Hello and welcome to the second CCC&G Pro Tour! Another season has come and gone, and we have got something exciting in store for the competitors this time around.
As the name implies, this month we will be making a set! I've gone ahead and done some of the preliminary work, so that we aren't starting with nothing. Open the spoiler to see where we're starting from:
145 Total Cards, Small Standalone Set
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To recap, we will be designing a small standalone set (think Coldsnap) this month! Starting from nothing but a blank canvas, we'll finish the month with something. It won't be polished. It won't necessarily even be good, but it will be a set. Think NaNoWriMo. The goal isn't to write a publishable, perfect novel in a month. It's to finish.
In our own way, this will be MaCuSetMo (MTGS Custom Set Month :uhh:).
The set skeleton I published will be fleshed out more over the next week or so into an actual set skeleton rather than just a blank slate, but we are starting from nothing. That said, your challenge for this round:
The Hook
Every block has its mechanical theme. Innistrad showed us just how deep the graveyard really is. Scars of Mirrodin thrust us into a war between the Mirrans and the Phyrexians. Zendikar redefined how we look at a land drop. This set too needs a compelling mechanical theme. Your task: To create a mechanical theme to base the set around, as well as some cards to show it off. Also, design a new keyword ability (or ability word) that ties into your theme. Show us all of this with at least three cards, and no more than ten.
To be explicit, your entry needs:
1. A mechanical theme (e.g., "land set" or "graveyard set")
2. A keyword or ability word that ties into your theme (e.g., "landfall" or "flashback")
3. 3-10 cards that fit into a set with your proposed theme. Try to show off your new ability, as well.
Submissions are not open until the playerlist is complete and confirmed. We'll be taking 24 players this month. The November MQs have not finished, so until that happens, just brainstorm if you think you're qualified. Remember that qualifications come through via pro points as well, so if you have done well in MQs but not won, you may also be qualified.
Check the spoiler below, which will be updated as the information comes in, for your name. Please post /Confirm or something similar in this thread so that I know you're in for the month. I'll be sending PMs later on to round up the stragglers.
I'm nervous. This is an ambitious project, but I'm confident that twenty four of the best designers in CCC&G can pull it off! And of course, the best designer at the end will be crowned the CCC&G Pro Tour II Winner!
Well I couldn't think of anything strikingly original, but here:
Set theme: enchantments
Mechanics: Weave X (When this card is sent to a graveyard from the battlefield, you may return [another] target enchantment card with converted mana cost X or less from your graveyard to your hand.)
-Appears on enchantments and white creatures.
Charged - This card gets _____ as long as it is enchanted.
Small amount of Totem Armor.
Cards:
Spellcarrier Eagle1WW
Creature - Bird (U)
Flying Charge - Spellcarrier Eagle gains vigilance and gets ":symtap:: Spellcarrier Eagle deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature." as long as it is enchanted.
1/2
Aura of Defiance2WW
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creatures you control are indestructible.
Rippling Tides2U
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, return enchanted creature to its owner's hand.
Weave 2
Boiling IchorB
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Whenever a player casts an enchantment spell, enchanted creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Mana-Bound Ghast2BB
Creature - Spirit (U) Charge - Mana-Bound Ghast gains haste, flying, and first strike and can't block as long as it is enchanted.
2/2
Reveling Devils4R
Creature - Devil (R)
Haste Charge - When Reveling Devil's attacks, if it is enchanted, destroy a random aura. If that aura was attached to a creature, Reveling Devils deals 4 damage to that creature.
4/4
Bonds of Ire3R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant player
At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player chooses target creature and Bonds of Ire deals X damage to it, where X is the number of auras attached to enchanted player.
Weavefeeder1GG
Creature - Plant (M)
Whenever a card is returned to your hand from your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Weavefeeder.
Weavefeeder has trample as long as its power is 6 or greater.
2/2
Life's WebG
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a divinity counter on Life's Web.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target enchantment card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of divinity counters on Life's Web.
Aurast of the Wild3
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
:symtap:: Add or to your mana pool.
Weave 3
2/1
As a note, if you think you should be qualified but aren't listed, shoot me a PM or something with what you should be qualified with so that it's easier for me to find.
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i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
Mechanical Theme: Bluffing
Although bluffing is already a major part of Magic, this set emphasizes it through the use of secret missions. It also has a Battleship Magic feel where creatures get bigger and bigger thanks to Licids and large enchantments.
Major Mechanic: Mission
Missions are instants and sorceries that can have increased effects by relying on creatures. As a sorcery, a player may exile the card from his or her hand and assign it to a creature he or she controls (for free). When the creature completes a certain condition, the player may cast the mission card for its mission cost.
Contact the Garrison1W
Sorcery (C)
Put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature attacks and is not blocked, you may reveal Contact the Garrison and cast it for W instead of its mana cost.
Wraith Vessel5B
Sorcery (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature dies, you may reveal Wraith Vessel and cast it for 1B instead of its mana cost.
Frostfield3U
Sorcery (U)
Creatures target player controls do not untap during their controller's next untap step.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature blocks, you may reveal Frostfield and cast it for U instead of its mana cost.
Bombing Spree3RR
Sorcery (R)
Bombing Spree deals 4 damage to each creature.
Mission
When assigned creature attacks and is not blocked, you may reveal Bombing Spree and cast it for 1RR instead of its mana cost. If you do, it deals 4 damage to each creature defending player controls instead.
Minor Mechanic: Betting
There is at least a cycle or two of cards such as Pain's Reward that allow everyone to bet resources for some reward.
Maddening Wager2UU
Instant (U)
Each player may bid life. You start the bidding with a bid of any number. In turn order, each player may top the high bid. The bidding ends if the high bid stands. The high bidder loses life equal to the high bid and puts the top X cards of target player's library into that player's graveyard, where X is twice the high bid.
Minor Mechanic: Licids
This is the home plane of the licids, where they are both major parasites and symbiotes in the natural ecosystem, and cultivated for use by the sentient cultures. Licids all have an activated tap ability that turns them into auras attached to other creatures, which can be ended by paying one mana of the appropriate color. Unlike most of the previous Licids, many of these Licids grant power and toughness bonuses.
Vine Licid1G
Creature - Licid (U)
Reach 2G,T: Vine Licid loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay G to end this effect.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3 and has reach.
1/3
Magnetic Licid2U
Creature - Licid (R) 2U,T: Magnetic Licid loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay U to end this effect.
Enchanted creature has "U,T: Choose target permanent attached to a creature. Attach that permanent to this creature and gain control of it for as long as it is attached to this creature."
2/2
Other creatures are designed to work well with Licids, other Auras, and Equipment.
Cumulox1G
Creature - Elemental Beast (R)
Cumulox's power and toughness are each equal to the total converted mana cost of all permanents attached to it plus one.
1+*/1+*
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Viathic: Dystopian World
A long time ago, Ravnica and Viathic were two new planes born into the world. While Ravnica developed into a sprawling city, Viathic's fate was far different. A planeswalker named Fatharu Othal found his spark and used it to take control of the plane with himself as dictator. While he developed Viathic into a livable plane, he also ruled it with an iron fist. After the Mending, however, he lost his immortality and now remains weak and fragile. His youthful image is still everywhere, but inside his deep chamber of terror, he is old and just about ready to die. Behind the scenes, several coups have been attempted against him, but he always escapes using his planeswalking abilities and returns and disposes of any political opponents months later, ensuring that he always stays in control.
Fatharu used to execute his enemies, but he found soon that it wouldn't work - ghosts run rampant and some of them can pass through to the physical world - a nuisance at best and a threat at worst. He found it better to encage his opponents and dissidents in a prison world. This prison world covers roughly 1/4th of Viathic and is where dissidents go to die. Fatharu uses special wards to ensure that the ghosts never leave the prison. As he grows older, he knows that he is going to die. Fatharu then seeks to work on a special spell, one that ensures that he will live past death and become undead.
Avis was thrown into the prison after his father was vaguely related to a recent coup that happened. However, when he was transported into the prison, his spark ignited. Now, Avis is a planeswalker, and has the power to escape the prison. He is now determined to overthrow Fatharu and restore peace and order to Viathic.
