August 2020 MCC — Round 1 (JUDGING)

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Sojourner Dusk
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Post by Sojourner Dusk » 3 years ago

Welcome to the MTG Nexus August 2020 MCC!


Back in 2003, as Eighth Edition was preparing to be unveiled, WotC had decided on implementing two changes to Magic: The Gathering. The first was a new card frame. The second was replacing the word "colorless" with a new symbol: . This allowed for new... wait, I'm being told that the symbol wasn't implemented until... 2016? It was only used in casting costs for one set? Colorless mana generation and generic mana costs were confused for more than a decade? And still isn't evergreen for casting costs, which would break open design space in several directions?

Time to retcon that mistake. This month will be brought to you by the letter "C".

Main Challenge — Design a Common or Uncommon Equipment card with in its casting cost which could have appeared in Mirrodin (2003).
Subchallenge 1: No generic mana appears in your entry. (This subchallenge will appear in every Round this month.)
Subchallenge 2: Multiple keywords in rules text.
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Deadlines
Design: 23:59 EDT 7 Aug // 03:59 UTC 8 Aug

Judging: 23:59 EDT 11 Aug // 03:59 UTC 12 Aug

Judges
@Sojourner Dusk
@slimytrout
@void_nothing


Players
@BaconCatBug
@RaikouRider
@netn10
@kwanyeegor-ii
@Freyleyes
@MonoRedMage
@StonerOfKruphix
@marioguy3
@Feyd_Ruin
@Subject16
@Lorn Asbord Schutta
Last edited by Sojourner Dusk 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.
May your games be chaotic and your decks be rogue.



UBR Nekusar (EDH)
RGW Mayael, Naturally (EDH)

BaconCatBug
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Post by BaconCatBug » 3 years ago

Gonna keep the period accurate reminder text. :P

Viridian Spider Cloak CCC
Artifact - Equipment (Uncommon)
Equipped creature has reach and trample.
GG: Equipped creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
Equip G (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)
Last edited by BaconCatBug 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.

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RaikouRider
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Post by RaikouRider » 3 years ago

Auriok Sunstaff CW
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has vigilance, lifelink, and "This creature can't be blocked except by colorless creatures."
Whenever Auriok Sunstaff becomes attached to a creature, tap that creature.
Equip CW

netn10
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Post by netn10 » 3 years ago

Outwordly Nullblade
Artifact - Equipment (Common)
Indestructible, shroud
Equipped creature gets +1/+1.
Equip
"And they said darksteel is the strongest material...,,"
- Malai, Auriok Blacksmith

kwanyeegor-ii
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Post by kwanyeegor-ii » 3 years ago

Necrogen Respirator CC
Artifact--Equipment (Uncommon)
Equipped creature is a Zombie and an artifact in addition to its other types and has fear, haste, and "C: This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
Equip C
畫龍點睛

I'm a simple Magic player since several years ago from China. Now I live in New Jersey.

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Freyleyes
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Post by Freyleyes » 3 years ago

Krark-Clan Boompistol C
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creatures gets +1/+1 and has trample and haste.
Whenever equipped creature becomes blocked, Krark-Clan Boompistol deals 2 damage to it.
Equip R
Fire, fire, ready, fire, aim?

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MonoRedMage
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Post by MonoRedMage » 3 years ago

Flamescissors C
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has first strike and trample.
RR, Sacrifice Flamescissors: Double equipped creature's power until end of turn. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Equip CC or RR.

StonerOfKruphix
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Post by StonerOfKruphix » 3 years ago

Vulshok Greaves C
Artifact - Equipment (C)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and has haste and menace.
R: Attach Vulshok Greaves to target creature you control.
Equip CC
"Good boots provide better stomping."
—Kerz, Vulshok battleforger

marioguy3
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Post by marioguy3 » 3 years ago

Armor of Refreshed Life
Artifact — Equipment (Uncommon)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink and flying.
Equip —
The summer is hot. The sum of sun and hot equals summer.

