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Elements the Game => Exhibition Hall => Card Ideas and Art => Series => Topic started by: Werdbooty on January 07, 2011, 04:50:54 pm

Title: Lucky! Series
Post by: Werdbooty on January 07, 2011, 04:50:54 pm
:electrum :electrum :electrum
Edit January 29/2011: You can now click on a card image to go to its individual thread.
 :electrum :electrum :electrum
Although I started in on this concept a while back, the fact that we're currently "Reigned by Entropy" adds a whole new aspect to this pack of cards. Since this Series revolves around Chance and Luck, I figure it couples nicely with Entropy's victory, tho bear in mind this series isn't based on Entropy. The idea here is that one would have a 50% chance to achieve one of the desired effects on each card, both effects being somewhat beneficial to the spell's controller. There is one card for each element, including a bonus card for Other, with all effects pertaining (for the most part, I think) to their corresponding Elements.

One last thing before I get to the cards: there's a subtle difference in the way these cards upgrade.

(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169642/Wishbone.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24084.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169643/Wishbone_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24084.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169646/Horseshoe.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24086.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169647/Horseshoe_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24086.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169648/Fish_Scale.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24087.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169649/Fish_Scale_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24087.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169644/Matchstick.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24085.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169645/Matchstick_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24085.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138249/Rabbits_Foot.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20979.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138250/Rabbits_Foot_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20979.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138247/Loaded_Dice.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20980.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138248/Loaded_Dice_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20980.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138186/Four_Leaf_Clover.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20450.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138187/Four_Leaf_Clover_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20450.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138259/Bone_Domino.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20981.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138260/Bone_Domino_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20981.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138190/Crystal_Ball2.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20449.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd146684/Crystal_Ball2_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20449.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138262/Weighted_Coin.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20982.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138263/Weighted_Coin_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20982.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138184/Metronome.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20448.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138185/Metronome_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20448.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd138193/Dreamcatcher.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20451.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd169591/Dreamcatcher_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20451.0.html)
...and of course, Other:
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd170131/All_or_Nothing.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24139.0.html)
(http://imageplay.net/img/m7Gbd170132/All_or_Nothing_upg.png) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,24139.0.html)
*note: this was almost an Entropy card.
Just a few points to keep in mind:
Well, I think that's that for now. I'll deal with any concerns or questions as they arise. Thanks in advance folks.



Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: crystalmakwer on January 07, 2011, 04:55:13 pm
What an epic work!!! :o I like it!!!
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: EmeraldTiger on January 07, 2011, 05:14:04 pm
Sounds Good! But are they balanced? Mr. OldTrees please answer this.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 07, 2011, 05:15:31 pm
Sounds Good! But are they balanced? Mr. OldTrees please answer this.
*rubs hands in anticipation*

His math is always better than mine anyway. I swear, I just put whatever looks good in the casting cost and wait for OldTrees to tell me where I went wrong  :P
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: OldTrees on January 07, 2011, 05:21:37 pm
Individual Analysis of unupped cards.
 :air Thunderstorm is worth 2 :air so obviously this card intended the alternative Airborne effect as a means of dilution. I believe that the Airborne effect combined with Air Blitz would be worth 1 :air and thus the dilution may not be sufficient. Web is a lot more situational but also a lot less Airish.

 :earth Both effects are well priced. Destroying 1 random pillar might not be worth a full  :earth though.

 :water I cannot judge this well.

 :fire Neither the +2 damage effect nor +3 damage effect seem worth the :fire unupped.

 :light Again another dilution card. Here I think the dilution worked. 3hp of healing is almost worthless but 1 turn of grace is worth about 2 :light.

 :darkness I cannot judge well

 :life Another dilution card. I see a trend. Dilution cards work well with this Lucky Mechanic. Is the extra attack a random creature or targeted? I think the dilution would work best with random.

 :death Unfortunately this is superior to Skeleton unless a shield is used. If a shield is used then it is worse than Skeleton. I cannot judge this well.

 :aether Both of these effects are worth more than 1 :aether (3|2 :aether to be precise)

 :gravity Seems balanced

 :time Another successful dilution (2 :time+c|0 :time+c)

 :entropy Same 10 quanta shuffle as Discord? I think it is clear that Antimatter even random may be too powerful for this card.

 :rainbow Probably too onesided for 1 :rainbow. Heal half current hp or lose all but 1hp might be more fitting

Analysis for upgraded will come soon.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: manaboy100 on January 07, 2011, 05:26:40 pm
Well, I like the idea, but here's some advice?

"Fish Scale'' description: Remove the 'you' between 'or' and 'generate

"Match Stick'' effect: Why +2/0? Fire's trademark is increasing damage while reducing HP :) Maybe +2/-1? And make it to a random creature, not only our's

''Rabbit's Foot'' effect: Just round up the healing to 5?

''Loaded Dice" effect: Remove the &s, one effect a time :)

"Bone Domino" effect: Same with "Loaded Dice"

"Crystal Ball" effect: Err, I'll useabuse that card  :D
I could sense Protects + Crystal Ball + Phase Shield , epic stall FTW



Last words?


LUCK IS TEH WIN!
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: OldTrees on January 07, 2011, 05:53:29 pm

Terminology
CC: Casting Cost
AC: Activation Cost

Upgraded aka "on a stick"
 :air Thunderstorm on a stick is Very powerful due to the abnormal synergy between uses. Airborne on a stick enables Airblitzing on a whole new level. I would assume that a CC:6|5 :air with AC:2 :air would be closer to balanced but will require a lot of careful consideration.

 :earth Might be balanced. Increased synergy with Liquid Shadow, decreased vulnerability to CC and increased value of the minor quake effect.

 :water A Water pillar with an effective CC of 6.5 :water that floods every other turn? I think the free alternating flood effect may be worth more. An AC of  :water :water would fix this and even allow a CC of 2 :water.

 :fire Effective CC of 5.5, AC of 1 for 2.5 damage per turn? In fire? 2.5 damage per turn is worth a CC of 1.5 and AC of 0 in Fire.

 :light Rabbit's feet in mass now provide a reliable but expensive permanent Dimensional Shield that ignores momentum. This will need careful consideration and will often be seen as OP due to the small number of mass PC counters to it (Pulvy, BE, Mutation, Fallen Elf).

 :darkness Seems on par with 2 pests.

 :life I don't know. May be UP alone, may be OP with Feral Bond.

 :death I don't know

 :aether Feels too powerful

 :gravity Gravity pull on a stick is both powerful and redundant. Look to others for further advice

 :time Redundancy with Hourglass and Eternity may be problems. Actual CC of 5 :time is theoretically balanced.

 :entropy Same problem as unupped. Antimatter may be too powerful

 :rainbow Same suggestion as with the unupped.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 07, 2011, 05:58:06 pm
:air Thunderstorm is worth 2 :air so obviously this card intended the alternative Airborne effect as a means of dilution. I believe that the Airborne effect combined with Air Blitz would be worth 1 :air and thus the dilution may not be sufficient. Web is a lot more situational but also a lot less Airish.

 :earth Both effects are well priced. Destroying 1 random pillar might not be worth a full  :earth though.

 :water I cannot judge this well.

 :fire Neither the +2 damage effect nor +3 damage effect seem worth the :fire unupped.

 :light Again another dilution card. Here I think the dilution worked. 3hp of healing is almost worthless but 1 turn of grace is worth about 2 :light.

 :darkness I cannot judge well

 :life Another dilution card. I see a trend. Dilution cards work well with this Lucky Mechanic. Is the extra attack a random creature or targeted? I think the dilution would work best with random.

 :death Unfortunately this is superior to Skeleton unless a shield is used. If a shield is used then it is worse than Skeleton. I cannot judge this well.

 :aether Both of these effects are worth more than 1 :aether (3|2 :aether to be precise)

 :gravity Seems balanced

 :time Another successful dilution (2 :time+c|0 :time+c)

 :entropy Same 10 quanta shuffle as Discord? I think it is clear that Antimatter even random may be too powerful for this card.