1. Mechanical Theme: Counters
This set is set in a dystopian and bleak society. Terror runs rampant. This set will encourage -1/-1 counters and gold counters for a dynamic Limited environment. Proliferate also returns.
2. Mechanical Theme: Wither
Only the strong survive here. -1/-1 counters represent wounds or bleeding, and prisoners that don't die have tons of scars on them.
3. Mechanical Theme: Death
The prison has become a very bleak environment. People don't live long here, and the only ones who live long in the prison are the ones who use others to do their bidding. Death is a very major part of the prison.
W: Fascism, government U: Oppression, coldness, Big Brother, eyes and ears of the government B: Greed, government, corruption R: Oppressed masses, "prions", also the rebels G: Mold beings living in the prison, sewer mutants
Slaughterhouse WorkerB
Creature - Human Citizen (C) t, sacrifice a creature: You get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
1/1
Tax Collector2W
Creature - Human Citizen (C)
When Tax Collector enters the battlefield, target player loses a gold counter and you get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
2/2
Government Brainwasher3U
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
When Government Brainwasher enters the battlefield, shuffle any number of cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards.
2/3
Building Ransack2R
Sorcery (C)
Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
Explosive Death2B
Instant (C)
Destroy target nonblack creature, then put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Bounty MarkB
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
When Bounty Mark enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Whenever enchanted creature dies, get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
Hired Assassination5B
Sorcery (U)
You may spend a gold counter rather than pay Hired Assassination's mana cost.
Destroy target creature.
Ooze Embrace3G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and becomes an Ooze in addition to it's other types until end of turn, then put a 2/2 green Ooze creature token onto the battlefield.
Exon, Mindcrime3UB
Legendary Creature - Human Spy (M)
Exon is unblockable.
Whenever Exon deals combat damage to a player, instead search that player's library for up to X cards and exile them face down, where X is equal to Exon's power.
You may look at and play face down cards exiled with Exon.
4/4
Can we provide supporting mechanics that might be used in the set along with the new one?
If so, can any of the supporting mechanics also be brand new?
Can any of the cards we show include any supporting mechanics (either brand new or preexisting) or can they only contain our named mechanic?
You can provide supporting mechanics if you like, but don't go crazy.
And the cards you show don't all need to have the mechanic. Some should, but I'd actually suggest not having all of your cards use the mechanic.
Mom: I'm not exactly wallowing in free time here, so no huge rush.
Private Mod Note
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Can we have Megiddo removed from the forum forever please?
i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
Welcome to Star-Hold, a forsaken plane on the edge of the multiverse. The entirety of the plane consists of a great tower thousands of miles wide. The landscape lies on a vast ramp that spirals indefinitely up the tower into unknown heights. Grand, oceanic rivers flow down between the plains, forests and swamps. Jagged mountain ranges are found at the base of the walls within the tower. What lies outside the walls, if anything, is subject to wild debate among the philosophers of this world though the common folk seldom concern themselves.
The ramp-land spirals around a great open space at the center of the tower. This space is filled with mana-stars of various sizes and colors, much like the suns of mirrodin except many more.
Beneath the tower is nothing but a white void which began to rise a thousand years ago, slowly consuming the lowest reaches of Star-Hold. Since that time a universal migration has been on-going. The denizens of Star-Hold must remain on the move day by day. Consequently time is of the utmost importance of all peoples of Star-Hold. From the largest societies to the smallest tribes, most communities in Star-Hold are led by some form of timekeepers.
There are many mysteries in the realm of Star-Hold, especially to the eyes of wandering planeswalkers who stumble in upon this obscure plane. Is the Tower a natural phenomena or was it created for some purpose? Is there an end to the Tower’s reach? What will happen if and when a highest height is reached and there’s nowhere else to go?
Multiplayer
Star-Hold is a multiplayer set at heart. The goal of Star-Hold's design should be making games with three or more players as fun as possible.
Take a look at this possible reprint that fits this theme and plays into the flavor of the world: Crumbling Sanctuary.
Crumbling Sanctuary was from the original multiplayer set, Mercadian Masques, which had lots of ideas with potential but poor excursion.
Star-Hold seeks to take inspiration from Mercadian Masques and hopefully improve upon that foundation.
Multicolor
An important sub-theme to the set is multicolor. 'Cause everybody love multicolor, especially people who enjoy multiplayer.
WANDER
Wander means to convey the sense of that many denizens of are out for themselves and on the move.
Kinda like with Karona, False God, a permanent with wander is controlled by each player during their turn.
To help wandering permanents continue around the table, a permanent with wander can't be sacrificed.
Examples:
Disloyal Ogre2BR
Creature - Ogre Warrior (U)
Wander (During each player's turn, that player controls Disloyal Ogre. Disloyal Ogre can't be sacrificed.)
Other creatures you control get +1/-1.
3/4
Utopia
Legendary Land (MR)
Wander T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. If you own Utopia, add one addtional mana of any color to your mana pool.
COMMUNAL
Communal is an ability word that comes before an activated ability that can be activated by any player, as on Warmonger.
Example:
Loremonger1UG
Creature - Frog Monger (R) Communal - 3: Each player draws a card. Any player may activate this ability.
3/3
Coastal AmbassadorUU
Creature - Merfolk Advisor (U) T: Target player gains control of target creature you own. Communal - 2: Untap Coastal Ambassador. Any player may activate this ability.
2/2
CURSES
The aura subtype curse returns here for multiplayer appeal.
Example:
Curse of Bloodlust2R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant player
Creatures can attack enchanted player as though they had haste.
Curse of Disrespect2UU
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant player
Whenever a creature deals damage to enchanted player, its controller may draw a card.
I think I'm going to use this as an excuse to go back to the world of the Manni, (B/W) vampires, and bengwars that I posted a half-dozen cards in the DCC in November.
At its root, this is a set that's about doing things to lands - it's proactive where Zendikar was reactive. As such, returning mechanics are going to include fortifications. There's also a subtheme about playing around with damage - absorb, inflict (a "X of this damage can't be prevented" keyword), and wither show up - and, of course, I'm going to keep introducing "new rampage" (rumble) as a keyword.
Since this is a "doing things to lands" set, though, there's one other keyword that comes up: landmeld. Landmeld is an ability that appears only on creatures, generally in the form of "forestmeld" and the like; it allows you to exile a land of the given type, and in exchange, as long as the land is exiled, the creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control of that type, plus it can be tapped for one mana of any color that land could produce (useful with dual lands). In general, landmeld costs are around 2C, though generic landmeld normally lands around ~5 (since it gives bonuses for every land you control).
Therovian Mausoleum3
Artifact - Fortification (UA04)
Fortified land gains "WB,T: Regenerate target creature with a -1/-1 counter on it."
Fortify 1
Dvenna Hymncarver1UU
Creature - Merfolk Cleric (UU02)
Absorb 1 T: The next time this turn damage that would be dealt to a creature you control is prevented, draw a card.
2/2
Runefleece EweR
Creature - Sheep (CR06)
Mountainmeld 3R(3R, Exile a Mountain you both control and own: As long the exiled card remains exiled, Runefleece Ewe gets +1/+1 for each Mountain you control and gains all abilities of the exiled card. Activate this ability only if there isn't a Mountain card exiled by Runefleece Ewe.)
1/1
Hyunea, the Nexus
Legendary Land (RL02) T: Add 1 to your mana pool. : Hyunea, the Nexus becomes an 8/8 Construct artifact creature with trample until end of turn. It's still a land.
Landmeld 4(, Exile a land you both control and own: As long as the exiled card remains exiled, Hyunea gets +1/+1 for each land you control and gains all abilities of the exiled card. Activate this ability only if there isn't a land card exiled by Hyunea.)
Dire Moose4GG
Creature - Moose (RG01)
Trample
Rumble 3 (Whenever this becomes blocked, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn for each creature blocking it.)
6/6
Hopefully people won't discredit me for combining a few ideas I've developed before.
Kagora Converged
"A Battle for the Ages"
After an AEther experiment gone awry, one plane's past and future find themselves stuck together, and locked in a timeless war.
Mechanical Theme: Vanilla vs. Abilities New Mechanic: Primal [COST] (You may cast this spell for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
(Just to be clear, there would be at least one other new mechanic in the set. This is just the one for this round.) Cards:
Technician's Tome4
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of each end step, if you activated abilities of three or more nonland permanents this turn, draw a card. ,T: Draw a card.
