After I write up a critique for a submission, I delete it from my inbox so I can keep track of what I’ve already covered for the week. And I have to admit, this week it’s getting more and more difficult to delete each one, because each deletion draws closer to the end. Today is the second-to-last showcase, and tomorrow will be the final one, and Saturday will be the final announcement of the winners, and that will be it (from me, at least). Follow the jump to check out the next batch of designs (with significantly fewer flaming dogs) and if you’ve got a design yourself, check out the full challenge here! We’re currently at a huge lack of centaurs, elves, and demons!
Art by David Demaret, Kim Sokol, Chris Cold, Kimonas, and Ivan Laliashvili
@thricexandvii:
I may have just backed my way into an interesting, if somewhat convoluted, evasive overlap ability in U/B. The flavor of enthralling is that the creature exudes a presence that some people/creatures (those with focus counters) find completely enthralling and provokes an obsession in them, while in others, they have no interest whatsoever for the thing or might even go to lengths to avoid it. (Think in terms of a quality that could exist in something like Moby Dick that can somehow inspire a ridiculous life-ruining obsession in Ahab, but not in others. I admit that the ability isn’t named perfectly, but I think it works reasonably well.)
In terms of color-pie, black and blue both get a fair amount of evasion independently, and I feel like fiddling with blockers is something they could mess with. Especially since Blue has straight up unblockable, and Black has a slice of menace.
As for haste? It appears on some Black creatures, and a small smattering of Blue ones (mostly those with suspend). BUT, I feel that given the enthralling keyword, and him being Legendary, it helps to get one potentially unblockable attack in. This is a somewhat similar way that creatures with suspend gain haste almost as a work around even though they should still have summoning sickness.
Oh, one more thing! It’s a shark demon because, well, it looks rather shark-ish to me… and what could be cooler than a Shark that’s also a Demon? (Unless of course it also had a laser!)
Interesting effect here, a sort of unblockable that becomes progressively worse over time. I’m not sure how I feel about it as a keyword, but it’s certainly interesting as a one-off ability.
1 point for your submission: Point!
1 point for not breaking the color pie: You’re a bit close on this, but I think it slides by. Point!
1 point for not putting something broken on the card: A 6/6 that’s initially unblockable and becomes progressively less unblockable may be powerful, but not quite broken. Point!
1 point for using proper templating (or at least close to it): That name’s crazy, but Magic’s got some crazy names already, so I’ll take it. Point!
1 point for impressing me with a cool design (this will be the hardest point to earn): Interesting, yes, but not quite impressive enough for me.
Four points in total. Thanks for the submission, and for your long-time (and well-written) participation in the challenge!
@thanatyr:
We’re leaving together,
But still it’s farewell
And maybe we’ll come back
To earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
We’re leaving ground (leaving ground)
Will things ever be the same again? It’s the final countdown!
This was fun while I was in it!
I know, small text, but I wanted it to try and fit. Aka, no reminder text. I’m honestly not sure if you can suspend a fused card two at once, so this was the ability I came up with in its place. Suspend either side for a lot of aggro to come your way. Suspend both? Control the wipe, then cause monstrously large creatures to come sweeping down from beyond the grave. Not positive on the wording, but I figured it would be having creatures re-animated getting said devour and ETB effect.
Here are the abilities in text form, since they’re quite small:
Final: Final is black and blue. Suspend 3 {3}{U}{U}{B}{B}. At the beginning of your upkeep, draw a card for each time counter on Final if it is suspended. Each player exiles all creatures from his or her graveyard, then sacrifices all creatures he or she controls, then puts all cards he or she exiled this way onto the battlefield.
Countdown: Countdown is red and green. Suspend 3 {2}{R}{R}{G}. Creature cards you own that aren’t on the battlefield have Devour 2 and “When this creature enters the battlefield, it may fight another target creature” until end of turn.
