Hi everyone. Recently I posted about how I would love to see cards that bring Locations to life in Shadow Era. I like the idea behind locations, but they are so binary (as in, they either work too well, or not well enough in most cases). If locations were seen more often, it could bring even more diverse effects and interesting interactions and situations. With that in mind I wanted to take my own crack at designing a few cards that I believe would help make running locations more worth it. These may not be balanced at all, but I tried for most of them to be reasonable as well as piercing some interesting design space that locations opened up. With all that said, lets get started:
Reasoning: The first card of the bunch. He's essentially the Puwen you'd want to run if you use a location. He also has some utility later in the game by letting you mess with the active location and bringing some needed control that the game currently lacks. Being an ally, I would assume it would be easier to run than Sinkhole or Groundshift since it won't be a dead draw should there be no locations to mess with. Granted, you could always mess with your own.
Reasoning: I wanted to make this guy playable by making him an ally, but the effect may be better suited to an Artifact (although as an ally the effect can stack, maybe should be Unique). In a deck or meta that locations actually see play, having a 2 cost 2/4 could be a great thing. He also makes opponents a bit more weary of when they play their own locations. He's a great companion to any deck with a location in my opinion. The rest of his ability just helps make him even more flavorful and act as a reason to run him despite locations.
Reasoning: At this point I wanted something that would reward players who play a lot of Locations in one deck. It may be undercosted as if Locations were being played have 3 in play shouldn't be too unlikely. But since the buff takes after how many you played, its probably fine.
Reasoning: This is the only card with no real thought put into it. I just liked the idea of a control card that got better if you used Locations.
Reasoning: I started to think about the Location Stack and what more I could do with it. Then this idea suddenly popped into my head. It's essentially a control card that should take care of any threat. There is some counterplay should your opponent have the ability to mess with locations, not to mention the chance that you could just return it to their hand because it could be the top location regardless thanks to the shuffling. The more locations, the less chance of that happening. Not to mention, it adds another location to the stack to trigger cards like Void Wretch. Maybe shouldn't work on Steadfast allies, but hey, as I said, these aren't going to be perfectly balanced out the gate.
Reasoning: This guy came about with the desire for more Resource Ramp in the game. Ramp decks are among my favorite types of decks to play and I feel they just aren't in Shadow Era because of how poor most ramp cards are. I thought of Devoted Knight and realized I could make a card that turns a Location into a Resource. I wanted it to work on both yours and your opponent's locations, so I added the condition that you had to at least have played one before (which requires them to be in yoru deck also). I made him Neutral just because I'd love to see Ramp in quite a few places without having to make a new card for each class, but that's probably not a great design move and would need ones that suit each class and/or faction. Skipping to 5 Resources on T4 whle having a body out should make this guy playable.
Reasoning: After all the crazy I wanted a simple card that's solid. This is the version I came up with. 3/5 may be a bit low if you don't trigger her effect, but it is in Priest which could make her quite beefy.
Reasoning: Okay back to the crazy. At first glance this card seems horrid, like absolutely unplayable. You pay 4 resources to destroy a large chunk (if not all) of your resources to summon 2/2s. I designed this to be a combo card however. You're supposed to play this when you've set up ways to make this magic infused rock army a force to be reckoned with. Maybe its still a bit too weak despite putting thought into it, but I love the idea regardless. Like Ramp, Combo is a deck type I want to see more of in Shadow Era.
Reasoning: With so many locations that have active abilities, it seemed like a great effect. Seemed to fit Rogue well as well. Locations like Sosilo, Twilight Encampment, and Trading Ports came to mind when designing this one. Especially Trading Ports as it synergies with this card well, as well as cards like Wily Smuggler
Reasoning: Urgh.... without a location template this card took way too long to make an image for. it wasn't really worth it. Regardless, I wanted a Location for weapons and armor. Works with other items as well if you control it. Not sure how useful or playable it is, but I like it. I was kinda tired after making this one not too much thought went into it.
Reasoning: I love Elemental allies and I hope they get to be their own tribe. So I decided to help them with that.... kinda. I didn't really have any specific location in mind, but could work well if you run Valley of Doom and maybe Arthyle's Pass. Not to mention this would trigger Stardust Ampliflyer.
Reasoning: This is card I've always wanted, A token generator! Probably kind of OP for this to be at 3 cost (or maybe the allies beign 2/3s) but something in my gut told me to leave it there. It was originally only going to recycle allies, but I opened it up because of the location condition. You don't have to run locations with this card, but you get a heafty bonus if you do. Needs balancing, but I love the idea.
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I've got a few more written down and designed, but it took me a long time just to make these mock ups that i figured I'd stop here for the time being. Lemme know what you guys think.
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