Yes, and the sacrifice on upkeep (which I'm sure will cause memory issues) as opposed to end step.

But mostly the replacement effect, which is strangely worded: "Sacrifice it ... if it would leave the battlefield." It's worded similar to unearth but, since sacrificing is an action player takes, I think it'd have to be "If it would leave the battlefield, its controller sacrifices it instead". I could be wrong about that wording, but I still don't think the clause is necessary: flicker effects existed when evoke was around, and as far as I know didn't cause problems. Flickering doesn't inherently cause card advantage, just saves mana. I think flickering tricks are a feature rather than bug.

I could see that. Unearth is probably a little more abusable because of sacrifice effects.
Upkeep was primarily because I would like to put it on enchantments that provide +0/+X effects, and that wouldn't work with end step.

You can make it next upkeep, and you can remove the replacement. However, I wouldn't want it to be at the next end step.

If it's giving +0/+X, it must be in white or blue, so you could put flash on those kinds of effects.

Otherwise, why would I want to spend a card to pump blockers for 1 turn at sorcery speed? That's just a lifegain spell, or a fog, at best.

I dunno, I mean, you can design it the way you prefer. But to me the concept of "surge" screams "red, combat, beatdown, get it out of your hand and into your yard by way of your opponent's face."

It would be primarily red. But if I play a, uh, Armadillo Cloak that disappears on the beginning of the end step, the damage will still remain until the cleanup phase that comes afterwards, so the toughness boost is rendered irrelevant. And I want the flexibility to be able to put the mechanic on auras.

OK, that's a fair enough reason.

As I said, having "At the beginning of the next upkeep" would be reasonable with me to remove memory issues. It also seems like that was the original way I submitted it, and I was probably in a more intelligent mood that day.

1. Mown
2. Cato

1: TPzombieW
2: cato

Would the same wording that the cycle of cards that previously had substance uses work?

1TPzombie
2Cato

We don't talk about substance.
But yes, it probably would.

1. Mown
2. Ace

Cato
Zombie

1. Mown

2. Mown

Huh, double Mown.
So... many... cards.

Final Tally:

Part 1

Mown: 5
thatmarkguy: 2.5
TPzombieW: 2
Cato: 1

Part 2

TPzombieW: 4.5
Cato: 3
knifethrower: 1
Ace: 1
Mown: 1

And Mown and TPzombieW take it! Knifetail Waylay and Living Bonfire have been added to the spoiler. Mown gets to write the criterion for the next round.

You people have no idea how aggressively I want to win whenever I submit a Viashino.

Make a red sweeper of some sort. I don't care about rarity, but if it's absolutely necessary that I specify one, then make it rare.
That also means that I will assume it's rare unless specified otherwise.

Reprint Chain Reaction.

Melody of Roasting Flesh
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on [cardname].
, sacrifice [cardname]: [cardname] deals damage equal to the number of verse counters on it to each creature and planeswalker.

I was looking through Urza's Saga yesterday, and Vile Requiem's cycle caught my eye.

Stoke the Sun
Sorcery

You may sacrifice an enchantment with converted mana cost X rather than pay ~'s mana cost.
Choose one - ~ does X damage to each creature on the battlefield; or return ~ to your hand. If you do, at the beginning of your next pre-combat Main Phase, add to your mana pool.

Give to the sun, and the sun gives back.

My last masochist card flopped but I'll keep trying. (dammit, this was going to be the first X spell but I just got warned of storyteller's new post when I was submitting this!)

Mass Delirium
Sorcery (R)
Each creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn.
Each creature deals damage to itself equal to its power.
"And one by one / Under blazing sun / By Elori's accord / To their throats put the sword." - Tome of the Sun, Songs of Worship, Song 23