It seems like it would be confusing to keep track of two separate cards for the same object. I think for an effect that lets you choose between two transformations, a better way would be to combine transform DFC with flip cards like Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator. So the front face would be a normal card, the back face would be a flip-style card a la Nezumi. Rather than have the back refer to "flipping" itself, you simply declare which one you're transforming into when you transform from the front side, and keep the chosen one facing up (relative to you).
To pull the flip aspect more into modern MtG where possible points of confusion are designed away, each half of the back flip side could have an indicator like the planeswalker Sparker cards ( Liliana, Heretical Healer) and then a "counter" style chip with each side representing one of those icons can be placed on it, to make it clear which side you've chosen at all times.
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has me so hyped for a cyberpunk MtG set. It's something I never thought we'd see, and it can go amazingly or very badly depending on execution. When I first heard about it, I started immediately thinking about how hacking -- a staple of cyberpunk -- could even work in MtG, both mechanically and thematically. Eventually, I came up with these! Let me post the cards, and then I'll explain the mechanics below them.
Backdoor Infotheft2UU
Enchantment — Aura Hack (C)
Enchant artifact you don’t control
Whenever enchanted permanent becomes tapped, draw a card for each Hack attached to it. One breach tells me who you are. Two breaches tells me where you are. Three breaches? Now I AM you.
Theft of Body Mass1GG
Enchantment — Aura Hack (C)
Enchant artifact creature you don’t control
Whenever enchanted creature is dealt damage, create a 1/1 green Beast creature token for each Hack attached to it. “Hey, the cloning vats need to get their mass from SOMEWHERE.”
Aetherwisp Antivirus
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect ( : Put this artifact over or under target Network artifact you own. They connect into a single Network with all abilities of artifacts connected to it.)
Hack enchantments that target this Network cost 1 more to cast. Sometimes, the cheap solution is secure enough.
Aetherwisp Armory
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect ( : Put this artifact over or under target Network artifact you own. They connect into a single Network with all abilities of artifacts connected to it.)
Creatures you control have +1/+1 for each artifact connected to this Network. With our armor and weapons powered by the grid, our defenses are impenetrable!
Aetherwisp World Node
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect ( : Put this artifact over or under target Network artifact you own. They connect into a single Network with all abilities of artifacts connected to it.) , : Scry X, where X is the number of artifacts connected to this Network. Just because you’ve found the information doesn’t mean you yet understand how to use it.
Extraction Core
Artifact — Network (U)
Connect ( : Put this artifact over or under target Network artifact you own. They connect into a single Network with all abilities of artifacts connected to it.) : Add to your mana pool for each artifact connected to this Network. If there are 5 or more artifacts connected to this Network, instead add that much mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool. Who digs by hand anymore?
Mechanics
"Hack" is a subtype of Aura enchantments. Hacks will always enchant artifacts you don't control, sometimes specific subtypes of artifact (creatures, equipment, etc.) Their effects almost always scale with the "number of times that artifact has been hacked", i.e. the number of hacks attached to that artifact, to represent security getting weaker and weaker with each hack.
I figure a cyberpunk set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is going to need lots of artifacts, especially if they have a Hack mechanic like that. I wanted to try and represent a connected electronic world, but using MtG flavor and mechanics. I came up with Networks.
Networks are a slightly different variation on Mutate, but for artifacts. The flavor is that they are powered by Aetherwisp, a sort of aerosolized version of Kaladesh's aether that's used like electricity through "aetheronics" (or "aethertronics"?), i.e. electronic circuit analogues.
You play a Network almost like an equipment. It comes into play like a normal artifact. You can then pay its Connect cost at sorcery speed to connect it to other Network artifacts. Multiple connected Network artifacts are called a Network, and have all the abilities of every connected artifact. Generally, Network artifact abilities will scale with the number of connected artifacts in the Network (though sometimes they simply refer to their Network and don't scale). You may pay the Connect cost of a connected Network artifact at sorcery speed (like Equip), to "reconnect" it (i.e. move it) to a different Network if you want.
