The final four contestants have filled out their set with flavor, mechanics, and differing cards, and they all seek to show you their magnificence of their world through a common vehicle: a booster pack.
Which player's set excites you the most, just by looking at their only (and first!) impression: A booster pack? That's for you to vote and figure out.
First, yewlas enters with his set Terrex. Taking his description, "The plane of Terrex is riddled with natural disasters. Freezing blizzards roll down from frigid peaks. Violent hurricanes pour in from the sea. The people are plagued by earthquakes, lightning storms, and tidal waves on a regular basis. And yet, civilization carves out niches and thrives...for now." Can you weather the storm?
Ruskag Mammoth5GG
Creature- Elephant (C)
7/7 Art: An enormous wooly mammoth brushes the tree tops of a wooded area. We can see a man's head in the foreground looking up at the creature. The camera angle points upward for a sense of dwarfing scale.
Gelid Gust1U
Instant (C)
Tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copy.) Art: Two merchants are walking along a dock at night. Both are bundled head to toe in furs. A small ship can be seen in the background being rocked about by waves. Their clothes show the direction of the wind, and icicles are forming on the ends of their garments, hair, and noses. The entire scene is lightly tinted blue.
Sunlit Square
Land (C) T: Add 1 to your mana pool. 4W,T, Sacrifice Sunlit Square: You gain 5 life. Art: The sun is rising over the rooftops of a small farming village. The light flares from behind a chimney.
Quag Plunge2B
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of Swamps you control. Art: We look down on a white-aligned human soldier. He is chest-deep in the water of a grimy bog. Decomposed leaves and other plant matter speckle his face, smear his clothes, and float about in the water. He looks panicked and terrified.
Township PatrolmanW
Creature- Human Soldier (C)
Township Patrolman gets +2/+2 as long as you control five or more Plains.
1/1 Art: A soldier walks down a cobblestone street amid meager wooden buildings, spear in hand. He is dressed in a few pieces of metal plates and a tunic. The road stretches out far behind him, and we can see storm clouds forming on the horizon. He has a smug look on his face that seems to say "Bring it on."
Crushing Avalanche2R
Sorcery (C)
Crushing Avalanche deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Landslide (Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Put it into your hand, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.) Art: A goblin with a spyglass in the foreground peers off-screen. He is standing on a cliff by a sheer rock face. He is oblivious to the enormous boulder (and a few smaller rocks) plummeting downward at him. The camera angle is titled upward so that we can see the size of the rock hurtling down toward him.
Mana SquallXU
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X. Art: In the foreground and to the left, a mage stands on the edge of a grassy hill with her back facing us. She holds a gnarled, wooden staff above her head in both hands. Winds seem to be radiating from her body, whipping her hair and robes about. The wind is pushing back black storm clouds filled with lightning. Rays of sunlight beam down in the open sky near the mage, though the storm can still be seen raging in the distance.
Sewage-Gate Swindler3B
Creature- Ogre Rogue (C)
When Sewage-Gate Swindler dies, put a 1/1 black Rat creature token onto the battlefield.
3/3 Art: Directly in front of a rusty sewer grate stands an ugly ogre. He is clad in a dirty vest and trousers. He is hunched over slightly, leaning in to a large rat that is sitting on the back of his hand. He pets the vermin with his other hand.
Thornvine Encourager1G
Creature- Elf Druid (C) T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
2/2 Art: In a densely wooded area, we see a muscular, dark-skinned elf in the center foreground. He is dressed in simple furs and is adorned with tribal facepaint and various markings on his exposed chest. He holds a wooden staff in one hand, with his other outstretched, palm down. A thorny vine rises up from the ground, growing rapidly toward his open hand.
Eternity Tides5UU (Premium)
Sorcery (M)
Take an extra turn after this one.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn.) Art: A woman's face appears in the foreground, her head tilting back toward the ocean. A tidal wave is forming behind her. Her windswept hair seems to be transitioning into the wave. In the wave, we see the image of the same woman's face. Her hair forms another wave, with another face, forming another wave, forming another face, etc.
Thundering Echoes4R
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you cast a spell with X in its mana cost, Thundering Echoes deals 2 damage to target creature or player. Art: A bolt of blue-white lightning crashes down from a black sky. The bolt rips a thatched-roof cottage to pieces. Small figures can be seen fleeing the wreckage, and arcs of electricity surge outward from the ruins, striking down a person or two.
Borderland CavalierWW
Creature- Human Knight (U)
Mountainwalk, vigilance
2/2 Art: A mounted knight stands in the foreground atop a rocky cliff. Tall mountains can be seen in the background, with a few storm clouds overhead. The knight is completely clad in armor. The knight holds a lance upward.
Bubbling Miasma1BB
Sorcery (U)
Target player sacrifices a creature.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copy.) Art: A small group of dark-skinned elves are staggered throughout a misty bayou. The purplish, smoky fog is thick, and several members of the group cough violently, while others are huddled over. A few lie convulsing on the ground. Various puddles and sinkholes in the bayou bubble up with caustic-looking, purple-black muck.
Expanding FrontiersXGG
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for up to X basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped. Art: An abandoned farm house is being overtaken by vines. Half of the house untouched, but the other half has vines spreading across it. A tree bursts through the roof of the house, and shingles can be seen in the air in midflight. In the background, the vines spread out across the fields. The ruins of another house can be seen, broken in half, with a large oak tree standing in the middle.
Island
Basic Land- Island Art: A small, sandy isle with a single palm tree in the midst of the ocean. The tree is leaning at a 45 degree angle, it's leaves being blown in one direction. Giant waves form on either side and in the background. There is little sunlight, and the sky is dominated by black clouds.
Rat (Token)
[B] Creature- Rat
1/1 Art: The image is dominated by a mangy, waterlogged, black rat. It stands in the hollowed-out husk of a pumpkin or other gourd. The rat's fur is wet and matted, with beady red eyes.
Second, Gerrard's Mom enters with his set Casma. "In my set, planar explorers have come to fight for the frontier of Casma. They like to ride things and put bounties on people."
Hunting Hound1W
Creature - Hound (C) Coordinate - If Hunting Hound would attack or block, you may pay W and tap it instead. If you do, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. (This creature doesn't attack or block.)
2/2
Art: Close up shot of a large reddish dog with a white chest. Just behind it is the body of a man pointing forward, the hound about to leap in the direction he points.
Swiftcurrent Guide1U
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C)
When Swiftcurrent Guide enters the battlefield, target creature you control is unblockable until end of turn.
1/3
Art: A merfolk with a glowing appendage on its forehead like an angler fish pulls a boat through a dark channel with a rope.
Vapor Harvester2B
Creature - Human Rogue (C)
When Vapor Harvester dies, you may have target creature get -3/-3 until end of turn.
1/1
Art: A veiled, thin male human carries a huge glass cannister of deadly vapors on his back.
