Let's all welcome our new Eldrazi overlord! We all will be one under her wings... ehm... her tentacles, or whatever they are. But they are so warm and welcoming, who wouldn't want to be part of her embrace... ehm, no, I mean... let's all give up our identities and become one, one'mra... no, NO! I'm going crazy! I can't let go of my mind! I can't, I... I... All are one! All are'mrakul!
Main Challenge: Design a card that has delirium or madness. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenges:
1- No other keyword mechanics, keyword actions, or ability words mentioned anywhere on the card.
2- The card is common or uncommon.
On the Main Challenge:
• As long as your card has either delirium or madness, you're fine. If you manage to get both on the same card, style points for you, but unfortunately those won't add to your real score!
On subchallenge 1:
• In other words, the only keyworded mechanics your card can have, grant, interact with, etc... are delirium or madness.
• Of course, your card can have any number of non-keyworded abilities in addition to delirium or madness.
• Spelling out existing keywords in rules text so that they technically don't count as keywords for the sake of this challenge is explicitly forbidden. If you do that, your card won't pass this subchallenge.
EXCEPTION for subchallenge 1 - the following are technically keyword actions in the Comprehensive Rules, but they are at a very basic level of Magic design and used every set, so they are explicitly allowed. In fact, you may not even know that some of them are technically keyword actions. They are:
• "Activate"
• "Attach"
• "Cast" and "play"
• "Counter" (as in "counter a spell", not "+1/+1 counter")
• "Destroy"
• "Discard"
• "Exchange"
• "Exile"
• "Regenerate"
• "Reveal"
• "Sacrifice"
• "Search"
• "Shuffle"
• "Tap" and "untap"
The same goes for the following, that are technically keyword abilities:
• "Enchant" (it's just necessary if you want to design an Aura)
• "Equip" (the same but for Equipment)
All other keyword abilities and keyword actions, and all ability words are forbidden by subchallenge 1, as well as new ones of your own design.
Also, there are two things that are not technically either keyword abilities, keyword actions or ability words, but they feel like such:
• "dies" is allowed for the same reasons of the above list.
• "devotion" is NOT allowed as it's a block mechanic anyway.
Examples of cards that would NOT pass subchallenge 1:
• Autumnal Gloom - it contains a keyword action (transform). This means that DFCs will essentially automatically fail this subchallenge.
• Backwoods Survivalists - it mentions trample.
• Bloodhall Priest - it has hellbent spelled out ("if you have no cards in hand")
• Deathcap Cultivator - it has deathtouch.
• Descend upon the Sinful - it mentions flying.
• Distemper of the Blood - it mentions trample.
• Geist of the Lonely Vigil - not only it has two keyworded abilities itself (defender and flying), but it also mentions defender again in the delirium ability.
• Mournwillow - it has haste.
Examples of cards that WOULD pass subchallenge 1:
• Avacyn's Judgment - the fact that it mentions madness after the actual madness ability ("if CARDNAME's madness cost was paid...") is irrilevant, as madness can be freely referenced all the times you want, as could delirium if it wasn't an ability word. Remember an ability word has no rules meaning, so it can't be directly referenced in rules text in ways like "whenever you cast a card with delirium" or such.
• Broken Concentration - yes, "counter" is a keyword action (as in "countering a spell", not "a +1/+1 counter"), but it's allowed. The same goes for Malevolent Whispers and "untap", or To the Slaughter and "sacrifice", or Traverse the Ulvenwald and "search", or Whispers of Emrakul and "discard". "Draw" (as in "draw a card", not "the game is a draw") isn't even included as a keyword action in the CR, but even if it were the same reasoning would imply Scour the Laboratory is allowed.
• Falkenrath Gorger and Welcome to the Fold - the same reason as Avacyn's Judgment: madness can be freely referenced.
• Manic Scribe - even though the mechanic has a nickname (mill), it's not an official name, so it's fine.
• Moldgraf Scavenger - no keywords mentioned, only a P/T bonus and that's fine.
This is all I can think of for now. If you have any more doubts, just ask, preferably in the discussion thread.
I hope these resources give everyone a grasp of what can or cannot be included on your submission.
Best of luck!
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? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES In green, the next deadline to come.
In blue, further future deadlines to come.
In red, past deadlines.
Player deadline: Saturday, July 23rd 23:59 EDT
Judge deadline: Wednesday, July 27th 23:59 EDT
Only the six players above are allowed to submit a card.
This round is the versus round. There will be three one-vs-one matchups, each judged by two judges. Between the two paired players, the one with the highest sum of scores will advance to the final round. Good luck everyone!
BRACKETS
The round is closed. The brackets are as follows:
Judge: bravelion83
Flatline vs. void_nothing
glurman vs. mederer
Judge: Necarg
Folza vs. RaikouRider
Flatline vs. void_nothing
Judge: doomfish
glurman vs. mederer
Folza vs. RaikouRider
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.)
Howl of the Dronepack3G
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target noncreature permanent. If Howl of the Dronepack's madness cost was paid, create a 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror creature token.
Madness 2G(If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.) The true horrors of the Somberwald congregate and emerge at the signal of the Dronepack.
Changed text here to see what it would look like with the new Kaladesh template. Please still judge according to the current version.
Mad Butchery1B
Sorcery (U)
Each player sacrifices a creature. Delirium -- Each player sacrifices two creatures instead if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. The town butcher slaughtered all of the sheep, all of the cows, all of the villagers, and himself.
Civil Uprising
Enchantment (U)
When Civil Uprising enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield. Delirium — Human creatures you control get +1/+1 as long there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. "We have lost enough already, it is time we stand up for ourselves!"
(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)
Ritual of Folly2R
Instant (U)
Add B to your mana pool for each card you've discarded this turn and R to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
Madness BR One can buy anything at the price of a mind... whether one should is another question altogether.
Insanity's Whispers2BB
Sorcery {U}
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of card types among cards in your graveyard.
Madness 1BB(If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Private Mod Note
():
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.
Sorry I'm a few hours late, I couldn't get Internet last night.
Blazing Memories1RR
Sorcery (U)
Madness 1R
Blazing Memories deals damage to each player equal to the number of cards in that player's hand. The flames spread through her mind until they were all she remembered.
