Magic Great Designer Search Test #4
Test #4 got released. In it, the designers were randomly assigned 1 cycle each of rare, uncommon and common. At least 1 had to be tight and 1 had to be loose. Then, at most 50 words to talk about each cycle.
I got out my trusty die, and randomly assigned myself instants, creatures and enchantments.
Instants (Common)
Rewarding Bolt
R
Instant
Rewarding Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Mists
U
Instant
Return two target creatures to their owners hand.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Demise
B
Instant
Destroy target non-black creature.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Growth
G
Instant
Search your library for a basic land and put it into play tapped.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Blink
W
Instant
Remove target creature from the game, then return it to play under it's owner's control.
Target opponent draws a card.
A tight cycle of staple abilities for each color, as needed in common. Is the power level jacked up enough to make the reverse-cantrip (a reversal from many traditional cycles) worthwhile?
Creatures (Uncommon)
Airfoil Auradon
3U
Creature - Auradon
1/1
Flying
Airfoil Aurodon gets +1/+1
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Airfoil Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Valorous Auradon
1W
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
Vigilance
Valorous Aurodon gets +0/+2
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Valorous Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Enraged Auradon
2R
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
R: +1/+0 until end of turn
Enraged Aurodon gets +2/+0
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Enraged Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Behemoth Auradon
3GG
Creature - Aurodon
2/2
Trample
Behemoth Aurodon gets +2/+2
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Behemoth Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Skeletal Auradon
1BB
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
B: Regenerate
Skeletal Aurodon gets +1/+1
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Skeletal Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Uncommon is the perfect place for this loose cycle, whose mana costs and abilities would need to be balanced carefully in playtesting. It lets limited players try to find 2 or 3 in a draft, and gives budget Timmies the chance to build huge creatures, provided they are willing to pour in the mana.
Enchantments (Rare)
Sigil of the Grave
1BB
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of the Grave may only enchant a creature you control
Whenever a creature you control other than enchanted creature is put into a graveyard from play, each other player sacrifices a creature.
Sigil of Opposition
1UU
Sigil of Opposition may only enchant a creature you control
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Tap a creature other than enchanted creature: Tap target artifact or creature.
Sigil of the Earth
1GG
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of the Earth may only enchant a creature you control
Tap a creature other than enchanted creature: Untap target basic land
Sigil of Violence
1RR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of Violence may only enchant a creature you control
If a creature you control other than enchanted creature would deal damage to a creature or player, it deals double that damage to that creature or player instead.
Sigil of Humility
1WW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of Humility may only enchant a creature you control
All creatures other than enchanted creature lose all abilities and are 1/1
This set takes iconic enchantments from Magic's past and reimagines them as auras. A twist: the enchanted creature itself is the only one unaffected, making for interesting play decisions. The drawbacks of a) being Auras and b) needing two creatures to make most of them useful allows for compelling costs.
I got out my trusty die, and randomly assigned myself instants, creatures and enchantments.
Instants (Common)
Rewarding Bolt
R
Instant
Rewarding Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Mists
U
Instant
Return two target creatures to their owners hand.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Demise
B
Instant
Destroy target non-black creature.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Growth
G
Instant
Search your library for a basic land and put it into play tapped.
Target opponent draws a card.
Rewarding Blink
W
Instant
Remove target creature from the game, then return it to play under it's owner's control.
Target opponent draws a card.
A tight cycle of staple abilities for each color, as needed in common. Is the power level jacked up enough to make the reverse-cantrip (a reversal from many traditional cycles) worthwhile?
Creatures (Uncommon)
Airfoil Auradon
3U
Creature - Auradon
1/1
Flying
Airfoil Aurodon gets +1/+1
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Airfoil Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Valorous Auradon
1W
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
Vigilance
Valorous Aurodon gets +0/+2
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Valorous Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Enraged Auradon
2R
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
R: +1/+0 until end of turn
Enraged Aurodon gets +2/+0
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Enraged Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Behemoth Auradon
3GG
Creature - Aurodon
2/2
Trample
Behemoth Aurodon gets +2/+2
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Behemoth Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Skeletal Auradon
1BB
Creature - Aurodon
1/1
B: Regenerate
Skeletal Aurodon gets +1/+1
3: Search your library for an Auradon and remove it from the game. Skeletal Aurodon gains all abilities of that creature.
Uncommon is the perfect place for this loose cycle, whose mana costs and abilities would need to be balanced carefully in playtesting. It lets limited players try to find 2 or 3 in a draft, and gives budget Timmies the chance to build huge creatures, provided they are willing to pour in the mana.
Enchantments (Rare)
Sigil of the Grave
1BB
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of the Grave may only enchant a creature you control
Whenever a creature you control other than enchanted creature is put into a graveyard from play, each other player sacrifices a creature.
Sigil of Opposition
1UU
Sigil of Opposition may only enchant a creature you control
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Tap a creature other than enchanted creature: Tap target artifact or creature.
Sigil of the Earth
1GG
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of the Earth may only enchant a creature you control
Tap a creature other than enchanted creature: Untap target basic land
Sigil of Violence
1RR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of Violence may only enchant a creature you control
If a creature you control other than enchanted creature would deal damage to a creature or player, it deals double that damage to that creature or player instead.
Sigil of Humility
1WW
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Sigil of Humility may only enchant a creature you control
All creatures other than enchanted creature lose all abilities and are 1/1
This set takes iconic enchantments from Magic's past and reimagines them as auras. A twist: the enchanted creature itself is the only one unaffected, making for interesting play decisions. The drawbacks of a) being Auras and b) needing two creatures to make most of them useful allows for compelling costs.