Some rules clarification:
A "Network artifact" is a single artifact permanent with the Network subtype. A "Network", without any other qualifiers, is the set of all Network artifacts connected to each other.
A Network artifact's Connect ability only moves the single artifact permanent it references. You cannot use it to attach a multi-artifact connected Network to another Network.
The wording "targets a Network" means "targets any artifact connected to [the] Network" (and other variations on that wording are interpreted similarly).
Because Connect creates a "single Network with all abilities of artifacts connected to it", that means if one artifact in a Network becomes tapped, they all tap together. Likewise, if one artifact in a Network becomes untapped, they all untap together. So if you connect multiple Network artifacts with tap abilities into one Network, you cannot use one tap ability and then another without untapping the Network first.
A Network artifact that is not connected to a Network is considered to be "connected" to a Network containing only itself, i.e. the number of artifacts connected to its Network is 1, targeting itself is targeting its Network, etc.
Myr Airlifter3U
Artifact Creature - Myr Thopter
Flying
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it gains flying and haste until end of turn.
1/1
[b]Rikstak, Necromantic Artificer2BBB
Legendary Creature - Goblin Warlock
Whenever an artifact becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield from a graveyard, target player creates a 1/1 black Zombie creature token. Goad that creature.
3/3 While his brethren destroy devices, he imbues them with chaotic souls. For better or for worse.
I was hoping there would be a way to move contraptions around The key here is that contraptions aren't entirely just individual, "activates every three turns" effects. They're meant to be combined in sequence with other effects. This ability allows you to change the sequence at will, reacting to changes in the board state for instance. It's not so much about *how often* you get to activate your contraption effects, but *in what order*.
I'm a little confused by the discussion here. If your opponent thinks you've hidden TNA below one of their cards, couldn't they just... move their card to verify? Then they'd see it and can unsummon it. Right? Or is there some kind of permanent "Just A Second..." effect in the CR that I don't know about?
I feel like Spikes won't see the appeal of Contraptions at all, and T[ia]mmys may only see it after a bit of consideration, but us Johnnys and Jennys... we see the loveliness immediately Contraptions are all about combos, combos, combos. They give you more consistency than triggered effects, but slightly less control than activated abilities. You need to decide which effects will trigger together for the best combo, but also think ahead to the next step of the sequence and what should trigger then. You have a sequencer of combos, basically, and you just need to decide how the sequence will progress. It's beautiful Who cares if one Contraption only gives you +2/+2 when you can combine it with the perfect set of 5 other Contraptions in just the right way to make an amazing sequence of effects? The beauty is in putting the puzzle together, not in critiquing the brush strokes on each of the puzzle pieces
(Disclaimer: I haven't read most of the last 5 pages here.)
I'm looking at all the Contraption-based spoilers for Unstable, and I'm super in love. I only wish they could have made this in black border, maybe as a new format? Ether way, I love love love it. I wonder if Contraption decks would have the same restrictions as libraries? I.E. if we pretend for a moment un cards were legal in all formats, would Contraption decks be limited to 4-of in Standard and 1-of in Commander? Or would it just be a free-for-all where you can have 100 of each Contraption if you want? And do the Sprocket cards only come in that one variety of "3 sprockets, start on the third"? Or would there be others, like a 2-sprocket variant, or a "3 sprocket but start on the first" variant?
Basically, the mechanic boils down to this: "Every N'th turn, activate some of your artifacts' abilities. When you assemble a contraption, draw an artifact card from your side deck, play it, and choose the phase with which it will be activated." And that's 100% do-able in black-border if people really want it (though maybe explained better than I just did X ).
