PalinodeU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell you own.
Draw 3 cards. I was wrong.
You definitely got an advantage from posting first. This sort of mechanic is what I was expecting most people to do. However, you've included two touches that I really like. Using the word "own" creates additional potential uses while not really increasing complexity at all--the MaRo definition of elegant. And you've placed this at a power level that makes it just possible that people will sometimes cast a spell with the intention of Palinoding it, just for the "discard two, draw three" effect. I think this would see a lot of play, but you could hardly call it broken. I think my only complaint is the flavortext, which goes for laconic but ends up just a little lackluster. Very well done.
Palinode Hub3UU
Enchantment (R)
As an additional cost to cast Palinode Hub, return three creatures you control to their owner's hand.
Return a creature you control to its owner’s hand: Counter target spell with converted mana cost equal to the returned creature’s converted mana cost.
Huh! This took a while for me to get my mind around--it's such an innovative Johnny card that at first it seemed unplayable. But in combination with a Momentary Blink sort of theme in your creatures, the returning becomes a benefit as much as a cost. It's hard to imagine it seeing real competitive play (and forget about Limited), but it works for me as a Johnny rare.
Palinode Flames
Instant {C}
Deal 2 damage to target creature. Then prevent the next four damage that would be dealt to it.
(Should be "Palinode Flames deals"). This is an odd concept--a spell and its palinode in the same card, sort of the ultimate enemy-colors effect. The color bleed doesn't really work for me: you're giving white an excellent Shock, and while white already has good one-mana removal, this version has basically no drawback (the only thing I can think of is you can't use two of them to kill a */4) plus an alternate mode. Red preventing damage to large creatures won't break any formats, but still seems slightly out of place, Ogre Enforcer notwithstanding.
Palinode Elemental2UU
Creature - Elemental
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, return target creature to it's owners hand.
Whenever ~ attacks, return it to your hand.
2/5 Behold the elemental existence of contradiction. Such a thing cannot exist!
Flavortext made me grin. This is a clever design--the second ability initially comes across as a more flavorful equivalent to defender, until you realize it's actually what makes the card. My objection, unfortunately a major one, is the power level. It's a great wall that lets you bounce a creature every turn, potentially wrecking aggro decks even if they can spend two cards to kill it.
Reverent Palinode 1WU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has vigilance. If it's legendary, it gets +3/+3. If it's not, it has ":symtap:: Return target legendary permanent to its owner's hand". When a hero falls to pride or negligence, Kyallon's bards unsing her tales.
Very interesting. I like the flavortext, I like each individual effect, I don't quite get how it all coheres. It seems like it's representing both the reverence and its "unsinging" in one card, but I'm not sure why you would do that. The power level is hard to evaluate out of a set context--in a legend-themed set it could be quite strong.
Palinode Tome0
Artifact - Tome (R) 1: ~ becomes a copy of target tome.
Yeah this challenge is kinda lame, but assume that the other tomes made would be eratta'd into tomes, see thran tome, or any other. Also assume this would be in a block with lots of tomes.
I don't really see how a copy is a retraction--either this is missing some explanatory flavortext, or you misread the definition and thought a palinode was a straight sequel. I can't really judge it mechanically, but it's probably fair due to not keeping the copy ability. I think it would be cleaner as a 1-mana artifact that enters the battlefield as a copy of a Tome--trading a longshot potential for instant-speed wackiness for a better interaction with enters-the-battlefield text.
Palinode Falls
Legendary Land (R)
Shroud T: Add UU to your mana pool. ~ doesn't untap during your untap step. Travellers deny ever being there.
"Doesn't untap" should probably be on its own line. As it is, it makes me worry that you might have meant it to untap every other turn. Either way, it's not too broken but still breaks current design rules. It doesn't feel particularly innovative, although it's a clever and evocative response to the challenge.
Palinode 1U
Instant
Choose a number on a spell or permanent you control. Change the number to two plus that number. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)
He realized he had underestimated them in his last epic, and was "coerced" into changing the numbers.
Oh dear god this is just begging to be broken. Best I can come up with off the top of my head is Gemstone Array, which gives infinite mana, but I'm sure there's something better. Cards just weren't designed with this wackiness in mind (in fact, it might create contradictory instructions by changing "X can't be 0" to "X can't be 2" on something like Aladdin's Lamp). How about changing the last 1 on Transcendence to a 3: now you effectively have infinite life. A fun idea, but way too crazy to see print. Incidentally, your flavortext wanted "coerced" to be "persuaded:" and I think you realized that but accidentally put the subtext in where the text should've been.
Palinode Grove Legendary Land(U) T: Add GU to your mana pool. Then return a Forest or Island you control to its owner's hand. I'd like to amend my spell, if you would give me the chance.
