Predatory Loan UG
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Opponent
Enchanted player may tap lands you control for mana. When they do, put a debt counter on ~ for each land tapped.
0, sacrifice ~: Add 2 for each debt counter ~ had. Lands enchanted player control don't untap during that player's next untap step.
IIW: Vanishing / Fading on a noncreature permanent
Eerie Fog 1UB
Creature - Wall (U)
When ~ enters the battlefield, look at the top 5 cards of your library. Exile one of them face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
When ~ blocks or dies, you may cast the exiled card.
0/5
(Still need to pay mana. Timing rules can be broken)
IIW: Auras or equipment that have different effects depending on the attached creature (see Bonds of Faith)
Pulse Robber 1UR
Creature - Vampire Shaman
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature an opponent controls. If you do, ~ gains haste until end of turn, and that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
3/2
IIW: enchantment or equipment that give attached creature an extra or set creature type
Propaganda Plane 1UU
Artifact - Vehicle (R)
Flying
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, you may exchange control of target creature that player controls and target creature that crewed ~ this turn.
Crew 1
2/4
IIW: Pretend Edge of Autumn belongs to a 4 part cycle. Make another card from the cycle. (Doesn't need to fit in Future Sight unless you want it to).
Bloodspiller 2
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Living weapon
Equipped creature gets +3/+1 3, pay 4 life: Create a 0/0 black Germ creature token and attach this to it.
Equip 2
New Abzan Dude WBG
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier
At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on each tapped creature you control. T: Regenerate target creature.
3/3
IIW: a card that has an enhanced effect against a particular unpopular tribe, like Eye Gouge
Before addressing individual cards, there were two unstated qualities I was looking for that I didn't make explicit in the challenge line. I was looking for limited cards, and I was coming from the belief that Golgari ought to have been given a middle to high tier common in GRN that fills the graveyard.
Devkarin Cultivator - Wow! I'm not sure I'll be able to give a complete praising of this card but I'll try. First I'll pass the one criticism I have with it - it's strong enough that it doesn't need to be a 1/3. It being a 1/1 and being a staple of the limited format would give more relevance to Ornery Goblin, Cosmotronic Wave, and the Hellkite that pings on attack, and in general it would be more balanced as a 1/1. Onto the praise. It doesn't just empower Golgari in both ways Golgari needs it (notice how many Golgari cards are expensive), it supports a whole other archetype in 3+ color green. Simultaneously it rewards/requires you to have plenty of creatures in your deck to make the color fixing reliable, which in turn incentivizes Undergrowth. Lastly, I love cards like this that push players into thinking in terms of probability and at what EV point a plan becomes reliable. It's got a strong base line of power in regards to benefiting Undergrowth but it can also function as a trap for players who do not respect that it will not always hit when you need it to and miss-build/draft accordingly.
Undercity Harvest - I like the space this card lives in and I hope something like it gets printed. I'd be more ambitious and have it look at 4 cards minimum. Cards like these tend to be unplayable or niche playable in limited, so you might as well give noobs a break and let them miss less often with 4 or 5 cards. This feels close to Commune with Dinosaurs as far as niche playability goes; it's clear that only Golgari wants this card and will wheel it in draft most of the time.
Dig Through Filth - Not sure what happened with the Draw a Card at the end when you're already drawing the revealed card but let's pretend that's not there. I'm not a fan of this card in the context of looking for a common to strengthen Golgari in GRN. It's likely not worth playing in limited. It's high variance, and even when it hits, it's only worth putting in your deck if you achieve enough synergy in the other cards you play. The most aesthetic thing about it is that it aligns with Golgari's theme in GRN, that it requires Dimir's mechanic for setup.
Trashpile Scrounger - Way too unoriginal. Would be happy to see this exist in the set, sure.
Devkarin Recycler - Nice card, fits in well with what Golgari wants to be doing in the early turns in GRN. Plays well with unwanted tokens when mixed with Selesnya. Glad there's a "may". Would really like to see this as a Hound to continue the Rat - Cat - chain of predation, and we have a precedence for dogs in Golgari.
Winner goes to Subject16's Devkarin Cultivator
Next: Cards that can't be cast from the hand
Decadent Guildmage 1B
Creature - Human Wizard 3W: Each player gains life equal to the number of cards in their hand. 3R: Each player loses life equal to the number of cards in their hand.
2/2
Peacecaller 1WW
Creature - Human Advisor
At the end of each player's turn, if that player did not attack with any creatures that turn, they draw a card.
1/4
Creature - Merfolk Scout (R)
Whenever one or more cards are revealed, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
1/1
IIW: Simple yet fun to build around rares
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Opponent
Enchanted player may tap lands you control for mana. When they do, put a debt counter on ~ for each land tapped.
