Alternate Rise of the Eldrazi Intro Pack - Fortress of Courage (red and white)
Murasa Groundcrafter1RR
Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Defender
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, each of up to three target creatures you control gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Each of those creatures that has defender gets an additional +1/+0 until end of turn. "The Eldrazi will soon learn to watch where they tread if they dare come near us."
1/4
Cursemarked Bloodwitch3B
Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Whenever Cursemarked Bloodwitch attacks, you may pay X life. If you do, search your library for a Curse card with converted mana cost X or less and put it onto the battlefield attached to defending player, then shuffle your library. "What a horrible night to have a curse."
4/3
Vizkopa Refinancier 1WB
Creature - Human Advisor
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay (B/W) If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life)
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained life this turn, you may pay (B/W)(B/W) . If you do, you lose that much life and draw a card
1/4
New to the forum, IDK how to get the hybrid symbol not to show up at the very end of the text so I just did it in words
Vizkopa Refinancier 1WB
Creature - Human Advisor
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay (B/W) If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life)
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained life this turn, you may pay (B/W)(B/W) . If you do, you lose that much life and draw a card
1/4
New to the forum, IDK how to get the hybrid symbol not to show up at the very end of the text so I just did it in words
First of all, welcome to the forum! I hope you have a lot of fun in our contests!
To answer your question, hybrid mana symbols can be made in two ways:
1- (my preferred way) with mana tags, this:
[mana]{W/B}[/mana]
becomes this:
(W/B)
2- you can find them in the smiley menu as you're writing or modifying a post. Click on the smiley in the bar, the smiley menu opens, go to MTG and look at page 2.
I also recommend you check out the CCC forum rules for the preferred way to format custom cards when written as text. Also, you might want to check out my "Lion's Lair" articles, especially the two listing the most common quality and formatting mistakes (look for the articles called "Mark of Quality"). You can find a link in my signature or in all my MCC judgings. I tell you this because, not counting the hybrid mana, there are multiple other little mistakes of that kind in your card as is. I'd tell you them but as a judge I don't think I'm allowed to do so before the deadline, so pointing out those resources is the most I can do for now. Hope this helps.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
I'd tell you them but as a judge I don't think I'm allowed to do so before the deadline, so pointing out those resources is the most I can do for now.
Correct. While answering any questions about translating your ideas to appear correctly on the forums is totally fine, giving players preemptive critiques is not. Wouldn't want to look like we are playing favorites.
Welcome to the forums, caliburdeath, and good luck with your entry. I recommend everyone take the time to proof their designs over the next couple days. Also, if you haven't entered already, please do!
Adarkar Emissary 2WU
Snow Creature - Angel Wizard (R)
All Snow creatures have 'T: Add S to your mana pool. You may only activate this ability if you control four or more snow permanents.' 'Those who call her friend are greatly rewarded;
those who call her foe had better have a bigger sword.'
4/5
Orchard Harvestkeeper2GG
Creature - Treefolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Orchard Harvestkeeper is dealt damage add that much G mana to your mana pool. You may spend mana generated this way until end of turn. The treefolk are generous enough to share their boon with all the inhabitants of Lorwyn, however those who try to take more then they are given face the trees' stern judgement.
1/5
Math Mortician (Rare) B
Creature - Zombie
1/2 | 1/2
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Math Mortician is in your graveyard and the total power and toughness of creature cards in your graveyard is a whole number, you may return Math Mortician to the battlefield.
Set Chosen - New Phyrexia
Pack Name - The Flesh Singularity (W Creature Combine)
Singularity Entity 2WW
Creature - Horror (Rare)
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, Exile any number of creatures you control.
~'s power is equal to the total power of creatures exiled this way and it's toughness is equal to the total toughness. "At last, the great singularity is achived - Elesh Norn, Grand Canobite"
Odds are I will post the brackets tomorrow morning eastern term. There is a chance I will post them at midnight tonight, but I'm not always up that late. Regardless, that leaves 11.5 hours for entries and corrections. Have at it, people! Lets make this month a huge one!
Set: Shards of Alara
Name: Glory, Praise, and Honor
Card: Lisha of the Azure1WU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue {R}
Exalted (Whenever a creature attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature can't be blocked this turn. 1/2
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Master Æthermage2(W/U)(W/U)
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
If another creature would leave the battlefield, you may put it on top of its owner's library instead of putting it anywhere else. "Law isn't just about punishment. In the end it has to protect those who abide it."
2/4
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Sedraxis Slavemaster2UBR
Creature-- Demon [R]
Flying
When Sedraxis Slaver enters the battlefield, return target creature card with power 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
Unearth UBR
4/3
Looks like we have had a great turn out with 38 participants! The Submission period is officially closed.
We have five Judges this month, which is fortunate given our numbers. Here are the groups for each judge to judge (this round it's alphabetical.) Top 4 from each group advance.
Please note: It doesn't affect my bracket this round, but in the case challenges like subchallenge 2 repeat in the next rounds, plase take note of the changes to evergreen keywords announced today (June 8th). Short version: intimidate and landwalk are no longer evergreen, protection is now deciduous instead of evergreen, while menace (can't be blocked except by two or more creatures), prowess, and scry are now evergreen.
I haven't seen an MCC round reach page 3 in quite a long time! I'm amazed at the great response this month! May it always be like this every month!
Check out "The Lion's Lair", the article series where I specifically talk about custom card design with the intent to help you get better at it. The article index is always updated with the latest content.
Note - When I say "#N in MOQX", it means: this is the mistake number N in my "Mark of Quality, part X" article.
Challenges: what counts is always the letter of the law.
Quality: half a point deducted for any error in templating, wording, spelling, or grammar, no matter how little they may be; a whole point for particularly serious errors.
No complaints unless I got something objectively wrong.
Set: New Phyrexia
Deck name: The Resistance
Lowlight Survivors1WW
Creature — Cat Soldier (R)
Other white creatures get +1/+1.
Artifact creatures get +1/+1. Specific enchantments protect the leonin encampment of Lowlight from the heat of the Great Furnace, but no one managed to protect the plane of Mirrodin from compleation.
2/2
Flatline
And also last it looks!
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this but he would probably like this to be even bigger, luckily it comes back bigger from the graveyard at least. Johnny may use this as a sacrifice outlet, or to give undying to creatures he needs to sacrifice for a specific combo. Spike doesn't like the lack of evasion on this, but he has seen worse things. (2/3) Elegance - Because of the way paying costs works, you won't be able to give undying to the same creature you sacrifice. I'm not sure everyone would understand that, especially new and less experienced players. Having the effect say "another tharget creature" might have helped but it also would have introduced a further element of ambiguity (is the "another" referred to the Purveyor itself or to the creature you sacrifice?), so maybe you made the right choice in the end. Still, this hurts the "grokkability" of the card, to say it like MaRo.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is black in this card, and the power and complexity level looks right for a non-mythic rare meant to be the cover of an intro deck: not useless but not so strong that most copies of this intro pack are grabbed by those looking for the chase card. Good work here. (2.5/3) Balance - I've just mentioned the power level feels right for the purpose of the card. This is definitely playable in limited and might also see a little Standard play, even if it's not an auto-include in a constructed black deck. I see no problem with this in casual or multiplayer, and I also don't see this as creating unfun experiences: yes, the opponent giving undying to an annoying creature of his in response to lethal damage or a removal spell doesn't make you rejoice, but we're still way within the bounds of frustrating experiences.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - If I remember well, there is only one card granting undying to other creatures, and it's a spell (in the sense of instant/sorcery)... *checks Gatherer* Yes, I recalled correctly: Undying Evil, and it's even in the same set that you proposed for your intro deck. Is it a coincidence? I don't know, if it's intentional high points for you, if it's not you got lucky. A creature with undying that is also able to grant undying to other creatures doesn't exist yet, so full points here anyway. (3/3) Flavor - The name is fine and blends nicely with the flavor text. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is quite good. "Dance with Death" already tells me by itself that this will be a black deck having to do with undying, as it comes from Innistrad block. I like it a lot.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good here. (2/2) Main Challenge - I've already mentioned I can see this card as the cover card for an intro deck with no problem, given this card power and complexity level. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Undying is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 23/25
Folza
You're very welcome! May you have fun anyway it goes (I'm writing this before I start judging) and may this be the first of many MCC participations for you!
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this for putting a lot of tokens onto the battlefield: this misses the appeal of the big monster, but at least it can generate a lot of creatures to make up for that. Timmy also loves the flavor of this. Johnny also likes putting a lot of tokens onto the battlefield, especially if he's able to build some combo involving those tokens, which shouldn't be too difficult. Spike likes this as all creatures with level up, which is not at all, because he just sees them as way overcosted. (3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here. The rules text is easily understandable and the card makes a lot of sense as a whole, and that's a lot to say for a card with no flavor text.
Development (3/3) Viability - Level up is in all colors, and white has no problem making a lot of little tokens, so the color pie is perfectly satisfied. The last ability (the one for level 4+) can very easily degenerate, so I can't see this at anything less than rare. I can't see this at mythic either, as it doesn't have the splashiness usually required at that rarity, so rare is definitely the right rarity. (2/3) Balance - As most level up cards, I see this as playable in limited, but not in constructed. Level up just needs to cost too much to be relevant in constructed, because you may spread the payment over multiple turns. This card makes no exception. I can't see any problem in casual or multiplayer, and I can't see any unfun experience created by this card either.
Creativity (2/3) Uniqueness - The only existing level up card that creates tokens is Kazandu Tuskcaller, but that card is specialized in creating bigger tokens, and that's what makes it green instead of white. This is kind of like a Tuskcaller for small tokens, with a different last ability that's reminiscent of Elvish Promenade. This card does nothing new, but the mix of its different elements is different enough from the Tuskcaller to still feel original enough. (2/3) Flavor - The card name is a great example of how even a very simple name may work and give a lot of flavor to the card by itself, even if on the other side it doesn't feel very inspired. It's what makes the card make sense as a whole, though. Obviously, no flavor text as in all cards with level up, but that's a necessity of the mechanic and the frame it requires. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours feels fine, but it may have been good for any white intro deck with an army theme, not necessarily a Kor tribal deck (which I assume this would be).
Polish (1.5/3) Quality - Here we come at the point where you lose some points. I understand formatting a card with level up typed as text is not easy, but there is something still wrong here. A keyword is never typed in italics, that is for reminder text and flavor text only (one point deducted, because this is a serious mistake). Speaking of reminder text, it might be needed on a card that uses a non-evergreen keyword (see all existing cards with level up, half a point deducted). Finally, I don't like at all putting power and toughness between square brackets. If anything, I would have put the levels in square brackets, or otherwise you could have drawn inspiration from how level up cards are formatted in Gatherer. I'm not deducting points for this because it's just a matter of formatting and because I'm keeping into account the fact that level up cards have a unique frame that's practically impossible to recreate in text only. Anyway, I'd like to call your attention about this, and pay attention to how you format your future cards without level up. I always recommend formatting cards as specified in the CCC forum rules, so definitely check them out for future rounds. (2/2) Main Challenge - This feels more than acceptable as the cover rare for an intro pack based on level up to me. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Level up is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 19.5/25
FreshMeat
Design (1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't like paying life for anything, and here you might have to pay quite a lot of life to get full advantage of this card. Johnny likes this, but there are not a lot of out-of-the-box things to do for him. Spike, at the contrary, doesn't mind paying life for card advantage, and likes the chance of getting the right Curse for every situation. He just feels that the repertoire of Curses is somewhat limited though. (2/3) Elegance - The rules text is understandable. The only thing preventing this card from making complete sense as a whole to me is the name, bacause the word "Cursemarked" gives me the impression that this witch is marked herself with curses, while instead she is the one who markes others with curses. It's more "Cursemarker" than "Cursemarked" in my opinion.
