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So, M'Nool. A land of mystery. There is that one 'Walker who has taken it upon herself to return to M'Nool to itself, and I forgot her name - oh teh irony. Anyway, as she wanders she develops these ideas - theories if you will. And uses her witch's sorcery to test them:

Malachite Sky of Yesterdawn
Enchantment - Theory
All Green creatures once had flying.

"Slinking upon the ground, the snakes and bears and elephants dream of the day that they shall retake the clouds."

Now, of course you'll tell me that this card is totally useless, so. . .

Revolve
Instant
Target creature gains all the abilities it has ever had, until end of turn.

"And it all came back to her. Everything she had ever learned. Everything she had ever known."

But, it is still pretty parasitic, so I decided to add one more thing. Another word:

Natural Historian
Creature - Troll Shaman
: Prove target Enchantment. (To prove an enchantment, it becomes a creature with power and toughness equal to its converted mana cost.)
If you prove a theory this way, add to your mana pool.

2/2

I kinda like that one. Proving Theories is awesome (I'm not afraid to admit it), but Proving Non-Theories kinda sucks from a flavour perspective. Like just the words. "I prove your enchantment" - bleh! Anyway, the actual flavour is supposed to be like bringing it to life so that you can ask it yourself.

. . . So, a couple more examples. This isn't just a Green thing. I dunno why that happened.

Examples Show

From a pure flavour point of view these are nice, but in card design terms they are very parasitic and practically useless alone. Maybe if you gave them a requirement attached which had the reward of 'replace all instances of "was once" with "is"' so that they function like a quest on their own but become significantly more powerful in multiple as only one needs to be 'proved' to power them all out.

Probably too parastic, and the "prove" mechanic is keywording Opalescence to make bad cards useful. I think it would be fine, like many ideas, for a limited environment, but I don't think Magic is anywhere near a place to accept cards like this. (Oddly though, in the weird format I often play, these would be kind of useful.)

Grand Unified Theory |
Enchantment — Theory (M)
Each instance of "was once" was once "is."

I couldn't help myself

Anyways, with that out of the way.  Each theory should probably have its own way of proving it, via the magical  ability word

Something like:

Stalwart Ancestry |
Enchantment — Theory
Each white creature was once a creature with Vigiliance.
Breakthrough — At the beginning of your upkeep, if no creatures attacked during your last turn, each instance of "was once" on ~ is replaced with "is" until end of turn.

Serra's Blessing

Big Bang Theory
Enchantment - Theory
When ~ is proven, exile ~ and restart the game.
Our whole universe is in a hot dense state ,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...

You know I love proving theories (I started a movement yay) lol but its too parasitic.

Also, you can't really put more than 2-3 theories into your set if they do nothing on their own..

Oh, guyz. I love you all. I'm going to pull a Kevin here though. Sorry!

Hey, I wonder what the next logical step will be?

Return to the Sea
Enchantment - Prediction
All creatures will be fishes.

"Why did we ever leave?"


FTK, you out-clevered me. I can honestly say that I was going to make something really similar, but 'twould have read "Each instance of "was once" is "is". Which was once interesting, but your version outshines it a thousand-fold. Were I a woman, I would totally bear your children.

I do not know why I am so proud of these, but I think I may be happier with them than I have ever been with anything.

Would you all be happier if I made the majority creatures?

Tshaborex, the Grown
Legendary Creature - Theory Demon
Tshaborex was once a 0/0 Black Germ Creature.

"There once was demon from Urborg. . ."

7/7

then. . .

Child of Swords
Creature - Prediction Human
Child of Swords will be a 4/4 White Soldier wish Vigilance and Lifelink.

"That is if he lives long enough."
-Cohchoc, Fortune Teller

1/1

Tshaborex - A 7/7 in black for , lets see... we are currently pushing creatures, so you could definetly have a vanilla 4/4, it's legendary so 5/5... that extra +2/+2 though... I'd give you legendary vanilla 7/7 for . The drawback is meaningless outside of this set, its like saying...

Aether Fish 
Legendary Creature - Fish
If this Aether Fish is a bear or red, sacrifice it .
7/7 

Is this creature balanced in Shadowmoor or Onslaught blocks?
   
Child - not much different than a Level-up creature or a [card]Serra Ascendant[/mc] so it's probably fine.

Make some rule so they can somewhat function on there own. Your theories are more like predictions or proclamations I feel. Maybe do it more like geometry proofs? As long as something is something, it's also something, and then next turn it will be something else. You know, a chain of stuff.

Nov 21, 2012 -- 1:26PM, Artsy_Wumpus wrote:

Tshaborex - A 7/7 in black for , lets see... we are currently pushing creatures, so you could definetly have a vanilla 4/4, it's legendary so 5/5... that extra +2/+2 though... I'd give you legendary vanilla 7/7 for . The drawback is meaningless outside of this set, its like saying...

