Card Design challenge (Uncommons blue)
Community Set
squire1
20 January 2012
1970 views
20 January 2012
1970 views
After all of the voting from last roundwe have some new additions to the Sorok shard. Some of them were altered due to the community suggestions for balancing. So here they are:
In addition to this, community members found some problems with another card in sorok from the Sorok summary page. The card was designed before Stoneforge Mystic was banned. After that, we had to reconsider the power level, so the new Dwarven Smith is this:
So now onto the new challenge.
So for this challenge you will be designing two blue uncommons for Sorok.
Rules
- For this challenge, each member of the community may submit four cards total.
- Each card must be a blue card or colorless with a blue edge to it.
- Each card must be an uncommon
- While the casting cost must fit those specifications, activated abilities are allowed to use any combination of blue, red, and white if you so choose. Hybrid mana is NOT allowed.
- Cards submitted may be creatures, enchantments, enchantments/aura, instants, artifacts/equipment or sorceries.
- All submissions will be graded on:
- Creativity - As you may or may not realize, different players look for different things in cards. One thing that many players look for is new interactions and situations in gameplay. This allows players who have been playing forever (the design team) to still find the game interesting with each new set.
- Power level - Power level is often one of the biggest roadblocks to design. now that we are at uncommons, we should want to play the cards that are designed but not think of them as musts. Unlike the rares, many of which the design team wanted playsets of the submitted cards. The uncommon cards must be strong but not too strong. Also consider pricing. you would not want an uncommon to cost $5 because it is so wildly popular.
- Flavor - I know that some competitive players would still play if the cards had no art or flavor or story and they were just numbers for names, but most players like the whimsical flourish of flavor, so keep that in mind.
- Usefulness - What is useful? Why is it useful? Will your design be useful in every format (probably not, but maybe)? Will your card create interesting interactions and synergies? Does it have an effect on board complexity? Does it effect tempo? Whatever the answers to these questions are, they are essential to answer for yourself. Without a vision of why a card is being created and what it lends to the game or potentially detract, then it is difficult to balance it.
- As with all uncommon challenges. Each design team member will now be presenting the 1 card per color per design team member for voting along with the other top cards presented. In order to make it unbiased, we will continue to stay out of the card voting, so if no one votes for our cards, we can not win. Also our cards will not be evaluated along side everyone else's, they will only be revealed during the voting articles so that we do not compare your cards against those designed by design team members. Basically it will work the same as always, except you will see 3 additional cards to vote on if you wish. So if you do not like our ideas or just don't want design team cards winning challenges, do not vote for them and we won't. If there is an outcry for this idea to stop altogether, it will.
Extra Information
To see all of the cards that have been designed for this shard so far, as well as the story and shard description please see this article. http://tappedout.net/mtg-articles/2011/sep/1/community-set-sorok-summary/ Also keep in mind what is missing from the shard. Do we need more creatures? Small or big spells? etc. I would say that currently we need equipment pretty bad since we have a lot of equipment dependent card and only one equipment card currently.
All card submissions are due by midnight on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Controlled Flood
CC: 3U
Tribal Sorcery- merfolk
Up to two target lands become basic islands. (This effect does not end at end of turn).
Controlled flood deals 1 damage to each non-blue creature.
The name could use some work.
January 20, 2012 10:06 a.m.
Slipstream Cloaker
CC: UU
Creature- merfolk wizard
(T): target creature gains shroud until end of turn. If that creature is a merfolk, it gains hexproof until end of turn instead.
P/T: 0/1
January 20, 2012 10:13 a.m.
Noggle Apprentice
CC: 2UU
Creature- Noggle Wizard
U (T): Choose one- Noggle Apprentice deals 1 damage to target creature and 1 damage to you, tap target creature you don't control and target creature you do control, or return target creature and Noggle Apprentice to their owners' hands.
Entwine- pay 1 life and return a land you control to its owners hand. (You may choose two if you pay its entwine cost).
P/T: 1/3
"Although very gifted, he's much too eager to test out his newest discoveries."-insert old wizard Noggle name here
January 20, 2012 10:26 a.m.
