Sandspire Imp2R
Creature - Devil (U)
Haste
Landbound - Mountain (This creature enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each mountain tapped for mana to pay its mana cost.)
1/0
Planeswalker ability:
-X: Exile target creature with X time counters on it. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend. (X can't be 0)
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Kalonian Lasher1G
Creature - Plant (U)
When CARDNAME or another creature named CARDNAME enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 green Plant creature token onto the battlefield.
Other Plant creatures you control get +1/+1.
0/1
+1: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand, one on top of your library, and one on the bottom of your library.
-3: Return to your hand all cards in your graveyard that were put there this turn.
The minus ability on this weeks submission for the Planeswalker is meant to handle board presence by getting removal spells from my yard back, AND/OR chump blockers to reuse again in battle. Or any number of other things as it is a fairly versatile drop and especially effective when using spells such as Forbidden Alchemy.
Komel Chatarr Color Identity:WU Race: Kor Home Plane: Zendikar
Once a sanctifier among the kor, Komel has been haunted by visions of unfamiliar lands since his childhood: islands floating in a bottomless sky, a city without borders, a lake wrapped in moody twilight. During the traumatic events of the Rise of the Eldrazi, Komel's spark ignited and dragged him to Arkhos, where he spent some years in a fugue, struggling to regain his grip on consciousness when faced with the psychic rigors of that plane.
Some months later, Komel regained his awareness, and found that he had been changed; his heart had stopped beating. Perhaps he was no longer alive. He took to wandering the planes in an effort to unravel this mystery, and perhaps to find what remains of his people.
Warthreader2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature has flying.
When equipped creature attacks, tap target creature defending player controls.
Equip 2
Vault Guardian4W
Creature — Human Soldier (C)
Affinity for Artifacts
3/3
---
+1 You may attach up to two Equipment you control to up to two target creatures you control.
Sengir Chirurgeon2B
Creature — Vampire (U) 1B, sacrifice a creature: Regenerate target creature. If that creature is a Vampire, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
–N: Choose a different target for target spell or ability that targets a single creature.
Suleiman's Pikemen4WW
Creature - (U)
First strike, vigilance
Whenever Suleiman's Pikemen blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
3/4
+2 Up to one target artifact is indestructible this turn.
-1 Artifacts you control gain ":symtap:, Discard a card: Draw a card." until end of turn.
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I'll bet you wish you had a non-unglued/unhinged card that shared your first name.
Socrates - A well fitting Spellshaper you have made there Socrates, for 3 turn any card in your hand into a Crippling Chill without the card draw, which I think is just perfect. And on a 1/1, its an easy enough creature to deal with.
Your PW ability is also pretty straight forward, low cost for low reward. 1/1 white soldier for -1, seems perfectly well done.
Æthermage - N/A(Unless I missed it multiple times, if I did, please let me know so I can review it)
charut - A pretty standard Mercenary it would seem at first, then I read more... and it is pretty great for its cost. Its ability that can't target the same creature twice seems perfectly powered for an uncommon and its search ability is spot on.
Before I go into the ability, I just have to say I have been loving your Planeswalker so far, a Deaf Luxodon, fun times. Now for the PW ability... I like it, though it seems a bit over powered for a -1 ability, for a -1, I would expect only a single target creature to have pro from a chosen color. But it does the job we were asked for so I can't complain to much.
Cardz5000 - Your creature seems good and well powered... for a rare, mass life loss every time the creature is blocked is pretty messed up, and there are plenty of ways to make it so he doesn't die in combat. (In standard even we have Ring of Xathrid). If you had upped the price even by 1 I wouldn't have had any problem with it, as it is, it almost is just like a mini bomb wrapped up in a creature.
Your Minus ability is near perfect though depending on how much you make the - cost. It may be a bit OP with +3/+3 and trample, but that is nitpicking I realize, I do enjoy the overall idea of it.
Ninja Caterpie - You almost made me thing you didn't have an entry when I scrolled by your holder on page 1 xD.
Your creature, not much I can say besides I love it and it seems perfect, but I suppose that's why you always do so well in these games, you know how to make good cards. I really can't see anything about it I could complain or critique =)
The Planeswalker ability also seems pretty straight forward, and I can only say it would be OP depending on what you make your - cost, without knowing that, I think its all around a well made ability and card.
Savia - Back-Alley Extortionists Seems pretty standard for a Mercenary(a creature type that really wasn't the best, but I enjoy them still), Fairly priced, and he has a unique way of avoidance which is very nice.
The PW ability though nice, I am not 100% sure how it fits the character, as much as I do enjoy it, but I won't minus any points for that. A Spider definitely is a good choice as a blocker.
Icarael - N/A
1) Ninja Caterpie
2) Socrates
3) Savia
Cyclone is my reason for making a card with Cumulative Upkeep, I don't want to lose points because I was outside the realm of possibility.
Yes, y'all are go for critiques. I am too lazy to link people like MDenham does, just look through the 20some posts and find the 5 or 6 you need, it's not that hard
MagicProfessor28:
Haha! Yes! Minotaur tribal! Sub-par as far as a lord goes, but still cool. The pw ability seems strong. Kill something and cripple the rest? Yes please. A pw ability that straight-up kills your creature definitely fulfills this round's criteria.
drewdagreek:
Typically, white cards that hose a named card or the like are rare. It's just a potentially powerful ability that wotc doesn't want running rampant around limited. As far as your pw ability goes, I think every creature has to have a creature type. In addition, if a creature token is not specifically named in the ability that creates it (see Boris Devilboon and Tolsimir Wolfblood), the creature token is automatically named whatever its types are. That's why a Maelstrom Pulse targeting a Saproling nukes all Saprolings, regardless of how they were created. However, I can only see this being relevant to your walker if you have a Rings of Brighthearth out and foolishly target two of the same creature tokens with the first ability. It IS really cool to create a token based on target creature's power though.
willows:
I like the name. It's flavorful, it's effective, and it's a tribal vamp we haven't seen yet. I likey. Unfortunately, your pw ability is completely useless. Pw can only use their abilities as sorceries.
Prophylaxis:
Woah, these are some gnarly bats. I'd think these would quickly become first pickable. Very strong, but probably not overpowered. PW ability fits the criteria and works well with your first ability. Overall very safe entries, nothing too crazy going on.
Polendino:
I've never taken Dwarves to be the double striking type, but they haven't gotten a whole lot of love... ever. I'm willing to see double striking Dwarves. Seems fair. That pw ability, on the other hand, seems down right dirty. Getting an indestructible guy is definitely an answer to a non-evasive double striker, but it's also a pain to deal with. Why is it a 2/2 Solider? 1/1 would probably be more than enough.
U// Sedris and the Traitor Kings U// G Seshiro, the Appointed G B// Vaevictus Asmadi - "I'm 'exy and I know it" B// W// Treva, The Renewerer W// B/ Rakdos, Lord of Grouphate B/ W//// Cromat the Charmer W////
void_nothing:
Khamsin Djinn feels too strong to me, I could be wrong, but I feel like it wold have been better with either of the abilities, not both.
