them can mean games that end out of nowhere too often.
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Sword-Carrying Early Looter
U
Creature - Faerie Rogue
Flying
Blue 1-drop #1 can't block.
Whenever Sword-Carrying Early Looter deals combat damage to a player, if you control three or fewer lands, draw a card, then discard a card.
1/1
Delve Fueler
U
Creature - Human Pirate
Delve Fueler can't be blocked.
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card into its owner's graveyard.
1/1
Removal Stopper
U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Whenever a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays 2.
1/1
Bouncy Fun Time
U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
U, T: Return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand unless its controller pays 1.
3U, T: Return another target creature you control to its owner's hand.
1/1
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#2 actually seems a little overpowered. Jace, the Mind Sculptor demonstrated the power of selective topdeck denial, this could easily contribute to mana screw or flood for your opponent while acting as both a repeatable scry 1 and graveyard fuel for yourself.
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Terra Conqueror 1RG
Creature – Human Shaman Warrior (M)
Haste, Trample
RG: Terra Conqueror gains +2/+0
When Terra Conqueror attacks you may search your library for a basic land and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Target land an opponent controls does not untap during its controller’s next untap step.
2/3
Notes: Part Cultivate and part Rubble (Reduce/Rubble). Terra Conqueror ramps while taking advantage of red's new experimental land lockdown ability. The fetching ability also helps ensure you have the mana to pump Terra Conqueror for an alpha strike later.
Worldly Cultivator G
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
If you would play a land that shares a type with a land you already control, you may instead exile that land and search your library for a basic land with a different type. Put that land onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
1/2
Notes: A fixer that helps you get to all five colors no matter what type of land you draw.
Darkheart Shaman 1GB
Creature – Elf Shaman (R)
Deathtouch
Pay 3 life: Search your library for a forest or swamp card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Activate this ability only once per turn whenever you could cast a sorcery.
2/3
Notes: The counterpart to Dark Heart of the Wood.
Ensoul the Earth 1GG
Enchantment (M)
At the beginning of your end step, you may tap any number of untapped lands you control. At the beginning of your next upkeep those lands become 1/1 green creatures with indestructible and hexproof until end of turn.
Notes: May need to adjust casting cost. There's not a precedent for this effect. It's a repeatable Life (Life//Death) with a splash of Heroic Intervention. May also need to drop indestructible.
Whisper to the Woods 2G
Instant (R)
Multikicker 1G
Untap target forest you control. It becomes a 2/5 green Treefolk creature until end of turn. Repeat this effect for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Treefolk you control get +1/+1 for each time Whisper to the Woods was kicked.
Notes: Wording is probably off for the repeat effect part. Also doubles as a fun combat trick.
Bounteous Serenity G
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step if you have not cast any spells this turn you may search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards.
Notes: Ramp for your Silence?
This seems absurd. 2/3 Haste Trample self-pump is about par for a gold cornerstone uncommon. Rampant Growth on attack is a better version of a four mana ability on a 2/3, and that's ignoring the massive boost this gets by being able to attack immediately, all but guaranteeing you the trigger. AND THEN you tack a land-ice ability onto it, which, triggering every turn, is effectively a Stone Rain on cast. So you've got a better Centaur Rootcaster + non-echo Avalanche Riders + Relentless Hunter-level value on a three mana card that gets extra benefit from stapling several of these abilities together. Absurd.
This is interesting, but the wording is kind of awkward and really shouldn't be on a replacement effect.
What about making it something like this instead:
"At the beginning of your precombat mainphase, you may exile a Forest card from your hand. If you do, search your library for a Mountain, Plains, Swamp, or Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, and then shuffle your library."
This still keeps your intended functionality of allowing you to branch out your mana, but with a cleaner and clearer wording and not an awkward replacement-effect-that-should-probably-be-a-trigger.
This I like. The life cost is appropriately high, it's got the right riders so it isn't insanely abusable, and it provides a solid payoff over time if you can afford the life payments.
I think this is maybe fair? The Life part of Life/Death was always the weaker one. Making lands into 1/1's is fairly weak overall, and this telegraphs it while also only being usable every other turn. Maybe tick the cost up to 4 since this does provide a lot of inevitability with the Indestructible, but without it this card would honestly be hot garbage.
Why not make this Strive? Strive is designed to increase the cost based on the number of targets.
"Strive 1G
Untap any number of target forests you control. Those forests become 2/5 Treefolk creatures until end of turn.
For each time ~'s Strive cost was paid, Treefolk creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn"
If you're sticking with Multikicker, you want to look at Comet Storm and Strength of the Tajuru for your wording:
"Choose target forest you control, then choose another target forest you control for each time ~ was kicked. Untap those forests. They become 2/5 Treefolk creatures until end of turn.
Treefolk creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn for each time ~ was kicked"
Power-wise this seems about right, maybe slightly overpowered. As an alpha-strike, you need to pour 9 mana into it to get 4 5-power creatures, which is mostly on par with Rude Awakening for an out-of-nowhere kill. More often, it seems like it would be used to ambush 2-3 creatures for 5-7 mana, which can be a bit of a blowout, but is fairly expensive as far as a limited removal spell goes. I feel like the fact that it can do both is what has me concerned. Maybe tweak the treefolk stats to 2/2 so they don't basically guarantee surviving the ambush?
This seems slightly weak in most decks (though grabbing ANY land is strong, especially since the land comes in untapped), and crazy OP in G/U draw-go. Turn one this, turn two Drawstep Vendilion Clique, turn three Mystic Confluence?
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Re: Worldly Cultivator. Your wording would require a forest to use the ability and I want my design to trigger off of any duplicate land. E.G. a swamp if you already have a swamp in play.
Research Lab
Land-island mountain
Cycle 2
Silent altar
Land-plains swamp
Cycle 2
Germination vats
Land-island forest
Cycle 2
Rancid Cemetery
Land-forest swamp
Cycle 2
Soldiers' stronghold
Land-plains mountain
Cycle 2