Brave New World spoilers!

[FM]

But as a sorcery it's tougher on your than Infest, and way worse than Damnation, so, why simply not bringing one of those back?

[lem0nhead]

Thrans comments are probably spot on, at least as a sorcery you cant shaft your opponent quite as much, as its already a lesser day of judgment for 1 mana less on a colour that usually deals with single target removal.

I like it though. I dont know what those cards are FM as I only joined after m10 was released so i dont know any cards that arent standard legal really.

[Witchkingx5]

I just love this one such much!
I mean, with such a card in standard, Vampires would finally have their ultimate removal! I mean, Vampires are 99% mono-black, and no other Deck is, so this would be a very nice strengthening for Vampires.
I also love the simplicity of this card. Sometimes, less is more, and here it finally is!

Thrans comments are probably spot on, at least as a sorcery you cant shaft your opponent quite as much, as its already a lesser day of judgment for 1 mana less on a colour that usually deals with single target removal.

I like it though. I dont know what those cards are FM as I only joined after m10 was released so i dont know any cards that arent standard legal really.

It's hard to explain, but I'll try how MtG was before, or, how MtG changed s much during a couple of years.

Let's start with the X/X for X mana. That was something pretty constant, I mean, Savannah lions, a 2/1 for 1 was a real killer, then.
MtG was more focused on tricks, like cycling and things like that, very few players played Beatdown. To show you a perfect example, I think the very popular "psychatog" Deck would fit here, so here it is:

a possibility of a nice Psychatog Deck:

Maindeck:
4x Counterspell
4x Circular Logic
4x Force Spike
4x Smother
4x Innocent Blood
3x Psychatog
3x Deep Analysis
3x Compulsion
2x Upheaval
2x Cunning Wish
2x Concentrate
9x Island
4x Polluted Delta
4x Underground River
4x Swamp
2x Lonely Sandbar
2x Darkwater Catacombs

Sideboard:
4x Duress
2x Persuasion
2x Callous Oppressor
2x Ghastly Demise
1x Persecute
1x Deep Analysis
1x Compulsion
1x Mana Short
1x Hibernation

I liked this one most cus' it's the combination of cards used so nicely.
Play lot's of cheap spells which can be replayed anyway, get many cards in your grave. Actually, it's a cheap control with Psychatog.

I dont know if I showed you correctly, but that was MtG: No "overpowered" creatures, no Planeswalkers, more combination. Oh man, I loved these old mtG times so much 

[FM]

Damnation is Wrath of God, but with black mana instead of white on its cost. Rest is the same. Infest is a sorcery, costs and says "All creatures get -2/-2". Volcanic Fallout, for instance, was (meaning it WAS easier to cast, I played 3 maindecked and 1 sideboarded on my 5-color control deck that made Top 8 at Regionals, meaning, I cast it consistently), at instant speed, uncounterable, and dealt 2 damage to each creature AND PLAYER (meaning I saw aggro decks FINISHING a match with this). I think it's pretty close in power level.

[Thranduil]

I also think it's worth remembering that you can't compare most cards to Wrath of God or Damnation - obviously they are incredibly powerful. But that doesn't mean that Plague at sorcery is not powerful.

Thranduil

[FM]

Ok, new try!

Plague
Sorcery
Put 3 -1/-1 counters on each creature.
R

The difference? Now it doesn't kill Tatterkite (yeah, biggie, I know), but it gets rid of Persistent creatures! Also, it's a PERMANENT reduction in power level for ALL creatures, really flavorful for a plague. How's it now?

[Witchkingx5]

Ok, new try!

Plague
Sorcery
Put 3 -1/-1 counters on each creature.
R

The difference? Now it doesn't kill Tatterkite (yeah, biggie, I know), but it gets rid of Persistent creatures! Also, it's a PERMANENT reduction in power level for ALL creatures, really flavorful for a plague. How's it now?

I don't like this verson so much, cus' of Blowfly Infestation (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=135429)

Plague + Blowfly Infestation = Ultimate Wrath of God!

Anyway, on one side, the new would fit into Shadowmoor cus' of it's effect, but on the other side, not cus' of it's casting cost.

[Thranduil]

The idea of blanket -1/-1 counter is strong. But compare your Plague to Incremental Blight which is by no means awful? I can see instant for 1 -1/-1 counter on each creature - that could be quite good.

Otherwise I'm still a fan of the sorcery -3/-3.

Thranduil

[Witchkingx5]

Otherwise I'm still a fan of the sorcery -3/-3.

So am I.

[lem0nhead]

Otherwise I'm still a fan of the sorcery -3/-3.

So am I.

Me too.

[FM]

Incremental Blight let's you target, and has only double black on its cost, rather than triple black. And it's also an uncommon, whereas this is a rare. Incremental Blight was also mainly played in Limited and Block only, which usually shows that a card is not THAT great, it's just good when nothing else is available. Even considering these aspects you still think it's too good? How about a spin-off of Infest, putting 2 -1/-1 counters? Would still allow you to "deal" with X/3's, by shrinking them. However, I think -3/-3 would be better than it, except for persist.

