This is stricly worse City of Brass. There is no way to print a common cycle without entering tapped. Any condition to make it enter untapped and it becomes a rare cycle.
Light of Dawn1W
Instant
Counter target spell or ability that targets you or a permanent you control unless its controller pays 2.
Draw a card.
Mana LapseWU
Instant
Return target spell to its owner’s hand. You gain 3 life.
Lightning Plasma1R
Instant
Kicker Discard a card.
Lightning Plasma deals 2 damage to any target. If you paid the kicker cost, Lightning Plasma deals 2 damage to an additional target.
Azorius Dictate1WU
Enchantment
During your turn, spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to be cast.
During another player’s turn, spells you cast cost 1 less to be cast.
Boros Pyrochains1WR
Instant
Boros Pyrochains deals 1 damage to each creature. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
Mana StifleUU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
• Counter target ability that targets you or a permanent you control.
I think that the second option should be "ability that costs 3 or less" and mana cost could be then 1U.
Mana Filter2
Artifact
Spells that target a permanent that shares a color with it cost 1 less to cast.
Ancient city
Land T: Add C. T, Pay 2 life: Add CC. Activate this ability only if you didn't play a land this turn.
Cavern of Wizardry
Land T: Add C. If you spend this mana to cast a spell that targets yourself or a permanent you control, that spell can’t be countered.
Tears Point (named after Final Fantasy 8)
Land T: Add C. If a basic land entered the battlefield under your control this turn, add one mana of any color instead.
Cave of Omens
Land
If Cave of Omens would be put on your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 1 life. If you do, add one mana of any color. T: Add C.
Heaven's Wrath3WW
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures. Glorious — If you control a permanent with converted mana cost 4 or greater, destroy all creatures then choose one:
• Destroy all artifacts
• Destroy all enchantments
Angel of Battle2WWW
Creature - Angel
Flying, lifelink
Whenever Angel of Battle deals combat damage to a player, create a 2/2 white human knight token with first strike.
4/4
Super Soldier1WW
Creature - Human Soldier
Vigilance
As long as Super Soldier is enchanted, it has hexproof.
As long as Super Soldier is equipped, it has indestructible.
2/2
Barrier of Hope2W
Enchantment
As long as it's anoter player's turn, creatures you control get +0/+2.
Holy Thunder2W
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Ally Synergy — If you control a white or green permanent, you gain 4 life.
OverpoweredWW
Sorcery
Choose one —
• Destroy target creature with power 4 or greater
• Destroy target planeswalker with loyalty 4 or greater
Light of ExileWW
Instant
Exile target aura, equipment or creature that is enchanted or equipped.
Pyromania1R
Instant
Kicker 1R (You may pay an additional 1R as you cast this spell.).
Pyromania deals 2 damage to any target. If Pyromania was kicked, it deals 2 damage to all creatures instead.
Obsessive Fire2R
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, if it’s the second card you have drawn this turn, Obsessive Fire deals 1 damage to any target. If it’s the third card you have drawn this turn, Obsessive Fire deals 2 damage to any target.
Manafire2RR
Sorcery
Manafire deals damage equal to the number of enchantments you control to any target.
Electrostatic Shock1R
Enchantment
Whenever an artifact or another enchantment enters the battlefield, Electrostatic Shock deals 1 damage to its controller.
Whenever an artifact or another enchantment is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, Electrostatic Shock deals 1 damage to its controller.
Apprentice's Drake3UU
Creature - Drake
Flying
Whenever a creature with flying you control deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 1. If you do, draw a card.
3/4
Remove from the Battlefield1U
Instant
Return target creature to its owner’s hand. Ally Synergy — If you control a black permanent, destroy that creature instead.
Negating Word1U (the same idea can be repeated, changing instant and sorcery by artifact and enchantment)
Instant
Counter target instant, sorcery, triggered or activated ability.
Failed Plains1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If its controller has more cards in their hand than you, draw a card.
Blind FoldedU
Instant
Counter target activated or triggered ability or target spell that has more than one target.
Draw a card.
Arcane Teachings2UU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target spell, triggered or activated ability
• Change the targets of target spell or ability
Freezing Thoughts2U
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, you may pay 1U. If you do, tap target creature.
