<BB> Popcornia's Batteboard // [Arandu of the New Way]

Parasign  

The dart whipped forward, easily sinking into the beasts flesh. The beast's eyes widened, before it quickly shut, and its heavy form fell to the ground with a thud. VIA was quick to change her approach, that much was certain. Another path was open to her, seemingly left in the wake of her previous foe. 

She would face little difficult making her way through the underbrush, no plant daring to strike her, before reaching the next clearing. Where the last one had been surrounded by walls of flora and vine, this one was surrounded by thick, tall trees, with bark that dared anything to try and scrape it off. 

And sitting, watching, almost a dozen large insects buzzed menacingly, their bodies glowing and giving off the scent of burnt metals and ozone. 

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Tranquilizer Dart: Reminds me of the spellbomb cycle, but it's neat it focuses more on what you control than the mana you can use. More splashable, but it gives access to these effects more easily outside their colors. 7/10

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mrlozano

As both peddlers about to speak at once, another butts in, and a fourth, a fifth. It's beginning to get crowded here, and he can't even see the faces of the people attempting to pawn their amulets on him. A sixth, a seventh, an eight, and...he's definitely sinking. The tokens are flashed in his face. His mouth feels heavy, he can barely speak. 12th. 13th, 14th. He blinks for a moment, and before he can figure out what's happening...

He's alone, but the market is gone. The ground beneath his feet is replaced with an iridescent sheen, and every surface is covered in a mirror showing an array of colors. His reflection is shown, several times over.




Out of the corner of his eye, he spots something. The brazier, burning purple, almost blending into the alien landscape.

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Reveal Truths: This power has been messed with before, like Forsake the Worthy, so the speed is fine. The other ability is just addendum, which is points off for mimicing the effect without having it. 6/10

// Karina tilts her head at the woman's continued shocked expressions

"Are you feeling okay? Maybe you need some help?"

// Once the woman has finished speaking (Karina's finally learning the question spew is causing problems), she asks another question.

"By the way, what's 'Sol-i-dairy-tee' mean?"

Gift of Ignorance
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has hexproof and haste.
Whenever a creature with power greater than its toughness enters the battlefield under your control, you may return Gift of Ignorance to its owner's hand.

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Work of the Masses - neat. Doesn't do anything with the Mark, but neat. 7/10

Popcornia

Sputtersprites: Seems like a good tempo card in the right format. I like this use of conditional hexproof, and how the flavor text ties the abilities together. 10/10.

(Also, I do apologize in advance for the Deus Ex Machina I'm about to pull, but I need to spend my skill points somehow and this seemed as good a time as any.)


VIA looks up at the swarm. Figures there'd be no bug repellent in this thing. Why did I agree to do this, again?

To push yourself. To... adapt.

I'm feeling rather pushed already.

In Old Akhite culture, the river was a symbol of memory.

Yes, Vi, I recall my history lessons.

A stream of thought, flowing from the past into the future.

Thank you, Vi. Very useful. Now what do I...

Remember

The

RIVER









VIA finds herself inexplicably on the other side of the wall of trees. The insects are nowhere to be found.

"Oh, well I do that all the time. This sounds like it should be easy then."

// Karina finally enters the building as directed

Karina, Tempter of Fate
Legendary Creature - Human
As Karina, Tempter of Fate enters the battlefield, choose a nonland card name.
Whenever Karina becomes the target of a spell, draw a card. If that spell has the chosen name, instead discard a card, then draw two cards.
"Everything will be just fine."
3/1

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Impulsive Wilder is really neat. Think it's bit too good when casting it for yourself tho. 8/10

"Alright, maybe I was too innovative." Rixos walks back to the brazier, with no clue about what to do. "So, I have to options. I can try to punch my way through this mirrors (but the preacher said it was a mental challenge) or I can just walk to the brazier (but the Trial is called 'of Innovation')." Rixos looks to the mirrors, searching for a clue. 

Mirror of Secrets 
Artifact 
: Add .
: Add one mana of any color a land you control couldn't produce.
The reflections it shows are not exaclty you.

Hostile Reality: Nice? I don't think it's too good, and being rare makes the cantrip ok. 8/10

Parasign

The next trial was likewise situated in a forested area, but the new environment was far from the ordered, and cultured plant life of the park. Nature was not cultivated or manicured here, it was left wild, ironically in the heart of the city proper. Trees and disused buildings marked the landscape here, a surprising amount of land left unchecked to the desires of nature.

