The Others - believe it or not: there's other card games out there besides Magic. Scary thought? It gets worse!
Some of these card games also explore the idea of Lovecraftian Horror. Just like Magic. There's Hearthstone for example. The Old Gods are paying the players a visit over there.
Also the Call of Cthulhu card game is going in that direction! That can't be a coincidence!! All the games are going insane! It's EVERYWHERE! AAAAAAAAAAH
Main Challenge: Pick a card from a different card game. Design a Magic card based on it. Subchallenge 1: Doesn't involve coin flipping or choosing at random. Subchallenge 2: Retains at least one three or more letter word from the original rules text.
Main: Any game that features mostly cards as game material is valid. Doesn't have to be a trading card game. Digital or paper is fine.
Designing a card based on it means that some basic idea stemming from the original card must be recognisable. You can add and change as many things as you want.
For example, picking the card Draw Four from Uno should probably still draw four cards. But could be a creature and also have Deathtouch.
That's because the drawing of four cards is iconic about the card. But maybe you'll get criticised for not making the "next player" draw the cards.
If you pick a YuGiOh card that deals 300 damage, you can translate that to dealing 2 damage, as it's about dealing a "small" amount of damage. Nobody is going to calculate the % of starting life total.
Picking the Queen of Hearts and just having the word Queen appear in the name wouldn't quite do it.
Sub1: The text "Flip a coin." and the word "random" are not allowed. Revealing cards from the top of your library, while random, would be allowed.
Sub2: The text directly visible on the card (which you should link in your post) will be considered. So no reminder text etc.
If your card has no rules text, post an excerpt from the official rules pertaining to your card.
If there are no official rules Wikipedia will do. The word needs to appear in your rules text. Not typeline or flavortext.
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification. (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
DEADLINES
Player deadline: Saturday, May 14th 2016
Judge deadline: Wednesday, May 18th 2016
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
Let's show my age by posting a card nearly old enough to vote.
Boots of the Elite2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has haste. If it already has haste, it gets +1/+0 and cannot be blocked except by creatures with defender instead.
Equip 1
Nekusar's Puppet1UR
Creature - Zombie (Rare)
Whenever you draw a card, Nekusar's Messenger gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
As long as Nekusar's Messenger has 7 or more power, it has double strike and it can't be blocked. Nekusar overwhelm his minion with endless possibilities and false promises, so great they can't resist them.
0/4
You never said a trading card game. I choose Uno's Reverse Order card:
Reverse Time3UU
Sorcery (R)
After your next end step, take an additional main phase, followed by an additional combat step, followed by an additional main phase, followed by an additional draw step, followed by an additional upkeep step, followed by an additional untap step, followed by an additional end step. "That was fun! let's do it again"
Since I've recently become obsessed with Hex, I suppose I'll choose that....
Selfless Act
Sorcery (R)
Exile target creature. That creature's controller puts a colorless Artifact token named Hero's Monument onto the battlefield. It has "Creatures you control get +1/+1." "His willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of our people is an inspiration to us all."
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
A game that takes as long to set up as it does to play? Which can be more than an hour? Deal! Arkham Horror it is!
William Yorick, the Gravedigger6BG
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (M)
If a creature dealt damage by William Yorick, the Gravedigger would die, exile it instead.
You may cast creature cards exiled by William Yorick. T, Exile a card in a graveyard: Add X mana of any color to your mana pool, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost.
4/6
Whispers of Sheoldred4BB
Sorcery {M}
Search your library for any number of nonland cards with the same name, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library. Shelodred tempted Tezzeret with a seemingly endless legion of his greatest and darkest creations.
At the end of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Sunflower Sorceress.
When Sunflower Sorceress is removed from the battlefield by a card effect, search your library for a creature with exactly 1 power and add it to your hand.
0/1
Fortune Ladies were fun. So toolboxy without being too prepared/predictable. It was fun to play and play against.
Changes
Searching libraries for creatures is more green than it is white, so she became green and we abandon her etymological name Light. Instead the Fortune Ladies are now themed as flowers, as to thematically keep them with their +1/+1 grow ever upkeep step.
Magpie Familiar1UB
Creature - Bird (R)
Flying
When Magpie Familiar dies, reveal the top card of your library. If an artifact or creature card is revealed this way, put it into your hand. Otherwise, put the revealed card into your graveyard and return Magpie Familiar to its owner's hand.
2/1
Round's closed.
mirrorentity and scrad_the_wanderer haven't submitted an entry.