Butterfly1G
Creature - Insect : Butterfly gains flying until end of turn.
2/2
Massive Growth1G
Instant Cheering (Each creature you tap while casting this spell counts as cheering up)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and an additional +1/+1 for each time Massive Growth was cheered up until end of turn.
Nightstalker3BB
Creature - Nightstalker
Flying
Whenever Nightstalker deals damage to an opponent, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature they control.
Whenever a creature an opponent control dies, you may draw a card.
4/4
Assassin's Will3BB
Sorcery
Kicker -- pay 3 life.
Destroy target creature. If Assassin’s Will was kicked, destroy all creatures instead.
Death or DebtBB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature or planeswalker unless its controller discards two cards.
Path to Nothing2B
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a black spell, target player exiles two cards from their graveyard. If that player can’t, they lose 2 life.
Mental Death2B
Sorcery
Target player discards a card. Then that player sacrifices a permanent that shares a type or color with that card if able.
Killing IntentBB
Instant
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
Morbid — Exile that creature instead if a creature died this turn.
Bola's Cruelty1BUR
Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. Its controller discards 2 cards and Bolas’ Cruelty deals 3 damage to any target.
Boros Law1WR
Enchantment
Players can’t cast artifact or enchantment spells.
Pay 5 life: Destroy Boros Law 2. Any player may activate this ability.
Circle of Holy FireWR
Enchantment
Whenever a source you don’t control deals damage to any target, Circle of Holy Fire deals 2 damage to that source’s controller.
Whenever a source you control deals damage to any target, you may gain 2 life.
Devout of Magic
Creature - Human Artificer
Whenever an artifact or enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, you may gain 1 life.
2/2
Mystical FaeriWU
Creature - Wizard Faeri
Flying
As long as you have 3 or more cards in your hand, Mystical Faeri has hexproof and gets +2/+2.
1/1
Vial of Bloodfire3
Artifact
Whenever you lose life, put that many charge counters on Vial of Bloodfire. 3, T: Remove two charge counters from Vial of Bloodfire. Target creature gets +1/+1 and lifelink until end of turn.
Knight of Spring1WG
Creature - Dryad Knight
When Knight of Spring enters the battlefield, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment. If you do, you gain 3 life.
2/2
Counterblood. I thought that it could be useless when the opponent has nothing to sacrifice or has tokens. It can hit enchantmens, but it's not your choice anyways.
Hindered Plans. Life gain or the mana tax can be lowered to 2.
More counterspells:
Missing TargetUU
Instant
Counter target spell that doesn't have one or more targets.
It can counter anything, but removal and deal damage.
Essence Leak1U
Instant
Counter target spell if its controller's life total has changed this turn. (life gain and life loss cause life total to change)
ImpedeUU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target instant or sorcery spell
• Counter target activated or triggered ability
With the same cost, another version is to replace "instant or sorcery" with "artifact or enchantment".
Try AgainUU
Instant
Counter target spell if it isn’t the first spell cast this turn.
UnderestimationUU
Instant
Counter target spell, activated or triggered ability unless its controller pays 2.
Weight of ManaUU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is the highest converted mana cost among permanents they control.
Star Exile1WU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target legendary spell
• Exile target legendary permanent
Hindered PlansWU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that player does, you gain 3 life and draw a card.
Evaporate SpellRGUU
Instant
Counter target spell, triggered or activated ability. Add 2 mana in any combination of colors.
Erase Mind3BU
Instant
Counter target spell. Its controller reveals their hand and discards all cards that share a type with that spell.
CountermindBU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller discards a card with an equal or higher converted mana cost.
CountermagicWU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You gain 3 life.
CounterbloodBU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller sacrifices a nonland permanent.
Cycling 2 (2, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Artificer's UndoingU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target artifact or enchantment spell
• Return target artifact or enchantment to its owner’s hand
Mana Fertilizer1GUU
Instant
Counter target spell. You may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Trinity Lands (no idea for a nick)
Land
Trinity Lands enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add W or G. T, Pay 1 life: Add B.
