GDS3 Discussions: Jeremy Geist's Challenge 5 Submission

(These posts are being backdated for administrative purposes. They were not disclosed to nor published on this site prior to their publication on the mothership. You can read the judge commentary on Jeremy's submission on his official GDS page)




CONTESTANT COMMENTS

While it was tough to decide on a creature type for Challenge #1, this challenge was easy. Khans of Tarkir has a lot of meaning for me: it's my favorite set (and thus the one I'm most familiar with), has my favorite mechanic (morph), and was released around the point I began designing tabletop games in earnest. Its mechanics also interlock in a really satisfying way, which makes it fun to design for.

It was tough to find a good balance between "new cards" with "cards that work in the existing set environment." I don't know where the inspiration came from, but I eventually decided to treat the challenge like I was designing Khans of Tarkir in an alternate timeline where everything was slightly different. Some of the cards are alternate interpretations of cards in the set, while others interact with the existing themes in new ways. I also tried to hit the as-fans of an average Khans pack.

Since this is my last blurb, I want to thank my playtesters for being so helpful and generous with their time, and thank the judges for choosing me. This has been the hardest game design work I've ever done, but also the most rewarding. I am immensely grateful.

Favorite card from this batch: Forest.

Just kidding. Kaisham Trickster. I saved an uncommon slot specifically to play with the five-mana-morph rule and I'm pleased with its elegance.

1) Forest
Basic Land — Forest

2) Shearing Speed (common)
W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has first strike.
R: Enchanted creature gains haste until end of turn.

3) Ainok Companion (common)
3W
Creature — Hound Warrior
2/3
When Ainok Companion enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on another target Warrior you control.

4) Taigam's Studies (common)
2U
Instant
Draw two cards. Then discard a card unless you exile three cards from your graveyard.

5) Aven Skytracer (common)
4U
Creature — Bird Monk
3/2
Flying
Morph URW

6) Salt Road Bandit (common)
2B
Creature — Human Rogue
2/2
CARDNAME can't be blocked by face-down creatures.

7) Tear Apart (common)
3BB
Sorcery
Destroy target creature.
Raid – That creature's controller loses 2 life if you attacked with a creature this turn.

8) Temur Forager (common)
1R
Creature — Human
1/3
Ferocious — T, discard a card: Draw a card. Activate this ability only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.

10) Hidden Strength (common)
1G
Instant
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If it's face down, it also gains indestructible until end of turn.

10) Scouting Report (common)
2G
Sorcery
Search your library for two basic land cards with different names, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

11) Three-Section Staff (common)
Artifact — Equipment
2
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, untap equipped creature.
Equip 1

12) Rakshasa's Rites (uncommon)
3B
Enchantment
Whenever one or more cards are put into exile from your graveyard, you may pay 2. If you do, target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

13) Kaisham Trickster (uncommon)
3R
Creature — Efreet Monk
4/2
1U: Switch Kaisham Trickster's power and toughness until end of turn.
Morph 2R

14) Dragonclaw Trophy (uncommon)
1
Artifact
1, T: Add G, U, or R.
3GUR, T, sacrifice Dragonclaw Trophy: Create a 4/4 green Bear creature token. Activate this ability only when you could cast a sorcery.

15) Vengeful Ancestor (mythic rare)
2WBG
Creature — Spirit
1/4
Outlast 1WBG
Whenever you activate Vengeful Ancestor's outlast ability, exile target creature with power less than or equal to Vengeful Ancestor's until Vengeful Ancestor leaves the battlefield.