Mechanic: Last Resort

This is basically the same as the Hellbent mechanic from MtG. A Last Resort condition will take effect for one-time use cards if it is the last card in your hand. Cards in play may also provide a bonus condition when you have no cards in hand.

The mechanic is almost paradoxical in giving you card advantage because to take advantage of it, you're basically playing one and a half card, for every card that has Last Resort; but to do so, you must have very little cards. Players will likely accuse you of having extremely good luck for top-decking(playing cards as you draw them because you have no card) all the time; however, this mechanic is just my integral design of the Rogue class as they don't have traditional card drawing for card advantage. Rogue cards are also intentionally low cost to leverage Last Resort.

Thanks for reading my borrowed-idea-but-obviously-renamed-to-avoid-copyright-issues suggestion on a new mechanic. Looking forward to seeing any comments, suggestions, or flames you have in mind.

Examples:
Note, visit the Decoy mechanics page for more info on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnAdolt

Name: Infiltration
Card Type: Rogue Ability
Casting Cost: 2
Effect: Deal 2 damage to target enemy. Reduce cost by 1 if Decoy was used this turn. Last Resort—reduce cost by 1.
Flavour Text: "Ma-xi-mum se-cur-i-ty? What's that?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnAdolt

Name: Sulfuric Venom
Card Type: Rogue Item
Casting Cost: 1
Effect: 1 Resource: Target weapon gains 1 attack until end of turn. Last Resort—applied weapon gains 2 attack instead, as long as you have no cards in hand.
Flavour Text: A sharp blade's of no use in the hands of a dead man.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnAdolt

Name: The Mastermind
Card Type: Rogue Ally
Casting Cost: 4
Stats: 2/4
Effect: Decoy Master. Last Resort—The Mastermind gets +1/+1 as long as you have no cards in hand.
Flavour Text: He also goes by two other names: cloak and daggers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnAdolt

Name: Stratagem
Card Type: Rogue Ability
Casting Cost: 1
Effect: Target ally gains Escape Decoy until your next turn. Last Resort—gain Escape Decoy permanently instead.
Flavour Text: Let shadow be your home. Until opportunity knocks on your door.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnAdolt

Name: Killer Instincts
Card Type: Rogue Ability
Casting Cost: 3
Effect: Kill opponent ally with cost 3 or less. Last Resort—kill opponent ally with cost 5 or less instead.
Flavour Text: Any place, any opponent, any time!

Though I like the idea, I don't think it really goes well with the whole theme of a rogue. Stealth, thievery, assassination are usually the main themes whereas this idea seems to be rewarding a Rogue for acting recklessly, throwing everything in his/her hand away to gain bonuses. However, I do like the idea of having the Rogue gain a bonus for a certain condition met and your idea of having an "all or nothing" aggressive approach.

The name was just to use something other than Hellbent. And I thought "Last Resort" was reasonable since the trigger would require you to have no cards so it is a last resort kinda thing.

I mentioned it in another thread but my catchphrase for this is, "Rogues should use every Last Resort available to them", which is partly why I had so many of their cards have Last Resort.