Critiques for Phlegmy People Asrama I think this needs to be rare just because it is breaking ground in a weird way. I wonder if there could actually be a way to word this that would cover all the rules interactions; how does it work with static effects? It seems like maybe it should be an activated ability that just gets target creature with p/t greater than its own, and maybe the balancing part of that suggests some white? Jimmy Groove The use of -1/-1 counters is a little strange to me in a couple of ways. It's interesting that it grows as it controls more things, but it feels like it is heavily involved in black, although blue can deal with these counters when they are a major theme, as in Shadowmoor and the current block. I think I would have liked to see either a blue/black guy with a little different flavor (why spirits?), or a blue guy that just uses "domination counters" or something like that. Rudyard Tons of 3s is cool, although there is no way you can run that type line (and why Golem and Construct?). I like what it does, but I think it should cost more; a 3/3 for 3 is only really available to green, plus the ability is pretty good. Shaddock86 Um...Mirrorweave forever on a 4/4 flyer? Not such a fan, it is kind of hard to deal with rules wise (doesn't each copy also make everything else a copy?) and it isn't better than the rest like Godhead of Awe. TyranidBill
Ugh, lock them out of nonlands forever and put yourself in? I dislike the heavily griefing aspect of reordering their deck. This is more of a fantasy card than a card that could really be printed.
I just want to clarify my position on the whole bonus points: I sincerely think it is an arbitrary measure that randomly benefits a group of people while handicapping others. I understand that the purpose of the experiment was to encourage players to be prompt and ensure a punctual development of the contest. However, being "there" on time to submit in the narrow window has nothing to do with design skills which is what's being judged in the contest and is an issue totally dependent of conflicting schedules, timezones and even luck. It's almost like giving bonus points to the tallest chef in a cuisine contest.
Allow me to illustrate by extrapolating: think what would happen if the "bonus points" window was narrower, just one hour long. That would mean that only whomever was around at the time the round was posted will be lucky enough to get in. Now, 24 hours is a much longer window of time but still narrow enough to warrant factors that are totally external to a design contest to come into play and reward players in an arbitrary way. All of this is obviously from my point of view.
Having said that, I apologize for employing a hostile tone in the previous posts which only helped to detract from my point and start a personal war here. I especially apologize to our gracious host for the month, Darkfire_Games and I appreciate his initiative to try to improve the game.
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
I just want to clarify my position on the whole bonus points: I sincerely think it is an arbitrary measure that randomly benefits a group of people while handicapping others. I understand that the purpose of the experiment was to encourage players to be prompt and ensure a punctual development of the contest. However, being "there" on time to submit in the narrow window has nothing to do with design skills which is what's being judged in the contest and is an issue totally dependent of conflicting schedules, timezones and even luck. It's almost like giving bonus points to the tallest chef in a cuisine contest.
But the bonus points are so marginal, they hardly make a difference to the overall score. In fact, as of round 2, if you removed all the bonus points that the leading scorer of each team has gotten up to that point, the standings would only change for one team. So three of the four first place people right now would still be winning without bonus points. Solid designs are still beating punctuality.
The bonus points, however, have had a significant impact on the flow of the game from what I can tell, which is a very positive thing and very important to a monthly contest such as this.
All in all, I think the bonus points have been very well implemented and are serving a good purpose.
Oh, and I'll have my critiques done in a bit (sorry, been a little busy.) now.
Asking out a girl is like trying to cast a first turn Necropotence. Sometimes the other player will have the Force of Will to say no. You shouldn't let that stop you from trying it.
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1) Shaddock86 - Colorless mirrorweave, um, yes!
2) Rudyard - I like this, mass animation is always fun.
3) TyranidBill - Simpler way to state that is Scry and Fateseal.
Asurma - Just disliking this card, dunno really why, it just feels bad to play against and unfun to play with :/
Jimmy Groove - Rather complex and I think you'd hit micro text
Zzapper - :symur::symur:
Instant (R)
Destroy target permanent with a Z in its name. I'm the Z zapper. I zap Z's. I really don't like Z's. I just don't. I mean, who needs them? Z's. pfffft.
Yup, I'm online at all hours, I'm an insomniac, what of it?
