This note will probably remain the same the whole month: This month of the DCC will all be taking place here on MTGSalvation, MTGNexus will formally open to the public in mid-July, the first MTGNexus DCC will begin in August.
This is true for the MCC too. This is the last MCC on MTGSalvation, starting next month (August) the MCC will be on MTGNexus as well. Those reading Blogatog, or following Maro in any other way, probably know that R&D plans to use way more colored artifacts from now on, and only allow traditional colorless artifacts to have very narrow effects, because they've been burned by every artifact block so far, often requiring bannings. We've last seen that in Kaladesh block, and we've actually already started seeing this philosophy shift in WAR and M20. So, this looks like the end of traditional colorless artifact design.
Main Challenge - Design a colored artifact. No silver-bordered cards. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card is multicolored.
Subchallenge 2 - The word "end" doesn't appear anywhere on the card.
Main Challenge
• The card can be a normal artifact without any subtype, an Equipment, a Vehicle, a Fortification, or have any other card types, supertypes, or subtypes somehow. All of these are fine. All that matters is that the word "artifact" is in the type line as a card type, and that the card is colored.
Examples:
- Artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- Artifact lands are fine.
- Legendary artifacts are fine.
- Legendary artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- The god weapons from Theros, with the type line "Legendary Enchantment Artifact", are fine.
- An artifact with a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Key" artifact subtype. I could design an "Artifact - Key", a "Legendary Artifact - Key", an "Artifact - Equipment Key", or a "Legendary Artifact - Equipment Key", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with a supertype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Ancient" supertype. I could design an "Ancient Artifact", an "Ancient Artifact Creature" (with any creature types), an "Ancient Artifact - Equipment", a "Legendary Ancient Artifact", or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with both a supertype and a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. I could design an "Ancient Artifact - Key" or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and both of them would pass the Main Challenge.
• If you create a new supertype, card type, or artifact subtype, you should probably include reminder text to explain what it does.
• Mind the length of the type line! There's reason why the aforementioned Theros god weapons are not "Legendary Enchantment Artifact - Equipment", and that's that all those words don't fit in the frame's type line. Whatever supertypes, types, or subtypes you add make the type line longer, and it has to fit in the M15 frame. If it doesn't, big point deductions in multiple areas of the rubric (at the very least Flavor and Quality) are awaiting you. MSE is your best friend, use it, whether you're a player or a judge.
• I too hope that Contraptions will come to black border one day, but that hasn't happened yet. Remember that Contraptions are only in silver border for now, so no Contraptions or silver-bordered cards please. Yes, I know that Contraptions have no border so that they can be reprinted in black border one day, but for the sake of this challenge they're considered silver-bordered and thus forbidden. Also, all Contraptions currently existing are colorless, so they would have been out anyway.
Subchallenge 1
• Both traditional gold and hybrid are fine.
Subchallenge 2
• This includes every part of the card. The word "end" can't be there in the card name, type line, rules text, or flavor text.
• The word "end" is forbidden, in any form, meaning, or conjugation. (See examples below.)
• Words that contain the sequence of letters "E-N-D" are allowed, provided that they are not derived words of the word "end". (See examples below.)
Examples
Things allowed:
- A card with "Spend this mana only to cast (something)" in its rules text.
- A card with the type line "Legendary (insert card type here)".
- A card named "Bending Time".
- A card with the flavor text "A good person lends everything they have to their friends."
Things forbidden:
- A card named "End of Times" or "End of the War" (both custom cards that I submitted in the DCC last month).
- A card named "Commence the Endgame", as the word "endgame" is derived of "end", in fact being a contraction of "end of the game".
- A card with an effect that lasts "until end of turn" or "until end of combat".
- A card with a triggered ability that triggers "at the beginning of your/each end step".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war has ended." Here the word "ended" is derived of "end", in fact being the past simple and past participle of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war is ending." Here the word "ending" is derived of "end", in fact being the gerund of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The end justifies the means." That's even if the word "end" has a slightly different meaning here, but it's still the same word.
