A whimsical idea came to me a little while back, an idea that I'd like to share with you now. What if hybrid mana cards had "Enchancement" effects (Flash Conscription and Crypt Champion).
As a note, I'm using the Spoiler button to see how certain ideas evolve through the thread. That way you can see the original through current version of the various cards.
For example:
Unstable Mass (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
3/3
Unstable Mass (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
3/3
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
4/4
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Flanking.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
3/4
Tears of the Gorgon (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature in any graveyard into play.
Unless W was spent to play ~ the creature comes into play tapped and does not untap during it's controller's untap step.
Unless B was spent to play ~ you can only target a creature in your graveyard.
Unless G was spent to play ~ you can only target a creature with CMC 4 or less.
Cytoplasmic Horror (U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Mutant Zombie
[CARDNAME] comes into play with 2 +1/+1 counters
If UB was spent to play ~ it gains Transfigure 3.
If BG was spent to play ~ it gains Deathtouch.
If GU was spent to play ~ it gains Graft 1.
0/0
Oros's cry (W/B)(B/R)(R/W)
Instant
For each color of mana used to play [CARDNAME] creatures you control cannot be blocked except by creatures of that color and/or artifact creatures this turn.
Lightning Archangel (W/U)(U/R)(R/W)(W/U)(U/R)(R/W)
Creature - Angel Soldier
Flying
If WW was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike and Protection from Black.
If UU was spent to play ~ it gains Vigilance and protection from Green.
If RR was spent to play ~ it gains Haste and Protection from Artifacts.
5/5
Below is a list of every card of mine from later posts, here for your convenience.
This is the sum of two cycles, and I only include the end results here for sake of brevity.
Censor (W/U)
Instant
Tap target creatue.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that creature would deal this turn.
If U was spent to play ~ that creature does not untap during his controller's next untap step.
Mind Num (U/B)
Sorcery
Look at target player's hand if U was spent to play ~. That player discards a card at random if B was spent to play ~, Otherwise that player chooses and discards a card.
Aggravated Damage (B/R)
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If B was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
If R was spent to play ~ this damage cannot be prevented or redirected.
Brutish Growth (R/G)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If R was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If G was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Vitalize (G/W)
Regenerate target creature.
If G was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature can block an additional creature this turn.
Soul Strike (W/B)
Instant
Target creature gains lifelink until the end of the turn.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature gains Protection from Black until end of turn.
If B was spent to play ~ that creature gains Fear until end of turn.
Golgari grave moss (B/G)
Sorcery
Return target creature card in your graveyard to hand.
If B was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard.
If G was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the bottom of your graveyard to the bottom of your library. (~ cannot put itself on bottom of your library in this way.)
Scryb Faerie (G/U)
Creature - Faerie
Flying
If U was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can block only creatures with flying."
If G was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can not block creatures with flying."
Lesser Schismotivation(U/R)
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until the end of the turn if U was spent to play ~ and +3/+0 until the end of the turn if R was spent to play ~.
Zealous Charge (R/W)
Instant
Target creature gains +1/+0 and first strike until the end of the turn.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains haste.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that would be dealt to it this turn.
Black Boros Bolt. :symbw::symbr:
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed or :symb::symb: to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed or :symb::symb: to play this you gain that much life.
Selenia's Fire (W/B)(B/R)(R/W)
Sorcery
Sunburst, Lifelink
~ deals X+1 damage to target creature or player where X is the number of charge counters on it.
A second attempt at two one cost hybrids. These two cycles weren't as well received, I include them more for completeness.
Boros Initiate (R/W)
Creature - Dwarf Cleric Radiance - Each creature that shares a color with ~ is red and white in addition to it's colors.
1/1
Dimir Initiate (U/B)
Creature - Human Rogue
Transmute 1(U/B)(U/B)
1/1
Golgari Initiate (B/G)
Creature - Elf Shaman
Sacrifice ~ : Draw a card, reveal it, then discard it.
Dredge 2
1/1
Selesnya Initiate (G/W)
Creature - Elf Soldier
Convoke
~ comes into play tapped
1/1
Gruul Thug (R/G)
Creature - Elf Barbarian
Bloodthirst 1
1/1
Orzhov Ghost-warden (W/B)
Creature - Spirit
Haunt
When ~ comes into play or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard you may put target card with haunt that is removed from the game into it's owner's graveyard.
1/1
Izzet Plasm (U/R)
Sorcery
Put a 1/1 blue and red weird creature token into play.
Replicate UR
Azorious Initiate (W/U)
Creature - Bird Soldier
Flying
Forecast: WU: Remove a card in you hand from the game and then return it to your hand.
1/1
Rakdos Thug (R/B)
Creature - Goblin Assassin
First strike
Hellbent - While you have no cards in hand ~ gets provoke and "When this creature is blocked by an other creature destroy them both. They cannot be regenerated"
1/1
Tranquil Cemetary (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
If there are fewer than 7 cards in your graveyard put the top card of your library into your graveyard. (Ignore this effect if you do not have any cards in your library)
If there are more than 7 cards in your graveyard put the bottom card of your graveyard on bottom of your library.
Sacrifice a creature: Put a charge counter on ~
Remove a charge counter or sacrifice ~: Put target card you own that is removed from the game into your graveyard.
Tranquil Cemetary (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
If there are more than 7 cards in your graveyard put the bottom card of your graveyard on bottom of your library. 1: Put the top card of your library into your graveyard. 3, Remove a charge counter or sacrifice ~: Put target card you own that is removed from the game into your graveyard.
Kentaro's Hatamato (W/B)(B/R)(R/W)
Creature - Human Samurai
Bushido 1, Double Strike Only Kentaro would offer fealty to a dishonored ronin. I prey his loyal matches his courage. - General Takeno, letter to Lord Konda
1/2
Hyper-evolution (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Instant
Sunburst
Target a creature and reveal a number of cards from the top of it's owner's library equal to 3 times the number of charge counters on ~. If a creature card was revealed in this way you may swap that creature and the targeted creature. Put all revealed cards on bottom of owner's library in the same order. (The target creature thus goes to the bottom of the library if a creature was revealed)
Undiscovered Fauna (R/W)(R/G)(G/W)
Instant
Sunburst.
Put a X/X red, green, and white beast creature token into play, where X is the number of charge counters on ~ +1. "They've never seen a human before, I bet you a gold crown it'd eat right out of the palm of my hand." - Holderhak the Dim, last words.
Sunhydra (R/G)(R/W)(G/W)
Creature - Hydra
Sunburst, Sunburst.
During your upkeep you can pay RGW. If you do put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Whenever damage would be dealt to ~ instead remove that many +1/+1 counters. When there are no counters on ~ sacrifice it.
0/0
Sunhydra (R/G)(R/W)(G/W)
Creature - Hydra
Sunburst, Sunburst.
For each damage that would be dealt to ~ instead remove a +1/+1 counter from it unless you pay 1. When there are no counters on ~ sacrifice it. RGW: put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
0/0
Brain Pain (U/B)(U/R)(B/R)
Sorcery
Sunburst
Target discards 5 cards from the top of his or her library for each charge counter on ~.
Brain Pain (U/B)(U/R)(B/R)
Sorcery
Sunburst
For each charge counter on ~ target player must discard a card from hand or 6 cards from the top of his or her library.
Nature's Abhorrence (B/R)(B/G)(G/R)
Sorcery
Sunburst
Destroy target non-basic land. Deal damage to it's controller equal to the number of charge counters on ~.