I like this card, but something about it irks me slightly. I think the abilities are pretty interesting, and they match the flavor the card really well. Furthermore, I also think it matches your theme well. I don't know. Maybe it's just an itch I can't scratch. 8/10
I'm afraid you have my least favorite card out of your team. It took me three read-throughs to understand what exactly it did, and once I did, I wasn't impressed. The ability is interesting, but I feel that's it too polarized, it either makes the card insane or incredibly weak. The flavor text also doesn't match the name. It's not a bad card, but I'm not a fan. 6/10
I dunno about this one. It matches your theme wonderfully, and I think that its abilities are balanced and interesting, but I know that I wouldn't want to be in a game where coin flips decided so many things. Also, the lack of rarity hurts it. 7.5/10
I don't get the flavor text. That being said, the image of a giant cage full of messenger pigeons walking about is pretty cool and humorous. I originally thought the draw ability was tacked on, but I've come around. 9/10
I'm not really a fan of this card. I think that the ability wasn't well constructed, since it basically allows you to void all of your opponent's targeting spells for free while yours are unhindered. While it is a Mythic, I don't think that the rarity is sufficient to balance it, especially since artifacts have ways of getting into play well before they should. I would have at least given the ability a cost, or I would have made it so that all spells targeted it unless a cost was paid. It's creative, but overtly powerful. 7/10
30 life seems like a lot to me. If you can manage to get that, getting a 3/3 flying attacker isn't that exciting. Compare this with Divinity of Pride. Nobody said you have to make an uncommon. I do like it's control aspect in limited, but even there it's too costly to be truly awesome. Also, this seems to be one of those cards that is are artifacts, but can only really be played if you've committed to a color. I hate when Wizards does that, and I don't like it here either.
Koopa -
A splice enabler is something I haven't seen yet. Granted that was probably because splice itself was poorly executed at it's time, but since your obviously working with "splice onto instants" rather than "splice onto arcane", I think your card has a lot of potential. Cost is a little too high, though. Also, and this is really only a nitpick, but I think it should have flying. an orb creature floating above ground is cool. An orb creature rolling on the ground is silly.
Maokun -
Wow, what a wording nightmare. Should probably be: ":symu::symb:: Soullinking reflection becomes a copy of target creature and gains this ability, "whenever a creature with the same name as this creature leaves the battlefield, sacrifice this creature" and "whenever this creature leaves the battlefield, ieach player sacrifices all creatures with the same name as this creature". Slight functional difference, but at least it works. Other than that... it a shapeshifter. Flavourful, but not too exciting.
Marr965 -
And Inverted Herd Gnarr? No rarity, but even at common it's kinda weak. Could easily have been a +2/+2. Also, while the idea behind the design is solid, it's also pretty mundane.
Zzapper - :symur::symur:
Instant (R)
Destroy target permanent with a Z in its name. I'm the Z zapper. I zap Z's. I really don't like Z's. I just don't. I mean, who needs them? Z's. pfffft.
Yup, I'm online at all hours, I'm an insomniac, what of it?
I'm kind of disappointed I didn't make it through, but on the other hand, I feel like my team had the closest competition in terms of design level (look at scores). Good luck to y'all!
Asrama
I think this needs to be rare just because it is breaking ground in a weird way. I wonder if there could actually be a way to word this that would cover all the rules interactions; how does it work with static effects? It seems like maybe it should be an activated ability that just gets target creature with p/t greater than its own, and maybe the balancing part of that suggests some white?
Jimmy Groove
The use of -1/-1 counters is a little strange to me in a couple of ways. It's interesting that it grows as it controls more things, but it feels like it is heavily involved in black, although blue can deal with these counters when they are a major theme, as in Shadowmoor and the current block. I think I would have liked to see either a blue/black guy with a little different flavor (why spirits?), or a blue guy that just uses "domination counters" or something like that.
Rudyard
Tons of 3s is cool, although there is no way you can run that type line (and why Golem and Construct?). I like what it does, but I think it should cost more; a 3/3 for 3 is only really available to green, plus the ability is pretty good.
Shaddock86
Um...Mirrorweave forever on a 4/4 flyer? Not such a fan, it is kind of hard to deal with rules wise (doesn't each copy also make everything else a copy?) and it isn't better than the rest like Godhead of Awe.
TyranidBill
Ugh, lock them out of nonlands forever and put yourself in? I dislike the heavily griefing aspect of reordering their deck. This is more of a fantasy card than a card that could really be printed.
