Set Name: Iamur Reimagined Three letter code: IMR Set size: 250 Flavor: A kingdom beneath the waves. Block Structure: 1st set of the Iamur block. Designed to be drafted with the second set.
Iamur is a top-down underwater set that I created in 2012. It is part of a three-set block, for which the pirate-themed third set, Overworld, I finished in 2015. Although I have fond memories of the design and testing of Iamur, and it certainly has gotten quite a lot of positive response over the years, I feel that it has a lot of flaws and isn't quite on par with Overworld. Iamur Reimagined is a remake of Iamur, keeping the parts of the original that worked well, and replacing those that didn't. Because I see the entire Iamur block as a single piece of art, the focus must be to design Iamur Reimagined in such a way that it plays well with Overworld and feels connected to it, both mechanically and flavor-wise. Ultimately, I plan to also redesign the second set and complete the Iamur block as the best custom block there is.
Mechanics & Themes
Melody {mana}(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for {mana}. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
Dive {cost}({cost}, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Lightless(This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Talisman(If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Feed X(T, Sacrifice another creature: Add X mana in any combination of the sacrificed creature’s colors to your mana pool.)
"Luminous creatures": Creatures that are all colors.
0/1 Fish tokens that are all colors.
Sea monster tribal(Krakens, Leviathans, Octopuses, and Serpents).
"Seahorses": Whenever you attack with exactly two creatures, {effect}.
"Sharks": Whenever this creature deals combat damage, put N +1/+1 counters on it.
List of Changes
Both in Iamur Reimagined and in the original Iamur, ramping out giant sea monsters is the main focus of the set. One of the two mana ramp mechanics, Melody, was kept unchanged. The second mechanic, Swallow, was replaced with Feed. Swallow allowed you to sacrifice creatures to pay for a spell, similar to Feed. However, Swallow appears on the giant spells being cast, while Feed appears on the cards that are used to ramp. This means that decks built around Swallow couldn't utilize any giant creatures that didn't have Swallow because those decks wouldn't be able to cast them. Since Swallow doesn't appear in Overworld, that excluded all of its sea monsters from being used. Feed is much less parasitical in this regard.
The next big change is the removal of Level Up. While I am still a big fan of the mechanic, it was evident that the level up creatures had too much information that had to be parsed, for people drafting a custom set. Dive acts as a new mana sink mechanic that also works well with Melody. Level up is a much more effective mana sink, though, so additional possibilities for mana sinks should be explored.
While the color-based blocking theme has been kept from the original, Intimidate has been replaced with Lightless. Since the former has been discontinued as a mechanic, I feel like replacing it with one that's more in flavor is a logical step.
Talisman was kept with a minor change. The replacement effect is no longer mandatory.
Bloodlust, the shark mechanic, was kept, but unkeyworded.
The seahorse mechanic, Duet, demanded that you control exactly two creatures. This is probably the stupidest mechanic I ever came up with. Now, seahorses reward you for attacking with exactly two creatures, and that mechanic is unkeyworded.
"Luminous" creatures got their own frame, similar to the Devoid frame.
The "power 8 matters" theme has been replaced with sea monster tribal, which appears identically in Overworld.
Lastly, the creature type mess of the original Iamur had to be cleaned up. Classical mermaids now have the creature type Nymph. Merfolk now appear in all colors and in different breeds. While they get different creature names, such as Deepkin and Fishfolk, the creature type is always Merfolk. Naga remain unchanged - they represent a race of humans with the lower body of an octopus. Murlocs now have the creature type Fish and will get a different name. The sea monsters are now all properly classified as either Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent.
Anemone Gorger3W
Creature - Beast (C)
Vigilance
Anemone Gorger enters the battlefield tapped. These piles of fat often ravage the anemone fields of Macuri, much to the dismay of the local merfolk.
2/4
Bliss1W
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
Enchanted creature has melody W. (While casting a creature spell, its controller may tap it to pay for W. It doesn't untap during that player's untap steps for as long as he or she controls that creature.)
Deephollow Sentry2W
Creature - Merfolk Soldier (C)
Deephollow Sentry has first strike as long as it's equipped. "In Deephollow, your skills and your spear won't help you. You need a miracle to survive down there."
3/2
Emerien Matchmaker2W
Creature - Nymph Cleric (U)
Whenever you attack with exactly two other creatures, each of those creatures gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Follow the Light1W
Instant (C)
Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 2 life. Whether it leads to the bosom of a mermaid or the maw a kraken, fish are always drawn to a source of light.
Goldshimmer Seahorse1W
Creature - Seahorse (C)
Whenever Goldshimmer Seahorse attacks with exactly one other creature, each of those creatures gains lifelink until end of turn. "Little dragon of the sea,
will I find a friend in thee?"
-Mermaid's rhyme
2/1
Lantern Bearer1W
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C) (Lantern Bearer is all colors.) They are tasked with sustaining a vital source of light for the expedition. It is a great responsibility, for without light no one survives in the depths of the abyss.
2/2
Luminous FlashW
Instant (C)
Target creature becomes one or more colors of your choice until end of turn.
Draw a card. "Our lumomancers' spells couldn't kill it, but they gave our warriors at least a target they could see."
-Expedition journal entry
Master of Pearlcraft2W
Creature - Nymph Artificer (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target Equipment card from your graveyard to your hand. "With our sense of elegance and the potent magic of the fishfolk, jewels of astounding beauty can be crafted."
2/2
Ranger of Miracle DeepsW
Creature - Nymph Knight (R)
Dive 1W(1W, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Ranger of Miracle Deeps emerges, other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/1
Remember the Fallen2W
Sorcery (C)
Choose one or both -
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
The fields of remembrance tell the tale of Coralia, whose great sacrifice turned her into stone.
Ruin Orca6W
Creature - Whale (U)
Dive 2W(2W, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Ruin Orca enters the battlefield, look at the top six cards of your library. You may put an Equipment card from among them onto the battlefield attached to Ruin Orca. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
6/9
Seahorse Rider3W
Creature - Nymph Knight (U)
Whenever Seahorse Rider attacks with exactly one other creature, untap each of those creatures. The rider chooses not her steed, but the steed its rider.
2/5
Singing Seashell1W
Creature - Shell (U) (Singing Seashell is all colors.)
Melody W(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for W. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When Singing Seashell enters the battlefield, draw a card.
0/2
Strike Down the Beast1W
Instant (U)
Blocking creatures gain double strike until end of turn. "Avoid the suckers and aim directly for the eyes."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
Supreme Chorus1WW
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Cleric (M)
Melody W(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for W. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When you tap Supreme Chorus while casting a creature spell, that creature gains indestructible for as long as you control Supreme Chorus.
2/3
Ctali Scout2U
Creature - Naga Scout (U)
Dive 1U(1U, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Whenever Ctali Scout deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
When Ctali Scout enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature.
2/^1
Depths of Mind1U
Instant (R)
Name a card. Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a card with the chosen name from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. If no card was revealed this way, return Depths of Mind to its owner's hand. "I know it has to be in here somewhere."
Facestealer2UU
Creature - Horror (R)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under an opponents control, exchange control of Facestealer and that creature. Facestealer loses this ability and that creature gains this ability.
2/2
Gemseeker2U
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C)
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Gemseeker. "You can estimate their value directly by how deep they are buried under rocks and kelp."
2/2
Instructor of the Meek1U
Creature - Merfolk Warrior (U)
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost up to 2 less to activate. This effect can't reduce the amount of mana an ability costs to activate to less than one mana. "Emerien lies only a few miles south of us. Now, we could swim west and bypass the abyss, but that wouldn't be very fun."
2/1
Marinespeaker1U
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (C)
When Marinespeaker enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 Fish creature token that's all colors onto the battlefield. "The Explorer's Guild is only concerned with charting the deep sea, but they don't have an eye for the countless wonders the depths may hold."
2/1
Pearl Diver's TrickU
Instant (C)
Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control.
Draw a card. "That was a skillful recovery, but you shouldn't have neglected your competition."
-Agual, Pearlreef diver
ProspectU
Sorcery (C)
Draw three cards, then put three cards from your hand on the bottom of your library in any order. Aquiti was already hundreds of miles below the surface, yet she still discovered exotic creatures left and right.
Sentinel of Miracle Deeps3U
Creature - Jellyfish (C) (Sentinel of Miracle Deeps is all colors.)
Defender In Miracle Deeps, the otherworldly music is accompanied by an even more bizarre play of lights.
3/4
Serpent Rider3U
Creature - Merfolk Knight (U)
Dive 2U(2U, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Serpent Rider enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it if you control a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature. "I brought a little gift from my adventures in the depths."
3/3
Twist the Tides4U
Sorcery (C)
Draw two cards. Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield. "A true naga seeks knowledge above everything else. Through knowledge, we gain power and become the masters of the sea."
-Endoth, naga lord
Abyssal Bolt2B
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control. Naga have at least that much respect for mermaids that they wouldn't use them as target practice. They don't show the same respect to Iamur's less evolved species . . .
Abyssal Mistress1BB
Creature - Naga Wizard (U)
Feed 2 (Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
Whenever a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature enters the battlefield under your control, target opponent sacrifices a nontoken creature.
2/3
Arrival of the Ancients4BB
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all creatures. You may search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Serpent or Octopus creature card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it. Lady Kaladrin simply commanded that preparations needed to be made. Her servants knew what was expected of them.
Blackreef Angler3BB
Creature - Fish Horror (R)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.) 1: Target creature you control becomes colorless until end of turn.
5/3
Blackreef Goliath4BB
Creature - Fish Mutant (U)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
5/5
Blackreef ScavengerB
Creature - Fish Rogue (C)
When Blackreef Scavenger dies, you may return another target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand. The denizens of Blackreef gather whatever food the tides wash up as nothing healthy can grow on the reef itself.
1/1
Boxing Octopus5B
Creature - Octopus (C) "Adolescent squids are less hungry, but more easily agitated. They aren't any less dangerous."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
6/3
Ctaleth8BBBB
Legendary Creature — Octopus Avatar (M)
Ctaleth can’t be countered.
Protection from monocolored
Whenever Ctaleth enters the battlefield or attacks, you get an emblem with “Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1.”
