MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
Iron Smith: Battle: Savor The Flavor! (WINNER DECLARED!)
The time has come once again to answer life's most magical question: Who's smithing reigns supreme. This is Iron Smith!
A delectable Japanese tradition has taken root on MTGcardsmith community forums soil. We have been graced with the establishment of our very own Smithing Stadium, where our nimble chairman has brought together the most pungent card designs of both east and west. It is here, where the best of the best from around the world meet and face the ultimate card design challenge.
So please allow me to introduce a veritable pantheon of cardsmithing giants, your very own Iron smiths MTGCardsmith community forums!
Iron Smith @modnation675!
REDACTED
In mere moments, Iron Smith @modnation675 will be pitted against our challenger, who thirsts to discover our secret ingredient, and enter the heat of battle here in smithing stadium.
Today's challenger is...
@Lujikul
Well known for being an aspiring author/actor/whatever they can do, honestly, @Lujikul is sure to be a major force in smithing stadium today.
But there is one more ingredient in this battle; a secret ingredient! The theme on which our smiths will offer their succulent Variations. Today's secret ingredient is...
Epic music intensifies
Cooking and food!
I want to see your designs based upon the theme of cooking or food. As this was an Iron Chef-inspired contest, I thought it would be a fitting way to kick off the games. You can make a chef, a magical dish, kitchen utensil, or something along those lines.
Smiths, you will have until February 10th, 2018 at 11:59 P.M. to create your best 3 original, new card designs relating to this theme.
So now MTGCardsmith, with an open heart and an empty deckbox, I say unto you in the words of my uncle: 'Allez Cardsmithing!'
A delectable Japanese tradition has taken root on MTGcardsmith community forums soil. We have been graced with the establishment of our very own Smithing Stadium, where our nimble chairman has brought together the most pungent card designs of both east and west. It is here, where the best of the best from around the world meet and face the ultimate card design challenge.
So please allow me to introduce a veritable pantheon of cardsmithing giants, your very own Iron smiths MTGCardsmith community forums!
Iron Smith @modnation675!
REDACTED
In mere moments, Iron Smith @modnation675 will be pitted against our challenger, who thirsts to discover our secret ingredient, and enter the heat of battle here in smithing stadium.
Today's challenger is...
@Lujikul
Well known for being an aspiring author/actor/whatever they can do, honestly, @Lujikul is sure to be a major force in smithing stadium today.
But there is one more ingredient in this battle; a secret ingredient! The theme on which our smiths will offer their succulent Variations. Today's secret ingredient is...
Epic music intensifies
Cooking and food!
I want to see your designs based upon the theme of cooking or food. As this was an Iron Chef-inspired contest, I thought it would be a fitting way to kick off the games. You can make a chef, a magical dish, kitchen utensil, or something along those lines.
Smiths, you will have until February 10th, 2018 at 11:59 P.M. to create your best 3 original, new card designs relating to this theme.
So now MTGCardsmith, with an open heart and an empty deckbox, I say unto you in the words of my uncle: 'Allez Cardsmithing!'
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Of course, it's not merely the ingredients that make the meal, but well practiced technique and application in cooking as well. Use only the freshest ingredients to make a delectably mouth watering dish, capable of encouraging a horde of goblins to victory by scent alone! Mmm, can't you smell the savory taste of victory already?
It isn't enough to simply make something that smells and tastes delicious, though. The best dishes must also be aesthetically beautiful. After all, a meal only tastes as good as it looks. To make a perfect meal takes time and resources, and to make it as beautiful as it deserves takes even longer. However, the time spent is well worth it.
Ultimately, I decided to go primarily with green along with its accompanying Temur colors with a splash of black for the presentation, the reason being that Green is THE food color, featuring cards such as Gnaw to the Bone, Feed the Clan, even Hunt the Weak, featuring the circle of life. Blue demonstrates the technique necessary in preparing an excellent dish, while red brings the passion that every chef ought to aspire to use in creating their delicious works of edible art. Black resides in presentation due to the fact that on Lorwyn, we see the BG aligned elves caring greatly about beauty. And what is a perfect meal if not beautiful, in addition to being delicious?
I had to switch out some artwork since I accidentally used the same artwork as Masterful Preparation.
The perfect dish requires the best ingredients. This card demonstrates the need for perfect decision making to find the best combination of ingredients to spice up that dish. When you've got numerous patrons entering your establishment, you need to decide on recipes catering to a crowd of individuals.
Most importantly of all, let us not forget the most important tool in a chef's arsenal. Which is the farmers who collect and grow the product necessary for all our delicious meals. (Decided to make a card that went on a different theme to send a message.)
@TrippleBoggey3 It would probably be full of swearing and profanity. Certainly not appropriate for the forums!
**EDIT**
This is taking me longer than expected. I will have this done tomorrow. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Just send me a PM for when prizes are being distributed in each round. That way I can be sure to give them quicker.
Well be back from vacay tomorrow night. So I'll be able to give prizes quick for the upcoming weeks.
Masterful Preparation
Judge Comments
It's an interesting take on a tutor; it reminds me a little bit of Long Term Plans. It's extremely weak, though; 4CC is already a little slow for tutoring two cards, and leaving yourself without blockers or interaction on turn 6 is tempo suicide. The art and concept is fun and well-suited to the theme, and it's an original idea. I don't love small text, but it works.
I really like the flavor of going 'all out,' but it just seems clunky with the card placement. Maybe put the three cards in your hand and then end the turn? Also, the planeswalker symbol just bothers me for some reason.
