Mix-and-match
Mix-and-match cards are cards that have two or more different named mechanics on them.
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 and as a deciduous smoothing mechanic.
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.
List of Mix-and-match cards
Card | Set | Mechanic 1 | Mechanic 2 | Purpose |
---|---|---|---|---|
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. |
Bannerhide Krushok | Modern Horizons 2 | Reinforce | Scavenge | Reinforce then Scavenge to increase the amount of +1/+1 counters given. |
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 the own creature stronger and Flanking to make opposing creatures weaker. |
Core Prowler | Mirrodin Besieged | Proliferate | Infect | After dying in combat to a creature, Proliferate the creature's -1/-1 counters from Infect. |
Cutthroat il-Dal | Future Sight | Hellbent | Shadow | Hellbent allows controller to toggle evasion and blocking of Shadow creatures. |
Dragon's Rage Channeler | Modern Horizons 2 | Delirium | Surveil | By using Dragon's Rage Channeler's Surveil ability, the controller can achieve Delirium faster. |
Ethersworn Sphinx | Modern Horizons 2 | Affinity | Cascade | Affinity to cheapen the costly creature for a strong Cascade effect. |
Feaster of Fools | Modern Horizons | Convoke | Devour | Devouring the Convoked creatures. |
Foul Watcher | 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 | Morph cost is "discard a card" to reach Hellbent - makes it a combat trick. |
Gibbering Descent | Future Sight | Hellbent | Madness | Gives a discard outlet to cast other cards with Madness, while Hellbent gives a bonus. |
Haze of Rage | Future Sight | Storm | Buyback | 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. |
Kavu Primarch | Future Sight | Kicker | Convoke | Convoke to pay Kicker. |
Kaleidoscorch | Modern Horizons 2 | Converge | Flashback | Flashback's higher cost opens up for higher Converge numbers. |
Knight of Sursi | Future Sight | Flying | Flanking | An extra hurdle for creatures who can block creatures with Flying. |
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. |
Molten Disaster | Future Sight | Kicker | Split second | Split Second as a Kicker bonus against sacrifice or protection effects. |
Mystic Speculation | Future Sight | Scry | Buyback | Buyback to turn a card-negative spell - only Scrying - into a mana sink. |
Oketra's Attendant | Amonkhet | Cycling | Embalm | Embalm to cast the creature after Cycling it. |
Ravaging Riftwurm | Future Sight | Kicker | Vanishing | Kicker is to add counters for Vanishing. |
Sojourner's Companion | Modern Horizons 2 | Affinity | Artifact Landcycling | Cycles to find artifacts, which discounts further copies through Affinity. |
Spirit en-Dal | Future Sight | Shadow | Forecast | Forecast to give Shadow as evasion or panic effect. |
Sprout Swarm | Future Sight | Buyback | Convoke | Functionally a creature that helps to Convoke and pay Buyback. |
Thornweald Archer | Future Sight | Deathtouch | Reach | Reach to hit flying creatures with Deathtouch. |
Throes of Chaos | Modern Horizons | Cascade | Retrace | Retrace to Cascade repeatedly. |
Timeless Dragon | Modern Horizons 2 | Plainscycling | Eternalize | After Plainscycling for a Plains, Eternalize Timeless Dragon from the graveyard. |
Tizerus Charger | Modern Horizons 2 | Escape | Keyword counter | By casting with Escape, Tizerus Charger can either be bigger or gain flying instead through the use of a keyword counter, which both grants flying and acts as reminder for that. |
Unbounded Potential | Modern Horizons 2 | Entwine | Proliferate | The Entwine ability amplifies the first ability with Proliferate, the second ability. |
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. |
Viral Drake | New Phyrexia | Proliferate | Infect | After hitting a player with Infect, Proliferate the player's poison counters. |
Viscera Dragger | Shards of Alara | Cycling | Unearth | Unearth the creature after Cycling it. |
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. |
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 31, 2021). "A Modern Approach, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.