Cool Card Design of the Day5/6/2011 - Some inspiration comes in the basest forms. This one started off with being reminded of Frenetic Efreet, my brain automatically punning/rhyming of it, and deciding that would actually be a pretty good name for a card. From there, I started thinking about what would make an Efreet kinetic, and it seemed pretty apparent the thing needed to move around as much as possible.
Originally, this was simpler: Each player gained control of it at the beginning of his or her upkeep. That's not terrible for a red mage since they're usually happy to trade life 1:1, but it was a boring design. Next I decided Kinetic Efreet would trade controllers instead of dying to damage. Preventing damage (or replacing it with a control effect) feels pretty strange in red, so I was excited when I realized the damage requirement could become a cost in the form of it redirecting the damage to you. I also really like that a red mage may want to burn his own efreet to get it back for another swing.
Not sure about the flying: fits most efreets, but makes the card less interactive. As for the flavor, I feel like this guy is almost an elemental of pain. He respects pain and nothing else. If you can hurt him and if you can handle the same pain without whining, he'll join your side because he believes you will lead him into more pain-causing scenarios. Maybe this card gets concepted away from efreet to elemental and loses flying for trample.
Updated version to reflect all the great suggestions:
"If a source would deal damage to Kinetic Efreet, it deals damage to that source's controller instead. That player gains control of Kinetic Efreet."
ReplyDeleteIt's quirky, it's chaotic, it's very red. Not much else to say.
How did the prerelease go? Mine was ugh.
ReplyDeleteI wish this card had a top-down flavor. Dealing damage back feels like revenge, but then I don't understand why it joins the opponent's army.
If it only prevented the damage and joined the opponent, it would feel like it was coerced into defecting. There could be other ways too.
It could be renamed something like, Vengeance Elemental. Always getting back at somebody.
ReplyDeleteflavor text for Vengeance Elemental: "It gets back at those who harm it. Then it gets back at those who put it in harm's way."
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be many Efreet that don't have flying.
ReplyDeletehttp://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?type=+[Efreet]||subtype=+[Efreet]
Making it a ground creature would definitely make it more interactive and interesting to play.
I like the Vengeance Elemental suggestion. More flavor and revenge keeps it red flavor-wise. Also, Chah's flavor text is awesome.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Bradley