lol yeah, I created the Trident of Merforlk Determination and yeah it was a typo. All the cards I put up for the challenge were blue and for some reason I accidentally had it as white card.

i did have a cycling aspect thing going on for the set, drawing inspiration from the Staff of Goblin Devouring

anyway, I think the wording on Diplomatic Impunity is a little off. Shouldn't it be "Creatures can't attack"? since words like "can't" override other words. And since one of the keywords for this set is "bounce" perhaps it should be "Any player may return a creature to its controllers hand to ignore this effect until end of turn."

I really like Merfolk Saboteur but i do think its a little expensive. My suggestion would be to change the CMC to 1U and have the ability cost the same. And give it a slightly bigger body at at 1/3 power & toughness. In any case, on of my votes goes to this card.

I also like Mute as its a mixture of Silence and Counterspell . But its definitely undercosted for such a BA spell. I think UUWW would be a good CMC for the rare card. My 2nd vote goes to this card.

U: Love the Collector Stone. Only question is where this fits in with the flavor of the shard.

W: Ergo the Stubborn. White walls would work better than red, partially because it's easier, partially because white is a more defending color.

UW: Tiberitas, Grand Consul. Cool card.

Blue: Trident of Merfolk Determination-i love cycles and i always wondered how they would be done for this set, and this gives us a perfect opportunity.

White: I gotta vote for mine, Ergo, The stubborn. Oh and to explain the red. I figured 1) for flavor reasons dwarves live in mountains and so would be making walls out of mountains, and 2) to add to the whole multicolored feel of the set.

blue/white: Masera, Silverfin i think this card is fun.

oh plus bricks are red...

Diplomatic Impunity - design team suggestions Olarin, Sunsight of Sorok-feels too small to be a legendary Griffin. What about 2W cost for a 7/4 flier. It would require a equipment and a dwarf on the board otherwise it would be sacrificed. Tiberitas, Grand Consul- seems really overpowered in conjunction with any board wipe. I think it should make all creatures 1/4.

Blue-Trident of Merfolk Determination wins. My suggestion would be change the cost 1UU and instead of returning the merfolk to the hand put it on top of owner's library instead.

White- Sorok Ambassador.I agree with the design team changes.

Blue/White-All of them are very good but I have to go with Mute.Change the casting cost to (U/B,U/B,U/B,U/B) so it is not too overpowered.

Blue - Merfolk Saboteur

Maybe change the mana cost to just U. Then you could possibly make the ability exile him instead.

White - Olarin, Sunsight of Sorok

If it feels to overpowering, maybe change the mana cost to WW , the p/t to 3/3,4/3,3/4, and give it more abilities, maybe first strike and vigilance?

Blue/White - Merfolk Aether-Guide

I like this one. Definitely make it legendary and reduce its toughness. Maybe make it a 1/1 or a 2/2.

My blue vote goes to: Trident of Merfolk Determination

because of the cycleness and the fact that it's based off my winning card from last voting which nets it brownie points from me. Plus it's a good effect that I can see being very helpful and very merfolk.

My White Vote goes to: Relath, the Mother of All

Although you guys brought up a good point about it being face down and face down = 2/2 in magic. Let's rephrase it to say this:

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Vigilance, Flying

WWW: Look at the top five cards of your library, exile a creature from among them face down and put the rest at the bottom of your library in any order. Put a 0/3 egg creature token with defender into the battlefield.

Whenever Relath, the Mother of All is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, sacrifice all egg tokens you control. Put a card exiled by Relath, the Mother of All into the battlefield for each sacrificed egg token.

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I think the revision works just as well and the set needs a solid white Titanesque creature.

My third Vote goes to: Masera, Silverfin though I think the name should drop the comma, doesn't belong really.

I honestly don't think that the first ability seems tacked on. It powers merfolk decks a great deal and provides extra flavor to the card. The second effect is the same cost as Glen Elendra Archmage 's similar effect and you don't even have to pay for Glen to come back so I don't see why it would be so broken myself. She even costs the same CMC and it's 2 color which is harder than mono.

Amazingly fun card to play with and build around in my opinion.

Tons of good choices this round. Sad to see my Gem of Current Reversal not make the cut as it was my favorite but I'm happy for my other two. Good luck everyone.

My Thoughts

I do like the "cycleness" of the trident but my concern is would the cycle only be sorok colors or would black and green get a version in one of the other two sets (yes i am aware that the black and green versions would not be feasible in this set). if it is just sorok colors then white and the dwarfs have surely missed out on the cycle as of right now. unless we are ok with the cycle just being two colors and only two of the three primary sorok races.

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My Blue Vote

this was tough but i really like diplomatic impunity. though i do believe it should be worded creatures can't attack. may not attack doesn't seem like current mtg speak.

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My White Vote

Sorok Ambassador. i like the activation costs the design team has suggested. my changes would be make the abilities " 1,W, tap: target creature gains resolve until end of turn.

1,U, tap: target creature gains flying until end of turn.

1,R, tap: target creature gains haste until end of turn." resolve feels more white than blue to me but i could be wrong.

