Boil3R
Sorcery
Destroy all Islands "When every reef is bared and every wave is dust—only then shall I rest." // Bubble 1U
Instant
Target creature gains flying and Shroud until end of turn. Aloft in the breeze, not a care in the world.
JumpU
Instant
Target creature gains flying until end of turn.
////
Jive (2/U)U
Instant
Until end of turn, you may untap target creature you control up to 3 times. and waiiiil!
Jump isn't going to win any tournaments. Jive is my best attempt at simulating a creature dancing. Untapping is in flavor for blue (Freed from the Real) and it could be broken (Avatar of Woe) but it's cute
Endure3WW
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and permanents you control this turn. The Aurora had lessened the kithkins' kindness, deepened their paranoia, and dulled their sense of pain.
// Succumb3BB
Instant
Whenever an opponent is dealt damage this turn, they lose 2 life.
Whenever a creature is dealt damage this turn, sacrifice it.
ForkRR Instant
Copy target instant or sorcery spell, except that the copy is red. You may choose new targets for the copy
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Knife RR Sorcery
Knife deals 5 damage to target player. That player may choose to pay 2 if they do they may copy Knife with new targets.
"Who would have thought playing with knives and forks could be so much fun"
level up is absolute garbage. yes somebody feel free to quote me on this in their sig. NONE OF THE LEVEL UP CARDS SHOWN TODAY WILL SEE COMPETITIVE PLAY OUTSIDE OF LIKE ROE ONLY CONSTRUCTED OR SOME GARBAGE.
Forgive 2W
Sorcery
Until end of turn, whenever a spell or permanent you control becomes the target of an opponent's spell or ability, you may draw a card.
///// ForgetUU
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards, then draws as many cards as he or she discarded this way.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Why should I boast? The bards will do it for me--and with music." --Ertai, wizard adept
Swat1BB
Instant
Destroy target creature with power 2 or less.
Cycling 2
//////////////////////
Team1WW
Sorcery
Put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens into play.
Recover 1W
This is shockingly clever. The interplay between the names is exactly what WoTC tries for, and the mechanical interplay is complex but easily grokkable. The token proliferation is a little scary, but no more so than that of Sprout Swarm. Great job.
Forgive 2W
Sorcery
Until end of turn, whenever a spell or permanent you control becomes the target of an opponent's spell or ability, you may draw a card.
///// ForgetUU
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards, then draws as many cards as he or she discarded this way.
I like the names. Forget is a weak enough card that you could have grafted something playable on its own onto it; Forgive would be unprintably weak even as an instant. Heck, even if it worked retroactively.
ForkRR Instant
Copy target instant or sorcery spell, except that the copy is red. You may choose new targets for the copy
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Knife RR Sorcery
Knife deals 5 damage to target player. That player may choose to pay 2 if they do they may copy Knife with new targets.
"Who would have thought playing with knives and forks could be so much fun"
I felt like this should be "Knife//Fork", so I did googles on "Knife and Fork" vs. "Fork and Knife". The former gets more hits, but the latter is a song title, so I guess it's a wash.
This falls into the biggest pitfall inherent in my challenge: it's overpowered, because you're adding two powerful cards together, each of which goes in the same deck. Knife has next-to-no drawback in any deck that plays it, making it undercosted by about 3 even by itself. And Fork is one of the best red cards ever printed.
Endure3WW
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and permanents you control this turn. The Aurora had lessened the kithkins' kindness, deepened their paranoia, and dulled their sense of pain.
// Succumb3BB
Instant
Whenever an opponent is dealt damage this turn, they lose 2 life.
Whenever a creature is dealt damage this turn, sacrifice it.
This is a decent card. I hadn't heard the phrase "endure and succumb," and I was going to ding you for that, but google says it is used frequently. What I will ding you for is the templating: should be "that player loses 2 life" and "its controller sacrifices it." Making the cards direct opposites also seems uninspired.
SeekBW
Sorcery
Search target opponent's library for a card and remove that card from the game. You gain life equal to its converted mana cost. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
// Destroy3BW
Sorcery
Exile target permanent.
edit:
I couldn't get autocard to work, but I'm using Seek from Hide/Seek
Very nice. This fits the naming convention, and also fits the "small/big" mechanical convention used in Planar Chaos.
Shock R
instant
deal two damage to target creature or player.
////
Awe W
Instant
The next time a source of your choice would deal damage, prevent it.
Very nice. I'd've called it overpowered before they reprinted Lightning Bolt; now it's just a weaker Bolt stapled to a weaker Awe Strike, as you clearly realized. Elegant, clever, balanced, cool.
Cancel1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. "Do I really have to ask every time?"
///// Allow1WW
Instant
Only one creature can be declared as an attacker this turn. "Be happy I'm even letting you do this."
Putrefy1BG
Instant
Destroy target artifact or creature. It can't be regenerated. All matter, animate or not, rots when exposed to time. We merely speed up the process.
- Ezoc, Golgari rot farmer
///---/// Solidify1UW
Instant
Remove target enchantment, instant, or sorcery spell from the game (if it's removed this way the spell is countered) "What happens when the imaginary becomes real?"
-Azul, Vedalken Warden
No hits on google for "putrefy and solidify". I know a lot of the real split cards are opposites, but they're also all common phrases with "and." Solidify is a total win flavorfully though.
Negate1U
Instant
Counter target noncreature spell. Masters of the arcane savor a delicious irony. Their study of deep and complex arcana leads to such a simple end: the ability to say merely yes or no.
