It's time! All the planning and preparations were meant to lead to this. You now have weapons, courtesy of Gonti, and the elf inventor Rashmi, which you barely came to knew in the relatively short time you've spent so far in the Renegade movement, is working to build a huge skyship that will literally be Tezzeret's Ruin. It just needs the aether to work, but you're going to take it right now, by reclaiming the Aether Hub under Pia's command. The day you were waiting for has finally arrived! Let's show Tezzeret the real spirit of invention, and let's take back our own inventions while we're at it! Let's bring him and his Consulate down! Let the revolution begin!
Main challenge: design a nonland, nonartifact card with revolt."The Consulate has brought it upon itself!"
Subchallenge 1: the card has the same rarity as your avatar from Round 1 (aka your Round 1 card). Please quote or link to your Round 1 entry in your submission. If you don't put a link or quote to your Round 1 card in your submission, this subchallenge is automatically failed. You can't expect the judges to dig for your cards from past rounds.Humble inventors create little things, great inventors create big things. It's just a matter of finding out what kind of creativity best suits your nature.
Subchallenge 2: the card has an ability that lets it turn on revolt by itself, without needing other cards.In dire times, you only have yourself to count on.
For the main challenge, as long as your card does not have the card type "land" or "artifact" you're good.
For subchallenge 1, rare and mythic rare are considered different rarities (because they really are). If your Round 1 card was ordinary rare, this round's card can't be a mythic rare and vice versa.
Subchallenge 2 means that the card has an ability that makes a permanent you control leave the battlefield. It can be the revolt ability itself (for example "Revolt - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, each player sacrifices a permanent.") or an additional ability (for example Hidden Stockpile, which second ability turns on revolt by making you sacrifice a creature). It can be a cost, such as in the Stockpile, or an effect, such as in my "each player sacrifices a permanent" example. It can be mandatory or optional, temporary or permanent. All that matters is that your card is able somehow to fulfill the revolt condition all by itself.
Feel free to ask any additional questions you might have in the discussion thread.
A friendly reminder I left everyone a few months ago but it's still 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.
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.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Wednesday, February 22nd 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Saturday, February 25th 2017 23:59 EDT
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.)
Night Market Prodigy1BB
Creature - Aetherborn Vampire Artificer (R)
Lifelink
Pay 2 life: Target artifact creature gains your choice of deathtouch, lifelink, or menace until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn. "Aether is scarce down here, so I resort to a different essence."
3/3
Saheeli's Revolution 1RR
Enchantment (R) Revolt — At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card. U: Return target attacking creature you control to its owner's hand. Saheeli's creativity knows no obstacles, only challenges.
Quicksmith General3WW
Creature - Dwarf Artificer (R)
When Quicksmith General enters the battlefield, target artifact you control gains "T: Create a colorless 1/1 Servo artifact creature token." for as long as you control Quicksmith General. "Oh, this? Production management is another expertise of mine."
3/2
Weeping Matriarch4WB
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying, Vigilance Revolt - At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Weeping Matriarch and it gains deathtouch until your next turn. WB, Sacrifice a creature: Weeping Matriarch gains indestructible until end of turn.
4/4
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My thoughts are with the friends and family of the Orlando Shooting victims and with the rest of the LGBTQA+ community.
Check out my Newborder Peasant Cube here! http://www.cubetutor.com/draft/37467
Necarg, please don't acknowledge this in any way whatsoever.
True Name Mafia (Win),Clan Contest IX Mafia (Win), Bravely Default Mafia (Loss), BOTAS (loss), BfV (Loss), Ace Attourney (loss)
Rules Advisor before they were eradicated
Impulsive Project Manager1R
Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, exile the top card of your library. If it's an artifact card, you may cast it. "I'm a simple man. I see a great idea, and I begin to work."
2/1
Overdrive to Work1R
Enchantment (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put an artifact card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you do, sacrifice it. Revolt -3RR: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn. Learning from mistakes is important, but it's way less fun than watching things explode again and again.
Apparatus Bonder1G
Creature - Elf Artificer (R)
Fabricate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it or create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.)
Sacrifice an artifact: Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control. "Gear always has multiple options!"
1/1
Uninhibited Production2BB
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may sacrifice an artifact or creature. If you do, draw 2 cards and lose 2 life. Revolt - If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, artifact and creature spells you cast cost 1 less. To match the Consulate forces some rebels relied on extreme methods.
Determined Remaker1WW
Creature - Dwarf Artificer (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put an artifact card with converted mana cost 1 or less from your hand or graveyard onto the battlefield. "Let them destroy everything I have and everyone I love. It won't dissuade me."
1/3
Greenwheel Air Defenses3GG
Enchantment (R) Revolt - At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 2/4 colorless Spider artifact creature token with reach. 2G, Sacrifice a land: Destroy target artifact. The lifecrafters of Greenwheel mounted a particularly sophisticated resistance to the Consulate, taking out materiel with stone-hurling machinery before sending in the arachnoids.
Visionary Biomimic2G
Creature — Elf Artificer (U)
Whenever an artifact creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature if you control another creature with greater power or toughness than it.
3/2
Orchards of Kujar3G
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature you control to its owner's hand. Revolt — At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you control left the battlefield this turn, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token. Here we plant the seeds of revolution.
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.)
Overdrive to Work1R
Enchantment (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put an artifact card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you do, sacrifice it. Revolt -3RR: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn. Learning from mistakes is important, but it's way less fun than watching things explode again and again.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy dislikes this card; he would much rather play the cards in his hand rather than cheat them out only to sacrifice them.
Fortunately, both Johnny and Spike would prefer the latter rather than the former. Johnny can use such tricks to pull off unique shenanigans; Spike can use such tricks to win the actual game. (3/3) Elegance: No inelegances here.
Development - (2/3) Viability: The revolt ability is not mechanically red at this time. This unfortunately results in an unnecessary color break. Also, I am not sure if recursively returning artifacts from the graveyard to the battlefield is particularly red, either.
However, the rarity of this card is more appropriate. (0/3) Balance: My fellow judge, admirableadmiral, put it better than I think that I could at this time. My apologies.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: The first line of this card fetches full points for this criterion all by itself. Also, there are no official cards with activated revolt abilities, so that alone would also score full points for this criterion all by itself as well. Clearly, this criterion is definitely this particular card's strength. (1/3) Flavor: I dislike the name; I dislike the flavor text somewhat less. At least the mechanics and flavor do go together rather nicely, which is somewhat surprising.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: The dash (which should be a long dash '—') after the revolt ability word should not be italicized (minus half a point). (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 17.5/25
Final thought: So, I heard that a certain Magic: the Gathering designer by the name of Mark Rosewater hosts this podcast called 'Drive to Work'...
