the theme for this month is the stages of life: childhood, youth, adulthood n old age.
this round is concerned with youth.
main challenge:
your child is growing up… design one card that depicts them as no longer quite a child but not yet an adult.
subchallenge 1:
the card conveys how the event or element in your child’s life from the previous round has affected or changed them.
subchallenge 2:
the card is an uncommon.
if you have questions about the challenge, please post in the MCC discussion thread. best of luck!
none yet
design deadline: all submissions are to be final and submitted by March 15th 11:59 PM EST
judging deadline: all judgements are to be final and completed by March 18th 11:59 PM EST
-youth-
submission period: march 12th to 15th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 16th to 18th (friday to sunday).
-adulthood-
submission period: march 19th to 22th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 23rd to 25th (friday to sunday).
-old age-
submission period: march 26th to 29th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 30th to april 3rd (friday to monday).
contestants:
Forestsguy,
RaikouRider,
KoolKoal,
BlackWaltz3,
Seeonee,
Jimmy Groove,
Flatline,
Netn10,
Rkohn1357,
Vertain,
Cardz5000,
doomfish
judges:
rudyard
Antiantiserum
void_nothing
Design -
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
Disciple of Rokhan1BG
Creature - Cat Warrior (U)
Deathtouch
Sacrifice another creature: Disciple of Rokhan must be blocked this turn if able. Rokhan teaches them to harness the untapped power that runs through the veins. The veins of those he presents to them, specifically. 3/3
Tinkering ChildUR
Creature - Human Artificer (C) T: Draw a card, then discard a card. If an artifact card was discarded this way, Tinkering Child deals 1 damage to each player.
1/1 Her earliest experiments had a tendency to blow up.
First Invention2U
Sorcery (U)
If you control no artifacts, search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Taking a little inspiration from Treasure Planet...
Hoverboard Daredevil2UR
Creature - Human Artificer (U)
Flying 2, Sacrifice an artifact: Up to two target creatures must attack this turn if able.
3/1 She had so much potential. Now, she wastes it on pointless theatrics.
Bauble-romper (R/G)(R/G)
Creature - Goblin (R) T: Bauble-romper fights target enchanted creature. When that creature dies this turn, return an Aura card that was attached to it from its owner's graveyard to the battlefield attached to Bauble-romper. "Shiny!" is often a boggart's first -- and last -- word.
2/2
Brightgrub Bauble G
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
When enchanted creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. You don't have to be delicious to befriend a boggart, but it helps.
Violent Addiction 1R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has double strike and "At the beginning of your end step, this creature deals damage to you equal to its power unless a counter was put on it this turn." Too frightened to exile him, Wiggul's entire warren fled.
Unused concepts:
Violent Addiction 1B
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has "At the beginning of your end step, you lose life equal to this creature's power unless a counter was put on it this turn." Ironically, all Wiglam found was a new low.
Consuming Addiction 2B
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant permanent
Whenever one or more counters are put on enchanted permanent, its controller draws a card and loses 3 life.
Ruthless Addiction (B/G)
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Flash
Enchanted creature and creatures blocking it have deathtouch.
Thrill of the Moment G
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a counter from enchanted creature. If you do, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Momentary Rush BG
Sorcery (U)
Remove any number of counters from target permanent. If it's a creature, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn for each counter removed this way.
Brightgrub Lethargy W
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchanted creature has "This creature can't attack or block unless you remove a counter from it."
Wayward Youth1BR
Creature — Human Rogue (U)
Menace, haste
Whenever Wayward Youth deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. Forced to fend for himself from an early age, Brandari turned to a life of crime.
2/2
Devastating Loss3BB
Instant (C)
Destroy up to two target creatures with converted mana cost two or less. The loss of one parent is difficult enough, losing both is more than most can bear.
Juvenile Delinquent2B
Creature — Human Rogue (U)
Menace
Whenever an opponent discards a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Juvenile Delinquent. At first Bandari stole out of necessity, but eventually he came to enjoy it.
2/2
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
(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)
Stala, Wunderkind Pilot1RW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Pilot (R)
When Stala, Wunderkind Pilot enters the battlefield you may cast a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Whenever Stala, Wunderkind Pilot crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains protection from nonartifact creatures until end of turn.
2/1
Trainee's Sphere3
Artifact - Vehicle (C)
Haste
Crew 2 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 2 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.) The average trainee completes the sphere course by thirteen years of age. Stala lapped the average trainee at seven.
3/3
Stala's Machinations3RW
Enchantment (U)
When Stala's Machinations enters the battlefield you may search your library for a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever you cast a vehicle spell for the first time each turn, create an X/X colorless Construct artifact creature token, where X is equal to the crew number of that vehicle. "Why pilot one sphere when I can pilot all the spheres?"
Fortunate SonRUW
Creature - Human (R)
Artifact, instant, and sorcery spells cost you 1 less to cast and your opponents 1 more to cast. Some are born to labor, to serve, to fight, and to die. He is not one of them.
1/1
Market Crash1R
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact. Its controller sacrifices each other artifact named Gold and/or Treasure he or she controls. Those who stand on the highest pedestals have the farthest to fall.
Scrap DrillerRG
Creature - Human (R) T: Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield. It’s a land instead of it’s other types and has “T: Add C or one mana of any of this card’s colors to your mana pool.” Sacrifice it at the end of turn.
1/1
Ancient Automaton4
Artifact Creature - Construct (C)
Defender
When Ancient Automaton dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to up to one target creature you control. The find of a lifetime...
3/3
///// Steered Combat Armor
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
Equip 5 ...and a lifetime of purpose.
Rookie SteererRW
Creature - Human Pilot (U)
When Rookie Steerer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Vehicle card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
As long as Rookie Steerer isn't attacking, it gets +3/+0. "Drilling for scrabs isn't anyone's destiny. Mine is fighting for freedom! Well, as long as my machine is with me, at any rate."
2/2
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Snowy Canopy1GG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, create a 0/1 green Spider creature token with reach.
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1. "It's not snow"
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Familial Feasts1(B/G)
Instant (C)
As an additional cost, sacrifice a creature.
Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. "In the dense silk clouds of the snowy canopies, each neighbor is both family and food."
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Psionic Psider3G
Creature - Spider (U)
Reach 3R: Psionic Psider deals 1 damage to target creature. That creature must attack this turn if able.
---- "They hone these psionic abilities on unwary prey, and upon nearing maturity, enforce their own will upon fellow spiderlings, jumpstarting an exodus of spiderlings in search of a new canopy."
- Great Migrations, Vol 7. 2/4
RhoxlingG
Creature - Rhino (C)
Defender A infant of the Rhox is large enough to threaten an full-grown human, but only if the human is stupid enough to provoke the child.
