The Card Creation League is a monthly contest in which players compete over seven rounds. Each month has an overall theme and/or story, determined by that month's host.
Each round, the host will assign a card creation task to the players. This task may vary between teams or players.
The first three rounds are open to everyone who joined in the sign-up thread, which will be posted near the end of the previous month. After these rounds, the Top 8 players will move on to three single elimination rounds to determine a winner.
Rounds usually last three to four days for submissions and about two days for critiques, but the host has final say in making the schedule.
For the first three rounds, players are divided into teams. Four teams is standard, but there may be more or less depending on the number of players. Each team will review another team's cards during the critique period of that round.
Each player must submit a Top 3 ranking for the team he or she critiques at the end of each round. Each 1st place is worth 3 points, 2nd place 2 points, and 3rd place 1 point.
Additionally, each player can receive 2 bonus points per round. One point is awarded for posting a Top 3, and one point for providing critiques for that team's cards.
Suggested areas to critique include creativity, balance, printability, and relation to the overall theme or that player's previous cards.
Players who do not post a card or a Top 3 will be put on "probation." Top 3 violations for a round can be removed by posting or PMing the host with your Top 3 before the end of the next round. Any player that would receive a second violation is disqualified from further competition that month.
At the end of the first three rounds, the Top 8 players will be selected by points (usually the top 2 from each team). In the case of ties, there may be more than 8 players advancing. The host will determine matchups for single elimination. At the end of each elimination round, remaining players not in that matchup will choose a winner to advance. The host will break any ties.
The final round is determined by public poll.
Custom Card League Rules Compendium
* Overview
* Schedule
* Challenge Rounds
* Critique Rounds
* Valid Entry Constitution
* Scoring
* Penalties
* Resources
* Credits
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* 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.
Out of breath, you reach one of your hideouts. Exhausted, you set off the various traps and alarms before falling on the cot and attempt sleep. Sleep eludes you, however, as you can't stop thinking of what went wrong. Could someone have told the cops what was going on? how could they? it's not like anyone knew what was really going on except...
Mr. Teeth!
It had to be him! He's the only one who knew what the plan was anyways... But why would he betray everyone? Does it matter? he nearly got you killed, or worse, imprisoned. You need to do something about him.
As you get out of the cot, a very familiar voice behind you says: "Hello again, my friend."
A part of you isn't surprised to hear that voice. After all, he found you all the time before this one with ease, why would now be different? with your hand on your dagger, you slowly turn around to face Mr. Teeth, or rather, his shadowy form hidden in the corner.
"Now, now", says Mr. Teeth, "there is no need for that. I'm sure you've figured out by now that it was me who told the cops how to find everyone, but it seems that you survived the ordeal, and you're not much worse for it. Besides, had I wanted to kill you, I would have done it while you were tossing and turning on that cot."
Despite your rage, you can't deny that Mr. Teeth has all the advantage right now, and attacking him might be a really bad idea. You let your hand drift away from your knife.
"Good." Says Mr. Teeth, "Now, I know you have many questions, but I'm afraid there is no time. You see, I enlisted too many people for my little project. The truth is, a team of four would have been enough, but I needed the very best there are for each job. So I figured I shall test you in the way of rogue: Those of you who can escape this cities finest guards, would be my team."
"I made a miscalculation, however." Continues Mr. Teeth, "it seems that there was another survivor for your job. Once again, the way of the rogue is my solution: If you can dispose of your competitor before they do the same to you, you'll have a place on my team."
You open your mouth to respond, but suddenly Mr. Teeth is no longer there. Your mind is filled with rage: You are being manipulated! who does he think he is?.
As you calm down, you realize that for now, there is only one course of action. First, you must get rid of the other person vying for your spot on the job, because otherwise they might get you first. Second, you should try and figure out what Mr. Teeth is planning, what is this great job he was talking about, only then you'd be able to turn the table on him. Because after all, isn't lying and sneak also part of the way of the rogue?
Round 4 Mission has two parts:
1. Create a card that will allow your avatar to annihilate the avatar your faced off against
2. Create a card that would allow you to find out what Mr. Teeth is planning, and where the job is supposed to take place.
The two missions can utilize any card type, however make sure the two cards are of a different type each.
For the job of a Mastermind: Blackbull will face off against Darkfire_Games
For the job of an Infiltrator: Krey will face off against Gerrard's Mom
For the job of the Muscle: Doom Lich will face against Ryder052
For the job of a Specialist: pstmdrn will face against brasil_dude101
You will have four days to post your cards (Until midnight when December 4th becomes December 5th), followed by two days of critique.
Tainted ReturnXUB
Instant R
Return target nonland permanent with converted mana cost X to its owner's hand, then that player reveals his or her hand and discards all nonland cards with converted mana cost X.
And...
Soul of a SnitchU
Enchantment - Aura U
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to an opponent, name a card, then that player reveals his or her hand. If the named card is there, draw a card.
Nert, Vedalken Bookburner1UR
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Rogue [ERRATA](R)[/ERRATA]
Whenever Nert, Vedalken Bookburner deals combat damage to a player, you may search that player's library for a nonland card and exile it face-down under Nert. X: Copy target spell with converted mana cost X exiled under Nert. You may cast that copy without paying its mana cost.
{1/1}
Pinnacle of Brilliance2UU
Enchantment - Aura (M)
Enchant permanent
Once each turn, you may activate one of the enchanted permanent's activated abilities without paying that ability's associated costs. There are rare moments when the universe lays itself out to people. Sometimes, it inspires them, and sometimes it makes them just plain goofy.
Wordthief Prodigy2UR
Creature - Vedalken Rogue (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 3 and sacrifice Wordthief Prodigy. If you do, reveal the top three cards of your library. You may cast any number of instants or sorceries revealed this way without paying their mana costs if they share a name with a card in your graveyard.
{0/1}
Mirror Sheen Cloak2UR
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Flash
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature is unblockable.
If enchanted creature would become the target of a spell or an ability, reselect its target at random. (Select from among all legal targets.)
Card 1 Cerebral Torching4UR An elf clutches his head as crimson fire bursts from his eye sockets and smoke pours profusely from his ears and mouth.
Instant (R)
Target player reveals his or her hand. Cerebral Torching deals damage to that player equal to the total converted mana cost of cards revealed this way. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste. It makes such excellent kindling" -- Nert, Vedalken Bookburner
Card 2 Predict Destiny8UU Five images stand behind a vedalken standing in a thoughtful pose. One shows a human being stabbed through by another human. Another shows that same human falling in love. The remaining three are the human walking into a building, arguing in the marketplace, and stabbing the human who stabbed him through.
Sorcery (M)
Target opponent reveals the cards in his or her library. You may exile up to ten of those cards, then put the rest back in any order. After three decades of absorbing and destroying book, Nert knew people's mind oftentimes better than they did. He knew 'destiny' was a simple matter of coincidence and reactions, both of which were easily manipulated.
