Nothing too special, although there are a couple of innovations I'd like to talk about.
First and foremost, there's BTE, which has been amazing for me. It might not be a Goblin but it's a cheap, effective body and it gives us a great way to surge Reckless Bushwhacker. Goblin Piledriver would normally be in this slot, but the speed and consistency that BTE adds is well worth losing one of our most powerful cards.
Second, there's the 2-power one drops (Tattermunge Maniac and Goblin Cohort). The drawbacks are pretty insignificant and the extra points of damage can be the difference between winning and losing games. That said, if there's one slot in the list I'd change it would be cutting the Cohorts for Loyalists.
The other big difference is that the sideboard includes a lot of dedicated hate cards. Especially in a list like this one that relies heavily on curving out, a sideboard card that makes the deck less streamlined needs to have a huge impact on the game for it to be worth running. Tormod's Crypt and Shattering Spree are great in a number of matchups, and Dragon's Claw hoses Burn (and random mirrors) so hard that it's worth including as well IMO, although Leyline of Sanctity might be better in that slot. Blood Moon is something I'd want as well if the Loyalists go to the main.
Legend: While I really like both the concept and the card, this doesn't exactly fit the mold of the "Oath of X" cards we've seen so far, which have all had a static ability that refers to planeswalkers (which you did have), and an ETB effect (which you didn't).
Kaeias: Well, this is definitely a weird one. I wish it had been worded more clearly, but I like the concept.
mirrodin71: This is a little bland for my taste. Not really a lot to say here.
void_nothing: I sincerely hope nothing like this ever sees print because it would be a bigger headache than CounterTop in terms of time, but it's certainly unique and interesting.
TheRealStinkyJoeTerry: This could easily just be an artifact, and as you said, it wasn't the cleanest.
LnGrrrR: There is a place for proactive answers in Magic, but this feels like it should have been more pushed at a higher rarity.
Unwinding Snare4C
Enchantment (U)
Flash
When Unwinding Snare enters the battlefield, you may put target creature on the top or bottom of its owner's library.
Sacrifice Unwinding Snare: Target player draws a card.
Note: I did not watch this on stream, so I don't know what the exact situation is here.
The judge was correct in not allowing Cesar to get the trigger on the flier. When his opponent passed priority, he had to immediately announce his targets for the Weldfast trigger before taking any other actions if he wanted to get the trigger at all. This action isn't a problem because of any language barrier, it's a problem because of how the rules of the game work.
With that being said, I believe the correct ruling would have been that the vehicle was crewed and could attack, but that the trigger was missed. Given the action Cesar wanted to take, and given that he had an ability that triggered at the beginning of combat, I feel like "combat" is a perfectly acceptable shortcut, language barrier or no. Granted, it isn't the BEST shortcut he could have used, but I don't think it's something he should have been penalized for. His opponent could have taken actions either on Cesar's precombat main phase OR on his beginning of combat phase, and therefore Cesar proceeded correctly with his turn IMO.
Renegade Cagebreaker1RR
Creature - Human Rogue (R) Revolt - When Renegade Cagebreaker enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 2/2 red Gremlin creature token.
Whenever a Gremlin enters the battlefield under your control, you may destroy target artifact. "They took my inventions. They took the critters' food source. It wasn't hard to reach an agreement."
2/2
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Johnny loves it. Spike loves it too, if only in Limited. This doesn't strike me as a Timmy card though.
(1/3) Elegance: This much math can be a massive headache. I'm puzzled as to why you gave it two pump/minus abilities when the card was already so wordy.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: This is unplayable in Constructed, but that doesn't seem like your target audience.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Seems unique enough to me.
(3/3) Flavor: The name is great. This being a Sphinx is perfect. I'd give you extra points here if I could.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Should say "that creature's power" instead of "your creature's power."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Strictly a Johnny card. Spike feels like there are better options for Dredge.
