Here are the semifinal matchups for the 13th incarnation of Double Dare that Designer!
Matchup 1:
Lanxal was tasked with making a split card that included the same phrase of rules text on both halves:
Burn Down :1mana::symu::symr:
Instant
~ deals damage to target creature equal to the number of cards in your hand.
/ Rise Up :3mana::symg::symw:
Sorcery
Put X 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens into play, where X is equal to the number of cards in your hand.
zef had to make a black enchantment to fit in a cycle with Form of the Dragon:
Form of the Spider :3mana::symb::symb::symb:
Enchantment
Whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks, it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
At the beginning of your end step, you may destroy target tapped creature. If you do, you gain life equal to its toughness.
Jimmy Groove was double dared, and made his own red card drawing:
Dangerous Thoughts :2mana::symr:
Sorcery (R)
Clash with an opponent. Dangerous thoughts deals damage to the winner of that clash equal to converted mana cost, then that player puts that card into his or her hand. That player may repeat this process. (This continues until nobody wins the clash or the winner doesn't want to continue.)
BlackBull's new challenge was to make a creature where CMC + 1 = power + 1 = toughness:
Pelakka Groundshaker Creature – Beast C When Pelakka Groundshaker enters the battlefield, put two 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn tokens onto the battlefield under target opponent’s control. They have “Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool." :1mana::symg:: Pelakka Groundshaker gets +1/+0 and gains trample until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn. 2/3
Vote on one entry in each matchup to determine our finalists!
It was at that moment that I realized: I'm kinda just making these things up. We can just write the rules the way we want them to work. People will have fun, and people will get it.
Ah well, looks like these aren't going so well for me. Anyone have any comments on the cards?
Since I'm asking for them, I should say mine at least.
I liked Jimmy Groove's card because it used a way to draw cards that makes sense for red, and therefore satisfied the challenge well. I like also that it is challenging to make use of this card fully, because you want to win the clash, but not lose too much life. An interesting balance, to say the least.
Blackbull's reminded me of the "hunted" creatures, and it's somewhat well balanced from that perspective. I didn't love that the tokens can't really do much against the groundshaker though, since it can gain trample. Still, their mana gain ability is good, so it's certainly a smart balance.
It was a close match, but I just liked the innovative and uniquely balancing qualities of Jimmy's card a bit more.
Thanks for understanding the way I balanced the card, Zef. That's the exactly way I intended it. If you grant trample to the shacker, so you don't cast anything in the early game. That way, you opponent has the chance to block with one token and make it hit X 2, what's average. If you don't grant trample and prioritize to cast spells, your opponent may now chumpblock your dude for two turns, what seems pretty ok too. Also, the two tokens acelerates your removal spell in 2 mana, what leaves him the chance to cast another things. I tried to make the most better and fatty as possible 1st turn drop for monogreen at common sloth
with an Eldrazi related theme. It took me around 2 hours to reach the final version of the card, and, even if I'm not winning, I'm really proud of it (thinking about using it for the green sloth in the Wheel contest.)
About the two cards in the other bracket, Yours seems really cool, but out of colour. Yes, I doo agree that spiders can be black, but it seems that WotC doesn't lately.
In the other hand, the split card seems ok, and even works fine with white, regarding of the color mistake Lanxal commited. The thing I really dislike is the fact that he didn't assigned a rarity. That was the two reasons that made me choose to don't vote in your bracket, but I think that I'm gonna do it anyway, since the split card seems really fine.
EDIT: To be honest, I'm not sure what to do. Vote the spiddey one, the split one, or just let this votation pass.
May be I need some clarifications from both contestants to make a desition, if you don't mind.
Yeah, while I don't think that form is inconceivable in black, it made more sense to me in green. Form of the Vampire or Werewolf or Zombie would have been cool things to do in black, I'd think. Form of the Zombie might be something like Crumbling Sanctuary.
I don't see anything wrong with Lanxal's color choice, my son's wisdom says white can work on cards in hand.
I think I get what Jimmy's card is doing, but shouldn't it say it deals damage equal to "the revealed card's converted mana cost," or something like that? The wording isn't very clear, but it is a reasonable card, mostly for the fact that you can kill your opponent with it.
Giving Spawn as a drawback works pretty well, I think, although it's hard to say what it's really worth. I think the card works, it would be a nice skill tester in ROE from what we've seen.