Voxzorz, just like mirrodin 71 last round, you didn't pass the last round and in fact you're not in the players list for this round. I'll judge your card anyway avter I'm done my official judgments.
The round is closed. The brackets are as follows:
Judge: bravelion83
Flatline vs. void_nothing
glurman vs. mederer
Judge: Necarg
Folza vs. RaikouRider
Flatline vs. void_nothing
Judge: doomfish
glurman vs. mederer
Folza vs. RaikouRider
Private Mod Note
():
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.)
My sincerest apologies, I was not aware that Necarg had updated his results for the second round, and neglected to check the player listings. As I said, I didn't have wifi so I was scrambling a bit trying to come up with a card, thinking I was still eligible to participate.
My sincerest apologies, I was not aware that Necarg had updated his results for the second round, and neglected to check the player listings. As I said, I didn't have wifi so I was scrambling a bit trying to come up with a card, thinking I was still eligible to participate.
No problem, things like this happen and that's why I and some other judges always make clear that judgments are never final until the deadline. I thought it had to do with outside circumstances as I know you have already judged and so you know how it works.
Judgments complete, not final until deadline.
Very high scores from me this round, congratulations to everyone for making good cards! Keep it going, the last round will be the toughest!
Civil Uprising
Enchantment (U)
When Civil Uprising enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield. Delirium — Human creatures you control get +1/+1 as long there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. "We have lost enough already, it is time we stand up for ourselves!"
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes tokens and making creatures bigger. Johnny can do something with the tokens. Spike likes the efficiency of putting two 2/2 tokens on the battlefield for three mana. Spike/Timmies should be quite excited by this, even if Spike is a bit turned off by the fact that the anthem effect is not permanent (it's only as long as you have delirium). (3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color. I think this may be borderline rare, but we've already seen such tribal lord/anthem effects at uncommon, so it should be fine there too. On second thought, it's definitely fine here as the anthem effect is very conditional (it's quite difficult to turn on delirium, especially in limited). (3/3) Balance - The mana cost looks fine, but low enough to be relevant. This is definitely playable in limited and might make a splash in Standard in a Human tribal deck which should not be that hard to build. I can't see this in older formats, nor I can see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - I checked and there is no delirium card with an anthem effect as the delirium bonus, so that's new, even if not very original. (3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - An "as" is missing in the delirium ability ("as long there are", half a point deducted). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Ritual of Folly2R
Instant (U)
Add B to your mana pool for each card you've discarded this turn and R to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
Madness BR One can buy anything at the price of a mind... whether one should is another question altogether.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny absolutely loves this card, there is so much he can do with it. Spike appreciates the fact that if you cast this with madness it automatically gives you one black mana anyway, but it's still not an accelerator, or at least it requires quite a lot of work to become one. I expect him to just prefer a straight-up real mana producing card. (3/3) Elegance - All good here, even if there might be some hidden strategic implications, but that's the right kind of complexity. The symmetry of the "modes" also helps a lot here.
Development (2.5/3) Viability - Red has one-shot mana production, so no problem. Black can also produce black mana, especially when coupled with a black requirement (discard in this case), even it that's not very frequent, but it's still allowed. It can read a little strange to see red mana coupled with cards drawn, but given the overall concept of the card it still fits. As for rarity, this is definitely not a common but it feels underwhelming at rare, so uncommon is probably the right rarity. (1.5/3) Balance - I think this would not get played a lot in limited, you usually want noncreature spells to be either combat tricks or removal, or something that directly affects the board somehow. I think this will often be a last pick, or at least a late pick. This is a card made for constructed, in the sense that it wants a whole deck built around it, which you will have no problems in doing in casual, but in Standard that's not a given. In a Standard format like the present one maybe, but it really depends on the environment. In older formats it can be considered in storm decks.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - This feels very original, I can't remember any existing cards working like this (there might still be some though). (3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - Usually uncommons have reminder text, it's rares and mythics that can avoid it if there's no room (half a point deducted). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Mad Butchery1B
Sorcery (U)
Each player sacrifices a creature. Delirium -- Each player sacrifices two creatures instead if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. The town butcher slaughtered all of the sheep, all of the cows, all of the villagers, and himself.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy and Johnny don't care. This is a card for Spike, and he totally loves it. (3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity feels appropriate. (3/3) Balance - Edict effects traditionally cost two mana, so the mana cost is certainly fine. Delirium is hard enough to achieve that doubling up for the same cost should be fine. Very playable in limited, it might also make a splash in Standard in the era of bad removal. It will be as played as the other edicts are in older formats (aka not very much if at all). If other edicts were fine in casual and multiplayer, this will be too.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - This is just an edict effect. It also feels quite similar to To the Slaughter. This exact effect may be ever done before, but it's not very original. (3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics. Particular appreciation for the detail that the butcher slaughtered four things, just like the four card types required for delirium, and for the irony in the last one of those!
Polish (3/3) Quality - I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt on the double minus sign instead of the long dash, as you may be a victim of the non-Latin characters antispam restriction, so no points deducted. (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Emrakul's Distortions2B
Sorcery (U)
Put a 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror creature token onto the battlefield. If Emrakul's Distortions' madness cost was paid, put two 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror creature tokens onto the battlefield instead. Delirium -- Emrakul's Distortions has Madness 1BB as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. (If you discard this card, as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Cultists trying to catch Emrakul's attention slowly lose their minds until they finally become one of her abominations.
Design (3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes tokens, and likes even more getting double tokens in some corner cases. Johnny is already looking for ways to make those corner cases happen. This is a card for him, and he's definitely excited by this. He also should be able to use the tokens effectively somehow. Spike also likes this card: a 3/2 is already worth three mana, getting two in rare cases is even better. (1/3) Elegance - Very wordy. Actually, it's so wordy that it's already ten lines without flavor text (MSE lets me see this). That's acceptable in theory, even if borderline, but flavor text will certainly not fit. In this area, it would have been better to just have straight-up madness. At least, the card is still easy enough to understand, which looks a bit weird given how wordy it is, but it is.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity is acceptable. (2/3) Balance - This is definitely playable in limited, it would have already been playable as a 3/2 for three mana, the potential to get two creatures out of one card makes it even better. I don't think this would show up in constructed, the real value of this card is if you're able to get both tokens, and you have to reach delirium AND have a discard outlet to get to it. It's not impossible to do, but it looks like too much of a hoop to jump through to me in constructed. Except for the wordiness (which could potentially turn some players off), I see no other particular problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - This feels very original, especially for the interaction between delirium and madness. I said in the clarifications that gave you style points but not actual points... well, in your case I was mistaken. Here's your actual points. (1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good. The flavor text is fine, not great but still good enough to be printable and it makes sense. Too bad it doesn't actually fit (see Elegance), also because it actually reflects the mechanics quite nicely.
