October CCL Round 1: Denial

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

CCL October Signups/Round 1

"Denial"

Banner made from Lapse of Certainty, Tibalt's Trickery and Withering Boon, by Wizards of the Coast and Anthony Francisco, Anna Podedworna, Robert Bliss, respectively

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 Stack Interaction month here at the CCL. This month we will deal with this intricate zone that is one of defining parts of Magic's gameplay.

Challenge

Design an instant card that can counter at least one target spell.

Clarifications

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• The counter may be a soft counter or a hard counter; you can read more about counterspell's here.
• Remeber to add rarity.

Anyone can enter this first round! Your submissions are due Saturday, October 8th, 12:00 EST.

Schedule

• Round 1 — Open to Everyone (October 1st-8th)
• Round 2 — Open to Everyone (October 8th-17th)
• Rounds 1 and 2 Critiques (Due October 22nd)
• Top 8 — Open to top 8 finishers (October 22nd–26th)
• Top 8 Critiques (Due October 30th)
• Top 5 — Open to top 4 finishers (October 30th–November 2nd)
• Top 5 Critiques (Due November 5th)
• Final (November, 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.

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Jade Refuge 1G
Instant (Uncommon)
Counter target spell that targets you, a spell or permanent you control, and/or a card you own. You gain 1 life and create a Treasure token.
"Hide. Now. Or risk total destruction." - Shaper Tuvasa

[void_nothing]

Cast Into the Shadows 3UB
Instant (R)
Choose one or both -
• Counter target spell. If it's countered this way, its controller exiles it instead of putting it in their graveyard.
• The owner of target nonland permanent shuffles that permanent into their library, then creates a 4/4 black Dauthi Minion creature token with shadow.

[CunningGabe]

Essence Transfer 1UG
Instant (R)
Counter target creature spell. If that spell had deathtouch, put a deathtouch counter on up to one target creature you control. The same is true for double strike, first strike, flying, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance.

[Ink-Treader]

Spellduster 1UU
Instant (U)
Overcast 2 (As you cast this spell, you may put a stun counter on two lands you control to have this spell become overcast. If a permanent with a stun counter on it would untap, remove a stun counter from it instead.)
Counter target spell. If Spellduster was overcast, return target instant or sorcery spell with mana value two or less from your graveyard to your hand.

[Raptorchan]

Aspirra's Denial 2g
Instant (U)
Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature you control. Counter up to one target spell that targets that creature unless that spell's controller pays 1 for each +1/+1 counter on that creature.
"Calm down, he is not dead. Not yet."

[slimytrout]

Put Out to Pasture GUU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. If that spell's controller controls more lands than you, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

[netn10]

Stunlock W
Instant (Rare)
Counter target spell unless its controller put a stun counter on each permanent used to cast that spell.

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

More then a half time for this round passed. Do not wait for the last moment!

[marioguy3]

Reclaim the Initiative
Instant (Rare)
Choose one—
- Counter target spell that targets a permanent you control.
- Return up to two target cards to your hand from your graveyard that were discarded this turn.
Cycling :

[OneAndOnly]

Power of Focus -- 1U
Instant {U}
Counter target spell. Power of Focus costs 1 more for each target that spell has.

[MonoRedMage]

Chemical Restructuring 3R
Instant {R}
Copy target spell. You may choose new targets for the copy. If U was spent to cast this spell, you may counter the first spell. If it's countered this way, its controller draws two cards.

[Henlock]

Timely Warning w
Instant (u)
Counter target spell that targets you or a creature you control.
Create a white 1/1 Soldier creature token.
"Watch Out!"

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

And the round is closed!

kwanyeegor-ii
void_nothing
CunningGabe
Ink-Treader
Raptorchan
slimytrout
netn10
marioguy3
OneAndOnly
MonoRedMage
Henlock

Please critique the seven contestants below you, looping if necessary, and choose a top 3 from them.
The critique period will last to October 18th, Tuesday. Thanks to the number of participants, the round 3 will be a top 8.
Do not forget to check the round 2!

