I think some people have been a little harsh in their criticisms, but they are right: In 2 player, there is no drawback. In fact, the first clause is likely the main benefit of the card. It takes away control from your opponent.
An opponent will attack anyway if it is a good idea. But this makes them attack when it's a mistake to do so. It's really useful and so controlling that this card could almost be white. (or R/W hybrid without blinking). I think this is the most useful effect of the card: The slow trickle of mana is not really a huge red strategy and may not be fast enough to earn a slot as ramp.
However, in multiplayer, this card is worse. Unless you've set a massive death trap up, you're going totlimit your opponents' ability to deal with each other, which means you can't use them against each other as effectively.
Going with Chess Reshif, the Stalwart King3WB
Legendary Creature - Human (M)
Opponents cannot play more than one spell each turn. WBT, sacrifice a nonland permanent: Destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls. Play this ability only as a sorcery.
4/4
Imperious Bishop
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
When Imperious Bishop comes into play, choose a color.
Imperious Bishop cannot attack unless the defending player controls a permanent of the chosen color.
Imperious Bishop can only block creatures of the chosen color. Utterly inflexible, his church offers no mercy, only judgement.
4/4
Judging was hard, this was a tricky round: Do we jdge the card or the challenge, many of us were locked into some tight spots
Flatline: I like the goblin, though I’m unsure soldier is appropriate. The merfolk is also quite interesting, although it does become a little odd in that the merfolk bounced returns untapped, so oyu could easily get an ETB effect over and over for 2 taps. Also, summoning sickness is not a defined game term.. though I think that might be a blue ability. Interesting reach
RaikouRider: I think the puppet mastery is a bit weird trigger using, especially since it should be one or more abilities, or ‘any abilities’ to account for multiple etb effects. The fading Memories is interesting, but it could be very strong
Doomfish: This cycle was limiting and I’ll take that into account. The reveal as a cost is a little bit odd, I do wonder if there is reasoning behind that. Still the instructor is a bit too risky, but yeah this cycle was hard.
Bravelion: Simple and clean, expect that the fortress predator ‘s fighting might be tricky. The otherts encourage multiple uses, but one creature doing the fighting, encourages you to hold back and cast them slowly, lest the second fight kills the predator.
Sub_Silentio: Once again, a tricky cycle. Wail of Undeath does follow the cycle, but it is so close to delve that it would be mistaken for it, or simple frowned upon as ‘weaker delve’ Its weaker than may spells that can bring back anything for 4 or 5. The extra turn is highly unlikely with needed X creatures in the grave (X+1 including the target) Crash of Thunder just screams some sort of abuse,
IcariiFA: Another hard to execute cycle in common, the power level is a bit weird. The common is simply too resilient for a common, being virtually impossible to remove without direct kill spells. Might be a real gummy ground with that at common. The Ambusher is a bit of a rules nightmare. The idea of ‘those creatures’ is undefined, I think you mean the creatures blocked by the Ambusher, but its not clear. Also this means you could choose a non-attacking creature become blocked. Does it deal damage?
Void-Nothing: That’s a very loose cycle. Drag for Jetsam is interesting, though it heavily focus on mono lue decks… yet that’s your cycle so I can forgive it. Interesting card, that could be a huge build-around me. Shamble from the pits is weird, but hugely, hugely swingy. That much boost plus lifelink, plus menace all at once. It’s really swingy.
Well.. I'm in a tight spot: My vertical cycle is likely too narrow for common, but I'd be stuck with U and W doubling cycle, when cards already exist. Oi.
Parallel Lives and Furnace of Rath continue with
Manifold Misery 2BB
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way)
Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
well lets try some new territory for white, while sticking within its boundaries: White likes.. combat tricks
Tactical Superiority2WW
Enchantment(R)
Whenever you cast a spell or activate an ability that targets a single attacking or blocking creature, copy that spell or ability. You may choose a different attacking or blocking creature as a new target for the copy. That's it boys.. give 'em the old one-two
As for blue... Though reflection exists and fraying sanity is essentially mill doubling. Well doublign effects are risky, let's put on that can be done early.
Insightful Premonitions1U
Enchantment (R)
If you would scry, scry for twice that amount instead. Pemmin perceived a plethora of possibilities
Divine MediumW
Creature — Human Cleric (R)
Tap three untapped Humans you control: Return target creature card with converted mana cost 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature is a Spirit in addition to its other types. "Come, let us join hands."
