Card Creation League - December Sign-Ups: Something Deeper Than Mana
The Card Creation League is a monthly contest in which players compete over seven rounds. Each month has an overall theme and/or story, determined by that month's host.
Each round, the host will assign a card creation task to the players. This task may vary between teams or players.
The first three rounds are open to everyone who joined in the sign-up thread, which will be posted near the end of the previous month. After these rounds, the Top 8 players will move on to three single elimination rounds to determine a winner.
Rounds usually last three to four days for submissions and about two days for critiques, but the host has final say in making the schedule.
For the first three rounds, players are divided into teams. Four teams is standard, but there may be more or less depending on the number of players. Each team will review another team's cards during the critique period of that round.
Each player must submit a Top 3 ranking for the team he or she critiques at the end of each round. Each 1st place is worth 3 points, 2nd place 2 points, and 3rd place 1 point.
Additionally, each player can receive 2 bonus points per round. One point is awarded for posting a Top 3, and one point for providing critiques for that team's cards.
Suggested areas to critique include creativity, balance, printability, and relation to the overall theme or that player's previous cards.
Players who do not post a card or a Top 3 will be put on "probation." Top 3 violations for a round can be removed by posting or PMing the host with your Top 3 before the end of the next round. Any player that would receive a second violation is disqualified from further competition that month.
At the end of the first three rounds, the Top 8 players will be selected by points (usually the top 2 from each team). In the case of ties, there may be more than 8 players advancing. The host will determine matchups for single elimination. At the end of each elimination round, remaining players not in that matchup will choose a winner to advance. The host will break any ties.
The final round is determined by public poll.
Custom Card League Rules Compendium
* Overview
* Schedule
* Challenge Rounds
* Critique Rounds
* Valid Entry Constitution
* Scoring
* Penalties
* Resources
* Credits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Overview
The CCL is among the more fun games on the MtGSalvation forums due to its inherent aspect of interactivity among the Leaguers (that’s you). We actively critique each other’s card designs at the end of each round, putting a more personal interest into our cards and generally making us all better designers. Typically, we build worlds more complete than many games, as each round builds on the designs and ideas of previous rounds in the month. The CCL allows for Leaguers to plumb the depths of creativity, as the point schedule aspect allows for three full rounds without fear of elimination.
* Schedule
o The CCL will run six rounds, each lasting five days.
+ Rounds 1, 2 & 3 will be free-for-alls with each leaguer fighting for the most points during critiques. At the beginning of each of these rounds. The host will divide the league members evenly into two teams and each team will be assigned their design challenge. At the challenge deadline, the round will elapse into the critique section (see Critiques below). Once the critique section ends, the host will tally points and post the next round. Team rosters are likely to change between rounds; the new rosters will be included in the initial posting for the next round.
o Each round will last five days: 3.5 to finalize designs, 1.5 for critiques.
o The schedule will usually operate according to US Easter time zone (GMT -5) We will stick to this schedule as closely as possible, adjusting as necessary.
* Challenge Rounds
o At the start of each round, the host will post the challenge for the round. This may be, at the host’s discretion, a single challenge for all leaguers, a list for each leaguer to choose from, challenges assigned to each leaguer, or other challenge variation.
o Each Leaguer will post his/her entry by the deadline, 3.5 days after the round is posted.
* Critique Rounds
o At the end of each challenge round, the host, or an individual the host designates, will officially close the round and open the forum for critiques. After this point, modifying the post containing your entry for the round will incur penalties (see Penalties section).
o Each Leaguer will thoroughly critique at least 50% of the entries given by the leaguers on the other team.
o In addition to the critiques, each Leaguer generates his/her list of the Top 3 entries for the round. The Top 3 listings are the chief source of points within the CCL and are therefore required to complete. Even if critiques are not completed, Top 3’s must be listed to avoid penalties (see Penalties for penalty schedule). Regardless of the cards actually critiqued by a given Leaguer, Top 3’s can be drawn from any valid entry of the round. Submitting Top 3’s grants one point.
o A valid critique does not need to be lengthy. A few constructive sentences will do as long as they are meaningful. Neither “Hated it,” “Too expensive,” nor “Bahhrokken!!!” are valid critiques.
Example:
The following card is submitted by Fitzgerald:
A few decent critics:
from Tiberius: Templating issue with “nonpermanent card,” it's confusing and should just read “instant or sorcery card.” And the cost seems steep: I’m giving up a mana, a card, and immediate access to the card I looked for. Creative, but not bad.
from Wilhelmina: I hate the name. Also the shuffle part should be right after removing the tutored card instead of on a separate line. Seems powerful as an instant, play it on the opponents turn and you get basically a free draw, but you get to pick it.
from Beauregard: A bit complicated for uncommon. It doesn’t go to microtext on a render (sans flavor text) but it still isn’t all that intuitive.
* Valid Entry Constitution
o A valid entry in a given round cleanly delivers all required components of the challenge. The CCL is based around card design, so each challenge will direct Leaguers to design one or more cards, but other components may be given according to the judge’s discretion. Historically, these non-card components have included such things as keyword mechanic designs, story pieces, and various ideas for the judge to incorporate into later rounds. Include only what is described by the challenge requirements, as superfluous items may sway judgings unfairly and will incur penalties.
o It is customary to include card renders in entries. This is not required. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and therefore will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render. However, it must be understood that a proper render is easier to judge/critique as it is more pleasing to the eye, more memorable and allows for Leaguers to judge the card by its wordiness, a very important aspect of a card’s design. Common rendering software used include Magic Set Editor (free program, the standard that most amateur designers use), PhotoShop (not free), and GIMP (free PhotoShop knockoff).
* Scoring
o The bulk of available points will be derived from Top 3 listings, as is League custom. Within each Top 3 listing, the choice for 1st place will be awarded 3 points, the choice for 2nd place will receive 2 points, and the choice for 3rd place will receive 1 point. It is common for Leaguers to post an Honorable Mention or two along with their T3 listings. Honorable Mentions are not awarded points. Posting T3s is required and awards one point for completion of the requirements. There are penalties for failure to post T3s (see Penalties section).
o Critiques are an optional aspect of the CCL, therefore no penalties are given for failure to complete critiques. Any Leaguer completing critiques for at least 50% of the other team's entries will receive 1 bonus point. An additional point will be awarded if a Leaguer critiques all valid entries in the round.
o As noted in the section on Valid Entry Constitution, entries are encouraged to contain proper card renders. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render.
* Penalties
o Failure to post Top 3s as required during the Critique section of any round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an Top 3 in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
o Once a Round elapses into its critique section, any Leaguer modifying their entry after any leaguer has posted a critique, will be disqualified for the round.
o Failure to post an entry within the Challenge round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an entry in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
* Resources
o This is a templating guideline compiled by Kraj. It is quite concise and very useful.
o Making Magic by Mark Rosewater, current head of Magic Design at Wizards of the Coast. Making Magic is a weekly article detailing the trials, tribulations and achievements of Magic R&D in riveting prose.
o Magiccards.info is the database mtgsalvation draws upon when you use the [card] tag. The advanced search functionality is useful for searching all cards officially printed by WotC.
o Gatherer is the database maintained officially by WotC. It has slightly different functionality than magiccards.info, but the differences are too numerable to list here. (Someone should write an article about that)
o Your other Leaguers are fantastic resources. We, more than the players of other games on this forum, are a community, as can be seen by the dialogue of any CCL thread.
+ Question, consult with, challenge and encourage each other at every opportunity.
o Credits
Each round, the players have a chance of getting a total of 100 points toward their score. Each score is determined by the following equation:
The grading of 3 points for first place, 2 points for second and 1 for third still stands. This is also the case for up to 2 points for crits and Top3.
Total points of player A in round N = 100 * X/Y
Where:
X = Total number of points given by judges + Bonus points for critiques/Top3
Y = Total number of points possible (3*Number of judges + Bonus Points)
This way the grading is more streamlined in the fact that all rounds up to going to top 8 are graded equally, and there is no handicap for any team that has fewer judges.
Each player starts the next round with the score that he previously had, and another possible 100 points is given to him at the end of that round. Therefore, there is a possible 300 points before the CCL goes to top 8.
“… Mage … I require you … for such an impor---t t--k. My name is H--n’ J---laln---. If you wi-h to know the secrets of your v--y power. Come to t-- Great Athenaeum of the - Stars, just west of your locat--n.
You are mage who wields potent magic, unlike any other mage before you. What you heard was sent to you from a dream by someone. You couldn’t shake the feeling that it was just some vivid dream, because you knew what you heard was an actual message sent to you through your own sleep. You decide to set out and go west of the location you were sleeping at.
You have been traveling for quite a long while, and it is night time. The darkness creeps in and the clouds cover the entire sky, preventing you from finding your way using the stars. While walking to your next location, you find a light from the horizon that shines just 50 feet above the ground. You decide to go to it.
As you come closer to the light, it started to fade away as it still gives the image of a burning sun.
An illusion, perhaps?
You arrive to be what would be like a library of some sort and you walk inside seeing a bunch of other mages who also been summoned to this very location. While the building looks like it has been touched by time, you sensed that there was more to it. You keep the lingering suspicion that there may be something inside that may be important.
“The Great Athenaeum of the 8 Stars. A barren haven of magic that is never seen to the normal eye” an echoing voice says.
“Mana. The primary sources of energy and sorcery through out the existence of each and every life in all planes and beyond. We actively seek mana out for any sort of deed, weather it would be for healing, or for infliction, or even as utility.”
“People have used mana in second nature.
But the mana is so diverse, so laid out.”
“While a simple mage could harness mana, that very mage has to devote his or her life to a particular area of that mana alignment. An area that started before mana and magic even came to be…”
“It is the ‘Element‘.”
“Elements are what make the bulk of what we use our mana for. It is what gives it shape, and it is what defines the mana we use.”
“These elements can be physical, spatial, illusional, mental or even spiritual. They can contain the four original elements: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. They can be in form of light and dark, healing and infliction, space and time, natural and artificial. “
“My name is Hovn’ Jilnall. I am an Elementalist who goes at great lengths to unlock the mysteries of the building blocks of magic that is “elements”. I have lived a long, long life, and I have studied the elements from many worlds. Some inconceivable to the normal mind.