Galvanius, Partisan Tactician2RW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Soldier (R)
Double strike, haste 1W: Exile another target attacking creature you control. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step. Revolt - At the end of the first combat phase of your turn, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, untap all creatures you control. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase.
2/3
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy kind of likes this card, primarily because of the very big effect on the game state that an additional combat phase tends to provide.
This card is something that Johnny would also like, even if it is a little straightforward for his tastes.
Simply put, Spike enjoys this powerful (and pushed) card. Making the most out of not just one combat phase, let alone two of them, can be a pretty skillful endeavor. (2/3) Elegance: This card has a little too much going on in order to be considered perfectly elegant. There are also at least a couple rules issues with this card as well. The end of combat step occurs after damage is dealt, which means that Galvanius has to survive combat in order to for his revolt ability to actually trigger. Somewhat unintuitively, one also cannot deal damage and also be flickered with Galvanius' activated ability during the same combat phase.
Development - (1.5/3) Viability: Mechanically, revolt is not an ability word within red. Fortunately, it is within white's mechanics, constituting a bend rather than a break.
This card's rarity has also been misappropriated; it is far worthier of being mythic than being rare. (0/3) Balance: This card is incredibly undercosted (by at least 2), regardless of being multicolored. This card also has a rather generous power and toughness from being a four mana hasty double striker. This card also has a rather nice activated ability.
Despite being legendary, this card simply does too much for too cheap of a mana cost.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness:Lightning Runner was printed in Aether Revolt, and that card is unfortunately a lot like this card. Regardless, this card is still above-average in respects to this criterion. (2/3) Flavor: No flavor text, even though there was room for about one line of it. Although, the card is pretty stuffed with rules text as-is in all honesty.
The name seems somewhat unrealistic due to it being somewhat of a mouthful to say aloud. Surely there could exist a shorter and better card name to communicate this legendary creature's concept properly.
All that said, he does seem both partisan and tactical at the same time flavorfully and mechanically, so that is a plus.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Regrettably, this card's name is too long to properly fit on the name plate of an actual Magic card (minus half a point). In addition, the dash next to the revolt ability word should be a long dash '—' and not a short dash. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Uninhibited Production2BB
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may sacrifice an artifact or creature. If you do, draw 2 cards and lose 2 life. Revolt - If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, artifact and creature spells you cast cost 1 less. To match the Consulate forces some rebels relied on extreme methods.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy dislikes this card. Simply put, he never likes sacrificing his permanents, and paying life is not typically within his interests either. I do not think that the effective ramp would be able to make the difference for him, unfortunately.
Johnny likes this card very much as a both a card draw engine and as a decent form of cost reduction to play around with as well.
For Spikes who like to play black (I am a Spike yet I dislike playing black, unfortunately) this card is, well, as bravelion83 put it, tailor-made. To say that it would be appealing in that case is an understatement. (3/3) Elegance: Neither inhibitions nor inelegances plague this card here.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This card fits quite nicely into black on the color wheel. The rarity of rare is also quite nicely chosen here. (2/3) Balance: This card is definitely pushed. I would call drawing one card and losing 1 life plus the revolt ability reasonable at that mana cost. Doubling up on the card draw pushed this card past 'reasonably balanced' for me, personally. Hopefully a card such as this would be able to see Standard play of some sort. Obviously it would see play in Limited.
The other qualm that I have with this card in regards to this criterion is just how oppressive the additive card advantage could end up being. Thankfully, abusing this card draw could also make one vulnerable to outright dying to random burn or unfavorable combat.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: There are no official cards with static revolt abilities, so that alone should score full uniqueness points here. The actual revolt ability definitely helps to reassure that as well too. (2/3) Flavor: Both the name and the flavor text on this card are unimpressive yet definitely servicable. This card's mechanics communicate its flavors more than anything else here, which is not a bad thing by any means.
Polish - (0.5/3) Quality: The second sentence of the first line of rules text should be rewritten like this "If you do, you draw two cards and you lose 2 life." (minus one and a half points; this is very well known).
In regards to the second line of rules text, the dash next to the revolt ability word should be a long dash '—' and not a short dash. Also, since the revolt ability is clearly intended to be a static ability, the word 'if' should be replaced with the phrase "as long as" (minus half a point). Finally, the words "to cast" are missing at the end of the second sentence of the second line of rules text (minus half a point). (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Saheeli's Revolution 1RR
Enchantment (R) Revolt — At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card. U: Return target attacking creature you control to its owner's hand. Saheeli's creativity knows no obstacles, only challenges.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy is bored by this indirectly ineffectual card.
On the other hand, both Johnny and Spike both find this card to be nicely effective. It (potentially) generates card advantage and it also fiddles with combat in a way that is indeed helpful to both players. (3/3) Elegance: No inelegances here.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Revolt is not an ability word within red's mechanics. As a result, this card cannot be red at this time without resulting in a color break.
The rarity of this card is just fine. (2/3) Balance: Without access to blue mana, this card is overcosted to the point of being barely playable. With access to blue mana, this card quickly becomes very good.
There are two main reasons as to why I am not inclined to give this card a perfect balance score. Firstly, I think that its mana cost is too heavy in requiring two red mana instead of one. Secondly, I think that the card is just too weak to be a rare worth playing without blue mana, and only becomes a good card with blue mana.
Costing this card at 2R instead would go a ways towards solving both issues to the necessary extent. Perhaps the cost of the activated ability would need to be increased to compensate (maybe to 1U) but such mana cost rebalancing would make the difference between this score and a perfect (or at least near-perfect) score for this criterion in my honest opinion.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: This card is definitely above-average in uniqueness when meshed together but these are all effects that have been done before otherwise. Impulsive draw has since ceased to be unique on its own, and blue has been returning creatures to hands since the beginning of Magic. (3/3) Flavor: The strength of this submission is that the flavor of this card is very good. There is definite tie-in thematically with both Pia's Revolution and Chandra's Revolution. Aside from just the name and the flavor text, basically every element of this card is flavorfully cohesive.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: The card name should be bolded (minus half a point). (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 20.5/25
Final thought: Whose revolution is next? KariZev's?
Design
(1/3) Appeal: This is strictly Timmy territory.
(2.5/3) Elegance: There's a lot of moving parts going on here.
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(2.5/3) Balance: This is definitely pushing it in limited, even for a gold rare. Two mana and a creature is a large cost to pay to keep this around, but this is an unbeatable bomb rare that also protects itself. This would be among the best five rares in the set, easily.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: The card doesn't feel much different than your typical limited bomb that won't see play in constructed. This feels like a card that would be the face rare of an intro deck.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name and the mechanics fit together well, but you're missing flavor text.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25
Design
(1.5/3) Appeal: Johnny likes this a lot. Spike likes drawing card, but this is a bit of a stretch for him.
