Everyone's seen a Goblins deck, and everyone knows how absurd Elves deck can get if you leave them unchecked. This month, however, we'll be forgoing the more popular creature types in favor of the less popular ones.
Main challenge: Design a rare creature with one of the following creature types:
Lammasu
Siren
Horror
Manticore
Wurm
Subchallenge 1: Your card has some form of synergy with other creatures of the same type. Subchallenge 2: Your card doesn't increase power or toughness of any creatures you control.
None currently.
Player Deadline: 23:59 EDT, 4 November 2014
Judge Deadline: 23:59 EDT, 7 November 2014
Design (X/10) – This reflects the work put into the initial concept of the card. Creativity – How original or innovative is the card? Does it present an old idea with a new twist? Does it employ an entirely new mechanic? Elegance – Is the concept easily understood at a glance? Does the design just 'click' with the flavor? Potential – Will different player demographics (Spike/Johnny/Timmy) find a use for this card? Does it stand out as a card to build a deck around?
Development (X/10) – This reflects the execution of the idea, fleshing it into a playable card. Viability – How well does this card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it at the appropriate rarity? Balance – Does the card's cost match its power? How balanced are its interactions with other cards? Can it be played in constructed, limited, or multiplayer without breaking any of those formats? Creative Writing – Does the name sound like it fits on a card? Does the flavor text feel natural and professional? Does the combination of name, flavor text, and card concept make Vorthos spout poetry?
Polish – This reflects the finishing touches made to the card, polishing it to an end product that could see print. Challenge (X/2) – One point awarded per satisfied challenge condition. Quality (X/3) – Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
Give artists credit for any renders. Also, make sure to post a text version even if you do a rendered version.
Use up to date wordings like "dies" or "enters the battlefield"
Spelling and grammar count!
Always format your cards like this:
CARDNAME 3BRG
Creature — Bear {R}
Trample
CARDNAME'S rules text goes here.
Don't forget to use appropriate line breaks! Flavor text should be in italics!
2/2
admirableadmiral
VeiledAssassin
Jimmy Groove
Ninja Caterpie
Sagharri
Marco
RaikouRider
Design (8/10)
Creativity – Fling, but for manticore tribal.
Elegance – It fits well.
Potential – It's not hard to see someone trying this out.
Development (6/10)
Viability – BR fits well.
Balance – This definitely pushes the limit power-wise. Black and Red aren't colors that get strong flying creatures often, and a four mana 3/5 flying is definitely up there in power level. Even if it's the only manticore you run, the ability to sacrifice it for free to deal 3 to something at any point is a very powerful ability. I think this needs to cost one more mana.
Creative Writing – The writing feels clunky, but the message is understood.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2/3) – The M in Manticore needs to be capitalized, and you need to say "Sacrifice a Manticore creature:..."
Total: 18/25
Design (9/10)
Creativity – A new iteration of indestructible on a creature.
Elegance – Understood well. I don't like that if you don't have another non-Lammasu creature out, you're forced to buff an opponent's creature.
Potential – This card sparks interest.
Development (8/10)
Viability – It checks out.
Balance – It's quite powerful, but not hard to remove and reqires support cards to go along with it. I think that vigilance makes this card just a little too strong against aggro decks; without it, this is a card I could see being printed.
Creative Writing – Very good flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (3/3) –
Total: 22/25
Design (10/10)
Creativity – The stuff of nightmares. I like it.
Elegance – Can a nightmare be called elegant? Well, if one could, it would certainly be this one.
Potential – There's potential here.
Development (7/10)
Viability – It fits the bill.
Balance – Triple black is quite the cost, but it's fittingly powerful. Any time instant speed discard is available, it needs to be closely monitored, and I think that this card would do well to have "Activate this ability only during your turn." Also, this card very quickly kills hellbent players; it attacks for 7 evasive damage; I think that it should only deal 2 damage instead of 3.
Creative Writing – The mechanics convey the flavor well enough.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2/3) – "Sacrifice" needs to be capitalized, and the second ability should be "Whenever a Horror creature you control deals..."
Total: 21/25
Design (9/10)
Creativity – Nothing that I've ever seen before.
Elegance – It actually comes together pretty well for me.
Potential – I'm not sure how many players will want to put in a card that punishes you for tribal.
Development (5/10)
Viability – It fits well.
Balance – This is probably fairly weak. The auxilary mill effect clashes with the combat-based unblockable effect, and in the end this card feels more detrimental that beneficial. Plus, this card wants lots of Horrors in play, but the -1/-1 effect makes them a lot worse.
Creative Writing – You could've had some flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Other Horror creatures you control..."
Total: 18.5/25
Design (9/10)
Creativity – It's new.
Elegance – This would definitely be revered because it's got godlike powers.
Potential – People will try this card out.
Development (6/10)
Viability – White is good, but this should probably be mythic; see balance.
Balance – This card is basically unbeatable in limited unless your opponent has removal the turn you play it. A 5/5 flying and psuedo-vigilance is already really strong. But if you add in the protection effect, this card is absurdly powerful. This is mythic rare deserving.
Creative Writing – A one-liner would have done you well.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (3/3) – In the future you should use the American spelling of "color".
