Intrigue, espionage, global trickery - the game has many names. Those who play can tell you that the game is as old as the kingdoms themselves, perhaps older. Some play out of patriotism and love of country. Some play out of hated for the enemy. Some play simply out of love for the game itself. But whatever are your reasons, it is a great game to play. And Scarlett Jane was the best player.
Scarlett Jane was a legend in the field. She brought intrigue and subtle manipulation to a form of art. They say she could change the course of history by changing her hairstyle. They say the Sultan of Gumoz offered to give her her weight in diamonds for a single night with her. The say that Queen Nalinda led her knights in chase of her for over two weeks, only to find upon their return that the palace coffers have been emptied. They say that chaos follows her wherever she goes, but those who try to find her will only ever find just a single red thread - the mark that Scarlett Jane have been here and have gone.
Now they say she's dead.
The details are murky at best, but your sources are sure that it is the truth. No one is sure how it happened. No one knows who did it. All you know for certain is that you didn't do it.
Your tale starts with Scarlett Jane's death. You must find out who did it and how. You team decides what Jane meant to you:
Team Colleague - You worked with Scarlett Jane, and gotten to know her, at least to some degree. Maybe you liked her, maybe you didn't, but she was on your side and you should at least figure out the circumstances of her death. Looking over her past cases might yield clues, but you'll need something to help you sift through the massive amounts of information. You should also keep an eye for her known enemies, since the killer is most likely one of them (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information, you will critique Team Nemesis)
Team Protege - Scarlett Jane taught you everything you know. She was the one to show you the ropes in the game and thanks to her you are the spy you are today. The rules of honor demand you'll avenge her death, and so you'll need to find the killer. You don't have access to information, but you do know where Jane has been lately. It's time for a thorough investigation, but you'll need some means to get around and cover long distances fast. You also suspect an inside job, so watch out for some of Scarlett Jane's colleagues. (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that will help you get around and move fast, you will critique Team Colleague)
Team Lover - You had the privilege of having Scarlett Jane join your bed for a night of passion. Maybe even more than one night. You're not naive, and you know you are not the only one Jane has taken to her bed, and you know that she only did so because she needed something from you, but the time spent with her stayed with you. You feel obligated to find out what happened. Perhaps something she said during your trysts could be the key to solving this. You'll need to clear your mind and scan your memories for whatever clues you can find. You also recall seeing some of Jane's students trail after her, you might want to check in on them to see if that leads to anything (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help your memory, you will critique Team Protege)
Team Nemesis - Scarlett Jane was your sworn enemy. Maybe you were on different sides one time too many, maybe she just got to your mark a minute before you did and took just a little bit too much pleasure in it, but you swore an oath you shall make her pay. And right when you were about to make your move someone went and killed her! Unacceptable! You must find out who was it that took your vengeance away from you. You will not be denied. You will go and ask the questions. You will ask them the hard way, if that what it takes. You probably want to look at some of her ex-lovers, too, because they have as much a motive to kill her as anyone. Probably even a bit more. (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card will help you "interrogate" people, you will critique Team Lover)
Team Protege:
HatterofMad
Small Child
Socrates
EtR
Prophylaxis
schtingah
Cythare
Icarael
Vexing Arcanix
Thelas
Team Lover:
Oculus
Savia
Gallus
Phyrexian Editor
TacticalCelebrant
Gerrard's Mom
Rudyard
aurorasparrow
Igmhorus
Team Nemesis:
Legend
Noatz
queensauce
herbert west
Big_Cal
Random_Nation
kill-joy
DRey
Lordshadow
Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, December 4th @ 23:59, Pacific Time.
Deadline for critique is Thursday, December 6th @ 23:59, Pacific Time.
Good luck!
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 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 suggested scoring method is for each player to critique all remaining players in the same Top 3 style as the first three rounds, with the top half advancing each round, so Top 8, then Top 4, then Finals.
The final round is determined by public poll.
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.
NostalgiaB
Sorcery (C)
Search your library for a card with the same name as a card in your graveyard and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
Zalatraz, Tunnel Master2RR
Legendary Creature - Viashino Rogue {R}
Haste 1RR: Target creature you control gets -X/-0 and is unblockable until end of turn, where X is equal too half its power, rounded down. If he can't find a path to it, then it doesn't exist.
4/4
Zalatraz, a name few knew, but one that was respected amongst those who preferred to remain unseen, no one knew the tunnel and cave systems in and around most major cities better then him, even ones that had been long forgotten about. No one would suspect this master of tunnels and paths was nothing more then a simple thief once, who learned the paths of the tunnels simply as a way to escape angry food merchants.
That all changed when he first met Scarlet Jane, she was on the run from someone, and he had helped her duck out of the way, only knowing that she was being chased and needed help. She thanked him, asked his name, simple things like that, and after learning his unique knowledge set, asked for his help. That was nearly a decade ago, and over dozens of jobs and quiet a few deals later, he was the one to go to when you needed to get in or out of any place, a service that Scarlet Jane used often.
Needless to say, he didn't take it well when he first learned of her supposed death. Even if it wasn't true, it was something he would not stand for. Though he wasn't nearly as wide spread as some other rogues or spies, he still had his way of getting information he needed. He made his way through one of the abandoned catacombs under one city, ruins that had been long forgotten about and left to the dead, as well as the rats. There was one very specific Rat that Zalatraz was looking for, one that went by Blackear, one of Zalatraz's informants, and one of the best. He usually held back when it came to bargaining with him for his information, but not this time, not when it was for Scarlet...
Informant's Deal(U/B)
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order. You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
I hope the Flavor is clear for this card, giving up something of value to you to get information, a way of paying off the Informant... and then using that information to kind of... prepare. *shuts up*
Probing the Signs UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs. Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
Team Protégé: "They're not getting away with this"
Precarious Accelerator1UR
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has haste, flying and attacks every turn if able.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, untap equipped creature.
Equip 4 (4: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.) The incredible speed almost makes up for the complete lack of safety features.
You worked with Scarlett Jane, and gotten to know her, at least to some degree. Maybe you liked her, maybe you didn't, but she was on your side and you should at least figure out the circumstances of her death. Looking over her past cases might yield clues, but you'll need something to help you sift through the massive amounts of information. You should also keep an eye for her known enemies, since the killer is most likely one of them (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information)
Spy NetGU
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 2. In Mrakdor, it is common knowledge that your brothers, neighbors, neighbors of your neighbors and their dogs are all spying on you.
Cool card, unsure why it's not just monogreen though. At 2 mana and uncommon I feel its in its rightfull place. I can easily see the correlation between the flavour and the mechanics which is always a good thing.
Informant's Deal(U/B)
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order. You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
Nice card, though i'm not sure why its black, since they tend to only sac creatures. For one mana and a sacrifice you're basically getting to scry 5, which seems a bit weak to me. Flavour wise everything is in order.
Mind Filter2
Artifact (R)
Whenever you would draw a card, instead choose a card type. Then look at the top two cards of your library, you may reveal a card of the chosen type from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. (The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.)
Love this. It has the potential to be amazing, and the potential to **** you. I don't 100% get how this will help you track Scarlett though.
Skim the Archives1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
I like the card, but i'm not really seeing why it's red.It does have the potential to draw 4 for three, which is amazing but its so hard to setup that it's perfectly balanced. The name and the mechanics blend well together, though I don't really get the flavour text.
Dreamweaver's Blessing2GG [R]
Enchantment
Graft 3 (This enchantment enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever another creature enters the battlefield, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this enchantment onto it.) U, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a permanent you control: Scry 1
Pretty cool card, interesting new use of old mechanics. Without flavour text and with a very generic name i'm not really getting the flavour though.
