Congratulations. You've made it through the six years at the Academy... and the final step before your prowess is recognized stands before you. You'll need to prove that your skills are well-rounded...
Challenge: A land, an instant, an artifact, an enchantment, a sorcery, a creature, a planeswalker, and your choice of either tribal or a new type.
Clarifications: The planeswalker does not have to represent you or your opponent, just someone of your choice who is not an existing planeswalker. (If you want to make one of yourself, that's fine too, it's just not a requirement.) Thematic ties between the cards are likewise not necessary, but will probably be appreciated by your soon-to-be-adoring public.
Also, types that are mechanically similar to tribal (for example, I've done Regional, which allows land types on nonlands, in the past) are fine, and if you're going with a type of that sort as your eighth type, you can reuse one of the "normal" types on that card as well.
Voting will close at 9:30ish PM Pacific time, Thursday, September 13th.
There is a theme here, though most wouldn't know it. Most of these cards were all initially designed for other CCC&G contests, but were either changed/abandoned, or designed for a Round I didn't make it into (Battle Pike Round 5... *sigh*).
Brain Extruder
Artifact {U}
:symtap:, Sacrifice a creature you control: Draw a card.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control no creatures, transform Brain Extruder.
//
Mindless Horde
{:symb:} Creature — Zombie
Mindless Horde’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
*/*
Dyrta, False Truth :symg::symw::symu::symb:
Legendary Creature — Illusion Cleric {M}
Dyrta, False Truth can’t be sacrificed.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to Dyrta, False Truth’s owner and all other permanents that player owns.
If Dyrta, False Truth would die, return it into its owner’s hand instead.
3/4
Cemetery Taxes :2mana::symb::symb:
Enchantment {U}
Whenever a creature card is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 1 life.
Whenever a creature card is moved from a graveyard to anywhere else, each opponent loses 1 life.
Blood for Blood :symb::symb:
Instant {C}
Destroy target creature unless its controller pays 4 life. Someone always has to pay.
Unstable Paradise
Land {R}
Unstable Paradise enters the battlefield tapped.
:symtap:: Add two mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool. Return Unstable Paradise to its owner’s hand.
Emyrla of the Evensong :3mana::symg::symu::symb:
Planeswalker — Emyrla {M}
[+1]: Target creature you control gets +2/+1 and gains wither until end of turn.
[0]: Until the beginning of your next upkeep, you may cast creature cards as though they had flash.
[-3]: Destroy target nontoken creature. Put a token that’s a copy of that creature onto the battlefield.
<4>
Collapse :symb::symr::symg:
Sorcery {R}
Destroy target land you don’t control.
Overload :symb::symb::symr::symr::symg::symg: (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)
Changeling Mists :2mana::symu::symu:
Tribal Enchantment — Shapeshifter {R}
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a creature type. Each creature becomes that type until your next turn. It’s like a family reunion... with fewer arguments and fights.
Oldgate
Land R T:Add1 to your mana pool. T, Exile a card from your graveyard: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. "All this time, all the destruction wrought by the Eldrazi. They weren't just consuming power... they were gathering it..."
—Venser
Exsect1WB
Instant R
Choose up to three target cards in graveyards other than basic lands. For each card chosen this way, search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
Forgotten Totem3
Artifact U T:Add1 to your mana pool. ,T: Choose target face-up exiled card. Its owner shuffles it into his or her library. "You didn't think I'd stay gone, did you?"
—Venser
Presence of Ages4G
Enchantment R
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may shuffle three face-up exiled cards you own into your library. If you do, put a 4/4 green Elemental creature token onto the battlefield. "The fabric of reality is wearing thin. I was able to return because of this."
—Venser
Memories Unlost4UR
Sorcery R
Return an instant card and a sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand. Repeat this process until you either have no instant cards in your graveyard or you have no sorcery cards in your graveyard.
Exile Memories Unlost.
Venser's Watcher1WW
Creature - Human Archer U T: Venser's Watcher deals 1 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. 1W,T, Exile Venser's Watcher: Exile target attacking or blocking creature.
