An(other) upgrade to some potentially maindeck-able graveyard hate. First there was Rapid Decay. Then there was Scarab Feast. Neither one does enough to fight the graveyard in the event it is relevant though, so I've juiced it up again.
B Super Scarab Feast Instant
Exile up to three target cards from a single graveyard.
Cycling B
Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
It would be nice if they would make sorcery cards better. Or better yet just bring back land destruction to it's 3 colors of Green, Red and Black.
Red doesn't need anything else currently. The whole modern format is tilted red. I think a dual color red would be fine. RG
Clear the weeds (Picture of a field burning.)
Sorcery
Destroy target non-basic land.
RB
Launch the Coal fire
Sorcery
Choose one
Destroy target non-basic land or destroy target land and sacrifice a creature you control.
Flavor text: Goblin's have so many uses in life. Even more in death.
GG
Till the fields
Sorcery
Destroy target land. That lands controller puts three 0/1 plant create tokens into play with reach.
Green also has life gain as part of it's color pie. GG
Breath new Life
Sorcery
Destroy target land, that lands controller gains 10 life.
BB
Spew poison from the clouds.
Sorcery
Destroy target land, you lose 2 life, if that land was non-basic your opponent also loses 2 life.
Sinkholes are way too strong in modern.
But something like this could work I guess? RG Insert name Sorcery
Destroy target non-basic land. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle their library.
Draw a card.
Counterspell stops one spell in a 1 for 1, maybe. Land destruction aims to stop all spells with a couple 1 for 1s. We're talking Control vs Prison, they're not the same.
2cmc land destruction is just way too fast. Ponza players, from what I have seen, are only asking for another 3cmc spell, they wouldn't dare ask for a 2cmc spell. As far as restrictions go, 10 life means nothing if you can't do anything.
I think it's likely we see Vindicate in MH1, which would invalidate a lot of Land Destruction spells that cost 3 or more. Therefore, if Wizards is at all okay with narrow LD spells and strategies being a thing, creating some modern 2 CMC LD spells makes sense to me. Heck, we already have Smallpox and Boom, which are 2 CMC LD spells, and have very little downside when played alongside Flagstones of Trokair. Not to mention Assassin's Trophy, which is an instant speed 2 CMC spell that can blow up any opposing land.
My best guess at what they would make is probably something like:
Land destruction is just one of those mechanics that is either too weak or seriously oppressive and doesn't function in between very easily. I think many people would describe counters similarly, but, as I linked to a bunch of cards before, Counters have plenty of holes. Land destruction does not.
You've probably laid out a drawback that would make it fair, but honestly I don't think Ponza would be okay with sacrificing 2 permanents on T2. Exile the top 20 means virtually nothing, library as a resource isn't a very big cost very often and can easily be turned into card draw if you know what you're doing. Destroy a land draw a card? Uh, no. Tap two lands for 1 card? The difference between one turn and two turns is probably the difference between "too weak" and "seriously oppressive". Can't play lands is another affect that's really hard to judge between the two extremes, not to mention the question that comes with Scry 3. RG Raze is probably also boarder line the same way the other one is.
Anyway, the point is that WotC has said that Land destruction is not something theywant to be encouraging. While nearly every set has some kind of land denial, it is never at 2cmc unless it returns them an untapped basic, it's rarely at 3cmc with minimal up side or restrictions, and is represented at 4cmc+ a majority of the time. Their preferred method has clearly been higher 4cmc+ for general land destruction or non-basic replacement for less than 4cmc.
I think those trends are fairly clear if you compare when Stone Rain, Molten Rain, and Blood Moon "entered" the format compared to what has been printed since then.
I'm clearly no fan of any kind of land denial though. You can look through my history and see that I would have Blood Moon banned in a heartbeat, so trying to convince me that 2cmc land destruction is going to be okay is going to be a fairly decided exchange.
Mystic Reverberation3 Instant
Destroy all artifacts and enchantments.
Doom Blast1 Sorcery
Destroy all creatures.
Landbreaking Sorcery
Destroy target land.
Powerful Surge Instant
Split second
Exile target spell or permanent or card from graveyard.
