Weekend Art ChallengeGreetings, artisans! Click through to see this weekend's art and the design requirements for your single card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, and everyone is encouraged to give feedback. You may use that feedback to revise your submission any number of times, though only the version rendered will be included in the review, if someone volunteers to render the cards.
Design a card for this art that shows one color complimenting, emulating, or mocking an ability primary only in another color. Try not to cross the hazy line into too much color bleed.
Ice-Eyed Dryad 1G
ReplyDeleteCreature - Dryad (rare)
Whenever a tapped creature doesn’t untap tapped during its controller’s untap step, put a +1/+1 counter on Ice-Eyed Dryad and you gain 2 life.
2/2
Very nice. This is a little blunt, but that's not a bad thing.
DeleteMy only concern is that this is so obviously a build-around effect, that many newer players might assume the triggering effect is in these colors because of how blunt it is. It's a neat learning lesson when they see it's actually in other colors - and are thus encouraged to make a multicolor deck - but still might be confusing to them.
Other than that minor issue, this is a very nice design.
Is the "tapped" extraneous?
Delete@Inanimate: I understand your concerns, but I feel there's a place for this type of cards, and they're worth the possible confusion. Also for this reason it is at rare, whereas the effect could have been at uncommon.
Delete@Tommy, yeah the second "tapped" is a typo, nice eye!
Ice-Eyed Dryad 1G
Creature - Dryad (rare)
Whenever a tapped creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step, put a +1/+1 counter on Ice-Eyed Dryad and you gain 2 life.
2/2
No yeah, I totally agree that this is a printable card and definitely suited towards rare. I was just noting a possible issue - but not one I think will be a problem. (:
DeleteDelgrifa, Soul Evoker (rare)
ReplyDelete2G
Legendary Creature - Dryad Shaman
Exile a creature card from your hand and pay its mana cost: Search your library and/or cards outside the game for a creature card with the same mana cost as the exiled card. You may cast that spell without paying its mana cost. If you searched your library in this way, shuffle it. (Mana cost includes color.)
2/2
Uhhhh, trying to figure out what this is doing...
DeleteDoes it let you cast the creature at any speed, or does it still have to be cast with the spell's normal timing? If it does, then this is a way to do flash, I guess.
Other than that, the only thing I can see is that this... thins your deck? I don't know why you'd want to get a card from outside of the game, though...
And I'm totally clueless as to what mechanic this is referencing or complimenting.
This is a direct reference to another card. (The original card is not green.)
DeleteAs for which one...I don't want to spoil the fun. : )
Evan Jones: OH MY GOD I AM AN IDIOT AND I AM SO SORRY.
DeleteI saw "same NAME", not "same MANA" - stupid brain rearranged the letters on me!! Okay, I see what you're doing now - and it's awesome.
I also see the reference you're making, I think. (:
I didn't even notice the name was a direct reference when I first saw it.
DeleteCinderheart Paladin 1WW
ReplyDeleteCreature - Human Knight (R)
First strike
Whenever Cinderheart Paladin would be dealt noncombat damage, instead prevent that damage and you gain that much life.
3/3
Very nice. I like the flavor a lot. This does seem very pushed, though. A 3/3 with first strike for 1WW is already unprecedented and super difficult to kill in combat, and preventing it from being killed with noncombat damage pushes it way over the top.
DeleteHowever, disregarding development - which isn't really the focus here - this is fantastic design. Nice job!
Regarding being easier to kill in combat, it's likely better and more fitting with the art with a different class/ability.
DeleteCinderheart Wanderer 1WW
Creature - Human Cleric (R)
Vigilance
Whenever Cinderheart Wanderer would be dealt noncombat damage, instead prevent that damage and you gain that much life.
3/3
Could even go all-out on the art and make it a green dryad/elf, but I feel like the card works nicer in white.
This is Purity, but for itself instead of you? What nonwhite color is being evoked here?
DeleteMeant to be complimenting a deck full of Earthquake and Pyroclasm-type effects.
DeleteQueen's Blessing W
ReplyDeleteEnchantment - Aura
Enchant permanent
Spells that target enchanted permanent have lifelink and scry 1.
