June MCC Round 2 - Confident Companion

[bravelion83]

(This month's banner is my own elaboration on the art of the card Hell to pay by Liiga Smilshkalne)


June MCC Round 2

Confident Companion

As is tradition by now, this month we will celebrate the latest premier set, in this case Outlaws of Thunder Junction, by exploring its mechanics and themes, as usual in this kind of MCC months.


Every outlaw has their trusted mount, like Annie Flash has Fortune for example. Who is yours, outlaw?


Main Challenge - Design a Mount creature card that has the saddle mechanic and that has the intended flavor below. Your outlaw persona from Round 1 must be able to saddle your Mount by themselves.

INTENDED FLAVOR: this is the trusted mount of your outlaw persona from Round 1, one that takes them everywhere they need to go and that they will never abandon nor be abandoned by. It can be either one from their own home plane that they came to Thunder Junction with, or one they found on Thunder Junction after their arrival on this plane, both are fine. It can be legendary, but that's not a requirement.

Note: the intended flavor IS part of the Main Challenge and how well your submission represents it WILL be judged in the Main Challenge section of the rubric. Judges CAN deduct points there if they feel the required flavor isn't represented well enough on your card. You CANNOT use any design notes, etc... to explain your card's flavor, only the flavor elements of the card. There is NO exception to the "no extra content" rule this month.
This "intended flavor" part will be there in all rounds this month as a part of the Main Challenge, and it's an example of a Main Challenge that isn't binary (yes/no), so judges CAN and WILL use the whole spectrum of points in the Main Challenge section of the rubric.

Subchallenge 1 - Your Mount cares about being saddled in a different way than "When this attacks while saddled..." Anything goes as long as it's not a triggered ability with that specific trigger condition. (1 point)

Subchallenge 2 - Choose one or both —
• Your Mount's color identity shares no colors with the color identity of your outlaw persona from Round 1. (0.5 points)
• Your card references the "Desert" land type in its rules text. (0.5 points)

Clarifications

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None so far.

If you have any more questions, feel free to post them in the MCC discussion thread.

You can also check out the MCC Guidelines and FAQ if you have the will and time. You can find it in a low size PDF version attached to this post and you can also find the link to the original higher size PDF in my signature. They are the same document, I just had to compress it more to be able to put it here as an attachment as the original file, the one linked in my signature, is too large to be attached here. Among the many things you can find there are a detailed explanation of the rubric (section 6.2) and the recommended card formatting (section 4) that you should use to format your text cards. Expect deductions in Quality otherwise.


DEADLINES

Design deadline: Saturday, March 15th 2024 at 23:59 Eastern Time

Judging deadline: Tuesday, March 18th 2024 at 23:59 Eastern Time


Eventual time extensions required WILL eat time from the next round to realign with the calendar, so please ask them only if you really need them. This is for both players and judges. As a reminder, here is the calendar:

June MCC calendar

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You can also see the judge signup thread for more info about this month's MCC.


RUBRIC

MCC Rubric

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The MCC Rubric is given below, in an easily "copy and pasted" form. (Courtesy of Rithaniel.)

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Code: Select all

[b]Design[/b]
[b](X/3) Appeal[/b] - Do the different player psychographics (Timmy/Johhny/Spike) have a use for the card?
[b](X/3) Elegance[/b] - Is the card easily understandable at a glance? Do all the flavor and mechanics combined as a whole make sense?
 
[b]Development[/b]
[b](X/3) Viability[/b] - How well does the card fit into the color wheel? Does it break or bend the rules of the game? Is it the appropriate rarity?
[b](X/3) Balance[/b] - Does the card have a power level appropriate for contemporary constructed/limited environments without breaking them? Does it play well in casual and multiplayer formats? Does it create or fit into a deck/archetype? Does it create an oppressive environment?
 
[b]Creativity[/b]
[b](X/3) Uniqueness[/b] - Has a card like this ever been printed before? Does it use new mechanics, ideas, or design space? Does it combine old ideas in a new way? Overall, does it feel "fresh"?
[b](X/3) Flavor[/b] - Does the name seem realistic for a card? Does the flavor text sound professional? Do all the flavor elements synch together to please Vorthos players?
 
[b]Polish[/b]
[b](X/3) Quality[/b] - Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
[b](X/2) Main Challenge (*)[/b] - Was the main challenge satisfied? Was it approached in a unique or interesting way? Does the card fit the intent of the challenge?
[b](X/2) Subchallenges[/b] - One point awarded per satisfied subchallenge condition.
 
[b]Total: X/25[/b]
*An entry with 0 points here is subject to disqualification.