[OneAndOnly]

Reviews

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I seem oddly fixated on the option to counter your own spells (a la Arcane Denial, Memory Lapse or Remand. Is that as big a thing as I seem to think it is?

Chemical Restructuring 3R
Instant {R}
Copy target spell. You may choose new targets for the copy. If U was spent to cast this spell, you may counter the first spell. If it's countered this way, its controller draws two cards.

Not technically a counterspell. The 2UR option makes it Misdirection in essence, which doesn't need a two-color limitation, so the "draw two cards" drawback seems a bit much. (The option to counter/copy your own spell to draw two cards seems a little too involved to pull off.)

The name's a good fit, deserves a little bit of flavor text to tie it together. Maybe for Strixhaven Part Two: Summer Class!

Timely Warning w
Instant (u)
Counter target spell that targets you or a creature you control.
Create a white 1/1 Soldier creature token.
"Watch Out!"

Quite a few spells get tossed at creatures, so the limitation isn't that great. So it's a cheap counter to removal/bounce/pacifism/pongify/etc. effects.

Oddly, the rules say you don't need an "If you do" before the second sentence, which to me seems a little odd because I think many similar effects would. The flavor text is bland... maybe if it was "Watch out, Hans!"?

And, you can whiff one of your spells to create a chump blocker by countering your own spell in a pinch, which seems only one-sixth as dumb as banning Waylay. Maybe.

Jade Refuge 1G
Instant (Uncommon)
Counter target spell that targets you, a spell or permanent you control, and/or a card you own. You gain 1 life and create a Treasure token.
"Hide. Now. Or risk total destruction." - Shaper Tuvasa

This is a bigger version of the previous card -- more options than just your creatures, more of a benefit. (1 life is worth less than a 1/1, but a Treasure token makes up for it.) "A card you own" seems a little loose, any why not protect your tokens too? Why do you look down on the smaller pieces of cardboard?

You get the benefit regardless of whether you counter your opponent's spells or your own, so it misses on my personal criteria.

Like the above, this could use a better flavor text. Not so much more flavorful, but something that fits the card better -- it's pretty aggressive for a reactive spell.

Cast Into the Shadows 3UB
Instant (R)
Choose one or both -
• Counter target spell. If it's countered this way, its controller exiles it instead of putting it in their graveyard.
• The owner of target nonland permanent shuffles that permanent into their library, then creates a 4/4 black Dauthi Minion creature token with shadow.

If I choose the second option, this isn't a counterspell, so it misses on the general criteria.

The first option also doesn't meet my personal, private criteria since there's no benefit to pointing it at your own spell.

So, that leaves us with considering the actual card. Which ain't bad. The cost is a little high for a Dissipate (and your wording is a little off, in relation to it). The second option is much more desirable, since it can save one of your own creatures, or turn one of your chump tokens into a 4/4 with evasion, as well as the more boring option of removing an opponent's combo piece.

I'd argue that it's a much more powerful card because of the "choose one or both" clause -- if you *had* to target a spell to get the Minion, it'd be quite a bit more limited.

I think I like Dauthi being a creature type as much as I like Kor and Phyrexian, which is to say, not much at all.

Lastly, it deserves some flavor text.

Essence Transfer 1UG
Instant (R)
Counter target creature spell. If that spell had deathtouch, put a deathtouch counter on up to one target creature you control. The same is true for double strike, first strike, flying, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance.

Well, this is pretty interesting The cost seems about right (1U to counter a creature spell, plus some mana for another benefit). You can point it at a vanilla creature if you really need it gone, and you don't necessarily need a creature to absorb the ability. It's a pretty broad spread of abilities and could probably be limited (to abilities more present in green and blue) without compromising the card.

You could maybe counter your Akroma, Angel of Evergreens to spread its ability amongst other creatures you control, but that seems silly.

Also, needs flavor text.