Brackets: doomfish
TriceDefied
RaikouRider
Jimmy Groove
Asrama
bravelion83
netn10
theazurespirit
Forestsguy
Moss_Elemental
Flatline
glurman
Mr__Buttons
Top 2 advance.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
(1/3) Appeal: This is strictly a Spike card.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No problems here.
(2/3) Balance: At first, it may look like giving your opponent a Glorious Anthem for exiling one of his creatures is good. But if you have artifact removal like Angelic Purge, it's not much of a drawback.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Another white creature removal card in the line of Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile.
(3/3) Flavor: No problems here.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No problems here.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met
Total: 21/25
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the size. Johnny might find a combo.
(2/3) Elegance: Quite a lot of info there.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: You can't use your opponent's cards to activate abilities. Therefore the last ability has to say “t: Exile target card from a graveyard. Add...”
(2/3) Balance: I think it's a little overcosted. I think it could cast 1 or 2 less. Also, I think it would not make a good commander, since while you can cast cards exiled with it, you can't cast cards that are white, blue or red.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: “If a creature dealt damage by William Yorick, the Gravedigger this turn would die...” “You may cast creature cards exiled with William.“ “Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool...” Also, see Viability.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 19/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Spikes loves it.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: I see no reason for it to be white.
(2/3) Balance: If you were permanently exiling a card for the additional cost instead of shuffling it back into your library. It might have been okay. But you're basically swapping cards. Because of that, I think this should cost more than two mana.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It's Demonic Tutor with an additional cost and a limit.
(2/3) Flavor: Some flavour text would have been nice.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: It should read “Search your library for a card that shares a card type with the exiled card...” Also, there's no comma in “Then shuffle your library.”
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Judgments complete. Not final until deadline, even if I can't see any real change given the huge difference in scores.
Check my "Mark of Quality" articles (link in signature) for a list of the most common Quality mistakes to avoid.
Challenges: what counts is always the letter of the law, unless explicit specifications of the host.
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.
Nekusar's Puppet1UR
Creature - Zombie (Rare)
Whenever you draw a card, Nekusar's Messenger gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
As long as Nekusar's Messenger has 7 or more power, it has double strike and it can't be blocked. Nekusar overwhelm his minion with endless possibilities and false promises, so great they can't resist them.
0/4
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy isn't that excited until he reads the last ability. That ability alone is enough to make him drool. Johnny has the challenge of finding creative ways of reaching this creature's powered up state. Spike knows the last ability will be rarely turned on, but he still likes drawing cards so he can still appreciate this even though he won't necessarily love it. (3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - This card has blue elements (the draw trigger and can't be blocked) and red ones (+1/+0, double strike) at the same time, so it makes complete sense as an Izzet-colored gold card. Rarity also feels appropriate. (3/3) Balance - This looks fairly balanced, the base power being 0 helps with both potential memory issues and general power level (at three mana you only get so much power). The last ability makes this a win condition out of nowhere, but it requires a very hard hoop to jump through. In limited I think this is playable but not a powerhouse. In constructed, where you can build your whole deck around it, I can see this getting very strong. I don't think it would be broken though, you still have to draw seven cards in one turn before you attack to use the last ability after all. Seeing a 7+ powered double strike unblockable creature on the other side of the board might not be that fun of an experience, but if you managed to meet that condition, you kind of earned it. Also, it will happen rarely enough to be memorable instead of frustating those few times it happens.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember that many cards that trigger on card drawing, and the last ability certainly makes this card memorable. The strong flavor helps too. (2.5/3) Flavor - Very nice flavor anchoring to Nekusar, the Mindrazer, a card I was completely forgetting about until I checked Gatherer. I really like the intricacies here (it shows I'm a Melvin): Nekusar makes you draw additional cards, his minion (whether he's called "Puppet" or "Messenger") gets +N/+0, where N is a bunch of power, and when he's "overwhelmed" by his master's "false promises" of power (aka when his power gets high enough), it gets that power (aka getting double strike and unblockable). Very good job here: mechanics and flavor really form a cohesive whole, too bad for the card name that suddenly changes...
Polish (2/3) Quality - It should be "As long as CARDNAME's power is 7 or greater..." (half a point deducted). As already mentioned, the card name suddenly changes from "Puppet" to "Messenger", probably a leftover from a name change (half a point deducted). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Magpie Familiar1UB
Creature - Bird (R)
Flying
When Magpie Familiar dies, reveal the top card of your library. If an artifact or creature card is revealed this way, put it into your hand. Otherwise, put the revealed card into your graveyard and return Magpie Familiar to its owner's hand.
