Enh, pump mechanics that use anything but 1 or X feel weird to me. Like, +1/+1 is a pretty generic pump and the lowest simple one at that, so it's easy enough to remember and to stack on top of each other.
Also, the timing trigger is a problem, would be better if it worked like Bushido. I do not want to announce that my attacking 1/3 will become a 3/1 before I even know which creature blocks it.
You removed that problem with Flex V3, but that one feels even more akward and not evergreen at all.
Cool set and abilities, although I agree on the problems with Warfare. There is ALWAYS a combat step even if nothing happens in it, so unless the situation warrants it I would always wait for my own or the opponents combat step to cast a Lightning Bolt. Maybe make it dependent if there is a creature attacking? At least you would have to commit at least one creature to get the bonus, and if your opponent doesn't attack you won't get to cast it that way.
Regarding the name, did you try to avoid the word Minerva? No offense, but that the race is called Men is a bit silly. The Men men/women sounds super weird.
Territory might make more sense in terms of "increasing", but it doesn't catch the flavour of different lands. Your territory figuratively speaking also gets larger if you play a basic plains every turn, since more plains equals more land. That's not what the mechanic does, so naming it "territory/territories" is kinda misleading.
@Legends: Could you maybe be persuaded to give criticism on the multiverse page too? Would be greatly appreciated.
You want to have every possible combination as an archetype? I'm okay with that, it just sounds a bit hard to pull off without a mechanic for each combination. But sure, we can reflect the factions solely by names, creature types and flavour text, which is pretty ok.
That would leave us open to just design the cards and then dip them in flavour, which looks like Wizards method of designing cards if I'm not mistaken.
I don't mind a slight imbalance, especially since it's not possible otherwise, but Cycling is the "weakest" mechanic in terms of what it can do since it is "only" card advantage. Pushing B in DFC makes sense, especially if WB gets the enchantment creatures. It fits and an enchantments matter deck already worked pretty great in these 2 colours.
What are the other designers thinking? Do you like that distribution?
If yes, we could start thinking up archetypes for all the combinations. Factions should get the heaviest focus of course, but niche combinations can be achieved through build-around-cards.
Hmm,that also an interesting distribution, although some colours appear to get the shaft, especially B. WUG are in every Mechanic however, which is a bit of a problem.
Thanks TRicher000, good factions and background info. Also agree about the story, it is fine if we have a good one but not that important.
@DJK3654, thanks for the Multiverse page, is it possible to move the textwalls there behind spoilers? It's a lot to read that isn't that important for an interested player, and just too much info to serve as a pitch for potential designers joining us there.
@Mechanics Colour Distribution:
That's gonna be hard since we are not traditional in that sense, but neither is Kaladesh
Mostly making that up after your input, but it may work thematically and leaves the mechanics almost evenly distributed, since DFC are colour neutral from the get go if we want them so.
Enchantments that permanently transform into creatures make sense, Voxzorz description is already quite good. It also fits the theme of mana abundance and change while also beeing hommage to Zendikar quests and animated nature.
However, we should probably have only a few creature types for them to morph into. It looks cleaner and more sensible that way. Elemental and Avatar are the go to types in my opinion, since both symbolize an entity of energy/power. Spirit doesn't fit to me, since there is no connection to death, and "physical" types don't fit either, since an enchantment becoming a creature is not the same as being born.
Sorcery speed makes them very fair, it also leaves open space for higher rarities to transform whenever they want to.
I do think for the most part we have the mechanics we need for the set; Discovery, Unbound, Cycling, DFC (Transform). We could maybe squeeze in another if people want but I don't feel its necessary. So if everyone's happy with that we can move on to deciding the story and flavour. We should probably make a multiverse set, or something like that, if someone hasn't already so we can just put our card ideas in one place for everyone to see.
This! It's really enough and a DFC heavy set can become quite overwhelming anyway with all the different triggers and what not, so 4 mechanics is enough.
It was ok. They went a bit overboard continuously describing Nissa's thoughts, worries and emotions. We get it, she is the Emo/Hippie of the group, let's get on with it.
Chandra is very red, I wonder if she will lose her powers if she ever matures?
Yeah, that is way too Meta for me, I do not get that at all through changeable DFC's, especially not those that change willy nilly through infusion of mana. Abundance is clear, people like mana and lots of mana is typical for Pyrulea. "Ever-changing" though does not mean to me back and forth, that's exactly not what ever-changing means to, that's a typical biological cycle, going round and round and doing the same thing again and again.
My fantasy is much more tickled through unusual DFC, that's were the imagination is at and where we can go really, really deep.
Also, the timing trigger is a problem, would be better if it worked like Bushido. I do not want to announce that my attacking 1/3 will become a 3/1 before I even know which creature blocks it.
You removed that problem with Flex V3, but that one feels even more akward and not evergreen at all.
That would actually be a cool condition for a dual land.
Regarding the name, did you try to avoid the word Minerva? No offense, but that the race is called Men is a bit silly. The Men men/women sounds super weird.
@Legends: Could you maybe be persuaded to give criticism on the multiverse page too? Would be greatly appreciated.
That would leave us open to just design the cards and then dip them in flavour, which looks like Wizards method of designing cards if I'm not mistaken.
What are the other designers thinking? Do you like that distribution?
If yes, we could start thinking up archetypes for all the combinations. Factions should get the heaviest focus of course, but niche combinations can be achieved through build-around-cards.
@DJK3654, thanks for the Multiverse page, is it possible to move the textwalls there behind spoilers? It's a lot to read that isn't that important for an interested player, and just too much info to serve as a pitch for potential designers joining us there.
@Mechanics Colour Distribution:
That's gonna be hard since we are not traditional in that sense, but neither is Kaladesh
Discovery: GRU
Unbound: WUG
Cycling: BWR
DFC:WUBRG
Mostly making that up after your input, but it may work thematically and leaves the mechanics almost evenly distributed, since DFC are colour neutral from the get go if we want them so.
Enchantments that permanently transform into creatures make sense, Voxzorz description is already quite good. It also fits the theme of mana abundance and change while also beeing hommage to Zendikar quests and animated nature.
However, we should probably have only a few creature types for them to morph into. It looks cleaner and more sensible that way. Elemental and Avatar are the go to types in my opinion, since both symbolize an entity of energy/power. Spirit doesn't fit to me, since there is no connection to death, and "physical" types don't fit either, since an enchantment becoming a creature is not the same as being born.
Sorcery speed makes them very fair, it also leaves open space for higher rarities to transform whenever they want to.
This! It's really enough and a DFC heavy set can become quite overwhelming anyway with all the different triggers and what not, so 4 mechanics is enough.
Chandra is very red, I wonder if she will lose her powers if she ever matures?
My fantasy is much more tickled through unusual DFC, that's were the imagination is at and where we can go really, really deep.