Spectra Ward, taken from MTG Art, by Ryan Alexander Lee and Wizards of the Coast
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
The magic of the natural elements is some of the most primal and mysterious there is - simplistic though it may seem, appearances can be deceiving, and the "elements" can include more abstract and powerful forces than most mages imagine.
This month, you'll be theming design around your picks from the following lists. Choose wisely, as your picks will carry over round-to-round.
Light
Grain
Moon
Energy (Static)
Sand
Holy
Metal
Water
Wind
Time
Energy (Potential)
Ice
Mist
Thought
Darkness
Void
Disease
Energy (Negative)
Blood
Poison
Soil
Fire
Stone
Speed
Energy (Kinetic)
Lightning
Dust
Magnetism
Wood
Storms
Life
Energy (Positive)
Seasons
Flesh
Wild
Challenge
Choose one item from the lists above, then design a colored instant or sorcery card themed around your chosen concept that is NOT the color of the list itself.
Make sure to include a rarity.
Make sure you note your element choice.
The card can be any color or colors that isn't noted in the spoiler dropdown's name: You can make a blue-red moon card or a monogreen lightning card, for example, but not a green-white metal card.
Stay tuned for June's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for July's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will include a scoring change on a trial basis. For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Your submissions are due Tuesday, July 4, 23:59 EST.
Schedule
Round 1 — Open to Everyone (June 28th–July 4)
Round 2 — Open to Everyone (July 5th–10th)
Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due July 15th)
Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (July 16th–20th)
Top 8 Critiques (Due July 22nd)
Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers from last round (July 23rd–27th)
Top 4 Critiques (Due July 29th)
Final (End of month, winner determined by public poll)
Shed Blood3R
Instant (U)
You may sacrifice a creature. If you do, Shed Blood deals X damage to target creature and X damage to target player, where X is the sacrificed creature’s power. Razaketh shedding his own blood into the Luxa set in motion the release of the insect gods and the destruction of Naktamun.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Crashing Gale1G
Instant (C)
Target creature with flying deals damage equal to its power to itself and one other target creature. A strong enough wind can turn even an assaulting army into a mere domino display.
Cleansing Silence5WWW
Sorcery (M)
Exile all nonland permanents. Until your next turn, those permanent's owners can't cast spells with the same names as those permanents. Purity in its finest, but also most frightening form.
Sands from the Void2GU
Instant (R)
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. If that card was a desert, you may return a card you own from exile to your hand or draw a card.
Non white/black about sand and void
Sands from the Void2GU
Instant (R)
Choose two. You may choose the same mode more than once.
- Return a card you own from your graveyard to your hand.
- Discard a desert: Return a card you own from exile to your hand.
- Draw a card.
Eclipse Charm1BB
Sorcery (U)
Choose one:
— Black creatures you control without afflict gain afflict 2 until end of turn. (Whenever a black creature you control becomes blocked this turn, defending player loses 2 life)
— Creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn. "Fear of the dark is just a childhood indulgence. Fear of the night, though..."
Startle Strategy3R
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast Startle Strategy, have a creature you control deal 2 damage to itself.
Until end of turn, attacking creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain first strike and trample. "OK, here plan. I make big loud boom. Then you charge 'em."
"Wow, that good idea! You very smart, Grot!"
Granite Reward1WG
Instant (R)
If a non-statue creature you control would die this turn, instead it becomes a colorless statue artifact creature with defender.
Draw a card. Even still, it's far better to serve a sentimental god than an indifferent one.
Stoneskin BrawlG
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2. If that creature is blocked, it gets +3/+3 and trample until end of turn instead. Sometimes, resistance is what it takes for us to go further.
Lunar Eclipse1UUR
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. Lands that produced mana used to cast that spell don't untap during their controller's next untap step. Awe precludes a quick return to the usual.
Zeru, Metal Master-InvokerRR
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
Equipments you control are indestructible. 4RR: Create a token that's a copy of target equipment, except it doesn't have equip cost. Attach it to Zeru, Metal Master-Invoker. Exile that token at the end of turn. There is no blade that Zeru can't shape, there is no skill that Zeru can't hone.
