November MCC Round 3: Library Card

[slimytrout]

This round's banner is my elaboration on the art of Enlightened Tutor, by Howard Lyon.

November MCC Round 3

Library Card

This month, we're going to be focusing on an important (and perhaps underappreciated) aspect of the game of Magic: its zones. We've already done graveyard and hand, so now it's time for the library.

A couple years have passed since the hand-matters set. Thanks in part to your help, the set was a huge success, so Wizards decides to build on that with an even more ambitious theme: library-matters. And when things predictably go wrong, they know exactly who to turn to.

Main Challenge: Design a card for a library-matters set that has the word "library" in its rules text.

Subchallenge 1: Your card does not contain the words "search" or "order."

Subchallenge 2: Your card is a signpost gold uncommon.

Clarifications

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Main Challenge

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The rules text (excluding the reminder text) has to include the word "library" or "libraries."

N.B.: The fact that this card is going in a library-matters set is part of the challenge itself, so be aware of that when designing your card. That is to say, the flavor, balance, and viability judgements of your card might be affected by whether your card would fit well in a library-focused set.

Subchallenge 1

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It can't contain any form of those words either: "searches," "searching," etc. It can contain things like scry, so long as the reference to "order" is just in the Comprehensive Rules text and not on the card itself as reminder text.

Subchallenge 2

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"Signpost gold uncommons" refer to cards that are (at least) 2 colors and that provide a clear and strong payoff to going into a particular color combination in limited. To make things more explicit, here are the requirements:
1. More than 1 color
2. Uncommon
3. Clear payoff to a certain strategy – this can be as straightforward as Inspiring Veteran for knights or as broad as Shanna, Sisay's Legacy for go-wide, but your judge should be able to tell what sort of strategy is being encouraged.
4. Reasonably strong in limited – it's not a good signpost if it's not worth playing. It doesn't have to be a near-bomb like Tatyova, Benthic Druid, but it shouldn't be a borderline playable like Neoform.

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Sunday, November 24th 23:59 EST

Judging deadline: Thursday, November 28th 23:59 EST


RUBRIC

MCC Rubric

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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

slimytrout
bravelion83
void_nothing

PLAYERS

The_Hittite
Flatline
Sojourner Dusk
Blydden
Icarii
Subject16

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 here. 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.

PAIRINGS

slimytrout:
Subject16 vs. Icarii
Flatline vs. The_Hittite

bravelion83:
Flatline vs. The_Hittite
Sojourner Dusk vs. Blydden

void_nothing:
Sojourner Dusk vs. Blydden
Subject16 vs. Icarii

[The_Hittite]

Fateweaver Mystic 1GU
Creature — Human Druid Wizard (U)
Whenever Fateweaver Mystic attacks or blocks, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, Fateweaver Mystic gets +X/+X until end of turn where X is that card's converted mana cost. Put that card into your hand.
Fateweavers borrow from the future to ensure tomorrow comes.
0/1

[Blydden]

Kindling Chaser 1RG
Creature — Elemental (U)
Haste
Whenever Kindling Chaser attacks, exile the top card of your library. Put all land cards exiled this way onto the battlefield tapped. Until the end of your next turn, you may cast cards exiled this way.
The pyromancer sought the enchanted forest, but his pet only sought more firewood.
2/3

[Sojourner Dusk]

Scales of Bellicosity 1RG
Artifact (U)
As long as the number of cards in your library is even, creatures you control have trample.
As long as the number of cards in your library is odd, creatures you control have first strike.
, Discard a creature card: Draw a card.


I can't see WotC ever doing a "library-matters" set due to complexity. How many times can you reference the number of cards in your (or an opponent's) library, especially at Common?

[Flatline]

Thrill Seeker 1ur
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Flying
Whenever Thrill Seeker attacks, scry 1.
Whenever Thrill Seeker deals combat damage to a player, look at the top card of your library. If it's an instant or sorcery card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
"Life is never boring when you know how to make your own fun."
2/2

[Icarii]

A'Shiru's Predictions 1UG
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you cast a spell during an opponent's turn, scry 1.
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a card name, then reveal the top card of your library. If that card has the chosen name, you may put it into your hand.
"You tell a tale with foreign names, yet I know where this story ends."
—A'Shiru Takata, to Jace Beleren

[Subject16]

Ashwing Moroii 2UB
Creature — Vampire (Uncommon)
Flying
Ashwing Moroii gets +1/+1 for each card that has been put into an opponents graveyard from a library this turn.
4UB: Target player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard. Draw a card.
By the time it's done with you, you won't even remember your own name.
3/3

[slimytrout]

Round is closed! Pairings and judges posted above.