Development (3/3) Viability - Black is the color for tutors and life payments, and this is essentially what this card does, so everything's fine here. Given the current stance of R&D on tutors and the free (in the sense of mana) card advantage this can give you, if this was actually printed it wouldn't certainly be at anything less than rare. (1.5/3) Balance - I think this reads way less powerful than it actually is. It's true that there are not that many cards to choose from, but this lets you circumvent mana cost, which is equal to "danger!" in Magic. This is playable in limited if you have a lot of Curses or if you just have one you really want to get onto the battlefield reliably. In constructed, it should be playable in Block, if this was still a supported format, and maybe in Standard, but that's a big "maybe". The only problem I might see with this card, which is relevant in casual and multiplayer even more than classic formats, is the repetitivity in gameplay, which might generate some unfun experiences when you're getting the same Curse out of your deck for the tenth time. It's not that big of a problem to me, though.
Creativity (0.5/3) Uniqueness - The only existing card that does something similar is Bitterheart Witch, which by the way is the only Curse tutor in Innistrad block, and it's usually not repeatable, being a death trigger. This is a 4/3 instead of a 1/2 with deathtouch and it triggers on attack instead of death, but it still feels somewhat similar. Let's say that this card is clearly inspired by Bitterheart Witch. It's also still a witch, which makes the two cards feel even more similar. (1/3) Flavor - I've already mentioned the name being somewhat misleading to me. About the flavor text, it's nice that it mention curses, but it still doesn't feel that inspired to me. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours looks good, as it clearly communicates that this is a black deck based on Curses. What it doesn't tell me is about the red being there, but the cover card being monoblack also tells me that the red here should be a splash at most.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good here. (2/2) Main Challenge - I can see this being the cover rare of an intro deck with no problems. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Curses are not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 16.5/25
HaveAnUpvoteOnMe
Design (1/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this, but wonders why this doesn't fly (which will be a recurring theme in this judgment, I warn you). Johnny likes all the extra mana this can give you, provided he has something to do with that mana but this shouldn't be a problem for him, and the challenge of keeping this active. Spike will also wonder why this doesn't fly, and I'm not sure he would play this without flying. (0/3) Elegance - Don't misunderstand the tone, please, but seriously, why doesn't this fly? It's an Angel, and this should already be enough for it to fly. I can't remember any existing non-flying Angel, maybe there are some in the very old times or in Planar Chaos, both of which are not good precedent for anything in modern Magic design. In addition to this, it's in the two colors that have flying the most. I really hope this is just an oversight, even if a big one that hugely affects elegance and your score in general. A card that leaves you wondering is the contrary of elegance. The rules text would be understandable without big problems, but this not flying really hurts too much here.
Development (1.5/3) Viability - Turning all creatures into mana producing permanents isn't really something that white and blue usually do. It belongs in green. Blue has had a few ones, but usually tied to artifacts. Being able to do so only if you control three or more other snow permanents (one is the Emissary itself) doesn't make it Azorius in colors. Again, here too flying would have helped in making this feels white/blue. Rarity feels right. (1/3) Balance - If this is playable in limited, it's more due to its size than its ability. In constructed, the ability will be active more reliably, as having three snow lands is already enough, but unfortunately this threshold is only achievable in a snow dedicated deck, which may be there in the hypothetical Standard this comes from, but aren't there in any bigger format. This definitely hurts its playability. Here too, flying would have made this more playable. I don't see problems in casual and multiplayer or unfun experiences.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - This is unique mostly for being a non-flying Angel, and that's not a good thing. Turning all creatures into mana producing permanents is a variant of something we see quite often. (1.5/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text aren't bad, but they don't explain why this Angel doesn't fly. I can't rate a non-flying Angel high in flavor, I'm sorry. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is definitely good enough.
Polish (1/3) Quality - Snow as a supertype in rules text is NOT capitalized ("All snow creatures...", half a point deducted). All quotes in the card should be double quotes (" instead of ', half a point deducted twice, once in rules text and once in flavor text, so one point total). The standard template for threshold abilities would be "Activate this ability only if you control four or more snow permanents" (half a point deducted), and notice that here you wrote snow rightly not capitalized as a supertype. Finally, I recommend formatting cards as specified in the CCC forum rules. In this case, that means bolding the card name. As usual with this kind of remarks, I'm not deducting points for this. (1.5/2) Main Challenge - I have no inherent problems with this as the cover card for an intro deck, but I don't think a card that leaves you perplex is the best to put in that role. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 10.5/25
Hemlock
Design (1.5/3) Appeal - This is a Johnny card at heart: at first it makes you go "What?" when you read the first ability, then the second ability makes you understand why the card is like this. These are the cards that Johnny loves. Timmy likes the size of this, but is a little perplex from the abilities. Spike cares about this as about any 4/4 for four mana. (1/3) Elegance - As I've already mentioned, the first ability leaves you perplex because it's the opposite of what you would like. When you finish reading the card you understand, but that moment of "Did I get this right?" really hurts the elegance of the card. Also, are we sure that all players understand that the second ability triggers when the regeneration shield is actually used and not when it's created? I am not.
Development (1.5/3) Viability - Regeneration is fine in black and is tertiary in white (until it's still an evergreen ability, and I have the impression that we could have some news about that this coming Monday. EDIT: it's still safe for now), so I can accept it. Gaining control of a creature is supposed to be blue. It's been in black but only in the old times and in Planar Chaos, if I recall correctly, and is not in white since Evangelize, which is also in Time Spiral block and should be inspired by some really old card. It's not representative of the modern color pie in any way. I'd accept this as a blue/black card or an Esper colored card, but not as a white/black one. Rarity feels right. (2/3) Balance - This is effectively unblockable unless the 4 power is lethal. It's playable in limited and may be in Standard (certainly not bigger formats), but this is much more because of its size and not because of its abilities. I see no particular problems in casual and multiplayer, except for the comprehension complexity I've already talked about. Seeing your creatures being stolen is never fun, but at least you still have a way around this: just don't block.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - This somehow reminds me of Knight of the Holy Nimbus, in that it's a card that plays very originally in the design space of regeneration. I can't say this card isn't original, even if I'm not sure if it's original in a good way. (1.5/3) Flavor - I like the name very much. It's visible that it's been thought about, and it blends very nicely with the flavor text. It's strange to see a non blue Faerie, though, especially since they are the only tribe to not change colors with the Great Aurora, that is going from Lorwyn to Shadowmoor. I understand you had the problem of fitting an allied color tribe in the enemy colored hybrid set, but couldn't you just pick Shadowmoor instead of Eventide as the set and have this be blue/black? That would have helped very much here and in Viability too, because gaining control of creatures is blue. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and that also feels more blue/black than white/black to me. Crafting reminds me of artifacts, and feels either blue or red as a concept to me. Given this card, I'd say blue in this case.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - A period is missing at the end of flavor text (half a point deducted). (1.5/2) Main Challenge - I think the gameplay of this might be a little too complicated for an intro deck, but other than this I can see it as the cover card. (1/2) Subchallenges - Subchallenge 1 met. Subchallenge 2 NOT met, as regenerate is a keyword and it's evergreen (for now, in two days it might be no more, but as of this moment it still is. EDIT: it's still safe for now).
Total: 15.5/25
Hopefulhawkeye
Design (1/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny may try something like adding or removing time counters to make this go off when he wants, but it feels a bit of a stretch. Spike likes a discounted Damnation, but doesn't like that the opponent will see this coming. (3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Vanishing is in all colors and mass destruction is definitely black (and white), so everything's fine as far as the color pie is concerned. A card with the text "destroy all creatures" can't be any less than a rare. (2.5/3) Balance - Is there a balance reason why this says "when the last time counter is removed" instead of "when CARDNAME is put into a graveyard from the battlefield"? It would be standard template and clearer. In fact, it would indeed be a functional change, because if you have this on the battlefield and I cast Naturalize on it, as it is it wouldn't trigger, while if you change it, it would. That may be unwanted in gameplay, and in that case your wording is still the best choice. I may play this in limited, it's a great way to break a stall or something like that: reset the board and rebuild, hopefully faster than your opponent. I'd be amazed if I didn't see this in Standard as a Wrath of God variant. It may also make some appearances in bigger formats, even if that's not a given, but I wouldn't be surprised. I see no problems with this in casual and multiplayer, and the unfun factor of seeing your whole board destroyed is somewhat mitigated by the fact that you'll see this coming so you'll be able to prepare for when the effect goes off.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - As already mentioned, a nice variant of Wrath/Damnation, but nothing more, and we see at least one of those every block. (2/3) Flavor - The name is very good and reflects very nicely how the card plays. No flavor text, even if MSE tells me one line could have still fit. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is good enough to see print as is. It clearly communicates that the deck is black, and I'd expect it to include a lot of death triggers or something like that. It also ties very nicely to the proposed cover card.
Polish (2/3) Quality - Reminder text should be in italics (one point deducted because this is very well known). The hyphen in the type line shouldn't be there without subtypes, but I'm not deducting points for something this minor. (1.5/2) Main Challenge - This may be a chase rare from the set it comes from, and I'm not sure such a card is the best to be put as the cover card of an intro deck. Yes, it will make the deck sell, but will the deck arrive to its intended audience (which is not competitive players hoarding chase cards)? (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Vanishing is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 18/25
Jimmy Groove
Design (1/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny likes this, he can use the sacrifice, the counters, and heroic just appeals to Johnny as a mechanic. Spike doesn't like that much cards that have to rely on other cards to work. (2/3) Elegance - A bit intricate, but still understandable enough.
Development (3/3) Viability - Heroic is in all colors, and the "non-enchantment" part and caring about the sacrifice of lands put this card heavily into red. Rarity feels right too. (1.5/3) Balance - I can see this getting played in limited and in Standard very easily, especially if there are heroic enablers available in the format (as there are supposed to be in the set this card hypothetically comes from). I'm not sure about bigger formats. A problem in casual might be that forcing the opponent to sacrifice permanents is never fun for him or her, and that's the problem with annihilator, for example. Here the effect can also be easily repeated, which makes that problem even worse. In multiplayer this is even better than in single player, and that's true for any card with effects that scale with the number of opponents.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember anything like this before. (3/3) Flavor - I like the allitteration in the name, and the flavor text is very good. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and I think yours is the best in the whole round: a very nice pun that clearly communicates that the deck is about heroic as a mechanic and very likely with a sacrifice/death triggers subtheme. It also fits perfectly in red. Very good work.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good here. (1.5/2) Main Challenge - This might have the problem of not being that appealing to the primary audience of intro decks, but given the name and the theme of your deck, I have to say that the card represents them quite nicely. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Heroic is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 20/25
Koopa
Design (1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this, like most Eldrazi, because of their sheer size. Johnny may try to do something with the Spawn tokens, but will he be able to use them before he wins by just attacking? Spike looks at the mana cost and just says: "Next!" (3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything on this card is something Eldrazi have done before, so it's certainly something they can do. Rarity feels right because this might swarm the battlefield with tokens (pun intended). (1.5/3) Balance - In limited, this is only playable in a battlecruiser style environment such as ROE. In any other one, it will be unplayable because of the high mana cost. In constructed, this would only be played in some kind of Standard Eldrazi ramp decks, which were there when ROE was Standard legal. I can't see this in bigger formats. I don't see any particular problem with this in multiplayer. In casual, this suffers from the same problem all the existing colorless Eldrazi have: annihilator is quite unfun from the other side of the table. It's the reason why MaRo said that it's unlikely to return when the Eldrazi inevitably will (oh, look, coincidentially there is a set called Battle for Zendikar coming out this fall...).