Unfolding ImprovisationXUU
Sorcery (R)
X can't be less than 2.
Look at the top X cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile one of them. Until end of turn, if the exiled card is nonland, you may cast it by paying its mana cost reduced by up to :3mana:. Put the rest back in any order. "Nine-tenths of planning is knowing when to deviate from the plan." - Follutt
so simple, yet so elegant, love it. Seems failrly balanced, and I totally get the flavour.
No entry found
Invalid
NecrovestigationUB
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creature card from your graveyard. Scry X, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost, then draw a card. You lose 5 life. Only the complexity of a corpse can unravel the complexity of a great secret.
Nice card, though i'm not really seeing why its blue. I'm not really sure which corpse you're gonna be examining to find Scarlett though.
Careful Cataloguing3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
Pretty cool. I kinda like how it doesn't put stuff on the bottom, so at worst you can rearrange the top 5 of your library. Also get the flavour.
Probing the SignsUU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs. Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
Like this alot. Its a neat little card that allows for some interesting stuff to happen. I also like how you allowed it to count all counters on it, so that you can trick it.
Sidestep Slippers2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has "You may have equipped creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked."
Equip 2
Careful Cataloguing3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
Reminiscence
Enchantment
When Reminiscence enters the battlefield, put your graveyard on top of your library in any order.
You can’t search or shuffle your library.
:1mana::symu:, Sacrifice Reminiscence: Shuffle your library.
“Like all fiction, memories should be enjoyed in moderation.” - Soya Sen
A clever, flavorful twist on equipment. A bit awkward that creatures can’t un-board. The card itself is way too expensive; paying 3 to board sorta undermines the haste bonus. I would also prefer a more fantastical name than Hot-Rod.
EtR - Failed Tactics (2WR Enchantment)
Due to the lack of a “may” clause, this enchantment can be detrimental to the controller at times.
HatterofMad - Hidden Highways (CMC 6 Artifact)
This almost always boils down to “your creatures are unblockable.” How about “if the defending player controls a tapped land of that type” ?
Icarael - Infiltrator's Trick (1U Aura)
Though flavorful, a bit bland and underpowered. Perhaps give some benefit when the creature combat damages a player?
Arim smiled as he pushed through the crowd. He had never been one for subtlety, and he really didn't need subtlety considering he had borrowed the face of a royal guardsman. As he got closer to emperor's tower the crowd grew thicker. It was buzzing with excitement for the emperor's annual address. His job was to make sure that address would contain exactly what the client wanted it to. It was far from the first time he'd assume the role of a reagent.
Just before he reached the steps a colorfully dressed man who was already waiting in the front of the crowd began to make his way towards Arim. The man's name was Issac, and he was one of Arim's colleagues. This triggered the immediate fear that he was coming to warn him that his disguise had been made, but Arim kept a constant facial expression. It isn't a hard thing to do when your face is a fake. When Issac brushed by Arim, Arim pushed him into the crowd.
"What do you think you're doing. In this empire no one gets in the way of a guardsman!" He shouted.
Issac began waving his arms in front of his face as if to calm him, "Oh, please sir. I meant no trouble. Here, take my coin purse it's all I have... For you trouble I mean. Just... Just please, I have a family. I don't want to die." He reached into his coat pocket and grabbed a pouch, slipping a shred of paper into it before presenting it to Arim.
Arim smiled smuggly, "Well aren't you a model citizen. Carry on then."
Arim rifled through the coin puse and found the paper, reading it while still in the bag to avoid suspicion. It contained three simple words that chilled Arim to the bone:
JANE IS DEAD
Arim nearly took the paper out to make sure he read it right, but he knew better. He put it away. He filed his thoughts away as well. He had a job. Scarlet was a priority, but he had to finish this first. And so he continued toward the tower...
Metamorphic Credentials3 Artifact (R)
If a spell or ability would have you reveal any number of cards from your hand, you may reveal Metamorphic Credentials from your hand instead.
You have hexproof. T: Return Metamorphic Credentials to it's owner's hand. No questions asked.
(Psychic paper! :D)
Now done his job, Arim was free to focus on Scarlet. She had trained him from when he was a small child, refined his unique abilities. Despite the ideological dissonance that eventually lead him to work independently, he still felt a debt to her for everything she taught him.
He would need to travel quickly, that wouldn't be an issue; a shapeshifter is his own transportation. The concern he had was one of identification. He needed an ID that would allow him to cross whatever border he wanted to without hassle. It would greatly speed up his travels. As is common with those involved in espionage, he knew a guy. Granted, it was not a guy he liked spending time with, but he didn't have the luxury of options.
Arim walked into the run down shop that his "expert" called home. All sorts of magical nick-knacks lined the shelves, nothing he cared about. He walked up to the counter and removed his mask. When the mage running the shop, who was searching for something under the counter, looked up to see the featureless 'face' standing at his counter he was taken aback just a little bit.
"So, you're looking for papers I assume?" He asked after collecting himself, "You haven't been around lately.
Arim placed his mask back on before saying, "To be honest I've got better contacts to use for this sort of thing, but right now expediency is a necessity. I need something that will get me across any border no questions asked."
The mage grinned, "You know metamorphic papers are expensive to produce right?"
Arim shook his head, "Capital is far from a concern at the moment. Just get me the damn credentials."
The shopkeep reached under the counter and pulled out a piece of blank paper. Arim placed a heavy coin pouch on it and took the piece of paper.
"That should cover it," he muttered as he walked out out into the streets.
Lord Salamancer (Rare) 4U
Legendary Creature - Salamander Adviser
3/5 U,T: Exchange control of two target creatures. If politics was a game of cards, I would be the dealer. - Lord Salamancer
Round One Card
Mass Hypnosis (Mythic) 4UU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
You control all enchanted creatures. If politics was a game of chess, I would be making all the moves. - Lord Salamancer
Grand Stalker Zuri3BBB
Legendary Creature - Shade Rogue {R}
Intimidate B:Grand Stalker Zuri gets +1/+1 until end of turn. B:Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Only he knows where darkness ends and Zuri begins.
5/5
There's not many memories Zuri kept from his old life. His personal life was boring at times and nonexistent at others. His old employers would make sure he didn't remember any details after a mission was complete. The few that got to know him personally believe he had died under mysterious circumstances, a way he liked to regard his old self as well. He couldn't even remember when or why he got himself blacked out, a procedure as bizarre and dangerous as it is obscure - then again, memory loss was a symptom to be expected. A lot of things like that were to be expected, but that was just fine by Zuri - he preferred to work in the shadows, and as every spy quickly learns, the only way to make it in this line of work is to become your work. Was it Scarlett Jane that once said "do business for pleasure and pleasure for business"?
His first encounter with Jane was the one memory he'd taken care to preserve through this all. It was during a particularly intense heist at Rimport, a city notorious for its many mobs and criminal masterminds who would pay just as handsomely to have something stolen from the wealthy merchants as those merchants would to have their goods protected. Such bounties were often lucrative, as it was not only a matter of breaking in, but also beating other thieves to it. The latest of such bounties was to acquire Lord Blackstone's coveted Key Ruby; the man had a knack for keeping things safe, and even though he flaunted the priceless gem in plain view, he had foiled some of the world's best with his ingenious safeguards. Unsurprisingly, Scarlett Jane managed to steal it within hours of arriving in the city, which was just fine by Zuri - an anonymous client had hired him to track her movements, and kill her once she left the city.
