NEXUS FLAMINGO ☆ Exclusively For Custom Card Connoisseurs and Gnomes

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Tax Fraud Inspector W
Creature - Human Advisor
Whenever you pay mana for an opponent's ability, create that many treasure tokens.
Whenever you fail to pay mana for an opponent's ability, investigate.
1/1

"...but if you check clause 145.B appendix 7, you'll see it stipulates a rebate of six percent over the party's warrant, subject to..."
-Magistrate Lagranam, last words.

IIW: not this again

Look, I know nobody likes the IRS, but considering them animals is a bit much.

[chetoos]

Wile E. Coyote, Sooper Genius 1ur
Legendary Creature - Coyote Artificer
Artifact spells you cast cost less to cast.
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, it deals 2 damage to Wile E. Coyote.
1/5

Iiw: Wild speculation about New Capenna

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Alright, gotta keep things moving! How well can we make even mundane animals of practical use in monster-battling?

Wary Ostrich 1GG
Creature — Bird (U)
Haste
As long as Wary Ostrich is untapped, it has ward 2.
As long as Wary Ostrich is tapped, spells that target it cost 2 less to cast.
3/3

IIW: Spooky equipment/vehicles

Of course the ostrich has haste. An interesting card, and basically what I had in mind for the challenge. The abilities together somehow seem to exemplify both the ostrich's great speed and alertness and it's, ah, rather gangly appearance.

Cuckoo Egg 2U
Creature — Egg {R}
Cuckoo Egg enters the battlefield under the control of an opponent of your choice.
At the beginning of your upkeep, pay 2. If you don't, exile Cuckoo Egg, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control transformed.
0/2

//

Pheasant Cuckoo
⬤ Creature — Bird {R}
Flying
When Pheasant Cuckoo enters the battlefield, draw a card.
3/3

IIW: the GOAT

Ah! Something that I would've come up for this challenge! Bonus points for brood parasitism, but I must deduct a point as well; the pheasant coucal, a large and showy ground-cuckoo, isn't a brood parasite! I AM MISTAKEN! There is another cuckoo, named the pheasant cuckoo, which is indeed a parasite! (Also bonus points because I like cuckoos and have Dire Coucal in my card name file but haven't come up with a proper card befitting it).

Hunting Lioness 1GW
Creature - Cat
First Strike
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Hunting Lioness this turn dies, create a food token.
Other cats you control get +1/+0.
2/3

IIW: Speculate Wildly about Streets of New Capenna

Straightforward card, not much to say. Seems powerful in Limited with that first strike plus food-making. Seems like a great signpost.

Majestic Peacock 2UG
Creature- Bird (U)
T: Add one mana of any color. Draw a card.
"Terrible, cruel creatures. But marvelous to look at." -Sovi, Royal Gardener
1/3

IIW: A land cycle

Simple design, but interesting. That mana ability is a rules trap, though. Still, fits all together, especially with the peacock's "eye" motif.

Tax Fraud Inspector W
Creature - Human Advisor
Whenever you pay mana for an opponent's spell or ability, create that many treasure tokens.
Whenever you fail to pay mana for an opponent's spell or ability, investigate.
1/1

"...but if you check clause 145.B appendix 7, you'll see it stipulates a rebate of six percent over the party's warrant, subject to..."
-Magistrate Lagranam, last words.

IIW: not this again

Ok, to be frank, I meant non-Human animals, but that's my fault. As worded this entry does fulfill the requirements.

Interesting little gimmicky card, and seems capable of great potential value. I can appreciate the cleverness behind this card rewarding YOU for paying your taxes, and investigating when you don't.

That being said, shouldn't there be a penalty for not paying taxes? This card rewards you either way.

And as worded, does that second ability investigate even if the opponent's spell or ability doesn't have a cost you can pay?

Wile E. Coyote, Sooper Genius 1ur
Legendary Creature - Coyote Artificer
Artifact spells you cast cost less to cast.
Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, it deals 2 damage to Wile E. Coyote.
1/5

Iiw: Wild speculation about New Capenna

I can always appreciate Wile E. Coyote being blown up (repeatedly). Still, I wouldn't exactly call Wile. E. here a non-magical creature, given the things he's been through.

After careful deliberation, I gotta give the win to Megiddo, for referencing brood parasitism and the only person I have ever come across who referenced the pheasant cuckoo in anything.

HM to Juancu for his well thought-out card. It would have won, had it been not been for my predilection for parasitic birds and DFCs.

Winner: Megiddo
HM: Juancu

Next: the GOAT

[Megiddo]

thanks, glad you appreciated the brood parasitism mechanic. I think there's a lot of real-world animal kingdom behaviors that could be made into mechanics. This might be a challenge to revisit some time.

