The players have been recruited by the mysterious Mr. Teeth to perform the perfect crime. They have been split into teams based on their skills and started preparing to steal the most valuable treasure in history. After many twists and turns, they players grew tired of being manipulated by Mr. Teeth, and decided to go ahead and steal the treasure on their own. Most didn't make it, but two got away with many, many riches. Now they can enjoy their spoils, but first they must make sure Mr. Teeth or the authorities won't get to them.
Our finalists were tasked with the mission of designing the various defenses and precautions their avatar will take to protect his new-found treasure, to the fallowing specifications:
One land card, being the avatar's new home, someplace where no one can attack them or do them harm
One enchantment card, the best magical defense money can buy, to protect the keep and ward people off.
Two creature cards, the guards to the treasure. Impossible to bribe and formidable.
A plan B, a failsafe, something that can be used if all other defenses fail, in the form of an instant or sorcery card.
In addition, the players were asked to design one artifact card, being the treasure itself (or at least the most valuable part of it), it had to of great worth and power, and desirable to anyone.
The finalists, both haling from the exotic continent of South America, are:
Teod, Tidarnian BriberU
Legendary Creature - Human Rogue R Masterplan — If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in your draw step each turn, you may put a gold counter on Teod, Tidarnian Briber instead. T, Remove X gold counters from Teod: Gain control of target nontoken creature with converted mana cost X.
Illus: Mike Capriotti
0/1
Liquimetal Stronghold Land R T: Add 1 to your mana pool. 5, T: Put a creature token that's a copy of target nonlengendary attacking creature an opponent controls onto the battlefield, except it’s an artifact in addition to its other types and has no abilities. Exile the token at the beginning of the next end step.
The enchantment trick:
Malicious Projection2BB
Enchantment R XB, Discard a card with converted mana cost X: target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. If that creature is put into a graveyard this way, you gain X life.
Lackey A:
Abyssal Monstrosity2BBB Creature – Horror R Flying When Abyssal Monstrosity enters the battlefield, destroy target creature. Pay half of your life, rounded up: Return Abyssal Monstrosity to its owner’s hand. 4/3
Lackey B:
Skinwearer1UB Creature – Shapeshifter Assassin R Flying, shroud Whenever a nontoken creature blocks or become blocked by Skinwearer, you may pay X, where X is that creature’s converted mana cost. If you do, destroy that creature. Skinwearer becomes a copy of that creature. (This effect lasts indefinetly.) 2/1
The ace up one's sleeve:
Arrogant Rebuttal3UUB Sorcery R Return target permanent an opponent controls to its owner’s hand. Draw cards equal to that permanent’s converted mana cost unless its controller discards his or her hand.
The almighty treasure:
Minaroo7
Legendary Artifact M
Minaroo is indestructible. T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool for each card type among permanents you control. (Artifact, creature, enchantment, land, planeswalker, and tribal are types of permanent.)
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
[quote=brasil_dude101;/comments/7748535] The Study:
Argent Conservatory
Art: A building in esperite fashion can be seen on a cliffside. It is nighttime, and moonrays are reflecting off of the buiding's various surfaces.
Land {R}
Argent Conservatory enters the battlefield tapped.
:symtap:: Add your mana pool.
:symtap:, Reveal an artifact card from your hand: Add two mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast artifact spells or activate abilities of artifacts.
The Protection:
Torpor Field3UUU
Art: A city block is surrounded by a blue bubble. A fireball, shot at the bubble, is attempting to break through, but is not able to do so.
Enchantment {R}
If another permanent would leave the battlefield, it stays on the battlefield instead.
Whenever a player casts an instant or sorcery spell, counter that spell unless that player pays "I'd prefer keeping things the way they are.""
The Servants:
Strand Weaver1UBB
Art: An man-like construct with a few insect-like features stands in a hallway. From a hole in each of it's palms, numerous wires extend. Off to the side, several bodies can be seen bound by the wires.
Artifact Creature - Construct {R}
Creatures with counters on them don't untap during their controller's untap step. BB,T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. Should it ever desert its master, it's final order will be to bind itself. 2/3
Mirrordiver3UW
Art: Several mirrors are present inside a room. In the largest one, a ghastly face can be seen. A hand reaches out from a mirror beside it.
Artifact Creature - Illusion{R}
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Exile Mirrordiver. Return it to play at the beginning of the next end step.