They are amazing designs. They break the color pie too much to ever see the light of day but they are super balanced while doing that. I don't understand the design behind the last one but that's just me... It does too little for that prohibiting cost. It should also draw a card or maybe just scry.
Reading all these LD cards gave me a nifty idea for one:
Forced Mining1R Sorcery
Destroy target land an opponent controls. That player creates two colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
This way, the player on the receiving end can still cast things for a few more turns as they dig for a replacement land, and they're even ramped slightly. On the other hand, if you stick Stony Silence first, Forced Mining becomes an insanely good true Sinkhole.
Reading all these LD cards gave me a nifty idea for one:
Forced Mining1R Sorcery
Destroy target land an opponent controls. That player creates two colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
This way, the player on the receiving end can still cast things for a few more turns as they dig for a replacement land, and they're even ramped slightly. On the other hand, if you stick Stony Silence first, Forced Mining becomes an insanely good true Sinkhole.
I like the basic idea, but perhaps something more like this:
Mad MiningRR Sorcery
Destroy target land. It's controller creates two tapped colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “t, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
That way you can potentially use it on yourself, made the mana cost a bit harder to help compensate for the self-targeting option and the tokens coming in tapped (so you can't use it right away to make up the cost of casting the spell while also destroying a tapped land from that turn. Your opponent would usually untap with them at the start of their next untap step since it's a sorcery.
Edit: Adding a new card idea pair:
SecrecyU Instant
You may reveal this card from your opening hand, if you do, you have hexproof from the start of the game until you play your first land.
Choose one -
* Counter target spell that targets you.
* Scry 3.
PrivacyW Instant
You may reveal this card from your opening hand, if you do, you have hexproof from the start of the game until you play your first land.
Choose one -
* Counter target spell that targets you.
* Gain 4 life.
April1 Artifact Creature Time - Human
Flash
When April enters the battlefield, if it's the first to do so this turn, create a 1/1 green pig creature token with flying.
When April or a flying creature leaves the battlefield, it's controller gains a poison counter. 1/1
Reading all these LD cards gave me a nifty idea for one:
Forced Mining1R Sorcery
Destroy target land an opponent controls. That player creates two colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
This way, the player on the receiving end can still cast things for a few more turns as they dig for a replacement land, and they're even ramped slightly. On the other hand, if you stick Stony Silence first, Forced Mining becomes an insanely good true Sinkhole.
I'm a very big fan of this card. I think it should be able to target yourself as well though
With modern horizons coming up, I've been giving a bunch of thought to this topic and came up with a few things.
Righteous Vanguard
Creature- Human Soldier
Lifelink
If a spell or ability an opponent controls is targeting you, you may reveal a Plains in your hand instead of paying Righteous Vanguard’s mana cost and may cast it as though it had flash.
3/2
Elusive Bogle
Creature- Bogle
Elusive Bogle can't be countered.
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may exile Elusive Bogle until end of turn.
3/3
While it ironically stinks in traditional Bogle decks, this card would act as a pressure valve against control decks. This card is VERY difficult to deal with outside of combat (dodging everything except death triggers and Executioner's Capsule-esque activated abilities) but non-control decks can beat this thing without too much difficulty.
Tyrant's Bane
Creature- Human Knight
Spells with a converted mana cost of 6 or higher cost 2 more to cast.
2/1
A somewhat less terrifying version of Baleful Strix that doesn't 2-1 your opponent but that forces your opponent to give up a creature instead of a kill spell (making it decent against Death's Shadow)
Choking Undergrowth
Enchantment
Artifacts enter the battlefield tapped.
Whenever a land that entered the battlefield this turn is tapped for mana, it adds that much instead.
A Blind Obedience sort of card for green that makes things really tricky for good old Prime-Time.
Food // Drink Sorcery // Sorcery
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. Gain 1 life. // Untap target permanent. Scry 1.
Milk W // Honey G Instant // Instant
Create a 1/1 white cat creature token with vigilance. // Target creature must be blocked this turn if able. Untap another target creature, it loses all activated abilities and can't be used in any way as part of the costs to activate other spells or abilities it's owner controls until end of turn.