[bravelion83]

Judgments complete, both in and out of competition. All typos should have been fixed now. I apologize if you find any that I didn't catch.

Flatline

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Thrill Seeker 1ur
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Flying
Whenever Thrill Seeker attacks, scry 1.
Whenever Thrill Seeker deals combat damage to a player, look at the top card of your library. If it's an instant or sorcery card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
"Life is never boring when you know how to make your own fun."
2/2

Design
Appeal 3/3 - A hard to block creature for Timmy, who also likes the thrill of "what will I get?" Johnny can definitely use this to dig into his library for combo pieces and such. Spike just loves the scry on attack on a creature with evasion. One-thousand-and-one ways to get value!
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 - The rate here is high but not too high in my opinion. This card definitely fits its own role of signpost uncommon perfectly: strong in limited, and it provides you with a very clear direction for the rest of the draft or to build your sealed pool. It says... No, it just screams:
"Hey! Play me with a lot of instants and sorceries! I don't care about those useless creatures and artifacts... Look, I smash artifacts, but I can't even touch enchantments... And don't even get me started on lands!"
But you need lands to cast spells...
"Please, Leo, I said don't get me started! What do they do?"
Well, they give you mana...
"They're not exciting!"
Ok, whatever... Can I just go on with my judgment now?
"Yeah, sure... Do whatever you feel like!"
Well, thank you!
Anyway, I also think the power level might be there for Standard play. Spells decks exist in a lot of formats, and most of their pilots (pun totally intended this time, see Flavor) would at least take a look at this card. No problems in casual or multiplayer. The challenges asked for a very specific kind of card, and this fits the required role perfectly in my opinion.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Ok, all together now! Just old elements put together in a technically new way.
Flavor 3/3 - The only possible way this could have been even better is it if were a Pilot from Kaladesh instead of a Wizard. Yes, Pilots are supposed to interact with Vehicles, but just imagine the flavor! But yes, I can also see this as a young Izzet student from Ravnica that's a little bit too reckless... The flavor text is perfect as is, but I think it could actually be a (hidden?) pun: I can either understand it as "Life is never boring if you how to make your life fun" or "Life is never boring if you know how to create your own fun out of it." Essentially, "fun" can be interpreted as either an adjective referring to "life" or as a noun, while "your own" is a pronoun referring to "life" in the former case, or an adjective referring to "fun" in the latter. I can definitely see how much thought was put into it, and as a 100% Mel, these are the details I love.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. You're clearly pushing for an Izzet "instant and sorcery" deck. Quite strong in limited. As requested.
TOTAL 23/25

The_Hittite

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Fateweaver Mystic 1GU
Creature — Human Druid Wizard (U)
Whenever Fateweaver Mystic attacks or blocks, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, Fateweaver Mystic gets +X/+X until end of turn where X is that card's converted mana cost. Put that card into your hand.
Fateweavers borrow from the future to ensure tomorrow comes.
0/1

