I think this mechanic works better on medium to high cost cards than on low cost ones.
I can agree with that to some extent. However, I also think some lower cost can be justified in a red-aggro context where you're just trying to smash their face in as quickly as possible and the loss of lands may be worth it. To a certain extent, as I'm designing these cards I'm also thinking in terms of integrating them in with a land destruction theme too (such that everyone is getting land screwed but you're the only one benefiting from it), and some GR trickery that gives you enhanced mana or lets you play lands from your graveyard.
Consider Rogue Elephant and its later cousin Scythe Tiger. Both legitimately excited players when they were spoiled (3 power was, at the time, even above what you'd get for 2 mana).
Both were proven to vary between weak to terrible in practice because the cost of losing 1 mana for each subsequent turn was too high.
I completely see your point with those cards. Loss of a land just for a cheap early creature is still serious buisiness. Your black or white opponent can just destroy them the next turn and you're out a land for nothing. I suppose my line of thinking is: suppose we switch the color to red and gave them haste. It fits the strategy more and potentially gives more immediate bang for the buck. That's kind of more where I'd like to be going with it when it comes to cheaper cards at least:: I'm sacking a land in exchange for screwing you over more quickly than normal.
Consider something like this:
Ingot Smasher 2RG
Creature - Beast 5/4
Deplete
When ~ noms a land, you may destroy target artifact
Something like that would be a passable uncommon for sure. I suppose it's maybe not as aggressive as what I was going for (see Orcish Demolitionist), but it is a balanced card.
Also, Mirror Warrior is OP as an all-in aggro card. The tokens can deplete as well, so the card swings for 12 on turn 3 at the cost of all your lands.
Good catch. It'd require rewording "except for its Deplete ability" to get rid of that problem. That was one of the cards I was least sure about in general. With the best circumstance (with the "except for deplete" clause I didn't consider), it's effectively 2 lightning bolts to your opponent's face for two mana and sacking a land, and you still have a 3/1 creature left over. So with it properly amended, that's 6 damage on turn 2 at the cost of one land. That was the more balanced intention.
Been brainstorming around a little with a mechanic idea. When I originally saw the Exploit mechanic in Dragons of Tarkir, I liked the concept but was a little underwhelmed by most of their applications of it so far. My mechanic is similar to Exploit but based on land sacrifice instead.
Deplete (When CardName enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
Pretty simple and straightforward, and of course primarily associated with Red cards (2ndarily, probably Black and Green). All cards with deplete would, just like Exploit, have something to the effect of "When CardName depletes a land, [effect]."
Some rough draft design examples:
Spark Berserker 1R
Creature - Elemental Berserker (C)
Haste
Deplete (When Spark Berserker enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Spark Berserker depletes a land, it deals 2 damage to each opponent.
2/1
Orcish Demolitionist R
Creature - Orc {C}
Haste
Deplete (When Orcish Demolitionist enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Orcish Demolitionist depletes a land, destroy target artifact.
1/1
Seismic Bomber 2R
Creature - Human Berserker (U)
Haste
Deplete (When Seismic Bomber enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Seismic Bomber depletes a land, each opponent must sacrifice a land.
4/1
Mirror Warrior RR
Creature - Human Warrior {U}
Haste
Deplete (When Mirror Warrior enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Mirror Warrior depletes a land, put a token copy of it into play except for its Deplete ability and exile it at end of turn.
3/1
Living Monstrosity XGR
Creature - Hydra [R]
Living Monstrosity enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
Deplete (When Living Monstrosity enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land]
If Living Monstrosity depleted a land, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Whenever a land goes to a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Living Monstrosity.
0/0
Yogoth, the Destroyer 3RR
Legendary Creature - Human Mage [M]
Deplete (When Yogoth enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
Whenever a land goes to a graveyard, Yogoth deals 2 damage to each opponent.
T: Yogoth Deals 1 damage to each opponent. If Yogoth depleted a land, it deals 2 damage to each opponent instead.