The second mana should always be the common ally/enemy of the other two.
Tricheck
Land T, Pay 1 life: Add W. T: Add R or U. Activate this ability only if you control a white permanent.
At first I made it enter tapped and skipped the life payment. But the only reason for doing that would be to print a worse Mystic Monastery at common.
Cycling Land
Land
Cycling Land enters the battlefield tapped. T: Add W or U.
Cycling ( , Discard this card: Draw a card.)
The only reason for this is to have a cheaper, uncommon, version of Irrigated Farmland.
I did do another that was cycling + life gain (when you cycle or it is destroyed / sacrificed, you gain 1 life). But it's way too complex for little gain. The refugee cycle is much more straight foward.
Tricycle Pain
Land T, Pay 1 life: Add W, G or U.
Cycling 2.
Without cycling it's strictly worse than Mana Confluence. Maybe up the cycling cost to 3?
Tripain Conditional
Land T: Add W. Activate this ability only if you control a blue or a green permanent. T, Pay 1 life: Add G or U.
I think that going Nimbus Maze style (forest or island) is too easy to meet.
Maze Shard/Wedge
Land T, Pay 1 life: Add W. T: Add G or U. Activate this ability only if you control a white permanent.
Mutant Lands cycle
Land
Mutant Lands cycle enters the battlefield tapped.
When Mutant Lands cycle is put on your graveyard from the battlefield, create a 2/2 colorless creature token with all creature types. T: Add W or G.
Archaelogical Site (Mishra's Workshop is broken. Is this too?)
Legendary Land
Metalcraft — Pay 2 life, T: Add CCC. Activate this only if you control three or more artifacts.
Illusionary Oasis
Land T: Add C.
If Illusionary Oasis would leave the battlefield, transform it instead.
// Undiscovered Oasis
Land
Indestructible T: Add one mana of any color.
Supercharged Rock3
Artifact
Whenever you cast a multicolored spell, untap Supercharged Rock. T: Add one mana of any color.
Urza's Academy Dragon7
Legendary Artifact Creature - Dragon
Flying T: Add C for each colorless card in your graveyard.
5/5
Terrain Scales3
Artifact
Whenever a land enters the battlefield, if that land’s controller had another land enter the battlefield under their control this turn, that player sacrifices a land.
Lotus Shard0
Artifact T, Sacrifice Lotus Shard: Add C. Activate this only if you control a permanent of one or more colors.
Frail Lotus0
Artifact T, Sacrifice Frail Lotus: Add one mana of any color. Activate this only if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker.
Mana FailureUU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it in its owner’s graveyard.
Mana Shortage1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. Tap target land. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Leaking of ManaU
Instant
Discard a card. Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is the discarded card’s converted mana cost.
Eternal Void1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If it was legendary, draw a card.
Wizard's DenialUU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If you control a wizard, counter target spell instead.
Time SkipU
Instant
Counter target spell, activated or triggered ability. Skip your next turn.
Soul Bribery2U
Enchantment
If a creature would leave the battlefield, gain control of it instead and sacrifice Soul Bribery.
Robe of ImitationU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature token
As Robe of Imitation enters the battlefield, choose a nontoken creature.
Enchanted creature is a copy of the chosen creature. If that creature leaves the battlefield, destroy Robe of Imitation.
Holy ClericWW (the same idea could be made in black or both white and black, adding life loss to it)
Creature - Human Cleric
Whenever a card is put in your graveyard, you may gain 1 life.
Whenever a card is exiled from your graveyard, you may gain 1 life.
2/2
Vanilla CreamW
Instant
Exile target creature that is enchanted or equipped.
Cleansing Winds1WW
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures which are equipped, enchanted or have counters on them.
Angelic PassageW
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control dies, you gain 1 life. If you control an angel, you gain 3 life instead.
Angel of War3WW
Creature - Angel
Flying
Whenever a black or red creature attacks you, you gain 2 life and Angel of War deals 1 damage to it.
4/4
Mystic Academic3WW
Creature - Human Cleric
When Mystic Academic dies, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an artifact or enchantment. Put it onto the battlefield and the rest in the bottom of your library in a random order.