I have asked you all to come to this location because this building contains tomes of each element found. I ask for all of you to show me your powers, one by one, so I can further expand your potential and perhaps unlock the secrets of mana and elemental properties.”
“I ask you this, because I wish to observe only the most potent of you. Even if you have a specific specialty of an element of mana, you are fully capable of expanding your horizons to so much more. I wish to put this to the test, and I need only the most skilled magician to serve me in my quest to unlock the secret of the elements of mana.“
*The large room now shines with visibility. With bookshelves of many, many tomes scattered around. The list of different types of tomes can be found here:*
Earth
Lightning
Water
Fire
Ice
Wind
Dark
Light
Space/Reality
Time
Creation
Destruction
Force
Mental
Spiritual/Aura
Restoration/Healing
Natural/Nature
Artifice/Animation
Absorption/Draining
Illusion/Mimicry
Poison/Miasma
I have also done the best I can to make an accurate ranking list for each element in correspondence to the five mana types. This may help you when you are designing cards based on my criteria. Copy/Paste/Save.
Earth
White **
Blue *
Black **
Red *****
Green ****
Water
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red *
Green **
Wind
White **
Blue *****
Black *
Red **
Green ****
Fire
White *
Blue *
Black ***
Red *****
Green **
Ice/Snow
White *
Blue *****
Black *
Red ***
Green **
Lightning
White ***
Blue **
Black **
Red *****
Green *
Time
White *
Blue *****
Black **
Red ***
Green *
Poison/Miasma
White *
Blue ***
Black *****
Red *
Green ****
Dark
White *
Blue *
Black *****
Red **
Green **
Light
White *****
Blue *
Black *
Red **
Green **
Absorption
White ***
Blue **
Black *****
Red *
Green ***
Metal/Artifice
White ****
Blue *****
Black **
Red ***
Green **
Space/Reality
White ***
Blue *****
Black *
Red **
Green *
Natural
White **
Blue **
Black ***
Red ***
Green *****
Healing/Restoration
White ****
Blue *
Black ***
Red *
Green *****
Aura/Spiritual
White *****
Blue **
Black *
Red **
Green ****
Mental/Psychic
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red ***
Green *
Force (Non-Elemental)
White **
Blue ***
Black **
Red ****
Green *****
Mimicry/Illusion
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red **
Green ***
Destruction
White *
Blue **
Black ****
Red *****
Green ***
Creation
White *
Blue **
Black ***
Red ****
Green *****
“Now. . . I do not need any names yet. What I ask for you all to do is pick up three tomes that are scattered in the bookshelves, each being a different tome for an “Element”. I prefer you pick your tomes based on your own profession in mana. Once you have done that… display your signature spell to me.”
Let me see your specific power.
Sign-Up Challenge: Pick 3 of the following “Elements” displayed. One being your "primary" element, and the other two being your secondary elements. Then, using only your "primary" element, create an Instant, Sorcery, or Enchantment card that will count as your signature spell that reflects the element.
It can be any combo of elements, no matter how different or similar. Just be sure not to pick the same one twice or thrice.
It can be multi-colored, so long as you pay attention to the rankings provided.
It won’t matter if another contestant has a similar “primary” element. But if at all possible, please try to pick different “secondary” elements.
Make sure to know what you would want to choose. These “elements” will influence how you will create your cards from this point forward.
Once the first round has started: YOUR LIST OF ELEMENTS IS FINAL. You cannot change it. If you are caught changing your list of elements after the start of the first round, I will be forced to deduct 5% off your final score at the end of Round 3.
The Sign-Ups will end at 11:59 Central Time on November 30th.
Planar Distortion 3UUU
Global Enchantment {MR}
Creatures are unblockable.
At the beginning of each players upkeep, if this turn is not an extra turn, that player takes an extra turn after this one.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
Primary: Lightning
Secondary: Ice/Snow
Secondary: Force
Signature Spell
Refracting Bolt R
Instant (R)
~ deal 3 damage as you choose between any number of target creatures and/or players. “Curious. Releasing the lightning bolt through an ice prism creates some... unorthodox results.” - Prospero, rogue weathermancer
Hidden Panorama2G
Sorcery C
Search your library for a land card with a name other than a name among lands on the battlefield and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library. “Borders exist only in our minds.” —Endenil, planeswalker
I'll go with Natural primary, and Destruction and Creation secondary.
