So many of the submissions here are involving graveyard, there's lots of sacrifice and discard. That's breaking the challenge (...doesn't use the graveyard)
My submission
World Weave ( )
Enchantment (U)
Enchanted creatures you control get +2/+2.
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
As I said before, I don't think writing out the interaction is a good idea because some players could be confused by the significance of that text and what that means in relation to the stack and resolving spells. It doesn't look very elegant either and takes up text space.
My problem with the 'can't be the target of red spells or abilities' is that it ends up being too similar to hexproof. Protection is currently justified in this particular manner in that it does other things. Colour hexproof is also a lot like taking a mechanic with problmes and making it worse. Hexproof is already frustrating for the opponent, in a colour version it is now potentially frustrating the user when it doesn't work.
I'm interested in how the discussion on protection is going. If anyone else has something to say about it, please do, as I would like to see what the consensus seems to be.
I don't agree with your initial assessment that hexproof is going to be removed.
I don't think it will be removed, I think it may be replaced. I am not suggesting hexproof is bad, merely that it has problems that could potentially be worked around with a new version.
EDIT: That's what 'Diffusion' is there for, as a potential hexproof replacement.
Crescendo has comprehension issues. I'm not sure that it makes up for that. It's an OK mechanic.
Scrounge doesn't really seem very interesting. A lot of players are just going to see 'worse dredge' and instantly dislike it automatically.
Exhume is clunky and restrictive, I don't like it.
The question I would ask is how many people will not get that 'put it into your graveyard from anywhere' includes when you cast it. I don't think writing out the interaction is a good idea because some players could be confused by what that means in relation to the stack and resolving spells and it doesn't look very elegant either.
My thoughts is that the third version is the best, because it's easy enough for players to be told or to realise that it works with normal casting.
Most evergreen keywords are static abilities. I think that is a bigger reason why exalted and prowess are not good fits for making into full-time evergreen keywords. Prowess would be a good coreset returning mechanic in a few years... if they were doing that anymore.
And I think there are no evergreen keywords other than equip with an extra cost associated, so that is a slight push against keywording Icefall Regent's protective ability. I think I would prefer keywording Frost Titan's protective ability anyway because the small added interaction with cards like Combust is interesting.
The main places where new keywords are needed are a keyword for blue-red overlap and a keyword other than flying for white-blue and blue-black overlaps. I've seen Lone Wolf and Viashino Runner both proposed as a blue-red keyword. If nothing better is available, Icefall Regent or Frost Titan could work for white-blue.
The Frost Titan version is more complex, my suggestion is simpler in it's interactions.
Prowess fits the red-blue overlap, that's partly why it is proposed. The Viashino Runner ability is not a bad suggestion but I don't like the Lone Wolf keyword idea. One of 'Frostbite''s advantages is that it expands white-blue and black-blue keywords as it fits for both of those colours as a secondary.
Personally, I think protection should be split into two abilities: the evasion part and the no damage/targeting part. Then the evasion part could replace intimidate and landwalk, and the damage/targeting part can replace current protection.
If regenerate were to go, I think it should be replaced with "return from GY to battlefield" ala Reassembling Skeleton. This is what most new players already assume regeneration does. For development reasons, maybe it could be limited to the turn the creature died (which much more closely mirrors the functionality of regeneration).
Splitting protection is not a bad idea. I could see a version of that working. The regenerate suggestion is also pretty good.
So you know, I'm not the first to come up with the Fated mechanic, just (as far as I know) the first to word it and use it as I have. Miracle was almost the same idea (MaRO's articles on Avacyn Restored say so) but they decided to do it as cost reduction instead.
It's really difficult to give feedback with cards spread all other the thread. Have a list at OP at least.
You are using symbols, e.g. or . It makes a difference in that it looks better and is easier to read.
Oh I know that. I just wish it did, was digressing. I wish there were more newer cards that more permanently locks stuff down like Stasis, just perhaps more limited and balanced.
There's problems with that kind of card, being that it has developmental issues as you are aware and in that it can cause degenerate gameplay where players stop having fun (even when balanced). Icefall Regent is about as close to that as you will probably get.
Protection has the glaring issue of needing to be explained quite comprehensively. It takes up a lot of complexity points to make it work and it doesn't do a whole lot to make up for it. My thoughts on protection is similar to regenerate, it doesn't do a good job of justifying itself and it seems like it could just be dumped and replaced with a matching effect or other effects.
The point of 'Frostbite' is nothing to do with Stasis. Frostbite has no intention of ever being a stasis-style mechanic, it's a creature ability for blue and supporting colours, that's all.
My submission
World Weave (
Enchantment (U)
Enchanted creatures you control get +2/+2.
Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
As I said before, I don't think writing out the interaction is a good idea because some players could be confused by the significance of that text and what that means in relation to the stack and resolving spells. It doesn't look very elegant either and takes up text space.
I am not sold on V3 though.
I don't think it will be removed, I think it may be replaced. I am not suggesting hexproof is bad, merely that it has problems that could potentially be worked around with a new version.
EDIT: That's what 'Diffusion' is there for, as a potential hexproof replacement.
Scrounge doesn't really seem very interesting. A lot of players are just going to see 'worse dredge' and instantly dislike it automatically.
Exhume is clunky and restrictive, I don't like it.
My thoughts is that the third version is the best, because it's easy enough for players to be told or to realise that it works with normal casting.
The Frost Titan version is more complex, my suggestion is simpler in it's interactions.
Prowess fits the red-blue overlap, that's partly why it is proposed. The Viashino Runner ability is not a bad suggestion but I don't like the Lone Wolf keyword idea. One of 'Frostbite''s advantages is that it expands white-blue and black-blue keywords as it fits for both of those colours as a secondary.
Splitting protection is not a bad idea. I could see a version of that working. The regenerate suggestion is also pretty good.
It's really difficult to give feedback with cards spread all other the thread. Have a list at OP at least.
You are using symbols, e.g.
There's problems with that kind of card, being that it has developmental issues as you are aware and in that it can cause degenerate gameplay where players stop having fun (even when balanced). Icefall Regent is about as close to that as you will probably get.
Protection has the glaring issue of needing to be explained quite comprehensively. It takes up a lot of complexity points to make it work and it doesn't do a whole lot to make up for it. My thoughts on protection is similar to regenerate, it doesn't do a good job of justifying itself and it seems like it could just be dumped and replaced with a matching effect or other effects.
The point of 'Frostbite' is nothing to do with Stasis. Frostbite has no intention of ever being a stasis-style mechanic, it's a creature ability for blue and supporting colours, that's all.