Catalyzer Golem5
Artifact Creature - Golem (R)
You may pay 3 rather than T to activate nonmana abilities. ,T: Untap another target creature.
3/5
Primeval Soul3GG
Sorcery (R)
Draw cards equal to target creature’s power or toughness, whichever is greater.
Primal 2G(You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Ancient Endurance3W
Enchantent — Aura (R)
Flash
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and is indestructible.
Primal 1W(You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Futurist Spymaster2U
Creature - Human Rogue (U) 1U,T: Look at the top card of target player's library. 2U,T: Target creature with power 3 or less is unblockable this turn. 3U,T: Return Futurist Spymaster and another target creature to their owner's hands.
2/2
Escorted TribesmanW
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Escorted Tribesman gets +1/+1 as long as you control a creature with no abilities.
1/2
Simple Smiting2BB
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature.
Primal B(You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Academy Pyromancer2R
Creature - Human Shaman (C) R,T: Academy Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature. If you've activated abilities of two or more other nonland permanents this turn, it deals 2 damage to that creature instead.
2/1
The set theme is 'mana matters,' rewarding mono-colored decks and spending mana of only one color to cast spells and activate abilities. Though extraneous, this could lend itself to a storyline involving strong color loyalty and hopefully classic decks like white weenie, mono U control, RDW, Elves, etc.
Resonance is the primary ability of the set, indicating the reward for spending mana of only one color. It functions similarly to landfall - a card will have an effect and its resonance ability will be a stronger version or added effect.
Everwhere Mirage Land (R)
As Everwhere Mirage enters the battlefield, choose a basic land type.
Everwhere Mirage is the chosen land type in addition to its other types.
Mana Filter3
Artifact (C) X,t: Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool.
Heavenly Host3WWW
Enchantment (M)
When Heavenly Host enters the battlefield, exile all Plains you control. Put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield for each land exiled this way.
White creatures you control have first strike, vigilance, and lifelink.
Spectrum FractureUU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. Islands you control don't untap during your next untap step.
Doom and Gloom3BB
Sorcery (R)
Each player loses 5 life and discards three cards. Resonance - If BBBBB was spent to cast Doom and Gloom, target player loses 5 life and discards three cards instead.
Cinder Burst RRR
Instant (U)
Cinder Burst deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Cinder Burst deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Elvish Purist 1G
Creature - Elf Cleric (C) Resonance - If GG was spent to cast Elvish Purist, it enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
2/1
I tied with spezza in July MCC, so I should qualify.
My theme will be a "land matters" version 2.0. Landfall returns, and will have an extra effect if a specific land enters play. Also, we'll have abilities that check how many lands you control and whether they're tapped or not.
Ability: Profusion - Effect as long as you control seven or more lands. Depleted - Effect as long as you control no untapped lands.
Sytaxian Spider3GG
Creature - Spider (C)
Reach Profusion - ~ gets +2/+2 as long as you control seven or more lands.
2/4
Fiery Carnage3RR
Sorcery (U)
~ deals 2 damage to each creature and each player. Profusion - If you control seven or more lands, ~ deals 4 damage to each creature and each player instead.
Null Spell2UU
Instant (C)
Counter target spell. Landfall - If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, draw a card.
Xalian Angel 3WW
Creature - Angel (U)
Flying Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +1/+1 until end of turn. If that land is a Plains, you gain 2 life.
4/4
Foltari Tutor4BB
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Depleted - If you control no untapped lands, instead search your library for two cards and put those cards into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Foltari Vampire 2B
Creature - Vampire (C)
Lifelink Depleted - ~ gets +1/+1 as long as you control no untapped lands.
2/1
Keyword: Flurry - Effect as long as you cast two or more spells this turn. Flurry - If you cast two or more spells this turn, effect instead.
Two different templates. One for permanents, one for instants/sorceries.
Eager RecruiterWW Creature - Human Soldier (R)
When Eager Recruiter enters the battlefield, search your library for a white creature card with converted mana cost 1 or less and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
2/1
Ambush PatrolGG Creature - Elf Warrior (C)
Flash Flurry - Ambush Patrol has deathtouch as long as you cast two or more spells this turn. Dazed prey is their favorite kind of prey.
3/1
Petty Necromancy1B Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card with converted mana cost 2 or less onto the battlefield under your control.
Relentless DenialUU Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 2. Flurry - Counter that spell instead if you cast two or more spells this turn. (Including this spell.)
Predator Owl2U Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
When Predator Owl enters the battlefield you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on predator owl.
2/1
Frenzied Sparkmage1RR Creature - Human Wizard (U)
Haste
When Frenzied Sparkmage enters the battlefield you may search your library for a red instant or sorcery card with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal it, and put it in your hand. Then shuffle your library.
2/1
Soldier's Anthem2W Enchantment (R)
White creatures you control get +1/+1. Flurry - White creatures you control have first strike and vigilance as long as you cast two or more spells this turn.
Welcome to Geoum, a world divided not by temporal barriers, politics, or allegiance to the gods, but by the very mana itself. This world is divided into five worldscapes, each centered around a mana well of each color. The inhabitants of this world are not required to dedicate themselves to one ideal, one color, but if they do, their magics become much more potent and powerful.
Monocolor Matters.
The featured mechanic of this set is Purity. Purity is an ability word that is based off your spells being cast with only one color of mana. While most spells are able to be cast with off color and colorless mana, they become more powerful when cast with only a certain color of mana. Purity has three different templates in this set, one for instants and sorceries when they are cast, one for permanents when the enter the battlefield, and one for permanents on the battlefield that trigger when ANOTHER spell is cast with only one color of mana.
Purity - If only COLOR mana was spent to cast ~, SOMETHING happens
Purity - When ~ enters the battlefield, if only COLOR mana was spent to cast it, SOMETHING happens.
Purity - Whenever you cast a spell with only COLOR mana, SOMETHING happens.
Celestial Avatar3WW
Creature - Avatar Incarnation (MR)
Flying, lifelink
Lands you control are Plains.
You may spend white mana as mana of any color. Nothing is as pure as the celestial dawn.
5/5
A call back to Celestial Dawn, cleaned up to be easier to understand.
Dawn of the Righteous4W
Sorcery (U)
Put two 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield. Purity - If only white mana was spent to cast Dawn of the Righteous, put two 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield instead.
Dammed Lake
Land (U)
Dammed Lake enters the battlefield tapped. T: Put a storage counter on Dammed Lake. T, Remove any number of storage counters from Dammed Lake: Add U to your mana pool for each storage counter removed this way.
Functional reprint of the Saprazzan Cove cycle of lands from Mercadian Masques. Given new names because the "plane specific" name some of the lands had.
Objective Thinking3U
Instant (U)
Draw 2 cards. Purity - If only blue mana was spent to cast Objective Thinking, draw 4 cards instead.
Inject Madness3B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards two cards. Purity - If only black mana was spent to cast Inject Madness, target player discards four cards instead.
Rotting Spellbomb2
Artifact (C) ,T, Sacrifice Rotting Spellbomb: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. B,T, Sacrifice Rotting Spellbomb: Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn. Point at enemies... or at friends if you don't care much about them.
- Inscription on Spellbomb
Part of a cycle that uses the "monocolored matters" theme without actually using the mechanic
Devoted ShamanRR
Creature - Human Shaman (U) Purity - Whenever you cast a spell with only red mana, add R to your mana pool. Burn it and you shall receive.
2/2
Soulflame SummonXRR
Sorcery (R)
Put X 1/1 red Flamekin creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have "Sacrifice this creature: Add R to your mana pool."
Guardian Bear1G
Creature - Bear (C) Purity - When Guardian Bear enters the battlefield, if only green mana was spent to cast it, put a +1/+1 counter on it. When the fires threaten to burn and the seas threaten to drown, every one of jungles creature will stop at nothing to protect it.
2/2
Creeping WildernessGGG
Enchantment (R)
When Creeping Wilderness enters the battlefield, search your library for a basic Forest land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may search your library for a basic Forest land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library. Growth.