1/1
I'm sure this could be abused, but it would take enough work that its fun, not broken.
Legion Guard2W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, Legion Guard gets +0/+1 and gains vigilance until end of turn.
2/3
The only thing I see he is thatit feels a little off getting a defensive boost when you can't use it to block, and an offensive ability. Just doesn't Grok. Otherwise, solid common
Pull of EternitiesXWWW
Instant (R)
Synergize (Your planeswalkers can help cast this spell. Each loyalty counter you remove after you're done activating mana abilities pays for 1.)
Search your library for a planeswalker card with converted mana cost X or less, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Interesting, it does sort of work, but planewalker counters come in large stacks, while getting a stack of artifacts or creatures is an accomplishment. A bit too easy I think, Also more than likely, you would activate a useful +1 then strip the counters off that planeswalker for a copy of themself, to use the + ability again. (Assuming you'd abandoned hope of ulting it, or need that + now. It's clever play, but its got Vorthos throwing fits.
Dramatic Appearance2G
Sorcery (MR)
Put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. End the turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to his or her maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
Threatening Shadow2B
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has "2B: This creature gains menace until end of turn."
It works as a cycle, but this is simply too damn powerful. It also raises massive rules questions: Since the 'end the turn' is in the same action, do ETB go on the stack? And then to they just get removed? Could I put out Phage the Untouchable with this? Also there's no chance to instant speed this at all, meaning they wll need to sorcery speed remove it, or hold mana for NEXT upkeep. It's too powerful. Love the idea, I don't think it could be done.
Eldrazi Thoughtsifter 1U
Creature — Eldrazi Processor [C]
Devoid (This card has no color.)
Defender
When ~ enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player's library, you may exile it.
0/4
Mirror-Fraud Chameleon3GG
Creature - Lizard (M)
Hexproof
Whenever Mirror-Fraud Chameleon blocks or becomes blocked, you may return it to your hand. If you do, put onto the battlefield a green creature card from your hand blocking or blocked by those creatures.
5/4
My only issue is, when would you want to replace a 5/4 hexproof in combat, it's in a pretty sweet spot. Even so, it can't be killed in combat, since the hand is a hidden zone, you could 'fail to find' your chameleon in your hand. (It's THAT good at hiding) This dies to nothing but sweepers and combat tricks.
TOp 3:
1.Flatline
2. Jamblock
3. IcariiFA (creative, if a bit busted)
Shrine of Efforts 1RR
Legendary Enchantment - Shrine (U)
Whenever you splice a spell Shrine of Efforts deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
As long as you control three or more shrines, you may pay 0 rather than pay splice costs.
Art by
Dragon Bell Temple2RR
Legendary Enchantment - Shrine (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep put a dragon card from your hand on the battlefield, if you control four or more shrines. “I had learned in the School all about of dragons, but it is one thing to read about them and another see their.”
—Choryu, Minamo student
Art by
I get the control X shrines, but the wording is a bit off, why is the if clause at the end? Also as this card requires 3 other shrines AND a dragon to be remotely useful, its too narrow.
Not in Vain 1W
Instant {U}
As an additional cost to cast Not in Vain, sacrifice a creature.
Create X 1/1 Soldier creature tokens with vigilance, where X is the sacrificed creature's power.
For Glory 1WW
Sorcery {R}
As an additional cost to cast For Glory, sacrifice a creature.
Destroy all nonland permanents with converted mana cost less than or equal to the sacrificed creature's power.
This honestly seems Black or Orzhov to me, white usually likes the little guys, and sacrficing a creature for destruction feels off.
I chose Blessed Spirits and Pyre Hound. The challenge doesn't specify that rarity has to be the same. In the hypothetical set this cycle comes from, the Hound would be reprinted as an uncommon.
Fortress Spider1G
Creature — Spider (U)
Reach
Whenever you cast a creature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Fortress Spider. “The most deadly menagerie is the most varied one. And in an abandoned fortress such as this, there are plenty of different beasts, each more dreadful and lethal than the next.”
—Torkas, fortress guardian
1/2
Not only this makes a vertical cycle with my previous card but it also makes an unintended horizontal cycle with Celestial Ancient.
