Plague (This creature deals damage to other creatures in the form of plague counters. Creatures have -1/-1 for each plague counter on them.)
This here is for a set of cards I'm working on. The mechanic is similar to infect, except that plague does not do anything special toward players, and is a specially named counter; not a -1/-1 counter. This enables a "plague" mechanic to go into effect where you give creatures with plague counters specific effects. At the time of posting this, I have four cards designed around this mechanic:
I debated having all creatures with plague counters on them having plague, but I decided against it, as that renders the mechanic easily causing backfire. I may develop an enchantment that states "All creatures with plague counters on them have plague."
Nope. Wither puts -1/-1 counters on creatures. Plague specifically puts a counter named a plague counter on creatures, enabling specific effects to be given to creatures with those counters on them, acting as, well, a plague.
@SammySammyson,@FaithsGuide re plague, it's easier to just have effects reference -1/-1 counters as well. That allows cards from all of Magic's history to interact.
Berserk {cost} ({cost}: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. It must attack this turn if able. Activate this ability only once each turn and only as a sorcery.) "Whenever a creature goes berserk..." :P Ingenuity X (This creature enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it. Once during each of your turns, you may remove a +1/+1 counter from it. When you do, discard a card, then draw a card.)
I don't know if anyone has already come up with anything like this, but I made this mechanic for a set I'm designing...
Infiltrate N (Look at the top N cards of target opponent's library. You may put any number of them on the bottom of that player's library.) ~Basically Scry on your opponent
And also this one that I'm certain is super broken in the right places...
Ceasing (Whenever a card you own is put into exile from anywhere, effect) [On permanents] -OR- Ceasing (If a card you own was put into exile from anywhere this turn, effect) [On non-permanents]
Going to go ahead and make a post for mechanics I've made so far, and I have a couple kicking around that I might add later if I figure them out. Apologies if these are too similar to other smith's mechanics.
Spelldash [Cost] (You may cast this spell for its spelldash cost. If you do, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Dervish (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player or planeswalker, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Idle [Cost] (If you cast this card for its idle cost, it's an Equipment spell that enters the battlefield attached to a creature of your choice. It becomes a creature again if not attached to a creature.) Not entirely sure on the wording of Idle, or even the name, but I tried to make artifact bestow.
Berserk (When this creature attacks, you may tap it and remove it from combat. If you do, it fights target creature.)
Wandering Monster - [cost] (Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell, you may cast this card as though it had flash by paying its Wandering Monster cost.)
[creature type]-walk (This creature can't be blocked if the defending player controls a [creature type].)
Loyal (cannot be taken control of by other players.)
Fester (whenever a festered permanent becomes tapped, its controller loses 1 life.)
@Red_Tower, Spelldash is a lot like the real mechanic called Buyback. Lemme know the differences please so I know good ways to use it.
Buyback [cost] (You may pay an additional [cost] as you cast this spell. If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner’s hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as it resolves.)
@Frostbvrn So the Dash mechanic only works on creatures, and buyback pretty much only works on instant and sorceries. I used it on an enchantment that had an etb effect, although it could also probably work on artifacts too.
Does anyone remember the mechanic (and who made it) that makes something not controlled by any player? Edit: I was planning on using it on a creature I am making but I decided against it. I would still like to know for future reference though.
Lineage: At the beginning of your upkeep, put an origin counter on this creature. Whenever a creature with Lineage attacks, put X 1/1 Descendant creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking where X is the number of origin counters on it. Exile them at the beginning of the next end step.
Reforge N. (Whenever a creature you control dies with converted mana cost X or lower than the amount of Reforge counters on this creature, create an artifact token that's a copy of it. Draw N cards.)
Insurgence (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, choose target creature that player controls. It deals damage equal to its power to its controller.)
Magnify (1 or 2 or 3) (When this creature enters the battlefield, you may pay {x}, where X is the number of [creature type] you control. If you do, put (or twice or triple) X +1/+1 counters on it.)
This is my newest mechanic. I had help from @DomriKade
Sorrow - ...if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack...
