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Jan 7, 2013 -- 9:03PM, TheBringer wrote:

I want to do entwine on creatures.

Longhorn Warrior
Creature - Minotaur Warrior

As you cast this spell, choose one - ~ has +1/+0; or ~ has first strike.

Entwine

1/1



It's times like this were I wish there could just be rules like "use a penny, heads for +1/+0 and tails for first strike. Dont have a penny on the card if it's entwined"
The closest solution I can think of is counters of some variety, but then I would need two or three new kinds of counters. Any thoughts? 

I mean, you could reformat the card itself to have two round bubbles next to each ability. Then you'd place a bead/counter/other memory item in the bubbles that apply. So:

Longhorn Warrior
Creature - Minotaur Warrior
O -- ~ has +1/+0
O -- ~ has first strike
Entwine
1/1

So you put a bead on all the bubbles that apply.

screw memory issues. 
Not all cards that need keep tracking should need game rules to provide how they are tracked.

like I mean should Sol Grail comes with "~ enters the battlefield with a counter that's named after the color you have chosen for it."
People put a token on their library when they play Pact spells all the time to remind themselves to pay for the cost. Something just better goes without writing it out. Magic is a game that needs a LOT to keep track anyway.

i think this is cool.

Jan 8, 2013 -- 3:50PM, bay_falconer wrote:

I'm just thinking this might be better with aura tokens attached to it. I really, really don't like volvers (despite how fun it is to say "volver"*) because of memory issues like this, and I don't think this type of thing appears much in Modern Magic.

*I was a teenager when Apocalypse came out. Sue me.

volvers don't have memory issues. you can work out which abilities it has by counting the counters

My favorite way of avoiding memory issues is to simply make the choices more memorable.  Big splashy effects with immediate impact on the game, or attention-grabbing threats are much easier to remember than small utility effects like picking a color for a mana producer.  It also helps if the different choices have distinctly different roles, like Primal Clay.  Two minor boosts to a small aggressive creature that just let it be aggressive in different ways might not be the best choice to demonstrate the mechanic.  But if the two abilities are too different, then it's hard to make Entwine work in a good way.

Using counters is also a good thing though. If you're making this a set theme, maybe all the Commons should be in the form "enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter; or -insert keyword here-"