Total: 20/25
Design (7/10)
Creativity – Wandering Wolf, but for all of your (presumably beefy) wurms.
Elegance – It makes sense.
Potential – This is a johnny card for sure, but anyone can appreciate the sheer power of the card.
Development (6/10)
Viability – I'm going to pretend that this is a rare because the main challenge requires it. Green makes sense here.
Balance – In most cases, your average wurm, which is generally 5/5 or bigger, will be the biggest creature on the battlefield. Because of that, your wurms are essentially unblockable. It's comparable to Bellowing Tanglewurm in that aspect, but only for wurms instead of green creatures. I feel like it's balanced if unexciting.
Creative Writing – There definitely should have been flavor text, and "tuskwurm" isn't exciting nor is it especially evokative.
Blackflame Manticore 2RB
Creature - Manticore (R)
Flying
Sacrifice a manticore you control: Blackflame Manticore deals X damage to target creature or player,
where X is equal to the sacrificed creature’s power. It has no problem taking out its own, even if for temporary power.
3/5
Guardian Lammasu2WW
Creature - Lammasu (R)
Flying, vigilance
Whenever a Lammasu creature you control attacks or blocks, target non-Lammasu creature gains indestructible until end of turn. The Fakeen protect the Great Temple, and in return Urati sends his lammasu to protect the Fakeen.
2/4
Do you get 1 point for challenges if you do the second without the first? kappa.
Reveller of Nightmares1BBB
Creature - Horror (R)
Intimidate
Whenever a Horror you control deals damage to a player, if that player has no cards in hand, he or she loses 3 life. 1B, sacrifice a Horror: Each player discards a card.
4/2
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If you're having creature problems I feel bad for you son
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
Revered Lammasu4WW
Creature - Lammasu (Rare)
Flying T: Target creature you control gains protection from the colour of your choice until end of turn.
At the beginning of each player’s end step, untap all Lammasu creatures you control.
5/5
Fate-Sealer Siren1UB
Creature - Siren (R)
Flying
As long as Fate-Sealer Siren is untapped, creatures your opponents control attack you each turn if able.
Whenever one or more creatures attack you, Sirens you control gain deathtouch until end of turn.
2/3
First, some important notes. If you care about the way I'm going to judge, read this.
As it's the first time I judge, I want everyone to understand the way I'm going to judge. I won't repeat this every time.
Regarding the design and development sections of the rubric, the method I'm going to use is to mentally divide the ten points equally among the three subsections, judge each of them separately assigning all or part of the points for that subsection and then adding up the points to obtain the total section points.
The challenge section is the easiest one. What matters is that I'm always going to adhere to the letter of the law. See GG Crono's card for an example of that: subchallenge 2 this round says "doesn't increase", not "doesn't modify". So for me what's out of bounds is giving +X/+X, while -X/-X is ok, because that's decreasing P/T and so it indeed counts as "not increasing".
Regarding quality, it's already written among the tips, but it's very important to me, so I'll stress it: wording, spelling and grammar are essential! You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if it's written as badly as to not be clean and understandable enough, what good is it? I will deduct half a point for any error in the quality section, while particularly bad errors will entail a deduction of a whole point. Beware of the wording!
Finally, as Moss_Elemental always says, I don't want to hear any complaint. Of course, if there is something I objectively got wrong (such as a wrong sum of points, for example), let me notice and I'll check it. But I don't want to hear anything such as "That player's card was worse than mine and you gave him a higher score!" or "My card is the best! How could you give it such a low score?". I'll simply ignore comments like those.
And now some clarifications that are specific for this round. Of course, this is my interpretation of what admirableadmiral wrote in the OP, so if other judges judge differently I won't respond of that. @TacticalCelebrant: you got lucky! You're in my bracket, so you won't have to worry about this!
Do you get 1 point for challenges if you do the second without the first?
Correct, see the rubric:
One point awarded per satisfied challenge condition.
That means you have to satisfy the main challenge and then you can meet any number (0 to 2, it's your choice) of those that were normally called "additional challenges" and here admirableadmiral called "subchallenges" (just a change in terminology). The points in the challenge section of the rubric are 1 per "subchallenge" met.
Can my card have more than one creature type as long as it includes one from the list?
Given the way the main challenge is written, the letter of the law says yes, it can. Nowhere does it state that it can't have other creature types.
What follows is the judge card I promised. I'll probably do one every time, as I enjoy judging a lot, but I also enjoy designing. I'll always post it after the player's deadline, though, as I don't want to potentially influence the player's designs.
Alaran Wurm4GG
Creature — Wurm (R)
Trample
When Alaran Wurm enters the battlefield, if you control another Wurm, draw a card.
Unearth 5GG(5GG: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.) Coming in and out of new Alara’s earth both in life and death.
5/5
And now, finally, what you really care for. On to the judgings!