Creativity (0.5/3) Uniqueness - I've already mentioned in Viability that everything here is something Eldrazi have aldreay done. It helped you there, but this same thing penalizes you here. Half a point for caring about the sacrificed creature's toughness, which I think is the only thing never done before on Eldrazi creatures. (1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good and is a nice explanation for the token creating ability: it warps the flesh of the sacrificed creature, turning it into Spawn tokens. No room for flavor text and I can't judge something that's not there. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours certainly does its job of clearly communicating what the deck is about (Eldrazi in this case), but looks a bit generic.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good here. (2/2) Main Challenge - I see no problems with this being the cover card of an Eldrazi intro pack. It's certainly appealing to the intended audience. (1/2) Subchallenges - Subchallenge 1 failed, as this costs more than four mana. Subchallenge 2 met, as annihilator is not evergreen.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees a card that can get quite large, which he finds fun. The cost of doing so however works against his taste. Johnny is curious about what’s the best way to churn out P/T for this to absorb. Spike sees a very weak investment for a card that can be a blank. (3/3) Elegance: The concept, flavor, and mechanics of the card are all easy to grasp.
Development - (3/3) Viability: An effect like this does seem rare, and the exiling is white. However a card that essentially gets rid of other creatures to boost itself is more black. That said, this is New Phyrexia where that is exactly the point, black in everything. (1/3) Balance: This card is very underwhelming power level wise. Assuming I play this on curve, I’m paying 4 mana and getting rid of two or three of my creatures to get one vanilla 6/6ish dude. I don’t see it it being played in limited either. It does have some casual play appeal, but that’s about it. A card like this wants some evergreen keywords (which was something you needed to avoid this round) or get something else/bigger off of the exiles. This borders on offensively bad.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Cards like this have been done many times throughout magic’s history. The uniqueness of this card comes from exiling from the field to do it. That’s about it. (2.5/3) Flavor: The “Great Singularity” is a new concept for New Phyrexia and Elesh Norn, but I can see it working. All in all, solid.
Polish - (1/3) Quality: When ~ enters the battlefield, not whenever. Equal to their total toughness, not to the total toughness. The quote attribution should be on a separate line and should not be within quotation marks. (1.5/2) *Main Challenge: This card is very close to the territory for what might be on the cover of an intro deck, but almost reads as more of a drawback the a bonus for timmies, the decks prime audience. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 16.5/25
Awkward Squirtle
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees the effect and has some interest but sees the body and loses it. Johnny loves copying spells for combos and sees an interesting cost to play with. Spike sees an efficient red creature that can provide strong options with his spells and abusing soulshifting spirits. (3/3) Elegance: Very clean and elegant.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This is certainly red, especially with the sac a creature to copy. Rare is right. (3/3) Balance: This seems like a pretty solid card. Its body is quite strong for red without some kind of condition, but for a legendary rare is acceptable. The copy ability is aggressive but I feel the creature sacrificing is plenty to balance it these days, especially since it’s a tribal one. I see a lot of players enjoying this card, though it may fall short of competitive play. That isn’t a strike against it for me though. Red Spirit Tribal Commander, anyone?
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: The abilities are pretty common and don’t push new territory. The only thing distinguishing the card is making it have a spirit sacking cost. (2/3) Flavor: The flavor text is interesting. I think it could be phrased better especially given the name of the card. My heart is reflecting I am going to die? It’s heart is reflecting I’m going to die? It’s tad confusing as a whole.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good to me. (2/2) *Main Challenge: This is exactly the kind of card I’d expect to see on an intro packs cover. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
caliburdeath
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy passes on the body and overall feel of the card. Johnny likes the challenge of triggering the draw at each possible opportunity, but the reward doesn’t reek of creative abuses. Spike sees huge incremental advantage on a sub par but defensible body. (3/3) Elegance: It all makes sense a whole, flavorfully and mechanically.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This fits the colors spot on and feels like it could be a rare, or perhaps an uncommon. That’s acceptable. (2.5/3) Balance: This card skirts being playable outside of limited. It looks interesting, as the card advantage potential is high, but the body itself isn’t terribly aggressive for competitive play. It feels fringe playable in constructed. Which is fine. Power level potentially becomes silly in multiplayer. My one complaint is it might feel like a chore keeping track of your life total with a card like this.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: The triggering and taking life gain “back” to refinance into cards makes this card distinct. It doesn’t use new concepts to get there (not all that fresh), but all in all presents it’s own way of doing old things. (3/3) Flavor: Refinancer says it all, and the mechanics illustrate the flavor perfectly. There is enough rules text that flavor text here is not required.
Polish - (1/3) Quality: There are several periods missing throughout the rules and reminder text, and when they are used, they are spaced incorrectly. (1/2) *Main Challenge: This card is a stretch to be on the cover of an intro pack due to it’s lack of appeal to timmy. It might have enough appeal in other aspects to not be a complete loss on the front, as it looks potentially powerful in some formats. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
CommanderZ
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy can get behind reviving things, but phyrexian mana has never been his favorite, and the card itself feels small. Johnny sees huge combing abuses while Spike sees so many options for card advantage and efficiency. 3 mana a 4 life for a bear and a zombify suit him fine, and that’s just the most straightforward application. (3/3) Elegance: Perfectly easy to understand.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This is certainly a rare and doesn’t break the rules of the game. The scaling strength of the revival fits white tendency to bring back smaller creatures on its own, and the life loss fits in with the New Phyrexian environment/design philosophy. (2.0/3) Balance: This card is a push. I would be surprised to not see it played in some competitive deck somewhere. I see it having implications outside of standard too. The versatility of being able to use it as a reanimater in any color for 3 mana is very, very good, and a 3 power or less creature covers a huge spectrum of power. It would have been safer to base it off of converted mana cost, if a tad wordier. However, while I see this a clear step over the line in power, it is not grossly so, and the card has a lot of applications in many formats.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: The trigger is a unique interaction with phyrexian mana and is overall quite clever. It’s a great application here too for a reanimator. (2.5/3) Flavor: The card makes perfect sense flavor wise, if a tad generic. I want this card to have flavor text, but the reminder text for phyrexian mana robs us there.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks spot on to me. (1.5/2) *Main Challenge: This falls a hair short of what I’d expect to see on an intro pack cover. It feels more like a strong utility card for a deck and not it’s face. (1/2) Sub Challenges: The converted mana cost of this card is five when one of the challenges was to make the card four or less.
Total: 21.5/25
CrazyMatt
Design - (0.5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny don’t care at a glance. In fact, when this card potential backfires on Timmy he will feel really bad about it. Spike can see some applications as the cost isn’t terrible, but again, the potential for this to backfire as much as take out multiple creatures irks him. (3/3) Elegance: Very straightforward and easy to understand.
Development - (1/3) Viability: Black very rarely gets to exile things, and it usually because there is some kind of token or additional effect that it’s translating through flavor. Red does not exile creatures as removal ever. This also feels like an uncommon. (2/3) Balance: For a rare, this feels pretty weak. The reason why Maelstrom Pulse is a rare is because or its cost, versatility, and how sharing the same name usually will work for you, not against you. Here you gain instant speed but lose type versatility and checking power here gives it more room to backfire. It would be a great uncommon.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: The templating is exactly that of maelstrom pulse with different variables, so its not really fresh. What makes it unique at all is check the power for destroying other creatures. (0.5/3) Flavor: Finger of Death does imply a removal spell. However, I don’t see how that translates into killing multiple creatures based on power. The card feels extremely generic and has no ties to Alara what-so-ever. There was plenty of room for flavor text but none was given.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: No issues here. (0.5/2) *Main Challenge: As you said yourself, you have never seen an instant or sorcery card as a foil cover. That’s because, unless you make it do something that produces a big creature or a number of tokens, it will have no appeal to Timmy and therefore no appeal on an intro cover. I could see this as an uncommon in an intro deck, but not really a rare and not the cover at all. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 13.5/25
Doombringer
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees this and is very excited by how big and deadly his entire board gets. It also encourages a fun use of a “tribal” theme. Johnny doesn’t get a lot from this. Spike sees a potential curve topper that can end games the turn it comes down, but it might be a hair too inefficient and feel “win more.” (3/3) Elegance: The effect is very simple to understand, though subtle in how complex it can be at times.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This is very black, and very rare. It could almost be a mythic with a more aggressive body/cost. (3/3) Balance: This is a bomb in limited for sure. It might get some fringe play in constructed, but that’s debatable as aggressive infect decks will want to be closing things out earlier then when this drops and having it in deck will likely disrupt that curve. Has a ton of casual and commander applications (even though people hate infect there already!) Overall this card is spot on in covering a number of niches without warping anything.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: It’s a really powerful tribal infect card that anchors coat of arms which makes is stand out. That said, it is coat of arms for infect creatures. (2.5/3) Flavor: Rotswarm is appropriate, as the term “rotters” is thrown around a bit in scars block. Not a whole lot room for some flavor text, though you could of done a one liner.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good to me (2/2) *Main Challenge: This is exactly the card we like to see for intro packs, big enough to get a Timmies attention, highlights a theme well, and balanced to boot. (1/2) Sub Challenges: This has a CMC of six when the challenge asked for four or less.
Total: 21/25
doomfish
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy has trouble getting exited over this. Johnny wants to abuse it both against his opponent and to help himself, and it leaves a lot of non obvious ways to abuse it. Spike sees a very inefficient creature that does nothing on its own. (3/3) Elegance: It holds together well with a simple effect that has a lot of depth.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This fits into both mono white and mono blue very well. It makes me think of Enduring Renewal. Very much a rare card. (2/3) Balance: The power level of this card doesn’t seem unreasonable, especially as a creature that can be more easily dealt with. My qualm with it is that putting creatures back on top of your opponent’s library so easily leads to repetitive and unfun game states.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This feels very distinct in mechanics and in application. Good job here. (2/3) Flavor: There is a disconnect between the name and the extremely lawful good flavor text. It’s also a disconnect for a deck called “Shifty Azorius.”
Polish - (3/3) Quality:“Of putting it anywhere else” is not needed and a pretty glaring error. No issue here. (1/2) *Main Challenge: I have trouble seeing this as an intro deck cover rare as it doesn’t really appeal to Timmy and it’s uses are non obvious. This is very much a rare that probably has no place in an intro deck unless there is a specific mechanic that triggers it. Given the Azorius have detain in Return to Ravnica, that’s not the case. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 21/25
Eskimo_Rage
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: This is big enough that timmy can get behind this, but he still doesn’t like discarding his cards, even if it’s symmetrical. Johnny has a small space of interest in abusing its many trigger momemts somehow, but I feel its too small for him to really want it. This is really a card that’s all about spike, because the efficiency and CA (both in quality and in literal card advantage) can add up very quickly. (2.0/3) Elegance: This card reads a clunky with its errors and different discarding methods within the same effect, but is otherwise easy to understand what is going on.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This is very red/black and the hellbent effect makes this feel rare. (1/3) Balance: This cards is way too efficient a beater, and it’s wording allows for ridiculous abuse. The discarding is already symmetrical, which makes it not really a down side for an otherwise 4/4 for 3. That’s too good for RB multicolor. The thing is though; the discarding isn’t entirely symmetrically because first of all, they discard at random when you don’t, so they are more likely to lose a quality card. Second, your wording makes it so regardless of whether you have a card to discard or not, your opponents are still discarding at random. To top it off, you get the hellbent effect, which exiles a card to safely be played that turn and not be discarded when it attacks? This cool synergy is ruined by poor balancing.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: None of the effects by themselves are all that new, but together create a very cool game state where you get to dodge your own symmetrical discard. (3/3) Flavor: Name is good.
Polish - (1/3) Quality: Whenever ~ attacks, not when. You need a comma after the phrase as well. You failed to list the card type (creature) along with the subtypes. Contemporary design would either have you word it simply as “each player discards a card” for the trigger (unless you want both to be random) or “discard a card. If you do, each opponent…” so that the discarding is mandatory. If you intend for you to be able to dodge discarding while still making your opponents do it, use the former (but balance accordingly!) (2/2) *Main Challenge: I could totally see an efficient beater in this vein being on the cover of an intro pack. The effects play well as a core card to a decks strategy. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Design - 5/6 (2/3) Appeal: Timmy kind of likes the idea of big plays with things like Incremental Growth, Johnny sees some potential here, but Spike doesn't love a difficult-to-cast 3-drop 2/2 that won't always have an immediate effect. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 3/6 (1.5/3) Viability: The color wheel is a bit off here, as mechanically, this card has no reason to be anything but mono-green. No rarity, but I'm guessing rare based on the assignment, which seems right here. (1.5/3) Balance: This card seems a bit weak for most constructed formats, as it's difficult to cast, not on curve for a green creature (Green often gets 3/3s for 2G), and has no immediate effect. Anafenza, the Foremost has double the P/T and effects that are extremely relevant with delve, whip, and Goyf around, and still only saw significant modern play with Birthing Pod legal. Overall, where this will shine is EDH. In a format where Doubling Season is a staple and Ghave, Guru of Spores is one of the more common generals, this can be quite good.
Creativity - 3/6 (1.5/3) Uniqueness: The abilities here are nothing new on their own, it's half of Doubling Season with Outlast. However, the combination of the two has potential, and they haven't been used together before. (1.5/3) Flavor: The card name and deck name are both good. There is definitely room for flavor text, so you probably should have used some here. Overall, the flavor is pretty good, but it being a Knight is a bit odd, as there were no Knights in the KTK block, but quite a few Warriors, with nice warrior tribal themes showing up. Making it a warrior and adding flavor text would have been the last two elements to make the flavor perfect here.
Polish - 5.5/7 (1.5/3) Quality: "If one of more +1/+1 counters..." should say one or more. Also, like Doubling Season, this should say "twice that many counters", not "twice as many counters". Lastly, even though the contest implies that this is rare, always include a rarity. (2/2) Main Challenge: All good. A legendary creature with an ability that appears on a well-known staple is definitely the kind of thing Wizards would put on the front of an intro pack to sell it. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Also all good.
Total: 16.5/25
Design - 2.5/6 (2.5/3) Appeal: Spike likes the idea of a token army with infect, as a card as simple as Raise the Alarm gives him two 2/2 infect creatures here, and he can get this out for only five mana, which for a card that is on its own a 5/5 infect is pretty good. Johnny doesn't see a ton of weirdness to combo with here, but might try for a proliferate win or try to turn the life loss for paying the phyrexian mana into some sort of benefit. Spike kind of likes this too, as a 5/5 infect that boosts all of your other stuff is nice and exciting. (0/3) Elegance: Many people might not realize that this boosts itself too, and giving itself double-infect is redundant. It would be cleaner to make it a 5/5 and say "other creatures you control", although Kaysa says that this isn't necessary, just usually better and much more common with current design principles. In addition, "Phyrexian" isn't actually a creature type, although it should have been. Altogether, needs a lot of cleaning up.
Development - 3/6 (3/3) Viability: Color pie is good here, as anthems are white's domain mostly. This is definitely a rare, and doesn't really break any rules. (0/3) Balance: This is WAY too powerful. White can make a ton of tokens fairly easily, and giving them all +1/+1 and infect is a lot. Breaking this down into separate cards, we have:
Glorious Anthem with phyrexian mana
Plus CARDNAME4
Artifact Creature - Cleric
Infect
Other creatures you control have infect.
4/4
As you can see, both of these are overpowered, and putting them onto one card could do an enormous amount of damage. You can play it in any color deck, so really, this is:
CARDNAME 5
Artifact Creature - Cleric
Infect
Other creatures you control get +1/+1 and have infect.
When ~ enters the battlefield, you lose 4 life.
5/5
That's REALLY good. If you are playing any decent white tokens or weenies, deck, you should win within a turn or so of dropping this. For comparison, Putrefax is a rare with a community rating of 4.014, and it's only a 5/3, only lasts one turn, and doesn't have the anthem bit, at the benefit of not losing you life and having trample. I'd still say this is significantly better than Putrefax.
Creativity - 5/6 (2.5/3) Uniqueness: No cards that permanently grant all of your creatures infect exist right now, and there are no white rare creatures with infect, but temporary grants of infect, anthems, and white infect creatures all exist. Altogether, this feels mostly new and creative. (2.5/3) Flavor: I like the flavor a lot here. Deck name is pretty good.
Polish - 5/7 (2/3) Quality: Once again, phyrexian isn't a creature type. (2/2) Main Challenge: All good. Splashy enough to sell products. (1/2) Sub Challenges: Costs more than 4 mana.
Total: 15.5/25
Design - 5/6 (2/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't love this because there aren't many Arcane decks out there. Johnny loves this card. Timmy sees some potential to make an already big effect like Goryo's Vengeance bigger by splicing lots of stuff onto it. (3/3) Elegance: Easy to understand, overall quite good.
Development - 4/6 (3/3) Viability: This should definitely be blue and definitely be rare, so all's good here. (1/3) Balance: I can see this being pretty good if you play enough Arcane spells, but not overpowered. It's fun in duel and multiplayer, but it's pretty bad in most Limited formats.
Creativity - 5/6 (3/3) Uniqueness: Nothing exists that grants splice, so that's entirely new. I like the idea a lot. (2/3) Flavor: Pretty good flavor, the deck name is good, my only issue being that the first thing that comes to mind when I hear "Shardsinger" is Alara.
Polish - 7/7 (3/3) Quality: All good (2/2) Main Challenge: All good. I could see this on the front of an intro pack. (2/2) Sub Challenges: All good.
Total: 21/25
Design - 6/6 (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the idea of a 4 mana 6/6, Johnny likes the huge combo potential here with things like Knight of the Reliquary, Scapeshift, and fetchlands. Spike likes the possibility of getting an over-curve creature and also likes the synergy with staples like fetches and Knight. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 6/6 (3/3) Viability: Color is obvious and spot on here, and this fits as a rare well. (3/3) Balance: Quite powerful. Cosi's Ravager is the closest precedent, and at common, it deals half the damage and only to one opponent (only relevant in multiplayer), so putting this at rare with the potential to be a 6/6 seems good but not overpowered. Wooded Foothills and Crucible of Worlds mean this would probably be played even in eternal formats.
Creativity - 5.5/6 (2.5/3) Uniqueness: As I said, the only precedent for landfall damage is Cosi's Ravager, so the ability is almost entirely new and putting it with bloodthirst is completely new. (3/3) Flavor: I like the flavor a lot, and you're right, flavor text wouldn't have fit. The deck name is good here.
Polish - 7/7 (3/3) Quality: All good. (2/2) Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Sub Challenges: Also all good.
Total: 24.5/25
Design - 5.5/6 (2.5/3) Appeal: Spike sees a creature that has some potential, as on its own it is a 3/4 with flying and haste for 5 that deals 1 damage on impact. Johnny wants to break this by running Vampiric shenanigans, and Timmy sees a big play that could potentially be a really big flier. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 5/6 (3/3) Viability: Color pie fits, as does rarity. (2/3) Balance: This card could be quite powerful in vampire tribal, as you should probably be able to have at minimum two vampires on the battlefield when you cast this, making it a 5/6 that immediately takes 3 life. To be honest, a 5-drop 3/4 flyer with haste that hits for 1 right away is on its own okay in constructed and great in limited, where this card is almost a bomb. Once you have one or more vampires, this gets really good, as it could get out as a 6/7 with 4 damage built in. Perfect scenario, it could be a 7/8, but that probably won't happen often. However, with potential to be a 6/7 fairly often, this could be a bit overpowered. Maybe make it a 2/1.
Creativity - 4.5/6 (2/3) Uniqueness: Reminds me of Malakir Bloodwitch a lot, but the combination of abilities feels unique and nice. (3/3) Flavor: The gothic horror vampire feel is very much present on this card.
Polish - 4/7 (2/3) Quality: "Put a number of +1/+1 counters on ~ equal to the total life lost this way." (2/2) Main Challenge: All good. (0/2) Sub Challenges: Costs more than 4 mana and has two evergreen keywords.
Total: 19/25
Design - 4.5/6 (1.5/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't love the 5-mana color-restrictive 3/2 without protection, but he likes card advantage. Johnny would love to play this with things like Waste Not and sees huge potential. Timmy doesn't think a 3/2 is big enough and doesn't care that much about card advantage. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 3.5/6 (2/3) Viability: This has no mechanical reason to be red, as blue is primary in flying and card draw and black gets discard. Rare seems right here. (1.5/3) Balance: This is hard to cast, but could be powerful. It's best in EDH, where multiplayer games abound, but could be cool in the right standard if there was good mana fixing available.
Creativity - 5.5/6 (2.5/3) Uniqueness: This is a neat new take on the classic specter ability. I like it, although I prefer Hypnotic Specter's version. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor works well, and the good deck name adds to that.
Polish - 4.5/7 (2.5/3) Quality: The flavor text says "clad", which in context is obviously a verb, not an adjective, but clad is actually only a verb in the past tense, which doesn't match the tense of the rest of the sentence. You could have said "Those who come to my lands are clad in rigid armor, yet leave their minds bare and vulnerable" or "Those who came to my lands clad their bodies in rigid armor, yet left their minds...", but you can't use clad as a verb in the present tense. (2/2) Main Challenge: All good here, splashy enough for the front of a product. (0/2) Sub Challenges: More than 4 CMC and has an evergreen keyword, flying.
Total: 18/25
Design - 4.5/6 (1.5/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't really care to play defender tribal, as it's not supported enough to be a really strong deck. Johnny loves this. Timmy doesn't really care either. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 4.5/6 (3/3) Viability: This is good and fits with Zendikar's powerful red defenders like Rage Nimbus, and rare is the right place for it. (1.5/3) Balance: This is kind of nice as a mini-anthem on a stick, but would be a lot better if it allowed each of those creatures to attack as though they didn't have defender until end of turn.
Creativity - 5.5/6 (3/3) Uniqueness: This ability is original, and it is well designed. I like it. (2.5/3) Flavor: The flavor works well, as does the deck name. The flavor of Zendikar itself rising up to repel the Eldrazi could also be improved by allowing the three creatures to attack as though they didn't have defender.
Polish - 6/7 (2.5/3) Quality: No issues. (2/2) Main Challenge: Good, would feel perfect on the front of a Zendikar block product. (1/2) Sub Challenges: Has defender, which is evergreen.
Math Mortician (Rare) B
Creature - Zombie
1/2 | 1/2
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Math Mortician is in your graveyard and the total power and toughness of creature cards in your graveyard is a whole number, you may return Math Mortician to the battlefield.
Murasa Groundcrafter 1RR
Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Defender
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, each of up to three target creatures you control gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. Each of those creatures that has defender gets an additional +1/+0 until end of turn.