// Affirm1
Instant
Spells can't be countered this turn. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
—Borborygmos, Gruul Chieftain
Fine mechanically, names are imperfect. I love the contrasting flavortexts.
Boil3R
Sorcery
Destroy all Islands "When every reef is bared and every wave is dust—only then shall I rest." // Bubble 1U
Instant
Target creature gains flying and Shroud until end of turn. Aloft in the breeze, not a care in the world.
Great names. Bubble is a great card, too, in every respect. The tension between the two is odd--you're almost guaranteeing that no deck will plan using both halves, which negates most of the appeal of a split card. I suppose blue drafters get to both hate-draft and draft a playable at the same time.
JumpU
Instant
Target creature gains flying until end of turn.
////
Jive (2/U)U
Instant
Until end of turn, you may untap target creature you control up to 3 times. and waiiiil!
Jump isn't going to win any tournaments. Jive is my best attempt at simulating a creature dancing. Untapping is in flavor for blue (Freed from the Real) and it could be broken (Avatar of Woe) but it's cute
Very cute. Nice name scheme, no particular interaction between the two halves, fun, bizarre mechanic that teeters on the edge of being Un-. Jive is potentially explosive but is awkward enough that it seems fair.
I apologize for the delay.
Here's the next challenge: Make an original "guildmage"-type creature following these guidelines:
I. The creature must represent a 3-color combination
II. The creature must be CMC 3 or less
III. The creature must have at least two non-keyword abilities which represent the colors of the creature's "guild."
The abilities can be activated, triggered, or whatever floats your fancy, but they must each be somehow be tied to one, two, or all three of the creature's colors of alliegence.
The creature must represent a 3-color combination, but it does not have to be multicolored itself (like Naya Battlemage).
Interesting interactions between the abilities are a big plus!
Esper GuildmageWUB
Artifact Creature - Vedelkan Wizard 2W: Destroy target artifact creature. 2U: Target creature or creature card in a graveyard is an artifact in addition to its other types until end of turn. 2B: Return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to your hand. The filligree gives us the power to change what is, what was, and what will be.
3/3
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Why should I boast? The bards will do it for me--and with music." --Ertai, wizard adept
Trousersnake Battlemage 2U
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Kicker 1R and/or G
When ~ enters the battlefield, if the 1R kicker cost was paid gain control of target creature until the beginning of the end of turn. That creature gains haste.
When ~ enters the battlefield, if the G kicker cost was paid target creatures gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Guided Passages and Mystic Snakes and Urza's Rages, OH MY! - Dorothy after leaving the Shivan Reef and coming Ashore on the Yavimaya Coast.
2/2
Design a mono-blue instant (this includes kicker alts costs etc.) that doesn't draw card(s) (or put card(s) into your hand) bounce permanent(s), mill cards, or counter spell(s) (or exile them etc.) Basically make an interesting blue instant that doesn't do the most basic things that blue can do.
"Your attack has been rendered harmless. It is, however, quite pretty." —Saprazzan vizier
Demonmage of GrixisRRBBUU
Creature - Zombie Wizard
Shroud
Regenerate 1B(U/R)
:symr::symr::symb:,:symtap: Put a black 2/2 Demon token with wither into play.
:symr::symu:,:symtap: ~ deals X damage to target player, where X equals the number of demons under your control.
It's stench, deadly. It's footsteps, cold. Its eyes, blank. It's wrath... YOUR DEAD NOW, KIDDO!
[2/4]
Ataraxian Shaman1G
Creature- Human Shaman 1UB: Each player discards a card then draws a card. 5UBG: Choose one- return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield, or play target instant or sorcery spell in your graveyard without paying its mana cost.
2/2
Wizard's Amanuensis 3
Artifact Creature--Advisor
3/1 1U: Target 3/1 creature gains flying until end of turn. 1W: Target creature with flying gains lifelink until end of turn. XB: Target creature with lifelink becomes X+2/1 until end of turn.
Nespend GuildmageGRU
Creature - Human Wizard
Vigilance RU, T: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, ~ deals 3 damage to target creature or player and that player or that creature's controller returns a permanent of their choice to its owner's hand. If you lose the flip, untap ~. GU, Q: Draw a card. The circle of life never ends.
2/2
Sun Drop Guildmage U
Creature - Elf Wizard 1U: Draw card. If it is land, put it into play. 2Ut: Gain 1 life for each basic land you control. The Sun Drop ecologists attune themselves to the pulse of the land.
2/2
Sphinx Broodling 1UU
Artifact Creature -- Sphinx
Flying
Morph WW or BB 1U: Turn Sphinx Broodling face down
When Sphinx Broodling is turned face up, if W was spent on its morph cost, Sphinx Broodling deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
When Sphinx Broodling is turned face up, if B was spent on its morph cost, target creature gains +2/+2 until end of turn
2/2
it's a riddle. if you get a 2/2 face down creature coming at you in the red zone, you don't know if you'll get the white or black ability. moreso, you don't know if the Sphinx Broodling will target the creature blocking it or blocking some other creature (or if it or some other creature gets the pump).