Still broken. Maybe would've been something approaching printable if it had been a Forest Island itself, with "whenever ~ becomes tapped...". As is, it's easily made a drawbackless double land.
Palinode of SoulsB
Instant {R}
Sacrifice a creature.
Draw a card. "If there were one thing in my life/
That I could retract, like a butterfly knife/
Aside from the stock market crash/
And these pants... which with my shirt do clash/
It would surely be you, dear wife."
...your doggerel is as bad as mine. But funny. Well done giving the challenge some bite...unfortunately the card already exists. And it wasn't playable then either.
As predicted, the winner is hoyerhan. Kensei takes a close second. Thanks everyone for your fun entries.
Confused by judging. GIW, your evaluations of most of the cards were spot-on, but I don't understand how my card is broken. How could it be a drawback-less land that produces two mana? It certainly has a drawback.
Addendum- I'm trying to remember what each judge likes. GIW seems to care a lot about flavor (talk about nitpicking with blondebearde). Not that I have a problem with that. But someone should write an addendum to one of these WIJ threads about judges' subjective pleasures.
If I might contradict your judging a tad, GetItWrong...I think the winner IS broken. This would be in every Legacy deck for the simple fact that you could basically pitch an Ornithopter or any other 0CC spell and get 3 cards. Not only that but in a mirror match with blue this would be GOD. "My spell's getting countered anyway? I'll draw 3."
I guess I'm just bitter that I ALMOST won. That'd be 3 wins in WiJ's in less then a week, lol.
@EBB: I think its "broken" because as is you don't even need to have a forest or island to activate it. If it had a "sacrifice ~" clause or "enter the battlefield tapped" I think it'd be less powerful. As is you could technically drop it turn 1 and get a 2CC. Also, in a landfall deck? o_O
@EBB: I think its "broken" because as is you don't even need to have a forest or island to activate it. If it had a "sacrifice ~" clause or "enter the battlefield tapped" I think it'd be less powerful. As is you could technically drop it turn 1 and get a 2CC. Also, in a landfall deck? o_O
Oh. I thought that you have to be able to play out the targeted effect to activate the ability. Meh, lesson learned. I don't actually know how to play Magic. Never played it before. I haunt this forum for names with assonance. They, at least, make me smile.
Also, I agree that the winning card is very good. But I don't think that your card, Kensei, should win. It has a huge incoming drawback, and then incredibly narrow counters because of the "same CMC" clause. Don't care if Vendilion Clique and Spellstutter Sprite like it. Costs too much for its drawback, and not good on the field.
I actually didn't like any of the entries. No idea why, but I thought that they were either run-of-the-mill or unbalanced. Not raging at anyone in particular, not raging at all. Just commenting.
Oh. I thought that you have to be able to play out the targeted effect to activate the ability. Meh, lesson learned. I don't actually know how to play Magic. Never played it before. I haunt this forum for names with assonance. They, at least, make me smile.
You don't play? But you make such good cards...:-/ You template well and generally your cards are totally functional. On another forum website some people who DO play make atrocious cards. GOD AWFUL cards. I'll give an example...
Wizard PuppeteerWWUUU
Creature--Soratomi Wizard
Flying
Return three land cards to your hand. Place a control token on an opponents creature. You may only have one control token at a time.
Creatures with a control token are under your control, but ~ must be tapped to block or attack with the controlled creature.
1/1
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If you can read this, you don't need glasses.
If I might contradict your judging a tad, GetItWrong...I think the winner IS broken. This would be in every Legacy deck for the simple fact that you could basically pitch an Ornithopter or any other 0CC spell and get 3 cards. Not only that but in a mirror match with blue this would be GOD. "My spell's getting countered anyway? I'll draw 3."
Well, possibly. There are very few playable cards with 0 casting cost, and you're pitching them right when they'd be useful on their own. Spending 1U or 2U to net one card isn't a particularly strong early play, and of course you're risking get 2-for-1'd if your opponent has her own counterspell.
Oh. I thought that you have to be able to play out the targeted effect to activate the ability. Meh, lesson learned. I don't actually know how to play Magic. Never played it before. I haunt this forum for names with assonance. They, at least, make me smile.
You're right, but if you don't use the word target it's not a targeted effect, so that rule doesn't apply. If you used the word target it might be fair, but it's still potentially explosive.
I don't think that your card, Kensei, should win. It has a huge incoming drawback, and then incredibly narrow counters because of the "same CMC" clause.
I agree it's underpowered...except cards that create a lockdown should be, to avoid having unfun game situations becoming commonplace. Hard-to-pull-off lockdowns have their place, as do cards that take a lot of work to become viable.
Quote from EBB »
Addendum- I'm trying to remember what each judge likes. GIW seems to care a lot about flavor (talk about nitpicking with blondebearde). Not that I have a problem with that. But someone should write an addendum to one of these WIJ threads about judges' subjective pleasures.