Chairman's Comments
I got hungry just looking at this! It seems like a cool, fun design.
Masterful Sauté
Judge Comments
A cool combat trick. Has some interesting deckbuilding applications with Evoke or Dash creatures, and I think well-balanced. It's certainly cooking-based, so that's great. The art is good, but the flavor is a little odd; the warriors are inspired by ... the chance to eat one of their friends?
So...you sacrifice a creature for an extra saucy combat step? I would think that sauteing something would make for a cool burn spell. Excellent stretching of the color pie though! The flavor fits nicely.
Chairman's Comments
I agree with the first judge comment in saying that the flavor is a bit odd, but I think this is a cool design overall.
Masterful Presentation
Judge Comments
Like Preparation, this is a good concept, but incredibly weak. It breaks even on life gain with Dawnglow Infusion, and the ability to spread out the cost over multiple turns is nothing when you're being FORCED to and also have to discard four or five cards. Art is nice, and the flavor is good; it's just at a very low power level.
Even though you are discarding cards to trigger the effect, I still feel like the card would fit better as a Green White card. Also, 'prep' should be uncapitalized. I appreciate the flavor of taking the time and energy to make something awesome.
Chairman's Comments
This is a cool design, but it should really be Green/White. Although I understand the concept of the card is coming from the Lorwyn elves appreciating beauty, which I like, presentation feels like something white would care about more than black. On top of that, the lifegain feels white, not black. On top of that still, the card is weak. Turning a land drop in the late game into 2 life feels only ok, and I can't see a world where you discard anything other than land to this.
Magnolia, the Braiding of Life
Judge Comments
An interesting effect, though I wish there were more description of what it means to 'uncombine' permanents; it also lets you uncombine other people's permanents, which I don't think is intended. There are some degenerate combos along the lines of Experiment Kraj or Necrotic Ooze, but three-card combos aren't the worst thing to happen to Magic. Flavor-wise, the second ability is good, but the first is confusing; if the first ability is her cooking something, why can she 'un-cook' them later?
I really like how creative this card is, but I can't help but think Magnolia would fit better as a mad scientist. It strikes me as odd how a chef can combine two ingredients and still expect them to run around. Maybe it should just combine noncreature permanents?
Chairman's Comments
It was a brave choice to explore the space of combining permanents. Unfortunately, this feels a lot more like a silver-bordered card than a "normal" card. I still think it's cool though!
Battle Preparations
Judge Comments
Reshape is good. This is a two color Reshape, except instead of making you sacrifice an artifact, it gets you a second one for free. How broken that is depends on your format, but I would say that this is extremely strong. The art and flavor are quite good, and the wording is functional, if a bit clunky.
It took me a really long time to process the card, but I really like how it works out! But I think that 'kind' in line 5 should be 'type.' In addition, I would suggest being sparing with Tribal types, especially when the card doesn't refer to Chef creature types. Finally, the name of Battle Preparations bugs me. Shouldn't a card with that name be something like Legion's Initiative or Master Warcraft?
Chairman's Comments
I love the art on this. Not much else to say.
Beguiling Winds
Judge Comments
I'm not sure I get it. It's a cool card, and it's well-designed as a cheap removal for a control deck (though perhaps a tad too efficient), but it doesn't really have anything to do with cooking. I would love to see a 'farmer' card, but this isn't really that either; it's closer to a 'riot control' theme. The art is pretty and sells with the flavor, but doesn't necessarily tie it to cooking.
The flavor of this card truly beguiled me. How does a weather phenomena involve with cooking? I am trying really hard to see any farmers in the art, but all I see are flying hairballs being chased by wolves composed of psychic energy. Although the card mechanics are cool, I just don't see how it fits with cooking.
Chairman's Comments
This card has nothing to do with cooking. I thought it was an interesting idea to include the farmers into your submission (as they actually grow what we turn into food), but this card does not do that. It is an odd control card.
Today, two champions met in Battle: Savor The Flavor here in Smithing Stadium. Smith @Lujikul *Bows*. Iron Smith @modnation675 *Bows*. The judges have spoken, and the winner is...
DRAMATIC MUSIC INTENSIFIES
Smith @Lujikul!
Here is the score Breakdown.
@Lujikul
Masterful Prep
5/10 Design.
8/10 Theme
8/10 Art/Flavor
8/10 Originality
6/10 Templating.
37/50
Masterful Saute
7/10 Design.
7/10 Theme
7/10 Art/Flavor
6/10 Originality
7/10 Templating.
34/50
Masterful Presentation
4/10 Design.
7/10 Theme
6/10 Art/Flavor
6/10 Originality
7/10 Templating.
30/50
Total Score
99/150
@modnation675
Magnolia
5/10 Design.
6/10 Theme
6/10 Art/Flavor
8/10 Originality
7/10 Templating.
32/50
Battle Prep
5/10 Design.
7/10 Theme
8/10 Art/Flavor
9/10 Originality
7/10 Templating.
36/50
Winds
7/10 Design.
2/10 Theme
6/10 Art/Flavor
7/10 Originality
8/10 Templating.
30/50
Total Score
98/150
This might very well be the single closest battle we will ever have here in Smithing Stadium. Two champions fought, and one was only slightly behind the other.
-Kramp
Good catch.
I will give the prize to @Lujikul in a bit, after they confirm they want it on their primary account.
On the primary account is fine.
I'll see myself out.
I'm just glad that I was surpassed by some pretty cool cards and shared taste in artwork.
The prize has been awarded. Please wait up to 24 hours for it to activate.
Please end me now.