The reason for the indestructible clause is obvious. This isn't instant to play it on an opponent's turn. You use this during a suicidal alpha strike to blank your opponents trades and give yourself a second wave.
This can also combo better with other cards than just an extra combat step. You'll get to untap all your stuff, allows additional attackers that you cast after combat to come in on the final wave, and any upkeep triggers can be added on. If we get any effect that gives an extra combat step in this format, it could get quite nuts (Note that the only two cards that do that in Standard right now are rotating out).
This card is going to make combat against Boros decks a nightmare. If you try to trade with their attackers, you could end up just dying to this. I'm not going to call this a money card for the set, since it relies on turning guys sideways to work, but expect it to be the kill card of any aggressive deck with Red and White.
I tried making some werewolf commanders a while back, and another one just came to me:
Argus, the Hunt Caller 2RG
Legendary Creature - Human Werewolf Shaman
If another Human Werewolf you control would transform, instead search your library for a Human Werewolf creature card and put it in your hand.
When you control 5 or more other Human Werewolves, transform ~This~, then transform all other Human Werewolves you control.
3/5
Argus, the Hunt Leader
Legendary Creature - Werewolf Shaman
Non-Human Werewolves you control have Trample and Haste.
Other Non-Human Werewolves you control can't transform.
When you control less than 5 Werewolves, transform ~This~.
6/5
The idea is that the leader can break the normal transformation requirements for Werewolves, but has his own requirement of summoning a pack. When the pack leaves, the power wears off.
By making it care about the number of Werewolves you control, I figured it would be useful for a swarm deck.
It could also call them from the graveyard, which due to the low number of werewolf cards would make it more useful in a deck with a low number of werewolves in it. I considered making the switch back an upkeep trigger, but I wanted the first switch to be immediate, so making them both immediate keeps his consistency.
And yes, the transformation replacement gets 1 werewolf from the deck for each of your werewolves that tries to transform.
Alternatively, he could just tutor up 1 werewolf on each of your end phases while stopping transformation.
The human stat line 3/5 was meant to make him defensive at first, while the 6/5 on the flip side requires you to have 5 other werewolves to reach, making it a decent reward for waiting.
Had a long discussion of a construction project over dinner, and this idea came to me.
Idea
Artifact - Building
TYPE Construction
Rules: Building is a new subtype of Artifacts. All Buildings have the keyword Construction, often preceded by a Subtype or Supertype.
Buildings function identically to Auras, with TYPE Construction replacing the Enchant TYPE. The key difference is that they can only target Lands you control.
If the TYPE isn't there, the card can be attached to any land you control.
Since this piggybacks off of how Auras work, basically all other rules required for these to work already exist; i.e. if a Building is put onto the battlefield without being cast, you may attach it to any legal land you control, even if it has Shroud.
Why
The first question that I can see being asked is "Why do something that Enchantments can already do?" The quickest answer I have is "There are plenty of effects in Magic that are just a more limited version of an effect that already exists. Why not do a flavorful alternative to auras?"
The mechanic also interacts with colors a bit differently. Only going on Lands means that the most common problem with auras, the target going away in response, will almost never happen. Being artifacts gives Red and Blue a chance for beneficial interactions with them, when Auras would almost certainly be in Green and White. Since the idea of colored artifacts is old news now, there can be two ways to color-restrict effects, with either the card having a colored cost, or the Construction target being a specific land type.
Examples
Rallying Fort W
Artifact - Building
Plains Construction
When Constructed land is used to cast a Creature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on another creature you control.
(Note: This is a wording that wouldn't be used right now (it would say something about mana produced by the land) but makes it shorter)
Tunnel Project 3
Artifact - Building (R)
Basic Construction 4,T, Sacrifice Tunnel Project: Put a Tunnel counter on Constructed Land. It gains "T: Target creature without flying can't be blocked this turn
Elven Outpost 1G
Artifact - Building
Non-Forest Construction
Whenever Constructed Land is tapped for mana, add GG.
Usage
I don't think this has too much design space. Having this as a mechanic for a set or two, showing up on a single plane, might be enough.
I wasn't trying to think of a deep, evergreen mechanic. I just was trying to wrap my head around an idea thought up at dinner.
