Ask the Idea Guru

[OldTrees]

cost evaluation needed in thread http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33202.msg448325#msg448325

Cursed Mirror / Mirror Demon has two True Casting Costs

1) Cursed Mirror + Lethal CC
2) Mirror Demon (from Fractal or RT)

The two methods should have approximately the same total cost. Therefore
Quanta Casting Cost of Cursed Mirror + Quanta Casting Cost of Lethal CC + 1 = Quanta Casting Cost of Mirror Demon

Mirror Demon deserves a Quanta Casting Cost of 8 |6
In Element Lethal CC would be Drain Life with a Quanta Casting Cost of 3 |1
Out of Element Lethal CC would be Lightning with a Quanta Casting Cost of 2 |1 (requiring a second element acts as an additional +1 cost)
Therefore Cursed Mirror should cost about 5 |5 .

Now Cursed Mirror's stats are insufficient for a creature with a 5 |4 casting cost. I would suggest the Cursed Mirror have 3 attack or an activated skill of equivalent worth.

Alternatively if the Mirror Demon only had 6 attack, Cursed Mirror would be balanced at 3 |2 for 1|4 stats.

[karis]

what about my 3 card in this topic 

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,32551.msg448352.html#new

[OldTrees]

what about my 3 card in this topic 

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,32551.msg448352.html#new

are those card interesting enough for competition.    and maybe how to improve it. (added from PM)

Still a somewhat vague question. I will try to restrict my answers to fit my guess of what you desire to hear about.

These are cards for a proposed new card slot. Each card in that slot would:
1) Replace the previous card
2) Be vulnerable as a permanent
3) Have a single large scale altering effect.
4) Have an additional alternate cost

Based on what I have seen of the other examples in the thread your examples are equally interesting/uninteresting.

How to improve it?
The competition should hinge around the slot and all the potential cards not just the particular cards shown. In this manner the card examples should be used to explain the limits of the slot. What it can and can't do. The pros and cons of adding the slot to the game.

Do the card effects fit the slot name?
Pillars are not part of the Elemental. Would the Elemental's form affect them?
Creatures and permanents are not part of the Elemental. Would the Elemental's form affect them?
Is the hand and deck part of the Elemental? (I think so but do you?)

[TheManuz]

May i ask you what do you think of Endless Army (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33241.0.html) cost?
I'd also like a general feedback on the mechanic, if you don't mind.
Thanks in advance!

[OldTrees]

May i ask you what do you think of Endless Army (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33241.0.html) cost?
I'd also like a general feedback on the mechanic, if you don't mind.
Thanks in advance!

The primary use of Endless Army and its predecessors Aspect of infinity and even further back Time Portal | Portal of Eternity was to prevent deckout by recycling dying creatures. The only other card that prevents deckout is Eternity.

Endless Army vs Eternity
Both combos require 2 cards. Both combos are vulnerable to PC and Silence. Both have an ~4 attack between the two cards used in the combo.
Eternity gets to use its attack when played while Endless Army has to wait till near deckout to use its effective attack from Spark|Ball Lightning.
Eternity is a weapon and thus blocks the weapon slot.
Reverse Time is useful for more than just antideckout but not at the same time.
Endless Army has much better synergy with Hourglass
The Eternity costs 6 |5 + 3 per turn + 2 cards

So until your deck runs out Endless Army is almost useless. Once your deck runs out Endless Army is significantly cheaper than the alternative. I do not think it has a theoretical balanced cost in this form.

[The_Mormegil]

May i ask you what do you think of Endless Army (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33241.0.html) cost?
I'd also like a general feedback on the mechanic, if you don't mind.
Thanks in advance!

The primary use of Endless Army and its predecessors Aspect of infinity and even further back Time Portal | Portal of Eternity was to prevent deckout by recycling dying creatures. The only other card that prevents deckout is Eternity.

