eredithdriscol

[eredithdriscol]

The artifacts and basic lands! I'm quite happy how the lands turned out. Looking forward to getting to the rares/mythics!

Transcriptions:

Big Metalun {5} Artifact Creature - Golem [uncommon] Indestructible 3/3

Dragoon, that Cuts the Sky {2} Legendary Artifact - Vehicle [uncommon] Flying Crew 1 3/2

Hydra, Born to Battle {3} Legendary Artifact - Vehicle [uncommon] Trample Crew 1 3/4

Spray Paint {1} Artifact - Equipment [uncommon] Equip {2} When a creature is equipped by this artifact, note the colors of mana used to pay the equip cost. Equipped creature is the last noted colors, and has "{T}: Add one mana of any color."

Plains Basic Land - Plains [land]

Island Basic Land - Island [land]

Swamp Basic Land - Swamp [land]

Mountain Basic Land - Mountain [land]

Forest Basic Land - Forest [pand]

Wastes Basic Land [land]

[eredithdriscol]

The green uncommons! No art pieces by me needed this time. It was fun to adapt the frame for spree, which really suits the Ranger ability. Next is artifacts and basic lands, either in one batch or two.

Transcriptions:

Beetley {1}{G} Creature - Insect [uncommon] Hexproof When this creature is blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature blocking it. 1/2

Bonkers {3}{G}{G} Creature - Barbarian [uncommon] Trample Enrage - Whenever this creature is dealt damage, put a +1/+1 counter on it. 4/4

Flora {1}{G} Creature - Plant [uncommon] Reach {T}: Add {G}. 1/1

Hammer's Nail {2}{G} Sorcery [uncommon] Target creature gets +4/+4 and gains trample until end of turn.

Knuckle Joe {2}{G} Creature - Warrior [uncommon] Trample When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter and a trample counter on another target creature you control. 2/2

Leaf's Swirl {1}{G} Sorcery [uncommon] As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card. Return target card from your graveyard to your hand.

Versus Whispy Woods {2}{G} Battle - Attack [uncommon] When this battle enters, creature a Food token and a 1/1 green Insect creature token. When this battle is defeated, search your library for up to two basic lands cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle. 3

Ranger’s Rapid Fire Shot {1}{G/W} Instant [uncommon] Spree

{1} — Destroy target artifact.

{W} — Destroy target tapped creature.

{G} — Destroy target creature with flying.

Spider’s Web Sling {3}{B/G} Instant [uncommon] Target nonattacking creature gains reach and deathtouch until end of turn, and can block an additional creature each combat this turn.

[eredithdriscol]

The red uncommons! This was a fun batch to put together. This promotes "wins the fight" from Alchemy to non-Alchemy. I believe it's sufficiently grokkable and easy to perform on paper. Only one art piece by me this time.

Transcriptions:

Burning Leo {1}{R} Creature - Elemental [uncommon] {R}: Burning Leo gets +1/+0 until end of turn. If this is the third time this ability has resolved this turn, Burning Leo gains trample until end of turn. 1/2

Fire Lion {2}{R}{R} Creature - Elemental Cat [uncommon] Haste This creature attacks each combat if able. {1}{R}: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or battle. Activate this ability only if its attacking. 4/2

Rocky {2}{R} Creature - Elemental [uncommon] Menace 2/3

Sand's Grab {3}{R} Sorcery [uncommon] Gain control of target artifact or creature until end of turn. Untap that permanent. It gains haste until end of turn.

Spark's Thunderbolt {2}{R} Instant [uncommon] This spell deals 2 damage to any target, and 1 damage to each of up to two other targets. Each creature dealt damage this way can’t block this turn.

Versus Kracko {2}{R} Battle - Attack [uncommon] Flash When this battle enters, it deals 3 damage to any target. When this battle is defeated, discard all the cards in you hand, then draw that many cards.

Yo-Yo's Gazer Spiral {R} Instant [uncommon] Multikicker {1} Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each time this spell was kicked, and gains first strike until end of turn.

Ball's Bounce {2}{R/G} Sorcery [uncommon] Choose target creature you control. The chosen creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn, then it fights a random creature your opponent controls. When the creature you control wins the fight, you may repeat this process.

Doctor's Pill Bopper {U/R}{U/R} Instant [uncommon] Copy target instant or sorcery spell with one or more targets. Reselect the targets at random for the spell and the copy.

