It's been 4 years since the first running of the Gates gave us our beloved Living Guildpact (whatever happened to that guy anyway?), and it's time for the first commemorative Gate Running Event! Like last time, all ten guilds are required to submit a champion to run the maze, and are encouraged to set up traps and other friendly obstacles for those who want to cross their gates. (However, outright killing or maiming a champion will disqualify the guild. Please take note Rakdos.) This game has three stages -
Setup:
Each player must submit a two color legendary creature from a guild that hasn't been submitted by a previous poster. You may describe your character in flavor text, in one additional paragraph (e.g. "Ullo is an izzet chemist expert in explosions. He carries a lab in his backpack with all sorts of reactives.") or just leave it to good card flavor.
Challenges:
When we have our ten champions, I'll describe what each of the 10 Guilds has prepared for their gate, and assign two gates for each champion, to be their two Special Challenges. Each player must create two cards in-flavor for their champion, to represent the special action, strategy or spell they use to go through each Special Challenge. These cards may be two-colored, or each be a different color of the champion.
Commentary:
Once we have all three cards for each player, our main commentator Lavinia of the Tenth, along with (two) color commentator Domri Rade, will narrate the action via scrying glass. The more inventive champions will surely have an advantage as they run across the maze!
--
Mana restriction: To prevent players from creating champions and spells that seem to outclass the competition, the added total mana cost of their three cards is encouraged to stay between 14 and 16 mana (not counting activated abilities or kickers.) If you use 13 or less total mana cost, the character has a lot of reserves for the other challengers, but may fail by being too weak for its two special challenges (just a simple Naturalize or Mana Leak won't cut it against these defenses!) If you spend 17 or more total mana, the character won't have any problems to pass its two special challenges, but may lack any reserve energy for the other seven gates!
--
And so, Guild applications are open! Please submit a 2-color guild champion to run/sneak/talk through the gates of the other nine guilds. Only one champion per guild, on a first come basis.
Adwar, The People's Champion2RW
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier (R)
Lifelink
Whenever you or a creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, Adwar, The People's Champion deals 3 damage to that player.
4/4
Private Mod Note
():
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Ivan, Silverpaw Ledev3GW
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior {R}
Permanent spells you cast have convoke. (Your creatures can help cast those spells. Each creature you tap while casting a permanent spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
Whenever you cast a permanent spell, create a 2/2 green and white Cat creature token.
3/3
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Deeply rooted within the ways of the Selesnya Conclave, Ivan is well-versed in green and white magic. His specialties include the magic of community and subdual--after seeing the legions of nature he has at his fingertips, many foes lay down their arms and add their ranks to his. His battle-hardened companion is a great, white-maned lion by the name of Sky, and the two have inspired various additions to ledev stables throughout the City-Tree.
Noelle Wolcott, Syndicate Brigand1WB
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (R)
Whenever you gain life, each opponent that has more life than you loses that much life.
:Noelle gains lifelink until end of turn. "The rich are always willing to give to a charity case. Even a thief's."
2/3
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The sigil of the Orzhov syndicate is one's proof of belonging, of prestige, of power. To lose the identifier of one's guild is cruel. To lose the symbol of the Syndicate is a fate worse than death, as the only way to return is to be branded for penance, the symbol of the guild burned into the skin. Noelle is not a sufferer of that fate, but whoever she stole that medallion from probably was.
Originally a Gateless orphan, Noelle lived ekeing out a living on the street. At the age of 11 during a blockage of traffic near Slate Street, the filcher by necessity saw herself eyeing an unattended necklace. With any life better than the one she had, Noelle took the signet and presented it as her own to the Syndicate.
The Orzhov care not about appearance. They care not about inherent ability found or otherwise. They care about power and authority. And with enough money and bluster and insistence that she belongs, doubling down on her deception, even an orphan can grow into a young woman with skills and sorcery and something resembling authority. Even if it's not her money. Even if it's stolen money. Even if it's money nicked and palmed and robbed from some of the most powerful families ever to grace the guild. Even if it's their money.
Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Xuntrex, Mind Nulifier2UB
Legendary Creature - Wraith Assassin (R)
Deathtouch
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, exile the top X cards of that players library, where X is that creatures combined power and toughness. "If you seek their silence, look no further. I will insure it in this life and the next."
