Unmask the Impostor1U
Sorcery [U]
Exile target creature. Its controller creates a 2/2 blue Shapeshifter creature token with “This creature can’t be blocked.” Some impersonators are so convincing they can fool their own masters.
Insanity InsightUUUU
Sorcery (M)
Draw seven cards, then discard any number of cards. Delirium — Then you lose the game unless there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. “What most people would call madness, others would call genius.”
—Ludevic, necro-alchemist
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Spike appreciates the risk/reward this represents as well as the skill required to use it well. Jenny likes the deckbuilding possibilites as well as the potential combos. Timmy isn't a huge fan. (3/3) Elegance: Easy enough to understand.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Definitely blue, definitely mythic. (2.5/3) Balance: The closest direct comparison I can think of is Overflowing Insight. Does the risk of instantly losing balance the 3 less CMC? Maybe, maybe not. At mythic this is basically not a problem for limited. In a well tuned constructed deck, this is unlikely to be used turn 4. More likely this is going to be used to dig for a win condition much later in the game and unless there's some dedicated graveyard hate, that downside isn't going to mean much to a properly made deck. On the other hand, if Rest in Peace is in the format, it has the potential to be a dead card.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: It always bugged me that red and blue get basically the same version of Wheel of Fortune. Blue should get something closer to looting than rummaging which is exactly what your card delivers. (3/3) Flavor: One of the better cards flavored as dangerous forbidden knowledge I've seen. If you're not "enlightnened" enough to understand what you learn, you won't survive. Plus I'm a sucker for alliterative card names.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Best I can tell, the word "then" doesn't need to be in the Delirium ability. It's its own effect, not a continuation of the sentence. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Unspeakable VisionsU
Instant (m)
Suspend 4 - U
Whenever a time counter is removed from Unspeakable Visions while it's exiled, draw a card.
Target player draws four cards. You lose the game.
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: A clear Johnny card if I ever saw one. Tammy wants nothing to do with it. Spike might consider it, but the risk will usually outweigh the reward for them. (2.5/3) Elegance: Clean and easy to read and understand. Suspend maybe could have used reminder text, but if it's a set mechanic that can be left off a mythic to save space.
Development - (3/3) Viability: It's blue, it's mythic and it fits in the rules. All good. (3/3) Balance: The obvious parallel is Ancestral Recall or maybe Ancestral Vision. Making a card that's potentially stronger than one of the Power 9 is one heck of a power move, even when it comes with one heck of a downside. However, the downside makes it useless as a draw spell under most conditions, likely taking it from "absolutely ba-roken" to "fringe playable in a mill deck." Maybe it's breakable, but I don't see it being consistent enough to cause major problems.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: To date, there are 5 cards that have effects while suspended. All part of a cycle of creatures. There's also never been a card lets you draw 4 cards for 1 mana at instant speed. It definitely leaves an impression. (3/3) Flavor: Kind of interesting that we got two draw spells flavored as forbidden knowledge, but I guess the challenges encouraged that. The name hearkens back to Ancestral Visions a little bit, but has its own twist on it. Flavor text might have been a nice touch, but I'm a firm believer that it's not mandatory when the card speaks for itself.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: There shouldn't be any spaces around the dash between the 4 and the U. (It should also be an em dash, but MtGSalvation is finicky about special characters sometimes.) (2/2) *Main Challenge: Clear. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Judging complete for now, but I'm going to go back over with fresh eyes tomorrow. Interesting how similar the two submissions are.
Elvish Predation Pack
[color=green]•[/color] Creature — Elf Druid Warrior (M)
If you control an Elf creature, a Druid creature, a Warrior creature, and a Forest, you may cast Elvish Predation Pack without paying its mana cost.
Prowl 3GG(You may cast this for its prowl cost if you dealt combat damage to a player this turn with an Elf, Druid or Warrior.)
When Elvish Predation Pack enters the battlefield, it fights target creature you don’t control. If Elvish Predation Pack’s prowl cost was paid, instead it deals damage equal to its power to that creature.
