MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
Corrupt Mechanic - Balancing help needed
Hey all!
I was talking with @CrucibleOfHate about this earlier, but I sorta need some help with my recently designed mechanic, Corrupt.
If anyone can offer tips for improving the mechanic, cards interacting with the mechanic, or anything in the set, feedback is greatly appreciated.
Link to discussion with @CrucibleOfHate: http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/unwavering-dead-1?list=set&set=2045
Link to set: http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/TheCopyrightContinuum/sets/2045
I was talking with @CrucibleOfHate about this earlier, but I sorta need some help with my recently designed mechanic, Corrupt.
If anyone can offer tips for improving the mechanic, cards interacting with the mechanic, or anything in the set, feedback is greatly appreciated.
Link to discussion with @CrucibleOfHate: http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/unwavering-dead-1?list=set&set=2045
Link to set: http://mtgcardsmith.com/user/TheCopyrightContinuum/sets/2045
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
@CrucibleOfHate If your going to make corrupt cards, would you mind posting them here or making a set? I'm interested in what paths you might take with this.
It ain't monoblack. It ain't undead. And it's abilities are static interactions.
Darkseeker
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/darkseeker
If this isn't what you are looking for from corrupt, I'll search closer to home for ideas.
(I even said myself it's balanced because it's monoblack.)
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/kraao-the-living-plague
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/creeping-death-1
@King_Devil_II Yeah, I was trying to go for something a bit more resiliant to removal than straight-up +1/+1 counter. Glad you like it, and thanks for the feedback!
@CrucibleOfHate Mah Gawsh... o_0 The idea of self pumping like that hadn't crossed my mind at all - whole new perspective. The color bleeding is also quite nice - don't know why I was restricting myself to monoblack. It'd be interesting to run the first set as pure monoblack vs the world or vice versa, then have the second set bleed black with other colors as corruption sets in.
Holy cow, that was a lot of inspiration you gave me. Thanks pal!
@Gelectrode Those are some sweet cards. I admit, I love me some rats, and that looks like one hell of a lord! The twist you put on the mechanic is definitely thought provoking - I've been looking for a way to put counters down with more consistency without it triggering upon casting black spells. This could be a solution. Thanks for the ideas!
To everyone: Thanks again for the feedback!
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/clarion-holy-sanctifier
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/holfast-righteous-wardenholfast-righteous-warden
Purify X (When this creature enters the battlefield, remove all corruption counters from X target creatures you control.)
Cripple X (Whenever this creature attacks, X target creatures can't block this turn.)
For starters, cool concept! Having the counters allows for a great deal of flexibility as you're designing. It's also a great flavor option as you have factions fighting for and against the corruption.
I have a few templating/rules ideas. I don't know if there's an advantage to stacking corruption counters, so the text "uncorrupted" may not be necessary. Also, based on the newer cards in this thread, creatures with 'Corrupt' and non-creatures with 'Corrupt' seem to have different abilities. Notably, the creatures deal damage to imbue corruption counters to other creatures (but not planeswalkers?) and non-creatures I've seen tend to target any permanent. Also, some creatures simply put a corruption counter onto a permanent on casting. One additional distinction worth mentioning is that it becomes possible for a permanent to be corrupted without having a corruption counter on it.
To streamline the wording, I'd recommend choosing which iteration elicits the preferred result. Then you can edit the wording to match. For example, if you decide you want the creatures to deal damage to corrupt and non-creatures to place a counter you can simplify the wording immensely. Also, picking only one or the other to have the keyword would make more sense.
Sorry for rambling on - here's a card concept for your trouble!
Sire of Contamination
How 'bout startle or something like that to be original? Not necessary, ofc.
Also, the link to the Warden is messed up, and Purify is notably weaker than corrupt. That last may be on purpose, but I don't know.
@DomriKade raises a good point. Are permanents only corrupted when they have the counters, or is it a state like Monstrous?
Here's a demonstration of this point:
Sanctified Waters
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/sanctified-waters
If corruption is a state exclusive of the counters, then the ETB trigger does nothing but kill illusions. If the opposite is true, then the actual static is pointless, and would have to be worded "cannot have corruption counters". If "corrupted" is a state, but one that only happens while the counters are present, then both work properly. You'll have to decide which is what you're going for. Think like poison counters. A player can be "Poisoned", an actual, seperate state, though it simply means theybhave counters on them.
@DomriKade - about the two different corrupt mechanics you saw; the trigger on cast was the original, the creature based damage one was an idea @gelectrode had. I was thinking of renaming it something like convert or something, to differentiate between the two (if that's OK with gelectrode).
Also @domrikade, I really like the card you made - the power based on corrupt permanents is something I like a lot, and the concept of corrupting multiple times is also intriguing (sort or like maelstrom wanderer?) Thanks for all the feedback/new ideas!
@CrucibleOfHate - I think I answered your question in the above ramblings, but if I didn't just say so. I'll also address the issue of cripple, maybe renaming it maim would be more apt.
I can see where you might say purify is a bit weak, and I sort of agree with you. I wanted it to only target creatures so that it can weaken corrupt decks, but not absolutely cripple them as it's their main mechanic.
Also, the concept of being unable to be corrupted is an interesting idea I hadn't thought of before - definitely something I need to look into. Thanks again for all your work!
Link to da warden. http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/holfast-righteous-warden?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/outcast-fury-caller-2?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/outcast-fire-bomber-1?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dark-shepherd?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/elementalists-dismissal?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/elemost-spark-charger?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/elemost-galvanizer?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/shaman-of-the-lands?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/grost-beserker?list=user
http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/grost-battle-chanter?list=user
Elemental X (When you cast this spell, you may pay an additional X. If you do, put a X/1 elemental token with haste onto the battlefield. Exile at the next end step.)
Ragelust (When this creature attacks, you may add {g} or {r} to your mana pool.
Critiques are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Both sets are on the same plane, correct?
What is the name of the plane?
How many factions are their?
What are the names, and alliances?
Is everyone against corruption, or is there a seperate faction allied with Draugur?
Is Draugur a foreign planeswalker coming to corrupt a new plane, or a native?
If he's a native, has he gone to other planes, or did his spark awaken when he creates the corruption?
If he isn't native, has he destroyed, or failed to destroy, other planes before this one, or is this his pilot attempt at world domination?
I was thinking about factions and what-not, and thought that RB was a cool set up, and that RG and RU seemed like they have a decent meta and would fare well against such a thing. As such, I decided to just make all colors aligned with red at the start.
- Both sets would be on the same plane, which I'l call Veri Maa for now.
- Initially, there will be 4 factions; help with names here would be appreciated. My rough names for them would be the Wardens (R/W), the Grost (R/G), the Elemost (R/U), and the Outcasts (R/B).
- The Grost and Elemost would war infrequently, and the Wardens would keep the peace. The Outcasts would be a lurking threat on the horizon, but their true nature would remain hidden until the second set. They would feature corrupt during the first set, but not as heavily as the second.
- The second set would have everyone against the Corruption. I'm terrible at back story, but my way of justification for going monob/monow would be the wardens attempted to cut the corruption off from the core of the planet's magic (Red) but in doing so had to cut themselves off from it too. Suggestions from more savvy fiction people would help.
- Draugur... I don't really know what to do with the guy. He could be foreign, or local and had his spark ignited with the corruption he creates. That one is up in the air for suggestions, much like the rest of the backstory.
P.s. Here's the new Holfast: http://mtgcardsmith.com/view/holfast-righteous-warden-1