On the Eternity Coil you never know who'll show up, so it's very difficult to create cultural cliques. Those who do make a home for themselves on the Coil find kinship in creatures that use or are influenced by the same colors of mana that they are. Hence, "tribes" are predicated upon color in this set rather than creature type (although there are some subtypes that will receive love, such as rogue and drone). More specifically, creatures have been drawn into "cliques" with allied colors.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, [effect].
So, some examples on cards:
Cloudrift Watch (2WU) Creature -- Bird (U)
White and blue creatures you control have flying. Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, Fathom 1. (You may put a card from your hand on the bottom of your library. If you do, draw a card.)
(1/3)
-- Those who try to make a home near the Aerie are either welcomed into the the fold, or observed from it.
Brinerift Watch (2UB) Creature -- Salamander (U)
Blue and black creatures you control have intimidate. Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, target player exiles the top 4 cards of his or her library.
(2/2)
-- Those who try to make a home near the Eversea either learn to live in the darkness, or are swallowed by it.
Flamerift Watch (2BR) Creature -- Elemental (U)
Black and red creatures you control have first strike. Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, Flamerift Watch deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
(3/1)
-- Those who try to make a home near the Burning Veil are either baptized in flame, or burned to ash.
Vinerift Watch (2RG) Creature -- Beast (U)
Red and green creatures you control have trample. Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, target creature must block this turn if able.
(3/1)
-- Those who try to make a home near the Garden of Death either earn their place, or are torn limb from limb.
Seedrift Watch (2GW) Creature -- Rhino (U)
Green and white creatures you control have vigilance. Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, prevent all combat damage target creature would deal this turn.
(2/2)
-- Those who try to make a home near the City of Roots either find themselves among family, or shunned.
Kheru Crawler (BGU) Creature -- Horror (C)
Deathtouch
Two creatures must block Kheru Crawler each combat if able.
(2/3)
-- Dripping black poison from every pore, it wanders the jungle surrounding the Kheru palace in search of anything to share in its misery.
Ranger of The Wastes (3R) Creature -- Human Warrior (R)
Haste Raid--When Ranger of The Wastes enters the battlefield, if you attacked with a creature this turn, search your library for up to two creature cards with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal them, and put them into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
(3/2)
-- Under his training, humble beasts become a force deadlier than the horde itself.
Dragonsoul Ascendancy (WUBRG) Enchantment (M)
Creature cards in your hand have morph 3. (You may cast each creature card in your hand face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
-- There was once a force on Tarkir greater than any of the clans, and there are still many loyal to it.
IIW: Permanents that turn into smaller permanents that turn into smaller permanents, a'la Mitotic Slime.
Skirsdag Temple Land (R) T: Add 1 to your mana pool. Morbid--T: Add BR to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if a creature died this turn.
-- The offering's blood sprayed violent into the air like a fountain. His head rolled down the tall steps of the temple. And the crowd roared for more.
Next up: "These are the words that you must say, lest the boggarts come and steal you away."
--Kithkin Nursery Rhyme
OR
On the ninetieth day, Grannel put down his sword, and he wept.
Manacles of Subservience (10) Artifact (M)
Delve
You may choose not to untap Manacles of Subservience during your untap step. T: When target creature dies this turn, return it to the battlefield under your control. If you do, it is a black zombie in addition to its other colors and types. When Manacles of Subservience leaves play or becomes untapped, sacrifice it.
-- When a corpse rots beyond usefulness, the Sultai cremate it. Not out of respect, but because they need the precious metals used to animate it so that they can enthrall their next slave.
IIW: Permanents that turn into smaller permanents that turn into smaller permanents, a'la Mitotic Slime.
Thanks! I've been getting tired of "welcome to new plane, here are the mechanics" and "welcome back to old plane, here are some new mechanics," so I wanted to make a block that didn't introduce players to a plane at all, instead giving them a story about creation and the space between planes. What you read was only a primer--the back story. :b
As for factions, it's more or less divided into two ideological groups: those who want to protect the coil and prevent any tampering with the fabric of reality, and those who want to abuse it for their own gain. I'm still working on the mechanics for the "order" faction, but the "chaos" faction gets Mania and Smuggle. Fathom is neutral. Neither of these factions will be specifically referred to on cards, but they'll be evident through flavor and mechanics. I also need to come up with at least one more neutral mechanic, as this is a large set (templated after the coming two-set block structure).
I'm glad you find it interesting, and I'm really glad you got the "space station" vibe, cause that's sort of what it is, only 500x more steampunk and magical, haha.
Do you have any ideas about where I could go with this?
