The thought that enemy pairs are any more difficult to design than allied pairs is ridiculous. In fact MaRo has said quite frequently that the most difficult pairs to design are Green/White (because they're the most mechanically similar color pair) and Blue/Black (because they're most mechanically different). Note that we're not talking about hybrid design, in which some combinations (like red/blue) are rather difficult to design for.
It wouldn't surprise me to see enemy-pair dragons in DoT. They're going to have a lot of design space to fill as it is a large set, and the dragons we've seen so far seem to suggest there may be some two-color "broods". We only have the ally ones now, but there's 1280 years of evolution with which other ones may develop. Consider that the dragons we've seen all have a unique variant on the clan watermarks. We will almost surely see those watermarks in Dragons of Tarkir (remember Fate Reforged was designed last of the three sets), which means an expansion of the broods we see in Fate Reforged.
Also, bear in mind that there is some kind of funny business that R&D is doing with how they're organizing the factions. MaRo still has not told us why the clans were centered on an allied color instead of an enemy color except to say that "there is a method behind our madness". In fact, now that I think of it. It wouldn't surprise me to see the dragons in shards. That would be a great way to have shards and wedges in the same environment without disturbing the wedge identity of the clans.
The Jeskai dragons depicted on Monastery Siege appear to have frost breath. Because of that, I would expect some variant of this ability:
"Whenever a dragon you control attacks, you may tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step."
Cold related effects in blue are almost always mechanically represented in this fashion, and in addition it fits right into white/blue's slice of the pie.
The Temur dragon is a little less obvious. The Ferocity ability is often all over the map and doesn't make much sense with the template the other dragons are following. However, it seems like Manifest is being primarily associated with Temur, so I think the following may be possible.
"Whenever a dragon you control attacks, manifest the top card of your library tapped and attacking."
@Marquisd - The problem with Hornet Queen is that it is green, and green doesn't get flying. If you add red to it, though, it's completely fine because red does get large flying creatures. Consider Dragon Broodmother.
Interesting about Grandmaster Soul. She's obviously quite powerful, but she will need some careful deck construction to unlock that power. She certainly won't fit in the average Jeskai Tokens or Tempo build, certainly not as we see her today. I expect her best fit will be some kind of Jeskai Counter/Burn build. Any deck that features her will need a critical mass of spells for her to be useful because otherwise why not use Seeker of the Way instead? But such a deck with so few creatures will also ensure that your opponent will have removal when you cast her. Another possible fit is some form of UW Heroic.
Draw a card.
Target player draws two cards, then look at that player's hand. You choose two non-land cards from it. That player discards those cards.
Not quite as clean as I'd like it to be, but I think it solves the issue. I feel like deciding who to cast Maliscience on turn 2 should be a real decision now. I'm tempted to move the cantrip text to the bottom just because that's how such effects are usually templated, but I really like how it functions this way. It's either "Draw 3, Discard 2" for UB, or a cantripping way to make your opponent's hand worse.
Interesting thing I noticed while designing this Maliscience - the following card does not exist:
Card - 1U
Sorcery
Draw three cards. Then discard two cards.
We have Compulsive Search and Thirst for Knowledge, but no simple effect like this one. Is that because such an effect is too strong at 2 mana? I wouldn't think so.
Thanks Dahammer, "Strong but fair" is what I was after. Do you think UB Control would ever use this on itself? Or is it just that much better targeting your opponent?
I was just listening to Maro's podcast on Blue/Black and that inspired me to make a good blue/black card. He talked about about how blue is tertiary in discard, usually involved in looting. It made me want to make a "looting" type card that one could conceivably be happy using on either player.
Maliscience - UB Sorcery - {U}
Target player draws three cards. Then that player reveals his or her hand. You choose three non-land cards from it. That player discards those cards.
Curious to hear your thoughts. Fix your opening hand, or mess up your opponents' at the cost of 1 card disadvantage. Also, is this blue enough to be ? I can't decide.
