Scavenger - Full/Current HP [Not a Bug]

[YawnChainHow]

I was playing Fire Queen with a Mutation Rainbow that had several Sundials. I was happily chaining said Sundials, and Fire Queen had a full field - a few of which were Queens. Rest were Fireflies, but there might have been a flying weapon.

Anyways, I had mutated something with Scavenger (6|6 Wyrm) and I dropped a RoF.
Result: 22|22 Wyrm. Also, I mutated something with heal that turn.

I ended turn. Fire Queen started bringing back the Fireflies, and dropped a RoF on my Wyrm for 3 damage. It was now 22|19.

Anyways, I tried to Heal it with my other mutation, but nothing happened. I was confused, and mouse-overed the Wyrm, only to see that it said:
Full: 6
Current: 19
Heal unsuccesful.

Is this a bug? I'll look for the screenie if so.

*numbers and names may be slightly off

[Thelonesun]

Scavenge is similar to Swarm, where it only increases Current and not Full.

[smuglapse]

This is something I also noticed when checking game mechanics:

All attack and HP buffs affect both the Current and Full stats except: Dive, Scavenger, Steam, Swarm and Unburrow.
The Full attack and HP can not be decreased except by the destruction of the global buff Nightfall (affects Death and Darkness creatures).

Dive, Steam, and Unburrow I understand.  I don't know why Scavenger and Swarm only affect the Current stat.

The result is, as you found out, healing being useless on creatures with scavenger or swarm (unless they were also buffed another way).  Also, a damaged Scarab will die if all the other scarabs on the same side of the field die.

So, it's confirmed that it behaves this way, but unknown if it's intentional.

[Higurashi]

Makes sense. I see no reason why swarm or scavenger would increase max HP, especially when considering the Devour active skill. Should be easier to take their ability to Devour down.

[smuglapse]

Makes sense. I see no reason why swarm or scavenger would increase max HP, especially when considering the Devour active skill.

How does it make sense?

Why does Devour or Plate Armor add to the Full HP then?

Should be easier to take their ability to Devour down.

I wasn't under the impression scarab decks usually carry angels or Holy Light.

[Higurashi]

Because scavenger and swarm are temporary buffs, of course. Swarming doesn't make the individual scarab stronger/larger, and scavengers are magically empowered. Sickly birds eating corpses don't get that strong, nor would it make sense when they get huge boosts at once, so it's a magical process.
Devour is native to Scarab and Otuygh, as they are mythological creatures that can grow indefinitely through mystical means, which does empower the individual creature. Plate Armor simulates making the creature tougher, so one could imagine healing them repairs the armour.

I wasn't under the impression scarab decks usually carry angels or Holy Light.

Uh.. neither was I.

[smuglapse]

Because scavenger and swarm are temporary buffs, of course. Swarming doesn't make the individual scarab stronger/larger, and scavengers are magically empowered. Sickly birds eating corpses don't get that strong, nor would it make sense when they get huge boosts at once, so it's a magical process.
Devour is native to Scarab and Otuygh, as they are mythological creatures that can grow indefinitely through mystical means, which does empower the individual creature. Plate Armor simulates making the creature tougher, so one could imagine healing them repairs the armour.

Thanks for shedding light on the mythological reasons.  It would be nice if they were more apparent in game.

I wasn't under the impression scarab decks usually carry angels or Holy Light.

Uh.. neither was I.

I was responding to "Should be easier to take their ability to Devour down."  The only way that having the swarm ability only affecting the Current HP makes it easier to take their ability to Devour down is by preventing Healing from having any effect.  Therefore having swarm only affect Current HP has extremely little in-game value.

(Current HP) Scavenger has even less value, because Holy Light actually hurts the native user of the ability.

To sum up, there are no balancing reasons why the mechanic was implemented this way, so the only reasons are thematic.  I wasn't aware of the mythological bases for the mechanics and I doubt many players are--this is why it appeared in the bug section in the first place.

[Higurashi]

Indeed, it's purely thematic. Doesn't particularly make them easier to deal with. Anyway, that's how I see it from a theoretical viewpoint. Could be totally wrong, but at least it makes sense to me.