I see, so raise dead becomes black's "cantrip." That's a pretty high concept. I always thought it was kind of weird that every color got access to drawing a card with cantrips. So, it'd be interesting if you get rid of the generic "draw a card" cantrip, and instead, every color's cantrip was unique to their own philosophy and abilities. There are certainly enough not-quite-worth-a-card abilities in each color. How's this for a first attempt:
white - put a 1/1 token onto the battlefield
blue - draw a card
black - return a creature from your graveyard to hand
red - add to your mana pool
green - put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control
Maybe scry could be the true ability that could be added to a card of any color, replacing the generic cantrip role.
White's would probably be "Gain {some} life," since that's a lot simpler and easier to add to a lot of cards. I don't know what red and green's would be, though I would vote for dealing 1 damage to opponents for red and... I don't know, returning a land from your graveyard for green?
I think that philosophy matters more to set creation than to an individual entry to a contest. If you look at Scars and Innistrad together, WOTC is more than welcome to allow the mechanics to exist in the same environment, the most played environment at that. Which is to say, I agree with you that the WOTC policy is a nice thing to follow, but not to the point where everything they say overrides whether I like a card or not.
That's a bit different, since no one card between Scars and Innistrad referenced both types of counters.
personally, i don't feel the need to lean too heavily on WotC's assumed authority
They make the game. Their authority is more than assumed. There are design decisions that they make that I don't agree with, but as an amateur designer I feel that it's best to try to conform to their standards as much as possible.
Putrescence Priest2BB
Creature - Human Cleric (R)
When Putrescence Priest enters play, +1/+1 counters become -1/-1 counters until end of turn. "What doesn't kill you makes me laugh." 2/2
Designs like this always make me shake my head. I go with the assumption that everyone is designing cards according to Wizard's philosophies, and that philosophy includes not printing cards that reference +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters in the same block, let alone in the same set or on the same card. That's why any card doing so will never get my vote in the DCC.
That said, I think the idea behind this is fairly attractive. It just needs to give creatures -2/-2 for each counter or them, or something, instead of what it's currently doing.
Wizened Elk -- 2GG
Creature -- Elk (R)
Reincarnate (Each creature card in your graveyard you exile while casting this spell pays for 1 or one mana of that card's color.)
Hexproof
Whenever Wizened Elk enters the battlefield, dies, or is exiled from anywhere, you gain 4 life.
4/4
I'm voting for you because I like Reincarnate, but know that I think that the life gain ability is way too pushed.
Chirones, Sage of the Centaurs2GW
Legendary Enchantment Creature - God (M)
Indestructible
As long as you don't control three or more Centaurs,Chirones is not a creature.
When Chirones enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep, put a 3/3 green Centaur creature token on the battlefield. 2GW: Prevent all damage that would be dealt this turn to target Centaur you control.
5/5
This thing is ridiculous. It pumps out 3/3 tokens every turn AND when it enters the battlefield? That's crazy. Goblin Assault, Awakening Zone, and even Bitterblossom make much smaller tokens and aren't indestructible, even if they do cost less. Those also can't attack as creatures and don't protect their tokens. Compare this to a planeswalker with 4 cmc. How many of them make 3/3 tokens?
Now this I like more than your previous :2mana::symg::symu: card, that with the 'forest and island' made it too obvious that you should use self-mill, instead of it occurring naturally. Problem with this card is that is not blue.
It's basically Coiling Oracle for your first draw every turn. I guess no one got the reference.
White's would probably be "Gain {some} life," since that's a lot simpler and easier to add to a lot of cards. I don't know what red and green's would be, though I would vote for dealing 1 damage to opponents for red and... I don't know, returning a land from your graveyard for green?
That's a bit different, since no one card between Scars and Innistrad referenced both types of counters.
They make the game. Their authority is more than assumed. There are design decisions that they make that I don't agree with, but as an amateur designer I feel that it's best to try to conform to their standards as much as possible.
Designs like this always make me shake my head. I go with the assumption that everyone is designing cards according to Wizard's philosophies, and that philosophy includes not printing cards that reference +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters in the same block, let alone in the same set or on the same card. That's why any card doing so will never get my vote in the DCC.
That said, I think the idea behind this is fairly attractive. It just needs to give creatures -2/-2 for each counter or them, or something, instead of what it's currently doing.
Sorry. I'll PM you should it happen again.
There were no points added to my score at all on the day I mentioned.
I still think this is the case, and that I should be at 36.
I'm voting for you because I like Reincarnate, but know that I think that the life gain ability is way too pushed.
"Choose up to two target creatures with the same controller. That player sacrifices a creature not chosen this way."
This thing is ridiculous. It pumps out 3/3 tokens every turn AND when it enters the battlefield? That's crazy. Goblin Assault, Awakening Zone, and even Bitterblossom make much smaller tokens and aren't indestructible, even if they do cost less. Those also can't attack as creatures and don't protect their tokens. Compare this to a planeswalker with 4 cmc. How many of them make 3/3 tokens?
Except that "alone" is in the reminder text, so I don't think this actually has any effect.
Fair enough, but I was really just trying to come up with more to say. My real complaint was the mixing of counters.
It's basically Coiling Oracle for your first draw every turn. I guess no one got the reference.