Concept for a New Cycle of Instants
Custom Cards forum
Posted on Aug. 13, 2015, 3:21 p.m. by JA14732
So I've been thinking about this for way too long (boring day at work), but I think I've actually come up with a decent idea for a series of instants, based off of one of my favorite mechanics of Magic-the Torrent of Souls mechanic.
Here we go, no access to MTG cardsmith right now:
Mercurial Sheen-
Instant- U
If 
was used to cast Mercurial Sheen, gain 3 life. If 
was used to cast Mercurial Sheen, target opponent loses 3 life. (Do both if was used.)
Mercurial Blast-
Instant-U
If 
was used to cast Mercurial Blast, return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand. If 
was used to cast Mercurial Blast, Mercurial Blast deals 2 damage to target creature. (Do both if was used.)
Mercurial Feast- 
Instant-U
If was used to cast Mercurial Feast, target creature an opponent controls gets -1/-1 until end of turn. If 
was used to cast Mercurial Feast, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn. (Do both if was used.)
Mercurial Strength-
Instant-U
If was used to cast Mercurial Strength, target creature you control gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. If was used to cast Mercurial Strength, target creature you control gets +1/+0 and gains lifelink until end of turn. (Do both if was used.)
Mercurial Evolution- 
Instant-U
If was used to cast Mercurial Evolution, you may play an additional land this turn. That land enters the battlefield tapped. If was used to cast Mercurial Evolution, draw a card. (Do both if was used.)
Let me know what you think.
That's the point. You have to leech yourself for maximum results.
August 13, 2015 3:33 p.m.
ItchiUchiha117 says... #4
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Vryn Wingmare could do it, too. I like them. The U/R one is probably the most powerful and the G/U one probably needs to be sorcery speed. Other than that, fantastic designs.
August 13, 2015 3:51 p.m.
Well, the one does nothing if you pay on an opponents turn. All it says is "you may play an additional land", not "put a land from your hand onto the battlefield."
August 13, 2015 4:20 p.m.
They're all somewhat playable in their base state (Sheen is practically a Lava Spike, Evolution is a weak Explore/Reach Through Mists). Besides, not everything in a set is constructed-playable.
August 13, 2015 4:28 p.m.
TurboFagoot says... #8
People really like making bad, counter intuitive designs. Not every card has to be from Future Sight lol
August 13, 2015 4:35 p.m.
Popalofiti says... #9
Can you pay 2 mana for a 1 mana spell? If so, no problem, but otherwise, it seems, I suppose, "unfair" that you can only do one or the other.
I like Mercurial Sheen, it's not anyway overpowered without additional cards.
Mercurial Blast is good, but I think 1 mana return to hand spell could cause many shenanigans
Mercurial Feast is nice as well.
Mercurial Strength is WAY too op! I would say replace lifelink with vigilance.
Mercurial Evolution is on the brink of op, but imo, isn't.
August 13, 2015 4:39 p.m.
blackmarker90 says... #10
Or make strength +0/+1 on the white side but leave the lifelink
August 13, 2015 4:44 p.m.
Thanks for the input! Blast is a weaker Unsummon (can't target your own creatures), and vigilance is usually considered to be the stronger keyword.
The main point of these designs is that they work well with cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. You have to leech yourself for the maximum effect-while hurting your opponent. Counter-intuitive, yes.
August 13, 2015 4:49 p.m.
Serendipitous_Hummingbird says... #12
I like this but I think the hybrid mana cost isn't the right way to go about it.
Maybe entwine? Or a kicker? Something like
Mercurial Sheen-
Instant
Kicker and/or
If Mercurial Sheen was kicked with its kicker, target player gains 2 life
If Mercurial Sheen was kicked with its kicker, target player loses 2 life.
Also, the one is at WORST a shock or an unsummon, which is pretty damn good. That kind of card would define standard, see play in modern, and be a casual favorite
August 13, 2015 4:52 p.m.
Kicker's probably the better to go about it, but my Johnny/Spike nature makes me prefer...other designs. However, making them eggs could be problematic in modern.
But it's still the easier way.
August 13, 2015 4:56 p.m.
blackmarker90 says... #14
None of them are counter spells, so there is a slim possibility something like this could happen, I mean they do nothing unless you invest colored mana into them.
August 13, 2015 5:59 p.m.
themindxyz says... #15
I like them. I agree that they would be better if they had the Kicker, but I don't like the 0 cmc version of them, that's just too broken. This is what I would suggest:
Mercurial Blast-
Instant-U
Kicker:
If was used to cast Mercurial Blast, return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand. If was used to cast Mercurial Blast, Mercurial Blast deals 2 damage to target creature. (Do both if was used.)
It could even be done with a Kicker of 
. That would be slightly under powered, but would encourage the Thalia builds that you would like to see.
August 13, 2015 9:29 p.m.
Kicker versions are nice, make sense actually. I like 'em.
August 13, 2015 10:16 p.m.
Serendipitous_Hummingbird says... #17
Too powerful. Let's break down what your options are with Mercurial Blast
two shocks
two unsummons
unsummon + shock
This is like cryptic command level of versatility
auto 4 of in any tempo deck.
August 14, 2015 midnight
ItchiUchiha117 says... #18
Uh, just because you use one color twice doesn't mean that effect fires twice.
August 14, 2015 12:22 a.m.
The card only checks if was used to cast the spell at least once. If it was, then the ability is triggered. If there are 2 different uses of the same color, then the second is not checked.
ABadMagicPlayer100 says... #2
They would have to cost at least CMC 2 for both to happen, so you could remove the reminder text for that. The only time that would come up is vs. Trinisphere, so it doesn't need to be there.
August 13, 2015 3:25 p.m.