[eredithdriscol]

The black uncommons! These were some of the most restrictive to find (turns out most enemies from Kirby are not black-aligned), but I think I got a decent spread! This includes three art pieces by me, which was a fun stretch of my capabilities.

Transcriptions:

Flapper {1}{B} Creature - Bat [uncommon] Flying, lifelink, haste 1/1

Needle's Falling Spine {1}{B}{B} Instant [uncommon] Destroy target creature.

Poison's Toxic Smog {2}{B}{B} Sorcery [uncommon] All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. Each player discards a card.

Shadowbite {4}{B} Enchantment Creature - Shade [uncommon] Deathtouch, shadow When this creature deals combat damage to a player, put a shadow counter and defender counter on target creature they control. 3/3

Spookstep {2}{B} Creature - Spirit [uncommon] Menace When this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may remove a counter from target creature they control or target battle they protect. 2/1

T.A.C. {B} Creature - Cat Shapeshifter [uncommon] Whenever another creature dies, you may have this creature become a copy of that creature until end of turn, except it has this ability. 0/1

Versus King Dedede {2}{B} Battle - Attack [uncommon] When this battle enters, exile all graveyards. When this battle is defeated, create three Food tokens. 5

Bomb's Bowl {3}{B/R}{B/R} Sorcery [uncommon] Distribute three -1/-1 counters among one, two, or three target creatures.

Cook's Potluch {2}{W/B}{W/B} Instant [uncommon] Exile target creature. Create a food token.

[eredithdriscol]

[Repost, as I originally had this as a reply to the white cards]

The blue uncommons (and some more hybrids). These contain a piece of art by me, as I couldn't find art I liked for Bloon.

Transcriptions:

Bloon {1}{U} Creature - Balloon [uncommon] Flying This creature can block only creatures with flying. When this creature dies, tap all creature target opponent controls. 1/2

Bubble's Big Bubble {3}{U}{U} Instant [uncommon] Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard. You may play it for as long as it remains exiled, and mana of any type can be spent to cast it.

Ice's Breath {1}{U} Enchantment - Aura [uncommon] Enchant creature When this enchantment enters, tap enchanted creature and put a stun counter on it. {U}: Put a stun counter on enchanted creature.

Jet's Rocket Dive {2}{U}{U} Instant [uncommon] Return up to two target creatures to their owner’s hands.

Mr Frosty {4}{U} Creature - Walrus [uncommon] Mill a card: Target creature attacks this turn if able. Activate only once each turn. {T}, Mill two cards: This creature gains hexproof until end of turn. 3/4

NESP {U} Creature - Wizard [uncommon] When this creature enters, draw a card and discard a card. 1/1

Versus Dyna Blade {3}{U} Battle - Attack [uncommon] When this battle enters, draw two cards. When this battle is defeated, create two 1/1 blue Bird creature tokens with flying. 3

Ninja's Blossom Storm {1}{U/B} Instant [uncommon] Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains "When this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player mills that many cards" until end of turn.

Tornado's Attack {2}{G/U} Sorcery [uncommon] Put two +1/+1 counters and two stun counters on a creature you control, then redistribute counters among creatures you control.

[eredithdriscol]

I think the structure and unchanging of white connects better with ATLA's earth, whereas the "go with the flow" of green may better suit ATLA's air. Though mechanically flying in green and trample in white would be rather odd. The fun of Universes Beyond I suppose.

How would you handle a set based around the idea of four elements (example, fire, air, water and earth)?

Would you make up a fourth element for Black (cosmos, void, ether, something like that)? Or would you make it a 4-color set with little to no black?

There are different ways we could handle it. We could have a fifth element. The fifth color (which doesn’t have to be black) could be the absence of elements. It could have some of each element. It could be the antagonist of the story. I need more info on what the set/world’s goals are.

[eredithdriscol]

The white uncommons (and a couple of the hybrid cards)! As ever I'm open to feedback on any or all of these.

With the announcement of the Foundations Magic set, they've called out that they are adding the Nyx-style frame to all enchantments, and moving from "[cardname]" to "this [card type]", so you'll notice I've incorporated those templating changes here.

Transcriptions:

Cool Spook {1}{W} Enchantment Creature - Spirit [uncommon] Flying When this creature enters, exile target creature an opponent controls until this creature leaves the battlefield. 1/1

Cupid's Halo {2}{W} Enchantment - Aura [uncommon] Enchant Creature Enchanted creature has flying and "{T}: This creature deals 2 damage to target battle or attacking or blocking creature."