2/2
Drink Deep of Moonlight1U
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you scry, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. Fill a silver basin with lotus, hollyhock, oleander, and clear spring water. Steep for seven hours in the light of the full moon, then store in opaque bottles. It will lose its potency instantly if sunlight touches it.
— Recipe for a potion of strength.
Moonless NightXUU
Sorcery (U)
Creatures you control can't be blocked this turn. Those creatures gain hexproof until your next turn. On starless Čendera, a night without moon is a haven of perfect darkness, lawless, sublime.
Magnetize2UU
Sorcery (R)
Kicker 1U (You may pay an additional 1U as you cast this spell.)
If Magnetize was kicked, each opponent reveals his or her hand and puts all artifact cards revealed this way onto the battlefield.
Untap all artifacts and gain control of them until end of turn. Artifact creatures gain haste until end of turn.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Sunplague2BB
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a player attacks with a creature, casts a spell, draws a card, or activates an ability of a permanent he or she controls, that player loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your end step, if no creature attacked you since your last turn, sacrifice Sunplague. When summer comes on Jamuraa, you can't do anything. The heat crushes and chokes you, and you must wait for the sweet release of night.
Quick Draw1W
Instant (C)
Untap target creature. It gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Aiming well only matters if you first actually have the time to hit.
Hey guys! New here - just made my account today, but this looks fun. I've been designing cards for a while for cubes and stuff like that, so I'll give this a whirl.
Craving FleshUBR
Instant (U)
Choose two —
Target creature must attack or block this turn if able.
Target player sacrifices a creature, then gains life equal to that creature's toughness.
Target noncreature artifact becomes a 2/2 artifact creature until end of turn.
"Lust, love, or hunger? What makes your skin crawl?"
Ringing of Steel1RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that were blocked this turn. Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. You get an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase this turn. Some find the clash of sword against sword to be music more pure and moving than any bard's ballad.
Incandescent Lustre2RR
Sorcery (R)
Incandescent Luster deals damage to each creature equal to their converted mana cost. Those who shine the brightest burn the hottest.
From The Void2GG
Sorcery {M}
Exile all nonland permanents you control. Reveal the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of nonland permanents exiled this way. You may put a creature card from among them onto the battlefield. Shuffle the rest into your library. Wherever the thing from the void steps foot on, the place will just become another void with nothing left.
Purifying FlameW
Instant (C)
Purifying Flame deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. You gain 2 life. A fire wielded by the righteous, it harms only those that seek to do harm.
Lose ControlR
Sorcery (U)
Target creature you control gets +2/+0 and deals damage equal to it’s power to another target creature chosen at random. The Immerstrum stripped of control of body and soul.
“Reign of Elements”
Spectra Ward, taken from MTG Art, by Ryan Alexander Lee and Wizards of the Coast
Theme
The magic of the natural elements is some of the most primal and mysterious there is - simplistic though it may seem, appearances can be deceiving, and the "elements" can include more abstract and powerful forces than most mages imagine.
This month, you'll be theming design around your picks from the following lists. Choose wisely, as your picks will carry over round-to-round.
Light
Grain
Moon
Energy (Static)
Sand
Holy
Metal
Water
Wind
Time
Energy (Potential)
Ice
Mist
Thought
Darkness
Void
Disease
Energy (Negative)
Blood
Poison
Soil
Fire
Stone
Speed
Energy (Kinetic)
Lightning
Dust
Magnetism
Wood
Storms
Life
Energy (Positive)
Seasons
Flesh
Wild
Stay tuned for June's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for July's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will include a scoring change on a trial basis. For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Schedule
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Shed Blood 3R
Instant (U)
You may sacrifice a creature. If you do, Shed Blood deals X damage to target creature and X damage to target player, where X is the sacrificed creature’s power.
Razaketh shedding his own blood into the Luxa set in motion the release of the insect gods and the destruction of Naktamun.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Crashing Gale 1G
Instant (C)
Target creature with flying deals damage equal to its power to itself and one other target creature.
A strong enough wind can turn even an assaulting army into a mere domino display.
Cleansing Silence 5WWW
Sorcery (M)
Exile all nonland permanents. Until your next turn, those permanent's owners can't cast spells with the same names as those permanents.
Purity in its finest, but also most frightening form.
Sands from the Void 2GU
Instant (R)
Return target card from your graveyard to your hand. If that card was a desert, you may return a card you own from exile to your hand or draw a card.
Non white/black about sand and void
Sands from the Void 2GU
Instant (R)
Choose two. You may choose the same mode more than once.
- Return a card you own from your graveyard to your hand.
- Discard a desert: Return a card you own from exile to your hand.
- Draw a card.
Eclipse Charm 1BB
Sorcery (U)
Choose one:
— Black creatures you control without afflict gain afflict 2 until end of turn. (Whenever a black creature you control becomes blocked this turn, defending player loses 2 life)
— Creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.
"Fear of the dark is just a childhood indulgence. Fear of the night, though..."
Startle Strategy 3R
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast Startle Strategy, have a creature you control deal 2 damage to itself.
Until end of turn, attacking creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain first strike and trample.
"OK, here plan. I make big loud boom. Then you charge 'em."
"Wow, that good idea! You very smart, Grot!"
Granite Reward 1WG
Instant (R)
If a non-statue creature you control would die this turn, instead it becomes a colorless statue artifact creature with defender.
Draw a card.
Even still, it's far better to serve a sentimental god than an indifferent one.
Stoneskin Brawl G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2. If that creature is blocked, it gets +3/+3 and trample until end of turn instead.
Sometimes, resistance is what it takes for us to go further.
Lunar Eclipse 1UUR
Instant (R)
Counter target spell. Lands that produced mana used to cast that spell don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Awe precludes a quick return to the usual.
Hold.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Zeru, Metal Master-Invoker RR
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
Equipments you control are indestructible.
4RR: Create a token that's a copy of target equipment, except it doesn't have equip cost. Attach it to Zeru, Metal Master-Invoker. Exile that token at the end of turn.
There is no blade that Zeru can't shape, there is no skill that Zeru can't hone.
2/2
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you scry, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Fill a silver basin with lotus, hollyhock, oleander, and clear spring water. Steep for seven hours in the light of the full moon, then store in opaque bottles. It will lose its potency instantly if sunlight touches it.
— Recipe for a potion of strength.
Sorcery (U)
Creatures you control can't be blocked this turn. Those creatures gain hexproof until your next turn.
On starless Čendera, a night without moon is a haven of perfect darkness, lawless, sublime.
Magnetize 2UU
Sorcery (R)
Kicker 1U (You may pay an additional 1U as you cast this spell.)
If Magnetize was kicked, each opponent reveals his or her hand and puts all artifact cards revealed this way onto the battlefield.
Untap all artifacts and gain control of them until end of turn. Artifact creatures gain haste until end of turn.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Sunplague 2BB
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a player attacks with a creature, casts a spell, draws a card, or activates an ability of a permanent he or she controls, that player loses 1 life.
At the beginning of your end step, if no creature attacked you since your last turn, sacrifice Sunplague.
When summer comes on Jamuraa, you can't do anything. The heat crushes and chokes you, and you must wait for the sweet release of night.
Quick Draw 1W
Instant (C)
Untap target creature. It gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Aiming well only matters if you first actually have the time to hit.
(EDIT: Who would I be without making a card render?)
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
Craving Flesh UBR
Instant (U)
Choose two —
Ringing of Steel 1RR
Sorcery (R)
Untap all creatures that were blocked this turn. Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. You get an additional combat phase followed by an additional main phase this turn.
Some find the clash of sword against sword to be music more pure and moving than any bard's ballad.
Incandescent Lustre 2RR
Sorcery (R)
Incandescent Luster deals damage to each creature equal to their converted mana cost.
Those who shine the brightest burn the hottest.
From The Void 2GG
Sorcery {M}
Exile all nonland permanents you control. Reveal the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of nonland permanents exiled this way. You may put a creature card from among them onto the battlefield. Shuffle the rest into your library.
Wherever the thing from the void steps foot on, the place will just become another void with nothing left.
Purifying Flame W
Instant (C)
Purifying Flame deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. You gain 2 life.
A fire wielded by the righteous, it harms only those that seek to do harm.
Lose Control R
Sorcery (U)
Target creature you control gets +2/+0 and deals damage equal to it’s power to another target creature chosen at random.
The Immerstrum stripped of control of body and soul.
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
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