Design principles

• Games can be played with cards only, no additional components are required (counters, tokens, etc).
• High interaction between players.
• Large decision space.
• No game-winning cards (no bombs, no hate cards).
• Fast-paced games.
• Easy drafting experience.
• No extensive knowledge of Mtg required.
• Pronounced color identities.

The principles translate to the following constraints:

• No cards with long texts.
• No low interaction abilities (hexproof, shroud, protection)
• No counters.
• No tokens.
• No Planeswalkers
• No "gain control of cards"
• No tribal synergies.
• No double-faced cards.
• No search and shuffles of the library.
• No keywords other than core ones + Scry, Cycling, Evoke, Buyback, Flashback, Madness.
• No hate cards (effective against particular colors or strategies)

Archetypes

WB: Lifegain (Gain life and capitalize on high life total) *
WU: Blink (Exploit "enters the battlefield" effects) **
WR: Combat (Attacking & blocking matters, combat tricks) *
WG: Enchantments (Value on having/playing enchantments) **
RB: Madness (Value from discarding cards) **
RG: Stompy (Aggro with fast & big creatures) *
RU: Spells (Value from playing instant and sorceries) **
GB: Recursion (Value from creatures in the graveyard) **
GU: Flash (Play everything at instant speed, never in your turn) **
BU: Control (Card advantage, destroy while drawing cards) *

Keywords Core

Flying, Lifelink, Indestructible, First strike, Defender, Flash, Vigilance, Deathtouch, Haste, Trample, Reach.

Advanced

Scry: Amortize randomness and reward good decks.
Cycling: Amortize randomness, synergize with graveyard.
Evoke: More choice, synergize with blink effect and graveyard.
Buyback: More choice, avoid running out of action.
Flashback: Synergize with graveyard, avoid running out of action.
Madness: More choice, amortize discarding effects.

Count

385 cards total

single color (275)
W: 55, G: 55, R: 55, B: 55, U: 55

other (110)
lands : 40
artifacts: 10
2-colors : 60 (4 bi-color, 2 hybrids per color pair)