Antimatter state rebalance/realism?

[Hotshot2k4]

Despite my favourite FG deck regularly taking advantage of how antimatter works, I really don't think it's fair to the target, nor is it logical that while normal attacks are affected by shields, attacks done with negative power are treated as a direct heal effect, and don't trigger shield effects or any other normal consequences of attacking (not remembering if there were any others). Instead of making a creature the exact opposite of its old form, it can actually become a far greater threat.

[Higurashi]

Dimensional Shield makes it miss, and Wings and Gravity Shield as well where it applies. Since AM is so very powerful, I agree damage-reducing/status-inducing shields could affect it. It would make sense since the creature is still attacking.

[Ryli]

I agree damage-reducing shields could affect it.

Perhaps your misunderstanding/miswording. Having it affected by damage reduction doesn't make a difference. Solar Shield - Block 1 damage. The creature inflicts no damage. What is there to reduce?
You could have it changed so shields reduce damage OR healing. Is that what you're after?

I do agree on having status/damage inflicted against them though.

[Higurashi]

Nope. I said to let damage-reducing shields affect it, not how it would work.

[Ryli]

Nope. I said to let damage-reducing shields affect it, not how it would work.

I see, I misunderstood what you said. I agree with that too.

[Kuross]

From a practical point of view, if I know my opponent's creature is going to heal me with his attack, why would I want to stop it? However, from a gameplay point of view, if people felt AM was OP, then this might be one way to mitigate the OPness. Personally, I am fine with AM the way it is.

[Higurashi]

You wouldn't, and that's not an issue either. It would affect a deck that uses Permafrost+AM, for instance, which is a very common combo. It'd be a simple nerf to AM in concept, but probably impossible to code.

[Hotshot2k4]

It'd be a simple nerf to AM in concept, but probably impossible to code.

Would it really? I'm not familiar with this programming language, but from a general programming logic point of view it doesn't seem so bad. Make attacks that heal (negative power attacks) treated as normal attacks (hit sound and all), and follow through with the calculation normally. I figured the only reason antimatter works the way it does now was to tip people off that a creature is doing healing, and I think that's easy enough to figure out after one's first game dealing with antimatter.

From a practical point of view, if I know my opponent's creature is going to heal me with his attack, why would I want to stop it?

I thought about it, but from that same practical point of view if there was an army of creatures attacking you, would you really single out a creature from an attacking group and be like "ok when this one tries to attack me I'm going to move my shield out of the way and take it"?

[Rooftrellen]

I think it would be hard to code, Hotshot, because of exactly what you said.

Say I have a permafrost shield out.  I AM a 5/5 creature on your side of the field.

After a change that makes your -5/5 creature act like normal, I imagine this happens:

Creature attacks.
Shield check: effect, -2 damage, chance to freeze
Damage reduction: -5-2=-7
Freeze:  yes/no
Attack ends.

Reducing a negative number is actually a larger negative number, or more healing.  An extra check might be easy to add (no idea about programming), but I would question what sort of priority something like this would get, with easier solutions to be had if it is OP, and there is no need to change it if not.

[Hotshot2k4]

I think it would be hard to code, Hotshot, because of exactly what you said.

Say I have a permafrost shield out.  I AM a 5/5 creature on your side of the field.

After a change that makes your -5/5 creature act like normal, I imagine this happens:

Creature attacks.
Shield check: effect, -2 damage, chance to freeze
Damage reduction: -5-2=-7
Freeze:  yes/no
Attack ends.

Reducing a negative number is actually a larger negative number, or more healing.  An extra check might be easy to add (no idea about programming), but I would question what sort of priority something like this would get, with easier solutions to be had if it is OP, and there is no need to change it if not.

Maybe some sort of if statement for shield damage reducing effects, that if the attack is less than negative, ignore that step? My concern is with the freezing effect, firewall damage, poisoning from thorns, etc. It doesn't make a lot of sense to reduce healing done with a shield, but an attack should still be an attack either way.