This note will probably remain the same the whole month: This month of the DCC will all be taking place here on MTGSalvation, MTGNexus will formally open to the public in mid-July, the first MTGNexus DCC will begin in August.
This is true for the MCC too. This is the last MCC on MTGSalvation, starting next month (August) the MCC will be on MTGNexus as well. Those reading Blogatog, or following Maro in any other way, probably know that R&D plans to use way more colored artifacts from now on, and only allow traditional colorless artifacts to have very narrow effects, because they've been burned by every artifact block so far, often requiring bannings. We've last seen that in Kaladesh block, and we've actually already started seeing this philosophy shift in WAR and M20. So, this looks like the end of traditional colorless artifact design.
Main Challenge - Design a colored artifact. No silver-bordered cards. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card is multicolored.
Subchallenge 2 - The word "end" doesn't appear anywhere on the card.
Main Challenge
• The card can be a normal artifact without any subtype, an Equipment, a Vehicle, a Fortification, or have any other card types, supertypes, or subtypes somehow. All of these are fine. All that matters is that the word "artifact" is in the type line as a card type, and that the card is colored.
Examples:
- Artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- Artifact lands are fine.
- Legendary artifacts are fine.
- Legendary artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- The god weapons from Theros, with the type line "Legendary Enchantment Artifact", are fine.
- An artifact with a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Key" artifact subtype. I could design an "Artifact - Key", a "Legendary Artifact - Key", an "Artifact - Equipment Key", or a "Legendary Artifact - Equipment Key", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with a supertype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Ancient" supertype. I could design an "Ancient Artifact", an "Ancient Artifact Creature" (with any creature types), an "Ancient Artifact - Equipment", a "Legendary Ancient Artifact", or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with both a supertype and a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. I could design an "Ancient Artifact - Key" or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and both of them would pass the Main Challenge.
• If you create a new supertype, card type, or artifact subtype, you should probably include reminder text to explain what it does.
• Mind the length of the type line! There's reason why the aforementioned Theros god weapons are not "Legendary Enchantment Artifact - Equipment", and that's that all those words don't fit in the frame's type line. Whatever supertypes, types, or subtypes you add make the type line longer, and it has to fit in the M15 frame. If it doesn't, big point deductions in multiple areas of the rubric (at the very least Flavor and Quality) are awaiting you. MSE is your best friend, use it, whether you're a player or a judge.
• I too hope that Contraptions will come to black border one day, but that hasn't happened yet. Remember that Contraptions are only in silver border for now, so no Contraptions or silver-bordered cards please. Yes, I know that Contraptions have no border so that they can be reprinted in black border one day, but for the sake of this challenge they're considered silver-bordered and thus forbidden. Also, all Contraptions currently existing are colorless, so they would have been out anyway.
Subchallenge 1
• Both traditional gold and hybrid are fine.
Subchallenge 2
• This includes every part of the card. The word "end" can't be there in the card name, type line, rules text, or flavor text.
• The word "end" is forbidden, in any form, meaning, or conjugation. (See examples below.)
• Words that contain the sequence of letters "E-N-D" are allowed, provided that they are not derived words of the word "end". (See examples below.)
Examples
Things allowed:
- A card with "Spend this mana only to cast (something)" in its rules text.
- A card with the type line "Legendary (insert card type here)".
- A card named "Bending Time".
- A card with the flavor text "A good person lends everything they have to their friends."
Things forbidden:
- A card named "End of Times" or "End of the War" (both custom cards that I submitted in the DCC last month).
- A card named "Commence the Endgame", as the word "endgame" is derived of "end", in fact being a contraction of "end of the game".
- A card with an effect that lasts "until end of turn" or "until end of combat".
- A card with a triggered ability that triggers "at the beginning of your/each end step".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war has ended." Here the word "ended" is derived of "end", in fact being the past simple and past participle of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war is ending." Here the word "ending" is derived of "end", in fact being the gerund of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The end justifies the means." That's even if the word "end" has a slightly different meaning here, but it's still the same word.
If you have any other question, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
Seeing that right after I originally wrote this post, the site suddenly went in read-only mode for exactly 4 hours, and also because of the low number of entries, I've decided to delay both deadlines by one day. So, as of this moment (about 15 minutes after midnight EDT on Sunday 7th), there are actually a little less than 24 hours before the design deadline. Hoping the site doesn't go in read-only mode out of nowhere again.
Design deadline: Saturday, July 6th Sunday, July 7th 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Wednesday, July 10th Thursday, July 11th 23:59 EDT
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.
JUDGES
bravelion83
void_nothing
Algernone25 Mr. Rithaniel (reserve) We might use one more judge depending on the number of players we get, and also to just let Mr. Rithaniel play if they want. If you're interested in judging and accept the terms I lay down below in the "very important note", please consider checking the judge signup thread.
PLAYERS
Everyone can enter this round. Just reply to this thread posting a card that meets the main challenge and any number (that includes zero) of subchallenges. Future rounds will only be open to those who advance. Come join us!
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st (because of the advent of MTGNexus, see top of the post). This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables. 2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards, I wrote it more than two years ago but it's still totally valid.
A reminder to everyone: 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.
Another note that has come up in the judge signup thread, putting it here too just so that everybody knows.
For clarity, I'll say it now as the host for this month: a card will only be DQ'ed this month if it gets a zero in the Main Challenge category, and that should only happen if it completely fails the Main Challenge (for example if the Main Challenge asks for a monowhite card and the player designs a monored one, I know this is a bad example but it's the first that came to my mind), and the rubric will be applied with all the original intents behind it, which, again, I know as one of its creators.
BRACKETS
As an exception to the regular MCC rules, due to the extraordinary circumstances of this month, with Nexus opening very soon, the top 3 from each bracket will advance to round 2 instead of the top 4. Very probably, I will just follow the structure that Eventide Sojouner did last month.
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Token of IroasRW
Artifact (C) T: Add C. RW, Sacrifice Token of Iroas: Scry 2, then draw a card. Prayers offered to the God of Honor and Victory were returned with naught but desolation.
Filigree ScepterWUB
Artifact (R)
Artifact spells you cast cost WUB less to cast.
Colorless spells cost 1 more to cast. Function is not purposeful without elegance in Vectis .
Gloryseeker's GreavesRW
Artifact – Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has haste and renown 1. (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
If equipped creature entered the battlefield this turn, it has indestructible.
Equip 0
Scales of Life and Death2WB
Legendary Artifact (Mythic)
As long as Scales of Life and Death is tapped, whenever a player loses life, each of their opponents gains that much life.
As long as Scales of Life and Death is untapped, whenever a player gains life, each of their opponents loses that much life. T: Each opponent loses 1 life.
Abzan Vestige1B(G/W)
Artifact {U} T, 1: Add two in any combination of B, G, or W. 3: Abzan Vestige becomes a 2/2 Warrior artifact creature with mettle 1 until end of turn. (When it blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Priest of TransmograficationBBGGUU
Arrifact Creature - Cleric (R)
Whenever a nonartifact creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. That creature is an artifact in addition to its other types. The last Mirrans to fall in combat were not given the luxury of death.
4/5
Volatile VialUUR
Artifact {R} Imprint — Whenever you cast a sorcery spell, exile it.
Sacrifice Volatile Vial: Copy each card exiled with Volatile Vial. You may cast those cards without paying their mana cost. Save some for later.
Azorius Lawbook2WU
Artifact (R)
If Azorius Lawbook is untapped, spells you cast cost 1 less to cast. Otherwise, spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to cast. (W/U), t: Tap or untap target nonland permanent. "There is a rule or regulation for every occasion."
(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)
(If I'm needed as a judge, consider this a placeholder.)
Urn of Mnonia(G/U)
Enchantment Artifact U T: Add C. Spend this mana only to cast enchantment spells or activate abilities of enchantments.
When Urn of Mnonia is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you may pay (G/U). If you do, put Urn of Mnonia onto the battlefield. Mnonia was an elder god, presiding over the past and the future, over the concepts of memory and foresight. Even if her mind, body, and soul have been destroyed, she is far from gone.
Orb of PrescienceUR
Artifact (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 1. If you do, exile the top card of your library face down. X, T: You may cast a card with converted mana cost X exiled with Orb of Prescience without paying its mana cost. "You call it foresight. I say you're too slow on the uptake."
Xeres, Chronomancer
Fountain of Delight GWU
Artifact (Rare) T: Scry 1 and add C T: The next time you draw a card this turn, you may reveal it. When you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
你好 have you eaten?
I'm a simple Magic player since 1 year ago from China. Now I live in New Jersey.
Endy, the Bend MenderURW
Legendary Artifact Creature - Golem (R)
Whenever a nontoken artifact is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 2. If you do, return that card to your hand. He defends and attends so his metallic friends are not expended.
2/4
Ok, the design deadline has come, so the round is officially closed. No need for Mr. Rithaniel to judge, three judges are definitely enough. Brackets are as follows. As an exception to the regular MCC rules, due to the extraordinary circumstances of this month, with Nexus opening very soon, the top 3 from each bracket will advance to round 2 instead of the top 4. Very probably, I will just follow the structure that Eventide Sojouner did last month.