Locria, the Echoing Queen2UUU
Legendary Creature - Siren (M)
Flying
When Locria, the Echoing Queen enters the battlefield, put two 2/2 blue Siren creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. 1U: Target attacking creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of Siren creatures you control. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/4
Design (7.5/10) Creativity – This card's abilities are nothing new, but at least they've never been put together on the same card before. Elegance – The attacking creature is weakened by the sirens' chant. This design is a good mechanical representation of that, even though it's a bit too wordy to achieve full score here. Potential – Timmy may try this, Johnny may look for something to do with the token trigger and Spike sees this as 6 points of power for 5 mana. They all have something for them in this card, but nothing that makes any of them just go crazy as they see it.
Development (8/10) Viability – Perfectly within the color pie. This is rightfully mythic, but the main challenge specified "rare". Here I will consider mythic a subset of rare, as WotC sometimes does, and accept this, but you've walked on a very thin line here. Balance – It's a bomb in limited. I think this would surely be played in constructed too. A card that puts 6 points of power with evasion and 8 of toughness on the board for 5 mana is certainly very strong. Maybe too strong. Creative Writing – Name is fine. No room for flavor text.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. By the way, very clever way to pass subchallenge 2: it says "doesn't increase", and you indeed don't increase power, you decrease it (-X/-0)! Quality (3/3) – All good here.
Veldguard Lammasu3WW
Creature - Lammasu {R}
Flying Finesse — When Veldguard Lammasu attacks, after blockers are declared, you may switch it with another attacking creature you control.
When Veldguard Lammasu deals combat damage to a player, if it switched with a Lammasu creature this turn, untap all creatures you control.
4/4
Design (6/10) Creativity – Nothing like that has ever been done before. Elegance – It doesn't feel very clear what switching attackers means: I guess it's so that then each one has the other's blockers. I don't feel like you would understand what this does at a glance. After thinking about it, sure, but not at a glance. I think reminder text would have greatly helped here. Potential – This is a Johnny card at heart, with all the switching going on. I don't think Timmy would be excited by this card after reading it. Spike doesn't care.
Development (7.5/10) Viability – Nothing looks like it's blatantly out of the color pie. Maybe switching attackers feels a little more blue to me than white, but I can see it playing in the "I set the rules" aspect of white. Rarity is right. Balance – The mana cost looks right, if not too low. I'm not sure how to evaluate the switching in regard to the cost, but it looks like this is very difficult to kill in combat: if I block this with a flier big enough to kill this, then you may switch this with another attacker so that it doesn't die, and this looks very strong. Also, if the creature you switched this with wasn't blocked, then you also get to untap your creatures. I could see this costing one mana more because of this. Creative Writing – Name is fine. No room for flavor text.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Whenever Veldguard Lammasu attacks" and "Whenever Veldguard Lammasu deals combat damage" as you expect these triggers to happen more than once (half a point deducted). Also, not sure about "after blockers are declared", as it's never been on a triggered ability. Written like this it just looks like an intervening if clause, but indeed I don't know how else you could write this condition, so I won't deduct any points for this.
Can my card have more than one creature type as long as it includes one from the list? If not, please subtract the Priest creature type.
Insanity Ritualist1BB
Creature - Horror Priest (R)
Sacrifice a creature: Until end of turn, Horror spells cost you 1 less for each Horror creature you control.
3/2
Design (8/10) Creativity – I can't think of any other cost reduction as an effect of an activated ability. Elegance – All good here. Potential – This is a pure Johnny card. Timmy and Spike don't care.
Development (7/10) Viability – All good here. Balance – I feel this should either cost one mana more or be smaller (2/2 instead of 3/2 would already be enough). This would probably be played in any casual Horror deck. I don't see it in constructed, unless Horrors are somehow a major tribe. In limited it would probably be played just for its mana to P/T ratio and not for its abilities. Creative Writing – Name is fine. No flavor text, even though there would have been room for it.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Horror spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each Horror creature you control." (half a point deducted).
Flying
Whenever a Manticore creature deals damage to a creature, put a molten counter on that creature. Then if that creature has two or more molten counters on it, destroy it.
"Deep in the furnace dwells a creature. They say its half man, half lion with a scorpion tail. No such creature can exist, we enter the furnace at day break." --Captain Azhanf's last letter.
3/3
Design (8/10) Creativity – There has already been something like this, but it was a very long time ago (Bomb Squad in Odissey). I couldn't remember it myself and had to look for it. I guess most people (probably including you when designing this card) don't even know about it. Elegance – All good here. Potential – It's too small for Timmy to care. Johnny is looking for ways to destroy creatures with this without having to attack, as it doesn't specify "combat" damage. Spike may care, but probably thinks that it's too slow as removal and prefers to just use it as a 3/3 flier for 4 mana.
Development (7.5/10) Viability – Red doesn't normally have the ability to destroy creatures outright, but it does so via damage. That's one of the things that distinguishes it from black. Rarity is good. Balance – Cost looks right. This would surely be played in limited, but I don't see it in constructed. There, it's too slow as removal, and as a french vanilla creature it's probably not enough. Creative Writing – Not breathtaking, but both name and flavor text are fine as creative goes.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. Quality (1/3) – Flavor text should be in italics (half a point deducted). A comma is missing after "Then" in the rules text (half a point deducted). In the flavor text, "its" should be "it's" with an apostrophe, as it's a verb standing for "it is" and not a possessive adjective (half a point deducted) and there shouldn't be a period after the attribution (a very minor error compared with the others, so no points deducted because of this, just for this time). The attribution should also be on a separate line. (Half a point deducted. If it looks to you as if it's already on its own line, zoom out the page within your browser to see that it actually isn't. It's also visible in the code of the post, as you can see if you quote it. It took me a whole day to realize this.)
