Hello and welcome to the fifth and final part of my series of spoiler threads for my set Fracture. Each part has detailed one shard of the shattered plane of Maksura. First we visited the charred warzone of Israfiel, where zealous angels commanded bloodthirsty hordes in a neverending war. Then we stopped at the lush tropical world of Wujal where discovery reigns supreme and nature resists meticulous control. Then we went to the murky hunting grounds of Valedon, where nature had taken on a cunning edge. Most recently was the somber broken shard of Amduat, where new life was made impossible and undeath was life's one remaining hope.
Our last stop is Paladris, Maksura's RWU shard, where expression is the highest ideal and art is the chosen medium for conflict instead of martial war.
When Maksura itself first broke apart in the initial sundering of the world, Paladris was an average demi-plane. Rolling hills, vast mountain ranges and calm coastlines. A powerful draconic mage named Gultaris seized the opportunity to remake the world. A dramatic and egotistical dragon by any standards, Gultaris decided Paladris would be his personal canvas. He reshaped valleys and rivers to better match his definitions of beauty. He made the land itself conform to his whims. It took him centuries, but Gultaris finished his work and decided it wasn't good enough. He had poured his every bit of artistic vision into Paladris and he found the result wanting. He realized the canvas of Paladris was not his alone to fill, every visionary ought to have the freedom to bare his soul as Gultaris had. And so Gultaris had his disciples design a device to amplify his abilities. They named it Nivala and once activated, Gultaris made his vision a reality. Paladris was blanketed in an unnatural snow. Not cold and never waning, the snow provided a vast, empty canvas for Paladrian artists to fill.
And fill it they did. Art mages bent nature and logic to their desires. Ecosystems stretched and warped, fantastical new creations were born out of nothingness. The land itself filled with bizarre structures and shapes taking the place of trees and hills. Lakes and rivers glowed with new hues, the air filled with music rather than the sounds of nature. Paladris had become a paradise for the artistic mind and a surreal vision to everyone else.
Gultaris became a legend and set himself up as a defacto leader though he recused himself from actually governing the populace, believing freedom from rule to be the ideal for art. Societies grew under this philosophy and life on Paladris became focused on art and all its facets. War became a distant memory, with large-scale conflicts sorted out in the forum of art - belligerents summoning dramatic new creations for critique rather than trusting victory to pure violence and force. Critics became much like judges and arbiters, settling scores and determining the artistic worth (and therefore personal worth to Paladrian society) of all. A true meritocracy, finding a place in Paladrian society hinged upon your ability to create art to inspire and impress. The gifted rise through the ranks and those who cannot are relegated to mere spectators, a shameful standing on Paladris.
Gultaris and a few others on Paladris (notably the enigmatic sphinxes) remember the breaking of the world and hide that knowledge. They know there are other pieces of their world out there, they just don't believe it can compare to the world they've created. But all is not perfect on Paladris. Violence has begun creeping its way back into Paladrian society. New forms of art, brutal and physical, have found footholds amongst some. Gultaris has seen fit to allow such expression, but unrest has grown and some feel controlling the bold new elements is the only way to preserve their way of life. Factions are forming and it's unclear where Paladris is heading. With no direction from the top, things are pulling in all directions and won't stop until something breaks.
As a plane, Paladris is mechanically interested in expression which is exhibited by having spells and activated abilities on the stack. Paladrian artists want their work to be seen and heard and the fuller your canvas, the stronger your Paladrian forces will be.
To that end, the shard's mechanic is an ability word called Attunement, which denotes an effect that cares about the number of spells or activated abilities on the stack.
Aurora Motes :1mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Spirit (U)
Flying “Every civilization of Paladris has myths surrounding the motes. The ice-kin see them as benevolent ancestors, the humans believe they are tragically spoiled art spells caught in the aether, the dragons know them to be lost shreds of inspiration. All look to them as illusive muses.” -Prelajhe Vita
2/1
Unyielding Aristarch :4mana::symw:
Creature — Human Advisor (U)
Whenever Unyielding Aristarch becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, put a critique counter on it.
:5mana::symw:, Remove a critique counter from Unyielding Aristarch: Exile target permanent.
2/5
Aspersal Denier
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Attunement — :symu:, :symtap:: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn for each spell or activated ability on the stack. flavor
1/1
Shimmering Visage :2mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Illusion (C)
Attunement — When there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, Shimmering Visage gains flying until end of turn. flavor
3/3
Æther Purge
Instant (U)
Attunement — Æther Purge deals damage equal to the number of spells and activated abilities on the stack to target creature or player. “wipe the Paladrian slate clean”
-Stillglaze saying meaning “to cause great harm”
Arezzo Strongarm :3mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
Attunement — When there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, Arezzo Strongarm gains haste and first strike until end of turn. “Only on Paladris will you find thugs waiting for the appropriate backing music before making their move.” -Audrid Tigan
3/3
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Attunement — Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
5/5
Freeze in the Wind :symu::symr:
Snow Instant (R)
Target spell doesn’t resolve. Phases and turns end, other spells and abilities resolve, and players may play cards as though that spell weren’t on the stack. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn.)
Gultaris, the Prefect :3mana::symr::symw::symu:
Legendary Creature — Dragon Wizard (M)
Flying; protection from sorceries and from instants
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells without paying their mana costs.
:2mana:: Target spell resolves. You may play this ability if Gultaris is on the stack.
6/6
Paladris Charm :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (U)
Choose one — Change the targets of target spell; or counter target spell unless its controller pays 3; or target opponent can’t cast spells this turn. Paladris is home to visionaries with their flights of fancy as well as their critics.
Whims of Impatience :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (C)
Target spell resolves.
Draw a card. “I tire of this. Perhaps we should skip right to the good part.” -Gultaris, the prefect
Obelisk of Paladris
Snow Artifact (U)
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool. Though carved by no Paladrian hand, the obelisks have remained for centuries with no critic bold enough to decry their intricate artistry and fame.
Paladris Panorama
Snow Land (C)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:1mana:, :symtap:, Sacrifice Paladris Panorama: Search your library for a basic Mountain, Plains, or Island card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library. A vast, icy expanse to some, an endless blank canvas to the eyes of an artist.
The Attunement trigger is a little unintuitive. I'd make it "Whenever a spell or ability is put onto the stack, if there are two or more other spells or abilities on the stack..." Also, this breaks the design rule that the stack is never to be mentioned, but that rule is dumb, so.
The snow stuff for flavor's sake is really odd without any S costs. Will you have any of those?
The Attunement trigger is a little unintuitive. I'd make it "Whenever a spell or ability is put onto the stack, if there are two or more other spells or abilities on the stack..."
Thank you, I'll look at that.
Also, this breaks the design rule that the stack is never to be mentioned, but that rule is dumb, so.
Agreed. I don't think the stack is an untouchable thing and avoiding mentioning it is an unnecessary and arbitrary restriction.
The snow stuff for flavor's sake is really odd without any S costs. Will you have any of those?
No. There won't be any snow mana (though, snow permanents in this set do play nicely with Coldnsap stuff - in particular snow permanents in Paladris that generate mana).
Though snow will not be there just for flavor, many cards use it as a resource. I decided to play up that angle a bit more when I realized the stack alone was a bit of a wide focus so to give an alternative with a smaller scope that players could look to felt right. Well over half of the Paladris cards are Snow and about an eighth of the set cares about snow in some mechanical way. So while there's no snow manacosts, snow is not a mechanical non-factor either. Players can use vanilla snow cards (cards with the type but that have no mechanical ties to snow apart from that) just as they are, or use them along with snow-matters cards to give them more meaning.
Snowshaper's Prayer :2mana::symw:
Snow Enchantment (C)
Whenever a snow source deals damage, you may pay W. If you do, gain that much life.
Snowshaper Primus :1mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (R)
:1mana::symu:: Target noncreature snow permanent becomes an Elemental creature with flying, hexproof and power and toughness each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
1/4
Stillglaze Sentry :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, tap target creature and Stillglaze Sentry deals 1 damage to it. The ice-kin wear a mask for every emotion, each conveying a message. Some masks are only seen by outsiders once.
2/2
Glacial Commander :1mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (R)
Other snow creatures you control get +1/+1 and have first strike. “Though the humans try their best to excel, it’s clear that this world favors us. If it didn’t, why would it carve us in its image?”
2/2
As currently worded, Shimmering Visage and Arrezo Strongarm just lead to an infinite loop, the ability triggering over and over again once three abilities are on the stack.
No idea how the Scion of Nivalis' ability can be relevant considering he doesn't have flash.
As currently worded, Shimmering Visage and Arrezo Strongarm just lead to an infinite loop, the ability triggering over and over again once three abilities are on the stack.
Suggested fixes?
No idea how the Scion of Nivalis' ability can be relevant considering he doesn't have flash.
Wouldn't the ability be checked upon resolution and therefore offer a chance to add instants, abilities and flashables to the stack as Scion's ETB trigger goes on the stack?
You'll have to forgive me, Paladris used to have a very different mechanic (which I axed because it was really cool, but far too complex for lower rarities - it remained as a single card) that helped the Scion's ability considerably. I removed the mechanic but left the Scion's other abilities as they were. Adding flash is no big deal at all, I just thought Scion worked okay on its own.
Nice backstory. Quite well written.
Thank you. The flavor to me is as important as the actual cards.
There are several possibilities, none of them 100% elegant. You just pick the one you like most dislike least.
"When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ and loses this ability until end of turn."
"When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, if ~ doesn't have XYZ, it gains XYZ until end of turn."
"0: ~ gains XYZ until end of turn. Activate this ability only if there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack."
"Whenever a player casts a spell or activates an activated ability or a triggered ability triggers, if there are two or more other spells and/or abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ until end of turn."
Wouldn't the ability be checked upon resolution and therefore offer a chance to add instants, abilities and flashables to the stack as Scion's ETB trigger goes on the stack?
Well, then it has to be a trigger. Currently it just enters the battlefield with the counters already on it.
Edit: As pointed out below, that doesn't work either.
Well, then it has to be a trigger. Currently it just enters the battlefield with the counters already on it.
Even then I don't think it'll work... by the time anyone has priority to play anything, the triggered ability will already be on the stack. Since it'll be first in, it'll also be last out, which means that by the time it resolves there won't be anything else on the stack. It may be best just to not use the keyword here and make it a Storm looking variant (~ gets two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell played this turn). That makes it more powerful, but not dramatically so and in a fun way. Also, it still keeps it interacting with spells played.
Aether Purge is utterly broken with anything that has an activated ability that costs :0mana:, though...
There are several possibilities, none of them 100% elegant. You just pick the one you like most dislike least.