 :rainbow Probably too onesided for 1 :rainbow. Heal half current hp or lose all but 1hp might be more fitting

Analysis for upgraded will come soon.
EXPLANATIONS: Round One (Unupped)

Once again Trees, you hit pretty much every nail on the head. 90% of what you brought up are concerns of mine. And yes, I had to keep telling myself to stop "watering down" the cards.

:air I suspected the Airborne effect wasn't going to cut it but I really wanted to avoid turning Wishbone into a destructive card. I felt it needed an "airier" quality. Perhaps 2 damage served instead of 1 by the lightning effect? Also note this would remove Invisibility, whether upped or no.

 :earth I agonized over this. I debated putting it to 2, then dropped it to 1 pillar at the last moment. Oddly, one of the harder cards to make.

 :water Neither can I lol...hence the "1 turn" modifier.

 :fire It was originally intended as a permanent +2|+0 (a la Fire Spirit) or 5 damage dealt, but I was worried that might be a little OP. Perhaps not, this is Fire after all. Also, I think this might answer your question as well, Manaboy. It is interesting to note that the card started as a global creature effect, then evolved to only controller's side of the field.

 :light Dilution was all too easy with this one! And yes Manaboy, the original heal effect was for 5 (this is Light, remember?)

 :darkness This card came to me relatively easy. I think the swap on the payoffs is nice (Loaded Dice = win/win situation), tho Manaboy raises a valid concern: is this mechanic doable, or should it be trimmed? Same goes for Bone Domino.

 :life All creature effects are meant to be random. Seeing as life has a fairly balanced creature system, I thought a randomizer like this on your side of the field might be nice for Life. (Take that, Adrenaline!)

 :death Y'know, it was originally meant to be an Elite Skeleton with one Bone Shield, then flip-flopped all over the place. I'm still not satisfied myself. I will say this tho: this card will keep its ability to summon at least one Bone Shield. That idea just tickles me purple.

 :aether Told you it was broken.

 :gravity Final card created. I toyed with the idea of a Black Hole effect, then realized Gravity Pull on the opposite end of the court might dilute the Momentum effect enough to not OP Gravity some more.

 :time Too easy. This card made itself.

 :entropy & :rainbow These two are possibly interchangeable. I'm debating the idea of dropping the Other and integrating its effect into Dreamcatcher, tho I can't see how a Dreamcatcher would fit with All or Nothing's mechanic. Seems more Entropy to me, at any rate. By the way, I figure the math on the Antimatter to be something like this: 4 :entropy for Antimatter. Cut that in half due to the 50-50 nature of the Lucky mechanic. Further cut that in half as it stands a 50-50 chance of actually landing on your side of the field. This is assuming your opponent has a creature out tho.

Review review review...I'll get to the Sticks in a bit.

Oh, it might help to think of these as cantrips. Slight little spells that aren't supposed to do much but help out a lot.

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: OldTrees on January 07, 2011, 06:17:23 pm
:air Thunderstorm is worth 2 :air so obviously this card intended the alternative Airborne effect as a means of dilution. I believe that the Airborne effect combined with Air Blitz would be worth 1 :air and thus the dilution may not be sufficient. Web is a lot more situational but also a lot less Airish.

 :earth Both effects are well priced. Destroying 1 random pillar might not be worth a full  :earth though.

 :water I cannot judge this well.

 :fire Neither the +2 damage effect nor +3 damage effect seem worth the :fire unupped.

 :light Again another dilution card. Here I think the dilution worked. 3hp of healing is almost worthless but 1 turn of grace is worth about 2 :light.

 :darkness I cannot judge well

 :life Another dilution card. I see a trend. Dilution cards work well with this Lucky Mechanic. Is the extra attack a random creature or targeted? I think the dilution would work best with random.

 :death Unfortunately this is superior to Skeleton unless a shield is used. If a shield is used then it is worse than Skeleton. I cannot judge this well.

 :aether Both of these effects are worth more than 1 :aether (3|2 :aether to be precise)

 :gravity Seems balanced

 :time Another successful dilution (2 :time+c|0 :time+c)

 :entropy Same 10 quanta shuffle as Discord? I think it is clear that Antimatter even random may be too powerful for this card.

 :rainbow Probably too onesided for 1 :rainbow. Heal half current hp or lose all but 1hp might be more fitting

Analysis for upgraded will come soon.
EXPLANATIONS: Round One (Unupped)

Once again Trees, you hit pretty much every nail on the head. 90% of what you brought up are concerns of mine. And yes, I had to keep telling myself to stop "watering down" the cards.

:air I suspected the Airborne effect wasn't going to cut it but I really wanted to avoid turning Wishbone into a destructive card. I felt it needed an "airier" quality. Perhaps 2 damage served instead of 1 by the lightning effect? Also note this would remove Invisibility, whether upped or no.

 :earth I agonized over this. I debated putting it to 2, then dropped it to 1 pillar at the last moment. Oddly, one of the harder cards to make.

 :water Neither can I lol...hence the "1 turn" modifier.

 :fire It was originally intended as a permanent +2|+0 (a la Fire Spirit) or 5 damage dealt, but I was worried that might be a little OP. Perhaps not, this is Fire after all. Also, I think this might answer your question as well, Manaboy. It is interesting to note that the card started as a global creature effect, then evolved to only controller's side of the field.

 :light Dilution was all too easy with this one! And yes Manaboy, the original heal effect was for 5 (this is Light, remember?)

 :darkness This card came to me relatively easy. I think the swap on the payoffs is nice (Loaded Dice = win/win situation), tho Manaboy raises a valid concern: is this mechanic doable, or should it be trimmed? Same goes for Bone Domino.

 :life All creature effects are meant to be random. Seeing as life has a fairly balanced creature system, I thought a randomizer like this on your side of the field might be nice for Life. (Take that, Adrenaline!)

 :death Y'know, it was originally meant to be an Elite Skeleton with one Bone Shield, then flip-flopped all over the place. I'm still not satisfied myself. I will say this tho: this card will keep its ability to summon at least one Bone Shield. That idea just tickles me purple.

 :aether Told you it was broken.

 :gravity Final card created. I toyed with the idea of a Black Hole effect, then realized Gravity Pull on the opposite end of the court might dilute the Momentum effect enough to not OP Gravity some more.

 :time Too easy. This card made itself.

 :entropy & :rainbow These two are possibly interchangeable. I'm debating the idea of dropping the Other and integrating its effect into Dreamcatcher, tho I can't see how a Dreamcatcher would fit with All or Nothing's mechanic. Seems more Entropy to me, at any rate. By the way, I figure the math on the Antimatter to be something like this: 4 :entropy for Antimatter. Cut that in half due to the 50-50 nature of the Lucky mechanic. Further cut that in half as it stands a 50-50 chance of actually landing on your side of the field. This is assuming your opponent has a creature out tho.

Review review review...I'll get to the Sticks in a bit.

Oh, it might help to think of these as cantrips. Slight little spells that aren't supposed to do much but help out a lot.
Clarification: Dilution of one result with the other result is not a bad idea. It is in fact a good idea when done right thematically like it is here.

:air Do not increase the Thunderstorm effect please. I would leave it as is for now. If I am right it is only slightly (.5quanta) OP.

 :earth I would suggest letting them target the destroyed pillar but that would require the +hp effect to be random (oh wait it is :) ).

 :darkness The mechanic is a combination of a triggered devourer's passive ability and a modified drain life spell. Easily code-able.

 :aether Maybe you phase out or are struck by a shock/spark [3damage]?

 :gravity Thank you for not using Black Hole.

 :entropy I missed that Antimatter could be your side as well. This could be balanced at CC of 2 :entropy.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Ajit on January 08, 2011, 12:14:28 am
I don't necessarily see anything wrong with the mechanics, but I'm not crazy about them.  I doubt I would use them...

However, I LOVE some of the names of the cards for most elements.  They fit great.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ZephyrPhantom on January 08, 2011, 12:38:20 am
I like this series, it certainly does go along with reign of entropy, and Oldtrees has pretty much covered everything.

I feel  :rainbow is too risky, and not rewarding at the same time.  What if you're about to die with like 8 health? I say increase the healing.


 :life  is rather interesting considering the potential combos with Fallen Elf and other cards, but I really don't see the use of unupped except for splashing in more rustlers.

