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 BorosGoblins, 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 moreblack. 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!
Dang, I had even designed a snow manland in anticipation, but forgot to post it!!!
Anyways:
Acolyte of Rakdos3BB
Creature - Human Cleric
When ~ enters the battlefield, create X 1/1 black Rat creature tokens, where X is your devotion to black. As rats foretell the coming of Rakdos, they also draw his followers.
2/2
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.)
Favor of Twin Gods1B
Instant (R)
Invert W(You may cast this spell for its Invert cost. If you do, remove "non" from its rules text.)
Exile target non-attacking, non-black creature.
Supressed Memory
Creature - Illusion (R)
When you reveal ~ from your hand, create a 1/1 blue Illusion token with flying named Narcomoeba.
Forecast - 3U, Reveal ~ from your hand: Illusions you control gain +1/+0 until the end of the turn. Begging to be remembered, the past often has more than one way to catch up with you.
0/1
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.
Centaur Warchanter2RW
Creature - Centaur Shaman (U)
Prowess
Whenever ~ attacks, red and white sorceries in your hand have flash until the end of the turn.
2/2
IIW: Krakens, Leviathans, Octopuses, and Serpents matters
Baloth Matriarch4GG
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)
Aterix, Storm Hunter RRR
Legendary Creature - Phoenix (M)
Flying
Whenever a red instant you control deals 3 or more damage to an opponent, you may pay R, if you do, return ~ from the graveyard to play.
3/1 She hunts exclusively in thunderstorms. Using lightning strikes to hide her blazing descent.
If Sanguimancy were target player it'd be pretty alright. Dome someone for 5 or 6 for 5 mana? And, of course, if it were instant it'd be a lot better. That being said, I do have an AthreosApostle deck that would be consistently drawing 5 or so for 5, could be alright. It runs The 3 or 4 soulsisters and artists so life usually isn't an issue
Hey, great article. I was recently talking to a friend about how I didn't know anything about Theros (other than I love their gods for EDH decks!). My only question: do you have more information or links about Gideon's "indestructible aura?" It isn't mentioned in his gamepedia page.
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!
Anyways:
Acolyte of Rakdos 3BB
Creature - Human Cleric
When ~ enters the battlefield, create X 1/1 black Rat creature tokens, where X is your devotion to black.
As rats foretell the coming of Rakdos, they also draw his followers.
2/2
IIW: Savanna creatures (Zebra, Elephant, etc.)
P.S. @Sephon19 the challenge is Return to Ravnica block, circa 2012, so Rakdos had "unleash." I like the card but doesn't follow the theme exactly
Favor of Twin Gods 1B
Instant (R)
Invert W (You may cast this spell for its Invert cost. If you do, remove "non" from its rules text.)
Exile target non-attacking, non-black creature.
IIW: Overload
Creature - Illusion (R)
When you reveal ~ from your hand, create a 1/1 blue Illusion token with flying named Narcomoeba.
Forecast - 3U, Reveal ~ from your hand: Illusions you control gain +1/+0 until the end of the turn.
Begging to be remembered, the past often has more than one way to catch up with you.
0/1
IIW: RTR block mechanics
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
Matsu Frontrunner 2G
Creature - Snake Scout (R)
Forestwalk, haste
Other Snakes your control have firststrike.
Other Scouts you control have forestwalk.
The Matsu tribe of Kamigawa knows their forests more than any elf of Lorwyn.
2/1
IIW: Legendary Sorceries
Centaur Warchanter 2RW
Creature - Centaur Shaman (U)
Prowess
Whenever ~ attacks, red and white sorceries in your hand have flash until the end of the turn.
2/2
IIW: Krakens, Leviathans, Octopuses, and Serpents matters
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)
Aterix, Storm Hunter RRR
Legendary Creature - Phoenix (M)
Flying
Whenever a red instant you control deals 3 or more damage to an opponent, you may pay R, if you do, return ~ from the graveyard to play.
3/1
She hunts exclusively in thunderstorms. Using lightning strikes to hide her blazing descent.
IIW: Off-color weirds