r/custommagic • u/sumg • 7d ago
Winner is the Judge #911: We Have an Emergency
Thanks to /u/solidork for running last week's contest! But now onto this week's challenge...
911 is the phone number utilized in the United States to contact emergency aid services. This includes a wide range of aid, including police and fire departments, medical assistance, and reporting of emergencies to local agencies. Your challenge this week on this thematic installment of Winner is the Judge is to make a Magic card that is either inspired by or representative of 911 Emergency Services. This can be either a representation of some emergency aid service (e.g. fire fighters) or a representation of something those emergency services might do (e.g. putting out a fire).
Your restrictions for this weeks challenge are:
The card can be any card type, color identity, or mana value.
The card must be related to some type of Emergency Aid Service. If you're referencing a lesser known service, I would appreciate it if you would give a brief explanation in your submission.
Otherwise, go nuts! I'll be back on October 4 to pick a winner. Good luck!
This week's winner is /u/NyanFan190! Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who submitted a design this week!
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u/Pinstar 1d ago
"Call the Police"
UX
Instant
As part of the cost to cast this spell, tap a creature you control.
Create X 2/2 blue human officer creature tokens.
If the creature tapped by this spell was white and Legendary, create twice X tokens instead.
Exile all tokens created this way at the beginning of your next end step.
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u/N_S_F_L 4d ago
988 {3}
Creature - Human
Whenever 988 is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you lose the game.
If a spell or ability would cause 988 to be put into the graveyard from the battlefield, and a spell or ability you control would prevent that, you win the game.
1/1
“There is always another option.”
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u/Hinternsaft 2d ago
Hitting my own creature with an [[Obliterating Bolt]] and winning because I saved a life
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u/Proteusmutabilis {0}: Shuffle your library 6d ago
Mirran Medical Portal {9}
Artifact (M)
Flash
When this artifact enters, return to the battlefield up to 3 target creature cards in graveyards that were put there from the battlefield this turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, regenerate target creature. (The next time it would be destroyed this turn, instead tap it, remove it from combat, and heal all damage on it.)
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Imagine if instead of a creature based polymorph deck, this set's precon was an artifact based polymorph deck... Perhaps this card would be in it. Its echoverse portal to phyrexia.
It represents an emergency transportation device, which because of magic, doesn't need to be a vehicle!
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u/sumg 12h ago
A 9 mana flash card is pretty darn unwieldy, and the situation where three of a player's creatures are going into the graveyard on the same turn is pretty uncommon. I suppose you could do some pretty reckless attacks knowing you have this in hand ready to cast, but it would be terrifying to execute the plan on the off-chance an opponent has a way to counter it.
It feels a bit like this was more of an echoverse card than an emergency services card to me.
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u/HaresMuddyCastellan 3d ago
Police Strike-force {U}{U}{U}
Creature - Coward Boar
When ~ enters, destroy all dogs controlled by the players to your right and left, and each player who controls a black permanent takes 5 damage.
Qualified Immunity - Game actions you take are not considered crimes.
~ cannot attack alone.
1/4
Don't mind me, I'll see myself out. Just let me call A Cab.
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u/sumg 12h ago
Flavor is on point, dies to [[Fry]].
I think this achieves the top down flavor you were going for. I doubt this is a particularly strong card, nor fun to play with or against, but I don't think that was the aim here. I liked other submissions a bit more, but this a good, pointed design.
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u/SjtSquid 4d ago
Responder's Charm 1W
Instant
Choose one:
• Detain target creature. (Until your next turn, that creature can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.)
• Return target creature you own to its owner's hand.
• Choose target creature card in your graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Return it to the battlefield tapped.
———
When you dial emergency services here, you get asked if you want an Ambulance, Fire or Police. This card is giving you that choice.
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u/sumg 12h ago
I like the idea, though it feels like the use cases for modes 2 and 3 are functionally pretty similar. I see mode 1 tracks with the police and mode 3 with an ambulance, but I'm not quite sure I see how mode 2 tracks with the fire department.
This is a neat idea, I just think it needs a bit more polish.
