Phase 3 - Community Vote

[xdude]

Phase 3 - Community Vote
Phase 3 has ended

It's time to vote for your favorite Master candidate.

Every community member has one vote. You can change your vote at any time as long as there is still time on the clock.

Vote based on who you think would make the best Master of that element. Do not vote based on who is the best player or who you know personally. Try to pick someone who you think would help the community the most.

Feel free to ask the candidates difficult questions to help you make your decision.

[Mithcairion]

Ok, so I'm gonna be asking this of everyone in some way, shape, or form, so I'm gonna apologize right now if you've seen this from me already.

For what it's worth, I take my vote very seriously (probably too seriously, considering this is an free online game, but I digress), and as such would like to ask you a question/would like you to state your case for why I should vote for you.  If you're planning on making a "speech", please feel free to just reply with a link to it.

First, I'll tell you what I'm looking for in a candidate.  In a word, I'm looking for maturity.  Not age, necessarily, but a sense of responsibility to the community.  This can obviously manifest itself in many ways, but some that come to mind are leading your element in War (why you would be good at it, not giving away your plan of attack), spreading the gospel of your element (think xdude's signature of "Dare you to think Light sucks?  Challenge me.  NOW!", or even simply helping people with deck building/development.

I do wish you all the very best of luck and I look forward to getting to know each of you better via this process.

[chum3]

I thought patchx94 wasn't participating in Air trials anymore.

In any case, voting will be hard for this one--lots of good choices 

[The_Mormegil]

My question: how do you mean to improve people's opinion on the Air element, spread its influence on both community respect and decks and get it to be one of the most respected Elements in the game? And by this I mean being at least close to win a War, creating great and competitive Air-based decks and possibly influencing already existing decks with your element. Of course, if you think your Element doesn't qualify for such a task for lacks inherently built into the game, you can extensively say what these lacks are and specify what steps should be done in order to cover these problems (i.e. what cards should be introduced, what mechanics reworked, what things changed).

[Pineapple]

Yeah, please don't vote for me as I probably can't fight in the final match, so kindly redirect your votes to Hyroen.

After all, I didn't even do Phase 2.

[OldTrees]

What does the Element Air symbolize? (Be precise, concise and complete)
What types of cards does Air need in game to finish covering the Element Air?

[PlayerOa]

Well, my vote points at QuantumT

[Higurashi]

I kinda wish there was a topic that all Trial participants could reply to, but I'll just have to ask this in every thread. Simple questions, feel free to write as much or as little as you want. I'll read everything before I decide.

What does Air symbolise for you?
What will you do for this element as a Master? What is your vision?

[918273645]

To many players, air is the worst element. What would you say to prove them wrong?

[GG]

Air did not have a clear Master since War #1, and it clearly needs a leader to save it from this ambiguous state. Why, if you do, do you think you have the capabilities to do that?

[Pineapple]

This is an example speech to show what kind of person I would like to vote for when I place my votes. I am not looking for someone who has shown his worth. I am looking for someone who has shown proof of development, and has shown that he can and will become better than the rest of the competition.
Hello, ladies. Hello, gentlemen.

      You may all be wondering what you should expect from the next Air Master.
      With War 3 around the corner, you may expect a leader who is a long-time member in the community. A leader who can bond a team of misfits into the victorious armada whose presence shall command enemies to tremble in fear. I am not that leader.
      With the forums and its puzzling features, you may be looking for an expert who can moderate the forums of his or her element and answer any questions the wandering newbie might ask of Unstable Gas, or Animate Weapon. I am not that expert.
      With all twelve elements and their exciting qualities, you may be be searching for a passionate Che Guevara, a character who embodies...No, who accentuates the characteristics of the element. An individual who you can look up to with admiration, an individual who you will learn to walk not behind, but beside. I am not that character.

      You may ask many things from the next leader of this element. And I may ask for your vote.
      But I should not ask what you can do for me, but what I can do for you.
      And you have told me. You have told me not only what I can do for you, but what I absolutely, positively, indubitably will do for you.

I will become the greatest general you have ever encountered.
I will learn all the tricks there are to learn of Air and its synergies.
I will become your friend, your teacher, your student, your companion.