 :aether  Feels kind of strong, since it's a cheaper Silence or a self protection effect.

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ninjamaster1991 on January 08, 2011, 02:23:19 am
mebbe make the  :rainbow card heal full hp, or halve your hp.

you can integrate either 1 of them...
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: joebob777 on January 08, 2011, 02:27:33 am
i say double or half, then it could be even stronger then miracle for just 2 :rainbow (on average)
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 05:02:26 am
I think this should also have a monster attached to it.

Gambler|Trickster
2|5               2|6
Cost:
5 :rainbow

Ability:
Lucky Charm:
Cost 3 :rainbow
50% chance to generate a lucky charm (any other card in this series not counting gambler and all or nothing), and 50% chance to heal self for 3 HP.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 05:42:58 pm
 :life  is rather interesting considering the potential combos with Fallen Elf and other cards, but I really don't see the use of unupped except for splashing in more rustlers.

The Rustler thing was a bit of a last minute addition...I believe the original card was a life gain effect. At any rate, I was trying to balance the card with the others while gearing it toward the Life Mark (hence the creature spawn). I was debating upping the number of attacks to three but I think that'll push things a little too far. Essentially, I'm not terribly satisfied with the Rustlers...another thought was to spawn a Frog, but coupled with the extra attack, I don't know.

Any ideas on what this card (or any of the others) might do instead? I'm thinking of some sort of different Element-ability affiliation for each mark too, something that won't overhaul the game but will bring in a nice "soft" mechanic (like a low-end mass creature heal or something similar). At any rate, this card is presenting some problems for me (too many "standard" options)...I'd like to drop the Rustler spawn if I could.


@Doublecross: Gambler|Trickster, do it up! The spells will have to be refined first, of course, but go for it! I figured either Entropy or Darkness would work.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:07:02 pm
Well, I though you could submit it with your series. I would assume series are more likely to get accepted if they seem coherent, so anything from different art to different ways of phrasing could subconsciously hurt the chances of the entire series. Thus, I was thinking that (if it isn't too large a time commitment, you could be the one to make it, and merge it).

As to the rustler issue, I was thinking a nice compromise would be that it summons a Rustler with adrenaline already on it.
That way, it ups the damage slightly (unless they have a shield) and maintains the interesting synergy with light. Unlike a frog, it would only up the damage in certain contexts, and wouldn't be OP.

What do you think?
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 06:10:55 pm
Well, I have a "lucky" creature sitting in my garbage folder. Might be time to haul it out & take another crack at it.

Summoning a Rustler with Adrenaline on it could work, just bear in mind this is at a cost of  :life + 4 :life.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ZephyrPhantom on January 08, 2011, 06:15:28 pm
Well, I though you could submit it with your series. I would assume series are more likely to get accepted if they seem coherent, so anything from different art to different ways of phrasing could subconsciously hurt the chances of the entire series. Thus, I was thinking that (if it isn't too large a time commitment, you could be the one to make it, and merge it).

As to the rustler issue, I was thinking a nice compromise would be that it summons a Rustler with adrenaline already on it.
That way, it ups the damage slightly (unless they have a shield) and maintains the interesting synergy with light. Unlike a frog, it would only up the damage in certain contexts, and wouldn't be OP.

What do you think?

First of all, welcome to card ideas.  I'm lookijng forward to seeing what ideas come from you.

Also, don't worry about a minor discrepancy like that.  Sometimes part of a series goes up a level, while the rest goes to the archive.  Also, series like My Duality series and Grindpower's Card Ideas clearly have no relation in the cards whatsoever, but have another common point, such as usage of two quantas in all cards or a common author.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:18:22 pm
First, about the Rustler w/ adrenaline cost issue, adrenaline costs 4 (3 upgraded). It is true that this card would be a cheaper way of doing that. ("OP! OP!" shout the dissenters and detractors. "Hold up! ", I say, "Let me explain")
Adrenaline costs 4.
This costs 1.
However, Adrenaline may be used on a monster of your choice.
This one is used on a monster with only 1 attack, which wouldn't be a cost effective use of adrenaline normally.

"I am still not convinced!", cry the haters, though not as confidently as before.

"But wait! There's more!", I say smugly.

The coup de grace is that this only occurs part of the time.

Less than 100% chance to summon a 1 attack creature with adrenaline for the cost of  :life + cost of the card,  is not any more OP than spending 4 :life (3 :life upgraded) to apply adrenaline to a creature of your choice.

"Oh, ok." Say the detractors "We are convinced, and will name our first born after you"

"Ok, but you are probably not going to have children.", say I.



Oh, for the Gambler|Trickster, I though about it, and, instead of having the stats increase when the card is upgraded, the effect would slightly change (to make the names make sense)


For the Gambler, he would be taking a gamble, so he either gains a random Lucky Charm, or some negative effect happens to him (maybe delay or damage. Up to you).

For the Trickster, he is still leaving it up to chance, but both possibilities help him (stick with the original ability for this guy).

So, we would just need some art, find some fair stats, and a cost that the community would agree upon (mostly. They never totally agree, except for the large contingent against fractal...)
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ddevans96 on January 08, 2011, 06:18:40 pm
Well, I though you could submit it with your series. I would assume series are more likely to get accepted if they seem coherent, so anything from different art to different ways of phrasing could subconsciously hurt the chances of the entire series. Thus, I was thinking that (if it isn't too large a time commitment, you could be the one to make it, and merge it).

As to the rustler issue, I was thinking a nice compromise would be that it summons a Rustler with adrenaline already on it.
That way, it ups the damage slightly (unless they have a shield) and maintains the interesting synergy with light. Unlike a frog, it would only up the damage in certain contexts, and wouldn't be OP.

What do you think?

First of all, welcome to card ideas.  I'm lookijng forward to seeing what ideas come from you.

Also, don't worry about a minor discrepancy like that.  Sometimes part of a series goes up a level, while the rest goes to the archive.  Also, series like My Duality series and Grindpower's Card Ideas clearly have no relation in the cards whatsoever, but have another common point, such as usage of two quantas in all cards or a common author.
Actually that thread is a compilation of card ideas not a series.

This series looks interesting and I like how you used lucky symbols in real life for the cards :)
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 06:22:31 pm
First, about the Rustler w/ adrenaline cost issue, adrenaline costs 4 (3 upgraded). It is true that this card would be a cheaper way of doing that. ("OP! OP!" shout the dissenters and detractors. "Hold up! ", I say, "Let me explain")
Adrenaline costs 4.
This costs 1.
However, Adrenaline may be used on a monster of your choice.
This one is used on a monster with only 1 attack, which wouldn't be a cost effective use of adrenaline normally.

"I am still not convinced!", cry the haters, though not as confidently as before.

"But wait! There's more!", I say smugly.

The coup de grace is that this only occurs part of the time.

Less than 100% chance to summon a 1 attack creature with adrenaline for the cost of  :life + cost of the card,  is not any more OP than spending 4 :life (3 :life upgraded) to apply adrenaline to a creature of your choice.

"Oh, ok." Say the detractors "We are convinced, and will name our first born after you"

"Ok, but you are probably not going to have children.", say I.

As OldTrees said, Dilution can be a good thing :)

On a side note, thank you for clearing the math up. This is somewhat similar to my line of thinking, only I totally forget about the randomness effect :P

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:26:17 pm
Oh! No problem.

I am actually a game theory major at Brandeis.
(It is a build your own major, for a depressingly small number of people consider it to be a real subject. I am actually combining it with Biology to a great degree of success, in the manner of Richard Dawkins before me. But I digress)

I do look forward to working in card creation in my time at the forums.
If you ever want me to look at a card or OP/UP/Just right, PM me. I am also willing to explain my math to people who are skeptical.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 06:28:56 pm
Oh! No problem.

I am actually a game theory major at Brandeis.
(It is a build your own major, for a depressingly small number of people consider it to be a real subject. I am actually combining it with Biology to a great degree of success, in the manner of Richard Dawkins before me. But I digress)

I do look forward to working in card creation in my time at the forums.
If you ever want me to look at a card or OP/UP/Just right, PM me. I am also willing to explain my math to people who are skeptical.
Anytime you feel like doing the math for any of my cards is tops with me. Numbers are not my milieu.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:37:05 pm
Oh! No problem.

