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By: Pyrosin, Matt Rossi
Jan 27 2009 3:36am
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December Custom Card Contest - Hole Filling

This month's contest was a little exercise in hole-filling. R & D is always talking about cards that get killed late in development and must be replaced with a new card designed from scratch that fits a specific color, rarity, and/or functionality. So, listed below are four "holes," and it was the contestants job to pick one of those holes and fill it with an appropriate card.

Leviathan

A rare blue fatty creature with a major drawback.

 

Tide of War

A rare red enchantment that causes chaos.

 

Lightning Greaves

An uncommon equipment type artifact that doesn't effect the power/toughness of the creature its equipped to.

Tromp the Domains

A common green instant or sorcery that involves combat.

 

Scoring

• Originality (To score highly in this category, the card should contain new approaches to the way the card is played or interacts with the environment.)
• Templating (To score highly in this category, the card should be worded correctly. We should understand what the card is supposed to do with one reading. In addition, matters of spelling and grammar come under this heading.)
• Balance (To score highly in this category, the card should be properly costed to the effect it produces. Cards that do too much for their cost, or too little, will be judged accordingly.)
• Flavor (To score highly in this category, the card should reflect the expected mechanics considering color, card type, and representation.)
• Appeal (To score highly in this category, it should be a card people will enjoy playing with, and not hate playing against.)
 

Prizes

And as always, the contestants were competing for gift certifiicates from MTGO Traders.

1st place: $10 gift certificate
2nd place: $6 gift certificate
3rd place: $4 gift certificate

 

Entries

Note:  I didn't receive any comments from Rushmore111, so for each entry you'll see the scores of all three of us, but comments only from Tarmotog and myself.

MechtaK

Amulet of Mortality

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

5

10

9

8

5

37

Tarmotog

9

10

9

8

8

44

Pyrosin

9

10

7

9

5

40

Score

7.7

10.0

8.3

8.7

6.0

40.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

I like it. It's how an equipment should be.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

I like the similarity to Knight of the Holy Nimbus, but this card seems kind of slow.  It feels like a big investment for a rather minor effect.  Knight of the Holy Nimbus was good because of the tempo it created, forcing you to hold back all your mana during one of your early turns, or you just take 2 for a couple turns before you can afford to deal with it.  This card is too slow to do that.  I 'd like to see it cost 1 to play and 2 to equip and see what happens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slim

Spelltide Djinn

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

3

6

7

4

28

Tarmotog

10

8

7

7

7

39

Pyrosin

7

3

5

5

3

23

Score

8.3

4.7

6.0

6.3

4.7

30.0

Tarmotog's Comments:

Play sorceries and you'll be fine? ouch. It's like morph but it's more complicated. I think it should flip down when it comes into play and a shock in response to a flip up can technically kill it now so I would think about that.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

As this is your first submission, let me just say that this card is way too complicated.  And the confusion with face-down morphed cards that this would cause is not worth the extra rules it would require.  You could achieve almost the same card by making it activate like Fathom Seer. It should read, “Morph-Return three Islands you control to their owner's hand. Play this ability only if you played a sorcery this turn.  When you play an instant, turn CARDNAME face down.”  And then remove everything else, because it’s just too much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AJ_Impy

Worldbreaker

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

7

8

9

8

6

38

Tarmotog

9

10

8

10

7

44

Pyrosin

10

10

8

8

4

40

Score

8.7

9.3

8.3

8.7

5.7

40.7

Tarmotog's Comments:

Losing all your lands sounds bad. I think it's a very scary card to play. It's like an all or nothing card.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

So if they remove it, then there’s no way to get any of your lands back?  That’s kind of putting all your eggs in one basket.  The way you count P/T is very original, I just don’t know if its worth the effort.  Assuming you pay full cost of it, then it's at least a 14/14 and I think that's big enough. 

