(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card Sworn Companions by Jason Rainville, my favorite art from Guilds of Ravnica.)
November MCC Round 3
Guilds Rock!
...which means both that Ravnica guilds are awesome and that there are rocks, aka artifacts in Magic terms, associated with the guilds. The former is just a true fact. The latter is what we’re going to explore this round.
Main Challenge - Design a colorless artifact flavorfully associated with one of the GRN guilds.
The card is supposed to come from the Guilds of Ravnica set, both in flavor and mechanics.
The guild you choose to design a card for must be one of the five included in the Guilds of Ravnica set (Dimir, Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari, and Boros) and not the same guild as either of the previous rounds.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card does not add mana.
Subchallenge 2 - Your card is colorless but has a colored color identity. This means there are no colored mana symbols in the card’s mana cost but there is at least one colored mana symbol in the card’s rules text.
Main challenge
The flavor link between the artifact and your chosen guild must be self-explanatory (no design notes are allowed, the card must speak for itself, so use name and flavor text to create the connection) and clear to the judge. If your judge doesn’t see the connection, the blame is not on them but on you as the card designer. As host, I will not accept any complaint about your judge not getting the guild flavor of your card and deducting points from the Main Challenge section of the rubric because of that, so be sure to make it extra clear. Some examples of how you could do it:
• Include the name of the guild in the card name and/or flavor text.
• Include the name of a known character from the guild in the card name and/or flavor text.
• Make the flavor text a quote from a character belonging to the guild.
• Give the card an ability requiring both of the guild’s colors (see Sunforger).
These are just examples, you don’t have to follow them. You can do it in any other way you can think of, just make sure that the guild affiliation of your artifact is loud and clear.
Please, no DFCs or Kamigawa-style flip cards (the real "flip cards"). There are none in GRN and your card is supposed to come from GRN. As for split cards, you couldn't use them anyway as they can't be artifacts, and the main challenge explicitly asks for an artifact.
As in the previous rounds, the choice of the guild will influence your available choices in the final round.
Subchallenge 1
Your card can’t have any abilities that add mana, regardless of type or color of the mana. Colorless mana (C) and “add mana of any color” (and the like) are also specifically forbidden.
Subchallenge 2
Should be clear enough. Again, Sunforger is an example of a card that would pass all challenges, main and both sub.
If you have any additional question about any of the challenges, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
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.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Saturday, November 24th 23:59 EST
Judging deadline: Tuesday, November 27th 23:59 EST
JUDGES
bravelion83
Antiantiserum
Superbajt
PLAYERS
Only the players in the following list can submit a card. Each player can choose between the guilds in the white cells. The deleted guilds (black cells) are those each player has already designed a card for in previous rounds.
Flatline - can design for Dimir, Selesnya, Golgari
Freyleyes - can design for Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari
Hemlock - can design for Dimir, Izzet, Boros
netn10 - can design for Dimir, Izzet, Golgari
Raptorchan - can design for Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari
rkohn1357 - can design for Dimir, Selesnya, Boros
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards (I wrote it quite some time ago but it's still totally valid):
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.
BRACKETS
Judge: Antiantiserum
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
Freyleyes vs netn10
Judge: bravelion83
Freyleyes vs netn10
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Judge: Superbajt
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
In each matchup, the player with the highest combined score advances to the finals.
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.)
Selesnya Banner3
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
(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)
Izzet Gauntlets2
Artifact - Equipment (Rare) U: Untap equipped creature. R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn. UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Sneakbug Gadget1
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library. UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
Steam Engine3
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine. UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target. Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Powered Tome3
Artifact (u) 1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand. The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Moment Freezer3
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card. (U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer. RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase. UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
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.)
Selesnya Banner3
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy may have fun with this card, but Spike doesn't like the setup cost and Johnny doesn't know what to do with it. (1/3) Elegance: Equipment with a global ability is an awful idea. What do you do with them? You hide them under a creature. Have fun remembering that it still affects other creatures. Setting base P/T is also quite complicated, especially if they are later modified. So what you do? You invite players to play token deck and equip this card to a token. This card would be a nightmare to play. On the other hand, I like this combination of abilities, they have nice symmetry (make each creature bigger vs make bigger for each creature).
