How would that be worded? "You can play two lands this turn"?
General Riptidelab mostly-custom cube attempt #1
- Thread starter anotak
- Start date
The thing I'm trying to deal with is that the leap from 1cmc -> 2cmc massively reduces the playability of this effect, so I'd want to compensate for that somehow.
My favorite landfall creature:
Honorable mention:
My favorite landfall creature:
Honorable mention:
Hmm I see the conundrum there. I was just going to suggest adding "You may play an additional land this turn", but that doesn't work since landstorm would be copying the spell, allowing for more to be played beyond the one extra.
Uhh something like this maybe? Seems a bit clunky though.
, Grimpulse, Sorcery
Exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play cards exiled this way. You may play an additional land card that was exiled by a spell named Grimpulse if you have not done so this turn.
Landstorm.
Uhh something like this maybe? Seems a bit clunky though.
, Grimpulse, SorceryExile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play cards exiled this way. You may play an additional land card that was exiled by a spell named Grimpulse if you have not done so this turn.
Landstorm.
, Sanguine Feeder, Creature - Vampire, 1/1Whenever an opponent loses life, put a +1/+1 counter on Sanguine Feeder. (Damage causes loss of life)
Whenever an opponent loses life, put a +1/+1 counter on Sanguine Feeder.
Yesterday I literally put that in my custom cube file, as an opposite to Ajani's pridemate, and something for extort to work with.
I thought about making him a 1-drop but then he'd be a really good version of that 1-drop. Which is probably too good. Maybe Sanguine Feeder could be 1/2? Square stats are easier. I guess I'd have to play with it.
, Hate Ursus, Creature - Bear, 2/2Opponents cannot search their libraries. Any player may pay
to ignore this effect until end of turn.
Anowon the Second
Legendary Creature — Vampire
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, each player sacrifices a non-Vampire creature.
5/4
totally_not_influenced_by_ftk
Creature
When totally_not_influenced_by_ftk enters the battlefield, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of nonbasic lands you control.
2/2
Landcloner Guy
Creature — Shapeshifter
You may have Landcloner Guy enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature or land on the battlefield.
0/0
vaguely kismet enchland
Enchantment Land
Lands enter the battlefield tapped. (vaguely kismet enchland enters the battlefield tapped.)
: Add or to your mana pool.
buildaroundmelandidea#1
Land
: Add to your mana pool.
: Add to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if an opponent lost life this turn.
buildaroundmelandidea#2
Land
Landfall—Whenever another land enters the battlefield under your control, untap buildaroundmelandidea#2.
: Add to your mana pool.
Or_It_Could_Be_An_Aura
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Land
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, untap enchanted land.
buildaroundmelandidea#3
Land
: Add to your mana pool.
, : Add to your mana pool for each land card in your graveyard.
library of alexawhat
Land
: Add 1 to your mana pool.
: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control exactly seven lands.
Legendary Creature — Vampire
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, each player sacrifices a non-Vampire creature.
5/4
totally_not_influenced_by_ftk
Creature
When totally_not_influenced_by_ftk enters the battlefield, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of nonbasic lands you control.
2/2
Landcloner Guy
Creature — Shapeshifter
You may have Landcloner Guy enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature or land on the battlefield.
0/0
vaguely kismet enchland
Enchantment Land
Lands enter the battlefield tapped. (vaguely kismet enchland enters the battlefield tapped.)
: Add or to your mana pool.buildaroundmelandidea#1
Land
: Add to your mana pool.: Add to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if an opponent lost life this turn.buildaroundmelandidea#2
Land
Landfall—Whenever another land enters the battlefield under your control, untap buildaroundmelandidea#2.
: Add to your mana pool.Or_It_Could_Be_An_Aura
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Land
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, untap enchanted land.
buildaroundmelandidea#3
Land
: Add to your mana pool., : Add to your mana pool for each land card in your graveyard.library of alexawhat
Land
: Add 1 to your mana pool.: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control exactly seven lands.
Mechanic dump incoming:
Trickster (This creature can be blocked by tapped creatures, but not untapped creatures.)
Encourages aggression in an interesting way. When I used it, I put it in red and blue.
