New element : Clockwork

[Piter De Vries]

Hello again,

here's a new element. The Killer Bees from Essence made me think about it, but i've not copied the idea he did, it only inspired me. The main idea of that element is to have creatures and permanents helping each other, creating each other. That's its most weakness at the same time; a big creature or permanent controller will probably kill this mono deck. There is one new way to deal with ennemy permanents, and as usual, i've put there many synergies between those cards.
As usual too, i will update that first post with your comments, balancing ideas, etc... I'm never totally objective when creating those cards, your help is welcome.
... and if you have better names, throw them in! As you can see, english isn't my native language, so i'm lacking of vocabulary for names (using a dictionnary isn't totally solving that problem).
Just in case, i say it again here: i actively support the idea of Elements becoming a 14 or 16 elements game. So this idea can go with my other topic about Blood element (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,1860.0.html), and the one about Mind element (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,2270.0.html) by Koxeida.



New element : Clockwork (thanks to Essence for the name, better than Machine or Metal)


New ability : repair. Using this ability heals all clockwork creatures of the owner by 2 HP.
New ability : permanent infest. The creature using this ability suicides, infesting a permanent. This permanent will be turned into a Crazy Factory within 2 turns.
New ability : upg. permanent infest. The creature using this ability suicides, infesting a permanent. This permanent will be turned into an up. Crazy Factory within 2 turns.
New ability : vindictive. When a creature has this ability, it will loose 1 HP (as damage) and gain 3 attack (definitely) each time it's going to attack.
New ability : replicate. When a creature uses this ability, it pays the cost, then is stuck in a time bubble for 1 turn. If alive after that turn, it creates a copy of itself, which has ability replicate too.
New ability : Fabric building. This passive ability triggers when the owner has 8 of that creature. They all 8 take 6 damage and a Golem Fabric is created to the owner.
New ability : Factory building. This passive ability triggers when the owner has 8 of that creature. They all 8 take 6 damage and a Golem Factory is created to the owner.



clockwork pillar (pillar) : produces 1 clockwork quantum / turn. Upgrades into clockwork tower.
clockwork tower (pillar) : produces 1 clockwork quantum / turn, gives 1 clockwork quantum when played.

Replicating pillar (pillar) : costs 2 clockwork quanta. Is active only 1 turn / 3 ("busy", = stuck in time or whatever the other 2 turns). Produces 1 clockwork quantum and creates a Replicating pillar each active turn. Upgrades to Replicating tower.
Replicating tower (pillar) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. Is active only 1 turn / 3 ("busy", = stuck in time or whatever the other 2 turns). Produces 1 clockwork quantum and creates a Replicating tower each active turn. Immediatly gives 1 clockwork quantum when played.


Junk (creature) : -1 / 1, no cost. Upgrades to Trash.
Trash (creature) : -2 / 2, no cost.

clockwork parasite (creature) : 0 / 1, costs 2 clockwork quanta. Ability : permanent infest (costs 1 clockwork quantum). Upgrades to Clockwork virus.
clockwork virus (creature) : 0 / 2, costs 2 clockwork quanta. Ability : upg. permanent infest (costs 1 clockwork quantum).

Fixing bot (creature) : 0 / 3, costs 3 clockwork quanta. Ability : repair, costs 2 clockwork quanta. Upgrades to Repairbot.
Repairbot (creature) : 0 / 5, costs 3 clockwork quanta. Ability : repair, costs 2 clockwork quanta.

Builder (creature) : 0 / 3, costs 4 clockwork quanta. Passive ability : Fabric building (costs no quantum). Active ability : replicate (costs 2 clockwork quanta). Upgrades to Creative IA.
Creative IA (creature) : 0 / 4, costs 3 clockwork quanta. Passive ability : Factory building (costs no quantum). Active ability : replicate (costs 2 clockwork quanta).

Iron Golem (creature) : 6 / 6, costs 9 clockwork quanta. Ability : vindictive, passive. Upgrades to Steel Golem.
Steel Golem (creature) : 7 / 8, costs 9 clockwork quanta. Ability : vindictive, passive.

Iron Dragon (creature) : 8 / 7, costs 10 clockwork quanta. Upgrades to Steel Dragon.
Steel Dragon (creature) : 12 / 7, costs 12 clockwork quanta.


Assemble (spell) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. Kills the targetted Junk or Trash and turns it into a Replicating pillar to the spellcaster. Upgrades to Recycle.
Recycle (spell) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. Kills the targetted Junk or Trash and turns it into a Replicating tower to the spellcaster.

Low Upgrade (spell) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. The targetted non-upgraded creature is now upgraded (card replaced by the upgraded version). Upgrades to Upgrade.
Upgrade (spell) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. The targetted non-upgraded permanent or creature is now upgraded (card replaced by the upgraded version).

Speed Boost (spell) : costs 2 clockwork quanta. The targetted stuck in time or busy creature becomes available (and so can play this turn). Upgrades to Rush.
Rush (spell) : costs 1 clockwork quantum. The targetted stuck in time or busy creature becomes available (and so can play this turn).


Fixing Factory (permanent) : costs 5 clockwork quanta. Can create a Fixing bot for 2 clockwork quanta (once per turn). Upgrades to Repairing Factory.
Repairing Factory (permanent) : costs 5 clockwork quanta. Can create a Repairbot for 2 clockwork quanta (once per turn).