...does this work?
Maybe "gain" instead of "have"? That's an odd corner case, but there's nothing inherently taboo here. The intent is completely plausible and IMO sweet as hell.
DeleteMy only concern is that it's so narrow, only W/R can fully utilize it (arguably W/B but much less efficiently) and that by doing so it's a 1-for-2 or you are turning valuable removal spells into life gain/card selection.
Great mechanical area to explore, the payoff here is a little curious and underwhelming.
Woah. This is weird...
DeleteSo, this seems like it's meant to work well with global damage. Judging by that, it'll work with green Windstorm effects, red Pyroclasm effects, Lightmine Field, and... I can't find much else.
Still, super interesting. And it does let you convert burn into lifegain and scry, as long as the enchanted permanent is tough enough.
What's the flavor of this, by the way?
This ought to say "instant and sorcery" spells, right?
DeleteThe scry 1 is rather underwhelming. You're already jumping through hoops to get this card to do anything at all, at least let me upgrade my Gods Willing on my heroic guy.
Yeah, I was trying to figure out a "boon if you target" that could synchronize with U/G hexproof and/or R burn, but white's rewards are hard to get right and the card quickly become confusing if you add too much.
DeleteForgetting this card for my submission further down.
This card had me thinking, challenge criteria aside:
DeleteCost: C, C/D, or 1C
Spells you control cost 2 less to target enchanted permanent.
Spells you don't control cost an additional 2 to target enchanted permanent.
Seems legit, no? Would be better as an equipment I think.
Silly first attempt: Mocking
ReplyDeleteBrave Companion 3G
Creature- Elf
Unflappable (this creature may block creatures with menace as if they didn't have menace.)
2/4
That's a nice evergreen keyword you have there. It would be a shame if something hosed it.
DeleteIsn't this mocking reach, which is already a green keyword?
DeleteIt was mocking the revolving door of fear-intimidate-menace with green tools.
DeleteAnyways, official submission:
If at all possible, I'd prefer the art to be rotated on its side (so that she appears to be laying down)
Tabula Rasa. U
Instant
When target creature dies this turn it's controller puts a token that's a copy of it onto the battlefield tapped.
This is using blue tools to reproduce regeneration (originally spell regen was in white then moved around into black and green). It isn't an exact match, because you lose any counters or attached permanents but the name (clean slate) implies that that's sort of intended/expected.
Flavor text: Let's try this again.
DeleteTabula Rasa seems fine. We've seen something very similar in False Demise.
DeleteBlue already has pseudoregeneration in flickering. Generating a token and sending the original to the graveyard is extra bookkeeping without a lot of extra gameplay.
DeleteFalse demise was a great catch! I forgot about that little guy...
DeleteMy first go at this didn't involve a death trigger. How about:
Exile target creature. It's controller puts a token that's a copy of it onto the battlefield [tapped?].
Still emulating regen, however poorly. This negates the option to deal combat damage and stick around, but it does something unique: downgrading an actual card into a token.
I know blue gets cloning, but since this is effectively Cloudshift, and white is the king of token making, could this be W instead of U?
DeleteI suppose an arguement COULD be made, but blue gets cloudshift too (Ghostly Flicker)
DeleteTicklewood Dryad {1}{G}
ReplyDeleteCreature - Dryad
Entice [i](Creatures with entice must by blocked if able before creatures without entice.)[/i]
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to ~ by creatures blocking or blocked by it.
1/2
I can't quite figure out what ability this is referencing.
DeleteThe card seems very good with any sort of buff. If the damage-prevention was symmetric - a la Fog Elemental and its ilk - it would be better balanced. As it is, it's fine on its own, but with literally any form of buff it can get out of hand.
Also, if you make this unblockable, your entire team is unblockable. Is that intentional?
DeleteFeywood Dryad {3}{G}
ReplyDeleteCreature - Dryad Nymph
~ can be blocked only by artifact creatures or equipped creatures.
2/2
"Iron wounds the fey, and silver binds them. Too bad no metal known to man outright kills them."
