A bit of self-indulgence, since I took this month on short notice, so it'll be Alara Month this time around! Next up we'll use one of the defining mechanics of Alara block Limited: landcycling.
Main Challenge: Design a card with plainscycling, islandcycling, swampcycling, mountaincycling, and/or forestcycling
Subchallenge 1: Your card isn't only and exactly the colors corresponding to its basic landcycling abilities. Subchallenge 2: Your card has an effect when you cycle it.
Subchallenge 1: For example, a monowhite card with plainscycling would not pass. A white-blue, monored, or colorless one would.
Please feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
Design Deadline: All submissions are to be final and submitted by April 17th 11:59 PM EDT
Judging Deadline: All judgements are to be final and completed by April 19th 11:59 PM EDT
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Arid Arroyo
Land - Desert [U] T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W(1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
Flourishing Landscape3GG
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced.
Mountaincycling 2, plainscycling 2
When you cycle Flourishing Landscape, you may pay G. If you do, search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. (Do this before and in addition to searching for the mountain or plains to put into your hand.) The Naya sun touches intricate canopies and sharp peaks.
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.)
Abrupt ForestationG
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a basic Forest.
Forestcycling 1G(1G, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Abrupt Forestation, lands enter the battlefield tapped until end of turn.
Cylian Channeler1G
Creature — Elf Shaman {U}
When you cycle Cylian Channeler or it dies, add RW.
Mountaincycling 3, plainscycling 3(3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
2/1
TAdd 1 TAdd 2. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells.
Mountaincycling 3.
When you cycle Dragonroost you may sacrifice three mountains. If you do, search your library for a Dragon creature card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of lands in your graveyard. Put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Sigil of the Golden Harvest1GW
Enchantment {R}
Whenever a land card is put into your hand from your library except by drawing it, you may reveal that card and put it onto the battlefield tapped.
Forestcycling 2, Plainscycling 2(2, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest or Plains card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
When you cycle Sigil of the Golden Harvest, you may pay GW. If you do, create a token that's a copy of it. Exile that token at the beginning of your next end step.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Water The Roots3G
Enchantment (R)
Whenever an Island or Swamp becomes tapped, target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn and you gain 1 life.
Islandcycling 1G, swampcycling 1G(1G, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
When you cycle Water the Roots, you may play an additional land this turn.
Planes Vigor5WG
Creature - Avatar (R)
Planes Vigor's power and toughness are equal to your life total plus the number of lands you control.
Forestcycling 3(3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Planes Vigor, you gain 1 life for each land you control.
*/*
Understand the Esper3U
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Return up to two artifact cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Plainscycling 1W, Swampcycling 1B
Whenever you cycle Understand the Esper, return up to one artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Earthdiver3RR
Creature - Elemental Wurm(u)
Dash1R(You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Mountaincycling1R (1R, discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Earthdiver, destroy target land if you attacked with a creature named Earthdiver this turn.
3/4
Ranging Goblin3R
Creature — Goblin Warrior (U)
Haste
As long as you control a Mountain, Ranging Goblin gets +1/+0 and has trample.
Forestcycling R
When you cycle Ranging Goblin, target creature you control get +1/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.
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)
Hayami, the Eternal4WW
Legendary Creature - Dragon Spirit {M}
Flying, lifelink
Swampscycling 2
When you cycle Hayami, the Eternal, you may exile it instead of discarding it. If you do, return all cards named Hayami, the Eternal from your graveyard to your hand. Between the fall of the evening star and the rise of the morning star, eternity awaits.
5/5
Cylian Channeler1G
Creature — Elf Shaman {U}
When you cycle Cylian Channeler or it dies, add RW.
Mountaincycling 3, plainscycling 3(3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
2/1
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: There's a bit for everyone here: Spike likes the versatility, Johnny likes the death/cycling trigger and Timmy likes it as a 2-drop, but he would like it more as a 2/2.
(3/3) Elegance: In spite of the two basic landcycling abilities, the card reads well.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: While the rarity is correct, some might have problems with white having a little mana burst (as you could potentially play this in a monoW deck that's splashing red), but in a shard set, and especially in the Naya shard, it makes sense.
