February MCC Round 1: A Death Foretold

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slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 years ago

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Banner based on Sarulf's Packmate by Ilse Gort and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo
February MCC Round 1: A Death Foretold

Welcome to the February MCC! Now that the new set is out, we're going to be exploring the flavor and mechanics of the set with Kaldheim Month here at the MCC.

Main Challenge: Design a card with foretell that has the name of a realm of Kaldheim somewhere on the card.
Subchallenge 1: Your card's foretell cost is not equal to its mana cost minus 2.
Subchallenge 2: Your card has the word "spell" (or "spells") in its rules text.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Tuesday, February 9th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Friday, February 12th 23:59 EDT

Clarifications
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Main Challenge: The realm can be in the name, the flavor text, the rules text if you can make that work -- wherever you want.

The Ten Realms can be found listed in various places (here and here, for example) but here they are for convenience:

Istfell - WU, home to the spirits of those who did not earn a place in Starnheim.
Karfell - UB, dark realm of ice and the undead draugr.
Immersturm - BR, fiery world of demons and war.
Gnottvold - RG, wild realm of rocks, trees and trolls.
Bretagard - all five colors, but centered in GW, home to humans.
Starnheim - WB, realm of the honored dead, kept by the angelic valkyries.
Skemfar - BG, home to the newly united shadow and wood elves, who live beneath towering trees.
Littjara - GU, misty and mysterious home of the shapeshifters.
Surtland - UR, elemental realm where fire and frost giants collide.
Axgard - RW, dwarves live underground in massive impregnable cities.
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:
slimytrout
void_nothing

If you are not interested in playing, please sign up to judge the contest!

Players:
Anyone is welcome to enter this first round!
Last edited by slimytrout 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.

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bravelion83
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Post by bravelion83 » 3 years ago

Littjara Lizard 2GU
Creature — Lizard Shapeshifter (M)
Changeling
Foretell 1GU
Whenever you cast a spell from exile, put a +1/+1 counter on Littjara Lizard.
At the beginning of your end step, choose target creature you control and target creature you don't control. The creature you don't control gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on Littjara Lizard. Then those creatures fight each other.
2/2
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Last edited by bravelion83 3 years ago, edited 3 times in total.
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OneAndOnly
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Post by OneAndOnly » 3 years ago

Orphans of Istfell -- {W/B}
Creature - Spirit Child
Foretell - 1WB
When you play Orphans of Istfell for its foretell cost, you may exile target creature or target creature card in a graveyard until Orphans of Istfell leaves the battlefield.
Lost within the reaches of Istfell, these apparitions search eternally for parents who long since vanished.
1/1
Last edited by OneAndOnly 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.

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frogchild
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Post by frogchild » 3 years ago

Immersturm Hunter
Creature - Demon Warrior (U)
Foretell
Demon spells you cast cost less to cast
2/2
connesieur of all things red and/or blue

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Riria
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Post by Riria » 3 years ago

Starnheim's Secret WB
Sorcery (R)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, if it wasn't foretold, sacrifice a creature.
Put four +1/+1 counters and a flying counter on target creature. It becomes a white and black Angel in addition to its other types and colors.
Foretell - Put another face-down exiled card you own into your graveyard (During your turn, you may pay 2 and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
"Firja was not an isolated incident. We must not let them know." - Alrund

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MonoRedMage
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Post by MonoRedMage » 3 years ago

Immersturm Firebiter 3RR
Creature - Demon Berserker {M}
Prowess
Whenever Immersturm Firebiter becomes the target of a spell, it deals damage equal to its power to that spell's controller.
Foretell - RR, Sacrifice a creature.
5/3

Daylit
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Post by Daylit » 3 years ago

Kartfell Drowned 1BB
Snow Creature - Zombie Berserker (R)
Whenever this creature enters the battlefield, sacrifice it unless you exile two cards from your graveyard
Menace
Foretell - Sacrifice two snow lands
Beneath the fjord's ice sheat, the draugr stand waiting.
4/3

w0mbat
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Post by w0mbat » 3 years ago

Bretagard's Champion
Creature - Human Soldier {U}
Convoke
Foretell - Tap three untapped creatures you control
Bretagard's Champion enters the battlefield a +1/+1 counter on it for each creature you tap while casting it.
1/1
Last edited by w0mbat 3 years ago, edited 3 times in total.

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Venedrex
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Post by Venedrex » 3 years ago

Colossal Avalanche
Sorcery (R)
Destroy target snow land an opponent controls, then tap each creature that player controls. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
Foretell -
In Surtland, the landscape shifts with the movements of its denizens.

ForestsCarl
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Post by ForestsCarl » 3 years ago

Secrets of the Grave Sea 1BB
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, investigate and you lose 1 life.
If this spell was foretold, it can't be countered, may be cast as though it had flash.
Foretell UGBB
Beneath Karfell's frozen seas, the dead and the secrets they keep.

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archemediesx
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Post by archemediesx » 3 years ago

Rynar, Seer of Istfell 2UU
Legendary Creature — Spirit Wizard (R)
Flash
Flying
When Rynar, Seer of Istfell enters the battlefield, draw three cards. Then if it wasn't foretold, discard three cards.
Foretell 3UU
4/3
"Easy Dude. You're being very Un-Dude."

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 3 years ago

Giving this a bump for participation!
Judge entry
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Planning in Skemfar 2G
Instant (R)
Until end of turn, whenever a player casts a spell, put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature you control, create a 1/1 green Elf creature token, and you gain 1 life. If this spell was foretold, if you would place counters, create tokens, or gain life this turn, you place twice that many counters, create twice that many tokens, or gain twice that much life instead.
Foretell 3G
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kwanyeegor-ii
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Post by kwanyeegor-ii » 3 years ago

Hagi Brutalizer 5R
Creature--Troll Berserker (Uncommon)
This spell can't be countered.
Double strike
Hagi Brutalizer enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it if it was foretold.
Foretell 7R
While other realms may be worse, Gnottvold is always a wild and unkind place.
3/2
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I'm a simple Magic player since several years ago from China. Now I live in New Jersey.

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Freyleyes
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Post by Freyleyes » 3 years ago

Brimir, Realm Walker 2UU
Legendary Creature -- Giant {M}
If Brimir, Realm Walker was foretold, destroy target planeswalker.
Any spell that targets creatures to destroy or deal damage to them may now also target planeswalkers to damage or destroy them.
Foretell 4RR
Surtland legend foretells of the founder that will one day come and demolish all who does not walk these realms.
3/3

netn10
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Post by netn10 » 3 years ago

Littjara Invasion 1UU
Instant (Mythic)
Until end of turn, if a spell or creature would be exiled, instead its controller creates a 2/2 blue Shapeshifter with changeling.
Exile each other spell. If this spell was fortold, also exile each creature.
Fortell 4GU
Last edited by netn10 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.

marioguy3
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Post by marioguy3 » 3 years ago

Surtland Giant Clown
Snow Creature — Giant (Rare)
Foretell (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
When Surtland Giant Clown enters the battlefield, create a token that's a copy of another target giant creature. If you cast this spell from exile, create two of those tokens instead.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Surtland Giant Clown is in your graveyard, flip a coin. If you win the flip, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. If you lose the coin flip, exile this card from your graveyard.
Rumor is that there are clowns in Kaldheim, and it's likely they will create a giant nightmare for townsfolk.
3/3
The summer is hot. The sum of sun and hot equals summer.

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

Starnheim Harvest WW
Enchantment (R)
Foretell WW (During your turn, you may pay 2 and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, and, if Starnheim Harvest was foretold, when it enters the battlefield, you may exile a creature card from your graveyard facedown. It becomes foretold. Its foretell cost is its mana cost reduced by 2.
Whenever you cast a creature spell, if that spell was foretold, sacrifice Starnheim Harvest.

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Subject16
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Post by Subject16 » 3 years ago

Surtland Seer 4RR
Creature — Giant Wizard (Rare)
Whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn.
At the beginning of your end step, Surtland Seer deals X damage to each opponent, where X is the number of spells you've cast this turn.
Foretell 3RR
4/4

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 years ago

Last day to submit an entry! Also, if anyone is willing to sign up to judge, that would be lovely!

Henlock
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Post by Henlock » 3 years ago

Axgard Maneuver 1r
Instant (u)
Target creature gets +2/+2 and gains first strike until end of turn. If this spell was foretold, put it into its owner's hand instead of into that player's graveyard as it resolves.
Foretell w (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 years ago

Round is closed! Here are the judging assignments (unless some kind soul wants to volunteer to judge at the last second?):

slimytrout:
bravelion83
OneAndOnly
marioguy3
ForestsCarl
w0mbat
Subject16
Freyleyes
archemediesx
MonoRedMage
(void_nothing -- judge entry)

void_nothing:
Ink-Treader
netn10
Henlock
kwanyeegor-ii
Venedrex
frogchild
Daylit
Riria

Top 6 from each bracket will advance.

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void_nothing
Look On My Sash...
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Post by void_nothing » 3 years ago

Ink-Treader
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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes discount recursion. Jxnny likes the interesting things this can do. Spike likes the efficiency.
(2/3) Elegance - A sort of wordy card in general with a number of complicated and complicating features.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Strictly I think this card could be either black or white (or WB). The flavor implies the reaper caste of valkyries, which pushes it a bit more to being black to me. Rare, of course, is perfect.
(2.5/3) Balance - This is a powerful piece of recursion - it's tempered by the "party's over" drawback but of course all the other cards you grabbed with it remain foretold even then. I wouldn't call it exactly OP but it's definitely something you could build around.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Plenty of precedent for repeatable creature recursion but foretell from graveyard is a new idea.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Not 100% on point because I mentioned earlier this card seems like it'd have to do with the reaper valkyries and thus be black.

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

Total: 21/25
netn10
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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes the idea of getting a lot of tokens when their own stuff gets exiled, as well as the whole mass-ness of the card. Jxnny is very excited by this. Spike will at least consider anything that can be a counterspell OR a wrath, or maybe both.
(1/3) Elegance - I actually can't quite tell what this card is aiming to do. I'll mention this again in Quality, but I'm assuming it's meant to be a delayed triggered ability - that every time a spell or creature gets exiled, its controller gets a token by way of compensation. However, as worded, it's a replacement effect, one that works on this card's own later effect in the very next clause - this would be an impressively narrow and complicated way to generate tokens rather than a mass Pongify variant, which is what the Invasion of the Body Snatchers flavor seems to imply. In the interest of giving a fair shake I'm going to judge this card in the way that makes sense, but I'm going to take off big points here and in Quality for, well, making me have to make this decision.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This kind of polymorphing feels blue/GU, and the twist of doing it to spells plus the potentially massive size of the effect makes mythic apropos.
(2.5/3) Balance - The sheer versatility makes this card pretty strong, but with the base mode usually being something like exiling an opponent's spell while giving them a token to block with, it's not exactly out of the question.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Really interesting version of this effect - the "super mode" kind of reminds me of Curse of the Swine but this card goes new places.
(3/3) Flavor - This definitely feels like an invasion by the masked changelings of Littjara, and captures the kinda sinister and uncanny way they have about them.

Polish
(0.5/3) Quality - It looks like there's been a pretty consequential mixup between a triggered ability and a replacement effect here. Also, it's "foretold" and "foretell" (but at least the missing E is consistent).
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 19.5/25
Henlock
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy (pump!) and Jxnny (heroic.dek!) are both interested in this card but it's kind of low-impact for Spike.
(3/3) Elegance - Very easy to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability - It's plain to see how the colors work in this card, and uncommon seems right.
(3/3) Balance - Sure, it's an infinitely recurrable instant, but foretell means it's only once every other turn, and the effect in and of itself is not gamebreaking in the least.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Repeatable combat tricks are nothing new, but this marriage of forecast with buyback is a new spin.
(3/3) Flavor - This works perfectly well.

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

Total: 22.5/25
kwanyeegor-ii
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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Primarily a Txmmy card, although Spike likes it only in the context of a finisher for Limited.
(1.5/3) Elegance - This seems to have too much extra stuff on it for an uncommon specifically - particularly the uncounterability.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Definitely red, but uncommon seems borderline - mana efficiency aside, an uncounterable 5/4 double striker feels like it almost has to be rare.
(3/3) Balance - Something like this is almost unbeatable in combat, but then you realize you have to actually cast it...

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - It's a big double striker, which is hardly new - I like the foretell-as-kicker but this is clearly taking its cues from Ox of Agonas and co.
(1.5/3) Flavor - Not sure what that flavor text is trying to say - I do like the odd "just establish the world" flavor text that has little to do with the individual card once in a while, but this feels like it's underselling the card! Is the idea that trolls aren't quite as scary as draugar, giants, and demons, but they still shouldn't be messed with? That takes a lot of reading into.

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

Total: 18/25
Venedrex
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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Not quite "colossal" enough for Txmmy. Jxnny and Spike both give half points - turning your opponent's land snow might be fun for the first couple times but quickly loses appeal, and it's a hoser but a quite narrow one, I guess dependent upon how snow the meta is.
(3/3) Elegance - Basically a combination platter multicolor card.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity are on point.
(2/3) Balance - This is quite swingy - it has a strong ceiling and a dismal floor. Either you have a very powerful effect that sets your opponent back quite a bit, or you have no target. There's a reason there was not much narrow snow hosing after Ice Age after all..

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - LD bolted onto a Sleep.
(3/3) Flavor - Definitely works for me.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Mana-only foretell (and other keyword) costs don't get a dash.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Good.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No "spell."

Total: 18.5/25
frogchild
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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Txmmy wants to play their big Demons faster. This is too simple for Jxnny and Spike prefers their cost reducers to be more like Edgewalker.
(3/3) Elegance - Hard to argue with.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - This feels like a (presumably signpost) uncommon and it's not wrong to put it in these colors, but it has nothing to distinguish it as either black or red, not even p/t. I would probably have given full points if this were even a 3/1 for example, but as it is I can swap the realm name, the Demon type, and the colors and make a coherent card for literally every other realm.
(3/3) Balance - I like the subtle way foretell works well with cost reduction (which does require you to cast multiple spells on the same turn to get your mana's worth, but hey). This is hardly the strongest cost reducer out there though.

Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - The most bog-standard cost reduction lord design you could think of, plus foretell.
(1/3) Flavor - The name is kind of blah and doesn't seem to fit all that well - "Hunter" and cost reduction don't mix unless it's, like, hunting for help? You could think of hunting victims to fill the Bloodcrag and spawn more demons I guess, but that's a stretch and a half. Some flavor text would really have cleared it up.

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

Total: 18/25
Daylit
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy and Spike both have reasons for liking undercosted beaters. Kind of blunt for Jxnny though.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Nothing too hard to understand but there's quite a few moving parts here.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Definitely black and definitely rare.
(3/3) Balance - While you can technically get an evasive 4/3 for 2 out of this card, the turn wait and two(!) lands sacrificed is a steep drawback.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Rather like a takeoff on Innistrad's skaabs.
(3/3) Flavor - I really dig the idea of the elite draugr troops smashing through the ice.

Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - "Karfell", "When Karfell Drowned enters…", and "sheet".
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - No "spell".

Total: 19.5/25
Riria
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy loves turning things into bigger beaters. Jxnny likes how, well, interesting this design is. Spike desperately wishes this were instant speed.
(1.5/3) Elegance - This is quite a wordy card with a fair bit of tracking.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Definitely a WB rare.
(3/3) Balance - Sure - +4/+4 and flying is always going to be powerful, but either sacrificing a creature or giving up a foretold card is a relatively steep additional cost.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Okay, maybe at heart this card's just a +4/+4 and flying bonus, but man, what a deeply unusual card. What's the closest actual comparison? …Cannibalize?
(3/3) Flavor - Had to look up what makes Firja unusual (in addition to being a god's personal valkyrie for when he dies she's the only one with white and black mana powers as a shepherd/reaper). With that context, this works perfectly.

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

Total: 22/25
Totals (Bold advance)
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Henlock 22.5
Riria 22
Ink-Treader 21
netn10 19.5
Daylit 19.5
Venedrex 18.5

kwanyeegor-ii 18
frogchild 18
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Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 years ago

void_nothing goes on a *huge* streak to beat me to the punch! Next round will go up tomorrow morning as scheduled, to allow time for questions if people have them.
bravelion83
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Littjara Lizard 2GU
Creature — Lizard Shapeshifter (M)
Changeling
Foretell 1GU
Whenever you cast a spell from exile, put a +1/+1 counter on Littjara Lizard.
At the beginning of your end step, choose target creature you control and target creature you don't control. The creature you don't control gets -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on Littjara Lizard. Then those creatures fight each other.
2/2
Design
(2/3) Appeal — Spike loves getting (possible) value every turn, as well as the challenge of making sure to play this at the right time. Timmy loves the idea of growing this forever and crushing all their opponent's creatures, but is going to *hate* it when this is their first creature on turn 3 and it autofights the opponent's 3/3. Johnny likes the open-ended challenge of the first (non-Changeling) ability, but "fight once per turn" is not their favorite of payoffs.
(1.5/3) Elegance — This is definitely a lot of text – it's not microtext, but it's kinda close. Also, this is one of those cards that seems like it would have an "up to one" or "may" in the fight ability, so a lot of players would be pissed when they discover it doesn't in a very unpleasant fashion.

Development
(3/3) Viability — Definitely in the right colors. I think mythic is probably right, given how much this can run away with a game if left unchecked, but you don't usually see quite this much text on mythics so rare is also conceivable.
(2.5/3) Balance — Very strong in most green-blue decks in limited – you're already trying to get as many Sarulf's Packmates and Augury Ravens as possible. The mandatory fighting on the turn that it enters probably makes it a no-go in constructed, though, since it basically requires that you double spell or have a large creature out already to avoid throwing this away.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness — The barest hints of Vega, the Watcher but otherwise very fresh.
(1.5/3) Flavor — The addition of lizard in the name and type line is a pretty big flavor miss for me. None of the other shapeshifters have extra creature types, and fighting is not a particularly lizard-y thing to do (there's not a single existing lizard with the word "fight" on it), so I don't really get it.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Littjara."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 20/25
OneAndOnly
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Orphans of Istfell -- {W/B}
Creature - Spirit Child
Foretell - 1WB
When you play Orphans of Istfell for its foretell cost, you may exile target creature or target creature card in a graveyard until Orphans of Istfell leaves the battlefield.
Lost within the reaches of Istfell, these apparitions search eternally for parents who long since vanished.
1/1
Design
(0.5/3) Appeal — Spike hates a 1/1 for 1, and isn't wild about paying 5 mana total for a Fiend Hunter effect on an especially fragile body. Timmy also has no interest in paying 5 mana for a 1/1. Maybe it's weird enough for Johnny to be kinda interested, but even they are not over the moon.
(2.5/3) Elegance — The "until" trigger from multiple zones without saying where it goes back to might confuse some people (since it's never been done before), but the default seems to be to send the card back to the zone it came from, which, fortunately, is the intuitive thing.

Development
(1.5/3) Viability — Missing a rarity, so full deduction for that. Also, not very much black about this card – the effect is pretty squarely in white's piece of the pie and not really black's, which is awkward even for a hybrid card.
(1/3) Balance — Really bad rate – unless a) the option of having a vanilla 1/1 for 1 really appeals to you or b) you really need to be able to temporarily snag a single card from a graveyard, this is a lot worse than, say, a Fairgrounds Warden, which was already just a strong draft uncommon.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness — As stated earlier, the exiling from multiple possible zones until it leaves the battlefield is new, although Angel of Serenity was playing in a similar space, if for far more mana.
(2/3) Flavor — Child is not an existing creature type outside of silver-border.

Polish
(1.5/3) Quality — Missing a rarity, and the trigger is decently far off: it ought to be "when Orphans of Istfell enters the battlefield, if you cast it for its foretell cost, …"
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Istfell."
(1/2) Subchallenges — No "spell."

Total: 14/25
marioguy3
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Surtland Giant Clown
Snow Creature — Giant (Rare)
Foretell (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
When Surtland Giant Clown enters the battlefield, create a token that's a copy of another target giant creature. If you cast this spell from exile, create two of those tokens instead.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Surtland Giant Clown is in your graveyard, flip a coin. If you win the flip, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. If you lose the coin flip, exile this card from your graveyard.
Rumor is that there are clowns in Kaldheim, and it's likely they will create a giant nightmare for townsfolk.
3/3
Design
(2/3) Appeal — Timmy is down for oodles of copies and for coin-flipping. Johnny likes the combo potential (more on that later), but finds it a little straightforward. Spike likes the huge possible value from this, but is turned off by the coin-flippingg.
(2/3) Elegance — Whole lotta text here, and flavor text is nowhere near fitting on the card.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability — Everything is ok, except for the fact that R&D hates having coin-flipping on tournament viable cards, which this almost certainly would be, so that would probably prevent it from seeing play as-is.
(0.5/3) Balance — If this is the only Giant on the battlefield, and you play another one, the game is a draw because you can never stop making Giant Clown tokens. Hilarious! If you have some way to stop the loop (another giant to copy, or a removal spell/sacrifice outlet to break the chain) then you just end up with an arbitrarily large number of clowns and win the next turn unless your opponent can kill you or wipe the board. The fact that it goes infinite with itself (even if it does need another piece to prevent a draw) is a huge red flag, and this would break Standard immediately. And that's without even getting into the fact that it has a 50% chance of coming back after it's killed!

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness — Sure, I'll give full marks for a coin flip to get out of the graveyard – we've never seen that ability before. (There are other fresh details, but I'm trying to get through all the entries and this is already a pretty time-consuming one.)
(0/3) Flavor — This is a big miss for me on multiple levels. First, clowns in Magic are really a silver-bordered thing. Second, it already causes confusion that magic uses "giant" as an adjective to refer to things like Giant Ox that aren't actually Giants, so it's even more confusing if they do it for something that is actually a giant (the only time they've ever done this is on Giant Harbinger, where the double meaning seems to be deliberate). And third, the giants on Kaldheim are separated into fire and frost giants, with the creative department going out of their way to explain why Aegar, the Freezing Flame is able to be both colors, so having a hybrid giant would require at least some nod to the existing creative.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality — There are some details that don't fully have precedent, but honestly everything looks correct to me except for the {2} in the reminder text that ought to be a 2.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Surtland."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 16.5/25
ForestsCarl
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Secrets of the Grave Sea 1BB
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of your upkeep, investigate and you lose 1 life.
If this spell was foretold, it can't be countered, may be cast as though it had flash.
Foretell UGBB
Beneath Karfell's frozen seas, the dead and the secrets they keep.
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal — Even a substantially worse Phyrexian Arena includes the words Phyrexian Arena, so Spike is very in for it. Johnny likes drawing cards too, plus has ideas for putting this in an investigate deck. It's a little slow and fiddly for Timmy, but they would probably play it too.
(2.5/3) Elegance — It's a bit much to include two totally different mechanics with no reminder text for either, but otherwise it's simple enough.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability — Not really sure what the green is doing in the foretell cost, since blue definitely gets flash and "can't be countered" – in fact, green usually only gets the latter on creatures.
(3/3) Balance — I love this sort of card. As compared to Phyrexian Arena, which gives you value so quickly that the tempo and life hit won't matter much against anything but aggro, this is sloooowwww… This is asking you to give up much more tempo than its predecessor. On the other hand, it doubles down on its value in a grindy matchup, adding the ability to avoid counterspells from your control opponent. It's significantly weaker overall, and would not be a cube all-star like Arena, but midrange and control decks would definitely play this in the sideboard in standard, and maybe even historic/pioneer.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness — I mean, it's a redo of Phyrexian Arena. Quite a fun one, but the inspiration is obvious.
(2.5/3) Flavor — The flavor text is not quite a sentence. Still, it's an evocative card.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality — Missing "and it" before the flash ability.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Karfell."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 21/25
w0mbat
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Bretagard's Champion
Creature - Human Soldier {U}
Convoke
Foretell - Tap three untapped creatures you control
Bretagard's Champion enters the battlefield a +1/+1 counter on it for each creature you tap while casting it.
1/1
Design
(2/3) Appeal — Spike is a big fan of alternate casting costs, especially ones like this that make them choose between different resources (tempo vs. size). Timmy wants to power this out as a 4/4 for two mana. Johnny thinks the challenge is very straightforward and the payoff unexciting.
(2/3) Elegance — It's a bit much to include two totally different mechanics with no reminder text for either, but otherwise it's simple enough. A bit of an extra deduction since this is an uncommon.

Development
(3/3) Viability — Classic green/white signpost uncommon.
(2/3) Balance — There's a good upside case in draft, where you foretell this early and then have a cheap beater later on once you have some extra piddlers lying around. There's also a nasty downside case, where your opponent is tempo-ing you out and you can't even get it out of exile because you'd have to lower your defenses too much. In constructed most decks probably wouldn't be willing to take the tempo hit to play this.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness — A non-mana foretell cost is fun! Other alternate cost mechanics have done this before (flashback, kicker, etc.), so it's not a huge leap, but it's definitely fresh in the context of Kaldheim.
(2.5/3) Flavor — Given that you didn't include reminder text, should have included flavor text.

Polish
(2/3) Quality — Missing a period after the foretell cost and a "with" in the other ability.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Bretagard."
(1/2) Subchallenges — No "spell."

Total: 19/25
Subject16
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Surtland Seer 4RR
Creature — Giant Wizard (Rare)
Whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn.
At the beginning of your end step, Surtland Seer deals X damage to each opponent, where X is the number of spells you've cast this turn.
Foretell 3RR
4/4
Design
(3/3) Appeal — An all-rounder! This has value oozing out of it for Spike, and Johnny and Timmy both have dreams of one-shotting their opponent with this.
(2.5/3) Elegance — The second ability would read more elegantly as "deals damage to each opponent equal to…"

Development
(3/3) Viability — Definitely red, and rare seems good. Could even be pushing mythic, but I don't think it needs to be.
(3/3) Balance — Hard to imagine this being busted as a 4/4 on turn 5 that provides no ETB value, but man, if you can untap with it in the right deck you are going off. I know it's not in standard right now, but this plus Experimental Frenzy? *(shivers excitedly)*

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness — First ability bears a very strong resemblance to Vega, the Watcher, just in red. Second ability was entirely fresh before Commander Legends, which brought us Gnostro, Voice of the Crags and Volcanic Torrent.
(2/3) Flavor — Red is not exactly the color of seers (probably because they are all about glimpsing the future and planning ahead), and this all about chaos and making do with what you get, so a bit of a miss for me.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Surtland."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 22/25
Freyleyes
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Brimir, Realm Walker 2UU
Legendary Creature -- Giant {M}
If Brimir, Realm Walker was foretold, destroy target planeswalker.
Any spell that targets creatures to destroy or deal damage to them may now also target planeswalkers to damage or destroy them.
Foretell 4RR
Surtland legend foretells of the founder that will one day come and demolish all who does not walk these realms.
3/3
Design
(0.5/3) Appeal — Spike likes the ability to get a 2-for-1, kinda? Johnny is not in the habit of building a deck full of Murders, so the prospect of throwing this in just to snipe the occasional planeswalker isn't very exciting, especially now that a lot of uncommon kill effects destroy walkers already (e.g., Bloodchief's Thirst). Timmy wants his Hill Giants to do a lot more than this, and definitely doesn't like paying 8 mana total for a 3/3, even if it does destroy a planeswalker.
(1.5/3) Elegance — The first ability is hella confusing 'cuz it doesn't even make sense (see:Quality), but the second ability would also have some strange corner cases, with things like Kill-Suit Cultist – the ability doesn't destroy the planeswalker itself, but it leads to the planeswalker being destroyed. Or what about Fatal Push? So definitely some problems.

Development
(1/3) Viability — 0% a mythic – should be rare, I guess, although even that has problems. Also definitely not mono-red or mono-blue – UB or RB would both work, but to straight-up destroy a planeswalker you definitely need black.
(1/3) Balance — Way over-costed, especially given that it has to be a higher rarity in order to have the second ability. We've seen a 2/2 for 4 that kills creatures, and given how much more often you're going to have a creature to kill than a planeswalker, you shouldn't get a worse rate on killing those.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness — Second ability is definitely unique, I'll give you that.
(2/3) Flavor — It's an intriguing idea, but Kaldheim actually seems like a realm that is among the most planeswalker-friendly of any we've seen, since the idea of omenpaths is already familiar to them – Tyvar doesn't even realize he's sparked, the Kannah think Theros is just another "forgotten" realm on the world tree, etc. All of which is to say, it strikes me as odd that the giants would be awaiting a hero who would get rid of outsiders to all of Kaldheim, when there seems to be plenty of enmity between the realms already.

Polish
(2/3) Quality — First ability is missing either a cast or ETB trigger, which is an important part of the card. I suspect that the second ability shouldn't look quite like that, but since I don't have a better wording to suggest I'm not going to deduct anything.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Surtland."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 15/25
archemediesx
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Rynar, Seer of Istfell 2UU
Legendary Creature — Spirit Wizard (R)
Flash
Flying
When Rynar, Seer of Istfell enters the battlefield, draw three cards. Then if it wasn't foretold, discard three cards.
Foretell 3UU
4/3
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal — Spike loves both the value side of this and the card selection side. Timmy loves an undercosted flyer that also draws a bunch of card. Johnny is interested in putting this in a blink or graveyard deck, but the fact that it just beats down in the air itself is a bit of a turn-off.
(3/3) Elegance — Nice and clean.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability — So clean and powerful that it should probably be a mythic. But the clor is correct.
(1.5/3) Balance — Move over Mulldrifter! Once you foretell it, this becomes Jace's Ingenuity on a 4/3 flier – wow! Even if you don't have time to foretell it, you can eat an attacker and get amazing card selection and still have an Argent Sphinx left over. Every deck in standard would play blue for this, and it would make an impact on older formats too.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness — Tacking a draw/selection spell onto a creature isn't a new idea, even if this is a pushed version.
(2.5/3) Flavor — Would have loved a bit of flavor text to tell me about Rynar, but still this definitely feels like a seer.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality — Missing a comma after "then."
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Istfell."
(1/2) Subchallenges — No "spell."

Total: 19/25
MonoRedMage
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Immersturm Firebiter 3RR
Creature - Demon Berserker {M}
Prowess
Whenever Immersturm Firebiter becomes the target of a spell, it deals damage equal to its power to that spell's controller.
Foretell - RR, Sacrifice a creature.
5/3
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal — Spike likes a threat that gets value (in the form of burn) even if it's removed. Timmy likes growing this and beating down with it. Johnny is a bit intrigued by the sacrifice, and a bit intrigued by some sort of self-burn combo, but overall it doesn't push enough in any single direction.
(3/3) Elegance — Very easy to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability — Yeah, strong and clean enough to be a mythic, and exactly the sort of thing I've come to expect from you ;)
(3/3) Balance — This is a nasty play on turn 3, but it does require a one-drop to get there. I like it.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness — We've seen plenty of red creatures that hurt you if you target them, but this is a somewhat new version. Combine that with the sacrifice in the foretell cost, which is also new but fairly predictable, and you've got a decently fresh card.
(3/3) Flavor — I can totally imagine the art for this, with fire coming out of the demon's mouth – delicious.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — "Immersturm."
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 23.5/25
Results
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MonoRedMage: 23.5
Subject16: 22
ForestsCarl: 21
bravelion83: 20
w0mbat: 19
archemediesx: 19

marioguy3: 16.5
Freyleyes: 15
OneAndOnly: 14

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