One other item I wanted to toss into the ring: if you can clean up the wording a bit, you might be able to limit it's scope and make it a recurring them but not a keyword. Maybe a few uncommon/rare cards with a simpler version of it?
WOTC has recently dabbled with a new template on Red spells that essentially taps down a land for an extra turn, so maybe this could apply here? Also pushed stats to connect it Red's hit-'em-hard theme.
Snarling Flame-Flinger1R
Creature - Elemental Hound
Haste
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target nonbasic land an opponent controls. That land does not untap during its controller's next untap step.
3/2
From another perspective, they might be designed around their wedge theme (cunning, endurance, etc.) which could change their design. The Mardu clan might like the first two abilities but wouldn't necessarily sign up for the double raise dead. Just a thought.
Izzet Disrupter 2UR
Creature - Human Wizard
Flash
When Izzet Disrupter enters the battlefield, choose one -- Counter target instant or sorcery spell; or Izzet Disrupter deals damage equal to its power to target crature.
2/2
Since one life isn't exactly huge, and the shocklands are probably the max power level dual lands should get to in the modern era, this should probably enter tapped unless you control TYPE A or TYPE B.
I'm starting this up to bring back an idea that fell flat a couple of years ago. I'm working on a format built around Egyptian- and African-themed myths and ideas. As the back-story and ideas get more fleshed out I will continue to update ideas; if anyone feels they are on board with all of the ideas put forward and wants to chip in, feel free to post or PM to discuss this further.
Storyline
The leylines underpinning the mana of the world collapsed generations ago. Marked by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, pestilence and droughts, life began to shrivel and spoil without the natural energies holding the plane together. The how and why have long since been forgotten; several factions now fight for any means of surviving on a desolate wasteland. Some have begun work to reinvigorate the earth around them, while others cobble together borders and beliefs based on their misinterpreted memories of the kingdoms of old. Still others have embraced the new order of their plane and do whatever they deem necessary to thrive. Their conflicts will determine the fate of a plane on the brink of extinction.
Mechanics
Reincarnate <COST> (Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may exile this card from your graveyard and <PAY COST>. If you do, that spell is reincarnated with this card.)
Reincarnate represents the lineage of ideas and abilities through tribes and factions. When you pay the Reincarnate cost on cards in your graveyard, the cards are exiled and additional abilities are given to the pending spell. In terms of rules, the ability works the same way kicker would. Cost is paid during the casting of the spell and announced when the spell is put on the stack. Here are some samples:
Fickle Efreet 2R
Creature - Efreet
When Fickle Efreet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
Reincarnate 1R
Whenever a creature reincarnated with Fickle Efreet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
2/2
Scar-Blade Scavanger 3BB
Creature - Human Rogue
When Scar-Blade Scavenger enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Reincarnate 1BB
Whenever a creature reincarnated with Scar-Blade Scavenger enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
3/2
Exert <COST> (You may cast this card during your upkeep for it's Exert cost. If you do, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy.)
Because of the mana struggles on the plane, conjuring large and powerful spells is very costly to do. Exert represents the sheer cost of spellcasting and the inefficiency of the mana produced in the plane. Samples, as always:
Sudden Splintering BB
Sorcery
Target player sacrifices a creature.
Exert 4BB
Desperate Search U
Instant
Draw a card.
Exert 3U
Wither(This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
The returning mechanic, Wither represents the ability to deal permanent blows in the desperate throws of combat. Some creatures specialize in torturing their adversaries until they wear down to nothing.
Witherwhip Viper 2RR
Creature - Snake
Wither, first strike
3/1
Venomous Scuttler 4G
Creature - Spider
Wither
2/5
Mechanical Themes
Gravyard Matters - This block is very much about a plane where the lines are blurred between life and death, where the value of an ally may not outweigh the value of his or her corpse. Several mechanics involve using the graveyard as a resource:
-Reincarnate
-Exiling cards as a resource/cost
-Raise dead effects, targeting different card types for different colors
-Various small reanimation effects
Death Matters - Going hand-in-hand with the graveyard theme, several tribes or factions on this plane feed off of the death of their adversaries to grow stronger. Sacrificing one to save another is commonplace.
-Death triggers & effects triggered by creatures dying
-Sacrifice themes: sacrificed creatures p/t matter, triggered effects on creatures if they are sacrificed
-Scaling spells and abilities depending on the number of creatures that have died this turn
-1/-1 Counters - Trapped on a plane where death can lurk under every rock and in every pair of eyes, creatures often carry on when injured or seriously ill. Other creatures learn to survive specifically by scarring or poisoning their opponents. These counters are meant to convey various methods through which the characters in this world find ever-more creative methods to outlast each other.
