January CCL 2018 Round 2 - Does This Make Me Look Fat?
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
It's a brand new year, so everything this month will require you to do something new! Start those resolutions and get ready, because you'll have to wind your gears around for that fresh take on card design!
Challenge
Design a card with a new mechanic that either relates to or appears on an aura and/or equipment.
Make sure to include a rarity.
Stay tuned for Decembers's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for Januarys'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 Thursday, January 11th, 23:59 EST.
Schedule
Round 1 — Open to Everyone (December 31th-January 5th)
Round 2 — Open to Everyone (January 6th–11th)
Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due January 14th)
Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (January 15th–18th)
Top 8 Critiques (Due January 21th)
Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers from last round (January 22st–25th)
Top 4 Critiques (Due January 27th)
Final (End of month, winner determined by public poll)
Cogwork Lancer4
Artifact Creature - Construct Equipment (Rare)
First Strike
Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has First Strike
Outfit 2(2: Attach to another target creature you control or unattach it. It’s no longer a creature for as long as it’s attached. Outfit only as a sorcery.
3/2
Homing Beacon2
Artifact — Equipment Implant (U) (This Equipment can be equipped to creatures your opponents control. You still control it when it's equipped to a creature an opponent controls.)
Whenever equipped creature attacks, create a 1/1 colorless Drone artifact creature token with flying.
Equip 1W "I might be crazy, but I'm pretty sure that drone has been following me."
(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)
Rothchesa, Plateau Empress2RW
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior (R)
When Rothchesa or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, arm that creature. (Create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Sword and attach it to this creature. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0" and equip 1.)
Attacking creatures you control have first strike as long as they are equipped.
2/4
Desperate Valreiðari2R
Creature — Human Warrior (U)
Haste, panoply (Double the amount that Auras and Equipment increase this creature's power and toughness.) In the battle-games, we learned to make the most of any advantage.
2/1
Adelard GalpsiWW
Legendary Creature — Kithkin Wizard (R)
During each of your main phases, you may imbue target creature. (To imbue, exile an Aura or Equipment card from your hand and pay its mana cost. Target creature gains whatever effects and abilities the exiled card would normally grant to a creature.)
2/2
Gathering Might 2G
Enchantment-Aura U
Beacon (Spells and abilities you control that target enchanted creature cost 1 less to cast)
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 Strength in this world is one matter, strength in the spirit world another. He who is mighty in both can rival the gods
Gear Crafting 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, create a colorless Gear artifact token with “Sacrifice X Gears: Return target artifact with converted mana cost less than X from your graveyard to the battlefield”
Equip 2
ATTACHMENTS
Gear Crafting
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"Over time, all trips end up in the same place, at home."
Runeblade of the Gendu2
Enchantment Artifact - Equipment (Common)
Bind W(If you cast this card for its bind cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature.)
Equip 4
Equipped or enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Afterlife (When enchanted creature dies, if it's not a token, create a white 1/1 Spirit creature token with flying and attach this aura to it.)
Afterlife is primary in white and seconndary in black.
Inner ValorW
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Afterlife (When enchanted creature dies, if it's not a token, create a white 1/1 Spirit creature token with flying and attach this aura to it)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 and has vigilance. Glory trascends life
Heirloom Plate2
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+3.
Equip 2
Hock (Exile Heirloom Plate: Draw a card and create two Silver artifact tokens with "Sacrifice this artifact: Add C to your mana pool." Any opponent may cast Heirloom Plate while it is in hock. Hock only as a sorcery.)
Generic Rule Text
Hock (Exile this permanent: Draw a card and create X Silver artifact tokens with "Sacrifice this artifact: Add C to your mana pool." where X is this permanent's converted mana cost. Any opponent may cast this permanent while it is in hock. Hock only as a sorcery.)
Blurry (While this spell is on the stack, targets of this spell can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Enchant creature.
As Inevitable Ward enters the battlefield, choose two colors.
