(This banner based on Arguel’s Blood Fast art by Wizards of the Coast)
September MCC Round 3
“Blood Fast”
Ixalan. A whole world that waits to be discovered. Ancient ruins from the Sun Empire's heyday can now be found, overgrown and half-buried, in the depths of the jungle. Sacred springs infused with magical power well up from high mountainsides. Hidden coves hold pirate treasures stowed by captains long forgotten. Brave explorers from all four peoples uncover such sites as they scour Ixalan in search of the golden city.
For centuries, the untamed jungles of Ixalan have hidden a coveted secret: Orazca, the city of gold. But no secret can remain undiscovered, and no treasure can be taken uncontested. Unfurl your sails, saddle up a dinosaur, and battle your rivals as you embark on a journey to claim the plane’s greatest fortune for yourself!
Driven by orders of their beloved Queen and their own faith, vampire conquistadors want to find the Immortal Sun, the mysterious item hidden in Orazca.
Main challenge: Design a colored Vampire creature card.
Subchallenge 1: The card is nonblue, nonred, nongreen.
Subchallenge 2: Your card cares about Vampire creature type OR/AND your card cares about life.
Main Challenge
The card needs to be a creature. The card also needs to be colored. It should have Vampire creature type. It also may have any other creature types if necessary.
Subchallenge 1
Your card should have monowhite, monoblack, or white-black color identity. It should have one or more colored mana symbols in mana cost and may have any nonblue, nonred, nongreen mana symbols in rules text if necessary. Subchallenge 2
- If you chose Vampire creature type, your card has Vampire creature type printed in rules text (it can create Vampire tokens or somehow interact with Vampires). Examples are Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle and Anointed Deacon.
- If you chose life, it cares about life (it can be direct or indirect lifegain, life payment or manipulations with life total.) Bishop's Soldier, Adanto Vanguard and Sanctum Seeker are examples.
- If you chose both, do both.
Plase feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
A friendly reminder bravelion83 left everyone a few months ago but it's still valid:
In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.
Also, you should format your text cards accordingly to the forum rules (see the "this formatting looks best" spoiler in the linked OP). Again, expect deductions in Quality otherwise.
Design - (X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card? (X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense? Development - (X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity? (X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment? Creativity - (X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”? (X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players? Polish - (X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating. (X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge? (X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition. Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES Design deadline: Sunday, September 24th 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Thursday, September 28th 2017 11:59 EDT
Raptorchan
Vertain vs netn10
RickyRister vs IcariiFA ManyCookies
RickyRister vs IcariiFA
Sub_Silentio vs Subject16 void_Nothing
Sub_Silentio vs Subject16
Vertain vs netn10
Ornim the Feastmaster3WB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Cleric (M)
Other creatures you control have lifelink.
Other creatures you control have indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest. "Dinner is served. I made sure there's plenty."
4/5
Crimson Feast Missionary3WB
Creature – Vampire (R)
Lifelink
Other Vampire creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever you pay or gain life, you may pay W. If you do, create a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink. “To the Church of Dusk, vestiges of mortality are merely adornments on decanters.”
3/3
Bloodfang Crusader1WW
Creature - Vampire Knight (Rare)
First strike 1W, Pay 1 life for each Vampire creature you control: Vampire creatures you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. "Those who doesn't hunger for conquer and thirst for glory deserves the famine of shame." 2/2
Bloodcrazed Rallier2WB
Creature - Vampire Knight (R)
Whenever a creature you control attacks a player with greater life than you, that creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Pay 2 life: Target Vampire gains lifelink until end of turn. For a fasting vampire, there is no greater motivation than the urge to feed.
3/3
Lord of Hunger3WB
Creature - Vampire (R)
Flying
Whenever a Vampire you control attacks, defending player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Vampires you control have haste as long as you have 10 or less life. "Feast, my children. Starvation is for the weak."
4/4
Preacher of Blood3WW
Creature - Vampire Cleric (Mythic Rare) T, Pay 4 life: Gain control of target creature whose power is less than the number of Vampires you control. That creature becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery. "The children of the Sun Empire are simply misguided, they do not know of the Church's way. We must educated them - by force, if necessary."