4/3
Design - (2/3) Appeal: This looks like a Johnny card through and through. Tammy is more neutral, but enjoys beaters who can fight things. Spike sees a creature that requires them to maintain board presence to keep from being dead in their hand. (1/3) Elegance: A card with 9 lines of text, two alternate casting costs, no mana cost and 2 fight variants is hardly what I'd call elegant at a glance. Once you grok it, it's simple enough, but this is going to take a few read-throughs for the average player, and even experienced players will have to double check every now and then.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Green mythic if I ever saw one. (3/3) Balance: I doubt this would make much of a splash in constructed environments (although I could see a casual deck built around slamming 4 of these on the board turn 2 off a Civic Wayfinder). In limited, this looks like a fun and powerful build around first pick.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: As far as I can tell, this is the first creature that doesn't have a casting cost at all. The other pieces are all pretty standard, but it gets full marks just for that. (3/3) Flavor: It's a pack of Lorwyn elves pre-aurora that are just fine with fighting things normally, but just love to finish things off after their brethren bloody them.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: I see no problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All clear. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Sky Ride of Avacyn (No Mana Cost)
[Color Identity RW] Sorcery (Rare)
If the madness cost was paid, Sky Ride of Avacyn deals 3 damage to each non-Human non-Angel creature. If the miracle cost was paid, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control and Human and Angel creatures you control gain double strike until end of turn
Madness 1R
Miracle W
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Tammy likes both modes. Spike doesn't see enough payoff to put up with the hoops. Johnny is frustrated that there's no way to cast both sides at the same time. (1/3) Elegance: To date, every card with Miracle and every card with Madness (except Blast from the Past) includes reminder text. They're complicated abilities and the reminder text is helpful. On your card, including the reminder text would push it into borderline microtext at 10 entire lines. The abilities work pretty well, but you'd expect some sort of synergy between them or at least to be able to do both at once.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Works just fine color-wise and rules-wise. Rare seems alright. (2.5/3) Balance: I think that madness ability is a touch undercosted. Not by much, granted, but RR might have been better.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: This brings to mind the Shadowmoor-era hybrid cards, but certainly does its own thing. (3/3) Flavor: Depending on whether it's Avacyn Restored or Shadows over Innistrad, the host of Avacyn riding out can mean very different things.
Polish - (2/3) Quality: Based on those hybrids from Shadowmoor, the templating should probably look like "do X if Y cost was paid." (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Haakon's Vanguard
• Creature - Zombie Knight (Rare)
You may cast Haakon's Vanguard from your graveyard, but not anywhere else.
When Haakon's Vanguard enters the battlefield, if its Dash cost was paid, you may cast Knight cards from your graveyard this turn.
Dash 2B(You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it’s returned from the battlefield to its owner’s hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
Cycling 1B, Pay 2 life. (1B, Pay 2 life, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
4/4
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Timmy isn't a huge fan of jumping through hoops or paying life, but loooves beatsticks with tribal effects. Jenny has plenty to work with, and Spike is definitely interested too. (2/3) Elegance: 10 lines of text is not an easy read, but the abilities all have good synergy and are easy to grok.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Black rare is perfect for this. (3/3) Balance: Definitely a bomb rare in limited, but not an oppressive one. I don't know if there's really any existing deck that needs this, but I could see it making a splash in Standard.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Obvious callback to Haakon, Stromgald Scourge and none of the pieces are novel, but the whole is unique. (2.5/3) Flavor: I could see this guy fighting beside Haakon, easily. He might be a bit overshadowed by his subordinate, though.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Based on Acorn Harvest, the cycling cost should be "Cycling—1B, Pay 3 life. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All cleared. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Jwar Isle Wyvern {}
[color=blue]•[/color][color=red]•[/color] Creature - Drake (R)
Flying
Surge 2UR(You may cast this spell for its surge cost if you or a teammate has cast another spell this turn.)
When Jwar Isle Wyvern enters the battlefield, if its surge cost was paid, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
3/4
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Johnny and Spike see potential. Tammy doesn't care. (3/3) Elegance: Clean and simple. Thank you for that.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Rarity looks good. This doesn't need to be red, though. It's fine as a red card, it's just it could've been mono-blue too. (3/3) Balance: Looks just fine to me.
Creativity - (2/3) Uniqueness: Other than the lack of casting cost, there isn't really much here that hasn't been done a dozen times before in one form or another. (2/3) Flavor: Jwar Isle isn't usually associated with red.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: I see no problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Passed. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Heart ElementalxG
Crature - Elemental (r)
Flash
Heart Elemental enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.
You may remove X +1/+1 counters from among green creatures you control rather than paying for Heart Elemental's mana cost. If you do, untap each creature that had a counter removed this way.
0/0
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes X cost beaters. Jenny loves untapping. Spike thinks it dies to removal. (3/3) Elegance: Clean and easy to understand.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Green rare is a good spot for this. It's not very pushed, but that's fine. (3/3) Balance: It's a strong pick in limited, but I doubt it would see much constructed play. It's just fine for what it wants to be.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: There's nothing quite like that alternate cost out there. It's an interesting card. (3/3) Flavor: Why is the Captain Planet theme playing in my head?