2/2
Profit SlaveWU
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature cannot attack or block. 5: Gain control of enchanted creature. Enchanted creature gains haste and can attack and block as if not enchanted by Profit Enslavement until end of turn. Any player may activate this ability.
Chained Rhox2RG
Creature - Rhino Mercenary (U)
Trample
Chained Rhox can't attack or block alone.
Whenever Chained Rhox attacks, another target attacking creature can't be blocked this turn unless Chained Rhox is also blocked. The bandits named him Meat Shield.
4/3
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'll bet you wish you had a non-unglued/unhinged card that shared your first name.
Protective Baloth3GG
Creature - Beast {R} 2GG: Monstrosity 2 (If this creature isn’t monstrous, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Protective Baloth becomes monstrous, create a 2/2 green Beast creature token.
If another creature would deal combat damage to a token created by Protective Baloth, Protective Baloth fights that creature instead.
5/5
Stalking Poacher2BG
Creature - Human Assassin {C}
Deathtouch
Provoke (Whenever this creature attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)
1/1
Solitary YearlingGG
Creature - Beast {U}
Whenever Solitary Yearling become the target of a creature’s ability, Solitary Yearling gets +2/+2 until end of turn and fights that creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
2/2
Golden-Plume Hatching1W
Creature - Dinosaur (Common)
Tap another untapped Dinosaur you control: Golden-Plume Hatching gains indestructible until end of turn. No matter how big or small, all dinosaurs feels primal instinct to protect the Golden-Plume kind.
1/1
Rites of Savagery3RG
Enchantment (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. If your creature didn't died this way, put two +1/+1 counters on it. Every young dinosaur learns how to hunt through a several small prays. It build up their skills as well as reputation in the hunting grounds.
Golden-Plume Crowned3WW
Creatire - Dinosaur (Uncommon) 1W: The next 1 damage that would be dealt to Golden-Plume Crowned is dealt to another target Dinosuar creature you control. As the Golden-Plume breed grows up, they usually take the leadership in their dinosaur's pack.
3/3
Juvenile Blackpaw1B
Creature - Cat (C)
Deathtouch
Juvenile Blackpaw has first strike as long as it's attacking. Purraj's heritage is ever present among the panthers of Urborg. 1/1
Callous RitesBG
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a creature dies for the first time each turn, you may pay 1 life. If you do, draw a card. Otherwise, you gain 2 life. "Blood begets power and power begets blood. Wield one, and the other will flow." - Rokhan, Urborg Shaman
Disciple of Rokhan1BG
Creature - Cat Warrior (U)
Deathtouch
Sacrifice another creature: Disciple of Rokhan must be blocked this turn if able. Rokhan teaches them to harness the untapped power that runs through the veins. The veins of those he presents to them, specifically. 3/3
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
pretty appealing in limited. i like thinking about the certain deck archetypes into which it would fit. black/green aristocrats for example, could be enjoyable there. combos well with your Callous Rites card from the previous round. it appeals to johnny n spike certainly, and i’d say perhaps timmy too, considering that a 3/3 for 3 with upsides is close to where timmy might start to perk up. not super appealing for constructed.
(3/3) Elegance:
it encourages you to go in certain directions, but doesn’t shout those directions at you. the keyword is a shared green/black ability, while the activated ability marries black n green in a natural way that’s somewhat subtle n solidly done.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
it’s slightly more green than black, in fact it could be monogreen, tho the multicolor helps to excuse the efficient package. and also, tho the forced blocking is pretty green, the way it gets it is more black than green. i appreciate how that activated ability blends black n green, it’s nice.
(2/3) Balance:
i think it’s an excellent uncommon. well costed, tho after playtesting i could see a point of power or toughness being shaved off of it if the environment needed that.
two-or-oneing yourself to take down a threat that needs to be dealt with isn’t dangerously powerful by any means. n you can’t control which creature in particular will be forced to block, which also makes me feel comfortable with the power level. i’m glad each sacrifice made doesn’t force an additional targeted creature to block, at least not for this package at this rarity.
personally, at the cost of losing some of the simplicity, i would consider making the activated ability say “activate this ability only once per turn” to reduce its effectiveness as a sac outlet (again, this change would be environment dependant). the effect is redundant after the first activation anyway.
i understand that WotC of late has had the policy to try to add a least one mana to activation costs that involve sacrifice. sacrifice outlets are pretty valuable, so it does seem a good policy to make players work for the reward a lil more, n adding a mana cost adds to the decisions that need to be made which makes things more interesting.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness:
the activated ability is not groundbreaking, but despite the simplicity i don’t think we seen that exact text in print before, nor anything really too close to it.
however, this round 2 card of yours does seem fairly similar to one of Cardz5000's round 1 cards.
(3/3) Flavor:
certainly feels like a Cat Warrior. n they’re not a kitten anymore. the flavor is pretty yummy, i like imagining this dark, primal hunter character, it’s a vivid image. feels like a Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat, if you will.
the flavor text could flow better.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
i appreciate that you wrote “sacrifice another creature.”
(2/2) Main Challenge:
i wonder, what in particular (flavorwise) brought green into this cat’s being where it wasn’t previously present in their childhood?
Protective Baloth3GG
Creature - Beast {R} 2GG: Monstrosity 2 (If this creature isn’t monstrous, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Protective Baloth becomes monstrous, create a 2/2 green Beast creature token.
If another creature would deal combat damage to a token created by Protective Baloth, Protective Baloth fights that creature instead.
5/5
Stalking Poacher2BG
Creature - Human Assassin {C}
Deathtouch
Provoke (Whenever this creature attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)
1/1
Solitary YearlingGG
Creature - Beast {U}
Whenever Solitary Yearling become the target of a creature’s ability, Solitary Yearling gets +2/+2 until end of turn and fights that creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
2/2
Design -
(1/3) Appeal:
it doesn’t really do much. is dependant on what your opponent plays, so neither johnny nor spike is going to be very interested. maybe johnny would find a way to make your opponents’ creatures target it. in the right limited environment of course the ability might be useful. it is certainly interesting, tho quite narrow.
(3/3) Elegance:
the way Solitary Yearling references itself twice doesn’t flow that great upon reading, but whatever, it’s necessary for the sake of clarity.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
yeah, it’s pretty darn green, thru n thru. the pumping, the fighting, and even the soft target-warding kinda thing it’s got going on.
(3/3) Balance:
no balance problems, since it’s too narrow. don’t see why it couldn’t cost 1G.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
i would like to see more original forms of target-warding like this.
