Switching Wishpowered and Algebra's centers. Originally this card had Wishpowered and no other ablities. Now it has algebra for the potential of a +1/+1 counter.
Alternately; just make the upside much more potent. Using up cards to get effects is a thing you do with every spell you cast. So you just need to make a spell good enough that it's worth three cards. (a 4/4 critter aint).
But the downside of that is you really can't fit much in at common.
Drawing two to replace what was shuffled in alleviates the downside and has the closest feel to what I want.
Going from that I suppose algebra could be reworked just to put those two cards on the bottom instead of shuffling them in, just to avoid shuffling.
"When you cast this spell you may reveal two cards from your hand or that you control on the battlefield whose total converted mana cost equals 4 and put them onto the bottom of their owner's libraries. If you do, draw two cards."
I'm not sure if the ability can remain in white now, and should be shifted from being centered in blue to being centered in black (it feels like algebra could be fit into red now).
Exile from graveyard feels too upsidey for a non-graveyard or exile-focused set.
If you just want it to perform mathematical operations on cards, then an obvious fix is to add "then draw two cards". Or just make you reveal cards from hand or control cards on the battlefield with the relevant CMC without shuffling them away. That's more repetitive, but it reduces shuffling which is generally worth doing.
That was my feeling at Fatal Depression. There's virtually no buff to a creature that would be worth giving yourself 3-for-1 card disadvantage for; and certainly none that are viable at common.
What was your aim when designing the algebra mechanic? Maybe we can salvage something from it if you explain what you were trying for.
Is algebra meant to be a "trap" mechanic? As in "This is here to trick you, because using it is a terrible idea"?
Sacrifice two cards; to get +1/+1 is a terrible exchange rate. Why would you ever do that? Maybe if it was sneakily a madness enabler; or the set massively rewards youfor stuff in graveyard?
If this had flash then MAYBE you could use it to get some benefit from stuff about to die anyway; though even then it's gonna be a rare cnjunction of events.
Make it +6/+6 and I would consider using it (and would then ask why it's in blue). As it is... just no.
Black gives it the hellbent twist, mainly, I think.
But yeah. Sure, it can't hit players. It dominates the battlespace, then you beat them to death with a 1/1 goblin.
I'm used to cost, to use, and dealing one damage! This is massively better than that; due to colour... but it puts Prodigal Pyromancer in the shade too. It does scream "Build around me! Play hellbent! Every card you pick must be cheap!" so maybe? But this really is a card to make me sit back and think "Wow".
Mmm. Much better than Cursed Scroll, that's for sure. And that card was most commonly used in aggressive mono-red decks, so the argument that this has a more difficult to use casting cost is kind of irrelevant.
I quite like this. First strike + deathtouch is a great + combination (going all the way back to Voracious Cobra), +5/+5 is hilarious and enough of a reward to get both Johnny and Timmy happy, and hexproof is an intriguing option and a handy way to protect itself (if you have instant-speed player-burn available).
I think this is in an excellent spot for a mythic. Even if deathtouch is mostly irrelevant, it still fits the scorpion flavour, and it lets this be handy against the occasional 20/20 that turns up in Commander games.
Removed wishpowered
Switching Wishpowered and Algebra's centers. Originally this card had Wishpowered and no other ablities. Now it has algebra for the potential of a +1/+1 counter.
@Vitenka: I don't think that's a good idea. Anything worth three cards is probably not the kind of thing you want repeatedly showing up at common.
Alternately; just make the upside much more potent. Using up cards to get effects is a thing you do with every spell you cast. So you just need to make a spell good enough that it's worth three cards. (a 4/4 critter aint).
But the downside of that is you really can't fit much in at common.
Drawing two to replace what was shuffled in alleviates the downside and has the closest feel to what I want.
Going from that I suppose algebra could be reworked just to put those two cards on the bottom instead of shuffling them in, just to avoid shuffling.
"When you cast this spell you may reveal two cards from your hand or that you control on the battlefield whose total converted mana cost equals 4 and put them onto the bottom of their owner's libraries. If you do, draw two cards."
I'm not sure if the ability can remain in white now, and should be shifted from being centered in blue to being centered in black (it feels like algebra could be fit into red now).
Exile from graveyard feels too upsidey for a non-graveyard or exile-focused set.
Exile from graveyard?
If you just want it to perform mathematical operations on cards, then an obvious fix is to add "then draw two cards". Or just make you reveal cards from hand or control cards on the battlefield with the relevant CMC without shuffling them away. That's more repetitive, but it reduces shuffling which is generally worth doing.
I tried to interpret algebra as a mechanic.
I guess I could reduce it to being one card shuffled into the library as opposed to two, but I still don't you would be fans of that.
That was my feeling at Fatal Depression. There's virtually no buff to a creature that would be worth giving yourself 3-for-1 card disadvantage for; and certainly none that are viable at common.
What was your aim when designing the algebra mechanic? Maybe we can salvage something from it if you explain what you were trying for.
Is algebra meant to be a "trap" mechanic? As in "This is here to trick you, because using it is a terrible idea"?
Sacrifice two cards; to get +1/+1 is a terrible exchange rate. Why would you ever do that? Maybe if it was sneakily a madness enabler; or the set massively rewards youfor stuff in graveyard?
If this had flash then MAYBE you could use it to get some benefit from stuff about to die anyway; though even then it's gonna be a rare cnjunction of events.
Make it +6/+6 and I would consider using it (and would then ask why it's in blue). As it is... just no.
Black gives it the hellbent twist, mainly, I think.
But yeah. Sure, it can't hit players. It dominates the battlespace, then you beat them to death with a 1/1 goblin.
I'm used to cost, to use, and dealing one damage! This is massively better than that; due to colour... but it puts Prodigal Pyromancer in the shade too. It does scream "Build around me! Play hellbent! Every card you pick must be cheap!" so maybe? But this really is a card to make me sit back and think "Wow".
Although I do note that Cursed Scroll was also used to hit players as well as creatures. This isn't Lightning Bolt, it's Strafe. Well, instant, so... Draconic Roar? Blazing Salvo?
A lot more red than black, I note, though it's not really outside black's pie either.
Mmm. Much better than Cursed Scroll, that's for sure. And that card was most commonly used in aggressive mono-red decks, so the argument that this has a more difficult to use casting cost is kind of irrelevant.
: Hellbent: lightning bolt.
Yow. Strong!
changed to instant speed
I quite like this. First strike + deathtouch is a great + combination (going all the way back to Voracious Cobra), +5/+5 is hilarious and enough of a reward to get both Johnny and Timmy happy, and hexproof is an intriguing option and a handy way to protect itself (if you have instant-speed player-burn available).
Best thing to do with this? I think I like Grapeshot or Pyromatics. Fun self-damaging options include Char/Psionic Blast, Hail Storm, Orcish Cannonade, Aftershock/Ashes to Ashes. You can trigger it twice (or N times in a multiplayer game) with things like Flame Rift, Slagstorm, Price of Progress, and of course Earthquake and Hurricane.
I think this is in an excellent spot for a mythic. Even if deathtouch is mostly irrelevant, it still fits the scorpion flavour, and it lets this be handy against the occasional 20/20 that turns up in Commander games.
Humm; my first instinct is that this is a horrubly expensive kicked cost.
But you can also use it to save... humm; save-into-library? Yeah; no reason to do that.
And it's exact cost; not "or more". And... I'm just not liking this mechanic.
reduced cmc to 2
cmc raised from 3 to 4