Doesn't seem to be a lot of Azorius around to keep this contest orderly.
New Pravh Vanguard 2WW
Creature - Human Soldier [Uncommon]
White creatures you control have +0/+1 and vigilance.
Absolute Law - 2WWUU(You may cast this card for its Absolute Law cost. If you do, put in the Command Zone with a law counter as it resolves and it becomes an Emblem with the same rules text. Then, return all other cards you own with law counters on them to your hand.)
2/4
Replacing accidental double post. I really like this round. Restricting the rarity really got people to tone down the urge to make cards ridiculously unfair!
Unscrupulous Collector 3W
Creature- Human Cleric {U}
When this creature enters the battlefield, indenture 3. (Exile target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard, then place a debt counter on it.)
When Unscrupulous Collector dies, you may remove a debt counter from a card you have indentured. If you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost.
3/3
Ah yes, well I'm terribly sorry about that unfortunate carriage incident, but your debt wasn't quite payed off. Don't worry, this won't take but a moment. It's not like you have plans, after all.
Ability word: Congregate -- If you control more creatures than each opponent, {effect}.
Silverpaw Skyriders5GW
Creature - Elf Knight {U} Congregate - Silverpaw Skyriders costs 3 less to cast if you control more creatures than each opponent.
Flying, vigilance, trample
4/4
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes big creatures and Spike will do anything to drop it as soon as possible. Johnny may think this is a bit too narrow for his tastes. (3/3) Elegance: This is very easy to understand.
Development - (2,5/3) Viability: Keywords are from Selesnya menu for sure, the rarity is something between from-mediocre-to-weak uncommon (without mechainic) and rare (with it). (2/3) Balance: As I said, 4/4 with three keywords for 7CMC seems kinda weak compared to good uncommons like Serra Angel or such (trample on evasive creatures like flyers usually isn't that important). In other hand, you can cast it for 4 mana in right circumstances and it looks very easy to achieve in regular games if we keep in mind you are running white and green which have both mana ramp and weenie strategies. So overall it seems more or less balanced. I am not sure where to put this complaint so I address it to Balance section: you used a mechanic that hepls you when you are already in a good position - usually, you get a bonus when you are at somehow bad position (Dethrone, Fateful Hour) or some special circumstances are met (Devotion, Threshold, Ferocity, Formidable, Delirium and such - but none of them means you have a 100% advantage, even having more cards in hand (if we are talking about Kamigawa) very likely means you played less of them). Having more creatures than any other player clearly says you are in better position most of the time (this is not true only if your opponents have less creatures but the creatures themselves are bigger/better).
Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: This combination of abilities was printed many times before but on rares only. Your mechanic is, however, is new and doesn't look like something very well known. (2,5/3) Flavor: Playing more creatures than other players is very Selesnyan, no doubt. So no problems other than one - if only I knew which creature used as mount was implied here. If it was a flying cat, then archon creature type would have been more appropriate (but archons can't be uncommons and they are not Elves). However, I have to assume it's a griffin since Ravnica griffins can have not only bird legs but also lion paws.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: You left blank italic tags between card text and P/T (-0,5) and used this card's name in rules text instead of "this spell costs..." (-0,5). (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (1/2) Subchallenges: Your card is uncommon but multicolored.
Total: 19,5/25
Flames of WarR
Instant [U]
Flames of War deals 2 damage to any target. Warlike - Flames of War deals 3 damage to that permanent or player instead if a creature you control dealt combat damage this turn. Nothing stokes the Boros’ flames like a battle.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Dealing combat damage is not a rocket science so Johnny doesn't see how to make an interesting combo with a simple burn spell. Timmy likes to attack with creatures and dealing damage and Spike will be glad to deal 3 damage for 1 mana because it feels like playing good old bolt. (3/3) Elegance: Very simple and easy.
Development - (3/3) Viability:Shock with an ability to become Lightning Bolt is a red uncommon without any doubts. Your mechanic, while being a broaden version of Raid is appropriate in both red and white (because raid) and again white because you can use it after blocking which is, again, feels very white. Great job, very Boros, "combat matters" mechanic. (3/3) Balance: Just like I said before, 2 damage for 1 mana with an opportunity to deal 3 damage instead in special circumstances (see also: Wizard's Lightning) is how we roll nowadays.
Creativity - (1,5/3) Uniqueness: There are lot of simple burn spells with upsides and your mechainc is a broaden version of Raid that works for blockers, only difference is your creatures can be removed or Fog'd which can screw your strategy (also very similar to Arrow Storm if you ask me). (3/3) Flavor: Warlike looks like something appropriate for Boros. I also like the name being a hidden reference to "Flames of love" song and reversed "make love, not war" here but maybe it just my imagination. Flavor is okay, feels Boros.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: All good. I am pleasantly surprised how you used the modern "damage to that permanent or player" here. I was confused a little because Arrow Storm and Firecannon Blast have different wordings but the second one is newer so I guess you wasn't wrong here. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon, sure.
Total: 22,5/25
Gruul.
Ghor-Clan Channeler1G
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Primal 1 (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counters on it. If you do, it loses all other abilities.) T: Add G. Gruul shamans know when it's time to stop chanting and start smashing.
2/2
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Cheap and pushed creature that screams VALUE for both Timmy and Spike. Johnny is not interested. (2/3) Elegance: This is not complex but your reminder text makes it confusing. Does it become vanilla creature permanently? Why not to use Unleash wording or make it more clear?
Development - (2,5/3) Viability: Both green and red can have vanilla creatures and care about aggression so I don't see any problems here. I onlu have to assume your mechanic is too narrow and causes problems with power levels. (1,5/3) Balance: Your creature is more pushed than any other creature with comparable stats and mana cost on the same rarity level. At both modes!
Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: Kinda similar to Unleash, but the drawback is different if we call is drawback at all which I think is stretching. (3/3) Flavor: No problems here. Being simple and effective fits Gruul very well and flavor text is true enough.
Polish - (2,5/3) Quality: "Counter", not "Counters" if we are talking about Primal 1 here. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon is just right.
Total: 20/25
Rakdos
Omen of the Revel2BB
Creature - Horror (U)
Unbound (When the last card in your hand is played or discarded, and this creature isn't unbound, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes unbound.)
When Omen of the Revel enters the battlefield, discard a card.
When Omen of the Revel becomes unbound, return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 4/3
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Spike is intrigued by value (if we keep in mind that discard is not a part of the cost), Johnny uses it as a combo piece, Timmy doesn't like much to discard cards. (2,5/3) Elegance: Complex enough but all actions here are understandable.
Development - (3/3) Viability: This mechanic, just like a Hellbent, goes in both red and black. Returning one creature card from graveyard to hand is acceptable action for black uncommon. (2,5/3) Balance: Unbound is more flexible but probably on the same level as Hellbent - it triggers once but then you can have cards in hand again (also you can return the same creature card you discarded). This card is strong but not over the limits. Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: Nice callback to Hellbent, Monstrous and Unleash at the same time which looks fresh enough to get high score. (3/3) Flavor: Reveling is associated with Xenagos who is Gruul but who I am to limits here? I also always thought that Xenagos is more Rakdos flavorfully than Gruul. Also, returning your undead friends back to the party feels like something that Rakdos can do every day all day.