— Eurech, guardian of Bontnewydd
Notes: This is emulating/mocking both flying and intimidate. I liked the flavor of capturing the old trope that the fay are weak to "cold iron" and silver, and how it handily paralleled intimidate. Also, sidenote - I wonder, if Magic ever does the 'fey court' thing, what creatures types they'd use? Faeries, Elves, and Nymphs is my guess.
Woops, forgot the rarity. I'm thinking common. Would you guys agree with this?
DeleteIn a vacuum this seems fine at common. In a 'fey court' set, it would depend on how many artifacts there are -- if there's an intentionally low number for flavor reasons, it feels better at uncommon, and if the support is only there for a few archetypes, it might actually end up emulating landwalk/intimidate more closely than intended!
DeleteI'm not actually sure why Nymph has its own creature type.
Jenesis: There are other kinds of nymph than just Dryads. There are Oreads, Lampads, Naiads, etc.
DeleteAs in why not Spirit, Elemental, etc. (Then again, Theros did create the Sable creature type for one card when Magic already had a perfectly serviceable Ferret creature type.)
DeleteJenesis: Flavor, I would assume. But I see your point now.
DeleteSeedtime - 1G
ReplyDeleteInstant - Rare
Cast Seedtime only during your turn.
Take an extra turn after this one if an opponent cast a blue spell this turn.
Part of me wants this to be uncounterable. I'm running it through my head and that doesn't seem unreasonable in older formats, and hopefully this would never see play in standard. Green does already get Explore, right?
DeletePretty good art for this card.
DeletePasteur: Do note this is already a card. (:
DeleteIt is kinda interesting that so much of 'take an extra' turn is green: playing another land, untapping permanents, and drawing a card. (This card draw is questionable, but is pretty much cantrip, so...)
The only tricky part is the extra combat.... could green get an 'extra turn' spell if it skipped your combat phase? Hm...
Tranquility Dryad 1GW
ReplyDeleteCreature - Dryad (R)
Flash
If a spell or ability an opponent controls counters or causes you to discard another creature card, put it onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your graveyard.
2/2
Nice! Very nice :)
DeleteSo, Loxodon Smiter meets Containment Priest? I can dig it.
DeleteYep, this is very nice :)
DeleteChief's Troll 2G
ReplyDeleteCreature - Troll (C)
Trample
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
3/1
3/1 trample ophidian is bad ass! Not sold on the troll subtype, tho. Not that there's a strong flavor for this ability in green, but troll implies some combination of regeneration and/or hexproof. 2G seems really good. Not good enough for older formats but a house in limited
DeleteThe Troll subtype is just to make the anagram work. It would not actually be a troll.
DeleteMan, I was completely oblivious of the reference until you pointed out.
DeleteThis name is top notch! And the card is great too. (:
DeleteSadly I think this card is probably an uncommon, which ruins the symmetry a bit!
DeleteThis challenge is especially difficult for me. Another color doing it's version of a thing it can't do is very common design. We see it in every set. Green doesn't have removal, but it's got fight. Red can't gain life, so it prevents all players from gaining life. Blue doesn't have removal, so it polymorphs creatures. White doesn't draw cards, but it can generate multiple permanents from a single spell. Anyway, I'm riffing off these ideas, but nothing is sticking, and most of the designs I come up with don't look like they have an inspiration. I'm really stumped.
ReplyDeleteBased on this Blogatog post
Deletehttp://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/113021236168/just-curious-what-do-you-think-the-other-sins
And riffing off Cairn Wanderer and Soulflayer, here's some Deady Sin of Envy:
Scion of Envy (RARE)
2BB
Creature - Avatar
3/3
At the beginning of each upkeep, Scion of Envy gains flying until end of turn if a creature not named Scion of Envy has flying. The same is true for deathtouch, double strike, first strike, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, prowess, reach, trample, and vigilance.
You get a discount since the card has a serious shields down moment each upkeep and does nothing on its own.
I think this would feel more black if it only copied the abilities of creatures you don't control. As it is, it feels a little too white or blue. (Concerted Effort being the precedence in white)
DeleteHowever, this isn't a necessary change - note that the OP simply stated it had to 'complement', and this certainly complements a lot of mechanics outside of black!
