May CCL Signups/Round 1: Foreign Exchange

[slimytrout]

CCL May Signups/Round 1

"Foreign Exchange"


Harmless Offering, by Howard Lyon 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 Giving Month here at the CCL -- we're going to be giving things.

Challenge

Design a card that can give your opponents control of a spell or permanent you own.

Clarifications

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• Make sure to include a rarity.
• Exchanging control is fine, as is simply donating.

Anyone can enter this first round! Your submissions are due Sunday, May 8th, 23:59 EDT.

Schedule

• Round 1 — Open to Everyone (April 30th-May 8th)
• Round 2 — Open to Everyone (May 9th-16th)
• Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due May 18th)
• Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (May 19th–22nd)
• Top 8 Critiques (Due May 24th)
• Top 4 — Open to top 4 finishers (May 25th–28th)
• Top 4 Critiques (Due May 30th)
• Final (June, 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.

[RaikouRider]

Exchange of Custody 1U
Sorcery {R}
Exchange control of two target nonland permanents with the same mana value.

[Ink-Treader]

Needful Patron 1UR
Creature - Wizard (R)
Flash
Haste
T: Target opponent gains control of target spell you control. They may choose new targets for that spell as long as those targets aren't you or a card or permanent you control.
"Take it and smite our enemies."
1/2

[Pygyzy]

Prized Pachyderm 2W
Artifact Creature - Elephant Construct (R)
When Prized Pachyderm enters the battlefield, each player draws a card.
T: Add c. You gain 1 life. An opponent gains control of this creature.
When this creature leaves the battlefield, each player creates a Treasure token.
Wealth of mammoth proportions isn't always quite what it's expected.
3/3

[netn10]

Labor of Love W
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent gains control of a permanent you control of their choice.
Draw two cards.

[void_nothing]

Contract Duplicator 2BB
Creature - Azra Warlock (R)
Lifelink, protection from Warlocks
T, Pay X life, Have an opponent gain control of a Demon or black enchantment you control: Create a token that's a copy of target creature or enchantment with mana value X. Activate only as a sorcery.
"Notarized, re-sanguinated, and given time, I can have it in triplicate."
3/3

[slimytrout]

Bumping this -- 12 hours left to enter!

[Jimmy Groove]

Master of Patterns
Creature - Snake Druid (R)
When Master of Patterns enters the battlefield, target opponent chooses a land you control. They gain control of that land.
Whenever a land you control becomes tapped for mana, add to your mana pool.
There is nothing quite as impressive as a system, any system, in perfect harmony.
1/4

[Venedrex]

Repaid in Kindness
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you create one or more tokens for the first time each turn, you may have target opponent gain control of one of those tokens. If you do, create two tokens that are copies of that token.
The generous shall find they lack nothing.

[slimytrout]

Leaving this open for 24 more hours -- hoping for 1 or 2 more entries.

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Staring Effigy 4
Artifact Creature - Golem (Uncommon)
Defender
4, T: Target opponent gains control of Staring Effigy. Exile target artifact or creature that player controls. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return that card to the battlefield under your control. Activate only as a sorcery and only if you own Staring Effigy.
Caught you looking.
4/4

[Henlock]

Corpse Traficking 1ub
Sorcery (r)
Each player chooses a creature card on the graveyard of the player to their left, then each player puts the card they chose this way onto the battlefield under their control.

[MonoRedMage]

Starke's Plot 2RR
Legendary Enchantment - Aura {R}
Enchant creature you own
When Starke's Plot enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of enchanted creature for as long as Starke's Plot is attached to that creature.
Enchanted creature is goaded and has "At the beginning of your end step, this creature deals damage equal to its power to you."

[slimytrout]

Round is closed! Thanks to some late entries, I actually get to say the thing!

Please critique the seven contestants below you on this list, looping to the top as necessary:

RaikouRider
Ink-Treader
Pygyzy
netn10
void_nothing
Jimmy Groove
Venedrex
kwanyeegor-ii
Henlock
MonoRedMage

[Pygyzy]

netn10

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Labor of Love W
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent gains control of a permanent you control of their choice.
Draw two cards.