I pay attention to flavor, but it's never a deal-breaker with me unless the card seems to completely disregard the challenge. I'm more about innovation and balance in about equal measure. Or that's how I think I judge, maybe I don't know my own mind. I've certainly wished myself that I was better at remembering judges' preferences.
As predicted, the winner is hoyerhan. Kensei takes a close second. Thanks everyone for your fun entries.
Thanks for the win. I agree I had an advantage posting first.
About the card: I try to make a card that is good, but not broken. I don't think this is broken, but I can see that it is powerful with free spells (in vintage/Legacy).
Next challenge:
Make a new mox.
-I care about simplicity and elegance. If your card requires a lot of words to work it is likely that I will rate it lower.
-Power level is also important: broken cards are not fun, but neither are weak cards.
-I usually consider flavor to be less important, unless you try to replicate a specific character/place/item.
-originality is hard. Kudos if you do something truly new.
Mox Obsidian0
Artifact (R) T: Add Bor R to your mana pool. Mox Obsidian deals 1 damage to you and each creature you control. The boon of a volcano along with its bang.
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Mox Aetherstone0
Artifact {MR}
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, skip your turn unless you pay 1
:symtap:: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. A stone's value can be measured in two ways - it's rarity, and the amount of time it takes to perfect it. This is the priciest in both.
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IIW:
Multicolored millcards in something other than dimir.
Mox Fluorite 0
Artifact (rare)
:symtap:: Add W to your mana pool if you control a creature with protection.
:symtap:: Add G to your mana pool if you control a creature with shroud.
:symtap:: Add R to your mana pool if you control a creature with haste.
Mox Spinel 0
Artifact {R}
As ~ enters the battlefield, you may discard any number of forest, island, or swamp cards. If you don't discard any cards, sacrifice ~. T: Add G,U, or B to your mana pool. Repeat this process for each card discarded by ~.
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Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
Toxic Mox 0
Artifact
At the start of your upkeep, sacrifice Toxic Mox unless you put a poison counter on yourself. T: Add B or G to your mana pool. Put three poison counters on yourself.
Mox Silver0 Artifact(R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no colored permanents, you may return Mox Silver from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a colorless permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Silver: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Mox Gold0 Artifact(R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no nonland colorless permanents, you may return Mox Gold from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a multicolored permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Gold: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Mox Crystal0
Artifact
As an additional cost to cast Mox Crystal, return a land you control to it's owners hand. T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Originality 8/10:
Balance 7/10: Balance is ok, but I fear a bit strong in standard. 2CC drops turn 1 will be common, and 4CC drops turn two will happen quite frequently too.
Flavor 3/5: Ok, though I see no connection between name and the return ability.
Total 18/25:
Mox Obsidian0
Artifact (R) T: Add Bor R to your mana pool. Mox Obsidian deals 1 damage to you and each creature you control. The boon of a volcano along with its bang.
Originality 6/10: Pain-painland in artifact form.
Balance 2/10: Broken. Better than original moxen, imo. The pain does not justify the acceleration and fixing. Assuming there is a cycle of these (it looks like it), people would play all moxen and no lands in their decks.
Flavor 4/5: Typical moxen flavor, imo.
Total 13/25:
Mox Aetherstone0
Artifact {MR}
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, skip your turn unless you pay 1
:symtap:: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. A stone's value can be measured in two ways - it's rarity, and the amount of time it takes to perfect it. This is the priciest in both.
I'm not sure what you mean by "skip your turn" here, but I assume it is either "skip your next turn" or "end the turn". Judging is based on "skip your next turn".
Originality 8/10: Interesting twist on "free" mana
Balance 2/10: Broken. There virtually no incentive not to play 4 of these over lands, since it returns its 1 cost right away.
Flavor 4/5: Ætherstone!? What is that? I think it would make for a cool mox though
Total 13/25: 1 point deduced due to wording issues.
Mox Fluorite 0
Artifact (rare)
:symtap:: Add W to your mana pool if you control a creature with protection.
:symtap:: Add G to your mana pool if you control a creature with shroud.
:symtap:: Add R to your mana pool if you control a creature with haste.
Originality 8/10: Not seen an artifact's mana production based on creature abilities before.
Balance 7/10: I think balace is ok, possibly a bit weak (for a mox) since it will rarely be able to produce mana the first couple of turns.
Flavor 3/5: I think I see what you try to do with the mox reflecting/amplify energy somehow, but I think it could have been implemented better. E.g. by reflecting basic land energy (Nimbus Mazeish)
Total 18/25:
Mox Vessel0
Artifact Creature (R) T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. A creator is only as great as its last creation.
0/1
Originality 4/10: another mana dork.
Balance 3/10: Another broken card. Will ruin standard. Every deck will want 4.
