One feature of the guild mechanics in GRN are that they have some synergy with other abilities that share a color whether it is direct synergy like surveil and jump-start or indirect synergy like GW creating lots of creatures that can be mentored. With that in mind I'm going to create the five mechanics I would like to see from Ravnica Allegiance.
GU: Biomutate - When casting this creature you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do this enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
RG: Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power, do X.
RB: Backlash - You may lose life equal to this card's converted mana cost when you cast this, if you do than do X
UW: Proscribe (X) - This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.
WB: Exsoul (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do create a 1/1 black and white spirit token with flying.
A few sample cards for fun. Absorbing OozeG
Creature - Ooze (U)
Biomutate - When you cast Absorbing Ooze you may return a creature you control to your hand, if you do Absorbing Ooze enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
(0/0)
Whirlwind Lizard3UG
Creature - Mutant Lizard (R)
Flash
You may return an opponent's creature as though it were under your control if using Whirlwind Lizard's biomutate ability.
Biomutate - When you cast Whirlwind Lizard you may return a creature you control to your hand, if you do Whirlwind Lizard enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
(2/2)
Gruul Grunt1R
Creature - Giant (U)
Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power during your end step, Gruul Grunt deals 1 damage to target creature an opponent controls.
(3/1)
SmashRG
Instant (R)
Target creature you control gets +2/+2 and trample until end of turn.
Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature an opponent controls.
Blood Fencer1RB
Creature (U)
Double Strike
Backlash - You may pay 3 life when Blood Fencer enters the battlefield. If you do it enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.
(1/1)
Demonic ParadeX
Sorcery (R)
Backlash
Create X 1/1 Black and Red demons with haste.
When you cast Demonic Parade, you may pay life equal to its converted mana cost. If you do, demons you control get +1/+1 until end of turn and gain "when this creature attacks it deals 1 damage to defending player" until end of turn.
Airborne Adjudicator2WW
Creature - Human Knight Adviser (U)
Flying
As long as there are law counters on Airborne Adjudicator, creatures your opponents control with flying can't attack and can't block Airborne Adjudicator.
Proscribe 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with 3 law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.)
(2/3)
Bureaucratic DenialX1WU
Enchantment (R)
Bureaucratic Denial enters the battlefield with X law counters.
As long as there are law counters on Bureaucratic Denial opponents skip their draw steps.
During your end step gain life equal to the number of law counter on Bureaucrtic Denial.
Proscribe X (This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.)
Professional Mourner
Creature - Human (U)
Sacrfice Professional Mourner: Add 1 to your mana pool. This mana may only be used to cast spells and abilities from your graveyard.
Exsoul 1 : Exile Professional Mourner from your graveyard. Create a 1/1 White and Black spirit creature token with flying.
(1/1)
Spiritual Recruiter2
Creature - Spirit (R)
Lifelink
Whenever a creature is exsouled put a +1/+1 counter on Spritual Recruiter.
When Spiritual Recruiter enters the battlefield or is exsouled you may search your library for a creature with exsoul and put it into your graveyard.
Exsoul 2 : Exile Spiritual Recruiter from your graveyard. Create a 1/1 White and Black spirit creature token with flying.
2/2
GU: Biomutate - When casting this creature you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do this enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
I don't really see the appeal of this. It seems odd and complex.
RG: Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power, do X.
I really don't like mechanics that care about what your opponent is doing. It makes them more inconsistent and frustrating. This just gets a lot better or worse depending on what the matchup is. If your opponent doesn't have any creatures, this always goes off. If it's a mirror match, you both spend the entire game struggling over it.
RB: Backlash - You may lose life equal to this card's converted mana cost when you cast this, if you do than do X
Hmmmmm. A bit simple, but this could work.
UW: Proscribe (X) - This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.
This doesn't work in Ravnica, +1/+1 counters are too essential to the world, and +1/+1 counters don't mix with other counter types that go on creatures.
WB: Exsoul (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do create a 1/1 black and white spirit token with flying.
I feel like this should have a variable for the number of tokens produced. Gives it more design space and novelty.
As in
Exsoul N- (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do, create N 1/1 black and white Spirit creature tokens with flying.