Development - (2/3) Viability: Second ability is a very Selesnya hybrid. I can accept that +1/+1 for tokens is artifact. What I cannot accept, it this being an uncommon. It's much too complicated. (2.5/3) Balance: This card could be too powerful for Selesnya in limited, but otherwise it seems to be fine.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: You know what? You overdid it. This card doesn't feel fresh, it looks like it is filled with very artificial preservatives. You add a new ability for artifacts, colored equip cost and setting P/T instead of buffing on an equipment. It is too "unique" to feel like a Magic card. (1.5/3) Flavor: This card is basically flavorless (I guess it disappeared under the preservatives). It doesn't have any wrong things about it though.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: OK. Second ability has new wording, but that's expected. (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 17.5/25
[Moment Freezer3
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card. (U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer. RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase. UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Johnny is already thinking how to break it, but I don't think he will succeed. Timmy likes extra turns but doesn't like discarding the precious cards he could cast. Spike feels personally offended by this card. (0/3) Elegance: This card is too wordy. No way it fits on the card in any font visible without a microscope.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: I'm going to assume RR ability is just wrongly written but works as one of the previous extra combat spells (and punish it in Quality), because otherwise color wheel, rules and rarity are in very good place. However, this card has no reason to be an artifact. This should be an enchantment. Generally, to differentiate between those two if you can make it enchantment (not colorless and doesn't tap), it's an enchantment. Notice that this card makes no sense to play without blue or red mana, so 2(U/R) would be basically the same. (2/3) Balance: Similarly to Flatline in Uniqueness, I'm going to punish a card too weak for any considerate player to be ever played in Balance, where usually too powerful cards lose points. You overdid it.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This card is very unique, I'll give you that. Exchanging cards for extra phases in this way is something new and interesting. (2/3) Flavor: Generally nice flavor, but what is a flavor difference between extra combat and extra turn for this card? Why does it first make you draw a card to then make you discard them? I'm confused.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: RR ability basically doesn't make sense. I can use it before combat, and untap generally not tapped creatures, or after combat, and not receive another combat. The only place it makes sense is during combat, after attacks, probably in Combat Damage step. If that's the intent, why not "use only during combat" clause? (1.5/2) Main Challenge: Too much an enchantment. (2/2) Subchallenges: OK Total: 16/25
Powered Tome3
Artifact (u) 1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand. The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Both Johnny and Spike like card quality, additionally Johnny is wondering what he can do with discarded cards. Timmy is not opposed to this card. (1.5/3) Elegance: The second ability is a really ugly way to write "Sacrifice this: Draw a card" in a vast majority of situations. Even if you think that you will discard cards in another way than using the first ability, aren't you going to use it either way? Another problem appears when you consider how the trigger works with other abilities and cards, like madness. This adds unnecessary complexity.
Development - (3/3) Viability:Jalum Tome as an uncommon artifact is of course all right. Sacrifice ability doesn't have to be colored for color pie but works as an Izzet hybrid. (3/3) Balance: Again, this is Jalum Tome at uncommon. Nothing to see here. Additional synergy with jump-start is appreciated.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: This is just a variation of Jalum Tome, even if it has a minor twist. (2/3) Flavor: Izzet likes electricity. Nothing special, everything correct. The flavor text seems quite forced to me.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: through (2/2) Main Challenge: OK (2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 20/25
Sneakbug Gadget1
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library. UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
If you activate the ability multiple times this will mill multiple cards on combat damage. Additionally, you look but cannot change the order of cards. I'm going to assume you know about that and judge it as such. It may make your score worse (minus in Elegance and Viability instead of Quality), but I feel that's a more fair way.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy doesn't like this card, the fact that you know what you will mill is detracting to him. Johnny is moderate on it, there are some ways to use it. Spike adores it. So many ways to outplay your opponent! (2/3) Elegance: multiple activations of man-artifact having any additional effect is hard to understand.
Development - (1/3) Viability: No rarity or color pie issues. However, there's a good reason that each card that looks at the top of the library allows arranging the cards or makes it random (not necessarily back on top). Making player remember exactly what is the order and not allowing to choose a way in which someone takes the cards from the top is a serious problem. Also, all the feel-bads when you think the card was third from top, and it was fourth, and you milled them into their bomb instead of milling the bomb... The memory issue is bad for this. (3/3) Balance: This is a quite good rate for such a creature, but I don't think it would cause any issues.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Well, I may not like that exact realization of this idea, but the gameplay of such card could be very fun and different. (2.5/3) Flavor:I feel that a card with this name shouldn't have deathtouch. It is all about spying, not assassinating. Otherwise, it perfectly encapsulates Dimir way (first intel, then extraction).
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (2/2) 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? (2/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: 20.5/25
Flatline (17.5) vs Raptorchan (16)
Hemlock (20) vs rkohn1357 (20.5)
Sorry, I will be unable to post results today. Tomorrow morning this post will be replaced by judgments.
No problem as long as the delay is a single day. I also have had a few irl issues these days, but I still managed to make it on time, even though just barely. Here we go.
Steam Engine3
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine. UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target. Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Design (2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes an artifact that charges up with the spells he would cast anyway and then deals damage as a reward. Johnny can easily manipulate the counters with proliferate or in other ways. Probably too many hoops to jump through for Spike. (2/3) Elegance - I know they intentionally don't make cards that use multiple kinds of counters at the same time because of potential confusion, but I think that's a problem that would be very easily solved: just use different kind of objects to represent the different kinds of counter. Competitive players will have differently colored dice or something like that with them anyway, and casual players should have not much trouble finding two different items they can use as counters in the house or wherever they are playing. The symmetry of the triggers is very nice and helps making up a little for that potential confusion.
Development (2/3) Viability - I would have liked to see a blue effect in addition to direct damage in the activated ability, both for aesthetic reasons (one blue ability, one red ability, one blue + red ability) and to justify that ability requiring blue mana. As is, that ability is monored. No problems with rarity. (2.5/3) Balance - I could this getting played in limited and maybe seeing some play in Standard in Izzet decks specifically built to take advantage of it. The potential confusion of two different counters on the same card, while easily solved as I've already mentioned, doesn't help in casual. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity (2.5/3) Uniqueness - I don't remember any existing card using two different types of counters at the same type, and as I mentioned before, I think that's a problem that could be very easily solved, so I personally have nothing against it. A bit too similar to Firemind's Research though. (3/3) Flavor - I have no problem with the flavor elements of this card. The name is fine and very Izzet (the Izzet shockland is called Steam Vents after all) and the flavor text is a piece of classic Magic goblin humor.
