When designing a card of a certain element, it's known that the new card's use should fit smoothly into its respective element's current use; this concept is aided by the idea that each element has a "theme" of which it tries to adhere to. As such, we can also see that certain elements, when used in mono decks, can easily counter different mono-element decks while being dismantled by certain others, like an elaborate rock-paper-scissors. However, in rock-paper-scissors, rock will always tie with rock, paper against paper, and scissors against scissors. With that concept in mind, should an element be able to easily defend itself? Easily attack itself? Should this concept of a "tie" be implemented at all?
We already have a sense of this already in-game. Gravity, for example, has numerous creatures with HP greater than 5, yet its own shield blocks creatures with HP greater than 5. It can, on its own, bypass this through the use of momentum. It holds a nice tug and pull.
Not to limit creativeness in card design, but should such a concept be kept in mind when designing cards?