MTG Salvation

So I've been designing a set recently and I wanted to include a cycle of Incarnations. Incarnations are a bit odd in that there isn't much that makes them stand out much, but there are a few things we can see from the two cycles we've seen:
Valor, Wonder, Filth, Anger, and Brawn are the first cycle.
Purity, Guile, Dread, Hostility, and Vigor are the second cycle.
Glory and Genesis aren't part of a particular cycle, but they are both incarnations as well.

As such we can note a few things on Incarnations

- They are named after feelings or notions (Filth and might be exceptions to this rule but one could argue that they represent a feeling or concept.)
- The interact with being in the graveyard somehow. (The Judgment cycle grant creatures abilities if they're in the graveyard whereas the Lorwyn cycle shuffle themselves back from it.)

So here's the cycle I've proposed within the current NWO. They might be too good for limited, but then again without the entire set (incomplete so far) it's not something that can be discussed a lot. But the set does include Devour and a lot of card draw, artifacts and looting.

Hope 3WW
Creature - Elemental Incarnation (Rare)
Vigilance
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Hope is on the battlefield or in your graveyard, you may gain 2 life.
So long as people wish for a better life, Hope will stand among them.
4/4

Perception 3UU
Creature - Elemental Incarnation (Rare)
Flash
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Perception is on the battlefield or in your graveyard, Scry 1.
So long as people seek understanding, Perception will carefully guide them.
4/4

Desire 3BB
Creature - Elemental Incarnation (Rare)
Lifelink
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Desire is on the battlefield or in your graveyard, you may pay 2 life. If you do, draw a card.
So long as people want from others, Desire will push them to do so.
4/4

Passion 3RR
Creature - Elemental Incarnation (Rare)
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, if is on the battlefield or in your graveyard, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
So long as people have a cause and a heart, Passion will drive them onwards.
4/4

Diligence 3GG
Creature - Elemental Incarnation (Rare)
Reach
At the beginning of your upkeep, if is on the battlefield or in your graveyard, create a 0/1 green Plant creature token.
So long as people care for the world around them, Diligence will watch over them.
4/4

Set: Eventide

Midnight Dance 4(W/B)(W/B)
Sorcery (Rare)
Return target creature or enchantment card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Retrace (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
"When the Gwyllions dance, the souls of the dead come and dance with them."
-Talara, Elvish Safewright

(Fun fact, this would complete the cycle with Waves of Aggression, Call the Skybreaker, Spitting Image and Worm Harvest. Apparently there never was a rare WB retrace card.)

As far as I know, Treefolk have always had a higher toughness than their power. That's kind of their thing, so it seems a bit off to see a 5/2 treefolk, but this can be offset flavorfully seeing as he's on fire, but in that case I'd add the sac at the end of turn effect that Ball Lightning creatures have, but in that case you might want to balance it out by making it a 4/2 instead. I'd also probably make the card go to the graveyard rather than the bottom of the library, as it ties more into your idea of burning biomes (dead stuff fuels life ie graveyard => mana).

So here's a Legendary creature based off of the Pied Piper. Hopefully he's flavourful.

Ilal, the Wandering Bard 1UB
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard [Rare]
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no rats, create a 1/1 black Rat creature token with deathtouch.
XUB, T: Choose target creature you control and target creature an opponent controls. Exchange control of those creatures unless that player pays X.
"Why don't you dance for me?"
1/3

That seems like a fairly costed card. Could be seen at common or uncommon depending on the set. The basic restriction is fine, but why bother I ask?

Plague of Maggots 2G
Enchantment - Aura Curse [Rare]
Enchant Player
If a nontoken creature enchanted player controls would die, instead exile that card and create a 1/1 green Insect creature token.
"War is a banquet to those who feed on death." -Jotham, Plague Doctor

I actually really like this. It's definitely red's way of putting Defender to good use, and the anthem effect allows you to swap down all the walls. My only worry is in the colorbleeding. P/T swapping is a Red and Blue effect so putting it on a white card seems a little strange, as well as losing defender seems a bit odd in white flavour-wise. I'd probably make it a red enchantment and change the buff to attacking creatures only?

Here's a take on trying to get spells and creatures to work together.

Starlight Discovery 1U
Instant - Arcane {U}
Scry 2, then draw a card.
Veil (You may cast any side of this card)
"Stuck in my quandary, I gazed into the night, only to find the answer I needed in the sky itself!" Kyobe, Minamo Scholar
//
Kami of Tracing Stars 4U
Creature - Spirit {U}
Flash
When Kami fo Tracing Stars enters the battlefield, Scry 2.
Veil (You may cast any side of this card)
It hides the secrets of the worlds in the constellations.
3/3

It does seem very broken in the right deck. I mean it basically makes all multicolored spells cost 2 less which is bonkers.

Murdering Crows 1UB
Sorcery {U}
Choose one:
° Destroy target creature.
° Create two 1/1 blue Bird creature tokens with flying.
"You'd find it ironic if the crows weren't so brutal."

Comment Hidden

This week's story wasn't bad, but we've had a lot better. The Gatewatch's plan to kill Emrakul off just like they did Ulamog and Kozilek but with even less leylines was obviously going to fail. Also, there was an inconsistency at one point in the Story when they mention Thraben being the most densely populated city of Innistrad.

From Battle of Thraben

That, plus the fact that Thraben is the densest population of life on Innistrad, will mean that Emrakul will almost certainly be drawn there.

From Planeswalker's guide to Innisrad: Gavony and Humans

Thraben lies in on the northern edge of the province of Gavony. It's the largest walled city in Innistrad, although parts of Nephalia's seaports are more densely populated.

You could argue that since Emrakul came from the sea, she already warped most of Nephalia, leaving Thraben as the next biggest city, but I feel like there might have been a lack of research into the plane for this story.

Gyre Clade Recluse2GU
Creature - Spider
Flash, Reach
When Gyre Clade Recluse enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control. Those creatures gain Reach until end of turn.
2/5

Liliana, the Necromancer.....Lim-Dûl the Necromancer....RAVEN MAN IS Lim-Dûl!!!!

*tinfoil hats on*

/sarcasm

Next

Azra Rat
Dragon Citizen
Homonculus Dinosaur

Quote from Huaojozu »

And thus the transformation from Gideon to Korlash began. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time Gideon changed his name.

Consequences for the Gatewatch that be a shocker. Gideon turning into an undead horror corrupted by the Blackblade would be nice. Suppose Ajani and Teferi make him redundant.

Too weak against firewalls, doesn't do well against ones and heroes

Quote from Tekkactus »

Dinosaur EDH is gonna go like this:

Timmy builds Gishath.
Timmy is forced to include chaff like Sun-Crowned Hunters to fill out slots.
Timmy goes to Commander Night at his local LGS and gets run the @#$% over by anyone playing halfway competently.
Timmy takes Gishath apart.

Or, Timmy's just going to have fun playing his Dinosaur deck since he's not a condescending Spike who cares only about winning.