Well, the idea is that there is nothing really philosophically white about scry either, or even drawing cards. Scry and card draw appear on all colors and artifacts. This ability is less than card draw and perhaps more than scry (not sure about that as it doesn't let you sculpt your hand) - either way in that philosophy (not in terms of "does this ability feel like this color" but in terms of "card draw/scry is allowed - why not this").
In terms of variants - I agree which is why this mechanic is different in the sense that it sends the exiled cards into the graveyard at end of turn. In terms of interacting no need to interact with exile as this mechanic can double as self mill.
The mechanic is from cards like Light Up the Stage and Act on Impulse. Now there is a difference there between end of your next turn or end of turn, but to prevent memory issues for a widespread mechanic I chose end of turn. Additionally, instead of leaving those cards in exile I chose to have them be sent to your graveyard)
Name X [Exile the top X cards of your library, until the end of the turn, you may play those cards. At the end of the turn place all cards that are in exile that have been exiled this way into your graveyard)
I don't have a name yet - just wondering if this is a mechanic that can be used. My main concerns are:
1) This mechanic is currently solidly in red. But, does the graveyard portion and/or the fact that it is so similar to scry able to move this mechanic to other colors as well? Like if Act on Impulse didn't exist, would this be an acceptable mechanic to slap onto a white boosting spell like Stand Firm:
~ W
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Name 1 [Exile the top card of your library, until the end of the turn, you may play that card. At the end of the turn place all cards that are in exile that have been exiled this way into your graveyard)
Is that too much of a color shift for white?
2) My other concern is that cards like Light Up the Stage and Act on Impulse are relatively rare - is it concerning to have this type of mechanic show up in large quantities in a single set?
Really random idea - but would something like this work within the rules? (taking some language from battlemages)
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment
If ~ was equipped with its 1 equip cost, [put a charge counter on ~, and] equipped creature has "0: add W to your mana pool. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery and only once each turn."
If ~ was equipped with its 3W equip cost, equipped creature has "X"
[If ~ would become unequiped from a creature remove all charge counters from it]
Equip 1 or 3W
Bracketed language to deal with memory issues needed? Edit 2 to deal with the fact that you didn't want the creature to tap. . . and . . . i've made it too complex haven't I? Final edit - this I think allows for infinite targeting combos, unfortunately . . .
Now, as was recognized in that thread - the above was way too complex and messy for common. But if we fool about with the abilities what about an uncommon cycle of the following skeleton:
~ [CMC]
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its [X] equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature has "X"
If ~ was equipped with its [Y] equip cost, equipped creature has "Y"
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip [X] or [Y]
Here is a simple cycle as a test:
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1W equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance
If ~ was equipped with its 1U equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has flying
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1W or 1U
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1U equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has flying
If ~ was equipped with its 1B equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has Deathtouch.
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1U or 1B
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1B equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch
If ~ was equipped with its 1R equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1B or 1R
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1R equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has firststrike
If ~ was equipped with its 1G equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1R or 1G
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1G equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample
If ~ was equipped with its 1W equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1G or 1W
Really random idea - but would something like this work within the rules? (taking some language from battlemages)
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment
If ~ was equipped with its 1 equip cost, [put a charge counter on ~, and] equipped creature has "0: add W to your mana pool. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery and only once each turn."
If ~ was equipped with its 3W equip cost, equipped creature has "X"
[If ~ would become unequiped from a creature remove all charge counters from it]
Equip 1 or 3W
Bracketed language to deal with memory issues needed? Edit 2 to deal with the fact that you didn't want the creature to tap. . . and . . . i've made it too complex haven't I? Final edit - this I think allows for infinite targeting combos, unfortunately . . .
Princess Falene essentially gives you Monarch only better since you can always choose to block with it and prevent her from being taken by an opponent (monarch just sticks around and Semdal could be targeted), although Monarch activates at the end step instead of upkeep. The cheapest cards that give you Monarch at least 4 CMC, but also come with their own abilities - I think you can make her 3 CMC and be fine at her current stats.
Welcome to these forums, stranger.
Let me first say that the mechanic is excellent.
The Angel is doing something that only black (and to a lesser degree, blue) does - namely, exiling cards from an opponent’s graveyard. Make it a black Demon and you’re set. Red card is too good for common. Blue card doesn’t need defender.
