Trying to figure out how to balance cards, been making them for a whole 3 days.

YoUeiYoUei
in Custom Card Discussion
I've definitely gotten better at not making cards completely broken, but in return their absolutely horrible! I just need some help on making cards not busted and not so horrible that they would never be played if the cards actually existed! 

Comments

  • AnimistAnimist
    Hi YoUei

    The best piece of advice I can give is to look at what WotC has already done and balance accordingly. If you have an idea for a spell, check out scryfall and search for cards that do similar things so you get a good idea of what sort of mana value and rarity you should be aiming for, and then adjust accordingly. Pay attention to things like flexibility and the little upsides and downsides that come with each card.

    A good comparison is Lightning Strike and Brimstone Volley. A 3 mana spell that does 3 damage isn't great when you've got Lightning Strike but the upside of doing 5 damage in the right scenario makes it a playable card.
  • YoUeiYoUei
    That's actually really helpful because I guess my monkey brain didn't ever think about using real cards as references! Thanks a ton!!!!! 
  • CS101CS101
    Hey @YoUei, don't beat yourself up! Not even Wotc gets it right all the time, they have to ban cards all the time. It is tricky to find that balance between busted and trash, but as the commenter above me said, use similar cards that have already been printed to figure out how to balance your own card. And if you've been doing it for three days, you don't need to worry; you'll get better over time. Just keep at it, and you'll get the hang of it!
  • YoUeiYoUei
    Thanks!! Maybe I am trying too hard to make everything perfect... I should start just having fun with them. That sounds about right.Also, I've noticed that cardsmith, the people on it rather, actually seem really nice! Very unexpected. 
  • CorwinnnCorwinnn
    @YoUei - Fun Must Be Always
  • Arceus8523Arceus8523
    For getting started with card creation I cannot recommend enough the Custom Cards series from Strata Games. It gives an excellent overview of some of the basics of card design and really is the best jumping off point for new designers looking to improve. The best part is, it's broken up into multiple bite-sized videos that make it really easy to binge but also really easy to fit in across multiple little breaks if you have a busy schedule.
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHHN9OOAAMAGqE2O5FjGQwOaaq_wtBY7T

    Aside from that, all I can recommend that hasn't already been recommended is: Make a bunch of cards. Just. So many cards. Now, I'm not saying rush them out, or force yourself to design or anything, but there's only so much you can learn about card design without designing cards yourself. As you design more, you'll get a better intuitive grip on things like card balancing, the color pie, and especially wording/templating. "Practice makes perfect" is a phrase for a reason.

    Good luck! Glad to see someone eager to learn and improve!
Sign In or Register to comment.