3/3
Ornim the Feastmaster3WB
Legendary Creature - Vampire Cleric (M)
Other creatures you control have lifelink.
Other creatures you control have indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest. "Dinner is served. I made sure there's plenty."
4/5
Design - (2,5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Spike can see the value. A bit too straightforward but still appropriate for Johnny. (2/3) Elegance: "Indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest" is not really elegant. Development - (3/3) Viability: All abilities are white and black, sure. "Can't block" tied to bonus reminds me about good old black Threshold cards. Mythic of course. (2/3) Balance: Even for a mythic, I can't say it's not broken. Good thing - it doesn't grant any bonus to itself and works quite interesting with unability to block, so it becomes your weak spot and removal target number 0. Still pushed. Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: Can't remember anything like this. Can remember cards wth similar drawbacks like Razorjaw Oni. (3/3) Flavor: "Feast" is appropriate since Ixalan vampires have a "Feast of Blood" term. Polish - (2/3) Quality: According to Dethrone wording, it should be "most life", not "greatest". Can't find any card with "greatest life" wording. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 21/25
Bloodfang Crusader1WW
Creature - Vampire Knight (Rare)
First strike 1W, Pay 1 life for each Vampire creature you control: Vampire creatures you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn. "Those who doesn't hunger for conquer and thirst for glory deserves the famine of shame."
2/2
Design - (1,5/3) Appeal: Big but not impactful enough for Timmy, valuable but not enough for Spike and okay for Johnny. (2,5/3) Elegance: More or less, it requires some math but nothing special. Development - (3/3) Viability: Rare is correct, first strike is just fine and life payment in white is appropriate since Ixalan. Times surely change... (2/3) Balance: I can't see it being really constructed playable but commander and limited players can find a use for it. But need to say, it’s a sort of card that balanced itself. Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: massive pumps are not new but and depending payment definitely is. (3/3) Flavor: I really like how the vampire traits are combined with conquistador traits here. Polish - (1,5/3) Quality: "Get", not "gets". "Deserve" instead of "deserves" and probably "conquest" instead of "conquer". (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 20/25
Bloodcrazed Rallier2WB
Creature - Vampire Knight (R)
Whenever a creature you control attacks a player with greater life than you, that creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Pay 2 life: Target Vampire gains lifelink until end of turn. For a fasting vampire, there is no greater motivation than the urge to feed.
3/3
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Jonny knows what to do with it, Timmy and Spike are pleased too but less interested thanks to "greates life" restriction. (2/3) Elegance: Not easily understandable from the first glance activation of a first ability sometimes requires to activate a second ability first. Other than that, no serious problems. Development - (2,5/3) Viability: Black greed and life payment, white first strike and white/black lifelink. Can be rare or mythic as well, probably mythic because no tribal restriction. (2/3) Balance: Another card that balanced itself. Too conditional for serious constructed play but will be gladly accepted in limited and commander formats. Lifelink ability don't work very well with all of vampires (for example, power 1 is not enough in some cases). Creativity - (2,5/3) Uniqueness: Nice and unique qnough tweak of Dethrone. (2/3) Flavor: Name is okay and flavor text is boring. Roses are red and violets are blue, you know. Polish - (2/3) Quality: "greater life than you" is not correct, you should have been look to something like Linvala, the Preserver. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 19/25
Lord of Hunger3WB
Creature - Vampire (R)
Flying
Whenever a Vampire you control attacks, defending player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Vampires you control have haste as long as you have 10 or less life. "Feast, my children. Starvation is for the weak."