Cutter's Boomerang {1}{W} Sorcery [uncommon] Target creature you control gets +2/+0 and gains first strike and vigilance until end of turn. Rebound (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. At the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)

Gigant Edge {3}{W}{W} Creature - Soldier [uncommon] Vigilance, ward {2} This creature enters with a shield counter on it. (If it would be dealt damage or destroyed, remove a shield counter from it instead.) 3/3

Starman {2}{W} Creature - Alien [uncommon] As long as it's your turn, this creature has flying. You may exert this creature as it attacks. If you do, it gains double strike until end of turn. (An exerted creature won't untap during your next untap step.) 2/1

Versus Meta Knight {1}{W}{W} Battle - Attack [uncommon] (As an attack enters, choose an opponent to protect it. You and others can attack it.) Flash When this battle enters, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. It gains indestructible until end of turn. When this battle is defeated, exile up to two artifacts and/or enchantments and draw a card. 4

Waddle Dee {W} Creature - Alien [uncommon] Squad {2/W} (As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may pay {2} or {W} any number of times. When this creature enters the battlefield, create that many tokens that are copies of it.) 1/1

Beam's Capture {R/W} Instant [uncommon] As an additional cost to cast this spell, tap an untapped creature you control. Target creature an opponent controls can't block this turn.

Parasol's Shield {2}{W/U} Enchantment - Aura [uncommon] Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +0/+2 and has flying. If enchanted creature would be destroyed, instead remove all damage marked on it and destroy this Aura.

[eredithdriscol]

Token!

Last post for a while; these are the meld back of The Crystal Shards and Versus Miracle Matter.

I'm not sure which option I like better here, so I'm going to try a poll (if anyone sees it).

[eredithdriscol]

Tokens!

Finally some mythics! Some of the dream friends and final bosses (the meld kind, of the latter) are mythics, with a few other cool ideas. As much as cards that use an attraction deck are now banned in Vintage, I like the idea of a spellbook of attractions.

I think Versus Miracle Matter may be on the cusp of token heavy, but so could any card that uses a spellbook.

[eredithdriscol]

Tokens!

Here are some rares from the same concept of a set as my other post. The layout for rares mostly includes dream friends, final bosses, back stories, and some meld pieces.

The layout of the set is 50 uncommons, 35 rares, and 15 mythics. I have a general layout, though I keep changing pieces of it. Some of the hardest parts is finding art, but it's been a lot of fun to look through them!

You may notice that Elline has a combination UB/Acorn security stamp. As I create cards, I've opted to assign them appropriate stamps as I find the best mechanical representation. This means I have some UB/Acorn and some UB/Alchemy cards. Probably even a UB/Acorn/Alchemy by the end.

[eredithdriscol]

Tokens!

I've been playing with the idea of a Kirby x Magic the Gathering set. I tried laying it out, and realized there wasn't enough content to do an entire draft set, but a beyond booster set (like the upcoming Assassin's Creed set) would be a great fit.

Here is a sample of the uncommons (note this type of set doesn't have any commons). Abilities are represented mostly by instant, sorceries, and auras. Enemies and midbosses by creatures, and bosses by battles.

I also had fun creating a showcase frame, that works for all the different varieties of frame that are in this set.

Will I finish? I hope so! But it'll take some time. Are these cards finalized? Not necessarily; I'm open to feedback.

Do I have more? Some rares and mythics coming up!

[eredithdriscol]

Last post for a while; these are the meld back of The Crystal Shards and Versus Miracle Matter.

I'm not sure which option I like better here, so I'm going to try a poll (if anyone sees it).

[eredithdriscol]

Finally some mythics! Some of the dream friends and final bosses (the meld kind, of the latter) are mythics, with a few other cool ideas. As much as cards that use an attraction deck are now banned in Vintage, I like the idea of a spellbook of attractions.

I think Versus Miracle Matter may be on the cusp of token heavy, but so could any card that uses a spellbook.

[eredithdriscol]

Here are some rares from the same concept of a set as my other post. The layout for rares mostly includes dream friends, final bosses, back stories, and some meld pieces.