Ancient One3WW
Legendary Creature - Lammasu [R]
Flying
Other creatures you control have protection from creatures with flying.
Other creatures you control have protection from creatures without flying as long as you control another Lammasu. To see a lammasu is a good omen. No one ever has seen a pair, but legend says they bring the greatest blessing.
4/5
Design (9/10) Creativity – We've seen protection from creatures multiple times already, but never as protection from creatures with or without a keyword. That's new. Elegance – This is clean and immediately understandable. Very good. Potential – Timmy is excited by a creature big enough to matter and that protects his other big creatures. Johnny doesn't care. Spike may play this as a finisher.
Development (8.5/10) Viability – MaRo said multiple times that white is supposed to have protection from colors, while blue has protection from things other than colors, but WotC is the first to not always follow this policy, so I can't penalize you too much for this. Rarity is fine. Balance – At first glance, the cost looks right. Probably it would have looked even better with square stats (4/4), but how it's now is fine too. Obvious bomb in limited, and probably playable in constructed too, at least as a finisher in some kind of white/blue control deck. Creative Writing – All looks good here.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. Quality (3/3) – All good here.
Ruptureflock Siren2UB
Creature - Siren (R)
Flying UB: Target creature an opponent controls attacks you this turn if able. Until end of turn, whenever it becomes blocked by a siren, destroy it. A song to draw them in, accompanied by a choir of claws.
3/4
Design (6.5/10) Creativity – Alluring Siren at the next level. This mix of abilities is indeed new, but we've already seen the concept. Elegance – You have to read it carefully to understand this well, but once you do you see that this a very good mechanical representation of its flavor. Potential – Timmy probably wonders why should he play a creature that makes other creatures attack you. Johnny probably doesn't care either. Spike, at the contrary, sees this as potential removal, since he can force an annoying creature to attack him and then kill it with the deathtouch-like ability.
Development (8.5/10) Viability – Perfectly within the color pie. Rarity looks right. Balance – It looks a bit undercosted: blue is supposed to be last in creature efficiency and black is higher in that but not too much. Surely playable in limited, maybe in constructed as a kind of removal in a control deck. Creative Writing – Name looks good enough. Flavor text is very good.
Polish Challenge (2/2) – Both met. Quality (2.5/3) – The word "siren" should be capitalized in the activated ability, as it's a creature type (half a point deducted).
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.)
Soul-Leech Liege
Creature - Horror (R)
Deathtouch, intimidate
Other Horror creatures you control have intimidate.
Whenever a player attacks you or a planeswalker you control with one or more creatures, that player loses X life, where X is equal to the number of Horror creatures you control. The denizens of the Bloodmurk Bogs will literally scare the life out of you.
3/3
(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)
World Devourer 5RGG
Creature - Wurm {R}
Whenever a Wurm comes into play under your control, Until End of Turn Wurms you control gain Trample and 'When this creature deals combat damage to an opponent, destroy target land that player controls.' 2GG, T: Put a 4/4 Wurm creature token into play.
6/6
"A quake, you're awake. A shake and you make like a stampeding herd, to the hills you take. Through the earth it snakes. The World Devourer swallows the land like a cake."
Each other creature you control gets -1/-1 and is a Horror in addition to its other creature types.
Whenever another Horror you control dies, return it to its owner's hand.
Once the darkness corrupts you, even death can't end your misery.
Trample
Whenever Chrysalis Wurm deals damage to a permanent or player, put a feeding counter on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are five or more feeding counters on Chrysalis Wurm, sacrifice it. If you do, put a 9/9 blue Insect creature token with flying and haste onto the battlefield.
6/6
An earthquake, a famine, and then a hurricane.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DCI L3 Judge; Regional Coordinator, British Isles & South Africa
I run a Tumblr for Magic-related statistics, graphs, and quizzes. Come check it out!
Mistbank Temptress2UU
Creature - Siren (R)
Flash
Whenever a siren creature enters the battlefield under your control, creatures your opponents control must attack this turn if able.
Siren creatures you control have flash. From the mists a soft song drifted into the crews' beleaguered ears. It wasn't until they approached the shore that it turned into a harsh shriek and their mistake became clear.
2/1
Twilight Wailer1UB
Creature - Siren (R)
Flying
At the beginning of each opponent's end step, you may have target creature get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures that player controls that did not attack this turn.
Each creature opponents control can't attack unless its controller pays 1 for each Siren you control.
2/3
Galedra, Queen of the Sorrow Flock2UB
Legendary Creature - Siren
Flying
Sirens you control have "U: Untap This." UB, T: Put a 1/1 Blue and Black Siren creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
3/3
Locria, the Echoing Queen2UUU
Legendary Creature - Siren (M)
Flying
When Locria, the Echoing Queen enters the battlefield, put two 2/2 blue Siren creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield. 1U: Target attacking creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of Siren creatures you control. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/4
Veldguard Lammasu3WW
Creature - Lammasu {R}
Flying Finesse — When Veldguard Lammasu attacks, after blockers are declared, you may switch it with another attacking creature you control.