Flavor 2/5: creature mox is new afaik. Maybe I'm just unimaginative, but I think a mox should be a stone/metal amulet.
Total 9/25:
Mox Spinel 0
Artifact {R}
As ~ enters the battlefield, you may discard any number of forest, island, or swamp cards. If you don't discard any cards, sacrifice ~. T: Add G,U, or B to your mana pool. Repeat this process for each card discarded by ~.
Originality 6/10: Mox Diamond v2.
Balance 4/10: Again too powerful. Blue decks will have drawn and played their entire decks in no time.
Flavor 3/5:
Total 13/25:
Toxic Mox 0
Artifact
At the start of your upkeep, sacrifice Toxic Mox unless you put a poison counter on yourself. T: Add B or G to your mana pool. Put three poison counters on yourself.
Originality 8/10:
Balance 6/10: So you get max 3 uses, usually 2. I think the best comparison is Lotus Petal, which is still so good that it is restricted in vintage.
Flavor 5/5: I really like this flavor.
Total 19/25:
Terra Mox0
Artifact {R}
Terra Mox comes onto the battlefield tapped.
Terra Mox doesn't untap during it's controller's untap step. T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Whenever you cast a land card, untap Terra Mox.
Landfall would make this thing beyond broken, if you were wondering.
Originality 7/10:
Balance 4/10: Best balanced mox in a while, imo, but still broken if drawn in multiples. I don't know that it is broken with landfall, as casting lands (not putting them onto the battlefield) is quite rare.
Flavor 3/5: "Terra" mox just doesn't make much sense to me.
Total 14/25:
Mox Silver0 Artifact(R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no colored permanents, you may return Mox Silver from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a colorless permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Silver: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Mox Gold0 Artifact(R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no nonland colorless permanents, you may return Mox Gold from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a multicolored permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Gold: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Originality 8/10:
Balance 2/10 and 5/10: Silver is broken; returning real moxen and replaying them is just awfully strong. Gold is weak.
Flavor 3/5:
Total 13/25:
Mox Steel0
Artifact - (R) T, tap an artifact you control: Add 2 to your mana pool.
Originality 7/10: I must say I like the simplicity and generic-ness of this.
Balance 8/10: What immediatly sticks out is the wording error; it should of course say "tap an untapped artifact you control". Using that I think it is perfectly balanced.
Flavor 4/5: I like it. Mox Steel screams colorless mana to me.
Total 19/25:
rudyard and CrimsonCrossfire both had 19 points. I liked both cards very good, but give the win to CrimsonCrossfire.
YESHHH!!!
Finally a win.
Alright for my next challenge.....
Make a cycle.
Simple as that, and really open ended.
Judging will be done based on originality, flavor, and balance.
Lets go!
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Now playing
T2 GRMistcutter GrullGR
Modern UGRSelkie GoodstuffUGR BRLavaclaw ComboBR
Thanks to Venser, Shaper Savant for the signature!
Aysen Worshiper2W
Creature - Human Monk {C}
Vigilance T: Add U or G to your mana pool
2/1
An-Havva Citizen1G
Creature - Human {C} T: Add W or R to your mana pool.
2/2
Koskun GruntR
Creature - Goblin Warrior {C}
Haste T: Add G or Bto your mana pool.
1/1
Wizard's Apprentice3U
Creature - Human Wizard {C} T: Choose one - ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player, or add W or B to your mana pool.
1/1
Sengir Null2BB
Creature - Zombie {C}
Whenever a creature dealt damage by ~ goes to the graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on ~. T: Add U or R to your mana pool
2/3
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Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
HushW
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has defender and its activated abilities can't be activated. 1, Sacrifice a plains: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
EgotismU
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has “UU, T: Return enchanted creature to its owner’s hand and counter target spell”. 1, Sacrifice an island: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
AfflictionB
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 5 life. If you do, return it to the battlefield under your control tapped. 1, Sacrifice a swamp: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
AlacrityR
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creature gains haste and double strike.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice enchanted creature. 1, Sacrifice a mountain: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
AcrimonyG
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and trample.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice ~. 1, Sacrifice a forest: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
If anyone has seriously watched my card designs, I like mulit-colored cards, especially enemy colored ones. I liked Alara, so put that together with my like for enemy colors, and you'll know that I want to create a wedge set.
So, in order to best show case what the primary concepts of each color combination in my wedge set would be, I've created this cycle of enemy tri-colored knights. Each has the staple mechanics of that combination and is the staple race. Explanations are provided as necessary.
Welcome to the plane of Valhalla, a massive planet whose inhabitants are fighting for control over it, while without their knowledge, their own planet plans to explode into five separate spheres when a legendary process named the Diflux occurs. While this process begins, slight changes to their own planet foreshadow to the seers and mystics of the planet of something great about to happen, and the awakening of some evil beast in the core of the planet, which will be awakened only when it's prison, the planet, is rend into five.