Bread W // Fish U Sorcery // Sorcery
Creatures you control gain +0/+2 and vigilance until end of turn. // Create a 1/1 blue fish creature token with "Sacrifice this creature: Scry 2."
Milk W // Honey G Instant // Instant
Create a 1/1 white cat creature token with vigilance. // Target creature must be blocked this turn if able. Untap another target creature, it loses all activated abilities and can't be used in any way as part of the costs to activate other spells or abilities it's owner controls until end of turn.
I don't understand the second half of this card. "Used in any way" doesn't have a valid rules definition, so you have to specifically call out what you want this card to do.
I was trying to imply it couldn't be used to do things like tap or sacrifice or whatnot as part of the cost of a spell or ability, whatever that specific spell or ability is, if the action is in the cost, it couldn't be used. Does it need to have a valid rules definition? I thought card text (or at least the latest oracle versions of such) trumped the base game rules? If it has to have a valid rules definition and something specific needs to be called out, perhaps just specifically that it can't be tapped as part of the cost of activating a spell or ability?
I was trying to imply it couldn't be used to do things like tap or sacrifice or whatnot as part of the cost of a spell or ability, whatever that specific spell or ability is, if the action is in the cost, it couldn't be used. Does it need to have a valid rules definition? I thought card text (or at least the latest oracle versions of such) trumped the base game rules? If it has to have a valid rules definition and something specific needs to be called out, perhaps just specifically that it can't be tapped as part of the cost of activating a spell or ability?
The bit about card text trumping game rules applies to direct conflicts between the rules and card text. You know, like how the rules say you get an untap step to untap all of your permanents, but Stasis contradicts that by saying the step does not happen. Stasis beats how the untap step works.
What that rules does not do, which you might be confused about, is free cards from the language through which the rules operate. Giving every part of the game its own definition is what allows it to be consistent and able to absorb new cards and mechanics. Even something as unique and apparently open as Progenitus's protection from everything has a concrete definition:
2/1/2009
“Protection from everything” means the following: Progenitus can’t be blocked, Progenitus can’t be enchanted or equipped, Progenitus can’t be the target of spells or abilities, and all damage that would be dealt to Progenitus is prevented.
This standardization is unfriendly to loose catch-all terms like "affect," which appear in custom cards from time to time, but it has the advantage of being highly transparent.
To that end, making the targeted creature unable to be tapped or sacrificed as part of paying a cost would suffice for your custom card.
Unstoppable FloodingUU Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Land.
Unstoppable flooding can't be countered.
Hexproof.
Enchanted land is an Island. Enchanted land can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
When Unstoppable Flooding enters the battlefield, return all other enchantments and fortifications attached to the enchanted land to their owner's hand.
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, tap all it's controller's other lands, that player's lands can't be untapped by spells or abilities until the start of the next turn.
Since they won't unban Deathrite Shaman to fight graveyard strategies, what about something like this in Modern Horizons?
Liferite Cleric(R/W) Creature - Dwarf Cleric T: Exile target land card from a graveyard. Search your library for a Plains card, reveal it and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. R, T: Exile target instant or sorcery card from a graveyard. Liferite Cleric deals 2 damage to each opponent. W, T: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life.
2/1
B
Super Scarab Feast
Instant
Exile up to three target cards from a single graveyard.
Cycling B
Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
Surgical Extraction without phyrexian mana that cantrips
Sinkholes are way too strong in modern.
But something like this could work I guess?
RG
Insert name
Sorcery
Destroy target non-basic land. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle their library.
Draw a card.
2cmc land destruction is just way too fast. Ponza players, from what I have seen, are only asking for another 3cmc spell, they wouldn't dare ask for a 2cmc spell. As far as restrictions go, 10 life means nothing if you can't do anything.
"Reveal a Dragon"
My best guess at what they would make is probably something like:
BR
Fulminate
Sorcery
Destroy target nonbasic land.
Or, if they really want to go for it, they can reprint From the Ashes.
You've probably laid out a drawback that would make it fair, but honestly I don't think Ponza would be okay with sacrificing 2 permanents on T2. Exile the top 20 means virtually nothing, library as a resource isn't a very big cost very often and can easily be turned into card draw if you know what you're doing. Destroy a land draw a card? Uh, no. Tap two lands for 1 card? The difference between one turn and two turns is probably the difference between "too weak" and "seriously oppressive". Can't play lands is another affect that's really hard to judge between the two extremes, not to mention the question that comes with Scry 3. RG Raze is probably also boarder line the same way the other one is.