The GOAT, by the way, means not goats but rather "greatest of all time." though I won't stop you or disqualify you for a good goat card.

[Cythare]

Brom Tady, Quarter Back 1RW
Legendary Creature — Halfling Pirate (R)
Haste
When Brom Tady, Quarter Back enters the battlefield, it becomes first down.
Whenever Brom Tady becomes blocked, you may remove it from combat. When you do, advance the down.
2/2

Downs
(At end of combat, if you attacked with one or more creatures and it isn't fourth down, advance the down.
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player or planeswalker, you score a touchdown.)
First down: Scry 1.
Second down: Creatures you control get +1/+0.
Third down: Creatures you control have menace.
Fourth down: When it becomes fourth down, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Touchdown: Draw a card, then it becomes first down.

IIW: Spooky equipment/vehicles

[NinjaCaterpie]

I'm against spellbooks because they imply I have to know real Magic cards instead of making them all up.

Grandfather Galt WWW
Legendary Creature - Goat (M)
Vigilance, lifelink, protection from Trolls
Other creatures you control get +1/+1 as long as no opponent controls more lands than you.
Grandfather Galt gets +2/+2 and can't be blocked as long as an opponent controls more lands than you.
2/2

IIW: The next Modern Horizons set is Magic: What If...?, where Wizards ponders alternate universes like "What if Josu became a necromancer?" and "What if Ugin beat Bolas?"

[Mergatroid_Jones]

Arena of Greatness 4
Legendary Artifact (R)
Creatures other than those selected as champions can't attack or block.
Any time a player doesn't have a champion, that player may select a creature they control to be their champion.
Any player may select a creature to be their champion as it enters the battlefield under their control.

IIW: Nonblue cards in an underwater world.

[chetoos]

Niko Aris, javelineer 2wu
Legendary Creature - human warrior
First strike, this creature can't be blocked by more than one creature
Whenever Niko deals combat damage to a player, draw a card
Whev Niko is blocked by a creature with toughness greater than their power, exile this creature and return it to the battlefield transformed.
1WU, discard a card: Target creature blocks Niko this turn if able.
3/2
//
Niko Aris, destiny broken (color indicator )
Legendary Planeswalker - Niko
+2 - Up to one target creature you control gains first strike until end of turn. Create a treasure token.
-2 - Create a shard token, you gain 2 life.
-7 - You get an emblem with "Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card." and "Creatures you control have vigilance and get +1/+0 for each enchantment you control."
4

IIW: Wild speculation about Streets of New Capenna

[spacemonaut]

World-strider Goat 9GG
Creature — Goat
Trample
When World-strider Goat enters the battlefield, tap all creatures with power 6 or less and all artifacts.
World-strider Goat can't be blocked by creatures with power 6 or less.
14/14


IIW: Power 10 or greater

[Juancu]

Accel Rusher, Born for Speed 1WR
Legendary Creature - Human Pilot
Accel may crew Vehicles as if his power was infinite.
Counters on Accel have no effect on him, but they affect Vehicles he has crewed this turn.
Whenever Accel crews a Vehicle, choose a counter to put on Accel: +1/+1, Menace, Trample, First Strike, Indestructible, Lifelink, Flying, or Vigilance.
1/3

IIW: not this again

[Megiddo]

I'm against spellbooks because they imply I have to know real Magic cards instead of making them all up.

Grandfather Galt WWW
Legendary Creature - Goat (M)
Vigilance, lifelink, protection from Trolls
Other creatures you control get +1/+1 as long as no opponent controls more lands than you.
Grandfather Galt gets +2/+2 and can't be blocked as long as an opponent controls more lands than you.
2/2

IIW: The next Modern Horizons set is Magic: What If...?, where Wizards ponders alternate universes like "What if Josu became a necromancer?" and "What if Ugin beat Bolas?"

just make up the cards in the spellbook too, like I did.

[Mergatroid_Jones]

just make up the cards in the spellbook too, like I did.

(Pays 2RU to draft and cast 19 free copies, then gets a free grapeshot for 20.)

[stille_nacht]

For all you chess nerds, I am taking GOAT for absolute strength here, and not necessarily for more difficult to define "impressiveness" or similar.

Magnus, Son of Carl 2UW
Legendary Creature - Human (M)

At the beginning of your turn, if you and your opponent control the same number of creatures, draw a card.
If you and your opponent control the same number of creatures, you may play a creature from your hand without paying its mana cost.

2/2

Playing for an advantage in a dead-drawn position.

IIW: Ridiculous goblin contraptions.

[Juancu]

Babera, Obsessive Scribbler 2U
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
2, T: Draft a card from Babera's Spellbook.
1/2

Babera's Spellbook:

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Unexpected Results

[Megiddo]

just make up the cards in the spellbook too, like I did.