If you have any other question, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
Seeing that right after I originally wrote this post, the site suddenly went in read-only mode for exactly 4 hours, and also because of the low number of entries, I've decided to delay both deadlines by one day. So, as of this moment (about 15 minutes after midnight EDT on Sunday 7th), there are actually a little less than 24 hours before the design deadline. Hoping the site doesn't go in read-only mode out of nowhere again.
Design deadline: Saturday, July 6th Sunday, July 7th 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Wednesday, July 10th Thursday, July 11th 23:59 EDT
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
JUDGES
bravelion83
void_nothing
Algernone25 Mr. Rithaniel (reserve) We might use one more judge depending on the number of players we get, and also to just let Mr. Rithaniel play if they want. If you're interested in judging and accept the terms I lay down below in the "very important note", please consider checking the judge signup thread.
PLAYERS
Everyone can enter this round. Just reply to this thread posting a card that meets the main challenge and any number (that includes zero) of subchallenges. Future rounds will only be open to those who advance. Come join us!
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st (because of the advent of MTGNexus, see top of the post). This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables. 2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards, I wrote it more than two years ago but it's still totally valid.
A reminder to everyone: In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
Another note that has come up in the judge signup thread, putting it here too just so that everybody knows.
For clarity, I'll say it now as the host for this month: a card will only be DQ'ed this month if it gets a zero in the Main Challenge category, and that should only happen if it completely fails the Main Challenge (for example if the Main Challenge asks for a monowhite card and the player designs a monored one, I know this is a bad example but it's the first that came to my mind), and the rubric will be applied with all the original intents behind it, which, again, I know as one of its creators.
BRACKETS
As an exception to the regular MCC rules, due to the extraordinary circumstances of this month, with Nexus opening very soon, the top 3 from each bracket will advance to round 2 instead of the top 4. Very probably, I will just follow the structure that Eventide Sojouner did last month.
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
(This banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card End Hostilities by Jason Rainville.)
July MCC
Judge signup thread
We all thought that June would have been the last month of contests here on MTGS. It turns out that it wasn't, but don't worry, the end is still nigh. That, the end, is the loose theme of this month. But there is a thing that never ends as long as there is an MCC somewhere: the need for judges.
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st. This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables. 2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
If you want to sign up as a judge for the July MCC, just reply to this thread. If you've already judged before, that's enough. If you've never judged before, there is a little extra step required: please try to judge the sample card you can find below with the MCC rubric and post your sample judgment here. I will reply to you as soon as possible with my own thoughts about it and if you did good enough of a job, I will officially welcome you as an MCC judge. (Don't worry, I don't remember ever having to turn down anyone, and by the way I've also helped a number of judges on their first experience.)
As always, since I am hosting, I am also going to be a judge. We need at the very least two more, maybe three if player participation is high enough. Will you be one?
SAMPLE CARD
Assume all challenges (main and both subs) are met.
End of Knowledge3B
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Whenever End of Knowledge enters the battlefield, if you cast it from your hand, target opponent discards two cards.
The enchanted creature gets “When this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card.” “Are you worried to forget your keys as you leave your house? Don’t worry, soon you’ll foget everything.”
—Ashiok
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Judge signups will stay open until the design deadline for Round 1 or until we get enough judges, whichever comes first. The judge signups will be going on in parallel with Round 1. You can find Round 1 here.
EDIT @void_nothing: With setting up July, I had forgotten I still was in the competition for June. Any news on that? The judging deadline has passed and only your own judgments are missing. I'm sorry for bringing this up. Only asking because I'm personally involved.
UPDATE: July will continue here as usual due to me mixing up dates. August will begin DCC, CCL, and MCC on Nexus.