"When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ and loses this ability until end of turn."
"When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, if ~ doesn't have XYZ, it gains XYZ until end of turn."
"0: ~ gains XYZ until end of turn. Activate this ability only if there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack."
"Whenever a player casts a spell or activates an activated ability or a triggered ability triggers, if there are two or more other spells and/or abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ until end of turn."
Actually, I love this one. It actively plays into the activated ability count. I will likely add some nominal cost to it, though, because I don't want any 0 cost abilities to active running around.
Even then I don't think it'll work... by the time anyone has priority to play anything, the triggered ability will already be on the stack. Since it'll be first in, it'll also be last out, which means that by the time it resolves there won't be anything else on the stack. It may be best just to not use the keyword here and make it a Storm looking variant (~ gets two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell played this turn). That makes it more powerful, but not dramatically so and in a fun way. Also, it still keeps it interacting with spells played.
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each spell cast or activated ability played this turn.
5/5
?
Aether Purge is utterly broken with anything that has an activated ability that costs :0mana:, though...
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each spell cast or activated ability played this turn.
5/5
?
Lightning Greaves plus this immediately wins the game. On the one hand, it's seven mana. On the other hand, cheap (free) activated abilities at sorcery speed are not exactly rare in the equipment era, so playing a ton of activated abilities in a turn is not very difficult.
And for Aether Purge, that would fix many of the shenanigans. It would still feel highly unfair to be hit by it, but it's a bit mollifying to only be losing critters to the combo engine and not immediately lose the game. Otherwise Legacy would immediately have an Aether Purge/Nomads en-Kor combo deck that would be pretty resilient and very nasty to play against.
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield tapped with a +1/+1 counter on it for each spell cast or activated ability played this turn.
5/5
?
That would at least not make it an auto-win without a third card to untap the Scion or a third card to utilize its arbitrarily-large size. I don't think 3-card combos are much of a worry to WotC anymore. And though I don't like the idea of letting the Scion get to be arbitrarily large, I tried to eliminate free abilities in Paladris (since that directly skews Attunement as a whole) so Limited environments aren't going to experience swingy bomb wins from an infinite combo engine.
Even across the other Fragments, Israfiel has three cards with 'free' abilities that sacrifice lands and one that sacrifices attacking creatures. Wujal has one card that can help for only so long (it taps two untapped lands to untap a land) and one creature with a 0-cost ability to change colors. Valedon has a few activated abilities giving up finite resources (lands, creatures, cards in hand) and two cards with free usage of that Fragment's mechanic (an activated ability that allows the legal swapping of attacking/blocking creatures you control) but both of those cards are GUB tri-colored and require at least two attacking or blocking creatures and so I don't think it's worth going four colors to jump through hoops to trick a 100/100 dragon into play. Amduat has only one, a GWB enchantment that lets you pay X and mill yourself for X to gain X life where obviously you can go with 0 an infinite number of times.
So within the Fracture block, only one card is going to realistically be thought about comboing with this (the 3/3 for 3U that changes color for free).
Looking further back, Excellion has no abilities able to go infinite. And Archatmos has none as well, surprisingly. I only bring them up because I'm more focused on my own custom Standard than the official one. I do keep track of trends in real sets, but mine aren't designed to be played with them directly so I think first of Limited and Block for my custom set, then my past custom sets for the 'Standard' the set I'm designing will be in.
Though obviously I'm not keen on designing broken cards, so if you have any other suggestions for the Scion, I'm all ears.
Coming into play tapped buys a turn on it, but you still end up with an arbitrarily large monster. Given its cost, arbitrarily large monster may not be too bad; depends on how fast your format ends up being and how effective your answers are. I think it would be okay as is, but only because my mind boggles at anyone surviving to play a seven mana fatty and then protecting it without having already locked up the game. I would be careful of your other cards with Attunement though. If there are any not shown here that do dangerous stuff it could end up being problematic as well.
Unyielding Aristarch: Dunno why anyone would want to target this guy with something that won't outright remove him.
Aspersal Denier: Okay, this is kind of interesting. I'm reasonably sure the ability counts itself, so it's probably going to give -2/-0 or -3/-0 most turns. Good, but probably not as good as just tapping the target instead in some circumstances.
Shimmering Visage: This is only going to work if there's a large number of abilities in the set. But you know that already...
Æther Purge: I'm not even sure this is fair just targeting creatures, to be honest. Making it the generic Shock+conditional upside is probably a better call, uninteresting as it might be.
Arezzo Strongarm: Haste is unlikely to be relevant, in my opinions, since the odds of activating three abilities or casting three spells after this guy resolves are essentially nil unless you use 0 cost activations.
Scion of Nivalis: Without flash, I'm not sure how this is relevant. With flash, this ends games if given haste (the oft-mentioned Lightning Greaves).
Freeze in the Wind: Pretty sure the cleanup step would wipe the spell off the stack. Weird card, :symu::symr: for a counterspell seems undercosted somehow.
Gultaris, the Prefect: This straight-up wins games as soon as it gets cast. Cast him, Fireball with X as 9001... oh wait, I don't have to pay the mana cost, trololololololol. Banefire works better, but you see the point. Also forgetting Eldrazi shenanigans, etc. I don't think this is printable.
Paladris Charm: Okay, looks good.
Whims of Impatience: This is pretty cool, I like it. Perfect counterspell defense, or if you really, really need a spell off the stack for some reason.
Coming into play tapped buys a turn on it, but you still end up with an arbitrarily large monster. Given its cost, arbitrarily large monster may not be too bad; depends on how fast your format ends up being and how effective your answers are. I think it would be okay as is, but only because my mind boggles at anyone surviving to play a seven mana fatty and then protecting it without having already locked up the game.
Even if it comes into play tapped, the Greaves can be what fuel the Scion's size. But that would require at least two other creatures in play before you cast it, plus the seven mana, plus Greaves. WotC itself doesn't seem concerned with game-winning combos that require 3+ cards and a lot of mana, I don't think I am, either. If anything, I like the idea of having a Johnny card with such potential, it gets players excited even if the potential for brokenness isn't as high as it seems.
I would be careful of your other cards with Attunement though. If there are any not shown here that do dangerous stuff it could end up being problematic as well.
Absolutely. Only one other card is even near worrying, and it's not by much. A rare 5/5 Sphinx for 5UU has a static Attunement ability that counters spells cast unless three or more spells/abilities were cast/played that turn. It's not an exceptional lock since it counts things played by all players, it really only makes things effectively cost a bit more and can force players to play things at less opportune times to force a spell through. It's less of a hard lock than Erayo, more expensive and arguably not as useful. The issue is that it's a 5/5 flyer and currently has hexproof so it's exceptional at protecting itself (both hexproof and its Attunement ability offer protection), but it's more of a strong annoyance and powerful control win condition than broken mess. It actually plays against the "play more" strategy you associate with the Scion.
Unyielding Aristarch: Dunno why anyone would want to target this guy with something that won't outright remove him.
Don't discount Misdirection/Swerve-type effects nor the fact that the effect targeting it doesn't need to resolve (Paladris is the most counterspell-heavy of the five fragments), but the effect was meant to be limited in scope.
Aspersal Denier: Okay, this is kind of interesting. I'm reasonably sure the ability counts itself, so it's probably going to give -2/-0 or -3/-0 most turns. Good, but probably not as good as just tapping the target instead in some circumstances.
It will count itself upon resolution as far as I know (which means it always gives -1/-0). It's not a bomb of a card, but it's a 1/1 for U that will help Limited decks secure wins they may not otherwise be able to. For an uncommon, I don't think we can ask for much more.
Shimmering Visage: This is only going to work if there's a large number of abilities in the set. But you know that already...
A third of the set has activated abilities and almost the entire set is comprised of spells so I don't think there's too much worry on that front.
Æther Purge: I'm not even sure this is fair just targeting creatures, to be honest. Making it the generic Shock+conditional upside is probably a better call, uninteresting as it might be.
I'm trying to nerf it without absolutely scrapping it. I bumped up the cost (2Rnow), made it only hit creatures, and made it a sorcery. I like the idea of a bombastic red direct damage spell that hits harder the more you commit to the theme.
Arezzo Strongarm: Haste is unlikely to be relevant, in my opinions, since the odds of activating three abilities or casting three spells after this guy resolves are essentially nil unless you use 0 cost activations.
The haste is nothing more than an encouragement to play more in the same turn (which in a very subtle way plays well with many of Wujal's cards), I don't expect it'll be a consistent factor.
Scion of Nivalis: Without flash, I'm not sure how this is relevant. With flash, this ends games if given haste (the oft-mentioned Lightning Greaves).
I'm pretty sold on flash to boost its effectiveness, and it comes into play tapped to stall it a turn so haste won't help it. I think at this point, it's got a lot of potential, but there's little you can do to make it an efficient game-winner the turn it's played.
Freeze in the Wind: Pretty sure the cleanup step would wipe the spell off the stack. Weird card, :symu::symr: for a counterspell seems undercosted somehow.
I think the cards can trump the rules in cases where they conflict, allowing a spell to get frozen on the stack permanently. It's wacky, for sure, but I think it's not an exceptionally difficult design space. I had discussed it with rules guys ages ago back when this was the original mechanic for Paladris (a lot of the set focused on cards sitting on the stack and resolving differently than usual, making it part echo, part suspend and part something new). It was a stretch and would require extensive rules entries in the comp rules, but the general sense was that it's just complex and new, not inherently impossible to do. It wound up not working well as a set-wide mechanic, but was still a very flavorful concept that worked as one card.
As far as cost goes, I felt 1UR was just slightly overcosted since FitW is just barely worse than Cancel in this setting since a subset of cards can allow a frozen spell to resolve. Plus there's the inclusion of a second color. If UR proves to be too cheap, 1UR is a fine compromise. I just like pushing really strange cards.
Gultaris, the Prefect: This straight-up wins games as soon as it gets cast. Cast him, Fireball with X as 9001... oh wait, I don't have to pay the mana cost, trololololololol. Banefire works better, but you see the point. Also forgetting Eldrazi shenanigans, etc. I don't think this is printable.
How about:
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells by paying 2R rather than paying their mana costs. (If X is in the mana cost, X equals 0.)
?
X-spells are no longer a problem and it's not a particularly helpful way of casting Eldrazi since 5RRWU is not much better than they already cost.
Paladris Charm: Okay, looks good.
Awesome.
Whims of Impatience: This is pretty cool, I like it. Perfect counterspell defense, or if you really, really need a spell off the stack for some reason.
