Task I - Battle Prowess CompletedThe GladiatorHover over cards for details, click for permalink
7dm 7dm 7dm 7dm 7gk 7gk 7gk 7gk 7gk 7gk 7gr 7gr 7gr 7h2 7h2 7h2 7h2 7h2 7i6 7i6 80b 80b 80b 80h 80h 81q 81q 81q 81q 81q 8po
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http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,29323.0.html)
Task II - Card Design Completed
Comments:Shard of Cleanliness | Shard of Cleanliness (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg394164#msg394164)
Interesting idea here. In one part it is yet another hard counter for Water against poison, but on the other hand it serves as a powerful replacement for (the current) Shard of Gratitude in a Water-heavy deck, but I presume the purify counters gained will not expire after 2 turns - only the shard effect, - and they stay until poisoned. You may want to clear that up in the wording of the card.
There are only two problems I see with this shard (despite that it would be my very first choice in all of my future Water and Scorpio-counter decks), namely that winning a few of these would make Purify completely renundant, and
it would make you think twice before building a poison-based deck, as Shard of Cleanliness can give quite easily 5 or more purify counters to any deck with a steady quanta flow. It would probably reduce the amount of viable strategies based on poison in the current metagame, and it may even prove to be a too hard counter.
Shard | Shard of Empathy (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg394530#msg394530)
First of all, you may want to rephrase the unupgraded card's wording, it does not fit in very well with the theme of the rest of the Elements cards. If I'm not mistaken, Zanzarino wants to rework all the shards so that they may gain some use without upgrades too. With this in mind, I recommend copying the upgraded card and giving it +1 cost unupgraded. Also, the card itself provides no benefit for using it with Water, with maybe the exception for the more defensive style Water player with lockdown tactics. I see two solutions of how could it be geared towards Water with the current mechanic:
Giving it a timer, something like Sundial has, which improves if you're using a Water mark,
Or make it something like Shard of Sacrifice, which drains all but your water quanta if played.
This card is highly stall oriented, and I believe it would be a must have for any future deckout-stall decks with healing, if implemented. It may prove to be even overpowered in some combinations.
Shard of Restraint | Shard of Restraint (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg394258#msg394258)
A simple effect with an unusual mechanic. With the proper deck, this shard could turn into the Basilisk Blood for permanents, a very powerful tool for Water to play with. Thus, if shockwave gains the ability to target any unprotected permanent too, we stand before some very destructive future Water decks. This card holds a fearsome synergy, but the stronger it is with Water, the weaker it turns out to be with other elements, though the 2/3 random cost may prove useful in decks that can't splash in supercheap explosions. Still, 2 turns are not much, and it's often better just to get rid of that nasty shield or Sanctuary.
My only recommendation would be increasing the unupgraded shard's freeze length by one turn. This way it may become more of an alternative for deflag/steal for different themed decks; and still, reaching a ridiculous freezing timer is only possible with highly water-based decks. The upgraded version is perfect as it is, it will be the must-have for every water deck in the future.
Shard of Equality | Shard of Equality (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg397555#msg397555)
Apologies fellow trialist, but there were no other Water shards to be found.
A very powerful card here, with a reasonably high cost, this mass Twisted Universe will make Water an element to be feared. I'm 100 percent sure that this shard would breed the next generation of CCYB decks too. Squidlock would also evolve to the next level. I presume copied cretures remain frozen with the current freeze length timer, so you have to wait your creatures to thaw and re-freeze you opponent's.
The only downside I see with this shard that it has no real use besides the previously mentioned two deck types. It may be a slight support addition to Pandemonium, or even as an extra fodder suprise in some fun catapult deck, but other than that, probably few decks would use it. I see this shard as a possible gamebreaker card, with countless False gods and (Immolation) rushes in it's wake, but it may grant too much power for a limited amount of synergizing keycards and deck constructions. Still, I already want to have them.
Shard of Confidence | Shard of Confidence (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg397726#msg397726)
Apologies fellow trialist, but there were no other Water shards to be found.
Interesting and different mechanics, all in one card. Unupgraded it gives a lesser acceleration effect, and it's also capable of curing even aflatoxin instantly; upgraded it's more of a minor growth effect, with the same remedy but with complete purification. While the main ability of the shard may prove useful on many creatures - especially if it's not lobotomizing the target -, creatures like growers (Spirits, Golems, etc.) and cheap hard hitters would gain the most from this shard, mostly in nova/immolation based rushier decks, which have plenty of quanta inflow to play out this shard on any creature they summon first.
However, the secondary effect would be somehow overlooked I think. Poisoning creatures is not a common tactic, as it is considered to be far too slow to counter the sheer speed of some or most of the decks out there. Having a creature underwater only applies via flooding and only in the top and bottom rows, where - with the exception of Cells, Water and immortal creatures - any other type of creature dies. It's real hard to pull off the combo, and somewhat questionable if it even worth the effort.
A possible solution would be to keep the growth-theme for the secondary effect also, and make Water creatures benefit more from the spell with increased attack or hp gain.
Shard of Courteousness | Shard of Courteousness (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28846.msg398120#msg398120)
Apologies Master Rav_, but there were no other Water shards to be found.
A twisted mechanism from a twisted brain. Not only can you give a second chance to your opponent just to bolt him to death next round, but you may even have the chance to turn the tide of a match right before the inevitable. A very versatile and powerful card, though only in the hands of a Water Elemental. It'd probably see more use by others for the inverted bolt effect to damage the opponent, if used at all; but for that, you'd need extreme amounts of unused Water quanta, and that is hardly manageable outside of Water decks. This really narrows down the possibilities with this card, and it's the only flaw I see. It is an Other spell which should benefit all elements somewhat.
I can find no real solution to turn this shard more universal while keeping the clever mechanism and the Water affinity. Maybe this effect would serve better as an independent Water card instead of a shard.
Task III - Deckbuilding CompletedSteam Machine Push Deck (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,29254.msg399959#msg399959) (186 words)
Fun deck for PvP (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,26924.msg399943#msg399943) (265 words)
Water+Death (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,15771.msg399944#msg399944) (272 words)
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http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,28457.msg399945#msg399945) (169 words)
All of my decks (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,29095.msg399946#msg399946) (166 words)
Decks for My Other Accounts (
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,26926.msg399947#msg399947) (164 words)