Well, it already was a part of red's color pie, and it could be today. Last I heard, it's not evergreen or returned because 'fight took that design space', which seems odd to me (Provoke worths with combat-relevant keywords and abilities, Fight doesn't), but that's the argument WotC has put out there.
I'm pretty sure they'd want to avoid confusion in learning player who already (I can confirm, I've run into several) frequently need to be told precisely that combat keywords don't work with fight. Having provoke around would just confuse things further for these players. Plus provoke is a LOT less flexible than the pay effects like those on Lurking Arynx and Tangle Angler.
Well, it already was a part of red's color pie, and it could be today. Last I heard, it's not evergreen or returned because 'fight took that design space', which seems odd to me (Provoke worths with combat-relevant keywords and abilities, Fight doesn't), but that's the argument WotC has put out there.
Here are some of my (likely to be very controversial ideas), which I would have done if I was starting magic over from the beginning:
SetbackR
Sorcery (C)
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. "If you intend to rob a vault, do you melt down the doors? Kill all the guards? No - only the fool does. The rogue realizes you only need seize an opportunity, not conquer the enemy, to get what you want."
Stupefy2R
Sorcery (U)
Target player exiles all cards from his or her hand face down. At the beginning of the end step of that player's next turn, that player returns those cards to his or her hand.
Space Oddity1R
Sorcery (C)
Exile target permanent. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
Stutter1R
Instant (C)
Return target spell to its owner's hand. "Come again?"
One Last Dance3R
Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If that creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else.
All of the above represent red further exploring the space of 'temporary over the permanent'. I think sorcery-speed bounce would be perfect for red, since they can just buy it back later - it's not true removal. Stupefy and Dimensional Stutter are two forms of flicker, which feels so perfectly red. Stutter is a variant of counterspells in red - they'd get Remand, Memory Lapse, and so on. Blue would get counterspells that are conditional, like Mana Leak, or that are final, like Cancel.
One Last Dance has been explored a bit on Feldon of the Third Path, but it deserves more exploration.
Also, I imagine red would get more dimensional-manipulation to represent its more chaotic nature. Hence, Space Oddity, and some interpretations of the word Stutter.
Wisecracking Rapscallion1RR
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
Haste T: Target creature attacks this turn if able. T: Target creature blocks this turn if able.
1/1
Inflicting "attacks this turn if able" would be shared with blue more. Inflicting "blocks this turn if able" would be shared with green.
Talented Artisan2R
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
Artifact spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
2/2
Red could do with more positive interaction with artifacts, to relate to its themes of artistry.
Try Again1RR
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Try Again, discard a card.
Look at the top four cards of your library. Put two of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
It is my belief that 'rummaging' isn't about "discarding then drawing", it's about "giving up something now for an unknown future". If the unknown future is a bit more precisely determined - by filtering, in this case - I think that's fine. I also think it's very red to just chuck the things you don't want into the garbage, rather than saving them for the future (by putting them back on top or bottom of your library).
On that same note...
Tavern Gamler1R
Creature - Human Rogue (U) T, Pay 3 life: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, you gain 6 life.
2/1
What Could Have BeenRR
Instant (R)
As an additional cost to cast What Could Have Been, sacrifice a creature.
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveals a creature card. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control, then shuffle all other cards revealed this way into your library.
Just a few more 'give up something now for an uncertain future'. Note that Chaos Warp is still a violation of the color pie, in my eyes, because you care more about the certain part (getting rid of a specific permanent) than the uncertain part (what it becomes). I'd argue that Chaos Warp, and its ilk, should only apply to red's own stuff.
Shield with My BodyR
Instant (C)
All damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn is dealt to you instead.
Red can be the color of acts of passion, not just acts of treason.
Firebrand Martyr1R
Creature - Human Rebel (C)
When Firebrand Martyr dies, each player draws a card.