*EDIT* I want to quote myself from the Mothership thread:
I feel like Spikes won't see the appeal of Contraptions at all, and T[ia]mmys may only see it after a bit of consideration, but us Johnnys and Jennys... we see the loveliness immediately Contraptions are all about combos, combos, combos. They give you more consistency than triggered effects, but slightly less control than activated abilities. You need to decide which effects will trigger together for the best combo, but also think ahead to the next step of the sequence and what should trigger then. You have a sequencer of combos, basically, and you just need to decide how the sequence will progress. It's beautiful Who cares if one Contraption only gives you +2/+2 when you can combine it with the perfect set of 5 other Contraptions in just the right way to make an amazing sequence of effects? The beauty is in putting the puzzle together, not in critiquing the brush strokes on each of the puzzle pieces
I usually don't play white, but I really want to run a green/white deck just to try and pull off this combo:
Turn 3: play Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
Turn 4: play Balan, Wandering Knight
Turn 5: play any cheap equipment and attach it to Balan
Turn 6: play Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith
From then on, you just attack with Mirri and Balan. All your creatures become basically unblockable, and if Mirri's the commander, you get tons of free Commander Damage and win fast.
Even better, if the equipment you play on turn 5 is a Bloodstained Battleaxe, then you'll quickly have Balan serving up double-strike attacks and getting bigger and bigger each turn, speeding up your win.
For people complaining that this isn't good in a vacuum...it's not in a vacuum. Keep in mind we already have energy production like Woodweaver's Puzzleknot spoiled, and who knows what's to come? (Puzzleknot nets you 6 energy, this nets you 2, meaning if you spend all the energy from those two, you have a thing that kills */8's for 2 mana. Don't get me started with using Ghirapur Orrery with Puzzleknot... And that's assuming you're not generating energy with anything else, which why wouldn't you?)
In other words, this is a mediocre card if it's the only energy card in your entire deck, but if you have other energy cards, it becomes quite useful. I foresee, based on existing spoilers, energy becoming a "do or don't" mechanic: either you consider it and it becomes very useful, or you try to shove it into decks without consideration and it lies flat. I, for one, will be building fantasy decks full of energy usage, I think.
Some honorable mentions that aren't *quite* as combo-riffic:
Squee, the Immortal and Eternal Scourge, for being able to be played beyond the turn Eruth exiles them.
Prosper, Tome-Bound, if you put them both in a Grixis-colored deck, for lots of treasures.
To pull the flip aspect more into modern MtG where possible points of confusion are designed away, each half of the back flip side could have an indicator like the planeswalker Sparker cards ( Liliana, Heretical Healer) and then a "counter" style chip with each side representing one of those icons can be placed on it, to make it clear which side you've chosen at all times.
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has me so hyped for a cyberpunk MtG set. It's something I never thought we'd see, and it can go amazingly or very badly depending on execution. When I first heard about it, I started immediately thinking about how hacking -- a staple of cyberpunk -- could even work in MtG, both mechanically and thematically. Eventually, I came up with these! Let me post the cards, and then I'll explain the mechanics below them.
Renders: https://imgur.com/a/FHLRfJD
Text Versions
Backdoor Infotheft 2UU
Enchantment — Aura Hack (C)
Enchant artifact you don’t control
Whenever enchanted permanent becomes tapped, draw a card for each Hack attached to it.
One breach tells me who you are. Two breaches tells me where you are. Three breaches? Now I AM you.
Theft of Body Mass 1GG
Enchantment — Aura Hack (C)
Enchant artifact creature you don’t control
Whenever enchanted creature is dealt damage, create a 1/1 green Beast creature token for each Hack attached to it.
“Hey, the cloning vats need to get their mass from SOMEWHERE.”
Aetherwisp Antivirus
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect
Hack enchantments that target this Network cost 1 more to cast.
Sometimes, the cheap solution is secure enough.
Aetherwisp Armory
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect
Creatures you control have +1/+1 for each artifact connected to this Network.
With our armor and weapons powered by the grid, our defenses are impenetrable!