Polish (2/3) Quality - I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt on the double minus sign instead of the long dash, as you may be a victim of the non-Latin characters antispam restriction, so no points deducted for that. Instead, half a point deducted because madness in the delirium ability should not be capitalized, and another half a point for an unneeded line break between rules text and flavor text. Finally, I want to mention your perfect use of the Saxon genitive ("Emrakul's Distortions' madness cost"), I can see a lot of people getting it wrong, so congratulations for that! (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Blazing Memories1RR
Sorcery (U)
Madness 1R
Blazing Memories deals damage to each player equal to the number of cards in that player's hand. The flames spread through her mind until they were all she remembered.
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care that much, but he likes that this punishes control players that don't let him cast his big monsters! Johnny can do something strange with this, like making the opponent draw and use this as a finisher, turbo-fog style (even if those decks don't usually play red, but that will actually be a stimulus for him and his creativity). Spike really likes this, it's a card that requires a lot of strategy to get the most benefits out of. (3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity feels appropriate. (2/3) Balance - Sudden Impact and Gaze of Adamaro tell me the mana cost is probably right, this costs one mana less but it's a sorcery and also affects you. Might be playable in limited, even though burn spells that hit creatures should probably take precedence there. I can see this as a sideboard card in constructed at best. No problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity (2/3) Uniqueness - We've seen similar effects multiple times, even if admittedly not that often. (3/3) Flavor - The name is very good, it reminds me of the (in)famous Ignite Memories. The flavor text is also very good.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - Usually uncommons have reminder text, it's rares and mythics that can avoid it if there's no room (half a point deducted). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 22/25
I'm very sorry you were out. You had a very good card and might easily have advanced in my opinion. Better luck next month! Or see you in the judging thread, as you prefer!
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.)
Card: Howl of the Dronepack3G
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target noncreature permanent. If Howl of the Dronepack's madness cost was paid, put a 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror token onto the battlefield.
Madness 2G(If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.) The true horrors of the Somberwald congregate and emerge at the signal of the Dronepack.
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal: This will likely appeal to Johnny's and Spike's, but I don't see it appealing to Tim really. It has somewhat large combo potential, and is powerful enough to be useful for spikes.
(3/3) Elegance: I have no complaints with the elegance of the card. Everything checks out, it's cohesive, and easy to read.
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: This card is not fit well for Uncommon. It's a bit too powerful and niche to really be an uncommon in my opinion. The ability is also a bit of a bend, but that's a minor complaint.
(1/3) Balance: This card is a bit too powerful. Beast Within was very good, and it's token production was a large downside. This card is very powerful, and will often get you additional upside. Add in that the madness cost should be the same or higher given the huge upside makes this a unbalanced card.
CREATIVENESS
(2/3) Uniqueness: This card draws a few parallels to BW, but it's different enough that it's fine.
(1.5/3) Flavor: I see what you're trying to get at here, but I feel like the flavor could have been so much more if you had switched Drone and Howl, to show what the eldrazi have done, but now it seems kind of... bland. It doesn't seem like the flavor that Eldritch Moon encapsulated, and with what you did, that should have been your top or at least a high priority.
POLISH
(3/3) Quality: Everything looks good!
(2/2) Main: Everything checks out!
(2/2) Sub: Both challenges were met.
TOTAL: 19.5/25
Card: Insanity's Whispers2BB
Sorcery {U}
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of card types among cards in your graveyard.
Madness 1BB(If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
DESIGN
(3/3) Appeal: This is pretty appealing to all psychographics. Tim and John like it because it can be a very big effect for a low cost if played correctly. and Spike will often see this as a fairly powerful card.
(3/3) Elegance: Nice job on creating a simple, cohesive, and elegant card. I have no complaints.
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: This card isn't really suited at uncommon. Right now, they are almost always at Common for the Basic Sign in Blood procedure, or Rare for the ones with a fairly large twist. This card falls in the latter and doesn't fit the rarity. IT does fit the color perfectly though.
(2/3) Balance: I'm not sure if the card is too powerful or not powerful enough, but it's definitely not in the middle. The card switches between mediocre and broken with just about one card type, and that's a bit of a problem. There isn't really a developmental way to fix this though, which shows a potentially greater problem with the card's design.
CREATIVITY
(2/3) Uniqueness: This card is a typical SiB effect, but it takes it in a bit of a new direction. It's still a heavily borrowed effect and doesn't add much to the formula.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card's flavor is par for the course, and some flavor text would have really helped.
POLAND
(3/3) Quality: Card looks fine!
(2/2) Main: The card fits the main challenge.
(2/2) Sub: The card fits both challenges.
TOTAL: 20.5/25
FOLZA - 19.5
RAIKOURIDER - 20.5
Card: Civil Uprising1WW
Enchantment (U)
When Civil Uprising enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield. Delirium — Human creatures you control get +1/+1 as long there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. "We have lost enough already, it is time we stand up for ourselves!"
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal: This appeals quite nicely to Johnnies, as it is a fine token producer and buff to creatures. I could also see this appealing to the Spike crowd depending on the format, but considerably less so.
(3/3) Elegant: The card makes total sense, it's coherent, and it's concise and succinct. Great Elegance.
DEVELOPMENT
(3/3) Viability: If this effect would exist anywhere, it'd be on this card. It's the right rarity, the right effect, and the right color. Good Job.
(2.5/3) Balance: The card is pretty balanced, but it can be just a Raise the Alarm on a Honor of the Pure for 3 mana in the right deck, and that's a bit of a problem. Not too much, but it could be.
CREATIVE
(3/3) Uniqueness: It's actually quite a unique effect, that's more of a mashup of multiple effects to create something entirely new.
