Many mechanics make it into constructed, but several do not as well. As a designer, you'd like for every mechanic in a set to have an impact on constructed, but that's not always feasible. Today, we're going to revisit our favorite mechanics and see if we can safely push the power level of a card featuring it to be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Main challenge: Choose a modern-legal set and a mechanic from that set. Announce your chosen set and mechanic, then design a card with that mechanic that is powerful enough to likely see tournament play.
Subchallenge 1: Your card has a direct and obvious synergy with other cards that also have your chosen mechanic.
Subchallenge 2: Your card is not a common, nor is it a mythic rare.
Subchallenge 1
Your card has to have synergy with the mechanic itself, not a specific card that has your mechanic.
A reminder to everyone: In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Friday, July 25th 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Monday, July 28th 2017 23:59 EDT
admirableadmiral
mirrodin71 vs Raptorchan
Conntroll vs Flatline
ManyCookies
Conntroll vs Flatline
Sub_Silentio vs RickyRickster
Rocco
Sub_Silentio vs RickyRickster
IcariiFA vs LnGrrrR
doomfish
IcariiFA vs LnGrrrR
mirrodin71 vs Raptorchan
Angelic Interrogator5W
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
Whenever another creature you control dies, investigate. (Put a colorless Clue artifact token onto the battlefield with "2, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.") 2W, Sacrifice a Clue: Exile target creature. Activate this ability only as a sorcery. "Ye guilty."
4/4
Time Spiral - Vanishing Time Echoes1R
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a nontoken creature with Vanishing dies, create a token thats a copy of that creature, it gain haste until end of turn.
Art by
Return Ravnica - Detain Della, New Prahv Magister1(W/U)(W/U)
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard (R)
Forecast — WU, reveal Della, New Prahv Magister from your hand: Detain target nonland permanent. (Activate this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)
Whenever you detain a nonland permanent you may draw a card. “Not on my watch”
Golgari CorpseweaverBG
Creature – Elf Zombie (R)
Transfigure 1BG
Whenever another creature you control dies, you may search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost X or less, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of the creature that died. Reveal that card and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. “The blood of the fallen fertilizes the soil for our newest recruits.”
2/2
Covert InterrogationUB
Sorcery (U)
Target player reveals the top three cards of his or her library. You may choose any number of those cards and put them into his or her graveyard. Put the rest on top of his or her library in any order.
Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Symbol of Prestige1GW
Enchantment (R)
Creatures you control have renown 1. (When it deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned. If a creature has multiple instance of renown, each triggers separately.)
Renowned creatures you control get +1/+1. Those that bear the symbol hold the power.
(22 Total) - October 2014; December 2014; January 2015; April 2015; June 2015; August 2015; September 2015; November 2015; December 2015(T); January 2016; March 2016(T); April 2016; June 2016; October 2016; December 2016(T); February 2017; April 2017; December 2017; November 2018(T); January 2019; April 2019; June 2019
(8 Total) - May 2015; May 2016; June 2016; August 2016; October 2016; December 2016; October 2017; May 2019
(7 Total) - September 2015; October 2015; January 2016; March 2016; April 2016; July 2016(T); March 2019(T)
Last Till Dawn2WW
Enchantment (R)
If you control an Angel or a Human, damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead. Fateful hour — As long as you have 5 or less life, attacking creatures you control have double strike. A single soul standing to fight ensured that hope lived on.
Thopter Ambush4UU
Instant (R)
Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you’re done activating mana abilities pays for 1)
Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying for each tapped artifact you control. "You'd think that with a revolution going on, people would bother to look up more"
—Viprikti, thopterist
@picnic_bomber this is a multi-thread tournament, and we're already past the open round and narrowed it down to eight people. I do like the card though!
And done. I was more generous with Balance in the strong direction, due to the nature of this challenge.
Preserver Animist1G
Creature - Human Shaman (R)
When Preserver Animist enters the battlefield, exile up to two lands you control in a face-down pile, shuffle that pile, then manifest those cards. (To manifest a card, put it onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. Turn it face up any time for its mana cost if it's a creature card.)
Whenever a face-down creature you control dies, if it was a land card face up, return it to the battlefield under your control.
2/2
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: This is really Spikey. An uber Johnny might try this in Ixidor, Reality Sculptor.dec (I've seen it), I don't expect widespread appeal on that front tho. Timmy doesn't care. (1.5/3) Elegance: I did need another pass at the card to grok it. And I know you had to include the manifest keyword, but it seems like it'd be rather more straightforward to just turn the two lands down (don't think the shuffle is that important).
Development - (3/3) Viability: Yeah this is essentially land animation, well up green's alley. (3/3) Balance: God damn it I had an essay on this and my computer bluescreened. I compared to Rhona's Last Stand, quick points:
- The potential payoff is stronger against control, 6 power and doesn't die to every spot removal spell like snek does. A sweeper 1 for 1s and doesn't even tempo.
- The potential multi turn self mana deny is very scary and can end up far worse than a Silence'd turn. I suspect the correct play would be to animate just one land a lot of the time.
-Could potentially get brickwalled by x/3s, and could be left without mana to punch through em.
- A significantly better late game play than snek, though probably not as powerful as a Sylvan Advocate type.
Soooo I think this is actually pretty ok power level wise, at least in the context of the contest theme ("Strong Standard Card").
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness:Obvious ripoff of Living Mana 0/3 Definitely unique for Magic. (2/3) Flavor: The flavor is sensible and coherent, though not a homerun.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: I believe the clause in the second sentence can just be "if it was a land card", glancing at the morph template. (2/2) *Main Challenge: A good shot. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yep, synergies with land hits off other manifests.
Neat card.
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Symbol of Prestige1GW
Enchantment (R)
Creatures you control have renown 1. (When it deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned. If a creature has multiple instance of renown, each triggers separately.)
Renowned creatures you control get +1/+1. Those that bear the symbol hold the power.
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Rather Spikey. Timmy maybe gets a kick out of buffing a token swarm, though there's better options if you're not on an aggro deck. Johnny doesn't care. (1/3) Elegance: So Renown abilities do NOT stack; once the first resolves the creature becomes renowned, and then subsequent ones don't do anything because the creature is already renowned. This would be fine if your reminder text made this clear, but if anything it implies the opposite. That point would be a constant source of judge calls, not a good thing.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Yep well within GW. (3/3) Balance: +2/+2 at 3 mana is no joke, this punishes a slower start really hard with a 1->2->This curve. Buuut connecting is a non-trivial cost, and you don't get the effect on the first swing with subsequent creatures, and it's multicolored. Yeah this is fine.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Wow there seriously wasn't a renown granter in origins? Possibly because of the stacking issue. Well it's an anthem at heart, but goes about it an interesting and unique manner. (2.5/3) Flavor: Good flavor, though the flavor text is a lil' generic.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: See Elegance, I think it's pretty incorrect not having the reminder text clarifying the stacking situation (I only took off for the reminder text here). (2/2) *Main Challenge: It has a reasonable shot. (2/2) Subchallenges: Ye, actually works a fair bit better with creatures without renown but still.