I will become worthy of Air.
I will become Air Master.
I am aznkid66.

[QuantumT]

        I'd like to start of by repeating a sentiment expressed by Hyroen. Hold on to your vote until you know it's headed towards the most deserving.

        A big part of my plan as General is to recruit a great team. Sounds like a no brainer, but let me explain exactly what I mean. A good team can function as a bunch of individuals. But a bunch of individuals will never function as a great team. In order to be a great team everyone must come together and work as one. People have to put aside their egos and become involved. Team members can (and should) have different strengths, yet everyone's contributions are equally important.

        I was Lieutenant of Air in the last war, and it gave me experience, not only in how to be effective with Air, but how Air interacts with other elements in the war. Air isn't usually thought of as a versatile element, but this last war showed me just how good air can be at adapting. I plan to use this experience to demonstrate exactly what Air is capable of.

        To close, I'd like to express my feelings about my fellow candidates. While I hope to have your vote, I can't blame you in the slightest if you decide to vote for either Hyroen or truddy02, as they are both great candidates and would make fine masters of Air. Hyroen is an active member with a great grasp of the ins and outs of Air and truddy02 was vital to Air's placement in the war.

PS- I have never been the greatest at speech writing, so I may have missed something. If there's anything you'd like to know that isn't in my speech, feel free to go ahead and ask me.

Many thanks to DrunkDestroyer for help with revisions.

ANSWERS TO SUBMITTED QUESTIONS

• Question #1 by The Mormegil:
  Q: How do you mean to improve people's opinion on the Air element, spread its influence on both community respect and decks and get it to be one of the most respected Elements in the game?
  A: I've been examining the decks that Air used in last war, looking at what was and wasn't effective.  I've also been looking at potential improvements that can be made to the decks as well as possible variations.
  
  In addition to looking at decks that have already been used, I've been testing new potential Air decks to try and help cover possible weaknesses in the decks that Air had last war.
  
  Outside fighting the actual war, how a team presents itself is huge in terms of the respect it receives and that starts with the master. It's important that the master is not only a strong player, but that they are a respectful, active member of the community. They need to be willing to help others, particularly people who are new to the game and the forums.
  

• Question #2 by OldTrees:
  Q: What does the Element Air symbolize? (Be precise, concise and complete)
  What types of cards does Air need in game to finish covering the Element Air?A: To me, Air exemplifies freedom above all else. To be Air is to have the ability to move freely,  from soaring the open skies to flowing through the tiniest cracks. Air can take on any and all shapes and can fit into any area. Air can also has the ability to express many attitudes. It can be the calm, warm and inviting Air of a nice summer day but change in an instant into a violent tempest.
  
  It's hard to say what cards an element needs to be covered since the elements all have themes. For example, some hard PC would be nice for Air, but I don't necessarily think that hard PC is part of the theme of Air.
  
  As part of being a good master is recognizing other people's good ideas, I think that Hyroen's idea for a mass airborne buff (ala Nightfall) is a very solid one.
  
  A direction I'd like to take the idea of a mass buff is something in the realm of Fog, a buff that gives spells/abilities against your airborne creatures a chance to miss.
  
  For cards that are already in the game, I think Thunderstorm needs a buff. The idea of a mass CC card for Air is decent, but the single damage it does is just too little too matter most of the time.
  

• Question #3 by Higurashi:
  Q: What does Air symbolise for you?
  What will you do for this element as a Master? What is your vision?A: See answer to #2.
  
  As master, I will try to get rid of this (completely incorrect) notion that Air is a weak element. I'll do this by doing all I can to place well in the next war as well as trying to generate educate people about the strengths the Air possesses.

• Question #4 by 918273645:
  Q: To many players, air is the worst element. What would you say to prove them wrong?A: First I would remind them of the standings from the last war. If we were to use those, then >
  
  I would also bring up the variety of decks that Air can field. It can field anything from rushes with ttw ~6 to stalls with so much CC it will bring the opponent to his knees. It can also duo effectively with just about any of the other elements.