(2/3) Flavor: The concept of the flavor is fine, but the title and flavor text seems to be more red than white.
POLAND
(2.5/3) Quality: Missing an "as" in the delirium clause.
(2/2) Main: Main Challenge Fufilled
(2/2) Sub: Both Subchallenges fulfilled.
TOTAL: 21/25
Card: Ritual of Folly2R
Instant (U)
Add B to your mana pool for each card you've discarded this turn and R to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
Madness BR One can buy anything at the price of a mind... whether one should is another question altogether.
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal This appeals IMMENSELY to Johnnies, and could appeal to Spikes playing storm.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The card takes a few readthroughs to make total sense, and then has the weird factor of only costing black when cast for its madness cost, but creating black mana regardless, which is at the very least confusing, and also creates some aesthetic issues which shouldn't really be explored in design. (A red card with a lot of black mana symbols and black factors.)
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: Most higher end mana producers are uncommon, so you're good there, and the red makes sense, but I'm still quite hung up on why you chose to not have the card cost black mana when being cast normally.
(1/3) Balance: In almost all storm decks, this would generate upwards of 5 mana, making it better than a card on the modern banlist (whose name I forget right now). That's a problem, and thus it would never be printed as is.
CREATIVE
(3/3) Uniqueness: I must say, I have never seen an effect similar to this before. Bravo.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor shoots above and beyond the typical ritual flavor, and delves into black ideals even moreso than most ritual effects.The card a lot of good flavor in it, good job.
POLAND
(3/3) Quality: No real problems I can find.
(2/2) Main: Main challenge is met.
(2/2) Sub: Both met.
TOTAL: 19.5/25
Flatline 21.5
Void_Nothing 19.5
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My thoughts are with the friends and family of the Orlando Shooting victims and with the rest of the LGBTQA+ community.
Check out my Newborder Peasant Cube here! http://www.cubetutor.com/draft/37467
Necarg, please don't acknowledge this in any way whatsoever.
True Name Mafia (Win),Clan Contest IX Mafia (Win), Bravely Default Mafia (Loss), BOTAS (loss), BfV (Loss), Ace Attourney (loss)
Rules Advisor before they were eradicated
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Edicts have always proven to be very popular, even when all sides have to sacrifice. Maybe that's what makes Johnnys want to play it even more.
While Innocent Blood isn't very popular, due to its weak power, Barter in Blood is very beloved. (3/3) Elegance: Simple. Incremental. Elegant.
Development - (3/3) Viability: As written above, both sizes of the effect have been in black before. The stronger one was on uncommon, so it's a perfect fit. (2/3) Balance: Without Delirium it's rather underwhelming. With Delirium it is, of course, undercosted, but getting there is making more than up for that.
It's a great fit for Delirium-enabling decks, but even there, those times when you get this before Delirium it's kind of disappointing.
Being this weak before the activation is really a bummer, as it's not exactly super powerful afterwards.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Well, it IS just the two variations of the effect, prentent on the afore mentioned cards. Combining the two with delirum is a great fit, but still... (3/3) Flavor: Excellent name, even better flavortext. Great job!
Polish - (2/3) Quality: You missed a comma before the if. As seen on Invasive Surgery, the if clause needs to come first. (2/2) Main Challenge: Delirium. Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and sacrificing is allowed.
Total: 21/25
vs.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Well, token generation is always nice. Spike would like the potential two for the prize of one, or even none. It just reads like limited fodder, nothing anyone gets too excited about. (1/3) Elegance: This card has a very nested structure. It does one thing, but sometimes twice, but only by madness, which itself can only been done with delirium.
There's so much cramped into this actually rather simple card.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Black gets to make tokens. It's mostly zombies though. I guess it's fine if a hypothetical set needs it.
I think there's too much going on on this card for an uncommon. You have to be aware of the possibility of discarding it, keep in mind that the cost varies slightly, while keeping track of your delirium state and consider that the effect changes.
When actually playing it things will probably be easier on the mind, but the text alone might overwhelm newer players. (3/3) Balance: A 3/2 for 3 is standard vanilla value. The hoops you have to make it through to get the second one justify the low mana cost.
A neat card for limited and might find its way into a constructed madness deck as well.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Nesting madness into delirium is a great spot for the mechanics to venture. Doubling effects on madness has been done before, but the card still feels fresh. (2.5/3) Flavor: So the 3/2s are the Distortions? Okay, I guess. There's less transformation going on than the flavortext implies, but that's what the 3/2 tokens have been made for.
At least the mind-losing part is spot on.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Madness and Delirium both. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 20/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Getting rid of pesky noncreature permanents is something many players are looking for. Spike sees a great toolbox. Johnny fears for his favorite playthings. (2.5/3) Elegance: It's simple. There's an effect. There's the option of madness. When you use that option you get a small bonus. The bonus feels a little tacked on though,
doesn't seem to have to do so much with the first part of the card.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Uncommon seems like a good fit for a removal like this. Also green is known for being able to deal with any pemanent except creatures.
What absolutely isn't going to happen these days is land destruction for less than 4 mana. I'd say not even when it's a madness cost. (3/3) Balance: The cost is fine. You absolutel need to cast this by madness if you want to get a good deal, but especially at instant speed this may be devastating in limited.
Then again, if you're not prepared for some nasty blocks when your opponent's got 3 mana left with green among it and a discard outlet, it's your own fault.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a better Bramblecrush. Getting a "random" bonus out of madness is quite special. On their own, the effects have been done aplenty. (0.5/3) Flavor: So, destroying a thing an then turning it into an Eldrazi is cool. A bit weird that a creature comes from an explicit noncreature.
What I absolutely do not get is the name. How does a howl destroy a land? Or anything for that matter. How's the Dronepack involved, when there's nothing werewolf about the card. I don't feel the connection at all.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks clean. (2/2) Main Challenge: Madness, alright. (2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and create is fine.