PW ability: feels WAY too situational to be effective.
yewlas
Love the card. Wouldn't ever play it (just not my style) but I still think it's awesome, I almost want to bump it up to RR and give it haste.
PW ability: seems unexciting, but it doesn't have to be for a -1, I like the ability to stack up emblems pretty quick. Is there any flavor link between this and dark depths?
KoolKoal
Reverse Bushido, interesting ability, and is actually more effective then Bushido because if you get double blocked each creature takes the minuses. I like the card
PW ability: in the right deck I wouldn't even use the other abilities, this as a draw engine is just crazy.
Arcel
I like the card, I just wouldn't ever play it outside of multiplayer or a super spikey deck.
PW ability: the first ability needs to have a may clause in it so that you can gain loyalty without a creature, but the second ability is fine, nothing fancy, but good.
Chadly Whiplash
Card is fine, just unexciting, slow firebreathing and flying
PW ability: I wish this was a reverse ponder without the draw
Maokun
I like the card, but the random ability word is throwing me off.
PW ability: Awesome stall out your opponents' creatures or just psudo-flicker your own
On your card, you have an interesting card there. However, it's sweeping enough that I would feel safer with it as a rare, and I think you've gone about wording the ability the wrong way. Instead of 'choose a name', I would have said "Name a card or choose a creature type". That way you don't run into the weird situation of an Elf Warrior token suddenly becoming an Elf Sliver Warrior token when a Hivestone comes out, causing it's name to change, and this thing to not protect against them anymore.
I like the PW ability, btw. A little backwards, in that it targets another creature to produce a token, but still interesting. I wonder what the flavor is of a creature with no creature type, for this character. I know that morph creatures are little spidery things cause of the artwork, but yeah, lost on this one. Nice interaction between the two PW abilities so far, btw. A good bit on the complex side, but good interaction.
Hamlet Captain says you've probably got this at the correct rarity, but not at the correct power level. It costs a whole C more and only triggers on attacks, not blocks and attacks. It's a different tribe entirely, so perhaps it'd impact the cards differently, but I can't know that, so, yeah.
Your PW ability is a little random, of course. I can't fathom how it interacts with the other PW ability you have either. They simply feel clunky together. The second planeswalker ability also seems really sweeping and strong, while being indirect and complex. Why doesn't it simply destroy a creature and make the others 1/1 afterwards? That would flow much better as far as flavor goes, imo. Still wouldn't link back to the first ability, of course.
I think you've overcosted this a bit, comparing to Hearthfire Hobgoblin and Marisi's Twinclaws. I'd more readily put this at 3R. At 3RR, of course, you could have added something else minor to up the complexity, like with Viashino Slaughtermaster. You're right to put it at this rarity, of course. Pretty straight-forward card, of course. Nothing to think about.
I like the PW ability. It's redundant with the first ability of course, and that's an issue, but that's an interesting token it makes. Though, since Soldiers already have an iconic token size and type, I'd rather these tokens be Knights or something else. It's not an issue or anything, of course. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad and Bloodline Keeper didn't exactly line up either.
This is interesting. A bit of bleed of fighting into black, mixed with the traditional Sengir Vampire ability. A good uncommon, arguably an upgrade from Sengir Vampire (weenie removal and a cost reduction in exchange for a -1/-0), but I like it.
The PW ability is a little odd for a PW ability, as it uses a non-evergreen keyword ability. I like how it interacts with the first ability of course. All around, nice.
I'm intrigued by this. A good uncommon. Reminds me of Falkenrath Torturer, a bit. A universal card that becomes a bit better with a particular tribe. One thing about it that gets me, though, is that it can target itself and always be guaranteed to grow larger. This guy is definitely a house in limited.
Your PW ability does not work, because you have to activate it with a spell or ability on the stack for it to target, and if a spell or ability is on the stack, you can't activate a loyalty ability. I also don't see how it relates back to this guy's first ability either.
Well, I have moved team, and that means I am once again critiquing Team East.
So Drozu has come to the desert plane of Rabiah. Let's see what attacks him!
Khamsin Djinn certainly scores for me on flavour, with a name and concept that fits in to the Arabian feel of Rabiah. Mechanically, we have a solid 5 mana 3/3 flier with a pair of similar triggered abilities. I like the saboteur ability a lot here - it's not something we've seen before (although Blizzard Specter has a certain similarity). It does have a potential to lock someone out of the game if they don't have a blocker, though.
The combat trigger I'm less enthused about. The problem with this kind of trigger is that it won't do something as often as I'd like. If I'm attacking, then only a flier / Reach creature with 4 or more toughness will trigger it. A lot of the time that creature will probably be killing my Djinn, which at least prevents a repetitive game state occurring.
I like the effect of the trigger on blocking more, although again as a beefy 3/3 the Djinn will just outright kill his victim more often than not. Still, he's a scary guy to try and alpha strike into.
Drozu's second ability I like - it's like a scaleable Morbid-style effect that can deal an exciting, large amount of damage. I am now actively expecting that Drozu starts on 3 loyalty, so that he can kill himself immediately with this effect a laLiliana of the Dark Realms and increase the damage dealt.
In terms of interacting with the first ability, it's so-so; the theme of death is present in both but it's frustrating how the first ability feels like it's going to enable the second one but, due to how the timing works out, it never quite does. Maybe something counting stuff in the graveyard would have meshed the abilities better.
You have a bit of a gift this round - a directly hostile desert environment for your poor ice mage to sweat in Let's see what you have done with it.
Your card is a perfect Efreet - temperamental, unpredictable, yet powerful. The 3/3 stats are appealing and the possibility of winning all my flips and getting an easy-to-cast Watchwolf is exciting, instead of worrying about losing them all and getting a sort of crappy Flesh Reaver. Overall very happy with this.
Your first planeswalker ability had an esoteric ice counter attached to it, and this week we get to see why. I'm not a huge fan of the Sorin style of cheap, multiple emblem, but it does some decent work here, steadily freezing your opponents' creatures more and more. However, it's not without problems, in that the counters are quite hard to get in sufficient numbers to make the emblem interesting. And of course the emblem is 100% blank on its own, meaning that I only really have one choice of ability on the turn I cast the card.
Your rhox artificer comes to Rabiah. I still wish I knew more about why he is a rhox, why he is a red rhox, and why he is an artificer
Your card this week has a name that sort of fits the setting, although pikes aren't really the kind of weapons associated with Arabia - they are more of a European fantasy staple. It also has no creature type which is a noticeable lack of polish.
The actual card is a very powerful limited beater that can control the board. The pike feel is carried by first strike, but also by an odd flanking variant. I didn't feel this was adding all that much to a creature this big and first striking; it'd be more interesting to see it on a smaller creature that could trade up to larger men, than on a 6-drop that already beats up many other creatures.
Your second ability interacts with artifacts by giving them a rummaging ability. Although this kind of thing is red, grafting it onto artifacts doesn't feel flavourful and essentially feels like lip service to the fact that your card is a red artificer. It doesn't have any interaction with the first ability, either.
So your angry Ogre is in Rabiah... What is there in the desert to get angry at?
