April CCL, Top 6/Round 3: That Single Moment

[void_nothing]

CCL April Top 6/Round 3

"That Single Moment"


Balduvian Warlord, taken from cardsrealm, by Paolo Parente and Wizards of the Coast

Welcome to the Card Creation League! Everyone is free to participate in either or both of the first two rounds. Come join us!

Theme

It's Blocking Month here at the CCL. The less-appreciated half of combat - let's let it shine.

Challenge

Design a card that can only be cast during the declare blockers step or with an ability that can only be activated during the declare blockers step.

Clarifications

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• Make sure to include a rarity.

Contestants:
@slimytrout
@Henlock
@RaikouRider
@MonoRedMage
@barbecube
@kwanyeegor-ii

Your submissions are due Thursday, April 28th, 23:59 EST.

Schedule

• Round 1 — Open to Everyone (March 31st-April 8th)
• Round 2 — Open to Everyone (April 12th-18th)
• Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due April 20th)
• Top 6 — Open to top 8 finishers (April 25th–28th)
• Top 6 Critiques (Due April 30th)
• Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers (May 1st-4th)
• Top 4 Critiques (Due May 6th)
• Final (May, winner determined by public poll)

Please note: For this month we will continue asking first and second round contestants to evaluate seven other contestants during the critique and top 3 period, in order to increase the total number of evaluations each contestant gets.

[RaikouRider]

Iroan Tactics
Instant {R}
Cast Iroan Tactics only during the first declare blockers step of a turn.
Remove any number of target blocking creatures from combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step where only those creatures can block, they must block if able, and you choose how they block. At the end of that step, all blocked creatures with no blockers become unblocked.

[slimytrout]

Intrepid Replacement 1WU
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Lifelink
Intrepid Replacement enters the battlefield with a shield counter on it.
WU: Return target blocking creature you control to its owner's hand, then put Intrepid Replacement onto the battlefield blocking a creature that creature was blocking. Activate only during the declare blockers step.
3/3

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Katabatic Gust 1G
Instant (Common)
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
Choose one
All unblocked attacking creatures with flying become blocked
Remove all blocking creatures with flying from combat. Each creature they were blocking gains trample until end of turn

[void_nothing]

@barbecube @Henlock @MonoRedMage Just checking in.

[barbecube]

Thanks for the check-in! I'll post this afternoon ^_^

[MonoRedMage]

Mannichi's Plot R
Instant - Arcane {R}
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
Exchange the power of each of any number of attacking creatures with that of another attacking creature. Do the same for blocking creatures.

[barbecube]

Confounded by Mist 3U
Instant (R)
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
For each blocking creature, remove it from combat and its owner creates a token that's a copy of it blocking each creature that creature was blocking. Exile those tokens at end of combat.

[void_nothing]

Okay, with no word from Henlock, I'm closing the round. Please critique and provide a top 3 among all of the other contestants!

[Henlock]

Sorry, I am.offering my submission in case it can still be accepted.

Defense Proficiency w
Instant (u)
Cast only during combat after blockers are declared.
Remove all blocking creatures from.combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step (All creatures that were vlocked are still.considered blocked)

[void_nothing]

Yup, I don't mind allowing this, given no one has critiqued.

Please include Henlock's entry in crits and T3s.

[barbecube]

Iroan Tactics
Instant {R}
Cast Iroan Tactics only during the first declare blockers step of a turn.
Remove any number of target blocking creatures from combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step where only those creatures can block, they must block if able, and you choose how they block. At the end of that step, all blocked creatures with no blockers become unblocked.

Okay I'm fine with RW reassigning how creatures block; I don't think this card needed to be implemented this way though. Adding a second declare blockers step feels awkward, although idk it might actually work better than doing reassignment some other way?

Intrepid Replacement 1WU
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Lifelink
Intrepid Replacement enters the battlefield with a shield counter on it.
WU: Return target blocking creature you control to its owner's hand, then put Intrepid Replacement onto the battlefield blocking a creature that creature was blocking. Activate only during the declare blockers step.
3/3

So for 2 mana, I can erase all damage from any attacker I can block, gain 3 life, possibly refresh a useful ETB, and I get a 3/3 lifelinker out of the deal? No one attacks in this format, I guess.

Katabatic Gust 1G
Instant (Common)
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
Choose one
All unblocked attacking creatures with flying become blocked
Remove all blocking creatures with flying from combat. Each creature they were blocking gains trample until end of turn

I don't buy this second mode in monogreen.

Mannichi's Plot R
Instant - Arcane {R}
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
Exchange the power of each of any number of attacking creatures with that of another attacking creature. Do the same for blocking creatures.