Cloaking Heron
2UU
Creature- Bird
Flash, Flying
When Cloaking Heron enters the battlefield, change the target of target spell to Cloaking Heron.
P/T: 2/2
They say that a heron flying overhead is a sign of well-needed luck.
January 20, 2012 10:37 a.m.
Okay, thanks! Will there be a special vote for lands?
Or will this be a set with no nonbasics?
January 20, 2012 11 a.m.
some lands have already gone through design and vote. see the summary article provided.
January 20, 2012 11:06 a.m.
Gem of Knowledge
2U
Legendary Artifact- Gemstone
Each player draws cards equal to the number of gemstones in play at the start of their upkeep.
Logic behind choice:
Blue is known for card advantage and drawing, so I wanted something that some how drew cards.
Blue is also the only color which currently has access to the gemstone type artifacts in Sorok, and Collector's stone by itself without any support just seems sort of weak.
Gemstones appear to be artifacts that interact with the number of gemstones in play from the one example so far, so I knew I also needed an ability that worked based off the number of gemstones in play.
Having target player draw that many cards is too powerful to be an uncommon, so I decided to give it a howling mine like quality that allows it to benefit the other player first to balance out the effect.
The legendary part of the card is to prevent people from stacking this effect. Collector Stone is a legendary, so I saw no reason not to declare this as legendary too. It prevents it from being abused easily and also allows for it to be cheap enough to still be useful.
Logic behind mana cost:
It is essentially an upgraded howling mine. It does not stack with itself, so that takes away its ability to be rare, and will rely on the support of other, probably legendary, gem stones. I feel 2U is appropriate because it costs more than howling mine, but its not prohibitive to playing it and it is very dependent in its power upon other gemstones, which so far are all also legendary.
January 20, 2012 11:25 a.m.
Staff of Flooding
3U
Artifact - equipment
Equip UU
T: return target creature you control to your hand, put two charge counters on Staff of Flooding
UT, remove a charge counter from Staff of Flooding: Return target creature you don't control to its owner's hand. Activate this ability only once per turn.
Logic behind card choice:
This is supposed to be a clearly blue artifact. The goblin's have their staff of devouring, so I thought maybe the merfolk could use a staff that bounces. Bouncing is supposed to be one of the key mechanics of the set, so I figured it would fit in well. Also, the casting cost and design of this card is based around the idea that by returning one creature to your hand, you can return two creatures to your opponents hand, one for each of your next two turns. It is slow, but it is consistent. It also can be useful to bounce creatures you want to be back in your hand, or just used to keep card advantage against the opponent. The clause that says you can only activate the ability to return target creature you don't control to an enemies hand prevents it from being broken.
January 20, 2012 11:38 a.m.
UU
Noggle Detective
Creature- Noggle
1: Look at target player's hand.
2/2
January 20, 2012 12:05 p.m.
Disruption
U
Instant
Counter target spell unless it's controller pays 1if the target spell is countered draw a card.
Slipstream Teacher
UU
Creature- merfolk advisor
U: draw a card then discard a card.
P/T:0/1
January 20, 2012 12:13 p.m.
SmilesAreDaggers says... #14
Crystalline Dagger
CC: 2U
Artifact -- Equipment
Equipped Creature Gets "T:This Creature Deals 1 Damage To Target Creature Or Player And You Draw A Card"
Equip Cost: 4 colorless OR 2U ---??? . Equip Only as a Sorcery
Flavor Text: "A Shard Of A Gemstone Can Be A Dangerous Opponent In Anybody's Hands"
kind of a throwback to quicksilver dagger from apocalypse but a tad better and by the time you get it out and equip it its about worth an uncommon slot but it'd still be playable in splashes with optional equip cost and level the field for limited play and fit in EDH/constructed play....
January 20, 2012 12:28 p.m.
5
Obfuscating Diamond
Artifact- Gemstone
Flash
T: Target creature gains shroud until the end of the turn
January 20, 2012 12:34 p.m.
