The Mechanic Creators' Contest VI, Round 1: Exclusionary
Welcome to the 2018 edition of the Mechanic Creators' Contest! Some of you may remember earlier versions of this contest, while it may be completely new to others. In each round of this contest, entrants will post 2 to 6 cards using a completely newkeyword ability, keyword action, or ability word they have created to fit the challenge. These cards must use exactly 6 design points among them - common cards will count for 1 point, uncommon cards for 2 points, rare cards for 3 points, and mythic rare cards for 4 points.
As this is the first round, anyone may enter. Each round will run three days and be followed by a public poll lasting two days in which you may vote for any number of entries, including your own. Following each round the contestants with the lowest scores will be eliminated until the final round to determine the winner.
Challenge: Design a mechanic that could be used in all colors except for one.
Just because it always seems to come up: Are the cards expected to stand alone? how much of a word count would be acceptable as a "pitch" for the mechanic?
Might of the Ancestors1G
Instant {C}
Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is 1 plus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Prepensive Rejection1U
Instant {C}
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is 1 plus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Dark Plans1B
Sorcery {C}
You draw two cards and you lose X life, where X is 4 minus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Winged Assenter4WW
Creature - Angel {R}
Winged Assenter costs 1 less to cast for each plan counter on it.
Flying, first strike
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
4/4
Just because it always seems to come up: Are the cards expected to stand alone? how much of a word count would be acceptable as a "pitch" for the mechanic?
Bash: When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it.
Always been quite fond of Lacolliths, so Bash is something I'd like to see. Blue won't be doing any because its not its thing. Bash will be primary for red and appear on small creatures on white. Green will have it in certain situations, as it's similar to a repeatable Ambuscade and black will be using in in a couple of creatures and granting it in a couple of ways.
Prominent Mace Master
Creature - Human Soldier Monk (c)
Bash (When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it.)
1/2
Shield of Bones
Enchantment - Aura (c)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has bash and menace.(When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it. This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Battle Garoteers
Creature - Human Warrior (c)
Haste
Bash (When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it.)
3/1
Barkshell Recluse4GG
Creature - Spider (c)
Reach
Barkshell recluse has bash as long as the defending player controls a creature with flying.
4/6
Companion (When this creature enters the battlefield, if it isn't a token, create a token that's a copy of it. Exile both of them if either of them leaves the battlefield.)
This mechanic is WGRu without black because working together isn't its thing.
Whitepure BodygaurdsW
Creature - Human Soldier (Common)
Defender
Companion Nobody in the Whitepure Brotherhood walks alone.
0/2
Greenhowler's Pack3G
Creature - Wolf (Common)
Companion
2/2
Circle of Scholars2UU
Creature - Human Wizard (Rare)
Companion T: Draw a card. T: Tap or untap target artifact or creature. "Together, we can achieve way more than each of us alone."
1/1
Soullinked Elementals1R
Creature - Elemental (Common)
Companion
Haste The fire in one's heart is always meant to be shared.
1/1
Individuality — When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, _________.
Individuality will show up in every color except for white, which likes to band together with its fellows.
Peerless Researcher3U
Creature - Human Wizard (C) Individuality — When Peerless Researcher enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, draw a card.
Sacrifice Peerless Researcher: Draw a card.
2/2 Don't question my genius!
—Van the Incomprehensible
Hunter Baloth4G
Creature - Beast (U)
Trample Individuality — When Hunter Baloth enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, it fights target creature an opponent controls.
5/5 Competition for prey is fierce in the jungle.
Gluttonous Imp1BR
Creature - Imp (R)
Haste Individuality — When Gluttonous Imp enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, target creature can't block this turn.
Sacrifice a creature: Gluttonous Imp gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/1 So, uh, what is it? I can't see past the stomach.
Aegis — Whenever CARDNAME and at least two other creatures blocks, [effect]
Defender of Duty1G
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Reach Aegis — When Defender of Duty blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, creature, target creature gets +1/+0 until your next end step.
1/3
Defender of Reason1U
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
Defender, Flying
Aegis — When Defender of Reason blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, target attacking creature gets -1/-0 until next controller upkeep.
0/3
Defender of Duty1W
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
Defender Aegis — When Defender of Truth blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, Defender of Truth gain lifelink until your next end step.
3/3
Defender of Law1R
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
First strike
Aegis — When Defender of Law blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, Defender of Law deals 1 damage to target creature.
1/3
Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.)
Although there wasn't room for a blue card, black is the excluded color. Blue and green cover biological adaptation, while red and white creatures are intellectually or situationally adaptive. A Majestic Myriarch style ability was never black's thing.
Shrewd Commando2R
Creature- Goblin Rogue (C)
Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.)
When Shrewd Commando deals combat damage to a player, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature that player controls.
2/1
Astute Cadet1W
Creature- Human Soldier (C)
Adaptive, Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.) More important than skill is the willingness to learn it.
2/2
Inquisitive OozeGG
Creature- Shapeshifter Ooze (R)
Adaptive, Evolve
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Inquisitive Ooze: Return target creature you control to its owner's hand.
2/2
Solemn Sentry1
Artifact Creature- Construct (C)
Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.) "It's waiting for something, and I don't think it's something good."
