MTG Salvation

Custom Card League Rules Compendium

* Overview
* Schedule
* Challenge Rounds
* Critique Rounds
* Valid Entry Constitution
* Scoring
* Penalties
* Resources
* Credits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Overview
The CCL is among the more fun games on the MtGSalvation forums due to its inherent aspect of interactivity among the Leaguers (that’s you). We actively critique each other’s card designs at the end of each round, putting a more personal interest into our cards and generally making us all better designers. Typically, we build worlds more complete than many games, as each round builds on the designs and ideas of previous rounds in the month. The CCL allows for Leaguers to plumb the depths of creativity, as the point schedule aspect allows for three full rounds without fear of elimination.
* Schedule
o The CCL will run six rounds, each lasting five days.
+ Rounds 1, 2 & 3 will be free-for-alls with each leaguer fighting for the most points during critiques. At the beginning of each of these rounds. The host will divide the league members evenly into two teams and each team will be assigned their design challenge. At the challenge deadline, the round will elapse into the critique section (see Critiques below). Once the critique section ends, the host will tally points and post the next round. Team rosters are likely to change between rounds; the new rosters will be included in the initial posting for the next round.
o Each round will last five days: 3.5 to finalize designs, 1.5 for critiques.
o The schedule will usually operate according to US Easter time zone (GMT -5) We will stick to this schedule as closely as possible, adjusting as necessary.
* Challenge Rounds
o At the start of each round, the host will post the challenge for the round. This may be, at the host’s discretion, a single challenge for all leaguers, a list for each leaguer to choose from, challenges assigned to each leaguer, or other challenge variation.
o Each Leaguer will post his/her entry by the deadline, 3.5 days after the round is posted.
* Critique Rounds
o At the end of each challenge round, the host, or an individual the host designates, will officially close the round and open the forum for critiques. After this point, modifying the post containing your entry for the round will incur penalties (see Penalties section).
o Each Leaguer will thoroughly critique at least 50% of the entries given by the leaguers on the other team.
o In addition to the critiques, each Leaguer generates his/her list of the Top 3 entries for the round. The Top 3 listings are the chief source of points within the CCL and are therefore required to complete. Even if critiques are not completed, Top 3’s must be listed to avoid penalties (see Penalties for penalty schedule). Regardless of the cards actually critiqued by a given Leaguer, Top 3’s can be drawn from any valid entry of the round. Submitting Top 3’s grants one point.
o A valid critique does not need to be lengthy. A few constructive sentences will do as long as they are meaningful. Neither “Hated it,” “Too expensive,” nor “Bahhrokken!!!” are valid critiques.
Example:
The following card is submitted by Fitzgerald:
A few decent critics:

from Tiberius: Templating issue with “nonpermanent card,” it's confusing and should just read “instant or sorcery card.” And the cost seems steep: I’m giving up a mana, a card, and immediate access to the card I looked for. Creative, but not bad.
from Wilhelmina: I hate the name. Also the shuffle part should be right after removing the tutored card instead of on a separate line. Seems powerful as an instant, play it on the opponents turn and you get basically a free draw, but you get to pick it.

from Beauregard: A bit complicated for uncommon. It doesn’t go to microtext on a render (sans flavor text) but it still isn’t all that intuitive.
* Valid Entry Constitution
o A valid entry in a given round cleanly delivers all required components of the challenge. The CCL is based around card design, so each challenge will direct Leaguers to design one or more cards, but other components may be given according to the judge’s discretion. Historically, these non-card components have included such things as keyword mechanic designs, story pieces, and various ideas for the judge to incorporate into later rounds. Include only what is described by the challenge requirements, as superfluous items may sway judgings unfairly and will incur penalties.
o It is customary to include card renders in entries. This is not required. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and therefore will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render. However, it must be understood that a proper render is easier to judge/critique as it is more pleasing to the eye, more memorable and allows for Leaguers to judge the card by its wordiness, a very important aspect of a card’s design. Common rendering software used include Magic Set Editor (free program, the standard that most amateur designers use), PhotoShop (not free), and GIMP (free PhotoShop knockoff).
* Scoring
o The bulk of available points will be derived from Top 3 listings, as is League custom. Within each Top 3 listing, the choice for 1st place will be awarded 3 points, the choice for 2nd place will receive 2 points, and the choice for 3rd place will receive 1 point. It is common for Leaguers to post an Honorable Mention or two along with their T3 listings. Honorable Mentions are not awarded points. Posting T3s is required and awards one point for completion of the requirements. There are penalties for failure to post T3s (see Penalties section).
o Critiques are an optional aspect of the CCL, therefore no penalties are given for failure to complete critiques. Any Leaguer completing critiques for at least 50% of the other team's entries will receive 1 bonus point. An additional point will be awarded if a Leaguer critiques all valid entries in the round.
o As noted in the section on Valid Entry Constitution, entries are encouraged to contain proper card renders. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render.
* Penalties
o Failure to post Top 3s as required during the Critique section of any round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an Top 3 in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
o Once a Round elapses into its critique section, any Leaguer modifying their entry after any leaguer has posted a critique, will be disqualified for the round.
o Failure to post an entry within the Challenge round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an entry in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
* Resources
o This is a templating guideline compiled by Kraj. It is quite concise and very useful.
o Making Magic by Mark Rosewater, current head of Magic Design at Wizards of the Coast. Making Magic is a weekly article detailing the trials, tribulations and achievements of Magic R&D in riveting prose.
o Magiccards.info is the database mtgsalvation draws upon when you use the [card] tag. The advanced search functionality is useful for searching all cards officially printed by WotC.
o Gatherer is the database maintained officially by WotC. It has slightly different functionality than magiccards.info, but the differences are too numerable to list here. (Someone should write an article about that)
o Your other Leaguers are fantastic resources. We, more than the players of other games on this forum, are a community, as can be seen by the dialogue of any CCL thread.
+ Question, consult with, challenge and encourage each other at every opportunity.
o Credits

