Christmas time is here again, and this year we have the lovely gift of a new unset. Let's celebrate that wonderful new toy with our own!
Main Challenge: Design a card that's a toy or a toymaker. Subchallenge 1: Your toy is an artifact. Subchallenge 2: Your toy can be shared with other players, or your toymaker can make toys for any/every player.
And in honor of the new unset, you may make your submissions Silver Bordered if you so desire.
Please message me about any questions you might have about the challenges. Other than that, have fun, and good luck!
Design Deadline: All submissions are to be final and submitted by December 8th 11:59 PM EST
Judging Deadline: All Judgements are to be final and completed by November 11th 11:59 PM EST
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.
Judges:
Manycookies
void_nothing
kjsharp
Please sign up to be a judge here if you are not playing.
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.
"Toying Around", the Kid that Shares2UU
Legendery Creature - Human Child (Mythic - Un) UU, t: Give target opponent an awesome toy and present it on the battlefield as an Artifact Toy token. If at least two people outside the game agree that it's an awesome toy, gain control of target creature that opponent controls. It is a toy in addition to its other types. If the token leaves the battelfield, gain ownership of the toy.
2/2
Shady Street Vendor2R
Creature - Goblin Artificer [U] 3: Create a 1/1 colorless Gnome artifact creature token with haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step. Any player may activate this ability. "No substitutions, exchanges or refunds."
2/3
Handmade Papercrane2
Artifact Creature - Bird (U)
Flying
Whenever Handmade Papercrane deals combat damage to a player, that player gains control of it.
Whenever a creature you control would assemble a Contraption, you may search your library for a card named Handmade Papercrane and put it onto the battlefield instead. Then shuffle your library.
1/2
Hot Potato2
Artifact (Un-U)
Vanishing 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
When Hot Potato is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 4 damage to you and its owner draws a card.
Discard a card: Target player gains control of Hot Potato.
(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)
One-Armed Bandit3
Artifact Creature - Pirate [Un-U]
Defender
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player rolls three six-sided dice. If two of those dice share a result, that player creates a Treasure artifact token with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If all three dice share a result, that player creates five of those tokens instead.
0/7
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Capricious Toymaker 1UR
Creature - Goblin Artificer {U}
At the beginning of your end step, choose a random artifact on the battlefield. That artifact's controller sacrifices it and creates a Toy artifact token with "When this is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card." What do you mean we're out of pieces? Here, I found some.
3/2
Unicycle1
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated. 2: Attach Unicycle to target creature. The owner of that creature gains control of Unicycle. Now try that while riding a unicycle.
Momir’s VR Goggles8
Artifact – Toy (M)
For the rest of the game, players can’t cast spells.
When Momir’s VR Goggles enters the battlefield, exile all other nonland permanents until Momir’s VR Goggles leaves the battlefield. X, Discard a card: Create a token that's a copy of a creature card with converted mana cost X chosen at random. Any player may activate this ability any time he or she could cast a sorcery and only once each turn.
Please note that this is designed for a silver bordered set.
Haunted Toy Box3
Artifact (M)
At the beginning of each end step, each player who doesn’t control a Toy creature creates a 1/1 colorless Toy artifact creature token with “This creature must block Toy creatures alone if able.”
Whenever a Toy creature dies, each player who controls a Toy creature that dealt damage to that creature this turn, puts a +1/+1 counter on each creature he or she controls.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
Drossel, Master CraftsmanWU
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, that player creates a colorless Toy artifact token. (Toys have no rules text.)
As long as a player has the most Toys, that player can't lose the game and that player's opponents can't win the game. He who dies with the most toys, well, doesn't die.
2/2
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
- My Powered Cube (draft it here)
- My Full Mirrodin Cube (draft it here)
- My One-Drop Cube (draft it here)
MCC Winner Nov ‘14 & Nov ‘15
Goblin Blastbox5
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your end step, each player reveals the top card of his or her library. If the card you revealed has the greatest converted mana cost or is tied for greatest, sacrifice Goblin Blastbox and it deals 8 damage to each opponent and each creature your opponents control. Otherwise, the player who revealed the card with the highest converted mana cost gains control of Goblin Blastbox.
Hot Potato Gnome2
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a explode counter on Hot Potato Gnome. X: Target player gains control of Hot Potato Gnome. X is equal to the number of explode counters on Hot Potato Gnome.
If Hot Potato Gnome has ten explode counters on it, sacrifice it. If you do, it deals 10 damage to you. No I insist, YOU take it.
1/1
Amazing Kaleidoscope
Artifact (R)
Amazing Kaleidoscope enters the battlefield tapped.
: You may have an opponent gain control of Amazing Kaleidoscope. If you do, untap it and add two mana of any one color to your mana pool. "My turn! My turn!"
Toy Boat2
Artifact - Toy Vehicle (U)
Whenever Toy Boat attacks, say "Toy Boat" ten times fast. If a person outside the game agrees that you have pronounced quickly and correctly, Toy Boat gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
Whenever a player plays a card with water in the art, that player gains control of Toy Boat. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.
Crew 1 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 1 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.) Toy Boat, TOY BOAT, Thoy Toat, Bio Thoat...
1/2
Nevinyrral's Frisbee2
Artifact (M)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on Nevinyrral's Frisbee. T: Destroy target artifact, creature, or enchantment an opponent controls with a converted mana cost X or less, where X is the number of charge counters on Nevinyrral's Frisbee. That opponent gains control of Nevinyrral's Frisbee.
Beppe, Marionetteer3UU
Legendary Creature — Human Artificer {M}
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player may reveal the top card of his or her library. For each player that revealed a card with the highest converted mana cost, choose target nonlegendary creature at random. That player creates a token that's a copy of that creature except it's an artifact in addition to its types and its power and toughness are 1.