(1.5/3) Elegance: This card has many moving parts and non-obvious interactions to it.
Development
(2.5/3) Viability: This could have probably been a mono blue card, but azorious isn't a bad fit.
(3/3) Balance: This draws a bunch of cards and gives your team evasion, but it also costs a ton of mana to do so. This is the ultimate snowball card that's close to useless when you're behind. I'm not a fan of this kind of design, but as a rare it's acceptable.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness:
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card's flavor text is at ends with its mechanics, and I'm not really a fan of the name either.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 20/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal: This is Johnny for sure, with the right power level to make Spike curious.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The fact that this puts an artifact into play then sacrfices it instead of just discarding it is a little weird (even if it makes sense).
Development
(2.5/3) Viability: Sure, I'm willing to let red have this effect. This feels like a mythic rare in terms of power level, but rare isn't a bad choice.
(0/3) Balance: In standard, this can get the ETB/LTB trigger of any Gearhulk, Skysovereign, Consul Flagship, Treasure Keeper, and Workshop Assistant. In modern, this can put get the ETB/LTB trigger of Sundering Titan, Wurmcoil Engine, Sharuum the Hegemon, Myr Battlesphere, Sphinx Summoner, Summoner's Egg (yes, it works), and Spine of Ish Sah, to only name the most obvious cards. In fact, if you discard Sharuum to this card's ability, it can reanimate itself. All of these things happen at the low, low price of a one time, two mana investment. Even without going in to the power level of the activated ability as well, this card is clearly a developmental failure.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: The first ability alone nets you full points here.
(1/3) Flavor: The name is too comical and cartoonish for a Magic card. The flavor text is only slightly more serious.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 18/25
Design
(3/3) Appeal: Spike wants to kill people with this, Johnny wants to abuse it, and Timmy likes extra combat steps.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The "End of first combat" wording leads to a great deal of ambiguity. It's fairly obscure that you can't deal combat damage with a creature and also flicker that same creature to get the extra combat step, and the fact that Galvanius needs to survive combat to get the extra combat step is also not obvious at first glance.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability: This clearly seems like a mythic rare to me. It's extremely powerful and very complex. Lightning Runner is both simpler and less powerful than this card, and that card is a mythic.
(1/3) Balance: Compare your card to Lightning Runner. Revolt is much easier to achieve than paying six energy (though it is noted that Lightning Runner's ability to generate energy for other means is there). Not only that, your card costs one less mana, has one more toughness, and has a very strong activated ability. Also, the fact that this triggers if your opponent kills another creature in or before combat (either with a removal spell or a blocker) makes this far too powerful for its mana cost. That's not even touching the power level of this card with fetchlands in older formats.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: Though your card is similar to Lightning Runner, it is unique enough for me to give you full points here.
(3/3) Flavor: The mechanics work well with the name to make up for the lack of flavor text.
Judgments complete, not final until deadline. My scores this round are all high and close, it must mean that all of you did a good job, so congratulations to you all.
Apparatus Bonder1G
Creature - Elf Artificer (R)
Fabricate 1 (When this creature enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on it or create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.)
Sacrifice an artifact: Attach target Equipment you control to target creature you control. "Gear always has multiple options!"
1/1
Uninhibited Production2BB
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may sacrifice an artifact or creature. If you do, draw 2 cards and lose 2 life. Revolt - If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, artifact and creature spells you cast cost 1 less. To match the Consulate forces some rebels relied on extreme methods.
Design (3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes being able to get his beaters out faster, but he wouldn't want to sacrifice creatures to achieve revolt, he'd use other methods. Johnny can use the first ability to find combo pieces and the second to get his combo out one turn earlier than intended. Timmy and Johnny could use this card, but Spike... well, Spike just loves every single bit of it! This card is just tailor made for him.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - The first ability is black without any doubt. It might feel a little strange to see cost reduction in black, but there is indeed precedent so that's fine. Rarity feels right.
(2.5/3) Balance - Drawing two cards and losing 2 life costs two mana at sorcery speed or three mana at instant speed or at sorcery speed with upside. Charging four mana and a sacrifice for doing it repeatedly only seems fair, expecially if additional upside comes in the form of revolt. Cost reduction is a powerful ability. Overall, I think 2BB is the least this could cost and I expect this card to be quite good at this cost, potentially playable not only in limited (that's kind of a given) but also in Standard. I see no particular problem in casual or multiplayer, maybe only the fact that the cost reduction is cumulative in multiples and that doesn't look very fun from the other side of the table.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - Except for entering the battlefield with +1/+1 counters, no cards with revolt static abilities exist in AER. That's new. Cost reduction is also a very good ability to use to give this card its own identity. I can imagine players speaking of this card like: "I don't remember its name, but you know that card that reduced the cost of your spells if you had revolt?"
(3/3) Flavor - I see no problem with this card's flavor. It's nothing exceptional but it works just fine.
Polish (1.5/3) Quality - In the first ability, the subject "you" is missing (-0.5) and the number of drawn cards should be written in letters (-0.5): "If you do, you draw two cards and you lose 2 life" (latest example: Succumb to Temptation). In the revolt ability, the words "to cast" are missing at the end (-0.5): "...cost 1 less to cast."
Night Market Prodigy1BB
Creature - Aetherborn Vampire Artificer (R)
Lifelink
Pay 2 life: Target artifact creature gains your choice of deathtouch, lifelink, or menace until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn. "Aether is scarce down here, so I resort to a different essence."
3/3
Saheeli's Revolution 1RR
Enchantment (R) Revolt — At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card. U: Return target attacking creature you control to its owner's hand. Saheeli's creativity knows no obstacles, only challenges.
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - I don't think Timmy cares that much. Johnny could maybe do something with this, even though being able to return every creature of his, not just attacking ones, would have opened lots of different scenarios for him. Spike likes this card: the revolt ability can give him card advantage and the other one lets him reuse ETB abilities for value. He'll also keep in mind that creatures are still attacking after they deal damage in the "end of combat" step if they survived, and that's the best time to return them.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine. The last ability might feel more white than blue, but blue can do it too without any problem.
