Kindling | Charcoal

[Ruduen]

NAME: Kindling ELEMENT: Fire COST: 2 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 1|2 TEXT: Deals 1 damage to every creature when killed.	NAME: Charcoal ELEMENT: Fire COST: 2 TYPE: Creature ATK|HP: 2|2 TEXT: Deals 1 damage to each creature when killed. Smoulder: Sacrifice Charcoal. Deal 2 damage to target.

ART: ontzy (http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1252763) IDEA: Ruduen NOTES: Submitted for the Mash-Up Competition. Yes, Smoulder does trigger its "On death" ability. SERIES: None

Simple idea, a bit of synergy with Immolation/Cremation, and hilarious chain reactions if multiples are used with fractals or bones.

I'm honestly wondering if the upgrade should increase, decrease, or not affect health. Decreasing the health makes it a bit faster so they all go up if one does. Increasing it makes it a little bit more stable, and allows a bit more setup time.

I'm also wondering if the nova in the upgraded version is a little strong or not. Since it's cloneable, it means that there's a chance it would generate a good deal if chained together.

Constructive comment are always appreciated.

Edit # Whatever: It's current incarnation went with an attack increase instead of a health increase, and gave itself a small damage spike and a bit more flexibility, instead of the nova spam.

[Memorystick]

For the unupped, is it firewood or kindling? The card disagrees with both the thread and the chart.

Semantics aside, very interesting idea you've got there, but doesn't have enough CC as it is? I'd like to see a fraccoal deck sometime, though Although... 3 cremations would generate a hell of a lot of quanta... 36 of all (+3 of each type) + 24 from cremation*3, plus up to (although that'd be an insane number of fracs for quanta) 276 of all (+23 per element)... massive immo-nova deck, anyone?
I kinda feel the same way about the nova as I do about my zebra's nightfall|eclipse interaction- might need re-balancing, because it could be OP, or it could be UP, or it could be just fine. Only real way to tell would be to test it in-game... but we have no way of doing that, unfortunately

[Ruduen]

Whoops. I had changed the upgraded name from "Firewood" to "Charcoal", but I apparently forgot to swap it back in the process of updating all of the card text. It should be fixed now.

And yeah, I didn't want to shove any mechanic that was completely over-the-top, so I tried to make something with a straightforward but effective interaction. I'm not TOO uncomfortable with giving fire CC as long as it's handled in a different style. After all, it's not surprising if fire does CC well, is it? 

[Memorystick]

Whoops. I had changed the upgraded name from "Firewood" to "Charcoal", but I apparently forgot to swap it back in the process of updating all of the card text. It should be fixed now.

And yeah, I didn't want to shove any mechanic that was completely over-the-top, so I tried to make something with a straightforward but effective interaction. I'm not TOO uncomfortable with giving fire CC as long as it's handled in a different style. After all, it's not surprising if fire does CC well, is it? 

I dunno if you could call this a different style... Unstable gas, remember? This is almost like an UG that doesn't deal direct damage, can't activate at will (fixed through immolation though) and cheaper + mono, and the upgraded form adds in a nova... wouldn't lessen the use of UG, because it doesn't have DD, but it might end up being a mid- and late-game immo target The nova is still iffy, though.
Also, in fixing the name... you made it a spell >.<

[Ruduen]

So how many differences does it need before it can be considered a different card? 

Also, I'm not even sure how I managed to mess up the image in that way... Fixed. Again.

[Kuroaitou]

CURATOR COMMENT
-You need to add a icon after the card's COST in the table. (It should read '2 ' instead of just "2", unless you're implying that it uses generic quanta to play)


This is an odd card, but I have a love-hate feeling towards it. It already copies Nova and Immolation (technically if you sacrifice the upgraded version with a Cremation, you've basically given yourself a Supernova effect while also dealing Thunderstorm damage), which Fire doesn't need more of. I do like the explosive-damage trigger though, even if it's frail otherwise.

I'd say that the attack should increase for the upped version instead of the HP, to make it much more volatile and 'offensive/risky' in comparison to many of Fire's creatures, but that's just a suggestion.

[Ruduen]

Fixed the cost. Hm... I'm going to toy around with a few more ideas besides the nova. Personally, I think that simply increasing the damage would be a bad way to upgrade it, so I'm going to consider any other additions besides the stat change. While a slight stat boost is nice, I don't really see it as being the best of upgraded versions.