Polish (1.5/3) Quality - A serious grammar mistake in the flavor text: the eternal confusion between "it's" (verb) and "its" (possessive adjective and pronoun). Is it really so hard to get? Here you chose the wrong one, it should be "at its finest" (-1). "Remove" in the activation cost should be capitalized (-0.5). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. The triggers and the aforementioned connection to the Izzet shockland in the name make the Izzet affiliation of this artifact very clear. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 20/25
Izzet Gauntlets2
Artifact - Equipment (Rare) U: Untap equipped creature. R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn. UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes giving haste to his creatures but doesn't really care about the rest of the card. Johnny just loves this card, it's just tailor made for him. Spike is mildly interested. (3/3) Elegance - Not too long and easy enough to understand.
Development (3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie or with rarity. (2.5/3) Balance - These are all effects that look useful in limited. I don't see this card getting played in competitive constructed outside of maybe a few decks some Johnny might come up with that manage to abuse some of the abilities in some way. I don't see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - The most original thing here is the targeting requirement in the third ability, but that's really a stretch. These are all very well-known abilities. (1.5/3) Flavor - This feels like just a generic Izzet artifact to me, so they might very well be gauntlets, but they could just be anything really. I think a short flavor text could have fit here.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - It should be "You may choose new targets for the copy." (-0.5) (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Selesnya Banner3
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes going wide with tokens and being rewarded for that. Johnny could do something with said tokens. Spike likes this in a deck that's specifically built to take advantage of it, but not otherwise. (3/3) Elegance - Not too long and very easy to understand.
Development (3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie or with rarity. (2/3) Balance - I see this card as mostly harmless. It requires a specific strategy to dedicate your whole deck to (tokens) to become abusable, and even then a single removal spell can easily take care of the equipment or the equipped creature should that happen. I think this card would see the most play in casual rather than competitive formats. Casual players will love how well this card plays with convoke and populate in a Selesnya guild deck with cards from throughout Ravnica history. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity (1.5/3) Uniqueness - The first ability only giving +1/+1 to tokens feels like the most original thing here, but even that is too similar to Leyline of the Meek and just a mirror to Illness in the Ranks and Virulent Plague. No existing card only affects tokens you control, but I'm convinced that's how they would do it today anyway. The other ability is just a variation on various existing cards in Selesnya colors. (1.5/3) Flavor - We have already had a Banner cycleof artifactsfor the clansin Khansof Tarkir. While the concept of a banner fits well with the mechanics of the card, especially the first ability, you could have come up with a different word that hasn't already been used. Just a synonym would already have been enough. I'm sure there is space for some flavor text here, so I would have liked to see some.
Polish (2.5/3) Quality - It's not easy to guess whether this wording is correct or not. All precedents are either "CARDNAME's power and toughness are each equal to..." without "base" when the card is setting its own power and toughness (recent examples: Tishana, Voice of Thunder from Ixalan or Living Lore and Lord of Extinction from Ultimate Masters), or "has base power and toughness N/N" when setting another creature's power and toughness (recent example: Deep Freeze). Equipment are usually worded like Auras, so I think this would be worded similarly to Deep Freeze: "Equipped creature has base power and toughness each equal to..." (-0.5). (2/2) Main Challenge - Good. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Moment Freezer3
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card. (U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer. RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase. UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
Design (2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the effects, but he doesn't like discarding cards to get to them. A lot to play with for Johnny. Spike sees this similarly to Timmy: she likes the effects in a vacuum but she feels there are too many hoops to jump through and she also doesn't like the card disadvantage. (2.5/3) Elegance - The text is very long but still easy enough to understand.
Development (3/3) Viability - The first ability is just a cantrip and those are allowed in all colors, so no problems with a colorless artifact doing that. All other abilities have the right color(s) of mana in their activation costs. I agree with this card being mythic. I remember reading just a few days ago a Blogatog post saying that these days they essentially print extra turn cards only at mythic. (2/3) Balance - This looks to me like a powered up Firemind's Research. Competitive decks would love to play this but they have to get around the card disadvantage somehow to do that profitably. Though potentially risky effects, I don't see any real problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity (1/3) Uniqueness - Technically never been done before but these are all things we see very often. (2/3) Flavor - The name fits the mechanics of the card very well but it doesn't necessarily sound Izzet to me. I could easily also see it as an invention on Kaladesh for example. There is definitely no room for flavor text here, so its absence is not a problem.
Polish (3/3) Quality - There is only one card in the whole history of Magic with the phrase "first combat phase" in its Oracle text: Finest Hour. That is enough precedent for me to accept this wording, even though it's not the usual wording we see for additional combat phases. (1.5/2) Main Challenge - Nothing here screams Izzet to me. While this card is certainly good for the Izzet, it could really work for any blue/red faction on any plane. (2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19/25
Freyleyes: 20
netn10: 19.5
Flatline: 19.5
Raptorchan: 19
Final note: with this many Izzet cards this round, nobody will be able to do Izzet in the finals regardless of who advances. I could remove one line from the final round as a consequence, but I will leave it for completeness. That's too bad anyway, I feel like Izzet would have been quite interesting to design for in the finals. Not that all of you could have known it in advance of course...
