So, for everyone not still in the running, MaRo put out the rules for the design test for all to see. I have a few ideas for what I would've submitted, and I think it'll be fun to see what you guys would've done.
The rules are as follows:
Design ten cards, one in each two-color pair.
Among them must be at least two cards of each rarity.
Among them must be two creatures, two enchantments, two sorceries, two instants, and two planeswalkers.
The only named mechanics allowed are evergreen and deciduous mechanics (like flying or protection). If you want to use a mechanic of your own or a block mechanic, just spell it out without naming it. Yes, hybrid mana is allowed.
Each card will be graded in a vacuum. Any relevance they have with other cards in your submission will not be taken into account.
MaRo goes on to say that contestants did not get any text to explain their designs, as they had to speak for themselves. I don't think that's necessary here though.
He also said that creative elements would not affect the card's grade, but I'm not sure if that extends to the flavor of the card. I imagine that a red/white card named "Simic Soldier" wouldn't have any points against it, but I would also think that if a card's effect is especially flavorful, that would count towards the design's quality on some level.
Anyway, the test is pretty open-ended, so it's a pretty fun experiment. I haven't come up with all ten designs yet, but I have a few ideas:
Tide of the Nebelgast XWU
Sorcery R
Create X 1/1 white and blue Spirit creature tokens with flying.
WU, Sacrifice X Spirits, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
This one is mostly safe, moreso just combining a couple of abilities in a synergistic way. Obviously, it's designed with Innistrad in mind, but is perfectly functional outside of any set with a heavy Spirit tribal theme, so it works well in a vacuum. It was originally an instant, but color/type balancing with my other designs pushed this to be a sorcery. It still works fine this way, and being a sorcery allows this to be costed a bit more aggressively.
Vera, Double Agent 1UB (looks like colored symbols are broken)
Planeswalker - Vera M
Loyalty 2
When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of her.
At the beginning of your end step, if you haven't activated a loyalty ability of ~ this turn, her owner draws a card.
-1: Discard a card. If you can't, sacrifice a creature.
This is probably the most unconventional design I have so far. It's a planeswalker simply because that's the only card type that can easily and elegantly do this effect, plus it offers some really great flavor. Even without the name, you can clearly tell that this character is a spy because it does very spy-ish things. At mythic, I believe that this is an okay level of experimentation.
Meteoric Landfall 2RG
Sorcery U
Put ~ onto the battlefield as a copy of any basic land you control, then ~ deals damage to target creature equal to the number of lands you control.
I think MaRo mentioned at one point that the designs didn't necessarily need to play in predefined rules space, so I went extra experimental with this one. I think the flavor is cool and it makes for smoother gameplay than searching your library for a basic.
Wrapped Mummie 1WB
Creature - Zombie U
2/3
Vigilance, menace
2WB, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. That creature gains vigilance and menace.
This is an example of a mechanic that I wanted to use called "Stitch." It's a blue/black mechanic designed for Innistrad's Zombies. I already had a blue/black design, so I improvised a little bit. The fun part about this mechanic is that it uses the physical card as a way to do an effect that would normally not be doable: permanently granting an ability. Adding the +1/+1 counter and exiling the card allows you to use the card to represent the counter and keep track of what ability was granted to the creature. I love this sort of tactile gameplay, so I think it's a fine example of when it's okay to break the rules.
Boros Headstrong RW
Creature - Human Soldier C
4/1
This one is a little risky, but I think it's a fine demonstration of the range of cards a designer is expected to make. Adding a vanilla creature to the file shows that I'm not afraid of tackling the hardest kind of design, while also exemplifying the idea that the simplest solution is always the best. If you can't think of an effect for a multicolor common that you're happy with, then drop the effect altogether and let the stats do the talking.
This is the farthest I've gotten so far. I have a ton of other ideas, but I'm still narrowing down the ones I like the best and the ones that are experimental and elegant enough. What about you guys?
Edit: Just looked back at the rules and found that there's an additional restriction: Each of the five required card types (creature, enchantment, instant, sorcery, planeswalker) pust be represented twice, and not on cards of the same color. That sorta invalidates one of my creature designs so far, but I can rework that.
Also, the designs should be aimed at an undetermined standard set, and shouldn't be focused on any other format.
Beura, Heir of Azor (Mythic) 4WU
Legendary Planeswalker - Beura
[4]
[+4]: You gain 4 life and scry 4.
[+0]: Create a 0/4 white and blue Wall creature token with flying and defender.
[-14]: You get an emblem with "Nonland permanents your opponents control don't untap during their controller's untap steps."
Ashiok Awakened (Mythic) 1UB
Legendary Planeswalker - Beura
[3]
[+2]: Search target player’s library for a card and exile it. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
[-2]: Exile target nonland permanent. Until your next turn, that card’s owner may cast it from exile if able.
[-6]: You get an emblem with “You may play cards from exile.”
Hellbinder (Rare) (B/R)
Creature - Avatar
9/9
Hellbinder costs 1 more to cast for each other card in your hand.
Flying
Hellbinder gets -1/-1 for each card in your hand.
Vantage Point (Common) RG
Sorcery
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Put that card onto the battlefield tapped. Until end of turn, you may play cards exiled this way.
Parade of Elephants (Rare) 4GGW
Enchantment
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, you may create a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.
Mixed Blessing (Common) WB
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
As long as you control enchanted creature, it gets +2/+2. Otherwise, it gets -2/-2.
Coffin Creeper (Rare) 2BG
Creature - Plant Zombie
4/2
Haste
Whenever Coffin Creeper or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead.
Scramble Shot (Common) (U/B)(R/G)
Instant
Up to one target creature gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
Up to one target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Shocking Revelation (Uncommon) 2UR
Instant
Shocking Revelation deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Draw two cards.
Avenge (Common) (R/W)
Instant
Avenge deals 5 damage to target creature that dealt damage this turn.
These are the post-feedback versions of the ten I concocted. If you want to see what they were before said feedback, they're on Reddit here.
Nurture Growth (Common) 1GU
Sorcery
Put two or three +1/+1 counters on target creature. If you put three, tap that creature and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
NOTE: The name was supposed to be Nurture Growth but I somehow appended a d. The number of counters increased by one in each case. Going above 3 +1/+1 counters is almost never done at common unless the counters are going onto a 0/0 creature (Graft, Modular, Awaken). This is true for all cards in Modern. Monstrosity I think is a special case, because it's meant to make the creature a finisher with a one-time activation. Even then, the number of cards > 3 at common is two.
Battle Standard (Rare) 3RW
Enchantment
At the beginning of combat, reveal the top card of your library. If that card is a --
* Creature -- Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
* Noncreature -- Creatures you control gain your choice of lifelink, flying, or menace until end of turn.
NOTE: This was redone completely to be better in a vacuum. The 1.0 version was a direct transplant from a keyword that affected every creature with the mechanic, and that just doesn't translate well here. So, I redid the trigger back to the original revelation of the top of the library, and took off the "only during your combat" restriction to let it play better during all combat situations. When I came up with it for Boros, I concepted the mechanic to occur as an attack trigger based on whether you revealed a creature or noncreature. That works here too, but it's less sexy in a vacuum, which is what a rare should be.
Hasten the End (Mythic) 5BBR
Sorcery
For the rest of the game, players pay life instead of mana. (The life can pay for costs as though it were mana of any color and/or type.)