Body Toss2R
Instant (C)
The next time target creature you control deals combat damage this turn, you may have it deal that much damage to target creature or player.
Art: In the midst of a battle, a bulky viashino warrior has just thrown a uniformed soldier into his own ranks.
Tame the Frontier1G
Sorcery (C)
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal two land cards. Put those cards in your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Art: A man with an axe on his shoulder stands near a half-built cabin, looking out over a landscape of rivers, hills, and forests.
Kerria Chariot2
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +2/+6.
Equip 6
Art: A chariot of heavy iron is strapped to two long-necked dinosaurs, trampling through a forest.
Trained Sangrosaur3R
Creature - Lizard (C) Coordinate - If Trained Sangrosaur would attack or block, you may pay 3R and tap it instead. If you do, target creature gets +4/+2 until end of turn. (This creature doesn't attack or block.)
4/2
Art: Two viashino on either side of a large raptor-like dinosaur hold ropes to guide it forward.
Tactical Retreat1W
Instant (C)
Remove all blocking creatures you control from combat. Each unblocked attacking creature becomes blocked.
Art: A few Kerria soldiers can be seen in the gap behind a closing gate of logs, while a number of elves riding raptors rush towards the fort.
Plight of the HuntedB
Enchantment - Aura Bounty (C)
Enchant creature an opponent controls
Enchanted creature can't be the target of spells or abilities its controller controls.
When enchanted creature dies, its controller loses 3 life.
Art: A wounded aven is collapsing alone on the main street of a frontier town, impassive faces watching from windows beyond.
Siphoner's Well
Land (U) T: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, add to your mana pool one mana of any type that that land could produce. Otherwise, add 1 to your mana pool. Then put the revealed card on the bottom of your library.
Lost for DaysX1UU
Instant (U)
Put target creature into its owner's library X cards from the top. X can't be 0. (If X is 1, put the creature on top of its owner's library.)
Art: A river has flooded up into the trees and rushes by quickly, sweeping a triceratops downstream.
Cuvera Brave1G
Creature - Elf Warrior (U)
Whenever Cuvera Brave becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may pay G. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Cuvera Brave.
2/2
Art: A musucular elf youth holds up a huge curved fang that he has pulled from the jaw of a dead tyrannosaurus.
Perfect Mimicry5UU
Enchantment (M)
Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, put a token that's a copy of that permanent onto the battlefield under your control.
Art: On the right is the wooden palisade of a Kerria outpost, with a few soldiers pointing and aven hovering in the sky. This scene is mirrored on the left, but the figures and fort have a slightly translucent quality.
Tyrannosaur TyrantFoil3RR
Creature - Lizard (R)
Trample
Whenever Tyrannosaur Tyrant attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the total power of other creatures you control. The power of each of those creatures becomes 0 until end of turn.
5/5
Art: A big dinosaur smashes things
Third, drewdagreek enters with his set Mendrya. "Song has always carried its own special power. However, on the crystalline plane of Mendyra, songs of power resonate into symphonies. Magic echoes and resonates with these songs, creating arcane masterpieces unlike any the multiverse has ever seen. Of course where there is power, there are those who covet it. And greed can easily turn the most glorious of symphonies into a dirge.."
Commons Symphonium Guard2W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Defender
When Symphonium Guard blocks, it gets +1/+1 for each crescendo card in your graveyard. Inspired hearts are our best defense – Commander Byrex
1/3 Art: A human with lyre sygaldry, hold the line again a Canu invader
Ascending Might1GG
Sorcery – Crescendo (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, then put an addition +1/+1 counter on that creature for each Crescendo card in your graveyard. Power grows from the voice of the community Art: A satyr growing to new heights, within a circle of Satyrs and dryads Sisters of Madness2BB
Creature – Spirit (C)
Sisters of Madness get +2/+0 as long as an opponent has one or fewer card in hand Unable to capture the beauty of Aven hymns, the banshee settled for mockery.
3/2 Art: A pair of banshees is vaguely nun-like gear cackling madly,
Seething Song2R
Sorcery (C)
Add RRRRR to your mana pool. Rage is the purest of emotions. Hate, my son, and let your fury join our chorus . Targ, Packleader Art: A pillar of pure red energy rises from a circle of jackal-like Canu, howling along Rana Accompanyist3U
Creature – Frog Wizard (C) T: Add 2 to your mana pool. Play this ability only if you cast a sorcery or instant spell this turn. In life, some are not meant to play first chair. Still, even peons have their uses – Maestro Gylwingen 1/4 Art: A stoic and overweight frog in robes plays a cello with a wand Satyr Firebrand2R
Creature – Satyr Warrior (C)
Harmony R (Whenever you cast a spell with an equal or greater converted mana cost, you may cast this spell for its harmony cost)
If another spell was cast this turn, Satyr Firebrand has haste. Some agitators fight for causes, but others just enjoy it
3/2 Art: A gleeful satyr crashes through a rehearsal hall disrupting musicians and knocking over stands
Opprobrium1W
Instant (C)
Destroy target attacking creature with power less than or equal to the number of creatures you control. What hope does a lone voice have against a chorus? Art: Maestro Gylwingen (a Rana) stares down from podium at a collapsing anuri , background: his orchesta
Sagecroaker2G
Creature – Frog Shaman (C)
When Sagecroaker enters the battlefield, draw two cards and each opponent draws a card. To other races, their songs are nonsensical ramblings, but those who speak Anuri can hear the words of wisdom within
2/2 Art: A robed Anuri croaking in a peaceful crystal glade, throat pouch extended
Conductor’s Sway1U
Instant (C)
Change the target of target spell or ability with a single target unless its controller pays 2. In life, there are leaders and there are followers; You are the latter. Art: A hand holds a baton wand, directing a bolt of energy to u-turn at a human cultist
Uncommons
Demented Maestro1B
Creature – Human Cleric (U) B, Sacrifice Demented Maestro: This turn, all creature cards in your graveyard count as Crescendo cards. He conducts the damned in the performance of their afterlife.
2/1 Art: A crazed human in black robes conducts agonized spirits out of their graves
Canu Stalker 3R
Creature – Hound Warrior (U)
Whenever Canu Stalker attacks, a random untapped creature the defending player controls blocks it if able. Canu hunters live for the chase. However ,their recklessness ensures they don’t live for it very long. – Maestro Gylwingen
4/2 Art: A raging canu hunter leaping down a crystalline mountainside
Sublime Chorus3WW
Creature – Angel
Harmony W – (Whenever you cast a spell with an equal or greater converted mana cost, you may cast this spell for its harmony cost.)
Flying
When Sublime Chorale enters the battlefield, gain 2 life for each spell that was cast this turn.