2/4
As sacrificing lands is a pretty serious thing, my intuition is to somewhat link it with effects that negate one's need for mana or help one cope with a lack of lands, likely in some multi-color applications. Some kind of perk for destroying your own mana base.
Some rough examples of that:
Birds of Fire GR
Creature - Birds [M]
Flying
Deplete (When Birds of Fire enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. If Birds of Fire depleted a land, you may add two mana of any color to your mana pool instead.
0/1
Yes, I know, this is Birds of Paradise on crack mixed with a John McLaughlin reference.
Cunning Scoundrel 2BR
Creature - Human Rogue [R}
Deathtouch
Deplete (When Cunning Scoundrel enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Cunning Scoundrel depletes a land, look at target player's hand and choose a non-land card from it with a converted mana cost of 3 or less. You may play that card without paying its mana cost.
3/3
Is this too inappropriate for BR and needs U in there, since stealing is usually associated with U?
Genie Guide 1UR
Creature - Genie {R}
Flash, Flying
Deplete (When Genie Guide enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Genie Guide depletes a land, look at the top three cards of your library. Among those cards, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell with converted mana cost 3 or less without paying its mana cost and exile it, then shuffle your the rest of the cards into your library.
2/2
An Izzet spin on the concept.
If I were to use this mechanic for a custom set, I'd likely encourage GR combinations and resurrect a Crucible of Worlds type effect for a card or two.
Do you guys thinks this mechanic is worth pursuing and has some reasonable design space? Anything I could change about the mechanic? Are some of my ideas so far too clunky or broken? I'm also open to any card ideas people may have with this mechanic. What are some good effects in exchange for sacking a land and how does one balance out the fact that you're destroying your own mana base?
I agree that the OP's version of Explore is really narrow, in that it's really just a single specific application of landfall as its own mechanic.
I like Manite's version of explore more, though their color choice for their originals examples is off (land-fetching should be green). But they are right that the mechanic itself as stated could work in other colors. It definitely is a green mechanic first in its basic flavor, and maybe secondarily a red and white one. If put to the right uses, it could potentially do a lot of cool things.
Random example:
Wildspawn GR
Creature - Elemental {R)
Haste
When Wildspawn enters or leaves the battlefield, Explore (Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield face-down as a 2/2 colorless creature. You may turn it face-up during your untap step.)
2/2
As for Prosper, similarly to the original Explore, when you build the effect in it greatly limits the mechanic. I'd simplify your mechanic to this: [Whenever a basic land enters the battlefield under your control, [effect]). Now you have a more limited version of Landfall, but with much more design space possible. I would be weary about applying something based on basic lands to a tri-color concept though.
Interesting, don't think I've seen the emblem concept applied outside of Planeswalkers. I like the idea. I'm not 100% on the rules for emblems though - are they capable of being destroyed as a permanent? Because if not, it makes sense why they'd be restricted to late-game Planeswalker finishers. So I'm conflicted as to whether I feel that card should just be an enchantment.
Is this broken? I gave it flash to make the instant part more viable.
Genie Guide - 1UR
Creature - Genie {R}
Flash, Flying
Deplete (When Genie Guide enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Genie Guide depletes a land, search your library for an instant or sorcery spell with converted mana cost 3 or less and exile it, then shuffle your library. Until end of turn, you may play that spell without paying its mana cost.
2/2
Powerful creature. I'm not sure about haste on mono-green though. I like the sac for "card swap" thing.
Here's a planeswalker idea, with a mix of a life manipulation and graveyard recursion theme:
Methusela, Blood Savant 2BWG
Planeswalker - Methusela (M)
+1: Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain life equal to the amount of life lost this way.
0: Cast target spell from your graveyard if you pay its converted mana cost in life. If that spell is an instant or sorcery, exile it at end of turn.
-8: You may play one spell from each graveyard without paying their mana costs.
