Some obvious directions were mechanics that referenced experience, leveling up, or limit breaks
There are even a few creature cards that create a single creature token and give it to the opponent, like Hunted Lammasu
Showdown of the Skalds is, in fact, the first multicolored Saga, and its I ability is clearly red, while its II and III ability will pump the entire team with +1/+1 counters, in the style of white mana
Where the original gave you a +1/+1 counter when someone cast a noncreature spell, the redacted version forces you to respond to the same situation by spelling the word "weird"
Just like when the Magic Invitational happened every year, the worlds best players can look forward not only to winning piles of cash, but to be immortalized forever in a piece of cardboard.
Two key points here are that it puts rad counters onto players without combat, and can add them turn after turn