1U
Disturbing Hummingbird
Creature- Bird
Flash, Flying
When (CARDNAME) comes into play counter target activated or triggered ability.
0/1
January 20, 2012 12:53 p.m.
U
Crash of Waves
Creature - Elemental
~'s toughness is equal to the amount of creatures you control.
0/*
January 20, 2012 1:05 p.m.
gamerboy6000 says... #18
1U
Protective Wings
Artifact- Equipment
Equip 1
Equipped creature has flying and hexproof.
January 20, 2012 1:07 p.m.
1U
Punishment of Greed
Instant
Counter target spell with X in it's mana cost.
January 20, 2012 1:07 p.m.
1U
Take Flight
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has flying.
U: Return ~ to it's owners hand.
January 20, 2012 1:10 p.m.
U
Careful Calculations
Instant
Look at the top four cards of your library, you may reveal a noncreature card from among them. If you do, put that card into your hand, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
January 20, 2012 1:12 p.m.
ilikeoldcardsbetter says... #23
1st submission
Guardian Drake - 2U
Creature - Drake
Flying
Guardian Drake gets +0/+1 for each creature you control
2/1
January 20, 2012 1:16 p.m.
Treasure Diver 2u
Creature - Merfolk
When Treasure Diver enters the battlefield reveal cards off the top of your library until you reveal a non-creature artifact. Add that artifact to your hand and shuffle all other cards revealed this way back into your library.
1/1
January 20, 2012 1:31 p.m.
ZyelTheFallen says... #25
Frost Wolf 1UU
Creature - Wolf
When Frost Wolf deals combat damage to a creature, tap that creature and it doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
2/2
January 20, 2012 2:02 p.m.
Darth Revan says... #26
Frozen Tear 2U
Artifact
1U- Tap target creature. If used more than twice a turn, sacrifice Frozen Tear at the end turn.
January 20, 2012 3:22 p.m.
Darth Revan says... #27
Submerged Sepulcher 3
Artifact
2U- Target player draws four cards and discards two
2U- Target player draws two cards and discards four.
January 20, 2012 3:28 p.m.
Icy Splash U
Instant
Tap target nonland permanent. It does not untap during its controllers next untap step.
Spark of Brilliance 3uu
Sorcery
Draw a card for each artifact in your graveyard.
January 20, 2012 6:41 p.m.
gamerboy6000 says... #29
2nd Submission:
Goggles of Artifice
1
UX, Tap, Sacrifice Goggles of Artifice: Search your library for an artifact with converted mana cost of X or less and put it into your hand.
January 20, 2012 7:35 p.m.
KrazyCaley says... #30
Unstable Aether - U
Counter target spell. That spell's controller chooses one: You lose 3 life, or he or she puts a 1/1 white soldier token into play under his or her control. That wasn't supposed to happen.
January 20, 2012 9:42 p.m.
Jarrod_0067 says... #32
Might need a better name
Metal Banishing 3U
Instant
Exile all Equipments target player controls. Return them to the battlefield at the beginning of the next end step.
Suddenly, Tok felt quite exposed
January 20, 2012 11:40 p.m.
Sky Cut 3U
Instant
Untap all flying creatures you control. Draw a card for each creature untapped this way.
Have you ever seen a griffin falling? They don't fall.
January 21, 2012 12:27 a.m.
Jury-Rig 2U
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant artifact
As long as enchanted artifact isn't a creature, it's an Equipment with equip X and "Equipped creature gets +X/+X," where X is that artifact's converted mana cost.
Flavor: A dwarven warriorsmith turns a random artifact into a passable weapon/armor.
Magnetic Lance 1U
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has first strike.
Whenever equipped creature deals damage to a creature, unattach all Equipment from that creature.
Equip 2
Flavor: The lance itself is highly magnetized and repels other metallic objects.
Trader of Artifacts 2UU
Creature - Merfolk
When ~ enters the battlefield, exchange control of target artifact you control and target artifact an opponent controls.
1/1
Flavor: A merfolk trader who does illicit trade in dwarven and goblin artifacts and equipment.