1/2
Venser Immaterial2WWU
Planeswalker - Venser M [+2]: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile the rest. [-3]: Exile target creature. [-10]: You get an emblem with "You may cast face-up exiled cards you own from exile." [[5]]
Burning Sunset3
Rune R R: Next time target creature would deal damage to a creature or player this turn, it deals double that damage to that creature or player instead. A path of blazing glory across the sky. <3> (A creature dies or a player loses 4 or more life)
Most Runes, like artifacts and lands, are colorless.
Runes use a frame that looks somewhat like a mix between the land and artifact frames, very earthen and stony, but with stylistic patterns and scratches. At the bottom of the card, beneath even the rule text box, is a box similar to the boxes on Planeswalker cards, but more stony, with a stylized circle on the left. In the box is a short line of text. In the circle is a number. The card looks otherwise unremarkable.
Whenever a Rune spell on the stack resolves, it is put into exile.
A Rune card in exile is referred to as a "Rune", not a "Rune card" or a "Rune permanent".
A Rune always enters exile with a number of Wane counters on it equal to the number in the circle at the bottom of the card.
The text to the right of the number is always some event that can take place or a part of the turn structure, such as "a creature dies", "an enchantment enters the battlefield", or "the beginning of your upkeep". The text represents two unwritten triggered abilities that reads "At [Part of Turn Structure] or whenever [Stated Event], remove a Wane counter from this Rune." and "When the last Wane counter is removed from this Rune, put it into your graveyard."
Runes may have activated abilities, triggered abilities, or static abilities. Much like any other card. They function in exile and nowhere else unless otherwise stated, in the same way that abilities of permanents function on the battlefield and nowhere else unless otherwise stated.
The Card Creation League is a monthly contest in which players compete over seven rounds. Each month has an overall theme and/or story, determined by that month's host.
Each round, the host will assign a card creation task to the players. This task may vary between teams or players.
The first three rounds are open to everyone who joined in the sign-up thread, which will be posted near the end of the previous month. After these rounds, the Top 8 players will move on to three single elimination rounds to determine a winner.
Rounds usually last three to four days for submissions and about two days for critiques, but the host has final say in making the schedule.
For the first three rounds, players are divided into teams. Four teams is standard, but there may be more or less depending on the number of players. Each team will review another team's cards during the critique period of that round.
Each player must submit a Top 3 ranking for the team he or she critiques at the end of each round. Each 1st place is worth 3 points, 2nd place 2 points, and 3rd place 1 point.
Additionally, each player can receive 2 bonus points per round. One point is awarded for posting a Top 3, and one point for providing critiques for that team's cards.
Suggested areas to critique include creativity, balance, printability, and relation to the overall theme or that player's previous cards.
Players who do not post a card or a Top 3 will be put on "probation." Top 3 violations for a round can be removed by posting or PMing the host with your Top 3 before the end of the next round. Any player that would receive a second violation is disqualified from further competition that month.
At the end of the first three rounds, the Top 8 players will be selected by points (usually the top 2 from each team). In the case of ties, there may be more than 8 players advancing. The host will determine matchups for single elimination. At the end of each elimination round, remaining players not in that matchup will choose a winner to advance. The host will break any ties.
The final round is determined by public poll.
Eight rounds instead of seven this time! We'll cut to top 16 after Round 3 - the top four from each team, rather than the top two.
Starting with the Top 16 round, the remaining rounds of the month will be single-elimination rather than "rank your top 3 out of everyone". If you're still in at this point, you'll rank each pairing's winner (1-7 in T16, 1-3 in T8; not necessary in T4/finals) as well as stating who wins each pairing.
Prior to Top 8, players have a chance of getting a total of 100 points toward their score each Scoring Round. Scores for each Round are determined by the following equation:
Total points of Player A in round N = 100 * X/Y, where:
X = Total number of Scoring Points (Judge Points + Additional Points from Top 3 & Critiques)
Y = Total number of Possible Points (3 * Number of Judges + Additional Points)
3 points are given for a First Place Top 3 finish, 2 points for a Second Place, and 1 point for a Third Place. 1 additional point is awarded if a Top 3 is submitted. 1 additional point is awarded if Critiques are given for all entries to be judged.
