Month's Theme — I have always felt that Wizards could open up a lot of design space, and fix some oddly flavored designs by overhauling the way they describe creatures. This month's challenges focus on the ideas I've had about different ways to describe creatures more thoroughly. Some of the challenges are pretty out there, but hopefully people will find them to be a fun exercise.
I've always thought it might be interesting for Wizards to begin to differentiate between race and class on creature cards. A simple way to do this would be to add a forward slash between the creature's race(s) and class(es). There would be a space before and after the slash. All creature types before the slash are the creature's race(s), and all creature types after the slash are the creature's class(es). So Coiling Oracle's type line would now look like this:
Creature — Snake Elf / Druid. Civic Wayfinder's type line would look like this: Creature — Elf / Warrior Druid.
Main Challenge: Design a card that cares about race, but does not name a specific race in it rules text. If you design a creature card, its type line must have a forward slash between the creature's race(s) and class(es) as I've laid out above. Subchallenge 1: Your card has a converted mana cost of 3 or more. Subchallenge 2: Your card is a common or uncommon.
If you have questions about the challenge, please post in the MCC discussion thread. Best of luck!
Design Deadline: All submissions are to be final and submitted by May 7th 11:59 PM EST
Judging Deadline: All judgements are to be final and completed by May 10th 11:59 PM EST
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
A reminder to everyone: In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Korider, Trainer of the Many2W
Legendary Creature - Human / Knight (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature with only a class and no race enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier. "Today, you are nothing. Tomorrow, poets will write songs about you, for I will shape your destiny."
2/2
First Blood2R
Enchantment {U}
Whenever the first creature enters the battlefield under your control each turn, it gains haste until and gets +1/+0 for each creature you control that shares a race with it until end of turn. The valley echoed with rallying cries, celebrating a young Keldon’s first kill.
Chieftain's Axe3
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has trample
You may equip creatures that share a race with equipped creature anytime you could cast an instant.
Equip 3
Enthusiastic Collector2B
Creature - Human / Rogue (U) 3BB: Exile target creature an opponent controls if it doesn't share a race with a creature card exiled with Enthusiastic Collector.
When Enthusiastic Collector leaves the battlefield, return all creature cards exiled with it to the battlefield under their owner's control.
2/2 No, no, I already have a goblin. Where's that angel you keep promising me?
Harmonic Familiar4
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
As Harmonic Familiar enters the battlefield, you may reveal any number of other creature cards that all share a race with each other from you hand. Harmonic Familiar gets a +1/+1 counter for each creature revealed this way. Its strength reflects the strength of a people.
2/2
Half-Breed’s Halberd3
Artifact - Equipment [U]
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each of its race types.
Equip 1 “I’m a child of two worlds. To reject one heritage is to deny who I truly am.”
—Gebrin Half-Blood
Pass Down2GW
Instant [Uncommon]
Remove an aura or equipment from target creature you control. Attach that aura or equipment to another creature you control that shares a race with it.
"This blade belonged to your father. Use it in his honor."
—Gawain, to young Garaff
Role Model1WW
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Creatures you control that share a race with enchanted creature get +1/+1. True strenght lies in what you inspire in others.
Biodiversity3GG
Duplic Enchantment (R)
When Biodiversity enters the battlefield, draw a card for each creature race among creatures you control.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield. (A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
// Biosolidarity3WW
Duplic Enchantment (R)
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control that share a creature race with it.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield. (A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
Ancestral Roots3G
Sorcery {R}
Search your library for a creature card that shares a race with a creature you control, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. If you control a number of creatures of that race greater than or equal to that card's converted mana cost, you may put it onto the battlefield instead.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Genocide 2BB
Sorcery {U}
Target player sacrifices a creature. If that player controls a creature card that shares a race with the sacrificed creature, repeat this process. You and your kin will be eradicated.
Linage’s Proyect4
Legendary Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep create a 2/1 colorless creature token, its creature type is the creature type with highest amount among creatures you control”.
If no control a creature, the token no has type, like morph creatures
If there are multiple creatures tied for creature type, the tokens is all of that types.
Raza Firebrand 3RR
Creature - Elemental / Soldier (U)
Whenever Raza Firebrand attacks, gain control of target creature with no class until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn and is a Soldier this turn in addition to its race. Show anyone a worthy enough captain, and they'll take up arms to follow.
3/2
Nature or Nurture?4(G/U)(G/U)
Sorcery (Uncommon)
If G was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's race types
If U was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's class types "Even a goblin doesn't need 6 years of Gene Engineering school to tell that a waspcrab is stronger with nodorog arms". - Dr. Blaag, Experiment Kraj research notes
Persecution3W
Enchantment (U)
When Persecution enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Persecution leaves the battlefield.
Creatures your opponent control that share a race with the exiled creature enter the battlefield tapped.
The entry portion of round 1 is now closed. The judging assignments are below. I included Antiantiserum's name among the contestants, although he hasn't actually entered a card. Since Anti was unceremoniously removed as a judge due to lack of contestants, I've offered him/her a 24 hr extension to get a card in if he/she so chooses. It seems like the least I could do. For the rest of you, judgment day has arrived.....
Flatline -
Jimmy Groove
BlackWaltz3
The Hittite
Antianitserum
Hemlock
Freyleyes
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
I was worried I wasn't able to make it within the deadline, but I was also used having eight or nine cards to judge in round 1. Having only six definitely helped me not only making it on time, but a day in advance. Now I feel much more confident I won't miss future deadlines, though I am sorry to see that participation has declined in the few months I was less active. Anyway, here we go!
Clarificaton needed, please: Do creature cards need to have a race and a class to satisfy the main challenge?
No, a single creature type is ok. If the creature does have a race and a class, it should be formatted as I laid out in the thread.
As long as we're on the subject of my unique formatting requirement, I'd like to advise the judges to judge the unique formatting requirement in the quality section of the rubric. As it would be if it were real formatting. I know I have the formatting requirement as part of the main challenge, but I certainly don't wan't to see anyone disqualified for making a mistake on a made up card format.
On a similar topic, there are several cards that currently care about creature type in general, but not race specifically (as the challenge asks for). Although I feel like these cards should fail the main challenge, I realize that I made the main challenge a bit too ambiguous on this front, so I am recommending that the judges pass these cards, but reduce the main challenge score for not following the spirit of the challenge. While caring about creature type is technically caring about race type, I think it is clear enough that I was asking for the card to care specifically about race. Otherwise, why bother with separating race from class in the first place?
Linage’s Proyect4
Legendary Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep create a 2/1 colorless creature token, its creature type is the creature type with highest amount among creatures you control”.
If no control a creature, the token no has type, like morph creatures
If there are multiple creatures tied for creature type, the tokens is all of that types.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Not a card for Timmy. Johnny can use the tokens in many ways and the idea of manipulating the creature types of the tokens highly appeals to him. Spike likes the effect in a vacuum, but then looks at the mana cost and is turned down. For four mana he would like at least the tokens to have evasion. There are much better options for him for competitive play. Overall, this looks like a Johnny card and he should be satisfied. (0.5/3) Elegance - You pointed out potential ambiguities yourself in your FAQs. Too bad you're not supposed to include any notes in your sumbissions in the MCC. I was worried myself with pointing out I was applying the Dominaria wording changes in one of my submissions last month, but in the end everything went fine. This is much more than that though, and that spoiler should definitely not have been there. About the points mentioned in the FAQ spoiler, the first one should just probably be reminder text on the card, but the second one should have been part of the rules text for certain. There are many cards that count things on the battlefield and need to tell you explicitly in the rules text what happens on a tie. This impacts here because just the simple fact that you felt like a clarification spoiler for your card was needed means it can be ambiguous. Also, I see potential memory issues with keeping track of the creature type of each token, especially when you have more than one of them. I like the fact that when the first token enters the battlefield it increases the number of creatures with its types, so it's more probable that the second token too will have the same types, but I would still like a way to track the creature types of each token. Finally, the tokens not having square stats is not the best of elegance.
Development (2/3) Viability - I have no problems with a colorless artifact creating creature tokens. I'm torn between this effect being uncommon or rare in a vacuum. Complexity pushes it towards rare, but the high mana cost towards uncommon. I'm honestly not sure. (2/3) Balance - I think this is playable in limited, especially because it's a repeatable source of creature tokens that you can play regardless of which colors you're in, but in constructed there are much better options, in Modern and beyond for sure, but I think the mana cost is a bit high for Standard too. I don't see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (2/3) Uniqueness - Repeated token creation is nothing new (cards like Bitterblossom come to mind), but at least this is an original twist on it. (1.5/3) Flavor - I'm not really sure about what the card name is supposed to be exactly (see Quality), but anyway a genetic experiment theme does fit nicely with the card mechanics. MSE confirms me that there is plenty of room for flavor text, so its absence is a problem here.
Polish (0/3) Quality - I'm pretty sure the name is supposed to be "Project" with a "j" instead of the "y" (-0.5). Not sure though if "Linage" is supposed to be "Lineage" with an extra "e", which would make a lot of sense given the theme of a card, but maybe Linage is a character's name, so I'm not deducting any point for that. A comma is missing after "at the beginning of your upkeep", which is both a well-known fact and a functional mistake (there is no longer any separation between trigger and effect), so worth of -1. There is an extra quotation mark at the end of the rules text, I guess it's a leftover from a previous version of the ability's wording (-0,5). I really feel like the part starting with "its creature type" would be its own sentence (-0.5). There's no way "with highest amount" is acceptable wording. All precedents in this regard are about color (the first result in Gatherer is Barrin's Unmaking, but there are a few more throughout Magic's history), but I really feel this effect would be worded in the same way: "the most common creature type among creatures you control" (it would be -1 for serious mistake, but we have already reached zero here anyway). (1/2) Main Challenge - This card cares about creature type, but not race specifically. That deserves a deduction here as per Flatline's clarification (-1). (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 13/25
Korider, Trainer of the Many2WW
Legendary Creature - Human / Knight (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature with only a class and no race enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier. "Today, you are nothing. Tomorrow, poets will write songs about you, for I will shape your destiny."
3/3 Design (2.5/3) Appeal - An ability that makes creatures grow on a relevant body is something Timmy certainly appreciates. Johnny has a nice deckbuilding challenge. The Johnny/Spike hybrid in particular is the one who will try to build his deck to maximize the triggered ability. Johnny can also exploit the granted Soldier creature type. Non-Johnny Spikes see just an ordinary creature, there are worse ones but also better ones. (2.5/3) Elegance - A potential ambiguity with "it" in "put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier": what is "it" that gets the counter and becomes a Soldier, the creature that just entered the battlefield or Korider themselves? (See, I'm applying the Dominaria wording changes to my judgments too! Not knowing what gender Korider is supposed to be, I used the singular they!) It's pretty obvious that the answer is the former, and that's very intuitive so the point deduction is small, but the potential for ambiguity is still there. Also, I really like the +1/+1 counter as a memory aid to remind you that the creature that entered is now a Soldier instead of the classes it would naturally have. As a Melvin, I'm a sucker for details like this.
Development (3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie. The effect without the "only a class" restriction feels rare in a vacuum to me, but with it, uncommon is probably fine. Under ordinary conditions, there are not a lot of creatures that trigger this ability after all. (2.5/3) Balance - I feel like the playability of this card, in both limited and constructed, heavily depends on the amount of class-only creatures in the environment. That obviously gets bigger going from limited to Standard to Modern to Eternal formats. The interesting fact, in my opinion, is that this can make this card more playable in bigger formats, while usually it's the opposite: a card normally gets less playable when rotating out of Standard, for example. Regardless, I think you'd still play this in limited if you get it and you are in white. It can also generate very interesting decks in casual, turning creatures into Soldiers and then exploiting Soldier tribal synergies. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity (3/3) Uniqueness - Checking for creatures that have only a class and no race feels very original to me. (3/3) Flavor - Perfect. Name, type line, mechanics, flavor text, it all checks out and contributes to make this card feel whole.
Polish (3/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel this is realistic enough. (1.5/2) Main Challenge - This card cares more about class than race. The only thing it cares about is whether the creature entering the battlefield has a race or not. Also, the fact that the creature type it sets is a class rather than a race makes the card feel more about class than race too. Race still matters, but only tangentially. For these reasons, I feel like a slight deduction is needed here, even though less than it would be if it cared about creature type in general. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 23/25
Nature or Nurture?4(G/U)(G/U)
Sorcery (Uncommon)
If G was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's race types
If U was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's class types "Even a goblin doesn't need 6 years of Gene Engineering school to tell that a waspcrab is stronger with nodorog arms". - Dr. Blaag, Experiment Kraj research notes
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Growing creatures is something Timmy definitely likes. Johnny can manipulate creature types and/or mana color. Spike likes the effects in a vacuum but is turned down by the high mana cost. (3/3) Elegance - The abilities are very clear and the symmetry between them is very nice.
Development (1.5/3) Viability - No problems with this effect in green, but I do have problems with this effect in blue. Blue can manipulate creature types without any problem, both adding and changing them, but it doesn't grow creatures. "Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control" is not a blue sentence in any way, regardless of what the effect is based on. Rarity feels acceptable to me, putting two (on average) +1/+1 counters on all your creatures is a big effect, but for six mana and with a restriction on the color of mana I feel like it can be uncommon. (2/3) Balance - This card reminds me a lot of Strength of the Pack and I expect its playability to be quite similar, seeing play in limited only. I don't see this in competitive constructed, maybe casual. I see no problems with this card in multiplayer formats.
Creativity (2.5/3) Uniqueness - Anthem effects with +1/+1 counters are nothing new, but having it tied to the number of races and classes feels original enough. Also, you don't often see this kind of effect in blue. (1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good, even though it's a bit archetypical (nature vs nurture is the typical expression of the green-blue conflict) and I'm not sure how much I like the question mark in it (I'll talk more about it in Quality). I like the flavor text quite a lot, but unfortunately MSE shows me that it's a bit too long to fit completely even in the expanded text box of the M15 card frame. It should be a least one line less.
Polish (0/3) Quality - The only card ever printed with a question mark in its name is Question Elemental? and it's a silver-border card. It was just a joke, not a real card ("real" meaning "printed in black border", Unstable managed to change my mind on silver-border cards not counting as real Magic cards). Several cards with an exclamation point in their name do exist in black border though, and if that is allowed a question mark should be too, despite how strange it looks. So I'm not deducting points for that. I am though because you either use the question mark in all instances of the name on the card or you remove it from the name, here you put it in the card name but not in the two instances of it in the rules text (two times -0.5, one time for each instance). In both sentences of rules text, a period is missing at the end (also -0.5 for each instance) and "it's" should be "its" without apostrophe as it's a possessive adjective and not a verb (I'd give -1 for serious mistake for each instance if we weren't already at zero here). In the flavor text, I really feel like 6 would be written out as "six" in a real printing, but as I'm not sure I'm not deducting anything for that. Also in the flavor text, the attribution should be in its own line, with an em dash instead of a hyphen and with no space between said dash and the name of the character (it would be an additional -0.5 but we're already at zero). Finally, either commas are missing between the "if" clauses and their respective effect (see Cankerous Thirst) or the "if" clauses should come afterwards (see Invert the Skies for an example in this card's same colors). Again, it would be two times -0.5, but guess what? We're already at zero. I'm sorry. (2/2) Main Challenge - This card certainly cares about race. It also cares about class, but that isn't forbidden by the main challenge. The focus of the card is on race and class equally, it's not like class matters more than race here, they matter in the same way, so I don't feel like any deduction is needed here. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 17/25
Persecution3W
Enchantment (U)
When Persecution enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Persecution leaves the battlefield.
Creatures your opponent control that share a race with the exiled creature enter the battlefield tapped.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this card if he's the one who plays it, because of how it can affect the battlefield, but he hates this being played against his tribal decks. I don't see much for Johnny here, maybe he can somehow manipulate the creature types of the exiled creature somehow, but that feels like a stretch to me. Spike absolutely loves this card as double removal: it gets rid of a creature while also hindering other opposing creatures. (3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie and rarity feels good to me. (3/3) Balance - Banishing Light costs three mana. Charging one mana more for an additional tap effect looks very reasonable to me. This card could very easily be a first pick in limited in my opinion, and I can also see it seeing some Standard play. Bigger formats have better options though, but it's not a problem. That's true of most cards. I see no praticular problems in casual or multiplayer (once the plural is added to affect all opponents, see Quality).
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - O-Ring effects are a known part of Magic by now. This is a nice twist on it, but nothing more. (2.5/3) Flavor - The name is so good that I had to check Gatherer to make sure it didn't exist yet. Turns out it actually doesn't. I'm amazed whenever we can still find nice single-word card names that haven't been used yet despite the game having been around for 25 years. The name also makes a lot of sense with the mechanics, and the flavor of the card feels whole even without flavor text. MSE also shows me the text box is nicely filled already by the rules text alone, but one line of flavor text can still fit. Not a big problem.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel very confident that this would be the exact wording this card would be printed with if the change we're adopting in this round were real. Only one minor thing: to account for multiplayer, the second ability should say "opponents" (plural) rather than "opponent" (-0.5). (2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Changing of the Guard2W
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may return another target creature you control that shares a race with it to its owner's hand. The thoughtweft makes the clachan's guard duty run like clockwork.
Design (2/3) Appeal - I don't see much for Timmy here. Johnny loves this card, there are so many tricks he can do with it. Spike may also like this effect, but I don't see him getting too excited. (3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development (2.5/3) Viability - The "you control" in "return target creature you control" is what makes this card white, so no problems with the color pie.This card feels more like a rare than an uncommon to me, probably because of the high combo potential, but maybe sharing a race is high enough of a restriction for this to be uncommon. It probably is, as it's not so obvious outside of tribal decks. (2/3) Balance - Cloudstone Curio costs 3 and affects all non-artifact permanents. This is technically worse, both harder to cast and affecting only a subset of creatures, but I think the mana cost being in the same range is right. I wouldn't want this effect to cost too much less. Playable only if you have a way to reliably take advantage of the effect and that's true in any format. That won't happen very often. Tribal decks being viable in the format obviously increase the playability of this card, and there are plenty of those, especially in casual. This only affects you, so there are no problems in multiplayer formats.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - This immediately reminded me of Cloudstone Curio as I read it (maybe because I played a lot of the Elfball Modern deck that used to play that card when Glimpse of Nature was banned), as I'm sure that's not the only card similar to this that already exists. The race requirement is a nice novelty touch though. (3/3) Flavor - I'll be honest: I absolutely love the flavor of this card. It's not just because of personal preference, even though Lorwyn is one of my favorite blocks of all time both mechanically and as a setting and I liked its execution of the tribal theme much better than how Ixalan did it, but because of how much sense the concept of the thoughtweft makes with the mechanics of the card. Very good job!
Polish (3/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel very confident that this would be the exact wording this card would be printed with if the change we're adopting in this round were real. (2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21/25
Ancestral Roots3G
Sorcery {R}
Search your library for a creature card that shares a race with a creature you control, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. If you control a number of creatures of that race greater than or equal to that card's converted mana cost, you may put it onto the battlefield instead.
Design (3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes both creature tutors and tribal decks, and this card is a very nice meeting point. Johnny can use this to search for a creature that's part of a combo or something like that. Both Johnny and Spike can also search for the specific creature they need in the particular situation they're in. (2/3) Elegance - Wordy and a little strange in comparing a number of creatures to a CMC, but otherwise fine.
Development (3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie. Creature tutors nowadays tend to be rare, so I believe that rarity is also right and that you did the right thing by ignoring subchallenge 2. You're taking here the point you gave up and more. (1.5/3) Balance - I think this card might have costed a little less mana. You need to control a creature, have a creature that shares a race with it, and you only put the creature you looked for on the battlefield if you control not just one creature of that race but many. I honestly see this as playable only in tribal environments. If tribal strategies aren't viable in the format, the restrictions are just too much in my opinion. That's true in both limited and constructed. Tribal decks are more abundant in casual, outside of tribal sets like Ixalan or Lorwyn, so I actually expect this cards to see more play there. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - Many similar cards already exist, both creature tutors and cards that put creatures from your library onto the battlefield. The race requirement is a nice novelty touch though. (2.5/3) Flavor - The name is good and makes sense both in green and with the card mechanics. I wish there were even just a line of flavor text, but you're right that the text box is already crowded enough as is, as MSE shows me, so it's not a big problem.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel this is realistic enough. The only thing I'm sure about is that at the end it wouldn't just say "instead", but "instead of putting it into your hand" (see Caravan Vigil for example, -0.5). (2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here. (1/2) Subchallenges - Costs more than three, but it's not common or uncommon.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Culling Demon3BBB Creature — Demon (Rare)
Flying
When Culling Demon enters the battlefield or attacks, choose a creature of each race type but Demon, then destroy those creatures. Culling Demon deals X damage to you, where X is 6 minus the number of creatures destroyed this way.
6/6
Raza Firebrand 3RR
Creature - Elemental / Soldier (U)
Whenever Raza Firebrand attacks, gain control of target creature with no class until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn and is a Soldier this turn in addition to its race. Show anyone a worthy enough captain, and they'll take up arms to follow.
3/2
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: This is pretty hard for even Johnny to use and disappointing for Timmy.
(1/3) Elegance: It doesn't untap the creature it is threatening, which runs counter to practically every other Threaten effect. Moreover, the creature you get won't be able to attack since that window has already passed (unless you get more combat steps). This is a break with precedent that would be confusing.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Works as printed even if it doesn't do much.
(1/3) Balance: You're paying 2 mana over cost for a 3/2. The best situation you can possibly hope for is getting something with a tap ability you can use, but it would have to not have a class, which is rare as those things are usually like Beasts or Saprolings. Plus if it has a native ability they could probably just tap it to prevent you from using it. So really the only thing you are going to get to do is use this in combination with some other card to sacrifice or tap to do something else, and those things are not very strong. This creature will just die itself and be a waste of 5 mana.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Zealous Conscripts has a similar feel.
(2/3) Flavor: Adding the class type here does really nail in the flavor of what's going on, although it's weird that the creature doesn't attack and then quickly gives up being a Soldier. I also thought it was a legend named Raza for a bit but I asssume it's a faction or something that would make sense in context.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: OK
(1/2) Main Challenge: I read this as caring about class, not race, but I guess it mentions race.
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
First Blood2R
Enchantment {U}
Whenever the first creature enters the battlefield under your control each turn, it gains haste until and gets +1/+0 for each creature you control that shares a race with it until end of turn. The valley echoed with rallying cries, celebrating a young Keldon’s first kill.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Some mild Timmy/Johnny stuff going on.
(2/3) Elegance: It's not "each other" as Coat of Arms and such would have you expect, so you can weirdly psyche yourself up.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: I foresee forum questions saying "what is the first creature" just in general but more understandably if you were to have multiple creatures enter at the same time, in which case I guess you choose? I guess I buy it at uncommon, something like Homicidal Seclusion.
(3/3) Balance: Fervor, but only affects one creature per turn is not too bad of a drawback. The conditional power pump is always at least +1 and has a decently high ceiling, even in this presumably tribal-oriented Limited. Doing nothing on its own won't make Constructed except maybe as a niche in Commander. It's not good but seems to be a realistic level.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: In the Web of War the bad uncommon version, but "first creature" is an interesting pretty new thing (Conduit of Ruin).
(2/3) Flavor: Name feels like it should have to do with something dying, but the ability and flavor text say it is "new coworker party where only the new person gets excited".
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Pass Down2GW
Instant [Uncommon]
Remove an aura or equipment from target creature you control. Attach that aura or equipment to another creature you control that shares a race with it.
"This blade belonged to your father. Use it in his honor."
—Gawain, to young Garaff
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Nobody likes last pick combat tricks.
(2/3) Elegance: As written and as a package, the card makes sense.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Green doesn't really add anything to the card, it could easily be mono-white. I guess uncommon is ok as a really narrow effect. It would have been a lot better as a permanent that let all of your creatures pass their stuff on when they die.
(0/3) Balance: vs Aura Finesse, you have a MUCH more limited version of the same effect (since it requires the same race) for three more mana in two colors and losing the cantrip, the only advantage being also hitting Equipment, which already have a built-in way to move themselves. This is way overcosted.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Aura Finesse/Enchantment Alteration + Magnetic Theft.
(2/3) Flavor: The concept is good, although who is Gawain here? Seeing the father pass it to son would make more sense.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: "Remove" isn't a term, "Unattach" is what you want (see Disarm). However, you can see from the examples in Uniqueness that you don't even need to unattach it first, the problem being how to word the shares a race part. I think you want: "Attach target Aura or Equipment attached to a creature you control to another creature you control that shares a race with the first creature."
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Biodiversity3GG
Duplic Enchantment (R)
When Biodiversity enters the battlefield, draw a card for each creature race among creatures you control.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield. (A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
// Biosolidarity3WW
Duplic Enchantment (R)
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control that share a creature race with it.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield. (A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Both of the sides have nice payoffs that many players would like to aim for.
(1/3) Elegance: There's a weird tension here since the sides have opposing goals. It's only nice to have this option if you have a suboptimal deck that could skew towards one type or many depending on the draw, which isn't really fun. It's also really weird that one is just an ETB and the other is a static ability. Making the white part a one-turn pump and making this a split card Sorcery might have worked.
Development -
(0/3) Viability: So because of Changelings (Woodland Changeling) you may need the Comp Rules to count all of the actual races you represent (this is actually a reason I told Flatline the prompt idea wouldn't work IRL :P). The new supertype Duplic is pretty problematic - if it can ETB as either side, can I cast it for the white cost and get the green side instead? This is much more difficult than transform cards since those never get you the option to start with the back, so you would have players wanting to take it out of the sleeve to check. Also once you have two of them, you can just keep flickering them and drawing all the cards you want until you flip both to the other side.
(3/3) Balance: The Collective Unconscious side is fine. Coat of Arms only for you is quite strong in a dedicated tribal deck, but within reason.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Certainly trying new stuff here.
(3/3) Flavor: Kind of dubious on the wordness of Biosolidarity but the intent is clear enough.
Enthusiastic Collector2B
Creature - Human / Rogue (U) 3BB: Exile target creature an opponent controls if it doesn't share a race with a creature card exiled with Enthusiastic Collector.
When Enthusiastic Collector leaves the battlefield, return all creature cards exiled with it to the battlefield under their owner's control.
2/2 No, no, I already have a goblin. Where's that angel you keep promising me?
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Spike sees card advantage, Timmy can have some fun with the mini-game, and Johnny has Amoeboid Changeling.
(3/3) Elegance: Straightforward.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: I guess Faceless Butcher, Kitesail Freebooter and Hostage Taker give this ability a little precedent in black, and it doesn't feel unnatural. I do think uncommon for potential repeated removal is a bit of a stretch. I guess you used Oblivion Ring template instead of Banishing Light because "until ~ leaves the battlefield" would have probably pushed that ability over the edge, but maybe there was another way to word it to keep it functioning like other current cards.
(3/3) Balance: Admonition Angel and Trapjaw Tyrant are kind of the closest precedents I see, in getting to banish multiple creatures over time. There may be some tribal decks that this is bad against, but you're likely to be able to slowly collect a bunch of guys in Limited, multiplayer, and against many Standard decks if you can survive long enough. It's slow enough and fragile enough, but the potential ceiling is high.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Kind of Dark Impostor + Banishing Priest, but it feels pretty new.
(3/3) Flavor: Great!
May MCC 2018 Round 1 - Tell Me More
Month's Theme — I have always felt that Wizards could open up a lot of design space, and fix some oddly flavored designs by overhauling the way they describe creatures. This month's challenges focus on the ideas I've had about different ways to describe creatures more thoroughly. Some of the challenges are pretty out there, but hopefully people will find them to be a fun exercise.
I've always thought it might be interesting for Wizards to begin to differentiate between race and class on creature cards. A simple way to do this would be to add a forward slash between the creature's race(s) and class(es). There would be a space before and after the slash. All creature types before the slash are the creature's race(s), and all creature types after the slash are the creature's class(es). So Coiling Oracle's type line would now look like this:
Creature — Snake Elf / Druid. Civic Wayfinder's type line would look like this: Creature — Elf / Warrior Druid.
Main Challenge: Design a card that cares about race, but does not name a specific race in it rules text. If you design a creature card, its type line must have a forward slash between the creature's race(s) and class(es) as I've laid out above.
Subchallenge 1: Your card has a converted mana cost of 3 or more.
Subchallenge 2: Your card is a common or uncommon.
If you have questions about the challenge, please post in the MCC discussion thread. Best of luck!
For the sake of this month's challenges, Zombie and Vampire will both be considered creature races. For a list of MTG creature classes, go here...https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Class Here's a list of MTG races: https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Race
Design Deadline: All submissions are to be final and submitted by May 7th 11:59 PM EST
Judging Deadline: All judgements are to be final and completed by May 10th 11:59 PM EST
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Judges:
Flatline
Antiantiserumbravelion83
Gerrard's Mom
Contestants:
The first round is open to everyone!
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards:
Korider, Trainer of the Many 2W
Legendary Creature - Human / Knight (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature with only a class and no race enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier.
"Today, you are nothing. Tomorrow, poets will write songs about you, for I will shape your destiny."
2/2
Enchantment {U}
Whenever the first creature enters the battlefield under your control each turn, it gains haste until and gets +1/+0 for each creature you control that shares a race with it until end of turn.
The valley echoed with rallying cries, celebrating a young Keldon’s first kill.
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has trample
You may equip creatures that share a race with equipped creature anytime you could cast an instant.
Equip 3
Creature - Human / Rogue (U)
3BB: Exile target creature an opponent controls if it doesn't share a race with a creature card exiled with Enthusiastic Collector.
When Enthusiastic Collector leaves the battlefield, return all creature cards exiled with it to the battlefield under their owner's control.
2/2
No, no, I already have a goblin. Where's that angel you keep promising me?
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
As Harmonic Familiar enters the battlefield, you may reveal any number of other creature cards that all share a race with each other from you hand. Harmonic Familiar gets a +1/+1 counter for each creature revealed this way.
Its strength reflects the strength of a people.
2/2
Artifact - Equipment [U]
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each of its race types.
Equip 1
“I’m a child of two worlds. To reject one heritage is to deny who I truly am.”
—Gebrin Half-Blood
Instant [Uncommon]
Remove an aura or equipment from target creature you control. Attach that aura or equipment to another creature you control that shares a race with it.
"This blade belonged to your father. Use it in his honor."
—Gawain, to young Garaff
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2.
Creatures you control that share a race with enchanted creature get +1/+1.
True strenght lies in what you inspire in others.
Duplic Enchantment (R)
When Biodiversity enters the battlefield, draw a card for each creature race among creatures you control.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield.
(A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
//
Biosolidarity 3WW
Duplic Enchantment (R)
Each creature you control gets +1/+1 for each other creature you control that share a creature race with it.
When another card named Biodiversity or Biosolidarity enters tha battlefield under your control, you may exile this card then return it to the battlefield.
(A duplic spell has two sides with different names and mana costs, and may enter the battlefield or be cast as either.)
Sorcery {R}
Search your library for a creature card that shares a race with a creature you control, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. If you control a number of creatures of that race greater than or equal to that card's converted mana cost, you may put it onto the battlefield instead.
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Sorcery {U}
Target player sacrifices a creature. If that player controls a creature card that shares a race with the sacrificed creature, repeat this process.
You and your kin will be eradicated.
Legendary Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep create a 2/1 colorless creature token, its creature type is the creature type with highest amount among creatures you control”.
Render in progress
Creature - Elemental / Soldier (U)
Whenever Raza Firebrand attacks, gain control of target creature with no class until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn and is a Soldier this turn in addition to its race.
Show anyone a worthy enough captain, and they'll take up arms to follow.
3/2
Sorcery (Uncommon)
If G was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's race types
If U was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's class types
"Even a goblin doesn't need 6 years of Gene Engineering school to tell that a waspcrab is stronger with nodorog arms". - Dr. Blaag, Experiment Kraj research notes
My Cubes:Pauper|Archetype
My Deviant Art
Enchantment (U)
When Persecution enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Persecution leaves the battlefield.
Creatures your opponent control that share a race with the exiled creature enter the battlefield tapped.
Flatline -
Jimmy Groove
BlackWaltz3
The Hittite
Antianitserum
Hemlock
Freyleyes
bravelion83 -
mirrodin71
netn10
Zemoo
IcariiFA
StonerOfKruphix
RaikouRider
Gerrard's Mom -
Seeonee
Cardz5000
DaAwesomeCheeto
ForestsGuy
rkhon1357
Top 4 from each bracket pass on to the next round.
Judgments are due by May 10th 11:59 PM EDT.
Judgments complete, not final until deadline.
Linage’s Proyect 4
Legendary Artifact (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep create a 2/1 colorless creature token, its creature type is the creature type with highest amount among creatures you control”.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Not a card for Timmy. Johnny can use the tokens in many ways and the idea of manipulating the creature types of the tokens highly appeals to him. Spike likes the effect in a vacuum, but then looks at the mana cost and is turned down. For four mana he would like at least the tokens to have evasion. There are much better options for him for competitive play. Overall, this looks like a Johnny card and he should be satisfied.
(0.5/3) Elegance - You pointed out potential ambiguities yourself in your FAQs. Too bad you're not supposed to include any notes in your sumbissions in the MCC. I was worried myself with pointing out I was applying the Dominaria wording changes in one of my submissions last month, but in the end everything went fine. This is much more than that though, and that spoiler should definitely not have been there. About the points mentioned in the FAQ spoiler, the first one should just probably be reminder text on the card, but the second one should have been part of the rules text for certain. There are many cards that count things on the battlefield and need to tell you explicitly in the rules text what happens on a tie. This impacts here because just the simple fact that you felt like a clarification spoiler for your card was needed means it can be ambiguous. Also, I see potential memory issues with keeping track of the creature type of each token, especially when you have more than one of them. I like the fact that when the first token enters the battlefield it increases the number of creatures with its types, so it's more probable that the second token too will have the same types, but I would still like a way to track the creature types of each token. Finally, the tokens not having square stats is not the best of elegance.
Development
(2/3) Viability - I have no problems with a colorless artifact creating creature tokens. I'm torn between this effect being uncommon or rare in a vacuum. Complexity pushes it towards rare, but the high mana cost towards uncommon. I'm honestly not sure.
(2/3) Balance - I think this is playable in limited, especially because it's a repeatable source of creature tokens that you can play regardless of which colors you're in, but in constructed there are much better options, in Modern and beyond for sure, but I think the mana cost is a bit high for Standard too. I don't see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Repeated token creation is nothing new (cards like Bitterblossom come to mind), but at least this is an original twist on it.
(1.5/3) Flavor - I'm not really sure about what the card name is supposed to be exactly (see Quality), but anyway a genetic experiment theme does fit nicely with the card mechanics. MSE confirms me that there is plenty of room for flavor text, so its absence is a problem here.
Polish
(0/3) Quality - I'm pretty sure the name is supposed to be "Project" with a "j" instead of the "y" (-0.5). Not sure though if "Linage" is supposed to be "Lineage" with an extra "e", which would make a lot of sense given the theme of a card, but maybe Linage is a character's name, so I'm not deducting any point for that. A comma is missing after "at the beginning of your upkeep", which is both a well-known fact and a functional mistake (there is no longer any separation between trigger and effect), so worth of -1. There is an extra quotation mark at the end of the rules text, I guess it's a leftover from a previous version of the ability's wording (-0,5). I really feel like the part starting with "its creature type" would be its own sentence (-0.5). There's no way "with highest amount" is acceptable wording. All precedents in this regard are about color (the first result in Gatherer is Barrin's Unmaking, but there are a few more throughout Magic's history), but I really feel this effect would be worded in the same way: "the most common creature type among creatures you control" (it would be -1 for serious mistake, but we have already reached zero here anyway).
(1/2) Main Challenge - This card cares about creature type, but not race specifically. That deserves a deduction here as per Flatline's clarification (-1).
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 13/25
Korider, Trainer of the Many 2WW
Legendary Creature - Human / Knight (Uncommon)
Whenever a creature with only a class and no race enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier.
"Today, you are nothing. Tomorrow, poets will write songs about you, for I will shape your destiny."
3/3
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - An ability that makes creatures grow on a relevant body is something Timmy certainly appreciates. Johnny has a nice deckbuilding challenge. The Johnny/Spike hybrid in particular is the one who will try to build his deck to maximize the triggered ability. Johnny can also exploit the granted Soldier creature type. Non-Johnny Spikes see just an ordinary creature, there are worse ones but also better ones.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A potential ambiguity with "it" in "put a +1/+1 counter on it and its class is Soldier": what is "it" that gets the counter and becomes a Soldier, the creature that just entered the battlefield or Korider themselves? (See, I'm applying the Dominaria wording changes to my judgments too! Not knowing what gender Korider is supposed to be, I used the singular they!) It's pretty obvious that the answer is the former, and that's very intuitive so the point deduction is small, but the potential for ambiguity is still there. Also, I really like the +1/+1 counter as a memory aid to remind you that the creature that entered is now a Soldier instead of the classes it would naturally have. As a Melvin, I'm a sucker for details like this.
Development
(3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie. The effect without the "only a class" restriction feels rare in a vacuum to me, but with it, uncommon is probably fine. Under ordinary conditions, there are not a lot of creatures that trigger this ability after all.
(2.5/3) Balance - I feel like the playability of this card, in both limited and constructed, heavily depends on the amount of class-only creatures in the environment. That obviously gets bigger going from limited to Standard to Modern to Eternal formats. The interesting fact, in my opinion, is that this can make this card more playable in bigger formats, while usually it's the opposite: a card normally gets less playable when rotating out of Standard, for example. Regardless, I think you'd still play this in limited if you get it and you are in white. It can also generate very interesting decks in casual, turning creatures into Soldiers and then exploiting Soldier tribal synergies. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Checking for creatures that have only a class and no race feels very original to me.
(3/3) Flavor - Perfect. Name, type line, mechanics, flavor text, it all checks out and contributes to make this card feel whole.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel this is realistic enough.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - This card cares more about class than race. The only thing it cares about is whether the creature entering the battlefield has a race or not. Also, the fact that the creature type it sets is a class rather than a race makes the card feel more about class than race too. Race still matters, but only tangentially. For these reasons, I feel like a slight deduction is needed here, even though less than it would be if it cared about creature type in general.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 23/25
Nature or Nurture? 4(G/U)(G/U)
Sorcery (Uncommon)
If G was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's race types
If U was spent to cast Nature or Nurture put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each of it's class types
"Even a goblin doesn't need 6 years of Gene Engineering school to tell that a waspcrab is stronger with nodorog arms". - Dr. Blaag, Experiment Kraj research notes
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Growing creatures is something Timmy definitely likes. Johnny can manipulate creature types and/or mana color. Spike likes the effects in a vacuum but is turned down by the high mana cost.
(3/3) Elegance - The abilities are very clear and the symmetry between them is very nice.
Development
(1.5/3) Viability - No problems with this effect in green, but I do have problems with this effect in blue. Blue can manipulate creature types without any problem, both adding and changing them, but it doesn't grow creatures. "Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control" is not a blue sentence in any way, regardless of what the effect is based on. Rarity feels acceptable to me, putting two (on average) +1/+1 counters on all your creatures is a big effect, but for six mana and with a restriction on the color of mana I feel like it can be uncommon.
(2/3) Balance - This card reminds me a lot of Strength of the Pack and I expect its playability to be quite similar, seeing play in limited only. I don't see this in competitive constructed, maybe casual. I see no problems with this card in multiplayer formats.
Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Anthem effects with +1/+1 counters are nothing new, but having it tied to the number of races and classes feels original enough. Also, you don't often see this kind of effect in blue.
(1.5/3) Flavor - The name is good, even though it's a bit archetypical (nature vs nurture is the typical expression of the green-blue conflict) and I'm not sure how much I like the question mark in it (I'll talk more about it in Quality). I like the flavor text quite a lot, but unfortunately MSE shows me that it's a bit too long to fit completely even in the expanded text box of the M15 card frame. It should be a least one line less.
Polish
(0/3) Quality - The only card ever printed with a question mark in its name is Question Elemental? and it's a silver-border card. It was just a joke, not a real card ("real" meaning "printed in black border", Unstable managed to change my mind on silver-border cards not counting as real Magic cards). Several cards with an exclamation point in their name do exist in black border though, and if that is allowed a question mark should be too, despite how strange it looks. So I'm not deducting points for that. I am though because you either use the question mark in all instances of the name on the card or you remove it from the name, here you put it in the card name but not in the two instances of it in the rules text (two times -0.5, one time for each instance). In both sentences of rules text, a period is missing at the end (also -0.5 for each instance) and "it's" should be "its" without apostrophe as it's a possessive adjective and not a verb (I'd give -1 for serious mistake for each instance if we weren't already at zero here). In the flavor text, I really feel like 6 would be written out as "six" in a real printing, but as I'm not sure I'm not deducting anything for that. Also in the flavor text, the attribution should be in its own line, with an em dash instead of a hyphen and with no space between said dash and the name of the character (it would be an additional -0.5 but we're already at zero). Finally, either commas are missing between the "if" clauses and their respective effect (see Cankerous Thirst) or the "if" clauses should come afterwards (see Invert the Skies for an example in this card's same colors). Again, it would be two times -0.5, but guess what? We're already at zero. I'm sorry.
(2/2) Main Challenge - This card certainly cares about race. It also cares about class, but that isn't forbidden by the main challenge. The focus of the card is on race and class equally, it's not like class matters more than race here, they matter in the same way, so I don't feel like any deduction is needed here.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 17/25
Persecution 3W
Enchantment (U)
When Persecution enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Persecution leaves the battlefield.
Creatures your opponent control that share a race with the exiled creature enter the battlefield tapped.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this card if he's the one who plays it, because of how it can affect the battlefield, but he hates this being played against his tribal decks. I don't see much for Johnny here, maybe he can somehow manipulate the creature types of the exiled creature somehow, but that feels like a stretch to me. Spike absolutely loves this card as double removal: it gets rid of a creature while also hindering other opposing creatures.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie and rarity feels good to me.
(3/3) Balance - Banishing Light costs three mana. Charging one mana more for an additional tap effect looks very reasonable to me. This card could very easily be a first pick in limited in my opinion, and I can also see it seeing some Standard play. Bigger formats have better options though, but it's not a problem. That's true of most cards. I see no praticular problems in casual or multiplayer (once the plural is added to affect all opponents, see Quality).
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - O-Ring effects are a known part of Magic by now. This is a nice twist on it, but nothing more.
(2.5/3) Flavor - The name is so good that I had to check Gatherer to make sure it didn't exist yet. Turns out it actually doesn't. I'm amazed whenever we can still find nice single-word card names that haven't been used yet despite the game having been around for 25 years. The name also makes a lot of sense with the mechanics, and the flavor of the card feels whole even without flavor text. MSE also shows me the text box is nicely filled already by the rules text alone, but one line of flavor text can still fit. Not a big problem.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel very confident that this would be the exact wording this card would be printed with if the change we're adopting in this round were real. Only one minor thing: to account for multiplayer, the second ability should say "opponents" (plural) rather than "opponent" (-0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21.5/25
Changing of the Guard 2W
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may return another target creature you control that shares a race with it to its owner's hand.
The thoughtweft makes the clachan's guard duty run like clockwork.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - I don't see much for Timmy here. Johnny loves this card, there are so many tricks he can do with it. Spike may also like this effect, but I don't see him getting too excited.
(3/3) Elegance - No problems here.
Development
(2.5/3) Viability - The "you control" in "return target creature you control" is what makes this card white, so no problems with the color pie.This card feels more like a rare than an uncommon to me, probably because of the high combo potential, but maybe sharing a race is high enough of a restriction for this to be uncommon. It probably is, as it's not so obvious outside of tribal decks.
(2/3) Balance - Cloudstone Curio costs 3 and affects all non-artifact permanents. This is technically worse, both harder to cast and affecting only a subset of creatures, but I think the mana cost being in the same range is right. I wouldn't want this effect to cost too much less. Playable only if you have a way to reliably take advantage of the effect and that's true in any format. That won't happen very often. Tribal decks being viable in the format obviously increase the playability of this card, and there are plenty of those, especially in casual. This only affects you, so there are no problems in multiplayer formats.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - This immediately reminded me of Cloudstone Curio as I read it (maybe because I played a lot of the Elfball Modern deck that used to play that card when Glimpse of Nature was banned), as I'm sure that's not the only card similar to this that already exists. The race requirement is a nice novelty touch though.
(3/3) Flavor - I'll be honest: I absolutely love the flavor of this card. It's not just because of personal preference, even though Lorwyn is one of my favorite blocks of all time both mechanically and as a setting and I liked its execution of the tribal theme much better than how Ixalan did it, but because of how much sense the concept of the thoughtweft makes with the mechanics of the card. Very good job!
Polish
(3/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel very confident that this would be the exact wording this card would be printed with if the change we're adopting in this round were real.
(2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 21/25
Ancestral Roots 3G
Sorcery {R}
Search your library for a creature card that shares a race with a creature you control, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. If you control a number of creatures of that race greater than or equal to that card's converted mana cost, you may put it onto the battlefield instead.
Design
(3/3) Appeal - Timmy likes both creature tutors and tribal decks, and this card is a very nice meeting point. Johnny can use this to search for a creature that's part of a combo or something like that. Both Johnny and Spike can also search for the specific creature they need in the particular situation they're in.
(2/3) Elegance - Wordy and a little strange in comparing a number of creatures to a CMC, but otherwise fine.
Development
(3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie. Creature tutors nowadays tend to be rare, so I believe that rarity is also right and that you did the right thing by ignoring subchallenge 2. You're taking here the point you gave up and more.
(1.5/3) Balance - I think this card might have costed a little less mana. You need to control a creature, have a creature that shares a race with it, and you only put the creature you looked for on the battlefield if you control not just one creature of that race but many. I honestly see this as playable only in tribal environments. If tribal strategies aren't viable in the format, the restrictions are just too much in my opinion. That's true in both limited and constructed. Tribal decks are more abundant in casual, outside of tribal sets like Ixalan or Lorwyn, so I actually expect this cards to see more play there. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Many similar cards already exist, both creature tutors and cards that put creatures from your library onto the battlefield. The race requirement is a nice novelty touch though.
(2.5/3) Flavor - The name is good and makes sense both in green and with the card mechanics. I wish there were even just a line of flavor text, but you're right that the text box is already crowded enough as is, as MSE shows me, so it's not a big problem.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - It's hard to judge wording for this challenge, but I feel this is realistic enough. The only thing I'm sure about is that at the end it wouldn't just say "instead", but "instead of putting it into your hand" (see Caravan Vigil for example, -0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge - No problems here.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Costs more than three, but it's not common or uncommon.
Total: 19/25
netn10: 23
IcariiFA: 21.5
StonerOfKruphix: 21
RaikouRider: 19
Zemoo: 17
mirrodin71: 13
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Creature — Demon (Rare)
Flying
When Culling Demon enters the battlefield or attacks, choose a creature of each race type but Demon, then destroy those creatures. Culling Demon deals X damage to you, where X is 6 minus the number of creatures destroyed this way.
6/6
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: This is pretty hard for even Johnny to use and disappointing for Timmy.
(1/3) Elegance: It doesn't untap the creature it is threatening, which runs counter to practically every other Threaten effect. Moreover, the creature you get won't be able to attack since that window has already passed (unless you get more combat steps). This is a break with precedent that would be confusing.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Works as printed even if it doesn't do much.
(1/3) Balance: You're paying 2 mana over cost for a 3/2. The best situation you can possibly hope for is getting something with a tap ability you can use, but it would have to not have a class, which is rare as those things are usually like Beasts or Saprolings. Plus if it has a native ability they could probably just tap it to prevent you from using it. So really the only thing you are going to get to do is use this in combination with some other card to sacrifice or tap to do something else, and those things are not very strong. This creature will just die itself and be a waste of 5 mana.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Zealous Conscripts has a similar feel.
(2/3) Flavor: Adding the class type here does really nail in the flavor of what's going on, although it's weird that the creature doesn't attack and then quickly gives up being a Soldier. I also thought it was a legend named Raza for a bit but I asssume it's a faction or something that would make sense in context.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: OK
(1/2) Main Challenge: I read this as caring about class, not race, but I guess it mentions race.
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 16/25
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Some mild Timmy/Johnny stuff going on.
(2/3) Elegance: It's not "each other" as Coat of Arms and such would have you expect, so you can weirdly psyche yourself up.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: I foresee forum questions saying "what is the first creature" just in general but more understandably if you were to have multiple creatures enter at the same time, in which case I guess you choose? I guess I buy it at uncommon, something like Homicidal Seclusion.
(3/3) Balance: Fervor, but only affects one creature per turn is not too bad of a drawback. The conditional power pump is always at least +1 and has a decently high ceiling, even in this presumably tribal-oriented Limited. Doing nothing on its own won't make Constructed except maybe as a niche in Commander. It's not good but seems to be a realistic level.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: In the Web of War the bad uncommon version, but "first creature" is an interesting pretty new thing (Conduit of Ruin).
(2/3) Flavor: Name feels like it should have to do with something dying, but the ability and flavor text say it is "new coworker party where only the new person gets excited".
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 20/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Nobody likes last pick combat tricks.
(2/3) Elegance: As written and as a package, the card makes sense.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Green doesn't really add anything to the card, it could easily be mono-white. I guess uncommon is ok as a really narrow effect. It would have been a lot better as a permanent that let all of your creatures pass their stuff on when they die.
(0/3) Balance: vs Aura Finesse, you have a MUCH more limited version of the same effect (since it requires the same race) for three more mana in two colors and losing the cantrip, the only advantage being also hitting Equipment, which already have a built-in way to move themselves. This is way overcosted.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Aura Finesse/Enchantment Alteration + Magnetic Theft.
(2/3) Flavor: The concept is good, although who is Gawain here? Seeing the father pass it to son would make more sense.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: "Remove" isn't a term, "Unattach" is what you want (see Disarm). However, you can see from the examples in Uniqueness that you don't even need to unattach it first, the problem being how to word the shares a race part. I think you want: "Attach target Aura or Equipment attached to a creature you control to another creature you control that shares a race with the first creature."
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 13/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Both of the sides have nice payoffs that many players would like to aim for.
(1/3) Elegance: There's a weird tension here since the sides have opposing goals. It's only nice to have this option if you have a suboptimal deck that could skew towards one type or many depending on the draw, which isn't really fun. It's also really weird that one is just an ETB and the other is a static ability. Making the white part a one-turn pump and making this a split card Sorcery might have worked.
Development -
(0/3) Viability: So because of Changelings (Woodland Changeling) you may need the Comp Rules to count all of the actual races you represent (this is actually a reason I told Flatline the prompt idea wouldn't work IRL :P). The new supertype Duplic is pretty problematic - if it can ETB as either side, can I cast it for the white cost and get the green side instead? This is much more difficult than transform cards since those never get you the option to start with the back, so you would have players wanting to take it out of the sleeve to check. Also once you have two of them, you can just keep flickering them and drawing all the cards you want until you flip both to the other side.
(3/3) Balance: The Collective Unconscious side is fine. Coat of Arms only for you is quite strong in a dedicated tribal deck, but within reason.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Certainly trying new stuff here.
(3/3) Flavor: Kind of dubious on the wordness of Biosolidarity but the intent is clear enough.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: "tha", "that shares"
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(1/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 18/25
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Spike sees card advantage, Timmy can have some fun with the mini-game, and Johnny has Amoeboid Changeling.
(3/3) Elegance: Straightforward.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: I guess Faceless Butcher, Kitesail Freebooter and Hostage Taker give this ability a little precedent in black, and it doesn't feel unnatural. I do think uncommon for potential repeated removal is a bit of a stretch. I guess you used Oblivion Ring template instead of Banishing Light because "until ~ leaves the battlefield" would have probably pushed that ability over the edge, but maybe there was another way to word it to keep it functioning like other current cards.
(3/3) Balance: Admonition Angel and Trapjaw Tyrant are kind of the closest precedents I see, in getting to banish multiple creatures over time. There may be some tribal decks that this is bad against, but you're likely to be able to slowly collect a bunch of guys in Limited, multiplayer, and against many Standard decks if you can survive long enough. It's slow enough and fragile enough, but the potential ceiling is high.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Kind of Dark Impostor + Banishing Priest, but it feels pretty new.
(3/3) Flavor: Great!
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "owners' control" (per Admonition Angel)
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 22/25
Cardz5000: 20
DaAwesomeCheeto: 13
ForestsGuy: 18
rkhon1357: 22