0, sacrifice ~: Add 2 for each debt counter ~ had. Lands enchanted player control don't untap during that player's next untap step.
IIW: Vanishing / Fading on a noncreature permanent
Instant
Counter target judge ruling. That judge cannot intervene for the remainder of the game.
Creature - Wall (U)
When ~ enters the battlefield, look at the top 5 cards of your library. Exile one of them face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
When ~ blocks or dies, you may cast the exiled card.
0/5
(Still need to pay mana. Timing rules can be broken)
IIW: Auras or equipment that have different effects depending on the attached creature (see Bonds of Faith)
Creature - Elk (U)
When ~ enters the battlefield, add RUG. Spells cast with this mana gain Cascade.
4/4
IIW: more Elk
Creature - Troll
Flash, Haste
~ costs 1 less to cast as long as an opponent has been holding priority for 20 seconds or longer.
3/3
Creature - Vampire Shaman
When ~ enters the battlefield, tap target creature an opponent controls. If you do, ~ gains haste until end of turn, and that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
3/2
IIW: enchantment or equipment that give attached creature an extra or set creature type
Artifact - Vehicle (R)
Flying
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, you may exchange control of target creature that player controls and target creature that crewed ~ this turn.
Crew 1
2/4
IIW: Pretend Edge of Autumn belongs to a 4 part cycle. Make another card from the cycle. (Doesn't need to fit in Future Sight unless you want it to).
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Living weapon
Equipped creature gets +3/+1
3, pay 4 life: Create a 0/0 black Germ creature token and attach this to it.
Equip 2
IIW: food/snacks
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier
At the beginning of your end step, put a +1/+1 counter on each tapped creature you control.
T: Regenerate target creature.
3/3
IIW: a card that has an enhanced effect against a particular unpopular tribe, like Eye Gouge
Devkarin Cultivator - Wow! I'm not sure I'll be able to give a complete praising of this card but I'll try. First I'll pass the one criticism I have with it - it's strong enough that it doesn't need to be a 1/3. It being a 1/1 and being a staple of the limited format would give more relevance to Ornery Goblin, Cosmotronic Wave, and the Hellkite that pings on attack, and in general it would be more balanced as a 1/1. Onto the praise. It doesn't just empower Golgari in both ways Golgari needs it (notice how many Golgari cards are expensive), it supports a whole other archetype in 3+ color green. Simultaneously it rewards/requires you to have plenty of creatures in your deck to make the color fixing reliable, which in turn incentivizes Undergrowth. Lastly, I love cards like this that push players into thinking in terms of probability and at what EV point a plan becomes reliable. It's got a strong base line of power in regards to benefiting Undergrowth but it can also function as a trap for players who do not respect that it will not always hit when you need it to and miss-build/draft accordingly.
Undercity Harvest - I like the space this card lives in and I hope something like it gets printed. I'd be more ambitious and have it look at 4 cards minimum. Cards like these tend to be unplayable or niche playable in limited, so you might as well give noobs a break and let them miss less often with 4 or 5 cards. This feels close to Commune with Dinosaurs as far as niche playability goes; it's clear that only Golgari wants this card and will wheel it in draft most of the time.
Dig Through Filth - Not sure what happened with the Draw a Card at the end when you're already drawing the revealed card but let's pretend that's not there. I'm not a fan of this card in the context of looking for a common to strengthen Golgari in GRN. It's likely not worth playing in limited. It's high variance, and even when it hits, it's only worth putting in your deck if you achieve enough synergy in the other cards you play. The most aesthetic thing about it is that it aligns with Golgari's theme in GRN, that it requires Dimir's mechanic for setup.
Trashpile Scrounger - Way too unoriginal. Would be happy to see this exist in the set, sure.
Devkarin Recycler - Nice card, fits in well with what Golgari wants to be doing in the early turns in GRN. Plays well with unwanted tokens when mixed with Selesnya. Glad there's a "may". Would really like to see this as a Hound to continue the Rat - Cat - chain of predation, and we have a precedence for dogs in Golgari.
Winner goes to Subject16's Devkarin Cultivator
Next: Cards that can't be cast from the hand
Creature - Human Wizard
3W: Each player gains life equal to the number of cards in their hand.
3R: Each player loses life equal to the number of cards in their hand.
2/2
IIW: A common graveyard filler for Golgari
Creature - Human Advisor
At the end of each player's turn, if that player did not attack with any creatures that turn, they draw a card.
1/4
IIW: A common graveyard filler for Golgari
Instant
Put a -1/-1 counter on each creature.
Whenever a creature dies this turn, proliferate.
IIW: A common graveyard filler for Golgari