2/1
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny can play this to dig into his library (especially if couple with a sacrifice outlet) and/or with top-of-library manipulation. Spike likes the potential card advantage this gives him. (3/3) Elegance - The last ability feels at home on a Magpie, and the text is very easily understandable.
Development (3/3) Viability - Flying is certainly both blue and black and the triggered ability is a mix of card draw (blue) and returning creatures from the graveyard to hand (black). As a creature that could potentially come back multiple times, I'm glad this is rare. (2/3) Balance - This is certainly playable in limited. It might also make a splash in Standard because of card advantage, but I can't see this in other formats. Creatures that can come back multiple times can be not that fun to play against, at least this is a rare so you won't see it that much in limited. In casual, playing against an opponent with four of these might get a little unfun if it happens repeatedly.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - The ability is new in the sense of never done before, but it doesn't feel that original. Other cards with similar abilities already exist. (1.5/3) Flavor - The name is fine and makes sense with the abilities. No flavor text even though there would be room for one line, maybe two.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good here. (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
At the end of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Sunflower Sorceress.
When Sunflower Sorceress is removed from the battlefield by a card effect, search your library for a creature with exactly 1 power and add it to your hand.
0/1
Fortune Ladies were fun. So toolboxy without being too prepared/predictable. It was fun to play and play against.
Changes
Searching libraries for creatures is more green than it is white, so she became green and we abandon her etymological name Light. Instead the Fortune Ladies are now themed as flowers, as to thematically keep them with their +1/+1 grow ever upkeep step.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes growing creatures and tutoring for creatures, but both effects are too small for him here. Johnny can pair this with a sacrifice outlet to look for any 1-power creature in his library, that may conveniently be a part of some combo. Spike also likes the tutoring, but more for card advantage and toolbox reasons. (1.5/3) Elegance - If this were actually worded like a Magic card, then it would be understandable. As it is, not so much.
Development (1.5/3) Viability - Everything is in color. Rarity is missing, and I can't judge something that is not there. (2.5/3) Balance - I think this is playable in limited, and maybe in constructed too, especially if it's in an environment when a good 1-power creature to find exists. I see no big problems in casual or multiplayer, except from the repetition of play tutors inherently generate, which some players, especially less experienced ones, might find a little unfun.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - The most original thing here is the restriction on the base power for tutoring a creature, and that already feels like a stretch. The rest is things we often see. (1.5/3) Flavor - No problems with the name or the flower flavor you went for. No flavor text.
Polish (0/3) Quality - Oh my, this card is a mess here. In order of appearance on the card we have:
• A not bolded name with no space between it and the mana cost. I'm feeling good and I won't deduct points, also because I think there will be no points left to be deducted very soon...
• A missing rarity. This is a fundamental part of a Magic card, so one whole point deducted as I usually do for missing rarity.
• An unnecessary line break between the type line and the rules text. No deduction for the same reasons as the first point.
• Nothing can trigger at the end of a phase or step. It's just not foreseen in the rules. Things trigger at the beginning of a step or phase and then players get priority. That's just how it works in the rules. This makes the trigger wrong and non-functional. It should have been "at the beginning of your upkeep". I usually deduct one point for functional mistakes, and this makes no exception.
• "is removed from the battlefield by a card effect" doesn't mean anything in Magic templating. This should be a leaves-the-battlefield trigger ("When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield, search..."). This mistake is also functional, so one more point deducted (and we're already at zero).
• "exactly 1 power" should be "base power 1" (half a point more would be deducted).
• In Magic you don't "add" cards to your hand, but you "put" them into your hand (half a point more would be deducted).
I think this is enough.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. I think you wanted to use "is removed… by a card effect" for subchallenge 2, but that is no Magic wording. Luckily for you, the presence of the word "when" is enough.
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 - (3/3) Appeal: Pretty sure about Timmy here. It's a pretty big creature though and it fetches another, so what's not to like, right? Spike recognizes the value here and Johnny is excited about deckbuilding choices. Full hit! (1.5/3) Elegance: A bit of a rollercoaster ride here. It's a complex effect that has a lot of non-intuitive parts that could go either way. In the end it comes down to: Fetches you a bigger creature, additional reading required.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Love that you found a mechanic that's about the same in both games! Well established in green and a good fit with rare.
I can see the fun advantages of not tutoring here, especially for commander, but revealing off the top could take just as long with this card and be quite tedious.
