This was my first thought as well on the expanded "Oona-Treetop" example. Intentionally misrepresenting the way a card works like this in order to sow confusion and/or a misplay from the opponent is a good way to get the "difficult questions" asked of you.
It's true. I've certainly done this: Announce Pithing Needle, ask the guy next to you "what's that one GB enchantment that destroys everything called?" And then when he lets it resolve name "Polluted Delta"
But I don't know if that's in the same league as naming part of a card, then trying to state that since it's not a card you get to name something else. I don't know if I like that one.
I lived there for 6 or so years, and through I'm not there anymore, I can tell you they have a good scene.
Standard is just about dead, Draft and Legacy are the main trade up there. Just like most other scenes, some a really good guys, some aren't, but my game certainly upped when I lived there.
Though if you're not interested in playing in the local stuff, they're always up-to-date on PTQs and GPs and the like. Syracuse and Rochester are the easiest places to get to, but they've been known to travel afar.
They have a forum set up as well for information purposes that gets used more frequently than you would expect (I still post on it about once a day)
Where is the land excel? Or color fixing for that matter?
Hey! You're right! And where's all your land?!
------
Kidding aside, Minion Reflector and Viscious Shadows could a little mana-intensive, and it looks like you're running 20 land (if you're making a 60-card deck); I doubt you'll be able to cast the Shadows very often. It looks like a fun deck, and I'm sure you're running appropriate fixing, but I'd suggest a few more land in there.
"How do you feel this shows where the Christian faith is these days? What do you feel this shows about Christian Americans and how they understand their faith and how money is more important to them than....."
It doesn't really show anything about the Christian faith. You don't see the Pope out there, do you (although he's specifically "Catholic," I know)?
It just says "Good lord, there are a bunch of crazies out there." But then again, the internet proves that for us time and time again.
Oh god, yes. There was a time when I wanted to make a comment during a conversation, but because I thought it was too much of a conversation-changing, I said my comment was Sorcery-speed. I can't only be used when the conversation stack is empty.
Why don't you just add a steep life payment to the upkeep.
I mean, this card is extremely broken, and the only way I can see it becoming unbroken is to limit the amount of times you can use it.
Look at this breakdown of turns:
You: 2
Opp: 1
You: 3
Opp: 1
You: 4
Really?
Here's my suggestion:
Incremental Futures UUUUU
Enchantment
Cumulative Upkeep - Lose 4 life, take an extra turn after this one, skip the untap and upkeep steps of that turn.
This is still broken but looking like Johnny-jank. You can still play life gain, but unlike Bargain and other broken Enchantments, it does nothing the turn it comes into play. I think that's big for a card that costs 5.
(I had 5 life in the upkeep before, and I guess that should be right, right? You should have to pay 15 life to take 3 extra turns, right?) Maybe I should follow Savor the Moment more. That is properly costed at 3 mana. So maybe a life payment of 4 isn't too much. As long as you skip your untap step...
Whenever Lil' Nicol Bolas deals combat damage to an opponent, that player discards his or her hand, then draws one fewer card than he or she discarded.
I'm not sure how that should be templated, because I don't believe I've seen it on a card before. A less powerful version would be the regular Winds of Change/Shocker thing -- discard hand, draw that many cards.
Monoruned Book - Good lord is that powerful. So it's four colorless mana, a personal Howling Mine, AND you get to build your deck around it? I feel like black would have a field day with that. All its important spells cost 3Bor 2BB or blue could always have counters available, be it hard (1UU) or soft (1U). Red could get card-draw, and tutoring for all its 2- or 3-cost direct damage spells. Hell, even searching out four copies of Cryptic Command assures that you'll have one in your hand for each of the next four turns. That seems pretty good to me. Just check out how much better this card is than Skyship Weatherlight -- and at the same cost.
My suggestions would be to either raise the cost, add a color and raise the cost (but lower than just raising the cost) or add a significant drawback -- or a combination of the above. For example, take away the free Howling Mine, add a mana activation to draw from the RFG, or provide a choice of which library to draw from. Or maybe make it so it's like Gifts Ungiven, so you can only search out one copy of each card with a shared mana cost. That's still really really good, but not as immediately busted beyond recognition.
----------- Impish InterventionB
Instant - (U)
Split Second
Target creature gets +2/+1 and gains shroud until end of turn.
-----------
How good does creature pump have to be to make it playable? This was +2/+2 and Green to be a mini-Stonewood Invocation, but that struck me as too good, and +1/+1 seemed too bad. Same with +1/+2 and white. I know black isn't really a weenie color anymore, but this seemed the best possibility. Thoughts?... or maybe this? "Impish ReworkingBR Instant/Split Second/Target creature gets +2/+2, gains shroud and can't be blocked until end of turn"
I have the solution to the "too-much-text" problem:
Pure Strategy2UU
Enchantment (R)
When ~ comes in to play, you and target opponent scry 6, then clash. If you win, draw three cards, opponent puts the top 6 cards of their library on the bottom. RRR, Discard two cards: Return ~ to its owner's hand.
Pure Chaos2RR
Enchantment (R)
When ~ comes in to play, you and target opponent scry 6, then clash. If you win, deal 4 damage to each creature and each player. Opponent puts the top 6 cards of their library on the bottom. UUU, Lose two life: Return ~ to its owner's hand.
