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Recent updates to Districts of Kestner: (Generated at 2025-05-04 07:36:00)
removed cantrip
@Tahazzar @SecretInfiltrator thanks for the comments!
@SecretInfiltrator I hadn't noticed a theme until you mentioned it actually. There's no lore pertaining to multicolor cards specifically - these names were inspired by other "multicolor matters" cards from the past as well as lore from Darkest Dungeon and Dishonored. Obviously since this is a wedge set I do want multicolor to matter mechanically, that's the only theme I was going for :P
Seems about right. Is there a specific lore to multicolor for the set - this is "enigmatic" and there is "Boggle the Mind". It seems like some theme.
Cantrip counterspells are especially good since they are really feeding into one another - instant speed card draw and keeping mana open to answer a threat at instant speed in one package.
If you want a "one mana counterspell" the first thing I'd remove was the line "Draw a card." Not even Nix gets to be a cantrip.
There is actually one one mana counterspell cantrip: Disrupt. If you assume Negate and Remove Soul are about equal, then disrupt is a subest of "noncreature" version, aso maybe you want to get more specific than "creature". "Monocolored creature"?
It's still borderline crazy. I think you might be under valuing the "draw a card" effect. Making a thing cantrip in safe cases involved adding
to the mana cost. Instants with the cost 
tend to have very minor additional effects. There aren't any direct precedent for the card, but IMO it looks quite nuts when set next to Bone to Ash. Obviously conditional, but still, drawing a card for 
at instant speed isn't half bad, and add in an occasional (tbh, probably a 70% chance) Essence Scatter and you got some crazy powered card.
Inspired by Cemetery Recruitment
Of course Force Spike is a thing. I uh, apparently wasn't thinking enough when I made this. The goal was to design a one mana counterspell. Perhaps changing it to "creature spell" would help.
Force Spike is strong enough that WotC hasn't yet made in modern legal - though the exact reasons are arguable. Its contemporary, Mana Tithe is legal there though.
Regardless, this being strictly better variant of already considerable strong card is concerning to say the least. For now, we've been receiving
Force Spikes with minor bonuses in standard sets. From that perspective, 
counterspells would be part of that trend as well.
I think this would be a fine card if it just costed
. It would be akin to a mix of Frightful Delusion, Clash of Wills, and Painful Truths. Comparable to Complicate. With the current cost of 
this is just busted. While Runeboggle is quite bad, this being like four or so times better is lunacy.
You get the extra card even if you don't pump. This is indeed somewhat good.
So Force Spike is a cantrip now and you can pump extra colors into it to draw a card? That indeed boggles the mind.
See Gallantry
multicolor matters in a wedge-themed set
becomes a Zombie when returned to the battlefield
@SecretInfiltrator yeah, it does seem unlikely now that you mention it. Call it airing on the side of extreme caution, since graveyard recursion can get out of hand pretty easily. We'll see though. Yes, turning it into a Zombie is a good idea.
Interesting question: Do you sacrifice 10 power of Zombies to get back 4 power of Human that might get you more Zombies? It seems unlikely.
As trinket text I would turn Necromancer Lord into a Zombie as final effect of the activated ability.
Hence the ask lol. I personally would have changed ghostly prison to tax
for each creature but the color option adds some potentially fun variance.
can't attack -> can't attack you or a planeswalker you control
Yeah I judged its power level by Ghostly Prison - there's been many a time I've been overwhelmed by it and its ilk in commander games. However you do make a good point. I could see this saying "you and planeswalkers you control" rather than just "can't attack".
To be fair, Ghostly Prison is a powerful card. And it's only been printed once in Standard, back in Champions. Weird, huh? There's been seven total printings. But you can't use things like Commander products to gauge power level. Otherwise, you end up calling out Sol Ring as a fair card.
Anyhow, a 14 year old card power card doesn't make for a good baseline. It's annoying that Prison is 'strictly better' than this card. But I get it.
What's the reason behind making this weaker than Ghostly Prison by a slim margin? It feels much wordier for a difference that some decks would have a way around and others wouldn't.