(2.5/3) Balance: This card is pretty solid in a limited deck of its colors, but I don't see it as making a dent into constructed formats, maybe in some commander decks who specialize in cycling. It's definitely a solid card, but not one you'll pick highly.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: We have already seen death triggers that produce mana and cycling triggers, but this is a nice combination. I suppose it's part of a cycle?
(2/3) Flavor: The name makes sense with what we know of the Naya shard, but the fact that it's a bit generic, combined with a lack of flavor text, prevent me from giving you full points here.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Everything seems correct.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Dragonroost
Legendary Land (R) TAdd 1 TAdd 2. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells.
Mountaincycling 3.
When you cycle Dragonroost you may sacrifice three mountains. If you do, search your library for a Dragon creature card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of lands in your graveyard. Put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: This is Timmy and Johnny territory, Spike is not even remotely interested in the setup and in the not-so-competitive tribe.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The card is overcrowded and many players will need a second read, especially of the cycling ability.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: While it perfectly works as a "Tribal" land (á la Eldrazi Temple), the "lands in your graveyard" part doesn't scream "red" to me. The rarity is correct.
(2.5/3) Balance: The land limits itself when it comes down to tutoring, but I'm afraid not many players will use this outside of dedicated EDH dragon decks, as the cost for the cycling ability is very steep and, outside of some ulterior help, tutoring a 4-drop dragon doesn't seem worth the effort. Maybe this might see some play in some fringe modern decks, but even then, it might be a longshot.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: This card is a dragon version of Eldrazi temple with some tutoring stapled onto it, but at least the condition is original.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name sounds pretty generic for a legendary land, but the effect is very flavorful.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: There's a period missing after the first mana ability and an extra period after the mountaincycling one.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Water The Roots3G
Enchantment (R)
Whenever an Island or Swamp becomes tapped, target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn and you gain 1 life.
Islandcycling 1G, swampcycling 1G(1G, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
When you cycle Water the Roots, you may play an additional land this turn.
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: This card speaks on all three of the psychographics, albeit on different levels.
(3/3) Elegance: Despite its wordiness, the card reads easily and it's very clear.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: While this might look like a green hoser (in the vein of Snake Pit), and, therefore, undeserving its rarity (as historically hoser cards are usually uncommons), once you realize how much this could complicate combat and how strong it is, its rarity is well-deserved. No problems with the color pie either.
(1/3) Balance: At first glance, this might seem like some sideboard hate card, but it's way more: the ability to maindeck this (as the cycling doesn't make it a dead card) and the fact that triggers for each player's lands make it a broken enchantment that will stop your opponent's race dead in its tracks and blank a lot of their removal. Even more than that, you could splash this in a Dimir deck and there's no way your opponents could stop you, as each of your lands turns into a mini-Moment of Triumph. Definitely a windmill slam in limited, and I'm sure it could make a splash in constructed formats.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This is not the first hoser card that green has against black and blue, but the execution is refreshing.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is a bit generic, and the lack of flavor text doesn't help. Also, how could a Swamp water some roots?
Understand the Esper3U
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Return up to two artifact cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Plainscycling 1W, Swampcycling 1B
Whenever you cycle Understand the Esper, return up to one artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Spike appreciates the versatility. Timmy and Johnny are meh.
(3/3) Elegance: Very elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is a solid uncommon. Maybe blue isn't the perfect color for artifact "regrowing", but in the context of Esper it makes sense, especially when paired with white and black.
(3/3) Balance: This might not be a windmill slam in draft, but you're definitely playing this if you're in this colors, as this is pure, solid, card advantage. This seems a bit slow for eternal formats, but it might see play in standard and in some specialized edh decks.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Regrowing an artifact is definitely not new territory, but having one instance of it tied to landcycling makes the card feel fresh.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name definitely fits the card and what we know about the complex shard of Esper, but I would've liked some flavor text, as MSE shows me that there's ample space for it.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Everything correct, here.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Kruphix, God of Value and Eldrazi. GU Gahiji: Wider is better. (Now with 40% more tokens!) RGW Daxos brought some frienchantments! WB Kynaios and Tiro: Four strong arms to hug you better. RGWU Saskia: You better not tell her that pointing is rude. BRGW Sidisi the Zombeesi, the Unmilled, Breaker of Graves, Mother of Zambambos. (Zombie tribal)BGU Omnath, The Angriest Elemental Ever & His Spike-Handed Buddies.RG (Retired but forever in my heart)
Arid Arroyo
Land - Desert [U] T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W(1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.) Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny are not opposed to a dual land, Spike admires it's elasticity. (2.5/3) Elegance: This card does a lot, and missing that it gives you life is easy.