Long story short, they ran into each other a few days later. In tried and true spy fashion, they discussed business over pleasure, a night he never would forget. Zuri learned that Lord Blackstone himself had hired Jane to fool Rimport's criminals into thinking the ruby was gone, and he in turn let slip someone had paid him to follow and eventually kill her. They fell asleep in each others' arms, but by the time Zuri woke up she was already gone. Later in the day, he found a note under his door from Jane - she'd been doing some detective work, and it turned out Zuri's mystery client was none other than Lord Blackstone. He feared that once she'd finished the fake heist, she'd steal the ruby for herself and vanish. As chance would have it, she had already done so, and one of her proteges was now far outside the city with the Key Ruby. The final line on the note simply said "South Gate at Dusk."
They met at the southern gate that evening. It would've been easy, but Zuri couldn't bring himself to kill her, and she knew it. With one last kiss and a sly wink, she vanished into the night. Their paths would cross once or twice later, but never anything he found worth remembering.
Now the rumor is Scarlett Jane is dead. She had made a lot of powerful enemies in her time, but Zuri had a hunch Lord Blackstone wasn't one to leave a job unfinished. Of course, the only other person who knows she has that ruby at all was one of her old proteges; she mentioned his name once, but that's gone now too.
Although gone isn't entirely accurate.
One thing Zuri learned over the last few years is that memories and death aren't that different. It was one reason necromancers could raise the dead, but could never reverse death itself - they only brought back what the dead were, not who they were. He, however, had learned a few tricks on how to get the dead to talk. And if he can stir the memories of the dead, he can stir dead memories.
Dread RecallB
Sorcery {U}
Kicker 3G
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. If Dread Recall was kicked, return target noncreature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Exile Dread Recall.
Parir Dezmoss2WWB
Legendary Artifact Creature- Advisor Lord (R)
Lifelink, defender
Artifact creatures you control have lifelink. 2WB,T:Exile target permanent with converted mana cost or greater. 1(W/B)(W/B),T:Return target nonland permanent with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard to the battlefield under your control.
[3/6]
Auto-Hypnosis1UUU
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step you may scry X, where X is the converted mana cost of the last spell you cast this turn. It is in my mind...somewhere.
Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher1GUB
Legendary Creature - Elf Rogue (M) GB,t: Destroy target creature with power 5 or greater. GU,t: Return target creature card from a graveyard to its owner's hand. Each of its owner's opponents draws X cards, where X is that creature's power. Many fine dignitaries are willing to pay a fortune to get their hands on a behemoth pelt. And my deluded beast-worshipping brethren will tell me right where I can find one.
-Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher
2/1
Gerolf was taken aback. Scarlett Jane was dead? How could this be? She was the best of us. She practically was the game. Gerolf had gotten the information from one of her former students who became one of his most trusted informants. There was no question that the information was accurate. And valuable though it was, there was no information as to who the killer might have been. He had to track down the person responsible. Not that he had any particular attachment to Scarlett, Gerolf told himself. He just viewed her as a useful resource. Just like everybody and everything else he saw. In this case, she was a particularly valuable resource. She had had such talent and skill. She could get you anything, for the right price. No one could match her. She was a legend. And someone killed her. Why? You can't just go around killing off key players like that. It's bad for business.
Gerolf walked back out into the black market and headed toward the jungle gates. He had to restock his inventory and that meant listening to the orator preach about the current migrating habits of the 'godbeasts.' While walking Gerolf's thoughts wandered back to that one magical night he had spend with Scarlett Jane. It was only a month ago. She had offered to spend a night with him in exchange for some of his rarest items. She was so enchanting that he simply couldn't say no. That night had been worth the price and then some. The way she smiled, the sound of her laugh, the feel of her skin on his. Surely she was just using him for profit, wasn't she? Or did that glance linger a moment longer than planned? Was that sigh too deep to be insincere? On lonely nights he would convince himself that she never felt anything for him, that he was just a means to an end. But soon enough he would find himself wondering if, just maybe, she really wanted him instead of his wares.
The crack of a branch underfoot snapped him out of his reverie. He was already in the jungle. This was no place to be daydreaming. The sermon wouldn't start for another hour or so. He decided to stop by a nearby cache to collect his thoughts. He needed to find a way to track down Scarlett's killer before another valuable ally died. But if even his best informants couldn't come up with any information, what could he do? That night they spent together was only a month ago, perhaps she was already being pursued by her killer. Could she have said anything that could provide a lead? Why did she want the goods she bought?
Gerolf's head was reeling as he entered the cache. He headed to the vault in the back where his goods were stored. Counting over his spoils always calmed him down. Seeing all the trophies from his conquests brought back pleasant memories of hard fought battles. He glanced at a small chest in the corner. It held one of his most precious treasures, the behemoth braid. Ever since he was little, Gerolf would take a hair from any dangerous beast he killed. Over time he wove all these hairs into a large braid. Each hair told a story of triumph and profit. Just holding it gave him strength, and after such unsettling news, he felt as though he could use a little. Gerolf walked over to the chest and carefully opened it. Instead of the braid, there lay only a single red thread. The memories of Scarlett came flooding back.
Scarlet Thread1
Artifact t: Put target card from a graveyard onto the bottom of its owner's library. G,t, Sacrifice Scarlet Thread: put target card from a graveyard on top of its owner's library. I take a hair from each deadly beast I encounter as a memento. The most dangerous animal I've ever seen used to leave one of hers as a calling card.
-Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher
In a game of thieves and spys, it seems fitting to steal this formatting from Schtingah
Hazadan, King's Advisor2WU
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor (M)
WUU: Look at the bottom card of target opponents library. You may have that player reveal the card and put it on top of his or her library. If you do gain 2 life.
His advice is not always good, but it is the last thing you would think of.
1/4
Team Protégé
Scarlett Jane had been one of a kind, a teacher like no other. Hazadan had been extremely lucky to catch her eye during his first ventures into the game of intrigue, and she look him under her wing. It has been years since then but he still owes the woman for his current life and position as an advisor to the king. While Hazadan had chosen a more accepted role in the great game he still maintained those darker skills he learned at the hand of a master.
Hear of Jane's death was a blow to Hazadan, even if those that spoke of it considered it good news. None knew of his connection to the imfamous spy and thief. Someone would pay for this, that was certain. He had not heard from Jane in a while but he knew where she had been lately, one of the perks of having your own set of courtly contacts, he could watch the ripples that someone like Jane made.
Now it was time to cover some ground and find out what he could about his late teacher's killers. The palace was riddled with secret passages and they spread like viens across the city, and he knew them well. They would let him cover the city unseen and with greater speed.
Hidden Highways 6 (R)
Legendary Artifact
At the begining of your upkeep, choose a Basic Land type. Creatures you control are unblockable if the defending player controls a land of that type.
Informant's Deal(U/B)
Sorcery {R}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order. You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
I like the tweak to scry to make it feel more like paying a cost and not just reorginazation of the deck. Permanently giving something up for other things is very fitting.
Mind Filter2
Artifact (R)
Whenever you would draw a card, instead choose a card type. Then look at the top two cards of your library, you may reveal a card of the chosen type from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. (The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.)
Seems strong if built around. A repeatable scry effect but the cost of naming and shipping if you name wrong does balance that out quite a bit.
QUOTE=Maokun;9403494] Skim the Archives1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue[/QUOTE]
I like this much more then the early version, more fitting to the name for sure. Random enough for a red draw effect but strong enough for a blue one, well done.
Unfolding ImprovisationXUU
Sorcery (R)
X can't be less than 2.
Look at the top X cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile one of them. Until end of turn, if the exiled card is nonland, you may cast it by paying its mana cost reduced by up to :3mana:. Put the rest back in any order. "Nine-tenths of planning is knowing when to deviate from the plan." - Follutt
Man this thing does a lot. A nice little tool box card that replaces itself, maniulates your deck and lets you cast something for cheap.
