I really like hybrid, and there's still a lot of unused design space about it. I made this cycle of uncommon cards, which I like because the design used seems similar but is actually varying a lot between the cards:
(I made a ten card cycle, but I'm only showing the six cards I like the most. If you'd like to see the others, please write so. )
Dark Knowledge :symub::symub::symub::symub:
Sorcery
Draw three cards.
If only was spent to play Dark Knowledge, untap up to three target islands.
If only was spent to play Dark Knowledge, you lose three life.
If you use only :symu:, you'll get an advantage since blue is very good at drawing cards. If you use only :symb:, you'll get a drawback since black only draws cards at the cost of life.
(edit: Changed balancing, making it stronger)
Wave of Vitality :symgw::symgw::symgw::symgw:
Instant
Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Wave of Vitality, creatures you control gain trample until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Wave of Vitality, creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn.
Here, you get an advantage in both cases. This card is good in a monocolored deck, but in a deck that can frequently get 4 mana of one color, it's much more versatile - and gives +2/+2 at least.
Banish :symbw::symbw:
Instant
Exile target creature.
If only was spent to play Banish, its controller puts a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying into play.
If only was spent to play Banish, you lose life equal to that creature's toughness.
This card might be a bit too strong, but I made it to show the following: If you use only one color here, you'll end up with a color-specific drawback. However, for :symw::symb:, you get the effect "Exile target creature" without a drawback.(P.S. : I refuse to use the term "battlefield".)
Doomfire :symrb::symrb::symrb:
Sorcery
All creatures get +2/-1 until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Doomfire, all creatures gain fear until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Doomfire, Doomfire deals 1 damage to each creature.
This card again plays differently, changing its functionality depending on which colors you spent. It's a pseudo-pyroclasm for :symr::symr::symr: (and still allows you to push extra damage through), but it's a finishing blow for :symb::symb::symb: (but still not too powerful in aggro because creatures with 1 toughness die).
Entwining Algae :symug::symug::symug:
Instant
Tap all creatures without flying.
If only was spent to play Entwining Algae, untap all creatures you control.
If only was spent to play Entwining Algae, creatures your opponents control don’t untap during their controller’s next untap step.
Again, it's an advantage-advantage card that is good in monocolored, but more versatile in :symug:. Also, the two parts play quite differently.
Acidic Earth :symgb::symgb:
Sorcery
Destroy target nonbasic land.
If only was spent to play Acidic Earth, that land’s controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
If only was spent to play Acidic Earth, you lose 4 life.
It's another drawback-drawback card with only :symg::symb: allowing you to destroy a nonbasic land without drawback. The more interesting part: The green drawback also makes the card more versatile, allowing you to search for the basic of your tertiary color if you really need it, for example. (Again, this card might be a bit too powerful)
I hope you liked this. Hybrid really is one of my favorite mechanics and I hope they'll bring it back often, in various forms...maybe with designs like these, which are really versatile, as I think.
I actually dislike designs like these with hybrid. The aspect of hybrid I liked was how it would (theoretically) fit in either color perfectly. However designs like yours and Invert the Skies made them less of a hybrid, and more of a split card.
I don't agree in that hybrid needs to be something that fits both colors. These cards are pretty cool, some much more than others though.
I think Banish and Rancid Earth are the better designs, Doomfire looks like it could use some work to get there but it's not quite there yet, Algae needs to be rethought a little because the green part is a tenth as useful as the blue one, and the first two look alright but seem rather underpowered, considering Ambition's Cost and Concentrate - you could make it draw 4, and if all blue, discard one, and if all black, lose 4 life.
Thank you for your comments. I guess whether hybrid needs to be "fits either color perfectly" or may be a bit like split cards is about how you personally like it.
My opinion: Hybrid, at it's core, are cards that fit either color perfectly. However, once you start exploring a mechanic more deeply, you'll see what other things you can do with it.
What I like about my cards is that you can play them in three ways:
- As a multicolored card
- As a card of color A
- As a card of color B
Every choice nets a different result.
Also thanks for the more specific comments. I'll overthink the balancing, you're right that they I've been rather careful. But the one is completely fine, I think, since it's an instant.