Development - (1.5/3) Viability: A land that is strictly better than Plains is forbidden. I also believe dual lands should come in a cycle, and I don't see how to extend this one. Finally, such a land would probably be rare (compare Amonkhet lands). (1/3) Balance: Of course a land would not break any format in half, but this is definitely too powerful in too many ways.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: This is still a dual land, but executed in an interesting way. (3/3) Flavor: I must admit that the issues this card has are all mainly due to the fact that it has perfect flavor due to them.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: I believe cycling should be before lifegain. (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 19/25
Flourishing Landscape3GG
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced.
Mountaincycling 2, plainscycling 2
When you cycle Flourishing Landscape, you may pay G. If you do, search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. (Do this before and in addition to searching for the mountain or plains to put into your hand.) The Naya sun touches intricate canopies and sharp peaks.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes mana doubling, Spike the choices and advantages. Johnny is not that interested, but may use as a help. (2/3) Elegance: Landcycling demands reminder text, while the reminder text you created seems unnecessary and doesn't sound well.
Development - (3/3) Viability: No issues in rules, color and rarity. (1.5/3) Balance: So... this is an instant speed, a little limited Kodama's reach with additional possiblity of doubling mana and even land cycling in the pinch. This is definitely too much.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Mana reflection/Kodama's reach split card, but in not obvious way. (1.5/3) Flavor: This is a very generic Naya-aligned green card.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: OK (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 19.5/25
Earthdiver3RR
Creature - Elemental Wurm(u)
Dash1R(You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Mountaincycling1R (1R, discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Earthdiver, destroy target land if you attacked with a creature named Earthdiver this turn.
3/4 Design - (2/3) Appeal: Spike admires choices. Only Griefer Timmy likes land destruction, and Johnny somewhat admires a minigame. (2.5/3) Elegance: You need to read this card quite carefully to understand it, but when you do it starts to make sense.
Development - (3/3) Viability: I can see this design as an uncommon. No problems with color or rules. (1/3) Balance: Land destruction has low power level for a reason. This card is not only much better than acceptable LD, but also too powerful for a dash creature (compare Alesha's Vanguard and Hellspark Elemental). And Lay of the Land in the pinch, really?
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: The combination is very unique. (2/3) Flavor: I can see Elemental Wurms being related to LD, but I don't see how this is specifically supposed to work.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Barely different reminder text for mountaincycling. (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (1/2) Subchallenges: Not other colors.
Total: 19/25
Hayami, the Eternal4WW
Legendary Creature - Dragon Spirit {M}
Flying, lifelink
Swampscycling 2
When you cycle Hayami, the Eternal, you may exile it instead of discarding it. If you do, return all cards named Hayami, the Eternal from your graveyard to your hand. Between the fall of the evening star and the rise of the morning star, eternity awaits.
5/5 Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Spike admires card advantage and possibility of different usages, Johnny is trying to abuse the additional copies. Paradoxically, Timmy is the one not that interested in this Dragon, as it isn't that exciting for them. (2.5/3) Elegance: Quite some text, and it seems a little disjointed.
Development - (1/3) Viability:Eternal Dragon returning itself from graveyard is a serious bend, note that Swampcycling is not helping at all (you can have no Swamps in deck to make this card work like this). This is a very strange way of cycling ability, which I think doesn't work in current rules (it triggers even before the card hits the graveyard, which I believe is impossible or at least quite questionable). Rarity OK, but barely, it could be a rare. Finally, multiple copies of this card make for a better land generation than green in WB, or even mono-B, which is absurd. (1.5/3) Balance: As in Viability, and also a wincon if you need it. This is not a healthy way to do a card.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Interesting riff on Eternal Dragon, the card could be interesting. (2.5/3) Flavor: Eternal Dragon reference, fine flavor text, looks fine, but I'm not amazed.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality:"Swampscycling" (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy basically skips over this card but Johnny can play with that unusual triggered ability and Spike just likes tempo. (3/3) Elegance: Fairly elegant stuff.