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Should be "pay" instead of "paying." (1/2) *Main Challenge: It pays to read the clarifications. There was a list of approved mechanics that you were supposed to use and you didn't. However, you did technically satisfy the challenge as it was originally stated, so I'm giving you one point because I'm a big ol' softy who's desperately terrified of being mean to strangers on the internet. But I'm also leaving a note by your score to kick the ultimate decision of whether to DQ you upstairs to Eventide Sojourner. (1/2) Subchallenges: Has a mana cost, but there's an effect for paying the alternate cost.
Total: 21.5/25 Possible DQ
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Arrival of the Cavalry (Arrival of the Cavalry is white) Sorcery [color=gold]R[/color]
Reserve 1W(Rather than cast this card from your hand, pay 1W and exile it with a ready counter on it. You may then cast it from exile for 1W as long as it has a ready counter on it.)
Create three 1/1 white Knight creature tokens. If Arrival of the Cavalry’s miracle cost was paid, those tokens gain flying and indestructible.
Miracle GWU
Design - (1/3) Appeal: Tammy is interested. Johnny and Spike don't see a good enough payoff. (1.5/3) Elegance: With reminder text for Miracle, this is sitting pretty at 10 lines of text, and remember every Miracle card to date has reminder text. It's also not entirely clear how long the flying and indestructible lasts for. Is it permanent? That sounds difficult to track without a counter of some sort, especially if you cast multiple copies with the different effects.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Color fits. I'm not sure it "feels" rare, but it doesn't really fit anywhere else. (2/3) Balance: This seems pretty underpowered. Captain's Call that you can split over two turns and is sometimes better isn't too exciting to find in the rare slot.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Reserve is an interesting mechanic and I want to see what all you could do with it. Full marks even just for that. (2.5/3) Flavor: The name seems a little clunky for a Magic card, but I've seen worse get printed. Honestly my biggest complaint is that Knight tokens almost always are 2/2s.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: Never mind apparently this works. (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both good.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
bravelion83 22/25 kwanyeegor 19.5/25 Subject 16 22/25
----------------- Algernone25 21.5/25 Hemlock 21.5/25 Possible DQ Mr. Rithaniel 20/25
Judgments are done and if you don't like your score, you're probably SOL cuz I've got absolutely no free time between now and the deadline.
I somehow only just now noticed that StonerOfKruphix's card is half Instant and half Sorcery too. That would be a point off Elegance, but it wouldn't change who goes to the next round so I'll leave it be.
My judgments are up. If you think I was unfair, make sure you PM me well before the deadline.
On another note, my work just told me today that we're going to 12 hour days on Monday. I'll do my best to keep up with judging, but I may be a bit meaner than normal. I get cranky when I'm tired.
Tried(B/R)(B/R)
Instant M
Until end of turn, if a spell or ability would cause an opponent to gain life, that player loses that much life instead.
////// TrueGWU
Instant M
Each player draws cards until they have seven cards in their hand and gains life equal to the number of cards they drew this turn.
//////
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Txmmy generally likes gaining life and drawing cards. Jxnny can probably use it, but doesn't see a lot to get excited for. Spike likes having Rain of Gore as an instant, in mono-red no less, but thinks the other half is too hard to cast for what it does. (3/3) Elegance: No problems here. Both cards are concise and easy to understand.
Development - (2/3) Viability: Tried is a bend in mono-red, but not really a severe one. Usually red just prevents life gain. I'm not sure True needed to be green at all. And this doesn't really "feel" mythic. Rare, yes. Mythic, eeehhh. Then again, Sphinx's Revelation was a thing. (3/3) Balance: I don't see any problems balance-wise. If anything I think it might be underpowered. It's not really swingy enough to be the 4-5 color draft bomb, but in the right deck or environment it could do some work. Again, thinking of Sphinx Rev.
Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: Again, Tried is basically instant speed Rain of Gore with some minor differences. True doesn't have any direct equivalents, but it's not too groundbreaking. The option to have either or both on one card, and the one card combo, is definitely unique. (1.5/3) Flavor: The name is nice enough, and fits established split card naming conventions, but it doesn't really indicate what the cards do. At all.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: Based onDamia, Sage of Stone, True should read something like "For each player, if they have fewer than seven cards in hand, they draw cards equal to the difference." (2/2) *Main Challenge: All good here. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met.