 

 

 

 

thornwalker

Goblin Fire Drill

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

5

8

9

7

37

Tarmotog

8

10

8

10

7

43

Pyrosin

10

6

8

9

7

40

Score

8.7

7.0

8.0

9.3

7.0

40.0

Tarmotog's Comments:

I don't really get it blocking sounds very bad for the card but i think this is more a multiplayer card where u find the best card to steal? and it gets stolen again??

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

Love the artwork.  I forget what the first version of the card was, but I’m pretty sure I liked that one better.  And I’m not sure what the rules are on this card.  What happens when you have more creatures than your opponent?  Does each creature trigger, or does it all happen at once and you choose which ones you keep?  This would need more clarification.

 

 

 

 

 

 

xing_uk

Stew Supprise

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

5

8

9

3

33

Tarmotog

10

7

8

7

7

39

Pyrosin

10

3

8

8

3

32

Score

9.3

5.0

8.0

8.0

4.3

34.7

 Tarmotog's Comments:

Surprise? Supprise? Rolling one kills planeswalkers and messes some artifacts leaves them with -1/-1 counters? I think that part can be improved.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

(As you mentioned in the post) If you want to include suspended cards, then you have to say that because that way it reads the cards would have to be in play for CARDNAME to see them.  And putting -1/-1 counters on cards that don’t do anything is not a good idea.  It would create a lot of confusion, so you need to limit to just creatures, or you need to specific a different type of counter like Mirrodin block did with it’s +1/+1 or charge counter cards. There are also lots of misspelled words (including the title or is that a pun I’m missing?) and punctuation mistakes. 

 

 

Nyx_Tejas

Creature of the Deep

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

6

7

7

6

5

31

Tarmotog

9

10

10

6

6

41

Pyrosin

7

10

7

6

5

35

Score

7.3

9.0

8.0

6.0

5.3

35.7

Tarmotog's Comments:

It's a fat creature against non-blue but becomes funny when you meet blue creatures? Isn't it going to hit most of the time? I'm very confused about the intention of the card.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

There’s no drawback if your opponent isn’t playing blue creatures, that’s too situational.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TinoX

Ring of delusion

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

6

8

7

8

37

Tarmotog

9

10

7

8

10

44

Pyrosin

8

9

4

9

9

39

Score

8.3

8.3

6.3

8.0

9.0

40.0

Tarmotog's Comments:

This make starget creature unkillable and unblockable. Kinda too powerful for just 2+2 mana. I will play this in my decks anyday.

Pyrosin's Comments:

Wow is that powerful.  This is an interesting idea, but completely un-fun if you’re playing against it in a deck with CIPT creatures.  Delusion should be capitalized in the title.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turuphantom - 2nd Place

Abyssal Nightmare

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

9

10

9

8

9

45

Tarmotog

10

10

10

8

8

46

Pyrosin

7

10

7

6

5

35

Score

8.7

10.0

8.7

7.3

7.7

42.0

Tarmotog's Comments:

A very interesting card which can't block (which is somewhat opposite from why you would want to cast a 6 mana blue creature most of the time) and is like the golem (Steel Golem)that stops you from playing creatures (Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Venser, Shaper Savant aside). A nice way to win the game though.

Pyrosin's Comments:

The drawback on this card is not big enough.  At six mana, this would most likely be the top of your curve, meaning you could develop your board, play this guy, then just sit back protect it with counters.  And there's still all the flash creatures and man lands out there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GravityFlux

Rocky Mountain Atogs

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

2

6

8

4

28

Tarmotog

9

8

8

7

7

39

Pyrosin

8

8

7

5

5

33

Score

8.3

6.0

7.0

6.7

5.3

33.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

I am a fan of atogs. The art doesn't resemble atogs and atogs eat things. They are better off as trolls or something.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

I don’t understand the flavor of this card.  Atogs eat eachother and get bigger, but they don't just blow up.  A 50% chance at Natural Affinity isn’t really chaos.  Assuming you're at 6 mana to play this, the second ability and third abilities together just make this card says, "Win a coin flip, and win the game."

