May MCC -- Round 2 -- Predefined Future

[netn10]

(Thanks to bravelion83 for the core set MCC logo. The art is a remix of Feed the Swarm by Andrey Kuzinskiy and Referee Squad by Steven Belledin)

May MCC Round 2
Predefined Future

Our theme for the month of May is "nothing is impossible."
New Magic designs do not emerge out of thin air. They are the result of years of small, innovative steps.

Take, for instance, predefined tokens like Incubators. Initially, a token card was included in every booster, making them readily available.
Then, designers experimented with various token types, such as Treasure and Clue tokens. Once players became familiar with these tokens, their explanations were dropped from the cards themselves, simplifying the cards and making room for new and exciting effects.

In today's Magic, tokens can have predefined abilities and even two faces, exemplifying the "nothing is impossible" spirit that drives Magic's innovation. Let us embrace this attitude and keep searching for the next evolutionary step in predefined token design.



Main Challenge -- Design a card that creates a new predefined token.

Subchallenge 1 -- The card is a common.

Subchallenge 2 -- The token has a new keyword that's one line of reminder text, and/or has a new card type, and/or has two faces.

Clarifications

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List of existing predefined tokens - https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Predefined_token

DEADLINES
Design deadline: May 17th 2023 at 23:59 Eastern Time

Judging deadline: May 20th 2023 at 23:59 Eastern Time


RUBRIC

MCC Rubric

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The MCC Rubric is given below, in an easily "copy and pasted" form.

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Code: Select all

[b]Design[/b]
[b](X/3) Appeal[/b] - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
[b](X/3) Elegance[/b] - Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
 
[b]Development[/b]
[b](X/3) Viability[/b] - 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?
[b](X/3) Balance[/b] - 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?
 
[b]Creativity[/b]
[b](X/3) Uniqueness[/b] - 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"?
[b](X/3) Flavor[/b] - 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?
 
[b]Polish[/b]
[b](X/3) Quality[/b] - Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
[b](X/2) Main Challenge (*)[/b] - Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
[b](X/2) Subchallenges[/b] - One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
 
[b]Total: X/25[/b]
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

JUDGES

netn10
@bravelion83

PLAYERS

@kwanyeegor-ii
@Freyleyes
@Venedrex
@Ink-Treader
@slimytrout
@Subject16
@Riria
@void_nothing

[Ink-Treader]

Lifepath Guardian GW
Creature - Elf Druid (C)
When Lifepath Guardian enters the battlefield, put a deathtouch counter or a lifelink counter on target creature.
When Lifepath Guardian dies, create a Boon token. (It's a colorless enchantment with "1, Sacrifice this: Put your choice of a +1/+1 counter or a kind of counter among creatures you control on target creature.")
2/2

[Riria]

Vicarious Instructor 3B
Creature — Human Soldier Advisor (C)
When Vicarious Instructor dies, you may sacrifice another creature. If you do, create a Mind Seed token. (It's a colorless artifact with "2: Transform this." and a backside that's a copy of the permanent that created it.)
How could I possibly train my disciples to be better versions of myself? If I knew what that looked like, I'd embody it already.
4/4

[Subject16]

Rotcaller Witch 1B
Creature — Hag Warlock (C)
When Rotcaller Witch dies, curse target opponent. (Create an Aura Curse enchantment named Curse attached to that player. It has enchant player and "At the beginning of your upkeep, enchanted player succumbs. A player who succumbs must exile a card from their hand or from the top of their library.)
2/1

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Moral Crossroads 3RW
Sorcery (Common)
Untap target creature an opponent controls and gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains lifelink and haste until end of turn.
2RW, Exile Moral Crossroads from your graveyard: Create an Ambivalent Soul token on either its good or evil side. (An Ambivalent Soul is a 2/2 white and blue Angel with flying, vigilance, and "{B/R}: Transform this token" on its good side and a 2/2 black and red Devil with first strike, "When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to any target," and "{W/U}: Transform this token" on its evil side.)

[Venedrex]

Chaotic Research
Sorcery — (C)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards. then create an Idea token. (It's an enchantment with ", Sacrifice this enchantment: Exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card.")
The Izzet philosophy of constant experimentation has led to a myriad of half-baked, almost finished, and purely conceptual designs littering the chambers of Nivix.