I am actually a game theory major at Brandeis.
(It is a build your own major, for a depressingly small number of people consider it to be a real subject. I am actually combining it with Biology to a great degree of success, in the manner of Richard Dawkins before me. But I digress)

I do look forward to working in card creation in my time at the forums.
If you ever want me to look at a card or OP/UP/Just right, PM me. I am also willing to explain my math to people who are skeptical.
Anytime you feel like doing the math for any of my cards is tops with me. Numbers are not my milieu.
Will do. message me whenever there is an argument about balance of your cards. I will also take a look at what you have right now.

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:44:43 pm
Wishbone.

1 for either one creature gaining airborne or, in effect, casting thunderstorm is not OP.
Reasoning:
airborne is only useful in certain contexts (more so with the new cards), but in almost any scenario, whether or not a creature is airborne does not effect the game.
the other effect is essentially casting thunderstorm (which costs 2).

So, what this card is a half price thunderstorm, with a 50% chance of working. No one (intelligent) would argue that is OP. The airborne effect is nice, and makes the card worth playing.
As a upgraded card, it is much more useful, because to my knowledge, it is the only non-weapon, non-shield permanent that would be effective at countering an infestation.

Even then, it is not OP. Compared to upgraded thunderstorm, it is same damage, same cost, but this has only a 50% proc rate.

Verdict: Not OP. Not useful in all decks, but if you are playing against another air elemental, or against a Hope/RoL deck, or have built your deck around the recent card that temporarily buffs airborne creatures,
it would be a useful, but not OP card.

Suggest changes:
Replace "damage each enemy creature for 1", with "cast thunderstorm", to counter questions like "does it hurt immaterial creatures", which assume is no.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:53:02 pm
Horseshoe:

Similar argument to Wishbone.


The creature buff is not OP, for it is the same cost as plate armor (which has the same effect), but, unlike plate armor, this does not always activate, and you cannot chose the target creature.
The bigger question is whether or not the pillar destruction is OP.  When considered in comparison to pulverizer, which can, for a cost of 3, destroy any permanent, or trident's tsunami, which 
for 3 (2 when upgraded) can destroy 3 pillars, OF YOUR CHOSING. This is not OP. Especially considering that the weapons deal damage and this does not.


Verdict:
This is not OP, because its cost is within the range of similar effects from other cards.

Plate armor has the same cost and effect, but is targetable.

Pulverizer can destroy any permanent for a cost of 3, but this can be aimed, and can be any permanent, not a random pillar. This also does damage.

Trident can destroy 3 pillars of your chosing for a cost of 3. This surely beats 50% chance of 1 random pillar, for the cost of 1.  Trident also does damage.

Explosion has an equal cost, but is not limited to towers, can be aimed, and costs fire, which, due to elite fireflies, immolation, and others is marginally easier to produce than earth.


Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 06:59:56 pm
Fish scale.


This is well balanced as well.

Yes, it can cause a flood, which can insta-kill a number of creatures. However, the game, by default fills the middle row first. This middle row is immune to flooding. (Pets spawn in the lower right
hand corner, but they are not in PvP).    For your opponent to have creatures in the top/bottom rows, 1 of two things is happening.

1) They are kicking your sorry arse.   
In that case, this card gives you a chance to get back in the game. Although not a very good one.

2) They have some sort of infestation going on.
This then has two possibilities
   a)They are causing the infestation. In this case, it is likely the creatures will be replaced quickly, and thus a 1 turn flood didn't damage them that much. Or, they were in the process of
RoL/Hope, in which case they deserve to lose for being a jerk.
or
   b) You are causing the infestation to fill up their creature slots. In this case, it would be silly to call this card OP, because the flood would be working against you.


As to the effect of water generation.
Pay 1 water to maybe get 3 seems fair. True, it would give it better quanta generation than a pillar.  However, it doesn't cluster, and you may only have 6.

Verdict:
Balanced
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 07:04:26 pm
As to the effect of water generation.
Pay 1 water to maybe get 3 seems fair. True, it would give it better quanta generation than a pillar.  However, it doesn't cluster, and you may only have 6.

Also note the Absorption cost of Flooding is  :water :water :water. I envision a combination of Flooding and Fish Scale for mass CC.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:07:41 pm
Matchstick

Balanced. Balanced balanced balanced!


It costs 1 fire.

It may give a temporary +2|+0 to a random creature.

Compare with Chaos power.

It costs 1 entropy.

Gives a permanent {+1,2,3,4,5| +1,2,3,4,5} to a creature of your chosing.

Chaos power has proven itself to be very balanced over the years, and is more powerful than matchstick.






As to the other effect of dealing 3 damage, 50% of the time, there is a fire spell that does atleast 3 damage for 3 fire, and may be used on either creatures or on your opponent, fire lance.
Now, people have complained about fire lance, due to its increasing power based on your amount of fire.
This is clearly less poweful than that, being random and capped at 3 damage.


Verdict:

Slightly UNDERpowered.

Suggestion:
Either make the +2|+0 permanent (like ablaze ability of equal cost)
or
The damage effect chooses a random creature or the opponent (each creature and opponent has equal chance of being the target). That way, it may kill an enemy creature and do something worthwhile.


With either (or even both) of these changes, the spell will still be a weak, but not useless card (it could buff scorpions for example), and the permanent would be well balanced (if still slightly weak)
card compared to other upgraded permanents.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:09:54 pm
As to the effect of water generation.
Pay 1 water to maybe get 3 seems fair. True, it would give it better quanta generation than a pillar.  However, it doesn't cluster, and you may only have 6.

Also note the Absorption cost of Flooding is  :water :water :water. I envision a combination of Flooding and Fish Scale for mass CC.

Then this card gains utility in mono-water without becoming OP. Good job sir. [It isn't OP, because you would need slightly over 2 of these to pay for flooding.]

You need 2 to generate an average of 3 per turn, however, each has a cost of 1 per turn.   3 would be needed to sustain flooding, and, even then, a bad luck turn could let your flooding disappear]
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:16:43 pm
Rabbits foot.


Again balanced, and, like the others, slightly leaning towards underpowered. (However they would be so fun, I personally would still use them)


Math-stuff you have come to expect from me:

Spell version:


1 light to maybe heal 3, and maybe do the effects of a sundial, is what this boils down to.


1 light to heal 3 is on par with other light based healing, but lacks the benefit of being able to heal a creature (or damage a dark one).

1 light for preventing 1 turn of attack is no more expensive than the cost of sundial, and, unlike sundial, doesn't let you draw a card.




Permanent version:

The heal effect makes it a weaker shard of Gratitude, that heals less, and costs quanta.

(To its' credit, it activates before the end of the turn, making it an option for people trying to get an EM)

The attack prevention averages to half of turns having no attack. In effect, this serves the same function as a procrastinate that effects you and you opponent, and also costs light.


Verdict:
Balanced, if slightly weak, just like every card in this series so far.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:19:06 pm
What do you think about my analysis so far? Does anyone have any questions, comments, concerns, and or inane remarks?

Warning: Inane remarks will be met either with Mockery that would make your ancestors feel insignificant, and/or total indifference, depending on my mood.



Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ddevans96 on January 08, 2011, 07:24:28 pm
I would put all of your analysis into one post and put the different sections in a spoiler. The analysis is very good though :)
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:28:28 pm
Loaded Dice

This card, like the others, is balanced, this time, refreshingly, leaning in the direction of being useful. (Not that the others are not useful. This one is just ... it could beat up the other
lucky cards so far)

Let me break it down.