Polish - (2,5/3) Quality: "Whenever", not "when". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon means both subchallenges are met.
Total: 22/25
Selesnia
Vitu-Ghazi HealersWG
Creature - Dryad (U)
Unity (When you cast a creature spell, you may tap this creature, if you do that creature enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counters on it.)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield you gain life equal to the thougness of that creature.
1/3
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Strong and comborific enough for any player to be excited to play with. (3/3) Elegance: Understandable.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Lifegain is white and green but this way is too cool to be uncommon especially because it cares about creatures controlled by other players too. (1/3) Balance: Good enough body to be like Essence Warden for 2 mana but also an ability to put one counter per turn and also lifegain equal to any creature's toughness - this is insane, there is no way for this card to be printed.
(2/3) Uniqueness: An ability to tap this creature to add a counter is fresh, other ability is not. (2,5/3) Flavor: the name is kinda generic, other than that, no problems.
Polish - (0,5/3) Quality: "Whenever", not "when", the order of mana symbols is wrong, "counters" instead of "counter", ability wording is different from the same wording on Verdant Sun's Avatar, comma is missing twice. (Also, you misspelled the name of your own guild but since it's not a part of the challenge, I don't care). (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (1/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon but multicolored.
Total: 17/25
Boros Opportunist3R
Creature - Human Soldier (Common)
Haste
Ambition 2 (At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may reveal the top two cards of your library. For each creature card revealed this way, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Put those cards on the bottom of your library in any order.)
2/2
Design - (1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy is (somehow) interested in the ability to make his hasty beater bigger, Johnny knows ways to gey more value of it than usual, Spike doesn't like to act risky and do random things, also power level of this card is very mediocre for him. (2/3) Elegance: This card is understandable but the only one inelegant thing about it is sifting your library each combat and tracking bonuses when you attack with a lot of creatures like this.
Development - (2,5/3) Viability: This can be printed on cards of any rarity which is good for a guild mechanic. Also both red and white care about creatures and combat but only red digs into random hardly except for some weird white cards from Time Spiral block. (2/3) Balance: 2/2 with haste for 3R is weak and an ability to (maybe) become 4/4 for a turn makes it just mediocre but maybe fine for a common (see Hostile Minotaur). The red has ways to abuse it with multiple combat phases (just like Melee, Mentor and other mechaics though...)
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: The closest mechanic I can remember is Ripple and some random cards. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor is nailed here - I can easily see white and red creatures being lead by example of other soldiers (creatures).
Polish - (3/3) Quality: All good. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Common and monocolored.
Total: 20,5/25
I will claim The Cult of Rakdos, PARTY ON DUDES!!!
Thrill-Kill Hedonist2R
Creature - Goblin Shaman (U) Paincast - Put a -1/-1 counter on Thrill-Kill Hedonist: Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains haste until end of turn. Use this ability only once each turn.
3/2
Design - (1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes to smash faces but doesn't really like sacrifice value for value, Johnny knows how to abuse things with costs like this, Spike doesn't care. (3/3) Elegance: This is easy and understandable but see flavor section (I guess this problem goes there).
Development - (3/3) Viability: Amonkhet shows that abilities that put -1/-1 counters on your stuff can be printed on many colors. Uncommon is okay. (2,5/3) Balance: Something in between a mediocre or above mediocre card. You can activate his ability to deal more combat damage and such but on its own the card isn't that strong. Just okay.
(2/3) Uniqueness: Things like this were done on Amonkhet spells in numbers. Not exactly though. (2/3) Flavor: Ability called "paincast" seems wrong because in terms of gameplay casting means playing cards, not activating abilities. No other problems.
Polish - (2,5/3) Quality: "Activate", not "use". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both met. Total: 20,5/25
Doesn't seem to be a lot of Azorius around to keep this contest orderly.
New Pravh Vanguard2WW
Creature - Human Soldier [Uncommon]
White creatures you control have +0/+1 and vigilance.
Absolute Law - 2WWUU(You may cast this card for its Absolute Law cost. If you do, put in the Command Zone with a law counter as it resolves and it becomes an Emblem with the same rules text. Then, return all other cards you own with law counters on them to your hand.)
2/4
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Timmy and Spike doesn't look very interested. Johnny, maybe. (0,5/3) Elegance: This card is far from elegant - it mentions emblems, command zone, counters on emblems (!), removable (replacable) emblems and also gratns a bonus to itself (like some Slivers did). Also keep in mind, we are judging not only cards but mechanics here - which means some commons from your guild should have the same mechanic printed on them which doesn't help.
Development - (1,5/3) Viability: All about your card is white, not blue, co WU solor identity is questionable. Also the complexity you established here doesn't go well on uncommons and commons. (2/3) Balance: The creature is okay but specific 6-mana cost for such ability is too much, yes, it feels like irremovable enchantment but anyway.
(3/3) Uniqueness: I have to admit, creatures (and any other non-planeswalker spells) creating emblems are 100% new. (2,5/3) Flavor: The flavor is strong here since Absolute Law is something that fits Azorius well and because Azor, the Lawbringer is a former planeswalker. But regular members of Azorius senate being able to make emblems is still dubious.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: Command Zone should not be capitalized, also "get +0/+1 and have vigilance". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both met. Just FYI, your card idea impressed me the most but the execution isn't great. Total: 16,5/25
Mercurial Creation1R
Sorcery (U)
Experiment 5 (When you cast this, roll a six-sided die. If you roll a 5 or greater, the experiment is successful.)
Create a 3/1 red Weird creature token with haste. Sacrifice that token at the beginning of the next end step unless the experiment was successful. "Hmmm. Perhaps it could use more lightning?"
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: Txmmy likes some randomness! (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense! Dice rolling as izzet mechanic is great!
Development .:. (2/3) Viability: Red and uncommon are both fine. Sadly, dice rolling is not a thing we can expect to see in black border world anytime soon. (3/3) Balance: A hasty 2-mana 3/1 with a 1/3 chance of surviving the experiment's outcome. Not exactly game breaking.
Creativity .:. (2/3) Uniqueness: I was thinking of Hellspark Elemental or Spike Jester with added chaos. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor is on point here.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Catalyst Weird2R
Creature - Weird (C)
When Catalyst Weird enters the battlefield, spelltest. (The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn, put it into your hand as it resolves.)
Sacrifice Catalyst Weird: Add UR.
1/3
Design .:. (1,5/3) Appeal: Spelltest seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with Spike potential. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (2/3) Viability:Catalyst Elemental is a recently printed common creature with the same mana cost and mana generating ability. This weird version here is a little better at blocking and has a big upside. Risky for a common. (1/3) Balance: I can imagine a card like this in a budget storm deck. The whole mechanic seems a little problematic or very difficult to design viable cards around it. All cards with spelltest probably need to be below their usual point on the mana curve, compared to cards with the same/similar effect but without spelltest. What seems to be working against the thing spelltest wants you to do; cast another instant or sorcery. Or all instants and sorceries need to get more expensive, like, all instants and sorceries of that standard cycle. That's my first impression.