NecrovestigationUB
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creature card from your graveyard. Scry X, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost, then draw a card. You lose 5 life. Only the complexity of a corpse can unravel the complexity of a great secret.
5 life and exiling a card seems like a lot for just one card, and at sorcery speed. I guess the scry does make it more likely you will get a good card to draw but still seems a bit pricey.
Careful Cataloguing3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
Works well with other deck manipulation effects, and lets you control how you next few turns will go. Sounds good to me.
Probing the Signs UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs. Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
Incentive to play those cheap spells later in the game and it comes down early to help you out. Not seeing anything wrong with this at all.
Socha, End of Seasons 2UBG
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor {R}
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, choose one: Draw a card; Target opponent discards a card; or put a +1/+1 counter on target creature. When the seasons change, the winds of fortune blow.
2/3
Failed Tactics2WR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Player
Whenever the enchanted player or a Planeswalker that player controls is attacked, the attacking player chooses one attacking creature. That creature deals combat damage as though it wasn't blocked.
Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information:
Spy NetGU
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 2. In Mrakdor, it is common knowledge that your brothers, neighbors, neighbors of your neighbors and their dogs are all spying on you.
Green for a creature trigger and blue for scry work here. It definitely will help sift through information. I like the flavor and I think uncommon is a good place for this ability.
Informant's Deal(U/B)
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order. You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
Blue/Black here is fitting when you combine both, but I can't see this as a strictly blue or strictly black ability. The flavor is good, but the earliest that you could play this normally would be turn two as Blue and Black don't have as much ramp available to them and I don't know that I would want to play this on two leaving myself potentially defenseless. Later in the game, this card would be pretty powerful. I like the effect at uncommon.
Mind Filter2
Artifact (R)
Whenever you would draw a card, instead choose a card type. Then look at the top two cards of your library, you may reveal a card of the chosen type from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. (The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.)
I like this card and think that its rarity is appropriate. It captures the flavor of sifting very well. It is however, more of a build around me card. Not every deck is going to be able to take advantage of it and it fits most, in my opinion, in blue.
Skim the Archives1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
Another card that I enjoy the flavor of. The randomness aspect of it shows the red, but it can be controlled by the blue. I think the cost is good and Uncommon is the right spot.
Dreamweaver's Blessing2GG [R]
Enchantment
Graft 3 U, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a permanent you control: Scry 1
It's a creative way to sift, that's for sure. The abilities feel simic, but the name doesn't. I think the card itself could be dropped right into gatecrash and feel at home (If gate crash were to use graft, which we know it won't). The biggest complaint I have is I don't know if I want to pay 5 mana to Scry 1. I think the CMC could be 3 or less.
Unfolding ImprovisationXUU
Sorcery (R)
X can't be less than 2.
Look at the top X cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile one of them. Until end of turn, if the exiled card is nonland, you may cast it by paying its mana cost reduced by up to :3mana:. Put the rest back in any order. "Nine-tenths of planning is knowing when to deviate from the plan." - Follutt
This card would indeed let you sift through your deck. I think it could have been costed x1 and still have been powered ok. I like putting one in my hand, but to maximize the sift effect you would want to spend more mana then you can, as you would have to keep some up for casting your exiled spell. The Rarity is good.
No Entry
NecrovestigationUB
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creature card from your graveyard. Scry X, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost, then draw a card. You lose 5 life. Only the complexity of a corpse can unravel the complexity of a great secret.
I like the flavor and how it all connects together. I don't understand the loss of life attached at the end though. I suppose it is to offset the CMC of the card, but it feels like an additional additional cost after you exile a creature from your graveyard. Especially where Black might want to reuse the creature. Overall it works and it's original, but I don't know if uncommon is the right spot considering it has graveyard interaction, a keyword and loss of life.
Careful Cataloguing3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
I like this card a lot. You've done a good job of capturing not only the flavor of the contest, but the flavor of blue. I think the cost and rarity are spot on as well.
Probing the Signs UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs. Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
It meets the challenges flavor request of sifting. I think you've also got it to where you would only scry a few at a time due the counter removal process. It is a blue ability, but it also feels like some kind of storm ability that isn't called storm and only works for your spells.
Khaym, Grave OracleGUB
Legendary Creature - Elf Advisor Wizard (R) 1: Look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card into that player's graveyard. If you do, put a card from that player's graveyard on the top or bottom of that player's library. "Like our bodies, knowledge lives and dies and lives again. It is a neverending circle."
1/3
Kudos to Asrama for a fun theme and innovative presentation! Lover looks like a great team too
Spellplunder FieldGUB
Enchantment (R) 1, Exile a spell you control: Choose target card in a graveyard with converted mana cost less than or equal to that of the exiled spell. Until end of turn, you may play the chosen card without paying its mana cost. "Some are lost in these fields forever, each seed of new thought consumed by the deep roots of memory."
-Khaym, Grave Oracle
(To the best of my knowledge, this will let you switch spells on the stack for spells in graveyards, effectively adding flash.)
Skim the Archives1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
When ~ attacks, choose a creature you don't control. ~ becomes a copy of that creature until end of turn.
1/2
Interrogation Manual 4UB
Artifact
X2B Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. X1UB Return target creature with converted mana cost X or less to it's controllers hand. That player then discards a card from his or her hand. X2U Put the top X cards of target player's library into his or her graveyard.
"It's been said that people don't come with instruction manuals. So, I wrote one." -Razia, Chameleon Agent
Team Lover:
Oculus: I assume the intent is to search for the creature, then if it was kicked search for the non-creature, opposed to a replacement effect. It's good. Kind of like a Raise Dead/Reclaim combo. Not really super interesting though, as it's essentially one card + another card.
Savia: Seems very underwhelming. One card every five cards really doesn't seem interesting to me. No other effects... muh. It's balanced though.
Gallus:This one has some power to it. Has the potential to control the way you play spells on your turn, but I think you can play around that.
Phyrexian Editor: I'm tempted to say it's SLIGHTLY undercosted. Like maybe 2UUU instead of 3UU. Aside from that though, I'm gonna say it's a fun card to build a deck around. It's Evacuation + Draw if you can make it so things hit the field this turn all at once.
TacticalCelebrant: A one-cost artifact that recycles your grave one card at a time... Maybe undercosted at 1. 2-3 maybe. Also, not sure if green is the color you want to use for the ability. Feels really blue to me. It's a good little tool though.
Gerrard's Mom: It kinda does what you're saying you want it to do. It throws a spell away and puts a new one on the end of the stack. If there's no other spells on the stack, then yes it adds flash. In a spell chain it just pushes onto the end of the stack. I do like the effect. It's interesting. Colors seem off though. I can see UB. IDK about green.
Rudyard: Nice and simple, interesting effect, flavorful name... I like it. All in all, great card.
aurorasparrow:Flavorful, but undercosted IMO. I would cost it at least 3 to do what it's doing. That said, it's interesting. Not an effect I've really seen before. Nice twist.
Igmhorus:Similar to another card, but that's fine. I like the effect with one exception: You can almost never play it targeting another player's yard. I don't generally like cards that can't act to their full potential most of the time.
KoolKoal: Feel free to take this with a grain of salt since self meta isn't particularly helpful, but I think I get scumread mostly for style over substance, but also for a certain lack of substance over style. It's not so much what I AM posting most of the time (though sometimes that can seem bad) but what I'm NOT posting. I've been told I come to non-obvious conclusions a lot, so when I post, quite a bit of the time there's jumps in logic that people can't follow and they think that's scummy. I get that accusation about a lot of questions I ask specifically. People call them "busy work" when the questions are legit etc.