Your card this week shows a more malicious Efreet. I like the sandstorm concept which feels very appropriate for the setting. However, a sandstorm as a concept definitely feels red - see Swirling Sandstorm, Desert Sandstorm, and Sandstorm Eidolon (ok, and Sandstorm in the actual Arabian Nights set, but whatever).
The mechanical execution of your sandstorm is decent; an undercosted creature with a drawback that steadily costs the controller life. When it dies, the last gust of wind spreads some silicate pain to your opponent. I like it. However, cumulative upkeep is definitely outside of the mechanical identity of Rabiah, and I don't know if it's justified to introduce it here.
You wisely took your opportunity to reword your + ability from last time, making it a more straightforward Berserk effect. The large loyalty gain is also good because it means I am more likely to be willing to use it!
Your - ability summons an Ogre token, which is fitting for your character. It's certainly not the most original (Garruk Wildspeaker had the same thing back in Lorwyn), but it's not too bad either. It also nicely gives me some fodder to Berserk up and throw at my opponent's head
Ok, so your Nightshade character has come to Rabiah. Let's see what strange spirits inhabit this place...
Flavourwise, your card is a little confused. He is an Efreet, but the lamp flavour is all about Djinns. As it happens the lamp theme doesn't continue to the card's mechanics, so this doesn't derail you. But it would be nice if the card has some flavourful tie for its mechanics.
The card mechanics are essentially a very efficient Torch Drake variant. The base stats are already Phantom Monster, an excellent limited creature, so adding firebreathing makes him pretty strong. Red doesn't generally get fliers like this unless they're dragons, but I'm willing to bend this on the basis of precedent like Bird Maiden and Furnace Whelp. Ultimately, though, the card is fine, but not especially original or exciting.
Your + ability was a strong, simple choice - a repeatable -1/-1 effect. This week's ability is a kind of Tahngarth's Glare effect. The problem is that this ability at -2 (and even at -1) is not very appealing. JTMS had a much more appealing fateseal-ish ability (which of course was overpowered).
The two abilities don't tie together, particularly. A flavour explanation of your character would help that, but over the 3 submissions you've made so far, we know literally nothing about Yoshiro except their name.
Ok, so your rhox monk is going to have to deal with the heat of the desert. Let's see what he makes of it.
Your planeswalker has encountered a Devil, which we know exist on Rabiah. This devil is red, and really likes it when you tap Mountains. There's not too much flavour to this, but it does seem like a really interesting mechanical idea. Your card can be a 4/3 haste for RRR, which is certainly strong, but not unreasonable. He is also very reasonable at 1RR, but a bit poopy at 2R. You correctly costed him so that he looks splashable, to keep the number of possible outcomes as high as possible. A strong card. I think the only change I would have considered is squaring the stats to 1/1, which would make the maths easier and also avoid that ugly 0 toughness needing to be printed. Maybe that pushes him too far, but maybe not
Your - ability allows you to delay things a little, pushing enemy threats off so you can deal with them later. It's certainly interesting. I'm going to go ahead and assume that Arph is in a block that features suspend and can forgo the need for reminder text as you clearly don't have space for it. It doesn't really interact mechanically with your first ability, but it does have the benefit of conforming to an odd sort of blinking theme.
3. void_nothing
2. yewlas
1. Maokun
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Cythare - Interesting, though devour is an alaran thing, but hey. A fairly interesting card. As for the PW ability, it does shut down the critter,. Perhaps a little weak
Random - I like the story and the cards seem balanced. Honestly, the skeleton seems to border on between uncommon and common. But is a flavorful card. I love the idea though. Sadly, the PW ability doesn't quite take out the regenerator.
Krey: Interesting. Not quite the threatening creature, and it seem it would make for repetitive game states. Also, not sure if the first part of the ability works in the graveyard, where it needs to work. Honestly, not sure if a purely defensive super regenerator is incredibly black. I could see this as hybrid BW without much difficulty. As for the PW ability, it's useless because PW ability are sorcery speed.
Queensauce - Xathrid Swarm: Interesting, though I almost wonder if it should cost just BB. I like how the PW ability screws with your opponent and feeds your horde theme
Rithaniel - Interesting: I like the ability, maybe a little unique for uncommon, but solid. ANd all those clones get hosed when you enforce fair play. Though, if yyu were using your first ability, you'd have alot of bats.
Foo_intherain: Most intriguing. Really depends on is plants are a major race or not. Still, an interesting concept. This screams Johny-fodder, which I love. I'm suddenly thinking... "kicked Rite of Replication". As for the almost second sunrise, I see how it can keep you ready, but if you're in a hole this isn't getting you out. Blockers can't be recalled because this is sorcery speed.
A really tough round. I wonder if Gerrard's ideas are just drawing out our creativity. Still.
1. Rithaniel: Nice critter and interesting new mechanic. Nice way of shutting it down.
2. Queensauce: Interesting critter and unique thematic way to take it down.
3. CYthare: Very close, but it squeal over Foo because it meets the challenge more directly.
Honestly, a tough call. Foo's card beckon's to Johnny and Randomnation's flavor is just awesome.
Cythare: Did not meet challenge restriction. It seems like a fine design, however.
queensauce: Solid swarm. I would have maybe liked it to be 4/3 or 3/4 for balance reasons as this card kills control easily. Other than that, fine card.
Rithaniel: I like Lifeforce - it seems like it could be a decent catchup mechanic. The flavor text is pretty cool. Good card all around.
Random_Nation: Solid, though unexciting. I like simple cards like these, however.
Krey: Fine card. The recursion is interesting, but IMO it's probably going to be an annoying blocker most of the time.
foo: I probably like this card more than I should. The plant lord is really cool and the card in general I like.
Top 3:
1. foo_in_the_rain
2. Rithaniel
3. queensauce
@Savia: Thanks for the crit I just want to additionally mention that the PW ability totally deals with the Devil since it re-enters the battlefield without having its mana cost paid so landbound doesn't trigger.
Socrates: I think the "spellshaping" mana cost for your card is too high, considering you are losing another card. Otherwise it's fine. The planeswalker ability has only the most tenuous link to the creature and it's super boring, to boot.
Charut: I'm not sure how I feel about a mercenary with an allies-like mechanic. Nevertheless, both the card and the PW ability fit the required parameters well if without much pizzazz.
Cardz5000: A mercenary without a mercenary mechanic, with a block-trigger but without relevant power to make the choice difficult? It should at the very least be 2/1, but still, there's no point to have to choose between 2 damage and 3 life. The planeswalker ability is totally disconnected from the creature too.
Ninja Caterpie: Very good, interesting and balanced card. The PW ability is also interesting and fitting and can deal with the creature. Bravo!
Savia: Your card is another mix of mercenary mechanic with ally-like mechanics, but I have to say that I enjoy the twist for the mercenary mechanic. All in all, a well-rounded card, fairly balanced and costed. The planeswalker ability does deal with the mercenary -if not totally, as before dying he may summon his little brother. Small nitpick: Since the introduction of tribal, the mercenary mechanic need to include a "permanent" clause before "card".