X'nar, Master of Lore (Mythic) 3UB
Legendary Planeswalker - X'nar
{3}
+2: Until your next turn, whenever you cast a spell, choose target creature. That creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
-3: You get an emblem with "Spells you cast cost 1 less to cast."
-8: You get an emblem with, “Play with the top three cards of your library revealed. You may play those cards and you may draw one of the three instead of the top card of your library.”
Driven Bruiser (Common) 1RG
Creature - Ogre Warrior
3/3
When Driven Bruiser enters the battlefield, if another creature on the battlefield has greater power, put a +1/+1 counter on Driven Bruiser.
Punish Insolence (Uncommon) 2WB
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 4 life to you. (You gain the amount of life paid this way.)
Wrathful Earth (Rare) 3BGG
Enchantment
You may have land cards you play enter the battlefield tapped.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield tapped and under your control, it becomes a 3/3 black and green Elemental creature with menace. It's still a land.
Meditating Mage (Uncommon) 2WU
Creature - Human Wizard
2/2
You may choose not to untap Meditating Mage during your untap step.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Meditating Mage is tapped, you may pay 1WU. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Meditating Mage and draw a card.
V'dya, Who Bonds All (Mythic) 3GGW
Legendary Planeswalker - V'dya
{5}
+3: Create a colorless artifact token named Worldsoul's Gift with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add * to your mana pool. (It can pay for mana of any color and/or type.)"
+1: You gain 3 life.
-4: Scry 4, then reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a creature card, put it onto the battlefield.
-7: You may activate a loyalty ability on another target planeswalker without paying its loyalty cost.
NOTE: I'm not sure if the last ability technically works. The intention is that you can activate an ability on any planeswalker, including an opponent's planeswalker, right then and there.
Shocking Idea (Common) UR
Instant
You may cast Shocking Idea for 4UR to double the damage and number of cards you draw.
Shocking Idea deals 2 damage to target creature and you draw a card.
@Watchwolf - "Stitch" feels a bit like a fixed Haunt. If this is meant to be keyworded, how do you envision it?
@Legend - Vantage point feels kind of brilliant. Avenge feels exciting.
It would be an ability word. Like so:
"Flying Skaab2U
Creature - Zombie C
2/1
Flying Stitch - 2U, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. That creature gains flying.
Was going to make a thread for these, but I'll put them up on here:
Kari's Decree3WU
Instant (Mythic)
Exile any number of target creatures. At the beginning of your next end step, return each creature card exiled this way to the battlefield under their owner’s control. Creatures entering the battlefield this way don’t cause abilities to trigger.
OneirozoaUB
Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Defender, Deathtouch
Discard a card: Oneirozoa can’t block this turn. Any player may activate this ability.
1/3
Kimra, Deadlighter4BR
Legendary Planeswalker - Kimra (Mythic)
[+2:] You may sacrifice a creature. If you do, Kimra, Deadlighter deals damage equal to that creature’s power to target creature or player.
[-4:] Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste until end of turn.
[-12:] Destroy all creatures, then create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with haste for each creature destroyed this way.
Starting Loyalty: [5]
Gruda Coalbark3RG
Legendary Creature - Treefolk Shaman (Rare)
Whenever another Treefolk enters the battlefield under your control, you may have that creature get +X/+0 and gain trample and haste until end of turn, where X is that creature’s toughness. If you do, sacrifice that creature at the beginning of the next end step. T, Sacrifice two Forests: Return target Treefolk or land card from your graveyard to your hand.
Kiffi, Wandering SageGW
Legendary Planeswalker - Kiffi (Mythic)
[+1:] Scry 1. You gain 1 life.
[-1:] Reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped.
[-6:] You get an emblem with “At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 1 life for each land you control.”
Starting Loyalty: [2]
Wicked Unrest1WB
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Exile all cards from all graveyards. Target player loses X life and you gain X life, where X is the number of creature cards exiled this way.
Djinn's Gambit2UR
Sorcery (Rare)
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card. Target opponent may have you cast that card without paying its mana cost. If he or she doesn’t, draw four cards.
Predator's Cruelty1BG
Instant (Common)
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
Lightfire Ward3RW
Enchantment (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature blocks or becomes blocked by one or more creatures you control, Lightfire Ward deals 1 damage to that creature and you gain 1 life.
Vinewrap BoonGU
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +0/+2 and has reach.
Sacrifice Barkskin Blessing: Return enchanted creature to it’s owner’s hand.
Vera, Double Agent1UB
Legendary Planeswalker - Vera M
Loyalty - 2
When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of her.
At the beginning of your end step, if you haven't activated a loyalty ability of ~ this turn, her owner draws a card.
-1: Discard a card. If you can't, sacrifice a creature.
Tide of the NebelgastXWU
Instant R
Create X 1/1 white and blue Spirit creature tokens with flying. WU, Sacrifice X Spirits, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
Diabolus, Soul Switcher3BR
5/5
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard M
When ~ enters the battlefield, you and target opponent exchange control of each other until ~ leaves the battlefield.
All damage attacking creatures would deal to defending players is dealt to the attacking player instead.
(Split Card) Fast1R
Enchantment - Aura U
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike.
(Only one half of this card can enter the battlefield. Hide the other half behind the permanent this card enchants.)
// Hard1G
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch.
(Only one half of this card can enter the battlefield. Hide the other half behind the permanent this card enchants.)
Purging Fire8RG
Enchantment M
When ~ enters the battlefield, destroy all other permanents.
You may play land cards from your graveyard.
Noble Sacrifice2GW
Sorcery U
Creatures your opponents control block target creature you control this turn if able. Other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
Loyalty's RewardWB
Enchantment - Aura C
Enchant creature
As long as you control enchanted creature, it gets +2/+2. Otherwise, it gets -2/-2.
@Legend Awkward...
(Split Card) Offense1B
Enchantment - Aura C
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+0 and can't block.
// Defense1W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted gets +0/+2 and has defender.
Incapacitate1(U/R)
Sorcery C
Tap target artifact, creature, or land. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Display of DominanceBG
Instant U
Choose one -
- Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control.
- Choose target planeswalker you control and target planeswalker you don't control. Each deals damage equal to its loyalty to the other.
(DFC) Nahiri, Stoneforge Master2RW
Legendary Planeswalker - Nahiri M
Loyalty 3
+1: Create a colorless Equipment artifact token with "Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has first strike," and "Equip 2." Transform Nahiri until end of turn.
-3: Create a colorless Hedron artifact token. Exile target nonland permanent until that token leaves the battlefield.
-7: You get an emblem with "Artifacts and equipped creatures you control have indestructible."
// Nahiri, Freedom Fighter
Legendary Creature - Kor Artificer
3/3
Haste
When ~ attacks, you may attach target Equipment you control to her. (That equipment becomes unattached when ~ transforms.)
Superior Mimic2GU
Creature - Shapeshifter R
5/5
You may have ~ enter the battelfield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield. (If you do, ~ has that creature's power and toughness.)
This spoiler is for my template
Im gonna try and review each and every one of these cards MCC style as judge practice ofcourse.
I'll start with Legend
Beura, Heir of Azor
Appeal 2/3 Timmy and Johnny can use scry 4, one to find fatties and one to setup. Spike sees it as a finisher. No one is wowed though. Elegance 3/3 Every thing is grokkable.
