I was under the impression cards exiled by these effects would remain in exile after being cast. I'm aware spells put themselves in their owner's graveyard as part of its effect unless it was a permanent, but I think I played under the assumption that /not/ remaining in exile for these effects could present several opportunities for broken loops so I assumed it wouldn't work like that.
... I'm wrong, aren't I? Are there *any* similar effects in which the spells *would* remain in exile to prevent silly loop abuse?
Hold the phones - transfigure, which puts creatures into play, supposedly has no synergy with evolve?
I give up. I should've just made some tier one broken plays-itself card for that challenge. I suppose that answers the question of what I would have done differently.
BiomageUBG
Creature - Wizard Mutant (r)
Evolve
Other creatures you control have Transfigure X, where
X is the converted mana cost of that creature.
2/2
How about, "When you splice ~, the next permanent that would enter the battlefield under your control has haste until end of turn."
But at this point splice is pointless for what you want to do with the card. It may as well read as a 1cmc instant with the aforementioned wording with a buyback of 1. I just don't think forcing splice to work with cast permanent spells is a fruitful way to explore design space.
Contortion Slime3U
Creature — Ooze Shapeshifter (R)
You may have Contortion Slime enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield except it gains "Transfigure 3G"
0/0
IIW: Noncreature mythics.
I hope the challenge calls for a keyword from the block and not just the TS set, because I really, really like this card.
HexhagBB
Creature — Hag (U)
Whenever Hexhag dies, Fateseal 2.
Transfigure 1BB (1BB, Sacrifice this creature: Search your library
for a creature card with the same converted mana cost as this creature and
put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. Transfigure only
as a sorcery.)
2/1
IIW: Arabian Nights
Edit: If you're SPECIFICALLY looking for Time Spiral set mechanic and not block mechanic, then this entry instead.
Pterodox1UR
Creature — Dinosaur (U)
Flying
Whenever Parrotdox becomes the target of a spell or ability, exile it
and put a time counter on it. It gains Suspend.
3/1
When Piperling enters the Battlefield, scry 3, then you may reveal the top
card of your library. If it is a creature card with converted mana cost 1 or
less, put it into your hand. If that card is named Piperlings, repeat this
process.
That's, in my opinion, more powerful and can be used in ways other than the intended use (which is typically how cards get broken in formats).
Unless the flavor text was the straw that really broke everything. If this was the case, I didn't realize that trying to add personality to my submission was going to count against me. Because I've also been panned when I didn't have flavor text and a judge didn't understand the name (which is hard to do without art!).
These contests are really just too stressful for me at this point. I try to make a (relatively) original utility ability, it's too wordy. I've tried to simplify things in the past, it's either win-more or considered flawed design because they can't play it in a competitive environment.
Did some bigwig post some article that words are bad for design or something?
I don't remember nearly as much hate against having to properly phrase complex abilities when I was on here before my hiatus, and now it looks like a few judges live by it like it's an unbreakable rule. As a reminder, designers made a big stink about design rules in the past and break them anyway. In one of the tests for the great designer search, the correct answer was saying the design was flawed because a huge creature had deathtouch. Well, that flew out the window some time later.
My card isn't really doing anything complex, it's just my choice was to phrase it properly or template/keyword it and risk having that held against me (happens often :P). I can understand if the card was common or uncommon, it totally wouldn't get an ability that wordy. That's one of the reasons why it's rare, alongside its potential CA.
Apparently people don't care for words, and admittedly the majority of that was reminder text that if a real card would not necessarily include that reminder text. Still had fun with the contest though.
Piperlings(U/G)
Creature — Faerie (r)
Flying
When Piperlings enters the Battlefield, look at the top three cards
of your library. You may reveal a creature card with converted mana
cost of 1 or less and put it in your hand and put the rest on the bottom
of your library. If that card is named Piperlings, repeat the process. "Piperlings? Let's find a route through the forest that's less... musical."
1/1
IIW: Arabian Nights
Changed my card because I realized not that "t: populate" was unfair, but rather putting it on a 1-drop would be fruitless early game and useless late game. Also, for those who haven't played mtg before onslaught, green has faeries.