Especially letting them put the cards back in a chosen order is giving me a real headache. What if you fail to find anything? You get to put together your entire library. This really needed random shuffling. (3/3) Balance: A Yeti with upside?! Well, I guess for Magic standards even that's doable. I'd say this hits the right spot. After all it's just a one time slight upgrade and 4 mana 5/5 is a thing that does exist!
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: You named it yourself, you've got yourself a Birthing Pod on a stick. But it's a one time effect and is revealing off the top, which is a good place for the effect to venture. So while you didn't invent it, you certainly improved on it. (2/3) Flavor: Evolution is an awkwardly modern term for a fantasy card game and I like your completion more, even though it still sounds stiff. The flavortext is okay I guess.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Completion, without the a. (2/2) Main Challenge: Good pick. (2/2) Subchallenges: Technicially random, but not the kind I asked not to use. Retained a word. Full points.
Total: 20/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Big and Splashy? Timmy likes! Up to four times tutor? Spike likes! Tutor?! Johnny comes running. Oh boy, to figure out what's the best target for this! (3/3) Elegance: As simple and straightforward as they come.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Black has always been the color for tutoring. Blue is often seen as a color that interacts with cards with the same name you play yourself, as on Mitotic Manipulation, Retraced Image, Search the City or Sphinx of the Chimes.
But black does definitely come second here and the mechanic has been established as avaiable to all colors. Still, with such a big effect I'd liked to see blue appear. Mythic seems very correct. (1.5/3) Balance: Sure, it's 6 mana and a sorcery. It takes your entire turn. But boy do you get cards for that. It's a supercharged draw 4. Then again, at that time chances are you only get 3 copies, as one has been played already.
I still think this could easily go into most black control decks and be super strong. It's a daring card and should be a little bit harder to cast. This way it might actually be too dangerous.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Sure, it's somewhat using only things Magic did before, but holy hell to an extend that hasn't been seen before! (2.5/3) Flavor: I like the idea to use a big splashy legendary for the name of a big splashy spell. It makes it feel somewhat legendary too. But Sheoldred isn't so much about tutoring, so maybe Maralen would have been a better pick. Regarding the flavortext, she did? Well, that just sounds super cool.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: A cool pick, translated really well if you consider they named their deck R&D. (2/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Search.
Total: 22/25
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy probably likes to give his dude some haste and potential unblockability. Spike probably sticks to the Greaves, haste alone won't do. Johnnies might like the deckbuilding implications. (2.5/3) Elegance: Starts out really simple. Gets a bit more convoluted at the end, but not by much. Exceptions like that Defender-clause are a bit complicated to wrap your head around.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Established effects for equipments with things like Prowler's Helm and Strider Harness. Uncommon seems like a good fit, as it's a bit more complicated and potential unblockability. (1/3) Balance: Seeing how Fleetfeather Sandals didn't excite anyone I don't think your card will see much play. It's just terribly underpowered for a card that doesn't do anything on its own.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: It's somewhat of yet another give-haste equipments. We've got plenty of those. Yet, how often have I looked at a card and went "but what if I already have that on my creature"? So this ventures into some much needed design space. Good job on that! (2/3) Flavor: Elite does run fast. And fast elites run even faster, past most things that rely on catching. Great flavor actually. Wish there'd be a flavortext.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Seeing the infrequent use of already on cards I believe this is probably not a good wording, but since I can't think of a card that does something comparable I'll take it. (2/2) Main Challenge: Interesting pick and I think it translated rather well. (2/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Blocked.
Total: 19.5/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy might be excited about the additional combat step. Spike might like the somewhat extra turn. Johnny might try to make more of this card than it first appears to be. Might. It's not a perfect fit for anyone, but there's something for everyone. (2/3) Elegance: Extra turn, but backwards. Except not extra. Maybe aligning singular steps like that is the best way to convey the idea without confusing the hell out of people, but it needs some step-by-step reading while playing I imagine.
Development - (2/3) Viability: I'm not sure if the card is worth the issues with having something happening after the end step. It's just so terribly odd. And all that for a card that's basicially get an extra turn during which you untap at the end. Blue rare seems appropriate though. (2/3) Balance: Since your creatures don't untap, getting additional combat steps isn't worth a whole lot. Also the additional main phases don't help, when 5 mana is already used up.
The best part is probably getting to untap and drawing a card, essentially replacing the card while triggering Upkeep and EoT effects again. That's considerably weaker than an extra turn. At 5 mana I'm a bit unhappy with this.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: I can't believe I'm saying this, but this has been done on Topsy Turvy[. Sure, your card makes it work with the rules, by just adding some phases. But the idea stays the same. Still, getting it to work in black-border is quite the innovation. (2/3) Flavor: The name is a great fit, the flavortext could be on any extra-turn card. I expected something more funny.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Okay, you took the concept of reversing the order, but making players take their turns in a different order could be possible in Magic too. (1/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Couldn't find a retained word.