The signaling keyword is flexible. I've only published one card with the mechanic, and another, much earlier one where it wasn't keyworded, but I've made several others without publishing them. Examples of multiple uses are:
Sorrow - Cast this spell only if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack this turn.
Sorrow - This spell costs {1} less to cast if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack this turn.
Sorrow - At the beginning of your upkeep, if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack since the end of your last turn, you draw a card and lose 1 life.
As may be obvious from the name, the mechanic is meant to capture a feeling of grief, or a state which could be viewed as piteous.
I haven't posted here in a while, and I've been busy. I lost track of where some of these came from, so if I accidentally claim one of your mechanics, just let me know.
Embody {Cost} (You may cast this card for its embody cost. If you do, it becomes a Spirit creature and loses all other types. Embody only as a sorcery.)
Harvest (When this creature dies, you may sacrifice any number of creatures that share a creature type with it.)
Dramatize (At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are no cards in your hand, sacrifice each creature you control, then draw seven cards.)
[Quality] Warp (Whenever you cast a [Quality] spell, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, turn this permanent face-down. It's a 2/2 creature)
Autograph {Cost} (You may autograph this creature as it attacks. To do so, pay {Cost}, write your name inside its art box, then exile it. Another target creature you control gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of letters you wrote.)
Mercy (This creature does not deal combat damage to creatures.)
Prophecy (Exile this card when you draw it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose 3 or more life, you may cast this spell from exile.) The amount of life is still under consideration.
Prophecy N (Reveal this card as you draw it, then exile it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose N or more life, you may cast this spell from exile.) [If N is zero, use the following instead.] Prophecy (Reveal this card as you draw it, then exile it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose life, you may cast this spell from exile.)
I don't have a lot of custom mechanics, but here is what I have - Joust [cost] ({t}, pay [cost]: This creature fights another target creature) Aspect - If enchanted creature is named [card's name], it gets [positive effect] instead. **Note: This is always on an Aura with a negative effect. The positive effect is often the reverse of the negative one, and you can add adjectives before 'Aspect' to indicate different creature names.** Example: https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/promaideus-the-high-wraith?list=set&set=36405 Chase - Whenever a Stormchaser enters the battlefield under you control, [effect]. **I know this is a lot like rally, but it's for a custom subtype I made**
Just Recently created the first two of my "light" based mechanics. I believe when I'm done with them, they will all be based in white.
Reflections - Whenever this creature is dealt damage, half of that damage rounded up is dealt to the initial damages source. This creatures controller may pay {2}{w}. If they do, choose an additional target for the reflected damage.
Kaleidoscope - Until end of turn, If this creature has dealt combat damage to an opponent, you may copy target multicolored instant or sorcery. (You may choose new targets for the copy.)
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This here is for a set of cards I'm working on. The mechanic is similar to infect, except that plague does not do anything special toward players, and is a specially named counter; not a -1/-1 counter. This enables a "plague" mechanic to go into effect where you give creatures with plague counters specific effects. At the time of posting this, I have four cards designed around this mechanic:
Pestilence's Horse
Plagued Faerie
Fading Plague
Wiping Plague
I debated having all creatures with plague counters on them having plague, but I decided against it, as that renders the mechanic easily causing backfire. I may develop an enchantment that states "All creatures with plague counters on them have plague."
Congrats, you designed Wither.
Nope. Wither puts -1/-1 counters on creatures. Plague specifically puts a counter named a plague counter on creatures, enabling specific effects to be given to creatures with those counters on them, acting as, well, a plague.
Thanks for not reading my post though *shrug*
In that case: congrats, you misnamed counters to make a mechanic more difficult? *shrug*
At least you got close to a mechanic that was real at some point.
"Whenever a creature goes berserk..." :P
Ingenuity X (This creature enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it. Once during each of your turns, you may remove a +1/+1 counter from it. When you do, discard a card, then draw a card.)
Infiltrate N (Look at the top N cards of target opponent's library. You may put any number of them on the bottom of that player's library.)
~Basically Scry on your opponent
And also this one that I'm certain is super broken in the right places...
Ceasing (Whenever a card you own is put into exile from anywhere, effect) [On permanents]
-OR-
Ceasing (If a card you own was put into exile from anywhere this turn, effect) [On non-permanents]
Spelldash [Cost] (You may cast this spell for its spelldash cost. If you do, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Dervish (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player or planeswalker, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Idle [Cost] (If you cast this card for its idle cost, it's an Equipment spell that enters the battlefield attached to a creature of your choice. It becomes a creature again if not attached to a creature.)
Not entirely sure on the wording of Idle, or even the name, but I tried to make artifact bestow.
https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Fateseal
Berserk (When this creature attacks, you may
tap it and remove it from combat. If you do, it
fights target creature.)
Wandering Monster - [cost] (Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell, you may cast this card as though it had flash by paying its Wandering Monster cost.)
[creature type]-walk (This creature
can't be blocked if the defending player controls a
[creature type].)
Loyal (cannot be taken control of by other players.)
Fester (whenever a festered permanent becomes tapped, its controller loses 1 life.)
Buyback [cost] (You may pay an additional [cost] as you cast this spell. If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner’s hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as it resolves.)
Edit: I was planning on using it on a creature I am making but I decided against it. I would still like to know for future reference though.
Lineage: At the beginning of your upkeep, put an origin counter on this creature. Whenever a creature with Lineage attacks, put X 1/1 Descendant creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking where X is the number of origin counters on it. Exile them at the beginning of the next end step.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/khemoss-authority-1?list=user
Flip: https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/khemoss-displeasure?list=user
This is my newest mechanic. I had help from @DomriKade
Sorrow - ...if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack...
The signaling keyword is flexible. I've only published one card with the mechanic, and another, much earlier one where it wasn't keyworded, but I've made several others without publishing them. Examples of multiple uses are:
Sorrow - Cast this spell only if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack this turn.
Sorrow - This spell costs {1} less to cast if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack this turn.
Sorrow - At the beginning of your upkeep, if you lost life or a card was put into your graveyard from anywhere other than the stack since the end of your last turn, you draw a card and lose 1 life.
As may be obvious from the name, the mechanic is meant to capture a feeling of grief, or a state which could be viewed as piteous.
Example:
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/richard-the-lion-hearted
Embody {Cost} (You may cast this card for its embody cost. If you do, it becomes a Spirit creature and loses all other types. Embody only as a sorcery.)
Harvest (When this creature dies, you may sacrifice any number of creatures that share a creature type with it.)
Dramatize (At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are no cards in your hand, sacrifice each creature you control, then draw seven cards.)
[Quality] Warp (Whenever you cast a [Quality] spell, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, turn this permanent face-down. It's a 2/2 creature)
Autograph {Cost} (You may autograph this creature as it attacks. To do so, pay {Cost}, write your name inside its art box, then exile it. Another target creature you control gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of letters you wrote.)
Mercy (This creature does not deal combat damage to creatures.)
Prophecy (Exile this card when you draw it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose 3 or more life, you may cast this spell from exile.) The amount of life is still under consideration.
Prophecy N (Reveal this card as you draw it, then exile it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose N or more life, you may cast this spell from exile.)
[If N is zero, use the following instead.]
Prophecy (Reveal this card as you draw it, then exile it. Whenever a source causes a player to lose life, you may cast this spell from exile.)
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/havoc-2?list=set&set=32158
Joust [cost] ({t}, pay [cost]: This creature fights another target creature)
Aspect - If enchanted creature is named [card's name], it gets [positive effect] instead.
**Note: This is always on an Aura with a negative effect. The positive effect is often the reverse of the negative one, and you can add adjectives before 'Aspect' to indicate different creature names.** Example: https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/promaideus-the-high-wraith?list=set&set=36405
Chase - Whenever a Stormchaser enters the battlefield under you control, [effect].
**I know this is a lot like rally, but it's for a custom subtype I made**
Reflections - Whenever this creature is dealt damage, half of that damage rounded up is dealt to the initial damages source. This creatures controller may pay {2}{w}. If they do, choose an additional target for the reflected damage.
Kaleidoscope - Until end of turn, If this creature has dealt combat damage to an opponent, you may copy target multicolored instant or sorcery. (You may choose new targets for the copy.)