As far as things to ignore, I can't think of anything. I would suggest you focus less on what I'm doing and more on how I'm doing it. That's probably more likely to be accurate. Like I've just said, what I do tends to come off a little weird, but if you look for how I do it, mindset comes into play and maybe you figure out something useful.
Episode One - Death of a spy
Intrigue, espionage, global trickery - the game has many names. Those who play can tell you that the game is as old as the kingdoms themselves, perhaps older. Some play out of patriotism and love of country. Some play out of hated for the enemy. Some play simply out of love for the game itself. But whatever are your reasons, it is a great game to play. And Scarlett Jane was the best player.
Scarlett Jane was a legend in the field. She brought intrigue and subtle manipulation to a form of art. They say she could change the course of history by changing her hairstyle. They say the Sultan of Gumoz offered to give her her weight in diamonds for a single night with her. The say that Queen Nalinda led her knights in chase of her for over two weeks, only to find upon their return that the palace coffers have been emptied. They say that chaos follows her wherever she goes, but those who try to find her will only ever find just a single red thread - the mark that Scarlett Jane have been here and have gone.
Now they say she's dead.
The details are murky at best, but your sources are sure that it is the truth. No one is sure how it happened. No one knows who did it. All you know for certain is that you didn't do it.
Your tale starts with Scarlett Jane's death. You must find out who did it and how. You team decides what Jane meant to you:
Team Colleague - You worked with Scarlett Jane, and gotten to know her, at least to some degree. Maybe you liked her, maybe you didn't, but she was on your side and you should at least figure out the circumstances of her death. Looking over her past cases might yield clues, but you'll need something to help you sift through the massive amounts of information. You should also keep an eye for her known enemies, since the killer is most likely one of them (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information, you will critique Team Nemesis)
Team Protege - Scarlett Jane taught you everything you know. She was the one to show you the ropes in the game and thanks to her you are the spy you are today. The rules of honor demand you'll avenge her death, and so you'll need to find the killer. You don't have access to information, but you do know where Jane has been lately. It's time for a thorough investigation, but you'll need some means to get around and cover long distances fast. You also suspect an inside job, so watch out for some of Scarlett Jane's colleagues. (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that will help you get around and move fast, you will critique Team Colleague)
Team Lover - You had the privilege of having Scarlett Jane join your bed for a night of passion. Maybe even more than one night. You're not naive, and you know you are not the only one Jane has taken to her bed, and you know that she only did so because she needed something from you, but the time spent with her stayed with you. You feel obligated to find out what happened. Perhaps something she said during your trysts could be the key to solving this. You'll need to clear your mind and scan your memories for whatever clues you can find. You also recall seeing some of Jane's students trail after her, you might want to check in on them to see if that leads to anything (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help your memory, you will critique Team Protege)
Team Nemesis - Scarlett Jane was your sworn enemy. Maybe you were on different sides one time too many, maybe she just got to your mark a minute before you did and took just a little bit too much pleasure in it, but you swore an oath you shall make her pay. And right when you were about to make your move someone went and killed her! Unacceptable! You must find out who was it that took your vengeance away from you. You will not be denied. You will go and ask the questions. You will ask them the hard way, if that what it takes. You probably want to look at some of her ex-lovers, too, because they have as much a motive to kill her as anyone. Probably even a bit more. (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card will help you "interrogate" people, you will critique Team Lover)
Team Colleague:
Ryder052
Arcel
KoolKoal
Maokun
arbitraryarmor
void_nothing
CrustaceanCrusader
MirrorEntity
Ninja_Caterpie
Saagn
Team Protege:
HatterofMad
Small Child
Socrates
EtR
Prophylaxis
schtingah
Cythare
Icarael
Vexing Arcanix
Thelas
Team Lover:
Oculus
Savia
Gallus
Phyrexian Editor
TacticalCelebrant
Gerrard's Mom
Rudyard
aurorasparrow
Igmhorus
Team Nemesis:
Legend
Noatz
queensauce
herbert west
Big_Cal
Random_Nation
kill-joy
DRey
Lordshadow
Deadline for submissions is Tuesday, December 4th @ 23:59, Pacific Time.
Deadline for critique is Thursday, December 6th @ 23:59, Pacific Time.
Good luck!
Y = Total number of Possible Points (3 * Number of Judges + Additional Points)
Host, December 2015: A Winter Wonderland? - R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL April 2014: A Game of Fate - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinal|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL December 2012: Spy Games - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL November 2010: The Perfect Crime - Signup|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
Host, CCL August 2009: A Commander's Journey: Signups|R1|R2|R3|Top 8|Semifinals|Finals|Poll
I've got tons of art from the web. Want art for a render? PM me! Want to create your own collection? Start here!
Nostalgia B
Sorcery (C)
Search your library for a card with the same name as a card in your graveyard and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
Legendary Creature - Viashino Rogue {R}
Haste
1RR: Target creature you control gets -X/-0 and is unblockable until end of turn, where X is equal too half its power, rounded down.
If he can't find a path to it, then it doesn't exist.
4/4
That all changed when he first met Scarlet Jane, she was on the run from someone, and he had helped her duck out of the way, only knowing that she was being chased and needed help. She thanked him, asked his name, simple things like that, and after learning his unique knowledge set, asked for his help. That was nearly a decade ago, and over dozens of jobs and quiet a few deals later, he was the one to go to when you needed to get in or out of any place, a service that Scarlet Jane used often.
Needless to say, he didn't take it well when he first learned of her supposed death. Even if it wasn't true, it was something he would not stand for. Though he wasn't nearly as wide spread as some other rogues or spies, he still had his way of getting information he needed. He made his way through one of the abandoned catacombs under one city, ruins that had been long forgotten about and left to the dead, as well as the rats. There was one very specific Rat that Zalatraz was looking for, one that went by Blackear, one of Zalatraz's informants, and one of the best. He usually held back when it came to bargaining with him for his information, but not this time, not when it was for Scarlet...
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order.
You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
I hope the Flavor is clear for this card, giving up something of value to you to get information, a way of paying off the Informant... and then using that information to kind of... prepare. *shuts up*
Artist: //gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&artist=[%22Daniel%20Ljunggren%22">"]Daniel Ljunggren
Avatar
Probing the Signs UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs.
Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
Artifact - Equipment (R)
Equipped creature has haste, flying and attacks every turn if able.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, untap equipped creature.
Equip 4 (4: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
The incredible speed almost makes up for the complete lack of safety features.
You worked with Scarlett Jane, and gotten to know her, at least to some degree. Maybe you liked her, maybe you didn't, but she was on your side and you should at least figure out the circumstances of her death. Looking over her past cases might yield clues, but you'll need something to help you sift through the massive amounts of information. You should also keep an eye for her known enemies, since the killer is most likely one of them (in other words: Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information)
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 2.
In Mrakdor, it is common knowledge that your brothers, neighbors, neighbors of your neighbors and their dogs are all spying on you.
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order.
You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
Artifact (R)
Whenever you would draw a card, instead choose a card type. Then look at the top two cards of your library, you may reveal a card of the chosen type from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. (The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.)
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
Enchantment
Graft 3 (This enchantment enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever another creature enters the battlefield, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this enchantment onto it.)
U, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a permanent you control: Scry 1
Sorcery (R)
X can't be less than 2.
Look at the top X cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile one of them. Until end of turn, if the exiled card is nonland, you may cast it by paying its mana cost reduced by up to :3mana:. Put the rest back in any order.
"Nine-tenths of planning is knowing when to deviate from the plan." - Follutt
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creature card from your graveyard. Scry X, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost, then draw a card. You lose 5 life.