Frustrate (W/U)(W/B)(U/B)
Instant
Sunburst
Counter target spell unless it's controller pays 1 and 1 life for each charge counter on ~. If he or she does you gain that much life. (If there are 2 charge counter on ~ they must pay 2 and 2 life. If they do not you gain 2 life.)
Lightning Deployment (W/U)(U/R)(R/W)
Instant
Sunburst
Put a creature with converted mana less than 2 per charge counter on ~ from your hand into play.
Awed Silence (G/W)(G/U)(U/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
Artifact and enchantment spells your opponents play cost an additional X to play, where X is the number of charge counters on ~.
Awed Silence (G/W)(G/U)(U/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
Whenever an opponent plays an artifact or enchantment spell counter it and remove a charge counter from ~. When there are no charge counters left on ~ sacrifice it.
Hmm this seems rather similar to something I had thought up a while back; with a cost-effect based on the hybrid mana paid. However all of my abilities were to require that the spell be played with only one of its hybrid mana sources; so as to potentially enable a block focused on mono-colored decks by providing a slew of cards that would be in demand in two different types of decks while leaving no middleground.
Ex. ExpurgateRB
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature, ignore this ability if B was used to play CARDNAME.
Up to two target creatures gets -1/-1 until end of turn, ignore this ability if R was used to play CARDNAME.
The one problem I can see with your problem is memory issues... how are you to remember just how you payed that Unstable Mass four turns ago? Its viable and for the cards you proposed it shouldn't be too much of an issue but it could come up...
Those seem to have a lot of memory issues involved which makes them a lot less fun. Perhaps one shot effects instead?
I can see your point. Some wouldn't be as hard to remember as they might seem though. My UBG monster will never have two abilities. That is, it has none of the abilities if it is put into play without cost, it'll have one ability if you pay 2 of one kind and 1 of an other, and it'll have all 3 if you play it for UBG. That one I think would be easier to remember than the URG elemental.
I could've gone with something like this, but I thought it was a little on the weak side. It has no memory issues but it just isn't any good, what with Plaxcaster Frog out there.
A (U/B)(B/G)(G/U) 0/0 with Sunburst and Graft 1 would be way better, maybe too good actually. Anyway, I have other ideas too.
Fracture (R/G)(G/W)
Instant
Destroy Target non-creature artifact.
If R was spent to play [CARDNAME] gains split second.
If W was used to play [CARDNAME] gain 2 life.
Here white and red provide effects, and even though green doesn't give any specific benefit it does make the spell easy to cast. I don't think I could come up with a cycle off the top of my head though. These kinds of cards don't inspire me as much, I don't know why. I like creatures.
I've been avoiding 3 adjacent color combinations because the hybrid mana symbols are ugly more than anything. I could see some kind of bounce/discard card in UBR, like
Reel (U/B)(U/R)(R/B)
Instant
Return target creature to it's owner's hand.
If U was spent to play [CARDNAME] look at that player's hand.
If B was spent to play [CARDNAME] name a card other than a basic land.
If R was spent to play [CARDNAME] that player must discard a card at random. Otherwise he choses and discards a card. If the named card was chosen that player must discard cards in this fashion until he discards a card other than the named one or she has no cards in hand.
That might be too complicated. Anyway I'd love to see other people's ideas. BTW, the names aren't important, I using http://thesaurus.reference.com/ for this batch.
If you're going to make tricolor cards, they need to have tricolor benefits.
Tears of the Gorgon- WBG for Zombify is a bit much. One mana off really doesn't justify it. This needs more enhancements.
Oros's Cry gets worse the more mana you spend for it (if you spend WBR, it gives your creatures a markedly poor boost. Even if it didn't, spending WBR is still somewhat expensive (Dirge of Dread did the same thing at a better cost).
The rest seem good enough for their respective costs.
Reel- what does this do, exactly?
Cytoplasmic Horror- This could have graft 1. What are the odds of playing this on the third turn full power?
You return a creature to their hand.
If you played blue you look at their hand.
Then they discard a card from their hand. If you payed red they have to discard at random instead. If you payed black, you also throw in that you name a card that they can't discard, and if they do you repeat the process.
For example, say you do all 3. Your opponent has 2 Tendrils of Corruption in hand you return Festering Goblin. If blue was payed you look at their hand at this time. For the black ability you name Tendrils of Corruption. Now they discard a card at random because you payed red. If a Tendrils comes up you repeat, so you could wipe out their whole hand.
Oros's Cry gets worse the more mana you spend for it (if you spend WBR, it gives your creatures a markedly poor boost. Even if it didn't, spending WBR is still somewhat expensive (Dirge of Dread did the same thing at a better cost).
The idea was that if you play Black your creatures gain fear, if you pay white they gain the Amrou Seekers ability, and if you payed red they get the Skirk Shaman, so if you pay all of the above they can only block with artifact creatures and WBR creatures like Oros, the Avenger.
Edit - Had an other thought
I suck at making new card names. (W/B)(R/B)
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed R or BB to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed W or BB to play this you gain that much life.
Damage dealing and life gain is notoriously either black or multi-w/r. This card is like a limited Lightning Helix, a better Vicious Hunger, or in case of emergency you have two other options as well.
These cards make my head hurt...thats never a good thing.
Simplify, please.
The idea I'm trying to get is modular cards with it's function derived by which 2 colors you use to play it. Let me go back to an earlier example which has evolved a bit.
Cytoplasmic Horror (U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Mutant Zombie
[CARDNAME] Comes into play with 2 +1/+1 counters
If :symu::symb: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains Transfigure :3mana:.
If :symb::symg: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains "2: Regenerate"
If :symg::symu: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains Graft 1.
0/0
For a 2 color deck, this creature is a graft 2 for 3 with one of a few abilities. It's better than an Ogre for your colors or a morph face down.
Let's talk about UB first. You can play it on turn 3 very easily, and it can Transfigure to get you an other 3 cost creature. I can imagine a UB Zombie deck that uses this bad boy to find Lord of the Undead or whatnot. It can find copies of itself, but that's less than productive.
Next up is BG. A 3/3 regenerator, nothing astounding.
UG is interesting, it is essencialy a Plaxcaster Frogling that can't be terrored.
Now let's put it all together. You have a Graft 3 for 3. It can regenerate for as long as you need it. You can graft off of it 3 times and then Transfigure up a new one. Best of all, if you don't get your land working out right you can still play this guy unless you get 3 of the same basic land type, or draw colorless lands. It's complicated, but I think it's worth the potential confusion.
I'll admit that Reel was a bad idea, just forget I ever mentioned it. I tried to make a 3 color hybrid better Recoil. I failed, let's move on.
Suposing I revisit an other card:
Tears of the Gorgon (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any grave to play under your control.
That would be too good. You can already get Akroma in discard on turn 1. This with any 2 cost blue discard enabler (Magus of the Bazaar) is a turn advantage for Akroma Smash, which doesn't need my help.
Tears of the Gorgon (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any grave to play under your control.
If you don't pay W the creature comes into play tapped and does not untap during your next untap step.
If you don't pay B [CARDNAME] must target a card in your graveyard.
If you don't pay G [CARDNAME] can only target a creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
If you don't pay W it comes out tapped and doesn't untap next turn. In a BG deck the turn you save by playing this over Zombify is lost, that's all that mans. If you don't play B you can only target creatures in your own graveyard, which makes sense when you consider cards like Hymn of Rebirth. The last ability was a bit of a stretch, I couldn't think of a green ability I'll be honest.
All together, if you pull it off as a 3 cost spell to take your opponent's Akroma and beat them about the head and sholders. More likely you'll use it to get back coming into play effect creatures, like Nekrataal or Loxodon Heirarch.
