You Make the Set 5

[Thomas David Baker]

We are doing this in our Multiverse app:

http://mv.bluebones.net/

(Old shared Google spreadsheet for this is here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag7TtjWsLhYkdHBBUHF4RG... )

Channel Fireball just did Top 8 Mechanics:

* Retrace

* Dredge

* Landfall (not for attacking like Steppe Lynx - Grazing Gladehart and Roil Elemental style)

* Scry

* Flashback

* Kicker

* Flying

* Cycling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiNNg5aj-xo

I wonder if we could use that, or some of that, as the basis of You Make the Set 5.  I know that some of you were keen on Landfall.

Not sure when we would play it out but some time in late May probably?

[Kieran Symington]

Some cool stuff in Simon's set so far. Things like Graveslaver, Hemogoyf and the Mages with enemy colour abilities. I quite like Tension Turtle as well - though gaining two life doesn't seem like much of a payout for managing to tap it!

I like the 'top card of your library' effects in Simon's set. I may have to see if I can do something with 'Library matters' as a theme.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

I like your cards Tom, lots of good simple effects in the retrace stuff. I'm not sure your sorcery speed, player only shock is going to be good enough :-)

My file is just a hodgepodge of thoughts rather than a structured approach to design. I'm clearly not following my own advice with regards to the design skeleton :-) Also that is why there is a ton of random rares/mythics.

Rageslaver is supposed to be a mini Mindslaver, I forgot to add the sacrifice bit!

Tension Turtle is just one of those bland commons that might work in some narrow archetype, its not supposed to be good.

Thought Shards is actually one of Tim's designs from a previous YmtD that he ended up not printing the cards for. I thought it fit pretty well with the theme of our set.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

I mentioned this to Kieran on Sunday, but I came up with a mechanic that might be thematic:

Portent <cost> (If this is revealed and on top of your library, you may play it for its portent cost.)

Example:

Portentious Shrike - 3UU

Creature - Bird

Flying

Portent 1U

4/4

I guess it is kind of a Miracle but for the top of your library. The wording might need to be tidied up to be a triggered ability based on being revealed so that it will work for temporary reveals like Clash, and permanent reveal effects like Future Sight.

I haven't done much with it yet, but I imagine you  guys will be able to come up with something interesting :-)

[Thomas David Baker]

Like it!  Works great with scry and similar things.  We try to avoid shuffling too much even if we have a lot of top-of-library manipulations.

[Paul Hodgson]

So it only works if you have some other effect that lets you reveal the top of your library? Doesn't work with Scry & is a non-bo (of sorts) with future sight. 

You could make all/most cards with portent have "Reveal the top card of your library" as an ETB effect? That way you can chain them together if you're super lucky - although is kinda like a bad/better ripple.

[Kieran Symington]

I love the mechanic but getting the spell at a discount may be too good. It really depends on what we want to do with the 'reveal' abilities. If all the 'reveal' abilities are temporary and have a cost, then getting a discount is probably fine since you had to pay for the reveal. I had some of mine revealing permanently, and that would make this a bit dangerous since you'd get a cheap spell for no cards and essentially no cost. Revealing the cards temporarily is probably better anyway...

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Currently all of mine are temporary reveals, or reveal until end of turn. I did imagine there being permanent revealers though, as I have the odd card based around that too.

Since you have to invest some resources in having the top card of your library revealed, I think the cost discount is okay. I was imagining this mechanic as being scattered through the colours, primarily in blue, but probably not in such a volume that you could fill your deck with them. It is here as a support to the "top of library matters" theme.

Kieran Symington said:

I love the mechanic but getting the spell at a discount may be too good. It really depends on what we want to do with the 'reveal' abilities. If all the 'reveal' abilities are temporary and have a cost, then getting a discount is probably fine since you had to pay for the reveal. I had some of mine revealing permanently, and that would make this a bit dangerous since you'd get a cheap spell for no cards and essentially no cost. Revealing the cards temporarily is probably better anyway...

[Thomas David Baker]

The Portent cost doesn't have to be lower.  It could be higher, or the same.

[Kieran Symington]

I had this idea to do with Portent last night:

Mental Collapse U
Sorcery
Portent 1U
Target player puts the top 4 cards of their library into their graveyard. If Mental Collapse was paid for its portent cost, put it on top of its owner's library as it resolves.

Basically letting you cast it repeatedly as long as it stays on top. This might actually be too strong, but it makes for a strategy all by itself of trying to keep it on top while you mill your opponent out.

[Kieran Symington]

Obviously, that should read 'cast for its Portent cost' not 'paid for its Portent cost' but for some reason I can't edit posts when I'm at work!

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Yes!

This is cool Kieran. At only two mana the Portent might be a bit too powerful late game, if you can cast it 3 times then draw it next turn and cast again. I guess you have to also have a way of constantly revealing it.

This probably requires playing with to determine how strong it is, but the idea is really good.

[Simon O'Keeffe]

Since the Portent is kind of like having an extra card in your hand, I can certainly see some higher Portent costs, such as:

Impending Doom - 1BB

Instant

Portent 3BB

Destroy target creature

Thomas David Baker said:

The Portent cost doesn't have to be lower.  It could be higher, or the same.