Ancestral Vision, taken from ChannelFireball, by Mark Poole 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
The winter holiday season is coming up! It's the most wonderful time of the year, etc. Every round will cover a different thematic aspect of the holidays.
First up: Anticipation. Many of us count the days until Christmas, Hanukkah, or the New Year, either out of excitement or dread.
Challenge
Design a card with suspend or vanishing.
Make sure to include a rarity.
Stay tuned for November's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for December's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the 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.
Your submissions are due Sunday, December 3, 23:59 EST.
Schedule
Round 1 — Open to Everyone (November 29th-December 3)
Round 2 — Open to Everyone (December 4th–9th)
Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due December 13th)
Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (December 14th–18th)
Top 8 Critiques (Due December 20th)
Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers from last round (December 21st–24th)
Top 4 Critiques (Due December 26th)
Final (End of month, winner determined by public poll)
Runes of the Cabal3BB
Sorcery {U}
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Suspend 3 - 1B(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1B and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Zeniths ChampionG
Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
Zeniths Champion enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as it's your fourth turn.
Suspend 3 - G(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay G and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
2/1
Scheming Pyromancer2RR
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Vanishing 3 (Scheming Pyromancer enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever you remove a time counter from a permanent or suspended card you control, Scheming Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Time, bridges, friendships, there is nothing she doesn't feel compelled to burn. In the end, not even herself.
2/3
Outwordly Blossoms
Tribal Sorcery - Faerie (Rare) (Black color indicator)
Suspend xB
Whenever you remove a time counter from Outwordly Blossoms, you lose 1 life and create a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying. A rift between Dominaria and Lorwyn opened up, and Oona's minions swarmed the new land in search for more vivid dreams to capture.
Seal of TransienceXWB Enchantment (Rare)
Vanishing X
When Seal of Transience enters the battlefield, put a time counter on each of up to X target nonland permanents.
When Seal of Transience leaves the battlefield, if it had no time counters on it, exile each permanent with a time counter on it.
Long for Tomorrow U Sorcery (R)
Suspend 3—1U(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1U and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Take an extra turn after this one.
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Blinded by the Light2W
Sorcery - (R)
Until your next turn, target creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated. Exile Blinded by the Light with two time counters on it.
Suspend 2 —W (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay W and exile it with two time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Temporal Ambush3R
Legendary Enchantment (Mythic Rare) X1R: Put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield with X times counters on it. If it doesn't have vanishing, it gains vanishing. (At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from that creature. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.) R, Remove a time counter from a permanent you control: Target creature gains haste until end of turn. "When does the convoy pass this way?" The bandit asked.
"Yesterday." Misandra smiled.
Springtime Bloom1WG
Sorcery (u)
Cascade
Remove Springtime Bloom from the game with 3 time counters on it.
Suspend 3 - The end of winter is marked by new life and hope
Runes of the Cabal3BB
Sorcery {U}
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Suspend 3 - 1B(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1B and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
This seems like a very fair card. It's very similar to Razaketh's Rite and Dark Petition, and is probably on the latter's power level which might make it a bit too good at uncommon. It's a very nicely designed card, but considering the amount of design space you had access to, it seems like a safe submission, not a particularly bold one.
Zeniths ChampionG
Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
Zeniths Champion enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as it's your fourth turn.
Suspend 3 - G(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay G and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
2/1
I can see where you're trying to take this, but it's a very restricted card. A one-drop 2/1 is never that bad, but at rare you'd expect something that's a bit more splashy. If you want this to work you HAVE to play it on turn four, which means suspending it on turn one or hardcasting it on turn four, and any other turns it might as well be an Elite Vanguard. I'd suggest wording it in a similar way to Serra Avenger so that anytime past turn 3 it becomes a stronger version of itself, or I'd probably bump it down to uncommon.
Scheming Pyromancer2RR
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Vanishing 3 (Scheming Pyromancer enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever you remove a time counter from a permanent or suspended card you control, Scheming Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Time, bridges, friendships, there is nothing she doesn't feel compelled to burn. In the end, not even herself.
2/3
I like it. It's a very nice design that makes a lot of sense. Considering the power level of cards with Vanishing to be a tiny bit stronger than usual I'd be fine upping her to a 3/3 but otherwise she's fine. I feel like it'd be really cool if the damage she dealt somehow scaled with the number of time counters she had left, but that'd be too complex at Uncommon. The flavour text is quite poetic too, if not a bit too much so? Either way, well done.
