What happens:
You cast your spell, only to realize that you have no idea
what the names of these strange symbols might be. Mumbling
some nonsense, you feel exhausted [- 1 HP].
> No progress. Still in Room 3.
> Health: 9 - 1 = 8
> Mana: 7 - 1 = 6
Comments:
This card doesn't work (as a Magic card) for several reasons:
- Your opponent could pretend not to have the card. This is why
all cards that said "put a *** card from your hand onto the
battlefield" now have a "may" added, see Elvish Piper.
- It can just drag the game on and on as you ask card after card.
- It's very, very weak. See Telepathy.
What happens:
You cast your spell. Some symbols light up very shortly,
but not long enough for you to remember them.
You'll have to try again.
> No progress. Still in Room 3.
> Mana: 8 - 1 = 7
Comments:
It's just a weak (see Telepathy)
and uninteresting card so it's not good enough
here even though the effect was suitable.
(You didn't make many mistakes: I liked your card.
It's just that it should cost at least two mana)
What happens:
You cast your spell on the guards and they fall down, one of
them losing his spear. As you try to grab the spear, they are
already getting up, though, so you have to abandon it and get
going quickly.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 10 - 2 + 1 = 9
Comments:
The card definitely works and is probably also balanced,
but the two effects feel a bit disconnected and there are
some wording issues:
- two target creatures
- unattach target Equipment (no "from creature")
What happens:
You cast Energy Sap on one of the guards, and it falls to the ground,
severely weakened by the spell. However, your action made the other
guard angry that is now charging at you. The guard tries to pierce
his spear through you, but it breaks at your Hydra Hide that has
grown strong. You manage to defeat the now unarmed guard with the
power gained through your +1/+1 counters.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 6 - 1 + 1 = 6
Comments:
The card is fine and certainly not too strong, I could even
see this effect printed without a power restriction for :symu:.
(When compared to Telekinesis or Crippling Chill).
This judging should reflect your actions and states better.
Note that you wouldn't have won a fight against an armed guard without
temporary effects.
What happens:
You drink twice from the Jar [+2 HP] and feel confident, maybe a little
overconfident. You take all the time in the world to walk through
the fire, not realizing your protection is wearing off. You manage
to get to the other side, but are burnt before reaching it [- 4 HP].
Comments:
The card is too strong for one mana - it gains you 2 life
every turn including the turn you cast it in AND saves a
creature. Not only red decks would have trouble beating
this card cast on turn one.
What happens:
You cast your spell on one of the guards. With a sudden
move, the guard turns towards the other and pierces him,
letting his own defense down. This allows the other guard
to retaliate, and in the end, they are both dead.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 10 - 3 + 1 = 8
Comments:
Once again, pretty straightforward, but good job on the +1/-1
which makes it more likely that both guards are killed.
On your comment, there are no problems with simple cards, but
they are often less likely to be rewarded with additional items etc.
Also, you may have noticed what I wrote about "I know who you are",
nevermind that, I thought you were someone I knew but turns out you're not him
What happens:
You cast Hydrogen Shield on yourself, and activate its ability.
You lift yourself in the air, carefully flying high enough where
the fire won't reach you. As you reach the other side, you see a
small niche in the wall where you find a gold piece.
The flying wears off before you enter the new room (but your Shield stays)
Comments:
Similarly to Prophylaxis solution: The way to cross the room
is straightforward, but the card is a very elegant, yet simple
design, that I could easily see printed this way
Maybe a cycle of one-mana enchantments that grant an ability of the color
with an off-color activation for an ability of another color.
Note: Store A has been added, and the second floor with Rooms 4, 5 and 6 (I chose a unique numbering, not 2-1, 2-2, 2-3)
will be added soon.
Or did you want me to submit a second card for this room?
The problem I had was that it wasn't obvious to me what you wanted to do. But you don't have to submit a new card now, I'll revise your last judging (fighting the second guard without weakening it only makes sense since you have the Hide and the counters on you) and take your action to be "cast your spell on one guard, then fight the other".
However, these are two points that might need clarification:
- Please always state what you want to do even if it might be obvious to you.
- Without items or secondary effects, your character is very weak on its own. So fighting something without weakening it through a card can only work if you are buffed in some way. (Note that you still need to submit a card)
Also, I added this rule, even though it hasn't come up yet:
- There is no way to go to rooms already visited, or to skip rooms. You must conquer the dungeon one room at a time.
(Yes, you still wear the ring, this is what I meant with temporary effects carrying over until the end of the floor)
What happens: You cast your spell on one of the guards. That guard burns to ashes and dies instantly and two sparks fly out of it, headed towards you and the other guard.
You are unharmed, but the spell's damage is not enough to take out the second guard. You do get a chance to pick up the first guard's spear, however.
> One damaged guard remains
> Mana: 8 - 3 = 5
> Items: Gain Spear
Comments: One damage just isn't enough to kill such a guard.
I like the design of your card though, as this "strong effect to one creature, weaker effect to the others" is cool and Wizards should do that more often.
What happens: You set up your Goblin Furnace faced towards the lock and throw the spear into it.
There's a lot of rumbling, then finally, the lock explodes violently. You were not prepared
for such an explosion and are harmed by it [-2 HP].
The important thing is, though, that the lock is gone. You continue to go through.
You find yourself in a shop. (The main page will soon be updated)
> Congratulations: You mastered the Beginner's Floor! Any temporary effects wear off.