JUDGES

bravelion83
void_nothing


PLAYERS

@AnotherAlias

AnotherAlias's Round 1 submission

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Xharinoph, Maniacal Acolyte
Legendary Creature — Vampire Warlock (M)
Lifelink
Whenever you gain life during your turn, you lose that much life.
Whenever you lose life during your turn, add . Until end of turn, you don't lose this mana as steps and phases end.
"It's quite simple, don't you see? Or perhaps… Perhaps you cannot see. Fear not, you will, yes, you will, in due time… Yes…"
2/3

@EsperCormorant

EsperCormorant's Round 1 submission

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Pharika's Rustler
Creature — Human Assassin (R)
Deathtouch
Whenever Pharika's Rustler deals combat damage to a player, create a 1/1 green Snake creature token with deathtouch and "This creature can't block".
: Target Snake you control fights another target creature.
"Damn shame. The poor sod must've forgotten to check his boots."
2/2

@Komandon

Komandon's Round 1 submission

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Oriq Perfectionist 2B
Creature — Human Warlock (rare)
W, T: Discard a card: Return target spell to its owners hand. Note the name of that spell.
Whenever an opponent casts a spell with a name that is noted, they loses life equal to its mana value. That spell's name is no longer noted.
"Only casting spells at the ideal moment will do or else."
2/2

@Lorn Asbord Schutta

Lorn Asbord Schutta's Round 1 submission

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Alpot, Parademiurge
Legendary Creature — Human Warlock (R)
Whenever a sorcery spell leaves stack, Alpot, Parademiurge deals 2 damage to target opponent and you scry 2.
, Discard a card: Target creature spell becomes a sorcery spell. Change the text of that spell by replacing all instances of "When this creature enters" with "As this spell resolves". (Sorcery spell can't enter and leaves stack to its owner's graveyard immedietly after it resolves. Once that spell leaves stack, it becomes a creature card again.)
"I prefer you stay only as the Idea of you."
3/2

@MonoRedMage

MonoRedMage's Round 1 submission

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Oggyar Plunderer 3R
Creature - Ogre Pirate {M}
When Oggyar Plunderer enters the battlefield, create a tapped Blood token, a tapped Map token, and a tapped Treasure token.
Whenever an artifact with one or more subtypes enters the battlefield under your control, that artifact deals 1 damage to any target.
6U: Return Oggyar Plunderer to its owner's hand.
"Ganathog hungers for many things, all in their own way."
3/2

@netn10

netn10's Round 1 submission

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That Man in Black Suit CC
Legendary Creature - Alien Rogue (Mythic)
T: Put an implant counter on target creature. (Implanted creatures are 3/4 green Aliens as long as you control a Mothership Vehicle.)
2UU, T: Gain control of target implanted Alien.
4GG, T: Create Eclipse of Thousand Suns, legendary colorless 9/12 artifact Mothership Vehicle with flying, trample, ward 6 and crew 6.
3/4

@Raptorchan

Raptorchan's Round 1 submission

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Valentin, Clandestine Autopsist 1b
Legendary Creature — Vampire Warlock (R)
Whenever another creature dies, or a creature card leaves a graveyard, learn. This ability triggers only once each turn. (You may reveal a Lesson card you own from outside the game and put it into your hand, or discard a card to draw a card.)
1g, t: Exile target creature card from a graveyard. You gain life equal to that card's toughness.
2/2

@Sagharri

Sagharri's Round 1 submission

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Grimaz, Ever Hunger 1BG
Legendary Creature - Boar Rogue (R)
Devour artifact and/or creature 1 (As this enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice any number of artifacts and/or creatures. This creature enters the battlefield with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
When Grimaz, Ever Hunger enters the battlefield, target opponent sacrifices a creature with lesser power.
"Gold or life? I'll take both."
2/2

@slimytrout

slimytrout's Round 1 submission

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Cardo, Diamond Dealer 1BR
Legendary Creature — Devil Rogue (R)
When Cardo, Diamond Dealer enters, create a Treasure token.
1BR, Sacrifice an artifact: Cardo deals 1 damage to target opponent and each creature they control. Activate only as a sorcery.
"Back home, these'll scour the skin clean off your bones. Here there're chumps who'll pay for 'em!"
3/3

@wizyard

wizyard's Round 1 submission

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The Stranger 1CU
Legendary Creature - Rogue Wizard (R)
When The Stranger enters, if W was spent to cast it, exile another target creature until The Stranger leaves.
The Stranger has protection from the exiled card's colors.
No one knew his name, his kin or his origins; the townsfolk simply knew that, for good or for ill, his arrival meant change.
2/1

A reminder to everyone: In the MCC, putting rarity on cards is mandatory! If you don't put a rarity on your card, expect huge deductions in both Viability AND Quality.


