IT'S A TRAP(S)! - a series of traps

[AngeDeMort]

While thinking to myself "What does ETG not have/possibly need?" I came to the conclusion of trap cards, and began working on my own after digging around with the search and viewing some of the ones I found. I personally like the idea of traps in ETG but I don't know how the community feels, either way here are the ideas

Mechanics:
All are played cloaked (square looks like cloak symbol)
All have to be triggered by a certain event to activate
All are destroyed upon being triggered
Only one can be set off per trigger

	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25250.0.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25882.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25668.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25623.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25496.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25447.0.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,26313.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25400.0.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25808.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,25441.0.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,26124.new.html)
	(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,26385.new.html)

- Flash Flood: next enemy creature played causes 3 random spots on their field to flood (cost  to maintain after activated)
- Anger: next enemy creature played gives one of yours +3|+0

comments, suggestions for better effects, and random outbursts of opinions are all welcome

[OldTrees]

Facedown is hard to do because cards are revealed when played.

   Really powerful. Perhaps too much?
  A bit situational but might work.
  In addition to the normal effect? How long?
  Interesting. There are only 4 healing "spells". Probably worth converting to respond to any healing.
  A 2 turn delay would be useful occasionally. Nice with Pulverizer or Earthquake
  Define random.
  Why have this as a trap? It would work better as Blessing
  Interesting. Round remaining hp up or down?
  Probably not. It would shut all bolt decks down. Not even Reflective Mirror does that.
  Fits
  Perhaps
  Probably not. It would seem to be too random and uncertain to plan around. (and a low slot Flooding tile would be too Powerful)

[Manipul8r]

What I really dislike about this is that your opponent will see what quanta you used to play it, and if they know what that element's trap does, they'll know what will happen.  This rewards players for paying attention closely when it's not their turn and for memorizing cards, which is bad for new players in particular.

But it's possible these ideas could be used differently, so I'll do some OT style critiquing.

  Could be balanced if it had some restriction, like 'creature with ATK<X (or HP<X, or quanta cost<X, etc).'
  Why would air screw over something airborne?  Maybe good for another element.
  Seems redundant to me, why not just play Cloak?
  Does the original skill still take effect?
  Same question as with the darkness one and what OT said.
  Round up IMO.  But it seems pretty weak, especially in Gravity.  I think it would be better if it also halved ATK.
  For your opponent?  Wouldn't that often be helpful to him?

[AngeDeMort]

Facedown is hard to do because cards are revealed when played.

   Really powerful. Perhaps too much?
  A bit situational but might work.
  In addition to the normal effect? How long?
  Interesting. There are only 4 healing "spells". Probably worth converting to respond to any healing.
  A 2 turn delay would be useful occasionally. Nice with Pulverizer or Earthquake
  Define random.
  Why have this as a trap? It would work better as Blessing
  Interesting. Round remaining hp up or down?
  Probably not. It would shut all bolt decks down. Not even Reflective Mirror does that.
  Fits
  Perhaps
  Probably not. It would seem to be too random and uncertain to plan around. (and a low slot Flooding tile would be too Powerful)

Well I was hoping it is possible to code the reveal as the back of a card as well that way the opponent doesn't see it at all

  maybe i could change it so its any creature played meaning yours would be played on your opponents field if you play a creature first
  the spell played still goes off and i was thinking maybe 2-3 turns
  well by spell i meant any healing done like empathetic bond, SOG or sanctuary would also trigger this
  any creature skill in the game (all have an equal chance)
  this was a bit hard to come up with since I didn't just want a damage trap (seems kinda bland to me) if any one can think of something better I'll consider it
  rounded up so 7 would end up being 4 for example
  the only difference between this and reflective mirror is that this heals you instead of damaging your opponent but it can be stolen and destroyed unlike the reflective shields currently in game
  again this was a bit tricky to think of a semi-original mechanic since a freezing creatures seems too bland and redundant

What I really dislike about this is that your opponent will see what quanta you used to play it, and if they know what that element's trap does, they'll know what will happen.  This rewards players for paying attention closely when it's not their turn and for memorizing cards, which is bad for new players in particular.

But it's possible these ideas could be used differently, so I'll do some OT style critiquing.

  Could be balanced if it had some restriction, like 'creature with ATK<X (or HP<X, or quanta cost<X, etc).'
  Why would air screw over something airborne?  Maybe good for another element.
  Seems redundant to me, why not just play Cloak?
  Does the original skill still take effect?
  Same question as with the darkness one and what OT said.
  Round up IMO.  But it seems pretty weak, especially in Gravity.  I think it would be better if it also halved ATK.
  For your opponent?  Wouldn't that often be helpful to him?

well most traps if your specifically on the look out for them can be spotted before you walk into them so these should be no different

  see above response to OldTrees i think this helps balance it
  this element deals with airborne creatures so why wouldn't a trap in this element deal with airborne creatures
  because cloak hides your field from the opponent this card would hide their own field from them after they trigger it
  no only the one chosen at random
  see response to OldTrees
  atk might be more useful in players eyes but gravity deals with mass which would be health, as for being weak it would allow Otyugh to grow faster with a mono deck
  while it can help your opponent (to help balance it) its more likely that it will help you since once you play it your unlikely to try and kill your opponents creatures

[OldTrees]

Why would air screw over something airborne?  Maybe good for another element.

See Web. Only Air affects Airborne as of yet.

[Hermis0]

While cards are revealed when played, it does not have to be that way.  Whether or not Zanz would want to change that is up to him.

I love this concept.  There is potential to put them into Permanent slots or onto the field of battle in random locations.

I think de-cloaking spells should reveal them.

[artimies7]

While cards are revealed when played, it does not have to be that way.  Whether or not Zanz would want to change that is up to him.

I love this concept.  There is potential to put them into Permanent slots or onto the field of battle in random locations.

I think de-cloaking spells should reveal them.

If 'facedown cards' aren't possible in the game coding now, then consider Cloaking as an alternative. This would be seen as a little rectangle with a cloak sign on it.

[EmeraldTiger]

I was also thinking Cloaking the individual card would be best option. I didn't know anyone else had suggested that till now.

[BluePriest]

All of these would actually work as face-up cards that are triggerable. I could see all of these as being used to delay your opponent and could even b MORE useful if the opponent knows you are going to use it.

[Seraph]

I agree with BP, these cards would work perfectly well as faceup permanents.

If the traps really should be hidden, another mechanic I was thinking about was having a generic trap card permanent played, then on your next turn activate the trap mechanism into whatever trap it should be (perhaps target a pillar, or your mark like pillars and tears) to change the ability of the generic trap.
This makes traps activate after a turn of warning, while keeping anonymity of the actual effect.

[AngeDeMort]

Added a poll for how traps should be seen on the field

If the traps really should be hidden, another mechanic I was thinking about was having a generic trap card permanent played, then on your next turn activate the trap mechanism into whatever trap it should be (perhaps target a pillar, or your mark like pillars and tears) to change the ability of the generic trap.
This makes traps activate after a turn of warning, while keeping anonymity of the actual effect.

So something like an other trap card with an ability like "set: change skill to trap skill of target pillar/mark"? Kinda kills the series since it's just one card but is an interesting idea

[ratcharmer]

One thing to note with balancing on a couple of these, especially and

You're using up one of your cards to partially counter one card from your opponent, and you don't even get to pick which card it affects. Thus they'll tend to be very UP, even if you give them a low cost.