December MCC, Finals: Humble yet Powerful

Post by **void_nothing** » 4 years ago

Banner based on Arcum's Astrolabe by Igor Kieryluk and Wizards of the Coast. Thanks to bravelion83 for the "Core Set Style" MCC Logo

December MCC, Round 4 - Humble yet Powerful

Welcome to the September MCC! It's Commons Month here at the MCC - yes, every round will REQUIRE contestants to design a COMMON card! Please make double sure you have the rarity right this month.

Main Challenge: Design a common legendary card.
Subchallenge 1: Your card has a multicolored color identity (for Commander purposes).
Subchallenge 2: Your card has converted mana cost 3 or less.

DEADLINES

Tentative design deadline: Friday, January 10th 23:59 EDT

Judging deadline: Sunday, January 12th 23:59 EDT

Clarifications

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Main challenge: Your card doesn't have to be a creature.

MCC Rubric

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Design
(X/3) Appeal - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance - Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?

Development
(X/3) Viability - How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance - Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?

Creativity
(X/3) Uniqueness - Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel "fresh"?
(X/3) Flavor - Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?

Polish
(X/3) Quality - Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) Main Challenge (*) - Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges - One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.

Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

Judges:
void_nothing
bravelion83
Blydden

Players:
[mention]Henlock[/mention]
[mention]Legend[/mention]
[mention]Icarii[/mention]

Icarii · Post by **Icarii** » 4 years ago

The Unknown Solider 1RW
Legendary Creature - Spirit Solider (C)
When The Unknown Solider enters the battlefield, put 2 +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature with a power 1 or less.
Her tomb overlooks the Titian's Stairs, inspiring warriors in their odyssey to never be forgotten..
3/3

Post by **Legend** » 4 years ago

Town Hero {G/W}
Legendary Creature - Human Peasant (C)
Vigilance
Renown 1 (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
When Town Hero becomes renowned, it loses vigilance and gains defender.
A moment of courage, a lifetime of admiration.
2/2

Henlock · Post by **Henlock** » 4 years ago

Maito, Wind Surveyor u
Legendary Creature - Bird Wizard (c)
Flying
When Maito, Wind Surveyor enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target opponent's library.
Grandeur - Discard another card named Maito, Wind Surveyor: Look at target opponent's hand.
1/1

Post by **void_nothing** » 4 years ago

Round is closed! Judges you know what to do.

Post by **void_nothing** » 4 years ago

My judgments should be done tomorrow. Quick bump for the benefit of [mention]bravelion83[/mention] and [mention]Blydden[/mention]

bravelion83 · Post by **bravelion83** » 4 years ago

D'OH! I've all been taken by January (and other real life things to be honest) and I completely forgot this. Thanks for the reminder, void_nothing. I think I would have totally missed it without your reminder.

Judgments complete. This has been a speedrun, and the level of detail might be lower than usual from me, but at least I've made it. It being only three cards also definitely helped.

Icarii

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Icarii wrote: ↑
4 years ago
The Unknown Solider 1RW
Legendary Creature - Spirit Solider (C)
When The Unknown Solider enters the battlefield, put 2 +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature with a power 1 or less.
Her tomb overlooks the Titian's Stairs, inspiring warriors in their odyssey to never be forgotten..
3/3