4/4
Design - (3/3) Appeal: Huge flyer is nothing to dislike for a Timmy and Spike and Johnny can find a use for it as usual. (3/3) Elegance: Two abilities but each of them is simple enough. Development - (2,5/3) Viability: Can be monoblack though the first ability can be white/black as well. Rarity is probably should be mythic because this creature is a bomb by itself even without any tribal support. (2,5/3) Balance: A primal example of limited bomb. 5 damage every turn may be even enough for some constructed play. Creativity - (1,5/3) Uniqueness: Both abilities can be seen on existing cards. First is a tribal Campaign of Vengeance and second is a tweak of Bloodghast. (1,5/3) Flavor: Plain name and doesn't fit the religious theme of ixalan vampires well. Also lack of second creature type seems like a missed opportunity. You probably know that all Ixalan (nontoken) vampires have some. Polish - (3/3) Quality: All perfect. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes. (2/2) Subchallenges: Yes. Total: 21/25
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the pump, tokens, and lifesteal. Johnny sees a lot of triggers to mess about with. Spike doesn't really care due to the cost in "normal" formats but would like it for sheer efficiency in Edgar Markov EDH.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Relatively ability-heavy and the triggered ability might take people a couple of readings to figure out when it triggers, but on the whole a self-synergistic package.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Rare's quite right for a token-generating lord, and the colors match the tribe, but in an Ixalan context this could even be mono-white; there are no strictly black abilities here.
(3/3) Balance: This is a strong card, but only if you heavily build around it, and the token generation trigger costs mana.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: "Whenever you pay or gain life" is a very cool and unique trigger condition, and this is unique as far as being a Vampire lord that does what it does, but ultimately I'm reminded of Regal Caracal in some important ways.
(3/3) Flavor: Definitely a strong point here. I love the flavor text itself.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Solid.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 22/25
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy isn't much into paying life or the small body for the size but does like stealing creatures to add to a horde. Johnny can definitely find ways to abuse this with untap effects, since the ability essentially builds on itself. Spike sees multiple creature steal for relatively cheap and definitely takes notice, but is somewhat turned off by the high costs.
(2.5/3) Elegance: A single ability - one without the most elegant wording, to be sure, by necessity - but almost completely elegant all the same.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: Mythic rare is definitely right, but no amount of flavor can justify this card in white. Not in a million years. The only precedent in recent memory is Evangelize, which was a throwback card in a set without a normal color pie to Preacher and allowed the opponent to choose which creature got stolen. The life payment thing, Vampire conversion, and steal creature at a health cost abilities are 100% black.
(3/3) Balance: Well, Beguiler of Wills is good but hardly broken, is it?
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: As just alluded to, this is a straight Vampire version of Beguiler of Wills mashed up with Olivia Voldaren, but in the wrong color.
(3/3) Flavor: No flavor problems to speak of other than color pie ones.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "We must educate them" - no d.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Fulfilled.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 18/25
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees a lot of lifegain AND indestructible - but also lifegain that disadvantages him in another way when he's up on life, and doesn't like that antisynergistic drawback. Johnny sees a lot of crazy crap to do with changing life totals. Spike sees a somewhat efficient body stapled to two strong static abilities.
(2.5/3) Elegance: As mentioned before, the antisynergy of including a drawback attached to the bonus for having a high life total has to dock an half elegance point, and yet helps with the balance of the card.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: "Power" legends are often mythic and this is a black-white ability suite (that could probably have been white without the cannot-block thing but que sera sera).
(3/3) Balance: This would probably be semi-oppressive as soon as you got to a high life total without the no-blocks clause, so nice development move there.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: There's lots of different precedent - Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Whip of Erebos - stapled together into a new package.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Slightly generic name/title but ominous flavor text.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees potential multiple pumps for his whole army but is turned off by the cost getting steeper the more creatures he has out. Johnny sees a lot of moving parts to tweak with. Spike is concerned about the expense.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty elegant stuff that's likely to remind older players of Vampirism in its execution.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: In a normal context this is way (at least somewhat, at any rate) more black than it is white, but hey, it's Ixalan! Rare is right for this style of lord.
(3/3) Balance: Can pump your guys big, but at a high cost.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Draws heavily on Leonin Sun Standard and co./Stromkirk Condemned alike. The "1 life per Vampire" cost is pretty new stuff though.
(3/3) Flavor: All solid stuff - flavor text is wonderful even if it has grammar mistakes.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: "Those who don't hunger" "deserve the famine"
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Also done.