There were no deceptions here either. Though far from the perimeter, the brazier was situated on the crest of a small hill. Littered around it were ruins, nests, and other signs this place had been controlled once. Once.

The air here was tense, even those who did not breathe it would feel themselves on edge.

---

Throne of Lost Wisdom: At this cost, no. Too cheap, even Urza's Tome doesn't let you get away with this for 3 without it being a specific card. Jayemdae Tome is a better baseline. 4/10

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mrlozano

The mirrors, ironically, gave little of anything new for Rixos to reflect on. They were a reflection of him, and a reflection of the world around him. The brazier, of course, was somewhere in the reflection, as he could see it, but he of course wasn't anywhere...

Wait, there was a mirror almost adjacent to the brazier, and he was in it. Of course, it was just a reflection, so it wasn't as if he could walk a few more steps to the right and he'd actually be next to it.

Right?

Or perhaps it was something else? Here, the mirrors were in a sense, a barrier. If he walked closer, he'd inevitably be stopped by them. But what if it wasn't a mirror, what if it was...a window? If he walked through it, or perhaps destroyed it, he'd be in the same realm as the brazier. Perhaps it wasn't the original, but it would be enough. Innovation did require hard choices at times, and in a realm of mirrors, smashing one was likely one option with the greatest risk.

---

Mirror of Secrets: Manalith is better, and common. Needs something else or be cheaper to be actually interesting. 2/10

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cajun

The workshop, like it's exterior suggested, was busy. From the number of gears and pipes and sounds, this place was definitely filled to the brim with machinery, which likely had some purpose. Observing more, it seemed to have been converted for one purpose. Across from the walkway Karina had entered on, there was the brazier, but it was unlit, and connected to an assortment of machines.

And down below, there seemed to be other trial goers, or perhaps they were part of the trial, who were arguing. Two groups had formed, with their apparent leaders at the front of both.

"We can't keep up with your instructions at the rate you give them. We'll be tired out trying to adjust to every little thing you need us to do!" the leader on the left spoke, the shorter of the two.

"Well it won't work if it's not precise. The instructions specifically state it will only burn with these measurements." The taller one waved a paper in the shorter one's face.

Both groups looked like they were nowhere near an agreement.

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Karina, Tempter of Fate: This type of effect is more common than I thought it was. Seems interesting, and I like the flavor of Karina daring the spell in question to target her, but this basically means a lot of nontargeting spells are off the books, even more if your opponent wouldn't use them on her. 6/10

"Alright." Rixos prepares himself to break the mirror. "I hope everything goes as planned." He first touches it, caoutiosly, hoping it is traspassable. If it's not, he covers his hand with a golve and punches it with all his strenght.

Glass-Weaver 
Creature - Human Soldier 
When ~ enters the battlefield or attacks you may exile target artifact until ~ leaves the battlefield.
If it can be broken, it can be restored.
2/3

(Thanks for telling me what to do, or at least givin Rixos options, I had no clue of where to take this.

Time to Reflect: Too expensive. Mirrorweave costs 1 more, but is hybrid mana, instant and affects all creatures. That can situatonally be worse. Metamorphic Alteration costs 1 mana less and it's almost always better. This could cost only U and it would maybe be playable.

On Mirror of Secrets: I actually thought I made it cost 2, but seems like I was wrong. Probably a missclick.

Popcornia

Fury Within: Self-mill doesn't really exist in red, but this is probably the reddest iteration of it I've seen. I'm more worried about the power level, given this is Fervor + permanent Burn Bright with upside for just 1 more color density. I do like the flavor text, though. 6/10.


Looks simple enough.

More probes detach from VIA's skin and form a perimeter around her, scanning for threats as she walks toward the hill.


Sentry Halo 
Artifact
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, untap target creature you control.

Parasign  

It looked simple. In fact, the results VIA would get from her drones, would indicate that too. It was very simple.

There was a monster in front of her, which she would already be able to tell by the earth suddenly splitting open, a massive insect digging it's way out from beneath. It was quite simple. There was a monster in her way to victory.

If this was the trial of Ferocity, then she had better get furious.

---

Sentry Halo: Nice. I like the simplicity of this, and it reminds me of Intruder Almar but not broken. 10/10

mrlozano

The mirror didn't budge. Innovation did not come easy. It required hard, direct choices.