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Socrates- Repeatable Crippling Chill effects seem crazy powerful in Limited, and possibly in other formats, too. The spellshaper mechanic helps balance this quite a bit, though, so good job. I appreciate how useful this is in the late game. The planeswalker ability is literally just Elspeth, Knight-Errant's ability as a minus. Well, plus being a human. It is useful, sure, but not terribly innovative or original.
charut- Interesting mercenary design. The search ability certainly fits Mercadia the last time we saw it, though that doesn't make it a good ability. Personally, I like the mercenary ability, but that doesn't make it good, either. I like counting mercenaries as a mechanic. It is a good way to help make use of the mercenary/rebel mechanics. I'd prefer to have seen Bhoya's ability cost more to activate. It could be an incredible beating with a lot of creatures, since it basically makes them unblockable.
Cardz5000- The mugger's block ability doesn't seem like much of a choice, actually. It has neat multiplayer applications, but otherwise it's a free damage each turn. I like the ability, but it doesn't seem to actively deal with the creature, or really have a ton to do with last round's ability (except for the word "elemental"). I like the theme that seems to be developing with Jeererek.
Ninja Caterpie- I really enjoy this allied color design. It works in each of its respective colors, and has some great synergy, feeling like a one-card-combo. While I appreciate the multiplayer-friendly wording, it feels a little forced. It's hard to judge the planeswalker's ability without a number, but it seems quite good. It seems doable, though, and pretty fun.
Savia- Now that feels like a good way to use the mercenary mechanic. It might be a little cheap for all the awesome stuff it lets you do, but I really love all the pieces together. You've combined some tropes of Mercadia's mercenaries into an attractive package that actually makes me want to play a mercenary deck. The planeswalker is pretty straightforward, but feels neat. It gives me an idea of who your 'walker is. Not incredibly creative, but still nice.
Card - Unfortunately, doesn't meet the challenge; Rare card. It seems like you could shave a few numbers off this, turn it into a Piker, and it could be Uncommon.
Planeswalker Ability - Aurification on a Planeswalker. Cute, but not particularly innovative or resonant. I did love that card, though, so you can have some bonus points.
Card - It's nice. I like how it's only a little bit completely destroyed by your creature-ETB Planeswalker.
In Limited, it seems like this card would be pretty bad; your set obviously has a theme of creature ETBs in Green, so the heavy-black-and-then-die makes me sad.
Planeswalker Ability - Part of me is suspicious of the memory issues this could cause, though I'm sure it would be fine in application. I'm aware of the whole combo-with-itself thing, but I hate the whole "non-token" clause. It normally reads "If you would begin to do something fun, instead don't, and cry in the corner because we don't want tokens to be good".
Card - I can't help but like Lifeforce. New players will likely not, since it means "losing"... and the cost on this ability is likely a little bit too high. I could see paying 2GG for an extra 3/3, but not 3GG. The card does seem strong in Limited, but the mechanic might be difficult to turn on. It does create a bit of a swingy game, kind of like randomly pulling off wins with Fateful Hour in DKA.
Planeswalker Ability - Creates a bit of a dilemma with your first ability. Other than that, it's pretty good. Making opponents sacrifice creatures is very un-:symw:, so it should almost certainly be "destroy". Remember to stay on your Planeswalker's colour identity!
Card - Seems perfectly fine, great limited beater. I like the whole Thrun vibe as well on the flavour. Gets a thumbs up from me.
Planeswalker Ability - Yeah, ok; that's a pretty sick (R/G) ability. Gets a thumbs up as well; I always liked Beserk.
Card - It's pretty nice. VERY cheap, even for a conditional reanimator. I'd like +1 on the mana cost and the ability. Still, it's obviously an Uncommon, and quite a good one at that. Thumbs up!
Planeswalker Ability - BIG thumbs-down. Planeswalker abilities can't be activated during the combat phase, which is the only time when you could actually have a target for this. Other than that, it's worded so it's not good with Mindslaver. Everything should be good with Mindslaver!
Card - PLANTS. Plants everywhere! I love it. It's hilarious Kalonian flavour. Bonus for working well with Ring of Kalonia. I love that it encourages you to pick up multiples in Limited, though the Uncommon rarity could make that difficult.
Planeswalker Ability - Seems off. Or odd. It encourages separating your GY into multiple piles, which shouldn't be encouraged... slight memory issues. Other than that, it's interesting, and could conceivably kill some plants.
Prophylaxis - Flavor fits well. The ability works well with the mana cost as most of the time it will choose to fight small prey and gain a token. Flavor text would have been nice. Very good card. The PW ability reminds me of Snapcaster Mage, very powerful ability but the cost is what makes it balanced since you may not be able to cast it each turn.
drewdagreek - Flavor fits well. Very nice ability and flavor text, the cost is well balanced so it requires a commitment to white to cast it. Since the ability would be powerful if set to a color, setting it to card name balances it. The PW ability is interesting and seems to go around the Inquisitor's ability. In the reminder text you forgot to mention if the token is colorless.
willows - Interesting to see a vampire "Chirurgeon" Flavor wise the only vampire that can regenerate other vampires is the Baron himself, so flavor of the plane is there. The PW ability is ok, and while doing nothing to the creature, it can affect its usefulness.
MagicProfessor28 - Flavor fits well. Very interesting take on the minotaur "lord", the ability reflects their aggresive nature. Could be fun with multiple copies. The PW ability first part is ok, the second part seems too powerful.
Polendino - The only thing mixing the card with the plane is the flavor text. Without it, it could be from anyplace. A 2/3 for five mana seems a bit too much even with the double strike and even as an uncommon. The PW ability does not seem to do anything else that blocking the dwarf.
arbitraryarmor -
1. Prophylaxis 2. Willows
3. Drewdagreek
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"Those who endure in the face of suffering, those whose faith shines long in evil days, they shall see salvation." -Song of All, canto 904
Cythare
I like the synergy this has with Ring of Valkas. I'm not in love with the use of devour, though; it's an Alara mechanic after all, and it hasn't yet been reused for a 'generic' plane like Shandalar. That said, its abilities have good synergy with each other, and that's rad.
Hey, it's Aurification! It's a good response to the Ogre and it helps define Elyria's basically defensive nature…but it leaves me wondering how she goes on the offensive.
Random_Nation
Troll skeleton lol
I like this a lot, it manages to merge the flavors of two familiar creature types without having to use any funky mechanics to do it. Good use of the destruction of the Onakke. Nice solid uncommon.
The PW ability kind of feels meh to me; it's dramatic, but it doesn't interact with its previous ability. They're both ways to push damage past blockers; it's a little disappointing that they are so similar.
Krey
Hm, another undead troll. Very differently flavored! I like him too. The defensive stance is a little weird on mono-black, though.
Where's the red in your PW abilities? They are so white right now.
queensauce
I like these. The Swarm is entertainingly aggressive and the PW ability interlocks nicely with the one before it, and hoses the Swarm perfectly.
Rithaniel
Your Lifeforce mechanic is sort of like a less-exciting version of Fateful Hour :/
I like your PW ability.
foo_intherain
I like your Plant! Seems like its uncommon status interferes with its cool token-making ability, though, and its small body makes it a bummer to try and keep alive.
