GDS3 Discussions: Ryan Siegel-Stechler's Challenge 3 Submission

(These posts are being backdated for administrative purposes. They were not disclosed to nor published on this site prior to their publication on the mothership. You can read the judge commentary on Ryan's submission on his official GDS page)

CONTESTANT COMMENTS

Andante (♩ = 76)

My mechanic is. . .drumroll . . . rhythm N (If this is the Nth spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.).

This mechanic is meant to (carefully!) walk newer players up to how fun resolving several spells in "one big turn" is, without the brokenness of storm. I also like how it embiggens surge, a favorite mechanic of mine. I took Mark Rosewater's advice from last week to heart, and went with a music theme to focus my ideas.

A couple things I didn't expect came out of playtesting. One, my players desperately wanted rhythm 1 cards, even though I thought it read as downside. Two, rhythm 3 proved more complex than I expected; thinking ahead two spells was difficult for my new-player playtester. So, I moved rhythm 3 out of common entirely; with more rhythm 1 and 2, the cards didn't feel stuck in her hand anymore.

Rhythm would admittedly need some environmental support—cheap cards that represent multiple spells or cantrip help it immensely. I included one common in Ominous Music (which also represents a new and hopefully unbreakable way to make a "free" spell) and one uncommon in Raindrops on Rooftops that played in that space. Certain reprints (Unsummon was a somewhat-lenticular playtester favorite) would help here. Metronome Keeper fits the bill, and was also meant to be a Limited build-around and archetype signpost.

1) Tap Dancing Centaur (common)
2G
Creature — Centaur
3/3
Rhythm 2 (If this is the second spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
If you cast Tap Dancing Centaur in rhythm, it enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.

2) Lullaby (common)
1U
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Rhythm 2 (If this is the second spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
If you cast Lullaby in rhythm, tap enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.

3) Ominous Music (common)
B
Sorcery
Rhythm 1 (If this is the first spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. If you cast Ominous Music in rhythm, add B.

4) Metronome Keeper (uncommon)
1W
Creature — Human Knight
3/2
Rhythm 3 (If this is the third spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
When Metronome Keeper enters the battlefield, return a creature you control to its owner's hand. Then, if you cast Metronome Keeper in rhythm, create a 2/2 white Knight creature token.

5) Raindrops on Rooftops (uncommon)
U
Instant
Rhythm 2 (If this is the second spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
If you cast Raindrops on Rooftops in rhythm, scry 2.
Draw a card.

6) Dance with Me! (rare)
2R
Sorcery
Rhythm 3 (If this is the third spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. If you cast Dance with Me! in rhythm, whenever that creature attacks for the first time this turn, untap all attacking creatures you control. After that phase, there is an additional combat phase.

7) Come Marching In (rare)
3W
Enchantment
Rhythm 3 (If this is the third spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
When Come Marching In enters the battlefield, if you cast it in rhythm, create three 2/2 white Knight creature tokens.
Whenever you cast a spell in rhythm, creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.

8) Crescendo Phoenix (mythic rare)
1RR
Creature — Phoenix
3/1
Flying
Rhythm 4 (If this is the fourth spell you cast this turn, it is cast in rhythm.)
When Crescendo Phoenix enters the battlefield, if you cast it in rhythm, discard your hand, then draw 7 cards.
When Crescendo Phoenix dies, you may exile it. If you do, you may cast Crescendo Phoenix from exile until the beginning of your next end step.