Just a few days ago, Magicthegathering.com announced a new product coming up - Commander Decks, complete with oversize Commanders for what was formerly known as the Elder Dragon Highlander format.
Your task this month is to imagine a custom frame for a Commander, and render one in your style.
It may be helpful to have the rules of the Commander Format, so here they are:
Commander (also known as Elder Dragon Highlander)
Commander, sometimes called "Elder Dragon Highlander," starts with the rules for multiplayer Free-for-All games, in which any number of players compete against each other as individuals. It's played with the Singleton format (in other words, except for basic lands, each card in your deck must have a different name), and each player starts with a life total of 40 rather than the usual 20. Most importantly, the centerpiece of each deck is a legendary creature that serves as that deck's commander.
To build a deck, you first choose a legendary creature, called a "commander" or "general," then construct a Singleton deck around it containing exactly 99 other cards. Only cards of the commander's color(s) and colorless cards may be included in the deck. (Note that split cards and hybrid cards count as all of their colors.) In fact, if a card contains a mana symbol anywhere on it that's not one of your commander's colors, you can't include it in that deck! Within the game, if you would add mana to your mana pool that's a color not shared by your commander, you get colorless mana instead.
Appropriately enough for a format named after the legendary creature that's leading your team, your commander works differently from other cards in the game. Before the game begins, each player removes his or her commander from the game. You may play your commander from the command zone for its normal costs plus an additional {2} for each previous time it has been played this way. If your commander would go to the graveyard from anywhere, you may remove it from the game instead. In addition to the normal Magic loss conditions, if a player is dealt 21 points of combat damage from a single commander over the course of the game, that player loses the game!
It somehow makes sense that such a larger-than-life format was invented up in the wilds of Alaska. Its originators used commanders only from the Legends set, including (and especially!) the Elder Dragons such as Chromium and Nicol Bolas. Over time, the format spread. It became popular among judges, who would play it into the wee hours of the night following a hard day's officiating at a Pro Tour or Grand Prix event. (You can read more about their rules here.) It soon reached the mainstream and has become a favorite format in casual playgroups everywhere, from the kitchen table down the street to Magic Online to the Wizards of the Coast headquarters!
— This contest will close on Janurary 1st, 2011. Good luck, everybody!
- The flag in the upper left hand corner denotes color identity. I'll be posting more examples later to emphasize this.
- The mana cost is denoted by the symbols in the lower right hand corner. Each symbol will have a number on it to identify how much mana of each type is needed. In Niv's case, as you can see in the example, it's :2mana::symu::symu::symr::symr:.
- I'd like to give some credit to Chrome Kaldra for parts I used from her modern token template.
- I could make this available in planeshifted and with a level up template as well, but unless it's requested it will be staying as is.
- The flag in the upper left hand corner denotes color identity. I'll be posting more examples later to emphasize this.
- The mana cost is denoted by the symbols in the lower right hand corner. Each symbol will have a number on it to identify how much mana of each type is needed. In Niv's case, as you can see in the example, it's :2mana::symu::symu::symr::symr:.
- I'd like to give some credit to Chrome Kaldra for parts I used from her modern token template.
- I could make this available in planeshifted and with a level up template as well, but unless it's requested it will be staying as is.
So without further ado, here are the examples:
That's hot. Only qualm is the mana cost, bit confusing. anyhow
BG by me via smudge and clone, spiderboy4 for the Yawgmoth symbol. Chippy, obviously, for Skithiryx.
Very nice. I'd be interested to see what the other colors would look like, although that template looks like it really only works with artworks whose characters are superimposed on the right side...
I love both cards. The Skithiryx one is great, I kinda wish Wizards would move in a direction of all or mostly full art cards. That card seems clean, well-designed and attractive, while still playable.
Quick note, the little star next to her name is my take on a magic-ish Commander icon.
Private Mod Note
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"If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely, I will free myself from the anxiety of death and the pettiness of life - and only then will I be free to become myself." - Martin Heidegger
Letting you guys know I haven't forgotten about this. Been chained to my bathroom since the 31st, and haven't even felt like using my computer. I'll get to this, I promise.
Letting you guys know I haven't forgotten about this. Been chained to my bathroom since the 31st, and haven't even felt like using my computer. I'll get to this, I promise.
Banner by ChrisXIV
Commander Frame
Just a few days ago, Magicthegathering.com announced a new product coming up - Commander Decks, complete with oversize Commanders for what was formerly known as the Elder Dragon Highlander format.
Your task this month is to imagine a custom frame for a Commander, and render one in your style.
