April MCC Round 3 - Liberation

[bravelion83]

(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the cards Feaster of Fools by John Severin Brassell, Roc Egg by Paul Bonner, and Work a Double by Carl Frank.)

April MCC Round 3

Liberation

The third holiday is the specific Italian one. On April 25th each year, we celebrate the liberation of our country from the nazi-fascists, that happened at the end of World War II on 1945. While thinking how to celebrate this national holiday, I thought of what could mean to break free of something in Magic terms. Pacifism and likewise Auras came to mind, as well as Curses (negative enchant player). How can you break free of a Curse or make your creature break free from being pacified or Arrested? That's the question this round.

If you want to know more about this Italian holiday, check out this Wikipedia page.


Main Challenge - Design an instant or sorcery card that can destroy an Aura an opponent controls that's enchanting you or one of your creatures.
Subchallenge 1 - Your card has a keyword ability, keyword action, or ability word.
Subchallenge 2 - Your card's mana value is 3 or less.


NOTE: As the guidelines state, starting this round you are expected to use the latest wording changes in Strixhaven, since the set prerelease has passed. Using the previous wording WILL get you Quality deductions. There are multiple changes in Strixhaven that you are expected to use now, none of which functional, as detailed here. The cards themselves show even more changes:
• "converted mana cost" is now "mana value".
• If the library has already been mentioned in the rules text, "shuffle your library" is now "shuffle" and "on the top of your library" is just "on top" (see Campus Guide). I also expect "on the bottom of your library" to become just "on the bottom" under the same condition.
• "Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery." is now "Activate only as a sorcery." In addition, "Activate this ability only any time you could cast an instant." has been shortened to "Activate only as an instant." I guess the instant one is relevant for some older cards.
• "can't attack you or a planeswalker you control" is now "can't attack you or planeswalkers you control".
• "Whenever CARDNAME enters the battlefield or leaves the battlefield" is now "Whenever CARDNAME enters or leaves the battlefield".
• Instead of removing counters and putting that many somewhere else, now we just say "put its counters" (see Spiteful Squad).
• "Activate this ability only if..." is now "Activate only if..." (Brackish Trudge, Kelpie Guide, The Biblioplex)

If I realize more changes are there while playing Strixhaven limited online I will add them here.

First comment: I absolutely hate the Mystical Archive after just two drafts, the first of which I won thanks to double Cultivate AND double Putrefy (picked when I was already in Witherbloom), cards that I shouldn't have been able to pick in Strixhaven, they're not in the set after all.
April 24th: today I've lost to an opponent with double Doom Blade. I keep hating the Mystical Archive more and more, both when it helps me and when I lose to cards from it.

Clarifications

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"Subchallenge 1 - Your card has a keyword ability, keyword action, or ability word."

convoke counts for this, right?

Yes, convoke counts. It's a keyword ability. You can find the whole list in that Wiki page, the same for keyword actions and ability words.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Tuesday, April 27th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Friday, April 30th 23:59 EDT


RUBRIC

MCC Rubric

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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
Venedrex


PLAYERS

@dangerousdice
@Flatline
@Ink-Treader
@netn10
@slimytrout
@StonerOfKruphix


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.
Please check out the MCC Guidelines and FAQ if you have the will and time. Link in my signature. Among the many things you can find there are a detailed explanation of the rubric (section 6.2) and the recommended card formatting (section 4) that you should use to format your text cards. Expect deductions in Quality otherwise.


BRACKETS

This is the versus round. Players are divided into three head-to-head matchups, each judged by two judges. In each matchup, the player with the highest combined score will advance to the final round.

Judge: Venedrex
netn10 vs. slimytrout
Ink-Treader vs. StonerOfKruphix

Judge: bravelion83
Ink-Treader vs. StonerOfKruphix
dangerousdice vs. Flatline

Judge: void_nothing
dangerousdice vs. Flatline
netn10 vs. slimytrout

[dangerousdice]

Liberate the chained
Instant — (R)
Convoke
Destroy all auras enchanting creatures you control with mana value X or less.
you gain life equal to the number of auras destroy this way.
For freedom! For life! For Rafiance!

[slimytrout]

Foul Ritual 1BB
Instant (R)
Destroy target creature or enchantment an opponent controls. You lose life equal to that permanent's mana value.
Twincast Warlock (When you cast this spell, copy it if you control a Warlock. You may choose new targets for the copy.)
"Bubble, bubble, pain redoubled."

[Flatline]

Ravage 1bg
Instant (R)
Destroy target nonbasic permanent.
Very little can withstand the onslaught of The Swarm.

[StonerOfKruphix]

Hope I can capture the feel of this celebration. I'm Italian and things like these make me immensely proud of my country.

Partisan's Flower GW
Instant ⁠(U)
Kicker R (You may pay an additional R as you cast this spell.)
Exile target artifact or enchantment. If this spell was kicked, it deals damage equal to that permanent's mana value to any target.
Revolt ⁠— If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 1/1 green Plant creature token.
"And if I die as a partisan
then you must bury me."
⁠—Bella Ciao

[Ink-Treader]

Iconoclast's Revenge BR
Instant (U)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment you don't control. Then, if Iconoclast's Revenge is a copy, that permanent's controller loses 3 life.
Conspire (As you cast this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it and you may choose a new target for the copy.)

[netn10]

Liberated Mind 1WW
Instant (Rare)
Fateful hour — As long as you have 5 or less life, you may cast Liberated Mind from outside the game.
Destroy each aura attached to you.
Until end of turn, you can't discard or mill cards.
Draw a card.

[bravelion83]

The round is closed.

BRACKETS

This is the versus round. Players are divided into three head-to-head matchups, each judged by two judges. In each matchup, the player with the highest combined score will advance to the final round.

Judge: Venedrex
netn10 vs. slimytrout
Ink-Treader vs. StonerOfKruphix

Judge: bravelion83
Ink-Treader vs. StonerOfKruphix
dangerousdice vs. Flatline

Judge: void_nothing
dangerousdice vs. Flatline
netn10 vs. slimytrout

---

done

Ink-Treader

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Iconoclast's Revenge BR
Instant (U)
Destroy target artifact or enchantment you don't control. Then, if Iconoclast's Revenge is a copy, that permanent's controller loses 3 life.
Conspire (As you cast this spell, you may tap two untapped creatures you control that share a color with it. When you do, copy it and you may choose a new target for the copy.)

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes the life loss but he would like it to be part of the base effect. Johnny can probably use the copy somehow. Spike sees this as a purely sideboard card.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 3/3 - You found another example like Lightning Helix that could be one color or the pair made up by two other colors. Here we have a Disenchant or Naturalize that makes sense in Rakdos colors because red can destroy artifacts and black can destroy your opponents' enchantments. Very interesting. Conspire was in all colors in Shadowmoor, so no problems with that either. Rarity is fine. No problems with the rules.
Balance 2.5/3 - For once, not much to say here. It's a nice sideboard card in both limited and constructed. The mana cost feels right compared to other cards. If the "lose 3 life" bit was a part of the base effect, and not just the copy, it would have needed to cost more, but as it is, it's fine. You still have to pay the conspire cost to get the life loss. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Gleeful Sabotage is a Naturalize with conspire, and Burn Trail a Lightning Bolt with conspire that can cause an opponent to lose 3 life. This card is essentially the child of those two existing cards. Is the sum of two old cards a new card? Technically yes, in the sense that it doesn't exist yet, but let's say that it's uninspired.
Flavor 2/3 - The name is good. MSE shows me that up to a couple lines of flavor text would have fit. No problems with the card concept.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 20.5/25

StonerOfKruphix

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Hope I can capture the feel of this celebration. I'm Italian and things like these make me immensely proud of my country.

Partisan's Flower GW
Instant ⁠(U)
Kicker R (You may pay an additional R as you cast this spell.)
Exile target artifact or enchantment. If this spell was kicked, it deals damage equal to that permanent's mana value to any target.
Revolt ⁠— If a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, create a 1/1 green Plant creature token.
"And if I die as a partisan
then you must bury me."
⁠—Bella Ciao

Design
Appeal 3/3 - Timmy likes dealing damage and getting tokens. Johnny can probably do something with the kicker part, revolt, and/or the token. Spike likes that this card can do a lot of things for only three-mana (I'm assuming kicker is automatic to her). Ok, it's hard to cast, but the rewards are there, and how to play this card right in various circumstances is a very interesting question to her.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here. The text is not the shortest but very easy to understand and immediately grokkable (if that's a word).
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 2.5/3 - Again, another sideboard card that's fine in that role. To get the kicked part, which is the interesting one in competitive formats, you have to have a target for the Disenchant part. The mana cost feels right compared to cards with similar effects, and the kicker cost is as low as it can be, but I would certainly not call it broken. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - An Orim's Thunder that can go to any target instead of just a creature and that has the additional ability to create a token. Technically new but if it weren't for revolt this would have been an almost exact copy of the Thunder.
Flavor 3/3 - Yes, I have to give you full points here. If real world flavor text is allowed, and it is even if now we see it very rarely, this fits. For those that might not know, the name too is a quote from "Bella Ciao", a very popular song that comes exactly from the times we celebrate with this holiday. It's a symbol of the Resistance movement that is still sung today. "E se io muoio da partigiano, tu mi devi seppellir" is the quote in the flavor text, and the name comes from "E questo è il fiore del partigiano". You can find the song on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CI3lhyNKfo, or if you want a version with English subtitles but slightly different lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqs2oIBFPxI. The original lyrics are those from the first link though. My own personal favorite version is the one by Modena City Ramblers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBazlgA7-r8.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - I'm sorry but I have to deduct points for extra text, despite totally agreeing with that extra text as a fellow Italian (-0.5). I am proud too of our country, but our shared pride doesn't erase the rules of the contest, that I know well because I have written the guidelines myself. As a Boros soldier, I should know when to close one or both eyes, so here I made the deduction the smallest it could be. In the past I have deducted 1 point or maybe even more for extra text. All the rest is fine.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 22.5/25

dangerousdice

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Liberate the chained
Instant — (R)
Convoke
Destroy all auras enchanting creatures you control with mana value X or less.
you gain life equal to the number of auras destroy this way.
For freedom! For life! For Rafiance!

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes this, and particularly he's the one who likes the life gain. I don't see much for Johnny to do but maybe I'm wrong. Spike likes the potential for card advantage if you manage to destroy multiple Auras with this single card, but I doubt she'd play this in the main deck. Sideboard, sure.
Elegance 1.5/3 - An ambiguity in the text: what does have to have mana value X or less, the Auras or the enchanted creatures?
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 2/3 - It's hard to judge this not knowing how it's supposed to be, with that ambiguity I've mentioned before (see Elegance). Anyway, it looks like a very narrow card, that could probably have just destructed all Auras enchanting creatures you control regardless of the mana value. The mana cost looks high here compared to other similar cards, especially for a rare. I think this could be significanty stronger and still be balanced. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - A global and conditional Strip Bare that also gains you life and has convoke. Only technically new, and the addition of life gain isn't enough to make this card feel original.
Flavor 2/3 - The name and card concept are fine. The flavor text feels a bit too generic to me, and also I don't understand if "Rafiance" is a typo or what it is.
Polish
Quality 0/3 - I have though about doing it again, but I guessed that the third time you could have done it by yourself. I'm sorry, but apparently I was wrong. Let's begin. The card name is not bolded (-1). An extra em dash in the type line (-0.5). Convoke is not evergreen, so it should have reminder text (-0.5). An extra line break between the two lines of rules text, that should be a single line instead (-0.5). "You" should be capitalized as it's at the beginning of a sentence (-0.5). "Destroy this way" should be "destroyed this way" (-0.5, but we're already at zero and negative points don't exist in this contest). In "destroy all auras" and "the number of auras", the word "Auras" should be capitalized because it's a subtype (-0.5 twice, but again, we're already at zero). As the saying goes, instead of giving you a fish to eat, I had tried to teach you to fish to be able to feed yourself for life. As I said, apparently I have failed. I'm sorry.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 16/25

Flatline

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Ravage 1bg
Instant (R)
Destroy target nonbasic permanent.
Very little can withstand the onslaught of The Swarm.

Design
Appeal 3/3 - Everybody likes this. Timmy to destroy his opponents' big creatures and make his ones connect. Johnny because it's very open ended, it can destroy anything but basic lands, and he could also probably destroy his own things to use death triggers or something like that. Spike loves all good removal and it's hard to do better than this.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 3/3 - At the contrary, this card is very easy to judge here. This is just playable everywhere in the main deck without being broken. Good removal both for limited and constructed. I can very easily see this card in Standard and probably Pioneer and Modern too. Not sure about Legacy and Vintage, but it wouldn't surprise me. Also playable in casual and multiplayer without any problems, and it's still strong there too.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2.5/3 - This is a wonderful example of how to take a classical effect (Maelstrom Pulse in the same colors, or Vindicate in general) and make it new with only a single sentence of rules text and a single word change.
Flavor 3/3 - I can see the name and flavor text being printed as is. They are very good. I don't know what else to say except praises and congratulations.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - I think the word "the" before "Swarm" in the flavor text should not be capitalized (-0.5). It's the English article, not part of the name of the Golgari Swarm.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - MV 3, but no keywords. "Destroy" is technically a keyword action, so both met.
TOTAL 24/25

Results

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Ink-Treader: 20.5
StonerOfKruphix: 22.5

dangerousdice: 16
Flatline: 24

[Venedrex]

Ink-Treader

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy usually doesn't like Naturalize style effects, but the potential to copy this and have an opponent lose some life makes it more appealing, Johnny doesn't see a lot of potential for this card as far as combos, but Spike sees some decent potential for this to be a Standard card in the sideboard, as it fulfills a nice role for black red decks that may not typically have great enchantment removal.
(3/3) Elegance - The card is pretty clean all around.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Before Commander 2019 I would have thrown the book at you for making black enchantment removal, but since it has been confirmed since then, seems solidly with in pie, especially since you made sure not to let it destroy your own enchantments, which is the rule for black enchantment removal. No problems for me.

(2.5/3) Balance - I don't think this is a card that would be too powerful in almost any circumstance, but it might find a niche role somewhere in a format with a Rakdos deck that needs good enchantment and artifact removal.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - It is a new combination, but at the end the day this is basically Sundering Growth with conspire instead of populate. The life loss is new though for this type of card.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Works well for me, but I think there is room for some delicious flavor text.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) – Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.

Total: 21.5/25

StonerofKruphix

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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the potential of doing a bunch of different things with one card, Johnny might like to experiment with some strange way of using this to kill an opponent with their own permanents, and Spike sees this as a Naturalize with a whole lot of potential upside for a deck playing green white (and possibly red).
(2.5/3) Elegance - Nothing overly complicated that prevents understanding this card, but one of my pet peeves is cards with multiple named keywords on them. Is it technically wrong? No, but I think it can sometimes detract from how you read the card.

Development
(2/3) Viability - No problems for me, since getting this to deal damage requires red mana, keeping it in pie.
(2/3) Balance - I think this is fine, but if printed this could end up being one of the better, if not one of the best of these type of effects printed so far.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - The damage dealing aspect is somewhat unique to me, but this card is very similar to Sundering Growth, just with a couple differences.
(3/3) Flavor - I like it quite a bit, and I'm not even from Italy.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - (-0.5) for wordiness.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) – Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.
Total: 20/25

netn10

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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the flavor of this and theory of this, but would be underwhelmed by it once they played it. Johnny thinks this is neat, but the applications for it seem to fall into the category of: "You sprung my trap card" versus, "I set up a really awesome synergy with this card and a bunch of other unique effects." Spike has absolutely no interest in this outside of possibly using it as a hoser for a Dimir Rogues style deck, but even then, I think a Spike would be more likely to just put in some escape cards that can function on their own than this.
(3/3) Elegance - Quite clean.

Development
(3/3) Viability - I think this would be the right colors for an effect like this? Sultai is the color of milling, so it stands to reason white would be the color to shield or liberate the mind.
(0.5/3) Balance - I think this card would not see any play in any format. This feels incredibly specific and expensive for what it actually does. Teferi's Protection may be a little too good, but I think this card would be better if it steered a bit closer to it. Fateful hour as a whole had issues with being too weak or situational, so while it is good flavor, adding it to an already specific card results in a highly situational spell.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - We've seen cards in the past that are similar, such as the aforementioned Teferi's Protection and Angel's Grace, but being able to cast this outside the game, and destroy auras is new.
(3/3) Flavor - Works for me.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) – Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.

Total: 19.5/25

slimytrout

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes the flavor and the idea of blowing something up, although the life loss makes this less appealing for them, Spike sees this as a unique Murder, one that makes you lose life but can hit enchantments. Johnny might like the idea of this in a tribal deck, but doesn't see a whole lot of room for unique synergies.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Good, the only thing I think might make this better is coming up with a more exciting name for the keyword Twincast Warlock. Something like, "Incantation" or "Ritualism" might make this look a little cleaner.

Development
(2/3) Viability - No issues for me, this effect has been seen on Feed the Swarm and other similar cards.
(3/3) Balance - This is interesting. Without controlling a Warlock, this is essentially a Murderous Rider // Swift End, but worse. However, with a Warlock, this becomes quite powerful. I think this is still well balanced because thanks to the life loss, when you copy this you will of course lose twice the amount of life. For this reason I think this would be a strong limited pick, and potentially a good removal spell for Standard, if a deck could afford to run some Warlocks.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - As previously mentioned, this feels like a fusion of Murder and Feed the Swarm with a little Warlock synergy throw in.
(3/3) Flavor - I like it.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) – Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.

Total: 21/25

Results

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Ink-Treader: 21.5
StonerOfKruphix: 20

netn10: 19.5
slimytrout: 21

[void_nothing]

dangerousdice

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Design
(1/3) Appeal - This card is so reactive that whatever value it has is as a sideboard card - Txmmy appreciates the imagery but little else and Spike would only occasionally board it in in very limited situations.
(2.5/3) Elegance - This card has legitimately ambiguous wording: I'm assuming it's meant to destroy Auras with CMC X or less, but it could theoretically also mean "Destroy all Auras attached to creatures with mana value X or less you control".

Development
(2/3) Viability - White is correct, but I'm positive this card could/should be uncommon.
(2/3) Balance - This is underpowered if anything, particularly at rare.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Basically a Paraselene variant.
(2/3) Flavor - That flavor text is very boilerplate (and I'm not sure who, what, or where Rafiance is).

Polish
(0.5/3) Quality - "Chained" should be capitalized in the name. As a subtype Aura should also be capitalized - and the wording you want is probably "Destroy all Auras with mana value X or less attached to creatures you control." It's "destroyed" and not "destroy" in the second clause (which should also start with a capital letter) and that flavor text, being apparently a quotation, should have quote marks.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 15/25

Flatline

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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes blasting stuff with almost no restrictions. Jxnny sees this as a blunt instrument that can't be played around with very much but ultimately also sees the value in stopping ANY threat while setting a combo up. Spike just smiles.
(3/3) Elegance - Hard to argue with!

Development
(3/3) Viability - Definitely in-color, definitely rare.
(1/3) Balance - This is very very very strong: it's wide-spectrum removal at instant speed with the sole restriction of not hitting basic lands and no drawback. It puts even potent cards like Bedevil to shame.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - As much of a straight-up Vindicate variant as this card is, we have never actually seen the phrase "nonbasic permanent."
(3/3) Flavor - That is nothing if not a great use of a single-word name.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - I feel like it should be "the Swarm" and not "The Swarm" even if it's a proper name (and presumably it's the Golgari Swarm).
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No keywords.

Total: 19.5/25

netn10

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Not much here for Txmmy, but it's just wacky enough for Jxnny and perfectly potent sideboard material (that doesn't even need to be mainboarded at all!) for Spike.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A lot going on here but none of it is particularly complicated.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Color and rarity look right.
(2.5/3) Balance - Casting from outside the game is definitely questionable but it's so conditional and so much of a specific hoser that I don't think it comes anywhere near the power level of, e.g., the stronger companions.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Definitely several new ideas here.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Name's a bit abstract but ultimately works.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - "Aura" should be capitalized.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 21.5/25

slimytrout

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Primarily a Spike card. Txmmy likes blowing a lot of stuff up but might balk at the drawback. Jxnny sees a blunt instrument that does happen to enable some copy-based shenanigans and plays into an unappreciated tribe.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit wordy, and copying is always going to add a bit of complexity.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Color and rarity look right.
(3/3) Balance - Sure, no problems - it's potential double removal but you have to have a creature type with not that many members and you'll lose a lot of life in the process.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Basically a Feed the Swarm variant with a new keyword - twincast reminds me basically of conspire but it'd be a fun, uncomplicated mechanic for a tribal set.
(3/3) Flavor - I really like this, especially the flavor text. Cheesy or no, it's just memorable.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 21.5/25

Results

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dangerousdice 15
Flatline 19.5

netn10 21.5
slimytrout 21.5

[bravelion83]

Final results (bold advance)

netn10: 19.5 + 21.5 = 41
slimytrout: 21 + 21.5 = 42.5

Ink-Treader: 20.5 + 21.5 = 42
StonerOfKruphix: 22.5 + 20 = 42.5

dangerousdice: 15 + 16 = 31
Flatline: 19.5 + 23 = 42.5

Final round will be up in a few minutes.