[slimytrout]

Shrieking Phobipositor 2U
Creature - Bird Horror (C)
Flying
When Shrieking Phobipositor enters the battlefield, create an Injector token. (It's an Equipment with equip 1 and "Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, put that many +1/+1 counters on this artifact and transform it." It transforms into a 0/0 Horror creature token.)
2/2

[Freyleyes]

Goblin Technician 3R
Creature — Goblin Engineer {C}
When Goblin Technician enters the battlefield, forge a Volatile Catalyst.(Create a Catalyst token with Explode! (Whenever a red source you control deals damage to one or more targets, sacrifice this to deal an additional 1 damage.))
The phrase "Okay, we just need to turn it ever so..." is always accompanied with a loud boom.
2/2

[void_nothing]

Sinew-Weld Medic 3W
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
Lifelink
Recondition (Whenever a creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control. This ability triggers only once per turn.)
When Sinew-Weld Medic dies, create a Soulsphere token. (It's a colorless artifact with recondition.)
"Aid those standing, heal those injured, help those slain to give their last for Zaulak." - Reincarnation Wars-era Zaulakite medic motto
2/2

[netn10]

The round is now closed!

The brackets:

netn10

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Freyleyes
Venedrex
Ink-Treader
void_nothing

bravelion83

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slimytrout
Subject16
kwanyeegor-ii
Riria

[bravelion83]

Judgments complete. Sorry for the delay, this has been a very busy weekend to me. For the moment, I've put them out as is because I wanted to do that asap, I haven't checked for typos, so I apologize for any ones that will certainly be here somewhere. I'll check later.

Top 3 will advance to the next round.

slimytrout

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Shrieking Phobipositor 2U
Creature - Bird Horror (C)
Flying
When Shrieking Phobipositor enters the battlefield, create an Injector token. (It's an Equipment with equip 1 and "Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, put that many +1/+1 counters on this artifact and transform it." It transforms into a 0/0 Horror creature token.)
2/2

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy isn't excited by an ordinary flyer but he likes the token. Johnny could use that token in unintended ways. Spike likes a Wind Drake with upside for limited, but sees a bit too many hoops to jump through to get to the back face of the token.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 2.5/3 - Mechanically, I think the Injector token is more white than blue, though it's certainly not a break. The rest of the card is good in this area: blue is king of flying, I can see this at common, and I see no problems with the rules.
Balance 2.5/3 - Wind Drakes with upside are always playable in limited. It might be a bit slow for constructed though: 2/2 flying for three mana is not enough there, so the token has to account for a good part of this card's value. To get value out of the token, though, you have to equip it, which (rightfully) costs you additional mana, and then the equipped creature, which has to be big enough to be already relevant by itself, has to connect. It looks like too many hoops to jump through in constructed to me. The resulting rate looks fine for a common, though unexciting. It would probably be too weak for higher rarities. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 3/3 - We've seen Equipment tokens before even if just on three cards ever (Icingdeath, Frost Tyrant, Nahiri, the Lithomancer, Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith), so it's still unexplored design space. For example, transforming ones are new.
Flavor 2/3 - I honestly don't know what the word "phobipositor" means, I've tried to google it but to no avail. If it's a reference to something, I'm not getting it, I'm sorry. It's certainly not your ordinary filler everyday word though. The rest of the flavor works fine. According to MSE, up to two lines of flavor text could still fit even with the reminder text, and that might have helped clarifying what exactly this card is supposed to represent even to those, like me, who don't know the meaning of that word.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - It's reminder text, so it might also just stay as is, but technically it should say "it's an Equipment artifact with..." (-0.5)
Main Challenge 2/2 - All good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. The token is double-faced.
TOTAL 21.5/25

Subject16

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Rotcaller Witch 1B
Creature — Hag Warlock (C)
When Rotcaller Witch dies, curse target opponent. (Create an Aura Curse enchantment named Curse attached to that player. It has enchant player and "At the beginning of your upkeep, enchanted player succumbs. A player who succumbs must exile a card from their hand or from the top of their library.)
2/1

