Commander 2017, Anyone?

2

Comments

  • @Faiths_Guide G/U is an enemy colored pair...?
  • edited December 2016
    Oops, yeah, sorry :P Forgot the rules apparently.

    [fixed above]
  • Sure, we've had two colored enemy pairs as commanders before, but what about a two color enemy pair PLANESWALKER designed specifically for commander? We haven't had that... Until now!

    image
  • Bumpbudumpbudumbumpbump
  • image image

    image -and flip- image

    image -and flip- image
  • So, some of those aren't even mechanically sound (looking at you Trenko), but I thought I'd slap down some of my older valid cards! Hope everyone enjoys taking a look at them!
  • Should have judged this a while ago :P Will do soon.
  • @KJMartin
    When is soon? Just curious.
  • One or two days prbly. At the very latest it will be in about a week.
  • edited December 2016
    Judging is coming soon...


    ********SUBMISSIONS CLOSED********
  • Here is my feedback on most of the cards. I will give criticism on the rest later :

    @TheFriendlyGeek
    'Lucas the Charming'

    Nice to see the choose decks get a support card! =) This would be especially good in that charming EDH deck of yours. The artwork is awesome too , and I like the group-hug aspects which make this possible in a real commander pre-built deck :)

    However, there are a couple of issues: for a start, I'm not the biggest fan of the name 'Lucas', although that's probs just me. Secondly, perhaps you could just simplify the first ability a bit? ^^ I like how it fits in color tribal decks, but I can't help thinking it might have been better off on it's own and made a bit differently. That's the main problem with it: complexity. The commander could have easily just had the first ability or just had the second :/

    @IanLowenthal
    'Krophelos, God of Nightmares'

    Woah, I am digging that first ability! It's cool balanced and political - overall making a very nice commander (which is the point of this challenge). I also like the variations of a deck you could make with it - you could play a control-y deck, a board wipe graveyard based deck or even a demon tribal deck with him.

    On the negatives? For a start, I'm not the biggest fan of the art - it looks like someoen just took a picture of an action figure. XD Then there's the name - it sounds a bit more like a Theros-y god than a demon. I'm also a bit concerned that it may be a bit OP? But, overall, good job!

    @LyndonF
    'Aenaes the Vengeful'

    Well, first off, the wall of text kind of slaps me round the face, like I just walked into a brick wall, if you don't mind me saying XD Overlooking that, however, I see a quite nice card. The use of 'revenge' counters is quite nice, and I could imagine, it getting horrible with some proliferate cards. There's also, again, the 'political' aspect which is so cool playing in EDH.

    Despite this, I can see quite a few flaws. Disregarding the wall of text, I'm not exactly sure how R/B the deck with her in would be - proliferate and politics are both not very Rakdos. I'm also not sure about the partner use, or how she's a human shaman - that's generally a green thing :/ Overall, though, it is quite good.

    @TastyCheez
    'Vazok, Kozilek's Monarch'

    A cheap, cool eldrazi colorless commander =) My best friend - an Eldrazi and Lovecraft obsessionist - would like this card a lot. I also absolutely luv that art, even if you couldn't find the artist to it. I've used it a couple of times in fact. it would also make an interesting change to the bogstandard artifact-heavy decks that all colorless EDH ones are.

    My main (and almost only) criticism would be the power level. This card is horrifically, horrifically OP XD You could very easily get expensive Eldrazi titans out very early with this guy. This would also push Legacy and Vintage eldrazi decks way, way, way over the edge. Searching your deck for an eldrazi card is worth at least 2 mana, and making them cheaper is worth at least 3-4. You acknowledged the power, but this is still too cheap.

    @LyndonF
    'Ezez, Eternal Masterpiece'

    Artifact commanders - whoo! Nice to see us get one of those, and makes sense for a colorless EDH deck as well. It's also nice with the 'Extra turn' tribal - reminds me of an old commander I made a long time ago Exsyther, Traverser of Time (I still can't understand why he wasn't very popular. He's one of the faovrite cards I've ever smithed), and the flavor is kewl here.

    My only trouble with it. It is OP with a capital 'O'. Never underestimate affinity's power - you could very easily get this guy out turn 3 or 4, then get an extra turn, then get more artifacts out, then sac 'em, then get another turn, and so on and so on until your opponents got so bored they would leave the game. But very nice design nevertheless.

    There's my feedback on the first of the cards. As you see, I've got a lot to write, so I'm going to be breaking the judging into four parts: feedback on the first group of cards, feedback on the second group of cards, feedback on the third group of cards and then the actual winners.
  • There's over thirty entries in all, so I've got a lot to do.
  • @cwwolfpack76
    'Soten, the Shambling End'

    Nice card! Can I just say, right off the bat, I really like the card's name as well - one of the most important parts of the card ;) It's also a dragon, and I luvs dragons. The symmetry between abilities is kewl as well. ^^

    But there are a few problems. For a start, it's a bit too underpowered for a commander deck - no-one would want to play it. You could easily jack the cost down to {1}{u}{b}{b} or something similar and it would still be balanced :/ Then I have a feeling it's a bit too niche - the abilities have been done before, and so the card really doesn't bring anything new to the game at all. It's also not very commander-y, if you know what I mean. Perhaps it would be better not being legendary?

    'Lok'nork, Roaming Mountain'
    You clearly like dragons...But is this really a dragon? XD

    My main issue with it would have to be the mechanic you've used. It is:
    'tremor(whenever this creature is blocked, it deals 1 damage to each creature blocking it and 2 damage to defending player.)'
    For a start, the wording is a bit wrong. It would be:
    'Tremor (Whenever this creature attacks and becomes blocked, it deals 1 damage to each creature blocking it and 2 damage to defending player.)'
    I feel like it could work, but I would probably change it so it is:
    Tremor N (Whenever this creature attacks and becomes blocked, it deals N damage to defending player and each creature blocking it.)

    Ignatius, Tiny Tyrant
    OMG, the image of this tiny little dragon trying to take over the world is so cute! But would it be so cute if you were a peasant...? I could also imagine this card becoming a MTG joke like Fbthp or Storm Crow if it was printed, making it more popular with players.

    There are two issues, however. The 'Enslave' mechanic seems a bit TOOO good ^^, and I think the more likely wording would be something like:
    ' Enslave (Whenever a creature dealt damage by this creature this turn dies, return it onto the battlefield under your control at the beginning of the next end step.)
    And also this is OP from the 'O' to the 'P'. Even just a {r}{b} blocker that kills anything without first or double strike and can still survive would be very very very powerful, but being able to attack and gain control of something and gain control of all the stuff it kills.

    @MaverickGv
    'Master of the Matrix'

    Myr all da way boyz! Nice to see this creature type get a good lord for once. I also luv the artwork - I've looked a lot for myr art, but haven't found anything - clearly you've had more luck. The name is cool as well, and the whole aura of the card is creepy - the artwork, flavor text and how it looks suspiciously like the myr have succumbed to the power of Phyrexia...

    My only criticism? The first would be the price - this is evry, very, very overcosted. Maybe 3 - or possibly even {2} - would be a more fitting price to pay? ^^ It's only a lord for a very obscure tribe, and, the cost being as it is, you'd rather be doing other stuff than tapping it for mana (which is the main effect other myr have). But overall a very well sculpted lord.

    @zizick123
    'Kolsov, Inspirer of the Pack' and 'Nerval Kin Guardian' (They're partners)

    Collectively, and game-play wise, I think these two are pretty cool. THey have nice synergy (which is always important with commanders) and it's nice to see commanders that would actually be decent for a heroic archetype.

    The problems? ...Well, for a start, we'll never know what Kolsov's power and toughness are :/ That was just a bug, however, so I think I can overlook it. Then there's the issue of how the heroic ability shouldn't be in italics - remember it's a 'keyword name'. Then Nerval sounds more like a necromancer's name. While Nerval is also very underpowered - making it cost {1} or {2} less might make it a bit better - Kolsov seems far too good. Many cards that target creatures already put counters on them. You can very quickly get too many cats, then start getting Kolsov huge using Nerval's ability.

    @Faiths_Guide
    'Alliteration Empress'

    Ah, the legendary lithorian creature type, using the stunning art of Tony Yin, and having very cool interactions with the ability Morph. Everybody, it seems, loves them, and, maybe even I do.

    But there is one fatal flaw which means that I'm not such a fan: morph. MaRo has stressed before that Morph and Megamorph were two of the least popular abilities they have ever used, as market research proved after KoT. The abilities are too complex, and players don't like having to get all their stuff out after turn 3. This makes me wonder how popular this card would be as a commander, and how well-received the creature type would be were it used in a real set.

    Don't get me wrong, I love the set's 'feel', and the art, but that's the one thing... :(

    @gelectrode
    'Kyuss, Usurper of Virtues'

    'I really like it' is about all I can say on the subject. I'm not too sure about the gaining control of it on the next upkeep business, but it's still really cool.

