CCL April, Top 4: Rise of the Clans

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spacemonaut
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Post by spacemonaut » 3 years ago

CCL April, Top 4

"Rise of the Clans"

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Soulfire Grand Master|DTK, taken from artofmtg.com, by Johannes Voss and Wizards of the Coast

Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!

Theme

It's Tarkir Month on CCL! This month we'll be exploring the dragoniest block that ever dragoned. It brought with it a lot to love, much of it that wasn't even dragons. We'll be exploring the design challenges presented by its themes with some focus on wedge design.

Challenge: Design two cards — (1) a wedge colored legendary non-dragon creature that's a Hound, Spirit, Djinn, Efreet, Bird, Naga, Cat, Orc, Goblin, Ogre, or Elephant; and (2) a dragon hate card.

Clarifications:
  • The legendary non-dragon creature must be exactly three wedge colors, not merely color identity.
  • You may use any additional types of your choosing (other than Dragon) as long as the legendary creature is at least one type found on that list.
  • The type must be found on the type line. Changeling doesn't count.
  • A dragon hate card should mainly punish dragon cards, but how it does this is up to you.
  • You may assume this is a set with a significant dragon theme.
  • The cards do not have to be set on Tarkir.
Your submissions are due Tuesday, April 28th, 23:59 EST.
Contestants:
@Ink-Treader
@RaikouRider
@Henlock
@Subject16

Schedule
  • Round 1 — Open to Everyone (April 1st–7th)
  • Round 2 — Open to Everyone (April 8th–14th)
  • Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due April 17th)
  • Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (April 18th–22nd)
  • Top 8 Critiques (Due April 24th)
  • Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers (April 25th–28th)
  • Top 4 Critiques (Due April 30th)
  • Final (May, winner determined by public poll)

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RaikouRider
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Post by RaikouRider » 3 years ago

1) Wedge non-dragon legend

Mithalo the Sandforger 2WBG
Legendary Creature - Cat Soldier {R}
When Mithalo the Sandforger enters the battlefield, each player reveals their hand. You choose up to one Equipment card from a player's hand or graveyard. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control attached to Mithalo.
If an equipped creature dealing combat damage would cause a triggered ability of a permanent you control to trigger, that ability triggers an additional time.
2/2

2) Dragon hate card

Writhing Canopy
1GG
Enchantment - Aura {U}
Enchant Forest you control
Whenever one or more creatures with flying attack you, those creatures lose flying until end of turn. If any of those creatures are Dragons, exile up to one of those Dragons until Writhing Canopy leaves the battlefield or another Dragon is exiled with it.
Last edited by RaikouRider 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.

Ink-Treader
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Post by Ink-Treader » 3 years ago

Feyomsi, the Corpsedancer 1BGU
Legendary Creature - Cat Demon (R)
Whenever Feyomsi becomes the target of a spell or ability you don't control, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard. If you do, counter that spell or ability.
T: Two target players each return a creature card from their graveyard to the battlefield under their control. If two creatures are put onto the battlefield this way, those creatures fight each other.
3/4

Dromoka's Complacency 2B
Sorcery (U)
Target opponent reveals their hand. You choose up to one Dragon card and up to one nonland card. That player discards those cards.
Though the most vigilant of the Dragonlords, Dromoka underestimated the reach of mortal ambition.
SPOILER
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Not super happy with the wording on Feyomsi, but "You and target opponent" is confusing to word for.
Last edited by Ink-Treader 3 years ago, edited 4 times in total.

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Subject16
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Post by Subject16 » 3 years ago

The Abzan Remembrance WBG
Legendary Creature — Spirit Soldier (Mythic)
The Abzan Remembrance enters the battlefield with three +1/+1 counters on it.
At the beginning of your end step, bolster 1 for each creature card in your graveyard. (Choose a creature with the least toughness among creatures you control and put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
The dead do not forgive the squandering of their legacy.
0/0

Silumgar, the Betrayer 4UB
Legendary Creature — Elder Dragon (Mythic)
Flying
When Silumgar, the Betrayer enters the battlefield, destroy all other Dragons.
As long as there are no other Dragons on the battlefield, Silumgar has hexproof and can't be blocked.
Whenever Silumgar deals combat damage to a player, draw a card, then each player discards a card.
Bound to none but himself, Silumgar forsook his own kin to keep his power intact.
3/7

Henlock
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Post by Henlock » 3 years ago

Persis, Jeskai Strategist 1wur
Legendary Creature - Djinn Monk (r)
Haste
Attacking creatures you control have prowess and hexproof.
Persis leads the battle voicing an ancient mantra that heightens spirit, reflexes and perception.
3/4

Narrow Passages 3w
Enchantment (r)
Creatures with power 4 or greater can't attack you.
There's a meandering crack right through the mountain that leads to the one of the oldest monasteries, in a small clearing sheltered by the winding passages and the depths of the mountain itself.

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spacemonaut
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Post by spacemonaut » 3 years ago

Top 4 submissions are now closed. Please critique each other entry and provide a top 3 by April 30th, 23:59 EST.

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Subject16
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Post by Subject16 » 3 years ago

RaikouRider
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RaikouRider wrote:
3 years ago
Mithalo the Sandforger 2WBG
Legendary Creature - Cat Soldier {R}
When Mithalo the Sandforger enters the battlefield, each player reveals their hand. You choose up to one Equipment card from a player's hand or graveyard. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control attached to Mithalo.
If an equipped creature dealing combat damage would cause a triggered ability of a permanent you control to trigger, that ability triggers an additional time.
2/2

Writhing Canopy 1GG
Enchantment - Aura {U}
Enchant Forest you control
Whenever one or more creatures with flying attack you, those creatures lose flying until end of turn. If any of those creatures are Dragons, exile up to one of those Dragons until Writhing Canopy leaves the battlefield or another Dragon is exiled with it.
Mithalo does a lot of very strange things for Abzan, I would expect a card like this to be mardu or jeskai, but it fits abzan well, especially with the Cat typing. It's a bit difficult to evaluate how powerful Mithalo could be. It's good that you can get equipment from your own hand/graveyard out, otherwise the odds of its ability whiffing would feel really bad, especially for a five mana 2/2. I do think the P/T could be a little higher, but considering the amount of super powerful equipment out there I can understand why you wouldn't.