The Partner keyword in the Commander box sets was an interesting way to interact with the command zone (How successful it was can be a matter of opinion). It got me thinking - what if there was a way to do that, but to allow non-creatures as a second commander? The idea changed a bit over time, and I ended up with this:
Signature [Type] (At the beginning of the game, if this card is your starting commander, search your deck for a [Type] card and put it in the command zone. Treat that card as an additional commander this game.)
Rules:
a. The additional card is treated as a commander in all regards. Each time it is cast from the command zone costs an additional 2 per previous cast. If it would go into the hand, graveyard, library, or exile zones, instead its owner may put it in the command zone. If it is ever a creature on the battlefield, its combat damage counts as commander damage from it.
b. Since the card is chosen at the start of the game, it must legally be part of the deck during deck construction. It cannot add allowed colors to the deck creation.
c. If multiple players have a commander with this ability, each card is revealed at the same time.
d. If a card with this keyword is chosen this way, it's instance of the keyword has no effect.
A couple examples (Names are just to add a concept, the don't fit in any story. Cards aren't balance tested)
Garruk, the Sparkless 2BG
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior
Menace
Signature Creature
As long as you control a second commander, [This] and that creature get +3/+3 and have Trample
4/4
Might have some wording issues there, but as an example it works
Glinn, Izzet Manamancer 3UR
Legendary Creature - Goblin Wizard
Signature Sorcery
Sorcery spells you cast cost 2 less to cast. T: Put a Sorcery card from your command zone into your hand.
2/4
Havana, Master Enchantress 2WW
Legendary Creature - Human Druid
Signature Enchantment XWW: Put a copy of an Enchantment card in your command zone onto the battlefield. X is that card's converted mana cost.
0/5
A note about the keyword's use:
Lands would not be used. Being able to tutor any land you want at the start of the game has potential to be overly broken, and there's the question about how the commander tax would be used.
Planeswalkers would only be used on a VERY special legendary creature. Having a walker you can pull in to help you at will is hard to justify flavor-wise.
A card could have multiple instances of the keyword, but like the examples I gave, it should interact in some way with the card(s) chosen at the start of the game - this is the signature trick of the character, it should get some bonus for using it.
An early version of this I came up with had the card being part of deck creation, but that either allowed for making a signature spell that wasn't in any of the creature's colors, or made having it part of the deck construction supurfluous since it had to follow the color rules of the rest of the cards. Having it chosen at the start of each game also gives the user a way to grab a 'silver bullet' for their opponent out of their deck.
GDS3 got me thinking about how we don't have a very good Legendary Werewolf to use as a commander. As it stands, we only have Ulrich of the Krallenhorde as a Legendary Werewolf, and as he wants to keep flipping back and forth, unlike other Werewolves, he doesn't bring a deck together around him.
So here's a few ideas I came up with. NOTE: These wouldn't all be printed, so there's no concern about them interacting with each other.
Ramus, the Hunt Caller 3RG
Legendary Creature - Human Werewolf
Whenever this creature enters the battlefield or transforms into Ramus, the Hunt Caller, search your library for a Werewolf card and put it into your hand.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Ramus, the Hunt Caller.
4/4
Ramus, the Hunt Leader
Legendary Creature - Werewolf
Wolves and Werewolves you control have Haste and Trample.
Whenever this creature transforms into Ramus, the Hunt Leader, you may put a Wolf or Werewolf card in your hand onto the battlefield, then transform it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Ramus, the Hunt Leader.
6/6
Kina, the Awakener 1RG
Legendary Creature - Human Werewolf
Whenever another Werewolf enters the battlefield under your control, transform it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Kina, the Awakener.
2/2
Kina, the Woken
Legendary Creature - Werewolf Shaman
Whenever another Werewolf enters the battlefield under your control, transform it, then put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Non-Human Werewolves you control can't transform.
4/4
Lenarin, the Hound Master 4RG
Legendary Creature - Human Werewolf
Whenever a Werewolf enters the battlefield under your control, create a 2/2 Green Wolf creature token.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Lenarin, the Hound Master.
4/4
Lenarin, the Pack Master
Legendary Creature - Werewolf
Other Wolves and Werewolves you control get +1/+1.