-- Viability 3/3 White blue is the color of "your opponent does not play magic". Balance 1/3 +4 is too much. Why create stupid walls with +0 when you could just whip up 4 loyalty a turn. 4 life, scry 4 is powerful. In her case, scry 4 is definitely better than draw 2, as at 6 mana what you need now is to dig deep. You get a point for a "considerate" ultimate in the colors which would otherwise have pribably a much stricter effect.
-- Uniqueness 2.5/3 Technically unique, but also nothing new. Flavor 0/0 do not know who she is. Nulled. (Maybe this is a 0/3 or 1/3)
-- Quality 3/3 works but [You gain 4 life. Scry 4.] Seems better.
Not part of the Rubric The walls are your weakest point here. They are on point of "Durdle some more".
Ashiok Awakened
Appeal 2/3 Timmy likes walkers, but not this much. Johnny is creaming. Spike likes three mana and +2. Elegance 3/3 elegant enough.
-- Viability 2/3 Everything on color. Exiling is technically bounce+. Exiled cards are exiled for a reason, -1. Balance 1.5/3 Nicely balanced, very powerful as sideboard hoser, combo hoser and perfect library information. Borderline OP in some strategies, especially card like ensnaring bridge when an opponent would have had less than 4 answers to said bridge.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 Lobotimizing one at a time, but may be multiple times. Nice twist on "bounce but only until next turn" Flavor 2/3 Ashiok has a +2, also that doesnt affect the board. Can cast things from exile. Though Ashiok is not Beura.
-- Quality 2/3 [. Then that] can be [. That], no deduction. Ashiok is not Beura, -1.
Not Part of the Rubric Feels like tgis should have been "you may play your opponents cards from exile" to stay truer to Ashiok, and to steer clearer from his/her user's own exile zone shenanigans.
Hellrider
Appeal 2/3 Fat. Effecient, Evasive. Elegance 3/3 Easy to underatand.
-- Viability 3/3 On Color, R/MR. Balance 0/3 too powerful at 4 cards below. Above curve at 4 cards, and undercurved at 5 cards+. And that is witgout flying, but it does.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 Unique, Flavor 3/3 flavor is easy to be attached to this card.
-- Quality 3/3.
Not Part of the Rubric i pesonally love this card, but it does not save it from MCC Rubric.
Vantage Point
Appeal 1/3 Spike likes ramp, but dislike really random fixing. Johnny sorta likes likes it, but not. Timmy sort likes it, it is cool whent it works but also lame if it whiffs. Still rampant growth+. Elegance 3/3 Understood
-- Viability 3/3 Green ramps, also red randomized green's precision fixing. Red derps around with randomness. No one would hurt to see this at common. Balance 3/3 Ramps early, Impulses when ramp is not needed.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 The combination is unique Flavor 3/3 Seek a vantage point, and all the advantages that may (may!) come with it.
-- Quality 3/3 nothing seems amiss.
Not Part of the Rubric really nice card. Excellent design.
Elephant's Parade
Appeal 1/3 Timmy likes tokens, fat tokens. Johnny has seen better. Spike gives trades it to timmy's counterspell. Elegance 3/3 one line!
-- Viability 3/3 R/MR. G/W is tokens color and enchies color. Balance 3/3 Verdant Force on steroids. Sure why not
-- Uniqueness 1.5/3 Unique enough. But repeatable tokens has been done before, and this really offer nothing new that much. Flavor 3/3 Elephants go on parade, and are sometimes crowd shy.
-- Quality 3/3
Not Part of the Rubric Verdant force on Steroids! Its not 7/7, but that was always a liability anyways.
Mixed Blessing - skipped.
Coffin Creeper
Appeal 3/3 Timmy like 4 power and the reviving itself. Johnny creams. And spike sees it as powerful. Elegance 2.5/3 Understandable.but confusion may come when rulings (of other cards).
-- Viability 1/3 BG on color. Haste is green, but mostly on pure beaters and this is more enabler than beater. Breaking rules of the game seem MR, and should not happen at too low a CMC. Balance 0.5/3 Its on curve, its hasty, it breaks the power of other "return to hand" cards. It swings in when raise deaded.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 unique enough Flavor 1.5/3 on theme with hasty plant zombies. Not much else
-- Quality 3/3
Not Part of the Rubric - Too powerful. Death Denied, K- Command, Restock, lol.
Shocking Revelation - Potential +2 at instant speed. Electrolzyze is like fork bolt with cantrip by "adding" 1 blue. This is Inspiration+. At the very least this sgouldnt targetvcreatures I guess.
Next tine I'll do others. Do please comment on my judging.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MtG is where you can hate white players or black players, and still not be racist.
Next tine I'll do others. Do please comment on my judging.
It's always nice to read such reviews of one's own cards.
Agree that Coffin Creeper should be mythic.
Agree that Hellbinder is extremely powerful.
Agree that Beura's 0 ability is garbage. It should probably be "[-4]: Create a 4/4 white and blue Sphinx token with flying, vigilance, and hexproof."
Disagree that Shocking Revelation shouldn't hit creatures. It's very good and would likely be played in Standard, but 4cmc would keep it out of eternal formats.
Appeal Elegance
-- Viability Balance
-- Uniqueness Flavor
-- Quality Not part of the Rubric
Template
Solmancer is next
Battle Standard
Appeal 1.5/3 Spike likes how swingy it is, dislikes mana cost and randomness. Johnny can set up the reveals but not wowed, timmy likes giving keywords to all creatures and incremental pumps. Elegance 3/3 Understandable.
-- Viability 2.5/3 Menace is more red black, sure its red too but not red white. Red also favors temporary pumps, rather than +1/+1 counters (which would probably be blue green in Ravnica). Balance 3/3 Unlike other enchy /turn bombs, this can cause swing the turn it lands. Its power is redrandomized.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 Unique Flavor 3/3 Harkens back to boros 5CMC Enchantment like Assemble the Legion. Boros likes battle flags anthems and keywords.
-- Quality 1/3 This gets whipped. It uses a weird modal tenplate, but in truth it is not "choicable" at all. You do not get a say or decision or choice of +1/+1 counters or ability blankets. I conclude that this would be better templated ala Keranos, God of Storms, not the bullet modal template.
-- Not part of the Rubric I am surprised vigilance, first strike or double strike did not appear in the keyword list.
Hasten The End
Appeal 1.5/3 Spike, too much mana. Timmy gets to play fatsies for life (and die happy)(even when Hasten the End belongs to opponent). Johnny likes this in all his big life shenanigans. Elegance 2.5/3 Understandable, fringe cases may arise. Also () causes inelegance.
-- Viability 2/3 Break the rules can be BR. Mythic is appropriate. Red is hard to justify when it would have worked as mono black. Balance 1.5/3 Underpowered. EDH maybe themed around lifegain.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 Flavor 3/3 The end is sure to arrive.
-- Quality 3/3 Im not sure though, this has no precedent i am aware of.
-- Not part of the Rubric
Master of Lore
Appeal 3/3 Johnny like. Timmy get not enough. Spike not enough. Elegance 1/3 Ulti is inelegant. Reduction emblem is elegant. First ability "why choose target. That creature gets -1/-1" when you can you "target creature gets -1/-1."