Vanmardol is an enormous plane that consists mostly of an almost endless ocean with countless islands full of mystery, wonders and treasure. Near the centre of the plane, there's a massive volcanic island-mountain, named Kavuat'tuu, so tall that it's peak is shrouded with clouds. Its wide skirts eroded through millennia form a huge main continent for the plane where most landdwellers of the plane live. Its coasts are covered by bustling port towns populated by all manners of adventurers, sailors and pirates. However, below the surface of the sea the world is no less populated by any means! Diverse races of submarine beings dwell in their sprawling cities or secluded dens, according with their nature. For millennia, both landdwellers and oceandwellers have kept their conflicts, both petty and major, among their own, but recently a big event has both sides gone to war with each other. Flavour-wise the set draws inspiration from the Odyssey (and similar maritime greek legends,) Jules Verne's works, The Voyage of the Dawn Threader and One Piece.
World Mechanics
The mechanic heart of the set is "two worlds at war" and introduces the concept of "Game Environments." Game Environments are encompassing, player-chosen effects that affect the kinds of spells they may cast and the players they may attack. All the existing cards so far and any card without a state supertype are considered "Regular Environment" and players plays games in Regular Environment by default. This set introduces the "Underwater" environment and supertype for cards (much like snow with the difference that there won't be underwater lands -other than flavorfully- nor "underwater mana".)
This is how environments work (using Underwater as an example): at the beginning of each of their own upkeeps (before any other effect triggers) a player may choose to "go underwater" (or to "emerge" if he or she was previously underwater, which will return that player to "regular environment".) Players underwater can only cast spells with the "underwater" supertype while those cards cannot be cast by "surface" players. Nonland permanents already in the battlefield will be affected if they remain on a foreign environment for longer than one turn. (see below.)
Here are the streamlined rules for environments and underwater:
1. Cards with an environment supertype (e.g.: "Underwater") are considered to belong to that environment and can only be played if the player has chosen to be in it that turn. Cards without an environment supertype (e.g.: all Magic cards so far) are considered to belong to the "Regular" environment and can only be played if the player hasn't chosen to be in another environment.
2. Players in any given environment cannot attack players on any other environment. Activated abilities of permanents in that environment cannot target permanents or players in another environment.
3. Players can move to another environment at will but only once per turn, during a new step between the untap and the upkeep step, appropriately called the environment step. Here's how events will follow in that step:
3.1 The active player chooses whether to remain on his or her current environment or to move to another one. In a game without environment cards this whole step may be safely skipped as it's considered that players choose to always remain in the "Regular Environment."
3.2 If the player controls any nonland permanent with an endurance counter, that player sacrifices that permanent.
3.3 If a player chooses to remain in a given environment and he controls any nonland permanent with a supertype of a foreign environment he'll be given the choice to pay 1 and return that permanent to his or her hand or to keep that permanent on the battlefield and put an endurance counter on it.
3.4 Any triggered abilities result of these events will go to the stack in the proper order at the beginning of the upkeep step.
What does this mean for the game? It will make the game be played differently. Most players will be encouraged to have a full underwater or full regular deck (there's a 50/50 split in the set) meaning that in games with players in different environments players will have to go momentarily into each other's environment to attack or use their permanent's abilities on them and then return next turn to their own environment, or -if there's a good reason for it- remain another turn there at the cost of losing his or her permanents the next turn. Strategic thinking and risk measuring will be a vital component of these games.
Keyworded mechanics
The set introduces a new keyword: "Amphibious" which basically means "this card is unaffected by either regular or underwater environment", meaning that cards with amphibious may be cast in any of those environments, amphibious permanents won't be sacrificed at untap step whether its controller is on the surface or underwater, they can use their abilities to target permanents and players in any of those environments and if they're creatures, they may attack freely any opponent in any of those environments. This keyword may appear in all types of nonland cards of all colours but predominantly blue, green and black with white in second and red in a distant third.
Another new mechanic of the set (exclusive to blue and black (and some red) landdwellers) is "Plunder" which is associated with Pirates (a major class for the set.) The rules text is as follows: Plunder (whenever this creature deals damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand and top card of library, then you may cast a nonland card with converted manacost X from among those cards without paying its mana cost, where X is the damage dealt this way.)
Given that battles in different environments encourage planning before invading with an alpha attack, the second keyword of the set is Bide (At the beginning of your end step if this creature didn't attack or block since your last turn, put a +1/+1 counter on it.) This mechanic appears in green, white and blue creatures. Blue gets spoiled with both this and plunder because there's a subtheme of blue being more important in this world for obvious flavour reasons.
So that leaves us with red. In a blue world, red is the polar opposite but since this world is falling into chaos, it's red's time to be the hero. Red doesn't get a keyworded mechanic but gets a profusion of creatures with haste that get rewards for attacking the turn they were played functioning as great Viashino Sandstalker-like attackers in opposite environments.
Races and Places of Vanmardol
White Underwater creatures include highly organized merfolk and large fish schools. Surface creatures include human smallfolk, goats and big mountain-nesting birds. Places associated with white mana are longest expanses of white-sanded beach and underwater shallows.
Blue Underwater creatures include big fish and sea monsters and Merfolk royalty. Also some surrakar (mostly amphibious) and sirens. Surface creature include human sailors, pirates and shipwrights. Places associated with blue mana are well... the whole immense ocean, above and below.
Black Underwater creatures include some corrupted merfolk (Merrows) surrakars and sirens. Also, unspeakable ocean-pit horrors. Surface creatures include human pirates, rogues and bandits and rats. Lots of rats. Places associated with black mana are the fathomless depths of the ocean and the places where bubbling pitch from the inside of the semi-dormant Kavuat'tuu pools and mixes with the ocean water. This is called "Inkwater."
Red Underwater creatures include sharks, electric eels and a sea dwelling species of crustacean-like goblins akin to the kamigawan Akkis though slightly more intelligent and less malicious. Surface creatures include human adventurers, some pirates and a race of mountain-dwelling viashino that live higher up Kavuat'tuu than most goat-herders dare to go. Places associated with red mana are all the ones related with Kavuat'tuu both above and under the sea. Also other volcanic islands and coral reefs.
Green Underwater creatures include whales and fabulous marine beasts and the Rania, a race of amphibian frogfolk that fulfill most of the Elves' role in other worlds. Surface creatures include human adventurers, some of the frogfolk, some viashino and some random beasts. Places associated with green mana include algae gardens, mangrove forests and palm plantations.
Cards
The splashy lord for underwater creatures:
Emperor of the Infinite Depths1WU
Underwater Creature - Merfolk Warrior (M)
Other underwater creatures get +2/+0.
As long as you are underwater, underwater creatures you control get +0/+2 2: Target creature becomes amphibious until your next upkeep.
2/2
The mana dork:
Algae Tenderer1G
Underwater Creature - Frogfolk Shaman (C)
Amphibious, vigilance. T: Add to your mana pool.
1/4
The enabling artifacts:
Bubblescaphandre0
Underwater Artifact (U)
Amphibious.
Equipped creature is amphibious.
Sacrifice Bubblescaphandre: Counter target spell or ability targeting equipped creature.
Equip - Tap a creature you control.
Harpoon Cannon2
Artifact (U) T: Harpoon Cannon deals 1 damage to target underwater creature or player. You may play this ability as though as Harpoon Cannon had amphibious. ,T: The next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn has amphibious.
Some cards will make players thing twice about going underwater:
Double-jawed Predator3R
Underwater Creature - Shark (U)
First Strike
As long as Double-jawed Predator is underwater, it has double strike.
3/2
The unavoidable Pirate King!
Beia, Empress of Dawnward Seas2UB
Legendary Creature - Human Pirate (R)
Other Pirates you control get +1/+1
Plunder.
Tap two untapped pirates you control: Target pirate becomes amphibious and unblockable until your next upkeep.
3/4
A creature with Bide:
Herdwarden RamW
Creature - Goat (C)
Bide
As long as Herdwarden Ram's thoughness is 4 or more, it has vigilance.
0/1
Viashino Fisher2R
Creature - Lizard Scout (U)
Haste
When Viashino Fisher enters the battlefield, discard a card.
When Viashino Fisher leaves the battlefield, draw a card.
4/2
Part of an obvious cycle:
Coral Reef
Land (R) T: Add U to your mana pool. T: Add R to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if you are underwater.
The necessary reference to a well-known submarine:
Maelstrom Rider[MANA]5[/MANA]
Legendary Underwater Artifact (M)
Other creatures you control have amphibious and hexproof as long as you are underwater.
