February MCC Round 2 - Upgraded

[bravelion83]

(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion by Valera Lutfullina.)


February MCC Round 2

Upgraded

As is tradition by now, this month we will celebrate the latest set, in this case Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, by exploring its mechanics and themes, as usual in this kind of MCC months.


Main Challenge - Design a card with the batching word "modified" in its rules text.

Subchallenge 1 - Your card is either a non-creature Aura, a non-creature Equipment without reconfigure, or a non-Aura, non-Equipment card that puts +1/+1 counters or keyword counters on a creature you control. (Please see clarifications.)

Subchallenge 2 - Your card is NOT mono-red, mono-green, or exactly red-green.

Clarifications

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Main Challenge
• Your card can be of any card type(s) and have any abilities. It only has to have the word "modified" in its rules text. The word "modified" must have its batching word meaning as seen in NEO, not its ordinary English meaning.

Subchallenge 1
• The spirit of the challenge is that your card is itself a modification for other cards, but for various reasons there are additional constraints.
• To pass this subchallenge, your card must satisfy exactly one of the following conditions:
1 - It doesn't have the creature card type and it has the Aura subtype (which means it will presumably be an enchantment).
2 - It doesn't have the creature card type, it has the Equipment subtype (which means it will presumably be an artifact), and it does NOT have reconfigure. (Hey, after all I still have two more rounds to host, you know? I will have to save something for those...) It can still have the ordinary "equip" keyword, or be attached to a creature via any other means.
3 - It has neither the Aura subtype nor the Equipment subtype (it can still be a regular artifact or enchantment), and its effects or abilities "put" at least one +1/+1 counter and/or at least one "keyword counter" on a creature you control (it does NOT matter whether that creature is targeted or not, but it DOES matter that it's a creature controlled specifically by you). Here the expressions "putting" counters and "keyword counters" have their respective CR meaning:

122.6. Some spells and abilities refer to counters being put on an object. This refers to putting counters on that object while it's on the battlefield and also to an object that's given counters as it enters the battlefield.
122.1b A keyword counter on a permanent or on a card in a zone other than the battlefield causes that object to gain that keyword. The keywords that a keyword counter can be are flying, first strike, double strike, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance, as well as any variants of those keywords.

In other words, "putting" the counters on a creature means either an effect puts them on the creature that's on the battlefield (not in any other zone), or the creature enters the battlefield with those counters.
"Keyword counters" are counters that give one of the twelve speficied keywords to a creature. Only those keywords count as "keyword counters". No other keywords count as "keyword counters". You also can't design your own keyword and have it be granted by a "keyword counter".

@bravelion83 For February round 2, a card will still pass the subchallenge by being an Aura or Equipment that gives +1/+1 counters, correct?

No, according to the subchallenge text it has to be "a non-Aura, non-Equipment card" if it puts the counters on a creature. The three conditions are meant to be mutually exclusive, so that you cannot meet two at the same time. I've tried to edit the round OP to make it clearer. I will also add this post to the clarifications spoiler.

Subchallenge 2
• Your cand can be red, green, or red-green if it also has additional colors. For example, a blue-red, black-green, or red-green-white card passes this subchallenge.
• This subchallenge only checks ordinary color as determined by mana cost and color indicator, not color identity. In other words, you can use any red and/or green mana symbols in the rules text.


If you have any questions, post them in the MCC discussion thread.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Wednesday, February 23rd 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Saturday, February 26th 23:59 EDT Sunday, February 27th 23:59 EDT (Time extension asked and granted by me to myself... I'm sorry, but sometimes it happens. See my judgment post below.)


RUBRIC

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

bravelion83
void_nothing


PLAYERS

@Henlock
@kwanyeegor-ii
@MonoRedMage
@netn10
@slimytrout
@Venedrex


A reminder to everyone:
In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Please check out the MCC Guidelines and FAQ if you have the will and time. Link in my signature. Among the many things you can find there are a detailed explanation of the rubric (section 6.2) and the recommended card formatting (section 4) that you should use to format your text cards. Expect deductions in Quality otherwise.


BRACKETS

Top two from each bracket advance.