Torkas, Fortress Guardian3GG
Legendary Creature — Human Druid (M)
Trample
Whenever you cast a creature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. “This abandoned fortress is an isolated ecosystem, where the weak become food for the strong.”
3/3
A simple extension, though possibly quite powerful, skirting the edge of balanced.
Disoriented Trek1RR
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may shuffle a Mountain card from your hand into your library. If you do, draw two cards, then discard two cards.
Scoria DisturberRR
Creature - Human Warrior (M) R, T: Exile the top X cards of your library, where X is Scoria Disturber's power. Add R to your mana pool for each Mountain card exiled in this way and put a +1/+1 counter on Scoria Disturber for each nonland card exiled in this way. Until end of turn, you may play one of the exiled cards. "There's a reward for me underground and I'm going to most certainly earn it."
1/1
This could quickly get out of control, but plays very interestingly. I am not sure the +1/+1 counters building up is very red.
Hull Clade Mutator2G
Creature - Elf Wizard (U) T: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If you lose the flip, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
3/2
Scale MutationG
Instant (C)
Flip a coin. If you win the flip, target creature you control gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn. If you lose the flip, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn and put Scale Mutation into your hand. Iteration until success. This is our scientific method.
-Woten, Hull Clade Mutator
This works with the cycle, but it's not really feeling green. Still its a stretch f the pie, not a break.
Demented Prospector1U
Creature - Dwarf Wizard (R)
At the beginning of each player’s draw step, if Demented Prospector is untapped, that player draws an additional card. Still he digs deeper, drawing ever closer to the howling chorus at the bottom.
1/3
Obsessive ScribeU
Creature - Bird Wizard (U)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain X life, where X is the number of cards in your hand minus 4. Her library towers over the landscape, yet still she builds higher.
0/2
Artifacts-On-A-Stick; Demented Prospector is Howling Mine on a stick, Obsessive Scribe is Ivory Tower on a stick.
Lifegain seems to be tertiary in blue, see Augury Adept and Staff of the Mind Magus. Plus the effect is conditional on the very blue-centric card draw (say with a Howling Mine effect of some sort).
I'll give you the tertiary life gain, becauseits related to hand size, but tertiary stuff like that isn't really done at uncommon. Still I like the flavor text.
Manifold Misery2BB
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way)
Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
Not quite doubling, but continuing in a cycle of 'making it worse'
Depths of Despair3BB
Enchantment - Aura Curse(M)
Enchant Player
At the beginning of each end step, if a creature card was put into enchanted player's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player sacrifices a creature. Repeat this process for artifacts, enchantments, lands, and planeswalkers. You cannot imagine just how low you will sink - Nicol Bolas
Manifold Misery2BB
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way) Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
I think I will return after a while.But a quick question, would using two cards from two ravnica sets be cheating (since they were sorta designed to be cycles anyway?) or just clever usage of the rules?
Interesting. Maybe a little slow, but its definitely hand pressure, and if oyu can pump it, it could be very devastating. The final version might be 6 as a sorcery speed, but a 4/4 menace discard 4 cards is also brutal. I could see people trying to use this.
I am wondering about the choice of a Gruul Planewalker. It does seem weird that the colors are imbalanced.. unless.. there are alot more planeswalkers in HOU?
Seriously, it does seem like the trials are all about finding and igniting sparks. Perhaps Samut is part of a cycle? Could we see more?
They also like the decks to have some customizability. Likely there will be 'class subthemes' throughout the decks, and probably a 'second tribe'. Like Merfolk.. with will like have both wizards and soldiers, so you can take it in different directions.
I also full expect at least 1 card to reference your commander's creature type.
Tillhauler3G
Creature - Ox (U)
When Tillhauler attacks, you may reveal the top 2 cards of your library. Put any land cards revealed this way onto the battlefield tapped. Put the other cards into your graveyard.
2/4
An opponent will attack anyway if it is a good idea. But this makes them attack when it's a mistake to do so. It's really useful and so controlling that this card could almost be white. (or R/W hybrid without blinking). I think this is the most useful effect of the card: The slow trickle of mana is not really a huge red strategy and may not be fast enough to earn a slot as ramp.
However, in multiplayer, this card is worse. Unless you've set a massive death trap up, you're going totlimit your opponents' ability to deal with each other, which means you can't use them against each other as effectively.