Awesome: To me, this feels like one of those cards that's really good to have in its particular block, but quickly become outmoded later on, being demoted to sideboard status, if it even sees play at all. Kind of like how Riftsweeper was awesome in Time Spiral when suspend was new and "in". Or, it feels like a card that you don't necessarily build a deck around, but it takes a very specific deck to make it its home. As it is, none of the abilities are particularly exciting to me; There's perhaps some comboy potential with the second ability - make something powerful an artifact, then play Sharuum the Hegemon? And also potentially the third ability, maybe you can use it to return something that you sac off, and get an infinite chain going. I do like the interaction among the three abilities. Quite possibly, though, the most awesome thing about this card is that it's a 3/3. Score: 3/5. Balance/Mechanics: As big as creatures are nowadays, a 3/3 for 3 of three different colors seems more than fair, the templating is perfect, and none of the abilities seem undercosted or out of pie. 5/5 Innovation: An interesting twist on Esper Battlemage, but this card doesn't feel too far from the beaten path. The interaction among the three abilities is interesting, and I've actually never seen a card that turns cards in graveyards into artifacts, so points for that. 3/5 Flavor: For an Esper shard card, this seems to fit right in. My only beef is that Esper is a shard, not a guild, so the name "Guildmage" doesn't seem quite a right fit. But, I did say in the challenge "make a guildmage" which could be misleading, so I will let that slide. The flavor text is also apropos. 5/5 Final Score: 16
FoshM
Submission: Trousersnake Battlemage
Awesome: This seems like a fun card, and it definitely has some appeal. A 2/2 + a threaten is a pretty good deal, and if nothing else, I guess it can give itself haste. The green pump ability is just gravy. Adding up the costs, I think these effects would probably be too expensive to give this guy regular competitive play, but it looks like a casual play champ. Very versatile, as you can use him as a pump, a threaten, a pump and a threaten, a haste giver, a haste giver and a pump, etc. 4/5 Balance/Mechanics: None of the abilities seem undercosted, it all feels about right to me - 3UR for a 2/2 with a threaten attached. 3URG for a 2/2 with a threaten and a pump attached. 2GU for a 2/2 that can pump something when it comes in. All seems fair. The only fault, I think the templating was supposed to be "that creature gains haste until end of turn" which seems to have been omitted. If not, perhaps the "this effect lasts indefinitely" reminder text would be called for. Also, this card lacks a creature type line. 3/5 Innovation: Haven't really seen a card quite like this, it feels pretty new to me. And I like that someone strayed away from the typical X: Ability format. 5/5 Flavor: Cute name and flavor text. It's silly. And I like silly. But maybe a little too silly. In fact, let's not go to Camelot. 'Tis a silly place. 2/5 Final Score: 14
Brofaux
Submission: Demonmage of Grixis
From the original post: "II. The creature must be CMC 3 or less"
Sorry, but at CMC 6 your guy just doesn't fit the bill. Final Score: N/A
The Motley Fool
Submission: Ataraxian Guildmage
Awesome: I want to like this card, but because the second ability is so overcosted, it's really hard for me to. I like the first ability, and the fact that you can do it multiple times. And with mana hyperacceleration, the big ability could be craaaazy go nuts. He feels kind of like those Invoker guys from Legions, and actually I'm always a bit scared when my opponent plays a Flamewave Invoker on the Xbox magic game... But, ugh, I really don't feel like I'd want to put this guy in a deck. Points for the interaction between the abilities though, little one sets up the big and so on. 3/5 Balance/Mechanics: I don't know why this guy is green. Maybe that's a Flavor thing, and I guess one could always ask "well, why is Naya Battlemage green?" For as powerful as the big ability is, and not requiring a tap, it's appropriately costed, especially since you don't exile the spell and can do the same one over and over again. The creature itself might be a bit undercosted, it's a 2/2 bear for 2 and two abilities. 2G might have been more appropriate, or at least two colored mana. 4/5 Innovation: It's creative, though it uses concepts already pretty commonplace in the game. 3/5 Flavor: Absent. I don't really know anything about Ataraxia, or why this Shaman likes making people draw and discard, or why he can pull off such a powerful ability... Cards like Flamewave Invoker give you a hint of the flavor behind the ability with the art and the name... He's a goblin mutant that can invoke a big flamewave, so that's where the 5 damage comes from. This guy... I'm lost, really. But, there's also nothing necessarily unflavorful about it... 2/5 Final Score:12
coasterdude420
Submission: Nespend Guildmage
Awesome: 3 mana of three different colors is a bit hefty for a 2/2, especially as one of those colors is green, and the other is red... that should buy you, at minimum a 3/3 heck I'd go so far as a 3/4. If the abilities were incredible, it might make up for this card's wimpy p/t, but alas they are rather clunky and not terribly powerful. The first ability has so much drawback, with letting them bounce something and requiring a coinflip... it's like a lose/lose situation. They do kind of appeal to the Johnny player in me though, I like that one taps it so you can untap it and so on. The coin flip though. Ugh. I don't like it. 2/5 Balance/Mechanics: Like I said, the card is, if anything overcosted, so it's definitely not broken. I will ding you on the templating though. It should be his or her choice, not "their." 4/5 Innovation: The first ability is rather bizarre, but I don't feel like this card makes me think about anything in a new way or introduces any new concepts... 2/5 Flavor: The cycle of life never ends? I don't get it? What? Coin flip, damage, bouncing, drawing a card... where's a cycle of life? 2/5 Final Score: 10
pstmdrn
Submission: Sun Drop Guildmage