About the Algae: The green part may be a little worse since the effect that's not really green anyway. Maybe I'll make a whole new card of it, it's the one I like the least out of these six.
About Doomfire: The "+2/-1" and then "1 damage" is probably what makes this card feel a little strange. You might miss at first glance that this will kill all creatures with 2 toughness. Or is it something else that bothered you?
About Dark Knowledge: Discard one for all blue doesn't work since that would make it better if you pay one :symb:. However, it should be at it's best if you pay only :symu:.
Yes, it would make it better if you pay UUUB, which makes it a multicolored card and thus more powerful. I think that another option would be make it draw three cards base, one more and discard two if you pay all blue, one more and lose 4 life if you pay all black. Still, it edges between meh and awesome. I think it would be easier to balance as a 3cc for two cards at instant speed that lost you two life if you pay all black, and draws and discards two if you pay all blue. If you play it multicolor, it's just two cards at instant speed - if you play it monocolor black, it's balanced by the life loss - if you play it monocolor blue, it digs more but makes you discard much.
Doomfire just doesn't uh close itself as a card to me. It doesn't have that middle point, and a Pyroclasm for RRR is very underwhelming, especially considering it might not even kill the big fellas and just give them extra power. For BBB, it sounds okay as a finisher, but I don't know. It just doesn't feel together.
The thing with Algae is that untapping all yours and tapping all of theirs is... well... mostly useless? Unless you have T abilities or maybe in multiplayer? And green would want to tap those who fly the most.
I'll probably redesign the and cards, but I'll keep the general concept of Doomfire because I like how the "+2/-1" can work differently. I'd like to hear other opinions about this one.
However, I don't think that a multicolored card has to be better than a card with heavy color commitment in the main color of an effect. So, a :symu::symu::symu::symu: card may be the better card drawer than the :symu::symu::symb::symb: card. But I like your idea with the instant that draws two - although the blue part might be slightly too powerful compared to Careful Consideration. I'll see what I can do
This is not new design. I've seen this idea several times before, and at least twice with black/blue draw as the base. I have to say I'm not a fan. It mimics what has been done before, but misses the point.
I want to compare this design to Invert the Skies and kin. When WotC did something like this they encouraged you to play it a multicolor deck with both colors, where as the negative version is effectively like making two separate cards each for monocolor decks. Dark Knowledge is two cards, a blue 4cc 3 craw where you untap 3 islands, and also a crummy variation of Dark Ambition. It may as well be mono blue and forgo the hybrid and negative enhancement features. I also don't think that Concentrate needs to let you untap three islands, as that makes it almost free. Another gain of WotC design over this is what happens if you don't pay the cost at all, say from Cascade or whatnot. In your card's cases it's not clear if both or neither triggers happen. I assume both, but really this wouldn't be a problem if you just forgot about making a needless complication on split spells. In either event, I feel the negative enhancement clause needs a tighter wording.
Others have previously posted cards with similar use of hybrid mana. I think it should always be a positive effect for spending only one color. And to better contrast the incentive to spend only one color, the mana costs should have mostly colorless mana and only one hybrid mana. The idea should be that you have a card that can be easily splashed, but can be used in a dedicated deck for a stronger effect. For a slightly bad example:
Dark Discovery2(U/B)
Instant (U)
Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent. If only blue mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, draw an additional card, then discard a card. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to the sacrificed permanent's converted mana cost.
Banish3(W/B)
Instant (U)
Exile target tapped creature. If only white mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to that creature's power. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, that creature's controller loses life equal to its power.
I really like the idea of getting different effects for different colors of mana spent--it makes a lot of sense. Though I do agree with Fumar in that Dark Knowledge could use a bit of a boost.
These are definitely not hybrid cards, they are cards that are basically two monocoloured cards in one. Totally misses the point of hybrid.
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Colourless mana comes FIRST! Try actually looking at a Magic card some time. It is NOT UU3, it's 3UU. What game are you making cards for?
I can no longer tell people to check their card names, because I am made of suck and fail.