I am open to other people's card ideas too. I was kind of expecting being flooded with "I had a similar idea, it went like ~" posts. I know I'm not a genius card designer to be the envy of teh interweb, I thought people would be sounding off with their ideas about how they have better ideas than me, that's what I wanted to read more than anything to be honest. But this if fine too.
For me, the problem with your current card design is that they're sort of narrow. Your spells are only really playable in a deck with a mana base that can support their hyper colour-intensive mana costs. In order to justify that sort of effect, it has to be a card that I can build the deck around. A 3/3 creature with one or two abilities IF I have the right colours out isn't enough for me to build a deck around. The same can be said of the reanimation spell - like you said, the card is strong if paired with a BLUE discard engine like Magus of the Bazaar - that's FOUR colours we're talking about.
I'd rather these dropped the third hybrid symbol for simplicity, instead costing it :1mana::symwb::symgw:. It can still do the exact same thing without looking as intimidating. I'd also rather limit it to two abilities that alter the card based on the mana used, but I have a feeling I'd lose that fight. And it shouldn't do anything that lasts more than a turn to any permanent it's used on unless there's a clear marker for what was used (see any 'Volver for what a clear marker is).
It's far easier to limit it to spells that try to work out counters on these cards, because the counters required to make each number unique in the abilities follows the powers of two (1, 2, 4, 8, 16...) as a card can't use two different types of counters.
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My anecdotal evidence disagrees with yours! EXPLAIN THAT!
I'd rather these dropped the third hybrid symbol for simplicity, instead costing it :1mana::symwb::symgw:. It can still do the exact same thing without looking as intimidating.
Where's the fun in that? Well, you do have a point. I like to take some ability that you can find in 3 colors, like counterspelling (WUB), aftifact destruction (RGW), playing creatures from graveyard (WBG), etc. I'd like to see cards that can be played with any combination of those 2 colors, so it's easier to play.
Maybe enhancements on 2 color hybrid cards would be better. For example, Expurgate from earlier could be a (B/R) modal spell. Cards like that are simple and understandable. For example,
Brutish Growth (R/G)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If R was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If G was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Kind of a combination Brute Force/Giant Growth, weaker but with an combat trick ability. Nothing overwhelming. I'd toss one or two in a Gruul deck.
As a different idea, I still like 3 color hybrid cards (I especialy like how the symbols wrap), but let's drop enchancements from them.
Disentomb 1(W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any graveyard into play under your control
Abnegate (W/U)(U/B)
Instant
Counter target spell unless it's controler pays 2 and 2 life.
I cite Mundungu and Mana Tithe for this being "In color", and Dash Hopes for rough power level. It could be argued that Mana Leak is stronger in blue, but this could go better into a WUB deck. BTW, I'm no good at names, I'm using a Thesaurus for synonyms for Deny and that was the first one that's not already a card.
So what I'm saying is that I can take my two ideas (3 color hybrid cards is one, hybrid cards with enchancement effects is the other) and separate them, as to not overload a single card. I could continue along the basic lines of these cards and hopefully amuse some readers.
ExpurgateRB
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature, ignore this ability if B was used to play CARDNAME.
Up to two target creatures gets -1/-1 until end of turn, ignore this ability if R was used to play CARDNAME.
Let me play with that idea a little.
Expurgate (R/B)
Sorcery
Deal 2 damate to target creature if R was spent to play ~ and give that creature -1/-1 untill end of turn if B was spent to play ~.
I don't like a card that doesn't have a base effect, it only has an "enhancement" cost as it were. Continuing with Brutish Growth, let's see if I can't make a cycle out of that idea.
Censor (W/U)
Instant
Tap target creatue.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that creature would deal this turn.
If U was spent to play ~ that creature does not untap during his controller's next untap step.
Mind Num (U/B)
Sorcery
Target player discards a card.
If U was spent to play ~ look at that player's hand.
If B was spent to play ~ that player looses 1 life for each card in hand fewer than three.
Aggravated Damage (B/R)
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If B was spent to play ~ tap that creature.
If R was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
Brutish Growth
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Vitalize (G/W)
Regenerate target creature.
If G was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature the next time it regenerates this turn.
If W was spent to play ~ untap that creature.
Those are very, very cool hybrid cards. I like these a whole lot.
A few pretty minor points:
Vitalize could probably just put the +1/+1 counter on it right away. Nobody accuses either Battlegrowth or Death Ward of being too strong, so putting them together is probably just fine.
Mind Numb has just one problem - the black part punishes the player just a little too well. Making it random is probably too much for the cost, though... it could make them lose life if they discarded a noncreature card, or maybe nonland.
For Aggravated Damage, I don't see black as tapping creatures. I think if the black half prevented regeneration, and the red half made it so the damage couldn't be prevented, that'd work.
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[The Crafters] | [Johnnies United]
My anecdotal evidence disagrees with yours! EXPLAIN THAT!
Mind Numb has just one problem - the black part punishes the player just a little too well. Making it random is probably too much for the cost, though... it could make them lose life if they discarded a noncreature card, or maybe nonland.
It's blue use is early on, like Peek but they discard instead of you drawing. The black ability is to make a discard card for The Rack decks. Yeah, the black ability could be changed.
For Aggravated Damage, I don't see black as tapping creatures. I think if the black half prevented regeneration, and the red half made it so the damage couldn't be prevented, that'd work.
Well, black does some tapping, but I think you're right about the damage prevention clause. So I'm going to re-do those two.
Mind Num
Sorcery
Look at target player's hand if U was spent to play ~. That player discards a card at random if was spent to play ~, Otherwise that player chooses and discards a card.
Aggravated Damage
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
If was spent to play ~ this damage cannot be prevented or redirected.
I have some misgivings about Vitalize. Mostly I'm not sure the white ability was right, so here's take 2.
Vitalize
Regenerate target creature.
If was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
If was spent to play ~ that creature can block an additional creature this turn.
Having done ally colors now I might be fun to move on to enemy colors.
Soul Strike (W/B)
Instant
Target creature gains lifelink until the end of the turn.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature gains "this creature can only be blocked by white and/or artifact creatures this turn."
If B was spent to play ~ that creature gains fear until end of turn.
Golgari grave moss (B/G)
Sorcery
Return target creature card in your graveyard to hand.
If B was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard.
If G was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the bottom of your graveyard to the bottom of your library. (~ cannot put itself on bottom of your library in this way.)
Scryb Faerie (G/U)
Creature - Faerie
Flying
If U was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can block only creatures with flying."
If G was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can not block creatures with flying."
Lesser Schismotivation(U/R)
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until the end of the turn if U was spent to play ~ and +3/+0 until the end of the turn if R was spent to play ~.
Zealous Charge (R/W)
Instant
Target creature gains +1/+0 and first strike until the end of the turn.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains haste.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that would be dealt to it this turn.
The reason I've been sticking to 1 cost spells is because that way only one enhancement effect could be used. That's not to say the idea couldn't go further.
Generic spell name 2(G/W)
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
If G was spent to play ~ *some effect*
If W was spent to play ~ *some other effect*
That's more of a frame than a real example. I'm not good at making new disenchant variants, they've already done everything there is almost.
The concept behind these is pretty good (and MaRo even digs this potential design space) but honestly the three- and two-cost hybrids are really a bit of a wreck. They're overly complicated for a payoff just isn't that cool. Cards that take a long time to figure out what they do aren't good, and these change every time you play them.
