April MCC, Round 2: Dracolatry

[void_nothing]

Banner based on Furyborn Hellkite by Brad Rigney and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo

April MCC, Round 2 - Dracolatry

Welcome to the April MCC! It's Dragon Month here at the MCC. By far Magic's most prominent "large creature" type is getting its due this month - and to hear the Dragons tell it, they're due quite a lot!

Main Challenge: Design a non-Dragon card that has the subtype Dragon in its rules text.
Subchallenge 1: Your card is a creature or enchantment.
Subchallenge 2: Your card has a non-evergreen mechanic.

DEADLINES

Design deadline: Sunday, April 19th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Tuesday, April 22nd 23:59 EDT

Clarifications

Show

Hide

Main challenge: The plural form is fine. "Dragons you control have haste" is just as good as "Create a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying".

The word Dragon must be used referring to the subtype. "Protection from Dragons" is okay, but a card merely named "Dragon Armor" that refers to itself by name without mechanical reference to Dragons isn't.

Subchallenge 2: You can use an existing mechanic or make one up.

MCC Rubric

Show

Hide

Design
(X/3) Appeal - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/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:
void_nothing
Ink-Treader
StonerOfKruphix

Players:
@scarbo
@Gateways7
@Ryder
@Henlock
@bravelion83
@Jimmy Groove
@netn10
@RaikouRider
@Subject16
@slimytrout
@w0mbat
@Raptorchan

[slimytrout]

Plundered Hoard 2R
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
Sacrifice four Treasures: Create a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying and haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

[bravelion83]

Sarkhan's Transformation 3RR
Enchantment (R)
When Sarkhan's Transformation enters the battlefield, exile target non-Dragon creature you control until Sarkhan's Transformation leaves the battlefield. If you do, Sarkhan's Transformation becomes a 4/4 red Dragon creature with flying, haste, and "R: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
"Fire burns within you. Let it out."

[Ryder]

Kaalia, Ascended 1RWB
Legendary Creature — Human Cleric Avatar (M)
Imprint — When Kaalia, Ascended enters the battlefield, you may exile up to one Angel card, up to one Demon card, and/or up to one Dragon card from your hand.
Kaalia, Ascended gets +2/+2 for each card exiled with it and has all their abilities.
"I am the one to bow to now!"
2/2

[Subject16]

Broodsong Shaman 2R
Creature — Human Shaman (Rare)
When Broodsong Shaman enters the battlefield, add R for each 1 life your opponents have lost this turn. Spend this mana only to cast creature spells or activate abilities of creatures.
Forecast — 3RR, Reveal Broodsong Shaman from your hand: Search your library for a Dragon creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. (Activate this ability only during your upkeep and only once each turn.)
3/2

[netn10]

Dragonify 2U
Enchantment - Aura (Rare)
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creature is a red Dragon with base power and toughness 4/4, has flying and loses all other abilities.
When Dragonify is aura swapped, enchanted creature fights target creature you don't control.
Aura swap 1RG (1RG: Exchange this Aura with an Aura card in your hand.)

[scarbo]

Sarkhan, Mardu General 2rr
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier (M)
Haste, trample
Whenever Sarkhan, Mardu General deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on him. If there are two or more +1/+1 counters on him, exile Sarkhan, then return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control.
3/3
///
Sarkhan, Dracoshaman
(r) Legendary Planeswalker - Sarkhan (M)
When this permanent transforms into Sarkhan, Dracoshaman, it deals 5 damage to each creature.
-1: Search your library for a Dragon card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
-2: Put a Dragon card from your hand onto the battlefield.
(5)

[Gateways7]

Crazed Spitfire RR
Creature - Human Shaman (r)
Haste
Delirium — Crazed Spitfire is a Dragon with base power and toughness 4/4 and flying in addition to its other abilities as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.
Sanity can spew out of the body as vehemently as flame itself.
2/2

[Jimmy Groove]

Gemweb Spider 2RR
Creature - Horror Spider(R)
Mutate 4RR (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.)
Reach
Whenever this creature mutates, create a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying.
2/5
It's glimmering web lurns the foolish whelps. Some become food. Some are kept desperate and hungry, and pressed into the service of the unblinking lady of the web.