• Question #5 by girlsgeneration:
  Q: Air did not have a clear Master since War #1, and it clearly needs a leader to save it from this ambiguous state. Why, if you do, do you think you have the capabilities to do that?A: First, I'm an active player, both in the game and in the forums. Since the posting of my war #2 application, I've averaged ~10 posts per day. They weren't all super serious in-depth posts, but they were generally intelligent posts that added something to the thread. As far as the game goes, I basically always seem to find time for at least a couple games of elements a day, regardless of how busy I am.
  
  I also plan on remaining active. Once I commit to something I see it through to the bitter end.

• Question #6 by DrunkDestroyer:
  Q: How is Air better than all the other elements?A:I don't think that I would claim that air is strictly better than all of the other elements. However, I don't think that's what you were asking.
  
  As far as things that Air does better than any other element, CC really comes to mind. Few cards can even hold a candle to the CC offered by Owl's Eye. But that's not even all the CC that Air has. It also has access to Shockwave, which gives Air the ability to control the early field.
  
  Air is also a very good mono element. The variety of cards that Air has at its disposal make it very versatile.
  
  Wings also gives Air a fantastic ability to block. Long something that aether could claim as its own, the increased duration of Wings now gives aether a run for its money.
  

• Question #7 by Kuroaitou:
  Q: It’s pretty obvious that Air has lacked a clear leader for the master title. If you were to obtain the title, what is one thing that will clearly make you distinct (personality wise, achievements, etc.) from all the other elemental Masters that are currently active or that have been previously known?A:Air's poor track record with masters is well known, and it's unfortunate. I feel that the view of Air as an incredibly weak element is due in no small part to this fact.
  
  As for what makes me distinct (from other masters, as well as in general), I tend to have a very "no-nonsense" approach to communication. I'm very direct with the language I use, as clear communication is effective communication. Sometimes this comes off as callous or rude, and perhaps it is to a degree, but clear conveyance of ideas is more important. I think more of humanity's problems can be traced to ineffective communication than most people realize or would care to admit.
   

• Question #8 by OldTrees:
  Q:

  It is one thing to know thyself.  It is another to know thy enemy.
  

  What is Earth?A: Thematically, earth is all about stablility. Few things can claim to have the immutability that earth has. Fires end and waters flow, but through it all earth remains.
  
  In terms of elements, earth personifies this idea very well. Earth creatures have good lasting power, and Earth has the highest defense shield in the game, which when combined with Stone Skin and BB, give it the ability to last for a very long time.
  

• Question #9 by thenewguy:
  Q: You are intelligent a great stratagist, as well as a great Pvper. You seem to have qualities, but what can you offer to the community that nobody else running can?A: I think something I can offer to the community that nobody else can is my mathematical ability. I have a very strong background in math, and I'm willing to share that with people who are willing to learn. The biggest example of this is my Introduction to Probability (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,16010.0.html) thread.
  

• Question #10 by einherjar145:
  Q: 1. Which of these qualities should a Master have and why?(Pls choose one from the list.)
     
      Honesty,Compassion,Passion, Diligence,Integrity,Patience,Respectful,Attitude or Others.(if any)
  
  2. Which of these qualities should a Master NOT have and why?(Pls choose one from the list.)
  
     Boastfulness,Proud,Laziness,Disrespectful towards others,Dishonesty,Ill-Tempered, or Others.(if any)A:1. I think a good master must have all of these traits to a degree. However, honesty is tantamount. A master can get by without being the most passionate, or the most patient, or the most respectful. However honesty isn't something that can be done halfway. To be an effective leader people have to be able to know that your words are true.
  
  2. In accordance with my above answer, dishonesty is a trait that a leader absolutely cannot have. If those under you don't know that you can be taken at your word, then you will be absolutely worthless as a leader.
   

• Question #11 by einherjar145:
  Q: Hey guys!. I got a deckbuliding question for u guys too.(Have Fun!)
  
  What kind of deck(s) would You use to counter the decks below.
  
  The decks should be all unupped and preferably having no nymphs as you wont know who would have to face the decks.
  
  You would have to use your own element and another element to make the deck. Try and make a deck which ppl would understand how to use it easily.
  
