Distortion Ray | Distortion Bolt

[The_Mormegil]

1x the damage is enough. This card will be most effective at high-HP creatures, like Armagios or Flying Titans. in both cases, 2x damage means almost an instant kill. on most other creatures the change is not significant enough other than, for example, using this on an enemy Phoenix as CC, or any other creatures with 0 attack to make them spark-like (Bye bye nymphs!) and then again, why use CC that damages you anyway? 1x damage is enough.

(PS: woot! 200th post! *happy dance*  8) 8) )

1x damage means a Flying Titan will damage you for 42. Except that with 5 , 10 , 1 other quanta and 4 cards, you deal 42 damages to yourself and 100 damages to opponent, period, with no chance to avoid them for the enemy. That's a bit too much.

[RagingAlien]

2x damage means you automatically die. (Titan flying has 50 HPs). 1x damage means you can die with a lot less effort from the enemy.

[coinich]

2x damage means you automatically die. (Titan flying has 50 HPs). 1x damage means you can die with a lot less effort from the enemy.

You wouldn't take 100 damage, you'd take 84.  Its based off of twice the attack change.  50-8 is 42, 42x2 is 84.  Plus, PU would be a more viable alternative to this rather than worrying about flying another Titan.  Setup with some Dim Shields, you could bomb like crazy.  Thats why I'm worried, and wrote it with 2x damage.

[Higurashi]

It's a bit much because it ramps up the risk too much. With something like that in the metagame, the speed of the game would increase even further. Rushes with even more PC (because of Dim Shields) would be the counter. Increasing the damage you take doesn't change anything. If you don't want this scenario to ramp up the metagame to a hectic pace, disallow usage on Titan.

[ZephyrPhantom]

It's a bit much because it ramps up the risk too much. With something like that in the metagame, the speed of the game would increase even further. Rushes with even more PC (because of Dim Shields) would be the counter. Increasing the damage you take doesn't change anything. If you don't want this scenario to ramp up the metagame to a hectic pace, disallow usage on Titan.

Why not add an HP limit like I suggested before in chat?
"The target low HP(<10) creature's ATK and DEF are switched. "
or
"The target creature's ATK and DEF are switched. Cannot target creatures with HP greater than 10."
This not only gets rid of the Titan scenario it also deals with other creatures that this card could create a similar combo with like Armagio and Massive Dragon.

[coinich]

The thing is, I want that potential to be there.  I want the user to be able to pull off a tricky, convoluted combination to get out an uber fragile Armagio with 25|1 stats.  Making an HP cap would defeat the purpose of using it on most of your own creatures as well.

[ZephyrPhantom]

The thing is, I want that potential to be there.  I want the user to be able to pull off a tricky, convoluted combination to get out an uber fragile Armagio with 25|1 stats.  Making an HP cap would defeat the purpose of using it on most of your own creatures as well.

Unfortunatley the flying Titan combo seems to just be a sore spot to others. Perhaps disallow usage on weapons? Not exactly the best solution but it keeps the Armagio scenario there and stops the Titan one at the same time.

[OldTrees]

An hp cap is pointless and not needed. The multiplier on the damage received is based on estimates of game length. If you are going to use it with Titans then pack very good stall cards or you will lose that precious 16 hp. Armagio and Voodoo Doll are the intended targets.

Now here is my argument for why 2x the change is correct:
You are increasing the damage your opponent will take each turn without paying sufficient quanta. Hence you need to take a cost that your new advantage will equal out. However any cost that equals out too soon does not deserve to provide a lasting change.

1x the increase in attack would be a cost that would be equalized at the end of the turn with no period of disadvantage making 1x the damage only suitable for a 1 turn effect.
2x the increase in attack would be a cost that would be equalized at the end of the 2nd turn with 1 turn of disadvantage. This justifies it to have and approximate 3 turn duration (disadvantaged, equal, advantage).

Most games would be over at around 3 turns after distorted ray was used as a buff hence 2x is the correct multiplier.

Cards that pay for themselves should have equal periods of disadvantage and advantage in an average game.
The damage multiplier of Nx would have equal periods if 2N-1 turns remained.
3 turns would be the average time remaining when Distorted Ray is used.
The multiplier should be Nx such that 2N-1=3 or N=2

[coinich]

Ultimately though, the question then becomes whether that decrease of the game's tempo becomes imbalanced, as Higs said.  I'm honestly not sure how to balance this card any more.  The HP cost helps some, but is the shortened game tempo with the most powerful combo worth it?

[Hermis0]

What also should not be forgotten is the added influence of Miracle, Shard of Divinity, and Petrify (Basilisk Blood).  And in my little universe, a deck with Titan and Distortion would not run without Miracle (not if you're expecting to take 84 damage in one swing).

Titan (5 Gravity) + Animate Weapon (1 non-specific) + Twin Universe (6 Aether) + Distortion (? Aether)

That's not that complicated of a combo to pull off, if you have instant-win on mind (often doable on the second turn).  Do it twice or add extra TU's, and you fell FG's all day long.  The Miracle would only be needed if you didn't get your combo or quanta fast enough.

You also have the option to create a scaling formula to deal with high-HP creatures.  For example, if you want to guarentee the player dies if he would create a creature with attack of 50, but not too horribly punished for flipping an Armagio with attack of 25:

DMG = 0.08 * ATK^2

Attack	Damage
3	0
10	8
15	18
20	32
25	50
30	72
40	128
50	200

[ninjamaster1991]

For a flipside, a  / deck, this on Ruby Dragons = healing; 2 new attack-15 old attack= negative 13 damage to you = 13 healing. Not a lot of healing, but you get a good tank with 3 attack, more than Armagio, but not a mono- Animated Titan. However, you get healing with it.

[Hermis0]

For a flipside, a  / deck, this on Ruby Dragons = healing; 2 new attack-15 old attack= negative 13 damage to you = 13 healing. Not a lot of healing, but you get a good tank with 3 attack, more than Armagio, but not a mono- Animated Titan. However, you get healing with it.

Where does the healing come from?