Development - (1/3) Viability: Uncommon is about where I’d put this, but changing lands to Forests is not a green effect (Song of the Dryads is extremely controversial color pie wise and I’d argue that its primary use is definitely not for lands); it’s blue that overwrites land types temporarily or permanently, while green can only give its own lands extra types like with Prismatic Omen. I would argue that making lands ETB tapped is also not green, but white or blue. (2.5/3) Balance: The landcycling is really the concerning part; it’s not OP per se but it’s a possible big tempo boost.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: A Lingering Mirage riff, but an interesting one given the triggered ability; the “main” effect has little precedent in green so I gotta give you uniqueness points to some degree there. (2/3) Flavor: No flavor text, and the name works but is a bit on the nose.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality:Sea’s Claim and co. don’t give lands the basic type; this isn’t “wrong” per se but it’s not in line with established templating and it does odd rules things. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (1/2) Subchallenges: Only green and has only forestcycling.
Total: 18/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes ramp, Johnny likes strange new stuff, Spike doesn’t want to pay all that mana. (1.5/3) Elegance: You probably sensed this is where you were going to lose points, right? This is a pretty comprehensible card but also a wordy one that does some unusual things.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Really not feeling like this is a white card. Definitely green and definitely rare though. (2.5/3) Balance: I feel like that mana cost is maybe 1 too high for what this card does (is Sylvan Scrying into dropping your whatever-combo-land a turn early really THAT strong?) and that you could have not limited the effect to “from your library” so that you can enable Life from the Loam wombo combos; maybe there are Stupid Land Bounce Tricks inherent there but hey, infinite combos in general are inevitable and if they’re slightly janky, that’s for the better.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Some absolutely unique to the point of being unprecedented stuff. Bravo. (3/3) Flavor: I do appreciate some nice Bant flavor and I get the holistic flavor of the card even without flavor text (I would not even try to fit any). Also, the studio Golden Harvest makes some of my favorite kung fu films.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (1/2) Subchallenges: Only the colors of its cyclings.
Total: 20.5/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes absolute fat, Johnny likes reanimating, Spike agrees with both and also sees a great control tool with that cycling ability. (2.5/3) Elegance: Wordy, and P/T might be annoying to calculate sometimes, but overall an elegant concept.
Development - (3/3) Viability: All checks out (although maybe change this to a mythic imho); that P/T defining CDE is pleasingly Chinese-menu. (1.5/3) Balance: Sheeeeezus that’s tempting to reanimate. There should be no point in the game where those stats are not huge; at least Serra Avatar has the potential to get weaker as the game gets longer; this card partially balances out you having a lower life total at that stage by you having more lands on the battlefield. The cycling triggered ability is also quite strong.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Straps together Serra Avatar and Allosaurus Rider, but the cycling triggered ability is a unique touch that also ties in with the P/T. (3/3) Flavor: Neat name, maybe could have used short flavor text but overall the name conveys the flavor well.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: Mana symbols in the wrong order, and no apostrophe in what’s clearly supposed to be a possessive. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the f a t, Johnny likes cheapo mana fixing that comes with another effect to mess with, and Spike likes the sheer efficiency and versatility on display. (2/3) Elegance: For a card that’s theoretically simple, it’s pretty wordy (and has a weirdly redundant condition for its self-pump but see below); the “bloodrush”-y triggered ability also has some pretty complex implications.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Color and rarity are fine (rarity is fine complexity-wise, that is, but see below). (1.5/3) Balance: How often exactly are you not going to control a Mountain when casting something that costs 3R? Effectively this is a 4/3 with haste, trample, and a second, very cheap, mana-fixing “mode” that’s also a combat trick. At rare I’d maybe be fine with something like that for Limited but at uncommon, that’s warping heavily in favor of the color pair this belongs to unless it were in a cycle of comparable power. I can’t help but think that the “Mountain” was a Quality mistake for “Forest”, which would really change this whole card quite a lot, making it still very powerful but considerably more fair.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: No really new ground broken but definite unique effect-recombination, and even the cycling trigger can only be really compared to Primal Boost. (1.5/3) Flavor: No flavor text (not that there was a lot of room) and the name is a cute pun on Raging Goblin but otherwise not really doing it for me.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Certainly an odd case - a card that’s fine on all templating levels but that has something that I’m pretty sure you actually got wrong while you were editing it, in terms of the words on the card not matching your intent. Regardless, no penalty. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Good. (2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
April MCC 2019 Round 2 - Maelstrom's Landscape
A bit of self-indulgence, since I took this month on short notice, so it'll be Alara Month this time around! Next up we'll use one of the defining mechanics of Alara block Limited: landcycling.