Does this mean there will be a July MCC here and that a host for it is needed since July 1st is tomorrow? If so, I am totally available and willing to do it. It's not the first time I did it at the last minute. And just so everybody knows, I would also do only three rounds like Eventide Sojourner did on June when we all were convinced this site would have closed on July 8th, for the same reasons that they did it this month.
Nothing to report today either about the scores. All correct.
Votes: Flatline, Indighost (I have two degrees in chemistry and passed multiple biochemistry and microbiology exams. The flavor of that card is highly attractive to me, and I also like it enough mechanically to vote for it.)
I want to go out with a bang. Today is the...
End of the War3WUB
Enchantment (M)
When End of the War enters the battlefield, destroy all other nonland permanents and up to one target land, then target player puts the top four cards of their library into their graveyard.
At the beginning of each end step, if there are an artifact card, a creature card, an enchantment card, an instant card, a land card, a planeswalker card, and a sorcery card in your graveyard, you win the game. “The war is over. Now let’s salt the land.”
—Commander Guranal
If it isn't clear, the intent is that you need to have seven different cards in your graveyard. For example, an artifact creature only counts as one of the seven cards, and you choose whether it counts as the artifact one or the creature one. Either way, you need to have another card of the other type. Based on the Herald cycle from Alara, the wording I used should do that.
Name changed (it was End of Hostilities) because I had forgotten that a card named End Hostilities already exists, remembering only because I rediscovered it on Gatherer while looking for cards with "end" in the name to make July MCC banners.
Anyway it goes, it has been a pleasure to be back in the DCC. Thanks to Flatline, if it weren't for him I wouldn't have come back at all very probably. It's also been a pleasure to "fight against" all of you this month, in quotation marks as it's not really a fight, but more like a friendly competition, despite the apparent oxymoron. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? (Nexus isn't up yet, will July be still hosted here? Will there be contests in July at all?)
Refreshing WindGU
Instant (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control and untap it. That creature gains flying until end of turn. A nice breeze can always lift you up.
@ Indighost: I'll use all caps in your honor. YES! YOU DID IT AGAIN! EVERYTHING'S CORRECT TODAY!
Votes: Indighost, Phyrexian Editor
Selfless Flockmate(W/U)
Creature — Bird (C)
Flying
Sacrifice Selfless Flockmate: Put a +1/+1 counter on another target creature with flying you control. “A flock can’t survive if its members aren’t willing to give their own life for the others. I just give the example.”
1/1
@ Indighost: I have no healthy sleep schedule either, you're not alone. Today, the only mistake is that Flatline is missing a point (he should be at 76 but the +3 is correct).
Speaking of Melvin appreciation, an honorable mention goes to netn10. I really like the card from a Melvin point of view, especially how it puts together little pieces from all previous Karn cards. I just liked the other two cards more.
Spell Theft1UU
Enchantment (R)
Flash
When you cast Spell Theft, you may exchange control of it and target spell an opponent controls. 2, Sacrifice Spell Theft: Draw a card. “Who’s the greatest thief in the Multiverse now that Dack is dead? I candidate myself.”
—Zasla, planeswalker thief
You missed DiscardUnearth post in yesterday's thread, both in scoring and in the quotes. Because of their votes, I should be at 52 (+2) and Flatline should be at 73 (+2). All the rest is correct.
Votes: Indighost, void_nothing
Speed RaceR
Sorcery (C)
Choose one or both —
• Target Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain haste until end of turn. “I think the Derby Crows are the favorites for this year’s annual racing championships at the Ovalchase Racetrack, but the Burnouts also look on fire.”
—Meyked, Ghirapur bookmaker
There is a +3 to IcariiFA that should not be there, though his total is correct. All total scores are actually correct today!
Votes: netn10, Indighost
Peace Treaty1W
Instant (R)
Creatures can’t attack or block this turn. “Hereby both parties, in common agreement, declare the cessation of the hostilities for the minimum duration of one month.”
—Maskit Peace Treaty, paragraph 1
IcariiFA should be at 46 (+3). I see no need to post tables as that's the only correction needed today.