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.)
Powered Tome3
Artifact (u) 1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand. The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This is a fine Jxnny card. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (2,5/3) Viability: Tomes are uncommon nowadays, that's fine. Returning a discared card to hand, has so far appeared one red card from 16 years ago, Pitchstone Wall. The only other comparable and much more recently card is black, Shadow of the Grave. Besides the wall there's actually no red card with an effect that returns other things than instant, sorcery, or artifact cards. Blue on the other hand has Monastery Loremaster for any noncreature, nonland card and Sacred Excavation, the more interesting card for this case. Cycling and discarding where treated very similar on Amonkhet. Blue being able to retrieve a single discarded card might be okey, a bend at worst. For red though I can't find any such examples. There's Codex Shredder of course that, like a lot of artifact, gives an effect to any color, but at a much higher cost as usual. Overall it's probably some kind of justifiable bend. (3/3) Balance: A different take on Urza's Tome and other books that works well with Izzet's mechanic jump-start while not appearing all too powerful.
Creativity .:. (2/3) Uniqueness: We know tomes in all variations. This izzet tome has quite the nice cover though. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor text reads like it's hinting at something. Like, "you would have thought the experiments failed, but! . . ." Intriguing.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: "Though" in the flavor text probably supposed to be "through". (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Sneakbug Gadget1
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library. UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This might be a Jxnny card. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Fine for a dimir card. (3/3) Balance: It seems weird to me that so far there's no card that just allows you to look at the opponent's top cards this way without manipulating them. It gives you some idea of things to come but probably is just not very powerful. The ability to pitch single cards away if you turn this into a creature is neat but also not too powerful. After playing this opponent will draw at least one of the cards seen before you can attack with the little bug.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: As said, no cards looks at the opponent's deck this way. Artifacts that turn into creatures we know. (3/3) Flavor: That's quite the flavorful dimir device. I like how the effects give you an impression of how this gadget is used.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Steam Engine3
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine. UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target. Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This is a Jxnny card. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Fine for an izzet card. (3/3) Balance:Firemind's Research is a thing and probably just the better card in most ways. With the Research you need 5 spells to do five damage. With the Engine you'd anything between 5 two colored or 10 mono colored spells to deal the same amount. The ability to make 1 damage after 1 two colored or 2 mono colored spells, and 2, 3, 4 damage respectively, differentias this artifact fomr the enchantment. I see no balance issue with the Steam Engine's added flexibility.
Creativity .:. (0/3) Uniqueness: With Firemind's Research in the exact set where the Steam Engine is supposed to come from I can't speak of uniqueness. (3/3) Flavor: Then again, turning water into steam under the influence of fire is translated perfectly into card form here.
Polish .:. (2/3) Quality: "Remove" in the activation cost must be capitalized, e.g. Academy Elite. "It's in the flavor text should be "its". (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19/25
Izzet Gauntlets2
Artifact - Equipment (Rare) U: Untap equipped creature. R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn. UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: Untapping and copying, buzzwords that make Jxnny listen. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Fine for an izzet card. (3/3) Balance: This is a flexible combo piece that helps to abuse tap abilities and spells. The untap ability has appeared on an equipment once, see Sword of the Paruns. Whereas on an enchantment like Freed from the Real the untapping can be cheaply costed on an artifact that you can use again and again on other creatures the cost might be too cheap. The haste part on the other hand seems fine, almost expensive. Copying spells cost two mana if the source of the copy is itself an instant or sorcery. There's no direct comparison for this repeatable effect but with the added restriction it should be fine. Overall we have a very flexible card where each single effect is costed somewhat reasonable. If this wasn't tied to this equipment being attached to something I'd say this needs to be more expensive. The need for a creature might balance this all.
Creativity .:. (2/3) Uniqueness: An amalgamation of several known things. To highlight is that Beamsplitter Mage feels very similar to this while being from the exact set this card is supposed to stem from. (2,5/3) Flavor: The flavor checks out but I'd like a little bit more than just a name. The chosen abilities don't seem to tell a particular story.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: Usually it's "You may choose new targets for the copy." There is a mechanical difference here in that a copy of Assassin's Trophy (and a number of other cards and similar cases), usually able to hit any permanent, would only be able to hit creatures. Questionable if this interaction is worth it to introduce a never before used wording. As there's no card with a similar wording I can't say for sure if this is technically incorrect or not. If not this would be a viability issue with the same amount of deducted points. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
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.)
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(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card Sworn Companions by Jason Rainville, my favorite art from Guilds of Ravnica.)
November MCC Round 3
Guilds Rock!
...which means both that Ravnica guilds are awesome and that there are rocks, aka artifacts in Magic terms, associated with the guilds. The former is just a true fact. The latter is what we’re going to explore this round.
Main Challenge - Design a colorless artifact flavorfully associated with one of the GRN guilds.
The card is supposed to come from the Guilds of Ravnica set, both in flavor and mechanics.
The guild you choose to design a card for must be one of the five included in the Guilds of Ravnica set (Dimir, Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari, and Boros) and not the same guild as either of the previous rounds.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card does not add mana.
Subchallenge 2 - Your card is colorless but has a colored color identity. This means there are no colored mana symbols in the card’s mana cost but there is at least one colored mana symbol in the card’s rules text.