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Feyd_Ruin
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Post by Feyd_Ruin » 3 years ago

scav.jpg

Scavenged Blades
{C}{C}
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Whenever an artifact is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put a charge counter on Scavenged blades.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each charge counter on Scavenged blades and has first strike and vigilance.
Equip — Sacrifice an artifact
To the beaten, the broken, or the damned; the lost, and the wayward: wherever I may be, you will have a home.

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Subject16
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Post by Subject16 » 3 years ago

Claw of Chiss-Goria 3C
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Flash
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to cast for each artifact you control.)
When Claw of Chiss-Goria enters the battlefield, you may attach it to target creature you control.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
Equip 2
Last edited by Subject16 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.

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Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Post by Lorn Asbord Schutta » 3 years ago

Moriok's Hazmat Suit
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Equipped creature gets -0/-1 has haste and menace.
When equipped creature dies, return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Equip — Discard an artifact card. (Discard an artifact card: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
It doesn't protect, it only gives time to salvage.

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Sojourner Dusk
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Post by Sojourner Dusk » 3 years ago

Round 1 is closed. Judges, please advance the Top 2 from your groups.

@Sojourner Dusk
BaconCatBug
netn10
Freyleyes
StonerOfKruphix

@slimytrout
RaikouRider
MonoRedMage
marioguy3
Subject16

@void_nothing
kwanyeegor-ii
Feyd_Ruin
Lorn Asbord Schutta
May your games be chaotic and your decks be rogue.



UBR Nekusar (EDH)
RGW Mayael, Naturally (EDH)

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Sojourner Dusk
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Post by Sojourner Dusk » 3 years ago

BaconCatBug
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Design
(1.5/3) Appeal: T wants the stat boosts at all times. J gets some use of the varied utility. S is jarred by the costs.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The concept is conveyed, but I have to knock for style. You went with the old school reminder text for Equip for that retro feel, but didn't write out the old wording for Reach. You could have done so and still had multiple keywords, since Equip is itself a keyword.

Development
(3/3) Viability: Green pumping makes sense (see Flavor). Uncommon is a good fit for the ability suite.
(1.5/3) Balance: Your card is overcosted. is equivalent to three pips of any color, and increases the difficulty of utilizing the card when you require another mana type to equip and activate. In Limited and Constructed, it'll be difficult to generate both types of mana consistently without Painlands or Filterlands.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: First card to have Reach and Trample (barring Cairn Wanderer)? Archweaver in 2012. Used rarely, we've seen four new cards with this combo in the last year. Still, no Equipment or Auras exist with this pair.
(2/3) Flavor: A lizard cloak might have been more apt given the formatting of the pump employed.

Polish
(2/3) Quality: Cardname not bolded (-0.5). Missing Em dash between type and subtype (-0.5).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: No issues.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.

Total: 18.5/25
netn10
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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal: T, J, and S all see a creature boost that is nigh impossible to get rid of.
(3/3) Elegance: Straightforward.

Development
(2/3) Viability: This should be at Uncommon for slight "complexity".
(2.5/3) Balance: Equipment cards were somewhat busted in Mirrodin, and this fits in with the difficulty of getting the blade off the board. The P/T buff is minor enough to not feel pushed for a 1 CMC card.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness: Leonin Scimitar gets a strict upgrade.
(2/3) Flavor: Why is it a nullblade? And why would darksteel be mentioned prior to its unveiling?

Polish
(1.75/3) Quality: Missing Em dash between type and subtype (-0.5). Reminder text not needed as "Equip" is evergreen, but would have been appreciated for a Common (no deduction). Two commas at end of quote after ellipsis (-0.25). Missing Em dash at beginning of quote (-0.25). "Blacksmith" should not be capitalized, as this is a generic class, not something specific like "The Southern Paladin" (-0.25).
(1.5/2) *Main Challenge: "Indestructible" did not debut until Darksteel, and the challenge was to design for Mirrodin, not MRD Block. While it could have appeared, it feels a little out of place, especially given the flavor text.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.

Total: 18.25/25
Freyleyes
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Design
(2/3) Appeal: T doesn't like hitting their own critters, but J and S know how to exploit potential downsides.
(2/3) Elegance: I understand the block trigger, but I had to read it a few extra times as the wording (while correct) isn't intuitive.