I liked this card quite a bit, but the stacking along with the reminder text was a serious issue.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Golgari CorpseweaverBG
Creature – Elf Zombie (R)
Transfigure 1BG
Whenever another creature you control dies, you may search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost X or less, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of the creature that died. Reveal that card and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. “The blood of the fallen fertilizes the soil for our newest recruits.”
2/2
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Spike and Johnny love it for the toolbox and power level, Timmy somewhat likes it for the potential fatty chain later on. (1/3) Elegance: Holy hell did my eyes glaze over this one! I kept up with the thread but didn't actually read your card in full until I had to judge it... which is really not a good sign.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure thing. (1.5/3) Balance: This card is slightly absurd. The second line basically reads "When another creature you control dies, return it to your hand" in Constructed, except usually better because you can opt to get other stuff as well. I'm pretty sure I'd just straight play this card with only the second line of text. And THEN you can toolbox off itself if you need to, hitting Goyf/Bob/Flayer/Pridemage/either part of the Devoted Druid combo or the Recruiter/Ooze/Spellskite. Like holy freaking crap!
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: I can't help but compare this to birthing pod, though the exact toolbox hasn't been done. (2.5/3) Flavor: I dislike super edgelord no-chill Black/Green, it's kind of been done to (life and)death. But still fine.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Gucci as far as I can tell. (2/2) *Main Challenge: With gusto. (2/2) Subchallenges: Good synergy with the other transfigure cards (all one of them). I actually feel like this should be a mythic, which is a thought I've had approximately never, but it's plausible at rare so w/e.
Well the challenge was constructed playable, and by god did you succeed. A tinsy too well.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Thopter Ambush4UU
Instant (R)
Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you’re done activating mana abilities pays for 1)
Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying for each tapped artifact you control. "You'd think that with a revolution going on, people would bother to look up more"
—Viprikti, thopterist
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny is sold, Jimmy might get a kick out of a mass token swarm (in Myrs maybe?), Spike is curious but doesn't care for the effect in of itself. (2.5/3) Elegance: "Tapped" is a weird condition, but otherwise clear.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (2/3) Balance: Crap out of time, quick explanations. Card amplifies already heavy artifact board, but not sure if it's enough of a payoff by itself. And I don't think there's big improv spell that wants like 10 artifacts as opposed to 4 quick ones like the demon. If Battle at the Bridge could hit face or Tezzeret, Angent of Bolas was the KLD Tezz I'd be all over this but there isn't.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Spawn off X has been done but cost itself playing into it is cute so it feels fresh. (3/3) Flavor: Love it, you think the attack is over and then SURPRISE ****ERS THE THOPTERS WERE RIGHT BEHIND THEM.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: All good. (1/2) *Main Challenge: Leaning towards no on constructed playability. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yep.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Pretty sure Worship has a large fanbase. So do angels. This would go over well. (2.5/3) Elegance: Angels and humans had a connection in Avacyn Restored, so I don't see keeping track of creature types as a problem. A minor issue is that only attacking creatures get double strike. That's something people might get wrong.
Development - (3/3) Viability: It's all well within white's portion of the color pie. The card is restrictive enough to make it rare instead of mythic, which would be appropriate for a flat out Worship effect. (3/3) Balance: The card should play nicely in a control deck with some effect-strong humans (like Dark Confidant) and strong angel finishers added in. Double strike is a nice touch for finishing off your opponent or get back to save health levels with lifelink cards. I don't see this warping the tournament scene, but it'd probably fit in snuggly into one archetype.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: It's clearly a Worship variant, but tying it to tribal is interesting. Also that additional Fateful hour rider works very well to push the concept to new heights. (3/3) Flavor: With the right artwork to tie the flavortext and mechanics together I can see it. Last till dawn has such a temporary feeling to it, while this goes on and on. Which, in a sense, is also what the struggling citizen of Innistrad had to go through. Lasting till dawn night after night.
Polish - (3/3) Quality:Pretty sure it has to be As long as you control, not if. (2/2) Main Challenge: I have no clue about tournament play, but I guess this could make it. (2/2) Subchallenges: It's nice to be able to stay relatively safely in that fateful hour activation terretory. Rare.
Total: 23.5/25
vs.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Manipulating the opponent's deck and milling has always had fans. This doesn't mill much tho. So Spike might enjoy denying good draws. Johnny/Jenny might try to lock out an opponent completely by casting this over and over again. I don't see anyone try to optimize their own draw with this unless truly desperate. (3/3) Elegance: Straight-forward effect with mechanic attached.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure, this seems like a blue-black effect. Uncommon is also a good fit. This kind of effect can be very dangerous, but as a single card where the repeatability is tied to a creature it should be fine. (2/3) Balance: You were tasked to make a card that could see tournament play. To be frank, I don't see it. This card basicially mills a bit and makes the opponent draw a land in the best case the turn you play it. Then you need to tie it to a creature that will still connect the turn after. This is a very all in attempt to lock your opponent out of good draws. Waiting for them to have no more cards in hand can't be viable. In an aggro matchup you're not going to be able to connect that easily and you just spent a card that didn't affect the board, you're like to lose the game. In a control matchup the creature will just be dealt with and you spent a card on not gaining tempo or damage. I don't believe this would see tournament play. I'll deduct one point for that here and one in Main Challenge. Outside of the task, this could be a fun card for people to try and mess with their opponents and is good enough for that.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Fatesealing to that extend hasn't happened so far. (3/3) Flavor: The name has a nice dimir feeling to it and fits the card. Flavortext would have been nice but wasn't necessary.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Looks good. (1/2) Main Challenge: As said before, I don't think I'd lable this card as "powerful". (1/2) Subchallenges: It's an uncommon. I see no synergy.