Votes: Flatline, BlackWaltz3
Honorable mention for Phyrexian Editor. I understand that the red part of the card is probably supposed to be a manifest variation on Wheel of Fortune-like effects, but I wonder if it would be more appropriate in blue, making the card green-blue, which is still Temur for flavor.
Implusive Decision1R
Sorcery (U)
Kicker R
Exile the top two cards of your library. Until end of turn, you may play those cards. If Implusive Decision was kicked, you may play those cards until the end of your next turn instead. Regardless of how much time it takes for you to get to them, the best decisions are always the ones that make you happy.
@ Indighost: Ok, I have to report a score mistake again. Both BlackWaltz3 and DiscardUnearth are missing a point. They should be respectively at 13 (+3) and 3 (+3). You probably missed netn10's votes because they posted after you in yesterday's thread. In fact, you also missed netn10's sumbission in the card quotes from yesterday. Tables attached again.
Votes: void_nothing, Indighost
Resounding Strike2W
Instant (C)
Creatures you control gains first strike until end of turn.
Cycling 5RWB(5RWB, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Resounding Strike, creatures you control gain double strike until end of turn.
YOUR CORRECTIONS ARE WHOLLY NECESSARY BRAVELION, AS EVIDENCED BY MAY CONTINUED INABILITY TO COUNT.
Well, thank you, but... YES!!! You did it! Today's scores are perfect! I have the updated tables, but I don't need to post them today! Good job!
Votes: void_nothing, Flatline (the name should be bolded and I'd probably put it at uncommon, but I think that my love for mix-and-match cards is well known by now.)
Honorable mention for Phyrexian Editor.
I like the idea, but I have problems with the first ability. As is the trigger happens after the fight, but you probably want to put the +1/+1 counter on the creature before it fights. I'm convinced that would be the intuitive way most players would play the card, and they would play the card wrong as a result. I'd change the card to put the +1/+1 counter on before the fight, but if you want to keep it like this, I think it needs some form of reminder text for the first ability like (Put the +1/+1 counter on that creature only after the fight and only if it survives the fight.) or something like that.
Wizard’s MasteryU
Enchantment (R) Spell mastery — If there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard, instant and sorcery cards in your hand have cycling 2. “The third mage developed his ability to sift through his thoughts to find the right answers at the right time. Response to response: that’s the way that the study of magic further advanced.”
—Naban, dean of iteration
Insanity InsightUUUU
Sorcery (M)
Draw seven cards, then discard any number of cards. Delirium — Then you lose the game unless there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard. “What most people would call madness, others would call genius.”
—Ludevic, necro-alchemist
So, round is over, right? I want to make sure before I make comments.
I already had my scores from both my judges, that's why I felt safe commenting on the judgments. Also, I see all judgments are in by now, so I think you should be safe too if you want to comment.
(This banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card End Hostilities by Jason Rainville.)
July MCC Round 1
Kaleidoscopic end
This is true for the MCC too. This is the last MCC on MTGSalvation, starting next month (August) the MCC will be on MTGNexus as well.
Those reading Blogatog, or following Maro in any other way, probably know that R&D plans to use way more colored artifacts from now on, and only allow traditional colorless artifacts to have very narrow effects, because they've been burned by every artifact block so far, often requiring bannings. We've last seen that in Kaladesh block, and we've actually already started seeing this philosophy shift in WAR and M20. So, this looks like the end of traditional colorless artifact design.
Main Challenge - Design a colored artifact. No silver-bordered cards. Please see clarifications.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card is multicolored.
Subchallenge 2 - The word "end" doesn't appear anywhere on the card.
Main Challenge
• The card can be a normal artifact without any subtype, an Equipment, a Vehicle, a Fortification, or have any other card types, supertypes, or subtypes somehow. All of these are fine. All that matters is that the word "artifact" is in the type line as a card type, and that the card is colored.
Examples:
- Artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- Artifact lands are fine.
- Legendary artifacts are fine.
- Legendary artifact creatures are fine (with any creature subtypes).
- The god weapons from Theros, with the type line "Legendary Enchantment Artifact", are fine.
- An artifact with a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Key" artifact subtype. I could design an "Artifact - Key", a "Legendary Artifact - Key", an "Artifact - Equipment Key", or a "Legendary Artifact - Equipment Key", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with a supertype that you invented yourself is fine. Say, for example, I invented the new "Ancient" supertype. I could design an "Ancient Artifact", an "Ancient Artifact Creature" (with any creature types), an "Ancient Artifact - Equipment", a "Legendary Ancient Artifact", or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and they would all pass the Main Challenge.
- An artifact with both a supertype and a subtype that you invented yourself is fine. I could design an "Ancient Artifact - Key" or a "Legendary Ancient Artifact - Equipment", and both of them would pass the Main Challenge.
• If you create a new supertype, card type, or artifact subtype, you should probably include reminder text to explain what it does.
• Mind the length of the type line! There's reason why the aforementioned Theros god weapons are not "Legendary Enchantment Artifact - Equipment", and that's that all those words don't fit in the frame's type line. Whatever supertypes, types, or subtypes you add make the type line longer, and it has to fit in the M15 frame. If it doesn't, big point deductions in multiple areas of the rubric (at the very least Flavor and Quality) are awaiting you. MSE is your best friend, use it, whether you're a player or a judge.
• I too hope that Contraptions will come to black border one day, but that hasn't happened yet. Remember that Contraptions are only in silver border for now, so no Contraptions or silver-bordered cards please. Yes, I know that Contraptions have no border so that they can be reprinted in black border one day, but for the sake of this challenge they're considered silver-bordered and thus forbidden. Also, all Contraptions currently existing are colorless, so they would have been out anyway.
Subchallenge 1
• Both traditional gold and hybrid are fine.
Subchallenge 2
• This includes every part of the card. The word "end" can't be there in the card name, type line, rules text, or flavor text.
• The word "end" is forbidden, in any form, meaning, or conjugation. (See examples below.)
• Words that contain the sequence of letters "E-N-D" are allowed, provided that they are not derived words of the word "end". (See examples below.)
Examples
Things allowed:
- A card with "Spend this mana only to cast (something)" in its rules text.
- A card with the type line "Legendary (insert card type here)".
- A card named "Bending Time".
- A card with the flavor text "A good person lends everything they have to their friends."
Things forbidden:
- A card named "End of Times" or "End of the War" (both custom cards that I submitted in the DCC last month).
- A card named "Commence the Endgame", as the word "endgame" is derived of "end", in fact being a contraction of "end of the game".
- A card with an effect that lasts "until end of turn" or "until end of combat".
- A card with a triggered ability that triggers "at the beginning of your/each end step".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war has ended." Here the word "ended" is derived of "end", in fact being the past simple and past participle of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The time for war is ending." Here the word "ending" is derived of "end", in fact being the gerund of the verb "to end".
- A card with the flavor text "The end justifies the means." That's even if the word "end" has a slightly different meaning here, but it's still the same word.
If you have any other question, feel free to ask in the discussion thread.
DEADLINES
Design deadline:
Saturday, July 6thSunday, July 7th 23:59 EDTJudging deadline:
Wednesday, July 10thThursday, July 11th 23:59 EDT(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
JUDGES
bravelion83
void_nothing
Algernone25
Mr. Rithaniel (reserve)
We might use one more judge depending on the number of players we get, and also to just let Mr. Rithaniel play if they want. If you're interested in judging and accept the terms I lay down below in the "very important note", please consider checking the judge signup thread.
PLAYERS
Everyone can enter this round. Just reply to this thread posting a card that meets the main challenge and any number (that includes zero) of subchallenges. Future rounds will only be open to those who advance. Come join us!
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st (because of the advent of MTGNexus, see top of the post). This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables.
2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
A helpful tip for those formatting their cards, I wrote it more than two years ago but it's still totally valid.
Another note that has come up in the judge signup thread, putting it here too just so that everybody knows.
BRACKETS
As an exception to the regular MCC rules, due to the extraordinary circumstances of this month, with Nexus opening very soon, the top 3 from each bracket will advance to round 2 instead of the top 4. Very probably, I will just follow the structure that Eventide Sojouner did last month.
Judge: Algernone25
Cardz5000
Freyleyes
Jimmy Groove
Superbajt
The_Hittite
Judge: bravelion83
Eventide Sojourner
Hemlock
kwanyeegor
RaikouRider
slimytrout
Judge: void_nothing
Flatline
IcariiFA
Mr. Rithaniel
netn10
Subject16
Remember that my "very important note" from above applies.
(This banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card End Hostilities by Jason Rainville.)
July MCC
Judge signup thread
We all thought that June would have been the last month of contests here on MTGS. It turns out that it wasn't, but don't worry, the end is still nigh. That, the end, is the loose theme of this month. But there is a thing that never ends as long as there is an MCC somewhere: the need for judges.
A very important note - I absolutely want this month to be over and declare a winner on July 31st. This implies two things:
1. The contest will have only three rounds again this month. My current intention is to eliminate the round that traditionally gives the most trouble as a host: the versus round. My current plan is to have normal brackets in round 1 and round 2 (maybe with each player being judged by two different judges in round 2, but still using a traditional bracket structure), and have all judges judge all cards in the third and final round. There might be variations to this plan depending on the number of players and judges we get this month. The number of players that advance each round will also depend on those variables.
2. The judging deadlines will be heavily enforced. Having only three rounds will allow me to give one or two more days than I usually do in my months for the judges to do their work. If there are still any judgments missing the first time I check the site after the judging deadline has passed, I will immediately PM the judge(s) whose judgments are still missing giving them a 24-hour time extension, then if the extension has passed and the judgments are still missing, I will do them myself and move on. I don't want the contest to be delayed by judges not submitting their judgments on time, including in the final round. By signing up as a judge this month, you're accepting these terms.
If you want to sign up as a judge for the July MCC, just reply to this thread. If you've already judged before, that's enough. If you've never judged before, there is a little extra step required: please try to judge the sample card you can find below with the MCC rubric and post your sample judgment here. I will reply to you as soon as possible with my own thoughts about it and if you did good enough of a job, I will officially welcome you as an MCC judge. (Don't worry, I don't remember ever having to turn down anyone, and by the way I've also helped a number of judges on their first experience.)
As always, since I am hosting, I am also going to be a judge. We need at the very least two more, maybe three if player participation is high enough. Will you be one?
SAMPLE CARD
Assume all challenges (main and both subs) are met.
End of Knowledge 3B
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Whenever End of Knowledge enters the battlefield, if you cast it from your hand, target opponent discards two cards.
The enchanted creature gets “When this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card.”
“Are you worried to forget your keys as you leave your house? Don’t worry, soon you’ll foget everything.”
—Ashiok
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Judge signups will stay open until the design deadline for Round 1 or until we get enough judges, whichever comes first. The judge signups will be going on in parallel with Round 1. You can find Round 1 here.
Thanks. First round and judge thread are up.
EDIT @void_nothing: With setting up July, I had forgotten I still was in the competition for June. Any news on that? The judging deadline has passed and only your own judgments are missing. I'm sorry for bringing this up. Only asking because I'm personally involved.
Votes: Flatline, Indighost (I have two degrees in chemistry and passed multiple biochemistry and microbiology exams. The flavor of that card is highly attractive to me, and I also like it enough mechanically to vote for it.)
I want to go out with a bang. Today is the...
End of the War 3WUB
Enchantment (M)
When End of the War enters the battlefield, destroy all other nonland permanents and up to one target land, then target player puts the top four cards of their library into their graveyard.
At the beginning of each end step, if there are an artifact card, a creature card, an enchantment card, an instant card, a land card, a planeswalker card, and a sorcery card in your graveyard, you win the game.
“The war is over. Now let’s salt the land.”
—Commander Guranal
Name changed (it was End of Hostilities) because I had forgotten that a card named End Hostilities already exists, remembering only because I rediscovered it on Gatherer while looking for cards with "end" in the name to make July MCC banners.
Votes: Flatline, void_nothing
Refreshing Wind GU
Instant (C)
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control and untap it. That creature gains flying until end of turn.
A nice breeze can always lift you up.
Votes: Indighost, Phyrexian Editor
Selfless Flockmate (W/U)
Creature — Bird (C)
Flying
Sacrifice Selfless Flockmate: Put a +1/+1 counter on another target creature with flying you control.
“A flock can’t survive if its members aren’t willing to give their own life for the others. I just give the example.”
1/1
Design name: Bird Fanatic
Votes: Flatline, Phyrexian Editor (Even if the wording should be adjusted: "That creature is a black Zombie in addition to its other colors and types", but I love the mirror of Mulldrifter and the Melvin care that's been used with the death trigger and the evoke cost.)
Speaking of Melvin appreciation, an honorable mention goes to netn10. I really like the card from a Melvin point of view, especially how it puts together little pieces from all previous Karn cards. I just liked the other two cards more.
Spell Theft 1UU
Enchantment (R)
Flash
When you cast Spell Theft, you may exchange control of it and target spell an opponent controls.
2, Sacrifice Spell Theft: Draw a card.
“Who’s the greatest thief in the Multiverse now that Dack is dead? I candidate myself.”
—Zasla, planeswalker thief
Votes: Indighost, void_nothing
Speed Race R
Sorcery (C)
Choose one or both —
• Target Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain haste until end of turn.
“I think the Derby Crows are the favorites for this year’s annual racing championships at the Ovalchase Racetrack, but the Burnouts also look on fire.”
—Meyked, Ghirapur bookmaker
Votes: netn10, Indighost
Peace Treaty 1W
Instant (R)
Creatures can’t attack or block this turn.
“Hereby both parties, in common agreement, declare the cessation of the hostilities for the minimum duration of one month.”
—Maskit Peace Treaty, paragraph 1
Votes: Flatline, BlackWaltz3
Honorable mention for Phyrexian Editor. I understand that the red part of the card is probably supposed to be a manifest variation on Wheel of Fortune-like effects, but I wonder if it would be more appropriate in blue, making the card green-blue, which is still Temur for flavor.
Implusive Decision 1R
Sorcery (U)
Kicker R
Exile the top two cards of your library. Until end of turn, you may play those cards. If Implusive Decision was kicked, you may play those cards until the end of your next turn instead.
Regardless of how much time it takes for you to get to them, the best decisions are always the ones that make you happy.
Votes: void_nothing, Indighost
Resounding Strike 2W
Instant (C)
Creatures you control gains first strike until end of turn.
Cycling 5RWB (5RWB, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Resounding Strike, creatures you control gain double strike until end of turn.
Votes: void_nothing, Flatline (the name should be bolded and I'd probably put it at uncommon, but I think that my love for mix-and-match cards is well known by now.)
Honorable mention for Phyrexian Editor.
Wizard’s Mastery U
Enchantment (R)
Spell mastery — If there are two or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard, instant and sorcery cards in your hand have cycling 2.
“The third mage developed his ability to sift through his thoughts to find the right answers at the right time. Response to response: that’s the way that the study of magic further advanced.”
—Naban, dean of iteration
For those that might wonder, the name and flavor text are a reference to Wizard's Lightning and Wizard's Retort from Dominaria.
Sorcery (M)
Draw seven cards, then discard any number of cards.
Delirium — Then you lose the game unless there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
“What most people would call madness, others would call genius.”
—Ludevic, necro-alchemist