Community Card Cycle Voting
Community Set
squire1
1 September 2011
1494 views
1 September 2011
1494 views
Alright, we had a lot of great submissions for cycles this go around. but as always we had to narrow the field. In this case we narrowed it to 10 cycle concepts. Keep in mind that we looked at your cards and concepts. Some cards that were amazing made not so great cycle concepts and vice versa. Keep in mind that the winner of this vote will work in collaboration with the design team to complete their cycle. So here they are:
Designer Lectrys |
Description"Lords! These are lords of certain creature types that grant the signature ability of their respective shards." |
Cards  |
Design team thoughts and commentsHonestly this cycle was one that we liked mostly due to the fact that we all liked lords, but none of us felt that is was a true cycle as is. Potential is there to maybe make it one, but we don't quite see it. |
Designer pookypuppy6 |
Description"I guess the idea is to pair the unique keyword with protection from the two absent colours with a 2/2 body, costing one mana of each colour. Flavour-wise, the paladins can still have shard-relevant creature types; Ulgris, for example, could get away with an Insect Knight creature type, while the Sorok paladin can be a dwarf or even a noggle." |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsSo the design team like this idea a lot except it breaks flavor a lot. At this point in the story all the shards are separate and have never encountered the other shards, so it makes little sense for creature to have protection from mana that they have never experienced. So we wer a bit apprehensive on this one too. |
Designer milanjosic |
DescriptionNo description was given, we assume that he or she was trying to go with the elite idea of another user. |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsWe liked the card a lot actually and we could see the name and subtype making a cycle, but the problem here is that the "tap and untap" mechanic should be U not B and how does that part translate to other shards. One suggestion was that it could have a "choose not to untap it" clause in there. May need some tweaking basically. |
Designer Mpz5 |
Description"This cycle would all have three effects to choose from with one of them having to do with the sets special mechanic and the other two having to do with the sets major themes by either being an answer to them or a synergy for them. I can see nothing with better flavor for each shard than a card giving you a choice of three options in the colors of the shard. Charms are great for sets because essentially they give you options. I like this idea because there has never really been rare charms unless you want to count the commands. This put's the classic charms where you can only choose 1 effect in a more powerful shell. On this one I upped the cmc by 1 and powered up the first two effects while powering down the last one because it was a bit OP before. I'll have my other two cycle submissions in soon I hope." |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsWe really liked how clearly this was a cycle. The cost, type, power level, and the recurring 2 effect was all easy to imagine as relevant to other shards while maintaining their individual identities. |
Designer Mpz5 |
Description"... a simple idea but something very valid I think. Why not take the key mechanic and completely support it as an enchantment? Basically it's a manifestation of the key mechanic of each shard." |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsWe liked this concept a lot. We thought that they would make a great "legendary enchantment" cycle. They would embody or represent the main power/force behind each shard. In Irindu's case the source of the flow actually has a name. The others could get names too. |
Designer Joshwarudd |
Description"... a Dominus cycle. This is a cycle of legendary creatures that utilize each shards ability in an interesting way." |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsNo real comments here. We saw the power and the flavor here. Liked it. |
Designer pyrefiend |
Description"...a series of sorceries with slightly undercosted abilities. Each one requires something to have happened during that turn or else it can't be played. They essentially push you to play to their shard's strength. " |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsBasically we liked the idea of a conditional cards centered around the shard mechanic. |
Designer MagnorCriol |
Description"The concept is a creature being ""touched"" by the spirit of a shard. They'd grant moderate but relevant bonuses. This one facilitates draw, Sorok's could make equip costs for the creature cheaper, Ulgris' could give it wither or deathtouch, etc. Each one has the return-to-hand clause, to help ameliorate the natural risk of auras. Each clause would be different - this is based off card draw because that's what Irindu likes (note that if you cast this for its flow cost, it auto-triggers the return that turn); Sorok's could key off owning equipment or legendary creatures, Chavest's could perhaps be creatures or lands being sent to a graveyard..." |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentspretty clear that the flavor was on. The power level of the sample was good and we know exactly what direction this cycle would go in. So yeah, good stuff. |
Designer platinum_demon |
Description"The tides" - thats all we got but we liked it a lot |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentswe liked this if you really play around with the X value related to the themes of the shards. Each one related to a game condition (i.e., cards in hand, creatures on the field, artifacts in play, etc.) |
Designer pyrefiend |
Description... a series of enchantments which change the color of your creatures, generally bringing them closer toward the three colors of the shard itself. Then the enchantment pumps each creature with the correct three colors and grants them an activated ability which encompasses the flavor of the shard. |
Cards |
Design team thoughts and commentsNot a lot to say here. it is very clear by the example what the direction of the cycle is. These would be both useful and simple to use/design. |
Voting
- Vote for your favorite cycle. Try to focus more on the cycle concept rather than the sample card alone. Each user may vote for one cycle idea only.
- Give us ideas and feedback on what might need to change about that cycle to make it even better or suggestions for othe cards in the cycle.
- You are also welcome to give feedback on all of the cycles, just be clear which you vote for.