The current idea I'm toying with is to give it a "Burning" effect, where it constantly inflicts damage while it's on the field as well as when it detonates. However, the health for the self-burn would need to be taken into account to balance it. I'll keep thinking of other possibilities and see what could come up, though.

Edit: Okay, new idea hit. I was thinking of making it auto-burn itself, but the balance on it would be tricky, and I didn't want to make it a "Destroy this ASAP to avoid automatic burn". So, I put a cost on it instead. I'm currently toying with the idea of what would happen if the effect were usable more than once per round, among other things. I'm currently thinking about what a "Life restore based on damage dealt" alternative might be like, but at the moment, I'm thinking that's a bit much.

Also, sorry about the template swap in the card, the full text wouldn't fit in the old one.

[Kuroaitou]

Fixed the cost. Hm... I'm going to toy around with a few more ideas besides the nova. Personally, I think that simply increasing the damage would be a bad way to upgrade it, so I'm going to consider any other additions besides the stat change. While a slight stat boost is nice, I don't really see it as being the best of upgraded versions.

While generic stat improvements can be boring or overpowering, I think for a card idea like this, having a small boost to attack won't be a huge game-breaker, and the added ability that you're planning to have is always a nice twist for the upped version.

Edit: Okay, new idea hit. I was thinking of making it auto-burn itself, but the balance on it would be tricky, and I didn't want to make it a "Destroy this ASAP to avoid automatic burn". So, I put a cost on it instead. I'm currently toying with the idea of what would happen if the effect were usable more than once per round, among other things. I'm currently thinking about what a "Life restore based on damage dealt" alternative might be like, but at the moment, I'm thinking that's a bit much.

Also, sorry about the template swap in the card, the full text wouldn't fit in the old one.

Note: if your card requires a different font to cram in all your words, it's too complicated! (Or you just chose bad synonyms )

That said, your card idea is approved, but having a near-free 'Thunderstorm' effect that can be used each turn seems really strong, especially if the Charcoal can be immortalized by Quintessence (unless immaterial creatures are affected by 'Smoulder' as well). Of course, making an idea for Charcoal seems to be fairly difficult as is... ^^;

[kobisjeruk]

That said, your card idea is approved, but having a near-free 'Thunderstorm' effect that can be used each turn seems really strong, especially if the Charcoal can be immortalized by Quintessence (unless immaterial creatures are affected by 'Smoulder' as well).

too strong imo
somehow i like it better with the nova-effect whereas thunderstorm-on-a-stick in an element laden with tons of cc already seems too much
2 active Charcoal in play = 4 damage to each creature = OMGWTFBBQ

and lets not talk about this + fractal
*shivers*

[Ruduen]

And that's why suggestions are greatly appreciated. Immortal Charcoal wasn't exactly on my mind when I created the idea, so I had always thought of it as slowly killing itself when the effect is used. Having it penetrate immortality by itself seems to be a bit much, so I'm going to try to think of a good way to bypass it. I'm messing between "Sacrifice itself, deals 1 damage for death and 1 bonus damage as a result", "Turns into a diamond or some analog if you make it immortal", or something completely different. Of course, since this is a single card affair, I'm not sure if the second would be applicable, and requiring an addendum on top of everything might bring the length of text to ridiculous levels. Hm...

Shame diamond shield is both a shield and a spell and changing it into a spell on immortality would be a little awkward. Still needs consideration... Hm...

Yet another edit: Settled on a decent compromise, and one that fits the card. It doesn't increase the power by too much, but gives it a little bit more flexibility on upgrade. Changed it into a Sacrifice effect, which helps fulfill its death condition, while still having a small kick. Now, I'm just debating whether or not to keep it in its current, targeted form, or revert it back into the "Double Thunderstorm" form damage-wise.

[Kuroaitou]

CURATOR COMMENT
-Your idea is still approved.


I don't see anything wrong with either card, and it seems somewhat balanced to me (maybe too weak, but probably more useful as a CC card compared to Brimstone Eater for damage). Keeping the 'double-lightning' effect seems fine as is, and in fact, the mechanic could be something Virus/Retrovirus could have (unlocking a Plague, then infecting a target for additional poison damage).

[Ruduen]

To be honest, the primary reason I swapped it from double lightning tribute to single target damage was to try to get everything to fit on the card.

If I can think of a good last minute reword, it might go to double lightning on sacrifice, but as it stands, I think it's fairly solid.