Endless Army vs Eternity
Both combos require 2 cards. Both combos are vulnerable to PC and Silence. Both have an ~4 attack between the two cards used in the combo.
Eternity gets to use its attack when played while Endless Army has to wait till near deckout to use its effective attack from Spark|Ball Lightning.
Eternity is a weapon and thus blocks the weapon slot.
Reverse Time is useful for more than just antideckout but not at the same time.
Endless Army has much better synergy with Hourglass
The Eternity costs 6 |5 + 3 per turn + 2 cards

So until your deck runs out Endless Army is almost useless. Once your deck runs out Endless Army is significantly cheaper than the alternative. I do not think it has a theoretical balanced cost in this form.

Endless Army can destroy a CC heavy decker alone too, if those even exist anymore...

[karis]

thank you so much about my card   

[darkrobe]

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33313.0.html (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33313.0.html)

Could you let me know your thoughts about the quanta cost balance of Starfish | Sea Star. are they priced right?

[OldTrees]

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33313.0.html (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33313.0.html)

Could you let me know your thoughts about the quanta cost balance of Starfish | Sea Star. are they priced right?

Adjusted Cost = Total Quanta Cost + Types of Quanta

Starfish

Turn	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Number	1	2	4	8	16	23	23
Total Attack	2	2	4	8	16	18+14=32	46
Total Damage	2	4	8	16	32	64	110
Adjusted Cost	5	7	9	13	21	28	28

Sea Star

Turn	1	2	3	4	5	6
Number	1	2	4	8	8	8
Total Attack	4	4	8	16	32	48
Total Damage	4	8	16	32	64	112
Adjusted Cost	5	7	9	13	13	13

Starfish achieves 110|112 damage on turn 7|6 for an adjusted cost of 28|13. [exponential swarm of creatures, swarm regenerates attack and hp]
Firefly Queen achieves 108|95 damage on turn 8|7 for an adjusted cost of 23|21. [linear swarm of creatures, swarm generates quanta]
Lava Golem achieves 96|91 damage on turn 8|7 for an adjusted cost of 14|13. [single creature, low hp, hp grows with attack]
Steam Machine achieves 90|90 damage on turn 7|7 for an adjusted cost of 18|18. [single creature, has lots of hp]

Unupped appears relatively balanced. The upgraded should have a high win condition cost, a slower win condition or both.
A turn 6/7 win condition with Sea Stars traits would be balanced around a ~25/20 adjusted cost.

[TuckingFypo]

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33346.0.html

Could you please give feedback on ^?  Main things to consider PU, and that all of the powerful combos you can do with it have a lot of separate cards involved.

[OldTrees]

http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,33346.0.html

Could you please give feedback on ^?  Main things to consider PU, and that all of the powerful combos you can do with it have a lot of separate cards involved.

The Core of the idea is the effect:
"Any spell or skill that affects this card will also affect other Holy Runes."
The "up to 5" and "you control" clauses are unnecessary and do not have obvious thematic justifications.
This ability is primarily balanced by equal effect for positive and negative effects. However the current notes exclude certain negative effects resulting in less inherent balance. I would recommend removing this bias. Without that bias the positive and negative effects tend to cancel out.

CC would turn into Mass CC. Lightning would deal 5 damage to each
Mass CC would turn into incredibly large Mass CC. Thunderstorm would deal X damage to each
Buffs would turn into Mass Buffs. Blessing would add +3X attack total

Something important to remember is Buffs would get 1 attack before CC could be used. As such the stats should start subpar.

Fractal and Mitosis have enhancing effects on the original combo. Fractal increases the number of Holy Runes by ~6 each use. Mitosis increases the number of Holy Runes by the number at the time of casting per turn. Parallel Universe does not affect any Holy Rune therefore it does not trigger the ability.

Summary of Enhancers:
Fractal + Blessing + 2 Holy Runes: ~ 8 Blessed Holy Runes for 10 |9 + 3 |2 +2 cards + cost of 8 Holy Runes
Mitosis + Blessing + 2 Holy Runes: ~ 6 Blessed Holy Runes for 5 |4 + 3 |2 +2 cards + cost of 6 Holy Runes

Summary:
Remove the clauses and the buff bias, forget about Parallel Universe because it never had an effect and nerf the stats drastically.

[EmeraldTiger]

would a perm that cancels death affects and/or generates Rustlers| Leaf Dragons instead be good?