2/1
Daring Explorer2R
Creature - Human Scout (C)
Haste
When Daring Explorer dies, each player may search his or her library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield. Then each player who searched his or her library this way shuffles it.
2/2
Exciting NewsXRR
Sorcery (U)
Each player draws X cards.
And as red is the color of compassion, it can share a bit more. This can easily be mixed with its weakness of short-sightedness. Here, red is so eager to see new sights, it's willing to share them with its opponents too - red is okay with not coming out on top, as long as it gets something new. That seems very red to me. However, mechanically, this is definitely the most 'out-there' suggestion I've made yet.
I'll call that good for now.
EDIT: Do note that a lot of these are experimental and really pushing the boundaries. I don't imagine we could actually give them to red as the game stands; we'd have to redesign the color pie significantly to give red these kinds of effects.
The problem with Mobilize is that artifacts do not appear every game, but lands do. This means Mobilize is going to rely heavily on the format, and be a lot more tricky to use frequently / build around than Awaken.
Well, this mechanic is never really going to work well in paper, even if you're only keeping track of one name at a time. So I wouldn't worry too much about it...
If you wanted to convert this to a more paper-ready mechanic, I'd say to find some other thematic condition that works well with the theme of 'blessing', rather than a name. For example, CMC5+.
You're both right about the memory issues. I think that the state tracking problem can be solved by using DFCs, with the text "...you may reveal it. If you do, transform this." You lose the "blessed" state word but that's okay.
I don't really see any situation where you'd want to name more than one card name for Blessing so I'm not really concerned about the memory burden of "name a nonland card."
Wouldn't you pick more names for cards that care about the total number of blessed permanents you control, or when a permanent becomes blessed?
For example, Waking Cemetery rewards you with a token every time something becomes blessed. If everything has declared the same name, then you have a (max) 4/53 chance of drawing that card, and getting a number of tokens equal to the number of permanents you have. Okay, sure.
But if you choose two cards, wouldn't your chances of getting a named card go up to 8/53 (max)? Sure, you don't get as many tokens at once, but you're more likely to get tokens sooner, right?
Also, for state-tracking, you could just use a +1/+1 counter or 'blessed counter' on noncreatures, and still have them become blessed. Monstrosity style.
If I don't comment on a card, assume it elicited a 'fine' or 'nice' from me.
Asp Attack: This just feels really wrong in green. Bore Wurm: Voyage is a troublesome keyword. It encourages players to hold lands in hand, rather than play them, which isn't the best for gameplay. It might play a little interestingly in how you can play a 3CMC card on turn 4, then play the land you revealed... but I worry it'll encourage mana screw a bit too much. It is interesting when you're mana-screwed, though. Caravan Carriers: This is a lovely design. Great flavor and utility here. Cross the Desert: I think the order of the lands should be reversed, to get across the flavor more. First you get the Desert, then the destination. Dune-Brood Scorpion: I love this cycle so much. Fade into Antiquity: Good choice of reprint. Fearless Charge: Interesting. Far better when used sorcery-speed, but it still has trick potential. I approve. Mount Up: Keywords tertiary in a color cannot be granted by that color, generally. This even makes less sense in green, which doesn't get haste at common. While this isn't a color pie break, it's also not the nicest of bleeds. Mystic Dancer: Love it! Strong mana-dork, but not oppressively so. Rise Above: I was literally thinking of this design for Tesla just yesterday. So, obviously, I like it. Seal of Jandor: Neat seal. I like this one, but I worry that without a mana cost to the sac, it might be too much of an on-board trick. Snake Charmer: This is a very interesting common. I tentatively like it - but I am quite partial to common buildarounds. Two-Humped Camel: Those are some big humps. Verdant Resurgence: This makes a lot less sense in the set without your previous iteration of Voyage. Could this be Explore? Wandering Physician: I like this a lot.
Overall: Voyage has gotten better, but it still needs some tuning-up. Many of the individual green designs are very nice, but none quite capture me the same way some other cards in other colors did.