Spellduster 1UU
Instant (U)
Overcast 2 (As you cast this spell, you may put a stun counter on two lands you control to have this spell become overcast. If a permanent with a stun counter on it would untap, remove a stun counter from it instead.)
Counter target spell. If Spellduster was overcast, return target instant or sorcery spell with mana value two or less from your graveyard to your hand.

This is mechanic is nice, but the fluff is a little off. "Spellduster" sounds like a creature, not a spell, and "overcast" sounds either like weather, a combat mechanic, or supercharging a spell. (I get the weather tie-in, kinda, but it's not reinforced by other flavor elements.)

Mechanically, it feels like you could make this Overcast X, allowing you to return some spell with MV x from your graveyard at the expense of not having the fuel for it on your next turn .... which ties in with the "supercharging" flavor. I'm not certain I'd want to see it on a card, certainly not this card, and it seems like it might get a little repetitive.

Definitely wouldn't want to point this thing at one of my own spells, and definitely -- you guessed it -- needs more flavor text.

Aspirra's Denial 2g
Instant (U)
Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature you control. Counter up to one target spell that targets that creature unless that spell's controller pays 1 for each +1/+1 counter on that creature.
"Calm down, he is not dead. Not yet."

Oh, neat twist! Especially good with hydras, spikes, and other green things. Thus should probably have two green pips, like every good counterspell should have.

Useful even if not pointing at your own spell, being a double Battlegrowth, which is enough to counter a Shock without countering that Shock, ya know? But, because of that utility, it makes calling it a "denial" rather awkward.

Rankings

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1. Essence Transfer by CunningGabe
2. Aspirra's Denial by RaptorChan
3. Timely Warning by Henlock
4. Jade Refuge by kwanyeegor-ii
5. Spellduster by Ink-Treader
6. Cast Into the Shadows by void_nothing
7. Chemical Restructuring by MonoRedMage

[void_nothing]

Critiques

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CunningGabe - This is pretty genius design - I love list-keywords-and-gain-them cards in general - but my one quibble is that I might like it even more at 1WU. Anyway, brilliant how-the-turn-tables kind of card.

Ink-Treader - As far as kicker variants go, overcast looks like a neat one - sort of like a kicker you pay for later. This is a tight well-thought-through design that looks super playable in many contexts.

Raptorchan - Oh, this is very smartly done - almost like granting ward after the fact, although soft counters + Avoid Fate is something not done before. Warms my heart to see a Stavado protag reference always, too.

slimytrout - Ha! Spectacular name. In terms of effect (catchup rather than "true" ramp) and the color connotations of "pasture" though, I feel like this should have cost WUU, pretty strongly. It also - for what it's worth - looks STRONG at uncommon.

netn10 - Hmm. Feels like a white tax-counter alright - almost has a Yosei, the Morning Star vibe going - and does capture the video game concept. I'm just sort of not compelled by the design? It is still a good idea.

marioguy3 - This should not at all be a hybrid-mana card. The first mode is all blue (or, well, green - occasionally white) and the second, as Shadow of the Grave suggests, is all black.

OneAndOnly - This is an interesting design that is almost always going to cost 1U or 2U, and I'm not sure I'd want something that's so often a 1U counterspell in Standard.

Top 3

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1. CunningGabe
2. Raptorchan
3. Ink-Treader

[CunningGabe]

Comments

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Spellduster 1UU
Instant (U)
Overcast 2 (As you cast this spell, you may put a stun counter on two lands you control to have this spell become overcast. If a permanent with a stun counter on it would untap, remove a stun counter from it instead.)
Counter target spell. If Spellduster was overcast, return target instant or sorcery spell with mana value two or less from your graveyard to your hand.

I really like Overcast - it's a clean mechanic, kind of like Echo for spells. I'd be excited to see what you can do with it. As for Spellduster itself, it's a great example of a 1UU counterspell with minor upside. In this case, the minor upside is pretty good, but still balanced I think, and it would be fun to play with this.