Paladris really let me run wild with stack interactions, letting me come up with new ways to interact with spells and abilities aside from simple countering. Red really wanted to get its way when it casts things. White wanted it to be protective and blue helped it be tricky. The end result is an effect that protects your spells by making them immediate. Gultaris has a similar effect, as does another legend. It's only a few cards, but the effect is worth considering.
As an update, here's a look at a new brand of sentient Elemental: the Ice-Kin of Stillglaze.
When Gultaris reshaped Paladris as an unnatural winter wonderland, he also created stewards for the world. Crafted from the same unnatural snow and ice as Paladris itself, the Ice-Kin were intended to be meticulous critics and teachers. They were to be artistic guides for the organic races of man, gnome and dragon. They filled that role flawlessly, creating for themselves the City of Stillglaze, a breathtaking city sculpted from pure never-melting ice. Its walls glow in perfectly-patterned lights and colors, lit by unseen forces. Its amphitheatres, halls and galleries are second only to Gultaris' own in Nivalis itself. Stillglaze is also home to Paladris' governing body of critics, the Octave of Stillglaze. Referred to simply as The Eight by the Ice-Kin themselves, the Octave is responsible for setting and upholding the standards of beauty and artistic expression that all of Paladris adheres to.
These standards were initially defined by Gultaris through his Tenets, a tome outlining his views on art and what true art should aspire to. But over time, the Ice-Kin have lessened the influences of the Tenets, replacing those standards with those of their own desires. The prefect himself has not been pleased with having his ideals usurped by his creations, but not being one to control the often chaotic whims of artistry, he hasn't stepped in to redirect the Octave's goals and standards.
The Ice-Kin themselves have developed along similar lines, becoming different than Gultaris originally visioned. Upon conception cold and meticulous, the Ice-Kin have been experimenting with emotions. Their hard, crystalline bodies were unable to articulate facial expressions the other races associate with emotions, so the Ice-Kin have designed masks to present their emotional state more clearly to each other as well as outsiders. They have also began creating their own works, no longer content to simply witness and judge the works of others. They had a particularly fine affinity for music, their finely-tuned bodies able to perfectly modulate their voices to create perfectly-pitched songs. It wasn't too long before the Ice-Kin became prominent in artistry themselves, much to the chagrin of the human and dragons, both of whom felt it unfair that the Ice-Kin crafted for precision would go beyond their role and take their advantages and use them against the ones they were created to guide.
But some Ice-Kin aren't content to simply take the stage as equals. The Everwinter Creed believe that Paladris' unnatural winter is unstable and that a day is fast approaching where the snow without cold will snap and that the Ice-Kin themselves are all that will remain afterward. The Everwinter belief is that as beings created of Paladris, they are the only ones fit to inherit it once the unnatural winter breaks and becomes a permanent storm of true ice and snow. Gultaris' secretive sphinx advisers have been telling him that the Everwinter Creed is onto something and that change is on the horizon for Paladris, though they do not believe the storm will be as the Ice-Kin believe. The prefect has yet to heed these warnings, instead focused on perfecting his vision of Paladris. Whether his head is in the proverbial sand or he has a plan he has yet to divulge is anyone's guess.
The Ice-Kin themselves are obviously quite snow-based, with a lot of the snow-matters cards related to them.
You've already seen many, but here's some more.
Captivating Rhapsode :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (U)
:symw:, :symtap:: Tap target creature. The rhapsodes, unlike the typical bards of Paladris, specialize in constructing melodies so complex that the listener can think of little but its tune.
1/3
Frozen Alive :2mana::symu:
Snow Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When enchanted creature becomes tapped, destroy it.
Icelance
Snow Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0, has first strike and damage dealt by it can’t be prevented.
Arbiter of Patrons :symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Advisor (R)
When Arbiter of Patrons enters the battlefield, name a nonland permanent.
Activated abilities of the named card can’t be played.
1/3
Aide to the Eight :1mana::symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Spells you control can’t be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/1
Everwinter Advocate :symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (C)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, draw a card. Since the birth of the eternal winter, certain sects of the ice-kin have believed that a storm is on the horizon that only they will weather.
1/4
Icy Stare :symr::symw:
Snow Instant (C)
Icy Stare deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Tap that creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Stillglaze Zealot :2mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (C)
Whenever Stillglaze Zealot attacks, switch its power and toughness until end of turn. Though the ice-kin of Stillglaze appear to follow the Tenets of the Prefect on the surface, they have no reservations about opposing them when the time calls for it.
2/5
Pristine Virtuoso :symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (R)
You may choose not to untap creatures you control during your untap step.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each tapped creature you control.
As long as you control six or more tapped creatures, creatures you control are indestructible.
3/4
I know this isn't really helpful to you... but I just want you to know that I stayed up late into the night to read all of 5 of your sets and they are utterly breathtaking.
From a creative standpoint, the effort you put into the flavor of the enemy wedges is outstanding. Amduat, as a concept is probably my favourite shard and a fascinating story.
I look forward to the final reveal of this set, and plan on printing/testing five balanced, "shard-focused" decks with my LGS group.
I know this isn't really helpful to you... but I just want you to know that I stayed up late into the night to read all of 5 of your sets and they are utterly breathtaking.
From a creative standpoint, the effort you put into the flavor of the enemy wedges is outstanding. Amduat, as a concept is probably my favourite shard and a fascinating story.
I look forward to the final reveal of this set, and plan on printing/testing five balanced, "shard-focused" decks with my LGS group.
Well DONE sir!
Thank you so much.
It's definitely helpful to hear encouraging positivity, especially given the time and effort put into each set.
Please be sure to let me know what your playtesting reveals. That'd be incredibly useful.
Aurora Motes :1mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Spirit (U)
Flying “Every civilization of Paladris has myths surrounding the motes. The ice-kin see them as benevolent ancestors, the humans believe they are tragically spoiled art spells caught in the aether, the dragons know them to be lost shreds of inspiration. All look to them as illusive muses.” -Prelajhe Vita
2/1
Bind in Hopes
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Whenever enchanted permanent becomes tapped, gain 2 life. flavor
Captivating Rhapsode :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (U)
:symw:, :symtap:: Tap target creature. The rhapsodes, unlike the typical bards of Paladris, specialize in constructing melodies so complex that the listener can think of little but its tune.
1/3
Compose Invocation
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a permanent card with an activated ability, reveal it and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterward. flavor
Criticize Form
Instant (C)
Counter target creature or enchantment spell unless its controller pays 2. flavor
Dulcifying Song :2mana::symw:
Instant (C)
Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to each creature you control this turn.
Attunement — If there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control this turn instead.
Gilded Mirror :2mana::symw::symw:
Snow Enchantment (U)
Attunement — You can’t be the target of spells as long as there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
Halberdier of Predella :3mana::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (U)
First strike
:1mana::symw:: Untap Halberdier of Predella, it gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
3/3
Penitentes Knight :symw::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Knight (R)
First strike
Penitentes Knight’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
*/*
Prancing Graupelmare :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Horse Elemental (C)
Defender
Cycling 2 (:2mana:, Discard this card: Draw a card.) Always in motion, never moving forward, the graupelmare’s playful dance inspires children across Paladris.
0/5
Predellan Seigeculler :2mana::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Predellan Seigeculler gains protection from red until end of turn. Play this ability only if there is are three spells or activated abilities on the stack. “The battle for the soul is fought in the forum of art.”
2/2
Quodlibet Repression :2mana::symw::symw:
Sorcery (U)
Tap all creatures target player controls. “I’ll layer one tune upon another and then again until what I weave will leave you awestruck and incapable of perceiving little else.”
Sculpted Ideal :3mana::symw::symw::symw:
Snow Creature — Lammasu (R)
Flying
Attunement — You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game as long as there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
5/5
Snowshaper's Prayer :2mana::symw:
Snow Enchantment (C)
Whenever a snow source deals damage, you may pay W. If you do, gain that much life. flavor
Solemn Deliverance :3mana::symw:
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a card would be put into your graveyard from anywhere, you may pay 1W. If you do, put that card into your hand instead.
Soul Sculptor :2mana::symw:
Creature — Human (R)
:1mana::symw:, :symtap:: Target creature becomes an enchantment and loses all abilities until a player casts a creature spell.
1/1
Unyielding Aristarch :4mana::symw:
Creature — Human Advisor (U)
Whenever Unyielding Aristarch becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, put a critique counter on it.
:5mana::symw:, Remove a critique counter from Unyielding Aristarch: Exile target permanent.
2/5
Wily Alopex :3mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Fox (C)
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to Wily Alopex by non-snow sources. flavor
2/2
Aspersal Denier
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Attunement — :symu:, :symtap:: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn for each spell or activated ability on the stack. flavor
1/1
Benumb :2mana::symu:
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Bided Breath :3mana::symu:
Enchantment (C)
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may pay :1mana::symu::symu: and sacrifice Bided Breath. If you do, counter that spell.
Bucking Beebles :2mana::symu:
Snow Creature — Beeble (C)
When an opponent casts a spell, Bucking Beebles is unblockable until end of turn. flavor
2/2
Calumniator Adept :symu::symu:
Creature — Human Wizard Rogue (R)
:2mana::symu::symu:, :symtap:: Counter target spell. If a sorcery or instant spell is countered this way, you may pay 2. If you do, untap Calumniator Adept.
2/1
Criticize Measure
Instant (C)
Counter target sorcery or instant spell unless its controller pays 2. flavor
Frozen Alive :2mana::symu:
Snow Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When enchanted creature becomes tapped, destroy it.
Hailwake :symx::symu::symu:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Tap X target permanents.
Ivory Matriarch :4mana::symu:
Snow Creature — Wolf (C)
Flash Her milky silver pelt conceals her approach against the sun-glinted hills of Predella. Her young are hungry for the soldier’s meat and warmth and she knows the element of surprise gives her all the advantage she needs.
3/2
Lost in Music :1mana::symu::symu:
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature you control becomes tapped, you may put the top card of target library into its owner’s graveyard.
Sculturan Hoverguard :4mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Drone (U)
Flying
Attunement — :0mana:: Sculturan Hoverguard gains hexproof until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
5/3
Shimmering Visage :2mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Illusion (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Shimmering Visage gains flying until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack. flavor
3/3
Snowshaper Primus :1mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (R)
:1mana::symu:: Target noncreature snow permanent becomes an Elemental creature with flying, hexproof and power and toughness each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
1/4
Time Geyser :symu::symu:
Instant (U)
If all lands you control are tapped, untap all lands you control. “Time itself has a rhythm, a cadence it’s designed to follow. But master conductors know how to quicken the tempo.”