2/5
There was once legend of a man who was contracted to slay the pontiffs of Orzhov. His ruthlessness and procession allowed him to murder six in the streets of Ravnica in a signal night before he took the seventh within the great church of Orzhova. The new recruits of the Ghost council made their retribution swift. What is not told is the anger of this man allowed him to persist and grow stronger. Now not only does he rid life from flesh, but from the mind so that none may pursue him or his clients in undeath.
Drenrorkht, Environment-Brandisher2GU
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Mutant (R)
Vigilance
Drenrorkht, Environment-Brandisher can't be blocked.
Whenever Drenrorkht attacks, destroy up to two target artifacts and/or enchantments. For each of those permanents, you may have permanents you control gain its abilities until end of turn. "My left hand's trygon skin. My right's pure cytoplasm. And all I survey will strictly serve me as an armament!"
1/4
Brkhstno, Riftcutter Veteran3RG
Legendary Creature - Human Berserker
Trample
Creatures you control attack each turn if able and must be blocked if able. "Suicidal veteran sounds like a nonsense, but we've seen him probably much more than we would want to."
— Isperia, Supreme Judge
5/5
Aurel, Triumvirate Runebinder2WU
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
Flying, vigilange
Whenever a creature deals damage to you, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step. "The law is written into the sky. It is omnipresent, and knowledge of it is more effective than any weapon." 2/4
---
Aurel is known for not using any traditional weapons despite belonging to the Lyev column of the Azorius Senate. He relies on his armor, scrolls and lantern, which are all covered in the runic script of the lawmages. Because of his knowledge of the script and the process in which it is manifested, he often leads Skyscribing flights, riding on the back of a grey griffin.
Mister Ticklish2BR
Legendary Creature- Human Wizard
Haste
Mister Ticklish deals damage in the form of Pain counters.
As long as there are Pain counters, at the beginning of combat on each player's turn, that player and each creature he or she controls deals damage to itself equal equal to the number of Pain counters on it. (Pain continues to burn after Mister Ticklish leaves the battlefield.) T: Put a Pain counter on target creature or player. You lose 1 life.
1/5
Wow, I was not expecting Izzet to be the leftover guild.
Chronokeeper Quyzl3UR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard (R)
If Chronokeeper Quyzl would deal damage to a nontoken creature, instead exile that creature with that many time counters on it. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend. T: Quyzl deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/6
===
tl;dr lore: "Armed with his signature Time Time Bombs and other time-touched gizmos, Quyzl is certain he'll earn his guild-masters' interest and funding."
Time has been a frustrating area of Izzet research. While the theoretical principles have been known for a hundred years following (preceding?) Prime Izmagnus' famous experiment, practical use has been stymied by the apparent necessity of extremely tedious and lengthy preparations for any time alterations. Quickening the time flow of a room for a few minutes is hardly worthwhile when it takes hours of a dedicated research team's full attention. And who wants to dance around for 30 seconds and blow their whole tank just to briefly slow down the time of a miscreant, when a Cyr-O Lethargic Device will stop their movement just as well with the click of a button and a quarter of the mana?
But a recently invented method, theorized and developed by Quyzl, has led to practical Izzet Time's largest breakthrough thus far; the quick and successful application of a strong time stop spell to another time spell, delaying the latter's effect for up to a week. The tedious and lengthy prep-work for the spells is all still necessary, but once complete a time spell's potent effects can be unleashed anywhere and anytime, simply by breaking the overlying time stop spell with a command word.
This spell has already seen use as a powerful laboratory safety measure ("if you can't stop an explosion, slow it down!"), but Quyzl has yearned for a practical combat demonstration. Armed with his signature Time Time Bombs and other time-touched gizmos (prepared by his other research partners over several sleepless nights), Quyzl is certain he'll earn his guild-masters' interest and funding.