Aspirra's Denial 2g
Instant (U)
Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature you control. Counter up to one target spell that targets that creature unless that spell's controller pays 1 for each +1/+1 counter on that creature.
"Calm down, he is not dead. Not yet."

Many of the entries were straight-up counterspells, and I like that this one can be used effectively even in other circumstances. Elegant design, and I appreciate that it's not just two +1/+1 counters and hexproof until end of turn.

Put Out to Pasture GUU
Instant (U)
Counter target spell. If that spell's controller controls more lands than you, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

This almost reads as a W/U card, though white's "land catch-up" mechanics tend to only fetch Plains. On the draw in the early game, this is pretty strong, and I guess you'd probably cast it on anything the opponent plays just to get ramped. Late game, you can hold it and just use it as an ordinary counterspell for something that matters. I can't decide if I think it's too strong - it's borderline, and I guess some testing would be needed.

Stunlock W
Instant (Rare)
Counter target spell unless its controller put a stun counter on each permanent used to cast that spell.

Interesting! This is an incredible tempo play whether they lose the spell or next turn's mana. My only real complaint is the name; this only "stunlocks" them for a turn, which isn't really stunlocking.

Reclaim the Initiative
Instant (Rare)
Choose one—
- Counter target spell that targets a permanent you control.
- Return up to two target cards to your hand from your graveyard that were discarded this turn.
Cycling :

I like how the Cycling gives you a hint about the second mode - you can use it to return two cards that you cycled. The first mode is usually seen on green or white spells, and seems out of place for 1BB. Maybe 1UB would work? Actually though, I think this would be a better card if it leaned into the second mode (though of course then it doesn't fit this challenge).

Power of Focus -- 1U
Instant {U}
Counter target spell. Power of Focus costs 1 more for each target that spell has.

Elegant design, with a good name to go with it. My gut is that this is too strong at 1U. Even at UU, it's closer to Counterspell than to Cancel. I'd be inclined to make it 2U with some minor upside. (A kind of cute option would be to Scry X, where X is the number of targets that spell has.)

Chemical Restructuring 3R
Instant {R}
Copy target spell. You may choose new targets for the copy. If U was spent to cast this spell, you may counter the first spell. If it's countered this way, its controller draws two cards.

This is one of those cards that I almost can't believe doesn't already exist. Giving your opponent 2 cards is a big drawback, though it's true that gaining control of a spell "usually" costs 6+ (e.g. Aethersnatch). I'd maybe like it better as a Kicker U to counter the spell and have the controller draw 1 card, but I think it works as-is too.

Top 3

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1. Ink-Treader
2. Raptorchan
3. MonoRedMage

@OneAndOnly: Chemical Restructuring is much more than a Misdirection, because it can gain control of a permanent spell. See Aethersnatch for example.

[Raptorchan]

crits

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slimytrout
Pretty simple "goodstuff" simic card, can see it being printed one day or another.

netn10
Sounds good, doesn't work well. AFAIK rules don't track which permanents were "used" to cast spells, sure its doable, but for example, what if you have two mana from different lands floating and then cast a 1mv spell? Do you have to manually track all mana from different sources? Don't forget, there are even cards that save mana floating for phases and turns... And so on.

marioguy3
Seems like a stretch for monoblack. Many hybrid cards do, though.

OneAndOnly
Seems simple and elegant. Maybe a bit too effective and probably lacks double U pips.

MonoRedMage
Obligatory "look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power" nonblue card. You can rid of the last part and then you are good.

Henlock
Due to lack of good "in pie" support for white I always see cards like this as sort if "breaks" but then I remember white has protection. So it's probably fine but the token part feels unnecessary.

kwanyeegor-ii
A nice card that protects and ramps at the same time. Nothing more to say.

tops

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Top:
1. slimytrout
2. kwanyeegor-ii
3. OneAndOnly

[Ink-Treader]

Raptorchan

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Interesting blend of effects. I wonder if this could be a common.

slimytrout

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Reminiscent of Deathsprout. The qualifier to land search is less elegant, but it does help justify keeping this at 3 mana.

netn10

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This seems like an alright rate, but punisher mechanics rarely ever play out as impressively as they look.

marioguy3

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I don't think the first effect belongs in monoblack, even if it's rather underpowered. The second effect is fine in both colors. I do question why the cycling cost isn't also hybrid.

