Mix-and-match: Difference between revisions

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==Description==
==Description==
Normally when [[R&D]] talks about mix-and-match, they don't focus on cards with multiple evergreen keywords, as that's just something every set does. The more interesting mix-and-match cards are ones where neither mechanic is [[evergreen]]. These are hard to do because it requires having two mechanics in the same set that can work together on the same card.<ref name="Approach 2">{{DailyRef|making-magic/modern-approach-part-2-2021-05-31|A Modern Approach, Part 2|[[Mark Rosewater]]|May 31, 2021}}</ref> Of those in regular sets, [[cycling]] tends to have the most mechanical overlap, as being deciduous smoothing mechanic it has returns more often than other mechanics.
Normally when [[R&D]] talks about mix-and-match, they don't focus on cards with multiple evergreen keywords, as that's just something every set does. The more interesting mix-and-match cards are ones where neither mechanic is [[evergreen]]. These are hard to do because it requires having two mechanics in the same set that can work together on the same card.<ref name="Approach 2">{{DailyRef|making-magic/modern-approach-part-2-2021-05-31|A Modern Approach, Part 2|[[Mark Rosewater]]|May 31, 2021}}</ref> Of those in regular sets, [[cycling]] tends to have the most mechanical overlap, as, being a deciduous smoothing mechanic, it has returned more often than other mechanics.


The first such printed mix-and-match cards [[Future Sight/Trivia#Mix-and-match cards|appeared in ''Future Sight'']]. They also appeared in ''[[Modern Horizons]]'' and ''[[Modern Horizons 2]],'' and one or two others in sets with cycling. Going forward, mix-and-match will be a Modern Masters thing with rare exceptions.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/671683687358889984/could-i-request-for-more-mix-and-match-cards-in|title=Could I request for more mix and match cards in supplemental sets?|December 26, 2021}}</ref> However, with the uptake of [[Commander (format)|Commander]] set expansions, mix-and-match cards appear more often than previously suggested.
The first such printed mix-and-match cards [[Future Sight/Trivia#Mix-and-match cards|appeared in ''Future Sight'']]. They also appeared in ''[[Modern Horizons]]'' and ''[[Modern Horizons 2]],'' and one or two others in sets with cycling. Going forward, mix-and-match will be a Modern Masters thing with rare exceptions.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/671683687358889984/could-i-request-for-more-mix-and-match-cards-in|title=Could I request for more mix and match cards in supplemental sets?|December 26, 2021}}</ref> However, with the uptake of [[Commander (format)|Commander]] set expansions, mix-and-match cards appear more often than previously suggested.
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|[[Phasing]]
|[[Phasing]]
|The spell protects any number of target permanents by phasing them out, and convoke lets a player cast it despite being otherwise tapped out.
|The spell protects any number of target permanents by phasing them out, and convoke lets a player cast it despite being otherwise tapped out.
|-
|{{Card|Confession Dial}}, {{Card|The Grim Captain's Locker}}
|''[[Doctor Who]]'', [[The Lost Caverns of Ixalan/Commander decks|''The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander'']]
|[[Escape]]
|[[Surveil]]
|Surveil fills the graveyard, helping pay the escape cost the artifact grants.
