I have some serious questions about how it would work in the rules.
I don't get your rules concerns, as there are already magic cards that use very similar rules text. I've just applied it in a way many other card games have used. Your suggested solution doesn't work either, as the implication of the mechanic goes beyond legends/creature. It doesn't need a subtype to key off of when there are already cards that key off of names.
There are cards that key off specific, full names, but there aren't cards that key off substrings of names. As far as the game is concerned, the name is an atomic entity, afaict.
Unhinged cards already explore looking at parts/characteristics of the name of a card as opposed to the full name. It would hardly be the first time an idea from unhinged transitioned over. Further I've yet to see anything in the comprehensive rules that supports your concerns. If you could point to some rule that supports it, then I could understand your position.
The whole point I'm making is that there aren't rules that support operations on names except for adding additional names and the various different ways that a card can refer to itself.
All of the rules for names are here and in no way do they have the capability of handling subsetting.
EDIT: In addition there are language issues; e.g. Sturmgeist and Storm Spirit have the same German name, Falkenrath Noble and Aristocrat have the same Japanese name. Cardname mechanics can't operate on this kind of stuff because names aren't the same in every language, so in effect any cardname mechanic except for exact-match mechanics can't exist.
Flatline: The topic of religion is an interesting and daring one. If any set would tackle it, I think a return to Rabiah would be a good one to try (although very challenging given the current world and especially US atmosphere with regard to Islam). As for the mechanic, I'm not sure why Faith has a colorless loophole. It's just totally unexplained for me. I'd also prefer it to use a mana parameter instead of a numeric parameter. This mechanic also suggests 'stubbornness' more than 'faith' to me, just looking at the mechanic straight-up. It's not as rules-problematic as Refraction, but I think you could do better.
In retrospect, adding the "colorless" qualifier may not have been necessary. I added it to protect against any future colorless spells that might be printed. I didn't want faith to be able to reduce the cost of a spell to zero, but adding "This effect can't reduce the amount of mana a spell costs to cast to less than one mana" made the reminder text too long. I probably should've just ignored the problem completely.
As for faith suggesting stubbornness, I think you are focusing too hard on one half of the ability. Reducing the cost of spell that targets it seems like the the opposite of stubbornness to me. The reason I feel like the faith flavor works is, being faithful to an idea makes one more open and accepting of events that reinforce that faith (spells cost less). On the other hand, people often use their faith as shield of strength that can protect them from evils that others may try to impose on them (spells cost more). The stronger the person's faith, the more these concepts apply (the reason for the number). I may not have done a good job of conveying that flavor, but it makes perfect sense in my head.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled with my entry, but I do think the flavor behind faith makes sense. To be honest, I thought I had one more day to change my card, but I was confusing the CCL with the MCC. I was working on something like this....
Faithful Recruiter
Creature — Human Cleric (R)
Vigilance, lifelink
Faith 2 (Colored spells you control that target this creature cost less to cast. Colored spells your opponents control that target this creature cost more to cast.)
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell, create a 1/2 white Cleric creature token with vigilance and lifelink.
3/4
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
I do like the idea of the mechanic and flavor it evokes, but are you sure with your wording that you cant just cast it when you exile it other ways? I'm missing the mechanics this is based off of to compare a wording, but as it the way it reads, it certainly looks like it could be cheated out.
Unfortunately, yeah. The reminder text is ambiguous. Obviously a hypothetical comprehensive rules entry would clarify this, and rulings would as well, but the ambiguity is there on the card and dangerous for play. I was entering at the last minute and couldn't quite get the phrasing to line up with what was in my head.
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Call me Fortuna, please. Ms. Imperatrix Mundi is the empress of the world.
I typed out this who long post only to have things accidentally get refreshed So I'm going to abridge some rebuttals here.
Willows: I don't agree with your evaluation. You can't seem to point to a specific rule/ruling that refutes what I'm trying to do. That's why I feel you pointed to the comprehensive rules on names (which I had already reviewed when creating the mechanic) without really highlighting a specific rule or line that would say the mechanic doesn't work. As for other languages it would work fine. It would just require that you use a consistent name/phrase across all the cards you intend to refract into each other. It's done in game development all the time.
FortunaImperatrixMundi: I don't think you know the flavor of Rebiah and the Thousandfold Refraction. If you did, I don't think you'd say the card is a big a flavor flub as you did. I provided links as well for anyone who wasn't familiar. As for it being restricted to legendary things, it wouldn't be. Creatures could easily have iconic/setting tied names that would allow it to work. Assuming using part of the name works for the mechanic (as I feel it does), you could have a common creature named something like "Pious Aggrabah Sultan" who refracted to search for a "nonwhite Aggrabah Sultan" such as a black card named "Corrupted Aggrabah Sultan." but lets say you're right and development proves its not feasible at common... ok. There have been mechanics dedicated to legendary creatures/epic spells and such. I agree it would be a strike against it, but it's not like it hasn't been done.
I realize what I was offering was a risky idea and figured I was going to get shot in the foot over not playing it safe, but not over the naming convention part.
You're right, I'm not familiar. I didn't see your links. But a massive chunk of players aren't going to see your links either - cards that are confusing lorewise on the card are still suboptimal. And if it's going to work with non-legendaries then it absolutely cannot be a keyword - it would have to be an ability word. I also think if you wanted to demonstrate that, you should not have used a legendary to do so. Honestly I think it would work better as a vertical cycle of pairs than as a keyworded mechanic.
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Call me Fortuna, please. Ms. Imperatrix Mundi is the empress of the world.
Except you already compared it to shards of alara based of the idea and mechanics of refraction... so you were already on the right track. Does one card with a mechanic always illustrate the entire story of a set? No... but you already got that there was some split between different versions of the same character. I get that you don't like it, and I could of designed an example that illustrated the flavor of a set in a single card better. Fine. But if we are challenged with making something that's a sequel to an existing world and you judge without knowing the setting being referenced, that's not reasonable.
You may be right about it needing to be an ability word and such. There has just been so much focus on whether using part of the name of a card works or not as a mechanic I feel like the concept and individual card design itself is being ignored. It's tiresome.
Holy smokes! That's a heck of a CCL Finals challenge! I'm almost glad I lost.
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
If nobody else is willing to host January, I suppose I could do it. I probably won't have pictures or anything fancy like that though.
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
January round 1 is up here. I even figured out how to insert a fancy picture. Hopefully everything looks alright. If you are a big fan of kung-fu movies and/or Kamigawa block, hopefully you'll really enjoy this month. If not, hey you like making cards right?
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Oops. I didn't notice that. I just copied void_nothing's OP from last month and changed it where needed (except there). I'll fix that now.
Edit: Thanks proudawesome. Also, isn't the 6th Friday? Unless the calendar I my computer got screwed up somehow.
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
I actually had the challenges for this month in a different order to begin with, but I switched them around so that they became more challenging as the month went on. But don't worry, I've got nothing nearly as challenging as the last two rounds of December. Void_nothing's really putting people through their paces to end the year.
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Yes, but you are far from a beginner
I don't get your rules concerns, as there are already magic cards that use very similar rules text. I've just applied it in a way many other card games have used. Your suggested solution doesn't work either, as the implication of the mechanic goes beyond legends/creature. It doesn't need a subtype to key off of when there are already cards that key off of names.
All of the rules for names are here and in no way do they have the capability of handling subsetting.
EDIT: In addition there are language issues; e.g. Sturmgeist and Storm Spirit have the same German name, Falkenrath Noble and Aristocrat have the same Japanese name. Cardname mechanics can't operate on this kind of stuff because names aren't the same in every language, so in effect any cardname mechanic except for exact-match mechanics can't exist.
As for faith suggesting stubbornness, I think you are focusing too hard on one half of the ability. Reducing the cost of spell that targets it seems like the the opposite of stubbornness to me. The reason I feel like the faith flavor works is, being faithful to an idea makes one more open and accepting of events that reinforce that faith (spells cost less). On the other hand, people often use their faith as shield of strength that can protect them from evils that others may try to impose on them (spells cost more). The stronger the person's faith, the more these concepts apply (the reason for the number). I may not have done a good job of conveying that flavor, but it makes perfect sense in my head.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled with my entry, but I do think the flavor behind faith makes sense. To be honest, I thought I had one more day to change my card, but I was confusing the CCL with the MCC. I was working on something like this....
Creature — Human Cleric (R)
Vigilance, lifelink
Faith 2 (Colored spells you control that target this creature cost less to cast. Colored spells your opponents control that target this creature cost more to cast.)
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell, create a 1/2 white Cleric creature token with vigilance and lifelink.
3/4
Unfortunately, yeah. The reminder text is ambiguous. Obviously a hypothetical comprehensive rules entry would clarify this, and rulings would as well, but the ambiguity is there on the card and dangerous for play. I was entering at the last minute and couldn't quite get the phrasing to line up with what was in my head.
Willows: I don't agree with your evaluation. You can't seem to point to a specific rule/ruling that refutes what I'm trying to do. That's why I feel you pointed to the comprehensive rules on names (which I had already reviewed when creating the mechanic) without really highlighting a specific rule or line that would say the mechanic doesn't work. As for other languages it would work fine. It would just require that you use a consistent name/phrase across all the cards you intend to refract into each other. It's done in game development all the time.
FortunaImperatrixMundi: I don't think you know the flavor of Rebiah and the Thousandfold Refraction. If you did, I don't think you'd say the card is a big a flavor flub as you did. I provided links as well for anyone who wasn't familiar. As for it being restricted to legendary things, it wouldn't be. Creatures could easily have iconic/setting tied names that would allow it to work. Assuming using part of the name works for the mechanic (as I feel it does), you could have a common creature named something like "Pious Aggrabah Sultan" who refracted to search for a "nonwhite Aggrabah Sultan" such as a black card named "Corrupted Aggrabah Sultan." but lets say you're right and development proves its not feasible at common... ok. There have been mechanics dedicated to legendary creatures/epic spells and such. I agree it would be a strike against it, but it's not like it hasn't been done.
I realize what I was offering was a risky idea and figured I was going to get shot in the foot over not playing it safe, but not over the naming convention part.
You may be right about it needing to be an ability word and such. There has just been so much focus on whether using part of the name of a card works or not as a mechanic I feel like the concept and individual card design itself is being ignored. It's tiresome.
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
I assume you mean Thursday, Jan 6?
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
Edit: Thanks proudawesome. Also, isn't the 6th Friday? Unless the calendar I my computer got screwed up somehow.
( ancestral on Custom Magic Discord server )
( mproud on reddit )
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