This is cool to, like, write on a card, but I despair for the player who's trying to use it or attack into an opponent who might have it.

Defense Proficiency w
Instant (u)
Cast only during combat after blockers are declared.
Remove all blocking creatures from.combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step (All creatures that were vlocked are still.considered blocked)

ok white bad so bad fog is white

Top 3

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1. RaikouRider
2. Henlock
3. MonoRedMage

[RaikouRider]

slimytrout: My only complaint is this should probably only be allowed to enter the battlefield blocking a creature it could legally block. Other than that, this is quite good.

kwanyeegor-ii: This feels like a multicolored card despite affecting only flying creatures. Probably should have white in its cost somewhere.

MonoRedMage: This is the correct rarity, but this is a nightmare to try to resolve and/or play around, either casting it or having it cast against you. I like the concept but it needs better execution.

barbecube: So this creates a set of phantom blockers? This is neat but I think this would be better as a white multicolored card. In mono-blue I think this is a big pie break.

Henlock: This is basically a fog but it could matter in Limited environments with lots of on-attack and on-block triggers.

I want to give third place to all of you; the top two were standouts but the rest were all on about the same level - one giaring issue on an otherwise nice design.

1) slimytrout
2) Henlock
3) barbecube

[slimytrout]

RaikouRider

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Man, "all blocked creatures with no blockers become unblocked" is a strange bit of text, although this challenge did encourage that sort of thing. Overall this seems a bit underpowered, since it's relying on your opponents to block in the first place -- if they just let your creatures through it's completely useless. But otherwise fun.

kwanyeegor-ii

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Huh. Definitely not common, but otherwise I guess it's fine, although once again quite underpowered.

MonoRedMage

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Hmmm, I'd love if this got some sort of bounding, so that the number of possible switches doesn't just expand factorially as you increase the number of creatures in combat. But overall seems situationally powerful but hardly busted.

barbecube

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Why "owner"? This could cause some real rule headaches if you're blocking with a mind-controlled creature. Otherwise it's another card that is quite strong and fun if you can set it up right, but that setup cost is enormous.

Henlock

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Mostly just a way worse version of Druid's Deliverance. I'm not very interested.

T3

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1. RaikouRider
2. barbecube
3. MonoRedMage

[Henlock]

top 3

1. RaikouRaider
2. Monoredmage
3.Kwanyegor

[barbecube]

Sorry I know we're a bit off schedule, no hurry implied or suggested, but can we get a check-in about what the crit deadline is and when we are moving on to the next round?

[void_nothing]

Yes, let's get crits and top 3s in by 23:59 Eastern on the 14th - in about 24 hours.

[kwanyeegor-ii]

crits

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Iroan Tactics
Instant {R}
Cast Iroan Tactics only during the first declare blockers step of a turn.
Remove any number of target blocking creatures from combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step where only those creatures can block, they must block if able, and you choose how they block. At the end of that step, all blocked creatures with no blockers become unblocked.

Interesting but prob too complex... Master Warcraft does this general category of effect better but i really do like this being a combat trick

Intrepid Replacement 1WU
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
Lifelink
Intrepid Replacement enters the battlefield with a shield counter on it.
WU: Return target blocking creature you control to its owner's hand, then put Intrepid Replacement onto the battlefield blocking a creature that creature was blocking. Activate only during the declare blockers step.
3/3

Nice, situationlly strong but not op

Mannichi's Plot R
Instant - Arcane {R}
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
Exchange the power of each of any number of attacking creatures with that of another attacking creature. Do the same for blocking creatures.

This looks fun but WAY too complicate to actually print

Confounded by Mist 3U
Instant (R)
Cast this spell only during the declare blockers step.
For each blocking creature, remove it from combat and its owner creates a token that's a copy of it blocking each creature that creature was blocking. Exile those tokens at end of combat.

Nice, good way to use ETB effects but also allows u to block with no risk. i think its a cool dyamic

Sorry, I am.offering my submission in case it can still be accepted.

Defense Proficiency w
Instant (u)
Cast only during combat after blockers are declared.
Remove all blocking creatures from.combat. After this step, there is an additional declare blockers step (All creatures that were vlocked are still.considered blocked)

Interesting but weird fog type effect

t3

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1 slimytrout
2 barbecube
3 raikourider

[MonoRedMage]

Top 3 -

1 - barbecube
2 - RaikouRider
3 - slimytrout

[void_nothing]

And our - in actuality - top 5:

RaikouRider
barbecube
slimytrout
MonoRedMage
Henlock

Next round to come soon!