Like each new expansion set, Morningtide introduces some new mechanics or special card abiities. Morningtide has three new mechanics: Prowl, Kinship, and Reinforce.

Prowl
Prowl is the first new mechanic for Morningtide. Prowl is a static ability that functions on the stack. “Prowl [cost]” means “You may pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost if a player was dealt combat damage this turn by a source that, at the time it dealt that damage, was under your control and had any of this spell’s creature types.” The interesting thing is although the prowl reminder text lists specific creature types, this is done for convenience only. The prowl card’s current creature types are what actually matter. For example, if a card such as Conspiracy causes a prowl spell to be an Elf, then you can pay its prowl cost rather than its mana cost only if an Elf you controlled dealt combat damage to a player that turn.

Reinforce
Reinforce is an activated ability that functions only while the card with reinforce is in a player’s hand. “Reinforce N–[cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Put N +1/+1 counters on target creature.”

*Reinforce is an activated ability you can play any time you could play an instant as long as the card with reinforce is in your hand.

Kinship
Another new mechanic – Kinship. At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it shares a creature type with the creature with kinship, you may reveal it. Then you get to use some sort of ability from gaining four life to putting creatures in play. The big thing is you don’t have to reveal the top card of your library, even if it shares a creature type with the creature that has the kinship ability. So if you want to keep that Nameless Inversion a secret – do so.

(Discuss it)

This entry was posted on Monday, January 28th, 2008 at 5:43 pm and is filed under Morningtide. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.