Enchanted creature has protection from the chosen colors. This effect doesn't remove Inevitable Ward
Woodlore Training1GU
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw two cards.
Graduate 2 (When this Aura is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put two +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature. Sacrifice this Aura at any time.)
Time is up! Please Judge the six names ABOVE yours, skipping anyone who did not submit for the round. You must include a top three at minimum but please try to provide critiques as well.
void_nothing
mirrodin71
Ruggley
willows
Sheoldred
Jimmy Groove
Ava
kjsharp
TheDrB
netn10
Hemlock
RaikouRider
Antiantiserum
Flatline
Subject16
netn10 - Auras and Equipment are obviously closely related so I think this mechanic is a natural step from bestow. The problem is that it's easy to tell whether a bestow card is a creature or Aura based on whether you have it attached to a creature or not - there are natural memory issues that come with bind. I do like "cheaper but with a risk" keywords but you certainly played it very safe with this card, being just a +2/+2 boost and not really showing the potential of the mechanic, just a simple common.
Hemlock - Great totem armor variant, imo. I'm not sure if afterlife should be in the business of making tokens that have flying by default as that might be a bit constricting to design space, but otherwise looks great. Example card looks to be a Limited star.
Flatline - There are definitely rules issues here - adding an extra subtype can't (or at least should not be used to) change the way equip works, as all subtypes except for basic land types have no inherent abilities anymore. Assuming this did work, seems potentially interesting but also stepping on the toes of Auras. Interesting futuristic flavor. In fact, I think I've seen this exact mechanic/name/flavor context many times before.
Subject16 - Another derivative of bestow, this one much more blatant. Probably fine mechanically, although using the assumption that the "base creature" is a 1/1 and making, for instance, a 3/2 give a +2/+1 bonus as an Equipment is a recipe for confusion.
kjsharp - I can't count on both hands the number of times I've seen this exact mechanic, often with this exact name.
I'll give the usual critique - this needs a lot of stuff happening in the set around it to make it worth it as more than a confusing +1/+1 counter. The card example you gave is serviceable but bland, really just the sort of legend I hate.
TheDrB - Blurry is a good way to make sure Auras are actually relevant, but I'd just use split second to accomplish the same thing - and I have done so in past custom designs that IIRC were pretty well-received. The protection from two colors thing pleases me.
1) void_nothing:Innovative mechanic. I don't think I'm a fan of the mechanic as written, but there's definitely something to work with here. As written the mechanic is hard to balance - You're building into auras an instant speed combat trick. This card, for example, seems really obnoxious to play against in Limited since it will lead to a lot of non-games. In principle I like modular mechanics like this because there's opportunity to give players agency when you give them choice, so let's see what we can work with.
Let me propose a few alternatives:
1) same as yours, except you can sacrifice only as a sorcery. That still gives you choice and will reward you for strategic thinking.
2) the graduate option triggers only when an ability on the aura triggers. Graduate would read: "Graduate N(When an ability on this aura triggers, you may sacrifice it. If you do, put N +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.)"
A very nice submission overall. This is the start to something great, and all great mechanics need to start somewhere before they grow into themselves. Thanks for sharing
-------------- 2) mirrodin71: I really really like this card - good immersive flavor, creates tension on the battlefield in much the same way that Planeswalkers do, well balanced. It doesn't satisfy the challenge of creating a new mechanic though, so I can't put it in my top 3. It is one of my favorite cards from this round though.
--------------- 3) Ruggley: Ignoring the merits of the mechanic for a moment, the card is very cool and well-balanced. My main complaint is that I'd prefer it not require such a heavy-white commitment for deck-building reasons. Either require a different color (anything but black) or make it a 1/2 and cost it at 1W.
Now, onto the mechanic itself. First it must be said that I like the gameplay that we're trying to achieve with this mechanic. The way you're putting this idea into practice is very limiting and clunky. I don't think it has to be. Let's build upon your idea. What if we gave auras and equipment an imbue cost that lets them be mapped onto creatures for a turn?
