Mortus Strider - somehow I like this version of the regenerating skeleton trope more than Reassembling Skeleton (which still has claim to the best name).
Trading Post is better than I thought, you all are right. One could make an interesting variant of Magic by having every player start with an indestructible Trading Post in play.
slumbering dragon=/=lock though...Trading post is a bad Staff of Domination and yes it is better then it.
A bit confused with no mention of augor of bolas(card design wise its certainly interesting), archeomancer, Jace's Phantasm, Disciple of Bolas, wild guess, Mwonvuli Beast Tracker, Yeva Nature's Herald, the uncommon cyle's(both equip and creatures).
I did think Disciple of Bolas and Mwonvuli Beast Tracker were interesting. I'm still wondering why they chose those particular keywords that the Tracker can find.
My favorite card designs out of Magic 2013, along with a rating value for their quality:
vile rebirth - 9
If the word elegance is overused, it must still be applied to this card.
worldfire - 9
Pleasingly transforms Magic into a completely different game.
mindclaw shaman - 7.5
void stalker - 6
slumbering dragon - 6
I like how it creates a mini game within the game. The opponent gets to puzzle out how he can win the game while still waking up the dragon. There are few pleasures in Magic greater than winning through a lock (or great advantage).
xathrid gorgon - 5
I just like the colorless, artifact part since they haven't done it before although the gorgon concept has been done.
Seems to be an example of "is this enough top-down flavor for you?"
Why do they like to make gorgons have low power and high toughness?
Agreed on theme~mechanics snafu. I wish the art depicted the spirit captain on a Fying Dutchman-style ghost ship or leviathan carcass; something big and/or submersible (= exile mechanic).
Here are my picks for the best card designs in Avacyn Restored.
#1 leap of faith - relationship of card name to its effect is masterfully done.
#2 battle hymn - subtly evokes the original one-shot mana booster, dark ritual. an inspired homage.
#3 guise of fire - swiss army knife without feeling contrived
#4 terrifying presence - here's a new idea. an enjoyable card
#5 gloom surgeon - i don't think it's been done before. anyway, it's thought-provoking as to the game effect a simple ability can have.
Others I like:
falkenrath exterminator - better attempt at a quest card than the Quest cards themselves?
geist trappers - thank you for not making this a spider. in seriousness, good naming/flavor choice of this probably required entry in the set.
sheltering word - another card that contributes a pretty good amount of playability for a simple twist.
druids' repository
The most outstanding female privilege to me is that certain forces conspire to allow them to bawl men out and the men would be wise to take it, and the reverse doesn't work. This is in a home setting.
Second is that forces also conspire to make men have to adapt much more to the needs of women in marriage (well, in the country/demographic/area where I live) than vice versa.
I'm glad to have the link to the male privilege list though, as both sides need reminders of what they take for granted.
(#1)
Moonveil Dragon
Dont ordinarily like cards like this, but it's kind of funny.
(#2)
Sudden Disappearance
Pretty much all types of board interactions have been done, but here "remove a player from game until end of turn" gets a breath of life.
(#3)
Call to the Kindred
One of the better justifications for use of the Aura type.
As mentioned in the other thread, I also applaud Gravecrawler, Thraben Doomsayer, and Beguiler of Wills for skillfully capturing well-known tropes.
Gravecrawler - Reassembling Skeleton improved on Drudge Skeleton, and Gravecrawler improves on Reassembling
Thraben Doomsayer - imaginative interpretation of the heretofore bland create weenies and pump them to win, strategy
Beguiler of Wills - nicely captures concept of the pump-and-dump stock scammer
There's got to be some kind of flavor going on with the picture and the fact that you are, as you say, getting only the "right hand half" of the morphling, the morphling outside the mirror.
#2 - Manor Gargoyle
Good amount of flavor, even having an interesting effect on play. The card brings to mind two sayings:
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Because it uses such pedestrian mechanics to achieve a beautiful result.