(2/3) Balance - I've been able to find repeatable impulsive draw on just two cards: Outpost Siege in Khans mode and Stromkirk Occultist. The Siege costs four mana but has added flexibility, while the Occultist costs three mana but requires combat damage to be dealt. This card is conditional too, requiring revolt for the impulsive draw, so given those precedents I think it's fine at three mana. The activated ability looks also reasonable at a single colored mana, as it's quite restrictive even if repeatable. I'd play this in limited for sure, maybe even without blue mana if I'm able to enable revolt reliably via other means. I'm not sure this is enough for constructed though. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (2/3) Uniqueness - What we have here is slight twists on very well known abilities. Impulsive draw has been existing for quite some time in red by now, but not as a revolt ability. Blue has bouncing creatures, including its own, as a core ability, but here those creatures have to be attacking. Also, there's no existing revolt ability that triggers at the beginning of your postcombat main phase. All these are very nice twists but nothing more.
(3/3) Flavor - No problems here. The name is the same vein as Chandra's Revolution and Pia's Revolution. The flavor text and the color identity of the card both fit Saheeli as a character. Associating the concept of creativity with impulsive draw also works.
Polish (2/3) Quality - The name should be bolded based on the forum rules (see reminder in the OP, -1).
Determined Remaker1WW
Creature - Dwarf Artificer (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put an artifact card with converted mana cost 1 or less from your hand or graveyard onto the battlefield. "Let them destroy everything I have and everyone I love. It won't dissuade me."
1/3
Greenwheel Air Defenses3GG
Enchantment (R) Revolt - At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 2/4 colorless Spider artifact creature token with reach. 2G, Sacrifice a land: Destroy target artifact. The lifecrafters of Greenwheel mounted a particularly sophisticated resistance to the Consulate, taking out materiel with stone-hurling machinery before sending in the arachnoids.
Design (2/3) Appeal - I don't expect Timmy to care that much, and Spike might think this costs a bit too much. Johnny really likes this card, I can see a lot of different things that he can do with it. This card is made for him and he likes it.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit wordy overall, but otherwise fine.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine. The last ability might feel more red than green, but green can do it too without any problem.
(2/3) Balance - Giant Spider costs four mana, even though it's a limited-only card, so a card that is able to create Giant Spider-like tokens repeatedly, even though conditionally (revolt), feels right at five mana, especially with additional upside. The activated ability looks fine when you keep into account that it's also repeatable. This looks playable in limited, but in constructed it looks more like a sideboard card to me. I see no particular problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - All existing cards that create tokens as a revolt ability create Servos. Creating artifact Spiders is a nice twist. All the rest on this card is nothing new.
(3/3) Flavor - The name is quite interesting, the flavor text is very well written in my opinion, and both make sense with the card concept.
Polish (3/3) Quality - All good. Lesson of the day: "materiel" (spelled with an "e" instead of an "a") is a word in English. Good thing I thought about checking it out before deducting points thinking it was a typo.
Visionary Biomimic2G
Creature — Elf Artificer (U)
Whenever an artifact creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature if you control another creature with greater power or toughness than it.
3/2
Orchards of Kujar3G
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature you control to its owner's hand. Revolt — At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you control left the battlefield this turn, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token. Here we plant the seeds of revolution.
Design (3/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't want to return creatures with the first ability, but he'll be more than glad to achieve revolt in some other way and keep making Servo tokens with the second one. Johnny can use both the self-bounce (as part of some engine) and the tokens. Spike will use the self-bounce too, but to reuse ETB effects for value. The tokens are a nice added bonus to him. The Johnny-Spike hybrids will love this card.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine.
(3/3) Balance - This card is interesting as usually in green self-bounce is used as a drawback on creatures, while here it looks like the main point of the card. In limited, this card's playability depends heavily on what you can bounce and how you can take advantage of it. In an environment like Kaladesh, with fabricate as a whole mechanic and plenty of cards with ETB abilities that just beg to be abused with this card, it's playable without any doubt, and that might even apply to Standard too. It shouldn't be hard to find some card in Standard to have a good synergy with this one. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (0.5/3) Uniqueness - The exact combination of effects might have never been done before, but all single pieces have been multiple times.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I like the name, but the flavor text feels a bit generic even though it still works.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - In all revolt abilities, the verb is conjugated at the past tense: "if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield..." (-0.5). Feel free to double check it on real AER cards. I know because I had to check it in round 1 because of some submissions using revolt there too.
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.)
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Versatility and value gain seems to be right up Spike's alley. But at 5 mana? And then 3 mana to activate? Might find fans among the commander players. (3/3) Elegance: Simple, straightforward.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Artifact destruction, land sacrificing, spiders. It's all very green. Rare is a good spot. (3/3) Balance: Strong it limited. Especially if there's artifacts around. Still not too oppressive. It's a terrifying mana sink. Which is generally not problematic.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: Destroys artifacts. Makes tokens. Not all that original. Wrapping it into a repeatable engine is intriguing. (2.5/3) Flavor: The flavortext and the name do a good job of explaining the card. But it's not like the consulate tried to invade anything. It was mostly the rebels storming in on the consulate and the consulate was on the defensive.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 21.5/25
vs
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Very much a Johnny card. Might interest Spike in the right limited environment. (3/3) Elegance: Simple, thus elegant.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Yeah, green does that whole bouncey thing. Uncommon is a good fit. (3/3) Balance: Very comparable to Roaring Primadox. It takes a while until it reaches comparable p/t, but it's a may effect in return.
It works well by providing time with chumpblockers while generating value from possible etb effects, without being an easy to remove creature itself.
Creativity - (0.5/3) Uniqueness: It doesn't really do anything new now, does it? Makes a token, bounces a creature. It's very much a reimagined Primadox. (3/3) Flavor: Good name, very nice flavortext. Lovely.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Revolt requires to check if you controlled the card. Past tense. (2/2) Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and revolt-enabling.
Total: 22/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes his big angels. Spike is very interested in creatures that get to survive removal, but this might just cost too much. (3/3) Elegance: It's a nice set of keywords. Nothing too complicated going on.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sacrificing creatures this way is a good fit for black/white. Rare is a good spot. (3/3) Balance: 6 mana is a lot, but it's likely to net you a 5/5 flying. Which isn't very pushed, but with the possibility to make it surive a lot of what gets thrown at it, it might be worth it. Playing it safe.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Nothing about this is particularly new. Falkenrath Aristocrat works very similiar. Lingering deathtouch is new, but not very interesting. (2/3) Flavor:Why can't I stop eating all these creatures? ;_; The name is a great fit. Sad lack of flavortext.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Consecutive keywords are lower case after the first comma, e.g. Abbey Griffin. (2/2) Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 20.5/25
vs
Design - (2/3) Appeal: I guess Spike can get behind drawing extra cards. Johnny likes the deck building incentive. (2.5/3) Elegance: A three piece puzzle. There's a lot going on. But the parts, just like a puzzle should, click into eachother well and after reading it twice any player would know the effects by heart I believe.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Strongly in blue, but there's white in flying and blinking. Rare is a good fit. The text just soo fits on a card, but it's really A LOT of text. (2/3) Balance: Flying for the team once, but only on revolt is hard enough to trigger when this hits the board.
