Given that the rules text provides it's own exception for the rule, I fail to see the problem.
If you wished to alter it you could do something like:
"If ~ is in your graveyard, you may pay B3 to return him to your hand. If so, you may activate Ninjitsu for ~ without paying that ability's mana cost until the end of the turn".
How long have you been playing for?
Regularly, for around 7 years. I had played a little around Alliances/Mirage, but took a break until Ravnica. What was your Win/Loss/Draw record(s)?
The worst I've ever had: 0-4-0. I usually do at least 2-2-0. What color/archetype(s) did you play?
Red Black Aggro Which card(s) was your MvP? Predator's Gambit - Was a good pump card, never unhappy to see it. Which card(s) was your unsung hero? Driver of the dead - Great with Vexing Devil What was the most powerful card in your deck? Necrobite -Made a lot of blocks so much better. What was the most valuable card in your sealed pool? Vexing Devil - Great combo with the driver. What was your biggest play?
Had a play with the 6/1 vanilla dude, a Wingcrafter, and two 2/1's who I played Ghostform on. Swing for 11. Which card(s) exceeded your expectations?
Lightning Mauler Which card(s) fell short of your expectations?
Vexing Devil. Always got sacrificed and made less difference in late game unless I'd already been able to get in consistent hits . In your opinion, order the colors from best-to-worst for AVR Limited:
White
Red
Black
Blue
Green What are your general overall impressions of AVR?
Fun limited format. For story reasons, it's very much Angels vs. Demons.
I've got a decklist similar to yours, but I run 2 Niv-Mizzet and no Tidewater Minions; Gelectrode has a built in untap mechanic, better to concentrate on that than trying to add another.
So the general idea is to get a Greater Gargadon out early and a bunch of Goblins in play. Then, once my opponents have most of their boxes constructed, sac enough to the GG's to get them down to one counter, then play Apocalypse. If I have enough mana (via the Prospectors), use Ignorant Bliss to not have to discard my hand.
The Bolts, Flings and Shenanigans are to get in the couple of extra points if I need to to finish them off.
Veil of Secrecy sets up Trepanation Blade attacks and works well as a counter to creature removal. Dampen Thought has splice, so I can potentially get 2-3 uses out of a single copy. Lurking informant helps me filter and, as I mentioned before, sets up kill shots with Booby Trap. And Dreamscape Artist trips Hedron Crab twice per use of his ability.
Some disclaimers:
-Yes, there are better mill cards, I'm sure. I'm picking these because I don't proxy and it's what I've got.
-My multiplayer group isn't uber-competitive. As such, some sub-optimal decks work.
The basic concept is that I wanted to do a mill deck and then have some ability to deal damage as a secondary win condition.
I want to say that Auragrifter is undercosted. Maybe an additional 1, but other than that, I see no issue with it. Interesting card.
Speaking of making creatures more expensive...
Narrow the Path 2U
Enchantment
Creature spells cost 1 more to cast for each other creature that entered the battlefield this turn. The paths through the mountains seemed to narrow of their own volition, forcing us to walk single file.
Almadiau Tome3
Artifact (U) 3, T: Reveal the top card of your library. If its converted mana cost is less than the highest converted mana cost among permanents you control, put it into your hand.
Feels a little clunky, just from a wording standpoint. In the right deck, it would basically say "Draw a card", but the costs vs. drawbacks seem right.
My next one:
Rebellion of Steel2UU
Enchantment
Whenever a creature is equipped, the Equipment deals damage to that creature equal to it's equip cost. In those days, their swords turned against them, just when they needed them the most.
[SOMETHING] Mage UU
Creature - Human Wizard R
Flash
As an additional cost to cast ~ return an island to your hand.
Counter target spell.
2/2
The wording is off; it should read "When ~enters the battlefield, counter target spell" or "When ~ is cast, counter target spell". If the wording was the second, then I'd say okay.
Untouchable DragoonRRR
Creature - Elemental Soldier
Flash, Flanking, Haste 1U: Return~ to your hand.
2/2 "How did their forces get behind us? Where are these fiends coming from?"
Terra Rumbler4RR
Creature - Elemental Beast (R)
Intimidate
Whenever Terra Rumbler deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices a land. If it comes to pay you a visit, pack your goods and leave.
5/5
Comparing it to the Deus of Calamity, it seems a little too aggressively costed because of the evasion; I'd either up it by one mana or drop it to a 4/4.
Smoulderguard RR
Creature - Elemental Soldier
Defender R: Switch ~'s power and toughness. It loses Defender and Gains Trample. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
1/5 Not every one of the flame folk rages in haste.
Devourer Claw
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature has first strike.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on equipped creature.
Equip
Looking at Viridian Claw, it seems a little undercosted in comparison. At least [mana]1[mana] more for the equip cost and I'd change it to more the vampiric "creature damaged by equipped creature goes to the graveyard".
Point Leader1BB
Creature - Human Scout
Pawn 3: If ` attacks and is not blocked, you may sacrifice it. If so, add 3 to your mana pool; spend this only on creature spells.
Deathtouch
2/1
The reason I'm looking at a Tombstalker deck for multiplayer is simple: It's what my casual group plays.
I wasn't planning on relying on Tombstalker as the only kill condition; I just really like the synergy of Tombstalker plus the enchantments. The other cards enable that combo; I'm trying to limit it to two colors, hence the lack of Dragon Breath.
Urborg Syphon-Mage never lives long in my meta and generally makes you the target. I like Putrid Imp, though. Really like Wall of Souls and Syphon Mind. Not sure about Pox, but Smallpox might work very well.
If I do more with this deck, I'll post a list and success report.
