MTG Salvation

Howdy folks! I'm excited to vehemently judge your hard work! I'll be using the following scales.
Guild-y: Up to 5 points awarded for accurately capturing the feeling of a guild (also flavor).
Design Space: Did you do something new or interesting with the established mechanics? Cool! You get up to 5 points.
Rarity: Does your rarity make sense? Up to 3 points if it does!
Melvin: How do the mechanics and rules of the game and card interact? Lend themselves to interesting plays and synergy between other rules? Also, here you can lose points for brokenness or similar design issues. 5 more points.

mirrislegend
As someone who chose Boros in their prerelease sealed event, I'm glad someone chose to make Battalion much less disappointing (yes, I'm still bitter about a 7-year-old set's prerelease). And who doesn't love a feisty 1/1 underdog(under-goblin?). Let's get to scoring!

Guildy: We have a history of Boros Goblins, and they're also weenies. This card does support the idea that the Boros find strength in numbers AND in strength. As a militant community, this card really sets up the idea of an army taking down a problem. Shoutout to flavor text for making this goblin likable. 4 points.

Design Space: Red and r/w have a history of the +X/+0 for attacking creatures, so we have a strong color and guild identity here! The ability also lends itself well to Battalion as you are required to attack with multiple creatures to get the abiltiy off anyways. But, this isn't unique in its concept (a pitfall of r/w mind you). 3 points.

Rarity: This card seems stronger than it's friends for uncommon as compared to other cards in r/w and with Battalion. There isn't a direct comparison, as there are 14 battalion cards. At 3 CMC and easier colors, Warmind Infantry is a common that gives only itself +2/+0. At 4 CMC, Ordruun Veteran gives itself doublestrike, essentially +3/+0 in terms of damage. The aforementioned Akroan Hoplite is 1 mana less but only helps itself. To be fair, it has 1 more toughness and is easier to go off than the Battalion version. 2/3

Melvin: We discussed some amount of mechanics and self-synergy aspects already, but one thing I like too, is that self-sacrificial aspect. It is going to be an x/1 regardless of the amount of attacking creatures. This little dude has an alpha strike ability, that forces you to make strategic decisions of when to attack and to utilize all aspects of the card in order to optimize its influence on the game state. 4/5

Total: 13

Mergatroid_Jones
Lands are the bread and butter of all decks! Okay maybe not Oops, All Spells and Manaless Dredge, but let's ignore those and pretend I'm right. This card has some sweet potential!

Guildy: Orzhov territory is often detailed by its ornate cathedrals, imposing bank buildings, and impressive mansions. If any guild would have a non-legendary land known for being grand in appearance, it is the Orzhov. Also worth mentioning, a basilica is like a church building, a place you would reasonably pay tithes--or be extorted by a corrupt mafia-run church. It also feels like the life you pay is an investment, that you will get returned to you in blood. Noice, 5/5.

Design Space: We've had creatures and enchantments, but lands are definitely new for extorting, and that is super exciting. There isn't, much more to this card, mind you, but this is tight. 4/5.

Rarity: Extort is mainly a common mechanic, that is seemingly slapped on cards purely for the point of having Extort. The rarity of cards seems more dependent on the other, more overtly powerful cards. The next section will also talk about how good I think this card is, which implies it should be a high rarity. Sadly, there isn't a precedent for this kind of ability on land so it is hard to say. 2/3

Melvin: Here is another way to read this card "T: your opponent loses 1 life." And that is only in a 1v1 game. Assuming you have a card to play each turn, this is just a crazy clock, that mitigates its own drawback. Extort is already harder to balance with multiplayer games, but in a traditional 4 player game this card reads "T: each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 2." I like the damage being dealt as a way to make the life gain more important, and as a way to invest in more life gain, but boy this just seems too strong to me. 2/5

Total: 13

Legend
The first of three entries TOTALLY MIXIN MY SHIZ UP. Let's do this!

Guildy: As a card with both Overload and Detain, I'm trying to see how I should rate this bad boy. It feels more Azorious to me, the idea of mass detention and incarceration is definitely Azorius in flavor, and that is what this spell does. Also, it's called Regulate. But I like the feel! This also matches the current storyline well, for you flavor buffs out there. 5/5

Design Space: I love how you guys decided to switch things up, mix and match abilities and try new things--gets me stoked! Mixing mechanics to get a strong and diverse spell works here! I also think Overload has a leg up in the sense that it allows designers to play with wording in new and creative ways. Other than using two keywords, there isn't much more to this card: 3/5

Rarity: 2U to detain something is a bit much. Most cards seem to value detaining a creature at 1 mana. And that's at common. But at 4UU, detaining all non-lands seems awesome! feels like a less broken Cyclonic Rift. I feel like if this card was just the Overload version it'd be rare, so the weak normal mode seems alright. 3/3

Melvin: I think this card does lose points by making you heavily disincentivized to use the normal mode. With the previously compared Cyclonic Rift, bouncing one thing feels bad, but at 2 mana and making your opponent lose that tempo is great. 3 mana to basically tap something doesn't feel as good. However, I still love the overload synergy within a cards own rules. Either way, 4/5

Total: 15

Subject16
An off color ability. Sadly, it may suffer from my "guildy" metric, but maybe it'll make it up in design!