Then only getting to draw 1 card on the first time makes this a rather weak combination of Coastal Piracy and Levitation.
It does read exciting at first, but then you realize that it's probably not worth the effort at all. 4 Mana to maybe get the team flying and draw a card? Maaaybe another two?
5 mana is way too much to get flying again.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: It does combine effects that have been done before. Drawing for stacking counters on Mind Unbound and the other effects on the aforementioned enchantments. The selfblink combined with revolt is cool. (2/3) Flavor: It does feel quite tactical. Also I guess flying is quite liberating. Not sure about the flavortext, the two are not mutually exclusive and I feel like the renegades are trying to achive freedom through technology.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 19.5/25
void_nothing 21.5 vs. willows 22
Necarg 20.5 vs. StonerOfKruphix 19.5
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
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.)
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(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the cards Chandra's Revolution and Pia's Revolution, both by Clint Cearley)
February MCC Round 3
"Revolution"
It's time! All the planning and preparations were meant to lead to this. You now have weapons, courtesy of Gonti, and the elf inventor Rashmi, which you barely came to knew in the relatively short time you've spent so far in the Renegade movement, is working to build a huge skyship that will literally be Tezzeret's Ruin. It just needs the aether to work, but you're going to take it right now, by reclaiming the Aether Hub under Pia's command. The day you were waiting for has finally arrived! Let's show Tezzeret the real spirit of invention, and let's take back our own inventions while we're at it! Let's bring him and his Consulate down! Let the revolution begin!
Main challenge: design a nonland, nonartifact card with revolt. "The Consulate has brought it upon itself!"
Subchallenge 1: the card has the same rarity as your avatar from Round 1 (aka your Round 1 card). Please quote or link to your Round 1 entry in your submission. If you don't put a link or quote to your Round 1 card in your submission, this subchallenge is automatically failed. You can't expect the judges to dig for your cards from past rounds. Humble inventors create little things, great inventors create big things. It's just a matter of finding out what kind of creativity best suits your nature.
Subchallenge 2: the card has an ability that lets it turn on revolt by itself, without needing other cards. In dire times, you only have yourself to count on.
For the main challenge, as long as your card does not have the card type "land" or "artifact" you're good.
For subchallenge 1, rare and mythic rare are considered different rarities (because they really are). If your Round 1 card was ordinary rare, this round's card can't be a mythic rare and vice versa.
Subchallenge 2 means that the card has an ability that makes a permanent you control leave the battlefield. It can be the revolt ability itself (for example "Revolt - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, each player sacrifices a permanent.") or an additional ability (for example Hidden Stockpile, which second ability turns on revolt by making you sacrifice a creature). It can be a cost, such as in the Stockpile, or an effect, such as in my "each player sacrifices a permanent" example. It can be mandatory or optional, temporary or permanent. All that matters is that your card is able somehow to fulfill the revolt condition all by itself.
Feel free to ask any additional questions you might have in the discussion thread.
A friendly reminder I left everyone a few months ago but it's still valid:
(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.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Wednesday, February 22nd 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Saturday, February 25th 2017 23:59 EDT
JUDGES
bravelion83
doomfish
admirableadmiral
Blydden
PLAYERS
IcariiFA
Necarg
netn10
StonerOfKruphix
Tilwin
Vertain
void_nothing
willows
BRACKETS
The player with the highest combined score in each matchup advances to the final round.
Judge: bravelion83
IcariiFA vs. Vertain
void_nothing vs. willows
Judge: doomfish
void_nothing vs. willows
Necarg vs. StonerOfKruphix
Judge: admirableadmiral
Necarg vs. StonerOfKruphix
netn10 vs. Tilwin
Judge: Blydden
netn10 vs. Tilwin
IcariiFA vs. Vertain
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.)
Creature - Aetherborn Vampire Artificer (R)
Lifelink
Pay 2 life: Target artifact creature gains your choice of deathtouch, lifelink, or menace until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
"Aether is scarce down here, so I resort to a different essence."
3/3
Enchantment (R)
Revolt — At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card.
U: Return target attacking creature you control to its owner's hand.
Saheeli's creativity knows no obstacles, only challenges.
Weeping Matriarch 4WB
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying, Vigilance
Revolt - At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Weeping Matriarch and it gains deathtouch until your next turn.
WB, Sacrifice a creature: Weeping Matriarch gains indestructible until end of turn.
4/4
Check out my Newborder Peasant Cube here! http://www.cubetutor.com/draft/37467
True Name Mafia (Win),Clan Contest IX Mafia (Win), Bravely Default Mafia (Loss), BOTAS (loss), BfV (Loss), Ace Attourney (loss)
Rules Advisor before they were eradicated
Creature - Human Artificer (Rare)
Haste
At the beginning of your upkeep, exile the top card of your library. If it's an artifact card, you may cast it.
"I'm a simple man. I see a great idea, and I begin to work."
2/1
Overdrive to Work 1R
Enchantment (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put an artifact card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you do, sacrifice it.
Revolt - 3RR: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate this ability only if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
Learning from mistakes is important, but it's way less fun than watching things explode again and again.
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may sacrifice an artifact or creature. If you do, draw 2 cards and lose 2 life.
Revolt - If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, artifact and creature spells you cast cost 1 less.
To match the Consulate forces some rebels relied on extreme methods.
Enchantment (R)
Revolt - At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 2/4 colorless Spider artifact creature token with reach.
2G, Sacrifice a land: Destroy target artifact.
The lifecrafters of Greenwheel mounted a particularly sophisticated resistance to the Consulate, taking out materiel with stone-hurling machinery before sending in the arachnoids.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Creature — Elf Artificer (U)
Whenever an artifact creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature if you control another creature with greater power or toughness than it.
3/2
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target creature you control to its owner's hand.
Revolt — At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you control left the battlefield this turn, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
Here we plant the seeds of revolution.
BRACKETS
The player with the highest combined score in each matchup advances to the final round.
Judge: bravelion83
IcariiFA vs. Vertain
void_nothing vs. willows
Judge: doomfish
void_nothing vs. willows
Necarg vs. StonerOfKruphix
Judge: admirableadmiral
Necarg vs. StonerOfKruphix
netn10 vs. Tilwin
Judge: Blydden
netn10 vs. Tilwin
IcariiFA vs. Vertain
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.)
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy dislikes this card; he would much rather play the cards in his hand rather than cheat them out only to sacrifice them.