Main Challenge: Design a card with plainscycling, islandcycling, swampcycling, mountaincycling, and/or forestcycling
Subchallenge 1: Your card isn't only and exactly the colors corresponding to its basic landcycling abilities.
Subchallenge 2: Your card has an effect when you cycle it.
Please feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
Judging Deadline: All judgements are to be final and completed by April 19th 11:59 PM EDT
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
void_nothing
Superbajt
StonerOfKruphix
Contestants:
RaikouRider
netn10
Ryder052
Jimmy Groove
The_Hittite
Hemlock
egoblinsw
Artorias
IcariiFA
Freyleyes
bravelion83
Flatline
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Land - Desert [U]
T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced.
Mountaincycling 2, plainscycling 2
When you cycle Flourishing Landscape, you may pay G. If you do, search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. (Do this before and in addition to searching for the mountain or plains to put into your hand.)
The Naya sun touches intricate canopies and sharp peaks.
Art credit: https://www.deviantart.com/magnus-strindboem/art/Landscapes-Jungle-River-750634279
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.)
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a basic Forest.
Forestcycling 1G (1G, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Abrupt Forestation, lands enter the battlefield tapped until end of turn.
Creature — Elf Shaman {U}
When you cycle Cylian Channeler or it dies, add RW.
Mountaincycling 3, plainscycling 3 (3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
2/1
Legendary Land (R)
TAdd 1
TAdd 2. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells.
Mountaincycling 3.
When you cycle Dragonroost you may sacrifice three mountains. If you do, search your library for a Dragon creature card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of lands in your graveyard. Put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Enchantment {R}
Whenever a land card is put into your hand from your library except by drawing it, you may reveal that card and put it onto the battlefield tapped.
Forestcycling 2, Plainscycling 2 (2, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest or Plains card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
When you cycle Sigil of the Golden Harvest, you may pay GW. If you do, create a token that's a copy of it. Exile that token at the beginning of your next end step.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Enchantment (R)
Whenever an Island or Swamp becomes tapped, target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn and you gain 1 life.
Islandcycling 1G, swampcycling 1G (1G, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
When you cycle Water the Roots, you may play an additional land this turn.
Creature - Avatar (R)
Planes Vigor's power and toughness are equal to your life total plus the number of lands you control.
Forestcycling 3 (3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Planes Vigor, you gain 1 life for each land you control.
*/*
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Return up to two artifact cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Plainscycling 1W, Swampcycling 1B
Whenever you cycle Understand the Esper, return up to one artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Creature - Elemental Wurm(u)
Dash1R(You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Mountaincycling 1R (1R, discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Earthdiver, destroy target land if you attacked with a creature named Earthdiver this turn.
3/4
Creature — Goblin Warrior (U)
Haste
As long as you control a Mountain, Ranging Goblin gets +1/+0 and has trample.
Forestcycling R
When you cycle Ranging Goblin, target creature you control get +1/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.
3/3
Legendary Creature - Dragon Spirit {M}
Flying, lifelink
Swampscycling 2
When you cycle Hayami, the Eternal, you may exile it instead of discarding it. If you do, return all cards named Hayami, the Eternal from your graveyard to your hand.
Between the fall of the evening star and the rise of the morning star, eternity awaits.
5/5
void_nothing:
Ryder052
RaikouRider
IcariiFA
Flatline
Superbajt:
The_Hittite
bravelion83
Hemlock
Freyleyes
StonerOfKruphix:
Artorias
egoblinsw
Jimmy Groove
netn10
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: There's a bit for everyone here: Spike likes the versatility, Johnny likes the death/cycling trigger and Timmy likes it as a 2-drop, but he would like it more as a 2/2.
