Destrius: the Spellshape concept is awesome, but the choice of a counterspell for it isn't. Because turning permanents up is a special action, you can actually counter spells with split second, or counter them with a City of Solitude in play, or after the opponent plays an Orim's Chant or Abeyance or attacks with a Xantid Swarm. This isn't good for the game at all - suddenly all the defenses against counterspells are useless (save for spells that explicitly state they can't be countered)!
Murmurs of Denial :2mana::symu::symu:
Instant
Counter target spell.
Spellshape - :symu::symu: (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for :3mana:. You may reveal it and pay its Spellshape cost at any time to put it on the stack. If Murmurs of Denial would be turned face up for any reason, put it into your graveyard instead.)
Dream Blossom
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, put a charge counter on Dream Blossom.
Sacrifice Dream Blossom: Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is equal to the number of charge counters on Dream Blossom.
I find it amusing that I can get multiple votes of confidence with no actual votes.
Prophecy of Enid :1mana::symw:
Sorcery
Reveal the top card of your library and put it into your hand. If that card was an enchantment, draw a card. And when the Twilit Veil has lifted, knowledge shall come to man; and this shall be the dawn of the end. - Enid, the First Prophet
I will surely spend some time on this card. Searching gatherer for two creatures that can make this go infinite.
Well, I had the same thought, but with less Gatherer searching. ; ) I had a pair in mind right away.
Karmic Guide and Carrion Feeder allows you to reanimate every 2 power or less creature card from your graveyard and produce an infinite number of "comes into play" triggers. Combine with whatever you want (Soul Warden or Auriok Champion, anyone?)
Cacophony :symb::symr:
Sorcery
Target player draws a card, then discards two cards at random. I could almost have taken the torment, but for that infernal noise!
I'd say if you want efficiency, a 2/3 for 1WWW would do the trick.
Theoretically, the same price could have a 3/2, but power<toughness feels more white and toughness is "cheaper" than power for purposes of optimal costing.
But on the other hand, having a power < toughness with first strike feels a bit, you know... silly?
Innis, the Mirage of Deceit :symu::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Avatar
:symu:, Sacrifice Innis, the Mirage of Deceit: Put a token into play that's a copy of Innis.
3/3
There had to of been a time when Texas Hold 'Em was just some dumb poker game to most, but when they had the chance to see it in action and play the game, it became huge and everyone loves it... Perhaps there will be a day when the same happens with Magic... Until then, I will enjoy playing magic and not worry what others think of it or me.
Not likely. One of the big things that really hurts Magic in a general sense is that it's not elegant. At all.
Let me put it this way: How many rules are there to poker? Let's list the elements of it.
1) You start with a predefined deck. This deck never changes, and the literal value of objects within it never changes.
2) Two cards are dealt from this deck to each player. They bet on how good they think these cards are.
3) Three cards are dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
4) One card is dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
5) One card is dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
6) Players reveal their cards; whoever has formed the best hand wins the money that was bet.
This flow is then repeated continuously. It is, in fact, a very simple process to learn and this constitutes an entire round of gameplay. In Magic, an entire round of gameplay would consist of, just for example, a player untapping his cards, a player triggering upkeep effects, a player drawing a card, a player playing main phase spells and abilities, a player engaging in combat, a player playing main phase spells and abilities, a player proceeding to end of turn and triggering end of turn effects, a player performing cleanup operations, a player ending their turn, and their opponent going through these same steps. Withing each step, there is a list of other steps, and I would go so far as to say that combat alone is more complex than the entirety of Poker.
Combine with the fact that Poker possesses a fair bit of depth in understanding probability and reading other players, and you can find a game that is relatively simple to pick up and has great room for growth. The only real learning curve to poker is remembering which hands beat which, and with a few small exceptions that's fairly easy (quick quiz! Which is higher, straight or flush? ;)). This makes poker a relatively easy game for individuals to pick up and play, and the fact that betting is ingrained in its very nature makes its value immediately apparent.
Rage Inversion :1mana::symr:
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+0 until end of turn. If was spent to play this, switch that creature's power and toughness until end of turn.