Awesome: It's a pretty efficient creature, but not overpowered. A card drawing engine and a mana accel engine. Playable in G/U, W/U, or W/U/G. Plus the first ability helps build up for the second one. It's only life gain, which isn't terribly crazy, but hey, it's gravy. I like it. 4/5 Balance/Mechanics: Seems more than fair. The card drawing/land accel ability is a bit strong, but nor game-breakingly so. It's about on par with Dimir Guildmage's blue ability, slightly better for requiring another color. One thing tho, I believe it should be worded like Fa'adiyah Seer, "draw a card and reveal it." 4/5 Innovation: The first ability feels like Coiling Oracle, the second - lifegain for green and white isn't really anything new. This does have a fairly innovative build tho, so I give it 4/5. Flavor: Excellent. The name is fitting, and the flavor text gives a rationale behind the mechanics. Also, the card is elegant and simple, which is always nice. 5/5 Final Score: 17
2GG
Submission: Sphinx Broodling
Awesome: This card definitely appeals to the Johnny player in me because of the nifty tricks you can do it with it. Would I put it in a deck? Probably, it seems like it would be fun to play. Is it very strong, in a competitive sense? No, probably not, but that's okay, part of being AWESOME is also being FUN. 5/5 Balance/Mechanics: The mechanics are really interesting and they work well together. It seems appropriately costed, since the morph costs are so color intensive and it requires you playing all three colors to get the most mileage out of this. However, I'm going to disagree with you on the black ability tho. It feels green to me. You mentioned the shade ability, but shades only pump themselves. This is a +2/+2 to any target creature, which is very out of pie for black. 3/5 Innovation: Very interesting, unique card! Sure, things like this have been done before, but this puts a refreshing twist on the concepts and makes me think about it in a new way. 5/5 Flavor: Guildmages are supposed to be wizards or shamans dammit. Other than that, I'm not really sure why a sphinx can morph so much. It seems shapeshiftery to me like Vesuvan Shapeshifter except without copying creatures. Well, it *is* blue and has flying, so that's Sphinxery, I guess. 3/5 Final Score: 16
bloodyspasm
Submission: Lifecycle Guildmage
Awesome: A 2/2 for two with three fairly decent abilities. Playable, but none of the abilities particularly excite me. 4/5 Balance/Mechanics: At first glance, a 2/2 for 2 with not one, not two, but three abilities sounds like pushing it, but at 4 mana, what deck really wants this guy? He's not beefy enough for aggro, not nowadays. Control might get some utility out of him, but there's cards that do any of the three things this does more efficiently. And he's not really a powerhouse wincond. Seems fair to me. 5/5 Innovation: I don't really feel it here. 1/5 Flavor: The name "Lifecycle" seems apropos, given the abilities. The lack of flavor text is also probably best due to the amount of text. 4/5. Final Score: 14
TiWynn Lannister
Submission: Valiant Guildmage
Awesome: I definitely like this card. Its ability to swing and use either ability makes combat interesting, same on the blocking side. While there's no real interaction between the two abilities, I like the tension provided by having to choose between them (or your opponent's uncertainty of which one you will play). Do I wanna reduce a creature's power or toughness by 2? Also, do I want to shock that guy before blocks, or block him so I gain the 2 life? My only problem with this guy is that it feels overcosted. Three mana of three different colors is quite heavy for a 2/2, especially nowadays when that apparently can buy you a 5/4. I think the card would have been fine at 2W... That would allow it to be played in W/R and W/U decks as well as WUR... 3/5 Balance/Mechanics: Being potentially overcosted, there's really no problems here. The abilities seem to fit. The life gain comes from the fact that the critter is white, and the activation costs justify the rest. 5/5 Innovation: A really interesting card that makes creature combat complex in a fun way. Exciting from an innovative standpoint. 5/5 Flavor: I like the name, and I think it fits with the Vigilance ability. Also, the fact that the card rewards you for blocking (or being blocked) seems to also fit with the creature being "Valiant." The absence of flavor text is probably best from a design standpoint, because there's already quite a bit of text on the card. 4/5 Final Score: 17
GetItWrong
Submission: Wizard's Amanuensis
Awesome: As an aggro threat, this card is definitely awesome (TOO awesome, but we'll get to that in the Balance section), as it's a 3/1 that can give itself evasion. I like the way the abilities work, and that you have to do it in the right order to get all three. Also, of course, it can target other creatures, which is cool, since lifelink and flying are both common abilities in those colors. 3/1 is more often seen in red, but I guess black has a few. 4/5 Balance/Mechanics: At 3 colorless, this is just too strong. Mono blue can play it and have a 3/1 that can give itself flying, forget the other abilities. Also, maybe it's just me, but it took me forever to understand what the third ability was trying to say. When I finally got it, it seemed unnecessarily complex; Just +X/+0 would have been a different ability, but worked fine, and "Howl from beyond" in flavor for black. No sir, I don't like it. 1/5 Innovation: It's a really interesting card, despite everything else. Cards that give themselves or other creatures abilities are nothing new, but this one takes that idea and puts a slight twist on it. 4/5 Flavor: "Guildmage" type creatures are usually wizards or shamans. In fact, all the printed ones are... the "Advisor" type is a bit out of convention for guildmages and that bothers me. Even that withstanding, there's nothing advisor-y about this creature. It's a 3/1 that beats face. When I'm thinking "advisor" I'm thinking some dude in the king's court in robes talking about politics and military strategy and stuff like that - not someone out in the battlefield fighting. In Magic, Advisors are typically utility creatures and not very aggressively powered. Their abilities are usually doing things like drawing you cards, gaining you life on your upkeep, adding mana... this card just doesn't seem to fit that notion. 2/5 Final Score: 11
AND THE WINNAR
It's a tie between Tiwynn Lannister and pstmdrn.
I arbitrarily choose pstmdrn just because I think I like Sun Drop just a tad more than Valiant.
grats pstmdrn!
Just FYI, in case your weren't aware, Trouser Snake was the name of one of the two invasion block RUG decks, and Liquid Tempo battlemage just didn't do it for me. The flavor text of the battlemage references three key cards in the deck. So, while the name was "silly" it was strictly alluding to an RUG deck from the block where battlemages first got the kicker/comes into play abilities. I was just trying to expand upon the cycle of friendly battlemages, but unfortunately there was no previous name templating I could use.
/rant (or) /teached!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
IIW:
Design a mono-blue instant (this includes kicker alts costs etc.) that doesn't draw card(s) (or put card(s) into your hand) bounce permanent(s), mill cards, or counter spell(s) (or exile them etc.) Basically make an interesting blue instant that doesn't do the most basic things that blue can do.
"Your attack has been rendered harmless. It is, however, quite pretty." —Saprazzan vizier
Sorcery
Destroy all Islands
"When every reef is bared and every wave is dust—only then shall I rest."
//
Bubble 1U
Instant
Target creature gains flying and Shroud until end of turn.
Aloft in the breeze, not a care in the world.
[Clan Flamingo]
Instant
Target creature gains flying until end of turn.
////
Jive (2/U)U
Instant
Until end of turn, you may untap target creature you control up to 3 times.
and waiiiil!
Jump isn't going to win any tournaments. Jive is my best attempt at simulating a creature dancing. Untapping is in flavor for blue (Freed from the Real) and it could be broken (Avatar of Woe) but it's cute
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and permanents you control this turn.
The Aurora had lessened the kithkins' kindness, deepened their paranoia, and dulled their sense of pain.
//
Succumb 3BB
Instant
Whenever an opponent is dealt damage this turn, they lose 2 life.
Whenever a creature is dealt damage this turn, sacrifice it.
Many thanks from spiderboy at Highlight Studios
Instant
Copy target instant or sorcery spell, except that the copy is red. You may choose new targets for the copy
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Knife RR
Sorcery
Knife deals 5 damage to target player. That player may choose to pay 2 if they do they may copy Knife with new targets.
"Who would have thought playing with knives and forks could be so much fun"
BUWRG--->> Here to view my stuff <<---GRWUB
Sorcery
Until end of turn, whenever a spell or permanent you control becomes the target of an opponent's spell or ability, you may draw a card.
/////
Forget UU
Sorcery
Target player discards two cards, then draws as many cards as he or she discarded this way.
--Ertai, wizard adept
Make a card called Long For This World.
Instant
Destroy target creature with power 2 or less.
Cycling 2
//////////////////////
Team 1WW
Sorcery
Put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens into play.
Recover 1W
Ruins of Tourach's Gate
Illusional Fears
Ancient Knowledge
False Sense of Security
Floating Caches
A Bit Touch
Nurtured Rooted
Underground Lizards
Tropical Changling
A Brown Cordless
Snowstorm Avalanches
Spitted Baller (by Brofaux)
This is shockingly clever. The interplay between the names is exactly what WoTC tries for, and the mechanical interplay is complex but easily grokkable. The token proliferation is a little scary, but no more so than that of Sprout Swarm. Great job.
I like the names. Forget is a weak enough card that you could have grafted something playable on its own onto it; Forgive would be unprintably weak even as an instant. Heck, even if it worked retroactively.
I felt like this should be "Knife//Fork", so I did googles on "Knife and Fork" vs. "Fork and Knife". The former gets more hits, but the latter is a song title, so I guess it's a wash.
This falls into the biggest pitfall inherent in my challenge: it's overpowered, because you're adding two powerful cards together, each of which goes in the same deck. Knife has next-to-no drawback in any deck that plays it, making it undercosted by about 3 even by itself. And Fork is one of the best red cards ever printed.
This seems fair. It's not particularly interesting, and the names don't fit the convention. Still, a solidly printable card.
This is a decent card. I hadn't heard the phrase "endure and succumb," and I was going to ding you for that, but google says it is used frequently. What I will ding you for is the templating: should be "that player loses 2 life" and "its controller sacrifices it." Making the cards direct opposites also seems uninspired.
Very nice. This fits the naming convention, and also fits the "small/big" mechanical convention used in Planar Chaos.
Very nice. I'd've called it overpowered before they reprinted Lightning Bolt; now it's just a weaker Bolt stapled to a weaker Awe Strike, as you clearly realized. Elegant, clever, balanced, cool.
Funny. Not printable, obviously, and seems a tad overpowered.
I like this mechanically, adding a very weak card onto a strong one. The names don't quite fit, since it's "or" not "and".
No hits on google for "putrefy and solidify". I know a lot of the real split cards are opposites, but they're also all common phrases with "and." Solidify is a total win flavorfully though.
Fine mechanically, names are imperfect. I love the contrasting flavortexts.
Great names. Bubble is a great card, too, in every respect. The tension between the two is odd--you're almost guaranteeing that no deck will plan using both halves, which negates most of the appeal of a split card. I suppose blue drafters get to both hate-draft and draft a playable at the same time.
Very cute. Nice name scheme, no particular interaction between the two halves, fun, bizarre mechanic that teeters on the edge of being Un-. Jive is potentially explosive but is awkward enough that it seems fair.
Little_Money
The Motley Fool
Kyndel
2GG
Little_Money
2GG
Little_Money
Make a card called Long For This World.
sweet
*click*
yay!
