Transcendental Insight3GG
Sorcery (R) Domain-Draw a card for each basic land type amongst lands you control. Brilliant-Then, you may play 2 additional lands this turn if you have more than seven cards in your hand. "Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth." -Thoreau,Walden.
playing additional lands and having more than seven cards in your hand are both relevant considerations after drawing maybe as many as five cards. so, wise approach.
the domain part is just Allied Strategies. i'd've liked to have seen something fresher.
i believe Brilliant is a mechanic WotC is less likely to revisit after Kamigawa, since it was determined that holding things back rather than encouraging players to play their cards doesn't help much in creating interesting game situations.
Saving Grace5WWWW
Sorcery (R)
Split Second
Destroy all nonland permanents. Welfare - If you have 10 or more life then your starting total, destroy all nonland permanents you don't control instead.
getting to a Welfare state and staying there is difficult, the mana cost maybe doesn't need to be so prohibitive, even tho the Welfare effect is pretty harsh.
this is a thudding dud in limited. actually, even most commons with Welfare wouldn't be too pickable. Welfare requires life gain cards to make work, so it's a rather demanding mechanic to try to make work as a player or a designer.
i would suggest making Welfare possible to get to through the games more fundamental mechanics-
"If you have at least 10 more life than any opponent, [BONUS]..."
this way any ol' creature can help you achieve Welfare but life gain cards still help.
you could also reduce the number from 10 to maybe 5 to make it more achievable and have the Welfare bonus effects be less swingy.
Ritual of HalosW
Legendary Enchantment (M)
Hexproof
Constellation - Whenever Ritual of Halos or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, put a charge counter on Ritual of Halos.
Undesired 4 (You may discard this card and pay 4. If you do, search your library for a card with a type shared with this card.)
If there are 20 or more charge counters on Ritual of Halos, you win the game.
Undesired- tutor mechanics like Transmute or Typecycling are certainly healthy for the game.
this is a good card to put a pitching option on, since it's wants to be played early or replaced late. also, it legendary, so it's nice to be able to ditch additional copies.
the victory condition is a bit dull. combos well with stuff like Flickering Ward or Rancor + Auratog. alt win the game cards aren't that hot to me in general. effects like planeswalkers' ultimates are sexier- they don't win the game outright but bring the game towards a close while making things exciting before the end.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of artifacts you control.
Reforge 6(6, Sacrifice an artifact: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Reforge only as a sorcery.)
self mill works well with reforge of course. pairing the traditionally overpowered mechanic affinity with the traditionally underpowered mill strategy is good to both.
reforge runs the risk of ending up as degenerate as affinity turned out to be. it's very artifacty, in the way that artifact combo engines tend to work. two artifacts with reforge create a potential loop, so it just needs to be designed carefully around.
Ichor Wellspring like reforge. i do too. it feels naturally artificial.
Druidic Blessing4GG
Enchantment (R)
When Druidic Blessing enters the battlefield, you may Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
At the beginning of your end step, you gain 1 life for each basic land you control.
Evoke 1GG
this is great, but you don't have a mechanic of your own on here.
Cardz5000 is chopped.
ok, next round...
Your basket for this round:
1. involves an element of randomness
2. is named [Character's] _blank_
3. has flavortext attributed to [Character]
4. has no more than twenty six words in its rules text (that's not including flavor or reminder text)
Shuffle all permanents into a pile. Then, a random player gains control of the top card of the pile. Repeat this process for each card. (Cards shuffled this way to not leave the battlefield.) Sorin: "You have tampered with my plans for the last time, devil!"
Tibalt: "Are you irate, brother?"
Whew, glad I'm not a goner after last round. I was trying really hard to not make it overpowered but I think I swung to far in the other direction. I will submit my entry in a bit.
Edit: Here's my entry:
Jace's Wisdom3UU
Sorcery (U)
Choose target nonland permanent at random. Draw cards equal to that card's converted mana cost. "Being knowledgable is not enough. Feed off other people's knowledge, and then you will truly be skilled." -- Jace Beleren
Jace's Wisdom3UU
Sorcery (U)
Choose target nonland permanent at random. Draw cards equal to that card's converted mana cost. "Being knowledgable is not enough. Feed off other people's knowledge, and then you will truly be skilled." -- Jace Beleren
would've been better to choose at random from a specific player's permanents. with a larger the number of permanents involved, random selection becomes more unwieldy. and people generally don't like their stuff being mixed in with others', especially in a way that's difficult to track.
the cost is fine, though U less would be better considering the unreliability. the average converted mana cost among nonland permanents isn't likely to be above three.