It may be helpful to have the rules of the Commander Format, so here they are:
Commander, sometimes called "Elder Dragon Highlander," starts with the rules for multiplayer Free-for-All games, in which any number of players compete against each other as individuals. It's played with the Singleton format (in other words, except for basic lands, each card in your deck must have a different name), and each player starts with a life total of 40 rather than the usual 20. Most importantly, the centerpiece of each deck is a legendary creature that serves as that deck's commander.
To build a deck, you first choose a legendary creature, called a "commander" or "general," then construct a Singleton deck around it containing exactly 99 other cards. Only cards of the commander's color(s) and colorless cards may be included in the deck. (Note that split cards and hybrid cards count as all of their colors.) In fact, if a card contains a mana symbol anywhere on it that's not one of your commander's colors, you can't include it in that deck! Within the game, if you would add mana to your mana pool that's a color not shared by your commander, you get colorless mana instead.
Appropriately enough for a format named after the legendary creature that's leading your team, your commander works differently from other cards in the game. Before the game begins, each player removes his or her commander from the game. You may play your commander from the command zone for its normal costs plus an additional {2} for each previous time it has been played this way. If your commander would go to the graveyard from anywhere, you may remove it from the game instead. In addition to the normal Magic loss conditions, if a player is dealt 21 points of combat damage from a single commander over the course of the game, that player loses the game!
It somehow makes sense that such a larger-than-life format was invented up in the wilds of Alaska. Its originators used commanders only from the Legends set, including (and especially!) the Elder Dragons such as Chromium and Nicol Bolas. Over time, the format spread. It became popular among judges, who would play it into the wee hours of the night following a hard day's officiating at a Pro Tour or Grand Prix event. (You can read more about their rules here.) It soon reached the mainstream and has become a favorite format in casual playgroups everywhere, from the kitchen table down the street to Magic Online to the Wizards of the Coast headquarters!
— This contest will close on Janurary 1st, 2011. Good luck, everybody!
My Moderator Helpdesk| My Custom Set List | My MSE Template HostingBeers Tasted: 113 | Last Beer Sampled: Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Ale
- The flag in the upper left hand corner denotes color identity. I'll be posting more examples later to emphasize this.
- The mana cost is denoted by the symbols in the lower right hand corner. Each symbol will have a number on it to identify how much mana of each type is needed. In Niv's case, as you can see in the example, it's :2mana::symu::symu::symr::symr:.
- I'd like to give some credit to Chrome Kaldra for parts I used from her modern token template.
- I could make this available in planeshifted and with a level up template as well, but unless it's requested it will be staying as is.
So without further ado, here are the examples:
My art blog
Claims:
The kicker variant in WWK will be "Kicker without a kicked effect." - proven wrong Jan 2010 : 2 wrongs
Decks:
:symu::symb: Bloodchief Ascension - Modern
:symb::symr: Rakdos, the Defiler - EDH
:symu::symb::symw: Sharuum the Hegemon - EDH
:symw::symu::symb: Zur the Enchanter - EDH
My Moderator Helpdesk| My Custom Set List | My MSE Template HostingBeers Tasted: 113 | Last Beer Sampled: Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Ale
That's hot. Only qualm is the mana cost, bit confusing. anyhow
BG by me via smudge and clone, spiderboy4 for the Yawgmoth symbol. Chippy, obviously, for Skithiryx.
Realm of photoshops and Skittles!
Akroma has vigilance so you can't tap that.
My art blog
Claims:
The kicker variant in WWK will be "Kicker without a kicked effect." - proven wrong Jan 2010 : 2 wrongs
Decks:
:symu::symb: Bloodchief Ascension - Modern
:symb::symr: Rakdos, the Defiler - EDH
:symu::symb::symw: Sharuum the Hegemon - EDH
:symw::symu::symb: Zur the Enchanter - EDH
Realm of photoshops and Skittles!
Akroma has vigilance so you can't tap that.
Quick note, the little star next to her name is my take on a magic-ish Commander icon.
I like the idea behind this, but I can't seem to find the p/t which would be an issue in games with someone unfamiliar with the card.
I'll edit it in a bit.
Realm of photoshops and Skittles!
Akroma has vigilance so you can't tap that.
My Moderator Helpdesk| My Custom Set List | My MSE Template HostingBeers Tasted: 113 | Last Beer Sampled: Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Ale
No problem Pichoro. Get well soon.
My art blog
Claims:
The kicker variant in WWK will be "Kicker without a kicked effect." - proven wrong Jan 2010 : 2 wrongs
Decks:
:symu::symb: Bloodchief Ascension - Modern
:symb::symr: Rakdos, the Defiler - EDH
:symu::symb::symw: Sharuum the Hegemon - EDH
:symw::symu::symb: Zur the Enchanter - EDH