Lavinia: Citizens of Ravnica! A moment of your attention! As per resolution 131-142-C of the Azorious Senate, I declare the start of holiday G-411-B. Domri: The new gaterun! Ready, set, go!!! Lavinia: Disregard those instructions; champions will depart at midday. This is a public service announcement. All ten guildgates are declared restricted for today, and spectators should be careful to remain at the specially demarked zones. We will now contact the ten appointed gatekeepers to discover what the guilds have in store for today. Domri: Awesome! But I'm pretty sure the gruul gatekeeper got eaten last sunday. Lavinia: (Well, that explains why we couldn't contact him.) Domri: Yes, it's Batterhorn mating season. Extermely territorial meanies, and they've set up shop at the old Gruul Guildgate. Lavinia: Insteresting. Do you have any tips for the champions? Domri: Well, don't let them ram you. Oh, and batterhorns hate shiny things. And by hate, I mean they love smashing them. Lavinia: Thank you. Next we have the Azorious Guildgate. I'm excited for you to find out what we have in store. Gatekeeper? WUGatekeeper: Diminish your enthusiasm, Arrester Lavinia. We have dismantled the installation. Lavinia: What?? WUGatekeeper: Unfortunately, an inspector determined the glass didn't conform with norm 421-C for magical installations. So the structure had to be teared down. A new proposal has been scheluded to be evaluated in six months. Lavinia: So we have nothing in store this year? WUGatekeeper: Correct. The guildgate will be open to the public as a regular day, and champions can join the queues. Arrester Vigenima will supervise proceedings today. Lavinia: Uh - oh. Domri: Why uh oh? Lavinia: Well, the azorious guildgate is a functioning permits and solicitations office. To actually cross it, you need to file a BX-14a form to file a Cs-144 requisition to... Domri: You lost me. Lavinia: To cross it, you need to stand in line for at least 9 permits. And Arrester Vigenima has a reputation as being quite stern with line skippers. Domri: If you say "stern", I get goosebumps. Lavinia: You should. Moving on, we will contact the Izzet Gatekeeper. RUGatekeeper: Thank you, arrester. I'm glad to inform you that our preparations are quite complete. Leave it to Izzet engineering. Lavinia: Wonderful. And what can the champions expect? RUGatekeeper: I have no idea. Lavinia: What? I thought you said everything was in order. RUGatekeeper: Exactly the opposite. The chaos field we installed was a resounding success. One of our most serendipitous creations. Almost anything weird may manifest inside. It has particularly espectacular effects with gravitational, magical, and electrical fields. Lavinia: Sounds... interesting. Domri: I'd throw away my metal knife. We gruul respect a good zapping storm. Lavinia: Next is the Golgari Gatekeeper. GBGatekeeper: Arrester. I regret to inform you that the main access to our guildgate has collapsed. A stray wurm got attracted by the smell of the guardian fungi we planted as our challenge. Domri: So? You out? GBGatekeeper: No, our guildgate is still accessible by the brave. Many tunnels in the undercity wander in and out of our guildgate. Lavinia: The undercity. A most dangerous proposition. I advise our champions to carry a strong and reliable lightsource. Domri: Scratch that. I've lived in the undercity. You don't want to attract insects down there. Lavinia: I stand corrected. Domri: Anyways... Who is this baldy? Lavinia: Please excuse Rade, Gatekeeper. Is the Orzhov church participating in the festivities? WBGatekeeper: No, we would be remiss to insult the true faith with 'celebrations' around our holy gate. The church will be functioning normally today. Champions or not, all men are equal to the church of Orzhova. Domri: Boring! Lavinia: I assume the usual tithe is in effect? WB Gatekeepeer: Indeed, ten gold tokens. Any of our angels will accept the tithe. Lavinia: We have received numerous complaints about pickpockets among the 'faithful.' WBGatekeeper: Baseless lies from the unfaithful. Although I would advise buying one of our charms against polstergeists. A lot of indeturred spirits have payments coming this time of year. Of course, if any champions find themselves short in gold, we have truly exceptional loaning rates that stretch... Domri: Ya, that's how more ghosties are made. Lavinia: The decreed hour for breakfast is approaching, so we will take a short break. Afterwards, we will continue our review of the next 5 guildgates.
---
Thanks for your submitions. I expected it to take until the weekend, but here we are. So I'm breaking the two challenges into two parts.
The first 5 challenges are mentioned above, so create a card in flavor with your champion that tackles your corresponding first challenge. It must be a spell or tactic you have prepared for it, based on the hints provided. If your card is monocolor, your next card must be the other color.
Just so I'm clear, I am to make a red and/or white card that helps my champion survive the undercity without a light source?