(3/3) Flavor:
the mother was killed by a poacher n now this young beast is trying to survive on it own. pretty good concept. i’m not sure how well the Yearling card conveys this idea. it’s pretty aggressive, where i’d’ve expected it to be more defensive in this situation n trying to run n hide rather than charge n fight. i guess it had time to learn from its mama before she was taken down. in any case, i can accept it.
solitary seems the key word here, n tho i won’t take points away for this, i feel like you could have chosen a way to mechanically convey that idea more solidly (tho that might’ve been harder to do with as much originality). otherwise, you could have used a descriptive word that better captured it’s behavior.
i appreciate that the ability triggers off of provoke, so the Yearling would fight the Stalking Poacher if it ended up in the crosshairs. they would both die in the exchange, of course.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality:
“become the target” should be “becomes the target.”
the templating from Brown Ouphe and Ouphe Vandals shows that the wording for your ability that reads “target of a creature’s ability” should be “target of an ability from a creature source.” also, the ability might even specify activated and triggered abilities, tho I don’t feel that’s necessary personally.
(2/2) Main Challenge:
some flavor text on the Yearling would have been good, as i wanted more to help me understand what the young beast is going thru after the death of its mother.
RhoxlingG
Creature - Rhino (C)
Defender A infant of the Rhox is large enough to threaten an full-grown human, but only if the human is stupid enough to provoke the child.
2/2
Profit SlaveWU
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature cannot attack or block. 5: Gain control of enchanted creature. Enchanted creature gains haste and can attack and block as if not enchanted by Profit Enslavement until end of turn. Any player may activate this ability.
Chained Rhox2RG
Creature - Rhino Mercenary (U)
Trample
Chained Rhox can't attack or block alone.
Whenever Chained Rhox attacks, another target attacking creature can't be blocked this turn unless Chained Rhox is also blocked. The bandits named him Meat Shield.
4/3
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
pretty appealing. has some interesting applications. does a good job of tanking so you can get in when you go wide. i think this kind of design is very valuable to the health of magic as a game.
(3/3) Elegance:
it bothers me somewhat that there’s no symmetry between the second and third abilities. but it wouldn’t be worth the extra complication to force the third ability (or a fourth ability) to attempt to mirror the attacking bonus in some form when it blocks. i would say to cut the “or block” from the “can't attack or block alone” to make it rhyme like poetry, if that wouldn’t take away from the flavor.
trample makes sense on a big rhino, but is not really needed n i dunno what it’s really adding. you could’ve cut that.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
solidly red/green.
(3/3) Balance:
can’t see this showing up in constructed. would be fine in limited. a 4/3 with trample for 2RG would be pickable on its own, n the two non-keyword abilities balance each other out. could be a mite stronger honestly.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
i would like to see more of that fairly original tanky ability.
(2/3) Flavor:
the “can't attack or block alone” part conveys the chained concept well.
that flavor text makes me sad, so good job there. it also does a good job of conveying the tankiness of the third ability.
i don’t get the sense that this rhino is a particularly willing participant in the bandits’ operation, so i don’t find the Mercenary type so be suitable. i guess you chose that because Slave isn’t a supported creature type, n Mercenary is closest to the concept. Mercenaries are hired n get paid. the conflating of similar but different categories within creature types is something i can’t abide. i hate it when WotC does this- toads are not frogs, apes are not monkeys.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
looks good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge:
i’m interested to see where this Rhino will be in their adulthood
Snowy Canopy1GG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, create a 0/1 green Spider creature token with reach.
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1. "It's not snow"
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Familial Feasts1(B/G)
Instant (C)
As an additional cost, sacrifice a creature.
Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. "In the dense silk clouds of the snowy canopies, each neighbor is both family and food."
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Psionic Psider3G
Creature - Spider (U)
Reach 3R: Psionic Psider deals 1 damage to target creature. That creature must attack this turn if able.
---- "They hone these psionic abilities on unwary prey, and upon nearing maturity, enforce their own will upon fellow spiderlings, jumpstarting an exodus of spiderlings in search of a new canopy."
- Great Migrations, Vol 7. 2/4
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
i like that the activated ability has versatility. it can pick of lil weenies, lure prey into a trap, or open the opponent to counterattack.
the name is too punny...
(3/3) Elegance:
i like that the activated ability matches the mana cost with a shift in the color- pleasant symmetry.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
pinging and forced attacks are red. reach is green. this card is fine.
(3/3) Balance:
the pinging is appropriately costed, the forced attack is a nice bonus on top of that and it’s on an off-color activated ability so that helps keep the balance. giant spider with a bonus ability is ok at uncommon.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness:
it’s like my Spider Queen card from the February DCC which you also took part in.
(2/3) Flavor:
pinging has been presented as a psionic power since Tim, the Prodigal Sorcerer. and since pinging has shifted to red i could see the flavor also shifting there (tho pyromancy is the typical flavor shift, n blue is the color of the mind which made sense to have psionics).
there are different kinds of psionic abilities. a spider with mind control is cool n makes a lot of sense that it could use that to lure its prey. but a psionic attack that does damage is not typically a mind control power, mixing the two is a lil odd. i would think that getting pinged would break the trance.
the connection between this entry and your previous one seems slightly forced.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality:
“must” is not usually used in these kinds of forced attacks. it would normally say, “that creature attacks this turn if able.”
Tinkering ChildUR
Creature - Human Artificer (C) T: Draw a card, then discard a card. If an artifact card was discarded this way, Tinkering Child deals 1 damage to each player.
1/1 Her earliest experiments had a tendency to blow up.
First Invention2U
Sorcery (U)
If you control no artifacts, search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Hoverboard Daredevil2UR
Creature - Human Artificer (U)
Flying 2, Sacrifice an artifact: Up to two target creatures must attack this turn if able.
3/1 She had so much potential. Now, she wastes it on pointless theatrics.
Design .:. (1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy, no, not a Timmy-card. Johnny though likes all sac outlets. While this card might not be for constructed-Spike, I can imagine them picking this in limited as often as possible. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Flavor and mechanics make sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: The colors are fine, the rarity as well. (3/3) Balance: The card seems fine for an uncommon. With its low thoughness this creature naturally can be dealt with more easily. Usually there are several cards at common in any environment that remove small creatures. The ability is strong and good for breaking stale boards. Combined with a flying creature to me personally it looks not as necessary but there are creatures with a similiar combination of evasion and goad effect, e.g. Shipwreck Singer . So it's there to to attack and to clear the way for your ground troops. An effect I could even see used in an artifact EDH deck.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: While we know goading creatures in general this effect on an artificer is certainly new. (3/3) Flavor: I like the flavor. In a vacuum it's some kind of rowdy breaking stuff, making the grown ups angry. Seeing the somewhat genius child to grow older having and causing problems is a classic trope.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: Forcing creatures to attack just reads "Up to two target creatures attack this turn if able." It's when you force players to attack someone that you insert the word must. Though there's just really one example in Trove of Temptation. Interestingly it is "this creature must be blocked" on the other side. A difference I was not aware of until now. No other flaws detected. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (1/2) Subchallenges: The card is uncommon, subchallenge 2 therefore is satisfied. What I can't see is how the life changing event of inventing something for the first time directly leads to daredevilish behaviour. If I had to guess, the next step after the first invention is fame or access to better education, awards or a stipend. Maybe the hoverboard was the thing invented, but the connection is not apparent enough, not for me at least. Therefore I say that the first sub challenge was not satisfied.
