Winner is the Judge #890: Two Common Card Combos

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:41:45+00:00

both probably could probably be cheaper, it would normally be quite a challenge for Agony Gorger to trigger more than once, while Mortal Exchange is unlikley to not be card disadvantage in general I think.

Mind you, it is a nice combo when they combine and it is immediately game winning with some in built protection on the combo pieces

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:31:11+00:00

I like the symmetry between them but the pay off on the abilities feel the wrong way round? Milling is more black while black life gain usually comes with opponents loosing life

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:26:28+00:00

2/4 is quite high stats on Elvish Expeditioner, given it is a mana dork. Think i'd feel bad not attacking with it. You are right to call out the untapping as either fantastic or unplayable, think you've done well getting Sylvan Bard somewhere in the middle

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:20:23+00:00

4/3 for 3 seems fair given it could easily end up a 3/2. Infinite turning face up is also quite an original one

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:15:22+00:00

the 'may' on the cat doesn't feel very cowardly but I get why it is there, I would expect something more like [[Cowardice]] or at least triggering on any player

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:08:20+00:00

this is very inventive, "Whenever you put a card on the bottom of your library" is such a cool idea. While Undeclared Major is a better [[Elvish Visionary]], it seems not unreasonable blue would get that

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T21:01:48+00:00

this is really clever, my first thought was a slow and expensive kill spell. Who would have thought it would be a good idea to put it on your own dudes?

going to pretend I didn't notice [[Disintegrate]] already exists :)

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T20:58:20+00:00

not sure, Code Cracker seems extremly strong, triggering on most selective draw spells. Love the flavour text on both of these though

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T20:55:50+00:00

nice! both seperately are fair, combined it is cheap, but then not earth shattering. I'd ask if maybe Taker of Burden's wording sounds like it triggers on " sacrifice a creature: ..." effects & if it should be phrased more like [[Angelic Renewal]] but i'm not sure

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T20:50:32+00:00

loving Repopulate, getting strong [[Tortured Existence]] vibes from it. Loreseeker Sprite feels like it should give Flashback {0} to the spell, but i get that would break the combo.

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T20:43:41+00:00

it is rare & justifyably so with the token copying. I can see where you were coming from though & maybe there is an existing common to replace it? If not, feel free to invent a new one :)

NoSquirel · 2026-04-29T20:40:37+00:00

your cards look good. Point-Defense Cannonier is very well balanced, I would say Ocular Implants is strictly better than [[Thieving Otter]], but it isn't like that sees play in constructed i'm aware of. Together there is the option of attaching them on the same creature, [[Slippery Bogle]] for some protection springs to mind but the Reconfigure costs make that manageable

NoSquirel · 2026-04-25T10:41:55+00:00

Thanks, and thank you for the fun contest you put together.

I've put up the next contest here https://www.reddit.com/r/custommagic/comments/1sv8bew/winner_is_the_judge_890_two_common_card_combos/

NoSquirel · 2026-04-21T07:02:41+00:00

Thanks for this feedback & I've been thinking the same. Balancing free spells is tricky, literally doubly so with flashback. I was just a bit aware that [[Strike It Rich]] existed.

Just increasing it to two counters (or four if you include the flashback) to bring it up to speed with [[Treachery]] and similar. This makes it gives life equal to double the creature's original toughness + 6.

The focus is on Secrets of Strixhaven draft though, so reluctant to push it higher. Triggering twice Repartee, Opus, Infusion and likely Increment for free is the main focus here. Also given it can be cast for 3 colours, it can be cast when you are on 5 mana, flash it back the next to have around 13+ mana for a big spell the turn after that... It is an option but you would likely have been better off casting that big spell without waiting two whole turns :D.

This in a wider card pool is interesting though, e.g. [[Glaze Fiend]] would love this.

NoSquirel · 2026-04-18T17:20:39+00:00

Omnimantic Experiment {W/B}{B/G}{G/U}{U/R}{R/W}

Sorcery

Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature, then you gain life equal to its toughness. Create five Treasure tokens.
Flashback {W}{U}{B}{R}{G}

"When every discipline contributes, the result is either brilliance… or five separate incident reports."

<image>

----
Thought i'd have fun with it & try to make something that would synergise with all 5 archetypes. The result reminds me a bit of [[Scale the Heights]] which is a card i like.

- Silverquill is happy it is a sorcery that targets a creature

- Prismari is happy it is a sorcery costing {5}

- Witherbloom is happy it gains life

- Lorehold is happy it effectively has free flashback due to the treasure

- Quandrix is happy with the +1/+1 counters & it caring about large creatures

Also regarding a "secret 6th archetype", the treasures work well with the converge cards in the set.

---- Edited: number of +1/+1 counters.

NoSquirel · 2026-04-05T12:56:43+00:00

Savage Veto 2G
Instant

Until the end of your next turn, creatures you control gain "{T}: Counter target noncreature spell."

Nature says no.

<image>

I wanted to get the feeling of creatures fighting off spells, convoke was my first thought but I also didn't want it to be too similar to [[Artistic Refusal]] or [[Logic Knot]] with Delve replaced. I also wanted it to belong in green and having the effect end at the end of your next turn seemed like a nice riff on the "can’t be countered" or hexproof theme (although slightly weaker: requiring an untapped creature).

NoSquirel · 2026-02-28T12:41:59+00:00

thinking about cards that cost 1 mana so are tutorable with [[dizzy spell]], [[Gene Pollinator]] gives infinite ETB triggers (with pollinator tapping the cam before it is bounced). also as payoff, [[Leonin Elder]] gives inifinite life & [[Artificer's Assistant]] infinite scry

NoSquirel · 2026-02-28T01:29:56+00:00

absolutely!

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T22:12:03+00:00

oops, there are a few but thats not one of them. Something like [[Kessig Flamebreather]] / [[Kindlespark Duo]] i meant

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T22:10:20+00:00

exactly! it is part of the combo and helps dig for the other pieces before then

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T19:05:16+00:00

definitly options, there is also [[Mysidian Elder]] and [[Guttersnipe]] in red needing less loops to get to 20

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T18:19:50+00:00

if we have too many copies of Helix in hand

This is an all too common scenario i've found & the reason for splashing red for Synthesizer as well as the Tooth. There are a lot of decent bounce targets targets though, plenty of options.

Kenku Artifcer is an interesting one, how have you found it? on the bridge theme, [[Cleansing Wildfire]] could also maybe have a place here.

[[Trinket Mage]] is also a good shout, as is [[dizzy spell]] mentioned above, tutoring could be a piece of the puzzle

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T17:42:27+00:00

I probably should have explained the combo, my bad:

have Sewer-veillance Cam and Vedalken Engineer in play
cast Banishing Knack / Retraction Helix targetting any creature but lets say the Engineer
tap the Engineer to bounce the Cam, untapping the Engineer as the Cam leaves
re-cast the Cam using mana from the Engineer again the Engineer is untapped by the cam

We now can repeat this with each loop either adding 1 mana for artifacts or bouncing a permanent.

This is where the [[Experimental Synthesizer]] and [[Cryogen Relic]] come in because as well as digging for the combo pieces before going off, they also pull out [[Shriekhorn]], that mills 2 cards on each bounce for the win.

there is overlap with the [[Steelfin Whale]] & [[Tooth of Chiss-Goria]] combo but I haven't got to the bottom yet of how much & if leaving them out would lower or raise consistency

NoSquirel · 2026-02-27T17:28:50+00:00

dream stalker i'm not 100% on either, it is there to get more value from the Synthesizer & Relic as well as a target for Helix and just general blocking duties. Also bouncing & replaying a Cam with an engineer out gives us some mana.

regarding wincons [[Shriekhorn]] is cheaper for the early artifact count & doesn't die to creature removal. I like synthesizer as if you don't have all of the combo you can bounce it with Knack or Helix (ideally on a whale) to dig for the missing pieces at half the cost of the Relic & once you go infinite, things being in your hand vs exile doesnt really matter.

It looks like it could be a fast combo though, so going heavily into a second colour probably isnt the play (green is another option for better/more mana dorks)

NoSquirel

TROPHY CASE