Total: 19/25
vs.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Card draw is often sought after. Mostly by Spike, but you might have a card for Johnny here too. (3/3) Elegance: Pretty simple, nothing strange. How neat.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Drawing cards for life and caring about the grave is well in black. The last time we've seen an effect like this was on Painful Truths
and that was a rare. It was also a very low profile rare however and your card is close to Ambition's Cost. (1.5/3) Balance: The potential heavy card draw for 3 mana at instant speed while gaining a discard sounds really concerning. Especially since there's so many
good cards out there already that care about cards in the grave. This might cause problems, so limiting it the way Delirium does might have been a better idea for this.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: We haven't seen card draw quite like this yet. Tarmogoyf is still a little bit lonely with what exactly it cares about. Nothing groundbreaking, but a cool thin to do. (1/3) Flavor: Generic, but fitting name. Plenty of room for flavortext.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Madness. Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and "clean".
Total: 20.5/25
glurman 21 vs. mederer 20
Folza 19 vs. RaikouRider 20.5
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
So the finalists are:
Flatline
glurman
RaikouRider
The final round is coming in a few minutes.
Private Mod Note
():
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.)
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(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the cards Coax from the Blind Eternities and Emrakul, the Promised End, both by Jaime Jones)
July MCC Round 3
"Emrakul's Influence"
Let's all welcome our new Eldrazi overlord! We all will be one under her wings... ehm... her tentacles, or whatever they are. But they are so warm and welcoming, who wouldn't want to be part of her embrace... ehm, no, I mean... let's all give up our identities and become one, one'mra... no, NO! I'm going crazy! I can't let go of my mind! I can't, I... I... All are one! All are'mrakul!
Main Challenge: Design a card that has delirium or madness. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenges:
1- No other keyword mechanics, keyword actions, or ability words mentioned anywhere on the card.
2- The card is common or uncommon.
On the Main Challenge:
• As long as your card has either delirium or madness, you're fine. If you manage to get both on the same card, style points for you, but unfortunately those won't add to your real score!
On subchallenge 1:
• In other words, the only keyworded mechanics your card can have, grant, interact with, etc... are delirium or madness.
• Of course, your card can have any number of non-keyworded abilities in addition to delirium or madness.
• Spelling out existing keywords in rules text so that they technically don't count as keywords for the sake of this challenge is explicitly forbidden. If you do that, your card won't pass this subchallenge.
EXCEPTION for subchallenge 1 - the following are technically keyword actions in the Comprehensive Rules, but they are at a very basic level of Magic design and used every set, so they are explicitly allowed. In fact, you may not even know that some of them are technically keyword actions. They are:
• "Activate"
• "Attach"
• "Cast" and "play"
• "Counter" (as in "counter a spell", not "+1/+1 counter")
• "Destroy"
• "Discard"
• "Exchange"
• "Exile"
• "Regenerate"
• "Reveal"
• "Sacrifice"
• "Search"
• "Shuffle"
• "Tap" and "untap"
The same goes for the following, that are technically keyword abilities:
• "Enchant" (it's just necessary if you want to design an Aura)
• "Equip" (the same but for Equipment)
All other keyword abilities and keyword actions, and all ability words are forbidden by subchallenge 1, as well as new ones of your own design.
Also, there are two things that are not technically either keyword abilities, keyword actions or ability words, but they feel like such:
• "dies" is allowed for the same reasons of the above list.
• "devotion" is NOT allowed as it's a block mechanic anyway.
Examples of cards that would NOT pass subchallenge 1:
• Autumnal Gloom - it contains a keyword action (transform). This means that DFCs will essentially automatically fail this subchallenge.
• Backwoods Survivalists - it mentions trample.
• Bloodhall Priest - it has hellbent spelled out ("if you have no cards in hand")
• Deathcap Cultivator - it has deathtouch.
• Descend upon the Sinful - it mentions flying.
• Distemper of the Blood - it mentions trample.
• Geist of the Lonely Vigil - not only it has two keyworded abilities itself (defender and flying), but it also mentions defender again in the delirium ability.
• Mournwillow - it has haste.
Examples of cards that WOULD pass subchallenge 1:
• Avacyn's Judgment - the fact that it mentions madness after the actual madness ability ("if CARDNAME's madness cost was paid...") is irrilevant, as madness can be freely referenced all the times you want, as could delirium if it wasn't an ability word. Remember an ability word has no rules meaning, so it can't be directly referenced in rules text in ways like "whenever you cast a card with delirium" or such.
• Broken Concentration - yes, "counter" is a keyword action (as in "countering a spell", not "a +1/+1 counter"), but it's allowed. The same goes for Malevolent Whispers and "untap", or To the Slaughter and "sacrifice", or Traverse the Ulvenwald and "search", or Whispers of Emrakul and "discard". "Draw" (as in "draw a card", not "the game is a draw") isn't even included as a keyword action in the CR, but even if it were the same reasoning would imply Scour the Laboratory is allowed.
• Falkenrath Gorger and Welcome to the Fold - the same reason as Avacyn's Judgment: madness can be freely referenced.
• Manic Scribe - even though the mechanic has a nickname (mill), it's not an official name, so it's fine.
• Moldgraf Scavenger - no keywords mentioned, only a P/T bonus and that's fine.
This is all I can think of for now. If you have any more doubts, just ask, preferably in the discussion thread.
(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?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES
In green, the next deadline to come.
In blue, further future deadlines to come.
In red, past deadlines.
Player deadline: Saturday, July 23rd 23:59 EDT
Judge deadline: Wednesday, July 27th 23:59 EDT
JUDGES
bravelion83
Necarg
doomfish
PLAYERS
Flatline
Folza
glurman
mederer
RaikouRider
void_nothing
Only the six players above are allowed to submit a card.
This round is the versus round. There will be three one-vs-one matchups, each judged by two judges. Between the two paired players, the one with the highest sum of scores will advance to the final round. Good luck everyone!
BRACKETS
The round is closed. The brackets are as follows:
Judge: bravelion83
Flatline vs. void_nothing
glurman vs. mederer
Judge: Necarg
Folza vs. RaikouRider
Flatline vs. void_nothing
Judge: doomfish
glurman vs. mederer
Folza vs. RaikouRider
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.)
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target noncreature permanent. If Howl of the Dronepack's madness cost was paid, create a 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror creature token.
Madness 2G (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
The true horrors of the Somberwald congregate and emerge at the signal of the Dronepack.
Changed text here to see what it would look like with the new Kaladesh template. Please still judge according to the current version.
Sorcery (U)
Each player sacrifices a creature.