> Proceed to Shop A
> Mana: 6 - 3 + 1 = 4
> Items: Lose Spear
Comments:
Avoiding the riddle may work, but the dungeon preserves its right to punish such uncivilized behaviour
To the card itself, the only problem I see is that it gives colors like black and blue access to quite good
artifact removal. Could cost even more and/or say "Sacrifice another artifact" (you might even have had that
in mind as you sacrificed the spear). Or have an activation cost of (It's a furnace after all)
In the future, please state what you are doing.
I will now just assume that you cast your spell on one of the guards.
What happens:
You cast Energy Sap on one of the guards, and it falls to the ground,
severely weakened by the spell. However, your action made the other
guard angry that is now charging at you.
> One guard attacking you, another down for some time.
> Mana: 6 - 1 = 5
Comments:
Only a single target, so you can't do much better with that.
The card is fine and certainly not too strong, I could even
see this effect printed without a power restriction for :symu:.
(When compared to Telekinesis or Crippling Chill).
What happens:
You cast your spell on yourself. The behaviour of the guards changes
immediately. They kneel down to you and hand you their spears.
You know well that the guards may try to fight for their spears, so
you quickly enter the next room before they have a chance to do so.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 9 - 3 + 1 = 7
> Items: Gain 2 Spears
Comments:
Your card solves the situation very well and it would have been
difficult for me not to grant you the two spears, so here you are
I had trouble with the colors of your card first (the only time
this effect has been printed, it was on Vulshok Battlemaster
that was mono-red), but both blue and red are manipulating and the
"awe-struck" effect is definitely white.
Just out of interest, is this taken from some setting (flavor text etc.)
What happens:
You cast your spell on yourself. As soon as the fire vanishes, you rush
to the other side of the room.
As soon as you reach the door, the effect wears off.
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 1 + 1 = 10
Comments:
Not a special card by any means (interestingly enough, that simplest
version doesn't exist yet. But with Arcane, it does), but you are
the first one to make use of the fact that the fire vanishes sometimes
Alright, I'll judge now.
@aurorasparrow: If you have a problem with that rule, you may resubmit.
Added it to the first post:
- Any additional mana you might have to pay for your card, for example ability costs or additional casting costs, must also be spent if you want to take the corresponding action.
Also, I changed the judging criteria a bit. I don't want to distinguish between what gains you boni and what makes you pass, as that makes it easier for me. I'll still try to judge Dungeon-specifics and non-Dungeon-specifics separately, though, and give some comments.
What happens: You cast your spell and send your Tamed Flame towards the guardians. Heavily burnt, they crumble to ashes. Your flame returns, but is weakened from the effort. As you approach the remains to collect the spears, you see that one of them is completely burnt. Better than nothing, you think, and collect the other one.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 7 - 2 + 1 = 6
> Items: Lose Tamed Flames, Gain Weak Tamed Flames, Gain Spear
Comments: I like the way you used your item. These kind of interactions are exactly what I had in mind when I wrote "you must submit a card, but may use stuff from before".
However, your card has a wording issue (it would be worded "Until end of turn, if a source would deal damage to a creature, it deals double that damage to that creature instead". See Furnace of Rath) , and, more importantly, is very situational and weak, so much that I would almost never consider playing it, not even in limited. "Creatures your opponents control" would have been perfectly fine and could make the card powerful in limited.
What happens: You put on your finely crafted ring and proceed to walk through the flames. As they only tickle you a bit,
you take your time to look around and find a lonely gold piece on the ground before you head towards the door.
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 3 + 1 = 8
> Gold Pieces: 2 + 1 = 3
> Temporary Effect: Equipped Ring of Protection: Red
Comments: Your approach to get through the room was rather straightforward, but I really like the card.
As Valarin put it, this might well be a cycle and I enjoyed the throwback to the Circles of Protection.
It is also very well balanced as it's limited playable and also a valuable sideboard card for constructed.
What happens: You cast Hydra Hide on yourself, then rush through the flames. In the middle of the fiery area,
you have to rely on your Hide to regenerate you, and it does so well. After you reach the end
of the fire, you activate your Hide again, which makes not only all wounds disappear, but make
you feel healthier than before! [+2 HP]
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 5 + 1 = 6
> Health: 10 + 2 = 12
> Temporary Effect: Hydra Hide, two +1/+1 counters
Comments: You showed willingness to invest in your Hide to gain something,
so the outcome reflects this. Regenerating from the harm and also
taking advantage of it is a nice idea.
The card is on the weak side, compare it with Trollhide
that's also barely playable. You could have gotten away with a lower casting cost
I like the "when this regenerates" clause, however. Makes your opponent NOT want
to destroy your creature
Elvish Archdruid as an example for the Tribal theme. Also, some people might still know what an Elf is in 200 years, so this shows that Magic had these well-established fantasy creatures.
What happens: You carefully walk through the fire and just as you are about to reach the other side, your ward begins to shift. You manage to focus and have it protect you from red again, but you are burned slightly [- 1 HP].
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 2 + 1 = 9
> Health: 10 - 1 = 9
> Temporary effect: Shifting Ward
Comments: The small deduction was due to slight wording issues:
- You should specify that only the latest chosen color has an effect, I'll assume it works that way.
- For the correct wording that it isn't removed by its own effect, see Flickering Ward (note - protection doesn't destroy enchantments, they are put into the graveyard as a state-based effect).