Half of the time, it generates 2 darkness, and 1 life, taking 3 quanta and 1 life from your opponent.     [compared to life drain that lets you spend 2 darkness to gain 2+ life, and damage either
a creature or your opponent.)    Compare also to black hole, which, for a cost of 4 gravity, destroys up to 36 quanta, healing you for up to 36

Clearly, not OP

The other half of the time, it steals 3 life (marginally worse than the vampiric weapons), and destroys one of your opponents quanta (the gained darkness goes into paying for the activation)


Verdict: Still not better than cards that already exist, though more fun, and possibly more useful in compound strategies (especially if Gambler|Trickster is included).
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 07:29:50 pm
I would put all of your analysis into one post and put the different sections in a spoiler. The analysis is very good though :)
Seconded, and thank you. I'll reserve the right to go over these all at once, and, coupled with OldTrees' analysis, it should give me good solid ground for some overhauling.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:30:54 pm
I would put all of your analysis into one post and put the different sections in a spoiler. The analysis is very good though :)


Thank you for the suggestion. I may not be a noob to complex math, or to simple game theory (for, in truth, I have done nothing most people could do their first week of game theory), but I am a noob to forums, especially this one.



I am assuming that the Sp button is spoiler. I may, once I am finished, compile mine, and make it as a thread, that both advocates for the addition of this series into the game, and shows why it is balanced.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:33:47 pm
I would put all of your analysis into one post and put the different sections in a spoiler. The analysis is very good though :)
Seconded, and thank you. I'll reserve the right to go over these all at once, and, coupled with OldTrees' analysis, it should give me good solid ground for some overhauling.

Overhauling? What gives this series such charm, is that, unlike most other card suggestions,  these cards are not trying to be game re-defining cards.   Good decks before your cards, would still be good, without having to make any changes.

Thus, these add to the richness of the game, without angering veterans.

They are charming and fun, and I see (so far) no need for much revision. Some might be buffed slightly, but my personal advice is not to try and make them more powerful than the average card.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 07:35:23 pm
Oh, it might help to think of these as cantrips. Slight little spells that aren't supposed to do much but help out a lot.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:39:30 pm
Four Leaf Clover


To save time, I will simply go through each effect, and show why they are not more powerful per quanta than exisiting cards.


The summon Rustler effect spends 1 life quanta to summon a Rustler... which normally costs 1 life.
And this only happens 50% of the time.


The "1 creature attacks twice" effect, well, costs 1 life to make 1 creature attack 1 extra time.

Adrenaline, costs (4 life |3 upgraded), to make 1 creature attack up to 3 extra times, each turn until death do you part.

... I don't think I need to break out the graphs to show why this Four Leaf Clover is not OP compared to what already exists.



Suggestion:

I suggested this earlier, but in order to make this card better able to hold its own against other cards, the summoned rustler should have adrenaline.


Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 07:56:10 pm
Bone domino:
Gives you a 2 half price skeletons, and puts a bone shield (1) in your shield slot (making it guaranteed to wipe out any other shield there)
or
Gives you 1 skeleton for the normal price, and replaces your current shield with 2 bone shields.


This one is more powerful than skeleton.

However, these days, pretty much anything is more powerful than skeleton.

I know it is not the unarguable mathematics you have come to expect from me, but I will do a simple pros v. cons for this card.
(The reason is the full analysis here is messy to show, and the result can be replicated with pros v. cons)


Pros:
For the cost of 1 skeleton, summons either 1 or 2.
Guaranteed to protect against at least 1 non-momentum'd hit.


Cons:
For 1 quanta, you can do better than an average 1.5 skeletons.
If you have a shield that is better than 1 bone shield, you cannot play this card, for your shield gets replaced.




Suggestion:
This card, as is, is a way to summon one or two skeletons essentially at the cost of your shield.


In non mono-death decks, this card would be next to useless in many scenarios, and I see no good way to salvage that, without re-doing the effect, which I am against.

So, I will focus on making it more useful within mono-death.

In a mono-death deck, you are likely to focus on having a bonewall of several.
As the card effect currently is, playing this when you had a bonewall of (7) would weaken it to a bonewall of either (1) or (2).
This. Is. Bad.


My suggestion is to be clear that, if you already had a bonewall in place when you play this, that you increment the bonewall counter, not replace it.

Thus, (7) would turn to (8 or 9), not (1 or 2)
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:10:11 pm
Crystal Ball is balanced.

It is the only card in this set that leans towards OP as opposed to UP, because both of its effects are cheaper than equivalent effects done by other cards.


The reason I am willing to label it as balanced, and not OP, is, once again, that the effect is random.

You may be able to silence your opponent more cheaply than with the card silence.
You may be able to protect yourself from all (non-poison/voodo) damage for a turn for less than a third of a phase shield.

(It is 2 per turn, this is 1)


However, you can't choose, and if you need one of the two effects, you have no way of guarenteeing that you get the one that you need, which justifies the lower cost.



Let me give an example.



Say that there are two companies.

One is willing to heat or cool your house for 10$ per hour.


The other is willing to heat or cool your house for only 7$ per hour. The catch? You don't get to choose which.


'Nuff said.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:19:29 pm
Weighted Coin:
 Verdict: Balanced
Is this surprising?: No it is not.
Will you explain why?: If I must.
Why this format?: Felt like it.

Right, so this card can either put gravity pull on a random enemy creature, or put momentum on a random friendly creature.


For the same cost, you can guarentee momentum for a creature of your choosing.
For the same cost, you can guarentee gravity pull for a creature of your choosing.


This card is clearly weaker than the individual cards.




This card's redeeming qualities come from the re-usable nature of the upgraded one.


The spell version is not useful. The permanent is quite useful.

Neither is OP, but the spell I am willing to call UP.


Suggestion: Assign quanta generation to each effect.

I would suggest that you choose two opposing elements.

(Probably not gravity and entropy)

Then, make it
50%: random enemy gets gravity pulled, and you generate 1 (element)
50%: random ally gets momentum, you generate 1 (other element).


Suggestion [part 2]

If the momentum effect doesn't include the +1|+1 that the momentum card has,
1) slap yourself for making a very weak card
2) fix it


if you don't do step 2), repeat step 1) until you do.

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:22:53 pm
Metronome:


Metronome is balanced.

The single use (spell) variant's randomness and untargetability more than makes up for the fact that... it has nothing it needs to make up for.


Rewind costs 1. Precognition costs 2, but it also lets you see your opponent's hand.


Like the rest of these cards (save crystal ball), the spell is leaning towards UP, and the permanent is just right.





Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:37:56 pm
Dreamcatcher.

Guess what?
It catches dreams.
Guess what else?
It is balanced.


First off, this is why it is not OP.
It is like a discord that does no damage, costs quanta every turn, and only works 50% of the time.

The other 50% of the time, it inverts the attack of a random creature, which, unless you have pretty much the same number of creatures, and the opponents creatures are, on average, stronger, this
effect is going to tend to help both players equally.



Is this card slightly UP?
yes it is.
Do you have any suggestions?
Glad you asked!



For this card to be worth it, it needs to be more disruptive than discord.


Here is my proposed mechanic(s). [2 ideas = well, twice the ideas to work with]


When the effect is triggered, it takes up to 3 quanta from each of your opponents element  (like black hole does), and then distributes them randomly among the quanta pools of you and your opponent.
[Mild, random quanta steal.]
The reason(s) this isn't OP is/are:
1) Black Hole exists, and it isn't considered OP. That takes way more quanta than this, and turns it into lots of health.
2) Mono or duo decks stand to lose only about 6 quanta (the rest of their pool is safe), and stand to get half of it back
3) Rainbow decks wouldn't mind their quanta being scattered (same reason discord doesn't bother them), and other than the scattering, it only steals on average 1.5 quanta from each element. Not that
game breaking



Mechanic idea number 2

1) Take half of every element in your opponents quanta pool, and randomly distributes them among all the elements that don't match their mark.

This one would be a real nuisance to mono's duo's and even rainbows to a lesser extent.


This would be a powerful card, but not more so than, say, BLACK HOLE, or A GRAVITY NYMPH, or FRACTAL.

Also, if your OP sensor are tingling at mechanic 2, remember the antimatter effect, and how that not only does that bother both players equally, but it also means that this effect would only happen 50%
of turns.


Either way, the current mechanic makes the card slightly UP, but still, I feel it could be useful in emergencies.

A ~25% chance of antimattering your opponent for the cost of 1 antimatter would be something many people would like to have in their hand in case the match takes an ugly turn.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:46:26 pm
All or nothing.