If Ctaleth would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Ctaleth and shuffle it into its owner’s library instead.
8/8
Deadwater Tyrant4B
Creature - Naga Warrior (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Feed 1 (Sacrifice another creature: Add one mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
3/4
Eaten by an Oyster4BB
Enchantment (R)
When Eaten by an Oyster enters the battlefield, exile target nontoken creature an opponent controls.
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, if the exiled card is a creature card, add an amount of B to your mana pool equal to half its converted mana cost, rounded up.
Hideous DevilB
Creature - Fish Horror (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.) "They could be as small as plankton and I'd still flee from them in terror."
-Ianthe, atoll sentry
1/1
Journey's End1BB
Sorcery (R)
Exile target creature or planeswalker. Kayisha traversed the barrier that separates her realm from the Overworld, only to wither and die in the heat of the undamped sun.
Moonfathom Witch3B
Creature - Naga Shaman (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
When Moonfathom Witch enters the battlefield, target creature becomes colorless and gets +1/+1 or -1/-1 until end of turn. A veil of shadow always follows her. Therein, you might find shelter, but you might also go insane.
2/2
Noble of Blood Bottom1B
Creature - Naga Wizard (C)
Feed 2 (Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.) "Are the sacrifices intended to appease the ancients or her?"
-Galedra, naga servant
1/3
Rotfin Hunter2B
Creature - Zombie Fish (C)
Whenever Rotfin Hunter deals combat damage, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Sacrifice another creature: Rotfin Hunter gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/1
Tragic EndingBB
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices a nontoken creature. Some sailors see certain death as a small price to pay for spending a few moments with the woman of their dreams.
Bloodkelp Lumomancer1R
Creature - Fish Shaman (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may have target creature you control become the color of your choice until end of turn. Fishfolk are too proud to admit that they adopted some of their spells from the lesser species.
2/1
Bloodscent Shark2RR
Creature - Fish (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Whenever Bloodscent Shark deals combat combat, put a +1/+1 counter on it. "Fortunately, gods don't bleed."
-Endoth, naga lord
2/2
Crucanari Vanguard2RR
Creature - Crab Warrior (C) The Crucanar were once a great empire that expanded across the endless sea. After centuries of wars lost to the naga and their kraken, only few of their people are left and their legacy is mostly forgotten.
4/3
Denizen of the Magma SeaR
Creature - Elemental (C)
Trample
Dive 1R(1R, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Denizen of the Magma Sea enters the battlefield, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Dragon of the Sea4RRR
Creature - Serpent (U)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.) R: Dragon of the Sea gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
4/7
Fish Charmer1R
Creature - Nymph Bard (C)
Melody (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for R. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.) "Every being has its own song."
2/1
Fishfolk Jellydancer2R
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (C)
Haste
When Fishfolk Jellydancer enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 Fish creature token that's all colors onto the battlefield. Stung by a jellyfish
-Fishfolk saying meaning
"out of control"
2/2
Piranha Frenzy1R
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. Whenever one of those creatures deals combat damage this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on it. "The naga command the mighty kraken, but they would be foolish to think that we don't have allies of our own."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
Razormaw3RR
Creature - Elemental (U)
Double strike Even more adept than the tide itself is at shaping sand and stone are the elementals that spawn from the mana flowing within its waves.
3/3
Scent of Blood3R
Instant (U)
Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield, then creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. Species unable to distinguish piranhas from ordinary fish all eventually become extinct.
Sharkbite2R
Instant (C)
Choose target creature. If that creature was dealt damage this turn, Sharkbite deals 8 damage to it. Otherwise, Sharkbite deals 3 damage to it. Once in a blood frenzy, a shark will attack about anything - even a leviathan several times its size.
Traitorous Beauty4R
Creature - Naga Shaman (C)
First strike
When Traitorous Beauty enters the battlefield, target creature attacks during its controller's next turn if able. Only few naga are gifted with natural beauty. They are outcasts, alluring and preying upon unknowing travelers.
3/2
Abyssal Mosa3GG
Creature — Serpent (R)
Trample
Dive 1G(1G, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Abyssal Mosa enters the battlefield, it gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
4/4
Apprentice Sharktamer1G
Creature - Nymph Warrior (C)
Dive 2G(2G, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Apprentice Sharktamer enters the battlefield, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Chorus of the Garden4G
Creature - Nymph Bard (U)
Vigilance
Melody-Two mana of any one color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for Two mana of any one color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
4/4
Coralia Basscaller2GG
Creature - Nymph Druid Bard (U)
Melody GG(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for GG. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When Coralia Basscaller enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Fish creature token onto the battlefield.
0/2
Culinary Delight2G
Instant (C)
Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. It fights target creature you don't control.
Escorted by Turtles1G
Instant (C)
Up to two target creatures each gain indestructible until end of turn.
Halls of Beguiling Tunes1G
Creature - Wall (C)
Defender
Melody 1G(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 1G. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
0/4
Kayisha, the Land-Dweller2GG
Planeswalker — Kayisha (M)
+1: Look at the top card of your library. You may put it on the bottom of your library. If it’s a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield tapped.
-2: Put two 1/1 green Nymph Druid creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have “T: Add R, G, or W to your mana pool.”
-6: You get an emblem with “Creature spells you cast can’t be countered” and “Creatures you control have vigilance and indestructible.”
{3}
Marine Rallye4GG
Sorcery (C)
Put two 3/3 green Fish creature tokens onto the battlefield. Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. "This year's destination is the Lua Atoll, where the turtle emperor himself will present the trophy to the victor."
-Toji, fishfolk announcer
Overgrown Palace2G
Creature - Wall (C)
Defender
When Overgrown Palace enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
0/3
Primordial Pillar3GG
Creature — Coral Wall (M)
Defender
Skip your draw step.
At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a permanent card, you may put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, put it on the bottom of your library.
0/6
Serpent Hatchling5G
Creature - Eel (C) 2G, Sacrifice Serpent Hatchling: Put a 7/7 green Serpent creature token with trample onto the battlefield. A mermaid's companion today. Devourer of that mermaid tomorrow.
1/3
Shimmerlight Jellyfish1G
Creature - Jellyfish (C) (Shimmerlight Jellyfish is all colors.)
Deathtouch The jellyfish fields act as an impassable barrier, cutting off Northcliff from the rest of the ocean.
1/1
Stranglekelp Druid3G
Creature - Nymph Druid Bard (R)
Melody-two mana of any one color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for two mana of any one color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Stranglekelp Druid is tapped, draw a card.
2/2
Tempting Trap1G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able. "Predators of the depths use lights to allure their prey. Even I have almost found myself mesmerized by the beguiling play of colors."
-Journal entry of Aquiti, page 43
Tentacle CrushG
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact. "No longer will garbage from the Overworld mar our beautiful reef."
-Antilla, mermaid druid
Wurm of the Abyss7GGG
Creature - Serpent (U)
Trample
When Wurm of the Abyss enters the battlefield, put a 7/7 green Serpent creature token with trample onto the battlefield. "There were two of them? All I saw was an endless coil of scale and flesh."
-Curol, Deephollow denizen
7/7
Macuri Council1WU
Creature - Merfolk Advisor (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control get +1/+1 and have vigilance.
Tap three untapped Merfolk you control: Draw a card. Though their authority is limited to the city of Macuri, they claim that it extends to every being of the sea.
2/2
Lady Kaladrin4UB
Legendary Creature — Naga Wizard (M)
When Lady Kaladrin enters the battlefield, search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Feed 3 (Sacrifice another creature: Add three mana in any combination of that creature’s colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
5/5
Parasitic Impostor2UB
Creature — Shapeshifter (R)
You may have Parasitic Impostor enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield except it gains “Other creatures that share a creature type with this creature get -1/-1." With the merfolk senate infiltrated, it began to destroy them from the inside.
0/0
Infinite Vitality5GGW
Sorcery (R)
Distribute X +1/+1 counters among any number of target creatures, where X is your life total as you cast Infinite Vitality. “We don’t really know what lurks at the bottom of the abyss. Why don’t we go and find out?”
—Antilla, mermaid druid
The Abyssal City5BBGG
Legendary Creature — Turtle (R)
Indestructible
Whenever The Abyssal City attacks, put two 5/5 black Horror creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking. Once the proud mate of Torta, the ancient, now he’s enslaved by the abyss, like many that they both vowed to protect.
3/9
Battalion TurtleGU
Creature - Turtle Soldier (R)
Vigilance
Whenever Battalion Turtle attacks, target creature blocks it this turn if able.
0/5
Drowned Geist1W/
Creature - Spirit (C) T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Tap target creature. The spirits of sailors haunt the oceans of Iamur, still trying to escape to the Overworld, where they dwelt in their past lives.
1/2
Abyssal Harbinger3U/U/
Creature - Horror (U)
When Abyssal Harbinger enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus or Serpent creature card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it. "We haven't seen their kind since generations. Have the gods of the deep awoken again?"
-Kajri, merfolk scholar
3/5
Manamorphose1R/
Instant (C)
Add two mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool.
Draw a card. Down in the magma sea, the deepkin forge objects of pure mana. Sometimes these objects rise to more shallow waters, where they excite the curiosity of creatures less capable of handling them.
Coralskin MaidenG/G/
Creature - Nymph Bard (U)
Melody 1(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 1. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Coralskin Maiden is tapped, you gain 1 life.
1/3
Coral Turtle1G/G/
Creature - Turtle (U)
When Coral Turtle enters the battlefield, draw a card. "Before our warmongering races came to this world, the turtles were the very kings of the ocean. It must have been a much more peaceful era."
-Kajri, fishfolk scholar
1/5
Mastery of the Sea1G/
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land and/or a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature card from among them and put those cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. "You revere the gods of the deep? Do you not know of all the fear and anguish they have caused?"
-Kayisha
Cowry Necklace2
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 1(1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Encrusted Diver2
Artifact (R)
Encrusted Diver enters the battlefield with ten crust counters on it.
When Encrusted Diver enters the battlefield, draw
a card. 1: Remove a crust counter from Encrusted Diver.
As long as Encrusted Diver has no crust counters on it, it's a 10/10 Zombie artifact creature with trample.
