[Official] Deflagration | Explosion

[ZephyrPhantom]

I really can't see this card getting a buff with the way the current metagame is laid out - quanta gain in fire is already covered by Immolation (I don't think it needs much more than that ATM as currently only 1 other element can generate a burst of quantum like that) and the upgraded version's speed is fine as it is, especially w/cards like Nova that can't handle the more expensive costs of Pulvy or Steal. It's also very versatile when dealing with permanents - even if your opponent has no lethal weapon like Eternity or Arsenic or shield like Permafrost, you can:

1) Destroy SoGs or Sancs to slow regeneration.
2) Destroy Hourglasses to slow drawpower.
3) Destroy pillars to slow down quantum generation. (Option 3 is usually always available.)

IMO, gaining quantum is uneeded because:

1) MP + Immolation. You have a much more likely chance of getting a good hand setup if you can get 3 out - play a Fire Tower, explode whatever permanent is lying around, and then play MP and immolate. You get a net gain of 11 and 1 of each other element for 4 cards. Immolation already can do better with an RoL, net gain 9 and 1 of each other element for 2 cards.

2) Imbalances the card in general - normally upgrades are worth -2 or -1 cost. With your change to gain 3 when played you're technically lowering the cost to -2 quantum (aka less than free) - which is being put on a card that usually has something it can destroy to make itself useful. "Draw a card" would be even worse - that makes Precog very inferior to it.

3) Adds speed to an element that doesn't need it as much. and could probably use a speed boost much more than could - even without any changes Fire is able to do pretty well as it currently is, with decks like vNG, Fractal MP, Anti-Bolt, and Firestall.

I don't really feel it is borderline OP, but I do think it's powerful and versatile enough to not need a buff - and chances are there will be more permanents put into the game that will need to be dealt with, and this card would be the quickest one to handle it.

[bongoz]

Deflagration/Explosion IMO is what makes the game so great.

you can have your mark fire and throw in a couple Deflagration/Explosion's in say a mono water deck and before you know it you have some PC.

[Malignant]

Not a serious thread.
Or is it?

But, is this buff really needed?
Underestimating it is bad.
For, its power is great.
F* this shit, what am I doing?

Read the 1st letter of the other lines.

[TheForbiddenOracle]

No buff... it already gets rid of any permanent in an instant, just like steal but at 1/3 the cost. 1 Nova is enough to power it, or you can just put a Fire Tower and play Explosion right off the bat.

[Pineapple]

I think a thematic berf would include increasing the initial cost, such as making it:

3 Deflagration - destroy the target permanent and generate
2 Explosion - destroy the target permanent and generate

[plastiqe]

Flayne, imagine for a second the scenario.  You're proposing to make those five-turn-kill-drop-your-entire-hand-with-cremation-decks... better.  Because if Explosion was giving you for blowing things up, players would be able to use it for that extra couple quanta they need to get the 2nd Ruby Dragon out on the first turn.  There should not be another positive effect when you're already destroying your opponents permanent for a lower cost than they paid to play it.  Your deflag/explosion buff will never happen for the same reason that Ash Eater got left out when Gnome Rider and Dragonfly got buffed, Fire is fast enough already.

<target proposed buff>
/cast deflagration

[OldTrees]

1) It is cost effect at what it does (even compared to Steal or Pulvy)
2) ETG is a simple abstract game. Keep It Simple. The destructive aspect of the card is the important part of the card.
3) A berf would nerf the PC aspect of this card. Deflagration is the cornerstone off which other PC has been balanced. Its primary use should not be neutered on a whim.

Conclusion: Making Deflagration more complex would reduce it's total versatility and thus decrease its value to the game despite slight increases for some rush decks.

[Acsabi44]

by the time you set up a pulv, the other  firerush with deflags just... kills you.

if it gave extra  , then everybody just pop pillars (even their own???) to go off a turn faster.

the upped version (heck, even the unupped one) can be played off the mark or off novae, which is super- versatile. note that no other PC, not even steal, manages to pull that off reliably.


bottom line: the power level would make sense for a nerf, if anything, but since it is among the "cornerstone cards" that define the pace and rules of the game (I mean that you design every other PC relative to deflag. Hello, Abomination!) the card should be left alone.