The layout of the set is 50 uncommons, 35 rares, and 15 mythics. I have a general layout, though I keep changing pieces of it. Some of the hardest parts is finding art, but it's been a lot of fun to look through them!

You may notice that Elline has a combination UB/Acorn security stamp. As I create cards, I've opted to assign them appropriate stamps as I find the best mechanical representation. This means I have some UB/Acorn and some UB/Alchemy cards. Probably even a UB/Acorn/Alchemy by the end.

[eredithdriscol]

I've been playing with the idea of a Kirby x Magic the Gathering set. I tried laying it out, and realized there wasn't enough content to do an entire draft set, but a beyond booster set (like the upcoming Assassin's Creed set) would be a great fit.

Here is a sample of the uncommons (note this type of set doesn't have any commons). Abilities are represented mostly by instant, sorceries, and auras. Enemies and midbosses by creatures, and bosses by battles.

I also had fun creating a showcase frame, that works for all the different varieties of frame that are in this set.

Will I finish? I hope so! But it'll take some time. Are these cards finalized? Not necessarily; I'm open to feedback.

Do I have more? Some rares and mythics coming up!

[eredithdriscol]

I read these some time ago but forgot to come back and provide feedback (not sure if you actually want feedback on these, but here's some anyway).

Overall, you've once again done a great job of making these feel like they could be in the set while still expanding on it! I especially love how well you're able to handle commons.

Card-specific notes:

Crimson Bandit: This is an excellent extension of plot! While there's part of me that wants the actual creature to be more than a 2/1 flying/lifelink, for 2 mana that's more than enough.

Dawn Assault: Mechanically, I expect the strange mana cost would be written out on the textbox itself. Flavourfully, this feels like it's from the perspective of the law, where the rest of the bonus sheet are crimes from the criminals perspective. Not a bad card, I'm just not sure it fits the slot.

Archon's Host: Big fan of this! Just the fact that mounts are saddled pulls this strongly into Thunder Junction, and an Archon is a great choice for it.

Aether Bombardment: This feels like a natural extension that WOTC could do in the future. And the choice of art!

Assemble the Crew: It's a pretty simple extension, mechanically, but this DRIPS with flavour. Serve it up and plate it!

Killer Crewmember: Did you out the non-Assassin clause in there so it didn't trigger on itself? I think I'd suggest simply "another outlaw".

Doomed Stormkin: The way this uses the old format while playing with the new features is fantastic!

Thunder Junction Play Booster Challenge

Hey y'all! With every set I like to make a booster pack's worth of custom cards to play around with. This challenge is based on one from the 3rd Great Designer Search, so one thing I like to do is push the boundaries and find new innovations on the mechanics and themes as well as on the general mechanics of magic. However, I also want the cards to feel at home in the set so I need to balance novelty and boundry pushing with not feeling completely out of place. That all said, let's get into it!

Art links:

Crimson Bandit

Dawn Assault

Archon's Host

Aether Bombardment

Thunderhoof Phantom

Assemble the Crew

Atiin Nomad

Midnight Slinger

Thunder Wings

Killer Crewmember

Doomed Stormkin

Shepherd Raptor

Lawless Dunes

Rare

Crimson Bandit 1B Creature- Vampire Rogue Flying, lifelink Plot 1BB (You may pay 1BB and exile this card from your hand. Cast it as a sorcery on a later turn without paying its mana cost. Plot only as a sorcery.) At the beginning of your upkeep, if Crimson Bandit is plotted, draw a card and put a loot counter on this card, then you lose 1 life for each loot counter on it. 2/1

There were a few cards that have a triggered effect when you plot them, but I wanted to push that a step further and give you an effect while it's plotted. I gave this particular one a downside to encourage you to eventually cast it.

Bonus Sheet Card

Dawn Assault 4LL Enchantment [rare] (L can be paid with either R or by tapping an untapped red creature you control.) Whenever a creature you control becomes untapped, Dawn Assault deals 1 damage to any target. Constables Up All Night To Catch Sunrise Bandit!

This is a new mechanic that's kind of like phyrexian mana (Pretend that L has a red cast to it, and a better symbol while we're at it. Im very limited in what the card creator lets you put in mana costs), but with a much safer alternate cost. It's kinda convokey, but has a strong benefit in that it can be mixed with normal mana costs and used in activated abilities as well as spell costs. I decided to use it here, because it played in a somewhat similar space to mount using tapping creatures as a cost which means I could make a card like this that would synergize with what the set is doing. Makes for a good bonus sheet card.

