March MCC Round 2: They Just Keep Coming Back

[Venedrex]

_{Dark Revenant by Daarken and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to Bravelion83 for the "core set style" MCC logo.}

March MCC Round 2: They Just Keep Coming Back.

Welcome to the March MCC! We've dug up some shadowy secrets so far during Ravnica Month here at the MCC, and each of you have managed to get here alive. If only there was a group of creatures with a name that means returning…

Main Challenge: Design a card with a guild mechanic from the Return to Ravnica block on it.
Subchallenge 1: Your card has the word "Revenant" in its name.
Subchallenge 2: Your card has a word from your Round 1 card's name in its name.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Tuesday, March 23rd 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Saturday, March 27th 23:59 EDT

Clarifications

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Main Challenge: The mechanics of each guild in the second Ravnica block are as follows:

Golgari - , Scavenge
Boros - , Battalion
Dimir - , Cipher
Selesnya - , Populate
Gruul - , Bloodrush
Izzet - , Overload
Orzhov - , Extort
Rakdos - , Unleash
Azorius - , Detain
Simic - , Evolve

MCC Rubric

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MCC Rubric
Design
(X/3) Appeal - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johnny/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
venedrex

Players:
@kwanyeegor-ii
@scarbo
@Subject16
@Lorn Asbord Schutta
@MonoRedMage
@archemediesx
@Flatline
@Freyleyes
@slimytrout
@RaikouRider
@Daylit
@netn10

[scarbo]

Rakdos Revenant 1bb
Creature — Spirit (U)
Lifelink
Unleash
When Rakdos Revenant enters the battlefield, if r was spent to cast it, target creature attacks each combat if able until your next turn.
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on Rakdos Revenant.
2/3

[Subject16]

Vuliev, Obzedat Revenant WWBB
Legendary Creature — Spirit Advisor (Mythic Rare)
When Vuliev, Obzedat Revenant enters the battlefield, create X Treasure tokens, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn. (Treasure tokens are artifacts with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.)
Treasure tokens you control have Extort. (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay . If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
"Faith and wealth lead to power, and I have plenty of both."
3/3

[RaikouRider]

I know cipher currently exists on only noncreature spells, but I believe with the new copying rules, this is supported? Ping me in MCC Discussion if it isn't.

Psychic Revenant 2UB
Creature - Spirit Horror {R}
Flying
Whenever Psychic Revenant enters the battlefield or attacks, each opponent mills cards until they mill a land card.
Cipher (When this creature dies, exile it encoded on a creature you control. Whenever that creature deals combat damage to a player, its controller may cast a copy of the encoded card without paying its mana cost. A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.)
3/3

[slimytrout]

Protective Custody 1W
Enchantment — Aura (R)
Enchant creature
When Protective Custody enters the battlefield, detain enchanted creature. (Until your next turn, enchanted creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated.)
Enchanted creature has indestructible.
"This is for your own good."
-Lavinia

[archemediesx]

Prying Revenant 2WB
Creature - Thrull Spirit (U)
Flying
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay (W/B). If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
When Prying Revenant enters the battlefield, each opponent discards a card.
2/3

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Parhelion Irregulars 2RR
Creature - Human Soldier (Rare)
Menace
Battalion - Whenever Parhelion Irregulars and at least two other creatures attack, double all damage that would be dealt to each of up to two target creatures, players, and/or planeswalkers this turn.
"Maybe their not suited to guard duty or investigations but when it comes to softening up multiple targets at once, they're second to none." - Feather
3/4

[Venedrex]

Just a heads up, tomorrow is the last day to submit an entry!

[Freyleyes]

Revenant of Judgement WU
Creature — Spirit {R}
As Revenant of Judgement enters the battlefield, choose a nonland card name.
At the beginning of your end step, you may detain target permanent with the chosen name. (Until your next turn, that permanent can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated.)
A feeling of helplessness for whom the bell tolls.
2/2

[netn10]

Blood Revenant 1BB
Creature - Spirit (Rare)
Extort
Lifelink
As long as Blood Revenant is in your graveyard, extort abilities you control triggers from your graveyard in addition to the battlefield.
2/2

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

Lyev Captain
Creature — Human Soldier (R)
If a detained permanent would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else.
, Discard a card: Detain target creature an opponent controls. (Until your next turn, those permanents can't attack or block and their activated abilities can't be activated.)
"Article 3.2.3. An officer may permit the use of lethal force to prevent an escape attempt."
—Azorius Arrester Procedure
3/3

[MonoRedMage]

Demonfire Revenant 3R
Creature - Spirit Berserker {R}
Unleash
Whenever a creature you control dies, that creature deals damage equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it to any target.
2B: Demonfire Revenant gains indestructible until end of turn. Activate this ability only if Demonfire Revenant has no +1/+1 counters on it.
3/2

[Flatline]

I thought I lost in the first round?

