Guest posts by shiro13

1

Issue Archive / Neurotoxin Count Disappears [known bug]

« on: April 05, 2012, 01:43:21 pm »

Minor bug: the neurotoxin counter disappears when neurotoxin and purify cancel each other out.  That is, if my oppenent plays purify (say +2), and then I bring out my dune scorpion, the blue +2 will turn into a yellow +1 (correctly).  Next turn/card played, it will disappear, because they've canceled each other out (correctly).  But then it won't reappear with further cards.  Note that the correct poison counter is still being applied, its just an issue of the counter disappearing.  And if I land another hit with dune scorpion, it will reappear with the correct number at that point.  This only comes up when I score a neurotoxin hit over a purify and then my dune scorpion is either killed or otherwise incapacitated.  Like I said, minor bug, but probably easily fixed.

2

Pre-Smithy Ideas / Re: Desert

« on: April 03, 2012, 03:07:04 am »

Agreed about the element, but like the concept.  (Or just come up with a different theme for the same mechanic if you want it to be dark.)

3

Pre-Smithy Ideas / Impressionable Goo (Other)

« on: March 31, 2012, 01:13:54 am »

Impressionable Goo (Upped: Impressionable Sludge)
Cost: 4 (unspecified)
ATK|HP: 2 | 2 (Upped: 3 | 3)
Description: Absorb one quantum randomly from either side per turn.  Gain that element's effect.

The element effects last one full turn, from attack phase to attack phase, and are the following:

Light: +2 damage against death or darkness mark
Darkness: Vampire
Air: Flying; +1|+1
Earth: +0|+3
Gravity: Momentum
Entropy: Either double or no damage (random...50/50, or maybe 60/40)
Fire: +2|-1 (Note: can kill if only one HP remaining; HP return to normal next turn)
Water: 20% chance to freeze (either weapon or creature if absorbed)
Life: Heal 1 HP at end of turn
Death: Deal 1 poison damage upon successful attack
Aether: Immortality
Time: See opponent's hand on successful attack (Alternative: 10% chance to deal neurotoxin)

Balanced?  Interesting?  I just love measured randomness, and think there needs to be more of it!  With this card, you know what quantum you're going to have available to feed it, but not what your opponent will have, and it draws randomly from both.

One hitch: Sanctuary will prevent it from drawing quantum.  I don't think this should be allowed to turn into a devourer (always stealing from your opponent), so I would say if sanctuary prevents it from absorbing quantum, then it just doesn't get an effect that turn (rather than only stealing from the side without Sanctuary).

ETA: If Goo doesn't appeal to you, perhaps the card could be a chameleon instead.

4

Pre-Smithy Ideas / Re: New Card: Time Flow

« on: March 30, 2012, 03:15:06 am »

I had a very similar idea, just browsed through previous ideas to see if anyone else came up with it.  I was thinking no player effects, only field effects.  Poison and aflatoxin damage.  Freeze, delay reduced.  Shield counters reduced, making this powerful against an aether deck.  Acceleration, malignant cell...there are probably some other fun ones I'm forgetting.  I like it because it has a lot of synergies, and you have to plan it right because it could hurt you, too...such as undoing your procrastination.

I think this is way overpriced, though.  I was thinking more like 5/2, 4/2 upped.  Prefer it as a permanent rather than a spell, because one turn of it really isn't a big deal, probably not worth stocking.

5

Trio & Quartet / Re: Dune Trio: Cheap FG Farmier

« on: December 02, 2011, 07:58:29 pm »

I agree with taking out PU and BH and streamlining a bit, but I've settled on a compromise.  I tried out your version and I just wasn't drawing those dims consistently enough.  Against FG's, just one turn unprotected is a death sentence.  Adding two HGs made a big difference.  Also added some quantum.  I rarely draw too much quantum in the beginning and still find myself without either time or aether occasionally.  (Yes, you'll end up with a surplus of aether later in the game, but the opening is key.)  Here's my new deck.  Some extra upped cards in there, not strictly necessary.

by shiro13

Hover over cards for details, click for permalink

Deck import code : [Select]

55q 55q 55q 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5ro 5rt 5rt 5rt 5rt 5rt 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61t 61t 61t 74a 74a 7q5 7q5 80d 80d 80d 8pl

Add Miracle to the list of easily beatable FGs.  And with an early Eternity, I found I can often take out Gemini as well.

6

Trio & Quartet / Re: Dune Trio: Cheap FG Farmier

« on: December 02, 2011, 05:10:32 pm »

Ah, apologies, newb error...I don't know why I thought I remembered seeing Duo and Trio grouped together, and I didn't think about it. 