Anyway, the point is that WotC has said that Land destruction is not something they want to be encouraging. While nearly every set has some kind of land denial, it is never at 2cmc unless it returns them an untapped basic, it's rarely at 3cmc with minimal up side or restrictions, and is represented at 4cmc+ a majority of the time. Their preferred method has clearly been higher 4cmc+ for general land destruction or non-basic replacement for less than 4cmc.
I think those trends are fairly clear if you compare when Stone Rain, Molten Rain, and Blood Moon "entered" the format compared to what has been printed since then.
I'm clearly no fan of any kind of land denial though. You can look through my history and see that I would have Blood Moon banned in a heartbeat, so trying to convince me that 2cmc land destruction is going to be okay is going to be a fairly decided exchange.
"Reveal a Dragon"
Sorcery
Destroy target enchantment.
Break Artifact 1
Instant
Destroy target artifact.
Kill Creature
Sorcery
Destroy target creature.
Counter Spellcasting 1
Instant
Counter target spell.
Mystic Reverberation 3
Instant
Destroy all artifacts and enchantments.
Doom Blast 1
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures.
Landbreaking
Sorcery
Destroy target land.
Powerful Surge
Instant
Split second
Exile target spell or permanent or card from graveyard.
WUMiracles ControlUW
RUBGrixis Death's ShadowBUR
Forced Mining 1R
Sorcery
Destroy target land an opponent controls. That player creates two colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
This way, the player on the receiving end can still cast things for a few more turns as they dig for a replacement land, and they're even ramped slightly. On the other hand, if you stick Stony Silence first, Forced Mining becomes an insanely good true Sinkhole.
I like the basic idea, but perhaps something more like this:
Mad Mining RR
Sorcery
Destroy target land. It's controller creates two tapped colorless Treasure artifact tokens with “t, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
That way you can potentially use it on yourself, made the mana cost a bit harder to help compensate for the self-targeting option and the tokens coming in tapped (so you can't use it right away to make up the cost of casting the spell while also destroying a tapped land from that turn. Your opponent would usually untap with them at the start of their next untap step since it's a sorcery.
Edit: Adding a new card idea pair:
Secrecy U
Instant
You may reveal this card from your opening hand, if you do, you have hexproof from the start of the game until you play your first land.
Choose one -
* Counter target spell that targets you.
* Scry 3.
Privacy W
Instant
You may reveal this card from your opening hand, if you do, you have hexproof from the start of the game until you play your first land.
Choose one -
* Counter target spell that targets you.
* Gain 4 life.
Artifact Creature Time - Human
Flash
When April enters the battlefield, if it's the first to do so this turn, create a 1/1 green pig creature token with flying.
When April or a flying creature leaves the battlefield, it's controller gains a poison counter.
1/1
Gideon's Champion
Human Soldier
Indestructible
When ~ attacks it get's +1/+1 equal to defending player number of mana.
When ~ blocks it get's +1/+1 equal to attacking player number of mana.
1/1
I'm a very big fan of this card. I think it should be able to target yourself as well though
Nahiri's Aprentice
Kor Artificer
Search for an equipment card with 3 or less casting in your library and put it in your hand.
1/1
Instant - R
Exile target non-land permanent with CMC 3 or less. You gain 2 life.
Feel like a MB answer to artifacts/enchantments/planeswalkers is what is missing for BW midrange (well that and a 2 drop threat other than Confidant).
Land
T: Add C to your mana pool.
T: Add CC to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if you control 2 or more basic lands.
Righteous Vanguard
Creature- Human Soldier
Lifelink
If a spell or ability an opponent controls is targeting you, you may reveal a Plains in your hand instead of paying Righteous Vanguard’s mana cost and may cast it as though it had flash.
3/2
An effect that punishes a turn 1 Thoughtseize or Lightning Bolt is always a cool inclusion.
Elusive Bogle
Creature- Bogle
Elusive Bogle can't be countered.