Total: 21/25
Sub_Silentio 22 vs. Subject16 18 Vertain 22 vs. netn10 21
Design - (1.5/3) Appeal: Spike likes the potential risk/reward w/ the abilities, although it might be a little too much reward with the lack of removal in limited! Timmies likes the potential mass lifegain though are lukewarm on the payment, Johnny doesn't care. (3/3) Elegance: Uh sure, there's some tricky stuff to do with this card but the first breakthroughs straightforward enough me thinks. Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (2.5/3) Balance: I could see this leading to "Guess what you're never doing, here's a hint it rhymes with stocking" board-states in limited, which have traditionally been pretty annoying cards. But power level wise this is fine for a rare payoff. Creativity - (3/3) Uniqueness: A white vampire take on dethrone, the life loss is an obvious but interesting twist with it. (2/3) Flavor: Wait wouldn't the fasting vampire not be eating/attacking? Shouldn't the flavor text be describing the fast break instead ("Man when these fasting vampires get to eat, better watch your neck boy")? But otherwise fine, good connection to mechanics yada yada. Polish - (2.5/3) Quality: should be "with more life than you..." (2/2) *Main Challenge: check. (2/2) Subchallenges: check. Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
vs.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Timmies were excited for Sanctum Seeker at my store, and this is a great limited payoff for Spike. I don't think Johnny's too interested. (2/3) Elegance: The two abilities mechanically are at odds with each other, with the first ability pushing you away from the second. A little weird. Development - (3/3) Viability: Sure. (2.5/3) Balance: Well this is an A level bomb even without the bottom text. And if you're racing and dropped below 10 life, hooo boy a 4/4 flying haste that drains like 3 is gonna win that real easy. Might even be constructed playable if there's a decent vamp deck (not sure there is lol). Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness: Rather awkward with Sanctum Seeker in the same set, and I don't think the haste clause is that big of a twist. (3/3) Flavor: Lovely, I almost think this'd work better without the flavor text. Polish - (3/3) Quality: check (have you ever lost points in this category?) (2/2) *Main Challenge: check. (2/2) Subchallenges: check. Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Design - (2/3) Appeal: Seems like a solid tribal rare for Timmy, and an interesting limited payoff for Spike. The white payment rather cuts off the Johnny combo potential (Lemme combo off with Soul Sisters!). (2.5/3) Elegance: I can see the judge calls of "losing life = paying life?", but otherwise relatively straightforward. (3/3) Viability: Sure, the black sneaks in there with the "pay life". (3/3) Balance: Totally fine as a limited rare, a B+/A- vamp and lifegain payoff. Creativity - (2.5/3) Uniqueness: "Whenever you pay or gain life" is a strange (and flavorful) mix for sure, although both have been done separately iirc. (1.5/3) Flavor: The flavor text doesn't actually make sense as far as I can tell (with this dictionary on hand), nor does it really connect to the card mechanics. Wouldn't the text imply they want the vestiges of morality or something? But anywho the mechanical card itself is very BW vampirey. Polish - (3/3) Quality: check. (2/2) *Main Challenge: check. (2/2) Subchallenges: and check. Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
vs
Design - (2/3) Appeal: This is sweet in a more casual vampire deck, I think Timmy and more casual Johnnies would get a kick out of it. (2.5/3) Elegance: The ability is a tad complex (a variable count, sorcery speed, multiple effects on the creature). Development - (1.5/3) Viability: There's an implied black color since most vampires happen to be black, but it still should have been explicitly black/white colored. (2.5/3) Balance: Significantly weaker than Beguiler of Wills (you're not playing the card for the body!), though that's not too bad a place to be for a casual mythic. Creativity - (1.5/3) Uniqueness:Beguiler of Wills is the elephant in the room here, and I don't think this is putting enough of a spin to differentiate. (2.5/3) Flavor: The flavor text is awkward and spells out too much. But otherwise fantastic flavor, the "preaching" mind control is on point (if mechanically way out of color pie). Polish - (3/3) Quality: Check. (2/2) *Main Challenge: Check. (2/2) Subchallenges: Check. Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
“Blood Fast”
Ixalan. A whole world that waits to be discovered. Ancient ruins from the Sun Empire's heyday can now be found, overgrown and half-buried, in the depths of the jungle. Sacred springs infused with magical power well up from high mountainsides. Hidden coves hold pirate treasures stowed by captains long forgotten. Brave explorers from all four peoples uncover such sites as they scour Ixalan in search of the golden city.
