(This banner based on Kopala, Warden of Waves art by Wizards of the Coast)
September MCC Round 4 (Final)
“The Shapers”
Ixalan. A whole world that waits to be discovered. Ancient ruins from the Sun Empire's heyday can now be found, overgrown and half-buried, in the depths of the jungle. Sacred springs infused with magical power well up from high mountainsides. Hidden coves hold pirate treasures stowed by captains long forgotten. Brave explorers from all four peoples uncover such sites as they scour Ixalan in search of the golden city.
For centuries, the untamed jungles of Ixalan have hidden a coveted secret: Orazca, the city of gold. But no secret can remain undiscovered, and no treasure can be taken uncontested. Unfurl your sails, saddle up a dinosaur, and battle your rivals as you embark on a journey to claim the plane’s greatest fortune for yourself!
Merfolks, the primal race of Ixalan continent, want to keep Orazca untouched by intruders or, in the worst case, claim its hidden power for themselves…
Main challenge: Design a colored Merfolk creature card.
Subchallenge 1: The card is nonwhite, nonblack, nonred.
Subchallenge 2: Your card cares about Merfolk creature type OR/AND your card cares about +1/+1 counters.
Main Challenge
The card needs to be a creature. The card also needs to be colored. It should have Merfolk creature type. It also may have any other creature types if necessary.
Subchallenge 1
Your card should have monogreen, monoblue, or green-blue color identity. It should have one or more colored mana symbols in mana cost and may have any nonwhite, nonblack, nonred mana symbols in rules text if necessary. Subchallenge 2
- If you chose Merfolk creature type, your card has Merfolk creature type printed in rules text (it can create Merfolk tokens or somehow interact with Merfolks). Examples are Kumena's Speaker and Vineshaper Mystic.
- If you chose +1/+1 counters, it cares about +1/+1 counters (it can put them on itself/other creatures or grant something to a creatures with these counters on them.) Merfolk Branchwalker and Herald of Secret Streams are examples.
- If you chose both, do both.
Plase feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
A friendly reminder bravelion83 left everyone a few months ago but it's still valid:
In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
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 Design deadline: Sunday, October 1st 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Wednesday, October 4th 2017 23:59 EDT
Deeproot Mystic2GG
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control have "At the beginning of your end step, this creature explores."(To explore, reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature that explored, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
2/2
Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries1GU
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries attacks, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Noncreature spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Laruna.
2/2
Tishana’s Waveweaver1UG
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, Tishana’s Waveweaver explores. UG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Tishana’s Waveweaver: Create a 5/5 blue Wave creature token with defender. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step. “Orazca is not your home, Intruder. I know it and the ocean does as well.”
2/2
Deeproot Mystic2GG
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control have "At the beginning of your end step, this creature explores."(To explore, reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature that explored, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
2/2
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Johnny is extatic, Spike sees a nice opportunity to pump mana and dudes and sift the library, Timmy is less interested because this card doesn't do much for its own. (2,5/3) Elegance: Tweaked Explore reminder text makes it worse. Otherwise, no problems. Development - (3/3) Viability: It green and rare, sure. (2,5/3) Balance: Perfect commander, great Limited fuel, highly probably playable in standard. Not sure about eternal formats. Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Massive and repeatable explore is definetely new and fresh. (2/3) Flavor: Name is generic, based on other Ixalan merfolks and does nothing with exploration, flavor of a merfolk crowd exploring the continent is good. Polish - (3/3) Quality: I am not gonna reduce points for changed reminded text for massive explore, so everything is ok. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries1GU
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries attacks, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Noncreature spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Laruna.
2/2
Design - (2,5/3) Appeal: Comborific enough for Johnny and valuable for Spike. Timmy may be interested in ramp and growth but less. However, it's hard to overestimate a card that can make artifacts, enchantments and even the planeswalkers cheaper! (3/3) Elegance: Two abilities tied together but each other is understandable. Development - (3/3) Viability: Ixalan shows it's okay for green to have noncreature shenanigans. The same for blue. Explore fits green well. To summarize it, this card can be monogreen but the addition of blue is nice and not unnecessary. (2,75/3) Balance: Commander and limited star. Can see Standard play and maybe, just maybe, modern. Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness:Animar, Soul of Elements, says hi, so does Mizzix of the Izmagnus. But exactly noncreature spell cheaping is new. (3/3) Flavor: A name is good, fits the river theme of Ixalan merfolks well. Can be the one of three Shapers whose names are yet unknown. No flavor text but there is no space for it. Polish - (3/3) Quality: No problems here. A shorten for the second instance of a name is acceptable. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 23,25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Tishana’s Waveweaver1UG
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, Tishana’s Waveweaver explores. UG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Tishana’s Waveweaver: Create a 5/5 blue Wave creature token with defender. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step. “Orazca is not your home, Intruder. I know it and the ocean does as well.”
2/2
Design - (1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy is slightly interested in ramp and growth, Johnny can do something with tokens but not that many, and not enough value for Spike - you know, defence and offence are not the same. (2,75/3) Elegance: Elegant enough but the name exists only to etnagle tongues. Development - (3/3) Viability: Everything makes sense here, explore is green and Tidal Wave is blue. Rarity is correct. (2/3) Balance: Repeatable Tidal Wave may look cool but, as I said before, you can't win the game with defense so this card is much less valuable than any offensive card. Combos exist, but does it really worth it? And it even costs a +1/+1 counter as an additional cost. But still, destroying dangerous attackers is not so bad... Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness:Tidal Wave but as ability on Simic creature. (2,75/3) Flavor: Flavor is almost perfect. But I am not sure about necessity of Wave creature type when Wall exists. Yeah, I know, we shouldn't be so conservative since Wizards themselves are putting 2-3 new creature types into every block. So I reduce only 0,25 points here. Not because Wave creature type is new, mostly because it feels like a nonsense. Polish - (2,5/3) Quality: I assume that reminder text can be skipped on rares or mythics. But I am not sure why "intruder" have to be capitalized. Is it some unknown generalization that Merfolks use to describe their enemies? We just don't know... (2/2) *Main Challenge: Sure. (2/2) Subchallenges: Of course. Total: 20,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy appeal is obvious with a lord that can grow creatures over time. Johnny likes multiple triggers and definitely wants to fill his hand with land to fuel the comboz. Spike likes the explosive efficiency but it all requires a bit much setup for his taste considering the card is a 2/2 virtual vanilla for 2GG on its own.
(3/3) Elegance: Feels good. One easy but powerful triggered ability.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Feels green, feels rare, I was going to question how Merfolky it was before I realized that at least two Ixalan Merfolk explored.
(2.5/3) Balance: Probably fine for 60 card/20 life formats, possibly frustrating to play against in Commander under Tishana, Voice of Thunder or Prime Speaker Zegana and guys like that.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Making a whole tribe explore every turn is unique; explore itself is not, and neither is perpetual +1/+1-counter-boosting from a lord (see Arcbound Overseer).
(1.5/3) Flavor: Nothing wrong here strictly speaking, but the name is quite generic (it could go on any green Merfolk Shaman from Ixalan, whether it be a mana dork or a Eternal Witness-alike or whatever) this really could have used flavor text at that text length.
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves growth and making his big spells cheaper. Johnny loves the idea of being able to stack more +1/+1 counters on this and go to town. Spike loves that it's a self-contained package of efficiency, value, and beats.
(3/3) Elegance: Just a couple of linked, synergistic abilities - nothing wrong here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Solidly on-color and rare is right.
(3/3) Balance: Starts out small and vulnerable, so even though this card is powerful once it gets going there's little to complain about here. Would probably be a well-liked commander.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Explores-on-attack hasn't been done, but Emperor's Vanguard is similar. Reduce noncreature spell costs per +1/+1 counter hasn't been done yet, but Animar, Soul of Elements does the opposite.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Loving the name, getting a sense of what the legend's personality is about, but I do also wish there were short flavor text.
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the growth and the big token, Johnny sees lots of things to interact with and steeples his fingers thinking of Where Ancients Tread and similar, Spike likes that it explores constantly and that it pops out expendable big blockers.
(3/3) Elegance: Triggered ability linked to the activated ability - looks fine.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Solid. I like that this shows a somewhat unseen side of green-blue.
(2.5/3) Balance: The token this makes is just a big defender, so that’s alright, you need a combo to make serious offensive use out of it; it’s the upkeep-explore thing that’s a bit concerning. You don’t have to put the creature at any risk by attacking with it in order for it to explore, which is a crucial difference with Icarii’s card.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: The most unique card of the challenge and one of the more unique explore cards I’ve seen period. However, it’s a direct reference to Tidal Wave.
(3/3) Flavor: Good name and flavor text.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Green mana symbols come before blue in two-colored cards. The aformentioned Tidal Wave now just makes Wall, not Wave, tokens, so the reference is a little dated/obscured.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: I think Timmy straight likes, and Spike likes the "game" with a bunch of merfolk (do we leave that nonland on top to buff the rest of the team, or put it in gy to go further digging) if not necessarily the power level. Johnnies also fine with it, though not super excited. (2.5/3) Elegance: I could see resolving multiple explore triggers in a turn being a bit of a headache. Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (3/3) Balance: Seems like a fine merfolk payoff to me. Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Mass explore hasn't really been done, and is an interesting choice for a lord payoff. (1.5/3) Flavor: Eh, it's functional but nothing particularly evocative. Name could be on any old merfolk. Polish - (3/3) Quality: Check. (3/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check. Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny could not thumbs up faster, Timmy mb likes the pseudo-ramp for a big spell or something. Spike's not too thrilled about the inconsistency and isn't going out of his way just to put counters on it. (3/3) Elegance: Sure. Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (3/3) Balance: A fine limited rare, though way too attack dependent to threaten any constructed formats. Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm immediately reminded of Animar, though the way you put +1/+1 counters on and the payoff are quite different. (2/3) Flavor: The name sort of ties in mechanically, but it's still not a super flavor heavy card. Polish - (3/3) Quality: Yeah yeah you're not ever losing points in this are you. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check. Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Well I think everyone's at least lukewarm on constant ramp, and Timmy/Johnny might be interested in a decent defensive creature on top of it. (3/3) Elegance: Do I take off a point because I read Waveweaver wrong like twice? Development - (3/3) Viability: Yeah sure. (3/3) Balance: Yeah this isn't breaking any formats, but it's a fun card for limited and more casual tables. Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Defensive wave maker hasn't actually been done before, huh. Well that's some new space to... explore harr harr. (2.5/3) Flavor: Like the Tidal Wave callback! The flavor text is a bit awkwardly worded and capitalized, probably needs a comma somewhere in that second sentence. Polish - (3/3) Quality: Fine (aside from mb the flavor text, but I already dinged that.) (2/2) *Main Challenge: yeah. (2/2) Subchallenges: yeah. Total: 24/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
“The Shapers”
Ixalan. A whole world that waits to be discovered. Ancient ruins from the Sun Empire's heyday can now be found, overgrown and half-buried, in the depths of the jungle. Sacred springs infused with magical power well up from high mountainsides. Hidden coves hold pirate treasures stowed by captains long forgotten. Brave explorers from all four peoples uncover such sites as they scour Ixalan in search of the golden city.
For centuries, the untamed jungles of Ixalan have hidden a coveted secret: Orazca, the city of gold. But no secret can remain undiscovered, and no treasure can be taken uncontested. Unfurl your sails, saddle up a dinosaur, and battle your rivals as you embark on a journey to claim the plane’s greatest fortune for yourself!
Merfolks, the primal race of Ixalan continent, want to keep Orazca untouched by intruders or, in the worst case, claim its hidden power for themselves…
Main challenge: Design a colored Merfolk creature card.
Subchallenge 1: The card is nonwhite, nonblack, nonred.
Subchallenge 2: Your card cares about Merfolk creature type OR/AND your card cares about +1/+1 counters.
The card needs to be a creature. The card also needs to be colored. It should have Merfolk creature type. It also may have any other creature types if necessary.
Subchallenge 1
Your card should have monogreen, monoblue, or green-blue color identity. It should have one or more colored mana symbols in mana cost and may have any nonwhite, nonblack, nonred mana symbols in rules text if necessary.
Subchallenge 2
- If you chose Merfolk creature type, your card has Merfolk creature type printed in rules text (it can create Merfolk tokens or somehow interact with Merfolks). Examples are Kumena's Speaker and Vineshaper Mystic.
- If you chose +1/+1 counters, it cares about +1/+1 counters (it can put them on itself/other creatures or grant something to a creatures with these counters on them.) Merfolk Branchwalker and Herald of Secret Streams are examples.
- If you chose both, do both.
Plase feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
A friendly reminder bravelion83 left everyone a few months ago but it's still valid:
(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
Design deadline: Sunday, October 1st 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Wednesday, October 4th 2017 23:59 EDT
JUDGES
Raptorchan
ManyCookies
void_nothing
PLAYERS
Vertain
IcariiFA
Sub_Silentio
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control have "At the beginning of your end step, this creature explores."(To explore, reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature that explored, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
2/2
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries attacks, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Noncreature spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Laruna.
2/2
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, Tishana’s Waveweaver explores.
UG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Tishana’s Waveweaver: Create a 5/5 blue Wave creature token with defender. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
“Orazca is not your home, Intruder. I know it and the ocean does as well.”
2/2
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Other Merfolk creatures you control have "At the beginning of your end step, this creature explores."(To explore, reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on the creature that explored, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
2/2
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Johnny is extatic, Spike sees a nice opportunity to pump mana and dudes and sift the library, Timmy is less interested because this card doesn't do much for its own.
(2,5/3) Elegance: Tweaked Explore reminder text makes it worse. Otherwise, no problems.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: It green and rare, sure.
(2,5/3) Balance: Perfect commander, great Limited fuel, highly probably playable in standard. Not sure about eternal formats.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Massive and repeatable explore is definetely new and fresh.
(2/3) Flavor: Name is generic, based on other Ixalan merfolks and does nothing with exploration, flavor of a merfolk crowd exploring the continent is good.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I am not gonna reduce points for changed reminded text for massive explore, so everything is ok.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Legendary Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
Whenever Laruna, Chronicler of Tributaries attacks, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Noncreature spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Laruna.
2/2
Design -
(2,5/3) Appeal: Comborific enough for Johnny and valuable for Spike. Timmy may be interested in ramp and growth but less. However, it's hard to overestimate a card that can make artifacts, enchantments and even the planeswalkers cheaper!
(3/3) Elegance: Two abilities tied together but each other is understandable.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Ixalan shows it's okay for green to have noncreature shenanigans. The same for blue. Explore fits green well. To summarize it, this card can be monogreen but the addition of blue is nice and not unnecessary.
(2,75/3) Balance: Commander and limited star. Can see Standard play and maybe, just maybe, modern.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Animar, Soul of Elements, says hi, so does Mizzix of the Izmagnus. But exactly noncreature spell cheaping is new.
(3/3) Flavor: A name is good, fits the river theme of Ixalan merfolks well. Can be the one of three Shapers whose names are yet unknown. No flavor text but there is no space for it.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No problems here. A shorten for the second instance of a name is acceptable.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 23,25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Creature - Merfolk Shaman (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, Tishana’s Waveweaver explores.
UG, T, Remove a +1/+1 counter from Tishana’s Waveweaver: Create a 5/5 blue Wave creature token with defender. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
“Orazca is not your home, Intruder. I know it and the ocean does as well.”
2/2
Design -
(1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy is slightly interested in ramp and growth, Johnny can do something with tokens but not that many, and not enough value for Spike - you know, defence and offence are not the same.
(2,75/3) Elegance: Elegant enough but the name exists only to etnagle tongues.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Everything makes sense here, explore is green and Tidal Wave is blue. Rarity is correct.
(2/3) Balance: Repeatable Tidal Wave may look cool but, as I said before, you can't win the game with defense so this card is much less valuable than any offensive card. Combos exist, but does it really worth it? And it even costs a +1/+1 counter as an additional cost. But still, destroying dangerous attackers is not so bad...
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Tidal Wave but as ability on Simic creature.
(2,75/3) Flavor: Flavor is almost perfect. But I am not sure about necessity of Wave creature type when Wall exists. Yeah, I know, we shouldn't be so conservative since Wizards themselves are putting 2-3 new creature types into every block. So I reduce only 0,25 points here. Not because Wave creature type is new, mostly because it feels like a nonsense.
Polish -
(2,5/3) Quality: I assume that reminder text can be skipped on rares or mythics. But I am not sure why "intruder" have to be capitalized. Is it some unknown generalization that Merfolks use to describe their enemies? We just don't know...
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Sure.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Of course.
Total: 20,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Vertain 22
IcariiFA 23,25
Sub_Silentio 20,5
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy appeal is obvious with a lord that can grow creatures over time. Johnny likes multiple triggers and definitely wants to fill his hand with land to fuel the comboz. Spike likes the explosive efficiency but it all requires a bit much setup for his taste considering the card is a 2/2 virtual vanilla for 2GG on its own.
(3/3) Elegance: Feels good. One easy but powerful triggered ability.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Feels green, feels rare, I was going to question how Merfolky it was before I realized that at least two Ixalan Merfolk explored.
(2.5/3) Balance: Probably fine for 60 card/20 life formats, possibly frustrating to play against in Commander under Tishana, Voice of Thunder or Prime Speaker Zegana and guys like that.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Making a whole tribe explore every turn is unique; explore itself is not, and neither is perpetual +1/+1-counter-boosting from a lord (see Arcbound Overseer).
(1.5/3) Flavor: Nothing wrong here strictly speaking, but the name is quite generic (it could go on any green Merfolk Shaman from Ixalan, whether it be a mana dork or a Eternal Witness-alike or whatever) this really could have used flavor text at that text length.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves growth and making his big spells cheaper. Johnny loves the idea of being able to stack more +1/+1 counters on this and go to town. Spike loves that it's a self-contained package of efficiency, value, and beats.
(3/3) Elegance: Just a couple of linked, synergistic abilities - nothing wrong here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Solidly on-color and rare is right.
(3/3) Balance: Starts out small and vulnerable, so even though this card is powerful once it gets going there's little to complain about here. Would probably be a well-liked commander.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Explores-on-attack hasn't been done, but Emperor's Vanguard is similar. Reduce noncreature spell costs per +1/+1 counter hasn't been done yet, but Animar, Soul of Elements does the opposite.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Loving the name, getting a sense of what the legend's personality is about, but I do also wish there were short flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Solid.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Also done.
Total: 23/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the growth and the big token, Johnny sees lots of things to interact with and steeples his fingers thinking of Where Ancients Tread and similar, Spike likes that it explores constantly and that it pops out expendable big blockers.
(3/3) Elegance: Triggered ability linked to the activated ability - looks fine.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Solid. I like that this shows a somewhat unseen side of green-blue.
(2.5/3) Balance: The token this makes is just a big defender, so that’s alright, you need a combo to make serious offensive use out of it; it’s the upkeep-explore thing that’s a bit concerning. You don’t have to put the creature at any risk by attacking with it in order for it to explore, which is a crucial difference with Icarii’s card.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: The most unique card of the challenge and one of the more unique explore cards I’ve seen period. However, it’s a direct reference to Tidal Wave.
(3/3) Flavor: Good name and flavor text.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Green mana symbols come before blue in two-colored cards. The aformentioned Tidal Wave now just makes Wall, not Wave, tokens, so the reference is a little dated/obscured.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 23/25
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
(2.5/3) Appeal: I think Timmy straight likes, and Spike likes the "game" with a bunch of merfolk (do we leave that nonland on top to buff the rest of the team, or put it in gy to go further digging) if not necessarily the power level. Johnnies also fine with it, though not super excited.
(2.5/3) Elegance: I could see resolving multiple explore triggers in a turn being a bit of a headache.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(3/3) Balance: Seems like a fine merfolk payoff to me.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Mass explore hasn't really been done, and is an interesting choice for a lord payoff.
(1.5/3) Flavor: Eh, it's functional but nothing particularly evocative. Name could be on any old merfolk.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Check.
(3/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny could not thumbs up faster, Timmy mb likes the pseudo-ramp for a big spell or something. Spike's not too thrilled about the inconsistency and isn't going out of his way just to put counters on it.
(3/3) Elegance: Sure.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(3/3) Balance: A fine limited rare, though way too attack dependent to threaten any constructed formats.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm immediately reminded of Animar, though the way you put +1/+1 counters on and the payoff are quite different.
(2/3) Flavor: The name sort of ties in mechanically, but it's still not a super flavor heavy card.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Yeah yeah you're not ever losing points in this are you.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2.5/3) Appeal: Well I think everyone's at least lukewarm on constant ramp, and Timmy/Johnny might be interested in a decent defensive creature on top of it.
(3/3) Elegance: Do I take off a point because I read Waveweaver wrong like twice?
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yeah sure.
(3/3) Balance: Yeah this isn't breaking any formats, but it's a fun card for limited and more casual tables.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Defensive wave maker hasn't actually been done before, huh. Well that's some new space to... explore harr harr.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Like the Tidal Wave callback! The flavor text is a bit awkwardly worded and capitalized, probably needs a comma somewhere in that second sentence.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine (aside from mb the flavor text, but I already dinged that.)
(2/2) *Main Challenge: yeah.
(2/2) Subchallenges: yeah.
Total: 24/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.