This Card review was written by Hyroen Art by:
Kuroaitou:
ARTSludge is a perfect example of a card fully created by one card designer. Created during a time where this community member was a multi-tasking, omnipresent Card Curator, Sludge exemplifies a card that included mechanics, art and balancing all created by that very member. Perfectly created for the element of
Death, Sludge incorporates the mechanic of infection and it would theoretically be the first non-rare, consistent in-element source of creature death, as long as their are creatures other than itself.
Its Toxic ability allows it to increase in attack power while also ensuring that death effects cannot consistently be produced without other creatures, a domain of Schrödinger's cat. While its creature control potential is great, it can only do one of 2 things at a time, either increasing in attack or slowing down the opposing offense through whittling down an attacker's HP.
ControlNaturally, Sludge fits perfectly into a
Death stall deck with its ability to slowly destroy opposing attacking creatures, and with in-element Bone Wall, it can comfortably defend against quick rushes, moreso those with frail creatures. Importantly, however, it cannot, on its own generate more death effects if its only targets are opposing creatures, as such, intelligent play on behalf of the enemy can quite effectively deal with a Sludge's creature control capabilities.
OffenseWhen not controlling, however, Sludge can quickly pick up speed through not only its own doing, but with the help of Parasites and even Grey Nymphs! Though not the most powerful growth mechanism, its versatile capability, makes it a potential stallbreaker, mitigating opposing offense while racking up one's own.
Here is a deck designed by
Hyroen that shows an effective way to use Sludge!
Deck 1:
Hover over cards for details, click for permalink
710 710 710 710 710 710 710 710 71a 71a 71b 71b 71b 71b sld sld sld sld sld sld 72i 72i 72i 72i 7tg 7tg 7tg 7tg 7tg 7tg 8pt(sld's represent Sludges)
A powerful
/
duo which capitalizes on Sludge's ability to not only grow and mitigate incoming damage, but to also circumvent shields which block direct damage. By infecting its own Voodoo Dolls, this deck is able to rack up not only poison damage, it adds it onto the the damage Voodoo Dolls deal from the damage they take, and if Voodoo Dolls are not drawn, Sludges can themselves grow. Despite the fact that Bone Walls may take a bit more work in order to replenish their stacks due to the unsuitably durable creatures in the deck, they still make useful and potent ways to block few sources of damage, akin to Phase Shields.
Possibly more effective as a stall deck including Shards of Sacrifice, this deck presents versatile damage focusing not on dealing with permanents, but slowly getting around them.
Sludge is a cleverly designed card which represents
Death and its festering nature in a powerful way. Not only does it further cement the infection mechanic in the element of
Death, but it also introduces a new way to make use of the infection mechanic. Oddly enough, though,
Death does not have a non-rare, consistent source of death effects to capitalize on one of its main themes. Sludge would not only be a well-designed inclusion to the element of
Death, it would be a thematic and balanced addition to Elements the Game. Though art is no longer required on card ideas nowadays, the effort that was put in by the designer of the card is appreciated, and it sets a solid standard for investment card designers should put into every card idea produced on the forums.
Though his area of dedication has changed slightly, Kuroaitou's level of dedication continues to shine in his Forum Games. Check them out
HERE!!
Feel free to nominate a card idea of your choosing for next month's newsletter!