You may be thinking "this is like a cheap miracle that might not work".
I may be thinking "whoever though that is kinda stupid"


So, person I think is stupid, let me ask you this.
When would you use miracle?
Uuuuuuuhhhhhh.... when your health is low?

what would happen if you used Miracle then?
you would get 99 health!

What would happen if you used All or Nothing then?
Uuuuuuuuhhhhh..... you would double your health. or, go down to 1 health.


How much would you have if you doubled your health?
uuuuuuuuuhhhhh.... Double your small amount?

So, if you are down to 10 health, this card will either take you up to 20 health, or down to 1?
Uuuuhhhh... yeah.

And miracle would always take you to 99?
yeah.


Still think this card is OP?
Yeah! You could use it when you had like, 50 health, then you would go to 100! which is more than 99!.

I hate you.
uuuuuhhhhh.....


You do realize that you would have a 50% chance of losing 49 HP if you did that?
Oh, right.


And that is why this card isn't OP. The only way it will heal a large amount of health is if you are playing against someone stupid enough to wager a large amount of health.



Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 08:54:27 pm
This post is going to merge all my analysis.
Feel free to remove the individual posts. (not sure if that works... new to the forum)
Wishbone

Wishbone.

1 for either one creature gaining airborne or, in effect, casting thunderstorm is not OP.
Reasoning:
airborne is only useful in certain contexts (more so with the new cards), but in almost any scenario, whether or not a creature is airborne does not effect the game.
the other effect is essentially casting thunderstorm (which costs 2).

So, what this card is a half price thunderstorm, with a 50% chance of working. No one (intelligent) would argue that is OP. The airborne effect is nice, and makes the card worth playing.
As a upgraded card, it is much more useful, because to my knowledge, it is the only non-weapon, non-shield permanent that would be effective at countering an infestation.

Even then, it is not OP. Compared to upgraded thunderstorm, it is same damage, same cost, but this has only a 50% proc rate.

Verdict: Not OP. Not useful in all decks, but if you are playing against another air elemental, or against a Hope/RoL deck, or have built your deck around the recent card that temporarily buffs airborne creatures,
it would be a useful, but not OP card.

Suggest changes:
Replace "damage each enemy creature for 1", with "cast thunderstorm", to counter questions like "does it hurt immaterial creatures", which assume is no.

Horseshoe
Horseshoe:

Similar argument to Wishbone.


The creature buff is not OP, for it is the same cost as plate armor (which has the same effect), but, unlike plate armor, this does not always activate, and you cannot chose the target creature.
The bigger question is whether or not the pillar destruction is OP.  When considered in comparison to pulverizer, which can, for a cost of 3, destroy any permanent, or trident's tsunami, which 
for 3 (2 when upgraded) can destroy 3 pillars, OF YOUR CHOSING. This is not OP. Especially considering that the weapons deal damage and this does not.


Verdict:
This is not OP, because its cost is within the range of similar effects from other cards.

Plate armor has the same cost and effect, but is targetable.

Pulverizer can destroy any permanent for a cost of 3, but this can be aimed, and can be any permanent, not a random pillar. This also does damage.

Trident can destroy 3 pillars of your chosing for a cost of 3. This surely beats 50% chance of 1 random pillar, for the cost of 1.  Trident also does damage.

Explosion has an equal cost, but is not limited to towers, can be aimed, and costs fire, which, due to elite fireflies, immolation, and others is marginally easier to produce than earth.
Fish Scale

Fish scale.


This is well balanced as well.

Yes, it can cause a flood, which can insta-kill a number of creatures. However, the game, by default fills the middle row first. This middle row is immune to flooding. (Pets spawn in the lower right
hand corner, but they are not in PvP).    For your opponent to have creatures in the top/bottom rows, 1 of two things is happening.

1) They are kicking your sorry arse.   
In that case, this card gives you a chance to get back in the game. Although not a very good one.

2) They have some sort of infestation going on.
This then has two possibilities
   a)They are causing the infestation. In this case, it is likely the creatures will be replaced quickly, and thus a 1 turn flood didn't damage them that much. Or, they were in the process of
RoL/Hope, in which case they deserve to lose for being a jerk.
or
   b) You are causing the infestation to fill up their creature slots. In this case, it would be silly to call this card OP, because the flood would be working against you.


As to the effect of water generation.
Pay 1 water to maybe get 3 seems fair. True, it would give it better quanta generation than a pillar.  However, it doesn't cluster, and you may only have 6.

Verdict:
Balanced
Matchstick

Matchstick

Balanced. Balanced balanced balanced!


It costs 1 fire.

It may give a temporary +2|+0 to a random creature.

Compare with Chaos power.

It costs 1 entropy.

Gives a permanent {+1,2,3,4,5| +1,2,3,4,5} to a creature of your chosing.

Chaos power has proven itself to be very balanced over the years, and is more powerful than matchstick.






As to the other effect of dealing 3 damage, 50% of the time, there is a fire spell that does atleast 3 damage for 3 fire, and may be used on either creatures or on your opponent, fire lance.
Now, people have complained about fire lance, due to its increasing power based on your amount of fire.
This is clearly less poweful than that, being random and capped at 3 damage.


Verdict:

Slightly UNDERpowered.

Suggestion:
Either make the +2|+0 permanent (like ablaze ability of equal cost)
or
The damage effect chooses a random creature or the opponent (each creature and opponent has equal chance of being the target). That way, it may kill an enemy creature and do something worthwhile.


With either (or even both) of these changes, the spell will still be a weak, but not useless card (it could buff scorpions for example), and the permanent would be well balanced (if still slightly weak)
card compared to other upgraded permanents.

Rabbit's foot

Rabbits foot.


Again balanced, and, like the others, slightly leaning towards underpowered. (However they would be so fun, I personally would still use them)


Math-stuff you have come to expect from me:

Spell version:


1 light to maybe heal 3, and maybe do the effects of a sundial, is what this boils down to.


1 light to heal 3 is on par with other light based healing, but lacks the benefit of being able to heal a creature (or damage a dark one).

1 light for preventing 1 turn of attack is no more expensive than the cost of sundial, and, unlike sundial, doesn't let you draw a card.




Permanent version:

The heal effect makes it a weaker shard of Gratitude, that heals less, and costs quanta.

(To its' credit, it activates before the end of the turn, making it an option for people trying to get an EM)

The attack prevention averages to half of turns having no attack. In effect, this serves the same function as a procrastinate that effects you and you opponent, and also costs light.


Verdict:
Balanced, if slightly weak, just like every card in this series so far.
Loaded Dice

Loaded Dice

This card, like the others, is balanced, this time, refreshingly, leaning in the direction of being useful. (Not that the others are not useful. This one is just ... it could beat up the other
lucky cards so far)

Let me break it down.


Half of the time, it generates 2 darkness, and 1 life, taking 3 quanta and 1 life from your opponent.     [compared to life drain that lets you spend 2 darkness to gain 2+ life, and damage either
a creature or your opponent.)    Compare also to black hole, which, for a cost of 4 gravity, destroys up to 36 quanta, healing you for up to 36

Clearly, not OP

The other half of the time, it steals 3 life (marginally worse than the vampiric weapons), and destroys one of your opponents quanta (the gained darkness goes into paying for the activation)


Verdict: Still not better than cards that already exist, though more fun, and possibly more useful in compound strategies (especially if Gambler|Trickster is included).
Four Leaf Clover

Four Leaf Clover


To save time, I will simply go through each effect, and show why they are not more powerful per quanta than exisiting cards.


The summon Rustler effect spends 1 life quanta to summon a Rustler... which normally costs 1 life.
And this only happens 50% of the time.


The "1 creature attacks twice" effect, well, costs 1 life to make 1 creature attack 1 extra time.

Adrenaline, costs (4 life |3 upgraded), to make 1 creature attack up to 3 extra times, each turn until death do you part.

... I don't think I need to break out the graphs to show why this Four Leaf Clover is not OP compared to what already exists.