Vain Sovereign :5mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Sphinx (R)
Flying; hexproof
Attunement — Whenever a player casts a spell, counter it unless three or more spells or activated abilities were cast or played this turn.
5/5
Wipe the Slate :2mana::symu::symu:
Instant (R)
Counter all spells and abilities on the stack. flavor
Wistful Dreamer :1mana::symu:
Creature — Human Bard (U)
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, scry 4. (To scry :4mana:, look at the top four cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top in any order.)
2/1
Æther Purge :2mana::symr:
Sorcery (U)
Attunement — Æther Purge deals damage equal to the number of spells and activated abilities on the stack to target creature. “wipe the Paladrian slate clean”
-Stillglaze saying meaning “to cause great harm”
Albusine Hunter :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Wolf Beast (C)
Haste; first strike flavor
3/1
Arezzo Strongarm :3mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Arezzo Strongarm gains haste and first strike until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack. “Only on Paladris will you find thugs waiting for the appropriate backing music before making their move.” -Audrid Tigan
3/3
Bold Technique :3mana::symr:
Enchantment (R)
:3mana::symr:: Put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. It gains haste until end of turn. At end of turn, return it to your hand if it’s still in play.
Bombastic Heathen :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Rogue Bard (U)
Cycling :4mana::symr::symr: (:4mana::symr::symr:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Whenever you cycle Bombastic Heathen, destroy all artifacts.
3/1
Cassai :2mana::symr::symr:
Legendary Creature — Human Bard (M)
Whenever a creature you control taps, you may pay WU. If you do, untap that creature.
:symr:, :symtap:: Target spell resolves.
3/3
Commissary Muse :2mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Spirit Advisor (R)
You may cast spells any time you could cast an instant if you pay 2 more to cast them. If you do, those spells can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
4/3
Conoscitore Magemaster :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Wizard (C)
:2mana::symu:: Return target spell you control to its owner’s hand. “The world is not yet ready for you, but take solace in that one day we will all drop to our knees in awe.”
2/1
Covetous Wolf :5mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Wolf Beast (U)
When Covetous Wolf enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact or land.
4/3
Dirksmith Artisan :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
First strike
:1mana::symr:: Put a +1/+1 counter on Dirksmith Artisan. Play this ability only if there are no +1/+1 counters on Dirksmith Artisan.
2/1
Evaporate :symr::symr:
Instant (R)
Counter target snow spell. “If true art is eternal, why then does yours melt away like the snowflake upon the hearth?” -Gultaris, the prefect
Exculpated Poet :symr::symr:
Creature — Human Rogue Bard (R)
Whenever a spell you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may add to your mana pool.
2/1
Frostcrack
Snow Instant (C)
Frostcrack deals 1 damage to each tapped creature target player controls.
Glacial Splintering :2mana::symr:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Glacial Splintering deals 2 damage to each opponent.
Gnome Quickener
Creature — Gnome Wizard Artificer (C)
:symr:, :symtap:: Untap target artifact that has an activated ability with in its cost. “Call it our version of an encore.”
1/1
Icelance
Snow Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+:0mana:, has first strike and damage dealt by it can’t be prevented.
Labor of Love :1mana::symr::symr:
Enchantment (R)
Attunement — :2mana::symr:: Put a tune counter on Labor of Love for each spell or activated ability on the stack. Play this ability only once each turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you win the game if there are fifteen or more tune counters on Labor of Love.
Marauding Frostback :4mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Lizard (U)
Damage dealt by Marauding Frostback can’t be prevented. “The frostback exists solely to prove that Paladris has yet to commit fully to the beauty of art.” -Prelajhe Vita
3/2
Paladris Archmage :2mana::symr:
Creature — Gnome Wizard (U)
:1mana::symw:, :symtap:: Counter target spell if it targets a spell or permanent you control.
:1mana::symu:, :symtap:: Tap or untap target artifact, creature or land. Where every facet of a world hinges on art, magics devoted to manipulating creativity come at a premium.
2/2
Penitentes Safeguard
Snow Creature — Elemental Shaman (U)
:1mana::symw:: Snow permanents you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
1/1
Resounding Glee :1mana::symr::symr:
Instant (R)
Target spell you control resolves.
Cycling :5mana::symr::symw::symu: (:5mana::symr::symw::symu:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Resounding Glee, you may have any number of spells on the stack resolve. Exile any number of other spells on the stack.
Rimewing Snapper :4mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Drake (U)
Flying
Whenever Rimewing Snapper becomes blocked by a nonsnow creature, it gains first strike until end of turn.
3/1
Schiappa Tinker :1mana::symr::symr:
Creature — Gnome Artificer (U)
:symtap:: Target artifact creature gets +2/+1 until end of turn. “The humans, dragons and even the ice-kin all disregard our works of artifice. They don’t see the true artistry in every delicately placed gear, every carefully crafted part, the sweet symphony of hundreds of intricate parts working as one.”
2/2
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Attunement — Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield tapped with two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
5/5
Scordaturic Blast :2mana::symr:
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target artifact. Its controller can’t cast spells until the beginning of your next upkeep.
Shattering Scale :2mana::symr:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Destroy target nonbasic land.
Cycling (:symr:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Stillglaze Sentry :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, tap target creature and Stillglaze Sentry deals 1 damage to it. The ice-kin wear a mask for every emotion, each conveying a message. Some masks are only seen by outsiders once.
2/2
Wintersong’s Herald
Creature — Gnome Bard (C)
:2mana::symr:, :symtap:, Sacrifice a red creature, a white creature, and a blue creature: Search your library for a card named Wintersong Bard and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
1/1
Arbiter of Patrons :symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Advisor (R)
When Arbiter of Patrons enters the battlefield, name a nonland permanent.
Activated abilities of the named card can’t be played.
1/3
Pale Stormlark :2mana::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Bird (U)
Flying
Attunement — If a source an opponent controls would deal damage, prevent 1 of that damage for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
3/2
Retinue Page :symw::symu:
Creature — Human Wizard (C)
When Retinue Page enters the battlefield, return target noncreature card in your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Aide to the Eight :1mana::symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Spells you control can’t be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/1
Everwinter Advocate :symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (C)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, draw a card. Since the birth of the eternal winter, certain sects of the ice-kin have believed that a storm is on the horizon that only they will weather.
1/4
Freeze in the Wind :symu::symr:
Snow Instant (R)
Target spell doesn’t resolve. Phases and turns end, other spells and abilities resolve, and players may play cards as though that spell weren’t on the stack. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn.)
Whirlwind Songstress :symu::symr:
Creature — Human Bard (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Whirlwind Songstress gains flying until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack. For every song in her heart, a wind in her wings.
2/2
Glacial Commander :1mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (R)
Other snow creatures you control get +1/+1 and have first strike. “Though the humans try their best to excel, it’s clear that this world favors us. If it didn’t, why would it carve us in its image?”
2/2
Icy Stare :symr::symw:
Snow Instant (C)
Icy Stare deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Tap that creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Stillglaze Zealot :2mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (C)
Whenever Stillglaze Zealot attacks, switch its power and toughness until end of turn. Though the ice-kin of Stillglaze appear to follow the Tenets of the Prefect on the surface, they have no reservations about opposing them when the time calls for it.
2/5
Vehement Accuser :2mana::symr::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (U)
Vigilance
Attunement — When Vehement Accuser enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player and you gain 2 life if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
2/4
Gultaris, the Prefect :3mana::symr::symw::symu:
Legendary Creature — Dragon Wizard (M)
Flying; protection from sorceries and from instants
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells by paying :2mana::symr: rather than paying their mana costs. (If X is in the mana cost, X equals 0.)
:2mana:: Target spell resolves. You may play this ability if Gultaris is on the stack.
6/6
Paladris Charm :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (U)
Choose one — Change the targets of target spell; or counter target spell unless its controller pays 3; or target opponent can’t cast spells this turn. Paladris is home to visionaries with their flights of fancy as well as their critics.
Perplexity Sphinx :2mana::symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Sphinx (R)
Flying
Whenever Perplexity Sphinx deals combat damage to a creature, tap that creature and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
4/4
Prelajhe Vita :symr::symw::symu:
Planeswalker — Prelajhe (M)
+0: Until you cast a spell, nonland cards in your hand have flash.
+1: Spells you control can’t be countered by spells or abilities this turn.
-3: Put target sorcery or instant card from your graveyard on top of your library.
-6: You gain an emblem with “Sorcery and instant spells you cast have “This spell deals 1 damage to target creature or player and you gain 1 life. Draw a card.”
[4]
Pristine Virtuoso :symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (R)
You may choose not to untap creatures you control during your untap step.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each tapped creature you control.
As long as you control six or more tapped creatures, creatures you control are indestructible.
3/4
Whims of Impatience :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (C)
Target spell resolves.
Draw a card. “I tire of this. Perhaps we should skip right to the good part.” -Gultaris, the prefect
Wintersong Bard :3mana::symr::symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (M)
Flying
Spells cost you 1 less to cast for each spell you cast this turn.
Spells cost your opponents 1 more to cast for each spell he or she cast this turn.
6/5
Cheironomic Staff
Artifact (U)
:1mana:, :symtap:: Tap or untap target creature. “The great conductors of old each held a staff such as this. With one gesture they could alter tempo, with one great wave they could weave perfection from many smaller parts.” -Casai
Cloudheart Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symw:: Exile Cloudheart Golem. Then return it to play under your control. “Be not afraid to cast off all that restrains you. When true greatness is achieved, no lowly criticism can touch you.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol IV
2/5
Draconic Simulacrum
Snow Artifact Creature — Dragon (R)
Flying
Draconic Simulacrum can’t be countered.
Damage dealt by Draconic Simulacrum can’t be prevented.
5/5
Frostfist Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symr:: Frostfist Golem deals damage equal to its power to target creature blocking it. “Passion is the true guide of art. Whether in the intense heat of feeling or the cold edge of style.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol I
3/2
Mistfoot Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symu:: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to or dealt by Mistfoot Golem this turn. “The true path to perfection lies in footsteps none can follow.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol III
3/3
Mosaic Lens
Artifact (R)
Whenever you cast an instant spell, you may pay 2RWU. If you do, copy that spell X times where X is half your life total rounded down. You may choose new targets for the copies.
Nivala, Winter’s Breath
Legendary Snow Artifact (R)
:2mana:, :symtap:: Put an ice counter on target permanent. Permanents with ice counters on them are snow.
Tap three untapped snow permanents you control: Draw a card.
Obelisk of Paladris
Snow Artifact (U)
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool. Though carved by no Paladrian hand, the obelisks have remained for centuries with no critic bold enough to decry their intricate artistry and fame.