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes a lot the flavor here, but the body is too small for his taste. Johnny can probably do tricks with the token and sacrifice effects. Spike likes the card advantage from the token, even if she might see it as a little too slow.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 2/3 - I don't think they would call a mechanic the same as an existing subtype, especially a mechanic that creates a token with said subtype. According to the rules, I also believe the name of the token should be "Curse Token". The rules for token names changed with VOW due to Blood tokens not being able to be called just "Blood" because that name had already been used on a card (the "Blood" half of Flesh//Blood, a split card from Dragon's Maze). After VOW, the name of a token is its subtypes plus the word "Token". Even if on printed tokens they're not implementing this rule for clarity, it's still there in the CR. No problems with the color pie or rarity.
Balance 3/3 - No problems in limited. For constructed, it's interesting that this has a lasting impact: if you kill it, it leaves a curse that will keep on hitting you if you don't deal with it with something like enchantment removal, which you're probably not playing in your main deck. "Target opponent" is obviously relevant in multiplayer. I see no problems in casual.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2/3 - Curses are not new and while succumb is technically new as a keyword action, what it does is actually nothing new.
Flavor 3/3 - Yeah, a witch that casts curses, classic flavor playing into very well-known space, but it still works.
Polish
Quality 1.5/3 - The name of the keyword action needs to change as it's the same of that of a subtype and that might cause confusion in the rules. (see Viability, -0.5) Even though it's reminder text, the word "token" is still needed: "Create an Aura Curse enchantment token named..." (-0.5) In the reminder text, quotation marks are not closed. (-0.5)
Main Challenge 2/2 - All good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Yeah, both met I guess. It's the new keyword that must have a single sentence of rules text, not the whole token creation... the reminder text for succumb is only the last sentence, and that's indeed one sentence.
TOTAL 20.5/25

kwanyeegor-ii

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Moral Crossroads 3RW
Sorcery (Common)
Untap target creature an opponent controls and gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains lifelink and haste until end of turn.
2RW, Exile Moral Crossroads from your graveyard: Create an Ambivalent Soul token on either its good or evil side. (An Ambivalent Soul is a 2/2 white and blue Angel with flying, vigilance, and "{B/R}: Transform this token" on its good side and a 2/2 black and red Devil with first strike, "When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to any target," and "{W/U}: Transform this token" on its evil side.)

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Timmy likes to steal his opponent's things but doesn't want his own to be stolen. That's also a moral crossroad in a way... Johnny can probably do a lot of things with the token at the very least. Costs look a little too high for Spike.
Elegance 2.5/3 - The text is a bit long but still easy to understand. The symmetry of colors is very good in this area: the red comes the evil side and the white comes from the good side. I wonder how cards with colors only coming from one side would look, and also green ones.
Development
Viability 2/3 - The main effect is much more red than white, the only white thing in it being lifelink. The use of colors on the token is just perfect though. I know that Act of Treason variants are usually printed at common nowadays, but I believe the addition of lifelink and the token push this up towards uncommon. No problems with the rules.
Balance 2/3 - Act of Treason variants might see play in limited to steal your opponent's bomb(s). If it were just that, an Act of Treason that also gives lifelink, it wouldn't be enough for competitive constructed at five mana. The token is nice added value, but you have to pay four additional mana to get it. And then more mana to transform the token at will. Too much mana required overall for competitive constructed. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 3/3 - Double-faced tokens are new, having been introduced in the most recent set (MOM) as one-way transforming tokens. Here we have a token that can transform both ways, and that is new in the sense of "never been done before".
Flavor 2.5/3 - Besides the very flavorful use of the double-faced token, I think the flavor of the main effect works just thanks of piggybacking. We know that like of text represents treason, which is a bad thing morally, but adding lifelink gives a good side to it. I think this effect is not the best one to choose as a main effect to represent a moral crossroad. The token, at the contrary, represents it perfectly. The activated ability is where the flavor of this card shines.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - Non-standard template in the first ability, you should first change control and then untap (possibly as separate sentences) as in all Act of Treason variants. (-0.5)
Main Challenge 2/2 - All good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. The token is double-faced.
TOTAL 20.5/25

Riria

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Vicarious Instructor 3B
Creature — Human Soldier Advisor (C)
When Vicarious Instructor dies, you may sacrifice another creature. If you do, create a Mind Seed token. (It's a colorless artifact with "2: Transform this." and a backside that's a copy of the permanent that created it.)
How could I possibly train my disciples to be better versions of myself? If I knew what that looked like, I'd embody it already.
4/4

Design
Appeal 2/3 - Big enough for Timmy, even though he doesn't like to sacrifice his own things. If it worked as probably intended (see Viability), then Johnny could do a lot of things with the back face of the token. He can also obviously exploit sacrifice effects. Spike is open to sacrifices and drawbacks, but I don't think she sees the result as being worth it.
Elegance 1.5/3 - Only players with rules experience would see that the token doesn't actually work (see Viability). Less experienced ones, who are the majority, would fall into the trap. The rest of the card has no problems in this area, but this is a big one.
Development
Viability 1/3 - Huge rules problems here. As written in the flavor text, this token just doesn't work in the rules. It's players who create tokens, not permanents, and so the sentence "a copy of the permanent that created it" has no meaning. Permanents don't create tokens, players do. What a permanent can do is instructing a player to create a token. Maybe you could have written "a copy of the permanent that caused you to create this token" or something like that, but that looks really ugly anyway. I don't think there is a way that's at the same time elegant and functional to word this such that it works in the rules. The rules could be adjusted of course, but here I have to judge the card based on the rules as they are currently, at best I could assume a little adjustment, but this would be a very big and impactful one that I just can't ignore. Also, copying permanents is much more blue than black. If the token worked, I could maybe see this card at common.
Balance 2/3 - A 4/4 for four mana is already enough for limited, it could even be vanilla. In constructed you need more. I guess (see Viability) that the token this specific creature creates transforms into a copy of the Instructor, and then if it dies you get to do it again as long as you have other creatures to sacrifice. Assuming that's how this is intended to work (a big assumption, again, see Viability), it definitely looks interesting for constructed, especially in sacrifice decks. Casual players probably understand this much more intuitively than the rules. No specific problems in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2.5/3 - An unclear innovation on the new double-faced token technology. "Unclear" in the sense of "maybe not actually viable due to the rules", and innovation is worth nothing if it can't actually be put into practice.
Flavor 3/3 - The flavor text is what ties it all together here.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - Even reminder text can't convey false information. In "the permanent that created it" it's implied that permanents are what makes the action of creating tokens, but that's not true. Tokens are created by players, not permanents. (See Viability for more, -1 for functional and serious rules issue.)
Main Challenge 2/2 - All good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met. The token is double-faced.
TOTAL 18/25

Results (bold advance)

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slimytrout: 21.5
kwanyeegor-ii: 20.5
Subject16: 20.5
Riria: 18

[netn10]

Freyleyes

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Goblin Technician 3R
Creature — Goblin Engineer {C}
When Goblin Technician enters the battlefield, forge a Volatile Catalyst.(Create a Catalyst token with Explode! (Whenever a red source you control deals damage to one or more targets, sacrifice this to deal an additional 1 damage.))
The phrase "Okay, we just need to turn it ever so..." is always accompanied with a loud boom.
2/2

Design
(2/3) Appeal - Johnny might want to combine this with blink effects, but ultimately, burn spells don't interest him too much. Spike would pick this up in limited as a 24th card, while Timmy sees this and asks himself, "Can I make my 5 damage spell into a 10 damage spell??" and then Scryfalls into the other "Explode!" cards with glee.
(2.5/3) Elegance - The card has parentheses inside parentheses. Nested explanations can sometimes be confusing, but this card is straightforward enough. It enters the battlefield, does its thing and that's it... well, until you play a burn spell (more on that on Balance)

Development
(2/3) Viability - No problems here. This is certainly a red common. As for the token itself, it's an on-board trick. Your opponent would have to think about every burn spell you might play and how to balance their plays against yours to avoid getting absolutely blown out. I'm not sure how much design space exists for Volatile Catalyst — the token is limited to red burn spells. I can see it appears in two-three more commons, 1-2 uncommons, a rare, and maybe a mythic in the same set, and certainly not in every set.
(2/3) Balance - This card is clearly meant for limited. It's a 2/2 for 4 without evasion, which typically puts it in the 24th slot in modern limited formats. It's not necessarily a bad thing, though—I would love to see a format where this card can shine. It's a common build-around that expects you to run a lot of burn spells or a single big one. It's a theme that has not been explored before, and it can either be miserable to play against or very challenging to balance a full set around. Either way, I'm intrigued, and I would love to see a full set with "red burn" as a limited theme. Constructed formats, however, are off the table for this card—it won't make it there.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - "Forge" is a flavorful way to say "Create," the token has two words, Explode! has an exclamation mark, "Engineer" is a new creature type, and the mechanic of dealing extra damage is unique for commons. All of these aspects convey old concepts in fresh ways.
(2/3) Flavor - The terms Forge, Volatile Catalyst, and Explode! carry the flavor very well. The flavor text is also very Goblin-like and fitting for an Engineer. "Goblin Technician" is a very generic name, but it surprises me that it hasn't been used before.

Polish
(1/3) Quality - The name of the token says Volatile Catalyst but the reminder text says just "Catalyst". It's not mentioned if the token is an artifact or any other type.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 1 - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 2 - The token has one line of reminder text.
Total: 18.5/25

Venedrex

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Chaotic Research
Sorcery — (C)
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards. then create an Idea token. (It's an enchantment with ", Sacrifice this enchantment: Exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card.")
The Izzet philosophy of constant experimentation has led to a myriad of half-baked, almost finished, and purely conceptual designs littering the chambers of Nivix.

Design
(2/3) Appeal - Johnny would love to use this with reanimate, madness, and other graveyard and discard engines, as well as to dig through their deck for combo pieces. Spike would use this for competitive reanimation and as a very strong draw spell. Spike wouldn't notice this card; it's just a draw spell.
(3/3) Elegance - It's Tormenting Voice with an upside. No problems here.

Development
(2/3) Viability - This is certainly a red common, but it's close enough to drawing three cards for two mana, so I can also see this as an uncommon. As for the token itself, it's doing a mono-red thing, and that thing is now evergreen in every set. I can see this token printed in every set and every rarity, with a lot of design space.
(3/3) Balance - In limited, you will play as many of these as possible, but that doesn't mean it's a first pick. It's a drawing powerhouse, but it doesn't affect the board in a meaningful way. In constructed, it's as playable as the best Tormenting Voice effect, maybe it could be even better in an enchantment-based deck, but even then it's just solid. Casual decks would also love this as a cheap card draw.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - "Discard one to draw two" effect is hardly unique. Every set has at least one common that does that. However, the token is quite unique - it's an enchantment, while most predefined tokens are artifacts.
(2/3) Flavor - Idea tokens as an enchantment is a brilliant and clean way to represent this concept, as "ideas" aren't tangible things. Paying 1 to explore a fleeting idea is also very flavorful. The name is weird - there's nothing "chaotic" about this research. I would've expected to discard a card at random with this kind of name. The flavor text mentions the Izzet and their wacky experiments - it's run of the mill Izzet and it makes sense. I'm not sure if the idea mechanic fits as an Izzet guild mechanic, though - the token's effect isn't blue, and 100% of Izzet mechanics have something to do with only instants and sorceries.

Polish
(1/3) Quality - The card type doesn't need the "—". "Draw two cards, then create an Idea token..." should be "Draw two cards. Then, create an Idea token..." Also, the reminder text doesn't mention the color of the token (or if it's colorless).
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 1 - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 2 - The token has one line of reminder text.
Total: 19/25

Ink-Treader

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Lifepath Guardian GW
Creature - Elf Druid (C)
When Lifepath Guardian enters the battlefield, put a deathtouch counter or a lifelink counter on target creature.
When Lifepath Guardian dies, create a Boon token. (It's a colorless enchantment with "1, Sacrifice this: Put your choice of a +1/+1 counter or a kind of counter among creatures you control on target creature.")
2/2

Design
(3/3) Appeal - Johnny like the open-ended nature of Boon, and would use this for all kinds of cool counters such as shield, stun and charge. Spike would use this in draft as a very efficient beater, and Timmy doesn't like a 2/2 for 2 but they appreciate Boon as a way to make creatures bigger.
(1.5/3) Elegance - This card does a lot for a common. It has enters the battlefield ability as well as a die effect. The die effect doesn't always make sense with the etb effect - if you put the counter on Lifepath Guardian itself, it won't be around for its Boon. This card deals with three types of counters, which might be overwhelming to track. Boon is also already a term.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Lifepath Guardian is the embodiment of GW - it's a 2/2 for 2, it deals with counters and creatures. Common doesn't seems right, because Boon has balance issues. More on that in the Balance section. Boon is generic enough to appear in any color and in any set, just not on commons.
(1.5/3) Balance - This card would be the 1st pick in some boosters. You would want as many as possible. This creature might single-handedly define the format. It all comes down to the fact that Boons can be activated at instant speed, complicating the board state significantly. This card alone represents three different on-board tricks, and having two or more boons is a nightmare. Each boon makes your opponent ask, "What counters can they put when they attack? When I block? How many counters?" and that's before considering enchantment and blink synergies. I can even envision a tier 2 constructed deck using this with The Ozolith and other counter synergies. It's just that efficient. Casual players love counters and life gain, so it would see a lot of play at kitchen tables.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Enchantment tokens are a rare thing. Other then that, Ikoria already did everything here.
(1/3) Flavor- The name Lifepath Guardian is pretty generic. "Lifepath" makes sense with a lifelink counter. Deathtouch counter is a bit of stretch, but I can see it flavor-adjacent to a Golgari druid that's overseeing the cycle of life and death but from a GW point of view. I'm not sure what and this druid is guarding and how. Flavor text would've help a lot here.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - "It's a colorless enchantment token with ..."
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 1 - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 2 - The token has one line of reminder text.
Total: 17/25

void_nothing

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Sinew-Weld Medic 3W
Creature - Human Artificer (C)
Lifelink
Recondition (Whenever a creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control. This ability triggers only once per turn.)
When Sinew-Weld Medic dies, create a Soulsphere token. (It's a colorless artifact with recondition.)
"Aid those standing, heal those injured, help those slain to give their last for Zaulak." - Reincarnation Wars-era Zaulakite medic motto
2/2

Design
(3/3) Appeal - Johnny will find the cheapest Soulsphere creator and just combine it with persist + sacrifice effect. Spike might join Johnny on this if the Soulsphere creator is cheap enough. Both would think this card's mana value won't cut it for their deck. Timmy sees this and forgives this mana value because they start imagining what happens when they have two or three Soulspheres - that's some very big creatures!
(3/3) Elegance - I like the fact that the card itself has Recondition, and then the token can be introduced with just "(It's a colorless artifact with recondition.)". The first line does a lot of clean heavy lifting. The card itself is a simple 2/2 lifelink for 4 that can be grown. Nothing here is too hard to grasp.

Development
(2/3) Viability - White and common make sense here. If the format has a lot of ways to sacrifice at instant-speed, I might see this as an uncommon. As for the token itself, it's an on-board trick that doesn't go away unless the format is heavy on artifact removal. If you have more than one Soulsphere, blocking your creatures is going to be a lot of pain. The "once per turn" helps a lot here. I can see this token printed on 1-2 commons, 1-3 uncommons, and 1-2 rares and/or mythics in the same set, and not in every set.
(2/3) Balance - 2/2 for 4 is hardly a limited staple. The ability to spread counters when your creatures die slots this card nicely into several archetypes, primarily tokens and counters. This card isn't meant for constructed, but if that persist combo is desperate enough, you can certainly do worse. Casual players love tokens and counters, so I won't be shocked to see this getting played on kitchen tables.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Introducing a new mechanic on a card and immediately introducing it on its token is a new tech that also solves this challenge's "one line of reminder text" very nicely. It's also a predefined token that doesn't have a sacrifice ability in a world where every predefined token is "the same". The other abilities are tested and true, but again, repackaged in a neat package.
(2/3) Flavor - Humanoids have "Sinew". "Weld" is for robots. This is a medic, but it's an Artificer, and the flavor text suggests that he aids souls and humanoids. I'm getting mixed signals here. Right now it's 3-2 for humanoids. The flavor text also sets in a new setting, and it feels very Abzan meets Mad Max vibe, a place where you must use scraps and every material you find and rely on your comrades in order to survive, and I love it. Reincarnation Wars is another layer to the story - are the residents of this world trapped in a never-ending war, forced to fight each other again and again? That would certainly make a cool new setting, but it was an era which means it ended, so I probably read into it too much. Recondition is an interesting choice of word - it has a very "mechanical" tone, and it would make more sense if the counters would only go on artifacts. I'm not sure how a "Soulsphere" is reconditioning stuff.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - "give their last" is confusing. It's either a type ("lust") or there's a word missing ("last breath"? "Effort"?)
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 1 - All good.
(1/1) Subchallenge 2 - The token has one line of reminder text.
Total: 22.5/25

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void_nothing=22.5
Venedrex=19
Freyleyes=18.5
Ink-Treader=17