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My W/U Vote

Susurrus. i agree completely with all of the design teams suggestions.

I'm gonna abstain from blue. Not really feeling any of them as rares, although I like the ideas of some of them.

White, I like Olarin. Make him either 2/2 or make it so that when no creatures you control are equipped you sac.

U/W, I'll vote for Mute.

Okay, I don't want to be the turd in the punch bowl here, but I have to say, I don't get most of these choices.

Both this time, and last time, the majority of choices have not fit any kind of Sorok theme, unless simply having one of the creature types is enough. And I don't think it is.

ONE creature card had RESOLVE. What's going on? Only one Gemstone card, too. I would only a handful of these choices showed Sorok deck synergy.

Carn13- What in the world do you mean when you say the Collector Stone doesn't fit the Sorok theme??? It fits it more so than any other card up there.

What do people think the Sorok theme is anyway? How do you think a Sorok decks wins? Honestly I think maybe some people need to reread the brainstorming posts.

It seems like once again, most selections look, to me, like CORE SET cards. They are mostly just interesting cards that would fit ANY deck of that color, but are in no way specific to Sorok. We have to resist the temptation of just picking cool looking cards, and ignoring theme, otherwise Sorok will be seriously lacking in card synergy.

The other shards in Negashards will easily be able to make use of many of these cards just as well as a Sorok deck will. Some crossover would happen, yes. But I think this is too much. We run the risk of making Sorok the obsolete shard.

Am I crazy? Am I the only one who is noticing this problem?

My votes are easily

U-Collector Stone

W-Olarin

U/W-Susurrus

After my last post, I want to give lots of credit to these 3. Very on-theme.

COLLECTOR STONE...if you want to change X, then try this: Have X be the "number of gemstones you control". That way, it encourages use of the gemstone cards(big Sorok theme). I think we should look to make use of "number of gemstones you control" with future cards, too. Otherwise I say leave X as-is.

The downside(and now perhaps I see Carn13's point) is that it affects both players. The only way I see advantage is if we play more instant/sorcery spells and our opponent plays more permanent spells, and I'm not confident that that's the case, being an equipment shard.

Solution ideas:

1) make it cost a choice of U,R, or W to counter. Not generic.

2) scrap the idea that a Sorok deck will be more instants/less permanents, and make this card only affect G/B noncreature permanents.

OLARIN:

I don't see us having 0 cost equipment in Sorok. Other sets have them, so it's very powerful with those cards, but then they HAVE TO run an equipment-deck. It's limiting, so fine, let them get a nice rare to use. That deck-type could use the help in casual format anyway(and that's the only way the two would be in the same deck). And hey, it's legendary. That keeps things in check, I think. Overall, a terrific Sorok card. P/T is spot on. I would only say, give it RESOLVE!

SUSSURUS:

Love this card, but yes, I agree with all change suggestions. Griffin, 2/3, Flying, Shroud, Resolve. I think it needs a name change. It can be Sussurus. But Breath of Sorok sounds more like an elemental, and I do think it should be griffin.

Or... am I crazy? Dare we say "Creature- Griffin/Drake". Like Malfegor ? That might be a cool legend idea!

Comments on some other cards:

Diplomatic Impunity:

Wouldn't this be more advantageous in an Ulgris deck, where you have lots of small creatures? I think that someone has just made a very nice card...for a different shard. Design team- Not to be a rag, but I hope that you guys will consider things like that, when you make selections. It's just like the red instant that won last time(can't remember name). It was a nice card...for Irindu. Or core set.

Sorok Aviary:

Problematic +1/+1 ability, being as we are making creatures with Resolve. If you want to change Haste, then I say change it to "loses resolve". This card needs that if it's going to do it's thing at all. And again...make it say "Artifact-GEMSTONE" (and give a gemstone name) for crying out loud!

Tiberitus:

This could actually work really well, but it might need to lose the Merfolk synergy. With all these creature types in Sorok, we're not going to have a "merfolk deck". It's not feasible(same with goblins, people). I say just make it return any creature you control, not merfolk. Then it works, and I would say a strong choice. If it's only merfolk, then it will probably just end up bouncing himself...thus losing his state-based effect.

Sorok Ambassador:

Not too bad. I say no changes, except give him resolve (without him having to pay for it).

I really think that logically, all Sorok dwarves should probably have Resolve.

U: Collector Stone This is my card so I got to vote for it, It seams that a large portion of our community is pushing for some way of having reusable counter magic/control and this card seams to provide this in a fair fashion. I like how the caster gets to chose the casting costs of the effected spells (my guess is X will typically equal 3). I understand that this card effects both players but if your planning on putting this into your deck your going to want to include another card that enhances its use on you more than your opponent. Example: I would chose Mana Leak over Counterspell using Mana Leak in this way will really put pressure on the opponets mana base they have to play 4 to end stop its effect if they only pay the three your can recast if the mana is open and if they only pay the 1 then its a mana leak well used.

W: Ergo, the stubborn I agree that the Walls should not be red and will like to suggest they be artifact walls. I think them being Artifacts fit the flavor of this shard & the creature type Architect. Also, how cool would it be to combo with something that has an effect based on the number of artifacts you control?