Total: 21.5/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Even though legendary, the commander crowd won't be very interested with the few detain cards avaiable. For other formats Spike could certainly be interested. Repeated card draw or just keeping it in hand for an acceptable removal. (3/3) Elegance: Pretty simple. It's weird how she'll never draw cards off her own detaining, but I guess you'll just have to accept that. But it's cool how you can draw off multiples of this, kind of working like Grandeur.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Hybrid is very risky, but I could see white drawing cards off detaining. Rare seems like a good fit. (2/3) Balance: Paying 2 mana every turn to get a Martial Law isn't so great, but it's an option. 3 mana 2/4 is okay for limited, but not enough for tournament constructed play. Drawing cards is great, but are there enough detain cards to put the engine into a deck? There's Inaction Injunction, Lavinia of the Tenth and Lyev Skyknight. Not too many, but luckily you made a new one here that can do it over and over. So this might fit into a midrange deck. I would have liked to see an more aggressive body, like 3/3 or 3/2 flying.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Turning Forecast into a Grandeur variant is a cool idea. Drawing off detaining is also new. (2.5/3) Flavor: The name is good, the flavortext generic. It works.
Polish - (1/3) Quality: Forecast needs to be last ability on the card. Comma missing after permanent. Dot missing in the flavortext. Forgot to put the P/T in the text post. There's no real point to rewarding only nonland perment detaining when you can't detain lands. (2/2) Main Challenge: It might be powerful enough. Hard to tell. (2/2) Subchallenges: Plays well with others. Rare.
Total: 21/25
vs.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy is delighted. Big angel with big effect. Spike should also be interested in extra card draw and potential removal. (3/3) Elegance: Simple and straight-forward. Make clues. Use clues.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Removal this efficient is borderline for white. You need a clue token for it and in a vacuum the card only makes clues when your creatures die. So this could be viewed as a punishment-variant removal. I guess 3 mana and a clue token is a heavy cost, which apparently allows white to exile creatures. I'd still call it a bend. Rare is okay. (2/3) Balance: For a 6 mana card to see tournament play it needs to pack quite some punch. Getting clues off your creatures in case they die in an attack might benefit an aggro deck. But playing a 6 mana 4/4 Fyling in an aggressive deck? So you're paying 6 mana for a creature that isn't going to have an immediate impact on the board. At least it's going to be very strong once you untap with it or have 9 mana to spare, IF you have clues lying around. I'd expect more from a tournament viable card.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Interesting way to use clues. The investigation rider is pretty close to Ulvenwald Mysteries. (2.5/3) Flavor: Is that flavortext a The Big O reference? It feels a bit off to use old english, but I'll let it slide. I like the mechanical flavor of the card. The angel herself strikes me more of an executioner than an interrogator.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: "Activate this ability only as a sorcery." is only used in reminder text. "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." is used in rules text. (1.5/2) Main Challenge: I feel like this is a bit weak to be aimed at tournament play. It might see play regardless. (2/2) Subchallenges: Plays well with other clues. Rare.
Total: 21/25
IcariiFA 23.5
vs
LnGrrrR 21.5
-
mirrodin71 21
vs
Raptorchan 21
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Doing this in chunks, on account of having to use mobile with spotty service.
Sub_Silentio: Appeal 2/3: Timmy doesn't like all the machinations. Johnny definitely does, and Spike sees a one-way ticket to Valuetown. Elegance 1/3: Transfigure is a confusing mechanic, and you've opted for no reminder text. The second ability is even more complicated, and in addition, it references comparative mana cost in a different way than Transfigure does. I like the effect mechanically, but elegant it ain't.
Viability 3/3: Colors are fine - very fitting. Rarity is correct and necessary. Balance 2/3: It's a slightly expensive bear with a gigantic upside. The fact that no additional cost is required to use the second ability could put this into Broken territory, depending on what cards it shares formats with. I fully expect this to see eternal play. Certainly commander. Limited is where this will have the best balance between value and fairness.
Uniqueness 1.5/3: I can't go digging through Gatherer right now, but this doesn't seem to be putting anything super fresh on the table. It's like a (very) fixed Birthing Pod-on-a-stick. I can't think of a case where this exact combination of trigger and tutor have been used, but it's another example of a Taco Bell card, imo. Flavor 3/3: Great job here. It all works towards the same mental picture. Effective flavor text that doesn't overdo it.
Quality 3/3: Looks good from here. Main Challenge 2/2: Definitely strong enough for competitive play. Sub-Challenges 2/2: It's the correct rarity at rare, and plays nice with other Transfigure creatures.
Total: 19.5/25
RickyRickster: Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy WOULD like it if he can get past the "tapped artifacts" clause. Johnny is all-in. Spike sees plenty of value. (3/3) Elegance: It all works together nicely. Though it might take a second reading to really understand the interactions, those interactions interlock in a satisfying way.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Very blue, and correct rarity. (2.5/3) Balance: It won't usually be relevant in limited, but could be draftable with enough artifact support. Constructed formats of all types love this thing.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This interaction between tapped artifacts and improvise made me literally grin and chuckle. Quite clever, and very creative. (3/3) Flavor: Great flavor all-around. It's an ambush because it happens when it LOKS like you're all tapped out, or alternately, because you can cast it much sooner than it looks like you'll be able to. The flavor text expertly gets across the playful, rebellious mood of the Khaladesh block.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: The quote in the flavor text is missing a final period. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Great use of improvise, and definitely good enough for tournament play. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yep and yep.
Total: 23.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
LnGrrR: Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Neither the effect nor the forward-thinking nature of the card appeals to Timmy. Johnny would have a tough time making good use of the effect itself, but likes cipher shenanigans in general. This was custom-designed just for Spike, and he appreciates it. (1/3) Elegance: Cipher is one of the least elegant mechanics in Magic to begin with. I ran Hidden Strings in my U/W Heroic deck during JOU standard, and every single time I played it, my opponent had to re-read the card, even sometimes more than once in the same game. Often, the whole match went by, and they asked me afterwards, "So WHAT does that card do exactly?" That, and it's a more-complicated Bamboozle, which is also a card that requires frequent double-takes. It is, at least, straightforward. It's a single effect that can be encoded. One-and-done.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Definitely blue. Definitely black. Uncommon seems fine. (2.5/3) Balance: This won't see much limited play, though I'm sure someone will get cheeky by putting this on a Triton Shorestalker clone and ruin the rest of his opponents draws. It's definitely not OVER-powered in any constructed format, though I wonder if it really would see tournament play.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Everything minus the cipher ability is nearly identical to Bamboozle. It's changed in superficial ways, and cipher is a new addition. But it really feels like an existing card with an unrelated keyword tacked on. (3/3) Flavor: You picked an ability whose reminder text makes flavor text unfeasible, but the name of the card and its mechanical flavor fit very well.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Extraneous line break between the two effects. (1.5/2) *Main Challenge: Cipher seems like an arbitrary choice here, but admittedly, most of the other cipher cards feel like that, too. (1/2) Subchallenges: If there's a synergy with other cipher cards, I don't see it.