Main challenge
The flavor link between the artifact and your chosen guild must be self-explanatory (no design notes are allowed, the card must speak for itself, so use name and flavor text to create the connection) and clear to the judge. If your judge doesn’t see the connection, the blame is not on them but on you as the card designer. As host, I will not accept any complaint about your judge not getting the guild flavor of your card and deducting points from the Main Challenge section of the rubric because of that, so be sure to make it extra clear. Some examples of how you could do it:
• Include the name of the guild in the card name and/or flavor text.
• Include the name of a known character from the guild in the card name and/or flavor text.
• Make the flavor text a quote from a character belonging to the guild.
• Give the card an ability requiring both of the guild’s colors (see Sunforger).
These are just examples, you don’t have to follow them. You can do it in any other way you can think of, just make sure that the guild affiliation of your artifact is loud and clear.
Please, no DFCs or Kamigawa-style flip cards (the real "flip cards"). There are none in GRN and your card is supposed to come from GRN. As for split cards, you couldn't use them anyway as they can't be artifacts, and the main challenge explicitly asks for an artifact.
As in the previous rounds, the choice of the guild will influence your available choices in the final round.
Subchallenge 1
Your card can’t have any abilities that add mana, regardless of type or color of the mana. Colorless mana (C) and “add mana of any color” (and the like) are also specifically forbidden.
Subchallenge 2
Should be clear enough. Again, Sunforger is an example of a card that would pass all challenges, main and both sub.
If you have any additional question about any of the challenges, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
(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.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Saturday, November 24th 23:59 EST
Judging deadline: Tuesday, November 27th 23:59 EST
JUDGES
bravelion83
Antiantiserum
Superbajt
PLAYERS
Only the players in the following list can submit a card. Each player can choose between the guilds in the white cells. The deleted guilds (black cells) are those each player has already designed a card for in previous rounds.
Flatline - can design for Dimir, Selesnya, Golgari
Freyleyes - can design for Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari
Hemlock - can design for Dimir, Izzet, Boros
netn10 - can design for Dimir, Izzet, Golgari
Raptorchan - can design for Selesnya, Izzet, Golgari
rkohn1357 - can design for Dimir, Selesnya, Boros
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards (I wrote it quite some time ago but it's still totally valid):
BRACKETS
Judge: Antiantiserum
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
Freyleyes vs netn10
Judge: bravelion83
Freyleyes vs netn10
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Judge: Superbajt
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
In each matchup, the player with the highest combined score advances to the finals.
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.)
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Artifact - Equipment (Rare)
U: Untap equipped creature.
R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn.
UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library.
UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine.
UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target.
Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Artifact (u)
1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand.
The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card.
(U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer.
RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase.
UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
BRACKETS
Judge: Antiantiserum
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
Freyleyes vs netn10
Judge: bravelion83
Freyleyes vs netn10
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Judge: Superbajt
Flatline vs Raptorchan
Hemlock vs rkohn1357
In each matchup, the player with the highest combined score advances to the finals.
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.)
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy may have fun with this card, but Spike doesn't like the setup cost and Johnny doesn't know what to do with it.
(1/3) Elegance: Equipment with a global ability is an awful idea. What do you do with them? You hide them under a creature. Have fun remembering that it still affects other creatures. Setting base P/T is also quite complicated, especially if they are later modified. So what you do? You invite players to play token deck and equip this card to a token. This card would be a nightmare to play. On the other hand, I like this combination of abilities, they have nice symmetry (make each creature bigger vs make bigger for each creature).
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Second ability is a very Selesnya hybrid. I can accept that +1/+1 for tokens is artifact. What I cannot accept, it this being an uncommon. It's much too complicated.
(2.5/3) Balance: This card could be too powerful for Selesnya in limited, but otherwise it seems to be fine.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: You know what? You overdid it. This card doesn't feel fresh, it looks like it is filled with very artificial preservatives. You add a new ability for artifacts, colored equip cost and setting P/T instead of buffing on an equipment. It is too "unique" to feel like a Magic card.
(1.5/3) Flavor: This card is basically flavorless (I guess it disappeared under the preservatives). It doesn't have any wrong things about it though.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: OK. Second ability has new wording, but that's expected.
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 17.5/25
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card.
(U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer.
RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase.
UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Johnny is already thinking how to break it, but I don't think he will succeed. Timmy likes extra turns but doesn't like discarding the precious cards he could cast. Spike feels personally offended by this card.
(0/3) Elegance: This card is too wordy. No way it fits on the card in any font visible without a microscope.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: I'm going to assume RR ability is just wrongly written but works as one of the previous extra combat spells (and punish it in Quality), because otherwise color wheel, rules and rarity are in very good place. However, this card has no reason to be an artifact. This should be an enchantment. Generally, to differentiate between those two if you can make it enchantment (not colorless and doesn't tap), it's an enchantment. Notice that this card makes no sense to play without blue or red mana, so 2(U/R) would be basically the same.
(2/3) Balance: Similarly to Flatline in Uniqueness, I'm going to punish a card too weak for any considerate player to be ever played in Balance, where usually too powerful cards lose points. You overdid it.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This card is very unique, I'll give you that. Exchanging cards for extra phases in this way is something new and interesting.