|-
|-
|<c>Core Prowler</c>, {{Card|Viral Drake}}
|<c>Core Prowler</c>, {{Card|Viral Drake}}
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|With the upkeep trigger causing discards, the madness cost lets other copies be discounted, while the hellbent lets the player stack triggers on opponents.
|With the upkeep trigger causing discards, the madness cost lets other copies be discounted, while the hellbent lets the player stack triggers on opponents.
|-
|-
|<c>Glistening Sphere</c>
|<c>Glistening Sphere</c>, {{Card|Contaminant Grafter}}
|[[Phyrexia: All Will Be One/Commander decks|''Phyrexia: All Will Be One'']]
|[[Phyrexia: All Will Be One/Commander decks|''Phyrexia: All Will Be One'']]
|[[Proliferate]]
|[[Proliferate]]
|[[Corrupted]]
|[[Corrupted]]
|The Proliferate brings poisoned enemies closer to be Corrupted.
|Proliferate brings poisoned opponents closer to being corrupted.
|-
|-
|<c>Haze of Rage</c>  
|<c>Haze of Rage</c>  
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|[[Madness]]
|[[Madness]]
|Madness to cast the card while cycling, acting like a kicker cost.
|Madness to cast the card while cycling, acting like a kicker cost.
|-
|{{Card|Impending Flux}}, {{Card|Surge of Brilliance}}
|''[[Doctor Who]]''
|[[Foretell]]
|[[Paradox]]
|Foretell casts from exile, increasing the count of cards cast from outside your hand for the paradox ability.
|-
|-
|{{Card|Innocuous Researcher}}
|{{Card|Innocuous Researcher}}
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|[[Parley]]
|[[Parley]]
|The built-in card advantage provided by Clues softens the blow of giving opponents free card draw from parley.
|The built-in card advantage provided by Clues softens the blow of giving opponents free card draw from parley.
|-
|{{Card|Into the Time Vortex}}
|''[[Doctor Who]]''
|[[Cascade]]
|[[Rebound]]
|Rebound provides an extra cascade trigger.
|-
|-
|{{Card|Iraxxa, Empress of Mars}}
|{{Card|Iraxxa, Empress of Mars}}
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|[[Investigate]]
|[[Investigate]]
|When the creature evolves, it investigates, and when Clues are sacrificed, it produces even more +1/+1 counters.
|When the creature evolves, it investigates, and when Clues are sacrificed, it produces even more +1/+1 counters.
|-
|{{Card|Lunar Hatchling}}
|''[[Doctor Who]]''
|[[Cycling#Basic Landcycling|Basic landcycling]]
|[[Escape]]
|Escape can bring the creature back after it's pitched to the graveyard with basic landcycling.
|-
|-
|{{Card|Maelstrom Djinn}}
|{{Card|Maelstrom Djinn}}
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|[[Surveil]]
|[[Surveil]]
|Surveil fills the graveyard, helping turn on the descend ability.
|Surveil fills the graveyard, helping turn on the descend ability.
|-
|{{Card|Surge of Brilliance}}
|''[[Doctor Who]]''
|[[Foretell]]
|[[Paradox]]
|Foretell casts from exile, increasing the count of cards cast from outside your hand for the paradox ability.
|-
|-
|{{Card|Syndicate Heavy}}
|{{Card|Syndicate Heavy}}
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|[[Investigate]]
|[[Investigate]]
|Extort gains life to trigger the investigate ability.
|Extort gains life to trigger the investigate ability.
|-
|{{Card|The Grim Captain's Locker}}
|[[The Lost Caverns of Ixalan/Commander decks|''The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander'']]
|[[Escape]]
|[[Surveil]]
|Surveil fills the graveyard, helping pay the escape cost the artifact grants.
|-
|-
|{{Card|Thorough Investigation}}
|{{Card|Thorough Investigation}}