3/4
Pure Fire1R
Instant
Pure Fire deals 2 damage to any target. If the target is white or blue, deals 3 damage instead. If the target is both white and blue, deals 5 damage instead.
Furious Academic3R
Creature - Human
When Furious Academic dies, exile the top 5 cards from your library. You may cast any instant or sorcery among them without paying its mana cost.
3/2
Underworld Voices1BB
Sorcery
Each player sacrifices a creature for each creature in their graveyard.
Killing IntentBB (too strong? Another idea is to make it exile only, but without morbid it can only hit CMC=2 and with morbid CMC=4, making it similar to Fatal Push)
Instant
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
Morbid — Exile that creature instead if a creature died this turn.
Hex Field2BB
Enchantment
When Hex Field enters the battlefield, remove all counters from all creatures.
Creatures can’t gain counters.
Path to Nothing2B
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a black spell, target player exiles two cards from their graveyard. If that player can’t, they lose 2 life.
Act of DenialWU
Instant
Counter target artifact, creature or enchantment spell.
Arbiter of Purity3
Creature - Human Advisor
When Arbiter of Purity enters the battlefield, exile all auras and equipments.
Creatures can’t be enchanted or equipped.
3/3
Essence HarvestWB
Instant
Sacrifice up to 5 permanents. You gain 2 life for each permanent sacrificed this way.
Chance to LiveWG
Instant
Target player gains life equal to the highest converted mana cost among permanents on the battlefield.
If it’s not your turn, prevent all damage that would be dealt to you this turn.
Counter Lightning1RU (I made this before knowing about Ionize)
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, Counter Lightning deals 3 damage to any target.
Homeless4RB
Instant
Exile up to two target lands.
Vampiric Strike1WB (this card is a bit confusing)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 and first strike until end of turn. If the creature blocking it dies, that creature’s controller loses 3 life. If the creature this creature is blocking dies, you gain 3 life.
TwinsealUR
Enchantment UR, Sacrifice Twinseal: Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
StopWWUU
Instant
Counter target spell. Tap all artifacts, creatures and lands of that spell’s controller.
PurgueWG
Sorcery
Exile target black permanent. You gain 5 life.
Prowess for All2WG
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a spell, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Path to Destruction1UR
Instant
Path to Destruction can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
Counter target triggered or activated ability.
If a land’s or artifact’s ability is countered this way, destroy it.
Naked Skin
Instant
Destroy target aura or equipment.
Mirrored FireUR
Instant
Change the target of a spell or activated ability with a single target unless its controller pays 2.
Draw a card.
Reverse SpellWU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, you gain 3 life.
Life Ressonance2
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 1 life for each creature you control.
FlushWB
Instant
Discard your hand. You gain 2 life for each card discard this way.
Eat the Ashes1BG
Sorcery
Destroy target nonland permanent. You gain 3 life.
Angel of Fire1WR
Creature - Angel
Flying
When Angel of Fire enters the battlefield you gain 2 life.
When Angel of Fire dies, it deals 2 damage to any target.
2/2
Helena, Ghost Angel3BW
Legendary Creature - Angel Spirit
Flying, lifelink
Pay 4 life: Exile Helena, Ghost Angel. Return it to the battlefield at the beginning of your next upkeep.
4/4
Spiritual Bound 2WB
Enchantment
Creatures you control have lifelink. WB: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Whenever damage is prevented this way, you lose that much life.
Cascade Fetch Land 2
Land T, Sacrifice Cascade Fetch Land: Sacrifice a land. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land. Put that land onto the battlefield and the rest of the cards revealed this way on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Now you lose something. I thought about paying life, but then it's too much like fetch lands. I thought about sacrificing a basic land, but this is already random.
Any dual land that can be fetched by fetch lands untapped has to have some drawback like the shocklands.. or they will be much better than the originaL duals...
Is WoTC not allowed to make better dual lands by the Reserved list?
I think that the closest possible dual is this: When it enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life. What drawback is smaller than losing 1 life, one time only?
Or this: As long as this land is on the battlefield, it is both types.
But both are way too good for standard and modern.
My other idea of losing and gaining life is unprintable because it's just stupid to make a card that triggers iself for nothing.