Ornate Violoncello
Artifact — Equipment (U)
When equipped creature becomes untapped, you may pay 2. If you do, shuffle target sorcery or instant card in your graveyard into your library.
Equip 2
Schiappa Drake
Snow Artifact Creature — Drake (C)
Flying
Cycling 2 (:2mana:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
2/3
Nivalis, Glinting Palace
Legendary Snow Land (R)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:symr::symw::symu:, :symtap:: Return target spell to its owner’s hand. Roost of Gultaris, prefect of Paladris, and home to the pinnacle of the plane’s many varied artisans, Nivalis stands as both court and coffer.
Paladris Panorama
Snow Land (C)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:1mana:, :symtap:, Sacrifice Paladris Panorama: Search your library for a basic Mountain, Plains, or Island card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library. A vast, icy expanse to some, an endless blank canvas to the eyes of an artist.
Shimmering Amphitheatre
Snow Land (U)
Shimmering Amphitheatre comes into play tapped.
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool. A far cry from the military outposts of other worlds, Paladris’ many glimmering theatres dotting the land speak to its denizen’s passion for art over warfare.
Haven't gone through all the cards yet, but just a quick note you forgot the starting loyalty on Prelajhe Vita. Secondly, I have greatly enjoyed the Fractures as both the cards and flavour just mesh so perfectly, and hope to see more sets/cards designed in the future.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My List of Current Decks: -Modern- WMartyrProcB BBurnR -Commander-
Haven't gone through all the cards yet, but just a quick note you forgot the starting loyalty on Prelajhe Vita.
It's 4, sorry. Some cards don't export flawlessly and some info gets lost and html gets a bit fudged.
Secondly, I have greatly enjoyed the Fractures as both the cards and flavour just mesh so perfectly, and hope to see more sets/cards designed in the future.
Thank you! Next up for the fractures is when they inevitably converge. That's going to be a much more traditional set (as opposed to Fracture's five mini-sets acting as one) and I already have it fully complete so expect that in the not too distant future.
So I've gone through all of your shards and I'm quite impressed. This is the first one I'm compelled to comment on because it's by far my favorite. The way you've perfectly evoked a part of red that is never seen, artistry and passion is quite pleasing. And the concept of playing with the stack is just fantastic. 10/10 would play.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
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Our last stop is Paladris, Maksura's RWU shard, where expression is the highest ideal and art is the chosen medium for conflict instead of martial war.
When Maksura itself first broke apart in the initial sundering of the world, Paladris was an average demi-plane. Rolling hills, vast mountain ranges and calm coastlines. A powerful draconic mage named Gultaris seized the opportunity to remake the world. A dramatic and egotistical dragon by any standards, Gultaris decided Paladris would be his personal canvas. He reshaped valleys and rivers to better match his definitions of beauty. He made the land itself conform to his whims. It took him centuries, but Gultaris finished his work and decided it wasn't good enough. He had poured his every bit of artistic vision into Paladris and he found the result wanting. He realized the canvas of Paladris was not his alone to fill, every visionary ought to have the freedom to bare his soul as Gultaris had. And so Gultaris had his disciples design a device to amplify his abilities. They named it Nivala and once activated, Gultaris made his vision a reality. Paladris was blanketed in an unnatural snow. Not cold and never waning, the snow provided a vast, empty canvas for Paladrian artists to fill.
And fill it they did. Art mages bent nature and logic to their desires. Ecosystems stretched and warped, fantastical new creations were born out of nothingness. The land itself filled with bizarre structures and shapes taking the place of trees and hills. Lakes and rivers glowed with new hues, the air filled with music rather than the sounds of nature. Paladris had become a paradise for the artistic mind and a surreal vision to everyone else.
Gultaris became a legend and set himself up as a defacto leader though he recused himself from actually governing the populace, believing freedom from rule to be the ideal for art. Societies grew under this philosophy and life on Paladris became focused on art and all its facets. War became a distant memory, with large-scale conflicts sorted out in the forum of art - belligerents summoning dramatic new creations for critique rather than trusting victory to pure violence and force. Critics became much like judges and arbiters, settling scores and determining the artistic worth (and therefore personal worth to Paladrian society) of all. A true meritocracy, finding a place in Paladrian society hinged upon your ability to create art to inspire and impress. The gifted rise through the ranks and those who cannot are relegated to mere spectators, a shameful standing on Paladris.
Gultaris and a few others on Paladris (notably the enigmatic sphinxes) remember the breaking of the world and hide that knowledge. They know there are other pieces of their world out there, they just don't believe it can compare to the world they've created. But all is not perfect on Paladris. Violence has begun creeping its way back into Paladrian society. New forms of art, brutal and physical, have found footholds amongst some. Gultaris has seen fit to allow such expression, but unrest has grown and some feel controlling the bold new elements is the only way to preserve their way of life. Factions are forming and it's unclear where Paladris is heading. With no direction from the top, things are pulling in all directions and won't stop until something breaks.
As a plane, Paladris is mechanically interested in expression which is exhibited by having spells and activated abilities on the stack. Paladrian artists want their work to be seen and heard and the fuller your canvas, the stronger your Paladrian forces will be.
To that end, the shard's mechanic is an ability word called Attunement, which denotes an effect that cares about the number of spells or activated abilities on the stack.
Aurora Motes :1mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Spirit (U)
Flying
“Every civilization of Paladris has myths surrounding the motes. The ice-kin see them as benevolent ancestors, the humans believe they are tragically spoiled art spells caught in the aether, the dragons know them to be lost shreds of inspiration. All look to them as illusive muses.” -Prelajhe Vita
2/1
Unyielding Aristarch :4mana::symw:
Creature — Human Advisor (U)
Whenever Unyielding Aristarch becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, put a critique counter on it.
:5mana::symw:, Remove a critique counter from Unyielding Aristarch: Exile target permanent.
2/5
Aspersal Denier
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Attunement — :symu:, :symtap:: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
flavor
1/1
Shimmering Visage :2mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Illusion (C)
Attunement — When there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, Shimmering Visage gains flying until end of turn.
flavor
3/3
Æther Purge
Instant (U)
Attunement — Æther Purge deals damage equal to the number of spells and activated abilities on the stack to target creature or player.
“wipe the Paladrian slate clean”
-Stillglaze saying meaning “to cause great harm”
Arezzo Strongarm :3mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
Attunement — When there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, Arezzo Strongarm gains haste and first strike until end of turn.
“Only on Paladris will you find thugs waiting for the appropriate backing music before making their move.” -Audrid Tigan
3/3
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Attunement — Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
5/5
Freeze in the Wind :symu::symr:
Snow Instant (R)
Target spell doesn’t resolve. Phases and turns end, other spells and abilities resolve, and players may play cards as though that spell weren’t on the stack. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn.)
Gultaris, the Prefect :3mana::symr::symw::symu:
Legendary Creature — Dragon Wizard (M)
Flying; protection from sorceries and from instants
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells without paying their mana costs.
:2mana:: Target spell resolves. You may play this ability if Gultaris is on the stack.
6/6
Paladris Charm :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (U)
Choose one — Change the targets of target spell; or counter target spell unless its controller pays 3; or target opponent can’t cast spells this turn.
Paladris is home to visionaries with their flights of fancy as well as their critics.
Whims of Impatience :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (C)
Target spell resolves.
Draw a card.
“I tire of this. Perhaps we should skip right to the good part.” -Gultaris, the prefect
Obelisk of Paladris
Snow Artifact (U)
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool.
Though carved by no Paladrian hand, the obelisks have remained for centuries with no critic bold enough to decry their intricate artistry and fame.
Paladris Panorama
Snow Land (C)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:1mana:, :symtap:, Sacrifice Paladris Panorama: Search your library for a basic Mountain, Plains, or Island card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
A vast, icy expanse to some, an endless blank canvas to the eyes of an artist.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
The Attunement trigger is a little unintuitive. I'd make it "Whenever a spell or ability is put onto the stack, if there are two or more other spells or abilities on the stack..." Also, this breaks the design rule that the stack is never to be mentioned, but that rule is dumb, so.
The snow stuff for flavor's sake is really odd without any S costs. Will you have any of those?
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Thank you, I'll look at that.
Agreed. I don't think the stack is an untouchable thing and avoiding mentioning it is an unnecessary and arbitrary restriction.
No. There won't be any snow mana (though, snow permanents in this set do play nicely with Coldnsap stuff - in particular snow permanents in Paladris that generate mana).
Though snow will not be there just for flavor, many cards use it as a resource. I decided to play up that angle a bit more when I realized the stack alone was a bit of a wide focus so to give an alternative with a smaller scope that players could look to felt right. Well over half of the Paladris cards are Snow and about an eighth of the set cares about snow in some mechanical way. So while there's no snow manacosts, snow is not a mechanical non-factor either. Players can use vanilla snow cards (cards with the type but that have no mechanical ties to snow apart from that) just as they are, or use them along with snow-matters cards to give them more meaning.
Snowshaper's Prayer :2mana::symw:
Snow Enchantment (C)
Whenever a snow source deals damage, you may pay W. If you do, gain that much life.
Snowshaper Primus :1mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (R)
:1mana::symu:: Target noncreature snow permanent becomes an Elemental creature with flying, hexproof and power and toughness each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
1/4
Stillglaze Sentry :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, tap target creature and Stillglaze Sentry deals 1 damage to it.
The ice-kin wear a mask for every emotion, each conveying a message. Some masks are only seen by outsiders once.
2/2
Glacial Commander :1mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (R)
Other snow creatures you control get +1/+1 and have first strike.
“Though the humans try their best to excel, it’s clear that this world favors us. If it didn’t, why would it carve us in its image?”
2/2
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
No idea how the Scion of Nivalis' ability can be relevant considering he doesn't have flash.
Nice backstory. Quite well written.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Suggested fixes?
Wouldn't the ability be checked upon resolution and therefore offer a chance to add instants, abilities and flashables to the stack as Scion's ETB trigger goes on the stack?
You'll have to forgive me, Paladris used to have a very different mechanic (which I axed because it was really cool, but far too complex for lower rarities - it remained as a single card) that helped the Scion's ability considerably. I removed the mechanic but left the Scion's other abilities as they were. Adding flash is no big deal at all, I just thought Scion worked okay on its own.
Thank you. The flavor to me is as important as the actual cards.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
There are several possibilities, none of them 100% elegant. You just pick the one you
like mostdislike least."When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ and loses this ability until end of turn."
"When there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack, if ~ doesn't have XYZ, it gains XYZ until end of turn."
"0: ~ gains XYZ until end of turn. Activate this ability only if there are three or more spells and/or activated abilities on the stack."