Test subject [COST] (You may cast this spell for its test subject cost. If you do, put a 2/2 colorless creature token onto the battlefield. This spell targets that token.)
Basically living weapon for instants/sorceries. Note, the token itself is put onto the battlefield upon casting, so it basically has split second.
Growth # (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this creature's power is less than #, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Might not be worth keywording at all. Not sure if it's interesting on more than a couple cards.
Practice (When you cast this spell, copy it for each card with Practice in your graveyard. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
More parasitic storm-like mechanic made by a friend. Good with graveyard stuff, but the cube would need a critical mass of Practice cards for it to work.
Unity (This creature can't attack or block unless all creatures you control with Unity attack or block.)
Drawback mechanic, can be used for token generators and such.
Smuggle (This creature can't be blocked if there are any unblocked attackers without Smuggle.)
This might cause rules issues, not really sure.
Trickster (This creature can be blocked by tapped creatures, but not untapped creatures.)
Encourages aggression in an interesting way. When I used it, I put it in red and blue.
Test subject [COST] (You may cast this spell for its test subject cost. If you do, put a 2/2 colorless creature token onto the battlefield. This spell targets that token.)
Basically living weapon for instants/sorceries. Note, the token itself is put onto the battlefield upon casting, so it basically has split second.
Growth # (At the beginning of your upkeep, if this creature's power is less than #, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Might not be worth keywording at all. Not sure if it's interesting on more than a couple cards.
Practice (When you cast this spell, copy it for each card with Practice in your graveyard. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
More parasitic storm-like mechanic made by a friend. Good with graveyard stuff, but the cube would need a critical mass of Practice cards for it to work.
Unity (This creature can't attack or block unless all creatures you control with Unity attack or block.)
Drawback mechanic, can be used for token generators and such.
Smuggle (This creature can't be blocked if there are any unblocked attackers without Smuggle.)
This might cause rules issues, not really sure.
Anybody have cool ideas of settings we could use as inspiration?
Some mechanics I designed recently and can remember while I put on my running shoes:
Habitat - When you control X or more lands (or less etc) something happens.
Dig 4 (to dig look at the top 4 cards of your library, you may put one on top of your library and put the rest into your graveyard.)
Flashback creatures:
Somebody help me make a more interesting Ripple / Cascade
Mechanics I just like:
Flashback
Cycling
Kicker
Madness
Affinity for
Delve
Threshold
Echo
Evoke
Fading
Extort
Hybrid
devotion
Devour
Morbid
One of my favourite little mechanics
Habitat - When you control X or more lands (or less etc) something happens.
Dig 4 (to dig look at the top 4 cards of your library, you may put one on top of your library and put the rest into your graveyard.)
Flashback creatures:
- The soul of X ability, where you can remove a creature from the graveyard in order to play a spell like ability
- Or this ability , Exile CARDNAME from your graveyard: Put a creature token copy of CARDNAME into play.
Somebody help me make a more interesting Ripple / Cascade
Mechanics I just like:
Flashback
Cycling
Kicker
Madness
Affinity for
Delve
Threshold
Echo
Evoke
Fading
Extort
Hybrid
devotion
Devour
Morbid
One of my favourite little mechanics
Setting ideas while I stretch:
- Return to weird plane (ie Homelands) More gothic horror I guess but there's tonnes of room there because it's so old now. Remains of Rath could also be possible
- Empty world of mysterious ruins (nothing here but spirits and the humans that are discovering it and like animal and plant life) Archeology etc
- World that is special for some reason being fought over by iconic mana aligned monsters. Another good devotion world. Scheming demons, meddling djinn, avaricious dragons.
- World where wizards rule, ivory towers, very gamey mechanics. Pomp and circumstance
- Sword and sorcery savage land sort of world. Dinosaurs? Barbarians? Land mechanics? Combat? Equipment?
- Afterlife World. This would be great for a central character odyssey. purgatory, demons, angels, spirits, prisons, graveyards, exile. Lots of classic material and traditions to draw upon
- Dungeon Crawl. Not exactly Zendikar. Make overt references to gamey shit. Could also be a great way to tell a heroic odyssey. Could also find use for class tribal. I'm sure if you have a rogue type guy in play some spells or something could be better.