Instant
Counter target spell or ability that targets you or a permanent you control unless its controller pays 2.
Draw a card.
Mana Lapse WU
Instant
Return target spell to its owner’s hand. You gain 3 life.
Lightning Plasma 1R
Instant
Kicker Discard a card.
Lightning Plasma deals 2 damage to any target. If you paid the kicker cost, Lightning Plasma deals 2 damage to an additional target.
Azorius Dictate 1WU
Enchantment
During your turn, spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to be cast.
During another player’s turn, spells you cast cost 1 less to be cast.
Boros Pyrochains 1WR
Instant
Boros Pyrochains deals 1 damage to each creature. You gain life equal to the damage dealt this way.
Mana Stifle UU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
• Counter target ability that targets you or a permanent you control.
I think that the second option should be "ability that costs 3 or less" and mana cost could be then 1U.
Mana Filter 2
Artifact
Spells that target a permanent that shares a color with it cost 1 less to cast.
It's symmetric to balance it.
Land
T: Add C.
T, Pay 2 life: Add CC. Activate this ability only if you didn't play a land this turn.
Cavern of Wizardry
Land
T: Add C. If you spend this mana to cast a spell that targets yourself or a permanent you control, that spell can’t be countered.
Tears Point (named after Final Fantasy 8)
Land
T: Add C. If a basic land entered the battlefield under your control this turn, add one mana of any color instead.
Cave of Omens
Land
If Cave of Omens would be put on your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 1 life. If you do, add one mana of any color.
T: Add C.
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures.
Glorious — If you control a permanent with converted mana cost 4 or greater, destroy all creatures then choose one:
• Destroy all artifacts
• Destroy all enchantments
Angel of Battle 2WWW
Creature - Angel
Flying, lifelink
Whenever Angel of Battle deals combat damage to a player, create a 2/2 white human knight token with first strike.
4/4
Super Soldier 1WW
Creature - Human Soldier
Vigilance
As long as Super Soldier is enchanted, it has hexproof.
As long as Super Soldier is equipped, it has indestructible.
2/2
Barrier of Hope 2W
Enchantment
As long as it's anoter player's turn, creatures you control get +0/+2.
Holy Thunder 2W
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
Ally Synergy — If you control a white or green permanent, you gain 4 life.
Overpowered WW
Sorcery
Choose one —
• Destroy target creature with power 4 or greater
• Destroy target planeswalker with loyalty 4 or greater
Light of Exile WW
Instant
Exile target aura, equipment or creature that is enchanted or equipped.
Pyromania 1R
Instant
Kicker 1R (You may pay an additional 1R as you cast this spell.).
Pyromania deals 2 damage to any target. If Pyromania was kicked, it deals 2 damage to all creatures instead.
Obsessive Fire 2R
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, if it’s the second card you have drawn this turn, Obsessive Fire deals 1 damage to any target. If it’s the third card you have drawn this turn, Obsessive Fire deals 2 damage to any target.
Manafire 2RR
Sorcery
Manafire deals damage equal to the number of enchantments you control to any target.
Electrostatic Shock 1R
Enchantment
Whenever an artifact or another enchantment enters the battlefield, Electrostatic Shock deals 1 damage to its controller.
Whenever an artifact or another enchantment is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, Electrostatic Shock deals 1 damage to its controller.
Apprentice's Drake 3UU
Creature - Drake
Flying
Whenever a creature with flying you control deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 1. If you do, draw a card.
3/4
Remove from the Battlefield 1U
Instant
Return target creature to its owner’s hand.
Ally Synergy — If you control a black permanent, destroy that creature instead.
Negating Word 1U (the same idea can be repeated, changing instant and sorcery by artifact and enchantment)
Instant
Counter target instant, sorcery, triggered or activated ability.
Failed Plains 1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If its controller has more cards in their hand than you, draw a card.
Blind Folded U
Instant
Counter target activated or triggered ability or target spell that has more than one target.
Draw a card.
Arcane Teachings 2UU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target spell, triggered or activated ability
• Change the targets of target spell or ability
Freezing Thoughts 2U
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, you may pay 1U. If you do, tap target creature.