I like the card, but unfortunately the artwork ruins it for me? Without the image I would probably picture some sort of spirit/apparition devouring others so it can stay among the living just a bit longer. The triggered ability is really powerful considering how after a couple of turns it'd turn into a limited bomb, but then I saw she had flying and I had mixed feelings. If she has flying I would think she would be an amazing card, but because of if you're less likely to have her blocked ergo to get more time counters etc etc, but then again she might fade away quite easily. I also think WoTC has shied away from the Shade creature type (no idea what the last printed Shade was but I don't think I've seen one for years. Spirit makes more sense especially since it flies.) I really like this card (if only the artwork was something more menacing.)
Springtime Bloom1WG
Sorcery (u)
Cascade
Remove Springtime Bloom from the game with 3 time counters on it.
Suspend 3 - The end of winter is marked by new life and hope
Now this is a really interesting card. It's strong enough to warrant building one or several decks around, but it's also a really slow card that "does nothing" by itself. It might be too weird for an uncommon slot but would need an extra effect to be a rare (like you gain life or something like that). It's definitely a grindy card, and almost too much so considering it's a one-card engine that's self-sustainable. I really like the design though, well done!
Forbidding Arts5U
Instant (R)
Return Forbidding Arts to its owner's hand.
Suspend 3—3UU
When you suspend Forbidding Arts, counter target spell.
I didn't reproduce the reminder text above but as you can see in the render, you can't fit flavor text on this card if you do use reminder text.
I appreciate the design you were trying to accomplish with this card, but unfortunately Suspend is a sorcery-speed ability and so you can't Suspend Forbidding Arts in response to anything. The only thing I can think of to adapt is to change the suspend trigger to a delayed trigger along the lines of "When you suspend Forbidding Arts, the next time an opponent would cast a spell this turn, counter that spell." but as it is, it unfortunately doesn't work.
mirrodin71 - This is a pretty decent riff on Festering March/Reality Strobe. I don't think it needs to be a rare though. I might be crazy, but I actually think this might be ok at common. This has a much better chance of having no legal targets than Reality Strobe, which I think will lead to some confusion. For the record, the card would remain permanently exiled if there are no legal targets when the last time counter is removed.
Subject16 - Oh boy. So for 4 mana, I can get a hasty Emrakul? Seems like fun. A continuous Through the Breach might be pushing it, but it could also be ok. I'd have to test this.
kjsharp - Please include a text version of your card in the future. A render is great, but a text version should always be included. With that out of the way....This card reminds a lot of Scavenging Drake, but still seems like a pretty fresh idea due the increasing time counters. I'm pretty sure there has never been a Shade printed that doesn't have the "Shade ability" (b: ~ gets +1/+1 until end of turn.), not that I'm opposed to exploring new ground for the creature type. I'm wondering if you could have boosted the mana cost by B and made the power and toughness equal to the number of time counters on it? That way you could skip the +1/+1 counters. Having two different types of counters on one creature is a bit of a no no. Also, it would seem cooler that way.
Hemlock - Ha! I love this. The only knock I have on it is that the mana symbols are backwards in the mana cost. Good stuff!
willows - Oh man. This is very clever, but it makes me nervous. It would make your opponent's life a living hell if you could get a couple of these going on different turns while ahead on the board. You should have given it no mana cost so that it could be cascaded into your hand.
RaikouRider - This is a simple, clean, suspend tutor. I'm surprised it has never been made. Balance seems good. Name is excellent.
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Jimmy Groove: The card mechanically feels great. Love a good build around card. The flavor however? A little all over the place. A schemer who just burned everything down, including her? Doesn't feel scheme-y to me. The flavor text is also crammed on the card.
PsyOp: Another card the mechnically has a cool interaction with vanishing, but feels a little odd in flavor. I guess I can see this one a little better, as more time to teach gives a more precise answer. Extremely powerful card though, pushed.
netn10 I'm not really a fan of using suspend this way. This really should just be a card with vanishing instead of a card that you can only suspend. Suspend works better as an alternate cost, not an only cost. And if it's an only cost, the payoff should be something big, not nothing. This is just an uninteractible enchantment.