Predation 2GG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a creature. If he or she does, that player searches his or her library for a creature card with a converted mana cost equal to the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost plus one and puts that card onto the battlefield. That player then shuffles his or her library. "The worms are eaten by the birds. The birds are eaten by the cats. The cats are eaten by the tigers. The tigers are eaten... by the worms." - Jigro, Cycle Tender
Creatures your opponents control cannot be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
Theme
Imagine you are alone, all alone in some outside place, you can feel the ground crunch with frost and snow underneath your boots. The night is so dark you can't see your breath rise up in fast, thick clouds in front of your face as the panic starts to set in. You stumble along, slipping and sliding on a slick, hard ground growing more and more terrified. How did you get here? Where are you? Are you alone? Just as these thoughts enter your head you start to hear something. The back of your neck, already numb with cold, prickles as something rushes past you. The wind begins to pick up mercifully drowning your own erratic, panicked heartbeats, that is, until it gets louder. It slices through your clothes and armor as if it was not there, an evil wind bringing with it evil sounds. You begin to hear a wailing, faint at first but growing with the gale. You tell yourself it's just the wind, you pray with all your heart it's just the wind but it just gets louder and louder. Finally with a tremendous shudder the fear becomes to much! You collapse in a shivering pile as you succumb to the terror of this cold, dark wasteland. Only when the last vestiges of warmth and sanity seep out of your body into the void does the wind stop. Leaving you just another frost coated husk as the dark, evil winds move on to find the next victim in this desolate black land.
Strobe Lightning StormXXURG
Instant (M)
Choose X -- CARDNAME deals 4 damage to target creature or player; or target opponent puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard; or put five 2/2 green Wolf creature tokens onto the battlefield.(You may choose each more than once.) "It's always entertaining to watch. Even I never know what it's going to do." --Jeremiah of the Storm
Now that I'm back to life, let's contest! [Also, my university vacation will begin next week, yay!]
Elements:
Primary: Creation Secondaries: Restoration/Healing and Absorption
Signature spell:
Thornleaf’s Evolution3GG
Sorcery (R)
For each non legendary creature token on the battlefield you control, put a token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield.
Assuming here a token creation and matter group! P<V=B... 1=VB/2=PB/3=VP
:sympw::sympu::sympb::sympr::sympg:
They say life is a rainbow. However they're wrong. Life is only GREEN and RED. Green is money and greed. Red is war and blood.
Stay Veautiful!
For a better word. For a cleaner word. For a REAL world. Wikileaks: Information wants to be free. :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
Resculpt2UU Instant
As an additional cost to cast Resculpt, sacrifice an artifact or snow permanent.
Put a artifact or snow permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield. "'Weak' only means that it isn't finished yet."
-Tiachi, Crafter Adept
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Check out the thread for my cube if you have the time, and tell me how terrible it is.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Spell-Eruption ChamberURR
Enchantment (R)
Flash
You may cast spells as though they had flash.
Whenever you cast a spell, sacrifice Spell-Eruption Chamber. If you do, draw a card and Spell-Eruption Chamber deals damage equal to that spell's converted mana cost to target creature or player and to you.
Leyline of Utopia 2WG
Enchantment
If Leyline of Utopia is in your opening hand, you may put it onto the Battlefield.
Lands you control produce one mana of any color when tapped for mana.
Creature spells you control cannot be countered. Harmony can only come when there is unity between body and spirit.
Primary: Time Secondary: Artifice Tertiary: Lightning
Having been lost in this foreign land - or rather, foreign time - for a while now, the cryptic, dream-induced message was not ignored by Galt. Although skeptical, he was genuinely surprised that someone from the past was able to detect his abilities to manipulate time. Did this mean there were time mages around?
Perhaps, if he went, he would be able to find a spell that would let him return to his own time. If not, there also a chance that he could acquire further knowledge regarding time manipulation, which was the reason as to why he had gone to past in the first place. In any case, he had nothing to lose, and so he set off toward the Great Athenaeum of the Stars, or whatever it was called.
Chronosphere2UU
Enchantment {R}
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may choose any number of target permanents and/or suspended cards. For each permanent or card chosen this way, if that permanent or card has a time counter on it, you may remove a time counter from it or put another time counter on it.
Fetid Skin BB
Enchantment - Aura (R)
During your upkeep, put a fetid counter on enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature gains +X/+X and infect, where X is equal to the number of fetid counters on it. Its skin reeked of death, causing the downfall of even the hardiest of warriors.
Tornado's Path2UUU
Sorcery (R)
For each R used to cast Tornado's Path, it deals 2 damage to all creatures.
Retun all non-land permanents to their owner's hand. Those that could stand the fury of the tornado, remain only to be blow away by the mighty winds.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"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
Identity Contortion4URG
Sorcery (M)
Search your library for a creature card and exile it. If you do, each creature you control becomes a copy of the exiled card until end of turn. Then shuffle your library "Identity is merely a cover for the being within, forged to promote individuality and protect society. Let's see what happens when your true nature appears!"
Primary: Space/Reality
Secondary: Mental/Psychic & Time
Signature Spell:
Warp World
OK, not really.
Ephemeral Distortion 2WU
Instant {R}
All creatures that dealt damage this turn are 1/1 creatures with no abilities.
Return all creatures with power 2 or greater to their owners' hands. "Do not cross me, for I will exact judgment."
- Hafij, the Worldspeaker
I should have enough time to participate this month, as well. Unless I happen to miraculously find work.
Primary: Absorbtion/Draining Secondary: Mental, Space
Bloodstained Progress :1mana::symw::symb::symb:
Enchantment {R}
Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. "Someone always pays the price for 'moving forward.'" -- Anonymous
Primary element: Time
Secondary elements: Space, Light
Spell: Ainn's FlourishUU
Instant
Choose a target player. After that player's next upkeep step, he or she gets an additional upkeep step.