Archive Burner4RR Living fire in the shape of a human takes a step forward, burning its way through the stone wall of a building. It drops a couple of flaming books as it stomps a person to the curb.
Creature - Elemental (R)
Haste
Whenever Archive Burner deals damage to a player, that player puts the cards in his or her hand on the bottom of his or her library in any order, then draws that many cards. Nert's oldest friend is well versed in the art of murder.
{5/4}
Attuned Crystal0 A Vedalken hand holds an irregular shard of crystal in its hand, vaguely triangular in shape. However, instead of the vedalken's reflection in the crystal, it shows several words, including food, hungry, ale, tavern, ordering, drifting across the surface.
Artifact (U)
As Attuned Crystal enters the battlefield, choose an opponent.
You may look at the chosen player's hand at any time. ,T: Fateseal 2. Target only the chosen player with this ability.
Barsha, Tunnel Doyenne 2RW
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Rogue (R) 1R: Target creature with power 2 or less is unblockable this turn. 1W: Target creature with power 3 or greater can't attack this turn.
2/2
Demolition Fists2RW
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has double strike.
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment that player controls.
Prismcloak AgentW
Creature - Kithkin Rogue (U)
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, choose a color. Prismcloak Agent gains protection from the chosen color until end of turn. WW, Sacrifice Prismcloak Agent: Destroy target attacking or blocking creature of the chosen color.
1/1
Burning Ascension1RW
(A goblin leaps into the air on a column of flame, which spreads out, incinerating buildings and figures beneath him.)
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains flying until end of turn. Burning Ascension deals 2 damage to each creature without flying. Barsha didn't rely on tunnels for all of her escapes.
Reks the Untouchable :2mana::symu::symu:
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard Rogue
Reks is unblockable.
Whenever Reks deals damage to an opponent, you may return target non-land permanent that opponent controls to its owner's hand.
Whenever Reks becomes the target of a spell or ability you may pay :symu:. If you do return Reks to its owner hand.
2/2 The legend of Reks grew even when most regard his as an urban legend.
To defeat Reks: Split the Earth1RW
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices an attacking creature. Split the Earth deals damage equal to that creature's power to its controller. Nothing sates the earth when it grows hungry.
To figure out the plan: Censer of Truth2
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand, then name a card other than a basic land. Until your next turn, the named card can't be played.
Equip W
Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit3UR Legendary Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R) U: Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit gains all creature types of target creature until end of turn. Activate this ability only during any player's upkeep.
Protection from creatures that share a creature type with Xiarius. "People hardly expect themselves to be bandits."
6/3
Zeliki, Blade of Xiarius3 Legendary Artifact - Equipment (R)
Reveal an Equipment card from your hand: Zeliki, Blade of Xiarius becomes a copy of that equipment until end of turn. "It has a thousand shapes, but it only takes one to kill you."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Polymorphous Thug2UR Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (U)
You may have Polymorphous Thug enter the battlefield as a copy of target creature you control. It gains "R: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn." "Stupid creatures, but they're tough and make good body doubles"
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
0/0
Bladestorm2RR Instant (U)
Bladestorm deals 2 damage to each creature you don't control.
Equipmentcycling 1R A shattered sword is just as dangerous in the right hands.
Skill Reversal1(U/R)(U/R)(U/R) Instant (R)
Choose new targets for target spell or activated ability.
Draw a card. "In the end, each man is his own unmaking."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Shapeless SurveyorUU
(Artwork: A shapeshifter in a crowd taking shape to match the rest of the crowd) Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R)
Shapeless Surveyor is ublockable and has shroud as long as an opponent controls two or more creatures.
Whenever Shapeless Surveyor would deal damage to a player, prevent that damage, and fateseal X, where X is how much damage is prevented this way. Ever watching, never seen.
1/1
Flash Forestation 3GG
Instant R
Split Second
All artifacts and non-green creatures become forests. "How easy it is to sneak among the silent wood." -- Forin Wildpath
Recognition
Dendromancy G
Sorcery U
When you cast Dendromancy, you may sacrifice any number of forests.
Look at the top X cards of target player's library, where X is the number of forests sacrificed.
Put the cards back on top of their owner's library in any order. The rings of the trees not only explain the past, but also reveal the future.
I think I'm going to change my entries tonight. I'm afraid that people will not conceive the possibility of Teod managing a spell like Desiccate, or even Oneiric Recruitment (yes, he is not a mind mage, not even a mage at all. But his recruiters can do that stuff for him, that's the idea, while it also sounds like a treat to make any card and adjudicate it to Teod.)
The thing is that a briber can't really do anything to kill a guy by himself. I'm not sure if voters will make this connection, or to accept it as a valid justification for my current entries.
Just in case...
Anyway, I have a nice idea for the inquiry card. No idea of what to do with the removal one.
As much as Rhoad would have enjoyed extracting every mineral from Teeth's body, he was currently not in a position to do so. And so, it appeared as though he would have to do battle with one of his own kind. He was not sure just who exactly had made it of the fray, but whomever it was, they must have been at least as strong as Rhoad himself, and would therefore not be easy to defeat.
As Rhoad rested in his cot, knowing the inevitable would eventually come, he took the opportunity to strengthen himself: he took one of his hidden ingots and began to assimilate it into his body. It was then, while the raw etherium flowed into him, that he came up with a plan. It would be costly, but if the opponent was as powerful as Rhoad feared, it would have to be done. After all, as mighty as someone is, if they're encased in metal, they're little more than a statue. And Rhoad certainly had enough metal within him to coat a person. It would most likely take months to recover the etherium he would waste, but if Rhoad were to die, then it would all be meaningless anyway.
Tendrils of Artifice2WB
Art: You can see a man, with his arm, which is being drained of metal, extended towards another. From his hand, strands of metal lead to the other man, who is horrified at the fact he is being encased in metal.
Instant{R}
As an additional cost to cast Tendrils of Artifice, sacrifice an artifact.
Target nonartifact permanent becomes a noncreature artifact and loses all abilities.(This effect last indefinitely.)
“I would gladly lose all my etherium to see it coated upon you.”
Even with his strategy, Rhoad still felt unsure. But it wasn't about the upcoming fight. It was about Teeth. But he would do it eventually. Kill Teeth. He just needed access to him. But Teeth was as enigmatic as they come, and would most likely never reveal himself to Rhoad. Thus, Rhoad would somehow need to be able to see what Teeth was planning. And as he continued to absorb the etherium ingot, he remembered an old spell his teacher had once taught him. It had been originally devised to help create decorative mirrors, but in this case, it would do much more.
Endless Reflections1UU
Art: As a wisps of magic stream overtop various metallic surfaces, they become more and more reflective.
Enchantment{U}
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Draw a card, then discard a card. A good mirror reflects the present.
A better mirror reflects everything.
