Constructs are Coming!

[Scaredgirl]

Constructs are coming!

Um.. what?
Yes, Constructs are here! Constructs are a 13-card set of cards, each with a shared passive ability and a unique active ability. They are slow, unreliable and break down, but they punch hard if you are lucky enough to get them operational.

Why Constructs?
Very simple. Because I can produce acceptable looking art using Constructs, and my ultimate goal is to make the art so good that it could be added to the game. Not very likely of course but don't crush my dreams! So the sole reason is lack of my artistic skills, not the the fact that I think Constructs would be awesome in Elements, although they could be, and we already kind of have them (Steam Machine).

Tell me more
Ok. So these Constructs were built by some ancient super-smart architect who left them rot somewhere for thousands of years. Now the Constructs are back with a vengeance, but only problem is that they don't work as well as they used to.

So we have 13 Constructs, one per element + other. That other Constructs is weaker and smaller than others. Maybe it's a kind of "Repair Droid" that fixes other Constructs? Zomg! Anyways, all Constructs share some cool passive ability, and all will have their own unique active ability.

Here are a couple of images to give some idea on what the art might look like. All 13 cards are of that similar style, although the final result will be a bit more dirty and gritty.

Constructs.


Repair Droids. Special cards whose only purpose is to repair broken down Constructs.

Cards above are pretty much random placeholders at this point.


How can I help?
You can help me by coming up with a good passive ability. Key thing with these Constructs is that they are old, rusty and broken down. I'd like something that is related to things breaking down (like percentage of Construct getting destroyed or lobotomized), slow set up time (like counter before the robot is active), things like that. Or maybe it uses something unique as "fuel"? I haven't thought about it much myself because I thought I'd let the community come up with something and then just steal that idea.

So if you have something cool, please share. Thanks.

[Jenkar]

Passive : Slow : takes a turn before coming on the field.
Active :  : next negative effect applying to this creature will be delayed for a turn. All delayed effects are delayed one more turn.

[Higurashi]

Electric Robot | Plasma Robot
Watch out, live wires! Might zap other creatures for low damage. Might self-destruct for more damage.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Cool theme. It could use a better name, like "Colossus" (Colossi) or "Ancients" -  the architect probably wanted to give his giant robots an epic theme name and it would fit better into the fantasy environment.

I think a simple 1-turn delay mechanic (shown on this card) (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,20416.0.html) or "windup" time would be interesting, because these robots can probably function by themselves if they lasted so long (if they need a 'refuel' I think the best way is either "discard a card" or "pay quanta to end delay" mechanic).

Perhaps -
Passive - Becomes delayed after 1 attack. Pay :element to reactivate (this would make delayed robot clickable and end it's delay when you click on it)

For:
  - Armored - Damage to this creature is halved. (Rounds up.)
  - Corrosion -  Target enemy creature gains -1 | 0 when it deals damage.
  -  Vines - Cover the target permanent in vines for 2 turns. Vine-covered cards have their active abilities negated. (Idea by Wizelsnarf (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,18812.0.html))

[Naesala]

Ideas:
Rusty: This creature can only attack if it has momentum
Slow start: This creature's attacks deal half damage for the first three turns.
Unstable: Each attack this creature has a 10% chance to explode (a la unstable gas)
Malfunction: 25% chance per turn this creature goes to the opponent's side of the field.
Grease / Fuel  / Start-up / etc: : This creature may attack this turn

[russianspy1234]

Passive ability:  Maintenance - Loses HP or drains quanta of its element totaling 5 each turn.

Activated abilities

 aether  -Shift-  This card and target card leave the field, return randomly (~3 turns later)
 air  -Lift-    Target non flying creature takes damage equal to half of its quanta cost.
 darkness -Blind-  Cloak the entire field for 2 turns
 death  -Devour- 
 earth -Solidify-  Target permanent becomes a pillar of its element
 entropy -Channel-  One of the other robot abilities at random
 fire  -Steam- 
 gravity -Hold-    Delay some of opponents creatures at random
 life -Spawn-  Spawn a 1|1 robotoid
 light -Purity-  Heal all creatures 3 HP.
 time -Retreat-  Returns to your deck (random spot)
 water -Flood-  Flood the field for a turn
 other -Attach- Sacrifice: Next time target robot would be destroyed, it survives.

[Contrary]

Maybe they are all super powerful relatively cheap creatures that require a unique form of upkeep.

Aether could require you to delay it to charge it up.
Death could require you to feed it creatures.
Life could require a certain amount of light emitting creatures before it is operational.

[Scaredgirl]

Thanks for the suggestions. I skipped on purpose all ideas for active abilities because I need to do the big picture things first, like the passive ability that they all share. I will read all ideas later though.

