MTG Salvation

I have a mechanic in a set I'm making similar to threshold, called enhance. A card with enhance has 'Enhance #- Added ability. (reminder text.)'. Enhance give bonuses if you control a certain number of permanents (the enhance number of that card). If you didn't understand what I just said, just pretend I'm talking about threshold. Now, if I add something with a similar effect as an enhance ability, does it replace the card's normal effect? What I mean is, if I have a card that gives a creature -2/-2 until end of turn and has enhance 4- Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn, what happens when I play the enhanced version? Do I get both effects or just the enhance effect? I think both. If not, what do I do to make it have both effects, write in 'also?'

You can create either effect. Check the difference between Cabal Ritual and Patriarch's Desire.

But can I create both at the same time? Here's the example card:

Horrific Torture B
Instant
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4- Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. (You have enhance as long as you control a number of nonland permanents equal to or greater than this card's enhance number.)

I want the enhance effect to make it so I can do both things. Should I make it read, 'Ehance 4- Another target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.' ? Would that let me target the same creature with both effects?

Quote from EliteShadowLord

Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4- Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. (You have enhance as long as you control a number of nonland permanents equal to or greater than this card's enhance number.)

Well, that's problematic—since the enhance text can be on/off between the spell's playing and resolution. This is why no "target" appears in Threshold texts.

But if you had enhance when you played it and didn't have enhance when it resolved, wouldn't the enhance ability just fizzle? So if you played a cabal ritualwith threshold and someone activated tormod's crypt in response, would the cabal ritual only give you 3 mana? I'm pretty sure the answer to that is yes, but not completely sure.

I would make it like Hellbent. MaRo had already said that if he were to redo Threshold, it would be an ability word.

Replacement effects need an "instead".

Some effects are better as "additional".

Some effects can just be tacked on after like Scry.

Some effects trigger on playing, others only on resolution, and others through both.

This is why an ability word and not a keyword would be more flexible as you can reword the mechanic for each individual card.

Well, consider this hypotheti-card:

Problematic Torture
BB
Instant
Each creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Threshold -- Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

You played this without threshold, then reached threshold before its resolution. It would be countered for its only target being illegal, which had never chosen.

Quote from Morsetlis

I would make it like Hellbent. MaRo had already said that if he were to redo Threshold, it would be an ability word.

Replacement effects need an "instead".

Some effects are better as "additional".

Some effects can just be tacked on after like Scry.

Some effects trigger on playing, others only on resolution, and others through both.

This is why an ability word and not a keyword would be more flexible as you can reword the mechanic for each individual card.

Alright, I'll just make it an ability word. I originally thought about doing that but wanted to have things that gave cards Enhance. I suppose I could still kind of do it (just not as flavorful, I suppose). It seems that making it an ability word just makes everything simpler, though.

Thanks for all the help everybody!

If you use an ability word, it could be like:

Horrific Torture 1B
Instant
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4 — Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn if you control four or more nonland permanents.

Quote from silvercut

If you use an ability word, it could be like:

Horrific Torture 1B
Instant
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4 — Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn if you control four or more nonland permanents.

But wouldn't that still have the problem of having enhance when you play it but not on resolution or the other way around? I'll make it an ability word and make it so it only checks for enhance when you play it.

EDIT: How about this?

Horrific Torture B
Instant
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4- Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn if you control four or more permanents when you play this spell.

Would that work? And how do I word the enhance effect with this card so that when it's enhanced, you get both effects (a creature gets -2/-2 until eot and a creature gets -1/-1 until eot)? Would I make it say, "Another target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn..."? Would that let me target the same creature with the -2/-2 and the -1/-1?

Quote from EliteShadowLord

Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Enhance 4— Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn if you control four or more nonland permanents.

This works. This spell always has two targets, but the second target is only affected if you control 4+ nonland permanents. And yes, you can target the same creature.

Quote from Shimakuma

This works. This spell always has two targets, but the second target is only affected if you control 4+ nonland permanents. And yes, you can target the same creature.

Great! Thanks! Just wanted to make sure the -1/-1 effect wouldn't replace the -2/-2 effect.