*click*
AWWWWWWWWW
Here's the next challenge: Make an original "guildmage"-type creature following these guidelines:
I. The creature must represent a 3-color combination
II. The creature must be CMC 3 or less
III. The creature must have at least two non-keyword abilities which represent the colors of the creature's "guild."
There have been several guildmages in Magic, one might look to the Mirage ones (Shadow Guildmage), the Planeshift ones (Thornscape Battlemage), The Ravnica ones (Selesnya Guildmage), or the new ones from Alara (Naya Battlemage) for inspiration.
The abilities can be activated, triggered, or whatever floats your fancy, but they must each be somehow be tied to one, two, or all three of the creature's colors of alliegence.
The creature must represent a 3-color combination, but it does not have to be multicolored itself (like Naya Battlemage).
Interesting interactions between the abilities are a big plus!
Let the posting commence!
Ruins of Tourach's Gate
Illusional Fears
Ancient Knowledge
False Sense of Security
Floating Caches
A Bit Touch
Nurtured Rooted
Underground Lizards
Tropical Changling
A Brown Cordless
Snowstorm Avalanches
Spitted Baller (by Brofaux)
Artifact Creature - Vedelkan Wizard
2W: Destroy target artifact creature.
2U: Target creature or creature card in a graveyard is an artifact in addition to its other types until end of turn.
2B: Return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
The filligree gives us the power to change what is, what was, and what will be.
3/3
--Ertai, wizard adept
Reckless Waif; It's the red Delver of Secrets.
Creature - Merfolk Wizard
Kicker 1R and/or G
When ~ enters the battlefield, if the 1R kicker cost was paid gain control of target creature until the beginning of the end of turn. That creature gains haste.
When ~ enters the battlefield, if the G kicker cost was paid target creatures gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Guided Passages and Mystic Snakes and Urza's Rages, OH MY! - Dorothy after leaving the Shivan Reef and coming Ashore on the Yavimaya Coast.
2/2
Creature - Zombie Wizard
Shroud
Regenerate 1B(U/R)
:symr::symr::symb:,:symtap: Put a black 2/2 Demon token with wither into play.
:symr::symu:,:symtap: ~ deals X damage to target player, where X equals the number of demons under your control.
It's stench, deadly. It's footsteps, cold. Its eyes, blank. It's wrath... YOUR DEAD NOW, KIDDO!
[2/4]
Multicolored millcards in something other than dimir.
Creature- Human Shaman
1UB: Each player discards a card then draws a card.
5UBG: Choose one- return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield, or play target instant or sorcery spell in your graveyard without paying its mana cost.
2/2
3
Artifact Creature--Advisor
3/1
1U: Target 3/1 creature gains flying until end of turn.
1W: Target creature with flying gains lifelink until end of turn.
XB: Target creature with lifelink becomes X+2/1 until end of turn.
Make a card called Long For This World.
Creature - Human Wizard
Vigilance
RU, T: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, ~ deals 3 damage to target creature or player and that player or that creature's controller returns a permanent of their choice to its owner's hand. If you lose the flip, untap ~.
GU, Q: Draw a card.
The circle of life never ends.
2/2
Creature - Elf Wizard
1U: Draw card. If it is land, put it into play.
2Ut: Gain 1 life for each basic land you control.
The Sun Drop ecologists attune themselves to the pulse of the land.
2/2
[Clan Flamingo]
Artifact Creature -- Sphinx
Flying
Morph WW or BB
1U: Turn Sphinx Broodling face down
When Sphinx Broodling is turned face up, if W was spent on its morph cost, Sphinx Broodling deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
When Sphinx Broodling is turned face up, if B was spent on its morph cost, target creature gains +2/+2 until end of turn
2/2
it's a riddle. if you get a 2/2 face down creature coming at you in the red zone, you don't know if you'll get the white or black ability. moreso, you don't know if the Sphinx Broodling will target the creature blocking it or blocking some other creature (or if it or some other creature gets the pump).
the blue flavor let's it flip back over a la Backslide. the white flavor is from Ballista Squad and the black from Frozen Shade
I also forgot to include the Eventide Hedge-mages in my list of guildmages. Those definitely fit the bill too.
Ruins of Tourach's Gate
Illusional Fears
Ancient Knowledge
False Sense of Security
Floating Caches
A Bit Touch
Nurtured Rooted
Underground Lizards
Tropical Changling
A Brown Cordless
Snowstorm Avalanches
Spitted Baller (by Brofaux)
Ruins of Tourach's Gate
Illusional Fears
Ancient Knowledge
False Sense of Security
Floating Caches
A Bit Touch
Nurtured Rooted
Underground Lizards
Tropical Changling
A Brown Cordless
Snowstorm Avalanches
Spitted Baller (by Brofaux)
Submission: Esper Guildmage
Awesome: To me, this feels like one of those cards that's really good to have in its particular block, but quickly become outmoded later on, being demoted to sideboard status, if it even sees play at all. Kind of like how Riftsweeper was awesome in Time Spiral when suspend was new and "in". Or, it feels like a card that you don't necessarily build a deck around, but it takes a very specific deck to make it its home. As it is, none of the abilities are particularly exciting to me; There's perhaps some comboy potential with the second ability - make something powerful an artifact, then play Sharuum the Hegemon? And also potentially the third ability, maybe you can use it to return something that you sac off, and get an infinite chain going. I do like the interaction among the three abilities. Quite possibly, though, the most awesome thing about this card is that it's a 3/3. Score: 3/5.