[RaikouRider]

Shaman of Hellkite's Pass RG
Creature - Human Shaman {U}
T: Add one mana of any color. Put two charge counters on Shaman of Hellkite's Pass.
When Shaman of Hellkite's Pass dies, you may put a Dragon creature card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of charge counters on it from your hand onto the battlefield.
1/1

[void_nothing]

Less than three hours remain and three contestants haven't entered - @w0mbat, @Raptorchan, and @Henlock. With a quarter of our entries missing, I'll grant a 24-hour extension unless they're all in by midnight.

[w0mbat]

Ardent Hatchling
Creature - Salamander Elemental {R}
: Ardent Hatchling gets +1/+1 until end of turn. If it has trample, it gains flying until end of turn. If it has double strike, it gains trample until end of turn. It gains double strike until end of turn.
As long as Ardent Hatchling has flying, it's a dragon and has battle cry.
There's a fine line between pest and scourge.
1/1

[void_nothing]

And the round is closed, with unfortunately a couple of contestants missing. I hope everyone's staying safe and healthy.

Judge brackets are the following - top two per judge advance to round 3.

void_nothing:
bravelion83
netn10
Gateways7
w0mbat

Ink-Treader:
Ryder
Subject16
Jimmy Groove

StonerOfKruphix:
slimytrout
scarbo
RaikouRider

[Henlock]

Here's my submission if you still want to include it., Been having some conectivity issues.

Lair of the Ancient Dragons Xrr
Enchantment (r)
Delve
Lair of the Ancient Dragons enters the battlefield with X ancestor counters and an additional ancestor counter on it for each Dragon card exiled to cast it.
Whenever one or more Dragons you control attack, dicard your hand and draw a card for each ancestor counter on Lair of the Ancient Dragons.

[Raptorchan]

I am sorry for being late. Dropping from this month contest due to reasons.

[StonerOfKruphix]

Slimytrout

Show

Hide

Plundered Hoard 2R
Enchantment (U)
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to an opponent, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")
Sacrifice four Treasures: Create a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying and haste. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Design
(2/3) Appeal - All three of the psychographics see something in this, with Txmmy liking the potential for big dragons the most of them, unfortunately it's a bit too linear for Jxnny and there's a bit too much investment for Spike.
(3/3) Elegance - Despite its wordiness, this is still a pretty elegant and easily understandable card.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Definitely a red card, as Red is known to throw away something for immediate gratification, which we can see both in the form of the mana you get from the treasures and from sacrificing the tokens. One remark I have is about the rarity: for an uncommon this is way too powerful/pushed, bordering into rare territory. One way to fix it would be to change it into "whenever one or more creatures you control" or to not give the token haste.
(3/3) Balance - This card, worded as it is, would be a slam-dunk in a Treasure-filled set, but unfortunately we have to judge it without seeing its whole environment. As it is, it's a very powerful uncommon that would not be too broken if it were the only card in the set using treasures (imagine this, for example, in a Core Set). I'm sure some brewer would make some decks based around this, and it could have the potential to shine, but the fact that tokens are more susceptible to removal (that is, bounce is lethal for them), keeps it in check. While this wouldn't make a splash in older eternal formats, I'm sure someone would jam this in their commander deck.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - The first part of this card is basically Storm the Vault, but the second part really makes it shine.
(3/3) Flavor - This card is way too cute to not get full marks, despite the lack of some flavor text.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Apparently there's been an evolution in the templating of creating Treasures, as the "original" treasure makers in Ixalan spell it out in a longer way while more recent cards (like the ones in the most recent commander decks) use the shortened form. That said, I'll stick to the most recent templating and give you full marks.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Double check.