Greel's DictateBB
Instant (U)
Target player sacrifices a creature chosen at random. "They think I've gone insane, but my power has never been greater." -- Greel
would've added the word "nontoken," as the easiest method of random selection (a face down shuffled pile) might not be an option when tokens are involved. as a side effect this would be a nice upside, seeing how tokens hose targeted sacrifice type removal.
it'd also be better to have this effect at sorcery speed, not instant. 'cause if this is used during combat the face down shuffled pile method becomes less desirable since it requires remembering attacking and blocking states for when the critters are randomized and put back (which is too bad 'cause it's normally the easiest method).
Tibalt's Tomfoolery6RR
Sorcery (R)
Shuffle all permanents into a pile. Then, a random player gains control of the top card of the pile. Repeat this process for each card. (Cards shuffled this way to not leave the battlefield.) Sorin: "You have tampered with my plans for the last time, devil!"
Tibalt: "Are you irate, brother?"
this method doesn't seem kosher. even if people aren't playing with the same sleeves i can see a lot of players being uncomfortable with their stuff getting all mixed up with everyone else's in a pile.
probably doesn't keep to cost quite so much, as the caster's not going to get all that much out of it. usually only worth casting when you have a weaker board state.
one last point is that this is a case where the players could've been allowed to determine their own method of random selection.
... results ...
i was hoping for some coin flipping or clashing or other such randomizations among these entries, but ya'll went with the same method, just different end results.
RedKid43 and Figurative both made the wise choice to go sorcery, where Groovelord made things more complicated by being instant. however RedKid43 and Figurative both made things more complicated by involving all the things, where Groovelord was wise to keep the pool to one player and one permanent type.
RedKid43's design was the most unwieldy and allowed for the least flexibility, so RedKid43 is chopped...
here's the new basket:
1. based on one of the four classic greek elements: fire, water, earth or air
2. doesn't involve targets
3. has an additional or alternative cost
4. has the number four (4) on it somewhere
Alt costs: Flashback, Madness, Morph, Suspend, Evoke, Prowl, Overload, and Bestow.
Technically Rebound also uses Alt costs when it is recast using the Rebound ability
Additional costs: Buyback, (Multi)Kicker, Entwine, Splice, Replicate, Conspire, and Retrace.
Alt costs: Flashback, Madness, Morph, Suspend, Evoke, Prowl, Overload, and Bestow.
Technically Rebound also uses Alt costs when it is recast using the Rebound ability
Additional costs: Buyback, (Multi)Kicker, Entwine, Splice, Replicate, Conspire, and Retrace.
Thank you for this!
Fire-Bound DragonXXRRR
Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying, Haste
When Fire-Bound Dragon enters the battlefield, deal X damage to all non-dragon creatures.
Evoke XRR
4/4
Seismic Rupture deals 4 damage to each creature without flying you don't control.
Entwine 1R
y'know, it's clean and simple, that's always appreciated. it's well costed, tho that's a development consideration (not a design one) that i feel usually gets too much focus in people's judgement. this is a lil conservative.
Fire-Bound DragonXXRRR
Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying, Haste
When Fire-Bound Dragon enters the battlefield, deal X damage to all non-dragon creatures.
Evoke XRR
4/4
seems mythic. without the Xs in the mana cost or the evoke a 4/4 flying haster for RRR ain't bad (probably too good actually). the versatility takes it from very good to very very good.
burning all non-dragons is good flavor.
2RRR to deal 1 damage to all non-dragons is ok. probably not worth waiting, better to get the beater down on turn 3. just a lil bonus if drawn late.
4RRR to deal 2 damage to all non-dragons is pretty meh.
6RRR to deal 3 damage to all non-dragons is almost never going to happen.
overall, the XX in the mana cost isnt going to get much use, and it's not great design to have parts of a card take up mental space that usually wont be used.
the evoke is nice.
results:
Groovelord's card is much better developed, but Figurative's card has more life to it, i'm going with design over development this time, form over function.
Wow can't believe I won that round. It didn't even occur to me that you could just cast it for triple red, that's probably too good honestly. But hey, I will take the victory! I will post the next round soon.