Antiantiserum It can instanly kill other vanishing cards, or if you play two in a row can kill all the cards marked with the first without a countdown. Otherwise it can be played as a slightly worse vindicate, or aw a card thqt simultaneously scales up to target more things, but kill them much slower... I think this would of been better without having vanishing X. It almost feels (and probably is) worse is scenarios when you pay 3+ outside some niche time counter interactions (including playing a second copy of this card as mentioned above.) It's a clever idea, but I feel you used X one too many times and made the card weak in a way that tricks players. Paying more mana should get a stronger effect, not one that is typically weaker. Just give a set vanishing number (Like 2) for the countdown.
picnic_bomber Seems unfun, especially as an effect that cant be countered or interacted with most of the time. It great to not be able to play spells for X turns/forever. Probably broken with cards that add counters. As stated before, not a fan of cards that MUST be suspended, especially ones that there isnt a real payoff.
Flatline If you're going to make it a suspend card only, this feels the better way to do it. You certainly followed the usual rules of referencing the vintage oldie (time walk-ish) and such. That said, this doesn't feel creative. It feels like "what if we decided not to do Ancestral Vision?"
Hemlock: I like card for a few reasons. The flavor is subtle yet unmistakable. The method of card advantage is novel for this color pair, yet it feels right at home there. The problem with this card is that it most likely needs to be reworked to function without Cascade and Suspend, or perhaps bump it up to rare so you can avoid the NWO rules that require all commons and uncommons to spell out rules text ----> Cascade and Suspend both eat up tons of space. The card as written, minus flavor text, is 10 lines. You also need to add "It gains suspend." At rare you could get away with dropping the flavor text on Cascade, which would make the card more aesthetically appealing. A very creative entry, one that I believe is balanced and would probably see play in Modern, if not Legacy. I really like it.
Willows: Oof! Now that is a version of Confirm Suspicions and Spell Swindle that I can get behind. Good power level - a likely one-of in Standard control decks. I was unsure that the main clause was worded properly, but it most certainly is. I think this is really innovative and powered appropriately. My one question is why does it have a mana cost? Unlike other cards like Living End or Ancestral Visions, no shenanigans can be had by cheating this out with Cascade or As Foretold or anything else I can think of. I'm not bothered by the mana cost, but am moderately curious to find out why it is there. I also think that "Forbidding Ritual" (amongst others) is a better name should you use this in a set in the future.
Anyway, good complexity, good functionality, innovative design.
RaikouRider: Let me propose the following card. This one is interesting because it forces you to choose the card *as you suspend it*, which I think is more interesting and helps balance it for Standard.
Runes of the Cabal
Sorcery (R)
When you suspend Runes of the Cabal, search your library for a card and exile it. Shuffle your library.
When you cast Runes of the Cabal, put all cards exiled with it into your hand.
Suspend 3 - 1B
Suspend 1 - 3B
I suggest this change because in Standard the time delay is not all that much of a drawback, and is no drawback at all if casting it on turn 2. As written you could definitely put this in a Commander or Conspiracy product, and honestly it's in the right ballpark for Modern and Standard. Anyway, I think this is a fair take on Dark Petition. The card's not particularly exciting, but not every card can or should be. Solid submission.
IcariiFA: Love the design. Exploring new design space, and it forces the player to think (that is, the card is a tool that can be used in different ways, which I think is a very important and under-appreciated part of Magic card design). One alternate version to consider would be "~ enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as ~ was not cast from your hand." Both have their pros and cons. Perfect power level for Standard & Modern Constructed and Limited.
JimmyGroove: I have something like this for Rhymnir. Solid, intuitive design that feels like an archetype payoff for Limited in contempoary Magic design. I think wording it "Whenever you remove a time counter from a card you own" is appropriate for this situation to cut down on verbiage. Flavor text doesn't read well and needs to be changed. Good power level, and a card I think a diverse array of players would enjoy playing with.
PsyOp: I like the design. Using Vanishing as a pseudo-Suspend is underexplored design space, and you balanced it well here. The card is flavorful. One thing that worries me is that I'm not sure that this is going to generate different play patterns. Some decks will always go down to 1, others will always go down to 2, and they'll do the same thing over and over since the card's purpose is to help streamline combo decks. I wish there were some way to incentivize saccing it when there are 3 or 4 time counters on it. I think using Absolute Values could be the golden ticket here. Something for us both to think about. But anyway, a quality submission.
