Cool Card Design of the Day7/6/2016 - Pursuing the idea of a cost-reduction mechanic that's most helpful when you're having trouble playing your hand (as opposed to surge, which is strongest when you're doing well already), I found deluxe. At face value, it seems to reward keeping cards in hand—and that's far from ideal—but how it plays in practice might be very different.
Note that I've focused on effects that are rarely at maximum value on turns 1 or 2, when you'll often stumble into the full discount. The ideal is to help a player who's still behind on permanents on turns 4-6 or so, while still being relevant if you need to pay most of the cost.
It is a fair and strong criticism that these are all terrible when your hand is empty. Perhaps decks with a bunch of these are more careful not to reach hellbent. I wouldn't be shocked if deluxe proved entirely un-developable.
You may be right about development, but I definitely like the idea here.
ReplyDeleteSo Inanimate's always hassling me about the feel-bad nature of drawback mechanics and while Deluxe is definitely not a drawback mechanic... the nature of Deluxe necessitates the creation of feel-bad cards.
ReplyDelete9U for draw 3 cards is just an upsetting thing to see on a card. It *feels* like a Bad Card with an ability that only just makes it playable.
I kind of want Deluxe to be more of an alternate cost thing, like Deluxe {U} (You may cast ~ for {U} if your hand is full) but seriously, whose hand is ever full
We can use emerge as a model.
DeleteDeluxe Divnation 5U
Sorcery
Deluxe 7UU (You may cast this spell for its deluxe cost minus 1 for each card in your hand.)
Draw three cards.
Good point. Maybe "1 less for each card in excess of 3"? Or add more colored mana so it never gets cheaper than uuu?
Delete~ {6}{U}
ReplyDeleteSorcery
Deluxe {1} (You may cast ~ for {U} if your hand is full.)
Draw cards until your hand is full.
This is a terrible example of a very good point. It does nothing when your hand is full.
DeleteWell, you get one card, so it's basically cycling at full.
DeletePlus you can do instant-speed tricks to empty your hand before it resolves ;D