4
Hey, just joined the site after browsing for a while (particularly at the custom card creation section). I originally started playing MTG pretty early on, though not at the very beginning - it was around the time when 4th edition was new and you could still buy packs of Legends and other early expansions. My first two boxes were 4th edition and Ice Age. Basically, the days when Jester's Cap was all the rage, Necropotence was a thing, and the banned/restricted list was much smaller. I used to have a ritual of attending a Friday night Magic Night at a certain comic store for some years. At some point later on I sold almost all my cards, maybe around the time of Onslaught. Kind of to my regret.
I started back up again a few years ago, when the Return to Ravnica block was new. It's definitely interesting to come back to the game with the perspective of an older player (the power scale has both been watered down and greatly increased at the same time - the idea of a plain two mana counterspell and other vintage staples being a taboo standard was odd to get used to at first, and at the same time some of the newer stuff, especially Planeswalkers, can also be really powerful), so much has changed and there's still a lot of catching up to do. In some ways I'm a little bit of a newb all over again simply because of all the developments I missed.
I can agree with that to some extent. However, I also think some lower cost can be justified in a red-aggro context where you're just trying to smash their face in as quickly as possible and the loss of lands may be worth it. To a certain extent, as I'm designing these cards I'm also thinking in terms of integrating them in with a land destruction theme too (such that everyone is getting land screwed but you're the only one benefiting from it), and some GR trickery that gives you enhanced mana or lets you play lands from your graveyard.
I completely see your point with those cards. Loss of a land just for a cheap early creature is still serious buisiness. Your black or white opponent can just destroy them the next turn and you're out a land for nothing. I suppose my line of thinking is: suppose we switch the color to red and gave them haste. It fits the strategy more and potentially gives more immediate bang for the buck. That's kind of more where I'd like to be going with it when it comes to cheaper cards at least:: I'm sacking a land in exchange for screwing you over more quickly than normal.
Something like that would be a passable uncommon for sure. I suppose it's maybe not as aggressive as what I was going for (see Orcish Demolitionist), but it is a balanced card.
Good catch. It'd require rewording "except for its Deplete ability" to get rid of that problem. That was one of the cards I was least sure about in general. With the best circumstance (with the "except for deplete" clause I didn't consider), it's effectively 2 lightning bolts to your opponent's face for two mana and sacking a land, and you still have a 3/1 creature left over. So with it properly amended, that's 6 damage on turn 2 at the cost of one land. That was the more balanced intention.
Deplete (When CardName enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
Pretty simple and straightforward, and of course primarily associated with Red cards (2ndarily, probably Black and Green). All cards with deplete would, just like Exploit, have something to the effect of "When CardName depletes a land, [effect]."
Some rough draft design examples:
Spark Berserker 1R
Creature - Elemental Berserker (C)
Haste
Deplete (When Spark Berserker enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Spark Berserker depletes a land, it deals 2 damage to each opponent.
2/1
Orcish Demolitionist R
Creature - Orc {C}
Haste
Deplete (When Orcish Demolitionist enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Orcish Demolitionist depletes a land, destroy target artifact.
1/1
Seismic Bomber 2R
Creature - Human Berserker (U)
Haste
Deplete (When Seismic Bomber enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Seismic Bomber depletes a land, each opponent must sacrifice a land.
4/1
Mirror Warrior RR
Creature - Human Warrior {U}
Haste
Deplete (When Mirror Warrior enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Mirror Warrior depletes a land, put a token copy of it into play except for its Deplete ability and exile it at end of turn.
3/1
Living Monstrosity XGR
Creature - Hydra [R]
Living Monstrosity enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
Deplete (When Living Monstrosity enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land]
If Living Monstrosity depleted a land, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Whenever a land goes to a graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Living Monstrosity.
0/0
Yogoth, the Destroyer 3RR
Legendary Creature - Human Mage [M]
Deplete (When Yogoth enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
Whenever a land goes to a graveyard, Yogoth deals 2 damage to each opponent.