 

 

 

 

 

 

displacedfloridian

Tactical Advantage

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

6

8

9

7

6

36

Tarmotog

10

7

9

9

8

43

Pyrosin

7

10

4

9

6

36

Score

7.7

8.3

7.3

8.3

6.7

38.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

This would normally be written like a charm as choose 1:..... the card is fine but it looks a little underpowered.

 

Pyrosin's Comments:

I agree with Tarmotog, the "choose one" would probably be a better templating option, but it still works as it is.  Cards like this need to say “Draw a card.” on the end of them in order to see play.  It’s way too weak as it is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Etherealuk

Matrix of One

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

7

6

9

8

6

36

Tarmotog

10

10

9

8

8

45

Pyrosin

9

10

8

9

7

43

Score

8.7

8.7

8.7

8.3

7.0

41.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

A nice all in card and the flavor is very nice.

Pyrosin's Comments:

This card reminds me of Leveler.  This is really putting all your eggs in one basket, and is the kind of drawback I would expect for this card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

bazaar of baghdad

Martyr's Bane

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

6

3

8

8

33

Tarmotog

10

9

7

9

9

44

Pyrosin

8

10

6

8

5

37

Score

8.7

8.3

5.3

8.3

7.3

39.7

Tarmotog's Comments:

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this better than glorious anthem? Do you need to equip a creature before the others get +1/+1 ? Other than that, the flavor is fine but is somewhat off from the flagbearer template of "target a flagbearer permanent" ?

Pyrosin's Comments:

 

 @ Tarmotog, the templating is almost word for word with Coalition Flag.  And since he worded it, "other than equipped creature" that means it has to be equipped to have the effect. 

I thought this was a nice use of the flagbearer mechanic, but it does feel a little over powered to move it out of white.

 

 

 

 

 

Plejades

Moby Dick

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

6

5

7

7

33

Tarmotog

10

9

8

7

8

42

Pyrosin

8

10

6

8

5

37

Score

8.7

8.3

6.3

7.3

6.7

37.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

I'm not familiar with Moby Dick past its name but why is it such a masochist??

Pyrosin's Comments:

The drawback is just way too severe on this card.  I can't imagine any scenario where someone would want to play this.  

 

 

 

 

 

verbage2

Primordial Waters

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

9

7

7

8

5

36

Tarmotog

10

8

7

8

7

40

Pyrosin

10

1

5

8

6

30

Score

9.7

5.3

6.3

8.0

6.0

35.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

I think I would rather cast Force of Nature. =(

Pyrosin's Comments:

Rule 203.2. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols 
in its mana cost, regardless of the color of its frame.

You’re card can’t be blue by definition.  You could give it an alternative casting cost with green mana that is less than the blue one you give, but just saying a card is blue doesn't make it blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZeroFusion

Rabbit's Foot

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

8

8

8

6

38

Tarmotog

10

9

5

8

9

41

Pyrosin

9

8

7

9

6

39

Score

9.0

8.3

6.7

8.3

7.0

39.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

It looks very strong for 1 mana in my opinion.

Pyrosin's Comments:

Interesting idea, but it looks like the luck counters still function even if Rabbit’s Foot isn't equipped to the creature makes the card a lot more complicated than it needs to be.  I’d say skip the luck counters and limit the activation to once a turn or something.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scartore - 3rd Place

Fury of the Rhox

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

7

10

9

9

6

41

Tarmotog

10

9

9

8

7

43

Pyrosin

9

7

8

9

8

41

Score

8.7

8.7

8.7

8.7

7.0

41.7

Tarmotog's Comments:

Nice card but what do you actually want to cast it on? Phage the Untouchable?

Pyrosin's Comments:

An ability that isn’t used enough.  This is a nice and simple card, but it should read. “Until end of turn, you may have target creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked.”  And I’d reduce the cost to 1G.