When Veldguard Lammasu deals combat damage to a player, if it switched with a Lammasu creature this turn, untap all creatures you control.
4/4
Can my card have more than one creature type as long as it includes one from the list? If not, please subtract the Priest creature type.
Insanity Ritualist1BB
Creature - Horror Priest (R)
Sacrifice a creature: Until end of turn, Horror spells cost you 1 less for each Horror creature you control.
3/2
Everyone's seen a Goblins deck, and everyone knows how absurd Elves deck can get if you leave them unchecked. This month, however, we'll be forgoing the more popular creature types in favor of the less popular ones.
Main challenge: Design a rare creature with one of the following creature types:
Subchallenge 1: Your card has some form of synergy with other creatures of the same type.
Subchallenge 2: Your card doesn't increase power or toughness of any creatures you control.
Player Deadline: 23:59 EDT, 4 November 2014
Judge Deadline: 23:59 EDT, 7 November 2014
Creativity – How original or innovative is the card? Does it present an old idea with a new twist? Does it employ an entirely new mechanic?
Elegance – Is the concept easily understood at a glance? Does the design just 'click' with the flavor?
Potential – Will different player demographics (Spike/Johnny/Timmy) find a use for this card? Does it stand out as a card to build a deck around?
Development (X/10) – This reflects the execution of the idea, fleshing it into a playable card.
Viability – How well does this card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it at the appropriate rarity?
Balance – Does the card's cost match its power? How balanced are its interactions with other cards? Can it be played in constructed, limited, or multiplayer without breaking any of those formats?
Creative Writing – Does the name sound like it fits on a card? Does the flavor text feel natural and professional? Does the combination of name, flavor text, and card concept make Vorthos spout poetry?
Polish – This reflects the finishing touches made to the card, polishing it to an end product that could see print.
Challenge (X/2) – One point awarded per satisfied challenge condition.
Quality (X/3) – Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
Total: X/25
For a full FAQ please see the MCC Discussion Thread but a few general tips:
Give artists credit for any renders. Also, make sure to post a text version even if you do a rendered version.
Use up to date wordings like "dies" or "enters the battlefield"
Spelling and grammar count!
CARDNAME 3BRG
Creature — Bear {R}
Trample
CARDNAME'S rules text goes here.
Don't forget to use appropriate line breaks!
Flavor text should be in italics!
2/2
admirableadmiral
VeiledAssassin
Jimmy Groove
Ninja Caterpie
Sagharri
Marco
RaikouRider
Moss_Elemental
Ogonomancy
hopefulhawkeye
Flatline
Wearth
Vertain
Tesco(black)lotus
Link
Triumvirate
Savia
NVRBLND
aftermarketradio
SelesnyaNewLife
IacriiFA
bravelion83
GG Crono
porcelainscarecrow
TacticalCelebrant
Freyleyes
palanthas
doomfish
Top 4 scores from each bracket advance.
Creativity – Fling, but for manticore tribal.
Elegance – It fits well.
Potential – It's not hard to see someone trying this out.
Development (6/10)
Viability – BR fits well.
Balance – This definitely pushes the limit power-wise. Black and Red aren't colors that get strong flying creatures often, and a four mana 3/5 flying is definitely up there in power level. Even if it's the only manticore you run, the ability to sacrifice it for free to deal 3 to something at any point is a very powerful ability. I think this needs to cost one more mana.
Creative Writing – The writing feels clunky, but the message is understood.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2/3) – The M in Manticore needs to be capitalized, and you need to say "Sacrifice a Manticore creature:..."
Total: 18/25
Creativity – A new iteration of indestructible on a creature.
Elegance – Understood well. I don't like that if you don't have another non-Lammasu creature out, you're forced to buff an opponent's creature.
Potential – This card sparks interest.
Development (8/10)
Viability – It checks out.
Balance – It's quite powerful, but not hard to remove and reqires support cards to go along with it. I think that vigilance makes this card just a little too strong against aggro decks; without it, this is a card I could see being printed.
Creative Writing – Very good flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (3/3) –
Total: 22/25
Creativity – The stuff of nightmares. I like it.
Elegance – Can a nightmare be called elegant? Well, if one could, it would certainly be this one.
Potential – There's potential here.
Development (7/10)
Viability – It fits the bill.
Balance – Triple black is quite the cost, but it's fittingly powerful. Any time instant speed discard is available, it needs to be closely monitored, and I think that this card would do well to have "Activate this ability only during your turn." Also, this card very quickly kills hellbent players; it attacks for 7 evasive damage; I think that it should only deal 2 damage instead of 3.
Creative Writing – The mechanics convey the flavor well enough.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2/3) – "Sacrifice" needs to be capitalized, and the second ability should be "Whenever a Horror creature you control deals..."
Total: 21/25
Creativity – Nothing that I've ever seen before.
Elegance – It actually comes together pretty well for me.
Potential – I'm not sure how many players will want to put in a card that punishes you for tribal.
Development (5/10)
Viability – It fits well.