Development
(3/3) Viability: Goblin Artillery (card version with a more relevant creature type than Orc) confirms this kind of self-harm in Red. Uncommon is fitting.
(2/3) Balance: CMC is a point too low, even for the broken power level that some equipment had in Mirrodin. More useful in Constructed than Limited, as you can get creatures with either survivable toughness or that can better take advantage of the damage trigger (Stuffy Doll says hello).

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness: Similar effects exist, though I was unable to find a direct comparison.
(1.5/3) Flavor: It looks like Goblin War Strike's flavor text had a seizure. By the way, how does a gun give trample?

Polish
(2.25/3) Quality: Missing Em dash between type and subtype (-0.5). "Equipped creatures gets..." (-0.25).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: No issues.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.

Total: 18.75/25
StonerOfKruphix
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Design
(2/3) Appeal: T sees the slight boost ad evasion. J sees abuse potential, and S is kinda meh on the card.
(3/3) Elegance: No issues with understanding the card.

Development
(1.5/3) Viability: This should have a point higher CMC. For complexity, it should be Uncommon. The abilities are of a similar par to Scrounged Scythe.
(1/3) Balance: As is, with the Attach cost lower than the Equiup cost, it is highly unbalanced. With Attach having the same speed and lack of interaction as Cycling, this is a cheap, repeatable combat trick with little downside. In Limited, this can quickly shift momentum. It's less of an issue in Constructed, where removal is more available.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Lose Calm is the only spell that gives both abilities via a modified Act of Treason. Four Equipment give menace (one is conditional), as well as five Auras, so this isn't seen often.
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"?
(1.5/3) Flavor: For a "Vulshok" card, this doesn't convey the same kind of power that the other equipment to carry the name does. With flavor text mentioning stomping, I think of trample, not menace. Go through, not around.

Polish
(2.25/3) Quality: Missing Em dash between type and subtype (-0.5). Haste is listed after other combat keywords as it generally only has relevance once. (-0.25)
(2/2) *Main Challenge: While "Attach" as a keyword did not exist until Fifth Dawn, the concept goes back to Alliances and Kjeldoran Pride, in case anyone was wondering why there is no deduction here.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Both met.

Total: 17.75/25
Scores (bold advance)
BaconCatBug: 18.5
netn10: 18.25
Freyleyes: 18.75
StonerOfKruphix: 17.75
Last edited by Sojourner Dusk 3 years ago, edited 3 times in total.
May your games be chaotic and your decks be rogue.



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RGW Mayael, Naturally (EDH)

slimytrout
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Post by slimytrout » 3 years ago

RaikouRider
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Auriok Sunstaff CW
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has vigilance, lifelink, and "This creature can't be blocked except by colorless creatures."
Whenever Auriok Sunstaff becomes attached to a creature, tap that creature.
Equip CW
Design
(1/3) Appeal — Spike likes the lifelink plus evasion plus vigilance that will help them win a race, but, like Timmy, is a bit bummed that it doesn't provide a power boost. Timmy also hates that they can't even attack with their creature the turn they attach this. Johnny, on the other hand only is interested in the tap effect, which could have some combo with Inspired, although they're not that interested.
(2/3) Elegance — I don't take off points for things forced by the main challenge, but I will take off points for meeting the subchallenge: I find the combination of colored and colorless mana unaesthetic and confusing. Moreover, I think players will be a bit baffled by the fact that it taps the creature when it's attached.

