Swipe

[Titanium Dragon]

The discussion about Mox hosers from the eternal format thread gave me an idea for what I would hope would be an interesting card.

Swipe
XU
Sorcery (Rare)
Gain control of target non-creature artifact with converted mana cost X or less.

This is a very narrow artifact stealing card which would probably see only marginal amounts of play in other formats. While it can (and might well be used to) steal cards like Signets in standard and extended, I'd imagine the obvious purpose in Vintage is fairly obvious - stealing powerful 0-1cc artifacts with minimal cost. It may be too cheap (perhaps XXU, though that is a lot worse and would probably necessitate making it instant speed and would make it useless outside of Vintage). Is this card viable, and would something like this even see play, even in Vintage?

Current Version:
Swipe
U
Instant (Rare)
Gain control of target non-creature artifact with converted mana cost 2 or less.

[Smmenen]

What about:

Swipe - U

Rare

Instant

Text: Gain control of target non-creature artifact with a converted mana cost 2 or less.

Being an Instant makes this card stronger, at the same time the 2cc limit achieves the effect of being able to swipe signets, moxen, and many other accellerants they would print. 

[diopter]

Swipe
X1U
Gain control of target noncreature artifact with converted mana cost X or less. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)

Cost it like this. At XU or U, it's better than Annex in Standard.

I originaly costed it at XUU, but Steal Artifact would be strictly better in Standard.

[Smmenen]

Swipe
X1U
Gain control of target noncreature artifact with converted mana cost X or less. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)

Cost it like this. At XU or U, it's better than Annex in Standard.

I originaly costed it at XUU, but Steal Artifact would be strictly better in Standard.

How is the card I suggested better than Annex?   Taking a signet is totally different than taking a land.   

[Matt]

I actually like Stephen's version better. 'To swipe' has connotations of taking a small object - you wouldn't say, "I swiped a oil tanker."

[Titanium Dragon]

What about:

Swipe - U

Rare

Instant

Text: Gain control of target non-creature artifact with a converted mana cost 2 or less.

Being an Instant makes this card stronger, at the same time the 2cc limit achieves the effect of being able to swipe signets, moxen, and many other accellerants they would print. 

I agree with the smaller connotation of the name. It changes the card's ability considerably though, as it changes from a card which is generally useful in many different ways against decks like tron (Early Mindslaver? I think you mean my Mindslaver...) to one which is used in a very narrow manner (namely, an extra mana hoser, though this would probably be the primary means of its use anyway).

I think this is probably a better idea though, as it does have interesting effects on other formats without being broken - it hoses the artifact lands (which generally is okay, as the only deck which really exploits them is Ravager Affinity, and no one feels bad about hosing that particular deck) and also works against decks like TEPS and Dragonstorm, both of which rely on a card which resolves on their upkeep but which they "go off" with during their main phase due to sorcery speed spells. And in Vintage, you can have all sorts of fun with it.

Cost it like this. At XU or U, it's better than Annex in Standard.

That's hardly tragic, given that it doesn't do the same thing. Its better at hosing tron decks (maybe... you can't steal tron pieces with it, after all) and Dragonstorm, but worse at hosing anything else, and is completely worthless against a lot of decks in standard which don't use signets at all.