1/4
Gregarious Toymaker UW
Creature - Human Artificer (R)
When Gregarious Toymaker enters the battlefield each player creates a token copy of target creature or artifact, it is a Toy artifact and it loses all other card types, creature types and artifact types. "Everyone deserves a present for the winter season." - Nikolas Klaus, Head Toymaker
I think I got the wording right, it is based on Darksteel Mutation
Magic the Gathering Card1
Artifact (C) T: Both you and target opponent draw a card, then that player gains control of Magic the Gathering Card. He or she untaps it. The concept of "multiplayer" can turn a children's card game into a messy war with cardboard projectiles flung about.
One-Armed Bandit3
Artifact Creature - Pirate [Un-U]
Defender
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player rolls three six-sided dice. If two of those dice share a result, that player creates a Treasure artifact token with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If all three dice share a result, that player creates five of those tokens instead.
0/7
Momir’s VR Goggles8
Artifact – Toy (M)
For the rest of the game, players can’t cast spells.
When Momir’s VR Goggles enters the battlefield, exile all other nonland permanents until Momir’s VR Goggles leaves the battlefield. X, Discard a card: Create a token that's a copy of a creature card with converted mana cost X chosen at random. Any player may activate this ability any time he or she could cast a sorcery and only once each turn.
Please note that this is designed for a silver bordered set.
Goblin Blastbox5
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your end step, each player reveals the top card of his or her library. If the card you revealed has the greatest converted mana cost or is tied for greatest, sacrifice Goblin Blastbox and it deals 8 damage to each opponent and each creature your opponents control. Otherwise, the player who revealed the card with the highest converted mana cost gains control of Goblin Blastbox.
Toy Boat2
Artifact - Toy Vehicle (U)
Whenever Toy Boat attacks, say "Toy Boat" ten times fast. If a person outside the game agrees that you have pronounced quickly and correctly, Toy Boat gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
Whenever a player plays a card with water in the art, that player gains control of Toy Boat. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.
Crew 1 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 1 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.) Toy Boat, TOY BOAT, Thoy Toat, Bio Thoat...
1/2
Beppe, Marionetteer3UU
Legendary Creature — Human Artificer {M}
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player may reveal the top card of his or her library. For each player that revealed a card with the highest converted mana cost, choose target nonlegendary creature at random. That player creates a token that's a copy of that creature except it's an artifact in addition to its types and its power and toughness are 1.
1/4
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? s
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.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny both enjoy this, Timmy because he can group hug howling mines and such and Johnny because he can "donate" suitably mean stuff. (1.5/3) Elegance: It's not immediately clear whether each player gets to target something for themselves or everyone gets the thing you choose, though the correct templating would clarify that. Also a tad wordy with unusual effects.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (2/3) Balance: Well without P/T it's hard to judge this accurately. But assuming it's a 2/2 or something, it's a fun little group hug card that Johnny can maybe exploit.
Creativity - (2.5 3/3) Uniqueness:Well straight mass clone effects for everyone aren't anything new Apparently they are! (2.5/3) Flavor: I dig it, although the Santa Claus angle is a little obvious.
Polish - (0/3) Quality: No power and toughness! Also the ability has some commas and periods missing. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
I admit I've almost forgotten P/T a few times before, but nonetheless it's a pretty big error.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: A fun grouphug for an honest Timmy, an overpowered "wincon" for Spikes and ******** Timmies at the EDH table. (3/3) Elegance: Simple enough.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (.5/3) Balance: This is fun when played "honestly" and absolutely miserable if people are exploiting it. It's possible to grouphug too hard, especially when the hug isn't between every player at the table. I have seen EDH games basically end with friends circlejerking with Trade Secrets and setting up perfect hands for each other, and this is a way better jerking tool (colorless, costs less, can repeat multiple times and let's you top off whenever you have less than 7). I'd actually expect an eventual ban.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: This echos the spirit of Trade Secrets pretty strongly. (1.5/3) Flavor: I'm confused on how a singular Magic card produces multiple draws, wouldn't this make more sense as a deck? Polish - (3/3) Quality: Think this is correct? (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Another fun group hug card, and everyone appreciates the ramp. Also going right into my As Luck Would Have it deck. (2.5/3) Elegance: Treasure itself is a lil' complex and wordy, not something I'd put in a supp set if I could manage it.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (1.5/3) Balance: So the victories happen ~30% and ~2.8% of the time respectively, and I don't think the current payoffs reflect those rarities. I'd raise the payoffs to 2 and 8 treasures.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness:We gamble with land draws all the time 0/3. (3.5/3) Flavor: Beautiful.
Polish - (3/3) Quality:Should be die, not dice. Never mind. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Ye. (2/2) Subchallenges: I suppose Treasure is a toy, though that smacks of giving money as a Christmas present.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Chaos Timmy loves this, the rest are lukewarm at best. (1.5/3) Elegance: It's very complex even if you know what Momir Basic is.
Development - (1.5/3) Viability: This seems rather annoying to play on paper, you'd need markers and paper and would need to constantly look up what the **** the card is. I assume there'd be a momir generator ala the new Urza planeswalker. (2/3) Balance: I'm not the biggest fan of chaos effects that completely invalidate the board. Like Warp World and company at least care about the number of permanents. But otherwise fine.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Well it's Momir so I can't in good conscience give you full points. (3/3) Flavor: And it's Momir vision.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: First ability needs to be an EtB. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 18.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Chaos Timmy appreciates this, although a casual playgroup might not enjoy the wrath effect. Johnny might be a little interested in comboing with library manipulation effects. (2/3) Elegance: Long complicated text is long, though the concept is clear enough after the first readthrough.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Sure. (1.5/3) Balance: Power level wise fine, this is chaotic enough where it's not a reliable wrath (or if it is, it needs work). The detonation might be a little swingy for the casual EDH it's targeting, if everyone is on creature based strategies the victor pretty much wins.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Reverse hot potato! (2.5/3) Flavor: It's not a goblin explosive if it's not blowing up your own stuff.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Check. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: For certain definitions of "shared".
