October MCC, Finals: Revise the Battle Plan

[void_nothing]

Banner based on Waves of Aggression by Jim Pavelec and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo

October MCC, Finals - Revise the Battle Plan

Welcome to the October MCC! It's Combat Month here at the MCC. The challenges this month will all have something to do with the combat phase and its different steps.

Main Challenge: Design a card that changes the function of a step of the combat phase or adds an additional step to the combat phase
Subchallenge 1: Your card has flavor text quoting a military leader of some kind
Subchallenge 2: Your card has converted mana cost exactly 3, 4, or 5

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Friday, November 6th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Monday, November 9th 23:59 EDT

Clarifications

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Main Challenges: This is a difficult challenge that is also open-ended. The simplest examples of cards that would do something like this: First/double strike creatures, because they effectively add a second combat damage step; and Bedlam, because it makes the declare blockers step irrelevant. The challenge calls for an effect in the spirit of these, only made more explicit in how it affects the phase and steps.

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
Dragoon26
slimytrout

Players:
@Subject16
@netn10
@Henlock

[netn10]

Neverending March 2RW
Enchantment (Rare)
Add a resting phase to each of your end of combat phases (In your resting phase, untap all creatures you control and remove all damage from them.)
3RW: After this resting phase, there is an additional combat phase.
"We treat our soldiers like kings. The Azorius might as well be our slaves."
- Agros Kos, Boros Commander

[Subject16]

Nav Squad Captain 2WW
Creature — Human Soldier (Rare)
Valiant — If Nav Squad Captain would deal combat damage to a player, you may prevent that damage. When you do, create that many 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens.
"His actions humble even the firemanes."
—Tajic, Blade of the Legion
{Watermark:Boros}
3/3

[void_nothing]

@Henlock just checking in - you have about 24 hours but since it's the finals, I'm willing to grant an extension if needed.

[Henlock]

Skypath Sentry 2ww
Creature - Angel Soldier (r)
Flying, vigilance
Whenever Skypath Sentry blocks for the first time each turn, remove all blocking creatures from combat. After this declare blockers step there is an additional declare blockers step. (Any creature blocked in the first declare blockers step is still considered blocked)
3/4

[void_nothing]

And with everyone in - closed! Judges do your duty.

[Dragoon26]

netn10

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes extra combat phases. Johnny would look for potential in the free untap, or just try to make infinite combat phases. I don't believe the rate on this card is good enough for Spike.
(3/3) Elegance - It's very straight forward, and the mechanics mix with the flavor quite well.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Obviously the rules would need to be updated to account for the creation of a new phase, but I don't think that would be an issue since first strike already creates extra steps. But this is very solidly in RW's portion of the pie, and seems completely viable to me.
(2/3) Balance - This feels a little too expensive to make a splash in any sort of competitive constructed format, maybe as a sideboard mana sink for RW aggro mirrors. Other than that, it's probably just relegated to Commander. But the card itself isn't intrinsictly or anything.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - So on the one hand, this is just a slight variation on Aggravated Assault. On the other hand, the concept of the 'resting phase' I find very interesting, and the technology of creating new phases could be a future tool in the designers' tool box. I think it could potentially be explored more.
(2.5/3) Flavor - I'm a little dubious of a card called "Neverending March" granting literal resting phases, but otherwise solid flavor.

Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - Missing a period after "combat phases" before the reminder text. Also, I believe this needs some templating changes. "At the beginning of each of your combat phases, you get a resting phase after this phase. (Reminder text)" And "3RW: After your next resting phase, there is an additional combat phase." The first change puts that ability more in line with Sphinx of the Second Sun. The second change specifies when the next combat phase will occur, which is necessary for an activated ability with no timing restrictions.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Check and check.

Total: 20/25

Subject16

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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Timmy likes making tokens. There's not much combo interaction to appeal to Johnny. As for Spike, the card doesn't pass the vanilla test, and the payoff isn't really worth the hoops you have to jump through to get there.
(2/3) Elegance - The card isn't overly complicated, but the only thing tying the flavor to the mechanics is the flavor text. It's not as much of a "total package" as it could be.