Judge: bravelion83
kwanyeegor-ii
MonoRedMage
slimytrout

Judge: void_nothing
Henlock
netn10
Venedrex

[Venedrex]

Termination Protocol
Enchantment — (R)
Attacking modified creatures you control have deathtouch.
(Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)
Whenever a modified creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.
"New orders just came in. Kill them all."

[netn10]

Age of Assimilation U
Enchantment (Rare)
Age of Assimilation's activated abilities cost 1 less to activate for each modified creature you control.
5U: Put a flying counter, a ward 3 counter or a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
5U: Put an aura card or an equipment card from your hand onto the battlefield, then attach it to a creature you control.

[slimytrout]

Ajani, Patient Teacher 1GW
Legendary Planeswalker — Ajani (M)
Modified creatures you control have vigilance and lifelink. (Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)
0: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Whenever that creature attacks this turn, put a loyalty counter on Ajani, Patient Teacher.
-2: Create a 2/2 white Cat creature token. You may put an Aura or Equipment card from your hand onto the battlefield attached to that creature.
-6: Put two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control. Creatures you control gain trample and indestructible until end of turn.
3

[MonoRedMage]

Mechshell Armor 3
Artifact - Equipment {R}
Equipped creature gets +3/+1.
Modified creatures you control have "T: This creature gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. It doesn't untap during your next untap step."
Equip 3

[bravelion83]

A few hours left until the design deadline and we're missing submissions from @Henlock and @kwanyeegor-ii.

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Etched by the Oni 1B
Enchantment - Aura (Rare)
Enchant artifact or creature
Enchanted permanent gets +1/+0 and has menace as long as it's a creature.
Whenever a modified creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 1 life. If you do, you may put a +1/+1 counter on that creature or create a Treasure token.

[Henlock]

O-yoroi of the Moth Emperor uw
Artifact - Equipment (r)
Equipped creature has flying and it's a Samurai in addition to its types.
Whenever a modified creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may have that spell or ability target equipped creature instead.
Whenever one or more counters would be put on a creature, you may have those counters be put on equipped creature instead.
Equip 1

[bravelion83]

The round is closed. Top two from each bracket advance.

BRACKETS

Judge: bravelion83
kwanyeegor-ii
MonoRedMage
slimytrout

Judge: void_nothing
Henlock
netn10
Venedrex

---

Saturday 26th, 9:30 pm CEST update: I've done two out of three and I know I won't be able to write the third judgment tonight, so while I know it's unusual for me to be late with my judgments (but when I say real life always comes first that has to apply to me too), I will grant myself a 24-hour extension on the judging deadline, and obviously void_nothing will get to benefit from that too.

Sunday 27th, 6 pm CEST: Judgments complete.

kwanyeegor-ii

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Etched by the Oni 1B
Enchantment - Aura (Rare)
Enchant artifact or creature
Enchanted permanent gets +1/+0 and has menace as long as it's a creature.
Whenever a modified creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you may pay 1 life. If you do, you may put a +1/+1 counter on that creature or create a Treasure token.

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes making his creatures and Vehicles bigger and give them evasion, and he doesn't mind doing so via an Aura. He also likes making Treasures. The only thing he doesn't like is paying life. Johnny could try to use the counters and tokens somehow, or try to copy and/or make the triggered ability trigger multiple times, or use this with "additional combat" effects. Spike doesn't like using Auras due to their inherent potential for card disadvantage, but she likes that the triggered ability costs her only life and no mana.
Elegance 1/3 - The text is relatively easy to understand, but the menace-granting ability could be read in a wrong way (see Quality) and the last ability could also have been clearer. Let's say I pay 1 life. I "may" put a +1/+1 counter, let's say I choose not to for whatever reason. Then do I have to create the Treasure token or is that also covered by the "may"? Can I choose to do neither if I want to, or do I have to do one? In the latter case, something like "you may put a +1/+1 counter on that creature. If you don't, create a Treasure token" would have been clearer. Also, putting a +1/+1 counter on the creature that dealt combat damage is good, but it doesn't feel great if you care about modified creatures. After all, if that ability triggered it means that creature was already modified, and you can't modify a creature twice, or have it somehow count as "double modified". Finally, an Aura having a global effect isn't the most intuitive thing, especially for less experienced players.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 3/3 - In limited, making a creature (either a natural one or animated Vehicle) hard to block is always good, and the power bonus also helps both in combat and to crew Vehicles. Triggering the last ability is also nice, +1/+1 counters and Treasures are always good, and even though the enchanted permanent, which this conveniently makes modified, might not be able to attack on the same turn you cast this on it, it will immediately trigger for other modified creatures that are able to attack, assuming you have some, so the risk of getting 2-for1'ed still exists but it's somewhat mitigated. And if you somehow have multiples of this, which is probably more relevant in constructed rather than limited, the triggered ability stacks, making you able to make multiple counters or Treasures for each modified creature that dealt combat damage. And also quite relevant, that ability is free, in the sense that it costs only life and no mana, and we've seen what happens when you're able to pay life instead of mana with Phyrexian mana. I don't want to use the word "broken", because I don't actually think it is if you properly balance the single cards that have it, but it's very good. Maybe that might make some competitive constructed players want to try this, and if anything is going to do that, that's probably the decisive factor. I'm not sure they will succeed though, it looks like it will require some setup. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - There are several Auras like this in NEO, that have "enchant artifact or creature" and give the enchanted permanent a bonus as long as it's a creature. At first I thought the trigger condition hadn't been done in NEO, but then I checked and I saw Kodama of the West Tree, so that isn't technically new either. I also didn't remember any cards that create Treasures in NEO, but then I found five such cards, one of which black (Undercity Scrounger, the others are Atsushi, the Blazing Sky, Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, Prosperous Thief, and Reckoner Bankbuster). It turns out there is actually nothing new here.
Flavor 1.5/3 - The name feels good to me, but MSE shows me a couple lines of flavor text would have fit on this card. I also don't see much of a connection between flavor and mechanics.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - A potential ambiguity in the menace-granting ability: as written, it looks like enchanted permanent gets +1/+0 always and the menace keyword only if it's a creature. I guess this is the reason why similar cards from NEO, such as Gift of Wrath are worded the way they are. Following that example, this should have been worded "As long as enchanted permanent is a creature, it gets +1/+0 and has menace." (-0.5) I'm fine with menace not having reminder text here as it's an evergreen keyword, but reminder text for modified should be there. On a rare or mythic you can leave out reminder text for non-evergreen set-specific keywords if there is no room for it, but MSE shows me that there is room for it here, so it should have been there. (-0.5) The last ability is a bit convoluted, but it looks fine to me. In the type line, the hyphen should be an em dash but no deduction for that.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. It's a "non-creature Aura" and it's black.
TOTAL 18/25

MonoRedMage

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Mechshell Armor 3
Artifact - Equipment {R}
Equipped creature gets +3/+1.
Modified creatures you control have "T: This creature gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. It doesn't untap during your next untap step."
Equip 3

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes the power increase and protecting his creatures, but he's not really a fan of them not untapping. Johnny could maybe use this as a tap engine. Spike sees the mana costs, especially the equip one, as a bit higher than she would like.
Elegance 2.5/3 - The text is very easy to understand, but I think an Equipment also affecting things other than the equipped creature isn't the most intuitive design, especially for less experienced players.
Development
Viability 2/3 - Not all colors can grant hexproof and indestructible to their creatures. White could do it with indestructible but usually if it gives hexproof it's to you, so let's say it would be a slight bend in white. Blue could do it with hexproof but not with indestructible. Outside of things like the Theros Gods, blue doesn't have indestructible. Black could grant indestructible but not hexproof, and red can't do either of them. Only green could do this effect without any problem. Nowadays colored artifacts are not only allowed but deciduous, so maybe this should have been a green colored Equipment? Green is also one of the primary colors in modified, so that would have fit perfectly. Yes, you wouldn't have done Subchallenge 2 with a mono green artifact, but sometimes if you have a good design you can choose to give up a subchallenge. After all, if you're going to lose one point either here or in the Subchallenges section, does it really make a difference where you lose it? No problems with rarity or the rules.
Balance 2/3 - I think that in limited this is mostly just a P/T bonus with an upside that won't often be relevant, but will be really good when it is. It also doesn't look that hard to play around for your opponent. Yes, all removal in their hand that they planned to play against your modified creatures will be essentially turned into blanks, but this is also an on-board trick, they will see it coming and they can adjust their play accordingly. This doesn't mean it's not playable in limited, just not an auto-include or a first pick, which is actually something good to say of a card that can theoretically go in any deck. In competitive constructed, Equipment that cost three mana to equip have a rather high bar, and I can't see this there unless maybe as a sideboard card against removal-heavy decks. Being able to protect all your modified creatures for free doesn't look bad, but not untapping is quite a hidden cost. For example, if I think about exert, which plays in very similar space, only as a cost instead of an effect, I can think of only one card that saw competitive play: Glorybringer. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - My mind immediately went to the Magemark cycle from Guildpact. Those were Auras enchanting a single creature but giving a bonus to all of your enchanted creatures. This is very similar, only in the form of an Equipment. That's a twist, but an easy one to make. Also, none of the text is actually new except for modified, that was requested by the Main Challenge.
Flavor 2/3 - No problems with the name, it totally feels like an Equipment card name, even if maybe an armor should give more toughness than power intuitively. There is still an obvious flavor of an armor giving protection to those who wear it in the form of hexproof and indestructible, but why does a single person wearing the armor give protection to everybody that's wielding a weapon (aka modified) and not just to its wearer? Maybe some flavor text would have helped justify that. It would have certainly fit here, as MSE confirms, two lines for sure, maybe three.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - In the type line, the hyphen should be an em dash but no deduction for that. Reminder text for modified is missing. (-0.5)
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. It's a "non-creature Equipment without reconfigure" and it's colorless.
TOTAL 18.5/25

slimytrout

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Ajani, Patient Teacher 1GW
Legendary Planeswalker — Ajani (M)
Modified creatures you control have vigilance and lifelink. (Equipment, Auras you control, and counters are modifications.)
0: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Whenever that creature attacks this turn, put a loyalty counter on Ajani, Patient Teacher.
-2: Create a 2/2 white Cat creature token. You may put an Aura or Equipment card from your hand onto the battlefield attached to that creature.
-6: Put two +1/+1 counters on each creature you control. Creatures you control gain trample and indestructible until end of turn.
3

Design
Appeal 3/3 - Timmy loves planeswalker and especially creature-based ones. Johnny likes the high synergy between the abilities. Spike does too, and she also likes the high rate of this card.
Elegance 2.5/3 - Quite wordy, like most planeswalkers, but all the text is very easy to understand.
Development
Viability 3/3 - A perfect mix of white and green elements. Rarity is obvious. No rules problems as far as I can see.
Balance 3/3 - I really like the synergy between the abilities: all three of Ajani's loyalty abilities make a creature modified to make it count for his static one, and they do so in all possible different ways. Loyalty costs and starting loyalty all look appropriate to me, and I feel like the mana cost is pushed but not broken. Obvious autoinclude in limited like most if not all planeswalkers. I can easily see this in Standard in creature-based decks, which again, are most if not all decks there. He can also protect himself by creating tokens, which is always good for a planeswalker, and there is even more synergy there: play him, create the token to eventually block for him on your opponent's turn, then if the token survives to your next turn it can get the +1/+1 counter from Ajani's 0 ability, attack, and give him loyalty. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - The most original thing about this planeswalker card is the way it gets up in loyalty, I can't remember another one gaining loyalty when a specific creature attacks. We've seen all the rest before.
Flavor 3/3 - Ajani is all about helping and mentoring others, and thinking about others before himself. This card fits him perfectly, both flavorfully and mechanically. His 0 and -2 abilities are particularly good examples of this union between mechanics and flavor: with his 0 ability, he thinks first about making another creature stronger, helping them, and only then they may or may not help him back by attacking and thus giving him a loyalty counter, but even if they don't, it doesn't matter to him. He has already done his duty by helping them in the first place without expecting anything back, so if he actually gets something back it's just a bonus to him. His -2 is him calling an ally from his pride and giving them one of his own weapons to fight. The static ability and the -6 are a little more generic in flavor but they absolutely still fit the character. Again, to Ajani what's important is supporting others before himself. If somebody's suffering, he will take the burden onto himself. He wants everybody to feel good, even and maybe especially when he doesn't. He has a moral compass that I think everybody should have in the real world too, we'd live in a much better place if everybody had his mindset. I think I could go on writing about him and how much I love his character for hours. Yes, if it isn't clear yet, he's my favorite planeswalker, and you've made me a gift designing such a fitting card for him, but I promise I'm not letting that influence my judgment. This card is really such a good depiction of him, I'm not saying that just because I love his character, I think it's an objectively perfect representation of him and his ideals.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - Perfect. This is exemplar, an exceptional show of the correct way to format and word planeswalkers, that are innately wordy and have a lot of moving parts you can stumble upon. Congratulations!
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. It's a "non-Aura, non-Equipment card that puts +1/+1 counters on a creature you control" and it's not mono-green or red-green.
TOTAL 23.5/25

Results (bold advance)

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slimytrout: 23.5
MonoRedMage: 18.5
kwanyeegor-ii: 18

[void_nothing]

Venedrex

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy definitely likes this. Jxnny wishes that didn't say "combat" in the triggered ability given how many Auras and Equipment give the ability to deal direct damage. Spike is the least likely player to use modified creatures, but could make use of this with +1/+1 counters.
(3/3) Elegance - Nicely elegant.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Colors look right. Rarity-wise - this could be a signpost uncommon, in fact it would be great as one. Pushed for Limited, yes, but those types of designs can indeed be pushed.
(3/3) Balance - Sure - both strong effects, but gated with something that requires additional work or at least building around creatures that give themselves +1/+1 counters, etc.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Two bonuses that are quite familiar, put together newly and with a new condition on them.
(3/3) Flavor - I like this - it's all sort of cyberpunk trope-y but it works nicely and is well-written.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Mhm.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Looks fine.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Right colors, but doesn't have the required subtypes nor does it give +1/+1 counters.

Total: 20.5/25

netn10

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy is all over this card. Jxnny has a lot of wacky stuff to do. Spike likes the dream scenario of one-mana +1/+1 counters forever.
(1.5/3) Elegance - This card has a unifying theme but quite a bit going on, including keyword counters that stack (the ward ones) and a lot of things to keep track of.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Rarity looks right. Some of the abilities are a bit edge-casey for blue, such as granting +1/+1 counters and putting Auras and Equipment down, both of which seem to make it more WU.
(2.5/3) Balance - While it requires keeping a LOT of modified creatures around, being able to activate these abilities for one or two mana is incredibly powerful.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - A lot of new stuff going on here, a one-stop modifying shop.
(3/3) Flavor - Great name that is in fitting with the mechanical flavor.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - Aura and Equipment should be capitalized, being subtypes, and also that ability is worded a little awkwardly (could be "onto the battlefield attached to…")
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 21.5/25

Henlock

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy, Jxnny, and Spike would actually all like such shenanigans as putting this on a ward creature in order to effectively give your whole army ward.
(2.5/3) Elegance - The target-changing and counter grabbing abilities are a bit wordy and fiddly, but share a theme.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Colors and rarity look fine, but the name and effects make this card come off as legendary although it is not.
(3/3) Balance - Sure - definitely strong, but also relatively narrow. Not a good-in-every-situation Batterskull type of card.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Definitely some cool stuff going on here.
(3/3) Flavor - I love this - really feels like a mastercrafted piece of armor.

Polish
(1/3) Quality - Mana symbols in the mana cost are reversed, and the equip cost is not a mana symbol at all. First marquee ability should be a triggered ability (most likely) but wording changes to a replacement effect midway through. Second one should be a replacement effect for sure.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 21.5/25

Totals (Bold advance)

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netn10 21.5
Henlock 21.5
Venedrex 20.5