Black Market Bazaar

[Marco]

Black Market Bazaar
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Artifacts cost 2 less to play.

[Marco]

Current Wording:

Card Name
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Artifacts cost 1 less to play.

[PucktheCat]

Wow.  That's strictly superior to Mishra's Workshop, right?  What makes you think half a dozen combo decks wouldn't snatch this up in a hurry?

Leo

[Marco]

I didn't say combo decks wouldn't snatch this up in a hurry. I don't know if it's strictly superior to Mishra's Workshop, though. All players can play artifacts for 2 less (it doesn't read, "Your artifacts cost 2 less to play.") I would have made it:

Black Market Bazaar
Land
Artifacts cost 2 less to play.

But WotC doesn't print lands that don't generate mana anymore. I could make it:

Black Market Bazaar
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Artifacts cost 1 less to play.

[rvs]

I can think of a few combo decks who would be helped with this card. The original is stricly better than Workshop, since you will also be able to spend the mana on activations and whatnot.

[PucktheCat]

True, not strictly superior to Workshop.  Way too good though.  This would be an automatic 4 of in a number of decks in all the formats.  Compare this to Helm of Awakening, which actually saw some play a while back in combo decks.  This doesn't affect your non-artifact spells, but that just means your opponent won't be able to take advantage of it and you will.

Leo

[Jacob Orlove]

This is absurdly good. Even the 1 less to play version.

[rvs]

Maybe we should be stubborn and make lands that don't produce mana. That way, you can make it work in my opinion.

Even though we in general follow their trend, that doesn't mean we have to agree with it. It's not like WotC doesn't change their policy on card creation and what goes and what doesn't around enough, I don't see why we shouldn't  change something small like this in our favor. Most of these lands are flavorful usually (ok, this one is more of a 'good card' type design).

[Marco]

So what do with think?

Black Market Bazaar
Land
Artifacts cost 2 less to play.

Or

Black Market Bazaar
Land
Artifacts cost 1 less to play.

I think the second one is too weak.

[rvs]

the second one. I think the first one is too strong.

[Jacob Orlove]

At this point, why not make this as a 1 mana artifact, instead of a land?

[walkingdude]

the advantage of a land is that its hard to play more than 1 land per turn which makes this slightly less comboriffic.

[Jacob Orlove]

the advantage of a land is that its hard to play more than 1 land per turn which makes this slightly less comboriffic.

Yes, but as a land, this needs to
1. Tap for mana AND
2. Reduce artifact casting costs by at least 1
Together, those are far to strong. The card would also need a disadvantage. Now, the easiest disadvantage to give to a card is a higher casting cost. But that's not possible for a land. So make it an artifact:

Black Market Bazaar (this name has to change, even if it stays a land)
1
Artifact
Artifact spells cost 1 less to play.

[Marco]

Black Market Bazaar (this name has to change, even if it stays a land)
1
Artifact
Artifact spells cost 1 less to play.

No, that's too much like Helm of Awakening. And too boring.

What's wrong with Black Market Bazaar?

black market
noun
1. The illegal business of buying or selling goods or currency in violation of restrictions such as price controls or rationing.
2. A place where these illegal operations are carried on.

[Jacob Orlove]

First of all, "bazaar" is redundant. Second of all, "black" is also a color. You might be able to get away with "Black market", but even that would require support from the flavor text.

[Marco]

There's already a card called Black Market. But even if there wasn't, I don't see why it would need to be explained in the flavor text. You guys love your flavor text.

[Alfred]

We all figured out what the card's title meant, but it seems unflavourful, as it is a colorless card and it has a color in it's name. What about: "Trade Guild Headquarters" or "Mercadian Smithy"? Also, I have a solution for the too-goodness. Here it is:

Artifacts cost 2 less to play.
T: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool.
When an artifact comes into play, sacrifice {card}.

This would make it ver useful in bringing down the cost of pricy artifacts, but it becomes a one-shot thing.

[Jacob Orlove]

There's already a card called Black Market. But even if there wasn't, I don't see why it would need to be explained in the flavor text. You guys love your flavor text.

First, sorry for forgetting about black market. If the name is taken, you need a new one, not the old one plus a redundant word.
As for Black Market, it's fine because it's a BLACK CARD. A land called black market would have serious identity issues. The only cards currently in print that have black in their name without actually being black cards are:
Black Vise
Black Lotus
Black Mana Battery
CoP: Black
RoP: Black
Black Ward
Black Scarab

All of those originate from magic's first year in print, a cycle of white protective enchantments, or both. The colors are SO fundamental to magic that Wizards knows they usually don't go on card names, especially cards that aren't of that color (as an aside, Island Sanctuary is the only card with a basic land type not of its color in its name--and it's from alpha. The principle is the same).

[Marco]

Wow.

[Marco]

How about:

Card Name
Land
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Tap all lands you control and empty your mana pool: Your artifacts cost 2 less to play until end of turn.

[graedus]

I may suggests something like this, to get with the theme and everything.

Name
Legendary Land
T: Add B to your mana pool. ~This~ deals 1 damage to you.
Artifacts cost 2 less to play.

or

Name
Legendary Land
T: Add B to your mana pool. ~This~ deals 1 damage to you.
Artifacts you play cost 1 less to play. (not sure about redundancy in the wording).

The name could go something like Underworld trading post, Underground market, or a name of your own that sounds black perhaps Phyrexian Market (too cheesy).

Other names could  be Smugglers' paradise / Unsurveiled border / No man's land, but those names could imply another mechanic, like stealing an artifact from another graveyard or from your own ( something like volrath's stronghold but for artifacts)

[Marco]

Any other ideas? I'm not too interested in pursuing this one any further.

[waSP]

What if it you had to sacrifice a land when it came into play.  That would make the mana production okay and you'd keep your reduction ability.