Some RWU

[Thranduil]

No one ever looks at these, but for the benefit of you FM (and perhaps NB as well, if I'm exceedingly lucky!) I've had some ideas and I want to know if they're any good! I'm still very new to the Magic design scene and for the moment I don't have enough ideas or inspiration to make a world in which a set could be based. So for the moment, it's just some random ideas.

I've sort of been thinking about a world that I made for a RPG I'm writing, and so this has influenced me to turn some of those spells into Magic cards. These spells come from Shadow magic, which is the power of illusion, deception and darkness.

Change Voice
Instant
Gain control of target spell with converted mana cost 3 or less.
"Now... which voice will I choose today?"
- Aster Croop, Shadowmancer

Shadowmancer's Mirror
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature.
At the start of your upkeep, put a creature token into play that's a copy of enchanted creature.
When this enchantment leaves play, sacrifice all other creatures with the same name as enchanted creature.
The only difference between the image and the original is a slight halo of darkness.

Unseen Lurker
Creature - Elemental Horror
Flash.
: Return Unseen Lurker to its owner's hand.
Many shadowmancers have created these beasts and not been able to find them again.
3/3

Pelt of Midnight
Enchantment
Flash
Enchant player.
Remove X cards in enchanted player's graveyard from the game: counter target spell with converted mana cost X that targets enchanted player or a spell or permanent enchanted player controls.
The night is the realm of shadows, and at midnight the shadows are strongest.

[MR. Lurtzy]

I really like that second one.

[FM]

I've been summoned, so here I am!

Change Voice
Instant
Change the controller of target instant or sorcery spell.
"Now... which voice will I choose today?"
- Aster Croop, Shadowmancer

I think you basically wanted to do something along the lines of Shunt. That would be the proper wording, since changing a spell's controller does nothing, for instance, for the targets already chosen when the spell was cast. It DOES, however, "snatch" artifacts, enchantments and creatures AS WELL as other types of spell. I don't know if you intended it to work like this, but the drawback of being useless against a lot of spells with defined targets MIGHT balance it. Then again, it's way to cheap, in a way that it is strictly better than Remove Soul by a landslide, by actually stealing the creature (Spelljack does something similar, and costs 3UUU), so I think you could limit the targeted spell's converted mana cost, capping it at 2-3.

Shadowmancer's Mirror
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature.
Put a creature into play that's a copy of enchanted creature.
When this enchantment leaves play, sacrifice all other creatures with the same name as enchanted creature.
The only difference between the image and the original is a slight halo of darkness.

It's a one-shot effect? Wow, it's harsh! Followed Footsteps is easier to cast and creates one every turn, no drawbacks! I'm not sure this "fells" UB, I think it feels just U, but the sacrifice part DOES add a little bit of B to it. I think it could cost U/BU (a blue mana and a hybrid blue/black mana), being a one-shot effect.

Unseen Lurker
Creature - Elemental Horror
Flash.
: Return Unseen Lurker to its owner's hand.
Many shadowmancers have created these beasts and not been able to find them again.
3/3

This is probably ok at 2UB.

Pelt of Midnight
Enchantment
Enchant player.
Remove X cards in enchanted player's graveyard from the game: counter target spell with converted mana cost X that targets enchanted player or a spell or permanent enchanted player controls.
The night is the realm of shadows, and at midnight the shadows are strongest.

Loved the design, but wow it's a harsh cost! I guess you could give it flash, at least, and/or lower the cost dramatically. Also, this one does not feel black at all, I mean, look at Logic Knot, all-blue.

[Thranduil]

I think you basically wanted to do something along the lines of Shunt. That would be the proper wording, since changing a spell's controller does nothing, for instance, for the targets already chosen when the spell was cast. It DOES, however, "snatch" artifacts, enchantments and creatures AS WELL as other types of spell. I don't know if you intended it to work like this, but the drawback of being useless against a lot of spells with defined targets MIGHT balance it. Then again, it's way to cheap, in a way that it is strictly better than Remove Soul by a landslide, by actually stealing the creature (Spelljack does something similar, and costs 3UUU), so I think you could limit the targeted spell's converted mana cost, capping it at 2-3.

Ah you're right, I had misunderstood that and forgotten that targets had to be declared first. How would you word a card that meant a different player chose the targets of that spell? Is it even possible?

It's a one-shot effect? Wow, it's harsh! Followed Footsteps is easier to cast and creates one every turn, no drawbacks! I'm not sure this "fells" UB, I think it feels just U, but the sacrifice part DOES add a little bit of B to it. I think it could cost U/BU (a blue mana and a hybrid blue/black mana), being a one-shot effect.

