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CardName: Hymn to Hatred Cost: 2B Type: Instant Pow/Tgh: / Rules Text: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn. *Melody* — If you've cast another spell this turn, that creature's controller discards a card at random. Flavour Text: Set/Rarity: Melody Common

Hymn to Hatred
{2}{b}
 
 C 
Instant
Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.
Melody — If you've cast another spell this turn, that creature's controller discards a card at random.
Updated on 22 Mar 2012 by M_Houlding

Code: CB14

Active?: true

History: [-]

2011-07-18 23:13:11: M_Houlding created the card Hymn to Hatred

Could this say "up to one other target creature"? Otherwise the Melody effect could be a drawback if you want to cast this on the only creature on the board.

Wouldn't the name of the ability make more sense as "Harmony"? Since the melody would normally be the primary tune, and the harmony would be a complimentary tune?

@ Alex - For the moment, requiring players to properly manage the order they cast spells is an intentional complication. All of these designs have yet to be playtested, so what you describe is definitely something I need to keep an eye on.

@ jmg - I've flip-flopped between the names of various abilities quite a bit, as taking musical concepts and applying them to the world of Magic is a fairly subjective task. At the moment, "Melody" is named what it is because it puts priority on the sequencing of spells, rather than a simultaneous "harmonizing" of actions.

Ultimately, if this were a real set, I doubt musical terminology would be in the final product, as the terms would be too beholden to their original product. (Like Bushido.)

on 21 Jul 2011 by Visitor:

Try casting this as the first spell in a turn. You only choose one target. (Refer to any of the various potentially multi-targeting kicker spells to convince yourself this is true.)

Then cast another spell in response. When Hymn to Hatred resolves, it requires two targets ... but only one was chosen!

"Intentional complication" ... ?

@M Houlding: I think it'd be fine for an explicitly music-themed set to have music-themed mechanics. The way you mention Bushido suggests you think Wizards wouldn't do that again; I'm a bit surprised at this implication because I don't think I've heard that.

Visitor's got a good point about the "cast another spell in response" problem. Perhaps Melody should say "If you cast another spell this turn before casting this spell" or some such.

For the sake of ensuring that keywords can be re-used, I do think they strive for generalized terms. That doesn't mean they'll never again push for a more cohesive flavor that demands keywords like Bushido, but it does feel like a form of parasitism that I want to avoid if possible.

As to the function of this card:

This is actually the only Melody card with a second target in the Melody ability, so I'm assuming I thought of this problem and just never fixed Hymn. Mistakes happen.

2011-07-21 15:49:41: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred
2011-07-22 04:42:32: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred:

Resolved targeting issue; altered cost and primary effect.

2011-07-22 04:44:07: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred
2011-08-02 04:19:09: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred:

Added "at random" to discard; it is a hymn after all.

2011-08-03 03:23:01: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred
2011-12-26 03:20:46: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred
2012-03-22 23:46:22: M_Houlding edited Hymn to Hatred

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