Design
Appeal 3/3 - The promise of five power gets Timmy immediately. Johnny can play with the counters. Spike sees this and asks herself whether it was really meant to be printed at this mana cost, or if it's like Tarmogoyf, printed at two mana by mistake while it was supposed to be three.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 1.5/3 - I think this is red just to pass the "multicolored" subchallenge. It could just easily be mono-white. The soldier flavor pushes it towards Boros, but mechanically this is just white. This is legendary because it can put five power on the battlefield for three mana, which is really not a thing that fits common very well in my opinion.
Balance 1.5/3 - As I've just said, five power for three mana, even though 2 points of power are conditional, is not to be ignored. This is a bit too much in my opinion. Maybe a 2/2 putting one counter could have been fine for three mana. As is, this is sure to see heavy limited play, especially if creatures with 0 or 1 power abound in the environment, and could even see constructed play, but again for the wrong reason in my opinion. Even in Modern, Affinity decks could think about playing this, just put the counters on an Ornithopter while also getting a 3/3 all for just three mana? Very strong, maybe too much. In multiplayer, the lack of "you control" implies that you can even put the counters on your teammate's creatures, or those of a player you've forged an alliance with in a free-for-all game.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Nothing really new here. Nothing stands out.
Flavor 3/3 - No problems here.
Polish
Quality 0/3 - "Solider"? that's a comparative adjective meaning "more solid", not a noun. What you meant is "Soldier". (see https://prowritingaid.com/grammar/10000 ... d-solider-. Here in Italy, in Rome, we have a memorial called "Il Milite Ignoto" (literally "the unknown military"), and I don't exclude it might actually have been your inspiration. It would make sense with the flavor text. Anyway, three instances of the wrong spelling, so three times -0.5 makes -1.5. The number of +1/+1 counter should be written out ("two +1/+1 counters", very well-known so -1). "...with a power..." should be without "a" (-0.5). A double full stop at the end of the flavor text. (-0.5) The total would be negative (-0.5/3), but negative points can't be given, so this is a zero.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 17/25

Legend

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Legend wrote: ↑
4 years ago
Town Hero {G/W}
Legendary Creature - Human Peasant (C)
Vigilance
Renown 1 (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn't renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
When Town Hero becomes renowned, it loses vigilance and gains defender.
A moment of courage, a lifetime of admiration.
2/2

Design
Appeal 1.5/3 - Timmy doesn't want his creatures to get defender. Johnny could maybe do something with the counter? It does feel as a stretch though. Spike is very interested in getting a 2/2 for one mana.
Elegance 3/3 - No problems here.
Development
Viability 2.5/3 - No problems with the color pie and the rules. Rarity is interesting here: you essentially have a legend that can only attack until it connects once. So this will only deal combat damage to your opponent once ever. I get that this is the justification for the common rarity. I still think they'd print it at uncommon, but that justification is definitely one of the best ones you could come up with.
Balance 2/3 - While a good justification for its legendary status, I don't think that hitting your opponent only once and then not being able to do anymore (and I'm very glad there is the +1/+1 counter as a memory aid) would make the cut in limited. Still, it's a 2/2 for one mana, which might be relevant in constructed, but not too much. The same is true for essentially all formats, included casual and multiplayer ones.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - A recombination of old elements into something only technically new. Like this sentence compared to my usual.
Flavor 3/3 - I didn't know what to expect from a card with that name the first time I read it, but I admit it makes a lot of sense with this card. Then the flavor text also makes sense, and I particularly liked how well it reflects the play pattern of this. Perfect!
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 2/2 - Both met.
TOTAL 20/25

Henlock

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Henlock wrote: ↑
4 years ago
Maito, Wind Surveyor u
Legendary Creature - Bird Wizard (c)
Flying
When Maito, Wind Surveyor enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target opponent's library.
Grandeur - Discard another card named Maito, Wind Surveyor: Look at target opponent's hand.
1/1