I'll change the title to 'Next round soon'. You can make a new thread if you want, but I can change the title again if you want to use this thread.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Equipment
Involves colored mana somewhere on the card
The equip and casting costs are seperated by at least 4 mana
Involves a mechanic, either one from a specific set (i.e. Prowess, Landfall, Miracle, etc.) or one of your own.
StranglewireB
Tribal Artifact — Assassin Equipment [U]
Equipped creature has "T: Destroy target tapped creature."
Prowl 1B(You may cast this for its prowl cost if you dealt combat damage to a player this turn with an Assassin.)
When Stranglewire enters the battlefield, if its prowl cost was paid, you may attach it to target creature you control.
Equip 5
And yeah, I will let non mana equip costs satisfy the third requirment. So if you wanna make a 4 mana equipment's equip cost be to sac a creature, that's fine.
It sounds like what you want is a non-evergreen keyword or ability word.
I know it's getting into semantics, but in this type of game specificity is important, after all, mill is a mechanic despite not being a keyword.
Rod of Passage2
Artifact - Equipment U
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has persuasion. (It can't be blocked by creatures that share a color with it)
Equip (2/W)(2/U)(2/B)
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
playing additional lands and having more than seven cards in your hand are both relevant considerations after drawing maybe as many as five cards. so, wise approach.
the domain part is just Allied Strategies. i'd've liked to have seen something fresher.
i believe Brilliant is a mechanic WotC is less likely to revisit after Kamigawa, since it was determined that holding things back rather than encouraging players to play their cards doesn't help much in creating interesting game situations.
getting to a Welfare state and staying there is difficult, the mana cost maybe doesn't need to be so prohibitive, even tho the Welfare effect is pretty harsh.
this is a thudding dud in limited. actually, even most commons with Welfare wouldn't be too pickable. Welfare requires life gain cards to make work, so it's a rather demanding mechanic to try to make work as a player or a designer.
i would suggest making Welfare possible to get to through the games more fundamental mechanics-
"If you have at least 10 more life than any opponent, [BONUS]..."
this way any ol' creature can help you achieve Welfare but life gain cards still help.
you could also reduce the number from 10 to maybe 5 to make it more achievable and have the Welfare bonus effects be less swingy.
Undesired- tutor mechanics like Transmute or Typecycling are certainly healthy for the game.
this is a good card to put a pitching option on, since it's wants to be played early or replaced late. also, it legendary, so it's nice to be able to ditch additional copies.
the victory condition is a bit dull. combos well with stuff like Flickering Ward or Rancor + Auratog. alt win the game cards aren't that hot to me in general. effects like planeswalkers' ultimates are sexier- they don't win the game outright but bring the game towards a close while making things exciting before the end.
self mill works well with reforge of course. pairing the traditionally overpowered mechanic affinity with the traditionally underpowered mill strategy is good to both.
reforge runs the risk of ending up as degenerate as affinity turned out to be. it's very artifacty, in the way that artifact combo engines tend to work. two artifacts with reforge create a potential loop, so it just needs to be designed carefully around.
Ichor Wellspring like reforge. i do too. it feels naturally artificial.
this is great, but you don't have a mechanic of your own on here.
Cardz5000 is chopped.
ok, next round...
Your basket for this round:
1. involves an element of randomness
2. is named [Character's] _blank_
3. has flavortext attributed to [Character]
4. has no more than twenty six words in its rules text (that's not including flavor or reminder text)
Sorcery (R)
Shuffle all permanents into a pile. Then, a random player gains control of the top card of the pile. Repeat this process for each card. (Cards shuffled this way to not leave the battlefield.)
Sorin: "You have tampered with my plans for the last time, devil!"
Tibalt: "Are you irate, brother?"
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
Instant (U)
Target player sacrifices a creature chosen at random.
"They think I've gone insane, but my power has never been greater." -- Greel
Edit: Here's my entry:
Jace's Wisdom 3UU
Sorcery (U)
Choose target nonland permanent at random. Draw cards equal to that card's converted mana cost.
