General Custom Cards: The Lab

When I was still doing custom cards that didn’t alter game rules or finished cycles I had a dream of something like this

——

When you discard a card without cycling it, do X.
When you cycle a card, do Y.

On the same card. And I would let Y be stronger than X.

——

I had another dream that I liked a little bit more:

When you discard a card, do X.
At the beginning of your end step, if you’ve cycled a card this turn, do Y.

On the same card. On this variant Y didn’t have to be stronger than X because it’s a bonus ability you get in addition to X. This variant creates the puzzle of how the player can cycle exactly one card each turn.

I could create a whole custom cube around that mechanic.
 
I think you get first strike and last strike. Sweet, didn't think of that.

I want surveil instead if scry also but assumed it would be too good. I'll probably just try that
 
Feels like a green card that you slapped "Plains" on to make it seem white. It's too efficient for white, in my opinion. The closest thing we have to this is probably Kayla's Command, which is harder to cast, makes a smaller body, and gets a basic.

I'd also like the art to be a prairie dog.
 
Dude 1R
Creature - Dwarf
When ~ becomes tapped, create a treasure token.
Sacrifice X treasure tokens: Search your library for an artifact with mana value X or less, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
2/2

Exile Spell 1W
Instant
Exile target creature. Its controller creature a tapped treasure token.

Burn Spell R
Instant
~ deals 4 damage to target creature or planeswalker. Its controller creature a tapped treasure token.

Kill Spell 1B
Instant
Destroy target creature or planeswalker. Its controller creature a tapped treasure token.

Counter Spell 1U
Instant
Destroy target spell. Its controller creature a tapped treasure token.

Green Spell 1G
Instant
??????? Each opponent creature a tapped treasure token.
 
So I wanted to try my hand at creating some custom cards for my cube, mostly because I kinda want to have a few more half decent threshold creatures in red, and I'm not happy with the 1 and 2 cmc slots, but I have no idea what I'm doing so I could use some help.

Bolt Rager.png

I'm considering something like this to replace Illustrious Historian, because creating a permanent token doesn't really feel like something red should be doing. Incidentally, 3 damage just about nukes everything in my cube, creaturewise, and it could work as a bolt to the face for aggro decks. Not sure about the cost for the bolt yet, though. 1 mana and Threshold is probably fine, since it's what you pay for Fiery Temper's madness cost.

Patient knight 2.png or Patient knight 3.png

I would like a red one drop with threshold, but I don't want it to always flat out overpower Nimble Mongoose. Having 1 toughness after threshold hits still makes it very vulnerable to removal while Nimble Mongoose with its 3 toughness and shroud tends to stick around. I'm torn between giving it first strike or flanking, and I'm not 100% sure about the power increase/menace.

I have flanking as a keyword in Boros (yes, the powerlevel is that low), so having a 1 drop would fit and would likely also encourage more aggressive play patterns. There are a lot of 1 toughness creatures in my cube, so a first striker or flanker is usually annoying to block, even if it has just 1 power.
 
Flergelstinker 2W
Creature - Zingly
When ~ enters or you cast a non-creature spell, create a 1/1 human soldier token, then creature tokens you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/3
 
Flergelstinker 2W
Creature - Zingly
When ~ enters or you cast a non-creature spell, create a 1/1 human soldier token, then creature tokens you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/3
I think I'd prefer it if it buffed a certain creature or token type, but creature type would likely make it too strong with enough cheap cantrips.
 
How about:
Flergelstinker 2W
Creature - Zingly
When ~ enters or you cast a non-creature spell, choose one:
- Create a 1/1 human soldier token.
- Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/3
 
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