(3/3) Elegance: Surprisingly, this actually feels pretty elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: Or here.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This is definitely unique.
(3/3) Flavor: This feels very old-school, but in a good way.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not a creature, but 2 is a prime number.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy loves it, but I don't see Johnny and Spike having much interest here.
(3/3) Elegance: Seems elegant enough.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Green's good, but this should have been mythic.
(3/3) Balance: This is absolutely disgusting in Limited, but costing seven mana makes that okay.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This is not a new effect for green.
(2/3) Flavor: Not a fan of the name, and Treefolk doesn't feel perfect here. Maybe Elemental or Avatar would have been better?
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Should say "total toughness of creatures you control" instead of "total amount of toughness among creatures you control."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Spike isn't interested, but Timmy and Johnny love it. (2/3) Elegance: The flip trigger could be confusing to newer players, and it's a little on the wordy side.
Development - (3/3) Viability: No issues here. (3/3) Balance: This wouldn't see play in Standard, but it's really well balanced everywhere outside of competitive constructed formats.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This feels super fresh. I particularly like the use of treachery counters. (3/3) Flavor: I wish you'd made the names a little shorter (mostly for templating reasons), but they and the rest of the card are a major hit flavorwise.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: "Bolas" in the -3 should say "Bolas, Mastermind of the Multiverse." (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: All three psychographics have a use for this. (3/3) Elegance: No issues here.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Seems good to me. (1/3) Balance: There are some serious power level concerns here. Unless you're dead on board or your opponent is packing hate, I don't see how you'd lose with this on the board in Standard or Limited. Had the first ability been a little less powerful (maybe if it was sorcery speed?) you'd be in better shape.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: It's the unholy love child of Rescue from the Underworld, Zombify, Anguished Unmaking, and Faith's Reward. The planeswalker thing is new, though. (2/3) Flavor: I like the here's something about the flavor that doesn't really mesh. I get that Elspeth's body and her soul have been separated, and the static ability makes sense from that point, but how do both of them have a planeswalker spark then? And shouldn't neither of them have a spark, since one is dead and the other doesn't have a body?
Polish - (3/3) Quality: No issues here. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: All three psychographics could use this. (3/3) Elegance: Everything comes together beautifully. Well done.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This feels very white/black. (3/3) Balance: No issues with balance.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Seems good to me. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor's spot on here. I really like the direction you took this.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: There are a couple of things I would have done differently, but there's precedent for the way you wrote it out. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Congratulations!
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Johnny and Spike love it. Timmy could see a use for it as well. (3/3) Elegance: It's pretty easily understandable.
Development - (3/3) Viability: No issues here. (3/3) Balance: I feel confident in saying this isn't overpowered or underpowered.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Seems unique enough. (3/3) Flavor: The card stays true to Tibalt while still being something new and exciting flavorwise.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: No issues here. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Takenuma ShadowbladeBB
Creature - Rat Ninja (U)
Menace Ambush - When Takenuma Shadowblade enters the battlefield, you may reveal any number of Ninja cards from your hand. Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.
2/1
Ambush is an ability word that, when certain conditions are met, allows you to reveal any number of Ninja cards from your hand to produce a certain effect. (This is not limited to creature cards as I believe a future Kamigawa block is among the best chances for tribal to return. If tribal wasn't in said block, ambush would be creatures only.)
IcariiFA: I guess the mechanic is like super first strike that works poorly with combat tricks? I can see where you were going with this, though, and while I'm not a fan of the keyword, I do feel like you did a good job with the card as a whole.
Legend: It's a cool design, and well put together. I will say, though, that the mechanic feels much more connected to Spirits than it does to Samurai.
void_nothing: I like how you balanced this so that cards with the mechanic have synergy, but the cost to get there isn't insignificant. The mechanic is certainly something unique, but it's not so out there that I couldn't see it getting printed.
FortunaImperatrixMundi: There aren't any glaring issues with the card itself (it's definitely an interesting riff on a tapper), but the mechanic feels like it would be more frustrating than fun if it saw print, which is a major problem for something that would appear a lot in a set. Turning a Limited format into a grindy tap-fest isn't necessarily something I think is a great idea.
bravelion83: While I like the mechanic and I think there's more design space for it than meets the eye, I do have some power level concerns here. A four mana Divination on a stick is already a fairly good card, and giving it the ability to protect itself AND Divination again every turn probably makes it too strong. Blue also doesn't seem like the best fit for Kamigawa monks.
Raptorchan: I don't think the is the BEST fit for Ninjas, but it works well enough. Keep in mind, though, that MaRo has specifically said R&D doesn't use +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters in the same block in order to avoid confusion. I would probably make it a number keyword (e.g. "Volatile 2") and have it put that many counters on the creature. In addition, volatile is a little bit of an odd choice of a name here; it sounds very red.
So i think with invigorated rampage we now have enough trample triggers to built to smashes. I'm currently running the lossett 60, and am currently third in our FNM league. I'm thinking of going the less combo route by cutting 2 uncaged fury then maybe like i said the adrenaline rushes into built to smash for the instant speed plus toughness. then that leaves me 2 cards in thinking shock to help trick combat or check a planswalker emblem... What do you guys think? any opinions on harness lighting? Any ways love the thread guys lets keep it goin
I think that if you`re running 100% combo, then you should not run Harness Lightning. Lossett`s plan was to ignore the opponent`s creatures and just go through them, which is why he didn`t run them. If that`s your plan, every card in the 60 should push towards pulling a combo kill off.
If you want to go more interactive/chip aggro, it`s certainly a must-have card.
Even in a pure combo list, I think it's a mistake to cut Harnessed Lightning. A card that reads "1R: Double your Electrostatic Pummeler's power" goes a long way toward helping the combo, although it can be a little win-more at times. In addition, we can't pretend that every game is going to be magical Christmas wonderland, and Lightning buys time to find a Pummeler when things aren't going well.
Jukai Guardian 1G
Creature - Human Monk (U) Bond - When Jukai Guardian enters the battlefield, if you control two or more permanents that share a color with it, draw a card. "This forest is our home. We are as much a part of it as the trees, the serow, or the ground we stand on."
2/1
18 Mountain
Creatures:
4 Burning-Tree Emissary
4 Foundry Street Denizen
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
3 Goblin Chieftain
3 Goblin Cohort
4 Goblin Guide
4 Mogg War Marshal
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Goblin Grenade
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Dragon's Claw
4 Legion Loyalist
3 Shattering Spree
4 Tormod's Crypt
Nothing too special, although there are a couple of innovations I'd like to talk about.
First and foremost, there's BTE, which has been amazing for me. It might not be a Goblin but it's a cheap, effective body and it gives us a great way to surge Reckless Bushwhacker. Goblin Piledriver would normally be in this slot, but the speed and consistency that BTE adds is well worth losing one of our most powerful cards.
Second, there's the 2-power one drops (Tattermunge Maniac and Goblin Cohort). The drawbacks are pretty insignificant and the extra points of damage can be the difference between winning and losing games. That said, if there's one slot in the list I'd change it would be cutting the Cohorts for Loyalists.
The other big difference is that the sideboard includes a lot of dedicated hate cards. Especially in a list like this one that relies heavily on curving out, a sideboard card that makes the deck less streamlined needs to have a huge impact on the game for it to be worth running. Tormod's Crypt and Shattering Spree are great in a number of matchups, and Dragon's Claw hoses Burn (and random mirrors) so hard that it's worth including as well IMO, although Leyline of Sanctity might be better in that slot. Blood Moon is something I'd want as well if the Loyalists go to the main.
Kaeias: Well, this is definitely a weird one. I wish it had been worded more clearly, but I like the concept.
mirrodin71: This is a little bland for my taste. Not really a lot to say here.
void_nothing: I sincerely hope nothing like this ever sees print because it would be a bigger headache than CounterTop in terms of time, but it's certainly unique and interesting.
TheRealStinkyJoeTerry: This could easily just be an artifact, and as you said, it wasn't the cleanest.
LnGrrrR: There is a place for proactive answers in Magic, but this feels like it should have been more pushed at a higher rarity.
2. Kaeias
3. void_nothing
Enchantment (U)
Flash
When Unwinding Snare enters the battlefield, you may put target creature on the top or bottom of its owner's library.
Sacrifice Unwinding Snare: Target player draws a card.
The judge was correct in not allowing Cesar to get the trigger on the flier. When his opponent passed priority, he had to immediately announce his targets for the Weldfast trigger before taking any other actions if he wanted to get the trigger at all. This action isn't a problem because of any language barrier, it's a problem because of how the rules of the game work.
With that being said, I believe the correct ruling would have been that the vehicle was crewed and could attack, but that the trigger was missed. Given the action Cesar wanted to take, and given that he had an ability that triggered at the beginning of combat, I feel like "combat" is a perfectly acceptable shortcut, language barrier or no. Granted, it isn't the BEST shortcut he could have used, but I don't think it's something he should have been penalized for. His opponent could have taken actions either on Cesar's precombat main phase OR on his beginning of combat phase, and therefore Cesar proceeded correctly with his turn IMO.
Creature - Human Rogue (R)
Revolt - When Renegade Cagebreaker enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 2/2 red Gremlin creature token.
Whenever a Gremlin enters the battlefield under your control, you may destroy target artifact.
"They took my inventions. They took the critters' food source. It wasn't hard to reach an agreement."
2/2
Typo on my part. I meant to write that the effect didn't feel splashy enough for a green mythic. Sorry for the confusion.
(2/3) Appeal: Johnny loves it. Spike loves it too, if only in Limited. This doesn't strike me as a Timmy card though.
(1/3) Elegance: This much math can be a massive headache. I'm puzzled as to why you gave it two pump/minus abilities when the card was already so wordy.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: This is unplayable in Constructed, but that doesn't seem like your target audience.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Seems unique enough to me.
(3/3) Flavor: The name is great. This being a Sphinx is perfect. I'd give you extra points here if I could.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Should say "that creature's power" instead of "your creature's power."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Strictly a Johnny card. Spike feels like there are better options for Dredge.
(3/3) Elegance: Surprisingly, this actually feels pretty elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: Or here.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This is definitely unique.
(3/3) Flavor: This feels very old-school, but in a good way.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not a creature, but 2 is a prime number.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy loves it, but I don't see Johnny and Spike having much interest here.
(3/3) Elegance: Seems elegant enough.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Green's good, but this should have been mythic.
(3/3) Balance: This is absolutely disgusting in Limited, but costing seven mana makes that okay.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This is not a new effect for green.
(2/3) Flavor: Not a fan of the name, and Treefolk doesn't feel perfect here. Maybe Elemental or Avatar would have been better?
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Should say "total toughness of creatures you control" instead of "total amount of toughness among creatures you control."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/creativity/custom-card-creation/custom-card-contests-and-games/768401-january-2017-mcc-round-3-unlikely-explorers#c12
(2/3) Appeal: Spike isn't interested, but Timmy and Johnny love it.
(2/3) Elegance: The flip trigger could be confusing to newer players, and it's a little on the wordy side.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: This wouldn't see play in Standard, but it's really well balanced everywhere outside of competitive constructed formats.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This feels super fresh. I particularly like the use of treachery counters.
(3/3) Flavor: I wish you'd made the names a little shorter (mostly for templating reasons), but they and the rest of the card are a major hit flavorwise.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "Bolas" in the -3 should say "Bolas, Mastermind of the Multiverse."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(3/3) Appeal: All three psychographics have a use for this.
(3/3) Elegance: No issues here.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Seems good to me.
(1/3) Balance: There are some serious power level concerns here. Unless you're dead on board or your opponent is packing hate, I don't see how you'd lose with this on the board in Standard or Limited. Had the first ability been a little less powerful (maybe if it was sorcery speed?) you'd be in better shape.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It's the unholy love child of Rescue from the Underworld, Zombify, Anguished Unmaking, and Faith's Reward. The planeswalker thing is new, though.
(2/3) Flavor: I like the here's something about the flavor that doesn't really mesh. I get that Elspeth's body and her soul have been separated, and the static ability makes sense from that point, but how do both of them have a planeswalker spark then? And shouldn't neither of them have a spark, since one is dead and the other doesn't have a body?
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(3/3) Appeal: All three psychographics could use this.
(3/3) Elegance: Everything comes together beautifully. Well done.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This feels very white/black.
(3/3) Balance: No issues with balance.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Seems good to me.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor's spot on here. I really like the direction you took this.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: There are a couple of things I would have done differently, but there's precedent for the way you wrote it out.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Congratulations!
(3/3) Appeal: Johnny and Spike love it. Timmy could see a use for it as well.
(3/3) Elegance: It's pretty easily understandable.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No issues here.
(3/3) Balance: I feel confident in saying this isn't overpowered or underpowered.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Seems unique enough.
(3/3) Flavor: The card stays true to Tibalt while still being something new and exciting flavorwise.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: All good.
Total: 25/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Congratulations!
Instant
Counter target spell that targets an artifact or enchantment you control.
Draw a card.
Creature - Rat Ninja (U)
Menace
Ambush - When Takenuma Shadowblade enters the battlefield, you may reveal any number of Ninja cards from your hand. Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.
2/1
Legend: It's a cool design, and well put together. I will say, though, that the mechanic feels much more connected to Spirits than it does to Samurai.
void_nothing: I like how you balanced this so that cards with the mechanic have synergy, but the cost to get there isn't insignificant. The mechanic is certainly something unique, but it's not so out there that I couldn't see it getting printed.
FortunaImperatrixMundi: There aren't any glaring issues with the card itself (it's definitely an interesting riff on a tapper), but the mechanic feels like it would be more frustrating than fun if it saw print, which is a major problem for something that would appear a lot in a set. Turning a Limited format into a grindy tap-fest isn't necessarily something I think is a great idea.
bravelion83: While I like the mechanic and I think there's more design space for it than meets the eye, I do have some power level concerns here. A four mana Divination on a stick is already a fairly good card, and giving it the ability to protect itself AND Divination again every turn probably makes it too strong. Blue also doesn't seem like the best fit for Kamigawa monks.
Raptorchan: I don't think the is the BEST fit for Ninjas, but it works well enough. Keep in mind, though, that MaRo has specifically said R&D doesn't use +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters in the same block in order to avoid confusion. I would probably make it a number keyword (e.g. "Volatile 2") and have it put that many counters on the creature. In addition, volatile is a little bit of an odd choice of a name here; it sounds very red.
2. Raptorchan
3. IcariiFA
Even in a pure combo list, I think it's a mistake to cut Harnessed Lightning. A card that reads "1R: Double your Electrostatic Pummeler's power" goes a long way toward helping the combo, although it can be a little win-more at times. In addition, we can't pretend that every game is going to be magical Christmas wonderland, and Lightning buys time to find a Pummeler when things aren't going well.
Artifact Creature - Spirit Servo
When Possessed Worker dies, create a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.
1/1
Next:
Turtle Advisor
Angel Wurm
Blinkmoth Hydra
Creature - Human Monk (U)
Bond - When Jukai Guardian enters the battlefield, if you control two or more permanents that share a color with it, draw a card.
"This forest is our home. We are as much a part of it as the trees, the serow, or the ground we stand on."
2/1