Mystery Mechanic

[Pinder]

In one of Maro's columns a couple months back, he flat-out said that if they were doing it today, they'd've made it "Threshold-7" so they could do different numbers. So it's not like I just came up with that out of the blue.

If I recall, he actually said they would remake it into an ability word (and, in fact, did, in the Timeshifted versions of cards that already had it), but that too would open it up for different numbers.

[Sek'Kuar]

I would love to see threshold come back. That and madness were my two favorite mechanics of all time. It was at that point that I began to play competitively, so I have very fond memories of these mechanics.

[kicks_422]

They're going to keyword Tarmogoyf.

Blue-goyf 1U
Tarmogoyf (This creature is like a Tarmogoyf, only in another color)
*/*+1

They're going to make one for each color too, even artifact. That way, people won't need to splash green just for it and everyone would die happy.

...Seriously, I wanted to see what they had in mind for the Kamigawa mechanic, which they said was supposed to be cool before it ran through some changes and ended up sucking. I forgot if it was Splice or Soulshift.

[SilverGreen]

(...)I have pretty much given up hope that banding is the returning keyword(...)

I would love it a lot. Banding is the exact opposite of Exalted, and I think that build a whole army just to attack with a lone creature is a very silly and stupid thing. Banding should be a much more Bant(white)-feeling ability to get along with Alara block. They created clean and understandable keywords for the once-feared trample and protection, I'm certain they could do the same with banding now. Some aspects of the mechanic could be cleaned, as validate banding in blocking, or eliminate the non-banding creature from the band, I don't know... Even if it ends a bit longer than average, it's so flavorful that it couldn't be so difficult to understand.

Example:

Banding (As you declare attackers or blockers, you may declare any number of creatures with banding you control plus a creature without banding you control as a band until end of combat. Creatures in a band block, are blocked and deal combat damage as thought they were one creature. Damage dealt to a band is divided as you choose among its creatures. Creatures in a band doesn't share their abilities and are targeted individually.)


Hmm... Not so good idea at all, but still an idea...

[C.P.]

From MaRo.

For example, this fall when we bring back [CENSORED] . I don't think anyone would have expected [CENSORED] (really, if someone told you we'd have [CENSORED] without [CENSORED] , would you have believed them?).

For example, this fall when we bring back Affinity. I don't think anyone would have expected Affinity (really, if someone told you we'd have Affinity without Artifacts, would you have believed them?.


My take. What would your bet be?

[dahcmai]

I dunno, but that fits the context, though there were Affinity guys with Affinity for other things like Islands.

[b4r0n]

From MaRo.

For example, this fall when we bring back [CENSORED] . I don't think anyone would have expected [CENSORED] (really, if someone told you we'd have [CENSORED] without [CENSORED] , would you have believed them?).

For example, this fall when we bring back Affinity. I don't think anyone would have expected Affinity (really, if someone told you we'd have Affinity without Artifacts, would you have believed them?.

My take. What would your bet be?

Ooh, mad libs are fun!

For example, this fall when we bring back Splice. I don't think anyone would have expected Splice (really, if someone told you we'd have Splice without Arcane, would you have believed them?).

Or maybe:

For example, this fall when we bring back Threshold. I don't think anyone would have expected Threshold (really, if someone told you we'd have Threshold without a graveyard themed set, would you have believed them?).

Oh wait. It kind of works for anything. Curse you, MaRo!

[C.P.]

I dunno, but that fits the context, though there were Affinity guys with Affinity for other things like Islands.

They were artifacts.


@b4r0n

Splice works, but not the threshold one. I'd be interested in splice coming back, so sure.

[MattH]

Threshold without flashback works, although now that you mention it splice would be awesome if they make cards for it that don't suck

[Sek'Kuar]

Just because I didn't feel like making a new thread for this I figured I would use an existing one. My prediction for the upcoming block is this. It will be a graveyard themed block taking place on Ulgrotha, aka that horrible place where homelands was set. Why? Because there is much speculation that Elspeth is from Ulgrotha. This could lead us back toward mono-color and support a gy theme because we saw a flash of it in the Future Sight novel and it was populated with undead minions of Baron Sengir, which would be awesome to see an amped up, modern version of him. Elspeth is supposed to be from a darkened plane, so it works. As far as mechanics: variable threshold and, perhaps, Flashback with alternate costs.

[raharu]

Just because I didn't feel like making a new thread for this I figured I would use an existing one. My prediction for the upcoming block is this. It will be a graveyard themed block taking place on Ulgrotha, aka that horrible place where homelands was set. Why? Because there is much speculation that Elspeth is from Ulgrotha. This could lead us back toward mono-color and support a gy theme because we saw a flash of it in the Future Sight novel and it was populated with undead minions of Baron Sengir, which would be awesome to see an amped up, modern version of him. Elspeth is supposed to be from a darkened plane, so it works. As far as mechanics: variable threshold and, perhaps, Flashback with alternate costs.

I'd bet money on this.

[memnarch]

Banding

[grahf]

In fact, one of my favorite components of the design of "Live" (the 2009 fall expansion) is a mechanic that rewards players for doing something they want to do.

As much as I'd love to see more Madness cards, this blurb completely rules that out. Casual players hate discarding cards.

[Solpugid]

But supports threshold (or hellbent, I guess), in that it rewards players for playing spells.

[spirit of the wretch]

In fact, one of my favorite components of the design of "Live" (the 2009 fall expansion) is a mechanic that rewards players for doing something they want to do.

Well, I like drinking and watching naked chicks. Will be interesting to see how they implement this into the game. I look forward to it!

[Bryant Cook]

With everything being five color, I'd assume it'd be sunburst.

[Frenger]

Storm would make me cream my pants, or even stuff like Storm Entity.

I'd also love to see "you may remove a X card in your hand instead of paying X's casting cost" a la FoW, Misdirection, Bounty of the Hunt, Snapback, etc.

Wouldn't mind seeing the 'free mechanic' (Frantic Search, Cloud of Faeries, Rewind, etc) but I really doubt that's happening.

[MattH]

With everything being five color, I'd assume it'd be sunburst.

We're talking about the Fall 2009 set, not Alara Reborn. Or do you mean this in a cross-block synergy way?

Actually that could totally work, "sunburst without artifacts." Except that it WOULD be three multicolor blocks in a row*. :<


*Kind of...technically, Hybrid makes it easier to run FEWER, not more, colors of mana, but a lot of the cards ask for "blue and red spells" or "white and green creatures".