BRACKETS

Given that the sum of the scores from the first two rounds will determine the pairings in the next round, this round each player will be judged by the judge who didn't judge them in Round 1, so that those who advance to Round 3 will all have been judged once by me and once by void_nothing.

Top 3 from each bracket advance.

Judge: bravelion83
AnotherAlias
Lorn Asbord Schutta
MonoRedMage
Raptorchan
Sagharri

Judge: void_nothing
EsperCormorant
Komandon
netn10
slimytrout
wizyard

[netn10]

It That Shines On All Earths C
Legendary Creature - Alien Horse (Mythic)
1CWB: Return target creature card with mana value 3 or less from a graveyard to the battlefield under your control with an implant counter on it. This ability cost WB less to activate if this creature is saddled.
Saddle 3
"Reports all across the multiverse of a faceless man in a black suit riding a star-skinned horse cannot be varified. We want to believe that many supernatural events can be pinned on them."
—Bureau of Truth's Official Statement
1/3

[EsperCormorant]

Rowdy Rattler
Creature — Snake Horse Mount (U)
When Rowdy Rattler becomes saddled for the first time each turn, sacrifice each creature without deathtouch that saddled it this turn. For each of those creatures, put a +1/+1 counter on Rowdy Rattler. Then, if a creature with deathtouch saddled it this turn, you may put a Desert card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Saddle 2
"Trust me on this one, pardner: it can break your skin before you can break its will."
3/3

[Sagharri]

Palescale, Sand Lurker 5W
Legendary Creature - Wurm Mount (U)
Emerge from Desert 3WW
You may cast Palescale, Sand Lurker from exile using its emerge ability.
If Palescale, Sand Lurker would die while saddled, you may exile it instead.
Saddle 2
6/6

[wizyard]

Bucking Breaker 4CC
Creature - Eldrazi Mount (U)
Whenever Bucking Breaker becomes saddled, it gains annihilator 2 until end of turn. If it was saddled by a creature named The Stranger, Bucking Breaker gains protection from the colors from which The Stranger has protection until end of turn,
Saddle 2
7/4

[Lorn Asbord Schutta]

Mirage Mount
Creature — Beast Illusion Mount (R)
Whenever a sorcery spell leaves the stack, you may have Mirage Mount's base power and toughness become X/X until end of turn, where X is the mana value of that spell. If Mirage Mount is saddled, you may have it get +X/+X until end of turn instead.
Return a Desert you control to its owner's hand: Return Mirage Mount to its owner's hand.
Saddle 2
Dehydrated and alone, Alpot willed for companion and safety.
0/4

[slimytrout]

Trader's Goshawk 1U
Creature — Bird Mount (R)
Flying
Trader's Goshawk's power is equal to the number of Deserts you control.
Whenever Trader's Goshawk deals combat damage to a player, you may exchange control of target creature that saddled it this turn and target nonland permanent that player controls.
Saddle 2
*/3

[MonoRedMage]

War-Fitted Shredder 4R
Creature - Wolf Mount {R}
Trample, haste
1, T, Exile a noncreature card from your graveyard: If War-Fitted Shredder is saddled, untap it, draw a card, and it's no longer saddled. Then put two +1/+1 counters on War-Fitted Shredder and create a Spellbinder token attached to it.
Saddle 3
4/4

[AnotherAlias]

Korkuveren, Macabre Steed
Legendary Creature — Horse Horror Mount (R)
Menace, haste
Whenever Korkuveren, Macabre Steed deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. If Korkuveren is saddled, instead that player reveals their hand and you choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Saddle 3 or 1 and pay 3 life
3/3

[Raptorchan]

Trusted Sandship 2w
Creature — Camel Mount (R)
Whenever Trusted Sandship becomes saddled for the first time each turn, mill cards equal to its power.
Whenever Trusted Sandship deals combat damage to a player, return up to one permanent card with mana value less than Trusted Sandship's power from your graveyard to your hand. If it's a Desert card, put a +1/+1 counter on Trusted Sandship.
Saddle 1
3/3

[bravelion83]

A little less than 30 hours to the deadline. We have all submissions except for @Komandon. Remember you have until the design deadline to edit or change your submission.

[Komandon]

Mirage Kelpie 1UU
Creature — Beast Mount (rare)
Vigilance
As long as Mirage Kelpie is saddled, it has all the activated abilities of creatures saddling it until end of turn.
u: Counter target activated or triggered ability that targets Mirage Kelpie or a creature saddling it.
You may use mana from Deserts as though it was mana of any color to pay for activation costs of Mirage Kelpie's abilities.
Saddle 2
2/2

[bravelion83]

The round is closed. Judging may begin right now.