Crazy Factory (permanent) : costs 6 clockwork quanta. Creates a Junk in its owner side each turn.
Up. Crazy Factory (permanent) : costs 5 clockwork quanta. Creates a Trash in its owner side each turn.

Golem Fabric (permanent) : costs 12 clockwork quanta. Can create an Iron Golem for 8 clockwork quanta (once per turn). Upgrades to Golem Factory.
Golem Factory (permanent) : costs 11 clockwork quanta. Can create a Steel Golem for 8 clockwork quanta (once per turn).


Mechanic Buckler (shield) : costs 4 clockwork quanta. Blocks 1 damage for each Fixing Bot or Repairbot you got in play. Cannot block Junk and Trash damages. Upgrades to Clockwork Fortress.
Clockwork Fortress (shield) : costs 3 clockwork quanta. Blocks 1 damage + 1 for each Fixing Bot or Repairbot you got in play. Cannot block Junk and Trash damages.


Force Rod (weapon) : costs 5 clockwork quanta. Ability : gravity pull (costs 3 gravity quanta). Deals 4 damage + 1 per Junk or Trash in ennemy field. Upgrades to Force Staff.
Force Staff (weapon) : costs 5 clockwork quanta. Ability : gravity pull (costs 1 gravity quantum). Deals 5 damage + 1 per Junk or Trash in ennemy field.

[Essence]

Call it "clockwork" -- the opposite of "Entropy". 

[Piter De Vries]

What is "Pole" ?
I like clockwork, yeah. I'm gonna change it. Quite the idea i wanted, without beeing able to put a name on it.

[Essence]

Pole = from Poland.

I'm not, in general, a big fan of new elements.  I think the game needs more cards in the existing structure, not new structure.  That said, I've never been a big fan of the "Time is the opposite of Aether; Gravity is the opposite of Entropy" concept. 

In my mind, Aether <--> Gravity (one is the physical space-time continuum, the other is the energy aspect of the same phenomenon); Entropy <--> Clockwork;  and Time <--> Space.  Obviously Aether<-->Gravity and Time<--> Space form a quatrain not unlike F/E/A/W and L/D/L/D, which leaves Entropy<-->Clockwork needing another pairing to finish off the quatrain.  And actually, poetically, having four sets of four sets of two balanced elements does lead to a balanced whole, unlike the three sets we have now. 

Maybe the other pairing to Entropy<-->Clockwork should be Dreams<-->Intellect.  That would be cool.

[Bloodshadow]

Actually, I'd prefer a "technology" sort of element. Ancient clockwork gear mechs wouldn't be bad.

In my opinion, Gravity is the opposite of Entropy, because it is paired with Entropy in the beginning where you pick your element.
Think about it. Gravity seeks to collapse everything into a sphere, the most perfect and ordered shape in 3D space. And Gravity is absolute: it affects every single particle in existence. Gravity exemplifies ultimate order, just as Entropy is chaos.

[Chromanin]

"Technology" element would be a better name, although i like the name clockwork. I just see that every element in elements has a very renown purpose in existence, technology seams to take its place. Perhaps "Intelligence" wouldn't be bad either.

The opposite of entropy is relativity. Entropy implies no relation and therefor complete randomness, relativity of coarse implies relation and therefor reason and purpose to what happens next.

Perhaps "Order" and "Chaos" could become elements in this game. They certainly seam to be a force to be reckoned with.

[Piter De Vries]

Although i am very interested in that debate, i will not continue it here, because that's not what the topic is about.

[philipapw]

According to wiki (elements)...
Water-Fire
Life-Death
Light-Dark
Aether-Entropy
Earth-Wind
Time
Gravity
... this leaves time and gravity with no opposites.

[Chromanin]

time's opposite is aether, aether transcends the dimension of time. Its as opposite as it gets. Entropy is opposite of almost everything.. cuz everything has some sort of order, some non-randomness to it.

Space could be an element, there may not be much to come up with for it though. But it is truly an element.

Energy as well is an element. There are tremendous amounts of opportunities for creative ideas there, that and it's also a true element.

Clockwork isn't a true element, neither is technology really.. but perhaps theres some category which your clockwork creatures could fall into, a type of element which allows these to exist in the game. A true element... just gotta figure out a better name is all and you're chances are up like 100%

In fact, i'm going to come up with an energy element... perhaps you'll see it soon.
Also! instead of junk and trash, try scraps and scrap pile.. seams a bit more fitting for robots. 
 for a hint/tip on what to name your element... try something with Progam, or some word which defines program in a "deeper" manner. Everything is programmed in some way..

[bobcamel]

I'd say that both Entropy-Gravity by BS and Time-Aether by Chromanin are proper opposites and no new element is needed.

And Space falls under Aether.

[Essence]

Space falls under Aether

Which is funny, because the description of Aether in the trainer practically says "Energy falls under Aether" in it. ;p

[Delreich]

Lets get back on topic, shall we?

I'm not fond of the idea of more elements. 12 is more than enough already, almost too many even (in my opinion).
The cards are a bit on the strong side as well, especially the golems.