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
We Had1BG
Sorcery (Rare)
Each player puts a permanent card from their graveyard onto the battlefield.
///// Fuse ///// Good Run1UR
Sorcery (Rare)
Create a token that's a copy of each permanent entered the battlefield this turn.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Txmmy doesn't like having to have to setup the card ahead of time. Spike might use one side or the other in the right deck, but probably not both. Jxnny sees both recursion and copying on the same card and has already preordered 12. (2/3) Elegance: Easy enough to understand, but A Good Run can make land tokens, something which R&D has tried and ultimately rejected due to confusion.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity check out. (2.5/3) Balance: I think both sides on their own are undercosted. It's hard to tell. We Had is symmetrical and A Good Run is highly conditional, but both are more than a little abusable. A lot depends on how good ETB effects are in the format. Since both of them together cost 6 mana across 4 colors, it really should be able to blow people out of the water, so that part's fine.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: I can't find any cards quite like either of these cards on their own. The combination of both together is in a league all its own. (0/3) Flavor: I feel you, but the names don't work as individual card names at all and have absolutely nothing to do with their effects. Without any flavor text or art to work with, there's really no flavor at all to this.
Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: There should be a "that" between "permanent" and "entered." (2/2) *Main Challenge: That's a split card with Fuse all right. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both good.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Mix2RW
Instant (R)
Exile target permanent. Its owner reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a card that shares a card type with the exiled card and puts it onto the battlefield. Put all revealed cards on the bottom of its owner's library in a random order.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
/// Match2GU
Sorcery (R)
Create a token that's a copy of target permanent.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design - (2/3) Appeal: This isn't really Txmmy's jam. Spike sees some decent removal or an extra copy of their best permanent, and those are both nice things. Jxnny can think of multiple ways to take advantage of either or both halves. (1/3) Elegance: So, including a line for Fuse at the bottom, you're looking at seven lines of text on a single half-sized card with Mix. For comparison, the longest text on a split card to date (that I could find) was Incubation // Incongruity at six lines, and that one was already looking pretty cramped. Match can make token lands. I've already mentioned this, but R&D has tried land tokens before and they caused too much confusion to be worth it.
Development - (3/3) Viability:Polymorph abilities are usually blue, but Boros feels like a good fit, actually. Token clones in U/G are fine. Rare is a good spot for this. (3/3) Balance: This looks pretty well balanced to me.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Boros any permanent polymorph is definitely new. Clever Impersonator can clone any nonland permanent, but that's pretty much the only one before. Together they're a pretty cool package. (3/3) Flavor: I like the naming here. It fits with established split card conventions and fits what the cards do. Split cards are difficult to flavor and I think you did a great job here.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: I see no problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Split card with Fuse? Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Hell BentRB
Sorcery (Rare)
This spell can't be countered.
Discard your hand. Hell Bent deals damage to target opponent equal to number of card types among cards discarded this way.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
//
Heaven Sent4WU
Sorcery (Rare)
Shuffle your graveyard into your library, then draw X cards, where X is the number of card types among cards shuffled this way. Exile Heaven Sent.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Txmmy loves burn that can't be countered, but is more lukewarm to the other half. Jxnny likes complicated card draw. Spike sees burn that can't be used as removal and overcosted card draw. (2/3) Elegance: There's a lot of moving pieces to this and it's kind of bewildering at first read.
Development - (3/3) Viability: Color and rarity looks good. (3/3) Balance: Looks good here. I see no problems.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: They're not too out of bounds from existing cards, but there's nothing else quite like them. (3/3) Flavor: I like it. Hell Bent makes you Hellbent. Heaven Sent sends dead things to the big library in the sky.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: I see no problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Split card with Fuse. (2/2) Subchallenges: Both cleared.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Live Long X(G/W)(G/W)
Instant {R}
You gain twice X life. Create X 0/2 green and white Plant Wall creature tokens with defender.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
//
Prosper 1(U/B)
Sorcery {R}
Sacrifice any number of creatures. For each creature sacrificed this way, draw a card and create a colorless Treasure artifact token with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color."
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design - (2.5/3) Appeal: Txmmy generally likes X spells, tokens and big mana, but it's hard for them to get excited about 0/2 defenders and sacrificing their own stuff. Jxnny sees combos galore. Spike sees solid value. (1.5/3) Elegance: Both halves are simple and easy to understand, though Prosper is bordering dangerously close to microtext. The real problem is that one side is an instant and the other is a sorcery. So when you Fuse it, is it an instant or sorcery? It's both! And since when two rules contradict, "can't" trumps "can," that means that you can only Fuse it any time you could cast a sorcery. At least that's the best I can figure out. There's never been a precedent for this. I can see a lot of judge calls over this card.
