Sorry for the delay. This month's winning card is Elemental Prying, by .handslikeguns.
Elemental Prying :1mana::symbr::symb:
Tribal Sorcery-Elemental [Unc]
Target player discards two cards. Put a 3/1 red Elemental creature token with haste into play under your control for each creature card discarded this way. “Perhaps your mind will serve me more than you.”—Shareen, Witch of the Badlands
We enjoyed the overall aesthetic of this card, the interesting use of hybrid, and depth and simplicity of the effect. Cool art, too!
An honorable mention goes to JimmyGroove for a creative and clever execution of an Un- card: Vorthos, the Flavor Savior. I've seen a lot of attempts at making a Vorthos card in the style of Timmy, Power Gamer, etc., but this is by far the best.
Vorthos, the Flavor Savior5WGRBU
Planeswalker - Vorthos (MR)
<+1> - Forsooth, I do admire thy flavor text, ye target creature. Take a counter of +1 to power and toughness for each word therein.
<-2> - Where art the flavor text for that spell or permanent? Begone, foul card bereft of italics; I remove ye from the game! I shall play this ability as quickly as I throw a lightning bolt, and as often as I do wish.
<-8> - My works are mighty and my font is small. Cards that art in play with larger fonts than mine shall henceforth be banished from the land and the game!
<6>
ATTACHMENTS
ElementalPrying
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The Golden Rule of forums: If you're going to be rude, be right. If you might be wrong, be polite.
Interesting cost. Also, congrats. I agree with Kenaron, it should just cost 1BR. There is no reason for a player to play red to use that card. All they need to play is black. Sure, it makes it slightly easier to play, but the difference is quite negligible.
However, the "under your control" clause is unnecessary. (You know, since if YOU produce a token, you implicitly have control of it unless otherwise stated directly)
Personally, I think this is basically an abuse of hybrid here.
The thing is, it's not even only red black hybrid, which I think would be ok... but in general, 1RB is much harder to pay than 1BB
In a few cases, maybe it's easier to pay the red part of the hybrid, but... I just don't think so. I guess it's kinda flavorful, but.. I just don't see the point.
Yeah no offense to .handslikeguns, who has made plenty of interesting cards, but, why this? I have to agree with platinummyr that this is abuse of hybrid, in that you get the red effect of making elementals without needing to pay red at all. At 1BR, though, it probably would have been too close to Blightning.
I suspect that this card was chosen just because it looks nice...if anything, I would guess that it was designed around the art. That's as much a compliment as a criticism, the flavor text is great and it fits the art pretty well, I just don't think a cost like this would see print without some more relevant mechanics. What if it was (B/R)BR and made them discard for each B you paid, then put a 2/1 token (3/1 is probably too strong) into play for each R you paid?
I don't think it's an abuse of hybrid. Black gets discard, black makes tokens, black gets haste. This could be done totally in monoblack but it has some elements that make it feel more red/black, namely the tokens are done in a red style. Yes, this type of mana cost reduces the significance of hybrid: it's not often you're going to be able to pay 1RB easier than you can pay 1BB, but sometimes you will. So if you wanted to do this type of cost, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't.
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I do like the card and I understand how it works in terms of flavor. However, it is for this reason that I think the card is functionally overpowered; assuming the defending player discards creature cards, he/she loses options to deal with the elemental tokens that the attacking player has put into play. To make for a more balanced card, might it not be better if it specified "For each noncreature card" the player discards.
I don't think it's an abuse of hybrid. Black gets discard, black makes tokens, black gets haste. This could be done totally in monoblack but it has some elements that make it feel more red/black, namely the tokens are done in a red style. Yes, this type of mana cost reduces the significance of hybrid: it's not often you're going to be able to pay 1RB easier than you can pay 1BB, but sometimes you will. So if you wanted to do this type of cost, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't.
I don't deny that black could do everything this card does, but producing 3/1 elemental tokens with haste is one of the most iconic red abilities there is. Red produces those tokens pretty much every block. It feels weird to me to create those with a mono-black mana cost.
I love, love, love Jimmy's card. As host of the CCL in April I had to fight not to declare him the automatic winner when I saw that card (and that was the sign-up round :o).
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Elemental Prying... oh wow. That's incredible. I'd say it's powerful, but not game-breaking, and unique. My only problem is it doesn't feel very monoblack. It really should cost 1BR, because of the very red tokens.
The hybrid in the card doesn't appeal to me; agreeing with most of the people, I find it would have been better at 1BR. And it's weird that a black/red spell makes pure red elementals. Could have been black/red tokens.
The Vorthos is genius. Pure genius. My favourite is the second ability.
I LOVE the artwork. And the flavour text. But I guess the designer didn't do that him/herself did he/she? Could someone send me a link to a wallpaper of just the picture?
I don't get the last part of Vorthos. I know the profile and understand it, as do I understand the first two abilities, which I like, but what does the third one mean?
Elemental Prying :1mana::symbr::symb:
Tribal Sorcery-Elemental [Unc]
Target player discards two cards. If R was paid to play this spell put a 3/1 red Elemental creature token with haste into play for each creature card discarded this way. “Perhaps your mind will serve me more than you.”—Shareen, Witch of the Badlands
That one looks better to me too ^^ (well, BETTER is the wrong word) Still, no one explained Vorthos's 3rd ability to me Someone please do so. It would bevery much appreciated.
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So here I am
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
The third ability checks all cards for their font size, if the font is larger than that of Vorthos the card is destroyed. Oftewel, alle kaarten met grotere letters dan Vorthos gaan kapot
I think Elemental Prying is a little overpowered, probably better if you'ld have to sacrifice the tokens at end of turn. It's a pity that this card encourages you to throw away lands, the very card you are most likely to throw away anyway.
Wow, i didnt even notice this thread was up. Thanks to whoever nominated and voted for the card to be card of the month.
The hybrid symbol was part of the round requirement, if i had the choice it wouldve been :1mana::symb::symr: or :symbr::symb::symr:
I actually had the idea before the art. The round 3 requirement was to make a tribal card that was the same colors as your previous cards (2 rounds ago) so i was stuck making a tribal sorcery that had a cc of :1mana::symbr::symb:. So i was taking an iconic red creature type and mixing it with an iconic black ability. The art i was really lucky to find, using DeviantArt search engine is TECH!
I don't think this breaks hybrid at all. Though I like saarmae's suggestion - I think the card works fine flavorwise. Is it more black than red? Yes. Is it red? Yes, but not as much as black. Balancing it between red and black at 1BR would hurt the flavor. Making it 2/3 black and 1/3 red by the use of the hybrid mana symbol HELPS the flavor.
However, I think Saamae's suggestion makes it even cooler. And it was plenty cool to begin with!
I feel Saamae's suggestion could be taken a step further and change the cost to 2B and leave the red "enhancement" like Ribbons of Night works with blue.
The third ability checks all cards for their font size, if the font is larger than that of Vorthos the card is destroyed. Oftewel, alle kaarten met grotere letters dan Vorthos gaan kapot
I think Elemental Prying is a little overpowered, probably better if you'ld have to sacrifice the tokens at end of turn. It's a pity that this card encourages you to throw away lands, the very card you are most likely to throw away anyway.
Reply in English is good enough with me Thanks for explaining.
The whole point of the pyring is that it already encourages you to discard the bad cards, making it less overpowered. If it said youy got an elemental for every land discarded this thing might be pretty scary
I agree with stairc and disagree with Kenaron. Pyring is most definately black AND red. I haven't seen a lot of red cards tha make someone discard, nor is it in the red style and the elementals with haste are most cerainly red. And yes, this card is more black., considering that you MIGHT get tokens, but your opp ALWAYS discards unless you're a moron.
The cost COULD have been :symb::symb::symr:, but that would have been unbalanced. You may tell me otherwise since I'm not exactly an experianced player, but this is my view.
I also think it coulc cost 1BR instead of 2B with a red enchancement. BBR is just kind of annoying to play IMOP.
The real problem with this kind of design is that players already don't want to discard creatures. Gerrard's Verdict had it's land clause because players would want to discard land given the chance and it was there to motivate them otherwise. Given the chance most players would discard lands to Elemental Prying, so it might be better if the discarding was random or somesuch.
I also think it coulc cost 1BR instead of 2B with a red enchancement. BBR is just kind of annoying to play IMOP.
The real problem with this kind of design is that players already don't want to discard creatures. Gerrard's Verdict had it's land clause because players would want to discard land given the chance and it was there to motivate them otherwise. Given the chance most players would discard lands to Elemental Prying, so it might be better if the discarding was random or somesuch.
That would have been overpowered, don't you think?
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So here I am
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
For the elemental producing clause to be more relevant I feel it would be better if the discarding was random, but 3 cost for two random discards and possible elemental tokens could be problematic If you wanted random discards you would have to adjust the cost and/or number of cards discarded. My point was mostly that players will already discard anything but creatures given a choice, thus the token part (the clause that makes Elemental Prying interesting in any sense) won't come up most of the time.
I disagree with Onderzeeboot on Vorthos' ultimate. I'm pretty sure the last ability removes all cards with font larger than the text on Vorthos. It says banished from land and game, which I think more properly translates to removed from game than destroyed.
Also,I really like that elemental card. I'm not really sure what all the fuss is about the cost either considering Shards of Alara block has shown Wizards is willing to do this type of stuff.
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Elemental Prying :1mana::symbr::symb:
Tribal Sorcery-Elemental [Unc]
Target player discards two cards. Put a 3/1 red Elemental creature token with haste into play under your control for each creature card discarded this way.
“Perhaps your mind will serve me more than you.”—Shareen, Witch of the Badlands
We enjoyed the overall aesthetic of this card, the interesting use of hybrid, and depth and simplicity of the effect. Cool art, too!