This way the grading is more streamlined in the fact that all rounds prior to Top 8 are graded equally, and there is no handicap for any team that has fewer judges.
Each player accumulates points from each Scoring Round until the end of Round 3.
In keeping with the "school" theme, scores are redone on a curve. As a result, Y is instead the highest X value before the Top3/crits points.
No "Gentleman's" Vote? Ouch. That's hurts, Rithaniel.
Oh, are we traditionally supposed to do that? This is my first time in the CCL finals (Been in the finals in plenty of other games, just not the CCL), so, yeah, if we're supposed to do that, could I get my vote re-allocated?
No worries, I'll just vote for myself. While I only made it to a CCL Final once before (pretty sure this is only the second time I made it through), I've seen GMom and Oculus and other usual suspects make the gesture, so I'm used to the concept.
This is your first, so you voted for yourself. It's not a big deal.
I really need to remember [sarcasm] tags.
You should be more concerned for the scathing review I'm going to do of the cards you submitted... early next week. Next 32 hours or so are booked, so I'm going to be cutting it close just getting the August MCC judgings done.
I guess we are going to ignore the section of the challenge that was about making a non-existing planeswalker for Rith?
Rith's exile theme makes it a bit easier to digest his cards, it's hard to just evaluate a bunch of disparate designs. That said, I don't think the game needs too much more "return from exile," sure there are a couple of these effects already but I have to agree with Maro that exile needs to stay a one-way destination in order to remain distinguished from the graveyard. Memories Unlost and Venser's Watcher are the standouts for me. The runes are too confusing, I see no reason why they wouldn't be artifacts that just remove counters when the trigger happens.
Eventide's set is sort of varied, Blood for Blood feels kind of like Blazing Salvo, Collapse I think it too cheap to Overload, and Dyrta and Emyrla are interesting but they are quite a lot of colors.
A little earlier than expected, but here comes the review.
Oldgate: Interesting. It usually won't be able to produce colored mana on Turn 1 (unlike the nonsense of CoS), so an EtB clause isn't necessary. The drawback won't appeal to everyone, but for decks without GY recovery, the cards may as well be exiled.
Exsect: Had this been mono Black or Blue/Black, it would have been on color. White shouldn't have library destruction. Also, being able to triple Surgical Extraction a player and exile up to 12 cards for three mana at Instant speed is undercosted. At 4 CMC, with a 2CC or 1CCD casting cost, it might have been more acceptable.
Forgotten Totem: Returning a card from exile, even if it "just" tucks the card, is very powerful, and should not be as easy as paying and tapping an Artifact. Outside of 2HG, when are you ever planning to benefit someone other than yourself with this effect?
Presence of Ages: Narrow card, especially for a Rare. If that much of your library is being exiled (via JtMS, Leyline of the Void, or some other effect), I doubt this is really going to help, even if you can generate a 4/4 token for your troubles.
Memories Unlost: This lacks words. You either: A) choose the cards to return; B) target the cards to return; or C) return the cards at random. Given how many cards this might end up returning, why is the termination clause so convoluted? This also dwarfs Call to Mind in scope. This would have been much better as an Overload card (Return target/each instant card and target/each sorcery card from GY to hand).
Venser's Watcher: The card would be better served by moving the colon for the activation to just past the tap symbol, then exiling both creatures, ala Mangara of Corondor.
Venser Immaterial: Venser already has a PW card. That said, this is a 5 loyalty for 5 CMC that can exile a creature as soon as it hits. If you go the self-exiling route, this can create an emblem in four turns (or less if you can proliferate), after which your hand is effectively unlimited. PWs are finally starting to get the "utility" level they were meant to have (Inn PWs aren't mindblowing or broken), and this is closer to that overpowered zone again.
