Sea urchin | Sea Urchin (Elite)

[the Sage]

NAME: Sea Urchin ELEMENT: Water COST: 1 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 0|1 ABILITY: Stepped on: One grounded attacking creature is infected and delayed for one turn. Sea Urchin is destroyed.	NAME: Sea Urchin ELEMENT: Water COST: 1 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 0|1 ABILITY: Stepped on: One grounded attacking creature is infected and delayed for one turn. Sea Urchin takes one damage.

ART: the Sage IDEA: the Sage NOTES: The image is an original photograph by myself. SERIES: N/A

[the Sage]

Changelog:

No longer affects flying creatures.
Upgraded went from 2 hp to 1 hp, and from 2 to 1 cost.

[Kuroaitou]

All of the Animated Weapons would like to have a word with you (how can a 'weapon' step on this little guy?!).

I like the fact that this is more of a 'reactionary' creature in that playing this card means that the opponent either has to get rid of him quickly or deal with the infect part of the Sea Urchin. Sundial makes another interesting counter for this guy as well.

Questions though: is the 'Stepped On' ability random, or is it based on which creature attacks first in the rotation/screen? For the upgraded card, if there were buffs placed onto the Sea Urchin (say, Basilisk's Blood), does that mean that it'll continuously infect creatures for as long as it's alive?

[the Sage]

All of the Animated Weapons would like to have a word with you (how can a 'weapon' step on this little guy?!).

You are right. It should of course be non-airbourne creatures. =)
By the way, we really need a term for non-airbourne that is shorter!

I like the fact that this is more of a 'reactionary' creature in that playing this card means that the opponent either has to get rid of him quickly or deal with the infect part of the Sea Urchin. Sundial makes another interesting counter for this guy as well.

Thanks, me too! =D

Questions though: is the 'Stepped On' ability random, or is it based on which creature attacks first in the rotation/screen?

Hadn't really thought about it. I personally pictured it completely random. Also, otherwise the upped version or multiple of the unupped would keep targeting the same creature. Also, it only gets stepped on once per turn.

For the upgraded card, if there were buffs placed onto the Sea Urchin (say, Basilisk's Blood), does that mean that it'll continuously infect creatures for as long as it's alive?

Yes, that was the idea. However, I didn't consider basilisk blood (was thinking more along the lines of bless, chaos power, healing angel (!) etc). As a balance consideration, an Otyugh with Basilisk blood will do far worse than continually infect creatures, and it will gain hp (and attack) along the way instead of losing hp.

Comparing this to Otyughs reminds me: quinted/burrowed creatures. I would say they are also affected, since this ability targets attacking creatures (think carapace/turtle shield). As such, I think the upgraded version does need a nerf. I'm thinking either increasing the cost (which makes for an all-round nerf) or decreasing the hp to 1 (which focuses more on the synergy with buffs, making it worse than the unupped for a mono water deck). What are your thoughts on this?

[Kuroaitou]

You are right. It should of course be non-airbourne creatures. =)
By the way, we really need a term for non-airbourne that is shorter!

Thesaurus.com works wonders.

Yes, that was the idea. However, I didn't consider basilisk blood (was thinking more along the lines of bless, chaos power, healing angel (!) etc). As a balance consideration, an Otyugh with Basilisk blood will do far worse than continually infect creatures, and it will gain hp (and attack) along the way instead of losing hp.

Comparing this to Otyughs reminds me: quinted/burrowed creatures. I would say they are also affected, since this ability targets attacking creatures (think carapace/turtle shield). As such, I think the upgraded version does need a nerf. I'm thinking either increasing the cost (which makes for an all-round nerf) or decreasing the hp to 1 (which focuses more on the synergy with buffs, making it worse than the unupped for a mono water deck). What are your thoughts on this?

I agree about the balance comparison for the use of Basilisk Blood on an Otyugh versus the Urchin.

As for mono-water, Permafrost shield 'technically' can counter burrowed and immortalized creatures, but does no damage in comparison to Fire Shield/Thorn Carapace. Flooding also doesn't affect them - if you reduce the HP down to 1, what are the odds of infected an immortalized creatures when several of them are on the board? Assuming that they're all attacking, you may infect the wrong one (i.e. - with a board filled with Phase Recluses and an Elite Phase Dragon, guess which one is going to die in 2 turns). Then this card becomes overly luck based depending on how your opponent plays his creatures (and which ones are quinted).

However, I think reducing the HP can be beneficial for people who love buffing mechanics (Blessing, Momentum, etc.), and it would also bring a really annoying synergy between Earth and Water (Flooding + Poseidon + Permafrost (all the permanents enchanted with PA) + these guys with +20 HP from basilisk's blood + other heavy hitters). Then again, considering how limited it is to use the newly implemented cards (Dune Scorpion, Death Stalker) without the use of buffs, you may want to analyze whether or not reducing its HP is the best idea in the current game environment.

(No matter what though, I'd say you should reduce the cost to 1 for both cards. The guy is stuck on the bottom of the sea that can't even attack, and can be easily destroyed (or eaten!) by anything)

[philipsballs]

not a bad idea. nice.

[Legit]

You are right. It should of course be non-airbourne creatures. =)
By the way, we really need a term for non-airbourne that is shorter!

What about grounded (creatures)?

Also, I agree with Kuroaitou's idea that it should cost 1 for both versions. I like the card idea too

[the Sage]

oops, meant to modify this but reposted instead. 

[the Sage]

Also, I agree with Kuroaitou's idea that it should cost 1 for both versions. I like the card idea too

Thanks for the nice feedback people!
I don't know about the 1 cost. I compare it to retrovirus; this also costs 2 where virus costs 1 . Then again, that affects all creatures where this affects 2 unbuffed. Although I hate that this is always an issue: consider what fractal does. Each of these kills 2 creatures.

What I might do is make the upgraded one cost 1 , and have 1 hp too. That would make it the same as unupped, except now making buffs a viable synergy. I like the symmetry that gives. 

What about grounded (creatures)?

What I meant was not so much that we need to find a word (though I didn't think of one), as that we need to have community consensus regarding a term. I agree with legit that grounded works well.

[Rainbowz]

Hmm it fits waters synergy with poison, and realistic, i like it.

[the Sage]

The guy is stuck on the bottom of the sea that can't even attack, and can be easily destroyed (or eaten!) by anything)

Hmm, maybe 'infect if devoured' would be an appropriate addition. Too bad there's no room on the card.

[Astraic]

im not sure if its a mistake but
isn;t the upgrade the same thing?
even though it takes 1 damage it would still die.....
just like how the 1st one is destroyed