WBR - The Dark Empire
WBR represents ordered destruction. The Dark Empire is quick, aggressive, and direct. It silences opposition from both it's inside and it's out, and attacks with brutal military power. It's military is integrated into every part of it's social aspects. A strict law system governs their society, and punishment is severe. They have no gods but their kings, whom the civilian must worship, whether by their will or not. Primary Races: HUMAN, HOUND / Classes: Warrior / Knight / Soldier Primary Mechanics: Haste, Flash, First Strike, Vigilance, Intimidate / Quick Damage, power up of soldier creatures Imperial Knight :symw::symb::symr:
Creature - Human Soldier Knight
Haste, First Strike
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, soldier creatures you control get +1/-1 until end of turn.
4/2 The code of the Dark Imperial Army is clear; Attack and die honorably, or burn and die horrifically.
UBG - The Wetlands UBG represents the unmoving wetlands and death in it's demonic roots. Unchanging, ensnaring, deceptive, and treacherous. Those are the words that can be used to describe the dark wetlands that wind throughout Valhalla, with their coiling rivers and entrapping swamps. Their inhabitants can be described in the same manner. The wetlands are "ruled" by the Mermyers, twisted humanoid creatures that lurk in the shadows and use their shamanistic magic to twist minds and control their prey. Any army that dares invade their land is doomed to fall prey to their webs of tribal magic. Primary Races: MERFOLK, SNAKE, WURM, HAG, TREEFOLK, SERPENT / Classes: Shaman / Priest / Warrior / Rogue / Hunter Primary Mechanics: First Strike, Wither / Control, "Freezing/Paralyzing/Ensnaring" opponents, medium sized creatures, direct creature removal
Mindcoiler Knight :symu::symb::symg: Creature - Merfolk Knight
First Strike
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, return target creature to it's owners hand. Creature's sharing it's name cannot be cast at the begging of it's owners next upkeep.
2/3 "Choking it's mind may be more effective than choking the beast itself"
By the way, nice flavor text Megiddo.
Check out his stuff at >>> Kracked Graphics <<< Seriously, its rule #3
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You definitely got an advantage from posting first. This sort of mechanic is what I was expecting most people to do. However, you've included two touches that I really like. Using the word "own" creates additional potential uses while not really increasing complexity at all--the MaRo definition of elegant. And you've placed this at a power level that makes it just possible that people will sometimes cast a spell with the intention of Palinoding it, just for the "discard two, draw three" effect. I think this would see a lot of play, but you could hardly call it broken. I think my only complaint is the flavortext, which goes for laconic but ends up just a little lackluster. Very well done.
Huh! This took a while for me to get my mind around--it's such an innovative Johnny card that at first it seemed unplayable. But in combination with a Momentary Blink sort of theme in your creatures, the returning becomes a benefit as much as a cost. It's hard to imagine it seeing real competitive play (and forget about Limited), but it works for me as a Johnny rare.
(Should be "Palinode Flames deals"). This is an odd concept--a spell and its palinode in the same card, sort of the ultimate enemy-colors effect. The color bleed doesn't really work for me: you're giving white an excellent Shock, and while white already has good one-mana removal, this version has basically no drawback (the only thing I can think of is you can't use two of them to kill a */4) plus an alternate mode. Red preventing damage to large creatures won't break any formats, but still seems slightly out of place, Ogre Enforcer notwithstanding.
Flavortext made me grin. This is a clever design--the second ability initially comes across as a more flavorful equivalent to defender, until you realize it's actually what makes the card. My objection, unfortunately a major one, is the power level. It's a great wall that lets you bounce a creature every turn, potentially wrecking aggro decks even if they can spend two cards to kill it.
Very interesting. I like the flavortext, I like each individual effect, I don't quite get how it all coheres. It seems like it's representing both the reverence and its "unsinging" in one card, but I'm not sure why you would do that. The power level is hard to evaluate out of a set context--in a legend-themed set it could be quite strong.
I don't really see how a copy is a retraction--either this is missing some explanatory flavortext, or you misread the definition and thought a palinode was a straight sequel. I can't really judge it mechanically, but it's probably fair due to not keeping the copy ability. I think it would be cleaner as a 1-mana artifact that enters the battlefield as a copy of a Tome--trading a longshot potential for instant-speed wackiness for a better interaction with enters-the-battlefield text.
"Doesn't untap" should probably be on its own line. As it is, it makes me worry that you might have meant it to untap every other turn. Either way, it's not too broken but still breaks current design rules. It doesn't feel particularly innovative, although it's a clever and evocative response to the challenge.