Butterfly 1G
Creature - Insect
2/2
Massive Growth 1G
Instant
Cheering (Each creature you tap while casting this spell counts as cheering up)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and an additional +1/+1 for each time Massive Growth was cheered up until end of turn.
Nightstalker 3BB
Creature - Nightstalker
Flying
Whenever Nightstalker deals damage to an opponent, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature they control.
Whenever a creature an opponent control dies, you may draw a card.
4/4
Assassin's Will 3BB
Sorcery
Kicker -- pay 3 life.
Destroy target creature. If Assassin’s Will was kicked, destroy all creatures instead.
Death or Debt BB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature or planeswalker unless its controller discards two cards.
Path to Nothing 2B
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a black spell, target player exiles two cards from their graveyard. If that player can’t, they lose 2 life.
Mental Death 2B
Sorcery
Target player discards a card. Then that player sacrifices a permanent that shares a type or color with that card if able.
Killing Intent BB
Instant
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
Morbid — Exile that creature instead if a creature died this turn.
Bola's Cruelty 1BUR
Instant
Return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand. Its controller discards 2 cards and Bolas’ Cruelty deals 3 damage to any target.
Boros Law 1WR
Enchantment
Players can’t cast artifact or enchantment spells.
Pay 5 life: Destroy Boros Law 2. Any player may activate this ability.
Circle of Holy Fire WR
Enchantment
Whenever a source you don’t control deals damage to any target, Circle of Holy Fire deals 2 damage to that source’s controller.
Whenever a source you control deals damage to any target, you may gain 2 life.
Devout of Magic
Creature - Human Artificer
Whenever an artifact or enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, you may gain 1 life.
2/2
Mystical Faeri WU
Creature - Wizard Faeri
Flying
As long as you have 3 or more cards in your hand, Mystical Faeri has hexproof and gets +2/+2.
1/1
Vial of Bloodfire 3
Artifact
Whenever you lose life, put that many charge counters on Vial of Bloodfire.
3, T: Remove two charge counters from Vial of Bloodfire. Target creature gets +1/+1 and lifelink until end of turn.
Knight of Spring 1WG
Creature - Dryad Knight
When Knight of Spring enters the battlefield, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment. If you do, you gain 3 life.
2/2
Hindered Plans. Life gain or the mana tax can be lowered to 2.
More counterspells:
Missing Target UU
Instant
Counter target spell that doesn't have one or more targets.
It can counter anything, but removal and deal damage.
Essence Leak 1U
Instant
Counter target spell if its controller's life total has changed this turn. (life gain and life loss cause life total to change)
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target instant or sorcery spell
• Counter target activated or triggered ability
With the same cost, another version is to replace "instant or sorcery" with "artifact or enchantment".
Try Again UU
Instant
Counter target spell if it isn’t the first spell cast this turn.
Underestimation UU
Instant
Counter target spell, activated or triggered ability unless its controller pays 2.
Weight of Mana UU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is the highest converted mana cost among permanents they control.
Star Exile 1WU
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target legendary spell
• Exile target legendary permanent
Hindered Plans WU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that player does, you gain 3 life and draw a card.
Evaporate Spell RGUU
Instant
Counter target spell, triggered or activated ability. Add 2 mana in any combination of colors.
Erase Mind 3BU
Instant
Counter target spell. Its controller reveals their hand and discards all cards that share a type with that spell.
Countermind BU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller discards a card with an equal or higher converted mana cost.
Countermagic WU
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. You gain 3 life.
Counterblood BU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller sacrifices a nonland permanent.
Cycling 2 (2, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Artificer's Undoing
Instant
Choose one —
• Counter target artifact or enchantment spell
• Return target artifact or enchantment to its owner’s hand
Mana Fertilizer 1GUU
Instant
Counter target spell. You may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Land
Trinity Lands enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add W or G.
T, Pay 1 life: Add B.
The second mana should always be the common ally/enemy of the other two.
Tricheck
Land
T, Pay 1 life: Add W.
T: Add R or U. Activate this ability only if you control a white permanent.