Each round, the players have a chance of getting a total of 100 points toward their score. Each score is determined by the following equation:
The grading of 3 points for first place, 2 points for second and 1 for third still stands. This is also the case for up to 2 points for crits and Top3.
Total points of player A in round N = 100 * X/Y
Where:
X = Total number of points given by judges + Bonus points for critiques/Top3
Y = Total number of points possible (3*Number of judges + Bonus Points)
This way the grading is more streamlined in the fact that all rounds up to going to top 8 are graded equally, and there is no handicap for any team that has fewer judges.
Each player starts the next round with the score that he previously had, and another possible 100 points is given to him at the end of that round. Therefore, there is a possible 300 points before the CCL goes to top 8.

Challenge 1: Create a Landfall enchantment that interacts with your avatar to interact with the wild nature of the mana.

Challenge 2: Create an Ally to join your party on the quest

Challenge 3: Create a Man-land that embodies your avatar's flavor

Challenge 4: Create an ultimate spell your avatar uses to defeat Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

Challenge 5: Create a 2.0 version of your original planeswalker, drawing on their experiences on this journey through Magic history.

Churning Visions W
Enchantment (r)
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a permanent from your graveyard onto the battlefield, then exile that permanent.
"This plane is forever changing, but the soil beneath my feet is only the newest incarnation of this ancient world. It carries the hopes of generations long passed, if only the people here would learn to listen."

Mana Courser 2UU
Creature - Illusion Ally (u)
Flying
Whenever Mana Courser or another ally you control enters the battlefield, you may return an instant or sorcery card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of allies you control from your graveyard to you hand.
2/2

Mirror Coast
Land (u)
Mirror Coast comes into play tapped.
T: Add U to your mana pool.
1: Mirror Coast becomes copy of target creature attacking you until end of turn.
"You can see your reflection in most moats, but rarely is it part of the defense!"
- Grithkalik, Goblin Vault-Cracker

Indomitable Resolve 2WW
Instant (r)
Gain control of each permanent that has dealt damage to you this turn.
"To block or dodge is to invite another attack. Let them strike you. Let them know that they have injured you as egregiously as they can and that it will never be enough."

Kanada Sovereign 2UUWW
Planeswalker - Kanada (M)
{+1} Gain 2 life for each untapped creature you don't control.
{-2} Gain control of target tapped creature.
{-8} Gain control of all creatures.
{5}

To read his commentary go here:

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showpost.php?p=5802107&postcount=2 ( I highly recommend it )

Adaptive Chaos 1UR {R}
Enchantment
Landfall - Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, if it was the first land you played this turn, you may destroy target land. That land's controller reveals their library. Choose a land. That player puts the chosen land onto the battlefield tapped.
"Those who adapt to the every-changing land learn to control the chaos." - Nicholas Toreth

Sight-Sage Captain 1U {U}
Creature - Human Ally Wizard
Whenever Sight-Sage Captain or another ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may scry X, where X is the number of allies you control.
1/3
"I can see the mists of the future as well as our certain victory." - Ilmesh, Squad Captain

Firespout Geysers {R}
Land
Firespout Geysers enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add U or R to your mana pool.
2UR: Firespout Geysers becomes a 1/3 blue and red elemental creature until end of turn with, "T: Firespout Geysers deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Draw a card." It's still a land.

Recall to the Roil 4UR {R}
Sorcery
Return all non-land permanents to their owner's hand, then each player discards their hand and draws seven cards.
"When the Roil takes from the land, it always returns something new in its place." - Nicolas Toreth

Nicholas Toreth, Roilmaster 3UR{M}
Planeswalker - Nicholas
[+1] Return target creature to its owner's hand
[-1] Nicholas deals X damage to target creature, where X is the number of cards in it's controller's hand.
[-8] Each player discards their hand and draws seven cards. Until end of turn, you may cast cards discarded this way without paying their mana cost.
(5)