"Whenever a player casts a spell or activates an activated ability or a triggered ability triggers, if there are two or more other spells and/or abilities on the stack, ~ gains XYZ until end of turn."
Well, then it has to be a trigger. Currently it just enters the battlefield with the counters already on it.
Edit: As pointed out below, that doesn't work either.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Even then I don't think it'll work... by the time anyone has priority to play anything, the triggered ability will already be on the stack. Since it'll be first in, it'll also be last out, which means that by the time it resolves there won't be anything else on the stack. It may be best just to not use the keyword here and make it a Storm looking variant (~ gets two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell played this turn). That makes it more powerful, but not dramatically so and in a fun way. Also, it still keeps it interacting with spells played.
Aether Purge is utterly broken with anything that has an activated ability that costs :0mana:, though...
Actually, I love this one. It actively plays into the activated ability count. I will likely add some nominal cost to it, though, because I don't want any 0 cost abilities to active running around.
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each spell cast or activated ability played this turn.
5/5
?
How about if it can only target creatures?
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Lightning Greaves plus this immediately wins the game. On the one hand, it's seven mana. On the other hand, cheap (free) activated abilities at sorcery speed are not exactly rare in the equipment era, so playing a ton of activated abilities in a turn is not very difficult.
And for Aether Purge, that would fix many of the shenanigans. It would still feel highly unfair to be hit by it, but it's a bit mollifying to only be losing critters to the combo engine and not immediately lose the game. Otherwise Legacy would immediately have an Aether Purge/Nomads en-Kor combo deck that would be pretty resilient and very nasty to play against.
That would at least not make it an auto-win without a third card to untap the Scion or a third card to utilize its arbitrarily-large size. I don't think 3-card combos are much of a worry to WotC anymore. And though I don't like the idea of letting the Scion get to be arbitrarily large, I tried to eliminate free abilities in Paladris (since that directly skews Attunement as a whole) so Limited environments aren't going to experience swingy bomb wins from an infinite combo engine.
Even across the other Fragments, Israfiel has three cards with 'free' abilities that sacrifice lands and one that sacrifices attacking creatures. Wujal has one card that can help for only so long (it taps two untapped lands to untap a land) and one creature with a 0-cost ability to change colors. Valedon has a few activated abilities giving up finite resources (lands, creatures, cards in hand) and two cards with free usage of that Fragment's mechanic (an activated ability that allows the legal swapping of attacking/blocking creatures you control) but both of those cards are GUB tri-colored and require at least two attacking or blocking creatures and so I don't think it's worth going four colors to jump through hoops to trick a 100/100 dragon into play. Amduat has only one, a GWB enchantment that lets you pay X and mill yourself for X to gain X life where obviously you can go with 0 an infinite number of times.
So within the Fracture block, only one card is going to realistically be thought about comboing with this (the 3/3 for 3U that changes color for free).
Looking further back, Excellion has no abilities able to go infinite. And Archatmos has none as well, surprisingly. I only bring them up because I'm more focused on my own custom Standard than the official one. I do keep track of trends in real sets, but mine aren't designed to be played with them directly so I think first of Limited and Block for my custom set, then my past custom sets for the 'Standard' the set I'm designing will be in.
Though obviously I'm not keen on designing broken cards, so if you have any other suggestions for the Scion, I'm all ears.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Unyielding Aristarch: Dunno why anyone would want to target this guy with something that won't outright remove him.
Aspersal Denier: Okay, this is kind of interesting. I'm reasonably sure the ability counts itself, so it's probably going to give -2/-0 or -3/-0 most turns. Good, but probably not as good as just tapping the target instead in some circumstances.
Shimmering Visage: This is only going to work if there's a large number of abilities in the set. But you know that already...
Æther Purge: I'm not even sure this is fair just targeting creatures, to be honest. Making it the generic Shock+conditional upside is probably a better call, uninteresting as it might be.
Arezzo Strongarm: Haste is unlikely to be relevant, in my opinions, since the odds of activating three abilities or casting three spells after this guy resolves are essentially nil unless you use 0 cost activations.
Scion of Nivalis: Without flash, I'm not sure how this is relevant. With flash, this ends games if given haste (the oft-mentioned Lightning Greaves).
Freeze in the Wind: Pretty sure the cleanup step would wipe the spell off the stack. Weird card, :symu::symr: for a counterspell seems undercosted somehow.
Gultaris, the Prefect: This straight-up wins games as soon as it gets cast. Cast him, Fireball with X as 9001... oh wait, I don't have to pay the mana cost, trololololololol. Banefire works better, but you see the point. Also forgetting Eldrazi shenanigans, etc. I don't think this is printable.
Paladris Charm: Okay, looks good.
Whims of Impatience: This is pretty cool, I like it. Perfect counterspell defense, or if you really, really need a spell off the stack for some reason.
Obelisk of Paladris: Of course.
Paladris Panorama: Of course.
Even if it comes into play tapped, the Greaves can be what fuel the Scion's size. But that would require at least two other creatures in play before you cast it, plus the seven mana, plus Greaves. WotC itself doesn't seem concerned with game-winning combos that require 3+ cards and a lot of mana, I don't think I am, either. If anything, I like the idea of having a Johnny card with such potential, it gets players excited even if the potential for brokenness isn't as high as it seems.
Absolutely. Only one other card is even near worrying, and it's not by much. A rare 5/5 Sphinx for 5UU has a static Attunement ability that counters spells cast unless three or more spells/abilities were cast/played that turn. It's not an exceptional lock since it counts things played by all players, it really only makes things effectively cost a bit more and can force players to play things at less opportune times to force a spell through. It's less of a hard lock than Erayo, more expensive and arguably not as useful. The issue is that it's a 5/5 flyer and currently has hexproof so it's exceptional at protecting itself (both hexproof and its Attunement ability offer protection), but it's more of a strong annoyance and powerful control win condition than broken mess. It actually plays against the "play more" strategy you associate with the Scion.
Don't discount Misdirection/Swerve-type effects nor the fact that the effect targeting it doesn't need to resolve (Paladris is the most counterspell-heavy of the five fragments), but the effect was meant to be limited in scope.
It will count itself upon resolution as far as I know (which means it always gives -1/-0). It's not a bomb of a card, but it's a 1/1 for U that will help Limited decks secure wins they may not otherwise be able to. For an uncommon, I don't think we can ask for much more.
A third of the set has activated abilities and almost the entire set is comprised of spells so I don't think there's too much worry on that front.
I'm trying to nerf it without absolutely scrapping it. I bumped up the cost (2Rnow), made it only hit creatures, and made it a sorcery. I like the idea of a bombastic red direct damage spell that hits harder the more you commit to the theme.
The haste is nothing more than an encouragement to play more in the same turn (which in a very subtle way plays well with many of Wujal's cards), I don't expect it'll be a consistent factor.
I'm pretty sold on flash to boost its effectiveness, and it comes into play tapped to stall it a turn so haste won't help it. I think at this point, it's got a lot of potential, but there's little you can do to make it an efficient game-winner the turn it's played.
I think the cards can trump the rules in cases where they conflict, allowing a spell to get frozen on the stack permanently. It's wacky, for sure, but I think it's not an exceptionally difficult design space. I had discussed it with rules guys ages ago back when this was the original mechanic for Paladris (a lot of the set focused on cards sitting on the stack and resolving differently than usual, making it part echo, part suspend and part something new). It was a stretch and would require extensive rules entries in the comp rules, but the general sense was that it's just complex and new, not inherently impossible to do. It wound up not working well as a set-wide mechanic, but was still a very flavorful concept that worked as one card.
As far as cost goes, I felt 1UR was just slightly overcosted since FitW is just barely worse than Cancel in this setting since a subset of cards can allow a frozen spell to resolve. Plus there's the inclusion of a second color. If UR proves to be too cheap, 1UR is a fine compromise. I just like pushing really strange cards.
How about:
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells by paying 2R rather than paying their mana costs. (If X is in the mana cost, X equals 0.)
?
X-spells are no longer a problem and it's not a particularly helpful way of casting Eldrazi since 5RRWU is not much better than they already cost.
Awesome.
Paladris really let me run wild with stack interactions, letting me come up with new ways to interact with spells and abilities aside from simple countering. Red really wanted to get its way when it casts things. White wanted it to be protective and blue helped it be tricky. The end result is an effect that protects your spells by making them immediate. Gultaris has a similar effect, as does another legend. It's only a few cards, but the effect is worth considering.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
When Gultaris reshaped Paladris as an unnatural winter wonderland, he also created stewards for the world. Crafted from the same unnatural snow and ice as Paladris itself, the Ice-Kin were intended to be meticulous critics and teachers. They were to be artistic guides for the organic races of man, gnome and dragon. They filled that role flawlessly, creating for themselves the City of Stillglaze, a breathtaking city sculpted from pure never-melting ice. Its walls glow in perfectly-patterned lights and colors, lit by unseen forces. Its amphitheatres, halls and galleries are second only to Gultaris' own in Nivalis itself. Stillglaze is also home to Paladris' governing body of critics, the Octave of Stillglaze. Referred to simply as The Eight by the Ice-Kin themselves, the Octave is responsible for setting and upholding the standards of beauty and artistic expression that all of Paladris adheres to.
These standards were initially defined by Gultaris through his Tenets, a tome outlining his views on art and what true art should aspire to. But over time, the Ice-Kin have lessened the influences of the Tenets, replacing those standards with those of their own desires. The prefect himself has not been pleased with having his ideals usurped by his creations, but not being one to control the often chaotic whims of artistry, he hasn't stepped in to redirect the Octave's goals and standards.
The Ice-Kin themselves have developed along similar lines, becoming different than Gultaris originally visioned. Upon conception cold and meticulous, the Ice-Kin have been experimenting with emotions. Their hard, crystalline bodies were unable to articulate facial expressions the other races associate with emotions, so the Ice-Kin have designed masks to present their emotional state more clearly to each other as well as outsiders. They have also began creating their own works, no longer content to simply witness and judge the works of others. They had a particularly fine affinity for music, their finely-tuned bodies able to perfectly modulate their voices to create perfectly-pitched songs. It wasn't too long before the Ice-Kin became prominent in artistry themselves, much to the chagrin of the human and dragons, both of whom felt it unfair that the Ice-Kin crafted for precision would go beyond their role and take their advantages and use them against the ones they were created to guide.
