#brushwagg

Ornery Tumblewagg

"Brushwagg"

Allow me to get straight to the point:

This week’s contest is to make a Brushwagg.

It must have the creature type Brushwagg. It can have other creature types, other card types, other faces, whatever, but it has to have the creature type brushwagg. Changelings don’t count.

If it makes tokens that are brushwaggs, I suppose that’s fine too.

You can make a tribal card but you’ll have to make a good argument for it. I don’t just want to see a tribal divination called “Wisdom of the Brushwagg.”

I’ll assume it’s a standard card unless you say otherwise. Also, considering one third of all printed brushwaggs aren’t black-bordered, I’ll allow silver-border cards, but only if you really feel like it.

There will be three winners: One for best lower-rarity card (common or uncommon), one for most unique spin on brushwaggs, and one for best overall design.

So this one is simultaneously really weird and really easy. You can slap brushwagg on just about any green creature and it won’t seem too far off. But the brushwagg has a lot of depth to its design (not the card, the creature). It’s aggressive, poisonous, prickly, silly, fluffy, maybe part plant? There’s only ever been three printed, and even one of them was a joke card, so there’s a lot of space yet to be explored. I also know the creature type has a bit of a fan following, so I expect to see some wacky stuff, too.

Once you’ve got your prickly boy all done, you can submit it >HERE<.

If you need to talk to other people about what exactly a brushwagg even is, our Discord can be found >HERE<.

Good luck and good brushwagging!

Magic: the Gathering - Double Brushwagg all the way

This kick-arse mug posted by redditor AzerimReddit who had recently gifted this to a significant other.

There are only TWO cards with this creature type - from the sets of Mirage and most recently in Ikoria, Lair f Behemoths.  Here is a description of this adorable puffer-stick critter :

Brushwagg by Ian Miller

What is a Brushwagg (flavorfully)?

It’s a Brushwagg. You know what a Brushwagg is. Everyone knows Brushwaggs. They’re Brushwaggs. This is grade school stuff, man.

What is a Brushwagg (mechanically)?

A Brushwagg is a rare creature from Mirage named Brushwagg that costs 1GG, has three power, two toughness, and the ability “Whenever Brushwagg blocks or becomes blocked it gets -2/+2 until end of turn.” Its flavor text is

 "Defiantly, the young cyclops popped the brushwagg into his mouth. His cheeks suddenly puffed, his eye bulged, and he was forced to agree with his elder."

 —Afari, Tales

Its art is by Ian Miller.

Can I make a Brushwagg deck?

Here’s what you do. Buy seventy five (or one hundred) Brushwaggs. Slide them into clear sleeves. Then, behind them, facing the other way, slide your actual deck into the same sleeves. You now have a Brushwagg deck.

Is Brushwagg a good creature type?

I refuse to answer on the grounds that this is a family friendly show.

The Best of the Bundle

Did you know a group of Brushwaggs is called a bundle? Well it is, I said so! Here are the leaders of the bundle: Baleful Brushwagg with best lower rarity brushwagg, seatangle brushwagg for best most unique spin on brushwaggs, and Evolutionary Brushwagg for best overall design!

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@shakeszx - Baleful Brushwagg

We had a lot of uncommons this week, in fact almost every single entry was an uncommon, but I think this guy really takes the cake in best uncommon. The base body is a 2/2 for 2, which either color has access to just fine, so the hybrid isn’t an issue. The ability requires both colors, which it should considering both versions feel like both colors, but it also means you only get it if you’re truly multicolor. As for the ability, it’s really clever. The fact that the two abilities won’t ever overlap means you can have deathtouch and trample on the same ability but not at the same time to avoid that awkward rules interaction. Both abilities can also be used multiple times at a lesser impact, but the restrictive color costs and diminishing returns means they won’t end up one-shotting your opponent or making an unkillable ‘wagg. This seems like a great uncommon in a lot of sets, I’m very happy to give it the win.

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@emmypupcake - Seatangle Brushwagg

This is such a cool way to make a blue brushwagg! It feels so much like a brushwagg, but also mechanically different! It has the P/T of a post-combat brushwagg, and the ability triggers in the same way (though it should say “blocks or becomes blocked”), but the ability itself is different even if it feels similar. It protects the brushwagg, sort of, or at least it protects you. The board impact this card has is also cool, since it can block 2/2s very effectively, but also if it chumps a big guy it will also save you from the next attack. Attacking has a similar effect, where you’ll often just let through the 1 damage, but if you block with a two toughness creature you won’t be able to next turn. Makes for some fun mindgames. I also like the flavor translation of vines into seaweed and thorns into tangling. It feels very much like a natural aquatic adaptation. And of course the art is great.

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@hypexion - Evolutionary Brushwagg

Truly, this is the evolution of the brushwagg. When I first read it I just skipped to the second ability and thought “yeah, I figured someone would do this.” It seemed pretty obvious to make a brushwagg that always turns its power to one. But then when I saw the evolve ability it all started falling into place. Not only is that a way to make the X’s worth it instead of a static number, but the fact that it can set its power to one and then evolve post combat is genius. It lets this card grow and grow and eventually you’ll be able to get past their defenses somehow and really wallop them. Or, just play high alert and do even scarier things to them. I was a little concerned about this being uncommon mostly because it doesn’t feel like it could serve as a signpost multicolor card, but then I realized that the simic watermark means it would be in a Ravnica set which has a ton of multicolor uncommons anyway, so this wouldn’t have to carry that weight. As a whole, this card feels incredibly brushwaggy but also incredibly well designed.

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Thank you to everyone who entered this week. I know it was pretty polarizing, so thank you for going through with it even if it seemed silly, and you’re welcome for the prompt if you thought it was great (and also silly). Tomorrow I’ll have the runners-up and some of the commentary.

Brushwagg Entries, Part 1