Design Challenge #4

[Anusien]

I've changed the name from GDS2 design challenge to just Design Challenge.

I am inspired by Lapille's article from last Friday. So here's the new challenge:

You need to fill a hole. Create 5 common or uncommon artifacts that can go in Scars of Mirrodin that encourage players to not play mono-brown. They should encourage differentiation between artifact decks, and play toward colors or color-oriented draft strategies (they do not have to have explicit mention of colors on them).

For more about what this means: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/ld/113
Will probably wrap this one up by Saturday sometime.

[AmbivalentDuck]

1C, instant
For each (color) permanent you have in play:
red: deal one damage to a target creature or player
blue: return an artifact card from your graveyard to your hand
green: return a land from your graveyard to your hand
white: have creatures you control gain protection from a color of your choice or artifacts until end of turn
black: destroy an artifact creature

Powerful, encourage decks to run mono-colored or mono+brown, not too complicated for an uncommon slot.

[Delha]

This one looks tricksy, looking forward to working on it.

[Marco]

Razor Construct

Artifact Creature – Cleric (Common)
1/1
, Sacrifice Razor Construct: Target permanent you control gains protection from artifacts until end of turn.

Quicksilver Construct

Artifact Creature – Wizard (Common)
1/1
, Sacrifice Quicksilver Construct: Proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)

Mephidross Construct

Artifact Creature – Shaman (Common)
1/1
, Sacrifice Mephidross Construct: Remove all counters from target artifact or creature.

Oxidda Construct

Artifact Creature – Warrior (Common)
1/1
, Sacrifice Oxidda Construct: Destroy target artifact.

Tangle Construct

Artifact Creature – Scout (Common)
1/1
, Sacrifice Tangle Construct: Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.

[Marco]

I wanted to complete this cycle of equipment, but I don`t think I`ll have time before the deadline:

Reviving Circlet
2
Artifact – Equipment (Common)
Equipped creature has "1: Regenerate this creature."
G: Attach Reviving Circlet to target creature you control.
Equip 1 (1: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

[Anusien]

I have no problem extending the deadline if people want.

AmibvalentDuck: Artifacts!

Also, fully templated cards with names are a good idea!

[AmbivalentDuck]

Misread.  You can make them artifacts that cost with sacrifice abilities instead.

[Anusien]

Misread.  You can make them artifacts that cost with sacrifice abilities instead.

If you want your designs to be taken seriously, post actual fully written out card templates with names and power/toughness.

[Delha]

Kinda in a rush, heading out of town for the weekend. I'll try to post explanations on Sunday when I get back, or failing that, Monday morning.

Scrap Chalice (Common)

Artifact
When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice an artifact creature. If you do, put a charge counter on CARDNAME.
Metalcraft - , Remove a charge counter from CARDNAME: Add two mana of any one color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if you control three or more artifacts.
A cup to be raised by those who thirst for power.


Scrapbook (Uncommon)

Artifact
Imprint - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may exile a card from your hand.
Whenever a player casts a spell which shares a color with the exiled card, they get a poison counter.
Poisoned knowedge to be shared with your enemies.


Scrap Mail (Common)

Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +X/+X where X is equal to the number of charge counters on CARDNAME.
Whenever CARDNAME becomes attached to an non-artifact creature, sacrifice that creature and put a charge counter on CARDNAME.
Equip
Armor to be worn by victims before victors.


Scrapjack (Uncommon)

Artifact Creature - Construct
2/1
When CARDNAME is put into your graveyard from your library, you may put it onto the battlefield.
When CARDNAME is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, exile it, then reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an artifact card. Put all revealed cards into your graveyard.
A pet to those who demand undying loyalty.


Scrapyard (Uncommon)
Artifact Land
Imprint - When CARDNAME enters the battlefield, you may exile a land card from your hand.
: Exile a land card from your hand.
: Add X mana to your mana pool, where X is the number of land cards exiled by CARDNAME. This mana may be of any one color a land exiled by CARDNAME could produce.
A home to those with no need for one.

[Delha]

I used a theme of artifacts fighting with the natural world in my cards. This is particularly evident in Scrap Chalice and Scrap Mail as both directly involve consuming one for the benefit of the other. I also like the idea of creating a set of related cards that technically wasn't a cycle (since that wasn't specified in the criteria).

Another idea I focused on heavily was the balance of artifacts vs non-artifacts in construction Scrapbook demands enough colored cards to turn on, but wants an artifact heavy deck to dodge the effect. Scrap Chalice reaches a similar result through the opposite direction, demanding plenty of artifacts to fuel it, yet encouraging the player to run double-colored bombs.

In contrast, Scrapjack wants to be one of the only artifacts in a deck, to ensure that it hits a duplicate with it's LTB ability. Note also that the grave-to-battlefield ability is optional, but the mill is not, adding risk of decking when one has one on board with no artifacts left in library.

Like Scrap Chalice, Scrapyard enables the splashing of off color bombs that would normally demand a much higher commitment to the color. That said, the risk of putting too many eggs in a single basket is huge. Losing a ramped Scrapyard to Spreading Seas, Goblin Ruinblaster, or the like is brutal.

[Delha]

It makes me sad that interest this seems to have largely died off.

[Marco]

I like my cycle.

[Delha]

Two real entries and one half-assed one doesn't make for much of a competition though. You, Anusien and I are clearly still interested, but I don't think many other people are.