 

 

 

 

 

 

vantar - 1st Place

Essence Vial

 

Judge

Ori

Tem

Bal

Fla

App

Total

Rushmore111

8

10

8

7

8

41

Tarmotog

10

10

7

8

7

42

Pyrosin

9

10

8

9

8

44

Score

9.0

10.0

7.7

8.0

7.7

42.3

Tarmotog's Comments:

I like the card but it seems a little underpowered. reminds me of the white buyback card i think it will be reasonable to down its cc to 2

Pyrosin's Comments:

I really like the colored activation like the cycle of Darksteel commons.  Has the ability like Miren, the Moaning Well, (which means it has precedence in being available to all colors), but the card gets a lot better if you’re playing the life gain colors.  Nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's some statistics on the judging, in case you're interested:

Judge Average Score Standard Deviation High Score Low Score
Rushmore111 35.8 +/- 4.5 45 28
Tarmotog 42.3 +/- 2.2 46 39
Pyrosin 37.0 +/- 5.3 44 23

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone that entered.  Check out the forums for this month's contest and have fun designing some cards with counters.

18 Comments

"pyrosin - You’re card can’t by spg at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 08:55
spg's picture

"pyrosin - You’re card can’t be blue by definition. You could give it an alternative casting cost with green mana that is less than the blue one you give, but just saying a card is blue doesn't make it blue."

Ancestral Vision (and Painter's Servant, Pact of Negation, Wayward Angel, Slaughter Pact, Crookshank Kobolds, Lifelace, etc.) would like a word with you.

Did you read the by Pyrosin at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 11:12
Pyrosin's picture

Did you read the comprehensive rule I quoted?

Ancestral Vison - no mana cost
Painter's Servant - no colored mana in the mana cost
Pact of Negation - no mana cost
Wayward Angel - I don't get your point, its a white card gains an ability to stop being white and become black
Slaughter Pact - no mana cost
Crookshank Kobolds - no mana cost
Lifelace - it changes the color of another card, changing the definition of the target card.

The card has green mana in the mana cost, that makes it green on its own, REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF ITS FRAME. You can't just say its blue. If there's no mana cost, then you can define it as a color, and you can have an ability that changes the color if something else happens, but you can not just say, "it's blue," and make it blue.

Isn't this the same as by spg at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 11:33
spg's picture

Isn't this the same as Changeling except with color instead of creature types? What about Ghostfire? That has red mana in the mana cost, but they had no trouble putting "Ghostfire is colorless" on the card. I don't see how this is any different?

You're right, Ghostfire has by Pyrosin at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 11:48
Pyrosin's picture

You're right, Ghostfire has the same problem. Future Sight has some really weird stuff in it, and that's something weird they were doing to give red a burn spell that got around protection.

I want to see this nomenclature on a creature in a normal set that Wizards makes, in a way that makes sense before I agree that this kind of thing should be done this way. This submission creates a lot of extra complexity for a minor sense of flavor.

Yeah, I definitely agree with by spg at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 12:02
spg's picture

Yeah, I definitely agree with you that it's clunky and confusing; I was just saying that it doesn't seem to be incorrect/impossible/against the rules.

Actually, it's entirely within the rules by Effovex (not verified) at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 13:07
Effovex's picture

It's called the "Golden Rule". If a card contradicts the rules, then the card has precedence. If a card says it is blue, then it's blue, whatever the comprehensive rules have to say about a card's color being determined by it's casting cost. Transguild Courier and Ghostfire are two good examples of this.

Also, there is no reason tactical advantage should be a modal spell. Modal spells are used when the different functions of the card would have a different type of target, or one would have a target and another wouldn't. If Bant Charm wasn't modal, you'd need an artifact, a creature AND an instant spell to target in order to cast it.

If templating is going to be judged, I think the judges need to know a little bit more about it. I'm not even sure why it's judged anyway since templating isn't a design or even a development concern.

The relevant rule is 103.1, by Anonymous (not verified) at Sat, 01/31/2009 - 19:14
Anonymous's picture

The relevant rule is 103.1, one of the 'Golden Rules'

103.1. Whenever a card’s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 102.3a).

but with all those cards by Anonymous (not verified) at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 10:04
Anonymous's picture

but with all those cards there are condtions. First of all AV, and the pacts and kobolds are all no mana cost which means inherently they have no color. Painters is an in addition too, wayward angel will only work while in play so if you were searching your library for them then you have to be looking for white. lifelace is a change effect...like a bunch of the cards with the word mind in it.

