Cryptic Command isn't just a Dismiss at 1UUU. Its also a kicked into the roil without that silly "nonland" targeting clause. Its also time walk versus aggro decks (tap all their dudes, draw a card. They get a draw step, sure, but other than that its essentially a time walk.)
Cryptic Command in "you don't get to attack" mode, Powder Keg + Ratchet Bomb, and Vedalken Shackles is enough anti-aggro to get there against most decks.
As far as sideboarding goes, I think we shouldn't be running more than 3 Tormod's/Relics. I playtested a bit against Dredge with a list with 4 kegs + 3 ratchet bombs, and we may be way overboarding against Dredge. Furthermore, Back to Basics + Propaganda is a better late game solution to Dredge, especially since we have an all-artifact (kegs + shackles) way of dealing with their deck, as well as an all-enchantment (propaganda + BtB), so they can't really sideboard against both the BtB/Propaganda lock and the zombie token eating Kegs.
And if we don't really need graveyard hate for dredge, what decks do we need it against? Perhaps New Horizons, since it'll take a lot of P/T away from Goyf's and Knights of the Reliquary?
9/10, very interesting card, and johnny bait. 3cc or trample would be nice, though.
Channel the Elements 5
Instant
Sunburst - as you cast <>, put a charge counter on <> for each color of mana used to pay its cost.
<> deals X damage to up to X target creatures or players, where X is the number of charge counters on <>
Portmanteau: A bit slow for me. The only good use I can think of is when an opponent has countered a spell of yours, so it would copy the counterspell (countering the counter) and your own card, giving you double of whatever you played. Still, it's a bit narrow.
Its blatantly giving something interesting to Johnnys. 1UU might be a better cost for it, anything less and ridiculous things start happening - think 'high tide, reset, portmanteau the high tide and reset', etc.
3/10, way too low power level for 5cc considering the casting cost of the allied colored spells cost 1 less dudes from invasion block.
Decaying Bog
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symb::symb: to your mana pool.
Dormant Volcano
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symr::symr: to your mana pool.
Rotting Grove
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symg::symg: to your mana pool.
Fallow Field
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symw::symw: to your mana pool.
Sinking Shallows
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symu::symu: to your mana pool.
Next challenge: design an instant that cares about what spells are on the stack.
Shimmering Font
Artifact
Sunburst - this card comes into play with a charge counter for each color of mana used to pay for it.
Tap: add 1 to your mana pool for each charge counter on this.
I have absolutely no proof of this, but I submitted to Wizards the card mechanic "Return target spell to it's owner's hand". This was before Remand was printed. Although my idea also introduced effectively countering things without using the counter mechanic by moving the card to a non-stack zone, Wizards printed Remand with the counter keyword.
Its not exactly stealing when you give it to them, but I still like to brag.
As for mindbreak trap/misdirection in the board, spell pierce seems much stronger then both combined. Especially since you can apply spell pierce to most paradigms of legacy while it's the direct opposite for either mindbreak trap or misdirection.
Spell Pierce and misdirection are both for winning counter wars, really. Mis-D is another copy of Force of Will in a counter war, and has some utility use besides that. Mis-D is also useful against black discard, since Hymn to Tourach, Thoughtseize, and Inquisition of Kozilek all say 'target player', and the discard part is not optional. Mis-D'ing a thoughtseize back at them is a two-for-two, and Mis-D'ing a hymn is a two-for-three.
Mindbreak trap is almost a win-more versus cards-for-mana storm decks. You're already going to kick their ass with your countermagic package. Mindbreak just shuts down Belcher's ability to mise games with one more mana source than they really needed + empty the warrens, plus it means that its easier to mulligan into one of 7 cards in your deck instead of one of 4.
Also, since your only running one color, I would suggest to take out fetchlands and brainstorms because when you shuffle your library your actually denying yourself of better draws in the long run. Not to mention, you actually need as many islands as possible so you can outplay your opponents by drawing more cards and countering more spells. This is MUC at it's finest right there.
Brainstorm is one of the best cards in Legacy. Its amazing on the play versus discard. No brainstorm means that you are OK with getting owned by duress, thoughtseize, and hymn. Really, the only reason to drop fetchlands/brainstorm is if you think your meta has more Stifle than Duress/Hymn, and you cannot afford to have your fetches stifled.
The other reason Brainstorm is good is that it means you can play about 1 less land in your deck. Less land means that your late-game draws are better, since the difference between 10 and 12 lands is much less than the difference between 2 and 4, or 4 and 6.
3 Vedalken Shackles
3 Back to Basics
2 Powder Keg
2 Echoing Truth
SB:
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Chill (not sure if red is enough of the meta to be worthwhile)
4 Propaganda
3 Mindbreak Trap/Misdirection
I think of MUC as a lot of counters, some draw/dig, and a variety of cards that cause huge headaches for certain decks or types of decks. This is why I like brainstorm/impulse, since MUC has irrelevant and super-relevant cards, depending on the matchup. It means more Vedalken Shackles versus monoblack aggro, more Force of Will and Counterspell when the game devolves into winning counter wars, etc, etc.