-- Viability 3/3 Blue always liked breaking Magic. -1/-1 eot, is black. Oddly only the first ability is black. Balance .5/3 Win more card. It kills itself for an emblem, unless it +2s, which then you probably had no mana as you tapped 5 to cast this, so unless it kills itself it durdles for the first turn. Really hard to give balance points for something designed to bend and break the game balance.
-- Uniqueness 3/3 unique. Flavor 0/0
-- Quality 1.5/3 Templating of 1st ability. Stray comma on ultimate emblem.
-- Not part of the Rubric I do not get why you would want to "draw one of the three" when the top three are basically extended as your hand anyway. Sure it can be thoughtseized from your hand, so you may not want to draw it. Or maybe vampire nocturnus. I would have liked it to not push the game breakiness it already pushes enough.
Wrathful Earth ill shorten it to this. Why not just
(You may have lands you control enter as 3/3 black and green Elemental creature, in addition to i. It's still a land)
Tbc
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MtG is where you can hate white players or black players, and still not be racist.
1. WU Mythic Planeswalker Tandar the Builder1WU
Legendary Planeswalker - Tandar (M)
+1: Create an X/X colorless Wall artifact creature token with defender and "This creature has power and toughness equal to the number of creatures with defender you control."
+0: Until end of turn, creatures you control with defender gain vigilance and can attack as though they didn't have defender.
-6: Return all creatures without defender to their owner's hands.
[4]
2. WB Mythic Sorcery Stand and Be Judged7WB
Sorcery (M)
Each opponent's life total becomes half of his or her starting life total, rounded down.
Your life total becomes twice your starting life total.
3. UB Uncommon Creature Soul Disperser2UB
Creature - Aetherborn Assassin (U)
Whenever a creature an opponent controls leaves the battlefield, ~ gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
4/1
4. UR Rare Instant Do OverUR
Instant (R)
Choose one -
- Return target instant or sorcery spell to its owner's hand.
- Return to your hand target instant or sorcery spell in your graveyard that you cast this turn.
5. BR Rare Sorcery Stealing Spree4BR
Sorcery (R)
Choose target opponent. That player exiles the top card of his or her library, a card at random from his or her hand, and a random card in his or her graveyard, then you may cast any number of nonland cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
6. BG Mythic Planeswalker Dravis, Soilsoul2BG
Legendary Planeswalker - Dravis (M)
+1: Choose X cards at random from your graveyard, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Dravis, then choose one of those cards and return it to your hand.
-1: Each player sacrifices a creature. You gain 2 life.
-8: You get an emblem with "The first time a permanent card is put into your graveyard from anywhere each turn, return that card to the battlefield under your control."
[4]
7. RG Uncommon Instant Return to the ElementsRG
Instant (U)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment, then add mana equal to that card's mana cost to your mana pool. (Mana cost includes color. If a mana symbol has multiple colors, choose one.)
8. RW Common Enchantment Swept Up In the CrowdRW
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack unless at least two other creatures attack.
Enchanted creature can't block unless at least two other creatures block.
9. GW Common Creature Rhox Challenger5GW
Creature - Rhino (C)
Rhox Challenger can only be blocked by creatures with power 5 or greater.
5/5
10. GU Rare Enchantment Growing PotentialGU
Enchantment (R)
Growing Potential enters the battlefield with a growth counter on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a growth counter on Growing Potential.
Creatures you control have base power and toughness X/X, where X is the number of growth counters on Growing Potential.
I really like Stand and be Judged and Swept Up in the Crowd. They are both very unique effects that I think will play out in interesting ways. Swept Up in the Crowd is especially neat since it's a common and really does feel like a common.
I'm not a fan of Dravis's +1 ability. Randomness is more of a red mechanic, and unless you have a really large graveyard, you're going to get the card you want most of the time anyway.
1. WB Common Instant Spiritform(W/B)
Instant
When target creature dies this turn, if it had no spirit counters on it, return it to the battlefield with a spirit counter on it. (Creatures with spirit counters on them can't attack or block.)
2. BG Mythic Planeswalker Osh, Cycle Gurdian3BG
Legendary Planeswalker - Osh
+1: Create a 1/1 green Saproling creature token.
-2: Destroy target creature. Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
-5: Sacrifice any number of creatures and lands. Each opponent loses 2 life for each permanent you sacrificed this way.
3
3. GW Rare Sorcery Purge the UnseemlyGW
Sorcery
Exile target permanent if it doesn't share a card type with any other permanent on the battlefield.
4. RG Uncommon Enchantment Frontline Savagery2RG
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has first strike and "When this creature attacks, you may have it fight target creature an opponent controls."
5. RW Mythic Planeswalker Orsted, the Highest Peak6RRW
Legendary Planeswalker - Orsted
+3: Create a 3/3 red and white Giant Warrior creature token with trample, lifelink, and "R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
-3: Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to each creature you don't control.
-10: Orsted becomes a 20/20 Giant Warrior creature with trample, lifelink, and indestructible.
6
6. GU Rare Creature Glitterdust Frog 1GU
Creature - Frog
Flash
Sacrifice Glitterdust Frog: Creatures opponents control get -3/-0 until end of turn. Draw a card.
3/3
7. UB Uncommon Sorcery Standard Currency2UB
Sorcery
Target player draws or discards cards until he or she has exactly two cards in hand.
8. UR Common Instant Twist and PokeUR
Instant
You may switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn. Twist and Poke deals 1 damage to it.
9. BR Common Creature Blazing Insectoid1BR
Creature - Insect
Haste
Blazing Insectoid can't block.
Whenever Blazing Insectoid deals combat damage to a creature, put a corruption counter on it. (Permanents with corruption counters on them have "At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each corruption counter on this permanent.")
2/1
10. WU Uncommon Enchantment Enlightened Path5WU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
When Enlightened Path enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life.
You control enchanted creature.
Thanks for the response, I basically only posted because I wanted to make a Boros common enchantment for some reason.
Interestingly, there are more green cards that get random cards from the graveyard than red ones, although the three mono-green ones are all from Innistrad. Not sure if they abandoned that experiment, but I liked how it kind of felt just like pushing up a bunch of soil and seeing what came out. My planeswalkers kind of suck, I always feel like the space limitations per ability make them hard to make interesting.
In your set (rkohn1357), interesting use of mechanics with counters. Blazing Insectoid puts the counter on the opponent's creature, right? I'm reading it as putting a corruption counter on itself. I feel like a set using a widespread mechanic that is not +1/+1 or -1/-1 certainly may show up some day, the Amonkhet punchout cards would be one way to help with the possible confusion of mixed counters.
Standard Currency and Purge the Unseemly are nice one-liners.
The frog is kind of a tough sell as a rare, it has interesting play but just looks like a cantripping fog.
I missed the extra restriction of not repeating colors that I'm just seeing now. Here's a few more comments.
Watchwolf's Meteoric Landfall seems fun, but it should just make a land token right? Seems like overcomplicated Exploding Borders. Soulswitcher guy in your later set is hilarious.
Legend's Mixed Blessing is cool, Hellbinder is fun but probably too big, and I'm not sure if Ashiok works as worded to be able to cast from other people's exile, which I assume is the intent of the ultimate.
Solmancer's Hasten the End is fun but should be an enchantment, I like Battle Standard's modality.
Subject16 - I like Predator's Cruelty most, not sure if we still do variables at common.
Private Mod Note
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The rules are as follows:
Design ten cards, one in each two-color pair.