But again, the mechanic is excellent and even the cards are nice prototypes.
Most (if not all) of the time, the Resonate rider effect should begin with “When” rather than “If”.
Thank you all for liking the mechanic!
Just FYI - Angel is exiling from the library, not the graveyard?
Also - Legend a question for you since I see you working on mechanics all the time on these boards . . . if I want this to be a feature mechanic of a set how many Commons, Uncommons, Rares, Mythics per color (and/or with the occasional multicolor/artifact) should I be looking at?
Additionally, in terms of complexity - should their just be a counter cycle at common and a slightly more complex cycle at uncommon?
Well I can't use Echo since the sacrifice is part of the ability of Echo. As it's currently on gatherer:
(At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.)
As you can see - Echo also uses the control language. I don't know if that's just old language or if that should be fine for memory issues. Additionally I think the only card with memory issues would be the angel - all the others happen on paying the cost.
Inspired by Echo, this mechanic is more like a delay kicker cost:
Resonant [Cost]: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay [Cost])
Any comments on the below cards or the mechanic itself are appreciated
Superstar Recruit 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
Resonant 2W: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2W)
If Superstar Recruit Resonates, place two +1/+1 counters on it.
2/1
Broodsnake G
Creature - Snake (C)
Resonant 3G: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 3G)
Deathtouch
If Broodsnake Resonates, create two 1/1 green snake creature tokens
1/1
Reflected Mirror Magician 3R
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Resonant 2R: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2R)
When Reflected Mirror Magician enters the battlefield return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
If Reflected Mirror Magician Resonates, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Casualty Expert 2BB
Creature - Human Assassin (U)
Resonant 2B: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2B)
When Casualty Expert enters the battlefield creatures target player controls get -1/-1 until end of turn.
If Casualty Expert Resonates, creatures target player controls get -2/-2 until end of turn.
3/1
Oscillating Decapod 1U
Creature - Crab (U)
Resonant 1R: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 1R)
Defender
If Oscillating Decapod Resonates, switch its power and toughness until end of turn and it has trample and may can attack as though it didn't have defender until end of turn
1/5
Angel of Censorship 3WW
Creature - Angel (R)
Resonant WU: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay WU)
Flying, Lifelink
Whenever Angel of Censorship deals damage to an opponent, search that player's library for up to two cards and exile them face up. Then that player shuffles their library.
If Angel of Censorship Resonates, players may not cast spells that share a name with a card exiled by Angel of Censorship.
3/4
Become Silverware 2W
Enchantment - Aura [U]
Enchant creature.
Enchanted creature is an Artifact Equipment with "Equipped Creature has +1/+1" and "Equip - 1", and it loses all other abilities, card types, and creature types. This effect doesn't remove Become Silverware.
Edit: Added the last sentence, but not sure that it saves the card from sticking around after turning the creature into an equipment
Falling Moon 3
Artifact [M]
Falling Moon enters the battlefield with five charge counters.
At the end of your turn target opponent gains control of Falling Moon.
At the beginning of your upkeep remove a charge counter from Falling Moon and draw cards equal to the amount of charge counters on Falling Moon. When the last counter is removed this way, each player loses the game.
Edit: Too Broken to be Fixed.
Reclamationist 1G
Creature - Elf Druid [R] C: Add two mana of any color to your mana pool.
2/1
Living Roil
Land [R] T: Add C to your mana pool.
Whenever another land enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Living Roil and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature, it's still a land.
Goblin Radiator 3RR
Creature - Goblin Shaman [R]
Flash, Haste
When Goblin Radiator enters the battlefield choose target instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single permanent. Copy that spell for each other permanent controlled by the same player as the spell's target the spell could target. Each copy targets a different one of those permanents.
2/2
Comment: Not sure the card is strong enough to remove the ability to go infinite with Cackling Counterpart and such cards - I think such an expensive combo should be okay.
Blood in the Water 3RR
Sorcery [U]
Blood in the Water deals 1 damage to target creature. Create three 1/1 Blue fish creature tokes with 'when this creature enters the battlefield it fights target creature an opponent controls that was dealt damage this turn.
Edit: to use rowanalpha's wording which is more what I wanted. Upped the cost due to the possibility of fish surviving.