Otherwise, nice card, though quite similar to Flickering Ward.
arbitraryarmor, if you want to play seriously please note that you should provide custom made cards I hope you notice that I tried to make this different from Valarin's game in some points (see floor mechanism, mana).
What happens: You cast your spell on the fire. Right before it seems to disappear again, it starts heading towards you, but it does you no harm. It circles around you and is now under your control.
> Proceed to Room 2
> New Item: "Tamed Flames"
> Mana: 10 - 4 + 1 = 7
Comments: Cool way to tackle the problem and to take something with you even though there's nothing obvious to take.
However, red stealing permanents permanently (...) feels a bit off. I get that it steals fire here, but it could steal red creatures as well. And I just realized I had an idea how I would have changed it, but that I shouldn't post it here, damn ^^
General comment: Already an interesting question for me, the fire clearly is not a permanent but a dungeon item, so it will stay with you. I think the cleanest way to state the difference will be that anything that already existed in the dungeon can be taken (if done right ;-) ) and doesn't wear off, but anything "produced" by the player wears off at the end of the floor.
Nothing special, really...just some deadly flames, angry guardians and arcane riddles. Rules for this floor:
- This is the starter's floor. Anyone who wants to participate, start in Room 1 here.
- After you managed to get through a room, you gain one mana.
You can see the door to the next room at the opposite wall.
As you try to approach it, fire bursts from the ground before
you and blocks your path.
You observe that every once in a while, the fire vanishes,
just to burst from the ground once again, never long enough
for you to pass to the other side.
This is less of a room and more of a narrow passage, with
the door at the end of it. You see two people in a uniform,
probably guarding the entrance. They didn't seem to see
you coming, but as soon as you are close to the door, they
cross their spears, shouting: "You shall not pass!"
You find yourself in a small room, no people or creatures
are here except for you. However, the door to the next
room is locked, and it seems like there is some kind of
magical device attached to it that allows you to enter
a combination of symbols.
There are many of these symbols on the walls of the
room, but after trying some of them, it doesn't seem
like the code to open the door is written directly anywhere.
This store is the link between the first and the second floor.
A shady creature stands behind a desk and you see some
pots with bubbling potions inside. However, they must be drunk immediately.
The store offers the following options (as often as you like and have the gold):
- Gain 3 Mana for 2 Gold Coins
- Gain 3 Health for 1 Gold Coin
You may also decide to leave the store at any time and proceed to Room 4.
You do not have to turn in a card.
You've had your warm-up, now it gets real! Rules for this floor:
- After you managed to get through a room, you gain two mana.
- For every room, there is a challenge. You do not have to solve
the challenge, but doing so may earn you better rewards.
Room:
You open the door, but not many feet before you is another
wall, and it seems like there are several paths to take.
Clearly, this room is a maze. What's worse, the ceiling
is slowly descending upon you, so you don't have that much time
to find the exit...
Challenge: Create a legendary card. Try to make it as flavorful
as possible. It doesn't have to be a creature, but
if you want to make a legendary Instant or Sorcery,
please provide complete rules for them
Room:
As soon as you open the door, a grim, deep voice
welcomes you "I have been expecting you. Welcome
to the Ring of Blood! Who will be your champion?"
You can barely see the humanoid creature that
spoke to you. It stands there, on the other side,
and there is a circle drawn on the floor with
blood. You have to cross it to get to the other side.
You try to do so, but are held back by a magical force.
"Only the champion can enter the Ring of Blood!"
The creature speaks in a menacing voice.
"My champion for today shall be Visara the Dreadful.
Who will be your champion?"
In the middle of the room, a Gorgon that truly looks dreadful appears...
Challenge:
Create a new keyword or ability word.
Have you seen the Gatecrash spoilers? Do you think you can do better?
If you create an ability word (like Metalcraft or Treshold) make sure it's
clear what the "static core" of the ability is.
(e.g., if you created Metalcraft, you would have to say that it's always three artifacts).
Room: You seem to have walked right into a trap.
To your left, there is a crossbow shooter aiming at you.
To your right, there is a mage preparing to cast a fiery looking spell on you.
They are not in melee range.
A guard with a sword and shield stands at the other door. He approaches you.
THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED FOR NEW PLAYERS DUE TO TIME ISSUES.
I'M SORRY.
Legend has it...that at the very bottom of this dungeon lies a treasure absolutely unimaginable...the ultimate reward. But for the bottom...how far it may go...no one knows.
For anyone who might have reached it is now long dead.
This is it. Your chance to become a hero. Yet all that you have to fight yourself to the bottom is your imagination. Will you take the challenge?
How it works, in general:
- There is a dungeon that consists of multiple floors, each of which consists of three rooms.
- Your goal is to get as far in the dungeon as possible without dying (your health points reaching zero).
- For each room, there is a text describing the room and a starting situation you find yourself in after
entering the room. Your goal is to reach the next room, often through a door. To do so, you must create
a custom Magic card and state what you are trying to do with it. You spend the mana from your pool as you cast the card.
- Any additional mana you might have to pay for your card, for example ability costs or additional casting costs, must also be spent if you want to take the corresponding action.
- You may perform other actions (inspecting the room, using items you have), but a try to leave the
room must always be through submitting a card.
- There is no way to go to rooms already visited, or to skip rooms. You must conquer
the dungeon one room at a time.
- The judging of your card (criteria see below) determine the outcome of your actions.
- When you fail, you lost at least your mana for the failed try if not more, but you may try again.
