NaGaDeMon #02: Nonblue Faction Mechanic

When I last attempted to do a nonblue faction, I was preoccupied with the idea of doing vanilla creatures. Blue being the color that has the lower number of creatures and the highest number of flying creatures meant that it seemed like vanilla was at home being maximized with four colors but also still an identity with the exclusion of blue.

I moved on from that after listening to Mark Rosewater's Drive to Work podcast on vanillas. Going into that podcast, I was thinking that maybe I could listen to his argument and think of solutions around the obstacles poised. I ended up agreeing with his points in the end and dropped the crusade.

However, along the way, as well, while figuring out "What does blue NOT do that every other color does?" one answer was pointed out to me: blue doesn't destroy (for the most part).

If you were to do a search of all blue common cards that mention "destroy," you'd find there's only eight cards. EIGHT. In all of Magic. Compare that with white, black, red, and green. You'd find somewhere in the ballpark of 70 to 100 cards at common for each of these colors.

So, that's it: blue doesn't destroy (it bounces or counters) (except when blue polymorphs). The other colors do.

Let's try some mechanical wording:

• Whenever a permanent an opponent controls is destroyed, EFFECT
• Whenever one or more permanents not controlled by you or a teammate is destroyed, EFFECT
• If a permanent an opponent controlled was destroyed this turn, EFFECT
• EFFECT X, where X is equal to the number of permanents controlled by opponents destroyed this turn
• As long as a permanent an opponent controlled was destroyed this turn, EFFECT
• Whenever one or more permanents not controlled by you is destroyed, if this creature isn't destructive, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes destructive.

Destructive Rhino

4G

Creature - Rhino

Destructive -- CARDNAME has trample as long as a permanent an opponent controlled was destroyed this turn.

4/4

Destructive Burn Spell

R

Instant

CARDNAME deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

Destructive -- CARDNAME deals 4 damage to that creature or player instead as long as a permanent an opponent controlled was destroyed this turn.

Destructionthirsty Vampire

2B

Creature - Vampire

Destructionthirst (At end of turn, if a permanent controlled by an opponent was destroyed this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)

Evil-Destroyer Warrior

1W

Creature - Human Warrior

Destructive (Whenever one or more permanents not controlled by you is destroyed, if this creature isn't destructive, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes destructive)

2/2

I have a concert to go to now. I'm now in designed-cards debt already. I owe a bit more in the future!