Consider: Super Curiosity1U
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Imbue 1U(You may reveal this card from your hand and pay its imbue cost. When you do, attach it to target creature. Return it to your hand at the beginning of the next end step.
I'm sure you could word it slightly differently to get different effects you want (e.g. if you don't want the card to have to leave your hand), but I think that moving it from creatures onto the auras/equipments themselves would be helpful.
Now I'm thinking of another possible ability: Vainglorious Goblin1R
Creature - Goblin Berserker (C)
Lightning Rod (You may target this permanent with aura or equipment spells as if they were sorcery spells. To do this, pay the spell's mana cost and replace all instances of "equipped" or "enchanted" with "target".)
2/1
Anyway, the idea is really good Ruggley, and all good mechanics start out in a more primitive form. Collaboration is how we take the ideas we have and make them better. Nice submission!
--------------- 4) Willows:I can't imagine this mechanic being put into a set. I'd be very worried about the Limited environment if a whole host of creatures wanted auras and equipment attached to them. It's really difficult to make good "care about Aura/Equipment" mechanics for permanents because of the architecture of the game of Magic itself. Can you please tell me more about the mechanics and nature of the world you're putting this in? It's clear you have some background in mind because of the card's name. I'm genuinely curious and openly admit that I could be underrating your mechanic.
--------------- 5) Sheoldred: Please edit your entries in the future - the sloppiness makes it less enjoyable to read. Brackets around the rarity, use italics properly, put periods at the ends of sentences. I don't really care when people make small errors like these, but they really pack a punch when they hit you all at once.
This mechanic feels close to one that I can imagine seeing print. Like Ruggley's entry, I would change the type of permanent it goes on. Instead of putting this mechanic on auras themselves, you should put them on creatures/permanents. Cards that incentivize Voltron Bogles gameplay do not lead to fun gameplay, fun Limited environments, or fun Constructed environments. My idea would be to make it a uniform Heroic-style mechanic. Consider: Vainglorious Knight1W
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Beacon (Spells and abilities that target this creature cost 1 less to cast or activate.)
2/2
This particular rendition would fail the challenge, but all the same that's the direction I would take your mechanic. I think that's the direction Wizards would take your mechanic, especially after the negative feedback about Ixalan Limited. Still, you deserve credit for being innovative and creating an interesting mechanic - all mechanics start in a different form than they turn out, and yours is a good draft of one.
------------------- 6) Jimmy Groove: The tempo advantage created by cards like this were deemed too strong decades ago. Your card basically reads:
Tradeable Mana Rock2
Artifact (C)
Sacrifice Tradeable Mana Rock: add CC to your mana pool. Draw a card.
If Tradeable Mana Rock were to be placed in your graveyard, put it into an opponent's hand instead. I belong in the Vintage Cube and nowhere else.
I just don't know how one can make interesting cards with this mechanic. You'd have to make the card broken to put interesting *real* text on the card for cards that cost CMC 1-3 --> Hocking turns the rest of the card's text into flavor text. Ramping is one of the most powerful things you can do. You're balancing it by giving the opponent access to it later, but the problem is that Tempo is a real concept in Magic, and activating this first gives you a HUGE tempo edge. The only acceptable "hocking" early in the game would be to "hock" for 1. Maybe that's the way to fix this mechanic. I'll mull it over further and will revise this feedback with some possible solutions. But for now, know that I appreciate the creativity and believe that the basic thrust of the ability is flavorful enough to merit further exploration.
Ruggley - The wording on this seems rough to me and overly thick. The other issue I have is that I don't understand why you would want to imbue instead of just casting.
willows - I like this a lot, but I feel like the wording is unrealistic. Shouldn't it be like "If an aura would.. " to start off?
Sheoldred - Seems like a fine aura, but the ability feels low impact. Needs more 'oomph' for me.