BRACKETS

Given that the sum of the scores from the first two rounds will determine the pairings in the next round, this round each player will be judged by the judge who didn't judge them in Round 1, so that those who advance to Round 3 will all have been judged once by me and once by void_nothing.

Top 3 from each bracket advance.

Judge: bravelion83
AnotherAlias
Lorn Asbord Schutta
MonoRedMage
Raptorchan
Sagharri

Judge: @void_nothing
EsperCormorant
Komandon
netn10
slimytrout
wizyard

For convenience, all entries from Round 1 can be found in the OP at the beginning of this thread.

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Judgments complete. I'm not going to check for typos right now, so i apologize as usual if there are any.

Leo's Uniqueness table

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Source: The Lion's Lair #11 - Monthly (Card Contest) review

3: this is a card that does something never done before, not even on a single card.
2.5: this is a card that has an effect that is rarely seen in modern Magic, but not very often.
2: this is a card that does something we've already seen but in a new way or with a new twist.
1.5: this is a card that does something we've already seen but without big innovations.
1: this is a card that does something we've already seen multiple times and doesn't innovate it in any way.
0.5: this is a card that does something we see all the time in real sets, and maybe there is only some little detail we've not seen before.
0: this is a card that does something we see all the time in real sets and in a way we also see all the time in real sets.

Microtext limits (for reference)

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In the M15 frame, you can have:
• Up to eight lines with however many breaks you want.
• Nine lines with up to four breaks. If you have more than four breaks, it's microtext.
• Ten lines with up to two breaks. If you have more than two breaks, it's microtext.
• Eleven lines and a single break. If you have more than one break, it's microtext.
• If you have twelve lines of more, it's microtext regardless of breaks.

In the MSE M15 frame you can have at most:
• Eight lines or fewer with any number of paragraph breaks.
• Nine lines with at most four breaks.
• Ten lines with at most two breaks.
• Eleven lines with a single break.
• Everything that is twelve lines or more is microtext regardless of breaks.

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AnotherAlias

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Korkuveren, Macabre Steed
Legendary Creature — Horse Horror Mount (R)
Menace, haste
Whenever Korkuveren, Macabre Steed deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. If Korkuveren is saddled, instead that player reveals their hand and you choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.
Saddle 3 or 1 and pay 3 life
3/3

Design
Appeal 2/3 - This is one of those cards that Timmy likes on his side but hates on his opponent's side. He really likes the stats though. Johnny could maybe use this to make his opponent discard something that would disrupt his combo, but I don't think he could use this as an active part of said combo. Spike loves this card: good rate, relevant keywords and abilities, a way to saddle it more easily... she just loves all of that and more.
Elegance 2.5/3 - The text is a bit long but still easy enough to understand.
Development
Viability 3/3 - No problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules.
Balance 3/3 - Very nice mirror between normal discard and Duress in the triggered ability. No problems in limited. In constructed the reduced saddle cost makes a lot to increase the playability of this card in my opinion. I see no problems in casual except that discard can become unfun in volume, but as a one-of it's fine. In multiplayer, interesting choice of who to attack to make them hopefully discard, which is made easier by menace. Overall, I really like the balance of this card.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2.5/3 - Two nice twists: the self-replacement effect if this is saddled, and the alternative saddle cost. We rarely see alternative costs for a keyword mechanic these days.
Flavor 3/3 - No room for flavor text. You did the best you could without it, and in my opinion you managed it.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - I believe a full stop/period is required at the end of the saddle ability as it has two different cost. See Bloodthorn Flail for a recent example. (-0.5) MSE shows me leaving out the reminder text for saddle was the right call here.
Main Challenge 1.5/2 - The mandatory parts are good. While this can certainly be your outlaw's trusted mount, there is nothing in the flavor of this card making it clear explicitly. I'll also point out that your outlaw is able to saddle this by themselves only thanks to the alternative saddle cost here.
Subchallenges 1/2 - The way this cares about being saddled is not the usual one, so Subchallenge 1 is met. This and your outlaw share black, so Subchallenge 2.1 is failed. No Desert reference, so Subchallenge 2.2 is also failed.
TOTAL 21/25

Lorn Asbord Schutta

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Mirage Mount
Creature — Beast Illusion Mount (R)
Whenever a sorcery spell leaves the stack, you may have Mirage Mount's base power and toughness become X/X until end of turn, where X is the mana value of that spell. If Mirage Mount is saddled, you may have it get +X/+X until end of turn instead.
Return a Desert you control to its owner's hand: Return Mirage Mount to its owner's hand.
Saddle 2
Dehydrated and alone, Alpot willed for companion and safety.
0/4