Haunted Shipwreck4
Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no Pirates, put a 2/2 black Zombie Pirate creature token onto the battlefield. "When you hear the first mermaid singing ‘yo-ho-ho', I'd be worried."
-Cyral, Blackreef patrol
Jewel of the Deep1
Artifact (U) T: Put target card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library. 6, T, Sacrifice Jewel of the Deep: Put the bottom two cards of your library into your hand.
Jinxed Mirror4
Artifact (R)
Creatures with even power get +2/+0.
Creatures with odd power get -2/-0. What the mirror shows is an exaggeration, both of one’s beauty and hideousness. For this reason, it is much more popular with mermaids than it is with naga.
Luminite Stone0
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature is all colors.
Equip 1(1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.) An unquenchable source of light in the deep.
Melodious Pearl1
Artifact (C)
Melody-one mana of any color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for one mana of any color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
Pearl-Adorned Signet3
Artifact - Equipment (U)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 3
Resonating Pearl4
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on Resonating Pearl. T: Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool, where X is the number of charge counters on Resonating Pearl.
Ring of Coralia1
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature has vigilance.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 1(1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Sunken Ring2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
When Sunken Ring is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put two +1/+1 counters on equipped creature.
Equip 4
Ticking Trinket3
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has haste.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 0(0: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Voyager of the Depths4
Artifact Creature - Ship (U)
Whenever Voyager of the Depths attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library. Its crew was tempted by treasure, seduced by greed, and taken by the sea.
3/3
Coral Castle
Land (R)
Coral Castle enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add R or G to your mana pool. Majestic castles tower on the horizon and enchanting melodies fill the water.
Lightflooded Haven
Land (R)
Lightflooded Haven enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add W or U to your mana pool. Many buildings are in a bad state, but are architectural masterpieces nonetheless.
Razor Reef
Land (R)
Razor Reef enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add B or R to your mana pool. Sharks use the razor-sharp rocks to pick scrapings from their teeth.
Ritual Grounds
Land (R)
Ritual Grounds enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add U or B to your mana pool. The howls of the leviathans blend with the cries of the victims to make the music of the sea.
Sheltering Temple
Land (R)
Sheltering Temple enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. T: Add G or W to your mana pool. Ornamented pavilions perfectly align with the cliffs and delight the eye.
Shimmering Grotto
Land (C) T: Add C to your mana pool. 1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Where the ocean floor is protected from the constant clash of the tides, ancient temples are a common sight.
Ship Graveyard
Land (R) T: Add C to your mana pool. 4, T, Sacrifice Ship Graveyard: Put a 2/2 black Zombie Pirate creature token onto the battlefield tapped for each artifact card in your graveyard. "Why are we drawn to this place? Is it the treasure or the curse? Are they the same after all?"
-Kayisha
Singing Cliffs
Land (U) T: Add C to your mana pool.
Melody 2(While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 2. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.) Melodies sung by mermaids are trapped within the rocks and reverberate endlessly.
Throne of the Ur-Kraken
Legendary Land (M) T: Add C to your mana pool. 4, T: Add an amount of C to your mana pool equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
Dive seems overly complex. I can't even tell how it works.
The reminder text is very shortened as it has to be. The ability allows you to exile the creature, then put it back onto the battlefield during any combat as an attacker or blocker.
Dive seems overly complex. I can't even tell how it works.
The reminder text is very shortened as it has to be. The ability allows you to exile the creature, then put it back onto the battlefield during any combat as an attacker or blocker.
Do permanents attached to it return or not? The text seems to indicate they might, but it doesn't make it clear. And regardless, it's confusing.
I also recommend changing feed to sacrifice the creature with the ability. Feels more appropriate for common.
I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean removing the "another"?
I mean change it so the creature with the ability can only sacrifice itself. i.e.
Feed X (Sacrifice this creature: Add X mana in any combination of it's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery)
It's more constrained, less combo-y for common.
I'll also just add I'm still not a fan of the color evasion theme. Intimidate and landwalk were removed for a reason.
Do permanents attached to it return or not? The text seems to indicate they might, but it doesn't make it clear. And regardless, it's confusing.
Yes, the permanents return. I agree that the wording is not clear right now. Adding any more words would entail another line break, which I want to avoid. I might have a better wording soon.
I mean change it so the creature with the ability can only sacrifice itself. i.e.
Feed X (Sacrifice this creature: Add X mana in any combination of it's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery)
It's more constrained, less combo-y for common.
Why? What rules for commons does the mechanic break if the creatures are able to sacrifice other creatures? Being able to sacrifice other creatures enables you to better build around the mechanic with tokens and/or creatures that want to be sacrificed. You're restricted to one use per turn, so I feel like the combo potential is quite low.
I'll also just add I'm still not a fan of the color evasion theme. Intimidate and landwalk were removed for a reason.
In a normal draft environment, Bladetusk Boar is either blockable or unblockable, depending on the matchup. That's not very interesting and induces variance for no reason. Here, you always have the tools to block lightless creatures if you choose to pick them up.
Funnily, everyone kept suggesting throughout the design of the other sets that every single creature should apparently have islandwalk .
I haven't looked through the original Iamur in a long time, but is lightless a big enough theme that it should be keyworded? Conversly why isn't luminous keyworded? It's exactly like devoid down to the frame style?
I haven't looked through the original Iamur in a long time, but is lightless a big enough theme that it should be keyworded? Conversly why isn't luminous keyworded? It's exactly like devoid down to the frame style?
1. To keep face.
2. Because of the amount the mechanics appear. I expect there to be ~25 lightless creatures in the final set, and maybe 6-7 luminous creatures.
Do permanents attached to it return or not? The text seems to indicate they might, but it doesn't make it clear. And regardless, it's confusing.
Yes, the permanents return. I agree that the wording is not clear right now. Adding any more words would entail another line break, which I want to avoid. I might have a better wording soon.
I mean change it so the creature with the ability can only sacrifice itself. i.e.
Feed X (Sacrifice this creature: Add X mana in any combination of it's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery)
It's more constrained, less combo-y for common.
Why? What rules for commons does the mechanic break if the creatures are able to sacrifice other creatures? Being able to sacrifice other creatures enables you to better build around the mechanic with tokens and/or creatures that want to be sacrificed. You're restricted to one use per turn, so I feel like the combo potential is quite low.
It's not about breaking a rule about common, but what is most appropriate at common. Feed seems like it would take over games a bit too much.
Another possibility is Feed having a tap cost instead of an 'only once per turn'. Tap cost is more natural and less developer-y, and has more interesting interactions.
I'll also just add I'm still not a fan of the color evasion theme. Intimidate and landwalk were removed for a reason.
In a normal draft environment, Bladetusk Boar is either blockable or unblockable, depending on the matchup. That's not very interesting and induces variance for no reason. Here, you always have the tools to block lightless creatures if you choose to pick them up.
But the problem is still there. There's no way every creature in your deck is going to be luminous, so the matchups will still be affected by simply what colours are being played.
Sure, luminous and the make creatures colorless theme helps. But is it enough?
If you want to do more unique evasion, and it definitely looks like you do, how about returning Skulk and increasing the number of Menace? Or maybe an ability that stops it being blocked if it's attacking alone? Or something like that.
Dive is really strong and complex, and could create all kinds of sick ETB Combos since equipped permanents get to enter again too.
Also, it makes a dedicated blocker really strong. Surefire hard removal tends to be a sorcery on lower rarities, and there is no way to kill a dived creature precombat, which is a viable strategy especially in Limited to get combat damage through.
I agree with the critics regarding Lightless, it doesn't sound like much fun but more of another version of Intimidate, which was already a pretty strong mechanic in itself. It's actually stronger since artifact creatures can't block Lightless creatures.
It's not about breaking a rule about common, but what is most appropriate at common. Feed seems like it would take over games a bit too much.
Another possibility is Feed having a tap cost instead of an 'only once per turn'. Tap cost is more natural and less developer-y, and has more interesting interactions.
That's a possibility. I'll have to think about it.
But the problem is still there. There's no way every creature in your deck is going to be luminous, so the matchups will still be affected by simply what colours are being played.
Sure, luminous and the make creatures colorless theme helps. But is it enough?
If you want to do more unique evasion, and it definitely looks like you do, how about returning Skulk and increasing the number of Menace? Or maybe an ability that stops it being blocked if it's attacking alone? Or something like that.
How is it different in standard Magic? If I draft a slow control deck I'll lose to the WU flyers guy because I can't block any of his creatures. Conversely, I win against the green midrange guy because I can block all of them. The WU flyers guy then loses to the green midrange guy because the green creatures are just bigger.
Then I'll pick up some reach creatures in my control deck to increase my matchup against the flyers deck. The same thing you can do with lightless, by picking up luminous or hybrid creatures. It just makes you consider something that you normally wouldn't consider, which I find very interesting.
Dive is really strong and complex, and could create all kinds of sick ETB Combos since equipped permanents get to enter again too.
Also, it makes a dedicated blocker really strong. Surefire hard removal tends to be a sorcery on lower rarities, and there is no way to kill a dived creature precombat, which is a viable strategy especially in Limited to get combat damage through.
The board stall problem is something that also worries me. Dive can be used offensively, but also defensively. This isn't bad per se, because the format should be about giant sea monsters and you should be given the time to play them, but once you've set up your dive creature defensively, there's nothing your opponent can do to disrupt your defense other than to lure the diver out by chump-attacking with a creature.
------------------------------
I updated the visual spoiler with new cards and even added flavor texts to every single card (on which there's space)! Writing flavor texts is a lot of fun if you already know every detail of the world in your head . The cards include "pivotal story moments" that Wizards now does every set. However, instead of only a few of those moments, there are a handful of cards focusing on the adventures of three main characters: Kayisha's journey to the Overworld, Lady Kaladrin's quest to wake the gods, and Aquiti's exploration of the deep sea.
I'll post the story arcs and the corresponding cards once I have them completed.
It's not about breaking a rule about common, but what is most appropriate at common. Feed seems like it would take over games a bit too much.
Another possibility is Feed having a tap cost instead of an 'only once per turn'. Tap cost is more natural and less developer-y, and has more interesting interactions.
