As some of you saw, we had a pretty difficult challenge for the final round of the January CCL. Both finalist put in a good effort to succeed, but I felt there were a number of misses. I knew this challenge would not be one that could easily have great cards on all fronts. That said, as the organizer, I would not challenge others to do something I could not do myself. So here are the challenges followed by my sample entry:
Challenge
Design a card that can’t be played from a players hand, but can be played from more than one other zone.
Design a god creature card that is neither indestructible or returns from the graveyard to it’s owner's hand.
1: Duboora, of Dark Desire
Legendary Creature - Djinn • (M)
Flying
While you're searching your library or looking at face down cards you own in exile, you may reveal Duboora, of Dark Desire and sacrifice two Black creatures. If you do, cast Duboora without paying its mana cost.
4/4
2: Ragnaror, God of Tyrants4BB
Legendary Creature - God (M)
Menace
Worship (Tap another untapped creature you control: Put a +1/+1 counter on this.)
As long as Ragnaror, God of Tyrants has a +1/+1 counter on it when leaves the battlefield, each opponent sacrifices a creature. Then return Ragnaror to the battlefield at the beginning of the next upkeep.
3/2
3: Ajani, Ally to All3GW
Legendary Planeswalker - Ajani (M)
[+1] Put a loyalty counter on each other planeswalker you control.
[-3] Double the number of counters on another target permanent you control.
[-6] You get an emblem with "Commanders you own cost 20 less to cast."
Ajani, Ally to All can be your commander and has partner.
[4]
4: Barok, the Backstabber1UB
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (M)
Barok, the Backstabber can't be blocked.
Barok can attack players ignoring range of influence.
Whenever an opponent dies, draw 3 cards.
3/3
5:
Status: Altered and Unaltered
Altered/Unaltered can apply to any permanent.
For creatures, an "Altered" creature is one that is enchanted, equipped, has it power/toughness changed (via temporary or permanent effects including counters), or has gained/lost abilities. An unaltered creature has it's printed abilities with no changes, it's base power/toughness, and is neither enchanted or equipped.
For noncreature permanents, an "altered" permanent is one that is enchanted or fortified, or has gained/lost abilities. An unaltered noncreature permanent has it's printed abilities with no changes, and is neither enchanted or fortified.
Standing Pure3WW
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all altered creatures. Then you gain 1 life for each creature you control. "When the Angels turned to madness there was little we could do except unite against them."
—Odric, Lunarch Marshal
-------------- Edit
Feel free to post your own ideas. I'd enjoy seeing other peoples solutions to these challenges.
I've been so busy, but I should at least give comments on these after you crafted this crazy challenge. Maybe I'll do my own too.
Duboora - Nice idea, if just as headachy as Panglacial Wurm. Odd to see a non-Commander-able legend these days but hey, not every legend has to be for that format. Not sure the stats are necessarily worth the cost? Feels like it could at least be a 5/5 or have another ability.
Ragnaror - The worship mechanic makes sense for a D&D/Discworld kind of conception of Gods where number of worshipers directly translates into power and if nobody prays to you you lose your divine status. This feels like it'd belong to an overly tight cycle given how the unkillability clause works. I wish there were somehow a way to tie the number of +1/+1 counters into the trigger.
Ajani - Deceptively not that much of a one-trick pony. You don't need to say "and has partner" in the same line as the commanderizing ability; just put a line break and give partner separately, the text is already pretty crammed.
Barok - "...opponent loses the game..." I don't want to conflate players with permanents fwiw. From the very fine Withengar Unbound/Blood Tyrant tradition.
Altered/Unaltered - Definitely fits the new status criteria very well. I think I've designed this before myself actually. Seems like a lot of variables to keep track of but is relatively grokkable when you think of it as "other than the base card".
Challenge
Entry
1:
Duboora, of Dark Desire
Legendary Creature - Djinn • (M)
Flying
While you're searching your library or looking at face down cards you own in exile, you may reveal Duboora, of Dark Desire and sacrifice two Black creatures. If you do, cast Duboora without paying its mana cost.
4/4
2:
Ragnaror, God of Tyrants 4BB
Legendary Creature - God (M)
Menace
Worship (Tap another untapped creature you control: Put a +1/+1 counter on this.)
As long as Ragnaror, God of Tyrants has a +1/+1 counter on it when leaves the battlefield, each opponent sacrifices a creature. Then return Ragnaror to the battlefield at the beginning of the next upkeep.
3/2
3:
Ajani, Ally to All 3GW
Legendary Planeswalker - Ajani (M)
[+1] Put a loyalty counter on each other planeswalker you control.
[-3] Double the number of counters on another target permanent you control.
[-6] You get an emblem with "Commanders you own cost 20 less to cast."
Ajani, Ally to All can be your commander and has partner.
[4]
4:
Barok, the Backstabber 1UB
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (M)
Barok, the Backstabber can't be blocked.
Barok can attack players ignoring range of influence.
Whenever an opponent dies, draw 3 cards.
3/3
5:
Status: Altered and Unaltered
Standing Pure 3WW
Sorcery (R)
Destroy all altered creatures. Then you gain 1 life for each creature you control.
"When the Angels turned to madness there was little we could do except unite against them."
—Odric, Lunarch Marshal
-------------- Edit
Feel free to post your own ideas. I'd enjoy seeing other peoples solutions to these challenges.
Duboora - Nice idea, if just as headachy as Panglacial Wurm. Odd to see a non-Commander-able legend these days but hey, not every legend has to be for that format. Not sure the stats are necessarily worth the cost? Feels like it could at least be a 5/5 or have another ability.
Ragnaror - The worship mechanic makes sense for a D&D/Discworld kind of conception of Gods where number of worshipers directly translates into power and if nobody prays to you you lose your divine status. This feels like it'd belong to an overly tight cycle given how the unkillability clause works. I wish there were somehow a way to tie the number of +1/+1 counters into the trigger.
Ajani - Deceptively not that much of a one-trick pony. You don't need to say "and has partner" in the same line as the commanderizing ability; just put a line break and give partner separately, the text is already pretty crammed.
Barok - "...opponent loses the game..." I don't want to conflate players with permanents fwiw. From the very fine Withengar Unbound/Blood Tyrant tradition.
Altered/Unaltered - Definitely fits the new status criteria very well. I think I've designed this before myself actually. Seems like a lot of variables to keep track of but is relatively grokkable when you think of it as "other than the base card".
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