Coalesced Delay (You may suspend one or both halves of this card from your hand)
**insert rant about how much I dislike suspend**
**insert further rant about suspend and cards without mana costs**
**insert obligatory balancing problem about cascade**
There, I think I covered that. Now, for the breakdown:
1 point for your submission: Yep, got that one. Point!
1 point for not breaking the color pie: Both sides are appropriately in their color. Point!
1 point for not putting something broken on the card: So, have of this card is literally Living End but I guess if that’s the best you can cascade into, it isn’t that broken. However, suspending Final draws you six cards before you actually cast the spell, and then you get a shot at a ton of creatures out of your graveyard. More than I’m okay with out of that.
1 point for using proper templating (or at least close to it): Now, this isn’t templated the way you actually want, because other than on the stack, split cards are both halves, so even if you went for the Red/Green part, you’d be drawing cards, which is either a color pie break or a templating fail. Also, the abilities are on the wrong sides of the card: this has all of those creatures enter the battlefield, then the Devour and Fight ability grant happens but all of your creatures are already here. Add that with the tiny text, and I can’t give you the templating points.
1 point for impressing me with a cool design: Interesting. Weird. Complex. Lots of things I can say about this card, but it’s not quite in the impressive category.
Two points! Thanks for the submission, and for your participation in the challenge!
@thekillershrub:
What I learned from this experience. You love bi-model cards, references to old cards, and over the top design. You also like Skulk when there are decisions involved. So…ya…here is all that.
So for my final card I wanted to go as Crazy as possible. I wanted a kill condition, bi models, inspired by a Planeswalker, insane effect, and all within the rules! Neither modes are particularly game breaking, but you get choice! I know most of the time Rogue is the right choice, but not even close all of the time! Also there are mono-black elves, so a Dimir one shouldnt be too far off.
Thanks for all you have done with these, I looked forward everyday to doing these and seeing the results. Man…I will miss these contests. But enjoy your job and your awesome life ^.^
Ooh, you’re going meta with your decisions by targeting things you know I like. Though you should’ve anticipated, I hold those effects to a higher scrutiny ;)
1 point for your submission: Point!
1 point for not breaking the color pie: Everything here looks fine for Dimir. Point!
1 point for not putting something broken on the card: Four mana 4/4 Deathtouch is pushing it. Four mana 4/4 Skulk and Curiosity is also pushing it. Throw in the chance to auto-kill a player, and the choice between all of this...and I’m pretty sure this is a five-mana card.
1 point for using proper templating (or at least close to it): Templating is a little weird here, but as best as I can tell, it all works. Changing “gains” to “has” for the two abilities would probably be a little more clear, but you’re close enough. Point!
1 point for impressing me with a cool design: Definitely combined a lot of things I like, but it ended up being a little more of a mish-mash than I would like. Close, but no cigar.
All told, three points! Thanks for the submission, the participation, and the kind words : )
@ubervores:
Okay so ngl I made a few different designs for the arts and the Cerberus was my favorite but since you got like 80 of those I’m gonna use this instead. It was a tough choice because I liked all of them but this was my first idea and took a lot of work to capture flavorfuly (and also it was the only one in a future sight border lol.) So the idea is that this Whale looking monster uses the rifts and what not of wherever Future Sight takes place to stalk its prey I dotn know if its incredibly UG past the fact that the way it has evolved is strange but it is what it is i guess. Man im gonna miss this challenge :’(
S U S P E N D Y U D O D I S T O M E ?
Alright, okay, composing myself, deep breath...okay, I’m good. Let’s continue:
1 point for your submission: Yep, that’s submitted. Point!
1 point for not breaking the color pie: slightly-large creature, suspend, downside for being large, “blinking,” yeah, this is all in Blue/Green. Also Whale Beast. Point!
1 point for not putting something broken on the card: This might get a bit complex, but I don’t think I’d call it broken. Point!