Revision as of 23:36, 17 February 2024

Mix-and-match cards are cards that have two or more different named mechanics on them.

Description

Normally when R&D talks about mix-and-match, they don't focus on cards with multiple evergreen keywords, as that's just something every set does. The more interesting mix-and-match cards are ones where neither mechanic is evergreen. These are hard to do because it requires having two mechanics in the same set that can work together on the same card.[1] Of those in regular sets, cycling tends to have the most mechanical overlap, as, being a deciduous smoothing mechanic, it has returned more often than other mechanics.

The first such printed mix-and-match cards appeared in Future Sight. They also appeared in Modern Horizons and Modern Horizons 2, and one or two others in sets with cycling. Going forward, mix-and-match will be a Modern Masters thing with rare exceptions.[2] However, with the uptake of Commander set expansions, mix-and-match cards appear more often than previously suggested.

List of Mix-and-match cards

Card Set Mechanic 1 Mechanic 2 Purpose
Aegis of the Legion Ravnica: Clue Edition Mentor Shield counter The shield counter grants a secondary bonus to the mentored creature.
Arcbound Slasher Modern Horizons 2 Modular Riot The +1/+1 counter ability from modular can be extended further with riot.
Ardent Plea Alara Reborn Cascade Exalted The cheapest cascade permanent, with exalted an elegant bonus on the board.
Avian Oddity, Sanctuary Smasher, Splendor Mare, Titanoth Rex, Void Beckoner Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Cycling Keyword counter Each member of this cycle puts a color-appropriate keyword counter on a creature when it's cycled.
Bannerhide Krushok Modern Horizons 2 Reinforce Scavenge Reinforce then scavenge to increase the amount of +1/+1 counters given.
Blightbelly Rat, Bloated Contaminator, Tainted Observer Phyrexia: All Will Be One Proliferate Toxic These creatures can add poison counters to players, then proliferate them.
Bloodbraid Marauder Modern Horizons 2 Cascade Delirium A cheap cascade at the cost of needing to have delirium first.
Bogardan Lancer Future Sight Bloodthirst Flanking Bloodthirst making itself stronger and flanking to make opposing creatures weaker.
Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos March of the Machine Commander Incubate Proliferate Incubate stacks counters on dormant artifact tokens, which can then be pumped up with proliferate.
Charnel Serenade Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Surveil Suspend Part of an ongoing mega cycle of Commander suspend spells, its surveil ability synergizes with the deck's default commander.
Clay Golem Forgotten Realms Commander Dice rolling Monstrosity The dice's result determines how powerful the monstrosity is.
Clever Concealment Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander Convoke Phasing The spell protects any number of target permanents by phasing them out, and convoke lets a player cast it despite being otherwise tapped out.
Confession Dial, The Grim Captain's Locker Doctor Who, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Escape Surveil Surveil fills the graveyard, helping pay the escape cost the artifact grants.
Core Prowler, Viral Drake Mirrodin Besieged Proliferate Infect Proliferate the counters placed on players and creatures by infect.
Contaminant Grafter, Glissa's Retriever, Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander Corrupted Toxic These creatures have toxic to put poison counters on opponents, and corrupted triggers to benefit from doing so.
Cutthroat il-Dal Future Sight Hellbent Shadow Hellbent allows controller to toggle evasion and blocking of shadow creatures.
Death-Greeter's Champion March of the Machine Commander Backup Dash Dash returns the creature to hand at end of turn, allowing its controller to repeat its powerful backup trigger as it enters again.
Dinosaur Egg The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Evolve Discover The creature's second ability discovers equal to its power, which increases as it evolves.
Eloise, Nephalia Sleuth Midnight Hunt Commander Investigate Surveil Surveil upon sacrificing a Clue, allowing for greater card selection when sacrificing them.
Ethersworn Sphinx Modern Horizons 2 Affinity Cascade Affinity to cheapen the costly creature for a strong cascade effect.
Evidence Examiner Murders at Karlov Manor Collect evidence Investigate A draft signpost that provides a flavorful payoff for collecting evidence.
Feaster of Fools Modern Horizons Convoke Devour Devouring the creatures used to convoke it.
Follow the Bodies Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Gravestorm Investigate Sacrificing Clues increases the gravestorm count, which in turn provides more Clues.
Foul Watcher, Dragon's Rage Channeler Modern Horizons 2 Delirium Surveil By using Foul Watcher's surveil ability, the controller can achieve delirium faster.
Funnel-Web Recluse Modern Horizons 2 Investigate Morbid The morbid ability that causes investigate gives a reason to play a creature with reach as big as Mammoth Spider at the same cost. Flavor-wise, Funnel-Web Recluse invokes a murder investigation.
Gathan Raiders Future Sight Hellbent Morph Discarding a card for the Morph cost helps achieve hellbent, making it like a combat trick.
Gibbering Descent Future Sight Hellbent Madness With the upkeep trigger causing discards, the madness cost lets other copies be discounted, while the hellbent lets the player stack triggers on opponents.
Glistening Sphere, Contaminant Grafter Phyrexia: All Will Be One Proliferate Corrupted Proliferate brings poisoned opponents closer to being corrupted.
Haze of Rage Future Sight Buyback Storm Up the storm count with buyback.
Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis Modern Horizons Convoke Delve Alternate ways to cast a creature that can't be cast normally.
Ichor Slick Future Sight Cycling Madness Madness to cast the card while cycling, acting like a kicker cost.
