Sacrificial Slab | Sacrificial Altar [New Year's Resolutions]

[Silver Emerald]

NAME: Sacrificial Slab ELEMENT: Darkness COST: 3 TYPE: Permanent ATK|HP: N/A TEXT: Each turn lose 3 HP in exchange for .  Click to remove.	NAME: Sacrificial Altar ELEMENT: Darkness COST: 4 TYPE: Permanent ATK|HP: N/A TEXT: Each turn lose 4 HP in exchange for . Click to remove.

ART: N/A IDEA: Silver Emerald NOTES: For quite some time, the bane of my monodark experience were those decks which either could generate quanta faster than I could remove it (rainbows and the like) or didn't need much quanta to get by (especially poison-reliant decks). In either case, my opponent just seemed to be a little faster because my highly damaging cards were cost-prohibitive. As such, this card aims to provide a tactical decision while supplementing other methods of quanta generation - it comes at a cost, in keeping with the different vampiric abilities and cards also in Darkness. Just in case you don't want to completely kill yourself for quanta, it (like the Shard of Patience) is removable; but take it down too early and you won't even recoup the quanta you spent. SERIES: N/A

[Ginyu]

While being a nice idea, the current setup looks extremely weak. You must wait 3-4 turns before you start gaining something and you also loose health with it. A Pillar is a better card in basically every scenario. Dropping its cost is highly needed.

I also believe isn't the best element for this, balance-wise.

[Silver Emerald]

It is a card which lends itself to playing early in order to pay dividends, yes, though with the deck type I'm trying to improve for the challenge Drain/Siphon Life is a viable option to return some HP with the quanta gained, as well as the Vampire Stiletto/Dagger.

As far as comparison to the pillar: This card is intended to carry more risk and greater returns than the pillar, while also being a separate permanent which can yet be removed at will.

I feel that this card works well thematically but (as it reads currently) has a very narrow margin of error between anemic and overly powerful; if less quanta were gained, you're absolutely right, why not use a pillar? If less HP/quanta were spent, is the opportunity cost of this card too low? My hope is to reach a point at which this card is a good choice without being an obvious choice.

Thank you for your reply and I'll keep considering adjustments.

[russianspy1234]

Definitely tricky to balance, but I think you are way on the too weak side currently.  I question if it would be broken at 1 .  2 is probably the sweetspot.

[UndeadSpider1990]

The price of this card is really the HP. Even the best vampire effects will still be competing against the opponent's offense. I think you should bring the quanta cost down to something like 3.

[CrockettRocket]

3 quanta cost unupped 4 upped would be better imo

[Silver Emerald]

After some consideration (and the feedback, thanks everyone who replied) I decided to lower the quanta costs from 6 each to 3 for Sacrificial Slab and 4 for Sacrificial Altar - not enough to get back in a single turn, but enough that it has paid for itself within two turns and at that point begins churning out quanta at two or three times the rate of pillars.

I may adjust it further before the competition ends (4 HP/turn is, admittedly, a high cost for something you can get with two pillars and your mark) and would be glad to hear any further comments, concerns, or questions.

[killsdazombies]

You are correct, four hp is rather a lot for a slight amount of quanta, but I think there is a good ratio going right now of cost to hp.


Maybe since this card eats your hp you could have it activate at the end of your opponents turn instead? It would move the HP drain further back giving you chance to heal, and it would move the quanta out of the way from a discord or blackhole or even other pests.

[tereret]

maybe costlesss? Or reusable(like rustler)?
edit:sacrificing 16hp to summon a dragon sounds a bit OP

[CrockettRocket]

Maybe since this card eats your hp you could have it activate at the end of your opponents turn instead? It would move the HP drain further back giving you chance to heal, and it would move the quanta out of the way from a discord or blackhole or even other pests.

Agreed