Total: 21,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Scrap DrillerRG
Creature - Human (R) T: Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield. It’s a land instead of it’s other types and has “T: Add C or one mana of any of this card’s colors to your mana pool.” Sacrifice it at the end of turn.
1/1
Ancient Automaton4
Artifact Creature - Construct (C)
Defender
When Ancient Automaton dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to up to one target creature you control. The find of a lifetime...
3/3
///// Steered Combat Armor
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
Equip 5 ...and a lifetime of purpose.
Rookie SteererRW
Creature - Human Pilot (U)
When Rookie Steerer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Vehicle card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
As long as Rookie Steerer isn't attacking, it gets +3/+0. "Drilling for scrabs isn't anyone's destiny. Mine is fighting for freedom! Well, as long as my machine is with me, at any rate."
2/2
Design .:. (1,5/3) Appeal: A really good defender doesn't impress Timmy, a really good crewer might. For Johnny it's not interesting enough. But Spike might like a two mana tutor very much. (2/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. But I think it could be more elegant. The intention behind the non-attacking power buff is most likely to show how good this kid is at being a pilo, crewing vehicles. Yet it appears more like they is a really good defending combatant without the need for equipment of any sort. To fix this I'd suggest something like "This gets +3/+0 while crewing." or "This can crew vehicles as though it had a power of 5." This would also help making the creature type more plausible. So far being a pilot indicates a special interaction by crewing, something non-pilots don't have.
Development .:. (1,5/3) Viability: Pilots and the vehicle theme is red and white, so far so good, e.g. Veteran Motorist. Yet the only card to directly tutor for vehicles is mono blue, that's Deadeye Quartermaster. But, despite blue being the color currently allowed to directly tutor for any artifact, both red and white are allowed to tutor for equipment. Because both colors already care for equipment. So while the only card to tutor for vehicles is blue, it is not hard to imagine white or red getting the same effect. The chosen rarity might be problematic. The aforementioned Quartermaster is a 4CMC card tutoring the vehicle into hand. Here it's a 2CMC card putting the vehicle on top of the library, with the upside of also being able to crew each but one existing vehicle. (2,5/3) Balance: I don't know if and if so what the vehicle decks are lacking. Looking at current lists I don't think this card is needed to make the decks more competitive. The main vehicles, Heart of Kiran and Aethersphere Harvester don't need a super crewer and while the existing creatures can't tutor they deliver very aggressive abilites this one doesn't. It certinaly is an option to play around with. What I can say is that it's probably very good in limited and also a nice addition to vehicle themed EDH.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: There's only one other card that features the words "isn't attacking" in that order and it has a somewhat different effect. (2,5/3) Flavor: This tells a nice story. The card pair from the first round already did that very well. It loosely reminds me of Anaking in Star Wars, with a mech armor instead of a racer. Besides that, as already mentioned, this kid is absurdly good a crewing vehicles. Not only that, the kid's also very good at finding vehicles or getting them ready to fight. Good old Veteran Motorist can't believe what rookies are able to achieve these days.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Stala, Wunderkind Pilot1RW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Pilot (R)
When Stala, Wunderkind Pilot enters the battlefield you may cast a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Whenever Stala, Wunderkind Pilot crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains protection from nonartifact creatures until end of turn.
2/1
Trainee's Sphere3
Artifact - Vehicle (C)
Haste
Crew 2 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 2 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.) The average trainee completes the sphere course by thirteen years of age. Stala lapped the average trainee at seven.
3/3
Stala's Machinations3RW
Enchantment (U)
When Stala's Machinations enters the battlefield you may search your library for a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever you cast a vehicle spell for the first time each turn, create an X/X colorless Construct artifact creature token, where X is equal to the crew number of that vehicle. "Why pilot one sphere when I can pilot all the spheres?"
Design .:. (2,5/3) Appeal: Both Timmy and Johnny like the first real way to abuse Consulate Dreadnought and other vehicles. Comparing this to Metallurgic Summonings I think it might be a Spike card. (2/3) Elegance: It's somewhat easy to understand but not very elegant. Also flavorfully I think it would make more sense if a vehicle entering the battlefield would cause you to get a token. Having your spell countered and still getting the construct that was supposed to crew the vehicle feels weird.
Development .:. (1,5/3) Viability: I don't want to directly repeat what I wrote for doomfish, but it's a similar situation here. Both regarding the colors and the rarity. In short, like tutoring for Equipment, tutoring for Vehicles is probably something red and white can naturally do, but so far haven't. Power level and complexity wise I find it even more pushed. Without the tutoring it may be fine. Both combined is just a very strong one card package. (1,5/3) Balance: As a whole this is a strong build around card. I find it pushed at uncommon, for limited alone, and think it's a constructed worthy card. Vehicles that already are good on their own become better. But good vehicle deck usually tend to be more aggressive. This would make for a more mid-range to late-game or controlling vehicle deck. As a rare this card could be interesting without being format warping.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: The card's certainly unique and fresh. (2/3) Flavor: I like the idea of Stala getting better at piloting the spheres. Being a wunderkind it makes a lot of sense. Yet I think the execution here makes her an artificer rather than a pilot. As it is strongly implied that shes's a good pilot I find it weird that additionally she starts buildings robots, showing skills in an additional area.
Polish .:. (1,5/3) Quality: Comma after battlefield is missing. Vehicle, like all sub types, is written with a capital V in the rules text. Further it should be "Whenever you cast your first Vehicle spell each turn," e.g. Rashmi, Eternities Crafter. And "equal to" is only used in characteristing defining abilites that are written with a * instead of an X, e.g. Treefolk Seedlings, and when defining alternate costs, e.g. Past in Flames. Simply cut it and the wording is correct. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Bot subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 18/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes a growing beater. Johnny likes being able to turn discard into a win condition. Spike is only interested in a Limited context and only then if a lot of discard is available. (3/3) Elegance: Definitely very elegant.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Feels like one of those "signaling" uncommons for themes in draft. (3/3) Balance: Nothing wrong here - strong if it goes off in Limited, just alright otherwise, probably not a Constructed star except as a backup for an 8Rack-type deck.
