November MCC Round 3: Library Card
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:20 pm
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.
November MCC Round 3
Library Card
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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