1 point for using proper templating (or at least close to it): Here, we get a bit messy. You’re going to need to specify “attacked or blocked this turn” so it doesn’t try to look to see if it’s ever attacked or blocked. And when you reference time counters inside of abilities, you always write out the number instead of using the digit, or in this case, you would use “a” instead. You’re also missing a few commas. With that many small errors adding up, I can’t quite give that to you.
1 point for impressing me with a cool design: Even though this has suspend, and is a little blinky and complex, I do actually like it. It isn’t quite to the impressive mark, but I do think it’s a good card.
Three points, all together. Thanks for the submission, and your participation (however sporadic it may have been ;) ). And truth be told, I’ll miss this challenge, as well: I imagine Monday I’ll reflexively reach for my laptop to critique designs before I realize there won’t be any. But that vacancy is what will drive the next project, which’ll be good for everyone : )
At first, I was worried that this artwork wouldn’t inspire many of you to participate this week. Boy, was I wrong! With 18 designs showcased (counting today’s) and more on the way soon, this has proven to be a popular piece! I’m excited to see what comes in at the last minute before the final decisions are made. Follow the jump to check out six more awesome designs!
Art by TacoSauceNinja
@linvala-the-memer:
We don’t have many Ooze lords so heres one. It was originally not a lord, and you just gained life equal to the converted mana cost of what you destroy. But i forgot about the challenge! So i changed it and made it flavorful. This ooze is moving in so it can make room for a bunch if little oozes. Less room for little oozes, less oozes.
Kind of weird to call this a “lord” when it doesn’t directly buff or help or care about Oozes at all, but I see what you’re getting at. I like the homage to Acidic Slime, and I like that it gives you a bit of help towards filling your opponent’s graveyard. It’s not obnoxiously slapping you in the face with its ability, but it’s got some synergies there and it lets you decide if you want to go removal-heavy or do more of a mill-your-opponent style.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@runeofecstasy:
So my first thought was silver border because there are so many fun ways of tracking how long the game’s been going on. Then I thought about the piece and challenge itself, and what’s more villainous than taxes? And what happens when you don’t pay your taxes? So we have an evil (and probably overpowered) card. For awhile, this card was just named ‘Rhystic Study on Steroids’, and I think that’s a pretty accurate description.
I played Rhystic Tron a few times; it’s clunky and takes forever to play (especially online) and isn’t fun for anyone involved.
And you are correct, this card is far too overpowered as it stands, and other than the name referencing literal tax collection this card doesn’t feel very silver-bordered to me; an easy name swap and this is a Black-bordered card.
The first ability is really awkward to me: they cast a spell and you either get a counter or a card that you probably can’t do anything with, since you can’t cast spells outside of the color of mana you have and you can’t get the lands off of it (which is basically what they’re going to exile) so it makes weird, swingy situations like landfall did. I would actually cut the exiling and casting thing entirely, and just put a counter on this when your opponent casts a spell, no choice.
I actually like the second effect, even if it’s obnoxiously overpowered: I would probably have your opponent choose a certain number of permanents (five, perhaps) and you gain control of them, because leaving them with one land is basically ending the game in a way that’s going to draw it out for everyone.
I get the thought process behind the card, but like taxes, it ends up unwieldy and unnecessarily complicated.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@custommagiccardswithnonmagiclore:
The vibe of the card tells me to make a Soul card from M15, but the Soul doesn’t fit with the idea of slow growth so instead I came up with this idea.
Its first ability is how the red part of creature and player damage interwined with black’s gain life.
Its second ability is the reason it used +1/+1 counter, animating the soul to fight. I don’t think animating enchantment is a blue thing, but I chose blue because it’s the most proper color for the card after the other two color has been taken.
I think the last ability being blue is perfectly fine; it’s animated things before. Hey, if Awaken can be pushed into the color, I’m sure this is acceptable.
What I’m actually not so sure about is the first ability. It scales up so much over time, I would be afraid it would be run just as repeated creature removal that you don’t have to invest any more mana or resources into: pay three and let it do its thing, and even though it may be behind curve for when it hits the field, the fact that you’re gaining life will keep you alive long enough for this to spiral past your opponent’s creatures. It’s a very powerful effect, and ultimately detracts from what this card was going for.