Creativity - (0.5/3) Uniqueness: Pretty much just an updated version of Abyssal Nocturnus. (2.5/3) Flavor: The stealing/discard connection is a little abstract. Sometimes it's there (especially in Masques block - Larceny), most often it's not.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Is the character's name Bandari or Brandari? (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21/25
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy's into cheap double strike but is worried about losing to that drawback. Johnny has plenty of ways to either work around or take advantage of said drawback. Spike's interested in using it to kill an opponent with repeated damage to the face passively, but figures it's usually way too risky to use for this. (2.5/3) Elegance: Drawback condition is slightly wordy.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Feels just right for uncommon. (3/3) Balance: A card that's so bizarre to use that even in its most overpowered moments can only be called a niche wombo-combo piece.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness:Battle Mastery is hardly unique, yet the drawback is. (2.5/3) Flavor: Addiction to whatever it is boggarts get addicted to - new sensations, shiny things - seems hardly likely to increase combat awareness/speed as double strike is usually flavored as. However, the whole card's effect does still tell a good story.
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy likes removal-proofing but doesn't really see much impact in a vanilla-otherwise midrange creature. Johnny likes enrage combos (but usually has better ways to do them). Spike would not pick this at all in a draft. (2.5/3) Elegance: Damage redirection has slight inherent inelegance, especially with the added complexity of only being able to redirect to a specific creature type.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Nothing wrong here. (2.5/3) Balance: Tremendously outclassed by - of all things - Lancers en-Kor. All in all, one of the most underpowered MCC entries I've seen in a while.
Creativity - (0.5/3) Uniqueness: As previously mentioned, this is an en-Kor ability ripoff, and a fairly bad one - I understand attaching a mana cost is necessary to prevent abuse, but this really should have been a more interesting creature otherwise. (2.5/3) Flavor: Using "Crowned" as a noun is a little... odd, so the name is awkward. Otherwise the protect-the-leader deal makes sense.
Polish - (1.5/3) Quality: No space between the name and the mana cost. "Dinosaur" is spelled wrong. Apostrophe placed wrong in the flavor text. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: Fine by me.
“Youth.” painting by Thomas Cole.
March MCC 2018 Round 2 - Youth
the theme for this month is the stages of life: childhood, youth, adulthood n old age.
this round is concerned with youth.
main challenge:
your child is growing up… design one card that depicts them as no longer quite a child but not yet an adult.
subchallenge 1:
the card conveys how the event or element in your child’s life from the previous round has affected or changed them.
subchallenge 2:
the card is an uncommon.
if you have questions about the challenge, please post in the MCC discussion thread. best of luck!
none yet
design deadline: all submissions are to be final and submitted by March 15th 11:59 PM EST
judging deadline: all judgements are to be final and completed by March 18th 11:59 PM EST
-youth-
submission period: march 12th to 15th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 16th to 18th (friday to sunday).
-adulthood-
submission period: march 19th to 22th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 23rd to 25th (friday to sunday).
-old age-
submission period: march 26th to 29th (monday to thursday).
judgement period: march 30th to april 3rd (friday to monday).
contestants:
Forestsguy,
RaikouRider,
KoolKoal,
BlackWaltz3,
Seeonee,
Jimmy Groove,
Flatline,
Netn10,
Rkohn1357,
Vertain,
Cardz5000,
doomfish
judges:
rudyard
Antiantiserum
void_nothing
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
a helpful tip for those formatting their cards:
Creature - Cat Warrior (U)
Deathtouch
Sacrifice another creature: Disciple of Rokhan must be blocked this turn if able.
Rokhan teaches them to harness the untapped power that runs through the veins. The veins of those he presents to them, specifically.
3/3
Tinkering Child UR
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
T: Draw a card, then discard a card. If an artifact card was discarded this way, Tinkering Child deals 1 damage to each player.
1/1
Her earliest experiments had a tendency to blow up.
First Invention 2U
Sorcery (U)
If you control no artifacts, search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Hoverboard Daredevil 2UR
Creature - Human Artificer (U)
Flying
2, Sacrifice an artifact: Up to two target creatures must attack this turn if able.
3/1
She had so much potential. Now, she wastes it on pointless theatrics.
Violent Addiction 1R
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has double strike and "At the beginning of your end step, this creature deals damage to you equal to its power unless a counter was put on it this turn."
Too frightened to exile him, Wiggul's entire warren fled.
Unused concepts:
Violent Addiction 1B
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and has "At the beginning of your end step, you lose life equal to this creature's power unless a counter was put on it this turn."
Ironically, all Wiglam found was a new low.
Consuming Addiction 2B
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant permanent
Whenever one or more counters are put on enchanted permanent, its controller draws a card and loses 3 life.
Ruthless Addiction (B/G)
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Flash
Enchanted creature and creatures blocking it have deathtouch.
Thrill of the Moment G
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a counter from enchanted creature. If you do, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Momentary Rush BG
Sorcery (U)
Remove any number of counters from target permanent. If it's a creature, it gets +3/+3 until end of turn for each counter removed this way.
Brightgrub Lethargy W
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchanted creature has "This creature can't attack or block unless you remove a counter from it."
Juvenile Delinquent 2B
Creature — Human Rogue (U)
Menace
Whenever an opponent discards a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Juvenile Delinquent.
At first Bandari stole out of necessity, but eventually he came to enjoy it.
2/2
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Pilot (R)
When Stala, Wunderkind Pilot enters the battlefield you may cast a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Whenever Stala, Wunderkind Pilot crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains protection from nonartifact creatures until end of turn.
2/1
Trainee's Sphere 3
Artifact - Vehicle (C)
Haste
Crew 2 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 2 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
The average trainee completes the sphere course by thirteen years of age. Stala lapped the average trainee at seven.
3/3
Stala's Machinations 3RW
Enchantment (U)
When Stala's Machinations enters the battlefield you may search your library for a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever you cast a vehicle spell for the first time each turn, create an X/X colorless Construct artifact creature token, where X is equal to the crew number of that vehicle.
"Why pilot one sphere when I can pilot all the spheres?"
Creature - Human (R)
Artifact, instant, and sorcery spells cost you 1 less to cast and your opponents 1 more to cast.
Some are born to labor, to serve, to fight, and to die. He is not one of them.
1/1
Market Crash 1R
Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact. Its controller sacrifices each other artifact named Gold and/or Treasure he or she controls.
Those who stand on the highest pedestals have the farthest to fall.
Holding
Creature - Human (R)
T: Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield. It’s a land instead of it’s other types and has “T: Add C or one mana of any of this card’s colors to your mana pool.” Sacrifice it at the end of turn.
1/1
Ancient Automaton 4
Artifact Creature - Construct (C)
Defender
When Ancient Automaton dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to up to one target creature you control.
The find of a lifetime...
3/3
/////
Steered Combat Armor
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
Equip 5
...and a lifetime of purpose.
