Project: The 13th Element

[Flayne]

Heh, my absence was due to a trip i went on for 2 days, so sorry for that.

anyways, during my trip I was thinking about what possible new elements could be applied to the game.

My closest thoughts were Spirit and mind, both being polar opposites.

Spirit, as I have already explained before, is basically the essence of an immaterial being that crosses over from another type of dimensional realm, not quite dimensional as aether, more so spiritually where living mortal beings cannot go.
that alone can justify its independent existence imo.

Mind in my version was basically the essence of psi or psychic entities that have nothing to do much with elements that make up an existence such as the current 12, but more so to do with the already existing and established minds and entities that roam the land of elements.
Such  psi entities have the ability to manipulate the bio-rhythm of organic living objects, more so than to do direct harm, they prefer to manipulate and even feed off the mental energies that surround them. they could easily manipulate the reality of a living being by influencing the 3 sections of their bio-rhythm:

Psychological, emotional and physical aspects of the being can easily be manipulated, however, in my version, they find it easier to manipulate the psychology and emotional aspects, rather than the physical aspects, since they could still cause physical effects by primarily manipulating the first two aspects of bio-rhythm.

just an idea, In the game, Mind can could use a quanta called, Psi quanta, I myself have already developed a design


My design focuses on the aspects of bio-rhythm, being three spiralish, dotted lines representing the three aspects.
If the brown is unsuited, I could easily change the color of it, just say the word!
I already have some card ideas for the mind element and coming here today seems to have made it worth all the thinking  ^^; phew...

but of course, the element must be chosen first, therefore, I vote for Mind

[Bloodshadow]

...copying from our 12 Realms project, I see.

In this case, your Mark of Psi would actually be better, since my version was rainbow and intended to be a part of all 12 elements.

[OldTrees]

Wow, nice mark.

After the element is chosen we would start defining what it's theme is including discussion at the mechanical level.
After we have the theme then the cards will flow naturally.

[EmeraldTiger]

Is it important to keep the Structure in which the 12 are based on?
 
 
 
The 13th would need to fall outside of these or be the middle ground.

I forget how they said Zanz derived the 12.

[OldTrees]

Is it important to keep the Structure in which the 12 are based on?
 
 
 
The 13th would need to fall outside of these or be the middle ground.

I forget how they said Zanz derived the 12.

Origins of the 12 elements: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20705.0.html
So 4 element slots might exist in the outer ring.
[ ]Essence[ ]
[ ]Spirit[ ]
[ ]Mind[ ]
not nominated but [ ]Tech[ ]

[EvaRia]

Well, I'll join this discussion too.

In order to properly create a new element, we need to figure out niches to fill that most elements have.

The most prominent ones that I see are:

Pillar
Pendulum
Mark
Dragon
Nymph
Alchemy (Alchemy cards typically have a large variety of uses.
Basic creature (Low cost, vanilla.)
Weapon
Shield
Rusher (Midrange attacker with +0 or +1 attack to quanta unupped, +2 or +3 upped)
Basic CC card (1-2 quanta).

These are the most common niches I find throughout the elements (Some are practically required), and the element we create should include these.

[Flayne]

Well, I'll join this discussion too.

In order to properly create a new element, we need to figure out niches to fill that most elements have.

The most prominent ones that I see are:

Pillar
Pendulum
Mark
Dragon
Nymph
Alchemy (Alchemy cards typically have a large variety of uses.
Basic creature (Low cost, vanilla.)
Weapon
Shield
Rusher (Midrange attacker with +0 or +1 attack to quanta unupped, +2 or +3 upped)
Basic CC card (1-2 quanta).

These are the most common niches I find throughout the elements (Some are practically required), and the element we create should include these.

If i may add to that,
the general concept and uniqueness of the element's strategy itself, for example:  is pretty good tanking with damage,  is freeze stalling,  is damage rate stack (poison),  is definitely stall and card hasty, etc.

the new element should have a unique function that relates with its identity amongst the elements, this will be a big influence on what its cards may be/contain, I find this particularly important if we are going to determine/create its own set of cards.