Burning Sunset [Rune]: Since the counters don't get removed until the triggers go off, you could easily activate the "personal-sized" Gratuitous Violence on more than 3 creatures. Let me see if I understand this trigger correctly: If a player loses 12 life, only one counter is removed, but if four creatures die, this moves from exile to graveyard?
Runes aren't that interesting. The disappearing act reminds me too much of fade/vanishing counters to warrant a new card type, even if it does only work from exile. The fact that Runes are active once in exile means you can cheat them out of the graveyard, much like a Reanimator deck. One very important thing you do not mention in your Rules is what speed Runes are "cast into exile" at, and when it is legal to cast them. Can I "cast" one on my opponent's turn if the stack is empty, or at any time on my turn?
Overall view
There were a few formatting and punctuation errors, which I tend to harp about whenever I critique. Venser was one of my favorite characters from the Time Spiral Block novels (I was not happy hearing about what he was turned into for New Phyrexia), but we were supposed to create a Walker that didn't already have a card. I didn't care for Runes, especially given that you forgot the casting speed. And how would your version of Venser interact with Runes (besides "cheating" them in/out with the +2)?
Finally, there were the non-Rune cards that, even if this wasn't heads-up, would have kept me from voting for you. Exsect is off-color and overpowered. Presence of Ages is from a Block where you do a lot of exiling and shuffling, dragging out games like Top sometimes did. Memories Unlost has missing formatting, and would have been much better dropping the second clause in favor of Overload (it's just so Izzet otherwise).
I welcome any comments anyone has for my submissions. In case anyone was interested, I'm also including some notes regarding my submissions.
Brain Extruder // Mindless Horde: Unknown origin. I don't recall what contest I was going to submit this for. I wanted a DFC that had that Phyrexian Vault feel, but also "rewarded" you for killing every creature you controlled. The upkeep trigger was added to keep from getting a potentially large creature for after a Wrath effect.
Dyrta, False Truth: Discarded submission for Planar Chaos: Round 4. Dyrta is special. You rarely see "owner" referenced on cards outside of library/shuffle effects. Also, I wanted something very difficult to kill, but that was still hard to abuse (no Squee shennanigans), hence the "can't be sacrificed" rule, which has never been printed on a card.
Cemetery Taxes: Designed for Battle Pike Round 5 (later altered). Originally, this was meant for a restriction where the number 1 had to appear exactly three times on the card, without any other numerals present. The casting cost was :1mana::symb::symb:, and the second effect was targetted instead of global.
Blood for Blood: New. It is in the Burning Salvo/Dash Hopes vein of cards, but this is the kind of creature kill I'd like to see printed. That, and I really like loss of life effects.
Unstable Paradise: Unknown origin. Again, I don't recall why this card was designed. Originally, the card shuffled back in after being tapped for mana. I decided it would be just as difficult to abuse if it bounced back to your hand after tapping, without slowing the game down.
Emyrla of the Evensong: Designed for Battle Pike Round 5. If you read the novels for Lorwyn/Shadowmoor, you know that Oona was a goddess, and Maralen was her avatar/spy. Maralen, with help from Rhys, Brigid, Ashling, and the Sapling of Colfenor, deposed Oona, became the "new" goddess of Lorwyn, and set the cycle of days and nights back in order. Being a goddess, Maralen would never gain a spark. However, if she had a child, that child (or another descendant) might one day develop a Spark. This is that descendant. The first ability is BG and part of Emyrla's elven heritage. The second ability is GU and part of her faerie heritage. The third ability is gUB and an homage to what Oona did to the original Maralen, betrothed of Rhys, whom we never saw in the novels (or as a card).
Collapse: Discarded submission for Planar Chaos: Round 4. LD costs 4, but this is three color, so it's a little harder to cast. While the Overload isn't as mana intensive as an Ultimatum, a protected Ajani Vengeant could do something quite similar. Yes, in multiplayer, this is backbreaking, but I have a feeling several Overload cards will be able to say that as well.
Changeling Mists: New. I wanted to create a Tribal Creature, but the concept is very hard to justify. This was originally going to be named "Mistform" something and "Illusion" typed, but the Shapeshifer Changelings from Lorwyn made more mechanical sense.