I originally want to make this Blue, but both the recent examples of the effect are Black, the concept of Envy (according to Maro) are Black, and the amount of color bleed would be greater for Blue (Black at least has most of these keywords.) Anyway, I can certainly see it only copying keywords from opponent's creatures. But how weak and unappealing is that card? Super bad, right? At least you can build around this if you are able to absorb the keywords of your own creatures.
DeleteIt's been pointed out to me that since it's an upkeep trigger Haste should be removed from the list, I was also told since it's until end of turn "not named Scion of Envy" is unnecessary text. I'm going to keep haste, but change the trigger and I'll remove the "not named NAME" text.
Scion of Envy (RARE)
2BB
Creature - Avatar
3/3
When Scion of Envy enters the battlefield, and at the beginning of each upkeep, it gains flying until end of turn if another creature has flying. The same is true for deathtouch, double strike, first strike, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, prowess, reach, trample, and vigilance.
Grove Witch 1G
ReplyDeleteCreature - Elf Wizard (u)
Whenever an opponent casts a noncreature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
As long as ~ has a +1/+1 counter --
T: ~ fights target creature.
2/2
Isn't this like, super duper strong? It starts as a bear that can grow whenever your opponent casts a noncreature spell - which is already quite powerful. But then it also gains the ability to remove a smaller thing every turn. Yikes!
DeleteBesides the power level - which is a development issue - I do like the card. I worry about repeatable fight on a big creature, though. I think the reason we haven't seen it yet is because it's simply too oppressive.
The goal is to work against Prowess creatures, which so far have been pushed pretty hard. The way I look at it, it's a bear with no protection from removal and no ETB effect, so it needs some push to be playable in standard.
DeleteWould this ruin Limited (and therefore belongs at MR)? Or is it harder to trigger than it looks? Should it only fight creatures without flying, maybe?
"No protection from removal" - Although note that a Shock won't kill it.
DeleteI'd worry about how many other sources of +1/+1 counters there are in the environment. If not many, it's probably fine.
Hold Still 2W
ReplyDeleteInstant (R)
Until end of turn, players' hand size can't change. (Players can't draw cards, discard cards, cast spells from their hand, or otherwise put cards into or out of their hand).
I don't know if the rules for this work, but it certainly is interesting!
DeleteMesmerize 2WW
ReplyDeleteInstant
Target player can't draw cards, cast spells, activate abilities, or attack this turn.
Rare, obviously
DeleteThe precedence for this all seems very white (Orim's Chant etc), except for the draw-step-discard effect. Was that the "complementing another colour's effects" bit you had in mind?
DeleteIsn't this just a four mana Time Warp when Time Warp is already considered pushing the boundary at 5 mana?
DeleteYou opponents do get to untap and get upkeep triggers, making it worse than time walk. The cost is nice.
DeleteYes, this is White doing time warp. That said, your opponent does get to make their land drop, play spells in response, and most importantly untap. It's also a very different card in a multiplayer game, which makes it much safer at 4.
DeleteAs for the "can't draw" part, it's a bit of a stretch. White does/did get Spirit of the Labyrinth, Lapse of Certainty, Banishment Decree, and Excommunicate. So it's not completely outside the color pie.
Ahh the land drop, I thought I must be forgetting something. I don't think "worse in multiplayer" affects the costing here, though.
DeleteEyes of the Forest 1G
ReplyDeleteInstant (U)
Whenever a creature is returned to your hand from the battlefield this turn, draw a card.
The name needs work (Ambush something?). Complimenting blue's bouncing obviously, although it also works in color with green's occasional self-bouncing. Feedback appreciated as always.
I was intrigued with this challenge, I love thinking of ways to explore the colour pie further without challenging it. But I couldn't think of anything good.
ReplyDeleteSo, let's use a reprint, G with a self-life-loss ability:
Elves of Deep Shadow G
Creature - Elf Druid
{T}: Add {B} to your mana pool. Elves of Deep Shadow deals 1 damage to you.
I can do the renders this week
ReplyDeleteDone
Delete