I like the putting a +1/+1 counter on it, and I like paying to animate it, but there needs to be a different effect occurring when the counter goes on: what that could be, I’m not sure of, but it should definitely be something other than a slow-building repeatable removal spell.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@voicesofchaos:
So a land would make the most sense with this art but then the power level would be capped unless it had some massive drawback and art this cool feels like it needs some power to it. The next logical choice would be my beloved land aura or even the Futrue Sight mechanic Fortify but neither really fit the idea I had. So we are going with the actual tower being an artifact which is a little bit of a flavor stretch but it has been done before.
So Ferocious was one of the lowest rated mechanics in Khans Of Tarkir but that set had a lot of awesome stuff going to distract from it and I think in a more proper environment it could shine here.So here if you have a big villain (a creature with power 4 or greater) you can fill your base fodder minions or activate deadly traps.
I almost took the life loss off because this card has a lot of text and it felt a bit Black but I felt it helped balance it a little and made an interesting choice where you don’t automatically put the counter on if you don’t need another villain. The first effect was almost a Black skeleton but again wanted to keep this card colorless. The mana ability originally was going to have the rider that the mana could only be used to cast spells or activate abilities that target attacking creatures to really represent setting off “traps” but it seemed unnecessary as anything could be a trap, even summoning big creatures.
There is a lot going on here and a lot I almost changed but this time around I decided to trust my gut quite a bit.
I like this, I really do. It feels like an artifact, does a lot of cool things, and shows off a mechanic in a way that it couldn’t in its first execution. You’re right, though, that paying a life for the counter feels really weird, and I don’t think it needs that balancing touch: you could cut it and be just fine. I feel like I might have called it something other than “Villain’s Lair” because that sounds very land-like, but that’s something that can be roughed out over time; cards rarely keep their names forever when they go through design.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@thekillershrub:
Silver Border card. A good cartoon villain always has an unnecessarily large Doom Cannon and witty banter. Cheap and nonlegendary because the evil villain always has more, and always gets away! Think weird Darksteel Reactor.
I rarely ever get silver-bordered cards, and now I have two in one post! This must be a new record.
I definitely like the flavor you’re going for here: the big mastermind invention that the villain is going to (eventually) use to destroy the world, and like the classic cartoon hero, your opponent will have plenty of time to deal with you (or this) before it goes off. Ideally, the lava would be oozing out of the frame and into the textbox, but I don’t have the time to fancy it up like that.
Really, my biggest problem with this card is that you don’t have to say “Muhahaha” every time you put counters on it. I mean, come on! We’re going for an Un-card here, right? Keep the wackiness up!
And for those following along at home, it would be ten turns of doubling (without any tampering) for this to reach 1000. So if you played it on turn one, it goes off on turn 11. As a serious balancing concession, since most control decks wouldn’t be able to deal with this, I would have to push the mana cost up to three so there would be a reasonable chance of countering it.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@randomita:
no commentary
Pretty interesting design, essentially gathering counters from your creatures as they fall of, and eventually turning them into a massive effect. My first real qualm with it, though, is that they need to be some kind of counters, not just “counters;” charge counters is the default, but you can also use a custom one, as long as the name doesn’t bleed over onto another mechanic. Second, it feels like you have the power level of the two abilities completely backwards: it costs a ton and you have to sacrifice it for a little life drain, while it can be repeatedly used as a reanimation tool, as long as you can keep the counters flowing. The reanimation ability is the one that should be one-shot, and the draining really shouldn’t cost ten mana.
Hello again, everyone! Another day, another six entries into the CardsFromArt Challenge to check out! We’ve got a Planeswalker, some creatures, and even enchantments to take a look at today, so let’s dive in!