Dissolution Blade 1U
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets -2/-2 and has "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a creature, return that creature to its owner's hand."
Equip U
Flavor: Anything the sword touches dissolves into aether, including the bearer. The blade dissolves on contact and the hilt only offers some protection.
January 21, 2012 12:33 a.m.
Evacuation Device 3
Artifact - Equipment
Whenever equipped creature blocks or becomes blocked you may return it to your hand. If you do return all creatures blocking it or being blocked by it to their owners hand.
equip u
January 21, 2012 10:56 a.m.
Here's my first one:
Gilded Trinket 2U
Artifact
When Gilded Trinket enters the battlefield, exchange control of Gilded Trinket and up to one target artifact an opponent controls. If you don't make an exchange, sacrifice Gilded Trinket. This ability can't be countered except by spells and abilities. (This effect lasts indefinitely.)
A nerfed take on Gilded Drake (since Gilded Drake is a rare), and it seems pretty fun.
January 21, 2012 1:09 p.m.
Mountaineer's Claws 1U
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped Creature gets Mountainwalk, First strike, and Resolve.
Equip 1.
flavor: a mountaineer clings to the cliff with his claws as he climbs up a freezing cliff.
January 21, 2012 1:37 p.m.
ilikeoldcardsbetter says... #38
2nd submission
Coastal Nesting Grounds - 2B
Enchantment
Tap two untapped creatures you control: Put a 1/1 Bird creature token with flying onto the battlefield. If this ability has been activated four or more times this turn, sacrifice Coastal Nesting Grounds at the beginning of the next upkeep.
January 21, 2012 2:01 p.m.
IAmKingTony says... #39
Magebinder's Scepter | 5
Artifact - Equipment
Magebinder's Scepter is hexproof.
Equipped creature is hexproof and gains "2UU, T: Counter target spell. That spell's caster may draw a card."
Equip UU
==========================
Icy Shard | 1UU
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gains +4/+2. If equipped creature deals combat damage to a creature with 3 or higher toughness or to a player, sacrifice Icy Shard.
Equip 1, discard a card from your hand
"Sometimes you just have to use what's handy..."
=========================
Breathing Apparatus | 2
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gains islandwalk and cannot be tapped by spells or abilities your opponents control.
Equip 2
=========================
January 21, 2012 2:15 p.m.
Halidir_Orveck says... #40
1UU
Waterfall Vaulter
Creature-Merfolk Wizard
1U: Waterfall Vaulter gains flying or Mountainwalk until the end of turn
3/2
January 21, 2012 2:29 p.m.
Halidir_Orveck says... #41
2U
Crossbridge Convergence
Sorcery
you may pay an additional U to cast this spell as if it had flash
put two 1/1 Blue Merfolk tokens onto the battlefield.
January 21, 2012 2:33 p.m.
Halidir_Orveck says... #42
2UUU
Flowing Rhyme Cloak
Enchantment-Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has Hexproof and +X/+X where X is the number of Non basic lands you control
January 21, 2012 2:37 p.m.
nightscape says... #44
Tsunami Riders
2U
Creature - Merfolk Warrior
Whenever you tap an island for mana, Tsunami Riders gains flying until end of turn.
Whenever Tsunami Riders deals combat damage to a player, you may tap target land that player controls. It doesn't untap on its controller's next untap step.
2/2
Trinket Thief
2UU
Creature - Noggle Thief
When Trinket Thief enters the battlefield, gain control of target artifact with converted mana cost 2 or less. If that artifact was an equipment, attach it to Trinket Thief.
2/2
Steamsink
1U
Instant
Counter target spell as long as you control an equipped Dwarf.
Sheening Force
1U
Artifact - Equipment Gemstone
Equip 1W
Equipped creature has hexproof and "whenever this creature attacks, ad WU to your mana pool at the beginning of your next main phase."
January 21, 2012 7:06 p.m.
Maximilianus says... #45
Train of Thought
2U
Sorcery
Spells you cast cannot be countered by blue spells this turn.
"The mere thought hadn't even begun to speculate about the slightest possibility of crossing my mind."
January 21, 2012 9:33 p.m.
Train of Thought You might need a new name, and the ability doesn't seem very blue to me... but it would be pretty cool.
January 21, 2012 10:11 p.m.
franconbean says... #47
Clearlake Ambush
3UU
Instant
Put 3 1/1 Merfolk creature tokens onto the battlefield
Creatures your opponent controls get -2/-0 until end of turn
"The Merfolk of Sorok prefer to avoid conflict, but that doesn't mean they can't handle themselves in a fight"
January 22, 2012 5:13 a.m.
franconbean says... #48
Scholastic Merfolk
2U
Creature
1UU: Target player draws a card
2U: Target merfolk becomes unblockable until end of turn
1/3
"Merfolk academics are certainly accomplished scholars, but their intellect lends itself well to practical problems too."
January 22, 2012 5:36 a.m.
1U
Controlled Thoughts
Enchantment
X:Look at the top X cards of target player's library and put them back in any order. Play this ability only during your upkeep.
January 22, 2012 11:44 a.m.
Merfolk's Shield
U
Artifact Gemtone - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +0/+1 .
As long as equipped creature is a merfolk, it gets an additional +0/+1 and gains Vigilance and Islandwalk.
Equip UU
January 22, 2012 1:36 p.m.
ilikeoldcardsbetter says... #51
3rd submission
Whisk Away - 2U
instant
Put target creature on top of its owners library.
January 22, 2012 3:43 p.m.
eleriumavenger says... #52
flip card
Elder Scholar cost: 1U
Human Advisor 1/1
whenever a instant or sorcery card is put in to the graveyard from your library flip elder advisor
////////////////////////////////////////
Library Geist
spirit 1/3
flyingwhen every you would draw a card look at the top three cards of you library put one on top of your library and the rest into your graveyard
January 22, 2012 11:10 p.m.
I didn't think this set was using double faced cards... Unless I was mistaken...
January 22, 2012 11:20 p.m.
Ohthenoises says... #55
First submission
1u
No one tosses a dwarf
Instant
Target dwarf creature gains hexproof and protection from red until end of turn
"Don't tell ANYONE"
January 23, 2012 8:40 a.m.
Have the artifacts for the set been done yet? Because it looks like a lot cool Equipment is gonna have to go there. It could well with other shards too though, like First Strike + Wither for Grixis.
January 23, 2012 7:44 p.m.
2nd submission:
Mountain's Gale
1U - Instant
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
If R was spent to cast ~, you may have Mountain's Gale deal 3 damage to that creature instead.flavor: a man hunched over against the cold, while another man is blown backwards over a clifftext: "Those who aren't prepared to face the cold are destroyed by it. - Some dwarf"
January 23, 2012 7:52 p.m.
3rd submission:
Mountainteer's Cloak 1U
Equipped creature has "Prevent all damage that would be dealt to this creature."
Equip 1.
flavor - a warm winter cloak keeps a traveller warm in the winter snow.
January 23, 2012 7:58 p.m.
NobodyPicksBulbasaur says... #60
(inspired by the previous "Take Flight" submission)
2U
Geyser Surge
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant Creature
Enchanted creature has flying and haste.
U: Return enchanted creature and Geyser Surge to their owners' hands.
Flavor text: The bold ride geysers to ambush their foes. The wise do so to evade them.
January 24, 2012 2:05 p.m.
ben th3 bear says... #61
do we just put what the card would say on here or can we design our own card and submit a picture?
January 24, 2012 4:02 p.m.
ilikeoldcardsbetter says... #63
4th submission
Adventurous Magpie - U
Creature - Bird
Flying
Whenever Adventurous Magpie deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, draw a card.
1/1
pookypuppy6 says... #1
Command Steel
CC: 2UU
Enchantment
Enchant artifact
You control enchanted artifact. If the enchanted artifact is an equipment, attach it to target creature you control.
"Some have a greater command over metal than others. A handy skill for when you wish to prise the battleaxe clean from your enemies' hands."
January 20, 2012 9:53 a.m.