NEXUS FLAMINGO ☆ Exclusively For Custom Card Connoisseurs and Gnomes

[Juancu]

Obvious Distraction UB
Creature - Human Performer (U)
Ward - 2, Draw a card
Menace
Obvious Distraction must be blocked each turn if able.
2/2

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

I will judge in the morning after I wake up.

[void_nothing]

I will judge in the morning after I wake up.

No, judge while you are asleep

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

No, judge while you are asleep

Hmmm, will try, but can't guarantee success.

[Levin]

Defensive Attorney – 2u
Creature - Vampire Advisor (u)
Lifelink
u, , Discard a card: Counter target spell. Its controller gains life equal to its mana value.
b, , Sacrifice a permanent: Destroy target permanent. Its controller draws cards equal to its mana value.
"Need to… Must… Cannot let…"
3/3

[Mergatroid_Jones]

Streetfront Bouncers 2U
Creature- Human Citizen (U)
Defender
U, T, Return Streetfront Bouncer and target creature to their owners' hands.
"I got no clue what's on the other side of this door, and you ain't findin' out neither."
2/4

Dimir Mortician B
Creature- Human Citizen (U)
When Dimir Mortician or another nontoken creature dies, you may pay to exile that creature and gain 1 life. If you do, you may pay to surveil 1. If you do, you may pay to draw a card.
"That settles the funeral costs, the embalming, casket, burial, and the monument. Now let's talk engraving."
1/1

IIW: Boros off duty

[Ulka]

Ambulance Chase 1UB
Creature - Human Citizen (U)
Ambulance Chaser has vigilance and haste if there is a vehicle on the battlefield.
Whenever another creature you control takes damage, clash with an opponent. If you win the clash, you draw a card and create a gold token. If you lose the clash, that opponent draws a card and you lose 1 life.
0/3

IIW: Hybrid Mana Activated costs

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Okay, after an unsuccessful attempt to judge this via lucid dreaming, after sleeping in this morning I am finally ready to judge.

I was worried that maybe the prompt wasn't clear on what was intended, but thankfully the message got through. The Dimir's whole schtick in the first Ravnica set was that they were supposed to be a secret guild that wasn't supposed to exist. However, recent sets brought them into the public purview, and so they now need to present themselves as something other than a secret cult to take over the guilds (even if that's still mostly true).

Meticulous Archivist 1{U/B}{U/B}
Creature — Human Advisor (U)
: Each player exiles the top two cards of their library face down.
When Meticulous Archivist dies, turn each card exiled by it face up. Choose a card from among them. You may play that card until the beginning of your next end step.
"I'll take these secrets to my grave."
— Junior Archivist Rose, last words.
2/2


IIW: Your favourite plane has gotten super hecked up by the recently defeated Phyrexian invasion, but it's recovering with interplanar assistance. What's changed?

This is a good one! Dimir did set up itself as a sort of information center/National Archives thing, so obviously you'd have regular people handling those public requests. Anyone being too nosy, however...

Interesting little package, feels almost red-black adjacent, but still seems possible since the actual red-black guild in these sets is very different.

Traffic Wight 2UB
Creature - Spirit Citizen (U)
Traffic Wight can't attack if it untapped this turn.
Whenever Traffic Wight attacks, put a stun counter on it.
Creatures enter the battefield tapped if Traffic Wight is tapped, and with a stun counter on them if Traffic Wight has a stun counter on it.
2/6

IIW: obscure magic references

While the card itself is sound, in both flavor and mechanics this seems more like an Azorious thing.

Also, I'm a bit concerned about that first ability and tracking issues. I for one would constantly forget if I had untapped this turn or not.

Dinrova PI 2UU
Creature - Vampire Advisor
Flying
At the beginning of your end step, surveil 1. If a creature died this turn, surveil 3 instead.
2U, : Target player reveals their hand. If one or more nonland cards that share a card type with a card in your graveyard is revealed this way, draw a card.
The Wojek hate working with her and her massive ego, but they cannot deny her skill.
2/4

Discreet Revenant 1B
Creature - Spirit Rogue
Whenever Discreet Revenant attacks, defending player draws a card and you gain 1 life.
B: Return Discreet Revenant from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped with a +1/+1 counter on it. Activate only if an opponent has four or more cards in their hand.
The Dimir's spirit couriers are known to never look into what they deliver, and for delivering to the same buildings for generations.
2/2

IIW: a moment of desperation

Interesting! A rare case of Dimir cooperating with other guilds. Makes sense to establish goodwill (and turn their inquiries in the other way if needed).

