Magic The Gathering Heroes
The Kitchen Table forum
Posted on May 5, 2016, 11:35 p.m. by chaoswalker
I've been theorycrafting a magic the gathering format where each player builds the identity of a character by choosing a few spells to influence the playstyle of their deck.
When building your deck you must choose a signature spell and and ability. The chosen cards are set aside in their own separate zones. If they would be sent to any other zone, they are returned to their own zone instead.
Signature spell: An instant or sorcery with CMC of 1. It may not have X in the cost. You may cast this spell any time you coud legally cast a spell of its type for its normal costs +1, then tap that card. It can not be cast again while tapped. It untaps during your untap step.
Ability: An enchantment with CMC of 3 or less, doesn't have X in its cost, and no other types or subtypes. You begin the game with that enchantment in play and it is always in effect. It can not be targeted by spells or abilities, and its existence is not acknowledged by other cards that would reference enchantments or permanents you control.
I'm also considering the idea of an ultimate spell. This spell would have to have a high CMC (perhaps in the range of 5-6) and when cast goes on a "cool down" during which it can't be cast again for a number of turns equal to its CMC. Maybe it could even be a creature.
I may also put some restrictions on color to prevent people from using enchantments their deck couldn't normally cast.
Simple Example: Goblin Aggro
Ability: Goblin Assault
Signature Spell: Goblin Grenade
chaoswalker says... #3
I know it would need one. Even my example combo makes me cringe a little as it is a potential turn 3 win. For now I'm assuming the modern ban list, and if I see anything too crazy obviously bans would be in order.
If there are too many bad interactions between certain enchantments and spells, I may drop the cmc max for the ability to 2.
May 5, 2016 11:53 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #4
Lightning Bolt + Blood Moon seems efficient.
Swords to Plowshares + Tainted Remedy is either bonkers or silly.
Spoils of the Vault + Phyrexian Unlife seems pretty ridiculous.
I think that the format would be much more balanced without the use of an enchantment, unless it was as an ultimate.
Here are what I think would improve the format:
Choose any instant/sorcery for your first ability. You can copy and cast it once during your turn, but it costs 
more to cast. If you cast it, remove a charge counter from the other spells you choose if it's converted mana cost on the stack is 1.
Choose any two spells. Anything at all. Start the game with charge counters equal to their Cmc on them. (They only lose counters when you cast the aforementioned first spell.) When one reaches 0, you now can cast it by putting counters on it equal to its cmc. (If it's a permanent, it enters as an emblem.) You can only cast one of these three spells per turn on your own turn (yes, three, because this includes the previous one.)
Pretty simple I think
May 6, 2016 6:50 a.m.
Postmortal_Pop says... #5
I started a style similar to this in my group but we used planeswalkers but it failed because most of the planeswalkers broke the system
If there was a way to balance it out, maybe have players pay for the enchantment like in commander, allowing players to destroy them so they have to be recast.
I personally would use this for a theme deck and go with Clockspinning and Paradox Haze and play some suspend cards.
What would be the rule on duplicates? Could I have 4 Clockspinnings in the deck or do I take one out for the ability?
May 6, 2016 12:01 p.m.
chaoswalker says... #6
Either you'd have 4 total between the deck and ability and signature, or the ability and signature are the ONLY copies. I just started trying this out but I noticed how devastating having the effects of the enchantments can be if you start layering them and one copy is un targetable. I was running Impact Tremors as my ability, and with the second copy it turned Mogg War Marshal into 6 free damage turn 3, which followed up Goblin Grenade took the kill.
I may go with the idea of the ability having to be payed for at some point, or at the very least giving it a turn limit based on CMC for how long it takes to kick in. I like the deck flavor, but this feels like a turn 3 (maybe 2) format and that's no fun.
The +1 cost on the signature spells make them by far less opressive. A 2 cost Lightning Bolt is pretty balanced, though spamming Ethereal Haze feels pretty damn cheap.
May 6, 2016 3:21 p.m.
SadisticMystic says... #7
What would happen if you chose Solitary Confinement as your enchantment? If it's not a permanent, you can't sacrifice it, so you just sit around with your original 7 cards (since you obviously still skip your draw step) and never have to discard any of them?
Likewise Hesitation: if it works that way, you counter every spell played for the entire game, for free. Obviously you'd build your own deck to include manlands or uncounterable spells to break through.
Actually, following that logic, choosing Drop of Honey as your enchantment means every game ends in an immediate draw from the get-go, as there's a neverending stream of state triggers that are completely ineffective at cleaning it up. Guaranteed .500 record, if nothing else.
June 7, 2016 11:28 a.m.
It would work better if the enchantment was in the command zone and you could re-cast it if it was destroyed. Maybe some kind of tax of an additional 1
Sconeth says... #2
Is there a ban list? Otherwise, someone could make like a really powerful mill with Ancestral Recall and Sphinx's Tutelage. (Assuming they have power nine) or even replace recall with Ancestral Vision and still be pretty powerful
May 5, 2016 11:43 p.m.