Replicate UU(When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Thunder is on the list, but it seems to have been replaced by Lightning in the affinity charts. What's right there?
For the time being, Primary Force with secondary Mental/Creation.
One-Way Forcefield1GWU
Enchantment (R)
Cumulative upkeep - Discard a card
You can't be attacked.
You and permanents you control can't be the target of spells or abilities opponents control.
Thunder is on the list, but it seems to have been replaced by Lightning in the affinity charts. What's right there?
For the time being, Primary Force with secondary Mental/Creation.
Card to come.
Ack, my bad. It's supposed to be Lightning.
Some games have it listed at "Thunder", the Final Fantasy series in its later years being an example. Though it does make sense that it should be called "Lightning" because it is the actual energy at hand. I'll go ahead and just change that anyway so it would match.
I opened one last year, got two crap worldwake packs and 8x scathe zombies, which I promptly hid around my sister's apartment for her roommates to find. But, yeah, it was a piece of crap.
You, sir, have just won the internet. Congratulations.
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Sign-Ups: Something Deeper Than Mana
* Overview
* Schedule
* Challenge Rounds
* Critique Rounds
* Valid Entry Constitution
* Scoring
* Penalties
* Resources
* Credits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Overview
The CCL is among the more fun games on the MtGSalvation forums due to its inherent aspect of interactivity among the Leaguers (that’s you). We actively critique each other’s card designs at the end of each round, putting a more personal interest into our cards and generally making us all better designers. Typically, we build worlds more complete than many games, as each round builds on the designs and ideas of previous rounds in the month. The CCL allows for Leaguers to plumb the depths of creativity, as the point schedule aspect allows for three full rounds without fear of elimination.
* Schedule
o The CCL will run six rounds, each lasting five days.
+ Rounds 1, 2 & 3 will be free-for-alls with each leaguer fighting for the most points during critiques. At the beginning of each of these rounds. The host will divide the league members evenly into two teams and each team will be assigned their design challenge. At the challenge deadline, the round will elapse into the critique section (see Critiques below). Once the critique section ends, the host will tally points and post the next round. Team rosters are likely to change between rounds; the new rosters will be included in the initial posting for the next round.
o Each round will last five days: 3.5 to finalize designs, 1.5 for critiques.
o The schedule will usually operate according to US Easter time zone (GMT -5) We will stick to this schedule as closely as possible, adjusting as necessary.
* Challenge Rounds
o At the start of each round, the host will post the challenge for the round. This may be, at the host’s discretion, a single challenge for all leaguers, a list for each leaguer to choose from, challenges assigned to each leaguer, or other challenge variation.
o Each Leaguer will post his/her entry by the deadline, 3.5 days after the round is posted.
* Critique Rounds
o At the end of each challenge round, the host, or an individual the host designates, will officially close the round and open the forum for critiques. After this point, modifying the post containing your entry for the round will incur penalties (see Penalties section).
o Each Leaguer will thoroughly critique at least 50% of the entries given by the leaguers on the other team.
o In addition to the critiques, each Leaguer generates his/her list of the Top 3 entries for the round. The Top 3 listings are the chief source of points within the CCL and are therefore required to complete. Even if critiques are not completed, Top 3’s must be listed to avoid penalties (see Penalties for penalty schedule). Regardless of the cards actually critiqued by a given Leaguer, Top 3’s can be drawn from any valid entry of the round. Submitting Top 3’s grants one point.
o A valid critique does not need to be lengthy. A few constructive sentences will do as long as they are meaningful. Neither “Hated it,” “Too expensive,” nor “Bahhrokken!!!” are valid critiques.
Example:
The following card is submitted by Fitzgerald:
A few decent critics:
from Tiberius: Templating issue with “nonpermanent card,” it's confusing and should just read “instant or sorcery card.” And the cost seems steep: I’m giving up a mana, a card, and immediate access to the card I looked for. Creative, but not bad.
from Wilhelmina: I hate the name. Also the shuffle part should be right after removing the tutored card instead of on a separate line. Seems powerful as an instant, play it on the opponents turn and you get basically a free draw, but you get to pick it.
from Beauregard: A bit complicated for uncommon. It doesn’t go to microtext on a render (sans flavor text) but it still isn’t all that intuitive.
* Valid Entry Constitution
o A valid entry in a given round cleanly delivers all required components of the challenge. The CCL is based around card design, so each challenge will direct Leaguers to design one or more cards, but other components may be given according to the judge’s discretion. Historically, these non-card components have included such things as keyword mechanic designs, story pieces, and various ideas for the judge to incorporate into later rounds. Include only what is described by the challenge requirements, as superfluous items may sway judgings unfairly and will incur penalties.
o It is customary to include card renders in entries. This is not required. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and therefore will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render. However, it must be understood that a proper render is easier to judge/critique as it is more pleasing to the eye, more memorable and allows for Leaguers to judge the card by its wordiness, a very important aspect of a card’s design. Common rendering software used include Magic Set Editor (free program, the standard that most amateur designers use), PhotoShop (not free), and GIMP (free PhotoShop knockoff).