Such as smashing the mirror.

As soon as Rixos's fist met with the mirror, the plane of glass in front of him shattered, bringing with it a rush of heat as he felt much closer to the brazier than he had before. Around him, however, the crack spread, more mirrors shattering, the sound of glass cracking and breaking almost reaching a deafening amount until...

It was replaced with the sounds of the city, and the crackling of a brazier. Looking around, he was far from where he'd been standing before, hounded by the peddlers, who were nowhere in sight. In front of him was a completely normal brazier, in the middle of a square.

And in his hand, scratched from breaking the glass, was a familiar, yet unexpected weight.

---

{You forgot to give me a rating on Time to Reflect}

Glass-Weaver: No rarity, so assuming this is common. Worse Leonin Relic-Warder, but as a common it would be fine. 6/10

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cajun

The two leaders didn't even notice her, continuing on about their position in the argument, and refusing to budge an inch. One or two of members from either group noticed her, but kept their attention on the two leaders.

...An observant person would note the irony of this. Both sides needed each other, it seemed, to run the machinery, but both refused to acknowledge the needs of the other. Further more, their factionalism had driven them to elect leaders of their groups to represent them, and not act as a cohesive whole. The whole decision was being made by a single person each, and not the group, the opposite of solidarity.

An unobservant person would notice that these two did not get along well.

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Intern Karina Oblay: Child labor laws aside, Karina has a weird ability tribal. Ability storm is new, but definitely easier or difficult to track based on what's setting it off. That 2nd should probably be a -2. 7/10 for a neat idea though.

Popcornia

Percipient Strider: I think this should be "when ~ becomes untapped", like the Inspired ability. Other than that, it seems like a fine rare sidegrade to Sunder Shaman. 9/10.


Despite the ground quaking beneath her, VIA stands perfectly still as the monstrous insect approaches, appearing to radiate total calm.

Soul bleeding sun saints what is that thing what do I do now why the HELL did I agree to this?

...

You're right, Vi. How about I don't hallucinate voices with my last three seconds of processing power? Also, how does that thing... stand...

She spreads her arms wide. A razor-thin carbon strand extends between them and floats gently through the air, hovering just before the beast's oncoming legs.


Razor Tripwire
Artifact
You may cast ~ as though it had flash if you pay more to cast it.
, Sacrifice ~: Target player sacrifices an attacking creature.

// Karina frowns at the two, the wanders over to one of the few that noticed her

"So... what are we doing? I don't think we're ever gonna finish this if we just watch them yell at each other."

Appeal to Cooperation
Sorcery
Any number of target players may create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token. For each player that does, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

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(yes this is a worst-case Servo Exhibition)
Perpetual Treachery - odd that this shoots you in the foot. 7/10

Popcornia

Flame of the Soul: Not sure how to gauge this card's power, though I would guess it's useful but not broken in an aggressive go-wide deck. I think "any target you don't control" is more confusing than it's worth, given "any target" is the same 99% of the time. I like the last-ditch option to sacrifice it for a bolt. 9/10.


No no no it's still coming what do I do ferocity, VI shut up I'm trying to think you're still holding back I'm out of weapons it's called a spark for a reason why can't I just USE IT




VIA's shell crackles with electricity. An ionized stream of air arcs from her outstretched palms, and lightning courses through the beast.

Neottolemo

Rudara did not comment on the distance of the newly formed landmass, deciding anywhere but where it had been before was good enough for her. Now, as for her 'building'...

"It would be in the best interest of the mortals nearby that I don't exert my abilities for entertainment, Steirun," she answered, already the giant was wearing on her patience once more. "However, the remnants of a former concept are available for viewing." Without waiting for an answer, Rudara snapped one of her fingers, taking her to a nearby cliff overlooking her latest attempts at her own 'building.' She did not teleport the giant with her, but she had left a small vision for him to follow, given he already had the power to appear where he wished at will.

At the level of the cliff was a series of massive floating landmasses, each with varying amounts of vegetation and of varying types and shapes. They were unpopulated however, left for animals to navigate to and from the varying ecospheres she had created on a whim.

What was she planning here?

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Steirun's Strength: I like this card, mostly because it reminds me of a dumb mono-blue bounce deck that did exactly what this card encourages you not to do. 10/10