Design
Appeal 1/3 - Nothing for Timmy or Spike here, this is a pure Johnny card, and he loves it.
Elegance 0/3 - The text is very long, and that's already a strike against this card in this area. It's also quite convoluted, which is another strike. Finally, it mentions the stack, which is a big no in modern Magic design as most players don't even know the stack exists or how it works, and anyway it's not normally required to actually play the game. The stack is supposed to be more of a technical rules concept that allows the game to work as intended, not a thing to be mentioned on cards, as it would cause a lot of confusion for a lot of players, especially new or less experienced ones. This is the third strike, and you know the saying: three strikes and you're out.
Development
Viability 1/3 - A card that mentions the stack in rules text is practically unprintable these days, and that's a huge problem here. The card might have no problems with the color pie, rarity, or the rules (only reasons why this is not a full zero too), but if does something that's known as best avoided, it wouldn't be printed for real. It's not a viable card anyway. Instead your outlaw has huge problems with the rules, but that doesn't matter here. We're talking about the Mount here.
Balance 1/3 - I see the intended mechanical synergy between this and your outlaw, and it would be good if your outlaw actually worked. But again, let's focus on the Mount here. I believe the trigger condition should have simply been "whenever you cast a sorcery spell": it's much clearer, it doesn't mention the stack, and the functionality is practically the same except maybe for a few corner cases that I can't even think of here. Another thing I honestly don't like is the lack of a mana component, even as small as 1, in the activation cost of the self-bounce activated ability. It being free opens the doors to too many potential broken combos. I can't think of any specific one right now, but just the possibility that they could easily exist is already relevant. Saddle is the most and probably only innocuous part of this card, not much to say about it. It could be playable in limited, and there are a lot of good sorcery spells for this to interact with in constructed, but I can't ignore those aspects of this card that I've just talked about right before this sentence. Very complicated card for casual players, who might not even know what the stack is, in both comprehension and gameplay. Nothing of this changes in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1.5/3 - The trigger condition is indeed new, no cards with it exist yet, which would qualify it for full points here according to my table, but I think that's design space that's both not realistic and best left unexplored. If the last new thing to mention the stack on a Magic card was the split second mechanic in Time Spiral almost twenty years ago, there must be a reason. Any design space that involves mentioning the stack in rules text is not good design space to be explored.
Flavor 3/3 - Very good, especially the flavor text, which is just perfect in my opinion. The illusion flavor feels quite fitting for a card with such strange mechanics. Easily the best part of this card.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - Even leaving out the reminder text for saddle, MSE shows me that this is still microtext: ten lines and three breaks. So not including reminder text was correct here, but it wasn't enough. -1 as it makes the card not printable at all as is, so it's a serious mistake.
Main Challenge 2/2 - All good. The flavor text makes a lot of work to carry the intended flavor.
Subchallenges 1.5/2 - The way this cares about being saddled is not the usual one, so Subchallenge 1 is met. This and your outlaw share blue, so Subchallenge 2.1 is failed. Desert reference, so Subchallenge 2.2 is met.
TOTAL 13/25

MonoRedMage

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War-Fitted Shredder 4R
Creature - Wolf Mount {R}
Trample, haste
1, T, Exile a noncreature card from your graveyard: If War-Fitted Shredder is saddled, untap it, draw a card, and it's no longer saddled. Then put two +1/+1 counters on War-Fitted Shredder and create a Spellbinder token attached to it.
Saddle 3
4/4

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy approves. Johnny can put the Spellbinder token to good use. Spike likes everything here, but the saddle cost is probably a bit too high for her taste, as is the mana cost.
Elegance 2.5/3 - Only two minor things working against this card in this area: the ability does nothing if this is not saddled (it's still a relevant creature that can attack and block even when you can't use the ability), and you have to remember what Spellbinder does, or look for it in your favorite Magic card database if you don't. Luckily, in the era of information that we live in, looking it up is very fast and easy to do.
Development
Viability 2/3 - "Red usually untaps permanents only when it creates additional combat phases for the permanent to be able to attack again. This can untap without attacking, being ready to block on your opponent's turn, which is too close to vigilance and doesn't feel red at all. Same goes for card drawing. This lets you draw cards in a way other than how red does it (impulsive draw, wheeling, rummaging). The keywords are red, no problem with those. I can also see the Spellbinder token in red, as copying spells is something red has no problems doing. No problems with rarity or the rules, but I just wanted to point out the new rule that allows you to create a token based on the name of an existing card:

111.11. If an effect instructs a player to create a token by name, doesn't define any other characteristics for that token, and the name is not one of the types in the list of predefined tokens above, that player uses the card with that name in the Oracle card reference to determine the characteristics of that token.
Example: Disa the Restless has the ability "Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, create a Tarmogoyf token." As that ability resolves, its controller creates a token with the same characteristics as the card named Tarmogoyf, as determined by the Oracle card reference.