"Being knowledgable is not enough. Feed off other people's knowledge, and then you will truly be skilled." -- Jace Beleren
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
judgery:
would've been better to choose at random from a specific player's permanents. with a larger the number of permanents involved, random selection becomes more unwieldy. and people generally don't like their stuff being mixed in with others', especially in a way that's difficult to track.
the cost is fine, though U less would be better considering the unreliability. the average converted mana cost among nonland permanents isn't likely to be above three.
would've added the word "nontoken," as the easiest method of random selection (a face down shuffled pile) might not be an option when tokens are involved. as a side effect this would be a nice upside, seeing how tokens hose targeted sacrifice type removal.
it'd also be better to have this effect at sorcery speed, not instant. 'cause if this is used during combat the face down shuffled pile method becomes less desirable since it requires remembering attacking and blocking states for when the critters are randomized and put back (which is too bad 'cause it's normally the easiest method).
this method doesn't seem kosher. even if people aren't playing with the same sleeves i can see a lot of players being uncomfortable with their stuff getting all mixed up with everyone else's in a pile.
probably doesn't keep to cost quite so much, as the caster's not going to get all that much out of it. usually only worth casting when you have a weaker board state.
one last point is that this is a case where the players could've been allowed to determine their own method of random selection.
... results ...
i was hoping for some coin flipping or clashing or other such randomizations among these entries, but ya'll went with the same method, just different end results.
RedKid43 and Figurative both made the wise choice to go sorcery, where Groovelord made things more complicated by being instant. however RedKid43 and Figurative both made things more complicated by involving all the things, where Groovelord was wise to keep the pool to one player and one permanent type.
RedKid43's design was the most unwieldy and allowed for the least flexibility, so RedKid43 is chopped...
here's the new basket:
1. based on one of the four classic greek elements: fire, water, earth or air
2. doesn't involve targets
3. has an additional or alternative cost
4. has the number four (4) on it somewhere
worth a shot good luck guys.
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
Also, just for clarification? Does kicker/multikicker count as an alternative or additional cost?
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
dunno what happened to cccccc808. i waited for them for awhile...
Alt costs: Flashback, Madness, Morph, Suspend, Evoke, Prowl, Overload, and Bestow.
Technically Rebound also uses Alt costs when it is recast using the Rebound ability
Additional costs: Buyback, (Multi)Kicker, Entwine, Splice, Replicate, Conspire, and Retrace.
Thank you for this!
Fire-Bound Dragon XXRRR
Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying, Haste
When Fire-Bound Dragon enters the battlefield, deal X damage to all non-dragon creatures.
Evoke XRR
4/4
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
Sorcery (R)
Choose one:
y'know, it's clean and simple, that's always appreciated. it's well costed, tho that's a development consideration (not a design one) that i feel usually gets too much focus in people's judgement. this is a lil conservative.
seems mythic. without the Xs in the mana cost or the evoke a 4/4 flying haster for RRR ain't bad (probably too good actually). the versatility takes it from very good to very very good.
burning all non-dragons is good flavor.
2RRR to deal 1 damage to all non-dragons is ok. probably not worth waiting, better to get the beater down on turn 3. just a lil bonus if drawn late.
4RRR to deal 2 damage to all non-dragons is pretty meh.
6RRR to deal 3 damage to all non-dragons is almost never going to happen.
overall, the XX in the mana cost isnt going to get much use, and it's not great design to have parts of a card take up mental space that usually wont be used.
the evoke is nice.
results:
Groovelord's card is much better developed, but Figurative's card has more life to it, i'm going with design over development this time, form over function.
Groovelord gets chopped, Figurative gets the win
congrats Figurative, /in for next round.
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
Equipment
Involves colored mana somewhere on the card
The equip and casting costs are seperated by at least 4 mana
Involves a mechanic, either one from a specific set (i.e. Prowess, Landfall, Miracle, etc.) or one of your own.
Cook away!
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
Tribal Artifact — Assassin Equipment [U]
Equipped creature has "T: Destroy target tapped creature."
Prowl 1B (You may cast this for its prowl cost if you dealt combat damage to a player this turn with an Assassin.)
When Stranglewire enters the battlefield, if its prowl cost was paid, you may attach it to target creature you control.
Equip 5
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
Do non-mana equip costs satisfy the third ingredient?
And yeah, I will let non mana equip costs satisfy the third requirment. So if you wanna make a 4 mana equipment's equip cost be to sac a creature, that's fine.
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed
I know it's getting into semantics, but in this type of game specificity is important, after all, mill is a mechanic despite not being a keyword.
Rod of Passage 2
Artifact - Equipment U
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has persuasion. (It can't be blocked by creatures that share a color with it)
Equip (2/W)(2/U)(2/B)
Modern
UBR Grixis Control
U Merfolk
Pauper
U Mono U Delver
Ancestral Visions is freed