I would instantly throw this into my Zedruu deck. Giving the opponents the choice might make this unplayable even for 1 mana, but this is great for politics so its probably still pretty good and more balanced that way.

void_nothing

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Contract Duplicator 2BB
Creature - Azra Warlock (R)
Lifelink, protection from Warlocks
T, Pay X life, Have an opponent gain control of a Demon or black enchantment you control: Create a token that's a copy of target creature or enchantment with mana value X. Activate only as a sorcery.
"Notarized, re-sanguinated, and given time, I can have it in triplicate."
3/3

Very cool. Arzas, warlocks and enchantments are all things I like, and the shenanigans this thing will do would be interesting. Giving away and copying enchantments seem kinda odd for black but the flavor is great so it makes sense.

Jimmy Groove

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Master of Patterns
Creature - Snake Druid (R)
When Master of Patterns enters the battlefield, target opponent chooses a land you control. They gain control of that land.
Whenever a land you control becomes tapped for mana, add to your mana pool.
There is nothing quite as impressive as a system, any system, in perfect harmony.
1/4

Finally something to do with all my extra forests 😆. This card is probably stronger than it looks. Donating a land is a hefty cost even if you get a strong effect for a discount but I'm sure decks using this would work around that. I'd like it better if it said "lands you own" rather than control.

Venedrex

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Repaid in Kindness
Enchantment (R)
Whenever you create one or more tokens for the first time each turn, you may have target opponent gain control of one of those tokens. If you do, create two tokens that are copies of that token.
The generous shall find they lack nothing.

Hehe, this is fun. There are so many things you could do with this, and while this is a 100% casual card, I would definitely use this. I could see a place for it in Zedruu. Akroan Horse, hunted creatures, or Forbidden Orchard would work with this as well I believe due to the wording.

kwanyeegor-ii

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Staring Effigy 4
Artifact Creature - Golem (Uncommon)
Defender
4, T: Target opponent gains control of Staring Effigy. Exile target artifact or creature that player controls. At the beginning of your next upkeep, return that card to the battlefield under your control. Activate only as a sorcery and only if you own Staring Effigy.
Caught you looking.
4/4

Interesting. This is potentially extremely useful in many situations, functions as a deterrent, and is very skill intensive to use effectively. Great flavor too. As a fan of all control swapping cards, this would definitely draw my eye.

Henlock

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Corpse Traficking 1ub
Sorcery (r)
Each player chooses a creature card on the graveyard of the player to their left, then each player puts the card they chose this way onto the battlefield under their control.

Graveyard shenanigans are right up my alley. As someone who routinely mills my opponents to steal their biggest threats this will either do nothing or win you the game. High variance while being dependent on your opponents cards to be good is usually something I'd steer away from, but with a low cost and the potential for blowouts, I could see this finding a permanent home in some decks.

MonoRedMage

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Starke's Plot 2RR
Legendary Enchantment - Aura {R}
Enchant creature you own
When Starke's Plot enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of enchanted creature for as long as Starke's Plot is attached to that creature.
Enchanted creature is goaded and has "At the beginning of your end step, this creature deals damage equal to its power to you."

This is definitely everything I love in a card. I feel like it could do a lot in the right deck. Killing your opponent while they kill your opponents however is definitely gonna make you a target in commander (I play a lot of goad) but you just have to be sure to play it on the right creature at the right time. Great card with a lot of potential.

T3

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1.netn10
2.Henlock
3.Venedrex

[kwanyeegor-ii]

crits

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Exchange of Custody 1U
Sorcery {R}
Exchange control of two target nonland permanents with the same mana value.

Not sure how to feel abt this one... swap control is usually way higher mana than this but same mana value makes it pretty narrow. still think this is undercosted

Needful Patron 1UR
Creature - Wizard (R)
Flash
Haste
T: Target opponent gains control of target spell you control. They may choose new targets for that spell as long as those targets aren't you or a card or permanent you control.
"Take it and smite our enemies."
1/2

Oh this has nasty combo potential... no species type, jut wizard?

Prized Pachyderm 2W
Artifact Creature - Elephant Construct (R)
When Prized Pachyderm enters the battlefield, each player draws a card.
T: Add c. You gain 1 life. An opponent gains control of this creature.
When this creature leaves the battlefield, each player creates a Treasure token.
Wealth of mammoth proportions isn't always quite what it's expected.
3/3

lol an actual whie elephant. very fun. I like the symmetry but i think the adding mana ability should be more bc otherwise giving the opp this creauture is not worth it

Labor of Love W
Sorcery (Rare)
Target opponent gains control of a permanent you control of their choice.
Draw two cards.

Pretty nice, probably difficult to use to combo bc they can always just take a land if your only permanent is a Demonic Pact

Contract Duplicator 2BB
Creature - Azra Warlock (R)
Lifelink, protection from Warlocks
T, Pay X life, Have an opponent gain control of a Demon or black enchantment you control: Create a token that's a copy of target creature or enchantment with mana value X. Activate only as a sorcery.
"Notarized, re-sanguinated, and given time, I can have it in triplicate."
3/3

Complicated but interesting, not sure where it fits in the color pie

Corpse Traficking 1ub
Sorcery (r)
Each player chooses a creature card on the graveyard of the player to their left, then each player puts the card they chose this way onto the battlefield under their control.

Oh this is cool, not sure it needs to be blue but looks like a great cmdr card

Starke's Plot 2RR
Legendary Enchantment - Aura {R}
Enchant creature you own
When Starke's Plot enters the battlefield, target opponent gains control of enchanted creature for as long as Starke's Plot is attached to that creature.
Enchanted creature is goaded and has "At the beginning of your end step, this creature deals damage equal to its power to you."

This is really wordy for what it does but i think its interesting politically in multiplayer

t3

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1 Pygyzy
2 henlock
3 void_nothing

[MonoRedMage]

RaikouRider
Ink-Treader
Pygyzy
netn10
void_nothing
Jimmy Groove
Venedrex

Top 3 -

1 - netn10
2- Ink-Treader
3 - Venedrex

[void_nothing]

Critiques

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Jimmy Groove - I like this card functionally, but the drawback feels just kind of disjointed, and I do wish that you could choose the land instead of the opponent for the combo potential.

Venedrex - Extremely nice - not sure if the mana cost is too high, but looks like a lot of fun with many applications.

kwanyeegor-ii - Interesting, old-school-feeling artifact. The "only if you own" line is simultaneously silly and elegant.

Henlock - I always have a soft spot for multicolor seating arrangements cards. Does this need to be blue, strictly?

MonoRedMage - I get what you're going for here, but a lot of people playing EDH get kind of turned off by cards like this.

RaikouRider - Simple effect that there's not much to say about. It works and has a niche. I'm really not certain what it should cost, though. Two mana just seems too low, right?

Ink-Treader - Ooh, very fun. Another multiplayer politics card, but one everyone will probably find more fun. Why species-less Wizard?

Top 3

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1. Venedrex
2. Ink-Treader
3. Jimmy Groove

[Venedrex]

Crits

SPOILER

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kwanyeegor-ii Ok, so 8 mana to steal a thing seems right, but this feels very slow to get going for me. Which I understand because stealing is strong and this is colorless, but having to wait multiple turns and pay 8 total mana for this feels a little lackluster.

Henlock What is happening, help I don't understand direction. Anyways... this is interesting. So basically everyone gets the best creature in the player to their left's graveyard. OK. I mean, that's fun. I like that you can set this up by exiling opponent's graveyards, although that's a little unlikely.

MonoRedMage OK, so if I'm reading this right, a big aura that gives your opponents one of your creatures to bash the faces of others, then domes that player for the nerve to be using one of your creatures. Sounds like pretty fun times to me, if not super competitive.

RaikouRider Spicy. I'm not sure if this crazy good or not, but I suspect it might very well be, especially in formats like CEDH, where there is a lot 3 mv or less things running around. Nice. Getting strong Gilded Drake vibes. Which I think is a good thing.

Ink-Treader This is pretty neat, letting other's use your spells. Not sure how much of a difference this makes between just asking people where you should target your own spell and giving them your own spell to target something of their choice, from a politics standpoint. Still, I appreciate that the spell can't target your stuff.