(2/3) Flavor: Generally nice flavor, but what is a flavor difference between extra combat and extra turn for this card? Why does it first make you draw a card to then make you discard them? I'm confused.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: RR ability basically doesn't make sense. I can use it before combat, and untap generally not tapped creatures, or after combat, and not receive another combat. The only place it makes sense is during combat, after attacks, probably in Combat Damage step. If that's the intent, why not "use only during combat" clause?
(1.5/2) Main Challenge: Too much an enchantment.
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 16/25
Artifact (u)
1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand.
The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Both Johnny and Spike like card quality, additionally Johnny is wondering what he can do with discarded cards. Timmy is not opposed to this card.
(1.5/3) Elegance: The second ability is a really ugly way to write "Sacrifice this: Draw a card" in a vast majority of situations. Even if you think that you will discard cards in another way than using the first ability, aren't you going to use it either way? Another problem appears when you consider how the trigger works with other abilities and cards, like madness. This adds unnecessary complexity.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Jalum Tome as an uncommon artifact is of course all right. Sacrifice ability doesn't have to be colored for color pie but works as an Izzet hybrid.
(3/3) Balance: Again, this is Jalum Tome at uncommon. Nothing to see here. Additional synergy with jump-start is appreciated.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This is just a variation of Jalum Tome, even if it has a minor twist.
(2/3) Flavor: Izzet likes electricity. Nothing special, everything correct. The flavor text seems quite forced to me.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: through
(2/2) Main Challenge: OK
(2/2) Subchallenges: OK
Total: 20/25
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library.
UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
If you activate the ability multiple times this will mill multiple cards on combat damage. Additionally, you look but cannot change the order of cards. I'm going to assume you know about that and judge it as such. It may make your score worse (minus in Elegance and Viability instead of Quality), but I feel that's a more fair way.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy doesn't like this card, the fact that you know what you will mill is detracting to him. Johnny is moderate on it, there are some ways to use it. Spike adores it. So many ways to outplay your opponent!
(2/3) Elegance: multiple activations of man-artifact having any additional effect is hard to understand.
Development -
(1/3) Viability: No rarity or color pie issues. However, there's a good reason that each card that looks at the top of the library allows arranging the cards or makes it random (not necessarily back on top). Making player remember exactly what is the order and not allowing to choose a way in which someone takes the cards from the top is a serious problem. Also, all the feel-bads when you think the card was third from top, and it was fourth, and you milled them into their bomb instead of milling the bomb... The memory issue is bad for this.
(3/3) Balance: This is a quite good rate for such a creature, but I don't think it would cause any issues.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Well, I may not like that exact realization of this idea, but the gameplay of such card could be very fun and different.
(2.5/3) Flavor:I feel that a card with this name shouldn't have deathtouch. It is all about spying, not assassinating. Otherwise, it perfectly encapsulates Dimir way (first intel, then extraction).
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(2/2) 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?
(2/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: 20.5/25
Flatline (17.5) vs Raptorchan (16)
Hemlock (20) vs rkohn1357 (20.5)
No problem as long as the delay is a single day. I also have had a few irl issues these days, but I still managed to make it on time, even though just barely. Here we go.
Steam Engine 3
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine.
UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target.
Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes an artifact that charges up with the spells he would cast anyway and then deals damage as a reward. Johnny can easily manipulate the counters with proliferate or in other ways. Probably too many hoops to jump through for Spike.
(2/3) Elegance - I know they intentionally don't make cards that use multiple kinds of counters at the same time because of potential confusion, but I think that's a problem that would be very easily solved: just use different kind of objects to represent the different kinds of counter. Competitive players will have differently colored dice or something like that with them anyway, and casual players should have not much trouble finding two different items they can use as counters in the house or wherever they are playing. The symmetry of the triggers is very nice and helps making up a little for that potential confusion.
Development
(2/3) Viability - I would have liked to see a blue effect in addition to direct damage in the activated ability, both for aesthetic reasons (one blue ability, one red ability, one blue + red ability) and to justify that ability requiring blue mana. As is, that ability is monored. No problems with rarity.
(2.5/3) Balance - I could this getting played in limited and maybe seeing some play in Standard in Izzet decks specifically built to take advantage of it. The potential confusion of two different counters on the same card, while easily solved as I've already mentioned, doesn't help in casual. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - I don't remember any existing card using two different types of counters at the same type, and as I mentioned before, I think that's a problem that could be very easily solved, so I personally have nothing against it. A bit too similar to Firemind's Research though.
(3/3) Flavor - I have no problem with the flavor elements of this card. The name is fine and very Izzet (the Izzet shockland is called Steam Vents after all) and the flavor text is a piece of classic Magic goblin humor.
Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - A serious grammar mistake in the flavor text: the eternal confusion between "it's" (verb) and "its" (possessive adjective and pronoun). Is it really so hard to get? Here you chose the wrong one, it should be "at its finest" (-1). "Remove" in the activation cost should be capitalized (-0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good. The triggers and the aforementioned connection to the Izzet shockland in the name make the Izzet affiliation of this artifact very clear.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 20/25
Izzet Gauntlets 2
Artifact - Equipment (Rare)
U: Untap equipped creature.
R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn.
UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes giving haste to his creatures but doesn't really care about the rest of the card. Johnny just loves this card, it's just tailor made for him. Spike is mildly interested.
