Monastery Blitzer(U/R)
Creature - Human Monk (U)
Prowess
Whenever you cast a red noncreature spell, Monastery Blitzer gains haste until end of turn.
Whenever you cast a blue noncreature spell, Monastery Blitzer gains flying until end of turn.
1/1
While this can certainly be printed either in mono red or mono blue, a player would still need to play both colors to make the most out of the card, so this feels like a multicolored card in desguise, which goes against the spirit of the challenge. On top of that, getting haste and getting flying are not the same thing. The extra hoop required to make sure this creature can attack on turn 1 means it’s worse that Monastery Swiftspear.
Flux Elemental2(U/R)(U/R)
Creature - Elemental (U)
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) (U/R): Switch Flux Elemental's power and toughness until end of turn.
[2/5]
Hey, an actual hybrid card! I’m a bit worried that this guy is a bit too punishing for a limited 4 drop. It swings for a lot and it can tank a lot, and it has prowess for an added level of uncertainty. I think the activation cost needs to be 1(U/R). Aside from that, it’s a bit unoriginal, but it showed you’ve at least understood how hybrid cards and splashy uncommons suppose to look like.
Paragon's Triumph2
Instant (U)
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. Prevent all combat damage each other creature would deal this turn. Elspeth and Melira stood above them, a testament to their kind. Their victory spurned hope in a forlorn war.
Oh, I’m gonna end up hating this card by the end of the block, I’m sure of it. It’s one of those cards that I’d never seem to get in a draft and will always ruin an otherwise perfect game for me, yet when I do finally get my hand on it it will basically be a Fog and nothing more. I like how you’ve used two effects that are both white and green and mixed them into a card with ample flexibility. I would say that the flavor feels more white than green though.
Worshipper of Athreos1(W/B)(W/B)
Creature — Human Cleric (U)
Lifelink
Whenever another creature you control dies, you gain 1 life. “My master can give you life or deprive you of it.”
2/2
Another good example of a hybrid effect. I’m a bit disappointed that you didn’t push the envelope more here. A three drop uncommon with a 1MM cost can be more impactful as a creature. At the very least, I’d expect the p/t ratio to reflect an archetype of some sort. This would have been better as a 2/3 or 2/4. Good Theros flavor.
Mystical Selkie
Creature - Merfolk (Uncommon)
, : Another target creature you control gains hexproof until end of turn. "The blessings of mother-nature and father-sea are for everyone to share."
2/2
That is quite the little trickster you’ve got there. I’ve been recently playing against decks that featured the likes of Mother of Runes and other such creatures capable of defending the team, and so I’ve grown quite a distaste for them. That said, I’m glad you’ve included ‘another’ in the ability text, and I like how much punch this little guy can pack. It’s a great 2 drop, that would surely be picked highly. It’s a great way to push the envelope from Plaxcaster Frogling’s effect.
Flying
When Malefic Specter enters the battlefield, if any player has no cards in hand: Draw two cards if U was paid and each opponent takes 4 damage if R was paid. (Do both if UR was paid)
3/4
Here too, I do not feel like your card is in the spirit of the challenge. By design, it needs at least two colors to even be cast, and even if I could get past that, the effect will definitely will work the same if it was in a blue-black deck or a red-black deck. Worst of all, the style is of a “build me up” multicolor that wizards have specifically avoided doing in Alara Reborn. You didn’t avoid common mistakes when designing hybrids so much as stepped right into them.
1. IcariiFA - True hybrid and a surprisingly original mix of two old effects cinched this one for you.
2. Netn10 - First and second were really close. I feel like you've created a great yet simple creature, but Icarii's card was the more original.
3. Moss Elemental - I like that it's a. an actual hybrid card and b. and actual impactful splashy uncommon.
Wave Striker2U
Creature - Merfolk Rogue (C)
Dominant (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, creatures blocking it lose all abilities until end of turn) "You cannot hope to outrun or outsmart the sea, and you cannot hope to do so to me."
2/3
I was, like, 80% sure you were joking, but it did made me realize that there are now quite a few players who have no idea who Gerrard is, or that he was once the main protagonist of Magic's storyline (didn't help that his card sucked). Thus, I feel old...
Seer of Painful Truth2BU
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may play the top card of your library if you pay life equal to its converted mana cost as an additional cost to cast it.