Total: 18/25
TriceDefied 20 RaikouRider 22
Jimmy Groove 19.5
Asrama 18
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
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The Others - believe it or not: there's other card games out there besides Magic. Scary thought? It gets worse!
Some of these card games also explore the idea of Lovecraftian Horror. Just like Magic. There's Hearthstone for example. The Old Gods are paying the players a visit over there.
Also the Call of Cthulhu card game is going in that direction! That can't be a coincidence!! All the games are going insane! It's EVERYWHERE! AAAAAAAAAAH
Main Challenge: Pick a card from a different card game. Design a Magic card based on it.
Subchallenge 1: Doesn't involve coin flipping or choosing at random.
Subchallenge 2: Retains at least one three or more letter word from the original rules text.
Designing a card based on it means that some basic idea stemming from the original card must be recognisable. You can add and change as many things as you want.
For example, picking the card Draw Four from Uno should probably still draw four cards. But could be a creature and also have Deathtouch.
That's because the drawing of four cards is iconic about the card. But maybe you'll get criticised for not making the "next player" draw the cards.
If you pick a YuGiOh card that deals 300 damage, you can translate that to dealing 2 damage, as it's about dealing a "small" amount of damage. Nobody is going to calculate the % of starting life total.
Picking the Queen of Hearts and just having the word Queen appear in the name wouldn't quite do it.
Sub1: The text "Flip a coin." and the word "random" are not allowed. Revealing cards from the top of your library, while random, would be allowed.
Sub2: The text directly visible on the card (which you should link in your post) will be considered. So no reminder text etc.
If your card has no rules text, post an excerpt from the official rules pertaining to your card.
If there are no official rules Wikipedia will do. The word needs to appear in your rules text. Not typeline or flavortext.
MCC Rules
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
DEADLINES
Player deadline: Saturday, May 14th 2016
Judge deadline: Wednesday, May 18th 2016
Judges:
doomfish
bravelion83
Moss_Elemental
Players:
Asrama
Flatline
Forestsguy
glurman
Jimmy Groove
mirrorentity
Mr__Buttons
netn10
RaikouRider
scrad_the_wanderer
theazurespirit
TriceDefied
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
Boots of the Elite 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has haste. If it already has haste, it gets +1/+0 and cannot be blocked except by creatures with defender instead.
Equip 1
http://kaijudo.wikia.com/wiki/Krazzix_the_Volatile#
Nekusar's Puppet 1UR
Creature - Zombie (Rare)
Whenever you draw a card, Nekusar's Messenger gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
As long as Nekusar's Messenger has 7 or more power, it has double strike and it can't be blocked.
Nekusar overwhelm his minion with endless possibilities and false promises, so great they can't resist them.
0/4
Reverse Time 3UU
Sorcery (R)
After your next end step, take an additional main phase, followed by an additional combat step, followed by an additional main phase, followed by an additional draw step, followed by an additional upkeep step, followed by an additional untap step, followed by an additional end step.
"That was fun! let's do it again"
Host, December 2015: A Winter Wonderland? - R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL April 2014: A Game of Fate - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinal|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL December 2012: Spy Games - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL November 2010: The Perfect Crime - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL August 2009: A Commander's Journey: Signups|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
I've got tons of art from the web. Want art for a render? PM me! Want to create your own collection? Start here!
Selfless Act
Sorcery (R)
Exile target creature. That creature's controller puts a colorless Artifact token named Hero's Monument onto the battlefield. It has "Creatures you control get +1/+1."
"His willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of our people is an inspiration to us all."
William Yorick, the Gravedigger 6BG
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (M)
If a creature dealt damage by William Yorick, the Gravedigger would die, exile it instead.
You may cast creature cards exiled by William Yorick.
T, Exile a card in a graveyard: Add X mana of any color to your mana pool, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost.
4/6
Whispers of Sheoldred 4BB
Sorcery {M}
Search your library for any number of nonland cards with the same name, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Shelodred tempted Tezzeret with a seemingly endless legion of his greatest and darkest creations.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Sunflower Sorceress1G
Creature - Plant Wizard
At the end of your upkeep, put a +1/+1 counter on Sunflower Sorceress.
When Sunflower Sorceress is removed from the battlefield by a card effect, search your library for a creature with exactly 1 power and add it to your hand.