I thought about a new name and I think "Construct" is pretty good, but if you have a better one, lets hear it. Here's an example:



Hmm.. how about a passive ability that has many different functions based on RNG so that every round one of the following happens (some ideas stolen from this topic)

50% Construct works like a charm!
10% Construct overheats and does not attack.
10% Construct malfunctions and cannot use its ability.
10% Construct gets confused and joins opponents side.
10% Construct runs out of battery and must be recharged (goes back to your hand).
10% Construct is destroyed.

We could then have the 'Other' "Repair Droid" that could fix the first two problems problems.

Something like that.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Hmm.. how about a passive ability that has many different functions based on RNG so that every round one of the following happens (some ideas stolen from this topic)

50% Construct works like a charm!
10% Construct overheats and does not attack.
10% Construct malfunctions and cannot use its ability.
10% Construct gets confused and joins opponents side.
10% Construct runs out of battery and must be recharged (goes back to your hand).
10% Construct is destroyed.

Slightly complicated, but I don't see why not. The "joins enemy side" seems a bit like overkill though, I would remove it and increase one of the other negative effects instead.

Also SG, where are you getting these robots from? They'd be awesome for any machine-type idea.

[ninetyfools]

Thanks for the suggestions. I skipped on purpose all ideas for active abilities because I need to do the big picture things first, like the passive ability that they all share. I will read all ideas later though.

I thought about a new name and I think "Construct" is pretty good, but if you have a better one, lets hear it. Here's an example:



Hmm.. how about a passive ability that has many different functions based on RNG so that every round one of the following happens (some ideas stolen from this topic)

50% Construct works like a charm!
10% Construct overheats and does not attack.
10% Construct malfunctions and cannot use its ability.
10% Construct gets confused and joins opponents side.
10% Construct runs out of battery and must be recharged (goes back to your hand).
10% Construct is destroyed.

We could then have the 'Other' "Repair Droid" that could fix the first two problems problems.

Something like that.

I think the confusion one should be lowered to about 5 percent. It would be really annoying if it changed sides evry 4-6 turns.

[ddevans96]

50% Construct works like a charm!
10% Construct overheats and does not attack.
10% Construct malfunctions and cannot use its ability.
10% Construct gets confused and joins opponents side.
10% Construct runs out of battery and must be recharged (goes back to your hand).
10% Construct is destroyed.

I especially like these overall, though I agree with Z that the confusion mechanic is a bit much. I would change it to 'Construct does negative damage'.

I also don't like the sole destruction mechanic, so I came up with this: 'Construct is destroyed and generates Scraps.' Scraps could be a permanent that is useless, or does something minor.

As for the Repair Droid, I had this idea: 'Repair: Lower the chance for Constructs to become defective each turn. Turn all Scraps into a random Construct.' The chance for all defects would be lowered by 1%, and the chance for no defect would then be raised by 5%.

[bogtro]

Ideas for passive:
A) Rusty: Robot enters the game delayed for one turn
B) Slow: Robot will not be able to attack if a shield is in play, unless it has momentum
C) Overloaded: Robot will not attack if it's ability is used this turn
D) Reset: Robot has a 25% chance to lose half it's attack. Robot gains 1 attack per turn up to its max attack ("Borrowed" from Slow)
E) Overwrite: Robot has 25% chance to change into another robot of a different element
F) Overheat: Robot has a 50% chance to gain 1 "burn" counter. Burns reduce both current and max hp.

Ideas for Active:
  Ethereal Construct:  Phase: Target creature cannot be targeted this turn.
  Flying Construct:  Fly: Target creature gains "airborne"
  Shrouded Construct:  Corrupt: Take control of an enemy creature for 1 turn. Creature can use skills on this turn.
  Skeletal Construct:  : Target creature generates 2 bone shields upon death if there is no bone wall active. If there is an existing bone wall, creature generates 3 bone shields.
  Grounded Construct:  Armor: Target creature gains 4 HP, 1 HP per turn for 4 turns.
  Energetic Construct:  Train: Target creature without a skill gains a random skill
  Flaming Construct:  Burn: Target creature gains 1 burn counter
  Gravity Construct:    Ground: All airborne creatures cannot attack this turn.
  Forest Construct:  Sacrifice: Sacrifice target creature to gain 20 life
  Bright Construct:  Guard: Target creature will be saved from a killing action and survive with 1 HP left. Bright construct takes whatever damage would have been dealt.
  Golden Construct:    Save: Target creature will become the top card of the opponents deck when killed.
  Wet Construct:  Patience: Target creature gains +1|+1 but is delayed for one turn. +2|+2 if a water creature; +4|+4 if in a flooded area
  Repair Droid: 0 attach: Target creature is healed for 2 HP per turn. Culumative.
  OR Battle Droid: 0 attach: Target creature gains 1 ATK per turn. Cumulative.