Michelangelo: "Manor Gargoyle was there from the beginning; it was just waiting for the right R&D member to remove the marble." It feels as if Magic has been waiting for this proper incarnation of the classic fantasy gargoyle archetype for a long time.
Honorable Mention:
Ashmouth Hound - i just like it somehow. don't you?
Heartless Summoning - it makes you want to play with it.
Essence of the Wild
Stitcher's Apprentice
Mortus Strider - somehow I like this version of the regenerating skeleton trope more than Reassembling Skeleton (which still has claim to the best name).
Hellraiser Goblin
Biovisionary
#2 - vraska the unseen (I just like the assassin tokens)
#3 - stab wound
best name - civic saber
Trading Post is better than I thought, you all are right. One could make an interesting variant of Magic by having every player start with an indestructible Trading Post in play.
vile rebirth - 9
If the word elegance is overused, it must still be applied to this card.
worldfire - 9
Pleasingly transforms Magic into a completely different game.
mindclaw shaman - 7.5
void stalker - 6
slumbering dragon - 6
I like how it creates a mini game within the game. The opponent gets to puzzle out how he can win the game while still waking up the dragon. There are few pleasures in Magic greater than winning through a lock (or great advantage).
xathrid gorgon - 5
I just like the colorless, artifact part since they haven't done it before although the gorgon concept has been done.
Seems to be an example of "is this enough top-down flavor for you?"
Why do they like to make gorgons have low power and high toughness?
honorable mention:
reckless brute
#1 leap of faith - relationship of card name to its effect is masterfully done.
#2 battle hymn - subtly evokes the original one-shot mana booster, dark ritual. an inspired homage.
#3 guise of fire - swiss army knife without feeling contrived
#4 terrifying presence - here's a new idea. an enjoyable card
#5 gloom surgeon - i don't think it's been done before. anyway, it's thought-provoking as to the game effect a simple ability can have.
Others I like:
falkenrath exterminator - better attempt at a quest card than the Quest cards themselves?
geist trappers - thank you for not making this a spider. in seriousness, good naming/flavor choice of this probably required entry in the set.
sheltering word - another card that contributes a pretty good amount of playability for a simple twist.
druids' repository
Second is that forces also conspire to make men have to adapt much more to the needs of women in marriage (well, in the country/demographic/area where I live) than vice versa.
I'm glad to have the link to the male privilege list though, as both sides need reminders of what they take for granted.
Moonveil Dragon
Dont ordinarily like cards like this, but it's kind of funny.
(#2)
Sudden Disappearance
Pretty much all types of board interactions have been done, but here "remove a player from game until end of turn" gets a breath of life.
(#3)
Call to the Kindred
One of the better justifications for use of the Aura type.
As mentioned in the other thread, I also applaud Gravecrawler, Thraben Doomsayer, and Beguiler of Wills for skillfully capturing well-known tropes.
Gravecrawler - Reassembling Skeleton improved on Drudge Skeleton, and Gravecrawler improves on Reassembling
Thraben Doomsayer - imaginative interpretation of the heretofore bland create weenies and pump them to win, strategy
Beguiler of Wills - nicely captures concept of the pump-and-dump stock scammer
There's got to be some kind of flavor going on with the picture and the fact that you are, as you say, getting only the "right hand half" of the morphling, the morphling outside the mirror.
Originality.
#2 - Manor Gargoyle
Good amount of flavor, even having an interesting effect on play. The card brings to mind two sayings:
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Because it uses such pedestrian mechanics to achieve a beautiful result.
Michelangelo: "Manor Gargoyle was there from the beginning; it was just waiting for the right R&D member to remove the marble." It feels as if Magic has been waiting for this proper incarnation of the classic fantasy gargoyle archetype for a long time.
Honorable Mention:
Ashmouth Hound - i just like it somehow. don't you?
Heartless Summoning - it makes you want to play with it.
Essence of the Wild
Stitcher's Apprentice