Hallucinate

[Liam-K]

Thinking about my other card Psychadellic Dreams gave me a wacky idea.  This is probably unplayable.

Hallucinate
sorcery

Shuffle your library, then reveal the top card of your library.  If it is a blue instant card, put it on the stack (reminder text) and then draw a card.  Otherwise, put it in your hand.


I'm not sure if this is interesting enough, but I think it's cute.  Remember that the Mind's Desire type effect is not optional and can backfire pretty badly.  Does the shuffle effect make it need to be 1U?  I'm sort of comparing this to Opt in my head.



Current Wording

Hallucinate
sorcery

Shuffle your library, then reveal the top card of your library.  If it is a blue instant card, put it on the stack (reminder text) and then draw a card.  Otherwise, put it in your hand.

[Matt]

You need reminder text about what happens if you turn up Dromar's Charm. Or Fire/Ice.

[netherspirit]

What would happen if you were to pull a counter card?

[Matt]

Yeah, that too. Rather than including infinite reminder text, it might be better to do it this way:


Shuffle your library, then remove the top card of your library from the game. If it is a blue instant card, until end of turn, you may play that card without paying its mana cost. If you do, draw a card.

[combo_dude]

Or just tack a "You make all choices for the card" clause (not sure what the actual wording is) on the end? That would solve most problems, I expect.

[Liam-K]

Ok, how about something like this:

Shuffle your library, then reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a blue instant card.  Remove that card from the game, then shuffle your library.  Until end of turn you must play that card as though from your hand the next time it would be legal to do so.  If you do, draw a card, otherwise, put it in your hand.

[netherspirit]

The only part of that I don't like is the "Until end of turn you must play that card as though from your hand the next time it would be legal to do so." part, can't it just say "Until end of turn you may play that card as though it was in your hand"?

[LordHomerCat]

No.  You can't.  "as though it was in your hand" does not exist anymore.  So, you can't say that (although you can say "you may play that card.")

[Godder]

Based on the original intent, something about not having to pay the card's mana cost seems important (and reminder text about other costs must be paid normally). I personally thought that Matt's suggestion was cleanest, but what if it went on the stack as a triggered ability? E.g. at end of turn, at beginning of next upkeep or whenever.

[GerryMander]

ok, this card is too good.  Granted, it is completely random, but if you take into account the fact that AT WORST it draws you a card for , not to mention that this card could possibly be broken in Vintage alongside Doomsday, it is hard to make an arguement otherwise.

I say either bump up the cost, or make some sort of drawback, i.e.:

Hallucinate

Sorcery

As an additional cost to playing Hallucinate, remove the top 5 cards of your library from the game.

Shuffle your library, then reveal the top card of your library.  If it is a blue instant card, put it on the stack (reminder text) and then draw a card.  Otherwise, put it in your hand.

[Matt]

You don't need to give it a drawback to balance it. Just take off the "otherwise" clause.

[Liam-K]

I think I'm going to drop this concept.  It's not interesting enough for the wording mess it creates.

Lock please.

[Matt]

Okay. Locked.