The monoblue Vampire seems very good, surveilling for free each turn. I personally think that tap ability is rather powerful; revealing hidden information while cantripping. The repeatable aspect might be concerning.

The Revenant is clearly the set's "black weenie that can be recurred" but with an interesting drawback. Interesting question of whether it's worth it; a recurring 3/3 for b is nothing to sneeze at.

Obvious Distraction UB
Creature - Human Performer (U)
Ward - 2, Draw a card
Menace
Obvious Distraction must be blocked each turn if able.
2/2

Ah, this seems more fitting that Traffic Wight! Perhaps a bit too obvious for seasoned veterans, but good for gathering a crowd to get in the way.

Interesting mix of abilities; the ward with the card draw, the ability to shut down two blockers. Interesting bleed of the lure ability into blue and black.

Defensive Attorney – 2u
Creature - Vampire Advisor (u)
Lifelink
u, , Discard a card: Counter target spell. Its controller gains life equal to its mana value.
b, , Sacrifice a permanent: Destroy target permanent. Its controller draws cards equal to its mana value.
"Need to… Must… Cannot let…"
3/3

Indeed, with all the Azorius and Orzhov lawmages running around Lazav needs a few lawyers of his own to keep them at bay.

This is a bit strange. Lifelink on a blue creature? Also, although it's two tap abilities are both costly and have drawbacks, the ability and utility of countering any spell and destroying any permanent seems too powerful. Like the second tap ability can easily sacrifice Clue tokens or whatever to destroy lands without incurring the drawback.

Streetfront Bouncers 2U
Creature- Human Citizen (U)
Defender
U, T, Return Streetfront Bouncer and target creature to their owners' hands.
"I got no clue what's on the other side of this door, and you ain't findin' out neither."
2/4

Dimir Mortician B
Creature- Human Citizen (U)
When Dimir Mortician or another nontoken creature dies, you may pay to exile that creature and gain 1 life. If you do, you may pay to surveil 1. If you do, you may pay to draw a card.
"That settles the funeral costs, the embalming, casket, burial, and the monument. Now let's talk engraving."
1/1

IIW: Boros off duty

Hah! The Bouncers do bounce! Seems alright, it being a tap ability should mitigate the reusability, although I do wonder about its power in Limited, especially in multiples. Might need playtesting and eventually tweaking.

I like the Mortician, but flavorfully, predatory funerary businesses preying on grieving families seems more like an Orzhov thing, although I can understand the Dimir wanting to get in on that grift.

Ambulance Chase 1UB
Creature - Human Citizen (U)
Ambulance Chaser has vigilance and haste if there is a vehicle on the battlefield.
Whenever another creature you control takes damage, clash with an opponent. If you win the clash, you draw a card and create a gold token. If you lose the clash, that opponent draws a card and you lose 1 life.
0/3

IIW: Hybrid Mana Activated costs

While this is fun and flavorful, and well-balanced, this seems more like a New Capenna card than a Ravnica one. Also, the vigilance doesn't really do anything because of the 0 power and the fact the ability doesn't trigger off damage to itself (although I understand it's meant to be trinket text).

Perhaps give it a single point of power and have trigger of itself to give it sorta kinda unblockable?


Results:

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Third: Juancu for Obvious Distraction
Second: Mergatroid_Jones

Winner: lookingupanddown

Next:

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a moment of desperation

[Juancu]

Quiet Desperation R
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant permanent you control
Whenever an ability from enchanted permanent triggers, if it's the only triggered ability in that permanent, counter it, then put a pressure counter on Quiet Desperation.
Sacrifice Quiet Desperation: If enchanted permanent has a single triggered ability, trigger that ability twice for each pressure counter on Quiet Desperation.

IIW: obscure magic references

[Ulka]

Panicked Deal RB
Sorcery
Each player may search their library for a card and put that card into their hand. Then each player who searched their library this way shuffles. Each opponent that does loses half their life, rounded up.