Among them must be at least two cards of each rarity.
Among them must be two creatures, two enchantments, two sorceries, two instants, and two planeswalkers.
The only named mechanics allowed are evergreen and deciduous mechanics (like flying or protection). If you want to use a mechanic of your own or a block mechanic, just spell it out without naming it. Yes, hybrid mana is allowed.
Each card will be graded in a vacuum. Any relevance they have with other cards in your submission will not be taken into account.
MaRo goes on to say that contestants did not get any text to explain their designs, as they had to speak for themselves. I don't think that's necessary here though.
He also said that creative elements would not affect the card's grade, but I'm not sure if that extends to the flavor of the card. I imagine that a red/white card named "Simic Soldier" wouldn't have any points against it, but I would also think that if a card's effect is especially flavorful, that would count towards the design's quality on some level.
Anyway, the test is pretty open-ended, so it's a pretty fun experiment. I haven't come up with all ten designs yet, but I have a few ideas:
Tide of the Nebelgast XWU
Sorcery R
Create X 1/1 white and blue Spirit creature tokens with flying.
WU, Sacrifice X Spirits, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
This one is mostly safe, moreso just combining a couple of abilities in a synergistic way. Obviously, it's designed with Innistrad in mind, but is perfectly functional outside of any set with a heavy Spirit tribal theme, so it works well in a vacuum. It was originally an instant, but color/type balancing with my other designs pushed this to be a sorcery. It still works fine this way, and being a sorcery allows this to be costed a bit more aggressively.
Vera, Double Agent 1UB (looks like colored symbols are broken)
Planeswalker - Vera M
Loyalty 2
When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of her.
At the beginning of your end step, if you haven't activated a loyalty ability of ~ this turn, her owner draws a card.
-1: Discard a card. If you can't, sacrifice a creature.
This is probably the most unconventional design I have so far. It's a planeswalker simply because that's the only card type that can easily and elegantly do this effect, plus it offers some really great flavor. Even without the name, you can clearly tell that this character is a spy because it does very spy-ish things. At mythic, I believe that this is an okay level of experimentation.
Meteoric Landfall 2RG
Sorcery U
Put ~ onto the battlefield as a copy of any basic land you control, then ~ deals damage to target creature equal to the number of lands you control.
I think MaRo mentioned at one point that the designs didn't necessarily need to play in predefined rules space, so I went extra experimental with this one. I think the flavor is cool and it makes for smoother gameplay than searching your library for a basic.
Wrapped Mummie 1WB
Creature - Zombie U
2/3
Vigilance, menace
2WB, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. That creature gains vigilance and menace.
This is an example of a mechanic that I wanted to use called "Stitch." It's a blue/black mechanic designed for Innistrad's Zombies. I already had a blue/black design, so I improvised a little bit. The fun part about this mechanic is that it uses the physical card as a way to do an effect that would normally not be doable: permanently granting an ability. Adding the +1/+1 counter and exiling the card allows you to use the card to represent the counter and keep track of what ability was granted to the creature. I love this sort of tactile gameplay, so I think it's a fine example of when it's okay to break the rules.
Boros Headstrong RWCreature - Human Soldier C
4/1
This one is a little risky, but I think it's a fine demonstration of the range of cards a designer is expected to make. Adding a vanilla creature to the file shows that I'm not afraid of tackling the hardest kind of design, while also exemplifying the idea that the simplest solution is always the best. If you can't think of an effect for a multicolor common that you're happy with, then drop the effect altogether and let the stats do the talking.
This is the farthest I've gotten so far. I have a ton of other ideas, but I'm still narrowing down the ones I like the best and the ones that are experimental and elegant enough. What about you guys?
Edit: Just looked back at the rules and found that there's an additional restriction: Each of the five required card types (creature, enchantment, instant, sorcery, planeswalker) pust be represented twice, and not on cards of the same color. That sorta invalidates one of my creature designs so far, but I can rework that.
Also, the designs should be aimed at an undetermined standard set, and shouldn't be focused on any other format.
4WU
Legendary Planeswalker - Beura
[4]
[+4]: You gain 4 life and scry 4.
[+0]: Create a 0/4 white and blue Wall creature token with flying and defender.
[-14]: You get an emblem with "Nonland permanents your opponents control don't untap during their controller's untap steps."
Ashiok Awakened (Mythic)
1UB
Legendary Planeswalker - Beura
[3]
[+2]: Search target player’s library for a card and exile it. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
[-2]: Exile target nonland permanent. Until your next turn, that card’s owner may cast it from exile if able.
[-6]: You get an emblem with “You may play cards from exile.”
Hellbinder (Rare)
(B/R)
Creature - Avatar
9/9
Hellbinder costs 1 more to cast for each other card in your hand.
Flying
Hellbinder gets -1/-1 for each card in your hand.
Vantage Point (Common)
RG
Sorcery
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a land card. Put that card onto the battlefield tapped. Until end of turn, you may play cards exiled this way.
Parade of Elephants (Rare)
4GGW
Enchantment
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, you may create a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.
Mixed Blessing (Common)
WB
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
As long as you control enchanted creature, it gets +2/+2. Otherwise, it gets -2/-2.
Coffin Creeper (Rare)
2BG
Creature - Plant Zombie
4/2
Haste
Whenever Coffin Creeper or another creature card would be returned from your graveyard to your hand, you may put that card onto the battlefield instead.
Scramble Shot (Common)
(U/B)(R/G)
Instant
Up to one target creature gets +3/+0 until end of turn.
Up to one target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn.
Shocking Revelation (Uncommon)
2UR
Instant
Shocking Revelation deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Draw two cards.
Avenge (Common)
(R/W)
Instant
Avenge deals 5 damage to target creature that dealt damage this turn.
Nurture Growth (Common)
1GU
Sorcery
Put two or three +1/+1 counters on target creature. If you put three, tap that creature and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
NOTE: The name was supposed to be Nurture Growth but I somehow appended a d. The number of counters increased by one in each case. Going above 3 +1/+1 counters is almost never done at common unless the counters are going onto a 0/0 creature (Graft, Modular, Awaken). This is true for all cards in Modern. Monstrosity I think is a special case, because it's meant to make the creature a finisher with a one-time activation. Even then, the number of cards > 3 at common is two.
Battle Standard (Rare)
3RW
Enchantment
At the beginning of combat, reveal the top card of your library. If that card is a --
* Creature -- Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
* Noncreature -- Creatures you control gain your choice of lifelink, flying, or menace until end of turn.
NOTE: This was redone completely to be better in a vacuum. The 1.0 version was a direct transplant from a keyword that affected every creature with the mechanic, and that just doesn't translate well here. So, I redid the trigger back to the original revelation of the top of the library, and took off the "only during your combat" restriction to let it play better during all combat situations. When I came up with it for Boros, I concepted the mechanic to occur as an attack trigger based on whether you revealed a creature or noncreature. That works here too, but it's less sexy in a vacuum, which is what a rare should be.
Hasten the End (Mythic)
5BBR
Sorcery
For the rest of the game, players pay life instead of mana. (The life can pay for costs as though it were mana of any color and/or type.)
X'nar, Master of Lore (Mythic)
3UB
Legendary Planeswalker - X'nar
{3}
+2: Until your next turn, whenever you cast a spell, choose target creature. That creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
-3: You get an emblem with "Spells you cast cost 1 less to cast."