OneAndOnly

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A much better Essence Scatter/Remove Soul, as this can hit planeswalkers and artifacts without a cost increase, and non-Aura enchantments too. And 2U is pretty reasonable for dealing with single target effects.

MonoRedMage

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Copying permanent spells in red permanently seems like break. I wonder if the refund for countering could be a mere one card.

Henlock

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That's cute, but I wonder if the rate is too good. I suppose the requirement of needing to counter to get the creature is a decent drawback compared to having this be a flash creature with an EtB.

Top 3

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1. Raptorchan
2. slimytrout
3. Henlock

[marioguy3]

OneandOnly: There is focus in this card. A bit of blank space where some flavor text could have gone. It's an okay card, if not very splashy in comparison to other counters.

MonoRedMage: This thing can copy permanent spells. This thing can be a massive blowout in Izzet play. Fairly costed and seems fun, if not the most elegant read for newer players.

Henlock: I like this card. It's simple and elegant with splashy flavor. The cost is perfect; the token is good but not busted either.

void_nothing: Decently costed command spell with just two modes. I like that it can't target lands. The token is a cool buffer toward polymorphing your own things, like those cards that have ETB's you may want to have sometime later.

kwanyeegor-ii: This card seems a bit too good for green. Treasure token making is powerful, and there are enough targeting spells that this feels like a simic card at two mana.

Cunning Gabe: Fun card. Seems like a good build-around support development for counters strategies.

Ink-Treader: A creative design, but it seems okay. Tapping own lands to recur a spell from grave seems strong at times, but when there is nothing, this is a higher cost to recur for a small costed spell in grave.

Top 3
3rd place: MonoRedMage
2nd place: Cunning Gabe
1st Place: Henlock

[kwanyeegor-ii]

Just top 3 for now


1 slimytrout
2 netn10
3 raptorchan

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

Three days left for a critique and a top 3. If you are not able to write a critique, provide at least a top 3.

[slimytrout]

netn10

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This card doesn't actually work in the rules, since spells don't know what permanents were "used to cast" them. There might be a way to rephrase it so that it says "each permanent which activated a mana ability this turn" or something but that would be a different card.

marioguy3

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Mono-black doesn't get counterspells, so this is a break. Also mono-blue doesn't just get to bring cards back to hand from the graveyard, so that ability is also a break.

OneAndOnly

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So this is just a strict upgrade to Essence Scatter? Seems a bit pushed to me -- would prefer this as a downgrade from Counterspell (certainly a card that has power to give) since then it also wouldn't violate the double-blue requirement for hard counters. But the idea is fun.

MonoRedMage

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Basically you can read this as a split card: One half is Aethersnatch for 2RU but it gives them two cards, which seems fair. The other half is actually an effect that hasn't quite been done before, which is very cool. I'm not sure if I agree that this effect should go in mono-red, but I guess given your name, what can I expect?

Henlock

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Interesting. Compared to something like Shore Up this seems like a reasonable rate -- I like it!

kwanyeegor-ii

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Huh, the card you own part is a bit weird -- are you trying to stop opposing Cremates? Green hasn't gotten an actual counterspell since Legends so I don't really feel like this is in pie anymore.

void_nothing

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There are not that many permanents that are better than a 4/4 shadow, so often this is going to be used to counter a spell and upgrade a Treasure or 1/1. There's nothing wrong with this, but it doesn't quite have the elegance of some of the cards I'm putting higher.

T3

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1. Henlock
2. MonoRedMage
3. void_nothing

[Henlock]

Just top.

1. CunningGabe
2. Raptorchan
e. kwanyegor

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

The round is closed!