So, uh, I missed being able to vote on a card or submit a card because for some odd reason I was utterly unable to even look at the boards last night when I was actually able to log in. Can I, you know, write in a vote and just submit a card anyways, or just accept that my luck sucks?
Soul of Katun :symw::symw::symw:
Legendary Enchantment
Whenever you gain life, you may search your library for a card with converted mana cost X or less, where X is the amount of life you gained. If you do, reveal that card and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
Dance of Forms
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
When Dance of Forms comes into play, turn enchanted creature face down. It's a 2/2 creature.
When Dance of Forms leaves play, turn enchanted creature face up.
And this is different from Counterbalance because...?
Instant
Counter target spell.
Spellshape - :symu::symu: (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for :3mana:. You may reveal it and pay its Spellshape cost at any time to put it on the stack. If Murmurs of Denial would be turned face up for any reason, put it into your graveyard instead.)
Enchantment
Whenever you draw a card, put a charge counter on Dream Blossom.
Sacrifice Dream Blossom: Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is equal to the number of charge counters on Dream Blossom.
Prophecy of Enid :1mana::symw:
Sorcery
Reveal the top card of your library and put it into your hand. If that card was an enchantment, draw a card.
And when the Twilit Veil has lifted, knowledge shall come to man; and this shall be the dawn of the end. - Enid, the First Prophet
Well, I had the same thought, but with less Gatherer searching. ; ) I had a pair in mind right away.
Karmic Guide and Carrion Feeder allows you to reanimate every 2 power or less creature card from your graveyard and produce an infinite number of "comes into play" triggers. Combine with whatever you want (Soul Warden or Auriok Champion, anyone?)
Sorcery
Target player draws a card, then discards two cards at random.
I could almost have taken the torment, but for that infernal noise!
But on the other hand, having a power < toughness with first strike feels a bit, you know... silly?
Legendary Creature - Avatar
:symu:, Sacrifice Innis, the Mirage of Deceit: Put a token into play that's a copy of Innis.
3/3
Not likely. One of the big things that really hurts Magic in a general sense is that it's not elegant. At all.
Let me put it this way: How many rules are there to poker? Let's list the elements of it.
1) You start with a predefined deck. This deck never changes, and the literal value of objects within it never changes.
2) Two cards are dealt from this deck to each player. They bet on how good they think these cards are.
3) Three cards are dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
4) One card is dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
5) One card is dealt face up. Players bet on how good the cards they have are with the cards on the table.
6) Players reveal their cards; whoever has formed the best hand wins the money that was bet.
This flow is then repeated continuously. It is, in fact, a very simple process to learn and this constitutes an entire round of gameplay. In Magic, an entire round of gameplay would consist of, just for example, a player untapping his cards, a player triggering upkeep effects, a player drawing a card, a player playing main phase spells and abilities, a player engaging in combat, a player playing main phase spells and abilities, a player proceeding to end of turn and triggering end of turn effects, a player performing cleanup operations, a player ending their turn, and their opponent going through these same steps. Withing each step, there is a list of other steps, and I would go so far as to say that combat alone is more complex than the entirety of Poker.
Combine with the fact that Poker possesses a fair bit of depth in understanding probability and reading other players, and you can find a game that is relatively simple to pick up and has great room for growth. The only real learning curve to poker is remembering which hands beat which, and with a few small exceptions that's fairly easy (quick quiz! Which is higher, straight or flush? ;)). This makes poker a relatively easy game for individuals to pick up and play, and the fact that betting is ingrained in its very nature makes its value immediately apparent.
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+0 until end of turn. If was spent to play this, switch that creature's power and toughness until end of turn.
Legendary Enchantment
Whenever you gain life, you may search your library for a card with converted mana cost X or less, where X is the amount of life you gained. If you do, reveal that card and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
When Dance of Forms comes into play, turn enchanted creature face down. It's a 2/2 creature.
When Dance of Forms leaves play, turn enchanted creature face up.
Sorcery
Destroy target creature with the least power.