Infectious Scourge 1BB
Enchantment [R]
When Infectious Scourge enters the battlefield, place a put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature with a -1/-1 counter on it. Then put a -1/-1 counter on target creature without a -1/-1 counter on it. At the end of your turn, if there are no creatures in play, sacrifice Virulent Scourge.
Edit: Added the first sentence so that you do not need a creature with a -1/-1 counter at the start.
Illusory Conversion 1UU
Enchantment [R]
When Illusory Conversion enters the battlefield gain control of target creature, then turn it face down. Face down creatures are 2/2. Its controller may turn it face up as a sorcery by paying its mana cost. You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color when paying costs to turn a creature face up.
Hmm, Can Parting Thoughts possibly justify my version to being uncommon at 1BB or 3B? What do you think? Parting Thoughts is way more limited, but I'm assuming that such card would be made only in a limited environment where a creature being enchanted or equipped was as likely as having a counter on it?
Thanks - as you can guess from my "practicing" posts I'm trying to understand design. The next stage as it seems to me, and one that I am definitely not ready for, is to design within a set. That is why I am coming from judging/designing cards in isolation through analogy to previously printed cards instead of like you who is designing them in relation to the power level of the other cards you are designing. Thus, when looking at these cards I was trying to think of in terms of "most interesting" and "as powerful as I can get away with" instead of "would these play well in my set"
In terms of variants - I agree which is why this mechanic is different in the sense that it sends the exiled cards into the graveyard at end of turn. In terms of interacting no need to interact with exile as this mechanic can double as self mill.
Name X [Exile the top X cards of your library, until the end of the turn, you may play those cards. At the end of the turn place all cards that are in exile that have been exiled this way into your graveyard)
I don't have a name yet - just wondering if this is a mechanic that can be used. My main concerns are:
1) This mechanic is currently solidly in red. But, does the graveyard portion and/or the fact that it is so similar to scry able to move this mechanic to other colors as well? Like if Act on Impulse didn't exist, would this be an acceptable mechanic to slap onto a white boosting spell like Stand Firm:
~ W
Instant (C)
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Name 1 [Exile the top card of your library, until the end of the turn, you may play that card. At the end of the turn place all cards that are in exile that have been exiled this way into your graveyard)
Is that too much of a color shift for white?
2) My other concern is that cards like Light Up the Stage and Act on Impulse are relatively rare - is it concerning to have this type of mechanic show up in large quantities in a single set?
Thanks!
Now, as was recognized in that thread - the above was way too complex and messy for common. But if we fool about with the abilities what about an uncommon cycle of the following skeleton:
~ [CMC]
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its [X] equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature has "X"
If ~ was equipped with its [Y] equip cost, equipped creature has "Y"
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip [X] or [Y]
Here is a simple cycle as a test:
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1W equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance
If ~ was equipped with its 1U equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has flying
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1W or 1U
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1U equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has flying
If ~ was equipped with its 1B equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has Deathtouch.
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1U or 1B
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1B equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch
If ~ was equipped with its 1R equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1B or 1R
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1R equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has firststrike
If ~ was equipped with its 1G equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1R or 1G
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
If ~ was equipped with its 1G equip cost, put a charge counter on ~, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample
If ~ was equipped with its 1W equip cost, equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance
If ~ would become unattached from a creature remove all charge counters from it
Equip 1G or 1W
~ 2
Artifact - Equipment
If ~ was equipped with its 1 equip cost, [put a charge counter on ~, and] equipped creature has "0: add W to your mana pool. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery and only once each turn."
If ~ was equipped with its 3W equip cost, equipped creature has "X"
[If ~ would become unequiped from a creature remove all charge counters from it]
Equip 1 or 3W
Bracketed language to deal with memory issues needed? Edit 2 to deal with the fact that you didn't want the creature to tap. . . and . . . i've made it too complex haven't I? Final edit - this I think allows for infinite targeting combos, unfortunately . . .
Thank you all for liking the mechanic!
Just FYI - Angel is exiling from the library, not the graveyard?
Also - Legend a question for you since I see you working on mechanics all the time on these boards . . . if I want this to be a feature mechanic of a set how many Commons, Uncommons, Rares, Mythics per color (and/or with the occasional multicolor/artifact) should I be looking at?
