The last of your party rushes through the door, hearts racing. You take a minute's reprieve to collect yourselves, and take a look at those that made it through with you. You can see in their eyes you have gained their respect - and they yours. For what it's worth in the short time you have left, you know you can rely on them until the bitter end.
Minutes pass. Hours pass. You thought this was a corridor to the next chamber, but you are beginning to have your doubts. The cavern walls are bleak and featureless, and the cavern ceiling rises far beyond view, but even so you sense something troubling about this. After what seems like an eternity of following the narrow path, you bring the party to a halt. "I need a rest", you say; the heaviest-built member of your group scoffs, but is quick to throw himself on the cold, damp ground. He leans on the walls, and promptly leaps to his feet with a yelp.
Where the man's skin had touched the wall, the water was evaporating with a hiss. Carefully, you touch the wall - and feel a jolt of raw mana racing up your arm. As you pull a way, a ripple of raw Ætheric energy shakes the tunnel, lighting it up as it passes through. For a second, you think you see the light swirling to reveal the outline of the door, only to fade away again a few seconds later. One of the men taps your shoulder. "I think I saw something on the other side as well", he says.
"Good. Keep your eye on it." Mustering your courage, you thrust both hands into the wall. The sensation of mana quickly turns from uncomfortable to agonizing as the bonds form unnaturally quickly - already your flesh is sizzling at points where the raw energy is boiling your blood. Just as you prepare to draw away from pain, a thundering pulse shatters sends gravel raining down from the walls and severs the mana connections. Far in the distance, the door now shines like a beacon. But judging by the unbearable heat, the grinding sound behind you, and the sight of the others scrambling for the door, you may have more immediate concerns...
The Labyrinth mostly works like a game of Magic - that means you can't ride a Champion's Drake over a bunch of goblins or set haunted forests on fire with a Shivan Dragon, but feel free to Nighthaze your way through a swamp full of zombies or Stormcaller's Boon seven squirrels to kill an attacking Lord of the Pit.
For the purposes of the game, you are both a player at 1 life and a legendary 1/1 creature token with no types. This will probably not be important; just try not to do anything that might get you killed, but feel free to Giant Growth yourself if the need arises.
Dealing combat damage to your opponent is interpreted as getting through the door. You only have one shot at this, so try to get as many of your team members through as possible (including yourself!) The biggest blocker will always go for you, then the second-biggest will go for your smallest guy, the third-biggest for your second-smallest and so on. If any blockers are left over it wraps back around. Biggest means power, by the way.
Every round is like a totally new game, except for two things: You and any of your original creatures that made it through the door are the ones you start this round with (counters, auras, effects etc. fall off), and any basic lands you had carry over (again, brand spanking new). Additionally, you can add one basic land of one of your colors to your land cache at the end of every chamber. Note that both creatures and lands will begin the game on the battlefield and untapped.
It always starts on your opponent's (the room's) turn, so be prepared.
If there's any gray zones which require the "opponent" to make a decision, PM me. Don't just assume.
Although you start off with one card in hand (unless otherwise specified), you can use card-drawing effects to open up more "slots". This means draw step too!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This round's challenge:
It's your turn, and you just played two lands. Incoming Lavaball Trap targeting the two land connections you have just made (please, please read this before asking any questions. Also the rules up there.)
Finally, choose a fourth basic land for next round (within your colors).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RB players, this is where the 'suicide' bit of this month's CCL comes in
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mana symbols indicate your creatures. Letters indicate basic lands.
* indicates a Top 3 probation. Failure to provide a Top 3 next round will result in elimination. You can PM me a top 3 by the end of this round to remove this.
Uvar and Elau are digging trenches and lining up Acorn Catapults in a full-scale war.
The ruling powers of Norwend and Nimbal simultaneously kicked each other's ambassadors into a bottomless pit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Card Creation League is a monthly contest in which players compete over seven rounds. Each month has an overall theme and/or story, determined by that month's host.
Each round, the host will assign a card creation task to the players. This task may vary between teams or players.
The first three rounds are open to everyone who joined in the sign-up thread, which will be posted near the end of the previous month. After these rounds, the Top 8 players will move on to three single elimination rounds to determine a winner.
Rounds usually last three to four days for submissions and about two days for critiques, but the host has final say in making the schedule.
For the first three rounds, players are divided into teams. Four teams is standard, but there may be more or less depending on the number of players. Each team will review another team's cards during the critique period of that round.
Each player must submit a Top 3 ranking for the team he or she critiques at the end of each round. Each 1st place is worth 3 points, 2nd place 2 points, and 3rd place 1 point.
Additionally, each player can receive 2 bonus points per round. One point is awarded for posting a Top 3, and one point for providing critiques for that team's cards.
Suggested areas to critique include creativity, balance, printability, and relation to the overall theme or that player's previous cards.
Players who do not post a card or a Top 3 will be put on "probation." Top 3 violations for a round can be removed by posting or PMing the host with your Top 3 before the end of the next round. Any player that would receive a second violation is disqualified from further competition that month.
At the end of the first three rounds, the Top 8 players will be selected by points (usually the top 2 from each team). In the case of ties, there may be more than 8 players advancing. The host will determine matchups for single elimination. At the end of each elimination round, remaining players not in that matchup will choose a winner to advance. The host will break any ties.
The final round is determined by public poll.
Prior to Top 8, players have a chance of getting a total of 25 points toward their score each Scoring Round. Scores for each Round are determined by the following equation:
Total points of Player A in round N = 23 * X/Y + Additional points, where:
X = Total number of Scoring Points (Judge Points)
Y = Total number of Possible Points (3 * Number of Judges)
3 points are given for a First Place Top 3 finish, 2 points for a Second Place, and 1 point for a Third Place. 1 additional point is awarded if a Top 3 is submitted. 1 additional point is awarded if Critiques are given for all entries to be judged.
This way the grading is more streamlined in the fact that all rounds prior to Top 8 are graded equally, and there is no handicap for any team that has fewer judges.
You will notice this is a different system from previous months. It was designed to make "additional points" worth the same amount despite differing team sizes. Depending on how this month works out, this may become the new "normal" system, or it may be a one-time test.
Each player accumulates points from each Scoring Round until the end of Round 3.
The deadline is Friday, the 17th of February.
Also, please check here if you have doubt on whether somebody's entry meets the round requirements or not.
Land's Last DefenseXG
Instant (R)
Until end of turn, X target lands become 1/1 Green Saproling creatures. They lose all other types and abilities. When you listen to the land and work to understand her, she will come to your aid at your time of need.
I cast Land's Last Defense targeting the two lands that have come into play this turn using UGG. My two lands are now Saprolings and I swing with the team next turn.
Round 2 I had requested and U but I got a G which worked out just fine. This time I'd like an U to even everything out at UUGG.
This is an interesting response, but as a card it's a bit odd. I'm fairly certain all land animation things have "that are still lands", meaning this is a pretty conspicuous and awkward way to make your lands not lands.
Also, flavourfully, wtf do you do when the tunnel turns into a saproling.
Thordis Edenart, Prince of Alkair, calmly walked down the corridor, his eyes locked on the unseen end in the distance. Somehow, he was aware of his guard, the two massive Centaur champions, Azoth and Hallém eyeballing him nervously as they kept pace just a few short steps behind him. Thordis couldn't say he blamed them... what had happened back in that room of bone and metal... he could not explain it. He had simply spoken and the constructs were made to obey.
A part of his mind realized that it was likely connected to that fluid he had drank in the first room. After he drank it, fire unlike any other had flooded his bones, making him feel as though he would surely die, but he had not. That same feeling had rushed through him a second time, just before he had spoken the command that would halt the key-golems in their tracks.
However, even as he contemplated this, most of his mind was focused upon his mission here, and upon protecting his allies. He was a man of duty and of brotherhood, after all.
As they walked, Thordis began to feel a familiar burning within his bones. He wasn't sure if he was just imagining it at first, but as it grew, he had to stop. As he looked around, he began to notice that there was something strange with the walls. A deep light in this pitch black tunnel. Turning to the wall at his right, barely noticing the Centaurs taking a step back from the corner of his eye, he placed a hand upon the stone before him.
As soon as his fingers grazed the stone, he felt it. A vast ocean of fire brimming with power just beyond his reach. Though, even as he considered how to take it, he felt it reaching out to him, as though it wanted to be possessed. A flare of white light burst out around the Prince's fingers, and his eyes went wide, searing hot pain shooting up his arm like a spear. He couldn't move or think for the thirty seconds that it went on... it was just sheer pain.
However, as soon as the light faded, the pain was gone, and not even an ache was left behind. Thordis blinked in confusion once more, as he noticed the door fading into existence out of the corner of his eye. Once he turned to face it, however, the elemental, who had been meandering some fifty paces behind their procession, began keening, and Thordis almost immediately felt the reason why: a shape of lava was sweeping down from behind them.
"What is it?! What's going on?!" Azoth shouted as he about faced and readied his greatsword. Strange, Thordis thought, Can he not already feel the heat?
Stepping forward, between his two huge guards, he held up a hand to calm them, "Don't worry. I can handle this." As he stepped forward, the flaming boulder came into view, moving rapidly. Yet, for some reason, all that Thordis could think of was theology and food.
There was a story of a great feast hall, where the great warrior god, Deohulf, and his army had once stopped for merriment and rest. During the night, while they rested, the god's enemies had stolen into the hall and set the building to flame. However, when the sun rose the next day, the warriors simply awoke, among charred ruins, each and every one of them completely unscathed, while their would-be assassin's lay in charred piles in the ruins. That place had been the home of Rovald, the spirit of the hunt and the feast. It had favored Deohulf and his men for partaking of the bounty within it's hall, and scorned the assassin's for hunting their fellow man.
That is what Thordis needed right now. He needed that spirit's protection, and even as he gazed upon the ball of lava hurtling straight for him, he could feel it, Rovald, in his mind. All he needed to do, was push...
The prince breathed in deeply, the breath stirring that deep flame within his bones once more, and, with a silent prayer, breathed out. Azoth, Hallém, Thordis, and the elemental all flashed teal for a moment, and then, the blur of lava that moved far faster than anything they had ever seen broke over them.
It was a moment before they all realized they were safe and the ball of lava was gone, having exploded and leaving a residue of lava around their ankles. They were kept safe, however, by the teal skin that enveloped them. Turning around and stepping towards the now clearly illuminated door, Thordis spoke up, "Let's keep moving."
Azoth and Hallém responded in unison, clearly more out of fear than duty, "Y-yes sir."
Feast Spirit2BB
Creature - Spirit U
When Feast Spirit enters the battlefield, destroy target nonblack creature. Channel — 1GG, Discard Feast Spirit: Regenerate each creature you control. It is both the reveler and the feast itself.
2/1
Floating RGG to channel Feast Spirit and regenerate all my creatures. Next turn, let's see a plains.
I find it weird that a feast spirit is monoblack and kills stuff - I swear it would be better the other way around. At any rate, it's an interesting card, although the abilities are weird and unrelated. Without having read that two paragraphs, I absolteuly could not get the flavour of this. :|
Temporal Edit2U
Instant (U)
Shuffle up to three target permanents you control to their owners' libraries then draw that many cards. Never tell a chronomancer 'no take backs'.
Shuffle the two lands into my library, draw two cards and Lavaball trap fizzles for lack of a target. Adding an island to my mix and swing away with the whole party at my leisure.
See Oculus' post about how cunning you are. Very nice job, infinitisemal points for a sweet flavourful and mechanical card that is a very nice way of doing it.
Deck:
Forest
Island
Island
Myself
Merfolk
Centaur
Centaur
Submission for this round: Reconsider UU
Instant - (U)
Regain X(As additional cost to cast Reconsider, you may return X permanents you control to its owner's hand.)
Target player draws X cards. "Release all bonds, feel the energy, channel and reuse it. Go with the flow..thus you'll never run out of ideas" - Merfolk Saying
Play:
Cast Reconsider returning the two tunnels walls to my(?) hand, drawing 2 cards. Attack the door. Find me anothet forest for next round.
See above, but ddg got there first so the awesomeness is slightly lessened.
Me x1
Elemental X2
Merfolk x2
Island x1
Mountain x2
Timeskip2U
Instant (M)
End the turn. You skip your next turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to his or her maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
I bend the space-time continuum (I've always wanted to say that). After some confusion and debates with my team over whether what just happened was even possible, we proceed through the door, hopefully to a tropical beach (I'll take an Island, please).
Damnit, I want to bend the space-time continuum too.
Except in a way that's good. Seriously, this card is so weak... I mean, you can use it as a Mindbreak Trap, except you kind of SKIP YOUR NEXT TURN making it mostly almost totally a really large amount worse. Not really my piece of cake, considering time walking yourself is pretty bad. Using it to shut down an attack just results in it happening again. Using it on your turn allows your opponent to cast a free Time Walk and... yeah. :| The only thing I can think of that makes this any way remotely decent is doing this, while on the play, in response to an opponent cracking a fetchland; they end up one land down compared to you. But that's such a corner case I don't really think it's worth it.
WB
1x 1/1 Gerrard's Mom
4x 1/1 W Soldier
2x 2/2 B Vampire
2x Plains
1x Swamp
Stone of the Steed
Land (R) T: Add 1 to your mana pool. 1WB,T, Sacrifice a creature: Transform Stone of the Steed and attach it to a creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery. Legend tells of a place deep in the Labyrinth where escape can be bought on the wings of a ghostly black pegasus, for the right price in blood.
--- Spirit of the Steed
(WB) Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has flying and lifelink.
When Spirit of the Steed is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to the battlefield tapped and transformed.
Arrogant DismissalWB
Instant (U)
Choose up to three target nonland permanents with total converted mana cost 3 or less. Destroy those permanents. "I don't have time for these distractions. Let me know when you're ready to fight."
There is panic in the eyes of the men and vampires. Gerrard's Mom grabs them and brings them together, barking out a short speech. "Shields at the ready, form a wall! Vampires, lend them your support, a hand behind each shield. Now brace yourselves!" The magic woven into the words contains latent power, a potency that can turn the tide of heated battles, but here it is enough to simply survive the heat. The balls of lava smash to either side, ravaging the tunnel walls, but Gerrard's Mom and his men emerge unscathed. "Now, to the door!" he shouts, leading the heartened men in a scramble forward before another trap can appear.
Morale Surge2(G/W)
Instant (U)
Kicker 3(R/G)
Creatures you control get +0/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. If Morale Surge was kicked, those creatures also get +X/+0 until end of turn.
Cast this without kicker (using white of course), giving all of my guys +0/+7, plenty of toughness to survive.
An additional bond with black magic is forged as we press ahead (+ Swamp).
This card is pretty nice, and I like the timmy power-effect it generates (because I'm a timmy power-kid). It's an epic buff that exponentialises your creatures' power, at its maximum, and a nice way to dodge the flames otherwise.
void_nothing - Apostle of the Rebuker - in terms of flavor, I think this little goblin works. When you combine a Mark of Asylum with a 2/1 body it seems a little cheap, but it meets the challenge.
Piar - Chill of Undeath - Cost feels right and great flavor. I would enjoy using this card and it meets the challenge.
Random_Nation - Forgemaster's Barrier - I really like the cards cost and what you've chosen to do to beat the challenge. It isn't earth shattering through an innovation lens. I didn't enjoy the flavor as much when taken outside of the context of your story which is how most people will first view a card.
Ninja Caterpie - Landbonding into Wall of Infinity - I like the ingenuity of floating your mana to make a more expensive spell that meets the challenge. Like Random_Nation you've chosen protection but this time from everything. It fits cost wise but you and all your soldiers have lost all their weapons since they can't be equiped.
CodGod - Aetherhaste into Druid Warden - You've chosen two make two cards for the challenge. A flash maker for one with a cantrip seems a little overpowered at common, but it might work at uncommon. I like the warden cost and effect, but the flavor seems rather average.
I apologise if this is a stupid question, but I'm confused about the scores. For one thing you're clearly not using the grading system the OP describes, since that maxes out at 25 points per round and jimmy already as 115. But even without the scaling mechanism, with ten people on each team surely the maximum possible points so far is 20*3 + 2*2=64? What am I missing here?
The scoring system that's being quoted was a one-time thing for December; for some reason, it's been copied and pasted since then without people paying attention to that. (Oops. This is partly my fault, because I ran December. :rolleyes:)
This is being scored out of 100 per round - (total from all top 3s + bonus points) / (3 * # of judges + 2) * 100.
Faltersome MirageU
Instant (U)
Multikicker 2
Target noncreature gains hexproof until end of turn, then another target noncreature permanent gains hexproof until end of turn for each time Faltersome Mirage was kicked. When push comes to shove, the zephyr mages are above shoving.
I can't help but think that this would have been more gracefully done with Replicate. Also, this needs to say "target noncreature permanent."
Singled OutB
Instant (U)
This turn, whenever damage is dealt to a source other than target creature, that damage is dealt to that creature instead.
It seems a bit odd for black to get damage redirection, but this is a fairly flavorful fit for black. It's nice removal, but, as you point out in your use of it to pass the challenge, it can also save your creatures. This could easily be white if it said "target creature you control," which I might actually like better.
Light of Rainbow(2/W)1
Instant (U)
Prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to creatures you control this turn.
You gain 2 life for each color of mana spent to cast Light of Rainbow. For one sign of luck, for someone other sign of hope"
I'm pretty sure the mana cost should go the other way (1(2/W)), and it feels a little awkward, like it should be (2/W)(2/W). Otherwise, I really like that it rewards you for spending other colors on it.
Stone Disguise2U
Instant (U)
As an additional cost to cast Stone Disguise, tap any number of creatures you control.
Creatures tapped this way become artifacts until end of turn. (They are no longer creatures.)
Huh. This is a very inventive solution to the challenge. I like it quite a bit. I only wonder how necessary it is to tap your creatures for this.
Graveward's Song1BB
Instant (r)
Regenerate each creature you control. When a creature regenerates this way, untap it and put a +1/+1 counter on it. That creature becomes a black Skeleton in addition to its other colours and types.
"I offer you a choice: death's embrace or mine. I cannot say which you will find warmer."
—Essidra the Lich
You might want to rethink the name on this, because most people are going to read it the first time as "Graveyard's Song." At least, I did. The flavor text is nice. The cost seems fair enough, when I consider Wail of the Nim. I'm no wording guru, but I'm not 100% certain this does what you want it to with the current wording. Either way, I like it.
Stone Warden1W
Creature - Dwarf Wizard (U)
Flash 1, Return a land you control to its owner's hand: Target permanent gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. The stone will protect any who can ask.
1/2
Some people would probably say white dwarves are weird, but I've done it myself and I like it, so no complaints here. This guy is sort of like Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, but with a cost that's easier to meet once but harder to meet over and over. Or maybe it's more like a Mother of Runes you can use each turn...and flash in. Anyway, I feel like this should be a cleric, but I like it.
Merfolk Tricks 1UB
Instant U
Counter target spell
Fateseal 2 "...and the pyromancers rained down fire upon the beasts, only to watch it fizzle in the tide of blood." ~Historic account of the War of Death.
The flavor seems like it's all over the place on this one. How do the name and mechanics of the card convey a "tide of blood?" What "beasts" is the flavor text referring to? Merfolk? I don't think merfolk are generally considered beast. Finally, other than also being a control-type ability, what is fateseal doing here? It doesn't really make sense with the flavor, which it needs to do in order to avoid feeling tacked on.
Fleet-Clawed Prowler GG
Creature - Beast (R)
As an additional cost to cast Fleet-Clawed Prowler, return two lands you control to their owner's hand.
Flash, Haste
"It is the hunger, that stalks the sun, at end of the world."
- Anadwanie Saying
4/4
I wish the flavor text jived a bit better with the name. Otherwise, I like this card. It's a cute solution to the challenge.
Balefire - Very cool spell that makes good use of the Blasphemous Act mechanic. PsiJet - This is a very clunky spell that is more situational than most of the trap spells from Zendikar. ie. not a good thing. Also, Negate target spell lol? CrustaceanCrusader - Flavorful take on a new Counterspell variant. Probably still too strong in that environment though. Hyral - Really like this card, good job. *foo_intherain - Um, this is way too strong. Like, waaaaay too strong. L2i0n0k7 - Interesting take on white counter spell. Maybe a little too cheap but still fine. KoolKoal - Lol hope this spell doesn't screw you in the later rounds. Anyways, the little tiny Johny in me says hi. Jimmy Groove - Cool take on mass regeneration.
Apostle of the Rebuker
This guy confuses me a bit. I'm not crazy about flash in red: there are only 12 cards with it (13 if you count the weirdness of Lightning Reflexes). Flash, however, seems more like a tool than an identifying mechanic, so I'll let that go. I always thought Raging Kavu was awkward, but I can certainly see the how the flexibility is nice. What really gets me is 2 mana for a 1/2 in red. Combined with flash, that strikes me as a defensive creature. If this had been a 2/1, I would have been all over it being red with an off-color activation. As is, though, I think this card would have worked much better as just a white card. The red seems thrown in there because its one of your colors, not because the card calls for it.
Also, thumbs up for the creature type "Goblin Cleric." It made me smile.
Chill of Undeath
Protecting all of your creatures feels more green or white to me, but there is precedent for this in black. That precedent is Wail of the Nim, but I'm not 100% convinced that bumping rarity and adding another color lets this card cost half as much. Especially since this has the potential to kill a lot of creatures and Wail of the Nim probably should have been uncommon, anyway. I would have gone 2(B/R), but that's debatable. Still, I really like this effect in BR, and paying BB for it was a pretty clever answer to the challenge. Nice work.
Foregemaster's Barrier
First of all, I'm sorry, but I skipped right past your story bits. I'm sure they were very awesome and worth my time, but I just don't have much of that these days. Also, I don't want to risk my decisions being influenced by something outside the design.
Now that I've got that out of the way: This is a neat little trick that works perfectly in white. Akroma's Blessing says this could probably cost less, unless it is common. Of course, there is no rarity, so I don't know what you were going for. This kind of hosing feels brutal at common, though. Regardless, I like this card and the reference to Burrenton Forge-Tender. Nice work.
Landbonding and Wall of Infinity
On Landbonding- Its kind of like a one-time Earthcraft, which is neat. I've always enjoyed Convoke on an X-spell, so kudos. I almost feel like this could be XG, as it just cantrips without creatures. I think green should be able to cantrip.
On Wall of Infinity- I'm a little sad that this isn't an actual wall, but then again, I'm dumb. That said, I'm not crazy about the name as I don't think it clearly describes what the spell is doing (though it certainly sounds epic). I personally think it could stand to be slightly cheaper (maybe 4...or 3, depending on how playtesting pans out). It should definitely be a higher rarity, though, just for the complexity and sheer awesome-ness. (Awesomeness? Awesomocity?) Progenitus' rulings indicate you could drop the "by anything" from the reminder text.
Overall, I think you designed two cool cards that fit their respective colors well. I think the rarity may be off on both, but I'm really not sure about that. Good job.
Aetherhaste and Druid Warden
On Aetherhaste- I think Scout's Warning in blue is okay. The only problem I really have is that blue doesn't usually care about creatures, or giving them flash. Personally, I would have made it grant any spell flash, as that seems more blue to me. That probably wouldn't cost U, though, I guess. Not bad, but not terribly creative.
On Druid Warden- Way to multiclass! Seriously, though, a permanent Skyshroud Blessing seems fine. I do enjoy good bears.
The two cards work pretty well together, and I think it was a fairly clever way to handle the challenge. I just wish they had rarities! I'm going to assume rare for both, though.
3. CodGod
2. Ninja Caterpie
1. Piar
There were a lot of riffs on existing cards this round. Not that I can say much, as mine was a riff on Time Stop.
Critiques of Elau
btw Oculus, the critiques thread should totally have links to the round if you're going to separate them, I've edited that in.
void_nothing
Flash and haste is a little awkward, I guess he can get around tappers or something attacking, but really this is geared more for the activated ability. Noncombat damage is pretty rarely referenced, but this works I suppose. I'm not sure if this is better than an instant Mark of Asylum in execution though.
Piar
While regeneration is in black, it feels a bit weird to have it regenerate everybody, seems altruistic. I guess it is somewhat tempered by the way red plays in, red letting loose but black making sure it doesn't hurt itself too much. I wish it somehow scaled so that it had three modes (BB, BR, RR).
Random_Nation
I think you need to check Gatherer, maybe this card is printable but it is "strictly worse" than Akroma's Blessing in two ways (you can't choose the color and it isn't cycling). We don't get many of these single color hosers these days either. You are also missing rarity. Nice story setup though!
Ninja Caterpie
Ok, a complex response. Landbonding seems almost rare to me for its ability to generate a bunch of mana, and the cantrip is sort of tacked on without feeling organic. Wall of Infinity is fine I guess, basically mass unblockable or an overcosted counter, rarely are you getting a bunch of stuff targeted at once.
CodGod
Another two card response, starting with blue Scout's Warning. I suppose it works, but I can't give you creativity marks (even if you thought of it on your own, I have to subtract "didn't check Gatherer" points). The druid is pretty good, but why not just give him flash himself? It wasn't required that you use every color. He could have used a period and some flavor text.
For me, solving the challenge in a simple and elegant way was more important than doing a bunch of tricky stuff.
1. Piar - Decent trick, something a touch off.
2. void_nothing - Felt slightly disjointed.
3. CodGod - Would have been higher for the druid alone but the unnecessary colorshift confused me.
So the red brings the 'suddenly a dude' while the white brings the 'NO WAR!' Seems about right. Just looking at it as the monored version, I think it'd make more sense as a 2/1, honestly, since they prefer smaller rumps.
This can be used in quite a few ways, which is good. A sudden blocker, a sudden global-damage-preventer, or a sudden 2-damage when they're tapped down. Interesting card.
Mono black is not that big into helping out it's buddies. It'll exploit them, sure, but it doesn't really want to help them. It usually wants to help itself more. For that reason, the monoblack side of this is a little strange. I like the flavor of this, though: you make all of your guys into temporary zombies.
The mirroring between the black and the red here is really nice, of course. The mana cost doesn't line up with other cards of this style, though. I think it would have looked prettier as 1(B/R).
Short and sweet. That's how you do it. However, comparing this to Akroma's Blessing leaves me feeling that this was a bit underpowered. After all, at the same converted mana cost, Akroma's Blessing allowed you to pick the color and even had the option of cycling.
The flavor of this is quite well done of course (For the card, of course, not the short story. The story is good, of course, but we talking about the card right now). However, this needs a rarity.
That kind of mana ramp is a bit too good to be printed at uncommon. It essentially is a cantripping, one-off Earthcraft.
Also, this is a little too complex, as it could simply have been and instant with "2G: Creatures you control gain 'T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.' until end of turn. Draw a card." There are a few situations where it's a little different, but those are few.
So, a color-shifted Scout's Warning that says 'cast' instead of 'play'? Sorry, but you lose the creativity race. These kind of effects can make sense in blue, though.
This should be okay as far as balance goes, if Scout's Warning is any judge. However, you need a rarity.
This is a new one, though, if Terra Eternal and Consecrate Land are any judges, a bit more white than green. Also, this needs a rarity as well.
It shouldn't be too powerful, being just a grizzly bear with no protection ability itself. Not to mention protecting lands is not all that useful (it is in this case, but yeah).
One note: nice strategy. Good synergy between the cards.
You started last round with two Plains and a Forest, so isn't PPFF right?
@GerrardsMom - I always post links to the round at the top.
@Prophylaxis - go ahead.
@ Eskimo_Rage - Sorry, critiques on your team have already started.
My new entry is this:
Team Nimbal
Singled OutB
Instant (U)
This turn, whenever damage is dealt to a source other than target creature, that damage is dealt to that creature instead.
So he goes all Lavaball Trap, I play Singled Out (targetting one of my Soldiers) and that Soldier is instantly burnt and dead, while everyone else is safe.
I play a Swamp. (I don't think it is likely for me to survive another round, though)
L2i0-whaever leetspeak you have, please change the crit if you have time. Thanks.
On Aetherhaste- I think Scout's Warning in blue is okay. The only problem I really have is that blue doesn't usually care about creatures, or giving them flash. Personally, I would have made it grant any spell flash, as that seems more blue to me. That probably wouldn't cost U, though, I guess. Not bad, but not terribly creative.
Yeah, this is what I get for not doing my research - I had no idea scouts warning existsed, and was going for a riff on Quicken. Usually I'd have checked but I was pretty rushed. I'll try to be doubly creative next time to make up for it
On Druid Warden- Way to multiclass! Seriously, though, a permanent Skyshroud Blessing seems fine. I do enjoy good bears.
I have also never heard of Shyshroud Blessing, but at least my card is a bit different this time
And yeah, I completely forgot rarities (and didn't have time to think of any good flavour text)
Anyway, on with the crits!
Round 1: Stone of the Steed
Land (R) T: Add 1 to your mana pool. 1WB,T, Sacrifice a creature: Transform Stone of the Steed and attach it to a creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery. Legend tells of a place deep in the Labyrinth where escape can be bought on the wings of a ghostly black pegasus, for the right price in blood.
--- Spirit of the Steed
(WB) Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has flying and lifelink.
When Spirit of the Steed is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to the battlefield tapped and transformed.
Round 2: Arrogant DismissalWB
Instant (U)
Choose up to three target nonland permanents with total converted mana cost 3 or less. Destroy those permanents. "I don't have time for these distractions. Let me know when you're ready to fight."
1x 1/1 Gerrard's Mom
4x 1/1 W Soldier
2x 2/2 B Vampire
2x Plains
1x Swamp
Morale Surge2(G/W)
Instant (U)
Kicker 3(R/G)
Creatures you control get +0/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. If Morale Surge was kicked, those creatures also get +X/+0 until end of turn.
Cast this without kicker (using white of course), giving all of my guys +0/+7, plenty of toughness to survive.
The card seems balanced, if a little unexciting, but I don't like the two different hybrids on the card - they just make it feel more clunky to me than I think it had to be. Other than that, a perfectly fine entry.
Round 1:
Yavimaya Lake
Land UG, Draw a card and put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Add a U or G to your mana pool.
Round 2: Beryl NebulaUG
Instant (U)
When you cast Beryl Nebula, choose a creature type.
Prevent all combat damage dealt by creatures of the chosen type until end of turn.
Land's Last DefenseXG
Instant (R)
Until end of turn, X target lands become 1/1 Green Saproling creatures. They lose all other types and abilities. When you listen to the land and work to understand her, she will come to your aid at your time of need.
I cast Land's Last Defense targeting the two lands that have come into play this turn using UGG. My two lands are now Saprolings and I swing with the team next turn.
In comparison to other land-animating effects, it feel a bit weird that this one doesn't let them stay lands as well, but it's an interesting way of getting around the challenge. That aspect of the card feels like it was put in only to meet the challenge, rather than because it fits the rest of the card, which makes the design as a whole seem a bit awkward, and incidently means this card can be used to deny your opponent mana for a turn by targeting their lands in their upkeep, which doesn't feel very green at all. I'd say the card should only be able to target your lands because of that, but then it would be really weak, where at least now it can be a nasty combo with pyroclasm.
Round 1: Visionary's Sanctum
Land (R)
Visionary's Sanctum enters the battlefield tapped t: Add UG to your mana pool.
You may only play Visionary's Sanctum if you have drawn two or more cards this turn. A paradise of the mind and body, if you know where to look.
Round 2: Disarray1U
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn. Plant but a seed of chaos and a garden will grow.
1 x U 1/3 Merfolk
2x G 3/3 Centaur
2x Forest
1x Island
Temporal Edit2U
Instant (U)
Shuffle up to three target permanents you control to their owners' libraries then draw that many cards. Never tell a chronomancer 'no take backs'.
Shuffle the two lands into my library, draw two cards and Lavaball trap fizzles for lack of a target.
Your craftiness has already been established by others, but is worth pointing out again - this was a cool way of meeting the challenge.
The card itself seems balanced, fun, simple, and flavourful - plus it gets my Johnny senses tingling a bit. I really like how all the aspects of this card fit so well with each other to make the whole. Really well done on this one.
Round 1:
Floating Trees
Land - Forest
X is the number of flood counters on Floating Trees. T: Add G to your mana pool.
Pay X life, T: Add U to your mana pool. Put a flood counter on Floating Trees. "Do not suppose these sylvan ponds to be wadeable. They are no ponds. They are the eyes of the big sea, on which the trees are floating. Respect the Deep, wanderer!" - Five-Eye-Wandon, Merfolk-Elder
Round 2:
Mirrorcurrent Battlesuite - 1U
Enchantment -Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Flash
When Mirrorcurrent Battlesuite enters the battlefield, up to two target creatures become a copy of enchanted creature until end of turn.
Enchanted creature has hexproof.
Forest
Island
Island
Myself
Merfolk
Centaur
Centaur
Reconsider UU
Instant - (U)
Regain X(As additional cost to cast Reconsider, you may return X permanents you control to its owner's hand.)
Target player draws X cards. "Release all bonds, feel the energy, channel and reuse it. Go with the flow..thus you'll never run out of ideas" - Merfolk Saying
Play:
Cast Reconsider returning the two tunnels walls to my(?) hand, drawing 2 cards. Attack the door. Find me anothet forest for next round.
Another interesting way of meeting the challenge, and another card that comes together well as a whole. The one thing which feels really off to me is that the ability to target other players feels wrong on this card - while it technically makes it better, to me at least it intuitively feels like you're returning things to your hand, so your hand should be getting larger. It seems a bit on the weak side, but useful in certain situations.
Round 1: Arcane Workshop
Land (R) T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may put a storage counter on Arcane Workshop. , Remove X storage counters from Arcane Workshop: Add X mana in any combination of U and/or R to your mana pool.
Round 2: Back to the Drawing BoardUR
Instant (R)
Choose one or both — Destroy target artifact; and/or return target artifact to its owners hand. "If at first you don't succeed, break things down for spare parts and start over."
Me x1
Elemental X2
Merfolk x2
Island x1
Mountain x2
Timeskip2U
Instant (M)
End the turn. You skip your next turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to his or her maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
I bend the space-time continuum (I've always wanted to say that). After some confusion and debates with my team over whether what just happened was even possible, we proceed through the door, hopefully to a tropical beach (I'll take an Island, please).
This card is all kinds of crazy. In a good way. Just looking at it I instinctively want to find a way to break it.
It doesn't have a lot of obvious uses (at least not good ones - it can always be at least used as a counterspell with a bad drawback). But certain decks would get a kick out of pulling weird tricks with this. In a two-player game, assuming you play it on the opponent's turn, it pretty much reads "restart the turn", which is a very interesting effect. My only complaint is it's a bit more messy in multiplayer, but still has most of the same crazy try-to-break-me charm.
Round 1: Flourishing Memorial
Land R T, Pay 1 life: Add R or G to your mana pool. 4RR: Until end of turn, Flourishing Memorial becomes a 2/2 red Warrior creature with double strike. It is still a land. 2G: Until end of turn, Flourishing Memorial becomes a 0/0 green Plant creature. Put a +1/+1 counter on it. It is still a land.
Round 2: Lockdown1G
Instant U
End combat. "You never have the upper hand against me. Remember that next time."
--King Thordis Edenart of Alkair.
1x R 3/1 Elemental
2x G 3/3 Centaur
1x Mountain
2x Forest
Feast Spirit2BB
Creature - Spirit U
When Feast Spirit enters the battlefield, destroy target nonblack creature. Channel — 1GG, Discard Feast Spirit: Regenerate each creature you control. It is both the reveler and the feast itself.
2/1
Floating RGG to channel Feast Spirit and regenerate all my creatures.
Interesting flavour, useful abilities, but the abilities seem completely unconnected and the name feels uninspired. Good attempt at drawing the abilities together in the flavour text, but it still feels a bit disjointed - I can't see any reason why these abilities belong on the same card. Still, an interesting an balanced card.
MirrorEntity
I don't think hexproof is the kind of thing zephyrmages get up to, but the card itself is more than reasonable.
Prophylaxis
I almost feel like this is a more natural fit in white - it has a history of damage redirection and flagbearer effects. Black's usually works the other way around, but this manages to work somehow.
Sagharri
At 2W, this would be fine. As it is, I feel it may allow too much bleed into other colours.
Egak
Genius, although I question its viability as an actual card. Tap > stone wording is awkward and perhaps unnecessary.
Mobiusman
I understand what it's trying to do, but I don't think it's going the right away about it - it seems unnecessarily clunky. A more natural version of the card might spit out skeleton tokens, but of course, that would not solve the room.
Altaurus321
Cute. It could be argued that dwarves require more Magic love, but I personally hate the race. The card itself, however, is great.
GiftsTrix
Unconditional hard counters need UU in their costs. I know this because WotC told me. This might be a little too potent, especially against the current gamut of countermagic.
Erimety
Flash and haste are more or less redundant. Nice card and just a little bit flavourful, but I don't know what your flavour text is saying at all.
Void_Nothing: Not too bad, a little odd to see a goblin cleric popping out of nowhere to the rescue
Piar: Chill of Undeath: This seem a little odd. The RB version is fine, as is the RR version, but the pure black version doesn't seem pure black. I sort of see this as red with a black kicker.
Rnadom_Nation: Elegant and simple, but too narrow.
Ninja_Caterpie: The mass untap and one-two punch is a little too powerful, but the Wall of Infinity is a nice simple yet blunt way to solve the incoming trap crisis.
Codgod: A colorshifted card and a bear with a narrow effect. I'd think it might cost more than GG for a bigger body, though other 2 mana strategy hosers have been printed.
Singled OutB
Instant (U)
This turn, whenever damage is dealt to a source other than target creature, that damage is dealt to that creature instead.
So he goes all Lavaball Trap, I play Singled Out (targetting one of my Soldiers) and that Soldier is instantly burnt and dead, while everyone else is safe.
I play a Swamp. (I don't think it is likely for me to survive another round, though)
L2i0-whaever leetspeak you have, please change the crit if you have time. Thanks.
I'll edit my critique, since you asked so nicely. My name isn't leet, though, it's Link2007.
Will Judge on a 7 point scale.
2 - Balance (1 point Limited, 1 point constructed)
2 - Flavor (1 point feel of card abilities, 1 point name and if applicable flavor text)
2 - Technical Accuracy (Both points are for templeting. Minor errors is -1. Errors making the card not work as intended -2)
1 - Wow (A card that makes me go Wow)
1.5/2 While this card isn't overpowered or under powered I don't like it as a rare. I think for limited, this would be a solid uncommon.
2/2 The name is okay, but doesn't move me. Flavor text though does
2/2 Works
0/1
5.5/7
0/2 Really really narrow. Especially for the cost. Underpowered. Could easily be UB for trap cost and even 1UB for casting cost just due to how narrow it is.
0/2 The name doesn't do anything for me flavor wise, and the flavor text seems strange
0/2 Doesn't work. Should be 'counter' not 'negate'.
0/1
0/7
Just gonna do e'm seperate and average 'em!
HEADRUSH
2/2 Works, digs pretty deep, but the random is painful.
2/2 Name is good, flavor text is amazing.
2/2 Works
1/1 I really like this card.
7/7
Beckoning
1/2 In constructed this will probably not ever get plaid except in incredibly niche decks. Limited is the same, but niche decks tend to do better/more prominent than in constructed.
0/2 The combination of a beckogning and "Out with the tides" seems fairly contradictory. Neither of which really say 'counterspell' much less 'counterspell from yard' to me.
2/2 Works
0/1 I can just feel how frustrating it will be to have this in your hand in most of the game.
3/7
YOUR SCORE!!
5/7
1/2 - Limited wouldn't use this except in sideboards, shouldn't be uncommon.
0/2 - Not sure how harmony protects creatures/permanents actively, or how they stop being harmonious until end of turn... no ft so no other flavor to go off ot.
2/2 works
0/1
3/7
0/2 That's overpowered. All your creatures have absorb 4 for the rest of the game? for 1WU? No.
0/2 Don't see how rain absorbs damage, even if blessed. Maybe heals.
2/2 Works
0/1
2/7
2/2 Not overly powerful, like it at U, think that's perfect.
2/2 Solid flavor
2/2 Works
0/1 Close, but making this white (while technically correct) just rubs me the wrong way keeping the wow point away.
6/7
0/2 One with Nothing for lands... you lose not only cards but soo much tempo.. so much. And resources too. Wow. Rare?
1.5/2 Don't like the 'homage' to one with nothing name wise, but the flavor text is amazing.
2/2 Works
1/1 That FT makes it worth it.
4.5/7
2/2 I don't see this as incedibly over or underpowered.
1/2 Flavor is okay. Seems generic.
1/2 While the card works "creatures you control gain "Another creature you control "" just doesn't grok well at all. I know what it does, but this wording is so awkward.
0/1
4/7
Round 3 - Lavaball
The last of your party rushes through the door, hearts racing. You take a minute's reprieve to collect yourselves, and take a look at those that made it through with you. You can see in their eyes you have gained their respect - and they yours. For what it's worth in the short time you have left, you know you can rely on them until the bitter end.
Minutes pass. Hours pass. You thought this was a corridor to the next chamber, but you are beginning to have your doubts. The cavern walls are bleak and featureless, and the cavern ceiling rises far beyond view, but even so you sense something troubling about this. After what seems like an eternity of following the narrow path, you bring the party to a halt. "I need a rest", you say; the heaviest-built member of your group scoffs, but is quick to throw himself on the cold, damp ground. He leans on the walls, and promptly leaps to his feet with a yelp.
Where the man's skin had touched the wall, the water was evaporating with a hiss. Carefully, you touch the wall - and feel a jolt of raw mana racing up your arm. As you pull a way, a ripple of raw Ætheric energy shakes the tunnel, lighting it up as it passes through. For a second, you think you see the light swirling to reveal the outline of the door, only to fade away again a few seconds later. One of the men taps your shoulder. "I think I saw something on the other side as well", he says.
"Good. Keep your eye on it." Mustering your courage, you thrust both hands into the wall. The sensation of mana quickly turns from uncomfortable to agonizing as the bonds form unnaturally quickly - already your flesh is sizzling at points where the raw energy is boiling your blood. Just as you prepare to draw away from pain, a thundering pulse shatters sends gravel raining down from the walls and severs the mana connections. Far in the distance, the door now shines like a beacon. But judging by the unbearable heat, the grinding sound behind you, and the sight of the others scrambling for the door, you may have more immediate concerns...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
This round's challenge:
It's your turn, and you just played two lands. Incoming Lavaball Trap targeting the two land connections you have just made (please, please read this before asking any questions. Also the rules up there.)
Finally, choose a fourth basic land for next round (within your colors).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RB players, this is where the 'suicide' bit of this month's CCL comes in
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mana symbols indicate your creatures. Letters indicate basic lands.
* indicates a Top 3 probation. Failure to provide a Top 3 next round will result in elimination. You can PM me a top 3 by the end of this round to remove this.
Team Uvar:
yewlas 52 UURR, IIMM
Gerrard's Mom 102 WWWWBB, PPSS
EronTheRelentless 38 UGG, IIFF
*Rithaniel 88 RGG, MMFF
*LutrineLordschuft 40 GGU, FFII
drewdagreek 60 GGU, FFII
Team Norwend:
Balefire 19 GGB, SSFF
PsiJet 17 UUBB, IISS
CrustaceanCrusader 75 UURR, IIMM
Hyral 53 UGG, IIFF
*foo_intherain 58 WWWWUU, PPII
L2i0n0k7 91 WWWWUU, PPII
KoolKoal 34 BBRR, SSMM
Jimmy Groove 115 BBB, SSMM
Team Elau:
void_nothing 40 RRWWWW, MMPP
*Socrates 66Piar 55 BBRR, SSMM
Random_Nation 54 RRWWWW, MMPP
Ninja Caterpie 109 GWWWWW, FFPP
*Timothy, MimeslayerZanny77CodGod 43 GGU, FFII
Eskimo_RageTeam Nimbal:
MirrorEntity 64 WWUUU, PPII
Prophylaxis 49 WWWW, PPSS
Sagharri 37 GWWWW, FFFP
Egak 94 GGU, FFII
Mobiusman 38 GG, SSFF
Altaurus321 81 WWWWBB, PPSS
BlackBullGiftsTrix 35 UUU, IISS
Erimety 56 GGU, FFII
Uvar and Elau are digging trenches and lining up Acorn Catapults in a full-scale war.
The ruling powers of Norwend and Nimbal simultaneously kicked each other's ambassadors into a bottomless pit.
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Y = Total number of Possible Points (3 * Number of Judges)
The deadline is Friday, the 17th of February.
Also, please check here if you have doubt on whether somebody's entry meets the round requirements or not.
[Clan Flamingo] Tier Archivist
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
This is an interesting response, but as a card it's a bit odd. I'm fairly certain all land animation things have "that are still lands", meaning this is a pretty conspicuous and awkward way to make your lands not lands.
Also, flavourfully, wtf do you do when the tunnel turns into a saproling.
I find it weird that a feast spirit is monoblack and kills stuff - I swear it would be better the other way around. At any rate, it's an interesting card, although the abilities are weird and unrelated. Without having read that two paragraphs, I absolteuly could not get the flavour of this. :|
See Oculus' post about how cunning you are. Very nice job, infinitisemal points for a sweet flavourful and mechanical card that is a very nice way of doing it.
See above, but ddg got there first so the awesomeness is slightly lessened.
Damnit, I want to bend the space-time continuum too.
Except in a way that's good. Seriously, this card is so weak... I mean, you can use it as a Mindbreak Trap, except you kind of SKIP YOUR NEXT TURN making it mostly almost totally a really large amount worse. Not really my piece of cake, considering time walking yourself is pretty bad. Using it to shut down an attack just results in it happening again. Using it on your turn allows your opponent to cast a free Time Walk and... yeah. :| The only thing I can think of that makes this any way remotely decent is doing this, while on the play, in response to an opponent cracking a fetchland; they end up one land down compared to you. But that's such a corner case I don't really think it's worth it.
This card is pretty nice, and I like the timmy power-effect it generates (because I'm a timmy power-kid). It's an epic buff that exponentialises your creatures' power, at its maximum, and a nice way to dodge the flames otherwise.
#2 - Gerrard's Mom
#3 - Lordschuft
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
Piar - Chill of Undeath - Cost feels right and great flavor. I would enjoy using this card and it meets the challenge.
Random_Nation - Forgemaster's Barrier - I really like the cards cost and what you've chosen to do to beat the challenge. It isn't earth shattering through an innovation lens. I didn't enjoy the flavor as much when taken outside of the context of your story which is how most people will first view a card.
Ninja Caterpie - Landbonding into Wall of Infinity - I like the ingenuity of floating your mana to make a more expensive spell that meets the challenge. Like Random_Nation you've chosen protection but this time from everything. It fits cost wise but you and all your soldiers have lost all their weapons since they can't be equiped.
CodGod - Aetherhaste into Druid Warden - You've chosen two make two cards for the challenge. A flash maker for one with a cantrip seems a little overpowered at common, but it might work at uncommon. I like the warden cost and effect, but the flavor seems rather average.
3. Random Nation
2. Piar
1. Ninja Caterpie
PsiJet: Syphon Trap - You mean "Counter", right?
Balefire: Life's Continuum - Nice.
L2i0n0k7: Icebind - Wonderful.
CrustaceanCrusader: Headrush and Nebelgast's Beckoning - Brilliant.
foo_intherain: Blessed Rain - Overpowered.
KoolKoal: One with Waste - Johnytastic.
Hyral: Harmony of Nature - Nice.
2.) KoolKoal
1.) CrustaceanCrusader
Um, you're a creature too, so you died.
Yeah.
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
This is being scored out of 100 per round - (total from all top 3s + bonus points) / (3 * # of judges + 2) * 100.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Most Nominated for Random Categories, 2013
I can't help but think that this would have been more gracefully done with Replicate. Also, this needs to say "target noncreature permanent."
It seems a bit odd for black to get damage redirection, but this is a fairly flavorful fit for black. It's nice removal, but, as you point out in your use of it to pass the challenge, it can also save your creatures. This could easily be white if it said "target creature you control," which I might actually like better.
I'm pretty sure the mana cost should go the other way (1(2/W)), and it feels a little awkward, like it should be (2/W)(2/W). Otherwise, I really like that it rewards you for spending other colors on it.
Huh. This is a very inventive solution to the challenge. I like it quite a bit. I only wonder how necessary it is to tap your creatures for this.
You might want to rethink the name on this, because most people are going to read it the first time as "Graveyard's Song." At least, I did. The flavor text is nice. The cost seems fair enough, when I consider Wail of the Nim. I'm no wording guru, but I'm not 100% certain this does what you want it to with the current wording. Either way, I like it.
Some people would probably say white dwarves are weird, but I've done it myself and I like it, so no complaints here. This guy is sort of like Eight-and-a-Half-Tails, but with a cost that's easier to meet once but harder to meet over and over. Or maybe it's more like a Mother of Runes you can use each turn...and flash in. Anyway, I feel like this should be a cleric, but I like it.
The flavor seems like it's all over the place on this one. How do the name and mechanics of the card convey a "tide of blood?" What "beasts" is the flavor text referring to? Merfolk? I don't think merfolk are generally considered beast. Finally, other than also being a control-type ability, what is fateseal doing here? It doesn't really make sense with the flavor, which it needs to do in order to avoid feeling tacked on.
I wish the flavor text jived a bit better with the name. Otherwise, I like this card. It's a cute solution to the challenge.
1. Egak
2. Altaurus321
3. Erimety
PsiJet - This is a very clunky spell that is more situational than most of the trap spells from Zendikar. ie. not a good thing. Also, Negate target spell lol?
CrustaceanCrusader - Flavorful take on a new Counterspell variant. Probably still too strong in that environment though.
Hyral - Really like this card, good job.
*foo_intherain - Um, this is way too strong. Like, waaaaay too strong.
L2i0n0k7 - Interesting take on white counter spell. Maybe a little too cheap but still fine.
KoolKoal - Lol hope this spell doesn't screw you in the later rounds. Anyways, the little tiny Johny in me says hi.
Jimmy Groove - Cool take on mass regeneration.
Top 3:
1. Balefire
2. Hyral
3. Jimmy Groove
(CubeTutor & MTGS)
360 Peasant Cube!
Custom Cube
RWU Miracles RWU
This guy confuses me a bit. I'm not crazy about flash in red: there are only 12 cards with it (13 if you count the weirdness of Lightning Reflexes). Flash, however, seems more like a tool than an identifying mechanic, so I'll let that go. I always thought Raging Kavu was awkward, but I can certainly see the how the flexibility is nice. What really gets me is 2 mana for a 1/2 in red. Combined with flash, that strikes me as a defensive creature. If this had been a 2/1, I would have been all over it being red with an off-color activation. As is, though, I think this card would have worked much better as just a white card. The red seems thrown in there because its one of your colors, not because the card calls for it.
Also, thumbs up for the creature type "Goblin Cleric." It made me smile.
Protecting all of your creatures feels more green or white to me, but there is precedent for this in black. That precedent is Wail of the Nim, but I'm not 100% convinced that bumping rarity and adding another color lets this card cost half as much. Especially since this has the potential to kill a lot of creatures and Wail of the Nim probably should have been uncommon, anyway. I would have gone 2(B/R), but that's debatable. Still, I really like this effect in BR, and paying BB for it was a pretty clever answer to the challenge. Nice work.
First of all, I'm sorry, but I skipped right past your story bits. I'm sure they were very awesome and worth my time, but I just don't have much of that these days. Also, I don't want to risk my decisions being influenced by something outside the design.
Now that I've got that out of the way: This is a neat little trick that works perfectly in white. Akroma's Blessing says this could probably cost less, unless it is common. Of course, there is no rarity, so I don't know what you were going for. This kind of hosing feels brutal at common, though. Regardless, I like this card and the reference to Burrenton Forge-Tender. Nice work.
On Landbonding- Its kind of like a one-time Earthcraft, which is neat. I've always enjoyed Convoke on an X-spell, so kudos. I almost feel like this could be XG, as it just cantrips without creatures. I think green should be able to cantrip.
On Wall of Infinity- I'm a little sad that this isn't an actual wall, but then again, I'm dumb. That said, I'm not crazy about the name as I don't think it clearly describes what the spell is doing (though it certainly sounds epic). I personally think it could stand to be slightly cheaper (maybe 4...or 3, depending on how playtesting pans out). It should definitely be a higher rarity, though, just for the complexity and sheer awesome-ness. (Awesomeness? Awesomocity?) Progenitus' rulings indicate you could drop the "by anything" from the reminder text.
Overall, I think you designed two cool cards that fit their respective colors well. I think the rarity may be off on both, but I'm really not sure about that. Good job.
On Aetherhaste- I think Scout's Warning in blue is okay. The only problem I really have is that blue doesn't usually care about creatures, or giving them flash. Personally, I would have made it grant any spell flash, as that seems more blue to me. That probably wouldn't cost U, though, I guess. Not bad, but not terribly creative.
On Druid Warden- Way to multiclass! Seriously, though, a permanent Skyshroud Blessing seems fine. I do enjoy good bears.
The two cards work pretty well together, and I think it was a fairly clever way to handle the challenge. I just wish they had rarities! I'm going to assume rare for both, though.
3. CodGod
2. Ninja Caterpie
1. Piar
There were a lot of riffs on existing cards this round. Not that I can say much, as mine was a riff on Time Stop.
Mechanic Creator's Contest III- Winner
[Clan Flamingo]
*disbelief*
Seriously?
Oculus, since judgings on my card haven't commenced yet, may I change my card?
Like Caterpie said, I'm pretty sure you not only died, but don't get to keep your creatures in the next room.
btw Oculus, the critiques thread should totally have links to the round if you're going to separate them, I've edited that in.
void_nothing
Flash and haste is a little awkward, I guess he can get around tappers or something attacking, but really this is geared more for the activated ability. Noncombat damage is pretty rarely referenced, but this works I suppose. I'm not sure if this is better than an instant Mark of Asylum in execution though.
Piar
While regeneration is in black, it feels a bit weird to have it regenerate everybody, seems altruistic. I guess it is somewhat tempered by the way red plays in, red letting loose but black making sure it doesn't hurt itself too much. I wish it somehow scaled so that it had three modes (BB, BR, RR).
Random_Nation
I think you need to check Gatherer, maybe this card is printable but it is "strictly worse" than Akroma's Blessing in two ways (you can't choose the color and it isn't cycling). We don't get many of these single color hosers these days either. You are also missing rarity. Nice story setup though!
Ninja Caterpie
Ok, a complex response. Landbonding seems almost rare to me for its ability to generate a bunch of mana, and the cantrip is sort of tacked on without feeling organic. Wall of Infinity is fine I guess, basically mass unblockable or an overcosted counter, rarely are you getting a bunch of stuff targeted at once.
CodGod
Another two card response, starting with blue Scout's Warning. I suppose it works, but I can't give you creativity marks (even if you thought of it on your own, I have to subtract "didn't check Gatherer" points). The druid is pretty good, but why not just give him flash himself? It wasn't required that you use every color. He could have used a period and some flavor text.
1. Piar - Decent trick, something a touch off.
2. void_nothing - Felt slightly disjointed.
3. CodGod - Would have been higher for the druid alone but the unnecessary colorshift confused me.
May be next time
You started last round with two Plains and a Forest, so isn't PPFF right?
@GerrardsMom - I always post links to the round at the top.
@Prophylaxis - go ahead.
@ Eskimo_Rage - Sorry, critiques on your team have already started.
[Clan Flamingo] Tier Archivist
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
So the red brings the 'suddenly a dude' while the white brings the 'NO WAR!' Seems about right. Just looking at it as the monored version, I think it'd make more sense as a 2/1, honestly, since they prefer smaller rumps.
This can be used in quite a few ways, which is good. A sudden blocker, a sudden global-damage-preventer, or a sudden 2-damage when they're tapped down. Interesting card.
Mono black is not that big into helping out it's buddies. It'll exploit them, sure, but it doesn't really want to help them. It usually wants to help itself more. For that reason, the monoblack side of this is a little strange. I like the flavor of this, though: you make all of your guys into temporary zombies.
The mirroring between the black and the red here is really nice, of course. The mana cost doesn't line up with other cards of this style, though. I think it would have looked prettier as 1(B/R).
Short and sweet. That's how you do it. However, comparing this to Akroma's Blessing leaves me feeling that this was a bit underpowered. After all, at the same converted mana cost, Akroma's Blessing allowed you to pick the color and even had the option of cycling.
The flavor of this is quite well done of course (For the card, of course, not the short story. The story is good, of course, but we talking about the card right now). However, this needs a rarity.
That kind of mana ramp is a bit too good to be printed at uncommon. It essentially is a cantripping, one-off Earthcraft.
Also, this is a little too complex, as it could simply have been and instant with "2G: Creatures you control gain 'T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.' until end of turn. Draw a card." There are a few situations where it's a little different, but those are few.
Again, I believe this is a little too impressive for uncommon. 'Protection from everything' just sounds so freaking epic.
This should be balanced at this cmc, of course. It's essentially just the peak of the many cards that give wide-spread protection.
So, a color-shifted Scout's Warning that says 'cast' instead of 'play'? Sorry, but you lose the creativity race. These kind of effects can make sense in blue, though.
This should be okay as far as balance goes, if Scout's Warning is any judge. However, you need a rarity.
This is a new one, though, if Terra Eternal and Consecrate Land are any judges, a bit more white than green. Also, this needs a rarity as well.
It shouldn't be too powerful, being just a grizzly bear with no protection ability itself. Not to mention protecting lands is not all that useful (it is in this case, but yeah).
One note: nice strategy. Good synergy between the cards.
Alright then.
One more day for critiques everybody!
[Clan Flamingo] Tier Archivist
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
My new entry is this:
Team Nimbal
Singled Out B
Instant (U)
This turn, whenever damage is dealt to a source other than target creature, that damage is dealt to that creature instead.
So he goes all Lavaball Trap, I play Singled Out (targetting one of my Soldiers) and that Soldier is instantly burnt and dead, while everyone else is safe.
I play a Swamp. (I don't think it is likely for me to survive another round, though)
L2i0-whaever leetspeak you have, please change the crit if you have time. Thanks.
I have also never heard of Shyshroud Blessing, but at least my card is a bit different this time
And yeah, I completely forgot rarities (and didn't have time to think of any good flavour text)
Anyway, on with the crits!
Stone of the Steed
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1WB,T, Sacrifice a creature: Transform Stone of the Steed and attach it to a creature you control. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Legend tells of a place deep in the Labyrinth where escape can be bought on the wings of a ghostly black pegasus, for the right price in blood.
---
Spirit of the Steed
(WB) Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has flying and lifelink.
When Spirit of the Steed is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to the battlefield tapped and transformed.
Round 2:
Arrogant Dismissal WB
Instant (U)
Choose up to three target nonland permanents with total converted mana cost 3 or less. Destroy those permanents.
"I don't have time for these distractions. Let me know when you're ready to fight."
4x 1/1 W Soldier
2x 2/2 B Vampire
2x Plains
1x Swamp
Instant (U)
Kicker 3(R/G)
Creatures you control get +0/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. If Morale Surge was kicked, those creatures also get +X/+0 until end of turn.
Cast this without kicker (using white of course), giving all of my guys +0/+7, plenty of toughness to survive.
Yavimaya Lake
Land
UG, Draw a card and put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Add a U or G to your mana pool.
Round 2:
Beryl Nebula UG
Instant (U)
When you cast Beryl Nebula, choose a creature type.
Prevent all combat damage dealt by creatures of the chosen type until end of turn.
2x Forest
1x Maritime Guard "Juni"
2x 3/3 Green Centaur
- Centaur Courser - "Bo"
- Nessian Courser - "Ramal"
Instant (R)
Until end of turn, X target lands become 1/1 Green Saproling creatures. They lose all other types and abilities.
When you listen to the land and work to understand her, she will come to your aid at your time of need.
I cast Land's Last Defense targeting the two lands that have come into play this turn using UGG. My two lands are now Saprolings and I swing with the team next turn.
Visionary's Sanctum
Land (R)
Visionary's Sanctum enters the battlefield tapped
t: Add UG to your mana pool.
You may only play Visionary's Sanctum if you have drawn two or more cards this turn.
A paradise of the mind and body, if you know where to look.
Round 2:
Disarray 1U
Instant (C)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Plant but a seed of chaos and a garden will grow.
2x G 3/3 Centaur
2x Forest
1x Island
Instant (U)
Shuffle up to three target permanents you control to their owners' libraries then draw that many cards.
Never tell a chronomancer 'no take backs'.
Shuffle the two lands into my library, draw two cards and Lavaball trap fizzles for lack of a target.
The card itself seems balanced, fun, simple, and flavourful - plus it gets my Johnny senses tingling a bit. I really like how all the aspects of this card fit so well with each other to make the whole. Really well done on this one.
Floating Trees
Land - Forest
X is the number of flood counters on Floating Trees.
T: Add G to your mana pool.
Pay X life, T: Add U to your mana pool. Put a flood counter on Floating Trees.
"Do not suppose these sylvan ponds to be wadeable. They are no ponds. They are the eyes of the big sea, on which the trees are floating. Respect the Deep, wanderer!" - Five-Eye-Wandon, Merfolk-Elder
Round 2:
Mirrorcurrent Battlesuite - 1U
Enchantment -Aura (U)
Enchant Creature
Flash
When Mirrorcurrent Battlesuite enters the battlefield, up to two target creatures become a copy of enchanted creature until end of turn.
Enchanted creature has hexproof.
Island
Island
Myself
Merfolk
Centaur
Centaur
Instant - (U)
Regain X(As additional cost to cast Reconsider, you may return X permanents you control to its owner's hand.)
Target player draws X cards.
"Release all bonds, feel the energy, channel and reuse it. Go with the flow..thus you'll never run out of ideas" - Merfolk Saying
Play:
Cast Reconsider returning the two tunnels walls to my(?) hand, drawing 2 cards. Attack the door. Find me anothet forest for next round.
Arcane Workshop
Land (R)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may put a storage counter on Arcane Workshop.
, Remove X storage counters from Arcane Workshop: Add X mana in any combination of U and/or R to your mana pool.
Round 2:
Back to the Drawing Board UR
Instant (R)
Choose one or both — Destroy target artifact; and/or return target artifact to its owners hand.
"If at first you don't succeed, break things down for spare parts and start over."
Elemental X2
Merfolk x2
Island x1
Mountain x2
Instant (M)
End the turn. You skip your next turn. (Exile all spells and abilities on the stack, including this card. The player whose turn it is discards down to his or her maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.)
I bend the space-time continuum (I've always wanted to say that). After some confusion and debates with my team over whether what just happened was even possible, we proceed through the door, hopefully to a tropical beach (I'll take an Island, please).
It doesn't have a lot of obvious uses (at least not good ones - it can always be at least used as a counterspell with a bad drawback). But certain decks would get a kick out of pulling weird tricks with this. In a two-player game, assuming you play it on the opponent's turn, it pretty much reads "restart the turn", which is a very interesting effect. My only complaint is it's a bit more messy in multiplayer, but still has most of the same crazy try-to-break-me charm.
Flourishing Memorial
Land R
T, Pay 1 life: Add R or G to your mana pool.
4RR: Until end of turn, Flourishing Memorial becomes a 2/2 red Warrior creature with double strike. It is still a land.
2G: Until end of turn, Flourishing Memorial becomes a 0/0 green Plant creature. Put a +1/+1 counter on it. It is still a land.
Round 2:
Lockdown 1G
Instant U
End combat.
"You never have the upper hand against me. Remember that next time."
--King Thordis Edenart of Alkair.
2x G 3/3 Centaur
1x Mountain
2x Forest
Creature - Spirit U
When Feast Spirit enters the battlefield, destroy target nonblack creature.
Channel — 1GG, Discard Feast Spirit: Regenerate each creature you control.
It is both the reveler and the feast itself.
2/1
Floating RGG to channel Feast Spirit and regenerate all my creatures.
1: drewdagreek
2: yewlas
3: Rithaniel
MirrorEntity
I don't think hexproof is the kind of thing zephyrmages get up to, but the card itself is more than reasonable.
Prophylaxis
I almost feel like this is a more natural fit in white - it has a history of damage redirection and flagbearer effects. Black's usually works the other way around, but this manages to work somehow.
Sagharri
At 2W, this would be fine. As it is, I feel it may allow too much bleed into other colours.
Egak
Genius, although I question its viability as an actual card. Tap > stone wording is awkward and perhaps unnecessary.
Mobiusman
I understand what it's trying to do, but I don't think it's going the right away about it - it seems unnecessarily clunky. A more natural version of the card might spit out skeleton tokens, but of course, that would not solve the room.
Altaurus321
Cute. It could be argued that dwarves require more Magic love, but I personally hate the race. The card itself, however, is great.
GiftsTrix
Unconditional hard counters need UU in their costs. I know this because WotC told me. This might be a little too potent, especially against the current gamut of countermagic.
Erimety
Flash and haste are more or less redundant. Nice card and just a little bit flavourful, but I don't know what your flavour text is saying at all.
Piar: Chill of Undeath: This seem a little odd. The RB version is fine, as is the RR version, but the pure black version doesn't seem pure black. I sort of see this as red with a black kicker.
Rnadom_Nation: Elegant and simple, but too narrow.
Ninja_Caterpie: The mass untap and one-two punch is a little too powerful, but the Wall of Infinity is a nice simple yet blunt way to solve the incoming trap crisis.
Codgod: A colorshifted card and a bear with a narrow effect. I'd think it might cost more than GG for a bigger body, though other 2 mana strategy hosers have been printed.
Top 3:
1. Void Nothing
2. Ninja Caterpie
3.Codgod
I'll edit my critique, since you asked so nicely. My name isn't leet, though, it's Link2007.
1. Egak
2. Altaurus321
3. GiftsTrix
2 - Balance (1 point Limited, 1 point constructed)
2 - Flavor (1 point feel of card abilities, 1 point name and if applicable flavor text)
2 - Technical Accuracy (Both points are for templeting. Minor errors is -1. Errors making the card not work as intended -2)
1 - Wow (A card that makes me go Wow)
2/2 The name is okay, but doesn't move me. Flavor text though does
2/2 Works
0/1
5.5/7
0/2 The name doesn't do anything for me flavor wise, and the flavor text seems strange
0/2 Doesn't work. Should be 'counter' not 'negate'.
0/1
0/7
HEADRUSH
2/2 Works, digs pretty deep, but the random is painful.
2/2 Name is good, flavor text is amazing.
2/2 Works
1/1 I really like this card.
7/7
Beckoning
1/2 In constructed this will probably not ever get plaid except in incredibly niche decks. Limited is the same, but niche decks tend to do better/more prominent than in constructed.
0/2 The combination of a beckogning and "Out with the tides" seems fairly contradictory. Neither of which really say 'counterspell' much less 'counterspell from yard' to me.
2/2 Works
0/1 I can just feel how frustrating it will be to have this in your hand in most of the game.
3/7
YOUR SCORE!!
5/7
0/2 - Not sure how harmony protects creatures/permanents actively, or how they stop being harmonious until end of turn... no ft so no other flavor to go off ot.
2/2 works
0/1
3/7
0/2 Don't see how rain absorbs damage, even if blessed. Maybe heals.
2/2 Works
0/1
2/7
2/2 Solid flavor
2/2 Works
0/1 Close, but making this white (while technically correct) just rubs me the wrong way keeping the wow point away.
6/7
1.5/2 Don't like the 'homage' to one with nothing name wise, but the flavor text is amazing.
2/2 Works
1/1 That FT makes it worth it.
4.5/7
1/2 Flavor is okay. Seems generic.
1/2 While the card works "creatures you control gain "Another creature you control "" just doesn't grok well at all. I know what it does, but this wording is so awkward.
0/1
4/7
2 Balefire
3 CrustaceanCrusader
Sigil: an MMORPCCG ">Mexus: An MMORPCCG