BRACKETS
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
Judge: void_nothing
Flatline
IcariiFA
Mr. Rithaniel
netn10
Subject16
Judging starts right now. The judging deadline is July 11th 23:59 EDT. My "very important note" in the OP applies. Judges, good work! Let's do our thing! Judgments complete. Strange how I found myself judging four Boros cards out of five in my bracket, but as a fellow Boros soldier, I definitely like it.
Also, right while I was writing these, Nexus went up, with its own CCCG forum, where all our three main contests will be starting next month, so you should probably check it out, and I better go (try to) register right now. Both links courtesy of void_nothing.
Token of IroasRW
Artifact (C) T: Add C. RW, Sacrifice Token of Iroas: Scry 2, then draw a card. Prayers offered to the God of Honor and Victory were returned with naught but desolation. Design (2.5/3) Appeal - I don't think Timmy cares too much, even if he does like mana acceleration. Johnny likes to dig for combo pieces and such. Spike really, really likes a mana rock that lets her also scry and draw. (3/3) Elegance - Just one word: perfect.
Development (3/3) Viability - There are many cycles of similar cards (see Uniqueness), and assuming this is also part of one such cycle, I have no problems with its colors or its rarity. (3/3) Balance - I think you'd certainly play this in limited if you're in Boros colors. Being 2 CMC instead of the usual 3 is a huge deal for constructed, and that coupled with the highly desirable "scry and draw" ability might let this card also take a shot at Standard playability. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - This artifact is just the last in a very long design line playing in very similar space. Once there were the Talismans (first the allied ones in original Mirrodin, then the enemy ones in Modern Horizons), then the Signets in original Ravnica block, then the Keyrunes and Cluestones in Return to Ravnica block, then the Lockets in Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Allegiance. This is just the next one in the series. (2.5/3) Flavor - I don't like that much the use of the word "token" in the name. In Magic, that word has a specific meaning, but I admit that its normal English meaning works perfectly here. I wonder if you could have used a different synonym. I just love the flavor text.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - In the flavor text, the words "god", "honor", and "victory" should not be capitalized (see Arena Athlete for an example involving Iroas himself, -0.5). A Gatherer search for "god of" returns 31 results, almost all from Theros and Amonkhet blocks. Notice the (lack of) capitalization in all of those cards. Copy and paste the URL if you want to check it (link doesn't work properly because of symbols in the URL): https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?output=spoiler&method=visual&action=advanced&flavor= ["god of"] (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Standard-issue Blade
Artifact - Equipment (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+1 and double strike.
Equip
Equip white and red creature The first toy of every future soldier. General comment (written before starting judging)
Can't get the space to appear before hybrids...
I've tried in all ways to tell you how to do it, both answering in the discussion thread and sending you a pm to make sure you saw that post in the discussion thread on time. Unfortunately, it looks like I haven't succeeded. I'm writing this before making the actual judgments, so I don't know if you will advance or not yet, but if you do, I advise you to always use mana tags in the next rounds (and everywhere really). They always work as intended, while mana smilies often don't, in several ways. Knowing that this was your situation, wanting to do the right thing but not knowing how, I will be a little more generous than usual in Quality, but I still have to make a deduction for this anyway, even if smaller than the one I would normally make. I'm sorry, especially because I tried everything I could to let you know the answer to your problem. Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy is very interested in giving his creatures a P/T bonus but especially double strike. I don't see much for Johnny here. Spike is halfway between Timmy and Johnny: she potentially likes the effect, and definitely likes the mana efficiency of the mana cost and the equip variant cost, but four mana for regular equip might look a bit too much to her. (2/3) Elegance - Not too long and very easy to understand except for the equip variant. In fact, there is a potential ambiguity with it: can you use "equip red and white creature" (see Quality) for creatures that are mono-red, mono-white, or both red and white, or can you use it only for creatures that are both red and white (excluding monocolored ones)? I think the intention is the latter, but I can't be sure, as this wording isn't fully clear. This reminds me very much of "devotion for two colors". When it was first previewed (remember, if they come from Wizards themselves, they're "previews", not "spoilers" or "leaks"), a debate arose: a hybrid mana symbol counts for one or two? Two parties formed, and I was in the wrong one. To me it feels more intuitive to count a hybrid mana symbol as both colors, as it also normally does in the rules by the way, so Boros Reckoner's devotion to red and white would have been 6: I count its devotion to red (3), then its devotion to white (3), then I calculate the sum (6). That would have been the most intuitive way to me, but it would also have been quite overpowered, so devotion to two colors has been defined in the other way, and a hybrid mana symbol only counts for one. But the debate went on for weeks if I recall correctly, until Wizards announced the CR changes for Born of the Gods. I think this would spark a similar debate.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything here is something that both red and white can do, so it's a perfect hybrid design. I also think that rarity is right. (2.5/3) Balance - In any format, you want to equip this using the discounted cost. Four mana for the normal equip feels like a bit too much, but I think this is intended, to push you towards actually using the discount, in the same way as Blackblade Reforged with legendary creatures. Once you clear up the ambiguity I've talked about before (see Elegance), I see no problems with this card being played in limited, and maybe making a little splash in Boros aggro decks in Standard. I also see no problems in casual or multiplayer either.
Creativity (2.5/3) Uniqueness - Equip red and white creature (see Quality) is technically new, even if kind of an easy place to go after equip legendary creature in Dominaria. This would have felt much more original if it had been designed before Dominaria was out, but I also admit that this vein of design space has just started being explored, so the score doesn't suffer too much from this. (2.5/3) Flavor - This card is in the same exact situation as the previous one. Was there a way to avoid using the word "standard" in the name, given its specific meaning in Magic? But again, it does work here if you use the normal English meaning, and the flavor text is just a work of art in my opinion. I absolutely love it, and it feels very appropriate on a Boros-themed card. Anyway, same situation, same score in this area.
Polish (1/3) Quality - Mana cost on a different line as the card name, and a missing space before the hybrid symbol in the last ability. You already knew both of these. Normally I'd deduct half a point for each, so one point total, but given what I've written in the "general comment" on top of this judgment, I'll do -0.5 total. But wait, there's more: it should be "Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has double strike", so wrong verbs in that ability (-0.5). Colors are always mentioned in WUBRG order, and in the Boros color pair, red comes before white, because for two-colored pairs you always take the shortest path in the color wheel. In this case, red-green-white is shorter than white-blue-black-red, so red comes before white, and so it should be "equip red and white creature" (-0.5). Finally, Blackblade Reforged also shows that the equip variant should come before the normal equip (-0.5). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Fountain of Delight GWU
Artifact (Rare) T: Scry 1 and add C T: The next time you draw a card this turn, you may reveal it. When you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost General comment (written before starting judging)
I've tried to tell you about the right formatting for text cards on this forum (and I think it will stay the same on Nexus) in every way and in every place I could, but apparently I haven't been able to pass my message. I've written about that in response to your cards in both the DCC and the CCL before getting here, to try to give you the chance to adjust this card in the MCC before the design deadline. Unfortunately, now I have to do exactly what I have tried to avoid in all ways, failing, and I have to give you a very low Quality score. I apologize in advance, but the MCC is the most formal contest we have (and personally, that's what I like so much about it). I don't know yet if you will advance or not, but if you do, please, please, please do check the advised formatting in the forum rules that I've linked to in the OP, as I always do on my months and other MCC hosts also often do on their months. Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes life gain, mana acceleration, and the thrill of "what card will I reveal? How much life will I gain?" but I honestly don't see him falling in love with this card. Scry is good for Johnny, and the last ability looks open-ended enough for him. To Spike, this card just has its first ability, which she does like, but the rest of the card could not be there as far as she's concerned. (2.5/3) Elegance - Not too long and easy enough to understand, even if it does require you to remember about the last ability when you draw your next card. But most players would just activate that ability in response to the draw, provided that it's not the card you draw in your draw step (you can't respond to that turn-based action, but you could just activate this in your upkeep in that case) so this is not a big problem. Let's just call it a small potential memory issue.
Development (3/3) Viability - All three colors are represented in the card's mechanics: blue scries, green adds mana, and white gains life. That's good. I think that the complexity of the last ability by itself requires this to be rare, so that's also good. (2.5/3) Balance - No problems in limited except for the restrictive mana cost, which will be hard to pay if the format doesn't support multicolor play. If you can pay it, you'll play it. In constructed, the "scry and add mana" is a highly desirable ability, but the lifegain one not so much under ordinary circumstances, at best being something you might want out of your sideboard against aggro decks. I think that if this sees a little Standard play, it will be mostly because of its first ability, and again, the hypothetical Standard format this belongs in should support multicolor play, something that doesn't always happen. The current one does, but it's not a given once the so-called, though not officially, Guilds of Ravnica block (GRN, RNA, WAR) rotates out next year. Another thing to consider, especially for constructed, is that the last ability makes you gain life but at a hidden cost of revealing information to your opponent(s). You usually don't like to reveal the cards you draw to them. Is gaining life enough to offset such a hidden cost? I don't know. This is one of those situations where playtest would be needed. I see no particular problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (2/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember anything existing that works exactly like the last ability here, but it's nothing groundbreaking. All the rest of the card is nothing new. (2/3) Flavor - I have no problems with the name or the concept of this card. I do with the lack of flavor text. There is plenty of room for it here, so I would have definitely liked to see some.