- When you succeed, you may still lose some health or other stuff, but you might also gain some additional health, mana or other stuff. Again, see judging criteria. Then, you advance to the next room.
The floors:
- The floors represent difficulty, i.e. the first floor is the "Beginner's Floor", the second one
the "Intermediate Floor" etc.
- Upon completing a room, you gain some mana: 1 on a room on the first floor, 2 on the second, and so on.
- You have no maximum health or mana, so gaining health/mana is always good.
- Between every floor, there is a store where you can gain health/mana for gold coins and buy or sell items;
the stores sell better stuff as you proceed further.
(These stores are special rooms for which you post no card, but only actions and you may exit them any time you like.)
Keeping enchantments and other permanents:
- You keep any enchantments cast on you and any permanents cast as you go from one
room to a room of the same floor. When changing floors, however, you lose these.
(Note that it can still happen that an enchantment wears off or a permanent is
destroyed because I say so. Mostly because it was part of a failed attempt.)
- Even though you may use these permanents in a room, you still have to submit
a new card that you use as well. However, you may get away with a cheaper card
if you utilize a strong card from before that also fits the situation.
Judging criteria:
There are both dungeon-specific and general judging criteria.
- Dungeon specific:
* Feasibility to solve the situation (Is the card strong enough to do what it should?
Is the card's effect, flavor-wise, appropriate to the situation?)
* Creativity in solving the situation (Do you solve the situation in an unexpected way?
Can you make me think "Woah, I hadn't thought of that" ?)
- General:
* Balance (this is important, otherwise you could get too strong effects easily)
* Other card issues as wording problems, color pie violations etc. (view point: general Magic card design)
* Creativity and design, in general, as a Magic card. This is still a card creation game and good card designs are rewarded.
- Challenges:
Starting with Floor 2, there are additional challenges to the card design.
You don't have to do what the challenges say. However, if you solve
the challenge nicely (i.e., create a good card that also solves the challenge),
your outcome will become better.
But: Better a good card that doesn't solve the challenge than a bad one that does!
Some hints and clarifications:
- For those of you who also play Valarin's game, you may have noticed that
you have more mana (both starting, and throughout the game, since you gain more mana in the more advanced floors) here. This means you will have to use it.
Zero or one mana cards often won't be powerful enough to deal with the situation.
- Cards with casting cost of 0 as well as Phyrexian mana is allowed, but they have to make sense.
If you do a 0 mana spell, remember that every color will have access to it (color indicator =/= no problem with the color pie).
If you make a Phyrexian card, it should feel phyrexian.
- You don't lose for having zero mana. You only lose when you are actually dead, meaning your health dropped to zero or below. Being on 0 mana is when a well-designed Phyrexian card might save you.
- When a card gains you life, this will be added to your life total, but if a card adds mana to your mana pool, this is temporary mana, including its special properties (like color, spend only on artifact spells...), and is lost at the end of a floor (not room, though). Don't try to spend too much time building up though, a card should try to solve the room.
- There is a difference between items/effects/permanents you created and those that you somehow managed to get from the dungeon. Those you created will wear off/die/be destroyed at the end of the floor. Those you got from a dungeon won't (but you may still lose them, or use them up...)
- Please always state what you want to do even if it might be obvious to you.
- Without items or secondary effects, your character is very weak on its own. So fighting something without weakening it through a card can only work if you are buffed in some way. (Note that you still need to submit a card)
Yeah, maybe one mana was pushing it a bit. But I think getting only one mana per turn is quite the limitation, so better not spend too much...then again, there are potions...
The moat is an enchantment, right? So enchantment destruction will do
Fracture
Sorcery - {C}
If was spent to cast Fracture, destroy target enchantment.
If was spent to cast Fracture, destroy target artifact.
I cast my spell using white mana, targeting the moat, hoaping it will disappear...and maybe even reveal some stuff I can pick up before entering the next door?
Hey, very cool game I hope you don't mind if I join in. I admit I read some of the spoilers, but I'll try to solve the rooms in different ways.
Menace the Meek
Sorcery - {C}
Untap target creature with converted mana cost 2 or less and gain control of it until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn.
I cast my menacing spell on the goblin. If I succeed to make him fear me, I will have him hand me his dagger, then proceed to the next room.
What happens:
You cast your spell, only to realize that you have no idea
what the names of these strange symbols might be. Mumbling
some nonsense, you feel exhausted [- 1 HP].
> No progress. Still in Room 3.
> Health: 9 - 1 = 8
> Mana: 7 - 1 = 6
Comments:
This card doesn't work (as a Magic card) for several reasons:
- Your opponent could pretend not to have the card. This is why
all cards that said "put a *** card from your hand onto the
battlefield" now have a "may" added, see Elvish Piper.
- It can just drag the game on and on as you ask card after card.
- It's very, very weak. See Telepathy.
What happens:
You cast your spell. Some symbols light up very shortly,
but not long enough for you to remember them.
You'll have to try again.
> No progress. Still in Room 3.
> Mana: 8 - 1 = 7
Comments:
It's just a weak (see Telepathy)
and uninteresting card so it's not good enough
here even though the effect was suitable.
(You didn't make many mistakes: I liked your card.