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: This has some fun casual appeal independent of the T/J/S spectrum. (2/3) Elegance: A fair amount of text and abilities.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (.5/3) Balance: So a 3/3 vehicle for 2 is ok but nothing super exciting, Sky Skiff is comparable if not better at common. But the fact you need to complete pretty hard challenge just to make it a 3/3 is pretty damn ridiculous, and the downside trinket text doesn't help.
Creativity - (0/3) Uniqueness: So it's a great idea for the challenge... but WotC beat ya to it in Unhinged. Toy Boat. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor is lovely though.
Total: 17.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny are both somewhat lukewarm on the group hug effect, and uber johnnies can contrive something with deck manipulation and a big creature. (1.5/3) Elegance: A weird and complicated ability, though ties in (heh) with the flavor.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (1/3) Balance: So a randomish group hug effect at 5 mana should produce some pretty damn powerful results. But if it's choosing at random, a few tokens or any degree of board state makes the effect pretty damn underwhelming.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Don't think it's been done before. (2.5/3) Flavor: Sure, though I'm not sure how a marionettee makes the creature a 1/1.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: "...and has base power and toughness 1/1". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny (1/1) is most excited about this card, and Spike (1/1) is aware of its potential power. Timmy (.5/1) perceives the possibility of creating a huge army, but it is a bit distant for him. (3/3) Elegance: Everything fits together nicely, and the card has a lot of hidden depth.
Development - (2/3) Viability: With slight alterations this could fit into any color, but Red makes the most sense. I also like the "any player" callback to some Red cards of old. One concern I have is that this adds a lot of gameplay complexity to the battlefield for an uncommon. Only advanced players will recognize the Rally the Ancestors abuse, and its instant-speed nature increases gameplay complexity. The card is definitely more reminiscent of pre-New World Order cards, but I think it's probably fine for one or two uncommons in a set to have this level of gameplay complexity and play. Depending on the environment it would receive my seal of approval (2.75/3) Balance: That you can activate the ability at instant speed bothers me (especially for an uncommon), but the card is fundamentally balanced because the activation cost is so high. I think anything between 2-4 could be perceived as balanced, and 3 seems like a good sweet spot. Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Feels fresh and unique. Not determined by the horizons of any of the cards it calls back to from the Mercadian Masques Block. Most similar to Saproling Cluster. (3/3) Flavor: All parts of the card help to paint a distinct and appealing picture. Flavor text is excellent. Gameplay matches the flavor.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (2/2) *Main Challenge: (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 22.75/25
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: I think more of the appeal of this card comes from its flavor. Spike (.75/1) and Johnny (.25/1) are aware of all the little upsides (artifact and discard synergies), and Spike muses about a card-neutral two mana burn spell. Timmy (.5/1) likes explosions and burning the face seems big and fun. (2.25/3) Elegance: Good mechanical execution of a difficult top-down design. It takes a few times to read, but it is understandable and introduces a short-term subgame to the game. I question whether that subgame should be so long (why not Vanishing 1 or Vanishing 2?), and I wish the card had a broader applicability than direct burn damage. The answer to the above question might have to do with trying to make this a viable burn card for Constructed, but I'd be less concerned about that in an Un-Set.
Development - (1.75/3) Viability: Colorless or Red is good. Uncommon or Rare is appropriate. The card could only be printed in a narrow range of Un-set environments because "Burn" would need to be a supported archetype. I question whether this effect is worth the gameplay complexity it introduces. (3/3) Balance: Instead of reducing damage in exchange for being card-neutral like Needle Drop, you delay the damage for a few turns and give the opponent some say to compensate for being card-neutral. That's an innovative approach and I think Burn players would enjoy having access to a card like this, especially out of the sideboard.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: see "Balance" above. Weird in an Un-set way and includes a noteworthy mechanical innovation. (2.5/3) Flavor: Good fun flavor.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: (2/2) *Main Challenge: Not exactly the toy you want Santa to put in your stocking! (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 21/25
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy (.25/1) and Johnny (.25/1) aren't particularly thrilled about it but recognize its potential utility. Spike (.5/1) is a little more willing to see how he can leverage the card. (2/3) Elegance: Overall very elegant. Simple and clean. The problem with the elegance is that this card is going to play out quite differently from how it appears because the equip cost is actually an instant speed activated ability. The card is thus not entirely intuitive.
Development - (1.5/3) Viability:Sorcerer's Spyglass shows that you don't *have* to include a provision excluding mana-producing abilities in contemporary card design. Good color and rarity. Gameplay and reading complexity would be pitch perfect too if the ability were a sorcery-speed equip cost instead of an instant-speed activated ability. That would add a certain elegance to the card as well, for the card becomes a tool both players have access to whenever it is their turn instead of a mana-sink game between the players. This would make the card a lot more fun, and it might even have been your design intention. (2.5/3) Balance: It's definitely in the right ballpark. 3 is the going rate for a Pacifism effect these days. I would consider tweaking the card in ways to where the owner of the card isn't getting punished a bit if playing a traditional and fair game of Magic. Right now he is getting slightly punished because he's paying 3 for an effect that costs the opponent 2. I wouldn't mind a 0 casting cost with an equip cost of 3 (that would actually spice up the card a bit). All this to say that I don't think this is a card that people should will be happy twisting their deck construction around to make it an appealing inclusion because it's ceiling is low, so I'd try to tweak it with that in mind.
Creativity - (1.75/3) Uniqueness: The flavor is so good that you managed to make a Pacifism effect feel fresh and fun to play with. (3/3) Flavor: Sophisticated, a bit subdued, and definitely funny. Flavor text helps someone a bit dimwhitted catch on to the joke (I thought of "Putting a bird on a unicycle probably isn't its idea of paradise" as well).