Total: 17/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
IcariiFA: Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves being rewarded for playing sweet angels. Johnny can find all sorts of ways to make this a better Phyrexian Unlife. Spike likes it in limited, but that's good enough. (2.5/3) Elegance: Quite elegant. The only possible niggle I have is that The first ability and the fateful hour effect don't seem very related. There was a moment of "huh?" as I read the card the first time.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This card could only ever be white, and you keep it in rare territory by limiting the first effect to humans and angels. (3/3) Balance: I see no balance issues. It's a good card, in limited or standard, and even some fringe tribal modern decks might try it out. Maybe even Death's Shadow decks?
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: It's a less-good Worship with a situational upside. That said, I like the card, and I like that it doubly rewards turning on fateful hour (or at least makes it less risky). Very neat interaction between the two abilities, although... (3/3) Flavor: While I quite like the card as a whole, none of the flavor elements are doing it for me. The name itself confused me for a few seconds. My initial thought upon reading "Last Till Dawn" was "Last WHAT till dawn?". Just changing "till" to "until" would have cleared this up (for me, at least). The two abilities don't seem to have much to do with each other, besides one helping turn on the other. All of the existing cards with fateful hour have a direct relation between the effect of the FH ability and some other attribute or effect of the card. The exception is Thraben Doomsayer, but token generation often goes hand-in-hand with anthem effects. Double strike just seems unrelated to a Worship effect. Also, I get that the imagery you're going for is a lone surviving soldier being granted extra prowess at the last minute, but that's not how this will be played most often. Exalted would have been a better ability to evoke a scene like that. To top it off, the flavor text strikes me as wooden and non-affecting. Even the slightest change - from past tense to present tense - would improve it drastically.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: All good. (2/2) *Main Challenge: It uses fateful hour well, and is definitely strong enough for tournament play. (2/2) Subchallenges: It's rare, and plays incredibly nicely with other FH cards.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
RickyRickster - 23.5
Sub_Silentio - 19.5
IcariiFA - 23
LnGrrrR - 17
EDIT: I mistakenly gave IcariiFA 3 out of 3 points for flavor, and intended to give 1 point instead. It wouldn't have made a difference in the results; I'm just explaining why my critiques don't seem to match the score I gave. EDIT2: But then, I guess I also incorrectly docked half a point on his Quality score... Geez. Posting from an unfamiliar setup, but that's really no excuse for such sloppy copypasta. Luckily it didn't affect the results. I'll be back home at my own computer when I score Round 4.
Design
(2/3) Appeal: This card slows the game down, which isn't really appealing to Timmy. Johnny and Spike both enjoy it.
(2/3) Elegance: It's inelegant that Della doesn't also trigger herself when you forecast her; I can see that being an easy point of confusion for newer players. Additionally, the fact that you have reminder text for forecast but not for detain was a bad choice.
Development
(3/3) Viability: This card can draw a lot of cards given how it can be cast with only white mana, but I think it's acceptable.
(3/3) Balance: This is a strong limited rare and potentially a good build-around in constructed, where you can draw several cards off it if it lives. It's a nice synergy that detain buys you the time you need to make the most of all the cards you're drawing.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: It's new enough for me.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name is an excellent fit, but the flavor text really falls flat. If you ignore the flavor text, you have a really solid card; it's a scornful teacher that forces you to sit down and learn (detain and draw a card). That's really good. Given that, however, the flavor text makes no sense whatsoever aside from being a generic Azorius "We're the law!". You would have gotten a perfect score in this area if you had left the flavor text blank and instead added reminder text for detain.
Polish
(1/3) Quality: The R in Reveal needs to be capitalized (always capitalize the first letter of each activation cost of an activated ability). There needs to be a comma after "nonland permanent" in the last ability. There needs to be a period in your flavor text. Lastly, you forgot to put the power and toughness in the text version of your card.
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20/25
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal: Everyone likes something about this card, though Spike is more excited to put this in his limited deck rather than his constructed deck.
(3/3) Elegance: Bonus points for the way that this card really captures White's philosophy; you hurt me, I'll hurt you back. In this case, it's delayed and uses clues, but the idea is unmistakeable.
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(2.5/3) Balance: This needs to be double white for limited purposes. Other than that it fits the bill for your typical game-ending bomb in limited.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: The "investigate on death" trigger is nothing new. However, the second ability is.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is rather medium, but the flavor text falls flat. I don't think either are truly awful but there is a lot of wasted potential; you have an extremely flavorful card from a very flavorful setting. I would have gone with "Regardless of their innocence, her verdict is always the same." or something similar to really convey how twisted the world has become.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 22/25
Design
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy hates giving up his lands, but Spike loves this card. Johnny can always build around these types of cards.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The second ability is pretty confusing from a rules perspective but I don't think it's hard to get the gist of what it does. However, the shuffle effect is completely unnecessary.
Development
(3/3) Viability: This is very much a green effect. I really like how you took an unusual mechanic and found a way to really make it feel like a green card.
(2/3) Balance: Well, this card certainly fits into the context of Fate Reforged—it's an incredibly powerful rare. The only thing that's stopping me from giving you a much lower score because of how staggeringly powerful this card is is the fact that the Animist needs to live in order to get your lands back. As it currently stands, this card is three 2/2's for two mana, at the cost of two mana; sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. This card is an incredibly powerful curve topper, and it's very strong in decks that feature anthems or other ways to abuse having several creatures out. Compare to Rhonas's Last Stand; I think your card is a lot more powerful. In limited this card is okay; super strong, but if you play it on turn 2 you get brick walled by a 2/3. In constructed, this card might be very good in an exciting way. I even think this card could stretch all the way back to legacy, which is high praise for a card that I'm not flat-out calling broken. I would probably make it so the lands return to the battlefield tapped.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Turning your lands into creatures is nothing new to green, but this is a unique way to go about it.
(3/3) Flavor: The name isn't a perfect fit but it works. No flavor text is probably a good choice.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality: The second ability is super hard to word correctly, and I give you kudos for having a good version of it. I'm pretty sure that the correct wording is "Whenever a face-down creature you control dies, if that permanent was a land card, return it to the battlefield under your control."
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25
Design
(3/3) Appeal: Spike loves this, and Timmy likes this kind of effect too. It's too straightforward for Johnny.