At first I made it enter tapped and skipped the life payment. But the only reason for doing that would be to print a worse Mystic Monastery at common.
Cycling Land
Land
Cycling Land enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W or U.
Cycling
The only reason for this is to have a cheaper, uncommon, version of Irrigated Farmland.
I did do another that was cycling + life gain (when you cycle or it is destroyed / sacrificed, you gain 1 life). But it's way too complex for little gain. The refugee cycle is much more straight foward.
Tricycle Pain
Land
T, Pay 1 life: Add W, G or U.
Cycling 2.
Without cycling it's strictly worse than Mana Confluence. Maybe up the cycling cost to 3?
Tripain Conditional
Land
T: Add W. Activate this ability only if you control a blue or a green permanent.
T, Pay 1 life: Add G or U.
I think that going Nimbus Maze style (forest or island) is too easy to meet.
Maze Shard/Wedge
Land
T, Pay 1 life: Add W.
T: Add G or U. Activate this ability only if you control a white permanent.
The inverse of the above.
Land
Mutant Lands cycle enters the battlefield tapped.
When Mutant Lands cycle is put on your graveyard from the battlefield, create a 2/2 colorless creature token with all creature types.
T: Add W or G.
Archaelogical Site (Mishra's Workshop is broken. Is this too?)
Legendary Land
Metalcraft — Pay 2 life, T: Add CCC. Activate this only if you control three or more artifacts.
Illusionary Oasis
Land
T: Add C.
If Illusionary Oasis would leave the battlefield, transform it instead.
//
Undiscovered Oasis
Land
Indestructible
T: Add one mana of any color.
Supercharged Rock 3
Artifact
Whenever you cast a multicolored spell, untap Supercharged Rock.
T: Add one mana of any color.
Urza's Academy Dragon 7
Legendary Artifact Creature - Dragon
Flying
T: Add C for each colorless card in your graveyard.
5/5
Terrain Scales 3
Artifact
Whenever a land enters the battlefield, if that land’s controller had another land enter the battlefield under their control this turn, that player sacrifices a land.
Lotus Shard 0
Artifact
T, Sacrifice Lotus Shard: Add C. Activate this only if you control a permanent of one or more colors.
Frail Lotus 0
Artifact
T, Sacrifice Frail Lotus: Add one mana of any color. Activate this only if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker.
Mana Failure UU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it in its owner’s graveyard.
Mana Shortage 1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. Tap target land. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Leaking of Mana U
Instant
Discard a card. Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is the discarded card’s converted mana cost.
Eternal Void 1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. If it was legendary, draw a card.
Wizard's Denial UU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If you control a wizard, counter target spell instead.
Time Skip U
Instant
Counter target spell, activated or triggered ability. Skip your next turn.
Soul Bribery 2U
Enchantment
If a creature would leave the battlefield, gain control of it instead and sacrifice Soul Bribery.
Robe of Imitation U
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature token
As Robe of Imitation enters the battlefield, choose a nontoken creature.
Enchanted creature is a copy of the chosen creature. If that creature leaves the battlefield, destroy Robe of Imitation.
Holy Cleric WW (the same idea could be made in black or both white and black, adding life loss to it)
Creature - Human Cleric
Whenever a card is put in your graveyard, you may gain 1 life.
Whenever a card is exiled from your graveyard, you may gain 1 life.
2/2
Vanilla Cream W
Instant
Exile target creature that is enchanted or equipped.
Cleansing Winds 1WW
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures which are equipped, enchanted or have counters on them.
Angelic Passage W
Enchantment
Whenever a creature you control dies, you gain 1 life. If you control an angel, you gain 3 life instead.
Angel of War 3WW
Creature - Angel
Flying
Whenever a black or red creature attacks you, you gain 2 life and Angel of War deals 1 damage to it.
4/4
Mystic Academic 3WW
Creature - Human Cleric
When Mystic Academic dies, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an artifact or enchantment. Put it onto the battlefield and the rest in the bottom of your library in a random order.
3/4
Pure Fire 1R
Instant
Pure Fire deals 2 damage to any target. If the target is white or blue, deals 3 damage instead. If the target is both white and blue, deals 5 damage instead.