Suggestion:

I suggested this earlier, but in order to make this card better able to hold its own against other cards, the summoned rustler should have adrenaline.
Bone Domino

Bone domino:
Gives you a 2 half price skeletons, and puts a bone shield (1) in your shield slot (making it guaranteed to wipe out any other shield there)
or
Gives you 1 skeleton for the normal price, and replaces your current shield with 2 bone shields.


This one is more powerful than skeleton.

However, these days, pretty much anything is more powerful than skeleton.

I know it is not the unarguable mathematics you have come to expect from me, but I will do a simple pros v. cons for this card.
(The reason is the full analysis here is messy to show, and the result can be replicated with pros v. cons)


Pros:
For the cost of 1 skeleton, summons either 1 or 2.
Guaranteed to protect against at least 1 non-momentum'd hit.


Cons:
For 1 quanta, you can do better than an average 1.5 skeletons.
If you have a shield that is better than 1 bone shield, you cannot play this card, for your shield gets replaced.




Suggestion:
This card, as is, is a way to summon one or two skeletons essentially at the cost of your shield.


In non mono-death decks, this card would be next to useless in many scenarios, and I see no good way to salvage that, without re-doing the effect, which I am against.

So, I will focus on making it more useful within mono-death.

In a mono-death deck, you are likely to focus on having a bonewall of several.
As the card effect currently is, playing this when you had a bonewall of (7) would weaken it to a bonewall of either (1) or (2).
This. Is. Bad.


My suggestion is to be clear that, if you already had a bonewall in place when you play this, that you increment the bonewall counter, not replace it.

Thus, (7) would turn to (8 or 9), not (1 or 2)
Crystal Ball

Crystal Ball is balanced.

It is the only card in this set that leans towards OP as opposed to UP, because both of its effects are cheaper than equivalent effects done by other cards.


The reason I am willing to label it as balanced, and not OP, is, once again, that the effect is random.

You may be able to silence your opponent more cheaply than with the card silence.
You may be able to protect yourself from all (non-poison/voodo) damage for a turn for less than a third of a phase shield.

(It is 2 per turn, this is 1)


However, you can't choose, and if you need one of the two effects, you have no way of guarenteeing that you get the one that you need, which justifies the lower cost.



Let me give an example.



Say that there are two companies.

One is willing to heat or cool your house for 10$ per hour.


The other is willing to heat or cool your house for only 7$ per hour. The catch? You don't get to choose which.


'Nuff said.
Weighted Coin

 Verdict: Balanced
Is this surprising?: No it is not.
Will you explain why?: If I must.
Why this format?: Felt like it.

Right, so this card can either put gravity pull on a random enemy creature, or put momentum on a random friendly creature.


For the same cost, you can guarentee momentum for a creature of your choosing.
For the same cost, you can guarentee gravity pull for a creature of your choosing.


This card is clearly weaker than the individual cards.




This card's redeeming qualities come from the re-usable nature of the upgraded one.


The spell version is not useful. The permanent is quite useful.

Neither is OP, but the spell I am willing to call UP.


Suggestion: Assign quanta generation to each effect.

I would suggest that you choose two opposing elements.

(Probably not gravity and entropy)

Then, make it
50%: random enemy gets gravity pulled, and you generate 1 (element)
50%: random ally gets momentum, you generate 1 (other element).


Suggestion [part 2]

If the momentum effect doesn't include the +1|+1 that the momentum card has,
1) slap yourself for making a very weak card
2) fix it


if you don't do step 2), repeat step 1) until you do.


Metronome

Metronome:


Metronome is balanced.

The single use (spell) variant's randomness and untargetability more than makes up for the fact that... it has nothing it needs to make up for.


Rewind costs 1. Precognition costs 2, but it also lets you see your opponent's hand.


Like the rest of these cards (save crystal ball), the spell is leaning towards UP, and the permanent is just right.
Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher.

Guess what?
It catches dreams.
Guess what else?
It is balanced.


First off, this is why it is not OP.
It is like a discord that does no damage, costs quanta every turn, and only works 50% of the time.

The other 50% of the time, it inverts the attack of a random creature, which, unless you have pretty much the same number of creatures, and the opponents creatures are, on average, stronger, this
effect is going to tend to help both players equally.



Is this card slightly UP?
yes it is.
Do you have any suggestions?
Glad you asked!



For this card to be worth it, it needs to be more disruptive than discord.


Here is my proposed mechanic(s). [2 ideas = well, twice the ideas to work with]


When the effect is triggered, it takes up to 3 quanta from each of your opponents element  (like black hole does), and then distributes them randomly among the quanta pools of you and your opponent.
[Mild, random quanta steal.]
The reason(s) this isn't OP is/are:
1) Black Hole exists, and it isn't considered OP. That takes way more quanta than this, and turns it into lots of health.
2) Mono or duo decks stand to lose only about 6 quanta (the rest of their pool is safe), and stand to get half of it back
3) Rainbow decks wouldn't mind their quanta being scattered (same reason discord doesn't bother them), and other than the scattering, it only steals on average 1.5 quanta from each element. Not that
game breaking



Mechanic idea number 2

1) Take half of every element in your opponents quanta pool, and randomly distributes them among all the elements that don't match their mark.

This one would be a real nuisance to mono's duo's and even rainbows to a lesser extent.


This would be a powerful card, but not more so than, say, BLACK HOLE, or A GRAVITY NYMPH, or FRACTAL.

Also, if your OP sensor are tingling at mechanic 2, remember the antimatter effect, and how that not only does that bother both players equally, but it also means that this effect would only happen 50%
of turns.


Either way, the current mechanic makes the card slightly UP, but still, I feel it could be useful in emergencies.

A ~25% chance of antimattering your opponent for the cost of 1 antimatter would be something many people would like to have in their hand in case the match takes an ugly turn.
All or Nothing


You may be thinking "this is like a cheap miracle that might not work".
I may be thinking "whoever though that is kinda stupid"


So, person I think is stupid, let me ask you this.
When would you use miracle?
Uuuuuuuhhhhhh.... when your health is low?

what would happen if you used Miracle then?
you would get 99 health!

What would happen if you used All or Nothing then?
Uuuuuuuuhhhhh..... you would double your health. or, go down to 1 health.


How much would you have if you doubled your health?
uuuuuuuuuhhhhh.... Double your small amount?

So, if you are down to 10 health, this card will either take you up to 20 health, or down to 1?
Uuuuhhhh... yeah.

And miracle would always take you to 99?
yeah.


Still think this card is OP?
Yeah! You could use it when you had like, 50 health, then you would go to 100! which is more than 99!.

I hate you.
uuuuuhhhhh.....


You do realize that you would have a 50% chance of losing 49 HP if you did that?
Oh, right.


And that is why this card isn't OP. The only way it will heal a large amount of health is if you are playing against someone stupid enough to wager a large amount of health.

Oh, and a better name for All or Nothing would be Double or Nothing.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 09:00:35 pm
In regards to All or Nothing:

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 09:04:39 pm
Double or Nothing is a gambling term, which also fits with the idea here. It has the added bonus of how well it fits with the mechanic.

From N health, you can either get double [you now have (2N)] or  nothing [you fall to (1)].

Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: pikachufan2164 on January 08, 2011, 10:16:36 pm
Some comments on Crystal Ball:

The unupped version is fine; I would place the casting cost at 2 :aether -- maybe even 1 :aether, but that's probably pushing it into OP territory.

The upped version, however, is an absolute nightmare of imbalance. Having multiple Crystal Balls in play and activating the ability until you get both effects is insane. Using Protect Artifact on them makes it completely broken. Silence and Phase Shield on a stick? Definitely OP.

To remedy this situation, it might be better if each upped Crystal Ball has a timer so that it only stays in play for a few turns (perhaps 2 or 3?). Or, better yet, specify that only one Crystal Ball activation is allowed per turn (i.e. if you control more than one Crystal Ball, then you're only allowed to activate one Crystal Ball's ability).

As for the casting cost of the upped version, it's fine as it is. The ability cost might need an increase to :aether :aether instead to keep it in line with the spell (if you use the Sundial-like 3 turn timer fix), or possibly even :aether :aether :aether because it's a reusable ability that you would want to use every turn (assuming that you use the fix of "only one Crystal Ball may be activated each turn").
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: doublecross on January 08, 2011, 10:25:41 pm
Yeah, you bring up a point, that I had totally meant to mention.
Here is my fix.