Creativity .:. (2/3) Uniqueness: The formula seems to be Catalyst >creature type< here. (3/3) Flavor: Simple but effective.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: Spelltest creates a replacement effect, the reminder text should probably look something like this: "The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell from your hand this turn, put that card into your hand instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.", e.g. Soulfire Grand Master. Making spelltest an action keyword reads strange as it generates a delayed trigger and not something you do immediately. I'd go in the direction of rebound with the wording. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19/25
Duskmantle BloodseerB
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Whenever Duskmantle Bloodseer enters the battlefield, plot (To plot, exile the top card of your library face-down. You may look at it any time.)
Turn a face-down card you own in exile face-up: Put that card in your hand. You lose life equel to its mana cost.
1/1
Design .:. (2/3) Appeal: Plot seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with great Spike potential. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (2/3) Viability: Trading card advantage for those lousy life points is very black. This card draws you the best plotted card this way. Maybe fine at uncommon. Misread, this can draw you any number of plotted cards and is probably way too strong this way, especially as an uncommon. (1/3) Balance:This feels like a clean and simple plot card.Bob is proof that life isn't worth as much as cards. This is good even if it just nets you the land you need right now for 0 life. Besides that I think these cards should only be able to care about plotted cards. There are cards that let you exile cards as part of a cost.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: A card that draws that weirdly feels pretty fresh. (3/3) Flavor: Makes sense.
Polish .:. (1,5/3) Quality: Entering the battlefield can only happen one time for each card, thus "When" is written instead of "Whenever". There's missing a dot after the first plot. The last sentence should read "You los life equal to its converted mana cost.", you can't substract B from your life total. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20,5/25
Customs Stop
Instant (U)
Exile target spell unless it’s controller pays X.
Exile Customs Stop from your hand: Appropriate (You may cast an exiled card your opponent owns with equal or lesser converted mana cost to this card without paying it's mana cost.) Lightning-charged fire slugs! These are strictly fobidden by the 17th amendment to the Izzet-Rakdos-Simic weapons cross-contamination accord. They will be added to the Magical Deterrent Armory for emergency deployment.
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: This card/mechanic is made for Jxnny. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (2/3) Viability: Countering and stealing cards is both blue. While technically not false, the wording should probably look a little bit more like Syncopate. Directly exiling spells was so far only done on one mythic instant. (2,5/3) Balance: Appropriate needs a lot of set up to really work I think. It should be possible to make exciting cards with it in a standard environment. Outside of standard there's some potential for sweet new techs, maybe with cards that normally aren't that good. The cost to exile the card from hand should probably be equal to that card's converted mana cost.
Creativity .:. (3/3) Uniqueness: There have been single cards about stealing your opponent's stuff but not a whole mechanic. (3/3) Flavor: Feels like a Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug reference : )
Polish .:. (2/3) Quality: It's "its controller". There needs to be a dot after Appropriate. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20,5/25
Demand Departure1U
Instant (U)
Plot 3, then reveal a plotted card. Return target non-land permanent to it's owner's hand if it's converted mana cost is less than or equal to the revealed card. (To plot 3, exile the top three cards of your library face down. You may look at them at any time.)
Design .:. (1,5/3) Appeal: Plot seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with Spike potential. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: Bouncing is blue. The power level seems okey. (3/3) Balance: Funny to have plot two times, even with the same reminder text. There are some important differences in the execution though. Look at netn10's entry to follow, please. The same idea was used more carefully here, Groove's design. It appears that cards only care about plotted cards and not cards in exile in general. This time I don't feel the need to emergency ban a whole mechanic (some exaggeration added).
Creativity .:. (2/3) Uniqueness: A complicated bounce spell. (3/3) Flavor: This card has great flavor. Like, I demand, but what actually happens depends on other factors.
Polish .:. (3/3) Quality: No flaws detected! (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Scab-Clan Cultivator1RG
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
As an additional cost to cast Scab-Clan Cultivator, smash. (Sacrifice a mountain, forest, or creature.)
When Scab-Clan Cultivator enters the battlefield, if you sacrificed a mountain or forest this turn, search your library for a mountain and a forest and put them onto the battlefield tapped. If you sacrificed a creature this turn, search your library for a creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library. "The Scab-Clan tend to mark their borders with rocks and timber, but you'll do."
2/1
Design .:. (2/3) Appeal: While smashing sounds like the txmmiest of mechanics, it actually ended up being a rather jxnnyish mechanic. This card has serious spike potential. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense. But why, why doesn't it say "if you smashed a mountain . . . "?! Actually: "When ~ enters the battlefield, if it smashed . . ."
Development .:. (2/3) Viability: Tutoring for lands and/or creatures fits into green. Smashing in general is perfect for gruul. Uncommon is too low, though. Cards with this mechanic seem to count all sacrifices, not only the ones they caused. This needs a more development. (1/3) Balance: Having the choice of ramping or looking for a creature is very powerful and the perfect combination of choices, like, too perfect. I need either more mana to cast my payoff, or I have the mana and need the payoff. Counting all sacrifices done prior this turn adds even more power.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: In the vein of devour but fresh. (3/3) Flavor: The flavor is awesome!
Polish .:. (2/3) Quality: Mountain and Forest are subtypes and written in capitals. You search in your library for a Mountain and Forest card. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 2 satisfied!
Unscrupulous Collector 3W
Creature- Human Cleric {U}
When this creature enters the battlefield, indenture 3. (Exile target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard, then place a debt counter on it.)
When Unscrupulous Collector dies, you may remove a debt counter from a card you have indentured. If you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost.
3/3
Design .:. (1/3) Appeal: Indenture feels like a Jxnny mechanic. (3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense. A cool orzhov mechanic.
Development .:. (3/3) Viability: White seems okay. I can see this card even at common level. (2,5/3) Balance: I feel like exiling a card should not be mandatory, there are times where your creatures are the only ones available and you maybe need them later. Being limited to creature cards of a certain mana cost or lower is also pretty narrow. What speaks against any card type? Overall, I feel like this mechanic has some potential. The more dept cards you play, the better they all may get. There's some more design space in things you can do with indentured cards.
Creativity .:. (2,5/3) Uniqueness: Graveyard hosing, if narrow, plus lifegain. Not spectacular but nice. (2,5/3) Flavor: Putting dept counters on your own cards feels a little weird. Other than that, very nice.
Polish .:. (2,5/3) Quality: "This creature" is only used in this way as long as the spell is on the stack. (2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied! (2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
I got the Bracket of Death - so many hardened MCC veterans.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves drawing lots of cards and saboteur triggers. Johnny definitely has things to do with this mechanic. Spike appreciates cheap Ancestral Recalls for Modern. (2.5/3) Elegance: The reminder text for mission is a little sketchy but it's a grokkable mechanic and altogether the card you presented is elegant.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Monoblue is obvious, uncommon is spot-on. (3/3) Balance: Nothing objectionable here; the "strong" mode, while, well, strong, also won't break anything. And no one will ever complain about this card being cast for six mana.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Mission itself is fairly unique but the way you're using it here is too close to cipher for me to call the card unique - be bold, my guy! (2/3) Flavor: Flavor's serviceable but generic. Short flavor text would have helped immensely.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Good except for the aforementioned reminder text issues - including not saying that you exile the card from your hand. Suspend doesn't say those exact words because it already has mentioned that particular zone in its reminder text. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Met. (2/2) Subchallenges: Good.