For centuries, the untamed jungles of Ixalan have hidden a coveted secret: Orazca, the city of gold. But no secret can remain undiscovered, and no treasure can be taken uncontested. Unfurl your sails, saddle up a dinosaur, and battle your rivals as you embark on a journey to claim the plane’s greatest fortune for yourself!
Driven by orders of their beloved Queen and their own faith, vampire conquistadors want to find the Immortal Sun, the mysterious item hidden in Orazca.
Main challenge: Design a colored Vampire creature card.
Subchallenge 1: The card is nonblue, nonred, nongreen.
Subchallenge 2: Your card cares about Vampire creature type OR/AND your card cares about life.
The card needs to be a creature. The card also needs to be colored. It should have Vampire creature type. It also may have any other creature types if necessary.
Subchallenge 1
Your card should have monowhite, monoblack, or white-black color identity. It should have one or more colored mana symbols in mana cost and may have any nonblue, nonred, nongreen mana symbols in rules text if necessary.
Subchallenge 2
- If you chose Vampire creature type, your card has Vampire creature type printed in rules text (it can create Vampire tokens or somehow interact with Vampires). Examples are Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle and Anointed Deacon.
- If you chose life, it cares about life (it can be direct or indirect lifegain, life payment or manipulations with life total.) Bishop's Soldier, Adanto Vanguard and Sanctum Seeker are examples.
- If you chose both, do both.
Plase feel free to ask additional questions if you have any in the MCC Discussion thread.
A friendly reminder bravelion83 left everyone a few months ago but it's still valid:
(X/3) Appeal: Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
(X/3) Elegance: Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
Development -
(X/3) Viability: How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
(X/3) Balance: Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
Creativity -
(X/3) Uniqueness: Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel “fresh”?
(X/3) Flavor: Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
Polish -
(X/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(X/2) *Main Challenge: Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
(X/2) Subchallenges: One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
Total: X/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
DEADLINES
Design deadline: Sunday, September 24th 2017 23:59 EDT
Judging deadline: Thursday, September 28th 2017 11:59 EDT
JUDGES
Raptorchan
ManyCookies
void_nothing
PLAYERS
netn10
RickyRister
Subject16
Sub_Silentio
Vertain
IcariiFA
BRACKETS (versus)
Raptorchan
Vertain vs netn10
RickyRister vs IcariiFA
ManyCookies
RickyRister vs IcariiFA
Sub_Silentio vs Subject16
void_Nothing
Sub_Silentio vs Subject16
Vertain vs netn10
Legendary Creature - Vampire Cleric (M)
Other creatures you control have lifelink.
Other creatures you control have indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest.
"Dinner is served. I made sure there's plenty."
4/5
Creature – Vampire (R)
Lifelink
Other Vampire creatures you control get +1/+1.
Whenever you pay or gain life, you may pay W. If you do, create a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink.
“To the Church of Dusk, vestiges of mortality are merely adornments on decanters.”
3/3
Creature - Vampire Knight (Rare)
First strike
1W, Pay 1 life for each Vampire creature you control: Vampire creatures you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"Those who doesn't hunger for conquer and thirst for glory deserves the famine of shame."
2/2
Creature - Vampire Knight (R)
Whenever a creature you control attacks a player with greater life than you, that creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Pay 2 life: Target Vampire gains lifelink until end of turn.
For a fasting vampire, there is no greater motivation than the urge to feed.
3/3
Creature - Vampire (R)
Flying
Whenever a Vampire you control attacks, defending player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Vampires you control have haste as long as you have 10 or less life.
"Feast, my children. Starvation is for the weak."