That card...if WOTC ever made it would be green/blue at a minimum although I think that if WOTC ever decided to do that then the card would most likely be green and have a static ability changing it to blue while in play.

Article is up by Etherealuk at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 11:45
Etherealuk's picture
5

Wicked, have been waiting for the article to go up for ages, since the scores were posted. It's a shame we couldn't get Rushmore111's comments as well, I really wanted to hear criticism from every judge, but never mind. Being my first go, I've gotta say that I loved it, now for the next one!

Well reported - congrats to by Bazaar of Baghdad at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 12:55
Bazaar of Baghdad's picture

Well reported - congrats to the winners!

I think it would improve the by blandestk at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 13:05
blandestk's picture
4

I think it would improve the article if you had an area where you show the three highest-rated cards, instead of having the reader have to scroll through and note which cards had the highest scores.

Moby Dick by Godot (not verified) at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 18:23
Godot's picture

The criticism of Moby Dick was that its drawback is too severe? Couldn't you just play a deck without spells that target creatures and have it simply be a 8/10 trampler for 5? If I understand the card correctly, it's not too severe, it's that the drawback can be mostly circumvented, leaving the drawback to be simply that you play with your hand revealed...

I agree. Moby Dick looks like by Anonymous (not verified) at Thu, 01/29/2009 - 13:49
Anonymous's picture

I agree. Moby Dick looks like it would be rather easily too powerful.

Primordial Waters - What by Katastrophe at Tue, 01/27/2009 - 23:22
Katastrophe's picture
5

Primordial Waters - What about Kobolds? You can explicitly redefine a creature's colors. And that's exactly the template to do it. In response to Anonymous, static abilities function in all zones. So Summoner's Pact would be unable to grab this blue fatty. Given the requirement to make a "rare blue fatty" I think the solution was really clever. It's creative and it has that "I'm not monocolored!" feeling that Conflux cards have.

Goblin Fire Drill - Imagine this card with just the first sentence. Use a slightly larger font and center the text like Furnace of Rath. It'd be 10/10. And the art is hilarious. This is my favorite card.

Tactical Advantage - Templating has a golden rule too: no ugly Magic cards. The following text is ugly: "Choose 1 - target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn, or target creature gains reach until end of turn, or target creature gains flanking until end of turn, or target creature gains forestwalk until end of turn." And don't forget the reminder text since this is a common. Ignoring the fact that they'd never put 4 keywords on a common card, I think this is templated correctly for a rare.

Matrix of One - I like it. Sweet frame too.

FUN!

Matrix of One by Rerepete at Wed, 01/28/2009 - 01:43
Rerepete's picture
5

Hmmm, that with a Stifle in hand....

Actually I was very by Verbage2 (not verified) at Thu, 01/29/2009 - 17:34
Verbage2's picture

Actually I was very disappointed by the 1 in my template category, but that is an unfortunate side effect of having judges that are designers as well. We have rules, but we sometimes don't look outside of the box.
In my humble opinion, the card stated a change that was not previously acceptable. A part of the template to ensure that it was not perceived as an arbitrary change.
Before the use of alternative casting costs, I am sure that it would have been argued that it wasn't possible. So much so with a multitude of cards abilities before they were introduced in a set.
But in adhering so closely to what the rules are, we need to move on to what the rules would be in a set that provided said card(s). The contest is over and all of the entries had their varying merit. I am looking forward to the next months contest, Good Luck all.

103.1 by Anonymous (not verified) at Thu, 01/29/2009 - 17:59
Anonymous's picture

"103.1. Whenever a card's text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can concede the game at any time (see rule 102.3a)."

So yes, you can just say a card is blue regardless of the colors in its mana cost.

Moby Dick by Meg (not verified) at Sun, 02/01/2009 - 10:07
Meg's picture

Love the Moby Dick art. This card is part of the "cultural fallout of the week" this week at powermobydick.com.