Rookie Steerer RW
Creature - Human Pilot (U)
When Rookie Steerer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Vehicle card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
As long as Rookie Steerer isn't attacking, it gets +3/+0.
"Drilling for scrabs isn't anyone's destiny. Mine is fighting for freedom! Well, as long as my machine is with me, at any rate."
2/2
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Snowy Canopy 1GG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, create a 0/1 green Spider creature token with reach.
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
"It's not snow"
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Familial Feasts 1(B/G)
Instant (C)
As an additional cost, sacrifice a creature.
Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
"In the dense silk clouds of the snowy canopies, each neighbor is both family and food."
- Predator and Prey, vol 8.
Psionic Psider 3G
Creature - Spider (U)
Reach
3R: Psionic Psider deals 1 damage to target creature. That creature must attack this turn if able.
----
"They hone these psionic abilities on unwary prey, and upon nearing maturity, enforce their own will upon fellow spiderlings, jumpstarting an exodus of spiderlings in search of a new canopy."
- Great Migrations, Vol 7.
2/4
Creature - Rhino Mercenary (U)
Trample
Chained Rhox can't attack or block alone.
Whenever Chained Rhox attacks, another target attacking creature can't be blocked this turn unless Chained Rhox is also blocked.
The bandits named him Meat Shield.
4/3
RaikouRider,
BlackWaltz3, Netn10, and Cardz5000, get your entries in while you can...EDIT: and Jimmy Groove, thank you void_nothing
Regardless of details, I'd like to remind everyone that the MCC's deadlines are indeed firm.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Creature - Beast {R}
2GG: Monstrosity 2 (If this creature isn’t monstrous, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Protective Baloth becomes monstrous, create a 2/2 green Beast creature token.
If another creature would deal combat damage to a token created by Protective Baloth, Protective Baloth fights that creature instead.
5/5
Stalking Poacher 2BG
Creature - Human Assassin {C}
Deathtouch
Provoke (Whenever this creature attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)
1/1
Creature - Beast {U}
Whenever Solitary Yearling become the target of a creature’s ability, Solitary Yearling gets +2/+2 until end of turn and fights that creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)
2/2
Golden-Plume Crowned3WW
Creatire - Dinosaur (Uncommon)
1W: The next 1 damage that would be dealt to Golden-Plume Crowned is dealt to another target Dinosuar creature you control.
As the Golden-Plume breed grows up, they usually take the leadership in their dinosaur's pack.
3/3
void_nothing is judging:
Flatline,
Seeonee,
netn10
Antiantiserum is judging:
rkohn1357,
doomfish,
BlackWaltz3
rudyard is judging:
Cardz5000,
Vertain,
KoolKoal,
Forestsguy
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
pretty appealing in limited. i like thinking about the certain deck archetypes into which it would fit. black/green aristocrats for example, could be enjoyable there. combos well with your Callous Rites card from the previous round. it appeals to johnny n spike certainly, and i’d say perhaps timmy too, considering that a 3/3 for 3 with upsides is close to where timmy might start to perk up. not super appealing for constructed.
(3/3) Elegance:
it encourages you to go in certain directions, but doesn’t shout those directions at you. the keyword is a shared green/black ability, while the activated ability marries black n green in a natural way that’s somewhat subtle n solidly done.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
it’s slightly more green than black, in fact it could be monogreen, tho the multicolor helps to excuse the efficient package. and also, tho the forced blocking is pretty green, the way it gets it is more black than green. i appreciate how that activated ability blends black n green, it’s nice.
(2/3) Balance:
i think it’s an excellent uncommon. well costed, tho after playtesting i could see a point of power or toughness being shaved off of it if the environment needed that.
two-or-oneing yourself to take down a threat that needs to be dealt with isn’t dangerously powerful by any means. n you can’t control which creature in particular will be forced to block, which also makes me feel comfortable with the power level. i’m glad each sacrifice made doesn’t force an additional targeted creature to block, at least not for this package at this rarity.
personally, at the cost of losing some of the simplicity, i would consider making the activated ability say “activate this ability only once per turn” to reduce its effectiveness as a sac outlet (again, this change would be environment dependant). the effect is redundant after the first activation anyway.
i understand that WotC of late has had the policy to try to add a least one mana to activation costs that involve sacrifice. sacrifice outlets are pretty valuable, so it does seem a good policy to make players work for the reward a lil more, n adding a mana cost adds to the decisions that need to be made which makes things more interesting.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness:
the activated ability is not groundbreaking, but despite the simplicity i don’t think we seen that exact text in print before, nor anything really too close to it.
however, this round 2 card of yours does seem fairly similar to one of Cardz5000's round 1 cards.
(3/3) Flavor:
certainly feels like a Cat Warrior. n they’re not a kitten anymore. the flavor is pretty yummy, i like imagining this dark, primal hunter character, it’s a vivid image. feels like a Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat, if you will.
the flavor text could flow better.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
i appreciate that you wrote “sacrifice another creature.”
(2/2) Main Challenge:
i wonder, what in particular (flavorwise) brought green into this cat’s being where it wasn’t previously present in their childhood?
(2/2) Subchallenges
Total: 23/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal:
it doesn’t really do much. is dependant on what your opponent plays, so neither johnny nor spike is going to be very interested. maybe johnny would find a way to make your opponents’ creatures target it. in the right limited environment of course the ability might be useful. it is certainly interesting, tho quite narrow.
(3/3) Elegance:
the way Solitary Yearling references itself twice doesn’t flow that great upon reading, but whatever, it’s necessary for the sake of clarity.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
yeah, it’s pretty darn green, thru n thru. the pumping, the fighting, and even the soft target-warding kinda thing it’s got going on.
(3/3) Balance:
no balance problems, since it’s too narrow. don’t see why it couldn’t cost 1G.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
i would like to see more original forms of target-warding like this.
(3/3) Flavor:
the mother was killed by a poacher n now this young beast is trying to survive on it own. pretty good concept. i’m not sure how well the Yearling card conveys this idea. it’s pretty aggressive, where i’d’ve expected it to be more defensive in this situation n trying to run n hide rather than charge n fight. i guess it had time to learn from its mama before she was taken down. in any case, i can accept it.
solitary seems the key word here, n tho i won’t take points away for this, i feel like you could have chosen a way to mechanically convey that idea more solidly (tho that might’ve been harder to do with as much originality). otherwise, you could have used a descriptive word that better captured it’s behavior.
i appreciate that the ability triggers off of provoke, so the Yearling would fight the Stalking Poacher if it ended up in the crosshairs. they would both die in the exchange, of course.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality:
“become the target” should be “becomes the target.”
the templating from Brown Ouphe and Ouphe Vandals shows that the wording for your ability that reads “target of a creature’s ability” should be “target of an ability from a creature source.” also, the ability might even specify activated and triggered abilities, tho I don’t feel that’s necessary personally.