4/4
Creature - Vampire Cleric (Mythic Rare)
T, Pay 4 life: Gain control of target creature whose power is less than the number of Vampires you control. That creature becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
"The children of the Sun Empire are simply misguided, they do not know of the Church's way. We must educated them - by force, if necessary."
3/3
Legendary Creature - Vampire Cleric (M)
Other creatures you control have lifelink.
Other creatures you control have indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest.
"Dinner is served. I made sure there's plenty."
4/5
Design -
(2,5/3) Appeal: Timmy and Spike can see the value. A bit too straightforward but still appropriate for Johnny.
(2/3) Elegance: "Indestructible and can't block as long as your life total is the greatest" is not really elegant.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: All abilities are white and black, sure. "Can't block" tied to bonus reminds me about good old black Threshold cards. Mythic of course.
(2/3) Balance: Even for a mythic, I can't say it's not broken. Good thing - it doesn't grant any bonus to itself and works quite interesting with unability to block, so it becomes your weak spot and removal target number 0. Still pushed.
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: Can't remember anything like this. Can remember cards wth similar drawbacks like Razorjaw Oni.
(3/3) Flavor: "Feast" is appropriate since Ixalan vampires have a "Feast of Blood" term.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: According to Dethrone wording, it should be "most life", not "greatest". Can't find any card with "greatest life" wording.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 21/25
Creature - Vampire Knight (Rare)
First strike
1W, Pay 1 life for each Vampire creature you control: Vampire creatures you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"Those who doesn't hunger for conquer and thirst for glory deserves the famine of shame."
2/2
Design -
(1,5/3) Appeal: Big but not impactful enough for Timmy, valuable but not enough for Spike and okay for Johnny.
(2,5/3) Elegance: More or less, it requires some math but nothing special.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Rare is correct, first strike is just fine and life payment in white is appropriate since Ixalan. Times surely change...
(2/3) Balance: I can't see it being really constructed playable but commander and limited players can find a use for it. But need to say, it’s a sort of card that balanced itself.
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: massive pumps are not new but and depending payment definitely is.
(3/3) Flavor: I really like how the vampire traits are combined with conquistador traits here.
Polish -
(1,5/3) Quality: "Get", not "gets". "Deserve" instead of "deserves" and probably "conquest" instead of "conquer".
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 20/25
Creature - Vampire Knight (R)
Whenever a creature you control attacks a player with greater life than you, that creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.
Pay 2 life: Target Vampire gains lifelink until end of turn.
For a fasting vampire, there is no greater motivation than the urge to feed.
3/3
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Jonny knows what to do with it, Timmy and Spike are pleased too but less interested thanks to "greates life" restriction.
(2/3) Elegance: Not easily understandable from the first glance activation of a first ability sometimes requires to activate a second ability first. Other than that, no serious problems.
Development -
(2,5/3) Viability: Black greed and life payment, white first strike and white/black lifelink. Can be rare or mythic as well, probably mythic because no tribal restriction.
(2/3) Balance: Another card that balanced itself. Too conditional for serious constructed play but will be gladly accepted in limited and commander formats. Lifelink ability don't work very well with all of vampires (for example, power 1 is not enough in some cases).
Creativity -
(2,5/3) Uniqueness: Nice and unique qnough tweak of Dethrone.
(2/3) Flavor: Name is okay and flavor text is boring. Roses are red and violets are blue, you know.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: "greater life than you" is not correct, you should have been look to something like Linvala, the Preserver.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 19/25
Creature - Vampire (R)
Flying
Whenever a Vampire you control attacks, defending player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Vampires you control have haste as long as you have 10 or less life.
"Feast, my children. Starvation is for the weak."
4/4
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Huge flyer is nothing to dislike for a Timmy and Spike and Johnny can find a use for it as usual.
(3/3) Elegance: Two abilities but each of them is simple enough.
Development -
(2,5/3) Viability: Can be monoblack though the first ability can be white/black as well. Rarity is probably should be mythic because this creature is a bomb by itself even without any tribal support.
(2,5/3) Balance: A primal example of limited bomb. 5 damage every turn may be even enough for some constructed play.
