And so the critique period closes.
KB52665
kwanyeegor-ii
AnotherAlias
Komandon
Proceed to the next round. It will be posted in a moment.
Due to time constraints, there weren't many critiques, and I happened to have some time, so I have taken a liberty and provided my own opinions, now that the round is closed.
marioguy3 wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Landscape of the Unknowns
Land - Desert (Rare)
Landscape of the Unknowns enters the battlefield tapped.
, Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color.
, Pay 2 life: Manifest the top card of your library. Activate this ability only once each turn.
Daybound
//
Landscape for the Discovered
Land - Desert (Rare)
Whenever Landscape for the Discovered enters the battlefield or at the beginning of combat on your turn, you may turn any number of face down creatures you control face up.
: Add one mana of any color. You gain 1 life.
Nightbound
The day side gives
Mana Confluence impression at first, until you start to dwell on the nonmana ability. The mana cost can't be paid by the Landscape itself, since it can't produce colorless mana. On the other hand, it can be still paid even if the Landscape is currently tapped. It has once-per-turn restriction, but it does not have a sorcery speed restriction, so it can produce surprise blockers and is actually faster then it seems at first. It is a mana dump, so not casting a spell is a valid strategy. You manifest a card and pass the turn, possibly with previous manifested cards already on the battlefield. It becomes night and now you have a rainbow land - since you weren't forced to tap the Landscape - that gives you back life you have spent previously and either forces opponent to double cast, or on the next turn you turn up possibly multiple creatures. I don't think this would be the most powerful card of all the submissions, as there are few even more explosive and/or efficient, but this certainly is on the higher power level.
The day side has a clear flavour, reminding of mirages. The night side is less clear. In some ways it looks like an oasis, but in some not.
KB52665 wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Zilaha's Burrow
Legendary Land — Lair (M)
When Zilaha's Burrow enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a creature. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on Zilaha's Burrow.
: Add
.
: Add
or
. Activate only if there are one or more counters on Zilaha's Burrow.
Daybound
//////
Zilaha of the Wastes
Legendary Creature — Scorpion (M)
Zilaha is white, black, and green.
Vigilance, trample, deathtouch
Whenever another creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Zilaha.
Nightbound
1/1
I wonder if the second mana ability was "
, Remove a counter from Zilaha's Burrow: ...", would it be more interesting back and forth between pumping the night side and fixing mana on the day side. The way you have done it is certainly fit for mythic, though. Likewise, the keyword combination is strong, trample and deathouch on the offensive, while vigilance and deathouch on the defensive. Getting a counter out of any dying creature, including opponents' and nontokens might be a little overboard, moreso for the fact, that Zilaha's cost is almost entirely only in tempo.
Good use of Lair type for flavour. The sacrifice on the day side makes me imagine some sort of pit trap digged by the creature, into which some poor victim fells in.
AnotherAlias wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Mount Tanufel
Legendary Land — Mountain (R)
Mount Tanufel enters the battlefield tapped.
: Add
.
,
: At the beginning of your next upkeep, it becomes night.
Daybound
(If a player casts no spells during their own turn, it becomes night next turn.)
//
Mount Kulrath
Legendary Land — Mountain (R)
Mount Kulrath enters the battlefield tapped.
: Add two mana in any combination of
and/or
. You lose 3 life.
Nightbound
(If a player casts at least two spells during their own turn, it becomes day next turn.)
Many will miss the fact that since it has Mountain typing, it has
: Add
all the times. I did not render this, but would it become microtext if that mana ability was added? Furthermore, since the night forcing ability is quite expensive (5 mana effective), paying for it or keeping the mana open could force you to not cast any spell in the first place, making the change happen anyway. It seems like the biggest use of this ability would be either in very late game, where you could afford the ability and other spells and you wanted to force night on the next turn, or you suspected that opponent will be able and try to turn back to the day, so even if they succeed, you force the night by the ability. The night side is nice and since casting more then one spell would transform it back to Tanufel, I think it is hard to make it truly degenerate.
Very deep flavour cut
here. I have never read Lorwyn's books, so it is hard for me to say much about accuracy of portrayal, but the night side at least certainly feels correct.
netn10 wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Werefox Den, Preparations
Land (Rare)
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose a creature without a Role on it, then either Create a Monstrous Role attached to it and add
G, or creature a Noble Role attached to it and add
W.
Daybound
///
Werefox Den, Going to War
Land (Rare)
Creatures with a Monstrous rule attached to them gets +2/+0.
Creatures with a Noble rule attached to them gets +0/+2.
