White having more card draw is part of a solution to buff it, but I agree @Faiths_Guide that shouldn't be the only axis people tweak with it. I'd want to move it from .5 in card draw to a 1, not make it a 5 in card draw like blue as it's stupidly behind all other colors in that regard. (These are just random numbers to illustrate my point.) I'd want to have more card draw in the game period as I'd want to speed up the overall tempo of magic, but I'd weaponize that for blue since they can punish people for running through their decks faster then as they would become more vunerable to that element. Why I came up with this mechanic...(see below.) I want there be checks and balances just different ones to evolve beyond the current status quo of what Maro has in mind.
I am not a purist, and that is why I don't bow to Maro's word as law. I come at things sideways all the time. @Tomigon referred to my cards as crazy in a number of instances...I take it as a compliment heh. Granted the game isn't subjected to my vision so me being more experimental harms nothing. I take an idea and push on it and knock it around for a bit till I feel I've explored it enough. I happen come up with a card draw related thing at the moment because it was on the brain, but it's hardly the only thing I want to create.
@Faiths_Guide I get it. my point was White does deserve a sprinkling of card draw is all. I plan overhaul something I came up with earlier that has nothing do with card draw for a mainly white mechanic as well. I might opt to crowdsource it in form of a contest once I get my second draft knocked out. It's current form leave something to desired.
I have an idea, don't know if it has been used and I haven't done yet. Hunter's Mark - When (condition) put a Mark counter on target creature. The idea here is that creatures or instant/sorceries can do something on those marked creatures. Ex: If this spell targets a marked creature, it deals N damage instead.
This is intended for creatures only since those are the preys
@Daedalus_The_All_Father A card is not a permanent until it hits the table, so you might want it to say "This spell can't be countered and can't leave the battlefield." if you want it to be more realistic. (and even then, I think this could be worded better too)
@Corwinnn I'm sure it can, it was mostly just a "I want to make this as annoying as possible" kind of mechanic. I didn't put too much thought into the actual wording of it either.
@Daedalus_The_All_Father In my opinion if this was a situational keyword, it'd be far more balanced.
Example: Creature - As long as you control less creatures than each player, [name of card] has immutable.
The only serious issue with this keyword is when it comes to certain mechanics of the game, like sacrifice for instance. Does immutable let you pick that creature to sacrifice and have the creature remain? Or is it an invalid target since it can't actually go to the graveyard?
I like abilities that escalates as match progress. Another idea I've thinking on is:
Saturate - if (this spell) deals damage to a creature or player, it gets a saturation counter.
So spells can interact with those counters in order to amplify its effects.
Ex, an hipotetic "Condensed Energy Bolt". It deals 1 damage to target creature or player. It deals 2 more damage to that target if it has three or more saturation counters and this damage cannot be prevented. Saturate.
So this one gets better when target is "saturated" and also contributes to this cumulative feature. The improvement may be drawing cards, extending effects to other targets or even destroy targeted permanent.
I had designed this by accident, and decided to roll with it! Thanks to @Xero for the name!
Spellcharged -- [effect] where X is the number of spells a player controls (optional baseline bonus).
Needless to say, this is for Instants and spells with flash. Think of it as a counter for Storm or as a way to intervene and make the best of a spell stack between players in commander.
@Bowler218 Backstab [Cost] (during any declare attackers step, you may cast this for it's backstab cost tapped and attacking target creature. It deals double damage until end of turn.)
I would reword this as follows: Backstab [Cost] (During your declare attackers step, you may cast this creature for its backstab cost tapped and attacking. You may have this creature deal damage to target creature equal to twice its power. This creature deals no combat damage this turn)
It should be at your declare attackers step since putting an attacking creature in game during other player's turn would implicate it comes under his control.
I love this. It kinda feels like Ninjitsu but as a kill spell, rather than reaping benefits off combat damage to players. I could see this ability being during any combat step, but only when that player has priority. So on your turns, when attacking, and on opponents turns, defending. Below is my rewording:
Backstab [cost] (At the beginning of combat, you may cast this creature for its backstab cost. This creature must attack or block this turn if able. You may have this creature deal damage to target creature equal to twice its power. This creature deals no combat damage this turn.)
I know it's choppy with the wording but i feel it gets the point across due to how the combat phase and it's steps are explained. Active player = Attacker, Inactive player(s) = Defenders
Humanity N (If this creature isn't a Human, put N -1/-1 counters on it and it becomes a Human.)
Note: For non-Human creatures, obviously. A creature with humanity should (most of the time) include an ability that goes someway like "When ~ becomes a Human, (effect.)"
Scion: When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, choose target creature you control. CARDNAME becomes that creature's Scion. (When the chosen creature dies, you may sacrifice its Scion. If you do, return the chosen creature from your graveyard to the battlefield.
I never put this here. This is a custom mechanic from a challenge I ran months ago.
Titanfall - Whenever a creature or vehicle with base power 5 or greater enters the battlefield under your control ______________________________________________.
Two examples I made at the time are...
