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  • posted a message on Mairsil 1st ability - Does it target?
    Because the ability does not say “target”, you choose as it resolves, not when it goes on the stack.
    That said, make sure to clearly check with the table if it resolves before naming your choice. Otherwise, people may feel that you didn’t give them a chance to check their options and respond.
    Posted in: Magic Rulings
  • posted a message on May MCC, Round 2 - Time and Time Again
    Quest for Eternity4UU
    Legendary Enchantment (M)
    If a player would take their turn, that player may exile their hand, then draw 7 cards, untap all permanents they control, and put a quest counter on themself and on Quest for Eternity instead.
    At the beginning of each upkeep, if there are three or more quest counters on Quest for Eternity, remove those counters and transform it.
    //
    Timestream Foothold
    Legendary Land (M)
    Timestream Foothold is controlled by the active player. (The active player is the player whose turn it is.)
    t: Add U equal to the number of cards in your hand minus 4.
    Remove a quest counter from yourself: Take an extra turn after this one. Any player may activate this ability.
    Posted in: Custom Card Contests and Games
  • posted a message on May MCC, Round 1 - Pumping It Up
    Resistance Arsonist 1WR
    Creature- Goblin Ally (U)
    Vigilance
    R: Resistance Arsonist gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
    Support: Whenever you activate or trigger an ability of this creature, you may tap it if it is untapped. If you do, replace that creature’s name with “creatures you control” in that instance of that ability.
    2/1
    They told me to guard against the darkness with love. Good thing I LOVE fire!
    Posted in: Custom Card Contests and Games
  • posted a message on Eggs
    I am testing a 4 whir version with a single aetherflux as the win on. Calling it Brunch at the Citadel?
    Pretty much any hand with reshape seems to have a pretty good chance of killing t3, which is cool.
    4 of
    Whir
    Reshape
    Lotus
    Opal
    C sphere
    C star
    Conjourors bauble
    Faiths reward
    Bolas citadel
    3 serum visions
    2 noxious revival
    1 aetherflux reservoir

    4 flagstone of trokair
    4 ghost Q
    3 hallowed Fountain
    4 island
    4 dark steel citadel
    1 plains

    I would love to find room for some zalfarian voids, but am worried about blue mana. Thoughts?
    Posted in: Deck Creation (Modern)
  • posted a message on April MCC, Round 2 - Maelstrom's Landscape
    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.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on April MCC, Round 1 - Spreading Filigree
    Etherium Dragonforge 2UR
    Artifact (R)
    When Etherium Dragonforge enters the battlefield, sacrifice any number of artifacts. Put that many charge counters on Etherium Dragonforge.
    At the beginning of your upkeep, create a 1/1 red Dragon Replica artifact creature token with flying and devour 2 for each charge counter on Etherium Dragonforge.
    After years of trying to gain an edge in quality , the artificers gave up and turned to quantity . With no broodmother to protect, this new flying scourge proved even more devastating than the original.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on March Round 1 - From The Vault : Enchantments
    Infernal Pact 3BB
    Legendary Enchantment (M)
    At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player exiles a number of cards from the top of his or her library equal to one plus the number of cards that player owns exiled by Infernal Pact.
    You may cast cards exiled by Infernal Pact.
    If a player owns 7 or more cards exiled by Infernal Pact, you lose the game.
    In this game, three of the wrong kind is a death sentence. Literally.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on October MCC Round 1 - Keep On Curve

    Quote from NightArcher »
    Recovery Ops 1UB
    <Art shows a Dimir agent extracting a memory from another fallen Dimir agent>
    Enchantment {Common}
    1B, exile a creature card from your graveyard: Surveil 1
    1U, sacrifice Recovery Ops: Draw a card.
    A failed mission isn't a total loss.

    Design -
    (0/3) Appeal: Timmy is unexcited about incremental value. Johnny doesn't see much of an opportunity for anything exciting. Spike sees "2UUB: Draw a card."
    (3/3) Elegance: The card makes sense, and fits together thematically.