Polish (0.5/3) Quality - The name is not bolded (-1 because it's a very well-known thing that the name is bolded, and it's also in the forum rules as I've already said in my "general comment" at the top of this judgment). Two periods missing at the end of both abilities (two times -0.5 makes -1). The scry and adding mana should be separate sentences in the first ability. A Gatherer search for "and add" returns only two cards: Carnival of Souls and Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion. Both do different things from what this card does. I could see an argument for using "then", like in Isolated Watchtower, but I haven't been able to find any precedent for a similar use of "and". So the first ability should say "Scry 1. Add C." (-0.5) But I also want to include a positive note here: the correct and proper use of a reflexive trigger ("When you do...") instead of the normal "If you do". Cards like this are exactly the reason reflexive triggers have been invented in the first place. (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 18.5/25
Wojek IncendiariesR
Artifact {U} 1R, T, Sacrifice Wojek Incendiaries: It deals 2 damage to each creature. Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes dealing damage but not to his own creatures. Johnny is interested in finding some way to recur this. Spike just sees this as the next Pyroclasm variant, and those are usually good enough at least for sideboard play. (3/3) Elegance - Is being more elegant than this card even possible?
Development (3/3) Viability - Obviously red, and obviously uncommon for today's standards. Good. (1.5/3) Balance - I have a very easy time seeing this played in limited but a very hard time seeing this in constructed. I think most players would just play Pyroclasm over this, as it costs one less mana total, counting this card as if you want to cast and activate it in the same turn, which you'd most often want to do, and it doesn't sit there for the opponent to just play around it if you wait to activate it instead. And Pyroclasm is not a very played card in constructed as is, most often coming out of sideboards. If there are no other Pyroclasm variants legal in the format, this might see a little Standard sideboard play, but that's the most I can see this card doing in constructed. The fact that Pyroclasm is a sorcery while this can be activated at instant speed helps to justify the higher total mana cost, but it's not that relevant in the comparison between the two cards in my opinion. This card gets a little better in multiplayer as you have more creatures to be damaged and potentially destroyed, and this is not a bad thing. Overall, and in summary, this card looks a bit too weak to me. Being too weak is better than being too strong, but it's not ideal either.
Creativity (0.5/3) Uniqueness - This is not a full zero, but just because that's reserved for submissions containing already existing cards or functional reprints. This card comes as close as it can while still being technically new. This card feels very unoriginal to me, and reminds me of several already existing cards. For example, Pyroclasm and all its variants exist, as well as the Seals from multiple different sets, and others. I'm sorry. (2/3) Flavor - It's curious, it's the second time in my bracket that in this area a card is the same exact situation as the previous one, so let me just copy and paste what I've already written as it applies here too: I have no problems with the name or the concept of this card. I do with the lack of flavor text. There is plenty of room for it here, so I would have definitely liked to see some. Again, same situation, same score in this area.
Polish (3/3) Quality - As I've had the chance to learn in round 1 of this month's CCL, this use of "it" on a direct damage ability is the correct wording as of WAR, so congratulations for being up to date with the latest changes in templating. I just wanted to point this out here. (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (1/2) Subchallenges - Not multicolored, but doesn't contain "end".
Total: 18/25
Gloryseeker's GreavesRW
Artifact – Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has haste and renown 1. (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
If equipped creature entered the battlefield this turn, it has indestructible.
Equip 0 General comment (written before starting judging)
Welcome to the CCCG subforum! It's very nice to see a new player in a month where all the three main contests have registered a rather sharp decrease in participation, and I always like to welcome new players whenever it falls on me to judge their cards (always remember that we judge cards and not people here). I hope you have a lot of fun here! But I also have to say that the timing of you showing up has been a little unfortunate... I hope you know about Nexus (see the link in my signature if you don't know what I'm talking about), and I hope to see you there as well. Design (3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes everything on this card. Johnny might be more interested in using a zero-mana haste-granting permanent to abuse some activated ability with T in its activation cost rather than to attack. He can also like indestructible as protection for his combo pieces if they happen to be creatures. Johnny would love to play this in something like Splinter Twin: first, you play this. Then, all in a single turn, you play your untappingcreature, give this to it and finally enchant the creature. Now you have an immediately working Splinter Twin engine (thanks to haste) that's also protected (thanks to indestructible), and you can immediately combo off. Obviously, Splinter Twin is currently banned in Modern, but you get the point. This is the kind of things that Johnny wants to do with this card. Spike also likes to give haste to her creatures for free, while also getting even more bonuses at a reasonable price in mana. (3/3) Elegance - Not the shortest card in the world, but far from being too long, and very easy to understand anyway. I'd say this is definitely good enough in this area to get full points.
Development (3/3) Viability - Haste is red, indestructible white, and renown was primary in both colors in Origins. Good. I can also see this card at uncommon rather easily. Also good. (3/3) Balance - Usually you want your noncreature spells to be either removal or combat tricks in limited, but if you're in Boros colors I can definitely see most players trying this out even if it doesn't belong to either of those categories if they have room for this in their deck. Maybe you could see this as a sort of permanent combat trick, and it looks quite good in playing that role. Haste and indestructible, even if just for a turn, for a free equip cost definitely looks good enough for you to actually want to try it out in limited, and maybe Standard too. In older formats, I've seen Lightning Greaves getting played, and this looks similar enough to be considered at least. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - There aren't too many cards that care if a creature has entered the battlefield this turn, which is the most original thing this card has, but about ten do exist, printed years apart from each other. The oldest is probably Chaos Lord from Ice Age that cares whether it entered the battlefield this turn. If you only look at cards that care about other cards having entered the battlefield this turn, then the oldest might be Novijen, Heart of Progress and Simic Guildhall in original Ravnica block. Then a few more exist, but the list is too long to mention all of them here. (2.5/3) Flavor - No problems with the name or card concept. This time, I had to check MSE to see if there is room for flavor text. It turns out that one line could fit without any problem, but the card looks indeed much more elegant without it, and the text box is very nicely filled up. So I'm still deducting something for the lack of flavor text, but only half a point instead of the full point of the previous two cards, for which I didn't even need MSE to know that there is room.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - If Eldrazi Crabs could talk, Drownyard Behemoth would say that the second ability should be "Equipped creature has indestructible as long as it entered the battlefield this turn." (-0.5) (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Judgeholder, will have these finished by tonight. If anyone wants to know where my numbers come from, here you go.
Appeal: 2/3 - Timmy likes mana ramp and loves creatures, even if this is on the smaller side he's in. Johnny sees potential to do things, but these colors aren't condusive to what he's got in mind. Spike looks at this and just rolls his eyes, uninterested in a Gray Ogre but he'll take it in limited. Probably. Elegance: 3/3 - One look at this and it's immediately obvious what you're going for. Making up a new keyword is a little odd, but we'll touch on that later.
Viability: 3/3 - Yep, that's a wedge mana rock. Signets and Keyrunes say the costing is right and uncommon is correct, and since they cost colored mana to cast I'm okay with needing colorless to activate. You might have been able to get away with making the animation cost 2, but I'm fine with this as is. Balance: 2.5/3 - It's hardly the most exciting thing in limited, but a creature that's immune to sorcery-speed kill has value, and mana rocks with upside generally make the cut. I can't see anyone really wanting this in any constructed format though, outside of MAYBE a super-tribal commander deck.
Uniqueness: 1/3 - It's a keyrune/signet hybrid for wedges and shards, there's not much unique. Also the "mettle" ability is a word-for-word copy of Bushido, but since they can't flavorfully print bushido outside of another Kamigawa block I'll give you a pass on this. Flavor: 3/3 - Vestige is a PERFECT word for this, given how Tarkir ended up. You don't have any room for flavor text, but you don't need it in all honesty.
Quality: 2/3 - The ordering of payment of activated abilities is mana, tap/untap symbol, other costs - so it should be "1, T:" instead of "T, 1:". Additionally, cards like Guild Globe say that even with the change the syntax should be "add two MANA in any combination..." Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met. Sub-Challenges: 1/2 - "until end of turn." - two instances, in fact. The challenge was to NOT include that word on the card.
Total Score: 20.5/25
Appeal: 2/3 - Timmy just looks at this blankly while Johnny and Spike offer to trade him all the dragons he can dream of for it. Elegance: 2/3 - This is going to make people double-take, for sure. There's also a distinct inelegance as to what happens if you have multiples. I would have liked to see this be legendary to avoid that circumstance.
Viability: 2/3 - Red and blue is for sure right for caring about spells, but red tends to care more about sorceries than blue so I'd have preferred seeing URR as the cost. (see Anarchist or Burning Wish) Also I don't think this can be justified as a rare, you have to make it a mythic for power, as I'll get into next. Balance: 1/3 - Hooo boy. Most format's it's only just an okay gimmick card. This wouldn't be crazy if not for the fact that storm is a thing, and this just makes them EXPLODE. Doubling all their draw spells (and their storm spells!) and having them add to the storm count, all for only 3 mana up front? Yeah this is getting things banned in a heartbeat. I'm a storm player in modern and legacy, and even I think it's too much. Deducting 2 whole points for the egregiousness.