However, the 1-cost spells in the last three posts of yours are very well done. They are much less complicated and have a much better work vs. payoff grokability to them. With a couple exceptions, the abilities are very well chosen.
I don't like Mind Numb for the discard in blue. I understand your logic, but blue doesn't get discard. (No, Planar Chaos does count.)
I don't like Aggravated Damage either. Direct damage that efficient is not black and it's out of flavor. Black always has a lifegain effect along with its direct damage.
Other than that, very well done. I'm impressed.
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Am I the only one who noticed that the original version of Cytoplasmic Horror will die from zero toughness immediately without GU being paid for it? Was that intentional?
Actually, all of these are underpowered. Look at Burning-Tree Shaman, Jagged Poppet, or Plaxcaster Frogling. Each is at least a 3/3 with a beneficial ability for 1CD. Since a tri-hybrid card needs at least two of its colors, these cards all essentially cost CCD or CDE, which means you shoul probably be able to get at least a 4/4 with some good abilities.
Am I the only one who noticed that the original version of Cytoplasmic Horror will die from zero toughness immediately without GU being paid for it? Was that intentional?
I'm not sure which version you're referring to, but all the versions come into play with some number of counters on them before SBEs are checked.
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The concept behind these is pretty good (and MaRo even digs this potential design space) but honestly the three- and two-cost hybrids are really a bit of a wreck. They're overly complicated for a payoff just isn't that cool. Cards that take a long time to figure out what they do aren't good, and these change every time you play them.
Okay, so let me bring up one from a few posts back, with a better name this time.
Black Boros Bolt. :symbw::symbr:
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed or :symb::symb: to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed or :symb::symb: to play this you gain that much life.
This one lets you pay RW for what is nearly Lightning Helix, or BB for a better Vicious Hunger. The same effect either way. If you can only pay WB you have Vicious Hunger, which is a fair effect for WB. If you pay BR you have a bad Volcanic Hammer, but it still kills watchwolf.
Without either enhancement the card isn't good, but no matter what you have one effect or the other. Since you brought up MaRo, I believe he has said that damage with life gain is typically black but when White and Red get together it's in flavor for them. I can't site my sources, I recall having read it on the Wizards site. The point is, that kind of card is a little combersome but it gives you a lot of options. It's not going to be a game winner, but if you're doing a 3 color deck and you're down on your luck it's hard to imagine not being able to play this kind of spell. That's what my 3 color hybrid cards are about.
I hade an other idea just now. I usualy only play green to mana balance, but most of the time I need to get the green with it. So imagine this as a psydo-cycle.
[CARDNAME] 2(B/G)
Search your library for a forest or swamp. If B was not spent to play ~ you must chose to find a basic swamp, and if G was not spent to play ~ you must chose to find a basic forest. Put the chosen land into play and shuffle your library.
So you could, in a BG deck, have an untamed wilds that better fixes your mana, or if you already have both land types you can find Overgrown Tomb. You could have a WG, UG, and RG clearly.
I'm not sure which version you're referring to, but all the versions come into play with some number of counters on them before SBEs are checked.
My mistake; I didn't see it's first ability.
Just to make my presence in this thread constructive, here's a card.
Decree of the Guildpact(W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Untap all creatures that share a color with a color of mana spent to play ~, then put 2 +1/+1 counters on each creature untapped this way. Draw X cards and gain X life, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to play ~.
Actually, all of these are underpowered. Look at Burning-Tree Shaman, Jagged Poppet, or Plaxcaster Frogling. Each is at least a 3/3 with a beneficial ability for 1CD. Since a tri-hybrid card needs at least two of its colors, these cards all essentially cost CCD or CDE, which means you shoul probably be able to get at least a 4/4 with some good abilities.
I want to find out what's "cool" first. I'm not R&D, I'm sure that if I submitted the (U/B)(B/G)(G/U) Graft Sunburst they'd tell me that it could be Sunburst and Graft 1. I'm just saying "Hey, wouldn't a 3 color hybrid zombie, in the colors of Vorosh, the Hunter, with graft be pretty cool?" Feel free to put your own cards, or your own fixes to my cards.
If it weren't so cumbersome I'd like to have different enhancement effects for every color on most cards, but sunburst does the same basic thing. My(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) elemental on the first page I liked a lot, but with Assault Zeppelid out there I didn't want to make a cheaper haste version of it, hence the basic land only text. Even using only basic land though, unless you have 3 of a kind you can play it on turn 3 every time.
Decree of the Guildpact(W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Untap all creatures that share a color with a color of mana spent to play ~, then put 2 +1/+1 counters on each creature untapped this way. Draw X cards and gain X life, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to play ~.
You put {w/u} in mana tags, that dosn't work. You put {wu} for hybrid. As so.(W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W) Also fun, (W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W). I just love the way those things look, even though I know that's not the official mana color order.
The point is, that kind of card is a little combersome but it gives you a lot of options. It's not going to be a game winner, but if you're doing a 3 color deck and you're down on your luck it's hard to imagine not being able to play this kind of spell. That's what my 3 color hybrid cards are about.
I don't disagree, but the design is still full of problems. Let's look at this one (which is far less complicated than some of the other designs):
First you have a strictly better version of Vicious Hunger, which is not good because VH is a fair and balanced card. But then if you pay R or W, the card actually gets worse. BR gets you the same damage without the lifegain; WB gets you the lifegain with less damage. Then if you pay just WR, you've a sorcery-speed Lightning Helix. See the problems here?
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I don't disagree, but the design is still full of problems. Let's look at this one (which is far less complicated than some of the other designs):
First you have a strictly better version of Vicious Hunger, which is not good because VH is a fair and balanced card. But then if you pay R or W, the card actually gets worse. BR gets you the same damage without the lifegain; WB gets you the lifegain with less damage. Then if you pay just WR, you've a sorcery-speed Lightning Helix. See the problems here?
Among the problems with my BBB is that it's not symmetric. You can't come up with other cards that do anything like it, so it's a dead end.
Branching off Simic Mongoose's idea, how's this?
Rule of the Guilds (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W)(W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W)
Sorcery
Spent only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 until the end of the turn for each mana spent to play ~ that shares a color with that creature. Multi-color creatures you control get double strike until the end of the turn.
And with that I have to go for now, but I look forward to picking this back up when I get home.
you have some really nice ideas but I want to see a card that costs: (W/U)(W/B)(U/B)(U/R)(B/R)(B/G)(R/W)(R/G)(G/W)(G/U)
note: you only need 4 colours to play it
or (as that's virtualy unplayable): (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/W)(G/W)
echo (W/B)(U/R)(B/G)(R/G)(G/U)
note: I spent 3 hours back when TS was rumoured to "take hybrid in a new direction" working out how to order them, this is correct WUBRG order, please follow this order
EDIT: rule of guilds looks awsome but to really use it you need to run a bizzare variation on my 5colour-white deck (not neciseraly white) using only basic lands, entirely hybrid creatures and to somehow, reliably, draw 4 of each of your 2 main colours and 1 of each of another 2 in basic lands, it's effectively a green white finisher that requires you to play so many hybrid creatures and so many land fetch cards you couldn't fit it in one deck!
I suggest you make the effect worth the cost
Rule of the Guilds - If you somehow have enough basic lands to play this spell, and have enough creatures to justify casting it, you'd probably be better off with Coalition Victory, which costs 8 mana instead of this spell's staggering 10.
note: I spent 3 hours back when TS was rumoured to "take hybrid in a new direction" working out how to order them, this is correct WUBRG order, please follow this order
It's easier to read my way, so I'll keep on for the moment like that. If I ever decide to be more serious you are right though.