I see what's going on with your PW ability but I wish it interlocked better with its predecessor.
1: queensauce
2: Random_Nation
3: Krey
Crit Responses:
I'm glad you folks like the Vampire. I didn't give him another ability because there isn't a clearly established "Doctor" creature type in Magic, and I didn't want to use any of the healer types that are associated with whiteness and priesthood.
The PW ability is clearly problematic, I'll make revisions next round, particularly having to do with ability timing.
Cardz5000: A mercenary without a mercenary mechanic, with a block-trigger but without relevant power to make the choice difficult? It should at the very least be 2/1, but still, there's no point to have to choose between 2 damage and 3 life. The planeswalker ability is totally disconnected from the creature too.
Not that I expect it to change anything, but Alley Grifters exists, and the life loss trigger gets a lot more intresting in muliplayer, it gives the defending play the ability to bolt all but one player for 3 life. Also it was said that the PW ability just had to help deal with the creature, even if it was to draw a card, my ability pumps creatures, which is an even more direct way of dealing with a creature IMO.
Sandspire Imp 2R
Creature - Devil (U)
Haste
Landbound - Mountain (This creature enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each mountain tapped for mana to pay its mana cost.)
1/0
Planeswalker ability:
-X: Exile target creature with X time counters on it. If it doesn't have suspend, it gains suspend. (X can't be 0)
Kalonian Lasher 1G
Creature - Plant (U)
When CARDNAME or another creature named CARDNAME enters the battlefield, put a 0/1 green Plant creature token onto the battlefield.
Other Plant creatures you control get +1/+1.
0/1
+1: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand, one on top of your library, and one on the bottom of your library.
-3: Return to your hand all cards in your graveyard that were put there this turn.
The minus ability on this weeks submission for the Planeswalker is meant to handle board presence by getting removal spells from my yard back, AND/OR chump blockers to reuse again in battle. Or any number of other things as it is a fairly versatile drop and especially effective when using spells such as Forbidden Alchemy.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Color Identity: WU
Race: Kor
Home Plane: Zendikar
Once a sanctifier among the kor, Komel has been haunted by visions of unfamiliar lands since his childhood: islands floating in a bottomless sky, a city without borders, a lake wrapped in moody twilight. During the traumatic events of the Rise of the Eldrazi, Komel's spark ignited and dragged him to Arkhos, where he spent some years in a fugue, struggling to regain his grip on consciousness when faced with the psychic rigors of that plane.
Some months later, Komel regained his awareness, and found that he had been changed; his heart had stopped beating. Perhaps he was no longer alive. He took to wandering the planes in an effort to unravel this mystery, and perhaps to find what remains of his people.
Warthreader 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature has flying.
When equipped creature attacks, tap target creature defending player controls.
Equip 2
Vault Guardian 4W
Creature — Human Soldier (C)
Affinity for Artifacts
3/3
---
+1 You may attach up to two Equipment you control to up to two target creatures you control.
Creature — Vampire (U)
1B, sacrifice a creature: Regenerate target creature. If that creature is a Vampire, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
2/2
–N: Choose a different target for target spell or ability that targets a single creature.
Round 1
Suleiman's Pikemen 4WW
Creature - (U)
First strike, vigilance
Whenever Suleiman's Pikemen blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
3/4
+2 Up to one target artifact is indestructible this turn.
-1 Artifacts you control gain ":symtap:, Discard a card: Draw a card." until end of turn.
Creature - Efreet (U)
Flying
1 Efreet of the Black Lamp gets +1/+0 untill the end of turn.
3/3
Planeswalker:
[-2] Look at the top three cards of target opponent's library, then put them back in any order.
Story update coming soon
Your PW ability is also pretty straight forward, low cost for low reward. 1/1 white soldier for -1, seems perfectly well done.
Æthermage - N/A(Unless I missed it multiple times, if I did, please let me know so I can review it)
charut - A pretty standard Mercenary it would seem at first, then I read more... and it is pretty great for its cost. Its ability that can't target the same creature twice seems perfectly powered for an uncommon and its search ability is spot on.
Before I go into the ability, I just have to say I have been loving your Planeswalker so far, a Deaf Luxodon, fun times. Now for the PW ability... I like it, though it seems a bit over powered for a -1 ability, for a -1, I would expect only a single target creature to have pro from a chosen color. But it does the job we were asked for so I can't complain to much.
Cardz5000 - Your creature seems good and well powered... for a rare, mass life loss every time the creature is blocked is pretty messed up, and there are plenty of ways to make it so he doesn't die in combat. (In standard even we have Ring of Xathrid). If you had upped the price even by 1 I wouldn't have had any problem with it, as it is, it almost is just like a mini bomb wrapped up in a creature.
Your Minus ability is near perfect though depending on how much you make the - cost. It may be a bit OP with +3/+3 and trample, but that is nitpicking I realize, I do enjoy the overall idea of it.
Ninja Caterpie - You almost made me thing you didn't have an entry when I scrolled by your holder on page 1 xD.
Your creature, not much I can say besides I love it and it seems perfect, but I suppose that's why you always do so well in these games, you know how to make good cards. I really can't see anything about it I could complain or critique =)
The Planeswalker ability also seems pretty straight forward, and I can only say it would be OP depending on what you make your - cost, without knowing that, I think its all around a well made ability and card.
Savia - Back-Alley Extortionists Seems pretty standard for a Mercenary(a creature type that really wasn't the best, but I enjoy them still), Fairly priced, and he has a unique way of avoidance which is very nice.
The PW ability though nice, I am not 100% sure how it fits the character, as much as I do enjoy it, but I won't minus any points for that. A Spider definitely is a good choice as a blocker.
Icarael - N/A
2) Socrates
3) Savia
Artist: //gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&artist=[%22Daniel%20Ljunggren%22">"]Daniel Ljunggren
MagicProfessor28:
Haha! Yes! Minotaur tribal! Sub-par as far as a lord goes, but still cool. The pw ability seems strong. Kill something and cripple the rest? Yes please. A pw ability that straight-up kills your creature definitely fulfills this round's criteria.
drewdagreek:
Typically, white cards that hose a named card or the like are rare. It's just a potentially powerful ability that wotc doesn't want running rampant around limited. As far as your pw ability goes, I think every creature has to have a creature type. In addition, if a creature token is not specifically named in the ability that creates it (see Boris Devilboon and Tolsimir Wolfblood), the creature token is automatically named whatever its types are. That's why a Maelstrom Pulse targeting a Saproling nukes all Saprolings, regardless of how they were created. However, I can only see this being relevant to your walker if you have a Rings of Brighthearth out and foolishly target two of the same creature tokens with the first ability. It IS really cool to create a token based on target creature's power though.
willows:
I like the name. It's flavorful, it's effective, and it's a tribal vamp we haven't seen yet. I likey. Unfortunately, your pw ability is completely useless. Pw can only use their abilities as sorceries.
Prophylaxis:
Woah, these are some gnarly bats. I'd think these would quickly become first pickable. Very strong, but probably not overpowered. PW ability fits the criteria and works well with your first ability. Overall very safe entries, nothing too crazy going on.