Balance – This is probably fairly weak. The auxilary mill effect clashes with the combat-based unblockable effect, and in the end this card feels more detrimental that beneficial. Plus, this card wants lots of Horrors in play, but the -1/-1 effect makes them a lot worse.
Creative Writing – You could've had some flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Other Horror creatures you control..."
Total: 18.5/25
Creativity – It's new.
Elegance – This would definitely be revered because it's got godlike powers.
Potential – People will try this card out.
Development (6/10)
Viability – White is good, but this should probably be mythic; see balance.
Balance – This card is basically unbeatable in limited unless your opponent has removal the turn you play it. A 5/5 flying and psuedo-vigilance is already really strong. But if you add in the protection effect, this card is absurdly powerful. This is mythic rare deserving.
Creative Writing – A one-liner would have done you well.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (3/3) – In the future you should use the American spelling of "color".
Total: 20/25
Creativity – Wandering Wolf, but for all of your (presumably beefy) wurms.
Elegance – It makes sense.
Potential – This is a johnny card for sure, but anyone can appreciate the sheer power of the card.
Development (6/10)
Viability – I'm going to pretend that this is a rare because the main challenge requires it. Green makes sense here.
Balance – In most cases, your average wurm, which is generally 5/5 or bigger, will be the biggest creature on the battlefield. Because of that, your wurms are essentially unblockable. It's comparable to Bellowing Tanglewurm in that aspect, but only for wurms instead of green creatures. I feel like it's balanced if unexciting.
Creative Writing – There definitely should have been flavor text, and "tuskwurm" isn't exciting nor is it especially evokative.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) –
Quality (3/3) –
Total: 18/25
Blackflame Manticore 2RB
Creature - Manticore (R)
Flying
Sacrifice a manticore you control: Blackflame Manticore deals X damage to target creature or player,
where X is equal to the sacrificed creature’s power.
It has no problem taking out its own, even if for temporary power.
3/5
Creature - Lammasu (R)
Flying, vigilance
Whenever a Lammasu creature you control attacks or blocks, target non-Lammasu creature gains indestructible until end of turn.
The Fakeen protect the Great Temple, and in return Urati sends his lammasu to protect the Fakeen.
2/4
Reveller of Nightmares 1BBB
Creature - Horror (R)
Intimidate
Whenever a Horror you control deals damage to a player, if that player has no cards in hand, he or she loses 3 life.
1B, sacrifice a Horror: Each player discards a card.
4/2
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
Creature - Lammasu (Rare)
Flying
T: Target creature you control gains protection from the colour of your choice until end of turn.
At the beginning of each player’s end step, untap all Lammasu creatures you control.
5/5
Tuskwurm 5GG
Creature - Wurm {U}
Wurm creatures you control have "Creatures with power less than this creature's power can't block it."
5/5
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Fate-Sealer Siren 1UB
Creature - Siren (R)
Flying
As long as Fate-Sealer Siren is untapped, creatures your opponents control attack you each turn if able.
Whenever one or more creatures attack you, Sirens you control gain deathtouch until end of turn.
2/3
Regarding the design and development sections of the rubric, the method I'm going to use is to mentally divide the ten points equally among the three subsections, judge each of them separately assigning all or part of the points for that subsection and then adding up the points to obtain the total section points.
The challenge section is the easiest one. What matters is that I'm always going to adhere to the letter of the law. See GG Crono's card for an example of that: subchallenge 2 this round says "doesn't increase", not "doesn't modify". So for me what's out of bounds is giving +X/+X, while -X/-X is ok, because that's decreasing P/T and so it indeed counts as "not increasing".
Regarding quality, it's already written among the tips, but it's very important to me, so I'll stress it: wording, spelling and grammar are essential! You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if it's written as badly as to not be clean and understandable enough, what good is it? I will deduct half a point for any error in the quality section, while particularly bad errors will entail a deduction of a whole point. Beware of the wording!
Finally, as Moss_Elemental always says, I don't want to hear any complaint. Of course, if there is something I objectively got wrong (such as a wrong sum of points, for example), let me notice and I'll check it. But I don't want to hear anything such as "That player's card was worse than mine and you gave him a higher score!" or "My card is the best! How could you give it such a low score?". I'll simply ignore comments like those.
And now some clarifications that are specific for this round. Of course, this is my interpretation of what admirableadmiral wrote in the OP, so if other judges judge differently I won't respond of that. @TacticalCelebrant: you got lucky! You're in my bracket, so you won't have to worry about this!
Correct, see the rubric:
That means you have to satisfy the main challenge and then you can meet any number (0 to 2, it's your choice) of those that were normally called "additional challenges" and here admirableadmiral called "subchallenges" (just a change in terminology). The points in the challenge section of the rubric are 1 per "subchallenge" met.
Given the way the main challenge is written, the letter of the law says yes, it can. Nowhere does it state that it can't have other creature types.
What follows is the judge card I promised. I'll probably do one every time, as I enjoy judging a lot, but I also enjoy designing. I'll always post it after the player's deadline, though, as I don't want to potentially influence the player's designs.
Creature — Wurm (R)
Trample
When Alaran Wurm enters the battlefield, if you control another Wurm, draw a card.
