Psychomancer1UR
Creature -- Human Wizard (R)
Psychomancer is unblockable.
As long as Psychomancer is attacking, its power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in defending player's hand. Otherwise, its power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.
*/*
Ninjutsu
As Fang of Numai enters the battlefield, you may exile any number of Swamps you control. Fang of Numai enters the battlefield with that many +1/+1 counters on it.
When Fang of Numai leaves the battlefield, return to the battlefield all Swamp cards exiled with it.
Entrant 3: Cool idea, but for three cards as inter-parasitic as these, their abilities should have far more synergy.
Entrant 6: Wow, you went there. To be honest, these are actually pretty good designs considering the restrictions.
Entrant 7: I'm sure cards like these lie down the road in real Magic, but today, they're pretty overwhelming in 'outside the box-ness'.
Entrant 10: Marik's second ability should be replacement ('if' rather than 'when') and needs a whole bunch of extra stuff to be useful - as is, he survives destruction effects nicely, but if he's lethally damaged or has toughness 0 or less, he's in trouble. I think something like "At the beginning of each end step, if Marik is in your graveyard and died this turn, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, return Marik to the battlefield" would've been nicer.
Entrant 12: Cool flavour, but feels like a bunch of red's mechanics tacked on to three similar cards, scaling only in stats and rarity. Could've been so much more!
Entrant 13: The 'single target' restriction feels fairly forced on Murky Nebula, which is pretty much a strict upgrade on Fog since you can just target the active player, and I'm not sure it's even satisfied on Corrosive Bolt.
Entrant 17: Probably my favourite entry.
Entrant 20: Tough mechanic to turn into a vertical cycle, and I think these are pretty good, but Battle Dirge definitely feels uncommon.
Entrant 15: Flusterfall would be beautiful if it were to be +0/+4; as it is, it\'s out of colour (probably should be kicker B)
This is an interesting point. Should a multicolor card not be allowed to combine two perfectly in-color effects if the net result is an out-of-color effect? I would argue that it should be allowed. If (for example) I can play Stream of Unconsciousness and then Inside Out without needing (or even :symr:), why are they out of color on the same card?
Wow, the second preview... Deny is a super Counterspell, considering library is often better than graveyard due to more graveyard interactions (which seems extremely wrong in white); it may have been fine at WU but not hybrid... and Crackling Phantasm is not constructed playable.
Agreed on the insanity of Deny, but I'd rate Crackling Phantasm as worth a look in Constructed at least, because you can target your own spells in a pinch.
Ghostly Strobe2WU
Enchantment (MR)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, its controller puts a creature token onto the battlefield that's a copy of it.
Whenever a nontoken creature leaves the battlefield, its controller sacrifices all creature tokens he or she controls with the same name as that creature.
SoulsongWB
Instant (U)
Target creature gains lifelink and deathtouch until end of turn. When that creature dies this turn, put a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with lifelink and deathtouch onto the battlefield.
Rage Engine3
Artifact (R)
:3mana:, :symtap:: Skip all non-combat phases of your next turn. At the beginning of the first combat phase of that turn, untap all creatures you control, then there is an additional combat phase.
Convivial Surge 2GW
Instant (U)
Put a +1/+1 coutner on target creature for each creature you control. You gain 1 life for each creature you control. "This round's on me." - Tirrun, lapsed disciple of Iapheth
Spot-on flavour and power. I know this is a contentious point with cards like this, but I think this is a case where using X would be preferable to connect the abilities better, especially given it's an uncommon: "Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature and you gain X life, where X is the number of creatures you control."
Fireblood Draught1R
Sorcery {COMMON} Alchemize— You may pay R and exile a nonland card from your hand rather than pay Fireblood Draught’s mana cost.
Target creature gets +3/+0 until end of turn. If you exiled a red card to cast Fireblood Draught, that creature gains haste until end of turn. Fermented salamander blood forms the basis for a medicine that burns the blood and inflames the brain.
Hits the "rocket fuel" feeling, but personally I think the ability would be more elegant if it required an exiled red card in the first place and always gave haste, rather than having a replacement cost AND an extra ability if you use that replacement cost.
Mizzet Twister 3UR
Sorcery (R)
Put two tokens onto the battlefield that's a copy of target creature you control. Exile those tokens at the beginning of the next end step. "Mana infused liquors, a hint of dragons fire, all flash fermented in Mizzium stills. It's so strong, you'll see triple."
-Emeric,Arcane Trickster
Should read "...that are copies of...", but other than that, I think this is fantastic. I suspect others will wish it gave haste or wish it was an instant, but I don't - it's a card catering directly to Johnny as is.
Heaven's Firewater
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant Planewalker
Enchanted planeswalker becomes a 0/0 Outsider creature with “This creature gets +1/+1 for each loyalty counter on it.” that’s still a planeswalker. "Time for some mano a mano, eh Garruk?" - Gideon, the Inebriated
Light-hearted and fun, but much too wacky a design. Obviously planeswalker Auras are untrodden ground, but when they inevitably appear, they will most certainly be rare, most certainly be more than glorified removal, and most certainly not create the rules nightmare that a "Planeswalker Creature -- Outsider Gideon" would.
Spellspice Elixir2 U, Sacrifice Spellspice Elixir: Until end of turn, whenever you cast a spell, draw a card. B , Sacrifice Spellspice Elixir: Until end of turn, whenever you cast a spell, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. Each spice changes the flavor drastically.
A nice safe design that doesn't push any buttons - but arguably, blue/black is the colour pair least likely to go around pushing buttons anyway. Flavour text is unbearably literal though.
