Advocate of Lightness 1W
Creature - Human Wizard C W: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn WW: Tap target creature WWW: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn
1/1
Misery of the Meak 2BB
Sorcery C
Destroy up to two target creatures with power 2 or less.
Inebrimancer 2R
Creature - Goblin Shaman C
When Inebrimancer enters the battlefield each player draws three cards, then discards three cards at random.
2/1
Thank you for the help. Please see the updated cards:
Learn or Burn UR
Instant - U Choose any target, then reveal the top five cards of your library and separate them into two piles. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Flip a coin, if you win the flip you may put a card from the chosen pile into your hand, then put all other cards revealed this way on the top of your library in any order. If you lose the flip, Learn or Burn deals damage to the chosen target equal to the number of cards in the chosen pile and then exile each card revealed this way.
Opaes, Limbo's Herald 3UR
Legendary Creature - Frog M
When Opaes enters the battlefield reveal the top two cards of your library. An opponent chooses one of them. Put that card into your hand and exile the other with a Limbo counter on it.
Whenever Opaes deals combat damage to an opponent, that opponent chooses to either exile Opaes and then return it to the battlefield under your control, or that you may cast a card exiled with a limbo counter on it without paying its mana cost.
3/5
For the Ocean and Volcano, can Red bleed into this space with Blood Moon?
Thanks for the help everyone. Bones is definitely a combo card but I can't think of anything too broken with it. For the deal with a mad scientist what if I just went this route:
Hydra's Embrace XUG
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature with a converted mana cost of X or less.
You control enchanted creature.
When Deal with a Hydra's Embrace enters the battlefield, put X +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
Learn or Burn UR
Instant - U
Reveal the top five cards of your library and separate them into two piles. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Flip a coin, if you win the flip you may put a card from the chosen pile into your hand, then put all other cards revealed this way on the top of your library in any order. If you lose the flip, Learn or Burn deals damage to any target equal to the number of cards in the chosen pile.
Opaes, Limbo's Herald 3UR
Legendary Creature - Frog M
When Opaes enters the battlefield reveal the top two cards of your library. An opponent chooses one of them. Put that card into your hand and exile the other.
Whenever Opaes deals combat damage to an opponent, that opponent chooses to either exile Opaes and then return it to the battlefield under your control, or that you may cast a card exiled by Opaes without paying its mana cost.
3/5
Between the Ocean and Volcano
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Land - C
When ~ enters the battlefield, enchanted land's controller chooses island or mountain. Enchanted land loses its existing land types and any abilities printed on it and is the chosen land type.
Lightning Fence XWR
Enchantment - R
Lightning Fence enters the battlefield with X charge counters.
At the beginning of each combat phase on each opponent's turn, that player may pay X, where X is the number of charge counters on Lightning Fence. If they don't, creatures they control can't attack you or a planeswalker you control this combat.
At the beginning of each of your combat phases remove a charge counter from Lightning Fence if you do Lightning Fence deals 2 damage to any target.
On the Bones of Ancestors 2GB
Enchantment - R
Players may cast creature spells with the same name as a creature card in a graveyard without paying their mana costs.
Deal with a Mad Scientist XUG
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature with a converted mana cost of X or less.
You control enchanted creature.
When Deal with a Mad Scientist enters the battlefield, put X +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
At the beginning of your end step if enchanted creatures power is 5 or more, sacrifice Deal with a Mad Scientist.
That's an interesting suggestion RE hidden information. However, the top card of the library would seem to be hidden even from you and is more of an introduction of randomness rather than new information. The choice would be instead X versus Random rather than X versus a variable that is known to the Caster
What about something regarding revealing from your hand? It could even be binary land/non-land (or creature since Lands are more of a green/red domain). For example, taking the first two commons in the last post and introducing this binary idea:
Common #1 Version 2 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless it was bribed, reveal a card from your hand. If its a creature create two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens, otherwise create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
2/3
Common #2 Version 2 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, reveal a card from your hand. If its a creature target opponent reveals his hand and you may choose a card, if you do place that card on top of its owner's library, otherwise target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
In review - I fear that these versions are too wordy, especially for commons. Moreover, the lack of information simply makes it more likely that the opponent would choose the drain - while the opponent would always choose the worst option for you, these versions make it seem that the drain is always the worst option for you as the opponent would always assume the worst in regards to the reveal.
Also, it loses some flavor, what about bribery involves secret information - the secret information is if the bribed is bribed but then chooses to carry on with their threat. With that flavor in mind then there is a potential of having the ETB effect take place even if bribed. What about something like:
Common #1 Version 3 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token. If ~ was bribed instead reveal a card from your hand if it is a creature create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token
2/3
Common #2 Version 3 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library. If ~ was bribed instead reveal a card from your hand if it is a creature card target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
That is sort of repetitive, but unlike the Version 2, Version 3 would push players into accepting the ETB as they can never know if you have had set up that the bribe was ineffective. To equalize the positions but keeping the one-sided information, it would seem that you would have to make the reveal somewhat trickier than a creature and or land.
