This isn't a 6th entry. it's just a lol wtf card that I thought of and want to share that is completely unbalanced. I'll update the art at some point to be more leyline-y XD
THE LEYLINES ARE NOW DEVOID OF MAGIC! THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED!
I will judge entries as soon as possible, hopefully before my impending exams. Thanks to everyone who entered this challenge! I look forward to looking at all your submissions.
First off, I am terribly sorry to all of you for having made you wait this long. Things just got complicated with exams and the like, and this contest had so many amazing entries, it was extremely difficult to judge. Considering both the turn-4 case and the turn-0 case for each leyline was a difficult exercise. Whew!
Before I go on to the mentionables and winners, I'd like to state that non-inclusion in the final list does not in any way imply that your submission was not good; such was the quality of entries. Also, shoutouts to @Tomigon for making the most insane leyline that made me do a lot of probability-crunching, @East2West for a lovely idea of an anti-leyline (I'm not 100% sure it works on turn-0 since it never really entered the battlefield; it's a cool concept though), @AustinSmith for an innovative colourless entry, @sorinjace for Leyline of Interception, an entry that might have made top 3 had it but been white instead of blue, and of course @RayearthIX for making my day with the LotR leylines. Without further ado, let's start with the honourable mentions!
Honourable mention (W): Leyline of Solidarity by @Beeswax
While making blocking difficult is typically what it would be used for, I can also see it buy you a turn or two against a lone Tarmogoyf or Death's Shadow, and that is often the difference between life or death. Neat design, well executed, good flavour, I love it.
Honourable mention (U): Leyline of Trauma by @TenebrisNemo
Very interesting design. Simple and straightforward, it can make for fairly interesting games. I like it. @Faiths_Guide, your blue entry was not far behind either.
Honourable mention (B): Leyline of Radiation by @saveria201
This just has that wonderful Phyrexian flavour to it. Can give fast artifact-based decks that added bit of reach to help shut out the game if an opponent has stabilized.
Honourable mention (G): Leyline of Succession by @Baron-777
The conditional clauses (cast trigger, 3 or fewer creatures) on this card are what make it fair. Can give you an early start, provide some reliable sac fodder, or repopulate the board after getting wiped.
Honourable mention (2-colour): Leyline of Creation by @RayearthIX
The card has Selesnya written all over it. Limiting it to once per phase makes it fair, while at the same having good utility in the right deck. It's obviously not as cool as your more Middle-Earth-y submissions but it is cool nonetheless.
Honourable mention (4-colour): Leyline of Renewal by @DoctorFro
Madness! Pure madness! I don't even want to think about the trigger nightmares this could cause! The art is so, so fitting for the name and concept, too.
The pick of the multicolour designs, this card practically oozes Simic flavour (pun intended). While it initially puzzled me that it didn't limit the effect to creature spells, I then realised it works with things like vehicles that aren't creatures but have flying, vigilance and other keywords. Will give you utility even if the spell is going to get countered, and can sometimes just steal a win by turning a bunch of ground weenies into a flying armada. Very creative!
You told me what you intended it to do, and that is precisely what it does: helps fair decks grind it out against Pushes and Verdicts. A lot of care was taken to prevent the effect from being abused, namely the nontoken nonsacrifice clauses, and it is a card I wouldn't mind sideboarding in against highly reactive and removal-heavy decks if I were playing something like Jund or Abzan.
This card pleases me to no end. Perhaps the best part of this card, other than the symmetry, simplicity and usefulness of the effect, is that it affects only basics, something that any player, beginner or pro, has access to any amount of. The effect is clean, simple, fair, and yet can be built around such that you make more of it than your opponent, allowing you to play three, four, or five colour nonsense without having to buy all those duals, fetches, and other expensive nonbasics, freeing up slots in your manabase (and your budget) for colourless utility lands. A deceptively 'basic' card, and a winner, in my opinion, both on and off the battlefield.
I hope I have judged this well and that no one is unhappy at the end of the day. I really loved all the entries to this contest, and I will be holding another one soon! Winners and mentions, please let me know which entries of yours I should fave. Thank you all once again!
Thank you @KalamMekhar - I knew the LotR ones wouldn't win (I mean, they are all pretty silly, and the One Leyline is most certainly a crazy card... Turn 1 is suddenly turn 4... and turn 2 is turn 8... and OMG is that Sauron on turn 2... RUN!), but I'm happy my simple Selesnya leyline made it one your list of finalists. I'll PM you with my selection for the favorite.
Comments
...okay, no. There will be more announcements. Just trying to bump this contest.
Apologies for my earlier four days announcement, I had forgotten that February has only 28 days. (Yes, I know, it's ridiculous.)
Come on everyone! You have one last chance to Ley it on the Line!
I will judge entries as soon as possible, hopefully before my impending exams. Thanks to everyone who entered this challenge! I look forward to looking at all your submissions.