Design
Appeal 2/3 - This is a very high variance card. It could be anything from a 0/1 if you reveal a land to a 15/16 if you reveal the original Emrakul. Timmy loves those (high thrill and mystery in the reveal). Spike hates those (most often she won't have control over the reveal), but hey, at least she gets to draw a card. A small consolation. I could see Johnny trying to manipulate the top of his library to get that Emrakul on top, draw her, and then cast her from his hand so he also gets the extra turn. Oh, and don't even count how much mana that costs. He will have some kind of infinite mana engine to do this.
Elegance 3/3 - I see no problems here.
Development
Viability 2.5/3 - No problems with the color pie, or the rules. The potential for plays like the one with Emrakul that I mentioned in Appeal might push this towards rare, but then it's also true that if you reveal a land it would been one of the most underwhelming rares you've ever seen. The variance between the two extremes is just too high. Playtest would give the definitive answer, but in a vacuum I'd be more worried about Emrakul that a land, and I'd probably make this rare. Then again, maybe playtest would prove me wrong. Who knows?
Balance 1.5/3 - I'm honestly not sure I'd play this in limited unless I have reliable ways to manipulate the top card of my library. Evasion would also help. As is, even if it gets big, it will just get chump blocked. I don't think this would see too much competitive constructed play, the very high variance and lack of evasion also hurt there. At least, I see no problems in casual and multiplayer formats.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - Several cards come close, but none is exactly like this. Erratic Mutation gives +X/-X, Mindshrieker mills instead of drawing and it's also an activated ability instead of a triggered one, which also applies to Stormchaser Chimera that only pumps power though, and so on...
Flavor 3/3 - All looks good enough. The name is something I could definitely see printed for real, and it reminds me of Theros. The flavor text is both good on its own, and in how well it relates to the mechanics: "borrowing from the future" is revealing the top card, and "tomorrow coming" is you putting it into your hand. Good.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - A comma is missing right before "where X is..." (-0.5).
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 1.5/2 - Subchallenge 1 met. As for Subchallenge 2, I guess that the archetype this card is meant to push is... probably something like "GU cards in hand matters"? Or actually just "GU card advantage"? Or maybe "GU when you draw your second card in a turn, something happens"? (We've seen similar things in the past but they were usually UR.) Or even "GU CMC matters"? I get that the deck is GU and that it has to do with you drawing cards, but I'm honestly not sure of anything past that. Also, I think this needs some form of evasion to be strong in limited. You don't really want to reveal a Llanowar Elves, just for this to be a 1/2 that will die in a variety of ways. At least, if it had, say, flying, it would have been a 1/2 in the sky, that's much more relevant in limited. In my opinion, this fails points 3 and 4 of Subchallenge 2 as spelled out in the clarifications. Points 1 and 2 are objectively met. Half points met, half points given. I'm sorry.
TOTAL 20/25

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Sojourner Dusk (DQ, judging out of competition)

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Scales of Bellicosity 1RG
Artifact (U)
As long as the number of cards in your library is even, creatures you control have trample.
As long as the number of cards in your library is odd, creatures you control have first strike.
, Discard a creature card: Draw a card.

No problem up to here. The problem is what follows:

I can't see WotC ever doing a "library-matters" set due to complexity. How many times can you reference the number of cards in your (or an opponent's) library, especially at Common?

After thorough discussion with the host, we've reached the conclusion that this card is DQ'ed for extra content. From the guidelines document (section 7):

7. Disqualifications (DQs)
The following are the only admitted reasons for a judge to DQ a card:
(...)
• A player posting anything in addition to the required text card and the optional render. This includes design notes and everything else you can think of. A submission post must include only the text card and the optional render. In this case, no appeal can be made.

This is exactly the case here, and regardless of whether I, the other judge, the host, or any other player agrees or not, that's something that should have been posted in the discussion thread. This is also not a minor thing, but a rather important comment. To avoid such unpleasant occurrences (for everybody, judges included, don't think I'm happy to have to issue a DQ here), I invite once more everybody who has the will and time to check out the guidelines and FAQ document, that I have written and that has been approved by void_nothing as moderator. Link here and always in my signature.

That said, I'm still willing to judge this card out of competition, and in fact that's exactly what I'm going to do after the break!