Others have previously posted cards with similar use of hybrid mana. I think it should always be a positive effect for spending only one color. And to better contrast the incentive to spend only one color, the mana costs should have mostly colorless mana and only one hybrid mana. The idea should be that you have a card that can be easily splashed, but can be used in a dedicated deck for a stronger effect. For a slightly bad example:
Dark Discovery2(U/B)
Instant (U)
Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent. If only blue mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, draw an additional card, then discard a card. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to the sacrificed permanent's converted mana cost.
This is a very un-Black design. It's pushing Black as it is just with the draw before the sacrifice. Black doesn't 'select'; it's only good at saying no. Trading that permanent also for life is making something out of nothing, which, if doable at all, would take more than three mana, instant.
Banish3(W/B)
Instant (U)
Exile target tapped creature. If only white mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to that creature's power. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, that creature's controller loses life equal to its power.
Vengeance hasn't been around for a while. Obviously acceptable only if White straight removal is. It seems it should have another :symwb:.
And actually, again, this might be too much on the Black side. Black can turn almost anything into pain, but it costs extra. You have to enforce that for Black, the power of creatures the opponent has still has to be to his credit. It is a White thing (and a Blue thing) to 'punish' someone for having "more".
It should almost always be good, to go against Black with "everything you have", because Black is fighting that way itself. Hence the discard, hence the sort of removal it uses.
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Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
I liked the many different things you could do with pretty much the same design, but I see what you mean in "missing the point of hybrid". I thought that 2-3 different cards in one card was pretty cool, but the more I think of it, the less it is, since in most decks, you'll only be playing one half, anyway.
So the best you can get out of this design are probably the cards like Banish and Acidic Earth: A drawback if you use only one color, with an effect that is undercosted if not on a multicolored card. I see how all similar designs that have been printed reward the caster for having spent both colors.
I'll probably make a whole cycle out of them, then.
This is a very un-Black design. It's pushing Black as it is just with the draw before the sacrifice. Black doesn't 'select'; it's only good at saying no. Trading that permanent also for life is making something out of nothing, which, if doable at all, would take more than three mana, instant.
Then would it be okay as an additional cost? Or does it need to be limited to just sacrificing a creature?
Dark Intent2(U/B)
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast CARDNAME, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards. If only blue mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, draw an additional card, then discard a card. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to the sacrificed creature's toughness.
Vengeance hasn't been around for a while. Obviously acceptable only if White straight removal is. It seems it should have another :symwb:.
And actually, again, this might be too much on the Black side. Black can turn almost anything into pain, but it costs extra. You have to enforce that for Black, the power of creatures the opponent has still has to be to his credit. It is a White thing (and a Blue thing) to 'punish' someone for having "more".
It should almost always be good, to go against Black with "everything you have", because Black is fighting that way itself. Hence the discard, hence the sort of removal it uses.
I think that Vengeance, like a lot of other Portal Sorcery cards, could have been an instant card in a non-Portal set.
These are definitely not hybrid cards, they are cards that are basically two monocoloured cards in one. Totally misses the point of hybrid.
Gold cards have to be played in decks with all of the specified colors. Hybrid cards can be played in decks with at least one of the colors.
These cards have one shared effect that can be easily splashed with either color, and enhanced effects if you are dedicated to just one color. They are more of a Venn-diagram card than a split or modal card.
Peer into Darkness(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) Instant
Draw 2 cards.
If you only used B to pay for -this-, you lose 2 life.
If you only used U to pay for -this, draw an additional card and discard two cards.
Just because it's an instant SiB for black, an instant Research-like draw for blue, or simply instant draw for multicolored.
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(I made a ten card cycle, but I'm only showing the six cards I like the most. If you'd like to see the others, please write so. )
Dark Knowledge :symub::symub::symub::symub:
Sorcery
Draw three cards.
If only was spent to play Dark Knowledge, untap up to three target islands.
If only was spent to play Dark Knowledge, you lose three life.
If you use only :symu:, you'll get an advantage since blue is very good at drawing cards. If you use only :symb:, you'll get a drawback since black only draws cards at the cost of life.