Furious Academic 3R
Creature - Human
When Furious Academic dies, exile the top 5 cards from your library. You may cast any instant or sorcery among them without paying its mana cost.
3/2
Underworld Voices 1BB
Sorcery
Each player sacrifices a creature for each creature in their graveyard.
Killing Intent BB (too strong? Another idea is to make it exile only, but without morbid it can only hit CMC=2 and with morbid CMC=4, making it similar to Fatal Push)
Instant
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
Morbid — Exile that creature instead if a creature died this turn.
Hex Field 2BB
Enchantment
When Hex Field enters the battlefield, remove all counters from all creatures.
Creatures can’t gain counters.
Path to Nothing 2B
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a black spell, target player exiles two cards from their graveyard. If that player can’t, they lose 2 life.
Act of Denial WU
Instant
Counter target artifact, creature or enchantment spell.
Arbiter of Purity 3
Creature - Human Advisor
When Arbiter of Purity enters the battlefield, exile all auras and equipments.
Creatures can’t be enchanted or equipped.
3/3
Aurelia's Guard RRWW
Creature - Human Soldier
Double strike, lifelink, vigilance, haste
2/4
Essence Harvest WB
Instant
Sacrifice up to 5 permanents. You gain 2 life for each permanent sacrificed this way.
Chance to Live WG
Instant
Target player gains life equal to the highest converted mana cost among permanents on the battlefield.
If it’s not your turn, prevent all damage that would be dealt to you this turn.
Counter Lightning 1RU (I made this before knowing about Ionize)
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, Counter Lightning deals 3 damage to any target.
Homeless 4RB
Instant
Exile up to two target lands.
Vampiric Strike 1WB (this card is a bit confusing)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 and first strike until end of turn. If the creature blocking it dies, that creature’s controller loses 3 life. If the creature this creature is blocking dies, you gain 3 life.
Twinseal UR
Enchantment
UR, Sacrifice Twinseal: Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy.
Stop WWUU
Instant
Counter target spell. Tap all artifacts, creatures and lands of that spell’s controller.
Purgue WG
Sorcery
Exile target black permanent. You gain 5 life.
Prowess for All 2WG
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a spell, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Path to Destruction 1UR
Instant
Path to Destruction can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
Counter target triggered or activated ability.
If a land’s or artifact’s ability is countered this way, destroy it.
Naked Skin
Instant
Destroy target aura or equipment.
Mirrored Fire UR
Instant
Change the target of a spell or activated ability with a single target unless its controller pays 2.
Draw a card.
Reverse Spell WU
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. If that spell is countered this way, you gain 3 life.
Life Ressonance 2
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may gain 1 life for each creature you control.
Flush WB
Instant
Discard your hand. You gain 2 life for each card discard this way.
Eat the Ashes 1BG
Sorcery
Destroy target nonland permanent. You gain 3 life.
Angel of Fire 1WR
Creature - Angel
Flying
When Angel of Fire enters the battlefield you gain 2 life.
When Angel of Fire dies, it deals 2 damage to any target.
2/2
Helena, Ghost Angel 3BW
Legendary Creature - Angel Spirit
Flying, lifelink
Pay 4 life: Exile Helena, Ghost Angel. Return it to the battlefield at the beginning of your next upkeep.
4/4
Spiritual Bound 2WB
Enchantment
Creatures you control have lifelink.
WB: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Whenever damage is prevented this way, you lose that much life.
Land
T: Add C.
1, T, Sacrifice Renewed Frontier: Put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Much cleaner now. Less text too.
Land
T, Sacrifice Cascade Fetch Land: Sacrifice a land. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land. Put that land onto the battlefield and the rest of the cards revealed this way on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Now you lose something. I thought about paying life, but then it's too much like fetch lands. I thought about sacrificing a basic land, but this is already random.
I think that the closest possible dual is this: When it enters the battlefield, you lose 1 life. What drawback is smaller than losing 1 life, one time only?
Or this: As long as this land is on the battlefield, it is both types.
But both are way too good for standard and modern.
My other idea of losing and gaining life is unprintable because it's just stupid to make a card that triggers iself for nothing.