The songs of the aven are put pale imitations of the true masters of the Hymnal
3/5 Art: A serene angel wth a harp leads a flock of Aven
Premium Card:
Dystopic Dirge1BB
Sorcery (U) Choose one – Target player sacrifices a white permanent, or target player sacrifices a green permanent
Entwine 2 (As you play this you may pay 2. If you do, choose both) Some dirges follow the funeral, but prefer something a like more.. proactive – Queen Svylania of the Banshee Art: An aven and an anuri die screaming, clutching their ears, in the darkness
Rare Mythic Ralia, the Symphonist3UU
Planeswalker – Ralia (M)
+1: You may play a spell from your hand with a converted mana cost less than the number of loyalty counters on Ralia without paying its mana cost
-2: Shuffle up to three target nonland cards from your graveyard into your library and draw that many cards
-6: Reveal the top 7 cards of your library. You may play any of these cards without paying their mana costs. Put the remaining cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
3 Art: A frogwoman (rana) in formal robes, wielding a baton/wand
Basic Land Mountain
Basic Land – Mountain Art: A crystalline mountainside with a faint reddish cast. Angular and slightly translucent
Token Satyr
Creature – Satyr Their mission in life: To prove there is nothing frivolous about frivolity
1/1 Art: A young satyr dances in a circle (background, another satyr piping and another chugging
Finally, willows enters with his set Ekar Kamui. "Ekar Kamui is an animist world — spirits dwell in everything. This set explores what it's like when everything is alive."
Hearth Sweeper2R
Creature — Human Cleric (C)
Whenever a red card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, add to your mana pool. The smallest ember is precious as a phoenix's egg.
2/2
Art — Male monk with short red kilt, leather apron, sweeping burning coals with a reed broom.
Kor Cartographer3W
Creature — Kor Scout (C)
When Kor Cartographer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Plains card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library. Cartographers follow behind the legions, cataloguing the conquered.
2/2
REPRINT (Orig. Zendikar)
Art — A scarred kor riding a hekomo-beast, wearing many scroll cases and carrying a telescope
Skybirth Ritual1WW
Instant (U)
Kicker :2mana::symr:
Put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens onto the battlefield.
If Skybirth Ritual was kicked, put a 3/3 red and white Spirit Phoenix creature token with flying and lifelink onto the battlefield instead.
Chime (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Art — Pouring coals from a white jar; the coals are taking the shape of a claw.
Sirokani EarthdancerGG
Creature — Elf Shaman (C)
Flash
When Sirokani Earthdancer enters the battlefield, each Elemental creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. They dance with beings we cannot even see.
1/1
Art — An elf throwing a glowing flower garland around the neck of a stone bear elemental (ref. to Earthroar.)
Thundercrown2U
Creature — Elemental Elk (C)
As long as you control a land creature, Thundercrown is unblockable. Hunters consider it bad luck to poach the river spirits' sacred herds.
2/2
Art — A blue-gray elk walking on water. Its antlers are made of lightning.
Earthroar1GG
Instant (C)
Up to two target lands become 2/2 Elemental Bear creatures until end of turn. They're still lands.
Art — Shaman turning a boulder into a bear with open mouth and one outstretched paw.
Shrine SquattersB (Revised Round 3 Card)
Creature — Human Nomad (C)
As long as you control a Zombie, Shrine Squatters has intimidate. There is nothing more shameful for them than living in the houses of the dead, but there is no other choice.
1/1
Art — Three tattered, emaciated people sitting at the door of a mastaba, eating a rabbit.
Desiccate1B
Sorcery (C)
Kicker 2B
Destroy target nonland, nonartifact creature. If Desiccate was kicked, that creature's controller sacrifices a creature.
Art — Dead Kingdom priests pouring salt onto a struggling man in a coffin.
Provisions for the Dead1WB
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant land
Sacrifice enchanted land: Regenerate target creature you control. That creature becomes an artifact Zombie in addition to its other colors and types.
Art — In a dark corner, a heap of food and tools made of peeling, painted wood.
Sekhem-Re, King of Rags3WB
Legendary Artifact Creature — Zombie (M)
Whenever a nontoken creature you control dies, you may discard a card. If you do, each opponent discards a card.
:2mana::symwb:, exile a creature card from your graveyard: Put a 1/1 white and black Spirit Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
3/2
Art — A royal mummy walking among corpses. Ba-spirits are coming out of their mouths.
Grainfire Formation2RW
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you control at least three creatures, put a 3/3 red and white Spirit Phoenix creature token with flying and lifelink onto the battlefield, tapped and attacking. Exile it at end of turn.
Art — Three phalanxes of Tsem soldiers advancing. Their dust is turning into a Phoenix.
Riverbind1WU
Instant (U)
Target attacking creature becomes blocked. If it's an Elemental, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Chime (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
In Tsem, they build temples to trap the gods.
Art — A pyramid flanked by obelisks, with complicated water channels on and around them.
Warrior Trance2G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +X/+X until end if turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. Untap it.
Art — A hunter inside a bear-shaped nimbus, fighting several soldiers.
Heartstring Slicer
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance.
If a creature dealt damage by equipped creature this turn would die, exile it instead.
Equip
Art — A hand taking a battered sword with a translucent turquoise blade from a wooden stand.
Elemental Beast
CI:G
Trample
4/4
Art — A giant bearlike elemental of dirt, with gnarled horns on its shoulders, head, and elbows.
Plains
Basic Land — Plains
Art — Plowed field with wheat seedlings. A man pushing a hand plow in the middle distance.
It's hot here. Unless the image gives an obvious reason to wear more, characters have bare arms or no shirts, bare feet, and the fabrics they wear have a lightweight look. Clothes are generally loose and often pleated, but they might cling if characters are sweaty. Think ancient Egypt, classical Greece.
Tsem Empire art should have harsh, geometric zones of light and shadow. Elk People have environments with dappled light and shade — light filtering through leaves, etc. The Dead Kingdom is never in direct sun — gloomy twilight, smoky lamps, etc.
A ba-spirit looks like a small peregrine falcon with a human head.
All Spirit creatures are luminous or have glowing eyes to distinguish them from Elementals. Red Spirits should be surrounded by ripples of heat distortion.
I added a graveyard subtheme to give the Dead Kingdom its own identity, and pushed the tribal differences between the three factions.
I also added kicker as a returning mechanic. We don't see a lot of it here in the "perfect pack," because it's not a major block theme or splashy innovation.
My goal was to show that each faction has a couple of ways to play, but there is also some room for interaction — crossing factions to make an Esper-colored or Jund-colored deck should be rewarding.
Now, which contestant's set is the best, just by viewing their only chance to impress you - their perfect booster pack?
Votes and critiques are welcome. The poll will close on the 24th, one week from now, and I'll announce a winner by this time. Thanks for sticking around - this was my first time running a CCL and I had logistical problems with the scoring and really long deadlines.
I thought drewdagreek's was the best by a fairly wide margin. He really put an effort to showcase his set's flavor; you can tell that the cards belong to the same world, and that the world has a story. The cards also heavily emphasize the set's mechanics, which is important for creating an interesting Limited experience.
Also, Good Job Prophylaxis. I enjoyed my time in this CCL.