    Development -
    (2.5/3) Viability: It's definitely in the right colors, and is a card that would be printed. I would say that putting more than one activated ability on a card usually would push it to uncommon, but I don't think it's a huge stretch.
    (2/3) Balance: I would class this very safely as "draft chaff". If you wanted this to play a role as a limited card, the second ability could probably have cost 0 mana, or the first ability could have cost B. Safe but unplayable except in a very dedicated limited deck.

    Creativity -
    (1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's not an exciting card. The combination of incremental scry advantage with a draw-card cash-in is not new. However, it's also not too similar to any of our surveil outlets in the set, so I give it a tentative pass.
    (3/3) Flavor: Very Dimir. A fact-finding mission on your own dead comrades is right up their alley. Flavor text seems suited.

    Polish -
    (1.5/3) Quality: Name not bold. No period at the end of the first ability. Ability costs should start with a capital letter.
    (2/2) *Main Challenge: A 3 CMC UB card.
    (2/2) Subchallenges: A common creature.

    Total: 17.5/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

    Quote from Flintlock »
    Oathbound Castellan 1WU
    Creature - Spirit Knight (C)
    Flash
    Oathbound Castellan has Indestructible during the turn it enters the battlefield.
    Though the war was lost long ago, the fort still holds.
    3/3

    Design -
    (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes indestructible stuff. Johnny has a few pet decks that this is perfect for. You had Spike at 3/3 Flash for 3, the fact that it never trades in it's ambush turn is gravy.
    (3/3) Elegance: A flash indestructible blocker is something that's been done before. The fact that it doesn't have a window to be removed before an ability triggers makes this work a lot more like a beginner expects it too, which is good.

    Development -
    (1.5/3) Viability: Flash and indestructible are blue and white for sure. This is definitely never going to be printed at Common however, or even Uncommon. This is your prototypical rare, with a lot of power pumped into a strong rate "4-of in standard" type rare.
    (1/3) Balance: At common this would absolutely break limited environments. I could see it creating some very unhealthy play patterns in a U/W tempo archetype in standard as well, with a strong body, that ambushes attackers, and can be played at opponent's EOT in control matchups. Slots right into UW spirits in modern as well, but probably not breaking that format :).

    Creativity -
    (1.5/3) Uniqueness: Darksteel Sentinel lost vigilance when it died? The ETB indestructible isn't especially new, but it does make the limited play pattern a lot less frustrating than Sentinel. Still doesn't feel especially exciting.
    (2.5/3) Flavor: Totally great name, and flavor text is fine. I was confused that the spirit doesn't have flying, but there is certainly precedent.

    Polish -
    (2.5/3) Quality: Templating should be like Leapfrog. "...has indestructible as long as it entered the battlefield this turn."
    (2/2) *Main Challenge: A 3 cmc blue-white card.
    (1/2) Subchallenges: Putting a "c" on the card doesn't make it a common. It is a creature.

    Total: 18/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

    Quote from Gateways7 »
    Wildform Shaman 2RG
    Creature - Human Shaman (C)
    T, Sacrifice Wildform Shaman: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card with converted mana cost five or less. Put it onto the battlefield. It gains haste until end of turn.
    “I am one with nature.”
    3/3

    Design -
    (1/3) Appeal: Timmy doesn't like having deckbuilding constraints. Johnny wonders if there's a 5 CMC creature he can build around. Spike doesn't like random effects unless they're a lot more abusable than this seems to be.
    (3/3) Elegance: This makes sense. It's an effect we've seen similarly before, and straightforward.

    Development -
    (2.5/3) Viability: G/R generating a random dude off the top of your deck and giving it haste seems totally fine. It's not super abusable (I think), and simple enough to be a common, although I hesitate to put a random effect there.
    (3/3) Balance: This seems fine. There might be a combo here, but it's probably not very good. Nice that you can play 4 and they chain to find your other 1-of. Seems like a fun card for your casual player in many formats.

