Boros Counterstrategist
Creature - Human Soldier (r)
Flash
When Boros Counterstrategist enters the battlefield, you may switch the blocking creatures of two target attacking creatures.
3/4
Design - (3/3) Appeal: So Spike likes the power and value. Timmy/Tammy should get excited over this as well. So many creatures! Unstoppable! There isn't much for Johnny/Jenny to work with, but the card asks to be pushed beyond what it can do on its own with buffs and maybe some other copy effect to ensure it goes off eventually. (2/3) Elegance: Getting a copy is the big deal with the second ability. The drawing a card part kind of goes under and feels like a weird extra. Otherwise it's simple enough. I feel like there's not much point to the Hybrid quality of the card, when it's rather weak without having access to both colors. It just makes for an easier casting, but then you have a Hill Giant.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: All parts of the card fit well into either green or blue and the exclusive parts are behind a two-colored activation. Nice. A snowbally card like this does well at mythic. There's a small complexity issue when you have multiples of these on the board and have to remember which fly/trample and which don't. (3/3) Balance: 3/3 for 4 really isn't that concerning. I like how it takes an "upkeep" of 2 mana every time you want to attack efficiently and for every clone too. That's a nice safety valve.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a Giant Adephage variant, mixed with blue components. The most interesting new part is the "paywall". (3/3) Flavor: For a mythic I'd like a more epic flavortext, but a simic research note works too.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid Mana. Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Had to be on the edge with the flying, didn't you? Mana cost checks out.
Total: 22/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Johnny/Jenny might see an unconventional board wipe. I doubt Spike would care for something so unreliable. Timmy/Tammy likes Double Strike and the huge impact this promises. (2/3) Elegance: Very simple, easy to understand. Yet it works in rather strange ways. The "was attacking" clause makes it seem like it has to die "by combat", but really it just narrows the time frame when you can sacrifice or shock it. I'm pretty sure, when that effect goes off, it'll hardly ever be because of combat damage. You can even attack, deal the 4 damage to a player and then still sacrifice it afterwards, as it's still attacking.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: So, since you need either White or Black to cast this, I'd say the board wipe is always within color. Same goes for Double Strike with Red and White. You did a good job to have this always within the color pie, no matter the combination. That's quite the feat. I'm not so fond of hybrid costs like this. It makes it harder to tell if you can cast it with your current mana combination. But since you didn't mix it up too badly and they all contain white, it's really just a minor concern. (3/3) Balance: 4 mana for a 2/2 with double strike is much. 4 mana for a board wipe that can be countered by removal is okay'ish. The combination is a strange in-between. At any rate, it's not going to break anything.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: There's few cards that destroy the board on death. Even fewer probably that do something extra when they die during combat. Pretty neat. (2.5/3) Flavor: Should be "The Radga Legion strikes swift, true, and only once. Okay, twice. Maybe." I'm not sure how destroying all creatures fits into a legion, but he's quite the fighter. That's for sure.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: "was attacking" is not a thing in Magic. Could have tried something like "attacked this turn" or something about combat or combat damage. (2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid. Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly. IS fly.
Total: 21.5/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy loves the multiplayer interaction. Spike can see useful application for this, but it's not aggressively costed enough. There's some ways for Johnny/Jenny to get more out of this, but they are not terribly exciting. (3/3) Elegance: Easily understandable.
Development - (1/3) Viability: Removing lands like this is not something Magic does anymore. See the difference between Vindicate and Anguished Unmaking. Another thing Magic does differently these days is exiling until a card leaves the battlefield. It used to be Fiend Hunter, but that makes for weird interactions with the stack, where some cards actually stay exiled if done right. So now we are doing it like Banisher Priest instead. Other than that, white/black hybrid is good. Rare is also a good call. (2/3) Balance: 4 mana for a 3/3 body and then you don't even get to attack AND you have to pay 3 mana all over again just to use the effect that also has a downside? This could have done with some Vigilance and better costs.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: A card that removes cards for all players and then spills them on the board again seems like an obvious design and I'm surprised I can't think of a card that does that yet. Si I guess you happened to come upon that first, that's amazing. Nice design. (2/3) Flavor: The name is neat. Makes me miss some flavortext. The card seems to be doing something flavorful. Not quite sure what.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: Chooses "a" permanent. If you get to target them it doesn't work anymore. Return "all cards" (2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature. Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly and doesn't cost much, yet just enough.
Total: 19.5/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Commander players are probably looking for something else in their legendaries, but this could make for interesting Brawl shenanigans. Timmy/Tammy is not excited, Johnny/Jenny however is interested in the build around me quality of this. It's agressivly costed and has hinders the opponent in their gameplan, so Spike might be interested. (2/3) Elegance: It's a tad strange that it only works for other minions, but then also blinks itself. Also to return them tapped is unusal and thus unexpected. Pretty sure that's something people would forget about.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Sure, that's something either blue or white can do. However it seriously lacks the oomph Mythic Rares are supposed to come with. It's rather niche in it's application, so rare would have been the better pick I believe. (2/3) Balance: So, this is where I'm not sure. My first idea was for this to trigger effects that care about enchantments. But you very strongly rely on your opponent to help you out with that, because you really don't want to use your auras for that. There's probably some good abilities for this out there, but that's not something anyone but the most hardcore Johnnies/Jennies would try. Is this card strong enough to see play in Merfolk decks? It does make every other Merfolk hard to remove. But 2 mana 1/1? It just doesn't seem very usable. I feel like this card would just disappoint.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Blinking on getting targeted is rather unusual, but makes sense for once here. Doing it in this tandem kind of way is quite different as well. (3/3) Flavor: This just drips flavor. Probably still wet from swimming in the Nyx.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Missing a 'them' after the return. (2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature. (1/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly. However costs less than 3.
Total: 20.5/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Well, commander and brawl players would probably be all over this. Timmy/Tammy as well, being the social players they are. There's quite some deck building incentive going on as well. And oh boy the value, so Spike might like this as well. (3/3) Elegance: The symmetry works well here. Easily understood.
Development - (0.5/3) Viability: I'll go ahead and address this here: This needed a "starting with you" for choosing numbers. Without consulting the rules, the fewest players will know in which order players choose or if they all choose at the same time, openly or in secret. It's complicated. Otherwise, this has some impact, so Mythic is warranted. Black and white work well for this. Another thing is, that this sometimes brings back another copy of itself, then gets sacrificed, because legendary, then the trigger resolves and it brings itself back again, for an infinite loop. Pretty sure this needed to exile on death. (3/3) Balance: It has a strong build-around-me component. The fact that your opponent gets something out of this as well helps with balancing it. It's still rather stong, but hopefully not oppressivly.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: While Patriarch's Bidding is similar, this is by far the best execution of a symmetric effect that ends up affecting each player FOR each player involved. (2.5/3) Flavor: The flavortext seems to aim at a different story involvement than what is shown on the card itself. Is the returning the guilty, because it was injust to kill them? What does that have to do with Planeswalkers? There's more going on than what is seen on the card.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy might get a kick out of attacking with a 6/1 charge. Losing all that power after probably puts a damper on this though. Spike should enjoy a 2 mana 4 damage spell. Will Johnny/Jenny try to up the mana cost even further for the silliest lethal ever? Maybe. But then again, what won't they try? (3/3) Elegance: Very simple. Any non obvious realizations players come to later on only help to increase the fun.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Very red. Uncommon is a fine fit. (2/3) Balance: This could have done without the sacrifice part in the end. Now it's really just an unreliable 6 damage spell and might not make the cut in most decks. Getting a 2 mana 4/1 that's a 2/1 threat afterwards would have felt great.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: An old idea, realized in a cool new way. Players would probably still evaluate it with 'yet another Ball Lightning variant'. (3/3) Flavor: Very typical name for a card like this. Does well without flavortext, it's clear what's happening.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Different names for the card used: "Torch Runner" and "Torch Racer", as pointed out by Gerrard's Mom themselves. Fair play! (2/2) Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Cmc should be 4 last time I checked the rules. Flies on foot. Huh.
Total: 22.5/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny/Jenny are super excited about this. Spike might play this in the right format. (2/3) Elegance: Always having to have a creature exiled for this makes for some awkward gameplay, as it prevents some attacking for sure. It's also weird how it just dies if your opponent clears your board while you exiled this.
Development - (3/3) Viability: An uncommon build around my card in two colors. Very standard in that regard. Colors fit well with the abilities. (2/3) Balance: Having to champion a creature is still a drawback, even if this card mainly utilizes it to get additional etb triggers and in that light a 3 mana for a 1/2 just feels bad. This could have done with some better stats.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This makes clever use of the Champion mechanic for sure. (2.5/3) Flavor: The name is a great fit. Could have done with some flavortext.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: As a non-evergreen mechanic on an uncommon Champion needs reminder text. (2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature, check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: Johnny enjoys this design. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Flavour and mechanics make sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: This is a functional izzet hybrid design. I can imagine this being an uncommon. (3/3) Balance: If it's good enough to make it into tier decks I'm not sure. It being flexible, doing combat and/or bringing stuff back, is very nice though.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: This is a fresh combination of known concepts. Linking the return ability to its power, which again is linked to spells cast, builds up a nice managable complexity. (3/3) Flavor: The name fits the mechanics.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 1 satisfied!
Total: 21,5/25
Design .:. (2/3) Appeal: I think flash + trample = always Timmy. Johnny may like this as well, for the flexibility. Maybe pushed enough for Spike, in limited for sure. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Thanks to the image this thing even makes sense.
Development .:. (2,5/3) Viability: So, hybrid card should combine effects in a way that the card would work if it was of only either color. In this case I'd consider the trample a bend. For a non-blue, non-red creature this feels too small to get this effects. Flash and the cardlink ability are fine. (2,5/3) Balance: My first impression was that this card is too pushed for an uncommon. It is easier to cast than and has a stronger non-keyworded ability than [card]Horizon Chimera[/url]. You only need 1 damage to come through to draw a card. That plus it being an expensive combat trick might be too much. At least for limited. Besides EDH this is probably not a card for constructed.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: This is a fine combination of known abilities. The creature types are more interesting here. (3/3) Flavor: The idea if an ox serpent is silly, in a good way. Like the messed up simic creatures.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This might be interesting for Johnny. Others I don't really see. Might be a limited Spike card. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes almost sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity do fit. (3/3) Balance: The card is inherently balanced.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: This is a neat fresh design. (2/3) Flavor: I'm all in for reintroducing abandoned creature types, if they make sense. Here I see a warrior or soldier type creature, both by effect and artwork. Citizen seems off.
Polish .:. (2/3) Quality: Each activation condition needs its own "only", e.g. Dread Wanderer. Further it's "an opponent" in this case. "Your opponent" appears only if an already chosen opponent gets mentioned again, e.g. Fevered Visions; or "your opponents", if an effect affects more than just one opponent, e.g. Abyssal Persecutor. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 1 satisfied!
Total: 20/25
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: First strike + haste + conditional deathtouch, with a tendency to multiplayer, sounds like Timmy would like it. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (2,5/3) Viability: The rarity and the keyworded abilities fit. Though I see the conditional deathtouch as a bend for the red part of the card. (3/3) Balance: The power level is fine. In a legend heavy set this would be interesting, but not broken I think. Also EDH, obviously.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: A legend hoser in the vein of Tsabo Tavoc. (2/3) Flavor: "Plane" in flavor text is almost exclusively used for whole words. Because planeswalkers are the main focus of the story, it makes sense to not use this term in other contexts. In that regard I find it a tad bit confusing that this legendary creature is traveling through planes. I think nowadays we need a good explanation for a regular creature being able to walk the planes.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Design .:. (2/3) Appeal: A clear Timmy card. A 3 mana 5/5 with haste is also a clear Spike card. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Rarity and color are fine. (1/3) Balance: I think a 3 mana 5/5 with haste is pushed a lot. Steel Leaf Champion is already said to be pushed and I find haste considerably stronger than weenie evasion. 5 damage on turn 2 that doesn't go away at end of turn might be too much. The multicolor aspect seems fine. WUBRG for a tweaked Craterhoof Behemoth is acceptable.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: An interesting new take on Craterhoof Behemoth. (3/3) Flavor: I imagine a magnificent beast.
Polish .:. (1,5/3) Quality: There should be the creature's name where now stands "this creature". The upcoming wording update regards only things while they are cast, hence "this spell". The cases where "this creature" is used today don't apply here, e.g. Adorable Kitten, Werewolf Ransacker, Armor Sliver. Further a missing "the" between "X is" and "number of colors". Also 5 or more in this case is weird, there is no color beyond the fifth. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20/25
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This card screams shenanigans. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are fine. (3/3) Balance: This card is at least a combat trick and opens up a lot of combinations with ETB and LTB effects and more. This all without breaking anything I think.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: A tweaked Scapegoat on a stick feels weirdly fresh. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor makes sense.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: It's "its owner's hand". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Design .:. (2/3) Appeal: A nice Johnny card. Probably strong enough for Spike. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are fine. (3/3) Balance: For a rare I think the power level is fine. In limited it can be very strong, being a decently sized creature and a combat trick. I can see this in EDH, Standard and maybe even Modern? I'm thinking humans or other aggressive creature decks. All that while not being too strong.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: A fresh creature combat trick combi. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor makes sense.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: Rather archaic but it works. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny don't much care although Timmy might want it for Spider tribal. Spike likes a flash blocker in Limited, especially one that really changes up combat math. (3/3) Elegance: Elegant enough.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Uncommon seems okay; I wouldn't really want that many common creatures with flash in a particular Limited environment. All fine in green. Reach is currently red and forcing flying loss also is, but something is very off about a 2/4 flash creature in monored. (3/3) Balance: A good enough trick for Limited that would do nothing for most Constructed. Better than Giant Spider at the same CMC and an arguably more flexible cost, but ehh.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: A fairly generic card all-around - if a Core set wound up with hybrid mana this would fit there. (1.5/3) Flavor: Name is a bit on the nose and there could definitely be flavor text here, but nothing technically wrong and I like the idea of an Elemental Spider.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes creature-killing creatures, although this one is relatively low-impact. Johnny sees a candidate for pump and various combat tricks - Valor Made Real anyone? Spike likes cheap Limited removal that also can be put to other uses, being a small body and all. (2.5/3) Elegance: "Base power/toughness" is an inherently slightly inelegant notion, but all in all the card is pretty tightly made.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Being attacking creature kill with a slightly complicated wording, this is appropriate in both its colors and rarity. (3/3) Balance: Efficient, but nothing objectionable.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Ultimately just a variant of the ol' Loyal Sentry ability, but done in a unique way. (2.5/3) Flavor: While the name makes me think of Regis Philbin, the flavor text makes me excited to find out more about Nachia.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Fine. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (1/2) Subchallenges: No flying but CMC 2.
Total: 21.5/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy adores a beater that makes steadily more of itself. Johnny sees things to do with Omnath, Locus of Rage and the like. Spike loves a finisher with attached removal. (2/3) Elegance: A fairly wordy card with three abilities of increasing complexity, but the overall package is cohesive.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Both colors get haste, fighting, and some land animation, and an effect this scale should be mythic, especially for Limited purposes. (3/3) Balance: Strong, but relatively fragile at three toughness - I think five mana, three of it colored, should buy you this.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Sort of like the twisted love child of Cyclops Gladiator and Mirror-Sigil Sergeant - two effects with a lot of precedent, but combined uniquely. (2/3) Flavor: Sort of a generic name. Flavor text is missing but the card is wordy.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes cheap fat but not when it comes with a pretty significant drawback of not using any pump or removal. Johnny sees a bizarre card with lots of shenanigans possible. Spike sees a versatile creature that either gives his army pseudo-hexproof or is a 4/4 for 2. (1.5/3) Elegance: An extremely wordy card that's best understood as a modal card that either is a creature with a drawback or an "enchantment" forcing the drawback on an opponent.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: A definite rare that feels Phyrexian, and the effects are appropriate to both green and blue. However, should probably be an artifact based on all the other Phyrexian-mana-cost permanents. (2.5/3) Balance: While both the beater and "sleeper" modes of this card are very strong, both come with significant drawbacks and limitations.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: A truly strange card following in the Sleeper Agent tradition. (1.5/3) Flavor: The card doesn't fit what an "exarch" does in a New Phyrexia(?) context, and why devoid? Wish this referenced newts/sleepers.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: Creatures "can't" be the target of spells or abilities and the creature "can't" attack or block. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: Fine.
Development - (0.5/3) Viability: Rare is appropriate. However, hybrid mana is not - straight-up pinging rather than fighting, or using a different creature to deal damage equal to its power, is not green. It's probably not even black, except tertiarily. And the untapping is not at all black. This should be a red card. (2.5/3) Balance: Not really unfair on its own, but this card is ripe for abuse - there are definitely ways to go infinite with it.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Pretty much an inverse Goblin Sharpshooter, in the wrong colors. (2/3) Flavor: Rogue seems like the wrong creature type for this, and the combination of Gilt-Leaf (Lorwyn) with hybrid mana (Shadowmoor) feels wrong as well.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: No problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 20/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy obviously appreciates mass double strike. Johnny likes the notion of ability tribal but finds it all sort of overly linear and obvious as well. Spike sees something that's usually an effective 4/3 at worst. (2.5/3) Elegance: Granting an ability that makes another one redundant is a little inelegant, but all in all the card is very comprehensible.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity seem right for most contexts. (3/3) Balance: Scary in Limited but usually probably fine.
Creativity - (0.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm put in a difficult position here. It's not fair to assume every custom designer keeps up with all spoilers, especially when there was a leak, but this card has the exact text box of Kwende, Pride of Femeref. While I'm going to assume this was a stunningly coincidental parallel design, I still can't even award a full point here - even if Kwende did not exist, this would be an "obvious" design and extremely similar to older past cards, like Hearthfire Hobgoblin and Kinsbaile Cavalier. (2/3) Flavor: The name is very on the nose, as is the flavor text, but it's decent simple flavor.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny both love copying things, for different reasons, and Spike's Johnny tendencies are aroused by a card that's cheap and can do very powerful things with relatively simple interactions - Birthing Pod anyone? (2.5/3) Elegance: A wordy ability that's ultimately elegant.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Black copying abilities is unusual but when it works out to "counts as two sacrifices" it seems more or less fine. Rare is good. (3/3) Balance: Definitely seems like the "fun" kind of combotastic and not the "depressingly degenerate" kind.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: A really unique card, especially since activated/triggered ability copying has such little precedent. (2/3) Flavor: No flavor text and a generic name, yet still resonant flavor - those Dimir definitely know how to make the most out of their betrayals of their familiars.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Done. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Good. (1/2) Subchallenges: No flying, but CMC 2.
Total: 22/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy loves an efficient fatty that can pull double combat duty. Johnny has little use for a French vanilla beater usually. Spike loves this, especially in Limited - flexible mana cost and a scary board presence. (3/3) Elegance: Can't get much more elegant than two keywords.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: That is a clever mana cost. I would have made this uncommon but common isn't the worst thing in the world for it. (2.5/3) Balance: Pretty terrifying in Limited at common and playable enough in Constructed but I'd presume there were other similarly efficient four-color-hybrid commons in the same environment.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: While it's hard to call any French vanilla unique, these two keywords have never been used together yet, and the mana cost also makes this stand out. (3/3) Flavor: Great reference to Saskia the Unyielding and pretty good flavor text.
Creature - Human Soldier (r)
Flash
When Boros Counterstrategist enters the battlefield, you may switch the blocking creatures of two target attacking creatures.
3/4
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Gerrard's Mom
Kypster
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
(3/3) Appeal: So Spike likes the power and value. Timmy/Tammy should get excited over this as well. So many creatures! Unstoppable! There isn't much for Johnny/Jenny to work with, but the card asks to be pushed beyond what it can do on its own with buffs and maybe some other copy effect to ensure it goes off eventually.
(2/3) Elegance: Getting a copy is the big deal with the second ability. The drawing a card part kind of goes under and feels like a weird extra. Otherwise it's simple enough. I feel like there's not much point to the Hybrid quality of the card, when it's rather weak without having access to both colors. It just makes for an easier casting, but then you have a Hill Giant.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: All parts of the card fit well into either green or blue and the exclusive parts are behind a two-colored activation. Nice. A snowbally card like this does well at mythic. There's a small complexity issue when you have multiples of these on the board and have to remember which fly/trample and which don't.
(3/3) Balance: 3/3 for 4 really isn't that concerning. I like how it takes an "upkeep" of 2 mana every time you want to attack efficiently and for every clone too. That's a nice safety valve.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a Giant Adephage variant, mixed with blue components. The most interesting new part is the "paywall".
(3/3) Flavor: For a mythic I'd like a more epic flavortext, but a simic research note works too.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid Mana. Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Had to be on the edge with the flying, didn't you? Mana cost checks out.
Total: 22/25
(2/3) Appeal: Johnny/Jenny might see an unconventional board wipe. I doubt Spike would care for something so unreliable. Timmy/Tammy likes Double Strike and the huge impact this promises.
(2/3) Elegance: Very simple, easy to understand. Yet it works in rather strange ways. The "was attacking" clause makes it seem like it has to die "by combat", but really it just narrows the time frame when you can sacrifice or shock it. I'm pretty sure, when that effect goes off, it'll hardly ever be because of combat damage. You can even attack, deal the 4 damage to a player and then still sacrifice it afterwards, as it's still attacking.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: So, since you need either White or Black to cast this, I'd say the board wipe is always within color. Same goes for Double Strike with Red and White. You did a good job to have this always within the color pie, no matter the combination. That's quite the feat. I'm not so fond of hybrid costs like this. It makes it harder to tell if you can cast it with your current mana combination. But since you didn't mix it up too badly and they all contain white, it's really just a minor concern.
(3/3) Balance: 4 mana for a 2/2 with double strike is much. 4 mana for a board wipe that can be countered by removal is okay'ish. The combination is a strange in-between. At any rate, it's not going to break anything.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: There's few cards that destroy the board on death. Even fewer probably that do something extra when they die during combat. Pretty neat.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Should be "The Radga Legion strikes swift, true, and only once. Okay, twice. Maybe." I'm not sure how destroying all creatures fits into a legion, but he's quite the fighter. That's for sure.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "was attacking" is not a thing in Magic. Could have tried something like "attacked this turn" or something about combat or combat damage.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid. Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly. IS fly.
Total: 21.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy loves the multiplayer interaction. Spike can see useful application for this, but it's not aggressively costed enough. There's some ways for Johnny/Jenny to get more out of this, but they are not terribly exciting.
(3/3) Elegance: Easily understandable.
Development -
(1/3) Viability: Removing lands like this is not something Magic does anymore. See the difference between Vindicate and Anguished Unmaking. Another thing Magic does differently these days is exiling until a card leaves the battlefield. It used to be Fiend Hunter, but that makes for weird interactions with the stack, where some cards actually stay exiled if done right. So now we are doing it like Banisher Priest instead. Other than that, white/black hybrid is good. Rare is also a good call.
(2/3) Balance: 4 mana for a 3/3 body and then you don't even get to attack AND you have to pay 3 mana all over again just to use the effect that also has a downside? This could have done with some Vigilance and better costs.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: A card that removes cards for all players and then spills them on the board again seems like an obvious design and I'm surprised I can't think of a card that does that yet. Si I guess you happened to come upon that first, that's amazing. Nice design.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is neat. Makes me miss some flavortext. The card seems to be doing something flavorful. Not quite sure what.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Chooses "a" permanent. If you get to target them it doesn't work anymore. Return "all cards"
(2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature. Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly and doesn't cost much, yet just enough.
Total: 19.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Commander players are probably looking for something else in their legendaries, but this could make for interesting Brawl shenanigans. Timmy/Tammy is not excited, Johnny/Jenny however is interested in the build around me quality of this. It's agressivly costed and has hinders the opponent in their gameplan, so Spike might be interested.
(2/3) Elegance: It's a tad strange that it only works for other minions, but then also blinks itself. Also to return them tapped is unusal and thus unexpected. Pretty sure that's something people would forget about.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Sure, that's something either blue or white can do. However it seriously lacks the oomph Mythic Rares are supposed to come with. It's rather niche in it's application, so rare would have been the better pick I believe.
(2/3) Balance: So, this is where I'm not sure. My first idea was for this to trigger effects that care about enchantments. But you very strongly rely on your opponent to help you out with that, because you really don't want to use your auras for that. There's probably some good abilities for this out there, but that's not something anyone but the most hardcore Johnnies/Jennies would try. Is this card strong enough to see play in Merfolk decks? It does make every other Merfolk hard to remove. But 2 mana 1/1? It just doesn't seem very usable. I feel like this card would just disappoint.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Blinking on getting targeted is rather unusual, but makes sense for once here. Doing it in this tandem kind of way is quite different as well.
(3/3) Flavor: This just drips flavor. Probably still wet from swimming in the Nyx.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Missing a 'them' after the return.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Doesn't fly. However costs less than 3.
Total: 20.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Well, commander and brawl players would probably be all over this. Timmy/Tammy as well, being the social players they are. There's quite some deck building incentive going on as well. And oh boy the value, so Spike might like this as well.
(3/3) Elegance: The symmetry works well here. Easily understood.
Development -
(0.5/3) Viability: I'll go ahead and address this here: This needed a "starting with you" for choosing numbers. Without consulting the rules, the fewest players will know in which order players choose or if they all choose at the same time, openly or in secret. It's complicated. Otherwise, this has some impact, so Mythic is warranted. Black and white work well for this. Another thing is, that this sometimes brings back another copy of itself, then gets sacrificed, because legendary, then the trigger resolves and it brings itself back again, for an infinite loop. Pretty sure this needed to exile on death.
(3/3) Balance: It has a strong build-around-me component. The fact that your opponent gets something out of this as well helps with balancing it. It's still rather stong, but hopefully not oppressivly.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: While Patriarch's Bidding is similar, this is by far the best execution of a symmetric effect that ends up affecting each player FOR each player involved.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The flavortext seems to aim at a different story involvement than what is shown on the card itself. Is the returning the guilty, because it was injust to kill them? What does that have to do with Planeswalkers? There's more going on than what is seen on the card.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check, check.
Total: 22/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy might get a kick out of attacking with a 6/1 charge. Losing all that power after probably puts a damper on this though. Spike should enjoy a 2 mana 4 damage spell. Will Johnny/Jenny try to up the mana cost even further for the silliest lethal ever? Maybe. But then again, what won't they try?
(3/3) Elegance: Very simple. Any non obvious realizations players come to later on only help to increase the fun.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Very red. Uncommon is a fine fit.
(2/3) Balance: This could have done without the sacrifice part in the end. Now it's really just an unreliable 6 damage spell and might not make the cut in most decks. Getting a 2 mana 4/1 that's a 2/1 threat afterwards would have felt great.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: An old idea, realized in a cool new way. Players would probably still evaluate it with 'yet another Ball Lightning variant'.
(3/3) Flavor: Very typical name for a card like this. Does well without flavortext, it's clear what's happening.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Different names for the card used: "Torch Runner" and "Torch Racer", as pointed out by Gerrard's Mom themselves. Fair play!
(2/2) Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Cmc should be 4 last time I checked the rules. Flies on foot. Huh.
Total: 22.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny/Jenny are super excited about this. Spike might play this in the right format.
(2/3) Elegance: Always having to have a creature exiled for this makes for some awkward gameplay, as it prevents some attacking for sure. It's also weird how it just dies if your opponent clears your board while you exiled this.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: An uncommon build around my card in two colors. Very standard in that regard. Colors fit well with the abilities.
(2/3) Balance: Having to champion a creature is still a drawback, even if this card mainly utilizes it to get additional etb triggers and in that light a 3 mana for a 1/2 just feels bad. This could have done with some better stats.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This makes clever use of the Champion mechanic for sure.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name is a great fit. Could have done with some flavortext.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: As a non-evergreen mechanic on an uncommon Champion needs reminder text.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Hybrid creature, check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both.
Total: 21.5/25
21.5 Cardz5000
19.5 8buffalo
20.5 Subject16
22 netn10
22.5 Gerrard's Mom
21.5 Kypster
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
(1/3) Appeal: Johnny enjoys this design.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Flavour and mechanics make sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: This is a functional izzet hybrid design. I can imagine this being an uncommon.
(3/3) Balance: If it's good enough to make it into tier decks I'm not sure. It being flexible, doing combat and/or bringing stuff back, is very nice though.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: This is a fresh combination of known concepts. Linking the return ability to its power, which again is linked to spells cast, builds up a nice managable complexity.
(3/3) Flavor: The name fits the mechanics.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 1 satisfied!
Total: 21,5/25
(2/3) Appeal: I think flash + trample = always Timmy. Johnny may like this as well, for the flexibility. Maybe pushed enough for Spike, in limited for sure.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand. Thanks to the image this thing even makes sense.
Development .:.
(2,5/3) Viability: So, hybrid card should combine effects in a way that the card would work if it was of only either color. In this case I'd consider the trample a bend. For a non-blue, non-red creature this feels too small to get this effects. Flash and the cardlink ability are fine.
(2,5/3) Balance: My first impression was that this card is too pushed for an uncommon. It is easier to cast than and has a stronger non-keyworded ability than [card]Horizon Chimera[/url]. You only need 1 damage to come through to draw a card. That plus it being an expensive combat trick might be too much. At least for limited. Besides EDH this is probably not a card for constructed.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: This is a fine combination of known abilities. The creature types are more interesting here.
(3/3) Flavor: The idea if an ox serpent is silly, in a good way. Like the messed up simic creatures.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
(1/3) Appeal: This might be interesting for Johnny. Others I don't really see. Might be a limited Spike card.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes almost sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity do fit.
(3/3) Balance: The card is inherently balanced.
Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: This is a neat fresh design.
(2/3) Flavor: I'm all in for reintroducing abandoned creature types, if they make sense. Here I see a warrior or soldier type creature, both by effect and artwork. Citizen seems off.
Polish .:.
(2/3) Quality: Each activation condition needs its own "only", e.g. Dread Wanderer. Further it's "an opponent" in this case. "Your opponent" appears only if an already chosen opponent gets mentioned again, e.g. Fevered Visions; or "your opponents", if an effect affects more than just one opponent, e.g. Abyssal Persecutor.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 1 satisfied!
Total: 20/25
(1/3) Appeal: First strike + haste + conditional deathtouch, with a tendency to multiplayer, sounds like Timmy would like it.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(2,5/3) Viability: The rarity and the keyworded abilities fit. Though I see the conditional deathtouch as a bend for the red part of the card.
(3/3) Balance: The power level is fine. In a legend heavy set this would be interesting, but not broken I think. Also EDH, obviously.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: A legend hoser in the vein of Tsabo Tavoc.
(2/3) Flavor: "Plane" in flavor text is almost exclusively used for whole words. Because planeswalkers are the main focus of the story, it makes sense to not use this term in other contexts. In that regard I find it a tad bit confusing that this legendary creature is traveling through planes. I think nowadays we need a good explanation for a regular creature being able to walk the planes.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
(2/3) Appeal: A clear Timmy card. A 3 mana 5/5 with haste is also a clear Spike card.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Rarity and color are fine.
(1/3) Balance: I think a 3 mana 5/5 with haste is pushed a lot. Steel Leaf Champion is already said to be pushed and I find haste considerably stronger than weenie evasion. 5 damage on turn 2 that doesn't go away at end of turn might be too much. The multicolor aspect seems fine. WUBRG for a tweaked Craterhoof Behemoth is acceptable.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: An interesting new take on Craterhoof Behemoth.
(3/3) Flavor: I imagine a magnificent beast.
Polish .:.
(1,5/3) Quality: There should be the creature's name where now stands "this creature". The upcoming wording update regards only things while they are cast, hence "this spell". The cases where "this creature" is used today don't apply here, e.g. Adorable Kitten, Werewolf Ransacker, Armor Sliver. Further a missing "the" between "X is" and "number of colors". Also 5 or more in this case is weird, there is no color beyond the fifth.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20/25
(1/3) Appeal: This card screams shenanigans.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are fine.
(3/3) Balance: This card is at least a combat trick and opens up a lot of combinations with ETB and LTB effects and more. This all without breaking anything I think.
Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: A tweaked Scapegoat on a stick feels weirdly fresh.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor makes sense.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: It's "its owner's hand".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
(2/3) Appeal: A nice Johnny card. Probably strong enough for Spike.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity are fine.
(3/3) Balance: For a rare I think the power level is fine. In limited it can be very strong, being a decently sized creature and a combat trick. I can see this in EDH, Standard and maybe even Modern? I'm thinking humans or other aggressive creature decks. All that while not being too strong.
Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: A fresh creature combat trick combi.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor makes sense.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: Rather archaic but it works.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Main Challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 24/25
2. Marco - 22,5/25
2. IcariiFA - 22,5/25
3. Flatline - 21,5/25
4. |Katamari| - 21/25
5. mirrodin71 - 20/25
5. Forestguy - 20/25
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny don't much care although Timmy might want it for Spider tribal. Spike likes a flash blocker in Limited, especially one that really changes up combat math.
(3/3) Elegance: Elegant enough.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Uncommon seems okay; I wouldn't really want that many common creatures with flash in a particular Limited environment. All fine in green. Reach is currently red and forcing flying loss also is, but something is very off about a 2/4 flash creature in monored.
(3/3) Balance: A good enough trick for Limited that would do nothing for most Constructed. Better than Giant Spider at the same CMC and an arguably more flexible cost, but ehh.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: A fairly generic card all-around - if a Core set wound up with hybrid mana this would fit there.
(1.5/3) Flavor: Name is a bit on the nose and there could definitely be flavor text here, but nothing technically wrong and I like the idea of an Elemental Spider.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 19/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes creature-killing creatures, although this one is relatively low-impact. Johnny sees a candidate for pump and various combat tricks - Valor Made Real anyone? Spike likes cheap Limited removal that also can be put to other uses, being a small body and all.
(2.5/3) Elegance: "Base power/toughness" is an inherently slightly inelegant notion, but all in all the card is pretty tightly made.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Being attacking creature kill with a slightly complicated wording, this is appropriate in both its colors and rarity.
(3/3) Balance: Efficient, but nothing objectionable.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Ultimately just a variant of the ol' Loyal Sentry ability, but done in a unique way.
(2.5/3) Flavor: While the name makes me think of Regis Philbin, the flavor text makes me excited to find out more about Nachia.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges: No flying but CMC 2.
Total: 21.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy adores a beater that makes steadily more of itself. Johnny sees things to do with Omnath, Locus of Rage and the like. Spike loves a finisher with attached removal.
(2/3) Elegance: A fairly wordy card with three abilities of increasing complexity, but the overall package is cohesive.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Both colors get haste, fighting, and some land animation, and an effect this scale should be mythic, especially for Limited purposes.
(3/3) Balance: Strong, but relatively fragile at three toughness - I think five mana, three of it colored, should buy you this.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Sort of like the twisted love child of Cyclops Gladiator and Mirror-Sigil Sergeant - two effects with a lot of precedent, but combined uniquely.
(2/3) Flavor: Sort of a generic name. Flavor text is missing but the card is wordy.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "Rouser?"
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 22/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes cheap fat but not when it comes with a pretty significant drawback of not using any pump or removal. Johnny sees a bizarre card with lots of shenanigans possible. Spike sees a versatile creature that either gives his army pseudo-hexproof or is a 4/4 for 2.
(1.5/3) Elegance: An extremely wordy card that's best understood as a modal card that either is a creature with a drawback or an "enchantment" forcing the drawback on an opponent.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: A definite rare that feels Phyrexian, and the effects are appropriate to both green and blue. However, should probably be an artifact based on all the other Phyrexian-mana-cost permanents.
(2.5/3) Balance: While both the beater and "sleeper" modes of this card are very strong, both come with significant drawbacks and limitations.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: A truly strange card following in the Sleeper Agent tradition.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The card doesn't fit what an "exarch" does in a New Phyrexia(?) context, and why devoid? Wish this referenced newts/sleepers.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Creatures "can't" be the target of spells or abilities and the creature "can't" attack or block.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Fine.
Total: 19/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes massive damage output, Johnny likes infinite combo potential, Spikes likes repeatable removal.
(3/3) Elegance: Straightforward effect.
Development -
(0.5/3) Viability: Rare is appropriate. However, hybrid mana is not - straight-up pinging rather than fighting, or using a different creature to deal damage equal to its power, is not green. It's probably not even black, except tertiarily. And the untapping is not at all black. This should be a red card.
(2.5/3) Balance: Not really unfair on its own, but this card is ripe for abuse - there are definitely ways to go infinite with it.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Pretty much an inverse Goblin Sharpshooter, in the wrong colors.
(2/3) Flavor: Rogue seems like the wrong creature type for this, and the combination of Gilt-Leaf (Lorwyn) with hybrid mana (Shadowmoor) feels wrong as well.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 20/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy obviously appreciates mass double strike. Johnny likes the notion of ability tribal but finds it all sort of overly linear and obvious as well. Spike sees something that's usually an effective 4/3 at worst.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Granting an ability that makes another one redundant is a little inelegant, but all in all the card is very comprehensible.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity seem right for most contexts.
(3/3) Balance: Scary in Limited but usually probably fine.
Creativity -
(0.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm put in a difficult position here. It's not fair to assume every custom designer keeps up with all spoilers, especially when there was a leak, but this card has the exact text box of Kwende, Pride of Femeref. While I'm going to assume this was a stunningly coincidental parallel design, I still can't even award a full point here - even if Kwende did not exist, this would be an "obvious" design and extremely similar to older past cards, like Hearthfire Hobgoblin and Kinsbaile Cavalier.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is very on the nose, as is the flavor text, but it's decent simple flavor.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
(2/2) *Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 20.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny both love copying things, for different reasons, and Spike's Johnny tendencies are aroused by a card that's cheap and can do very powerful things with relatively simple interactions - Birthing Pod anyone?
(2.5/3) Elegance: A wordy ability that's ultimately elegant.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Black copying abilities is unusual but when it works out to "counts as two sacrifices" it seems more or less fine. Rare is good.
(3/3) Balance: Definitely seems like the "fun" kind of combotastic and not the "depressingly degenerate" kind.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: A really unique card, especially since activated/triggered ability copying has such little precedent.
(2/3) Flavor: No flavor text and a generic name, yet still resonant flavor - those Dimir definitely know how to make the most out of their betrayals of their familiars.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Done.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(1/2) Subchallenges: No flying, but CMC 2.
Total: 22/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy loves an efficient fatty that can pull double combat duty. Johnny has little use for a French vanilla beater usually. Spike loves this, especially in Limited - flexible mana cost and a scary board presence.
(3/3) Elegance: Can't get much more elegant than two keywords.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: That is a clever mana cost. I would have made this uncommon but common isn't the worst thing in the world for it.
(2.5/3) Balance: Pretty terrifying in Limited at common and playable enough in Constructed but I'd presume there were other similarly efficient four-color-hybrid commons in the same environment.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: While it's hard to call any French vanilla unique, these two keywords have never been used together yet, and the mana cost also makes this stand out.
(3/3) Flavor: Great reference to Saskia the Unyielding and pretty good flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 22/25
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