Delirium -- Each player sacrifices two creatures instead if there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
The town butcher slaughtered all of the sheep, all of the cows, all of the villagers, and himself.
Enchantment (U)
When Civil Uprising enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Delirium — Human creatures you control get +1/+1 as long there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
"We have lost enough already, it is time we stand up for ourselves!"
Instant (U)
Add B to your mana pool for each card you've discarded this turn and R to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
Madness BR
One can buy anything at the price of a mind... whether one should is another question altogether.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Sorcery {U}
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of card types among cards in your graveyard.
Madness 1BB (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Blazing Memories 1RR
Sorcery (U)
Madness 1R
Blazing Memories deals damage to each player equal to the number of cards in that player's hand.
The flames spread through her mind until they were all she remembered.
The round is closed. The brackets are as follows:
Judge: bravelion83
Flatline vs. void_nothing
glurman vs. mederer
Judge: Necarg
Folza vs. RaikouRider
Flatline vs. void_nothing
Judge: doomfish
glurman vs. mederer
Folza vs. RaikouRider
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.)
No problem, things like this happen and that's why I and some other judges always make clear that judgments are never final until the deadline. I thought it had to do with outside circumstances as I know you have already judged and so you know how it works.
Judgments complete, not final until deadline.
Very high scores from me this round, congratulations to everyone for making good cards! Keep it going, the last round will be the toughest!
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes tokens and making creatures bigger. Johnny can do something with the tokens. Spike likes the efficiency of putting two 2/2 tokens on the battlefield for three mana. Spike/Timmies should be quite excited by this, even if Spike is a bit turned off by the fact that the anthem effect is not permanent (it's only as long as you have delirium).
(3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color. I think this may be borderline rare, but we've already seen such tribal lord/anthem effects at uncommon, so it should be fine there too. On second thought, it's definitely fine here as the anthem effect is very conditional (it's quite difficult to turn on delirium, especially in limited).
(3/3) Balance - The mana cost looks fine, but low enough to be relevant. This is definitely playable in limited and might make a splash in Standard in a Human tribal deck which should not be that hard to build. I can't see this in older formats, nor I can see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - I checked and there is no delirium card with an anthem effect as the delirium bonus, so that's new, even if not very original.
(3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - An "as" is missing in the delirium ability ("as long there are", half a point deducted).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 22.5/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care. Johnny absolutely loves this card, there is so much he can do with it. Spike appreciates the fact that if you cast this with madness it automatically gives you one black mana anyway, but it's still not an accelerator, or at least it requires quite a lot of work to become one. I expect him to just prefer a straight-up real mana producing card.
(3/3) Elegance - All good here, even if there might be some hidden strategic implications, but that's the right kind of complexity. The symmetry of the "modes" also helps a lot here.
Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Red has one-shot mana production, so no problem. Black can also produce black mana, especially when coupled with a black requirement (discard in this case), even it that's not very frequent, but it's still allowed. It can read a little strange to see red mana coupled with cards drawn, but given the overall concept of the card it still fits. As for rarity, this is definitely not a common but it feels underwhelming at rare, so uncommon is probably the right rarity.
(1.5/3) Balance - I think this would not get played a lot in limited, you usually want noncreature spells to be either combat tricks or removal, or something that directly affects the board somehow. I think this will often be a last pick, or at least a late pick. This is a card made for constructed, in the sense that it wants a whole deck built around it, which you will have no problems in doing in casual, but in Standard that's not a given. In a Standard format like the present one maybe, but it really depends on the environment. In older formats it can be considered in storm decks.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - This feels very original, I can't remember any existing cards working like this (there might still be some though).
(3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Usually uncommons have reminder text, it's rares and mythics that can avoid it if there's no room (half a point deducted).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy and Johnny don't care. This is a card for Spike, and he totally loves it.
(3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity feels appropriate.
(3/3) Balance - Edict effects traditionally cost two mana, so the mana cost is certainly fine. Delirium is hard enough to achieve that doubling up for the same cost should be fine. Very playable in limited, it might also make a splash in Standard in the era of bad removal. It will be as played as the other edicts are in older formats (aka not very much if at all). If other edicts were fine in casual and multiplayer, this will be too.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - This is just an edict effect. It also feels quite similar to To the Slaughter. This exact effect may be ever done before, but it's not very original.
(3/3) Flavor - The name and flavor text are both very good and make perfect sense with the mechanics. Particular appreciation for the detail that the butcher slaughtered four things, just like the four card types required for delirium, and for the irony in the last one of those!
Polish
(3/3) Quality - I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt on the double minus sign instead of the long dash, as you may be a victim of the non-Latin characters antispam restriction, so no points deducted.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 22/25
Design
(3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes tokens, and likes even more getting double tokens in some corner cases. Johnny is already looking for ways to make those corner cases happen. This is a card for him, and he's definitely excited by this. He also should be able to use the tokens effectively somehow. Spike also likes this card: a 3/2 is already worth three mana, getting two in rare cases is even better.
(1/3) Elegance - Very wordy. Actually, it's so wordy that it's already ten lines without flavor text (MSE lets me see this). That's acceptable in theory, even if borderline, but flavor text will certainly not fit. In this area, it would have been better to just have straight-up madness. At least, the card is still easy enough to understand, which looks a bit weird given how wordy it is, but it is.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity is acceptable.
(2/3) Balance - This is definitely playable in limited, it would have already been playable as a 3/2 for three mana, the potential to get two creatures out of one card makes it even better. I don't think this would show up in constructed, the real value of this card is if you're able to get both tokens, and you have to reach delirium AND have a discard outlet to get to it. It's not impossible to do, but it looks like too much of a hoop to jump through to me in constructed. Except for the wordiness (which could potentially turn some players off), I see no other particular problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - This feels very original, especially for the interaction between delirium and madness. I said in the clarifications that gave you style points but not actual points... well, in your case I was mistaken. Here's your actual points.
(1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good. The flavor text is fine, not great but still good enough to be printable and it makes sense. Too bad it doesn't actually fit (see Elegance), also because it actually reflects the mechanics quite nicely.