Jimmy Groove - This is sweet, but it seems like a lot of activity for what is essentially Howling Mine.
kjsharp - This seems solid overall, except for the logistical nightmare a large flood of tokens would make. Perhaps non-token creatures only?
mirrodin71 - I feel like this should help the creature connect, or it wouldn't really be too effective. Plus the 'gear' stuff doesn't seem like a full mechanic.
1. Willows
2. kjsharp
3. Jimmy Groove
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January CCL 2018 Round 2 - Does This Make Me Look Fat?
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
It's a brand new year, so everything this month will require you to do something new! Start those resolutions and get ready, because you'll have to wind your gears around for that fresh take on card design!
Challenge
Stay tuned for Decembers's CCL Final Poll. Anyone who votes will receive 2 bonus points for Januarys'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
Artifact Creature - Construct Equipment (Rare)
First Strike
Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has First Strike
Outfit 2 (2: Attach to another target creature you control or unattach it. It’s no longer a creature for as long as it’s attached. Outfit only as a sorcery.
3/2
Artifact — Equipment Implant (U)
(This Equipment can be equipped to creatures your opponents control. You still control it when it's equipped to a creature an opponent controls.)
Whenever equipped creature attacks, create a 1/1 colorless Drone artifact creature token with flying.
Equip 1W
"I might be crazy, but I'm pretty sure that drone has been following me."
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior (R)
When Rothchesa or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, arm that creature. (Create a colorless Equipment artifact token named Sword and attach it to this creature. It has "Equipped creature gets +1/+0" and equip 1.)
Attacking creatures you control have first strike as long as they are equipped.
2/4
Creature — Human Warrior (U)
Haste, panoply (Double the amount that Auras and Equipment increase this creature's power and toughness.)
In the battle-games, we learned to make the most of any advantage.
2/1
Legendary Creature — Kithkin Wizard (R)
During each of your main phases, you may imbue target creature. (To imbue, exile an Aura or Equipment card from your hand and pay its mana cost. Target creature gains whatever effects and abilities the exiled card would normally grant to a creature.)
2/2
Enchantment-Aura U
Beacon (Spells and abilities you control that target enchanted creature cost 1 less to cast)
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3
Strength in this world is one matter, strength in the spirit world another. He who is mighty in both can rival the gods
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, create a colorless Gear artifact token with “Sacrifice X Gears: Return target artifact with converted mana cost less than X from your graveyard to the battlefield”
Equip 2
Enchantment Artifact - Equipment (Common)
Bind W (If you cast this card for its bind cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature.)
Equip 4
Equipped or enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Afterlife is primary in white and seconndary in black.
Inner Valor W
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Afterlife (When enchanted creature dies, if it's not a token, create a white 1/1 Spirit creature token with flying and attach this aura to it)
Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 and has vigilance.
Glory trascends life
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +0/+3.
Equip 2
Hock (Exile Heirloom Plate: Draw a card and create two Silver artifact tokens with "Sacrifice this artifact: Add C to your mana pool." Any opponent may cast Heirloom Plate while it is in hock. Hock only as a sorcery.)
Generic Rule Text
Hock (Exile this permanent: Draw a card and create X Silver artifact tokens with "Sacrifice this artifact: Add C to your mana pool." where X is this permanent's converted mana cost. Any opponent may cast this permanent while it is in hock. Hock only as a sorcery.)
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Blurry (While this spell is on the stack, targets of this spell can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Enchant creature.
As Inevitable Ward enters the battlefield, choose two colors.
Enchanted creature has protection from the chosen colors. This effect doesn't remove Inevitable Ward
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw two cards.
Graduate 2 (When this Aura is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put two +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature. Sacrifice this Aura at any time.)
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
void_nothing
mirrodin71
Ruggley
willows
Sheoldred
Jimmy Groove
Ava
kjsharp
TheDrB
netn10
Hemlock
RaikouRider
Antiantiserum
Flatline
Subject16
mirrodin71
Ruggley
willows
Flatline
Subject16
Sorry I'm late.