(3/3) Elegance - Not too long and easy enough to understand.
Development
(3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie or with rarity.
(2.5/3) Balance - These are all effects that look useful in limited. I don't see this card getting played in competitive constructed outside of maybe a few decks some Johnny might come up with that manage to abuse some of the abilities in some way. I don't see any problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - The most original thing here is the targeting requirement in the third ability, but that's really a stretch. These are all very well-known abilities.
(1.5/3) Flavor - This feels like just a generic Izzet artifact to me, so they might very well be gauntlets, but they could just be anything really. I think a short flavor text could have fit here.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - It should be "You may choose new targets for the copy." (-0.5)
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Selesnya Banner 3
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Creature tokens you control get +1/+1.
Equipped creature's base power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
Equip (G/W)(G/W)
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes going wide with tokens and being rewarded for that. Johnny could do something with said tokens. Spike likes this in a deck that's specifically built to take advantage of it, but not otherwise.
(3/3) Elegance - Not too long and very easy to understand.
Development
(3/3) Viability - No problems with the color pie or with rarity.
(2/3) Balance - I see this card as mostly harmless. It requires a specific strategy to dedicate your whole deck to (tokens) to become abusable, and even then a single removal spell can easily take care of the equipment or the equipped creature should that happen. I think this card would see the most play in casual rather than competitive formats. Casual players will love how well this card plays with convoke and populate in a Selesnya guild deck with cards from throughout Ravnica history. No problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - The first ability only giving +1/+1 to tokens feels like the most original thing here, but even that is too similar to Leyline of the Meek and just a mirror to Illness in the Ranks and Virulent Plague. No existing card only affects tokens you control, but I'm convinced that's how they would do it today anyway. The other ability is just a variation on various existing cards in Selesnya colors.
(1.5/3) Flavor - We have already had a Banner cycle of artifacts for the clans in Khans of Tarkir. While the concept of a banner fits well with the mechanics of the card, especially the first ability, you could have come up with a different word that hasn't already been used. Just a synonym would already have been enough. I'm sure there is space for some flavor text here, so I would have liked to see some.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - It's not easy to guess whether this wording is correct or not. All precedents are either "CARDNAME's power and toughness are each equal to..." without "base" when the card is setting its own power and toughness (recent examples: Tishana, Voice of Thunder from Ixalan or Living Lore and Lord of Extinction from Ultimate Masters), or "has base power and toughness N/N" when setting another creature's power and toughness (recent example: Deep Freeze). Equipment are usually worded like Auras, so I think this would be worded similarly to Deep Freeze: "Equipped creature has base power and toughness each equal to..." (-0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge - Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19.5/25
Moment Freezer 3
Artifact (M)
When Moment Freezer enters the battlefield, draw a card.
(U/R), Discard a card: Put a charge counter on Moment Freezer.
RR, Remove three charge counters from Moment Freezer: Untap all creatures you control. After the first combat phase this turn, there is an additional combat phase.
UU, Remove five charge counters from Moment Freezer: Take an extra turn after this one.
Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the effects, but he doesn't like discarding cards to get to them. A lot to play with for Johnny. Spike sees this similarly to Timmy: she likes the effects in a vacuum but she feels there are too many hoops to jump through and she also doesn't like the card disadvantage.
(2.5/3) Elegance - The text is very long but still easy enough to understand.
Development
(3/3) Viability - The first ability is just a cantrip and those are allowed in all colors, so no problems with a colorless artifact doing that. All other abilities have the right color(s) of mana in their activation costs. I agree with this card being mythic. I remember reading just a few days ago a Blogatog post saying that these days they essentially print extra turn cards only at mythic.
(2/3) Balance - This looks to me like a powered up Firemind's Research. Competitive decks would love to play this but they have to get around the card disadvantage somehow to do that profitably. Though potentially risky effects, I don't see any real problem in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Technically never been done before but these are all things we see very often.
(2/3) Flavor - The name fits the mechanics of the card very well but it doesn't necessarily sound Izzet to me. I could easily also see it as an invention on Kaladesh for example. There is definitely no room for flavor text here, so its absence is not a problem.
Polish
(3/3) Quality - There is only one card in the whole history of Magic with the phrase "first combat phase" in its Oracle text: Finest Hour. That is enough precedent for me to accept this wording, even though it's not the usual wording we see for additional combat phases.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge - Nothing here screams Izzet to me. While this card is certainly good for the Izzet, it could really work for any blue/red faction on any plane.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 19/25
Freyleyes: 20
netn10: 19.5
Flatline: 19.5
Raptorchan: 19
Final note: with this many Izzet cards this round, nobody will be able to do Izzet in the finals regardless of who advances. I could remove one line from the final round as a consequence, but I will leave it for completeness. That's too bad anyway, I feel like Izzet would have been quite interesting to design for in the finals. Not that all of you could have known it in advance of course...
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.)
Artifact (u)
1, T, Discard a card: Draw a card.
Whenever you discard a card, you may pay and sacrifice Powered Tome. If you do, return the discarded card from your graveyard to your hand.
The first attempts at exchanging knowledge though electricity were not so unsuccessful.