1/1
Welcome to the 2018 edition of the Mechanic Creators' Contest! Some of you may remember earlier versions of this contest, while it may be completely new to others. In each round of this contest, entrants will post 2 to 6 cards using a completely new keyword ability, keyword action, or ability word they have created to fit the challenge. These cards must use exactly 6 design points among them - common cards will count for 1 point, uncommon cards for 2 points, rare cards for 3 points, and mythic rare cards for 4 points.
As this is the first round, anyone may enter. Each round will run three days and be followed by a public poll lasting two days in which you may vote for any number of entries, including your own. Following each round the contestants with the lowest scores will be eliminated until the final round to determine the winner.
Challenge:
Design a mechanic that could be used in all colors except for one.
Contestants:
Open!
Design deadline:
Friday, March 30, 11:59 PM EST
Clarifications:
None yet, ask if needed.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Might of the Ancestors 1G
Instant {C}
Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is 1 plus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Prepensive Rejection 1U
Instant {C}
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X, where X is 1 plus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Dark Plans 1B
Sorcery {C}
You draw two cards and you lose X life, where X is 4 minus the number of plan counters on this spell as it was cast.
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
Winged Assenter 4WW
Creature - Angel {R}
Winged Assenter costs 1 less to cast for each plan counter on it.
Flying, first strike
Formulate (you may pay 2 and exile this card face down. If you do, it gets a plan counter whenever your turn ends and you may cast it from exile.)
4/4
I think it's best if they stand alone.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Always been quite fond of Lacolliths, so Bash is something I'd like to see. Blue won't be doing any because its not its thing. Bash will be primary for red and appear on small creatures on white. Green will have it in certain situations, as it's similar to a repeatable Ambuscade and black will be using in in a couple of creatures and granting it in a couple of ways.
Prominent Mace Master
Creature - Human Soldier Monk (c)
Bash (When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it.)
1/2
Shield of Bones
Enchantment - Aura (c)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has bash and menace.(When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it. This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
Battle Garoteers
Creature - Human Warrior (c)
Haste
Bash (When this creature becomes blocked, it deals damage equal to its power to each creature blocking it.)
3/1
Barkshell Recluse 4GG
Creature - Spider (c)
Reach
Barkshell recluse has bash as long as the defending player controls a creature with flying.
4/6
Hand-to-hand Master 1RW
Creature - Human Monk Ally (u)
Prowess.
Lifelink, bash
2/3
This mechanic is WGRu without black because working together isn't its thing.
Whitepure Bodygaurds W
Creature - Human Soldier (Common)
Defender
Companion
Nobody in the Whitepure Brotherhood walks alone.
0/2
Greenhowler's Pack 3G
Creature - Wolf (Common)
Companion
2/2
Circle of Scholars 2UU
Creature - Human Wizard (Rare)
Companion
T: Draw a card.
T: Tap or untap target artifact or creature.
"Together, we can achieve way more than each of us alone."
1/1
Soullinked Elementals 1R
Creature - Elemental (Common)
Companion
Haste
The fire in one's heart is always meant to be shared.
1/1
Individuality will show up in every color except for white, which likes to band together with its fellows.
Peerless Researcher 3U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
Individuality — When Peerless Researcher enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, draw a card.
Sacrifice Peerless Researcher: Draw a card.
2/2
Don't question my genius!
—Van the Incomprehensible
Hunter Baloth 4G
Creature - Beast (U)
Trample
Individuality — When Hunter Baloth enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, it fights target creature an opponent controls.
5/5
Competition for prey is fierce in the jungle.
Gluttonous Imp 1BR
Creature - Imp (R)
Haste
Individuality — When Gluttonous Imp enters the battlefield, if you control no other creatures that share a color with it, target creature can't block this turn.
Sacrifice a creature: Gluttonous Imp gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
1/1
So, uh, what is it? I can't see past the stomach.
Defender of Duty 1G
Creature - Human Warrior (C)
Reach
Aegis — When Defender of Duty blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, creature, target creature gets +1/+0 until your next end step.
1/3
Defender of Reason 1U
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
Defender, Flying
Aegis — When Defender of Reason blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, target attacking creature gets -1/-0 until next controller upkeep.
0/3
Defender of Duty 1W
Creature - Human Cleric (C)
Defender
Aegis — When Defender of Truth blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, Defender of Truth gain lifelink until your next end step.
3/3
Defender of Law 1R
Creature - Human Soldier (C)
First strike
Aegis — When Defender of Law blocks and at least other two creatures blocks this turn, Defender of Law deals 1 damage to target creature.
1/3
Although there wasn't room for a blue card, black is the excluded color. Blue and green cover biological adaptation, while red and white creatures are intellectually or situationally adaptive. A Majestic Myriarch style ability was never black's thing.
Shrewd Commando 2R
Creature- Goblin Rogue (C)
Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.)
When Shrewd Commando deals combat damage to a player, you may have it deal damage equal to its power to target creature that player controls.
2/1
Astute Cadet 1W
Creature- Human Soldier (C)
Adaptive, Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.)
More important than skill is the willingness to learn it.
2/2
Inquisitive Ooze GG
Creature- Shapeshifter Ooze (R)
Adaptive, Evolve
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Inquisitive Ooze: Return target creature you control to its owner's hand.
2/2
Solemn Sentry 1
Artifact Creature- Construct (C)
Adaptive (When another creature enters the battlefield, you may replace this ability with a keyword ability that creature has.)
"It's waiting for something, and I don't think it's something good."
1/1
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.