UW: Merfolk Aether-Guide I like how this combats Flow and how sweet of a combo would this be with the Collector Stone!

U: Collector Stone Make it affect any green or black spells only. I like the suggestion of having X equal to number of gemstones you control.

W: Ergo, the Stubborn Make the tokens white with defender and resolve.

UW: Sussurus I agree with the design team on the changes.

@vic - WRONG. Tiberitas gives itself resolve too, meaning 2 creatures have it

I hate to break it to you all, but collector stone feels way more Irindu to me. We are talking about artifacts and fliers here, not elementals and spell replication. Besides, its too OP. Think about bouncing Ornithopter infinite times while your opponent is tapped out

sorry, not Ornithopter , Chimeric Mass

Okay Jarrod_0067, 2 creatures, not 1. Golly, that changes Everything I said! : ) Just kidding. Good catch, though. I have to agree with you on Collector Stone and Irindu. I guess I just like the fact that someone finally got a damn gemstone on board. Not sure what you mean about Chimeric Mass. I assume you are talking about a combo with another card that triggers every time you cast an artifact.

Additional card comment:

If ERGO makes it(too lazy to go count), I like what Battlecry1986 said about artifact walls, and synergy with # of artifacts you control. But I'll take it one step further. I've said it before, I'll probably say it again... "Artifact-Gemstone". The dwarf could be building walls out of gemstone materials(and I don't think color is an issue). Someone else had the idea before about making cards affected by # of gemstones. And it seemed like it was going to be a major theme. Well, here we go.

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Everyone, I think we need to take a hard look at the practice of tribal-based card entries(granted, it was much more of an issue last round than this one, but it still has not disappeared, and that concerns me). I like most of them as Magic cards. I just don't think that tribal cards would be playable in THIS SET. Consider the numbers. About 300 cards for the first set of a block, if I remember correctly? So 60 per shard. Less, actually due to lands. Merfolk, goblins, dwarfs, drakes, griffins, birds, noggles. 7 creatures types with under 60 total spells. So, what... about 3-5 creature cards of each? TRIBAL CANNOT WORK. I'm sorry, but you see why I'm saying this?

Staff of Goblin Devouring was a very fun idea. Possibly my favorite of that bunch...funwise. I have a casual goblin deck at home that would love it. But it would NEVER GET PLAYED in a Negashards deck, because there are not going to be very many Goblins. In a draft, it would probably go about 13th. Frankly, I think that for that reason, it should not have been picked by the design team as a candidate. And I hope that those kinds of issues will be considered in future selections, rather than just "Hey, this looks like a fun card." Not trying to hurt anyone's feelings. Team, I appreciate your work. Just trying to help make this project turn out well. I thought this point needed to be made.

MY VOTES (cards that have synergy):

U - Vindictive Merfolk. Make it 1/2

W - Sorok Ambassador. Casting cost +1 colorless

UW - Tiberitas, Grand Consul. Not being self-centered but it seems that it fits the shard better than any of the others (making use of resolve). My reasoning is it isn't OP because black negging effects are not a part of this RWU shard and therefore it seems fair

Just a question: Why the static about "it would NEVER GET PLAYED in a Negashards deck"? what does that even mean? Limited? Standard? Legacy? Vintage? If you mean just Negashards Set (ie just the 5 shards, without the next 2 sets), then 2 things :

1) how is it possible to make that declaration without the uncommons and commons, if you are going to limit your conclusions by not looking at any of the other 12000+ cards in MTG?

2) Who the hell would construct a deck made of just one set? It would be like making a Zendikar deck, or a Timespiral deck. It is just not done, except in limited formats.

Yes, I admit when I consider a card I look at interactions between not only the current set, but cards in all the formats.

I like the flavor of the Gemstone idea. I truly do, but making it a focal point for mechanics in the set seems to me to be akin to spirits/arcane in Kamigowa - limited shelf life, and somewhat useless outside of a narrow context.

Awwwww dangit.

I thought I'd typed up a vote...looks like it didn't go through or I didn't post it or...something. Blah.

Artifacts may be okay but we aren't dabbling in half a set of artifacts (colored or not). Anyway, at wizards they are currently dedicating a block to artifacts so to make this "realistic" we wouldn't want to overdo it.

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To fulfill the dream of having the subtype GEMSTONE added, there needs to be dedication all the way through to make this work. If only a few people support the idea, IT WILL FAIL.

But I agree. Gemstones sound like a good idea, even if it is complicated to get it started.

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SO HERE IS MY INPUT, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT:

I think there should be a gemstone of each color and each combination (U, R, W, UR, UW, RW, URW) for a total of 7, at least 3 of which should be equipments but I would say preferably 4.

I will go into design overload and create some 'gemstoney' cards. They will all be uncommons and will fit all combinations of colors from Sorok. I will put a link to them on my wall for anybody interested in helping make this shard a bit more powerful an organised than it currently is (vic I'm looking at you for support on this).

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ALSO:

I think the mythic of this set should be a powerful gemstone multi-colored Equipment.

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Sorry to any offense to people this may have hurt