@ThoughtCriminal~ Yeah, that shouldn't really be a problem considering that players are inherently discouraged from attacking into creatures with Deathtouch, First Strike, Double Strike, Indestructible, Protection, Regenerate, and in fringe cases Lifelink. I think that's part of the "this creature is good in combat" package.
I figured binding would be rather tried. Oh well. Doesn't bother me much.
I don't think Beguile is too much more complex than a handful of other evergreens. First Strike requires players to understand that there's an additional step to combat damage. Trample is complicated for multiple reasons. Protection has its own acronym just so player can remember what it does (DEBT). I don't even need to make a case against Regenerate. In fact, Beguile doesn't actually impose any real changes upon the cards--it just tells players to treat them differently. I don't think your example is much more difficult to understand than something like a creature with Deathtouch and Trample or other similar combinations.
I agree with what you said about Charm. I'm tempted to change it to just "whenever this creature becomes blocked," but then that's kind of just like evasion. Thoughts on making it better?
I suppose the redirection is more white than blue, isn't it? Bugger.
Withengar - I don't really understand what this card is supposed to do. Is it just mass blink with racist undertones? Flavor - Well, I guess it technically fits the challenge. Begrudging
I don't think you read the card very closely. It says "each player exiles a card" and then "returns each card exiled this way to the battlefield under his or her control." It switches the control of a bunch of cards like Thieves' Auction, with the caveat that it doesn't take ten hours.
And pffff, since when is calling someone a hero racist? It was a show of admiration, d00d. I even quoted him in the flavor text but changed locations and races to reflect MTG lore instead of the real world.
Considering how obscenely terrible Radiant Fountain feels to play, I think I like Serene Haven. I agree with Awkward Squirtle, though--I think the cost needs to be bumped to 2 so that this isn't just a free Marble Chalice attached to a land.
Vast Expanse is cool. I can see what you were going for, but it doesn't quite work for me. Like others have said, it's just too good. The drawback (putting it into play tapped) is nullified by the second land coming in untapped. Even if the second land came in tapped, it would still be too good as you can run it as ramp in any mono-colored deck successfully. I recommend making it a Rupture Spire that puts a second land into play from your hand tapped:
Vast Expanse Land (U)
If Vast Expanse would enter the battlefield, you may pay 3 and put an additional land from your hand onto the battlefield tapped. If you don't, put it into your graveyard instead.
Vast Expanse enters the battlefield tapped. T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
As for Ceropha, I actually think this one is alright for the most part. It is a little silly that it replaces itself, seeing as how a land is meant to take up a card slot in your hand, thus limiting your options. I would change the card draw to check for some condition. "When Ceropha enters the battlefield, if an opponent has more cards in hand than you, draw a card." Something like that.
Rest in Peace is a cool card that I didn't actually think of. That sort of effect makes a lot of sense in this set, converting regular actions into Mania triggers. Thanks for pointing that out. If I do use this sort of replacement effect, I'll be sure to watch out for infinite loop trappings. Thanks for the suggestion!
Update! The following elements were added/removed:
A new section under "Story" named "What is the Eternity Coil?" This will give you some background information on what the Eternity Coil is and where it came from. Enjoy!
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, [effect].
So, some examples on cards:
Cloudrift Watch (2WU)
Creature -- Bird (U)
White and blue creatures you control have flying.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, Fathom 1. (You may put a card from your hand on the bottom of your library. If you do, draw a card.)
(1/3)
--
Those who try to make a home near the Aerie are either welcomed into the the fold, or observed from it.
Brinerift Watch (2UB)
Creature -- Salamander (U)
Blue and black creatures you control have intimidate.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, target player exiles the top 4 cards of his or her library.
(2/2)
--
Those who try to make a home near the Eversea either learn to live in the darkness, or are swallowed by it.
Flamerift Watch (2BR)
Creature -- Elemental (U)
Black and red creatures you control have first strike.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, Flamerift Watch deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
(3/1)
--
Those who try to make a home near the Burning Veil are either baptized in flame, or burned to ash.
Vinerift Watch (2RG)
Creature -- Beast (U)
Red and green creatures you control have trample.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, target creature must block this turn if able.
(3/1)
--
Those who try to make a home near the Garden of Death either earn their place, or are torn limb from limb.
Seedrift Watch (2GW)
Creature -- Rhino (U)
Green and white creatures you control have vigilance.
Solidarity--Whenever a permanent that shares a color with this one enters the battlefield under your control, prevent all combat damage target creature would deal this turn.
(2/2)
--
Those who try to make a home near the City of Roots either find themselves among family, or shunned.