Runes of the Cabal3BB
Sorcery {U}
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Suspend 3 - 1B(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1B and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
A solidly printable card. A standard effect, well costed and quite playable. Only thing that lets down a bit is that it feels just too much like a Core card. Don't get me wrong, I think the card is good but the design part is a bit too standard. Most standard effects get their version with new abilities and that makes it a bit unexciting.
Fae Teachings UB
Tribal Enchantment - Faerie (R)
Vanishing 4
Sacrifice Fae Teachings: Search your library for exactly X cards with different names where X is the number of time counters on Fae Teachings. Reveal them to target opponent, that opponent chooses one, put that card into your hand and shuffle the rest back into your library.
While similarr in effect to raikou Rider's, there's more design involved here. I like how it gets better as the time passes. But also, I think it's a bit too strong if we compare it with nowadays tutors. The closest things I can think of are, in one hand, signal the clans, althought in UB tutoring should be more powerful, and in the other, Gifts ungiven with nets you an additional card at two more mana, and I think this is way better than both of them.
Forbidding Arts5U
Instant (R)
Return Forbidding Arts to its owner's hand.
Suspend 3—3UU
When you suspend Forbidding Arts, counter target spell.
I didn't reproduce the reminder text above but as you can see in the render, you can't fit flavor text on this card if you do use reminder text.
Nice design. Expensive counters don't see much play but the reusability makes the difference here. I think this is a very nice card to have in commander. What I like a lot also is that you made suspend matter as a trigger. The nonsuspend effect and cost feel a bit odd, though
Outwordly Blossoms
Tribal Sorcery - Faerie (Rare) (Black color indicator)
Suspend xB
Whenever you remove a time counter from Outwordly Blossoms, you lose 1 life and create a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying. A rift between Dominaria and Lorwyn opened up, and Oona's minions swarmed the new land in search for more vivid dreams to capture.
There's an X missing in the text, but it's clear what you want to do with it. To be fair, I don't think it's very good. You need a lot of mana to make this pay and it's very slow. the lack of a cast effect is also a bit odd.
Scheming Pyromancer2RR
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Vanishing 3 (Scheming Pyromancer enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever you remove a time counter from a permanent or suspended card you control, Scheming Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Time, bridges, friendships, there is nothing she doesn't feel compelled to burn. In the end, not even herself.
2/3
Another card that makes suspend matter. I like it but I think it's a bit too safely costed if we compare it with Keldon marauders. It's a bit sow as a card that supports a strategy.
Zeniths ChampionG
Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
Zeniths Champion enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as it's your fourth turn.
Suspend 3 - G(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay G and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
2/1
I think this card would have worked better as a "If Zenith's champion is in your opening hand you may exile it with..." clause. Favoring a 4/3 on turn 4 over a 2/1 on turn one doesn't go very well with some strategies, and the window you have to make this big is a bit too narrow to matter much. Still, this showcases a nice idea.
Top Three
1. willows
2. Jimmy Groove
3. Raikou Rider
Runes of the Cabal3BB
Sorcery {U}
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Suspend 3 - 1B(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1B and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
I mean, sure. This is a fine, if uninteresting, card that follows exactly the template of Rift Bolt. Ok.
Zeniths ChampionG
Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
Zeniths Champion enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as it's your fourth turn.
Suspend 3 - G(Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay G and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
2/1
Is this card name should be Zenith's Champion? I like this time weirdness. Something about the numbers feels inelegant, this is probably because there's a whole bunch of ones and twos and threes and fours on the care. Not aesthetic, that. Still it's cool that you can suspend it on T1 or cast it on T4 and get the bonus counters.
Scheming Pyromancer2RR
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Vanishing 3 (Scheming Pyromancer enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever you remove a time counter from a permanent or suspended card you control, Scheming Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Time, bridges, friendships, there is nothing she doesn't feel compelled to burn. In the end, not even herself.
2/3
I get the flavor here and it wouldn't work with suspend but I really wish that you had used suspend instead of vanishing on this neato buildaround.
Fae Teachings UB
Tribal Enchantment - Faerie (R)
Vanishing 4
Sacrifice Fae Teachings: Search your library for exactly X cards with different names where X is the number of time counters on Fae Teachings. Reveal them to target opponent, that opponent chooses one, put that card into your hand and shuffle the rest back into your library.
Why is the cardname yellow?
Why is tribal?
What is the flavor here?
Can you search for exactly X?
What happens if there are literally not enough cards in my library to generate X cards with different names?
So many questions.
Outwordly Blossoms
Tribal Sorcery - Faerie (Rare) (Black color indicator)
Suspend xB
Whenever you remove a time counter from Outwordly Blossoms, you lose 1 life and create a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying. A rift between Dominaria and Lorwyn opened up, and Oona's minions swarmed the new land in search for more vivid dreams to capture.
More is tribal whoknows why
This seems like a case where just the wrong mechanic was chosen. It's bizarre to use suspend here where vanishing is clearly more appropriate. If you had wanted to use suspend, I'd recommend adding a casting cost and a thing that it does when cast. As it stands it's just a bizarrely uninteractive version of Bitterblossom.
Seal of TransienceXWB Enchantment (Rare)
Vanishing X
When Seal of Transience enters the battlefield, put a time counter on each of up to X target nonland permanents.
When Seal of Transience leaves the battlefield, if it had no time counters on it, exile each permanent with a time counter on it.
picnic_bomber This is a pretty strong card for decks that go into the late game. Maybe too strong, but I like the idea. I don't think it needs to cantrip in addition to what it already does.
Flatline I'd like to see the artwork for this one! Then again, I'd like to see all the images for these cards. A simple and neat design. Probably should exile itself after casting (without time counters, of course.)
mirrodin71 Ten years after Future Sight I still think that this effect can be put at uncommon, it doesn't appear as too complex. While it's a cool card, it's not too mighty. I say uncommon. Oh, and pop music reference, lol.
Subject16 Cool flavour but probably doesn't work as intended. I wanted to do something similar, sadly Vanishing only works properly with at least one time counter. Otherewise the last counter can never be removed and the creature just stays. So X should not be allowed to be 0 or another way around it. I don't know why it's legendary. Does this get stronger in multiples or is this a specific event?
kjsharp Compared to Lavacore Elemental this should maybe start with less time counters on it. Three turns is a lot of time to kill creatures, you can even sacrifice your own stuff and the shade basically never vanishes and grows to a real evasive threat.
Hemlock Cascade in itself is already pretty strong, and this comes back over and over again and you can use your first turn for it. An extra spell each three turns has a lot of potential, even if it has to be a small one.
1 picnic_bomber 2 mirrodin71 3 Hemlock
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“Calendar Countdown”
Ancestral Vision, taken from ChannelFireball, by Mark Poole and Wizards of the Coast
Theme
The winter holiday season is coming up! It's the most wonderful time of the year, etc. Every round will cover a different thematic aspect of the holidays.
First up: Anticipation. Many of us count the days until Christmas, Hanukkah, or the New Year, either out of excitement or dread.
Challenge
Stay tuned for November's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for December's CCL!
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the 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
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Sorcery {U}
Search your library for a card and put that card into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Suspend 3 - 1B (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1B and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Creature - Elf Warrior (R)
Zeniths Champion enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as it's your fourth turn.
Suspend 3 - G (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay G and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
2/1
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Vanishing 3 (Scheming Pyromancer enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
Whenever you remove a time counter from a permanent or suspended card you control, Scheming Pyromancer deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Time, bridges, friendships, there is nothing she doesn't feel compelled to burn. In the end, not even herself.
2/3
Tribal Sorcery - Faerie (Rare) (Black color indicator)
Suspend xB
Whenever you remove a time counter from Outwordly Blossoms, you lose 1 life and create a 1/1 black Faerie Rogue creature token with flying.
A rift between Dominaria and Lorwyn opened up, and Oona's minions swarmed the new land in search for more vivid dreams to capture.
Enchantment (Rare)
Vanishing X
When Seal of Transience enters the battlefield, put a time counter on each of up to X target nonland permanents.
When Seal of Transience leaves the battlefield, if it had no time counters on it, exile each permanent with a time counter on it.
U Sorcery (R)
Suspend 3—1U (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 1U and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Take an extra turn after this one.
Sorcery - (R)
Until your next turn, target creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated. Exile Blinded by the Light with two time counters on it.
Suspend 2 —W (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay W and exile it with two time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Legendary Enchantment (Mythic Rare)
X1R: Put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield with X times counters on it. If it doesn't have vanishing, it gains vanishing. (At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from that creature. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
R, Remove a time counter from a permanent you control: Target creature gains haste until end of turn.