0/1
Fortune Ladies were fun. So toolboxy without being too prepared/predictable. It was fun to play and play against.
Changes
Searching libraries for creatures is more green than it is white, so she became green and we abandon her etymological name Light. Instead the Fortune Ladies are now themed as flowers, as to thematically keep them with their +1/+1 grow ever upkeep step.
Magpie Familiar 1UB
Creature - Bird (R)
Flying
When Magpie Familiar dies, reveal the top card of your library. If an artifact or creature card is revealed this way, put it into your hand. Otherwise, put the revealed card into your graveyard and return Magpie Familiar to its owner's hand.
2/1
mirrorentity and scrad_the_wanderer haven't submitted an entry.
Brackets:
doomfish
TriceDefied
RaikouRider
Jimmy Groove
Asrama
bravelion83
netn10
theazurespirit
Forestsguy
Moss_Elemental
Flatline
glurman
Mr__Buttons
Top 2 advance.
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
(1/3) Appeal: This is strictly a Spike card.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No problems here.
(2/3) Balance: At first, it may look like giving your opponent a Glorious Anthem for exiling one of his creatures is good. But if you have artifact removal like Angelic Purge, it's not much of a drawback.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Another white creature removal card in the line of Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile.
(3/3) Flavor: No problems here.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No problems here.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met
Total: 21/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the size. Johnny might find a combo.
(2/3) Elegance: Quite a lot of info there.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: You can't use your opponent's cards to activate abilities. Therefore the last ability has to say “t: Exile target card from a graveyard. Add...”
(2/3) Balance: I think it's a little overcosted. I think it could cast 1 or 2 less. Also, I think it would not make a good commander, since while you can cast cards exiled with it, you can't cast cards that are white, blue or red.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: It's quite new.
(3/3) Flavor: No problems here.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: “If a creature dealt damage by William Yorick, the Gravedigger this turn would die...” “You may cast creature cards exiled with William.“ “Add X mana of any one color to your mana pool...” Also, see Viability.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 19/25
(1/3) Appeal: Spikes loves it.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: I see no reason for it to be white.
(2/3) Balance: If you were permanently exiling a card for the additional cost instead of shuffling it back into your library. It might have been okay. But you're basically swapping cards. Because of that, I think this should cost more than two mana.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It's Demonic Tutor with an additional cost and a limit.
(2/3) Flavor: Some flavour text would have been nice.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: It should read “Search your library for a card that shares a card type with the exiled card...” Also, there's no comma in “Then shuffle your library.”
(2/2) Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 18/25
glurman: 19
Mr__Buttons: 18
As always, no complaints.
Check my "Mark of Quality" articles (link in signature) for a list of the most common Quality mistakes to avoid.
Challenges: what counts is always the letter of the law, unless explicit specifications of the host.
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.
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy isn't that excited until he reads the last ability. That ability alone is enough to make him drool. Johnny has the challenge of finding creative ways of reaching this creature's powered up state. Spike knows the last ability will be rarely turned on, but he still likes drawing cards so he can still appreciate this even though he won't necessarily love it.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - This card has blue elements (the draw trigger and can't be blocked) and red ones (+1/+0, double strike) at the same time, so it makes complete sense as an Izzet-colored gold card. Rarity also feels appropriate.
(3/3) Balance - This looks fairly balanced, the base power being 0 helps with both potential memory issues and general power level (at three mana you only get so much power). The last ability makes this a win condition out of nowhere, but it requires a very hard hoop to jump through. In limited I think this is playable but not a powerhouse. In constructed, where you can build your whole deck around it, I can see this getting very strong. I don't think it would be broken though, you still have to draw seven cards in one turn before you attack to use the last ability after all. Seeing a 7+ powered double strike unblockable creature on the other side of the board might not be that fun of an experience, but if you managed to meet that condition, you kind of earned it. Also, it will happen rarely enough to be memorable instead of frustating those few times it happens.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember that many cards that trigger on card drawing, and the last ability certainly makes this card memorable. The strong flavor helps too.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Very nice flavor anchoring to Nekusar, the Mindrazer, a card I was completely forgetting about until I checked Gatherer. I really like the intricacies here (it shows I'm a Melvin): Nekusar makes you draw additional cards, his minion (whether he's called "Puppet" or "Messenger") gets +N/+0, where N is a bunch of power, and when he's "overwhelmed" by his master's "false promises" of power (aka when his power gets high enough), it gets that power (aka getting double strike and unblockable). Very good job here: mechanics and flavor really form a cohesive whole, too bad for the card name that suddenly changes...