Creature -- Horror (C)
Deathtouch
Two creatures must block Kheru Crawler each combat if able.
(2/3)
--
Dripping black poison from every pore, it wanders the jungle surrounding the Kheru palace in search of anything to share in its misery.
Ranger of The Wastes (3R)
Creature -- Human Warrior (R)
Haste
Raid--When Ranger of The Wastes enters the battlefield, if you attacked with a creature this turn, search your library for up to two creature cards with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal them, and put them into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
(3/2)
--
Under his training, humble beasts become a force deadlier than the horde itself.
Dragonsoul Ascendancy (WUBRG)
Enchantment (M)
Creature cards in your hand have morph 3. (You may cast each creature card in your hand face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
--
There was once a force on Tarkir greater than any of the clans, and there are still many loyal to it.
IIW: Permanents that turn into smaller permanents that turn into smaller permanents, a'la Mitotic Slime.
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Morbid--T: Add BR to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if a creature died this turn.
--
The offering's blood sprayed violent into the air like a fountain. His head rolled down the tall steps of the temple. And the crowd roared for more.
Next up:
"These are the words that you must say, lest the boggarts come and steal you away."
--Kithkin Nursery Rhyme
OR
On the ninetieth day, Grannel put down his sword, and he wept.
Artifact (M)
Delve
You may choose not to untap Manacles of Subservience during your untap step.
T: When target creature dies this turn, return it to the battlefield under your control. If you do, it is a black zombie in addition to its other colors and types. When Manacles of Subservience leaves play or becomes untapped, sacrifice it.
--
When a corpse rots beyond usefulness, the Sultai cremate it. Not out of respect, but because they need the precious metals used to animate it so that they can enthrall their next slave.
IIW: Permanents that turn into smaller permanents that turn into smaller permanents, a'la Mitotic Slime.
As for factions, it's more or less divided into two ideological groups: those who want to protect the coil and prevent any tampering with the fabric of reality, and those who want to abuse it for their own gain. I'm still working on the mechanics for the "order" faction, but the "chaos" faction gets Mania and Smuggle. Fathom is neutral. Neither of these factions will be specifically referred to on cards, but they'll be evident through flavor and mechanics. I also need to come up with at least one more neutral mechanic, as this is a large set (templated after the coming two-set block structure).
I'm glad you find it interesting, and I'm really glad you got the "space station" vibe, cause that's sort of what it is, only 500x more steampunk and magical, haha.
Do you have any ideas about where I could go with this?
I figured binding would be rather tried. Oh well. Doesn't bother me much.
I don't think Beguile is too much more complex than a handful of other evergreens. First Strike requires players to understand that there's an additional step to combat damage. Trample is complicated for multiple reasons. Protection has its own acronym just so player can remember what it does (DEBT). I don't even need to make a case against Regenerate. In fact, Beguile doesn't actually impose any real changes upon the cards--it just tells players to treat them differently. I don't think your example is much more difficult to understand than something like a creature with Deathtouch and Trample or other similar combinations.
I agree with what you said about Charm. I'm tempted to change it to just "whenever this creature becomes blocked," but then that's kind of just like evasion. Thoughts on making it better?
I suppose the redirection is more white than blue, isn't it? Bugger.
And pffff, since when is calling someone a hero racist? It was a show of admiration, d00d. I even quoted him in the flavor text but changed locations and races to reflect MTG lore instead of the real world.
Beguile (Treat creatures blocking or blocked by this creature as if they have no abilities.)
Binding (Whenever a creature blocks or becomes blocked by this creature, tap it. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.)
Charm (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, you may remove it from combat.)
Sleight (Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, you may switch its power and toughness until end of turn.)
Think any of these could work? Think any of them are as potent as the other evergreens?
Vast Expanse is cool. I can see what you were going for, but it doesn't quite work for me. Like others have said, it's just too good. The drawback (putting it into play tapped) is nullified by the second land coming in untapped. Even if the second land came in tapped, it would still be too good as you can run it as ramp in any mono-colored deck successfully. I recommend making it a Rupture Spire that puts a second land into play from your hand tapped:
Vast Expanse
Land (U)
If Vast Expanse would enter the battlefield, you may pay 3 and put an additional land from your hand onto the battlefield tapped. If you don't, put it into your graveyard instead.
Vast Expanse enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
As for Ceropha, I actually think this one is alright for the most part. It is a little silly that it replaces itself, seeing as how a land is meant to take up a card slot in your hand, thus limiting your options. I would change the card draw to check for some condition. "When Ceropha enters the battlefield, if an opponent has more cards in hand than you, draw a card." Something like that.