MTG Salvation

I'm just as interested in designing playable cards as I am printable cards. A four cmc common 2/2 trampler might find a home as a colorless artifact, but not a white creature. If I'm found to be really off base with the current common, I might consider 1WW for it.

I had a feeling the age of many of the example cards would be brought up, which is why I bolded the modern border examples. I should have underlined Thraben Militia for extra emphasis.

Here are some common 2 cmc 2/2 white creatures for further comparison - all modern border. And I excluded mechanical reprints and cards with bad drawbacks. Note 11/17 only require 1W, the remaining 6/17 require WW.

Static Abilities:
Ajani's Sunstriker - Lifelink
Benalish Cavalry - Flanking
Leonin Skyhunter - Flying
Steadfast Guard - Vigilance
Knight of Cliffhaven - Level Up
Veteran Armorer
Loyal Cathar
Veteran Armorsmith

Activated Abilities:
Order of the Golden Cricket
Moorland Inquisitor
Kami of Ancient Law
Kjeldoran Outrider
Safehold Sentry
Sunspear Shikari

ETB Abilities:
Kor Outfitter
Leonin Squire
Whitemane Lion

Quote from Sigismond0

For five mana at sorcery speed, we can already draw 4 cards (Tidings), so variably drawing cards up to seven is probably perfectly fair. I think rare is good.

Thanks for the insight. Slotted as rare.

Quote from Sigismond0

Too complex, but Bestial Menace says 5 is a fair cost. The only way you could have this card in a set is if those are the standard tokens made in those colors in that set so that there would be a bunch of physical tokens floating around. Uncommon.

Shelving Adventuring Party for the moment. I basically stole the idea from Rudyard because it fits into a set concept I'm toying with.

Quote from Sigismond0

Actually, that seems awfully white. (Hail of Arrows) Black doesn't usually care about the combat step. It should probably cost at least xWB, since it's almost always going to be a one-sided wrath. Rare, definitely.

Boiling Oil was already shelved. Nonetheless, thanks for your worthwhile input.

Quote from UncleIstvan

Uhh, strictly better than Char, a rare card that was played at high-up tournament levels. It's simple, but strong, and should be rare. Am I missing something here?

The power level of creatures has gone up significantly since Char left Standard and is now an all but unplayed 50 cent rare - even in Modern. In my personal opinion, Char wasn't and isn't a bad card, I just think its day has come and gone.

Quote from foo_intherain

Cloaked Pilgrim UR
Creature — Human Nomad (C)
Hexproof (This creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Cloaked Pilgrim can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.
2/2

The flavor is decent - it has that "mysterious wanderer passing through the crowded streets of town unnoticed and therefore unhindered" feel. But it's a bit much to be common though. There are only 8 common creatures with hexproof. This would make a great 9th if the red side were simpler.

Quote from foo_intherain

Punish RW
Instant (C)
Cast Punish only during combat after blockers are declared.
Target unblocked attacking creature becomes blocked. Exile that creature.

It could just say "Exile target attacking creature." which in my opinion, in light of existing cards with said effect would cost 1RW at common RW at uncommon. If you're worried about it being countered, go with:

"Punish can't be countered.
Exile target attacking creature."

Quote from foo_intherain

Winds of Inspiration 4RW
Sorcery (U)
Each player shuffles the cards from his or her hand into his or her library and draws that many cards. You gain life equal to the number of cards drawn this way.

This is nice. Really nice.

Quote from Jenesis

Winds of Inspiration feels blue-white. The 6cmc and life gain bonus makes more sense in a slower controlling deck than in a red deck that wants to quickly unload and reload. Also, there seems to be an excess of lifegain effects in this wedge.

I thought the same thing until I looked into the red effect of the card - if it were to bleed, it would bleed into blue yes, but it's thoroughly red.

Quote from foo_intherain

Inspired Individual RWU
Creature — Human Artist (C)
When Inspired Individual enters the battlefield, return target instant card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2

Why just an instant when it could justifiably be "enchantment, instant, or sorcery card"? If you really wanna have fun, bump it up to uncommon and make it "and/or."

