Card of the Week Contest #215: Take Two

Sitting between Chromatic Sphere and Clockwork Beetle, we get a Chrome Mox rework.

I am guessing that as per forum rules we cannot use existing card names for the cards. Which is a pity because I would not really change the name of the card I am submitting.

Replacing Skullclamp

Skull probe
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+0
Whenever a creature dealt damage by equiped creature is put into the graveyard this turn, draw two cards.
Equip .

Had to use old phrasing because old set did not had die as a keyword. As an extra challenge I wanted the card to replace a similar space of the old card. I know this was not specifically mentioned, but considering you are writing a replacement I think many people assume it has to replace the old card in what it does.

*Snip*

Well, I like my original design, but I think I am getting too much into the role of what happened. I was considering if the reminder text was necessary for the equip keyword considering that it was just recently introduced. If I did, however, I needed to reduce the text somewhere because the text was taking too much space. So, I was at a dilemma. I am not sure which one I like more.



All renders require proper artist credit in the appropriate space. ~Daij_Djan

Felidar Avenger
Creature - Cat
Flash
Revolt-- When Felidar Avenger enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, you may destroy target tapped creature.
2/2

replacing Felidar Guardian

Here is a smuggler's copter that actually smuggles.

I'll try my hand at nerfing the Swiss Army knife that is Umezawa's Jitte.
I tried to make the render look like something out of Kamigawa block, but the text version is using updated oracle.



Umezawa's Jitte
Legendary Artifact - Equipment
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, put two charge counters on Umezawa's Jitte.
Remove a charge counter from Umezawa's Jitte: Choose one —
• Equipped creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
• Target creature can't block equipped creature this turn.
• You gain 2 life.
Equip

So now you no longer get charge counters from hitting creatures with the equipped creature, it must hit the opponent. +2/+2 is changed to +1/+1. Instead of giving a creature -1/-1, you can now make a creature unable to block equipped creature for a turn (works well with ninjutsu). Gain 2 life is unchanged. Mana costs for cast and equip are unchanged.

Am I understanding the challenge correctly here? Because I see some use of ability words that wouldn't have been invented at the time of the original printings.

shiftyhomunculus : Domain wasn't a thing until Conflux, but you could still have the mechanic on there without the name.

TheBrokenUrn : Metalcraft is from Scars block, and the original printing of Seat of the Synod was back in Mirrodin, so it wouldn't be possible for it to have metalcraft by name. Could still just have the ability without calling it metalcraft.

I suppose that's makes sense. I still feel it's something to keep in mind though.

Akai Ryu
I think kicker was not a thing for the Visions set. Which is the earliest version of that card.

Fermat
I might be the worst person to ask about balance, but restricting the countering to the amount of mana you can pay makes it worse. I would rather play Force Spike than this card. I mean, I think spells that have X in their cost and say "counter target spell unless X is paid" are strictly better than counters with "counter target X costing spell". So, the double phyrexian, it makes the card worse. It just makes the spell worse against burn. I mean, losing 2 life instead of losing 3, to counter a lightning bolt is usable. Losing 4 life to counter a lightning bolt, it is crap.
I have to add this is my opinion from a player's perspective, which usually means jack for design. If design needs a crap card then it is going to be there.

Casstastrophe
I have to concede. I forgot that the card is basically colorless. It is less than ideal solution for a lightning bolt either way. I can see it being better for a Fatal Push, even a Doomblade, maybe, but with the cost right now, it will become a less than ideal answer against CCM 3 cards unless it is a lose the game scenario. Thanks i learned something.

Akai Ryu
What I meant was that the mechanic was not used at all in the set. Not sure if that is what the rules meant. Either way, it is a good fix for the card.

Mental Misstep

Mental Miscalculation  
Instant  
( can be paid with either  or  2 life.)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays   or returns a permanent they control to its owner’s hand.
"Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something." - Morihei Ueshiba

Edit: made worse

There are not many cards to choose from, I had planned doing either Skullclamp or Umezawa's Jitte

I don't like take others cards, but I really don't like to do any of the other cards on the list. So I hope its fine we shares Skullclamp oddnanref .

The problem with Skullclamp is the drawing power for 1 mana. So here is my fix on the card. Note i did put back a bit of power into it, but overall i think its a worse card than the original.