September CCL Round 2: The Evidence

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

CCL September Signups/Round 2

"The Evidence"

Parcel Myr and Slayer's Bounty, by Wizards of the Coast and Wisnu Tan, Aurore Folny, respectively.

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 Mystery Stroy month here at the CCL. This month we will follow characters of contestants' design through they journey to uncover some thrilling secrets.

Challenge

Design a mono-colored Clue artifact card that is within your legend's color identity.

Clarifications

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• Clue is an artifact type that usually doubles as predifined artifact token; all existing clues have an ability: ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card."; you can read more about Clues here.
• It can have other types as well.
• If you have participated in round 1, the legend in question is your submission from that round. If you have not, the please create a legendary creature card according to the restriction from that round and put it somewhere in your submission.
• Remeber to add rarity.

Anyone can enter this first round! Your submissions are due Sundayk, September 18th, 12:00 EST.

Schedule

• Round 1 — Open to Everyone (September 1st-10th)
• Round 2 — Open to Everyone (September 10th-19th)
• Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due September 22nd)
• Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (September 22nd–25th)
• Top 8 Critiques (Due September 28th)
  
• Top 5 — Open to top 5 finishers (September 30th–October 2nd)
• Top 5 Critiques (Due October 5th)
• Final (October, 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.

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Etched Wyvern 3RR
Artifact Creature - Clue Drake (Uncommon)
Flying, haste
When Etched Wyvern dies, create a 2/2 blue Drake creature token with flying.
2, Sacrifice Etched Wyvern: Draw a card.
Renegade magescholars use drakes coated in symbiotic arcano-armor as messengers.
3/3

[slimytrout]

Secret Alcove 1W
Artifact - Clue (U)
Flash
When Secret Alcove enters the battlefield, exile up to one target creature you control until Secret Alcove leaves the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Secret Alcove: Draw a card.
Jex strained to hear the vampires' conversation over the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

[netn10]

round 1

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Trigori and Sirislav of the Bureau WUUB
Legendary Creature - Human Vedalken Advisor (Mythic)
Hexproof
Whenever you draw a card or discard a card, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a clue, detain target nonland permanent.
The Azorius denies their existence and the Dimir denies their relationship so the Bureau of Interplanar Defense would solve crimes too hard to explain to the masses.
1/1

Unexplained Biomass
Creature - Clue (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Unexplained Biomass is in your graveyard, discard two cards. Then, return Unexplained Biomass to the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Unexplained Biomass: Draw a card.
"Tag it under 'things I never want to see again'"
"No, tag it under 'things that wants us to see them again and again.'"
- Trigori and Sirislav
1/1

[CunningGabe]

Counterfeit Coin
Artifact - Treasure Clue
, Sacrifice Counterfeit Coin: Add one mana of any color.
, Sacrifice Counterfeit Coin: Draw a card.
When you sacrifice Counterfeit Coin, flip a coin. If you win the flip, return it to the battlefield under your control at the beginning of the next end step.

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

Bump for visibility.
Over the half of time for this round has passed. Do not wait for the last minute!

[Henlock]

Discarded Dagger r
Artifact - Equipment Clue (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+0.
Equip r
You may activate the equip ability of Discarded Dagger from your graveyard if you discard a card in addition to its cost.
2, Sacrifice Discarded Dagger: Draw a card.

Perrin the Interrogator 1ur
Legendary Creature - Human (u)
Flash
Whenever a player casts a spell, if it is not that player's turn, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a Clue, Perrin the Interrogator deals 1 damage to each opponent.
2/2

[void_nothing]

Cultcarved Gravestone 1G
Artifact - Clue (R)
Spells that are cast from graveyards cost 2 less to cast and can only be cast any time their controller could cast a sorcery. (Players can't cast spells from graveyards unless another effect causes them to.)
Whenever a card leaves a player's graveyard, that player gains 1 life.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, choose two cards in their graveyard. That player shuffles those cards into their library.
2, Sacrifice Cultcarved Gravestone: Draw a card.

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

There will be a one day extension, till 12:00 EST on 19th, Monday.
This will be your last chance to submit the entry for this round!

[MonoRedMage]

Grenzo's Dossier 3R
Artifact - Clue {U}
When Grenzo's Dossier enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
When Grenzo's Dossier is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals damage to any target equal to the number of creatures that died this turn.
2, Sacrifice Grenzo's Dossier: Draw a card.

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

And the round closes.
Please critique each other contestant and choose a top 3 from them.
Since we have eight different contestants across both sign-ups, the round 3 will be a top 6 instead of top 8.
Tge critique period for both sign-up rounds will last to the 22nd September 12:00 EST, Thursday.

[void_nothing]

Critiques

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kwanyeegor-ii - Sure, not the most innovative design but this would have good play patterns, and I like the flavor text - it comes off as a good justification for the abilities.

slimytrout - Simply perfect in every way. Love love love this card.

netn10 - The challenge specified the card must be an artifact, and indeed Clue is only a valid type for artifacts, but that's really the only thing throwing me off here. Everything else is neat and comboriffic, and the flavor (though gross) works nicely.

CunningGabe - A very swingy value engine but I have a perverse love for black coin flipping. Into it.

Henlock - I definitely like Perrin, who feels like an uncommon signpost legend. Discarded Dagger does a lot for an uncommon but as with a lot of entries this round the flavor's nice. Maybe too much of an engine though?

MonoRedMage - Ooh, this is doing kind of a Seal enchantment thing? Interesting. Could be hard to decide when to pop this.

Top 3

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1. slimytrout
2. netn10
3. CunningGabe

All the entries this round were so good. I wish I could give points to them all.

[CunningGabe]

Critiques

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Etched Wyvern 3RR
Artifact Creature - Clue Drake (Uncommon)
Flying, haste
When Etched Wyvern dies, create a 2/2 blue Drake creature token with flying.
2, Sacrifice Etched Wyvern: Draw a card.
Renegade magescholars use drakes coated in symbiotic arcano-armor as messengers.
3/3

I really like the flavor on this one - the flavor text really hints at an interesting world! This is a great uncommon for limited; it's just the right level of annoying for your opponent

Secret Alcove 1W
Artifact - Clue (U)
Flash
When Secret Alcove enters the battlefield, exile up to one target creature you control until Secret Alcove leaves the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Secret Alcove: Draw a card.
Jex strained to hear the vampires' conversation over the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

I love this - well-balanced, great flavor. A+

round 1

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Trigori and Sirislav of the Bureau WUUB
Legendary Creature - Human Vedalken Advisor (Mythic)
Hexproof
Whenever you draw a card or discard a card, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a clue, detain target nonland permanent.
The Azorius denies their existence and the Dimir denies their relationship so the Bureau of Interplanar Defense would solve crimes too hard to explain to the masses.
1/1

Unexplained Biomass
Creature - Clue (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Unexplained Biomass is in your graveyard, discard two cards. Then, return Unexplained Biomass to the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Unexplained Biomass: Draw a card.
"Tag it under 'things I never want to see again'"
"No, tag it under 'things that wants us to see them again and again.'"
- Trigori and Sirislav
1/1

This is kind of an interesting idea, but I'm not really sure it lands for me. I guess that if you empty your hand, then the drawback doesn't matter and you get a free clue every turn. With Trigori out, you probably won't have an empty hand, but instead you get two extra clues to make up for it. It's hard for me to imagine exactly how I want to build around this.

Discarded Dagger r
Artifact - Equipment Clue (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+0.
Equip r
You may activate the equip ability of Discarded Dagger from your graveyard if you discard a card in addition to its cost.
2, Sacrifice Discarded Dagger: Draw a card.

Perrin the Interrogator 1ur
Legendary Creature - Human (u)
Flash
Whenever a player casts a spell, if it is not that player's turn, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a Clue, Perrin the Interrogator deals 1 damage to each opponent.
2/2

I love this dagger; it's a simple combination of things that ties together very nicely.

Cultcarved Gravestone 1G
Artifact - Clue (R)
Spells that are cast from graveyards cost 2 less to cast and can only be cast any time their controller could cast a sorcery. (Players can't cast spells from graveyards unless another effect causes them to.)
Whenever a card leaves a player's graveyard, that player gains 1 life.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, choose two cards in their graveyard. That player shuffles those cards into their library.
2, Sacrifice Cultcarved Gravestone: Draw a card.

There's some interesting tension in the abilities here. I guess if you put this in a self-mill deck with Flashback / Unearth etc, you can reshuffle things that don't have any benefit from being in a graveyard and get a small life bump in the process. Meanwhile, your big flashback spells are cheaper but maybe slower. Hmm, this does make me want to try to brew a deck around it...

Grenzo's Dossier 3R
Artifact - Clue {U}
When Grenzo's Dossier enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
When Grenzo's Dossier is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals damage to any target equal to the number of creatures that died this turn.
2, Sacrifice Grenzo's Dossier: Draw a card.

A cool little value package, plus it's fun to imagine the goblins going after the suspect.

Top 3

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1. slimytrout
2. kwanyeegor-ii
3. void_nothing

[Henlock]

kwanyegor- Pretty strong limited uncommon. Haste and flying is a good combination for going face and you can get a card in exchange of having a smaller creature.

Slimytrout- Lovely stuff that lets you rebuy etbs or protect something. I like it that it is easily cyclable.

netn10-If we look at Rotting Regisaur, mandatory discard demands a better payoff. This is pretty interesting on an empty hand, tho.

voidnothing: The first and thirs abilities are antisynergistic, but a cost reduction of 2 mana.is very poweeful.

Monoredmage- I like how the goblins exist as possible.fodder for the damagw count and how it punishes wraths.

CunningGabe- I would make this CIP tapped so as to not have black being able to go into any color on turn 1 and also possibly accelerating later. This might work better if somehow redesigned into green? I think the flavor is great: You eithwe use it deceptivwly as currency or see something wrong with it and look into it.

1. slimytrout
2. Monoredmage
3. kwanyegor

[kwanyeegor-ii]

crits

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Secret Alcove 1W
Artifact - Clue (U)
Flash
When Secret Alcove enters the battlefield, exile up to one target creature you control until Secret Alcove leaves the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Secret Alcove: Draw a card.
Jex strained to hear the vampires' conversation over the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

this is done so well and it feels 100% like an innistrad card

round 1

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Trigori and Sirislav of the Bureau WUUB
Legendary Creature - Human Vedalken Advisor (Mythic)
Hexproof
Whenever you draw a card or discard a card, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a clue, detain target nonland permanent.
The Azorius denies their existence and the Dimir denies their relationship so the Bureau of Interplanar Defense would solve crimes too hard to explain to the masses.
1/1

Unexplained Biomass
Creature - Clue (Rare)
At the beginning of your upkeep, if Unexplained Biomass is in your graveyard, discard two cards. Then, return Unexplained Biomass to the battlefield.
2, Sacrifice Unexplained Biomass: Draw a card.
"Tag it under 'things I never want to see again'"
"No, tag it under 'things that wants us to see them again and again.'"
- Trigori and Sirislav
1/1

Interesting but too swingy and doesnt quite fit the challenge

Counterfeit Coin
Artifact - Treasure Clue
, Sacrifice Counterfeit Coin: Add one mana of any color.
, Sacrifice Counterfeit Coin: Draw a card.
When you sacrifice Counterfeit Coin, flip a coin. If you win the flip, return it to the battlefield under your control at the beginning of the next end step.

Kinda underwhelming, will just be a regular treasure clue half the time. however it that is still interesting having two predefined token types

Discarded Dagger r
Artifact - Equipment Clue (u)
Equipped creature has +1/+0.
Equip r
You may activate the equip ability of Discarded Dagger from your graveyard if you discard a card in addition to its cost.
2, Sacrifice Discarded Dagger: Draw a card.

Perrin the Interrogator 1ur
Legendary Creature - Human (u)
Flash
Whenever a player casts a spell, if it is not that player's turn, investigate.
Whenever you sacrifice a Clue, Perrin the Interrogator deals 1 damage to each opponent.
2/2

Really cool having an equip ability from the graveyard and I love the flavor

Cultcarved Gravestone 1G
Artifact - Clue (R)
Spells that are cast from graveyards cost 2 less to cast and can only be cast any time their controller could cast a sorcery. (Players can't cast spells from graveyards unless another effect causes them to.)
Whenever a card leaves a player's graveyard, that player gains 1 life.
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, choose two cards in their graveyard. That player shuffles those cards into their library.
2, Sacrifice Cultcarved Gravestone: Draw a card.

Super interesting design but over complex and I think it's too breakable

Grenzo's Dossier 3R
Artifact - Clue {U}
When Grenzo's Dossier enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens.
When Grenzo's Dossier is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, it deals damage to any target equal to the number of creatures that died this turn.
2, Sacrifice Grenzo's Dossier: Draw a card.

Hmm interesting, many ways to use this card

top

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1 slimytrout
2 henlock
3 monoredmage

[slimytrout]

kwanyeegor-ii

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Quite the flavor text on this guy. As for the card, it's fine but nothing special -- you're rarely going to want to sacrifice this unless you're in desperate straits or your opponent has pointed a removal spell at it, since the difference between a 3/3 flier and a 2/2 flier that ETB's to draw a card is typically a lot less than two mana (compare Esper Cormorants to Messenger Falcons), plus you're giving up the chance to get the 2/2 later.

netn10

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So if you're hellbent it just comes back for free? Probably abusable if you can find ways to sacrifice it other than to its own ability, but still a cool idea. Docking some points for not quite fitting the challenge/subtype rules.

CunningGabe

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I like this. Low impact, but a treasure clue is a fun idea that you hit well.

Henlock

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When I see the name Perrin I can't help but think of WoT, even if that's clearly not where you're going with this (which is definitely not your fault, just pulling a bravelion and rambling a bit). I like the dagger a lot, but I do wish that the stat boost was beefier and more expensive to equip so that the dominant play pattern wouldn't just be 2R: Loot.

void_nothing

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I can't tell if this is supposed to be hosing graveyard decks or helping them? I guess that's why it's a clue, so that you can sacrifice it if it's helping your opponent more than you, but I still find it a bit of a confusing card.

MonoRedMage

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Fun! I like it, although I do wish it was "target creature or planeswalker" so that it wasn't quite so good against wraths.

T3

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1. Cunning Gabe
2. MonoRedMage
3. Henlock

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

The critique period is closed.
The advancing participants are:

CunningGabe
slimytrout
MonoRedMage
kwanyeegor-ii
void_nothing
netn10

Thanks to every participant.
Round 3 coming shortly.