Tap 3 untapped creatures you control: Maelstrom Rider becomes a 8/8 creature with trample until end of turn.
Drag Undertow3UU
Instant (R)
Target player goes underwater.
(Note that this will mean that he'll have to sacrifice most of his non land permanents at the beginning of his turn)
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Rite of Restoration (Common) 3W
Instant
You gain 1 life for each creature type among creatures you control.
Public Disgrace (Common) B
Instant
Until end of turn, target creature gets -1/-1 for each creature type among creatures you control.
Alatar's Liege (Common) 2R
Creature - Human Wizard
2/2
When Alatar's Liege enters the battlefield, you may have it deals 1 damage to target creature for each of that creature's creature types.
Family Tree (Common) 1G
Creature – Treefolk
1/1
Family Tree gets +1/+1 for each creature type among creatures you control.
Changelings?
I'm not qualified (AFAIK) but I would be interested in filling a slot if you need another person.
I'm conscious of changeling. Seeing as how not even WotC will be able to design around it forever, I see no reason on waiting to do so. It was a fun experiment for them - one that they regret in some regards. For the serious minded, ask yourself this question: Would Mistform Ultimus or any card with Changeling be missed if it were restricted or banned?
1. Restricting or banning cards to open up design space is an extremely bad idea for long-term brand loyalty.
2. Casual players don't care about banlists, but will still want to know how a card that counts the number of creature types interacts with changelings.
3. I would like to see you support your statement regarding "one that they regret in some regards," as I have not seen anything suggesting this.
We Make the Set
Hello and welcome to the second CCC&G Pro Tour! Another season has come and gone, and we have got something exciting in store for the competitors this time around.
As the name implies, this month we will be making a set! I've gone ahead and done some of the preliminary work, so that we aren't starting with nothing. Open the spoiler to see where we're starting from:
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To recap, we will be designing a small standalone set (think Coldsnap) this month! Starting from nothing but a blank canvas, we'll finish the month with something. It won't be polished. It won't necessarily even be good, but it will be a set. Think NaNoWriMo. The goal isn't to write a publishable, perfect novel in a month. It's to finish.
In our own way, this will be MaCuSetMo (MTGS Custom Set Month :uhh:).
The set skeleton I published will be fleshed out more over the next week or so into an actual set skeleton rather than just a blank slate, but we are starting from nothing. That said, your challenge for this round:
The Hook
Every block has its mechanical theme. Innistrad showed us just how deep the graveyard really is. Scars of Mirrodin thrust us into a war between the Mirrans and the Phyrexians. Zendikar redefined how we look at a land drop. This set too needs a compelling mechanical theme.
Your task: To create a mechanical theme to base the set around, as well as some cards to show it off. Also, design a new keyword ability (or ability word) that ties into your theme. Show us all of this with at least three cards, and no more than ten.
To be explicit, your entry needs:
1. A mechanical theme (e.g., "land set" or "graveyard set")
2. A keyword or ability word that ties into your theme (e.g., "landfall" or "flashback")
3. 3-10 cards that fit into a set with your proposed theme. Try to show off your new ability, as well.
Check the spoiler below, which will be updated as the information comes in, for your name. Please post /Confirm or something similar in this thread so that I know you're in for the month. I'll be sending PMs later on to round up the stragglers.
Arcel
Balefire
Big_Cal
Doomfish
Eventide Sojourner
Gerrard's Mom
KoolKoal
Koopa
Link
Maokun
MDenham
Moss_Elemental
Ninja_Caterpie
Prophylaxis
Rudyard
Savia
Small Child
Socrates
Spezza19
Svennihilator
swishh
TacticalCelebrant
Tilde
UncleIstvan
Set theme: enchantments
Mechanics: Weave X (When this card is sent to a graveyard from the battlefield, you may return [another] target enchantment card with converted mana cost X or less from your graveyard to your hand.)
Charged - This card gets _____ as long as it is enchanted.
Small amount of Totem Armor.
Cards:
Spellcarrier Eagle 1WW
Creature - Bird (U)
Flying
Charge - Spellcarrier Eagle gains vigilance and gets ":symtap:: Spellcarrier Eagle deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature." as long as it is enchanted.
1/2
Aura of Defiance 2WW
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creatures you control are indestructible.
Rippling Tides 2U
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, return enchanted creature to its owner's hand.
Weave 2
Boiling Ichor B
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Whenever a player casts an enchantment spell, enchanted creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Mana-Bound Ghast 2BB
Creature - Spirit (U)
Charge - Mana-Bound Ghast gains haste, flying, and first strike and can't block as long as it is enchanted.
2/2
Reveling Devils 4R
Creature - Devil (R)
Haste
Charge - When Reveling Devil's attacks, if it is enchanted, destroy a random aura. If that aura was attached to a creature, Reveling Devils deals 4 damage to that creature.
4/4
Bonds of Ire 3R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant player
At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, that player chooses target creature and Bonds of Ire deals X damage to it, where X is the number of auras attached to enchanted player.
Weavefeeder 1GG
Creature - Plant (M)
Whenever a card is returned to your hand from your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on Weavefeeder.
Weavefeeder has trample as long as its power is 6 or greater.
2/2
Life's Web G
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a divinity counter on Life's Web.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target enchantment card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of divinity counters on Life's Web.
Aurast of the Wild 3
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
:symtap:: Add or to your mana pool.
Weave 3
2/1
Although bluffing is already a major part of Magic, this set emphasizes it through the use of secret missions. It also has a Battleship Magic feel where creatures get bigger and bigger thanks to Licids and large enchantments.
Major Mechanic: Mission
Missions are instants and sorceries that can have increased effects by relying on creatures. As a sorcery, a player may exile the card from his or her hand and assign it to a creature he or she controls (for free). When the creature completes a certain condition, the player may cast the mission card for its mission cost.
Contact the Garrison 1W
Sorcery (C)
Put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature attacks and is not blocked, you may reveal Contact the Garrison and cast it for W instead of its mana cost.
Wraith Vessel 5B
Sorcery (U)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature dies, you may reveal Wraith Vessel and cast it for 1B instead of its mana cost.
Frostfield 3U
Sorcery (U)
Creatures target player controls do not untap during their controller's next untap step.
Mission (You may exile this card from your hand face-down and assigned to target creature you control as a sorcery.)
When assigned creature blocks, you may reveal Frostfield and cast it for U instead of its mana cost.
Bombing Spree 3RR
Sorcery (R)
Bombing Spree deals 4 damage to each creature.
Mission
When assigned creature attacks and is not blocked, you may reveal Bombing Spree and cast it for 1RR instead of its mana cost. If you do, it deals 4 damage to each creature defending player controls instead.
Minor Mechanic: Betting
There is at least a cycle or two of cards such as Pain's Reward that allow everyone to bet resources for some reward.
Maddening Wager 2UU
Instant (U)
Each player may bid life. You start the bidding with a bid of any number. In turn order, each player may top the high bid. The bidding ends if the high bid stands. The high bidder loses life equal to the high bid and puts the top X cards of target player's library into that player's graveyard, where X is twice the high bid.
Minor Mechanic: Licids
This is the home plane of the licids, where they are both major parasites and symbiotes in the natural ecosystem, and cultivated for use by the sentient cultures. Licids all have an activated tap ability that turns them into auras attached to other creatures, which can be ended by paying one mana of the appropriate color. Unlike most of the previous Licids, many of these Licids grant power and toughness bonuses.
Vine Licid 1G
Creature - Licid (U)
Reach
2G,T: Vine Licid loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay G to end this effect.
Enchanted creature gets +1/+3 and has reach.
1/3
Magnetic Licid 2U
Creature - Licid (R)
2U,T: Magnetic Licid loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay U to end this effect.
Enchanted creature has "U,T: Choose target permanent attached to a creature. Attach that permanent to this creature and gain control of it for as long as it is attached to this creature."
2/2
Other creatures are designed to work well with Licids, other Auras, and Equipment.
Cumulox 1G
Creature - Elemental Beast (R)
Cumulox's power and toughness are each equal to the total converted mana cost of all permanents attached to it plus one.