Whenever a Werewolf enters the battlefield under your control, transform it, then create a token that's a copy of it.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player cast two or more spells last turn, transform Lenarin, the Pack Master.
6/6
I don't think all these cards are balanced (in fact, I think the third one is poorly costed for a proper Werewolf deck), but I figured I'd get my ideas down and show them off.
Oh my god, how many banned cards there in standard now? Haven't we broke a new record?
Nope. Back in original Mirrodin standard we got Ravager-Affinity banned for 8 cards, plus Skullclamp made the format a 9-banned-cards Standard
Don't know if Urza block beat that, wasn't playing at the time.
This doesn't work at all. You can only activate the Masterful Ninja ability while the card is actually in your hand. Since the mashed up Mairsil and Ninja is on the battlefield, you can't make it both in your hand and on the battlefield.
As for your bonus question, if Five-Finger Discount targets your Masterful Ninja that's both on the field and in your hand, it will go to being just in the hand of the player who cast it if it was someone other than you. If you targeted your own Masterful Ninja for some reason (Redirect effects exist...), it stays on the battlefield and in your hand (see Unstable FAQAWASLFAQPAFTIDAWABIAJTBT)
It's been a while since I made any cards, but an article I read the other day about Energy being too strong in the current format made me start thinking of a few ideas.
Energy Siphon 1
Artifact (U) 1, T: The next time target player would gain one or more E this turn, instead you gain that much E. EE, T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Not the most powerful card, but it could work in a pinch. And it has an outlet for that energy you're stealing so it isn't useless for a non-energy deck.
Power Down 2UU
Instant (R)
Target player loses all E and can't gain E this turn. Vehicles that player controls aren't creatures and can't become creatures this turn.
Draw a card.
Some wide variance in how effective this one is. I'd say major playtesting to make sure it's useful, but not oppressive.
Finally, a card I thought of after that last one.
Engine Overload 2RW
Instant (U)
Destroy target attacking Vehicle. Engine overload deals damage equal to its power to each other attacking and blocking creature. "Well, I'd say that went better than expected."
Not quite sure on the cost here. With a few adjustments, it could be cheaper, or even drop a color.
The on-cast triggers for Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre (And the other Eldrazi that do that) are just that - Triggered Abilities. Misdirection can only target spells, so even though a spell generated the triggered ability on the stack, that ability is not a legal target for Misdirection.
When an ability says "When ~ is cast," that trigger is placed on the stack on top of whatever spell triggered it, even if it was a part of the spell. Once triggered, the ability acts independently of the source of the trigger. The only connection the two have is if the trigger needs to use some information about the triggering spell, such as converted mana cost or color. Anything affecting that spell will not directly affect the trigger, and vice-versa.
More like 2 days of Modo results after a new set that they were likely hoping would instantly stifle the combo's effectiveness. Still not a good thing for this to happen, 2 days of data shouldn't be enough to make a decision like this.
This problem is actually quite simple, as long as you remember 2 facts - the synergistic growth caused by the Krasis, and the n=n+1 effect of the Winding Constrictor:
Step 2: Inexorable Tide trigger resolves, assuming proliferating the counter on the Master Biomancer, giving him 2 counters (now a 5/7)
Step 3: Conqueror's Pledge resolves, putting 6 tokens onto the battlefield. Since the tokens enter as 7/7's due to the Biomancer and Constrictor, Renegade Krasis triggers 6 times. Since 6 creatures entered the battlefield, Cathars' Crusade triggers 6 times. Since they all trigger at the same time, the controller chooses the order they go on the stack. The only difference here is if any triggers from the crusade resolve before the Krasis triggers, since those will put counters onto the Constrictor. Since that's the optimal choice, the remaining steps will proceed as if all Crusade triggers resolve first.
At this point, every card except the Krasis and Constrictor stop mattering for math.
Steps 4-9: Cather's Crusade trigger resolves, putting 2 +1/+1 counters on each creature. Since the Krasis grows at the same rate as all the tokens that just entered, it will still be smaller than them.
Steps 10-15: Krasis trigger resolves, putting 2 +1/+1 counters on the Krasis. Since it evolved, it puts 2 +1/+1 counters onto every other creature under the same controller (They all have them due to the Crusade). Because they grew the same amount as the Krasis, they are all still bigger, so the next evolve trigger will still take effect.
End Result: All creatures will end up getting 24 +1/+1 counters, with the tokens from the spell having an extra 6 on them for 30 each, and the Biomancer having an extra 3 for 27.
PS: If the Conqueror's Pledge was kicked, it would result in 6 more tokens entering. Everything would trigger twice as much, so they'd have an extra 24 +1/+1 counters (48 plus the ones they started with), and there would be an extra 6 tokens.
While the effects don't "Trigger" per say, you do get to choose the order they apply to you in. Any effects that prevent damage are applied in the order that the affected player/controller of the affected object chooses. So you can either:
A) Apply Ajani's emblem, reducing the damage to 1, then apply the Protection, reducing it to 0
B) Apply the Protection, reducing it to X-1 (Where X is the original damage), then (If that damage is not now 0) apply Ajani's emblem, reducing it to 1.
Do note that there's no triggering for replacement effects (which damage prevention is), the effect simply applies when the event would occur. So there's no way for anyone to respond after knowing the order you've chosen the prevention effects in, but before they apply.
This now leads me to when all permanents are destroyed. Would it be during my end step or the next player's end step?
Artscrafter is right, except for this situation. With Rest in Peace on the battlefield, creatures never go to the graveyard, instead being exiled.
For a "when this creature dies" trigger to occur, it needs to go to the graveyard, not just be destroyed or sacrificed.
Again, if the Rest in Peace was not there, it would occur as Artscrafter said.
The end result from these out is simple if walked through, as long as all three are controlled by the same player:
1) Player plays spell from hand
2) Pool and storm trigger. If the spell is an instant or sorcery, Hive mind triggers
3) The player who controls the three enchantments chooses the order that they are put on the stack.
Note that hive mind's position on the stack doesn't matter. It will give each player a copy of an instant or sorcery without regard to what happens to it from the other two. Those copies aren't cast, so they can't trigger the other two enchantments.
In order of resolution:
A)Knowledge Pool, Possibility Storm
i)Knowledge pool exiles the spell, then lets the player play a different card from it. If that card is an instant or sorcery, trigger and resolve Hive mind again, then resolve the spell
i)Possibility storm has lost track of the spell that triggered it, but it still does as much as it can, since it doesn't rely on exiling the card to do anything. If the card cast from the deck is an instant or sorcery, trigger and resolve Hive mind again, then resolve the spell
B)Possibility Storm, Knowledge pool
i)Possibility Storm performs its actions as normal, ending with the original card somewhere in the bottom of the deck. If the spell cast is an instant or sorcery, copy it with hive mind and resolve the copies, then resolve the original.
ii) Knowledge Pool needs to exile the card in order to do anything else. Since the original spell is no longer on the stack, Knowledge pool does nothing.
Notice that both the Pool and the Storm will only ever trigger off a spell from hand, if they didn't they'd trigger themselves. Hive mind will trigger off any spell cast, so it gets the spells from the two other enchantments. Since the copies created by Hive Mind aren't cast at all (and certainly not from a player's hand), they don't trigger the other two enchantments ever.
Nowhere do I need to sac a creature so I'm not sure where your getting that from.
You don't. You need to exile a creature card from a graveyard in order to get a token from the Necrogenesis. A card that would work is Pentavus, since it can generate the token and then eat it again with the 2 mana from the Ironworks, and doesn't require a card in the graveyard.
This can also combo better with other cards than just an extra combat step. You'll get to untap all your stuff, allows additional attackers that you cast after combat to come in on the final wave, and any upkeep triggers can be added on. If we get any effect that gives an extra combat step in this format, it could get quite nuts (Note that the only two cards that do that in Standard right now are rotating out).
This card is going to make combat against Boros decks a nightmare. If you try to trade with their attackers, you could end up just dying to this. I'm not going to call this a money card for the set, since it relies on turning guys sideways to work, but expect it to be the kill card of any aggressive deck with Red and White.
The idea is that the leader can break the normal transformation requirements for Werewolves, but has his own requirement of summoning a pack. When the pack leaves, the power wears off.
By making it care about the number of Werewolves you control, I figured it would be useful for a swarm deck.