* Scoring
o The bulk of available points will be derived from Top 3 listings, as is League custom. Within each Top 3 listing, the choice for 1st place will be awarded 3 points, the choice for 2nd place will receive 2 points, and the choice for 3rd place will receive 1 point. It is common for Leaguers to post an Honorable Mention or two along with their T3 listings. Honorable Mentions are not awarded points. Posting T3s is required and awards one point for completion of the requirements. There are penalties for failure to post T3s (see Penalties section).
o Critiques are an optional aspect of the CCL, therefore no penalties are given for failure to complete critiques. Any Leaguer completing critiques for at least 50% of the other team's entries will receive 1 bonus point. An additional point will be awarded if a Leaguer critiques all valid entries in the round.
o As noted in the section on Valid Entry Constitution, entries are encouraged to contain proper card renders. Some Leaguers may not have access to render design software and will not be penalized for posting an entry without a render.
* Penalties
o Failure to post Top 3s as required during the Critique section of any round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an Top 3 in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
o Once a Round elapses into its critique section, any Leaguer modifying their entry after any leaguer has posted a critique, will be disqualified for the round.
o Failure to post an entry within the Challenge round will put a Leaguer on probation. While on probation, failure to post an entry in any later round will disqualify that Leaguer for the remainder of the month.
* Resources
o This is a templating guideline compiled by Kraj. It is quite concise and very useful.
o Making Magic by Mark Rosewater, current head of Magic Design at Wizards of the Coast. Making Magic is a weekly article detailing the trials, tribulations and achievements of Magic R&D in riveting prose.
o Magiccards.info is the database mtgsalvation draws upon when you use the [card] tag. The advanced search functionality is useful for searching all cards officially printed by WotC.
o Gatherer is the database maintained officially by WotC. It has slightly different functionality than magiccards.info, but the differences are too numerable to list here. (Someone should write an article about that)
o Your other Leaguers are fantastic resources. We, more than the players of other games on this forum, are a community, as can be seen by the dialogue of any CCL thread.
+ Question, consult with, challenge and encourage each other at every opportunity.
o Credits
The grading of 3 points for first place, 2 points for second and 1 for third still stands. This is also the case for up to 2 points for crits and Top3.
Total points of player A in round N = 100 * X/Y
Where:
X = Total number of points given by judges + Bonus points for critiques/Top3
Y = Total number of points possible (3*Number of judges + Bonus Points)
This way the grading is more streamlined in the fact that all rounds up to going to top 8 are graded equally, and there is no handicap for any team that has fewer judges.
Each player starts the next round with the score that he previously had, and another possible 100 points is given to him at the end of that round. Therefore, there is a possible 300 points before the CCL goes to top 8.
You are mage who wields potent magic, unlike any other mage before you. What you heard was sent to you from a dream by someone. You couldn’t shake the feeling that it was just some vivid dream, because you knew what you heard was an actual message sent to you through your own sleep. You decide to set out and go west of the location you were sleeping at.
You have been traveling for quite a long while, and it is night time. The darkness creeps in and the clouds cover the entire sky, preventing you from finding your way using the stars. While walking to your next location, you find a light from the horizon that shines just 50 feet above the ground. You decide to go to it.
As you come closer to the light, it started to fade away as it still gives the image of a burning sun.
An illusion, perhaps?
You arrive to be what would be like a library of some sort and you walk inside seeing a bunch of other mages who also been summoned to this very location. While the building looks like it has been touched by time, you sensed that there was more to it. You keep the lingering suspicion that there may be something inside that may be important.
“The Great Athenaeum of the 8 Stars. A barren haven of magic that is never seen to the normal eye” an echoing voice says.
“Mana. The primary sources of energy and sorcery through out the existence of each and every life in all planes and beyond. We actively seek mana out for any sort of deed, weather it would be for healing, or for infliction, or even as utility.”
“People have used mana in second nature.
But the mana is so diverse, so laid out.”
“While a simple mage could harness mana, that very mage has to devote his or her life to a particular area of that mana alignment. An area that started before mana and magic even came to be…”
“It is the ‘Element‘.”
“Elements are what make the bulk of what we use our mana for. It is what gives it shape, and it is what defines the mana we use.”
“These elements can be physical, spatial, illusional, mental or even spiritual. They can contain the four original elements: Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. They can be in form of light and dark, healing and infliction, space and time, natural and artificial. “
“My name is Hovn’ Jilnall. I am an Elementalist who goes at great lengths to unlock the mysteries of the building blocks of magic that is “elements”. I have lived a long, long life, and I have studied the elements from many worlds. Some inconceivable to the normal mind.
I have asked you all to come to this location because this building contains tomes of each element found. I ask for all of you to show me your powers, one by one, so I can further expand your potential and perhaps unlock the secrets of mana and elemental properties.”