Melding Mail - I think this is an incredible card, Blinking Spirit. I would've said this card is too powerful, but it looks a lot like Sigil of Distinction, so it looks good for power in my book. Additionally, the flavor is perfect. I think my only suggestion would be to change the name to "Symbiote Suit". Great card, properly costed, totally printable.
Misted Shallows
Land
Cumulative Upkeep 1 t: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Creatures that attacked during their controller's last turn can't attack.
Does this make it playable? I always liked that card, but it just sucked.
There has to be one person who doesn't like anything, and thanks to the internet that one person always has a voice.
Consider it PM'ed.
It's true. I've certainly done this: Announce Pithing Needle, ask the guy next to you "what's that one GB enchantment that destroys everything called?" And then when he lets it resolve name "Polluted Delta"
But I don't know if that's in the same league as naming part of a card, then trying to state that since it's not a card you get to name something else. I don't know if I like that one.
I lived there for 6 or so years, and through I'm not there anymore, I can tell you they have a good scene.
Standard is just about dead, Draft and Legacy are the main trade up there. Just like most other scenes, some a really good guys, some aren't, but my game certainly upped when I lived there.
Though if you're not interested in playing in the local stuff, they're always up-to-date on PTQs and GPs and the like. Syracuse and Rochester are the easiest places to get to, but they've been known to travel afar.
They have a forum set up as well for information purposes that gets used more frequently than you would expect (I still post on it about once a day)
Super Mind Stone 3
Artifact
t: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
,t, Sacrifice ~this~: Draw a card.
Hey! You're right! And where's all your land?!
------
Kidding aside, Minion Reflector and Viscious Shadows could a little mana-intensive, and it looks like you're running 20 land (if you're making a 60-card deck); I doubt you'll be able to cast the Shadows very often. It looks like a fun deck, and I'm sure you're running appropriate fixing, but I'd suggest a few more land in there.
so does "Magic: The Gathering"
It doesn't really show anything about the Christian faith. You don't see the Pope out there, do you (although he's specifically "Catholic," I know)?
It just says "Good lord, there are a bunch of crazies out there." But then again, the internet proves that for us time and time again.
---
Eh, I tried. Didn't really work.
LOL.
Oh god, yes. There was a time when I wanted to make a comment during a conversation, but because I thought it was too much of a conversation-changing, I said my comment was Sorcery-speed. I can't only be used when the conversation stack is empty.
ug.
I mean, this card is extremely broken, and the only way I can see it becoming unbroken is to limit the amount of times you can use it.
Look at this breakdown of turns:
You: 2
Opp: 1
You: 3
Opp: 1
You: 4
Really?
Here's my suggestion:
Incremental Futures UUUUU
Enchantment
Cumulative Upkeep - Lose 4 life, take an extra turn after this one, skip the untap and upkeep steps of that turn.
This is still broken but looking like Johnny-jank. You can still play life gain, but unlike Bargain and other broken Enchantments, it does nothing the turn it comes into play. I think that's big for a card that costs 5.
(I had 5 life in the upkeep before, and I guess that should be right, right? You should have to pay 15 life to take 3 extra turns, right?) Maybe I should follow Savor the Moment more. That is properly costed at 3 mana. So maybe a life payment of 4 isn't too much. As long as you skip your untap step...
Man, I just don't know.
Tribal Enchantment - Leviathan Whale
Sacrifice a Leviathan or a Whale: Destroy up to 4 target
Whenever Lil' Nicol Bolas deals combat damage to an opponent, that player discards his or her hand, then draws one fewer card than he or she discarded.
I'm not sure how that should be templated, because I don't believe I've seen it on a card before. A less powerful version would be the regular Winds of Change/Shocker thing -- discard hand, draw that many cards.
Fun card.
My suggestions would be to either raise the cost, add a color and raise the cost (but lower than just raising the cost) or add a significant drawback -- or a combination of the above. For example, take away the free Howling Mine, add a mana activation to draw from the RFG, or provide a choice of which library to draw from. Or maybe make it so it's like Gifts Ungiven, so you can only search out one copy of each card with a shared mana cost. That's still really really good, but not as immediately busted beyond recognition.
-----------
Impish Intervention B
Instant - (U)
Split Second
Target creature gets +2/+1 and gains shroud until end of turn.
-----------
How good does creature pump have to be to make it playable? This was +2/+2 and Green to be a mini-Stonewood Invocation, but that struck me as too good, and +1/+1 seemed too bad. Same with +1/+2 and white. I know black isn't really a weenie color anymore, but this seemed the best possibility. Thoughts?... or maybe this? "Impish Reworking BR Instant/Split Second/Target creature gets +2/+2, gains shroud and can't be blocked until end of turn"
Pure Strategy 2UU
Enchantment (R)
When ~ comes in to play, you and target opponent scry 6, then clash. If you win, draw three cards, opponent puts the top 6 cards of their library on the bottom.
RRR, Discard two cards: Return ~ to its owner's hand.
Pure Chaos 2RR
Enchantment (R)
When ~ comes in to play, you and target opponent scry 6, then clash. If you win, deal 4 damage to each creature and each player. Opponent puts the top 6 cards of their library on the bottom.
UUU, Lose two life: Return ~ to its owner's hand.
Ta-Da!
Misted Shallows
Land
Cumulative Upkeep 1
t: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Creatures that attacked during their controller's last turn can't attack.
Does this make it playable? I always liked that card, but it just sucked.