Friday, December 2, 2016

Weekend Design Challenge 120216

Click through to see the design requirements for your single card submission, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, which you may use to revise your submission any number of times. I will aim to review the most recent submission from each designer.

Design a card that can serve multiple tribes, preferably any tribe the player chooses (but failing that, nail the flavor).

41 comments:

  1. Schooling
    U
    Enchantment - Rare
    Creatures you control can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control unless they pay X, where X is the number of creatures you control that share a creature type with the targeted creature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When I saw the notification for this, all the linebreaks were removed and I thought it started "Rare creatures you control…"

      Nice. Is the G or U?

      Delete
    2. I originally was making a version that just gave hexproof to creatures that shared a creature type with another creature and it was bant, so a good argument for any of the three. I chose U mainly for flavor.

      Delete
    3. I agree with the choice of U, for flavor and because of mechanical precedent (Diffusion Sliver and Frost Titan).

      Proposed re-templating:

      Whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter that spell or ability unless its controller pays {1} for each other creature you control that shares a creature type with that creature.

      Not sure if "other" was intended by the original template or not. Also, wow is this ability clunky to word.

      Delete
    4. Other was intended - do creatures share a creature type with themselves or can the "other" be elided?

      Delete
    5. Clarity is worth a word, regardless.

      Delete
    6. Konda's Banner says that a creature shares a creature type with itself.

      Delete
    7. REVIEW
      Schooling gives your creatures taxproof, based on the number you have that match, so it works with any tribe and can actually very quickly become "All your creatures have hexproof" for tribal decks focused on critical mass. My guess is this needs to cost more as a result, but I love the flavor this name and effect affect and how it works for any tribe.

      Delete
  2. Adoptive Angel 3WW
    Creature - Angel (U)
    Flying
    When Adoptive Angel enters the battlefield choose a non-Angel creature type, then create a 1/1 white creature token of that type.
    1W: Target creature of the chosen type becomes indestructible until end of turn.
    3/3

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    Replies
    1. I kind of want to focus either on creating an adoptee and protecting that (in which case we set the type) or not creating anything, but choosing a type to protect.

      Delete
    2. I don't really see the harm in letting players choose what to protect, it's certainly a lot funnier to concept the card as the angel adopting a squirrel or horror token.

      Blanket protection of a creature type is awkward in a tribal deck. Like Angel of Flight Alabaster could be fun in a spirit deck, but because it doesn't actually work with the others spirit tribal cards like Lords it's left on the bench.

      Delete
    3. I agree. I'm suggesting Adoptive Angel should either make a token or choose a creature type; that doing both feels like two cards.

      Delete
    4. I disagree. The top-down story that the current text box tells is resonant enough that it doesn't feel stapled together.

      Delete
    5. I'm a fan, I was going for a top down guardian angel.

      Delete
    6. When does a guardian angel show up in any story and then introduce whom they're guarding? Usually we meet the person who needs an angel first.

      Delete
    7. An angel becomes friends with a squirrel and becomes the patron saint of squirrels

      Delete
    8. I don't think the current story is *bad*, but I agree with Jay, for me it doesn't add anything over either alone. If it chose an *existing* creature and protected that and all shared, that would work for me. But the token just seems like a random extra (especially because you choose the token to match the type yuo have, not vice versa).

      Delete
    9. REVIEW
      Adoptive Angel comes with a 1/1 of any creature type (including Dragon, Eldrazi and Demon) and can protect that creature—and anything that reminds her of it—for 1W. This clearly plays well with any tribe, though best with angels (because then it can protect itself). As seen above, I feel this card is doing one more thing than it needs to to be unique, evocative, or attractive.

      Delete
  3. 2 Binding Cirrus
    Creature - elemental - uncommon
    When Binding Cirrus enters the battlefield choose a creature type. Creatures under your control are the type chosen until Binding Cirrus leaves the battlefield.

    Creature cards you own that are not in play are the chosen type.
    Flying
    1/2

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Borrow Conspiracy's oracle text:

      Creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield, creature spells you control, and creatures you control are the chosen type.

      Or for simplicity (at the cost of clarity and thoroughness):
      Creature cards you own are the chosen type.

      Delete
    2. REVIEW
      Binding Cirrus is Conspiracy on a colorless non-artifact creature. Why that creature isn't a shapeshifter, I can't imagine. I'm also not sure why it only costs 2 or needs flying. But the core design of a Conspiracy-on-a-stick has a lot of potential in general.

      It can bring a lot of diversity to tribal decks by making everything your tribe. Does that count for choose-a-tribe formats?

      Delete
  4. Vorr, Community Builder
    4G
    Planeswalker (M)
    +1: Create a 1/1 creature token with all creature types.
    -2: Choose a creature type. Each creature you control of that type gain trample and get +X/+X where X is its power until end of turn.
    -6: Search your library for any number of creature cards with different names that share a creature type, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Shuffle your library.
    [4]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The +1 ability needs to define a color (or colorless).

      Also, just spitballing here, but it would be cool if the creature type was locked in and wasn't re-chosen every time. For example:

      When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
      +1: Create a colorless 1/1 creature token of the chosen type.
      -2: Each creature of the chosen type gains trample and gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is its power.
      -6: Search your library for any number of creature cards of the chosen type with different names. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand, then shuffle your library.