(Pays 2RU to draft and cast 19 free copies, then gets a free grapeshot for 20.)

better lucky than good design

[Megiddo]

Brom Tady, Quarter Back 1RW
Legendary Creature — Halfling Pirate (R)
Haste
When Brom Tady, Quarter Back enters the battlefield, it becomes first down.
Whenever Brom Tady becomes blocked, you may remove it from combat. When you do, advance the down.
2/2

Downs
(At end of combat, if you attacked with one or more creatures and it isn't fourth down, advance the down.
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player or planeswalker, you score a touchdown.)
First down: Scry 1.
Second down: Creatures you control get +1/+0.
Third down: Creatures you control have menace.
Fourth down: When it becomes fourth down, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Touchdown: Draw a card, then it becomes first down.

IIW: Spooky equipment/vehicles

GOAT Rating: indisputable.

Mechanical Rating: The "down" mechanic does actually translate pretty well but only if we look at it from a first-and-goal situation, which might imply that this mechanic should be entitled the "red zone," as such: "When Brom Tady, Quarter Back enters the battlefield, enter the red zone." Echoes of Venture here, with an easier condition to advance, which I like. I'll not worry about the specifics of each down here, since there's a lot of room to tweak that during development process. I'd probably take a pass at this before shipping to make sure that it's easy to remember exactly how this works.

I'm against spellbooks because they imply I have to know real Magic cards instead of making them all up.

Grandfather Galt WWW
Legendary Creature - Goat (M)
Vigilance, lifelink, protection from Trolls
Other creatures you control get +1/+1 as long as no opponent controls more lands than you.
Grandfather Galt gets +2/+2 and can't be blocked as long as an opponent controls more lands than you.
2/2

IIW: The next Modern Horizons set is Magic: What If...?, where Wizards ponders alternate universes like "What if Josu became a necromancer?" and "What if Ugin beat Bolas?"

GOAT Rating: Who is John Goat?

Mechanical Rating: Clackbridge Troll has met its match. A bimodal lord could be difficult to plan a turn cycle around; luckily, land counts don't tend to change at instant speed.

Arena of Greatness 4
Legendary Artifact (R)
Creatures other than those selected as champions can't attack or block.
Any time a player doesn't have a champion, that player may select a creature they control to be their champion.
Any player may select a creature to be their champion as it enters the battlefield under their control.

IIW: Nonblue cards in an underwater world.

GOAT Rating: MetaGOAT

Mechanical Rating: Dueling Grounds/Silent Arbiter. Free selection when a new creature ETB is smart; otherwise, Pacifism hits harder than a torn ACL.

Niko Aris, javelineer 2wu
Legendary Creature - human warrior
First strike, this creature can't be blocked by more than one creature
Whenever Niko deals combat damage to a player, draw a card
Whev Niko is blocked by a creature with toughness greater than their power, exile this creature and return it to the battlefield transformed.
1WU, discard a card: Target creature blocks Niko this turn if able.
3/2
//
Niko Aris, destiny broken (color indicator )
Legendary Planeswalker - Niko
+2 - Up to one target creature you control gains first strike until end of turn. Create a treasure token.
-2 - Create a shard token, you gain 2 life.
-7 - You get an emblem with "Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card." and "Creatures you control have vigilance and get +1/+0 for each enchantment you control."
4

IIW: Wild speculation about Streets of New Capenna

GOAT Rating: Canon

Mechanical Rating: Ambiguous wording on the creature face; I think I know what you mean, but I am not sure and it's not clear. Back side is strong, which works for the hoops you may need to jump through to flip this.

World-strider Goat 9GG
Creature — Goat
Trample
When World-strider Goat enters the battlefield, tap all creatures with power 6 or less and all artifacts.
World-strider Goat can't be blocked by creatures with power 6 or less.
14/14

IIW: Power 10 or greater

GOAT Rating: Ruminating

Mechanical Rating: My kingdom for haste.

Accel Rusher, Born for Speed 1WR
Legendary Creature - Human Pilot
Accel may crew Vehicles as if his power was infinite.
Counters on Accel have no effect on him, but they affect Vehicles he has crewed this turn.
Whenever Accel crews a Vehicle, choose a counter to put on Accel: +1/+1, Menace, Trample, First Strike, Indestructible, Lifelink, Flying, or Vigilance.
1/3

IIW: not this again

GOAT Rating: Springloaded

Mechanical Rating: It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=45]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=40]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=35]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=30]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=25]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=20]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=15]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=10]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=5]It's so infinite that my judging says "[size=0]It's so infinite that my judging says "

For all you chess nerds, I am taking GOAT for absolute strength here, and not necessarily for more difficult to define "impressiveness" or similar.

Magnus, Son of Carl 2UW
Legendary Creature - Human (M)

At the beginning of your turn, if you and your opponent control the same number of creatures, draw a card.
If you and your opponent control the same number of creatures, you may play a creature from your hand without paying its mana cost.

2/2

Playing for an advantage in a dead-drawn position.

IIW: Ridiculous goblin contraptions.

GOAT Rating: Pending (but, like, come on)

Mechanical Rating: Magnus endgames are unparalleled. I appreciate cards that make you care about something different, which this does. This needs an editing pass for rules text but we get the gist. I'm now envisioning goblin stockfish.

Babera, Obsessive Scribbler 2U
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
2, T: Draft a card from Babera's Spellbook.
1/2

Babera's Spellbook:

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Unexpected Results

GOAT Rating: Unexpected

Mechanical Rating: Well, At Least You've Got Fifteen of Them

Winner: @stille_nacht
Next: Ridiculous goblin contraptions.

[NinjaCaterpie]

Titanmech Prototype 3
Legendary Artifact - Vehicle (M)
Whenever Titanmech Prototype becomes crewed, you may sacrifice any number of nonland permanents. If you do, flip that many coins. If you win more than four flips, transform Titanmech Prototype.
Crew 2
3/4

//

Titanmech V3608
Legendary Artifact Creature - Construct (M)
First strike, flying, vigilance, trample, haste, protection from artifacts and from enchantments
If Titanmech V3608 would die, exile it and return it to the battlefield transformed instead.
13/13

IIW: The next Modern Horizons set is Magic: What If...?, where Wizards ponders alternate universes like "What if Josu became a necromancer?" and "What if Ugin beat Bolas?"

[Legend]

Spiked Armor (Rare)
1
Artifact – Equipment
1: Until end of turn, equipped creature gets -1/-1 and gains your choice of double strike, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, or vigilance.
Equip — Pay 1 life
You idiots! You put the spikes on the wrong side!


IIW: outside the game

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Goblin Microscope

Artifact Creature - Dreadnaught (U)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, tap six untapped Goblins you control.
Trample
Goblin Microscope can't attack or block unless you tap six untapped Goblins you control.
Whenever a creature dealt damage by Goblin Microscope this turn dies, if its power and toughness are both 1 or less, draw a card.
10/10


IIW: A card named Applejack Moose is wrecking all formats; Vintage, Legacy, Modern, even Commander and Pauper. Normally, that would call for a ban, but Applejack Moose has exploded in popularity far beyond the scope of MtG, achieving meme status in pop culture. The executive board of Hasbro has explicitly ordered that Applejack Moose is not to be banned or issued errata, no matter what, and is in fact to be reprinted extensively. What card will you design to salvage the metagame?

[Mergatroid_Jones]

Goblin Gigatank 15
Artifact Creature- Juggernaut (R)
Improvise, Convoke, Delve
1, Sacrifice an artifact or creature: Goblin Gigatank gains your choice of indestructible, hexproof, or trample until end or turn.
"Engage shields! ...Here's two shields. Go engage them."
15/15

iiw: Nonblue cards in an underwater world

[Juancu]

Reverse Wallbreaker 3R
Artifact - Vehicle
Whenever Reverse Wallbreaker becomes a creature on your turn, tap it and create two 1/1 red Goblin creatures tapped. Until your next turn, each creature that's attacking you has Trample.
Crew 2
1/6

IIW: not this again

[Cythare]

Goblin Dental Pick 2
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets +2/+0.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a creature, create a Food token.
Equip 2
"The crunchy bits really pull the coulis together."
—Shaszia, goblin saucier

IIW: a 4cmc uncommon creature

[chetoos]

Krark's Prosthetic Thumb 1R
Artifact - Equipment
Equip abilities you activate targetting equipped creature cost 1 less to activate.
Whenever equipped creature attacks, it deals X damage to target creature defending player controls, where X is the number of equipment attached to equipped creature.
Equip 2
"So first, I thought that I just wanted a thumb again, but then I wondered what else I could build into it. Before I knew it, this happened." - Krark, the thumbless.

IIW: Wild Speculation about Streets of New Capenna.

[Megiddo]

Goblin Boomstrapper 1R
Artifact Creature — Equipment Goblin {R}
Equipped creature has menace.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, sacrifice it. When you do, Goblin Boomstrapper deals 3 damage to any target.
Reconfigure 2R (R: Attach to target creature you control; or unattach from a creature. Reconfigure only as a sorcery. While attached, this isn't a creature.)
2/1

IIW:

[Ulka]

Goblin Cousin Remover 0
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has "1, T, Sacrifice Goblin Cousin Remover: This creature deals 2 damage to any target."
Equip 1
"Brought to you by Toggo Incorporated, the newest cousin removing technology when your cannon no longer needs fodder."[/b]

IIW: Peasants or Serfs