  
  Code: [Select]
  5f6 5f6 5f6 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5og 5oi 5oi 5oi 5ol 5ol 5ol 5ol 5om 5om 5om 5om 5om 5om 5puPretty straight forward. The 6 UGs can be used to OHKO straight over the shield.
  
  Code: [Select]
  5i7 5i7 5ia 5ia 5ia 5ia 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5oc 5of 5of 5of 5of 5of 5of 5og 5og 5ol 5ol 5onPurifies pretty much seal this one. To be honest, I have a deck that would be a better choice here, but I'd like to keep it to myself for now.A:
  
   

• Question #12 by doublecross:
  Q: To the candidates:
  Tell your best 2  related jokes.
  
  One should make sense only to people who play this game, and one shouldn't relate to the game at all.A:
  
  Well the lowest ranked element getting second in the war seems kinda funny to me.  ;)A man in a hot air balloon realised he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below.
  
  He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am." The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
  
  "You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
  
  "I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"
  
  "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."
  
  The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."
  
  "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
  
  "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
  
  Disclaimer: Not my joke but one that a friend sent me.
   

• Question #13 by vrt:
  Q:Question: What's your favorite air-related picture?A: Well for starters I'm a big fan of my avatar (hence my avatar ).
  
  
  There's this odd beauty in the air coming together to form something of such destructive power.
  
   

• Question #14 by DesertKnight:
  Q:Question 1: You registered on the forums on February 02, 2010, it's almost a year since you've been in the forums.
  
  Based on the game as a whole, tell me a story, or a short memorable moment relating to .Question 2: Zanzarino has come personally to you asking for advice on ways to improve , what would you call to his attention? What would you change? Give a general idea for future versions. (cards, tactics, game play, any or all you can list)Question 3: ScaredGirl has come personally to you asking for advice on ways to improve the war system. Name a concern you have, and explain a possible solution. (you may use previous posts as an answer, however the answer; (my preference for the answer) is for "future wars" not just the next one coming up) . Give a general idea. A:
  Answer 1: Right when I started playing the game, a computer played Owl's Eye against me and proceeded to mow down all of my creatures. The repeatable cc it was capable of just impressed me with how effective it was.
  
  Later on, when I had an ok collection of rare weapons, I found how fun it was to not have to choose which one to use in a deck, instead sometimes choosing to play all of them via Flying Weapon.
  Answer 2: I would start by looking at the cards that air already has. Most of them are decently balanced, but thunderstorm is lackluster at best. It's almost always a waste of a card slot to run because it doesn't do anything. To fix this I would either up the damage to 2 and the cost to 5|4, or I would make it into a permanent that could generate the thunderstorms for something like  .
  
  I also think another addition that would be good would be a mass buff for airborne creatures, in the vein of the Doldrums  (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20159.0.html) card.
  Answer 3: One idea I had was driven by the fact that more people are getting interested in the war.
  
  Many participants in War #2 felt that it started to drag on towards the end, as making that many decks was just a lot of work. So many people think the next war needs to be smaller. At the same time, more people want to participate.
  
  My suggestion for this problem, is to split it into 2 simultaneous wars, one using more upped cards for the more advanced players and one using last wars rules. The upgrades could look like this (for the General, Lieutenant, Remainder ranks respectively):
  
  Advanced: 15,10,6
  Beginner: 6, 3, 0
  
  The Master would be general for the Advanced team, and he would choose someone to be general of the other team.
  
  The benefit of this system is that more people get to play while at the same time there's less for each player to worry about.
  
   

• Question #15 by RavingRabbid:
  Q:What is air?
  
  Also, would you give Air a PC/PP card?
  A: See answer to #2. In addition to that, I think there's an openness to air. Air is open like few other elements, allowing you to move freely through it if it chooses.
  
  I would give air a PC card, but something a bit softer than deflag or steal. Either something along the lines of Thunderbird (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,7206.0.html), or something like my Tornado (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,15216.0.html) card.
  
  I think elements needs more PC, and I think it's thematically fitting for . Just look at all the property (ie permanent) damage things like tornadoes and hurricanes cause.
   

Thanks to Hyroen for letting me use his table.