Aether Fish 
Legendary Creature - Fish
If this Aether Fish is a bear or red, sacrifice it .
7/7 

Is this creature balanced in Shadowmoor or Onslaught blocks?
   
Child - not much different than a Level-up creature or a [card]Serra Ascendant[/mc] so it's probably fine.

just make it cost more. problem solved.

Artsy - just examples of creatures with the thing. Not actually going to be in the set. Except I do like the little guy. The Black one has no place, but thank you for the feedback.

Chaos - Hmmmm. Like what though? I'm so happy that these are so short and sweet. I don't want to fill them with text. By the way, did you see my predictions? Because I made some. After a moment of thought: "Before you shuffle your deck you may take out as many as 7 theories and put them into your hand. When it comes time to draw your initial hand, draw X cards where X - the number of Theories already in your hand."

That way you at least can get an assurance that your useless card will be in your hand. You'd also have to reveal it to your opponent. But let's say you were playing a syck Fire Inside + Revolve + Glitterfang + Lotus Petal / Simian Spirit Guide Deck. That's 10 Flying, Trample damage on the first turn. But it is also pretty darn hard to pull off - why not just play Storm? Anyway, I'm digressing, but the thing about the proposed rule above is that it would make Theory Combo much more viable. Let me know what you think.

I also like the idea of calling my deck Theory Combo.

"Was once" and "will be" don't feel like they belong in a mystery set.  They feel like they need Time Travel!

Temporal Slide
Instant
Counter target creature spell, then you may travel to the past. (As long as it's the past, replace all instances of "was once" with "is")

Oooh. Fallingman you glorious globlin. Can I steal that wording? I mean, it remains fairly parasitic - but you know, it sounds good. And when it comes down to it, isn't that what this is really about?

Go for it, man!

Darn it all. Now I want to make a Time Travel Set.

each player returns a land and a non-land pernament to their hand during upkeep

Nov 21, 2012 -- 5:50PM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Darn it all. Now I want to make a Time Travel Set.

But they did that already. More than once.

Yeah, but mine would be better.

Nov 21, 2012 -- 7:22PM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Yeah, but mine would be better.

wow that's arrogant. Time spiral is one of the top loved blocks :O

That's only because the flavor of it was nostalgic and Suspend was a well developed mechanic that promoted a prolonged game-state. I talk about this from time to time. When you promote the game-state, it's a natural fun-factor; mixing the elements of suspense and climax.

It's pretty safe to play 5 lands that come into play tapped as one drop mana slots in a 60 card deck

Nov 21, 2012 -- 7:50PM, ChaosLight wrote:

Nov 21, 2012 -- 7:22PM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Yeah, but mine would be better.

wow that's arrogant. Time spiral is one of the top loved blocks :O

Pablo was merely joking. Though he does feel as though Time Travel could be explored more. He, too, loves that block, though everyone in F&S seems to loathe it.

Nov 21, 2012 -- 8:01PM, Matt_Holck wrote:

It's pretty safe to play 5 lands that come into play tapped as one drop mana slots in a 60 card deck

I feel like the things you say need more words. Or less. Some kind of explanation, perhaps? Every time you type something, I wonder, am I deciphering this correctly?

I've been following a deck building method that subscribes
9 casting cards. 8 casting cards and 7 casting cards
to be sure I start with a solid openning

many times, filling the 1 casting cost slot falls short so I might aswell be putting a land into play tapped

Here he comes. pablo you jinxed it

Time Spiral isn't that popular actually. While a lot of more developed players enjoy it, it had a fairly bad reception from the casual crowd.
Afaik, veteran players like suspend less than newer players dislike it.

Nov 22, 2012 -- 1:47AM, Mown wrote:

Time Spiral isn't that popular actually. While a lot of more developed players enjoy it, it had a fairly bad reception from the casual crowd.
Afaik, veteran players like suspend less than newer players dislike it.

What? I love it more because I'm a casual player. Most of those cards were not contructed playable outisde of casual o_O

I've created (parasitic?) modular stuff here before.

Once 3 artifacts that were very powerful when all were out, they couldn't be removed easily but were expensive and has some protection agaisn't cheating into play too easily.

Another time Auras that enchanted basic land, giving the land abilites that sometimes even interacted with each other, they were powerful but had to be played largely alone as they turned off the normal function of all your land.

I love these ideas as well, I'm suprised at the number of posts and the lack of comment about there complexity and introduction of new mechanisms.

Nov 21, 2012 -- 5:50PM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Darn it all. Now I want to make a Time Travel Set.

I'd love to see. Lots of creative ways to take another turn, perhaps even with drawbacks for what can be done in those turns so the means to take them can be cheaper.