Development
(3/3) Viability — Very hard to know what's in color pie for WC, but white typically only gets "can't be blocked by creatures with power 2/3 or greater." There are exceptions, though, and protection has similar consequences, so definitely not more than a minor bend. Uncommon is correct.
(2/3) Balance — Definitely not constructed playable, so evaluating for limited. Strength would depend quite a bit on the availability of colorless mana, but my guess is that it's going to be generally underpowered, mostly because of the "tap when attached" clause. Equipment that doesn't boost power is already a dicey proposition, although this provides a reasonable ability soup in exchange, and would be reasonably balanced for limited either without the tapping ability or with generic mana costs instead of colorless ones. Both makes it too weak.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness — We haven't seen very many "becomes attached" abilities, and certainly not downside ones, so nearly full uniqueness just for that. Otherwise, though, it's fairly standard -- the "can't be blocked except by colorless" is new-ish, but also has strong hints of Fear/Intimidate.
(2/3) Flavor — I don't quite get it, mostly because of the tap ability (man, I wasn't expecting that to be quite such a dominant theme of this entry). Otherwise it's fine - fits on Mirrodin, in the right colors, etc. - but the tap ability is the most unique part so the flavor needs to explain why that's happening.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 19.5/25
MonoRedMage
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Flamescissors C
Artifact - Equipment {U}
Equipped creature has first strike and trample.
RR, Sacrifice Flamescissors: Double equipped creature's power until end of turn. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Equip CC or RR.
Design
(2/3) Appeal — Spike would be much more interested if the sacrifice could happen at instant speed. Timmy likes it. Johnny has some interest in the doubling, but the rest of it isn't too exciting.
(2.5/3) Elegance — The two equip costs is a bit odd because it's not clear why it's necessary, but otherwise fine.

Development
(3/3) Viability — All good.
(2.5/3) Balance — Again a little on the weak side – no increase in base stats makes the colorless part of the card substantially worse than Chariot of Victory. The doubling ability has some potential, but the sorcery speed restriction (while probably good to avoid first strike confusion) makes it fairly impractical to use since the creature would no longer get trample.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness — The colorless part of the card is, as mentioned, very similar to the chariot. Doubling power is not terribly new (we just had Unleash Fury), nor is sacrificing an equipment for an effect (see Wings of Hubris), but "equip X or Y" has never really been seen before (except arguably on Lashwrithe), even if it doesn't feel terribly revolutionary.
(2.5/3) Flavor — I think scissors might be a bit too silly for black border (and yes, I know Ensoul Artifact exists), but otherwise it fits well with the doubling aspect.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — I don't totally know whether "equip X or Y" is the right construction, but it seems logical enough.
(2/2) Main Challenge — Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 21.5/25
marioguy3
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Armor of Refreshed Life
Artifact — Equipment (Uncommon)
Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink and flying.
Equip —
Design
(2/3) Appeal — Spike and Timmy are both very down for this, but Johnny has no interest.
(3/3) Elegance — Very clean, very simple.

Development
(2.5/3) Viability — I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with colorless having this, but since it's practically unusable without white (barring shenanigans) I don't have a problem with it. I don't think it's quite appropriate at uncommon with these stats, though – we've seen plenty of equipment that give +2/+2 and one keyword, but never two.
(3/3) Balance — A bit pushed for limited, although probably still within the realm of what's allowable. Vulshok Morningstar was a quite solid limited card, and this adds lifelink *and* flying. Admittedly, it requires CC and WW instead of 2, so it's quite a bit more difficult to play and equip in the early game, especially if you're trying to play a two-color deck. Might see constructed play if lifegain is a reasonable archetype, especially since C gets easier to pay, but equipment does tend to struggle in a world of plentiful removal and sweepers.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness — Basically Gift of Orzhova on an equipment.
(1.5/3) Flavor — Could really use flavor text, especially with a kind-of awkward name like that.

Polish
(2/3) Quality — Flying and lifelink are swapped, and should be "has" instead of "gains."
(2/2) Main Challenge — Yep.
(2/2) Subchallenges — Yep yep.

Total: 19.5/25
Subject16
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Claw of Chiss-Goria 3C
Artifact — Equipment (U)
Flash
Affinity for artifacts (This spell costs 1 less to cast for each artifact you control.)
When Claw of Chiss-Goria enters the battlefield, you may attach it to target creature you control.
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn."
Equip 2
Design
(2.5/3) Appeal — Spike is very interested in (potentially) cheap flash equipment. Johnny is very interested in the potential to build an arbitrarily large creature. Once Timmy realizes it says "2: Equipped creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn" they can get behind it as well.
(1/3) Elegance — Too long (nine lines with four line breaks) and also pretty easy to miss that you can use its own equip ability to boost the creature (although only at sorcery speed).

