Mechanics:
- Duel (Each player in the duel draws a card, then reveals a card from his or her hand. You win [the duel?] if those cards share a [card] type.)
- Dig (2, Discard this card: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Put that card into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
- Uncover (When an effect causes you to reveal this card from your hand or library, you may cast it for its uncover cost.)
- …And some sort of combat mechanic. Based on native tribes raiding? "Waking their ghosts?"
I like the flavor and play of both Duel and Dig individually, and they also interact nicely to allow development to adjust how often matching occurs. Uncover seems to tie in well, but it might have big issues with players being unclear about what constitutes revealing and what happens when the card changes zones. Duel also would feel nicer to me if both players had the same goal, but I think the cmc-based version has a lot of problems, mostly with making players throw away their spells.
Potential Cards:
Commons:
Turnse Liquifier 2U
Creature-Turtle Wizard (C)
When Turnse Liquifier enters the battlefield, duel an opponent. If you win, return target creature to its owner’s hand. (Each player in the duel draws a card, then reveals a card from his or her hand. You win if those cards share a card type.)
2/3
Dynamite Blast 5R
Sorcery (C)
Dynamite Blast deals 5 damage to target player.
Dig 2 (2, Discard this card: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Put that card into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
Old Bones 3B
Creature-Skeleton (C)
Uncover B (When an effect causes you to reveal this card from your hand or library, you may cast it for its uncover cost.)
B: Regenerate Old Bones. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn’t. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)
2/1
Pillory Stocks 1W
Enchantment-Aura (C)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block.
When enchanted creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, return Pillory Stocks to its owner’s hand.
Any thoughts about this mechanical setup or these specific cards would be great, as would ideas for a flavorful combat mechanic or new designs.