Card Idea - Stopwatch

[becarem]

A while back, I remember reading about someone's idea that eventually each element should have a card that is dependent on the amount of free quantum of that type.  It occurred to me last night; why not give time a mono-friendly way to keep from decking? 

Stopwatch: cost 3 / 1 upgraded
This card lasts 1 turn for each 10 time quantums in your possession.
Delay: You may not draw a card.

This sort of card would work especially well with mono decks, but would be suitable in several stalling strategies.  Ideally you could use this and an Eternity to slow the game to a crawl, even putting cards back on your deck.  Yet, like its brother sundial, it would eventually go away on its own, even if not simply Exploded or Pulverized.

All suggestions appreciated!

[Pilchard123]

Stopwatches are usually used for measuring time, not stopping it.

Good idea, although it should affect your opponent too, at least un-upped.

[ftbhrygvn]

Stop time is a better name

And affecting the enemy is not a good idea, this would stop his deck completly so it is not worse, but better for the player playing the card.

[teffy]

So hourglasses become more important, as they are now ?
It´s one of the TOP cards even without this idea.

If this card only affects you, it could be ok.
I hope the AI knows, how to use it.

And Rainbow decks would not deck out as fast as now.
O no!

[WayneCore]

So hourglasses become more important, as they are now ?

While Delay is in play, you may not draw a card.

so hourglasses would be useless during that time ...

makes more sense anyway ... if the time is stopped, how could you hasten it? =D

[becarem]

First off, thank you for taking a look and commenting, everyone!

Stopwatches are usually used for measuring time, not stopping it.
Good idea, although it should affect your opponent too, at least un-upped.

Stop time is a better name
And affecting the enemy is not a good idea, this would stop his deck completly so it is not worse, but better for the player playing the card.

True, but stopwatches are also timekeepers that can "pause" their progress.  The name is completely arbitrary.  I was going with timekeeping devices; sundial, hourglass, etc.  Better suggestions are more than welcome.

I was definitely not thinking of it affecting one's opponent, merely one's own deck.  Depending on balance, it may or may not be possible.  It would seem slightly OP to me, to play a card for 3 and keep my opponent from drawing a card for (possibly) more than one turn.

so hourglasses would be useless during that time ...
makes more sense anyway ... if the time is stopped, how could you hasten it? =D

Exactly.  Clicking an hourglass would do nothing.  For X turns, you are left with whatever you have in play, and nothing more.  That is one of the balancing features of the card, I believe, and quite fitting with how I imagine the element of Time to be: the power to speed up as well as slow down.

If this card only affects you, it could be ok.
I hope the AI knows, how to use it.

And Rainbow decks would not deck out as fast as now.
O no!

Yes, I imagine this card will never be made for three reasons, and one of them is that it might be a nightmare to get the AI to use it correctly.  Not that that has ever stopped a card from being made, though.

Another reason I doubt this concept will reach play is that it will be seen as too situational to bother putting into the game.  It does nothing to the enemy, only stalling yourself from decking out.  Otherwise, why would you want to deny yourself the drawn card?

My final thought for why it isn't likely to be made is the concept itself might be seen as too potentially unbalanced towards those decks that could benefit (although, only a dedicated mono or duo time deck will truly make this card worth including, it could still prove too much of a headache to gain enough ground).

That all having been said, I personally think that a card like this would be neat, to say the least.  Please continue with the suggestions and comments, help me make it feasible enough that it might actually happen!

[ftbhrygvn]

If Zanz is really that skillful (at least he can make Elements the GREAT game), he should be able to sort out that decision tree. I personally programmed a game into a programmable calculator and it is still popular among my friends. I just made an AI, beat him once, and use the strategy I used against him to improve the decision tree. I repeated the process at least 10 times to get the current AI.

[becarem]

Images for what I have in mind.  Please ignore glitches; I am still learning how to use this newfangled electric box contraption on my desk.

(http://www.screenshotdumpster.com/)
(http://www.screenshotdumpster.com/)

[Terroking]

Personally, although the idea is neat, and I agree that all elements should have a "According to X. X=Quanta/10" cards, I would never put this in my deck, eternity can already prevent deck-outs, and can be used as deadly offense as well. I personally see no reason to put this in my deck. Although you cannot use eternity offensively when preventing yourself from decking, it's not worth the card space.

A similar but much more useful option would be to have the card not have delay, but a re-usable hasten. It would start off with X counters, where X=(Timequanta/10)+1, and you could click on it to draw a card, lowering the counters by 1. With the fancy new message to stop multiple draws, it should work.

The big problem with that though is how un-orignal it is, time already has 2 cards with hasten, and 4 to make you draw a card (Granted 2 are cantrip).

Oh well, just my 2 cents.

[Glitch]

Is this an instant or a permanent?

[Kameda]

It's a permanent with time limit.