Make the crystal ball a shield. It could have the effect, "If you took physical damage this turn, 50% chance of silencing the opponent next turn, 50% chance of being immaterial next turn. Immaterial"

 Not only does it make it such that only one may be in play at a time (per person), but it also incorporates aether's trademark "Immaterial."
My favorite part about option 5 is that is provides an additional subtle nerf, which is that it, and another shield cannot both be in play at the same time.  I think this would sufficiently balance the card, and would be add a fun, new dynamic to shields, which haven't seen much variation since wings.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 08, 2011, 11:16:14 pm
Not a bad shield, but I don't like it for 2 reasons:

(a) It takes away from the series. These are good luck charms, small trinkets one carries in their pocket and use when necessary. Although one can certainly argue that a shield is a good luck charm, I debate the wisdom of blocking a sword with a crystal ball  :P

and

(b) Elements already has a phasing shield. While your idea is definitely more unique, I think if the purpose is to add more variety to the shields, it can be done a better way than a 50% element. This does present opportunity for a Shield series concept tho.

Might I direct your eyes here (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,18675.0.html)*. You might be interested in what's happening to Phase right now.


*link updated
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: OldTrees on January 08, 2011, 11:30:23 pm
Phase has be relocated to a series thread now
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,18675.0.html
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: MyLeftCheek on January 18, 2011, 02:41:03 am
 :o :o :o :o :o   NOW THIS IS JUST EPICALLY BEAST!!!!!     oh and i agree!    :o :o :o :o :o
 :aether :air :aether :air :darkness :air :darkness :death :darkness :death :earth :death :earth :entropy :earth :earth :entropy :fire :entropy :fire :fire :gravity :light :life :life :light :fire :death :aether :light :time srry i is excited about this big time!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 21, 2011, 10:44:45 pm
FINALLY making it back 'round to these bad boys. Ugh. Where to start? That'll be where you, John Q. Public, comes in. I've posted a poll, looking for the top 4 cards that the community would like me to look at first. Once the voting is in (I'll leave it up for a week or so) the top 4 cards will be moved to separate threads and - hopefully - make their way into the Crucible. Thanks for the input peoples!
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ZephyrPhantom on January 21, 2011, 10:58:55 pm
:o :o :o :o :o   NOW THIS IS JUST EPICALLY BEAST!!!!!     oh and i agree!    :o :o :o :o :o
 :aether :air :aether :air :darkness :air :darkness :death :darkness :death :earth :death :earth :entropy :earth :earth :entropy :fire :entropy :fire :fire :gravity :light :life :life :light :fire :death :aether :light :time srry i is excited about this big time!!!!!!!!!  
Please calm down and make your text a readable color.  Even if you are excited, post properly so we can read.

I voted for the following:
 :water  New use of flood would be interesting.
 :death New game strats for bone shield, give skelly a purpose.
 :time Thematically very fit, sort of like Precog | Electrum Hourglass, I'm interested in what could be done with this card.
 :aether  Again, new mechanic and therefore interesting.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on January 29, 2011, 03:48:46 pm
Tallied the votes and the first four cards up for review are:

Click to be taken to individual threads.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Stickmasterluke on February 03, 2011, 02:06:36 am
A very genius idea, but I do not agree with it. :\  I don't like the game being left to chance, and for anyone that does, they should have an Entropy deck. And as people we saying, the cards are way over powered. Especially the Aether Luck card.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ZephyrPhantom on February 03, 2011, 02:11:46 am
A very genius idea, but I do not agree with it. :\  I don't like the game being left to chance, and for anyone that does, they should have an Entropy deck. And as people we saying, the cards are way over powered. Especially the Aether Luck card.
It's called card balancing before submitting it to crucible, man. Also, at some point there will be non- :entropy chance cards, this is just the best time to do so since as Werdbooty stated, the forums is being "Reigned by Entropy".

I agree with Pickachu however - the Crystal Ball's upped version would be more balanced if the ability cost  :aether  :aether .
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: ninjamaster1991 on February 20, 2011, 07:32:06 am
My two cents: (1 Well,[cracks fingers]my  :aether lucky card nerf idea is have the card ability STATE that only one can be in play at a time... (2 About the PO problem, I'm not sure about the popularity of  :earth/ :aether decks right now, but that seems to be the only combo that can pull it off, and it would seem unwieldy at times because, I think, mixing a fast and slow element that don't have any connection is asking to kill the user of the deck. Just my two cents.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Captain Scibra on February 27, 2011, 01:44:28 am
I like the Other one as a funny card since i find it rare to be used, but then again it would be ideal when you have low health anyways... but the upgrade needs to be restricted to so many in play at a time, if not 1.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Jocko on March 27, 2011, 04:27:39 pm
Interesting idea.
Upped entropy card has a spell icon, while i reckon it should be a permanent?
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: hell_maker_2943 on April 01, 2011, 05:18:59 am
I don't understand how the upgraded version of the cards are better than the unupped. Please explain?
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: OldTrees on April 01, 2011, 05:20:18 am
I don't understand how the upgraded version of the cards are better than the unupped. Please explain?
You can reuse the upgraded skill.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on April 02, 2011, 05:14:20 pm
Correct. These cards upgrade from a Spell to a Permanent.

Also, apologies for the delay in finishing my work with this series. Things have been hectic as of late.
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: artimies7 on April 02, 2011, 05:54:35 pm
Seems fine. Thumbs up, except for one thing: When the upgraded card comes into play, it would only take 5 quanta to begin a whole massacre.

Example: with the  :air card, 4 quanta per 6 cards: later in the game, you might potentially start destroying a  :fire deck, with a whole bunch of airborne creatures to ignore certain shields.

Example:  :earth, a mono-earth deck could have 2 or 3 of these out within 5 turns, and each one of those would either drastically reduce the opponent's quanta production, or make your creatures exceptionally resistant to creature control.

Continues. You get my point, right?
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: Werdbooty on April 07, 2011, 08:26:52 pm
Well, the last of these cards (the basic elements, as it were) are up for the community to take a look at. Would love the critique.

As for having multiple copies of the upgraded out at one time...Yes, that can be overwhelming, and it's something I've considered. Barring circumstantial situations (i.e. your Crystal Balls keep getting 'splodied), I've wondered if it might be wise to limit the upgrades to only 1 copy in play at a time. It will definitely come up in future considerations, as there's still much to be done with this series.
Title: Re: Lucky! Series
Post by: alka on April 19, 2011, 04:23:00 pm
I really liked loaded dice, bone domino and weighted coin.
Title: Re: Lucky! Series
Post by: ilovepieman on July 28, 2011, 08:31:28 pm
this is epic
Title: Re: New Series: Lucky!
Post by: artimies7 on July 30, 2011, 01:57:10 am
Well, the last of these cards (the basic elements, as it were) are up for the community to take a look at. Would love the critique.

As for having multiple copies of the upgraded out at one time...Yes, that can be overwhelming, and it's something I've considered. Barring circumstantial situations (i.e. your Crystal Balls keep getting 'splodied), I've wondered if it might be wise to limit the upgrades to only 1 copy in play at a time. It will definitely come up in future considerations, as there's still much to be done with this series.
Passive skill/effect I've had rattling around for a while: Solitary. You can only have the one copy on the field at one time.
Title: Re: Lucky! Series
Post by: mildlyfrightenedboy on July 30, 2011, 09:09:51 pm
Wouldn't a better name for the  :rainbow one be Double or Nothing?  It's a more common phrase, and it more accurately reflects the effect of the card...
Title: Re: Lucky! Series
Post by: pancosis on August 30, 2011, 09:32:26 am
waaaaa :o aaaaay overpowered when upgraded
and why would u need the all or nothing upped? say i have 50 hp then i use it oops bad luck, now i have 1... why would i use it again? it would give me 2
i guess if u got lucky and got 100 then u went down to 50 again then u got lucky AGAIN but thats unlikely and u would prob win by then...

a neat idea for a series but it needs quite a bit of work
blarg: