Sponge | Sponge

[eaglgenes101]

NAME: Sponge ELEMENT: Water COST: 1 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 0 | 3 TEXT: Gains +0|+2 per turn, +0|+4 when submerged. Extract: Sacrifice card to gain   equal to HP.	NAME: Sponge ELEMENT: Water COST: 0 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 0 | 4 TEXT: Gains +0|+2 per turn, +0|+5 when submerged. Extract: Sacrifice card to gain equal to HP.

ART: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edbierman/2582398807/ - CC-BY is okay, right? IDEA: eaglgenes101 NOTES: My first card idea, how does it look? SERIES: n/a

[ndclub]

Have to admit...Its not often that card ideas stick out to me with how unique they are or how the game would benefit from them being there but I really really like this card. Combined with gravity pull its interesting, as a delayed burst of quantum its interesting, with shard of patience its interesting. I will sleep on it and see other responses as to whether or not I continue to support the idea. However it does feel sort of strange that upgraded has less hp, I see why but it's just strange.

[Xamuel]

Creative, has lots of interesting synergies (overdrive, gravity pull, flood...)

One "exploit" is that this could be paired up with basilisk's blood to transform 2 into 25 , this would take 6 turns though (does the sponge continue picking up HP naturally while it's delayed?).  It could pair with plate armor to turn 1 into 7 (3 plate armor HP + 2 initial HP + 3 HP for the turn needed to get rid of summoning sickness), or with heavy armor to turn 1 into 10 .  Water -- the new "immo" rush?   

Why is sponge free?  Even without basilisk's blood or plate armor, this thing generates quanta 2 or 3 times faster than a pillar!  Of course, you have to sacrifice it to get that quanta, but still...

Finally, the upped version shouldn't have the HP+1 while also having the numbers themselves changed.  No point making it overly complicated, and the upped version is already much more powerful than unupped even without the HP+1 part.

[eaglgenes101]

Changed the card to make upgraded stats 0|3 and the gain equal to HP, not HP + 1.

[furballdn]

Don't think the flooding mechanism of it will ever be used since it requires flooding and at least 5 creatures on your side of the field. Heavy armor with this would be quite lulzy.

[eaglgenes101]

Creative, has lots of interesting synergies (overdrive, gravity pull, flood...)

One "exploit" is that this could be paired up with basilisk's blood to transform 2 into 25 , this would take 6 turns though (does the sponge continue picking up HP naturally while it's delayed?).

6 turns is enough for a rush deck to overwhelm you if you're not careful. I don't think it should continue picking up HP while it's delayed but I see no particular mechanic to make it that way?

It could pair with plate armor to turn 1 into 7 (3 plate armor HP + 2 initial HP + 3 HP for the turn needed to get rid of summoning sickness),

No objection.

or with heavy armor to turn 1 into 10 .  Water -- the new "immo" rush?   

In point of fact, immolation's faster than this thing is. Also, I'm counting on misclicks to partially balance this thing's effectiveness (evil grin)*.

Why is sponge free?  Even without basilisk's blood or plate armor, this thing generates quanta 2 or 3 times faster than a pillar!  Of course, you have to sacrifice it to get that quanta, but still...

It does generate quanta faster, but it's also vulnerable to creature control, which seems to be more common than permanent control. Lobotomized you can no longer get the quanta out - this thing could be stopped cold in its tracks by a Mind Flayer if the player isn't careful.

That said, I'll consider adding a cost of 1 or 2 of it - this thing should be played in early game to maximize the number of turns it can grow, so it shouldn't be too expensive.

Finally, the upped version shouldn't have the HP+1 while also having the numbers themselves changed.  No point making it overly complicated, and the upped version is already much more powerful than unupped even without the HP+1 part.

That's done.

Don't think the flooding mechanism of it will ever be used since it requires flooding and at least 5 creatures on your side of the field. Heavy armor with this would be quite lulzy.

In all honesty, most of the reason it's there is because of the flavor of the thing, and if it only happens in 1% of games so what?

* Joke.

[thanata]

I like the idea; it gives Water a new "cultivation" kind of quanta boost/generator - which is something Air, Earth, and Fire all have. I don't think Water should be left out of the classic elements club 

About its synergies with Flooding; yes, it would require 5 other creatures to obtain that perk, but when it does, health accumulation is virtually doubled. Personally, I think Water needs multiplying creatures to support Flooding as the "giver of life". But that's a different topic.

[eaglgenes101]

I've put this in for consideration to go up to the Crucible.
Edit: opted out for refining.

[rickerd]

The effect looks more to a permanent to me than a to creature

[Tiko]

Very impressive, eaglgenes. You've found a solution for many weaknesses Water has while also opening up multiple new possibilities in the meantime - and all that in one single card without unnecessarily complicated mechanics. You brought back my faith in the Card Idea section, Sponge has all my support.

You could give the upgraded one +6 HP gain when submerged maybe, considering how hard it is to get that bonus, so it will double its efficiency in both forms if you can pull off the combo; but either way, the card is perfect as it is.

Good work.

[Daguerreo]

I agree with Tiko. This card is great.
You could increase hp of upped one to 6 too

[Rutarete]

Fun with Catapult