Action: A Vulshok blacksmith is pouring the contents of a cauldron into a sword mold. The red-hot liquid metal is flowing quickly and beginning to form into the shapes of two swords. Perhaps there is a cooling rack where other weapons or armor may be seen.
Focus: The red-hot swords.
Mood: Powerful, beautiful, lethal.
Reforge3R
Sorcery {R}
Destroy target artifact. Put two Equipment artifact tokens named Greatsword onto the battlefield. They have "Equipped creature gets +3/+0." and "Equip 3." There are few blacksmiths with the ability to reforge darksteel, and none who can create it.
Panosls: Mourn the Dead is clunky from beginning to end. I'm sure there's a more elegant way to convey the same tone without rendering the card wordy and unplayable. Elspeth Vengeant is extremely swingy due to her first ability (the words "up to" are needed). Pretty unbeatable in most Limited formats.
avatarz: Smother the Spark has a confusing name. You'd think that it could only interact with planeswalkers (or possibly players), considering nonplaneswalker permanents don't have sparks. I'm also not a fan of effective land destruction in blue for three mana. The other card that does something like this leaves behind a 3/3 Beast token.
Ink-Treader: Confidence is a bit boring. It feels like an Ordeal without the pizzazz. And that flavor text is overly blunt; there's no mystery or sense of subtle foreshadowing.
Am Shegar: Parting of the Ways is a great top-down card...with one major flaw. The card is so narrow as to be almost useless. Otherwise, fantastic job.
SNL: Quest for Godhood is weird to say the least. As the only card AFAIK that encourages an enchantment & planeswalker deck, it feels distinctly out of place. Also, cards like this tend to grant the ability (indestructible, hexproof, etc.) to other permanents rather than all permanents. (Darksteel Forge is a bit of an anomaly but that doesn't affect all permanents.)
iphanx: Rise of Diety [sp] has all sorts of rules issues associated with it. Imagine enchanting either Gideon and trying to figure out what is going on as the board state changes. No thanks.
Am Shegar II: Planeswalker's Legacy is cute but also overly narrow.
admadm: Phyrexia's End is a bit obvious. There must be a less "feel-bad" way to execute that concept.
Chemtrails: Solemn Pairing is solid Limited filler, if durdly (as acknowledged). I very much like the concept conveyed by the art description and feel like you did a great job telling a mini-story.
JuanCu: Yeah I was the judge last time. Oops!
Stapler: Sudden Departure is cute. I like flicker effects and I like that you can control when the creatures return. I would prefer the template/reminder text "(Exile them until you cast a creature spell.)"
SNL II: Escape from Nyx is the horrifically oppressive lovechild between Sudden Disappearance and Extinguish All Hope. Sweet Heliod I hope that card never gets printed.
Cythare: Mentor's Sacrifice is clunky but still blunt. A powerful line of flavor text could have justified the card, but as is I have nothing nice to say about it.
scarbo: Only God Forgives strikes me as the kind of card name that wouldn't be printed for the same reason we no longer see Wrath of God. The card itself is pretty boring, too.
MOON-E: Death's Disappointment is cute but seems like it would result in an excessive amount of shuffling. I don't like the templating of the card because the flavor of planeswalkers going to the graveyard that they are leaving the battlefield due to a lack of loyalty to you (the planeswalker who summoned them), not because they are actually dying. That flavor text is patently ridiculous.
I should have known who would win this as soon as I made it a flavor-based challenge.
Winner: Chemtrails
Next: Cards with art descriptions.
If you post a card that references Elsepth x Ajani, you had better include a serious entry in the same post if you want me to judge you ("as a contender" rather than "as a human being").
Sole SurvivorWW
Creature - Human {U}
Sole Survivor has indestructible as long as you control no other creatures. She is determined to live on for the sake of those who did not. 2/2
Reforge3R
Sorcery {R}
Destroy target artifact. Put two Equipment artifact tokens named Greatsword onto the battlefield. They have "Equipped creature gets +3/+0." and "Equip 3." There are few blacksmiths with the ability to reforge darksteel, and none who can create it.
"Borrowed" from Game of Thrones lore re: Valyrian steel.
Blade of the Berserker2
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each card in your hand. 1R: Target creature can't block this turn.
Equip 2
Shield of the Steward2
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature gets +0/+1 for each card in your hand. 1W: All combat damage target unblocked creature would deal this this turn is dealt to equipped creature this turn.
Equip 2
Setessan Foxhole1
Artifact - Fortification {U}
Fortified land has "T, Return this land to its owner's hand: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it."
Fortify 2
Industrious Perfect2G
Creature - Elf (U)
When Industrious Perfect enters the battlefield, it gains "At the beginning of the end step, search your library for a land card and put it into the battlefield. Shuffle your library afterwards." until end of turn. "The grove needs to reflect my countenance. You can't rush perfection."
2/2
Titan Fortress5
Artifact - Fortification R
Fortified land is a 3/6 white Giant creature with vigilance and "T: Add WW to your mana pool."
Fortify 2 "No matter where the Titans set up their camp, avoid it. They can't be caught off guard."
-Anton, bandit veteran
This has to include the text "It's still a land." or it will just fall off. (Fortifications can't be attached to nonland creatures.)
Fleeting Eidolon should take a cue from Skybind and target only nonenchantment permanents; in this context self-enabling leads to imbalanced game play.
Imbalanced as in swingy, or imbalanced as in too strong?
Yes.
Redevelop3GU
Sorcery {R}
Exile all permanents you control except for lands and tokens. Draw a card for each card exiled this way. Add to your mana pool X mana in any combination of colors, where X is equal to the total converted mana cost of cards exiled this way.
Ink-Treader: Architect of Nyx is very unique. I'm not sure if its status as the only creature card that can search for any land when it enters the battlefield is a point in its favor or if it's in violation of an unspoken rule. Its rules text should reference itself, and that flavor text feels strangely light-hearted. Solid overall.
WantonWizard: Guardian of the Passage is mean. As much as I like Conjurer's Ban, having it be a repeatable effect that can trigger multiple times per turn is just too much. The only saving grace is that a 1/1 enchantment creature is very easy to remove.
BlakeLotus: Aerox, the Frost Giant is extremely boring for a legendary creature. Also, it's an uncommon? I believe you're in the wrong mythology-flavored format...
SelesnyaNewLife: OP as ****. Maybe it's a good thing you didn't include an IIW.
Cythare: As mentioned, Nyxborn Pathfinder is just a worse Whitewater Naiads. Nyxbane Eidolon would be the only card with Constellation that has an optional trigger. Dislike. (It's also insanely strong and weird in black.) Astral Flamegate is weird but in a good way. I didn't know Sarkhan was in league with Purphoros!
Am Shegar: Stardust Meadows is almost definitely unprintable. As far as lands are concerned, you want them to produce mana before you cast spells, not after. Props for the bold move, though.
ManyCookies: Stormbringer is disappointing. At first you think it's sweet but then you play it and realize that you don't have any mana leftover from playing your enchantments to actually get value from the exiled cards. Fleeting Eidolon should take a cue from Skybind and target only nonenchantment permanents; in this context self-enabling leads to imbalanced game play.
Cythare II: Divine Convergence is a flavor win but an execution fail. (Should be five-color!)
Rithaniel: Moon Magi is strong. A repeatable Dungeon Geists seems pretty mean, actually. Maybe if it just prevented the next untap? Glad to see you back!
Stapler: Astronomic Phenomena is potentially confusing. Perhaps it should only target noncreature permanents. I struggle to envision a use for this card that isn't horribly convoluted.
Panosls: Darian of the Divine is okay considering the limitations you set in place. However, generally planeswalkers aren't so limited in their scope. Also, the fact that it's (color requirements aside) better than Idyllic Tutor is a bit problematic from a development standpoint.
"Lots of ******s."
/inb4 ***** Megiddo
Focus: The red-hot swords.
Mood: Powerful, beautiful, lethal.
Reforge 3R
Sorcery {R}
Destroy target artifact. Put two Equipment artifact tokens named Greatsword onto the battlefield. They have "Equipped creature gets +3/+0." and "Equip 3."
There are few blacksmiths with the ability to reforge darksteel, and none who can create it.
IIW: A two-for-one.
avatarz: Smother the Spark has a confusing name. You'd think that it could only interact with planeswalkers (or possibly players), considering nonplaneswalker permanents don't have sparks. I'm also not a fan of effective land destruction in blue for three mana. The other card that does something like this leaves behind a 3/3 Beast token.
Ink-Treader: Confidence is a bit boring. It feels like an Ordeal without the pizzazz. And that flavor text is overly blunt; there's no mystery or sense of subtle foreshadowing.
Am Shegar: Parting of the Ways is a great top-down card...with one major flaw. The card is so narrow as to be almost useless. Otherwise, fantastic job.
SNL: Quest for Godhood is weird to say the least. As the only card AFAIK that encourages an enchantment & planeswalker deck, it feels distinctly out of place. Also, cards like this tend to grant the ability (indestructible, hexproof, etc.) to other permanents rather than all permanents. (Darksteel Forge is a bit of an anomaly but that doesn't affect all permanents.)
iphanx: Rise of Diety [sp] has all sorts of rules issues associated with it. Imagine enchanting either Gideon and trying to figure out what is going on as the board state changes. No thanks.
Am Shegar II: Planeswalker's Legacy is cute but also overly narrow.
admadm: Phyrexia's End is a bit obvious. There must be a less "feel-bad" way to execute that concept.
Chemtrails: Solemn Pairing is solid Limited filler, if durdly (as acknowledged). I very much like the concept conveyed by the art description and feel like you did a great job telling a mini-story.
JuanCu: Yeah I was the judge last time. Oops!
Stapler: Sudden Departure is cute. I like flicker effects and I like that you can control when the creatures return. I would prefer the template/reminder text "(Exile them until you cast a creature spell.)"
SNL II: Escape from Nyx is the horrifically oppressive lovechild between Sudden Disappearance and Extinguish All Hope. Sweet Heliod I hope that card never gets printed.
Cythare: Mentor's Sacrifice is clunky but still blunt. A powerful line of flavor text could have justified the card, but as is I have nothing nice to say about it.
scarbo: Only God Forgives strikes me as the kind of card name that wouldn't be printed for the same reason we no longer see Wrath of God. The card itself is pretty boring, too.
MOON-E: Death's Disappointment is cute but seems like it would result in an excessive amount of shuffling. I don't like the templating of the card because the flavor of planeswalkers going to the graveyard that they are leaving the battlefield due to a lack of loyalty to you (the planeswalker who summoned them), not because they are actually dying. That flavor text is patently ridiculous.
Winner: Chemtrails
Next: Cards with art descriptions.
Sole Survivor WW
Creature - Human {U}
Sole Survivor has indestructible as long as you control no other creatures.
She is determined to live on for the sake of those who did not.
2/2
IIW: What happens to Elspeth and Ajani?
Sorcery {R}
Destroy target artifact. Put two Equipment artifact tokens named Greatsword onto the battlefield. They have "Equipped creature gets +3/+0." and "Equip 3."
There are few blacksmiths with the ability to reforge darksteel, and none who can create it.
"Borrowed" from Game of Thrones lore re: Valyrian steel.
IIW: What happens to Elspeth and Ajani?
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 for each card in your hand.
1R: Target creature can't block this turn.
Equip 2
Shield of the Steward 2
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature gets +0/+1 for each card in your hand.
1W: All combat damage target unblocked creature would deal this this turn is dealt to equipped creature this turn.
Equip 2
IIW: What happens to Elspeth and Ajani?
Artifact - Fortification {U}
Fortified land has "T, Return this land to its owner's hand: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell you control, put a +1/+1 counter on it."
Fortify 2
IIW: What happens to Elspeth and Ajani?
This seems unnecessarily wordy.
This has to include the text "It's still a land." or it will just fall off. (Fortifications can't be attached to nonland creatures.)
Yes.
Redevelop 3GU
Sorcery {R}
Exile all permanents you control except for lands and tokens. Draw a card for each card exiled this way. Add to your mana pool X mana in any combination of colors, where X is equal to the total converted mana cost of cards exiled this way.
IIW: What happens to Elspeth and Ajani?
WantonWizard: Guardian of the Passage is mean. As much as I like Conjurer's Ban, having it be a repeatable effect that can trigger multiple times per turn is just too much. The only saving grace is that a 1/1 enchantment creature is very easy to remove.
BlakeLotus: Aerox, the Frost Giant is extremely boring for a legendary creature. Also, it's an uncommon? I believe you're in the wrong mythology-flavored format...
SelesnyaNewLife: OP as ****. Maybe it's a good thing you didn't include an IIW.
Cythare: As mentioned, Nyxborn Pathfinder is just a worse Whitewater Naiads. Nyxbane Eidolon would be the only card with Constellation that has an optional trigger. Dislike. (It's also insanely strong and weird in black.) Astral Flamegate is weird but in a good way. I didn't know Sarkhan was in league with Purphoros!
Am Shegar: Stardust Meadows is almost definitely unprintable. As far as lands are concerned, you want them to produce mana before you cast spells, not after. Props for the bold move, though.
ManyCookies: Stormbringer is disappointing. At first you think it's sweet but then you play it and realize that you don't have any mana leftover from playing your enchantments to actually get value from the exiled cards. Fleeting Eidolon should take a cue from Skybind and target only nonenchantment permanents; in this context self-enabling leads to imbalanced game play.
Cythare II: Divine Convergence is a flavor win but an execution fail. (Should be five-color!)
Rithaniel: Moon Magi is strong. A repeatable Dungeon Geists seems pretty mean, actually. Maybe if it just prevented the next untap? Glad to see you back!
Stapler: Astronomic Phenomena is potentially confusing. Perhaps it should only target noncreature permanents. I struggle to envision a use for this card that isn't horribly convoluted.
Panosls: Darian of the Divine is okay considering the limitations you set in place. However, generally planeswalkers aren't so limited in their scope. Also, the fact that it's (color requirements aside) better than Idyllic Tutor is a bit problematic from a development standpoint.
Next: Construction.