- After votes are tallied, we will contact the winner of this contest and schedule a meeting with them to collaborate on the design of all the cards in the cycle. Then we will present the ful cycle to the community.
Details on shards
Check out these articles for details about the mechanics and story of each shard
Irindu (RUG)
http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2010/sep/2/tappedout-community-set-irindus-gold-rares/
Sorok (RWU)
http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2010/dec/15/sorok-planeswalker-challenge/
Morglen (BWG)
http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2011/jun/11/morglen-final-frontier/
Chavest (BWR)
http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2011/mar/3/chavest-mythic-rare-challenge/
Ulgris (BUG)
http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2010/sep/30/tappedout-community-set-ulgris-legend-build/
All votes and comments must be in by 12:00am EST Tuesday, September 6th, 2011.
I like Mpz5's enchantment cycle (due to the similarity to one of my cycles). I like the idea of making them legendary, since then they can be more powerful.
September 1, 2011 3:10 p.m.
shadowdart says... #3
I like Mpz5's charm idea. Bringing back utility in Shards should be a given. In a set that will most likely be played more slowly, options will be a necessity.
September 1, 2011 3:32 p.m.
Dominus Cycle. It gives each shard a clear flavor and good build-around creature for beginners that would also have appeal to older players. Being Legendary they also provide more "wedgends" for Commander, and are all-around good examples of each mechanic in action.
September 1, 2011 6:07 p.m.
Joshwarudd says... #5
I really like the Mana flow cycle by Mpz5... it looks fun and would be an awesome cycle to play.
September 1, 2011 6:09 p.m.
How would the mana flow cycle support the other shard's mechanics? The Sorok enchantment could give your creatures resolve but it couldn't give it to itself, obviously. It's not necessarily an issue, but I wonder what Mpz5 thought about it.
September 1, 2011 6:49 p.m.
platinum_demon says... #8
Am I allowed to vote for my own Tides? If I am, then I do.
On the Mana Flow cycle, I see how it works with flow, but some other keywords might be hard to get this to work with. For example it would make sense for the "manifestation" of Ulgris' keyword ability (wither) to have wither itself, but that wouldn't work with an enchantment. You could probably work around this in some way, but it would be difficult.
Again, I vote for the Tides.
September 1, 2011 7:57 p.m.
idmantelli says... #9
I find Sundering Tides to work beautifully in my deck Zombe Zombe Zombe, so I definitely vote for that.
September 1, 2011 8:11 p.m.
I'm gonna go with the enchantment cycle by Mpz5 featuring mana flow, just because it sounds cool and I like the idea.
September 1, 2011 10:01 p.m.
DeckBuilder345 says... #13
I am voting for the paladin cycle. I like the idea of representative creatures of each shard. Champions if you will of the shard. Maybe they don't have to be called paladins but instead champions? Ie Champion of noggle.... or whatever.
Next thought i like the idea of protection from the absent colors... for 4 mana it may need to be a 3/3 though.
Story wise, because they are a champion of their specific shard then they were created specifically to survive trips to the other shards. Or look paladins are basically special knights right? What do knights do? Joust and fight in tourneys with each other, so would make sense that they would be a little better traveled, and have some more experience with the other colors than the rest of their brethren.
September 2, 2011 11:51 a.m.
I'm voting for the Charms. They're nice, they're simple, and they're easily made into a cycle.
September 2, 2011 5:05 p.m.
I like my Mana flow cycle, I already have tons of ideas for the rest of them.
I will say that I liked my charms a lot as well.
I also loved pyrefiend's Tenacity cycle as well and I almost voted for it. and Wish I could have voted for 3.
September 4, 2011 11:40 p.m.
eh i'm voting for manaflow for its card advantage and its usefullness on cheating out big things!
September 5, 2011 12:43 a.m.
superfly1842 says... #18
I think mana flow has the most potential. I love the idea behind the card. Its great for the shard set, and adds something new! My vote goes to mpz5's mana flow!
September 5, 2011 12:46 a.m.
Mpz5's Mana Flow is a first pick bomb in draft and an excellent base from then on. Big creatures and expensive spells will be flying everywhere.
September 6, 2011 5:16 p.m.
Jarrod_0067 says... #20
I don't see how the Mana Flow idea would work with other shards...
September 7, 2011 10:13 a.m.
Well since that is the winning cycle, we are meeting with Mpz5 tonight to discuss that and other concerns. Trust me that they will be a true cycle, and most likely be up to look at tomorrow.
September 7, 2011 10:36 a.m.
Can non-creature permanents have Memento? If so, the Morglen one could give everything you control Memento. That would be awesome!
September 8, 2011 12:02 p.m.
It is limited to creatures. Actually the article with the final cards will be up today or tomorrow
September 8, 2011 12:48 p.m.
here are the winners http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2011/sep/8/community-card-cycle-winner/
tmurdock says... #1
My vote is for Mana Flow. I think that cycle is strongest at reinforcing the key mechanic in each shard in the most flavourful way. There were some close second and thirds in the sorceries and echantments, which I was overall a bigger fan of than any of the submitted creatures.
September 1, 2011 2:23 p.m.