Development
(2/3) Viability - So, it's appropriately rare and it doesn't really break the game or anything like that. However, I don't think this effect would ever be printed into Standard. This kind of ability (worded differently, but functionally the same) already exists on multiple cards, and hasn't been printed on a card since Weatherlight. This ability encourages combat, but weirdly doesn't push the game toward a conclusion (I'm basing this claim on the assumption that since it uses an ability word, that leads me to believe that there would be other cards with this abilty, and I'm presuming the unifying Valiant ability is preventing combat damage for some effect.) This card, not much so since it's helping you amass tokens. But you could replace that trigger with any other kind of trigger that doesn't help you end the game, and you're effectively trading an effect to help bring the game to a conclusion (combat damage) for an effect that may or may not help bring the game to a conclusion. It's a weird juxtaposition, and simply because the effect has been explored before and we haven't seen it in over 20 years, it makes me believe that this isn't something that would be positive for Standard.
(2/3) Balance - My initial reaction is that the card is fine, though maybe on the slightly weaker side. The ability does scale with pump effects, but then you run into the issue of kind of a 'feel bad' moment where you have to choose between dealing a lot of damage or getting a lot of tokens. Outside of specific match ups, such as may be in a control mirror sideboard game where combat damage is less relevant and removal spells will be less frequent, I can't see often wanting to forgo immediate damage to create some tokens.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - The damage prevention ability has actually been seen on numerous cards from older sets such as Ophidian, Orcish Squatters, Kukemssa Pirates, and several others. While the trigger of creating tokens is new, as well as the codification with an ability word, the functional ability of sacrificing combat damage for some effect is not new.
(3/3) Flavor - The flavor is solid; I'm imagining the commanding officer sparing the lives of his enemies and somehow gaining new recruits in the process.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - No issues
(1/2) Main Challenge - I don't really feel this fully meets the main challenge. It's an ability that is relevant during the combat phase, but it doesn't change the function of any steps of the combat phase, nor does it add additional steps to the combat phase. Adanto Vanguard and Umezawa's Jitte also have abilities that are relevant during the combat phase, but also would not meet the main challenge in my opinion. Just having an ability that does something during combat isn't enough for full points. If the card gave that ability to all creatures, I could see an argument to be made as it would be changing the function of the combat damage step for all creatures. But since only one creature is impacted, it's hard for me to justify that function of the entire combat phase is changed.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Check and check.

Total: 17/25

Henlock

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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Timmy likes angels. No real combo potential for Johnny. This is pretty close to being a decent beat stick to get Spike's attention.
(3/3) Elegance - I think the concept is very elegant and the flavor matches the mechanics very well.

Development
(3/3) Viability - No issues here. Very much a white ability, very much rare, and it's not game breaking or anything.
(2.5/3) Balance - I put this a little under Restoration Angel, but it's still strong enough that it would probably see play in some decks, particularly as an anti-aggro card. It could potentially be main deckable depending on what the format looks like.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - This does draw influence from Aurelia, the Warleader-esque effects, but I've never seen one that lets your creatures block twice.
(2.5/3) Flavor - The name evokes the flavor very well. There's enough room for flavor text, and that would have really elevated the flavor.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - No issues.
(2/2) Main Challenge - Check.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No quote.

Total: 21.5/25

Results

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Henlock - 21.5
netn10 - 20
Subject16 - 17

[slimytrout]

netn10

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Neverending March 2RW
Enchantment (Rare)
Add a resting phase to each of your end of combat phases (In your resting phase, untap all creatures you control and remove all damage from them.)
3RW: After this resting phase, there is an additional combat phase.
"We treat our soldiers like kings. The Azorius might as well be our slaves."
- Agros Kos, Boros Commander

Design
(2/3) Appeal — Timmy likes attacking over and over. Johnny likes the idea of a new phase and also of trying to get infinite attacks. Spike is not that interested in a 4-mana enchantment that just gives pseudo-vigilance unless you invest even more mana into it.
(2.5/3) Elegance — A bit confusing that you can activate the ability whenever you want, but it only does something in your resting phase, but the rest is pretty clean.

Development
(2/3) Viability — Black border does not like adding new phases to turns (see: Last Strike). This would require a whole new rule about resting phases just for this one card. (Unless there are other cards in the set that use a mechanic that's basically just "all your creatures have vigilance"). But the colors and rarity are right.
(2/3) Balance — In limited, I would rate this a bit below the level of an average uncommon, which is not amazing for a rare. Strongly doubt it would see play in standard, given the substantial setup cost. For multiplayer, it's similar in power level to Aggravated Assault – it costs 1 more mana to play and is two colors, but it also wipes combat damage off your creatures. That card sees play in 3% of eligible decks according to EDHREC, so I'd say this is a bit underpowered.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness — Definitely has strong hints of Aggravated Assault, as noted earlier. The new phase is definitely novel, but mostly just because of the damage removal part, which we haven't seen since regenerate was axed.
(1.5/3) Flavor — I'm… not quite sure I follow. Why are the Azorius slaves to the Boros? Because of how well the soldiers are treated? But they're on a neverending march, which doesn't sound great to me. Also, more minor, but (debt) slavery on Ravnica is an Orzhov thing, not associated with either Azorius or Boros.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality — Misspelled Agrus Kos's name.
(2/2) Main Challenge — Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 18.5/25

Subject16

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Nav Squad Captain 2WW
Creature — Human Soldier (Rare)
Valiant — If Nav Squad Captain would deal combat damage to a player, you may prevent that damage. When you do, create that many 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens.
"His actions humble even the firemanes."
—Tajic, Blade of the Legion
{Watermark:Boros}
3/3
[/quote]
Design
(1.5/3) Appeal — Spike likes having the choice of whether to push damage or make tokens, but they don't like the total lack of evasion to get it through. Johnny likes the ability to spit out a bunch of tokens but they don't like it only working once a turn if they have a good attack. Timmy also likes making a lot of tokens, but doesn't like having to give up the combat damage to do so.
(3/3) Elegance — Very simple (perhaps too simple, but we'll get to that later).

Development
(2.5/3) Viability — Man, this feels a little bland for a rare. I'm not arguing that it would work at any other rarity, but it feels like it wants something else to be a rare – some kind of mass pump or a "warlord" ability (p/t equal to number of creatures) or even just evasion. Color is certainly right.
(1.5/3) Balance — Maybe this would be played in aura decks in EDH, where the goal is to pile a bunch of auras on it so that it has evasion and makes a million tokens, or in token decks where you just hope your opponents can't block everything. But overall it's quite weak for a rare given its total lack of keywords and the fact that you don't even get damage through.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness — We've seen an extremely similar ability on Earl of Squirrel – admittedly a silver-bordered card, but really only because of flavor. That one didn't require you to prevent the damage, but that's basically the only difference (other than subtracting abilities).
(3/3) Flavor — Sure, no problem.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(1.5/2) Main Challenge — I think that void was a bit of a softie even allowing this to count, to be honest. If this, like, skipped the combat damage step or something like that then it would definitely work, but I don't think that Ophidian can really be said to "change the function of a step of the combat phase," since it's all self-contained within the creature.
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 19/25

Henlock

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Skypath Sentry 2ww
Creature - Angel Soldier (r)
Flying, vigilance
Whenever Skypath Sentry blocks for the first time each turn, remove all blocking creatures from combat. After this declare blockers step there is an additional declare blockers step. (Any creature blocked in the first declare blockers step is still considered blocked)
3/4

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal — Spike likes a beater in the air that also plays defense and allows them to always set up great blocks and win the race. Johnny likes a crazy ability like this. Timmy likes having their creatures not die on blocks, but they prefer things happening to things not happening.
(2.5/3) Elegance — Minor penalty for needing reminder text so as not to have people scratching their heads, but much better than the alternative of not having that reminder text.

Development
(3/3) Viability — This all feels right. Might require some minor rules adjustments, but that's assumed for a challenge like this.
(2.5/3) Balance — Probably mostly a sideboard card, since it's a little expensive to do much good against pure aggro and has no effect at all on control, but is a huge pain in a midrange mirror. Also quite strong in limited, where it's a very solid threat that also protects your life total.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness — The closest parallel is High Ground but this is a unique enough spin on that that I'm willing to award full points.
(2/3) Flavor — A bit bland, to be honest. There's room for short flavor text, so even though it all hangs together some more texture would've been nice.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — Definitely.
(1/2) Subchallenges — No flavor text at all.

Total: 21.5/25

Results

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Henlock: 21.5
Subject16: 19
netn10: 18.5

[void_nothing]

netn10

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes extra combats, Jxnny likes something that adds a whole new step to the turn, Spike likes finishers.
(2/3) Elegance - A card that is easy to understand but hard to put into the comprehensive rules.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity are what they have to be.
(1.5/3) Balance - Aggravated Assault is a really strong card, and this one adds pseudo-vigilance and removing damage for only one extra mana on the base mana cost.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - While an extra step is a fairly wild idea, as mentioned before this card is pretty similar to Aggravated Assault.
(2/3) Flavor - Not really sure of the implication of the second sentence of the flavor text. Is Kos saying that the Boros treat Azorius ops they work with like dirt because they're from a different guild? I'm not sure how THAT would fit with the flavor of the rest of the card in that case. You probably would have been better off with just the first sentence of ft.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - The combat phase is one unit composed of steps; this would be a resting step after your end of combat step.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 19/25

Subject16

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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Txmmy can sort of get behind this but, like Spike, doesn't want it to be an either-or proposition. Jxnny is all over stuff like this though.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Reflexive triggered abilities are a touch inelegant, and so is forcing the choice of damage or tokens.

Development
(3/3) Viability - White looks correct and yes, probably rare for Limited purposes at least.
(2.5/3) Balance - Relatively bomby for Limited, slightly underwhelming for Constructed, which mostly evens out. Ultimately it at least seems underpowered.

Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - A handful of cards already have VERY similar triggered abilities, examples being Tana, the Bloodsower and Living Hive.
(2/3) Flavor - The name of the ability word valiant doesn't seem to quite fit with the effect of trading damage for something else. Otherwise, the name and flavor text work reasonably well.

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

Total: 19/25

Henlock

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy and Spike like INVINCIBLE BLOCKING and Jxnny likes the weirdness of extra declare blockers steps.
(2.5/3) Elegance - The way this card works is counterintuitive, but that reminder text explains it very well.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Color and rarity definitely correct.
(2.5/3) Balance - This could get VERY stall-happy and game-prolonging, but it's nothing broken.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - A flying, vigilance Angel is one of the oldest things in Magic... but then that triggered ability comes along as one of the most mindblowing custom designs I've seen in a while. Great job.
(2/3) Flavor - Name is fine but unmemorable but the mechanical flavor is spectacular. No flavor text - but then, not much room for it.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Reminder text missing a period.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - And done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No flavor text.

Total: 21.5/25

[void_nothing]

Henlock 21.5 + 21.5 + 21.5 = 64.5
netn10 20 + 18.5 + 19 = 57.5
Subject16 17 + 19 + 19 = 55

Congratulations to @Henlock on the decisive win!