[FM]

Well, while I wait for the final feedback on Plague, let's move along.
I want to cut back on reprints for a while, but this one has been waiting for quite some time, and has everything to do, flavorwise, with mana experimentation, so:

Icy Manipulator
Artifact
, : Tap target permanent.
U

Also, I've seen a lot of hype about cost-effective aggro spells, like Siege-Gang Commander and Couldgoat Ranger, so I think now's the time to give BLUE it's cost-effective spell:

Summon Flock
Tribal Instant - Bird
Put 2 2/2 blue bird creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield.
U

Surely, it's not cost-effective. But then again, blue is not the most aggro-ish of colors, and it IS 4-power worth of flying creatures for 4 mana at INSTANT speed. Not to mention being tribal. I think it's well worth it, and most likely would see Limited play.

And a few utility spells, always necessary:

Spellbind
Instant
Kicker - Return a land you control to its owner's hand.
Counter target spell unless its controller pays . If Spellbind was kicked, counter target spell unless its controller pays instead.
C

Avian Aggressor
Creature - Bird Soldier
Flying.
2/1
C

[FM]

Aaaaaaand, another round for good measure, for the weekend:

Avian Scout
Creature - Bird Soldier.
Flying, vigilance.
1/1
C

Elite Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
2/1
U

Second-rank Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
Pay 1 life: Switch Second-rank Vanguard's power and toughness until the end of turn.
1/2
C

Seasoned Commander
Creature - Human Soldier
Vigilance.
Other soldier creatures you control get +1/+1.
: Regenerate target soldier.
3/3
R

[lem0nhead]

Aaaaaaand, another round for good measure, for the weekend:

Avian Scout
Creature - Bird Soldier.
Flying, vigilance.
1/1
C

Hmm bit good??? The rule of thumb is fliers cost an extra mana for CMC vs power. Throw in vigilance and this guy seems excessive.

Elite Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
2/1
U

Good old reprint.

Second-rank Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
Pay 1 life: Switch Second-rank Vanguard's power and toughness until the end of turn.
1/2
C

Novel but not gonna see much use.

Seasoned Commander
Creature - Human Soldier
Vigilance.
Other soldier creatures you control get +1/+1.
: Regenerate target soldier.
3/3
R

Id cost him at an extra white mana. Really makes soldiers token weenie decks insane.

[Thranduil]

Incremental Blight let's you target, and has only double black on its cost, rather than triple black. And it's also an uncommon, whereas this is a rare. Incremental Blight was also mainly played in Limited and Block only, which usually shows that a card is not THAT great, it's just good when nothing else is available. Even considering these aspects you still think it's too good? How about a spin-off of Infest, putting 2 -1/-1 counters? Would still allow you to "deal" with X/3's, by shrinking them. However, I think -3/-3 would be better than it, except for persist.

I didn't say Incremental Blight was good, I said it was not awful. But in comparison, the deal you get with that sort of Plague just seems ridiculous. I like the idea you can recover from a plague, so I would still push for triple black sorcery -3/-3.

Icy Manipulator
Artifact
, : Tap target permanent.
U

Sure.

Summon Flock
Tribal Instant - Bird
Put 2 2/2 blue bird creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield.
U

Yeah, I like it. Though it doesn't feel much like a flock, and to make it fit better with cards like Fable of Wolf and Owl and in the interest of making fewer tokens, making the card better, and avoiding the flavour issues of MAAAASSSSIVE birds, I suggest that it should make 4 1/1's.

Spellbind
Instant
Kicker - Return a land you control to its owner's hand.
Counter target spell unless its controller pays . If Spellbind was kicked, counter target spell unless its controller pays instead.
C

Would it be possible to make the kicker get rid of the option of prevention? I quite like that, more than just making it cost more.

Avian Aggressor
Creature - Bird Soldier
Flying.
2/1
C

Low value (cf. Wind Drake) but it's alright. I guess soldier is a relevant creature type.

Avian Scout
Creature - Bird Soldier.
Flying, vigilance.
1/1
C

Blue doesn't normally get vigilance at common. Does he need it? I don't see anything wrong with a soldier tribe Zephyr Sprite.

Elite Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
2/1
U

My god that's broken! Savannah Lions at uncommon? Are you kidding me?

Second-rank Vanguard
Creature - Human Soldier
Pay 1 life: Switch Second-rank Vanguard's power and toughness until the end of turn.
1/2
C

Very interesting, though more of a blue card isn't it?

Seasoned Commander
Creature - Human Soldier
Vigilance.
Other soldier creatures you control get +1/+1.
: Regenerate target soldier.
3/3
R

Couple of things. Firstly, my sense of style in this card is hurt by the fact that the card has vigilance but he doesn't give vigilance to others (cf. Captain of the Watch, Rhox Pikemaster, Veteran Swordsmith and Veteran Armorsmith). Secondly, regenerate does not often appear on creatures, but I like it. Perhaps it could cost a bit of mana, like ?

Thranduil