-Wither
-Putting -1/-1 counters on creatures through spells and abilities
-Parasitic creatures put -1/-1 counters on your own creatures to make themselves better
-Creatures put -1/-1 counters on themselves for triggered abilities or to cast mini-spells
I'll post the rest of the build-around themes and the ten two-color combinations' strategies as I flesh them out tomorrow or the day after.
The green one strikes me as the more playable one because the ability is so open-ended. It is also a unique way to reward green for playing their cheap accelerators, which can be dead draws in the late game. Celestial of Life also creates an interesting sub-game in my mind: It isn't the most dangerous threat on the board, but if you can't remove it as soon as it hits play, then it is probably going to present more threats than the opponent can handle. He instantly changes how players have to use their removal, because control decks can't spend turns digging for their Terror and aggro decks who use their removal too aggressively will get punished if they can't deal with him.
The black one is a little less open-ended, but I could see it having a small role in a midrange deck similar to INN-RTR jund, where it can shine in matchups against resilient threats as a way to answer multiple threats with one kill spell. It's probably more of a sideboard card, but it is aggressively costed, so it might get there. It really depends on the format around it.
I can get behind all of these, but one tweak I would make is the wording on the vampire. I would probably phrase it "(casting ability) as long as another creature died this turn." Mostly because he can trigger off of himself, which feels like a huge flavor violation.
These versions without keywords are pretty legitimate. I think I would use the template from Cranial Extraction for the black one, just to clean up extra words that don't serve much purpose. I also like that the get more streamlined, the 5/5 for 5 makes sense with the direction creatures are going.
I think we need to reign in Mirrormind. I can turn my opponent's dragon into a basic Plains mid-combat, which is extremely complex and quite a stretch on the flavor of the card. I do like being able to morph any creature into a copy of another creature in play, however.
I don't think there is anything wrong with Humbler of All, but I do know that Humility creates a lot of unexpected headaches for players who are not well-versed in layering effects. I like it, but I have to admit I think I would rather see it in a regular expansion. The rules complications just don't seem to line up with the ethos of a core set, but that could just be me.
Love Terravolving, it feels like it is still doing something when I have nothing better to do on seven mana than cut all the extra lands in my deck. Not sure if the cost is balanced but only actual testing will solve that.
Vigorous Hydra is probably the perfect flashy Green rare dude for a core set. Kudos.
I almost wonder if Bonded Muscle should be a creature with soulbond. That way it is much more clear to players what would happen if one creature left the battlefield.
I like the idea of indellible only granting keywords or minor boosts as an after effect. The white one could be +2/+2 and vigilance, and the indellible version simply grants vigilance. This might help the design in terms of balance. I mean, if the red one grants +1/+1 and first strike, that's a pretty big improvement on Glorious Anthem.
Flush with Rage is a great nuts-and-bolts card, though maybe a bit too powerful to be considered balanced. Still, I love it and the spike in me wants to see that at the uncommon slot in my first draft pack.
I like what smokeseer is doing, but I really dislike how counter-intuitive the phrase "damage is dealt in the form of +1/+1 counters" tends to sound. I think this makes more sense, both in the color pie and in the textbox, if it becomes a Boros card and uses the Test of Faith template for this effect.
I dislike the belt's strictly green activation cost. I think I would like to see this have a colorless activation cost and have the Cranial Plating ability to benefit it's role in a green deck. It would be a sweet uncommon and it would make sense if it found a home in a non-green deck.
I think this works fine as is. I visualize this the way MTGO allows you to declare attackers and blockers: when the opponent tries to block something else instead of this guy, the block is declared illegal, all creatures stop blocking and the opponent starts their declare step over again. It would function much like the combat clause on Loyal Pegasus
Snarling Flame-Flinger1R
Creature - Elemental Hound
Haste
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target nonbasic land an opponent controls. That land does not untap during its controller's next untap step.
3/2
Creature - Human Wizard
Flash
When Izzet Disrupter enters the battlefield, choose one -- Counter target instant or sorcery spell; or Izzet Disrupter deals damage equal to its power to target crature.
2/2
Storyline
Mechanics
Reincarnate <COST> (Whenever you cast a creature spell, you may exile this card from your graveyard and <PAY COST>. If you do, that spell is reincarnated with this card.)