Congratulations. You've made it through the six years at the Academy... and the final step before your prowess is recognized stands before you. You'll need to prove that your skills are well-rounded...
Clarifications: The planeswalker does not have to represent you or your opponent, just someone of your choice who is not an existing planeswalker. (If you want to make one of yourself, that's fine too, it's just not a requirement.) Thematic ties between the cards are likewise not necessary, but will probably be appreciated by your soon-to-be-adoring public.
Also, types that are mechanically similar to tribal (for example, I've done Regional, which allows land types on nonlands, in the past) are fine, and if you're going with a type of that sort as your eighth type, you can reuse one of the "normal" types on that card as well.
Voting will close at 9:30ish PM Pacific time, Thursday, September 13th.
Y = Total number of Possible Points (3 * Number of Judges + Additional Points)
In keeping with the "school" theme, scores are redone on a curve. As a result, Y is instead the highest X value before the Top3/crits points.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...
Oh, are we traditionally supposed to do that? This is my first time in the CCL finals (Been in the finals in plenty of other games, just not the CCL), so, yeah, if we're supposed to do that, could I get my vote re-allocated?
This is your first, so you voted for yourself. It's not a big deal.
I really need to remember [sarcasm] tags.
You should be more concerned for the scathing review I'm going to do of the cards you submitted... early next week. Next 32 hours or so are booked, so I'm going to be cutting it close just getting the August MCC judgings done.
Rith's exile theme makes it a bit easier to digest his cards, it's hard to just evaluate a bunch of disparate designs. That said, I don't think the game needs too much more "return from exile," sure there are a couple of these effects already but I have to agree with Maro that exile needs to stay a one-way destination in order to remain distinguished from the graveyard. Memories Unlost and Venser's Watcher are the standouts for me. The runes are too confusing, I see no reason why they wouldn't be artifacts that just remove counters when the trigger happens.
Eventide's set is sort of varied, Blood for Blood feels kind of like Blazing Salvo, Collapse I think it too cheap to Overload, and Dyrta and Emyrla are interesting but they are quite a lot of colors.
Oldgate: Interesting. It usually won't be able to produce colored mana on Turn 1 (unlike the nonsense of CoS), so an EtB clause isn't necessary. The drawback won't appeal to everyone, but for decks without GY recovery, the cards may as well be exiled.
Exsect: Had this been mono Black or Blue/Black, it would have been on color. White shouldn't have library destruction. Also, being able to triple Surgical Extraction a player and exile up to 12 cards for three mana at Instant speed is undercosted. At 4 CMC, with a 2CC or 1CCD casting cost, it might have been more acceptable.
Forgotten Totem: Returning a card from exile, even if it "just" tucks the card, is very powerful, and should not be as easy as paying
Presence of Ages: Narrow card, especially for a Rare. If that much of your library is being exiled (via JtMS, Leyline of the Void, or some other effect), I doubt this is really going to help, even if you can generate a 4/4 token for your troubles.
Memories Unlost: This lacks words. You either: A) choose the cards to return; B) target the cards to return; or C) return the cards at random. Given how many cards this might end up returning, why is the termination clause so convoluted? This also dwarfs Call to Mind in scope. This would have been much better as an Overload card (Return target/each instant card and target/each sorcery card from GY to hand).
Venser's Watcher: The card would be better served by moving the colon for the activation to just past the tap symbol, then exiling both creatures, ala Mangara of Corondor.
Venser Immaterial: Venser already has a PW card. That said, this is a 5 loyalty for 5 CMC that can exile a creature as soon as it hits. If you go the self-exiling route, this can create an emblem in four turns (or less if you can proliferate), after which your hand is effectively unlimited. PWs are finally starting to get the "utility" level they were meant to have (Inn PWs aren't mindblowing or broken), and this is closer to that overpowered zone again.
Burning Sunset [Rune]: Since the counters don't get removed until the triggers go off, you could easily activate the "personal-sized" Gratuitous Violence on more than 3 creatures. Let me see if I understand this trigger correctly: If a player loses 12 life, only one counter is removed, but if four creatures die, this moves from exile to graveyard?