Total: 22/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Scarbo

Show

Hide

Sarkhan, Mardu General 2rr
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier (M)
Haste, trample
Whenever Sarkhan, Mardu General deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on him. If there are two or more +1/+1 counters on him, exile Sarkhan, then return him to the battlefield transformed under his owner's control.
3/3
///
Sarkhan, Dracoshaman
(r) Legendary Planeswalker - Sarkhan (M)
When this permanent transforms into Sarkhan, Dracoshaman, it deals 5 damage to each creature.
-1: Search your library for a Dragon card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
-2: Put a Dragon card from your hand onto the battlefield.
(5)

Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Spike is not interested in a hasty Hill Giant that needs to connect twice, and Jxnny might do some cute +1/+1 combos to make it flip faster, but that's it. Definitely Txmmy's jam, though.
(3/3) Elegance - Both the front and the back of the card are very easily understandable.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This is definitely a Red mythic, wouldn't see it/have it in any other color or rarity.
(3/3) Balance - The interesting part about this card is that this isn't the type of mythic you'd windmill slam p1p1, it's more like the card you'd like having passed to you mid-draft to show you that you're in the right lane. I do believe this could see some standard play, but the requirements might be a bit too much. The nice thing, though, is that those on the planeswalker side are very powerful effects, so the "having to connect twice" is a very nice safety valve. Also, any commander player (and any casual player) with a dragon deck would definitely jam this in.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - While the front part is really nothing new, this is a nice and innovative spin on a Dragon-focused planeswalker like Sarkhan.
(2.5/3) Flavor - This is a very flavorful card, showing Sarkhan pre and post spark. One glaring mistake though, and something I really can't get over, is that the Mardu are renowned for being warriors and the only soldiers you see in Tarkir are Abzan-aligned, so seeing that "Soldier" creature type on this card really leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Everything is correct here.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Double check.

Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

RaikouRider

Show

Hide

Shaman of Hellkite's Pass RG
Creature - Human Shaman {U}
T: Add one mana of any color. Put two charge counters on Shaman of Hellkite's Pass.
When Shaman of Hellkite's Pass dies, you may put a Dragon creature card with converted mana cost less than or equal to the number of charge counters on it from your hand onto the battlefield.
1/1

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Everyone has something to like in this card, with Jxnny being the most enthusiastic because of its openness and the possibility for proliferate/charge counters shenanigans. Spike likes the efficiency and the late-game value it could have. Timmy likes it less than the other two, but appreciates its potential.
(3/3) Elegance - The second line is very wordy, but easily understandable with one read.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Red and Green are perfect fits for this card, and the rarity couldn't be more appropriate, as this would be a very weak rare or a very complicated common.
(3/3) Balance - I could see this being played in a big dragon deck in standard, since for decks of that type ramp is definitely essential, and this would be a very solid card to pick in a draft even without the dragon clause. A bit too slow for older formats, though. Some casual and commander decks would definitely play this.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Mana dorks are nothing new, but the charge counter part and the death trigger are very nice and inventive.
(2/3) Flavor - While the name is fine, the card seems a bit too plain. Some flavor text would've helped contextualize this better.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Everything correct here.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Double check.

Total: 22.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Very tight round. All of the participants' cards scores were within half a point difference.

Final Scores

Show

Hide

RaikouRider 22.5
Scarbo 22.5
Slimytrout 22

[scarbo]

Polish
(2/3) Quality - It should be "it" and "its", not "him" and "his" (-0.25 for each instance).

not to nitpick but the flip-planeswalkers do use gendered pronouns

[Ink-Treader]

And done

EDIT: Fixing a math descrepency. The scores in Results were correct, but the score total in one of the judgments was wrong

Ryder

Show

Hide

Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Timmy and Johnny are both definitely in love. Spike wishes it had some innate protection, as most of the relevant cards with those mechanics have at most, 2 protections, with a couple of notable exceptions
(2/3) Elegance - Most of the complexity here lies not with the rules text, but with what the player exiles with her, which has the capacity for some unusual rules interactions.