Fortunately, both Johnny and Spike would prefer the latter rather than the former. Johnny can use such tricks to pull off unique shenanigans; Spike can use such tricks to win the actual game.
(3/3) Elegance: No inelegances here.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: The revolt ability is not mechanically red at this time. This unfortunately results in an unnecessary color break. Also, I am not sure if recursively returning artifacts from the graveyard to the battlefield is particularly red, either.
However, the rarity of this card is more appropriate.
(0/3) Balance: My fellow judge, admirableadmiral, put it better than I think that I could at this time. My apologies.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: The first line of this card fetches full points for this criterion all by itself. Also, there are no official cards with activated revolt abilities, so that alone would also score full points for this criterion all by itself as well. Clearly, this criterion is definitely this particular card's strength.
(1/3) Flavor: I dislike the name; I dislike the flavor text somewhat less. At least the mechanics and flavor do go together rather nicely, which is somewhat surprising.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: The dash (which should be a long dash '—') after the revolt ability word should not be italicized (minus half a point).
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 17.5/25
Final thought: So, I heard that a certain Magic: the Gathering designer by the name of Mark Rosewater hosts this podcast called 'Drive to Work'...
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy kind of likes this card, primarily because of the very big effect on the game state that an additional combat phase tends to provide.
This card is something that Johnny would also like, even if it is a little straightforward for his tastes.
Simply put, Spike enjoys this powerful (and pushed) card. Making the most out of not just one combat phase, let alone two of them, can be a pretty skillful endeavor.
(2/3) Elegance: This card has a little too much going on in order to be considered perfectly elegant. There are also at least a couple rules issues with this card as well. The end of combat step occurs after damage is dealt, which means that Galvanius has to survive combat in order to for his revolt ability to actually trigger. Somewhat unintuitively, one also cannot deal damage and also be flickered with Galvanius' activated ability during the same combat phase.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: Mechanically, revolt is not an ability word within red. Fortunately, it is within white's mechanics, constituting a bend rather than a break.
This card's rarity has also been misappropriated; it is far worthier of being mythic than being rare.
(0/3) Balance: This card is incredibly undercosted (by at least 2), regardless of being multicolored. This card also has a rather generous power and toughness from being a four mana hasty double striker. This card also has a rather nice activated ability.
Despite being legendary, this card simply does too much for too cheap of a mana cost.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Lightning Runner was printed in Aether Revolt, and that card is unfortunately a lot like this card. Regardless, this card is still above-average in respects to this criterion.
(2/3) Flavor: No flavor text, even though there was room for about one line of it. Although, the card is pretty stuffed with rules text as-is in all honesty.
The name seems somewhat unrealistic due to it being somewhat of a mouthful to say aloud. Surely there could exist a shorter and better card name to communicate this legendary creature's concept properly.
All that said, he does seem both partisan and tactical at the same time flavorfully and mechanically, so that is a plus.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Regrettably, this card's name is too long to properly fit on the name plate of an actual Magic card (minus half a point). In addition, the dash next to the revolt ability word should be a long dash '—' and not a short dash.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 16.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy dislikes this card. Simply put, he never likes sacrificing his permanents, and paying life is not typically within his interests either. I do not think that the effective ramp would be able to make the difference for him, unfortunately.
Johnny likes this card very much as a both a card draw engine and as a decent form of cost reduction to play around with as well.
For Spikes who like to play black (I am a Spike yet I dislike playing black, unfortunately) this card is, well, as bravelion83 put it, tailor-made. To say that it would be appealing in that case is an understatement.
(3/3) Elegance: Neither inhibitions nor inelegances plague this card here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This card fits quite nicely into black on the color wheel. The rarity of rare is also quite nicely chosen here.
(2/3) Balance: This card is definitely pushed. I would call drawing one card and losing 1 life plus the revolt ability reasonable at that mana cost. Doubling up on the card draw pushed this card past 'reasonably balanced' for me, personally. Hopefully a card such as this would be able to see Standard play of some sort. Obviously it would see play in Limited.
The other qualm that I have with this card in regards to this criterion is just how oppressive the additive card advantage could end up being. Thankfully, abusing this card draw could also make one vulnerable to outright dying to random burn or unfavorable combat.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: There are no official cards with static revolt abilities, so that alone should score full uniqueness points here. The actual revolt ability definitely helps to reassure that as well too.
(2/3) Flavor: Both the name and the flavor text on this card are unimpressive yet definitely servicable. This card's mechanics communicate its flavors more than anything else here, which is not a bad thing by any means.
Polish -
(0.5/3) Quality: The second sentence of the first line of rules text should be rewritten like this "If you do, you draw two cards and you lose 2 life." (minus one and a half points; this is very well known).
In regards to the second line of rules text, the dash next to the revolt ability word should be a long dash '—' and not a short dash. Also, since the revolt ability is clearly intended to be a static ability, the word 'if' should be replaced with the phrase "as long as" (minus half a point). Finally, the words "to cast" are missing at the end of the second sentence of the second line of rules text (minus half a point).
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 20/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy is bored by this indirectly ineffectual card.
On the other hand, both Johnny and Spike both find this card to be nicely effective. It (potentially) generates card advantage and it also fiddles with combat in a way that is indeed helpful to both players.
(3/3) Elegance: No inelegances here.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Revolt is not an ability word within red's mechanics. As a result, this card cannot be red at this time without resulting in a color break.
The rarity of this card is just fine.
(2/3) Balance: Without access to blue mana, this card is overcosted to the point of being barely playable. With access to blue mana, this card quickly becomes very good.
There are two main reasons as to why I am not inclined to give this card a perfect balance score. Firstly, I think that its mana cost is too heavy in requiring two red mana instead of one. Secondly, I think that the card is just too weak to be a rare worth playing without blue mana, and only becomes a good card with blue mana.
Costing this card at 2R instead would go a ways towards solving both issues to the necessary extent. Perhaps the cost of the activated ability would need to be increased to compensate (maybe to 1U) but such mana cost rebalancing would make the difference between this score and a perfect (or at least near-perfect) score for this criterion in my honest opinion.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This card is definitely above-average in uniqueness when meshed together but these are all effects that have been done before otherwise. Impulsive draw has since ceased to be unique on its own, and blue has been returning creatures to hands since the beginning of Magic.
(3/3) Flavor: The strength of this submission is that the flavor of this card is very good. There is definite tie-in thematically with both Pia's Revolution and Chandra's Revolution. Aside from just the name and the flavor text, basically every element of this card is flavorfully cohesive.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: The card name should be bolded (minus half a point).
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge met!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met!
Total: 20.5/25
Final thought: Whose revolution is next? Kari Zev's?