    Creativity -
    (2.5/3) Uniqueness: It's not an effect we've seen before exactly, and it will play well in some decks. Overall, I'm not super excited or disappointed by it, which might be just right. That said, we've seen a lot of similar effects before in cards like Cascade spells.
    (2/3) Flavor: The name and effect work well. The flavor text is uninspiring and doesn't really match the effect well.

    Polish -
    (1.5/3) Quality: There should be a tap symbol in the ability rather than a T. (smileys, MTG). There should be some instruction on what to do with the rest of the revealed cards. Do they go to deck or GY? Are they randomized at the bottom of the deck or do I choose the order? If you choose the order I know exactly what deck to build :).
    (2/2) *Main Challenge: It is a 2-color 4 CMC card.
    (2/2) Subchallenges: It is a common creature.

    Total: 19.5/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

    Quote from Hemlock »
    Boros Insignia1RW
    Enchantment - Aura (c)
    Enchant Creature
    Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has mentor.
    Whenever enchanted creature dies, attach Boros Insignia to target creature you control.
    Ranks in the Legion are earned mostly by just surviving enough.

    Design -
    (1/3) Appeal: Timmy like a buff the keeps passing to creatures. Johnny is bored. Spike was lost at 3 CMC aura that doesn't win the game.
    (3/3) Elegance: This makes sense as a card, and it's effects work well together.

    Development -
    (3/3) Viability: It's a very boros card, and a good draft common. I could see Wizards printing this card.
    (3/3) Balance: It's a card you would sometimes play and sometimes not in a 2-drop heavy boros limited deck. There might be a commander deck that wants this, but I don't think so.

    Creativity -
    (2.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a bit like rancor (more on that later), but for more initial investment and free transfers. It's not splashy but it's fine. Feels like a cross between an aura and an equipment which is cool.
    (2.5/3) Flavor: Everything is good except that the flavor text reads oddly. I feel like "just surviving enough" is missing a word, like "long enough" or "enough battles".

    Polish -
    (2/3) Quality: The re-attach ability should probably be like Rancor, worded like this I think state-based effects put the card in the graveyard, and then I'm not sure if the ability should work because the card has changed zones and it's confusing which zone it was in when it triggered. "When this card is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, return it to the battlefield enchanting a creature you control." might be right?
    (2/2) *Main Challenge: A 3 CMC 2 color card.
    (2/2) Subchallenges: A common enchantment.

    Total: 21/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

    Quote from RaikouRider »
    Springseeder 1GW
    Creature - Dryad {C}
    Whenever Springseeder becomes tapped for the first time each turn, add GW to your mana pool.
    2/1

    Design -
    (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy doesn’t like jumping through hoops but does like ramping. Johnny can use it. Spike doesn’t see it.
    (2.5/3) Elegance: Adding mana during combat can confuse newer players. Otherwise it’s great.

    Development -
    (3/3) Viability: Well suited in colors and at a reasonable rarity for an enabler.
    (3/3) Balance: Seems fine. It’s a role player that probably doesn’t get played much but works OK with limited tricks.

    Creativity -
    (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Not groundbreaking but not boring. Feels like it goes with convoke, but still incentivizes multiple spells in a turn.
    (2/3) Flavor: Name and effect match well. Commons like this without a ton of text should definitely have flavor text.

    Polish -
    (3/3) Quality: looks good
    (2/2) *Main Challenge: 3cmc 2 colors.
    (2/2) Subchallenges: this is a common creature.