Consult the The Abyss UB
Instant
Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
Delirium - As long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, instead put three cards into your hand instead.
Flashback - UB

IIW: Design a Card for an existing Pauper deck

[Mergatroid_Jones]

Moment of Desperation RR
Instant (Jank Rare)
Choose one-
- Discard any number of cards, then draw that many cards plus one.
- Draw a card then discard a card. Repeat the process twice.
- Draw three cards then discard four cards.

Million to One Chance
Sorcery (Red)(Jank Mythic)
Suspend 5-R
Million to Once Chance can't resolve unless an age counter has been removed from it while suspended this turn.
Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.


IIW: Jank rares and mythics

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Blackest Lotus
{0}
Artifact
Blackest Lotus enters the battlefield tapped with two stun counters on it.
T, Exile Blackest Lotus: Add three mana in any combination of colors.
Please keep buying our card game -Wizards of the Coast


IIW: Mundane creatures used in public by the Rakdos

[Megiddo]

Desperate Pact BBB
Enchantment {R}
Fateful hour — If you have 5 or less life, you can't draw cards.
Pay 2 life: Draw a card.

(this doesn't really fit the prompt except for the use of Fateful hour)

IIW: Bring back another neglected/bad/failed mechanic

[Megiddo]

Desperate Save 2W
Instant {U}
Desperate Save costs 2W less to cast if it targets a creature that's already the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls.
Return target creature you own to its owner's hand. Draw a card.

IIW: fine art

[Juancu]

Outlaw Wizard 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 bullet counter on Outlaw Wizard. Then pay U for each bullet on it, or sacrifice it after combat.
Desperado - Draw a card (When this creature dies, if it isn't blocking, once per bullet.)
1/2

Outlaw Ranger 2R
Creature - Human Ranger (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 bullet counter on Outlaw Ranger. Then pay R for each bullet on it, or sacrifice it after combat.
Desperado - Outlaw Ranger deals 1 damage to any target (When this creature dies, if it isn't blocking, once per bullet.)
2/2

[lookingupanddown]

Judging here hinges partly on the design itself and partly on being played in the moment of desperation known as topdeck mode on a low life total.

Quiet Desperation R
Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant permanent you control
Whenever an ability from enchanted permanent triggers, if it's the only triggered ability in that permanent, counter it, then put a pressure counter on Quiet Desperation.
Sacrifice Quiet Desperation: If enchanted permanent has a single triggered ability, trigger that ability twice for each pressure counter on Quiet Desperation.

IIW: obscure magic references

Very specific way to protect a creature. I keep thinking of this as a Limited finisher, to pile on a self-pump ability after using the pressure counters as storage. Might need a lot of foresight before you pop off.

Panicked Deal RB
Sorcery
Each player may search their library for a card and put that card into their hand. Then each player who searched their library this way shuffles. Each opponent that does loses half their life, rounded up.


Consult the The Abyss UB
Instant
Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
Delirium - As long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, instead put three cards into your hand instead.
Flashback - UB

IIW: Design a Card for an existing Pauper deck

Panicked Deal is a really painful Scheming Symmetry variant, and offers a very interesting decision point. While it will shine best in multiplayer, I'm sure someone can do that math for when losing half your life total is worth a card. On your last legs? Hell yes. Consult the Abyss feels like the ceiling is way too high as is, so it's doesn't offer as much decision points. Very strong late-game obviously.

Moment of Desperation RR
Instant (Jank Rare)
Choose one-
- Discard any number of cards, then draw that many cards plus one.
- Draw a card then discard a card. Repeat the process twice.
- Draw three cards then discard four cards.

Million to One Chance
Sorcery (Red)(Jank Mythic)
Suspend 5-R
Million to Once Chance can't resolve unless an age counter has been removed from it while suspended this turn.
Take an extra turn after this one. At the beginning of that turn's end step, you lose the game.


IIW: Jank rares and mythics

Moment of Desperation feels really strong on that first option alone. Throw away cards no longer needed for a better chance at cards I do need? Sign me up. Those latter two are for stocking up your graveyard... but the first ability does that already. Million to One Chance is another Final Fortune that feels truly awkward without actual time counter manipulation. You usually want those spells now, but not sure how you'd feel about them in five turns... if there are at least five turns left.