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: This is a fine Jxnny card.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(2,5/3) Viability: Tomes are uncommon nowadays, that's fine. Returning a discared card to hand, has so far appeared one red card from 16 years ago, Pitchstone Wall. The only other comparable and much more recently card is black, Shadow of the Grave. Besides the wall there's actually no red card with an effect that returns other things than instant, sorcery, or artifact cards. Blue on the other hand has Monastery Loremaster for any noncreature, nonland card and Sacred Excavation, the more interesting card for this case. Cycling and discarding where treated very similar on Amonkhet. Blue being able to retrieve a single discarded card might be okey, a bend at worst. For red though I can't find any such examples. There's Codex Shredder of course that, like a lot of artifact, gives an effect to any color, but at a much higher cost as usual. Overall it's probably some kind of justifiable bend.
(3/3) Balance: A different take on Urza's Tome and other books that works well with Izzet's mechanic jump-start while not appearing all too powerful.
Creativity .:.
(2/3) Uniqueness: We know tomes in all variations. This izzet tome has quite the nice cover though.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor text reads like it's hinting at something. Like, "you would have thought the experiments failed, but! . . ." Intriguing.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: "Though" in the flavor text probably supposed to be "through".
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Artifact (U)
When Sneakbug Gadget enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of target opponent's library.
UB: Sneakbug Gadget becomes a 1/1 Insect Construct artifact creature with flying and deathtouch until end of turn. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player this turn, you may put the top card of that player's library into their graveyard.
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: This might be a Jxnny card.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Fine for a dimir card.
(3/3) Balance: It seems weird to me that so far there's no card that just allows you to look at the opponent's top cards this way without manipulating them. It gives you some idea of things to come but probably is just not very powerful. The ability to pitch single cards away if you turn this into a creature is neat but also not too powerful. After playing this opponent will draw at least one of the cards seen before you can attack with the little bug.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: As said, no cards looks at the opponent's deck this way. Artifacts that turn into creatures we know.
(3/3) Flavor: That's quite the flavorful dimir device. I like how the effects give you an impression of how this gadget is used.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Steam Engine 3
Artifact {R}
Whenever you cast a blue instant or sorcery spell, put a water counter on Steam Engine.
Whenever you cast a red instant or sorcery spell, put a fire counter on Steam Engine.
UR, remove X fire counters and X water counters from Steam Engine: Steam Engine deals X damage to any target.
Goblin engineering at it's finest.
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: This is a Jxnny card.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Fine for an izzet card.
(3/3) Balance: Firemind's Research is a thing and probably just the better card in most ways. With the Research you need 5 spells to do five damage. With the Engine you'd anything between 5 two colored or 10 mono colored spells to deal the same amount. The ability to make 1 damage after 1 two colored or 2 mono colored spells, and 2, 3, 4 damage respectively, differentias this artifact fomr the enchantment. I see no balance issue with the Steam Engine's added flexibility.
Creativity .:.
(0/3) Uniqueness: With Firemind's Research in the exact set where the Steam Engine is supposed to come from I can't speak of uniqueness.
(3/3) Flavor: Then again, turning water into steam under the influence of fire is translated perfectly into card form here.
Polish .:.
(2/3) Quality: "Remove" in the activation cost must be capitalized, e.g. Academy Elite. "It's in the flavor text should be "its".
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19/25
Artifact - Equipment (Rare)
U: Untap equipped creature.
R: Equipped creature gains haste until end of turn.
UR: Copy target instant or sorcery spell that targets equipped creature. You may choose another target creature for the copy.
Equip 2
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: Untapping and copying, buzzwords that make Jxnny listen.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Fine for an izzet card.
(3/3) Balance: This is a flexible combo piece that helps to abuse tap abilities and spells. The untap ability has appeared on an equipment once, see Sword of the Paruns. Whereas on an enchantment like Freed from the Real the untapping can be cheaply costed on an artifact that you can use again and again on other creatures the cost might be too cheap. The haste part on the other hand seems fine, almost expensive. Copying spells cost two mana if the source of the copy is itself an instant or sorcery. There's no direct comparison for this repeatable effect but with the added restriction it should be fine. Overall we have a very flexible card where each single effect is costed somewhat reasonable. If this wasn't tied to this equipment being attached to something I'd say this needs to be more expensive. The need for a creature might balance this all.
Creativity .:.
(2/3) Uniqueness: An amalgamation of several known things. To highlight is that Beamsplitter Mage feels very similar to this while being from the exact set this card is supposed to stem from.
(2,5/3) Flavor: The flavor checks out but I'd like a little bit more than just a name. The chosen abilities don't seem to tell a particular story.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: Usually it's "You may choose new targets for the copy." There is a mechanical difference here in that a copy of Assassin's Trophy (and a number of other cards and similar cases), usually able to hit any permanent, would only be able to hit creatures. Questionable if this interaction is worth it to introduce a never before used wording. As there's no card with a similar wording I can't say for sure if this is technically incorrect or not. If not this would be a viability issue with the same amount of deducted points.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
VS
rkohn1357 22,5
Freyleyes 19,0
VS
netn10 21,0
Hemlock: 21 + 20 = 41
rkohn1357: 22.5 + 20.5 = 43
Freyleyes: 20 + 19 = 39
netn10: 19.5 + 21 = 41
Flatline: 17.5 + 19.5 = 37
Raptorchan: 16 + 19 = 35
The final round will up in a few minutes.
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.)