Ask the Idea Guru

[OldTrees]

Can you give me some feedback on Time Anomaly | Time Disruption ?

I'm looking for balancing advice and what do you think of its metagame impact. Any additional thought is welcome too!

All your creatures are rewinded, but they also stay on the field.
(aka a copy is put on top of your deck)

The Manuz has a very good summary of the card

Spoiler for Hidden:

Back to the card, it does the following:
Every targetable creature on your side of the field is affected by a reverse time, so a copy of it is put on the top of your deck, BUT the creature remain on the field.
The order of the creatures on the top of your deck is the same order they have on the field.

The main effect of this spell is Fractal-like: its purpose is to multiply creatures beyond the 6-cards limit.
However this spell requires the draw power of Time to effectively use the new created creatures.

It can also be used to mass rewind skeletons and mummys. In this case, they behave normally: Mummys become Pharaohs and Skeletons become random creatures.

Another side effect is to add a lot of cards on top of your deck, effectively giving you a lot of turns more to play. A wonderful anti-deckout (but it needs creatures to fuel it).

In general, it's useful once you establish control of the field but you need more "firepower".

The first thing to note is that it costs more than Fractal but can be played earlier and in mono.
The second thing to note is it is not limited by the hand size. Though its cost scales.

It provides cheaper anti deckout than Eternity but more expensive than SoBe. This matches the extend of the anti deckout. SoBe decks out 30 card decks. Time Anomaly decks out SoBe. Eternity decks out Time Anomaly.

These balancing factors help balance the card. It still generates significant potential card advantage. It is more likely that is it OP than UP right now. However its potency is hard to measure without playtesting. I suspect we would see the same reaction to Time Anomaly as we did with the first version of Fractal. That is to say a significant fraction of the metagame would be dominated by the card advantage derived from Time Anomaly + unrestrained draw engines. Lots of Time duos would be used. After awhile things would settle giving accurate data about how much it would need to be nerfed. At that point it would still be a great card advantage enabler. It would help stalls that included it as well as undead decks.

Great design for a draw engine enabler.

[TheManuz]

Can you give me some feedback on Time Anomaly | Time Disruption ?

I'm looking for balancing advice and what do you think of its metagame impact. Any additional thought is welcome too!

All your creatures are rewinded, but they also stay on the field.
(aka a copy is put on top of your deck)

The Manuz has a very good summary of the card

Spoiler for Hidden:

Back to the card, it does the following:
Every targetable creature on your side of the field is affected by a reverse time, so a copy of it is put on the top of your deck, BUT the creature remain on the field.
The order of the creatures on the top of your deck is the same order they have on the field.

The main effect of this spell is Fractal-like: its purpose is to multiply creatures beyond the 6-cards limit.
However this spell requires the draw power of Time to effectively use the new created creatures.

It can also be used to mass rewind skeletons and mummys. In this case, they behave normally: Mummys become Pharaohs and Skeletons become random creatures.

Another side effect is to add a lot of cards on top of your deck, effectively giving you a lot of turns more to play. A wonderful anti-deckout (but it needs creatures to fuel it).

In general, it's useful once you establish control of the field but you need more "firepower".

The first thing to note is that it costs more than Fractal but can be played earlier and in mono.
The second thing to note is it is not limited by the hand size. Though its cost scales.

It provides cheaper anti deckout than Eternity but more expensive than SoBe. This matches the extend of the anti deckout. SoBe decks out 30 card decks. Time Anomaly decks out SoBe. Eternity decks out Time Anomaly.

These balancing factors help balance the card. It still generates significant potential card advantage. It is more likely that is it OP than UP right now. However its potency is hard to measure without playtesting. I suspect we would see the same reaction to Time Anomaly as we did with the first version of Fractal. That is to say a significant fraction of the metagame would be dominated by the card advantage derived from Time Anomaly + unrestrained draw engines. Lots of Time duos would be used. After awhile things would settle giving accurate data about how much it would need to be nerfed. At that point it would still be a great card advantage enabler. It would help stalls that included it as well as undead decks.

Great design for a draw engine enabler.

Thanks for your feedback, and thanks for your compliment! 

[ddevans96]

In your post following round 3 of the CDW, you stated that you had, correctly, expected my loss in that round, but implied that my match was closer than you expected, and that you would look at my card more closely.

Could I ask your impressions before the vote, and your impressions after studying the card, if they have changed?

Just quoting this. I'm not sure if you missed it or have a reason not to answer it, but I'm really curious to see your response

[OldTrees]

In your post following round 3 of the CDW, you stated that you had, correctly, expected my loss in that round, but implied that my match was closer than you expected, and that you would look at my card more closely.