Interesting suggestion, streamlining out the HG's, though.   BH and PU have saved me on an occasion or two, but arguably that could be because I was too slow to draw a good hand.  Also a little nervous about losing the HG's as pure decoys.  But mostly, HG's have been essential to fast-forward through my deck and get my next shield in hand.  If those shields get stuck at the end, I'm screwed.  But I'll try it and report back.

7

Trio & Quartet / Dune Trio: Cheap FG Farmier

« on: December 02, 2011, 07:47:21 am »

by shiro13

Hover over cards for details, click for permalink

Deck import code : [Select]

55q 55q 55q 55q 55q 55q 55v 55v 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5rg 5ro 5rt 5rt 5rt 5rt 5rt 5rt 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61o 61r 61t 61t 61t 61t 61t 61t 7q5 7q5 7q5 7q5 8pl

There are a lot of dune scorpion decks, but I haven't seen one quite like this.  This is meant to exploit the FGs' disgusting number of cards.  6 dune scorpions, 6 momentums, 6 dimensional shields.  Momentums are fully supported by the gravity mark.  There are a lot of pieces that need to come together, but the hourglasses help, and I've found that it usually works out.  This deck is weak against momentum, poison (because it takes a long time to play and can't really heal) and permanent control, but the hourglasses also work as nice distractions to the AI, while your shields are spared until the end.  Empathy bonds are killers as well.

Plant the neurotoxin seed and then throw up those shields and wait.  Eternity slows down FG's draws while at the same time forcing it to replay the same cards, thus adding to the poison counter.  Lobotomizer would be nice as well, I just haven't won one yet.

Stats: with 100 FG games, I won just under 20%.  It will usually crush Destiny, Incarnate, Lionheart, and Neptune.  I managed an odd win against Morte, Gemini, Ellidnis, and Serket, but they're very tough.  Note that I ended up with more than shown above upped, but the benefits beyond the hourglasses are modest.  I haven't tried, but I bet you could pull off at least a 10% win rate completely unupped, provided you have the cash to burn through to wait out that first spin win.

Some specific strategies:

Incarnate: No rush to shield here.  Despite being darkness, he's got no steals and no siphons, so you're safe as long as those shields are up.  Land that neurotoxin, keep the DS chain going, and you're golden.
Neptune: Same as Incarnate, he's all creature control, but all you need is that first hit.  Delay the shields (but don't cut it so close that he can shockwave you to death).
Lionheart: Also no permanent control.  Watch him pile up the hourglasses and rack up the damage.
Paradox: Miracles will prolong the game, but by that time the poison counter is going to be so high you'll burn through 200 hit points in a few turns.  Nothing more satisfying that 60+ points of neurotoxin damage.
Harder FGs Strategies:

Gemini: If you manage to get past his momentums (he won't always draw them, and an early Eternity can negate them), don't keep playing scorpions.  Your first scorpion(s) will get lobotomized.  Later ones might get Alternate Reality, which would be a killer for you (I found out the hard way).
Serket: Definitely beatable, but you need an early shield.  Otherwise you'll get slammed with poison and no way to heal except a couple of black holes.
Comments?  If anyone wants to try this completely unupped, I'd be very curious how it works out!

8

Game Suggestions and Feedback / Re: Test Deck...See Hand

« on: November 30, 2011, 11:41:33 am »

Hmm, good idea, though.  But yeah, seems unnecessary.

9

Pre-Smithy Ideas / Card Upper

« on: November 30, 2011, 03:37:00 am »

Haven't thought too much on specifics, just curious what people think: A spell card that upgrades any card on the board.  I'm envisioning probably entropy, perhaps around the realm of 3  .  Maybe it actual toggles between upgraded/nonupgraded, so that it could alternatively downgrade an opponent's card.  Or maybe the downgrade ability gets added with the upped version.

Of course, to be used well this would require that people are knowledgeable about upgrades.  Many cards would be useless, as the upgrade merely decreases the cost.  (Or you could use it on an opponent's Phoenix or abomination to comedic effect : P)  Many cards receive a pretty minor attack/defense boost that could be achieved through other means.  But some would be really valuable, such as Fallen Elf, Titanium (Diamond) Shield, Sundials, Pulverizer, etc.

Minor point: An upped card that returns to the hand remains upped, since it's an actual change to the card, not an effect...unless this creates coding problems.

One of the reasons this appeals to me is because newbies too poor to afford an upgraded card could have a lot of fun with it!  And the more I think of it, the more I like the flexibility of the downgrade option as well.

Thoughts?

10

Game Suggestions and Feedback / Test Deck...See Hand

« on: November 30, 2011, 03:14:43 am »

I think it's great how you can test your own arena deck, but I would love to have the option to see your oponent's hand.  I feel like it would give a lot of insight into how the AI is working your strategies, and where it's failing.  Not to mention how the AI works in general...