It's just that it should cost at least two mana)
What happens:
You cast your spell on the guards and they fall down, one of
them losing his spear. As you try to grab the spear, they are
already getting up, though, so you have to abandon it and get
going quickly.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 10 - 2 + 1 = 9
Comments:
The card definitely works and is probably also balanced,
but the two effects feel a bit disconnected and there are
some wording issues:
- two target creatures
- unattach target Equipment (no "from creature")
This is the revised judging for Room 2.
What happens:
You cast Energy Sap on one of the guards, and it falls to the ground,
severely weakened by the spell. However, your action made the other
guard angry that is now charging at you. The guard tries to pierce
his spear through you, but it breaks at your Hydra Hide that has
grown strong. You manage to defeat the now unarmed guard with the
power gained through your +1/+1 counters.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 6 - 1 + 1 = 6
Comments:
The card is fine and certainly not too strong, I could even
see this effect printed without a power restriction for :symu:.
(When compared to Telekinesis or Crippling Chill).
This judging should reflect your actions and states better.
Note that you wouldn't have won a fight against an armed guard without
temporary effects.
What happens:
You drink twice from the Jar [+2 HP] and feel confident, maybe a little
overconfident. You take all the time in the world to walk through
the fire, not realizing your protection is wearing off. You manage
to get to the other side, but are burnt before reaching it [- 4 HP].
> Proceed to Room 2
> Health: 10 + 2 - 4 = 8
> Mana: 10 - 1 + 1 = 10
Comments:
The card is too strong for one mana - it gains you 2 life
every turn including the turn you cast it in AND saves a
creature. Not only red decks would have trouble beating
this card cast on turn one.
What happens:
You cast your spell on one of the guards. With a sudden
move, the guard turns towards the other and pierces him,
letting his own defense down. This allows the other guard
to retaliate, and in the end, they are both dead.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 10 - 3 + 1 = 8
Comments:
Once again, pretty straightforward, but good job on the +1/-1
which makes it more likely that both guards are killed.
On your comment, there are no problems with simple cards, but
they are often less likely to be rewarded with additional items etc.
Also, you may have noticed what I wrote about "I know who you are",
nevermind that, I thought you were someone I knew but turns out you're not him
What happens:
You cast Hydrogen Shield on yourself, and activate its ability.
You lift yourself in the air, carefully flying high enough where
the fire won't reach you. As you reach the other side, you see a
small niche in the wall where you find a gold piece.
The flying wears off before you enter the new room (but your Shield stays)
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 2 + 1 = 9
> Gold Pieces: 2 + 1 = 3
> Temporary Effect: Hydrogen Shield
Comments:
Similarly to Prophylaxis solution: The way to cross the room
is straightforward, but the card is a very elegant, yet simple
design, that I could easily see printed this way
Maybe a cycle of one-mana enchantments that grant an ability of the color
with an off-color activation for an ability of another color.
Note: Store A has been added, and the second floor with Rooms 4, 5 and 6 (I chose a unique numbering, not 2-1, 2-2, 2-3)
will be added soon.
The problem I had was that it wasn't obvious to me what you wanted to do. But you don't have to submit a new card now, I'll revise your last judging (fighting the second guard without weakening it only makes sense since you have the Hide and the counters on you) and take your action to be "cast your spell on one guard, then fight the other".
However, these are two points that might need clarification:
- Please always state what you want to do even if it might be obvious to you.
- Without items or secondary effects, your character is very weak on its own. So fighting something without weakening it through a card can only work if you are buffed in some way. (Note that you still need to submit a card)
Also, I added this rule, even though it hasn't come up yet:
- There is no way to go to rooms already visited, or to skip rooms. You must conquer the dungeon one room at a time.
(Yes, you still wear the ring, this is what I meant with temporary effects carrying over until the end of the floor)
What happens:
You cast your spell on one of the guards. That guard burns to ashes and dies instantly and two sparks fly out of it, headed towards you and the other guard.
You are unharmed, but the spell's damage is not enough to take out the second guard. You do get a chance to pick up the first guard's spear, however.
> One damaged guard remains
> Mana: 8 - 3 = 5
> Items: Gain Spear
Comments:
One damage just isn't enough to kill such a guard.
I like the design of your card though, as this "strong effect to one creature, weaker effect to the others" is cool and Wizards should do that more often.
What happens:
You set up your Goblin Furnace faced towards the lock and throw the spear into it.
There's a lot of rumbling, then finally, the lock explodes violently. You were not prepared
for such an explosion and are harmed by it [-2 HP].
The important thing is, though, that the lock is gone. You continue to go through.
You find yourself in a shop. (The main page will soon be updated)
> Congratulations: You mastered the Beginner's Floor! Any temporary effects wear off.
> Proceed to Shop A
> Mana: 6 - 3 + 1 = 4
> Items: Lose Spear
Comments:
Avoiding the riddle may work, but the dungeon preserves its right to punish such uncivilized behaviour
To the card itself, the only problem I see is that it gives colors like black and blue access to quite good
artifact removal. Could cost even more and/or say "Sacrifice another artifact" (you might even have had that
in mind as you sacrificed the spear). Or have an activation cost of
In the future, please state what you are doing.
I will now just assume that you cast your spell on one of the guards.
What happens:
You cast Energy Sap on one of the guards, and it falls to the ground,
severely weakened by the spell. However, your action made the other
guard angry that is now charging at you.
> One guard attacking you, another down for some time.
> Mana: 6 - 1 = 5
Comments:
Only a single target, so you can't do much better with that.
The card is fine and certainly not too strong, I could even
see this effect printed without a power restriction for :symu:.
