TMD TGDS Practice Competition #2

[Marco]

As the winner of TMD TGDS Practice Competition #1 (thanks Anusien) it is my privilege to post TMD TGDS Practice Competition #2. Here it is:

Create a card for the following piece of art by Raymond Swanland. Keep the current Standard enviornment, which includes Scars of Mirrodin, in mind when designing your card:

http://www.raymondswanland.com/Pages/Illustration%20Gallery/Illustration40.html

[BruiZar]

Mix between Arcbound Ravager, Broodstar and Predator Dragon. Needs a Mirrodin watermark.

[Anusien]

Ooh, this is a sweet challenge.


If we're supposed to keep the current Standard in mind, it probably means this card is part of Scars block; most likely the third set.

The art is obviously for an artifact creature. It looks like a Dragon. There are other ways to go, but I think this is the easiest visual fit.

Presumably there are no creative holes in the set, so this doesn't get a name, so it's not gonna be mythic, it'll be rare.
Visual clues:
It appears to be flying.
It's being swarmed by (in combat with) a bunch of crows (which are 1/1s). And it looks like it's kicking butt.
It has multiple tails, and spikes.

What this tells us:
It needs to be big. We're talking 6/6 or greater.
It needs to have a combat ability. We want it to be able to attack and hit hard.
It needs to be able to deal with weenie hordes.

Talon Tail Hellkite - 7
Artifact Creature - Dragon
Flying
Whenever Talon Tail Hellkite attacks, it deals 2 damage to each creature with flying defending player controls.
Whenever Tail Tail Hellkite deals combat damage, it deals 2 damage to each creature without flying defending player controls.
7/7

[Blue Lotus]

Love this one!

My submission:

Phyrexian Rukh
 
 

Artifact Creature - Rukh

Uncommon

Flash, Flying

At the beginning of your endstep, sacrifice Phyrexian Rukh.

Sustainability is never the goal of Phyrexian improvement

4/4

This art looks to me like a flying animal (clearly), but one that is fighting as hard as it can to remain aloft. I wanted to make a red or white phyrexian card as there are none, with the flavor of "untested experiment released anyway." I hope this captures that. Also, the part red/part artifact is to show the assimilation is not complete.

I don't think this is too powerful for the red deck. Its comparable to hells thunder is terms of CA, but I think the burn deck would take the extra four points of damage than getting a card from the opponent.

Anyway, I know I'm breaking two set norms (colored artifacts and red phyrexian cards) but I think it is reasonable to assume the following set could have cards like this. (I don't know the flavor at all, I'm just assuming phyrexian invasion of sorts).

[Delha]

Argent Hellkite
 
Creature - Dragon

Flying, haste

Whenever Argent Hellkite attacks, destroy target nonartifact permanent.

Whenever a nonartifact permanent an opponent controls is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Argent Hellkite.

4/4

The armor gifted by Mirrodin's creator is not limited to smaller denizens of the world. These four brothers war endlessly with Skithiryx, who was once their youngest sibling, over a homeland long since corrupted beyond recognition.

Nice piece of art! When I first saw it, I thought "Armored Dragon". From there, I decided to tie it in with Argentum Armor. I liken this to Angel of Despair, trading dependency on the attack step and limited targeting for a purely colorless mana cost and a faster clock.

The ability to nuke a land per turn, even given through chump blockers, is balanced against his high cost. This should shift him from generating potential early blowouts (ie. Braids) to instead providing inevitability.

I especially like the that third ability is in direct opposition with Infect, and allude to that in the flavor text. Whereas most creatures would succumb in a war of attrition with Skithiryx, these dragons are immune to his blight. On the other hand, they are unable to overcome his regeneration, hence the ceaseless back-and-forth battle. Sadly, I suspect that the flavor text would have to be truncated to fit on a card.

[Darkenslight]

Skithiryx, Dragon of Ish Sah  
Legendary Creature - Zombie Dragon

Flying, Infect

  : Skithiryx deals damage equal to the number of artifacts in target player's graveyard to target creature.  If a creature is destroyed this way, that player gets a poison counter.

Once the Mirrans realised that Ish Sah was responsible, the Whispering Vault needed a guardian.
4/4

[Marco]

I guess I should post the winner already.

Bruizar: Bonus points for the render, although Flying should appear on a separate line under Affinity for artifacts (as on Broodstar). Part of the challenge was keeping the current Standard enviornment in mind when designing your card. Affinity is not in the current standard environment, and will not appear in Scars block. That said, I do like the Alloy keyword ability, even if it is just Devour for artifacts...

Anuisen: Interesting and quite powerful, a 7/7 flyer for 7 with no drawbacks, possibly a mythic rare? A one-sided Pyroclasm everytime he attacks (he doesn't even have to deal combat damage to a player). Also kills flyers with a toughness of 2 or less before they can chump block...

Blue Lotus: Seems a little underwhelming for the art. I do like Rukhs, but they are more bird-like than dragon-like. Red doesn't get a lot of flash, but the idea here is to cast Phyrexian Rukh on your opponent's turn, then attack with it on your turn? Or cast it as a surprise blocker on your turn? I suppose its comparable to a Fog Elemental-type card.

Delha: Another powerful dragon. The turn you cast Argent Hellkite you get to destroy a nonartifact permanent (possibly a blocker) and attack for 5... It even gets +1/+1 each time a nonartifact permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield... (Say, when I Doom Blade or Lightning Bolt your creature...) About on power-level with Wurmcoil Engine.

Darkenslight: Flavour doesn’t often win me over. The name made me think of Shah of Naar Isle. I see the tie in with Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. Potentially good ability with Infect.

This is tough, but I declare Delha the winner. Anusien was a close second.

Delha, your turn!

[Delha]

Thanks! 

Link to #3 here.