Balance/Mechanics: As big as creatures are nowadays, a 3/3 for 3 of three different colors seems more than fair, the templating is perfect, and none of the abilities seem undercosted or out of pie. 5/5
Innovation: An interesting twist on Esper Battlemage, but this card doesn't feel too far from the beaten path. The interaction among the three abilities is interesting, and I've actually never seen a card that turns cards in graveyards into artifacts, so points for that. 3/5
Flavor: For an Esper shard card, this seems to fit right in. My only beef is that Esper is a shard, not a guild, so the name "Guildmage" doesn't seem quite a right fit. But, I did say in the challenge "make a guildmage" which could be misleading, so I will let that slide. The flavor text is also apropos. 5/5
Final Score: 16
FoshM
Submission: Trousersnake Battlemage
Awesome: This seems like a fun card, and it definitely has some appeal. A 2/2 + a threaten is a pretty good deal, and if nothing else, I guess it can give itself haste. The green pump ability is just gravy. Adding up the costs, I think these effects would probably be too expensive to give this guy regular competitive play, but it looks like a casual play champ. Very versatile, as you can use him as a pump, a threaten, a pump and a threaten, a haste giver, a haste giver and a pump, etc. 4/5
Balance/Mechanics: None of the abilities seem undercosted, it all feels about right to me - 3UR for a 2/2 with a threaten attached. 3URG for a 2/2 with a threaten and a pump attached. 2GU for a 2/2 that can pump something when it comes in. All seems fair. The only fault, I think the templating was supposed to be "that creature gains haste until end of turn" which seems to have been omitted. If not, perhaps the "this effect lasts indefinitely" reminder text would be called for. Also, this card lacks a creature type line. 3/5
Innovation: Haven't really seen a card quite like this, it feels pretty new to me. And I like that someone strayed away from the typical X: Ability format. 5/5
Flavor: Cute name and flavor text. It's silly. And I like silly. But maybe a little too silly. In fact, let's not go to Camelot. 'Tis a silly place. 2/5
Final Score: 14
Brofaux
Submission: Demonmage of Grixis
From the original post: "II. The creature must be CMC 3 or less"
Sorry, but at CMC 6 your guy just doesn't fit the bill.
Final Score: N/A
The Motley Fool
Submission: Ataraxian Guildmage
Awesome: I want to like this card, but because the second ability is so overcosted, it's really hard for me to. I like the first ability, and the fact that you can do it multiple times. And with mana hyperacceleration, the big ability could be craaaazy go nuts. He feels kind of like those Invoker guys from Legions, and actually I'm always a bit scared when my opponent plays a Flamewave Invoker on the Xbox magic game... But, ugh, I really don't feel like I'd want to put this guy in a deck. Points for the interaction between the abilities though, little one sets up the big and so on. 3/5
Balance/Mechanics: I don't know why this guy is green. Maybe that's a Flavor thing, and I guess one could always ask "well, why is Naya Battlemage green?" For as powerful as the big ability is, and not requiring a tap, it's appropriately costed, especially since you don't exile the spell and can do the same one over and over again. The creature itself might be a bit undercosted, it's a 2/2 bear for 2 and two abilities. 2G might have been more appropriate, or at least two colored mana. 4/5
Innovation: It's creative, though it uses concepts already pretty commonplace in the game. 3/5
Flavor: Absent. I don't really know anything about Ataraxia, or why this Shaman likes making people draw and discard, or why he can pull off such a powerful ability... Cards like Flamewave Invoker give you a hint of the flavor behind the ability with the art and the name... He's a goblin mutant that can invoke a big flamewave, so that's where the 5 damage comes from. This guy... I'm lost, really. But, there's also nothing necessarily unflavorful about it... 2/5
Final Score:12
coasterdude420
Submission: Nespend Guildmage
Awesome: 3 mana of three different colors is a bit hefty for a 2/2, especially as one of those colors is green, and the other is red... that should buy you, at minimum a 3/3 heck I'd go so far as a 3/4. If the abilities were incredible, it might make up for this card's wimpy p/t, but alas they are rather clunky and not terribly powerful. The first ability has so much drawback, with letting them bounce something and requiring a coinflip... it's like a lose/lose situation. They do kind of appeal to the Johnny player in me though, I like that one taps it so you can untap it and so on. The coin flip though. Ugh. I don't like it. 2/5
Balance/Mechanics: Like I said, the card is, if anything overcosted, so it's definitely not broken. I will ding you on the templating though. It should be his or her choice, not "their." 4/5
Innovation: The first ability is rather bizarre, but I don't feel like this card makes me think about anything in a new way or introduces any new concepts... 2/5
Flavor: The cycle of life never ends? I don't get it? What? Coin flip, damage, bouncing, drawing a card... where's a cycle of life? 2/5
Final Score: 10
pstmdrn
Submission: Sun Drop Guildmage
Awesome: It's a pretty efficient creature, but not overpowered. A card drawing engine and a mana accel engine. Playable in G/U, W/U, or W/U/G. Plus the first ability helps build up for the second one. It's only life gain, which isn't terribly crazy, but hey, it's gravy. I like it. 4/5
Balance/Mechanics: Seems more than fair. The card drawing/land accel ability is a bit strong, but nor game-breakingly so. It's about on par with Dimir Guildmage's blue ability, slightly better for requiring another color. One thing tho, I believe it should be worded like Fa'adiyah Seer, "draw a card and reveal it." 4/5
Innovation: The first ability feels like Coiling Oracle, the second - lifegain for green and white isn't really anything new. This does have a fairly innovative build tho, so I give it 4/5.