But some Ice-Kin aren't content to simply take the stage as equals. The Everwinter Creed believe that Paladris' unnatural winter is unstable and that a day is fast approaching where the snow without cold will snap and that the Ice-Kin themselves are all that will remain afterward. The Everwinter belief is that as beings created of Paladris, they are the only ones fit to inherit it once the unnatural winter breaks and becomes a permanent storm of true ice and snow. Gultaris' secretive sphinx advisers have been telling him that the Everwinter Creed is onto something and that change is on the horizon for Paladris, though they do not believe the storm will be as the Ice-Kin believe. The prefect has yet to heed these warnings, instead focused on perfecting his vision of Paladris. Whether his head is in the proverbial sand or he has a plan he has yet to divulge is anyone's guess.
The Ice-Kin themselves are obviously quite snow-based, with a lot of the snow-matters cards related to them.
You've already seen many, but here's some more.
Captivating Rhapsode :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (U)
:symw:, :symtap:: Tap target creature.
The rhapsodes, unlike the typical bards of Paladris, specialize in constructing melodies so complex that the listener can think of little but its tune.
1/3
Frozen Alive :2mana::symu:
Snow Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When enchanted creature becomes tapped, destroy it.
Icelance
Snow Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0, has first strike and damage dealt by it can’t be prevented.
Arbiter of Patrons :symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Advisor (R)
When Arbiter of Patrons enters the battlefield, name a nonland permanent.
Activated abilities of the named card can’t be played.
1/3
Aide to the Eight :1mana::symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Spells you control can’t be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/1
Everwinter Advocate :symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (C)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, draw a card.
Since the birth of the eternal winter, certain sects of the ice-kin have believed that a storm is on the horizon that only they will weather.
1/4
Icy Stare :symr::symw:
Snow Instant (C)
Icy Stare deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Tap that creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Stillglaze Zealot :2mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (C)
Whenever Stillglaze Zealot attacks, switch its power and toughness until end of turn.
Though the ice-kin of Stillglaze appear to follow the Tenets of the Prefect on the surface, they have no reservations about opposing them when the time calls for it.
2/5
Pristine Virtuoso :symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (R)
You may choose not to untap creatures you control during your untap step.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each tapped creature you control.
As long as you control six or more tapped creatures, creatures you control are indestructible.
3/4
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
From a creative standpoint, the effort you put into the flavor of the enemy wedges is outstanding. Amduat, as a concept is probably my favourite shard and a fascinating story.
I look forward to the final reveal of this set, and plan on printing/testing five balanced, "shard-focused" decks with my LGS group.
Well DONE sir!
Thank you so much.
It's definitely helpful to hear encouraging positivity, especially given the time and effort put into each set.
Please be sure to let me know what your playtesting reveals. That'd be incredibly useful.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Snow Creature — Spirit (U)
Flying
“Every civilization of Paladris has myths surrounding the motes. The ice-kin see them as benevolent ancestors, the humans believe they are tragically spoiled art spells caught in the aether, the dragons know them to be lost shreds of inspiration. All look to them as illusive muses.” -Prelajhe Vita
2/1
Bind in Hopes
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Whenever enchanted permanent becomes tapped, gain 2 life.
flavor
Captivating Rhapsode :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (U)
:symw:, :symtap:: Tap target creature.
The rhapsodes, unlike the typical bards of Paladris, specialize in constructing melodies so complex that the listener can think of little but its tune.
1/3
Compose Invocation
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a permanent card with an activated ability, reveal it and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterward.
flavor
Criticize Form
Instant (C)
Counter target creature or enchantment spell unless its controller pays 2.
flavor
Dulcifying Song :2mana::symw:
Instant (C)
Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to each creature you control this turn.
Attunement — If there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack, prevent all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control this turn instead.
Gilded Mirror :2mana::symw::symw:
Snow Enchantment (U)
Attunement — You can’t be the target of spells as long as there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
Halberdier of Predella :3mana::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (U)
First strike
:1mana::symw:: Untap Halberdier of Predella, it gets +0/+1 until end of turn.
3/3
Penitentes Knight :symw::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Knight (R)
First strike
Penitentes Knight’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
*/*
Prancing Graupelmare :2mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Horse Elemental (C)
Defender
Cycling 2 (:2mana:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Always in motion, never moving forward, the graupelmare’s playful dance inspires children across Paladris.
0/5
Predellan Seigeculler :2mana::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Predellan Seigeculler gains protection from red until end of turn. Play this ability only if there is are three spells or activated abilities on the stack.
“The battle for the soul is fought in the forum of art.”
2/2
Quodlibet Repression :2mana::symw::symw:
Sorcery (U)
Tap all creatures target player controls.
“I’ll layer one tune upon another and then again until what I weave will leave you awestruck and incapable of perceiving little else.”
Sculpted Ideal :3mana::symw::symw::symw:
Snow Creature — Lammasu (R)
Flying
Attunement — You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game as long as there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
5/5
Snowshaper's Prayer :2mana::symw:
Snow Enchantment (C)
Whenever a snow source deals damage, you may pay W. If you do, gain that much life.
flavor
Solemn Deliverance :3mana::symw:
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a card would be put into your graveyard from anywhere, you may pay 1W. If you do, put that card into your hand instead.
Soul Sculptor :2mana::symw:
Creature — Human (R)
:1mana::symw:, :symtap:: Target creature becomes an enchantment and loses all abilities until a player casts a creature spell.
1/1
Unyielding Aristarch :4mana::symw:
Creature — Human Advisor (U)
Whenever Unyielding Aristarch becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, put a critique counter on it.
:5mana::symw:, Remove a critique counter from Unyielding Aristarch: Exile target permanent.
2/5
Wily Alopex :3mana::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Fox (C)
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to Wily Alopex by non-snow sources.
flavor
2/2
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Attunement — :symu:, :symtap:: Target creature gets -1/-0 until end of turn for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
flavor
1/1
Benumb :2mana::symu:
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant permanent
Enchanted permanent doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
Bided Breath :3mana::symu:
Enchantment (C)
Whenever a player casts a spell, you may pay :1mana::symu::symu: and sacrifice Bided Breath. If you do, counter that spell.
Bucking Beebles :2mana::symu:
Snow Creature — Beeble (C)
When an opponent casts a spell, Bucking Beebles is unblockable until end of turn.
flavor
2/2
Calumniator Adept :symu::symu:
Creature — Human Wizard Rogue (R)
:2mana::symu::symu:, :symtap:: Counter target spell. If a sorcery or instant spell is countered this way, you may pay 2. If you do, untap Calumniator Adept.
2/1
Criticize Measure
Instant (C)
Counter target sorcery or instant spell unless its controller pays 2.
flavor
Frozen Alive :2mana::symu:
Snow Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.
When enchanted creature becomes tapped, destroy it.
Hailwake :symx::symu::symu:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Tap X target permanents.
Ivory Matriarch :4mana::symu:
Snow Creature — Wolf (C)
Flash
Her milky silver pelt conceals her approach against the sun-glinted hills of Predella. Her young are hungry for the soldier’s meat and warmth and she knows the element of surprise gives her all the advantage she needs.
3/2
Lost in Music :1mana::symu::symu:
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature you control becomes tapped, you may put the top card of target library into its owner’s graveyard.
Mercurial Songwright :4mana::symu:
Creature — Human Rogue Bard (U)
Vigilance
flavor
2/5
Sculturan Hoverguard :4mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Drone (U)
Flying
Attunement — :0mana:: Sculturan Hoverguard gains hexproof until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
5/3
Shimmering Visage :2mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Illusion (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Shimmering Visage gains flying until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
flavor
3/3
Snowshaper Primus :1mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (R)
:1mana::symu:: Target noncreature snow permanent becomes an Elemental creature with flying, hexproof and power and toughness each equal to the number of snow permanents in play.
1/4
Time Geyser :symu::symu:
Instant (U)
If all lands you control are tapped, untap all lands you control.
“Time itself has a rhythm, a cadence it’s designed to follow. But master conductors know how to quicken the tempo.”
Vain Sovereign :5mana::symu::symu:
Snow Creature — Sphinx (R)
Flying; hexproof
Attunement — Whenever a player casts a spell, counter it unless three or more spells or activated abilities were cast or played this turn.
5/5
Wipe the Slate :2mana::symu::symu:
Instant (R)
Counter all spells and abilities on the stack.
flavor
Wistful Dreamer :1mana::symu:
Creature — Human Bard (U)
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, scry 4. (To scry :4mana:, look at the top four cards of your library. Put any number of them on the bottom of your library in any order and the rest on top in any order.)
2/1
Sorcery (U)
Attunement — Æther Purge deals damage equal to the number of spells and activated abilities on the stack to target creature.
“wipe the Paladrian slate clean”
-Stillglaze saying meaning “to cause great harm”
Albusine Hunter :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Wolf Beast (C)
Haste; first strike
flavor
3/1
Arezzo Strongarm :3mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Arezzo Strongarm gains haste and first strike until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
“Only on Paladris will you find thugs waiting for the appropriate backing music before making their move.” -Audrid Tigan
3/3
Bold Technique :3mana::symr:
Enchantment (R)
:3mana::symr:: Put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. It gains haste until end of turn. At end of turn, return it to your hand if it’s still in play.
Bombastic Heathen :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Rogue Bard (U)
Cycling :4mana::symr::symr: (:4mana::symr::symr:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Whenever you cycle Bombastic Heathen, destroy all artifacts.
3/1
Cassai :2mana::symr::symr:
Legendary Creature — Human Bard (M)
Whenever a creature you control taps, you may pay WU. If you do, untap that creature.
:symr:, :symtap:: Target spell resolves.
3/3
Commissary Muse :2mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Spirit Advisor (R)
You may cast spells any time you could cast an instant if you pay 2 more to cast them. If you do, those spells can’t be countered by spells or abilities.
4/3
Conoscitore Magemaster :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Wizard (C)
:2mana::symu:: Return target spell you control to its owner’s hand.
“The world is not yet ready for you, but take solace in that one day we will all drop to our knees in awe.”
2/1
Covetous Wolf :5mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Wolf Beast (U)
When Covetous Wolf enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact or land.
4/3
Dirksmith Artisan :2mana::symr:
Creature — Human Warrior (C)
First strike
:1mana::symr:: Put a +1/+1 counter on Dirksmith Artisan. Play this ability only if there are no +1/+1 counters on Dirksmith Artisan.
2/1
Evaporate :symr::symr:
Instant (R)
Counter target snow spell.
“If true art is eternal, why then does yours melt away like the snowflake upon the hearth?” -Gultaris, the prefect
Exculpated Poet :symr::symr:
Creature — Human Rogue Bard (R)
Whenever a spell you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may add to your mana pool.
2/1
Frostcrack
Snow Instant (C)
Frostcrack deals 1 damage to each tapped creature target player controls.