That's a possibility. I'll have to think about it.
But the problem is still there. There's no way every creature in your deck is going to be luminous, so the matchups will still be affected by simply what colours are being played.
Sure, luminous and the make creatures colorless theme helps. But is it enough?
If you want to do more unique evasion, and it definitely looks like you do, how about returning Skulk and increasing the number of Menace? Or maybe an ability that stops it being blocked if it's attacking alone? Or something like that.
How is it different in standard Magic? If I draft a slow control deck I'll lose to the WU flyers guy because I can't block any of his creatures. Conversely, I win against the green midrange guy because I can block all of them. The WU flyers guy then loses to the green midrange guy because the green creatures are just bigger.
Then I'll pick up some reach creatures in my control deck to increase my matchup against the flyers deck. The same thing you can do with lightless, by picking up luminous or hybrid creatures. It just makes you consider something that you normally wouldn't consider, which I find very interesting.
But that's the problem. It's making what you colours you choose into something that defines the success of your strategy, but not in the way that you think about and plan out how your deck fits into the aggro/control/midrange board-map of strategies, but in the way that you don't know whether your colour choices are going to hurt you or help you and once you've chosen, you can't really change anything. This colour interaction is the defining aspect of this evasion mechanic over something like flying, and it's the problem area. It's why intimidate was so inherently bad, what made it unique was what made it unfun. The more you make lightless not problematic in this regard, the more it becomes like flying or like can't be blocked (depending on how).
Let's put it this way:
What fun gameplay is there in lightless that isn't in flying, can't be blocked, skulk or menace?
I updated the visual spoiler with new cards and even added flavor texts to every single card (on which there's space)! Writing flavor texts is a lot of fun if you already know every detail of the world in your head Smile . The cards include "pivotal story moments" that Wizards now does every set. However, instead of only a few of those moments, there are a few of cards focusing on the adventures of three main characters: Kayisha's journey to the Overworld, Lady Kaladrin's quest to wake the gods, and Aquiti's exploration of the deep sea.
I'll post the story arcs and the corresponding cards once I have them completed.
Remember the Fallen- White isn't really supposed to return any creature from the grave. Limited based on converted mana cost or power, it can though. I don't know how you would incorporate that though.
Depths of the Mind- The combo support here is a little scary for me.
Pearl Diver's Trick- I feel like this should cost . Some equip costs are quite expensive.
Sinister Seduction- Seems like it should be 'for as long as you control enchanted creature'. It would be weird if the opponent gains control of the creature your using for this they don't gain control of the creature you took- the flavour is odd.
Blackreef Angler- Seems like it should be a 5/4. It looks pretty meh for a rare right now.
Ctaleth- For an enormous mythic rare legend, this doesn't seem all that powerful. Dropping a from it's cost seems like a good idea.
Eaten by an Oyster-
Moonfathom Witch- I presume both effects for the ETB are meant to be UEOT, in which case, for clarity, this should read 'until end of turn, target creature becomes colorless and gets +1/+1 or -1/-1'. P/T plus ability granting reads more clearly as both being UEOT than this does.
Bloodscent- So ferocious it combats the combat phase . Might want to check your wording here.
Sharkbite- I recommend making this deals 2/deals 5 because 8 damage is a bit too much for red I think.
Abyssal Mosa- This looks pretty weak for a rare as well. Recommend making it a 5/5.
Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace- May be too much rampant growth effects at common.
Serpent Hatchling- Surely this could at least be a 2/3?
The Abyssal City- Also known as Hanweir, the Writhing Turtleship
Voyager of the Depths- Seems really strong. I recommend making this put the card into hand.
Remember the Fallen: It's a reprint. Depths of Mind: Changed it to "return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of your next upkeep." Pearl Diver's Trick: There's only really one Equipment that has an expensive equip cost currently. The card will more often used to reequip a Talisman to a creature that's about to die. I feel like if you don't push these kinds of cards, no one is going to play them. Certainly, no one played Aura Finesse. Sinister Seduction: Will probably redesign this card, so ignoring this. Blackreef Angler: Sure, 5/4 then. Ctaleth: Again, needs a redesign. Moonfathom Witch: The standard template is "gets +X/+Y and gains Z until end of turn." I switched the ordering because I thought it might be ambiguous with the "or". I can switch it back to the standard template. Putting "until end of turn" in front is not common. Bloodscent Shark: Sup Dawg Sharkbite: I like giving red the ability to kill the big creatures in the set - at a cost. Abyssal Mosa: Another card for complete redesign. Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace: The amount of ramp in green is comparable to Rise of the Eldrazi, which is the main paragon for the set. Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace == Growth Spasm/Ondu Giant, Halls of Beguiling Tunes == Overgrown Battlement. Serpent Hatchling: Hm, actually I think making it even a 0/3 would be better. Then the opponent doesn't have to consider combat math in the case the other player doesn't sacrifice, and takes away board complexity. Certainly, the power doesn't affect the quality of the card by much. Voyager of the Depths: I like ramping. Let's make it a 5 mana 4/4 then.
Moonfathom Witch: The standard template is "gets +X/+Y and gains Z until end of turn." I switched the ordering because I thought it might be ambiguous with the "or". I can switch it back to the standard template. Putting "until end of turn" in front is not common.
Neither is this effect?
What's the problem with putting it at the front if it makes the card clearer?
Sharkbite: I like giving red the ability to kill the big creatures in the set - at a cost.
X dmg spells, combining dmg spells, combing creatures with pump, combing creatures with dmg spells and just having your own big creatures are already well in colour red ways to deal with big creatures. This sort of way however muddles the identity of red being good at removal for small creatures but not really big ones more.
Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace: The amount of ramp in green is comparable to Rise of the Eldrazi, which is the main paragon for the set. Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace == Growth Spasm/Ondu Giant, Halls of Beguiling Tunes == Overgrown Battlement.
I suppose it's alright then.
Serpent Hatchling: Hm, actually I think making it even a 0/3 would be better. Then the opponent doesn't have to consider combat math in the case the other player doesn't sacrifice, and takes away board complexity. Certainly, the power doesn't affect the quality of the card by much.
If you want the creature with the ability to be pretty irrelevant and you virtually always sac it for the ability, I recommend lowering the cost a little.
Dive is really strong and complex, and could create all kinds of sick ETB Combos since equipped permanents get to enter again too.
Also, it makes a dedicated blocker really strong. Surefire hard removal tends to be a sorcery on lower rarities, and there is no way to kill a dived creature precombat, which is a viable strategy especially in Limited to get combat damage through.
The board stall problem is something that also worries me. Dive can be used offensively, but also defensively. This isn't bad per se, because the format should be about giant sea monsters and you should be given the time to play them, but once you've set up your dive creature defensively, there's nothing your opponent can do to disrupt your defense other than to lure the diver out by chump-attacking with a creature.
Does the creature even emerge tapped? According to the ability, you can declare it as an attacker or as a blocker in exile, which is all kinds of weird, but it also means they are "tapped" in exile if attacking, then enter the battlefield. Unless stated somewhere else, a permanent always enters untapped, which gives divers pseudo vigilance. Also, if you play a card and dive it immediately in your first main phase, you should be able to declare it as an attacker at the beginning of combat, since summoning sickness cannot be applied to something that isn't summoned per se, since it is in exile.
As interesting as this ability sounds, it needs tons of addendum to work, either on the card or in the comprehensive rules. Even then it breaks a few rules, like declaring a creature as an attacker/blocker in exile while it is not a creature permanent but just a creature card.
Dive has T in its cost, so the creatures are affected by summoning sickness this way.
Dive would require additions to the rules, but none that would break anything. The rules for the declare attacker's step and the declare blocker's step must be modified such that they state that untapped creatures on the battlefield as well as exiled creature cards with dive can be declared as an attacker or blocker. In addition, the action of declaring a creature as an attacker or blocker from exile includes the creature entering the battlefield, tapped in the case of attacking. Restrictions to blocking apply to exiled creature cards with dive in the same way as for creatures on the battlefield. Instead of checking the characteristics of a creature on the battlefield, you check the characteristics of the exiled creature card (color, power, flying etc.). Of course, that means that characteristic-changing effects that would apply to the creature card if it were on the battlefield are not considered when determining whether it can block.
What's unusual about Remember the Fallen has nothing to do whatsoever with its color identity. It has to do with how unusual that card is at common. While that was probably justified in Scars full-block limited, I'm not convinced you need it at common in this block. Not to mention that the artifact part makes it look doubly out of place.
But that's the problem. It's making what you colours you choose into something that defines the success of your strategy, but not in the way that you think about and plan out how your deck fits into the aggro/control/midrange board-map of strategies, but in the way that you don't know whether your colour choices are going to hurt you or help you and once you've chosen, you can't really change anything. This colour interaction is the defining aspect of this evasion mechanic over something like flying, and it's the problem area. It's why intimidate was so inherently bad, what made it unique was what made it unfun. The more you make lightless not problematic in this regard, the more it becomes like flying or like can't be blocked (depending on how).
Let's put it this way:
What fun gameplay is there in lightless that isn't in flying, can't be blocked, skulk or menace?
Your logic on this topic seems more and more obscure to me. Intimidate is bad because it tries to make you care about something which you have no control over. If you are given control over it, it's still bad because you've taken away what's unique to intimidate? No, you've fixed the problems while keeping what's unique to it. It makes you care about something different while working just as well as flying. You are arguing that that's a bad thing?
I'm not arguing that lightless works as well as flying, but that it would be a pretty damn good mechanic if it did.
I know there are design mistakes you probably shouldn't reprint. Remember the Fallen isn't one of them. It's a color pie bend in my book, not a color pie break.
X dmg spells, combining dmg spells, combing creatures with pump, combing creatures with dmg spells and just having your own big creatures are already well in colour red ways to deal with big creatures. This sort of way however muddles the identity of red being good at removal for small creatures but not really big ones more.
Again, what's the problem with a small color pie bend from time to time? It seems to me like everyone on this forum always wants everything to be as safe as possible. Red does get high damage to creature spells, just not very often. And Sharkbite can never kill a creature on its own.