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Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes giving bonuses to his creatures, but he doesn't want to discard them. Johnny is... Johnny? Johnny, where are you going?
"Home to brew, Leo!"
You've already done that last round!
"Yeah, but I always need to brew! Oh, how many ideas already! *goes away slamming the door*
Spike, what can we do?
"I don't know. Timmy's still torn in his doubts: 'to discard or not to discard?' Johnny's left us again. I feel alone..."
No, Spike, don't say that! I am still here with you. Tell me what do you personally think about this card?
"The real purpose of the last ability is clear... Just a second, Leo. Hey, Timmy!"
"Yeah, Spike?"
"Did you realize that the last ability is not to rummage, but to manipulate the number of cards in your library so that you get the specific bonus you want?"
*Timmy thinks for several seconds, then looks at the card again* "Yeah, Spike. You're right, now I see that. But I still don't want to discard my creatures! Why couldn't I just discard any card?"
"That I don't know. But that's what that ability is actually for."
"Thank you, Spike. Going back to play now!"
"What were you saying, Leo?"
Nevermind, Spike. You've already answered me.
Elegance 1/3 - The text is elegant, but the play pattern it implies is definitely not. You'll probably spend more times counting cards in libraries than actually playing the game. This heavily impacts here...
Development
Viability 0.5/3 - ...and here too, but let's begin with the easier part. Trample is both colors, first strike and rummaging are red. This could actually just be a monored card, but at least there are no problems with the color pie. As for rarity, I'm sorry, but I can't see this card at uncommon. The huge logistic problems that I'm about to talk about definitely require this to be rare. You don't want most limited games involving this card turning from Magic: The Gathering to Magic: The Counting of Cards in Libraries. The less you see this card in limited (aka the higher rarity it is), the better and more viable this card is.
Ok, let's talk logistic now. This card is a logistic nightmare. Having to count the number of cards in your library (several tens unless mill or heavy control are involved and you're in the late game) at every combat phase is a pain. Yes, for trample you only need to count on your combat as it only works on attack, but for first strike you will have to do on each player's combat, because first strike also works on defense (it's actually better on defense than on attack). So you will have to count your library at least once each turn, and pay attention to not change the order of the cards! You're not shuffling it! If I'm an ill-intentioned player, I coulse use this card's logistics to cheat in several different ways with relative ease. Say, for example, that while I'm counting my library, I unintentionally take a peek at the top card, I don't like it and with a quick trick I change it while giving you the impression that I'm counting my library, then I tell you "oh, sorry, I've lost the count, I'll restart", and potentially do it all again. The first time my opponent might not even realize, but then after a few times they call a judge, and as they do I stop manipulating my library and start minimizing... "No, there's no need for a judge here... I really lost the count, it was just a (dis)honest mistake..." And all of that without even talking about time concerns. The reason Shahrazad is banned is because it makes the games go too long in tournament. Nowadays, even shuffling is looked at in a bad way... I don't agree at all personally with that, but that's the direction design is taking these days. They create a new format, Pioneer, and which are the only cards banned in the initial banned list? Why, of course, the fetchlands! If it were for me, all ten fetchlands would have already been reprinted, and probably multiple times, in these last years. But no, too much shuffling, so we can't have that... and then we can't just disregard the effort (read: "money on the secondary market, but we can't legally acknowledge the secondary market" in Wizard-ese ) of the players who own them, of course! And this would be even worse than shuffling. Too much shuffling makes games go too long in tournaments? Ignoring the fact that I actually disagree with that, but this would take even more time! You have to be extra careful because you have to preserve the order of your cards, while also paying attention not to look at any of them. If shuffling already causes potential time concerns in tournaments, this would be even worse. I could even see this card getting banned in Standard only for such time concerns. (Yes, I'll also mention this in Balance in just a moment.)