I have some ok cards but my "set" is terrible, it has one mechanic which is "complicated Ghost Warden (or Wyuli Wolf?)" The theme is supposed to be Voltronning all your guys into one giant dude, like ROE except you spend all your mana every turn to do it.
Mechanics that can carry an entire set are far and away the most difficult thing to come up with, Ravnica is a total cheat because you get 10 really specific mechanics, although they did do a good job of interweaving them for Limited.
uh what was I ranting about
Tempest seems reasonable, Landslide is a little sketchy in colors other than green, but I almost tried to do something like that as well.
Ruskag Mammoth: So, big creatures in this set. I like how aesthetically pleasing this feels, but I'm pretty sure this is uncommon. Common doesn't get creatures that big. I like the art description - fits what Wizards is trying to do now, with birds representing scale.
Gelid Gust: I like the fact that it's instant speed so you can score a tempo hit by playing this on your opponent's turn. Seems like this set's tempo blue card. The art description feels like a rapid departure from the woods of Ruskag Mammoth, though.
Sunlit Square: Not a big fan. I know that your set cares about lands a lot but I don't think this is a good use of your slot. The effect isn't great and will be sideboard fodder most of the time.
Quag Plunge: Yeah, see. This cares about swamps and will totally miss the Square or whatever the black version of that cycle is. I like the card though - tension on whether to run two colors and the art description are all nice.
Township Patrolman: Yay, one drops that are relevant late game! Should this be the same soldier featured on Quag Plunge? I like this card.
Crushing Avalance: I love this card. The flavor of the card and the mechanics are so closely intertwined. It's very strong too - definitely high pick. My only concern is that with Landslide you're bleeding ramp into all colors, which definitely downgrades green a bit. No wonder you have the 7/7 beast, as to compensate for all colors having ramp. I love the art description also.
Mana Squall: I'll echo Mark Rosewater's sentiments about X at common, but it seems like X is a major part of your set so I'll roll with it. This seems like a very bread and butter counterspell. Worse than Syncopate but it's common. I like the elegance of the card. The art feels overused however, though it's a counterspell (can't really portray that well) so I won't dock off too many points.
Sewage Gate-Swindler: I'm not exactly sure what this thing is here for. It feels as if he's here to represent city, but Terrex is definitely not a city plane judging by your art description. I feel as if he would make a better home on Ravnica. The card is definitely playable and a fine design. Simple and resonant, though I could see this appear in a core set.
Thornvine Encourager: This is a very cool bear, though it's somewhat conflicting. The stats on here say that you want to attack and get in for damage but the tap ability says "no!" Usually, bears get worse as the game goes on but then again, ramp gets worse as the game goes on. I mean, it's still quite useful to ramp to your late game stuff.
Eternity Tides: Super splashy. One thing I was hoping from this submission was that I could get cheap spells to play with Tempest but I guess not. The thing about this card is that you're going to cast this on turn 7. You're going to cast this on turn 8 or 9 when you have eight or nine lands out and you cast some random bear and then this card. This being a sorcery means that you have to work a lot harder to get more from Tempest.
This can create some feel bad moments when you are forced to play it for seven, and again it possibly creates a "rich get richer, poor get poorer" situation in which if you're able to cast another spell along with this it usually means that you're winning the game anyways, while when you're forced to cast this spell it probably means you're going to lose anyways. My reaction on this card is mixed because it sums up my worries about Tempest. -> just hit me: Tempest is also the name a set.
Art description is cool and not usually "a swirly mist of blue energy" like what extra turn spells usually are.
Thundering Echoes: I see that we have the red build around me enchantment here. Cool. Kinda wish it wasn't just a blatant rip off out of Pyroconvergence. Once again we have the richer get richer, poor get poorer event in which if you're holding your X cards and you play this then that usually means you're winning, but when you play this and have no X cards then that usually means that you wasted most of them dealing with early threats.
I would have liked to see a different trigger as the red build around me enchantment but this is serviceable. Not the best for an "all star pack" though. The art is cool.
Borderland Cavalier: Haha, funny card. Vigilance! Randomly has Mountainwalk! I know that you might criticize me for not knowing what this card represents but I don't know what this card represents. It might mean the gateway between civilization and wilderness in Terrex. The art description feels as if this is a knight going to save the queen -> defeat the dragon fairy tale. I'm not exactly sure what to think of this card.
Bubbling Miasma: I do enjoy how this scales in effect. "Target player sacrifices two creatures" is pretty devastating, but when you need to complete a side objective to receive a powerful effect, it's must less damaging. That's why I feel as if Tempest is "rich get richer", but Wizards makes rich get richer mechanics as well (Populate and Extort are ones that come to mind).
So, where was I? I like how this card is powerful and rewards you for going black, since the two black in its mana cost means that you can't splash it. This is sure to be one of the top tier removal spells for sure. The art feels cliched and overused.
Expanding Frontiers: Yet another X spell, and a splashy one at that. I wonder if this would be broken if it allowed you to search for nonbasic land cards? Probably. I think this card represents most of your set's themes combined into one. You touch on the need for lands as well as the X theme flowing across your set. My biggest qualm is why. Why does your set care about lands so much? I know that you need to care about the X spell theme because the versatility of your spells helps Tempest, but why are you caring about lands so much? I feel like you really want to use landfall but you can't (this would be sick in Zendikar).
Island: Here's another conflicting thing about your set. It feels as if you really want civilization to happen but there's also these primal elements such as this island. My advice would be to show them converging together. I liked the Borderland Cavalier because it represented the civilization meeting the primal elements but the cards in which I was shown one side (the Mammoth) and another (the Sewage-Gate Swindler) were really jarring because they came from two opposite sides.
Rat: I do realize that this Rat came from the Swindler and I feel as if it's a fine choice for this booster but it doesn't mean much symbolically. The art description is very laden with imagery, which I like.
--- GM's cards
Hunting Hound: This riding mechanic is interesting but IMO I feel it's a bit clunky, though not overly so. I feel as if the strongest way to do this riding mechanic are transform auras, but each designer has his or her own opinion. The combat math will suck if you have a lot of these "coordinate" guys around, but I like the space you're playing in. Coordinate seems like a solid mechanic and this is a solid bear that features it. Wants me to look for saboteur cards or something.
Swiftcurrent Guide: Hey, look - something to push my coordinated creatures through! I would try to make this more expensive and more fat (5U 3/3 flies and this?) because you'll have a feel bad moment when you cast this without making anything unblockable. Other than that, solid creature. It synergies well with the set, but I really wish this was more expensive to reduce feel bad moments and to set up your voltron.
Vapor Harvester: Eh, the art. Man, I know that your set isn't really flavorful, but the art feels so generic. No worldbuilding. Okay, time to get to the card. It reminds me of Mudbutton Torchrunner which was considered fairly solid removal back in Lorwyn, and I believe that this will be similarly solid. This has tension because this is technically unblockable - your opponent won't want to block this or else he'll explode and kill something, so he also has some invisible text dealing with coordinate. Nice pseudo-reprint.
