[Card Design] Small / Medium / Big

safra

safra

Inspired by a thread on the riplab discord

Contest: create a three-card spread, one of which is an actual first-party WotC card. The other two cards are development tweaks to the original design. The original card can be the smallest, mediumest, or biggest version. You can develop the custom versions to whatever power level you see fit - Foundations, Modern Horizons, OG Ravnica block, whatever. Some examples:


Mesmeric Fiend {1}{B}
When this creature enters, target opponent reveals their hand and you choose a nonland card from it. Exile that card.
When this creature leaves the battlefield, return the exiled card to its owner’s hand.
1/1

Big Mes Fiend {1}{B}{B}
When this creature enters, look at target opponent’s hand. You may exile a nonland card from it until this creature leaves the battlefield.
3/3

Bigger Mes Fiend {2}{B}{B}
Flying, trample
When this creature enters, look at target opponent’s hand. You may exile a nonland card from it until this creature leaves the battlefield.
You can’t win the game and your opponents can’t lose the game.
6/6

Small Watchwolf {G/W}
2/2

Watchwolf {G}{W}
3/3

Big Watchwolf {1}{G}{W}
4/5
 
Onderzeeboot

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Watchcub* ;)

I think the Big Watchwolf is begging to be a 4/4 for 1GW, but that’s no longer special. So maybe a 5/5 for GG/WW? I know that steps on Woolly Thoctar’s toes, but in this day and age, a vanilla 5/5 for three almost seems appropriate. That mana cost also ties together the other two Watchwolf versions nicely. Big Watchwolf is just the other two combined
 
Zoss

Zoss

First Score {1}{R}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw a card and create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with “{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.”)
-------------------
Big Score {3}{R}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards and create two Treasure tokens. (They’re artifacts with “{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.”)
-------------------
Score of a Lifetime {5}{R}
Instant
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw three cards and create three Treasure tokens. (They’re artifacts with “{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.”)

Suspiciously Quiet Baloths {2}{G}{G}
Creature
Trample
Landfall--Whenever a land enters, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token.
2/2
-------------------
Rampaging Baloths {4}{G}{G}
Creature
Trample
Landfall--Whenever a land enters, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token.
6/6
-------------------
Herd Of Rampaging Baloths {6}{G}{G}
Creature
Trample, haste
Landfall--Whenever a land enters, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token and creatures you control gain haste until end of turn.
6/6

Elas Il-Kor
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Kor Cleric {W}{B}
Deathtouch
Whenever another creature you control enters, you gain 1 life.
Whenever another creature you control dies, each opponent loses 1 life.
-------------------
Elas Il--Kor
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Kor Cleric {W}{W/B}{B}
Deathtouch
Whenever another creature you control enters or dies, you gain 1 life and each opponent loses 1 life.
2/3
-------------------
Elas Sick-Nasty Kor
Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Kor Cleric {W}{W}{B}{B}
Deathtouch
Whenever another creature enters or dies, you gain 1 life and each opponent loses 1 life.
2/2
 
shamizy

shamizy

Perilous Myr {2}
Artifact Creature
When ~ is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
1/1
-------------------
Precarious Myr {3}
Artifact Creature
When ~ is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to any target.
3/1
-------------------
Pernicious Myr {4}
Artifact Creature
When ~ is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 4 damage divided as you choose among any number of targets.
4/2
 
Erik Twice

Erik Twice

For cube:


Victualling {1}{W}
Sorcery

Return target enchantment from your graveyard to the battlefield
Click to expand...
Replenish {3}{W}
Sorcery

Return all enchantment cards from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Click to expand...
Replenishing Opalescence {4}{W}{W}{W}
Sorcery

Return all enchantment cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. They are X/X creatures in addition to their other types, where X is their mana cost.
Click to expand...

Ritual of Squandering {B/G}
Sorcery
Sacrifice up to three lands. Create one treasure for each land sacrificed this way.
Click to expand...
Squandered Resources {B}{G}
Enchantment
Sacrifice a land: Add one mana of any type the sacrificed land could produce.
Click to expand...
Squandered Possibilities {B}{B/G}{G}
Enchantment
Sacrifice a permanent: Add {1} or one mana of any type the sacrificed permanent could produce.
Click to expand...


Wastes of Alexandria
Land
{T} Add {c}
Sacrifice Wastes of Alexandria: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you have no cards in hand.
Click to expand...
Library of Alexandria
Land
{T}Add {c}
{T}Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you have exactly seven cards in hand.
Click to expand...
New Alexandria
Legendary Land
{T}Add {c}
Sacrifice New Alexandria, {1},{T}: Discard your hand, then draw seven cards. Activate this ability only if you have exactly seven cards in hand.
Click to expand...
I like the small ones the best. They would be busted in constructed, but they would be a lot of fun in cube.
 