Design
Appeal 1.5/3 - This is a card for Spike. Too small for Timmy, and he doesn't care about seeing his opponent's hand. Johnny could maybe use grandeur, but I think he'd also pass on this.
Elegance 1.5/3 - I'm a little perplex by this being legendary. Why? Mechanically it doesn't need to be legendary to work. Grandeur can theoretically go on any card, not just legends. I don't think I'd be the only perplex player.
Development
Viability 2/3 - No problems with the color pie. Flying 1/1s with additional minor upside for one mana at common is something we've seen a lot of times, so it's certainly fine. My problem, again, is with this being legendary and not needing to be. Legendary just because the Main Challenge required it.
Balance 1.5/3 - The problem is always the same, this is legendary only for flavor, because it represent a specific character. The mechanics would be perfectly fine without it. In limited, it shouldn't be too hard getting multiples of this to use grandeur. I can't see this in constructed, competitive for sure, but maybe not even casual. In multiplayer, I have to mention that we know grandeur is problematic in Commander (which to me personally would be a reason to actually print it, but I have to be objective here. The fact that I don't play, I don't enjoy at all, and I actively try to avoid Commander doesn't mean there aren't players who like it). No problems in other multiplayer formats though.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Common legends are inherently original, but as I've already said, I don't really understand why this is legendary mechanically. Just to have access to grandeur? And anyway, all the rest of the card is things we're already seen.
Flavor 2/3 - No problems with the name and card concept. Some flavor text would have certainly fit.
Polish
Quality 3/3 - All good.
Main Challenge 2/2 - Good.
Subchallenges 1/2 - Costs less than 3 but no multicolored color identity.
TOTAL 15.5/25

Results

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Icarii: 17
Legend: 20
Henlock: 15.5

Post by **Legend** » 4 years ago

Bueller?

Post by **void_nothing** » 4 years ago

Icarii

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy obviously likes pumping creatures up. It's a bit linear for Jxnny, although they like counter interactions and might want to use it on a Char-Rumbler. Spike likes this but probably in Limited only - although maybe it could do something in Pauper?.
(3/3) Elegance - It's just a simple ETB ability so this card is pretty elegant.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Nothing outright wrong with the colors or rarity although maybe that R would more likely be a G.
(3/3) Balance - Pretty fair - puts 5 power on the board for three mana for the "cost" of keeping a 1/x alive.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - Creatures that give out +1/+1 counters when they ETB are hardly anything new but this has a slight new feel to it given its colors and what it can target.
(3/3) Flavor - I really like this flavor as a way of justifying a common legendary.

Polish
(0.5/3) Quality - I really have to hit you hard here. You spelled "Soldier" as "Solider" three times, misspelled "Titan" as "Titian", used a numeral 2 where you should have had the number word "two", and finally added a superfluous "a" before "power".
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 19/25

Legend

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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes the undercosted size but not the drawback. Jxnny might maybe want to use this with defender matters like Arcades, the Strategist? Otherwise it's too linear for them. Spike has some interest for Limited. So half a point for all psychographics.
(2/3) Elegance - Switching between a non-renowned "attack mode" and renowned "defense mode" is a bit complex and wordy for common.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors look right and this seems relatively fine at common.
(3/3) Balance - No complaints here, it's an efficient attacker one time that becomes a slightly undercosted defender if it hits face. That's slightly pushed for one mana and common but hey, it's legendary.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - I think there's still design space left for renown and using it as a partial drawback is an interesting notion.
(2.5/3) Flavor - While "legendary without a proper name" is an intuitive way to tackle a common legend, it still feels kind of off.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Seems okay.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 20.5/25

Henlock

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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal - Not really big enough in any sense for Txmmy. Jxnny and Spike both appreciate knowing what the opponents have got, in Limited especially, where being a cheap flyer also comes in handy.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Solidly elegant, but the addition of grandeur makes for a wordier card.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This could easily be a blue common.
(3/3) Balance - Slightly pushed above what a common can normally do but that's what legendary is for,

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - There have been many 1/1 flyers for U and many ways to look at opponents' hands but this is an interesting combination of very old elements. Common plus grandeur is especially interesting in Limited.
(1.5/3) Flavor - Nothing wrong here per se, but also nothing making a compelling case for this particular card to be common. Maybe this specific aven is doing a notable job in the overall conflict in the sense that they have a unique title but is so unimportant to the larger story that they can't be a higher rarity?

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Seems fine.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1/2) Subchallenges - Is monocolor.

Total: 19/25

Post by **void_nothing** » 4 years ago

Legend 20 + 20.5 = 40.5
Icarii 17 + 19 = 36
Henlock 15.5 + 19 = 34.5

Congratulations to [mention]Legend[/mention]

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