Nich Grayson's Nov 2015 Playtest

DAY ONE

We had our first playtest tonight. What I did was make 2 proxies of every card, then randomize and split the 202 cards between myself, and playtesters Adam and Wes. Adam has seen the card pool, Wes has not. Here’s the pools and decks that were built:

Adam
(17 Land, 13 Creatures, 10 Other Spells)

10 Mountain
6 Forest
Shimmering Grotto

Crush
2 Factory Fire
2 Filigree Etcher
2 Firebomb
Fracture Tester
Predator Firefiend
Rage Fumer
Rebel Yell
Smoke Bomber

Acidaxe Logger
AEther-Tamed Jhovall
Gust Elemental
2 Might Fumer
Mighty Heart
Remix the AEther

Bonded Construct
Guardian Automaton
Rebel Leaflet
Stratus Zeppelin

SIDEBOARD
Chained Fledgling
2 Consul’s Protector
Pristine Factory
Rabble Alley Rumors
Render Judgment
Shackles
Silent Artisan
Solemn Offering

Annul
Cancel
Cistern Cleaner
Espionage Enhancement
Exocage Wave-Kin
Funnel Essence
Funnel Will
Leaden Fists
Mindwiper Agent
Open the Hangar
Pipe Cleaner
Scrub from Memory
Wing-Class Pilot

AEther Mixer
Bloodflow Connoisseur
Brink of Disaster
Eternal Thirst
Grim Recovery
2 Security Enforcer

Chimney Union Boss
2 Siege Class Pilot
Spark of Genius
Stun

2 Factory Farm

2 Alpha Thopter
Braidwood Sextant
2 Exocage Steam-Kin
Incinerator Schematic
Makerbot
Mecha Crafter
Surveillance Monitor
2 Transport Schematic
Workhouse Schematic

***
Wes’s Deck
(17 Lands, 11 Creatures, 12 Other spells)
8 Island
8 Forest
Shimmering Grotto

Cancel
Cistern Cleaner
Funnel Will
Leaden Fists
Pipe Cleaner
Production Foreman
Scrub from Memory
Stop for Questioning

Acidaxe Logger
Chemical Farmer
Daggerback Basilisk
2 Funnel Growth
Gust Elemental
In Hiding
Jhovall Cub

Bonded Construct
Gallows Schematic
Guardian Automaton
Makerbot
Redline Coupe
Stratus Zeppelin
Workhouse Schematic

SIDEBOARD
Boarder Captain
Chained Fledgling
Communal Defense
2 Demagogue
Dive Bomber
Doomed Salesman
Funnel Aura
Gearcrafter Medic
Silent Artisan
Solemn Offering

Exocage Wave-Kin
Wing-Class Pilot

Asphyxiate
2 Blackbook Research
Brink of Disaster
Consul Interrogator
Consul Magehunter
Eternal Thirst
Exocage Coal-Kin
Infantry Class Pilot
2 Isolation
2 Mind Rot
Spite Fumer

2 Exocage Lightning-Kin
2 Highland Jhovall
Rage Fumer
Rebel Yell
Spark of Genius
Stun
Vandalize

2 Cable Braider
In Hiding
Remix the AEther
2 Spread the Pollen

Armor-Class Fodder
Highland Wagon
Rebel Leaflet
Redline Coupe
2 Welding Jar

***
Nich
(17 Lands, 13 Creatures, 10 Other Lands)
10 Swamp
7 Mountain

AEther Mixer
Asphyxiate
Bloodflow Connoisseur
Consul Interrogator
Consul Magehunter
Exocage Coal-Kin
2 Flatten
Grim Discovery
Infantry Class Pilot
Spite Fumer

Chimney Union Boss
Fracture Tester
Predator Firefiend
Smoke Bomber
Vandalize

Arena Schematic
Armor-Class Fodder
Braidwood Sextant
Gallows Schematic
Incinerator Schematic
Mecha Crafter
Surveillance Monitor