-8: You get an emblem with, “Play with the top three cards of your library revealed. You may play those cards and you may draw one of the three instead of the top card of your library.”
Driven Bruiser (Common)
1RG
Creature - Ogre Warrior
3/3
When Driven Bruiser enters the battlefield, if another creature on the battlefield has greater power, put a +1/+1 counter on Driven Bruiser.
Punish Insolence (Uncommon)
2WB
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 4 life to you. (You gain the amount of life paid this way.)
Wrathful Earth (Rare)
3BGG
Enchantment
You may have land cards you play enter the battlefield tapped.
Whenever a land enters the battlefield tapped and under your control, it becomes a 3/3 black and green Elemental creature with menace. It's still a land.
Meditating Mage (Uncommon)
2WU
Creature - Human Wizard
2/2
You may choose not to untap Meditating Mage during your untap step.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Meditating Mage is tapped, you may pay 1WU. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Meditating Mage and draw a card.
V'dya, Who Bonds All (Mythic)
3GGW
Legendary Planeswalker - V'dya
{5}
+3: Create a colorless artifact token named Worldsoul's Gift with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add * to your mana pool. (It can pay for mana of any color and/or type.)"
+1: You gain 3 life.
-4: Scry 4, then reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a creature card, put it onto the battlefield.
-7: You may activate a loyalty ability on another target planeswalker without paying its loyalty cost.
NOTE: I'm not sure if the last ability technically works. The intention is that you can activate an ability on any planeswalker, including an opponent's planeswalker, right then and there.
Shocking Idea (Common)
UR
Instant
You may cast Shocking Idea for 4UR to double the damage and number of cards you draw.
Shocking Idea deals 2 damage to target creature and you draw a card.
Past Ruminations
Links are broken, will fix in near future.
- Kaladesh
- Zendikar
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Alara Reborn
- Innistrad <- Personal Favorite
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Theros
- Return to Ravnica
- Tarkir
@Legend - Vantage point feels kind of brilliant. Avenge feels exciting.
"Flying Skaab 2U
Creature - Zombie C
2/1
Flying
Stitch - 2U, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. That creature gains flying.
Kari's Decree 3WU
Instant (Mythic)
Exile any number of target creatures. At the beginning of your next end step, return each creature card exiled this way to the battlefield under their owner’s control. Creatures entering the battlefield this way don’t cause abilities to trigger.
Oneirozoa UB
Creature - Jellyfish (Uncommon)
Defender, Deathtouch
Discard a card: Oneirozoa can’t block this turn. Any player may activate this ability.
1/3
Kimra, Deadlighter 4BR
Legendary Planeswalker - Kimra (Mythic)
[+2:] You may sacrifice a creature. If you do, Kimra, Deadlighter deals damage equal to that creature’s power to target creature or player.
[-4:] Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste until end of turn.
[-12:] Destroy all creatures, then create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with haste for each creature destroyed this way.
Starting Loyalty: [5]
Gruda Coalbark 3RG
Legendary Creature - Treefolk Shaman (Rare)
Whenever another Treefolk enters the battlefield under your control, you may have that creature get +X/+0 and gain trample and haste until end of turn, where X is that creature’s toughness. If you do, sacrifice that creature at the beginning of the next end step.
T, Sacrifice two Forests: Return target Treefolk or land card from your graveyard to your hand.
Kiffi, Wandering Sage GW
Legendary Planeswalker - Kiffi (Mythic)
[+1:] Scry 1. You gain 1 life.
[-1:] Reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped.
[-6:] You get an emblem with “At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 1 life for each land you control.”
Starting Loyalty: [2]
Wicked Unrest 1WB
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Exile all cards from all graveyards. Target player loses X life and you gain X life, where X is the number of creature cards exiled this way.
Djinn's Gambit 2UR
Sorcery (Rare)
Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card. Target opponent may have you cast that card without paying its mana cost. If he or she doesn’t, draw four cards.
Predator's Cruelty 1BG
Instant (Common)
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.
Lightfire Ward 3RW
Enchantment (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature blocks or becomes blocked by one or more creatures you control, Lightfire Ward deals 1 damage to that creature and you gain 1 life.
Vinewrap Boon GU
Enchantment - Aura (Common)
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature gets +0/+2 and has reach.
Sacrifice Barkskin Blessing: Return enchanted creature to it’s owner’s hand.
Thanks!
Vera, Double Agent 1UB
Legendary Planeswalker - Vera M
Loyalty - 2
When ~ enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of her.
At the beginning of your end step, if you haven't activated a loyalty ability of ~ this turn, her owner draws a card.
-1: Discard a card. If you can't, sacrifice a creature.
Tide of the Nebelgast XWU
Instant R
Create X 1/1 white and blue Spirit creature tokens with flying.
WU, Sacrifice X Spirits, Exile ~ from your graveyard: Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
Diabolus, Soul Switcher 3BR
5/5
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard M
When ~ enters the battlefield, you and target opponent exchange control of each other until ~ leaves the battlefield.
All damage attacking creatures would deal to defending players is dealt to the attacking player instead.
(Split Card)Fast 1R
Enchantment - Aura U
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike.
(Only one half of this card can enter the battlefield. Hide the other half behind the permanent this card enchants.)
//
Hard 1G
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has deathtouch.
(Only one half of this card can enter the battlefield. Hide the other half behind the permanent this card enchants.)
Purging Fire 8RG
Enchantment M
When ~ enters the battlefield, destroy all other permanents.
You may play land cards from your graveyard.
Noble Sacrifice 2GW
Sorcery U
Creatures your opponents control block target creature you control this turn if able. Other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
Loyalty's Reward WBEnchantment - Aura C
Enchant creature
As long as you control enchanted creature, it gets +2/+2. Otherwise, it gets -2/-2.
@Legend Awkward...
(Split Card)
Offense 1B
Enchantment - Aura C
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+0 and can't block.
//
Defense 1W
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted gets +0/+2 and has defender.
Incapacitate 1(U/R)
Sorcery C
Tap target artifact, creature, or land. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Display of Dominance BG
Instant U
Choose one -
- Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control.
- Choose target planeswalker you control and target planeswalker you don't control. Each deals damage equal to its loyalty to the other.
(DFC)
Nahiri, Stoneforge Master 2RW
Legendary Planeswalker - Nahiri M
Loyalty 3
+1: Create a colorless Equipment artifact token with "Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has first strike," and "Equip 2." Transform Nahiri until end of turn.
-3: Create a colorless Hedron artifact token. Exile target nonland permanent until that token leaves the battlefield.
-7: You get an emblem with "Artifacts and equipped creatures you control have indestructible."
//
Nahiri, Freedom Fighter
Legendary Creature - Kor Artificer
3/3
Haste
When ~ attacks, you may attach target Equipment you control to her. (That equipment becomes unattached when ~ transforms.)
Superior Mimic 2GU
Creature - Shapeshifter R
5/5
You may have ~ enter the battelfield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield. (If you do, ~ has that creature's power and toughness.)
Appeal
Elegance
--
Viability
Balance
--
Uniqueness
Flavor
--
Quality
Im gonna try and review each and every one of these cards MCC style as judge practice ofcourse.