"When does the convoy pass this way?" The bandit asked.
"Yesterday." Misandra smiled.
Sorcery (u)
Cascade
Remove Springtime Bloom from the game with 3 time counters on it.
Suspend 3 -
The end of winter is marked by new life and hope
Instant (R)
Return Forbidding Arts to its owner's hand.
Suspend 3—3UU
When you suspend Forbidding Arts, counter target spell.
I didn't reproduce the reminder text above but as you can see in the render, you can't fit flavor text on this card if you do use reminder text.
RaikouRider
IcariiFA
Jimmy Groove
PsyOp
netn10
Antiantiserum
picnic_bomber
Flatline
mirrodin71
Subject16
kjsharp
Hemlock
willows
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
This seems like a very fair card. It's very similar to Razaketh's Rite and Dark Petition, and is probably on the latter's power level which might make it a bit too good at uncommon. It's a very nicely designed card, but considering the amount of design space you had access to, it seems like a safe submission, not a particularly bold one.
I can see where you're trying to take this, but it's a very restricted card. A one-drop 2/1 is never that bad, but at rare you'd expect something that's a bit more splashy. If you want this to work you HAVE to play it on turn four, which means suspending it on turn one or hardcasting it on turn four, and any other turns it might as well be an Elite Vanguard. I'd suggest wording it in a similar way to Serra Avenger so that anytime past turn 3 it becomes a stronger version of itself, or I'd probably bump it down to uncommon.
I like it. It's a very nice design that makes a lot of sense. Considering the power level of cards with Vanishing to be a tiny bit stronger than usual I'd be fine upping her to a 3/3 but otherwise she's fine. I feel like it'd be really cool if the damage she dealt somehow scaled with the number of time counters she had left, but that'd be too complex at Uncommon. The flavour text is quite poetic too, if not a bit too much so? Either way, well done.
I like the card, but unfortunately the artwork ruins it for me? Without the image I would probably picture some sort of spirit/apparition devouring others so it can stay among the living just a bit longer. The triggered ability is really powerful considering how after a couple of turns it'd turn into a limited bomb, but then I saw she had flying and I had mixed feelings. If she has flying I would think she would be an amazing card, but because of if you're less likely to have her blocked ergo to get more time counters etc etc, but then again she might fade away quite easily. I also think WoTC has shied away from the Shade creature type (no idea what the last printed Shade was but I don't think I've seen one for years. Spirit makes more sense especially since it flies.) I really like this card (if only the artwork was something more menacing.)
Now this is a really interesting card. It's strong enough to warrant building one or several decks around, but it's also a really slow card that "does nothing" by itself. It might be too weird for an uncommon slot but would need an extra effect to be a rare (like you gain life or something like that). It's definitely a grindy card, and almost too much so considering it's a one-card engine that's self-sustainable. I really like the design though, well done!
I appreciate the design you were trying to accomplish with this card, but unfortunately Suspend is a sorcery-speed ability and so you can't Suspend Forbidding Arts in response to anything. The only thing I can think of to adapt is to change the suspend trigger to a delayed trigger along the lines of "When you suspend Forbidding Arts, the next time an opponent would cast a spell this turn, counter that spell." but as it is, it unfortunately doesn't work.
kjsharp
Hemlock
Jimmy Groove
Subject16 - Oh boy. So for 4 mana, I can get a hasty Emrakul? Seems like fun. A continuous Through the Breach might be pushing it, but it could also be ok. I'd have to test this.
kjsharp - Please include a text version of your card in the future. A render is great, but a text version should always be included. With that out of the way....This card reminds a lot of Scavenging Drake, but still seems like a pretty fresh idea due the increasing time counters. I'm pretty sure there has never been a Shade printed that doesn't have the "Shade ability" (b: ~ gets +1/+1 until end of turn.), not that I'm opposed to exploring new ground for the creature type. I'm wondering if you could have boosted the mana cost by B and made the power and toughness equal to the number of time counters on it? That way you could skip the +1/+1 counters. Having two different types of counters on one creature is a bit of a no no. Also, it would seem cooler that way.
Hemlock - Ha! I love this. The only knock I have on it is that the mana symbols are backwards in the mana cost. Good stuff!
willows - Oh man. This is very clever, but it makes me nervous. It would make your opponent's life a living hell if you could get a couple of these going on different turns while ahead on the board. You should have given it no mana cost so that it could be cascaded into your hand.
RaikouRider - This is a simple, clean, suspend tutor. I'm surprised it has never been made. Balance seems good. Name is excellent.
2nd: kjsharp
3rd: RaikouRider
HM: willows
PsyOp: Another card the mechnically has a cool interaction with vanishing, but feels a little odd in flavor. I guess I can see this one a little better, as more time to teach gives a more precise answer. Extremely powerful card though, pushed.
netn10 I'm not really a fan of using suspend this way. This really should just be a card with vanishing instead of a card that you can only suspend. Suspend works better as an alternate cost, not an only cost. And if it's an only cost, the payoff should be something big, not nothing. This is just an uninteractible enchantment.
Antiantiserum It can instanly kill other vanishing cards, or if you play two in a row can kill all the cards marked with the first without a countdown. Otherwise it can be played as a slightly worse vindicate, or aw a card thqt simultaneously scales up to target more things, but kill them much slower... I think this would of been better without having vanishing X. It almost feels (and probably is) worse is scenarios when you pay 3+ outside some niche time counter interactions (including playing a second copy of this card as mentioned above.) It's a clever idea, but I feel you used X one too many times and made the card weak in a way that tricks players. Paying more mana should get a stronger effect, not one that is typically weaker. Just give a set vanishing number (Like 2) for the countdown.
picnic_bomber Seems unfun, especially as an effect that cant be countered or interacted with most of the time. It great to not be able to play spells for X turns/forever. Probably broken with cards that add counters. As stated before, not a fan of cards that MUST be suspended, especially ones that there isnt a real payoff.
Flatline If you're going to make it a suspend card only, this feels the better way to do it. You certainly followed the usual rules of referencing the vintage oldie (time walk-ish) and such. That said, this doesn't feel creative. It feels like "what if we decided not to do Ancestral Vision?"
1st: Jimmy Groove
2nd: PsyOp
3rd: Flatline
Hemlock: I like card for a few reasons. The flavor is subtle yet unmistakable. The method of card advantage is novel for this color pair, yet it feels right at home there. The problem with this card is that it most likely needs to be reworked to function without Cascade and Suspend, or perhaps bump it up to rare so you can avoid the NWO rules that require all commons and uncommons to spell out rules text ----> Cascade and Suspend both eat up tons of space. The card as written, minus flavor text, is 10 lines. You also need to add "It gains suspend." At rare you could get away with dropping the flavor text on Cascade, which would make the card more aesthetically appealing. A very creative entry, one that I believe is balanced and would probably see play in Modern, if not Legacy. I really like it.
Willows: Oof! Now that is a version of Confirm Suspicions and Spell Swindle that I can get behind. Good power level - a likely one-of in Standard control decks. I was unsure that the main clause was worded properly, but it most certainly is. I think this is really innovative and powered appropriately. My one question is why does it have a mana cost? Unlike other cards like Living End or Ancestral Visions, no shenanigans can be had by cheating this out with Cascade or As Foretold or anything else I can think of. I'm not bothered by the mana cost, but am moderately curious to find out why it is there. I also think that "Forbidding Ritual" (amongst others) is a better name should you use this in a set in the future.
Anyway, good complexity, good functionality, innovative design.
RaikouRider: Let me propose the following card. This one is interesting because it forces you to choose the card *as you suspend it*, which I think is more interesting and helps balance it for Standard.
Sorcery (R)
When you suspend Runes of the Cabal, search your library for a card and exile it. Shuffle your library.
When you cast Runes of the Cabal, put all cards exiled with it into your hand.
Suspend 3 - 1B
Suspend 1 - 3B
IcariiFA: Love the design. Exploring new design space, and it forces the player to think (that is, the card is a tool that can be used in different ways, which I think is a very important and under-appreciated part of Magic card design). One alternate version to consider would be "~ enters the battlefield with an additional two +1/+1 counters as long as ~ was not cast from your hand." Both have their pros and cons. Perfect power level for Standard & Modern Constructed and Limited.
JimmyGroove: I have something like this for Rhymnir. Solid, intuitive design that feels like an archetype payoff for Limited in contempoary Magic design. I think wording it "Whenever you remove a time counter from a card you own" is appropriate for this situation to cut down on verbiage. Flavor text doesn't read well and needs to be changed. Good power level, and a card I think a diverse array of players would enjoy playing with.