I had some more thoughts but lost them due to not saving the text before trying to post it. All is Dust might be playable in the board against countertop, reanimator, and enchantress. I tried Maze of Ith in the board versus aggro, but it's really not that great, so I'm going to try Propaganda.
First off, he is a large regenerating beatstick. The deck is already running basic swamps for mana, anyhow.
Secondly, 2x Korlash + Tortured Existence turns a creature in hand + 1 mana into two tapped swamps in play.
Its a fairly slow play, but could be a finisher for the deck.
Solemn Simulacrum is also a possibility.
Cryptic Command in "you don't get to attack" mode, Powder Keg + Ratchet Bomb, and Vedalken Shackles is enough anti-aggro to get there against most decks.
As far as sideboarding goes, I think we shouldn't be running more than 3 Tormod's/Relics. I playtested a bit against Dredge with a list with 4 kegs + 3 ratchet bombs, and we may be way overboarding against Dredge. Furthermore, Back to Basics + Propaganda is a better late game solution to Dredge, especially since we have an all-artifact (kegs + shackles) way of dealing with their deck, as well as an all-enchantment (propaganda + BtB), so they can't really sideboard against both the BtB/Propaganda lock and the zombie token eating Kegs.
And if we don't really need graveyard hate for dredge, what decks do we need it against? Perhaps New Horizons, since it'll take a lot of P/T away from Goyf's and Knights of the Reliquary?
Channel the Elements 5
Instant
Sunburst - as you cast <>, put a charge counter on <> for each color of mana used to pay its cost.
<> deals X damage to up to X target creatures or players, where X is the number of charge counters on <>
Next: A colorless planeswalker
Its blatantly giving something interesting to Johnnys. 1UU might be a better cost for it, anything less and ridiculous things start happening - think 'high tide, reset, portmanteau the high tide and reset', etc.
Enchantment
Creatures can't be the target of spells or abilities.
Creature - Faery Wizard
Flying, flash, Innervate, Faery Offering.
2/2
New Ability: Catalytic
Next: Make a blue card with catalytic 1
Decaying Bog
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symb::symb: to your mana pool.
Dormant Volcano
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symr::symr: to your mana pool.
Rotting Grove
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symg::symg: to your mana pool.
Fallow Field
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symw::symw: to your mana pool.
Sinking Shallows
land
This enters the battlefield tapped.
: add to your mana pool.
:symtap:, exile two cards from your graveyard : add :symu::symu: to your mana pool.
Next challenge: design an instant that cares about what spells are on the stack.
Artifact
Sunburst - this card comes into play with a charge counter for each color of mana used to pay for it.
Tap: add 1 to your mana pool for each charge counter on this.
:3mana::symu:
Enchantment
Whenever a creature is returned to it's owner's hand, return target noncreature card to it's owner's hand.
Instant
As Portmanteau is cast, choose two instants or sorceries. Portmanteau gains the text of those spells.
Its not exactly stealing when you give it to them, but I still like to brag.
Krosan Grip, now, could be an issue.
Spell Pierce and misdirection are both for winning counter wars, really. Mis-D is another copy of Force of Will in a counter war, and has some utility use besides that. Mis-D is also useful against black discard, since Hymn to Tourach, Thoughtseize, and Inquisition of Kozilek all say 'target player', and the discard part is not optional. Mis-D'ing a thoughtseize back at them is a two-for-two, and Mis-D'ing a hymn is a two-for-three.
Mindbreak trap is almost a win-more versus cards-for-mana storm decks. You're already going to kick their ass with your countermagic package. Mindbreak just shuts down Belcher's ability to mise games with one more mana source than they really needed + empty the warrens, plus it means that its easier to mulligan into one of 7 cards in your deck instead of one of 4.
Brainstorm is one of the best cards in Legacy. Its amazing on the play versus discard. No brainstorm means that you are OK with getting owned by duress, thoughtseize, and hymn. Really, the only reason to drop fetchlands/brainstorm is if you think your meta has more Stifle than Duress/Hymn, and you cannot afford to have your fetches stifled.
The other reason Brainstorm is good is that it means you can play about 1 less land in your deck. Less land means that your late-game draws are better, since the difference between 10 and 12 lands is much less than the difference between 2 and 4, or 4 and 6.
18 Islands
4 Fetchlands
3 Vendilion Clique
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Spell Snare
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
4 Impulse
3 Fact or Fiction
3 Vedalken Shackles
3 Back to Basics
2 Powder Keg
2 Echoing Truth
SB:
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Chill (not sure if red is enough of the meta to be worthwhile)
4 Propaganda
3 Mindbreak Trap/Misdirection
I think of MUC as a lot of counters, some draw/dig, and a variety of cards that cause huge headaches for certain decks or types of decks. This is why I like brainstorm/impulse, since MUC has irrelevant and super-relevant cards, depending on the matchup. It means more Vedalken Shackles versus monoblack aggro, more Force of Will and Counterspell when the game devolves into winning counter wars, etc, etc.
I had some more thoughts but lost them due to not saving the text before trying to post it. All is Dust might be playable in the board against countertop, reanimator, and enchantress. I tried Maze of Ith in the board versus aggro, but it's really not that great, so I'm going to try Propaganda.