Balance 2/3 - In limited, a 4/4 with trample and haste for five mana is already playable without additional upside. In constructed there are probably better options, especially in older formats, but the activated ability can indeed have its uses. The only problem is that it does nothing if this isn't saddled. All the text in that ability's effect is dependant on "if CARDNAME is saddled, ..." I don't believe the part about the +1/+1 counters and the Spellbinder token being a separated sentence starting with a "then" makes it not depend on the initial condition, but I might be wrong about that. The fact that most players won't remember what Spellbinder does and will have to stop the game to check it out doesn't help in casual. Nothing of this changes in multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2.5/3 - We've already seen creating tokens of existing cards. Causing things to "no longer be saddled" is the real new twist here, essentially treating saddled as monstrous. That's something that we haven't seen in OTJ and that feels like it could easily be a realistic new twist if and when saddle returns.
Flavor 2.5/3 - The name is very good and realistic for a Magic card. You did the best you could without flavor text.
Polish
Quality 1.5/3 - MSE shows me that without flavor text, there is room for saddle's reminder text, so it should have been there. (-0.5) Spellbinder tokens also require reminder text, not everybody can be expected to remember what the card Spellbinder does. In fact I, for example, had to go and look for it in Gatherer because I didn't remember it, and next year it will be 20 years that I'm a Magic player. (-0.5) Hyphen instead of em dash in the type line when there are direct opponents of yours in this same bracket who got it right instead. (-0.5)
Main Challenge 1.5/2 - The mandatory parts are good. While this can certainly be your outlaw's trusted mount, there is nothing in the flavor of this card making it clear explicitly.
Subchallenges 1/2 - The way this cares about being saddled is not the usual one, so Subchallenge 1 is met. This and your outlaw share red, so Subchallenge 2.1 is failed. No Desert reference, so Subchallenge 2.2 is also failed.
TOTAL 18/25

Raptorchan (edited - edit text in italics)

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Trusted Sandship 2w
Creature — Camel Mount (R)
Whenever Trusted Sandship becomes saddled for the first time each turn, mill cards equal to its power.
Whenever Trusted Sandship deals combat damage to a player, return up to one permanent card with mana value less than Trusted Sandship's power from your graveyard to your hand. If it's a Desert card, put a +1/+1 counter on Trusted Sandship.
Saddle 1
3/3

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes the good size, the potential to grow, and returning things from his graveyard. He doesn't like mandatory self-mill though. To the contrary, returning things from graveyard and self-milling are all that Johnny cares about. Spike likes the high rate and the potential for card advantage.
Elegance 1/3 - I see the mechanical synergy, but milling on a white card leaves you a bit disoriented at first, especially if you're an experienced player. New and less experienced one might not even realize the break here, but that doesn't mean it's not there. The text is also a bit long, which doesn't help here either.
Development
Viability 1.5/3 - Mechanical synergy being there doesn't make milling a core white mechanic. That's almost a break, but a few precedents do exist. Lorehold Excavation and Airlift Chaplain have been brought to my attention, and especially the latter is indeed very close to this card in the way it uses milling in white. That doesn't change the fact that milling is primary blue, secondary black, tertiary green, not white. White and red only use it very rarely, strictly only when it's required by the mechanics to work as intended. This kind of cards shouldn't justify using milling in red or white in my opinion, but I must acknowledge the fact that a couple recent counterexamples exist. I still have no idea how those made it past the Council of Colors though... No problems with rarity or the rules, the big problem is with the color pie, one too big to ignore. Still a big one, but not unprecedent. I'm giving you back half a point in this area in the light of what has been brought to my attention. I hope people don't suddenly start designing red and/or white milling cards based on these precedents...
Balance 2.5/3 - Playable in limited. I could see this in some constructed decks, mostly Standard ones based on recursion. I don't think its high rate is enough to see competitive constructed play in other formats. No problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 1/3 - Milling in white would have been a nice new twist if it were in color, but as it's not, it doesn't really count here.
Flavor 2/3 - You did the best you could without flavor text even though a short one would have fit here. The Desert reference and the Camel creature type make a lot of work and almost hold the whole flavor together by themselves.
Polish
Quality 2.5/3 - MSE that including reminder text for saddle would have NOT turned this into microtext: it would be ten lines and two breaks, right at the limit but without breaking it, so I'd way that it should have been there in this case. (-0.5) The rest is all good.
Main Challenge 1.5/2 - The mandatory parts are good. While this can certainly be your outlaw's trusted mount, there is nothing in the flavor of this card making it clear explicitly.
Subchallenges 2/2 - The way this cares about being saddled is not the usual one, so Subchallenge 1 is met. This and your outlaw share no colors, so Subchallenge 2.1 is met. Desert reference, so Subchallenge 2.2 is met.
TOTAL 16.5/25