Tilwin — 16.5
IcariiFA — 20
Vertain — 20.5
(1/3) Appeal: This is strictly Timmy territory.
(2.5/3) Elegance: There's a lot of moving parts going on here.
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(2.5/3) Balance: This is definitely pushing it in limited, even for a gold rare. Two mana and a creature is a large cost to pay to keep this around, but this is an unbeatable bomb rare that also protects itself. This would be among the best five rares in the set, easily.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: The card doesn't feel much different than your typical limited bomb that won't see play in constructed. This feels like a card that would be the face rare of an intro deck.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name and the mechanics fit together well, but you're missing flavor text.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25
(1.5/3) Appeal: Johnny likes this a lot. Spike likes drawing card, but this is a bit of a stretch for him.
(1.5/3) Elegance: This card has many moving parts and non-obvious interactions to it.
Development
(2.5/3) Viability: This could have probably been a mono blue card, but azorious isn't a bad fit.
(3/3) Balance: This draws a bunch of cards and gives your team evasion, but it also costs a ton of mana to do so. This is the ultimate snowball card that's close to useless when you're behind. I'm not a fan of this kind of design, but as a rare it's acceptable.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness:
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card's flavor text is at ends with its mechanics, and I'm not really a fan of the name either.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 20/25
(2/3) Appeal: This is Johnny for sure, with the right power level to make Spike curious.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The fact that this puts an artifact into play then sacrfices it instead of just discarding it is a little weird (even if it makes sense).
Development
(2.5/3) Viability: Sure, I'm willing to let red have this effect. This feels like a mythic rare in terms of power level, but rare isn't a bad choice.
(0/3) Balance: In standard, this can get the ETB/LTB trigger of any Gearhulk, Skysovereign, Consul Flagship, Treasure Keeper, and Workshop Assistant. In modern, this can put get the ETB/LTB trigger of Sundering Titan, Wurmcoil Engine, Sharuum the Hegemon, Myr Battlesphere, Sphinx Summoner, Summoner's Egg (yes, it works), and Spine of Ish Sah, to only name the most obvious cards. In fact, if you discard Sharuum to this card's ability, it can reanimate itself. All of these things happen at the low, low price of a one time, two mana investment. Even without going in to the power level of the activated ability as well, this card is clearly a developmental failure.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: The first ability alone nets you full points here.
(1/3) Flavor: The name is too comical and cartoonish for a Magic card. The flavor text is only slightly more serious.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 18/25
(3/3) Appeal: Spike wants to kill people with this, Johnny wants to abuse it, and Timmy likes extra combat steps.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The "End of first combat" wording leads to a great deal of ambiguity. It's fairly obscure that you can't deal combat damage with a creature and also flicker that same creature to get the extra combat step, and the fact that Galvanius needs to survive combat to get the extra combat step is also not obvious at first glance.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability: This clearly seems like a mythic rare to me. It's extremely powerful and very complex. Lightning Runner is both simpler and less powerful than this card, and that card is a mythic.
(1/3) Balance: Compare your card to Lightning Runner. Revolt is much easier to achieve than paying six energy (though it is noted that Lightning Runner's ability to generate energy for other means is there). Not only that, your card costs one less mana, has one more toughness, and has a very strong activated ability. Also, the fact that this triggers if your opponent kills another creature in or before combat (either with a removal spell or a blocker) makes this far too powerful for its mana cost. That's not even touching the power level of this card with fetchlands in older formats.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: Though your card is similar to Lightning Runner, it is unique enough for me to give you full points here.
(3/3) Flavor: The mechanics work well with the name to make up for the lack of flavor text.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(5/5) Challenges:
Total: 21/25
Design
(3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes being able to get his beaters out faster, but he wouldn't want to sacrifice creatures to achieve revolt, he'd use other methods. Johnny can use the first ability to find combo pieces and the second to get his combo out one turn earlier than intended. Timmy and Johnny could use this card, but Spike... well, Spike just loves every single bit of it! This card is just tailor made for him.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - The first ability is black without any doubt. It might feel a little strange to see cost reduction in black, but there is indeed precedent so that's fine. Rarity feels right.
(2.5/3) Balance - Drawing two cards and losing 2 life costs two mana at sorcery speed or three mana at instant speed or at sorcery speed with upside. Charging four mana and a sacrifice for doing it repeatedly only seems fair, expecially if additional upside comes in the form of revolt. Cost reduction is a powerful ability. Overall, I think 2BB is the least this could cost and I expect this card to be quite good at this cost, potentially playable not only in limited (that's kind of a given) but also in Standard. I see no particular problem in casual or multiplayer, maybe only the fact that the cost reduction is cumulative in multiples and that doesn't look very fun from the other side of the table.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Except for entering the battlefield with +1/+1 counters, no cards with revolt static abilities exist in AER. That's new. Cost reduction is also a very good ability to use to give this card its own identity. I can imagine players speaking of this card like: "I don't remember its name, but you know that card that reduced the cost of your spells if you had revolt?"
(3/3) Flavor - I see no problem with this card's flavor. It's nothing exceptional but it works just fine.
Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - In the first ability, the subject "you" is missing (-0.5) and the number of drawn cards should be written in letters (-0.5): "If you do, you draw two cards and you lose 2 life" (latest example: Succumb to Temptation). In the revolt ability, the words "to cast" are missing at the end (-0.5): "...cost 1 less to cast."
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 23/25
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - I don't think Timmy cares that much. Johnny could maybe do something with this, even though being able to return every creature of his, not just attacking ones, would have opened lots of different scenarios for him. Spike likes this card: the revolt ability can give him card advantage and the other one lets him reuse ETB abilities for value. He'll also keep in mind that creatures are still attacking after they deal damage in the "end of combat" step if they survived, and that's the best time to return them.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine. The last ability might feel more white than blue, but blue can do it too without any problem.
(2/3) Balance - I've been able to find repeatable impulsive draw on just two cards: Outpost Siege in Khans mode and Stromkirk Occultist. The Siege costs four mana but has added flexibility, while the Occultist costs three mana but requires combat damage to be dealt. This card is conditional too, requiring revolt for the impulsive draw, so given those precedents I think it's fine at three mana. The activated ability looks also reasonable at a single colored mana, as it's quite restrictive even if repeatable. I'd play this in limited for sure, maybe even without blue mana if I'm able to enable revolt reliably via other means. I'm not sure this is enough for constructed though. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - What we have here is slight twists on very well known abilities. Impulsive draw has been existing for quite some time in red by now, but not as a revolt ability. Blue has bouncing creatures, including its own, as a core ability, but here those creatures have to be attacking. Also, there's no existing revolt ability that triggers at the beginning of your postcombat main phase. All these are very nice twists but nothing more.