Edit: I changed Sharkbite to "X damage to target creature, where X is 3 plus the amount of damage that creature was dealt this turn." One less line and the 8 was only there because of the "power 8" theme in the original Iamur.
What's unusual about Remember the Fallen has nothing to do whatsoever with its color identity. It has to do with how unusual that card is at common. While that was probably justified in Scars full-block limited, I'm not convinced you need it at common in this block. Not to mention that the artifact part makes it look doubly out of place.
There are a lot of artifacts in the set that sacrifice themselves, so I disagree that the artifact part looks out of place. But I'm ok with the card being at uncommon as well.
Dive has T in its cost, so the creatures are affected by summoning sickness this way.
Dive would require additions to the rules, but none that would break anything. The rules for the declare attacker's step and the declare blocker's step must be modified such that they state that untapped creatures on the battlefield as well as exiled creature cards with dive can be declared as an attacker or blocker. In addition, the action of declaring a creature as an attacker or blocker from exile includes the creature entering the battlefield, tapped in the case of attacking. Restrictions to blocking apply to exiled creature cards with dive in the same way as for creatures on the battlefield. Instead of checking the characteristics of a creature on the battlefield, you check the characteristics of the exiled creature card (color, power, flying etc.). Of course, that means that characteristic-changing effects that would apply to the creature card if it were on the battlefield are not considered when determining whether it can block.
Ah yeah, forgot the tap cost, sorry about that.
The extra rules you mention are quite a lot though. Declaring attacker/blocker while not a creature permanent but a card in exile, entering tapped in the comprehensive rules instead of the reminder text, permanents attached to it exile AND enter with it again, checking creature permanent characteristics on a card etc. Honestly, that's a lot of extra to make the "typical" gameplay work, instead of using the comprehensive rules to explain corner cases.
Also, since the attached permanents are not attached in exile means Pacifism and the likes cannot prevent a creature from attacking/blocking if it dives.
Also, since it is not on the ability, dive creatures exiled by something else can return by attacking/blocking, which makes it really strong. You can't Path to Exile/Oblivion Ring any diver cause they can come back easily. "If it was exiled this way" or something like it int he reminder text would be needed to counter this, otherwise nothing prevents them from coming back.
Other question, how do you test the set? Cause I would be interested in Drafting Custom Sets, but it is kinda hard to find people for it cause of all the extra work needed.
Also, since it is not on the ability, dive creatures exiled by something else can return by attacking/blocking, which makes it really strong. You can't Path to Exile/Oblivion Ring any diver cause they can come back easily. "If it was exiled this way" or something like it int he reminder text would be needed to counter this, otherwise nothing prevents them from coming back.
Abilities that use the exile zone always only work if the card is exiled with the mechanic, see Rebound for example. I don't think it has to be stated in the reminder text.
Again, the rules additions are not that hard to make. But you can argue that it's still not worth it, which I think is a very valid point. The Pacifism interaction is also very unintuitive.
Other question, how do you test the set? Cause I would be interested in Drafting Custom Sets, but it is kinda hard to find people for it cause of all the extra work needed.
I tested my Overworld set on CommanderZ's Webdrafter by multi-queueing alone or with 2-3 people. But the last time I tried it, you couldn't multi-queue anymore. The original Iamur we playtested in paper, which was a lot of fun. The most grievous design and development mistakes, however, you can already eliminate by just doing some mental playtesting. I guess some people have a more pratically oriented mind and need the physical testing, but I prefer to do a lot of the testing in my head.
I changed the Feed mechanic according to DJK's suggestion.
Abyysal Mistress1BB
Feed 2 (T, Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of the sacrificed creature's colors to your mana pool.)
Whenever a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature enters the battlefield under your control, target opponent sacrifices a nontoken creature.
2/3
I might readd "Feed only as a sorcery" at some point. It might be frustrating if the black player virtually always has a sac outlet available at all times, which nullifies removal that doesn't destroy to get around death effects. I kept the "another" for the sacrifice requirement because it's more flavorful this way, and this way not every feed creature is a Satyr Hedonist by default.
Introduction
Set Name: Iamur Reimagined
Three letter code: IMR
Set size: 250
Flavor: A kingdom beneath the waves.
Block Structure: 1st set of the Iamur block. Designed to be drafted with the second set.
Iamur is a top-down underwater set that I created in 2012. It is part of a three-set block, for which the pirate-themed third set, Overworld, I finished in 2015. Although I have fond memories of the design and testing of Iamur, and it certainly has gotten quite a lot of positive response over the years, I feel that it has a lot of flaws and isn't quite on par with Overworld. Iamur Reimagined is a remake of Iamur, keeping the parts of the original that worked well, and replacing those that didn't. Because I see the entire Iamur block as a single piece of art, the focus must be to design Iamur Reimagined in such a way that it plays well with Overworld and feels connected to it, both mechanically and flavor-wise. Ultimately, I plan to also redesign the second set and complete the Iamur block as the best custom block there is.
Mechanics & Themes
Melody {mana} (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for {mana}. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
Dive {cost} ({cost}, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Lightless (This creature can’t be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Feed X (T, Sacrifice another creature: Add X mana in any combination of the sacrificed creature’s colors to your mana pool.)
"Luminous creatures": Creatures that are all colors.
0/1 Fish tokens that are all colors.
Sea monster tribal (Krakens, Leviathans, Octopuses, and Serpents).
"Seahorses": Whenever you attack with exactly two creatures, {effect}.
"Sharks": Whenever this creature deals combat damage, put N +1/+1 counters on it.
List of Changes
Cards
Additional Links
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!
Creature - Beast (C)
Vigilance
Anemone Gorger enters the battlefield tapped.
These piles of fat often ravage the anemone fields of Macuri, much to the dismay of the local merfolk.
2/4
Bliss 1W
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack or block, and its activated abilities can't be activated.
Enchanted creature has melody W. (While casting a creature spell, its controller may tap it to pay for W. It doesn't untap during that player's untap steps for as long as he or she controls that creature.)
Deephollow Sentry 2W
Creature - Merfolk Soldier (C)
Deephollow Sentry has first strike as long as it's equipped.
"In Deephollow, your skills and your spear won't help you. You need a miracle to survive down there."
3/2
Emerien Matchmaker 2W
Creature - Nymph Cleric (U)
Whenever you attack with exactly two other creatures, each of those creatures gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/2
Follow the Light 1W
Instant (C)
Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield. You gain 2 life.
Whether it leads to the bosom of a mermaid or the maw a kraken, fish are always drawn to a source of light.
Goldshimmer Seahorse 1W
Creature - Seahorse (C)
Whenever Goldshimmer Seahorse attacks with exactly one other creature, each of those creatures gains lifelink until end of turn.
"Little dragon of the sea,
will I find a friend in thee?"
-Mermaid's rhyme
2/1
Lantern Bearer 1W
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C)
(Lantern Bearer is all colors.)
They are tasked with sustaining a vital source of light for the expedition. It is a great responsibility, for without light no one survives in the depths of the abyss.
2/2
Luminous Flash W
Instant (C)
Target creature becomes one or more colors of your choice until end of turn.
Draw a card.
"Our lumomancers' spells couldn't kill it, but they gave our warriors at least a target they could see."
-Expedition journal entry
Macuri Tideguard 2W
Creature - Merfolk Soldier (C)
W, T: Tap target non-Kraken, non-Leviathan, non-Octopus, non-Serpent creature.
1/4
Master of Pearlcraft 2W
Creature - Nymph Artificer (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target Equipment card from your graveyard to your hand.
"With our sense of elegance and the potent magic of the fishfolk, jewels of astounding beauty can be crafted."
2/2
Ranger of Miracle Deeps W
Creature - Nymph Knight (R)
Dive 1W (1W, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Ranger of Miracle Deeps emerges, other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
2/1
Remember the Fallen 2W
Sorcery (C)
Choose one or both -
Ruin Orca 6W
Creature - Whale (U)
Dive 2W (2W, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Ruin Orca enters the battlefield, look at the top six cards of your library. You may put an Equipment card from among them onto the battlefield attached to Ruin Orca. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
6/9
Seahorse Rider 3W
Creature - Nymph Knight (U)
Whenever Seahorse Rider attacks with exactly one other creature, untap each of those creatures.
The rider chooses not her steed, but the steed its rider.
2/5
Singing Seashell 1W
Creature - Shell (U)
(Singing Seashell is all colors.)
Melody W (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for W. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When Singing Seashell enters the battlefield, draw a card.
0/2
Strike Down the Beast 1W
Instant (U)
Blocking creatures gain double strike until end of turn.
"Avoid the suckers and aim directly for the eyes."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
Supreme Chorus 1WW
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Cleric (M)
Melody W (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for W. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When you tap Supreme Chorus while casting a creature spell, that creature gains indestructible for as long as you control Supreme Chorus.
2/3
Creature - Naga Scout (U)
Dive 1U (1U, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Whenever Ctali Scout deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
When Ctali Scout enters the battlefield, you may tap target creature.
2/^1
Depths of Mind 1U
Instant (R)
Name a card. Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a card with the chosen name from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. If no card was revealed this way, return Depths of Mind to its owner's hand.
"I know it has to be in here somewhere."
Facestealer 2UU
Creature - Horror (R)
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.)
Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under an opponents control, exchange control of Facestealer and that creature. Facestealer loses this ability and that creature gains this ability.
2/2
Gemseeker 2U
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C)
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Gemseeker.
"You can estimate their value directly by how deep they are buried under rocks and kelp."
2/2
Instructor of the Meek 1U
Creature - Merfolk Warrior (U)
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost up to 2 less to activate. This effect can't reduce the amount of mana an ability costs to activate to less than one mana.
"Emerien lies only a few miles south of us. Now, we could swim west and bypass the abyss, but that wouldn't be very fun."
2/1
Marinespeaker 1U
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (C)
When Marinespeaker enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 Fish creature token that's all colors onto the battlefield.
"The Explorer's Guild is only concerned with charting the deep sea, but they don't have an eye for the countless wonders the depths may hold."
2/1
Pearl Diver's Trick U
Instant (C)
Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control.
Draw a card.
"That was a skillful recovery, but you shouldn't have neglected your competition."
-Agual, Pearlreef diver
Prospect U
Sorcery (C)
Draw three cards, then put three cards from your hand on the bottom of your library in any order.
Aquiti was already hundreds of miles below the surface, yet she still discovered exotic creatures left and right.
Sentinel of Miracle Deeps 3U
Creature - Jellyfish (C)
(Sentinel of Miracle Deeps is all colors.)
Defender
In Miracle Deeps, the otherworldly music is accompanied by an even more bizarre play of lights.
3/4
Serpent Rider 3U
Creature - Merfolk Knight (U)
Dive 2U (2U, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
Serpent Rider enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it if you control a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature.
"I brought a little gift from my adventures in the depths."
3/3
Twist the Tides 4U
Sorcery (C)
Draw two cards. Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield.
"A true naga seeks knowledge above everything else. Through knowledge, we gain power and become the masters of the sea."
-Endoth, naga lord
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
Naga have at least that much respect for mermaids that they wouldn't use them as target practice. They don't show the same respect to Iamur's less evolved species . . .
Abyssal Mistress 1BB
Creature - Naga Wizard (U)
Feed 2 (Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
Whenever a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature enters the battlefield under your control, target opponent sacrifices a nontoken creature.
2/3
Arrival of the Ancients 4BB
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all creatures. You may search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Serpent or Octopus creature card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
Lady Kaladrin simply commanded that preparations needed to be made. Her servants knew what was expected of them.
Blackreef Angler 3BB
Creature - Fish Horror (R)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
1: Target creature you control becomes colorless until end of turn.
5/3
Blackreef Goliath 4BB
Creature - Fish Mutant (U)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
5/5
Blackreef Scavenger B
Creature - Fish Rogue (C)
When Blackreef Scavenger dies, you may return another target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand.
The denizens of Blackreef gather whatever food the tides wash up as nothing healthy can grow on the reef itself.
1/1
Boxing Octopus 5B
Creature - Octopus (C)
"Adolescent squids are less hungry, but more easily agitated. They aren't any less dangerous."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
6/3
Ctaleth 8BBBB
Legendary Creature — Octopus Avatar (M)
Ctaleth can’t be countered.
Protection from monocolored
Whenever Ctaleth enters the battlefield or attacks, you get an emblem with “Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1.”
If Ctaleth would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Ctaleth and shuffle it into its owner’s library instead.
8/8
Deadwater Tyrant 4B
Creature - Naga Warrior (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Feed 1 (Sacrifice another creature: Add one mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
3/4
Eaten by an Oyster 4BB
Enchantment (R)
When Eaten by an Oyster enters the battlefield, exile target nontoken creature an opponent controls.
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, if the exiled card is a creature card, add an amount of B to your mana pool equal to half its converted mana cost, rounded up.
Hideous Devil B
Creature - Fish Horror (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
"They could be as small as plankton and I'd still flee from them in terror."
-Ianthe, atoll sentry
1/1
Journey's End 1BB
Sorcery (R)
Exile target creature or planeswalker.
Kayisha traversed the barrier that separates her realm from the Overworld, only to wither and die in the heat of the undamped sun.
Moonfathom Witch 3B
Creature - Naga Shaman (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
When Moonfathom Witch enters the battlefield, target creature becomes colorless and gets +1/+1 or -1/-1 until end of turn.
A veil of shadow always follows her. Therein, you might find shelter, but you might also go insane.
2/2
Noble of Blood Bottom 1B
Creature - Naga Wizard (C)
Feed 2 (Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of that creature's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
"Are the sacrifices intended to appease the ancients or her?"
-Galedra, naga servant
1/3
Rotfin Hunter 2B
Creature - Zombie Fish (C)
Whenever Rotfin Hunter deals combat damage, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Sacrifice another creature: Rotfin Hunter gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/1
Tragic Ending BB
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices a nontoken creature.
Some sailors see certain death as a small price to pay for spending a few moments with the woman of their dreams.
Creature - Fish Shaman (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may have target creature you control become the color of your choice until end of turn.
Fishfolk are too proud to admit that they adopted some of their spells from the lesser species.
2/1
Bloodscent Shark 2RR
Creature - Fish (C)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
Whenever Bloodscent Shark deals combat combat, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
"Fortunately, gods don't bleed."
-Endoth, naga lord
2/2
Crucanari Vanguard 2RR
Creature - Crab Warrior (C)
The Crucanar were once a great empire that expanded across the endless sea. After centuries of wars lost to the naga and their kraken, only few of their people are left and their legacy is mostly forgotten.
4/3
Denizen of the Magma Sea R
Creature - Elemental (C)
Trample
Dive 1R (1R, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Denizen of the Magma Sea enters the battlefield, it gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
1/1
Dragon of the Sea 4RRR
Creature - Serpent (U)
Lightless (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures that share a color with it.)
R: Dragon of the Sea gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
4/7
Fish Charmer 1R
Creature - Nymph Bard (C)
Melody (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for R. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
"Every being has its own song."
2/1
Fishfolk Jellydancer 2R
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (C)
Haste
When Fishfolk Jellydancer enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 Fish creature token that's all colors onto the battlefield.
Stung by a jellyfish
-Fishfolk saying meaning
"out of control"
2/2
Piranha Frenzy 1R
Instant (C)
Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. Whenever one of those creatures deals combat damage this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
"The naga command the mighty kraken, but they would be foolish to think that we don't have allies of our own."
-Amara, mermaid mentor
Razormaw 3RR
Creature - Elemental (U)
Double strike
Even more adept than the tide itself is at shaping sand and stone are the elementals that spawn from the mana flowing within its waves.
3/3
Scent of Blood 3R
Instant (U)
Put two 0/1 Fish creature tokens that are all colors onto the battlefield, then creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn.
Species unable to distinguish piranhas from ordinary fish all eventually become extinct.
Sharkbite 2R
Instant (C)
Choose target creature. If that creature was dealt damage this turn, Sharkbite deals 8 damage to it. Otherwise, Sharkbite deals 3 damage to it.
Once in a blood frenzy, a shark will attack about anything - even a leviathan several times its size.
Traitorous Beauty 4R
Creature - Naga Shaman (C)
First strike
When Traitorous Beauty enters the battlefield, target creature attacks during its controller's next turn if able.
Only few naga are gifted with natural beauty. They are outcasts, alluring and preying upon unknowing travelers.
3/2
Creature — Serpent (R)
Trample
Dive 1G (1G, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Abyssal Mosa enters the battlefield, it gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
4/4
Apprentice Sharktamer 1G
Creature - Nymph Warrior (C)
Dive 2G (2G, T: Exile this creature and all permanents attached to it. You may emerge it anytime by declaring it as an attacker or blocker from exile. Dive only as a sorcery.)
When Apprentice Sharktamer enters the battlefield, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Chorus of the Garden 4G
Creature - Nymph Bard (U)
Vigilance
Melody-Two mana of any one color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for Two mana of any one color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
4/4
Coralia Basscaller 2GG
Creature - Nymph Druid Bard (U)
Melody GG (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for GG. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
When Coralia Basscaller enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Fish creature token onto the battlefield.
0/2
Culinary Delight 2G
Instant (C)
Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. It fights target creature you don't control.
Escorted by Turtles 1G
Instant (C)
Up to two target creatures each gain indestructible until end of turn.
Halls of Beguiling Tunes 1G
Creature - Wall (C)
Defender
Melody 1G (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 1G. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
0/4
Kayisha, the Land-Dweller 2GG
Planeswalker — Kayisha (M)
+1: Look at the top card of your library. You may put it on the bottom of your library. If it’s a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield tapped.
-2: Put two 1/1 green Nymph Druid creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have “T: Add R, G, or W to your mana pool.”
-6: You get an emblem with “Creature spells you cast can’t be countered” and “Creatures you control have vigilance and indestructible.”
{3}
Marine Rallye 4GG
Sorcery (C)
Put two 3/3 green Fish creature tokens onto the battlefield. Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
"This year's destination is the Lua Atoll, where the turtle emperor himself will present the trophy to the victor."
-Toji, fishfolk announcer
Overgrown Palace 2G
Creature - Wall (C)
Defender
When Overgrown Palace enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
0/3
Primordial Pillar 3GG
Creature — Coral Wall (M)
Defender
Skip your draw step.
At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a permanent card, you may put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, put it on the bottom of your library.
0/6
Serpent Hatchling 5G
Creature - Eel (C)
2G, Sacrifice Serpent Hatchling: Put a 7/7 green Serpent creature token with trample onto the battlefield.
A mermaid's companion today. Devourer of that mermaid tomorrow.
1/3
Shimmerlight Jellyfish 1G
Creature - Jellyfish (C)
(Shimmerlight Jellyfish is all colors.)
Deathtouch
The jellyfish fields act as an impassable barrier, cutting off Northcliff from the rest of the ocean.
1/1
Stranglekelp Druid 3G
Creature - Nymph Druid Bard (R)
Melody-two mana of any one color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for two mana of any one color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Stranglekelp Druid is tapped, draw a card.
2/2
Tempting Trap 1G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able.
"Predators of the depths use lights to allure their prey. Even I have almost found myself mesmerized by the beguiling play of colors."
-Journal entry of Aquiti, page 43
Tentacle Crush G
Instant (C)
Destroy target artifact.
"No longer will garbage from the Overworld mar our beautiful reef."
-Antilla, mermaid druid
Wurm of the Abyss 7GGG
Creature - Serpent (U)
Trample
When Wurm of the Abyss enters the battlefield, put a 7/7 green Serpent creature token with trample onto the battlefield.
"There were two of them? All I saw was an endless coil of scale and flesh."
-Curol, Deephollow denizen
7/7
Creature - Merfolk Advisor (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control get +1/+1 and have vigilance.
Tap three untapped Merfolk you control: Draw a card.
Though their authority is limited to the city of Macuri, they claim that it extends to every being of the sea.
2/2
Lady Kaladrin 4UB
Legendary Creature — Naga Wizard (M)
When Lady Kaladrin enters the battlefield, search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Feed 3 (Sacrifice another creature: Add three mana in any combination of that creature’s colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery and only once per turn.)