Oh dear god this is just begging to be broken. Best I can come up with off the top of my head is Gemstone Array, which gives infinite mana, but I'm sure there's something better. Cards just weren't designed with this wackiness in mind (in fact, it might create contradictory instructions by changing "X can't be 0" to "X can't be 2" on something like Aladdin's Lamp). How about changing the last 1 on Transcendence to a 3: now you effectively have infinite life. A fun idea, but way too crazy to see print. Incidentally, your flavortext wanted "coerced" to be "persuaded:" and I think you realized that but accidentally put the subtext in where the text should've been.
Unimpeachable interpretation of the challenge, but this is just obnoxiously weak. Even as a cantrip, people wouldn't play it over Remand.
Still broken. Maybe would've been something approaching printable if it had been a Forest Island itself, with "whenever ~ becomes tapped...". As is, it's easily made a drawbackless double land.
...your doggerel is as bad as mine. But funny. Well done giving the challenge some bite...unfortunately the card already exists. And it wasn't playable then either.
Make a card called Long For This World.
Addendum- I'm trying to remember what each judge likes. GIW seems to care a lot about flavor (talk about nitpicking with blondebearde). Not that I have a problem with that. But someone should write an addendum to one of these WIJ threads about judges' subjective pleasures.
I guess I'm just bitter that I ALMOST won. That'd be 3 wins in WiJ's in less then a week, lol.
@EBB: I think its "broken" because as is you don't even need to have a forest or island to activate it. If it had a "sacrifice ~" clause or "enter the battlefield tapped" I think it'd be less powerful. As is you could technically drop it turn 1 and get a 2CC. Also, in a landfall deck? o_O
Check out his stuff at >>> Kracked Graphics <<< Seriously, its rule #3
^^^
CUSTOM CARD CREATING PALEOVENEFICOLOGIST
sig by me
I don't do sigs.
If you can read this, you don't need glasses.
Oh. I thought that you have to be able to play out the targeted effect to activate the ability. Meh, lesson learned. I don't actually know how to play Magic. Never played it before. I haunt this forum for names with assonance. They, at least, make me smile.
Also, I agree that the winning card is very good. But I don't think that your card, Kensei, should win. It has a huge incoming drawback, and then incredibly narrow counters because of the "same CMC" clause. Don't care if Vendilion Clique and Spellstutter Sprite like it. Costs too much for its drawback, and not good on the field.
I actually didn't like any of the entries. No idea why, but I thought that they were either run-of-the-mill or unbalanced. Not raging at anyone in particular, not raging at all. Just commenting.
You don't play? But you make such good cards...:-/ You template well and generally your cards are totally functional. On another forum website some people who DO play make atrocious cards. GOD AWFUL cards. I'll give an example...
Creature--Soratomi Wizard
Flying
Return three land cards to your hand. Place a control token on an opponents creature. You may only have one control token at a time.
Creatures with a control token are under your control, but ~ must be tapped to block or attack with the controlled creature.
1/1
Check out his stuff at >>> Kracked Graphics <<< Seriously, its rule #3
^^^
CUSTOM CARD CREATING PALEOVENEFICOLOGIST
sig by me
I don't do sigs.
If you can read this, you don't need glasses.
Well, possibly. There are very few playable cards with 0 casting cost, and you're pitching them right when they'd be useful on their own. Spending 1U or 2U to net one card isn't a particularly strong early play, and of course you're risking get 2-for-1'd if your opponent has her own counterspell.
You're right, but if you don't use the word target it's not a targeted effect, so that rule doesn't apply. If you used the word target it might be fair, but it's still potentially explosive.
I agree it's underpowered...except cards that create a lockdown should be, to avoid having unfun game situations becoming commonplace. Hard-to-pull-off lockdowns have their place, as do cards that take a lot of work to become viable.
I pay attention to flavor, but it's never a deal-breaker with me unless the card seems to completely disregard the challenge. I'm more about innovation and balance in about equal measure. Or that's how I think I judge, maybe I don't know my own mind. I've certainly wished myself that I was better at remembering judges' preferences.
Make a card called Long For This World.
Thanks for the win. I agree I had an advantage posting first.
About the card: I try to make a card that is good, but not broken. I don't think this is broken, but I can see that it is powerful with free spells (in vintage/Legacy).
Next challenge:
Make a new mox.
-I care about simplicity and elegance. If your card requires a lot of words to work it is likely that I will rate it lower.
-Power level is also important: broken cards are not fun, but neither are weak cards.
-I usually consider flavor to be less important, unless you try to replicate a specific character/place/item.
-originality is hard. Kudos if you do something truly new.
Mox Crystal 0
Artifact
As an additional cost to cast Mox Crystal, return a land you control to it's owners hand.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Artifact (R)
T: Add Bor R to your mana pool. Mox Obsidian deals 1 damage to you and each creature you control.
The boon of a volcano along with its bang.