Creativity -
(1,5/3) Uniqueness: Both abilities can be seen on existing cards. First is a tribal Campaign of Vengeance and second is a tweak of Bloodghast.
(1,5/3) Flavor: Plain name and doesn't fit the religious theme of ixalan vampires well. Also lack of second creature type seems like a missed opportunity. You probably know that all Ixalan (nontoken) vampires have some.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: All perfect.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Yes.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Yes.
Total: 21/25
Vertain 21 netn10 20
RickyRister 19 IcariiFA 21
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy likes the pump, tokens, and lifesteal. Johnny sees a lot of triggers to mess about with. Spike doesn't really care due to the cost in "normal" formats but would like it for sheer efficiency in Edgar Markov EDH.
(2.5/3) Elegance: Relatively ability-heavy and the triggered ability might take people a couple of readings to figure out when it triggers, but on the whole a self-synergistic package.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Rare's quite right for a token-generating lord, and the colors match the tribe, but in an Ixalan context this could even be mono-white; there are no strictly black abilities here.
(3/3) Balance: This is a strong card, but only if you heavily build around it, and the token generation trigger costs mana.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: "Whenever you pay or gain life" is a very cool and unique trigger condition, and this is unique as far as being a Vampire lord that does what it does, but ultimately I'm reminded of Regal Caracal in some important ways.
(3/3) Flavor: Definitely a strong point here. I love the flavor text itself.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Solid.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: All done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 22/25
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy isn't much into paying life or the small body for the size but does like stealing creatures to add to a horde. Johnny can definitely find ways to abuse this with untap effects, since the ability essentially builds on itself. Spike sees multiple creature steal for relatively cheap and definitely takes notice, but is somewhat turned off by the high costs.
(2.5/3) Elegance: A single ability - one without the most elegant wording, to be sure, by necessity - but almost completely elegant all the same.
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: Mythic rare is definitely right, but no amount of flavor can justify this card in white. Not in a million years. The only precedent in recent memory is Evangelize, which was a throwback card in a set without a normal color pie to Preacher and allowed the opponent to choose which creature got stolen. The life payment thing, Vampire conversion, and steal creature at a health cost abilities are 100% black.
(3/3) Balance: Well, Beguiler of Wills is good but hardly broken, is it?
Creativity -
(1/3) Uniqueness: As just alluded to, this is a straight Vampire version of Beguiler of Wills mashed up with Olivia Voldaren, but in the wrong color.
(3/3) Flavor: No flavor problems to speak of other than color pie ones.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: "We must educate them" - no d.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Fulfilled.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Done.
Total: 18/25
Design -
(2.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees a lot of lifegain AND indestructible - but also lifegain that disadvantages him in another way when he's up on life, and doesn't like that antisynergistic drawback. Johnny sees a lot of crazy crap to do with changing life totals. Spike sees a somewhat efficient body stapled to two strong static abilities.
(2.5/3) Elegance: As mentioned before, the antisynergy of including a drawback attached to the bonus for having a high life total has to dock an half elegance point, and yet helps with the balance of the card.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: "Power" legends are often mythic and this is a black-white ability suite (that could probably have been white without the cannot-block thing but que sera sera).
(3/3) Balance: This would probably be semi-oppressive as soon as you got to a high life total without the no-blocks clause, so nice development move there.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: There's lots of different precedent - Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Whip of Erebos - stapled together into a new package.
(2.5/3) Flavor: Slightly generic name/title but ominous flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Good.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: And done.
Total: 22/25
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy sees potential multiple pumps for his whole army but is turned off by the cost getting steeper the more creatures he has out. Johnny sees a lot of moving parts to tweak with. Spike is concerned about the expense.
(3/3) Elegance: Pretty elegant stuff that's likely to remind older players of Vampirism in its execution.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: In a normal context this is way (at least somewhat, at any rate) more black than it is white, but hey, it's Ixalan! Rare is right for this style of lord.
(3/3) Balance: Can pump your guys big, but at a high cost.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Draws heavily on Leonin Sun Standard and co./Stromkirk Condemned alike. The "1 life per Vampire" cost is pretty new stuff though.
