Cool Card Design of the Day9/21/2016 - So this isn't a very green effect (though no bleedier than Survival Cache), but it's clean and simple and fits green's meditative nature.
It bothers me more that it costs less than Divination; I guess it could be {2}{G}?
A flash of inspiration, and a quick rules check... yup:
You can pay additional costs when casting a spell without paying its mana cost, so you can pay the kicker for a spell either initially, when it rebounds, or both. That might have potential (but note that it's much less elegant).
Mechanically different, but you can't combe kicker and rebound without wondering about making rebound itself the kicker effect.
When you add a cost to rebound—a discrete, optional cost—it acts more like buyback. That is, buyback you can only claim once, which eliminates the biggest concern with that keyword. Capsize isn't quite so broken when you can only cast it twice.
The first design was top-down, but led somewhere mechanical. Design is all about inventing a starting point and then following where that leads. Take in the Scenery isn't particularly exciting itself, but there might be potential in one of the two combinations of kicker with rebound. Design a card using one of those combos that shows off what the pairing can do. Alternately, design a better top-down card from Bae's illustration.
Thinking about how original kicker was to encourage multicolor decks:
ReplyDeleteTake in the Scenery (same art)
G
Instant - Uncommon
Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.
Rebound Kicker 1W
Crash Through
R
Instant - Uncommon
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
Rebound Kicker 1G
Flash in Time
W
Instant - Uncommon
Exile target creature you control. Return it to the battlefield under its owner's control at end of turn.
Rebound Kicker 1U
Draining Bite
B
Instant - Uncommon
Deal 1 damage to target creature and 1 damage to target player. You gain 1 life.
Rebound Kicker 1R
Withering Stare
U
Instant - Uncommon
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Rebound Kicker 1B
Nice!
DeleteAlthough it's hard to rebound Flash in Time profitably.
When I saw the name, I sort of thought a Green Timely Reinforcements. Came up with this:
ReplyDeleteGift of the Wildlands 2GG
Sorcery (Uncommon or Rare)
If you control no creatures, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token.
If you control a creature, draw three cards.
Are you supposed to get the three cards regardless, or only if you didn't get the token?
DeleteIt's either or, a modal spell that makes the decision for you based on whether you're behind on board or not.
DeleteGift 1 2GG
Sorcery (Uncommon/Rare)
If you control no creatures, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token; if you control a creature, draw three cards instead.
As is so often the case, I'm trying to be clever, and ignoring an obviously better design:
Gift 2 3GG
Sorcery (Rare)
If you control no creatures, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token.
If you have one or fewer cards in your hand, draw three cards.
templating quirk:
DeleteGift 1 2GG
Sorcery (Uncommon/Rare)
If you control no creatures, create a 4/4 green Beast creature token. Otherwise draw three cards.
Gift 2 is definitely more exciting. Particularly since a 4/4 for four is much less special to green than three cards for four mana is.
related to the second one, it's interesting to think about a spell that's intentionally much more... useful? usable? on the rebound, for a delayed effect that can be, uh, well, you'll see what I mean:
ReplyDeleteTake in the Scenery {2}{G}
Instant
Kicker {2}{G}
If ~ was kicked, draw three cards.
Rebound
or...
Shuddering Growth {2}{G}{G}
Instant
Kicker {2}{G}{G}
Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
If ~ was kicked, put eight +1/+1 counters on that creature instead.
Rebound
this can also be cleaned up a little for a less deep but more easy-to-grasp effect...
Third Gift of the Wildlands {2}{G}{G}
Sorcery
Rebound {3}{G}{G} (If you cast this spell from your hand, you may exile it, blah blah blah your next upkeep, you may cast this card from exile for its Rebound cost)
Create a 4/4 green Beast creature token.
On the rebound, draw two cards.
I love the idea of an echo card that you can get more value out of in the late game.
Delete