2/3
Shadowblade Initiate3B
Creature - Vampire Rogue (U)
Lifelink
Infiltrate 2 (when this creature attacks, you may have it get -2/-0 until end of turn. If you do, this creature cannot be blocked this turn)
4/1
I like how you went with an original story, and I like a lot of your mechanics. Cunning seams tricky but well worth the reward, Alpha (I like the first version better) is great for the colors. I'd go with a truly painful effect, punishing chumpblocks. It seems that you didn't take that step fully yet.
Bide - has potential, though it is a somewhat overcomplicated suspend 1. I like how you've simplified the mechanic, but drawing a card on top seems like it would hurt balance. Lacking haste when entering the battlefield is a bit weird.
Valor is a bit meh.
Berserk is the worst of the bunch, as I just don't see a room for it to grow. It creates multiple Ball Lightnings, but would either make a deck absolutely insane to play against, or would have to be balanced so extremely that it would mostly suck.
As for individual cards - I'll go other the few that caught my eye, as there's no way to go over all of them:
Battlefield Devotee - seems like something that would appear in a later set as the evolution of the mechanic. I'm not blown by either mode of the card. Either you get a 2/2 for 2 (not very exciting) or you get two 2/2 plus a card on turn 4 (much better, but still feels like it could do more).
Cragsmasher Ogre - a 2 powered creature with Alpha won't trigger too much. Switch the p/t.
Astral Monolith - For a mythic, can cost much less. I'd love to do something crazy and vintage-y with this thing, but not at 6 mana.
The runestones - Interesting design, but too powerful in my eyes. Compare to Sky Diamond and its ilk - two drop mana rock with only one color that's still considered too powerful to be reprinted today. Can't be common for sure. Imagine a deck with three of those babies in limited - No need for other 2 drops and the entire curve gets pulled to a much higher range.
Vile Shambler - this trigger is wasted on this creature, and in a set that doesn't have heavy graveyard matters. Would be better on a more efficiently cost 4/4, and even better if there was something that cared about having a large graveyard as a subtheme.
Votes: Acheron_xl, Flatline (yeah yeah, tight competition for 1st place bla bla bla. This is by far the best of the bunch today. Except for my card of course. Vote Asrama!)
Embodiment of Force4GG
Creature - Avatar (R)
Trample
Creature spells with trample cost you 2 less to cast.
Whenever a creature you control with trample deals damage to a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
5/5
Ignorant Bliss1UW
Enchantment (R)
Players can cast spells and activate abilities only during their own turns. Life is so much easier when you don't have to care about what other people think.
While the card definitely works within white-blue, it has no reason being in those colors. Green is the color that cares about protecting its creatures from nasty tricks and counterspells, while white cares about everyone playing fair. While City of Solitude be a bit weird if it was reprinted today, it makes the most sense as a tool against counterspells, and as such, I just can’t see it in blue.
Boon of HeliodW
Instant {C}
Target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. (Lethal damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it. If its toughness is 0 or less, it's still put into its owner's graveyard.) There are some threads of life even the Fates can't cut.
Good choice of effect, as this does indeed work in white as well as green, but it’s probably the laziest color shift I can think of. I’d think the same if you’d have colorshifted Death Ward into green: there’s just too little meat here to make it interesting.
Dark Concordat1UB
Instant (R)
Regenerate target creature. You gain control of that creature if it regenerates this way. "Your soul is such a small price..."
LOVE the choice of card. This is one of those crazy old effects that’s so unique yet so out of place for white that it just begs to be colorshifted. I like how you’ve managed to also shift the tone of the card completely, making this an interesting and flavorful addition to the Magic cardspace.
Razorgrass Garden1W
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature without flying attacks you or a planeswalker you control, Razorgrass Garden deals 1 damage to that creature. An open field in New Phyrexia may not be the safest place, but it's hardly indefensible.
It always seemed a bit out of color to me that Circle of Flame was red. It’s just so protective in its nature, but dealing damage to creatures like that is part of Red’s piece of the pie (and I guess also artifacts). Enter New Phyrexia, which expanded what white gets to do with regards to causing harm. Harking back to Rain of Blades I think this card is just a perfect fit where it is.
Unyaro Hyena2R
Creature - Hyena (C) R, T: Target creature can't block this turn. "Like carrion in Unyaro" - Suq'Ata expression meaning "a sudden and unceremonious departure"
3/1
I see you’ve taken my strategy, and chosen a card so old that the color pie was basically just color pie-mix at the time. Even so, I’m surprise how well this card fits red over white, it’s even go a red p/t ratio as a 3/1 for 3. I am not sure if going back to the Mirage flavor was a good idea though. I like the set and many of its themes need revisiting, but it is part of Dominaria, and last time we’ve left it wasn’t exactly in a condition to host new creatures. I’d love to see this card in a different, more solid flavor.
Calculated Risk UB (R)
Instant
Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game. "Sometimes the biggest risk is not taking a risk."
Final Fortune is about as red as it gets. The sort of all in card that’s really speaks to Red’s philosophy. There’s a reason it got reprinted twice and remadetwice as well, as it just shows what’s red is all about, even if it’s not technically good and has plenty of other design problems. Which brings us to the second issue with your card: It had the same design problems that Final Fortune has, namely that players don’t like their own cards to cause them to lose the game without having a way out of it. It’s just goes against what players expect from the game.
Master of Pests2(G/U)
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Master of Pests enters the battlefield, you may put a token into play that's a copy of target creature with converted mana cost 1 or less. "Why do people always disregard the small things? Don't they know that even a little creature can topple an empire if place dat the right place?"
2/2
Noxious Army4B
Creature - Zombie (U)
Deathtouch
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Noxious Army this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Noxious Army.
3/4
While this can certainly be printed either in mono red or mono blue, a player would still need to play both colors to make the most out of the card, so this feels like a multicolored card in desguise, which goes against the spirit of the challenge. On top of that, getting haste and getting flying are not the same thing. The extra hoop required to make sure this creature can attack on turn 1 means it’s worse that Monastery Swiftspear.
Hey, an actual hybrid card! I’m a bit worried that this guy is a bit too punishing for a limited 4 drop. It swings for a lot and it can tank a lot, and it has prowess for an added level of uncertainty. I think the activation cost needs to be 1(U/R). Aside from that, it’s a bit unoriginal, but it showed you’ve at least understood how hybrid cards and splashy uncommons suppose to look like.
Oh, I’m gonna end up hating this card by the end of the block, I’m sure of it. It’s one of those cards that I’d never seem to get in a draft and will always ruin an otherwise perfect game for me, yet when I do finally get my hand on it it will basically be a Fog and nothing more. I like how you’ve used two effects that are both white and green and mixed them into a card with ample flexibility. I would say that the flavor feels more white than green though.
Another good example of a hybrid effect. I’m a bit disappointed that you didn’t push the envelope more here. A three drop uncommon with a 1MM cost can be more impactful as a creature. At the very least, I’d expect the p/t ratio to reflect an archetype of some sort. This would have been better as a 2/3 or 2/4. Good Theros flavor.
That is quite the little trickster you’ve got there. I’ve been recently playing against decks that featured the likes of Mother of Runes and other such creatures capable of defending the team, and so I’ve grown quite a distaste for them. That said, I’m glad you’ve included ‘another’ in the ability text, and I like how much punch this little guy can pack. It’s a great 2 drop, that would surely be picked highly. It’s a great way to push the envelope from Plaxcaster Frogling’s effect.
Here too, I do not feel like your card is in the spirit of the challenge. By design, it needs at least two colors to even be cast, and even if I could get past that, the effect will definitely will work the same if it was in a blue-black deck or a red-black deck. Worst of all, the style is of a “build me up” multicolor that wizards have specifically avoided doing in Alara Reborn. You didn’t avoid common mistakes when designing hybrids so much as stepped right into them.
1. IcariiFA - True hybrid and a surprisingly original mix of two old effects cinched this one for you.
2. Netn10 - First and second were really close. I feel like you've created a great yet simple creature, but Icarii's card was the more original.
3. Moss Elemental - I like that it's a. an actual hybrid card and b. and actual impactful splashy uncommon.
Wave Striker 2U
Creature - Merfolk Rogue (C)
Dominant (Whenever this creature becomes blocked, creatures blocking it lose all abilities until end of turn)
"You cannot hope to outrun or outsmart the sea, and you cannot hope to do so to me."
2/3
Seer of Painful Truth 2BU
Creature - Human Wizard (R)
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may play the top card of your library if you pay life equal to its converted mana cost as an additional cost to cast it.
2/3
This had made me feel old.
Shadowblade Initiate 3B
Creature - Vampire Rogue (U)
Lifelink
Infiltrate 2 (when this creature attacks, you may have it get -2/-0 until end of turn. If you do, this creature cannot be blocked this turn)
4/1
Bellowing Greathorn 3G
Creature - Beast (U)
Bloodrush — G, Discard Bellowing Greathorn: Target attacking creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.
Madness 4G
3/3
Bide - has potential, though it is a somewhat overcomplicated suspend 1. I like how you've simplified the mechanic, but drawing a card on top seems like it would hurt balance. Lacking haste when entering the battlefield is a bit weird.
Valor is a bit meh.
Berserk is the worst of the bunch, as I just don't see a room for it to grow. It creates multiple Ball Lightnings, but would either make a deck absolutely insane to play against, or would have to be balanced so extremely that it would mostly suck.
As for individual cards - I'll go other the few that caught my eye, as there's no way to go over all of them:
Battlefield Devotee - seems like something that would appear in a later set as the evolution of the mechanic. I'm not blown by either mode of the card. Either you get a 2/2 for 2 (not very exciting) or you get two 2/2 plus a card on turn 4 (much better, but still feels like it could do more).
Cragsmasher Ogre - a 2 powered creature with Alpha won't trigger too much. Switch the p/t.
Astral Monolith - For a mythic, can cost much less. I'd love to do something crazy and vintage-y with this thing, but not at 6 mana.
The runestones - Interesting design, but too powerful in my eyes. Compare to Sky Diamond and its ilk - two drop mana rock with only one color that's still considered too powerful to be reprinted today. Can't be common for sure. Imagine a deck with three of those babies in limited - No need for other 2 drops and the entire curve gets pulled to a much higher range.
Vile Shambler - this trigger is wasted on this creature, and in a set that doesn't have heavy graveyard matters. Would be better on a more efficiently cost 4/4, and even better if there was something that cared about having a large graveyard as a subtheme.
That's all for now
Embodiment of Force 4GG
Creature - Avatar (R)
Trample
Creature spells with trample cost you 2 less to cast.
Whenever a creature you control with trample deals damage to a creature, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
5/5
While the card definitely works within white-blue, it has no reason being in those colors. Green is the color that cares about protecting its creatures from nasty tricks and counterspells, while white cares about everyone playing fair. While City of Solitude be a bit weird if it was reprinted today, it makes the most sense as a tool against counterspells, and as such, I just can’t see it in blue.
Good choice of effect, as this does indeed work in white as well as green, but it’s probably the laziest color shift I can think of. I’d think the same if you’d have colorshifted Death Ward into green: there’s just too little meat here to make it interesting.
LOVE the choice of card. This is one of those crazy old effects that’s so unique yet so out of place for white that it just begs to be colorshifted. I like how you’ve managed to also shift the tone of the card completely, making this an interesting and flavorful addition to the Magic cardspace.
It always seemed a bit out of color to me that Circle of Flame was red. It’s just so protective in its nature, but dealing damage to creatures like that is part of Red’s piece of the pie (and I guess also artifacts). Enter New Phyrexia, which expanded what white gets to do with regards to causing harm. Harking back to Rain of Blades I think this card is just a perfect fit where it is.
I see you’ve taken my strategy, and chosen a card so old that the color pie was basically just color pie-mix at the time. Even so, I’m surprise how well this card fits red over white, it’s even go a red p/t ratio as a 3/1 for 3. I am not sure if going back to the Mirage flavor was a good idea though. I like the set and many of its themes need revisiting, but it is part of Dominaria, and last time we’ve left it wasn’t exactly in a condition to host new creatures. I’d love to see this card in a different, more solid flavor.
Final Fortune is about as red as it gets. The sort of all in card that’s really speaks to Red’s philosophy. There’s a reason it got reprinted twice and remade twice as well, as it just shows what’s red is all about, even if it’s not technically good and has plenty of other design problems. Which brings us to the second issue with your card: It had the same design problems that Final Fortune has, namely that players don’t like their own cards to cause them to lose the game without having a way out of it. It’s just goes against what players expect from the game.
1. Hemlock
2. Ink-Treader
3. void_nothing
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
When Master of Pests enters the battlefield, you may put a token into play that's a copy of target creature with converted mana cost 1 or less.
"Why do people always disregard the small things? Don't they know that even a little creature can topple an empire if place dat the right place?"
2/2
Noxious Army 4B
Creature - Zombie (U)
Deathtouch
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Noxious Army this turn dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Noxious Army.
3/4