Polish
(2/3) Quality - I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt on the double minus sign instead of the long dash, as you may be a victim of the non-Latin characters antispam restriction, so no points deducted for that. Instead, half a point deducted because madness in the delirium ability should not be capitalized, and another half a point for an unneeded line break between rules text and flavor text. Finally, I want to mention your perfect use of the Saxon genitive ("Emrakul's Distortions' madness cost"), I can see a lot of people getting it wrong, so congratulations for that!
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Flatline: 22.5
void_nothing: 21.5
glurman: 22
mederer: 19.5
Out of competition
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't care that much, but he likes that this punishes control players that don't let him cast his big monsters! Johnny can do something strange with this, like making the opponent draw and use this as a finisher, turbo-fog style (even if those decks don't usually play red, but that will actually be a stimulus for him and his creativity). Spike really likes this, it's a card that requires a lot of strategy to get the most benefits out of.
(3/3) Elegance - All good here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity feels appropriate.
(2/3) Balance - Sudden Impact and Gaze of Adamaro tell me the mana cost is probably right, this costs one mana less but it's a sorcery and also affects you. Might be playable in limited, even though burn spells that hit creatures should probably take precedence there. I can see this as a sideboard card in constructed at best. No problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - We've seen similar effects multiple times, even if admittedly not that often.
(3/3) Flavor - The name is very good, it reminds me of the (in)famous Ignite Memories. The flavor text is also very good.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Usually uncommons have reminder text, it's rares and mythics that can avoid it if there's no room (half a point deducted).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 22/25
I'm very sorry you were out. You had a very good card and might easily have advanced in my opinion. Better luck next month! Or see you in the judging thread, as you prefer!
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.)
Howl of the Dronepack 3G
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target noncreature permanent. If Howl of the Dronepack's madness cost was paid, put a 3/2 colorless Eldrazi Horror token onto the battlefield.
Madness 2G (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
The true horrors of the Somberwald congregate and emerge at the signal of the Dronepack.
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal: This will likely appeal to Johnny's and Spike's, but I don't see it appealing to Tim really. It has somewhat large combo potential, and is powerful enough to be useful for spikes.
(3/3) Elegance: I have no complaints with the elegance of the card. Everything checks out, it's cohesive, and easy to read.
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: This card is not fit well for Uncommon. It's a bit too powerful and niche to really be an uncommon in my opinion. The ability is also a bit of a bend, but that's a minor complaint.
(1/3) Balance: This card is a bit too powerful. Beast Within was very good, and it's token production was a large downside. This card is very powerful, and will often get you additional upside. Add in that the madness cost should be the same or higher given the huge upside makes this a unbalanced card.
CREATIVENESS
(2/3) Uniqueness: This card draws a few parallels to BW, but it's different enough that it's fine.
(1.5/3) Flavor: I see what you're trying to get at here, but I feel like the flavor could have been so much more if you had switched Drone and Howl, to show what the eldrazi have done, but now it seems kind of... bland. It doesn't seem like the flavor that Eldritch Moon encapsulated, and with what you did, that should have been your top or at least a high priority.
POLISH
(3/3) Quality: Everything looks good!
(2/2) Main: Everything checks out!
(2/2) Sub: Both challenges were met.
TOTAL: 19.5/25
Insanity's Whispers 2BB
Sorcery {U}
You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the number of card types among cards in your graveyard.
Madness 1BB (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
DESIGN
(3/3) Appeal: This is pretty appealing to all psychographics. Tim and John like it because it can be a very big effect for a low cost if played correctly. and Spike will often see this as a fairly powerful card.
(3/3) Elegance: Nice job on creating a simple, cohesive, and elegant card. I have no complaints.
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: This card isn't really suited at uncommon. Right now, they are almost always at Common for the Basic Sign in Blood procedure, or Rare for the ones with a fairly large twist. This card falls in the latter and doesn't fit the rarity. IT does fit the color perfectly though.
(2/3) Balance: I'm not sure if the card is too powerful or not powerful enough, but it's definitely not in the middle. The card switches between mediocre and broken with just about one card type, and that's a bit of a problem. There isn't really a developmental way to fix this though, which shows a potentially greater problem with the card's design.
CREATIVITY
(2/3) Uniqueness: This card is a typical SiB effect, but it takes it in a bit of a new direction. It's still a heavily borrowed effect and doesn't add much to the formula.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card's flavor is par for the course, and some flavor text would have really helped.
POLAND
(3/3) Quality: Card looks fine!
(2/2) Main: The card fits the main challenge.
(2/2) Sub: The card fits both challenges.
TOTAL: 20.5/25
RAIKOURIDER - 20.5
Civil Uprising 1WW
Enchantment (U)
When Civil Uprising enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 white Human creature tokens onto the battlefield.
Delirium — Human creatures you control get +1/+1 as long there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
"We have lost enough already, it is time we stand up for ourselves!"
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal: This appeals quite nicely to Johnnies, as it is a fine token producer and buff to creatures. I could also see this appealing to the Spike crowd depending on the format, but considerably less so.
(3/3) Elegant: The card makes total sense, it's coherent, and it's concise and succinct. Great Elegance.
DEVELOPMENT
(3/3) Viability: If this effect would exist anywhere, it'd be on this card. It's the right rarity, the right effect, and the right color. Good Job.
(2.5/3) Balance: The card is pretty balanced, but it can be just a Raise the Alarm on a Honor of the Pure for 3 mana in the right deck, and that's a bit of a problem. Not too much, but it could be.
CREATIVE
(3/3) Uniqueness: It's actually quite a unique effect, that's more of a mashup of multiple effects to create something entirely new.
(2/3) Flavor: The concept of the flavor is fine, but the title and flavor text seems to be more red than white.
POLAND
(2.5/3) Quality: Missing an "as" in the delirium clause.
(2/2) Main: Main Challenge Fufilled
(2/2) Sub: Both Subchallenges fulfilled.
TOTAL: 21/25
Ritual of Folly 2R
Instant (U)
Add B to your mana pool for each card you've discarded this turn and R to your mana pool for each card you've drawn this turn.
Madness BR
One can buy anything at the price of a mind... whether one should is another question altogether.
DESIGN
(2/3) Appeal This appeals IMMENSELY to Johnnies, and could appeal to Spikes playing storm.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The card takes a few readthroughs to make total sense, and then has the weird factor of only costing black when cast for its madness cost, but creating black mana regardless, which is at the very least confusing, and also creates some aesthetic issues which shouldn't really be explored in design. (A red card with a lot of black mana symbols and black factors.)
