Ask the Idea Guru

[OldTrees]

Comments on Chronoblast?

It is a damaging targeting AoE. (I have seen too many of those) Most of these have a balance point of around 4-5 creatures relative to single target CC. Usually one of these would kill more creatures than 1 rain of fire. However each additional Chronoblast is weakened dramatically.

Its cost need to be raised. (I am unsure how much more though. It depends on the opponent enough that playtesting is recommended)
Would it be better with a different implementation (non AoE)?

[furballdn]

How would it work without AoE? Like an eternal spell that does more damage each time you cast it? Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea. How would you balance an eternal card that does more damage each time it's cast (in one turn)? Can the game keep track of how many times a certain spell has been played in a turn?

[OldTrees]

How would it work without AoE? Like an eternal spell that does more damage each time you cast it? Actually, that sounds like a pretty good idea. How would you balance an eternal card that does more damage each time it's cast (in one turn)? Can the game keep track of how many times a certain spell has been played in a turn?

I believe there was a meteor themed card that was a single target version.

You would balance such a card by balancing the average case. The total efficiency of the card if it was cast the average number of times in a turn should be balanced.
Currently the Arena AI is reluctant to spam cards. There must be some similar code there.

[furballdn]

Would a firewood card idea be good? It'd be a 0 cost life permanent with ability being either immolation or cremation. If so, should the activation cost be 1 , 1 , or 0?

[OldTrees]

Would a firewood card idea be good? It'd be a 0 cost life permanent with ability being either immolation or cremation. If so, should the activation cost be 1 , 1 , or 0?

So 1 card that duplicates Immolation + Photon?
That would be redundant with Immolation.

[Zaealix]

Would a firewood card idea be good? It'd be a 0 cost life permanent with ability being either immolation or cremation. If so, should the activation cost be 1 , 1 , or 0?

It sounds too much like a replacing card. A permanent is harder to remove, as there are less cards that do so. This would allow the same boost that immo combos do, at half the card slots. In fact, this card very well could possibly replace Nova and Supernova, which were specifically nerfed to prevent rapid spamming of said cards.
1. There needs to be a reason to still play immolation after this cards comes around.
2. There needs to be a reason not to revive the old, nova-reliant rushes that now are nerfed by the presence of Singularity, with this card replacing it.

[furballdn]

Would a firewood card idea be good? It'd be a 0 cost life permanent with ability being either immolation or cremation. If so, should the activation cost be 1 , 1 , or 0?

So 1 card that duplicates Immolation + Photon?
That would be redundant with Immolation.

Seems redundant yeah. But I thought of it as saving card space. It'd allow immorushes to pack more cards.
Photon+immolation=2 cards
firewood=1 card + 1 turn

[Zaealix]

What point would there be to using Immolation once this caught on though? As far as I can tell, there's really no reason not to bother with Immo once you have firewood to burn.

[furballdn]

Firewood requires one turn of waiting in exchange for more card space. Immolation uses up more cards, but it can be used in one turn.

[Zaealix]

The wait period isn't that severe though, when you consider that these are pretty much cheaper, and all but untouchable except for four cards: explosion, which for full denial would leave other permanents free for use unless you had more PC. Pulverize, which would most likely be played later in a match than these things, and steal, which would probably be the best bet, and SoF, which...Is kinda broken as is due to the quanta powers of rainbows. As a result, the only decks made with PC can deal with Firewood directly.
Not to mention that if Nova's recent Singularity nerf is any indication, there needs to be a reason this card cannot be spammed. Immo's control is the creature sacrifice requirement. Nova can't be spammed because then you have to deal with a Singularity. This however, does not have a control for it's use as of yet.

[OldTrees]

Would a firewood card idea be good? It'd be a 0 cost life permanent with ability being either immolation or cremation. If so, should the activation cost be 1 , 1 , or 0?

So 1 card that duplicates Immolation + Photon?
That would be redundant with Immolation.

Seems redundant yeah. But I thought of it as saving card space.

That would place it in the same redundancy tier as a  fallen elf in addition to the  fallen elf.
I would wait until 1000 cards are in the game before this tier.

[memimemi]

Tossing an idea at you, OT:

Acorn|Acorn (Creature,  )

0 |0

0/1 | 0/1

  : Grow. Turns into Sapling. |  : Grow.  Turns into Sapling.


Sapling|Sapling

1/3 | 1/4

  : Grow.  Turns into Oak.  |  : Grow.  Turns into Ancient Oak.

Oak|Ancient Oak.

4/5 | 5/6

  Propagate.  Generates an Acorn. | 1 Propagate.  Generates an (upgraded) Acorn.

Thoughts?