But one could tell me: "Wait, Leo, I have the solution! Just use pen and paper, like you should always do for life totals: write 60 (or 40, or 99, or 100, depending on the format we're playing) and then each time some cards leave your library, because you draw them, exile them, mill them, or whatever, you subtract that number of cards and you write the result. This way, you know it without counting." Yes, but what if I forget to do it once? Just once is enough to alter the count. And it's very easy to forget, you're so used to the sequence "untap, upkeep, draw and then it's my main phase" that I can see a lot of players forgetting to update their library count (one less card because you've drawn your card for the turn) just out of habit, and... (Yes, warning: Leo's obligatory quote incoming) ...Linkin Park teach us how hard "Breaking the Habit" actually is. And if a player makes a mistake updating their written library count, you wouldn't even realize it until the next time you'll actually count your library again. And what if that's only in several turns, and we discover there's a mistake? In casual, we could probably just say "oh, no worries, just update your written number now", but in competitive we need to call a judge again. And even the judge, how could they determinate at which point the mistake happened? I don't think they could do much to fix the game in that situation. Even randomizing your library is useless, it doesn't fix the number of cards anyway. This is a typical case of a card where the idea looks good, but the logistics are a literal nightmare. As you implicitly admit yourself, there is no way this card would be printed for real, and the fact that you imply you knew it doesn't help you, but actually the contrary. If you were aware of that, come up with something else and completely change your card before the design deadline. You could (and probably should in my opinion) have done exactly that. And why does a "library-matters set" automatically mean "the number of cards in your library"? There are many more different ways to care about the library, see for example what the other players have done this round.
If this is not a full zero, it's only because of the color pie. There are problems with both rarity and the rules.
Balance 0.5/3 - The same logistic problems impact here too. Prolonged limited games, potential miscounts, potential Standard banning just due to time concerns in tournaments, having to do it more times in multiplayer instead of less, casual players quickly coming to hating this card and go "let's just throw it away and not play with it..." Again, if this is not a full zero it's only because I have no problems with the mana cost and the creature-rummaging ability.
Creativity
Uniqueness 3/3 - No existing card works like this, so full points here. But there are reasons why they haven't touched this design space yet, and I think they never will. (see Viability)
Flavor 1/3 - MSE shows up to 4 lines of flavor text can fit here, so its absence is a problem. As for the name, ok, these are scales and the card is an artifact... Sure, no problem.. But I don't see where the bellicosity is represented in the card's mechanics. I read a name like that and I expect a fight card, not a card that makes me count the cards in my library just to determine which bonus my creatures get.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - I think the wording is fine.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 1.5/2 - Subchallenge 1 met. As for Subchallenge 2, I have doubts, about multiple points of it, as defined in the clarifications:
1. More than 1 color — CHECK
2. Uncommon — I'm convinced this should be rare (see Viability.) Let's say HALF CHECK, because it's printed as an uncommon even though I don't think it should be one.
3. Clear payoff to a certain strategy ... your judge should be able to tell what sort of strategy is being encouraged. — NO, I'm sorry. I can't tell for sure... Is this supposed to support "RG number of cards in your library matters", or just a generic "RG go wide"? It could work anyway as a signpost.
4. Reasonably strong in limited — NO. If this card gets played in limited at all, it will just be for the rummaging ability, not the "number of cards in your hand" thing that's kinda the central point of the card. Of course, as this is something never done before, I can be wrong, but this is my current opinion. I'm sorry.
Overall 1.5/4, that's about half. So I'm giving half points for Subchallenge 2.
TOTAL 15/25

Don't let this DQ bring you down. If we're being honest, you probably wouldn't have advanced anyway. Regardless of the extra content, this would have been my judgment anyway, even if you were in the competition, and I don't think the other judge could have realistically reversed a point difference of -8. We're awaiting you again in the other contests, and here next month!

Blydden

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Kindling Chaser 1RG
Creature — Elemental (U)
Haste
Whenever Kindling Chaser attacks, exile the top card of your library. Put all land cards exiled this way onto the battlefield tapped. Until the end of your next turn, you may cast cards exiled this way.
The pyromancer sought the enchanted forest, but his pet only sought more firewood.
2/3

Design
Appeal 3/3 - Timmy likes a card that can either ramp his mana or give him more things to cast. Johnny could probably come out with some ideas. His dream is to find a way to let this attacks multiple times in a turn. Spike likes the rate here, but not so much the randomness. But that's mitigated by the fact that whatever the top card of her library ends up being, it will be one option she likes: ramp, or temporary card advantage.
Elegance 2/3 - The only problem I can see here is some players going like "Why is this worded this way? Isn't this just normal impulsive draw? You exile the top card and if it's a land, you just play it." Yes, we know they are wrong, for multiple reasons (including the fact that this says "cast" and not "play", so you wouldn't even be able to play a land you exiled if this were normal impulsive draw), but I can already hear their voices of perplexity, or even, if we're in a competitive environment, their potential judge calls. (also see Uniqueness).
Development
Viability 3/3 - An innovative approach to impulsive draw that perfectly unites parts from both colors. I can definitely see this as an uncommon.
Balance 3/3 - I really like this card a lot in this area. Definitely playable in limited, and it gives you a clear direction... "Ramp! I wanna raaaamp!!!" Yeah, Chaser, we've got you. Thanks for your contribution, but please don't do like the Thrill Seeker and go back to your place now! Let me go on!
I can also see this getting some Standard play. After all, if we ignore for a moment the difference in CMC and trigger, Coiling Oracle, that isn't too far as a card, saw play in multiple constructed formats. This costs one more mana but gives you a 2/3 haste body and triggers on attack so potentially multiple times, instead of a 1/1 that triggers on ETB so only once unless something like flickering is involved. In competitive formats where both are allowed, I think the Oracle is still better, costing one mana less and doing something immediately as it enters instead of having to wait for the next attack are huge deals there, while in formats that don't allow the Oracle, I can see this as a pretty good substitute. Yes, it might require you to change your colors, unless you were already playing Temur, but it might be considered and tested in constructed. Casual players have no problems with the comparison, they'll just play what they have available, or might even prefer to play this card. No problems in multiplayer formats.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - There is some innovation here, especially in the wording. Usually, the way this kind of impulsive draw effects, ones that also allow you to play a land, are worded is "you may play cards exiled with CARDNAME", but that allows you to only play one land and only if you have a land play available, as sometimes reminder text... well, reminds us. Here you found a potential way to let you put onto the battlefield all the lands you reveal while letting you keep access to the other cards as ordinary impulsive draw. That would have been a much more interesting innovation if the number of cards impulsively drawn on attack had been 2+. With only one card, you don't really see the difference. I could see a significant number of players wondering "Why isn't this worded like normal impulsive draw?", because there's no apparent difference between this and ordinary impulsive draw. Yes, you will be able to put the land onto the battlefield even if you've already played a land this turn, regardless of land plays available, but nothing more than that. If there was a way to impulsively draw two or more lands, there the difference would be apparent (you put them all onto the battlefield, while with normal impulsive draw you would have to choose only one of them to play, and even there only if you have a land play available) and those players wouldn't even come up with that doubt. Yes, this impacts Elegance too.
Flavor 3/3 - Ok, what can I say? This card tells a whole story on a piece of cardboard. Hoping nothing like the ugly Amonhket frames shows up, I'd almost say that this card is a masterpiece! What I actually mean is obviously just the English meaning of the word. Full points here is the least I can give you.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - It's a strange wording, but it works.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. Definitely strong enough in limited, and it's clear you're going for a classic "RG ramp" archetype, with an added touch of impulsive draw if you're not able to ramp. But you probably prefer to ramp.
TOTAL 23/25

Results (and a DQ)

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Flatline: 23
The_Hittite: 20

Blydden: 23
Sojourner Dusk's submission is DQ'ed for extra content. Blydden should automatically advance.

[slimytrout]

Subject16

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Ashwing Moroii 2UB
Creature — Vampire (Uncommon)
Flying
Ashwing Moroii gets +1/+1 for each card that has been put into an opponents graveyard from a library this turn.
4UB: Target player puts the top two cards of their library into their graveyard. Draw a card.
By the time it's done with you, you won't even remember your own name.
3/3

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal – Timmy likes both milling and kicking their opponent's face in, so they don't really mind that those two goals have a bit of tension between them. Johnny wants to combo off with this and one-hit their opponent. Spike is a bit less enthused – milling is a difficult way to try to win, after all – but they don't mind the card draw value on an already efficient flyer.
(2.5/3) Elegance – Card is a little crowded with eight lines of text and three line breaks, but not too bad.

Development
(3/3) Viability – Yeah, these colors can definitely mill, and the ability is expensive enough that it's fine as an uncommon.
(3/3) Balance – This is a house in limited, but, like some other entries this round, would only see constructed play if it were part of a combo.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness – Totally unique. Can't find anything like it.
(3/3) Flavor – Great flavor and call-out to an earlier card – Dimir definitely has library themes, with two of its three guild mechanics dealing with the library.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality – Should be "opponent's graveyard" (-0.5). The phrasing of the first ability is hard to evaluate because there's not much precedent, but since I can't find anything that proves you're is wrong, I guess you're right.
(2/2) Main Challenge – Yep. A mill theme is an obvious choice for a library-matters set.
(2/2) Subchallenges – Definitely a signpost uncommon pushing you toward mill.

Total: 23.5/25

Icarii

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A'Shiru's Predictions 1UG
Enchantment (U)
Whenever you cast a spell during an opponent's turn, scry 1.
At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a card name, then reveal the top card of your library. If that card has the chosen name, you may put it into your hand.
"You tell a tale with foreign names, yet I know where this story ends."
—A'Shiru Takata, to Jace Beleren

Design
(2/3) Appeal – Timmy likes the thrill of guessing without knowing the card name, but not an enchantment that doesn't affect the board. Johnny loves basically everything about this. Spike basically likes it, since it has lots of value and encourages playing on the opponent's turn, but they wish it involved more choices – you're generally going to scry to the top to guarantee the draw, and you're generally going to name a basic land if you didn't get to scry.
(3/3) Elegance – Very intuitive and easy to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability – There's nothing that's terribly green in this card, but it does have Kruphix-ey vibes, so I don't think it's a problem. And uncommon is right.
(3/3) Balance – The power of this in limited is strongly dependent on the amount of scrying (probably a good amount in a library-themed set) and the power of instants or flash spells, but it would likely at least see play. Might even see constructed play if there's a Simic flash deck in the format, in which case it's basically a three mana enchantment with "at the beginning of your upkeep, reveal a card and put it into your hand."

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness – Conundrum Sphinx and Diviner's Lockbox are recent cards with abilities similar to the second ability, but the closest thing to the first ability is Brineborn Cutthroat, which is pretty different.
(3/3) Flavor – I'm not familiar with that character (I assume your own invention) but I love the quote.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality – Should be 1GU (-0.5).
(2/2) Main Challenge – Yep, definitely fits in a library-matters set.
(2/2) Subchallenges – I waffled a bit on whether this was strong enough to be a signpost, but I think it is. With enough instants and/or other scry, it's a very strong card, which is exactly what a signpost should be.

Total: 23/25

Flatline

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Thrill Seeker 1ur
Creature — Human Wizard (U)
Flying
Whenever Thrill Seeker attacks, scry 1.
Whenever Thrill Seeker deals combat damage to a player, look at the top card of your library. If it's an instant or sorcery card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
"Life is never boring when you know how to make your own fun."
2/2

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal – Timmy is okay with it but not over the moon. Johnny really likes it – it sets up their draws and gets their spells off the top. Spike loves it too – lots of value and some tough choices about whether to keep a good creature on top.
(3/3) Elegance – Makes total sense.

Development
(3/3) Viability – There's nothing that's entirely red in this card, but it definitely feels like a blue/red card holistically, so I don't think that's a problem. And definitely makes sense as an uncommon – repeatable card advantage, but you have to work for it.
(3/3) Balance – This will definitely get played in limited. Maybe standard too, if the right deck came along, but haste would really help with that (see Flavor).

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness – Definitely some elements of previous cards, like Dragonlord Ojutai, Weatherlight, and Narset Transcendent. The parts aren't new, but the combination is.
(2.5/3) Flavor – A card named Thrill Seeker really feels like it should have haste. Otherwise, it's great.

Polish
(3/3) Quality – No problems.
(2/2) Main Challenge – Yep, definitely fits in a library-matters set.
(2/2) Subchallenges – Definitely a signpost uncommon pushing you toward playing instants and sorceries.

Total: 23/25

The_Hittite

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Fateweaver Mystic 1GU
Creature — Human Druid Wizard (U)
Whenever Fateweaver Mystic attacks or blocks, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, Fateweaver Mystic gets +X/+X until end of turn where X is that card's converted mana cost. Put that card into your hand.
Fateweavers borrow from the future to ensure tomorrow comes.
0/1

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal – Timmy wants to draw their monster and also make their 3-drop enormous, so two thumbs up. Johnny sees some real combo potential with putting Emrakul back on top of their library. Spike hates the risk of finding a land on top and throwing away their creature, but they don't mind the card draw.
(3/3) Elegance – The "may" probably wouldn't be there in the age of digital magic, but I don't think that's worth a deduction, since there are a few cases where you might not want to reveal.

Development
(3/3) Viability – Drawing and pumping is definitely G/U, and this is a good uncommon.
(3/3) Balance – Strong in limited, since it's likely to at least replace itself and sometimes will just eat things on defense. Because of the randomness and the 1 toughness, it's probably not constructed playable unless you're comboing somehow.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness – The effect is along the same lines as Stormchaser Chimera or Mindshrieker, but the fact that it puts it into your hand is new.
(2.5/3) Flavor – Druid wizard? Why both? Otherwise, looks great.

Polish
(3/3) Quality – All looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge – Passes with flying colors.
(1.5/2) Subchallenges – I'm a little unclear on what this is pushing towards. I guess playing expensive spells and scrying, but I don't think it's quite well defined enough.

Total: 22.5/25

Results

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Close round for me in both brackets, with strong submissions across the board.

Subject16: 23.5
vs.
Icarii: 23

Flatline: 23
vs.
The_Hittite: 22.5

[void_nothing]

Sojourner Dusk

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes mass bonuses and Spike likes hashtag value; not much for Johnny here, except maybe for the looting, as the card's usage is very linear.
(1.5/3) Elegance - Theoretically it should be easy to keep track of the parity of your library after you count the cards once; just switch off whenever you draw a card, right? Well, woe betide you if you lose count or if you mill a variable number of cards or similar. For good reason is Invincible Hymn a high mana cost rare.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Biggest problem here is, again, possibly forcing you to count your library several times over. That's not a play pattern anyone wants to encourage.
(3/3) Balance - No objection.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Fairly pedestrian bonuses with a bizarre way to achieve them, and the loot with creature cards only is interesting.
(2/3) Flavor - Something is missing here - "Scales" make me think of balancing and rebalancing to different sides, I suppose, but... "of Bellicosity" doesn't tell me much.

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

Total: 18/25

N.B. I'll uphold bravelion's disqualification. Please don't post ANYTHING except for an entry and a render if you made one in round threads, especially not criticism of the challenge itself.

Blydden

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Really, who doesn't like hasty beats + ramp or impulse draw? This fits with what all of the psychographics want to do in a broad sense.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit text-heavy but I think everyone would "get" this.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity seem appropriate.
(2/3) Balance - Quite pushed. An attacks trigger makes it no effort at all to get the bonus and the 3 toughness gives this card great survivability. This would probably be the strongest Limited archetype based on this card alone!

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Lots of old elements here but this is a new variant on impulse draw.
(3/3) Flavor - Neat name and flavor text that nicely ties it together even if it doesn't break any crazy new ground.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Some odd templating here, let me just say that much: I'd have said "Whenever this attacks, exile the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped. Otherwise, you may cast that card until the end of your next turn."
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 22/25

Subject16

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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Both Txmmy and Jxnny appreciate how big this can get. Spike would play this in Limited but is wary of non-exile mill on opponents elsewhere; that could backfire.
(2.5/3) Elegance - A little wordy but it needs to be.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity right for sure.
(3/3) Balance - Costs are high enough that it's difficult to make this get out of hand.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - "Mill tribal" is pretty unprecedented and that activated ability is relatively funky.
(3/3) Flavor - %$#% yeah Vampire subspecies! I always have had a soft spot for Ravnica's moroii and the name and flavor text here are nice.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Missing an apostrophe.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 23.5/25

Icarii

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - A fairly fiddly card that Spike and Jxnny like as setup but Txmmy sees little appeal in.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Only taking a half-point away here for how much both abilities can, minorly but repeatedly, slow the game down.

Development
(1.5/3) Viability - I don't see the green in this card at all; green hates casting spells out of turn and the one major "cast on opponent's turn" theme we've seen was the UB Faeries of Lorwyn block. And the predictive draw is blue as well.
(2.5/3) Balance - This is strong stuff - I'm concerned it might be too easy to get extra card draws off this card over and over.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - A handful of very interesting ideas being used.
(3/3) Flavor - A mysterious story is being told here. I like it.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Mana symbols out of order.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 20.5/25

[slimytrout]

That's all the judging for Round 3! Barring any large last minute changes, we have our final 3: Flatline, Blydden, and Subject16 will advance. Round 4 will go up tomorrow morning, because I'm exhausted and need to get to sleep.

[bravelion83]

That's all the judging for Round 3! Barring any large last minute changes, we have our final 3: Flatline, Blydden, and Subject16 will advance. Round 4 will go up tomorrow morning, because I'm exhausted and need to get to sleep.

I am still doing changes but just to fix typos. My scores are definitely locked.