Development
(2/3) Viability - Fits its colors well enough, and it's absolutely a mythic rare. Potential viability concern from tracking every ability from all the exiled cards. Such cards generally only track activated abilities or specific keywords, to prevent bizarre rules interactions. I understand that Imprint is there for the Subchallenge... but I don't this would be printed with the ability word, unless the set called for it. I'm not knocking points for it, I just wanted to put that out there.
(3/3) Balance - It's probably not making waves in Constructed, and it'd be rather feel bad in Limited without a very focused set. But as a Commander card, it's certainly interesting. You can go the combo route with certain combinations (Gisela, Blade of Goldnight and Pestilence Demon was my first thought) or just a big dumb beater (which the previous combination does just fine too). It does have a fondness for cards the the first Kaalia might overlook, so that's nice. Definitely going to attract as much removal as her first iteration.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Cards that exile things to gain certain abilities isn't terribly new, but the all-encompassing nature of this ability is.
(3/3) Flavor - Sure, this absolutely feels like a natural conclusion to Kaalia.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - While not unheard of (Sen Triplets), that's going to be a tiny type line, and I feel you could have just gone Cleric Avatar here, or even just Avatar, and Vorthos would of still understood the flavor just fine. The last ability is novel in functionality, and it seems worded correctly, so I'll accept it.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Non-Dragon with Dragon in rules text.
(2/2) Subchallenges - It's a creature (or enchantment) and has a non-evergreen mechanic in Imprint.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Subject16

Show

Hide

Design
(2/3) Appeal - Though not a big creature, it's certainly big mana, so Timmy likes it, and it can even call Dragons to hand. It's a bit straightforward for Johnny, but there's definitely something there to work with, especially with flicker shenanigan, just need to find something to spend all that R on. Spike finds it potentially a bit win more, seeing as it wants creatures to spend mana on, but the easiest way to get the damage typically involves noncreatures.
(2/3) Elegance - While the scenario is tough to pull off, a player might expect to be able to spend the mana on another copies Forecast ability, which they can not. It's also very wordy.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Colors and rarity are fine. WotC wasn't terribly fond of Forecast as a mechanic though, due to the repetitive gameplay it encourages.
(2.5/3) Balance - Requiring an already dominant board state or a lot of mana for burn spells plus casting this to get the most out of the EtB ability hurts its playability outside of Commander a bit, though the Forecast ability will definitely help its usefulness in the right environment. Commander will probably love this. Mass burn spells rapidly build up the mana it provides, but it's limited by only being spendable on creature spells. The repeatable tutoring could be an issue there, however.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - It's Neheb, the Eternal as an EtB stapled to a repeatable Sarkhan's Triumph, and fast mana is otherwise a standard red mechanic.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Broodsong calls to mind Dragons and Seething Song. The name doesn't really get the "mana from others pain" in there, and Vorthos would probably prefer that this focus on Dragons only for the mana.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - The text gets a bit small here, but it's not egregious.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - That's certainly a non-Dragon with Dragon in its rules text.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Is a creature (or enchantment) with Forecast as its non-Evergreen mechanic.

Total: 20/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Jimmy Groove

Show

Hide

Design
(2/3) Appeal - Timmy likes it well enough. Johnny doesn't really care too much about it on its own, but mutate certainly has possibilities. Spike is less enthused about this, but that's due to the way Mutate is. At least it's efficient at the mutate cost if nothing goes wrong.
(3/3) Elegance - Easy enough to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Red reach is certainly a thing nowadays, though monored spiders, are a rarity. Rare seems fine.
(3/3) Balance - As just itself, its stats are certainly fine, but not exciting for Constructed. Limited will play it just fine though. The mutate ability is quite strong, especially if you can get two or more triggers out of it. Ultimately, it seems fine. I find Mutate difficult to evaluate.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Red cards that make Dragons, and mutate cards that make token creatures are both certainly existing.
(3/3) Flavor - The flavor is quite intriguing. It might even be able to stand without the flavor text (more on that in Quality), though it'd be tougher to get across, but a giant spider using a beautiful gemlike web to snare dragons does work with the name just fine.

Polish
(2/3) Quality - Some of that flavor text (or all of it, since currently no Mutate cards have flavor text) needs to be culled, as it's pretty small text with it there. Also the flavor text should come before P/T on the card.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Non-Dragon with Dragon in its rules text.
(2/2) Subchallenges - Is a creature (or enchantment) with Mutate as a non-evergreen mechanic.

Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Results (bold advance)

Show

Hide

Ryder: 21
Jimmy Groove: 21
Subject16: 20

[void_nothing]

bravelion83

Show

Hide

Design
(1/3) Appeal - Txmmy does not want to give up another creature for a beater that's just on-curve. Jxnny might find something to do with this. Spike doesn't see much use.
(2/3) Elegance - This card makes its own effect unnecessarily complicated with a type change - given the subchallenges, why was this not just a creature with champion?

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - This is obviously very red but the card is not at all pushed in power level and the resultant creature is quite generic - this could have been uncommon and I'd have no issue.
(1.5/3) Balance - Underpowered if anything, especially at rare. Compared to the rare red Lorwyn block champions - Nova Chaser with its 10 power and Lightning Crafter with its insanely powerful tap ability - this underwhelms.

Creativity
(0.5/3) Uniqueness - This is basically a Changeling Berserker with slightly different stats and a couple extra abilities.
(2.5/3) Flavor - Relatively solid, except it's a little odd that just anyone can undergo "Sarkhan's Transformation." Sarkhan the Masterless shows him turning other 'walkers into Dragons I suppose so it gets something of a pass. Still, the flavor text is VERY boilerplate.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Fine.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Is an enchantment, but nothing non-evergreen. (In fact, this would be printable in a core set.)

Total: 16/25

netn10

Show

Hide

Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy can't help but find this card neat, what with the fighting and Auras, and Jxnny-Spikes love doing dumb stuff with Aura swap.
(2/3) Elegance - A couple of pretty complicated aspects to this card.

Development
(3/3) Viability - The main effect - "transmogrification" - is blue, and flying is a blue keyword; it doesn't matter that the resultant creature is red imo. The Aura swap trigger is of course RG. And this is a rare for sure.
(2/3) Balance - Aura swap isn't really a fair mechanic - switching an unblocked attacker's Arcanum Wings for a Colossification is a blowout no matter how you slice it - but nothing about the rest of the card is objectionable.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - Pretty uncharted territory.
(2/3) Flavor - The name is extremely obvious. Like, playtest name obvious.

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

Total: 22/25

Gateways7

Show

Hide

Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy and Spike both enjoy an efficient thing that can easily be a 4/4 hasty flyer. Jxnny cares not nearly as much.
(3/3) Elegance - Looks alright.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity fine.
(2.5/3) Balance - Possibly a little pushed, but I think it'd be okay.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Of the creatures with delirium, the majority of them pump themselves and/or give themselves new keywords. No real new ideas here but the p/t setting is a slightly new angle and the creature type change is at least flavorful.
(3/3) Flavor - I really dig the flavor text, and there are Dragons on Innistrad so the setting to keyword match is fine as well.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - "In addition to its other abilities" is not a phrase that exists in Magic. Just say "has flying."
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 21/25

w0mbat

Show

Hide

Design
(3/3) Appeal - Something of an all-rounder. Txmmy obviously likes stuff like this, Jxnny finds things to manipulate, and Spike sees something that can attack as a double striker with 2 power on turn two and then becomes a crazy powerful mana sink later.
(1.5/3) Elegance - There is a fair amount of tracking here, and this card is actually somewhat harder to follow than the typical Figure of Destiny imo, partially because the ability gains are seemingly written backwards. Also, from a "satisfaction" perspective it feels like double strike should not be the first ability gained, because it's the most "premium" of the keywords. Imo the way to go is trample, double strike, flying, just because flying should be last because it's at that point that it turns into a Dragon flavorwise. (Battle cry is an... odd final ability to gain as well.)

Development
(3/3) Viability - Obviously red/obviously rare.
(2.5/3) Balance - This is strong when pumped up but the pump is expensive and temporary.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - Obviously inspired by Figure of Destiny-alikes but is a really new-feeling take on that whole deal.
(3/3) Flavor - Like this a lot.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Subtypes like "Dragon" need to be capitalized.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 22/25

Totals (Bold advance)

Show

Hide

w0mbat 22
netn10 22
Gateways7 21
bravelion83 16