GU: Biomutate - When casting this creature you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do this enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
**Biomutate I think has potential, first I think it should be an additional cost, also don't limit it to just +1/+1 counters.
RG: Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power, do X.
**Meh, not exactly exciting, but fine.
RB: Backlash - You may lose life equal to this card's converted mana cost when you cast this, if you do than do X
**Is this an additional cost?
UW: Proscribe (X) - This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.
**what else does it do? What happens when there are no more counters on it? Is it just another form of fading, or suspend, does removing a counter have an effect?
WB: Exsoul (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do create a 1/1 black and white spirit token with flying.
**Not sure I really like this. It's a little to limited. I think it shouldn't be limited just making a single 1/1 token.
Biomutate seems great. But maybe do a Sunburst effect, counters based on the card type. Also, definitely needs something to prevent simply looping 2 BIomutate cards endgame to spam +1/+1 counters.
Overwhelm seems kind of good, but overall bland and swingy. If you play Gruul mirror match, it is super unreliable, because only one player can have it. Maybe Overwhelm X: Do a thing is good, where you do a thing if you control a creature with power X or greater.
Backlash: This definitely has design space. However, it doesn't have much. Maybe this would be a good vertical cycle, but these cards vary too much based on matchup, being great against control and terrible against aggro, so probably better in small numbers. It is a cool idea, though.
Proscribe: What does this do? I assume it would look something like THIS:
Azorius Card I Just Made In Five Seconds 1UW
Creature-Badly Designed Due to Lack of Time
Proscribe (3)
Whenever a Law counter is removed from ~, tap target creature.
1/4
This has design space, and coult be a great mechanic. It just needs a bit more explanation on what it does.
Exsoul: definitely good. However, you may want to consider making it Exsoul(X): Pay this card's mana cost and exile it from your graveyard: Create an X/X spirit with flying. Just the 1/1 means it should be low cost, costing 4+ makes it nearly useless, and limits design space. I know I would want to play this card:
Johnny Thing WB
Instant
Johnny Thing cannot be cast.
Exsoul 4
For UW, realistically, I am pretty sure it is going to be Investigate in the actual set. It has a 3 on the Storm Scale, fits well with Azorius, fits with the plot, and if Wizards chooses not to use it they are missing a HUGE chance.
GU: Biomutate - When casting this creature you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do this enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
RG: Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power, do X.
RB: Backlash - You may lose life equal to this card's converted mana cost when you cast this, if you do than do X
UW: Proscribe (X) - This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.
WB: Exsoul (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do create a 1/1 black and white spirit token with flying.
A few sample cards for fun.
Absorbing Ooze G
Creature - Ooze (U)
Biomutate - When you cast Absorbing Ooze you may return a creature you control to your hand, if you do Absorbing Ooze enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
(0/0)
Whirlwind Lizard 3UG
Creature - Mutant Lizard (R)
Flash
You may return an opponent's creature as though it were under your control if using Whirlwind Lizard's biomutate ability.
Biomutate - When you cast Whirlwind Lizard you may return a creature you control to your hand, if you do Whirlwind Lizard enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters equal to half of that creature's power rounded up.
(2/2)
Gruul Grunt 1R
Creature - Giant (U)
Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power during your end step, Gruul Grunt deals 1 damage to target creature an opponent controls.
(3/1)
Smash RG
Instant (R)
Target creature you control gets +2/+2 and trample until end of turn.
Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature an opponent controls.
Blood Fencer 1RB
Creature (U)
Double Strike
Backlash - You may pay 3 life when Blood Fencer enters the battlefield. If you do it enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.
(1/1)
Demonic Parade X
Sorcery (R)
Backlash
Create X 1/1 Black and Red demons with haste.
When you cast Demonic Parade, you may pay life equal to its converted mana cost. If you do, demons you control get +1/+1 until end of turn and gain "when this creature attacks it deals 1 damage to defending player" until end of turn.
Airborne Adjudicator 2WW
Creature - Human Knight Adviser (U)
Flying
As long as there are law counters on Airborne Adjudicator, creatures your opponents control with flying can't attack and can't block Airborne Adjudicator.
Proscribe 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with 3 law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.)