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: You probably should change "The owner of that creature" to "That creature's controller" because the shenanigans you introduce with that unorthodox phrasing are not altogether appealing. (2/2) *Main Challenge: (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 18.25/25
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy (.5/1) likes having the most stuff and big splashy effects like "you can't lose the game", but he wants to be more proactive. Johnny (1/1) intuits that he has to design his deck in off-beat ways to maximize the card's potential, and off-beat is his jam. He drools at the concept of storming off with artifact sacrifice. Spike (1/1) likes easy artifact creation and sees potential for abuse. (3/3) Elegance: It does a lot, but it's clear and easy to follow. Development - (.5/3) Viability: Anything in the Jeskai colors is appropriate, and rare or mythic is the appropriate rarity. The main reason to be skeptical of the card's viability is that it turns every game into a ubiquitous Storm game because you have to count every time you cast a spell, which is really tedious. So long as the game is also a paper game I'm skeptical that this would see print. Might need to be banned in commander as well for being supremely annoying and tedious. Appropriately costed, although I suspect that putting it in the CMC 3 or CMC 4 ballpark would be better.
(2/3) Balance: I suspect the card is balanced because the generation of tokens is dependent upon casting spells, not upon battlefield triggers or the activation of abilities (I'd have to test it of course). Designing anything with this level of combo potential takes delicate care, and I think this card clears the bar. With that said, while I like that the card has hidden depth and play, I dislike that this depth lends itself toward going way over the top of whatever your opponent is doing, so it doesn't promote the sort of interactivity that is more highly valued in contemporary Magic design. I wish, too, that you had raised its CMC to 3 or 4 to reduce its potential power in Vintage or Legacy, although maybe adding a new combo piece to those formats is a good thing (I'd have to test it).
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Definitely fresh. It feels like a new toy many would be excited to brew with. (2/3) Flavor: I like the flavor, so don't let my docking points off suggest otherwise. Two things bother me that I'm sure could be fixed. First is that I don't understand the connection between owning the most toys and being unable to lose the game. Maybe (maybe) that could work, but the flavor text and card name should help sell it. Second is that the flavor text doesn't contribute to the flavor at all, it merely regurgitates what we already know by reading the card. Do something with the flavor text - give it a purpose.
Polish - (2.75/3) Quality: "As long as a player controls the most Toys". (2/2) *Main Challenge: (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19.75/25
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Some cards, like basic lands and mana rocks, are difficult to evaluate using psychological metrics. Newer players tend to undervalue them, but all psychological profiles like them. A lot of this card's appeal comes from being imbalanced, so that makes it difficult to measure as well. Timmy (.5/1) and Spike (.5/1) see its potential. Johnny (1/1) is more enthusiastic and thinks that if he can win the game with a combo then the downside doesn't matter. (3/3) Elegance: Simple clean design.
Development - (1.5/3) Viability: A tried and true genre of card. Appropriate rarity and color. Ultimately I'm skeptical of this card's viability because there hasn't been a single one mana artifact printed in the past 15 years that has gone *up* on colored mana.
I really wish you had noted that this card was going to be put in an Un-set. It would have scored a lot higher in the Development department because I don't think that this card would "break" Unstable in the same way that it could "break" traditional Constructed formats.
(1.5/3) Balance: I'm worried about this card's power level. I could be wrong, but my suspicion is that going up two mana off of a CMC 1 card is just too intrinsically good to see print. You have given it two very real downsides, but I'm not confident that that is enough. I would have appreciated a further nerf, either adding colorless or perhaps adding two mana of any color of mana your lands could produce. I think the card would be balanced if it simply added one mana instead of two. I admit that I'd need to test it out, and maybe it is okay for Commander, but my impression is that this card is imbalanced.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm torn on how to score this. Much of the card's uniqueness comes from being the only CMC 1 egg printed in the past 15 years that combined both color fixing and mana ramp. I don't know if that's a good thing! And of course this sort of card has been done before, albeit without the challenge's stipulation of giving both players access to it. However, Magic always needs these sorts of effects, and this is definitely an innovative way to get a mana rock in an Un-set. It's a wonderful take on a childhood toy that will resonate with many players. (3/3) Flavor: Sometimes the best designs are the ones where the player can't tell whether this was a bottom-up or top-down design. This is one where I can't tell, and that suggests a really good and well-executed design!
Polish - (2.75/3) Quality: You chose to use the templating found on Assault Suit. It's functional like that, but I'm pretty confident Wizards would have templated it more like Humble Defector. (2/2) *Main Challenge: (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19/25
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Most of the appeal of this card comes from its flavor, not its gameplay utility, which means that this card is going to score a bit lower than it should. It feels like a better Planechase plane design or something for a future Explorers of Ixalan boardgame "World Artifact". Timmy (0/1) is largely uninterested. Spike (.75/1) enjoys this sort of game. Johnny (.25/1) sees potential in the haste. (2/3) Elegance: An executed top-down design that is clean and clear. It takes reading it a few times to get a good grasp of the card because the pieces of the card only fit together in your mind once you realize that your card is simulating a soccer game, but once you do that image is locked in and both players are all set (it compares favorably to cards like Mayor of Avarbuck or Archangel Avacyn that you always have to read because all the details don't mesh together well to form an image). The only other thing I should mention is that the card promises something that it often won't deliver upon (a back and forth game).