You tried too hard to convey all the flavor of the story, which left you with lots of unnecessary wordiness (fortifications, really?) that added little to the card. Good flavor, want for elegance and conciseness (just like Tolkien's prose, incidentally.) You earn: The One Ring... oh wait, it's just a cheap copy.
It's ironic that I make an entry that embodies the wordiness and tensionlessness of the books! Also, I put little effort; it should've shown!
Anyway, Star Wars....
AT-AT6
Imperial Artifact — Vehicle Walker (R)
Shielding (Counter the first spell or ability each turn which targets AT-AT.)
Transport 6 (3: choose a number of attacking or blocking creatures you control
with combined power 6 or less. You may reassign those creatures. You may
choose new defending players, Planeswalkers and Bases for attacking
creatures.) BBB,T, tap an Imperial Officer or Imperial Pilot you control: Choose one —
destroy target Generator, or destroy target creature with toughness 2 or less. This
ability cannot be countered by Shielding abilities.
Designer's note: A "Base" would be a new card type like planeswalker in which it is awesome but can be attacked just like planeswalkers.
IIW (lol!): Arabian Nights
For giggles -
Stormtrooper B
Imperial Creature - Human Soldier (c)
A deck can have any number of Stormtroopers.
1/1
SnowtrooperB
Snow Imperial Creature — Human Soldier (c)
A deck can have any number of Snowtroopers.
1/1
For more Giggles:
Darth Vader2BBB
Legendary Imperial Creature — Human Jedi Lord
First Strike, Protection from converted mana cost 2 or less
If Darth Vader is equipped with a lightsaber, prevent all non-
combat damage that would be dealt to it. T: Choose target Jedi an opponent controls. That creature
and Darth Vader fight.
6/5
It's sorta kinda my challenge. So I can do that. And don't worry, you wouldn't have won.
Considering the typical bias against the morph mechanic in the mtg community, i didn't expect to win.
Peeps spend anywhere from a few minutes to maybe a bit longer to make their entry. The least you could do is post a response for all the entrants, even if it's just a "meh, I personally dislike this interaction or this competes with Vizzerdrix for lamest creature," etc.
Return of the King1WW
Enchantment (MR)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by a creature or fortification
you control is put into a graveyard, put a quest counter on
Return of the King.
Remove four quest counters from Return of the King, sacrifice Return
of the King: put a 5/5 White Human Lord token with First Strike and
Vigilance onto the Battlefield. That creature has "Other humans you
control get +1/+1 and have first strike and Vigilance." Aragorn, King of Gondor.
The jist is that you hold out long enough to see the king come back.
mind's desire
I was under the impression cards exiled by these effects would remain in exile after being cast. I'm aware spells put themselves in their owner's graveyard as part of its effect unless it was a permanent, but I think I played under the assumption that /not/ remaining in exile for these effects could present several opportunities for broken loops so I assumed it wouldn't work like that.
... I'm wrong, aren't I? Are there *any* similar effects in which the spells *would* remain in exile to prevent silly loop abuse?
I give up. I should've just made some tier one broken plays-itself card for that challenge. I suppose that answers the question of what I would have done differently.
Creature - Wizard Mutant (r)
Evolve
Other creatures you control have Transfigure X, where
X is the converted mana cost of that creature.
2/2
IIW: Arabian Nights
But at this point splice is pointless for what you want to do with the card. It may as well read as a 1cmc instant with the aforementioned wording with a buyback of 1. I just don't think forcing splice to work with cast permanent spells is a fruitful way to explore design space.
I hope the challenge calls for a keyword from the block and not just the TS set, because I really, really like this card.
Creature — Hag (U)
Whenever Hexhag dies, Fateseal 2.
Transfigure 1BB (1BB, Sacrifice this creature: Search your library
for a creature card with the same converted mana cost as this creature and
put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. Transfigure only
as a sorcery.)
2/1
IIW: Arabian Nights
Edit: If you're SPECIFICALLY looking for Time Spiral set mechanic and not block mechanic, then this entry instead.
Pterodox 1UR
Creature — Dinosaur (U)
Flying
Whenever Parrotdox becomes the target of a spell or ability, exile it
and put a time counter on it. It gains Suspend.