SIDEBOARD
Border Captain
Communal Defense
Dive Bomber
Doomed Salesman
Funnel Aura
Gearcrafter Medic
2 Glaring Aegis
Pristine Factory
Rabble Alley Rumors
Render Judgment
Shackles

Annul
2 Artificer’s Epiphany
Espionage Enhancement
Funnel Essence
Mindwiper Agent
Open the Hangar
Production Foreman
Stop for Questioning

Crush

AEther-Tamed Jhovall
2 Caustic Caterpillar
Chemical Farmer
Daggerback Basilisk
Jhovall Cub
Mighty Heart
2 Time to Feed

Arena Schematic
Highland Wagon

Adam was very excited to play Smoke Bomber, Might Fumer, and Acidaxe Logger because he likes AEtherstudy quite a bit. He also was very unexcited about Remix the AEther, so he added it to show me that it sucks. In one of the games I saw him make an attack into a 5/7 Cistern Cleaner with Leaden Fists, then use Remix the AEther to make a trade and get it off the board.

Wes was interested in playing Funnel Growth, Scour from Memory, Stop for Questioning, and Gust Elemental. The cards he assumed would suck were Bonded Construct, Leaden Fists, and Production Foreman. The funny thing about this is that he was able to turtle up in two games very well by putting Leaden Fists on his Bonded Construct.

Adam did not like that Fire Bomb and Rebel Leaflet couldn’t transform without any Rebels, and that he didn’t have any rebels in his deck to help them flip. Wes similarly was never able to get the bonus Rebel value out of In Hiding, and drew it each game. The fact that the Rebels are on the back of the DFC, and that the card pools had checklists, with all the DFC to the side could be the problem here, because Adam had Chained Fledgling and Chimney Union Boss in his pool to take advantage of his 2 Fire Bombs and there’s a chance he just didn’t see them. Wes, similarly had both In Hidings, but he also had 2 Cable Braiders and 2 Spread the Pollen. He could have made much better use of the In Hiding card. Maybe the lesson here is that at common, all the Rebel cards need to have Rebellion, and at higher rarities you can pepper in spells that transform or give a boost if a Rebels are on your side.

At one point in the playtest, Adam noticed Canisters can’t be activated during opponent’s turns and was very disappointed that they weren’t combat tricks. For the rest of the playtest he would point out at key moments when the canisters would be helpful, but couldn’t be activated. It really seemed to bum him out. I explained board complexity and NOW, but he said we were dumbing down the game and making a big mistake. Before they discovered the timing restriction, there was a fun combat exchange where Adam attacked with a big AEtherstudy creature, Wes, cast Funnel Will to shrink it and make a Canister, then before blockers sacrificed the Canister to untap a 5/4 Bonded Construct with Leaden Fists. That was a fun moment for both players.

Makerbot was mocked because it was the same as a morph creature, and why would anyone ever use its ability when they could just attack with a 2/2? Both Adam and Wes disliked that you couldn’t use its ability as a trick and had to apply the bonus before attacks were declared. Adam had two Factory Farms and a Makerbot in his pool, and didn’t play any of them, even though they were in color and could have helped him push through AEtherstudy creatures.

Redline Coupe and Stratus Zeppelin were both pretty popular. The Zeppelin was what Adam was hoping to draw in one late game just to punch through during a stall. And Wes made good use of the Coupe to present surprise attacks during a very back and forth mid game. No one tried to achieve the Full Crew bonus. There were even turns when Wes had the mana and creatures to do so with Coupe but didn’t.

Schematics were great removal and combat tricks. There was a moment when I attacked into a Gallows Schematic and lost my creature that might upset a new player. When Wes asked if you could sacrifice them to themselves, it was a surprise complexity node I hadn’t anticipated. On the other hand, sacrificing Canisters to them came very naturally.
***

DAY TWO

Brandon
(17 Lands, 15 Creatures, 9 Other Spells)
8 Plains
9 Mountain

Border Captain
Communal Defense
Demagogue
Dive Bomber
Doomed Salesman
Gearcrafter Medic
Glaring Aegis
Render Judgment
Shackles
Solemn Offering

Exocage Lightning-Kin
Filigree Etcher
Highland Jhovall
Rage Fumer
Siege-Class Pilot
Smoke Bomber
Spark of Genius
Vandalize

Alpha Thopter
Armor-Class Fodder
Exocage Steam-Kin
Makerbot
Surveillance Monitor
Welding Jar

Brandon is a relative new player who has dove head first into Magic since Dragons of Tarkir. He attends FNM every week and already has an encyclopedic knowledge of cards and formats. He was super excited to try playtesting. He never knew such a thing existed. I told him the 6 mechanics and then had him pick two colors, gave him one-of each card in those colors and all the artifacts. He was very excited to try out Combine, but because the pool only had one of each card and because the color combo he chose doesn’t have Combine in both colors, it didn’t work out. I also wanted to try Combine and chose Blue and Black. But neither of us were ever able to combine a Mecha. We each would cast a Pilot, then have it trade with a threat in combat, then draw an Exo the next turn. It was a lot of near misses. The lesson here (as well as with Rebellion the night before) was that spreading the DFC mechanics into three colors makes it very tough to play test effectively.

We both had Law cards in our decks and on the battlefield, and because we chose DFC mechanics that weren’t able to flip on their own, the Law cards didn’t actually do anything. I will take everyone’s advice the next time and make some gameplay related Law conditions.

After the game, he said the set seems too complex, and not just because he’d never seen the cards before. He said I should try to simplify Combine by making it an ETB trigger, (smart kid) and making Rebels work more like Allies from battle for Zendikar.

Sorry about that. I may edit them into the cardpool thread above later, but here are the mechanics cards, altogether.

***
LAW (and enablers)
***

Border Captain
1W
Creature — Human Soldier
3/1
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Border Captain.

Demagogue
W
Creature — Human Advisor
1/2
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, you may pay 1. If you do, put a 1/1 colorless Thopter creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

Production Foreman
2U
Creature — Human Artificer
2/2
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, you may pay 1. If you do, put a 1/1 colorless Thopter creature token with flying onto the battlefield.

Mindwiper Agent
3U
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
2/4
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, each opponent puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

Consul Interrogator
2B
Creature — Vampire Rogue
3/2
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, each opponent puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

Consul Magehunter
2B
Creature — Vampire Soldier
2/3
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Consul Magehunter.

Surveillance Monitor
2
Artifact
Law — Transforming permanents is against the law.
At the beginning of each upkeep, if an opponent broke the law last turn, scry 1.

***
COMBINE (and enablers)
***

Exocage Wave-Kin
2U
Artifact Creature — Elemental Exo
1/4
---Flip---
<— Hydromech
<— Elemental Mecha
2/5
If this Mecha would die, transform it, then the Pilot or Exo dies instead.
<—] tap or untap target creature.

Wing-Class Pilot
U
Creature — Human Pilot
1/2
Combine 3 (3: Transform this Pilot and target Exo you control into one permanent, then untap it.)
---Flip---
Bomberwing [—>
Artifact Creature — Human [—>
This Mecha gets +0/+1 and has flying.
Whenever this Mecha attacks, [—>

Exocage Coal-Kin
2B
Artifact Creature — Elemental Exo
2/3
---Flip---
<—] Cindermech
<—] Elemental Mecha
3/4
If this Mecha would die, transform it, then the Pilot or Exo dies instead.
<—] each opponent lose 1 life.

Infantry-Class Pilot
1B
Creature — Vampire Pilot
2/2
Combine 3 (3: Transform this Pilot and target Exo you control into one permanent, then untap it.)
---Flip---
Deathstrike [—>
Artifact Creature — Vampire [—>
2B: This Mecha gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Whenever this Mecha attacks, [—>

Exocage Lightning-Kin
3R
Artifact Creature — Elemental Exo
3/3
---Flip---
<—] Electramech
<—] Elemental Mecha
4/4
If this Mecha would die, transform it, then the Pilot or Exo dies instead.
<—] scry 1.

Siege-Class Pilot
2R
Creature — Goblin Pilot
3/1
Combine 3 (3: Transform this Pilot and target Exo you control into one permanent, then untap it.)
---Flip---
Ramfront [—>
Artifact Creature — Goblin [—>
This Mecha gets +1/+0 and has trample.
Whenever this Mecha attacks, [—>

Armor-Class Fodder
1
Artifact Creature — Construct Pilot
1/1
Combine 3 (3: Transform this Pilot and target Exo you control into one permanent, then untap it.)
---Flip---
Armor-Defense [—>
Artifact Creature — Construct [—>
This Mecha gets +1/+1.
Whenever this Mecha attacks, [—>

Exocage Steam-Kin
5
Artifact Creature — Elemental Exo
4/2
---Flip---
<—] Boilermech
<—] Elemental Mecha
5/3
If this Mecha would die, transform it, then the Pilot or Exo dies instead.
<—] you gain 2 life.

Grim Recovery
1B
Sorcery
Choose one or both —
• Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
• Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

Spark of Genius (Also enables Rebellion)
1R
Enchantment
Whenever a spell or permanent you control transforms, Spark of Genius deals 1 damage to each opponent.

Mecha Crafter
3
Artifact Creature — Construct
0/3
Defender
Artifact spells you cast cost 1 less to cast.

***
AETHERSTUDY (and enablers)
***

Æther Mixer
1B
Creature — Human Rogue
1/1
Deathtouch
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Spite Fumer
2B
Creature — Human Rogue
2/2
1B, T: Another target creature gains menace until end of turn.
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Filigree Etcher
2RR
Creature — Human Artificer
2/2
Prowess
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Rage Fumer
1R
Creature — Human Artificer
1/1
1R, T: Another target creature gains haste until end of turn.
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Smoke Bomber
R
Creature — Goblin
0/1
Whenever Smoke Bomber attacks, target creature can’t block this turn.
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Acidaxe Logger
1GG
Creature — Giant
2/3
Ætherstudy 3 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than three +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Chemical Farmer
2G
Creature — Elf Druid
1/1
T: Add G to your mana pool.
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Might Fumer
3G
Creature — Giant Artificer
3/3
1G, T: Another target creature gains trample until end of turn.
Ætherstudy 2 (Whenever this creature becomes untapped, if it has less than two +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

Blackbook Research
2B
Instant
Remove all +1/+1 counters from target creature. Draw that many cards and lose that much life.

Fracture Tester
2R
Creature — Human Artificer
3/2
Whenever a creature you control dies, if it had a +1/+1 counter on it, Fracture Tester deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

Remix the Æther
1G
Instant
Remove all +1/+1 counters from target creature you control. Until end of turn, target creature gets +2/+2 for each +1/+1 counter removed this way and gains trample.

***
REBELLION (and enablers)
***

Chained Fledgling
1W
Creature — Bird Soldier
0/3
Defender
Flying
Rebellion 4W (4W, T, Tap two other untapped creatures you control: Transform each permanent with rebellion you control. Activate rebellion only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
---Flip---
Aven Freedom Glider
Creature — Bird Soldier Rebel
3/3
Flying
Whenever you cast a spell with rebellion, you may transform it.

Rabble Alley Rumors
3W
Instant
You may transform this spell when you cast it, if you control a Rebel.
Creatures you control gets +1/+2 until end of turn.
---Flip---
Rebellion Crier
Creature – Bird Soldier Rebel
2/1
Flying, first strike

Chimney Union Boss
3R
Creature — Goblin
3/1
Haste
Rebellion R (R, T, Tap two other untapped creatures you control: Transform each permanent with rebellion you control. Activate rebellion only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
---Flip---
Smokeblinder Mage
Creature — Goblin Shaman Rebel
3/1
First strike, haste
Whenever you cast a spell with rebellion, you may transform it.

Firebomb
3RR
Sorcery
You may transform this spell when you cast it, if you control a Rebel.
Firebomb deals 5 damage to each opponent.
---Flip---
Bomb Thrower
Creature – Human Shaman Rebel
2/2
When Bomb Thrower enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature.

Cable Braider
1G
Creature — Human
1/2
Hexproof
Rebellion 4G (4G, T, Tap two other untapped creatures you control: Transform each permanent with rebellion you control. Activate rebellion only any time you could cast a sorcery.)
---Flip---
Whipvine Mage
Creature — Human Shaman Rebel
3/4
Hexproof
Whenever you cast a spell with rebellion, you may transform it.

Spread the Pollen
2G
Instant
You may transform this spell when you cast it, if you control a Rebel.
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.
---Flip---
Spore Choker
Creature – Elf Shaman Rebel
2/1
When Spore Choker enters the battlefield, prevent all combat damage that other creatures would be dealt this turn.

Rebel Leaflet
3
Artifact
You may transform this spell when you cast it, if you control a Rebel.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
---Flip---
Leaflet Dispenser
Artifact Creature – Construct
2/2
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
2, Sacrifice Leaflet Dispenser: You draw a card.

In Hiding
1GInstant
Target creature gains hexproof until end of turn. Put a +1/+1 counter on it and untap it, if you control a Rebel.

***
RECHARGE (and enablers)
***

Doomed Salesman
1W
Creature — Human
2/1
When Doomed Salesman dies, recharge (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Funnel Aura
W
Instant
Target player sacrifices an enchantment.
Recharge (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Funnel Essence
1U
Sorcery
Return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand.
Recharge (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Funnel Will
U
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Recharge (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Æther-Tamed Jhovall
5G
Creature — Cat Beast
5/5
When Æther-Tamed Jhovall enters the battlefield, recharge. (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Funnel Growth
2G
Sorcery
You may play an additional land this turn.
Draw a card.
Recharge (Put a colorless Canister artifact token onto the battlefield. It has “Sacrifice this artifact: If it’s your turn, untap target permanent.”)

Pristine Factory
1W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a 2/2 colorless Construct artifact creature. It’s still a land.
Enchanted land has “T: When target creature attacks this turn, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.”

Artificer’s Epiphany (REPRINT)
2U
Instant
Draw two cards. If you control no artifacts, discard a card.

Leaden Fists (REPRINT)
2U
Enchantment — Aura
Flash
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step.

Factory Farm
2G
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant land
Enchanted land has “T: When target creature attacks this turn, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.”
Enchanted land has “T: Add 2 to your mana pool.”

Canal Serpent
4
Artifact Creature — Serpent Construct
4/5
Canal Serpent doesn’t untap during your untap step.

Makerbot
3
Artifact Creature — Construct
2/2
T: When target creature attack this turn, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Arena Schematic
3
Artifact
3, Sacrifice a noncreature artifact: Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.

Gallows Schematic
3
Artifact
3, Sacrifice a noncreature artifact: Target creature gets +1/+2 and has deathtouch until end of turn.

Incinerator Schematic
3
Artifact
3, Sacrifice a noncreature artifact: Incinerator Schematic deals 3 damage to target creature.

Transport Schematic
3
Artifact
3, Sacrifice a noncreature artifact: Return target creature to its owner’s hand.

Workhouse Schematic
3
Artifact
3, Sacrifice a noncreature artifact: Put two 1/1 colorless Construct artifact creature tokens onto the battlefield.

***
VEHICLES
***

Redline Coupe
2
Artifact - Vehicle
2: Target creature you control gains haste until end of turn.
Full crew 3 (If you control exactly three creatures that were targeted by this vehicle this turn, they get +1/+1 until end of turn.)

Highland Wagon
3
Artifact - Vehicle
2: Target creature you control gains trample until end of turn.
Full crew 4 (If you control exactly four creatures that were targeted by this vehicle this turn, they get +1/+1 until end of turn.)

Stratus Zeppelin
4
Artifact - Vehicle
3: Target creature you control gains flying until end of turn.
Full crew 3 (If you control exactly three creatures that were targeted by this vehicle this turn, they get +1/+1 until end of turn.)