[Official] Shard of Focus | Shard of Focus

[Laxadarap]

That shield idea was just that - an idea. Actually, it isn't THAT overpowered. 2 for 20 heal means  6 + 3 cards for 60 healing, which means that 1 card would have to = 5 HP, which isn't way too far off. Also, an average of 20 HP for 3 is 6  + 2 cards for 40 healing, which isn't that bad either compared to my shield.

As for the first-turn SoFo, I'm not sure it comes up that often. Many decks that carry it have SNs, not novas, so the SoFo will have to wait a turn or two. I may be wrong, though.

Perhaps the main reason that SoFo is a huge problem is because of unupped play.  It literally dominated BL.  In unupped play, you ofc run unupped novas, and it ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to get 1st turn CC.  In upped play, 2 QT=A 0th turn SoFo.  In a PSN, a 0th turn snova isn't that rare, and its personally the type of speedbow I use, because they hardly took a nerf due to the nova nerf.  Also, the majority of decks don't have always available 1st turn CC, let alone 0th turn. 

[Elbirn]

So I apologize if my thoughts have already been posted, but frankly...I couldn't be bothered to read 40 pages of discussion. Sorry.

Anyway. In my opinion, the best way to nerf this card would be to give it only one use before it dies, and it should only give a blackhole if your mark is gravity.

Think about it. We're giving every element permanent control for a very low cost. I find this to be a terrible idea. I don't think that every element should be a jack of all trades. Each element should have it's own strengths and weaknesses. But if we must have permanent control for all...Do we REALLY need 18 costless perm destructions for every element? That's better permanent control than any other card in the entire game. And just to rub salt in the wound, the accursed thing sucks up all of your quanta when it's done desecrating your side of the playing field? Stop it. Is this shard a joke?

At least there's been a starting HP nerf so that it can be killed a bit easier...But this card still rustles my jimmies.

[AnonymousRevival]

I agree that a black hole shld only be generated if your mark is . After all, even though shards fit into the category, they each have their own unique trait which brings them back to one of the elements. This is why I'm quite pissed that the SoW does not have a bonus effect of 'if you mark is '.

While SoF does seem a little OP, at least we can kill it with lightning before it starts its PC.

[ioiui]

In my experience, the most annoying thing about this card is the ease with which rainbows can play it.  In mono and duo decks, 6/7 quanta is actually a fairly significant/balanced cost but one supernova and rainbows are laughing.

SO

how about when you play SoF, you get a black hole played against yourself, ie losing 3 quanta from each element, healing your opponent? Would probably have to adjust the playing cost of the card to something like 3 or maybe even nothing at all, but I think this would work well and would be thematic for this card.

Be kind, its my first post 

[Laxadarap]

Almost liked this, but 1 nova per sofo, doesn't even have to be an SN.  It would get out just as quicky unupped.  This really doesn't hurt early game, where SoFo is at it's best.

[ioiui]

Hmmm, I see what you mean. Maybe it could be added to the list of singularity generating cards?  I've always thought multiple black holes/SN combos should generate singularities, both have a cosmic event theme, plus its incredibly annoying in the arena.

[russianspy1234]

It's gotten to the point where I'm surprised if I don't get one played on me first turn in platinum.

[Vangelios]

For me, if it were that I still continue to use without fear.

NAME:

[Elite arbiter]

This card is a complete joke, and is ruining the game.

YAY! Yet another person makes their first post on the forum a blunt complaint about a card.

Does anyone think SoFo should be a shield of some sort? For example, it could be a shield that blocks 45 damage (just a suggestion).
OP much? Heal costs 2 for 20 healing, SoD costs 3 for 16 (or 24) A single SoFo that basically negates 45 damage for 6 + 1 card is ridiculous
Another thing to note is that if your deck has enough CC and has a fast enough start, SoFo is easy enough to kill as it comes in with 1 HP. I think that many people are focusing on what happens after the turn it is played, and not realizing that even the weakest CC can take it out on turn one.
You are implying everyone carries CC. You are implying that SoFos can't come out first turn. A first turn SoFo is invincible after it gains that first 15hp. I would like to see you carrying around CC able to be played on the first turn PURELY to counter one specific card.[/card]

I think the real problem in making SoFo such a dominant, and I'd say overpowered force is that there is virtually no way of dealing with it cost-effectively. And even the niche cards that CAN deal with it cost effectively have trouble coming out on the first couple turns.

Think about it. Even assuming best case scenario, you have that firebolt in unupped play, or whatever CC, and its a second turn SoFo and you can CC it down... you paid 3  + 1 card, and your opponent paid 7  . Which comes out about even and can in circumstances actually be in the SoFo playing players favor. And thats the core issue.

Even assuming a best case scenario where you CC it down, you still come out on the losing end.

Slightly less of an issue in upped play, but even in upped play best case scenario, the counter, will only let you break even, or at most come ahead by an amount less than 1  quanta. This is primarily because the only cards that can deal with it cost effectively like oty, owls eye, and mind flayer, are all very bulky and comparatively take a while to field.

Thus, the best way to nerf the card would be to simultaneously give it a maximum potential nerf, such as max hp = 20, gravity mark lets you get it to 40, and introduction of cards that can cost effectively get rid of it and be played early game.

[Kuroaitou]

An alternative nerf? (This helps stop its excessive use in rainbow-creature spam decks, and turns the shard into a focused PC-mechanic - also, lowering the HP threshold for the Black Hole transformation limits its usage(ironically enough)):



Also, as bjessee stated:
"So at most one permanent a turn and no attacking on the turn you do so?  Interesting."

By doing it this way as a nerf, you make a conscious, singular decision to break that permanent in half; no, you can't spam a field with Shards of Focus and obliterate everything in existence, nor will you be able to throw this in a rainbow and rush the enemy with Graboids/Shriekers, Lava Golems, Frogs, Discord/BH combos, Minor Phoenixes, etc. You either break the troubling permanent, or you simply let all your other creatures take priority.

Getting this in 4 lines is tough... but you never know.

[OldTrees]

An alternative nerf? (This helps stop its excessive use in rainbow-creature spam decks, and turns the shard into a focused PC-mechanic - also, lowering the HP threshold for the Black Hole transformation limits its usage(ironically enough)):

Getting this in 4 lines is tough... but you never know.

That non quanta additional cost (the delaying allied creatures) does a good job of extending the reach of the balanceable range of  .

I am amazed you got that much info that clear in that little space.

[willng3]

-snip-

I've ignored most of the thread due to redundancy, but I have to say that I like this proposal a lot.