Uniqueness: 2.5/3 - Nothing does exactly this, but it's in the same lane as several well-known cards like Isochron Scepter and Spellweaver Helix and Past in Flames. The parallels are too overt to not mark down for it. Flavor: 2.5/3 - I'd want this legendary but not for flavor reasons, so I won't deduct for that. However, this screams "mad Izzet experiment about to go horribly wrong" and I would have hoped for something bringing me towards that.
Quality: 2.5/3 - If you're copying all the imprinted spells, you'll be casting the COPIES, not the cards. I would very much have liked the imprint reminder text on this card, there's enough room even with the flavor text, but Scars of Mirrodin chose to omit reminder text for it, so no penalty for doing the same. Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met. Sub-Challenges: 2/2 - Both subchallenges met.
Total: 19.5/25
Appeal: 2/3 - Timmy thinks the only thing cooler than dragons are METAL dragons. Johnny is in combo heaven, Spike sees six colored mana and dry heaves. Elegance: 2.5/3 - You don't need any rereads to understand what it's doing and it's well within its right to do so. But the long name plus the long mana cost squishes the text in the card name box. I have to mark down for that somewhere, this seems the most convenient place to do so.
Viability: 2.5/3 - Making this sultai colors is a small stretch, but the obvious nature of the Mirran-Phyrexian War and having Muldrotha as recent precedent say this is fine. I would like seeing this as mythic though, with Mikaeus, the Unhallowed as the closest point of comparison. Balance: 2.5/3 - Yeah, this is one of those "if I untap with this you're dead" cards. It goes infinite with any persist creature, but we have better wheels for those engines already and the combo is...manageable, generally. This offers a new way to do the same combo but doesn't make it any worse to go up against. The casting cost seems restrictive, but it probably isn't that bad. Major pain in the butt in limited, constructed I think can handle it.
Uniqueness: 2/3 - This draws very overt comparisons to Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, with a condition that much harder to shake off and infinite with. That you get to steal your opponent's creatures is interesting, but it's still rather clear where this comes from. Flavor: 3/3 - If there were a way to give bonus points for successfully using "Transmogrification" I would do so. But the Priest of Calvin's Cardboard Box is every bit the imposing figure you make him out to be, and it really encapsulates what's going on. Superb job.
Quality: 2.5/3 - "Artifact" in the typeline, and "Transmogrification" in the name. It's clearly a fat finger in the first case and a very hard to catch vowel sound on the second with a word I'm sure almost no one has seen, so a half-point deduction for those combined seems right. I was sure the mana symbols were out of order but apparently not. I'm not entirely sure why, but BBGGUU is correct. Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge was met. Sub-Challenges: 2/2 - Both sub-challenges met.
Total: 22/25
Appeal: 2/3 - Timmy is okay with recursion but he's not really interested in this, Johnny sees this and cries about how KCI is banned in modern. Spike sheds a tear for the same reason, then realizes it works with black lotus and LED and feels better. Elegance: 3/3 - It's simple what it does, and it does it well. Nothing to say here.
Viability: 2.5/3 - I'm...really not sure why red is here, between blue and white you've got "recur artifacts when they die" pretty covered, so this is an odd pie break. No extra deduction because it would still meet the sub-challenge with red taken off. Constant recursion I think is right at rare, for having to pay every time. Balance: 3/3 - This is a card that'll find a home somewhere, and it'll be a good card but not a game-breaking card. Power-level wise it seems fine, you can break it but you really need to go out of your way to do so.
Uniqueness: 2.5/3 - There's no shortage of cards that recur artifacts, but rather few of them can do so over and over again - only Hanna, Ship's Navigator and Argivian Archaeologist seem to fill that role. Flavor: 2.5/3 - Named creature is legendary, check. But the flavor text...it's there but it doesn't TELL me anything, and that bugs me. I wouldn't normally penalize for the flavor text being bad, but this is a degree where I don't even think WotC would do it.
Quality: 3/3 - Formatting here is fine! Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met. Sub-Challenges: 1.5/2 - You're clearly playing with fire on that second sub-challenge. You got burned.
Total: 22/25
Appeal: 2/3 - Timmy likes the statline but hates having to sac creatures to do it, Johnny loves the statline and LOVES saccing creatures to do it, Spike likes the typeline and is okay with saccing creatures to have a 4-turn clock. Elegance: 3/3 - Yep, for a card with a name like that it does exactly what you say it'll do. All clean here.
Viability: 3/3 - Compared with other rare vehicles, this certainly slots in as a good contender. It's a little pushed, but not so much that I think it has to be mythic. Forcing you to sac the creatures that crew it is also a wonderful way of saying "yep this is a black card". Balance: 2/3 - I am concerned that this can just get out of hand with anything that can make tokens, or other expendable creatures. The fact that you can push through 20 damage with just one Lingering Souls is a sign that it might be a bit too high-power in 60-card formats. That exiling removal is becoming more prominent helps, but...still have some worries for both standard and modern applications.
Uniqueness: 3/3 - It's a vehicle, the type still has enough of that new-car smell for me to not ding you for that. but we don't have a black vehicle yet and this perfectly encapsulates what a black one would look like. I'll take it. Flavor: 3/3 - I could make a contrived Iron Man 2 reference, or I could just give you the points. I'm just going to give you the points.
Quality: 2/3 "Indestructible" and "Haste" should be capitalized. Crew is still new enough to need reminder text at rare, see Mizzium Tank et al. (there's still enough room for the flavor text even with it) There's no card with all three keywords, but between Kefnet the Mindful and Hazoret the Fervent I'm fairly certain you have them in the right order. Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met. Sub-Challenges: 0/2 - Not multi-colored. Crew's rules text (which needs to be included for this rarity) has "until end of turn" in it, so I can't give you that one either.
Total: 20/25
All of these scores were super close, and the cut between 3rd and 4th was so close that I almost had to flip a coin.
Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
My God this is one of the strongest MCC rounds I've ever judged. Don't feel bad if you get eliminated because all of these cards would have passed with flying colors in any other bracket. Not a bad idea in the bunch.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: "Just a toolbox" doesn't excite Txmmy but Jxnny and Spike both like that.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty elegant stuff.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Fine colors and rarity.
(3/3) Balance: Very potent even at four mana, given all the things it does, but fine.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Obviously a Grand Arbiter Augustin IV callback is intended but tapped and untapped as a toggle with a T activated ability is relatively unexplored territory.
(2/3) Flavor: Not a fan of the name - it just feels like a playtest name, it's so generic. Even something like "Book of the Lyev" or somesuch would be more compelling. Flavor text also has quotes with no attribution; this is fine if the art clearly depicts the person speaking, but I can't imagine a person would prominently feature in the art that's supposed to focus on the book.
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Who doesn't want to cast a narrow subset of cards for a lot less mana? Why, you can ramp out Sphinx Sovereign and Sphinx of the Steel Wind with ease!
(2.5/3) Elegance: Interlocking cost increases and reductions are slightly awkward but it helps a lot that they're never meant to apply to the same spell.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity seem right.
(2.5/3) Balance: The mana cost is color-intensive, but even so I think the card is a little too powerful, especially since one makes all the other copies free.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Cost increases and reductions are old as the hills but this is a nice, fresh take on them.
(3/3) Flavor: Really good stuff.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Effects that reduce colored mana costs need to say "This reduces only the amount of colored mana you pay".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 23/25
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Primarily a Jxnny/Spike card. Jxnny for all the weirdness and combo potential of recurring any number of times from anywhere; and Spike for a cheap mana rock for enchantment-based decks.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The "graveyard from anywhere" clause is sort of unusual, but nothing about this card is overly complex.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Bizarre-but-not-big-enough-to-be-rare is part of what uncommon is for, and... yeah, I guess this card could be those hybrid colors, sure. Not a lot of precedent.
(2.5/3) Balance: I'm sort of worried about all the artifact sacrificing you can do with this card, but at least it's not a two-card infinite with Krark-Clan Ironworks or anything like that.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: I think it goes without saying that this card is very strange.
(3/3) Flavor: Flavor is out-there, and flavor text is a bit overlong, but what an intriguing piece of worldbuilding.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: A "big feel", epic-seeming card for Txmmy. Plenty of interactivity and combos for Jxnny. Spike likes the versatility but not the symmetricality.
(2.5/3) Elegance: A lot of words on this card, but it gets its point across.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yes white/yes black/yes mythic.
(3/3) Balance: Redundancy for the Exquisite Bond combo? That's the one truly game-ending thing I can find to do with this card. Otherwise, strong as a build-around but could backfire.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Sort of like Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond strapped together. Except... it's symmetrical. And you switch between them. And there's a T ability. Something of an unusual card, in other words.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Name is on-the-nose but feels just right. Something about this feels like an artifact of Athreos. Probably wouldn't fit, but short flavor text would have been cool.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: A bit slow and risky for Txmmy. Jxnny and Spike both see uses for what is basically a draw engine variant (especially one that free casts Hypergenesis and friends), although Spike isn't happy paying mana to whiff if they exile a land.
