May MCC Round 2 - Symbology

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 1 week ago

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Banner based on Denry Klin, Editor in Chief, by Aaron J. Reilly and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo
May MCC, Round 2 - Symbology

Welcome to the May MCC! It's Graphic Design Month here at the MCC. We'll be celebrating an underappreciated team in R&D: Graphic Design.

Main Challenge: Design a card with a new symbol in its rules text or mana cost.

Subchallenge 1: Your card is common or uncommon.

Subchallenge 2: Your card has at least one static ability, at least one triggered ability, and at least one activated ability.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Thursday, May 16th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Sunday, May 19th 23:59 EDT


If time extensions are required, they WILL eat time from the next round to realign with the calendar, so please ask them only if you really need them. This is for both players and judges.
Clarifications
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Main Challenge:
This symbol must have never appeared on a card before, and it may not be an expansion symbol or DFC indicator. You may indicate this symbol however you want (the symbol could be a good choice), and if you wish you may include a name and a brief visual description of what the symbol would actually look like in addition to your card, e.g.:

Energy:
A white lightning bolt inside an inverted black pentagon.

However, you may not include any description of the mechanics or flavor of your symbol outside of the card submission, so you will likely need to use reminder text to communicate it.

N.B. A symbol that is technically new but not actually novel (e.g., ) will not be disqualified but will definitely not earn full points for the main challenge.

Subchallenge 1:
No clarifications needed.

Subchallenge 2:
Examples from the most recent set that would meet this criterion include Prairie Dog, Thunder Lasso, and Harrier Strix.
CONTESTANTS

@Subject16
@bravelion83
@marioguy3
@Freyleyes
@void_nothing
@shullz
@kwanyeegor-ii
@Komandon

RUBRIC
MCC Rubric
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The MCC Rubric is given below, in an easily "copy and pasted" form. (Courtesy of Rithaniel.)

Code: Select all

[b]Design[/b]
[b](X/3) Appeal[/b] - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
[b](X/3) Elegance[/b] - Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
 
[b]Development[/b]
[b](X/3) Viability[/b] - 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?
[b](X/3) Balance[/b] - 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?
 
[b]Creativity[/b]
[b](X/3) Uniqueness[/b] - 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"?
[b](X/3) Flavor[/b] - 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?
 
[b]Polish[/b]
[b](X/3) Quality[/b] - Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
[b](X/2) Main Challenge (*)[/b] - Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
[b](X/2) Subchallenges[/b] - One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
 
[b]Total: X/25[/b]
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
JUDGES
slimytrout
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shullz
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Post by shullz » 1 week ago

Afterglow of the Smithy
Enchantment — Aura (U)
Enchant Artifact
Enchanted Artifact has "Ward—Pay 2 life."
Whenever enchanted artifact is tapped, add .
: Attach Afterglow of the Smithy to target artifact. ( can be paid with one mana from an artifact source.)

Artifact Mana: A grey circle with a goblet inside.
Last edited by shullz 1 week ago, edited 1 time in total.

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bravelion83
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Post by bravelion83 » 1 week ago

Mossbury Backstabber 2{}
Creature — Elf Warrior (U)
({} can be paid with either G or by exiling two green and/or Forest cards from your graveyard.)
Vigilance
Whenever Mossbury Backstabber attacks, another target creature you control must be blocked this combat if able.
1{}, T: Mossbury Backstabber deals damage equal to its power to target blocking creature.
The guards of the town of Mossbury make no scruples in using unconventional techniques to defend their home.
1/3

"Macabre mana"
A vertically oriented rectangular tombstone of that mana's color containing inside it the shape corresponding to the regular mana symbol of that color (for example the tree for green macabre mana), but slightly smaller than in the regular mana symbol of that color.
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MCC - Winner (9): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019, Jan Mar 2022, Apr 2023 || Host (31): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last on MTGS), Aug 2019 (first on MTGN) Oct 2019, Jan Jun 2020 Apr Oct 2021, Feb May Sep Dec 2022, Mar Jun Sep Dec 2023, Mar Jun 2024 || Judge (59): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last on MTGS), every month from Aug 2019 (first on MTGN) to Feb 2020, May Jun 2020, Mar Apr Sep Oct 2021, Feb May Sep Dec 2022, Mar May Jun Sep Dec 2023, Jan Mar Jun 2024
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Subject16
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Post by Subject16 » 1 week ago

Soul-Strike Master W
Creature — Human Monk (U)
Vigilance
Whenever Soul-Strike Master attacks, you get (→) (one momentum) for each attacking creature. (At the beginning of each end step, you lose all momentum.)
2W: Soul-Strike Master gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the amount of momentum you have.
1/1


Momentum Symbol: A rightwards pointing arrow that tails into a gust of wind

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Freyleyes
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Post by Freyleyes » 1 week ago

Conjured Constrictor G{♥}
Creature — Snake Conjuration {U}
({♥} can only be paid with U produced by a creature or planeswalker.)
Flash
When Conjured Constrictor enters the battlefield, counter target activated ability.
{G/U}: Return Conjured Constrictor to its owner's hand. Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Activate only once each turn.
Before me lies a dying swan with twisted wings, deconstructed by my creation.
2/2

Symbol - Living Mana: A mana symbol with an associated colour U (In this case) with a heart on it.

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Post by slimytrout » 1 week ago

24 hours remain in this round, @marioguy3 @void_nothing @kwanyeegor-ii @Komandon. I would love to get the round closed on time if possible -- I have some travel plans that would make it a lot easier for me to get judgements in if I can start on Friday.

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Post by kwanyeegor-ii » 1 week ago

Shatterbond Linebreaker 3G
Creature - Elemental Berserker (Common)
Vigilance
When Shatterbond Linebreaker enters the battlefield, you get (a berserking counter. At the beginning of combat on your turn, for each of your berserking counters, you lose 1 life and Barbarian, Berserker, and Warrior creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.)
X, T, Pay X , Sacrifice Shatterbond Linebreaker: Destroy target noncreature, nonland permanent with mana value X or less.
1/4
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Post by marioguy3 » 1 week ago

Trusted Feline
Creature — Cat Golem (Rare)
Lifelink
Whenever Trusted Feline or another nontoken Cat Golem enters the battlefield under your control, you get 😺😺 (two Cat Golem counters).
: Cat Golems you control get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Cat Golem counters you have.
Their reputations grow rock solid as more become persuaded by their perfect rhetoric
2/2
Last edited by marioguy3 6 days ago, edited 1 time in total.
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Komandon
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Post by Komandon » 6 days ago

Phantom of the Archive 2U
Creature — Illusion (uncommon)
Whenever Phantom of the Archive deals combat damage, you and that player each get a 💡.
As long as you have four or more 💡, Phantom of the Archive can not be blocked.
Pay 💡💡: Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery.
2/2

Symbol: Inspiration counter. Looks like a lightbulb but is black with a tiny bit of white at the top left to indicate some depth.
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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 6 days ago

Dissolution Drinker 2R
Creature - Beast Alchemist (U)
Haste
Whenever Dissolution Drinker attacks, you may pay 🜆🜆. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Dissolution Drinker and it gains flying until end of turn. (Produce 🜆, or aquaregia, by paying 1U or exiling a blue permanent you control and adding U.)
2, Discard a card: Draw a card. Activate only if Dissolution Drinker attacked this turn.
2/2
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slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 6 days ago

Ok, round is closed! Judging assignments:

slimytrout:
Komandon
Subject16
void_nothing
marioguy3

Ink-Treader:
shullz
Freyleyes
kwanyeegor-ii
bravelion83

Top 3 from each bracket advance.

Ink-Treader
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Post by Ink-Treader » 5 days ago

All done. Still time to give questions/concerns though.


shullz
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy can appreciate protection and mana, but this might be a bit fiddly for full appeal. Johnny likes this plenty though. Enchant artifact is awfully niche, but if Johnny figures out an efficient way to break it count Spike in.
(2/3) Elegance - Someone new to the game will be very disappointed to find out that this can't retroactively apply ward to something already being targeted. It might also throw someone off that the mana this generates, despite being tied to an artifact being tapped, isn't artifact mana, because it's made by the Aura.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This seems fine for red, and uncommon is likely correct, though in the format this suggests, common might be fine too, if artifacts have an abnormally high presence. As far as the new cost, it seems quite plausible, especially with the increasing prevalence of Treasures.
(3/3) Balance - The trick is definitely going to be in breaking the mana generation; the ward is cute, but not likely to be terribly relevant. It breaks Basalt Monolith, but what doesn't? The price is certainly right to try this somewhere.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Curiously, there still are no cards that hand out the "pay life" style of ward (beside Cultist of the Absolute, which isn't really what I was thinking of). The mana ability has some uniqueness, mostly because this Aura is for artifacts, and all other Auras in that vein are for lands. "Artifact mana" itself isn't the most exciting idea, being like snow mana.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Simple but this works nicely, with two abilities representing different ideas of that card name. Honestly the last ability feels a bit extraneous here.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Card types in rules text should be lowercase.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Indeed.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both fulfilled.

Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Freyleyes
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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes this well enough, as does Johnny for its recursiveness. Spike is a bit less fond of the limitation living mana brings to the table, but this is undeniably efficient.
(3/3) Elegance - This seems reasonably elegant.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - The colors are right. This feels pushed for an uncommon, but it's pretty reasonable. Living mana will require a pretty specific format to support though; most mana generating creatures are green, though artifact creatures are also allowed here, even if that does feel a little off in flavor.
(3/3) Balance - Azorius Guildmage suggests repeated activated ability countering isn't a problem, and I agree. This is a damned slippery little engine, but I do commend you for considering that and applying "once each turn" to the activated ability to mitigate that. Frustrating, but not with raw power.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - This does a few very familiar things, but living mana is a nice twist, though it is similar to snow mana mechanically.
(2/3) Flavor - It's certainly very evocative flavor text, but I'm not quite sure what it's doing here; if this had reach or some other antiflier tech I'd have no questions. Tying your new mana to a new creature type is certainly a good way to get across a concept, though.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good, though I will note that it is homing in quite close to microtext.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Indeed.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both fulfilled.

Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
kwanyeegor-ii
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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes part of this, but the continuous life loss is unappealing, even with a release valve built in. There's nothing specifically interesting for Johnny, but there's some things to fiddle around with. Spike finds the upside of the counter rather narrow, but it is a powerful upside to build around.
(2.5/3) Elegance - It's rather unfortunate that even if you have no relevant creatures, the berserking counters will still eat away at you.

Development
(1.5/3) Viability - That's a pretty loaded common. I think mass power bonuses are a dangerous thing at common, especially one that has few ways to interact. Then there's the fact that berserking counters will kill you pretty fast in multiples, regardless of having any creatures to buff. The mechanics of berserking counters is unusual for green, but not inherently a problem. I think this should be uncommon as is; common might be fine if berserking counters were reworked, which I think they would need to be to be viable. This feels both too narrow and too swingy.
(2.5/3) Balance - This suggests a very fast Limited environment, and it seems fine in isolation. Warrior tokens are reasonably accessible though, and berserking counters scale very well with the amount of creatures you have.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Berserking counters alone feel very unique. Noncreature, nonland destruction is certainly familiar to green (if often allowing lands), but it hasn't been invoked this way before.
(2/3) Flavor - Usually when one is talking about "breaking their line", they're usually refering to an armies formation, so not destroying creatures is a bit odd. Fighting or 'biting' could have worked as an alternative that fits the flavor well, though this would be somewhat less unique for it.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - This looks correct, reminder text and all.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Indeed.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both fulfilled.

Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
bravelion83
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Does some cool things that Timmy will appreciate. Not much for Johnny. Spike appreciates alternative ways to pay costs, and this certainly does enough to warrant considering.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Compared to delve being 1:1 any card to mana, this being 2:1 and requiring specific qualities of card is a bit clunkier to think about.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Green and uncommon feel right. You might have been overly cautious with macabre mana, requiring two cards to exile, but considering how well delve ends up playing, I would say you're justified.
(3/3) Balance - There's a lot going on, but everything is just small enough that it feels just right.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Macabre mana is similar to delve, but with much broader application. Some familiar effects (though the second ability has only specifically been invoked by Neyith of the Dire Hunt). That type of activated ability is green, but that limitation is very white. Overall, this feels quite fresh.
(3/3) Flavor - Very nice; the name of the town even fits with the mana being "macabre".

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Indeed.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both fulfilled.

Total: 23.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Scores (bold advance)
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bravelion83 - 23.5
Freyleyes - 22
shullz - 21.5

kwanyeegor-ii - 20

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 days ago

I apologize for the delay, but I have been traveling and turned out not to have wifi at my first destination. I will do my best to get my judgements in tomorrow but can't make any promises.

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 2 days ago

Komandon
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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Spike likes the prospect of card advantage and/or unblockability, but is wary of giving their opponent resources. Timmy likes the unblockability and card draw as well but isn't so big on the fact that they have to give up the former if they want to maximize the latter. Johnny doesn't see much here.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A little unusual for a player counter like this not to have some sort of reminder text on an uncommon (see, for instance, Aether Chaser) but otherwise fairly clear.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Sure, blue uncommon seems right here.
(2/3) Balance - For these purposes I'm assuming that you meant it to say "combat damage to a player." If you didn't, then you'd get another half point here but lose another half point on quality so it'd all even out. Maybe a little weak even for a draft uncommon, in part because it gives your opponent an inspiration counter which they could conceivably put to better use than you -- two hits to draw a single card isn't a terrible rate but it's not game-breaking either, and the base level of a Gray Ogre is quite poor.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Inspiration counters seem a lot like reskinned energy, although the fact that this gives one to your opponent and that it has a threshold effect are both a bit novel.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I don't really think of Phantoms as being particularly inspiring, even if they're living in archives, but basically okay.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - Should be "can't be blocked" (-0.5) and "deals combat damage to a player" (-0.5).

(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Uncommon and all three abilities.

Total: 19/25
Subject16
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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the prospect of making an enormous swing and pumping this multiple times. Johnny is very interested in a counter that they can build up in a huge burst and then (potentially) abuse somehow. Spike likes the low investment in this, but is also a little wary of building up momentum and then wasting it because they have no efficient way to use it.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A minor deduction for the fact that it's unclear what momentum actually is, which might confuse players a bit who expect it to be a counter.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - I imagine the rules could be rewritten to allow players to just have things, but I'm not sure what the reason to do all that is relative to just having these be counters. White uncommon is correct though.
(3/3) Balance - I could see this even breaking into standard if the right aggro-momentum deck existed, but likely it would mostly be played in draft, which is fine for an uncommon.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Yeah, I'll give full points for the idea of a "counter" (even if it's not really a counter) that disappears at the end of the turn.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I guess I don't quite see what vigilance is doing here (other than satisfying part of the subchallenge), but otherwise it's a fun package.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Already deducted for the counter ambiguity twice so not going to do it again.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Uncommon and all three abilities.

Total: 23/25
void_nothing
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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy likes something that attacks and grows, but the price to do so is a bit steep. Spike likes rummaging, but feels like this is pretty inefficient at all the things it's trying to do. Johnny isn't interested.
(2/3) Elegance - Typically for things like phyrexian mana they're just known that way in the rules, they don't actually get a label in reminder text. It's not a templating violation to do so, but it is a little awkward, as is the phrasing of the definition as a whole ("add" in particular is confusing). Plus I find the fact that it's 1U just a tad inelegant.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Yeah, red uncommon with a blue cost seems right.
(2/3) Balance - Kinda weak unless there's some really strong reason to be exiling your own things in the set -- 2UU is a good bit to pay for a single +1/+1 counter and temporary flying, and 2 to rummage is middling but that's before the fact that you have to attack to get it. Definitely not breaking into constructed and I doubt it would be a high pick in draft.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Aqua regia is pretty unique, but I'm not giving full points here because most of the time it will just be a fancy way to write 1U -- a 1 mana discount to exile a blue permanent (can't even be an Island!) is not enough to justify the cost unless you're either about to win or about to lose.
(3/3) Flavor - Very fun to imagine someone powering up by drinking battery acid (I know it's not the same but I think it captures the spirit).

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Uncommon and all three abilities.

Total: 20.5/25
marioguy3
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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy loves this sort of thing -- just make a linear deck that plays all Cat Golems and things that like Cat Golems. Spike sees the high upside in this, but also recognizes that it just encourages dumping things onto the board and doesn't really provide card advantage or much wrath protection. Johnny has no interest in such a blunt instrument.
(2.5/3) Elegance - The use of Cat Golem as if it were a single creature type is maybe a bit odd, but most players would be able to figure out that it needs to be both to count.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - White is a bit of a bend here (it usually only gives +2/+2 or less, and this is unbounded). There are counterexamples, but I think mono-green or white-green would be more appropriate for something like this. Rare is correct.
(3/3) Balance - Requires you to go all-in on a single strategy, but gives you a big benefit for doing so. It does give a bit of removal protection in that the counters stick around after this is destroyed, and it would absolutely be an all-star in a Cat Golem deck if one existed.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Hmm, it's hard to know exactly how Cat Golem counters would be used, but from this card they seem a lot like experience counters in that they reward you for playing into the deck's themes and provide some sort of scaling benefit as the game goes on. The fact that they are a specifically typal counter is new though.
(1.5/3) Flavor - I guess I'm just not sure why these Cat Golems aren't artifacts like all other golems -- the flavor text even seems to point to them being "rock solid" but then there doesn't seem to be any payoff for that.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - Italics needed for reminder text. Missing period in flavor text.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Yep.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Has the right abilities but is rare.

Total: 18/25
Results
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Subject16: 23
void_nothing: 20.5
Komandon: 19

marioguy3: 18

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