      Huh, I guess that isn't really more concise. But it feels more natural somehow.

      Delete
    2. REVIEW
      I could see two ways to manifest a "Community Builder:"
      Either you do what Ipaulsen said, and choose a single type and go all in on building a community of that type;
      Or you build a community of many types, rewarding diversity. Like a Reverse Coat of Arms or Anti-Sliver ("Creatures you control gain all abilities of creatures you control that don't share a type with them, except characteristic-setting abilities.")

      This planeswalker's first ability is weak for 4G. Make it a 2/2. Their second ability is nice, but the fact that it keys off of power (rather than grating a static bonus) gives it minimal synergy with the +1 ability. The last ability is lovely. It's a very good sign for an ultimate when players want it to be a card of its own.

      Vorr plays a clear role in any green tribal deck, which actually makes me wish the +1 cloned a creature (but that's too much for a +1 at 5cc).

      Delete
  5. Fe Fi Fo Fum 2R
    Sorcery (Rare)
    As an additional cost to cast CARDNAME, reveal any number of creature cards that share a creature type from your hand.
    CARDNAME deals X damage to each creature, where X is the number of cards revealed this way.

    For all of the Giant / Dragon / Hydra fans out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. REVIEW
      This is a pretty niche red card, because it's ideal in a control deck that's tribal, especially one with tough creatures, like giants and dragons. You wouldn't play it an aggro goblins deck because it'll kill your team and you don't really want to have cards in hand to reveal. Minotaurs might actually be able to pull this off for mid-range, with their relatively low cost and high toughness.

      Making it count cards revealed rather than creatures in play is a bit out of character for red, as is getting to choose how many cards to reveal, but not so much I'd say red can't do this when it needs to.

      Delete
  6. Patronus {1}{W}
    Creature - Illusion (Rare)
    Flash
    Flying
    As CARDNAME enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
    CARDNAME is the chosen type in addition to its other types.
    2, Sacrifice CARDNAME: Creatures you control of the chosen type gain indestructible until end of turn.
    1/3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. REVIEW
      We can create the illusion of any creature at any time, but it's 1/3 flyer, and we can sack it to save other creatures of that type.

      White can flash and fly and martyr itself, but the illusion part is throwing me. I feel like this needs to be {W}{U} in order to do all of that and be an illusion/shapeshifter.

      I kind of enjoy the categorization of a patronus as an illusion—and it's definitely white—but while patroni vary among witches, a given wizard can only make one kind of patronus, and it's not even their choice.

      "Choose a creature type. Creatures of that type gain indestructible until EOT" feels more direct to me.

      Delete
  7. Strength in Numbers {4}{W}
    Enchantment (Rare)
    If there are more creatures of one creature type than there are of any other, all creatures of that type get +2/+2.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This title wants to be green, but the effect is pretty white and the title does describe the effect. Maybe GW? Anyhow, this is a big bonus conditional on something players enjoy doing, and it works for any tribe. Sweet.

      Delete
  8. Orphaned Xabalchoth 2B
    Creature - Beast Horror (R)
    Trample
    Imprint - As an additional cost to cast CARDNAME, exile a creature card from your hand.
    CARDNAME can't attack or block unless you control another creature that shares a creature type with the exiled card.
    5/6

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. REVIEW
      How do you pronounce Xabalchoth?

      This horror asks you to have two cards of the same creature type, to discard one, and to keep the other in play. If you can do that, you get a 5/6 for {2}{B}.

      That's a pretty big ask for something that "dies to Doom Blade" but it's very possible to cast this on turn 3 (or 2 if you go GB elves) and swing for 5 the next turn.

      I believe this has 6 toughness specifically because we want it to be resilient enough to make your effort worthwhile. It might be. IDK: I think the audience for this is a bit narrow and could be opened up with some alternate use ("or make your opponent discard and hope it's a mirror match"), increased flavor (it becomes a creature of that type or hunts them), lower cost, or bigger payout (an etb or ltb effect).

      Delete
  9. Duplication Engine 3
    Artifact - Rare
    2, Tap: Choose a creature in play. Create a 1/1 creature token that shares that shares the chosen creature card's colors and creature types.

    Phyrexia watermark.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Compulsive templating update:

      2, T: Create a token that's a copy of target creature, except that it's a 1/1 and loses all abilities.

      I like how this is subtly relevant to tribal but still works just fine in a vacuum (assuming that worldbuilding can justify the flavor, which Phyrexia definitely can). Great for Ally decks in particular.

      Delete
    2. I don't want this to require a target since then it could fail. Maybe the clone idea is better though since it justifies the flavor better.

      2, T: Create a token copy of a creature except it's a 1/1 and loses all abilities.

      Delete
    3. REVIEW
      Like Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII or Volrth's Laboratory but it requires you already have a creature in play and is cheaper.

      Still weird to make 1/1 giants, gods, eldrazi, etc, but otherwise real solid.

      Delete
  10. Rooting Spriggans 2G
    2/2 Faerie (unc)
    At the beginning of combat on your turn, choose a creature type. Until end of turn, attacking creatures of that type get +1/+1.
    http://goblinartisans.blogspot.com/2016/12/ccdd-120516rooting-spriggans.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. Open Season
    Enchantment
    When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, name a creature type. Whenever a creature with the chosen creature type dies, draw a card.

    ReplyDelete