    @KarmaDragon
    'Feya, Last of the Requilary'

    Oh...My...Goodness I love this card1 I also really like the set of supporting cards you made for it. A very nice reference to night of the reliquary too.

    The card itself follows a very nice archetype of the 'land sac' one - I also like how you shunted it out of red, the color it is usually in, but kept it looking solidly green white. For once, I can fins very, very few flaws with it - it seems balanced - but then could egt very powerful in the right deck - fun, interesting, original and innovative. Quite literally, I could see this being the main card of a commander deck. All the cards in the deck share the same theme too. Good job!

    @VSSS
    'Loomnar Spirit of Brood'

    Very well designed of course, but there are a couple of flaws. On the positives, it seems solidly hybrid, which is a thing few smiths can master - if a hybrid card should be hybrid or two colour. The artwork is awesome as well - just try to credit the artist.

    Of course, as @camick pointed out, it does go infinite. Also, I'm not sure but I think there should be a comma in the name - both of these make the card seem a bit rushed, which is a shame, since it is a very cool concept :/ I can imagine all the cats enthusiasts (not mentioning any names *cough*, *cough* @Bellycuss, *cough *cough*) loving this one too. He shall destroy us all with his kitty paws of doom!

    @unicornsareevil13579
    'Gifdorn, Pet of Rakdos'

    It is expensive! And it is awesome! But it would be a little bit more if only you'd listen to me.

    For start, I can't help thinking that having the front card of a prebuilt commander deck as one that fetches another commander is kinda...Well...Stupid? Not to mention the card doesn't really scream anything to me apart from costing far too much and being very flavorful at the sacrifice of...Well...Being a good card anyone would want to play...Sorry, just had to say that. :/

  • @Beeswax
    'Dewdrop Evangelists'

    GOD that flavor text is awesome, and it's so creepy I'm going to have nightmares about it for the rest of my life (Only joking. Sort of.) Can we also appreciate just how many selesnya entries have been submitted to this contest? The political ideas of this are just going of the scale as well. Absorb for players is awesome as well.

    But, I do agree with @ningyounk - I'm not really sure when you'd want to activate the ability - the cost of it is slightly unnerving. Perhaps just {x} might be better? x) But really cool concept nevertheless.

    @Faiths_Guide
    'Estriel the Lenient'

    Nice card! And I like the flavor text loads - it's really cool. The card itself is really nice as well.

    But there are a couple of problems. The first thing - and the thing that really holds it back - is the mechanic you used. I know you didn't make it, but there are just lots of problems with it. For a start, it's a downside mechanic that's just plain feel bad - like fading or echo. Downside mechanics are bad enough, but one like this just feels like something WoTc would have made about 2o years ago when they were a bunch of bumbling fools. Then it's how this guy is somehow merciful but his power is very high - the high power thing clashes with W/U a lot too. I'm also not the biggest fan of his creature type as well. Although this thing is definitely a cool concept, it just kind of...Well...Reeks terribleness to me. :/

    @VSSS
    'The Bannerless Leader'

    Niiiice! A very unique spin on tribal - and especially soldier tribal! The artowrk is sick boi, and I really like the kind of 'fallen warrior' theme the card has - very Mirrodin/New Phyrexia. I would like it more if only it didn't hate on white, my favorite color... XD

    There is one big problem though: in commander, the third ability will do nothing, since you can only have colorless cards in your deck. This and the fact that there are very few colorless soldier makes me think this would be best as a non-legendary creature.. :/

    @KarmaDragon
    'Er, the Extinction'

    Yay! So many dragons! I luvs de dragons. And I can see you love saccing lands, due to both your entries being based around that archetype. I see you've incorporated the Eldrazi idea, and the feel of wastes, very nicely. Obstinance works for this card too.

    My only criticisms would be how this isn't an eldrazi - the artwork and the whole card feels like it should. I'm also pretty concerned about the ability you've made - why keyword it? MaRo has said 'If a mechanic can't be on a common card, it's not a mechanic - and this seems very OP and could never go on a common.

    @MrRansom
    'Mathlek, Corpse Priest'

    I don't think you've really read the rules. Yes, it is the first enemy colored planeswalker commander, but this challenge was to make a colorless, five-colored or ally paired commander not an enemy paired planeswalker-commander. Please read the (very basic) rules before making an entry.

    @kltmtg29
    'Veliath, Maelstrom Wurm'

    Dude! This card is awesome! Playing this in multiplayer would (basically) be a game of musical chairs!