Malevolent Revenant 1b
Creature — Spirit (U)
Menace
Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)
b, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Return Malevolent Revenant from your graveyard to the battlefield.
1/1

[Venedrex]

And the round is closed! Judging assignments to follow soon.

[Venedrex]

Here are the judging assignments.

Venedrex:
Subject16
kwanyeegor-ii
Flatline
slimytrout

void_nothing:
RaikouRider
Lorn Ashbord Schutta
archemediesx

bravelion83:
Freyleyes
netn10
MonoRedMage
scarbo

[bravelion83]

Rather close round for me, everybody in my bracket is in the span of only 2 points.

Freyleyes

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Round 1

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Volatile Cocktail 3RR
Sorcery {R}
Replicate R (When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Volatile Cocktail deals 5 damage to target creature.
Boom, boom, boom boom boom...

Revenant of Judgement WU
Creature — Spirit {R}
As Revenant of Judgement enters the battlefield, choose a nonland card name.
At the beginning of your end step, you may detain target permanent with the chosen name. (Until your next turn, that permanent can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated.)
A feeling of helplessness for whom the bell tolls.
2/2

Design
Appeal 1.5/3 - I see only Spike interested in this card. Not impactful enough for Timmy, and nothing for Johnny to do. Spike, though, will be really excited by this.
Elegance 3/3 - I see no problems here.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 3/3 - I definitely see this in limited, just name the biggest creature of your opponents' and you will essentially keep it frozen as long as you control this. Meddling Mage was Standard playable, so this is probably too. The Mage is also played in Human Modern decks if I recall correctly. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - Rather similar to Meddling Mage, only working with detain instead of forbidding the spell from being cast. Meddling Mage is quite famous, and it immediately came to my mind, also because this creature has even the same mana cost, power, and toughness!
Flavor 3/3 - I don't think this card would have used the word "Revenant" in its name if it weren't for the subchallenge. "Judgement" is a very appropriate word both for this card and the Azorius in general instead. I really appreciate the flavor text, and especially this being the only card in my bracket that has it in the first place. Good work with the constraints you had to work with. I want to prize this card here for that.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 1/2 - "Revenant", but no "Volatile" nor "Cocktail". This was very difficult for you, I can see it. "Volatile Revenant" and "Cocktail Revenant" sound both like horrible card names, so I would have probably also skipped that subchallenge if I had been you.
TOTAL 21/25

netn10

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Round 1

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Plot With Blood 3BB
Sorcery (Mythic)
Dredge 2
Transmute 1BB
Madness 2BB
Until end of turn, spells you cast cost life instead of mana.

Blood Revenant 1BB
Creature - Spirit (Rare)
Extort
Lifelink
As long as Blood Revenant is in your graveyard, extort abilities you control triggers from your graveyard in addition to the battlefield.
2/2

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes gaining potentially a bunch of life for casting a single spell, but he probably wishes this to be a little bigger. Johnny likes this card a lot, having extort triggering from the graveyard is definitely the unique and somewhat strange style of cards he wants to play. Spike also likes this, but she's not happy to pay additional mana when casting her spells.
Elegance 1.5/3 - The last ability is yet one more reason to have reminder text for extort (see Quality). Also, I can see some memory issues with that last ability. When another card will cover this in your graveyard, will you remember its ability whenever you cast a spell? Will you even remember it if it's the top card of your graveyard? For sure, this hasn't stopped abilities that work from the graveyard to exist in real MTG, either keyworded, like flashback for example, or not, like in Bridge from Below, but I can see players just forgetting the ability when this is in their graveyard.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 3/3 - I see this being playable in limited for sure. Maybe in Standard too, especially in a deck that goes full on with extort. Your only problem might be having all the mana to pay for both the spell you're casting and all the instances of extort both on your side of the battlefield and your graveyard. I see no problems in casual and multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 3/3 - I haven't found any precedent for the last ability, not even in Un-sets. That ability just deserves full points here.
Flavor 2/3 - The name is very good. No flavor text, while MSE shows me that one or maybe even two lines would have fit, especially if you don't use reminder text for extort.
Polish
Quality 1.5/3 - Hyphen instead of em dash in the type line, no deduction. Extort is not evergreen, so it requires reminder text, which is not there (-1). "Extort abilities (plural) you control triggers (singular)..." (-0.5). No precedent for "from (a zone) in addition to the battlefield." I'll call it good, it looks plausible and intuitive enough to me.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - "Revenant" and "Blood". Good.
TOTAL 20.5/25

MonoRedMage

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Round 1

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Demonfire Wave 3RR
Sorcery {M}
Hellbent - If you have no cards in hand, you and permanents you control gain protection from red until end of turn.
Demonfire Wave deals 4 damage to each creature, each player, and each planeswalker. If a permanent dealt damage this way would die this turn, exile it instead.

Demonfire Revenant 3R
Creature - Spirit Berserker {R}
Unleash
Whenever a creature you control dies, that creature deals damage equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it to any target.
2B: Demonfire Revenant gains indestructible until end of turn. Activate this ability only if Demonfire Revenant has no +1/+1 counters on it.
3/2

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy really likes a creature that's hard to get rid of and that can deal extra damage. He would probably like to have both at the same time though. Not Spike. She loves cards that require skill to play correctly in any given situation. Understanding when to put the +1/+1 counter on this to have it deal damage when it dies and when to have the pseudo-regeneration active instead is exactly that skill-requiring kind of choice. Johnny can probably use the triggered ability somehow.
Elegance 3/3 - I see no problems here.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 2/3 - This is like a modal card: if you put the +1/+1 counter on it you will have the damage triggered ability turned on and not the indestructible one, and viceversa without the +1/+1 counter. You can essentially have only one ability active at a time. This creates a tension that feels good in competitive environments, but not so much in casual. It doesn't look that fun to me there, there will be players that want both abilities, but they can't have that option. You will probably play this in limited, but I can't see it getting much play in constructed, even competitive. Four mana is a lot there, and even a four-mana 4/3 that can't block doesn't look Standard playable to me. I see no problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - This is only technically new, but really just like a mashup of different existing cards: Chaos Imps has an ability that turns on when it has a +1/+1 counter on it, and having an ability active only when it has no +1/+1 counters on it makes this creature just like a mirror of the Imps. Hellhole Flailer deals damage equal to its power to a player or planeswalker if you sacrifice it, and the damage-dealing ability is not that far, it's just to any target and when any of your creatures die. Grim Roustabout is an unleash creature that regenerates, and temporary indestructible is today's regeneration.
Flavor 2/3 - The name is very good. No flavor text, while MSE shows me that one or maybe even two lines would have fit, especially if you don't use reminder text for unleash.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - Hyphen instead of em dash in the type line, no deduction. Unleash is not evergreen, so it requires reminder text, which is not there (-1).
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - "Revenant" and "Demonfire". Good.
TOTAL 19.5/25

scarbo

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Round 1

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Rakdos, Leyline Torturer 3bbrr
Creature - Demon (M)
If Rakdos, Leyline Torturer is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it exiled.
Flying, trample
Whenever a player discards a card, if Rakdos is exiled or on the battlefield, add c.
Hellbent - You may cast Rakdos, Leyline Torturer from exile as long as you have no cards in hand.
6/6

Rakdos Revenant 1bb
Creature — Spirit (U)
Lifelink
Unleash
When Rakdos Revenant enters the battlefield, if r was spent to cast it, target creature attacks each combat if able until your next turn.
Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on Rakdos Revenant.
2/3

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes a creature that can gain him life and also grow in the process. Johnny can probably do something with +1/+1 counters and the last ability. Spike doesn't really care too much about life gain, but she likes a three-mana 3/4 that can't block. She will always play it that way.
Elegance 2/3 - The last ability being mandatory is not intuitive with unleash (see Balance), yet one more reason to have reminder text for the keyword (see Quality).
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules. It's a strong uncommon though, but those exist too.
Balance 2.5/3 - The +1/+1 counter on life gain is NOT optional, and it will count for unleash, making this creature unable to block even if you haven't unleashed it. This is an example of why, for example, the errata on Ajani's Pridemate was functional errata. Here it's worse though: while you always want to put the +1/+1 counter on the Pridemate, barring corner cases, you might not want to put it on this creature if you want to use it to block. This is why I would have really liked to see the "may" here in the last ability. Also, it's very relevant that this creature has lifelink itself, so even if you want to block with it, you will only able to do that only one time, and if you attack instead, you'll just never do it. So, you only have one real option for unleash here: put the +1/+1 counter on it and just make it unable to block right away. Here it's not a real choice whether to unleash it or not, it's really an illusion of choice. This creature could just have had straight-up "can't block" instead of unleash, and almost nothing would have changed. Another remark is that if you're in a regular two-player game, you can just circumvent the goad-like ability by playing this on your first main phase and targeting a creature of yours that you wanted to attack with anyway. That ability, like goad, is much more relevant in multiplayer, when you can target a creature of a third player, but then, if you're in multiplayer, why not just giving this creature goad? As for this card's playability in the various formats, I can see it in limited, both RTR and contemporary, and maybe in Standard too, where a three-mana 3/4 that can grow even more looks relevant. I see no problems in casual and I've already mentioned multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - No creature with both unleash and lifelink exist, but that's the only new thing on this card. The first triggered ability reminds me of goad, and the other of Ajani's Pridemate, as I've already mentioned.
Flavor 1.5/3 - The name is good enough, even though it feels a bit too generic to me. No flavor text, while MSE shows me that one or maybe even two lines would have fit, especially if you don't use reminder text for unleash.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - Unleash is not evergreen, so it requires reminder text, which is not there, especially on an uncommon (-1).
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - "Revenant" and "Rakdos". This was easy. Good.
TOTAL 19/25

Results (bold advance)

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Freyleyes: 21
netn10: 20.5
MonoRedMage: 19.5
scarbo: 19

[Venedrex]

Subject16

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Spike is not super interested in this because of its highly restrictive mana cost, dependence upon other effects to achieve its full potential, and the fact that it is a four mana 3/3. However, Spike does see the potential of this in a drawn-out game of limited, where a chunk of Treasure might be enough to take over a game by draining 3-4 life per spell cast.

Timmy is a little disappointed in this for the same reason as spike, the fact that it needs help from other cards to work well, but Timmy does like the potential of creating a massive amount of treasures and then flavorfully burying their opponent in wealth through extort triggers.

Johnny is probably the most fascinated by this, as it is a card that requires setup to be effective and has the potential to quickly win the game if all the right pieces are set up ahead of time, such as using something like Smothering Tithe to get Treasures beforehand or attacking with lifelinkers the turn you cast this.
(3/3) Elegance - Clean design, easy to understand, everything works together well for me.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Treasure token making is something all colors can do, and being tied to lifegain makes it feel Orzhov to me. Additionally, I think the text: "Treasure tokens you control have Extort" reads to me like the most effective summation of what the Orzhov are all about.

(2/3) Balance - The card might run into some issues in multiplayer formats such as Commander due to the power of Extort affecting each player, and in Limited problems could arise, but I don't think it would be too much of a major issue, as you have to gain life or come up with another way to get the treasures, and pay a mana for each Extort trigger.
Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - I can't find a Treasure making card that makes Treasure based off the amount of life a player has gained in a turn, nor have I seen another card that grants Extort to Treasure tokens.
(3/3) Flavor - Pretty simple, but pretty effective for me at least.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - All good
(1/2) Main Challenge (*) – Extort should have been on the card, but that was a little unclear.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Both met.

Total: 22/25

kwanyeegor-ii

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Design
(2/3) Appeal – Timmy likes the idea of doubling damage, but is less interested in the rest of the card. Spike sees this as a decent card that falls somewhere between good or great limited card and lackluster constructed card. Johnny is less excited by this card, as it lacks opportunity for synergies and combos.
(2.5/3) Elegance – The card is a little tricky to grasp at first in regards to what damage gets doubled, but overall it's fine.

Development
(3/3) Viability – Every effect here is well within the color pie for red.

(2/3) Balance – Because of cards such as Calamity Bearer, I don't have that much of an issue with this in terms of balance for constructed, but there might be some problems with it especially in limited. A four mana 3/4 with menace that easily has the potential to double up all damage to two targets, including a player, is quite strong.
(2/3) Uniqueness – As previously mentioned, damage doublers exist, but this one has a slightly different spin on it.
(3/3) Flavor – Makes sense to me.

Polish
(2/3) Quality – I believe "their" should be they're.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done
(1/2) Subchallenges - No revenant, but that is understandable. Parhelion works well to bring back.

Total: 19.5/25

Flatline

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Design
(2/3) Appeal – Timmy likes the thought of a creature that can keep coming back, but doesn't find this particularly splashy or exciting. Spike sees great potential in this card for limited and standard play. Johnny may want to try and brew a deck with +1/+1 counter synergies to abuse this card's effect.
(3/3) Elegance – The card is clean and easy to understand.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability – Rarity seems good, effects are definitely in black's portion of the color pie.

(2.5/3) Balance – Seems alright to me, since this has some upsides and some downsides when compared to similar cards. The biggest concern would be a +1/+1 counter deck reanimating this over and over with little effort, which could be a problem.
Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness – Scrapheap Scrounger exists, and this feels quite similar. However, there are enough differences to give it a reason to exist.
(2.5/3) Flavor – Good enough for me, but it seems like some flavor text would've been easy to add, since the card has little text.

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

Total: 21/25

slimytrout

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Design
(2/3) Appeal – Timmy loves the flavor of this card, and the thought of making a big creature indestructible. Spike sees the potential for this to be a strong aura, at the very least in limited. Johnny is somewhat uninterested.
(3/3) Elegance – Very clean.

Development
(3/3) Viability – Spot on in white's color pie, rarity is good.

(3/3) Balance – Some concerns could be raised about a two mana aura giving your creature indestructible, but it can be destroyed, and the Detain helps keep it check in my opinion. As a side note, the dual use of this card as a way to push through the last points of damage in a game is a neat function of the card.
Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness – I have not seen many cards that would play like this, if any. Darksteel Mutation is the closest that comes to mind, but this works much differently.
(3/3) Flavor – This card is so flavorful I ate it. Sorry Maro.

Polish
(3/3) Quality – All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done
(1/2) Subchallenges - No revenant, but understandable. Protective was used well.

Total: 22.5/25

Results (bold advance)

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Slimeytrout 22.5
Subject16 22
Flatline 21
Kwanyeegor-ii 19.5

[void_nothing]

RaikouRider

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - All-rounder. Txmmy likes armies of special tokens, Jxnny has plenty to work with, Spike likes the efficiency.
(2/3) Elegance - Both "grind" and cipher, particularly this theoretical version, are relatively complicated elements, but they're nothing anyone (who has played RTR block) hasn't seen before.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity right for sure.
(2.5/3) Balance - Could be scary when it dies: If you have an evasive creature, producing a copy of this every turn with the cipher ability is no joke. Not that Call of the Nightwing was a great card, but that is the closest comparison, and this is much stronger.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Base card sort of resembles Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker. Cipher on a creature, however, is definitely new.
(3/3) Flavor - Very nice name and typing - not much room for flavor text.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(1/2) Main Challenge (*) - Has cipher but not as we know it. However, based on haunt, this is how we should expect cipher on a permanent to function.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Done.

Total: 21/25

Lorn Asbord Schutta

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Needs a bit too much setup to do big things for Txmmy to be really into it. Jxnny and Spike both like the card however.
(2.5/3) Elegance - All a bit wordy but drives at a single point.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Static ability is unique but I feel it could easily be white. Rare is where this belongs.
(3/3) Balance - No issues.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Very interesting. Detain matters, repeatable detain, replacing any zone change with exile - all fairly new stuff.
(3/3) Flavor - Perfect.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Lyev but not Revenant.

Total: 22/25

archimediesx

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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Not much here for Txmmy or Jxnny. Spike appreciates multiple effects in a single package and would like to see this in Limited.
(3/3) Elegance - A highly simple card so hard to argue it's inelegant at all.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Multicolor-themed sets by necessity have some multicolor cards that COULD be monocolor, but this doesn't need white at all - could be monoblack no problem. Rarity however is fine.
(3/3) Balance - Purely a Limited card and fine for those formats.

Creativity
(0/3) Uniqueness - A straight Liliana's Specter variant. There are plenty of existing cards that make opponents discard on ETB.
(1.5/3) Flavor - Name is nice, but at least on Ravnica "Thrull Spirit" is a contradiction in terms: Syndicate Thrulls are alchemically made from the castoff flesh of the dead, while their ghosts become Spirits that are either debtors or Ghost Council members or something in between. In other words, a Thrull's ghost is hard to conceive of because, well, Thrulls are creatures thoroughly without spirit.

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

Total: 18/25

Totals (Bold advance)

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Lorn Asbord Schutta 22
RaikouRider 21
archmediesx 18