RE user_938036: I feel that you are correct that the main issue is that the effects are too disparate. As you noted the non-bribed effects all seem to be appropriate for rares. I guess, the issue on my end is coming up with good bribe effects for Common/Uncommon that are worth only 1-3 Bribe. I don't particularly want to go further than 3 with common/uncommon as I feel bribe 4 at that rarity would be obnoxious.
Trying to find a better balance of effects, what about these 3 Commons?
Common #1 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless it was bribed, create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
2/3
Common #2 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
Common #3 2WB
Bribe [3] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [3] life and have you gain [3] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, exile another target permanent you own, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
2/4
Are these more balanced - or do I have the calculation of the power of the drain versus the effects off?
RE: alanyuan0408 - not sure how the mechanic would be changed to be more like your category 3?
The following keyword is a play on tribute - the worry that some commentators have had when I ran it by them is that unlike +1/+1 counters the life drain will almost always be chosen, simply by dint of Orzhov gameplay which is defensive instead of aggressive. The help I'm asking is if the keyword is decent enough and if the below "X"s may appropriately be filled. I have included the original numbers in brackets, but have been consistently told that they are too low.
Sample Cards:
Purchased Custodian 2W
Creature - Spirit (C)
Bribe X[2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[2] life and have you gain X[2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Defender, Flying
Unless Purchased Custodian has been bribed, creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays 1 for each creature they control that's attacking you.
0/4
Procurer of Indulgences 2WB
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
Bribe X[3] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[3] life and have you gain X[3] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When Procurer of Indulgences dies, unless Procurer of Indulgences has been bribed return all creature cards in your graveyard to your hand.
3/1
Reasoned Kidnapper 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
Bribe X[2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[2] life and have you gain X[2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When Reasoned Kidnapper enters the battlefield, unless has been bribed, exile target creature other than Reasoned Kidnapper. When Reasoned Kidnapper leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner’s control.
2/3
Saint of Subornation 5WB
Creature - Archon Horror (R)
Bribe X[4] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[4] life and have you gain X[4] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Flying
When Saint of Subornation enters the battlefield, unless has been bribed, exile target permanent.
At the end of each turn exile, Saint of Subornation and then return it to the battlefield.
5/5
Creature - Human Wizard C
W: Target creature gains first strike until end of turn
WW: Tap target creature
WWW: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn
1/1
Misery of the Meak 2BB
Sorcery C
Destroy up to two target creatures with power 2 or less.
Inebrimancer 2R
Creature - Goblin Shaman C
When Inebrimancer enters the battlefield each player draws three cards, then discards three cards at random.
2/1
Learn or Burn UR
Instant - U
Choose any target, then reveal the top five cards of your library and separate them into two piles. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Flip a coin, if you win the flip you may put a card from the chosen pile into your hand, then put all other cards revealed this way on the top of your library in any order. If you lose the flip, Learn or Burn deals damage to the chosen target equal to the number of cards in the chosen pile and then exile each card revealed this way.
Opaes, Limbo's Herald 3UR
Legendary Creature - Frog M
When Opaes enters the battlefield reveal the top two cards of your library. An opponent chooses one of them. Put that card into your hand and exile the other with a Limbo counter on it.
Whenever Opaes deals combat damage to an opponent, that opponent chooses to either exile Opaes and then return it to the battlefield under your control, or that you may cast a card exiled with a limbo counter on it without paying its mana cost.
3/5
For the Ocean and Volcano, can Red bleed into this space with Blood Moon?
Hydra's Embrace XUG
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature with a converted mana cost of X or less.
You control enchanted creature.
When Deal with a Hydra's Embrace enters the battlefield, put X +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
Instant - U
Reveal the top five cards of your library and separate them into two piles. An opponent chooses one of those piles. Flip a coin, if you win the flip you may put a card from the chosen pile into your hand, then put all other cards revealed this way on the top of your library in any order. If you lose the flip, Learn or Burn deals damage to any target equal to the number of cards in the chosen pile.
Opaes, Limbo's Herald 3UR
Legendary Creature - Frog M
When Opaes enters the battlefield reveal the top two cards of your library. An opponent chooses one of them. Put that card into your hand and exile the other.
Whenever Opaes deals combat damage to an opponent, that opponent chooses to either exile Opaes and then return it to the battlefield under your control, or that you may cast a card exiled by Opaes without paying its mana cost.