Art by Benjamin Ee
@palaguin:
When I saw the artwork I knew I had to create a Planeswalker. No Zombies so I made them spirits. For the second ability I almost created an emblem that that sacrificed itself to a target, but I caught myself in time. When I needed an ultimate I thought Armageddon and tried to fix it.
Although land animation isn’t exactly primary in these colors, I got a good chuckle out of turning the Swamps into White and Blue creatures. It feels like there is a big disconnect between the +1 and -6: ultimating Caryie basically makes her worthless. It’s an interesting direction for the Planeswalker, for sure, but it could do with some tweaking to make the abilities synergize more.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@thekillershrub:
I wanted to make a mass resurrection card with an interesting drawback. Mana cost is 1 less than something like Twilight’s Call, which is the same without the drawback. It is an enchantment so you (or an opponent) can strategically remove it to allow attacks.
For some reason, I really like the name and flavor with this card. Turning the corpses into “plants” that bloom from the graveyard is super cool. Unfortunately, while I see the thought process behind letting someone blow up this enchantment to let them start attacking, I’m, reminded of the plethera of creatures that destroy enchantments when they enter the battlefield, and that becomes much less about synergy and more about a two-card combo. I would take a page from Arbiter of the Ideal and make them permanently have defender, and just use the counters as memory devices.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@comparablesubstitute:
no commentary
Land tokens are an interesting concept, and taking a piece of technology from the BFZ Eldrazi Processors is a nice touch. I think I would like to see something else for that first ability: Valdia is basically unblockable and un-attack-into-able because it exiles anything that tries to have combat with it before any damage is dealt.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@linvala-the-memer:
Today at the MTG club I go to, a kid asked if you could enchant planeswalkers. I was inspired by the idea. Very simple but definatly an interesting concept that has alot of design space, even if auras are, by default, bad.
Planeswalkers are harder to get rid of than creatures, though, so I imagine an aura that enchants planeswalkers would be slighty better. And this is really a cool idea, but has a lot of issues on this specific card. First, White is the color of helping Planeswalkers: Black would prefer to just kill them; it’s mechanically in White and not Black, so it’s a color-pie break to put it in Black. Also, this effect may actually be busted: How many planeswalkers make creature tokens (or even multiple creature tokens) off of a 0 or + ability? This at least would only need to look at nontoken creatures.
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@crucibleofcustoms:
I’ll be honest: When I first saw the image, zombies never crossed my mind. Animated statues, on the other hand…
I opted to not have her be legendary, because the concept seemed like something that could happen on multiple planes. Maybe an Orzhov guild member on Ravnica, a noble on Innistrad, and so on.
And while the bonus challenge was a little hard (namely “sacrifice”), it wasn’t too bad. (If I may suggest a word for the future, perhaps “token”)
I like it. It’s pretty straight-forward for a Black rare, fits mechanically, and is an interesting tweak on the “turning to stone” flavor; if only the artowrk was a gorgon.
And as for the challenge suggestion, I’ll keep it in mind, but I did want to give you all some design space to play in ;)
Thanks for the submission! Two points!
@runeofecstasy:
I struggled a bit with the wording on this, but I think it worked out ok
Aside from the complete lack of periods, I believe the wording checks out ;)
Making the roses creatures is somewhat interesting, but this seems like a really good opportunity to borrow technology from Gold tokens to do something similar, maybe even just have them do the same thing. It could also help Vespera cost a bit less so she’s more castable. And good catch making it “nontoken creature” to keep this card from going infinite off of its own tokens dying.
here's to you Chris, for being the greatest boyfriend ever and making me ever so inclined to rant about you here. there's so much more that I can rant about but you already seem to know what I'm thinking. thank you for being a genuinely loving and caring person who is always there for me, especially when we are longer distance than usual right now and know it's way past your bedtime.
everyone deserves a person that loves them. I'm lucky to have found someone like him.
The fact that you are willing step away from your friends to answer any phone call or missed call from me means a lot. You have a perfect and good willed heart. That's why I love you. And you are the best muffin. You are. Just so you know while you scroll your tumblr today.