Unearth 5GG (5GG: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
Coming in and out of new Alara’s earth both in life and death.
5/5
And now, finally, what you really care for. On to the judgings!
GG Crono
Design (7.5/10)
Creativity – This card's abilities are nothing new, but at least they've never been put together on the same card before.
Elegance – The attacking creature is weakened by the sirens' chant. This design is a good mechanical representation of that, even though it's a bit too wordy to achieve full score here.
Potential – Timmy may try this, Johnny may look for something to do with the token trigger and Spike sees this as 6 points of power for 5 mana. They all have something for them in this card, but nothing that makes any of them just go crazy as they see it.
Development (8/10)
Viability – Perfectly within the color pie. This is rightfully mythic, but the main challenge specified "rare". Here I will consider mythic a subset of rare, as WotC sometimes does, and accept this, but you've walked on a very thin line here.
Balance – It's a bomb in limited. I think this would surely be played in constructed too. A card that puts 6 points of power with evasion and 8 of toughness on the board for 5 mana is certainly very strong. Maybe too strong.
Creative Writing – Name is fine. No room for flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met. By the way, very clever way to pass subchallenge 2: it says "doesn't increase", and you indeed don't increase power, you decrease it (-X/-0)!
Quality (3/3) – All good here.
Total: 20.5/25
porcelainscarecrow
Design (6/10)
Creativity – Nothing like that has ever been done before.
Elegance – It doesn't feel very clear what switching attackers means: I guess it's so that then each one has the other's blockers. I don't feel like you would understand what this does at a glance. After thinking about it, sure, but not at a glance. I think reminder text would have greatly helped here.
Potential – This is a Johnny card at heart, with all the switching going on. I don't think Timmy would be excited by this card after reading it. Spike doesn't care.
Development (7.5/10)
Viability – Nothing looks like it's blatantly out of the color pie. Maybe switching attackers feels a little more blue to me than white, but I can see it playing in the "I set the rules" aspect of white. Rarity is right.
Balance – The mana cost looks right, if not too low. I'm not sure how to evaluate the switching in regard to the cost, but it looks like this is very difficult to kill in combat: if I block this with a flier big enough to kill this, then you may switch this with another attacker so that it doesn't die, and this looks very strong. Also, if the creature you switched this with wasn't blocked, then you also get to untap your creatures. I could see this costing one mana more because of this.
Creative Writing – Name is fine. No room for flavor text.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met.
Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Whenever Veldguard Lammasu attacks" and "Whenever Veldguard Lammasu deals combat damage" as you expect these triggers to happen more than once (half a point deducted). Also, not sure about "after blockers are declared", as it's never been on a triggered ability. Written like this it just looks like an intervening if clause, but indeed I don't know how else you could write this condition, so I won't deduct any points for this.
Total: 18/25
TacticalCelebrant
Design (8/10)
Creativity – I can't think of any other cost reduction as an effect of an activated ability.
Elegance – All good here.
Potential – This is a pure Johnny card. Timmy and Spike don't care.
Development (7/10)
Viability – All good here.
Balance – I feel this should either cost one mana more or be smaller (2/2 instead of 3/2 would already be enough). This would probably be played in any casual Horror deck. I don't see it in constructed, unless Horrors are somehow a major tribe. In limited it would probably be played just for its mana to P/T ratio and not for its abilities.
Creative Writing – Name is fine. No flavor text, even though there would have been room for it.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met.
Quality (2.5/3) – It should be "Horror spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each Horror creature you control." (half a point deducted).
Total: 19.5/25
Freyleyes
Design (8/10)
Creativity – There has already been something like this, but it was a very long time ago (Bomb Squad in Odissey). I couldn't remember it myself and had to look for it. I guess most people (probably including you when designing this card) don't even know about it.
Elegance – All good here.
Potential – It's too small for Timmy to care. Johnny is looking for ways to destroy creatures with this without having to attack, as it doesn't specify "combat" damage. Spike may care, but probably thinks that it's too slow as removal and prefers to just use it as a 3/3 flier for 4 mana.
Development (7.5/10)
Viability – Red doesn't normally have the ability to destroy creatures outright, but it does so via damage. That's one of the things that distinguishes it from black. Rarity is good.
Balance – Cost looks right. This would surely be played in limited, but I don't see it in constructed. There, it's too slow as removal, and as a french vanilla creature it's probably not enough.
Creative Writing – Not breathtaking, but both name and flavor text are fine as creative goes.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met.
Quality (1/3) – Flavor text should be in italics (half a point deducted). A comma is missing after "Then" in the rules text (half a point deducted). In the flavor text, "its" should be "it's" with an apostrophe, as it's a verb standing for "it is" and not a possessive adjective (half a point deducted) and there shouldn't be a period after the attribution (a very minor error compared with the others, so no points deducted because of this, just for this time). The attribution should also be on a separate line. (Half a point deducted. If it looks to you as if it's already on its own line, zoom out the page within your browser to see that it actually isn't. It's also visible in the code of the post, as you can see if you quote it. It took me a whole day to realize this.)