I'll start with Legend
Beura, Heir of Azor
Appeal 2/3 Timmy and Johnny can use scry 4, one to find fatties and one to setup. Spike sees it as a finisher. No one is wowed though.
Elegance 3/3 Every thing is grokkable.
--
Viability 3/3 White blue is the color of "your opponent does not play magic".
Balance 1/3 +4 is too much. Why create stupid walls with +0 when you could just whip up 4 loyalty a turn. 4 life, scry 4 is powerful. In her case, scry 4 is definitely better than draw 2, as at 6 mana what you need now is to dig deep. You get a point for a "considerate" ultimate in the colors which would otherwise have pribably a much stricter effect.
--
Uniqueness 2.5/3 Technically unique, but also nothing new.
Flavor 0/0 do not know who she is. Nulled. (Maybe this is a 0/3 or 1/3)
--
Quality 3/3 works but [You gain 4 life. Scry 4.] Seems better.
Not part of the Rubric The walls are your weakest point here. They are on point of "Durdle some more".
Ashiok Awakened
Appeal 2/3 Timmy likes walkers, but not this much. Johnny is creaming. Spike likes three mana and +2.
Elegance 3/3 elegant enough.
--
Viability 2/3 Everything on color. Exiling is technically bounce+. Exiled cards are exiled for a reason, -1.
Balance 1.5/3 Nicely balanced, very powerful as sideboard hoser, combo hoser and perfect library information. Borderline OP in some strategies, especially card like ensnaring bridge when an opponent would have had less than 4 answers to said bridge.
--
Uniqueness 3/3 Lobotimizing one at a time, but may be multiple times. Nice twist on "bounce but only until next turn"
Flavor 2/3 Ashiok has a +2, also that doesnt affect the board. Can cast things from exile. Though Ashiok is not Beura.
--
Quality 2/3 [. Then that] can be [. That], no deduction. Ashiok is not Beura, -1.
Not Part of the Rubric Feels like tgis should have been "you may play your opponents cards from exile" to stay truer to Ashiok, and to steer clearer from his/her user's own exile zone shenanigans.
Hellrider
Appeal 2/3 Fat. Effecient, Evasive.
Elegance 3/3 Easy to underatand.
--
Viability 3/3 On Color, R/MR.
Balance 0/3 too powerful at 4 cards below. Above curve at 4 cards, and undercurved at 5 cards+. And that is witgout flying, but it does.
--
Uniqueness 3/3 Unique,
Flavor 3/3 flavor is easy to be attached to this card.
--
Quality 3/3.
Not Part of the Rubric i pesonally love this card, but it does not save it from MCC Rubric.
Vantage Point
Appeal 1/3 Spike likes ramp, but dislike really random fixing. Johnny sorta likes likes it, but not. Timmy sort likes it, it is cool whent it works but also lame if it whiffs. Still rampant growth+.
Elegance 3/3 Understood
--
Viability 3/3 Green ramps, also red randomized green's precision fixing. Red derps around with randomness. No one would hurt to see this at common.
Balance 3/3 Ramps early, Impulses when ramp is not needed.
--
Uniqueness 3/3 The combination is unique
Flavor 3/3 Seek a vantage point, and all the advantages that may (may!) come with it.
--
Quality 3/3 nothing seems amiss.
Not Part of the Rubric really nice card. Excellent design.
Elephant's Parade
Appeal 1/3 Timmy likes tokens, fat tokens. Johnny has seen better. Spike gives trades it to timmy's counterspell.
Elegance 3/3 one line!
--
Viability 3/3 R/MR. G/W is tokens color and enchies color.
Balance 3/3 Verdant Force on steroids. Sure why not
--
Uniqueness 1.5/3 Unique enough. But repeatable tokens has been done before, and this really offer nothing new that much.
Flavor 3/3 Elephants go on parade, and are sometimes crowd shy.
--
Quality 3/3
Not Part of the Rubric Verdant force on Steroids! Its not 7/7, but that was always a liability anyways.
Mixed Blessing - skipped.
Coffin Creeper
Appeal 3/3 Timmy like 4 power and the reviving itself. Johnny creams. And spike sees it as powerful.
Elegance 2.5/3 Understandable.but confusion may come when rulings (of other cards).
--
Viability 1/3 BG on color. Haste is green, but mostly on pure beaters and this is more enabler than beater. Breaking rules of the game seem MR, and should not happen at too low a CMC.
Balance 0.5/3 Its on curve, its hasty, it breaks the power of other "return to hand" cards. It swings in when raise deaded.
--
Uniqueness 3/3 unique enough
Flavor 1.5/3 on theme with hasty plant zombies. Not much else
--
Quality 3/3
Not Part of the Rubric - Too powerful. Death Denied, K- Command, Restock, lol.
Shocking Revelation - Potential +2 at instant speed. Electrolzyze is like fork bolt with cantrip by "adding" 1 blue. This is Inspiration+. At the very least this sgouldnt targetvcreatures I guess.
Next tine I'll do others. Do please comment on my judging.
It's always nice to read such reviews of one's own cards.
Agree that Coffin Creeper should be mythic.
Agree that Hellbinder is extremely powerful.
Agree that Beura's 0 ability is garbage. It should probably be "[-4]: Create a 4/4 white and blue Sphinx token with flying, vigilance, and hexproof."
Disagree that Shocking Revelation shouldn't hit creatures. It's very good and would likely be played in Standard, but 4cmc would keep it out of eternal formats.
Agree with everything else you said. Thank you!
Appeal
Elegance
--
Viability
Balance
--
Uniqueness
Flavor
--
Quality
Not part of the Rubric
Solmancer is next
Battle Standard
Appeal 1.5/3 Spike likes how swingy it is, dislikes mana cost and randomness. Johnny can set up the reveals but not wowed, timmy likes giving keywords to all creatures and incremental pumps.
Elegance 3/3 Understandable.
--
Viability 2.5/3 Menace is more red black, sure its red too but not red white. Red also favors temporary pumps, rather than +1/+1 counters (which would probably be blue green in Ravnica).
Balance 3/3 Unlike other enchy /turn bombs, this can cause swing the turn it lands. Its power is redrandomized.
--
Uniqueness 3/3 Unique
Flavor 3/3 Harkens back to boros 5CMC Enchantment like Assemble the Legion. Boros likes battle flags anthems and keywords.
--
Quality 1/3 This gets whipped. It uses a weird modal tenplate, but in truth it is not "choicable" at all. You do not get a say or decision or choice of +1/+1 counters or ability blankets. I conclude that this would be better templated ala Keranos, God of Storms, not the bullet modal template.
--
Not part of the Rubric I am surprised vigilance, first strike or double strike did not appear in the keyword list.
Hasten The End
Appeal 1.5/3 Spike, too much mana. Timmy gets to play fatsies for life (and die happy)(even when Hasten the End belongs to opponent). Johnny likes this in all his big life shenanigans.
Elegance 2.5/3 Understandable, fringe cases may arise. Also () causes inelegance.
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Viability 2/3 Break the rules can be BR. Mythic is appropriate. Red is hard to justify when it would have worked as mono black.
Balance 1.5/3 Underpowered. EDH maybe themed around lifegain.
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Uniqueness 3/3
Flavor 3/3 The end is sure to arrive.
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Quality 3/3 Im not sure though, this has no precedent i am aware of.
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Not part of the Rubric
Master of Lore
Appeal 3/3 Johnny like. Timmy get not enough. Spike not enough.