Nanonox

Nanonox

Dislocate {B/P}
Instant
Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
————————
Disarticulate {1}{B/P}
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
————————
Dismember {1}{B/P}{B/P}
Instant
Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn.

I’ll probably edit the post if I have more ideas.
 
Nanonox

Nanonox

Bolas’s Lair {1}{B}{B}{B}

Legendary Artifact

You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may play lands and cast spells from the top of your library. If you cast a spell this way, discard a card rather than pay its mana cost.
{T}, Sacrifice ten nonland permanents: Each opponent loses 5 life and you gain 5 life.

——————

Bolas’s Palace {2}{B}{B}{B}

Legendary Artifact

You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may play lands and cast spells from the top of your library. If you cast a spell this way, sacrifice a nontoken creature rather than pay its mana cost.
{T}, Sacrifice ten nonland permanents: You gain 10 life.

——————

Bolas’s Citadel {3}{B}{B}{B}

Legendary Artifact

You may look at the top card of your library any time.
You may play lands and cast spells from the top of your library. If you cast a spell this way, pay life equal to its mana value rather than pay its mana cost.
{T}, Sacrifice ten nonland permanents: Each opponent loses 10 life.
 
PyreDream

PyreDream

Siege-Gang Cadet {1}{R}
Creature - Goblin
When this creature enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 red Goblin creature token.
1R, Sacrifice a Goblin: Siege-Gang Cadet deals 2 damage to any target.
1/1

Siege-Gang Captain {2}{R}{R}
Creature - Goblin
When this creature enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
1R, Sacrifice a Goblin: Siege-Gang Captain deals 2 damage to any target.
2/1

Siege-Gang Commander {3}{R}{R}
Creature - Goblin
When this creature enters the battlefield, create three 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
1R, Sacrifice a Goblin: Siege-Gang Commander deals 2 damage to any target.
2/2
 
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Brad

Brad

Rancore said:
Am I doing this correctly?
Click to expand...
Wrenn and Eleven 1UBRRG
Your maximum hand size is eleven.
Whenever you activate a loyalty ability of Wrenn and Eleven from that Stranger Things Secret Lair in 2021, you draw a card and you lose 1 life. Then if you have eleven or more cards in your hand, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell from your hand without paying its mana cost.
+2: Return target land card from your graveyard to your hand.
-2: Surveil 2, then draw two cards.
-11: Omniscience your graveyard.
Loyalty: 5
 
PyreDream

PyreDream

Please ignore for contest purposes, I've just been hankering for more green madness cards for graveyard-based cubes.

Arrogant Wurmlet {1}{G}
Creature - Wurm
Trample
Madness {G}
2/2

Arrogant Wurm {3}{G}{G}
Creature - Wurm
Trample
Madness {2}{G}
4/4

Arrogant Wurm Horde {5}{G}{G}
Creature - Wurm
Trample
Madness {3}{G}{G}
8/8
 
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Karshtakavaar

Karshtakavaar

Flashback {R}
Instant
Target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.

Recoup {1}{R}
Sorcery
Target sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {3}{R}

Past in Flames {3}{R}
Sorcery
Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {4}{R}

... Okay the next one will be an actual answer

Crypt Combatant {C/P}{B}
Creature — Zombie
First strike
When this creature enters, each player puts a creature card with mana value 3 or less from their graveyard onto the battlefield.
When this creature enters, sacrifice it unless {R} was spent to cast it.
2/1

Crypt Champion {3}{B}
Creature — Zombie
Double strike
When this creature enters, each player puts a creature card with mana value 3 or less from their graveyard onto the battlefield.
When this creature enters, sacrifice it unless {R} was spent to cast it.
2/2

Crypt Colossus {4}{B}{B}
Creature - Zombie Giant
Double strike
Whenever this creature enters or attacks, each player puts up to two creature cards with mana value 3 or less from their graveyard onto the battlefield.
When this creature enters, sacrifice it unless {R} was spent to cast it.
3/6

I used to rock Crypt Champion with Inner-Flame Acolyte on kitchen tables back in the day. Breaking symmetry on cards like this is too much fun. I would legitimately cube both the weenie and giant version here (The 2-drop gets you an Unearth, an Exhume and an Alesha all in one slot, the 6-drop can do Reveillark shenanigans if you want to build combo, both give the black recursive deck a payoff for picking the grave hate that's better than the hatedraft "I don't want to lose to this") and there are lots of levers balance-wise.
 
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