Shootout: Mechanics

Mechanics | Skeleton | Draft Archetypes | Lore

Standoff: You and target opponent draw a card, then discard a card. A player loses if his or her card was the lower or tied for lowest converted mana cost. Used on 8 cards: Quick Thinking, Desperate Cannibalism, Two-Bit Scoundrel, Beanbag Spray, Wolf Raiders' Howl, Quicker Draw, Corral Skirmish, Tributary Offering

One of the focal mechanics of the set. Used to represent a Mexican-standoff style situation. This is in Red, Black, and Blue, tertiary in White and Green.

Hostage: Whenever another creature would be destroyed, you may instead remove all damage from it and sacrifice this creature. Used on 4 cards: Kindly Doctor, Getaway Specialist, Stepford Matron, Cargo Bison

This mechanic will be primarily in White and Black. There will be a couple of theft effects in Red and Blue that will take advantage of this as well.

Dash: You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step. Used on 5 cards: Railway Courier, Coyote Pack, Kolgek Pass Roughrider, Red-Gang Outlaw, Wild Mustang

Reprint time. I like the rapid-fire, opportunistic feeling of dashing in something in a four-player game. There will be some twists on the mechanic. This is in Red, Black, and Green now. There is a splash card in Blue with Dash as well.

*Barter*: Used on 5 cards: Imquitu Huntleader, Saguara Trail Pioneers, Atlake Prospector, Wagon Captain, Big Antler Caribou

Pseudo ability word. This is going to be in White and Blue, tertiary in Green. Basically it involves effects that gains control of a creature or artifact in exchange for a benefit. The general template reads "Choose target opponent. That opponent gains control of a creature or artifact you control of your choice. Then, [effect]." Why isn't this in Red? Probably because Red is overloaded. It's very group-hug (or rather just hug). Not too sure on this mechanic, but I really wanted to play up a "trading" feel to this set in addition to the Wild West. After all, you can't have the Wild West without caravans and trains to rob.

In card text or details pages, write the mechanic's code name (playtest name) between square brackets, like "[Crittercast]", "[Bushido 1]" or "[Delay 4 {2}{R}{R}]". It will be expanded to the mechanic's name plus reminder text, such as "Suspend 4 – {2} {r} {r} . (Rather than cast this spell from your hand,...)"
To expand a mechanic's name but not its reminder text, include parentheses at the end of the square brackets: "[Crittercast()]", "[Delay 9 {R}()]".