Political Trickery

Political Trickery (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

Exchange control of target land you control and target land an opponent controls. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

"Politics is a game—move a stone here, move a stone there—except sometimes the stones bleed." —Shauku, Endbringer

Immolation (Renaissance)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/-2.

Hymn to Tourach (Fallen Empires)
Scott Kirschner

Target player discards two cards at random.

Members of the Order often played the Hymn on instruments made from their victims' bones.

Manakin (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

{T}: Add {C}.

Hanna regarded Squee sternly. "Because it's *not* a toy, no matter how much it may look like one," she said, taking the manakin from him.

Forbid (Exodus)
Scott Kirschner

Buyback—Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.) Counter target spell.

Smokestack (The List)
Scott Kirschner

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a soot counter on this artifact. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a permanent of their choice for each soot counter on this artifact.

Horseshoe Crab (Tenth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

{U}: Untap this creature.

"Hmm . . . It looks kinda like a bug. Let's crack it open an' see if it tastes like one!" —Squee, goblin cabin hand

Fog Bank (Commander 2011)
Scott Kirschner

Defender (This creature can't attack.) Flying Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to and dealt by this creature.

Pit Scorpion (Legends)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter. (A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.)

Sometimes the smallest nuisance can be the greatest pain.

Barbed Sliver (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

All Sliver creatures have "{2}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."

Spans of spines leapt from one sliver to the next, forming a deadly hedge around the *Weatherlight*.

Icatian Javelineers (Time Spiral Timeshifted)
Scott Kirschner

This creature enters with a javelin counter on it. {T}, Remove a javelin counter from this creature: It deals 1 damage to any target.

Forbid (The List)
Scott Kirschner

Buyback—Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.) Counter target spell.

Hibernation Sliver (Premium Deck Series: Slivers)
Scott Kirschner

All Slivers have "Pay 2 life: Return this permanent to its owner's hand."

Mogglings have been known to play ball with hibernating slivers, completely unaware of their true nature.

Horseshoe Crab (The List)
Scott Kirschner

{U}: Untap this creature.

In the final days before the disaster, all the crabs on Tolaria migrated from inlets, streams, and ponds back to the sea. No one took note.

Barbed Sliver (Premium Deck Series: Slivers)
Scott Kirschner

All Sliver creatures have "{2}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."

Spans of spines leapt from one sliver to the next, forming a deadly hedge around the *Weatherlight*.

Forbid (Friday Night Magic 2002)
Scott Kirschner

Buyback—Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.) Counter target spell.

Convulsing Licid (Stronghold)
Scott Kirschner

{R}, {T}: This creature loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay {R} to end this effect. Enchanted creature can't block.

Hymn to Tourach (Pro Tour Collector Set)
Scott Kirschner

Target player discards two cards at random.

Members of the Order often played the Hymn on instruments made from their victims' bones.

Parasitic Bond (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, this Aura deals 2 damage to that player.

"All bonds are parasitic. Only rulership is pure." —Gix, Yawgmoth praetor

Basalt Golem (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

This creature can't be blocked by artifact creatures. Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature, that creature's controller sacrifices it at end of combat. If the player does, they create a 0/2 colorless Wall artifact creature token with defender.

Puppet Strings (Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition)
Scott Kirschner

{2}, {T}: You may tap or untap target creature.

"Have no illusions," Volrath warned Greven, "about free will."

Phantasmal Fiend (Coldsnap Theme Decks)
Scott Kirschner

{B}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn. {1}{U}: Switch this creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

Deadly Insect (Alliances)
Scott Kirschner

Shroud (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities.)

"Beautiful, indeed—but one sting could fell a Giant in a heartbeat." —Taaveti of Kelsinko, Elvish Hunter

Phantasmal Fiend (Deckmasters)
Scott Kirschner

{B}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn. {1}{U}: Switch this creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

Fog Bank (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

Defender (This creature can't attack.) Flying Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to and dealt by this creature.

Minion of the Wastes (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

Trample As this creature enters, pay any amount of life. Minion of the Wastes's power and toughness are each equal to the life paid as it entered.

Grave Pact (Stronghold)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever a creature you control dies, each other player sacrifices a creature of their choice.

"The bonds of loyalty can tie one to the grave." —Crovax

Armor Thrull (Fallen Empires)
Scott Kirschner

{T}, Sacrifice this creature: Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature.

Occasionally, an ally balked at wearing a dead Thrull as armor. The priests' whips, however, were usually enough to encourage a more practical outlook.

Axelrod Gunnarson (Chronicles)
Scott Kirschner

Trample Whenever a creature dealt damage by Axelrod Gunnarson this turn dies, you gain 1 life and Axelrod Gunnarson deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker.