It could also call them from the graveyard, which due to the low number of werewolf cards would make it more useful in a deck with a low number of werewolves in it. I considered making the switch back an upkeep trigger, but I wanted the first switch to be immediate, so making them both immediate keeps his consistency.
And yes, the transformation replacement gets 1 werewolf from the deck for each of your werewolves that tries to transform.
Alternatively, he could just tutor up 1 werewolf on each of your end phases while stopping transformation.
The human stat line 3/5 was meant to make him defensive at first, while the 6/5 on the flip side requires you to have 5 other werewolves to reach, making it a decent reward for waiting.
Idea
Since this piggybacks off of how Auras work, basically all other rules required for these to work already exist; i.e. if a Building is put onto the battlefield without being cast, you may attach it to any legal land you control, even if it has Shroud.
Why
The first question that I can see being asked is "Why do something that Enchantments can already do?" The quickest answer I have is "There are plenty of effects in Magic that are just a more limited version of an effect that already exists. Why not do a flavorful alternative to auras?"
The mechanic also interacts with colors a bit differently. Only going on Lands means that the most common problem with auras, the target going away in response, will almost never happen. Being artifacts gives Red and Blue a chance for beneficial interactions with them, when Auras would almost certainly be in Green and White. Since the idea of colored artifacts is old news now, there can be two ways to color-restrict effects, with either the card having a colored cost, or the Construction target being a specific land type.
Examples
Usage
I don't think this has too much design space. Having this as a mechanic for a set or two, showing up on a single plane, might be enough.
I wasn't trying to think of a deep, evergreen mechanic. I just was trying to wrap my head around an idea thought up at dinner.
Signature [Type] (At the beginning of the game, if this card is your starting commander, search your deck for a [Type] card and put it in the command zone. Treat that card as an additional commander this game.)
Rules:
a. The additional card is treated as a commander in all regards. Each time it is cast from the command zone costs an additional 2 per previous cast. If it would go into the hand, graveyard, library, or exile zones, instead its owner may put it in the command zone. If it is ever a creature on the battlefield, its combat damage counts as commander damage from it.
b. Since the card is chosen at the start of the game, it must legally be part of the deck during deck construction. It cannot add allowed colors to the deck creation.
c. If multiple players have a commander with this ability, each card is revealed at the same time.
d. If a card with this keyword is chosen this way, it's instance of the keyword has no effect.
A couple examples (Names are just to add a concept, the don't fit in any story. Cards aren't balance tested)
A note about the keyword's use:
Lands would not be used. Being able to tutor any land you want at the start of the game has potential to be overly broken, and there's the question about how the commander tax would be used.
Planeswalkers would only be used on a VERY special legendary creature. Having a walker you can pull in to help you at will is hard to justify flavor-wise.
A card could have multiple instances of the keyword, but like the examples I gave, it should interact in some way with the card(s) chosen at the start of the game - this is the signature trick of the character, it should get some bonus for using it.
An early version of this I came up with had the card being part of deck creation, but that either allowed for making a signature spell that wasn't in any of the creature's colors, or made having it part of the deck construction supurfluous since it had to follow the color rules of the rest of the cards. Having it chosen at the start of each game also gives the user a way to grab a 'silver bullet' for their opponent out of their deck.
So here's a few ideas I came up with. NOTE: These wouldn't all be printed, so there's no concern about them interacting with each other.
I don't think all these cards are balanced (in fact, I think the third one is poorly costed for a proper Werewolf deck), but I figured I'd get my ideas down and show them off.
Nope. Back in original Mirrodin standard we got Ravager-Affinity banned for 8 cards, plus Skullclamp made the format a 9-banned-cards Standard
Don't know if Urza block beat that, wasn't playing at the time.
As for your bonus question, if Five-Finger Discount targets your Masterful Ninja that's both on the field and in your hand, it will go to being just in the hand of the player who cast it if it was someone other than you. If you targeted your own Masterful Ninja for some reason (Redirect effects exist...), it stays on the battlefield and in your hand (see Unstable FAQAWASLFAQPAFTIDAWABIAJTBT)
Not the most powerful card, but it could work in a pinch. And it has an outlet for that energy you're stealing so it isn't useless for a non-energy deck.