Only the complexity of a corpse can unravel the complexity of a great secret.
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs.
Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
2. KoolKoal
3. Saagn
/in
Sidestep Slippers 2
Artifact - Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has "You may have equipped creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked."
Equip 2
Careful Cataloguing 3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
You got 99 attackers but I'm blocking with 1.
The Winner is Judge | 7
This Winner is Also Judge | 6
Club Flamingo | Lots
Reminiscence
Enchantment
When Reminiscence enters the battlefield, put your graveyard on top of your library in any order.
You can’t search or shuffle your library.
:1mana::symu:, Sacrifice Reminiscence: Shuffle your library.
“Like all fiction, memories should be enjoyed in moderation.” - Soya Sen
Reviewing Team Protege:
1st Place: Cythare - Oberas' Hot-Rod
2nd Place: Vexing Arcanix - The Underflow
3rd Place: schtingah - Precarious Accelerator
Honorable Mention - Socrates
Cythare - Oberas' Hot-Rod (4:symrb: Equipment)
A clever, flavorful twist on equipment. A bit awkward that creatures can’t un-board. The card itself is way too expensive; paying 3 to board sorta undermines the haste bonus. I would also prefer a more fantastical name than Hot-Rod.
EtR - Failed Tactics (2WR Enchantment)
Due to the lack of a “may” clause, this enchantment can be detrimental to the controller at times.
HatterofMad - Hidden Highways (CMC 6 Artifact)
This almost always boils down to “your creatures are unblockable.” How about “if the defending player controls a tapped land of that type” ?
Icarael - Infiltrator's Trick (1U Aura)
Though flavorful, a bit bland and underpowered. Perhaps give some benefit when the creature combat damages a player?
Prophylaxis - Sidestep Slippers (2 Equipment)
A bit too similar to Kitesail.
schtingah - Precarious Accelerator (1UR Equipment)
Nice flavor. The equip cost could be and it would still be fine.
Small Child - Metamorphic Credentials (3 Artifact)
May create rules confusion with cards like Cursed Scroll and Illuminated Folio.
Socrates - Shadowburst (B Instant)
The name suggests a combat trick or removal spell more than an evasion/pump spell. Something like Murderous Intent might be better.
Vexing Arcanix The Underflow (2 Artifact)
Nice flavor. The effect is wayyy too powerful for :2mana:.
4th place at CCC&G Pro Tour
Chances of bad hands (<2 or >4 land):
21: 28.9%
22: 27.5%
23: 26.3%
24: 25.5%
25: 25.1%
26: 25.3%
Arim smiled as he pushed through the crowd. He had never been one for subtlety, and he really didn't need subtlety considering he had borrowed the face of a royal guardsman. As he got closer to emperor's tower the crowd grew thicker. It was buzzing with excitement for the emperor's annual address. His job was to make sure that address would contain exactly what the client wanted it to. It was far from the first time he'd assume the role of a reagent.
Just before he reached the steps a colorfully dressed man who was already waiting in the front of the crowd began to make his way towards Arim. The man's name was Issac, and he was one of Arim's colleagues. This triggered the immediate fear that he was coming to warn him that his disguise had been made, but Arim kept a constant facial expression. It isn't a hard thing to do when your face is a fake. When Issac brushed by Arim, Arim pushed him into the crowd.
"What do you think you're doing. In this empire no one gets in the way of a guardsman!" He shouted.
Issac began waving his arms in front of his face as if to calm him, "Oh, please sir. I meant no trouble. Here, take my coin purse it's all I have... For you trouble I mean. Just... Just please, I have a family. I don't want to die." He reached into his coat pocket and grabbed a pouch, slipping a shred of paper into it before presenting it to Arim.
Arim smiled smuggly, "Well aren't you a model citizen. Carry on then."
Arim rifled through the coin puse and found the paper, reading it while still in the bag to avoid suspicion. It contained three simple words that chilled Arim to the bone:
JANE IS DEAD
Arim nearly took the paper out to make sure he read it right, but he knew better. He put it away. He filed his thoughts away as well. He had a job. Scarlet was a priority, but he had to finish this first. And so he continued toward the tower...
Artifact (R)
If a spell or ability would have you reveal any number of cards from your hand, you may reveal Metamorphic Credentials from your hand instead.
You have hexproof.
T: Return Metamorphic Credentials to it's owner's hand.
No questions asked.
(Psychic paper! :D)
Now done his job, Arim was free to focus on Scarlet. She had trained him from when he was a small child, refined his unique abilities. Despite the ideological dissonance that eventually lead him to work independently, he still felt a debt to her for everything she taught him.
He would need to travel quickly, that wouldn't be an issue; a shapeshifter is his own transportation. The concern he had was one of identification. He needed an ID that would allow him to cross whatever border he wanted to without hassle. It would greatly speed up his travels. As is common with those involved in espionage, he knew a guy. Granted, it was not a guy he liked spending time with, but he didn't have the luxury of options.
Arim walked into the run down shop that his "expert" called home. All sorts of magical nick-knacks lined the shelves, nothing he cared about. He walked up to the counter and removed his mask. When the mage running the shop, who was searching for something under the counter, looked up to see the featureless 'face' standing at his counter he was taken aback just a little bit.
"So, you're looking for papers I assume?" He asked after collecting himself, "You haven't been around lately.
Arim placed his mask back on before saying, "To be honest I've got better contacts to use for this sort of thing, but right now expediency is a necessity. I need something that will get me across any border no questions asked."
The mage grinned, "You know metamorphic papers are expensive to produce right?"
Arim shook his head, "Capital is far from a concern at the moment. Just get me the damn credentials."
The shopkeep reached under the counter and pulled out a piece of blank paper. Arim placed a heavy coin pouch on it and took the piece of paper.
"That should cover it," he muttered as he walked out out into the streets.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Sign Up Card
Round One Card
Mass Hypnosis (Mythic)
4UU
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature
You control all enchanted creatures.
If politics was a game of chess, I would be making all the moves. - Lord Salamancer
Grand Stalker Zuri 3BBB
Legendary Creature - Shade Rogue {R}
Intimidate
B:Grand Stalker Zuri gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
B:Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Only he knows where darkness ends and Zuri begins.
5/5
There's not many memories Zuri kept from his old life. His personal life was boring at times and nonexistent at others. His old employers would make sure he didn't remember any details after a mission was complete. The few that got to know him personally believe he had died under mysterious circumstances, a way he liked to regard his old self as well. He couldn't even remember when or why he got himself blacked out, a procedure as bizarre and dangerous as it is obscure - then again, memory loss was a symptom to be expected. A lot of things like that were to be expected, but that was just fine by Zuri - he preferred to work in the shadows, and as every spy quickly learns, the only way to make it in this line of work is to become your work. Was it Scarlett Jane that once said "do business for pleasure and pleasure for business"?
His first encounter with Jane was the one memory he'd taken care to preserve through this all. It was during a particularly intense heist at Rimport, a city notorious for its many mobs and criminal masterminds who would pay just as handsomely to have something stolen from the wealthy merchants as those merchants would to have their goods protected. Such bounties were often lucrative, as it was not only a matter of breaking in, but also beating other thieves to it. The latest of such bounties was to acquire Lord Blackstone's coveted Key Ruby; the man had a knack for keeping things safe, and even though he flaunted the priceless gem in plain view, he had foiled some of the world's best with his ingenious safeguards. Unsurprisingly, Scarlett Jane managed to steal it within hours of arriving in the city, which was just fine by Zuri - an anonymous client had hired him to track her movements, and kill her once she left the city.