2. Jimmy Groove
3. Asrama
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Allow me to illustrate by extrapolating: think what would happen if the "bonus points" window was narrower, just one hour long. That would mean that only whomever was around at the time the round was posted will be lucky enough to get in. Now, 24 hours is a much longer window of time but still narrow enough to warrant factors that are totally external to a design contest to come into play and reward players in an arbitrary way. All of this is obviously from my point of view.
Having said that, I apologize for employing a hostile tone in the previous posts which only helped to detract from my point and start a personal war here. I especially apologize to our gracious host for the month, Darkfire_Games and I appreciate his initiative to try to improve the game.
But the bonus points are so marginal, they hardly make a difference to the overall score. In fact, as of round 2, if you removed all the bonus points that the leading scorer of each team has gotten up to that point, the standings would only change for one team. So three of the four first place people right now would still be winning without bonus points. Solid designs are still beating punctuality.
The bonus points, however, have had a significant impact on the flow of the game from what I can tell, which is a very positive thing and very important to a monthly contest such as this.
All in all, I think the bonus points have been very well implemented and are serving a good purpose.
Oh, and I'll have my critiques done
in a bit (sorry, been a little busy.)now.Level 1 DCI Judge
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1) Shaddock86 - Colorless mirrorweave, um, yes!
2) Rudyard - I like this, mass animation is always fun.
3) TyranidBill - Simpler way to state that is Scry and Fateseal.
Asurma - Just disliking this card, dunno really why, it just feels bad to play against and unfun to play with :/
Jimmy Groove - Rather complex and I think you'd hit micro text
Sorry about the delay, I got sick
2. NightArcher
3. Rimeshade
Brasil Dude 101 -
30 life seems like a lot to me. If you can manage to get that, getting a 3/3 flying attacker isn't that exciting. Compare this with Divinity of Pride. Nobody said you have to make an uncommon. I do like it's control aspect in limited, but even there it's too costly to be truly awesome. Also, this seems to be one of those cards that is are artifacts, but can only really be played if you've committed to a color. I hate when Wizards does that, and I don't like it here either.
Koopa -
A splice enabler is something I haven't seen yet. Granted that was probably because splice itself was poorly executed at it's time, but since your obviously working with "splice onto instants" rather than "splice onto arcane", I think your card has a lot of potential. Cost is a little too high, though. Also, and this is really only a nitpick, but I think it should have flying. an orb creature floating above ground is cool. An orb creature rolling on the ground is silly.
Maokun -
Wow, what a wording nightmare. Should probably be: ":symu::symb:: Soullinking reflection becomes a copy of target creature and gains this ability, "whenever a creature with the same name as this creature leaves the battlefield, sacrifice this creature" and "whenever this creature leaves the battlefield, ieach player sacrifices all creatures with the same name as this creature". Slight functional difference, but at least it works. Other than that... it a shapeshifter. Flavourful, but not too exciting.
Marr965 -
And Inverted Herd Gnarr? No rarity, but even at common it's kinda weak. Could easily have been a +2/+2. Also, while the idea behind the design is solid, it's also pretty mundane.
1. Koopa
2. Maokun
3. Brasil_Dude101
Host, December 2015: A Winter Wonderland? - R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
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Final Scores:
Sanguine
CrazyMatt - 126.1
Dragoon - 242.3
Gerrard's Mom - 180.2
Zzapper - 132.4
PROCEEDING: DRAGOON & GERRARD'S MOM
Choleric
NightArcher - 179.9
PsiJet - 90.3
Rimeshade - 99.3
Rocket Powered Turbo Slug - 199.1
Ryder052 - 168.3
PROCEEDING: ROCKET POWERED TURBO SLUG & NIGHTARCHER
Melancholic
Brasil Dude 101 - 170.9
Koopa - 218.2
Maokun - 194.5
Marr965 - 139.1
PROCEEDING: KOOPA & MAOKUN
Phlegmatic
Asrama - 235.0
Jimmy Groove - 190.0
Rudyard - 121.4
Shaddock86 - 115.7
TyranidBill - 135.7
PROCEEDING: ASRAMA & JIMMY GROOVE
THE NEXT ROUND IS BEING POSTED IMMEDIATELY