- Swashbuckling tropics and dread seas. Trade and burglary. Sunken treasure. Waterworld even!
- Planar Hub World. Like some sort of city of gates. You could find yourself in all kinds of situations there.
- Some sort of crazy wizard's arena. Tonnes of episodes like this in classic SF.
go back to Lorwyn, and make it even more fairy-tale like (i.e. Disney levels of saccharine)
Yeah and Arthurian Chivalry "Sword in the Stone" type stuff is really cool.
I also like the idea of cutesy fantasy, but lorwyn's tribal feel feels too predominant. Maybe something more committed to folklore than worldbuilding. Like instead of making a whole race of gingerbread construct soldiers and fleshing out the Hag hierarchy just making sure to include the relevant aspects of a number of cute tales.
You could even weave the theme of storytelling or something into the mechanics or the flavor of the cards. Go for a princess bride angle where there are two levels of immersion.
Omg Rumpelstiltskin
i bet my Snow White deck could take your Dumbo deck, you only have vanilla animals while i have ALL the dwarves in my corner!
This is sounding like a great limited set but maybe too harsh for cube to be designed around.
I know Anotak loves coloured artifacts. What fantasy landscapes have a lot of artifact creatures? I guess Arthurian or Savage fantasy could have a lot of colourful equipment and the like. I know you guys also love graveyards. What story themes work well with graveyards and lands?
Two mechanics I saw on MTGS years back I liked a lot:
I really want some lands that care about or move between different zones without being a damning drawback like karoo lands. I like that since this is a closed environment we have a lot of room to make lands that break the rules and also risk warping the way we play magic. Spell lands, super duals and exploring irregular curves are something I'm really curious about.
Imagine a format where all the spells cost 1-3 mana and then you are just expected to figure out how to do tricks with your lands, play more than one spell a turn or use some kicker mechanic to give the mid and lategame depth, instead of a steady progression.
I know Anotak loves coloured artifacts. What fantasy landscapes have a lot of artifact creatures? I guess Arthurian or Savage fantasy could have a lot of colourful equipment and the like. I know you guys also love graveyards. What story themes work well with graveyards and lands?
Two mechanics I saw on MTGS years back I liked a lot:
- You may spend no coloured mana other than [Colour] to cast this spell.
- If you payed only [Colour] mana to cast this spell some bonus happens (I think the original involved copying it's effect)
I really want some lands that care about or move between different zones without being a damning drawback like karoo lands. I like that since this is a closed environment we have a lot of room to make lands that break the rules and also risk warping the way we play magic. Spell lands, super duals and exploring irregular curves are something I'm really curious about.
Imagine a format where all the spells cost 1-3 mana and then you are just expected to figure out how to do tricks with your lands, play more than one spell a turn or use some kicker mechanic to give the mid and lategame depth, instead of a steady progression.
Grillo_Parlante
Contributor
Return to the fallen empires?
Even more mechanics:
Hidden Suspend
Like Suspend, but face down. The spell turns face up when you cast it. We would have to work out a good cost and number for the suspend that's fair on a lot of different spells.
Suspendback
Suspend, but only from the graveyard.
Overloadback
Flashback, but the flashbacked version is overloaded.
Entwineback
You get the idea.
Stash [COST] ([COST], Reveal this card from your hand: Exchange it with the bottom card of your library.)
Cycling variant, if you have multiples you can retrieve a card you stashed, interactions with scry and shuffling.
Defiant - Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets this creature, [EFFECT].
Reverse heroic. Kind of like a milder/more interactive Hexproof.
Vindictive - Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets another creature you control, [EFFECT].
Feels white, it represents a creature protecting/avenging your other creatures.
Hidden Suspend
Like Suspend, but face down. The spell turns face up when you cast it. We would have to work out a good cost and number for the suspend that's fair on a lot of different spells.
Suspendback
Suspend, but only from the graveyard.
Overloadback
Flashback, but the flashbacked version is overloaded.
Entwineback
You get the idea.
Stash [COST] ([COST], Reveal this card from your hand: Exchange it with the bottom card of your library.)
Cycling variant, if you have multiples you can retrieve a card you stashed, interactions with scry and shuffling.