(3/3) Flavor: All solid stuff - flavor text is wonderful even if it has grammar mistakes.
Polish -
(2/3) Quality: "Those who don't hunger" "deserve the famine"
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Done.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Also done.
Total: 21/25
Vertain 22 vs. netn10 21
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
(1.5/3) Appeal: Spike likes the potential risk/reward w/ the abilities, although it might be a little too much reward with the lack of removal in limited! Timmies likes the potential mass lifegain though are lukewarm on the payment, Johnny doesn't care.
(3/3) Elegance: Uh sure, there's some tricky stuff to do with this card but the first breakthroughs straightforward enough me thinks.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(2.5/3) Balance: I could see this leading to "Guess what you're never doing, here's a hint it rhymes with stocking" board-states in limited, which have traditionally been pretty annoying cards. But power level wise this is fine for a rare payoff.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: A white vampire take on dethrone, the life loss is an obvious but interesting twist with it.
(2/3) Flavor: Wait wouldn't the fasting vampire not be eating/attacking? Shouldn't the flavor text be describing the fast break instead ("Man when these fasting vampires get to eat, better watch your neck boy")? But otherwise fine, good connection to mechanics yada yada.
Polish -
(2.5/3) Quality: should be "with more life than you..."
(2/2) *Main Challenge: check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: check.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: Timmies were excited for Sanctum Seeker at my store, and this is a great limited payoff for Spike. I don't think Johnny's too interested.
(2/3) Elegance: The two abilities mechanically are at odds with each other, with the first ability pushing you away from the second. A little weird.
Development -
(3/3) Viability: Sure.
(2.5/3) Balance: Well this is an A level bomb even without the bottom text. And if you're racing and dropped below 10 life, hooo boy a 4/4 flying haste that drains like 3 is gonna win that real easy. Might even be constructed playable if there's a decent vamp deck (not sure there is lol).
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Rather awkward with Sanctum Seeker in the same set, and I don't think the haste clause is that big of a twist.
(3/3) Flavor: Lovely, I almost think this'd work better without the flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: check (have you ever lost points in this category?)
(2/2) *Main Challenge: check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: check.
Total: 21/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: Seems like a solid tribal rare for Timmy, and an interesting limited payoff for Spike. The white payment rather cuts off the Johnny combo potential (Lemme combo off with Soul Sisters!).
(2.5/3) Elegance: I can see the judge calls of "losing life = paying life?", but otherwise relatively straightforward.
(3/3) Viability: Sure, the black sneaks in there with the "pay life".
(3/3) Balance: Totally fine as a limited rare, a B+/A- vamp and lifegain payoff.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: "Whenever you pay or gain life" is a strange (and flavorful) mix for sure, although both have been done separately iirc.
(1.5/3) Flavor: The flavor text doesn't actually make sense as far as I can tell (with this dictionary on hand), nor does it really connect to the card mechanics. Wouldn't the text imply they want the vestiges of morality or something? But anywho the mechanical card itself is very BW vampirey.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: check.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: and check.
Total: 21.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
(2/3) Appeal: This is sweet in a more casual vampire deck, I think Timmy and more casual Johnnies would get a kick out of it.
(2.5/3) Elegance: The ability is a tad complex (a variable count, sorcery speed, multiple effects on the creature).
Development -
(1.5/3) Viability: There's an implied black color since most vampires happen to be black, but it still should have been explicitly black/white colored.
(2.5/3) Balance: Significantly weaker than Beguiler of Wills (you're not playing the card for the body!), though that's not too bad a place to be for a casual mythic.
Creativity -
(1.5/3) Uniqueness: Beguiler of Wills is the elephant in the room here, and I don't think this is putting enough of a spin to differentiate.
(2.5/3) Flavor: The flavor text is awkward and spells out too much. But otherwise fantastic flavor, the "preaching" mind control is on point (if mechanically way out of color pie).
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Check.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Check.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Check.
Total: 19.5/25
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.
Ricky: 21.5
Icaraii: 21
Sub_Silentio: 21.5
Subject16: 19.5