(2/2) Main Challenge:
some flavor text on the Yearling would have been good, as i wanted more to help me understand what the young beast is going thru after the death of its mother.
(2/2) Subchallenges
Total: 21/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
pretty appealing. has some interesting applications. does a good job of tanking so you can get in when you go wide. i think this kind of design is very valuable to the health of magic as a game.
(3/3) Elegance:
it bothers me somewhat that there’s no symmetry between the second and third abilities. but it wouldn’t be worth the extra complication to force the third ability (or a fourth ability) to attempt to mirror the attacking bonus in some form when it blocks. i would say to cut the “or block” from the “can't attack or block alone” to make it rhyme like poetry, if that wouldn’t take away from the flavor.
trample makes sense on a big rhino, but is not really needed n i dunno what it’s really adding. you could’ve cut that.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
solidly red/green.
(3/3) Balance:
can’t see this showing up in constructed. would be fine in limited. a 4/3 with trample for 2RG would be pickable on its own, n the two non-keyword abilities balance each other out. could be a mite stronger honestly.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
i would like to see more of that fairly original tanky ability.
(2/3) Flavor:
the “can't attack or block alone” part conveys the chained concept well.
that flavor text makes me sad, so good job there. it also does a good job of conveying the tankiness of the third ability.
i don’t get the sense that this rhino is a particularly willing participant in the bandits’ operation, so i don’t find the Mercenary type so be suitable. i guess you chose that because Slave isn’t a supported creature type, n Mercenary is closest to the concept. Mercenaries are hired n get paid. the conflating of similar but different categories within creature types is something i can’t abide. i hate it when WotC does this- toads are not frogs, apes are not monkeys.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
looks good here.
(2/2) Main Challenge:
i’m interested to see where this Rhino will be in their adulthood
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 24/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal:
i like that the activated ability has versatility. it can pick of lil weenies, lure prey into a trap, or open the opponent to counterattack.
the name is too punny...
(3/3) Elegance:
i like that the activated ability matches the mana cost with a shift in the color- pleasant symmetry.
Development -
(3/3) Viability:
pinging and forced attacks are red. reach is green. this card is fine.
(3/3) Balance:
the pinging is appropriately costed, the forced attack is a nice bonus on top of that and it’s on an off-color activated ability so that helps keep the balance. giant spider with a bonus ability is ok at uncommon.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness:
it’s like my Spider Queen card from the February DCC which you also took part in.
(2/3) Flavor:
pinging has been presented as a psionic power since Tim, the Prodigal Sorcerer. and since pinging has shifted to red i could see the flavor also shifting there (tho pyromancy is the typical flavor shift, n blue is the color of the mind which made sense to have psionics).
there are different kinds of psionic abilities. a spider with mind control is cool n makes a lot of sense that it could use that to lure its prey. but a psionic attack that does damage is not typically a mind control power, mixing the two is a lil odd. i would think that getting pinged would break the trance.
the connection between this entry and your previous one seems slightly forced.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality:
“must” is not usually used in these kinds of forced attacks. it would normally say, “that creature attacks this turn if able.”
(2/2) Main Challenge
(2/2) Subchallenges
Total: 21/25
Tinkering Child UR
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
T: Draw a card, then discard a card. If an artifact card was discarded this way, Tinkering Child deals 1 damage to each player.
1/1
Her earliest experiments had a tendency to blow up.
First Invention 2U
Sorcery (U)
If you control no artifacts, search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Creature - Human Artificer (U)
Flying
2, Sacrifice an artifact: Up to two target creatures must attack this turn if able.
3/1
She had so much potential. Now, she wastes it on pointless theatrics.
Design .:.
(1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy, no, not a Timmy-card. Johnny though likes all sac outlets. While this card might not be for constructed-Spike, I can imagine them picking this in limited as often as possible.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Flavor and mechanics make sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: The colors are fine, the rarity as well.
(3/3) Balance: The card seems fine for an uncommon. With its low thoughness this creature naturally can be dealt with more easily. Usually there are several cards at common in any environment that remove small creatures. The ability is strong and good for breaking stale boards. Combined with a flying creature to me personally it looks not as necessary but there are creatures with a similiar combination of evasion and goad effect, e.g. Shipwreck Singer . So it's there to to attack and to clear the way for your ground troops. An effect I could even see used in an artifact EDH deck.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: While we know goading creatures in general this effect on an artificer is certainly new.
(3/3) Flavor: I like the flavor. In a vacuum it's some kind of rowdy breaking stuff, making the grown ups angry. Seeing the somewhat genius child to grow older having and causing problems is a classic trope.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: Forcing creatures to attack just reads "Up to two target creatures attack this turn if able." It's when you force players to attack someone that you insert the word must. Though there's just really one example in Trove of Temptation. Interestingly it is "this creature must be blocked" on the other side. A difference I was not aware of until now. No other flaws detected.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(1/2) Subchallenges: The card is uncommon, subchallenge 2 therefore is satisfied. What I can't see is how the life changing event of inventing something for the first time directly leads to daredevilish behaviour. If I had to guess, the next step after the first invention is fame or access to better education, awards or a stipend. Maybe the hoverboard was the thing invented, but the connection is not apparent enough, not for me at least. Therefore I say that the first sub challenge was not satisfied.
Total: 21,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Scrap Driller RG
Creature - Human (R)
T: Put the top card of your library onto the battlefield. It’s a land instead of it’s other types and has “T: Add C or one mana of any of this card’s colors to your mana pool.” Sacrifice it at the end of turn.
1/1
Ancient Automaton 4
Artifact Creature - Construct (C)
Defender
When Ancient Automaton dies, return it to the battlefield transformed under your control attached to up to one target creature you control.
The find of a lifetime...
3/3
/////
Steered Combat Armor
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +3/+3.
Equip 5
...and a lifetime of purpose.
Creature - Human Pilot (U)
When Rookie Steerer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Vehicle card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.
As long as Rookie Steerer isn't attacking, it gets +3/+0.
"Drilling for scrabs isn't anyone's destiny. Mine is fighting for freedom! Well, as long as my machine is with me, at any rate."
2/2
Design .:.
(1,5/3) Appeal: A really good defender doesn't impress Timmy, a really good crewer might. For Johnny it's not interesting enough. But Spike might like a two mana tutor very much.
(2/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. But I think it could be more elegant. The intention behind the non-attacking power buff is most likely to show how good this kid is at being a pilo, crewing vehicles. Yet it appears more like they is a really good defending combatant without the need for equipment of any sort. To fix this I'd suggest something like "This gets +3/+0 while crewing." or "This can crew vehicles as though it had a power of 5." This would also help making the creature type more plausible. So far being a pilot indicates a special interaction by crewing, something non-pilots don't have.