Runes aren't that interesting. The disappearing act reminds me too much of fade/vanishing counters to warrant a new card type, even if it does only work from exile. The fact that Runes are active once in exile means you can cheat them out of the graveyard, much like a Reanimator deck. One very important thing you do not mention in your Rules is what speed Runes are "cast into exile" at, and when it is legal to cast them. Can I "cast" one on my opponent's turn if the stack is empty, or at any time on my turn?
Overall view
There were a few formatting and punctuation errors, which I tend to harp about whenever I critique. Venser was one of my favorite characters from the Time Spiral Block novels (I was not happy hearing about what he was turned into for New Phyrexia), but we were supposed to create a Walker that didn't already have a card. I didn't care for Runes, especially given that you forgot the casting speed. And how would your version of Venser interact with Runes (besides "cheating" them in/out with the +2)?
Finally, there were the non-Rune cards that, even if this wasn't heads-up, would have kept me from voting for you. Exsect is off-color and overpowered. Presence of Ages is from a Block where you do a lot of exiling and shuffling, dragging out games like Top sometimes did. Memories Unlost has missing formatting, and would have been much better dropping the second clause in favor of Overload (it's just so Izzet otherwise).
I welcome any comments anyone has for my submissions. In case anyone was interested, I'm also including some notes regarding my submissions.
Brain Extruder // Mindless Horde: Unknown origin. I don't recall what contest I was going to submit this for. I wanted a DFC that had that Phyrexian Vault feel, but also "rewarded" you for killing every creature you controlled. The upkeep trigger was added to keep from getting a potentially large creature for
Dyrta, False Truth: Discarded submission for Planar Chaos: Round 4. Dyrta is special. You rarely see "owner" referenced on cards outside of library/shuffle effects. Also, I wanted something very difficult to kill, but that was still hard to abuse (no Squee shennanigans), hence the "can't be sacrificed" rule, which has never been printed on a card.
Cemetery Taxes: Designed for Battle Pike Round 5 (later altered). Originally, this was meant for a restriction where the number 1 had to appear exactly three times on the card, without any other numerals present. The casting cost was :1mana::symb::symb:, and the second effect was targetted instead of global.
Blood for Blood: New. It is in the Burning Salvo/Dash Hopes vein of cards, but this is the kind of creature kill I'd like to see printed. That, and I really like loss of life effects.
Unstable Paradise: Unknown origin. Again, I don't recall why this card was designed. Originally, the card shuffled back in after being tapped for mana. I decided it would be just as difficult to abuse if it bounced back to your hand after tapping, without slowing the game down.
Emyrla of the Evensong: Designed for Battle Pike Round 5. If you read the novels for Lorwyn/Shadowmoor, you know that Oona was a goddess, and Maralen was her avatar/spy. Maralen, with help from Rhys, Brigid, Ashling, and the Sapling of Colfenor, deposed Oona, became the "new" goddess of Lorwyn, and set the cycle of days and nights back in order. Being a goddess, Maralen would never gain a spark. However, if she had a child, that child (or another descendant) might one day develop a Spark. This is that descendant. The first ability is BG and part of Emyrla's elven heritage. The second ability is GU and part of her faerie heritage. The third ability is gUB and an homage to what Oona did to the original Maralen, betrothed of Rhys, whom we never saw in the novels (or as a card).
Collapse: Discarded submission for Planar Chaos: Round 4. LD costs 4, but this is three color, so it's a little harder to cast. While the Overload isn't as mana intensive as an Ultimatum, a protected Ajani Vengeant could do something quite similar. Yes, in multiplayer, this is backbreaking, but I have a feeling several Overload cards will be able to say that as well.
Changeling Mists: New. I wanted to create a Tribal Creature, but the concept is very hard to justify. This was originally going to be named "Mistform" something and "Illusion" typed, but the Shapeshifer Changelings from Lorwyn made more mechanical sense.
(Probably NSFW) So you may have heard I'm trying to write a TV series...