Polendino:
I've never taken Dwarves to be the double striking type, but they haven't gotten a whole lot of love... ever. I'm willing to see double striking Dwarves. Seems fair. That pw ability, on the other hand, seems down right dirty. Getting an indestructible guy is definitely an answer to a non-evasive double striker, but it's also a pain to deal with. Why is it a 2/2 Solider? 1/1 would probably be more than enough.
arbitraryarmor:
No entry...
1. MagicProfessor28
2. Prophylaxis
3. drewdagreek
Custom Race: Guaroga
G Seshiro, the Appointed G
B// Vaevictus Asmadi - "I'm 'exy and I know it" B//
W// Treva, The Renewerer W//
B/ Rakdos, Lord of Grouphate B/
W//// Cromat the Charmer W////
Khamsin Djinn feels too strong to me, I could be wrong, but I feel like it wold have been better with either of the abilities, not both.
PW ability: feels WAY too situational to be effective.
yewlas
Love the card. Wouldn't ever play it (just not my style) but I still think it's awesome, I almost want to bump it up to RR and give it haste.
PW ability: seems unexciting, but it doesn't have to be for a -1, I like the ability to stack up emblems pretty quick. Is there any flavor link between this and dark depths?
KoolKoal
Reverse Bushido, interesting ability, and is actually more effective then Bushido because if you get double blocked each creature takes the minuses. I like the card
PW ability: in the right deck I wouldn't even use the other abilities, this as a draw engine is just crazy.
Arcel
I like the card, I just wouldn't ever play it outside of multiplayer or a super spikey deck.
PW ability: the first ability needs to have a may clause in it so that you can gain loyalty without a creature, but the second ability is fine, nothing fancy, but good.
Chadly Whiplash
Card is fine, just unexciting, slow firebreathing and flying
PW ability: I wish this was a reverse ponder without the draw
Maokun
I like the card, but the random ability word is throwing me off.
PW ability: Awesome stall out your opponents' creatures or just psudo-flicker your own
1:Yewlas
2:KoolKoal
3:Arcel
On your card, you have an interesting card there. However, it's sweeping enough that I would feel safer with it as a rare, and I think you've gone about wording the ability the wrong way. Instead of 'choose a name', I would have said "Name a card or choose a creature type". That way you don't run into the weird situation of an Elf Warrior token suddenly becoming an Elf Sliver Warrior token when a Hivestone comes out, causing it's name to change, and this thing to not protect against them anymore.
I like the PW ability, btw. A little backwards, in that it targets another creature to produce a token, but still interesting. I wonder what the flavor is of a creature with no creature type, for this character. I know that morph creatures are little spidery things cause of the artwork, but yeah, lost on this one. Nice interaction between the two PW abilities so far, btw. A good bit on the complex side, but good interaction.
Hamlet Captain says you've probably got this at the correct rarity, but not at the correct power level. It costs a whole C more and only triggers on attacks, not blocks and attacks. It's a different tribe entirely, so perhaps it'd impact the cards differently, but I can't know that, so, yeah.
Your PW ability is a little random, of course. I can't fathom how it interacts with the other PW ability you have either. They simply feel clunky together. The second planeswalker ability also seems really sweeping and strong, while being indirect and complex. Why doesn't it simply destroy a creature and make the others 1/1 afterwards? That would flow much better as far as flavor goes, imo. Still wouldn't link back to the first ability, of course.
I think you've overcosted this a bit, comparing to Hearthfire Hobgoblin and Marisi's Twinclaws. I'd more readily put this at 3R. At 3RR, of course, you could have added something else minor to up the complexity, like with Viashino Slaughtermaster. You're right to put it at this rarity, of course. Pretty straight-forward card, of course. Nothing to think about.
I like the PW ability. It's redundant with the first ability of course, and that's an issue, but that's an interesting token it makes. Though, since Soldiers already have an iconic token size and type, I'd rather these tokens be Knights or something else. It's not an issue or anything, of course. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad and Bloodline Keeper didn't exactly line up either.
This is interesting. A bit of bleed of fighting into black, mixed with the traditional Sengir Vampire ability. A good uncommon, arguably an upgrade from Sengir Vampire (weenie removal and a cost reduction in exchange for a -1/-0), but I like it.
The PW ability is a little odd for a PW ability, as it uses a non-evergreen keyword ability. I like how it interacts with the first ability of course. All around, nice.
I'm intrigued by this. A good uncommon. Reminds me of Falkenrath Torturer, a bit. A universal card that becomes a bit better with a particular tribe. One thing about it that gets me, though, is that it can target itself and always be guaranteed to grow larger. This guy is definitely a house in limited.
Your PW ability does not work, because you have to activate it with a spell or ability on the stack for it to target, and if a spell or ability is on the stack, you can't activate a loyalty ability. I also don't see how it relates back to this guy's first ability either.
Khamsin Djinn certainly scores for me on flavour, with a name and concept that fits in to the Arabian feel of Rabiah. Mechanically, we have a solid 5 mana 3/3 flier with a pair of similar triggered abilities. I like the saboteur ability a lot here - it's not something we've seen before (although Blizzard Specter has a certain similarity). It does have a potential to lock someone out of the game if they don't have a blocker, though.
The combat trigger I'm less enthused about. The problem with this kind of trigger is that it won't do something as often as I'd like. If I'm attacking, then only a flier / Reach creature with 4 or more toughness will trigger it. A lot of the time that creature will probably be killing my Djinn, which at least prevents a repetitive game state occurring.
I like the effect of the trigger on blocking more, although again as a beefy 3/3 the Djinn will just outright kill his victim more often than not. Still, he's a scary guy to try and alpha strike into.
Drozu's second ability I like - it's like a scaleable Morbid-style effect that can deal an exciting, large amount of damage. I am now actively expecting that Drozu starts on 3 loyalty, so that he can kill himself immediately with this effect a la Liliana of the Dark Realms and increase the damage dealt.
In terms of interacting with the first ability, it's so-so; the theme of death is present in both but it's frustrating how the first ability feels like it's going to enable the second one but, due to how the timing works out, it never quite does. Maybe something counting stuff in the graveyard would have meshed the abilities better.
Your card is a perfect Efreet - temperamental, unpredictable, yet powerful. The 3/3 stats are appealing and the possibility of winning all my flips and getting an easy-to-cast Watchwolf is exciting, instead of worrying about losing them all and getting a sort of crappy Flesh Reaver. Overall very happy with this.
Your first planeswalker ability had an esoteric ice counter attached to it, and this week we get to see why. I'm not a huge fan of the Sorin style of cheap, multiple emblem, but it does some decent work here, steadily freezing your opponents' creatures more and more. However, it's not without problems, in that the counters are quite hard to get in sufficient numbers to make the emblem interesting. And of course the emblem is 100% blank on its own, meaning that I only really have one choice of ability on the turn I cast the card.
Your card this week has a name that sort of fits the setting, although pikes aren't really the kind of weapons associated with Arabia - they are more of a European fantasy staple. It also has no creature type which is a noticeable lack of polish.
