Third Place
Unyielding Cathar (Designed by CyberFive)

A knight that evokes the mechanics and flavor of Avacyn Restored, this card pushes the Fateful hour mechanic further than any of its weaker preexisting brethren, as would be suitable for a modern return. Tying in the tribal themes of Innistrad allows this beater to define a strategy that seems engaging and would allow the Fateful hour mechanic the time in the spotlight it has been deprived of.

Second Place
Psychophage (Designed by LeetWizard)

This terrifying Phyrexian is reminiscent of the black-focused horrors of early Phyrexia, and its allusion to a classic premodern artifact combined with Phyrexia’s now trademark poison effect makes this throwback work on multiple levels. Well-fitting art and flavor text round out a perfectly reasonable and well-balanced package. This entry is well-deserving of a 2nd place finish.

First Place
Crawling Camarid (Designed by goblinwarbuggy)

This throwback to Fallen Empires is impressive in all aspects of its commitment to authenticity. First, the card’s mechanic is charmingly useless; there are only eight Homarids in canon Magic: The Gathering and none of them have abilities worth replicating. Fallen Empires is renowned for its low power level, and this is no exception. Secondly, the art and frame of the card are both perfect for its era. Finally, the miscut of the frame is an unnecessary but endearing touch that really makes this card feel like a relic of a bygone era.