Complete expansion proposal: The Shadow's Calling

[razcrux]

EDIT: Saturday Nov 26th. Re-uploaded new file with changes from player feedback, plus near complete make over of many wulven cards. Plus a new weapon for Wulven.

Hello there, so I'm seriously interested in the position of "Design team" member for this game:
http://www.shadowera.com/showthread....n-Team-members!

I've worked out a complete expansion for the game, focusing mainly on balance, opening new combinations and strategies for all hero's. The proposed cards are based on what I know is coming in the next 10-weapon card set, but not the remaining cards. These cards are also proposed from the perspective that there wouldn't be any changes made to the existing cards as of 1.29, so all new cards are meant to work with the current cards as-is. In other words: assuming no nerfs to 1.28 cards at all. If some of the existing cards were changed, the proposed cards in my expansion would also change.

My fundamental goal is balance, diversity, and novelty. New ideas for all hero's, further strategies, and new counters or methods for all hero's to deal with possible existing strategies. This will, hopefully, make prediction and diversity encouraged.

These cards are all preliminary, much discussion, review, feedback and play-testing would be required before I could say they are all balanced or polished. I had many more ideas than I could fit into one expansion, but it's already a lot of cards given how few we currently have.

All of the art presented on these cards is entirely temporary; and should be seen as a "vision board". The likelihood that the art you see here will be utilized in the actual proposed card [should this expansion ever be considered official] is extremely low, and several "ifs" removed from reality.

Furthermore, even if (part) of this expansion were to become integrated by wulven, there is absolutely no assurance that some, all or most of these cards would remain as-is.

I do not know if my job application as designer will be accepted, I am not speaking officially for Shadow Era, nor Wulven, at this point I am still just a "player" like any of you are. If you have feedback on the cards, you are welcome to give it and some adjustments may be made.

Without further ado, here are the ~100 cards all beautifully presented with official BG artwork, for you to ponder over:

http://chedal.org/files/schedal_expansion_sample.jpg

If you like my work, and you would like to see me join the design team, please let Wulven know!

Thank you.

[Bar Sark]

You've got 2 different Templars in the listings.

I'm just letting you know. Haven't finished looking through the whole thing yet

[chanson311]

Holy crap. Not going to read them all but some of them seem really fresh and useful. You have been busy.

[yvcgamer]

Wow
Lots of cards and some of them have very good ideas. The artwork could use some work before they go into the game, but personally, I hope some of those cards make it into the game. Some card text doesn't completely make sense to me though. For example: "Ivory cloak":Why would you pay 6 resources for a piece of armor wth 4 durability and 1 defense that costs you a card from your hand every time your hero is hit (I'm not quite experienced with armor and weapons though)?
Overall there are some fresh new ideas in this expansion that you made.
(PS: the art of "Shadow Killer Gunther" looks very ,very much like Bleach )

[razcrux]

Wow
Lots of cards and some of them have very good ideas. The artwork could use some work before they go into the game, but personally, I hope some of those cards make it into the game. Some card text doesn't completely make sense to me though. For example: "Ivory cloak":Why would you pay 6 resources for a piece of armor wth 4 durability and 1 defense that costs you a card from your hand every time your hero is hit (I'm not quite experienced with armor and weapons though)?
Overall there are some fresh new ideas in this expansion that you made.
(PS: the art of "Shadow Killer Gunther" looks very ,very much like Bleach )

Please know that NONE of the artwork could be used at the moment. It's just there to make it less bland than a black box where the picture should be.

As for Ivory Cloak, your hero takes NO damage from the attack, instead you lose a card. Sorry if the text was not clear enough on that one. The word "instead" is the key. Note that your armor would still lose durability from the attack, per normal.

[MattOG]

Writing this as I read through:

Cards I like:
Honorable Squire
Jade of the Forest
Disguises
Tinkering
Shadow Killer Gunther
Guardian Angel
Heroic Sacrifice
Over run; would prefer this as a mechanic, and have more cards able to play on it, but I've always like this idea.
Sanctuary
Amulet of Protection
Black Market
Spark II; Though I'd change the name. The ability though, is sound.
Transmutation; Though I'd reduce cost to 3.
Preperation; Cost 2, ongoing.
Blitz; Make cost 2 or 3.
Supercharge; Coupled with ShadowSpawn this would be epic.
Mask of shade
Tiger Wolf; Though I'd add a condition, maybe only +1/+1 if another wolf is in play. Only if it stacks that is.
Wolf Pact
Shadow Pact
Invisibility
Iron Power Bow; Though the attack needs reducing to at least 2 with this ability.
Voice of the Forest
Fan of Blades; except 4 is too many, unless you lose durability for each ally attacked, and then, I would give it 6 durability. Either way, 3 allies would be enough. I like the spread damage idea.
Jungle Sound Blade
Eye of the Gods
Staff of Disintegration

Cards I dislike:
Templar; (first one with the jesus looking dude on it (sorry n3rd)); Almost guaranteed to get a hit in, especially with human protectors and the other cards you have available to prevent a card being attacked or give it haste. Needs a tweak somewhere.
Law and Justice; By T6, this isn't going to be so useful. I'd probably drop the cost to 5, or 4. You lose tempo by playing it, as you should, so it becomes a tactical choice.
World Eater; Reduce health. It's a very powerful ability.
Wulven Predator; This ability would never get used, you paid 5cc and have a 3/5 ally. Sacrificing the card is a too high price. Maybe exhaust for 2 turns.
Inner Blood; None of your "gain extra shadow energy" cards are available for wulven.... unless I missed a shadow ability, which I may have done. This then essentially gives you no shadow energy, and wouldn't see play.
Thunder Cost; Way too specific a counter. Ignoring ALL "allies can't attack" ability cards would be better.
Quality Platemail; Meh, at best, and that's being generous.
Shatter Ice; Again, too specific. Consider expanding the ability somehow, or adding more freeze conditions to new cards.
Ivory Cloak; That word..... Random..... Do not like that in strategy games, it relies on luck too much to see play, and the ability isn't strong enough to justify that with the cost. If you DREW 1 card instead of taking damage, then maybe.

Notes:
Precise Attack; We have no instants in the game, and afaik, Kyle doesn't want them. They stutter the gameplay too much.
Guardian Oath; Name change, we have a weapon called guardian's oath already....
Templar; As someone has said, you have two of them.
Furion Terror; Not sure what damage the "Immune to this damage type" covers.
"Elementalist Ability" Should be Elemental Ability.


All in all, if these were released tomorrow, it would be epic.

Congrats on all the effort you have put in.

[Padawan Pete]

Wow, so many cards to read through. How did you balance each card keeping in mind all the other cards you were creating?

[thendless]

I just want to congratulate you on your effort. It would be really nice to have a expansion of this magnitude every three months or so. Good luck with your application.

[TripleHBK]

Great cards, Razcrux... Congrats!

[Lime Street Hero]

I'm sure a lot of thought went into this, kudos for that. However, I don't agree with prior poster that it would be good for the game to spit a set out every three months or so. Card inflation will kill the game. Balance and a solid card integrity is way more important, even if it means just 100 new cards a year.