Quote from foo_intherain

Mirror Force RWU
Instant (R)
You may choose new targets for any number of target spells or abilities that target you or permanents you control. Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and creatures you control this turn. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way.

Mega Charm! This card wasn't so much designed as it was contrived. There's certainly nothing wrong with dropping two or more existing cards into the cauldron and seeing what cooks up - we all do it - but the result of this recipe tastes terrible.

Quote from foo_intherain

Trefor the Wise 2RWU
Legendary Creature — Human Advisor (M)
Vigilance
Instant spells you control have discipline and can’t be countered. (If you cast an instant spell during your main phase, you may copy it. If you do, you may choose new targets for the copy.).
3/3

Imo, "Discipline" is about as keywordable as "Detain"... I guess that makes it passable as a keyword...
Don't get me wrong, I get the flavor and like the mechanic as it's presented on this card for the sake of a one-of, limited-magnifying, backwards-compatible effect. I just can't see it beyond this card because instants with "Discipline" can just be printed with rules text akin to Careful Consideration.

Good stuff!

Light Cavalry (Common)
1W
Creature – Human Soldier
2/2
When Light Cavalry enters the battlefield, target creature gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

Light Cavalry (Common)
1W
Creature – Human Soldier
2/2
Trample

Light Cavalry (Uncommon)
W
Creature – Human Soldier
2/1
Trample

White cards with trample are few and far between, but it seems to me that when the flavor occasionally justifies it, WotC sees fit to bleed trample into white. For reference, I've provided a list of mono-white cards with trample printed over the years. In this light, I think both of my cards are printable - particularly the common version - but realize that I might just love my ugly babies. So, are my babies ugly? If so, take my blinders off. If not, which is preferable/probable.

List of white cards with trample:

Aggromancer (Rare)
3RR
Creature – Orc Shaman
6/3
Trample
R: Target creature gains haste and attacks this turn if able.

Team Nemesis

Sign Up Card

Round One Card

Token Victory (Mythic)
4G
Sorcery
You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may choose a token card you own from outside the game and put it onto the battlefield."

Puma Man (Ultra Epic Mythic)
WUG
Legendary Creature – Human Cat
1/5
As long as Puma Man is equipped, he has flying and can’t be blocked by Walls.
He flies like a moron.

Quote from Phyrexian Editor

Urashima, Time Thief
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue {MR}
Urashima, Time Thief is blue.
Ninjutsu 3UU (3UU, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.)
Whenever Urashima, Time Thief deals combat damage to a player, that player skips his or her next turn.
"You're so slow, you might as well be standing still. In fact, why don't you do that for a while?"

Needs power/toughness.

Perhaps you could rename Ninjutsu something more fitting for a rogue - "Ambush"?

Scalding Fallout (Uncommon)
R
Instant
Scalding Fallout deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Replicate - Sacrifice a land (When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)

I'm shelving Boiling Oil for now.

Wisdom of the Ages' mana cost has been increased from 2U to 3UU.

I'll apply some of the rarities suggested.

Quote from mondu_the_fat

Party -- rare. The various odd tokens (which is a bad idea) make it too complex to be otherwise. Also, undercosted and out of color.

What cost/color do you suggest?

Immortal Ascension (Mythic)
3WW
Sorcery
Target player’s life total becomes 20.

Wisdom of the Ages (Uncommon or Rare or Mythic?)
3UU
Sorcery
If you have fewer than seven cards in hand, draw cards equal to the difference.

Transmute (Uncommon)
1BB
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Transmute, discard a card.
Search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost equal to the discarded card's converted mana cost, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

Lightning Strike (Uncommon)
2R
Instant
Lightning Strike deals 4 damage to target creature or player.





The Proverbial Shelf

Mind-Seeker Sphinx (Mythic)
3UU
Creature – Sphinx
4/5
Flying
You may play cards exiled with Mind-Seeker Sphinx.
UU: Each player exiles the top card of his or her library.

Don't forget "Legendary", peeps.

Quote from Oculus

Gilder Bairn has the right wording if you want to double all counter types.

Humph, I didn't know about Gilder Bairn. And here I thunk I was smart.

Though Gilder Bairn is somewhat lame. (I'm not a fan of Q.)