Also worth noting, there is design space for Grixis in this direction where you could go even further. I would expect to be an effect like this one the next time we visit Alara or any other arc-colored world.
Another interesting side effect that makes this of use in the Sultai direction is using this on yourself with an empty hand. This will frequently function as a Rampant Growth or better.
At the beginning of each combat, choose a player at random. All creatures must attack that player this combat if able and no other player. (Creatures cannot attack their controllers)
Outsiders think the Fomori are quick to anger; truly they are just always seeking an excuse to test their skill in combat.
===
Having trouble finding a templating I like for this effect.
Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Return three cards at random from your graveyard to your hand.
I was originally going to name this Deja Vu and make it just blue/green, but then I discovered there is already a card by that name. Then I found an even better name for the idea and made it Sultai like it always wanted to be.
Please excuse any typos or errors, I have no computer for a couple weeks and I'm entering this on my phone; practically impossible.
So, about a month ago I ordered 4 Jeskai Ascendancies because I knew they were going to go crazy, and I also ordered 4 Daring Thief because I think they're cool. Now I have 4 Jeskai Ascendancy and 4 Daring Thief and so I want to make a deck around them. I'm having trouble finding a build that seems reasonable, though, and I was wondering if any of you could help. Here's my current build:
It feels like I'm trying to do too many things, but the things I'm trying to do do seem synergistic with each-other. I'm trying to somewhat model it off a Jeskai Tokens build because they're great to trade away for your opponent's creatures. Problem is the deck is obviously slow and seems like it needs Anger of the Gods pretty badly, but that seems to be pretty bad if I'm trying to work with tokens, even if I'll be trading them for my opponent's creatures. Another thought was to use the cantrip auras from Theros to activate the Acendancy and constellation or heroic guys and make it a Jeskai Constellation type build with Skybind to return creatures, but I just can't seem to fit it all in and make it work. I was considering Rabblemaster, instead of say Goblinslide, but I can't afford it. Peel From Reality is generally ok since I can just bounce my tokens when I have to, but it really shines when I'm bouncing creatures I've given to my opponent.
Other things I'm considering are Banishing Light. In fact, at the moment that looks like it may be better than Peel From Reality. I may make that switch now. Besides that, I really wanted to try to fit Fate Foretold in.
Any help or feedback you guys might have would be fantastic. The only stipulation is I want 4 Jeskai Ascendancy and 4 Daring Thief, the rest is mutable.
I just asked the rules forum and they pointed out that it's "resolves" not "casts".
And furthermore:
"116.3c If a player has priority when he or she casts a spell, activates an ability, or takes a special action, that player receives priority afterward."
It wouldn't surprise me to see enemy-pair dragons in DoT. They're going to have a lot of design space to fill as it is a large set, and the dragons we've seen so far seem to suggest there may be some two-color "broods". We only have the ally ones now, but there's 1280 years of evolution with which other ones may develop. Consider that the dragons we've seen all have a unique variant on the clan watermarks. We will almost surely see those watermarks in Dragons of Tarkir (remember Fate Reforged was designed last of the three sets), which means an expansion of the broods we see in Fate Reforged.
Also, bear in mind that there is some kind of funny business that R&D is doing with how they're organizing the factions. MaRo still has not told us why the clans were centered on an allied color instead of an enemy color except to say that "there is a method behind our madness". In fact, now that I think of it. It wouldn't surprise me to see the dragons in shards. That would be a great way to have shards and wedges in the same environment without disturbing the wedge identity of the clans.
"Whenever a dragon you control attacks, you may tap target creature. It doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step."
Cold related effects in blue are almost always mechanically represented in this fashion, and in addition it fits right into white/blue's slice of the pie.
The Temur dragon is a little less obvious. The Ferocity ability is often all over the map and doesn't make much sense with the template the other dragons are following. However, it seems like Manifest is being primarily associated with Temur, so I think the following may be possible.
"Whenever a dragon you control attacks, manifest the top card of your library tapped and attacking."