Nightbound
There is a rule in modern design that no land should lack a mana ability of some kind. The day side is definitely original in its mana ability, but it has it. I wonder however if the night side would be allowed to be essentially enchantment with a safer permanent type. There is also no Noble role, and both Virtuous and Royal Role could fit here, but they have wildly different implications and I think that Royal is more in line with the Monstrous option. The anthem is quite potent, moreso that the aggresive Monstrous Role comes with trample. With no mana payment you get possibly multiple
Brute Strengths. Getting the nightbound side could get tricky, that is true. But still this looks strong. There is also fact that many will not spot at first, in that the night side buffs not only your creatures, but all enchanted with the correct role.
In terms of flavour, this card references the werefoxes from the last Eldraine set, in both colors of mana produced, possible Roles and obviously the name. Why not calling it "Redtooth Keep", then? And why not legendary? This would help to constrain the power level as well, as getting multiples of this card on the night side sure seems a bit too much.
Komandon wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Citadel of the Disquieting
Land (rare)
When this land enters the battlefield or transforms into Citadel of the Disquieting you may pay 2 life. If you do put a +1/+1 counter on it.
T: Add
c.
T, Remove a counter from Citadel of the Disquieting: Add one mana of any color.
Daybound
(If a player casts no spells during their own turn, it becomes night next turn.)
///////
Grotesque Sentry
Artifact Creature — Gargoyle
Defender
As long as Grotesque Sentry has two or more counters on it, it has flying.
1, Remove a counter from Grotesque Sentry: Grotesque Sentry deals 1 damage to target player, battle or planeswalker.
Nightbound
(If a player casts at least two spells during their own turn, it becomes day next turn.)
0/4
I think I agree with void_nothing that defender on the night side that can't be turned off by the card itself disappoints a little. All existing gargoyles, if they have defender - most do not - have also a way to lose it. I wish that the "As long..." part included losing defender, even if more counters would be needed, to preserve balance. I guess
Monoskelion ability is a way to represent Sentry being "awake" and proactive, but then the gaining of flying feels somewhat less impressive. The day side is alright. Fair by itself, since it is rather slow, but thanks to being an artifact creature on the other side, there are some synergies with things like
modular, which allow for interesting deckbuilding.
The flavour is good. An onimous building that derives some of its power from the fear it causes. The fear that is much more of a direct threat at night, where all this accumulated infamy allows guardians of the Citadel to raise and attack.
kwanyeegor-ii wrote: ↑3 weeks ago
Long-Abandoned Well
Land - Desert (Rare)
Long-Abandoned Well enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add
G or
U
Daybound
/DFC/
Greater Well-Scourge
{
{G/U}} Creature - Frog Snake (Rare)
Trample, vigilance, reach, hexproof
Greater Well-Scourge enters the battlefield tapped
Whenever this permanent enters the battlefield or transforms into Greater Well-Scourge, you may pay
2{G/U}. If you don't, shuffle Greater Well-Scourge into its owner's library.
Nightbound
6/6
There is not much to be written on the day side, as it is effectively just an ETBT dual with a nonbasic type. The other side however is an interesting safety valve. In relation to the mana cost, the stats on Well-Scourge are certainly over the top, but you need to untap it, give it haste and have night already to surprise someone with it and thanks to the daybound/nightbound opponents can play around this. And while the cost is low, it can still mess with your plans if you are forced to pay it or get the Well-Scourge shuffled into library. This requires some good tactical thinking to be utilised and the reward is there, so together a pleasing card in mechanical terms.
That is also one way to make Simic Desert. As mentioned by marioguy3, the Frog Snake combination is certainly imaginative. And in my opinion there aren't enough frogs with reach.
void_nothing wrote: ↑2 weeks ago
Grannaid, Sunstone Provider 3R
Legendary Creature - Elemental Giant
(M)
Whenever you cast a multicolored spell, choose one -
• Creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.
• Target creature gets +2/-2 and gains flying until end of turn.
• Creatures you control gain haste until end of turn.
• Destroy target noncreature artifact.
Daybound
3/3
///
The Dormant Sunstones
Legendary Land
(M)
(It doesn't use a land play for this permanent to enter the battlefield while it's night.)
T: Add
RW,
UR,
BR, or
RG.
Nightbound
This one is the only one that is nonland on the daybound side, which certainly makes it stand out. The triggered ability is nicely done in regards to the color pie, as each mode is within red's slice, while also within (or almost within) the other color. The order of modes corresponding to the order of mana produced is also a nice touch (Boros for board-wide aggresive anthem, Izzet for
+N/-N and
temporary flying, Rakdos for mass haste and Gruul for
noncreature Smelt). I think that you would want to go heavily on cheaper multicolored spells, to get the most out of the day side, especially haste and +1/+0 modes, while you would use the night side to ease the casting of two spells in turn, getting back to the day side.
The flavour is nice. Some mythical figure tied to sunlight fell asleep and now the remnants of its work are the only thing left, not as potent as before, but still humming with power.