Flavor: Excellent. The name is fitting, and the flavor text gives a rationale behind the mechanics. Also, the card is elegant and simple, which is always nice. 5/5
Final Score: 17
2GG
Submission: Sphinx Broodling
Awesome: This card definitely appeals to the Johnny player in me because of the nifty tricks you can do it with it. Would I put it in a deck? Probably, it seems like it would be fun to play. Is it very strong, in a competitive sense? No, probably not, but that's okay, part of being AWESOME is also being FUN. 5/5
Balance/Mechanics: The mechanics are really interesting and they work well together. It seems appropriately costed, since the morph costs are so color intensive and it requires you playing all three colors to get the most mileage out of this. However, I'm going to disagree with you on the black ability tho. It feels green to me. You mentioned the shade ability, but shades only pump themselves. This is a +2/+2 to any target creature, which is very out of pie for black. 3/5
Innovation: Very interesting, unique card! Sure, things like this have been done before, but this puts a refreshing twist on the concepts and makes me think about it in a new way. 5/5
Flavor: Guildmages are supposed to be wizards or shamans dammit. Other than that, I'm not really sure why a sphinx can morph so much. It seems shapeshiftery to me like Vesuvan Shapeshifter except without copying creatures. Well, it *is* blue and has flying, so that's Sphinxery, I guess. 3/5
Final Score: 16
bloodyspasm
Submission: Lifecycle Guildmage
Awesome: A 2/2 for two with three fairly decent abilities. Playable, but none of the abilities particularly excite me. 4/5
Balance/Mechanics: At first glance, a 2/2 for 2 with not one, not two, but three abilities sounds like pushing it, but at 4 mana, what deck really wants this guy? He's not beefy enough for aggro, not nowadays. Control might get some utility out of him, but there's cards that do any of the three things this does more efficiently. And he's not really a powerhouse wincond. Seems fair to me. 5/5
Innovation: I don't really feel it here. 1/5
Flavor: The name "Lifecycle" seems apropos, given the abilities. The lack of flavor text is also probably best due to the amount of text. 4/5.
Final Score: 14
TiWynn Lannister
Submission: Valiant Guildmage
Awesome: I definitely like this card. Its ability to swing and use either ability makes combat interesting, same on the blocking side. While there's no real interaction between the two abilities, I like the tension provided by having to choose between them (or your opponent's uncertainty of which one you will play). Do I wanna reduce a creature's power or toughness by 2? Also, do I want to shock that guy before blocks, or block him so I gain the 2 life? My only problem with this guy is that it feels overcosted. Three mana of three different colors is quite heavy for a 2/2, especially nowadays when that apparently can buy you a 5/4. I think the card would have been fine at 2W... That would allow it to be played in W/R and W/U decks as well as WUR... 3/5
Balance/Mechanics: Being potentially overcosted, there's really no problems here. The abilities seem to fit. The life gain comes from the fact that the critter is white, and the activation costs justify the rest. 5/5
Innovation: A really interesting card that makes creature combat complex in a fun way. Exciting from an innovative standpoint. 5/5
Flavor: I like the name, and I think it fits with the Vigilance ability. Also, the fact that the card rewards you for blocking (or being blocked) seems to also fit with the creature being "Valiant." The absence of flavor text is probably best from a design standpoint, because there's already quite a bit of text on the card. 4/5
Final Score: 17
GetItWrong
Submission: Wizard's Amanuensis
Awesome: As an aggro threat, this card is definitely awesome (TOO awesome, but we'll get to that in the Balance section), as it's a 3/1 that can give itself evasion. I like the way the abilities work, and that you have to do it in the right order to get all three. Also, of course, it can target other creatures, which is cool, since lifelink and flying are both common abilities in those colors. 3/1 is more often seen in red, but I guess black has a few. 4/5
Balance/Mechanics: At 3 colorless, this is just too strong. Mono blue can play it and have a 3/1 that can give itself flying, forget the other abilities. Also, maybe it's just me, but it took me forever to understand what the third ability was trying to say. When I finally got it, it seemed unnecessarily complex; Just +X/+0 would have been a different ability, but worked fine, and "Howl from beyond" in flavor for black. No sir, I don't like it. 1/5
Innovation: It's a really interesting card, despite everything else. Cards that give themselves or other creatures abilities are nothing new, but this one takes that idea and puts a slight twist on it. 4/5
Flavor: "Guildmage" type creatures are usually wizards or shamans. In fact, all the printed ones are... the "Advisor" type is a bit out of convention for guildmages and that bothers me. Even that withstanding, there's nothing advisor-y about this creature. It's a 3/1 that beats face. When I'm thinking "advisor" I'm thinking some dude in the king's court in robes talking about politics and military strategy and stuff like that - not someone out in the battlefield fighting. In Magic, Advisors are typically utility creatures and not very aggressively powered. Their abilities are usually doing things like drawing you cards, gaining you life on your upkeep, adding mana... this card just doesn't seem to fit that notion. 2/5
Final Score: 11
AND THE WINNAR
It's a tie between Tiwynn Lannister and pstmdrn.
I arbitrarily choose pstmdrn just because I think I like Sun Drop just a tad more than Valiant.
grats pstmdrn!
Ruins of Tourach's Gate
Illusional Fears
Ancient Knowledge
False Sense of Security
Floating Caches
A Bit Touch
Nurtured Rooted
Underground Lizards
Tropical Changling
A Brown Cordless
Snowstorm Avalanches
Spitted Baller (by Brofaux)
/rant (or) /teached!
[Clan Flamingo]