Private Mod Note
():
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(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Correct. It needs to be red and/or white, but the problem is open ended, you can tackle it in lateral ways (or hard-headed ways) if your champion is so inclined.
Existence Fraud3UU
Instant (R)
Target creature you control becomes a copy of another target creature. Gain control of all Auras and Equipment attached to the second target creature and attach them to the first target creature. Move all counters from the second target creature onto the first target creature. For each spell or ability that targets the second target creature, change that target to the first target creature.
Drenrorkht's strategy is simply to scope out someone who's already gotten their paperwork sorted, impersonate them AND their documents with this spell, and cross through the gate before them, leaving the unfortunate person whose identity he stole to get arrested for impersonation.
Cower Before Death4UB
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target creature. Then tap each other creature its controller controls. Her mouth lay agape, wings trickling with blood as the tithe dropped to the floor. There was a cry. It was not hers. The strongest had fallen, and none sought to join her.
BanishW
Instant (U)
Exile target creature with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of creatures you control. "With the support of the people, no one can stand in my way!"
—Adwar, Champion of the People
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Alright. So My card plus the two challenge cards are to add up to between 14 and 16 mana. Noelle costs 3, meaning I have 11 to 13 to work with?
I'll think of something tomorrow/
Private Mod Note
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Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Slaughterhorns Migration4GG
Enchantment (R)
When Slaughterhorns Migration enters the battlefield, create two 3/2 green Beast creature tokens.
Each creature you control can't be blocked by more than one creature. Sometimes Gruul barbarian doesn't see a problem to be a law abiding citizen and get in line, especially when there is no line.
Mark of RampageR
Enchantment- Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When ~ becomes attached to a creature, if it's not a token, create a token copy of it for each creature that shares a creature type with that creature that ~ could enchant. Attach each of those copies to a different one of those creatures. 1: Goad enchanted creature. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
"Oh ho ho, Oh tish pish, I'm Mister Tickle, Mister Tickle-ish!" Breeding Batterhorns are no matter. They'll batter one another, and I'll scuttle on through with a smile and a giggle. All the better if they crush that smug Izzet fool.
Noelle can't help but wrinkle her nose as she frowns at the gate. Tunnels in the undercity are a home she did not want to revisit, at least not this soon. But you also don't survive for this long without picking up a few tricks to keep the bugs away. With the Orzhov teaching her even better tricks, getting through this mess will suck, but it'll be doable.
Clan Suppression3WW
Enchantment
When Clan Suppression enters the battlefield, name a creature type.
You have protection from spells and permanents of the chosen type. "I've yet to meet a noble or a girl that doesn't hate bugs." - Noelle Wolcott, Syndicate Brigand
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():
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Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Light of Quiescence1W
Instant (R)
Activated abilities can't be activated this turn.
Permanents entering the battlefield, creatures attacking or blocking and spells being cast don't cause abilities to trigger this turn. "Quite a fascinating mechanism. It's far easier to appreciate when it's not shooting lightning all over the place." - Aurel, Triumvirate Runebinder
---
As a Vedalken, Aurel naturally leans towards blue and is often finds himself interested in the research the Simic and Izzet are conducting. However, as a member of the Azorius and a lawmage, he has to make sure things don't go unchecked. After unleashing a activity-numbing wave of light from his lantern, he proceeds to walk through the guildgate, taking a few quick notes on the way about mechanisms and devices that either haven't passed their obligatory testing stage or haven't been authorized for testing in the first place.
Silverpaw Prideking2GW
Creature - Cat {R}
Creatures you control have "This creature can't be destroyed by lethal damage unless lethal damage from a single source is marked on it." The goblins of Nivix cowered underneath their desks after seeing showers of sparks harmlessly drip from silver fur.
3/4
Sky snarled at the church's gatekeeper before closing his eyes and shifting his head skyward, letting his silver mane flow in the breeze. Ivan gave the gatekeeper a brief scowl before donning his calm and collected face. "We'll take our chances against the poltergeists, thanks." Ivan cupped his hands outward, projecting an image of the City-Tree's famous menagerie-stables on a nearby wall, a larger and more regal-looking gracefully walking out of it to join the ledev. Hand on the hilt of his blade, the felines were ready to shred whatever threatened Ivan.
Private Mod Note
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A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Mana Shape Charge1RR
Artifact (R)
Vanishing 5
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may remove a time counter from Mana Shape Charge.
When Mana Shape Charge is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 5 damage to all creatures.
"Normally my devices have quite the delay. But if these Manglehorns'll smash the first mana infused trinket they set their eyes on, well who am I to stop em?"
(Did you know colored artifacts were planned for RtR Izzet at one point?)
It's been 4 years since the first running of the Gates gave us our beloved Living Guildpact (whatever happened to that guy anyway?), and it's time for the first commemorative Gate Running Event! Like last time, all ten guilds are required to submit a champion to run the maze, and are encouraged to set up traps and other friendly obstacles for those who want to cross their gates. (However, outright killing or maiming a champion will disqualify the guild. Please take note Rakdos.) This game has three stages -
Setup:
Each player must submit a two color legendary creature from a guild that hasn't been submitted by a previous poster. You may describe your character in flavor text, in one additional paragraph (e.g. "Ullo is an izzet chemist expert in explosions. He carries a lab in his backpack with all sorts of reactives.") or just leave it to good card flavor.
Challenges:
When we have our ten champions, I'll describe what each of the 10 Guilds has prepared for their gate, and assign two gates for each champion, to be their two Special Challenges. Each player must create two cards in-flavor for their champion, to represent the special action, strategy or spell they use to go through each Special Challenge. These cards may be two-colored, or each be a different color of the champion.
Commentary:
Once we have all three cards for each player, our main commentator Lavinia of the Tenth, along with (two) color commentator Domri Rade, will narrate the action via scrying glass. The more inventive champions will surely have an advantage as they run across the maze!
--
Mana restriction: To prevent players from creating champions and spells that seem to outclass the competition, the added total mana cost of their three cards is encouraged to stay between 14 and 16 mana (not counting activated abilities or kickers.) If you use 13 or less total mana cost, the character has a lot of reserves for the other challengers, but may fail by being too weak for its two special challenges (just a simple Naturalize or Mana Leak won't cut it against these defenses!) If you spend 17 or more total mana, the character won't have any problems to pass its two special challenges, but may lack any reserve energy for the other seven gates!
--
And so, Guild applications are open! Please submit a 2-color guild champion to run/sneak/talk through the gates of the other nine guilds. Only one champion per guild, on a first come basis.
Adwar, The People's Champion 2RW
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier (R)
Lifelink
Whenever you or a creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, Adwar, The People's Champion deals 3 damage to that player.
4/4
Ivan, Silverpaw Ledev 3GW
Legendary Creature - Human Warrior {R}
Permanent spells you cast have convoke. (Your creatures can help cast those spells. Each creature you tap while casting a permanent spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
Whenever you cast a permanent spell, create a 2/2 green and white Cat creature token.
3/3
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Deeply rooted within the ways of the Selesnya Conclave, Ivan is well-versed in green and white magic. His specialties include the magic of community and subdual--after seeing the legions of nature he has at his fingertips, many foes lay down their arms and add their ranks to his. His battle-hardened companion is a great, white-maned lion by the name of Sky, and the two have inspired various additions to ledev stables throughout the City-Tree.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Noelle Wolcott, Syndicate Brigand 1WB
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue (R)
Whenever you gain life, each opponent that has more life than you loses that much life.
:Noelle gains lifelink until end of turn.
"The rich are always willing to give to a charity case. Even a thief's."
2/3
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The sigil of the Orzhov syndicate is one's proof of belonging, of prestige, of power. To lose the identifier of one's guild is cruel. To lose the symbol of the Syndicate is a fate worse than death, as the only way to return is to be branded for penance, the symbol of the guild burned into the skin. Noelle is not a sufferer of that fate, but whoever she stole that medallion from probably was.
Originally a Gateless orphan, Noelle lived ekeing out a living on the street. At the age of 11 during a blockage of traffic near Slate Street, the filcher by necessity saw herself eyeing an unattended necklace. With any life better than the one she had, Noelle took the signet and presented it as her own to the Syndicate.
The Orzhov care not about appearance. They care not about inherent ability found or otherwise. They care about power and authority. And with enough money and bluster and insistence that she belongs, doubling down on her deception, even an orphan can grow into a young woman with skills and sorcery and something resembling authority. Even if it's not her money. Even if it's stolen money. Even if it's money nicked and palmed and robbed from some of the most powerful families ever to grace the guild. Even if it's their money.
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
Legendary Creature - Wraith Assassin (R)
Deathtouch
Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, exile the top X cards of that players library, where X is that creatures combined power and toughness.
"If you seek their silence, look no further. I will insure it in this life and the next."
2/5
There was once legend of a man who was contracted to slay the pontiffs of Orzhov. His ruthlessness and procession allowed him to murder six in the streets of Ravnica in a signal night before he took the seventh within the great church of Orzhova. The new recruits of the Ghost council made their retribution swift. What is not told is the anger of this man allowed him to persist and grow stronger. Now not only does he rid life from flesh, but from the mind so that none may pursue him or his clients in undeath.
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Mutant (R)
Vigilance
Drenrorkht, Environment-Brandisher can't be blocked.
Whenever Drenrorkht attacks, destroy up to two target artifacts and/or enchantments. For each of those permanents, you may have permanents you control gain its abilities until end of turn.
"My left hand's trygon skin. My right's pure cytoplasm. And all I survey will strictly serve me as an armament!"
1/4
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Legendary Creature - Human Berserker
Trample
Creatures you control attack each turn if able and must be blocked if able.
"Suicidal veteran sounds like a nonsense, but we've seen him probably much more than we would want to."
— Isperia, Supreme Judge
5/5
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
Flying, vigilange
Whenever a creature deals damage to you, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
"The law is written into the sky. It is omnipresent, and knowledge of it is more effective than any weapon."
2/4
---
Aurel is known for not using any traditional weapons despite belonging to the Lyev column of the Azorius Senate. He relies on his armor, scrolls and lantern, which are all covered in the runic script of the lawmages. Because of his knowledge of the script and the process in which it is manifested, he often leads Skyscribing flights, riding on the back of a grey griffin.
Legendary Creature- Human Wizard
Haste
Mister Ticklish deals damage in the form of Pain counters.
As long as there are Pain counters, at the beginning of combat on each player's turn, that player and each creature he or she controls deals damage to itself equal equal to the number of Pain counters on it. (Pain continues to burn after Mister Ticklish leaves the battlefield.)
T: Put a Pain counter on target creature or player. You lose 1 life.
1/5
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
Chronokeeper Quyzl 3UR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard (R)
If Chronokeeper Quyzl would deal damage to a nontoken creature, instead exile that creature with that many time counters on it. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend.
T: Quyzl deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
2/6
===
tl;dr lore: "Armed with his signature Time Time Bombs and other time-touched gizmos, Quyzl is certain he'll earn his guild-masters' interest and funding."
Time has been a frustrating area of Izzet research. While the theoretical principles have been known for a hundred years following (preceding?) Prime Izmagnus' famous experiment, practical use has been stymied by the apparent necessity of extremely tedious and lengthy preparations for any time alterations. Quickening the time flow of a room for a few minutes is hardly worthwhile when it takes hours of a dedicated research team's full attention. And who wants to dance around for 30 seconds and blow their whole tank just to briefly slow down the time of a miscreant, when a Cyr-O Lethargic Device will stop their movement just as well with the click of a button and a quarter of the mana?
But a recently invented method, theorized and developed by Quyzl, has led to practical Izzet Time's largest breakthrough thus far; the quick and successful application of a strong time stop spell to another time spell, delaying the latter's effect for up to a week. The tedious and lengthy prep-work for the spells is all still necessary, but once complete a time spell's potent effects can be unleashed anywhere and anytime, simply by breaking the overlying time stop spell with a command word.
This spell has already seen use as a powerful laboratory safety measure ("if you can't stop an explosion, slow it down!"), but Quyzl has yearned for a practical combat demonstration. Armed with his signature Time Time Bombs and other time-touched gizmos (prepared by his other research partners over several sleepless nights), Quyzl is certain he'll earn his guild-masters' interest and funding.
Domri: The new gaterun! Ready, set, go!!!
Lavinia: Disregard those instructions; champions will depart at midday. This is a public service announcement. All ten guildgates are declared restricted for today, and spectators should be careful to remain at the specially demarked zones. We will now contact the ten appointed gatekeepers to discover what the guilds have in store for today.