Writhing Canopy definitely hates on Dragons and does so in a very green way, except for the "prison" bit. It's flavorful, and it's good that it can only exile one dragon at a time. Does this intentionally not work for your planeswalkers as well? Because that feels like it would be an odd wording.
Ink-Treader
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Ink-Treader wrote:
3 years ago
Feyomsi, the Corpsedancer 1BGU
Legendary Creature - Cat Demon (R)
Whenever Feyomsi becomes the target of a spell or ability you don't control, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard. If you do, counter that spell or ability.
T: Two target players each return a creature card from their graveyard to the battlefield under their control. If two creatures are put onto the battlefield this way, those creatures fight each other.
3/4

Dromoka's Complacency 2B
Sorcery (U)
Target opponent reveals their hand. You choose up to one Dragon card and up to one nonland card. That player discards those cards.
Though the most vigilant of the Dragonlords, Dromoka underestimated the reach of mortal ambition.
Feyomsi is very cool. Has some interesting political shenanigans involved, and the ability to delve away a creature to stop it being targeted is a cool design, but maybe a little too good? I don't think it's super balanced for how well this can be abused. If the activated ability was sorcery speed, and perhaps if the countering ability was a "first time in a turn", it'd be more enjoyable to play against (especially in commander).

Dromoka's Compliance is a great card. It's elegant, simple and flavorful. Easily my favourite card everyone's designed here.
Henlock
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Henlock wrote:
3 years ago
Persis, Jeskai Strategist 1wur
Legendary Creature - Djinn Monk (r)
Haste
Attacking creatures you control have prowess and hexproof.
Persis leads the battle voicing an ancient mantra that heightens spirit, reflexes and perception.
3/4

Narrow Passages 3w
Enchantment (r)
Creatures with power 4 or greater can't attack you.
There's a meandering crack right through the mountain that leads to the one of the oldest monasteries, in a small clearing sheltered by the winding passages and the depths of the mountain itself.
Persis is nice and straightforward. Very aggressive, reminiscent of Soulblade Djinn, which similarly gives all your creatures prowess, just in a different way (probably for online reasons, or to keep track of it all? I don't know. It's straightforward but not super sexy. I don't see anything about this that makes me think "legendary".

Narrow Passage is technically dragon hate since most dragons have 4 or more power, but I feel like because it doesn't mention dragons in any specific way it doesn't really qualify? It's an interesting card, but if my Khorvath Brightflame can get through I'm not sure if it fits.
Top 3
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1: Ink-Treader
2: RaikouRider
3: Henlock

Ink-Treader
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Post by Ink-Treader » 3 years ago

RaikouRider
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Wedge non-Dragon legend: This is a pretty cool card. My primary complaint is that it doesn't feel very green. Black can cover the stealing as well as the hand, and white has the equipment focus, and the ability to bring artifacts back from the grave. The trigger doubling also works with white. At best green also can bring back permanents from the grave, but it still feels underrepresented here.
Dragon hate card: Seems alright, it probably doesn't even need to be an Aura as a drawback.
Henlock
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Wedge non-Dragon legend: Simple, but effective. I like it.
Dragon hate card: While it does stop most Dragons, the keyword here is most. Not explicitly calling out Dragons makes me unsure that this qualifies.
Subject16
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Wedge non-Dragon legend: Can get really scary left unchecked, but it's got no protection and it's ability is easily confounded by grave hate, so this is probably fine.
Dragon hate card: Yeah, Silumgar would definitely do that. Quite annoying to deal with, but if there are other Dragons in play you can at least get an instant speed kill spell aimed at him before he clears them out.
Top 3
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1. Subject16
2. RaikouRider
3. Henlock

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RaikouRider
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Post by RaikouRider » 3 years ago

Ink-Treader:
- Legend: I like the comcept of this - I can't think of any card that does what this does. The reanimation ability should probably be sorcery speed, though.
- Dragon hate: "Revealed this way" needs to be added but otherwise this is very cool. This is often Stupor in Limited formats. Really like your flavor text here.

Subject16:
- Legend: One of the first cards I think of when I see this is Fluctuator - have a bunch of eyeling guys, a pile of removal, and you have yourself a win condition. The flavor text is outstanding.
- Dragon hate: Silumgar says, "There can only be one dragon!" I think this is a bit too close to Silumgar, the Drifting Death, but would see the same amount of play for the same reasons.

Henlock:
- Legend: You want a prowess commander, you got it! Seems like you could just toss in a bunch of token-makers and combat tricks and call it a day. This forces your opponent to interact with your creatures outside the combat step - no more responding to those midcombat pump spells!
- Dragon hate: While not explicitly dragon hate like the other submissions, this certainly would do the trick against most dragons. Would get very annoying in big formats like Commander, but I feel this is a good Moat wannabe.

All three of you deserve first place this week for these top notch submissions - I really wish I could give all three of you first place. Competition was extremely tight.

1) Subject16
2) Ink-Treader
3) Henlock

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spacemonaut
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Post by spacemonaut » 3 years ago

Top 4 is now closed. The finals will be posted shortly.

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