Oran-Rief SapGG
Sorcery (C)
Gain 5 life.
Draw a card. It is said Zendikar's trees can produce a healing salve.
Or was it a poisonous toxin?
No I am pretty sure it was a healing salve.
Clearly the least conspicuous drink on the menu! That said, I don't think this a direction that life gain should or would go. It's one of the game's least exciting mechanics, and recent sets have overcome that by at least making it more interative or more of a side-effect.
Instant (C)
Draw a card. Discard a card at the beginning the next end step.
Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn.)
"The more, the merrier" only works for a few hours...
Storm card! It takes a lot of effort to make a balanced storm card. Some say it's impossible, and this doesn't provide evidence against that, providing even more fuel for degenerate storm decks.
Violent Vortex2RRR
Sorcery (R)
Target opponent sacrifices a permanent. Exile Violent Vortex with X time counters on it, where X is that permanent's converted mana cost plus 1. It gains suspend.
Mutual Growth2G
Sorcery (U)
Buyback---Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control.
Distribute two +1/+1 counters among one or two target creatures you control.
Creature -- Human Wizard (R)
Psychomancer is unblockable.
As long as Psychomancer is attacking, its power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in defending player's hand. Otherwise, its power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.
*/*
As Fang of Numai enters the battlefield, you may exile any number of Swamps you control. Fang of Numai enters the battlefield with that many +1/+1 counters on it.
When Fang of Numai leaves the battlefield, return to the battlefield all Swamp cards exiled with it.
Creature -- Elemental (R)
Trample, deathtouch, haste
4/3
Entrant 3: Cool idea, but for three cards as inter-parasitic as these, their abilities should have far more synergy.
Entrant 6: Wow, you went there. To be honest, these are actually pretty good designs considering the restrictions.
Entrant 7: I'm sure cards like these lie down the road in real Magic, but today, they're pretty overwhelming in 'outside the box-ness'.
Entrant 10: Marik's second ability should be replacement ('if' rather than 'when') and needs a whole bunch of extra stuff to be useful - as is, he survives destruction effects nicely, but if he's lethally damaged or has toughness 0 or less, he's in trouble. I think something like "At the beginning of each end step, if Marik is in your graveyard and died this turn, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, return Marik to the battlefield" would've been nicer.
Entrant 12: Cool flavour, but feels like a bunch of red's mechanics tacked on to three similar cards, scaling only in stats and rarity. Could've been so much more!
Entrant 13: The 'single target' restriction feels fairly forced on Murky Nebula, which is pretty much a strict upgrade on Fog since you can just target the active player, and I'm not sure it's even satisfied on Corrosive Bolt.
Entrant 17: Probably my favourite entry.
Entrant 20: Tough mechanic to turn into a vertical cycle, and I think these are pretty good, but Battle Dirge definitely feels uncommon.
This is an interesting point. Should a multicolor card not be allowed to combine two perfectly in-color effects if the net result is an out-of-color effect? I would argue that it should be allowed. If (for example) I can play Stream of Unconsciousness and then Inside Out without needing
Agreed on the insanity of Deny, but I'd rate Crackling Phantasm as worth a look in Constructed at least, because you can target your own spells in a pinch.
Enchantment (MR)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield, its controller puts a creature token onto the battlefield that's a copy of it.
Whenever a nontoken creature leaves the battlefield, its controller sacrifices all creature tokens he or she controls with the same name as that creature.
Instant (U)
Target creature gains lifelink and deathtouch until end of turn. When that creature dies this turn, put a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with lifelink and deathtouch onto the battlefield.
Creature -- Ooze (R)
Devour 2
Osmosisplasm has all activated abilities of each creatures it devoured.
2/2
Artifact (R)
:3mana:, :symtap:: Skip all non-combat phases of your next turn. At the beginning of the first combat phase of that turn, untap all creatures you control, then there is an additional combat phase.
Spot-on flavour and power. I know this is a contentious point with cards like this, but I think this is a case where using X would be preferable to connect the abilities better, especially given it's an uncommon: "Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature and you gain X life, where X is the number of creatures you control."
Hits the "rocket fuel" feeling, but personally I think the ability would be more elegant if it required an exiled red card in the first place and always gave haste, rather than having a replacement cost AND an extra ability if you use that replacement cost.
Should read "...that are copies of...", but other than that, I think this is fantastic. I suspect others will wish it gave haste or wish it was an instant, but I don't - it's a card catering directly to Johnny as is.
Light-hearted and fun, but much too wacky a design. Obviously planeswalker Auras are untrodden ground, but when they inevitably appear, they will most certainly be rare, most certainly be more than glorified removal, and most certainly not create the rules nightmare that a "Planeswalker Creature -- Outsider Gideon" would.
A nice safe design that doesn't push any buttons - but arguably, blue/black is the colour pair least likely to go around pushing buttons anyway. Flavour text is unbearably literal though.
Clearly the least conspicuous drink on the menu! That said, I don't think this a direction that life gain should or would go. It's one of the game's least exciting mechanics, and recent sets have overcome that by at least making it more interative or more of a side-effect.
Storm card! It takes a lot of effort to make a balanced storm card. Some say it's impossible, and this doesn't provide evidence against that, providing even more fuel for degenerate storm decks.
2. void_nothing
3. Link
Sorcery (R)
Target opponent sacrifices a permanent. Exile Violent Vortex with X time counters on it, where X is that permanent's converted mana cost plus 1. It gains suspend.
Creature -- Elemental (U)
Flying
Whenever Wandersong attacks, untap target land.
2/2
Sorcery (U)
Buyback---Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control.
Distribute two +1/+1 counters among one or two target creatures you control.