Junker | Elite Junker

[OldTrees]

Finally, a challenge to that part of the theory.

Some notes
1) The default creature has 1-5 hp. 6-7 is worth +1 cost
2) An immaterial creature still has to deal with shields
3) Immaterial on creatures seems to have a multiplier effect. This is intuitive because the value of anti CC rises with the value of the creature (attack + skill)

Phase Dragon
Static Value = 8 (attack) +1 (5<HP<8] = 9
Variable Value = 5.5 (1 + 9 x 1/2) = 5.5
Static + Variable = 9 + 5.5 = 14.5 = 15 = 14 + 1 card

A 7|4 Phase Dragon would be theoretically worth 11.5 = 12 = 11 + 1 card
A 7|X Morning Star is worth 7 + 1 card = 8

Cost difference is 4 but attack has already been balanced. By using a Cost difference we have also removed the variable of 7 attack.
We have remaining (Immaterial creature, non-unique) vs (immaterial permanent, unique) to account for the 4 difference.
(I left the immaterial in because the difference between creatures and permanents is based on their resilience and shields muck that variable up.)
Unique seems to have been worth 3 cost reduction in the past resulting in a 1 cost difference between (Vulnerable to CC shield vs Invulnerable)

Lets consider Lobotomizer and Mindflayer. (I expect you will find places to call this analogy faulty. Please do so.)
Lobotomizer: 3 +3 [Unique] + 1 card = 7 for 5 attack and  : Lobotomy
Mindflayer: 2 +1 [Duo] + 1 card = 4 for 2 attack and  : Lobotomy
By subtracting the attack from the cost we get
Lobotomizer: 2 cost units for  : Lobotomy
Mindflayer: 2 cost units for  : Lobotomy
Now usually if a creature had an activation cost of 2 quanta that would be a -1 cost reduction
Lobotomizer: 2 cost units for  : Lobotomy
Mindflayer: 1 cost unit for  : Lobotomy
The +1 cost difference emerged again.

Note: These calculations are based on pre Shard of Focus balance. As PC options start getting close to CC options then this cost difference will probably vanish.

[Pineapple]

-doesn't really get your calculations for mind flayer and lobotomizer-
lol, i was looking for a creature/weapon pair, but all i could think of was morning star and phase dragon..
I think that Lobotomizer/Flayer would be an easier way to find the standard...

Find the value of (uniqueness, permanent):
Compare Lobotmizer (unique, permanent, 5 attack, mono-lobotomize) with Mind Flayer (non-unique, creature, 2 attack, duo-lobotomize)

Abilities:
1. Assume repeatable ability costs add double the cost to the card's total cost.
2. Assume mono-ability costs 2 more quanta than duo-ability.

Mind Flayer:
1. From Abilities[1], conclude Mind Flayer costs 4 quanta.
2. Assume 2|2 creature for 2 is balanced.
3. From above, conclude duo-lobotomize costs the remaining 2 quanta.
Check if Mind Flayer would be balanced if all the above assumptions/statements are true. (Yes.)

Lobotomizer:
1. From Abilities[1], Lobotomizer costs 7 quanta.
2. From Mind Flayer[3] and Abilities[2], conclude mono-lobotomize costs 4 quanta.
3. From above, (uniqueness, permanent, 5 attack) costs 3 quanta.
4. Assume 5 attack permanent for 5 quanta is balanced.
5. From above, (uniqueness, permanent) costs -2 quanta.

Conclusion:
1. If (permanent) = (creature), then (uniqueness) = -2 quanta.
2. If (uniqueness) = -3 quanta, then (permanent) - 1 = (creature)
3. If (uniqueness) = -1 quanta, then (permanent) + 1 = (creature)

Attempting to find the values is too difficult for me, who hasn't found previous values and resorts to making assumptions.
Listing types of CC and types of PC is easier for me to analyze, but I'm far too lazy to do that, so instead I will make the card focus more on the destruction effect and make the damage a vanilla ability.

[OldTrees]

Whoa, a more extensive critique. Finally.
I expect this warrants a Design Theory thread of your own. (I have been looking for someone to replace my cost theory with a better one)
Phantom Fox started his by checking if it accurately explained why cards thought balanced/imbalanced are balanced/imbalanced. I did the same when my theory replaced his. (please do this if only to get other people started on the third generation of cost theory)

-doesn't really get your calculations for mind flayer and lobotomizer-
lol, i was looking for a creature/weapon pair, but all i could think of was morning star and phase dragon..
I think that Lobotomizer/Flayer would be an easier way to find the standard...

Abilities:
1. Assume repeatable ability costs add double the cost to the card's total cost.
2. Assume mono-ability costs 2 more quanta than duo-ability.

My current theory does not match on either of these two points.
1. Ability costs on creatures cost +1 for 0, +0 for 1, -1 for 2-3 and -2 for 4+ (capped due to SoR interaction)
2. Duo ability costs have a -1 cost reduction.
I believe (it was more than a year ago) I used Wyrm and Pegasus to find a pattern.
Wyrm: 4 + 1 card -> 3|3  : Dive
Pegasus: 4 + 1 card -> 3|2  : Dive
Under my theory
Wyrm costs 4 quanta + 1 card + 1(expensive activation cost) for a total of 6 for 3 attack + Dive
and Pegasus  4 quanta + 1 card + 1(duo activation cost) for a total of 6 for 3 attack + Dive
Under your theory
Wyrm costs 4 quanta + 1 card + 4(activation cost) for a total of 9 for 3 attack + Dive
and Pegasus  4 quanta + 1 card + 2(duo activation cost) +2(activation cost) for a total of 9 for 3 attack + Dive

[Pineapple]

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