Long story short, they ran into each other a few days later. In tried and true spy fashion, they discussed business over pleasure, a night he never would forget. Zuri learned that Lord Blackstone himself had hired Jane to fool Rimport's criminals into thinking the ruby was gone, and he in turn let slip someone had paid him to follow and eventually kill her. They fell asleep in each others' arms, but by the time Zuri woke up she was already gone. Later in the day, he found a note under his door from Jane - she'd been doing some detective work, and it turned out Zuri's mystery client was none other than Lord Blackstone. He feared that once she'd finished the fake heist, she'd steal the ruby for herself and vanish. As chance would have it, she had already done so, and one of her proteges was now far outside the city with the Key Ruby. The final line on the note simply said "South Gate at Dusk."
They met at the southern gate that evening. It would've been easy, but Zuri couldn't bring himself to kill her, and she knew it. With one last kiss and a sly wink, she vanished into the night. Their paths would cross once or twice later, but never anything he found worth remembering.
Now the rumor is Scarlett Jane is dead. She had made a lot of powerful enemies in her time, but Zuri had a hunch Lord Blackstone wasn't one to leave a job unfinished. Of course, the only other person who knows she has that ruby at all was one of her old proteges; she mentioned his name once, but that's gone now too.
Although gone isn't entirely accurate.
One thing Zuri learned over the last few years is that memories and death aren't that different. It was one reason necromancers could raise the dead, but could never reverse death itself - they only brought back what the dead were, not who they were. He, however, had learned a few tricks on how to get the dead to talk. And if he can stir the memories of the dead, he can stir dead memories.
Dread Recall B
Sorcery {U}
Kicker 3G
Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. If Dread Recall was kicked, return target noncreature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Exile Dread Recall.
[Clan Flamingo] Tier Archivist
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
In progress
Legendary Artifact Creature- Advisor Lord (R)
Lifelink, defender
Artifact creatures you control have lifelink.
2WB,T:Exile target permanent with converted mana cost or greater.
1(W/B)(W/B),T:Return target nonland permanent with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard to the battlefield under your control.
[3/6]
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your end step you may scry X, where X is the converted mana cost of the last spell you cast this turn.
It is in my mind...somewhere.
Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher 1GUB
Legendary Creature - Elf Rogue (M)
GB,t: Destroy target creature with power 5 or greater.
GU,t: Return target creature card from a graveyard to its owner's hand. Each of its owner's opponents draws X cards, where X is that creature's power.
Many fine dignitaries are willing to pay a fortune to get their hands on a behemoth pelt. And my deluded beast-worshipping brethren will tell me right where I can find one.
-Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher
2/1
Gerolf was taken aback. Scarlett Jane was dead? How could this be? She was the best of us. She practically was the game. Gerolf had gotten the information from one of her former students who became one of his most trusted informants. There was no question that the information was accurate. And valuable though it was, there was no information as to who the killer might have been. He had to track down the person responsible. Not that he had any particular attachment to Scarlett, Gerolf told himself. He just viewed her as a useful resource. Just like everybody and everything else he saw. In this case, she was a particularly valuable resource. She had had such talent and skill. She could get you anything, for the right price. No one could match her. She was a legend. And someone killed her. Why? You can't just go around killing off key players like that. It's bad for business.
Gerolf walked back out into the black market and headed toward the jungle gates. He had to restock his inventory and that meant listening to the orator preach about the current migrating habits of the 'godbeasts.' While walking Gerolf's thoughts wandered back to that one magical night he had spend with Scarlett Jane. It was only a month ago. She had offered to spend a night with him in exchange for some of his rarest items. She was so enchanting that he simply couldn't say no. That night had been worth the price and then some. The way she smiled, the sound of her laugh, the feel of her skin on his. Surely she was just using him for profit, wasn't she? Or did that glance linger a moment longer than planned? Was that sigh too deep to be insincere? On lonely nights he would convince himself that she never felt anything for him, that he was just a means to an end. But soon enough he would find himself wondering if, just maybe, she really wanted him instead of his wares.
The crack of a branch underfoot snapped him out of his reverie. He was already in the jungle. This was no place to be daydreaming. The sermon wouldn't start for another hour or so. He decided to stop by a nearby cache to collect his thoughts. He needed to find a way to track down Scarlett's killer before another valuable ally died. But if even his best informants couldn't come up with any information, what could he do? That night they spent together was only a month ago, perhaps she was already being pursued by her killer. Could she have said anything that could provide a lead? Why did she want the goods she bought?
Gerolf's head was reeling as he entered the cache. He headed to the vault in the back where his goods were stored. Counting over his spoils always calmed him down. Seeing all the trophies from his conquests brought back pleasant memories of hard fought battles. He glanced at a small chest in the corner. It held one of his most precious treasures, the behemoth braid. Ever since he was little, Gerolf would take a hair from any dangerous beast he killed. Over time he wove all these hairs into a large braid. Each hair told a story of triumph and profit. Just holding it gave him strength, and after such unsettling news, he felt as though he could use a little. Gerolf walked over to the chest and carefully opened it. Instead of the braid, there lay only a single red thread. The memories of Scarlett came flooding back.
Scarlet Thread 1
Artifact
t: Put target card from a graveyard onto the bottom of its owner's library.
G,t, Sacrifice Scarlet Thread: put target card from a graveyard on top of its owner's library.
I take a hair from each deadly beast I encounter as a memento. The most dangerous animal I've ever seen used to leave one of hers as a calling card.
-Gerolf, Behemoth Poacher
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor (M)
WUU: Look at the bottom card of target opponents library. You may have that player reveal the card and put it on top of his or her library. If you do gain 2 life.
His advice is not always good, but it is the last thing you would think of.
1/4
Team Protégé
Scarlett Jane had been one of a kind, a teacher like no other. Hazadan had been extremely lucky to catch her eye during his first ventures into the game of intrigue, and she look him under her wing. It has been years since then but he still owes the woman for his current life and position as an advisor to the king. While Hazadan had chosen a more accepted role in the great game he still maintained those darker skills he learned at the hand of a master.
Hear of Jane's death was a blow to Hazadan, even if those that spoke of it considered it good news. None knew of his connection to the imfamous spy and thief. Someone would pay for this, that was certain. He had not heard from Jane in a while but he knew where she had been lately, one of the perks of having your own set of courtly contacts, he could watch the ripples that someone like Jane made.
Now it was time to cover some ground and find out what he could about his late teacher's killers. The palace was riddled with secret passages and they spread like viens across the city, and he knew them well. They would let him cover the city unseen and with greater speed.
Hidden Highways 6 (R)
Legendary Artifact
At the begining of your upkeep, choose a Basic Land type. Creatures you control are unblockable if the defending player controls a land of that type.
Really nice little effect, and in a colors that can do the token many creature thing fairly well.
I like the tweak to scry to make it feel more like paying a cost and not just reorginazation of the deck. Permanently giving something up for other things is very fitting.
Seems strong if built around. A repeatable scry effect but the cost of naming and shipping if you name wrong does balance that out quite a bit.
Skim the Archives 1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue[/QUOTE]
I like this much more then the early version, more fitting to the name for sure. Random enough for a red draw effect but strong enough for a blue one, well done.
Seems like a solid card, not super flashy but well designed and printable.
Man this thing does a lot. A nice little tool box card that replaces itself, maniulates your deck and lets you cast something for cheap.
5 life and exiling a card seems like a lot for just one card, and at sorcery speed. I guess the scry does make it more likely you will get a good card to draw but still seems a bit pricey.
Works well with other deck manipulation effects, and lets you control how you next few turns will go. Sounds good to me.
Incentive to play those cheap spells later in the game and it comes down early to help you out. Not seeing anything wrong with this at all.