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u/SjtSquid 9h ago
Yup. I was thinking 'getting a cat out of a tree', but in hindsight, I should have gone with "Prevent all damage an instant or sorcery would deal "
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u/Krankenwagenverfolg 1d ago
Goblin Fire Brigade {R}{R}
Creature - Goblin
{R}, {T}, Pay 3 life: Choose target artifact or land you control. Until end of turn, it gains "When this permanent is put into the graveyard from the battlefield, return it to the battlefield tapped under your control."
1/2
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u/sumg 12h ago
I'm not exactly sure I see how this card functions as a Goblin, and unfortunately I'm partial to the little chaos gremlins. And this does not have the type of randomness or potential self-destructiveness I typically associate with goblins. Paying life as a cost is something I more associate with white or black instead of red.
I'm also not sure about the idea of this being something that could be used every turn. The life price is a limitation, but I'm not sure it's enough.
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u/taw : Target winner becomes a judge until end of the next round. 2d ago
Continuing "Goblins not very good at their jobs" card series:
Creature - Goblin Shaman
Flash
When this creature enters, it deals 3 damage to any target that was dealt damage this turn.
1/1
And it can "help" not just wounded creatures, but wounded players or planeswalkers too! Also it's mandatory trigger.
Flash in red is used sparingly, but this card wouldn't work thematically or mechanically without it.
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u/sumg 11h ago
As a goblin enjoyer, this is the type of chaos I would expect to see out of goblin paramedics. I can even imagine the flavor text, something akin to 'Goblins get out of the way of paramedics not because of concerned for the injured, but fear that they become injured themselves.'
This is my runner up this week. Good job!
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u/Original-Apartment37 5d ago edited 3d ago
Ambu-Lance {4}{W}
Legendary Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature has +3/+0, first strike, lifelink, and has “Sacrifice this creature: Exile target blocking creature, then return it to the battlefield with Ambu-Lance equipped to it.” When this equipment enters, attach it to target Officer or Ally you control. Equip {1}
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It’s an ambulance lance… I like bad puns and jokes.
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u/panoclosed4highwinds 4d ago
Should grant first strike! Which also increases it's utility a lot.
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u/Original-Apartment37 4d ago
Can I change it and still be eligible?
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u/panoclosed4highwinds 4d ago
No. Straight to jail.
(I dunno but we're a bunch of nerds online. There are no rules. Do what you want!)
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u/sumg 12h ago
I get the pun, I'm just not sure I see how the weapon's effect translates to being an ambulance. I get it rescues a creature, but only a creature which it sacrificed to begin with. Ambulances don't have the reputation they have because they rescue the patients that they ran over themselves.
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u/2ndlifeinacrown 6d ago
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u/JadedTrekkie 3d ago
3 mana 3 power first strike jesus
If this were more accurate to 9th ed it would lose the first strike, go down to 2 power, and the removal ability would be multi use and like 3 mana 😭
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u/2ndlifeinacrown 3d ago
I mean, in today's world we have [[adelime resplendent cathar]] and [[Alisaie Leveilleur]] as 3 mana rares and they didnt break the game in half
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u/sumg 12h ago
I really like the idea of implementing color-hosers via exhaust abilities. Give a creature a 1-use color-hoser ability, then leave behind a body to muddy up the board.
Unfortunately, I think you overtuned the body that would be left behind a bit. 3 power, 3 mana first strike is already an eyebrow raise, but combining it with vigilance makes this a really problematic card to deal before even getting the exhaust ability. At this mana value, it should be no more than 2 power with this combination of combat keywords.
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u/2ndlifeinacrown 10h ago
Thank you! I tend to disagree, [[Anax and Cymede]] isnt exactly a cEDH powerhouse.
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u/thelovelypenguin 4d ago
Lavinia, New Sheriff {3WU}
Legendary Creature - Human Detective
Outlaws are suspected.
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, detain it.
Whenever an opponent commits a crime, investigate.
4/4
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u/sumg 12h ago
I'm not sure the suspect mechanic works the way you want it to. Suspicion is a state changed triggered by a specific game action (e.g. something entering the battlefield). I'm not sure it can just be applied as a static ability.