Elegance 1/3 Ulti is inelegant. Reduction emblem is elegant. First ability "why choose target. That creature gets -1/-1" when you can you "target creature gets -1/-1."
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Viability 3/3 Blue always liked breaking Magic. -1/-1 eot, is black. Oddly only the first ability is black.
Balance .5/3 Win more card. It kills itself for an emblem, unless it +2s, which then you probably had no mana as you tapped 5 to cast this, so unless it kills itself it durdles for the first turn. Really hard to give balance points for something designed to bend and break the game balance.
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Uniqueness 3/3 unique.
Flavor 0/0
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Quality 1.5/3 Templating of 1st ability. Stray comma on ultimate emblem.
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Not part of the Rubric I do not get why you would want to "draw one of the three" when the top three are basically extended as your hand anyway. Sure it can be thoughtseized from your hand, so you may not want to draw it. Or maybe vampire nocturnus. I would have liked it to not push the game breakiness it already pushes enough.
Wrathful Earth ill shorten it to this. Why not just
(You may have lands you control enter as 3/3 black and green Elemental creature, in addition to i. It's still a land)
Tbc
1. WU Mythic Planeswalker
Tandar the Builder 1WU
Legendary Planeswalker - Tandar (M)
+1: Create an X/X colorless Wall artifact creature token with defender and "This creature has power and toughness equal to the number of creatures with defender you control."
+0: Until end of turn, creatures you control with defender gain vigilance and can attack as though they didn't have defender.
-6: Return all creatures without defender to their owner's hands.
[4]
2. WB Mythic Sorcery
Stand and Be Judged 7WB
Sorcery (M)
Each opponent's life total becomes half of his or her starting life total, rounded down.
Your life total becomes twice your starting life total.
3. UB Uncommon Creature
Soul Disperser 2UB
Creature - Aetherborn Assassin (U)
Whenever a creature an opponent controls leaves the battlefield, ~ gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
4/1
4. UR Rare Instant
Do Over UR
Instant (R)
Choose one -
- Return target instant or sorcery spell to its owner's hand.
- Return to your hand target instant or sorcery spell in your graveyard that you cast this turn.
5. BR Rare Sorcery
Stealing Spree 4BR
Sorcery (R)
Choose target opponent. That player exiles the top card of his or her library, a card at random from his or her hand, and a random card in his or her graveyard, then you may cast any number of nonland cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
6. BG Mythic Planeswalker
Dravis, Soilsoul 2BG
Legendary Planeswalker - Dravis (M)
+1: Choose X cards at random from your graveyard, where X is the number of loyalty counters on Dravis, then choose one of those cards and return it to your hand.
-1: Each player sacrifices a creature. You gain 2 life.
-8: You get an emblem with "The first time a permanent card is put into your graveyard from anywhere each turn, return that card to the battlefield under your control."
[4]
7. RG Uncommon Instant
Return to the Elements RG
Instant (U)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment, then add mana equal to that card's mana cost to your mana pool. (Mana cost includes color. If a mana symbol has multiple colors, choose one.)
8. RW Common Enchantment
Swept Up In the Crowd RW
Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack unless at least two other creatures attack.
Enchanted creature can't block unless at least two other creatures block.
9. GW Common Creature
Rhox Challenger 5GW
Creature - Rhino (C)
Rhox Challenger can only be blocked by creatures with power 5 or greater.
5/5
10. GU Rare Enchantment
Growing Potential GU
Enchantment (R)
Growing Potential enters the battlefield with a growth counter on it.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a growth counter on Growing Potential.
Creatures you control have base power and toughness X/X, where X is the number of growth counters on Growing Potential.
I'm not a fan of Dravis's +1 ability. Randomness is more of a red mechanic, and unless you have a really large graveyard, you're going to get the card you want most of the time anyway.
1. WB Common Instant
Spiritform (W/B)
Instant
When target creature dies this turn, if it had no spirit counters on it, return it to the battlefield with a spirit counter on it. (Creatures with spirit counters on them can't attack or block.)
2. BG Mythic Planeswalker
Osh, Cycle Gurdian 3BG
Legendary Planeswalker - Osh
+1: Create a 1/1 green Saproling creature token.
-2: Destroy target creature. Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
-5: Sacrifice any number of creatures and lands. Each opponent loses 2 life for each permanent you sacrificed this way.
3
3. GW Rare Sorcery
Purge the Unseemly GW
Sorcery
Exile target permanent if it doesn't share a card type with any other permanent on the battlefield.
4. RG Uncommon Enchantment
Frontline Savagery 2RG
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has first strike and "When this creature attacks, you may have it fight target creature an opponent controls."
5. RW Mythic Planeswalker
Orsted, the Highest Peak 6RRW
Legendary Planeswalker - Orsted
+3: Create a 3/3 red and white Giant Warrior creature token with trample, lifelink, and "R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
-3: Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to each creature you don't control.
-10: Orsted becomes a 20/20 Giant Warrior creature with trample, lifelink, and indestructible.
6
6. GU Rare Creature
Glitterdust Frog 1GU
Creature - Frog
Flash
Sacrifice Glitterdust Frog: Creatures opponents control get -3/-0 until end of turn. Draw a card.
3/3
7. UB Uncommon Sorcery
Standard Currency 2UB
Sorcery
Target player draws or discards cards until he or she has exactly two cards in hand.
8. UR Common Instant
Twist and Poke UR
Instant
You may switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn. Twist and Poke deals 1 damage to it.
9. BR Common Creature
Blazing Insectoid 1BR
Creature - Insect
Haste
Blazing Insectoid can't block.
Whenever Blazing Insectoid deals combat damage to a creature, put a corruption counter on it. (Permanents with corruption counters on them have "At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each corruption counter on this permanent.")
2/1
10. WU Uncommon Enchantment
Enlightened Path 5WU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
When Enlightened Path enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life.
You control enchanted creature.
Interestingly, there are more green cards that get random cards from the graveyard than red ones, although the three mono-green ones are all from Innistrad. Not sure if they abandoned that experiment, but I liked how it kind of felt just like pushing up a bunch of soil and seeing what came out. My planeswalkers kind of suck, I always feel like the space limitations per ability make them hard to make interesting.
In your set (rkohn1357), interesting use of mechanics with counters. Blazing Insectoid puts the counter on the opponent's creature, right? I'm reading it as putting a corruption counter on itself. I feel like a set using a widespread mechanic that is not +1/+1 or -1/-1 certainly may show up some day, the Amonkhet punchout cards would be one way to help with the possible confusion of mixed counters.
Standard Currency and Purge the Unseemly are nice one-liners.
The frog is kind of a tough sell as a rare, it has interesting play but just looks like a cantripping fog.
I missed the extra restriction of not repeating colors that I'm just seeing now. Here's a few more comments.
Watchwolf's Meteoric Landfall seems fun, but it should just make a land token right? Seems like overcomplicated Exploding Borders. Soulswitcher guy in your later set is hilarious.
Legend's Mixed Blessing is cool, Hellbinder is fun but probably too big, and I'm not sure if Ashiok works as worded to be able to cast from other people's exile, which I assume is the intent of the ultimate.
Solmancer's Hasten the End is fun but should be an enchantment, I like Battle Standard's modality.
Subject16 - I like Predator's Cruelty most, not sure if we still do variables at common.