(3/3) Elegance: Seems fine in this department.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are spot-on.
(3/3) Balance: The fact that this card costs 1 to exile makes it perfectly safe imho.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Plenty of cards - many of them artifacts - have allowed you to exile the top card of your library face down in order to later "faux-draw" it, but the activated ability allowing you to effectively colorwash your mana and cast as though the card had flash are interesting twists.
(3/3) Flavor: I dig it.
Polish -
(1.5/3) Quality: Missing a dash to attribute the flavor text as well as text that allows you to look at the exiled cards.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
(This banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card End Hostilities by Jason Rainville.)
July MCC Round 1
Kaleidoscopic end
This is true for the MCC too. This is the last MCC on MTGSalvation, starting next month (August) the MCC will be on MTGNexus as well.
Those reading Blogatog, or following Maro in any other way, probably know that R&D plans to use way more colored artifacts from now on, and only allow traditional colorless artifacts to have very narrow effects, because they've been burned by every artifact block so far, often requiring bannings. We've last seen that in Kaladesh block, and we've actually already started seeing this philosophy shift in WAR and M20. So, this looks like the end of traditional colorless artifact design.
Main Challenge - Design a colored artifact. No silver-bordered cards. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card is multicolored.
Subchallenge 2 - The word "end" doesn't appear anywhere on the card.
Main Challenge
• The card can be a normal artifact without any subtype, an Equipment, a Vehicle, a Fortification, or have any other card types, supertypes, or subtypes somehow. All of these are fine. All that matters is that the word "artifact" is in the type line as a card type, and that the card is colored.
Examples:
- Artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- Artifact lands are fine.
- Legendary artifacts are fine.
- Legendary artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- The god weapons from Theros, with the type line "Legendary Enchantment Artifact", are fine.
- An artifact with a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Key" artifact subtype. I could design an "Artifact - Key", a "Legendary Artifact - Key", an "Artifact - Equipment Key", or a "Legendary Artifact - Equipment Key", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with a supertype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Ancient" supertype. I could design an "Ancient Artifact", an "Ancient Artifact Creature" (with any creature types), an "Ancient Artifact - Equipment", a "Legendary Ancient Artifact", or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with both a supertype and a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. I could design an "Ancient Artifact - Key" or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and both of them would pass the Main Challenge.
• If you create a new supertype, card type, or artifact subtype, you should probably include reminder text to explain what it does.
• Mind the length of the type line! There's reason why the aforementioned Theros god weapons are not "Legendary Enchantment Artifact - Equipment", and that's that all those words don't fit in the frame's type line. Whatever supertypes, types, or subtypes you add make the type line longer, and it has to fit in the M15 frame. If it doesn't, big point deductions in multiple areas of the rubric (at the very least Flavor and Quality) are awaiting you. MSE is your best friend, use it, whether you're a player or a judge.
• I too hope that Contraptions will come to black border one day, but that hasn't happened yet. Remember that Contraptions are only in silver border for now, so no Contraptions or silver-bordered cards please. Yes, I know that Contraptions have no border so that they can be reprinted in black border one day, but for the sake of this challenge they're considered silver-bordered and thus forbidden. Also, all Contraptions currently existing are colorless, so they would have been out anyway.
Subchallenge 1
• Both traditional gold and hybrid are fine.
Subchallenge 2
• This includes every part of the card. The word "end" can't be there in the card name, type line, rules text, or flavor text.
• The word "end" is forbidden, in any form, meaning, or conjugation. (See examples below.)
• Words that contain the sequence of letters "E-N-D" are allowed, provided that they are not derived words of the word "end". (See examples below.)
Examples
Things allowed:
- A card with "Spend this mana only to cast (something)" in its rules text.
- A card with the type line "Legendary (insert card type here)".
- A card named "Bending Time".
- A card with the flavor text "A good person lends everything they have to their friends."
Things forbidden:
- A card named "End of Times" or "End of the War" (both custom cards that I submitted in the DCC last month).
- A card named "Commence the Endgame", as the word "endgame" is derived of "end", in fact being a contraction of "end of the game".
- A card with an effect that lasts "until end of turn" or "until end of combat".
- A card with a triggered ability that triggers "at the beginning of your/each end step".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war has ended." Here the word "ended" is derived of "end", in fact being the past simple and past participle of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war is ending." Here the word "ending" is derived of "end", in fact being the gerund of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The end justifies the means." That's even if the word "end" has a slightly different meaning here, but it's still the same word.
If you have any other question, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
DEADLINES
Design deadline:
Saturday, July 6thSunday, July 7th 23:59 EDTJudging deadline:
Wednesday, July 10thThursday, July 11th 23:59 EDT(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.
JUDGES
bravelion83
void_nothing
Algernone25
Mr. Rithaniel (reserve)
We might use one more judge depending on the number of players we get, and also to just let Mr. Rithaniel play if they want. If you're interested in judging and accept the terms I lay down below in the "very important note", please consider checking the judge signup thread.
PLAYERS
Everyone can enter this round. Just reply to this thread posting a card that meets the main challenge and any number (that includes zero) of subchallenges. Future rounds will only be open to those who advance. Come join us!
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st (because of the advent of MTGNexus, see top of the post). This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables.
2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards, I wrote it more than two years ago but it's still totally valid.
Another note that has come up in the judge signup thread, putting it here too just so that everybody knows.
BRACKETS
As an exception to the regular MCC rules, due to the extraordinary circumstances of this month, with Nexus opening very soon, the top 3 from each bracket will advance to round 2 instead of the top 4. Very probably, I will just follow the structure that Eventide Sojouner did last month.
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
Judge: bravelion83
Eventide Sojourner
Hemlock
kwanyeegor
RaikouRider
slimytrout
Judge: void_nothing
Flatline
IcariiFA
Mr. Rithaniel
netn10
Subject16
Remember that my "very important note" from above applies.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Token of Iroas RW
Artifact (C)
T: Add C.
RW, Sacrifice Token of Iroas: Scry 2, then draw a card.
Prayers offered to the God of Honor and Victory were returned with naught but desolation.
Artifact (R)
Artifact spells you cast cost WUB less to cast.
Colorless spells cost 1 more to cast.
Function is not purposeful without elegance in Vectis .
Artifact – Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has haste and renown 1. (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
If equipped creature entered the battlefield this turn, it has indestructible.
Equip 0
Legendary Artifact (Mythic)
As long as Scales of Life and Death is tapped, whenever a player loses life, each of their opponents gains that much life.
As long as Scales of Life and Death is untapped, whenever a player gains life, each of their opponents loses that much life.
T: Each opponent loses 1 life.
Artifact {U}
T, 1: Add two in any combination of B, G, or W.
3: Abzan Vestige becomes a 2/2 Warrior artifact creature with mettle 1 until end of turn. (When it blocks or becomes blocked, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
Arrifact Creature - Cleric (R)
Whenever a nonartifact creature dies, return it to the battlefield under your control with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. That creature is an artifact in addition to its other types.
The last Mirrans to fall in combat were not given the luxury of death.
4/5
Artifact {R}
Imprint — Whenever you cast a sorcery spell, exile it.
Sacrifice Volatile Vial: Copy each card exiled with Volatile Vial. You may cast those cards without paying their mana cost.
Save some for later.
Artifact {U}
1R, T, Sacrifice Wojek Incendiaries: It deals 2 damage to each creature.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Artifact (R)
If Azorius Lawbook is untapped, spells you cast cost 1 less to cast. Otherwise, spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to cast.
(W/U), t: Tap or untap target nonland permanent.
"There is a rule or regulation for every occasion."
Urn of Mnonia (G/U)
Enchantment Artifact U
T: Add C. Spend this mana only to cast enchantment spells or activate abilities of enchantments.
When Urn of Mnonia is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you may pay (G/U). If you do, put Urn of Mnonia onto the battlefield.
Mnonia was an elder god, presiding over the past and the future, over the concepts of memory and foresight. Even if her mind, body, and soul have been destroyed, she is far from gone.
Artifact (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 1. If you do, exile the top card of your library face down.
X, T: You may cast a card with converted mana cost X exiled with Orb of Prescience without paying its mana cost.
"You call it foresight. I say you're too slow on the uptake."
Xeres, Chronomancer
Legendary Artifact — Vehicle [R]
Flying, indestructible, haste
Crew 1
Whenever a creature crews Widowmaker, sacrifice that creature.
You’ll win the race and die trying.
5/5
Artifact (Rare)
T: Scry 1 and add C
T: The next time you draw a card this turn, you may reveal it. When you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost
I'm a simple Magic player since 1 year ago from China. Now I live in New Jersey.
Legendary Artifact Creature - Golem (R)
Whenever a nontoken artifact is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 2. If you do, return that card to your hand.
He defends and attends so his metallic friends are not expended.
2/4
Artifact - Equipment (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+1 and double strike.