Sagharri

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Palescale, Sand Lurker 5W
Legendary Creature - Wurm Mount (U)
Emerge from Desert 3WW
You may cast Palescale, Sand Lurker from exile using its emerge ability.
If Palescale, Sand Lurker would die while saddled, you may exile it instead.
Saddle 2
6/6

Design
Appeal 2.5/3 - Timmy likes a big recurring threat. Johnny could exploit this leaving the battlefield and then reentering multiple times. Spike wants something game-winning for six mana, but a hard-to-kill 6/6 that returns cheaper can be that. She would like some relevant keywords to be there though, possibly evasion.
Elegance 2.5/3 - The only remark I have here is the lack of reminder text, even though emerge from Desert looks like it works exactly like you would expect it to.
Development
Viability 1.5/3 - You have to be careful with cards that can return from exile, that's a known design principle. This just reads like a rare to me. I can't really see it as an uncommon. Making it a rare would also help with the first point I've made, at least it would mostly keep a card that can return from exile out of limited. Finally, if the rules support emerge from artifact, they will surely support emerge from Desert.
Balance 3/3 - Definitely playable in limited, and I can also easily see this in constructed due to being able to return multiple times: as long as you have a single Desert to sacrifice, this can return, and if you saddle it before dying, it will go back to exile ready to return again. This absolutely sound like something competitive constructed players might be interested in. It being a 6/6 for six mana is heavily reminiscent of the Titan cycle, and we all know how pushed they were. The potential to come back might offset the lack of keywords. I see no problems in casual or multiplayer.
Creativity
Uniqueness 2.5/3 - Emerge from Desert would deserve full points here by itself if emerge from artifact hadn't just come out in the latest set (MH3).
Flavor 3/3 - Perfect. A Wurm that emerges from the sands of the desert ready to be mounted and goes back into the desert sands when it dies. Just perfect.
Polish
Quality 2/3 - Hyphen instead of em dash in the type line when there are direct opponents of yours in this same bracket who got it right instead. (-0.5) Including reminder text for both emerge from Desert and saddle causes this to become microtext, but only adding one out of the two does not, so one should have been included. Personally, I think that for emerge from Desert is more needed, as it's a completely new variant, so I would have gone with that one. Either way, one reminder text is missing here, you can choose which one. (-0.5) Detective's Phoenix says the second ability's wording is correct, and who am I to contradict a Phoenix? I don't want to be burned alive...
Main Challenge 1.5/2 - The mandatory parts are good. While this can certainly be your outlaw's trusted mount, there is nothing in the flavor of this card making it clear explicitly.
Subchallenges 2/2 - The way this cares about being saddled is not the usual one, so Subchallenge 1 is met. This and your outlaw share no colors, so Subchallenge 2.1 is met. Desert reference, the best of the whole round in my opinion by the way, so Subchallenge 2.2 is met.
TOTAL 20.5/25

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Results (bold advance)

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AnotherAlias: 21 (+20.5 in Round 1 = 41.5)
Sagharri: 20.5 (+22 in Round 1 = 42.5)
MonoRedMage: 18 (+22.5 in Round 1 = 40.5)
Raptorchan: 16.5
Lorn Asbord Schutta: 13

[void_nothing]

EsperCormorant

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy usually does not want to sacrifice their creatures but is happy to do so in order to grow another creature and ramp. Jxnny finds the moving parts interesting. Spike doesn't see this as efficient enough even for Deserts.dek.
(1.5/3) Elegance - While the effect of saddling itself here is straightforward, it cares about something unusual, and it seems odd that you don't get to drop a Desert for every deathtoucher if you have to sacrifice every non-deathtoucher. This is also a relatively wordy uncommon.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Colors and rarity check out.
(3/3) Balance - No issues here - the rate might even be a bit weak; no one is impressed by a 3/3 for four mana and the ability to put lands onto the battlefield requires both a Deserts-matter and a deathtouch-matters deck. I think I would have given this card deathtouch itself.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - "Deathtouch matters" is unusual, as is the exact format of the saddle effect, of course, but overall this card does not do much that is new.
(2/3) Flavor - There is precedent (Caustic Bronco) for Snake Horses of all things in Thunder Junction. The flavor text also is pithy, even if it has slightly odd phrasing. What throws me is that surviving the "bite" when you saddle this creature depends on having deathtouch, not, say, indestructible. I think that's more of a functional choice than a flavorful one, but still.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Black mana comes before green in costs.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1.5/2) Subchallenges - Does have the same color identity as the round 1 card.

