Alternative Upgrade Cards

[UndeadSpider1990]

Have you ever built a deck almost fully upgraded, but still had one or two cards that you actually prefer in the basic form? I don't like to state the obvious, but it's because some cards completely change when you upgrade them.

My prime example:



What if you actually want the expensive 7/1 version? I think that if some cards had alternative upgrade options (in other words, for 1,500   you could turn your Phoenix into one of two upgraded cards) it could solve this unhappiness of an unupped card in your upped deck, as well as give the developers some fun new card-making opportunities!

E.G. 7/1 basic Phoenix --> 7/1 Phoenix that only costs 6
               AS WELL AS
       7/1 basic Phoenix --> 4/1 Minor Phoenix (2 )

The more obvious example is Toadfish/Pufferfish:



The creature's abilities as well as Power and HP change completly. If you built a Water/Air deck with basic cards then upgraded them all you would probably lose a vital piece of your creature control. But if you could upgrade the toadfish into something else (E.G. +2HP) you could remove some of the Toadfish's weaknesses whilst keeping the ability vital to your deck.

The potential of alternative upgrades needn't be limited to cards that change drastically. Cards that hardly change at all (E.G. Quintessence) could gain radically different abilities. Personally I'd like to see some of the less popular cards gain new abilities. Like Poseidon (Which could perhaps gain the ability to create 1/1 water-type creatures: something to work with Shard of Patience, that is.)

Anyway it's just an idea. But I think it'd be very exciting to log on one day and find a whole bunch of new options, including the old ones you thought were too weak for a top-level deck! Cruel as it is to taunt those struggling to pay for their first upgrades

[dragonsdemesne]

You definitely have some valid points here, but I actually like it when the unupgraded cards aren't strictly worse than the upgraded ones.  For instance, there is absolutely no reason ever to use Owl's Eye when you can use Eagle's Eye, but there is a reason to use Nova instead of Supernova, even in otherwise upped decks.  The Chaos Seed/Power and Toad/Pufferfish are two cards I think are brilliant precisely because they are so different in both forms.  I'll never use an unupped miracle or, but an unupped crimson dragon can see use over a ruby dragon, for instance (cost and +1 hp).  Look at a card like mind flayer or boneyard; people often play the unupped ones for cost reasons, and I like how that's an option.

[regen2k9]

Same goes for sundials.  In a deck with very few other 0 cost cards, many players opt for the unupped form.

[UndeadSpider1990]

I actually like it when the unupgraded cards aren't strictly worse than the upgraded ones.

I agree with you, for two reasons really: 1. Variety is nice; and 2. Sometimes the unupped (such as your Crimson Dragon) can be better in a deck. (I myself often use a Stone Dragon in one of my decks, even though I have Basalt Dragon too, just because of his cheaper cost.

However while I agree with you, I would still like to see other options. Just to clarify, I'm not suggesting that we scrap the likes of Minor Phoenix and Pufferfish, but that some cards can upgrade into more than one new card. (17/1 uber-mega-ruby dragon anyone?! lol)

[ZephyrPhantom]

Been there and done that with this thread I made. (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20252.0.html) Kamietsu also made something similar (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php?topic=22756.0) with a darker take on the concept.

It's a great idea that I personally think adds more variety to Elements, but IMHO upgraded cards already are very useful and introducing these only expands the upgraded metagame, while the unupped meta remains the same. While I could see this in a later update, I'd prefer new cards first that expand both metagames (at least to the point where all standard Elements are "complete" and can make equally viable monos)

[UndeadSpider1990]

introducing these only expands the upgraded metagame, while the unupped meta remains the same. While I could see this in a later update, I'd prefer new cards first that expand both metagames (at least to the point where all standard Elements are "complete" and can make equally viable monos)

This is true say, good point!