PsyOp: I like the design. Using Vanishing as a pseudo-Suspend is underexplored design space, and you balanced it well here. The card is flavorful. One thing that worries me is that I'm not sure that this is going to generate different play patterns. Some decks will always go down to 1, others will always go down to 2, and they'll do the same thing over and over since the card's purpose is to help streamline combo decks. I wish there were some way to incentivize saccing it when there are 3 or 4 time counters on it. I think using Absolute Values could be the golden ticket here. Something for us both to think about. But anyway, a quality submission.
2) Hemlock
3) JimmyGrove
HM: Willows
A solidly printable card. A standard effect, well costed and quite playable. Only thing that lets down a bit is that it feels just too much like a Core card. Don't get me wrong, I think the card is good but the design part is a bit too standard. Most standard effects get their version with new abilities and that makes it a bit unexciting.
While similarr in effect to raikou Rider's, there's more design involved here. I like how it gets better as the time passes. But also, I think it's a bit too strong if we compare it with nowadays tutors. The closest things I can think of are, in one hand, signal the clans, althought in UB tutoring should be more powerful, and in the other, Gifts ungiven with nets you an additional card at two more mana, and I think this is way better than both of them.
Nice design. Expensive counters don't see much play but the reusability makes the difference here. I think this is a very nice card to have in commander. What I like a lot also is that you made suspend matter as a trigger. The nonsuspend effect and cost feel a bit odd, though
There's an X missing in the text, but it's clear what you want to do with it. To be fair, I don't think it's very good. You need a lot of mana to make this pay and it's very slow. the lack of a cast effect is also a bit odd.
Another card that makes suspend matter. I like it but I think it's a bit too safely costed if we compare it with Keldon marauders. It's a bit sow as a card that supports a strategy.
I think this card would have worked better as a "If Zenith's champion is in your opening hand you may exile it with..." clause. Favoring a 4/3 on turn 4 over a 2/1 on turn one doesn't go very well with some strategies, and the window you have to make this big is a bit too narrow to matter much. Still, this showcases a nice idea.
1. willows
2. Jimmy Groove
3. Raikou Rider
I mean, sure. This is a fine, if uninteresting, card that follows exactly the template of Rift Bolt. Ok.
Is this card name should be Zenith's Champion? I like this time weirdness. Something about the numbers feels inelegant, this is probably because there's a whole bunch of ones and twos and threes and fours on the care. Not aesthetic, that. Still it's cool that you can suspend it on T1 or cast it on T4 and get the bonus counters.
I get the flavor here and it wouldn't work with suspend but I really wish that you had used suspend instead of vanishing on this neato buildaround.
Why is the cardname yellow?
Why is tribal?
What is the flavor here?
Can you search for exactly X?
What happens if there are literally not enough cards in my library to generate X cards with different names?
So many questions.
More is tribal whoknows why
This seems like a case where just the wrong mechanic was chosen. It's bizarre to use suspend here where vanishing is clearly more appropriate. If you had wanted to use suspend, I'd recommend adding a casting cost and a thing that it does when cast. As it stands it's just a bizarrely uninteractive version of Bitterblossom.
I like the abuse cases that are available here.
2. Antiantiserum
3. Jimmy Groove
Flatline I'd like to see the artwork for this one! Then again, I'd like to see all the images for these cards. A simple and neat design. Probably should exile itself after casting (without time counters, of course.)
mirrodin71 Ten years after Future Sight I still think that this effect can be put at uncommon, it doesn't appear as too complex. While it's a cool card, it's not too mighty. I say uncommon. Oh, and pop music reference, lol.
Subject16 Cool flavour but probably doesn't work as intended. I wanted to do something similar, sadly Vanishing only works properly with at least one time counter. Otherewise the last counter can never be removed and the creature just stays. So X should not be allowed to be 0 or another way around it. I don't know why it's legendary. Does this get stronger in multiples or is this a specific event?
kjsharp Compared to Lavacore Elemental this should maybe start with less time counters on it. Three turns is a lot of time to kill creatures, you can even sacrifice your own stuff and the shade basically never vanishes and grows to a real evasive threat.
Hemlock Cascade in itself is already pretty strong, and this comes back over and over again and you can use your first turn for it. An extra spell each three turns has a lot of potential, even if it has to be a small one.
2 mirrodin71
3 Hemlock