Coin flipping cards don't have to suck

[Landkiller]

Here's a group of coin-flipping cards that are decent in my opinion.

Apprentice's Fireball R
Sorcery
Deal 3 damage to any target.
Flip a coin : If you lose the flip Apprentice's Fireball also deals 3 damage to you.

Apprentice's Theft U
Enchant Creature
Gain control of enchanted creature.
Flip a coin at the end of each turn. If you lose the flip, sacrifice Apprentice's Theft. If you win the flip, you may return Apprentice's Theft to it's owner's hand.

Apprentice's Cure W
Instant
Prevent 4 damage to any target.
Flip a coin : If you lose the flip, your opponent may deal 1 damage to a target of his or her choice.

Apprentice's Shadow B
Creature - Shadow
When Apprentice's Shadow comes into play, flip a coin. If you win the flip, sacrifice Apprentice's Shadow and destroy target nonblack creature.
1/1

Apprentice's Garden G
Sorcery
Flip a coin : If you win the flip, all forests may tap for a mana of any color this turn. If you lose the flip, all forests may not tap for mana this turn, but are 1/2 creatures.

Master's Fireball RRR
Sorcery
Each player chooses three different targets. Deal 4 damage to each target. Flip a coin : If you win the flip, you may not be a target of Master's Fireball.

Master's Theft UUU
Enchant Creature
Gain control of enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature gains "T, Flip a coin : If you win the flip, gain control of target creature as long as you control this creature."

Master's Cure WWW
Instant
Prevent 5 damage divided among any number of targets.
Flip a coin : If you win the flip, return Master's Cure to your hand as part of the spell's effect.

Master's Shadow BBB
Creature - Shadow
When Master's Shadow comes into play, flip a coin.
If you win the flip, remove all nonblack creatures from the game, and remove Master's Shadow from the game.
3/3

Master's Garden GGG
Enchantment
During your upkeep, flip a coin. If you win the flip, all forests are 2/2 creatures until end of turn. If you lose the flip, all forests may tap for mana of any color, and you gain 1 life each time a forest taps this turn.

 

[Zadok001]

Methinks Apprentice's Fireball is WAY too strong, considering... I mean, people played 1R for a guaranteed four damage to both PLAYERS in Flame Rift, and the Fireball is obviously superior. But whatever...

 

[Landkiller]

well, it's certainly no incinerate or lightning bolt, or even chain lightning, although it is better than flame rift(which is a terrible card that just happened to serve a purpose in some decks)

Flame Rift is terrible(sorcery, can't target creatures, hits you for 4...compare to incinerate), but happened to increase the speed of the deck, so it was put to use. The decks often found 2 mana 3 damage burn spells accumulated damage too slowly, so the card economy of a burn spell dealing 4 for only 2 mana was good, and they didn't care about the drawback. But these sorts of burn decks would never have been using stupid cards like flame rift without broken sligh cards including Fireblast, Mogg Fanatic, and others which escape me at the moment(I haven't played burn decks in SO long).

It's one mana less than a Volcanic Hammer, but risks 3 life in exchange for the mana. It's on a comparable level to Shock, Seal of Fire, and Volcanic Hammer. I mean, I wouldn't automatically pick it over any of those, it would always depend on the deck's needs. Each has their own advantages.

 

[DÛke]

...yes, coin-flip cards DON'T hafta suck, but you hafta make them the right way. My idea is to make the cards does a partially weak effect for it's mana cost, and than comes the coin flip: if you win, you'll get extra advantage...if you don't, you have just used a card that does little for its cost.

Examples:

Whim Lightning (2R)
Creature - Elemental
Haste
At beginning of your upkeep step, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, sacrifice Whim Lightning.
3/1

Evasion (U)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gains +1/+0.
Whenever enchanted creature attacks, flip a coin. If you win the flip, enchanted creature is unblockable until end of the turn.

Constant Distractions (U)
Instant
Until end of the turn, spells target player casts cost 1 more to play.
Flip a coin. If you win the flip, return Constant Distractions back to your hand.

 

[Spiderman]

I think Landkiller's cards pretty much follow that mold (little effect and flip coin for an additional result)