Equip
Equip white and red creature
The first toy of every future soldier.
Can't get the space to appear before hybrids...
BRACKETS
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
Judge: bravelion83
Eventide Sojourner
Hemlock
kwanyeegor
RaikouRider
slimytrout
Judge: void_nothing
Flatline
IcariiFA
Mr. Rithaniel
netn10
Subject16
Judging starts right now. The judging deadline is July 11th 23:59 EDT. My "very important note" in the OP applies. Judges, good work! Let's do our thing!
Judgments complete. Strange how I found myself judging four Boros cards out of five in my bracket, but as a fellow Boros soldier, I definitely like it.
Also, right while I was writing these, Nexus went up, with its own CCCG forum, where all our three main contests will be starting next month, so you should probably check it out, and I better go (try to) register right now. Both links courtesy of void_nothing.
Token of Iroas RW
Artifact (C)
T: Add C.
RW, Sacrifice Token of Iroas: Scry 2, then draw a card.
Prayers offered to the God of Honor and Victory were returned with naught but desolation.
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - I don't think Timmy cares too much, even if he does like mana acceleration. Johnny likes to dig for combo pieces and such. Spike really, really likes a mana rock that lets her also scry and draw.
(3/3) Elegance - Just one word: perfect.
Development
(3/3) Viability - There are many cycles of similar cards (see Uniqueness), and assuming this is also part of one such cycle, I have no problems with its colors or its rarity.
(3/3) Balance - I think you'd certainly play this in limited if you're in Boros colors. Being 2 CMC instead of the usual 3 is a huge deal for constructed, and that coupled with the highly desirable "scry and draw" ability might let this card also take a shot at Standard playability. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - This artifact is just the last in a very long design line playing in very similar space. Once there were the Talismans (first the allied ones in original Mirrodin, then the enemy ones in Modern Horizons), then the Signets in original Ravnica block, then the Keyrunes and Cluestones in Return to Ravnica block, then the Lockets in Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Allegiance. This is just the next one in the series.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I don't like that much the use of the word "token" in the name. In Magic, that word has a specific meaning, but I admit that its normal English meaning works perfectly here. I wonder if you could have used a different synonym. I just love the flavor text.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - In the flavor text, the words "god", "honor", and "victory" should not be capitalized (see Arena Athlete for an example involving Iroas himself, -0.5). A Gatherer search for "god of" returns 31 results, almost all from Theros and Amonkhet blocks. Notice the (lack of) capitalization in all of those cards. Copy and paste the URL if you want to check it (link doesn't work properly because of symbols in the URL): https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?output=spoiler&method=visual&action=advanced&flavor= ["god of"]
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Standard-issue Blade
Artifact - Equipment (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+1 and double strike.
Equip
Equip white and red creature
The first toy of every future soldier.
General comment (written before starting judging)
I've tried in all ways to tell you how to do it, both answering in the discussion thread and sending you a pm to make sure you saw that post in the discussion thread on time. Unfortunately, it looks like I haven't succeeded. I'm writing this before making the actual judgments, so I don't know if you will advance or not yet, but if you do, I advise you to always use mana tags in the next rounds (and everywhere really). They always work as intended, while mana smilies often don't, in several ways. Knowing that this was your situation, wanting to do the right thing but not knowing how, I will be a little more generous than usual in Quality, but I still have to make a deduction for this anyway, even if smaller than the one I would normally make. I'm sorry, especially because I tried everything I could to let you know the answer to your problem.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy is very interested in giving his creatures a P/T bonus but especially double strike. I don't see much for Johnny here. Spike is halfway between Timmy and Johnny: she potentially likes the effect, and definitely likes the mana efficiency of the mana cost and the equip variant cost, but four mana for regular equip might look a bit too much to her.
(2/3) Elegance - Not too long and very easy to understand except for the equip variant. In fact, there is a potential ambiguity with it: can you use "equip red and white creature" (see Quality) for creatures that are mono-red, mono-white, or both red and white, or can you use it only for creatures that are both red and white (excluding monocolored ones)? I think the intention is the latter, but I can't be sure, as this wording isn't fully clear. This reminds me very much of "devotion for two colors". When it was first previewed (remember, if they come from Wizards themselves, they're "previews", not "spoilers" or "leaks"), a debate arose: a hybrid mana symbol counts for one or two? Two parties formed, and I was in the wrong one. To me it feels more intuitive to count a hybrid mana symbol as both colors, as it also normally does in the rules by the way, so Boros Reckoner's devotion to red and white would have been 6: I count its devotion to red (3), then its devotion to white (3), then I calculate the sum (6). That would have been the most intuitive way to me, but it would also have been quite overpowered, so devotion to two colors has been defined in the other way, and a hybrid mana symbol only counts for one. But the debate went on for weeks if I recall correctly, until Wizards announced the CR changes for Born of the Gods. I think this would spark a similar debate.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything here is something that both red and white can do, so it's a perfect hybrid design. I also think that rarity is right.
(2.5/3) Balance - In any format, you want to equip this using the discounted cost. Four mana for the normal equip feels like a bit too much, but I think this is intended, to push you towards actually using the discount, in the same way as Blackblade Reforged with legendary creatures. Once you clear up the ambiguity I've talked about before (see Elegance), I see no problems with this card being played in limited, and maybe making a little splash in Boros aggro decks in Standard. I also see no problems in casual or multiplayer either.
Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Equip red and white creature (see Quality) is technically new, even if kind of an easy place to go after equip legendary creature in Dominaria. This would have felt much more original if it had been designed before Dominaria was out, but I also admit that this vein of design space has just started being explored, so the score doesn't suffer too much from this.
(2.5/3) Flavor - This card is in the same exact situation as the previous one. Was there a way to avoid using the word "standard" in the name, given its specific meaning in Magic? But again, it does work here if you use the normal English meaning, and the flavor text is just a work of art in my opinion. I absolutely love it, and it feels very appropriate on a Boros-themed card. Anyway, same situation, same score in this area.
Polish
(1/3) Quality - Mana cost on a different line as the card name, and a missing space before the hybrid symbol in the last ability. You already knew both of these. Normally I'd deduct half a point for each, so one point total, but given what I've written in the "general comment" on top of this judgment, I'll do -0.5 total. But wait, there's more: it should be "Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has double strike", so wrong verbs in that ability (-0.5). Colors are always mentioned in WUBRG order, and in the Boros color pair, red comes before white, because for two-colored pairs you always take the shortest path in the color wheel. In this case, red-green-white is shorter than white-blue-black-red, so red comes before white, and so it should be "equip red and white creature" (-0.5). Finally, Blackblade Reforged also shows that the equip variant should come before the normal equip (-0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Fountain of Delight GWU
Artifact (Rare)
T: Scry 1 and add C
T: The next time you draw a card this turn, you may reveal it. When you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost
General comment (written before starting judging)
I've tried to tell you about the right formatting for text cards on this forum (and I think it will stay the same on Nexus) in every way and in every place I could, but apparently I haven't been able to pass my message. I've written about that in response to your cards in both the DCC and the CCL before getting here, to try to give you the chance to adjust this card in the MCC before the design deadline. Unfortunately, now I have to do exactly what I have tried to avoid in all ways, failing, and I have to give you a very low Quality score. I apologize in advance, but the MCC is the most formal contest we have (and personally, that's what I like so much about it). I don't know yet if you will advance or not, but if you do, please, please, please do check the advised formatting in the forum rules that I've linked to in the OP, as I always do on my months and other MCC hosts also often do on their months.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes life gain, mana acceleration, and the thrill of "what card will I reveal? How much life will I gain?" but I honestly don't see him falling in love with this card. Scry is good for Johnny, and the last ability looks open-ended enough for him. To Spike, this card just has its first ability, which she does like, but the rest of the card could not be there as far as she's concerned.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Not too long and easy enough to understand, even if it does require you to remember about the last ability when you draw your next card. But most players would just activate that ability in response to the draw, provided that it's not the card you draw in your draw step (you can't respond to that turn-based action, but you could just activate this in your upkeep in that case) so this is not a big problem. Let's just call it a small potential memory issue.
Development
(3/3) Viability - All three colors are represented in the card's mechanics: blue scries, green adds mana, and white gains life. That's good. I think that the complexity of the last ability by itself requires this to be rare, so that's also good.
(2.5/3) Balance - No problems in limited except for the restrictive mana cost, which will be hard to pay if the format doesn't support multicolor play. If you can pay it, you'll play it. In constructed, the "scry and add mana" is a highly desirable ability, but the lifegain one not so much under ordinary circumstances, at best being something you might want out of your sideboard against aggro decks. I think that if this sees a little Standard play, it will be mostly because of its first ability, and again, the hypothetical Standard format this belongs in should support multicolor play, something that doesn't always happen. The current one does, but it's not a given once the so-called, though not officially, Guilds of Ravnica block (GRN, RNA, WAR) rotates out next year. Another thing to consider, especially for constructed, is that the last ability makes you gain life but at a hidden cost of revealing information to your opponent(s). You usually don't like to reveal the cards you draw to them. Is gaining life enough to offset such a hidden cost? I don't know. This is one of those situations where playtest would be needed. I see no particular problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - I can't remember anything existing that works exactly like the last ability here, but it's nothing groundbreaking. All the rest of the card is nothing new.