(3/3) Elegance: In spite of the two basic landcycling abilities, the card reads well.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: While the rarity is correct, some might have problems with white having a little mana burst (as you could potentially play this in a monoW deck that's splashing red), but in a shard set, and especially in the Naya shard, it makes sense.
(2.5/3) Balance: This card is pretty solid in a limited deck of its colors, but I don't see it as making a dent into constructed formats, maybe in some commander decks who specialize in cycling. It's definitely a solid card, but not one you'll pick highly.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: We have already seen death triggers that produce mana and cycling triggers, but this is a nice combination. I suppose it's part of a cycle?
(2/3) Flavor: The name makes sense with what we know of the Naya shard, but the fact that it's a bit generic, combined with a lack of flavor text, prevent me from giving you full points here.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Everything seems correct.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Total: 22/25
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: This is Timmy and Johnny territory, Spike is not even remotely interested in the setup and in the not-so-competitive tribe.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The card is overcrowded and many players will need a second read, especially of the cycling ability.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: While it perfectly works as a "Tribal" land (á la Eldrazi Temple), the "lands in your graveyard" part doesn't scream "red" to me. The rarity is correct.
(2.5/3) Balance: The land limits itself when it comes down to tutoring, but I'm afraid not many players will use this outside of dedicated EDH dragon decks, as the cost for the cycling ability is very steep and, outside of some ulterior help, tutoring a 4-drop dragon doesn't seem worth the effort. Maybe this might see some play in some fringe modern decks, but even then, it might be a longshot.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: This card is a dragon version of Eldrazi temple with some tutoring stapled onto it, but at least the condition is original.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name sounds pretty generic for a legendary land, but the effect is very flavorful.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: There's a period missing after the first mana ability and an extra period after the mountaincycling one.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Total: 19.5/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: This card speaks on all three of the psychographics, albeit on different levels.
(3/3) Elegance: Despite its wordiness, the card reads easily and it's very clear.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: While this might look like a green hoser (in the vein of Snake Pit), and, therefore, undeserving its rarity (as historically hoser cards are usually uncommons), once you realize how much this could complicate combat and how strong it is, its rarity is well-deserved. No problems with the color pie either.
(1/3) Balance: At first glance, this might seem like some sideboard hate card, but it's way more: the ability to maindeck this (as the cycling doesn't make it a dead card) and the fact that triggers for each player's lands make it a broken enchantment that will stop your opponent's race dead in its tracks and blank a lot of their removal. Even more than that, you could splash this in a Dimir deck and there's no way your opponents could stop you, as each of your lands turns into a mini-Moment of Triumph. Definitely a windmill slam in limited, and I'm sure it could make a splash in constructed formats.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This is not the first hoser card that green has against black and blue, but the execution is refreshing.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is a bit generic, and the lack of flavor text doesn't help. Also, how could a Swamp water some roots?
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Everything's correct here.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Double check.
Total: 21/25
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Spike appreciates the versatility. Timmy and Johnny are meh.
(3/3) Elegance: Very elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This is a solid uncommon. Maybe blue isn't the perfect color for artifact "regrowing", but in the context of Esper it makes sense, especially when paired with white and black.
(3/3) Balance: This might not be a windmill slam in draft, but you're definitely playing this if you're in this colors, as this is pure, solid, card advantage. This seems a bit slow for eternal formats, but it might see play in standard and in some specialized edh decks.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Regrowing an artifact is definitely not new territory, but having one instance of it tied to landcycling makes the card feel fresh.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name definitely fits the card and what we know about the complex shard of Esper, but I would've liked some flavor text, as MSE shows me that there's ample space for it.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Everything correct, here.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check and check.
Total: 22.5/25
Netn10 22.5
Artorias 22
JimmyGroove 21
Egoblinsw 19.5
Kruphix, God of Value and Eldrazi. GU
Gahiji: Wider is better. (Now with 40% more tokens!) RGW
Daxos brought some frienchantments! WB
Kynaios and Tiro: Four strong arms to hug you better. RGWU
Saskia: You better not tell her that pointing is rude. BRGW
Sidisi the Zombeesi, the Unmilled, Breaker of Graves, Mother of Zambambos. (Zombie tribal)BGU
Omnath, The Angriest Elemental Ever & His Spike-Handed Buddies.RG (Retired but forever in my heart)
Arid Arroyo
Land - Desert [U]
T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny are not opposed to a dual land, Spike admires it's elasticity.
