[Official] Dimensional Shield | Phase Shield

[Pineapple]

If Dim Shield is OP then PC is not related to the answer.

Is it?

Assume quanta is colorless.
Dimshield will only be nerfed by the inclusion of PC if the inclusion of PC makes PC usage more widespread.
However, including PC that is as "balanced" as current PC will not make PC usage more widespread, because the additional PC will only become substitutes for current PC.
Only including PC that is overpowered (SoFo) will increase PC usage because the overpowered PC (SoFo) will substitute currently "more powerful" alternatives to PC (survival and win-conditions).

Adding PC if PC did not exist would nerf Permanents.
Adding balanced PC to a game that already has PC would not nerf Permanents.

However, quanta is not colorless. We have 12 elements, only few of which have PC.
Because of this, certain decks (mono-this and mono-that) cannot include PC without revamping the quanta base. For these decks, PC might as well not exist.
Thus, the inclusion of PC in non-PC elements will, scaling to the amount of permanent usage, increase the usage of PC and thus nerf all targetable permanents.

Let's just stick more PC into the game.

Because cards like Gravity Shield, Empathic Bond, and Nightfall are just sooo OP, right?

Let's assume all creatures are Graviton Mercenaries. 

Graviton Mercenaries are currently more resilient against creature removal e.g. Shockwave, Rain of Fire, etc. than things like a Crimson Dragon. Let's say an extremely powerful creature with stats 50|50 comes out. To counterbalance this, we create a zero-cost card "Bomb" that wipes out all the creatures on the opponent's side of the field. If everyone who currently uses Shockwave, Rain of Fire, etc. replaces those copies with copies of "Bomb", then yes the resilience of Graviton Mercenaries will fall.

[OldTrees]

If Dim Shield is OP then PC is not related to the answer.

Is it?

Assume quanta is colorless.
Dimshield will only be nerfed by the inclusion of PC if the inclusion of PC makes PC usage more widespread.
However, including PC that is as "balanced" as current PC will not make PC usage more widespread, because the additional PC will only become substitutes for current PC.
Only including PC that is overpowered (SoFo) will increase PC usage because the overpowered PC (SoFo) will substitute currently "more powerful" alternatives to PC (survival and win-conditions).

Adding PC if PC did not exist would nerf Permanents.
Adding balanced PC to a game that already has PC would not nerf Permanents.

However, quanta is not colorless. We have 12 elements, only few of which have PC.
Because of this, certain decks (mono-this and mono-that) cannot include PC without revamping the quanta base. For these decks, PC might as well not exist.
Thus, the inclusion of PC in non-PC elements will, scaling to the amount of permanent usage, increase the usage of PC and thus nerf all targetable permanents.

Thanks for expanding on this issue.

Expanding PC to all elements (via element appropriate mechanics) will not increase the frequency of PC by a significant degree (unless the added PC is OP). Players already have varying desires for PC in their decks. This influences what decks they play. People that like Life but also Like PC choose between PC, Life or a Duo. As PC expands to other elements the people that chose Element over PC will have the opportunity to use PC. However the majority of players would have chosen Duo. This is before factoring in the detail that only a fraction of deck types would include PC if given the choice.

In short: Players make choices before decks exist. The decks that exist exist as a result of the desire for specific characteristics including PC.

Side note:
If PC usage ever increased by a noticeable amount, permanent usage would decrease as a negative feedback side effect. Permanets used in multiples would collectively be used less but their quantity when used would increase (if possible).

Additional problem:
If Dim Shield is a problem then adding PC rather than rebalance Dim Shield would have the side effect of forcing players to counter Dim Shield with PC or Dim Shield before designing their deck. This is problematic for the metagame if Dim Shield is OP.

[eaglgenes101]

There are newbies that are tempted to say that dim shield is OP because they can't find a way to fit PC into their shrieker or life rushes.

[OldTrees]

There are newbies that are tempted to say that dim shield is OP because they can't find a way to fit PC into their shrieker or life rushes.

Off Topic.
veterans are also saying Dim Shield is OP (see majofa)


Additionally: If a card is required or a counter is required, then the card is OP.

[frimax]

They are already many counters to it, butterfly+shard of focus?
But It may be overpowered for mono decks without PC of course,
and for small decks with speed and no anti-deck out.

See one of my oldest decks for example:

Spoiler for Hidden:

Hover over cards for details, click for permalink

Deck import code : [Select]

4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4sa 4vj 4vj 4vj 4vj 4vj 4vj 55q 55q 55q 5c7 5c7 5c7 5f5 5ol 5rl 5rl 5ut 5ut 5ut 621 621 621 8ps

PSx6?,100 bones?  <-- who cares. 

[Zergva]

I think, that's a bit strange:
 if the dim. shield needs so much nerfing, because there are not enough PC and the Shard of Focus needs too, because  it's too universal and strong for PC...

I think one of them doesn't need nerf (or both of them)...

[OldTrees]

I think, that's a bit strange:
 if the dim. shield needs so much nerfing, because there are not enough PC and the Shard of Focus needs too, because  it's too universal and strong for PC...

I think one of them doesn't need nerf (or both of them)...

1)Is Shard of Focus OP relative to Deflagration and Steal? [continue if yes]
2)Are Deflagration and Steal UP? [continue if no]
3)Shard of Focus needs to be nerfed.
4)Is Dim Shield is balanced relative to Shard of Focus? [continue if yes]
5)Since Shard of Focus needs to be nerfed, Dim Shield needs to be nerfed.

[Vangelios]

Look at that situation that occurred in the tournament weekend, I won a round.
only with this shield and lobotonize, ie, 100 hp with only 5 damage per turn.

[Aves]

Tournament settings =/= metagame.

[OldTrees]

Tournament settings =/= metagame.

A tournament is a metagame.

However you are right that it is not all metagames.

[Ilias22]

I think it should cost 5  and lasts for 2 turns the unnuped and the upped should cost 4  and lasts also for 2 turns.

[Vangelios]

I think it should cost 5  and lasts for 2 turns the unnuped and the upped should cost 4  and lasts also for 2 turns.

This is common sense that many players are coming,  three turns practically perpetuates the shield, with two turns, the game is much more fair.