    Srsly tho, I love this card. I've always wanted more gain control of player cards, and this is the best yet! And it's another dragon, and I is luvvsing my dragons. The only wrong thing with it is how it should say 'At the beginning of your upkeep' instead of 'beginning of your turn'. But otherwise really cool, good job.

    'Secrets'
    I'm less of a fan of this one, I'm afraid. I don't like the personification type (even though it was made for that poetry and personification thingamighy). The flavor is very nice, but turning all spells face down just seems a little too OP to me, and just, quite simply, not very fun.

    @KarmaDragon
    'The Ur Dragon'

    WooHoo! I've always wanted the actual Ur-Dragon, instead of his lousy scion, and you've captured him very well. You've embodied the kind of 'King of Dragons' feel very well - I like how he's similar to the Ur dragon, but just kind of seems - well - bigger, in a way. The rest of the deck would be very interesting too.

    There is one flaw, however. This card is - sorry - the most powerful card ever. XD You don't even have to run that many dragons to make this card basically 'you win the game'. Just run one with hexproof, one with indestructible and a couple more, and this guy will come down as, like, a 50/50 or something. This means that, rather than becoming the desired dragon tribal deck, this guy would just be the general of disgusting ramp/control decks, aiming to get him out as quick as possible.

    @hinoisking
    'Relic of Beyond'

    To be honest with you, when I first saw this, I thought it was an artifact. XD That is, really, the most fatal flaw with this card and, indeed, the only one. Perhaps this would work better if it was made more creature-y? Alternatively you could turn it into an artifact with the '...Can be your commander' ability.


    @mtgwizard9004
    'Bartum, Caster of Blight'

    Straight off the bat, after you put a cost in an activated ability, you need to put a colon (':') to show that it is a cost. Then this is way too overpowerd - giving other creatures infect with the first ability can leave the opponent with hundreds of poison counters in turns.

    'Saro, Caller of Souls'
    Wording is the main trouble with this one. While it is:

    'Vigilance
    When ever a forest enters the battlefield under you control put a 1/1 spirt with flying and each opponent gains one life
    At the begging of your upkeep you may pay {w}{w} if you do other sprits you control gain vigilance and shroud until end of turn'

    It should be:

    'Vigilance
    Whenever a forest enters the battlefield under you control, create a 1/1 white spirit creature token with flying and each opponent gains 1 life.
    At the beginning of your upkeep you may pay {w}{w}. If you do, other spirits you control gain vigilance and shroud until end of turn.'

    @hinoisking
    'Elmir, Saviour of Fate'

    UP from the U to the P.

    @Thatbadmccree
    ' Lotus Combra' (Cobra?)

    Well to start, you seem confused whether it's a combra or a cobra: I'm supposing you mean cobra (as in the snake). Second of all, there already exists a card called 'Lotus Cobra' and it uses the same art.








  • edited December 2016
    Now...

    Here come the results!

    The best COLORLESS COMMANDERS! (There were six entries.)
    #1: Master of the Matrix by @MaverickGV.
    #2: Vazok, KOzilek's Monarch by @TastyCheez.
    #3: The Bannerless Leader by @VSSS (I put this one here since I like the design, I jsut don't think it should be legendary).

    The best FIVE-COLOR COMMANDERS!
    #1: Maelstrom Wurm by @kltmtg29.
    2#: Lucas the Charming by @TheFriendlyGeek.
    #3: The Ur Dragon by @KarmaDragon.

    The best ALLIED-COLORED COMMANDERS!
    #1: Dewdrop Evangelists by @Beeswax.
    #2: Feya, Last of the Reliquary by @KarmaDragon.
    #3: Kyuss, Upsuper of Virtues by @Gelectrode.

    And, OVERALL .
    #1: Maelstrom Wurm by @kltmtg29.
    #2: Dewdrop Evangelists by @Beeswax.
    #3: Feya, Last of the Reliquary by @KarmaDragon.
  • Prizes are as follows:

    In one of the categories (best colorless and so on):
    1st place: 3 favorites.
    2nd place: 2 favorites.
    3rd place: 1 favorite.

    And overall:

    1st place: 3 favorites and a follow.
    2nd place: 2 favorites and a follow.
    3rd place: 1 favorite and a follow.

    Look out for an extra special trophy card, coming soon, as well!

    Post the cards you want to be favored here.
  • @KJMartin
    Well, the cards of mine which you did decide to look at you misspelled, and you just decided to skip over the majority of my entries... (You did say we could make a submission for ever valid combination right?)

    But I suppose (excepting my stuff) that you did do a pretty nice job. Congrats to @OverallWinners and @CategoryWinners!
This discussion has been closed.