1+*/1+*
A long time ago, Ravnica and Viathic were two new planes born into the world. While Ravnica developed into a sprawling city, Viathic's fate was far different. A planeswalker named Fatharu Othal found his spark and used it to take control of the plane with himself as dictator. While he developed Viathic into a livable plane, he also ruled it with an iron fist. After the Mending, however, he lost his immortality and now remains weak and fragile. His youthful image is still everywhere, but inside his deep chamber of terror, he is old and just about ready to die. Behind the scenes, several coups have been attempted against him, but he always escapes using his planeswalking abilities and returns and disposes of any political opponents months later, ensuring that he always stays in control.
Fatharu used to execute his enemies, but he found soon that it wouldn't work - ghosts run rampant and some of them can pass through to the physical world - a nuisance at best and a threat at worst. He found it better to encage his opponents and dissidents in a prison world. This prison world covers roughly 1/4th of Viathic and is where dissidents go to die. Fatharu uses special wards to ensure that the ghosts never leave the prison. As he grows older, he knows that he is going to die. Fatharu then seeks to work on a special spell, one that ensures that he will live past death and become undead.
Avis was thrown into the prison after his father was vaguely related to a recent coup that happened. However, when he was transported into the prison, his spark ignited. Now, Avis is a planeswalker, and has the power to escape the prison. He is now determined to overthrow Fatharu and restore peace and order to Viathic.
1. Mechanical Theme: Counters
This set is set in a dystopian and bleak society. Terror runs rampant. This set will encourage -1/-1 counters and gold counters for a dynamic Limited environment. Proliferate also returns.
2. Mechanical Theme: Wither
Only the strong survive here. -1/-1 counters represent wounds or bleeding, and prisoners that don't die have tons of scars on them.
3. Mechanical Theme: Death
The prison has become a very bleak environment. People don't live long here, and the only ones who live long in the prison are the ones who use others to do their bidding. Death is a very major part of the prison.
W: Fascism, government
U: Oppression, coldness, Big Brother, eyes and ears of the government
B: Greed, government, corruption
R: Oppressed masses, "prions", also the rebels
G: Mold beings living in the prison, sewer mutants
Slaughterhouse Worker B
Creature - Human Citizen (C)
t, sacrifice a creature: You get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
1/1
Tax Collector 2W
Creature - Human Citizen (C)
When Tax Collector enters the battlefield, target player loses a gold counter and you get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
2/2
Government Brainwasher 3U
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
When Government Brainwasher enters the battlefield, shuffle any number of cards from your hand into your library, then draw that many cards.
2/3
Building Ransack 2R
Sorcery (C)
Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
Poison Ambusher 1G
Creature - Elf Rogue (C)
Wither
2/2
Explosive Death 2B
Instant (C)
Destroy target nonblack creature, then put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Bounty Mark B
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
When Bounty Mark enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Whenever enchanted creature dies, get a gold counter. (Spend a gold counter: Add 1 to your mana pool.)
Hired Assassination 5B
Sorcery (U)
You may spend a gold counter rather than pay Hired Assassination's mana cost.
Destroy target creature.
Ooze Embrace 3G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and becomes an Ooze in addition to it's other types until end of turn, then put a 2/2 green Ooze creature token onto the battlefield.
Exon, Mindcrime 3UB
Legendary Creature - Human Spy (M)
Exon is unblockable.
Whenever Exon deals combat damage to a player, instead search that player's library for up to X cards and exile them face down, where X is equal to Exon's power.
You may look at and play face down cards exiled with Exon.
4/4
And the cards you show don't all need to have the mechanic. Some should, but I'd actually suggest not having all of your cards use the mechanic.
Mom: I'm not exactly wallowing in free time here, so no huge rush.
The ramp-land spirals around a great open space at the center of the tower. This space is filled with mana-stars of various sizes and colors, much like the suns of mirrodin except many more.
Beneath the tower is nothing but a white void which began to rise a thousand years ago, slowly consuming the lowest reaches of Star-Hold. Since that time a universal migration has been on-going. The denizens of Star-Hold must remain on the move day by day. Consequently time is of the utmost importance of all peoples of Star-Hold. From the largest societies to the smallest tribes, most communities in Star-Hold are led by some form of timekeepers.
There are many mysteries in the realm of Star-Hold, especially to the eyes of wandering planeswalkers who stumble in upon this obscure plane. Is the Tower a natural phenomena or was it created for some purpose? Is there an end to the Tower’s reach? What will happen if and when a highest height is reached and there’s nowhere else to go?
Multiplayer
Star-Hold is a multiplayer set at heart. The goal of Star-Hold's design should be making games with three or more players as fun as possible.
Take a look at this possible reprint that fits this theme and plays into the flavor of the world: Crumbling Sanctuary.
Crumbling Sanctuary was from the original multiplayer set, Mercadian Masques, which had lots of ideas with potential but poor excursion.
Star-Hold seeks to take inspiration from Mercadian Masques and hopefully improve upon that foundation.
Multicolor
An important sub-theme to the set is multicolor. 'Cause everybody love multicolor, especially people who enjoy multiplayer.
WANDER
Wander means to convey the sense of that many denizens of are out for themselves and on the move.
Kinda like with Karona, False God, a permanent with wander is controlled by each player during their turn.
To help wandering permanents continue around the table, a permanent with wander can't be sacrificed.
Examples:
Disloyal Ogre 2BR
Creature - Ogre Warrior (U)
Wander (During each player's turn, that player controls Disloyal Ogre. Disloyal Ogre can't be sacrificed.)
Other creatures you control get +1/-1.
3/4
Utopia
Legendary Land (MR)
Wander
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. If you own Utopia, add one addtional mana of any color to your mana pool.
COMMUNAL
Communal is an ability word that comes before an activated ability that can be activated by any player, as on Warmonger.
Example:
Loremonger 1UG
Creature - Frog Monger (R)
Communal - 3: Each player draws a card. Any player may activate this ability.
3/3
Coastal Ambassador UU
Creature - Merfolk Advisor (U)
T: Target player gains control of target creature you own.
Communal - 2: Untap Coastal Ambassador. Any player may activate this ability.
2/2
CURSES
The aura subtype curse returns here for multiplayer appeal.
Example:
Curse of Bloodlust 2R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant player
Creatures can attack enchanted player as though they had haste.
Curse of Disrespect 2UU
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant player
Whenever a creature deals damage to enchanted player, its controller may draw a card.
At its root, this is a set that's about doing things to lands - it's proactive where Zendikar was reactive. As such, returning mechanics are going to include fortifications. There's also a subtheme about playing around with damage - absorb, inflict (a "X of this damage can't be prevented" keyword), and wither show up - and, of course, I'm going to keep introducing "new rampage" (rumble) as a keyword.
Since this is a "doing things to lands" set, though, there's one other keyword that comes up: landmeld. Landmeld is an ability that appears only on creatures, generally in the form of "forestmeld" and the like; it allows you to exile a land of the given type, and in exchange, as long as the land is exiled, the creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control of that type, plus it can be tapped for one mana of any color that land could produce (useful with dual lands). In general, landmeld costs are around 2C, though generic landmeld normally lands around ~5 (since it gives bonuses for every land you control).
Artifact - Fortification (UA04)
Fortified land gains "WB,T: Regenerate target creature with a -1/-1 counter on it."
Fortify 1
Dvenna Hymncarver 1UU
Creature - Merfolk Cleric (UU02)
Absorb 1
T: The next time this turn damage that would be dealt to a creature you control is prevented, draw a card.
2/2
Runefleece Ewe R
Creature - Sheep (CR06)
Mountainmeld 3R (3R, Exile a Mountain you both control and own: As long the exiled card remains exiled, Runefleece Ewe gets +1/+1 for each Mountain you control and gains all abilities of the exiled card. Activate this ability only if there isn't a Mountain card exiled by Runefleece Ewe.)
1/1
Hyunea, the Nexus
Legendary Land (RL02)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
: Hyunea, the Nexus becomes an 8/8 Construct artifact creature with trample until end of turn. It's still a land.
Landmeld 4 (, Exile a land you both control and own: As long as the exiled card remains exiled, Hyunea gets +1/+1 for each land you control and gains all abilities of the exiled card. Activate this ability only if there isn't a land card exiled by Hyunea.)
Dire Moose 4GG
Creature - Moose (RG01)
Trample
Rumble 3 (Whenever this becomes blocked, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn for each creature blocking it.)