(2.5/3) Elegance: This card does a lot, and missing that it gives you life is easy.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: A land that is strictly better than Plains is forbidden. I also believe dual lands should come in a cycle, and I don't see how to extend this one. Finally, such a land would probably be rare (compare Amonkhet lands).
(1/3) Balance: Of course a land would not break any format in half, but this is definitely too powerful in too many ways.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: This is still a dual land, but executed in an interesting way.
(3/3) Flavor: I must admit that the issues this card has are all mainly due to the fact that it has perfect flavor due to them.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: I believe cycling should be before lifegain.
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 19/25
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you tap a land for mana, add one mana of any type that land produced.
Mountaincycling 2, plainscycling 2
When you cycle Flourishing Landscape, you may pay G. If you do, search your library for a Forest card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. (Do this before and in addition to searching for the mountain or plains to put into your hand.)
The Naya sun touches intricate canopies and sharp peaks.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes mana doubling, Spike the choices and advantages. Johnny is not that interested, but may use as a help.
(2/3) Elegance: Landcycling demands reminder text, while the reminder text you created seems unnecessary and doesn't sound well.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues in rules, color and rarity.
(1.5/3) Balance: So... this is an instant speed, a little limited Kodama's reach with additional possiblity of doubling mana and even land cycling in the pinch. This is definitely too much.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Mana reflection/Kodama's reach split card, but in not obvious way.
(1.5/3) Flavor: This is a very generic Naya-aligned green card.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: OK
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 19.5/25
Creature - Elemental Wurm(u)
Dash1R(You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Mountaincycling 1R (1R, discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
When you cycle Earthdiver, destroy target land if you attacked with a creature named Earthdiver this turn.
3/4
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Spike admires choices. Only Griefer Timmy likes land destruction, and Johnny somewhat admires a minigame.
(2.5/3) Elegance: You need to read this card quite carefully to understand it, but when you do it starts to make sense.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: I can see this design as an uncommon. No problems with color or rules.
(1/3) Balance: Land destruction has low power level for a reason. This card is not only much better than acceptable LD, but also too powerful for a dash creature (compare Alesha's Vanguard and Hellspark Elemental). And Lay of the Land in the pinch, really?
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: The combination is very unique.
(2/3) Flavor: I can see Elemental Wurms being related to LD, but I don't see how this is specifically supposed to work.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Barely different reminder text for mountaincycling.
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not other colors.
Total: 19/25
Legendary Creature - Dragon Spirit {M}
Flying, lifelink
Swampscycling 2
When you cycle Hayami, the Eternal, you may exile it instead of discarding it. If you do, return all cards named Hayami, the Eternal from your graveyard to your hand.
Between the fall of the evening star and the rise of the morning star, eternity awaits.
5/5
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Spike admires card advantage and possibility of different usages, Johnny is trying to abuse the additional copies. Paradoxically, Timmy is the one not that interested in this Dragon, as it isn't that exciting for them.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Quite some text, and it seems a little disjointed.
Development -
(1/3) Viability:Eternal Dragon returning itself from graveyard is a serious bend, note that Swampcycling is not helping at all (you can have no Swamps in deck to make this card work like this). This is a very strange way of cycling ability, which I think doesn't work in current rules (it triggers even before the card hits the graveyard, which I believe is impossible or at least quite questionable). Rarity OK, but barely, it could be a rare. Finally, multiple copies of this card make for a better land generation than green in WB, or even mono-B, which is absurd.
(1.5/3) Balance: As in Viability, and also a wincon if you need it. This is not a healthy way to do a card.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Interesting riff on Eternal Dragon, the card could be interesting.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Eternal Dragon reference, fine flavor text, looks fine, but I'm not amazed.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality:"Swampscycling"
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 19.5/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy basically skips over this card but Johnny can play with that unusual triggered ability and Spike just likes tempo.
(3/3) Elegance: Fairly elegant stuff.
Development -
(1/3) Viability: Uncommon is about where I’d put this, but changing lands to Forests is not a green effect (Song of the Dryads is extremely controversial color pie wise and I’d argue that its primary use is definitely not for lands); it’s blue that overwrites land types temporarily or permanently, while green can only give its own lands extra types like with Prismatic Omen. I would argue that making lands ETB tapped is also not green, but white or blue.
(2.5/3) Balance: The landcycling is really the concerning part; it’s not OP per se but it’s a possible big tempo boost.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: A Lingering Mirage riff, but an interesting one given the triggered ability; the “main” effect has little precedent in green so I gotta give you uniqueness points to some degree there.
(2/3) Flavor: No flavor text, and the name works but is a bit on the nose.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Sea’s Claim and co. don’t give lands the basic type; this isn’t “wrong” per se but it’s not in line with established templating and it does odd rules things.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Only green and has only forestcycling.
Total: 18/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes ramp, Johnny likes strange new stuff, Spike doesn’t want to pay all that mana.
(1.5/3) Elegance: You probably sensed this is where you were going to lose points, right? This is a pretty comprehensible card but also a wordy one that does some unusual things.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Really not feeling like this is a white card. Definitely green and definitely rare though.
(2.5/3) Balance: I feel like that mana cost is maybe 1 too high for what this card does (is Sylvan Scrying into dropping your whatever-combo-land a turn early really THAT strong?) and that you could have not limited the effect to “from your library” so that you can enable Life from the Loam wombo combos; maybe there are Stupid Land Bounce Tricks inherent there but hey, infinite combos in general are inevitable and if they’re slightly janky, that’s for the better.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Some absolutely unique to the point of being unprecedented stuff. Bravo.
(3/3) Flavor: I do appreciate some nice Bant flavor and I get the holistic flavor of the card even without flavor text (I would not even try to fit any). Also, the studio Golden Harvest makes some of my favorite kung fu films.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Only the colors of its cyclings.
Total: 20.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes absolute fat, Johnny likes reanimating, Spike agrees with both and also sees a great control tool with that cycling ability.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Wordy, and P/T might be annoying to calculate sometimes, but overall an elegant concept.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: All checks out (although maybe change this to a mythic imho); that P/T defining CDE is pleasingly Chinese-menu.
(1.5/3) Balance: Sheeeeezus that’s tempting to reanimate. There should be no point in the game where those stats are not huge; at least Serra Avatar has the potential to get weaker as the game gets longer; this card partially balances out you having a lower life total at that stage by you having more lands on the battlefield. The cycling triggered ability is also quite strong.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Straps together Serra Avatar and Allosaurus Rider, but the cycling triggered ability is a unique touch that also ties in with the P/T.
(3/3) Flavor: Neat name, maybe could have used short flavor text but overall the name conveys the flavor well.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Mana symbols in the wrong order, and no apostrophe in what’s clearly supposed to be a possessive.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the f a t, Johnny likes cheapo mana fixing that comes with another effect to mess with, and Spike likes the sheer efficiency and versatility on display.
(2/3) Elegance: For a card that’s theoretically simple, it’s pretty wordy (and has a weirdly redundant condition for its self-pump but see below); the “bloodrush”-y triggered ability also has some pretty complex implications.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Color and rarity are fine (rarity is fine complexity-wise, that is, but see below).
(1.5/3) Balance: How often exactly are you not going to control a Mountain when casting something that costs 3R? Effectively this is a 4/3 with haste, trample, and a second, very cheap, mana-fixing “mode” that’s also a combat trick. At rare I’d maybe be fine with something like that for Limited but at uncommon, that’s warping heavily in favor of the color pair this belongs to unless it were in a cycle of comparable power. I can’t help but think that the “Mountain” was a Quality mistake for “Forest”, which would really change this whole card quite a lot, making it still very powerful but considerably more fair.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: No really new ground broken but definite unique effect-recombination, and even the cycling trigger can only be really compared to Primal Boost.
(1.5/3) Flavor: No flavor text (not that there was a lot of room) and the name is a cute pun on Raging Goblin but otherwise not really doing it for me.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Certainly an odd case - a card that’s fine on all templating levels but that has something that I’m pretty sure you actually got wrong while you were editing it, in terms of the words on the card not matching your intent. Regardless, no penalty.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 20/25
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