CI&A Discussion Thread Week 2 - Pharaoh

[RootRanger]

For the second week, the card to discuss is Pharaoh.



- How would you rate the card's art?
- How would you rate the card's design?
- Would you be more inclined to worship a Pharaoh who flooded your city with what is essentially a swarm of beetles, or would this be a more undesirable quality for a ruler to possess?
- Is 2 a realistic measure of how much time it takes a Pharaoh to produce a scarab in real life?

Additionally, feel free to suggest cards to discuss in future weeks!

[Higurashi]

Since "design" wasn't clarified in the last thread, I'll have to dedicate a post to the question: what does "design" encompass? Theoretical mechanics, its place in the game as it is or the thematic design? They're all very important for a card, of course.

[Mr Muffin]

- Is 2 a realistic measure of how much time it takes a Pharaoh to produce a scarab in real life?

Pharaohs can't produce scarabs in real life.

[Solaris]

- Is 2 a realistic measure of how much time it takes a Pharaoh to produce a scarab in real life?

Pharaohs can't produce scarabs in real life.

Pfft. Next you're going to tell me jet fuel can melt steel beams.

-4/5, could do with more excite. But, it is
-2/5, mainly a gimmick card, rarely seen competitively
-I worship nobody!
-sure

[ARTHANASIOS]

I actually think the card is fine as it is. About the Scarabs, I remember back on the day I started playing the game, due to the sound of Pharaoh's activated ability, I thought Scarabs as mechanical automata rather than living organisms. That may explain the whole Scarab production mechanic.

Btw, have you seen the movie 'The Mummy' and played Tomb Raider 4? There are some interesting ideas of how Scarab swarms are connected to Mummies (and Pharaohs of course).

[OdinVanguard]

I actually think the card is fine as it is. About the Scarabs, I remember back on the day I started playing the game, due to the sound of Pharaoh's activated ability, I thought Scarabs as mechanical automata rather than living organisms. That may explain the whole Scarab production mechanic.

Btw, have you seen the movie 'The Mummy' and played Tomb Raider 4? There are some interesting ideas of how Scarab swarms are connected to Mummies (and Pharaohs of course).

There is a strong mythological connection (which is why you see them in those movies / games):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khepri
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarab_(artifact)

I actually like that idea of the pharaoh creating some kind of an object.
I remember reading somewhere that in egyptian lore, an object that holds the image of a thing contains its essence. E.g. make a like life enough depiction or sculpture of a spirit / diety and you have a link to its essence / spirit.

So bascially the pharaoh is carving out / constructing a scarab and using magic to bring it to life... makes sense to me...
Although thematically I would say the activation cost should be in , , or in that case, this would greatly weaken the card mechanically...

[foxrain4]

- How would you rate the card's art?
1
- How would you rate the card's design?
1
- Would you be more inclined to worship a Pharaoh who flooded your city with what is essentially a swarm of beetles, or would this be a more undesirable quality for a ruler to possess?
I think controlling beetles for such a powerful Pharaoh is pathetic.

Although I rated it badly, i solely determined it by thematic,
as a player, I find Pharaoh is a very good card and have great comboes,
its only the fantasy i dun like about it.