DEVELOPMENT
(2/3) Viability: Most higher end mana producers are uncommon, so you're good there, and the red makes sense, but I'm still quite hung up on why you chose to not have the card cost black mana when being cast normally.
(1/3) Balance: In almost all storm decks, this would generate upwards of 5 mana, making it better than a card on the modern banlist (whose name I forget right now). That's a problem, and thus it would never be printed as is.
CREATIVE
(3/3) Uniqueness: I must say, I have never seen an effect similar to this before. Bravo.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor shoots above and beyond the typical ritual flavor, and delves into black ideals even moreso than most ritual effects.The card a lot of good flavor in it, good job.
POLAND
(3/3) Quality: No real problems I can find.
(2/2) Main: Main challenge is met.
(2/2) Sub: Both met.
TOTAL: 19.5/25
Void_Nothing 19.5
Check out my Newborder Peasant Cube here! http://www.cubetutor.com/draft/37467
True Name Mafia (Win),Clan Contest IX Mafia (Win), Bravely Default Mafia (Loss), BOTAS (loss), BfV (Loss), Ace Attourney (loss)
Rules Advisor before they were eradicated
(3/3) Appeal: Edicts have always proven to be very popular, even when all sides have to sacrifice. Maybe that's what makes Johnnys want to play it even more.
While Innocent Blood isn't very popular, due to its weak power, Barter in Blood is very beloved.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple. Incremental. Elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: As written above, both sizes of the effect have been in black before. The stronger one was on uncommon, so it's a perfect fit.
(2/3) Balance: Without Delirium it's rather underwhelming. With Delirium it is, of course, undercosted, but getting there is making more than up for that.
It's a great fit for Delirium-enabling decks, but even there, those times when you get this before Delirium it's kind of disappointing.
Being this weak before the activation is really a bummer, as it's not exactly super powerful afterwards.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Well, it IS just the two variations of the effect, prentent on the afore mentioned cards. Combining the two with delirum is a great fit, but still...
(3/3) Flavor: Excellent name, even better flavortext. Great job!
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: You missed a comma before the if. As seen on Invasive Surgery, the if clause needs to come first.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Delirium. Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and sacrificing is allowed.
Total: 21/25
(2/3) Appeal: Well, token generation is always nice. Spike would like the potential two for the prize of one, or even none. It just reads like limited fodder, nothing anyone gets too excited about.
(1/3) Elegance: This card has a very nested structure. It does one thing, but sometimes twice, but only by madness, which itself can only been done with delirium.
There's so much cramped into this actually rather simple card.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Black gets to make tokens. It's mostly zombies though. I guess it's fine if a hypothetical set needs it.
I think there's too much going on on this card for an uncommon. You have to be aware of the possibility of discarding it, keep in mind that the cost varies slightly, while keeping track of your delirium state and consider that the effect changes.
When actually playing it things will probably be easier on the mind, but the text alone might overwhelm newer players.
(3/3) Balance: A 3/2 for 3 is standard vanilla value. The hoops you have to make it through to get the second one justify the low mana cost.
A neat card for limited and might find its way into a constructed madness deck as well.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Nesting madness into delirium is a great spot for the mechanics to venture. Doubling effects on madness has been done before, but the card still feels fresh.
(2.5/3) Flavor: So the 3/2s are the Distortions? Okay, I guess. There's less transformation going on than the flavortext implies, but that's what the 3/2 tokens have been made for.
At least the mind-losing part is spot on.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Madness and Delirium both.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 20/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Getting rid of pesky noncreature permanents is something many players are looking for. Spike sees a great toolbox. Johnny fears for his favorite playthings.
(2.5/3) Elegance: It's simple. There's an effect. There's the option of madness. When you use that option you get a small bonus. The bonus feels a little tacked on though,
doesn't seem to have to do so much with the first part of the card.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Uncommon seems like a good fit for a removal like this. Also green is known for being able to deal with any pemanent except creatures.
What absolutely isn't going to happen these days is land destruction for less than 4 mana. I'd say not even when it's a madness cost.
(3/3) Balance: The cost is fine. You absolutel need to cast this by madness if you want to get a good deal, but especially at instant speed this may be devastating in limited.
Then again, if you're not prepared for some nasty blocks when your opponent's got 3 mana left with green among it and a discard outlet, it's your own fault.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a better Bramblecrush. Getting a "random" bonus out of madness is quite special. On their own, the effects have been done aplenty.
(0.5/3) Flavor: So, destroying a thing an then turning it into an Eldrazi is cool. A bit weird that a creature comes from an explicit noncreature.
What I absolutely do not get is the name. How does a howl destroy a land? Or anything for that matter. How's the Dronepack involved, when there's nothing werewolf about the card. I don't feel the connection at all.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks clean.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Madness, alright.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and create is fine.
Total: 19/25
(3/3) Appeal: Card draw is often sought after. Mostly by Spike, but you might have a card for Johnny here too.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty simple, nothing strange. How neat.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Drawing cards for life and caring about the grave is well in black. The last time we've seen an effect like this was on Painful Truths
and that was a rare. It was also a very low profile rare however and your card is close to Ambition's Cost.
(1.5/3) Balance: The potential heavy card draw for 3 mana at instant speed while gaining a discard sounds really concerning. Especially since there's so many
good cards out there already that care about cards in the grave. This might cause problems, so limiting it the way Delirium does might have been a better idea for this.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: We haven't seen card draw quite like this yet. Tarmogoyf is still a little bit lonely with what exactly it cares about. Nothing groundbreaking, but a cool thin to do.
(1/3) Flavor: Generic, but fitting name. Plenty of room for flavortext.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Madness. Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and "clean".
Total: 20.5/25
Folza 19 vs. RaikouRider 20.5
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
Flatline: 22.5 + 21.5 = 44
void_nothing: 21.5 + 19.5 = 41
Folza: 19.5 + 19 = 38.5
RaikouRider: 20.5 + 20.5 = 41
glurman: 21 + 22 = 43
mederer: 20 + 19.5 = 39.5
So the finalists are:
Flatline
glurman
RaikouRider
The final round is coming in a few minutes.
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.)