Blackest Lotus
{0}
Artifact
Blackest Lotus enters the battlefield tapped with two stun counters on it.
T, Exile Blackest Lotus: Add three mana in any combination of colors.
Please keep buying our card game -Wizards of the Coast


IIW: Mundane creatures used in public by the Rakdos

At long last, an actual fixed Black Lotus. You actually need to set up something (Solemnity) to do the free 3 mana, instead of just random freecasting from hand or cascade. Either way, you need to be prepared.

Desperate Pact BBB
Enchantment {R}
Fateful hour — If you have 5 or less life, you can't draw cards.
Pay 2 life: Draw a card.

(this doesn't really fit the prompt except for the use of Fateful hour)

IIW: Bring back another neglected/bad/failed mechanic

Yeah, not for the prompt, but interesting riff of Greed. Something for Braids, Arisen Nightmare I guess?

Desperate Save 2W
Instant {U}
Desperate Save costs 2W less to cast if it targets a creature that's already the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls.
Return target creature you own to its owner's hand. Draw a card.

IIW: fine art

Desperation on an individual card level. This should save whatever creature has removal pointed at it, and maybe dig for more protection. When you're spinning your wheels late-game, recasting said creature may recycle a lifesaving ETB, and that card keeps digging at least. Great card all in all.

Outlaw Wizard 2U
Creature - Human Wizard (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 bullet counter on Outlaw Wizard. Then pay U for each bullet on it, or sacrifice it after combat.
Desperado - Draw a card (When this creature dies, if it isn't blocking, once per bullet.)
1/2

Outlaw Ranger 2R
Creature - Human Ranger (C)
At the beginning of combat on your turn, put a +1/+1 bullet counter on Outlaw Ranger. Then pay R for each bullet on it, or sacrifice it after combat.
Desperado - Outlaw Ranger deals 1 damage to any target (When this creature dies, if it isn't blocking, once per bullet.)
2/2

Really like the decision tree of how long you keep your large creatures alive here. Might play out like a self-imposed vanishing for the most part, but scales really well. Note sure when the most optimal line for sacrifice is, but it's not going to help on topdeck mode other than being a mana sink.

HM: Megiddo for Desperate Save
Winner: Ulka for Panicked Deal

Next: Design a Card for an existing Pauper deck

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Design a Card for an existing Pauper deck

That's, uh, a lot of Spellstutter Sprites...

[Megiddo]

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/pauper#paper

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Living Diorama
1{G}
Creature - Plant (C)
Defender
When Living Diorama enters the battlefield, create a 0/1 green Plant creature token with defender.
0/1

This is for the Wall Combo deck, which relies on Axebane Guardian/Overgrown Battlement to generate massive amounts of mana with defender creatures and go infinite with Freed from the Real, but the latter's not strictly necessary for victory.

This card adds 2 to your mana count, plus extra bodies for Saruli Caretaker.


IIW: weird critter from Ikoria

[Juancu]

Astraslider W
Creature - Human Monk (C)
Astraslider enters the battlefield from exile as a copy of any creature you control, until end of turn.
2/1

IIW: obscure magic references

[Mergatroid_Jones]

Mogg Bomber R
Creature- Goblin Warrior (C)
Sacrifice a Goblin: Mogg Bomber deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker.
1/1

Innocuous card that gets the job done with a Putrid Goblin/First Day of Class persist combo.

IIW: Golgari- a day in the life

[Megiddo]

Hurried Scrivener 4U
Creature — Human Wizard {C}
Flash
When Hurried Scrivener enters the battlefield, you may return target instant card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/2

IIW: 5 toughness

[lookingupanddown]

Scrap Thrower 2R
Artifact Creature - Phyrexian Insect (C)
When Scrap Thrower enters the battlefield, you may exile an artifact card from your graveyard. If you do, Scrap Thrower deals 2 damage to target opponent.
Once scrap began being used as ammunition by Urabrask's forces, it became yet another creative outlet for the forgeworkers of the Quiet Furnace.
2/1

IIW: Spiders without reach

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Treacherous Guide
2{U}{B}
Creature - Shapeshifter (C)
Changeling
When Treacherous Guide enters the battlefield, you take the initiative.
2/1
"I'm going to get banned!"

For Dimir Faeries.


IIW: weird critter from Ikoria

[Ulka]

Judging shortly get your last submissions in