Reshif, the Stalwart King 3WB
Legendary Creature - Human (M)
Opponents cannot play more than one spell each turn.
WBT, sacrifice a nonland permanent: Destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls. Play this ability only as a sorcery.
4/4
Imperious Bishop
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
When Imperious Bishop comes into play, choose a color.
Imperious Bishop cannot attack unless the defending player controls a permanent of the chosen color.
Imperious Bishop can only block creatures of the chosen color.
Utterly inflexible, his church offers no mercy, only judgement.
4/4
RaikouRider: I think the puppet mastery is a bit weird trigger using, especially since it should be one or more abilities, or ‘any abilities’ to account for multiple etb effects. The fading Memories is interesting, but it could be very strong
Doomfish: This cycle was limiting and I’ll take that into account. The reveal as a cost is a little bit odd, I do wonder if there is reasoning behind that. Still the instructor is a bit too risky, but yeah this cycle was hard.
Bravelion: Simple and clean, expect that the fortress predator ‘s fighting might be tricky. The otherts encourage multiple uses, but one creature doing the fighting, encourages you to hold back and cast them slowly, lest the second fight kills the predator.
Sub_Silentio: Once again, a tricky cycle. Wail of Undeath does follow the cycle, but it is so close to delve that it would be mistaken for it, or simple frowned upon as ‘weaker delve’ Its weaker than may spells that can bring back anything for 4 or 5. The extra turn is highly unlikely with needed X creatures in the grave (X+1 including the target) Crash of Thunder just screams some sort of abuse,
IcariiFA: Another hard to execute cycle in common, the power level is a bit weird. The common is simply too resilient for a common, being virtually impossible to remove without direct kill spells. Might be a real gummy ground with that at common. The Ambusher is a bit of a rules nightmare. The idea of ‘those creatures’ is undefined, I think you mean the creatures blocked by the Ambusher, but its not clear. Also this means you could choose a non-attacking creature become blocked. Does it deal damage?
Void-Nothing: That’s a very loose cycle. Drag for Jetsam is interesting, though it heavily focus on mono lue decks… yet that’s your cycle so I can forgive it. Interesting card, that could be a huge build-around me. Shamble from the pits is weird, but hugely, hugely swingy. That much boost plus lifelink, plus menace all at once. It’s really swingy.
Top 3:
1. Raikourider
2. Bravelion
3. Flatline
Manifold Misery 2BB
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way)
Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
well lets try some new territory for white, while sticking within its boundaries: White likes.. combat tricks
Tactical Superiority 2WW
Enchantment(R)
Whenever you cast a spell or activate an ability that targets a single attacking or blocking creature, copy that spell or ability. You may choose a different attacking or blocking creature as a new target for the copy.
That's it boys.. give 'em the old one-two
As for blue... Though reflection exists and fraying sanity is essentially mill doubling. Well doublign effects are risky, let's put on that can be done early.
Insightful Premonitions 1U
Enchantment (R)
If you would scry, scry for twice that amount instead.
Pemmin perceived a plethora of possibilities
TOp 3:
1.Flatline
2. Jamblock
3. IcariiFA (creative, if a bit busted)
Top 3:
1. Bravelion
2. Voidnothing
3. Raikourider
3-4 was really, really close
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way)
Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
Not quite doubling, but continuing in a cycle of 'making it worse'
Depths of Despair 3BB
Enchantment - Aura Curse(M)
Enchant Player
At the beginning of each end step, if a creature card was put into enchanted player's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player sacrifices a creature. Repeat this process for artifacts, enchantments, lands, and planeswalkers.
You cannot imagine just how low you will sink - Nicol Bolas
Manifold Misery 2BB
Enchantment (R)
If a spell or effect you control would cause an opponent to discard one or more cards, they must also discard that many additional cards. (Any card may be discarded this way)
Such sorrow is merely the beginning of your true suffering - Nicol Bolas
Seriously, it does seem like the trials are all about finding and igniting sparks. Perhaps Samut is part of a cycle? Could we see more?
I also full expect at least 1 card to reference your commander's creature type.
Creature - Ox (U)
When Tillhauler attacks, you may reveal the top 2 cards of your library. Put any land cards revealed this way onto the battlefield tapped. Put the other cards into your graveyard.
2/4