Additionally, in terms of complexity - should their just be a counter cycle at common and a slightly more complex cycle at uncommon?
Thanks!
(At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.)
As you can see - Echo also uses the control language. I don't know if that's just old language or if that should be fine for memory issues. Additionally I think the only card with memory issues would be the angel - all the others happen on paying the cost.
Resonant [Cost]: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay [Cost])
Any comments on the below cards or the mechanic itself are appreciated
Superstar Recruit 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
Resonant 2W: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2W)
If Superstar Recruit Resonates, place two +1/+1 counters on it.
2/1
Broodsnake G
Creature - Snake (C)
Resonant 3G: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 3G)
Deathtouch
If Broodsnake Resonates, create two 1/1 green snake creature tokens
1/1
Reflected Mirror Magician 3R
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Resonant 2R: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2R)
When Reflected Mirror Magician enters the battlefield return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
If Reflected Mirror Magician Resonates, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
Casualty Expert 2BB
Creature - Human Assassin (U)
Resonant 2B: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 2B)
When Casualty Expert enters the battlefield creatures target player controls get -1/-1 until end of turn.
If Casualty Expert Resonates, creatures target player controls get -2/-2 until end of turn.
3/1
Oscillating Decapod 1U
Creature - Crab (U)
Resonant 1R: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay 1R)
Defender
If Oscillating Decapod Resonates, switch its power and toughness until end of turn and it has trample and may can attack as though it didn't have defender until end of turn
1/5
Angel of Censorship 3WW
Creature - Angel (R)
Resonant WU: (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, you may pay WU)
Flying, Lifelink
Whenever Angel of Censorship deals damage to an opponent, search that player's library for up to two cards and exile them face up. Then that player shuffles their library.
If Angel of Censorship Resonates, players may not cast spells that share a name with a card exiled by Angel of Censorship.
3/4
Enchantment - Aura [U]
Enchant creature.
Enchanted creature is an Artifact Equipment with "Equipped Creature has +1/+1" and "Equip - 1", and it loses all other abilities, card types, and creature types. This effect doesn't remove Become Silverware.
Edit: Added the last sentence, but not sure that it saves the card from sticking around after turning the creature into an equipment
Falling Moon 3.Artifact [M]
Falling Moon enters the battlefield with five charge counters.
At the end of your turn target opponent gains control of Falling Moon.
At the beginning of your upkeep remove a charge counter from Falling Moon and draw cards equal to the amount of charge counters on Falling Moon. When the last counter is removed this way, each player loses the game
Edit: Too Broken to be Fixed.
Reclamationist 1G
Creature - Elf Druid [R]
C: Add two mana of any color to your mana pool.
2/1
Living Roil
Land [R]
T: Add C to your mana pool.
Whenever another land enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Living Roil and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature, it's still a land.
Goblin Radiator 3RR
Creature - Goblin Shaman [R]
Flash, Haste
When Goblin Radiator enters the battlefield choose target instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single permanent. Copy that spell for each other permanent controlled by the same player as the spell's target the spell could target. Each copy targets a different one of those permanents.
2/2
Comment: Not sure the card is strong enough to remove the ability to go infinite with Cackling Counterpart and such cards - I think such an expensive combo should be okay.
Blood in the Water 3RR
Sorcery [U]
Blood in the Water deals 1 damage to target creature. Create three 1/1 Blue fish creature tokes with 'when this creature enters the battlefield it fights target creature an opponent controls that was dealt damage this turn.
Edit: to use rowanalpha's wording which is more what I wanted. Upped the cost due to the possibility of fish surviving.
Infectious Scourge 1BB
Enchantment [R]
When Infectious Scourge enters the battlefield, place a put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature with a -1/-1 counter on it. Then put a -1/-1 counter on target creature without a -1/-1 counter on it. At the end of your turn, if there are no creatures in play, sacrifice Virulent Scourge.
Edit: Added the first sentence so that you do not need a creature with a -1/-1 counter at the start.
Illusory Conversion 1UU
Enchantment [R]
When Illusory Conversion enters the battlefield gain control of target creature, then turn it face down. Face down creatures are 2/2. Its controller may turn it face up as a sorcery by paying its mana cost. You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color when paying costs to turn a creature face up.
Feast of Nightmares 2B
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target creature. Unless that creature was enchanted or equipped, draw a card.