Okay, so it could be as it is creating a guy every turn? Then you could nuke all the copies by destroying the enchantment.

Loved the design, but wow it's a harsh cost! I guess you could give it flash, at least, and/or lower the cost dramatically. Also, this one does not feel black at all, I mean, look at Logic Knot, all-blue.

I think Delve constitutes something slightly different - it's more like a block mechanic (although there has as yet been no such block, though I'm wondering that Zendikar seems to be a little bit Indiana Jones...) that would bleed into all colours - but I thought it was black because of the graveyard interaction. One of my issues for card design is that I don't have the breadth of card knowledge that I do for LotR, so thanks especially for pointing these cards out!

Thranduil

[FM]

You are right for Delve, it IS a block mechanic, thus allowed in every color, but I think Pelt is way better now. As for changing targets, most of those spells read: "change the target of target spell with a single target", and this is a red ability. For making it UB, I'd probably word it like you did. Make it useless against a lot of targeted spells, but allow you to snatch permanents like with Comandeer, but limiting the converted mana cost of the "target".

[Thranduil]

What happens if you change the controller of a spell like Tidings? Who draws the cards?

Thranduil

[FM]

The controller does. Which is why the spell would retain usefulness, but also why it needs some cap or a steep cost.

[Thranduil]

Well, I don't seem to be so good at sleeping right now, so I began working on some legendary creatures from the world I was thinking about before. And, I've tried to update any wordings according to the wording changes as of M2010, for what it's worth.

Rassur, Victor of a Thousand Fights
Legendary Creature - Viashino Barbarian Warrior
Deathtouch, haste
: Rassur, Victor of a Thousand Fights deals damage equal to its power to target creature. That creature deals damage equal to its power to Rassur, Victor of a Thousand Fights.
: Regenerate Rassur, Victor of a Thousand Fights.
"Death!"
4/4

Itachi, The Old (W/U)
Legendary Creature - Human Sage
Whenever you cast a white enchantment, you may gain 3 life.
Whenever you cast a blue enchantment, you may draw a card.
His wisdom is renowned throughout the Ornali river-folk.
1/3

Those were pretty standard. Now a little bit of craziness:

Brydo Bramble, Cat Burglar
Legendary Creature - Kithkin Thief
Flash
When you cast Brydo Bramble, Cat Burglar, gain control of target noncreature artifact spell.
: Return Brydo Bramble, Cat Burglar to its owner's hand.
No authorities have ever caught this notorious rogue, wanted in at least fifteen city states.
1/1

Luminon, Steelbright
Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
, : Counter target instant or sorcery spell. If a spell would be countered in this way, exile it instead of putting in a graveyard.
, : Exile target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard.
You may cast cards exiled with Luminon, Steelbright.
"My fury is righteous and my intellect is unmatched. You cannot harm me!"
2/2

[FM]

They all seem alright, although I think Brydo could get away with both costs at 1U.

[Thranduil]

That legend got me thinking again about , because I really have nothing better to do!

So this was the charm I made earlier:

Bright Charm
Instant
Choose one - Bright Charm deals 3 damage to target creature or player; or prevent the next 3 damage to target creature or player; or counter target noncreature spell.

And alleys led me to something like this (because I feel like has got the worst cards of any 2-colour combination in recent sets, though I love Spellbound Dragon):

Riposte
Instant
Counter target instant or sorcery spell with converted mana cost . Then you may cast an instant or sorcery card from your hand with converted mana cost less than without paying its mana cost.

Now some other cards á la Shards:

Familiar of Light
Creature - Elemental
If Familiar of Light would be destroyed, regenerate it.
3/2

Bright Guildmage
Creature - Human Wizard
, : Destroy target enchantment.
, : Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
2/2

[FM]

I like most of them, though I think it might be easier to just give indestructible to Familiar of Light (although being non-green makes it kind of awkward). Riposte is downright outrageous. 5-color Blood can simply counter Wrath of God AND play Esper Charm to draw 2 cards? Seriously? For 2 mana? Ouch! I can't list enough outrageous things that could be done, it'd downright kill Negate (Who cares it doesn't stop Bitterblossom? Play Maelstrom Pulse for free from it!), which is one of the most useful spells around and took forever to be made (being the logical counterpart to Remove Soul, which has been around forever). I don't know how to "fix it", though. Perhaps letting you play an instant or sorcery with converted mana cost 2? Or 1? Or 2 or less?

[Thranduil]

How about now for Riposte?

Thranduil

[FM]

Much better.