> : Reveal the top card of your library, if that card is an Artifact, you may cast it, otherwise, put it into your hand.
This effect is better if you don't find an artifact:
If you don't find an artifact, you get +1 card advantage for drawing the card, then you can decide whether to play the cardright now, or whether to wait for later. Guaranteed card advantage, options for the timing. Both good things.
If you find an artifact, you get to choose to cast it right now, or leave it on top of the library. You don't get to put the card in hand and cannot cast it later the same turn unless you somehow get access to it another way (e. g. another spell drawing a cad for you). If you cast it right now, you do get +1 card advantage, but if you don't (because you are unable or unwilling) the artifact remains on your library. No guaranteed card advantage and restricted timing to cast the spell are both disadvantages to the other option.
I assume that's the point Vitenka is making.
I have a proposal: Cost this like an Archivist or something and change the ability to:
> : Reveal the top card of your library, then put it into your hand. If you revealed an artifact card this way, add to your mana pool.
In this version you clearly always get +1 card advantage since the card always ends up in your hand. There is further a distinct benefit only artifacts get, but any artifact gets.
It's still in line with your current proposal since it encourages/supports directly casting the artifact you've just drawn.
Independent note/minor tidbit: You'll notice my wording does not capitalize the word "artifact" because that's types/supertypes are written (while subtypes _are capitalized).
A rule to keep in mind for this: If it belongs to the right of the dash on a type line it gets a capital first letter, to the left small first letter.
That's weird. It sounds like it's something to help you cast artifacts? But actually it's better if you don't have any artifacts fr it to get stuck on?
This is very powerful. While you can't play lands of it, you are pretty much drawing a card with it each turn. Milling is just a bonus - or in some cases a drawback. I think I would certainly consider playing it over, say Archivist. I feel that even uncommon is probably a dangerous place to have this at.
To expand upon that: The best life gain cards are effects that combine life gain with something else that advances your board state or gives you e. g. card draw, a body (creatures with lifelink to a degree can count here as well) or removal.
This on the other hand does the exact opposite: It consumes additional resources to gain you life - and unless you really sacrifice something powerful the life gain will be a pittance as well.
My main complaint about the original common version of Dark Skies was that it required to sacrifice two creatures. It's come around to resolving that but at quite a cost to elegance.
Because life gain, generally speaking, sucks. If you're going to win, it doesn't help make it more certain. If you're going to lose; but gain a tonne of life; you're still going to lose - just slightly later. That rarely (though not never) makes enough of a difference that it's worth investing in.
I kinda as a joke came up with Athrian Preist which gives you 100 life at a cost of 4 creatures. And it might actually be reasonable.
I like that
How about going with an ability based on the flavor text: "Make them all Vampires!".
> Other creatures you control have flying and lifelink.
Though that would require a higher casting cost most definitely.
Good point. I don't know how I decided to put that there.
I'm trying to think of a thing that an Illuminati-esque character would do... maybe something to do with giving boosts to high CMC creatures?
What's the story behind that milling ability? Why is it here?
Thanks for the explanation! Also that idea is very much more what I was trying to accomplish. And I will do my best to remember that rule, thanks!
Current wording
>
: Reveal the top card of your library, if that card is an Artifact, you may cast it, otherwise, put it into your hand.
This effect is better if you don't find an artifact:
I assume that's the point Vitenka is making.
I have a proposal: Cost this like an Archivist or something and change the ability to:
>
: Reveal the top card of your library, then put it into your hand. If you revealed an artifact card this way, add 
to your mana pool.
In this version you clearly always get +1 card advantage since the card always ends up in your hand. There is further a distinct benefit only artifacts get, but any artifact gets.
It's still in line with your current proposal since it encourages/supports directly casting the artifact you've just drawn.
Independent note/minor tidbit: You'll notice my wording does not capitalize the word "artifact" because that's types/supertypes are written (while subtypes _are capitalized).
A rule to keep in mind for this: If it belongs to the right of the dash on a type line it gets a capital first letter, to the left small first letter.
im so confused as to what we are talking about...
Oh. i thought free casting was better than card draw. my bad. how about something else?
Maybe
: Reveal the top cards of your library unto you reveal an Artifact card with CMC 4 or less, you may put that card into your hand
That's weird. It sounds like it's something to help you cast artifacts? But actually it's better if you don't have any artifacts fr it to get stuck on?
howboutthis?
hm. I see. I suppose Chandra did that at mythic, so you're right this is powerful, also mostly red.
So maybe I'll tinker with it
This is very powerful. While you can't play lands of it, you are pretty much drawing a card with it each turn. Milling is just a bonus - or in some cases a drawback. I think I would certainly consider playing it over, say Archivist. I feel that even uncommon is probably a dangerous place to have this at.
I understand now. Okay, well i got an idea
To expand upon that: The best life gain cards are effects that combine life gain with something else that advances your board state or gives you e. g. card draw, a body (creatures with lifelink to a degree can count here as well) or removal.
This on the other hand does the exact opposite: It consumes additional resources to gain you life - and unless you really sacrifice something powerful the life gain will be a pittance as well.
My main complaint about the original common version of Dark Skies was that it required to sacrifice two creatures. It's come around to resolving that but at quite a cost to elegance.
Because life gain, generally speaking, sucks. If you're going to win, it doesn't help make it more certain. If you're going to lose; but gain a tonne of life; you're still going to lose - just slightly later. That rarely (though not never) makes enough of a difference that it's worth investing in.
I kinda as a joke came up with Athrian Preist which gives you 100 life at a cost of 4 creatures. And it might actually be reasonable.
i don't understand why this sucks?
This could be an uncommon as a
> Sacrifice any number of creatures. You gain X life, where X is the total power plus toughness of the creatures sacrificed this way.
It would still suck though.
i think it's a neat card. so i'd be fine seeing it in rare.