“I ask you this, because I wish to observe only the most potent of you. Even if you have a specific specialty of an element of mana, you are fully capable of expanding your horizons to so much more. I wish to put this to the test, and I need only the most skilled magician to serve me in my quest to unlock the secret of the elements of mana.“
*The large room now shines with visibility. With bookshelves of many, many tomes scattered around. The list of different types of tomes can be found here:*
Earth
Lightning
Water
Fire
Ice
Wind
Dark
Light
Space/Reality
Time
Creation
Destruction
Force
Mental
Spiritual/Aura
Restoration/Healing
Natural/Nature
Artifice/Animation
Absorption/Draining
Illusion/Mimicry
Poison/Miasma
I have also done the best I can to make an accurate ranking list for each element in correspondence to the five mana types. This may help you when you are designing cards based on my criteria. Copy/Paste/Save.
Earth
White **
Blue *
Black **
Red *****
Green ****
Water
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red *
Green **
Wind
White **
Blue *****
Black *
Red **
Green ****
Fire
White *
Blue *
Black ***
Red *****
Green **
Ice/Snow
White *
Blue *****
Black *
Red ***
Green **
Lightning
White ***
Blue **
Black **
Red *****
Green *
Time
White *
Blue *****
Black **
Red ***
Green *
Poison/Miasma
White *
Blue ***
Black *****
Red *
Green ****
Dark
White *
Blue *
Black *****
Red **
Green **
Light
White *****
Blue *
Black *
Red **
Green **
Absorption
White ***
Blue **
Black *****
Red *
Green ***
Metal/Artifice
White ****
Blue *****
Black **
Red ***
Green **
Space/Reality
White ***
Blue *****
Black *
Red **
Green *
Natural
White **
Blue **
Black ***
Red ***
Green *****
Healing/Restoration
White ****
Blue *
Black ***
Red *
Green *****
Aura/Spiritual
White *****
Blue **
Black *
Red **
Green ****
Mental/Psychic
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red ***
Green *
Force (Non-Elemental)
White **
Blue ***
Black **
Red ****
Green *****
Mimicry/Illusion
White *
Blue *****
Black ***
Red **
Green ***
Destruction
White *
Blue **
Black ****
Red *****
Green ***
Creation
White *
Blue **
Black ***
Red ****
Green *****
“Now. . . I do not need any names yet. What I ask for you all to do is pick up three tomes that are scattered in the bookshelves, each being a different tome for an “Element”. I prefer you pick your tomes based on your own profession in mana. Once you have done that… display your signature spell to me.”
Let me see your specific power.
Sign-Up Challenge:
Pick 3 of the following “Elements” displayed. One being your "primary" element, and the other two being your secondary elements. Then, using only your "primary" element, create an Instant, Sorcery, or Enchantment card that will count as your signature spell that reflects the element.
Primary Element: Space/Reality
Secondary Element: Mimicry/Illusion
Secondary Element: Mental
Planar Distortion 3UUU
Global Enchantment {MR}
Creatures are unblockable.
At the beginning of each players upkeep, if this turn is not an extra turn, that player takes an extra turn after this one.
Take a mechanic from the pre-mirrodin era, and a mechanic after the mirrodin era, and create a card that flavorfully melds both mechanics.
Elements
Secondary: Ice/Snow
Secondary: Force
Signature Spell
Instant (R)
~ deal 3 damage as you choose between any number of target creatures and/or players.
“Curious. Releasing the lightning bolt through an ice prism creates some... unorthodox results.” - Prospero, rogue weathermancer
Secondary: Earth, Water
Hidden Panorama 2G
Sorcery C
Search your library for a land card with a name other than a name among lands on the battlefield and put it onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.
“Borders exist only in our minds.”
—Endenil, planeswalker
Predation 2GG
Enchantment (R)
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player sacrifices a creature. If he or she does, that player searches his or her library for a creature card with a converted mana cost equal to the sacrificed creature's converted mana cost plus one and puts that card onto the battlefield. That player then shuffles his or her library.
"The worms are eaten by the birds. The birds are eaten by the cats. The cats are eaten by the tigers. The tigers are eaten... by the worms." - Jigro, Cycle Tender
Main: Darkness
Secondary: Ice and Wind
Signature Spell:
Blackout 1BB
Enchantment
Creatures your opponents control cannot be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.
Imagine you are alone, all alone in some outside place, you can feel the ground crunch with frost and snow underneath your boots. The night is so dark you can't see your breath rise up in fast, thick clouds in front of your face as the panic starts to set in. You stumble along, slipping and sliding on a slick, hard ground growing more and more terrified. How did you get here? Where are you? Are you alone? Just as these thoughts enter your head you start to hear something. The back of your neck, already numb with cold, prickles as something rushes past you. The wind begins to pick up mercifully drowning your own erratic, panicked heartbeats, that is, until it gets louder. It slices through your clothes and armor as if it was not there, an evil wind bringing with it evil sounds. You begin to hear a wailing, faint at first but growing with the gale. You tell yourself it's just the wind, you pray with all your heart it's just the wind but it just gets louder and louder. Finally with a tremendous shudder the fear becomes to much! You collapse in a shivering pile as you succumb to the terror of this cold, dark wasteland. Only when the last vestiges of warmth and sanity seep out of your body into the void does the wind stop. Leaving you just another frost coated husk as the dark, evil winds move on to find the next victim in this desolate black land.
Primary: Lightning
Secondary: Ice, Creation
Strobe Lightning Storm XXURG
Instant (M)
Choose X -- CARDNAME deals 4 damage to target creature or player; or target opponent puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard; or put five 2/2 green Wolf creature tokens onto the battlefield.(You may choose each more than once.)
"It's always entertaining to watch. Even I never know what it's going to do." --Jeremiah of the Storm
I'll try to fill this out before the 30th.
Elements:
Primary: Creation
Secondaries: Restoration/Healing and Absorption
Signature spell:
Thornleaf’s Evolution 3GG
Sorcery (R)
For each non legendary creature token on the battlefield you control, put a token that's a copy of that creature onto the battlefield.
They say life is a rainbow. However they're wrong. Life is only GREEN and RED. Green is money and greed. Red is war and blood.
For a better word. For a cleaner word. For a REAL world. Wikileaks: Information wants to be free.
:symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
Primary: Metal
Secondary: Ice, Illusion
Instant
As an additional cost to cast Resculpt, sacrifice an artifact or snow permanent.
Put a artifact or snow permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield.
"'Weak' only means that it isn't finished yet."
-Tiachi, Crafter Adept
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
Primary: Force
Secondary: Time, Fire
Spell-Eruption Chamber URR
Enchantment (R)
Flash
You may cast spells as though they had flash.
Whenever you cast a spell, sacrifice Spell-Eruption Chamber. If you do, draw a card and Spell-Eruption Chamber deals damage equal to that spell's converted mana cost to target creature or player and to you.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
Leyline of Utopia 2WG
Enchantment
If Leyline of Utopia is in your opening hand, you may put it onto the Battlefield.
Lands you control produce one mana of any color when tapped for mana.
Creature spells you control cannot be countered.
Harmony can only come when there is unity between body and spirit.
[Clan Flamingo]
Secondary: Artifice
Tertiary: Lightning
Perhaps, if he went, he would be able to find a spell that would let him return to his own time. If not, there also a chance that he could acquire further knowledge regarding time manipulation, which was the reason as to why he had gone to past in the first place. In any case, he had nothing to lose, and so he set off toward the Great Athenaeum of the Stars, or whatever it was called.
Enchantment {R}
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may choose any number of target permanents and/or suspended cards. For each permanent or card chosen this way, if that permanent or card has a time counter on it, you may remove a time counter from it or put another time counter on it.
Primary: Poison/Miasma
Secondary 1: Absorption
Secondary 2: Creation
Fetid Skin BB
Enchantment - Aura (R)
During your upkeep, put a fetid counter on enchanted creature.
Enchanted creature gains +X/+X and infect, where X is equal to the number of fetid counters on it.
Its skin reeked of death, causing the downfall of even the hardiest of warriors.
Primary: Wind
Secondary: Lightning, Ice
Tornado's Path 2UUU
Sorcery (R)
For each R used to cast Tornado's Path, it deals 2 damage to all creatures.
Retun all non-land permanents to their owner's hand.
Those that could stand the fury of the tornado, remain only to be blow away by the mighty winds.
Creation (Main)
Mimicry/Illusion & Space/Reality (Supplements)
Identity Contortion 4URG
Sorcery (M)
Search your library for a creature card and exile it. If you do, each creature you control becomes a copy of the exiled card until end of turn. Then shuffle your library
"Identity is merely a cover for the being within, forged to promote individuality and protect society. Let's see what happens when your true nature appears!"
Primary: Space/Reality
Secondary: Mental/Psychic & Time
Signature Spell:
Warp World
OK, not really.
Ephemeral Distortion 2WU
Instant {R}
All creatures that dealt damage this turn are 1/1 creatures with no abilities.
Return all creatures with power 2 or greater to their owners' hands.
"Do not cross me, for I will exact judgment."
- Hafij, the Worldspeaker
Primary: Absorbtion/Draining
Secondary: Mental, Space
Bloodstained Progress :1mana::symw::symb::symb:
Enchantment {R}
Whenever a permanent enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
"Someone always pays the price for 'moving forward.'" -- Anonymous
Secondary elements: Space, Light
Spell:
Ainn's Flourish UU
Instant
Choose a target player. After that player's next upkeep step, he or she gets an additional upkeep step.
Replicate UU (When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
For the time being, Primary Force with secondary Mental/Creation.
One-Way Forcefield 1GWU
Enchantment (R)
Cumulative upkeep - Discard a card
You can't be attacked.
You and permanents you control can't be the target of spells or abilities opponents control.
Ack, my bad. It's supposed to be Lightning.
Some games have it listed at "Thunder", the Final Fantasy series in its later years being an example. Though it does make sense that it should be called "Lightning" because it is the actual energy at hand. I'll go ahead and just change that anyway so it would match.
Secondary: Force, Wind
Signature spell incoming shortly.
Hypnosis 3UU
Instant-R
Split Second
Until the end of the current phase, you control target player.
"You are getting sleepy....verrrry sleepy."
UUUJin-Gitaxias, Core AugurUUU
Modern
WWWHatebearsWWW
Secondary elements: Creation, Destruction
Tertiary element: Holding
Host of the July CCL '10, Host of the March CCL '11