Magic Deck Vortex: MDV IDOL 2: Judge Results

Welcome to the Judging portion of MDV Idol 2. While we took the final decision away from the Judges, we still value their opinions, and their humor enough to get their thoughts. We have gathered the Trio together again to see what they think of the collection of Finalists.

Speaking of the Finalists, let’s start off by giving congratulations to the creators of the cards that broke through, and made it to the finals:

Luthervamplord, Maxidor, good job making a tough creature.
Maleficent, Wither Engine, good job making a tough creature.
Alpherion, Spellguard, good job making a tough creature.
Saint Jimmy, Spellshifter Engine, good job making a tough creature.
Boiwithteeth, Mirrored Leviathan, good job making a tough creature.
Mrraow, Treacherous Golem, good job making a tough creature.

Speaking of Judges, lets start off by introducing the Judges for this contest:

Luthervamplord

Maxidor, Distilled Magic - 7
Legendary Artifact Creature - Wizard
As Maxidor, Distilled Magic comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand.
When Maxidor, Distilled Magic leaves play, you lose the game.
1U; Remove the top two cards of your library from the game: Counter Target Spell.
'You can forget that! Saying that, what was I doing?'
2/4

Counter spells much? Good thing this thing is a Legend, or I could just have four in play and counter everything!.. What? I don’t even need to tap this guy to counter a spell? I can keep countering spells at will. Perhaps this would make more sense if the card only could counter certain spells, or maybe spells that targeted this creature. Maxidor is crazy good, as he even counters spells like Wrath of God, and Mutilate, and his ability is not counterable unless using Voidslime type spells. Insane Mr. Vamplord. You are crazy.

By the way, sorry about the last contest. I was a overwhelmed with my own personal issues and neglected to submit my scoring sheets.

Wow! Your card gives me the shivers just thinking about it... *shivers* This card is absolutely amazing but I think you might have mixed up contests. Wasn't the last one all about broken cards? This card is certainly broken. I would totally agree with Tynion's comments here. That said, I am enamored with your flavor text. Thus far, this is best flavor text I've ever seen. It's so good, it brings tears to me eyes. *tearing*

This is ridiculous. Overzealous does not begin to cover this crap you call a card. Let's do something real quick: examine the game of Magic. Does this card break that game? Yes, yes, a million times yes. Richard Garfield is rolling around in his proverbial grave.

And flavor? Tofu has more contest flavor than this card. Your flavor text doesn't make sense. Straight up terrible.

*wiping his eyes* DBB, what is your problem!!! The flavor text is amazing. Why must you always be so harsh on the contestants?

For the first time in contest history, we had a tie at the end of the voting round. While Wither Engine looked strong in its initial surge, it could not shake the Spellguard. In the end we will have both moving on to the finals. Here are the Judges..

Maleficent

Wither Engine - 7
Artifact Creature – Horror Construct
When Wither Engine comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand and removes from it up to 3 cards of your choice from the game until end of turn. This ability cannot be responded to.
All mana-producing effects produce colorless mana instead of their normal type(s).
3, Tap: Put a -1/-1 counter on each non-artifact creature.
Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you lose 1 life.
When Wither Engine leaves play, you lose the game.
“Suffer, wither, die.” – Virot Maglan, Cabal Patriarch.
3/3

Alpherion

Spellguard - 6
Artifact Creature - Construct
As Spellguard comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand.
Whenever a player plays an instant or sorcery spell that targets Spellguard, counter it and remove it from the game.
At end of turn, return all cards removed from the game by Spellguard to their owner's hands.
When Spellguard leaves play, you lose the game.
A guardian, a soul unborn; a purpose given, never fulfilled.
1/5

...to the other Judges... are we supposed to judge them both or.. what? My mic.. OH! Wither Engine. “This ability cannot be responded to.” This seems to be the epitome of what Magic is NOT. Magic is all about the stack, and manipulation of the previously named stack. I understand what you are trying to get at.. not allowing the opponent to respond to the removing of the cards by killing your creature. While I like the cards that change the color production of lands, they all have one thing in common, some sort of upkeep or drawback. This thing keeps going with none of that, and is an Engineered Plague on a stick! Good Job!

Spellguard. Nice ability, and original thinking behind it. The creature has a built in personal Remand, sorta. I like this card, and the fact that it has a big hind end to try to ward off the impeding attack is also good. I noted while the entries were coming in that not too terribly many creatures were coming in with lower power and high toughness. Good job picking up on the whole, “Survive one more turn,” aspect of this contest.

Tynion, You're congratulating him for making a broken card? You're worse than Streetz. Seriously, Wither Engine is disgusting. Let's shut down the game! That's fun! This card is so disgusting, I've already puked in a paper bag, and later on tonight, I'm going to light that bag on fire and throw it at your house.

Spellguard... is surprisingly relevant to the current meta. The one thing I think you miscalculated here is mana cost. If it was 5, you'd be on High street. Definitely some of the best work I've seen today.

Excuse ME!!! But it was my turn!!! *putting his hands through his hair and waving his head like in a Vidol Sassoon commercial*

I absolutely love Wither Engine. It's like a smorgus board of ability all wrapped into one ability. That and I must say, your flavor text is even better than the last card. Remember what I said before? Well, I love your flavor text even more. Good job. In fact, I totally love everything about your card.

Now Static Guard is interesting. If it weren't for my years as a deck designer, I would hate this card... but I am Streetz! And I have been a deck designer for years. This card is unique thus far and I can't help but fall to my knees when I think of it. It's worship-able. Good job, you little monster you.