Could I ask your impressions before the vote, and your impressions after studying the card, if they have changed?

Just quoting this. I'm not sure if you missed it or have a reason not to answer it, but I'm really curious to see your response

Sorry for missing that post.

ddevans96 round 3 http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,37133.0.html

Initially I was skeptical about this card because it only interacted with 2 abilities on 4 cards (Rustler, Firefly, Ray of Light, Luciferin). The competition was more versatile by upgrading cards or blessing upgraded cards.

Upon review I feel that it is well designed for what it is intended to do. However I still think it is too focused of a card. It is meant to be used in  duos and trios which is too restrictive in my opinion. Doubling "quanta produced by creatures" would be a good improvement (broaded to include Pest, Brimstone Eater, Damselfly, Gnome Gemfinder and Elite Firefly). This would expand it to duos with Darkness, Fire, Air or Earth.

[EmeraldTiger]

Is there any element or niche card designers should give attention to?

[OldTrees]

Is there any element or niche card designers should give attention to?

None that deserve or could handle a general call to action.
Continue trying to expand the game mechanically while creating patches for current gaps. Take the time to also see where the game could be developed more thematically.

Revolutionary ideas tend to be spontaneous rather than requested.

[EmeraldTiger]

Would it be OP to Steal or copy a card from opponent's hand?

[Drake_XIV]

Can I get your thoughts on:
Yatagarasu
Orochi

I apologize for lack of linkage.  I am currently incapable of retrieving and copying them.

[furballdn]

How much cost should instant damage from a weapon be? How much should the instant damage be if it can be used once per turn? Used once per weapon?

[OldTrees]

Would it be OP to Steal or copy a card from opponent's hand?

Stealing a random card = A random discard + A mindgate draw
Copying a random card = A mindgate draw
There is a cost for which a random discard would be balanced.

Can I get your thoughts on:
Yatagarasu
Orochi

I apologize for lack of linkage.  I am currently incapable of retrieving and copying them.

Y: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,39557
7|6 stats are normally worth 7 +1card
Preventing 6 destructions and dealing 18|30 damage is a bit much for no additional cost.

I would reduce the attack and hp. The hp to reduce the value of the skill. The attack to pay for the skill.
PS: Why does it have a connection to Light? It costs only  . (This might have to do with the series)

O: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,39561
12|8 for the cost of 8 + 1card + 1 creature per turn
It is extremely vulnerable to lobotomy.

Deja Vu provides 2 turns for 2 +1card

It looks balanced off hand however I would playtest the Graboid, Orochi and Deja Vu deck to double check.

How much cost should instant damage from a weapon be? How much should the instant damage be if it can be used once per turn? Used once per weapon?

Instant damage? You mean like "Snipe player"?

Once per weapon would be priced as an equal sized Lightning with the card cost converted into a quanta cost.
Additional cost = ( Instant damage / 5 ) * 3

Once per turn would cost an equal sized Lightning with the card cost converted into a quanta cost per turn with a casting cost increased by 1.
Activation cost = ( Instant damage / 5 ) * 3
Casting cost = Attack - 3(weapon slot) +1

This is a low estimate.

[waterzx]

I think hearing your thoughts on my latest wizard could tell me whether it's a good idea to continue the wizard series.

Density Wizard | Density Sorcerer
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,39572.0.html

Is there any thing in particular about the whole wizard series (e.g. themes, mechanics) you want to comment on ?

[OldTrees]

I think hearing your thoughts on my latest wizard could tell me whether it's a good idea to continue the wizard series.

Density Wizard | Density Sorcerer
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,39572.0.html

Is there any thing in particular about the whole wizard series (e.g. themes, mechanics) you want to comment on ?

A Wizard that is as great a fighter (physical damage too) as a Dragon? Huh? I must admit I am really confused at why this is a wizard.

Unupped: 7|6 momentum for 8 +1card
or 5|6 double strike for 8 +1 card + 1 per turn
Charger: 4|5 momentum for 5 +1card
Blessed Wyrm: 12|3 for ~8 + 2 cards + 2 per turn

Charger +3 attack +3 cost +1hp
Blessed Wyrm -2 attack +3hp -1 card -1 quanta per turn

Upped: 10|6 momentum for 11 +1card
or 7|6 double strike for 11 +1 card + 1 per turn
Charger: 7|5 momentum for 5 +1card
Chaos Elite Wyrm: 16|3 for ~8 + 2 cards + 2 per turn

Charger +3 attack +6 cost +1hp
Chaos Wyrm -2 attack +3 cost +3hp -1 card -1 quanta per turn

The unupped looks balanced. The upgraded looks UP though less so when shifted.