Polish
(2/3) Quality - It should be "As long as CARDNAME's power is 7 or greater..." (half a point deducted). As already mentioned, the card name suddenly changes from "Puppet" to "Messenger", probably a leftover from a name change (half a point deducted).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 23/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny can play this to dig into his library (especially if couple with a sacrifice outlet) and/or with top-of-library manipulation. Spike likes the potential card advantage this gives him.
(3/3) Elegance - The last ability feels at home on a Magpie, and the text is very easily understandable.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Flying is certainly both blue and black and the triggered ability is a mix of card draw (blue) and returning creatures from the graveyard to hand (black). As a creature that could potentially come back multiple times, I'm glad this is rare.
(2/3) Balance - This is certainly playable in limited. It might also make a splash in Standard because of card advantage, but I can't see this in other formats. Creatures that can come back multiple times can be not that fun to play against, at least this is a rare so you won't see it that much in limited. In casual, playing against an opponent with four of these might get a little unfun if it happens repeatedly.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - The ability is new in the sense of never done before, but it doesn't feel that original. Other cards with similar abilities already exist.
(1.5/3) Flavor - The name is fine and makes sense with the abilities. No flavor text even though there would be room for one line, maybe two.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 20/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes growing creatures and tutoring for creatures, but both effects are too small for him here. Johnny can pair this with a sacrifice outlet to look for any 1-power creature in his library, that may conveniently be a part of some combo. Spike also likes the tutoring, but more for card advantage and toolbox reasons.
(1.5/3) Elegance - If this were actually worded like a Magic card, then it would be understandable. As it is, not so much.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability - Everything is in color. Rarity is missing, and I can't judge something that is not there.
(2.5/3) Balance - I think this is playable in limited, and maybe in constructed too, especially if it's in an environment when a good 1-power creature to find exists. I see no big problems in casual or multiplayer, except from the repetition of play tutors inherently generate, which some players, especially less experienced ones, might find a little unfun.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - The most original thing here is the restriction on the base power for tutoring a creature, and that already feels like a stretch. The rest is things we often see.
(1.5/3) Flavor - No problems with the name or the flower flavor you went for. No flavor text.
Polish
(0/3) Quality - Oh my, this card is a mess here. In order of appearance on the card we have:
• A not bolded name with no space between it and the mana cost. I'm feeling good and I won't deduct points, also because I think there will be no points left to be deducted very soon...
• A missing rarity. This is a fundamental part of a Magic card, so one whole point deducted as I usually do for missing rarity.
• An unnecessary line break between the type line and the rules text. No deduction for the same reasons as the first point.
• Nothing can trigger at the end of a phase or step. It's just not foreseen in the rules. Things trigger at the beginning of a step or phase and then players get priority. That's just how it works in the rules. This makes the trigger wrong and non-functional. It should have been "at the beginning of your upkeep". I usually deduct one point for functional mistakes, and this makes no exception.
• "is removed from the battlefield by a card effect" doesn't mean anything in Magic templating. This should be a leaves-the-battlefield trigger ("When CARDNAME leaves the battlefield, search..."). This mistake is also functional, so one more point deducted (and we're already at zero).
• "exactly 1 power" should be "base power 1" (half a point more would be deducted).
• In Magic you don't "add" cards to your hand, but you "put" them into your hand (half a point more would be deducted).
I think this is enough.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met. I think you wanted to use "is removed… by a card effect" for subchallenge 2, but that is no Magic wording. Luckily for you, the presence of the word "when" is enough.
Total: 14/25
netn10: 23
theazurespirit: 20
Forestsguy: 14
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.)
(3/3) Appeal: Pretty sure about Timmy here. It's a pretty big creature though and it fetches another, so what's not to like, right? Spike recognizes the value here and Johnny is excited about deckbuilding choices. Full hit!
(1.5/3) Elegance: A bit of a rollercoaster ride here. It's a complex effect that has a lot of non-intuitive parts that could go either way. In the end it comes down to: Fetches you a bigger creature, additional reading required.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Love that you found a mechanic that's about the same in both games! Well established in green and a good fit with rare.
I can see the fun advantages of not tutoring here, especially for commander, but revealing off the top could take just as long with this card and be quite tedious.
Especially letting them put the cards back in a chosen order is giving me a real headache. What if you fail to find anything? You get to put together your entire library. This really needed random shuffling.
(3/3) Balance: A Yeti with upside?! Well, I guess for Magic standards even that's doable. I'd say this hits the right spot. After all it's just a one time slight upgrade and 4 mana 5/5 is a thing that does exist!
