Judge Mental

verbage2's Comments:

I liked what I perceived as the concept of the card. I almost felt like I knew what the player would be trying to accomplish. The third ability killed this card for me. This effect cripples your opponents and yourself. More yourself than your opponent.The effect would remove the Planeswalker as well and would allow for your opponent to get his non-land permanentss in play before you...

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - All very blue abilities, without much bleeding. Good job there.
Templating - His sub-type should just be Judge, and the first and third abilities have off wording.
Balance - The third ability costs way to much to be used in any game. The first two are actually quite good.
Synergy - They are all blue abilities, but they try to accomplish different things, especially the last one.
Appeal - This has little appeal. The only useful ability is the second, and only in draft.

Since Planewalker’s abilities can only be played on your turn, giving your cards flash has little effect on the game. Non-land and non-sorcery sounds very clunky. I think “all instants gain split second and all creatures gain flash until your next upkeep” would be a better ability. The second ability is Threaten, which is red, not blue. 

Principle 12) The Ultimate should be jaw-droppingly awesome.

I’m not sure what the Ultimate does other than pause the game for 3 turns; and since your opponent gets their upkeep first, all their permanents will come into play before yours, and all those creatures will have haste.  And please check Jhoira of the Ghitu for the proper wording of the Ultimate.

Sprog Deathdealer

 verbage2's Comments:

The real minus to this card is there is no negative counter ability. Had the second ability been a minus 2 that allowed the player to pick a card from opponent(s) hand(s) and discard it. The third ability maybe should have included creatures as well.

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - It is nice to see smaller walkers with very black abilities.
Templating - Worded very well, but you missed an endmark in the first ability.
Balance - The second ability completely overshadows the first ability, so noone will want to use the first one. Also, there isn't any BIG ability, so I think that its novelty as a planeswalker has decreased.
Synergy - The second two abilities have somewhat something in common - they try to hurt your opponent. One pumps the other's loyalty. However, the first one seems quite out there and useless, especially when most want to use it first turn it is out.
Appeal - This just seems like what a common Planeswalker would look like, if there is one, and doesn't belong in the Rare slot. The third ability is nothing more than Chandra's second ability, so why not just play her. She actually has something to work for. 

The first ability feels like it should belong on a green card, not a black card.  The Ultimate provides an obvious route to victory, but its just an unsurprising Consume Spirit that your opponent can try to play around.

Principle 10) Each has a +N ability, a -N ability, and a -BIG N "Ultimate" ability.

Where's the -N ability?

Principle 8) The abilities should have some cool synergies.

I don't see any synergy between the abilites of the Planeswalker.  It doesn't feel like he does a whole lot.

Faustus, the Damned Soul

 verbage2's Comments:

Beautiful card, the artwork actually gave me a feeling of a disgruntled opponent. Being multi-colored I looked at the card a lot and tried to think of the lessons I have learned. With the first ability it was too giving, and neither Black or blue is known for it's kindness. I would have rather seen the final ability cost a little more as it is a very harsh final, not inappropriate, but perhaps inappropriately costed.

largebradon's Comments:

Originality - Very original abilities and I really like the picture.
Templating - Great templating!
Balance - I really like how all the abilities work, however the third seems quite powerful, especially when you 'sift' through your deck.
Synergy - I like how they all work together. First, give you opponent creatures, sift through your deck, then make them sac a bunch!
Appeal - I think this card is fun, but has no real appeal outside of a designer's mind.

 Pyrosin's Comments:

Ok, so here's what I know of the story of Dr. Faustus.  Faustus is a brillant Doctor who studies too much (very Blue) and become a Necromancer (very Black).  While dabbling with death, he summons the Devil and makes a pact to sell his soul to the Devil, and in exchange a Demon, named Mephistopheles, becomes his servant until Faustus obtains the zenith of human happiness, or something.  His Demon doesn't work out like Faustus had hoped, and he's eventually damned for all eternity. 

I get the second ability, as that's him studying, but I would have made that the +N loyalty ability, as that's how he gets "stronger" in the story.  I don't get why your opponents get the Demon creatures.  Mephistopheles is under Faustus's control (or so he thinks).  I would have made it a -N loyalty ability something like put a legendary 5/5 black demon creature named Mephistopheles into play.  And then the Ultimate, it actually has what I would consider negative synergy with the first ability.  You give your opponent creatures he can use to knock down the loyalty, and then if you ever use the Ultimate, he can sacrifice those tokens as part of the cost.  How does that help you win?