Tap two untapped artifacts you control: Mirrordiver is unblockable until end of turn. "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Aren't you the greatest fiend of all?" 4/4
The Ace:
Mindshift1UW
Art: The body of fallen soldier, who is mostly made of etherium, lays beside his sword. An odd purple mist surrounds his head, and trails to his sword, which is standing up on its own.
Instant {R}
As an additional cost to cast Mindshift, exile an artifact you control.
Return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to play. It has haste. "The day I ceased to be human was the day my mind was set free."
The Treasure:
Etherium Wellstone2
Art: A hand holds a small, intricately carved metal sphere. From a hole in the sphere, liquid metal appears be pouring out, streaming across all of the sphere's ridges and crevasses, before ultimately falling off.
Artifact {MR}
:symtap:: Add to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast artifact spells or activate abilities of artifacts. ,T: Put a copy of Etherium Wellstone into play. It is the spring from which all artifice flows.
MUAHAHA! SOUTH AMERICA WILL BE VICTORIOUS!!!1~INFINITY1!
Anyway, I'd just like to thank Asrama for being an awesome host this cycle. Also, thank you to everyone who helped me make my first finals. G'luck BlackBull!
Pretty good showing guys, there is some interesting stuff here. I'll start with the biggest disappointment - the treasure we were all looking for was some janky mana artifacts? I would have much rather seen a Legacy Weapon type cool artifact, or if it has to make mana, at least something as good as Mox Opal. I think brasil dude's self-replicating Sol Ring is at least a little more impressive than the 7-cost mana generator, although keeping track of Myr Propagator tokens is already a pain, this would be as well.
Now back to lands, I like the idea behind BlackBull's better, but I wish it just made a copy of target attacking creature blocking that creature. I understand what the extra stuff is supposed to do, but it detracts from the cool concept. brasil dude's Mishra's Factory variant is maybe printable though.
I have to vote up BlackBull's enchantment just because the Torpor Field probably causes too many broken rules interactions. Can you just infinitely sacrifice stuff with sac abilities? There should have been some more restrictions there. BlackBull's card reminds me of Planeswalker's Scorn but probably works better.
Finding yet another blue/black shapeshifter variant, but pulling it off pretty well, was the best part of BlackBull's creatures. The horror thing wasn't that exciting. brasil dude's guys had cool flavor, I just couldn't really understand what an artifact illusion would be.
I also liked brasil dude's spell for the flavor, except that I think it should be backwards based on the flavor - shouldn't it animate an artifact? It would be awesome if it gave the artifact the p/t of a dead or dying creature. I guess I can get how an artifact would turn into an artifact creature, although it wouldn't always work and it could enable some ridiculous plays. BlackBull's massive Recoil variant is pretty Commander-tastic.
The similar colors and themes make it a bit tough to call here, but I think I will give the slight edge to brasil dude. Great job guys, and thanks Asrama!
Pretty good showing guys, there is some interesting stuff here. I'll start with the biggest disappointment - the treasure we were all looking for was some janky mana artifacts? I would have much rather seen a Legacy Weapon type cool artifact, or if it has to make mana, at least something as good as Mox Opal. I think brasil dude's self-replicating Sol Ring is at least a little more impressive than the 7-cost mana generator, although keeping track of Myr Propagator tokens is already a pain, this would be as well.
Now back to lands, I like the idea behind BlackBull's better, but I wish it just made a copy of target attacking creature blocking that creature. I understand what the extra stuff is supposed to do, but it detracts from the cool concept. brasil dude's Mishra's Factory variant is maybe printable though.
I have to vote up BlackBull's enchantment just because the Torpor Field probably causes too many broken rules interactions. Can you just infinitely sacrifice stuff with sac abilities? There should have been some more restrictions there. BlackBull's card reminds me of Planeswalker's Scorn but probably works better.
Finding yet another blue/black shapeshifter variant, but pulling it off pretty well, was the best part of BlackBull's creatures. The horror thing wasn't that exciting. brasil dude's guys had cool flavor, I just couldn't really understand what an artifact illusion would be.
I also liked brasil dude's spell for the flavor, except that I think it should be backwards based on the flavor - shouldn't it animate an artifact? It would be awesome if it gave the artifact the p/t of a dead or dying creature. I guess I can get how an artifact would turn into an artifact creature, although it wouldn't always work and it could enable some ridiculous plays. BlackBull's massive Recoil variant is pretty Commander-tastic.
