When Gatecrash design started I pushed hard for a milling mechanic with the playtest name of "grind." While grind stayed in the set, we decided we wanted a different mechanic to be the Dimir keyword, so I spent some time thinking about a new replacement
Firstly, it removes the limit on hand size
The second ability is the one with a great deal of value, since it plusses her up and it gives us access to a few cards for a long timeuntil the end of our next turn
(I don't know the full story, but I believe members of the creative team were also fans of the whole package and also pushed to keep the name.) I had no doubt that the card would get the same response when previewed, and it took mere minutes for it to be clear it would
A Thoughtseize or Duress asks you to spend resources to avert a play your opponent hasnt committed anything to (other than a card draw)
Cards with level up are referred to as a leveler, and the card interface looks different