This is a mechanic I designed for the 'esper' shard of WUB. The idea is that these creatures can enter the 'Astral Plane'. The ability is based on Sengir Nosferatu and the Soul of Zendikar cycle's second ability.
Astral [cost] ([cost], Exile this card from your hand and put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, return this card from exile to the battlefield under its owner’s control.)
Now, the creatures tend to get some sort of ability when they enter the battlefield and their Astral cost was paid. However, when or if that payment was made could be a memory issue.
Here's an example.
Ætherborn Elder 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand and put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, return this card from exile to the battlefield under its owner’s control.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If its Astral cost was paid, draw an additional card, then discard a card.
1/2
Would it be more clear to word its ETB ability as, If ~ entered the battlefield with it's Astral ability, [effect]?
Ætherborn Elder1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU(1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card onto the battlefield under your control.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If it entered the battlefield from exile, draw an additional card, then discard a card.
1/2
The suggested change doesn't trigger from Abbot, Act on Impulse, or Chandra because in those cases the creature would be entering the battlefield from the stack, not exile. You also have to go pretty far out of your way to make this trigger by way of Corpse Lunge, etc. (it may not actually be possible, now that I think about it some more), so no problem there.
If you don't want to allow for Flicker tricks, then perhaps let the triggered ability from the Astral token dying also put an "astral counter" or whatever on the returning creature as it enters the battlefield. The ETB-trigger can then check for the counter when it's determining its effect.
Just stop worrying about corner cases. Unless you change the functionality of the rest of the mechanic, "entered the battlefield from exile" is the cleanest version. Nothing else matters.
The suggested change doesn't trigger from Abbot, Act on Impulse, or Chandra because in those cases the creature would be entering the battlefield from the stack, not exile. You also have to go pretty far out of your way to make this trigger by way of Corpse Lunge, etc. (it may not actually be possible, now that I think about it some more), so no problem there.
If you don't want to allow for Flicker tricks, then perhaps let the triggered ability from the Astral token dying also put an "astral counter" or whatever on the returning creature as it enters the battlefield. The ETB-trigger can then check for the counter when it's determining its effect.
If you absolutely want to avoid flicker effects, this is probably your best bet. For example, it could be worded like this:
Ætherborn Elder1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU(1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card onto the battlefield under your control with an Astral counter on it.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If it has an Astral counter on it, instead draw two cards, then discard a card.
1/2
Seems like you want a phrase like "if CARDNAME was kicked". Try to find a different name that allows for for a past tense verb form like that.
Astral projection 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card from exile onto the battlefield.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If was astral projected, draw an additional card, then discard a card.
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Astral [cost] ([cost], Exile this card from your hand and put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, return this card from exile to the battlefield under its owner’s control.)
Now, the creatures tend to get some sort of ability when they enter the battlefield and their Astral cost was paid. However, when or if that payment was made could be a memory issue.
Here's an example.
Ætherborn Elder 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand and put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, return this card from exile to the battlefield under its owner’s control.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If its Astral cost was paid, draw an additional card, then discard a card.
1/2
Would it be more clear to word its ETB ability as, If ~ entered the battlefield with it's Astral ability, [effect]?
Many thanks in advance.
Servien
Chaos' Realm
Escalation of Chaos
Tales of Cahdaria
Enigmatic Distrubance
Celestial Unveiling
Ætherborn Elder 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card onto the battlefield under your control.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If it entered the battlefield from exile, draw an additional card, then discard a card.
1/2
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
This does make it much more functional than I think I intended. This would trigger from any sort of Flicker effect, or Abbot of Keral Keep, Act on Impulse, Chandra, Pyromaster, or even cards such as Corpse Lunge and Cryptwailing.
I was hoping to keep Astral only usable by it's own ability.
Servien
Chaos' Realm
Escalation of Chaos
Tales of Cahdaria
Enigmatic Distrubance
Celestial Unveiling
If you don't want to allow for Flicker tricks, then perhaps let the triggered ability from the Astral token dying also put an "astral counter" or whatever on the returning creature as it enters the battlefield. The ETB-trigger can then check for the counter when it's determining its effect.
I'm Mike, from The Mana Pool.
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When ~ enters the battlefield, [effect]. If it was cast from exile, ...
or even a new line entirely with this?
When ~ enters the battlefield, if it was cast from exile, ...
Servien
Chaos' Realm
Escalation of Chaos
Tales of Cahdaria
Enigmatic Distrubance
Celestial Unveiling
Just stop worrying about corner cases. Unless you change the functionality of the rest of the mechanic, "entered the battlefield from exile" is the cleanest version. Nothing else matters.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Ætherborn Elder 1U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Astral 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card onto the battlefield under your control with an Astral counter on it.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If it has an Astral counter on it, instead draw two cards, then discard a card.
1/2
Astral projection 1UU (1UU, Exile this card from your hand: Put a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying onto the battlefield. When that token leaves the battlefield, put this card from exile onto the battlefield.)
When Ætherborn Elder enters the battlefield, draw a card. If was astral projected, draw an additional card, then discard a card.