Urborg Panther, taken from magicthegathering.com, by Cliff Nielsen and Wizards of the Coast
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
You know what the best part about Halloween is? The costumes! Whether they're funny, scary, or sexy, everybody likes to put on their outrageous duds and participate in culturally sanctioned cosplay and candy begging. Every card you make for October's CCL will somehow be "dressed up" in accouterments that aren't what that kind of card usually has.
A lot of people dress up as notable pop culture references on Halloween, whether they be characters from their favorite shows, movies, or video games, or simply memes, celebrities, and political figures. This round is going to involve a name-drop. Challenge
Design a legendary creature card, and another card that references it by name in its text.
Make sure to include a rarity.
"Text" means "rules text."
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the trial use of the "Mandatory Top 3 Rule." For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Necrodemus (Mythic) 2BG
Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
3/4
Deathtouch
Whenever Necrodemus or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead. You haven’t lived until you’ve died.
Necrodemic Chant (Common) B
Sorcery
Choose one or both -
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Search your library for a card named Necrodemus and put that card into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.
Tyreum the Sealed
(B) Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
You can't cast Tyreum the Sealed.
Flying, haste, indestructible
When Tyreum the Sealed enters the battlefield, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers. He is apocalypse incarnate.
10/10
Ritual of TyreumB
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Ritual of Tyreum, sacrifice four creatures.
Name a Demon. Search your library, hand, graveyard, or exile for the named card and put it onto the battlefield.
If the named card is "Tyreum the Sealed", you may choose a copy of the named card that you own from outside the game instead.
When Inorath enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Equipment card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, lose life equal to its converted mana cost and shuffle your library.
Whenever an Equipment enters the battlefield under your control, create a 0/0 Germ token and attach that Equipment to it.
3/3
Corrosive Glaive1WB
Artifact -- Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike and wither.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, if you control a creature named Inorath, Armer of Epidemics, create a token that's a copy of Corrosive Glaive.
Paradon, the Headless3GB
Legendary Creature - Centaur Spirit (M)
Paradon, the Headless is indestructible as long it has the greatest power among creatures. T: Paradon fights target tapped creature. When the mist rises in the Teshire wood, two things are sure to be found the next morn: hoofprints and a travelers head.
5/4
Paradon's Sickle3
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards.. If equipped creature is named "Paradon, the Headless", it gets an additional +X/+X.
Equip — Sacrifice a creature.
Daktar, Master of the PastureGW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Warrior (M)
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power. U: Target horse you control gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is Daktar, Master of the Pasture’s toughness. 1BR: Create an 1/1 black and red Nightmare Horse creature token with haste and lifelink.
1/1
Pack Horse1W
Creature - Horse (U)
When Pack Horse enters the battlefield, for the rest of the game, creatures named “Daktar, Master of the Pasture” you control enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on them.
A deck can have any number of cards named Pack Horse.
2/2
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Pumpkin Nightlord
Legendary Creature - Nightmare (r)
Skulk, indestructible
Other Nightmare creatures you control have +1/+1 and "When this creature dies, target opponent discards a card"
3/3
Pumpkinhead Spooks
Creature - Nightmare (c)
Pumpkinhead Spooks cannot be blocked and can't block.
If you control a creature named Pumpkin Nightlord, you may pay 2 life rather than pay Pumpkinhead Spooks mana cost.
1/1
Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer3RUG
Legendary Creature-Elemental Artificer
Whenever Avaati Vya deals combat damage to an opponent, you get that much E. E: Avaati Vya gets +1/+0 until end of turn. EE: Avaati Vya gains flying until end of turn.
4/6
Prototype Collector 5
Artifact
If you would get one or more E, you get twice that much E instead. EEEEEEEE(8 energy),t: Search your graveyard, hand, and/or library for a card named Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer and put it onto the battlefield.
Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer3RUG
Legendary Creature-Elemental Artificer
Whenever Avaati Vya deals combat damage to an opponent, you get that much E. E: Avaati Vya gets +1/+0 until end of turn. EE: Avaati Vya gains flying until end of turn.
4/6
Prototype Collector 5
Artifact
If you would get one or more E, you get twice that much E instead. EEEEEEEE(8 energy),t: Search your graveyard, hand, and/or library for a card named Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer and put it onto the battlefield.
Legendary Empyreal Voyager! Part of me wishes Avaati had trample, either naturally or activated, but that would have felt a bit derivative, so I don't blame you for leaving it off. I'm less of a fan of the +1/+0 ability though. Once you know Avaati is going to get through, there's no interesting choice to make (except for very rare instances), just dump all your energy into Avaati and you'll get it right back. I would rather have seen a EE activation cost, making up for the powered-down ability elsewhere if necessary.
I'm also not thrilled that Prototype Collector does nothing on its own. There's room for cards like that, but requiring other cards that use such a specific resource seems a little too restrictive. It's also a slight nonbo in an Avaati EDH deck since it can't summon Avaati from the command zone, which seems at cross-purposes with the message Prototype Collector sends.
Pumpkin Nightlord
Legendary Creature - Nightmare (r)
Skulk, indestructible
Other Nightmare creatures you control have +1/+1 and "When this creature dies, target opponent discards a card"
3/3
Pumpkinhead Spooks
Creature - Nightmare (c)
Pumpkinhead Spooks cannot be blocked and can't block.
If you control a creature named Pumpkin Nightlord, you may pay 2 life rather than pay Pumpkinhead Spooks mana cost.
1/1
While I'd love to see a return of Nightmares--I thought they were poorly used in Torment--Pumpkin Nightlord somehow strikes me as both overpowered and underwhelming. None of its abilities are all that compelling, but they combine for an unblockable (essentially), indestructible 3/3 for 3--well above curve, and it has a potent tribal ability on top of it. I think 1 toughness would have helped with the power level (easier to deal with with -X/-X effects) and given it a more ethereal quality.
Pumpkinhead Spooks follows a similar story, though it's got a good news/bad news situation going for it: the good news is that it isn't always overpowered, but the bad news is when it's not, it's a worse Tormented Soul. The ability granted by the Nightlord also doesn't seem to fit anything else either card can do. The result is two cards that I'm afraid don't excite me.
Daktar, Master of the PastureGW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Warrior (M)
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power. U: Target horse you control gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is Daktar, Master of the Pasture’s toughness. 1BR: Create an 1/1 black and red Nightmare Horse creature token with haste and lifelink.
1/1
Pack Horse1W
Creature - Horse (U)
When Pack Horse enters the battlefield, for the rest of the game, creatures named “Daktar, Master of the Pasture” you control enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on them.
A deck can have any number of cards named Pack Horse.
2/2
Alright, General Tazri for your Horses... though there are interesting Allies in all five colors, and I don't think anyone's going to be upset if they can't put Breaching Hippocamp or Phantasmal Mount in their Ponies EDH deck. I'd love to know why all five colors are on Daktar. I have no doubt that there's a good reason, but I'm afraid it's not coming through for me. I mean, it's a bit of a stretch, but the +0/+X could have cost W, and since Green occasionally gets haste the token activation could have been 1GW. I have many questions about this card's design, and while I'm sure there were be lots of interesting answers, until then it all seems a bit chaotic.
Pack Horse seems fine, I like how the ability works well with Daktar's +0/+X ability, though I am curious why you didn't make this an emblem.
Paradon, the Headless3GB
Legendary Creature - Centaur Spirit (M)
Paradon, the Headless is indestructible as long it has the greatest power among creatures. T: Paradon fights target tapped creature. When the mist rises in the Teshire wood, two things are sure to be found the next morn: hoofprints and a travelers head.
5/4
Paradon's Sickle3
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards. If equipped creature is named "Paradon, the Headless", it gets an additional +X/+X.
Equip — Sacrifice a creature.
I like these two quite a bit. Unique abilities, the synergy between Paradon and his Sickle works well in both gameplay and flavor, and I like that Paradon is a 5/4 just to add insult to injury for opposing 4-power creatures. As such, my critiques are going to seem rather nitpick-y.
On a very minor note, Paradon's first ability usually has "...or is tied for greatest" tacked on to avoid confusion. Unless your intention was for the Paradon to be indestructible if he had THE greatest power, full stop, in which case I believe "...as long as his power is greater than each other creature's power" (or something like that) is a more accurate, if clunkier, wording.
I also fear that Paradon might lead to inactive game states. Your opponent doesn't want to attack, because then you can get a two-for-one (blocking one creature and fighting another), but you don't want to attack with Paradon because then you CAN'T get a two-for-one. Somewhat paradoxically (Paradon-xically?), I think by making the fight ability worse (sorcery speed, I'm thinking), Paradon becomes better designed. But I could be conjuring something from nothing here, and overall this was a great entry.
Tyreum the Sealed
(B) Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
You can't cast Tyreum the Sealed.
Flying, haste, indestructible
When Tyreum the Sealed enters the battlefield, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers. He is apocalypse incarnate.
10/10
Ritual of TyreumB
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Ritual of Tyreum, sacrifice four creatures.
Name a Demon. Search your library, hand, graveyard, or exile for the named card and put it onto the battlefield.
If the named card is "Tyreum the Sealed", you may choose a copy of the named card that you own from outside the game instead.
Tyreum the Best-Reanimation-Target-Ever. Probably best Show and Tell target too, since you'll blow up whatever creature they pop in and be able to attack right away. I like the attempt at creating a Legend and build-around way to summon it, but it seems way too easy to work around in older Constructed formats, and I don't like that it's a Legend that can't be cast if he's your commander. I guess he and Phage can hang out and commiserate over it.
I do very much like a card asking you to name a card and then working differently depending on what you name, however.
There's neat design space there that I think you should explore in the future.
Necrodemus (Mythic) 2BG
Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
3/4
Deathtouch
Whenever Necrodemus or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead. You haven’t lived until you’ve died.
Necrodemic Chant (Common) B
Sorcery
Choose one or both -
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Search your library for a card named Necrodemus and put that card into your graveyard. Then shuffle your library.
Does Necrodemus' ability work like we want it to? Or does it need a rider like "As long as Necrodemus is on the battlefield or in your graveyard..." in order to return himself to the battlefield? Eh, let's assume he works just fine.
What I can't assume is that everyone is going to play Necrodemic Chant properly. I can see so many casual players getting Necrodemus at their prerelease (yes, I know he's a Mythic), casting Chant, and hoping to put the creature they're returning right onto the battlefield, whether because they do the choices in the reverse order or because they're unclear on the timing. Which isn't to say that "teachable moment" cards like this can't be printed, but not usually at common, and they have to really pull their weight, which I'm not sure this does. I'm not dinging you too hard for this as there's a simple fix ("Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Then, you may search your library for a card named Necrodemus and put it into your graveyard and shuffle."), but I felt it worth noting.
But everything I've said so far is minor stuff. Good design on both cards, they're unique and work well separately and together. Nicely done.
The great challenge of round is that it specified legendary, and thus implied some utility in EDH. Yet it did not state commander,
so the pair must have utility outside of it. What this means is that the legend cannot depend upon the other card, weakening it in EDH, nor the other card depend upon the legend, weakening it in other formats. You met this twofold challenge with excellency and elegance, as well as making both card feel complete unto themselves. My only qualm is that there are already enough GB legends, both as custom cards and in the game.
Inorath is quite interesting, as he creates a new type of deck in EDH, and serves as a fallback in equipment heavy decks in other formats. Corrosive Glaive is also clever, but has a few issues, the first being that it is somewhat broken, as there is nothing to prevent the copies making copies. Did you mean to say "combat damage to an opponent"? Colored cost on an artifact and wither instead of infect on a phyrexian flavor card also strike me as odd.
Cool twist on a classic Halloween trope, the flavor text sent a chill down my spine. The cards synergize well, even outside the name referencing ability. However the sacrifice clause on the sickle seemed a bit off, as on the surface it is synergistic with the sickle, but both it and Paradon seemed more geared towards a dredge or voltron style deck, which aren't too keen on sacrificing.
This pair is certainly out of the box. Unfortunately, it is also rather all-over-the-place. The mana costs of all of Daktar's abilities seem to contrast with the mon-white deck expected from the pack horse, the doran ability on Daktar is out-of-left field, Daktar has the same CMC as the horse, making the curve of any deck built around him even more awkward and there is no obvious flavor tying any of it together. Also, the deck-type you seem to be aiming for (jamming you deck full of pack horse) would get dull fast.
The tribal synergy is cool, but the other abilities on both of these cards lack the creativity or unique synergy to put them over the top for me. Also, 3/3 indestructible for 3 is a tad OP
Legend: The chant would be undercosted for standard, but the abilities on both cards are quite nice. I wish I got a better sense of the character, as the flavor text feels more punny than legend defining.
Hemlock: Both of these cards really want flavor text. The Legend is pushed as a 3/3 indestructible. The abilities are mostly uninteresting outside of the alternate cost to the common card.
doomfish Is the Doran effect really sueful for horse tribal? There arent really enough horses to make even a 5 color horse deck, but I admit the idea of making room for that with new commander cards like they did with the recent commander decks sounds fun. I commend you for taking risks with your design, but I don't feel this 5 color legend feels worth it. The unique thing about it is "horse tribal" but the effects are kinda generic and don't add/harp on the personality of the tribe IMO.
CaseAce: I really like your legendary creature. The weapon is problematic. Between infinite copies being an issue, and the fact that a phyrexian card scremes for infect, not wither, seems like distinct errors.
Sheoldred: Your legend is rather dull compared to your other card. I wish it spent energy in more creative ways. The +1/+0 ability is other rather uninspired since it feeds the same energy invested straight back. For a 6CC tri colored legend, this feeels underwhelming.
Koopa: Mr big bad demon summoning ritual, eh? Having a card that you actual dont want in your deck doesn't feel good to me. I do like that the sorcery allows for some toolboxing or picking unique threats, but the clause around your legend doesn't make the card interesting, it just makes deck building decisions for you (dont include Tyruem in your deck!) It seems more of a gimmick than adding good/meaningful design space.
I spent the longest time getting the mentioning card right and then I didn't have time to make the legendary card and had this weird idea of forced horse tribal stuck in my head and now everyone is commenting on the legendary card instead of the card that's interesting. Damn. Should have made a simple 'power matters' legend instead.
@CaseAce: Emblems are reserved for Planeswalkers. MaRo insists on that.
I had that very same idea for a card as well. It's a very interesting effect to have and should make for cool deckbuilding. I never considered applying the effect to the card itself and while that might make for more fluent gameplay, I feel like the mana cost on the card itself should be a barrier to prevent things from getting out of hand. It's of course important for the Chant to not simply put your legend on the board, but it's likely prone to getting misunderstood. Commons shouldn't pose that risk. Cool cards nontheless.
3 mana 3/3 indestructible? God no. The mentioning ability isn't really interesting and the Spooks is not going to die easily so the cards don't really read like they were made for eachother. Cute, but not very intersting.
I like the conditional indestructible. Nothing else stands out to me. Solid designs tho.
This is way too easy to get onto the board with any kind of reanimation spell or sneak attack like effect. Putting 'can't cast' on there is a cool idea, but isn't restricting this enough. It's weird how it destroys all creatures instead of others. No need to be clever about it and risking misunderstandings and weird interactions with cards like Bonds of Mortality. The ritual is a neat idea, but the wording is awkward with the demon having to be named and really, how often is it not going to be Tyreum? I like the concept and with some minor tweaks, like exiling Tyreum when it hits the grave, this would be great.
I like that equipment tribal effect. Works neat with the Glaive. Lots of 1/1s with Wither. Cute.
Cool energy legend. I like it. The Prototype Collector seems a bit much. 8 energy to get a monster like that on the board? That seems too simple. Especially since it's only 4 energy after this hit the board.
1. CaseAce
2. Legend
3. Sheoldred
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
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“In Homage”
Urborg Panther, taken from magicthegathering.com, by Cliff Nielsen and Wizards of the Coast
Theme
You know what the best part about Halloween is? The costumes! Whether they're funny, scary, or sexy, everybody likes to put on their outrageous duds and participate in culturally sanctioned cosplay and candy begging. Every card you make for October's CCL will somehow be "dressed up" in accouterments that aren't what that kind of card usually has.
A lot of people dress up as notable pop culture references on Halloween, whether they be characters from their favorite shows, movies, or video games, or simply memes, celebrities, and political figures. This round is going to involve a name-drop.
Challenge
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the trial use of the "Mandatory Top 3 Rule." For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Contestants:
Legend
Hemlock
IcariiFA
doomfish
Koopa
CaseAce
Sheoldred
BrainPo
Schedule
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
2BG
Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
3/4
Deathtouch
Whenever Necrodemus or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead.
You haven’t lived until you’ve died.
Necrodemic Chant (Common)
B
Sorcery
Choose one or both -
(B) Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
You can't cast Tyreum the Sealed.
Flying, haste, indestructible
When Tyreum the Sealed enters the battlefield, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers.
He is apocalypse incarnate.
10/10
Ritual of Tyreum B
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Ritual of Tyreum, sacrifice four creatures.
Name a Demon. Search your library, hand, graveyard, or exile for the named card and put it onto the battlefield.
If the named card is "Tyreum the Sealed", you may choose a copy of the named card that you own from outside the game instead.
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
Yes, flavor text doesn't count. The reference has to be in the game text. Think Urborg Panther, Pious Kitsune...
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
So not in name and not in flavor text - actual rules text blatantly like Nissa's Encouragement?
Yes, "text" has its rules meaning because challenges mean what they say.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Creature -- Human Soldier (M)
When Inorath enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Equipment card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, lose life equal to its converted mana cost and shuffle your library.
Whenever an Equipment enters the battlefield under your control, create a 0/0 Germ token and attach that Equipment to it.
3/3
Corrosive Glaive 1WB
Artifact -- Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and gains first strike and wither.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, if you control a creature named Inorath, Armer of Epidemics, create a token that's a copy of Corrosive Glaive.
Equip 2
Legendary Creature - Centaur Spirit (M)
Paradon, the Headless is indestructible as long it has the greatest power among creatures.
T: Paradon fights target tapped creature.
When the mist rises in the Teshire wood, two things are sure to be found the next morn: hoofprints and a travelers head.
5/4
Paradon's Sickle 3
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards.. If equipped creature is named "Paradon, the Headless", it gets an additional +X/+X.
Equip — Sacrifice a creature.
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Warrior (M)
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.
U: Target horse you control gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is Daktar, Master of the Pasture’s toughness.
1BR: Create an 1/1 black and red Nightmare Horse creature token with haste and lifelink.
1/1
Pack Horse 1W
Creature - Horse (U)
When Pack Horse enters the battlefield, for the rest of the game, creatures named “Daktar, Master of the Pasture” you control enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on them.
A deck can have any number of cards named Pack Horse.
2/2
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Legendary Creature - Nightmare (r)
Skulk, indestructible
Other Nightmare creatures you control have +1/+1 and "When this creature dies, target opponent discards a card"
3/3
Pumpkinhead Spooks
Creature - Nightmare (c)
Pumpkinhead Spooks cannot be blocked and can't block.
If you control a creature named Pumpkin Nightlord, you may pay 2 life rather than pay Pumpkinhead Spooks mana cost.
1/1
Legendary Creature-Elemental Artificer
Whenever Avaati Vya deals combat damage to an opponent, you get that much E.
E: Avaati Vya gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
EE: Avaati Vya gains flying until end of turn.
4/6
Prototype Collector 5
Artifact
If you would get one or more E, you get twice that much E instead.
EEEEEEEE(8 energy),t: Search your graveyard, hand, and/or library for a card named Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer and put it onto the battlefield.
EDIT: Typos
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Legendary Creature-Elemental Artificer
Whenever Avaati Vya deals combat damage to an opponent, you get that much E.
E: Avaati Vya gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
EE: Avaati Vya gains flying until end of turn.
4/6
Prototype Collector 5
Artifact
If you would get one or more E, you get twice that much E instead.
EEEEEEEE(8 energy),t: Search your graveyard, hand, and/or library for a card named Avaati Vya, Aether Pioneer and put it onto the battlefield.
Legendary Empyreal Voyager! Part of me wishes Avaati had trample, either naturally or activated, but that would have felt a bit derivative, so I don't blame you for leaving it off. I'm less of a fan of the +1/+0 ability though. Once you know Avaati is going to get through, there's no interesting choice to make (except for very rare instances), just dump all your energy into Avaati and you'll get it right back. I would rather have seen a EE activation cost, making up for the powered-down ability elsewhere if necessary.
I'm also not thrilled that Prototype Collector does nothing on its own. There's room for cards like that, but requiring other cards that use such a specific resource seems a little too restrictive. It's also a slight nonbo in an Avaati EDH deck since it can't summon Avaati from the command zone, which seems at cross-purposes with the message Prototype Collector sends.
Legendary Creature - Nightmare (r)
Skulk, indestructible
Other Nightmare creatures you control have +1/+1 and "When this creature dies, target opponent discards a card"
3/3
Pumpkinhead Spooks
Creature - Nightmare (c)
Pumpkinhead Spooks cannot be blocked and can't block.
If you control a creature named Pumpkin Nightlord, you may pay 2 life rather than pay Pumpkinhead Spooks mana cost.
1/1
While I'd love to see a return of Nightmares--I thought they were poorly used in Torment--Pumpkin Nightlord somehow strikes me as both overpowered and underwhelming. None of its abilities are all that compelling, but they combine for an unblockable (essentially), indestructible 3/3 for 3--well above curve, and it has a potent tribal ability on top of it. I think 1 toughness would have helped with the power level (easier to deal with with -X/-X effects) and given it a more ethereal quality.
Pumpkinhead Spooks follows a similar story, though it's got a good news/bad news situation going for it: the good news is that it isn't always overpowered, but the bad news is when it's not, it's a worse Tormented Soul. The ability granted by the Nightlord also doesn't seem to fit anything else either card can do. The result is two cards that I'm afraid don't excite me.
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Warrior (M)
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.
U: Target horse you control gets +0/+X until end of turn, where X is Daktar, Master of the Pasture’s toughness.
1BR: Create an 1/1 black and red Nightmare Horse creature token with haste and lifelink.
1/1
Pack Horse 1W
Creature - Horse (U)
When Pack Horse enters the battlefield, for the rest of the game, creatures named “Daktar, Master of the Pasture” you control enter the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on them.
A deck can have any number of cards named Pack Horse.
2/2
Alright, General Tazri for your Horses... though there are interesting Allies in all five colors, and I don't think anyone's going to be upset if they can't put Breaching Hippocamp or Phantasmal Mount in their Ponies EDH deck. I'd love to know why all five colors are on Daktar. I have no doubt that there's a good reason, but I'm afraid it's not coming through for me. I mean, it's a bit of a stretch, but the +0/+X could have cost W, and since Green occasionally gets haste the token activation could have been 1GW. I have many questions about this card's design, and while I'm sure there were be lots of interesting answers, until then it all seems a bit chaotic.
Pack Horse seems fine, I like how the ability works well with Daktar's +0/+X ability, though I am curious why you didn't make this an emblem.
Legendary Creature - Centaur Spirit (M)
Paradon, the Headless is indestructible as long it has the greatest power among creatures.
T: Paradon fights target tapped creature.
When the mist rises in the Teshire wood, two things are sure to be found the next morn: hoofprints and a travelers head.
5/4
Paradon's Sickle 3
Legendary Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +X/+X, where X is the number of creature cards in all graveyards. If equipped creature is named "Paradon, the Headless", it gets an additional +X/+X.
Equip — Sacrifice a creature.
I like these two quite a bit. Unique abilities, the synergy between Paradon and his Sickle works well in both gameplay and flavor, and I like that Paradon is a 5/4 just to add insult to injury for opposing 4-power creatures. As such, my critiques are going to seem rather nitpick-y.
On a very minor note, Paradon's first ability usually has "...or is tied for greatest" tacked on to avoid confusion. Unless your intention was for the Paradon to be indestructible if he had THE greatest power, full stop, in which case I believe "...as long as his power is greater than each other creature's power" (or something like that) is a more accurate, if clunkier, wording.
I also fear that Paradon might lead to inactive game states. Your opponent doesn't want to attack, because then you can get a two-for-one (blocking one creature and fighting another), but you don't want to attack with Paradon because then you CAN'T get a two-for-one. Somewhat paradoxically (Paradon-xically?), I think by making the fight ability worse (sorcery speed, I'm thinking), Paradon becomes better designed. But I could be conjuring something from nothing here, and overall this was a great entry.
(B) Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
You can't cast Tyreum the Sealed.
Flying, haste, indestructible
When Tyreum the Sealed enters the battlefield, destroy all creatures and planeswalkers.
He is apocalypse incarnate.
10/10
Ritual of Tyreum B
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast Ritual of Tyreum, sacrifice four creatures.
Name a Demon. Search your library, hand, graveyard, or exile for the named card and put it onto the battlefield.
If the named card is "Tyreum the Sealed", you may choose a copy of the named card that you own from outside the game instead.
Tyreum the Best-Reanimation-Target-Ever. Probably best Show and Tell target too, since you'll blow up whatever creature they pop in and be able to attack right away. I like the attempt at creating a Legend and build-around way to summon it, but it seems way too easy to work around in older Constructed formats, and I don't like that it's a Legend that can't be cast if he's your commander. I guess he and Phage can hang out and commiserate over it.
I do very much like a card asking you to name a card and then working differently depending on what you name, however.
There's neat design space there that I think you should explore in the future.
2BG
Legendary Creature - Elf Wizard
3/4
Deathtouch
Whenever Necrodemus or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead.
You haven’t lived until you’ve died.
Necrodemic Chant (Common)
B
Sorcery
Choose one or both -
What I can't assume is that everyone is going to play Necrodemic Chant properly. I can see so many casual players getting Necrodemus at their prerelease (yes, I know he's a Mythic), casting Chant, and hoping to put the creature they're returning right onto the battlefield, whether because they do the choices in the reverse order or because they're unclear on the timing. Which isn't to say that "teachable moment" cards like this can't be printed, but not usually at common, and they have to really pull their weight, which I'm not sure this does. I'm not dinging you too hard for this as there's a simple fix ("Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Then, you may search your library for a card named Necrodemus and put it into your graveyard and shuffle."), but I felt it worth noting.
But everything I've said so far is minor stuff. Good design on both cards, they're unique and work well separately and together. Nicely done.
2. Legend
3. Sheoldred
so the pair must have utility outside of it. What this means is that the legend cannot depend upon the other card, weakening it in EDH, nor the other card depend upon the legend, weakening it in other formats. You met this twofold challenge with excellency and elegance, as well as making both card feel complete unto themselves. My only qualm is that there are already enough GB legends, both as custom cards and in the game.
2. CaseAce
3. IcariiFA
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
3 IcariiFA
doomfish
Koopa
CaseAce
1 Sheoldred
BrainPo
Hemlock: Both of these cards really want flavor text. The Legend is pushed as a 3/3 indestructible. The abilities are mostly uninteresting outside of the alternate cost to the common card.
doomfish Is the Doran effect really sueful for horse tribal? There arent really enough horses to make even a 5 color horse deck, but I admit the idea of making room for that with new commander cards like they did with the recent commander decks sounds fun. I commend you for taking risks with your design, but I don't feel this 5 color legend feels worth it. The unique thing about it is "horse tribal" but the effects are kinda generic and don't add/harp on the personality of the tribe IMO.
CaseAce: I really like your legendary creature. The weapon is problematic. Between infinite copies being an issue, and the fact that a phyrexian card scremes for infect, not wither, seems like distinct errors.
Sheoldred: Your legend is rather dull compared to your other card. I wish it spent energy in more creative ways. The +1/+0 ability is other rather uninspired since it feeds the same energy invested straight back. For a 6CC tri colored legend, this feeels underwhelming.
Koopa: Mr big bad demon summoning ritual, eh? Having a card that you actual dont want in your deck doesn't feel good to me. I do like that the sorcery allows for some toolboxing or picking unique threats, but the clause around your legend doesn't make the card interesting, it just makes deck building decisions for you (dont include Tyruem in your deck!) It seems more of a gimmick than adding good/meaningful design space.
2nd: CaseAce
3rd: doomfish
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
@CaseAce: Emblems are reserved for Planeswalkers. MaRo insists on that.
2. Legend
3. Sheoldred
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances