Flamewright, taken from Instagram, by Mathias Kollross and Wizards of the Coast
Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!
Theme
September in the CCL is going to be Defenses Month! Because not everything has to be aggressive, and slowing the game down is often healthy.
Challenge
Design one monocolor card of each color that would be featured in a supplemental product of your choice that's focused on the concept of defenses. No more than two of them can be creature cards.
The faux product can be something along the lines of Commander (precon decks) or Conspiracy (boosters) - anything goes as long as the cards are not made for a Standard set.
Make sure to include a rarity.
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the use of the "Mandatory Top 3 Rule." For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Mana MirrorsW
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Permanents your team controls have hexproof from all colors that fortified land could produce. (They can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control of that color or colors.)
Fortify 1W(1W: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
Quiet Interlude1U
Instant (U)
Spellshare (2/U)(When you cast this spell, each other player may pay its spellshare cost. Copy this for each player that does.)
Creatures get -1/-0 until end of turn.
Each player who cast or shared this spell draws a card.
Tar Tanks1B
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Fortified land has "T, Sacrifice this land: Destroy target creature that dealt damage to your team or a planeswalker your team controls this turn."
Fortify 2B(2B: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
Guest Appearance3RR
Sorcery (R)
Spellshare (2/R)(2/R)(When you cast this spell, each other player may pay its spellshare cost. Copy this for each player that does. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Each player who cast or shared this spell may reveal any number of cards from their hand. You may put a creature card from among them onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste and "At the beginning of your end step, return this creature to its owner's hand."
Roiling Ramparts2G
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Fortified lands your team controls are 2/4 green Elemental creatures with vigilance.
When Roiling Ramparts becomes attached to a land, untap that land.
Fortify 1G(1G: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
For a conspiracy style (Battle-royale Multiplayer draft) set that takes place on Kamigawa
Internment TermXWW
Enchantment (R)
~ enters the battlefield with X charge counters.
Creatures with power equal to the number of charge counters on ~ cannot attack. 2: Add or remove a charge counter from ~. Activate this ability only whenever you could cast a sorcery. 4: Add or remove a charge counter from ~. Any player may activate this ability, but only whenever they could cast a sorcery.
Tei, Meishin's Architect2UU
Legendary Creature - Moonfolk (M)
Flying T1U: Exile target creature attacking you or a planeswalker you control. Return it to the battlefield under the attacking player's control, attacking a player or planeswalker of your choice if able. Activate this ability only during the declare attacker's step on an opponent's turn. (A creature cannot attack it's controller or a planeswalker owned by it's controller)
2/3
Smoke BombB
Instant - (C)
Attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Creatures you control get -1/-0 until end of turn. Master's of espionage and assassination, the ninja avoided open combat. When there was no cover of night, they would create their own means of escape. Bidding time for their poisons and traps to take effect.
Dangerous Nursery Visit3RR
Instant (R)
Create three 0/2 red Dragon Egg creature tokens named with Defender and, "Exile this creature at the end of combat. When this creature dies, create a 2/2 red Dragon creature token with flying and 'R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.'."
Kami of the Village Gates2G
Creature - Plant Spirit (U)
Defender
Whenever a creature you control without defender blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature with defender you control.
0/3
Are you telling me I am in the finals? I was so sure I would have been out last round! (I hope it's a 4-way tie and not just a typo.) And I am also just discovering it now? And there are only five and a half hours left until the deadline? Oh my! Why don't I realize such things when I need to?
EDIT: I did it in a little more than three hours. Let's hope I've not made anything broken because of the hurry!
Conspiracy: Keep the Throne is the third chapter in the Conspiracy series. It's all about Queen Marchesa having to defend her throne and the existence of the monarchy itself against the attacks of Adriana and Selvala, who try to enact their plans to create the Republic of Paliano.
Conspiracy cards are back, obviously. The Monarch mechanic also returns in the set, but this time the focus is not so much on becoming the monarch, rather on retaining the monarch status for yourself. To allow you to do that, the set has various mechanical means to let you dodge your opponents' attacks, prevent combat damage, and generally stall the game while you try to exploit the advantages of keeping the crown. That includes a defender subtheme, returning from Rise of the Eldrazi and other recent sets.
Army’s Loyalty2WW
Enchantment (R)
When Army’s Loyalty enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
As long as you’re the monarch, creatures you control get +0/+1.
As long as you’re not the monarch, creatures you control get +1/+0. “Having a good army at your orders ensures you can keep the crown effectively. I have the best army at my disposal.”
—Queen Marchesa
Mindful Courtmage2U
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Defender 2U, T: Target creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is twice the number of creatures with defender you control. “I don’t know how to fight, but I know how to make you think I am detaining you with the strength of a whole army.”
0/3
Dark Protector6BB
Creature — Demon (M)
Flying
When Dark Protector enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
Your opponents can’t become the monarch. Loyal to the Queen, treacherous to anybody else.
6/6
Audacious Plot2R
Instant (U)
Audacious Plot deals damage to any target equal to the number of face-up conspiracy cards you own in the command zone. “You accuse me of plotting against the Queen? Who doesn’t in Paliano?”
—Adriana
Natural Defenses1G
Instant (C)
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to you this turn. If you’re the monarch, draw a card. “Guards! Block the doors! Use anything you need, be it even the trunk of a tree!”
—Queen Marchesa
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.)
Loyal Hero 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (r)
Flash
First strike
Whenever you're dealt commander damage, put that many +1/+1 counters on Loyal Hero.
1/2
Stubborness1R
Enchantment (r)
If a spell or ability controlled by an opponent would cause a permanent you control to be returned to its owner's hand, that permanent remains on the battlefield instead.
If you would draw a card, you may choose to skip drawing that card.
Resent the Past2UUU
Enchantment (r)
Whenever a player casts a spell, counter that spell if a spell with the same name was cast this game.
Mirror of the Soul2BB
Creature - Avatar (r)
Defender
Combat damage dealt to Mirror of the Soul by creatures also causes that creature's controller to be dealt damage. (Damage dealt by commanders counts as commander damage)
1/8
Aura Sphere1G
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Totem armor
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
You may cast Aura Sphere from your graveyard if it targets your commander.
“Build Your Own”
Flamewright, taken from Instagram, by Mathias Kollross and Wizards of the Coast
Theme
September in the CCL is going to be Defenses Month! Because not everything has to be aggressive, and slowing the game down is often healthy.
Challenge
PLEASE NOTE: This month will continue the use of the "Mandatory Top 3 Rule." For this month, you must submit a Top 3 during a round's critique period in order to receive any points for the round. Submitting critiques as well will be worth 2 bonus points in the round.
Contestants:
bravelion83
Gerrard's Mom
Hemlock
Zemoo
Schedule
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Mana Mirrors W
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Permanents your team controls have hexproof from all colors that fortified land could produce. (They can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control of that color or colors.)
Fortify 1W (1W: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
Quiet Interlude 1U
Instant (U)
Spellshare (2/U) (When you cast this spell, each other player may pay its spellshare cost. Copy this for each player that does.)
Creatures get -1/-0 until end of turn.
Each player who cast or shared this spell draws a card.
Tar Tanks 1B
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Fortified land has "T, Sacrifice this land: Destroy target creature that dealt damage to your team or a planeswalker your team controls this turn."
Fortify 2B (2B: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
Guest Appearance 3RR
Sorcery (R)
Spellshare (2/R)(2/R) (When you cast this spell, each other player may pay its spellshare cost. Copy this for each player that does. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Each player who cast or shared this spell may reveal any number of cards from their hand. You may put a creature card from among them onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste and "At the beginning of your end step, return this creature to its owner's hand."
Roiling Ramparts 2G
Artifact - Fortification (R)
Fortified lands your team controls are 2/4 green Elemental creatures with vigilance.
When Roiling Ramparts becomes attached to a land, untap that land.
Fortify 1G (1G: Attach to target land you control. Fortify only as a sorcery. This card enters the battlefield unattached and stays on the battlefield if the land leaves.)
Internment Term XWW
Enchantment (R)
~ enters the battlefield with X charge counters.
Creatures with power equal to the number of charge counters on ~ cannot attack.
2: Add or remove a charge counter from ~. Activate this ability only whenever you could cast a sorcery.
4: Add or remove a charge counter from ~. Any player may activate this ability, but only whenever they could cast a sorcery.
Tei, Meishin's Architect 2UU
Legendary Creature - Moonfolk (M)
Flying
T1U: Exile target creature attacking you or a planeswalker you control. Return it to the battlefield under the attacking player's control, attacking a player or planeswalker of your choice if able. Activate this ability only during the declare attacker's step on an opponent's turn. (A creature cannot attack it's controller or a planeswalker owned by it's controller)
2/3
Smoke Bomb B
Instant - (C)
Attacking creatures get -3/-0 until end of turn.
Creatures you control get -1/-0 until end of turn.
Master's of espionage and assassination, the ninja avoided open combat. When there was no cover of night, they would create their own means of escape. Bidding time for their poisons and traps to take effect.
Dangerous Nursery Visit 3RR
Instant (R)
Create three 0/2 red Dragon Egg creature tokens named with Defender and, "Exile this creature at the end of combat. When this creature dies, create a 2/2 red Dragon creature token with flying and 'R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.'."
Kami of the Village Gates 2G
Creature - Plant Spirit (U)
Defender
Whenever a creature you control without defender blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature with defender you control.
0/3
My Cubes:Pauper|Archetype
My Deviant Art
EDIT: I did it in a little more than three hours. Let's hope I've not made anything broken because of the hurry!
Conspiracy: Keep the Throne is the third chapter in the Conspiracy series. It's all about Queen Marchesa having to defend her throne and the existence of the monarchy itself against the attacks of Adriana and Selvala, who try to enact their plans to create the Republic of Paliano.
Conspiracy cards are back, obviously. The Monarch mechanic also returns in the set, but this time the focus is not so much on becoming the monarch, rather on retaining the monarch status for yourself. To allow you to do that, the set has various mechanical means to let you dodge your opponents' attacks, prevent combat damage, and generally stall the game while you try to exploit the advantages of keeping the crown. That includes a defender subtheme, returning from Rise of the Eldrazi and other recent sets.
Army’s Loyalty 2WW
Enchantment (R)
When Army’s Loyalty enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
As long as you’re the monarch, creatures you control get +0/+1.
As long as you’re not the monarch, creatures you control get +1/+0.
“Having a good army at your orders ensures you can keep the crown effectively. I have the best army at my disposal.”
—Queen Marchesa
Mindful Courtmage 2U
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Defender
2U, T: Target creature gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is twice the number of creatures with defender you control.
“I don’t know how to fight, but I know how to make you think I am detaining you with the strength of a whole army.”
0/3
Dark Protector 6BB
Creature — Demon (M)
Flying
When Dark Protector enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
Your opponents can’t become the monarch.
Loyal to the Queen, treacherous to anybody else.
6/6
Audacious Plot 2R
Instant (U)
Audacious Plot deals damage to any target equal to the number of face-up conspiracy cards you own in the command zone.
“You accuse me of plotting against the Queen? Who doesn’t in Paliano?”
—Adriana
Natural Defenses 1G
Instant (C)
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to you this turn. If you’re the monarch, draw a card.
“Guards! Block the doors! Use anything you need, be it even the trunk of a tree!”
—Queen Marchesa
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.)
Loyal Hero 1W
Creature - Human Soldier (r)
Flash
First strike
Whenever you're dealt commander damage, put that many +1/+1 counters on Loyal Hero.
1/2
Stubborness 1R
Enchantment (r)
If a spell or ability controlled by an opponent would cause a permanent you control to be returned to its owner's hand, that permanent remains on the battlefield instead.
If you would draw a card, you may choose to skip drawing that card.
Resent the Past 2UUU
Enchantment (r)
Whenever a player casts a spell, counter that spell if a spell with the same name was cast this game.
Mirror of the Soul 2BB
Creature - Avatar (r)
Defender
Combat damage dealt to Mirror of the Soul by creatures also causes that creature's controller to be dealt damage. (Damage dealt by commanders counts as commander damage)
1/8
Aura Sphere 1G
Enchantment - Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Totem armor
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
You may cast Aura Sphere from your graveyard if it targets your commander.