Vieing Mermaid

[skecreatoR]

Vieing Mermaid
UW
Creature -- Merfolk
Flying.
When Vieing Mermaid comes into play, target opponent may play a instant spell without payings it casting cost.
3/2

It is free to counter and generally I find it quite funny. UW Need beatdown!

[skecreatoR]

Current Version

Vying Mermaid
UW
Creature -- Merfolk
Flying.
When ~this~ is played, all opponents may play an instant without paying its mana cost. (If it haves a X in the casting cost, X is 0.)
3/2

Changes:

Name [Twinky]
Card text improved [Marco]
Corrected [Stijndon]

[twinky]

Nifty. I think you mean "Vying Mermaid," though.

What about X spells?

[Marco]

Neat!

As Vieing Mermaid comes into play, target opponent may play an instant spell without paying its mana cost. (If it has X in its mana cost, X is 0.)

"When Vieing Mermaid comes into play" is too late to counter it?

What's "Vieing"? And not many Mermaids/Merfolk fly...

[stijndon]

Well, it's a rip off Gaea's Skyfolk, I think. Shouldn't this therefore be UG? Oh, wait, white was supposed to get the good flyers, nowadays. So UW is cool.

And couldn't it be changed to: "When ~this~ is played, all opponents may play an instant without paying its mana cost."

In that way, the instant can counter this thing proper, which is funny. And the rules wording should be as I wrote above, I believe, since it never says "instant spell" on cards. Take a look at Aluren: "Any time he or she could play an instant." No 'spell' there.

And I move for "All opponents," too. Seems fair, and symmetrical with Charmed Griffin and Hunted Whoopass.

[Marco]

it never says "instant spell" on cards.

This is incorrect. Look at Devoted Caretaker, Hidden Gibbons, and Ichneumon Druid.

I still say "When Vying Mermaid comes into play, target opponent may play a instant spell without payings it casting cost" will not allow you to counter it for free (if that is your intent). Think about countering another card with a comes into play effect.  For example, Uktabi Orangutan. If you counter it, it doesn't come into play, and therefore it doesn't destroy an artifact. With Vying Mermaid, if you're able to play a blue instant for free, it has already come into play, therefore it cannot be countered for free.

Also, you forgot to change Vieing to Vying in the text box. And there are other spelling errors: "an instant", "paying its", "if it has X". (You didn't really change the text at all.)

And I still not sure about the name and creature type. I like Merfolk (and Mermaids), but WOTC has stopped printing Merfolk.

[stijndon]

Please note how my post says "Whenever ~this~ is played" instead of "comes into play."

And Ichneumon Druid is no precedent for wording, but since it's oracle text also mentions instant spells, I have to admit that you're right on that point.

They have stopped printing merfolk because swimming creatures weren't flavourfull when battling with walking birds, or something like that.

But this is a FLYING merfolk, which beats their argument that swimmers shouldn't be printed. So I think that this merfolk could make it. And I think that my version is still correct, when the word "spell" gets added.

EDIT: However, it's not a spell yet when it's about to get played, so I think it should still be just plain 'instant' instead of 'instant spell.' The cards you mentioned all deal with instants on the stack. This just deals with cards that are instants. That aren't spells yet.

[Matt]

A Lightning Bolt is only an instant while it's on the stack. In every other zone, it's an "instant card". Witness Wild Research:

Wild Research

Enchantment
{W}: Search your library for an enchantment card and reveal that card. Put it into your hand, then discard a card at random from your hand. Then shuffle your library.
: Search your library for an instant card and reveal that card. Put it into your hand, then discard a card at random from your hand. Then shuffle your library.

The same follows for other card types. A Tundra is a "plains card" while it's not in play (Tithe), an Okk is a "Goblin card" while it's in the graveyard or library (Goblin Matron) and so on.

The merfolk thing is a non-issue. I think Wizards made a mistake in taking them out of the game (especially since they replaced them with...Cephalids? The hell...?).

[stijndon]

Well, I'm willing to believe you about the instant card thing, but when you are going to play it, is it an instant card? I don't think you play an instant card, I think you just play an instant. Even though it requires an instant card in your hand when you want to start playing an instant.

I don't know...

And merfolk are hip.