Total: 19/25

Komandon

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy wants to find the most high-impact combination of activated abilities (although they probably wish the body was a bit bigger). Jxnny wants to Hermit Crab-Heronblade Elite combo or whatnot. Spike likes the Swiss army knife capabilities.
(1/3) Elegance - Nothing that would require a rules update, certainly, but there's a lot going on here and gaining activated abilities off other creatures poses some common questions.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Definitely a blue rare through and through.
(2.5/3) Balance - As mentioned above, this card has infinite combo potential for a fairly low mana cost, but no more than Necrotic Ooze does, for example.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - Nothing that's completely new on its own here, but definitely some original riffs on old effects.
(3/3) Flavor - A kelpie in the desert is an odd idea but the idea of a mirage, connected to the common trope of the illusion of water in the desert, ties it together.

Polish
(1.5/3) Quality - A handful of templating problems here, with the most significant being a redundant "until end of turn".
(1.5/2) Main Challenge (*) - Not the most direct flavor ties with the round 1 card.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done.

Total: 19.5/25

netn10

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Who doesn't like reanimation? Heck, Txmmy is still interested in this even though it's got 1 power and is one mana. Jxnny and Spike have broken combos in mind, of course.
(2.5/3) Elegance - Activated ability is a bit wordy but ultimately not actually hard to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability - I'd definitely put this at mythic, yes. The color identity here feels somehow white, black, AND colorless.
(1.5/3) Balance - So I'm a bit concerned about how cheap that activated ability is when this card is saddled - two mana is REALLY cheap even for restricted reanimation, particularly repeatable instant-speed reanimation, and there are some easy infinites to be had here.

Creativity
(3/3) Uniqueness - All of your alien-conspiracy cards have a high degree of uniqueness even when the mechanics like implanting and Motherships are slightly parasitic.
(3/3) Flavor - Absolutely wild stuff, from the name to the typeline down to the flavor text, and I'm frankly all for it.

Polish
(2.5/3) Quality - Text should say "this ability costs" and "verified" is misspelled in the flavor text.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Done.
(1.5/2) Subchallenges - No use of Deserts.

Total: 22/25

slimytrout

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Design
(3/3) Appeal - Txmmy wants a potentially huge flyer. Jxnny wants to do some devious swaps. Spike, however, appreciates both aspects.
(2.5/3) Elegance - There is a slight inherent inelegance in control switching, but otherwise this card is easy to understand.

Development
(3/3) Viability - Absolutely a blue rare.
(2/3) Balance - I would say two mana for a flyer that grows as you drop lands is a bit undercosted. The tricky saddle ability is just gravy.

Creativity
(2/3) Uniqueness - A unique take on the very old control-switching effect, and surprisingly there's no "P/T equal to the number of Deserts you control" effect existing (although Outcaster Greenblade is a thing).
(2.5/3) Flavor - That's one big goshawk! Otherwise, name, typeline, and effects mesh well.

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - All good.
(2/2) Subchallenges - And done!

Total: 22/25

wizyard

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Design
(2/3) Appeal - Txmmy clearly enjoys a 7-power Eldrazi that can gain abilities. Jxnny finds it overly linear. Spike is interested in stacking annihilator.
(2/3) Elegance - As written, you can saddle this multiple times in order to grant multiple instances of annihilator 2, which I'm not sure was your intent. The protection granting ability is also phrased in a way that makes perfect sense in English but is an unintuitive tack for Magic wording to take (it would more likely be "gains all protection abilities" or something like that).

Development
(2.5/3) Viability - Obligate colorless makes sense for an Eldrazi, but the rarity here seems like it's on the edge between uncommon and rare with the relative complexity of the Stranger-bonus ability.
(2/3) Balance - 4CC is a hefty cost and 4 toughness is relatively vulnerable all things considered, but as mentioned this card can gain a heck of a lot of points of annihilator.

Creativity
(1.5/3) Uniqueness - Sort of a mashup design that has a new combination of much older abilities.
(2/3) Flavor - "Eldrazi Mount" is a wild but fun juxtaposition of types, like something out of the Unusual Creature Type Combination Game. The fact that this refers to a specific, legendary card while not being legendary itself begs the question, however: How many riding Eldrazi does the Stranger actually have in their stable?

Polish
(3/3) Quality - Looks good.
(2/2) Main Challenge (*) - Clearly done.
(1.5/2) Subchallenges - No mention of Deserts.

Total: 18.5/25

Totals (Bold advance)

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netn10 22
slimytrout 22
Komandon 19.5
EsperCormorant 19
wizyard 18.5