card cycle idea

[Maraxus of Keld]

How about a series of creatures that act as "traitors?" I thought with the Law vs. Chaos theme, that would be a fun thing to try.

Essentially, they would work kind of like Jinxed Idol. They would have some negative effect, and you would have a way to pass it to your opponent.
For example, see the Jinxed Imp I created.

[Volrath, the Fallen]

i think it should apply to all 5 colors. the white one could give life to the control and a mana cost that anyone can pay to take control of it. kind of like the various prophecy cards with abilities that anyone could pay samite sanctuary
Glittering Lion
excavation
Endbringer's Revel
Zerapa Minotaur
Vintara Elephant

If we go with more than black for the color, we could play off of the opponents controlling things portion of the card instead of the traitor part. I think either way would be a cool cycle

[Maraxus of Keld]

In a way, we have two different cycles forming here.

[Volrath, the Fallen]

we could do the first ever double cycle. the jinxed imp could be the only card to ever be in 2 cycles at once

[Maraxus of Keld]

So we have a cycle of creatures that have abilities anyone can play, and a cycle of creatures with a drawback and an ability where you can give them to an opponent?

[Volrath, the Fallen]

yeah, thats basically what i am saying.

[Maraxus of Keld]

Sounds good to me.

[Butcher Orgg(s)]

Perhaps each colour's drawback card could counteract the thing they're best at? So, for example:

:At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose {} life.
: At the beginning of your upkeep, discard {} cards from your hand.
: At the beginning of your upkeep, all your opponents gain {} life.
: At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature.
: At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a land.

They would all have fairly high costs to pass on, because if you pass them on, the colour gets exactly the abilities it shouldn't have--which is the other nifty thing.

[Maraxus of Keld]

Good plan. I like it.

[Maraxus of Keld]

Here's a possibility: What if the condition that you passed them was something your opponent did? For example, the red one could read "When you are dealt 5 or more damage in a turn, target opponent gains control of <cardname>."

I dunno if I like it or not, so what do you think?

[Volrath, the Fallen]

thats actually kind of cool. the deck could be built to deal that 5 damage to itself just to pass the card, then gain some life to stay in the game....

[Butcher Orgg(s)]

Interesting, but they would be a little hard to use to good effect in a deck. They would probably, if printed, languish in uselessness.

[Maraxus of Keld]

Many cards do. Not everything can be great cards.

[Butcher Orgg(s)]

True, but a cycle idea so fundemental to the block's feel, and one that so well describes it, should be playable enough that it warrants some discussion.