5/5
Parasitic Impostor 2UB
Creature — Shapeshifter (R)
You may have Parasitic Impostor enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield except it gains “Other creatures that share a creature type with this creature get -1/-1."
With the merfolk senate infiltrated, it began to destroy them from the inside.
0/0
Infinite Vitality 5GGW
Sorcery (R)
Distribute X +1/+1 counters among any number of target creatures, where X is your life total as you cast Infinite Vitality.
“We don’t really know what lurks at the bottom of the abyss. Why don’t we go and find out?”
—Antilla, mermaid druid
The Abyssal City 5BBGG
Legendary Creature — Turtle (R)
Indestructible
Whenever The Abyssal City attacks, put two 5/5 black Horror creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.
Once the proud mate of Torta, the ancient, now he’s enslaved by the abyss, like many that they both vowed to protect.
3/9
Battalion Turtle GU
Creature - Turtle Soldier (R)
Vigilance
Whenever Battalion Turtle attacks, target creature blocks it this turn if able.
0/5
Drowned Geist 1W/
Creature - Spirit (C)
T, Tap an untapped creature you control: Tap target creature.
The spirits of sailors haunt the oceans of Iamur, still trying to escape to the Overworld, where they dwelt in their past lives.
1/2
Abyssal Harbinger 3U/U/
Creature - Horror (U)
When Abyssal Harbinger enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus or Serpent creature card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
"We haven't seen their kind since generations. Have the gods of the deep awoken again?"
-Kajri, merfolk scholar
3/5
Manamorphose 1R/
Instant (C)
Add two mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool.
Draw a card.
Down in the magma sea, the deepkin forge objects of pure mana. Sometimes these objects rise to more shallow waters, where they excite the curiosity of creatures less capable of handling them.
Coralskin Maiden G/G/
Creature - Nymph Bard (U)
Melody 1 (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 1. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Coralskin Maiden is tapped, you gain 1 life.
1/3
Coral Turtle 1G/G/
Creature - Turtle (U)
When Coral Turtle enters the battlefield, draw a card.
"Before our warmongering races came to this world, the turtles were the very kings of the ocean. It must have been a much more peaceful era."
-Kajri, fishfolk scholar
1/5
Mastery of the Sea 1G/
Sorcery (C)
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a land and/or a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature card from among them and put those cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
"You revere the gods of the deep? Do you not know of all the fear and anguish they have caused?"
-Kayisha
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Encrusted Diver 2
Artifact (R)
Encrusted Diver enters the battlefield with ten crust counters on it.
When Encrusted Diver enters the battlefield, draw
a card.
1: Remove a crust counter from Encrusted Diver.
As long as Encrusted Diver has no crust counters on it, it's a 10/10 Zombie artifact creature with trample.
Haunted Shipwreck 4
Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no Pirates, put a 2/2 black Zombie Pirate creature token onto the battlefield.
"When you hear the first mermaid singing ‘yo-ho-ho', I'd be worried."
-Cyral, Blackreef patrol
Jewel of the Deep 1
Artifact (U)
T: Put target card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library.
6, T, Sacrifice Jewel of the Deep: Put the bottom two cards of your library into your hand.
Jinxed Mirror 4
Artifact (R)
Creatures with even power get +2/+0.
Creatures with odd power get -2/-0.
What the mirror shows is an exaggeration, both of one’s beauty and hideousness. For this reason, it is much more popular with mermaids than it is with naga.
Luminite Stone 0
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature is all colors.
Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
An unquenchable source of light in the deep.
Melodious Pearl 1
Artifact (C)
Melody-one mana of any color. (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for one mana of any color. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
Pearl-Adorned Signet 3
Artifact - Equipment (U)
At the beginning of your precombat main phase, add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 3
Resonating Pearl 4
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on Resonating Pearl.
T: Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool, where X is the number of charge counters on Resonating Pearl.
Ring of Coralia 1
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature has vigilance.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Sunken Ring 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
When Sunken Ring is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put two +1/+1 counters on equipped creature.
Equip 4
Ticking Trinket 3
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has haste.
Talisman (If equipped creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Equipment.)
Equip 0 (0: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Voyager of the Depths 4
Artifact Creature - Ship (U)
Whenever Voyager of the Depths attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Its crew was tempted by treasure, seduced by greed, and taken by the sea.
3/3
Land (R)
Coral Castle enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add R or G to your mana pool.
Majestic castles tower on the horizon and enchanting melodies fill the water.
Lightflooded Haven
Land (R)
Lightflooded Haven enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add W or U to your mana pool.
Many buildings are in a bad state, but are architectural masterpieces nonetheless.
Razor Reef
Land (R)
Razor Reef enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add B or R to your mana pool.
Sharks use the razor-sharp rocks to pick scrapings from their teeth.
Ritual Grounds
Land (R)
Ritual Grounds enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add U or B to your mana pool.
The howls of the leviathans blend with the cries of the victims to make the music of the sea.
Sheltering Temple
Land (R)
Sheltering Temple enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands.
T: Add G or W to your mana pool.
Ornamented pavilions perfectly align with the cliffs and delight the eye.
Shimmering Grotto
Land (C)
T: Add C to your mana pool.
1, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Where the ocean floor is protected from the constant clash of the tides, ancient temples are a common sight.
Ship Graveyard
Land (R)
T: Add C to your mana pool.
4, T, Sacrifice Ship Graveyard: Put a 2/2 black Zombie Pirate creature token onto the battlefield tapped for each artifact card in your graveyard.
"Why are we drawn to this place? Is it the treasure or the curse? Are they the same after all?"
-Kayisha
Singing Cliffs
Land (U)
T: Add C to your mana pool.
Melody 2 (While casting a creature spell, you may tap this to pay for 2. This doesn't untap during your untap steps for as long as you control that creature.)
Melodies sung by mermaids are trapped within the rocks and reverberate endlessly.
Throne of the Ur-Kraken
Legendary Land (M)
T: Add C to your mana pool.
4, T: Add an amount of C to your mana pool equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
Plains
Basic Land - Plains (C)
Plains
Basic Land - Plains (C)
Plains
Basic Land - Plains (C)
Plains
Basic Land - Plains (C)
Island
Basic Land - Island (C)
Island
Basic Land - Island (C)
Island
Basic Land - Island (C)
Island
Basic Land - Island (C)
Swamp
Basic Land - Swamp (C)
Swamp
Basic Land - Swamp (C)
Swamp
Basic Land - Swamp (C)
Swamp
Basic Land - Swamp (C)
Mountain
Basic Land - Mountain (C)
Mountain
Basic Land - Mountain (C)
Mountain
Basic Land - Mountain (C)
Mountain
Basic Land - Mountain (C)
Forest
Basic Land - Forest (C)
Forest
Basic Land - Forest (C)
Forest
Basic Land - Forest (C)
Forest
Basic Land - Forest (C)
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!
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
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
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
The reminder text is very shortened as it has to be. The ability allows you to exile the creature, then put it back onto the battlefield during any combat as an attacker or blocker.
I don't understand what you mean. Do you mean removing the "another"?
Iteration is important.
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!
Do permanents attached to it return or not? The text seems to indicate they might, but it doesn't make it clear. And regardless, it's confusing.
I mean change it so the creature with the ability can only sacrifice itself. i.e.
Feed X (Sacrifice this creature: Add X mana in any combination of it's colors to your mana pool. Feed only as a sorcery)
It's more constrained, less combo-y for common.
I'll also just add I'm still not a fan of the color evasion theme. Intimidate and landwalk were removed for a reason.
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
Yes, the permanents return. I agree that the wording is not clear right now. Adding any more words would entail another line break, which I want to avoid. I might have a better wording soon.
Why? What rules for commons does the mechanic break if the creatures are able to sacrifice other creatures? Being able to sacrifice other creatures enables you to better build around the mechanic with tokens and/or creatures that want to be sacrificed. You're restricted to one use per turn, so I feel like the combo potential is quite low.
In a normal draft environment, Bladetusk Boar is either blockable or unblockable, depending on the matchup. That's not very interesting and induces variance for no reason. Here, you always have the tools to block lightless creatures if you choose to pick them up.
Funnily, everyone kept suggesting throughout the design of the other sets that every single creature should apparently have islandwalk .
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!
1. To keep face.
2. Because of the amount the mechanics appear. I expect there to be ~25 lightless creatures in the final set, and maybe 6-7 luminous creatures.
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!
It's not about breaking a rule about common, but what is most appropriate at common. Feed seems like it would take over games a bit too much.
Another possibility is Feed having a tap cost instead of an 'only once per turn'. Tap cost is more natural and less developer-y, and has more interesting interactions.
But the problem is still there. There's no way every creature in your deck is going to be luminous, so the matchups will still be affected by simply what colours are being played.
Sure, luminous and the make creatures colorless theme helps. But is it enough?
If you want to do more unique evasion, and it definitely looks like you do, how about returning Skulk and increasing the number of Menace? Or maybe an ability that stops it being blocked if it's attacking alone? Or something like that.
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
Also, it makes a dedicated blocker really strong. Surefire hard removal tends to be a sorcery on lower rarities, and there is no way to kill a dived creature precombat, which is a viable strategy especially in Limited to get combat damage through.
I agree with the critics regarding Lightless, it doesn't sound like much fun but more of another version of Intimidate, which was already a pretty strong mechanic in itself. It's actually stronger since artifact creatures can't block Lightless creatures.
That's a possibility. I'll have to think about it.
How is it different in standard Magic? If I draft a slow control deck I'll lose to the WU flyers guy because I can't block any of his creatures. Conversely, I win against the green midrange guy because I can block all of them. The WU flyers guy then loses to the green midrange guy because the green creatures are just bigger.
Then I'll pick up some reach creatures in my control deck to increase my matchup against the flyers deck. The same thing you can do with lightless, by picking up luminous or hybrid creatures. It just makes you consider something that you normally wouldn't consider, which I find very interesting.
The board stall problem is something that also worries me. Dive can be used offensively, but also defensively. This isn't bad per se, because the format should be about giant sea monsters and you should be given the time to play them, but once you've set up your dive creature defensively, there's nothing your opponent can do to disrupt your defense other than to lure the diver out by chump-attacking with a creature.
