Hey Artisans. Click through to see the requirements for this weekend's design challenge, due Monday morning. Every submission warrants feedback, so once you've got your great idea down, give some thoughtful critique to some of your peers. Revise your submission any number of times, and, time permitting, I'll review the most recent submission from each designer.
Back in September, I ran a challenge where you had to take one of the Guilds of Ravnica keywords, move it to a different guild, and design a Rare or Mythic rare card around it. This week we're doing the same, but for Ravnica Allegiance keywords. So take Addendum, Afterlife, Spectacle, Riot, or Adapt, and move them into any guild that doesn't share a color with the actual home guild.
Because this batch of keywords have names that are so fundamentally tied to their guild, feel free to rename the mechanic to be more appropriate to the new guild. It does have to remain mechanically identical though.
Good luck, have fun, and I'll see you all Monday.
Because this batch of keywords have names that are so fundamentally tied to their guild, feel free to rename the mechanic to be more appropriate to the new guild. It does have to remain mechanically identical though.
Good luck, have fun, and I'll see you all Monday.
Jhessian Envoy 4UG
ReplyDeleteCreature - Human Rogue (u)
Spectacle UG
~ can't be blocked.
When ~ deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
The spies of Jhess knew the best use for Valeron's battlefield pageantry was as a diversion.
1/1
Oh drat, it's "guild" not "pair", and "rare". Oh well! Sometimes you just follow the design where it goes.
DeleteI think you could bump down the mana cost a bit. It would feel bad to pay 6 mana for a 1/1 no matter what. Also ug would be much, much more dependent on creatures for this effect than RB is, which isn't necessarily bad but it's definitely something worth noting.
DeleteI agree with Stormtide that this probably wouldn't break anything at 5 mana base. I also think that, despite accidentally not designing a rare, you accidentally designed a rare. One of the GDS3 multiple choice questions (51-53 Junkpile Engineer) seems particularly pertinent. The repeated card draw would make me put this at rare in Set Design. Play design might put it at U, but that's the kind of thing we ought to be somewhat conservative about.
DeleteIn the context of Bant, Spectacle is a weird choice, since it has no real ways to cheat some damage or life loss in other than combat. Still, having an unblockable Scroll Thief would play very nicely with Exalted, and I like the way this looks on a return to Alara.
Breakdown:
ReplyDeleteAddendum: Gruul or Rakdos
Afterlife: Simic or Gruul
Spectacle: Azorius or Simic
Riot: Azorius or Orzhov
Adapt: Rakdos or Orzhov
Or are we also allowed to shift into Guilds guilds?
DeleteI went back and looked at the previous challenge, and we were allowed to use any of the qualifying other guilds (I put mentor in Simic).
DeleteRiot is a tough one! It actually cannot go in Azorius mechanically because neither of those colors have access to haste. It has to be a black guild, so only Orzhov or Dimir. I'm actually thinking of trying to make a quirky Dimir riot card.
did someone say A CHALLENGE
DeleteDovin's Arrester WU
Creature - Vedalken Wizard (R)
Riot
Vigilance
1, T: Tap target creature. If Dovin's Arrester has a +1/+1 counter on it, that creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
"Unprecendented? Look around you. I agree."
0/2
MaRo: But that's against the rules for blue and white!
DeleteDovin Baan [tenting fingers]: We will decide what the rules are now. [Gestures for guards to take MaRo away.]
I don't really have much of a problem with the Arrester from a color pie perspective. When haste is used on a 0 power creature strictly so you can use its ability (Bonded Fetch), or to make for better gameplay for other mechanics (Awaken, Suspend) it generally doesn't cause color pie waves.
DeleteIf Riot were renamed and used this way across a handful of cards in a set, I'd be fully on board with it. This particular card does seem a little oppressive and kind of unfun. A higher activation cost (3+) would help, since using it would tie up a lot of your mana. Otherwise completely locking down my two best creatures can take it's toll on fun.
That's a fair criticism. I was concerned that "gimmicky tapper" wasn't selling rare on mechanics alone and may have gone overboard pushing the power level.
DeleteHelp, I may be crossing the streams too much.
ReplyDeleteRakdos Flaydancer - RB
Creature - Human Shaman (rare)
Menace
Pay 3 life: Adapt 2.
If an opponent lost life this turn, you may adapt Rakdos Flaydancer this turn as though it had no counters.
3/1
Oh wait. That's a big ol' nope on the casting cost. You could play it on turn 2 and immediately adapt into a 5/3 menacer.
DeleteI originally had adapt as typical mana cost but decided to be clever and it backfired.
Rakdos Flaydancer - RB
Creature - Human Shaman (rare)
Menace
2RB: Adapt 2.
If an opponent lost life this turn, you may adapt Rakdos Flaydancer this turn as though it had no counters.
3/1
I really like where this design ended up, although I'm a little concerned about the sense of helplessness that can quickly set in after a boost or two with Menace on the card. I would drop menace, and maybe add a mana (or an additional life payment, like it first had) to the adapt cost.
DeleteThat's a great use of adapt, and nicely demonstrates how it could easily be... adapted... to other guilds.
Armed Spy
ReplyDeleteCreature - Human Wizard Rouge
Riot, defender
3B T: target creature gets -x/-x until end of turn where X is ~'s power
3U T: scry X where X is ~'s toughness, draw a card
(U/B): ~ gets +2/-2 until end of turn
2/3
cost it at 2UB
DeleteI think this card's way too powerful on its own (especially the -x/-x ability) but I do like the application of Riot here on a tap-down creature to create a different kind of tension than how it's applied to Gruul. It's actually kind of like addendum in a way. Do you reeeeally need to use this now or can you wait for the proper time and have a more powerful effect?