Horseshoe Crab (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

{U}: Untap this creature.

In the final days before the disaster, all the crabs on Tolaria migrated from inlets, streams, and ponds back to the sea. No one took note.

Armor Sliver (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

All Sliver creatures have "{2}: This creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn."

Hanna: "We must learn how they protect each other." Mirri: "After they're done trying to kill us, all right?"

Zelyon Sword (Fallen Empires)
Scott Kirschner

You may choose not to untap this artifact during your untap step. {3}, {T}: Target creature gets +2/+0 for as long as this artifact remains tapped.

No sheath shall hold what finds its home in flesh.

Pit Scorpion (Fourth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter. (A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.)

Sometimes the smallest nuisance can be the greatest pain.

Consuming Ferocity (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant non-Wall creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+0. At the beginning of your upkeep, put a +1/+0 counter on enchanted creature. If that creature has three or more +1/+0 counters on it, it deals damage equal to its power to its controller, then destroy that creature and it can't be regenerated.

Goblin Recruiter (Classic Sixth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

When this creature enters, search your library for any number of Goblin cards, reveal them, then shuffle and put those cards on top in any order.

"Next!"

Shield Wall (Fifth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Creatures you control get +0/+2 until end of turn.

The strongest walls are made not of stone or steel but of the focused strength of warriors.

Goblin Recruiter (Anthologies)
Scott Kirschner

When this creature enters, search your library for any number of Goblin cards, reveal them, then shuffle and put those cards on top in any order.

"Next!"

Hymn to Tourach (Pro Tour Collector Set)
Scott Kirschner

Target player discards two cards at random.

Members of the Order often played the Hymn on instruments made from their victims' bones.

Immolation (Legends)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/-2.

Patagia Golem (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

{3}: This creature gains flying until end of turn.

It scattered falcons like a lion hunting among jackals.

Illicit Auction (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

Each player may bid life for control of target creature. You start the bidding with a bid of 0. In turn order, each player may top the high bid. The bidding ends if the high bid stands. The high bidder loses life equal to the high bid and gains control of the creature. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

Energy Bolt (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

Choose one — • Energy Bolt deals X damage to target player or planeswalker. • Target player gains X life.

Life and death are two faces of the same coin.

Pit Scorpion (Renaissance)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter. (A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.)

Spirit Shield (Fallen Empires)
Scott Kirschner

You may choose not to untap this artifact during your untap step. {2}, {T}: Target creature gets +0/+2 for as long as this artifact remains tapped.

At times, survival must outweigh all other considerations.

Hibernation (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

Return all green permanents to their owners' hands.

On its way to the cave, the armadillo brushed by a sapling. It awoke to find a full-grown tree blocking its path.

Horseshoe Crab (Masters 25)
Scott Kirschner

{U}: Untap this creature.

In the final days before the disaster, all the crabs on Tolaria migrated from inlets, streams, and ponds back to the sea. No one took note.

Hibernation Sliver (Secret Lair Drop)
Scott Kirschner

All Slivers have "Pay 2 life: Return this permanent to its owner's hand."

Mogglings have been known to play ball with hibernating slivers, completely unaware of their true nature.

Goblin Recruiter (Visions)
Scott Kirschner

When this creature enters, search your library for any number of Goblin cards, reveal them, then shuffle and put those cards on top in any order.

"Next!"

Kei Takahashi (Legends)
Scott Kirschner

{T}: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.

Phantasmal Fiend (Alliances)
Scott Kirschner

{B}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn. {1}{U}: Switch this creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

Armor Sliver (Premium Deck Series: Slivers)
Scott Kirschner

All Sliver creatures have "{2}: This creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn."

Hanna: "We must learn how they protect each other." Mirri: "After they're done trying to kill us, all right?"

Puppet Strings (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

{2}, {T}: You may tap or untap target creature.

"Have no illusions," Volrath warned Greven, "about free will."

Convulsing Licid (The List)
Scott Kirschner

{R}, {T}: This creature loses this ability and becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it to target creature. You may pay {R} to end this effect. Enchanted creature can't block.

Hibernation Sliver (Commander Masters)
Scott Kirschner

All Slivers have "Pay 2 life: Return this permanent to its owner's hand."

Mogglings have been known to play ball with hibernating slivers, completely unaware of their true nature.

Immolation (Fourth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/-2.

Hibernation Sliver (Stronghold)
Scott Kirschner

All Slivers have "Pay 2 life: Return this permanent to its owner's hand."

Mogglings have been known to play ball with hibernating slivers, completely unaware of their true nature.