Body Toss: This seems like a fine card. I like the utility and flavor of the card, which is fairly humorous. I'm not sure what else to say about this card. It seems like a fine damage redirection spell for red.
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Curse PremiumWhich player's set excites you the most, just by looking at their only (and first!) impression: A booster pack? That's for you to vote and figure out.
First, yewlas enters with his set Terrex. Taking his description, "The plane of Terrex is riddled with natural disasters. Freezing blizzards roll down from frigid peaks. Violent hurricanes pour in from the sea. The people are plagued by earthquakes, lightning storms, and tidal waves on a regular basis. And yet, civilization carves out niches and thrives...for now." Can you weather the storm?
Ruskag Mammoth 5GG
Creature- Elephant (C)
7/7
Art: An enormous wooly mammoth brushes the tree tops of a wooded area. We can see a man's head in the foreground looking up at the creature. The camera angle points upward for a sense of dwarfing scale.
Gelid Gust 1U
Instant (C)
Tap target creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copy.)
Art: Two merchants are walking along a dock at night. Both are bundled head to toe in furs. A small ship can be seen in the background being rocked about by waves. Their clothes show the direction of the wind, and icicles are forming on the ends of their garments, hair, and noses. The entire scene is lightly tinted blue.
Sunlit Square
Land (C)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
4W,T, Sacrifice Sunlit Square: You gain 5 life.
Art: The sun is rising over the rooftops of a small farming village. The light flares from behind a chimney.
Quag Plunge 2B
Instant (C)
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of Swamps you control.
Art: We look down on a white-aligned human soldier. He is chest-deep in the water of a grimy bog. Decomposed leaves and other plant matter speckle his face, smear his clothes, and float about in the water. He looks panicked and terrified.
Township Patrolman W
Creature- Human Soldier (C)
Township Patrolman gets +2/+2 as long as you control five or more Plains.
1/1
Art: A soldier walks down a cobblestone street amid meager wooden buildings, spear in hand. He is dressed in a few pieces of metal plates and a tunic. The road stretches out far behind him, and we can see storm clouds forming on the horizon. He has a smug look on his face that seems to say "Bring it on."
Crushing Avalanche 2R
Sorcery (C)
Crushing Avalanche deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
Landslide (Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Put it into your hand, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.)
Art: A goblin with a spyglass in the foreground peers off-screen. He is standing on a cliff by a sheer rock face. He is oblivious to the enormous boulder (and a few smaller rocks) plummeting downward at him. The camera angle is titled upward so that we can see the size of the rock hurtling down toward him.
Mana Squall XU
Instant (C)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays X.
Art: In the foreground and to the left, a mage stands on the edge of a grassy hill with her back facing us. She holds a gnarled, wooden staff above her head in both hands. Winds seem to be radiating from her body, whipping her hair and robes about. The wind is pushing back black storm clouds filled with lightning. Rays of sunlight beam down in the open sky near the mage, though the storm can still be seen raging in the distance.
Sewage-Gate Swindler 3B
Creature- Ogre Rogue (C)
When Sewage-Gate Swindler dies, put a 1/1 black Rat creature token onto the battlefield.
3/3
Art: Directly in front of a rusty sewer grate stands an ugly ogre. He is clad in a dirty vest and trousers. He is hunched over slightly, leaning in to a large rat that is sitting on the back of his hand. He pets the vermin with his other hand.
Thornvine Encourager 1G
Creature- Elf Druid (C)
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
2/2
Art: In a densely wooded area, we see a muscular, dark-skinned elf in the center foreground. He is dressed in simple furs and is adorned with tribal facepaint and various markings on his exposed chest. He holds a wooden staff in one hand, with his other outstretched, palm down. A thorny vine rises up from the ground, growing rapidly toward his open hand.
Eternity Tides 5UU (Premium)
Sorcery (M)
Take an extra turn after this one.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn.)
Art: A woman's face appears in the foreground, her head tilting back toward the ocean. A tidal wave is forming behind her. Her windswept hair seems to be transitioning into the wave. In the wave, we see the image of the same woman's face. Her hair forms another wave, with another face, forming another wave, forming another face, etc.
Thundering Echoes 4R
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you cast a spell with X in its mana cost, Thundering Echoes deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
Art: A bolt of blue-white lightning crashes down from a black sky. The bolt rips a thatched-roof cottage to pieces. Small figures can be seen fleeing the wreckage, and arcs of electricity surge outward from the ruins, striking down a person or two.
Borderland Cavalier WW
Creature- Human Knight (U)
Mountainwalk, vigilance
2/2
Art: A mounted knight stands in the foreground atop a rocky cliff. Tall mountains can be seen in the background, with a few storm clouds overhead. The knight is completely clad in armor. The knight holds a lance upward.
Bubbling Miasma 1BB
Sorcery (U)
Target player sacrifices a creature.
Tempest (When you cast this spell, copy it if a spell was cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copy.)
Art: A small group of dark-skinned elves are staggered throughout a misty bayou. The purplish, smoky fog is thick, and several members of the group cough violently, while others are huddled over. A few lie convulsing on the ground. Various puddles and sinkholes in the bayou bubble up with caustic-looking, purple-black muck.
Expanding Frontiers XGG
Sorcery (R)
Search your library for up to X basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield tapped.
Art: An abandoned farm house is being overtaken by vines. Half of the house untouched, but the other half has vines spreading across it. A tree bursts through the roof of the house, and shingles can be seen in the air in midflight. In the background, the vines spread out across the fields. The ruins of another house can be seen, broken in half, with a large oak tree standing in the middle.
Island
Basic Land- Island
Art: A small, sandy isle with a single palm tree in the midst of the ocean. The tree is leaning at a 45 degree angle, it's leaves being blown in one direction. Giant waves form on either side and in the background. There is little sunlight, and the sky is dominated by black clouds.
Rat (Token)
[B] Creature- Rat
1/1
Art: The image is dominated by a mangy, waterlogged, black rat. It stands in the hollowed-out husk of a pumpkin or other gourd. The rat's fur is wet and matted, with beady red eyes.
Second, Gerrard's Mom enters with his set Casma. "In my set, planar explorers have come to fight for the frontier of Casma. They like to ride things and put bounties on people."
Creature - Hound (C)
Coordinate - If Hunting Hound would attack or block, you may pay W and tap it instead. If you do, target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. (This creature doesn't attack or block.)
2/2
Art: Close up shot of a large reddish dog with a white chest. Just behind it is the body of a man pointing forward, the hound about to leap in the direction he points.
Swiftcurrent Guide 1U
Creature - Merfolk Scout (C)
When Swiftcurrent Guide enters the battlefield, target creature you control is unblockable until end of turn.
1/3
Art: A merfolk with a glowing appendage on its forehead like an angler fish pulls a boat through a dark channel with a rope.
Vapor Harvester 2B
Creature - Human Rogue (C)
When Vapor Harvester dies, you may have target creature get -3/-3 until end of turn.
1/1
Art: A veiled, thin male human carries a huge glass cannister of deadly vapors on his back.
Body Toss 2R
Instant (C)
The next time target creature you control deals combat damage this turn, you may have it deal that much damage to target creature or player.
Art: In the midst of a battle, a bulky viashino warrior has just thrown a uniformed soldier into his own ranks.
Tame the Frontier 1G
Sorcery (C)
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal two land cards. Put those cards in your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Art: A man with an axe on his shoulder stands near a half-built cabin, looking out over a landscape of rivers, hills, and forests.
Kerria Chariot 2
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +2/+6.
Equip 6
Art: A chariot of heavy iron is strapped to two long-necked dinosaurs, trampling through a forest.
Trained Sangrosaur 3R
Creature - Lizard (C)
Coordinate - If Trained Sangrosaur would attack or block, you may pay 3R and tap it instead. If you do, target creature gets +4/+2 until end of turn. (This creature doesn't attack or block.)
4/2
Art: Two viashino on either side of a large raptor-like dinosaur hold ropes to guide it forward.
Tactical Retreat 1W
Instant (C)
Remove all blocking creatures you control from combat. Each unblocked attacking creature becomes blocked.
Art: A few Kerria soldiers can be seen in the gap behind a closing gate of logs, while a number of elves riding raptors rush towards the fort.
Plight of the Hunted B
Enchantment - Aura Bounty (C)
Enchant creature an opponent controls
Enchanted creature can't be the target of spells or abilities its controller controls.
When enchanted creature dies, its controller loses 3 life.
Art: A wounded aven is collapsing alone on the main street of a frontier town, impassive faces watching from windows beyond.
Siphoner's Well
Land (U)
T: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, add to your mana pool one mana of any type that that land could produce. Otherwise, add 1 to your mana pool. Then put the revealed card on the bottom of your library.
Lost for Days X1UU
Instant (U)
Put target creature into its owner's library X cards from the top. X can't be 0. (If X is 1, put the creature on top of its owner's library.)
Art: A river has flooded up into the trees and rushes by quickly, sweeping a triceratops downstream.
Cuvera Brave 1G
Creature - Elf Warrior (U)
Whenever Cuvera Brave becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may pay G. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Cuvera Brave.
2/2
Art: A musucular elf youth holds up a huge curved fang that he has pulled from the jaw of a dead tyrannosaurus.
Perfect Mimicry 5UU
Enchantment (M)
Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, put a token that's a copy of that permanent onto the battlefield under your control.
Art: On the right is the wooden palisade of a Kerria outpost, with a few soldiers pointing and aven hovering in the sky. This scene is mirrored on the left, but the figures and fort have a slightly translucent quality.
Tyrannosaur TyrantFoil 3RR
Creature - Lizard (R)
Trample
Whenever Tyrannosaur Tyrant attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the total power of other creatures you control. The power of each of those creatures becomes 0 until end of turn.
5/5
Art: A big dinosaur smashes things
Swamp
Land
Art: Swampy
Bird Soldier
Creature (Token)
Flying
1/1
Art: Flying dude wearing a helmet
Third, drewdagreek enters with his set Mendrya. "Song has always carried its own special power. However, on the crystalline plane of Mendyra, songs of power resonate into symphonies. Magic echoes and resonates with these songs, creating arcane masterpieces unlike any the multiverse has ever seen. Of course where there is power, there are those who covet it. And greed can easily turn the most glorious of symphonies into a dirge.."
Commons
Symphonium Guard 2W
Creature – Human Soldier (C)
Defender
When Symphonium Guard blocks, it gets +1/+1 for each crescendo card in your graveyard.
Inspired hearts are our best defense – Commander Byrex
1/3
Art: A human with lyre sygaldry, hold the line again a Canu invader
Ascending Might 1GG
Sorcery – Crescendo (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature, then put an addition +1/+1 counter on that creature for each Crescendo card in your graveyard.
Power grows from the voice of the community
Art: A satyr growing to new heights, within a circle of Satyrs and dryads
Sisters of Madness 2BB
Creature – Spirit (C)
Sisters of Madness get +2/+0 as long as an opponent has one or fewer card in hand
Unable to capture the beauty of Aven hymns, the banshee settled for mockery.
3/2
Art: A pair of banshees is vaguely nun-like gear cackling madly,
Seething Song 2R
Sorcery (C)
Add RRRRR to your mana pool.
Rage is the purest of emotions. Hate, my son, and let your fury join our chorus . Targ, Packleader
Art: A pillar of pure red energy rises from a circle of jackal-like Canu, howling along
Rana Accompanyist 3U
Creature – Frog Wizard (C)
T: Add 2 to your mana pool. Play this ability only if you cast a sorcery or instant spell this turn.
In life, some are not meant to play first chair. Still, even peons have their uses – Maestro Gylwingen
1/4
Art: A stoic and overweight frog in robes plays a cello with a wand
Satyr Firebrand 2R
Creature – Satyr Warrior (C)
Harmony R (Whenever you cast a spell with an equal or greater converted mana cost, you may cast this spell for its harmony cost)
If another spell was cast this turn, Satyr Firebrand has haste.
Some agitators fight for causes, but others just enjoy it
3/2
Art: A gleeful satyr crashes through a rehearsal hall disrupting musicians and knocking over stands
Opprobrium 1W
Instant (C)
Destroy target attacking creature with power less than or equal to the number of creatures you control.
What hope does a lone voice have against a chorus?
Art: Maestro Gylwingen (a Rana) stares down from podium at a collapsing anuri , background: his orchesta
Sagecroaker 2G
Creature – Frog Shaman (C)
When Sagecroaker enters the battlefield, draw two cards and each opponent draws a card.
To other races, their songs are nonsensical ramblings, but those who speak Anuri can hear the words of wisdom within
2/2
Art: A robed Anuri croaking in a peaceful crystal glade, throat pouch extended
Conductor’s Sway 1U
Instant (C)
Change the target of target spell or ability with a single target unless its controller pays 2.
In life, there are leaders and there are followers; You are the latter.
Art: A hand holds a baton wand, directing a bolt of energy to u-turn at a human cultist
Uncommons
Demented Maestro 1B
Creature – Human Cleric (U)
B, Sacrifice Demented Maestro: This turn, all creature cards in your graveyard count as Crescendo cards.
He conducts the damned in the performance of their afterlife.
2/1
Art: A crazed human in black robes conducts agonized spirits out of their graves
Canu Stalker 3R
Creature – Hound Warrior (U)
Whenever Canu Stalker attacks, a random untapped creature the defending player controls blocks it if able.
Canu hunters live for the chase. However ,their recklessness ensures they don’t live for it very long. – Maestro Gylwingen
4/2
Art: A raging canu hunter leaping down a crystalline mountainside
Sublime Chorus 3WW
Creature – Angel
Harmony W – (Whenever you cast a spell with an equal or greater converted mana cost, you may cast this spell for its harmony cost.)
Flying
When Sublime Chorale enters the battlefield, gain 2 life for each spell that was cast this turn.
The songs of the aven are put pale imitations of the true masters of the Hymnal
3/5
Art: A serene angel wth a harp leads a flock of Aven
Premium Card:
Dystopic Dirge 1BB
Sorcery (U)
Choose one – Target player sacrifices a white permanent, or target player sacrifices a green permanent
Entwine 2 (As you play this you may pay 2. If you do, choose both)
Some dirges follow the funeral, but prefer something a like more.. proactive – Queen Svylania of the Banshee
Art: An aven and an anuri die screaming, clutching their ears, in the darkness
Rare Mythic
Ralia, the Symphonist 3UU
Planeswalker – Ralia (M)
+1: You may play a spell from your hand with a converted mana cost less than the number of loyalty counters on Ralia without paying its mana cost
-2: Shuffle up to three target nonland cards from your graveyard into your library and draw that many cards
-6: Reveal the top 7 cards of your library. You may play any of these cards without paying their mana costs. Put the remaining cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
3
Art: A frogwoman (rana) in formal robes, wielding a baton/wand
Basic Land
Mountain
Basic Land – Mountain
Art: A crystalline mountainside with a faint reddish cast. Angular and slightly translucent
Token
Satyr
Creature – Satyr
Their mission in life: To prove there is nothing frivolous about frivolity
1/1
Art: A young satyr dances in a circle (background, another satyr piping and another chugging
Finally, willows enters with his set Ekar Kamui. "Ekar Kamui is an animist world — spirits dwell in everything. This set explores what it's like when everything is alive."
Creature — Human Cleric (C)
Whenever a red card is put into your graveyard from anywhere, add
The smallest ember is precious as a phoenix's egg.
2/2
Art — Male monk with short red kilt, leather apron, sweeping burning coals with a reed broom.
Kor Cartographer 3W
Creature — Kor Scout (C)
When Kor Cartographer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Plains card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.
Cartographers follow behind the legions, cataloguing the conquered.
2/2
REPRINT (Orig. Zendikar)
Art — A scarred kor riding a hekomo-beast, wearing many scroll cases and carrying a telescope
Skybirth Ritual 1WW
Instant (U)
Kicker :2mana::symr:
Put two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens onto the battlefield.
If Skybirth Ritual was kicked, put a 3/3 red and white Spirit Phoenix creature token with flying and lifelink onto the battlefield instead.
Chime (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
Art — Pouring coals from a white jar; the coals are taking the shape of a claw.
Sirokani Earthdancer GG
Creature — Elf Shaman (C)
Flash
When Sirokani Earthdancer enters the battlefield, each Elemental creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
They dance with beings we cannot even see.
1/1
Art — An elf throwing a glowing flower garland around the neck of a stone bear elemental (ref. to Earthroar.)
Thundercrown 2U
Creature — Elemental Elk (C)
As long as you control a land creature, Thundercrown is unblockable.
Hunters consider it bad luck to poach the river spirits' sacred herds.
2/2
Art — A blue-gray elk walking on water. Its antlers are made of lightning.
Earthroar 1GG
Instant (C)
Up to two target lands become 2/2 Elemental Bear creatures until end of turn. They're still lands.
Art — Shaman turning a boulder into a bear with open mouth and one outstretched paw.
Shrine Squatters B (Revised Round 3 Card)
Creature — Human Nomad (C)
As long as you control a Zombie, Shrine Squatters has intimidate.
There is nothing more shameful for them than living in the houses of the dead, but there is no other choice.
1/1
Art — Three tattered, emaciated people sitting at the door of a mastaba, eating a rabbit.
Desiccate 1B
Sorcery (C)
Kicker 2B
Destroy target nonland, nonartifact creature. If Desiccate was kicked, that creature's controller sacrifices a creature.
Art — Dead Kingdom priests pouring salt onto a struggling man in a coffin.
Provisions for the Dead 1WB
Enchantment — Aura (C)
Enchant land
Sacrifice enchanted land: Regenerate target creature you control. That creature becomes an artifact Zombie in addition to its other colors and types.
Art — In a dark corner, a heap of food and tools made of peeling, painted wood.
Legendary Artifact Creature — Zombie (M)
Whenever a nontoken creature you control dies, you may discard a card. If you do, each opponent discards a card.
:2mana::symwb:, exile a creature card from your graveyard: Put a 1/1 white and black Spirit Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield.
3/2
Art — A royal mummy walking among corpses. Ba-spirits are coming out of their mouths.
Enchantment (U)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you control at least three creatures, put a 3/3 red and white Spirit Phoenix creature token with flying and lifelink onto the battlefield, tapped and attacking. Exile it at end of turn.
Art — Three phalanxes of Tsem soldiers advancing. Their dust is turning into a Phoenix.
Riverbind 1WU
Instant (U)
Target attacking creature becomes blocked. If it's an Elemental, it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
Chime (If you cast this spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves. The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may cast this card from exile without paying its mana cost.)
In Tsem, they build temples to trap the gods.
Art — A pyramid flanked by obelisks, with complicated water channels on and around them.
Warrior Trance 2G
Instant (U)
Target creature gets +X/+X until end if turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. Untap it.
Art — A hunter inside a bear-shaped nimbus, fighting several soldiers.
Artifact — Equipment (R)
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance.
If a creature dealt damage by equipped creature this turn would die, exile it instead.
Equip
Art — A hand taking a battered sword with a translucent turquoise blade from a wooden stand.
Elemental Beast
CI:G
Trample
4/4
Art — A giant bearlike elemental of dirt, with gnarled horns on its shoulders, head, and elbows.
Basic Land — Plains
Art — Plowed field with wheat seedlings. A man pushing a hand plow in the middle distance.
Tsem Empire art should have harsh, geometric zones of light and shadow. Elk People have environments with dappled light and shade — light filtering through leaves, etc. The Dead Kingdom is never in direct sun — gloomy twilight, smoky lamps, etc.
A ba-spirit looks like a small peregrine falcon with a human head.
All Spirit creatures are luminous or have glowing eyes to distinguish them from Elementals. Red Spirits should be surrounded by ripples of heat distortion.
The hekomo is something like an archeopteryx or secretary bird — http://www.flickr.com/photos/35080452@N03/3331013015/ — long-tailed, primitive looking, black and white markings
I also added kicker as a returning mechanic. We don't see a lot of it here in the "perfect pack," because it's not a major block theme or splashy innovation.
My goal was to show that each faction has a couple of ways to play, but there is also some room for interaction — crossing factions to make an Esper-colored or Jund-colored deck should be rewarding.
Now, which contestant's set is the best, just by viewing their only chance to impress you - their perfect booster pack?
Votes and critiques are welcome. The poll will close on the 24th, one week from now, and I'll announce a winner by this time. Thanks for sticking around - this was my first time running a CCL and I had logistical problems with the scoring and really long deadlines.
Also, Good Job Prophylaxis. I enjoyed my time in this CCL.
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%
Both were very good designs, but drews felt pretty parasitic with the Cresendo cards. It almost felt like it should have been a supertype.
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
Mechanics that can carry an entire set are far and away the most difficult thing to come up with, Ravnica is a total cheat because you get 10 really specific mechanics, although they did do a good job of interweaving them for Limited.
uh what was I ranting about
Tempest seems reasonable, Landslide is a little sketchy in colors other than green, but I almost tried to do something like that as well.
Gotta head out, will try to comment more later.
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Curse PremiumRuskag Mammoth: So, big creatures in this set. I like how aesthetically pleasing this feels, but I'm pretty sure this is uncommon. Common doesn't get creatures that big. I like the art description - fits what Wizards is trying to do now, with birds representing scale.
Gelid Gust: I like the fact that it's instant speed so you can score a tempo hit by playing this on your opponent's turn. Seems like this set's tempo blue card. The art description feels like a rapid departure from the woods of Ruskag Mammoth, though.
Sunlit Square: Not a big fan. I know that your set cares about lands a lot but I don't think this is a good use of your slot. The effect isn't great and will be sideboard fodder most of the time.
Quag Plunge: Yeah, see. This cares about swamps and will totally miss the Square or whatever the black version of that cycle is. I like the card though - tension on whether to run two colors and the art description are all nice.
Township Patrolman: Yay, one drops that are relevant late game! Should this be the same soldier featured on Quag Plunge? I like this card.
Crushing Avalance: I love this card. The flavor of the card and the mechanics are so closely intertwined. It's very strong too - definitely high pick. My only concern is that with Landslide you're bleeding ramp into all colors, which definitely downgrades green a bit. No wonder you have the 7/7 beast, as to compensate for all colors having ramp. I love the art description also.
Mana Squall: I'll echo Mark Rosewater's sentiments about X at common, but it seems like X is a major part of your set so I'll roll with it. This seems like a very bread and butter counterspell. Worse than Syncopate but it's common. I like the elegance of the card. The art feels overused however, though it's a counterspell (can't really portray that well) so I won't dock off too many points.
Sewage Gate-Swindler: I'm not exactly sure what this thing is here for. It feels as if he's here to represent city, but Terrex is definitely not a city plane judging by your art description. I feel as if he would make a better home on Ravnica. The card is definitely playable and a fine design. Simple and resonant, though I could see this appear in a core set.
Thornvine Encourager: This is a very cool bear, though it's somewhat conflicting. The stats on here say that you want to attack and get in for damage but the tap ability says "no!" Usually, bears get worse as the game goes on but then again, ramp gets worse as the game goes on. I mean, it's still quite useful to ramp to your late game stuff.
Eternity Tides: Super splashy. One thing I was hoping from this submission was that I could get cheap spells to play with Tempest but I guess not.
This can create some feel bad moments when you are forced to play it for seven, and again it possibly creates a "rich get richer, poor get poorer" situation in which if you're able to cast another spell along with this it usually means that you're winning the game anyways, while when you're forced to cast this spell it probably means you're going to lose anyways. My reaction on this card is mixed because it sums up my worries about Tempest. -> just hit me: Tempest is also the name a set.
Art description is cool and not usually "a swirly mist of blue energy" like what extra turn spells usually are.
Thundering Echoes: I see that we have the red build around me enchantment here. Cool. Kinda wish it wasn't just a blatant rip off out of Pyroconvergence. Once again we have the richer get richer, poor get poorer event in which if you're holding your X cards and you play this then that usually means you're winning, but when you play this and have no X cards then that usually means that you wasted most of them dealing with early threats.
I would have liked to see a different trigger as the red build around me enchantment but this is serviceable. Not the best for an "all star pack" though. The art is cool.
Borderland Cavalier: Haha, funny card. Vigilance! Randomly has Mountainwalk! I know that you might criticize me for not knowing what this card represents but I don't know what this card represents. It might mean the gateway between civilization and wilderness in Terrex. The art description feels as if this is a knight going to save the queen -> defeat the dragon fairy tale. I'm not exactly sure what to think of this card.
Bubbling Miasma: I do enjoy how this scales in effect. "Target player sacrifices two creatures" is pretty devastating, but when you need to complete a side objective to receive a powerful effect, it's must less damaging. That's why I feel as if Tempest is "rich get richer", but Wizards makes rich get richer mechanics as well (Populate and Extort are ones that come to mind).
So, where was I? I like how this card is powerful and rewards you for going black, since the two black in its mana cost means that you can't splash it. This is sure to be one of the top tier removal spells for sure. The art feels cliched and overused.
Expanding Frontiers: Yet another X spell, and a splashy one at that. I wonder if this would be broken if it allowed you to search for nonbasic land cards? Probably. I think this card represents most of your set's themes combined into one. You touch on the need for lands as well as the X theme flowing across your set. My biggest qualm is why. Why does your set care about lands so much? I know that you need to care about the X spell theme because the versatility of your spells helps Tempest, but why are you caring about lands so much? I feel like you really want to use landfall but you can't (this would be sick in Zendikar).
Island: Here's another conflicting thing about your set. It feels as if you really want civilization to happen but there's also these primal elements such as this island. My advice would be to show them converging together. I liked the Borderland Cavalier because it represented the civilization meeting the primal elements but the cards in which I was shown one side (the Mammoth) and another (the Sewage-Gate Swindler) were really jarring because they came from two opposite sides.
Rat: I do realize that this Rat came from the Swindler and I feel as if it's a fine choice for this booster but it doesn't mean much symbolically. The art description is very laden with imagery, which I like.
--- GM's cards
Hunting Hound: This riding mechanic is interesting but IMO I feel it's a bit clunky, though not overly so. I feel as if the strongest way to do this riding mechanic are transform auras, but each designer has his or her own opinion. The combat math will suck if you have a lot of these "coordinate" guys around, but I like the space you're playing in. Coordinate seems like a solid mechanic and this is a solid bear that features it. Wants me to look for saboteur cards or something.
Swiftcurrent Guide: Hey, look - something to push my coordinated creatures through! I would try to make this more expensive and more fat (5U 3/3 flies and this?) because you'll have a feel bad moment when you cast this without making anything unblockable. Other than that, solid creature. It synergies well with the set, but I really wish this was more expensive to reduce feel bad moments and to set up your voltron.
Vapor Harvester: Eh, the art. Man, I know that your set isn't really flavorful, but the art feels so generic. No worldbuilding.
Body Toss: This seems like a fine card. I like the utility and flavor of the card, which is fairly humorous. I'm not sure what else to say about this card. It seems like a fine damage redirection spell for red.