Replace Illuminated with "0: Choose a creature. ~ blocks that creature. Activate this ability only during combat." It may need some further modification, too.
Limited powerhouse, certainly. Constructed play is probably not as likely, anyway, but it's doable in reanimator and will be seen in some junk tokens builds here and there almost guaranteed.
I'm kicking around junk tokens for Standard, and I don't really know yet if I'll be running it. Even my singleton Collective Blessing seems too expensive...
Under the Knife(B/G)(B/G)
Instant
Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. Then put either a +1/+1 counter or a -1/-1 counter on it.
Mana Bonder
Creature - Elemental
Whenever a player casts a spell, ~'s power and toughness become equal to that spell's converted mana cost. (This effect lasts indefinitely)
1/1
Echo Echo Echo3WW
Enchantment
All creatures have echo. For each creature, the echo cost is equal to that creature's mana cost.
Whitegrit Shatterhand
Creature - Sand Berserker
When ~ enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices an artifact.
5/1
Pretty sure the cane is a ruse. Eternally young, remember, and a looong lifetime to perfect fighting skills.
I'm actually just going to go by the idea that some portion of Ravnica actually is a shout-out to the world of Ace Attorney, and her being a 4/4 is just a matter of legal skills. Azorius don't actually engage in combat; they just bore their opponents to death with legal bull****.
Math Weird2UR
Creature - Weird (M)
Math Weird's power and toughness are both equal to (the total number of creatures your opponents control - the number of creatures you control) ² "Get me a calculator!"
*/*
Having to do math isn't a downside.
(No, I know what you're going with for the downside, but I imagine that most people are going to think it's the math.)
Actually, blue auras like those have always been around. It's just that they have been overcosted or has some side effects and only recently dropped down in cmc or improved in durability. Oh and counterspells got weakened, hence the reliance on other types of control. That's why they're becoming more noticed now.
Those auras used to cost more of have upkeep costs associated, usually both. I'd say the control shift is one to "creature-based" control, though there aren't necessarily more dudes in blue -- it just works on doing things to those dudes. It's kind of a shift in the whole game.
But on your other examples, like green removal and red "card draw", sure, they're more recent trends. Whereas red draw used to be more random, ala wheel of fortune and gamble, looting is more selective, but still not quite card advantage most of the time. So that's a good example of healthy rearrangement of the color pie.
The thing about a lot of these that's kind of important that the colors which don't get these as primary abilities generally have "weaker" versions of them -- e.g. Prey Upon will, theoretically, often cost you a creature; Faithless Looting still costs you 1 card from the hand. Granted, these are one-costs, but compare e.g. Ponder, or Vendetta.
I dunno, maybe it's just me.
Also, for flavor reasons, red tends to get looting that's discard-then-draw, instead of draw-then-discard -- because the former is more impulsive.
Anyway, sure color pie defines most of what a color can do. But it gets boring if you see the same things over and over. Careful color bleeding can inject new life into drafting, deck building and metagames. And the wow factor of doing something unexpected. Of course, too much color pie violations will also get boring, lose the surprise factor, and even destabilize what made this game great.
This. I think the key word here is "careful." There's a big difference between Elvish/Simian Spirit Guide (whichever would be considered bleeding) and a white Dark Ritual, just for instance.
Life Savings means that a T4 Rest for the Weary turns into a free-ish Kozilek. I don't know if it's really a "broken" combo if you have to play junk cards, though.
Supply stash probably doesn't need special wording, but it's great.
Should Scavenge for Parts maybe search only for cards that share a type with the exiled card? Okay, it's not necessary.
In general, though, these cards are by and large pretty nice, very flavorful in general. I could see all of these being printed (okay, maybe not quite Life Savings), with maybe a few minor adjustments.
Evidence for why this is can be seen in the card Hornet Sting. There were people working at the time that thought that Hornet Sting would be great in green, as it was a very flavorful card, among other reasons. Yes, Rosewater has said numerous times that he never liked the card and that it was a mistake for it to belong in green. However, the fact that it still was printed in green despite his fighting for it to "belong in white" (if at all) shows that Rosewater's opinion isn't the sole opinion that card designers should consider.
Wait... is that a thing white can/could do at the time, or is that a mistake?