------------------------------
I updated the visual spoiler with new cards and even added flavor texts to every single card (on which there's space)! Writing flavor texts is a lot of fun if you already know every detail of the world in your head . The cards include "pivotal story moments" that Wizards now does every set. However, instead of only a few of those moments, there are a handful of cards focusing on the adventures of three main characters: Kayisha's journey to the Overworld, Lady Kaladrin's quest to wake the gods, and Aquiti's exploration of the deep sea.
I'll post the story arcs and the corresponding cards once I have them completed.
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!
But that's the problem. It's making what you colours you choose into something that defines the success of your strategy, but not in the way that you think about and plan out how your deck fits into the aggro/control/midrange board-map of strategies, but in the way that you don't know whether your colour choices are going to hurt you or help you and once you've chosen, you can't really change anything. This colour interaction is the defining aspect of this evasion mechanic over something like flying, and it's the problem area. It's why intimidate was so inherently bad, what made it unique was what made it unfun. The more you make lightless not problematic in this regard, the more it becomes like flying or like can't be blocked (depending on how).
Let's put it this way:
What fun gameplay is there in lightless that isn't in flying, can't be blocked, skulk or menace?
I look forward to it
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
Remember the Fallen- White isn't really supposed to return any creature from the grave. Limited based on converted mana cost or power, it can though. I don't know how you would incorporate that though.
Depths of the Mind- The combo support here is a little scary for me.
Pearl Diver's Trick- I feel like this should cost . Some equip costs are quite expensive.
Sinister Seduction- Seems like it should be 'for as long as you control enchanted creature'. It would be weird if the opponent gains control of the creature your using for this they don't gain control of the creature you took- the flavour is odd.
Blackreef Angler- Seems like it should be a 5/4. It looks pretty meh for a rare right now.
Ctaleth- For an enormous mythic rare legend, this doesn't seem all that powerful. Dropping a from it's cost seems like a good idea.
Eaten by an Oyster-
Moonfathom Witch- I presume both effects for the ETB are meant to be UEOT, in which case, for clarity, this should read 'until end of turn, target creature becomes colorless and gets +1/+1 or -1/-1'. P/T plus ability granting reads more clearly as both being UEOT than this does.
Bloodscent- So ferocious it combats the combat phase . Might want to check your wording here.
Sharkbite- I recommend making this deals 2/deals 5 because 8 damage is a bit too much for red I think.
Abyssal Mosa- This looks pretty weak for a rare as well. Recommend making it a 5/5.
Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace- May be too much rampant growth effects at common.
Serpent Hatchling- Surely this could at least be a 2/3?
The Abyssal City- Also known as Hanweir, the Writhing Turtleship
Voyager of the Depths- Seems really strong. I recommend making this put the card into hand.
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
Depths of Mind: Changed it to "return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of your next upkeep."
Pearl Diver's Trick: There's only really one Equipment that has an expensive equip cost currently. The card will more often used to reequip a Talisman to a creature that's about to die. I feel like if you don't push these kinds of cards, no one is going to play them. Certainly, no one played Aura Finesse.
Sinister Seduction: Will probably redesign this card, so ignoring this.
Blackreef Angler: Sure, 5/4 then.
Ctaleth: Again, needs a redesign.
Moonfathom Witch: The standard template is "gets +X/+Y and gains Z until end of turn." I switched the ordering because I thought it might be ambiguous with the "or". I can switch it back to the standard template. Putting "until end of turn" in front is not common.
Bloodscent Shark: Sup Dawg
Sharkbite: I like giving red the ability to kill the big creatures in the set - at a cost.
Abyssal Mosa: Another card for complete redesign.
Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace: The amount of ramp in green is comparable to Rise of the Eldrazi, which is the main paragon for the set. Marine Rallye/Overgrown Palace == Growth Spasm/Ondu Giant, Halls of Beguiling Tunes == Overgrown Battlement.
Serpent Hatchling: Hm, actually I think making it even a 0/3 would be better. Then the opponent doesn't have to consider combat math in the case the other player doesn't sacrifice, and takes away board complexity. Certainly, the power doesn't affect the quality of the card by much.
Voyager of the Depths: I like ramping. Let's make it a 5 mana 4/4 then.
Thanks for the comments! Much appreciated
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!
Hornet sting, Beast Within, Chaos Warp
Neither is this effect?
What's the problem with putting it at the front if it makes the card clearer?
X dmg spells, combining dmg spells, combing creatures with pump, combing creatures with dmg spells and just having your own big creatures are already well in colour red ways to deal with big creatures. This sort of way however muddles the identity of red being good at removal for small creatures but not really big ones more.
I suppose it's alright then.
If you want the creature with the ability to be pretty irrelevant and you virtually always sac it for the ability, I recommend lowering the cost a little.
So do I.
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
Does the creature even emerge tapped? According to the ability, you can declare it as an attacker or as a blocker in exile, which is all kinds of weird, but it also means they are "tapped" in exile if attacking, then enter the battlefield. Unless stated somewhere else, a permanent always enters untapped, which gives divers pseudo vigilance. Also, if you play a card and dive it immediately in your first main phase, you should be able to declare it as an attacker at the beginning of combat, since summoning sickness cannot be applied to something that isn't summoned per se, since it is in exile.
As interesting as this ability sounds, it needs tons of addendum to work, either on the card or in the comprehensive rules. Even then it breaks a few rules, like declaring a creature as an attacker/blocker in exile while it is not a creature permanent but just a creature card.
Dive would require additions to the rules, but none that would break anything. The rules for the declare attacker's step and the declare blocker's step must be modified such that they state that untapped creatures on the battlefield as well as exiled creature cards with dive can be declared as an attacker or blocker. In addition, the action of declaring a creature as an attacker or blocker from exile includes the creature entering the battlefield, tapped in the case of attacking. Restrictions to blocking apply to exiled creature cards with dive in the same way as for creatures on the battlefield. Instead of checking the characteristics of a creature on the battlefield, you check the characteristics of the exiled creature card (color, power, flying etc.). Of course, that means that characteristic-changing effects that would apply to the creature card if it were on the battlefield are not considered when determining whether it can block.
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!
DJK, white DOES get return effects for creatures. It just doesn't get it as commonly, or as efficiently as black (I really shouldn't even HAVE to make this list, but there goes): Angel of Serenity, Dawnbreak Reclaimer, Marshal's Anthem Sun Titan, Emeria Shepherd, Reya Dawnbringer, Twilight Shepherd, Ojutai's Command, Profound Journey, Rally the Ancestors, Timely Hordemate, Return to the Ranks, Tethmos High Priest, Reveillark, Alesha, Who Smiles at Death...
What's unusual about Remember the Fallen has nothing to do whatsoever with its color identity. It has to do with how unusual that card is at common. While that was probably justified in Scars full-block limited, I'm not convinced you need it at common in this block. Not to mention that the artifact part makes it look doubly out of place.
Your logic on this topic seems more and more obscure to me. Intimidate is bad because it tries to make you care about something which you have no control over. If you are given control over it, it's still bad because you've taken away what's unique to intimidate? No, you've fixed the problems while keeping what's unique to it. It makes you care about something different while working just as well as flying. You are arguing that that's a bad thing?
I'm not arguing that lightless works as well as flying, but that it would be a pretty damn good mechanic if it did.
I know there are design mistakes you probably shouldn't reprint. Remember the Fallen isn't one of them. It's a color pie bend in my book, not a color pie break.
Again, what's the problem with a small color pie bend from time to time? It seems to me like everyone on this forum always wants everything to be as safe as possible. Red does get high damage to creature spells, just not very often. And Sharkbite can never kill a creature on its own.
Edit: I changed Sharkbite to "X damage to target creature, where X is 3 plus the amount of damage that creature was dealt this turn." One less line and the 8 was only there because of the "power 8" theme in the original Iamur.
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!
There are a lot of artifacts in the set that sacrifice themselves, so I disagree that the artifact part looks out of place. But I'm ok with the card being at uncommon as well.
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!
Ah yeah, forgot the tap cost, sorry about that.
The extra rules you mention are quite a lot though. Declaring attacker/blocker while not a creature permanent but a card in exile, entering tapped in the comprehensive rules instead of the reminder text, permanents attached to it exile AND enter with it again, checking creature permanent characteristics on a card etc. Honestly, that's a lot of extra to make the "typical" gameplay work, instead of using the comprehensive rules to explain corner cases.
Also, since the attached permanents are not attached in exile means Pacifism and the likes cannot prevent a creature from attacking/blocking if it dives.
Also, since it is not on the ability, dive creatures exiled by something else can return by attacking/blocking, which makes it really strong. You can't Path to Exile/Oblivion Ring any diver cause they can come back easily. "If it was exiled this way" or something like it int he reminder text would be needed to counter this, otherwise nothing prevents them from coming back.
Other question, how do you test the set? Cause I would be interested in Drafting Custom Sets, but it is kinda hard to find people for it cause of all the extra work needed.
Abilities that use the exile zone always only work if the card is exiled with the mechanic, see Rebound for example. I don't think it has to be stated in the reminder text.
Again, the rules additions are not that hard to make. But you can argue that it's still not worth it, which I think is a very valid point. The Pacifism interaction is also very unintuitive.
I tested my Overworld set on CommanderZ's Webdrafter by multi-queueing alone or with 2-3 people. But the last time I tried it, you couldn't multi-queue anymore. The original Iamur we playtested in paper, which was a lot of fun. The most grievous design and development mistakes, however, you can already eliminate by just doing some mental playtesting. I guess some people have a more pratically oriented mind and need the physical testing, but I prefer to do a lot of the testing in my head.
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!
Abyysal Mistress 1BB
Feed 2 (T, Sacrifice another creature: Add two mana in any combination of the sacrificed creature's colors to your mana pool.)
Whenever a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent creature enters the battlefield under your control, target opponent sacrifices a nontoken creature.
2/3
I might readd "Feed only as a sorcery" at some point. It might be frustrating if the black player virtually always has a sac outlet available at all times, which nullifies removal that doesn't destroy to get around death effects. I kept the "another" for the sacrifice requirement because it's more flavorful this way, and this way not every feed creature is a Satyr Hedonist by default.
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!