As the first guards began to pour in from left and right, Rhoad saw that there would be no easy way to escape. As fast as he was, even he could not avoid this many guards while weaving his way to the exit. And while he took a few a few seconds to ponder his next move, he felt something tugging at his leg.
He looked down to find his marionette holding onto him in fear, like a nervous child holds onto its parent.
"I don't recall giving you fear..." he muttered to himself, looking at the marionette.
However, rather than consider the small construct a failure (since it feared battle), it instead gave Rhoad a brilliant idea. He'd designed the construct to be hyper magnetic so that it would attract everything unto itself. But what if he'd done the opposite? Rhoad picked his little construct up and put it on his shoulder.
"Let's get out of here." he told the little construct.
Rhoad summoned up what mana he could and proceeded to modify the structure of both his and the marionette's etherium so that they would repel everything. However, the amount of mana necessary to maintain his bodily etherium in this configuration was not small. Rhoad knew the spell would soon wear off, but it would have to be enough.
Paramagnetize3WU
Instant {R}
Artifacts you control are indestructible and have shroud until end of turn. "Magnets both attract and repel. If you can circumvent the attraction part, what do you expect will happen?"
Rhoad, the Swiftfooted2UB
Legendary Artifact Creature - Human Rogue {R}
:2mana:: Put a 1/1 colorless Rogue artifact creature token named Afterimage onto the battlefield. It has haste and “At the beginning of the next end step, exile Afterimage.” Rhoad, the Swiftfooted gets -1/-1 until end of turn. With legs of Etherium, who can keep up? 3/3
Rhoad had never had anyone request anything of him before. At least not in regards to stealing anything. Although, that may in part have been due to the fact that all he ever stole was Etherium.
Even though he was skeptical, Rhoad had little doubts that there were, in fact, vast pockets of wealth scattered about this world. And if he was to accomplish to goal of discarding his human self, money to buy Etherium would be useful. But it would be foolhardy to jump into anything unprepared. Although he preferred extracting the Etherium and using it to replace his flesh, having it in the form of a weapon had it's own advantages. Besides, in a worst case scenario, he could ignore the associated pain and just graft it onto himself like he'd done with those Lightning Greaves all those years ago...
(In case you didn't get it, Rhoad grafted the Etherium version of some Lightning Greaves to his legs, which is why he is fast enough to leave afterimages.)
Etherium Blade2
Artifact {U}
Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Meld - :4mana:, Sacrifice Etherium Blade: Equipped creature gets +3/+2 and becomes an artifact in addition to its other types. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)
Equip “Think of the sword as an extension of yourself.”
Notes on Meld: Meld is meant to represent the fusing of a given artifact to another permanent. For example, a weapon with Meld would literally fuse to the wearer's arm. This increases the boost in power, as the weapon is now literally a part of the wielder, but removes the weapon's ability to be wielded by another person. The process of fusing with the weapon, however, also creates a vulnerability in that the weapon, which was an artifact, is now part of the wielder, and thus the wielder is now part artifact.
Although the greaves grafted to Rhoad's legs made him fast enough to avoid most spells, if this was going to be dangerous and difficult enough to warrant this many thieves, he figured he'd need some other distraction to keep him safe. But rather than find some poor fool who would hopefully get in the way on time, Rhoad chose to create an interference who, if needed, could follow orders. Although it pained him grreatly to do so, he extracted some etherium from his own body, and proceeded to craft it into the shape of a small creature. He soon brought it to life, but not before modifying its composition so as to give it magnetic properties. Now, if he ever fell prey to a spell, he could just toss this construct aside, and in theory, the spell would switch targets. Rhoad was hoping he would not have to make more than one of them though, as the pain associated with extracting etherium was even greater than that of grafting it onto one's self. However, if push came to shove, he'd make the sacrifice to stay alive.
Magnetic Marionette3
Artifact Creature - Construct{U}
You may cast Magnetic Marionette any time you could cast an instant by sacrificing an artifact in addition to its other costs.
When Magnetic Marionette enters the battlefield, change the target of target spell that targets only a single creature or artifact to Magnetic Marionette. 2/2
Game of Mirrors2UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a permanent becomes the target of as spell or ability you may payU. If you do, choose a new legal target for that spell or ability. Using mirrors is one of the first tricks a rogue use, and one of the most effectives too.
To discover the plan:
Twist of Fate1UU
Instant (U)
Whenever an opponent cast a spell, you may fateseal X. X is equal to the converted mana cost of the spell that opponent casted. Some let fate choose their life without knowing their fate is subjet to the whims of a few.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Those who endure in the face of suffering, those whose faith shines long in evil days, they shall see salvation." -Song of All, canto 904
As usual, everybody critiques the pairs other then their own. (If you want, you can and are encouraged to say a few words about your adversary's cards, but only after the rest has written their critiques about them)
GERRARD'S MOM (Split the Earth & Censer of Truth)
DOOM LICH (Skill Reversal & Shapeless Surveyor)
BRASIL DUDE 101 (Tendrils of Artifice & Endless Reflections)
KREY's CARDS - Total (22/30) Game of Mirrors2UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a permanent becomes the target of as spell or ability you may pay U. If you do, choose a new legal target for that spell or ability. Using mirrors is one of the first tricks a rogue use, and one of the most effectives too.
Balance 4/5 (An interesting card that is totally in blue's domain (although this is arguably more red in mechanic). My concern for this card is that the things that this would protect could just as easily be protected by Mana Leak or Squelch.) Flavor 4/5 (Its mostly in line with your other cards, though redirect target is the next logical step after "get out of the way" (return to hand). Flavor text needs to read "Using mirrors is one of the tricks a rogue learns, and is one of the most effective too.") Formatting 4/5 ("...a permanent becomes the target of a spell or an ability, you may...")
Twist of Fate1UU
Instant (U)
Whenever an opponent cast a spell, you may fateseal X. X is equal to the converted mana cost of the spell that opponent casted. Some let fate choose their life without knowing their fate is subjet to the whims of a few.
Balance 3/5 (Against red or white, this is annoying. Against green and black, this is a devastating card that should not have converted mana cost 3! It should be more like five or six.) Flavor 4/5 (Again, fits in with established abilities while adding something new to the formula. Misspelled subject.) Formatting 3/5 ("Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may fateseal X, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that spell.")
GERRARD'S MOM's CARDS - Total (25/30) Split the Earth1RW
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices an attacking creature. Split the Earth deals damage equal to that creature's power to its controller. Nothing sates the earth when it grows hungry.
Balance 4/5 (Dispense Justice says that this is uncommon.) Flavor 4/5 (Exploding earth that kills creatures is right in line with a roguish dwarf who digs tunnels for a living.) Formatting 5/5 (No problems here.)
Censer of Truth2
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand, then name a card other than a basic land. Until your next turn, the named card can't be played.