(2/3)
Bureaucratic Denial X1WU
Enchantment (R)
Bureaucratic Denial enters the battlefield with X law counters.
As long as there are law counters on Bureaucratic Denial opponents skip their draw steps.
During your end step gain life equal to the number of law counter on Bureaucrtic Denial.
Proscribe X (This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.)
Professional Mourner
Creature - Human (U)
Sacrfice Professional Mourner: Add 1 to your mana pool. This mana may only be used to cast spells and abilities from your graveyard.
Exsoul 1 : Exile Professional Mourner from your graveyard. Create a 1/1 White and Black spirit creature token with flying.
(1/1)
Spiritual Recruiter 2
Creature - Spirit (R)
Lifelink
Whenever a creature is exsouled put a +1/+1 counter on Spritual Recruiter.
When Spiritual Recruiter enters the battlefield or is exsouled you may search your library for a creature with exsoul and put it into your graveyard.
Exsoul 2 : Exile Spiritual Recruiter from your graveyard. Create a 1/1 White and Black spirit creature token with flying.
2/2
Let me know what you like!
I don't really see the appeal of this. It seems odd and complex.
I really don't like mechanics that care about what your opponent is doing. It makes them more inconsistent and frustrating. This just gets a lot better or worse depending on what the matchup is. If your opponent doesn't have any creatures, this always goes off. If it's a mirror match, you both spend the entire game struggling over it.
Hmmmmm. A bit simple, but this could work.
This doesn't work in Ravnica, +1/+1 counters are too essential to the world, and +1/+1 counters don't mix with other counter types that go on creatures.
I feel like this should have a variable for the number of tokens produced. Gives it more design space and novelty.
As in
Exsoul N- (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do, create N 1/1 black and white Spirit creature tokens with flying.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
**Biomutate I think has potential, first I think it should be an additional cost, also don't limit it to just +1/+1 counters.
RG: Overwhelm - If you control the creature with the greatest power, do X.
**Meh, not exactly exciting, but fine.
RB: Backlash - You may lose life equal to this card's converted mana cost when you cast this, if you do than do X
**Is this an additional cost?
UW: Proscribe (X) - This permanent enters the battlefield with X law counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep remove a law counter from it.
**what else does it do? What happens when there are no more counters on it? Is it just another form of fading, or suspend, does removing a counter have an effect?
WB: Exsoul (Cost): You may exile this card from your graveyard. If you do create a 1/1 black and white spirit token with flying.
**Not sure I really like this. It's a little to limited. I think it shouldn't be limited just making a single 1/1 token.
Behind the eyes of truth, is a world of illustions.
Dragon Riderof a Mist Dragonn anyway with the Dragon Riders Clan.
Overwhelm seems kind of good, but overall bland and swingy. If you play Gruul mirror match, it is super unreliable, because only one player can have it. Maybe Overwhelm X: Do a thing is good, where you do a thing if you control a creature with power X or greater.
Backlash: This definitely has design space. However, it doesn't have much. Maybe this would be a good vertical cycle, but these cards vary too much based on matchup, being great against control and terrible against aggro, so probably better in small numbers. It is a cool idea, though.
Proscribe: What does this do? I assume it would look something like THIS:
Azorius Card I Just Made In Five Seconds 1UW
Creature-Badly Designed Due to Lack of Time
Proscribe (3)
Whenever a Law counter is removed from ~, tap target creature.
1/4
This has design space, and coult be a great mechanic. It just needs a bit more explanation on what it does.
Exsoul: definitely good. However, you may want to consider making it Exsoul(X): Pay this card's mana cost and exile it from your graveyard: Create an X/X spirit with flying. Just the 1/1 means it should be low cost, costing 4+ makes it nearly useless, and limits design space. I know I would want to play this card:
Johnny Thing WB
Instant
Johnny Thing cannot be cast.
Exsoul 4
For UW, realistically, I am pretty sure it is going to be Investigate in the actual set. It has a 3 on the Storm Scale, fits well with Azorius, fits with the plot, and if Wizards chooses not to use it they are missing a HUGE chance.
Deal with it.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
And uh *cough* I was right about giving it a variable to make multiple tokens...
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