Uncommons

Archon's Host 2W Enchantment- Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature is an Archon in addition to its other types and has flying and “Whenever this creature attacks, return target permanent card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield with a finality counter on it.” If enchanted creature is a Mount, it’s saddled.

One fun thing I realized is that Magic has two species- Archons and Specters- that always are seen riding a mount. This card is part of a mirrored pair, the other being a 2 mana black card that makes a player discard. I thought that would be a fun thing to play around with in the set introducing mounts. The flavor here is that the archon manifests itself on a holy mount and the "It's saddled" text is a flavorful way to do that that also shows that there might be more you can do with the saddle mechanic using alternate ways to saddle. When it's on a non-Mount, the archon manifests more through possession than riding them.

Aether Bombardment U Instant Spree (Choose one or more additional costs.) + 1 - Tap or untap target nonland permanent. You may choose this mode more than once. + U - Draw a card. “Don’t worry, at least you’ll wake up. More than I can say for the poor fool you shot.”

This is technology I think would be useful on other kinds of modal cards too, letting specific modes have unique features, but I think it's especially useful on spree since it means you can make it more like multikicker on a card-by-card basis. This card is meant to be part of a cycle with a generic costing mode that can be used multiple times and a colored cost that can be used once.

Thunderhoof Phantom 1U Creature- Spirit Mercenary Flying Thunderhoof Phantom can block only creatures with flying. Whenever Thunderhoof Phantom deals combat damage to a player, until your next turn, you may cast spells as though they had flash. 2/1

This card doesn't have too much of a story behind it, I just thought a flash-granter would be a good way to synergies with the WU archetype and I liked the idea of it being on a combat trigger to encourage less of a draw-go style of play.

Assemble the Crew 3B Instant Mill five cards. Return an Assassin card from your graveyard to your hand, then do the same for Mercenary, Pirate, Rogue, and Warlock.

I don't think there should be many cards in the set that treat outlaws more like party where you want diversity, but I think a little bit is fun. I wanted to cost the card where you were happy with it at about 3 or even 2.

Commons

Atiin Nomad 1W Creature- Human Nomad Whenever Atiin Nomad becomes tapped, untap it. This ability triggers only once each turn. 3/1 “I like this world. Much more fun than the last two.”

Here's a card that's good synergy for Mounts, you can saddle something and still attack with it, but you can also just use it as Pseudo-vigilance.

Midnight Slinger 2U Creature- Human Wizard Vigilance T: Add U. Spend this mana only to cast your second spell each turn. 2/3 “You, me, and our thunderweapons at Moon’s Height. Winner gets to walk away.”

Here's an exploration of what blue can do mana dork wise, that ties into the UR draft archetype and the plot shennanigans.

Thunder Wings 1U Enchantment- Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has flying and ward 3. Plot 1U (You may pay 1U and exile this card from your hand. Cast it as a sorcery on a later turn without paying its mana cost. Plot only as a sorcery.)

Auras are a great card type for the plot mechanic, cause they really benefit from being able to go down before the creature you need to enchant does. Only one card plays around in that space so I wanted to do another; a protection mechanic felt like a good use cause cause that's something you really want to get on the creature as soon as it's down.

Killer Crewmember 2B Creature- Gorgon Assassin Deathtouch Killer Crewmember has menace as long as you control a non-Assassin outlaw. (Assassins, Mercenaries, Pirates, Rogues, and Warlocks are outlaws.) 2/2

I wanted to explore what else you can do with the outlaw mechanic. Specifically, I looked into things you can do with outlaw that you can't just do with any old typal card, and this was what I came up with. It encourages playing a wider variety of outlaws, without needing you to go all out like party does. I intend this to be a cycle, with each color caring about a different type.

Doomed Stormkin 3R Creature- Elemental Trample, haste At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice Doomed Stormkin unless you committed a crime this turn. (Targeting opponents, anything they control, and/or cards in their graveyards is a crime.) 5/4 Those already attuned to storms must focus to avoid becoming one with the plane.