(1/3) Elegance: Unfortunately, Renown does not stack; as ManyCookies mentioned, the second trigger fails because the creature is already renowned. Lastly, this card gets messy in a creature deck that has other ways of giving creatures +1/+1 counters (which green/white decks frequently are).
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(3/3) Balance: This card is very powerful, but it's conditional. I'm not a fan of how the condition that this card relies on tends to split this card into winmore/bricked based on whether or not you're ahead, but it's not too egregious.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a new twist on an anthem, but still plays out very similarly to other ones.
(2/3) Flavor: I feel like you could have chosen a much stronger name/flavor text combo. "Symbol of Prestige" sounds a lot more like an equipment than an anthem (it sounds extremely similar to Sigil of Distinction for example), and the flavor text is extremely generic. Having said that, the card as a whole is still functional.
Polish
(3/3) Quality: I won't ding you twice for the "renowned doesn't trigger twice" thing here.
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25
Private Mod Note
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August MCC Round 3
Many mechanics make it into constructed, but several do not as well. As a designer, you'd like for every mechanic in a set to have an impact on constructed, but that's not always feasible. Today, we're going to revisit our favorite mechanics and see if we can safely push the power level of a card featuring it to be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Main challenge: Choose a modern-legal set and a mechanic from that set. Announce your chosen set and mechanic, then design a card with that mechanic that is powerful enough to likely see tournament play.
Subchallenge 1: Your card has a direct and obvious synergy with other cards that also have your chosen mechanic.
Subchallenge 2: Your card is not a common, nor is it a mythic rare.
Your card has to have synergy with the mechanic itself, not a specific card that has your mechanic.
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Friday, July 25th 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Monday, July 28th 2017 23:59 EDT
admirableadmiral
mirrodin71 vs Raptorchan
Conntroll vs Flatline
ManyCookies
Conntroll vs Flatline
Sub_Silentio vs RickyRickster
Rocco
Sub_Silentio vs RickyRickster
IcariiFA vs LnGrrrR
doomfish
IcariiFA vs LnGrrrR
mirrodin71 vs Raptorchan
Angelic Interrogator 5W
Creature - Angel (R)
Flying
Whenever another creature you control dies, investigate. (Put a colorless Clue artifact token onto the battlefield with "2, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.")
2W, Sacrifice a Clue: Exile target creature. Activate this ability only as a sorcery.
"Ye guilty."
4/4
Time Echoes 1R
Enchantment (R)
Whenever a nontoken creature with Vanishing dies, create a token thats a copy of that creature, it gain haste until end of turn.
Art by
Return Ravnica - Detain
Della, New Prahv Magister 1(W/U)(W/U)
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard (R)
Forecast — WU, reveal Della, New Prahv Magister from your hand: Detain target nonland permanent. (Activate this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)
Whenever you detain a nonland permanent you may draw a card.
“Not on my watch”
Art by
Creature – Elf Zombie (R)
Transfigure 1BG
Whenever another creature you control dies, you may search your library for a creature card with converted mana cost X or less, where X is equal to the converted mana cost of the creature that died. Reveal that card and put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
“The blood of the fallen fertilizes the soil for our newest recruits.”
2/2
Covert Interrogation UB
Sorcery (U)
Target player reveals the top three cards of his or her library. You may choose any number of those cards and put them into his or her graveyard. Put the rest on top of his or her library in any order.
Cipher (Then you may exile this spell card encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost.)
Club Flamingo Wins: 1!
Symbol of Prestige 1GW
Enchantment (R)
Creatures you control have renown 1. (When it deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned. If a creature has multiple instance of renown, each triggers separately.)
Renowned creatures you control get +1/+1.
Those that bear the symbol hold the power.
Last Till Dawn 2WW
Enchantment (R)
If you control an Angel or a Human, damage that would reduce your life total to less than 1 reduces it to 1 instead.
Fateful hour — As long as you have 5 or less life, attacking creatures you control have double strike.
A single soul standing to fight ensured that hope lived on.
Thopter Ambush 4UU
Instant (R)
Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you’re done activating mana abilities pays for 1)
Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying for each tapped artifact you control.
"You'd think that with a revolution going on, people would bother to look up more"
—Viprikti, thopterist
And done. I was more generous with Balance in the strong direction, due to the nature of this challenge.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: This is really Spikey. An uber Johnny might try this in Ixidor, Reality Sculptor.dec (I've seen it), I don't expect widespread appeal on that front tho. Timmy doesn't care.
(1.5/3) Elegance: I did need another pass at the card to grok it. And I know you had to include the manifest keyword, but it seems like it'd be rather more straightforward to just turn the two lands down (don't think the shuffle is that important).
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yeah this is essentially land animation, well up green's alley.
(3/3) Balance: God damn it I had an essay on this and my computer bluescreened. I compared to Rhona's Last Stand, quick points:
- The potential payoff is stronger against control, 6 power and doesn't die to every spot removal spell like snek does. A sweeper 1 for 1s and doesn't even tempo.
- The potential multi turn self mana deny is very scary and can end up far worse than a Silence'd turn. I suspect the correct play would be to animate just one land a lot of the time.
-Could potentially get brickwalled by x/3s, and could be left without mana to punch through em.
- A significantly better late game play than snek, though probably not as powerful as a Sylvan Advocate type.
Soooo I think this is actually pretty ok power level wise, at least in the context of the contest theme ("Strong Standard Card").
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
Obvious ripoff of Living Mana 0/3Definitely unique for Magic.(2/3) Flavor: The flavor is sensible and coherent, though not a homerun.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: I believe the clause in the second sentence can just be "if it was a land card", glancing at the morph template.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: A good shot.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yep, synergies with land hits off other manifests.
Neat card.
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Rather Spikey. Timmy maybe gets a kick out of buffing a token swarm, though there's better options if you're not on an aggro deck. Johnny doesn't care.
(1/3) Elegance: So Renown abilities do NOT stack; once the first resolves the creature becomes renowned, and then subsequent ones don't do anything because the creature is already renowned. This would be fine if your reminder text made this clear, but if anything it implies the opposite. That point would be a constant source of judge calls, not a good thing.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Yep well within GW.
(3/3) Balance: +2/+2 at 3 mana is no joke, this punishes a slower start really hard with a 1->2->This curve. Buuut connecting is a non-trivial cost, and you don't get the effect on the first swing with subsequent creatures, and it's multicolored. Yeah this is fine.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Wow there seriously wasn't a renown granter in origins? Possibly because of the stacking issue. Well it's an anthem at heart, but goes about it an interesting and unique manner.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Good flavor, though the flavor text is a lil' generic.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: See Elegance, I think it's pretty incorrect not having the reminder text clarifying the stacking situation (I only took off for the reminder text here).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: It has a reasonable shot.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Ye, actually works a fair bit better with creatures without renown but still.
I liked this card quite a bit, but the stacking along with the reminder text was a serious issue.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Spike and Johnny love it for the toolbox and power level, Timmy somewhat likes it for the potential fatty chain later on.
(1/3) Elegance: Holy hell did my eyes glaze over this one! I kept up with the thread but didn't actually read your card in full until I had to judge it... which is really not a good sign.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure thing.
(1.5/3) Balance: This card is slightly absurd. The second line basically reads "When another creature you control dies, return it to your hand" in Constructed, except usually better because you can opt to get other stuff as well. I'm pretty sure I'd just straight play this card with only the second line of text. And THEN you can toolbox off itself if you need to, hitting Goyf/Bob/Flayer/Pridemage/either part of the Devoted Druid combo or the Recruiter/Ooze/Spellskite. Like holy freaking crap!
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: I can't help but compare this to birthing pod, though the exact toolbox hasn't been done.
(2.5/3) Flavor: I dislike super edgelord no-chill Black/Green, it's kind of been done to (life and)death. But still fine.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Gucci as far as I can tell.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: With gusto.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Good synergy with the other transfigure cards (all one of them). I actually feel like this should be a mythic, which is a thought I've had approximately never, but it's plausible at rare so w/e.
Well the challenge was constructed playable, and by god did you succeed. A tinsy too well.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny is sold, Jimmy might get a kick out of a mass token swarm (in Myrs maybe?), Spike is curious but doesn't care for the effect in of itself.
(2.5/3) Elegance: "Tapped" is a weird condition, but otherwise clear.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(2/3) Balance: Crap out of time, quick explanations. Card amplifies already heavy artifact board, but not sure if it's enough of a payoff by itself. And I don't think there's big improv spell that wants like 10 artifacts as opposed to 4 quick ones like the demon. If Battle at the Bridge could hit face or Tezzeret, Angent of Bolas was the KLD Tezz I'd be all over this but there isn't.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Spawn off X has been done but cost itself playing into it is cute so it feels fresh.
(3/3) Flavor: Love it, you think the attack is over and then SURPRISE ****ERS THE THOPTERS WERE RIGHT BEHIND THEM.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: All good.
(1/2) *Main Challenge: Leaning towards no on constructed playability.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yep.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Conttroll: 20.5
Flatline: 20
Sub: 20
Ricky: 21.5
(3/3) Appeal: Pretty sure Worship has a large fanbase. So do angels. This would go over well.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Angels and humans had a connection in Avacyn Restored, so I don't see keeping track of creature types as a problem. A minor issue is that only attacking creatures get double strike. That's something people might get wrong.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: It's all well within white's portion of the color pie. The card is restrictive enough to make it rare instead of mythic, which would be appropriate for a flat out Worship effect.
(3/3) Balance: The card should play nicely in a control deck with some effect-strong humans (like Dark Confidant) and strong angel finishers added in. Double strike is a nice touch for finishing off your opponent or get back to save health levels with lifelink cards. I don't see this warping the tournament scene, but it'd probably fit in snuggly into one archetype.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It's clearly a Worship variant, but tying it to tribal is interesting. Also that additional Fateful hour rider works very well to push the concept to new heights.
(3/3) Flavor: With the right artwork to tie the flavortext and mechanics together I can see it. Last till dawn has such a temporary feeling to it, while this goes on and on. Which, in a sense, is also what the struggling citizen of Innistrad had to go through. Lasting till dawn night after night.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
Pretty sure it has to be As long as you control, not if.(2/2) Main Challenge: I have no clue about tournament play, but I guess this could make it.
(2/2) Subchallenges: It's nice to be able to stay relatively safely in that fateful hour activation terretory. Rare.
Total: 23.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Manipulating the opponent's deck and milling has always had fans. This doesn't mill much tho. So Spike might enjoy denying good draws. Johnny/Jenny might try to lock out an opponent completely by casting this over and over again. I don't see anyone try to optimize their own draw with this unless truly desperate.
(3/3) Elegance: Straight-forward effect with mechanic attached.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure, this seems like a blue-black effect. Uncommon is also a good fit. This kind of effect can be very dangerous, but as a single card where the repeatability is tied to a creature it should be fine.
(2/3) Balance: You were tasked to make a card that could see tournament play. To be frank, I don't see it. This card basicially mills a bit and makes the opponent draw a land in the best case the turn you play it. Then you need to tie it to a creature that will still connect the turn after. This is a very all in attempt to lock your opponent out of good draws. Waiting for them to have no more cards in hand can't be viable. In an aggro matchup you're not going to be able to connect that easily and you just spent a card that didn't affect the board, you're like to lose the game. In a control matchup the creature will just be dealt with and you spent a card on not gaining tempo or damage. I don't believe this would see tournament play. I'll deduct one point for that here and one in Main Challenge. Outside of the task, this could be a fun card for people to try and mess with their opponents and is good enough for that.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Fatesealing to that extend hasn't happened so far.
(3/3) Flavor: The name has a nice dimir feeling to it and fits the card. Flavortext would have been nice but wasn't necessary.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks good.
(1/2) Main Challenge: As said before, I don't think I'd lable this card as "powerful".
(1/2) Subchallenges: It's an uncommon. I see no synergy.
Total: 21.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Even though legendary, the commander crowd won't be very interested with the few detain cards avaiable. For other formats Spike could certainly be interested. Repeated card draw or just keeping it in hand for an acceptable removal.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty simple. It's weird how she'll never draw cards off her own detaining, but I guess you'll just have to accept that. But it's cool how you can draw off multiples of this, kind of working like Grandeur.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Hybrid is very risky, but I could see white drawing cards off detaining. Rare seems like a good fit.
(2/3) Balance: Paying 2 mana every turn to get a Martial Law isn't so great, but it's an option. 3 mana 2/4 is okay for limited, but not enough for tournament constructed play. Drawing cards is great, but are there enough detain cards to put the engine into a deck? There's Inaction Injunction, Lavinia of the Tenth and Lyev Skyknight. Not too many, but luckily you made a new one here that can do it over and over. So this might fit into a midrange deck. I would have liked to see an more aggressive body, like 3/3 or 3/2 flying.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Turning Forecast into a Grandeur variant is a cool idea. Drawing off detaining is also new.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name is good, the flavortext generic. It works.
Polish -
(1/3) Quality: Forecast needs to be last ability on the card. Comma missing after permanent. Dot missing in the flavortext. Forgot to put the P/T in the text post. There's no real point to rewarding only nonland perment detaining when you can't detain lands.
(2/2) Main Challenge: It might be powerful enough. Hard to tell.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Plays well with others. Rare.
Total: 21/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy/Tammy is delighted. Big angel with big effect. Spike should also be interested in extra card draw and potential removal.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple and straight-forward. Make clues. Use clues.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Removal this efficient is borderline for white. You need a clue token for it and in a vacuum the card only makes clues when your creatures die. So this could be viewed as a punishment-variant removal. I guess 3 mana and a clue token is a heavy cost, which apparently allows white to exile creatures. I'd still call it a bend. Rare is okay.
(2/3) Balance: For a 6 mana card to see tournament play it needs to pack quite some punch. Getting clues off your creatures in case they die in an attack might benefit an aggro deck. But playing a 6 mana 4/4 Fyling in an aggressive deck? So you're paying 6 mana for a creature that isn't going to have an immediate impact on the board. At least it's going to be very strong once you untap with it or have 9 mana to spare, IF you have clues lying around. I'd expect more from a tournament viable card.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Interesting way to use clues. The investigation rider is pretty close to Ulvenwald Mysteries.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Is that flavortext a The Big O reference? It feels a bit off to use old english, but I'll let it slide. I like the mechanical flavor of the card. The angel herself strikes me more of an executioner than an interrogator.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "Activate this ability only as a sorcery." is only used in reminder text. "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." is used in rules text.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge: I feel like this is a bit weak to be aimed at tournament play. It might see play regardless.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Plays well with other clues. Rare.
Total: 21/25
vs
LnGrrrR 21.5
-
mirrodin71 21
vs
Raptorchan 21
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
Multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant.
—Eli Shiffrin, Rules Manager, on a design stacking lifelink instances
Sub_Silentio:
Appeal 2/3: Timmy doesn't like all the machinations. Johnny definitely does, and Spike sees a one-way ticket to Valuetown.
Elegance 1/3: Transfigure is a confusing mechanic, and you've opted for no reminder text. The second ability is even more complicated, and in addition, it references comparative mana cost in a different way than Transfigure does. I like the effect mechanically, but elegant it ain't.
Viability 3/3: Colors are fine - very fitting. Rarity is correct and necessary.
Balance 2/3: It's a slightly expensive bear with a gigantic upside. The fact that no additional cost is required to use the second ability could put this into Broken territory, depending on what cards it shares formats with. I fully expect this to see eternal play. Certainly commander. Limited is where this will have the best balance between value and fairness.
Uniqueness 1.5/3: I can't go digging through Gatherer right now, but this doesn't seem to be putting anything super fresh on the table. It's like a (very) fixed Birthing Pod-on-a-stick. I can't think of a case where this exact combination of trigger and tutor have been used, but it's another example of a Taco Bell card, imo.
Flavor 3/3: Great job here. It all works towards the same mental picture. Effective flavor text that doesn't overdo it.
Quality 3/3: Looks good from here.
Main Challenge 2/2: Definitely strong enough for competitive play.
Sub-Challenges 2/2: It's the correct rarity at rare, and plays nice with other Transfigure creatures.
Total: 19.5/25
RickyRickster:
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy WOULD like it if he can get past the "tapped artifacts" clause. Johnny is all-in. Spike sees plenty of value.
(3/3) Elegance: It all works together nicely. Though it might take a second reading to really understand the interactions, those interactions interlock in a satisfying way.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Very blue, and correct rarity.
(2.5/3) Balance: It won't usually be relevant in limited, but could be draftable with enough artifact support. Constructed formats of all types love this thing.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This interaction between tapped artifacts and improvise made me literally grin and chuckle. Quite clever, and very creative.
(3/3) Flavor: Great flavor all-around. It's an ambush because it happens when it LOKS like you're all tapped out, or alternately, because you can cast it much sooner than it looks like you'll be able to. The flavor text expertly gets across the playful, rebellious mood of the Khaladesh block.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: The quote in the flavor text is missing a final period.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Great use of improvise, and definitely good enough for tournament play.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yep and yep.
Total: 23.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Neither the effect nor the forward-thinking nature of the card appeals to Timmy. Johnny would have a tough time making good use of the effect itself, but likes cipher shenanigans in general. This was custom-designed just for Spike, and he appreciates it.
(1/3) Elegance: Cipher is one of the least elegant mechanics in Magic to begin with. I ran Hidden Strings in my U/W Heroic deck during JOU standard, and every single time I played it, my opponent had to re-read the card, even sometimes more than once in the same game. Often, the whole match went by, and they asked me afterwards, "So WHAT does that card do exactly?" That, and it's a more-complicated Bamboozle, which is also a card that requires frequent double-takes. It is, at least, straightforward. It's a single effect that can be encoded. One-and-done.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Definitely blue. Definitely black. Uncommon seems fine.
(2.5/3) Balance: This won't see much limited play, though I'm sure someone will get cheeky by putting this on a Triton Shorestalker clone and ruin the rest of his opponents draws. It's definitely not OVER-powered in any constructed format, though I wonder if it really would see tournament play.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Everything minus the cipher ability is nearly identical to Bamboozle. It's changed in superficial ways, and cipher is a new addition. But it really feels like an existing card with an unrelated keyword tacked on.
(3/3) Flavor: You picked an ability whose reminder text makes flavor text unfeasible, but the name of the card and its mechanical flavor fit very well.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Extraneous line break between the two effects.
(1.5/2) *Main Challenge: Cipher seems like an arbitrary choice here, but admittedly, most of the other cipher cards feel like that, too.
(1/2) Subchallenges: If there's a synergy with other cipher cards, I don't see it.
Total: 17/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
IcariiFA:
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves being rewarded for playing sweet angels. Johnny can find all sorts of ways to make this a better Phyrexian Unlife. Spike likes it in limited, but that's good enough.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Quite elegant. The only possible niggle I have is that The first ability and the fateful hour effect don't seem very related. There was a moment of "huh?" as I read the card the first time.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This card could only ever be white, and you keep it in rare territory by limiting the first effect to humans and angels.
(3/3) Balance: I see no balance issues. It's a good card, in limited or standard, and even some fringe tribal modern decks might try it out. Maybe even Death's Shadow decks?
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: It's a less-good Worship with a situational upside. That said, I like the card, and I like that it doubly rewards turning on fateful hour (or at least makes it less risky). Very neat interaction between the two abilities, although...
(3/3) Flavor: While I quite like the card as a whole, none of the flavor elements are doing it for me. The name itself confused me for a few seconds. My initial thought upon reading "Last Till Dawn" was "Last WHAT till dawn?". Just changing "till" to "until" would have cleared this up (for me, at least). The two abilities don't seem to have much to do with each other, besides one helping turn on the other. All of the existing cards with fateful hour have a direct relation between the effect of the FH ability and some other attribute or effect of the card. The exception is Thraben Doomsayer, but token generation often goes hand-in-hand with anthem effects. Double strike just seems unrelated to a Worship effect. Also, I get that the imagery you're going for is a lone surviving soldier being granted extra prowess at the last minute, but that's not how this will be played most often. Exalted would have been a better ability to evoke a scene like that. To top it off, the flavor text strikes me as wooden and non-affecting. Even the slightest change - from past tense to present tense - would improve it drastically.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: All good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: It uses fateful hour well, and is definitely strong enough for tournament play.
(2/2) Subchallenges: It's rare, and plays incredibly nicely with other FH cards.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Sub_Silentio - 19.5
IcariiFA - 23
LnGrrrR - 17
EDIT: I mistakenly gave IcariiFA 3 out of 3 points for flavor, and intended to give 1 point instead. It wouldn't have made a difference in the results; I'm just explaining why my critiques don't seem to match the score I gave.
EDIT2: But then, I guess I also incorrectly docked half a point on his Quality score... Geez. Posting from an unfamiliar setup, but that's really no excuse for such sloppy copypasta. Luckily it didn't affect the results. I'll be back home at my own computer when I score Round 4.
(2/3) Appeal: This card slows the game down, which isn't really appealing to Timmy. Johnny and Spike both enjoy it.
(2/3) Elegance: It's inelegant that Della doesn't also trigger herself when you forecast her; I can see that being an easy point of confusion for newer players. Additionally, the fact that you have reminder text for forecast but not for detain was a bad choice.
Development
(3/3) Viability: This card can draw a lot of cards given how it can be cast with only white mana, but I think it's acceptable.
(3/3) Balance: This is a strong limited rare and potentially a good build-around in constructed, where you can draw several cards off it if it lives. It's a nice synergy that detain buys you the time you need to make the most of all the cards you're drawing.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness: It's new enough for me.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name is an excellent fit, but the flavor text really falls flat. If you ignore the flavor text, you have a really solid card; it's a scornful teacher that forces you to sit down and learn (detain and draw a card). That's really good. Given that, however, the flavor text makes no sense whatsoever aside from being a generic Azorius "We're the law!". You would have gotten a perfect score in this area if you had left the flavor text blank and instead added reminder text for detain.
Polish
(1/3) Quality: The R in Reveal needs to be capitalized (always capitalize the first letter of each activation cost of an activated ability). There needs to be a comma after "nonland permanent" in the last ability. There needs to be a period in your flavor text. Lastly, you forgot to put the power and toughness in the text version of your card.
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Everyone likes something about this card, though Spike is more excited to put this in his limited deck rather than his constructed deck.
(3/3) Elegance: Bonus points for the way that this card really captures White's philosophy; you hurt me, I'll hurt you back. In this case, it's delayed and uses clues, but the idea is unmistakeable.
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(2.5/3) Balance: This needs to be double white for limited purposes. Other than that it fits the bill for your typical game-ending bomb in limited.
Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: The "investigate on death" trigger is nothing new. However, the second ability is.
(2/3) Flavor: The name is rather medium, but the flavor text falls flat. I don't think either are truly awful but there is a lot of wasted potential; you have an extremely flavorful card from a very flavorful setting. I would have gone with "Regardless of their innocence, her verdict is always the same." or something similar to really convey how twisted the world has become.
Polish
(3/3) Quality:
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 22/25
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy hates giving up his lands, but Spike loves this card. Johnny can always build around these types of cards.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The second ability is pretty confusing from a rules perspective but I don't think it's hard to get the gist of what it does. However, the shuffle effect is completely unnecessary.
Development
(3/3) Viability: This is very much a green effect. I really like how you took an unusual mechanic and found a way to really make it feel like a green card.
(2/3) Balance: Well, this card certainly fits into the context of Fate Reforged—it's an incredibly powerful rare. The only thing that's stopping me from giving you a much lower score because of how staggeringly powerful this card is is the fact that the Animist needs to live in order to get your lands back. As it currently stands, this card is three 2/2's for two mana, at the cost of two mana; sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. This card is an incredibly powerful curve topper, and it's very strong in decks that feature anthems or other ways to abuse having several creatures out. Compare to Rhonas's Last Stand; I think your card is a lot more powerful. In limited this card is okay; super strong, but if you play it on turn 2 you get brick walled by a 2/3. In constructed, this card might be very good in an exciting way. I even think this card could stretch all the way back to legacy, which is high praise for a card that I'm not flat-out calling broken. I would probably make it so the lands return to the battlefield tapped.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Turning your lands into creatures is nothing new to green, but this is a unique way to go about it.
(3/3) Flavor: The name isn't a perfect fit but it works. No flavor text is probably a good choice.
Polish
(2.5/3) Quality: The second ability is super hard to word correctly, and I give you kudos for having a good version of it. I'm pretty sure that the correct wording is "Whenever a face-down creature you control dies, if that permanent was a land card, return it to the battlefield under your control."
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Spike loves this, and Timmy likes this kind of effect too. It's too straightforward for Johnny.
(1/3) Elegance: Unfortunately, Renown does not stack; as ManyCookies mentioned, the second trigger fails because the creature is already renowned. Lastly, this card gets messy in a creature deck that has other ways of giving creatures +1/+1 counters (which green/white decks frequently are).
Development
(3/3) Viability:
(3/3) Balance: This card is very powerful, but it's conditional. I'm not a fan of how the condition that this card relies on tends to split this card into winmore/bricked based on whether or not you're ahead, but it's not too egregious.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: It's a new twist on an anthem, but still plays out very similarly to other ones.
(2/3) Flavor: I feel like you could have chosen a much stronger name/flavor text combo. "Symbol of Prestige" sounds a lot more like an equipment than an anthem (it sounds extremely similar to Sigil of Distinction for example), and the flavor text is extremely generic. Having said that, the card as a whole is still functional.
Polish
(3/3) Quality: I won't ding you twice for the "renowned doesn't trigger twice" thing here.
(4/4) Challenges:
Total: 20.5/25