Is it possible just to say "Reveal CARDNAME's scheme"? Because, if so, that sounds a lot better.
This is really cool, but I get the feeling costs should be increased, and that the two modes should be roughly equivalent, which doesn't feel like the case on a few of these. (Such as Marvelous Queen) It's a little more interesting when these are truly mana-sinks, as it lets you do more significant effects, and it gives players a more powerful option for the late-game. Playtesting will reveal how needed that is, though, since they're also fine at these costs.
Why not use the same text on a single-sided card? "Turn face up: if it was a land card put a +1/+1 counter on it, if not you get an effect"?
OOoh, I like that take a lot. Lets you mess around with what bonuses you can give, and it pushes the game more towards a conclusion (by only working on offense).
Thanks, that makes sense.
Setback R
Sorcery (C)
Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
"If you intend to rob a vault, do you melt down the doors? Kill all the guards? No - only the fool does. The rogue realizes you only need seize an opportunity, not conquer the enemy, to get what you want."
Stupefy 2R
Sorcery (U)
Target player exiles all cards from his or her hand face down. At the beginning of the end step of that player's next turn, that player returns those cards to his or her hand.
Space Oddity 1R
Sorcery (C)
Exile target permanent. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
Stutter 1R
Instant (C)
Return target spell to its owner's hand.
"Come again?"
One Last Dance 3R
Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step. If that creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else.
All of the above represent red further exploring the space of 'temporary over the permanent'. I think sorcery-speed bounce would be perfect for red, since they can just buy it back later - it's not true removal. Stupefy and Dimensional Stutter are two forms of flicker, which feels so perfectly red. Stutter is a variant of counterspells in red - they'd get Remand, Memory Lapse, and so on. Blue would get counterspells that are conditional, like Mana Leak, or that are final, like Cancel.
One Last Dance has been explored a bit on Feldon of the Third Path, but it deserves more exploration.
Also, I imagine red would get more dimensional-manipulation to represent its more chaotic nature. Hence, Space Oddity, and some interpretations of the word Stutter.
Wisecracking Rapscallion 1RR
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
Haste
T: Target creature attacks this turn if able.
T: Target creature blocks this turn if able.
1/1
Inflicting "attacks this turn if able" would be shared with blue more. Inflicting "blocks this turn if able" would be shared with green.
Talented Artisan 2R
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
Artifact spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
2/2
Red could do with more positive interaction with artifacts, to relate to its themes of artistry.
Try Again 1RR
Sorcery (C)
As an additional cost to cast Try Again, discard a card.
Look at the top four cards of your library. Put two of them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
It is my belief that 'rummaging' isn't about "discarding then drawing", it's about "giving up something now for an unknown future". If the unknown future is a bit more precisely determined - by filtering, in this case - I think that's fine. I also think it's very red to just chuck the things you don't want into the garbage, rather than saving them for the future (by putting them back on top or bottom of your library).
On that same note...
Tavern Gamler 1R
Creature - Human Rogue (U)
T, Pay 3 life: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, you gain 6 life.
2/1
What Could Have Been RR
Instant (R)
As an additional cost to cast What Could Have Been, sacrifice a creature.
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveals a creature card. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control, then shuffle all other cards revealed this way into your library.
Just a few more 'give up something now for an uncertain future'. Note that Chaos Warp is still a violation of the color pie, in my eyes, because you care more about the certain part (getting rid of a specific permanent) than the uncertain part (what it becomes). I'd argue that Chaos Warp, and its ilk, should only apply to red's own stuff.
Shield with My Body R
Instant (C)
All damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn is dealt to you instead.
Red can be the color of acts of passion, not just acts of treason.
Firebrand Martyr 1R
Creature - Human Rebel (C)
When Firebrand Martyr dies, each player draws a card.
2/1
Daring Explorer 2R
Creature - Human Scout (C)
Haste
When Daring Explorer dies, each player may search his or her library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield. Then each player who searched his or her library this way shuffles it.