"The Eldrazi will soon learn to watch where they tread if they dare come near us."
1/4
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Name: Accursed Occultism (BR)
Cursemarked Bloodwitch 3B
Creature - Human Shaman (R)
Whenever Cursemarked Bloodwitch attacks, you may pay X life. If you do, search your library for a Curse card with converted mana cost X or less and put it onto the battlefield attached to defending player, then shuffle your library.
"What a horrible night to have a curse."
4/3
Intro pack: Syndicate's Reach
Vizkopa Refinancier 1WB
Creature - Human Advisor
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay (B/W) If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life)
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained life this turn, you may pay (B/W)(B/W) . If you do, you lose that much life and draw a card
1/4
New to the forum, IDK how to get the hybrid symbol not to show up at the very end of the text so I just did it in words
First of all, welcome to the forum! I hope you have a lot of fun in our contests!
To answer your question, hybrid mana symbols can be made in two ways:
1- (my preferred way) with mana tags, this:
becomes this:
2- you can find them in the smiley menu as you're writing or modifying a post. Click on the smiley in the bar, the smiley menu opens, go to MTG and look at page 2.
I also recommend you check out the CCC forum rules for the preferred way to format custom cards when written as text. Also, you might want to check out my "Lion's Lair" articles, especially the two listing the most common quality and formatting mistakes (look for the articles called "Mark of Quality"). You can find a link in my signature or in all my MCC judgings. I tell you this because, not counting the hybrid mana, there are multiple other little mistakes of that kind in your card as is. I'd tell you them but as a judge I don't think I'm allowed to do so before the deadline, so pointing out those resources is the most I can do for now. Hope this helps.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Correct. While answering any questions about translating your ideas to appear correctly on the forums is totally fine, giving players preemptive critiques is not. Wouldn't want to look like we are playing favorites.
Welcome to the forums, caliburdeath, and good luck with your entry. I recommend everyone take the time to proof their designs over the next couple days. Also, if you haven't entered already, please do!
Name: Frigid Thaw
Adarkar Emissary 2WU
Snow Creature - Angel Wizard (R)
All Snow creatures have 'T: Add S to your mana pool. You may only activate this ability if you control four or more snow permanents.'
'Those who call her friend are greatly rewarded;
those who call her foe had better have a bigger sword.'
4/5
Name: Deep Roots
Orchard Harvestkeeper 2GG
Creature - Treefolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Orchard Harvestkeeper is dealt damage add that much G mana to your mana pool. You may spend mana generated this way until end of turn.
The treefolk are generous enough to share their boon with all the inhabitants of Lorwyn, however those who try to take more then they are given face the trees' stern judgement.
1/5
Signature by DarkNightCavalier at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Deck Name: Three Feet Under
Math Mortician (Rare)
B
Creature - Zombie
1/2 | 1/2
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Math Mortician is in your graveyard and the total power and toughness of creature cards in your graveyard is a whole number, you may return Math Mortician to the battlefield.
Pack Name - The Flesh Singularity (W Creature Combine)
Singularity Entity 2WW
Creature - Horror (Rare)
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, Exile any number of creatures you control.
~'s power is equal to the total power of creatures exiled this way and it's toughness is equal to the total toughness.
"At last, the great singularity is achived - Elesh Norn, Grand Canobite"
*/*
Deck Name: Sidisi's Palace
Rakshasa Muckcaster 4BGU
Creature - Cat Demon (R)
Delve
Deathtouch, hexproof
Spells you cast with delve cost 3 less to cast.
3/2
GWU Bant Manifest - The Future Is Here. Or it will be at the end of turn. GWU
Name: Glory, Praise, and Honor
Card: Lisha of the Azure 1WU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue {R}
Exalted (Whenever a creature attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature can't be blocked this turn.
1/2
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Deck name: Shifty Azorius
Master Æthermage 2(W/U)(W/U)
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
If another creature would leave the battlefield, you may put it on top of its owner's library instead of putting it anywhere else.
"Law isn't just about punishment. In the end it has to protect those who abide it."
2/4
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Deck: Creeping Death
Sedraxis Slavemaster 2UBR
Creature-- Demon [R]
Flying
When Sedraxis Slaver enters the battlefield, return target creature card with power 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
Unearth UBR
4/3
----------------------------
Club Flamingo Wins: 10
----------------------------
EDH Decks
BG Vicious Varolz | RW Jor Kadeen, the Mean Machine | RG Atarka: Muh_Dragons.dec (WIP) | WU Brago, Blink Eternal (WIP)
----------------------------
We have five Judges this month, which is fortunate given our numbers. Here are the groups for each judge to judge (this round it's alphabetical.) Top 4 from each group advance.
IcariiFA:
ArchSinccubus
Awkward Squirtle
caliburdeath
CommanderZ
CrazyMatt
Doombringer
doomfish
Eskimo_Rage
bravelion83
Flatline
Folza
FreshMeat
HaveAnUpvoteOnMe
Hemlock
Hopefulhawkeye
Jimmy Groove
Koopa
CyroZenith
Lef
Legend
Mix Master Mikaeus
Moss_Elemental
Netn10
northprophet
NVRBLND
Piar
admirableadmiral
Psychovore
PsyOp
R-Shig
RaikouRider
riliss
Ryder052
Sagharri
sperlman
scrad_the_wanderer
SelesnyaNewLife
SgtFailure
thenoodler
Tilwin
Vertain
void_nothing
Judging Deadline will be June 8th, 11:59PM EST.
Please note: It doesn't affect my bracket this round, but in the case challenges like subchallenge 2 repeat in the next rounds, plase take note of the changes to evergreen keywords announced today (June 8th). Short version: intimidate and landwalk are no longer evergreen, protection is now deciduous instead of evergreen, while menace (can't be blocked except by two or more creatures), prowess, and scry are now evergreen.
I haven't seen an MCC round reach page 3 in quite a long time! I'm amazed at the great response this month! May it always be like this every month!
Check out "The Lion's Lair", the article series where I specifically talk about custom card design with the intent to help you get better at it. The article index is always updated with the latest content.
Note - When I say "#N in MOQX", it means: this is the mistake number N in my "Mark of Quality, part X" article.
Challenges: what counts is always the letter of the law.
Quality: half a point deducted for any error in templating, wording, spelling, or grammar, no matter how little they may be; a whole point for particularly serious errors.
No complaints unless I got something objectively wrong.
Set: New Phyrexia
Deck name: The Resistance
Lowlight Survivors 1WW
Creature — Cat Soldier (R)
Other white creatures get +1/+1.
Artifact creatures get +1/+1.
Specific enchantments protect the leonin encampment of Lowlight from the heat of the Great Furnace, but no one managed to protect the plane of Mirrodin from compleation.
2/2
Flatline
And also last it looks!
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this but he would probably like this to be even bigger, luckily it comes back bigger from the graveyard at least. Johnny may use this as a sacrifice outlet, or to give undying to creatures he needs to sacrifice for a specific combo. Spike doesn't like the lack of evasion on this, but he has seen worse things.
(2/3) Elegance - Because of the way paying costs works, you won't be able to give undying to the same creature you sacrifice. I'm not sure everyone would understand that, especially new and less experienced players. Having the effect say "another tharget creature" might have helped but it also would have introduced a further element of ambiguity (is the "another" referred to the Purveyor itself or to the creature you sacrifice?), so maybe you made the right choice in the end. Still, this hurts the "grokkability" of the card, to say it like MaRo.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is black in this card, and the power and complexity level looks right for a non-mythic rare meant to be the cover of an intro deck: not useless but not so strong that most copies of this intro pack are grabbed by those looking for the chase card. Good work here.
(2.5/3) Balance - I've just mentioned the power level feels right for the purpose of the card. This is definitely playable in limited and might also see a little Standard play, even if it's not an auto-include in a constructed black deck. I see no problem with this in casual or multiplayer, and I also don't see this as creating unfun experiences: yes, the opponent giving undying to an annoying creature of his in response to lethal damage or a removal spell doesn't make you rejoice, but we're still way within the bounds of frustrating experiences.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - If I remember well, there is only one card granting undying to other creatures, and it's a spell (in the sense of instant/sorcery)... *checks Gatherer* Yes, I recalled correctly: Undying Evil, and it's even in the same set that you proposed for your intro deck. Is it a coincidence? I don't know, if it's intentional high points for you, if it's not you got lucky. A creature with undying that is also able to grant undying to other creatures doesn't exist yet, so full points here anyway.
(3/3) Flavor - The name is fine and blends nicely with the flavor text. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is quite good. "Dance with Death" already tells me by itself that this will be a black deck having to do with undying, as it comes from Innistrad block. I like it a lot.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge - I've already mentioned I can see this card as the cover card for an intro deck with no problem, given this card power and complexity level.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Undying is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 23/25
You're very welcome! May you have fun anyway it goes (I'm writing this before I start judging) and may this be the first of many MCC participations for you!
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this for putting a lot of tokens onto the battlefield: this misses the appeal of the big monster, but at least it can generate a lot of creatures to make up for that. Timmy also loves the flavor of this. Johnny also likes putting a lot of tokens onto the battlefield, especially if he's able to build some combo involving those tokens, which shouldn't be too difficult. Spike likes this as all creatures with level up, which is not at all, because he just sees them as way overcosted.
(3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here. The rules text is easily understandable and the card makes a lot of sense as a whole, and that's a lot to say for a card with no flavor text.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Level up is in all colors, and white has no problem making a lot of little tokens, so the color pie is perfectly satisfied. The last ability (the one for level 4+) can very easily degenerate, so I can't see this at anything less than rare. I can't see this at mythic either, as it doesn't have the splashiness usually required at that rarity, so rare is definitely the right rarity.
(2/3) Balance - As most level up cards, I see this as playable in limited, but not in constructed. Level up just needs to cost too much to be relevant in constructed, because you may spread the payment over multiple turns. This card makes no exception. I can't see any problem in casual or multiplayer, and I can't see any unfun experience created by this card either.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - The only existing level up card that creates tokens is Kazandu Tuskcaller, but that card is specialized in creating bigger tokens, and that's what makes it green instead of white. This is kind of like a Tuskcaller for small tokens, with a different last ability that's reminiscent of Elvish Promenade. This card does nothing new, but the mix of its different elements is different enough from the Tuskcaller to still feel original enough.
(2/3) Flavor - The card name is a great example of how even a very simple name may work and give a lot of flavor to the card by itself, even if on the other side it doesn't feel very inspired. It's what makes the card make sense as a whole, though. Obviously, no flavor text as in all cards with level up, but that's a necessity of the mechanic and the frame it requires. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours feels fine, but it may have been good for any white intro deck with an army theme, not necessarily a Kor tribal deck (which I assume this would be).
Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - Here we come at the point where you lose some points. I understand formatting a card with level up typed as text is not easy, but there is something still wrong here. A keyword is never typed in italics, that is for reminder text and flavor text only (one point deducted, because this is a serious mistake). Speaking of reminder text, it might be needed on a card that uses a non-evergreen keyword (see all existing cards with level up, half a point deducted). Finally, I don't like at all putting power and toughness between square brackets. If anything, I would have put the levels in square brackets, or otherwise you could have drawn inspiration from how level up cards are formatted in Gatherer. I'm not deducting points for this because it's just a matter of formatting and because I'm keeping into account the fact that level up cards have a unique frame that's practically impossible to recreate in text only. Anyway, I'd like to call your attention about this, and pay attention to how you format your future cards without level up. I always recommend formatting cards as specified in the CCC forum rules, so definitely check them out for future rounds.
