Design a mechanic challenge

My favourite mechanics are the ones that work by themselves, but also can be fleshed out into something much more interesting.
For this challenge you will design your own mechanic. Submit up to 5 cards, showcasing both the mechanic in a simple form, and more interesting interactions with it. Judging will be based on creativity, balance, flavour and the individual cards. Judging will be on the 30/4.

Prizes:
Honourable mentions: Submissions favourited.
3rd: Submissions favourited + 2 favourites of my choice.
2nd: Submissions favourited + 4 favourites of my choice.
1st: Submissions favourited + 5 favourites of my choice + follow
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Comments

  • edited April 2017
    I was debating between three sets:
    http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/Faiths_Guide/sets/10549
    http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/Faiths_Guide/sets/11353
    http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/Faiths_Guide/sets/14353

    I guess I'll go with the last one.

    The mechanic is Instruct (which underwent a ton of revisions and refining).

    Instruct ({t}: Tap any number of untapped creatures you control. They become instructed until end of turn.)

    This can have a lot of benefits. The mechanic is focused in Bant colors:

    image

    Though the focus is Bant, both Red and Black can be incorporated when appropriate.

    Usually the instructors (Wizards, Shamans, Advisors, Monks, and even Soldiers) will have some ability they grant instructed creatures. In addition some creatures have abilities that trigger when instructed:

    image image

    More examples include Legendary creatures that are more powerful instructors:

    image

    And noncreature spells are certainly viable:

    image

    There are a ton of other awesome concepts and interactions in the Instruct Set, including Vardin, Unlife Tutor, Inward Eye Scholar, passively instructed creatures, and (slightly less polished) cards created by my compatriots @Monty & @VinylVantasy.

    Let me know what y'all think!
  • I like it quite a lot. It depends a lot on untapping/vigilance, but perhaps that's a good thing.
  • edited April 2017
    Here is an idea featuring Familiars. Familiars can be cast from your hand if you cast a Wizard or Shaman with a certain mana cost, and provide abilities relevant to the number of wizards and shamans you control. Here is one example:

    image
  • edited April 2017
    The mechanic I chose is "Wild N (Put N +1/+1 counters on this creature. It loses all its abilities.)"

    This is the two cards I've designed to show off the mechanic:

    imageimage


    As you can see, with those two cards I already hint at four different functions of this mechanic designwise:

    The Hound common shows that:
    - Wild can be used to make a small creature relevant in late game.
    - Wild can offer interesting choices by letting you choose between raw power and an useful ability.

    The Squirrel uncommon shows that:
    - Wild can lead to Vanilla tribal.
    - You can add an ability that triggers when you wilden the creature, just like Monstrous.

    P.S: Thanks to @Animist for reminding me that Unleash is already an existing mechanic and that I really should stop making cards after 11pm ;)
  • Cards from an expansion I'm working on that centers around a grand heist scheme. These cards showcase the Suspect effect:

    imageimageimageimageimage
  • edited April 2017
    @TheAcidicSniper
    Reminder text is italicized using one of the editor's options or by doing the following.
    <i>Reminder text</i>
  • edited April 2017
    I have much more, but I could only submit five :P
    imageimageimageimageimage
  • Always with the same mechanic Wild, I'd like to finish with my last three cards to show off the potential of the mechanic (see above for the first two):

    image

    This common just shows how Wild can give you interesting choices with things as simple as a french vanilla with trample.

    image

    Another use of Wild that I haven't shown yet: it can be used to get rid of the downsides of your creatures to make above-the-curve creatures work.

    image

    And finally, with a little twist, you can see how Wild have the potential to be a game-ending mechanic on this Mythic.

    The full five-cards cycle is available here: http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/ningyounk/sets/20190
  • @modination675 Thanks, I didnt really notice that before, but now I see the italics for reminder text on all the cards I look at. It should be fine for this challenge but I'll remake the cards afterward.
  • edited April 2017
    @TheAcidicSniper
    No problem, I was mainly referring to future cards. But it's nice to know that you're looking to revise existing ones for the feedback. :)
  • http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/witness-horror
    This was a mechanic I was working with I think I finally got it right.
    So it's a mechanic that shows you turning more and more to demonic power giving up your soul to get ever more power.
    Thoughts?
    I know it's kinda over powered to dark ruital turn one into this paying 7 life to just end your opponent (Unless their playing Dredge then you've made a mistake.)
  • @HenryTheHatter you only need to pay 2 life- play it three times- each opponent discards 9 cards. Yeah, pretty op.
  • @TheAcidicSniper
    @Hergusbergus
    @HenryTheHatter

    I've noticed none of you have left a comment under your cards, this can be useful as you get notified whenever someone hit the reply button this way ^^
    I have commented on your respective cards and mechanics if you're interested. Please don't take the criticism too harshly, I tried to be constructive while giving a honest opinion on the problems I could foresee. I think it's always interesting to hear feedback on your cards even when it's not just positive :)

    I haven't commented on the Instruct cards because I already had some more in-depths discussion about it with the team when they were featuring it in the Team contests series ^^
  • edited April 2017
    image image image
    image image
  • @pstmdrn
    I don't think you're supposed to use other Cardsmith's mechanics.
    That one was created by @michaelmvm.
  • edited April 2017
    I had no idea! Thanks I thought of it long ago, but great minds think alike!
  • @pstmdrn
    I think this was his first card with it:
    http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/marugandian-raptor
    (Oct 25, 2015)
  • @Faiths_Guide @pstmdrn Though I note you transformed Primal into an alternative cost instead of a downsides mechanic which I think really improves the whole thing ^^
  • edited April 2017
    @ningyounk Thanks so much! I wanted it to represent raw potential of pure mana, but in a world that is not completely restricted by it. @Faiths_guide I will keep them up for fun, but remove those cards from the game. I will think of a different mechanic in time I hope.
  • edited April 2017
    @ningyounk Thank you for your critique.

    I will take in mind what you have said.




























    I deleted everything.
  • edited April 2017
    Lol, Hergusbergus. XD
  • @modnation675

    just click my cards.

    see for your yourself.
















    I deleted everything.
  • edited April 2017
    @Hergusburgus
    Yes, I see. I just found the way you wrote that comment as humorous.
  • edited April 2017
    Frontline (Creatures you control without reach, frontline, or flying cannot attack or block, and get protection from opponent's creatures without reach or flying.)

    image

    Things like shadow or flanking could be included, but I only went with the common abilities to save space. It is meant to replicate fighting on the frontlines with the rest of your army in reserve.
  • Tried to balance it

    http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/growing-horror

    Would really appreciate thoughts on it.
  • edited April 2017
    Reverb - {Types and/or subtypes} - (When this card comes into play, you may put into play an additional card from your hand that has at least one of the specified types or subtypes. If you do, you cannot play cards of the specified types on your next turn.)

    imageimage

    (some cards were retracted to work on balance)
  • edited April 2017
    My mechanic:
    Cowardly - (Whenever an opponent casts a spell, tap this creature. If one or more spells were cast last turn, this creature doesn't untap during your untap step.)

    imageimageimageimageimage
  • Spellcraft X - (Whenever an opponent casts an instant or sorcery spell, if this creature is untapped, you may tap this creature. If you do, cast a spell from your hand that is the same color or colors as this creature, with a converted mana cost of X or less, without paying its mana cost.)

    image image image
  • @pstmdrn
    In this circumstance you use normal numbers rather than mana symbols.
This discussion has been closed.