Element Breakdown: Aether

[Glitch]

Similarly, pheonix could be considered OP, as it's the hardest card to kill in the game (2 card minimum to do it, not true for any other card), but I think in reality it sets the standard every element should be balanced to.

Acceleration and Liquid Shadow would do it, and a lot of other cards are hard to kill. High health cards like Armagio and Massive Dragon. There are also a lot of straight up immortal cards (this is a thread about aether). I think that Phoenix is definitely real good but I just wanted to clear that up.

Anyways I think Aether is transcendence not in a spiritual sense but in a physical sense. Transcending above our frame of existence. You have all the untouchable stuff and you also have Lobotomy and Mindgate. The power of the mind can be said to be above normal existence, above mundane things like chairs and hamburgers (though this is of course debatable outside of game context it fits in thematically into EtG lore). Fractal kind of fits into the theme of Parallel Universe, its otherwordly copies of something relating to the idea that there are a multiple dimensions where copies of everything exist. Lightning is a little bit out but I think it fits too. An unwordly power striking things dead.

If there is one core theme to consider when making an Aether card I think it is that Aether is mystery, transcending above mundane not exactly into other physical locations, but other ways of existing.

Even the highest HP Card is killed by gravity pull, eventually.

There is no 1-card to kill a pheonix.

[OldTrees]

Similarly, pheonix could be considered OP, as it's the hardest card to kill in the game (2 card minimum to do it, not true for any other card), but I think in reality it sets the standard every element should be balanced to.

Acceleration and Liquid Shadow would do it, and a lot of other cards are hard to kill. High health cards like Armagio and Massive Dragon. There are also a lot of straight up immortal cards (this is a thread about aether). I think that Phoenix is definitely real good but I just wanted to clear that up.

Anyways I think Aether is transcendence not in a spiritual sense but in a physical sense. Transcending above our frame of existence. You have all the untouchable stuff and you also have Lobotomy and Mindgate. The power of the mind can be said to be above normal existence, above mundane things like chairs and hamburgers (though this is of course debatable outside of game context it fits in thematically into EtG lore). Fractal kind of fits into the theme of Parallel Universe, its otherwordly copies of something relating to the idea that there are a multiple dimensions where copies of everything exist. Lightning is a little bit out but I think it fits too. An unwordly power striking things dead.

If there is one core theme to consider when making an Aether card I think it is that Aether is mystery, transcending above mundane not exactly into other physical locations, but other ways of existing.

Even the highest HP Card is killed by gravity pull, eventually.

There is no 1-card to kill a pheonix.

Don't Liquid Shadow and Acceleration replace the Ash ability AND kill the Phoenix?

[Higurashi]

They do. Both LS and Acc will Lobotomise its ability and kill the Phoenix, BUT not on your turn. Your opponent can save it on his turn before attacking.

As such, you at least need two cards to instantly kill it like you would with any other creature. Since the Phoenix gets to attack when you use soft counters (because there are only soft counters) like LS, you still have to take its damage. That means most Phoenix counter strategies involve healing as well, furthering the notion that Phoenix gives card advantage.