Mirrodin Reforged (Preview)

[storymasterb]

This is that set I was talking about in the Rimuel thread. As it is, I'm still working on the set, not sure how big I'll make it but I might make a push to build it up to say 250 cards or so once I have more time after this month ends. As it is, I've got two keywords sorted, as well as reviving Infect on the Phyrexian side. I might revive Metalcraft for the Mirrans (since their new keyword in most instances covers what battle cry did), but need to think about it.

The new keywords are:
Steelbound: The Mirran keyword. What it essentially does is that when a specific timing is met, usually when the creature attacks or blocks, something happens which depends on the number of equipped creatures you have. For instance, some creatures have Steelbound where when they attack or block, they get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you have. Others will do different things, I've only really worked on Steelbound in Red and White so far so I need to decide what I'll do with it in the other colors (no Black Mirrans though).

Spoiler: Steelbound Design Notes

Gonna talk about my design process in here. I remember thinking about what I wanted to do with the Mirran side, and a mechanic they've always played with was Artifacts and Equipment, we obviously had Metalcraft in the Scars block. What inspired me was this girl who plays in my uni's MtG society who has a Kemba, Kha Regent EDH deck, and what she tends to end up doing is stacking Equipment on one creature. That reminded me of the design notes for Journey into Nyx, specifically Strive, where the designers commented that Strive was done to try and encourage having multiple Heroic creatures rather than just focusing on one massive one. I combined that thought process with a mixture of Metalcraft and Battle Cry and got Steelbound.

Lore-wise, Steelbound reflects how Rimuel's return has bound the Mirran survivors into one united force, and also the new techniques he's brought back from his travels. It encourages spreading out your Equipment cards to maximise the benefits of your Steelbound abilities, and binds your creatures together into a unified army who depend on each other to prevail.

Contagion: The Phyrexian keyword. With Contagion, when a creature with a -1/-1 counter on it dies, you put a -1/-1 counter on a target creature. Nice and simple.

Spoiler: Contagion Design Notes

This one came to me more easily. What I wanted to do was bring back Infect, and do more with the contamination aspect of the Phyrexian oil. So I had the idea of the dead becoming vectors for corruption and infecting others with the taint. I essentially decided to represent that with Contagion, which lets the oil keep spreading and weakening your opponent's creatures.

With keywords done, here are some of the things I've got so far. There are a lot more Mirran than Phyrexian things, because I need to work out more what I'm doing with Phyrexia.

Ambriel, Blade of the Auriok
2WW
Legendary Creature – Human Knight
First strike
Steelbound – When Ambriel, Blade of the Auriok attacks or blocks, put X 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
3/3
“I watched Mirrodin rot, and now I will see it rise from the ashes.”

Rimuel's Comrades
2W
Creature – Human Soldier
Equipment spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
Steelbound – Whenever Rimuel's Comrades attacks or blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
2/2

Auriok Steelsmith
2W
Creature – Human Soldier
When Auriok Steelsmith enters the battlefield, you may return target Equipment card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
2/2

Auriok Guardian
1WW
Creature – Human Soldier
2/3
Vigilance
Steelbound – Auriok Guardian can block X additional creatures each combat, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.

Purifying Paladin
WW
Creature – Human Knight
First strike
As long as this creature is equipped, it gets +2/+0.
2/2
“Phyrexia will burn, and a new Mirrodin will rise from the ashes.”

Leonin Skyblade
1W
Creature – Cat Soldier
Flying
Steelbound – Whenever Leonin Skyblade attacks or blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
1/1

Ironblood Hellkite
2RRR
Creature – Dragon
Flying, haste
Steelbound – Whenever Ironblood Hellkite attacks or blocks, it deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
4/4
“Any creature which will fight Phyrexia is our ally.”
-Rimuel Dawnwatcher

Vulshok Champion
1RR
Creature – Human Soldier
As long as this creature is equipped, creatures you control have haste.
Steelbound – Whenever Vulshok Champion attacks or blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
3/2

Vulshok Geomancer
RR
Creature – Human Wizard
Steelbound – Whenever Vulshok Geomancer attacks or blocks, it deals X damage to target creature or player, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
2/1

Phyrexian Plaguemaster
2BB
Creature – Vampire
Infect
Contagion – Whenever a creature with a -1/-1 counter on it dies, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
3/3
Phyrexia gave him command of a disease far more insidious than vampirism.

Oath of the Liberator
1WR
Instant
Creatures you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
“I swear to fight to the last breath or until Mirrodin is as it was. I swear to never rest until Mirrodin is ours again.”

Liberator's Arms
2
Artifact – Equipment
Steelbound – Whenever equipped creature attacks or blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control.
Equip {2} (Equip only as a sorcery)
The Liberator bound the resistance together with their steely hatred of Phyrexia.

Guardian's Halberd
2
Artifact – Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and first strike.
Equip {2}

Arcbolt Mace
2
Artifact – Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and trample.
Equip {2}
The Vulshok are rarely subtle.

Assemble the Armaments
1W
Sorcery
Search your library for an Equipment card and put that card into your hand. Shuffle your library.

The Work Unending
1BB
Enchantment
1B, {T}: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Contagion – Each time a creature with a -1/-1 counter on it dies, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.

Gradual Corruption
1B
Enchantment – Aura
Enchant creature.
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on enchanted creature.

Glorious Sacrifice
1BB
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast Glorious Sacrifice, sacrifice a creature.
Put X -1/-1 counters on a creature your opponent controls, where X is the sacrificed creature's power.
“We give our lives for Phyrexia that the Great Work may continue.”

 

[The Admiral]

Okay, so, it's taken me a while to figure out what to say here, but..

Steelbound: Not sure how I feel about this as an ability word. It might be better as just a general mechanic. Otherwise, though, fairly interesting; it favors equipping multiple creatures with cheap stuff like Bone Saw instead of piling everything onto one champion.
Contagion: This is already a card, and a card that costs 2B with nothing else attached to it. This means that this ability, especially if it's prevalent, will need to be on cards that would otherwise be overcosted, as a rule. If it's rarely used, it's probably fine -- but The Work Unending is probably at least a little OP at uncommon, if you wanted to place it there.

 

[storymasterb]

Whoops, I didn't know Blowfly Infestation existed (I'm not that familiar with blocks besides RTR, Theros, Scars and Innistrad). I haven't been thinking about rarities when I've been designing these, generally, so I'm not sure what I'd make Work Unending. I'll bump up Unending's cost by one to account for the extra ability and look at the other Contagion stuff to see how it works out.

I have been wondering about Steelbound as an ability word, especially since I started doing stuff like Oath of the Liberator (I also have two enchantments designed, a white one which gives +0/+X to your blockers and a red one which gives +X/+0 to your attackers). I might drop the keyword, but I'll give it some thought. And yeah, the idea was to encourage players to spread out Equipment rather than make one colossal thing, since I liked the united resistance imagery where every creature matters.