Development .:.
(1,5/3) Viability: Pilots and the vehicle theme is red and white, so far so good, e.g. Veteran Motorist. Yet the only card to directly tutor for vehicles is mono blue, that's Deadeye Quartermaster. But, despite blue being the color currently allowed to directly tutor for any artifact, both red and white are allowed to tutor for equipment. Because both colors already care for equipment. So while the only card to tutor for vehicles is blue, it is not hard to imagine white or red getting the same effect. The chosen rarity might be problematic. The aforementioned Quartermaster is a 4CMC card tutoring the vehicle into hand. Here it's a 2CMC card putting the vehicle on top of the library, with the upside of also being able to crew each but one existing vehicle.
(2,5/3) Balance: I don't know if and if so what the vehicle decks are lacking. Looking at current lists I don't think this card is needed to make the decks more competitive. The main vehicles, Heart of Kiran and Aethersphere Harvester don't need a super crewer and while the existing creatures can't tutor they deliver very aggressive abilites this one doesn't. It certinaly is an option to play around with. What I can say is that it's probably very good in limited and also a nice addition to vehicle themed EDH.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: There's only one other card that features the words "isn't attacking" in that order and it has a somewhat different effect.
(2,5/3) Flavor: This tells a nice story. The card pair from the first round already did that very well. It loosely reminds me of Anaking in Star Wars, with a mech armor instead of a racer. Besides that, as already mentioned, this kid is absurdly good a crewing vehicles. Not only that, the kid's also very good at finding vehicles or getting them ready to fight. Good old Veteran Motorist can't believe what rookies are able to achieve these days.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19,5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Pilot (R)
When Stala, Wunderkind Pilot enters the battlefield you may cast a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Whenever Stala, Wunderkind Pilot crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains protection from nonartifact creatures until end of turn.
2/1
Trainee's Sphere 3
Artifact - Vehicle (C)
Haste
Crew 2 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 2 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
The average trainee completes the sphere course by thirteen years of age. Stala lapped the average trainee at seven.
3/3
Enchantment (U)
When Stala's Machinations enters the battlefield you may search your library for a vehicle card with converted mana cost 3 or less, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
Whenever you cast a vehicle spell for the first time each turn, create an X/X colorless Construct artifact creature token, where X is equal to the crew number of that vehicle.
"Why pilot one sphere when I can pilot all the spheres?"
Design .:.
(2,5/3) Appeal: Both Timmy and Johnny like the first real way to abuse Consulate Dreadnought and other vehicles. Comparing this to Metallurgic Summonings I think it might be a Spike card.
(2/3) Elegance: It's somewhat easy to understand but not very elegant. Also flavorfully I think it would make more sense if a vehicle entering the battlefield would cause you to get a token. Having your spell countered and still getting the construct that was supposed to crew the vehicle feels weird.
Development .:.
(1,5/3) Viability: I don't want to directly repeat what I wrote for doomfish, but it's a similar situation here. Both regarding the colors and the rarity. In short, like tutoring for Equipment, tutoring for Vehicles is probably something red and white can naturally do, but so far haven't. Power level and complexity wise I find it even more pushed. Without the tutoring it may be fine. Both combined is just a very strong one card package.
(1,5/3) Balance: As a whole this is a strong build around card. I find it pushed at uncommon, for limited alone, and think it's a constructed worthy card. Vehicles that already are good on their own become better. But good vehicle deck usually tend to be more aggressive. This would make for a more mid-range to late-game or controlling vehicle deck. As a rare this card could be interesting without being format warping.
Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: The card's certainly unique and fresh.
(2/3) Flavor: I like the idea of Stala getting better at piloting the spheres. Being a wunderkind it makes a lot of sense. Yet I think the execution here makes her an artificer rather than a pilot. As it is strongly implied that shes's a good pilot I find it weird that additionally she starts buildings robots, showing skills in an additional area.
Polish .:.
(1,5/3) Quality: Comma after battlefield is missing. Vehicle, like all sub types, is written with a capital V in the rules text. Further it should be "Whenever you cast your first Vehicle spell each turn," e.g. Rashmi, Eternities Crafter. And "equal to" is only used in characteristing defining abilites that are written with a * instead of an X, e.g. Treefolk Seedlings, and when defining alternate costs, e.g. Past in Flames. Simply cut it and the wording is correct.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Bot subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 18/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes a growing beater. Johnny likes being able to turn discard into a win condition. Spike is only interested in a Limited context and only then if a lot of discard is available.
(3/3) Elegance: Definitely very elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Feels like one of those "signaling" uncommons for themes in draft.
(3/3) Balance: Nothing wrong here - strong if it goes off in Limited, just alright otherwise, probably not a Constructed star except as a backup for an 8Rack-type deck.
Creativity -
(0.5/3) Uniqueness: Pretty much just an updated version of Abyssal Nocturnus.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The stealing/discard connection is a little abstract. Sometimes it's there (especially in Masques block - Larceny), most often it's not.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Is the character's name Bandari or Brandari?
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy's into cheap double strike but is worried about losing to that drawback. Johnny has plenty of ways to either work around or take advantage of said drawback. Spike's interested in using it to kill an opponent with repeated damage to the face passively, but figures it's usually way too risky to use for this.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Drawback condition is slightly wordy.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Feels just right for uncommon.
(3/3) Balance: A card that's so bizarre to use that even in its most overpowered moments can only be called a niche wombo-combo piece.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Battle Mastery is hardly unique, yet the drawback is.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Addiction to whatever it is boggarts get addicted to - new sensations, shiny things - seems hardly likely to increase combat awareness/speed as double strike is usually flavored as. However, the whole card's effect does still tell a good story.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Fine.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 21/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy likes removal-proofing but doesn't really see much impact in a vanilla-otherwise midrange creature. Johnny likes enrage combos (but usually has better ways to do them). Spike would not pick this at all in a draft.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Damage redirection has slight inherent inelegance, especially with the added complexity of only being able to redirect to a specific creature type.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Nothing wrong here.
(2.5/3) Balance: Tremendously outclassed by - of all things - Lancers en-Kor. All in all, one of the most underpowered MCC entries I've seen in a while.
Creativity -
(0.5/3) Uniqueness: As previously mentioned, this is an en-Kor ability ripoff, and a fairly bad one - I understand attaching a mana cost is necessary to prevent abuse, but this really should have been a more interesting creature otherwise.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Using "Crowned" as a noun is a little... odd, so the name is awkward. Otherwise the protect-the-leader deal makes sense.
Polish -
(1.5/3) Quality: No space between the name and the mana cost. "Dinosaur" is spelled wrong. Apostrophe placed wrong in the flavor text.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Fine by me.
Total: 17.5/25
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