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may exile Elusive Bogle until end of turn.
3/3
While it ironically stinks in traditional Bogle decks, this card would act as a pressure valve against control decks. This card is VERY difficult to deal with outside of combat (dodging everything except death triggers and Executioner's Capsule-esque activated abilities) but non-control decks can beat this thing without too much difficulty.
Tyrant's Bane
Creature- Human Knight
Spells with a converted mana cost of 6 or higher cost 2 more to cast.
2/1
Just a card to set tron back a turn or two.
Cloudscale Serpent
Creature- Snake
Deathtouch, Hexproof
1/1
A somewhat less terrifying version of Baleful Strix that doesn't 2-1 your opponent but that forces your opponent to give up a creature instead of a kill spell (making it decent against Death's Shadow)
Choking Undergrowth
Enchantment
Artifacts enter the battlefield tapped.
Whenever a land that entered the battlefield this turn is tapped for mana, it adds that much
A Blind Obedience sort of card for green that makes things really tricky for good old Prime-Time.
I've been thinking there needs to be another black sweeper. Most the 3 CMC ones only do -2/-2 and that just isn't enough a lot of the time.
Improved Infest 1BB
Sorcery
All creatures get -3/-3 until end of turn.
They could also just reprint Toxic Deluge, but that might be too strong.
Sorcery // Sorcery
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. Gain 1 life. // Untap target permanent. Scry 1.
Milk W // Honey G
Instant // Instant
Create a 1/1 white cat creature token with vigilance. // Target creature must be blocked this turn if able. Untap another target creature, it loses all activated abilities and can't be used in any way as part of the costs to activate other spells or abilities it's owner controls until end of turn.
Bread W // Fish U
Sorcery // Sorcery
Creatures you control gain +0/+2 and vigilance until end of turn. // Create a 1/1 blue fish creature token with "Sacrifice this creature: Scry 2."
I don't understand the second half of this card. "Used in any way" doesn't have a valid rules definition, so you have to specifically call out what you want this card to do.
The bit about card text trumping game rules applies to direct conflicts between the rules and card text. You know, like how the rules say you get an untap step to untap all of your permanents, but Stasis contradicts that by saying the step does not happen. Stasis beats how the untap step works.
What that rules does not do, which you might be confused about, is free cards from the language through which the rules operate. Giving every part of the game its own definition is what allows it to be consistent and able to absorb new cards and mechanics. Even something as unique and apparently open as Progenitus's protection from everything has a concrete definition:
2/1/2009
“Protection from everything” means the following: Progenitus can’t be blocked, Progenitus can’t be enchanted or equipped, Progenitus can’t be the target of spells or abilities, and all damage that would be dealt to Progenitus is prevented.
This standardization is unfriendly to loose catch-all terms like "affect," which appear in custom cards from time to time, but it has the advantage of being highly transparent.
To that end, making the targeted creature unable to be tapped or sacrificed as part of paying a cost would suffice for your custom card.
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Land.
Unstoppable flooding can't be countered.
Hexproof.
Enchanted land is an Island. Enchanted land can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
When Unstoppable Flooding enters the battlefield, return all other enchantments and fortifications attached to the enchanted land to their owner's hand.
Whenever enchanted land is tapped for mana, tap all it's controller's other lands, that player's lands can't be untapped by spells or abilities until the start of the next turn.
Liferite Cleric (R/W)
Creature - Dwarf Cleric
T: Exile target land card from a graveyard. Search your library for a Plains card, reveal it and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
R, T: Exile target instant or sorcery card from a graveyard. Liferite Cleric deals 2 damage to each opponent.
W, T: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain 2 life.
2/1
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Phyrexian Wrath
Sorcery
Destroy all creatures with -1/-1 counters on them.
3W
Mirran's Vengeance
Sorcery
Exile all creatures without any equipment attached on them.
2U
Vedalkens Retreat
Instant
Return all creatures without -1/-1 counter on them to their owner hand.
1G
Sylvok's Defense
Instant
Creatures with +1/+1 counter on them gains indestructible until the end of turn.
R
Kuldotha Bombs
Instant
Deals 3 damage to each creature with -1/-1 counter on them.