@Marquisd - The problem with Hornet Queen is that it is green, and green doesn't get flying. If you add red to it, though, it's completely fine because red does get large flying creatures. Consider Dragon Broodmother.
Interesting. You're right. Good job, that's a neat combo.
Maliscience - UB
Sorcery - {U}
Draw a card.
Target player draws two cards, then look at that player's hand. You choose two non-land cards from it. That player discards those cards.
Not quite as clean as I'd like it to be, but I think it solves the issue. I feel like deciding who to cast Maliscience on turn 2 should be a real decision now. I'm tempted to move the cantrip text to the bottom just because that's how such effects are usually templated, but I really like how it functions this way. It's either "Draw 3, Discard 2" for UB, or a cantripping way to make your opponent's hand worse.
Interesting thing I noticed while designing this Maliscience - the following card does not exist:
Card - 1U
Sorcery
Draw three cards. Then discard two cards.
We have Compulsive Search and Thirst for Knowledge, but no simple effect like this one. Is that because such an effect is too strong at 2 mana? I wouldn't think so.
Maliscience - UB
Sorcery - {U}
Target player draws three cards. Then that player reveals his or her hand. You choose three non-land cards from it. That player discards those cards.
Curious to hear your thoughts. Fix your opening hand, or mess up your opponents' at the cost of 1 card disadvantage. Also, is this blue enough to be
Also worth noting, there is design space for Grixis in this direction where you could go even further. I would expect to be an effect like this one the next time we visit Alara or any other arc-colored world.
Another interesting side effect that makes this of use in the Sultai direction is using this on yourself with an empty hand. This will frequently function as a Rampant Growth or better.
Enchantment {R}
At the beginning of each combat, choose a player at random. All creatures must attack that player this combat if able and no other player. (Creatures cannot attack their controllers)
Outsiders think the Fomori are quick to anger; truly they are just always seeking an excuse to test their skill in combat.
===
Having trouble finding a templating I like for this effect.
Cryptomnesia - 1UBG
Instant {U}
Target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Return three cards at random from your graveyard to your hand.
I was originally going to name this Deja Vu and make it just blue/green, but then I discovered there is already a card by that name. Then I found an even better name for the idea and made it Sultai like it always wanted to be.
Please excuse any typos or errors, I have no computer for a couple weeks and I'm entering this on my phone; practically impossible.
2 Mystic Monastery
4 Shivan Reef
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Temple of Epiphany
4 Temple of Triumph
2 Astral Cornucopia
4 Briber's Purse
4 Epiphany Storm
4 Retraction Helix
4 Peel from Reality
4 Hordeling Outburst
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Daring Thief
It feels like I'm trying to do too many things, but the things I'm trying to do do seem synergistic with each-other. I'm trying to somewhat model it off a Jeskai Tokens build because they're great to trade away for your opponent's creatures. Problem is the deck is obviously slow and seems like it needs Anger of the Gods pretty badly, but that seems to be pretty bad if I'm trying to work with tokens, even if I'll be trading them for my opponent's creatures. Another thought was to use the cantrip auras from Theros to activate the Acendancy and constellation or heroic guys and make it a Jeskai Constellation type build with Skybind to return creatures, but I just can't seem to fit it all in and make it work. I was considering Rabblemaster, instead of say Goblinslide, but I can't afford it. Peel From Reality is generally ok since I can just bounce my tokens when I have to, but it really shines when I'm bouncing creatures I've given to my opponent.
Other things I'm considering are Banishing Light. In fact, at the moment that looks like it may be better than Peel From Reality. I may make that switch now. Besides that, I really wanted to try to fit Fate Foretold in.
Any help or feedback you guys might have would be fantastic. The only stipulation is I want 4 Jeskai Ascendancy and 4 Daring Thief, the rest is mutable.
And furthermore:
"116.3c If a player has priority when he or she casts a spell, activates an ability, or takes a special action, that player receives priority afterward."