Freyja Hrothwinter

 verbage2's Comments:

I like the artwork, it felt like a magic card to me. The abilities seemed to work well together. He signed artwork as though he were the artist, and had he had been, I believe the artwork would have revealed the entire spear. I did deduct from templating for that. overall it is a nice card and very white. 

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - Very interesting abilities with a nice, yet fitting, final ability.
Templating - The second ability should be worded differently. 
Balance - The first and third abilities are great! However, the second one will never be used, and doesn't look like it belongs on a sorcery-effect planeswalker.
Synergy - They are all white abilities, that's for sure, but they really can't work together.
Appeal - The only appeal is the last ability, and the walker costs too much for a suspend 2 WoG for 5 mana.

Principle 4) They should embody the core essence of their colors.

Nice solid design; this card is very white.  Akroma's Vengeance is a nice Ultimate, and the first ability gives you an oppurtunity to recover more quickly if Freyja is still around.  The second ability seems rather weak.  Since Planeswalker abilities can only be played as sorceries, you can not save your creatures from combat damage or removal spells, and you can not save creatures from her Wrath effect, so I'm having trouble seeing its usefulness.

Shub-Niggurath

 verbage2's Comments:

Though I am not a fan of the artwork, I did not deduct for it, it is appropriate for the card. I did deduct for items like not correctly wording the first and third ability. Referencing Magic Gatherer and the current Planeswalker cards it should have been P/T Color Type creature token...

Originality - Interesting abilities that remind me of a few older black cards.
Templating - There really shouldn't be a "-" between the names. If you take it out, the subtype would just be "Shub" which looks better.
Balance - It sure can become quite the blocking/creature killing machine until you unleash an uber monster.
Synergy - They are all very synergistic, except the last one. Perhaps two token abilities aren't that great together.
Appeal - It really doesn't have much appeal to me. I don't like how he starts out with an odd number of loyalty, yet all abilities are even.

Principle 8) The abilities should have some cool synergies.

This entry has a real nice synergy between the first and second abilities.  You make a token with the first, and then it can act as fodder for the second one.  Small templating issue, the token creature color should immediately following the P/T stats.

I don't understand why the Ultimate makes something called The Black Goat, but the art for this card really creeps me out.

Toric Scaathblade

verbage2's Comments:

Another beautiful magic looking card. I love the artwork. The first ability is very black and white and well done. The second however just felt Blue to me, sorry. I also felt as though it should have been a -2 ability due to its effect.

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - All very original abilities and a great picture!
Templating - You don't target libraries, you target opponents.
Balance - The second one is just too powerful, in my opinion. It will go in any deck with combo. Also, the last ability will destroy too many tribal decks. 
Synergy - While they are all either white or black abilities, they really don't do anything together.
Appeal - It has a great appeal as-is for many control, and combo decks.

Principle 7) They must each be a path to victory.

I really like having the drain effect as the +N loyalty ability.  It's the WB version of Chandra's win condition, and it reminds of the Orzhov Guildmage.  I don't really understand how the second ability is WB.  I always thought it was Green, kinda like Dosan the Falling Leaf.

Principle 12) The Ultimate should be jaw-droppingly awesome.

Xuan Zang

 verbage2's Comments:

The only Blue monk I was able to find was Erayo, Soratami Ascendant. Whether intential or not this card was a fair tribute having like abilities, not being a Merfolk. I did think the final ability should have been targeted however as it stands it returns the planeswalker back to the players hand.

I really like the idea of the first ability.  You give your opponent a lot of information in exchange for card quality.  I think there might be some problems with the second ability.  I don't like that there's no time restriction on it, and I presume that multiple instances of the ability could stack up, creating memory issues. 

Principle 12) The Ultimate should be jaw-droppingly awesome.

I definetly think this Ultimate counts as jaw-droppingly.  And what I think is very clever, is that is says nonland, therefore its like a fixed version of Upheaval.  That way you cann't float three mana, cast Psychatog following Upheaval, and leave the opponent helpless.

