Here are cards I posted on Brian Ross' Life set entry for the Great Designer Search #2:



community.wizards.com/magicthegathering/...



===Schrecklich, October 15===
I love the "resource matters" theme (that's what I built my cube around ). I thought up these cards before your posted the Brainstorm points above, so I haven't had a chance to think about them yet.


Here is an attempt to capture the unpredictability and the uncontrollability of the aether that the blue mages on Life have been experimenting with:

: Aether Portal (rare)

: 2UU

: Enchantment

: At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player reveals the top three cards of his or her library. That players chooses and exiles one creature card from among the revealed cards and puts the rest on the bottom of his or her library in any order.

:

: At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, that player chooses at random a creature exiled by ~ onto the battlefield under his or her control. That creature gains haste until end of turn. Exile that creature at the beginning of the next end step.


Here is an attempt to show what green forces might be working on in a world without abundant life -- a well-defended little farm. I have two versions of this card. One produces saprolings fairly easily, while the other requires more work (but is a cheaper investment up front). I wasn't sure how many other saproling producers would be available, so you can choose whichever version would fit better with the rest of the set:

: Saproling Farm #1 (rare)

: 4G

: Enchantment: Saprolings you control get +0/+1.

:

: At the beginning of your upkeep, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield.

:

: At the beginning of your precombat main phase, add G to your mana pool for each Saproling you control.

: Saproling Farm #2 (rare)

: 1G

: Enchantment

: Saprolings you control get +0/+1.

:

: 2G: Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield.

:

: At the beginning of your precombat main phase, add G to your mana pool for each Saproling you control.


I just thought it would funny be if Life had a card called "Book of Life," so I tried to think up what such an artifact would do:


: Book of Life (rare)

: 6: Artifact

: , pay 3 life: draw a card.

: , sacrifice a creature: gain 3 life.

:, sacrifice ~, put three 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens onto the battlefield.

Here's a sad green creature:

: Bellowing Loam-muncher (uncommon)

: 3G: Creature - Beast: 5/5

: At the beginning of your upkeep, return a land from your graveyard to your hand or sacrifice ~.


I'm a little uncertain of how black works mechanically. If the cult flavor involves some kind of "weenies matter" theme, here's a card that could fit:

: Cult Prefect (common)

: B

: Creature - Human

: 2/2

: ~ costs 3 more to cast unless you control at least two creatures with converted mana cost of 1.