3/5
Between the Ocean and Volcano
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Land - C
When ~ enters the battlefield, enchanted land's controller chooses island or mountain. Enchanted land loses its existing land types and any abilities printed on it and is the chosen land type.
Enchantment - R
Lightning Fence enters the battlefield with X charge counters.
At the beginning of each combat phase on each opponent's turn, that player may pay X, where X is the number of charge counters on Lightning Fence. If they don't, creatures they control can't attack you or a planeswalker you control this combat.
At the beginning of each of your combat phases remove a charge counter from Lightning Fence if you do Lightning Fence deals 2 damage to any target.
On the Bones of Ancestors 2GB
Enchantment - R
Players may cast creature spells with the same name as a creature card in a graveyard without paying their mana costs.
Deal with a Mad Scientist XUG
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature with a converted mana cost of X or less.
You control enchanted creature.
When Deal with a Mad Scientist enters the battlefield, put X +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.
At the beginning of your end step if enchanted creatures power is 5 or more, sacrifice Deal with a Mad Scientist.
What about something regarding revealing from your hand? It could even be binary land/non-land (or creature since Lands are more of a green/red domain). For example, taking the first two commons in the last post and introducing this binary idea:
Common #1 Version 2 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless it was bribed, reveal a card from your hand. If its a creature create two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens, otherwise create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
2/3
Common #2 Version 2 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, reveal a card from your hand. If its a creature target opponent reveals his hand and you may choose a card, if you do place that card on top of its owner's library, otherwise target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
In review - I fear that these versions are too wordy, especially for commons. Moreover, the lack of information simply makes it more likely that the opponent would choose the drain - while the opponent would always choose the worst option for you, these versions make it seem that the drain is always the worst option for you as the opponent would always assume the worst in regards to the reveal.
Also, it loses some flavor, what about bribery involves secret information - the secret information is if the bribed is bribed but then chooses to carry on with their threat. With that flavor in mind then there is a potential of having the ETB effect take place even if bribed. What about something like:
Common #1 Version 3 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token. If ~ was bribed instead reveal a card from your hand if it is a creature create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token
2/3
Common #2 Version 3 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library. If ~ was bribed instead reveal a card from your hand if it is a creature card target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
That is sort of repetitive, but unlike the Version 2, Version 3 would push players into accepting the ETB as they can never know if you have had set up that the bribe was ineffective. To equalize the positions but keeping the one-sided information, it would seem that you would have to make the reveal somewhat trickier than a creature and or land.
What do you think of these ideas?
RE user_938036: I feel that you are correct that the main issue is that the effects are too disparate. As you noted the non-bribed effects all seem to be appropriate for rares. I guess, the issue on my end is coming up with good bribe effects for Common/Uncommon that are worth only 1-3 Bribe. I don't particularly want to go further than 3 with common/uncommon as I feel bribe 4 at that rarity would be obnoxious.
Trying to find a better balance of effects, what about these 3 Commons?
Common #1 2W
Creature - Human Knight C
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
First strike
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless it was bribed, create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.
2/3
Common #2 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue
Bribe [2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [2] life and have you gain [2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, target opponent puts a card from their hand on top of their library.
3/2
Common #3 2WB
Bribe [3] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay [3] life and have you gain [3] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Flash
When ~ enters the battlefield, unless ~ was bribed, exile another target permanent you own, then return it to the battlefield under your control.
2/4
Are these more balanced - or do I have the calculation of the power of the drain versus the effects off?
RE: alanyuan0408 - not sure how the mechanic would be changed to be more like your category 3?
Sample Cards:
Purchased Custodian 2W
Creature - Spirit (C)
Bribe X[2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[2] life and have you gain X[2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Defender, Flying
Unless Purchased Custodian has been bribed, creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays 1 for each creature they control that's attacking you.
0/4
Procurer of Indulgences 2WB
Creature - Human Cleric (U)
Bribe X[3] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[3] life and have you gain X[3] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When Procurer of Indulgences dies, unless Procurer of Indulgences has been bribed return all creature cards in your graveyard to your hand.
3/1
Reasoned Kidnapper 1BB
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
Bribe X[2] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[2] life and have you gain X[2] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
When Reasoned Kidnapper enters the battlefield, unless has been bribed, exile target creature other than Reasoned Kidnapper. When Reasoned Kidnapper leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner’s control.
2/3
Saint of Subornation 5WB
Creature - Archon Horror (R)
Bribe X[4] (As this creature enters the battlefield, any opponent may pay X[4] life and have you gain X[4] life. If he or she does, place a bribe counter on this creature.)
Flying
When Saint of Subornation enters the battlefield, unless has been bribed, exile target permanent.
At the end of each turn exile, Saint of Subornation and then return it to the battlefield.
5/5