(edit: Changed balancing, making it stronger)
Wave of Vitality :symgw::symgw::symgw::symgw:
Instant
Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Wave of Vitality, creatures you control gain trample until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Wave of Vitality, creatures you control gain lifelink until end of turn.
Here, you get an advantage in both cases. This card is good in a monocolored deck, but in a deck that can frequently get 4 mana of one color, it's much more versatile - and gives +2/+2 at least.
Banish :symbw::symbw:
Instant
Exile target creature.
If only was spent to play Banish, its controller puts a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying into play.
If only was spent to play Banish, you lose life equal to that creature's toughness.
This card might be a bit too strong, but I made it to show the following: If you use only one color here, you'll end up with a color-specific drawback. However, for :symw::symb:, you get the effect "Exile target creature" without a drawback. (P.S. : I refuse to use the term "battlefield".)
Doomfire :symrb::symrb::symrb:
Sorcery
All creatures get +2/-1 until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Doomfire, all creatures gain fear until end of turn.
If only was spent to play Doomfire, Doomfire deals 1 damage to each creature.
This card again plays differently, changing its functionality depending on which colors you spent. It's a pseudo-pyroclasm for :symr::symr::symr: (and still allows you to push extra damage through), but it's a finishing blow for :symb::symb::symb: (but still not too powerful in aggro because creatures with 1 toughness die).
Entwining Algae :symug::symug::symug:
Instant
Tap all creatures without flying.
If only was spent to play Entwining Algae, untap all creatures you control.
If only was spent to play Entwining Algae, creatures your opponents control don’t untap during their controller’s next untap step.
Again, it's an advantage-advantage card that is good in monocolored, but more versatile in :symug:. Also, the two parts play quite differently.
Acidic Earth :symgb::symgb:
Sorcery
Destroy target nonbasic land.
If only was spent to play Acidic Earth, that land’s controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
If only was spent to play Acidic Earth, you lose 4 life.
It's another drawback-drawback card with only :symg::symb: allowing you to destroy a nonbasic land without drawback. The more interesting part: The green drawback also makes the card more versatile, allowing you to search for the basic of your tertiary color if you really need it, for example. (Again, this card might be a bit too powerful)
I hope you liked this. Hybrid really is one of my favorite mechanics and I hope they'll bring it back often, in various forms...maybe with designs like these, which are really versatile, as I think.
I think Banish and Rancid Earth are the better designs, Doomfire looks like it could use some work to get there but it's not quite there yet, Algae needs to be rethought a little because the green part is a tenth as useful as the blue one, and the first two look alright but seem rather underpowered, considering Ambition's Cost and Concentrate - you could make it draw 4, and if all blue, discard one, and if all black, lose 4 life.
My opinion: Hybrid, at it's core, are cards that fit either color perfectly. However, once you start exploring a mechanic more deeply, you'll see what other things you can do with it.
What I like about my cards is that you can play them in three ways:
- As a multicolored card
- As a card of color A
- As a card of color B
Every choice nets a different result.
Also thanks for the more specific comments. I'll overthink the balancing, you're right that they I've been rather careful. But the one is completely fine, I think, since it's an instant.
About the Algae: The green part may be a little worse since the effect that's not really green anyway. Maybe I'll make a whole new card of it, it's the one I like the least out of these six.
About Doomfire: The "+2/-1" and then "1 damage" is probably what makes this card feel a little strange. You might miss at first glance that this will kill all creatures with 2 toughness. Or is it something else that bothered you?
About Dark Knowledge: Discard one for all blue doesn't work since that would make it better if you pay one :symb:. However, it should be at it's best if you pay only :symu:.
Doomfire just doesn't uh close itself as a card to me. It doesn't have that middle point, and a Pyroclasm for RRR is very underwhelming, especially considering it might not even kill the big fellas and just give them extra power. For BBB, it sounds okay as a finisher, but I don't know. It just doesn't feel together.
The thing with Algae is that untapping all yours and tapping all of theirs is... well... mostly useless? Unless you have T abilities or maybe in multiplayer? And green would want to tap those who fly the most.