Total: 18.5/25
palanthas
Design (9/10)
Creativity – We've seen protection from creatures multiple times already, but never as protection from creatures with or without a keyword. That's new.
Elegance – This is clean and immediately understandable. Very good.
Potential – Timmy is excited by a creature big enough to matter and that protects his other big creatures. Johnny doesn't care. Spike may play this as a finisher.
Development (8.5/10)
Viability – MaRo said multiple times that white is supposed to have protection from colors, while blue has protection from things other than colors, but WotC is the first to not always follow this policy, so I can't penalize you too much for this. Rarity is fine.
Balance – At first glance, the cost looks right. Probably it would have looked even better with square stats (4/4), but how it's now is fine too. Obvious bomb in limited, and probably playable in constructed too, at least as a finisher in some kind of white/blue control deck.
Creative Writing – All looks good here.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met.
Quality (3/3) – All good here.
Total: 22.5/25
doomfish
Design (6.5/10)
Creativity – Alluring Siren at the next level. This mix of abilities is indeed new, but we've already seen the concept.
Elegance – You have to read it carefully to understand this well, but once you do you see that this a very good mechanical representation of its flavor.
Potential – Timmy probably wonders why should he play a creature that makes other creatures attack you. Johnny probably doesn't care either. Spike, at the contrary, sees this as potential removal, since he can force an annoying creature to attack him and then kill it with the deathtouch-like ability.
Development (8.5/10)
Viability – Perfectly within the color pie. Rarity looks right.
Balance – It looks a bit undercosted: blue is supposed to be last in creature efficiency and black is higher in that but not too much. Surely playable in limited, maybe in constructed as a kind of removal in a control deck.
Creative Writing – Name looks good enough. Flavor text is very good.
Polish
Challenge (2/2) – Both met.
Quality (2.5/3) – The word "siren" should be capitalized in the activated ability, as it's a creature type (half a point deducted).
Total: 19.5/25
And here are the total scores. Bold advance.
GG Crono: 20.5
porcelainscarecrow: 18
TacticalCelebrant: 19.5
Freyleyes: 18.5
palanthas: 22.5
doomfish: 19.5
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.)
Soul-Leech Liege
Creature - Horror (R)
Deathtouch, intimidate
Other Horror creatures you control have intimidate.
Whenever a player attacks you or a planeswalker you control with one or more creatures, that player loses X life, where X is equal to the number of Horror creatures you control.
The denizens of the Bloodmurk Bogs will literally scare the life out of you.
3/3
Creature - Wurm {R}
Whenever a Wurm comes into play under your control, Until End of Turn Wurms you control gain Trample and 'When this creature deals combat damage to an opponent, destroy target land that player controls.'
2GG, T: Put a 4/4 Wurm creature token into play.
6/6
"A quake, you're awake. A shake and you make like a stampeding herd, to the hills you take. Through the earth it snakes. The World Devourer swallows the land like a cake."
Legendary Creature - Manticore (R)
Flying, haste
Whenever Saaris Ashmane attacks, you
may have him lose flying until end of
turn.
Non-Manticore creatures attack and
block each combat if able.
5/5
Creature - Horror[Rare]
Each other creature you control gets -1/-1 and is a Horror in addition to its other creature types.
Whenever another Horror you control dies, return it to its owner's hand.
Once the darkness corrupts you, even death can't end your misery.
3/2
Creature - Wurm (R)
Trample
Whenever Chrysalis Wurm deals damage to a permanent or player, put a feeding counter on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are five or more feeding counters on Chrysalis Wurm, sacrifice it. If you do, put a 9/9 blue Insect creature token with flying and haste onto the battlefield.
6/6
An earthquake, a famine, and then a hurricane.
I run a Tumblr for Magic-related statistics, graphs, and quizzes. Come check it out!
Creature - Siren (R)
Flash
Whenever a siren creature enters the battlefield under your control, creatures your opponents control must attack this turn if able.
Siren creatures you control have flash.
From the mists a soft song drifted into the crews' beleaguered ears. It wasn't until they approached the shore that it turned into a harsh shriek and their mistake became clear.
2/1
Signature by DarkNightCavalier at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Creature - Siren (R)
Flying
At the beginning of each opponent's end step, you may have target creature get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures that player controls that did not attack this turn.
Each creature opponents control can't attack unless its controller pays 1 for each Siren you control.
2/3
Memento Mori, if the nineth lion ate the sun.
Legendary Creature - Siren
Flying
Sirens you control have "U: Untap This."
UB, T: Put a 1/1 Blue and Black Siren creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
3/3
Legendary Creature - Siren (M)
Flying
When Locria, the Echoing Queen enters the battlefield, put two 2/2 blue Siren creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield.
1U: Target attacking creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of Siren creatures you control. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/4
Creature - Lammasu {R}
Flying
Finesse — When Veldguard Lammasu attacks, after blockers are declared, you may switch it with another attacking creature you control.
When Veldguard Lammasu deals combat damage to a player, if it switched with a Lammasu creature this turn, untap all creatures you control.
4/4
Insanity Ritualist 1BB
Creature - Horror Priest (R)
Sacrifice a creature: Until end of turn, Horror spells cost you 1 less for each Horror creature you control.
3/2