    Total: 21.5/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
    Standings
    NightArcher 17.5
    Flintlock 18
    Gateways7 19.5
    Hemlock 21
    RaikouRider 21.5

    Flintlock Gateways7 Hemlock and RaikouRider advance

    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on October MCC Judge Signups
    Battle Generator 2RW
    Artifact (R)
    At the beginning of combat on your turn, target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn, target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn, target creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn, target creature gets +0/+1 until end of turn, target creature gains flying until end of turn, target creature gains first strike until end of turn, target creature gains trample until end of turn, and target creature gains haste until end of turn.
    Made to make shields shake and spears soar.

    Design -
    (1/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the sheer number of things he gets to do every turn. Spike is contemptuous. Jonny doesn’t really care.
    (.5/3) Elegance: The idea of what is being attempted is cool and makes sense, but it’s clunky and confusing. A total of eight different targeted clauses makes thus a nightmare to track and cast. The fact that this happens every turn makes for ugly gameplay.

    Development -
    (1/3) Viability: A red/white artifact is weird enough without a million targets. The color pie and rarity match up well, but the only way I see this being printed is as an instant/sorcery.
    (2.5/3) Balance: While confusing, I can imagine several fun Commander and casual decks revolving around this card without breaking it. Balance wise I see it as a strong limited bomb with very fringe standard playability. Just right.

    Creativity -
    (1.5/3) Uniqueness: This feels like a new card, but also plays heavily off of “akroma’s —-“ cards and a variety of split up pump spells like seeds of strength.
    (2.5/3) Flavor: Flavorwise it’s great. A one-artifact armory of equipment for every task is very Boros. The flavor text is unexciting but fine.

    Polish -
    (3/3) Quality: Honestly I’m not sure about the temp laying of the ability, but I think it’s all good.
    (2/2) *Main Challenge:
    (2/2) Subchallenges:

    Total: 16/25
    *An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.


    FINISHED
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on October MCC Round 1 - Keep On Curve
    Goblin Cannoneer 3BR
    Creature - Goblin Pirate (C)
    When Goblin Cannoneer enters the battlefield, create a colorless Treasure artifact token with “TAP, sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.” When you do, each player sacrifices an artifact or creature.
    4/3
    Cannonballs? Why would we bring ammo that doesn't do dishes, and isn't shiny?
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on September MCC Round 2 - Fix Me
    Jurors' Antechamber
    Land - (R)
    Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell, add W.
    Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, add U.

    Each transgression heightens your sentence. Cease, before you draw our true ire.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on September MCC Round 1 - Homecoming
    Replacing accidental double post. I really like this round. Restricting the rarity really got people to tone down the urge to make cards ridiculously unfair!
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on September MCC Round 1 - Homecoming
    Azorius.

    Customs Stop X mana blue mana blue mana
    Instant (U)
    Exile target spell unless it’s controller pays X.
    blue mana Exile Customs Stop from your hand: Appropriate (You may cast an exiled card your opponent owns with equal or lesser converted mana cost to this card without paying it's mana cost.)
    Lightning-charged fire slugs! These are strictly fobidden by the 17th amendment to the Izzet-Rakdos-Simic weapons cross-contamination accord. They will be added to the Magical Deterrent Armory for emergency deployment.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on August MCC Round 1 - Abilities!
    Nexus, Time's Laboratory
    Legendary Land (M)
    Spells you cast from your graveyard, library, or exile cost 1 less to cast.
    You may look at and cast exiled cards you own if they are face down.
    tap symbol : Reveal the top card of your library, you may cast that card. Activate this ability only if you cast a spell from your graveyard, library or exile this turn.
    Past or future, it's got to be better than the present.
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
  • posted a message on July MCC Round 1 - Can't Keep 'Em Down
    Rose, Martyr of Peace 3WW
    Legendary Creature - Human Avatar {M}
    Persist (When this creature dies, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)
    When Rose, Martyr of Peace enters the battlefield, each player skips their next attack step.
    When Rose dies, each player gains life equal to the total life lost by all players this turn.
    They say peace is only a dream. I would rather die than wake.
    2/2
    Posted in: Monthly Contests Archive
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