Saint Jimmy

Spellshifter Engine- 4
Artifact Creature
As Spellshifter Construct comes into play, your opponent reveals his hand.
When Spellshifter Construct leaves play, you lose the game.
2:Spellshifter Construct's color becomes the color of your choice until end of turn.
2:Counter target spell that shares a color with Spellshifter Construct.
They say at the center is a tiny diamond through which all manor of color burst forth.
4/4

Spellshifter Engine is an interesting specimen. It has the aspects of being a bigger Wild Mongrel, as it is a 4/4 for 4, and Wild Mongrel as we all remember was a 2/2 for 2. It also can change colors, as did Wild Mongrel, albeit with a different activation. The interesting part of this creature is that you need to just pay six mana to change the creature to Red, counter the Shatter; then change him to Black to make the Dark Banishing fail. This is a good design.

*puts both arms out in the air as if he was going to hug something... exuberantly* FANTASTIC! Oh wait, I'm still thinking of that Static Guard card. This.. is.. AMAZINGLY FANTASTIC! I just love you.. I mean.. the card.

My heart is fluttering... I think I need to see a doctor... *puts hand on forehead melodramatically*

You're going to need more that a doctor Streetz, when I rearrange your face for all this crap you're spouting.

This card is good. So good in fact, that I think I need to see a doctor. You people really need to look at things a little more carefully. A 4/4 for 4 in any color. Shut up, shut up, shut up. I just don't want to see this anymore. I think my eyes are bleeding.

And seriously... "which all manor of color"?? I didn't know that this card was a domicile, let alone a serious concept.

Moving on to Group D. There was a little controversy at the beginning of the contest between the eventual winner of Group D, Mirrored Leviathan, and the winner of Group A, Luthervamplord’s Silver-Mirror Golem:

Luthervamplord

Silver-Mirror Golem 9
Artifact Creature
As Silver-Mirror Golem comes into play, target opponent reveals his or her hand.
When Silver-Mirror Golem leaves play, you lose the game.
If Silver-Mirror Golem is the target of a spell or ability which could target another permanent in play, you may choose a new target for that spell or ability.
3: Put a 0/1 Glass Wall Artifact Token Creature into play.
'Sheltered in its brilliant shell, it stands against those who would harm its master.'
1/7

Immediately after receiving this entry, plagiarism charges began flying around like skee shooting disks. So much so that Luther decided to create another creature to be entered, and as fate would have it, both of these contestants made it to the Finals.

boiwithteeth

Mirrored Leviathan - 9
Artifact Creature – Leviathan
As Mirrored Leviathan comes into play, your opponent reveals his hand.
When Mirrored Leviathan leaves play, you lose the game.
1: Put a 0/1 Egg artifact creature token into play. Play this ability no more than twice each turn.
Whenever Mirrored Leviathan becomes the target of a spell or ability you may change that spell to target another creature you control.
"The reason for the near extinction of the Leviathans is unknown, but their are several theories that explain how they deflect their attackers into the eggs of their young."
-Mirrorpeople Observations Volume 412
8/9

Well, now that the controversy is over, we can get down to the business at hand. I like the flavor of the card. The inverse of Natural Order, where the mother typically defends the young is noted in this card. I don’t know what I was expecting from creatures in this contest, but the number of huge, fat creatures for 9 mana definitely takes away from this cards originality. However, the fact that you make blockers to continue the duel gives something to the Contest Flavor. I don’t know why, but I do like this card.

*licks lips* ...not sure why? *snaps fingers* Bring me an Omelet! Hawaiian style!!!

Oh. Sorry. This card is definitely amazing. But I'm really hungry right now.... too hungry to talk about this.

What a waste of a good concept. Let's just make a giant tub of lard, give it squinty eyes and a toothy grin, a heaping pile of rotten garbage, and throw this perfectly good concept in the mix. When you take it out of the puree machine, guess what you get? A garbage lard puree with a ruined concept. Eat up.

Looks over at Streetz's omelet eating escapade... Since he got an omelet, can someone get me a fork? I need to jab my eyes out. He's making me gag.

Mrraow

Treacherous Golem - 4
Artifact Creature - Golem
When Treacherous Golem comes into play, target player reveals his or her hand.
When Treacherous Golem leaves play, you lose the game.
2UU: Target player gains control of Treacherous Golem
"All a man can betray is his conscience." - Joseph Conrad
0/3

You know what is the best thing about this card? I feel that this is the best card in this competition, because of one simple thing. Not only does he do the requirements, namely survive the spells and the attack, but he wins the game. So in this case, if the opponent must attack, you simply block and offer this guy to him, and win the game.

Excuse me again! This card is so worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. It inspires me to... to... well, eat more of my omelet! *starts working on the omelet like it was a pie eating contest*

I would have to agree with Tynion on this one. This is by far the best card I've seen yet. This is so deserving of the MDV IDOL 2 title!

I liked it more when Streetz was so booze sodden that you could kick him and nothing would happen. Because I really want to kick him.

Hmmm. Phyrexian Infiltrator anyone? An original card then does not make an original card now. This is not Time Spiral. This creature, however, playable to a certain extent.

There you have it! The Judges have weighed in and have put their names behind their votes. Their voting scores don’t count this time around, but let’s look at the tallies anyways shall we? waves in the guy with the final scores... Those sure are some nice shoes you have on there.

So, were the Judges still deciding the victors of the contest, Spellguard would be your champion and New MDV Idol! But he is not! Since the powers that be have stolen the teeth from the Judges, now you, the Voters are squarely responsible for the mista... err outcome of this contest.

Ironic isn’t it that there would be controversy during the contest between Luthervamplord and Boiwithteeth, and it would yield them ending with a tied score. Plagiarism... Isn’t it ironic?

Join us next time when we will announce the winner and give some details for the next MDV Idol contest, as we have some good ideas floating around, and you’ll never know if you will be the next MDV Idol!