DeleteAt 4cmc with a 4 mana activation, how often are you actually going to give this creature haste?
DeleteFeels very busy. You could nix the two keyword abilities and there would be enough going on. Since the keyword is the point of the challenge, maybe remove defender and the +2/-2? There's enough modes on this thing already - let players pump its power by finding other cards to combo with it.
Taking the idea but making it UW
DeletePaper Pushing Clerk 3UW
Creautre- Vedalkin Advisor
Defender, Riot
T: target Opponent put the top X cards of thier graveyard into thier library where X is ~'s Power
T: return target creature with converted mana cost Y or less from an opponent's graveyard to the battlefield under you control, where Y is ~'s toughness
2/3
Taking the idea but making it Simpler
Prepared Agent 1UB
Creature - Human Wizard Rouge
Riot
T: Draw cards equal to ~'s power then discard a card
1/4
Tweaked to balance the haste vs counter
DeletePrepared Agent UB
Creature - Human Wizard Rouge
Riot
T: Draw cards equal to ~'s power then discard that many card's
1/3
Very nice iteration there. The first version was kind of a mess, but it had the fundamentals of what you were looking for, and you ended up with a nice, clean riot card that wants you to be in a control deck over a aggro one. Very cool.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFinal Punishment 2RB
ReplyDeleteInstant (R)
Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.
Addendum — If you cast this spell during your main phase, sacrifice that creature at the beginning of your next end step.
Definitely a bend to have an instant speed threaten effect outside of blue, but I do like the symmetry that a creature is probably going to die no matter when you cast this.
Turn Against says this is fine in red. It might not even need to be rare. Very reminiscent of Macabre Mockery (also uncommon).
DeleteTurn Against Macabre Mockery
DeleteThis card does not seem like it creates very interesting decisions. Instant speed threaten is already exciting because you can likely kill the creature you are stealing by blocking with it, which is somewhat redundant with the sorcery speed bonus.
DeleteCan the sorcery speed mode deal damage in some way?
At rare, I'd be very excited to see "take an extra combat step".
I kind of figured that the decision would be whether or not you'd like to attack or block with the creature before it dies, but yes, I imagine that a "take an extra combat step" option would be pretty cool. The trick would be to balance both options so they both see use.
DeleteAzorius Lawmage {1}{W}{U}
ReplyDeleteCreature - Vedalken Mage (Rare)
Intel {2}{W}{U} (You may cast this spell for its intel cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.)
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may exile target creature until end of turn. If CARDNAME's intel cost was paid, instead exile that creature until CARDNAME leaves the battlefield.
2/4
This is a neat design, There is a lot of work to enable this as you have to be able to damage the opponent before spending your mana (outside of direct damage) but the base effecct is still a fine/strong blink effect on a good body.
DeleteI like the idea of spying by doing damage and it fits in to the agressive flyers UW decks if not quite into the bueracratic Azorious feel.
Indebted Ogre RG
ReplyDeleteCreature - Ogre Rogue (R)
Riot
Menace, trample
Whenever a player casts a spell, sacrifice CARDNAME unless you pay 1.
Afterlife 1
3/3
I understand afterlife is part of the flavor, but it seems to be the least interesting thing about this card, which is a shame.
DeleteNature's Zeal 3RG
ReplyDeleteInstant (R)
Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn.
War call — If you cast this spell during your main phase, Nature’s Zeal deals 3 damage to each creature with flying.
(Changed the name from 'Addendum' to 'War call'.)
I agree with every person moving addendum; it could really have gone in any color. Red and green are interesting because creature removal (burn spells) and pump spells are usually much worse when played main phase rather than in combat. But they can encourage pushing damage through. Whereas the blue counterspell nonbo was somewhat disapointing.
DeleteKraul Ambusher 1BG
ReplyDeleteCreature- Insect Warrior (Rare)
1/1
Flash, deathtouch
Addendum- If you cast this spell during your main phase, it enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it.
Maybe not rare? Any ideas for text to add?
~ must be blocked if able
Deleteor
~ must be blocked by all creautres if able
---------------
the second one in particular helps make the +1/+1 coutners relevant. It still wont looke splashy but would be strong enough?
I'm in no hurry to create a strictly better Ochran Assassin, but the first line is pretty appealing.
DeleteThe other concern I have is that this isn't black enough. Both keywords are shared and the counters feel much more green to me. Maybe this could stand to have menace added?
DeleteCytospore Grafter [3][G][U]
ReplyDeleteCreature- Vedalken Plant Wizard
Flash
Engineer -- ~ enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter if it was cast during your main phase.
When ~ enters the battlefield, double the number of +1/+1 counters on each creature you control.
3/2
Edit: I think 2/2 would be better than 3/2, looking at deepglow skate
DeleteDeepglow Skate Sorry to break it to you but you can't move a keyword to a guild that shares a color with it. The Azorius will get on your case for it.Trust me, you don't want to go to Udzec.
DeleteWhoops, I missed that part of the instructions.
DeleteSorry for late submission; I am enjoying President's day though.
ReplyDeleteThis is also not quite the same mechanic but it is close to afterlife:
Zegana, Basis of Life
2UG
Creature - Merfolk Shaman
Trample
As long as CARDNAME is in your graveyard, creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them have trample.
Handoff 2 - When CARDNAME dies, put two +1/+1 counters on target creature you control.
4/2