Domri: Awesome! But I'm pretty sure the gruul gatekeeper got eaten last sunday.
Lavinia: (Well, that explains why we couldn't contact him.)
Domri: Yes, it's Batterhorn mating season. Extermely territorial meanies, and they've set up shop at the old Gruul Guildgate.
Lavinia: Insteresting. Do you have any tips for the champions?
Domri: Well, don't let them ram you. Oh, and batterhorns hate shiny things. And by hate, I mean they love smashing them.
Lavinia: Thank you. Next we have the Azorious Guildgate. I'm excited for you to find out what we have in store. Gatekeeper?
WU Gatekeeper: Diminish your enthusiasm, Arrester Lavinia. We have dismantled the installation.
Lavinia: What??
WU Gatekeeper: Unfortunately, an inspector determined the glass didn't conform with norm 421-C for magical installations. So the structure had to be teared down. A new proposal has been scheluded to be evaluated in six months.
Lavinia: So we have nothing in store this year?
WU Gatekeeper: Correct. The guildgate will be open to the public as a regular day, and champions can join the queues. Arrester Vigenima will supervise proceedings today.
Lavinia: Uh - oh.
Domri: Why uh oh?
Lavinia: Well, the azorious guildgate is a functioning permits and solicitations office. To actually cross it, you need to file a BX-14a form to file a Cs-144 requisition to...
Domri: You lost me.
Lavinia: To cross it, you need to stand in line for at least 9 permits. And Arrester Vigenima has a reputation as being quite stern with line skippers.
Domri: If you say "stern", I get goosebumps.
Lavinia: You should. Moving on, we will contact the Izzet Gatekeeper.
RU Gatekeeper: Thank you, arrester. I'm glad to inform you that our preparations are quite complete. Leave it to Izzet engineering.
Lavinia: Wonderful. And what can the champions expect?
RU Gatekeeper: I have no idea.
Lavinia: What? I thought you said everything was in order.
RU Gatekeeper: Exactly the opposite. The chaos field we installed was a resounding success. One of our most serendipitous creations. Almost anything weird may manifest inside. It has particularly espectacular effects with gravitational, magical, and electrical fields.
Lavinia: Sounds... interesting.
Domri: I'd throw away my metal knife. We gruul respect a good zapping storm.
Lavinia: Next is the Golgari Gatekeeper.
GB Gatekeeper: Arrester. I regret to inform you that the main access to our guildgate has collapsed. A stray wurm got attracted by the smell of the guardian fungi we planted as our challenge.
Domri: So? You out?
GB Gatekeeper: No, our guildgate is still accessible by the brave. Many tunnels in the undercity wander in and out of our guildgate.
Lavinia: The undercity. A most dangerous proposition. I advise our champions to carry a strong and reliable lightsource.
Domri: Scratch that. I've lived in the undercity. You don't want to attract insects down there.
Lavinia: I stand corrected.
Domri: Anyways... Who is this baldy?
Lavinia: Please excuse Rade, Gatekeeper. Is the Orzhov church participating in the festivities?
WB Gatekeeper: No, we would be remiss to insult the true faith with 'celebrations' around our holy gate. The church will be functioning normally today. Champions or not, all men are equal to the church of Orzhova.
Domri: Boring!
Lavinia: I assume the usual tithe is in effect?
WB Gatekeepeer: Indeed, ten gold tokens. Any of our angels will accept the tithe.
Lavinia: We have received numerous complaints about pickpockets among the 'faithful.'
WB Gatekeeper: Baseless lies from the unfaithful. Although I would advise buying one of our charms against polstergeists. A lot of indeturred spirits have payments coming this time of year. Of course, if any champions find themselves short in gold, we have truly exceptional loaning rates that stretch...
Domri: Ya, that's how more ghosties are made.
Lavinia: The decreed hour for breakfast is approaching, so we will take a short break. Afterwards, we will continue our review of the next 5 guildgates.
---
Thanks for your submitions. I expected it to take until the weekend, but here we are. So I'm breaking the two challenges into two parts.
The first 5 challenges are mentioned above, so create a card in flavor with your champion that tackles your corresponding first challenge. It must be a spell or tactic you have prepared for it, based on the hints provided. If your card is monocolor, your next card must be the other color.
Special Challenge N° 1:
GR Gruul Guildgate: UR ManyCookies // BR Mergatroid_Jones
RU Izzet Guildgate: UW soramaro // GB picnic_bomber
UW Azorius Guildgate: GR Raptorchan // GU void_nothing
WB Orzhov Guildgate: UB IcariiFA // GW RaikouRider
BG Golgari Guildgate: WR Flatline // WB Charm_Master3125
Instant (R)
Target creature you control becomes a copy of another target creature. Gain control of all Auras and Equipment attached to the second target creature and attach them to the first target creature. Move all counters from the second target creature onto the first target creature. For each spell or ability that targets the second target creature, change that target to the first target creature.
Drenrorkht's strategy is simply to scope out someone who's already gotten their paperwork sorted, impersonate them AND their documents with this spell, and cross through the gate before them, leaving the unfortunate person whose identity he stole to get arrested for impersonation.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Sorcery (U)
Destroy target creature. Then tap each other creature its controller controls.
Her mouth lay agape, wings trickling with blood as the tithe dropped to the floor. There was a cry. It was not hers. The strongest had fallen, and none sought to join her.
Instant (U)
Exile target creature with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of creatures you control.
"With the support of the people, no one can stand in my way!"
—Adwar, Champion of the People
I'll think of something tomorrow/
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
Enchantment (R)
When Slaughterhorns Migration enters the battlefield, create two 3/2 green Beast creature tokens.
Each creature you control can't be blocked by more than one creature.
Sometimes Gruul barbarian doesn't see a problem to be a law abiding citizen and get in line, especially when there is no line.
Mark of Rampage R
Enchantment- Aura (U)
Enchant creature
When ~ becomes attached to a creature, if it's not a token, create a token copy of it for each creature that shares a creature type with that creature that ~ could enchant. Attach each of those copies to a different one of those creatures.
1: Goad enchanted creature. (Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)
"Oh ho ho, Oh tish pish, I'm Mister Tickle, Mister Tickle-ish!" Breeding Batterhorns are no matter. They'll batter one another, and I'll scuttle on through with a smile and a giggle. All the better if they crush that smug Izzet fool.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
Clan Suppression3WW
Enchantment
When Clan Suppression enters the battlefield, name a creature type.
You have protection from spells and permanents of the chosen type.
"I've yet to meet a noble or a girl that doesn't hate bugs." - Noelle Wolcott, Syndicate Brigand
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
Instant (R)
Activated abilities can't be activated this turn.
Permanents entering the battlefield, creatures attacking or blocking and spells being cast don't cause abilities to trigger this turn.
"Quite a fascinating mechanism. It's far easier to appreciate when it's not shooting lightning all over the place." - Aurel, Triumvirate Runebinder
---
As a Vedalken, Aurel naturally leans towards blue and is often finds himself interested in the research the Simic and Izzet are conducting. However, as a member of the Azorius and a lawmage, he has to make sure things don't go unchecked. After unleashing a activity-numbing wave of light from his lantern, he proceeds to walk through the guildgate, taking a few quick notes on the way about mechanisms and devices that either haven't passed their obligatory testing stage or haven't been authorized for testing in the first place.
Creature - Cat {R}
Creatures you control have "This creature can't be destroyed by lethal damage unless lethal damage from a single source is marked on it."
The goblins of Nivix cowered underneath their desks after seeing showers of sparks harmlessly drip from silver fur.
3/4
Sky snarled at the church's gatekeeper before closing his eyes and shifting his head skyward, letting his silver mane flow in the breeze. Ivan gave the gatekeeper a brief scowl before donning his calm and collected face. "We'll take our chances against the poltergeists, thanks." Ivan cupped his hands outward, projecting an image of the City-Tree's famous menagerie-stables on a nearby wall, a larger and more regal-looking gracefully walking out of it to join the ledev. Hand on the hilt of his blade, the felines were ready to shred whatever threatened Ivan.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Artifact (R)
Vanishing 5
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may remove a time counter from Mana Shape Charge.
When Mana Shape Charge is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 5 damage to all creatures.
"Normally my devices have quite the delay. But if these Manglehorns'll smash the first mana infused trinket they set their eyes on, well who am I to stop em?"
(Did you know colored artifacts were planned for RtR Izzet at one point?)