Lava Storm (Weatherlight)
Scott Kirschner

Lava Storm deals 2 damage to each attacking creature or Lava Storm deals 2 damage to each blocking creature.

They say lava conquers all.

Deadly Insect (Alliances)
Scott Kirschner

Shroud (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities.)

"There is no time for pain when this beast leaves its terrible sting." —Jaeuhl Carthalion, Juniper Order Advocate

Deadly Insect (Coldsnap Theme Decks)
Scott Kirschner

Shroud (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities.)

"There is no time for pain when this beast leaves its terrible sting." —Jaeuhl Carthalion, Juniper Order advocate

Errantry (Fifth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +3/+0 and can only attack alone.

"There is no shame in solitude. The lone knight may succeed where a hundred founder." —Arna Kennerüd, skyknight

Smokestack (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a soot counter on this artifact. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a permanent of their choice for each soot counter on this artifact.

Forbid (World Championship Decks 1998)
Scott Kirschner

Buyback—Discard two cards. (You may discard two cards in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.) Counter target spell.

Puppet Strings (The List)
Scott Kirschner

{2}, {T}: You may tap or untap target creature.

"Have no illusions," Volrath warned Greven, "about free will."

Paroxysm (Exodus)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted creature's controller, that player reveals the top card of their library. If that card is a land card, destroy that creature. Otherwise, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn.

Axelrod Gunnarson (Legends)
Scott Kirschner

Trample Whenever a creature dealt damage by Axelrod Gunnarson this turn dies, you gain 1 life and Axelrod Gunnarson deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker.

Patagia Golem (Classic Sixth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

{3}: This creature gains flying until end of turn.

It scattered falcons like a lion hunting among jackals.

Bone Dancer (Weatherlight)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may put the top creature card of defending player's graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. If you do, this creature assigns no combat damage this turn.

Phantasmal Fiend (Deckmasters)
Scott Kirschner

{B}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn. {1}{U}: Switch this creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

Illicit Auction (Classic Sixth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Each player may bid life for control of target creature. You start the bidding with a bid of 0. In turn order, each player may top the high bid. The bidding ends if the high bid stands. The high bidder loses life equal to the high bid and gains control of the creature. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

Pit Scorpion (Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter. (A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.)

Icatian Javelineers (Fallen Empires)
Scott Kirschner

This creature enters with a javelin counter on it. {T}, Remove a javelin counter from this creature: It deals 1 damage to any target.

Pit Scorpion (Renaissance)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter. (A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.)

Kei Takahashi (Chronicles)
Scott Kirschner

{T}: Prevent the next 2 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn.

Diseased Vermin (Alliances)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, put an infection counter on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, this creature deals X damage to target opponent previously dealt damage by it, where X is the number of infection counters on it.

Smokestack (Mystery Booster 2)
Scott Kirschner

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a soot counter on this artifact. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a permanent of their choice for each soot counter on this artifact.

Craw Giant (Fifth Edition)
Scott Kirschner

Trample Rampage 2 (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first.)

Harthag gave a jolly laugh as he surveyed the army before him. "Ho ho ho! Midgets! You think you can stand in my way?"

Political Trickery (Mirage)
Scott Kirschner

Exchange control of target land you control and target land an opponent controls. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)

"Politics is a game—move a stone here, move a stone there—except sometimes the stones bleed." —Shauku, Endbringer

Yawgmoth's Edict (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

Whenever an opponent casts a white spell, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

"Phyrexia's purity permits no other." —Xantcha, Phyrexian outcast

Immolation (Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/-2.

Lurking Evil (Urza's Saga)
Scott Kirschner

Pay half your life, rounded up: This enchantment becomes a 4/4 Phyrexian Horror creature with flying.

"Ash is our air, darkness our flesh." —*Phyrexian Scriptures*

Phantasmal Fiend (Alliances)
Scott Kirschner

{B}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn. {1}{U}: Switch this creature's power and toughness until end of turn.

Goblin Recruiter (Mystery Booster 2)
Scott Kirschner

When this creature enters, search your library for any number of Goblin cards, reveal them, then shuffle and put those cards on top in any order.

"Next!"

Horseshoe Crab (Dominaria Remastered)
Scott Kirschner

{U}: Untap this creature.

In the final days before the disaster, all the crabs on Tolaria migrated from inlets, streams, and ponds back to the sea. No one took note.

Briar Shield (Weatherlight)
Scott Kirschner

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1. Sacrifice this Aura: Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.

In all its forms, the forest is the elves' best protector.

Salt Flats (Tempest)
Scott Kirschner

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {C}. {T}: Add {W} or {B}. This land deals 1 damage to you.