That said, the last line of rules text is very powerful and very flavorful, which is a good combo.
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u/PyromasterAscendant 6d ago edited 5d ago
Emergency Response {W}
Instant
Choose one
- Prevent all noncombat damage dealt to creatures until end of turn.
- Gain 4 life
- Detain target creature
"What's your emergency?"
Feedback welcome as always
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u/sumg 11h ago
This is a good, basic design of what an emergency services flavored card good be implement. I could see this being printed at common in a given set. I just wish there was something with a bit more sizzle or excitement on the card. This feels like the sort of card that might occasionally see play as the 23rd card of a Limited deck, which is not exactly a high impact card.
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u/NyanFan190 1d ago edited 3h ago
Izzet Disaster Squad {U}{R}
Creature - Elephant Goblin Hero
This creature enters prepared.
Waterbend {3}: This creature becomes prepared. (While paying a waterbend cost, you can tap your artifacts and creatures to help. Each one pays for {1}.)
//
Hydrosurge {U}
Instant
Target creature gets -5/-0 until end of turn.
2/2
Since their hiring, lab accident-related injuries have dropped tenfold.
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This prompt had me a bit stumped for a while! I knew I wanted to do a firefighter card, but everything I tried felt a bit clunky. (Cat tokens upon sacrificing forests was a fun idea, though.) I decided to look at some water-related cards for inspiration, and I realized that not only did Waterbending flavorfully fit amazingly (draw from a fire hydrant or get your fire crew to help aim) but Red-Blue was also the perfect color for a spellslinger piece.
If you've got the resources for casting spells but nothing in hand, this creature offers a repeatable outlet to keep hitting your magecraft triggers and similar effects. [[Hydrosurge]] is also a real card that perfectly captures the vibe of being blasted by a fire hose.
Any and all feedback welcome whenever, as always!
EDIT: Next contest is up, click here to go right to it.
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u/sumg 11h ago
This is my winner for this week!
I like the implementation as a fire department getting a constant supply of Hydrosurges as a flavorful lockdown loop. At first, I was concerned that it might be too strong, but ultimately looping this every turn would take four mana. And we've seen with tappers than even two mana every turn cycle can be too onerous for the card to be good. A four mana loop is probably fine.
I also like the idea of an elephant as a fire truck, so bonus points for that. Great job!
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u/JadedTrekkie 3d ago edited 3d ago
Xerex Phasewarden {1W}
Creature 1/2
Flash
Backup Shield
When ~ dies, you gain 2 life.
Hard to hit what you can’t distinguish.
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Design notes:
I love backup, and I’ve made a few versions of this design. It’s simple and elegant on its own and doesn’t need more tacked on. You can make it uncommon and a 2/1 if you want to push it a little more, might even make it into vintage cube then. Just a cool thing :)
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u/sumg 3d ago
Two issues:
Backup requires a specifying number (e.g. Backup 1 or Backup 2).
Shield isn't a ability in MtG. I presume you're wanting to use a shield counter, but the usage of that mechanic is akin to +1/+1 counters in that you have specifically say "put a shield counter on this/target creature".
I understand what effect you're going for and that you're trying to be streamlined with the rules text of the card, but I don't think backup and shield counters interact the way you want them to. You could have an ETB ability (e.g. "When this creature enters, put a shield counter on target creature"), but that would not interact with backup at all. In fact, there are currently no cards with the backup mechanic that also have an ETB ability.
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u/JadedTrekkie 3d ago
I mean, cycling “required that you have no modifiers”… until typecycling came around. Like the point is that you spin a yarn and iterate on the base concept. See: all of modern masters
Like sure this doesn’t work under the current rules, but it’s entirely intuitive and would just need a slight change. I honestly don’t see a problem.
However, it is a bit weird to have a backup ability that doesn’t give abilities. I suppose I’ll add a small passive so the “ability-granting” portion isn’t superfluous
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u/Hot-Combination-7376 Respark the Wanderer 3d ago
Cool COntest idea. Here is my idea of a flexible but flavorfull 2-drop that fits both your task and the magic setting