For Challenge # 082

Normally wizards errs in favour of semi-controllable randomness like "reveal the top card of your library" because (a.) it feels less unfair if you might be able to control it (b.) it cuts down on make-work like rolling dice because you need to have a shuffled library anyway.

So normally I'd prefer this card was "reveal a card from your hand at random. deal damage equal to its CMC to.." However, that version is probably too degenerate if it could target player if you can combo it with a 10+ CMC card.

So wizards wouldn't normally print die-rolling cards. But if they did, here's one reason to do it, a random-damage spell that can hit players without being broken (I think).

Note the rules, we need to roll the die as a cost before we choose targets, because it's really frustrating to not know which creature to aim for. But here we can say "if we get six damage, just kill the opponent. if we get 2+, kill the creature. if we only get 1, we might as well do it to the opponent."

I wasn't sure of the cost. The average damage is 3.5, so this probably should cost 3-4, although burn spells vary a lot. But I overcosted it because wizards don't normally want random cards to be too competitive, as lots of people find them time consuming or annoying.

Good call making the die roll an additional cost. I think this might need reminder text to make it clear you see the die roll before choosing targets.

In fact, hmm, does that actually work? Targets are normally chosen before costs are paid, so I fear you might need a different technique.

Perhaps an artifact which ETBs with d6 counters and can be sacced to deal N damage to target?

Doh! You're right, you choose modes, and determine costs first, and then choose targets, and then pay costs. So I wanted the die roll to happen in the choosing modes bit.

Hm. I guess I could do "Choose one at random: deal 1 damage to target creature or player, deal 3 damage to target creature or player, deal 5 damage to target creature or player" :)

Or I could just say "Roll a die before choosing targets. ~ deals that much damage to target creature or player."

That's unusual, but I think unambiguous?

Although, come to think of it, I don't think that works either, I think it goes like this:

1. Announce the spell.
   2.1. Roll a die. Get 1.
   2.2. Refuse to activate any mana abilities.
   2.3. Unable to pay costs. Game state is rolled back to before the announcement.
   2.4. Repeat steps 1-2.3 until you roll a six.
   2.5. Choose targets.
2. Profit.

You're right, an artifact would work, but I liked the simplicity of the spell. Can anyone think of any better template?

How about nested spells?

Roll a die, then cast a spell that deals that much damage to target creature or player.

Or just use 'choose' instead of target, I think that works.

Or just choose a target, roll the die, and whiff occasionally like Blast of Genius.

But Jack's right that that's really annoying. It's much more satisfying to at least know you did the best with what the randomness gave you. Yes, most random spells or effects work the way dude1818 describes, but that doesn't mean it's the only way (or the best way) they can work.

"When you cast CARDNAME, roll a six-sided die, then choose a creature or player.

CARDNAME deals damage to the chosen creature or player equal to the result of the die roll when it was cast."

This gets around forgetting to pay the cost on suboptimal randomness, and while it doesn't target, it still lets everyone know what's going to happen in advance. However, it doesn't work well with forks and redirects, and Stifle becomes a rather humorous way to stop it.

"Choose a random number from 1 to 6. ~ Deals that much damage to target creature or player."?

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75842/29983231/Rule_717_(Illegal_Actions)?pg=7 points out that even normal magic cards like Goblin Test Pilot have a similar "start casting random spell, and back up" rules loophole, and the consensus was there was no easy way to fix it, but you're not allowed to use the loophole deliberately. (So presumably if you have the lands available to cast the spell, you have to tap them for mana.)

If so, any solution that has rolling the die before targets are chosen would be at least as ok as some existing magic cards.

Maybe the simplest is just to say "Roll a die before targets are chosen". Or to add a line to the comprehensive rules that random effects happen before targets?