2/2
Exciting News XRR
Sorcery (U)
Each player draws X cards.
And as red is the color of compassion, it can share a bit more. This can easily be mixed with its weakness of short-sightedness. Here, red is so eager to see new sights, it's willing to share them with its opponents too - red is okay with not coming out on top, as long as it gets something new. That seems very red to me. However, mechanically, this is definitely the most 'out-there' suggestion I've made yet.
I'll call that good for now.
EDIT: Do note that a lot of these are experimental and really pushing the boundaries. I don't imagine we could actually give them to red as the game stands; we'd have to redesign the color pie significantly to give red these kinds of effects.
I think it'd warp them in an interesting way, myself. Like Clash did, but without the secret smoothing.
If you wanted to convert this to a more paper-ready mechanic, I'd say to find some other thematic condition that works well with the theme of 'blessing', rather than a name. For example, CMC5+.
Wouldn't you pick more names for cards that care about the total number of blessed permanents you control, or when a permanent becomes blessed?
For example, Waking Cemetery rewards you with a token every time something becomes blessed. If everything has declared the same name, then you have a (max) 4/53 chance of drawing that card, and getting a number of tokens equal to the number of permanents you have. Okay, sure.
But if you choose two cards, wouldn't your chances of getting a named card go up to 8/53 (max)? Sure, you don't get as many tokens at once, but you're more likely to get tokens sooner, right?
Also, for state-tracking, you could just use a +1/+1 counter or 'blessed counter' on noncreatures, and still have them become blessed. Monstrosity style.
Also, yes, the 'scheme' problem exists. Another word I'd suggest is 'plot'.
Asp Attack: This just feels really wrong in green.
Bore Wurm: Voyage is a troublesome keyword. It encourages players to hold lands in hand, rather than play them, which isn't the best for gameplay. It might play a little interestingly in how you can play a 3CMC card on turn 4, then play the land you revealed... but I worry it'll encourage mana screw a bit too much. It is interesting when you're mana-screwed, though.
Caravan Carriers: This is a lovely design. Great flavor and utility here.
Cross the Desert: I think the order of the lands should be reversed, to get across the flavor more. First you get the Desert, then the destination.
Dune-Brood Scorpion: I love this cycle so much.
Fade into Antiquity: Good choice of reprint.
Fearless Charge: Interesting. Far better when used sorcery-speed, but it still has trick potential. I approve.
Mount Up: Keywords tertiary in a color cannot be granted by that color, generally. This even makes less sense in green, which doesn't get haste at common. While this isn't a color pie break, it's also not the nicest of bleeds.
Mystic Dancer: Love it! Strong mana-dork, but not oppressively so.
Rise Above: I was literally thinking of this design for Tesla just yesterday. So, obviously, I like it.
Seal of Jandor: Neat seal. I like this one, but I worry that without a mana cost to the sac, it might be too much of an on-board trick.
Snake Charmer: This is a very interesting common. I tentatively like it - but I am quite partial to common buildarounds.
Two-Humped Camel: Those are some big humps.
Verdant Resurgence: This makes a lot less sense in the set without your previous iteration of Voyage. Could this be Explore?
Wandering Physician: I like this a lot.
Overall: Voyage has gotten better, but it still needs some tuning-up. Many of the individual green designs are very nice, but none quite capture me the same way some other cards in other colors did.
This is really cool, but I get the feeling costs should be increased, and that the two modes should be roughly equivalent, which doesn't feel like the case on a few of these. (Such as Marvelous Queen) It's a little more interesting when these are truly mana-sinks, as it lets you do more significant effects, and it gives players a more powerful option for the late-game. Playtesting will reveal how needed that is, though, since they're also fine at these costs.
Why not use the same text on a single-sided card? "Turn face up: if it was a land card put a +1/+1 counter on it, if not you get an effect"?