September MCC, Finals - Containing Multitudes

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 2 years ago

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Banner based on Jalira, Master Polymorphist by Steve Prescott and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo
September MCC, Round 4 - Containing Multitudes

Welcome to the September MCC! It's Alterations Month here at the MCC.

Main Challenge: Design a double-faced card where both halves are each a different single color and single card type
Subchallenge 1: One or both sides of your card can change their colors and/or card types without transforming.
Subchallenge 2: Your card is legendary on at least one of its sides.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Monday, October 25th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Thursday, October 28th 23:59 EDT

Clarifications
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Main Challenge: Your card can be a transform DFC or a modal DFC, or indeed some other kind, if you can think of one.
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:
void_nothing
bravelion83

Players:
@Freyleyes
@Lorn Asbord Schutta
@slimytrout
@netn10
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slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 2 years ago

See Dreams U
Sorcery (R)
Look at each opponent's hand.
Scry 1.
3B: Put See Dreams from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate only as a sorcery.
"You have such vivid fears locked away up here. . ."
///
Nightmare Incarnate
(B) Creature — Nightmare (R)
As Nightmare Incarnate enters the battlefield, target opponent reveals their hand. You may choose a creature card from it and exile that card. Nightmare Incarnate enters the battlefield as a copy of that card.
". . .I'd have to be a monster not to set them free."
—Ashiok

1/1

netn10
Posts: 3934
Joined: 4 years ago
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Post by netn10 » 2 years ago

Innocent Lamp 2U
Artifact (Rare)
Whenever Innocent Lamp becomes tapped, transform it.
"I remember being in this cursed lamp, day and night, crying for help that I never thought will come..."
/////
Jazaam, Humble Servant
(W) Legendary Creature - Djinn (Rare)
Flying
Spells cost 1 less to cast.
At the beginning of each players upkeep, that player draws a card.
2W: If Jazaam isn't an enchantment, it becomes an enchantment and loses all other card types. Otherwise it becomes a creature and loses all other card types.
"... You freed me, I am your servant. Your wish is my command."
3/3

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Freyleyes
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Post by Freyleyes » 2 years ago

Demonic Totem 1B
Artifact {M}
B, Discard two cards: Demonic Totem becomes a 4/4 black and white Demon artifact creature with flying until end of turn.
BBB, Pay 3 life: Transform Demonic Totem. Activate only if Demonic Totem is a creature.
////////////////////////////////////////
The Devourer
(W) Legendary Creature — Angel Horror{M}
Flying
You may pay 0 rather than pay the mana cost of the first spell you cast each turn. If 0 was paid, you lose life equal to that spell's mana cost.
6/6

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 2 years ago

@Lorn Asbord Schutta Just checking in.
Psst, check the second page of Custom Card Contests & Games! Because of the daily contests, a lot of games fall down to there.

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Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type

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Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Post by Lorn Asbord Schutta » 2 years ago

Psyche Overflow UU
Sorcery (M)
Target opponent mills ten cards, then they may draw up to four cards. For each card drawn this way, add . Then you may pay . If you do, put Psyche Overflow under that opponent's control transformed.
"When your mind starts to crumble, don't try to grasp your consciousness. It makes matters worse."
—Jace Beleren

///
Ego's Schism
() Enchantment (M)
When Ego's Schism enters the battlefield, exile your graveyard, then shuffle all cards you own in exile into a face-down pile. Create an opponent whose deck is that pile and whose turn is after yours. That opponent enters the game. They are controlled by the owner of Ego's Schism. If that opponent would win the game, the owner of Ego's Schism wins instead.
At the beginning of your upkeep, opponent created by Ego's Schism gains control of a target land you control.

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 2 years ago

And that will close out the round. Let's judge.
Psst, check the second page of Custom Card Contests & Games! Because of the daily contests, a lot of games fall down to there.

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Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 2 years ago

slimytrout
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Mostly a Jxnny/Spike card, for the interesting interactions and versatility.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Certainly a bit of a complicated card but nothing totally unprecedented.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity look right.
(2/3) Balance - Cost to basically steal a creature out of an opponent's hand is a little bit cheap, especially since it's so hard to counter.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Basically a mashup of old effects that function together in a new way. Back face sort of has a Valki, God of Lies thing going on.
(3/3) Flavor - Works for me. Very in-character for Ashiok.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No legendary.

