Accomplish the Unaccomplishable

TrippleBoggey3 · July 2016

What is unaccomplishable? Well, think back to the not-so-constructed-mtg-era, when cards like dual lands and moxes existed. Well here are the types of cards I want you to make:
-1 mana removal spells, counter spells, and discard cards
-Dual lands (Don't make a gate like card)
-Fetch Lands
-Just a remodel of the old Vintage cards

Additional Rules:
-You may make any of these types, and 4 of each type. You can only have 1 of each rarity for each type.
-Don't make any boring things.
-Please, make it simple. Flavor text will matter a lot in this contest.
-Make it with big boosts and big losses.

Grading:
60% Uniqueness and matching what is wanted.
20% Ability to be used in constructed
20% Clear, simple ability with good flavor text.

Prizes:

If there are 100 entries (probably won't happen), I will do top 8 for each section.

If there are 25 entries, I will do:
1st-10 favorites of my choice, 5 favorites of your choice, trophy, card made of you for my own contest, your name mentioned in new contests.
2nd-8 favorites of my choice, 4 favorites of your choice, trophy, card made of you.
3rd-5 favorites of my choice, 3 favorites of your choice, trophy.
4th-3 favorites of my choice, 2 favorites of your choice.
5th-3 favorites of my choice, 1 favorite of your choice.
6th-2 favorites of my choice, 1 favorite of your choice
7th-1 favorite of my choice.

Are you asking for a story? How do I do that?!?

Have fun, and enjoy this contest.

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Here is an example... http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/valiance-2

Biblio2 · August 2016

It says one of each rarity for each creature, but doesn't have creature as a type of card to enter.

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Whoops

Faiths_Guide · August 2016

1-Mana Removal!

strongbelieves · August 2016

These sort of cards only existed because Wizards didn't yet understand how to balance their game and because they didn't understand what kind of cost-value ratios to put into their cards. That is why the 1cmc "3s" cycle existed. They thought the 1cmc card Healing Salve (gain 3 life or prevent 3 damage) was as good as the 1cmc card Ancestral Recall (draw 3 cards) or the good 1cmc spells Lightning Bolt, Giant Growth and Dark Ritual (3 damage, 3 black mana and +3/+3).

That is why the oldest cards, the one this contest is referencing, tend to be either entirely useless or insta-ban amazing. It is also why the Channel + Fireball combo was possible and really the only thing used in the first tournaments. You could just fill your deck with Taigas, Channels, Lotuses and Fireballs and win every game turn 0 before your opponent can even play a card.

To make a long story short, please don't let anything you design for this contest leak into your normal cards. There is a reason moxes and dual lands have never been reprinted.

yousmelllikeapumpkin · August 2016

http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/corruption-of-flesh?list=user

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

@StrongBelieves, I'm talking about those cards with flaws like shock lands, enter tapped, lose 1 life per tap for mana...

Biblio2 · August 2016

@strongbelieves The earliest cards weren't meant to be balanced for tournaments. They were balanced by rarity. Players were expected to buy a handful of packs, and the rares would only come up so often per group. One guy might have a particular rare card out of a kitchen table group and there would always be cards people had never seen before. They didn't expect to sell whole boxes or cases to individuals and that changed everything. For the first few years, WotC resisted letting people know the entire contents of a set, or even the specific rarity of cards but with the rise of the internet players pooled resources and figured these things out quickly. The original idea was to have each set use a different back so each cardpool would be completely separate (this was before sleeves.) Some fans found out just before Arabian Nights was printed and got them to change their minds. I still remember the days when people would trade a Black Lotus for a Shivan Dragon. The Lotus is just mana, and you had to sacrifice it. But the Shivan? That's a DRAGON! Terrorize your play group when this huge flyer hit the play zone!

Lujikul · August 2016

@Biblio2
The mindblowing thing for me with that statement is that you mean to tell me there was once a time people didn't care about Black Lotus? Someone call Doc Brown.

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

@Lujikul, Black Lotus, the moxes and the dual lands were first introduced in the deck of the first pro-tour winner. At that time, mana didn't have that big of a purpose and people mainly cared about large creatures. The power nine was still recognized, but not that widely used as many still didn't understand it. Statistical studies weren't done, as magic had just started, allowing people to treat magic as a basic game. Winning wasn't valued as high, so no one bothered to do the math of the functions of all the cards. Winning the first pro tour with "the deck" allowed the high mana creating become known. But it wasn't until magic became a standing game that their prices became raised and recognized as an antique. Then, it's value as an antique allowed it to multiply it's original card value.

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

This was in 1996

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Here's another example. Check it out. You think it can compete against @Faiths_Guide's Initiating Swing? http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/surge-of-the-earth

Or maybe a new version of Vampiric Tutor based on chance? http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/hunters-in-the-dark This has some of my favorite flavor text, although once again, I copied a part of the idea from somewhere else...

TheEverspikesWarlord · August 2016

http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/retribution-6?list=user

Re-make of a card from homelands.

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

@TheEverspikesWarlord, just don't directly copy a card.

TheEverspikesWarlord · August 2016

@TrippleBoggey3 It is an update

Biblio2 · August 2016

@Lujikul In 1994 Black Lotus was selling for around $20-$30. By 1996 it had jumped up to about $150-$200. A friend bought one for $200 because his wife let him buy himself something expensive for Christmas. His buddies thought he was nuts. Check out this price guide from 1994. http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/332287-scrye-magazine-price-guide-from-1994-read-it-and

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

@Biblio2 But remember that there is inflation...

strongbelieves · August 2016

So this contest is about creating really powerful cards but ones that are still balanced and usable? That sounds vaguely familiar...

strongbelieves · August 2016

Beeswax · August 2016

http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/fatal-feud

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

It's been a while... I might judge soon...

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Well, there aren't enough entries... I'll leave this here still.

JAM · August 2016

Forked River Tunnel: http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/forked-river-tunnel?list=user

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Due date has been set to August 30

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Anymore entries?

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Anyone else?

Gelectrode · August 2016

Getting there...

TheEverspikesWarlord · August 2016

http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/vile-awakening

I knew that the earliest cards were balanced by rarity, so that made me wonder: what if I made a MYTHIC RARE that was balanced by rarity. It's still a bit balanced, but it can be crazy powerful when combined with lifelink or some other kind of lifegain effect.

Arensen · August 2016

I might sneak this in, if possible. Using existing MTG art, because I felt it to be so fitting for the card's effect. If I find better art between now and the 30th, I'll change it.

http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/mindreave

TrippleBoggey3 · August 2016

Bump

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