An honorable mention goes to JimmyGroove for a creative and clever execution of an Un- card: Vorthos, the Flavor Savior. I've seen a lot of attempts at making a Vorthos card in the style of Timmy, Power Gamer, etc., but this is by far the best.
Vorthos, the Flavor Savior 5WGRBU
Planeswalker - Vorthos (MR)
<+1> - Forsooth, I do admire thy flavor text, ye target creature. Take a counter of +1 to power and toughness for each word therein.
<-2> - Where art the flavor text for that spell or permanent? Begone, foul card bereft of italics; I remove ye from the game! I shall play this ability as quickly as I throw a lightning bolt, and as often as I do wish.
<-8> - My works are mighty and my font is small. Cards that art in play with larger fonts than mine shall henceforth be banished from the land and the game!
<6>
Current New Favorite Person™: Mallory Archer
She knows why.
However, the "under your control" clause is unnecessary. (You know, since if YOU produce a token, you implicitly have control of it unless otherwise stated directly)
I like 4/4s for 7.
The thing is, it's not even only red black hybrid, which I think would be ok... but in general, 1RB is much harder to pay than 1BB
In a few cases, maybe it's easier to pay the red part of the hybrid, but... I just don't think so. I guess it's kinda flavorful, but.. I just don't see the point.
I suspect that this card was chosen just because it looks nice...if anything, I would guess that it was designed around the art. That's as much a compliment as a criticism, the flavor text is great and it fits the art pretty well, I just don't think a cost like this would see print without some more relevant mechanics. What if it was (B/R)BR and made them discard for each B you paid, then put a 2/1 token (3/1 is probably too strong) into play for each R you paid?
Current New Favorite Person™: Mallory Archer
She knows why.
I don't deny that black could do everything this card does, but producing 3/1 elemental tokens with haste is one of the most iconic red abilities there is. Red produces those tokens pretty much every block. It feels weird to me to create those with a mono-black mana cost.
--
Winner of the 2nd Design Survivor Contest
Creator of the Vorthos Card Contest
Winner of 12th and the 18th Short Story Contests
Creator of the Vs. Tournament.
--Runner of the Superhero Vs. Tounrament
--Runner of the Villian Vs. Tournament.
Vorthos is :D.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
The Vorthos is genius. Pure genius. My favourite is the second ability.
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I LOVE the artwork. And the flavour text. But I guess the designer didn't do that him/herself did he/she? Could someone send me a link to a wallpaper of just the picture?
I don't get the last part of Vorthos. I know the profile and understand it, as do I understand the first two abilities, which I like, but what does the third one mean?
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
-
http://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4e0ab040511b7989424707
That one looks better to me too ^^ (well, BETTER is the wrong word) Still, no one explained Vorthos's 3rd ability to me Someone please do so. It would bevery much appreciated.
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
-
http://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4e0ab040511b7989424707
I think Elemental Prying is a little overpowered, probably better if you'ld have to sacrifice the tokens at end of turn. It's a pity that this card encourages you to throw away lands, the very card you are most likely to throw away anyway.
The hybrid symbol was part of the round requirement, if i had the choice it wouldve been :1mana::symb::symr: or :symbr::symb::symr:
I actually had the idea before the art. The round 3 requirement was to make a tribal card that was the same colors as your previous cards (2 rounds ago) so i was stuck making a tribal sorcery that had a cc of :1mana::symbr::symb:. So i was taking an iconic red creature type and mixing it with an iconic black ability. The art i was really lucky to find, using DeviantArt search engine is TECH!
Thanks again for the crits and praises.
H/W List http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=112656
However, I think Saamae's suggestion makes it even cooler. And it was plenty cool to begin with!
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Reply in English is good enough with me Thanks for explaining.
The whole point of the pyring is that it already encourages you to discard the bad cards, making it less overpowered. If it said youy got an elemental for every land discarded this thing might be pretty scary
I agree with stairc and disagree with Kenaron. Pyring is most definately black AND red. I haven't seen a lot of red cards tha make someone discard, nor is it in the red style and the elementals with haste are most cerainly red. And yes, this card is more black., considering that you MIGHT get tokens, but your opp ALWAYS discards unless you're a moron.
The cost COULD have been :symb::symb::symr:, but that would have been unbalanced. You may tell me otherwise since I'm not exactly an experianced player, but this is my view.
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
-
http://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4e0ab040511b7989424707
The real problem with this kind of design is that players already don't want to discard creatures. Gerrard's Verdict had it's land clause because players would want to discard land given the chance and it was there to motivate them otherwise. Given the chance most players would discard lands to Elemental Prying, so it might be better if the discarding was random or somesuch.
That would have been overpowered, don't you think?
Your cry I hear
I'll catch you
And I'll catch your tears
-
http://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4e0ab040511b7989424707
Also,I really like that elemental card. I'm not really sure what all the fuss is about the cost either considering Shards of Alara block has shown Wizards is willing to do this type of stuff.