Shunt | Primal Shunt

[johannhowitzer]

NAME: Shunt ELEMENT: Life COST: 4 TYPE: Permanent ATK|HP: TEXT: The damage dealt by all spells is reduced by 1.	NAME: Primal Shunt ELEMENT: Life COST: 4 TYPE: Permanent ATK|HP: TEXT: The damage dealt by all spells is reduced by 2.

ART: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,5998.0.html IDEA: johannhowitzer NOTES: Does not stack. Spells with damage less than or equal to the Shunt's power reduction will be nullified. Affects any damage caused by all spells cast by either player.  Does not affect healing spells. Details for all affected spells: Holy Light - reduces damage caused to  or  targets, does not affect healing. Fire Bolt, Ice Bolt, Drain Life - reduces individual projectiles.  For example, with 20 quanta and a regular Shunt in play, a Fire Bolt would deal 2+2+2=6 damage to its target. Rain of Fire, Thunderstorm - damage against every creature is reduced. Shockwave, Lightning - reduced. Chaos Seed, Pandemonium - only affects listed above are reduced. Rage Potion, Owl's Eye lance, and Unstable Gas are unaffected - they are a buff, a weapon ability, and a permanent ability, respectively.  Chaos Seed's "Owl's Eye" effect is also untouched. SERIES: None

"You put far too much trust in your magics."

I considered several elements for this card -  .  I chose  for the following reasons:
-  creatures are especially vulnerable to damage spells, whereas  favors high-HP creatures,  is somewhat stable as well and can buff its own, and  favors immortality.
- While all four were solid choices conceptually, this is kind of a tribute to a Druid epic spell from Neverwinter Nights' "Higher Ground" persistent world, of which I was a part for several years.  Druids are a nature/life-based class.
- Strong synergy with Bounty | Bounty (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,16647.0.html), another card idea I've posted.

[RootRanger]

I like this; it is creative and there are few cards like it. The unupped seems a little UP, especially compared to the upped version. The upped version completely shuts down ice bolt and drain life, but the unupped only halves it. Maybe a cost of 3 quanta?

[johannhowitzer]

The unupped version is definitely weaker; the 3-cost thing may be a good idea.  Regular Shunt still will save those 3-health Frogs and such from Rain of Fire.

One thing I did overlook; this protects from SPELLS, but unlike Emerald Shield it can be stolen or destroyed.  Should I make it untargetable, even though it's a temporary thing and non-shield?

Interesting to note that the game currently has no immaterial permanents except for shields and weapons!

[TheIdioticIdiot]

this should be a permanent...

[johannhowitzer]

You mean, like a permanent permanent?

[AnonymousRevival]

Maybe make it a permanent permanent. Perhaps, make it an active skill.

[TheIdioticIdiot]

yes that's what i meant, a permanent permanent

[johannhowitzer]

I think the reason I had it last for 3 turns is I didn't want redundancy with Emerald Shield, but it really isn't redundant, because 1) it can stack with other shields, and 2) Emerald Shield doesn't protect creatures.

I'll mull this one over.  It would make the card simpler... what do you guys think, should it be immaterial?

[TheIdioticIdiot]

shouldn't be immaterial, but it shouldn't have a turn limit

[AnonymousRevival]

shouldn't be immaterial, but it shouldn't have a turn limit

I agree, how do you know when the enemy is going to attack you?

[johannhowitzer]

I will probably make this non-temporary soon, waiting to see how Bounty does in the Crucible before I submit this.  Meanwhile, any more constructiviticisms to add?

[plastiqe]

Does the effect stack if you have more than 1 in play?