(2/3) Flavor - I have no problems with the name or the concept of this card. I do with the lack of flavor text. There is plenty of room for it here, so I would have definitely liked to see some.
Polish
(0.5/3) Quality - The name is not bolded (-1 because it's a very well-known thing that the name is bolded, and it's also in the forum rules as I've already said in my "general comment" at the top of this judgment). Two periods missing at the end of both abilities (two times -0.5 makes -1). The scry and adding mana should be separate sentences in the first ability. A Gatherer search for "and add" returns only two cards: Carnival of Souls and Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion. Both do different things from what this card does. I could see an argument for using "then", like in Isolated Watchtower, but I haven't been able to find any precedent for a similar use of "and". So the first ability should say "Scry 1. Add C." (-0.5) But I also want to include a positive note here: the correct and proper use of a reflexive trigger ("When you do...") instead of the normal "If you do". Cards like this are exactly the reason reflexive triggers have been invented in the first place.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 18.5/25
Wojek Incendiaries R
Artifact {U}
1R, T, Sacrifice Wojek Incendiaries: It deals 2 damage to each creature.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes dealing damage but not to his own creatures. Johnny is interested in finding some way to recur this. Spike just sees this as the next Pyroclasm variant, and those are usually good enough at least for sideboard play.
(3/3) Elegance - Is being more elegant than this card even possible?
Development
(3/3) Viability - Obviously red, and obviously uncommon for today's standards. Good.
(1.5/3) Balance - I have a very easy time seeing this played in limited but a very hard time seeing this in constructed. I think most players would just play Pyroclasm over this, as it costs one less mana total, counting this card as if you want to cast and activate it in the same turn, which you'd most often want to do, and it doesn't sit there for the opponent to just play around it if you wait to activate it instead. And Pyroclasm is not a very played card in constructed as is, most often coming out of sideboards. If there are no other Pyroclasm variants legal in the format, this might see a little Standard sideboard play, but that's the most I can see this card doing in constructed. The fact that Pyroclasm is a sorcery while this can be activated at instant speed helps to justify the higher total mana cost, but it's not that relevant in the comparison between the two cards in my opinion. This card gets a little better in multiplayer as you have more creatures to be damaged and potentially destroyed, and this is not a bad thing. Overall, and in summary, this card looks a bit too weak to me. Being too weak is better than being too strong, but it's not ideal either.
Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - This is not a full zero, but just because that's reserved for submissions containing already existing cards or functional reprints. This card comes as close as it can while still being technically new. This card feels very unoriginal to me, and reminds me of several already existing cards. For example, Pyroclasm and all its variants exist, as well as the Seals from multiple different sets, and others. I'm sorry.
(2/3) Flavor - It's curious, it's the second time in my bracket that in this area a card is the same exact situation as the previous one, so let me just copy and paste what I've already written as it applies here too: I have no problems with the name or the concept of this card. I do with the lack of flavor text. There is plenty of room for it here, so I would have definitely liked to see some. Again, same situation, same score in this area.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - As I've had the chance to learn in round 1 of this month's CCL, this use of "it" on a direct damage ability is the correct wording as of WAR, so congratulations for being up to date with the latest changes in templating. I just wanted to point this out here.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Not multicolored, but doesn't contain "end".
Total: 18/25
Gloryseeker's Greaves RW
Artifact – Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has haste and renown 1. (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
If equipped creature entered the battlefield this turn, it has indestructible.
Equip 0
General comment (written before starting judging)
Welcome to the CCCG subforum! It's very nice to see a new player in a month where all the three main contests have registered a rather sharp decrease in participation, and I always like to welcome new players whenever it falls on me to judge their cards (always remember that we judge cards and not people here). I hope you have a lot of fun here! But I also have to say that the timing of you showing up has been a little unfortunate... I hope you know about Nexus (see the link in my signature if you don't know what I'm talking about), and I hope to see you there as well.
Design
(3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes everything on this card. Johnny might be more interested in using a zero-mana haste-granting permanent to abuse some activated ability with T in its activation cost rather than to attack. He can also like indestructible as protection for his combo pieces if they happen to be creatures. Johnny would love to play this in something like Splinter Twin: first, you play this. Then, all in a single turn, you play your untapping creature, give this to it and finally enchant the creature. Now you have an immediately working Splinter Twin engine (thanks to haste) that's also protected (thanks to indestructible), and you can immediately combo off. Obviously, Splinter Twin is currently banned in Modern, but you get the point. This is the kind of things that Johnny wants to do with this card. Spike also likes to give haste to her creatures for free, while also getting even more bonuses at a reasonable price in mana.
(3/3) Elegance - Not the shortest card in the world, but far from being too long, and very easy to understand anyway. I'd say this is definitely good enough in this area to get full points.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Haste is red, indestructible white, and renown was primary in both colors in Origins. Good. I can also see this card at uncommon rather easily. Also good.
(3/3) Balance - Usually you want your noncreature spells to be either removal or combat tricks in limited, but if you're in Boros colors I can definitely see most players trying this out even if it doesn't belong to either of those categories if they have room for this in their deck. Maybe you could see this as a sort of permanent combat trick, and it looks quite good in playing that role. Haste and indestructible, even if just for a turn, for a free equip cost definitely looks good enough for you to actually want to try it out in limited, and maybe Standard too. In older formats, I've seen Lightning Greaves getting played, and this looks similar enough to be considered at least. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - There aren't too many cards that care if a creature has entered the battlefield this turn, which is the most original thing this card has, but about ten do exist, printed years apart from each other. The oldest is probably Chaos Lord from Ice Age that cares whether it entered the battlefield this turn. If you only look at cards that care about other cards having entered the battlefield this turn, then the oldest might be Novijen, Heart of Progress and Simic Guildhall in original Ravnica block. Then a few more exist, but the list is too long to mention all of them here.
(2.5/3) Flavor - No problems with the name or card concept. This time, I had to check MSE to see if there is room for flavor text. It turns out that one line could fit without any problem, but the card looks indeed much more elegant without it, and the text box is very nicely filled up. So I'm still deducting something for the lack of flavor text, but only half a point instead of the full point of the previous two cards, for which I didn't even need MSE to know that there is room.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - If Eldrazi Crabs could talk, Drownyard Behemoth would say that the second ability should be "Equipped creature has indestructible as long as it entered the battlefield this turn." (-0.5)
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 22.5/25
slimytrout: 22.5
Eventide Sojourner: 21.5
Hemlock: 19.5
kwanyeegor: 18.5
RaikouRider: 18
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Elegance: 3/3 - One look at this and it's immediately obvious what you're going for. Making up a new keyword is a little odd, but we'll touch on that later.
Viability: 3/3 - Yep, that's a wedge mana rock. Signets and Keyrunes say the costing is right and uncommon is correct, and since they cost colored mana to cast I'm okay with needing colorless to activate. You might have been able to get away with making the animation cost 2, but I'm fine with this as is.
Balance: 2.5/3 - It's hardly the most exciting thing in limited, but a creature that's immune to sorcery-speed kill has value, and mana rocks with upside generally make the cut. I can't see anyone really wanting this in any constructed format though, outside of MAYBE a super-tribal commander deck.
Uniqueness: 1/3 - It's a keyrune/signet hybrid for wedges and shards, there's not much unique. Also the "mettle" ability is a word-for-word copy of Bushido, but since they can't flavorfully print bushido outside of another Kamigawa block I'll give you a pass on this.
Flavor: 3/3 - Vestige is a PERFECT word for this, given how Tarkir ended up. You don't have any room for flavor text, but you don't need it in all honesty.
Quality: 2/3 - The ordering of payment of activated abilities is mana, tap/untap symbol, other costs - so it should be "1, T:" instead of "T, 1:". Additionally, cards like Guild Globe say that even with the change the syntax should be "add two MANA in any combination..."
Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met.
Sub-Challenges: 1/2 - "until end of turn." - two instances, in fact. The challenge was to NOT include that word on the card.
Total Score: 20.5/25
Elegance: 2/3 - This is going to make people double-take, for sure. There's also a distinct inelegance as to what happens if you have multiples. I would have liked to see this be legendary to avoid that circumstance.
Viability: 2/3 - Red and blue is for sure right for caring about spells, but red tends to care more about sorceries than blue so I'd have preferred seeing URR as the cost. (see Anarchist or Burning Wish) Also I don't think this can be justified as a rare, you have to make it a mythic for power, as I'll get into next.
Balance: 1/3 - Hooo boy. Most format's it's only just an okay gimmick card. This wouldn't be crazy if not for the fact that storm is a thing, and this just makes them EXPLODE. Doubling all their draw spells (and their storm spells!) and having them add to the storm count, all for only 3 mana up front? Yeah this is getting things banned in a heartbeat. I'm a storm player in modern and legacy, and even I think it's too much. Deducting 2 whole points for the egregiousness.
Uniqueness: 2.5/3 - Nothing does exactly this, but it's in the same lane as several well-known cards like Isochron Scepter and Spellweaver Helix and Past in Flames. The parallels are too overt to not mark down for it.
Flavor: 2.5/3 - I'd want this legendary but not for flavor reasons, so I won't deduct for that. However, this screams "mad Izzet experiment about to go horribly wrong" and I would have hoped for something bringing me towards that.
Quality: 2.5/3 - If you're copying all the imprinted spells, you'll be casting the COPIES, not the cards. I would very much have liked the imprint reminder text on this card, there's enough room even with the flavor text, but Scars of Mirrodin chose to omit reminder text for it, so no penalty for doing the same.
Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met.
Sub-Challenges: 2/2 - Both subchallenges met.
Total: 19.5/25
Elegance: 2.5/3 - You don't need any rereads to understand what it's doing and it's well within its right to do so. But the long name plus the long mana cost squishes the text in the card name box. I have to mark down for that somewhere, this seems the most convenient place to do so.
Viability: 2.5/3 - Making this sultai colors is a small stretch, but the obvious nature of the Mirran-Phyrexian War and having Muldrotha as recent precedent say this is fine. I would like seeing this as mythic though, with Mikaeus, the Unhallowed as the closest point of comparison.
Balance: 2.5/3 - Yeah, this is one of those "if I untap with this you're dead" cards. It goes infinite with any persist creature, but we have better wheels for those engines already and the combo is...manageable, generally. This offers a new way to do the same combo but doesn't make it any worse to go up against. The casting cost seems restrictive, but it probably isn't that bad. Major pain in the butt in limited, constructed I think can handle it.
Uniqueness: 2/3 - This draws very overt comparisons to Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, with a condition that much harder to shake off and infinite with. That you get to steal your opponent's creatures is interesting, but it's still rather clear where this comes from.
Flavor: 3/3 - If there were a way to give bonus points for successfully using "Transmogrification" I would do so. But the Priest of Calvin's Cardboard Box is every bit the imposing figure you make him out to be, and it really encapsulates what's going on. Superb job.
Quality: 2.5/3 - "Artifact" in the typeline, and "Transmogrification" in the name. It's clearly a fat finger in the first case and a very hard to catch vowel sound on the second with a word I'm sure almost no one has seen, so a half-point deduction for those combined seems right. I was sure the mana symbols were out of order but apparently not. I'm not entirely sure why, but BBGGUU is correct.
Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge was met.
Sub-Challenges: 2/2 - Both sub-challenges met.
Total: 22/25
Elegance: 3/3 - It's simple what it does, and it does it well. Nothing to say here.
Viability: 2.5/3 - I'm...really not sure why red is here, between blue and white you've got "recur artifacts when they die" pretty covered, so this is an odd pie break. No extra deduction because it would still meet the sub-challenge with red taken off. Constant recursion I think is right at rare, for having to pay every time.
Balance: 3/3 - This is a card that'll find a home somewhere, and it'll be a good card but not a game-breaking card. Power-level wise it seems fine, you can break it but you really need to go out of your way to do so.
Uniqueness: 2.5/3 - There's no shortage of cards that recur artifacts, but rather few of them can do so over and over again - only Hanna, Ship's Navigator and Argivian Archaeologist seem to fill that role.
Flavor: 2.5/3 - Named creature is legendary, check. But the flavor text...it's there but it doesn't TELL me anything, and that bugs me. I wouldn't normally penalize for the flavor text being bad, but this is a degree where I don't even think WotC would do it.
Quality: 3/3 - Formatting here is fine!
Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met.
Sub-Challenges: 1.5/2 - You're clearly playing with fire on that second sub-challenge. You got burned.
Total: 22/25
Elegance: 3/3 - Yep, for a card with a name like that it does exactly what you say it'll do. All clean here.
Viability: 3/3 - Compared with other rare vehicles, this certainly slots in as a good contender. It's a little pushed, but not so much that I think it has to be mythic. Forcing you to sac the creatures that crew it is also a wonderful way of saying "yep this is a black card".
Balance: 2/3 - I am concerned that this can just get out of hand with anything that can make tokens, or other expendable creatures. The fact that you can push through 20 damage with just one Lingering Souls is a sign that it might be a bit too high-power in 60-card formats. That exiling removal is becoming more prominent helps, but...still have some worries for both standard and modern applications.
Uniqueness: 3/3 - It's a vehicle, the type still has enough of that new-car smell for me to not ding you for that. but we don't have a black vehicle yet and this perfectly encapsulates what a black one would look like. I'll take it.
Flavor: 3/3 - I could make a contrived Iron Man 2 reference, or I could just give you the points. I'm just going to give you the points.
Quality: 2/3 "Indestructible" and "Haste" should be capitalized. Crew is still new enough to need reminder text at rare, see Mizzium Tank et al. (there's still enough room for the flavor text even with it) There's no card with all three keywords, but between Kefnet the Mindful and Hazoret the Fervent I'm fairly certain you have them in the right order.
Main Challenge: 3/3 - Main Challenge is met.
Sub-Challenges: 0/2 - Not multi-colored. Crew's rules text (which needs to be included for this rarity) has "until end of turn" in it, so I can't give you that one either.
Total: 20/25
All of these scores were super close, and the cut between 3rd and 4th was so close that I almost had to flip a coin.
JimmyGroove: 22/25
Superbajt: 22/25
Cardz5000: 20.5/25
The_Hittite: 20/25Freyleyes: 19.5/25Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
(2/3) Appeal: "Just a toolbox" doesn't excite Txmmy but Jxnny and Spike both like that.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty elegant stuff.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Fine colors and rarity.
(3/3) Balance: Very potent even at four mana, given all the things it does, but fine.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Obviously a Grand Arbiter Augustin IV callback is intended but tapped and untapped as a toggle with a T activated ability is relatively unexplored territory.
(2/3) Flavor: Not a fan of the name - it just feels like a playtest name, it's so generic. Even something like "Book of the Lyev" or somesuch would be more compelling. Flavor text also has quotes with no attribution; this is fine if the art clearly depicts the person speaking, but I can't imagine a person would prominently feature in the art that's supposed to focus on the book.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: OK.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 22/25
(3/3) Appeal: Who doesn't want to cast a narrow subset of cards for a lot less mana? Why, you can ramp out Sphinx Sovereign and Sphinx of the Steel Wind with ease!
(2.5/3) Elegance: Interlocking cost increases and reductions are slightly awkward but it helps a lot that they're never meant to apply to the same spell.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity seem right.
(2.5/3) Balance: The mana cost is color-intensive, but even so I think the card is a little too powerful, especially since one makes all the other copies free.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Cost increases and reductions are old as the hills but this is a nice, fresh take on them.
(3/3) Flavor: Really good stuff.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Effects that reduce colored mana costs need to say "This reduces only the amount of colored mana you pay".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 23/25
(2/3) Appeal: Primarily a Jxnny/Spike card. Jxnny for all the weirdness and combo potential of recurring any number of times from anywhere; and Spike for a cheap mana rock for enchantment-based decks.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The "graveyard from anywhere" clause is sort of unusual, but nothing about this card is overly complex.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Bizarre-but-not-big-enough-to-be-rare is part of what uncommon is for, and... yeah, I guess this card could be those hybrid colors, sure. Not a lot of precedent.
(2.5/3) Balance: I'm sort of worried about all the artifact sacrificing you can do with this card, but at least it's not a two-card infinite with Krark-Clan Ironworks or anything like that.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: I think it goes without saying that this card is very strange.
(3/3) Flavor: Flavor is out-there, and flavor text is a bit overlong, but what an intriguing piece of worldbuilding.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 23/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: A "big feel", epic-seeming card for Txmmy. Plenty of interactivity and combos for Jxnny. Spike likes the versatility but not the symmetricality.
(2.5/3) Elegance: A lot of words on this card, but it gets its point across.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yes white/yes black/yes mythic.
(3/3) Balance: Redundancy for the Exquisite Bond combo? That's the one truly game-ending thing I can find to do with this card. Otherwise, strong as a build-around but could backfire.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Sort of like Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond strapped together. Except... it's symmetrical. And you switch between them. And there's a T ability. Something of an unusual card, in other words.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Name is on-the-nose but feels just right. Something about this feels like an artifact of Athreos. Probably wouldn't fit, but short flavor text would have been cool.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 23/25
(1.5/3) Appeal: A bit slow and risky for Txmmy. Jxnny and Spike both see uses for what is basically a draw engine variant (especially one that free casts Hypergenesis and friends), although Spike isn't happy paying mana to whiff if they exile a land.
(3/3) Elegance: Seems fine in this department.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are spot-on.
(3/3) Balance: The fact that this card costs 1 to exile makes it perfectly safe imho.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Plenty of cards - many of them artifacts - have allowed you to exile the top card of your library face down in order to later "faux-draw" it, but the activated ability allowing you to effectively colorwash your mana and cast as though the card had flash are interesting twists.
(3/3) Flavor: I dig it.
Polish -
(1.5/3) Quality: Missing a dash to attribute the flavor text as well as text that allows you to look at the exiled cards.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21.5/25
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