Total: 22/25
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy’s not too impressed by a pseudo-evasive weenie. Johnny likes undercover in general. Spike finds the card pretty low-impact but appreciates how hard it is to kill in combat. (1.5/3) Elegance: Undercover is basically phasing out without actually having phasing, and phasing is not known as an especially elegant mechanic; there’s also the confusing issue of having an activated ability that only works when the permanent doesn’t exist.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: The keyword has the aforementioned viability problems; the card is fine. (3/3) Balance: At the end of the day this is a card that has an ability that makes it hard to block in a vacuum, so it’s fine balance-wise.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: While I can’t say the keyword nor the idea of an evasive 2/2 for 2U is all that original, the design space of undercover activated abilities - if it works ruleswise - is unique. (1.5/3) Flavor: Serviceable but generic, and “beguiling” is a word that suggests gain-control or Alluring Siren kind of effects, not stealthiness.
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes beaters that can be clocks even when they don’t hit. Johnny likes getting bonuses for doing things he already does. Spike does like life payments and getting extra hashtag value but sees this card as a bit of a trap - hard to make a life-payment theme work in Limited and the body is not quite enough for Constructed. (3/3) Elegance: Solidly elegant - one keyword and an ability word, a classic combination.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: The body is pretty well-tread and the actual triggered ability is somewhat… expected, but revelry is a unique idea. (3/3) Flavor: Love it. Flavor text feels like it came off a real Rakdos card.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes extra creatures. Johnny wants to abuse this mechanic. Spike DEFINITELY wants to abuse this mechanic. (2.5/3) Elegance: Recruit is a bit wordy even if it’s relatively easy to understand and the “cast from your hand” rider does add words here, even if it’s at least somewhat necessary. I think you could have done without it, however.
Development - (3/3) Viability: A bit complex and swingy for common, but there WERE commons with cascade. Red is obviously right. Using this mechanic in monowhite feels a bit strange with the haste-granting but hey, extort was a thing, and also it’s unfair to critique hypothetical cards that you didn’t put in front of me. (3/3) Balance: Is the card swingy? Yes. Is the mechanic potentially abuseable? Sure. But, there seem to be enough riders on recruit to very much prevent it from getting out of hand; this card is far from the second coming of Bloodbraid Elf.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Recruit is the three-way combination of scry, cascade, and Collected Company, and the card is just a French vanilla with the keyword. (2.5/3) Flavor: Kudos for including flavor text, but said flavor text is a bit… corny.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes hard-to-kill evasive creatures. Johnny likes things with multiple modes and repeatable activated abilities, as well as counters to play with. Spike likes - frankly - undercosted creatures. (1.5/3) Elegance: Regenerate is a deprecated mechanic, and thus embedding it into another keyword feels wrong. The mechanic, as worded, will also cause some confusing situations when it triggers but fails to save the creature from dying (more on that in Quality).
Development - (2/3) Viability: While uncommon is probably right for this effect, it is extremely jarring to see a 2/2 for 1U with two positive abilities at any rarity. The vanilla-bear barrier for blue hasn’t been broken in real Magic yet - this is a color that still gets Wetland Sambar functional reprints - and I frankly think we’re still a long way from that. (2.5/3) Balance: Fairly nasty in Limited but I’m not sure how much Constructed impact it’d have. If this found a place in a Constructed deck though I feel like that deck could be the second coming of Delver with cheap blue beats like this.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Adapt is basically a persist/undying variant that doesn’t change p/t, and the activated ability grants a fairly well-tread pair of abilities. (1.5/3) Flavor: What is this creature infiltrating and why? Flavor text seems like profound-sounding nonsense and doesn’t appear to have a lot to do with the creature itself. Unless the creature is hiding out in the form of a statue, or something? That seems much more like a Dimir tactic.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Adapt should say, in its present form, “If this creature would be destroyed...” because as-is, it triggers when the creature dies from having 0 toughness or being sacrificed, but in that case won’t actually save the creature. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Done. (2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 17/25
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes potentially 4 power across three bodies for three mana. Johnny likes both triggered abilities and tokens, as well as self-mill (which spawn seems to encourage). Spike likes the same thing Timmy does here, PLUS bonus graveyard hosing. (3/3) Elegance: A strongly elegant card and keyword action.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: The mechanic feels Golgari and the color and rarity are fine. The small problem here in terms of naming is that Spawn is, technically, a creature type, and not the one that is on these tokens, but that’s merely minorly irritating for people like me rather than disqualifying for the mechanic. (3/3) Balance: The card looks good - nothing game-breaking but also nothing to scoff at, y’know? And this looks like a good Golgari keyword in terms of utility and balance.
Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: Neither token generation nor graveyard exiling is exactly new, of course, but combining them in this way is. (1.5/3) Flavor: I enjoy this card’s name but it feels “obvious”. In a specifically Golgari context this feels like a Wizard and not a Shaman. Should definitely have flavor text.
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes ramp and bringing his creatures back. Johnny sees this as a highly versatile potential combo piece. Spike sees this as a possible Life from the Loam-lite. (2/3) Elegance: On the surface this card isn’t too inelegant (although it is fairly wordy), but the idea of using that triggered ability over and over - a search and reveal, a choice of zones to put two cards in, and then a shuffle - using exhume seems potentially very game-slowing.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Color and rarity seem right, mechanic fits Golgari flavor and seems appropriate for both colors. (2/3) Balance: I worry about exhume - not in this card specifically, necessarily, but as a whole, considering it’s clearly meant to be a throwback to dredge. While it doesn’t directly self-fuel as dredge did, which was that mechanic’s key to brokenness, it’s still “free”, repeatable, graveyard recursion - as a keyword. At the very least this card is an annoying recurrable chump blocker; I feel like it would be impossible to design this keyword without coming up with at least one degenerate card.
Creativity - (1/3) Uniqueness: Exhume is a lot like “Buyback: Delve”, and that ETB ability is straight-up Fork in the Road. (2.5/3) Flavor: Generally good flavor but I’m getting hung up on the game of “which guildmaster is this” - Jarad? Vraska? Heck, Mazirek?
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: The flavor text reads awkwardly and ungrammatically in the last bit - “in preparation for the doom” of what? If it’s meant in a nonspecific sense there should be no article there. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Good. (2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
New Pravh Vanguard 2WW
Creature - Human Soldier [Uncommon]
White creatures you control have +0/+1 and vigilance.
Absolute Law - 2WWUU (You may cast this card for its Absolute Law cost. If you do, put in the Command Zone with a law counter as it resolves and it becomes an Emblem with the same rules text. Then, return all other cards you own with law counters on them to your hand.)
2/4
I'm sure you can think of something by yourself.
Unscrupulous Collector 3W
Creature- Human Cleric {U}
When this creature enters the battlefield, indenture 3. (Exile target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard, then place a debt counter on it.)
When Unscrupulous Collector dies, you may remove a debt counter from a card you have indentured. If you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost.
3/3
Ah yes, well I'm terribly sorry about that unfortunate carriage incident, but your debt wasn't quite payed off. Don't worry, this won't take but a moment. It's not like you have plans, after all.
void_nothing
Gerrard's Mom
Cardz5000
Subject16
bravelion83
picnic_bomber
Rudyard
StonerOfKruphix
Raptorchan
RaikouRider
The_Hittite
Koopa
Forestguy
mirrodin71
Marco
Psyop
Clockwork Gamer
Antiantiserum
Flatline
doomfish
netn10
egoblinsw
Jimmy Groove
BlackWaltz3
TotallyHaywire
Four players from each bracket will pass.
Ability word: Congregate -- If you control more creatures than each opponent, {effect}.
Silverpaw Skyriders 5GW
Creature - Elf Knight {U}
Congregate - Silverpaw Skyriders costs 3 less to cast if you control more creatures than each opponent.
Flying, vigilance, trample
4/4
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes big creatures and Spike will do anything to drop it as soon as possible. Johnny may think this is a bit too narrow for his tastes.
(3/3) Elegance: This is very easy to understand.
Development -
(2,5/3) Viability: Keywords are from Selesnya menu for sure, the rarity is something between from-mediocre-to-weak uncommon (without mechainic) and rare (with it).
(2/3) Balance: As I said, 4/4 with three keywords for 7CMC seems kinda weak compared to good uncommons like Serra Angel or such (trample on evasive creatures like flyers usually isn't that important). In other hand, you can cast it for 4 mana in right circumstances and it looks very easy to achieve in regular games if we keep in mind you are running white and green which have both mana ramp and weenie strategies. So overall it seems more or less balanced. I am not sure where to put this complaint so I address it to Balance section: you used a mechanic that hepls you when you are already in a good position - usually, you get a bonus when you are at somehow bad position (Dethrone, Fateful Hour) or some special circumstances are met (Devotion, Threshold, Ferocity, Formidable, Delirium and such - but none of them means you have a 100% advantage, even having more cards in hand (if we are talking about Kamigawa) very likely means you played less of them). Having more creatures than any other player clearly says you are in better position most of the time (this is not true only if your opponents have less creatures but the creatures themselves are bigger/better).
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: This combination of abilities was printed many times before but on rares only. Your mechanic is, however, is new and doesn't look like something very well known.
(2,5/3) Flavor: Playing more creatures than other players is very Selesnyan, no doubt. So no problems other than one - if only I knew which creature used as mount was implied here. If it was a flying cat, then archon creature type would have been more appropriate (but archons can't be uncommons and they are not Elves). However, I have to assume it's a griffin since Ravnica griffins can have not only bird legs but also lion paws.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: You left blank italic tags between card text and P/T (-0,5) and used this card's name in rules text instead of "this spell costs..." (-0,5).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Your card is uncommon but multicolored.
Total: 19,5/25
Instant [U]
Flames of War deals 2 damage to any target.
Warlike - Flames of War deals 3 damage to that permanent or player instead if a creature you control dealt combat damage this turn.
Nothing stokes the Boros’ flames like a battle.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Dealing combat damage is not a rocket science so Johnny doesn't see how to make an interesting combo with a simple burn spell. Timmy likes to attack with creatures and dealing damage and Spike will be glad to deal 3 damage for 1 mana because it feels like playing good old bolt.
(3/3) Elegance: Very simple and easy.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Shock with an ability to become Lightning Bolt is a red uncommon without any doubts. Your mechanic, while being a broaden version of Raid is appropriate in both red and white (because raid) and again white because you can use it after blocking which is, again, feels very white. Great job, very Boros, "combat matters" mechanic.
(3/3) Balance: Just like I said before, 2 damage for 1 mana with an opportunity to deal 3 damage instead in special circumstances (see also: Wizard's Lightning) is how we roll nowadays.
Creativity -
(1,5/3) Uniqueness: There are lot of simple burn spells with upsides and your mechainc is a broaden version of Raid that works for blockers, only difference is your creatures can be removed or Fog'd which can screw your strategy (also very similar to Arrow Storm if you ask me).
(3/3) Flavor: Warlike looks like something appropriate for Boros. I also like the name being a hidden reference to "Flames of love" song and reversed "make love, not war" here but maybe it just my imagination. Flavor is okay, feels Boros.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: All good. I am pleasantly surprised how you used the modern "damage to that permanent or player" here. I was confused a little because Arrow Storm and Firecannon Blast have different wordings but the second one is newer so I guess you wasn't wrong here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon, sure.
Total: 22,5/25
Ghor-Clan Channeler 1G
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Primal 1 (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counters on it. If you do, it loses all other abilities.)
T: Add G.
Gruul shamans know when it's time to stop chanting and start smashing.
2/2
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Cheap and pushed creature that screams VALUE for both Timmy and Spike. Johnny is not interested.
(2/3) Elegance: This is not complex but your reminder text makes it confusing. Does it become vanilla creature permanently? Why not to use Unleash wording or make it more clear?
Development -
(2,5/3) Viability: Both green and red can have vanilla creatures and care about aggression so I don't see any problems here. I onlu have to assume your mechanic is too narrow and causes problems with power levels.
(1,5/3) Balance: Your creature is more pushed than any other creature with comparable stats and mana cost on the same rarity level. At both modes!
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: Kinda similar to Unleash, but the drawback is different if we call is drawback at all which I think is stretching.
(3/3) Flavor: No problems here. Being simple and effective fits Gruul very well and flavor text is true enough.
Polish -
(2,5/3) Quality: "Counter", not "Counters" if we are talking about Primal 1 here.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon is just right.
Total: 20/25
Rakdos
Omen of the Revel 2BB
Creature - Horror (U)
Unbound (When the last card in your hand is played or discarded, and this creature isn't unbound, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes unbound.)
When Omen of the Revel enters the battlefield, discard a card.
When Omen of the Revel becomes unbound, return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/3
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Spike is intrigued by value (if we keep in mind that discard is not a part of the cost), Johnny uses it as a combo piece, Timmy doesn't like much to discard cards.
(2,5/3) Elegance: Complex enough but all actions here are understandable.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: This mechanic, just like a Hellbent, goes in both red and black. Returning one creature card from graveyard to hand is acceptable action for black uncommon.
(2,5/3) Balance: Unbound is more flexible but probably on the same level as Hellbent - it triggers once but then you can have cards in hand again (also you can return the same creature card you discarded). This card is strong but not over the limits.
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: Nice callback to Hellbent, Monstrous and Unleash at the same time which looks fresh enough to get high score.
(3/3) Flavor: Reveling is associated with Xenagos who is Gruul but who I am to limits here? I also always thought that Xenagos is more Rakdos flavorfully than Gruul. Also, returning your undead friends back to the party feels like something that Rakdos can do every day all day.
Polish -
(2,5/3) Quality: "Whenever", not "when".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Monocolored uncommon means both subchallenges are met.
Total: 22/25
Vitu-Ghazi Healers WG
Creature - Dryad (U)
Unity (When you cast a creature spell, you may tap this creature, if you do that creature enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counters on it.)
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield you gain life equal to the thougness of that creature.
1/3
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Strong and comborific enough for any player to be excited to play with.
(3/3) Elegance: Understandable.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Lifegain is white and green but this way is too cool to be uncommon especially because it cares about creatures controlled by other players too.
(1/3) Balance: Good enough body to be like Essence Warden for 2 mana but also an ability to put one counter per turn and also lifegain equal to any creature's toughness - this is insane, there is no way for this card to be printed.
(2/3) Uniqueness: An ability to tap this creature to add a counter is fresh, other ability is not.
(2,5/3) Flavor: the name is kinda generic, other than that, no problems.
Polish -
(0,5/3) Quality: "Whenever", not "when", the order of mana symbols is wrong, "counters" instead of "counter", ability wording is different from the same wording on Verdant Sun's Avatar, comma is missing twice. (Also, you misspelled the name of your own guild but since it's not a part of the challenge, I don't care).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Uncommon but multicolored.
Total: 17/25
Creature - Human Soldier (Common)
Haste
Ambition 2 (At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may reveal the top two cards of your library. For each creature card revealed this way, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Put those cards on the bottom of your library in any order.)
2/2
Design -
(1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy is (somehow) interested in the ability to make his hasty beater bigger, Johnny knows ways to gey more value of it than usual, Spike doesn't like to act risky and do random things, also power level of this card is very mediocre for him.
(2/3) Elegance: This card is understandable but the only one inelegant thing about it is sifting your library each combat and tracking bonuses when you attack with a lot of creatures like this.
Development -
(2,5/3) Viability: This can be printed on cards of any rarity which is good for a guild mechanic. Also both red and white care about creatures and combat but only red digs into random hardly except for some weird white cards from Time Spiral block.
(2/3) Balance: 2/2 with haste for 3R is weak and an ability to (maybe) become 4/4 for a turn makes it just mediocre but maybe fine for a common (see Hostile Minotaur). The red has ways to abuse it with multiple combat phases (just like Melee, Mentor and other mechaics though...)
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: The closest mechanic I can remember is Ripple and some random cards.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor is nailed here - I can easily see white and red creatures being lead by example of other soldiers (creatures).
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: All good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Common and monocolored.
Total: 20,5/25
Thrill-Kill Hedonist 2R
Creature - Goblin Shaman (U)
Paincast - Put a -1/-1 counter on Thrill-Kill Hedonist: Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains haste until end of turn. Use this ability only once each turn.
3/2
Design -
(1,5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes to smash faces but doesn't really like sacrifice value for value, Johnny knows how to abuse things with costs like this, Spike doesn't care.
(3/3) Elegance: This is easy and understandable but see flavor section (I guess this problem goes there).
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Amonkhet shows that abilities that put -1/-1 counters on your stuff can be printed on many colors. Uncommon is okay.
(2,5/3) Balance: Something in between a mediocre or above mediocre card. You can activate his ability to deal more combat damage and such but on its own the card isn't that strong. Just okay.
(2/3) Uniqueness: Things like this were done on Amonkhet spells in numbers. Not exactly though.
(2/3) Flavor: Ability called "paincast" seems wrong because in terms of gameplay casting means playing cards, not activating abilities. No other problems.
Polish -
(2,5/3) Quality: "Activate", not "use".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.
Total: 20,5/25
New Pravh Vanguard 2WW
Creature - Human Soldier [Uncommon]
White creatures you control have +0/+1 and vigilance.
Absolute Law - 2WWUU (You may cast this card for its Absolute Law cost. If you do, put in the Command Zone with a law counter as it resolves and it becomes an Emblem with the same rules text. Then, return all other cards you own with law counters on them to your hand.)
2/4
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Timmy and Spike doesn't look very interested. Johnny, maybe.
(0,5/3) Elegance: This card is far from elegant - it mentions emblems, command zone, counters on emblems (!), removable (replacable) emblems and also gratns a bonus to itself (like some Slivers did). Also keep in mind, we are judging not only cards but mechanics here - which means some commons from your guild should have the same mechanic printed on them which doesn't help.
Development -
(1,5/3) Viability: All about your card is white, not blue, co WU solor identity is questionable. Also the complexity you established here doesn't go well on uncommons and commons.
(2/3) Balance: The creature is okay but specific 6-mana cost for such ability is too much, yes, it feels like irremovable enchantment but anyway.
(3/3) Uniqueness: I have to admit, creatures (and any other non-planeswalker spells) creating emblems are 100% new.
(2,5/3) Flavor: The flavor is strong here since Absolute Law is something that fits Azorius well and because Azor, the Lawbringer is a former planeswalker. But regular members of Azorius senate being able to make emblems is still dubious.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Command Zone should not be capitalized, also "get +0/+1 and have vigilance".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met. Just FYI, your card idea impressed me the most but the execution isn't great.
Total: 16,5/25
Forestguy 22
PsyOp 20,5
Marco 20,5
Koopa 20
RaikouRider 19,5
mirrodin71 17
Clockwork Gamer 16,5
Sorcery (U)
Experiment 5 (When you cast this, roll a six-sided die. If you roll a 5 or greater, the experiment is successful.)
Create a 3/1 red Weird creature token with haste. Sacrifice that token at the beginning of the next end step unless the experiment was successful.
"Hmmm. Perhaps it could use more lightning?"
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: Txmmy likes some randomness!
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense! Dice rolling as izzet mechanic is great!
Development .:.
(2/3) Viability: Red and uncommon are both fine. Sadly, dice rolling is not a thing we can expect to see in black border world anytime soon.
(3/3) Balance: A hasty 2-mana 3/1 with a 1/3 chance of surviving the experiment's outcome. Not exactly game breaking.
Creativity .:.
(2/3) Uniqueness: I was thinking of Hellspark Elemental or Spike Jester with added chaos.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor is on point here.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Creature - Weird (C)
When Catalyst Weird enters the battlefield, spelltest. (The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell this turn, put it into your hand as it resolves.)
Sacrifice Catalyst Weird: Add UR.
1/3
Design .:.
(1,5/3) Appeal: Spelltest seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with Spike potential.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(2/3) Viability: Catalyst Elemental is a recently printed common creature with the same mana cost and mana generating ability. This weird version here is a little better at blocking and has a big upside. Risky for a common.
(1/3) Balance: I can imagine a card like this in a budget storm deck. The whole mechanic seems a little problematic or very difficult to design viable cards around it. All cards with spelltest probably need to be below their usual point on the mana curve, compared to cards with the same/similar effect but without spelltest. What seems to be working against the thing spelltest wants you to do; cast another instant or sorcery. Or all instants and sorceries need to get more expensive, like, all instants and sorceries of that standard cycle. That's my first impression.
Creativity .:.
(2/3) Uniqueness: The formula seems to be Catalyst >creature type< here.
(3/3) Flavor: Simple but effective.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: Spelltest creates a replacement effect, the reminder text should probably look something like this: "The next time you cast an instant or sorcery spell from your hand this turn, put that card into your hand instead of into your graveyard as it resolves.", e.g. Soulfire Grand Master. Making spelltest an action keyword reads strange as it generates a delayed trigger and not something you do immediately. I'd go in the direction of rebound with the wording.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 19/25
Creature - Human Wizard (Uncommon)
Whenever Duskmantle Bloodseer enters the battlefield, plot (To plot, exile the top card of your library face-down. You may look at it any time.)
Turn a face-down card you own in exile face-up: Put that card in your hand. You lose life equel to its mana cost.
1/1
Design .:.
(2/3) Appeal: Plot seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with great Spike potential.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(2/3) Viability: Trading card advantage for those lousy life points is very black.
This card draws you the best plotted card this way. Maybe fine at uncommon.Misread, this can draw you any number of plotted cards and is probably way too strong this way, especially as an uncommon.(1/3) Balance:
This feels like a clean and simple plot card.Bob is proof that life isn't worth as much as cards. This is good even if it just nets you the land you need right now for 0 life. Besides that I think these cards should only be able to care about plotted cards. There are cards that let you exile cards as part of a cost.Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: A card that draws that weirdly feels pretty fresh.
(3/3) Flavor: Makes sense.
Polish .:.
(1,5/3) Quality: Entering the battlefield can only happen one time for each card, thus "When" is written instead of "Whenever". There's missing a dot after the first plot. The last sentence should read "You los life equal to its converted mana cost.", you can't substract B from your life total.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20,5/25
Instant (U)
Exile target spell unless it’s controller pays X.
Exile Customs Stop from your hand: Appropriate (You may cast an exiled card your opponent owns with equal or lesser converted mana cost to this card without paying it's mana cost.)
Lightning-charged fire slugs! These are strictly fobidden by the 17th amendment to the Izzet-Rakdos-Simic weapons cross-contamination accord. They will be added to the Magical Deterrent Armory for emergency deployment.
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: This card/mechanic is made for Jxnny.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(2/3) Viability: Countering and stealing cards is both blue. While technically not false, the wording should probably look a little bit more like Syncopate. Directly exiling spells was so far only done on one mythic instant.
(2,5/3) Balance: Appropriate needs a lot of set up to really work I think. It should be possible to make exciting cards with it in a standard environment. Outside of standard there's some potential for sweet new techs, maybe with cards that normally aren't that good. The cost to exile the card from hand should probably be equal to that card's converted mana cost.
Creativity .:.
(3/3) Uniqueness: There have been single cards about stealing your opponent's stuff but not a whole mechanic.
(3/3) Flavor: Feels like a Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug reference : )
Polish .:.
(2/3) Quality: It's "its controller". There needs to be a dot after Appropriate.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 20,5/25
Instant (U)
Plot 3, then reveal a plotted card. Return target non-land permanent to it's owner's hand if it's converted mana cost is less than or equal to the revealed card. (To plot 3, exile the top three cards of your library face down. You may look at them at any time.)
Design .:.
(1,5/3) Appeal: Plot seems to be a Jxnny mechanic with Spike potential.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: Bouncing is blue. The power level seems okey.
(3/3) Balance: Funny to have plot two times, even with the same reminder text. There are some important differences in the execution though. Look at netn10's entry to follow, please. The same idea was used more carefully here, Groove's design. It appears that cards only care about plotted cards and not cards in exile in general. This time I don't feel the need to emergency ban a whole mechanic (some exaggeration added).
Creativity .:.
(2/3) Uniqueness: A complicated bounce spell.
(3/3) Flavor: This card has great flavor. Like, I demand, but what actually happens depends on other factors.
Polish .:.
(3/3) Quality: No flaws detected!
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 22,5/25
Creature - Human Shaman (U)
As an additional cost to cast Scab-Clan Cultivator, smash. (Sacrifice a mountain, forest, or creature.)
When Scab-Clan Cultivator enters the battlefield, if you sacrificed a mountain or forest this turn, search your library for a mountain and a forest and put them onto the battlefield tapped. If you sacrificed a creature this turn, search your library for a creature card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
"The Scab-Clan tend to mark their borders with rocks and timber, but you'll do."
2/1
Design .:.
(2/3) Appeal: While smashing sounds like the txmmiest of mechanics, it actually ended up being a rather jxnnyish mechanic. This card has serious spike potential.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense. But why, why doesn't it say "if you smashed a mountain . . . "?! Actually: "When ~ enters the battlefield, if it smashed . . ."
Development .:.
(2/3) Viability: Tutoring for lands and/or creatures fits into green. Smashing in general is perfect for gruul. Uncommon is too low, though. Cards with this mechanic seem to count all sacrifices, not only the ones they caused. This needs a more development.
(1/3) Balance: Having the choice of ramping or looking for a creature is very powerful and the perfect combination of choices, like, too perfect. I need either more mana to cast my payoff, or I have the mana and need the payoff. Counting all sacrifices done prior this turn adds even more power.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: In the vein of devour but fresh.
(3/3) Flavor: The flavor is awesome!
Polish .:.
(2/3) Quality: Mountain and Forest are subtypes and written in capitals. You search in your library for a Mountain and Forest card.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(1/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenge 2 satisfied!
Total: 18,5/25
Unscrupulous Collector 3W
Creature- Human Cleric {U}
When this creature enters the battlefield, indenture 3. (Exile target creature card with converted mana cost 3 or less from a graveyard, then place a debt counter on it.)
When Unscrupulous Collector dies, you may remove a debt counter from a card you have indentured. If you do, you gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost.
3/3
Design .:.
(1/3) Appeal: Indenture feels like a Jxnny mechanic.
(3/3) Elegance: The card is easy to understand and makes sense. A cool orzhov mechanic.
Development .:.
(3/3) Viability: White seems okay. I can see this card even at common level.
(2,5/3) Balance: I feel like exiling a card should not be mandatory, there are times where your creatures are the only ones available and you maybe need them later. Being limited to creature cards of a certain mana cost or lower is also pretty narrow. What speaks against any card type? Overall, I feel like this mechanic has some potential. The more dept cards you play, the better they all may get. There's some more design space in things you can do with indentured cards.
Creativity .:.
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: Graveyard hosing, if narrow, plus lifegain. Not spectacular but nice.
(2,5/3) Flavor: Putting dept counters on your own cards feels a little weird. Other than that, very nice.
Polish .:.
(2,5/3) Quality: "This creature" is only used in this way as long as the spell is on the stack.
(2/2) Main Challenge: Main challenge satisfied!
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges satisfied!
Total: 21/25
Flatline - IZZET - 21,0
TotallyHaywire - ORZHOV - 21,0
netn10 - DIMIR - 20,5
egoblinsw - AZORIUS - 20,5
doomfish - IZZET - 19,0
BlackWaltz3 - GRUUL - 18,5
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy loves drawing lots of cards and saboteur triggers. Johnny definitely has things to do with this mechanic. Spike appreciates cheap Ancestral Recalls for Modern.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The reminder text for mission is a little sketchy but it's a grokkable mechanic and altogether the card you presented is elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Monoblue is obvious, uncommon is spot-on.
(3/3) Balance: Nothing objectionable here; the "strong" mode, while, well, strong, also won't break anything. And no one will ever complain about this card being cast for six mana.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Mission itself is fairly unique but the way you're using it here is too close to cipher for me to call the card unique - be bold, my guy!
(2/3) Flavor: Flavor's serviceable but generic. Short flavor text would have helped immensely.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Good except for the aforementioned reminder text issues - including not saying that you exile the card from your hand. Suspend doesn't say those exact words because it already has mentioned that particular zone in its reminder text.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Met.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Good.
Total: 22/25
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy’s not too impressed by a pseudo-evasive weenie. Johnny likes undercover in general. Spike finds the card pretty low-impact but appreciates how hard it is to kill in combat.
(1.5/3) Elegance: Undercover is basically phasing out without actually having phasing, and phasing is not known as an especially elegant mechanic; there’s also the confusing issue of having an activated ability that only works when the permanent doesn’t exist.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: The keyword has the aforementioned viability problems; the card is fine.
(3/3) Balance: At the end of the day this is a card that has an ability that makes it hard to block in a vacuum, so it’s fine balance-wise.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: While I can’t say the keyword nor the idea of an evasive 2/2 for 2U is all that original, the design space of undercover activated abilities - if it works ruleswise - is unique.
(1.5/3) Flavor: Serviceable but generic, and “beguiling” is a word that suggests gain-control or Alluring Siren kind of effects, not stealthiness.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 18.5/25
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes beaters that can be clocks even when they don’t hit. Johnny likes getting bonuses for doing things he already does. Spike does like life payments and getting extra hashtag value but sees this card as a bit of a trap - hard to make a life-payment theme work in Limited and the body is not quite enough for Constructed.
(3/3) Elegance: Solidly elegant - one keyword and an ability word, a classic combination.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Color/rarity look right. Feels quite Rakdos.
(3/3) Balance: Nothing objectionable.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: The body is pretty well-tread and the actual triggered ability is somewhat… expected, but revelry is a unique idea.
(3/3) Flavor: Love it. Flavor text feels like it came off a real Rakdos card.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Looks fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 23/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes extra creatures. Johnny wants to abuse this mechanic. Spike DEFINITELY wants to abuse this mechanic.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Recruit is a bit wordy even if it’s relatively easy to understand and the “cast from your hand” rider does add words here, even if it’s at least somewhat necessary. I think you could have done without it, however.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: A bit complex and swingy for common, but there WERE commons with cascade. Red is obviously right. Using this mechanic in monowhite feels a bit strange with the haste-granting but hey, extort was a thing, and also it’s unfair to critique hypothetical cards that you didn’t put in front of me.
(3/3) Balance: Is the card swingy? Yes. Is the mechanic potentially abuseable? Sure. But, there seem to be enough riders on recruit to very much prevent it from getting out of hand; this card is far from the second coming of Bloodbraid Elf.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Recruit is the three-way combination of scry, cascade, and Collected Company, and the card is just a French vanilla with the keyword.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Kudos for including flavor text, but said flavor text is a bit… corny.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 22/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes hard-to-kill evasive creatures. Johnny likes things with multiple modes and repeatable activated abilities, as well as counters to play with. Spike likes - frankly - undercosted creatures.
(1.5/3) Elegance: Regenerate is a deprecated mechanic, and thus embedding it into another keyword feels wrong. The mechanic, as worded, will also cause some confusing situations when it triggers but fails to save the creature from dying (more on that in Quality).
Development -
(2/3) Viability: While uncommon is probably right for this effect, it is extremely jarring to see a 2/2 for 1U with two positive abilities at any rarity. The vanilla-bear barrier for blue hasn’t been broken in real Magic yet - this is a color that still gets Wetland Sambar functional reprints - and I frankly think we’re still a long way from that.
(2.5/3) Balance: Fairly nasty in Limited but I’m not sure how much Constructed impact it’d have. If this found a place in a Constructed deck though I feel like that deck could be the second coming of Delver with cheap blue beats like this.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Adapt is basically a persist/undying variant that doesn’t change p/t, and the activated ability grants a fairly well-tread pair of abilities.
(1.5/3) Flavor: What is this creature infiltrating and why? Flavor text seems like profound-sounding nonsense and doesn’t appear to have a lot to do with the creature itself. Unless the creature is hiding out in the form of a statue, or something? That seems much more like a Dimir tactic.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Adapt should say, in its present form, “If this creature would be destroyed...” because as-is, it triggers when the creature dies from having 0 toughness or being sacrificed, but in that case won’t actually save the creature.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 17/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes potentially 4 power across three bodies for three mana. Johnny likes both triggered abilities and tokens, as well as self-mill (which spawn seems to encourage). Spike likes the same thing Timmy does here, PLUS bonus graveyard hosing.
(3/3) Elegance: A strongly elegant card and keyword action.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: The mechanic feels Golgari and the color and rarity are fine. The small problem here in terms of naming is that Spawn is, technically, a creature type, and not the one that is on these tokens, but that’s merely minorly irritating for people like me rather than disqualifying for the mechanic.
(3/3) Balance: The card looks good - nothing game-breaking but also nothing to scoff at, y’know? And this looks like a good Golgari keyword in terms of utility and balance.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Neither token generation nor graveyard exiling is exactly new, of course, but combining them in this way is.
(1.5/3) Flavor: I enjoy this card’s name but it feels “obvious”. In a specifically Golgari context this feels like a Wizard and not a Shaman. Should definitely have flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Fine.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Solid.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 21.5/25
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy likes ramp and bringing his creatures back. Johnny sees this as a highly versatile potential combo piece. Spike sees this as a possible Life from the Loam-lite.
(2/3) Elegance: On the surface this card isn’t too inelegant (although it is fairly wordy), but the idea of using that triggered ability over and over - a search and reveal, a choice of zones to put two cards in, and then a shuffle - using exhume seems potentially very game-slowing.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Color and rarity seem right, mechanic fits Golgari flavor and seems appropriate for both colors.
(2/3) Balance: I worry about exhume - not in this card specifically, necessarily, but as a whole, considering it’s clearly meant to be a throwback to dredge. While it doesn’t directly self-fuel as dredge did, which was that mechanic’s key to brokenness, it’s still “free”, repeatable, graveyard recursion - as a keyword. At the very least this card is an annoying recurrable chump blocker; I feel like it would be impossible to design this keyword without coming up with at least one degenerate card.
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: Exhume is a lot like “Buyback: Delve”, and that ETB ability is straight-up Fork in the Road.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Generally good flavor but I’m getting hung up on the game of “which guildmaster is this” - Jarad? Vraska? Heck, Mazirek?
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: The flavor text reads awkwardly and ungrammatically in the last bit - “in preparation for the doom” of what? If it’s meant in a nonspecific sense there should be no article there.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 20/25
Gerrard’s Mom 22
bravelion83 22
Rudyard 21.5
StonerOfKruphix 20
Cardz5000 18.5
picnic_bomber 17
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