3/1
Get it? like a paradox... *cricket cricket*
That's, in my opinion, more powerful and can be used in ways other than the intended use (which is typically how cards get broken in formats).
Unless the flavor text was the straw that really broke everything. If this was the case, I didn't realize that trying to add personality to my submission was going to count against me. Because I've also been panned when I didn't have flavor text and a judge didn't understand the name (which is hard to do without art!).
These contests are really just too stressful for me at this point. I try to make a (relatively) original utility ability, it's too wordy. I've tried to simplify things in the past, it's either win-more or considered flawed design because they can't play it in a competitive environment.
@CC - that's not my flavor text.
I don't remember nearly as much hate against having to properly phrase complex abilities when I was on here before my hiatus, and now it looks like a few judges live by it like it's an unbreakable rule. As a reminder, designers made a big stink about design rules in the past and break them anyway. In one of the tests for the great designer search, the correct answer was saying the design was flawed because a huge creature had deathtouch. Well, that flew out the window some time later.
My card isn't really doing anything complex, it's just my choice was to phrase it properly or template/keyword it and risk having that held against me (happens often :P). I can understand if the card was common or uncommon, it totally wouldn't get an ability that wordy. That's one of the reasons why it's rare, alongside its potential CA.
Piperlings (U/G)
Creature — Faerie (r)
Flying
When Piperlings enters the Battlefield, look at the top three cards
of your library. You may reveal a creature card with converted mana
cost of 1 or less and put it in your hand and put the rest on the bottom
of your library. If that card is named Piperlings, repeat the process.
"Piperlings? Let's find a route through the forest that's less... musical."
1/1
IIW: Arabian Nights
Changed my card because I realized not that "t: populate" was unfair, but rather putting it on a 1-drop would be fruitless early game and useless late game. Also, for those who haven't played mtg before onslaught, green has faeries.
It's ironic that I make an entry that embodies the wordiness and tensionlessness of the books! Also, I put little effort; it should've shown!
Anyway, Star Wars....
AT-AT 6
Imperial Artifact — Vehicle Walker (R)
Shielding (Counter the first spell or ability each turn which targets AT-AT.)
Transport 6 (3: choose a number of attacking or blocking creatures you control
with combined power 6 or less. You may reassign those creatures. You may
choose new defending players, Planeswalkers and Bases for attacking
creatures.)
BBB,T, tap an Imperial Officer or Imperial Pilot you control: Choose one —
destroy target Generator, or destroy target creature with toughness 2 or less. This
ability cannot be countered by Shielding abilities.
Designer's note: A "Base" would be a new card type like planeswalker in which it is awesome but can be attacked just like planeswalkers.
IIW (lol!): Arabian Nights
For giggles -
Stormtrooper B
Imperial Creature - Human Soldier (c)
A deck can have any number of Stormtroopers.
1/1
Snowtrooper B
Snow Imperial Creature — Human Soldier (c)
A deck can have any number of Snowtroopers.
1/1
For more Giggles:
Darth Vader 2BBB
Legendary Imperial Creature — Human Jedi Lord
First Strike, Protection from converted mana cost 2 or less
If Darth Vader is equipped with a lightsaber, prevent all non-
combat damage that would be dealt to it.
T: Choose target Jedi an opponent controls. That creature
and Darth Vader fight.
6/5
Yay I got my judging!
Considering the typical bias against the morph mechanic in the mtg community, i didn't expect to win.
Peeps spend anywhere from a few minutes to maybe a bit longer to make their entry. The least you could do is post a response for all the entrants, even if it's just a "meh, I personally dislike this interaction or this competes with Vizzerdrix for lamest creature," etc.
Return of the King 1WW
Enchantment (MR)
Whenever a creature dealt damage by a creature or fortification
you control is put into a graveyard, put a quest counter on
Return of the King.
Remove four quest counters from Return of the King, sacrifice Return
of the King: put a 5/5 White Human Lord token with First Strike and
Vigilance onto the Battlefield. That creature has "Other humans you
control get +1/+1 and have first strike and Vigilance."
Aragorn, King of Gondor.
The jist is that you hold out long enough to see the king come back.
IIW: Arabian Nights