The similar colors and themes make it a bit tough to call here, but I think I will give the slight edge to brasil dude. Great job guys, and thanks Asrama!
In response: I'm not sure how you can consider my artifact jank. All you need is a Voltaic Key and an untapped land and you can go nuts. Furthermore, this exactly the type of treasure that would appeal flavorfully to my character, since he wants Etherium, and it fits in a few of my previous cards that count/sacrifice artifacts.
I hadn't thought of sacrifice effects on Torpor field, so good call.
As for an artifact illusion, there is precedent.
Although I think that turning artifacts into creatures would be cool, it wouldn't fit the challenge requirement that it was a last ditch effort to stay alive. To put it more flavorful terms, the card is the equivalent of a mind possessing the artifact, then mutating the artifact to acquire its original form. Sort of like if an Auriok became an Auriok Replica by possessing his weapon after death.
Pretty good showing guys, there is some interesting stuff here. I'll start with the biggest disappointment - the treasure we were all looking for was some janky mana artifacts? I would have much rather seen a Legacy Weapon type cool artifact, or if it has to make mana, at least something as good as Mox Opal. I think brasil dude's self-replicating Sol Ring is at least a little more impressive than the 7-cost mana generator, although keeping track of Myr Propagator tokens is already a pain, this would be as well.
Now back to lands, I like the idea behind BlackBull's better, but I wish it just made a copy of target attacking creature blocking that creature. I understand what the extra stuff is supposed to do, but it detracts from the cool concept. brasil dude's Mishra's Factory variant is maybe printable though.
I have to vote up BlackBull's enchantment just because the Torpor Field probably causes too many broken rules interactions. Can you just infinitely sacrifice stuff with sac abilities? There should have been some more restrictions there. BlackBull's card reminds me of Planeswalker's Scorn but probably works better.
Finding yet another blue/black shapeshifter variant, but pulling it off pretty well, was the best part of BlackBull's creatures. The horror thing wasn't that exciting. brasil dude's guys had cool flavor, I just couldn't really understand what an artifact illusion would be.
I also liked brasil dude's spell for the flavor, except that I think it should be backwards based on the flavor - shouldn't it animate an artifact? It would be awesome if it gave the artifact the p/t of a dead or dying creature. I guess I can get how an artifact would turn into an artifact creature, although it wouldn't always work and it could enable some ridiculous plays. BlackBull's massive Recoil variant is pretty Commander-tastic.
The similar colors and themes make it a bit tough to call here, but I think I will give the slight edge to brasil dude. Great job guys, and thanks Asrama!
Well, I have some words to share here too.
About the Legacy Weapon style treasure, I did thought about something like the followig, before Minaroo and after the Astral Chime that did not saw the light:
NAME 7
Legendary Artifact MR
When NAME leaves the battlefield, return all cards exiled with NAME to the battlefield under their owner's control.
T: Exile target permanent.
Then I remembered Legacy Weapon's existence and felt afraid of being considered unoriginal.
I'm just curious, but, after reading the points you made about each of our cards, I get the impression that you liked my stuff more than BDude's, or if you preffer, you disliked mine less than his. So why didn't you voted for me?
Unfortunately, I don't think Malicious Projection works as written. Damage can refer to "this way" because the destruction is instantaneous, but things are not put into the graveyard "this way" with -X/-X, they die the next time state-based effects are checked, so the lifegain ability will never activate. You probably should've gone with "if X is greater than that creature's toughness" or something.
I also think Blackbull's land is way too complicated (and overpowered in some cases). It should probably just make a Construct with equal p/t to the attacking creature. I like Skinwearer though.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"You live and learn. At any rate, you live." -Douglas Adams
Let me be clear that you both had some great ideas, I just always try to submit the finals to the fullest criticism that I can so people really know what was good and bad about their cards. Both of you made some printable cards and some that need a little tweaking, the vote probably came down to brasil_dude making, in my eyes, a set that painted a flavorful picture of his world. Sure it was Esper, but he brought a few new tricks, while I'm really not sure what Teod is feeling; wouldn't he at least have wanted some more stuff to get him gold counters? (I see that Arrogant Rebuttal does that.)
More individual comments-
I had tried searching for an Artifact Illusion, must have gotten the search wrong. I also concluded Mindshift worked pretty well, my riff was sort of a different direction.
I don't know if the other artifact would have been better, BlackBull, it's just kind of a faster Lux Cannon, but that is along the lines of what I was thinking. I was surprised that both of you made mana cards, I thought I was going to see unique game-altering artifacts.
To reconsider the treasure cards, both are powerful enough from a flavor perspective I guess, but neither seems like the kind of splashy marquee card that would make a set, again like any Mox or even the Mirari. If I had to change them, I would ditch the tokens on the Wellstone and have it function more like Tolarian Academy, giving you a mana per artifact. I would also like some explanation as to what a Minaroo is. In terms of power, compare Bloom Tender; is the added durability worth 5 more mana? Especially considering it is fairly hard to get all six, and it sort of wastes the card type gimmick by being unable to interact with instants and sorceries. Maybe using the graveyard for a Tarmogoyf stone would have worked better? I don't mean to suggest that all flashy rares should be tweaks on broken old cards, but it is a good way to grab attention, and it would feel like more of a payoff on the buildup to the treasure that we felt through the whole contest.
@GMom: That's fine. I had the feeling that mi cards weren't connected eough with my character since the first round. The thing is that he is a briber, so it is expectable to see him aquiring characters and/or things that doesn't belong to his enviroment. In one hand, that concept made my options wider, but in the other one, it meant a risk of the theme being considered "random." to be honest, I felt almost the time that it was going to be the second, but what could I've done? Had not much time to work around a more familiar theme for Teod, and the ability that was the main attraction of the set he was supposed to be part of ended being disliked by people (masterplan), so the whole gold counters thing turned into risky and usseless.
Let's see what happens. After all, I did bet to the individuals in the set i've presented, more than in the whole. My thought was: If the task is to make the best things that money can buy, why a human briber will want to buy... more things for being briber? Nah. In his place, I would have bought things that I can't get or make by myself. I'm pretty sure a rich necromancer will not buy a cemetery or a horde of zombies...
I'm afraid I have to leave for a trip, and I can't guarantee I'll have internet access very often. In any case, good luck to BlackBull, and see y'all later.
Okay, despite my best intentions, it seems like we have tie after all....
But wait! I have not yet cast my own vote, so that means I now hold the power to decide who win (enter evil laugh here)
What, you think it's this easy? Critiques first!
So, the land:
BlackBull tried to pull off something pretty complex, that more often than not serve as a sort of Maze of Ith only with the chance of killing an attacking creature here and there. It's incredibly powerful as land goes, I gotta say, and I think the cost for the ability should be higher. I do like the concept, though, but the complexity level too steep to make it printable. The regular fix (make the token block only the creature it copied) would help make it much more grokable.
Brasil_Dude's land is also powerful. Artifacts are not as innocent as elementals and other types of card who got such a narrow boost in the past, and the fact that it can still tap for one mana means there is little to no real downside - it's just not that narrow. Also, the whole thing feels like I've seen it before.
The enchantment:
BlackBull's Malicious Projection is a solid design, but somewhat uninspired. It's pretty much a black Knollspine Invocation. I agree that there is much room for development of that card's mechanics, but I was hoping for something more impressive than that. The rules problem, btw, can be fixed by having it say "if that creature would be put into the graveyard this turn".
On the other hand, Brasil_Dude's Torpor Field is downright insane, and also quite broken. This + Mog Fanatic = win game. And that's just one example. Every bloody sacrifice outlet is now completely broken. And you could probably get it running long before turn 6. It needs to cost double before even being considered remotely printable, and even then it's too dangerous. It just breaks too many rules, all at once.
The creatures:
Blackbull's pair are pretty strong in my eyes. Abyssal Monstrosity is a bit generic, but it fits the requirement pretty well, and it is sure to have an impact. Skinwearer is very nicely design, even though it screams to have the line "and gains this ability" at the end of it's text. the top down design works well here.
Brasil_Dude's Mirrordiver is also somewhat generic, to a point that it feels a bit wrong as a rare, even though it's powerful. It does fit the requirements though, and the flavour is creepy in a good way. Strand Weaver is a more complex Kulrath Knight that no one will play. There are more exciting things to do with -1/-1 counters.
The instants/sorceries:
Arrogant Rebuttal looks like it'll be a lot of fun to play, but I fear that sorcery speed is too slow to make it reliable. Also, at the point in the game when you can cast it, players will probably have zero or one cards in their hand, making their choice much less difficult.
Mindshift seems out of colour, and also very familiar. Not one of your strongest submissions I'm afraid.
The treasure:
I'm pretty disappointed in both of you here. I expected awesomeness. I expected to see cards that would represent the perfect treause in a fantasy world, and would impact the game profoundly. Legacy Weapon, Door to Nothingness, That Which Was Taken - all of those could be good examples for what I was looking for. I also understand that the challenge meant that you could make a card that would be a tier 1 competitive card, and I think that's what you tried to do, Brasil_Dude, but unfortunately, you also made it broken. You can get a huge amount of mana out of it really fast, since there is no tension between making a copy and tapping for mana. It's dangerous in Standard and Extended, and it's downright insane in Vintage. The copies should come into play tapped, at the very least. BlackBull's card is woefully weak and unimpressive. How did you go from controlling creatures to producing mana?
Overall:
It seemed to me that BlackBull had the more solid design, with cards I could see printed with only minor tweaks. Then again, Brasil_Dude's submission was more tightly connected to his avatar, had a much better flavour overall, and felt like it could all belong in one set. This is a very close call.
Press here, wait for the music, and if you still don't get it, click the spoiler below:
BlackBull! - Solidarity wins the race, and I feel you've done a better jobe of fulfilling the challenge requirements.
Wow. I'm not sure if I'm impressed because I made it, or because this finally ended (or both.) Seriously, As, thanks for giving me the chance to be part of the awesome theme that was November, and also for giving me not just a trophy, but a deep view of what I need to improve for the future.
You gave me a hard time, BDude! (even so, I should recognize that I felt a little -just a little- confident when I saw your enchantment and land entries in the poll. In the other hand, as Gerrard's Mom, Asrama, and surely other people said, you had a stronger connection in therms of flavor and interactivity, wich also made me feel insecure and vulnerable. This finals were extremely exciting.
Let's see what happens in Dec, and wich amazing stories are we going to live in the upcoming year.
I just want to say that I've been following this competition from afar, and even though I didn't get to play, it's definitely been a game that has been interesting to watch. I especially like the story Asmara came up with (very intriquing, LOVED the backstory on Mr. Teeth). Anyways, I will be jumping into the next CCL whenever it starts.
Anyways, I dont have time to critique all the cards, but I select a handful:
The conservatory is a little off-putting because it seems entirely too good. Have 2 or more of these things in play seems a bit too insane. The effect is original, but I would've liked to see the card as a legendary. Also, I like when designers create cards that reflect the personality of their avatar...but the conservatory didn't seem to reflect your avatar that much...
Liquidmetal coating: now this is a card that's exciting and fun, albeit err-ing the probably too powerful side (kiki-jiki effect on a land, wow). nevertheless, I really like the flavor of the card and how its executed on the card. Ditto on Malicious Projection. Just a really good defense card, something appropriate of an allpowerful master thief.
Arrogant Rebuttal's effect is interesting, but I don't really get how the whole "discard your hand effect" to stop you from drawing a bunch of cards works flavorfully. Works great in EDH and type 4, but it more or less seems like a mind spring + mind shatter all wrapped up with random bounce added.
Mindshift - I really like the concept behind this, but I don't like how you can only play artifact creatures from your graveyard. I would've been much happier if you had somehow worked in a regular creature to be reanimated (i know its tougher to balance, but still)...there aren't that many impressive artifact guys that you can put in your graveyard...
Minaroo - excellent job on creating the treasure. In the world Asmara created, this treasure is supposed to be equivalent in epicness to the Mirari, and I believe you did the myth of the greatest treasure justice. very interesting, and I would love to play this card in real life.
Moonwell - very original!! I like this one as well, perhaps even more than the last one, although I like colored mana more than colorless. But kudos on creating a replicating mana artifact card, I don't believe Ive seen such an effect before.
WINNER: A tough one. I really like Minaroo and Liquidmetal Stronghold, but I dont care to much for the others. On the other hand, I really dont like Argent Conservatory, but I really like the Wellstone and kind of like Mindshift and Torpor Field. I would've voted for....Blackbull
Thanks to Lanxal for the gorgeous banner!
Hello and welcome to final poll of the November CCL, where we will find out who has committed the perfect crime and got away with it.
Signups
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Semifinals
Finals
The players have been recruited by the mysterious Mr. Teeth to perform the perfect crime. They have been split into teams based on their skills and started preparing to steal the most valuable treasure in history. After many twists and turns, they players grew tired of being manipulated by Mr. Teeth, and decided to go ahead and steal the treasure on their own. Most didn't make it, but two got away with many, many riches. Now they can enjoy their spoils, but first they must make sure Mr. Teeth or the authorities won't get to them.
Our finalists were tasked with the mission of designing the various defenses and precautions their avatar will take to protect his new-found treasure, to the fallowing specifications:
One land card, being the avatar's new home, someplace where no one can attack them or do them harm
One enchantment card, the best magical defense money can buy, to protect the keep and ward people off.
Two creature cards, the guards to the treasure. Impossible to bribe and formidable.
A plan B, a failsafe, something that can be used if all other defenses fail, in the form of an instant or sorcery card.
In addition, the players were asked to design one artifact card, being the treasure itself (or at least the most valuable part of it), it had to of great worth and power, and desirable to anyone.
The finalists, both haling from the exotic continent of South America, are:
BlackBull
vs
Brasil_Dude101
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
The Study:
Argent Conservatory enters the battlefield tapped.
:symtap:: Add
:symtap:, Reveal an artifact card from your hand: Add two mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast artifact spells or activate abilities of artifacts.
The Protection:
If another permanent would leave the battlefield, it stays on the battlefield instead.
Whenever a player casts an instant or sorcery spell, counter that spell unless that player pays
"I'd prefer keeping things the way they are.""
The Servants:
Creatures with counters on them don't untap during their controller's untap step.
BB,T: Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
Should it ever desert its master, it's final order will be to bind itself.
2/3
Tap an untapped artifact you control: Exile Mirrordiver. Return it to play at the beginning of the next end step.
Tap two untapped artifacts you control: Mirrordiver is unblockable until end of turn.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Aren't you the greatest fiend of all?"
4/4
As an additional cost to cast Mindshift, exile an artifact you control.
Return target artifact creature card from your graveyard to play. It has haste.
"The day I ceased to be human was the day my mind was set free."
:symtap:: Add
,T: Put a copy of Etherium Wellstone into play.
It is the spring from which all artifice flows.
Let the voting commence!
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!
Anyway, I'd just like to thank Asrama for being an awesome host this cycle. Also, thank you to everyone who helped me make my first finals. G'luck BlackBull!
Now back to lands, I like the idea behind BlackBull's better, but I wish it just made a copy of target attacking creature blocking that creature. I understand what the extra stuff is supposed to do, but it detracts from the cool concept. brasil dude's Mishra's Factory variant is maybe printable though.
I have to vote up BlackBull's enchantment just because the Torpor Field probably causes too many broken rules interactions. Can you just infinitely sacrifice stuff with sac abilities? There should have been some more restrictions there. BlackBull's card reminds me of Planeswalker's Scorn but probably works better.
Finding yet another blue/black shapeshifter variant, but pulling it off pretty well, was the best part of BlackBull's creatures. The horror thing wasn't that exciting. brasil dude's guys had cool flavor, I just couldn't really understand what an artifact illusion would be.
I also liked brasil dude's spell for the flavor, except that I think it should be backwards based on the flavor - shouldn't it animate an artifact? It would be awesome if it gave the artifact the p/t of a dead or dying creature. I guess I can get how an artifact would turn into an artifact creature, although it wouldn't always work and it could enable some ridiculous plays. BlackBull's massive Recoil variant is pretty Commander-tastic.
The similar colors and themes make it a bit tough to call here, but I think I will give the slight edge to brasil dude. Great job guys, and thanks Asrama!
In response: I'm not sure how you can consider my artifact jank. All you need is a Voltaic Key and an untapped land and you can go nuts. Furthermore, this exactly the type of treasure that would appeal flavorfully to my character, since he wants Etherium, and it fits in a few of my previous cards that count/sacrifice artifacts.
I hadn't thought of sacrifice effects on Torpor field, so good call.
As for an artifact illusion, there is precedent.
Although I think that turning artifacts into creatures would be cool, it wouldn't fit the challenge requirement that it was a last ditch effort to stay alive. To put it more flavorful terms, the card is the equivalent of a mind possessing the artifact, then mutating the artifact to acquire its original form. Sort of like if an Auriok became an Auriok Replica by possessing his weapon after death.
About the Legacy Weapon style treasure, I did thought about something like the followig, before Minaroo and after the Astral Chime that did not saw the light:
NAME 7
Legendary Artifact MR
When NAME leaves the battlefield, return all cards exiled with NAME to the battlefield under their owner's control.
T: Exile target permanent.
Then I remembered Legacy Weapon's existence and felt afraid of being considered unoriginal.
I'm just curious, but, after reading the points you made about each of our cards, I get the impression that you liked my stuff more than BDude's, or if you preffer, you disliked mine less than his. So why didn't you voted for me?
I also think Blackbull's land is way too complicated (and overpowered in some cases). It should probably just make a Construct with equal p/t to the attacking creature. I like Skinwearer though.
More individual comments-
I had tried searching for an Artifact Illusion, must have gotten the search wrong. I also concluded Mindshift worked pretty well, my riff was sort of a different direction.
I don't know if the other artifact would have been better, BlackBull, it's just kind of a faster Lux Cannon, but that is along the lines of what I was thinking. I was surprised that both of you made mana cards, I thought I was going to see unique game-altering artifacts.
To reconsider the treasure cards, both are powerful enough from a flavor perspective I guess, but neither seems like the kind of splashy marquee card that would make a set, again like any Mox or even the Mirari. If I had to change them, I would ditch the tokens on the Wellstone and have it function more like Tolarian Academy, giving you a mana per artifact. I would also like some explanation as to what a Minaroo is. In terms of power, compare Bloom Tender; is the added durability worth 5 more mana? Especially considering it is fairly hard to get all six, and it sort of wastes the card type gimmick by being unable to interact with instants and sorceries. Maybe using the graveyard for a Tarmogoyf stone would have worked better? I don't mean to suggest that all flashy rares should be tweaks on broken old cards, but it is a good way to grab attention, and it would feel like more of a payoff on the buildup to the treasure that we felt through the whole contest.
@GMom: That's fine. I had the feeling that mi cards weren't connected eough with my character since the first round. The thing is that he is a briber, so it is expectable to see him aquiring characters and/or things that doesn't belong to his enviroment. In one hand, that concept made my options wider, but in the other one, it meant a risk of the theme being considered "random." to be honest, I felt almost the time that it was going to be the second, but what could I've done? Had not much time to work around a more familiar theme for Teod, and the ability that was the main attraction of the set he was supposed to be part of ended being disliked by people (masterplan), so the whole gold counters thing turned into risky and usseless.
Let's see what happens. After all, I did bet to the individuals in the set i've presented, more than in the whole. My thought was: If the task is to make the best things that money can buy, why a human briber will want to buy... more things for being briber? Nah. In his place, I would have bought things that I can't get or make by myself. I'm pretty sure a rich necromancer will not buy a cemetery or a horde of zombies...
Also, comments on the cards would be nice. GM can't be the only one who has something to say about them...
I'll post my vote and my comments later, so I can act as a tiebraker if needed.
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Oh, and merry christmas to everyone!
By the way, have a nice trip!
And post some critiques, too! the question of South-American supremacy is on the line here!
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But wait! I have not yet cast my own vote, so that means I now hold the power to decide who win (enter evil laugh here)
What, you think it's this easy? Critiques first!
So, the land:
BlackBull tried to pull off something pretty complex, that more often than not serve as a sort of Maze of Ith only with the chance of killing an attacking creature here and there. It's incredibly powerful as land goes, I gotta say, and I think the cost for the ability should be higher. I do like the concept, though, but the complexity level too steep to make it printable. The regular fix (make the token block only the creature it copied) would help make it much more grokable.
Brasil_Dude's land is also powerful. Artifacts are not as innocent as elementals and other types of card who got such a narrow boost in the past, and the fact that it can still tap for one mana means there is little to no real downside - it's just not that narrow. Also, the whole thing feels like I've seen it before.
The enchantment:
BlackBull's Malicious Projection is a solid design, but somewhat uninspired. It's pretty much a black Knollspine Invocation. I agree that there is much room for development of that card's mechanics, but I was hoping for something more impressive than that. The rules problem, btw, can be fixed by having it say "if that creature would be put into the graveyard this turn".
On the other hand, Brasil_Dude's Torpor Field is downright insane, and also quite broken. This + Mog Fanatic = win game. And that's just one example. Every bloody sacrifice outlet is now completely broken. And you could probably get it running long before turn 6. It needs to cost double before even being considered remotely printable, and even then it's too dangerous. It just breaks too many rules, all at once.
The creatures:
Blackbull's pair are pretty strong in my eyes. Abyssal Monstrosity is a bit generic, but it fits the requirement pretty well, and it is sure to have an impact. Skinwearer is very nicely design, even though it screams to have the line "and gains this ability" at the end of it's text. the top down design works well here.
Brasil_Dude's Mirrordiver is also somewhat generic, to a point that it feels a bit wrong as a rare, even though it's powerful. It does fit the requirements though, and the flavour is creepy in a good way. Strand Weaver is a more complex Kulrath Knight that no one will play. There are more exciting things to do with -1/-1 counters.
The instants/sorceries:
Arrogant Rebuttal looks like it'll be a lot of fun to play, but I fear that sorcery speed is too slow to make it reliable. Also, at the point in the game when you can cast it, players will probably have zero or one cards in their hand, making their choice much less difficult.
Mindshift seems out of colour, and also very familiar. Not one of your strongest submissions I'm afraid.
The treasure:
I'm pretty disappointed in both of you here. I expected awesomeness. I expected to see cards that would represent the perfect treause in a fantasy world, and would impact the game profoundly. Legacy Weapon, Door to Nothingness, That Which Was Taken - all of those could be good examples for what I was looking for. I also understand that the challenge meant that you could make a card that would be a tier 1 competitive card, and I think that's what you tried to do, Brasil_Dude, but unfortunately, you also made it broken. You can get a huge amount of mana out of it really fast, since there is no tension between making a copy and tapping for mana. It's dangerous in Standard and Extended, and it's downright insane in Vintage. The copies should come into play tapped, at the very least. BlackBull's card is woefully weak and unimpressive. How did you go from controlling creatures to producing mana?
Overall:
It seemed to me that BlackBull had the more solid design, with cards I could see printed with only minor tweaks. Then again, Brasil_Dude's submission was more tightly connected to his avatar, had a much better flavour overall, and felt like it could all belong in one set. This is a very close call.
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BlackBull! - Solidarity wins the race, and I feel you've done a better jobe of fulfilling the challenge requirements.
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You gave me a hard time, BDude! (even so, I should recognize that I felt a little -just a little- confident when I saw your enchantment and land entries in the poll. In the other hand, as Gerrard's Mom, Asrama, and surely other people said, you had a stronger connection in therms of flavor and interactivity, wich also made me feel insecure and vulnerable. This finals were extremely exciting.
Let's see what happens in Dec, and wich amazing stories are we going to live in the upcoming year.
BB.-
Congratz BB! I guess I'll just have to work harder next time.
Anyways, I dont have time to critique all the cards, but I select a handful:
The conservatory is a little off-putting because it seems entirely too good. Have 2 or more of these things in play seems a bit too insane. The effect is original, but I would've liked to see the card as a legendary. Also, I like when designers create cards that reflect the personality of their avatar...but the conservatory didn't seem to reflect your avatar that much...
Liquidmetal coating: now this is a card that's exciting and fun, albeit err-ing the probably too powerful side (kiki-jiki effect on a land, wow). nevertheless, I really like the flavor of the card and how its executed on the card. Ditto on Malicious Projection. Just a really good defense card, something appropriate of an allpowerful master thief.
Arrogant Rebuttal's effect is interesting, but I don't really get how the whole "discard your hand effect" to stop you from drawing a bunch of cards works flavorfully. Works great in EDH and type 4, but it more or less seems like a mind spring + mind shatter all wrapped up with random bounce added.
Mindshift - I really like the concept behind this, but I don't like how you can only play artifact creatures from your graveyard. I would've been much happier if you had somehow worked in a regular creature to be reanimated (i know its tougher to balance, but still)...there aren't that many impressive artifact guys that you can put in your graveyard...
Minaroo - excellent job on creating the treasure. In the world Asmara created, this treasure is supposed to be equivalent in epicness to the Mirari, and I believe you did the myth of the greatest treasure justice. very interesting, and I would love to play this card in real life.
Moonwell - very original!! I like this one as well, perhaps even more than the last one, although I like colored mana more than colorless. But kudos on creating a replicating mana artifact card, I don't believe Ive seen such an effect before.
WINNER: A tough one. I really like Minaroo and Liquidmetal Stronghold, but I dont care to much for the others. On the other hand, I really dont like Argent Conservatory, but I really like the Wellstone and kind of like Mindshift and Torpor Field. I would've voted for....Blackbull