I'm pro updating old names/conventions to modern standard. Removing the spellshaper creature type and going for an ability word is a sound logic.
That being said, I don't see why any spellshape ability should be limited to TAP or UNTAP. Compare to cycling: the first time the ability was shown, all cards were identical. Next time time around the costs varied, and ultimately the costs for cycling could be anything crazy like paying life or sacrificing a goat. I think the same applies here: as long as you discard a card, pay some cost (preferably the mana cost of the original spell) it feels lipellshaping to me, regardless of whether the creature is tapping, untapping or neither.
About the wording issue, I'm pretty sure the current rules don't allow that for the exact reason you stated. I do like the elegant wording and I would not accuse you of not knowing the rules, but applauding you for trying to update/innovate/discuss the rules to make the cards more grokkable. If you really insist on making something that works with the rules, try the following:
counter target spell, or counter target activated ability.
1) It's simple
2) if your set features a lot of spellshapers, players will experience what this wording thus: it counters spellshapers! Even though its not written out literally, it will PLAY the way you intented it work
3) but with one exception: the cards is useful outside of the vacuum of your set. This can actualy be a plus!
Almost-Protection from Red (Prevent all damage this would receive from red sources. Red sources cannot destroy this)
Differences with real protection:
Clean, simple wording
red creatures can block my creature, but they deal no damage it.
wrath of god like effects (in red you have decree of annihilation for example) do not work - hurray!
red spells can target my creature, but all damage will be prevented and destroy effects don't work.
One major concern with "almost protection" would be black's -X/-X spells/auras. It's not damage, and its not destroying. You could add the clause "can't target" to almost protection, but I feel that it would lose its elegant wording and become too similar to real protection.
It looks to me like all the fun you had went away as soon as your coworkers/friends went away and you started playing solitaire behind a computer screen. Surely, that's no coincidence?
Actually, I can see that happening with there being 15 total gods.
Lastly we have Nylea, joined by Xenagos and Kruphix. (U/R off)
I do not see this happen for one simple reason: Xenagos is NOT friends with the other gods, and there is no way Nylea or any G or R god will do a threesome with him.
Does anybody know what is inside these boxes, or where I can find the content of these boxes? Is the content always the same? Were there any good, useful or just funny cards in them?
What prevents scammers from reproducing/duplicates holofoils themself?
I don't understand why all the printing companies are able to put holofoils on billions of cards, but "professional" scammers (for lack of better word) wouldn't.
Does anybody actually know whether you need like tons of resources or unique and special machines to do it?
Also, would it be possible in any way to take the holofoil off of a junk rare and put it on a fake expensive mythic?
As Gem of Veneration enters the battlefield, choose a color.
Your devotion to the chosen color is increased by one.
Your opponents' devotion to the chosen color is decreased by one.
Of course they won't hurt, but 2 devotion for 3 mana is not as good as it gets. The best cards for devotion are boros reckoner and burning tree emissary, which are not only cmc/devotion friendly, they actually give DOUBLE devotion to both colors!
Nightveil specter might see some additional play if devotion to blue or black cards are powerful, but unfortunetaly it's not as good as the other 2.
Then you announce how you're gonna cast it: in this case, you say you will use bestow. This will change the archon from an "enchantment creature" to an "enchantment - aura"
Then you pay mana for the spell. Cavern cannot give colored mana because it is not a creature, and it will not be uncounterable.
Between all these "steps" of casting a spell, no player can cast other spells or activate any non-mana ability.
Has the following 'fix' to the legend rule been considered? Instead of "two legends with the same name die", it could be "two legends with the same name controlled by the SAME player die". This fixes the clone issue but stays true to the basic principal of you summoning legendary stuff only once. If it has been thought about, what's the flaws with this idea?
This article was a difficult read for me, and I constantly lost my focus after a few sentences in each paragraph. It would have helped for me if you summarized a bit more and be a bit less poetic in your writing. I'm saying this because I care about this topic but after reading I was confused rather than enlightened. I just dind't get the point of many attempts of you making a point. It's ok if your writing style doesn't match my reading skill.
That being said, I don't see why any spellshape ability should be limited to TAP or UNTAP. Compare to cycling: the first time the ability was shown, all cards were identical. Next time time around the costs varied, and ultimately the costs for cycling could be anything crazy like paying life or sacrificing a goat. I think the same applies here: as long as you discard a card, pay some cost (preferably the mana cost of the original spell) it feels lipellshaping to me, regardless of whether the creature is tapping, untapping or neither.
About the wording issue, I'm pretty sure the current rules don't allow that for the exact reason you stated. I do like the elegant wording and I would not accuse you of not knowing the rules, but applauding you for trying to update/innovate/discuss the rules to make the cards more grokkable. If you really insist on making something that works with the rules, try the following:
counter target spell, or counter target activated ability.
1) It's simple
2) if your set features a lot of spellshapers, players will experience what this wording thus: it counters spellshapers! Even though its not written out literally, it will PLAY the way you intented it work
3) but with one exception: the cards is useful outside of the vacuum of your set. This can actualy be a plus!
Creature - Griffin (R)
Flying
Inspired - Whenever Aurora Griffin untaps, put a +1/+1 counter on all creatures you control.
A griffin's morning shriek doesn't just wake the polis, it imbues the citizens' hearts with valor and duty.
2/2
Almost-Protection from Red (Prevent all damage this would receive from red sources. Red sources cannot destroy this)
Differences with real protection:
Clean, simple wording
red creatures can block my creature, but they deal no damage it.
wrath of god like effects (in red you have decree of annihilation for example) do not work - hurray!
red spells can target my creature, but all damage will be prevented and destroy effects don't work.
One major concern with "almost protection" would be black's -X/-X spells/auras. It's not damage, and its not destroying. You could add the clause "can't target" to almost protection, but I feel that it would lose its elegant wording and become too similar to real protection.
I do not see this happen for one simple reason: Xenagos is NOT friends with the other gods, and there is no way Nylea or any G or R god will do a threesome with him.
@Mondu_the_fat, this isn't a "tournament" pack with 60 random cards / 3 rares - this is a 2 player starter set.
Does anybody know what is inside these boxes, or where I can find the content of these boxes? Is the content always the same? Were there any good, useful or just funny cards in them?
You can easily a make "fixed" version of this by, suitable for uncommons, changing the stats to +1/+0 and -1/-0 (Red) or +0/+1 and -1/-0 (White).
I don't understand why all the printing companies are able to put holofoils on billions of cards, but "professional" scammers (for lack of better word) wouldn't.
Does anybody actually know whether you need like tons of resources or unique and special machines to do it?
Also, would it be possible in any way to take the holofoil off of a junk rare and put it on a fake expensive mythic?
Enchantment Artifact - R
As Gem of Veneration enters the battlefield, choose a color.
Your devotion to the chosen color is increased by one.
Your opponents' devotion to the chosen color is decreased by one.
Nightveil specter might see some additional play if devotion to blue or black cards are powerful, but unfortunetaly it's not as good as the other 2.
Then you announce how you're gonna cast it: in this case, you say you will use bestow. This will change the archon from an "enchantment creature" to an "enchantment - aura"
Then you pay mana for the spell. Cavern cannot give colored mana because it is not a creature, and it will not be uncounterable.
Between all these "steps" of casting a spell, no player can cast other spells or activate any non-mana ability.
This is true!
Regardless, I also think the Innistrad symbol resembles the throne that Liliana sits on in the Innistrad packaging/promo picture (link: http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/arcana/666_heu2s44j9q.jpg)