6/6
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Most Nominated for Random Categories, 2013
Kagora Converged
"A Battle for the Ages"
After an AEther experiment gone awry, one plane's past and future find themselves stuck together, and locked in a timeless war.
Mechanical Theme: Vanilla vs. Abilities
New Mechanic: Primal [COST] (You may cast this spell for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
(Just to be clear, there would be at least one other new mechanic in the set. This is just the one for this round.)
Cards:
Technician's Tome 4
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of each end step, if you activated abilities of three or more nonland permanents this turn, draw a card.
,T: Draw a card.
Catalyzer Golem 5
Artifact Creature - Golem (R)
You may pay 3 rather than T to activate nonmana abilities.
,T: Untap another target creature.
3/5
Primeval Soul 3GG
Sorcery (R)
Draw cards equal to target creature’s power or toughness, whichever is greater.
Primal 2G (You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Ancient Endurance 3W
Enchantent — Aura (R)
Flash
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and is indestructible.
Primal 1W (You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Greater Ballisaur 2WW
Creature - Lizard Beast (U)
4/5
Futurist Spymaster 2U
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
1U,T: Look at the top card of target player's library.
2U,T: Target creature with power 3 or less is unblockable this turn.
3U,T: Return Futurist Spymaster and another target creature to their owner's hands.
2/2
Escorted Tribesman W
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Escorted Tribesman gets +1/+1 as long as you control a creature with no abilities.
1/2
Simple Smiting 2BB
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature.
Primal B (You may cast this for its primal cost if its target has no abilities.)
Academy Pyromancer 2R
Creature - Human Shaman (C)
R,T: Academy Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature. If you've activated abilities of two or more other nonland permanents this turn, it deals 2 damage to that creature instead.
2/1
Anyhow, I'm super up for this.
I run a Tumblr for Magic-related statistics, graphs, and quizzes. Come check it out!
The set theme is 'mana matters,' rewarding mono-colored decks and spending mana of only one color to cast spells and activate abilities. Though extraneous, this could lend itself to a storyline involving strong color loyalty and hopefully classic decks like white weenie, mono U control, RDW, Elves, etc.
Resonance is the primary ability of the set, indicating the reward for spending mana of only one color. It functions similarly to landfall - a card will have an effect and its resonance ability will be a stronger version or added effect.
Everwhere Mirage
Land (R)
As Everwhere Mirage enters the battlefield, choose a basic land type.
Everwhere Mirage is the chosen land type in addition to its other types.
Mana Filter 3
Artifact (C)
X,t: Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool.
Heavenly Host 3WWW
Enchantment (M)
When Heavenly Host enters the battlefield, exile all Plains you control. Put a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying onto the battlefield for each land exiled this way.
White creatures you control have first strike, vigilance, and lifelink.
Spectrum Fracture UU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. Islands you control don't untap during your next untap step.
Doom and Gloom 3BB
Sorcery (R)
Each player loses 5 life and discards three cards.
Resonance - If BBBBB was spent to cast Doom and Gloom, target player loses 5 life and discards three cards instead.
Cinder Burst RRR
Instant (U)
Cinder Burst deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Cinder Burst deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Elvish Purist 1G
Creature - Elf Cleric (C)
Resonance - If GG was spent to cast Elvish Purist, it enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
2/1
Depleted - Effect as long as you control no untapped lands.
Creature - Spider (C)
Reach
Profusion - ~ gets +2/+2 as long as you control seven or more lands.
2/4
Fiery Carnage 3RR
Sorcery (U)
~ deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.
Profusion - If you control seven or more lands, ~ deals 4 damage to each creature and each player instead.
Null Spell 2UU
Instant (C)
Counter target spell.
Landfall - If you had a land enter the battlefield under your control this turn, draw a card.
Xalian Angel 3WW
Creature - Angel (U)
Flying
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, ~ gets +1/+1 until end of turn. If that land is a Plains, you gain 2 life.
4/4
Foltari Tutor 4BB
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Depleted - If you control no untapped lands, instead search your library for two cards and put those cards into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Foltari Vampire 2B
Creature - Vampire (C)
Lifelink
Depleted - ~ gets +1/+1 as long as you control no untapped lands.
2/1
Keyword:
Flurry - Effect as long as you cast two or more spells this turn.
Flurry - If you cast two or more spells this turn, effect instead.
Two different templates. One for permanents, one for instants/sorceries.
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
When Eager Recruiter enters the battlefield, search your library for a white creature card with converted mana cost 1 or less and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
Creature - Elf Warrior (C)
Flash
Flurry - Ambush Patrol has deathtouch as long as you cast two or more spells this turn.
Dazed prey is their favorite kind of prey.
Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card with converted mana cost 2 or less onto the battlefield under your control.
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 2.
Flurry - Counter that spell instead if you cast two or more spells this turn. (Including this spell.)
Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
When Predator Owl enters the battlefield you may return a creature you control to its owner's hand. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on predator owl.
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
Haste
When Frenzied Sparkmage enters the battlefield you may search your library for a red instant or sorcery card with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal it, and put it in your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Enchantment (R)
White creatures you control get +1/+1.
Flurry - White creatures you control have first strike and vigilance as long as you cast two or more spells this turn.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Welcome to Geoum, a world divided not by temporal barriers, politics, or allegiance to the gods, but by the very mana itself. This world is divided into five worldscapes, each centered around a mana well of each color. The inhabitants of this world are not required to dedicate themselves to one ideal, one color, but if they do, their magics become much more potent and powerful.
Monocolor Matters.
The featured mechanic of this set is Purity. Purity is an ability word that is based off your spells being cast with only one color of mana. While most spells are able to be cast with off color and colorless mana, they become more powerful when cast with only a certain color of mana. Purity has three different templates in this set, one for instants and sorceries when they are cast, one for permanents when the enter the battlefield, and one for permanents on the battlefield that trigger when ANOTHER spell is cast with only one color of mana.
Purity - If only COLOR mana was spent to cast ~, SOMETHING happens
Purity - When ~ enters the battlefield, if only COLOR mana was spent to cast it, SOMETHING happens.
Purity - Whenever you cast a spell with only COLOR mana, SOMETHING happens.
Celestial Avatar 3WW
Creature - Avatar Incarnation (MR)
Flying, lifelink
Lands you control are Plains.
You may spend white mana as mana of any color.
Nothing is as pure as the celestial dawn.
5/5
A call back to Celestial Dawn, cleaned up to be easier to understand.
Dawn of the Righteous 4W
Sorcery (U)
Put two 2/2 white Knight creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Purity - If only white mana was spent to cast Dawn of the Righteous, put two 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield instead.
Dammed Lake
Land (U)
Dammed Lake enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Put a storage counter on Dammed Lake.
T, Remove any number of storage counters from Dammed Lake: Add U to your mana pool for each storage counter removed this way.
Functional reprint of the Saprazzan Cove cycle of lands from Mercadian Masques. Given new names because the "plane specific" name some of the lands had.
Objective Thinking 3U
Instant (U)
Draw 2 cards.
Purity - If only blue mana was spent to cast Objective Thinking, draw 4 cards instead.
Inject Madness 3B
Sorcery (C)
Target player discards two cards.
Purity - If only black mana was spent to cast Inject Madness, target player discards four cards instead.
Rotting Spellbomb 2
Artifact (C)
,T, Sacrifice Rotting Spellbomb: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
B,T, Sacrifice Rotting Spellbomb: Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.
Point at enemies... or at friends if you don't care much about them.
- Inscription on Spellbomb
Part of a cycle that uses the "monocolored matters" theme without actually using the mechanic
Devoted Shaman RR
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Purity - Whenever you cast a spell with only red mana, add R to your mana pool.
Burn it and you shall receive.
2/2
Soulflame Summon XRR
Sorcery (R)
Put X 1/1 red Flamekin creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have "Sacrifice this creature: Add R to your mana pool."
Guardian Bear 1G
Creature - Bear (C)
Purity - When Guardian Bear enters the battlefield, if only green mana was spent to cast it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
When the fires threaten to burn and the seas threaten to drown, every one of jungles creature will stop at nothing to protect it.
2/2
Creeping Wilderness GGG
Enchantment (R)
When Creeping Wilderness enters the battlefield, search your library for a basic Forest land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may search your library for a basic Forest land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle your library.