Check out his stuff at >>> Kracked Graphics <<< Seriously, its rule #3
^^^
CUSTOM CARD CREATING PALEOVENEFICOLOGIST
sig by me
I don't do sigs.
If you can read this, you don't need glasses.
Artifact {MR}
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, skip your turn unless you pay 1
:symtap:: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
A stone's value can be measured in two ways - it's rarity, and the amount of time it takes to perfect it. This is the priciest in both.
Multicolored millcards in something other than dimir.
0
Artifact (rare)
:symtap:: Add W to your mana pool if you control a creature with protection.
:symtap:: Add G to your mana pool if you control a creature with shroud.
:symtap:: Add R to your mana pool if you control a creature with haste.
Make a card called Long For This World.
Artifact Creature (R)
T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
A creator is only as great as its last creation.
0/1
My Sales Post!
Artifact {R}
As ~ enters the battlefield, you may discard any number of forest, island, or swamp cards. If you don't discard any cards, sacrifice ~.
T: Add G,U, or B to your mana pool. Repeat this process for each card discarded by ~.
Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
Artifact
At the start of your upkeep, sacrifice Toxic Mox unless you put a poison counter on yourself.
T: Add B or G to your mana pool. Put three poison counters on yourself.
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no colored permanents, you may return Mox Silver from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a colorless permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Silver: Add 1 to your mana pool.
Mox Gold 0
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no nonland colorless permanents, you may return Mox Gold from your graveyard to your hand.
Return a multicolored permanent you control to its owner's hand, sacrifice Mox Gold: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Artifact - (R)
T, tap an artifact you control: Add 2 to your mana pool.
T2
GRMistcutter GrullGR
Modern
UGRSelkie GoodstuffUGR
BRLavaclaw ComboBR
Thanks to Venser, Shaper Savant for the signature!
Check out his stuff at >>> Kracked Graphics <<< Seriously, its rule #3
^^^
CUSTOM CARD CREATING PALEOVENEFICOLOGIST
sig by me
I don't do sigs.
If you can read this, you don't need glasses.
Originality 8/10:
Balance 7/10: Balance is ok, but I fear a bit strong in standard. 2CC drops turn 1 will be common, and 4CC drops turn two will happen quite frequently too.
Flavor 3/5: Ok, though I see no connection between name and the return ability.
Total 18/25:
Originality 6/10: Pain-painland in artifact form.
Balance 2/10: Broken. Better than original moxen, imo. The pain does not justify the acceleration and fixing. Assuming there is a cycle of these (it looks like it), people would play all moxen and no lands in their decks.
Flavor 4/5: Typical moxen flavor, imo.
Total 13/25:
I'm not sure what you mean by "skip your turn" here, but I assume it is either "skip your next turn" or "end the turn". Judging is based on "skip your next turn".
Originality 8/10: Interesting twist on "free" mana
Balance 2/10: Broken. There virtually no incentive not to play 4 of these over lands, since it returns its 1 cost right away.
Flavor 4/5: Ætherstone!? What is that? I think it would make for a cool mox though
Total 13/25: 1 point deduced due to wording issues.
Originality 8/10: Not seen an artifact's mana production based on creature abilities before.
Balance 7/10: I think balace is ok, possibly a bit weak (for a mox) since it will rarely be able to produce mana the first couple of turns.
Flavor 3/5: I think I see what you try to do with the mox reflecting/amplify energy somehow, but I think it could have been implemented better. E.g. by reflecting basic land energy (Nimbus Mazeish)
Total 18/25:
Originality 4/10: another mana dork.
Balance 3/10: Another broken card. Will ruin standard. Every deck will want 4.
Flavor 2/5: creature mox is new afaik. Maybe I'm just unimaginative, but I think a mox should be a stone/metal amulet.
Total 9/25:
Originality 6/10: Mox Diamond v2.
Balance 4/10: Again too powerful. Blue decks will have drawn and played their entire decks in no time.
Flavor 3/5:
Total 13/25:
Originality 8/10:
Balance 6/10: So you get max 3 uses, usually 2. I think the best comparison is Lotus Petal, which is still so good that it is restricted in vintage.
Flavor 5/5: I really like this flavor.
Total 19/25:
Originality 7/10:
Balance 4/10: Best balanced mox in a while, imo, but still broken if drawn in multiples. I don't know that it is broken with landfall, as casting lands (not putting them onto the battlefield) is quite rare.
Flavor 3/5: "Terra" mox just doesn't make much sense to me.
Total 14/25:
Originality 8/10:
Balance 2/10 and 5/10: Silver is broken; returning real moxen and replaying them is just awfully strong. Gold is weak.
Flavor 3/5:
Total 13/25:
Originality 7/10: I must say I like the simplicity and generic-ness of this.