The basic idea is to get a Rites of Spring to toss at least one or two of the Auras into the graveyard plus some other cards to allow you to cast an early Tombstalker. The pioneers are there to help you get the extra land out of your hand and the other elves are there for mana fixing.
If you wished to alter it you could do something like:
"If ~ is in your graveyard, you may pay B3 to return him to your hand. If so, you may activate Ninjitsu for ~ without paying that ability's mana cost until the end of the turn".
Regularly, for around 7 years. I had played a little around Alliances/Mirage, but took a break until Ravnica.
What was your Win/Loss/Draw record(s)?
The worst I've ever had: 0-4-0. I usually do at least 2-2-0.
What color/archetype(s) did you play?
Red Black Aggro
Which card(s) was your MvP?
Predator's Gambit - Was a good pump card, never unhappy to see it.
Which card(s) was your unsung hero?
Driver of the dead - Great with Vexing Devil
What was the most powerful card in your deck?
Necrobite -Made a lot of blocks so much better.
What was the most valuable card in your sealed pool?
Vexing Devil - Great combo with the driver.
What was your biggest play?
Had a play with the 6/1 vanilla dude, a Wingcrafter, and two 2/1's who I played Ghostform on. Swing for 11.
Which card(s) exceeded your expectations?
Lightning Mauler
Which card(s) fell short of your expectations?
Vexing Devil. Always got sacrificed and made less difference in late game unless I'd already been able to get in consistent hits .
In your opinion, order the colors from best-to-worst for AVR Limited:
White
Red
Black
Blue
Green
What are your general overall impressions of AVR?
Fun limited format. For story reasons, it's very much Angels vs. Demons.
Hunted Dragon
Hunted Horror
Hunted Phantasm
Hunted Troll
Hunted Lammasu
Look at Rift Bolt as a burn spell; yes it's expensive to cast, but casting it the turn before you go to town is a good thing.
I'm also a fan of Reckless Charge, Distortion Strike and Artful Dodge.
I've got a decklist similar to yours, but I run 2 Niv-Mizzet and no Tidewater Minions; Gelectrode has a built in untap mechanic, better to concentrate on that than trying to add another.
4 Goblin Sledder
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Goblin Chirurgeon
4 Greater Gargadon
4 Ignorant Bliss
3 Fling
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Boggart Shenanigans
The Bolts, Flings and Shenanigans are to get in the couple of extra points if I need to to finish them off.
Thoughts?
Are there better lands I could be playing?
"Roll the bones" is archaic slang for rolling dice (which were called bones, at one point).
Except that all of the instants and sorceries in the deck are Arcane. I'm using Eye of Nowhere so I can splice.
The deck has aggro as one if it's kill conditions. Plus, it's a flyer for Trepanation Blade early on.
Veil of Secrecy sets up Trepanation Blade attacks and works well as a counter to creature removal. Dampen Thought has splice, so I can potentially get 2-3 uses out of a single copy. Lurking informant helps me filter and, as I mentioned before, sets up kill shots with Booby Trap. And Dreamscape Artist trips Hedron Crab twice per use of his ability.
Thanks for the input, none the less.
-Yes, there are better mill cards, I'm sure. I'm picking these because I don't proxy and it's what I've got.
-My multiplayer group isn't uber-competitive. As such, some sub-optimal decks work.
The basic concept is that I wanted to do a mill deck and then have some ability to deal damage as a secondary win condition.
4x Delver of Secrets
4x Hedron Crab
4x Lurking Informant
4x Dreamscape Artist
2x Gearalf's Mindcrusher
4x Veil of Secrecy
4x Dampen Thought
4x Trepanation Blade
4x Booby Trap
4x Bojuka Bog
2x Swamp
12x Island
So, what you think?
Speaking of making creatures more expensive...
Narrow the Path 2U
Enchantment
Creature spells cost 1 more to cast for each other creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
The paths through the mountains seemed to narrow of their own volition, forcing us to walk single file.
Feels a little clunky, just from a wording standpoint. In the right deck, it would basically say "Draw a card", but the costs vs. drawbacks seem right.
My next one:
Rebellion of Steel 2UU
Enchantment
Whenever a creature is equipped, the Equipment deals damage to that creature equal to it's equip cost.
In those days, their swords turned against them, just when they needed them the most.
Untouchable Dragoon RRR
Creature - Elemental Soldier
Flash, Flanking, Haste
1U: Return~ to your hand.
2/2
"How did their forces get behind us? Where are these fiends coming from?"
Smoulderguard RR
Creature - Elemental Soldier
Defender
R: Switch ~'s power and toughness. It loses Defender and Gains Trample. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
1/5
Not every one of the flame folk rages in haste.
Point Leader 1BB
Creature - Human Scout
Pawn 3: If ` attacks and is not blocked, you may sacrifice it. If so, add 3 to your mana pool; spend this only on creature spells.
Deathtouch
2/1
The reason I'm looking at a Tombstalker deck for multiplayer is simple: It's what my casual group plays.
I wasn't planning on relying on Tombstalker as the only kill condition; I just really like the synergy of Tombstalker plus the enchantments. The other cards enable that combo; I'm trying to limit it to two colors, hence the lack of Dragon Breath.
Urborg Syphon-Mage never lives long in my meta and generally makes you the target. I like Putrid Imp, though. Really like Wall of Souls and Syphon Mind. Not sure about Pox, but Smallpox might work very well.
If I do more with this deck, I'll post a list and success report.
4x Tombstalker
4x Elves of Deep Shadow
4x Elvish Pioneer
4x Rites of Spring
Enchantments:
4x Dragon Shadow
4x Dragon Fangs
4x Swiftfoot Boots
Lands:
22 ?
I'm just not sure what else to put in the deck.
Ideas?