Top 3
1 Flatline
2 Mirrodin
3 willows
WBGGhave Sisters
BUG Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Reanimator
BBBSheoldred, Whispering One Swamps-matter ramp
Standard
UR Drake
Pauper
GW Bogle
void
subject
flat
net
Hemlock
3 Flat
2 Hemlock
1 net
netn10 - Auras and Equipment are obviously closely related so I think this mechanic is a natural step from bestow. The problem is that it's easy to tell whether a bestow card is a creature or Aura based on whether you have it attached to a creature or not - there are natural memory issues that come with bind. I do like "cheaper but with a risk" keywords but you certainly played it very safe with this card, being just a +2/+2 boost and not really showing the potential of the mechanic, just a simple common.
Hemlock - Great totem armor variant, imo. I'm not sure if afterlife should be in the business of making tokens that have flying by default as that might be a bit constricting to design space, but otherwise looks great. Example card looks to be a Limited star.
Flatline - There are definitely rules issues here - adding an extra subtype can't (or at least should not be used to) change the way equip works, as all subtypes except for basic land types have no inherent abilities anymore. Assuming this did work, seems potentially interesting but also stepping on the toes of Auras. Interesting futuristic flavor. In fact, I think I've seen this exact mechanic/name/flavor context many times before.
Subject16 - Another derivative of bestow, this one much more blatant. Probably fine mechanically, although using the assumption that the "base creature" is a 1/1 and making, for instance, a 3/2 give a +2/+1 bonus as an Equipment is a recipe for confusion.
kjsharp - I can't count on both hands the number of times I've seen this exact mechanic, often with this exact name.
I'll give the usual critique - this needs a lot of stuff happening in the set around it to make it worth it as more than a confusing +1/+1 counter. The card example you gave is serviceable but bland, really just the sort of legend I hate.
TheDrB - Blurry is a good way to make sure Auras are actually relevant, but I'd just use split second to accomplish the same thing - and I have done so in past custom designs that IIRC were pretty well-received. The protection from two colors thing pleases me.
1. Hemlock
2. TheDrB
3. netn10
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Let me propose a few alternatives:
1) same as yours, except you can sacrifice only as a sorcery. That still gives you choice and will reward you for strategic thinking.
2) the graduate option triggers only when an ability on the aura triggers. Graduate would read: "Graduate N(When an ability on this aura triggers, you may sacrifice it. If you do, put N +1/+1 counters on enchanted creature.)"
A very nice submission overall. This is the start to something great, and all great mechanics need to start somewhere before they grow into themselves. Thanks for sharing
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2) mirrodin71: I really really like this card - good immersive flavor, creates tension on the battlefield in much the same way that Planeswalkers do, well balanced. It doesn't satisfy the challenge of creating a new mechanic though, so I can't put it in my top 3. It is one of my favorite cards from this round though.
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3) Ruggley: Ignoring the merits of the mechanic for a moment, the card is very cool and well-balanced. My main complaint is that I'd prefer it not require such a heavy-white commitment for deck-building reasons. Either require a different color (anything but black) or make it a 1/2 and cost it at 1W.
Now, onto the mechanic itself. First it must be said that I like the gameplay that we're trying to achieve with this mechanic. The way you're putting this idea into practice is very limiting and clunky. I don't think it has to be. Let's build upon your idea. What if we gave auras and equipment an imbue cost that lets them be mapped onto creatures for a turn?
Consider:
Super Curiosity 1U
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Imbue 1U (You may reveal this card from your hand and pay its imbue cost. When you do, attach it to target creature. Return it to your hand at the beginning of the next end step.
I'm sure you could word it slightly differently to get different effects you want (e.g. if you don't want the card to have to leave your hand), but I think that moving it from creatures onto the auras/equipments themselves would be helpful.
