A flicker effect (exile and instantly return to the battlefield) is absolutely in blue's domain and would do basically the same thing as regenerate. Delaying the return to the end step would also let them survive board wipes.
Flavor-wise, it would be like they turn to mist or something in response to damage and then reform. It could be like suspend, where they are exiled for a number of turns equal to the damage they took, so the harder they're hit, the longer it takes them to reform.
Addendum is boring and restrictive. Balancing them so that casting it on your turn versus an opponent's are both viable options is going to be hell.
They even made it so that it says "your main phase", rather than say "your turn", so they can't make a cool combat trick spell or counterspell with the keyword.
All the keywords in this set are frightfully simple. I miss detain and evolve.
EDIT: Is Divination + 2 life worth 4 mana? Casting it on the opponent's end step for 4 is great because it lets you keep mana up for Cancel then refill your hand if the opportunity doesn't arise. 2 life isn't really worth the extra mana on a sorcery for me. Something that created an actual advantage, like tapping a creature or creating a 1/1 Soldier would make me at least consider casting it on my turn.
A 3/3 flyer for 5? Filler.
A 3/3 flyer for 5 with cycling? Not bad.
A 3/3 flyer for 5 with cycling AND self-recursion? Pretty dang good. Not exceptional, but solid.
He returns to the command zone when you embalm him, so you can always have his ability up. Getting in a free attack every turn, especially with sizable tokens, is pretty strong. I'm thinking Rite of Replication, Minion Reflector, Infinite Reflection, etc., with white token support.
I think Temmet is pretty cool. A 2/2 for two that buffs your creature tokens to sneak in some extra damage, and if you get around to embalming him, he's basically an unblockable 3/3. He'd make a great Commander.
Transformed cards don't have a mana cost, so they don't count towards Devotion or Chroma at all. The side that is face-down doesn't exist as far as the game is concerned.
Blossoming Defense resolves; Electrostatic Pummeler gains hexproof
Confiscation Coup resolves; Electrostatic Pummeler is no longer a valid target due to hexproof, so the spell is countered. The opponent does NOT gain energy.
How does a player (planewalker) fix flaws in their deck? Through the side board.
I can see him having an ability that lets you exchange cards in your hand for cards you own outside the game (which would be your sideboard in tournament play). This would let you adapt your deck on the fly to your opponent's strategy and grab the perfect card you need. It fits thematically, it's sufficiently unique, and incredibly powerful.
I'm loving these Clue tokens. If Expose Evil is any indication, it seems like the cards it's tacked onto don't lose much in terms of overall cost (compare with Feeling of Dread or Pressure Point). Expose Evil is a solid card on its own, but it also gives you a mana sink for the late game to draw some cards at virtually no field or hand disadvantage, and your opponent will have to waste their resources if they want to get rid of them. It seems to be best suited for a control deck.
The flavor of it is spot on as well. You're searching for answers and find a clue, perhaps a relic or small piece of evidence. With a little time and effort, you can use that clue to unlock some information that may help you get the upper hand against your enemies.
As for other cards, I want to see something that reliably cranks these babies out, such as letting you investigate whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, or possibly attack with more that one creature a la Military Intelligence(Notice how it's worded with a period; investigate is a new action, much like detain). Wizards has been avoiding mechanics that can't cross over into other sets, so while I'd like cards that specifically interact with Clues, we probably won't see them unless those cards also create Clues.
Whenever ~ attacks, you may return target creature with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped and attacking. That creature gains +3/+3 and trample until end of turn. Exile that creature at the beginning of the next endstep.
I get the 'definitely not blue' flavor of it, but it's hard to judge how four color cards should work or how powerful they should be. A 5/5 with trample and haste for four is amazing, and adding on Unearth + Awaken the Bear might be a little much. You compared it to Yore-Tiller Nephilim, and that's a 2/2 with no keyword abilities for the same cost and difficulty of casting. Personally, I don't think the complexity of the mana cost should lend it too much extra power, as no one in their right mind is going to hardcast it, especially in these colors.
Into the Woodwork GGGG
Instant
Permanents you control become Forest lands until end of turn.
I wanted this to be a flavorful answer to a boardwipe in green. Very few boardwipes destroy lands, so temporarily turning all of your cards into Forests would save them from being destroyed. It would also let you ramp out a huge chunk of mana at the cost of tapping all of your permanents, or make sweet plays with cards like Howl of the Night Pack that care about the number of lands or Forests you control.
Velasar, Scourge of the Seas 3UR
Legendary Creature - Dragon Pirate
Flying, haste
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, take control of target creature or artifact that player controls until ~ attacks. "You have something I want. Let's see what it is."
4/4
Flavor-wise, it would be like they turn to mist or something in response to damage and then reform. It could be like suspend, where they are exiled for a number of turns equal to the damage they took, so the harder they're hit, the longer it takes them to reform.
If you cast Sphinx's Insight during your main phase, you will draw two cards and gain two life. Outside your main phase, you will only draw two cards.
They even made it so that it says "your main phase", rather than say "your turn", so they can't make a cool combat trick spell or counterspell with the keyword.
All the keywords in this set are frightfully simple. I miss detain and evolve.
EDIT: Is Divination + 2 life worth 4 mana? Casting it on the opponent's end step for 4 is great because it lets you keep mana up for Cancel then refill your hand if the opportunity doesn't arise. 2 life isn't really worth the extra mana on a sorcery for me. Something that created an actual advantage, like tapping a creature or creating a 1/1 Soldier would make me at least consider casting it on my turn.
A 3/3 flyer for 5 with cycling? Not bad.
A 3/3 flyer for 5 with cycling AND self-recursion? Pretty dang good. Not exceptional, but solid.
Here's a rundown of what happens.
Opponent plays Confiscation Coup, targeting Electrostatic Pummeler
You play Blossoming Defense, targeting Electrostatic Pummeler
Blossoming Defense resolves; Electrostatic Pummeler gains hexproof
Confiscation Coup resolves; Electrostatic Pummeler is no longer a valid target due to hexproof, so the spell is countered. The opponent does NOT gain energy.
I can see him having an ability that lets you exchange cards in your hand for cards you own outside the game (which would be your sideboard in tournament play). This would let you adapt your deck on the fly to your opponent's strategy and grab the perfect card you need. It fits thematically, it's sufficiently unique, and incredibly powerful.
The flavor of it is spot on as well. You're searching for answers and find a clue, perhaps a relic or small piece of evidence. With a little time and effort, you can use that clue to unlock some information that may help you get the upper hand against your enemies.
As for other cards, I want to see something that reliably cranks these babies out, such as letting you investigate whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, or possibly attack with more that one creature a la Military Intelligence(Notice how it's worded with a period; investigate is a new action, much like detain). Wizards has been avoiding mechanics that can't cross over into other sets, so while I'd like cards that specifically interact with Clues, we probably won't see them unless those cards also create Clues.
I get the 'definitely not blue' flavor of it, but it's hard to judge how four color cards should work or how powerful they should be. A 5/5 with trample and haste for four is amazing, and adding on Unearth + Awaken the Bear might be a little much. You compared it to Yore-Tiller Nephilim, and that's a 2/2 with no keyword abilities for the same cost and difficulty of casting. Personally, I don't think the complexity of the mana cost should lend it too much extra power, as no one in their right mind is going to hardcast it, especially in these colors.
Into the Woodwork GGGG
Instant
Permanents you control become Forest lands until end of turn.
I wanted this to be a flavorful answer to a boardwipe in green. Very few boardwipes destroy lands, so temporarily turning all of your cards into Forests would save them from being destroyed. It would also let you ramp out a huge chunk of mana at the cost of tapping all of your permanents, or make sweet plays with cards like Howl of the Night Pack that care about the number of lands or Forests you control.
Legendary Creature - Dragon Pirate
Flying, haste
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, take control of target creature or artifact that player controls until ~ attacks.
"You have something I want. Let's see what it is."
4/4