For the Jimmy Groove vs. Blackbull challenge, I decided on Jimmy Groove because despite Blackbull's innovative design, I still thought it was too powerful.
is it just me or is blackbull's card completely over the power curve.... (2/3 and 2 0/1's for G). I know that it was his challenge, but to make that card (and call it a common) it a little too much.
Edit: My bad, I misread the card. The 0/1's go to an opponent. lol :\
Matchup 1:
Lanxal was tasked with making a split card that included the same phrase of rules text on both halves:
Instant
~ deals damage to target creature equal to the number of cards in your hand.
/
Rise Up :3mana::symg::symw:
Sorcery
Put X 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens into play, where X is equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Enchantment
Whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks, it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
At the beginning of your end step, you may destroy target tapped creature. If you do, you gain life equal to its toughness.
Sorcery (R)
Clash with an opponent. Dangerous thoughts deals damage to the winner of that clash equal to converted mana cost, then that player puts that card into his or her hand. That player may repeat this process. (This continues until nobody wins the clash or the winner doesn't want to continue.)
Creature – Beast C
When Pelakka Groundshaker enters the battlefield, put two 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn tokens onto the battlefield under target opponent’s control. They have “Sacrifice this creature: Add
:1mana::symg:: Pelakka Groundshaker gets +1/+0 and gains trample until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
2/3
Oh well, too late now.
My Pauper Cube ♤ The Pauper Cube Thread Common Knowledge — 1 2
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
Comic Book Set
Archester: Frontier of Steam (A steampunk set!)
A Good Place to Start Designing
Since I'm asking for them, I should say mine at least.
I liked Jimmy Groove's card because it used a way to draw cards that makes sense for red, and therefore satisfied the challenge well. I like also that it is challenging to make use of this card fully, because you want to win the clash, but not lose too much life. An interesting balance, to say the least.
Blackbull's reminded me of the "hunted" creatures, and it's somewhat well balanced from that perspective. I didn't love that the tokens can't really do much against the groundshaker though, since it can gain trample. Still, their mana gain ability is good, so it's certainly a smart balance.
It was a close match, but I just liked the innovative and uniquely balancing qualities of Jimmy's card a bit more.
Sets - Arcania
Competitions - CCL: March 2011, April 2011
with an Eldrazi related theme. It took me around 2 hours to reach the final version of the card, and, even if I'm not winning, I'm really proud of it (thinking about using it for the green sloth in the Wheel contest.)
About the two cards in the other bracket, Yours seems really cool, but out of colour. Yes, I doo agree that spiders can be black, but it seems that WotC doesn't lately.
In the other hand, the split card seems ok, and even works fine with white, regarding of the color mistake Lanxal commited. The thing I really dislike is the fact that he didn't assigned a rarity. That was the two reasons that made me choose to don't vote in your bracket, but I think that I'm gonna do it anyway, since the split card seems really fine.
EDIT: To be honest, I'm not sure what to do. Vote the spiddey one, the split one, or just let this votation pass.
May be I need some clarifications from both contestants to make a desition, if you don't mind.
I really liked my design though, and even though it's slightly off color, so I went with it.
Sets - Arcania
Competitions - CCL: March 2011, April 2011
I don't see anything wrong with Lanxal's color choice, my son's wisdom says white can work on cards in hand.
I think I get what Jimmy's card is doing, but shouldn't it say it deals damage equal to "the revealed card's converted mana cost," or something like that? The wording isn't very clear, but it is a reasonable card, mostly for the fact that you can kill your opponent with it.
Giving Spawn as a drawback works pretty well, I think, although it's hard to say what it's really worth. I think the card works, it would be a nice skill tester in ROE from what we've seen.
Sets - Arcania
Competitions - CCL: March 2011, April 2011
For the Jimmy Groove vs. Blackbull challenge, I decided on Jimmy Groove because despite Blackbull's innovative design, I still thought it was too powerful.
My Pauper Cube ♤ The Pauper Cube Thread Common Knowledge — 1 2
is it just me or is blackbull's card completely over the power curve.... (2/3 and 2 0/1's for G). I know that it was his challenge, but to make that card (and call it a common) it a little too much.Edit: My bad, I misread the card. The 0/1's go to an opponent. lol :\
Anyway, good job to those who got this far.
Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.