(2/2) Main Challenge - This feels more than acceptable as the cover rare for an intro pack based on level up to me.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Level up is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 19.5/25
Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't like paying life for anything, and here you might have to pay quite a lot of life to get full advantage of this card. Johnny likes this, but there are not a lot of out-of-the-box things to do for him. Spike, at the contrary, doesn't mind paying life for card advantage, and likes the chance of getting the right Curse for every situation. He just feels that the repertoire of Curses is somewhat limited though.
(2/3) Elegance - The rules text is understandable. The only thing preventing this card from making complete sense as a whole to me is the name, bacause the word "Cursemarked" gives me the impression that this witch is marked herself with curses, while instead she is the one who markes others with curses. It's more "Cursemarker" than "Cursemarked" in my opinion.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Black is the color for tutors and life payments, and this is essentially what this card does, so everything's fine here. Given the current stance of R&D on tutors and the free (in the sense of mana) card advantage this can give you, if this was actually printed it wouldn't certainly be at anything less than rare.
(1.5/3) Balance - I think this reads way less powerful than it actually is. It's true that there are not that many cards to choose from, but this lets you circumvent mana cost, which is equal to "danger!" in Magic. This is playable in limited if you have a lot of Curses or if you just have one you really want to get onto the battlefield reliably. In constructed, it should be playable in Block, if this was still a supported format, and maybe in Standard, but that's a big "maybe". The only problem I might see with this card, which is relevant in casual and multiplayer even more than classic formats, is the repetitivity in gameplay, which might generate some unfun experiences when you're getting the same Curse out of your deck for the tenth time. It's not that big of a problem to me, though.
Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - The only existing card that does something similar is Bitterheart Witch, which by the way is the only Curse tutor in Innistrad block, and it's usually not repeatable, being a death trigger. This is a 4/3 instead of a 1/2 with deathtouch and it triggers on attack instead of death, but it still feels somewhat similar. Let's say that this card is clearly inspired by Bitterheart Witch. It's also still a witch, which makes the two cards feel even more similar.
(1/3) Flavor - I've already mentioned the name being somewhat misleading to me. About the flavor text, it's nice that it mention curses, but it still doesn't feel that inspired to me. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours looks good, as it clearly communicates that this is a black deck based on Curses. What it doesn't tell me is about the red being there, but the cover card being monoblack also tells me that the red here should be a splash at most.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge - I can see this being the cover rare of an intro deck with no problems.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Curses are not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 16.5/25
Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this, but wonders why this doesn't fly (which will be a recurring theme in this judgment, I warn you). Johnny likes all the extra mana this can give you, provided he has something to do with that mana but this shouldn't be a problem for him, and the challenge of keeping this active. Spike will also wonder why this doesn't fly, and I'm not sure he would play this without flying.
(0/3) Elegance - Don't misunderstand the tone, please, but seriously, why doesn't this fly? It's an Angel, and this should already be enough for it to fly. I can't remember any existing non-flying Angel, maybe there are some in the very old times or in Planar Chaos, both of which are not good precedent for anything in modern Magic design. In addition to this, it's in the two colors that have flying the most. I really hope this is just an oversight, even if a big one that hugely affects elegance and your score in general. A card that leaves you wondering is the contrary of elegance. The rules text would be understandable without big problems, but this not flying really hurts too much here.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability - Turning all creatures into mana producing permanents isn't really something that white and blue usually do. It belongs in green. Blue has had a few ones, but usually tied to artifacts. Being able to do so only if you control three or more other snow permanents (one is the Emissary itself) doesn't make it Azorius in colors. Again, here too flying would have helped in making this feels white/blue. Rarity feels right.
(1/3) Balance - If this is playable in limited, it's more due to its size than its ability. In constructed, the ability will be active more reliably, as having three snow lands is already enough, but unfortunately this threshold is only achievable in a snow dedicated deck, which may be there in the hypothetical Standard this comes from, but aren't there in any bigger format. This definitely hurts its playability. Here too, flying would have made this more playable. I don't see problems in casual and multiplayer or unfun experiences.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - This is unique mostly for being a non-flying Angel, and that's not a good thing. Turning all creatures into mana producing permanents is a variant of something we see quite often.
(1.5/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text aren't bad, but they don't explain why this Angel doesn't fly. I can't rate a non-flying Angel high in flavor, I'm sorry. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is definitely good enough.
Polish
(1/3) Quality - Snow as a supertype in rules text is NOT capitalized ("All snow creatures...", half a point deducted). All quotes in the card should be double quotes (" instead of ', half a point deducted twice, once in rules text and once in flavor text, so one point total). The standard template for threshold abilities would be "Activate this ability only if you control four or more snow permanents" (half a point deducted), and notice that here you wrote snow rightly not capitalized as a supertype. Finally, I recommend formatting cards as specified in the CCC forum rules. In this case, that means bolding the card name. As usual with this kind of remarks, I'm not deducting points for this.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - I have no inherent problems with this as the cover card for an intro deck, but I don't think a card that leaves you perplex is the best to put in that role.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 10.5/25
Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - This is a Johnny card at heart: at first it makes you go "What?" when you read the first ability, then the second ability makes you understand why the card is like this. These are the cards that Johnny loves. Timmy likes the size of this, but is a little perplex from the abilities. Spike cares about this as about any 4/4 for four mana.
(1/3) Elegance - As I've already mentioned, the first ability leaves you perplex because it's the opposite of what you would like. When you finish reading the card you understand, but that moment of "Did I get this right?" really hurts the elegance of the card. Also, are we sure that all players understand that the second ability triggers when the regeneration shield is actually used and not when it's created? I am not.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability - Regeneration is fine in black and is tertiary in white (until it's still an evergreen ability, and I have the impression that we could have some news about that this coming Monday. EDIT: it's still safe for now), so I can accept it. Gaining control of a creature is supposed to be blue. It's been in black but only in the old times and in Planar Chaos, if I recall correctly, and is not in white since Evangelize, which is also in Time Spiral block and should be inspired by some really old card. It's not representative of the modern color pie in any way. I'd accept this as a blue/black card or an Esper colored card, but not as a white/black one. Rarity feels right.
(2/3) Balance - This is effectively unblockable unless the 4 power is lethal. It's playable in limited and may be in Standard (certainly not bigger formats), but this is much more because of its size and not because of its abilities. I see no particular problems in casual and multiplayer, except for the comprehension complexity I've already talked about. Seeing your creatures being stolen is never fun, but at least you still have a way around this: just don't block.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - This somehow reminds me of Knight of the Holy Nimbus, in that it's a card that plays very originally in the design space of regeneration. I can't say this card isn't original, even if I'm not sure if it's original in a good way.
(1.5/3) Flavor - I like the name very much. It's visible that it's been thought about, and it blends very nicely with the flavor text. It's strange to see a non blue Faerie, though, especially since they are the only tribe to not change colors with the Great Aurora, that is going from Lorwyn to Shadowmoor. I understand you had the problem of fitting an allied color tribe in the enemy colored hybrid set, but couldn't you just pick Shadowmoor instead of Eventide as the set and have this be blue/black? That would have helped very much here and in Viability too, because gaining control of creatures is blue. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and that also feels more blue/black than white/black to me. Crafting reminds me of artifacts, and feels either blue or red as a concept to me. Given this card, I'd say blue in this case.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - A period is missing at the end of flavor text (half a point deducted).
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - I think the gameplay of this might be a little too complicated for an intro deck, but other than this I can see it as the cover card.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Subchallenge 1 met. Subchallenge 2 NOT met, as regenerate is a keyword and it's evergreen (for now, in two days it might be no more, but as of this moment it still is. EDIT: it's still safe for now).
Total: 15.5/25
Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny may try something like adding or removing time counters to make this go off when he wants, but it feels a bit of a stretch. Spike likes a discounted Damnation, but doesn't like that the opponent will see this coming.
(3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Vanishing is in all colors and mass destruction is definitely black (and white), so everything's fine as far as the color pie is concerned. A card with the text "destroy all creatures" can't be any less than a rare.
(2.5/3) Balance - Is there a balance reason why this says "when the last time counter is removed" instead of "when CARDNAME is put into a graveyard from the battlefield"? It would be standard template and clearer. In fact, it would indeed be a functional change, because if you have this on the battlefield and I cast Naturalize on it, as it is it wouldn't trigger, while if you change it, it would. That may be unwanted in gameplay, and in that case your wording is still the best choice. I may play this in limited, it's a great way to break a stall or something like that: reset the board and rebuild, hopefully faster than your opponent. I'd be amazed if I didn't see this in Standard as a Wrath of God variant. It may also make some appearances in bigger formats, even if that's not a given, but I wouldn't be surprised. I see no problems with this in casual and multiplayer, and the unfun factor of seeing your whole board destroyed is somewhat mitigated by the fact that you'll see this coming so you'll be able to prepare for when the effect goes off.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - As already mentioned, a nice variant of Wrath/Damnation, but nothing more, and we see at least one of those every block.
(2/3) Flavor - The name is very good and reflects very nicely how the card plays. No flavor text, even if MSE tells me one line could have still fit. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours is good enough to see print as is. It clearly communicates that the deck is black, and I'd expect it to include a lot of death triggers or something like that. It also ties very nicely to the proposed cover card.
Polish
(2/3) Quality - Reminder text should be in italics (one point deducted because this is very well known). The hyphen in the type line shouldn't be there without subtypes, but I'm not deducting points for something this minor.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - This may be a chase rare from the set it comes from, and I'm not sure such a card is the best to be put as the cover card of an intro deck. Yes, it will make the deck sell, but will the deck arrive to its intended audience (which is not competitive players hoarding chase cards)?
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Vanishing is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 18/25
Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny likes this, he can use the sacrifice, the counters, and heroic just appeals to Johnny as a mechanic. Spike doesn't like that much cards that have to rely on other cards to work.
(2/3) Elegance - A bit intricate, but still understandable enough.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Heroic is in all colors, and the "non-enchantment" part and caring about the sacrifice of lands put this card heavily into red. Rarity feels right too.
(1.5/3) Balance - I can see this getting played in limited and in Standard very easily, especially if there are heroic enablers available in the format (as there are supposed to be in the set this card hypothetically comes from). I'm not sure about bigger formats. A problem in casual might be that forcing the opponent to sacrifice permanents is never fun for him or her, and that's the problem with annihilator, for example. Here the effect can also be easily repeated, which makes that problem even worse. In multiplayer this is even better than in single player, and that's true for any card with effects that scale with the number of opponents.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember anything like this before.
(3/3) Flavor - I like the allitteration in the name, and the flavor text is very good. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and I think yours is the best in the whole round: a very nice pun that clearly communicates that the deck is about heroic as a mechanic and very likely with a sacrifice/death triggers subtheme. It also fits perfectly in red. Very good work.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good here.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - This might have the problem of not being that appealing to the primary audience of intro decks, but given the name and the theme of your deck, I have to say that the card represents them quite nicely.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. Heroic is not evergreen, so it's fine.
Total: 20/25
Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this, like most Eldrazi, because of their sheer size. Johnny may try to do something with the Spawn tokens, but will he be able to use them before he wins by just attacking? Spike looks at the mana cost and just says: "Next!"
(3/3) Elegance - I see no problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything on this card is something Eldrazi have done before, so it's certainly something they can do. Rarity feels right because this might swarm the battlefield with tokens (pun intended).