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: You named it yourself, you've got yourself a Birthing Pod on a stick. But it's a one time effect and is revealing off the top, which is a good place for the effect to venture. So while you didn't invent it, you certainly improved on it.
(2/3) Flavor: Evolution is an awkwardly modern term for a fantasy card game and I like your completion more, even though it still sounds stiff. The flavortext is okay I guess.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Completion, without the a.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Good pick.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Technicially random, but not the kind I asked not to use. Retained a word. Full points.
Total: 20/25
(3/3) Appeal: Big and Splashy? Timmy likes! Up to four times tutor? Spike likes! Tutor?! Johnny comes running. Oh boy, to figure out what's the best target for this!
(3/3) Elegance: As simple and straightforward as they come.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Black has always been the color for tutoring. Blue is often seen as a color that interacts with cards with the same name you play yourself, as on Mitotic Manipulation, Retraced Image, Search the City or Sphinx of the Chimes.
But black does definitely come second here and the mechanic has been established as avaiable to all colors. Still, with such a big effect I'd liked to see blue appear. Mythic seems very correct.
(1.5/3) Balance: Sure, it's 6 mana and a sorcery. It takes your entire turn. But boy do you get cards for that. It's a supercharged draw 4. Then again, at that time chances are you only get 3 copies, as one has been played already.
I still think this could easily go into most black control decks and be super strong. It's a daring card and should be a little bit harder to cast. This way it might actually be too dangerous.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Sure, it's somewhat using only things Magic did before, but holy hell to an extend that hasn't been seen before!
(2.5/3) Flavor: I like the idea to use a big splashy legendary for the name of a big splashy spell. It makes it feel somewhat legendary too. But Sheoldred isn't so much about tutoring, so maybe Maralen would have been a better pick. Regarding the flavortext, she did? Well, that just sounds super cool.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: A cool pick, translated really well if you consider they named their deck R&D.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Search.
Total: 22/25
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy probably likes to give his dude some haste and potential unblockability. Spike probably sticks to the Greaves, haste alone won't do. Johnnies might like the deckbuilding implications.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Starts out really simple. Gets a bit more convoluted at the end, but not by much. Exceptions like that Defender-clause are a bit complicated to wrap your head around.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Established effects for equipments with things like Prowler's Helm and Strider Harness. Uncommon seems like a good fit, as it's a bit more complicated and potential unblockability.
(1/3) Balance: Seeing how Fleetfeather Sandals didn't excite anyone I don't think your card will see much play. It's just terribly underpowered for a card that doesn't do anything on its own.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: It's somewhat of yet another give-haste equipments. We've got plenty of those. Yet, how often have I looked at a card and went "but what if I already have that on my creature"? So this ventures into some much needed design space. Good job on that!
(2/3) Flavor: Elite does run fast. And fast elites run even faster, past most things that rely on catching. Great flavor actually. Wish there'd be a flavortext.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Seeing the infrequent use of already on cards I believe this is probably not a good wording, but since I can't think of a card that does something comparable I'll take it.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Interesting pick and I think it translated rather well.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Blocked.
Total: 19.5/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy might be excited about the additional combat step. Spike might like the somewhat extra turn. Johnny might try to make more of this card than it first appears to be. Might. It's not a perfect fit for anyone, but there's something for everyone.
(2/3) Elegance: Extra turn, but backwards. Except not extra. Maybe aligning singular steps like that is the best way to convey the idea without confusing the hell out of people, but it needs some step-by-step reading while playing I imagine.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: I'm not sure if the card is worth the issues with having something happening after the end step. It's just so terribly odd. And all that for a card that's basicially get an extra turn during which you untap at the end. Blue rare seems appropriate though.
(2/3) Balance: Since your creatures don't untap, getting additional combat steps isn't worth a whole lot. Also the additional main phases don't help, when 5 mana is already used up.
The best part is probably getting to untap and drawing a card, essentially replacing the card while triggering Upkeep and EoT effects again. That's considerably weaker than an extra turn. At 5 mana I'm a bit unhappy with this.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: I can't believe I'm saying this, but this has been done on Topsy Turvy[. Sure, your card makes it work with the rules, by just adding some phases. But the idea stays the same. Still, getting it to work in black-border is quite the innovation.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is a great fit, the flavortext could be on any extra-turn card. I expected something more funny.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Okay, you took the concept of reversing the order, but making players take their turns in a different order could be possible in Magic too.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not random. Couldn't find a retained word.
Total: 18/25
RaikouRider 22
Jimmy Groove 19.5
Asrama 18
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