[OldTrees]

(I am going to let the polls run for 1 more day) 24hrs from this post.

Once we have an element chosen we will need to discuss the element's theme as a background for later mechanic discussions.

[ZephyrPhantom]

voted mind, as I think any element should have its own quanta pool.  would have preferred spirit or essence had they their own quanta pool in place of mark/random quanta, respectively.

honestly i'd prefer some combination of the three rather than strictly picking one of them. take the name spirit, the sacrifice mechanics of essence, and give it its own quanta cost (mind).  it wouldnt be a stretch to include cards attributed to mind/essence into spirit.

I generally agree with Moomoose on this one, as I was thinking that Spirit is overall the best name for the element, along with it's sacrifice mechanics, and seperate quantum pool could possibly be an interesting twist to determining it's identity as a 13th element.
Spirit is the quality of a soul. Our bodies are just a container for our souls, so that when we die, we go to death, the afterlife. But what happens after the afterlife? Are there exceptions to death without dealing with Death itself? Are there other ways to seek power, without sacrificing a worldly possesion?

Spirit answers these questions by summoning forth the inner entities in our soul. With it, power is sacrificed at the cost of an alternate energy, one normally not harnessed by the elements of even Life and Death. It can be generous or malicious, from having one transfer powers to others or having one summon energy at the cost of others and possbility even himself.

Pieces of the Spirit, like other elements, can be channeled by elementals out it it's element - Spirit elementals have instead decided to focus on this inner quality in their being that hurts and heals themselves into a sort of equilibrium. Some Spirit Elementals have even discovered a method to manipulate their mark to their desire, possibly even near obliterating it to call upon greater powers, giving it a will of it's own, or powering it up with abilities, some famillar, some that cannot even be classified by Spirit itself.

Spirit cards are cards as I stated before that usually cards that require the sacrifice of Max HP and other resources as well. This synergizes with  , known for it's innate creature generation and healing along with  , who benefits from the sacrifices by having the souls pass their judgement before coming to spirit. Where do the other elements play in, however? This is resolved by a record called the Spirit Tempest:

The sacred ground, the world that provides passage between the realm of Spirits and the other realms of this world. In Life, the spirit is granted and rises, and in Death, the spirit reunites, withdrawing into the ground the be reborn again and repeat the cycle.             The central, raging power of the soul, which can focues into one path to ascend to an even higher level, possibly even bypassing the laws of the time stream itself.             The varied uses of the soul, with the possible evolutions fluid-like and adaptible to many different purposes, even leaking into other elements.             The taking and giving of essence, the showings of generosity and manipulation. The attraction of the spirit to strike, and in inverse the release of the soul to heal.

A possible mark that I made for Spirit. It represents one drawing from the inner power of the soul to release the power from the outside. Alternatively, it can represent the inverse - absorbing power from the outside to power the soul within.

I voted Spirit in the form of "Essence", since not only does it provide it's own mechanics but it can be reworked slightly to have a quantum pool of it's own, if needed.

[moomoose]

i like that icon, it fits between and where it also fits thematically in my mind

[Bloodshadow]

i like that icon, it fits between and where it also fits thematically in my mind

IMO this is exactly what we should avoid with a 13th element. The new element should not fit thematically with any of the 12 elements, which is the reason it is the 13th element in the first place.

[OldTrees]

i like that icon, it fits between and where it also fits thematically in my mind

IMO this is exactly what we should avoid with a 13th element. The new element should not fit thematically with any of the 12 elements, which is the reason it is the 13th element in the first place.

Well yes and no depending on the meaning of fit thematically.

It could mean fit as in how the elements would be put in relation to each other.
Zanz put  and  in radiating out from between  and  in the circle of Material elements.

It could mean fit as in be a subsection of another element or combination of elements.
That second kind of fit would not be appropriate for an element.