T: Yogoth Deals 1 damage to each opponent. If Yogoth depleted a land, it deals 2 damage to each opponent instead.
2/4
As sacrificing lands is a pretty serious thing, my intuition is to somewhat link it with effects that negate one's need for mana or help one cope with a lack of lands, likely in some multi-color applications. Some kind of perk for destroying your own mana base.
Some rough examples of that:
Birds of Fire GR
Creature - Birds [M]
Flying
Deplete (When Birds of Fire enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. If Birds of Fire depleted a land, you may add two mana of any color to your mana pool instead.
0/1
Yes, I know, this is Birds of Paradise on crack mixed with a John McLaughlin reference.
Cunning Scoundrel 2BR
Creature - Human Rogue [R}
Deathtouch
Deplete (When Cunning Scoundrel enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Cunning Scoundrel depletes a land, look at target player's hand and choose a non-land card from it with a converted mana cost of 3 or less. You may play that card without paying its mana cost.
3/3
Is this too inappropriate for BR and needs U in there, since stealing is usually associated with U?
Genie Guide 1UR
Creature - Genie {R}
Flash, Flying
Deplete (When Genie Guide enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Genie Guide depletes a land, look at the top three cards of your library. Among those cards, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell with converted mana cost 3 or less without paying its mana cost and exile it, then shuffle your the rest of the cards into your library.
2/2
An Izzet spin on the concept.
If I were to use this mechanic for a custom set, I'd likely encourage GR combinations and resurrect a Crucible of Worlds type effect for a card or two.
Do you guys thinks this mechanic is worth pursuing and has some reasonable design space? Anything I could change about the mechanic? Are some of my ideas so far too clunky or broken? I'm also open to any card ideas people may have with this mechanic. What are some good effects in exchange for sacking a land and how does one balance out the fact that you're destroying your own mana base?
I like Manite's version of explore more, though their color choice for their originals examples is off (land-fetching should be green). But they are right that the mechanic itself as stated could work in other colors. It definitely is a green mechanic first in its basic flavor, and maybe secondarily a red and white one. If put to the right uses, it could potentially do a lot of cool things.
Random example:
Wildspawn GR
Creature - Elemental {R)
Haste
When Wildspawn enters or leaves the battlefield, Explore (Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield face-down as a 2/2 colorless creature. You may turn it face-up during your untap step.)
2/2
As for Prosper, similarly to the original Explore, when you build the effect in it greatly limits the mechanic. I'd simplify your mechanic to this: [Whenever a basic land enters the battlefield under your control, [effect]). Now you have a more limited version of Landfall, but with much more design space possible. I would be weary about applying something based on basic lands to a tri-color concept though.
Is this broken? I gave it flash to make the instant part more viable.
Genie Guide - 1UR
Creature - Genie {R}
Flash, Flying
Deplete (When Genie Guide enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a land.)
When Genie Guide depletes a land, search your library for an instant or sorcery spell with converted mana cost 3 or less and exile it, then shuffle your library. Until end of turn, you may play that spell without paying its mana cost.
2/2
Here's a planeswalker idea, with a mix of a life manipulation and graveyard recursion theme:
Methusela, Blood Savant 2BWG
Planeswalker - Methusela (M)
+1: Each opponent loses 1 life and you gain life equal to the amount of life lost this way.
0: Cast target spell from your graveyard if you pay its converted mana cost in life. If that spell is an instant or sorcery, exile it at end of turn.
-8: You may play one spell from each graveyard without paying their mana costs.
4
I started back up again a few years ago, when the Return to Ravnica block was new. It's definitely interesting to come back to the game with the perspective of an older player (the power scale has both been watered down and greatly increased at the same time - the idea of a plain two mana counterspell and other vintage staples being a taboo standard was odd to get used to at first, and at the same time some of the newer stuff, especially Planeswalkers, can also be really powerful), so much has changed and there's still a lot of catching up to do. In some ways I'm a little bit of a newb all over again simply because of all the developments I missed.