EXTRA SWAPS #5: Planks, Pirates and Booty (SPOILERS)

Mickleberry

A QUICK DISCLAIMER:

If you don't know and don't want to know about information regarding the paper version of Ixalan that was revealed prematurely, read no further: this contains SPOILERS information about the paper version of the next Magic set, Ixalan. Again, if you don't want to know, don't read any further.

Otherwise...






YAARRRRR!

Like I have with the last couple of sets, I've decided to come up with what I think could be some fun things to see in the next set, which features Pirates, Dinosaurs, exploration, and treasures galore!

As many of you are probably aware, a good piece of Ixalan was leaked way ahead of time. In this leak, we see a couple new abilities, a few creature types, and a bunch of blurry artwork. From what I've seen, it looks like it could be fun, and what I imagine for MTGPQ, I think it could be a blast!

Bear in mind that I created the template for these cards and the artwork is pretty blurry on some of them because that's the best we've got so far. So if they're ugly... I did my best.

The first ability to look at is Treasure.

On paper, it looks a lot like a combination of Gold from Theros, Clues from Shadows Over Innistrad and Eldrazi Scions from Battle For Zendikar. It makes perfect sense for Treasure tokens in MTGPQ to be just that. I'm going to call this ability Cache.



If you can't see it...
http://imgur.com/gallery/sUGEC


The two best examples I saw from the Ixalan cards so far have been the following:

 

If you can't see it...
http://imgur.com/gallery/Lt8XD
http://imgur.com/gallery/bqnHd

I wanted to make a couple cards in rare and in mythic that screamed "build around me" while also being able to be at least somewhat good on it's own without being parasitic. At its worst, the Captain is a hasty 4/4 that's sometimes an 8/4. But at its best, the Captain can be as devastating as a Territorial Gorger.

While the alternative win condition of Revel in Riches in paper magic would be problematic in MTGPQ from a design and functionality standpoint, I like the synergy of Revel in Riches and two of the things that Planeswalkers using black mana love to do: kill critters and hurt your opponent with life loss. While on its own, Revel will just ping your opponent while you get little boosts of mana, but in the right deck, you could be taking significant chunks out of your opponent's life total!

The other big ability shown was Explore. Explore might be a little odd in MTGPQ, since the ability on paper looks to see if a land is on top of your library: if it's a land, you put it in your hand; otherwise, you give the creature a +1/+1 counter. Here's my take on it:



If you can't see it...
http://imgur.com/gallery/VchWj

Since there's a limit to how many cards you can have in MTGPQ, it gives being stuck a full hand matter a little more. Also, since there are lands that have been turned into both spells and supports in MTGPQ, it would make sense that it just checks to see whether or not it's a creature. So there are two questions making for four possible situations, with two possible outcomes.

Full Hand + Creature on top = +1/+1
Full Hand + Not a creature = +1/+1
Not full hand + Creature on top = +1/+1
Not full hand + Not a creature on top = fetch the card.

Either way, you get to fetch extra cards, or your creatures get bigger. Neither of which are bad things. Plus this one comes with an extra ability:



If you can't see it...
http://imgur.com/gallery/XTtFJ


And finally, I wanted to post a mythic that says "wow."

When I think "wow" out of a card, I think of cards that do impressive things while using as few words as possible. On paper, Star of Extinction does a lot, but with a lot of text...

"Destroy target land. Star of Extinction deals 20 damage to each creature and each planeswalker."

That's cool, but in MTGPQ, I want it to IMPRESS.



If you can't see it...
http://imgur.com/gallery/l64zl

Boom.

By "Destroy the Board", I mean destroy all the gems, including supports. and fill the board a brand new array of 49 gems. Maybe some of them will match when they drop, maybe they won't. Still, wiping the board and battlefield in a way that red can appreciate would be sweet.

So what would you like to see in Ixalan? I'd love to hear what you guys think about these, and what you have on your wish list.

In the meantime,
Peace, Love and Extra Swaps to all.

Laeuftbeidir

A disclaimer that the post has spoilers and unpublished cards would be nice we all know where they came from, I avoid looking for them.
I'm looking forward for the b/g pw.

Mickleberry

@Laeuftbeidir

Thank you, firend. I've edited the start of the post with bigger disclaimer text and a little more explanation... probably should have done that from the start...

although I didn't add the ... maybe next time.