Crimes!!!!!! this was a difficult card to flavor but I like what i came up with. i couldn't really find anything novel to do with crimes beyond this

Shepherd Raptor 4G Creature- Dinosaur Mount Whenever one or more creatures you control attack while saddled, you gain 3 life. Saddle 1 (Tap any number of other creatures you control with total power 1 or more: This Mount becomes saddled until end of turn. Saddle only as a sorcery.) 5/4

Here's something just a little different with saddle. If you have no other mounts, you can trigger it for itself but this gets a lot better in a deck with other mounts like the GW one.

Lawless Dunes Land- Desert T: Add C. When Lawless Dunes enters the battlefield, if you control three or more lands that share a land type, create a 1/1 red Mercenary creature token with “T: Target creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.”

I wanted a desert reward and a desert and i was stuck at common, and that felt quite hard to do at common because the as-fan isn't high enough. What I came up with was this- it *can* be a desert reward, and it pushes you a bit toward that by being a desert itself, but it also works with basics.

[eredithdriscol]

Yay, new booster challenge! Overall, as usual, I think you do a great job of making commons that are both interesting expansions of the mechanics and appropriate for common. Some thoughts on specific cards:

Worldsoul's Justice: Top-notch design and fantastic flavour. I have no notes; I could easily expect to open this in an MKM booster.

Midnight Investigator: It took me a few reads through on this one for some reason. I think it's the "If a player doesn't" reading as though this portion triggers once, if anyone doesn't collect evidence, tied with an effect that only affects that player. I might suggest "Each player that doesn't loses life […]". Also, not a play designer, but maybe 4MV?

Chaos Seal: Love it mechanically. The flavour seems a little off (how does a containment seal become a living sneaky creature that also gets you extra spells to play?), but overall a great package.

In Hiding: The first ability might be cleaner as "Permanents you control with ward gain ward {1}". Though, I guess Arena play might be impacted as it would cause two separate triggers.

Kidnap: The flavour seems somehow a little dark to me, even for a murder mystery set. Otherwise, excellent.

Mysterious Bloodstain: Great card. I keep getting distracted by the shape to the right behind the tub that looks like a phyrexian symbol, but I'm sure it's nothing...

Murders at Karlov Manor Booster Challenge

With every* set since zendikar rising, I've done a booster of custom cards meant to be a part of the set. This is based on a challenge from GDS3, so my goals are to not just to make cards that feel like a part of the set but also ones that Innovate which is a rather difficult balance to strike. I try to cover a wide variety of themes, colors, and mechanics. This is the first set using the new play boosters which I thought would make things more different than it did; it's basically just one fewer card and one slot that's flexible in rarity- I decided to make it uncommon, and I grouped it in with the other uncommons because it really doesn't matter which takes the flex slot.

Rare

Worldsoul's Justice 3WW Sorcery Choose one or more- * Destroy all colorless creatures. * Destroy all monocolored creatures. * Destroy all multicolored creatures. “You all profited while Ravnica screamed! You are all guilty!” -Oba

Art link

This is a flexible board wipe that takes advantage of the variety of colors you might have on board in this set between the light multicolor theme and the disguise mechanic to let you sculpt it to your needs.

Uncommons

Increased Surveillance 1U Instant Surveil 1, then surveil 2, then surveil 3. (To surveil, look at that many cards from the top of your library. Put any number into your graveyard and the rest back on top in any order.) Rumors of the Dimirs’ fall only aid their all-seeing eyes.

Art link

We've seen something kinda like this before in Cryptic Annelid, but i think scry vs surveil makes a big difference here. This is a great card for filling up your yard to collect evidence, while sculpting your future draws.

Midnight Investigator 1BB Creature- Vampire Detective When Midnight Investigator enters the battlefield, each player may collect evidence 5. If a player doesn’t, they lose life equal to the total mana value of cards in their graveyard. (To collect evidence 5, exile cards with total mana value 5 or greater from your graveyard.) 3/2

Art link

One thing that's cool about collect evidence that only one card played with is that it's something anyone *can* do. I made this symmetrical rather than just opponents to reward building around the mechanic, but i like the way that the life loss effect essentially has a cap.

Chaos Seal 3B Enchantment Sacrifice Chaos Seal: Exile the top three cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn. Disguise 1R (You may cast this card face down for 3 as a 2/2 creature with ward 2. Turn it face up any time for its disguise cost.) The Rakdos excel at finding novel uses for Azorius containment spells.

Art link

In theory this card could be part of a cycle but I wasn't finding a lot of other effects that fit the bill. I needed something that wasn't problematic as an on board trick but also that you don't always want to use immediately after playing, and that benefited from being able to come out "cheaply" with a disguise cost. Impulse draw was a good fit because the amount of mana you have available really matters.