Cerea Kasua

verbage2's Comments:

Great artwork for the card but I felt as though the artwork dominated the color selection. When looking at this card I had to ask myself over and over could green do this effect and then could black do this effect due to the split mana. Green was very appropriate however black left me wanting. It could not hold the first ability on its own, nor really part of the second effect.

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - I like its abilities with its colour and picture.
Templating - A wording mistake or two.
Balance - The first one is too weak. If it was only you searching, then it would be good. 
Synergy - I really think they all work very well together. 
Appeal - This is a LD player's dream! Also works well with any G/B control deck! Good job!

On templating, the first ability should read: Each player searches his or her library for a basic land card, reveals it, and puts it into his or her hand.  Each player shuffles his or her library afterards.

Other than the fact that you're searching for swamps, I don't see anything Black about this card.  Green is better at land destruction than black; the land searching is all green, and neither color can destroy lots of lands at once.  If anything, I think this card has to be Green/Red, but it really feels more like mono green.

Principle 9) Each should give you multiple paths to take.

You can really only do one thing with this Planeswalker, blow up their lands.

Alia Dianess

 verbage2's Comments:

Alia Dianess is a very nice card, everything seems to work together, from the look to the feel you get from the text. The final ability is a underwhelming however. It may have been more appropriate to have her remove all snow permanents from the game.

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - I'm digging the snow here! Good job. 
Templating - Second ability is worded wrong.
Balance - The third ability is too weak. I think "Destroy all Snow Permanents" would fair quite well. 
Synergy - VERY synergistic! Good job! 
Appeal - Not much appeal for it unless there are a lot of snow decks out there, mate.

Principle 6) They must work well in any deck against any opponent's deck.

You're probably going to have to play with snow permanents to have any usefulness out of this Planeswalker.  And if your opponent isn't playing with Coldsnap, then you have to use one turn to turn one of their permanents snow, then use the first about on two consecutive turns, and then on the fourth turn after Alia comes into play, you have a conditional Vindicate.  A four turn Vindicate is too weak for a Planeswalker.

Mickey, understudy to Teferi

verbage2's Comments:

I laughed as I totally saw where this was going, the synergy was very well done. The biggest issue I saw was due to the final ability. Direct Damage, especially of the potential magnitude it could provide would not be appropriate as a blue ability. A better fit mayhave been if it had created blue water elementals, or even perma tapped all non island/non blue creatures.

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - All I can say is Laugh Out Loud!
Templating - Some mispellings and errors. 
Balance - It sure really seems to work well. I love the Broom. Just, something seems kinda off. 
Synergy - They no doubt work well together, but the broom token is just too complicated.
Appeal - High appeal, outside of magic, of course. Nice take on something fun!

 Pyrosin's Comments:

Ah, a little "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" please Maestro.  Looking at this card gave me a good laugh, and I'd say good job for that.  Flavorwise, its a fantastic play on the Fantasia cartoon.  But if I'm suppose to judge this card seriously...

First off, Mickey's an apprentice, i.e. an inexperienced mage that doesn't know what he's doing.  That's not my idea of a Planeswalker.  I think "Broom" should have regenerate so that its more of the "you cann't destroy them" flavor.

Principle 9) Each should give you multiple paths to take.

The card doesn't promote a lot of interaction.  The Brooms have defender, so there's just gonna sit there clogging up the ground until you can play the Ulitmate.

And what's with the Ultimate dealing with direct damage?  Blue and green can not do that.

Shimamura of Minamo

 verbage's Comments:

I like what the card is and I felt as though I knew what the creator was trying to accomplish. This card as it stand is very powerful. The first ability allows you to bring in any creature for 1U… WOW, this Elvish piper not only lets you have the creature but it is already attacking. The second ability seems to follow suit allowing you to play a multi colored Instant/Sorcery with colorless mana, and seemingly bypassing the epic rule (making it combine with the third power for a more devastating effect). The final ability instills an epic status on a card but no restrictions on X costs...

largebrandon's Comments:

Originality - Eh, it is just CHK Block all over again! Please no!
Templating - Seems like decent wording for me. 
Balance - All of the abilities seem kinda meh for me. The last is interesting though. All reasonably priced, though. 
Synergy - The only synergy they have is that they all are from a horrid block. 
Appeal - This doesn't have much appeal to me!