@TenebrisNemo: smooth...
Before I go on to the mentionables and winners, I'd like to state that non-inclusion in the final list does not in any way imply that your submission was not good; such was the quality of entries. Also, shoutouts to @Tomigon for making the most insane leyline that made me do a lot of probability-crunching, @East2West for a lovely idea of an anti-leyline (I'm not 100% sure it works on turn-0 since it never really entered the battlefield; it's a cool concept though), @AustinSmith for an innovative colourless entry, @sorinjace for Leyline of Interception, an entry that might have made top 3 had it but been white instead of blue, and of course @RayearthIX for making my day with the LotR leylines. Without further ado, let's start with the honourable mentions!
Honourable mention (W): Leyline of Solidarity by @Beeswax
While making blocking difficult is typically what it would be used for, I can also see it buy you a turn or two against a lone Tarmogoyf or Death's Shadow, and that is often the difference between life or death. Neat design, well executed, good flavour, I love it.
Honourable mention (U): Leyline of Trauma by @TenebrisNemo
Very interesting design. Simple and straightforward, it can make for fairly interesting games. I like it. @Faiths_Guide, your blue entry was not far behind either.
Honourable mention (B): Leyline of Radiation by @saveria201
This just has that wonderful Phyrexian flavour to it. Can give fast artifact-based decks that added bit of reach to help shut out the game if an opponent has stabilized.
Honourable mention (R): Leyline of Severity by @TheCenterOfTheUniverse
Uncomplicated, no-nonsense, effective: classic red, really.
Honourable mention (G): Leyline of Succession by @Baron-777
The conditional clauses (cast trigger, 3 or fewer creatures) on this card are what make it fair. Can give you an early start, provide some reliable sac fodder, or repopulate the board after getting wiped.
Honourable mention (2-colour): Leyline of Creation by @RayearthIX
The card has Selesnya written all over it. Limiting it to once per phase makes it fair, while at the same having good utility in the right deck. It's obviously not as cool as your more Middle-Earth-y submissions but it is cool nonetheless.
Honourable mention (4-colour): Leyline of Renewal by @DoctorFro
Madness! Pure madness! I don't even want to think about the trigger nightmares this could cause! The art is so, so fitting for the name and concept, too.
And here are the winners!
3rd place: Leyline of Evolution by @Teacup
The pick of the multicolour designs, this card practically oozes Simic flavour (pun intended). While it initially puzzled me that it didn't limit the effect to creature spells, I then realised it works with things like vehicles that aren't creatures but have flying, vigilance and other keywords. Will give you utility even if the spell is going to get countered, and can sometimes just steal a win by turning a bunch of ground weenies into a flying armada. Very creative!
2nd place: Leyline of Unrest by @Lujikul
You told me what you intended it to do, and that is precisely what it does: helps fair decks grind it out against Pushes and Verdicts. A lot of care was taken to prevent the effect from being abused, namely the nontoken nonsacrifice clauses, and it is a card I wouldn't mind sideboarding in against highly reactive and removal-heavy decks if I were playing something like Jund or Abzan.
1st place: Leyline of Naturality by @sanjaya666
This card pleases me to no end. Perhaps the best part of this card, other than the symmetry, simplicity and usefulness of the effect, is that it affects only basics, something that any player, beginner or pro, has access to any amount of. The effect is clean, simple, fair, and yet can be built around such that you make more of it than your opponent, allowing you to play three, four, or five colour nonsense without having to buy all those duals, fetches, and other expensive nonbasics, freeing up slots in your manabase (and your budget) for colourless utility lands. A deceptively 'basic' card, and a winner, in my opinion, both on and off the battlefield.
I hope I have judged this well and that no one is unhappy at the end of the day. I really loved all the entries to this contest, and I will be holding another one soon! Winners and mentions, please let me know which entries of yours I should fave. Thank you all once again!
Please fave this.
Thanks KalamMekhar for this cool contest!
Wow, you have my gratitude, boss.
Again, thank you very much for gave me the first place.
Nyehehehehe...
My profile page, if you wanna give the favs of course.
Link: https://mtgcardsmith.com/user/sanjaya666
@KalamMekhar, can you favorite this card for me:
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/gio-uplifting-bovid
Many thanks for the great contest!
Thanks for this contest KalamMekhar! Please favorite these cards:
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/teacup-princess-of-phenax-2?list=set&set=26223
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/sigardas-chosen?list=user
@Lujikul, @Beeswax, @saveria201, @DoctorFro, @Baron-777: please let me know which cards you want me to favourite
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/emerald-vale-valiant?list=user
Could you fav this
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/quow-the-grove-elder
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/mind-hates-matter-1
@MAL1CE: a shame, for those leylines look mighty good!
@Corwinnn: this thread may be closed, I guess