Glacial Splintering :2mana::symr:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Glacial Splintering deals 2 damage to each opponent.
Gnome Quickener
Creature — Gnome Wizard Artificer (C)
:symr:, :symtap:: Untap target artifact that has an activated ability with in its cost.
“Call it our version of an encore.”
1/1
Icelance
Snow Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+:0mana:, has first strike and damage dealt by it can’t be prevented.
Labor of Love :1mana::symr::symr:
Enchantment (R)
Attunement — :2mana::symr:: Put a tune counter on Labor of Love for each spell or activated ability on the stack. Play this ability only once each turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you win the game if there are fifteen or more tune counters on Labor of Love.
Marauding Frostback :4mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Lizard (U)
Damage dealt by Marauding Frostback can’t be prevented.
“The frostback exists solely to prove that Paladris has yet to commit fully to the beauty of art.” -Prelajhe Vita
3/2
Paladris Archmage :2mana::symr:
Creature — Gnome Wizard (U)
:1mana::symw:, :symtap:: Counter target spell if it targets a spell or permanent you control.
:1mana::symu:, :symtap:: Tap or untap target artifact, creature or land.
Where every facet of a world hinges on art, magics devoted to manipulating creativity come at a premium.
2/2
Penitentes Safeguard
Snow Creature — Elemental Shaman (U)
:1mana::symw:: Snow permanents you control gain protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.
1/1
Resounding Glee :1mana::symr::symr:
Instant (R)
Target spell you control resolves.
Cycling :5mana::symr::symw::symu: (:5mana::symr::symw::symu:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Resounding Glee, you may have any number of spells on the stack resolve. Exile any number of other spells on the stack.
Rimewing Snapper :4mana::symr:
Snow Creature — Drake (U)
Flying
Whenever Rimewing Snapper becomes blocked by a nonsnow creature, it gains first strike until end of turn.
3/1
Schiappa Tinker :1mana::symr::symr:
Creature — Gnome Artificer (U)
:symtap:: Target artifact creature gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
“The humans, dragons and even the ice-kin all disregard our works of artifice. They don’t see the true artistry in every delicately placed gear, every carefully crafted part, the sweet symphony of hundreds of intricate parts working as one.”
2/2
Scion of Nivalis :4mana::symr::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (R)
Flying
Attunement — Scion of Nivalis enters the battlefield tapped with two +1/+1 counters on it for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
5/5
Scordaturic Blast :2mana::symr:
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target artifact. Its controller can’t cast spells until the beginning of your next upkeep.
Shattering Scale :2mana::symr:
Snow Sorcery (C)
Destroy target nonbasic land.
Cycling (:symr:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Stillglaze Sentry :2mana::symr::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, tap target creature and Stillglaze Sentry deals 1 damage to it.
The ice-kin wear a mask for every emotion, each conveying a message. Some masks are only seen by outsiders once.
2/2
Wintersong’s Herald
Creature — Gnome Bard (C)
:2mana::symr:, :symtap:, Sacrifice a red creature, a white creature, and a blue creature: Search your library for a card named Wintersong Bard and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
1/1
Snow Creature — Elemental Advisor (R)
When Arbiter of Patrons enters the battlefield, name a nonland permanent.
Activated abilities of the named card can’t be played.
1/3
Pale Stormlark :2mana::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Bird (U)
Flying
Attunement — If a source an opponent controls would deal damage, prevent 1 of that damage for each spell or activated ability on the stack.
3/2
Retinue Page :symw::symu:
Creature — Human Wizard (C)
When Retinue Page enters the battlefield, return target noncreature card in your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Aide to the Eight :1mana::symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (U)
Spells you control can’t be the targets of spells or abilities your opponents control.
2/1
Everwinter Advocate :symu::symr:
Snow Creature — Elemental Wizard (C)
Whenever you cast a snow spell, draw a card.
Since the birth of the eternal winter, certain sects of the ice-kin have believed that a storm is on the horizon that only they will weather.
1/4
Freeze in the Wind :symu::symr:
Snow Instant (R)
Target spell doesn’t resolve. Phases and turns end, other spells and abilities resolve, and players may play cards as though that spell weren’t on the stack. (This effect doesn’t end at end of turn.)
Whirlwind Songstress :symu::symr:
Creature — Human Bard (C)
Attunement — :1mana:: Whirlwind Songstress gains flying until end of turn. Play this ability only if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
For every song in her heart, a wind in her wings.
2/2
Glacial Commander :1mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (R)
Other snow creatures you control get +1/+1 and have first strike.
“Though the humans try their best to excel, it’s clear that this world favors us. If it didn’t, why would it carve us in its image?”
2/2
Icy Stare :symr::symw:
Snow Instant (C)
Icy Stare deals 3 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Tap that creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Stillglaze Zealot :2mana::symr::symw:
Snow Creature — Elemental Soldier (C)
Whenever Stillglaze Zealot attacks, switch its power and toughness until end of turn.
Though the ice-kin of Stillglaze appear to follow the Tenets of the Prefect on the surface, they have no reservations about opposing them when the time calls for it.
2/5
Vehement Accuser :2mana::symr::symw:
Creature — Human Soldier (U)
Vigilance
Attunement — When Vehement Accuser enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player and you gain 2 life if there are three or more spells or activated abilities on the stack.
2/4
Gultaris, the Prefect :3mana::symr::symw::symu:
Legendary Creature — Dragon Wizard (M)
Flying; protection from sorceries and from instants
As long as Gultaris, the Prefect is on the stack, you may cast spells by paying :2mana::symr: rather than paying their mana costs. (If X is in the mana cost, X equals 0.)
:2mana:: Target spell resolves. You may play this ability if Gultaris is on the stack.
6/6
Paladris Charm :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (U)
Choose one — Change the targets of target spell; or counter target spell unless its controller pays 3; or target opponent can’t cast spells this turn.
Paladris is home to visionaries with their flights of fancy as well as their critics.
Perplexity Sphinx :2mana::symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Sphinx (R)
Flying
Whenever Perplexity Sphinx deals combat damage to a creature, tap that creature and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
4/4
Prelajhe Vita :symr::symw::symu:
Planeswalker — Prelajhe (M)
+0: Until you cast a spell, nonland cards in your hand have flash.
+1: Spells you control can’t be countered by spells or abilities this turn.
-3: Put target sorcery or instant card from your graveyard on top of your library.
-6: You gain an emblem with “Sorcery and instant spells you cast have “This spell deals 1 damage to target creature or player and you gain 1 life. Draw a card.”
[4]
Pristine Virtuoso :symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Elemental Bard (R)
You may choose not to untap creatures you control during your untap step.
Creatures you control get +1/+0 for each tapped creature you control.
As long as you control six or more tapped creatures, creatures you control are indestructible.
3/4
Silverwing Steed :symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Drake (U)
Flying; first strike; vigilance
2/3
Whims of Impatience :symr::symw::symu:
Instant (C)
Target spell resolves.
Draw a card.
“I tire of this. Perhaps we should skip right to the good part.” -Gultaris, the prefect
Wintersong Bard :3mana::symr::symr::symw::symu:
Snow Creature — Dragon Bard (M)
Flying
Spells cost you 1 less to cast for each spell you cast this turn.
Spells cost your opponents 1 more to cast for each spell he or she cast this turn.
6/5
Artifact (U)
:1mana:, :symtap:: Tap or untap target creature.
“The great conductors of old each held a staff such as this. With one gesture they could alter tempo, with one great wave they could weave perfection from many smaller parts.” -Casai
Cloudheart Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symw:: Exile Cloudheart Golem. Then return it to play under your control.
“Be not afraid to cast off all that restrains you. When true greatness is achieved, no lowly criticism can touch you.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol IV
2/5
Draconic Simulacrum
Snow Artifact Creature — Dragon (R)
Flying
Draconic Simulacrum can’t be countered.
Damage dealt by Draconic Simulacrum can’t be prevented.
5/5
Frostfist Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symr:: Frostfist Golem deals damage equal to its power to target creature blocking it.
“Passion is the true guide of art. Whether in the intense heat of feeling or the cold edge of style.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol I
3/2
Mistfoot Golem
Snow Artifact Creature — Golem (U)
:2mana::symu:: Prevent all damage that would be dealt to or dealt by Mistfoot Golem this turn.
“The true path to perfection lies in footsteps none can follow.” -Tenets of the Prefect, vol III
3/3
Mosaic Lens
Artifact (R)
Whenever you cast an instant spell, you may pay 2RWU. If you do, copy that spell X times where X is half your life total rounded down. You may choose new targets for the copies.
Nivala, Winter’s Breath
Legendary Snow Artifact (R)
:2mana:, :symtap:: Put an ice counter on target permanent. Permanents with ice counters on them are snow.
Tap three untapped snow permanents you control: Draw a card.
Obelisk of Paladris
Snow Artifact (U)
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool.
Though carved by no Paladrian hand, the obelisks have remained for centuries with no critic bold enough to decry their intricate artistry and fame.
Ornate Violoncello
Artifact — Equipment (U)
When equipped creature becomes untapped, you may pay 2. If you do, shuffle target sorcery or instant card in your graveyard into your library.
Equip 2
Schiappa Drake
Snow Artifact Creature — Drake (C)
Flying
Cycling 2 (:2mana:, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
2/3
Nivalis, Glinting Palace
Legendary Snow Land (R)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:symr::symw::symu:, :symtap:: Return target spell to its owner’s hand.
Roost of Gultaris, prefect of Paladris, and home to the pinnacle of the plane’s many varied artisans, Nivalis stands as both court and coffer.
Paladris Panorama
Snow Land (C)
:symtap:: Add 1 to your mana pool.
:1mana:, :symtap:, Sacrifice Paladris Panorama: Search your library for a basic Mountain, Plains, or Island card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
A vast, icy expanse to some, an endless blank canvas to the eyes of an artist.
Shimmering Amphitheatre
Snow Land (U)
Shimmering Amphitheatre comes into play tapped.
:symtap:: Add :symr:, or to your mana pool.
A far cry from the military outposts of other worlds, Paladris’ many glimmering theatres dotting the land speak to its denizen’s passion for art over warfare.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
-Modern-
WMartyrProcB
BBurnR
-Commander-
It's 4, sorry. Some cards don't export flawlessly and some info gets lost and html gets a bit fudged.
Thank you! Next up for the fractures is when they inevitably converge. That's going to be a much more traditional set (as opposed to Fracture's five mini-sets acting as one) and I already have it fully complete so expect that in the not too distant future.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
It's kind of like the Esper of these five, but it values art instead of order.
I'm honestly a little sad I'll never see card art from this place,
especially the basic lands
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW