July CCL, Top 4: Accepting Command

[void_nothing]

CCL July Top 4/Round 4

"Accepting Command"


Haktos the Unscarred, taken from Art of MtG, by Ryan Pancoast and Wizards of the Coast

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

Theme

It's Planeswalker's Journey Month here in the CCL! Many classic CCL months back in MTGSalvation had the contestants take a single character from round to round. We're bringing that back this month.

Challenge

Design a legendary creature card representing a character who knows your planeswalker. It must have the same color identity as your card from last round.

Clarifications

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• Make sure to include a rarity.

Contestants:
@slimytrout
@RaikouRider
@Subject16
@Ink-Treader

Your submissions are due Thursday, July 30th, 23:59 EST.

Schedule

• Round 1 — Open to Everyone (June 30th–July 7th)
• Round 2 — Open to Everyone (July 8th–14th)
• Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due July 17th)
• Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (July 19th–22nd)
• Top 8 Critiques (Due July 24th)
• Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers (July 26th–30th)
• Top 4 Critiques (Due August 1st)
• Final (August, 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.

[slimytrout]

Brienne Strongbow 1RW
Legendary Creature - Giant Archer (R)
First strike, vigilance
{r/w}, T, Sacrifice another creature: Brienne Strongbow deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature's power to target attacking or blocking creature.
She may not have inherited her father's biceps, but she did pick up his love of unconventional projectiles.
3/2

[Subject16]

Tazul, Eternal Scholar 1UURR
Legendary Creature — Sphinx (Mythic)
Flying
Whenever you cast a spell from anywhere other than your hand, draw a card. If it's the third spell you've cast this way this turn, shuffle your hand and graveyard into your library, then draw seven cards.
Each plane he learns of is a new project, a grand foray into understanding the multiverse.
5/4

[Ink-Treader]

Lale, Vagabond Sightseer 2GU
Legendary Creature - Elf Scout (R)
Whenever Lale or another legendary permanent enters the battlefield under your control, Lale explores.
Whenever Lale attacks, if you control a planeswalker, scry 3, then draw a card. Otherwise, draw a card.
"It would seem we can finally swap tales of adventure, old friend."
2/3

[RaikouRider]

Raine, Virulent Physician 2BG
Legendary Creature - Human Shaman {R}
Deathtouch
If one or more counters would be placed on a creature your opponents control, that many -1/-1 counters are placed on that creature instead.
If a creature your opponents control with a -1/-1 counter on it would die, exile it instead.
Lila couldn't help but grin when the Vault's doctor emerged from the operating room, all of the Vulshok warrior's exposed skin glistening black with oil.
3/4

[void_nothing]

And the round is closed! Please critique all the other contestants and arrange them into a top 3.

[Ink-Treader]

slimytrout

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I kind of figured your planeswalker was from Lorwyn, but this cinches it. Brion Stoutarm's daughter eh? Pretty neat card, that's reminiscent of her father but also quite distinctive in functionality.

RaikouRider

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Kind of wish he had infect to pair with that deathtouch, so he could utilize his third ability himself, but otherwise it's an interesting piece. Kind of niche in functionality, though there's undoubtedly some cute things you could do with his second ability besides the anti-hydra tech. I mostly wish he was 1 cheaper (and one less P/T to compensate)

Subject16

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Works well with your planeswalker, which is a plus. Besides the obvious with suspend, it also functions with a great many other spell mechanics: rebound, flashback/jump-start, madness... A powerful, and I think reasonably achievable build around. I like it.

Top 3

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1. Subject16
2. slimytrout
3. RaikouRider

[slimytrout]

Subject16

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The single draw ability is very strong with a lot of mechanics, but probably not busted. The Timetwister ability is harder to trigger but is maybe busted in, say, storm decks. The fact that it shuffles the graveyard into the library is a good safety valve, though, especially for, say, Past in Flames.

Ink-Treader

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Legendary-matters is an interesting theme -- I wonder if historic might have been a better choice here, since it also would have been an even better flavor match for a sightseer. Second ability is phrased a little less well than it could be -- I think it would read a lot more clearly as "When Lale attacks, draw a card. If you control a planeswalker, instead scry 3, then draw a card." Power level seems okay -- definitely draws/filters quite efficiently in the right deck, but is also fairly vulnerable and easy to block.

RaikouRider

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Huh. Seems like kind of an unfun hate card (because of the second ability). +1/+1 counters are pretty ubiquitous and usually not oppressive, so a card that hates on them just feels mean, since your opponents could easily have cards that just get stranded, even if they're not a "+1/+1 counters deck". If it only applied to your effects it would be a lot be less feels-bad, although still would be weird in limited where there are usually only +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters. I like the last ability a lot more than the second -- way less likely to lead to poor gameplay. Also, the flavor is really good!

T3

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1. Subject16
2. Ink-Treader
3. RaikouRider

[Subject16]

slimytrout

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Angus's daughter? I always like seeing planeswalkers' families. It also pains me to see an archer without reach. Brienne also feels very small for a Giant, both in stats and mana cost, though maybe it's because she's still a child? I also find it interesting that Angus Greatfoot's strongest feature seems to be his biceps. The ability reminds me of Brion Stoutarm but aimed at creatures. I don't think it's a strong enough ability for it to only hit attacking/blocking ones, imo this could even target planeswalkers.

Ink-Treader

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I like the theme between Carris's cards and Lale of caring about novelty/unique things, it helps cement their bond. Lale isn't all that powerful without proper support but I think it could generate quite a lot of value.

RaikouRider

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Raine tickles my inner Johnny and makes me want to theorycraft an EDH around him. It makes sense for a phyrexian doctor to have deathtouch and work with -1/-1 counters, though I think Cleric is a more fitting creature type.

Top 3

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1: RaikouRider
2: Slimytrout
3: Ink-Treader

[RaikouRider]

slimytrout: That's a typeline I don't think exists in Magic as of yet. Flavor is spot on, but I feel the mana cost can be fully hybrid. Seems at its best in aggro mirrors.

Subject16: Looks like the definitive Past in Flames Storm commander to me. The final effect seems like it probably shouldn't be mandatory; it feels anti-synergistic with where a player would typically cast spells from other than the hand.

Ink-Treader: Combination of abilities feels like a solid value engine, but I see this being played more in the 99 of other commanders than as a commander itself. Hitting this off something like Kamahl's Druidic Vow seems like the dream.

All the submissions were very good in this round - ranking them was quite challenging.

1) Ink-Treader
2) Subject16
3) slimytrout

[void_nothing]

And your finalists are Subject16 and Ink-Treader - Final round to come soon.