(When compared to Telekinesis or Crippling Chill).
What happens:
You cast your spell on yourself. The behaviour of the guards changes
immediately. They kneel down to you and hand you their spears.
You know well that the guards may try to fight for their spears, so
you quickly enter the next room before they have a chance to do so.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 9 - 3 + 1 = 7
> Items: Gain 2 Spears
Comments:
Your card solves the situation very well and it would have been
difficult for me not to grant you the two spears, so here you are
I had trouble with the colors of your card first (the only time
this effect has been printed, it was on Vulshok Battlemaster
that was mono-red), but both blue and red are manipulating and the
"awe-struck" effect is definitely white.
Just out of interest, is this taken from some setting (flavor text etc.)
What happens:
You cast your spell on yourself. As soon as the fire vanishes, you rush
to the other side of the room.
As soon as you reach the door, the effect wears off.
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 1 + 1 = 10
Comments:
Not a special card by any means (interestingly enough, that simplest
version doesn't exist yet. But with Arcane, it does), but you are
the first one to make use of the fact that the fire vanishes sometimes
Alright, I'll judge now.
@aurorasparrow: If you have a problem with that rule, you may resubmit.
Added it to the first post:
- Any additional mana you might have to pay for your card, for example ability costs or additional casting costs, must also be spent if you want to take the corresponding action.
Also, I changed the judging criteria a bit. I don't want to distinguish between what gains you boni and what makes you pass, as that makes it easier for me. I'll still try to judge Dungeon-specifics and non-Dungeon-specifics separately, though, and give some comments.
What happens:
You cast your spell and send your Tamed Flame towards the guardians. Heavily burnt, they crumble to ashes. Your flame returns, but is weakened from the effort. As you approach the remains to collect the spears, you see that one of them is completely burnt. Better than nothing, you think, and collect the other one.
> Proceed to Room 3
> Mana: 7 - 2 + 1 = 6
> Items: Lose Tamed Flames, Gain Weak Tamed Flames, Gain Spear
Comments:
I like the way you used your item. These kind of interactions are exactly what I had in mind when I wrote "you must submit a card, but may use stuff from before".
However, your card has a wording issue (it would be worded "Until end of turn, if a source would deal damage to a creature, it deals double that damage to that creature instead". See Furnace of Rath) , and, more importantly, is very situational and weak, so much that I would almost never consider playing it, not even in limited. "Creatures your opponents control" would have been perfectly fine and could make the card powerful in limited.
What happens:
You put on your finely crafted ring and proceed to walk through the flames. As they only tickle you a bit,
you take your time to look around and find a lonely gold piece on the ground before you head towards the door.
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 3 + 1 = 8
> Gold Pieces: 2 + 1 = 3
> Temporary Effect: Equipped Ring of Protection: Red
Comments:
Your approach to get through the room was rather straightforward, but I really like the card.
As Valarin put it, this might well be a cycle and I enjoyed the throwback to the Circles of Protection.
It is also very well balanced as it's limited playable and also a valuable sideboard card for constructed.
What happens:
You cast Hydra Hide on yourself, then rush through the flames. In the middle of the fiery area,
you have to rely on your Hide to regenerate you, and it does so well. After you reach the end
of the fire, you activate your Hide again, which makes not only all wounds disappear, but make
you feel healthier than before! [+2 HP]
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 5 + 1 = 6
> Health: 10 + 2 = 12
> Temporary Effect: Hydra Hide, two +1/+1 counters
Comments:
You showed willingness to invest in your Hide to gain something,
so the outcome reflects this. Regenerating from the harm and also
taking advantage of it is a nice idea.
The card is on the weak side, compare it with Trollhide
that's also barely playable. You could have gotten away with a lower casting cost
I like the "when this regenerates" clause, however. Makes your opponent NOT want
to destroy your creature
If you spend mana on an ability, additional cost or anything else on your card, you actually have to spend that much mana in the dungeon.
I hope that is okay for you, otherwise you may change your submissions.
Ok, so my "the moat is an enchantment" logic didn't impress you
Time for something different:
Humid Bubble 1W
Enchantment {R}
You have protection from creatures with islandwalk.
I cast the Bubble and try to swim in the moat, looking for treasures and hopefully getting to the other side.
What happens:
You carefully walk through the fire and just as you are about to reach the other side, your ward begins to shift. You manage to focus and have it protect you from red again, but you are burned slightly [- 1 HP].
> Proceed to Room 2
> Mana: 10 - 2 + 1 = 9
> Health: 10 - 1 = 9
> Temporary effect: Shifting Ward
Comments:
The small deduction was due to slight wording issues:
- You should specify that only the latest chosen color has an effect, I'll assume it works that way.
- For the correct wording that it isn't removed by its own effect, see Flickering Ward (note - protection doesn't destroy enchantments, they are put into the graveyard as a state-based effect).
Otherwise, nice card, though quite similar to Flickering Ward.
arbitraryarmor, if you want to play seriously please note that you should provide custom made cards
What happens:
You cast your spell on the fire. Right before it seems to disappear again, it starts heading towards you, but it does you no harm. It circles around you and is now under your control.
> Proceed to Room 2
> New Item: "Tamed Flames"
> Mana: 10 - 4 + 1 = 7
Comments:
Cool way to tackle the problem and to take something with you even though there's nothing obvious to take.
However, red stealing permanents permanently (...) feels a bit off. I get that it steals fire here, but it could steal red creatures as well. And I just realized I had an idea how I would have changed it, but that I shouldn't post it here, damn ^^
General comment: Already an interesting question for me, the fire clearly is not a permanent but a dungeon item, so it will stay with you. I think the cleanest way to state the difference will be that anything that already existed in the dungeon can be taken (if done right ;-) ) and doesn't wear off, but anything "produced" by the player wears off at the end of the floor.
Name: Valarin
Health: 10
Mana: 3
Gold Pieces: 0
Current Room: Room 5, in combat
Items: Weak Tamed Flames, Broken Statue
Temporary Effects: none
Name: Rhand
Health: 7
Mana: 8
Gold Pieces: 0
Current Room: Room 6
Items: 2 Spears
Temporary Effects: none
Name: Prophylaxis
Health: 10
Mana: 7
Gold Pieces: 0
Current Room: 4
Items: none
Temporary Effects: none
Name: aurorasparrow
Health: 12
Mana: 8
Gold Pieces: 1
Current Room: Room 5
Items: none
Temporary Effects: none
Name: Sulander
Health: 10
Mana: 6
Gold Pieces: 2
Current Room: 5
Items: none
Temporary effects: none
Name: zeke_the_plumber
Health: 10
Mana: 9
Gold Pieces: 3
Current Room: 2
Items: none
Temporary effects: Hydrogen Shield
Name: Sagharri
Health: 8
Mana: 9
Gold Pieces: 2
Current Room: 3
Items: none
Temporary effects: none
Name: Maokun
Health: 12
Mana: 7
Gold Pieces: 3
Current Room: 2, friendlier Guards
Items: none
Temporary effects: none
Name: DarkKnightCavalier
Health: 7
Mana: 7
Gold Pieces: 2
Current Room: 3
Items: none
Temporary effects: none
Name: FlankSinatrot
Health: 9
Mana: 7
Gold Pieces: 3
Current Room: 3
Items: none
Temporary effects: none
Name: TurboJustice
Health: 10
Mana: 9
Gold Pieces: 2
Current Room: 3
Items: Spear
Temporary effects: Company of Sunhammer Bruiser
Name: Monkey Playing MTG
Health: 10
Mana: 7
Gold Pieces: 2
Current Room: 2
Items: none
Temporary effects: Elemental Form
Nothing special, really...just some deadly flames, angry guardians and arcane riddles.
Rules for this floor:
- This is the starter's floor. Anyone who wants to participate, start in Room 1 here.
- After you managed to get through a room, you gain one mana.
You can see the door to the next room at the opposite wall.
As you try to approach it, fire bursts from the ground before
you and blocks your path.
You observe that every once in a while, the fire vanishes,
just to burst from the ground once again, never long enough
for you to pass to the other side.
This is less of a room and more of a narrow passage, with
the door at the end of it. You see two people in a uniform,
probably guarding the entrance. They didn't seem to see
you coming, but as soon as you are close to the door, they
cross their spears, shouting: "You shall not pass!"
You find yourself in a small room, no people or creatures
are here except for you. However, the door to the next
room is locked, and it seems like there is some kind of
magical device attached to it that allows you to enter
a combination of symbols.
There are many of these symbols on the walls of the
room, but after trying some of them, it doesn't seem
like the code to open the door is written directly anywhere.
This store is the link between the first and the second floor.
A shady creature stands behind a desk and you see some
pots with bubbling potions inside. However, they must be drunk immediately.
The store offers the following options (as often as you like and have the gold):
- Gain 3 Mana for 2 Gold Coins
- Gain 3 Health for 1 Gold Coin
You may also decide to leave the store at any time and proceed to Room 4.
You do not have to turn in a card.
You've had your warm-up, now it gets real!
Rules for this floor:
- After you managed to get through a room, you gain two mana.
- For every room, there is a challenge. You do not have to solve
the challenge, but doing so may earn you better rewards.
Challenge:
Use an existing keyword or ability word from an expert-level expansion. Bonus points if it is used in an innovative way. You find a list here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_keywords#Keywords_from_Expert-Level_expansions
Room:
You open the door, but not many feet before you is another
wall, and it seems like there are several paths to take.
Clearly, this room is a maze. What's worse, the ceiling
is slowly descending upon you, so you don't have that much time
to find the exit...
Challenge:
Create a legendary card. Try to make it as flavorful
as possible. It doesn't have to be a creature, but
if you want to make a legendary Instant or Sorcery,
please provide complete rules for them
Room:
As soon as you open the door, a grim, deep voice
welcomes you "I have been expecting you. Welcome
to the Ring of Blood! Who will be your champion?"
You can barely see the humanoid creature that
spoke to you. It stands there, on the other side,
and there is a circle drawn on the floor with
blood. You have to cross it to get to the other side.
You try to do so, but are held back by a magical force.
"Only the champion can enter the Ring of Blood!"
The creature speaks in a menacing voice.
"My champion for today shall be Visara the Dreadful.
Who will be your champion?"
In the middle of the room, a Gorgon that truly looks dreadful appears...
Challenge:
Create a new keyword or ability word.
Have you seen the Gatecrash spoilers? Do you think you can do better?
If you create an ability word (like Metalcraft or Treshold) make sure it's
clear what the "static core" of the ability is.
(e.g., if you created Metalcraft, you would have to say that it's always three artifacts).
Room:
You seem to have walked right into a trap.
To your left, there is a crossbow shooter aiming at you.
To your right, there is a mage preparing to cast a fiery looking spell on you.
They are not in melee range.
A guard with a sword and shield stands at the other door. He approaches you.
Inspired by Valarin's Dungeon: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=468522
THIS GAME IS NOW CLOSED FOR NEW PLAYERS DUE TO TIME ISSUES.
I'M SORRY.
Legend has it...that at the very bottom of this dungeon lies a treasure absolutely unimaginable...the ultimate reward. But for the bottom...how far it may go...no one knows.
For anyone who might have reached it is now long dead.
This is it. Your chance to become a hero. Yet all that you have to fight yourself to the bottom is your imagination. Will you take the challenge?
How it works, in general:
- There is a dungeon that consists of multiple floors, each of which consists of three rooms.
- Your goal is to get as far in the dungeon as possible without dying (your health points reaching zero).
- For each room, there is a text describing the room and a starting situation you find yourself in after
entering the room. Your goal is to reach the next room, often through a door. To do so, you must create
a custom Magic card and state what you are trying to do with it. You spend the mana from your pool as you cast the card.
- Any additional mana you might have to pay for your card, for example ability costs or additional casting costs, must also be spent if you want to take the corresponding action.
- You may perform other actions (inspecting the room, using items you have), but a try to leave the
room must always be through submitting a card.
- There is no way to go to rooms already visited, or to skip rooms. You must conquer
the dungeon one room at a time.
- The judging of your card (criteria see below) determine the outcome of your actions.
- When you fail, you lost at least your mana for the failed try if not more, but you may try again.
- When you succeed, you may still lose some health or other stuff, but you might also gain some additional health, mana or other stuff. Again, see judging criteria. Then, you advance to the next room.
The floors:
- The floors represent difficulty, i.e. the first floor is the "Beginner's Floor", the second one
the "Intermediate Floor" etc.
- Upon completing a room, you gain some mana: 1 on a room on the first floor, 2 on the second, and so on.
- You have no maximum health or mana, so gaining health/mana is always good.
- Between every floor, there is a store where you can gain health/mana for gold coins and buy or sell items;
the stores sell better stuff as you proceed further.
(These stores are special rooms for which you post no card, but only actions and you may exit them any time you like.)
Keeping enchantments and other permanents:
- You keep any enchantments cast on you and any permanents cast as you go from one
room to a room of the same floor. When changing floors, however, you lose these.
(Note that it can still happen that an enchantment wears off or a permanent is
destroyed because I say so. Mostly because it was part of a failed attempt.)
- Even though you may use these permanents in a room, you still have to submit
a new card that you use as well. However, you may get away with a cheaper card
if you utilize a strong card from before that also fits the situation.
Judging criteria:
There are both dungeon-specific and general judging criteria.
- Dungeon specific:
* Feasibility to solve the situation (Is the card strong enough to do what it should?
Is the card's effect, flavor-wise, appropriate to the situation?)
* Creativity in solving the situation (Do you solve the situation in an unexpected way?
Can you make me think "Woah, I hadn't thought of that" ?)
- General:
* Balance (this is important, otherwise you could get too strong effects easily)
* Other card issues as wording problems, color pie violations etc. (view point: general Magic card design)
* Creativity and design, in general, as a Magic card. This is still a card creation game and good card designs are rewarded.
- Challenges:
Starting with Floor 2, there are additional challenges to the card design.
You don't have to do what the challenges say. However, if you solve
the challenge nicely (i.e., create a good card that also solves the challenge),
your outcome will become better.
But: Better a good card that doesn't solve the challenge than a bad one that does!
Some hints and clarifications:
- For those of you who also play Valarin's game, you may have noticed that
you have more mana (both starting, and throughout the game, since you gain more mana in the more advanced floors) here. This means you will have to use it.
Zero or one mana cards often won't be powerful enough to deal with the situation.
- Cards with casting cost of 0 as well as Phyrexian mana is allowed, but they have to make sense.
If you do a 0 mana spell, remember that every color will have access to it (color indicator =/= no problem with the color pie).
If you make a Phyrexian card, it should feel phyrexian.
- You don't lose for having zero mana. You only lose when you are actually dead, meaning your health dropped to zero or below. Being on 0 mana is when a well-designed Phyrexian card might save you.
- When a card gains you life, this will be added to your life total, but if a card adds mana to your mana pool, this is temporary mana, including its special properties (like color, spend only on artifact spells...), and is lost at the end of a floor (not room, though). Don't try to spend too much time building up though, a card should try to solve the room.
- There is a difference between items/effects/permanents you created and those that you somehow managed to get from the dungeon. Those you created will wear off/die/be destroyed at the end of the floor. Those you got from a dungeon won't (but you may still lose them, or use them up...)
- Please always state what you want to do even if it might be obvious to you.
- Without items or secondary effects, your character is very weak on its own. So fighting something without weakening it through a card can only work if you are buffed in some way. (Note that you still need to submit a card)
The moat is an enchantment, right? So enchantment destruction will do
Fracture
Sorcery - {C}
If
If
I cast my spell using white mana, targeting the moat, hoaping it will disappear...and maybe even reveal some stuff I can pick up before entering the next door?
Menace the Meek
Sorcery - {C}
Untap target creature with converted mana cost 2 or less and gain control of it until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn.
I cast my menacing spell on the goblin. If I succeed to make him fear me, I will have him hand me his dagger, then proceed to the next room.