(1.5/3) Balance - In limited, this is only playable in a battlecruiser style environment such as ROE. In any other one, it will be unplayable because of the high mana cost. In constructed, this would only be played in some kind of Standard Eldrazi ramp decks, which were there when ROE was Standard legal. I can't see this in bigger formats. I don't see any particular problem with this in multiplayer. In casual, this suffers from the same problem all the existing colorless Eldrazi have: annihilator is quite unfun from the other side of the table. It's the reason why MaRo said that it's unlikely to return when the Eldrazi inevitably will (oh, look, coincidentially there is a set called Battle for Zendikar coming out this fall...).
Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - I've already mentioned in Viability that everything here is something Eldrazi have aldreay done. It helped you there, but this same thing penalizes you here. Half a point for caring about the sacrificed creature's toughness, which I think is the only thing never done before on Eldrazi creatures.
(1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good and is a nice explanation for the token creating ability: it warps the flesh of the sacrificed creature, turning it into Spawn tokens. No room for flavor text and I can't judge something that's not there. Here is also where I will judge the intro deck names for this round, and yours certainly does its job of clearly communicating what the deck is about (Eldrazi in this case), but looks a bit generic.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge - I see no problems with this being the cover card of an Eldrazi intro pack. It's certainly appealing to the intended audience.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Subchallenge 1 failed, as this costs more than four mana. Subchallenge 2 met, as annihilator is not evergreen.
Total: 17/25
Flatline: 23
Jimmy Groove: 20
Folza: 19.5
Hopefulhawkeye: 18
Koopa: 17
FreshMeat: 16.5
Hemlock: 15.5
HaveAnUpvoteOnMe: 10.5
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
ArchSinccubus
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees a card that can get quite large, which he finds fun. The cost of doing so however works against his taste. Johnny is curious about what’s the best way to churn out P/T for this to absorb. Spike sees a very weak investment for a card that can be a blank.
(3/3) Elegance: The concept, flavor, and mechanics of the card are all easy to grasp.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: An effect like this does seem rare, and the exiling is white. However a card that essentially gets rid of other creatures to boost itself is more black. That said, this is New Phyrexia where that is exactly the point, black in everything.
(1/3) Balance: This card is very underwhelming power level wise. Assuming I play this on curve, I’m paying 4 mana and getting rid of two or three of my creatures to get one vanilla 6/6ish dude. I don’t see it it being played in limited either. It does have some casual play appeal, but that’s about it. A card like this wants some evergreen keywords (which was something you needed to avoid this round) or get something else/bigger off of the exiles. This borders on offensively bad.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Cards like this have been done many times throughout magic’s history. The uniqueness of this card comes from exiling from the field to do it. That’s about it.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The “Great Singularity” is a new concept for New Phyrexia and Elesh Norn, but I can see it working. All in all, solid.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: When ~ enters the battlefield, not whenever. Equal to their total toughness, not to the total toughness. The quote attribution should be on a separate line and should not be within quotation marks.
(1.5/2) *Main Challenge: This card is very close to the territory for what might be on the cover of an intro deck, but almost reads as more of a drawback the a bonus for timmies, the decks prime audience.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 16.5/25
Awkward Squirtle
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees the effect and has some interest but sees the body and loses it. Johnny loves copying spells for combos and sees an interesting cost to play with. Spike sees an efficient red creature that can provide strong options with his spells and abusing soulshifting spirits.
(3/3) Elegance: Very clean and elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is certainly red, especially with the sac a creature to copy. Rare is right.
(3/3) Balance: This seems like a pretty solid card. Its body is quite strong for red without some kind of condition, but for a legendary rare is acceptable. The copy ability is aggressive but I feel the creature sacrificing is plenty to balance it these days, especially since it’s a tribal one. I see a lot of players enjoying this card, though it may fall short of competitive play. That isn’t a strike against it for me though. Red Spirit Tribal Commander, anyone?
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: The abilities are pretty common and don’t push new territory. The only thing distinguishing the card is making it have a spirit sacking cost.
(2/3) Flavor: The flavor text is interesting. I think it could be phrased better especially given the name of the card. My heart is reflecting I am going to die? It’s heart is reflecting I’m going to die? It’s tad confusing as a whole.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good to me.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: This is exactly the kind of card I’d expect to see on an intro packs cover.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
caliburdeath
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy passes on the body and overall feel of the card. Johnny likes the challenge of triggering the draw at each possible opportunity, but the reward doesn’t reek of creative abuses. Spike sees huge incremental advantage on a sub par but defensible body.
(3/3) Elegance: It all makes sense a whole, flavorfully and mechanically.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This fits the colors spot on and feels like it could be a rare, or perhaps an uncommon. That’s acceptable.
(2.5/3) Balance: This card skirts being playable outside of limited. It looks interesting, as the card advantage potential is high, but the body itself isn’t terribly aggressive for competitive play. It feels fringe playable in constructed. Which is fine. Power level potentially becomes silly in multiplayer. My one complaint is it might feel like a chore keeping track of your life total with a card like this.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: The triggering and taking life gain “back” to refinance into cards makes this card distinct. It doesn’t use new concepts to get there (not all that fresh), but all in all presents it’s own way of doing old things.
(3/3) Flavor: Refinancer says it all, and the mechanics illustrate the flavor perfectly. There is enough rules text that flavor text here is not required.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: There are several periods missing throughout the rules and reminder text, and when they are used, they are spaced incorrectly.
(1/2) *Main Challenge: This card is a stretch to be on the cover of an intro pack due to it’s lack of appeal to timmy. It might have enough appeal in other aspects to not be a complete loss on the front, as it looks potentially powerful in some formats.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
CommanderZ
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy can get behind reviving things, but phyrexian mana has never been his favorite, and the card itself feels small. Johnny sees huge combing abuses while Spike sees so many options for card advantage and efficiency. 3 mana a 4 life for a bear and a zombify suit him fine, and that’s just the most straightforward application.
(3/3) Elegance: Perfectly easy to understand.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is certainly a rare and doesn’t break the rules of the game. The scaling strength of the revival fits white tendency to bring back smaller creatures on its own, and the life loss fits in with the New Phyrexian environment/design philosophy.
(2.0/3) Balance: This card is a push. I would be surprised to not see it played in some competitive deck somewhere. I see it having implications outside of standard too. The versatility of being able to use it as a reanimater in any color for 3 mana is very, very good, and a 3 power or less creature covers a huge spectrum of power. It would have been safer to base it off of converted mana cost, if a tad wordier. However, while I see this a clear step over the line in power, it is not grossly so, and the card has a lot of applications in many formats.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: The trigger is a unique interaction with phyrexian mana and is overall quite clever. It’s a great application here too for a reanimator.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The card makes perfect sense flavor wise, if a tad generic. I want this card to have flavor text, but the reminder text for phyrexian mana robs us there.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks spot on to me.
(1.5/2) *Main Challenge: This falls a hair short of what I’d expect to see on an intro pack cover. It feels more like a strong utility card for a deck and not it’s face.
(1/2) Sub Challenges: The converted mana cost of this card is five when one of the challenges was to make the card four or less.
Total: 21.5/25
CrazyMatt
(0.5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny don’t care at a glance. In fact, when this card potential backfires on Timmy he will feel really bad about it. Spike can see some applications as the cost isn’t terrible, but again, the potential for this to backfire as much as take out multiple creatures irks him.
(3/3) Elegance: Very straightforward and easy to understand.
Development -
(1/3) Viability: Black very rarely gets to exile things, and it usually because there is some kind of token or additional effect that it’s translating through flavor. Red does not exile creatures as removal ever. This also feels like an uncommon.
(2/3) Balance: For a rare, this feels pretty weak. The reason why Maelstrom Pulse is a rare is because or its cost, versatility, and how sharing the same name usually will work for you, not against you. Here you gain instant speed but lose type versatility and checking power here gives it more room to backfire. It would be a great uncommon.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: The templating is exactly that of maelstrom pulse with different variables, so its not really fresh. What makes it unique at all is check the power for destroying other creatures.
(0.5/3) Flavor: Finger of Death does imply a removal spell. However, I don’t see how that translates into killing multiple creatures based on power. The card feels extremely generic and has no ties to Alara what-so-ever. There was plenty of room for flavor text but none was given.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues here.
(0.5/2) *Main Challenge: As you said yourself, you have never seen an instant or sorcery card as a foil cover. That’s because, unless you make it do something that produces a big creature or a number of tokens, it will have no appeal to Timmy and therefore no appeal on an intro cover. I could see this as an uncommon in an intro deck, but not really a rare and not the cover at all.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 13.5/25
Doombringer
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees this and is very excited by how big and deadly his entire board gets. It also encourages a fun use of a “tribal” theme. Johnny doesn’t get a lot from this. Spike sees a potential curve topper that can end games the turn it comes down, but it might be a hair too inefficient and feel “win more.”
(3/3) Elegance: The effect is very simple to understand, though subtle in how complex it can be at times.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is very black, and very rare. It could almost be a mythic with a more aggressive body/cost.
(3/3) Balance: This is a bomb in limited for sure. It might get some fringe play in constructed, but that’s debatable as aggressive infect decks will want to be closing things out earlier then when this drops and having it in deck will likely disrupt that curve. Has a ton of casual and commander applications (even though people hate infect there already!) Overall this card is spot on in covering a number of niches without warping anything.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It’s a really powerful tribal infect card that anchors coat of arms which makes is stand out. That said, it is coat of arms for infect creatures.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Rotswarm is appropriate, as the term “rotters” is thrown around a bit in scars block. Not a whole lot room for some flavor text, though you could of done a one liner.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good to me
(2/2) *Main Challenge: This is exactly the card we like to see for intro packs, big enough to get a Timmies attention, highlights a theme well, and balanced to boot.
(1/2) Sub Challenges: This has a CMC of six when the challenge asked for four or less.
Total: 21/25
doomfish
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy has trouble getting exited over this. Johnny wants to abuse it both against his opponent and to help himself, and it leaves a lot of non obvious ways to abuse it. Spike sees a very inefficient creature that does nothing on its own.
(3/3) Elegance: It holds together well with a simple effect that has a lot of depth.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This fits into both mono white and mono blue very well. It makes me think of Enduring Renewal. Very much a rare card.
(2/3) Balance: The power level of this card doesn’t seem unreasonable, especially as a creature that can be more easily dealt with. My qualm with it is that putting creatures back on top of your opponent’s library so easily leads to repetitive and unfun game states.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This feels very distinct in mechanics and in application. Good job here.
(2/3) Flavor: There is a disconnect between the name and the extremely lawful good flavor text. It’s also a disconnect for a deck called “Shifty Azorius.”
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
“Of putting it anywhere else” is not needed and a pretty glaring error.No issue here.(1/2) *Main Challenge: I have trouble seeing this as an intro deck cover rare as it doesn’t really appeal to Timmy and it’s uses are non obvious. This is very much a rare that probably has no place in an intro deck unless there is a specific mechanic that triggers it. Given the Azorius have detain in Return to Ravnica, that’s not the case.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 21/25
Eskimo_Rage
(1.5/3) Appeal: This is big enough that timmy can get behind this, but he still doesn’t like discarding his cards, even if it’s symmetrical. Johnny has a small space of interest in abusing its many trigger momemts somehow, but I feel its too small for him to really want it. This is really a card that’s all about spike, because the efficiency and CA (both in quality and in literal card advantage) can add up very quickly.
(2.0/3) Elegance: This card reads a clunky with its errors and different discarding methods within the same effect, but is otherwise easy to understand what is going on.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is very red/black and the hellbent effect makes this feel rare.