(3/3) Flavor - No problems here. The name is the same vein as Chandra's Revolution and Pia's Revolution. The flavor text and the color identity of the card both fit Saheeli as a character. Associating the concept of creativity with impulsive draw also works.
Polish
(2/3) Quality - The name should be bolded based on the forum rules (see reminder in the OP, -1).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal - I don't expect Timmy to care that much, and Spike might think this costs a bit too much. Johnny really likes this card, I can see a lot of different things that he can do with it. This card is made for him and he likes it.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit wordy overall, but otherwise fine.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine. The last ability might feel more red than green, but green can do it too without any problem.
(2/3) Balance - Giant Spider costs four mana, even though it's a limited-only card, so a card that is able to create Giant Spider-like tokens repeatedly, even though conditionally (revolt), feels right at five mana, especially with additional upside. The activated ability looks fine when you keep into account that it's also repeatable. This looks playable in limited, but in constructed it looks more like a sideboard card to me. I see no particular problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - All existing cards that create tokens as a revolt ability create Servos. Creating artifact Spiders is a nice twist. All the rest on this card is nothing new.
(3/3) Flavor - The name is quite interesting, the flavor text is very well written in my opinion, and both make sense with the card concept.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good. Lesson of the day: "materiel" (spelled with an "e" instead of an "a") is a word in English. Good thing I thought about checking it out before deducting points thinking it was a typo.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 20.5/25
Design
(3/3) Appeal - Timmy doesn't want to return creatures with the first ability, but he'll be more than glad to achieve revolt in some other way and keep making Servo tokens with the second one. Johnny can use both the self-bounce (as part of some engine) and the tokens. Spike will use the self-bounce too, but to reuse ETB effects for value. The tokens are a nice added bonus to him. The Johnny-Spike hybrids will love this card.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - Everything is in color and rarity looks fine.
(3/3) Balance - This card is interesting as usually in green self-bounce is used as a drawback on creatures, while here it looks like the main point of the card. In limited, this card's playability depends heavily on what you can bounce and how you can take advantage of it. In an environment like Kaladesh, with fabricate as a whole mechanic and plenty of cards with ETB abilities that just beg to be abused with this card, it's playable without any doubt, and that might even apply to Standard too. It shouldn't be hard to find some card in Standard to have a good synergy with this one. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - The exact combination of effects might have never been done before, but all single pieces have been multiple times.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I like the name, but the flavor text feels a bit generic even though it still works.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - In all revolt abilities, the verb is conjugated at the past tense: "if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield..." (-0.5). Feel free to double check it on real AER cards. I know because I had to check it in round 1 because of some submissions using revolt there too.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
IcariiFA: 23
Vertain: 21.5
void_nothing: 20.5
willows: 21.5
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.)
(1.5/3) Appeal: Versatility and value gain seems to be right up Spike's alley. But at 5 mana? And then 3 mana to activate? Might find fans among the commander players.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple, straightforward.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Artifact destruction, land sacrificing, spiders. It's all very green. Rare is a good spot.
(3/3) Balance: Strong it limited. Especially if there's artifacts around. Still not too oppressive. It's a terrifying mana sink. Which is generally not problematic.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Destroys artifacts. Makes tokens. Not all that original. Wrapping it into a repeatable engine is intriguing.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The flavortext and the name do a good job of explaining the card. But it's not like the consulate tried to invade anything. It was mostly the rebels storming in on the consulate and the consulate was on the defensive.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 21.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Very much a Johnny card. Might interest Spike in the right limited environment.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple, thus elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yeah, green does that whole bouncey thing. Uncommon is a good fit.
(3/3) Balance: Very comparable to Roaring Primadox. It takes a while until it reaches comparable p/t, but it's a may effect in return.
It works well by providing time with chumpblockers while generating value from possible etb effects, without being an easy to remove creature itself.
Creativity -
(0.5/3) Uniqueness: It doesn't really do anything new now, does it? Makes a token, bounces a creature. It's very much a reimagined Primadox.
(3/3) Flavor: Good name, very nice flavortext. Lovely.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Revolt requires to check if you controlled the card. Past tense.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon and revolt-enabling.
Total: 22/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes his big angels. Spike is very interested in creatures that get to survive removal, but this might just cost too much.
(3/3) Elegance: It's a nice set of keywords. Nothing too complicated going on.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sacrificing creatures this way is a good fit for black/white. Rare is a good spot.
(3/3) Balance: 6 mana is a lot, but it's likely to net you a 5/5 flying. Which isn't very pushed, but with the possibility to make it surive a lot of what gets thrown at it, it might be worth it. Playing it safe.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Nothing about this is particularly new. Falkenrath Aristocrat works very similiar. Lingering deathtouch is new, but not very interesting.
(2/3) Flavor: Why can't I stop eating all these creatures? ;_; The name is a great fit. Sad lack of flavortext.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Consecutive keywords are lower case after the first comma, e.g. Abbey Griffin.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 20.5/25
(2/3) Appeal: I guess Spike can get behind drawing extra cards. Johnny likes the deck building incentive.
(2.5/3) Elegance: A three piece puzzle. There's a lot going on. But the parts, just like a puzzle should, click into eachother well and after reading it twice any player would know the effects by heart I believe.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Strongly in blue, but there's white in flying and blinking. Rare is a good fit. The text just soo fits on a card, but it's really A LOT of text.
(2/3) Balance: Flying for the team once, but only on revolt is hard enough to trigger when this hits the board.
Then only getting to draw 1 card on the first time makes this a rather weak combination of Coastal Piracy and Levitation.
It does read exciting at first, but then you realize that it's probably not worth the effort at all. 4 Mana to maybe get the team flying and draw a card? Maaaybe another two?
5 mana is way too much to get flying again.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: It does combine effects that have been done before. Drawing for stacking counters on Mind Unbound and the other effects on the aforementioned enchantments. The selfblink combined with revolt is cool.
(2/3) Flavor: It does feel quite tactical. Also I guess flying is quite liberating. Not sure about the flavortext, the two are not mutually exclusive and I feel like the renegades are trying to achive freedom through technology.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Rare and revolt-enabling.
Total: 19.5/25
Necarg 20.5 vs. StonerOfKruphix 19.5
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
IcariiFA: 23 + 20 = 43
Vertain: 21.5 + 20.5 = 42
void_nothing: 21.5 + 20.5 = 42
willows: 22 + 21.5 = 43.5
Necarg: 20.5 + 20.5 = 41
StonerOfKruphix: 20 + 19.5 = 39.5
netn10: 17.5 + 18 = 35.5
Tilwin: 16.5 + 21 = 37.5
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.)