No. I'd just be more careful about my playing. Usually, after all, I take extensive shortcuts and generally move quickly and, occasionally, a little sloppily, since I never want to worry about time limits.
Over3UU
Sorcery (M)
Take an extra turn after this one.
> Fuse < Over3UU
Sorcery (M)
Take an extra turn after this one.
Oh, you cad. Humorous!
Quick-Witted Goblin1R
Creature - ?
Whenever ~ attacks, discard a card, then draw a card.
2/1
This card is completely unprintable for flavor reasons. It's a good card, though. Maybe it could be "You may ... if you do," -- otherwise, you draw a card when your hand's empty and you swing.
Advent of the DemonBBB
Sorcery (min:U)
As an additional cost to cast ~, pay 5 life.
You may cast ~ any time you could cast an instant if you pay 2 more to cast it.
Put a 5/5 Demon token with flying onto the battlefield.
Also, I generally can't get behind this. I think this is flat-out impossible without some modification. It needs a method of proof.
I'm kicking around junk tokens for Standard, and I don't really know yet if I'll be running it. Even my singleton Collective Blessing seems too expensive...
Creature - Zombie Wizard
Shroud
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card at random.
2/3
Next up: Devout Harpist
Instant
Tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. Then put either a +1/+1 counter or a -1/-1 counter on it.
Mana Bonder
Creature - Elemental
Whenever a player casts a spell, ~'s power and toughness become equal to that spell's converted mana cost. (This effect lasts indefinitely)
1/1
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature you control gets +1/-1 and gains Intimidate until end of turn.
Next: Continue the cycle! (For Love, For Duty, For Fun)
Enchantment
All creatures have echo. For each creature, the echo cost is equal to that creature's mana cost.
Whitegrit Shatterhand
Creature - Sand Berserker
When ~ enters the battlefield, destroy target artifact.
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices an artifact.
5/1
I'm actually just going to go by the idea that some portion of Ravnica actually is a shout-out to the world of Ace Attorney, and her being a 4/4 is just a matter of legal skills. Azorius don't actually engage in combat; they just bore their opponents to death with legal bull****.
Having to do math isn't a downside.
(No, I know what you're going with for the downside, but I imagine that most people are going to think it's the math.)
True, but I thought black was the "do whatever random **** we want it to as long as it doesn't do it as well as another color" color?
Those auras used to cost more of have upkeep costs associated, usually both. I'd say the control shift is one to "creature-based" control, though there aren't necessarily more dudes in blue -- it just works on doing things to those dudes. It's kind of a shift in the whole game.
The thing about a lot of these that's kind of important that the colors which don't get these as primary abilities generally have "weaker" versions of them -- e.g. Prey Upon will, theoretically, often cost you a creature; Faithless Looting still costs you 1 card from the hand. Granted, these are one-costs, but compare e.g. Ponder, or Vendetta.
I dunno, maybe it's just me.
Also, for flavor reasons, red tends to get looting that's discard-then-draw, instead of draw-then-discard -- because the former is more impulsive.
This. I think the key word here is "careful." There's a big difference between Elvish/Simian Spirit Guide (whichever would be considered bleeding) and a white Dark Ritual, just for instance.
Supply stash probably doesn't need special wording, but it's great.
Should Scavenge for Parts maybe search only for cards that share a type with the exiled card? Okay, it's not necessary.
In general, though, these cards are by and large pretty nice, very flavorful in general. I could see all of these being printed (okay, maybe not quite Life Savings), with maybe a few minor adjustments.
Wait... is that a thing white can/could do at the time, or is that a mistake?
Sorcery (R)
Draw X cards.
Vivid -- Then discard X cards. For each B spent to cast Runic Psychosis, you may discard one less card.
IIW: Fuse
Oh, you cad. Humorous!
This card is completely unprintable for flavor reasons. It's a good card, though. Maybe it could be "You may ... if you do," -- otherwise, you draw a card when your hand's empty and you swing.
Sorcery (min:U)
As an additional cost to cast ~, pay 5 life.
You may cast ~ any time you could cast an instant if you pay 2 more to cast it.
Put a 5/5 Demon token with flying onto the battlefield.
Next:
Planned Obsolescence
Dire Strait
Sandblast