Some wide variance in how effective this one is. I'd say major playtesting to make sure it's useful, but not oppressive.
Finally, a card I thought of after that last one.
Not quite sure on the cost here. With a few adjustments, it could be cheaper, or even drop a color.
When an ability says "When ~ is cast," that trigger is placed on the stack on top of whatever spell triggered it, even if it was a part of the spell. Once triggered, the ability acts independently of the source of the trigger. The only connection the two have is if the trigger needs to use some information about the triggering spell, such as converted mana cost or color. Anything affecting that spell will not directly affect the trigger, and vice-versa.
Step 1: Cast Conqueror's Pledge, triggering Inexorable Tide.
Step 2: Inexorable Tide trigger resolves, assuming proliferating the counter on the Master Biomancer, giving him 2 counters (now a 5/7)
Step 3: Conqueror's Pledge resolves, putting 6 tokens onto the battlefield. Since the tokens enter as 7/7's due to the Biomancer and Constrictor, Renegade Krasis triggers 6 times. Since 6 creatures entered the battlefield, Cathars' Crusade triggers 6 times. Since they all trigger at the same time, the controller chooses the order they go on the stack. The only difference here is if any triggers from the crusade resolve before the Krasis triggers, since those will put counters onto the Constrictor. Since that's the optimal choice, the remaining steps will proceed as if all Crusade triggers resolve first.
At this point, every card except the Krasis and Constrictor stop mattering for math.
Steps 4-9: Cather's Crusade trigger resolves, putting 2 +1/+1 counters on each creature. Since the Krasis grows at the same rate as all the tokens that just entered, it will still be smaller than them.
Steps 10-15: Krasis trigger resolves, putting 2 +1/+1 counters on the Krasis. Since it evolved, it puts 2 +1/+1 counters onto every other creature under the same controller (They all have them due to the Crusade). Because they grew the same amount as the Krasis, they are all still bigger, so the next evolve trigger will still take effect.
End Result: All creatures will end up getting 24 +1/+1 counters, with the tokens from the spell having an extra 6 on them for 30 each, and the Biomancer having an extra 3 for 27.
Winding Constrictor - 26/27
Master Biomancer - 29/31
Renegade Krasis - 27/26
6 Soldier tokens - 31/31 each
PS: If the Conqueror's Pledge was kicked, it would result in 6 more tokens entering. Everything would trigger twice as much, so they'd have an extra 24 +1/+1 counters (48 plus the ones they started with), and there would be an extra 6 tokens.
A) Apply Ajani's emblem, reducing the damage to 1, then apply the Protection, reducing it to 0
B) Apply the Protection, reducing it to X-1 (Where X is the original damage), then (If that damage is not now 0) apply Ajani's emblem, reducing it to 1.
Do note that there's no triggering for replacement effects (which damage prevention is), the effect simply applies when the event would occur. So there's no way for anyone to respond after knowing the order you've chosen the prevention effects in, but before they apply.
Artscrafter is right, except for this situation. With Rest in Peace on the battlefield, creatures never go to the graveyard, instead being exiled.
For a "when this creature dies" trigger to occur, it needs to go to the graveyard, not just be destroyed or sacrificed.
Again, if the Rest in Peace was not there, it would occur as Artscrafter said.
1) Player plays spell from hand
2) Pool and storm trigger. If the spell is an instant or sorcery, Hive mind triggers
3) The player who controls the three enchantments chooses the order that they are put on the stack.
Note that hive mind's position on the stack doesn't matter. It will give each player a copy of an instant or sorcery without regard to what happens to it from the other two. Those copies aren't cast, so they can't trigger the other two enchantments.
In order of resolution:
Notice that both the Pool and the Storm will only ever trigger off a spell from hand, if they didn't they'd trigger themselves. Hive mind will trigger off any spell cast, so it gets the spells from the two other enchantments. Since the copies created by Hive Mind aren't cast at all (and certainly not from a player's hand), they don't trigger the other two enchantments ever.
You don't. You need to exile a creature card from a graveyard in order to get a token from the Necrogenesis. A card that would work is Pentavus, since it can generate the token and then eat it again with the 2 mana from the Ironworks, and doesn't require a card in the graveyard.