Equip W
Balance 4/5 (A Conjurer's Ban on combat damage? Makes me think should cost 1 more to cast/equip.) Flavor 3/5 (Its an interesting item that has a large amount of flavor, but it's not something I think your thief would use.) Formatting 5/5 (Should be "Until the beginning of your next upkeep." Is what I would say if Chronomantic Escape didn't disagree.)
GENERAL COMMENTS
- @KREY: You seemed to be in a hurry with your cards. Hope whatever real life did wasn't too bad.
DOOM LICH's CARDS - Total (24/30) Skill Reversal1(U/R)(U/R)(U/R)
Instant (R)
Choose new targets for target spell or activated ability.
Draw a card. "In the end, each man is his own unmaking."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Balance 4/5 (Overcosted. Cards like Ricochet Trap and Reroute were one color and uncommon. Though the ability to rechoose ALL targets for a spell may warrant a Rare rating. This feels like it should be CMC 3.) Flavor 3/5 (This seems out of place. Right colors, flavor text ties it in, but this does not feel like part of a Shapeshifting Thief's repertoire.) Formatting 5/5 (No problems here.)
Shapeless SurveyorUU
Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R)
Shapeless Surveyor is ublockable and has shroud as long as an opponent controls two or more creatures.
Whenever Shapeless Surveyor would deal damage to a player, prevent that damage, and fateseal X, where X is how much damage is prevented this way. Ever watching, never seen.
{1/1}
Balance 4/5 (Blue doesn't have anything I can think of in terms of creature buffing, and GU is a difficult deck to build without very specific cards. Still, if it works its way into a buff deck, this could be absolutely devastating for converted mana cost 2.) Flavor 4/5 (Seems like a good minion card.) Formatting 4/5 ("...and has shroud as long as an opponent control two or more creatures." Should really be on its own line.)
RYDER 052's CARDS - Total (22/30) Preemptive Assault(W/B)
Instant (U)
Split Second
Destroy the source of target ability targeting a creature you control if that source is a creature. One small step behind me, one giant nail to your coffin.
- Hroth, Righteous Silencer
Balance 4/5 (One mana for a kill anything with an activated ability at instant speed that can't be responded to? Add 1 to CMC and then maybe.) Flavor 4/5 (Speed seems to be the name of the game of your rogue, so this fits, bizarre as it is.) Formatting 4/5 (I feel like there is a better way to word this that isn't as circuitous, but I can't put my finger on it.)
Shadows Unveiled(2/B)B
Sorcery (U)
Discard your hand, then draw a card. You may repeat this process any number of times. Let the Darkness guide your thoughts and you shall get all the answers you are looking for.
Balance 3/5 (One with Nothing mixed with a little Shrouded Lore. The fact that this will allow you to dig through your library for the one card you need at CMC 2-3 makes me a little wary. Needs a life penalty or a mana limiter (like Shrouded Lore)) Flavor 2/5 (This seems totally out of place. It works as a black card and might vaguely be something a rogue would have access to. But not yours, he seems to want something faster.) Formatting 5/5 (Hybrid before normal symbols. Good.)
PSTMDRN's CARDS - Total (19/30) Flash Forestation3GG
Instant (R)
Split Second
All artifacts and non-green creatures become forests. "How easy it is to sneak among the silent wood." -- Forin Wildpath
Balance 3/5 (Five Mana for an effect that renders all your opponents blockers immobile? That can't be countered by virtually any means? This needs to be like 4GGGG expensive.) Flavor 4/5 (This is something that your rogue would do.) Formatting 3/5 (Non- as a prefix doesn't have the hyphen in Magic ( e.g. Doom Blade). Forest, when referring to the subtype, is always capitalized (e.g. Safewright Quest). Also, do they become Forest lands or do they become Forests in addition to their other types? (Yes, this is an important distinction))
DendromancyG
Sorcery (U)
When you cast Dendromancy, you may sacrifice any number of forests.
Look at the top X cards of target player's library, where X is the number of forests sacrificed.
Put the cards back on top of their owner's library in any order. The rings of the trees not only explain the past, but also reveal the future.
Balance 3/5 (Had this card been black and sacrificed swamps, it would have been a lot more acceptable. But the scrying thing plus the sacrifice thing puts this in UB's territory. Terrible card for green.) Flavor 2/5 (Your thief seemed like the majorly environmentally friendly type. Mass Deforestation is AGAINST his MO.) Formatting 4/5 (Again, Forests with a capital F.)
BRASIL DUDE 101's CARDS - Total (27/30) Tendrils of Artifice2WB
Instant (R)
As an additional cost to cast Tendrils of Artifice, sacrifice an artifact.
Target nonartifact permanent becomes a noncreature artifact and loses all abilities. (This effect last indefinitely.) “I would gladly lose all my etherium to see it coated upon you.”
Balance 4/5 (I think I would be more comfortable with this spell if it cost 1 less, wasn't B and couldn't affect lands.) Flavor 4/5 (As I person I would believe is from Esper, he sure seems really willing to part with his etherium. I think we're just missing a part of the story you've not yet shared.) Formatting 5/5 (No Problems here, though I'm not sure if the Noncreature clause is necessary or not.)
Endless Reflections1UU
Enchantment (U)
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Draw a card, then discard a card. A good mirror reflects the present.
A better mirror reflects everything.
Balance 4/5 (Turn EVERY artifact you control into a Merfolk Looter? Should cost 2UU or 3U) Flavor 5/5 (Magical reflections are something I could very much see your thief doing.) Formatting 5/5 (No Problems Here.)
DOOM LICH's CARDS - Total (24/30) Skill Reversal1(U/R)(U/R)(U/R)
Instant (R)
Choose new targets for target spell or activated ability.
Draw a card. "In the end, each man is his own unmaking."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Balance 4/5 (Overcosted. Cards like Ricochet Trap and Reroutewere one color and uncommon. Though the ability to rechoose ALL targets for a spell may warrant a Rare rating. This feels like it should be CMC 3.) Flavor 3/5 (This seems out of place. Right colors, flavor text ties it in, but this does not feel like part of a Shapeshifting Thief's repertoire.) Formatting 5/5 (No problems here.)
I grant you it may be a tad overcosted for the effect, but it cantrips, which helps. Also, the two colors here actually make it easier to cast, and it's more flexible than your examples, since it can hit both spells and activated abilities. As for why it's rare, Redirect was rare, and I figured the sheer flexibility warranted it.
Also, I had a flavor text that had more of a tie in:
"Manipulating spells isn't very different than manipulating one's form. It's just more embarrassing for the victim."
But I scrapped it because I thought this was a better one.
Recoil for X is pretty good, not sure if it's rare material though. Soul of a Snitch sounds cool, although it's more of a Spy, a Snitch would be making an opponent's creature tell you what he has.
Cerebral Torching could be plain red as far as I know, it's just non-storm Ignite Memories after all. The "capping" effect is black, not blue; it's basically Sadistic Sacrament, except it's less cards and I don't think they would ever let you spend the time to rearrange an entire deck.
Winner: BlackBull
Redirect + Shunt + Reroute. I'm not sure how you are going to get Ryder's avatar, though, unless he blocks and then uses it. Seems like the shapeshifter could have done damage too, especially since it's hard to get him up in power.
In most cases, since you don't counter the ability, I believe it still does whatever it is trying to do to your creature. Ouphe Vandals is what I am going off of here. I'm pretty sure Legacy/Vintage decks don't need any ways to put their entire deck in the graveyard on the first or second turn.
Winner: Doom Lich
pstmdrn, please include your previous cards, it's just a copy and paste. I searched through to gather your theme, but it's really your responsibility. Split Second on your spell is random, and I think you need a little more explanation. In addition to their other types? And making a permanent change by means of instant, then not marking them, is not good. How do I remember what artifacts/creatures were played later? Also, as far as I can tell this makes your opponent's creature into an unlimited token generator. The second spell has a cool name, but what it does isn't green at all, and it is really bad at doing it. How many forests do you really want to sac to mess around with the order of a few cards?
More unmarked permanent changes from brasil_dude. I'm not really sure what this has to do with black, blue is the color that turns things into artifacts and you have been using it. Interestingly, I couldn't find anything that allows you to tap permanents to draw and discard, it's powerful but it is only selection, not card advantage, so maybe it's ok at that rarity and cost.
More unmarked permanent changes from brasil_dude. I'm not really sure what this has to do with black
Now that you mention it, I agree, I should probably have made use of some special counter (although then I would have to deal with Hexamage shenanigans) . I made it black for flavor purposes, because this spell virtually turns anything into a useless pile of metal, which is virtual death. I can see where you're coming from with blue though.
Those who pay attention to my judging style know that when I sit to make critics, a couple of lines is never enough. Since I don't want to make a top 3 without finishing those (because I think that it should become from a previous deep analysis), I'm going to post the winners and the critics all togheter next Thursday (my day off.) Hopefuly, this will not make me loose any point. Would it?
Until then.
EDIT: If you need to have me posting the winners sooner because the time schedule, I'll do my best effort to just make a couple of lines of review and post winners tomorrow. Dont hesitate to tell me if needed.
Cerebral Torching could be plain red as far as I know, it's just non-storm Ignite Memories after all. The "capping" effect is black, not blue; it's basically Sadistic Sacrament, except it's less cards and I don't think they would ever let you spend the time to rearrange an entire deck.
Winner: brasil_dude101[/SPOILER]
Three Questions:
1) By "capping" do you mean exile from library?
2) Is Denying Wind from an era gone by?
3) Who is this ubiquitous "they"? My opponent or the judges?
Thanks to Lanxal for the gorgeous banner!
Card Creation League
* 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
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.
Signups
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Out of breath, you reach one of your hideouts. Exhausted, you set off the various traps and alarms before falling on the cot and attempt sleep. Sleep eludes you, however, as you can't stop thinking of what went wrong. Could someone have told the cops what was going on? how could they? it's not like anyone knew what was really going on except...
Mr. Teeth!
It had to be him! He's the only one who knew what the plan was anyways... But why would he betray everyone? Does it matter? he nearly got you killed, or worse, imprisoned. You need to do something about him.
As you get out of the cot, a very familiar voice behind you says: "Hello again, my friend."
A part of you isn't surprised to hear that voice. After all, he found you all the time before this one with ease, why would now be different? with your hand on your dagger, you slowly turn around to face Mr. Teeth, or rather, his shadowy form hidden in the corner.
"Now, now", says Mr. Teeth, "there is no need for that. I'm sure you've figured out by now that it was me who told the cops how to find everyone, but it seems that you survived the ordeal, and you're not much worse for it. Besides, had I wanted to kill you, I would have done it while you were tossing and turning on that cot."
Despite your rage, you can't deny that Mr. Teeth has all the advantage right now, and attacking him might be a really bad idea. You let your hand drift away from your knife.
"Good." Says Mr. Teeth, "Now, I know you have many questions, but I'm afraid there is no time. You see, I enlisted too many people for my little project. The truth is, a team of four would have been enough, but I needed the very best there are for each job. So I figured I shall test you in the way of rogue: Those of you who can escape this cities finest guards, would be my team."
"I made a miscalculation, however." Continues Mr. Teeth, "it seems that there was another survivor for your job. Once again, the way of the rogue is my solution: If you can dispose of your competitor before they do the same to you, you'll have a place on my team."
You open your mouth to respond, but suddenly Mr. Teeth is no longer there. Your mind is filled with rage: You are being manipulated! who does he think he is?.
As you calm down, you realize that for now, there is only one course of action. First, you must get rid of the other person vying for your spot on the job, because otherwise they might get you first. Second, you should try and figure out what Mr. Teeth is planning, what is this great job he was talking about, only then you'd be able to turn the table on him. Because after all, isn't lying and sneak also part of the way of the rogue?
Round 4 Mission has two parts:
1. Create a card that will allow your avatar to annihilate the avatar your faced off against
2. Create a card that would allow you to find out what Mr. Teeth is planning, and where the job is supposed to take place.
The two missions can utilize any card type, however make sure the two cards are of a different type each.
For the job of a Mastermind:
Blackbull will face off against Darkfire_Games
For the job of an Infiltrator:
Krey will face off against Gerrard's Mom
For the job of the Muscle:
Doom Lich will face against Ryder052
For the job of a Specialist:
pstmdrn will face against brasil_dude101
You will have four days to post your cards (Until midnight when December 4th becomes December 5th), followed by two days of critique.
Good luck!
Host, December 2015: A Winter Wonderland? - R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL April 2014: A Game of Fate - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinal|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL December 2012: Spy Games - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL November 2010: The Perfect Crime - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL August 2009: A Commander's Journey: Signups|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
I've got tons of art from the web. Want art for a render? PM me! Want to create your own collection? Start here!
Previous cards:
The rogue.
The implement.
The scapegoat.
The great Scape.
And now...
Tainted Return XUB
Instant R
Return target nonland permanent with converted mana cost X to its owner's hand, then that player reveals his or her hand and discards all nonland cards with converted mana cost X.
And...
Soul of a Snitch U
Enchantment - Aura U
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to an opponent, name a card, then that player reveals his or her hand. If the named card is there, draw a card.
Good luck, Darkfire_Games!
Good Luck to you too, Black Bull!
Nert, Vedalken Bookburner 1UR
Legendary Creature - Vedalken Rogue [ERRATA](R)[/ERRATA]
Whenever Nert, Vedalken Bookburner deals combat damage to a player, you may search that player's library for a nonland card and exile it face-down under Nert.
X: Copy target spell with converted mana cost X exiled under Nert. You may cast that copy without paying its mana cost.
{1/1}
Pinnacle of Brilliance 2UU
Enchantment - Aura (M)
Enchant permanent
Once each turn, you may activate one of the enchanted permanent's activated abilities without paying that ability's associated costs.
There are rare moments when the universe lays itself out to people. Sometimes, it inspires them, and sometimes it makes them just plain goofy.
Wordthief Prodigy 2UR
Creature - Vedalken Rogue (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay 3 and sacrifice Wordthief Prodigy. If you do, reveal the top three cards of your library. You may cast any number of instants or sorceries revealed this way without paying their mana costs if they share a name with a card in your graveyard.
{0/1}
Mirror Sheen Cloak 2UR
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Flash
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature is unblockable.
If enchanted creature would become the target of a spell or an ability, reselect its target at random. (Select from among all legal targets.)
Card 1
Cerebral Torching 4UR
An elf clutches his head as crimson fire bursts from his eye sockets and smoke pours profusely from his ears and mouth.
Instant (R)
Target player reveals his or her hand. Cerebral Torching deals damage to that player equal to the total converted mana cost of cards revealed this way.
"A mind is a terrible thing to waste. It makes such excellent kindling" -- Nert, Vedalken Bookburner
Card 2
Predict Destiny 8UU
Five images stand behind a vedalken standing in a thoughtful pose. One shows a human being stabbed through by another human. Another shows that same human falling in love. The remaining three are the human walking into a building, arguing in the marketplace, and stabbing the human who stabbed him through.
Sorcery (M)
Target opponent reveals the cards in his or her library. You may exile up to ten of those cards, then put the rest back in any order.
After three decades of absorbing and destroying book, Nert knew people's mind oftentimes better than they did. He knew 'destiny' was a simple matter of coincidence and reactions, both of which were easily manipulated.
Archive Burner 4RR
Living fire in the shape of a human takes a step forward, burning its way through the stone wall of a building. It drops a couple of flaming books as it stomps a person to the curb.
Creature - Elemental (R)
Haste
Whenever Archive Burner deals damage to a player, that player puts the cards in his or her hand on the bottom of his or her library in any order, then draws that many cards.
Nert's oldest friend is well versed in the art of murder.
{5/4}
Attuned Crystal 0
A Vedalken hand holds an irregular shard of crystal in its hand, vaguely triangular in shape. However, instead of the vedalken's reflection in the crystal, it shows several words, including food, hungry, ale, tavern, ordering, drifting across the surface.
Artifact (U)
As Attuned Crystal enters the battlefield, choose an opponent.
You may look at the chosen player's hand at any time.
,T: Fateseal 2. Target only the chosen player with this ability.
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Rogue (R)
1R: Target creature with power 2 or less is unblockable this turn.
1W: Target creature with power 3 or greater can't attack this turn.
2/2
Demolition Fists 2RW
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has double strike.
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment that player controls.
Prismcloak Agent W
Creature - Kithkin Rogue (U)
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, choose a color. Prismcloak Agent gains protection from the chosen color until end of turn.
WW, Sacrifice Prismcloak Agent: Destroy target attacking or blocking creature of the chosen color.
1/1
Burning Ascension 1RW
(A goblin leaps into the air on a column of flame, which spreads out, incinerating buildings and figures beneath him.)
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains flying until end of turn. Burning Ascension deals 2 damage to each creature without flying.
Barsha didn't rely on tunnels for all of her escapes.
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard Rogue
Reks is unblockable.
Whenever Reks deals damage to an opponent, you may return target non-land permanent that opponent controls to its owner's hand.
Whenever Reks becomes the target of a spell or ability you may pay :symu:. If you do return Reks to its owner hand.
2/2
The legend of Reks grew even when most regard his as an urban legend.
Split the Earth 1RW
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices an attacking creature. Split the Earth deals damage equal to that creature's power to its controller.
Nothing sates the earth when it grows hungry.
To figure out the plan:
Censer of Truth 2
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand, then name a card other than a basic land. Until your next turn, the named card can't be played.
Equip W
Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit 3UR
Legendary Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R)
U: Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit gains all creature types of target creature until end of turn. Activate this ability only during any player's upkeep.
Protection from creatures that share a creature type with Xiarius.
"People hardly expect themselves to be bandits."
Legendary Artifact - Equipment (R)
Reveal an Equipment card from your hand: Zeliki, Blade of Xiarius becomes a copy of that equipment until end of turn.
"It has a thousand shapes, but it only takes one to kill you."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (U)
You may have Polymorphous Thug enter the battlefield as a copy of target creature you control. It gains "R: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn."
"Stupid creatures, but they're tough and make good body doubles"
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Instant (U)
Bladestorm deals 2 damage to each creature you don't control.
Equipmentcycling 1R
A shattered sword is just as dangerous in the right hands.
Instant (R)
Choose new targets for target spell or activated ability.
Draw a card.
"In the end, each man is his own unmaking."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
(Artwork: A shapeshifter in a crowd taking shape to match the rest of the crowd)
Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R)
Shapeless Surveyor is ublockable and has shroud as long as an opponent controls two or more creatures.
Whenever Shapeless Surveyor would deal damage to a player, prevent that damage, and fateseal X, where X is how much damage is prevented this way.
Ever watching, never seen.
1/1
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Flash Forestation 3GG
Instant R
Split Second
All artifacts and non-green creatures become forests.
"How easy it is to sneak among the silent wood." -- Forin Wildpath
Recognition
Dendromancy G
Sorcery U
When you cast Dendromancy, you may sacrifice any number of forests.
Look at the top X cards of target player's library, where X is the number of forests sacrificed.
Put the cards back on top of their owner's library in any order.
The rings of the trees not only explain the past, but also reveal the future.
[Clan Flamingo]
The thing is that a briber can't really do anything to kill a guy by himself. I'm not sure if voters will make this connection, or to accept it as a valid justification for my current entries.
Just in case...
Anyway, I have a nice idea for the inquiry card. No idea of what to do with the removal one.
As much as Rhoad would have enjoyed extracting every mineral from Teeth's body, he was currently not in a position to do so. And so, it appeared as though he would have to do battle with one of his own kind. He was not sure just who exactly had made it of the fray, but whomever it was, they must have been at least as strong as Rhoad himself, and would therefore not be easy to defeat.
As Rhoad rested in his cot, knowing the inevitable would eventually come, he took the opportunity to strengthen himself: he took one of his hidden ingots and began to assimilate it into his body. It was then, while the raw etherium flowed into him, that he came up with a plan. It would be costly, but if the opponent was as powerful as Rhoad feared, it would have to be done. After all, as mighty as someone is, if they're encased in metal, they're little more than a statue. And Rhoad certainly had enough metal within him to coat a person. It would most likely take months to recover the etherium he would waste, but if Rhoad were to die, then it would all be meaningless anyway.
As an additional cost to cast Tendrils of Artifice, sacrifice an artifact.
Target nonartifact permanent becomes a noncreature artifact and loses all abilities.(This effect last indefinitely.)
“I would gladly lose all my etherium to see it coated upon you.”
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Draw a card, then discard a card.
A good mirror reflects the present.
A better mirror reflects everything.
He looked down to find his marionette holding onto him in fear, like a nervous child holds onto its parent.
"I don't recall giving you fear..." he muttered to himself, looking at the marionette.
However, rather than consider the small construct a failure (since it feared battle), it instead gave Rhoad a brilliant idea. He'd designed the construct to be hyper magnetic so that it would attract everything unto itself. But what if he'd done the opposite? Rhoad picked his little construct up and put it on his shoulder.
"Let's get out of here." he told the little construct.
Rhoad summoned up what mana he could and proceeded to modify the structure of both his and the marionette's etherium so that they would repel everything. However, the amount of mana necessary to maintain his bodily etherium in this configuration was not small. Rhoad knew the spell would soon wear off, but it would have to be enough.
Instant {R}
Artifacts you control are indestructible and have shroud until end of turn.
"Magnets both attract and repel. If you can circumvent the attraction part, what do you expect will happen?"
Legendary Artifact Creature - Human Rogue {R}
:2mana:: Put a 1/1 colorless Rogue artifact creature token named Afterimage onto the battlefield. It has haste and “At the beginning of the next end step, exile Afterimage.” Rhoad, the Swiftfooted gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
With legs of Etherium, who can keep up?
3/3
Rhoad had never had anyone request anything of him before. At least not in regards to stealing anything. Although, that may in part have been due to the fact that all he ever stole was Etherium.
Even though he was skeptical, Rhoad had little doubts that there were, in fact, vast pockets of wealth scattered about this world. And if he was to accomplish to goal of discarding his human self, money to buy Etherium would be useful. But it would be foolhardy to jump into anything unprepared. Although he preferred extracting the Etherium and using it to replace his flesh, having it in the form of a weapon had it's own advantages. Besides, in a worst case scenario, he could ignore the associated pain and just graft it onto himself like he'd done with those Lightning Greaves all those years ago...
(In case you didn't get it, Rhoad grafted the Etherium version of some Lightning Greaves to his legs, which is why he is fast enough to leave afterimages.)
Artifact {U}
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Meld - :4mana:, Sacrifice Etherium Blade: Equipped creature gets +3/+2 and becomes an artifact in addition to its other types. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)
Equip
“Think of the sword as an extension of yourself.”
Artifact Creature - Construct{U}
You may cast Magnetic Marionette any time you could cast an instant by sacrificing an artifact in addition to its other costs.
When Magnetic Marionette enters the battlefield, change the target of target spell that targets only a single creature or artifact to Magnetic Marionette.
2/2
What, my entry?
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Oh, whoops. I knew that name seemed familiar...
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Against the Rogue:
Game of Mirrors 2UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a permanent becomes the target of as spell or ability you may payU. If you do, choose a new legal target for that spell or ability.
Using mirrors is one of the first tricks a rogue use, and one of the most effectives too.
To discover the plan:
Twist of Fate 1UU
Instant (U)
Whenever an opponent cast a spell, you may fateseal X. X is equal to the converted mana cost of the spell that opponent casted.
Some let fate choose their life without knowing their fate is subjet to the whims of a few.
As usual, everybody critiques the pairs other then their own. (If you want, you can and are encouraged to say a few words about your adversary's cards, but only after the rest has written their critiques about them)
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GERRARD'S MOM (Split the Earth & Censer of Truth)
DOOM LICH (Skill Reversal & Shapeless Surveyor)
BRASIL DUDE 101 (Tendrils of Artifice & Endless Reflections)
KREY's CARDS - Total (22/30)
Game of Mirrors 2UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a permanent becomes the target of as spell or ability you may pay U. If you do, choose a new legal target for that spell or ability.
Using mirrors is one of the first tricks a rogue use, and one of the most effectives too.
Balance 4/5 (An interesting card that is totally in blue's domain (although this is arguably more red in mechanic). My concern for this card is that the things that this would protect could just as easily be protected by Mana Leak or Squelch.)
Flavor 4/5 (Its mostly in line with your other cards, though redirect target is the next logical step after "get out of the way" (return to hand). Flavor text needs to read "Using mirrors is one of the tricks a rogue learns, and is one of the most effective too.")
Formatting 4/5 ("...a permanent becomes the target of a spell or an ability, you may...")
Twist of Fate 1UU
Instant (U)
Whenever an opponent cast a spell, you may fateseal X. X is equal to the converted mana cost of the spell that opponent casted.
Some let fate choose their life without knowing their fate is subjet to the whims of a few.
Balance 3/5 (Against red or white, this is annoying. Against green and black, this is a devastating card that should not have converted mana cost 3! It should be more like five or six.)
Flavor 4/5 (Again, fits in with established abilities while adding something new to the formula. Misspelled subject.)
Formatting 3/5 ("Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may fateseal X, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of that spell.")
GERRARD'S MOM's CARDS - Total (25/30)
Split the Earth 1RW
Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices an attacking creature. Split the Earth deals damage equal to that creature's power to its controller.
Nothing sates the earth when it grows hungry.
Balance 4/5 (Dispense Justice says that this is uncommon.)
Flavor 4/5 (Exploding earth that kills creatures is right in line with a roguish dwarf who digs tunnels for a living.)
Formatting 5/5 (No problems here.)
Censer of Truth 2
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may look at that player's hand, then name a card other than a basic land. Until your next turn, the named card can't be played.
Equip W
Balance 4/5 (A Conjurer's Ban on combat damage? Makes me think should cost 1 more to cast/equip.)
Flavor 3/5 (Its an interesting item that has a large amount of flavor, but it's not something I think your thief would use.)
Formatting 5/5 (Should be "Until the beginning of your next upkeep." Is what I would say if Chronomantic Escape didn't disagree.)
GENERAL COMMENTS
- @KREY: You seemed to be in a hurry with your cards. Hope whatever real life did wasn't too bad.
DOOM LICH's CARDS - Total (24/30)
Skill Reversal 1(U/R)(U/R)(U/R)
Instant (R)
Choose new targets for target spell or activated ability.
Draw a card.
"In the end, each man is his own unmaking."
-Xiarius, Amorphous Bandit
Balance 4/5 (Overcosted. Cards like Ricochet Trap and Reroute were one color and uncommon. Though the ability to rechoose ALL targets for a spell may warrant a Rare rating. This feels like it should be CMC 3.)
Flavor 3/5 (This seems out of place. Right colors, flavor text ties it in, but this does not feel like part of a Shapeshifting Thief's repertoire.)
Formatting 5/5 (No problems here.)
Shapeless Surveyor UU
Creature - Shapeshifter Rogue (R)
Shapeless Surveyor is ublockable and has shroud as long as an opponent controls two or more creatures.