Balance 8/10: What immediatly sticks out is the wording error; it should of course say "tap an untapped artifact you control". Using that I think it is perfectly balanced.
Flavor 4/5: I like it. Mox Steel screams colorless mana to me.
Total 19/25:
rudyard and CrimsonCrossfire both had 19 points. I liked both cards very good, but give the win to CrimsonCrossfire.
Finally a win.
Alright for my next challenge.....
Make a cycle.
Simple as that, and really open ended.
Judging will be done based on originality, flavor, and balance.
Lets go!
T2
GRMistcutter GrullGR
Modern
UGRSelkie GoodstuffUGR
BRLavaclaw ComboBR
Thanks to Venser, Shaper Savant for the signature!
Aysen Worshiper 2W
Creature - Human Monk {C}
Vigilance
T: Add U or G to your mana pool
2/1
An-Havva Citizen 1G
Creature - Human {C}
T: Add W or R to your mana pool.
2/2
Koskun Grunt R
Creature - Goblin Warrior {C}
Haste
T: Add G or Bto your mana pool.
1/1
Wizard's Apprentice 3U
Creature - Human Wizard {C}
T: Choose one - ~ deals 1 damage to target creature or player, or add W or B to your mana pool.
1/1
Sengir Null 2BB
Creature - Zombie {C}
Whenever a creature dealt damage by ~ goes to the graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
T: Add U or R to your mana pool
2/3
Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has defender and its activated abilities can't be activated.
1, Sacrifice a plains: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
Egotism U
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has “UU, T: Return enchanted creature to its owner’s hand and counter target spell”.
1, Sacrifice an island: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
Affliction B
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may pay 5 life. If you do, return it to the battlefield under your control tapped.
1, Sacrifice a swamp: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
Alacrity R
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creature gains haste and double strike.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice enchanted creature.
1, Sacrifice a mountain: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
Acrimony G
Enchantment – Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3 and trample.
At the beginning of your end step, sacrifice ~.
1, Sacrifice a forest: Return ~ from your graveyard to your hand.
My Sales Post!
So, in order to best show case what the primary concepts of each color combination in my wedge set would be, I've created this cycle of enemy tri-colored knights. Each has the staple mechanics of that combination and is the staple race. Explanations are provided as necessary.
Welcome to the plane of Valhalla, a massive planet whose inhabitants are fighting for control over it, while without their knowledge, their own planet plans to explode into five separate spheres when a legendary process named the Diflux occurs. While this process begins, slight changes to their own planet foreshadow to the seers and mystics of the planet of something great about to happen, and the awakening of some evil beast in the core of the planet, which will be awakened only when it's prison, the planet, is rend into five.
WBR - The Dark Empire
WBR represents ordered destruction. The Dark Empire is quick, aggressive, and direct. It silences opposition from both it's inside and it's out, and attacks with brutal military power. It's military is integrated into every part of it's social aspects. A strict law system governs their society, and punishment is severe. They have no gods but their kings, whom the civilian must worship, whether by their will or not.
Primary Races: HUMAN, HOUND / Classes: Warrior / Knight / Soldier
Primary Mechanics: Haste, Flash, First Strike, Vigilance, Intimidate / Quick Damage, power up of soldier creatures
Imperial Knight :symw::symb::symr:
Creature - Human Soldier Knight
Haste, First Strike
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, soldier creatures you control get +1/-1 until end of turn.
4/2
The code of the Dark Imperial Army is clear; Attack and die honorably, or burn and die horrifically.
UBG - The Wetlands
UBG represents the unmoving wetlands and death in it's demonic roots. Unchanging, ensnaring, deceptive, and treacherous. Those are the words that can be used to describe the dark wetlands that wind throughout Valhalla, with their coiling rivers and entrapping swamps. Their inhabitants can be described in the same manner. The wetlands are "ruled" by the Mermyers, twisted humanoid creatures that lurk in the shadows and use their shamanistic magic to twist minds and control their prey. Any army that dares invade their land is doomed to fall prey to their webs of tribal magic.
Primary Races: MERFOLK, SNAKE, WURM, HAG, TREEFOLK, SERPENT / Classes: Shaman / Priest / Warrior / Rogue / Hunter
Primary Mechanics: First Strike, Wither / Control, "Freezing/Paralyzing/Ensnaring" opponents, medium sized creatures, direct creature removal
Mindcoiler Knight :symu::symb::symg:
Creature - Merfolk Knight
First Strike
Whenever ~ enters the battlefield, return target creature to it's owners hand. Creature's sharing it's name cannot be cast at the begging of it's owners next upkeep.
2/3
"Choking it's mind may be more effective than choking the beast itself"
:symu::symr::symg:
:symw::symb::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:
----WILL FINISH OTHERS WHEN I HAVE TIME -----
Multicolored millcards in something other than dimir.