Defiant - Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets this creature, [EFFECT].
Reverse heroic. Kind of like a milder/more interactive Hexproof.
Vindictive - Whenever an opponent casts a spell that targets another creature you control, [EFFECT].
Feels white, it represents a creature protecting/avenging your other creatures.
Study Session
Instant
Draw two cards then discard a card from your hand.
Whenever you search your library you may play Study Session from your library as though it was in your hand.
Walk the Ruins
Sorcery
Dig 4, then you may put a land from your graveyard into play tapped. (To dig, look at the top X cards of your library, you may put one of them back on top of your library and the rest into your graveyard.)
Cave Snidd
Creature - Beast
Flash
When Cave Snidd enters the battlefield you may reveal a land card from your hand, if you do draw a card.
3/4
Forsaken Altar
Land
: Add to your mana pool
Contract -, Discard Forsaken Altar from your hand: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Territorial Gorilla
Creature - Ape
Territorial Gorilla cannot be blocked by creatures without flying or reach.
Habitat - As long as you control 2 or fewer lands gets +1/+1
3/3
Atavistic Advocate
Creature - Elf Shaman
When ~ enters the battlefield Destroy target land. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle his or her library.
2/2
I like the interaction between self milling and losing access to searchables
Instant
Draw two cards then discard a card from your hand.
Whenever you search your library you may play Study Session from your library as though it was in your hand.
Walk the Ruins
Sorcery
Dig 4, then you may put a land from your graveyard into play tapped. (To dig, look at the top X cards of your library, you may put one of them back on top of your library and the rest into your graveyard.)
Cave Snidd
Creature - Beast
Flash
When Cave Snidd enters the battlefield you may reveal a land card from your hand, if you do draw a card.
3/4
Forsaken Altar
Land
: Add to your mana poolContract -
, Discard Forsaken Altar from your hand: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.Territorial Gorilla
Creature - Ape
Territorial Gorilla cannot be blocked by creatures without flying or reach.
Habitat - As long as you control 2 or fewer lands gets +1/+1
3/3
Atavistic Advocate
Creature - Elf Shaman
When ~ enters the battlefield Destroy target land. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle his or her library.
2/2
I like the interaction between self milling and losing access to searchables
CML
Contributor
Anowon the Second
Legendary Creature — Vampire
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, each player sacrifices a non-Vampire creature.
5/4
totally_not_influenced_by_ftk
Creature
When totally_not_influenced_by_ftk enters the battlefield, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of nonbasic lands you control.
2/2
Landcloner Guy
Creature — Shapeshifter
You may have Landcloner Guy enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature or land on the battlefield.
0/0
vaguely kismet enchland
Enchantment Land
Lands enter the battlefield tapped. (vaguely kismet enchland enters the battlefield tapped.)
buildaroundmelandidea#1
Land
buildaroundmelandidea#2
Land
Landfall—Whenever another land enters the battlefield under your control, untap buildaroundmelandidea#2.
Or_It_Could_Be_An_Aura
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Land
Landfall—Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, untap enchanted land.
buildaroundmelandidea#3
Land
library of alexawhat
Land
---
i like all these ideas but the lands are too strong. the kismet land is even probably a little much, the RRR land and the Ancient Tomb on Steroids are just nuts though. yet how do you balance them? i think the low opportunity cost of playing any land with an effect makes the design difficult since development will inevitably cramp your style. old designs that have brought me joy include volrath's stronghold (contrast with cards like gaea's cradle, kjeldoran outpost, thawing glaciers that completely defined formats or are strong by modern standards), new designs i dig include scrylands and hideaway lands if you're looking for utility. not sure how to design aggro utility lands (beyond Windbrisk Heights) at all since CIPT or taps for colorless (or both in the case of cathedral of war) seem like necessary nerfs and they're usually dealbreakers over here
Landcloner Guy is sweet
Cathedral of War entering untapped seems fine. The idea of aggro lands that ETB tapped is a bit incongruous. I used to have a Contested War Zone that did work but either I lost it or someone stole it, and I'm hoping it was stolen for flavor reasons.
I want this set to have 5-color Wizards as an archetype. Let's make it happen people.