[January] Mechanic Repository: Mercenary Mechanic Overview

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Table of Content
Recruit
Battle Recruit
Brother-in-Arms
Down Payment

Mercenary Mechanics

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The mechanics is supposed to appear in {u}{b}{r} with a focus in black. Due to an invasion by the orcish tribes the dwarves turn towards outside help by mercenaries to defend their mountain home.

I had the possibility of returning the Mercadian Masques mechanic always considered as my fallback option. How are the alternatives?

­ Recruit

 C 
Creature – Ogre Mercenary
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Recruit{5}, {t}: Search your library for a Mercenary permanent card with converted mana cost 4 or less and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
2/2

First and foremost, I propose Recruit - which is based on the mechanic Rebels and Mercenaries featured in Mercadian Masks, Nemesis and Prophecy.
Since the Rebel-mechanic was way better received, the ability to recruit higher converted mana costs will be utilized.

 C 
Creature – Human Mercenary
Recruit{3}, {t}: Search your library for a Mercenary permanent card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
1/1
 C 
Creature – Merfolk Mercenary
Whenever Reef Pirate deals damage to an opponent, draw a card, then discard a card.
Recruit{4}, {t}: Search your library for a Mercenary permanent card with converted mana cost 3 or less and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
1/1

­ Battle Recruit

 C 
Creature – Ogre Mercenary
First strike (This creature deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)
Battle Recruit— Whenever Ogre Mercenary attacks, you may pay {5}. If you do, search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 4 or less and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
2/2

As a variant I suggest battle recruit.
Battle recruit is no longer an activated ability like recruit, but instead a triggered ability - which encourages more interactive gameplay.

 C 
Creature – Human Mercenary
Menace (This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Instigate— Whenever Necropol Sellsword attacks, you may pay {3}. If you do, search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 3 or less and put it onto the battlefield tapped and attacking, then shuffle your library.
1/1

Instigate is a potential variant on battle recruit that puts the creature onto the battlefield attacking.

­ Brother-in-Arms

 C 
Creature – Ogre Mercenary
Brother-in-Arms (When you cast this spell from your hand, you may search your library for another card that shares a subtype with it with converted mana cost 2 or less and cast it without paying its mana cost. If you do, shuffle your library.)
2/2

I also consider alternate mechanics for Mercenaries like Brother-in-arms.

 C 
Creature – Human Mercenary
Brother-in-Arms (When you cast this spell from your hand, you may search your library for another card that shares a subtype with it with converted mana cost 1 or less and cast it without paying its mana cost. If you do, shuffle your library.)
2/1
 C 
Creature – Merfolk Mercenary
Brother-in-Arms (When you cast this spell from your hand, you may search your library for another card that shares a subtype with it with converted mana cost 1 or less and cast it without paying its mana cost. If you do, shuffle your library.)
2/1

­ Down Payment

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 C 
Creature – Ogre Mercenary
Down payment {r} (You may pay {r} and discard a card rather than pay this spells mana cost.)
2/2
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Or Down payment.

Down payment a. k. a. hire is the mechanic that was favored most strongly back when I proposed these mechanics. It is a mechanic I could imagine being quite playable if paired with e. g. madness.

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 U 
Creature – Human Mercenary
Down payment {1}{b} (You may pay {1}{b} and discard a card rather than pay this spells mana cost.)
When Looting Sellsword enters the battlefield, you may return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
2/2
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 U 
Creature – Merfolk Mercenary
Down payment {0} (You may pay {0} and discard a card rather than pay this spells mana cost.)
1/1
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Updated on 17 Jun 2018 by SecretInfiltrator