Pygyzy - So it gives cards to everyone, then it goes to someone else, to give them mana, life, and a creature, then when it dies everyone gets treasure. This certainly is a generous card. Maybe too generous. Group hug here we come.

netn10 - I like the costing of this, and the idea of giving something away for cards, but letting the opponent choose sours me on this, I'd be so afraid of losing my best permanent.

Top 3

SPOILER

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Henlock
MonoRedMage
RaikouRider

[Henlock]

monoredmage- Fun with big dumb beaters and very in touch with red's custome of giving you bad things.

RaikouRaider- While you can't reliably build 100% around this except by doing token stuff, it is very likely to find nice targets in mv 2 and 3 in most games. Really nice with auras.

netn10- This is the type.of effect that makes no sense without talking beforehand and such as that, it rewards the political play. I believe this needs to be an instant to unleash all.of its political potential.

ink-Treader - This looks fun. I'm still figuring out how it will play but giving away mean stuff ala One with Nothing feels very fun. I would limit it to instants and sorceries,, as it feels a bit undercosted if able to.hit permanents.

pygzy- A group-hug machine. I wonder what are the implications of stapling the control-change effect to a mana ability.

voidnothing- for simmetry, this needs a "when you do" clause, also to avoid sacrifice while tjis is in the stack. Demons and bñack enchantments are like the prime carriers of.drawbacks in black.

JimmyGroove- Very smart way to use the challenge, and giving lands as a coat feels quite well suited for green. The cost is quite steep.in tje eraly game but scales down as the game goes on.


Lots of.interesting stuff
Top
1. JimmyGroove
2. Monoredmage
3. netn10

[RaikouRider]

Ink-Treader - This looks like it came straight out of the Political Puppets 2010 Commander deck. I can think of a long list of cards that would spike in price if this were to be printed.
Pygyzy - A mana dork that everyone passes around the table. I like the concept, but this might be better on an artifact at this mana value. This probably could be a two-drop 2/2 or even 2/3 and no one would bat an eye.
netn10 - I appreciate the political nature of this card, but giving an opponent your best permanent seems awfully risky for just two cards.
void_nothing - The flavor on this card is so good, and I think this is the first time I've ever seen control changing as a cost. The creature type is just icing on the cake. There are so many black enchantments with huge drawbacks that this will find a niche.
Jimmy Groove: A one-sided Heartbeat of Spring that gives your opponent your best land. You need to be careful not to play any powerful lands before playing this, but this seems quite strong in decks that can work around the drawback.
Venedrex - This feels more like a Selesnya card, not an Azorius card, but other than that I like it a lot. It's not a pie break as is; just making a remark that I feel this fits better in Selesnya.
kwanyeegor-ii - I think this has to be a rare for complexity but that is the only complaint I have with this card. This is rine at uncommon in a Masters or Horizons set, but in a core set I think this has to be rare.

All the designs were good this time; it was difficult to get this down to just three.

T3:
1 void_nothing
2 Ink-Treader
3 Venedrex

[Ink-Treader]

Pygyzy

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Mana generation in white is a little bendy, but the flavor is good, and it's not a particularly strong mana ability.

netn10

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White is hard up for card draw, but this might be too harsh a drawback. The card technically puts you down a card vs. the opponent taking the permanent. Perhaps a very heavy token deck could make use of it, since losing a land might not be a big deal depending.

void_nothing

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Life payment or not, I don't suspect a copy effect like this would soon make its way into black. Being able to hand off Demons and certain black enchantments is fun though.

Jimmy Groove

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This would appear to be among the cheapest one-sided mana doublers (though Extrapanar Lens can be close enough to one-sided depending). The drawback isn't nothing however, especially if this gets immediately killed.

Venedrex

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Fun effect. Considering the 'first time each turn' only, I feel this could be much cheaper, or it shouldn't have that limitation. Parallel Lives/Anointed Procession are generally significantly better than this.

kwanyeegor-ii

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Essentially a slow Switcheroo. What is cute is that due to that long blink, this can be played with Homeward Path effects to get the idol back and still keep what you're stealing.

Henlock

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Easy to make one-sided, but being reliant on an opponent's graveyard compared to Exhume (which is admittedly a very powerful card) can make this less useful depending on the context.

Top 3

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1. kwanyeegor-ii
2. Pygyzy
3. Jimmy Groove