1st: Void Nothing
2nd: Maokun
3rd: Arcel
|One Red Mountain - A adventure in MTG Trading|
Legendary Creature - Human Advisor {R}
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, choose one: Draw a card; Target opponent discards a card; or put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
When the seasons change, the winds of fortune blow.
2/3
Failed Tactics 2WR
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Player
Whenever the enchanted player or a Planeswalker that player controls is attacked, the attacking player chooses one attacking creature. That creature deals combat damage as though it wasn't blocked.
Make a non-creature, non planeswalker card that can help you sift though information:
Spy Net GU
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 2.
In Mrakdor, it is common knowledge that your brothers, neighbors, neighbors of your neighbors and their dogs are all spying on you.
Green for a creature trigger and blue for scry work here. It definitely will help sift through information. I like the flavor and I think uncommon is a good place for this ability.
Informant's Deal (U/B)
Sorcery {U}
As an additional cost to play Informants Deal, sacrifice a non-creature permanent.
Look at the top 5 cards of your library, you may exile any number of them, then put the rest back on top in the same order.
You can learn anything, if you are willing to pay the price.
Blue/Black here is fitting when you combine both, but I can't see this as a strictly blue or strictly black ability. The flavor is good, but the earliest that you could play this normally would be turn two as Blue and Black don't have as much ramp available to them and I don't know that I would want to play this on two leaving myself potentially defenseless. Later in the game, this card would be pretty powerful. I like the effect at uncommon.
Mind Filter 2
Artifact (R)
Whenever you would draw a card, instead choose a card type. Then look at the top two cards of your library, you may reveal a card of the chosen type from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. (The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal.)
I like this card and think that its rarity is appropriate. It captures the flavor of sifting very well. It is however, more of a build around me card. Not every deck is going to be able to take advantage of it and it fits most, in my opinion, in blue.
Skim the Archives 1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
Another card that I enjoy the flavor of. The randomness aspect of it shows the red, but it can be controlled by the blue. I think the cost is good and Uncommon is the right spot.
Dreamweaver's Blessing 2GG [R]
Enchantment
Graft 3
U, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a permanent you control: Scry 1
It's a creative way to sift, that's for sure. The abilities feel simic, but the name doesn't. I think the card itself could be dropped right into gatecrash and feel at home (If gate crash were to use graft, which we know it won't). The biggest complaint I have is I don't know if I want to pay 5 mana to Scry 1. I think the CMC could be 3 or less.
Unfolding Improvisation XUU
Sorcery (R)
X can't be less than 2.
Look at the top X cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and exile one of them. Until end of turn, if the exiled card is nonland, you may cast it by paying its mana cost reduced by up to :3mana:. Put the rest back in any order.
"Nine-tenths of planning is knowing when to deviate from the plan." - Follutt
This card would indeed let you sift through your deck. I think it could have been costed x1 and still have been powered ok. I like putting one in my hand, but to maximize the sift effect you would want to spend more mana then you can, as you would have to keep some up for casting your exiled spell. The Rarity is good.
Necrovestigation UB
Sorcery (U)
Exile target creature card from your graveyard. Scry X, where X is the exiled card's converted mana cost, then draw a card. You lose 5 life.
Only the complexity of a corpse can unravel the complexity of a great secret.
I like the flavor and how it all connects together. I don't understand the loss of life attached at the end though. I suppose it is to offset the CMC of the card, but it feels like an additional additional cost after you exile a creature from your graveyard. Especially where Black might want to reuse the creature. Overall it works and it's original, but I don't know if uncommon is the right spot considering it has graveyard interaction, a keyword and loss of life.
Careful Cataloguing 3U
Sorcery (U)
Name a card type. Reveal the top five cards of your library and put all cards of that type into your hand and the rest on top of your library in any order.
I like this card a lot. You've done a good job of capturing not only the flavor of the contest, but the flavor of blue. I think the cost and rarity are spot on as well.
Probing the Signs UU
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you play a noncreature spell, put an enlightenment counter on Probing the Signs and scry X. Where X is the number of counters on Probing the Signs.
At the beginning of each end step, remove all counters from Probing the Signs.
Nothing was ever solved by sitting idly by.
It meets the challenges flavor request of sifting. I think you've also got it to where you would only scry a few at a time due the counter removal process. It is a blue ability, but it also feels like some kind of storm ability that isn't called storm and only works for your spells.
3. Ryder052
2. Maokun
1. Ninja Caterpie
Legendary Creature - Elf Advisor Wizard (R)
1: Look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card into that player's graveyard. If you do, put a card from that player's graveyard on the top or bottom of that player's library.
"Like our bodies, knowledge lives and dies and lives again. It is a neverending circle."
1/3
Kudos to Asrama for a fun theme and innovative presentation! Lover looks like a great team too
Spellplunder Field GUB
Enchantment (R)
1, Exile a spell you control: Choose target card in a graveyard with converted mana cost less than or equal to that of the exiled spell. Until end of turn, you may play the chosen card without paying its mana cost.
"Some are lost in these fields forever, each seed of new thought consumed by the deep roots of memory."
-Khaym, Grave Oracle
(To the best of my knowledge, this will let you switch spells on the stack for spells in graveyards, effectively adding flash.)
Skim the Archives 1UR
Sorcery (U)
Name a card other than a basic land, then shuffle your library. Reveal the top two cards from your library and put them in your hand. If the named card was revealed this way, draw two cards.
"Finding relevant clues would be so much easier if her damn name wasn't plastered all over the place!" - Whispering Snaketongue
Dreamweaver's Blessing 2GG [R]
Enchantment
Graft 3
U, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a permanent you control: Scry 1
Interrogation Manual 4UB
Artifact
X2B Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn.
X1UB Return target creature with converted mana cost X or less to it's controllers hand. That player then discards a card from his or her hand.
X2U Put the top X cards of target player's library into his or her graveyard.
"It's been said that people don't come with instruction manuals. So, I wrote one." -Razia, Chameleon Agent
Team Lover:
Oculus: I assume the intent is to search for the creature, then if it was kicked search for the non-creature, opposed to a replacement effect. It's good. Kind of like a Raise Dead/Reclaim combo. Not really super interesting though, as it's essentially one card + another card.
Savia: Seems very underwhelming. One card every five cards really doesn't seem interesting to me. No other effects... muh. It's balanced though.
Gallus:This one has some power to it. Has the potential to control the way you play spells on your turn, but I think you can play around that.
Phyrexian Editor: I'm tempted to say it's SLIGHTLY undercosted. Like maybe 2UUU instead of 3UU. Aside from that though, I'm gonna say it's a fun card to build a deck around. It's Evacuation + Draw if you can make it so things hit the field this turn all at once.
TacticalCelebrant: A one-cost artifact that recycles your grave one card at a time... Maybe undercosted at 1. 2-3 maybe. Also, not sure if green is the color you want to use for the ability. Feels really blue to me. It's a good little tool though.
Gerrard's Mom: It kinda does what you're saying you want it to do. It throws a spell away and puts a new one on the end of the stack. If there's no other spells on the stack, then yes it adds flash. In a spell chain it just pushes onto the end of the stack. I do like the effect. It's interesting. Colors seem off though. I can see UB. IDK about green.
Rudyard: Nice and simple, interesting effect, flavorful name... I like it. All in all, great card.
aurorasparrow:Flavorful, but undercosted IMO. I would cost it at least 3 to do what it's doing. That said, it's interesting. Not an effect I've really seen before. Nice twist.
Igmhorus:Similar to another card, but that's fine. I like the effect with one exception: You can almost never play it targeting another player's yard. I don't generally like cards that can't act to their full potential most of the time.
Rudyard
aurorasparrow
Phyrexian Editor