Development - (2.5/3) Viability: Live Long fits perfectly into either white or green. Prosper is a bit of a bend in blue, but it gets to sacrifice creatures for profit every now and then, like in the Exploit mechanic. This might be alright as an uncommon, but it wouldn't be out of place as a rare either. (2.5/3) Balance: This is hella abusable in the right setting. To start with, Parallel Lives and any effect like it turns it into a pseudo-ritual where you get quadruple the value of X in Treasure and some cards and life on top. That said, "goes nuts with Doubling Season" is a pretty low bar. In Standard, without any token doublers, it looks perfectly fine. Older formats have crazier things they can do with 6+ mana, so overall I don't think it's a problem. Prosper seems a bit undercosted, though.
Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: Live Long is basically Dawnglow Infusion mashed together with half of Supply // Demand and Prosper is pretty similar to any number of cards. Add them together and it becomes something new. (2/3) Flavor: The names work as individual cards and fit their effects, but WotC is usually more subtle with their pop culture references.
Polish - (3/3) Quality: I don't see any problems. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (1/2) Subchallenges: Both are multicolor of different colors, but "creature" shows up a few times.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Arid Arroyo
Land - Desert [U] T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W(1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
Unmask the Impostor 1U
Sorcery [U]
Exile target creature. Its controller creates a 2/2 blue Shapeshifter creature token with “This creature can’t be blocked.”
Some impersonators are so convincing they can fool their own masters.
Legendary Artifact — Vehicle [R]
Flying, indestructible, haste
Crew 1
Whenever a creature crews Widowmaker, sacrifice that creature.
You’ll win the race and die trying.
5/5
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Spike appreciates the risk/reward this represents as well as the skill required to use it well. Jenny likes the deckbuilding possibilites as well as the potential combos. Timmy isn't a huge fan.
(3/3) Elegance: Easy enough to understand.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Definitely blue, definitely mythic.
(2.5/3) Balance: The closest direct comparison I can think of is Overflowing Insight. Does the risk of instantly losing balance the 3 less CMC? Maybe, maybe not. At mythic this is basically not a problem for limited. In a well tuned constructed deck, this is unlikely to be used turn 4. More likely this is going to be used to dig for a win condition much later in the game and unless there's some dedicated graveyard hate, that downside isn't going to mean much to a properly made deck. On the other hand, if Rest in Peace is in the format, it has the potential to be a dead card.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: It always bugged me that red and blue get basically the same version of Wheel of Fortune. Blue should get something closer to looting than rummaging which is exactly what your card delivers.
(3/3) Flavor: One of the better cards flavored as dangerous forbidden knowledge I've seen. If you're not "enlightnened" enough to understand what you learn, you won't survive. Plus I'm a sucker for alliterative card names.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Best I can tell, the word "then" doesn't need to be in the Delirium ability. It's its own effect, not a continuation of the sentence.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: A clear Johnny card if I ever saw one. Tammy wants nothing to do with it. Spike might consider it, but the risk will usually outweigh the reward for them.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Clean and easy to read and understand. Suspend maybe could have used reminder text, but if it's a set mechanic that can be left off a mythic to save space.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: It's blue, it's mythic and it fits in the rules. All good.
(3/3) Balance: The obvious parallel is Ancestral Recall or maybe Ancestral Vision. Making a card that's potentially stronger than one of the Power 9 is one heck of a power move, even when it comes with one heck of a downside. However, the downside makes it useless as a draw spell under most conditions, likely taking it from "absolutely ba-roken" to "fringe playable in a mill deck." Maybe it's breakable, but I don't see it being consistent enough to cause major problems.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: To date, there are 5 cards that have effects while suspended. All part of a cycle of creatures. There's also never been a card lets you draw 4 cards for 1 mana at instant speed. It definitely leaves an impression.
(3/3) Flavor: Kind of interesting that we got two draw spells flavored as forbidden knowledge, but I guess the challenges encouraged that. The name hearkens back to Ancestral Visions a little bit, but has its own twist on it. Flavor text might have been a nice touch, but I'm a firm believer that it's not mandatory when the card speaks for itself.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: There shouldn't be any spaces around the dash between the 4 and the U. (It should also be an em dash, but MtGSalvation is finicky about special characters sometimes.)
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Clear.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Judging complete for now, but I'm going to go back over with fresh eyes tomorrow. Interesting how similar the two submissions are.
Sleep deprived but still alive! Let's do this!Design -
(2/3) Appeal: This looks like a Johnny card through and through. Tammy is more neutral, but enjoys beaters who can fight things. Spike sees a creature that requires them to maintain board presence to keep from being dead in their hand.
(1/3) Elegance: A card with 9 lines of text, two alternate casting costs, no mana cost and 2 fight variants is hardly what I'd call elegant at a glance. Once you grok it, it's simple enough, but this is going to take a few read-throughs for the average player, and even experienced players will have to double check every now and then.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Green mythic if I ever saw one.
(3/3) Balance: I doubt this would make much of a splash in constructed environments (although I could see a casual deck built around slamming 4 of these on the board turn 2 off a Civic Wayfinder). In limited, this looks like a fun and powerful build around first pick.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: As far as I can tell, this is the first creature that doesn't have a casting cost at all. The other pieces are all pretty standard, but it gets full marks just for that.
(3/3) Flavor: It's a pack of Lorwyn elves pre-aurora that are just fine with fighting things normally, but just love to finish things off after their brethren bloody them.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I see no problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All clear.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Tammy likes both modes. Spike doesn't see enough payoff to put up with the hoops. Johnny is frustrated that there's no way to cast both sides at the same time.
(1/3) Elegance: To date, every card with Miracle and every card with Madness (except Blast from the Past) includes reminder text. They're complicated abilities and the reminder text is helpful. On your card, including the reminder text would push it into borderline microtext at 10 entire lines. The abilities work pretty well, but you'd expect some sort of synergy between them or at least to be able to do both at once.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Works just fine color-wise and rules-wise. Rare seems alright.
(2.5/3) Balance: I think that madness ability is a touch undercosted. Not by much, granted, but RR might have been better.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: This brings to mind the Shadowmoor-era hybrid cards, but certainly does its own thing.
(3/3) Flavor: Depending on whether it's Avacyn Restored or Shadows over Innistrad, the host of Avacyn riding out can mean very different things.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: Based on those hybrids from Shadowmoor, the templating should probably look like "do X if Y cost was paid."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Timmy isn't a huge fan of jumping through hoops or paying life, but loooves beatsticks with tribal effects. Jenny has plenty to work with, and Spike is definitely interested too.
(2/3) Elegance: 10 lines of text is not an easy read, but the abilities all have good synergy and are easy to grok.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Black rare is perfect for this.
(3/3) Balance: Definitely a bomb rare in limited, but not an oppressive one. I don't know if there's really any existing deck that needs this, but I could see it making a splash in Standard.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Obvious callback to Haakon, Stromgald Scourge and none of the pieces are novel, but the whole is unique.
(2.5/3) Flavor: I could see this guy fighting beside Haakon, easily. He might be a bit overshadowed by his subordinate, though.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Based on Acorn Harvest, the cycling cost should be "Cycling—1B, Pay 3 life.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All cleared.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Johnny and Spike see potential. Tammy doesn't care.
(3/3) Elegance: Clean and simple. Thank you for that.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Rarity looks good. This doesn't need to be red, though. It's fine as a red card, it's just it could've been mono-blue too.
(3/3) Balance: Looks just fine to me.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: Other than the lack of casting cost, there isn't really much here that hasn't been done a dozen times before in one form or another.
(2/3) Flavor: Jwar Isle isn't usually associated with red.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I see no problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Passed.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both clear.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy likes X cost beaters. Jenny loves untapping. Spike thinks it dies to removal.
(3/3) Elegance: Clean and easy to understand.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Green rare is a good spot for this. It's not very pushed, but that's fine.
(3/3) Balance: It's a strong pick in limited, but I doubt it would see much constructed play. It's just fine for what it wants to be.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: There's nothing quite like that alternate cost out there. It's an interesting card.
(3/3) Flavor: Why is the Captain Planet theme playing in my head?
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Should be "pay" instead of "paying."
(1/2) *Main Challenge: It pays to read the clarifications. There was a list of approved mechanics that you were supposed to use and you didn't. However, you did technically satisfy the challenge as it was originally stated, so I'm giving you one point because I'm a big ol' softy who's desperately terrified of being mean to strangers on the internet. But I'm also leaving a note by your score to kick the ultimate decision of whether to DQ you upstairs to Eventide Sojourner.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Has a mana cost, but there's an effect for paying the alternate cost.
Total: 21.5/25 Possible DQ
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design -
(1/3) Appeal: Tammy is interested. Johnny and Spike don't see a good enough payoff.
(1.5/3) Elegance: With reminder text for Miracle, this is sitting pretty at 10 lines of text, and remember every Miracle card to date has reminder text. It's also not entirely clear how long the flying and indestructible lasts for. Is it permanent? That sounds difficult to track without a counter of some sort, especially if you cast multiple copies with the different effects.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Color fits. I'm not sure it "feels" rare, but it doesn't really fit anywhere else.
(2/3) Balance: This seems pretty underpowered. Captain's Call that you can split over two turns and is sometimes better isn't too exciting to find in the rare slot.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Reserve is an interesting mechanic and I want to see what all you could do with it. Full marks even just for that.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The name seems a little clunky for a Magic card, but I've seen worse get printed. Honestly my biggest complaint is that Knight tokens almost always are 2/2s.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Never mind apparently this works.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both good.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
bravelion83 22/25
kwanyeegor 19.5/25
Subject 16 22/25
-----------------
Algernone25 21.5/25
Hemlock 21.5/25 Possible DQ
Mr. Rithaniel 20/25
Judgments are done and if you don't like your score, you're probably SOL cuz I've got absolutely no free time between now and the deadline.
On another note, my work just told me today that we're going to 12 hour days on Monday. I'll do my best to keep up with judging, but I may be a bit meaner than normal. I get cranky when I'm tired.
Tried (B/R)(B/R)
Instant M
Until end of turn, if a spell or ability would cause an opponent to gain life, that player loses that much life instead.
//////
True GWU
Instant M
Each player draws cards until they have seven cards in their hand and gains life equal to the number of cards they drew this turn.
//////
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Txmmy generally likes gaining life and drawing cards. Jxnny can probably use it, but doesn't see a lot to get excited for. Spike likes having Rain of Gore as an instant, in mono-red no less, but thinks the other half is too hard to cast for what it does.
(3/3) Elegance: No problems here. Both cards are concise and easy to understand.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Tried is a bend in mono-red, but not really a severe one. Usually red just prevents life gain. I'm not sure True needed to be green at all. And this doesn't really "feel" mythic. Rare, yes. Mythic, eeehhh. Then again, Sphinx's Revelation was a thing.
(3/3) Balance: I don't see any problems balance-wise. If anything I think it might be underpowered. It's not really swingy enough to be the 4-5 color draft bomb, but in the right deck or environment it could do some work. Again, thinking of Sphinx Rev.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Again, Tried is basically instant speed Rain of Gore with some minor differences. True doesn't have any direct equivalents, but it's not too groundbreaking. The option to have either or both on one card, and the one card combo, is definitely unique.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The name is nice enough, and fits established split card naming conventions, but it doesn't really indicate what the cards do. At all.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: Based onDamia, Sage of Stone, True should read something like "For each player, if they have fewer than seven cards in hand, they draw cards equal to the difference."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All good here.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met.
Total: 20.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
We Had 1BG
Sorcery (Rare)
Each player puts a permanent card from their graveyard onto the battlefield.
///// Fuse /////
Good Run 1UR
Sorcery (Rare)
Create a token that's a copy of each permanent entered the battlefield this turn.
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Txmmy doesn't like having to have to setup the card ahead of time. Spike might use one side or the other in the right deck, but probably not both. Jxnny sees both recursion and copying on the same card and has already preordered 12.
(2/3) Elegance: Easy enough to understand, but A Good Run can make land tokens, something which R&D has tried and ultimately rejected due to confusion.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Colors and rarity check out.
(2.5/3) Balance: I think both sides on their own are undercosted. It's hard to tell. We Had is symmetrical and A Good Run is highly conditional, but both are more than a little abusable. A lot depends on how good ETB effects are in the format. Since both of them together cost 6 mana across 4 colors, it really should be able to blow people out of the water, so that part's fine.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: I can't find any cards quite like either of these cards on their own. The combination of both together is in a league all its own.
(0/3) Flavor: I feel you, but the names don't work as individual card names at all and have absolutely nothing to do with their effects. Without any flavor text or art to work with, there's really no flavor at all to this.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: There should be a "that" between "permanent" and "entered."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: That's a split card with Fuse all right.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both good.
Total: 19/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Mix 2RW
Instant (R)
Exile target permanent. Its owner reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a card that shares a card type with the exiled card and puts it onto the battlefield. Put all revealed cards on the bottom of its owner's library in a random order.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
///
Match 2GU
Sorcery (R)
Create a token that's a copy of target permanent.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: This isn't really Txmmy's jam. Spike sees some decent removal or an extra copy of their best permanent, and those are both nice things. Jxnny can think of multiple ways to take advantage of either or both halves.
(1/3) Elegance: So, including a line for Fuse at the bottom, you're looking at seven lines of text on a single half-sized card with Mix. For comparison, the longest text on a split card to date (that I could find) was Incubation // Incongruity at six lines, and that one was already looking pretty cramped. Match can make token lands. I've already mentioned this, but R&D has tried land tokens before and they caused too much confusion to be worth it.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Polymorph abilities are usually blue, but Boros feels like a good fit, actually. Token clones in U/G are fine. Rare is a good spot for this.
(3/3) Balance: This looks pretty well balanced to me.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Boros any permanent polymorph is definitely new. Clever Impersonator can clone any nonland permanent, but that's pretty much the only one before. Together they're a pretty cool package.
(3/3) Flavor: I like the naming here. It fits with established split card conventions and fits what the cards do. Split cards are difficult to flavor and I think you did a great job here.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I see no problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Split card with Fuse? Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both subchallenges met.
Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Hell Bent RB
Sorcery (Rare)
This spell can't be countered.
Discard your hand. Hell Bent deals damage to target opponent equal to number of card types among cards discarded this way.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
//
Heaven Sent 4WU
Sorcery (Rare)
Shuffle your graveyard into your library, then draw X cards, where X is the number of card types among cards shuffled this way. Exile Heaven Sent.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Txmmy loves burn that can't be countered, but is more lukewarm to the other half. Jxnny likes complicated card draw. Spike sees burn that can't be used as removal and overcosted card draw.
(2/3) Elegance: There's a lot of moving pieces to this and it's kind of bewildering at first read.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Color and rarity looks good.
(3/3) Balance: Looks good here. I see no problems.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: They're not too out of bounds from existing cards, but there's nothing else quite like them.
(3/3) Flavor: I like it. Hell Bent makes you Hellbent. Heaven Sent sends dead things to the big library in the sky.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I see no problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Split card with Fuse.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both cleared.
Total: 23/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Live Long X(G/W)(G/W)
Instant {R}
You gain twice X life. Create X 0/2 green and white Plant Wall creature tokens with defender.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
//
Prosper 1(U/B)
Sorcery {R}
Sacrifice any number of creatures. For each creature sacrificed this way, draw a card and create a colorless Treasure artifact token with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color."
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Txmmy generally likes X spells, tokens and big mana, but it's hard for them to get excited about 0/2 defenders and sacrificing their own stuff. Jxnny sees combos galore. Spike sees solid value.
(1.5/3) Elegance: Both halves are simple and easy to understand, though Prosper is bordering dangerously close to microtext. The real problem is that one side is an instant and the other is a sorcery. So when you Fuse it, is it an instant or sorcery? It's both! And since when two rules contradict, "can't" trumps "can," that means that you can only Fuse it any time you could cast a sorcery. At least that's the best I can figure out. There's never been a precedent for this. I can see a lot of judge calls over this card.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Live Long fits perfectly into either white or green. Prosper is a bit of a bend in blue, but it gets to sacrifice creatures for profit every now and then, like in the Exploit mechanic. This might be alright as an uncommon, but it wouldn't be out of place as a rare either.
(2.5/3) Balance: This is hella abusable in the right setting. To start with, Parallel Lives and any effect like it turns it into a pseudo-ritual where you get quadruple the value of X in Treasure and some cards and life on top. That said, "goes nuts with Doubling Season" is a pretty low bar. In Standard, without any token doublers, it looks perfectly fine. Older formats have crazier things they can do with 6+ mana, so overall I don't think it's a problem. Prosper seems a bit undercosted, though.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: Live Long is basically Dawnglow Infusion mashed together with half of Supply // Demand and Prosper is pretty similar to any number of cards. Add them together and it becomes something new.
(2/3) Flavor: The names work as individual cards and fit their effects, but WotC is usually more subtle with their pop culture references.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: I don't see any problems.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Both are multicolor of different colors, but "creature" shows up a few times.
Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Mr. Rithaniel 20.5
netn10 19
StonerOfKruphix 22
Subject16 23
TotallyHaywire 20
Land - Desert [U]
T: Add W.
When Arid Arroyo is put into a graveyard from anywhere, you gain 2 life.
Islandcycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)