Reincarnate represents the lineage of ideas and abilities through tribes and factions. When you pay the Reincarnate cost on cards in your graveyard, the cards are exiled and additional abilities are given to the pending spell. In terms of rules, the ability works the same way kicker would. Cost is paid during the casting of the spell and announced when the spell is put on the stack. Here are some samples:
Fickle Efreet 2R
Creature - Efreet
When Fickle Efreet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
Reincarnate 1R
Whenever a creature reincarnated with Fickle Efreet enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
2/2
Scar-Blade Scavanger 3BB
Creature - Human Rogue
When Scar-Blade Scavenger enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Reincarnate 1BB
Whenever a creature reincarnated with Scar-Blade Scavenger enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
3/2
Exert <COST> (You may cast this card during your upkeep for it's Exert cost. If you do, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy.)
Because of the mana struggles on the plane, conjuring large and powerful spells is very costly to do. Exert represents the sheer cost of spellcasting and the inefficiency of the mana produced in the plane. Samples, as always:
Sudden Splintering BB
Sorcery
Target player sacrifices a creature.
Exert 4BB
Desperate Search U
Instant
Draw a card.
Exert 3U
Wither (This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
The returning mechanic, Wither represents the ability to deal permanent blows in the desperate throws of combat. Some creatures specialize in torturing their adversaries until they wear down to nothing.
Witherwhip Viper 2RR
Creature - Snake
Wither, first strike
3/1
Venomous Scuttler 4G
Creature - Spider
Wither
2/5
Mechanical Themes
Gravyard Matters - This block is very much about a plane where the lines are blurred between life and death, where the value of an ally may not outweigh the value of his or her corpse. Several mechanics involve using the graveyard as a resource:
-Reincarnate
-Exiling cards as a resource/cost
-Raise dead effects, targeting different card types for different colors
-Various small reanimation effects
Death Matters - Going hand-in-hand with the graveyard theme, several tribes or factions on this plane feed off of the death of their adversaries to grow stronger. Sacrificing one to save another is commonplace.
-Death triggers & effects triggered by creatures dying
-Sacrifice themes: sacrificed creatures p/t matter, triggered effects on creatures if they are sacrificed
-Scaling spells and abilities depending on the number of creatures that have died this turn
-1/-1 Counters - Trapped on a plane where death can lurk under every rock and in every pair of eyes, creatures often carry on when injured or seriously ill. Other creatures learn to survive specifically by scarring or poisoning their opponents. These counters are meant to convey various methods through which the characters in this world find ever-more creative methods to outlast each other.
-Wither
-Putting -1/-1 counters on creatures through spells and abilities
-Parasitic creatures put -1/-1 counters on your own creatures to make themselves better
-Creatures put -1/-1 counters on themselves for triggered abilities or to cast mini-spells
I'll post the rest of the build-around themes and the ten two-color combinations' strategies as I flesh them out tomorrow or the day after.
U/B - Flying
B/R - Intimidate
R/G - Haste
G/W - Vigilance
W/B - Lifelink
U/R - Can't be blocked
B/G - Deathtouch
R/W - First Strike
G/U - Hexproof
Thoughts?
The black one is a little less open-ended, but I could see it having a small role in a midrange deck similar to INN-RTR jund, where it can shine in matchups against resilient threats as a way to answer multiple threats with one kill spell. It's probably more of a sideboard card, but it is aggressively costed, so it might get there. It really depends on the format around it.
I don't think there is anything wrong with Humbler of All, but I do know that Humility creates a lot of unexpected headaches for players who are not well-versed in layering effects. I like it, but I have to admit I think I would rather see it in a regular expansion. The rules complications just don't seem to line up with the ethos of a core set, but that could just be me.
Love Terravolving, it feels like it is still doing something when I have nothing better to do on seven mana than cut all the extra lands in my deck. Not sure if the cost is balanced but only actual testing will solve that.
Vigorous Hydra is probably the perfect flashy Green rare dude for a core set. Kudos.
I like the idea of indellible only granting keywords or minor boosts as an after effect. The white one could be +2/+2 and vigilance, and the indellible version simply grants vigilance. This might help the design in terms of balance. I mean, if the red one grants +1/+1 and first strike, that's a pretty big improvement on Glorious Anthem.
Flush with Rage is a great nuts-and-bolts card, though maybe a bit too powerful to be considered balanced. Still, I love it and the spike in me wants to see that at the uncommon slot in my first draft pack.
I like what smokeseer is doing, but I really dislike how counter-intuitive the phrase "damage is dealt in the form of +1/+1 counters" tends to sound. I think this makes more sense, both in the color pie and in the textbox, if it becomes a Boros card and uses the Test of Faith template for this effect.
I dislike the belt's strictly green activation cost. I think I would like to see this have a colorless activation cost and have the Cranial Plating ability to benefit it's role in a green deck. It would be a sweet uncommon and it would make sense if it found a home in a non-green deck.
I really like geyser scamp and shelter priest, but they may need a small mana investment in their activation to balance them.