However, I don't think that a multicolored card has to be better than a card with heavy color commitment in the main color of an effect. So, a :symu::symu::symu::symu: card may be the better card drawer than the :symu::symu::symb::symb: card. But I like your idea with the instant that draws two - although the blue part might be slightly too powerful compared to Careful Consideration. I'll see what I can do
I want to compare this design to Invert the Skies and kin. When WotC did something like this they encouraged you to play it a multicolor deck with both colors, where as the negative version is effectively like making two separate cards each for monocolor decks. Dark Knowledge is two cards, a blue 4cc 3 craw where you untap 3 islands, and also a crummy variation of Dark Ambition. It may as well be mono blue and forgo the hybrid and negative enhancement features. I also don't think that Concentrate needs to let you untap three islands, as that makes it almost free. Another gain of WotC design over this is what happens if you don't pay the cost at all, say from Cascade or whatnot. In your card's cases it's not clear if both or neither triggers happen. I assume both, but really this wouldn't be a problem if you just forgot about making a needless complication on split spells. In either event, I feel the negative enhancement clause needs a tighter wording.
Dark Discovery 2(U/B)
Instant (U)
Draw two cards, then sacrifice a permanent. If only blue mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, draw an additional card, then discard a card. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to the sacrificed permanent's converted mana cost.
Banish 3(W/B)
Instant (U)
Exile target tapped creature. If only white mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to that creature's power. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, that creature's controller loses life equal to its power.
.
Colourless mana comes FIRST! Try actually looking at a Magic card some time. It is NOT UU3, it's 3UU. What game are you making cards for?
I can no longer tell people to check their card names, because I am made of suck and fail.
This is a very un-Black design. It's pushing Black as it is just with the draw before the sacrifice. Black doesn't 'select'; it's only good at saying no. Trading that permanent also for life is making something out of nothing, which, if doable at all, would take more than three mana, instant.
Vengeance hasn't been around for a while. Obviously acceptable only if White straight removal is. It seems it should have another :symwb:.
And actually, again, this might be too much on the Black side. Black can turn almost anything into pain, but it costs extra. You have to enforce that for Black, the power of creatures the opponent has still has to be to his credit. It is a White thing (and a Blue thing) to 'punish' someone for having "more".
It should almost always be good, to go against Black with "everything you have", because Black is fighting that way itself. Hence the discard, hence the sort of removal it uses.
Awesome avatar provided by Krashbot @ [Epic Graphics].
So the best you can get out of this design are probably the cards like Banish and Acidic Earth: A drawback if you use only one color, with an effect that is undercosted if not on a multicolored card. I see how all similar designs that have been printed reward the caster for having spent both colors.
I'll probably make a whole cycle out of them, then.
Then would it be okay as an additional cost? Or does it need to be limited to just sacrificing a creature?
Dark Intent 2(U/B)
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast CARDNAME, sacrifice a creature.
Draw two cards. If only blue mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, draw an additional card, then discard a card. If only black mana was spent to cast CARDNAME, you gain life equal to the sacrificed creature's toughness.
I think that Vengeance, like a lot of other Portal Sorcery cards, could have been an instant card in a non-Portal set.
The potential problem I saw here was more the use of "exile" over "destroy" than the use of "tapped" over "attacking". It is cross somewhere between Vengeance, Chastise, Devouring Light, Assassinate, and Agonizing Demise.
"Black can turn almost anything into pain, but it costs extra." It is pushing things a little, but it is BBBB to get the pain...
Gold cards have to be played in decks with all of the specified colors. Hybrid cards can be played in decks with at least one of the colors.
These cards have one shared effect that can be easily splashed with either color, and enhanced effects if you are dedicated to just one color. They are more of a Venn-diagram card than a split or modal card.
Divine in Blood 2(U/B)
Sorcery
Draw 2 cards. If B was spent to play ~, you lose 2 life.
Underpowered, considering Night's Whisper or the new canon Sign in Blood.
I think a better design would be:
Peer into Darkness (U/B)(U/B)(U/B)
Instant
Draw 2 cards.
If you only used B to pay for -this-, you lose 2 life.
If you only used U to pay for -this, draw an additional card and discard two cards.
Just because it's an instant SiB for black, an instant Research-like draw for blue, or simply instant draw for multicolored.