Whenever Shapeless Surveyor would deal damage to a player, prevent that damage, and fateseal X, where X is how much damage is prevented this way.
Ever watching, never seen.
{1/1}
Balance 4/5 (Blue doesn't have anything I can think of in terms of creature buffing, and GU is a difficult deck to build without very specific cards. Still, if it works its way into a buff deck, this could be absolutely devastating for converted mana cost 2.)
Flavor 4/5 (Seems like a good minion card.)
Formatting 4/5 ("...and has shroud as long as an opponent control two or more creatures." Should really be on its own line.)
RYDER 052's CARDS - Total (22/30)
Preemptive Assault (W/B)
Instant (U)
Split Second
Destroy the source of target ability targeting a creature you control if that source is a creature.
One small step behind me, one giant nail to your coffin.
- Hroth, Righteous Silencer
Balance 4/5 (One mana for a kill anything with an activated ability at instant speed that can't be responded to? Add 1 to CMC and then maybe.)
Flavor 4/5 (Speed seems to be the name of the game of your rogue, so this fits, bizarre as it is.)
Formatting 4/5 (I feel like there is a better way to word this that isn't as circuitous, but I can't put my finger on it.)
Shadows Unveiled (2/B)B
Sorcery (U)
Discard your hand, then draw a card. You may repeat this process any number of times.
Let the Darkness guide your thoughts and you shall get all the answers you are looking for.
Balance 3/5 (One with Nothing mixed with a little Shrouded Lore. The fact that this will allow you to dig through your library for the one card you need at CMC 2-3 makes me a little wary. Needs a life penalty or a mana limiter (like Shrouded Lore))
Flavor 2/5 (This seems totally out of place. It works as a black card and might vaguely be something a rogue would have access to. But not yours, he seems to want something faster.)
Formatting 5/5 (Hybrid before normal symbols. Good.)
PSTMDRN's CARDS - Total (19/30)
Flash Forestation 3GG
Instant (R)
Split Second
All artifacts and non-green creatures become forests.
"How easy it is to sneak among the silent wood." -- Forin Wildpath
Balance 3/5 (Five Mana for an effect that renders all your opponents blockers immobile? That can't be countered by virtually any means? This needs to be like 4GGGG expensive.)
Flavor 4/5 (This is something that your rogue would do.)
Formatting 3/5 (Non- as a prefix doesn't have the hyphen in Magic ( e.g. Doom Blade). Forest, when referring to the subtype, is always capitalized (e.g. Safewright Quest). Also, do they become Forest lands or do they become Forests in addition to their other types? (Yes, this is an important distinction))
Dendromancy G
Sorcery (U)
When you cast Dendromancy, you may sacrifice any number of forests.
Look at the top X cards of target player's library, where X is the number of forests sacrificed.
Put the cards back on top of their owner's library in any order.
The rings of the trees not only explain the past, but also reveal the future.
Balance 3/5 (Had this card been black and sacrificed swamps, it would have been a lot more acceptable. But the scrying thing plus the sacrifice thing puts this in UB's territory. Terrible card for green.)
Flavor 2/5 (Your thief seemed like the majorly environmentally friendly type. Mass Deforestation is AGAINST his MO.)
Formatting 4/5 (Again, Forests with a capital F.)
BRASIL DUDE 101's CARDS - Total (27/30)
Tendrils of Artifice 2WB
Instant (R)
As an additional cost to cast Tendrils of Artifice, sacrifice an artifact.
Target nonartifact permanent becomes a noncreature artifact and loses all abilities. (This effect last indefinitely.)
“I would gladly lose all my etherium to see it coated upon you.”
Balance 4/5 (I think I would be more comfortable with this spell if it cost 1 less, wasn't B and couldn't affect lands.)
Flavor 4/5 (As I person I would believe is from Esper, he sure seems really willing to part with his etherium. I think we're just missing a part of the story you've not yet shared.)
Formatting 5/5 (No Problems here, though I'm not sure if the Noncreature clause is necessary or not.)
Endless Reflections 1UU
Enchantment (U)
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Draw a card, then discard a card.
A good mirror reflects the present.
A better mirror reflects everything.
Balance 4/5 (Turn EVERY artifact you control into a Merfolk Looter? Should cost 2UU or 3U)
Flavor 5/5 (Magical reflections are something I could very much see your thief doing.)
Formatting 5/5 (No Problems Here.)
I grant you it may be a tad overcosted for the effect, but it cantrips, which helps. Also, the two colors here actually make it easier to cast, and it's more flexible than your examples, since it can hit both spells and activated abilities. As for why it's rare, Redirect was rare, and I figured the sheer flexibility warranted it.
Also, I had a flavor text that had more of a tie in:
"Manipulating spells isn't very different than manipulating one's form. It's just more embarrassing for the victim."
But I scrapped it because I thought this was a better one.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Cerebral Torching could be plain red as far as I know, it's just non-storm Ignite Memories after all. The "capping" effect is black, not blue; it's basically Sadistic Sacrament, except it's less cards and I don't think they would ever let you spend the time to rearrange an entire deck.
Winner: BlackBull
In most cases, since you don't counter the ability, I believe it still does whatever it is trying to do to your creature. Ouphe Vandals is what I am going off of here. I'm pretty sure Legacy/Vintage decks don't need any ways to put their entire deck in the graveyard on the first or second turn.
Winner: Doom Lich
More unmarked permanent changes from brasil_dude. I'm not really sure what this has to do with black, blue is the color that turns things into artifacts and you have been using it. Interestingly, I couldn't find anything that allows you to tap permanents to draw and discard, it's powerful but it is only selection, not card advantage, so maybe it's ok at that rarity and cost.
Winner: brasil_dude101
Now that you mention it, I agree, I should probably have made use of some special counter (although then I would have to deal with Hexamage shenanigans) . I made it black for flavor purposes, because this spell virtually turns anything into a useless pile of metal, which is virtual death. I can see where you're coming from with blue though.
Krey Vs. Gerrard's Mom
Winner: Krey
PSTMDRN Vs. Brasil Dude
Winner: brasil_dude101
Blackbull Vs. Darkfire Games
Winner: Blackbull
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
BlackBull X Darkfire_Games - Darkfire_Games
Krey X Gerrard's Mom - Gerrard's Mom
Doom Lich X Ryder052 - Doom Lich
All of these were extremely close in my opinion, and if I am able to, I will try to post my full critiques.
Until then.
EDIT: If you need to have me posting the winners sooner because the time schedule, I'll do my best effort to just make a couple of lines of review and post winners tomorrow. Dont hesitate to tell me if needed.
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Three Questions:
1) By "capping" do you mean exile from library?
2) Is Denying Wind from an era gone by?
3) Who is this ubiquitous "they"? My opponent or the judges?
BlackBull
Gerrard's Mom
DoomLich
[Clan Flamingo]