Growth.
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
EDH
Azami (video)
:symw::symb::symg: Teneb (video)
Drana (video) (retired)
:symw::symr: Brion (video)
:symb::symr: Wort (video)
Arcum (video) (retired)
:symr::symg: Stonebrow (video)
B Shirei (video)
WU Rasputin (video) (retired)
R Urabrask (video)
WUR Zedruu (video) (retired)
W Isamaru
UB Grimgrin
U Mistform Ultimus (video)
UBR Gwendlyn (video)
URG Animar (video)
RG Thromok
WB Selenia
Standard
WU Geist of Saint Traft standard EDH (video) (retired)
WUB Battle of Wits!
World Mechanics
This is how environments work (using Underwater as an example): at the beginning of each of their own upkeeps (before any other effect triggers) a player may choose to "go underwater" (or to "emerge" if he or she was previously underwater, which will return that player to "regular environment".) Players underwater can only cast spells with the "underwater" supertype while those cards cannot be cast by "surface" players. Nonland permanents already in the battlefield will be affected if they remain on a foreign environment for longer than one turn. (see below.)
Here are the streamlined rules for environments and underwater:
1. Cards with an environment supertype (e.g.: "Underwater") are considered to belong to that environment and can only be played if the player has chosen to be in it that turn. Cards without an environment supertype (e.g.: all Magic cards so far) are considered to belong to the "Regular" environment and can only be played if the player hasn't chosen to be in another environment.
2. Players in any given environment cannot attack players on any other environment. Activated abilities of permanents in that environment cannot target permanents or players in another environment.
3. Players can move to another environment at will but only once per turn, during a new step between the untap and the upkeep step, appropriately called the environment step. Here's how events will follow in that step:
3.1 The active player chooses whether to remain on his or her current environment or to move to another one. In a game without environment cards this whole step may be safely skipped as it's considered that players choose to always remain in the "Regular Environment."
3.2 If the player controls any nonland permanent with an endurance counter, that player sacrifices that permanent.
3.3 If a player chooses to remain in a given environment and he controls any nonland permanent with a supertype of a foreign environment he'll be given the choice to pay 1 and return that permanent to his or her hand or to keep that permanent on the battlefield and put an endurance counter on it.
3.4 Any triggered abilities result of these events will go to the stack in the proper order at the beginning of the upkeep step.
What does this mean for the game? It will make the game be played differently. Most players will be encouraged to have a full underwater or full regular deck (there's a 50/50 split in the set) meaning that in games with players in different environments players will have to go momentarily into each other's environment to attack or use their permanent's abilities on them and then return next turn to their own environment, or -if there's a good reason for it- remain another turn there at the cost of losing his or her permanents the next turn. Strategic thinking and risk measuring will be a vital component of these games.
Keyworded mechanics
Another new mechanic of the set (exclusive to blue and black (and some red) landdwellers) is "Plunder" which is associated with Pirates (a major class for the set.) The rules text is as follows: Plunder (whenever this creature deals damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand and top card of library, then you may cast a nonland card with converted manacost X from among those cards without paying its mana cost, where X is the damage dealt this way.)
Given that battles in different environments encourage planning before invading with an alpha attack, the second keyword of the set is Bide (At the beginning of your end step if this creature didn't attack or block since your last turn, put a +1/+1 counter on it.) This mechanic appears in green, white and blue creatures. Blue gets spoiled with both this and plunder because there's a subtheme of blue being more important in this world for obvious flavour reasons.
So that leaves us with red. In a blue world, red is the polar opposite but since this world is falling into chaos, it's red's time to be the hero. Red doesn't get a keyworded mechanic but gets a profusion of creatures with haste that get rewards for attacking the turn they were played functioning as great Viashino Sandstalker-like attackers in opposite environments.
Races and Places of Vanmardol
Blue Underwater creatures include big fish and sea monsters and Merfolk royalty. Also some surrakar (mostly amphibious) and sirens. Surface creature include human sailors, pirates and shipwrights. Places associated with blue mana are well... the whole immense ocean, above and below.
Black Underwater creatures include some corrupted merfolk (Merrows) surrakars and sirens. Also, unspeakable ocean-pit horrors. Surface creatures include human pirates, rogues and bandits and rats. Lots of rats. Places associated with black mana are the fathomless depths of the ocean and the places where bubbling pitch from the inside of the semi-dormant Kavuat'tuu pools and mixes with the ocean water. This is called "Inkwater."
Red Underwater creatures include sharks, electric eels and a sea dwelling species of crustacean-like goblins akin to the kamigawan Akkis though slightly more intelligent and less malicious. Surface creatures include human adventurers, some pirates and a race of mountain-dwelling viashino that live higher up Kavuat'tuu than most goat-herders dare to go. Places associated with red mana are all the ones related with Kavuat'tuu both above and under the sea. Also other volcanic islands and coral reefs.
Green Underwater creatures include whales and fabulous marine beasts and the Rania, a race of amphibian frogfolk that fulfill most of the Elves' role in other worlds. Surface creatures include human adventurers, some of the frogfolk, some viashino and some random beasts. Places associated with green mana include algae gardens, mangrove forests and palm plantations.
Cards
Emperor of the Infinite Depths 1WU
Underwater Creature - Merfolk Warrior (M)
Other underwater creatures get +2/+0.
As long as you are underwater, underwater creatures you control get +0/+2
2: Target creature becomes amphibious until your next upkeep.
2/2
The mana dork:
Algae Tenderer 1G
Underwater Creature - Frogfolk Shaman (C)
Amphibious, vigilance.
T: Add to your mana pool.
1/4
The enabling artifacts:
Bubblescaphandre 0
Underwater Artifact (U)
Amphibious.
Equipped creature is amphibious.
Sacrifice Bubblescaphandre: Counter target spell or ability targeting equipped creature.
Equip - Tap a creature you control.
Harpoon Cannon 2
Artifact (U)
T: Harpoon Cannon deals 1 damage to target underwater creature or player. You may play this ability as though as Harpoon Cannon had amphibious.
,T: The next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn has amphibious.
Some cards will make players thing twice about going underwater:
Double-jawed Predator 3R
Underwater Creature - Shark (U)
First Strike
As long as Double-jawed Predator is underwater, it has double strike.
3/2
The unavoidable Pirate King!
Beia, Empress of Dawnward Seas 2UB
Legendary Creature - Human Pirate (R)
Other Pirates you control get +1/+1
Plunder.
Tap two untapped pirates you control: Target pirate becomes amphibious and unblockable until your next upkeep.
3/4
A creature with Bide:
Herdwarden Ram W
Creature - Goat (C)
Bide
As long as Herdwarden Ram's thoughness is 4 or more, it has vigilance.
0/1
Viashino Fisher 2R
Creature - Lizard Scout (U)
Haste
When Viashino Fisher enters the battlefield, discard a card.
When Viashino Fisher leaves the battlefield, draw a card.
4/2
Part of an obvious cycle:
Coral Reef
Land (R)
T: Add U to your mana pool.
T: Add R to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if you are underwater.
The necessary reference to a well-known submarine:
Maelstrom Rider [MANA]5[/MANA]
Legendary Underwater Artifact (M)
Other creatures you control have amphibious and hexproof as long as you are underwater.
Tap 3 untapped creatures you control: Maelstrom Rider becomes a 8/8 creature with trample until end of turn.
Drag Undertow 3UU
Instant (R)
Target player goes underwater.
(Note that this will mean that he'll have to sacrifice most of his non land permanents at the beginning of his turn)
Changelings?
I'm not qualified (AFAIK) but I would be interested in filling a slot if you need another person.
Same here. This looks amazing, I regret never getting around to entering a Flamingo game this season.
1. Restricting or banning cards to open up design space is an extremely bad idea for long-term brand loyalty.
2. Casual players don't care about banlists, but will still want to know how a card that counts the number of creature types interacts with changelings.
3. I would like to see you support your statement regarding "one that they regret in some regards," as I have not seen anything suggesting this.
I have 0 Pro Points IRL, if that's what you mean, and I don't think I earned any in CCC&G.
This.
Oh, hey, statistician, status on tracking people down? I'm quite busy for the next week or two.
Also spreadsheet is still borked.