Development - (1.5/3) Viability: I don't like haste on artifacts, but we have God-Pharaoh's Gift so that's a non-issue. The reason I don't find it wholly viable is that it doesn't feel like a tool to me. Its ceiling is too low and it depends too much on external factors to work as intended (are both players running creature decks? do both players feel like they can race and thus feel comfortable giving the opponent the ball?). This card becomes more viable in a multiplayer environment, and I think something like this could see print in a controlled environment that helped guarantee its utility. Something like the Explorers of Ixalan boardgame strikes me as an ideal place for something like this, since external objects that shape the game in unique ways is something that Explorers of Ixalan and Planechase introduce to the world of Magic. (2/3) Balance: I think the card is too weak for the gameplay complexity it introduces, and thus will likely feel tedious when on the battlefield. It is "balanced" though.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: I don't know if "fresh" is the right word, but importing contemporary life into a Magic card is fine for some un-Set cards to do. Some will do it more with regard to flavor, and others like Soccer Ball will alter gameplay and introduce novel experiences. (2.5/3) Flavor: Flavor is on-point. As I noted earlier, I worry whether the card's flavor will manifest itself during gameplay.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: (2/2) Main Challenge: (2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19/25
Final Scores: The Hittite: 22.75 Flatline: 21 Palanthas: 19.75 Hemlock: 19 StonerOfKruphix: 19
Freyleyes: 18
Christmas time is here again, and this year we have the lovely gift of a new unset. Let's celebrate that wonderful new toy with our own!
Main Challenge: Design a card that's a toy or a toymaker.
Subchallenge 1: Your toy is an artifact.
Subchallenge 2: Your toy can be shared with other players, or your toymaker can make toys for any/every player.
And in honor of the new unset, you may make your submissions Silver Bordered if you so desire.
Please message me about any questions you might have about the challenges. Other than that, have fun, and good luck!
Design Deadline: All submissions are to be final and submitted by December 8th 11:59 PM EST
Judging Deadline: All Judgements are to be final and completed by November 11th 11:59 PM EST
(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.
Judges:
Manycookies
void_nothing
kjsharp
Please sign up to be a judge here if you are not playing.
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards:
Legendery Creature - Human Child (Mythic - Un)
UU, t: Give target opponent an awesome toy and present it on the battlefield as an Artifact Toy token. If at least two people outside the game agree that it's an awesome toy, gain control of target creature that opponent controls. It is a toy in addition to its other types. If the token leaves the battelfield, gain ownership of the toy.
2/2
Creature - Goblin Artificer [U]
3: Create a 1/1 colorless Gnome artifact creature token with haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step. Any player may activate this ability.
"No substitutions, exchanges or refunds."
2/3
Artifact Creature - Bird (U)
Flying
Whenever Handmade Papercrane deals combat damage to a player, that player gains control of it.
Whenever a creature you control would assemble a Contraption, you may search your library for a card named Handmade Papercrane and put it onto the battlefield instead. Then shuffle your library.
1/2
Artifact (Un-U)
Vanishing 3 (This permanent enters the battlefield with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
When Hot Potato is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals 4 damage to you and its owner draws a card.
Discard a card: Target player gains control of Hot Potato.
Artifact Creature - Pirate [Un-U]
Defender
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player rolls three six-sided dice. If two of those dice share a result, that player creates a Treasure artifact token with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If all three dice share a result, that player creates five of those tokens instead.
0/7
Emille, Seven-Sting Dancer Shalin Nariya
Creature - Goblin Artificer {U}
At the beginning of your end step, choose a random artifact on the battlefield. That artifact's controller sacrifices it and creates a Toy artifact token with "When this is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card."
What do you mean we're out of pieces? Here, I found some.
3/2
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
2: Attach Unicycle to target creature. The owner of that creature gains control of Unicycle.
Now try that while riding a unicycle.
Artifact – Toy (M)
For the rest of the game, players can’t cast spells.
When Momir’s VR Goggles enters the battlefield, exile all other nonland permanents until Momir’s VR Goggles leaves the battlefield.
X, Discard a card: Create a token that's a copy of a creature card with converted mana cost X chosen at random. Any player may activate this ability any time he or she could cast a sorcery and only once each turn.
Please note that this is designed for a silver bordered set.
Artifact (M)
At the beginning of each end step, each player who doesn’t control a Toy creature creates a 1/1 colorless Toy artifact creature token with “This creature must block Toy creatures alone if able.”
Whenever a Toy creature dies, each player who controls a Toy creature that dealt damage to that creature this turn, puts a +1/+1 counter on each creature he or she controls.
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
Legendary Creature - Human Artificer (R)
Whenever a player casts a spell, that player creates a colorless Toy artifact token. (Toys have no rules text.)
As long as a player has the most Toys, that player can't lose the game and that player's opponents can't win the game.
He who dies with the most toys, well, doesn't die.
2/2
- My Full Mirrodin Cube (draft it here)
- My One-Drop Cube (draft it here)
MCC Winner Nov ‘14 & Nov ‘15
Artifact (R)
At the beginning of your end step, each player reveals the top card of his or her library. If the card you revealed has the greatest converted mana cost or is tied for greatest, sacrifice Goblin Blastbox and it deals 8 damage to each opponent and each creature your opponents control. Otherwise, the player who revealed the card with the highest converted mana cost gains control of Goblin Blastbox.
Artifact Creature - Construct (U)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a explode counter on Hot Potato Gnome.
X: Target player gains control of Hot Potato Gnome. X is equal to the number of explode counters on Hot Potato Gnome.
If Hot Potato Gnome has ten explode counters on it, sacrifice it. If you do, it deals 10 damage to you.
No I insist, YOU take it.
1/1
BGStandard Green AggroGB
UWRGModern Saheeli CobraGRWU
UBRGLegacy StormGRBU
Wizards Certified Rules Advisor
Artifact (R)
Amazing Kaleidoscope enters the battlefield tapped.
: You may have an opponent gain control of Amazing Kaleidoscope. If you do, untap it and add two mana of any one color to your mana pool.
"My turn! My turn!"
Artifact - Toy Vehicle (U)
Whenever Toy Boat attacks, say "Toy Boat" ten times fast. If a person outside the game agrees that you have pronounced quickly and correctly, Toy Boat gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
Whenever a player plays a card with water in the art, that player gains control of Toy Boat. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.
Crew 1 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 1 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
Toy Boat, TOY BOAT, Thoy Toat, Bio Thoat...
1/2
Artifact (M)
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a charge counter on Nevinyrral's Frisbee.
T: Destroy target artifact, creature, or enchantment an opponent controls with a converted mana cost X or less, where X is the number of charge counters on Nevinyrral's Frisbee. That opponent gains control of Nevinyrral's Frisbee.
Legendary Creature — Human Artificer {M}
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player may reveal the top card of his or her library. For each player that revealed a card with the highest converted mana cost, choose target nonlegendary creature at random. That player creates a token that's a copy of that creature except it's an artifact in addition to its types and its power and toughness are 1.
1/4
ManyCookies:
PsyOp
Conntroll
RaikouRider
Sub_Silentio
Groovelord
egoblinsw
willows
void_nothing:
netn10
Raptorchan
NightArcher
doomfish
Koopa
IcariiFA
kjsharp:
The_Hittite
Flatline
Freyleyes
palanthas
Hemlock
StonerOfKruphix
(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? s
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.
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny both enjoy this, Timmy because he can group hug howling mines and such and Johnny because he can "donate" suitably mean stuff.
(1.5/3) Elegance: It's not immediately clear whether each player gets to target something for themselves or everyone gets the thing you choose, though the correct templating would clarify that. Also a tad wordy with unusual effects.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(2/3) Balance: Well without P/T it's hard to judge this accurately. But assuming it's a 2/2 or something, it's a fun little group hug card that Johnny can maybe exploit.
Creativity -
(
2.53/3) Uniqueness:Well straight mass clone effects for everyone aren't anything newApparently they are!(2.5/3) Flavor: I dig it, although the Santa Claus angle is a little obvious.
Polish -
(0/3) Quality: No power and toughness! Also the ability has some commas and periods missing.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
I admit I've almost forgotten P/T a few times before, but nonetheless it's a pretty big error.
(2.5/3) Appeal: A fun grouphug for an honest Timmy, an overpowered "wincon" for Spikes and ******** Timmies at the EDH table.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple enough.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(.5/3) Balance: This is fun when played "honestly" and absolutely miserable if people are exploiting it. It's possible to grouphug too hard, especially when the hug isn't between every player at the table. I have seen EDH games basically end with friends circlejerking with Trade Secrets and setting up perfect hands for each other, and this is a way better jerking tool (colorless, costs less, can repeat multiple times and let's you top off whenever you have less than 7). I'd actually expect an eventual ban.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: This echos the spirit of Trade Secrets pretty strongly.
(1.5/3) Flavor: I'm confused on how a singular Magic card produces multiple draws, wouldn't this make more sense as a deck?
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Think this is correct?
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: Another fun group hug card, and everyone appreciates the ramp. Also going right into my As Luck Would Have it deck.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Treasure itself is a lil' complex and wordy, not something I'd put in a supp set if I could manage it.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(1.5/3) Balance: So the victories happen ~30% and ~2.8% of the time respectively, and I don't think the current payoffs reflect those rarities. I'd raise the payoffs to 2 and 8 treasures.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness:
We gamble with land draws all the time 0/3.(3.5/3) Flavor: Beautiful.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
Should be die, not dice.Never mind.(2/2) *Main Challenge: Ye.
(2/2) Subchallenges: I suppose Treasure is a toy, though that smacks of giving money as a Christmas present.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: Chaos Timmy loves this, the rest are lukewarm at best.
(1.5/3) Elegance: It's very complex even if you know what Momir Basic is.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: This seems rather annoying to play on paper, you'd need markers and paper and would need to constantly look up what the **** the card is. I assume there'd be a momir generator ala the new Urza planeswalker.
(2/3) Balance: I'm not the biggest fan of chaos effects that completely invalidate the board. Like Warp World and company at least care about the number of permanents. But otherwise fine.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Well it's Momir so I can't in good conscience give you full points.
(3/3) Flavor: And it's Momir vision.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: First ability needs to be an EtB.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 18.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: Chaos Timmy appreciates this, although a casual playgroup might not enjoy the wrath effect. Johnny might be a little interested in comboing with library manipulation effects.
(2/3) Elegance: Long complicated text is long, though the concept is clear enough after the first readthrough.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Sure.
(1.5/3) Balance: Power level wise fine, this is chaotic enough where it's not a reliable wrath (or if it is, it needs work). The detonation might be a little swingy for the casual EDH it's targeting, if everyone is on creature based strategies the victor pretty much wins.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Reverse hot potato!
(2.5/3) Flavor: It's not a goblin explosive if it's not blowing up your own stuff.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Check.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: For certain definitions of "shared".
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: This has some fun casual appeal independent of the T/J/S spectrum.
(2/3) Elegance: A fair amount of text and abilities.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(.5/3) Balance: So a 3/3 vehicle for 2 is ok but nothing super exciting, Sky Skiff is comparable if not better at common. But the fact you need to complete pretty hard challenge just to make it a 3/3 is pretty damn ridiculous, and the downside trinket text doesn't help.
Creativity -
(0/3) Uniqueness: So it's a great idea for the challenge... but WotC beat ya to it in Unhinged. Toy Boat.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor is lovely though.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Check.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 17.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Johnny are both somewhat lukewarm on the group hug effect, and uber johnnies can contrive something with deck manipulation and a big creature.
(1.5/3) Elegance: A weird and complicated ability, though ties in (heh) with the flavor.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(1/3) Balance: So a randomish group hug effect at 5 mana should produce some pretty damn powerful results. But if it's choosing at random, a few tokens or any degree of board state makes the effect pretty damn underwhelming.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Don't think it's been done before.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Sure, though I'm not sure how a marionettee makes the creature a 1/1.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "...and has base power and toughness 1/1".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
PsyOp: 19
Conntroll: 19.5
RaikouRider: 21
Sub_Silentio: 18.5
Groovelord: 20.5
egoblinsw: 17.5
willows: 19
I'll give the tiebreak to PsyOp, I like the card with a reasonable P/T.
(2.5/3) Appeal: Johnny (1/1) is most excited about this card, and Spike (1/1) is aware of its potential power. Timmy (.5/1) perceives the possibility of creating a huge army, but it is a bit distant for him.
(3/3) Elegance: Everything fits together nicely, and the card has a lot of hidden depth.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: With slight alterations this could fit into any color, but Red makes the most sense. I also like the "any player" callback to some Red cards of old. One concern I have is that this adds a lot of gameplay complexity to the battlefield for an uncommon. Only advanced players will recognize the Rally the Ancestors abuse, and its instant-speed nature increases gameplay complexity. The card is definitely more reminiscent of pre-New World Order cards, but I think it's probably fine for one or two uncommons in a set to have this level of gameplay complexity and play. Depending on the environment it would receive my seal of approval
(2.75/3) Balance: That you can activate the ability at instant speed bothers me (especially for an uncommon), but the card is fundamentally balanced because the activation cost is so high. I think anything between 2-4 could be perceived as balanced, and 3 seems like a good sweet spot.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Feels fresh and unique. Not determined by the horizons of any of the cards it calls back to from the Mercadian Masques Block. Most similar to Saproling Cluster.
(3/3) Flavor: All parts of the card help to paint a distinct and appealing picture. Flavor text is excellent. Gameplay matches the flavor.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(2/2) *Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 22.75/25
(1.5/3) Appeal: I think more of the appeal of this card comes from its flavor. Spike (.75/1) and Johnny (.25/1) are aware of all the little upsides (artifact and discard synergies), and Spike muses about a card-neutral two mana burn spell. Timmy (.5/1) likes explosions and burning the face seems big and fun.
(2.25/3) Elegance: Good mechanical execution of a difficult top-down design. It takes a few times to read, but it is understandable and introduces a short-term subgame to the game. I question whether that subgame should be so long (why not Vanishing 1 or Vanishing 2?), and I wish the card had a broader applicability than direct burn damage. The answer to the above question might have to do with trying to make this a viable burn card for Constructed, but I'd be less concerned about that in an Un-Set.
Development -
(1.75/3) Viability: Colorless or Red is good. Uncommon or Rare is appropriate. The card could only be printed in a narrow range of Un-set environments because "Burn" would need to be a supported archetype. I question whether this effect is worth the gameplay complexity it introduces.
(3/3) Balance: Instead of reducing damage in exchange for being card-neutral like Needle Drop, you delay the damage for a few turns and give the opponent some say to compensate for being card-neutral. That's an innovative approach and I think Burn players would enjoy having access to a card like this, especially out of the sideboard.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: see "Balance" above. Weird in an Un-set way and includes a noteworthy mechanical innovation.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Good fun flavor.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Not exactly the toy you want Santa to put in your stocking!
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 21/25
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy (.25/1) and Johnny (.25/1) aren't particularly thrilled about it but recognize its potential utility. Spike (.5/1) is a little more willing to see how he can leverage the card.
(2/3) Elegance: Overall very elegant. Simple and clean. The problem with the elegance is that this card is going to play out quite differently from how it appears because the equip cost is actually an instant speed activated ability. The card is thus not entirely intuitive.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: Sorcerer's Spyglass shows that you don't *have* to include a provision excluding mana-producing abilities in contemporary card design. Good color and rarity. Gameplay and reading complexity would be pitch perfect too if the ability were a sorcery-speed equip cost instead of an instant-speed activated ability. That would add a certain elegance to the card as well, for the card becomes a tool both players have access to whenever it is their turn instead of a mana-sink game between the players. This would make the card a lot more fun, and it might even have been your design intention.
(2.5/3) Balance: It's definitely in the right ballpark. 3 is the going rate for a Pacifism effect these days. I would consider tweaking the card in ways to where the owner of the card isn't getting punished a bit if playing a traditional and fair game of Magic. Right now he is getting slightly punished because he's paying 3 for an effect that costs the opponent 2. I wouldn't mind a 0 casting cost with an equip cost of 3 (that would actually spice up the card a bit). All this to say that I don't think this is a card that people should will be happy twisting their deck construction around to make it an appealing inclusion because it's ceiling is low, so I'd try to tweak it with that in mind.
Creativity -
(1.75/3) Uniqueness: The flavor is so good that you managed to make a Pacifism effect feel fresh and fun to play with.
(3/3) Flavor: Sophisticated, a bit subdued, and definitely funny. Flavor text helps someone a bit dimwhitted catch on to the joke (I thought of "Putting a bird on a unicycle probably isn't its idea of paradise" as well).
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: You probably should change "The owner of that creature" to "That creature's controller" because the shenanigans you introduce with that unorthodox phrasing are not altogether appealing.
(2/2) *Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 18.25/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy (.5/1) likes having the most stuff and big splashy effects like "you can't lose the game", but he wants to be more proactive. Johnny (1/1) intuits that he has to design his deck in off-beat ways to maximize the card's potential, and off-beat is his jam. He drools at the concept of storming off with artifact sacrifice. Spike (1/1) likes easy artifact creation and sees potential for abuse.
(3/3) Elegance: It does a lot, but it's clear and easy to follow.
Development -
(.5/3) Viability: Anything in the Jeskai colors is appropriate, and rare or mythic is the appropriate rarity. The main reason to be skeptical of the card's viability is that it turns every game into a ubiquitous Storm game because you have to count every time you cast a spell, which is really tedious. So long as the game is also a paper game I'm skeptical that this would see print. Might need to be banned in commander as well for being supremely annoying and tedious. Appropriately costed, although I suspect that putting it in the CMC 3 or CMC 4 ballpark would be better.
(2/3) Balance: I suspect the card is balanced because the generation of tokens is dependent upon casting spells, not upon battlefield triggers or the activation of abilities (I'd have to test it of course). Designing anything with this level of combo potential takes delicate care, and I think this card clears the bar. With that said, while I like that the card has hidden depth and play, I dislike that this depth lends itself toward going way over the top of whatever your opponent is doing, so it doesn't promote the sort of interactivity that is more highly valued in contemporary Magic design. I wish, too, that you had raised its CMC to 3 or 4 to reduce its potential power in Vintage or Legacy, although maybe adding a new combo piece to those formats is a good thing (I'd have to test it).
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Definitely fresh. It feels like a new toy many would be excited to brew with.
(2/3) Flavor: I like the flavor, so don't let my docking points off suggest otherwise. Two things bother me that I'm sure could be fixed. First is that I don't understand the connection between owning the most toys and being unable to lose the game. Maybe (maybe) that could work, but the flavor text and card name should help sell it. Second is that the flavor text doesn't contribute to the flavor at all, it merely regurgitates what we already know by reading the card. Do something with the flavor text - give it a purpose.
Polish -
(2.75/3) Quality: "As long as a player controls the most Toys".
(2/2) *Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19.75/25
(2/3) Appeal: Some cards, like basic lands and mana rocks, are difficult to evaluate using psychological metrics. Newer players tend to undervalue them, but all psychological profiles like them. A lot of this card's appeal comes from being imbalanced, so that makes it difficult to measure as well. Timmy (.5/1) and Spike (.5/1) see its potential. Johnny (1/1) is more enthusiastic and thinks that if he can win the game with a combo then the downside doesn't matter.
(3/3) Elegance: Simple clean design.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: A tried and true genre of card. Appropriate rarity and color. Ultimately I'm skeptical of this card's viability because there hasn't been a single one mana artifact printed in the past 15 years that has gone *up* on colored mana.
I really wish you had noted that this card was going to be put in an Un-set. It would have scored a lot higher in the Development department because I don't think that this card would "break" Unstable in the same way that it could "break" traditional Constructed formats.
(1.5/3) Balance: I'm worried about this card's power level. I could be wrong, but my suspicion is that going up two mana off of a CMC 1 card is just too intrinsically good to see print. You have given it two very real downsides, but I'm not confident that that is enough. I would have appreciated a further nerf, either adding colorless or perhaps adding two mana of any color of mana your lands could produce. I think the card would be balanced if it simply added one mana instead of two. I admit that I'd need to test it out, and maybe it is okay for Commander, but my impression is that this card is imbalanced.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: I'm torn on how to score this. Much of the card's uniqueness comes from being the only CMC 1 egg printed in the past 15 years that combined both color fixing and mana ramp. I don't know if that's a good thing! And of course this sort of card has been done before, albeit without the challenge's stipulation of giving both players access to it. However, Magic always needs these sorts of effects, and this is definitely an innovative way to get a mana rock in an Un-set. It's a wonderful take on a childhood toy that will resonate with many players.
(3/3) Flavor: Sometimes the best designs are the ones where the player can't tell whether this was a bottom-up or top-down design. This is one where I can't tell, and that suggests a really good and well-executed design!
Polish -
(2.75/3) Quality: You chose to use the templating found on Assault Suit. It's functional like that, but I'm pretty confident Wizards would have templated it more like Humble Defector.
(2/2) *Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19/25
(1/3) Appeal: Most of the appeal of this card comes from its flavor, not its gameplay utility, which means that this card is going to score a bit lower than it should. It feels like a better Planechase plane design or something for a future Explorers of Ixalan boardgame "World Artifact". Timmy (0/1) is largely uninterested. Spike (.75/1) enjoys this sort of game. Johnny (.25/1) sees potential in the haste.
(2/3) Elegance: An executed top-down design that is clean and clear. It takes reading it a few times to get a good grasp of the card because the pieces of the card only fit together in your mind once you realize that your card is simulating a soccer game, but once you do that image is locked in and both players are all set (it compares favorably to cards like Mayor of Avarbuck or Archangel Avacyn that you always have to read because all the details don't mesh together well to form an image). The only other thing I should mention is that the card promises something that it often won't deliver upon (a back and forth game).
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: I don't like haste on artifacts, but we have God-Pharaoh's Gift so that's a non-issue. The reason I don't find it wholly viable is that it doesn't feel like a tool to me. Its ceiling is too low and it depends too much on external factors to work as intended (are both players running creature decks? do both players feel like they can race and thus feel comfortable giving the opponent the ball?). This card becomes more viable in a multiplayer environment, and I think something like this could see print in a controlled environment that helped guarantee its utility. Something like the Explorers of Ixalan boardgame strikes me as an ideal place for something like this, since external objects that shape the game in unique ways is something that Explorers of Ixalan and Planechase introduce to the world of Magic.
(2/3) Balance: I think the card is too weak for the gameplay complexity it introduces, and thus will likely feel tedious when on the battlefield. It is "balanced" though.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: I don't know if "fresh" is the right word, but importing contemporary life into a Magic card is fine for some un-Set cards to do. Some will do it more with regard to flavor, and others like Soccer Ball will alter gameplay and introduce novel experiences.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Flavor is on-point. As I noted earlier, I worry whether the card's flavor will manifest itself during gameplay.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality:
(2/2) Main Challenge:
(2/2) Subchallenges:
Total: 19/25
Final Scores:
The Hittite: 22.75
Flatline: 21
Palanthas: 19.75
Hemlock: 19
StonerOfKruphix: 19
Freyleyes: 18