The actual card is a very powerful limited beater that can control the board. The pike feel is carried by first strike, but also by an odd flanking variant. I didn't feel this was adding all that much to a creature this big and first striking; it'd be more interesting to see it on a smaller creature that could trade up to larger men, than on a 6-drop that already beats up many other creatures.
Your second ability interacts with artifacts by giving them a rummaging ability. Although this kind of thing is red, grafting it onto artifacts doesn't feel flavourful and essentially feels like lip service to the fact that your card is a red artificer. It doesn't have any interaction with the first ability, either.
Your card this week shows a more malicious Efreet. I like the sandstorm concept which feels very appropriate for the setting. However, a sandstorm as a concept definitely feels red - see Swirling Sandstorm, Desert Sandstorm, and Sandstorm Eidolon (ok, and Sandstorm in the actual Arabian Nights set, but whatever).
The mechanical execution of your sandstorm is decent; an undercosted creature with a drawback that steadily costs the controller life. When it dies, the last gust of wind spreads some silicate pain to your opponent. I like it. However, cumulative upkeep is definitely outside of the mechanical identity of Rabiah, and I don't know if it's justified to introduce it here.
You wisely took your opportunity to reword your + ability from last time, making it a more straightforward Berserk effect. The large loyalty gain is also good because it means I am more likely to be willing to use it!
Your - ability summons an Ogre token, which is fitting for your character. It's certainly not the most original (Garruk Wildspeaker had the same thing back in Lorwyn), but it's not too bad either. It also nicely gives me some fodder to Berserk up and throw at my opponent's head
Flavourwise, your card is a little confused. He is an Efreet, but the lamp flavour is all about Djinns. As it happens the lamp theme doesn't continue to the card's mechanics, so this doesn't derail you. But it would be nice if the card has some flavourful tie for its mechanics.
The card mechanics are essentially a very efficient Torch Drake variant. The base stats are already Phantom Monster, an excellent limited creature, so adding firebreathing makes him pretty strong. Red doesn't generally get fliers like this unless they're dragons, but I'm willing to bend this on the basis of precedent like Bird Maiden and Furnace Whelp. Ultimately, though, the card is fine, but not especially original or exciting.
Your + ability was a strong, simple choice - a repeatable -1/-1 effect. This week's ability is a kind of Tahngarth's Glare effect. The problem is that this ability at -2 (and even at -1) is not very appealing. JTMS had a much more appealing fateseal-ish ability (which of course was overpowered).
The two abilities don't tie together, particularly. A flavour explanation of your character would help that, but over the 3 submissions you've made so far, we know literally nothing about Yoshiro except their name.
Your planeswalker has encountered a Devil, which we know exist on Rabiah. This devil is red, and really likes it when you tap Mountains. There's not too much flavour to this, but it does seem like a really interesting mechanical idea. Your card can be a 4/3 haste for RRR, which is certainly strong, but not unreasonable. He is also very reasonable at 1RR, but a bit poopy at 2R. You correctly costed him so that he looks splashable, to keep the number of possible outcomes as high as possible. A strong card. I think the only change I would have considered is squaring the stats to 1/1, which would make the maths easier and also avoid that ugly 0 toughness needing to be printed. Maybe that pushes him too far, but maybe not
Your - ability allows you to delay things a little, pushing enemy threats off so you can deal with them later. It's certainly interesting. I'm going to go ahead and assume that Arph is in a block that features suspend and can forgo the need for reminder text as you clearly don't have space for it. It doesn't really interact mechanically with your first ability, but it does have the benefit of conforming to an odd sort of blinking theme.
2. yewlas
1. Maokun
I run a Tumblr for Magic-related statistics, graphs, and quizzes. Come check it out!
Random - I like the story and the cards seem balanced. Honestly, the skeleton seems to border on between uncommon and common. But is a flavorful card. I love the idea though. Sadly, the PW ability doesn't quite take out the regenerator.
Krey: Interesting. Not quite the threatening creature, and it seem it would make for repetitive game states. Also, not sure if the first part of the ability works in the graveyard, where it needs to work. Honestly, not sure if a purely defensive super regenerator is incredibly black. I could see this as hybrid BW without much difficulty. As for the PW ability, it's useless because PW ability are sorcery speed.
Queensauce - Xathrid Swarm: Interesting, though I almost wonder if it should cost just BB. I like how the PW ability screws with your opponent and feeds your horde theme
Rithaniel - Interesting: I like the ability, maybe a little unique for uncommon, but solid. ANd all those clones get hosed when you enforce fair play. Though, if yyu were using your first ability, you'd have alot of bats.
Foo_intherain: Most intriguing. Really depends on is plants are a major race or not. Still, an interesting concept. This screams Johny-fodder, which I love. I'm suddenly thinking... "kicked Rite of Replication". As for the almost second sunrise, I see how it can keep you ready, but if you're in a hole this isn't getting you out. Blockers can't be recalled because this is sorcery speed.
A really tough round. I wonder if Gerrard's ideas are just drawing out our creativity. Still.
1. Rithaniel: Nice critter and interesting new mechanic. Nice way of shutting it down.
2. Queensauce: Interesting critter and unique thematic way to take it down.
3. CYthare: Very close, but it squeal over Foo because it meets the challenge more directly.
Honestly, a tough call. Foo's card beckon's to Johnny and Randomnation's flavor is just awesome.
queensauce: Solid swarm. I would have maybe liked it to be 4/3 or 3/4 for balance reasons as this card kills control easily. Other than that, fine card.
Rithaniel: I like Lifeforce - it seems like it could be a decent catchup mechanic. The flavor text is pretty cool. Good card all around.
Random_Nation: Solid, though unexciting. I like simple cards like these, however.
Krey: Fine card. The recursion is interesting, but IMO it's probably going to be an annoying blocker most of the time.
foo: I probably like this card more than I should. The plant lord is really cool and the card in general I like.
Top 3:
1. foo_in_the_rain
2. Rithaniel
3. queensauce
Socrates: I think the "spellshaping" mana cost for your card is too high, considering you are losing another card. Otherwise it's fine. The planeswalker ability has only the most tenuous link to the creature and it's super boring, to boot.
Charut: I'm not sure how I feel about a mercenary with an allies-like mechanic. Nevertheless, both the card and the PW ability fit the required parameters well if without much pizzazz.
Cardz5000: A mercenary without a mercenary mechanic, with a block-trigger but without relevant power to make the choice difficult? It should at the very least be 2/1, but still, there's no point to have to choose between 2 damage and 3 life. The planeswalker ability is totally disconnected from the creature too.
Ninja Caterpie: Very good, interesting and balanced card. The PW ability is also interesting and fitting and can deal with the creature. Bravo!
Savia: Your card is another mix of mercenary mechanic with ally-like mechanics, but I have to say that I enjoy the twist for the mercenary mechanic. All in all, a well-rounded card, fairly balanced and costed. The planeswalker ability does deal with the mercenary -if not totally, as before dying he may summon his little brother. Small nitpick: Since the introduction of tribal, the mercenary mechanic need to include a "permanent" clause before "card".