Guildy: So I was trying to see who Jasna was to see if I could get a hint on how to rate this part. But there are, what, 4 white guilds? Let's discuss who it fits best. The ability seems to be similar to Merciless Eviction and fits the idea of Orzhov seeking "retribution" for your sins. The ability itself is most similar to Pernicious Deed which is green black, white would imply to me Orzhov fits even better as the CMC matters seems more black. Maybe this card shouldn't be white, but points for feeling Orzhov-y! 3/5

Design Space: Branching out into a bold new color for Overload is exciting, and I find it very interesting that this Overload card doesn't include the "you don't control" clause that most similar Overload effects use. So this has definitely delved into a new and interesting design space! 4/5

Rarity: Definitely rare. The default mode would like to be instant speed, but at sorcery speed isn't rare itself, but the overload ability screams rare to me. 3/3

Melvin: I do think this card should be black or green/black. With Pernicious Deed as the most direct comparison, this helps. It also seems to me that, with the symmetrical effect, white has shifter too much more caring about killing big things as opposed to small things. Just look at Citywide Bust and Elspeth, Sun's Champion. Now, again, these are toughness/power, but that is another reason why this isn't a white card. It doesn't synergize within its card space. 3/5

Total: 13

graffd02


Guildy: You even mentioned that attempt at an equally Selesnya and Golgari card. This evokes that! The Populate and token creation, and elephant (just, feels Selesyna to me) VS the caring about the graveyard helps. However, Jurassic Park seems more like a Selesnya-made documentary about why Simic is bad. Still! 5/5 for capturing two guilds well.

Design Space: Green definitely has tokens, recursion (sort of in this scenario) and graveyard matters abilities that all fit well for this card. And this tries to introduce them together! That's cool. But this card doesn't do anything new than makes a double-green-body double. More flavorfully originally I think, as opposed to design. 4/5

Rarity: Oh no! No rarity! 0/3

Melvin: This card does play off of itself in the populate-after-making-a-token way, which is one cool part about Populate that already exists. It also makes a potentially powerful token for future token and Populate shenanigans. Also, imagine this: cast this having it copy body double with any two card creature combo in the bin! Fun! 5/5

Total: 14

CONGRATS TO LEGEND!
So the new theme then is "vigilance and/or hexproof on a creature with color identity monoblack"

P.S. Jeezey Peetes. I promise I won't write so much in the future, this was extensive. I just got real excited to delve into the mechanics and flavor of my first judging post!

Dude, this challenge suggestion was actually killer. We came up with some great design space!

I rewrote the reminder text to do the same thing, but be a little more similar to evoke: (You may cast this spell for its evoke cost. If you do, it's sacrificed when it enters the battlefield.)

Votes: subject16, mr_lord_mr

Tidal Vortex U
Enchantment

At the beginning of your upkeep, put a vortex counter on ~, then you may put a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of vortex counters on ~ from your hand into play.

IIW: 2/1 creatures

Baloth Matriarch 4GG
Creature-Beast (M)
When a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, you gain 4 life.
If a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard ~ or a creature with 4 or more power, put it onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your graveyard.

4/4

IIW: weirds (elementals comprised of two contradicting elements)

As someone who ran one in every G/U deck I had, we are better off without Prophet. You drop her and then win the next turn in a combo deck, get way to much fuel in stax and prison decks, and I'm sure other situations are broken too. Run Vedalken Orrery and Seedborn Muse to recreate the card.

If it were instant this would be killer. "Crack this fetch" "in response, bolt #5?"

Still good, I like it, better than some of the burn cards already used in modern at least.

I feel like the first mode is them saying "YOU CAN MAIN THIS." I haven't played standard in awhile, but I would have loved this card last time Ravnica was around for my Selesyna Midrange deck

First thing to realize is that a computer can't actually be random. And another thing to realize is that humans are bad at telling if something is random. Think of it this way: there is only one amount of lands to draw that is perfect, but the majority of ways to have a randomized deck will result in slightly too much, or slightly too little, lands. And a perfectly random deck order can and should result in nut and horrible hands/draws at times.

Now your example is an extreme case, but it is probably more likely that you don't usually get screwed that badly. In our minds, being a land or two short may make us scream "MANA SCREWED" when in reality, we were only slightly unlucky. This goes the other way as well, "I drew three lands in a row? I THOUGHT THIS DECK WAS RANDOMIZED!" It can be frustrating when these things happen, but sometimes it is helpful to step back and calm down. Nobody likes being unable to play magic in a game of magic, but the essence of randomness means that these things will happen. Maybe add 1 more land, you may be surprised at how that stats of your deck change.

There is also the, unlikely, possible situation where you get 1 land in the first 15-20 cards every game. Although unlikely, this happening is still perfectly possible. You could just be getting unlucky. It may not be the randomizers fault.

Perfect for my Shadowborn Apostle deck!

Last Active 1 minute ago

Gone for good, here forever.

Quote from Serpent Steve »

I'd disagree. Mainly because that's exactly how commanders work. If someone is to destroy my commander it sets up that step where I decide if I want its destination to be the graveyard or its command zone. Same here. Annie detects a creature on the way to the graveyard and changes its course instead.

Mine is not an opinion, it's how the rules work. While you are making the decision to send the commander to the command zone, it is still on the battlefield or in whatever zone it starts out.

As for Anafenza, I did say she changes the destination, she just isn't the one to cause the zone change.

Quote from Simplysublime »

So my friend is having a baby and I want to do a couple of things and would like some input and help if you guys and girls are willing ad able.

1. I am making 4 custom cards that are blue and red(because magic doesn't have pink) I want the wording on the cards to accurately match the way wizards would word it. I will share the cards as they stand now.

2. Ideas for additional cards to fit the theme would be awesome

3. I want to build him a a Blue/Red deck around the custom cards that will allow him to reveal the baby's gender to our group of friends.

4. Where can I get the custom cards printed to ensure they look and feel as authentic as possible?

5. Can someone help with the set symbol? I would love to have both the male and female gender symbols entwined

First card is a U/R Legendary Artificial that reads:

When "Card Name" enters the battlefield, create a 0/1 colorless Baby token for each child you have outside of the game.

2, T: Sacrifice Imprinted Cavern: Create a 0/1 colorless Baby token.

Second card is a U/R sorcery that reads:

As an additional cost to cast "Card Name" Sacrifice a Baby token. Search your library for one Gender Enchantment card and put it directly in play.

Third card is a R Enchantment that reads:

If this card is in your opening hand or drawn, shuffle it back into your library

create a 0/1 Red Baby token.

Fourth card is a U Enchantment that reads

If this card is in your opening hand or drawn, shuffle it back into your library

create a 0/1 Blue Baby token.

You might want to rethink/reword the phrase “Sacrifice a Baby token”.

Quote from mirrislegend »

Quote from Mr_Lord_Mr »

Next challenge is RTR block mechanics

Anyone feeling motivated and want to compile the list of RTR block mechanics (and which guilds they belong to) for everyone?

Azorius: Detain
Dimir: Cipher
Rakdos: Unleash
Gruul: Bloodrush
Selesnya: Populate
Orzhov: Extort
Golgari: Scavenge
Simic: Evolve
Izzet: Overload
Boros: Battalion

Not going to copy and paste reminder text for all of these but now you can at least look them up

rileymcawesome subjectt15

Grim information UR
Sorcery (Uncommon)
Invert 1UB
Each nonmember of your team player draws 3 cards. Grim Information deals 5 damage to each of them (you are on your own team)

iiw super equipment

Legend, Mr_ord_Mr

Mystical Oscillations 1G
Instant (R)
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell this turn, draw a card.
Invert 1U (You may cast this spell for its Invert cost. If you do, remove "non" from its rules text.)
---
Nature and the artificial are more tighlty knit and intertwined than most think.

IIW: Languages

Soramaro, Legend

Davriel's Pickings 1UB
Sorcery (Rare)
Target player discards two cards. If one or more noncreature or nonland cards are discarded this way, exile one of them. For as long as that card is exiled, you may play that card, and you may spend mana as though it were of any color to cast it.
Invert 2BG (You may cast this spell for its Invert cost. If you do, remove "non" from its rules text.)
"Do I have an idea? My dear, I have people to do that for me."

IIW: Cast from exile

Upend Eternity (Mythic)
3GUR
Sorcery
Invert 3WBG (If you cast this spell for its invert cost, remove “non” from its rules text.)
Return all noncreature cards and nonland cards from your graveyard to your hand. Exile Upend Eternity.
Where time ends, there eternity begins.

IIW: an 11/1 creature

VOTES: Riley, Subject

Mr_Lord_Mr, Legend

Aetheric Undertow 4UUU
Instant {R}
Invert 2UU (If you cast this spell for its Invert cost, remove “non” from its rules text.)
Cast this spell only during combat after attackers are declared.
Return all nonattacking creatures to their owners’ hands.

IIW: A new creature type taken from D&D or Pathfinder

Cardz5000, void_nothing

Abyssal Depths 1UU
Enchantment (R)
You may have Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus and Serpent creatures you control enter the battlefield tapped with a +1/+1 counter on them and may choose not to untap them during your untap step.
Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus and Serpent creatures you control have hexproof as long as they're tapped.

IIW: Botany