It would be fun to make the card that costs one of each hybrid mana type.
I think the order might be all white mana symbols first, then all blue, black, red, and gree. So (W/U)(W/B)(W/R)(W/G)(U/B)(U/R)(U/G)(B/R)(B/G)(R/G)? That's ugly. They might break that rule if they did print a 5 hybrid mana cost because (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W) and (W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W) are less intimdating in appearance.
The reminder text would have to say "You can pay ~'s cost with ten colored mana so long as it includes at most 4 mana of the most common type, 3 mana of the next common type, and 2 mana of the third most common type." Yeah, I did the math. Edit - Actualy I did it wrong, but I'll correct it in Might of the Guilds.
Might of the Guilds. (W/U)(W/B)(W/R)(W/G)(U/B)(U/R)(U/G)(B/R)(B/G)(R/G)
Instant (You can pay ~'s cost with ten colored mana so long as you use at most 4 mana of the most common type, at most 3 mana of the next common type, and at least 1 mana of 2 other colors.) Target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life for each Swamp you control. ~ deals damage equal to the number of Mountains divided amongst any number of target creatures. Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each Forest you control. Creatyres you control get +1/+1 until end of turn for each Plains you control. Draw a card for each Island you control, then discard half that many rounded up.
It's like Last Stand, beefed up. With Ravnica duals flying around, and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth it's practically a "you win" card. Still, I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole.
Even though it's wrong I'm going to go back to my wraping mana symbol method, simply because it's easier to read. If I join the FCC or something I'll do that differently.
Side note, how permanent are the PC shifts of haste and trample between green? So going back to Unstable Mass, my URG creature, should it look like this now?
Unstable Mass (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
3/3
The problem with haste is that it's only good on one turn, whereas the others could matter more often. Maybe U is flying, R is First Strike and G? is trample? I also think it's toughness could safely be 4, or power. 4/4 now that haste is out of the picture? That's kind of pushing it maybe.
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
4/4
As a note, I'm using the Spoiler button to see how certain ideas evolve through the thread. That way you can see the original through current version of the various cards.
For example:
Unstable Mass (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
3/3
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
3/3
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
4/4
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains Flanking.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
3/4
Sorcery
Put target creature in any graveyard into play.
Unless W was spent to play ~ the creature comes into play tapped and does not untap during it's controller's untap step.
Unless B was spent to play ~ you can only target a creature in your graveyard.
Unless G was spent to play ~ you can only target a creature with CMC 4 or less.
Cytoplasmic Horror (U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Mutant Zombie
[CARDNAME] comes into play with 2 +1/+1 counters
If UB was spent to play ~ it gains Transfigure 3.
If BG was spent to play ~ it gains Deathtouch.
If GU was spent to play ~ it gains Graft 1.
0/0
Creature - Mutant Zombie
Graft Sunburst
0/0
Cytoplasmic Horror(U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Mutant Zombie
Sunburst, Graft 1
0/0
Instant
For each color of mana used to play [CARDNAME] creatures you control cannot be blocked except by creatures of that color and/or artifact creatures this turn.
Lightning Archangel (W/U)(U/R)(R/W)(W/U)(U/R)(R/W)
Creature - Angel Soldier
Flying
If WW was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike and Protection from Black.
If UU was spent to play ~ it gains Vigilance and protection from Green.
If RR was spent to play ~ it gains Haste and Protection from Artifacts.
5/5
Below is a list of every card of mine from later posts, here for your convenience.
Censor (W/U)
Instant
Tap target creatue.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that creature would deal this turn.
If U was spent to play ~ that creature does not untap during his controller's next untap step.
Mind Num (U/B)
Sorcery
Look at target player's hand if U was spent to play ~. That player discards a card at random if B was spent to play ~, Otherwise that player chooses and discards a card.
Aggravated Damage (B/R)
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If B was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
If R was spent to play ~ this damage cannot be prevented or redirected.
Brutish Growth (R/G)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If R was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If G was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Vitalize (G/W)
Regenerate target creature.
If G was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature can block an additional creature this turn.
Soul Strike (W/B)
Instant
Target creature gains lifelink until the end of the turn.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature gains Protection from Black until end of turn.
If B was spent to play ~ that creature gains Fear until end of turn.
Golgari grave moss (B/G)
Sorcery
Return target creature card in your graveyard to hand.
If B was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard.
If G was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the bottom of your graveyard to the bottom of your library. (~ cannot put itself on bottom of your library in this way.)
Scryb Faerie (G/U)
Creature - Faerie
Flying
If U was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can block only creatures with flying."
If G was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can not block creatures with flying."
Lesser Schismotivation(U/R)
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until the end of the turn if U was spent to play ~ and +3/+0 until the end of the turn if R was spent to play ~.
Zealous Charge (R/W)
Instant
Target creature gains +1/+0 and first strike until the end of the turn.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains haste.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that would be dealt to it this turn.
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed or :symb::symb: to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed or :symb::symb: to play this you gain that much life.
Selenia's Fire (W/B)(B/R)(R/W)
Sorcery
Sunburst, Lifelink
~ deals X+1 damage to target creature or player where X is the number of charge counters on it.
Boros Initiate (R/W)
Creature - Dwarf Cleric
Radiance - Each creature that shares a color with ~ is red and white in addition to it's colors.
1/1
Dimir Initiate (U/B)
Creature - Human Rogue
Transmute 1(U/B)(U/B)
1/1
Golgari Initiate (B/G)
Creature - Elf Shaman
Sacrifice ~ : Draw a card, reveal it, then discard it.
Dredge 2
1/1
Selesnya Initiate (G/W)
Creature - Elf Soldier
Convoke
~ comes into play tapped
1/1
Gruul Thug (R/G)
Creature - Elf Barbarian
Bloodthirst 1
1/1
Orzhov Ghost-warden (W/B)
Creature - Spirit
Haunt
When ~ comes into play or the creature it haunts is put into a graveyard you may put target card with haunt that is removed from the game into it's owner's graveyard.
1/1
Izzet Plasm (U/R)
Sorcery
Put a 1/1 blue and red weird creature token into play.
Replicate UR
Azorious Initiate (W/U)
Creature - Bird Soldier
Flying
Forecast: WU: Remove a card in you hand from the game and then return it to your hand.
1/1
Rakdos Thug (R/B)
Creature - Goblin Assassin
First strike
Hellbent - While you have no cards in hand ~ gets provoke and "When this creature is blocked by an other creature destroy them both. They cannot be regenerated"
1/1
Simic experiment (U/G)
Creature - Mutant Ooze
Graft 1
0/0
Enchantment
Sunburst
If there are fewer than 7 cards in your graveyard put the top card of your library into your graveyard. (Ignore this effect if you do not have any cards in your library)
If there are more than 7 cards in your graveyard put the bottom card of your graveyard on bottom of your library.
Sacrifice a creature: Put a charge counter on ~
Remove a charge counter or sacrifice ~: Put target card you own that is removed from the game into your graveyard.
Tranquil Cemetary (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
If there are more than 7 cards in your graveyard put the bottom card of your graveyard on bottom of your library.
1: Put the top card of your library into your graveyard.
3, Remove a charge counter or sacrifice ~: Put target card you own that is removed from the game into your graveyard.
Creature - Human Samurai
Bushido 1, Double Strike
Only Kentaro would offer fealty to a dishonored ronin. I prey his loyal matches his courage. - General Takeno, letter to Lord Konda
1/2
Creature - Elf Wizard Soldier
Reach, Vigilance
2/4
Instant
Sunburst
Target a creature and reveal a number of cards from the top of it's owner's library equal to 3 times the number of charge counters on ~. If a creature card was revealed in this way you may swap that creature and the targeted creature. Put all revealed cards on bottom of owner's library in the same order. (The target creature thus goes to the bottom of the library if a creature was revealed)
Instant
Sunburst.
Put a X/X red, green, and white beast creature token into play, where X is the number of charge counters on ~ +1.
"They've never seen a human before, I bet you a gold crown it'd eat right out of the palm of my hand." - Holderhak the Dim, last words.
Creature - Hydra
Sunburst, Sunburst.
During your upkeep you can pay RGW. If you do put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Whenever damage would be dealt to ~ instead remove that many +1/+1 counters. When there are no counters on ~ sacrifice it.
0/0
Sunhydra (R/G)(R/W)(G/W)
Creature - Hydra
Sunburst, Sunburst.
For each damage that would be dealt to ~ instead remove a +1/+1 counter from it unless you pay 1. When there are no counters on ~ sacrifice it. RGW: put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
0/0
Sorcery
Sunburst
Target discards 5 cards from the top of his or her library for each charge counter on ~.
Brain Pain (U/B)(U/R)(B/R)
Sorcery
Sunburst
For each charge counter on ~ target player must discard a card from hand or 6 cards from the top of his or her library.
Sorcery
Sunburst
Destroy target non-basic land. Deal damage to it's controller equal to the number of charge counters on ~.
Instant
Sunburst
Counter target spell unless it's controller pays 1 and 1 life for each charge counter on ~. If he or she does you gain that much life. (If there are 2 charge counter on ~ they must pay 2 and 2 life. If they do not you gain 2 life.)
Instant
Sunburst
Put a creature with converted mana less than 2 per charge counter on ~ from your hand into play.
Enchantment
Sunburst
Artifact and enchantment spells your opponents play cost an additional X to play, where X is the number of charge counters on ~.
Awed Silence (G/W)(G/U)(U/W)
Enchantment
Sunburst
Whenever an opponent plays an artifact or enchantment spell counter it and remove a charge counter from ~. When there are no charge counters left on ~ sacrifice it.
Ex.
Expurgate RB
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature, ignore this ability if B was used to play CARDNAME.
Up to two target creatures gets -1/-1 until end of turn, ignore this ability if R was used to play CARDNAME.
The one problem I can see with your problem is memory issues... how are you to remember just how you payed that Unstable Mass four turns ago? Its viable and for the cards you proposed it shouldn't be too much of an issue but it could come up...
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Epic Avvy by Craven!
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I can see your point. Some wouldn't be as hard to remember as they might seem though. My UBG monster will never have two abilities. That is, it has none of the abilities if it is put into play without cost, it'll have one ability if you pay 2 of one kind and 1 of an other, and it'll have all 3 if you play it for UBG. That one I think would be easier to remember than the URG elemental.
I could've gone with something like this, but I thought it was a little on the weak side. It has no memory issues but it just isn't any good, what with Plaxcaster Frog out there.
Cytoplasmic Horror (U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Zombie Mutant
Graft Sunburst
0/0
A (U/B)(B/G)(G/U) 0/0 with Sunburst and Graft 1 would be way better, maybe too good actually. Anyway, I have other ideas too.
Fracture (R/G)(G/W)
Instant
Destroy Target non-creature artifact.
If R was spent to play [CARDNAME] gains split second.
If W was used to play [CARDNAME] gain 2 life.
Here white and red provide effects, and even though green doesn't give any specific benefit it does make the spell easy to cast. I don't think I could come up with a cycle off the top of my head though. These kinds of cards don't inspire me as much, I don't know why. I like creatures.
I've been avoiding 3 adjacent color combinations because the hybrid mana symbols are ugly more than anything. I could see some kind of bounce/discard card in UBR, like
Reel (U/B)(U/R)(R/B)
Instant
Return target creature to it's owner's hand.
If U was spent to play [CARDNAME] look at that player's hand.
If B was spent to play [CARDNAME] name a card other than a basic land.
If R was spent to play [CARDNAME] that player must discard a card at random. Otherwise he choses and discards a card. If the named card was chosen that player must discard cards in this fashion until he discards a card other than the named one or she has no cards in hand.
That might be too complicated. Anyway I'd love to see other people's ideas. BTW, the names aren't important, I using http://thesaurus.reference.com/ for this batch.
If you're going to make tricolor cards, they need to have tricolor benefits.
Tears of the Gorgon- WBG for Zombify is a bit much. One mana off really doesn't justify it. This needs more enhancements.
Oros's Cry gets worse the more mana you spend for it (if you spend WBR, it gives your creatures a markedly poor boost. Even if it didn't, spending WBR is still somewhat expensive (Dirge of Dread did the same thing at a better cost).
The rest seem good enough for their respective costs.
Reel- what does this do, exactly?
Cytoplasmic Horror- This could have graft 1. What are the odds of playing this on the third turn full power?
I warned you complicated.
You return a creature to their hand.
If you played blue you look at their hand.
Then they discard a card from their hand. If you payed red they have to discard at random instead. If you payed black, you also throw in that you name a card that they can't discard, and if they do you repeat the process.
For example, say you do all 3. Your opponent has 2 Tendrils of Corruption in hand you return Festering Goblin. If blue was payed you look at their hand at this time. For the black ability you name Tendrils of Corruption. Now they discard a card at random because you payed red. If a Tendrils comes up you repeat, so you could wipe out their whole hand.
But as I said, maybe too complicated.
The idea was that if you play Black your creatures gain fear, if you pay white they gain the Amrou Seekers ability, and if you payed red they get the Skirk Shaman, so if you pay all of the above they can only block with artifact creatures and WBR creatures like Oros, the Avenger.
Edit - Had an other thought
I suck at making new card names. (W/B)(R/B)
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed R or BB to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed W or BB to play this you gain that much life.
Damage dealing and life gain is notoriously either black or multi-w/r. This card is like a limited Lightning Helix, a better Vicious Hunger, or in case of emergency you have two other options as well.
Simplify, please.
Currently 62/265 cards.
The idea I'm trying to get is modular cards with it's function derived by which 2 colors you use to play it. Let me go back to an earlier example which has evolved a bit.
Cytoplasmic Horror (U/B)(B/G)(G/U)
Creature - Mutant Zombie
[CARDNAME] Comes into play with 2 +1/+1 counters
If :symu::symb: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains Transfigure :3mana:.
If :symb::symg: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains "2: Regenerate"
If :symg::symu: was spent to play [CARDNAME] it gains Graft 1.
0/0
For a 2 color deck, this creature is a graft 2 for 3 with one of a few abilities. It's better than an Ogre for your colors or a morph face down.
Let's talk about UB first. You can play it on turn 3 very easily, and it can Transfigure to get you an other 3 cost creature. I can imagine a UB Zombie deck that uses this bad boy to find Lord of the Undead or whatnot. It can find copies of itself, but that's less than productive.
Next up is BG. A 3/3 regenerator, nothing astounding.
UG is interesting, it is essencialy a Plaxcaster Frogling that can't be terrored.
Now let's put it all together. You have a Graft 3 for 3. It can regenerate for as long as you need it. You can graft off of it 3 times and then Transfigure up a new one. Best of all, if you don't get your land working out right you can still play this guy unless you get 3 of the same basic land type, or draw colorless lands. It's complicated, but I think it's worth the potential confusion.
I'll admit that Reel was a bad idea, just forget I ever mentioned it. I tried to make a 3 color hybrid better Recoil. I failed, let's move on.
Suposing I revisit an other card:
Tears of the Gorgon (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any grave to play under your control.
That would be too good. You can already get Akroma in discard on turn 1. This with any 2 cost blue discard enabler (Magus of the Bazaar) is a turn advantage for Akroma Smash, which doesn't need my help.
Tears of the Gorgon (W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any grave to play under your control.
If you don't pay W the creature comes into play tapped and does not untap during your next untap step.
If you don't pay B [CARDNAME] must target a card in your graveyard.
If you don't pay G [CARDNAME] can only target a creature with converted mana cost 4 or less.
If you don't pay W it comes out tapped and doesn't untap next turn. In a BG deck the turn you save by playing this over Zombify is lost, that's all that mans. If you don't play B you can only target creatures in your own graveyard, which makes sense when you consider cards like Hymn of Rebirth. The last ability was a bit of a stretch, I couldn't think of a green ability I'll be honest.
All together, if you pull it off as a 3 cost spell to take your opponent's Akroma and beat them about the head and sholders. More likely you'll use it to get back coming into play effect creatures, like Nekrataal or Loxodon Heirarch.
I am open to other people's card ideas too. I was kind of expecting being flooded with "I had a similar idea, it went like ~" posts. I know I'm not a genius card designer to be the envy of teh interweb, I thought people would be sounding off with their ideas about how they have better ideas than me, that's what I wanted to read more than anything to be honest. But this if fine too.
It's far easier to limit it to spells that try to work out counters on these cards, because the counters required to make each number unique in the abilities follows the powers of two (1, 2, 4, 8, 16...) as a card can't use two different types of counters.
Where's the fun in that? Well, you do have a point. I like to take some ability that you can find in 3 colors, like counterspelling (WUB), aftifact destruction (RGW), playing creatures from graveyard (WBG), etc. I'd like to see cards that can be played with any combination of those 2 colors, so it's easier to play.
Maybe enhancements on 2 color hybrid cards would be better. For example, Expurgate from earlier could be a (B/R) modal spell. Cards like that are simple and understandable. For example,
Brutish Growth (R/G)
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If R was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If G was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Kind of a combination Brute Force/Giant Growth, weaker but with an combat trick ability. Nothing overwhelming. I'd toss one or two in a Gruul deck.
As a different idea, I still like 3 color hybrid cards (I especialy like how the symbols wrap), but let's drop enchancements from them.
Disentomb 1(W/B)(B/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Put target creature card in any graveyard into play under your control
Abnegate (W/U)(U/B)
Instant
Counter target spell unless it's controler pays 2 and 2 life.
I cite Mundungu and Mana Tithe for this being "In color", and Dash Hopes for rough power level. It could be argued that Mana Leak is stronger in blue, but this could go better into a WUB deck. BTW, I'm no good at names, I'm using a Thesaurus for synonyms for Deny and that was the first one that's not already a card.
So what I'm saying is that I can take my two ideas (3 color hybrid cards is one, hybrid cards with enchancement effects is the other) and separate them, as to not overload a single card. I could continue along the basic lines of these cards and hopefully amuse some readers.
Let me play with that idea a little.
Expurgate (R/B)
Sorcery
Deal 2 damate to target creature if R was spent to play ~ and give that creature -1/-1 untill end of turn if B was spent to play ~.
I don't like a card that doesn't have a base effect, it only has an "enhancement" cost as it were. Continuing with Brutish Growth, let's see if I can't make a cycle out of that idea.
Censor (W/U)
Instant
Tap target creatue.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that creature would deal this turn.
If U was spent to play ~ that creature does not untap during his controller's next untap step.
Mind Num (U/B)
Sorcery
Target player discards a card.
If U was spent to play ~ look at that player's hand.
If B was spent to play ~ that player looses 1 life for each card in hand fewer than three.
Aggravated Damage (B/R)
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If B was spent to play ~ tap that creature.
If R was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
Brutish Growth
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 untill end of turn.
If was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains first strike untill end of turn.
If was used to play [CARDNAME] that creature gains trample untill end of turn.
Vitalize (G/W)
Regenerate target creature.
If G was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature the next time it regenerates this turn.
If W was spent to play ~ untap that creature.
A few pretty minor points:
Vitalize could probably just put the +1/+1 counter on it right away. Nobody accuses either Battlegrowth or Death Ward of being too strong, so putting them together is probably just fine.
Mind Numb has just one problem - the black part punishes the player just a little too well. Making it random is probably too much for the cost, though... it could make them lose life if they discarded a noncreature card, or maybe nonland.
For Aggravated Damage, I don't see black as tapping creatures. I think if the black half prevented regeneration, and the red half made it so the damage couldn't be prevented, that'd work.
It's blue use is early on, like Peek but they discard instead of you drawing. The black ability is to make a discard card for The Rack decks. Yeah, the black ability could be changed.
Well, black does some tapping, but I think you're right about the damage prevention clause. So I'm going to re-do those two.
Mind Num
Sorcery
Look at target player's hand if U was spent to play ~. That player discards a card at random if was spent to play ~, Otherwise that player chooses and discards a card.
Aggravated Damage
Instant
Deal 2 damage to target creature.
If was spent to play ~ the target cannot be regenerated this turn.
If was spent to play ~ this damage cannot be prevented or redirected.
I have some misgivings about Vitalize. Mostly I'm not sure the white ability was right, so here's take 2.
Vitalize
Regenerate target creature.
If was spent to play ~ put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
If was spent to play ~ that creature can block an additional creature this turn.
Having done ally colors now I might be fun to move on to enemy colors.
Soul Strike (W/B)
Instant
Target creature gains lifelink until the end of the turn.
If W was spent to play ~ that creature gains "this creature can only be blocked by white and/or artifact creatures this turn."
If B was spent to play ~ that creature gains fear until end of turn.
Golgari grave moss (B/G)
Sorcery
Return target creature card in your graveyard to hand.
If B was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the top of your library into your graveyard.
If G was spent to play ~ put up to 3 cards from the bottom of your graveyard to the bottom of your library. (~ cannot put itself on bottom of your library in this way.)
Scryb Faerie (G/U)
Creature - Faerie
Flying
If U was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can block only creatures with flying."
If G was spent to play ~ it gains "This creature can not block creatures with flying."
Lesser Schismotivation(U/R)
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until the end of the turn if U was spent to play ~ and +3/+0 until the end of the turn if R was spent to play ~.
Zealous Charge (R/W)
Instant
Target creature gains +1/+0 and first strike until the end of the turn.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains haste.
If W was spent to play ~ prevent all damage that would be dealt to it this turn.
The reason I've been sticking to 1 cost spells is because that way only one enhancement effect could be used. That's not to say the idea couldn't go further.
Generic spell name 2(G/W)
Instant
Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
If G was spent to play ~ *some effect*
If W was spent to play ~ *some other effect*
That's more of a frame than a real example. I'm not good at making new disenchant variants, they've already done everything there is almost.
However, the 1-cost spells in the last three posts of yours are very well done. They are much less complicated and have a much better work vs. payoff grokability to them. With a couple exceptions, the abilities are very well chosen.
I don't like Mind Numb for the discard in blue. I understand your logic, but blue doesn't get discard. (No, Planar Chaos does count.)
I don't like Aggravated Damage either. Direct damage that efficient is not black and it's out of flavor. Black always has a lifegain effect along with its direct damage.
Other than that, very well done. I'm impressed.
Current New Favorite Person™: Mallory Archer
She knows why.
Actually, all of these are underpowered. Look at Burning-Tree Shaman, Jagged Poppet, or Plaxcaster Frogling. Each is at least a 3/3 with a beneficial ability for 1CD. Since a tri-hybrid card needs at least two of its colors, these cards all essentially cost CCD or CDE, which means you shoul probably be able to get at least a 4/4 with some good abilities.
I'm not sure which version you're referring to, but all the versions come into play with some number of counters on them before SBEs are checked.
Current New Favorite Person™: Mallory Archer
She knows why.
Okay, so let me bring up one from a few posts back, with a better name this time.
Black Boros Bolt. :symbw::symbr:
Sorcery
Deal 2 damage to target creature. If you payed or :symb::symb: to play this deal 3 damage instead.
When this deals damage if you payed or :symb::symb: to play this you gain that much life.
This one lets you pay RW for what is nearly Lightning Helix, or BB for a better Vicious Hunger. The same effect either way. If you can only pay WB you have Vicious Hunger, which is a fair effect for WB. If you pay BR you have a bad Volcanic Hammer, but it still kills watchwolf.
Without either enhancement the card isn't good, but no matter what you have one effect or the other. Since you brought up MaRo, I believe he has said that damage with life gain is typically black but when White and Red get together it's in flavor for them. I can't site my sources, I recall having read it on the Wizards site. The point is, that kind of card is a little combersome but it gives you a lot of options. It's not going to be a game winner, but if you're doing a 3 color deck and you're down on your luck it's hard to imagine not being able to play this kind of spell. That's what my 3 color hybrid cards are about.
I hade an other idea just now. I usualy only play green to mana balance, but most of the time I need to get the green with it. So imagine this as a psydo-cycle.
[CARDNAME] 2(B/G)
Search your library for a forest or swamp. If B was not spent to play ~ you must chose to find a basic swamp, and if G was not spent to play ~ you must chose to find a basic forest. Put the chosen land into play and shuffle your library.
So you could, in a BG deck, have an untamed wilds that better fixes your mana, or if you already have both land types you can find Overgrown Tomb. You could have a WG, UG, and RG clearly.
My mistake; I didn't see it's first ability.
Just to make my presence in this thread constructive, here's a card.
Decree of the Guildpact (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W)
Sorcery
Untap all creatures that share a color with a color of mana spent to play ~, then put 2 +1/+1 counters on each creature untapped this way. Draw X cards and gain X life, where X is the number of colors of mana spent to play ~.
I want to find out what's "cool" first. I'm not R&D, I'm sure that if I submitted the (U/B)(B/G)(G/U) Graft Sunburst they'd tell me that it could be Sunburst and Graft 1. I'm just saying "Hey, wouldn't a 3 color hybrid zombie, in the colors of Vorosh, the Hunter, with graft be pretty cool?" Feel free to put your own cards, or your own fixes to my cards.
If it weren't so cumbersome I'd like to have different enhancement effects for every color on most cards, but sunburst does the same basic thing. My(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) elemental on the first page I liked a lot, but with Assault Zeppelid out there I didn't want to make a cheaper haste version of it, hence the basic land only text. Even using only basic land though, unless you have 3 of a kind you can play it on turn 3 every time.
You put {w/u} in mana tags, that dosn't work. You put {wu} for hybrid. As so.(W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W) Also fun, (W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W). I just love the way those things look, even though I know that's not the official mana color order.
I don't disagree, but the design is still full of problems. Let's look at this one (which is far less complicated than some of the other designs):
First you have a strictly better version of Vicious Hunger, which is not good because VH is a fair and balanced card. But then if you pay R or W, the card actually gets worse. BR gets you the same damage without the lifegain; WB gets you the lifegain with less damage. Then if you pay just WR, you've a sorcery-speed Lightning Helix. See the problems here?
Current New Favorite Person™: Mallory Archer
She knows why.
Among the problems with my BBB is that it's not symmetric. You can't come up with other cards that do anything like it, so it's a dead end.
Branching off Simic Mongoose's idea, how's this?
Rule of the Guilds (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W)(W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W)
Sorcery
Spent only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 until the end of the turn for each mana spent to play ~ that shares a color with that creature. Multi-color creatures you control get double strike until the end of the turn.
And with that I have to go for now, but I look forward to picking this back up when I get home.
(W/U)(W/B)(U/B)(U/R)(B/R)(B/G)(R/W)(R/G)(G/W)(G/U)
note: you only need 4 colours to play it
or (as that's virtualy unplayable):
(W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/W)(G/W)
echo (W/B)(U/R)(B/G)(R/G)(G/U)
note: I spent 3 hours back when TS was rumoured to "take hybrid in a new direction" working out how to order them, this is correct WUBRG order, please follow this order
EDIT: rule of guilds looks awsome but to really use it you need to run a bizzare variation on my 5colour-white deck (not neciseraly white) using only basic lands, entirely hybrid creatures and to somehow, reliably, draw 4 of each of your 2 main colours and 1 of each of another 2 in basic lands, it's effectively a green white finisher that requires you to play so many hybrid creatures and so many land fetch cards you couldn't fit it in one deck!
I suggest you make the effect worth the cost
It's easier to read my way, so I'll keep on for the moment like that. If I ever decide to be more serious you are right though.
It would be fun to make the card that costs one of each hybrid mana type.
I think the order might be all white mana symbols first, then all blue, black, red, and gree. So (W/U)(W/B)(W/R)(W/G)(U/B)(U/R)(U/G)(B/R)(B/G)(R/G)? That's ugly. They might break that rule if they did print a 5 hybrid mana cost because (W/U)(U/B)(B/R)(R/G)(G/W) and (W/B)(B/G)(G/U)(U/R)(R/W) are less intimdating in appearance.
The reminder text would have to say "You can pay ~'s cost with ten colored mana so long as it includes at most 4 mana of the most common type, 3 mana of the next common type, and 2 mana of the third most common type." Yeah, I did the math. Edit - Actualy I did it wrong, but I'll correct it in Might of the Guilds.
Might of the Guilds. (W/U)(W/B)(W/R)(W/G)(U/B)(U/R)(U/G)(B/R)(B/G)(R/G)
Instant
(You can pay ~'s cost with ten colored mana so long as you use at most 4 mana of the most common type, at most 3 mana of the next common type, and at least 1 mana of 2 other colors.)
Target opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life for each Swamp you control. ~ deals damage equal to the number of Mountains divided amongst any number of target creatures. Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each Forest you control. Creatyres you control get +1/+1 until end of turn for each Plains you control. Draw a card for each Island you control, then discard half that many rounded up.
It's like Last Stand, beefed up. With Ravnica duals flying around, and Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth it's practically a "you win" card. Still, I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole.
Even though it's wrong I'm going to go back to my wraping mana symbol method, simply because it's easier to read. If I join the FCC or something I'll do that differently.
Side note, how permanent are the PC shifts of haste and trample between green? So going back to Unstable Mass, my URG creature, should it look like this now?
Unstable Mass (U/R)(R/G)(G/U)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
If was spent to play ~ it gains Haste.
3/3
The problem with haste is that it's only good on one turn, whereas the others could matter more often. Maybe U is flying, R is First Strike and G? is trample? I also think it's toughness could safely be 4, or power. 4/4 now that haste is out of the picture? That's kind of pushing it maybe.
Tropical Volcano Spawn (U/R)(U/G)(R/G)
Creature - Elemental
Spend only mana produced by basic lands to play ~.
If U was spent to play ~ it gains Flying.
If R was spent to play ~ it gains First Strike.
If G was spent to play ~ it gains Trample.
4/4