Top 3:
1. Ninja Caterpie
2. Savia
3. Charut
Socrates- Repeatable Crippling Chill effects seem crazy powerful in Limited, and possibly in other formats, too. The spellshaper mechanic helps balance this quite a bit, though, so good job. I appreciate how useful this is in the late game. The planeswalker ability is literally just Elspeth, Knight-Errant's ability as a minus. Well, plus being a human. It is useful, sure, but not terribly innovative or original.
charut- Interesting mercenary design. The search ability certainly fits Mercadia the last time we saw it, though that doesn't make it a good ability. Personally, I like the mercenary ability, but that doesn't make it good, either. I like counting mercenaries as a mechanic. It is a good way to help make use of the mercenary/rebel mechanics. I'd prefer to have seen Bhoya's ability cost more to activate. It could be an incredible beating with a lot of creatures, since it basically makes them unblockable.
Cardz5000- The mugger's block ability doesn't seem like much of a choice, actually. It has neat multiplayer applications, but otherwise it's a free damage each turn. I like the ability, but it doesn't seem to actively deal with the creature, or really have a ton to do with last round's ability (except for the word "elemental"). I like the theme that seems to be developing with Jeererek.
Ninja Caterpie- I really enjoy this allied color design. It works in each of its respective colors, and has some great synergy, feeling like a one-card-combo. While I appreciate the multiplayer-friendly wording, it feels a little forced. It's hard to judge the planeswalker's ability without a number, but it seems quite good. It seems doable, though, and pretty fun.
Savia- Now that feels like a good way to use the mercenary mechanic. It might be a little cheap for all the awesome stuff it lets you do, but I really love all the pieces together. You've combined some tropes of Mercadia's mercenaries into an attractive package that actually makes me want to play a mercenary deck. The planeswalker is pretty straightforward, but feels neat. It gives me an idea of who your 'walker is. Not incredibly creative, but still nice.
3. Socrates
2. Ninja Caterpie
1. Savia
Mechanic Creator's Contest III- Winner
[Clan Flamingo]
Cumilitive Upkeep was actually first used in Rabiah Even if it wasn't under that name.
Case in Point, Cyclone, just letting you know, didn't want to lose points for seeming outside what makes sense for the plane.
Artist: //gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&artist=[%22Daniel%20Ljunggren%22">"]Daniel Ljunggren
Planeswalker Ability - Aurification on a Planeswalker. Cute, but not particularly innovative or resonant. I did love that card, though, so you can have some bonus points.
In Limited, it seems like this card would be pretty bad; your set obviously has a theme of creature ETBs in Green, so the heavy-black-and-then-die makes me sad.
Planeswalker Ability - Part of me is suspicious of the memory issues this could cause, though I'm sure it would be fine in application. I'm aware of the whole combo-with-itself thing, but I hate the whole "non-token" clause. It normally reads "If you would begin to do something fun, instead don't, and cry in the corner because we don't want tokens to be good".
Planeswalker Ability - Creates a bit of a dilemma with your first ability. Other than that, it's pretty good. Making opponents sacrifice creatures is very un-:symw:, so it should almost certainly be "destroy". Remember to stay on your Planeswalker's colour identity!
Planeswalker Ability - Yeah, ok; that's a pretty sick (R/G) ability. Gets a thumbs up as well; I always liked Beserk.
Planeswalker Ability - BIG thumbs-down. Planeswalker abilities can't be activated during the combat phase, which is the only time when you could actually have a target for this. Other than that, it's worded so it's not good with Mindslaver. Everything should be good with Mindslaver!
Planeswalker Ability - Seems off. Or odd. It encourages separating your GY into multiple piles, which shouldn't be encouraged... slight memory issues. Other than that, it's interesting, and could conceivably kill some plants.
2. Rithaniel
3. Foo_Intherain
Cythare
Level 1 Judge
Prophylaxis - Flavor fits well. The ability works well with the mana cost as most of the time it will choose to fight small prey and gain a token. Flavor text would have been nice. Very good card. The PW ability reminds me of Snapcaster Mage, very powerful ability but the cost is what makes it balanced since you may not be able to cast it each turn.
drewdagreek - Flavor fits well. Very nice ability and flavor text, the cost is well balanced so it requires a commitment to white to cast it. Since the ability would be powerful if set to a color, setting it to card name balances it. The PW ability is interesting and seems to go around the Inquisitor's ability. In the reminder text you forgot to mention if the token is colorless.
willows - Interesting to see a vampire "Chirurgeon" Flavor wise the only vampire that can regenerate other vampires is the Baron himself, so flavor of the plane is there. The PW ability is ok, and while doing nothing to the creature, it can affect its usefulness.
MagicProfessor28 - Flavor fits well. Very interesting take on the minotaur "lord", the ability reflects their aggresive nature. Could be fun with multiple copies. The PW ability first part is ok, the second part seems too powerful.
Polendino - The only thing mixing the card with the plane is the flavor text. Without it, it could be from anyplace. A 2/3 for five mana seems a bit too much even with the double strike and even as an uncommon. The PW ability does not seem to do anything else that blocking the dwarf.
arbitraryarmor -
1. Prophylaxis
2. Willows
3. Drewdagreek
Cythare
I like the synergy this has with Ring of Valkas. I'm not in love with the use of devour, though; it's an Alara mechanic after all, and it hasn't yet been reused for a 'generic' plane like Shandalar. That said, its abilities have good synergy with each other, and that's rad.
Hey, it's Aurification! It's a good response to the Ogre and it helps define Elyria's basically defensive nature…but it leaves me wondering how she goes on the offensive.
Random_Nation
Troll skeleton lol
I like this a lot, it manages to merge the flavors of two familiar creature types without having to use any funky mechanics to do it. Good use of the destruction of the Onakke. Nice solid uncommon.
The PW ability kind of feels meh to me; it's dramatic, but it doesn't interact with its previous ability. They're both ways to push damage past blockers; it's a little disappointing that they are so similar.
Krey
Hm, another undead troll. Very differently flavored! I like him too. The defensive stance is a little weird on mono-black, though.
Where's the red in your PW abilities? They are so white right now.
queensauce
I like these. The Swarm is entertainingly aggressive and the PW ability interlocks nicely with the one before it, and hoses the Swarm perfectly.
Rithaniel
Your Lifeforce mechanic is sort of like a less-exciting version of Fateful Hour :/
I like your PW ability.
foo_intherain
I like your Plant! Seems like its uncommon status interferes with its cool token-making ability, though, and its small body makes it a bummer to try and keep alive.
I see what's going on with your PW ability but I wish it interlocked better with its predecessor.
2: Random_Nation
3: Krey
Crit Responses:
I'm glad you folks like the Vampire. I didn't give him another ability because there isn't a clearly established "Doctor" creature type in Magic, and I didn't want to use any of the healer types that are associated with whiteness and priesthood.
The PW ability is clearly problematic, I'll make revisions next round, particularly having to do with ability timing.
Not that I expect it to change anything, but Alley Grifters exists, and the life loss trigger gets a lot more intresting in muliplayer, it gives the defending play the ability to bolt all but one player for 3 life. Also it was said that the PW ability just had to help deal with the creature, even if it was to draw a card, my ability pumps creatures, which is an even more direct way of dealing with a creature IMO.