Now I'm thinking of another possible ability:
Vainglorious Goblin 1R
Creature - Goblin Berserker (C)
Lightning Rod (You may target this permanent with aura or equipment spells as if they were sorcery spells. To do this, pay the spell's mana cost and replace all instances of "equipped" or "enchanted" with "target".)
2/1
Anyway, the idea is really good Ruggley, and all good mechanics start out in a more primitive form. Collaboration is how we take the ideas we have and make them better. Nice submission!
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4) Willows:I can't imagine this mechanic being put into a set. I'd be very worried about the Limited environment if a whole host of creatures wanted auras and equipment attached to them. It's really difficult to make good "care about Aura/Equipment" mechanics for permanents because of the architecture of the game of Magic itself. Can you please tell me more about the mechanics and nature of the world you're putting this in? It's clear you have some background in mind because of the card's name. I'm genuinely curious and openly admit that I could be underrating your mechanic.
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5) Sheoldred: Please edit your entries in the future - the sloppiness makes it less enjoyable to read. Brackets around the rarity, use italics properly, put periods at the ends of sentences. I don't really care when people make small errors like these, but they really pack a punch when they hit you all at once.
This mechanic feels close to one that I can imagine seeing print. Like Ruggley's entry, I would change the type of permanent it goes on. Instead of putting this mechanic on auras themselves, you should put them on creatures/permanents. Cards that incentivize Voltron Bogles gameplay do not lead to fun gameplay, fun Limited environments, or fun Constructed environments. My idea would be to make it a uniform Heroic-style mechanic. Consider:
Vainglorious Knight 1W
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Beacon (Spells and abilities that target this creature cost 1 less to cast or activate.)
2/2
This particular rendition would fail the challenge, but all the same that's the direction I would take your mechanic. I think that's the direction Wizards would take your mechanic, especially after the negative feedback about Ixalan Limited. Still, you deserve credit for being innovative and creating an interesting mechanic - all mechanics start in a different form than they turn out, and yours is a good draft of one.
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6) Jimmy Groove: The tempo advantage created by cards like this were deemed too strong decades ago. Your card basically reads:
Tradeable Mana Rock 2
Artifact (C)
Sacrifice Tradeable Mana Rock: add CC to your mana pool. Draw a card.
If Tradeable Mana Rock were to be placed in your graveyard, put it into an opponent's hand instead.
I belong in the Vintage Cube and nowhere else.
I just don't know how one can make interesting cards with this mechanic. You'd have to make the card broken to put interesting *real* text on the card for cards that cost CMC 1-3 --> Hocking turns the rest of the card's text into flavor text. Ramping is one of the most powerful things you can do. You're balancing it by giving the opponent access to it later, but the problem is that Tempo is a real concept in Magic, and activating this first gives you a HUGE tempo edge. The only acceptable "hocking" early in the game would be to "hock" for 1. Maybe that's the way to fix this mechanic. I'll mull it over further and will revise this feedback with some possible solutions. But for now, know that I appreciate the creativity and believe that the basic thrust of the ability is flavorful enough to merit further exploration.
1) void_nothing
2) Ruggley
3) Sheoldred
Ruggley - The wording on this seems rough to me and overly thick. The other issue I have is that I don't understand why you would want to imbue instead of just casting.
willows - I like this a lot, but I feel like the wording is unrealistic. Shouldn't it be like "If an aura would.. " to start off?
Sheoldred - Seems like a fine aura, but the ability feels low impact. Needs more 'oomph' for me.
Jimmy Groove - This is sweet, but it seems like a lot of activity for what is essentially Howling Mine.
kjsharp - This seems solid overall, except for the logistical nightmare a large flood of tokens would make. Perhaps non-token creatures only?
mirrodin71 - I feel like this should help the creature connect, or it wouldn't really be too effective. Plus the 'gear' stuff doesn't seem like a full mechanic.
1. Willows
2. kjsharp
3. Jimmy Groove