Welcome to the Card Creation League! Round 3 is open to the top 8 participants from the prior 2 rounds.
Theme
In recent years, MTG has been working hard to build up its cast of characters. You've been drafted to do just this. You'll be building a new planeswalker character from the ground up. Every card you make for this month's CCL will relate to this character in some way.
Every planeswalker has their own art, their own special way that their magic changes the world. In this round we'll explore that.
Challenge
For this round you can design an instant, sorcery, or enchantment card. The card can be any rarity. It must contain your planeswalker's subtype in its rules text and be within your planeswalker's color identity.
Make sure to include a rarity for each card.
Participants
This month's Top 8 are:
Hemlock
Sheoldred
IcariiFA
void_nothing
Legend
mirrodin71
picnic_bomber
RaikouRider
Thanks to everyone for participating!
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.
Dates for this CCL have been adjusted. Your submissions are due Tuesday, November 21, 23:59 CET (UTC+01:00). Please note that your host is in European time, so round closings and postings will be based on that this month.
Schedule
Round 1 — Open to Everyone (October 30–November 5)
Round 2 — Open to Everyone (November 6–10)
Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due November 16)
Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (November 17–21)
Top 8 Critiques (Due November 23)
Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers from last round (November 24–28)
Top 4 Critiques (Due November 30)
Final (December 1-December 5, winner determined by public poll)
Entangle 2W
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature can attack or block until your next turn. Then if an Albus planeswalker is on the battlefield, you target an additional creature.
Man I wish this had room for flavor text - it'd be so gold.
WIP
Shalin, Wandering Wrangler2RGW
Legendary Planeswalker - Shalin {M}
[+1]: Target creature you control gets +2/+2 and gains first strike and trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able.
[-1]: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap and exert that creature. It gains trample and haste until end of turn.
[-7]: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have base power and toughness 5/5."
4
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Planar Origin: Alara
Main Job: Animal Trainer
RodeoR
Instant {U}
Cast Rodeo only during combat.
Gain control of target nonattacking creature until end of combat. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. If you don't control a Shalin planeswalker, that creature deals damage to you equal to half its power, rounded up.
From Different Times3WB
Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. If you control a Portost planeswalker, you may put target creature card from exile onto the battlefield under your control instead. "The fate of my kin is not lost, Sarkhan. Tarkir will be restored!" —Portost
Gerula, the Incompleat 1BR
Legendary Planeswalker-Gerula MR
+1: Until your next turn, whenever you or Gerula are dealt damage, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
-X: Put a creature card from your hand with converted mana cost X or less onto the battlefield. That creature gains haste. Sacrifice the creature at the beginning of the next end step.
-4: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have haste. You may cast creature cards from your graveyard. At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice all creatures you control."
[3]
Gerula's Curse XB
Sorcery R
You may remove X loyalty counters from a Gerula planeswalker you countrol rather than pay Gerula's Curse's mana cost.
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. Its control loses X life. "The oil infecting her realizes her fevered nightmares. Willingly or not, Gerula may have doomed this plane,"
-Ajani
Sacred Guardianship1GWW
Enchantment (R)
Creatures you control get +1/+2 and have reach and vigilance.
Creatures you control get an additional +1/+2 and have first strike and trample as long as you control a Temidon planeswalker.
Mending of Dominaria1WG
Sorcery (r)
Return up to three enchantment cards from your graveyard to your hand. If you control a Merille Planeswalker, you may cast one of those cards without paying its mana cost. Every little thing is made with the hope of Dominaria being saved
mirrodin71: I'm unsure what you were going for here. The text is hard to parse as it's written. No flavor text either?
picnic_bomber: Skulk is the perfect ability to throw onto Ninja. I think this card needs to be Dimir colors, though - blue doesn't get reanimation.
IcariiFA: I like the concept, but bringing things back from exile is dangerous territory that probably should be avoided, especially considering exile is used for so many linked abilities now. Exile should not be a second graveyard.
Sheoldred: Have to mark you off a little for spelling. Profane Command says this is correctly costed. Very playable - probably a sideboard card for aggro decks trying to go over midrange.
void_nothing: This looks miserable to play against in Limited. Probably needs to cost one more mana as it makes your creatures masters of combat, with or without your planeswalker on the battlefield. Reminds me a lot of Always Watching, which was similarly frustrating to play against. I think at five mana this card is perfect.
Hemlock: This kind of effect normally targets. This should also cost one more mana - +2s typically cost four mana, not three. Being able to cast one of the enchantments for free is a fair bonus given how few creatures most enchantress decks wind up playing, but returning three cards for three mana is far too strong. Design is good, but development needed some work.
Legend: NCNS
Making a top three was difficult as every submission had at least moderate problems associated with it.
1) Sheoldred
2) Hemlock
3) picnic_bomber
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Mirrodin71:clunky removal without flavor text seems neither interesting nor synergistic.
Picnic_bomber: Clever expansion of the ninjistu mechanic, although Sklulk seems a liitle weird here.
Raikourider: the mechanics are a tad wordy, but I love the flavor of this. Shalin, interplanar cowgirl. We direly need a new beastmaster walker since Garruk became Edgelord McAxemurder.
IcariiFA: return from exile is a bad mechanic. I woud be willing to perhaps overlook it if the walker used exile, but it doesn't.
Void_nothing: a solid anthem affect that both works with Temidon's buffing abilities and showcases his status as a protector of his people.
Hemlock: This just seems broken in enchantments,especially because Marille can be a commander, making the second clause far easier.
mirrodin 71: Althought it kind of works, the card feels just too generic to be tied to Albus Corvus and the name doesn't help in that regard. that said, yu keep it in the theme of controlling combat, and can be a bit annoying to play against.
picnicbomber: I think there's just too much going on around this. It's a Skeleton Key for everyone, and that's fine, but the resurrecting of ninjas feels a bit odd in blue. the fact that you can go return ninjas to your hand by chaining ninjutsu costs and go through your library a little bit is a bit too much, as you can get whatever you discarded back into the battlefield too.
Raikou Rider: I'm not sure about how good it is. The effect is a rather simple one but the way this is presented makes it a bit complicated, yet this has and awesome flavor and makes you want to play it.
IcariFAA: I kind of like this. Getting things from exile is a bit of a tabu but we've seen some it before, the key to using exile is to keep it from being abusable or breaking the game, and I think it's fine with Portost. The fact that Portost himself doesn't feed the exile pile in any way makes the clause feel something like an insurance against paths, rings, castigates and the likes.
Sheoldred: We've seen that using counters as an alternative cost is powerful, and I really like how this adds flexibility to your planeswalker. Rarity is a bit high for my taste, but being able to cast this for free is nothing to scoff at.
Void-nothing: I thing this does too much. It alone is like the sum of Serra's Blessing + Glorious Anthem + Spidersilk Armor. Pumping + ability is very powerful and you went all the way with this one!
I'm going to give you all a compensatory extension until tonight due to my connection issues earlier; I hope they we can get in a few more crits before time is up!
mirrodin71 - Moving Pacifism? Okay, fair but annoying at the cost. Why "on the battlefield" and not "You control"?
picnic_bomber - Innovative! Feels like it would normally need black in the cost. The "scroll of evil Ninja moves" flavor is very resonant from martial arts fiction.
RaikouRider - Not seeing any green in this, but very pleasing flavor.
IcariiFA - The bonus effect feels slightly off or awkward. I'd have made it similar to Miraculous Recovery. However, feels perfectly in flavor for Portost.
Sheoldred - Nice natural incorporation of the planeswalker. The spell is dumb powerful either way - seriously good removal at all game stages.
Hemlock - Great core idea. Pillowfort-tastic. Planeswalker bonus could be backbreaking but this thing needs setup.
art by Stefan Celic
Theme
In recent years, MTG has been working hard to build up its cast of characters. You've been drafted to do just this. You'll be building a new planeswalker character from the ground up. Every card you make for this month's CCL will relate to this character in some way.
Every planeswalker has their own art, their own special way that their magic changes the world. In this round we'll explore that.
Challenge
This month's Top 8 are:
Hemlock
Sheoldred
IcariiFA
void_nothing
Legend
mirrodin71
picnic_bomber
RaikouRider
Thanks to everyone for participating!
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.
Schedule
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature can attack or block until your next turn. Then if an Albus planeswalker is on the battlefield, you target an additional creature.
Shalin, Wandering Wrangler 2RGW
Legendary Planeswalker - Shalin {M}
[+1]: Target creature you control gets +2/+2 and gains first strike and trample until end of turn. It must be blocked this turn if able.
[-1]: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap and exert that creature. It gains trample and haste until end of turn.
[-7]: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have base power and toughness 5/5."
4
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Race: Elf
Gender: Female
Planar Origin: Alara
Main Job: Animal Trainer
Rodeo R
Instant {U}
Cast Rodeo only during combat.
Gain control of target nonattacking creature until end of combat. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. If you don't control a Shalin planeswalker, that creature deals damage to you equal to half its power, rounded up.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Sorcery (U)
Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. If you control a Portost planeswalker, you may put target creature card from exile onto the battlefield under your control instead.
"The fate of my kin is not lost, Sarkhan. Tarkir will be restored!"
—Portost
Legendary Planeswalker-Gerula MR
+1: Until your next turn, whenever you or Gerula are dealt damage, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
-X: Put a creature card from your hand with converted mana cost X or less onto the battlefield. That creature gains haste. Sacrifice the creature at the beginning of the next end step.
-4: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have haste. You may cast creature cards from your graveyard. At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice all creatures you control."
[3]
Gerula's Curse XB
Sorcery R
You may remove X loyalty counters from a Gerula planeswalker you countrol rather than pay Gerula's Curse's mana cost.
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. Its control loses X life.
"The oil infecting her realizes her fevered nightmares. Willingly or not, Gerula may have doomed this plane,"
-Ajani
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
Enchantment (R)
Creatures you control get +1/+2 and have reach and vigilance.
Creatures you control get an additional +1/+2 and have first strike and trample as long as you control a Temidon planeswalker.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Sorcery (r)
Return up to three enchantment cards from your graveyard to your hand. If you control a Merille Planeswalker, you may cast one of those cards without paying its mana cost.
Every little thing is made with the hope of Dominaria being saved
picnic_bomber: Skulk is the perfect ability to throw onto Ninja. I think this card needs to be Dimir colors, though - blue doesn't get reanimation.
IcariiFA: I like the concept, but bringing things back from exile is dangerous territory that probably should be avoided, especially considering exile is used for so many linked abilities now. Exile should not be a second graveyard.
Sheoldred: Have to mark you off a little for spelling. Profane Command says this is correctly costed. Very playable - probably a sideboard card for aggro decks trying to go over midrange.
void_nothing: This looks miserable to play against in Limited. Probably needs to cost one more mana as it makes your creatures masters of combat, with or without your planeswalker on the battlefield. Reminds me a lot of Always Watching, which was similarly frustrating to play against. I think at five mana this card is perfect.
Hemlock: This kind of effect normally targets. This should also cost one more mana - +2s typically cost four mana, not three. Being able to cast one of the enchantments for free is a fair bonus given how few creatures most enchantress decks wind up playing, but returning three cards for three mana is far too strong. Design is good, but development needed some work.
Legend: NCNS
Making a top three was difficult as every submission had at least moderate problems associated with it.
1) Sheoldred
2) Hemlock
3) picnic_bomber
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Picnic_bomber: Clever expansion of the ninjistu mechanic, although Sklulk seems a liitle weird here.
Raikourider: the mechanics are a tad wordy, but I love the flavor of this. Shalin, interplanar cowgirl. We direly need a new beastmaster walker since Garruk became Edgelord McAxemurder.
IcariiFA: return from exile is a bad mechanic. I woud be willing to perhaps overlook it if the walker used exile, but it doesn't.
Void_nothing: a solid anthem affect that both works with Temidon's buffing abilities and showcases his status as a protector of his people.
Hemlock: This just seems broken in enchantments,especially because Marille can be a commander, making the second clause far easier.
Top 3
1 Raikourider
2 voidnothing
3 picnic_bomber
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
picnicbomber: I think there's just too much going on around this. It's a Skeleton Key for everyone, and that's fine, but the resurrecting of ninjas feels a bit odd in blue. the fact that you can go return ninjas to your hand by chaining ninjutsu costs and go through your library a little bit is a bit too much, as you can get whatever you discarded back into the battlefield too.
Raikou Rider: I'm not sure about how good it is. The effect is a rather simple one but the way this is presented makes it a bit complicated, yet this has and awesome flavor and makes you want to play it.
IcariFAA: I kind of like this. Getting things from exile is a bit of a tabu but we've seen some it before, the key to using exile is to keep it from being abusable or breaking the game, and I think it's fine with Portost. The fact that Portost himself doesn't feed the exile pile in any way makes the clause feel something like an insurance against paths, rings, castigates and the likes.
Sheoldred: We've seen that using counters as an alternative cost is powerful, and I really like how this adds flexibility to your planeswalker. Rarity is a bit high for my taste, but being able to cast this for free is nothing to scoff at.
Void-nothing: I thing this does too much. It alone is like the sum of Serra's Blessing + Glorious Anthem + Spidersilk Armor. Pumping + ability is very powerful and you went all the way with this one!
Top
1- Sheoldred
2- IcariFaa
3- raikou Rider
mirrodin71 - Moving Pacifism? Okay, fair but annoying at the cost. Why "on the battlefield" and not "You control"?
picnic_bomber - Innovative! Feels like it would normally need black in the cost. The "scroll of evil Ninja moves" flavor is very resonant from martial arts fiction.
RaikouRider - Not seeing any green in this, but very pleasing flavor.
IcariiFA - The bonus effect feels slightly off or awkward. I'd have made it similar to Miraculous Recovery. However, feels perfectly in flavor for Portost.
Sheoldred - Nice natural incorporation of the planeswalker. The spell is dumb powerful either way - seriously good removal at all game stages.
Hemlock - Great core idea. Pillowfort-tastic. Planeswalker bonus could be backbreaking but this thing needs setup.
1. Hemlock
2. picnic_bomber
3. RaikouRider
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
RaikouRider
Sheoldred
Hemlock
picnic_bomber
The next challenge is coming!