For more examples of it in use, you can view the challenge at forums.mtgcardsmith.com/discussion/4635/prepare-for-titanfall-circuit-challenge
Beckon [quality] (When this permanent enters the battlefield, return target [quality] card with lesser converted mana cost from your graveyard to your hand.)
Note: For permanents with converted mana cost 2 or greater obviously.
Forged For a ______ (Whenever a ______ enters the battlefield under your control, you may attach this equipment to it.)
Made for my Nordic Kaldheim set. Just for equipment, obviously. Though there could maybe be some fortifications with Forged For an island or whatever.
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Faulty reasoning, yup.
White can be made good without "borrowing" from everything else, as MaRo has explained.
I am not a purist, and that is why I don't bow to Maro's word as law. I come at things sideways all the time. @Tomigon referred to my cards as crazy in a number of instances...I take it as a compliment heh. Granted the game isn't subjected to my vision so me being more experimental harms nothing. I take an idea and push on it and knock it around for a bit till I feel I've explored it enough. I happen come up with a card draw related thing at the moment because it was on the brain, but it's hardly the only thing I want to create.
Card Advantage isn't limited to "draw a card." White can overcome the advantage obstacle in unique ways.
Immutable (This permanent cannot be countered and cannot leave the battlefield.)
Hunter's Mark - When (condition) put a Mark counter on target creature.
The idea here is that creatures or instant/sorceries can do something on those marked creatures.
Ex: If this spell targets a marked creature, it deals N damage instead.
This is intended for creatures only since those are the preys
(and even then, I think this could be worded better too)
Example:
Creature - As long as you control less creatures than each player, [name of card] has immutable.
The only serious issue with this keyword is when it comes to certain mechanics of the game, like sacrifice for instance. Does immutable let you pick that creature to sacrifice and have the creature remain? Or is it an invalid target since it can't actually go to the graveyard?
Saturate - if (this spell) deals damage to a creature or player, it gets a saturation counter.
So spells can interact with those counters in order to amplify its effects.
Ex, an hipotetic "Condensed Energy Bolt".
It deals 1 damage to target creature or player. It deals 2 more damage to that target if it has three or more saturation counters and this damage cannot be prevented.
Saturate.
So this one gets better when target is "saturated" and also contributes to this cumulative feature.
The improvement may be drawing cards, extending effects to other targets or even destroy targeted permanent.
Examples:
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/charged-plasma?list=set&set=49750
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/guided-lightning?list=set&set=49750
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/violent-eruption-3?list=set&set=49750
Please feedback
Spellcharged -- [effect] where X is the number of spells a player controls (optional baseline bonus).
Needless to say, this is for Instants and spells with flash. Think of it as a counter for Storm or as a way to intervene and make the best of a spell stack between players in commander.
Examples:
The combination of your conjectures is correct. You only control them when you cast them, and yes, it plays with the stack.
Askarel, if it were spells cast in the turn, that that'd be like Storm, which this counters. (Storm creates copies per spell cast prior)
Backstab [Cost] (during any declare attackers step, you may cast this for it's backstab cost tapped and attacking target creature. It deals double damage until end of turn.)
I would reword this as follows:
Backstab [Cost] (During your declare attackers step, you may cast this creature for its backstab cost tapped and attacking. You may have this creature deal damage to target creature equal to twice its power. This creature deals no combat damage this turn)
It should be at your declare attackers step since putting an attacking creature in game during other player's turn would implicate it comes under his control.
I love this. It kinda feels like Ninjitsu but as a kill spell, rather than reaping benefits off combat damage to players. I could see this ability being during any combat step, but only when that player has priority. So on your turns, when attacking, and on opponents turns, defending. Below is my rewording:
Backstab [cost] (At the beginning of combat, you may cast this creature for its backstab cost. This creature must attack or block this turn if able. You may have this creature deal damage to target creature equal to twice its power. This creature deals no combat damage this turn.)
I know it's choppy with the wording but i feel it gets the point across due to how the combat phase and it's steps are explained. Active player = Attacker, Inactive player(s) = Defenders
There's already an updated version here:
http://forums.mtgcardsmith.com/discussion/4354/tome-of-themechanix
Just scroll down to the section for my mechanics.
Fast (Creatures with first strike, double strike, or haste are fast.)
Note: A batching keyword.
Set containing all my cards with fast.
Newer mechanic, which I've liked to use so far:
Humanity N (If this creature isn't a Human, put N -1/-1 counters on it and it becomes a Human.)
Note: For non-Human creatures, obviously. A creature with humanity should (most of the time) include an ability that goes someway like "When ~ becomes a Human, (effect.)"
Set containing all my cards with humanity.
Scion: When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, choose target creature you control. CARDNAME becomes that creature's Scion. (When the chosen creature dies, you may sacrifice its Scion. If you do, return the chosen creature from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Titanfall - Whenever a creature or vehicle with base power 5 or greater enters the battlefield under your control ______________________________________________.
Two examples I made at the time are...
For more examples of it in use, you can view the challenge at
forums.mtgcardsmith.com/discussion/4635/prepare-for-titanfall-circuit-challenge
Example:
Note: For permanents with converted mana cost 2 or greater obviously.
Set containing all my cards with beckon: http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/TenebrisNemo/sets/51010