Total: 20/25
netn10
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Design
(3/3) Appeal - A home run - everyone wants to free the genie from the lamp, especially with the abilities of the back face.
(2/3) Elegance - Innocent Lamp is a very comprehensible puzzle, but Jazaam is a little overloaded with text.

Development
(3/3) Viability - No issues with colors or rarity.
(3/3) Balance - Jazaam is objectively powerful but the abilities are symmetrical and therefore could backfire.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Innocent Lamp is a rather unique idea but I sort of wish it had some minor extra ability. Jazaam is a mashup card that works in a new way given how the abilities play into one another.
(3/3) Flavor - Tells a very familiar story but in a pretty perfect way.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - "Each player's" is missing an apostrophe.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 22.5/25
Freyleyes
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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes the size, Jxnny likes the free spells, Spike likes the low mana investment needed.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit fiddly, but nothing hard to comprehend per se.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - While black and mythic are appropriate, I'm not sure why this card even has white associated with it. The back face's ability does not feel {W/B}, instead it's pure black.
(2/3) Balance - Involves some steep costs, but The Devourer could simply be used to power out something game-winning on turn 4, not to mention being a 6/6 flyer.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Doesn't draw from any card in particular but these effects are all familiar - plenty of artifacts become creatures and plenty of effects let you pay life rather than mana, and ultimately this is also just a card that can either become a creature or a bigger, stronger creature.
(1.5/3) Flavor - Something is missing here - The Devourer's story could be compelling but I'm not sure why it's an Angel nor why it's sealed in some sort of demonic relic.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - Colors are mentioned in the order that they would be in a mana cost - it's "white and black". Also, The Devourer should be talking about mana values, not mana costs.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 19/25
Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy wants to give their opponent an "I'm you but stronger" moment. Jxnny salivates. Spike sees WAY too much of a risk to take.
(0/3) Elegance - Probably one of the most complicated designs with the most unusual rules implications and need for the most rulings I've judged in quite a while.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Colors and rarity look right. The biggest problem here is implementation - adding a player into the game is fraught with complexity and has really only ever been used in an Un-card, Better Than One.
(2/3) Balance - Swingy, to say the least - giving your opponent four cards to draw could win the game for them, but putting another player in the game to beat them could quickly win it for you.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - A VERY innovative card that would push the boundaries of black bordered effects.
(3/3) Flavor - Good stuff - pretty scary to imagine losing your mind and then having it come back as your own nemesis.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Appears to be missing a "the" in the last clause of Ego's Schism.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(0/2) Subchallenges - No color/type changing or legendary.

Total: 16.5/25
Psst, check the second page of Custom Card Contests & Games! Because of the daily contests, a lot of games fall down to there.

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Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type

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bravelion83
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Post by bravelion83 » 2 years ago

Sorry everybody, I totally missed these. Remeding right now.

Judgments complete.
slimytrout
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slimytrout wrote:
2 years ago
See Dreams U
Sorcery (R)
Look at each opponent's hand.
Scry 1.
3B: Put See Dreams from your graveyard onto the battlefield transformed. Activate only as a sorcery.
"You have such vivid fears locked away up here. . ."
///
Nightmare Incarnate
(B) Creature — Nightmare (R)
As Nightmare Incarnate enters the battlefield, target opponent reveals their hand. You may choose a creature card from it and exile that card. Nightmare Incarnate enters the battlefield as a copy of that card.
". . .I'd have to be a monster not to set them free."
—Ashiok

1/1
Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy doesn't care too much. Johnny and Spike both like seeing their opponent's hand, Johnny to make sure he can go off with his combo without his opponents having counterspells or such, and Spike because she has perfect information. Nobody has problems with the back face, but Spike will probably be the most interested in that.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 2.5/3 - The Nightmare entering as a copy feels blue, but the card it copies is chosen in a very black way. No problems with the rest of the card.
Balance 2.5/3 - I only have one problem here, and it's that there is no restriction on the mana value of the creature the Nightmare copies. It could be an Emrakul for four mana. Playable in limited, but I can't really see it in constructed. The back face isn't enough to make the cut in constructed in my opinion, as it depends on what your opponent has in hand, and you can't rely on your opponent in competitive constructed. No problems in casual. "Each opponent" is obviously relevant in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Nothing really new here.
Flavor 3/3 - Names and flavor texts come together to tell a story in an excellent way. Wonderful job!
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 1/2 - I guess copying a non-black card with the back face counts as changing colors. No legendary supertype.
TOTAL 20/25
netn10
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netn10 wrote:
2 years ago
Innocent Lamp 2U
Artifact (Rare)
Whenever Innocent Lamp becomes tapped, transform it.
"I remember being in this cursed lamp, day and night, crying for help that I never thought will come..."
/////
Jazaam, Humble Servant
(W) Legendary Creature - Djinn (Rare)
Flying
Spells cost 1 less to cast.
At the beginning of each players upkeep, that player draws a card.
2W: If Jazaam isn't an enchantment, it becomes an enchantment and loses all other card types. Otherwise it becomes a creature and loses all other card types.
"... You freed me, I am your servant. Your wish is my command."
3/3
Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy might be interested in the back face, but he doesn't care about the front face. Johnny is already brewing, mainly thanks to the front face that's a Johnny paradise. So many ways to tap that artifact that doesn't have a built in way to tap! Spike is mainly interested in the cost reduction and the draw ability on the back face.
Elegance 2/3 - The type changing ability requires attention and may cause memory issues. A counter as a reminder would be helpful. For example, you could have put a +1/+1 counter when it's a creature and remove it when it's an enchantment, or something like that, to differentiate between the two states, creature and enchantment, as it will never be both at the same time.
Development
Viability 2/3 - Even with a white color indicator, the first three abilities of the back face have to be thing that blue can do, as you will pay only blue mana to get there, and they are. The draw ability even fits in the new card draw ability of white, being able to draw only one extra card per turn. The activated ability is white, no problem. Rarity feels right. As for the rules, I think that the first time this becomes an enchantment, it loses the Djinn creature type too as it's not an enchantment type. When you activate the ability again to turn it back into a creature, I don't think it gains it back, so you will have a legendary creature with no creature type. Either I'm wrong or this is not intuitive.
Balance 3/3 - Costs look acceptable. I suppose there will be ways to tap the artifact in the set this comes from, hopefully with a high enough as-fan to be relevant in limited. In constructed it should be even easier to do, and the back face is tempting, more for the cost reduction and the draw ability than the type changing one. I see no particular problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - As I often say, known elements put together in a technically new way. The front face not having a built in way to tap feels somewhat fresh to me.
Flavor 3/3 - Names and flavor texts come together to tell a story in an excellent way. This is a perfect top-down design.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - In the flavor text of the front face, I think that it should be "help that I never thought *would have* come" (-0.5). In the back face, an apostrophe is missing in "each player's upkeep". Also, in the back face's flavor text, there should be no space between the dots and the first word, but that's too small of a mistake to deduct points for that.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 20/25
Freyleyes
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Freyleyes wrote:
2 years ago
Demonic Totem 1B
Artifact {M}
B, Discard two cards: Demonic Totem becomes a 4/4 black and white Demon artifact creature with flying until end of turn.
BBB, Pay 3 life: Transform Demonic Totem. Activate only if Demonic Totem is a creature.
////////////////////////////////////////
The Devourer
(W) Legendary Creature — Angel Horror{M}
Flying
You may pay 0 rather than pay the mana cost of the first spell you cast each turn. If 0 was paid, you lose life equal to that spell's mana cost.
6/6
Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes an artifact that can animate into a 4/4 and transform into a 6/6, both flyers, but he doesn't want to discard cards. Johnny doesn't mind that instead, and is already looking for ways to exploit it. Spike likes free spells, nothing more than that.
Elegance 2.5/3 - Easy enough to understand at first glance, but it requires a bit of attention in playing it well and remembering that you have a free spell each turn.
Development
Viability 2/3 - Mechanically, the back face wants to be black too. I honestly feel like it's white and an Angel only because of the challenge. The last ability does feel mythic. I see no problems with the rules.
Balance 2.5/3 - I'm not sure about the mana costs here, or about whether transforming only as a creature is enough of a restriction to get a 6/6 flyer that also gives you free spells for four mana, even if you also have to pay three life and two cards. You won't see this often in limited as it's a mythic, but it should be playable there if you open it. Getting to The Devourer's free spell ability looks very tempting in competitive constructed. I can see decks build to speed their way and transforming the Totem into the Angel as quickly as possible, and it's easily doable on turn four, probably a bit too early. I see no problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - The Totem is nothing new, even if I can't remember an existing artifact DFC that transforms only while animated. The Devourer feels more original to me.
Flavor 1.5/3 - The names are fine and convey the intended flavor well, even if the name "The Devourer" sounds more like an Eldrazi rather than an Angel to me. Up to a couple lines of flavor text would have fit on the front face, and the back face has room for double that, but there is none.
Polish
Quality 1.5/3 - White comes before black in color pie order, so the first ability should say "becomes a 4/4 white and black..." (-0.5) On the back side, no space between the creature types and rarity, but this is too small of a mistake to deduct points by itself. In the alternative cost ability, you're clearly supposed to lose life equal to the "mana value", not the "mana cost". This is a functional mistake, because mana cost and mana value are different things, so -1.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - The first ability in the front face changes "artifact" to "artifact creature". The artifact card types stays. I guess adding card types counts as changing them. Legendary back face.
TOTAL 18.5/25
Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Lorn Asbord Schutta wrote:
2 years ago
Psyche Overflow UU
Sorcery (M)
Target opponent mills ten cards, then they may draw up to four cards. For each card drawn this way, add . Then you may pay . If you do, put Psyche Overflow under that opponent's control transformed.
"When your mind starts to crumble, don't try to grasp your consciousness. It makes matters worse."
—Jace Beleren

///
Ego's Schism
() Enchantment (M)
When Ego's Schism enters the battlefield, exile your graveyard, then shuffle all cards you own in exile into a face-down pile. Create an opponent whose deck is that pile and whose turn is after yours. That opponent enters the game. They are controlled by the owner of Ego's Schism. If that opponent would win the game, the owner of Ego's Schism wins instead.
At the beginning of your upkeep, opponent created by Ego's Schism gains control of a target land you control.
Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes how this impacts the board: you even get to add a brand new player out of nowhere! Johnny can probably find something to do with this. There are multiple things Spike doesn't like. She's not a huge fan of milling, she doesn't want to give her opponents cards, and she doesn't want as create a robot ally that wins her the game if it wins, for eight mana she wants this card to win her the game right away and all by itself.
Elegance 0/3 - Wow, talk about a complicated card! This card is so complex in multiple ways that I don't even know where to start. Let us save some time and just acknowledge the crazy complexity of this card without making too many questions.
Development
Viability 1.5/3 - No problems with the color pie. If this isn't mythic, I don't know what would be. I honestly don't know if the rules would even support creating a robot player. It would certainly require a big rules update between adding new rules to support it and adjusting existing ones accordingly.
Balance 1.5/3 - This is a mythic so you won't see it often in limited, thankfully. I can't even wrap my head around all the constructed implications. This is a really difficult card to judge in this area. In casual, I can see problems with the back face, starting with comprehension and ending with un-fun-ness (if that's a word). Giving away control of your lands to a robot your opponent controls doesn't look fun. Choosing "target opponent" is obviously relevant in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 3/3 - Oh well, on the bright side, this is certainly unique.
Flavor 2.5/3 - No big problems here. The only thing is that there is something in that flavor text that doesn't sound like Jace to me, but I might be wrong. That flavor text is very good besides the attribution. Not putting flavor text on the back face is definitely the right call, seeing how we're already at the borders of microtext with that wall of rules text, ten lines plus one break in the MSE M15 frame. Only Animate Dead does worse.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - In the very last ability, a "the" is missing: "...upkeep, the opponent created by..." (-0.5). The word "create" is usually used for tokens but I don't know how else you could word it. All the rest of the text looks fine.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 0/2 - None met.
TOTAL 15/25
Results
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slimytrout : 20
netn10: 20
Freyleyes : 18.5
Lorn Asbord Schutta : 15
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void_nothing
Look On My Sash...
Posts: 14925
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 124
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Tal Terig, Zendikar

Post by void_nothing » 2 years ago

And congrats to our winner, @netn10!
Psst, check the second page of Custom Card Contests & Games! Because of the daily contests, a lot of games fall down to there.

The greatest (fake) pro wrestling on the internet - Collaborative Create-A-Booster - My random creations (updated regularly)

Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type

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Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Post by Lorn Asbord Schutta » 2 years ago

Congratulations!

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