In Hiding G Enchantment Ward costs of permanents you control cost an additional 1 to pay. When In Hiding enters the battlefield, you may cloak a card from your hand. (To cloak a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature with ward 2. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it’s a creature card.)

Art link

I went back and forth between white and green for this card. White is a little better at this kind of weenie and I feel like the re-ward fits it a little more, but neither is a bad fit for green and green is more of the disguise color so in this particular set it might make sense there. In the end I went green to differentiate this card a little more from the white common that is a noncreature permanent that has a minor effect and makes a 2/2 on ETB.

Commons

Compiled Case Notes 1W Artifact When Compiled Case Notes enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 white and blue Detective creature token. 1, T: Surveil 1. Activate only if a Detective entered the battlefield under your control this turn or was turned face up under your control this turn.

Art link

I like the detective typal stuff and wanted to make a card for it; here's one that works fine in a vacuum as essentially a bear with kicker 1: Surveil 1, but gets a lot more interesting if you have other detectives which is a place I like my common typal rewards.

Detain the Suspect 1U Sorcery Tap target creature then choose two. You may choose the same mode more than once. * Put a stun counter on that creature. (If a creature with a stun counter on it would become untapped, instead remove a stun counter from it.) * Investigate.

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One cool thing you can do with stun counters that you couldn't with old "doesn't untap" effects is make a variable amount of turns. Investigate is clearly the better option synergy wise in this set, but being sorcery means tapping doesn't stop an attacker, and stopping an attacker for a turn or two can be *very* valuable. I think this card's in a good spot of how often you choose each of the three modes (two stun counters, two clues, counter and clue)

Kidnap 4U Instant This spell costs 1 less to cast for each card you drew this turn. Target creature’s owner puts it on top or bottom of their library. In a city as big as Ravnica, it’s all to easy to fall through thr cracks.

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The set already has some of this with the split cards and morphs, but I just wanted to add another spell that's expensive but can be cast cheaply to fill up your yard with expensive stuff for the sake of evidence collection. This was the cost reduction effect I found I liked best for this set.

Golgari Scapegoat 3B Creature- Elf Assassin 3B: Suspect Golgari Scapegoat. (A suspected creature has menace and can’t block.) Whenever Golgari Scapegoat deals combat damage to a player, if it’s suspected, surveil 2. 3/4 After the Invasion, the other Guilds are quick to blame the Swarm.

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This is a kind of design I always love doing with a set mechanic- give it a way to turn itself on so it works fine on its own, but cost it such that you'd much rather find another way to turn that effect on if you can.

Mysterious Bloodstain B Artifact- Clue When Mysterious Bloodstain enters or leaves the battlefield, suspect up to one target creature. (It has menace and can’t block.) 2, Sacrifice Mysterious Bloodstain: Draw a card.

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This is a cycle of clues that all do an effect when they enter or leave the battlefield. This is the one I like best because I think a card like this would do a lot of work in getting the BR suspect deck online; more than any of the others this one feels the most like a card you can only make here.

Covert Operations Head 1R Creature- Goblin Soldier Face-down creatures you control have haste. 2/1 Though once goblins filled only the lowest Boros ranks, after the Invasion devastated Boros numbers those who survived quickly rose.

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Fairly straightforward disguise reward here. I wanted to cost it to be 2 mana, since coming down before turn 3 is hugely important for this particular card, so it basically built itself from the initial idea.

Anzrag's Escape 2G Sorcery Choose one- * Return target card in your graveyard to your hand * Return target card you own in exile that you collected as evidence this turn to your hand.

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Simple enough idea here, it's a regrowth that doesn't compete with the set's graveyard mechanic. I don't think this breaks the spirit of the rule that cards shouldn't be able to get cards back from exile because of how specific it is; it doesn't at all prevent using exile as a safety.

Elephant in the Room 4G Creature- Elephant Detective Disguise 4G. This cost is reduced by 2 if Elephant in the Room is attacking and isn’t blocked. (You may cast this card face down for 3 as a 2/2 creature with ward 2. Turn it face up any time for its disguise cost.) 5/5

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I wanted a card that lets you use disguise to sneak a big creature out early without breaking the rule of five, and I came up with a design I quite like to get around it.