Impending Flux, Surge of Brilliance Doctor Who Foretell Paradox Foretell casts from exile, increasing the count of cards cast from outside your hand for the paradox ability.
Innocuous Researcher Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Investigate Parley The built-in card advantage provided by Clues softens the blow of giving opponents free card draw from parley.
Into the Time Vortex Doctor Who Cascade Rebound Rebound provides an extra cascade trigger.
Iraxxa, Empress of Mars Doctor Who Battle cry Paradox The paradox trigger creates tokens to be pumped up with battle cry.
Kavu Primarch Future Sight Convoke Kicker Convoke to pay kicker.
Kaleidoscorch Modern Horizons 2 Converge Flashback Flashback's higher cost enables higher converge numbers.
Lazotep Sliver Commander Masters Afflict Amass Two keywords associated with the Eternals on a Sliver that is apparently a member of Bolas' undead army.
Lethal Scheme New Capenna Commander Connive Convoke Each creature that convoked the spell connives for more filtering.
Lonis, Genetics Expert Ravnica: Clue Edition Evolve Investigate When the creature evolves, it investigates, and when Clues are sacrificed, it produces even more +1/+1 counters.
Lunar Hatchling Doctor Who Basic landcycling Escape Escape can bring the creature back after it's pitched to the graveyard with basic landcycling.
Maelstrom Djinn Future Sight Morph Vanishing A powerful threat that can be put in for cheap with morph, but gains vanishing as a downside.
Marshaling Cry Future Sight Cycling Flashback Flashback the card after cycling it, for when the spell is not yet strong enough.
Merchant of Truth Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Investigate Exalted The Clues generated by the card retain their normal utility, but add some power on attacks with exalted if they aren't sacrificed.
Mistway Spy Murders at Karlov Manor Disguise Investigate Uses disguise to sneak in a Saboteur effect; uses investigate as a more balanced payoff than simply drawing.
Molten Disaster Future Sight Kicker Split second Split Second as a kicker bonus against sacrifice or protection effects.
Nazgûl The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth The Ring Tempts You Relentless The Nazgûl become stronger as their controller is tempted by the Ring, which happens as more Nazgûl enter the battlefield.
Oketra's Attendant Amonkhet Cycling Embalm Embalm to bring the creature to the battlefield after cycling it.
Order of Sacred Dusk The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Convoke Exalted The more creatures you control, the less the card costs, and the more powerful its exalted bonus will be.
Park Heights Maverick New Capenna Commander Dethrone Proliferate Dethrone puts counters on itself when it attacks the player with the most life, and those counters are increased with proliferate.
Ravaging Riftwurm Future Sight Kicker Vanishing Kicker is to add counters for vanishing.
Ripples of Potential The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Proliferate Phasing Only permanents that could be proliferated can be protected by the phasing effect.
Sojourner's Companion Modern Horizons 2 Affinity Artifact landcycling Cycles to find artifacts, which discounts further copies through Affinity.
Spirit en-Dal Future Sight Forecast Shadow Forecast to give shadow as evasion or falter effect.
Sprout Swarm Future Sight Buyback Convoke Functionally a creature that helps to convoke and pay buyback.
Starving Revenant The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Descend Surveil Surveil fills the graveyard, helping turn on the descend ability.
Syndicate Heavy Ravnica: Clue Edition Extort Investigate Extort gains life to trigger the investigate ability.
Thorough Investigation Forgotten Realms Commander Investigate Venture into the dungeon Sacrifice Clues to venture further into the dungeon.
Throes of Chaos Modern Horizons Cascade Retrace Retrace to cascade repeatedly.
Timeless Dragon Modern Horizons 2 Eternalize Plainscycling After plainscycling for a Plains, one can Eternalize Timeless Dragon from the graveyard.
Tizerus Charger Modern Horizons 2 Escape Keyword counter By casting with escape, the creature can either be bigger or gain flying instead through the use of a keyword counter.
Unbounded Potential Modern Horizons 2 Entwine Proliferate The entwine ability amplifies the counter-placing first ability with proliferate, the second ability.
Unshakable Tail Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Investigate Surveil The surveil ability enables the investigate ability by putting creatures in the graveyard from the library.
Urban Daggertooth Modern Horizons 2 Enrage Proliferate The enrage ability that causes proliferate adds the risk of removing Urban Daggertooth via damage alone that doesn't kill it in one shot.
Viscera Dragger Shards of Alara Cycling Unearth Unearth the creature after cycling it.
Vashta Nerada Doctor Who Morbid Shadow With every morbid trigger, the creature grows, increasing the impact of its unblockable damage with shadow.
Watcher of Hours Murders at Karlov Manor Commander Surveil Suspend The surveil ability gives an additional incentive to suspend the creature aside from the reduced mana cost.
Waterlogged Hulk The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Craft Descend Both craft and descend 8 are payoffs for filling the graveyard with the artifact's activated ability.
Wavesifter Modern Horizons 2 Evoke Investigate Wavesifter's evoke ability gives the option for the player who just wants the double clue tokens via its Investigate ability that activates twice upon entry.
Xavier Sal, Infested Captain The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Populate Proliferate When the card proliferates, it creates more counters to fuel its populate ability, and when it populates, it creates creatures to fuel its proliferate ability.
Zephyrim Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks Miracle Squad Miracle discounts the creature, leaving additional mana to pay the squad cost.
Zephyr Singer March of the Machine Convoke Keyword counters When the creature enters, it puts a flying counter on each creature that convoked it.

References