Development
(3/3) Viability — Artifacts have gotten "generic firebreathing" like this exactly once before – Golem Artisan – but all it takes is one (recent) example to prove it's in-pie, so all good there. Uncommon is fine.
(2.5/3) Balance — An artifact with affinity for artifacts? Always a scary proposition – Maro has it at 8 on the storm scale for a reason. That being said, the addition of the colorless cost does help in not making it actually free, and, while this would be considerably too strong if it just cost C it wouldn't be truly busted.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness — The pieces have existed before – Embercleave, Livewire Lash, Tooth of Chiss-Goria – but never terribly close to this combination.
(3/3) Flavor — Clearly a reference to the tooth/scale of Chiss-Goria, and plays very nicely with them, so well done. A little odd that a claw is the thing that gives both toughness and power boost, and that it's the only one that's an equipment, but those are very minor quibbles.

Polish
(3/3) Quality — All good.
(2/2) Main Challenge — Yep.
(1/2) Subchallenges — Generic mana.

Total: 20/25
Results
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Very close for the second slot.
MonoRedMage: 21.5
Subject16: 20

RaikouRider: 19.5
marioguy3: 19

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void_nothing
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Post by void_nothing » 3 years ago

kwanyeegor-ii
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Design
(1/3) Appeal - Txmmy kind-of likes the pump aspect and Jxnny kind-of likes what you can do with the pump and the evasion on a saboteur. Spike doesn't care. This is mostly a Limited card but even in that context isn't popping out at anyone.
(2.5/3) Elegance - This does a lot of things for its cost, but a couple of them only matter situationally and could easily be forgotten.

Development
(3/3) Viability - All checks out to me.
(3/3) Balance - Looks alright - cheap to equip but one of the keywords it grants doesn't matter after the first turn a creature is out, and you have to pay even MORE mana to pump the creature.

Creativity
(1/3) Uniqueness - There have been Equipment that have granted all of those abilities (or similar) separately. Silverskin Armor even turns creatures into artifacts. The type changing is one unique aspect, though.
(3/3) Flavor - Turns you into a nim cyborg. Very solid.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) -
(2/2) Subchallenges -

Total: 20.5/25
Feyd_Ruin
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Design
(2.5/3) Appeal - Txmmy likes the potential size and the juicy keywords, Jxnny likes, well, all the interactions possible with artifacts in the graveyard and the counters, Spike would like this if there were plentiful artifact tokens like Treasures in Standard.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Kind of heavy on tracking complexity and the nonmana equip cost adds extra words.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This very much seems like an uncommon and the colorless mana particularly fits something that cares heavily about other artifacts.
(3/3) Balance - Nothing to complain about here. Can get a creature nice and big but requires work in order to achieve that.

Creativity
(2.5/3) Uniqueness - I almost see this as Malefic Scythe and Cranial Plating making a very different riff together. Unique stuff indeed.
(2/3) Flavor - Name is a bit generic but works well enough I suppose.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - A couple of capitalization errors.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Looks good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 22/25
Lorn Asbord Schutta
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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy doesn't care, but both Jxnny and Spike have reasons to like effects similar to Skullclamp (although this card is not NEARLY as powerful).
(2.5/3) Elegance - A bit wordy and fiddly, but the complexity level is on par for an uncommon.

Development
(3/3) Viability - This feels uncommon and the C use feels appropriate.
(3/3) Balance - It's a pretty situational card that is kinda like a poor man's Goblin Welder. Could you make an engine with it? Maybe, but it'd involve a lot of other cards.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - While the inspiration is, well, obvious, this is a pretty different riff on an infamous card.
(3/3) Flavor - Yeah, that's in character for the Moriok alright.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - First line's missing an "and".
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 22/25
Totals (Bold advance)
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Feyd_Ruin 22
Lorn Asbord Schutta 22

kwanyeegor-ii 20.5
There was not a bad card in the bunch here. Good job all.
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