(1/3) Balance: This cards is way too efficient a beater, and it’s wording allows for ridiculous abuse. The discarding is already symmetrical, which makes it not really a down side for an otherwise 4/4 for 3. That’s too good for RB multicolor. The thing is though; the discarding isn’t entirely symmetrically because first of all, they discard at random when you don’t, so they are more likely to lose a quality card. Second, your wording makes it so regardless of whether you have a card to discard or not, your opponents are still discarding at random. To top it off, you get the hellbent effect, which exiles a card to safely be played that turn and not be discarded when it attacks? This cool synergy is ruined by poor balancing.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: None of the effects by themselves are all that new, but together create a very cool game state where you get to dodge your own symmetrical discard.
(3/3) Flavor: Name is good.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: Whenever ~ attacks, not when. You need a comma after the phrase as well. You failed to list the card type (creature) along with the subtypes. Contemporary design would either have you word it simply as “each player discards a card” for the trigger (unless you want both to be random) or “discard a card. If you do, each opponent…” so that the discarding is mandatory. If you intend for you to be able to dodge discarding while still making your opponents do it, use the former (but balance accordingly!)
(2/2) *Main Challenge: I could totally see an efficient beater in this vein being on the cover of an intro pack. The effects play well as a core card to a decks strategy.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Both met.
Total: 18/25
Totals:
Awkward Squirtle = 21.5
caliburdeath = 19.5
CommanderZ = 21.5
CrazyMatt = 13.5
Doombringer = 21
doomfish = 21
Eskimo_Rage = 18
Design - 5/6
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy kind of likes the idea of big plays with things like Incremental Growth, Johnny sees some potential here, but Spike doesn't love a difficult-to-cast 3-drop 2/2 that won't always have an immediate effect.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 3/6
(1.5/3) Viability: The color wheel is a bit off here, as mechanically, this card has no reason to be anything but mono-green. No rarity, but I'm guessing rare based on the assignment, which seems right here.
(1.5/3) Balance: This card seems a bit weak for most constructed formats, as it's difficult to cast, not on curve for a green creature (Green often gets 3/3s for 2G), and has no immediate effect. Anafenza, the Foremost has double the P/T and effects that are extremely relevant with delve, whip, and Goyf around, and still only saw significant modern play with Birthing Pod legal. Overall, where this will shine is EDH. In a format where Doubling Season is a staple and Ghave, Guru of Spores is one of the more common generals, this can be quite good.
Creativity - 3/6
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: The abilities here are nothing new on their own, it's half of Doubling Season with Outlast. However, the combination of the two has potential, and they haven't been used together before.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card name and deck name are both good. There is definitely room for flavor text, so you probably should have used some here. Overall, the flavor is pretty good, but it being a Knight is a bit odd, as there were no Knights in the KTK block, but quite a few Warriors, with nice warrior tribal themes showing up. Making it a warrior and adding flavor text would have been the last two elements to make the flavor perfect here.
Polish - 5.5/7
(1.5/3) Quality: "If one of more +1/+1 counters..." should say one or more. Also, like Doubling Season, this should say "twice that many counters", not "twice as many counters". Lastly, even though the contest implies that this is rare, always include a rarity.
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good. A legendary creature with an ability that appears on a well-known staple is definitely the kind of thing Wizards would put on the front of an intro pack to sell it.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Also all good.
Total: 16.5/25
Design - 2.5/6
(2.5/3) Appeal: Spike likes the idea of a token army with infect, as a card as simple as Raise the Alarm gives him two 2/2 infect creatures here, and he can get this out for only five mana, which for a card that is on its own a 5/5 infect is pretty good. Johnny doesn't see a ton of weirdness to combo with here, but might try for a proliferate win or try to turn the life loss for paying the phyrexian mana into some sort of benefit. Spike kind of likes this too, as a 5/5 infect that boosts all of your other stuff is nice and exciting.
(0/3) Elegance: Many people might not realize that this boosts itself too, and giving itself double-infect is redundant. It would be cleaner to make it a 5/5 and say "other creatures you control", although Kaysa says that this isn't necessary, just usually better and much more common with current design principles. In addition, "Phyrexian" isn't actually a creature type, although it should have been. Altogether, needs a lot of cleaning up.
Development - 3/6
(3/3) Viability: Color pie is good here, as anthems are white's domain mostly. This is definitely a rare, and doesn't really break any rules.
(0/3) Balance: This is WAY too powerful. White can make a ton of tokens fairly easily, and giving them all +1/+1 and infect is a lot. Breaking this down into separate cards, we have:
Glorious Anthem with phyrexian mana
Plus
CARDNAME 4
Artifact Creature - Cleric
Infect
Other creatures you control have infect.
4/4
As you can see, both of these are overpowered, and putting them onto one card could do an enormous amount of damage. You can play it in any color deck, so really, this is:
CARDNAME 5
Artifact Creature - Cleric
Infect
Other creatures you control get +1/+1 and have infect.
When ~ enters the battlefield, you lose 4 life.
5/5
That's REALLY good. If you are playing any decent white tokens or weenies, deck, you should win within a turn or so of dropping this. For comparison, Putrefax is a rare with a community rating of 4.014, and it's only a 5/3, only lasts one turn, and doesn't have the anthem bit, at the benefit of not losing you life and having trample. I'd still say this is significantly better than Putrefax.
Creativity - 5/6
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: No cards that permanently grant all of your creatures infect exist right now, and there are no white rare creatures with infect, but temporary grants of infect, anthems, and white infect creatures all exist. Altogether, this feels mostly new and creative.
(2.5/3) Flavor: I like the flavor a lot here. Deck name is pretty good.
Polish - 5/7
(2/3) Quality: Once again, phyrexian isn't a creature type.
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good. Splashy enough to sell products.
(1/2) Sub Challenges: Costs more than 4 mana.
Total: 15.5/25
Design - 5/6
(2/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't love this because there aren't many Arcane decks out there. Johnny loves this card. Timmy sees some potential to make an already big effect like Goryo's Vengeance bigger by splicing lots of stuff onto it.
(3/3) Elegance: Easy to understand, overall quite good.
Development - 4/6
(3/3) Viability: This should definitely be blue and definitely be rare, so all's good here.
(1/3) Balance: I can see this being pretty good if you play enough Arcane spells, but not overpowered. It's fun in duel and multiplayer, but it's pretty bad in most Limited formats.
Creativity - 5/6
(3/3) Uniqueness: Nothing exists that grants splice, so that's entirely new. I like the idea a lot.
(2/3) Flavor: Pretty good flavor, the deck name is good, my only issue being that the first thing that comes to mind when I hear "Shardsinger" is Alara.
Polish - 7/7
(3/3) Quality: All good
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good. I could see this on the front of an intro pack.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: All good.
Total: 21/25
Design - 6/6
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the idea of a 4 mana 6/6, Johnny likes the huge combo potential here with things like Knight of the Reliquary, Scapeshift, and fetchlands. Spike likes the possibility of getting an over-curve creature and also likes the synergy with staples like fetches and Knight.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 6/6
(3/3) Viability: Color is obvious and spot on here, and this fits as a rare well.
(3/3) Balance: Quite powerful. Cosi's Ravager is the closest precedent, and at common, it deals half the damage and only to one opponent (only relevant in multiplayer), so putting this at rare with the potential to be a 6/6 seems good but not overpowered. Wooded Foothills and Crucible of Worlds mean this would probably be played even in eternal formats.
Creativity - 5.5/6
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: As I said, the only precedent for landfall damage is Cosi's Ravager, so the ability is almost entirely new and putting it with bloodthirst is completely new.
(3/3) Flavor: I like the flavor a lot, and you're right, flavor text wouldn't have fit. The deck name is good here.
Polish - 7/7
(3/3) Quality: All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Sub Challenges: Also all good.
Total: 24.5/25
Design - 5.5/6
(2.5/3) Appeal: Spike sees a creature that has some potential, as on its own it is a 3/4 with flying and haste for 5 that deals 1 damage on impact. Johnny wants to break this by running Vampiric shenanigans, and Timmy sees a big play that could potentially be a really big flier.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 5/6
(3/3) Viability: Color pie fits, as does rarity.
(2/3) Balance: This card could be quite powerful in vampire tribal, as you should probably be able to have at minimum two vampires on the battlefield when you cast this, making it a 5/6 that immediately takes 3 life. To be honest, a 5-drop 3/4 flyer with haste that hits for 1 right away is on its own okay in constructed and great in limited, where this card is almost a bomb. Once you have one or more vampires, this gets really good, as it could get out as a 6/7 with 4 damage built in. Perfect scenario, it could be a 7/8, but that probably won't happen often. However, with potential to be a 6/7 fairly often, this could be a bit overpowered. Maybe make it a 2/1.
Creativity - 4.5/6
(2/3) Uniqueness: Reminds me of Malakir Bloodwitch a lot, but the combination of abilities feels unique and nice.
(3/3) Flavor: The gothic horror vampire feel is very much present on this card.
Polish - 4/7
(2/3) Quality: "Put a number of +1/+1 counters on ~ equal to the total life lost this way."
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good.
(0/2) Sub Challenges: Costs more than 4 mana and has two evergreen keywords.
Total: 19/25
Design - 4.5/6
(1.5/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't love the 5-mana color-restrictive 3/2 without protection, but he likes card advantage. Johnny would love to play this with things like Waste Not and sees huge potential. Timmy doesn't think a 3/2 is big enough and doesn't care that much about card advantage.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 3.5/6
(2/3) Viability: This has no mechanical reason to be red, as blue is primary in flying and card draw and black gets discard. Rare seems right here.
(1.5/3) Balance: This is hard to cast, but could be powerful. It's best in EDH, where multiplayer games abound, but could be cool in the right standard if there was good mana fixing available.
Creativity - 5.5/6
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: This is a neat new take on the classic specter ability. I like it, although I prefer Hypnotic Specter's version.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor works well, and the good deck name adds to that.
Polish - 4.5/7
(2.5/3) Quality: The flavor text says "clad", which in context is obviously a verb, not an adjective, but clad is actually only a verb in the past tense, which doesn't match the tense of the rest of the sentence. You could have said "Those who come to my lands are clad in rigid armor, yet leave their minds bare and vulnerable" or "Those who came to my lands clad their bodies in rigid armor, yet left their minds...", but you can't use clad as a verb in the present tense.
(2/2) Main Challenge: All good here, splashy enough for the front of a product.
(0/2) Sub Challenges: More than 4 CMC and has an evergreen keyword, flying.
Total: 18/25
Design - 4.5/6
(1.5/3) Appeal: Spike doesn't really care to play defender tribal, as it's not supported enough to be a really strong deck. Johnny loves this. Timmy doesn't really care either.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development - 4.5/6
(3/3) Viability: This is good and fits with Zendikar's powerful red defenders like Rage Nimbus, and rare is the right place for it.
(1.5/3) Balance: This is kind of nice as a mini-anthem on a stick, but would be a lot better if it allowed each of those creatures to attack as though they didn't have defender until end of turn.
Creativity - 5.5/6
(3/3) Uniqueness: This ability is original, and it is well designed. I like it.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The flavor works well, as does the deck name. The flavor of Zendikar itself rising up to repel the Eldrazi could also be improved by allowing the three creatures to attack as though they didn't have defender.
Polish - 6/7
(2.5/3) Quality: No issues.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Good, would feel perfect on the front of a Zendikar block product.
(1/2) Sub Challenges: Has defender, which is evergreen.
Total: 20.5/25
thenoodler: 24.5
SgtFailure: 21
void_nothing: 20.5
Tilwin: 19
Vertain: 18
scrad_the_wanderer: 16.5
SelesnyaNewLife: 15.5
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