Aetherwisp World Node
Artifact — Network (C)
Connect
Just because you’ve found the information doesn’t mean you yet understand how to use it.
Extraction Core
Artifact — Network (U)
Connect
Who digs by hand anymore?
Mechanics
"Hack" is a subtype of Aura enchantments. Hacks will always enchant artifacts you don't control, sometimes specific subtypes of artifact (creatures, equipment, etc.) Their effects almost always scale with the "number of times that artifact has been hacked", i.e. the number of hacks attached to that artifact, to represent security getting weaker and weaker with each hack.
I figure a cyberpunk set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is going to need lots of artifacts, especially if they have a Hack mechanic like that. I wanted to try and represent a connected electronic world, but using MtG flavor and mechanics. I came up with Networks.
Networks are a slightly different variation on Mutate, but for artifacts. The flavor is that they are powered by Aetherwisp, a sort of aerosolized version of Kaladesh's aether that's used like electricity through "aetheronics" (or "aethertronics"?), i.e. electronic circuit analogues.
You play a Network almost like an equipment. It comes into play like a normal artifact. You can then pay its Connect cost at sorcery speed to connect it to other Network artifacts. Multiple connected Network artifacts are called a Network, and have all the abilities of every connected artifact. Generally, Network artifact abilities will scale with the number of connected artifacts in the Network (though sometimes they simply refer to their Network and don't scale). You may pay the Connect cost of a connected Network artifact at sorcery speed (like Equip), to "reconnect" it (i.e. move it) to a different Network if you want.
Some rules clarification:
Artifact Creature - Myr Thopter
Flying
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, it gains flying and haste until end of turn.
1/1
Next:
Eldrazi Insect
Dragon Rat
Merfolk Treefolk
Legendary Creature - Goblin Warlock
Whenever an artifact becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield from a graveyard, target player creates a 1/1 black Zombie creature token. Goad that creature.
3/3
While his brethren destroy devices, he imbues them with chaotic souls. For better or for worse.
Next:
I'm looking at all the Contraption-based spoilers for Unstable, and I'm super in love. I only wish they could have made this in black border, maybe as a new format? Ether way, I love love love it. I wonder if Contraption decks would have the same restrictions as libraries? I.E. if we pretend for a moment un cards were legal in all formats, would Contraption decks be limited to 4-of in Standard and 1-of in Commander? Or would it just be a free-for-all where you can have 100 of each Contraption if you want? And do the Sprocket cards only come in that one variety of "3 sprockets, start on the third"? Or would there be others, like a 2-sprocket variant, or a "3 sprocket but start on the first" variant?
Basically, the mechanic boils down to this: "Every N'th turn, activate some of your artifacts' abilities. When you assemble a contraption, draw an artifact card from your side deck, play it, and choose the phase with which it will be activated." And that's 100% do-able in black-border if people really want it (though maybe explained better than I just did X ).
*EDIT* I want to quote myself from the Mothership thread:
Turn 3: play Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
Turn 4: play Balan, Wandering Knight
Turn 5: play any cheap equipment and attach it to Balan
Turn 6: play Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith
From then on, you just attack with Mirri and Balan. All your creatures become basically unblockable, and if Mirri's the commander, you get tons of free Commander Damage and win fast.
Even better, if the equipment you play on turn 5 is a Bloodstained Battleaxe, then you'll quickly have Balan serving up double-strike attacks and getting bigger and bigger each turn, speeding up your win.
It goes with Live Fast, though.
In other words, this is a mediocre card if it's the only energy card in your entire deck, but if you have other energy cards, it becomes quite useful. I foresee, based on existing spoilers, energy becoming a "do or don't" mechanic: either you consider it and it becomes very useful, or you try to shove it into decks without consideration and it lies flat. I, for one, will be building fantasy decks full of energy usage, I think.
I haven't played Magic for years now, but Kaladesh has the Johnny in me *super excited*.