Nov 22, 2012 -- 10:07AM, ChaosLight wrote:

Nov 22, 2012 -- 1:47AM, Mown wrote:

Time Spiral isn't that popular actually. While a lot of more developed players enjoy it, it had a fairly bad reception from the casual crowd.
Afaik, veteran players like suspend less than newer players dislike it.

What? I love it more because I'm a casual player. Most of those cards were not contructed playable outisde of casual o_O

What set is not like that - i'm referring to "most of the cards" part.

Nov 22, 2012 -- 10:07AM, ChaosLight wrote:

Nov 22, 2012 -- 1:47AM, Mown wrote:

Time Spiral isn't that popular actually. While a lot of more developed players enjoy it, it had a fairly bad reception from the casual crowd.
Afaik, veteran players like suspend less than newer players dislike it.

What? I love it more because I'm a casual player. Most of those cards were not contructed playable outisde of casual o_O

My bad. For the most part, I meant to say that Time Spiral scales with how much knowledge you have of the game. Newer player's didn't like Suspend, because it meant they needed to wait to cast their spells. A lot of the references are going to miss, and few of the mechanics are their cup of tea. I've heard that they don't like Suspend, as it means they have to wait to cast their spells. Maro has talked about it in tandem with drawback mechanics. Vanishing is also not that fun.

Thanks Alan. I'm going to go with Poetically Justifying these Theories. No, they won't be ridiculously prevalent. Yes, I'm willing to admit they'll be plenty parasitic. Either way, they're going in.

I mean, players might not want to play them, but if you drew one from a pack would you not be excited? I think I'll stick 'em all in Rare and Uncommon slots. Maybe one common - because so many of those are useless anyway.

So: Seven Enchantment - Theories.
And: Four Cards that interact with them.

Maybe a few more then Four, but for the others it may be a secondary effect.

In addition to that, I think I'll make a cycle of common Theory creatures, and a cycle of Legendary Theory creatures.

So, somewhere between 21 and 30 cards total. But. . . Only 11 of those will be totally useless without support.

Nov 21, 2012 -- 7:07PM, ChaosLight wrote:

Nov 21, 2012 -- 5:50PM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Darn it all. Now I want to make a Time Travel Set.

But they did that already. More than once.

How? They're still making it as we speak, somewhere in the past.

Conservation of Mana

Enchantment--Theory

If a player has more than 20 mana in his or her mana pool at any time, he or she loses the game.

Mana cannot be created or destroyed, therefore you do not exist.

Hmmm, Bay, that gives me an idea.

Veteran of Yore
Creature - Human Soldier
If you had 40 life, Veteran of Yore has +3/+3 and Vigilance.

"Fight to return. Return to better days. Better days that once were."

1/1


Of course, these would be few and far between, but imagine this:

Yore
Enchantment - Theory
You had 40 life.

"That must've been nice."

I'd change the name, but I rather like it!

That works. I was more trying to hose infinite mana combos, but that works too.

Nov 23, 2012 -- 9:11AM, bay_falconer wrote:

That works. I was more trying to hose infinite mana combos, but that works too.

Well, in Theory, your card would look like this:


Conservation of Mana

Enchantment--Theory

If a player had more than 20 mana in his or her mana pool at any time in the past, he or she loses the game.

Mana could not be created or destroyed, therefore you did not exist.

At least following the parameters set forth in the original post.

Nov 23, 2012 -- 8:46AM, magicpablo666 wrote:

Hmmm, Bay, that gives me an idea.

Veteran of Yore
Creature - Human Soldier
If you had 40 life, Veteran of Yore has +3/+3 and Vigilance.

"Fight to return. Return to better days. Better days that once were."

1/1


Of course, these would be few and far between, but imagine this:

Yore
Enchantment - Theory
You had 40 life.

"That must've been nice."

I'd change the name, but I rather like it!

This is a hilariously cool. Could be interesting in a setting where a plane is falling into ruin... an artificial plane perhaps? I don't think that's quite what you're going for, but it's another possible flavoring for the mechanic, and having that kind of flexibility is good.

So, what happens if you HAVE 40 life? At what point does Veteran of Yore's ability activate? Would you perhaps have to give it an exact timeframe, something like "At the end of each phase, if you had 40 life at some point during the game, Veteran of Yore &c."?

If you have 40 life, it shouldn't trigger. I think I need to add that in. For flavour reasons. Soldier will become complacent. Also "at some point during the game"? Yore or whatever I changed it to, doesn't specify that it was during the game. That's one of the things I find intriguing about the card. It adds context to your game, makes it feel like a smaller episode within a saga.

Glad you like them though. These YMtCers are all obsessed with mechanics. Um, the Plane is called M'Nool. A 'Walker brought a fog upon the people there and the fog spread across the entire Plane, causing mass amnesia. Nobody remembers anything. So, now, decades later, another 'Walker has taken it upon herself to restore the minds of the M'Noolians.