Custom Card Designs 2
More (mostly) tile based card design
I believe what separates Aradena from all other tcgs is the hex board. As such I want to focus on more effects that care about hex types. I did explore these concepts quite a bit in my first custom card design article. My goal was to give each class a primary elemental effect, in an attempt to start building out the Aradena Color Pie in the way I envision it. I have settled on:
Please keep in mind, this is just each classes primary elements. This means that Beast Hunters are the best class at using poison and trees, however other classes are still able to do it, they are just less adept at it.
People also often misunderstand what it means to be an ally or enemy. Allys tend to share traits where as enemys tend to play differently from eachother. This does not mean that beast hunters and Merchant navy cant work well together. Often times, its better to play a deck with enemy colors rather than ally colors because they cover eachotehrs weaknesses.
This is a very rudementary color pie, and it would need a lot of work to get it to a place I feel its very fleshed out, however I am pleased with this as a base line.
Now lets get into the fun stuff, the card designs.
Neutral cards
I wanted to start with neutral since all classes can access these tools.
Purifying Sage:
Faction: Neutral
Mana: 2
Attack: 2
Defense: 3
Type: Melee
Effect: Any hex I end my turn in or target (I can target an empty tile) becomes a null hex (no effect). (does not effect command points)
My goal with neutral cards was to give them tools to interact with the board and remove hex effects. Lack of tile elements is a true “neutral”, and I imagine some strategies may find use in a well enough statted 2 drop that can impact hexes. I would not expect this card to be a staple, rather I would expect it to be meta dependent, and only really see use in a format where controlling hex types in play is highly relevant.
Purify the Land:
Faction: Neutral
Mana: 1
Type: Spell
Effect: Turn all hexes in a circle of 7 hexes into null tiles.
I wanted a spell form of Purifying Sage. This card has immediate impact on the board, and affects a solid number of tiles. I am not entirely sure how playable this card is, That said, I am happy with both Purify cards existing like this, as they act as an emergency stop gap any class can access if decks that rely on particular hex types get out of control.
Flag Bearer:
Faction: Neutral
Mana: 1
Attack: 1
Defense: 2
Type: Melee
Effect: If I am on a command point, heal my golem for 2 at the end of the turn.
I wanted a neutral 1 drop that could slow the game down for midrange and control decks. Flag Bearer would not see play everywhere, but I can envision a world where it is a powerful anti meta card if the format becomes to aggressive.
Beast Hunter
Plague Spreader:
Faction: Beast Hunter
mana: 4
Stats: 1/6
I can move 5 hexes at a time. All hexes I traverse leave a cloud of poison for 3 turns. Allies are uneffected by the poison
I was thinking how a beast hunter can affect hexes, right now poison doesent affect hexes, but it could. Then I started thinking about singed from league of legends, and thats how I got this design. A beefy unit who can easily run like mad, and create choke points the enemy may not want to travel through.
Sprout Tender:
Faction: Beast Hunter
mana: 3
stats: 2/4
(once) I may plant a sprout next to me. (Sprouts grow into trees after 3 turns)
A well statted mid game unit, 2 mana 2/4 can tussle with a lot of lower end units effectively. I am not exactly sure what a deck that wants to make trees would look like, but this seemed like a great way to introduce the concept. I imagine it would need to be a slow strategy, since these sprouts take quite some time to grow. A well placed sprout or two can make it very hard for the opponent to develop, or force them to play into a trap.
Merchant Navy
Wake Walker
Faction: Merchant Navy
Mana: 3
Stats: 3/3
The tile I attack is turned into a water tile. If I didnt attack, the tile I am standing on turns into a Water Tile. I am unaffected by water.
I wanted a card that would help a Water deck curve into and set up for Tidecaller Captain from my previous article. Wake Walker should do just that, with a solid statline and great affect for a deck interested in making a ton of water.
Rummaging Searat:
Faction:
In Magic we have Looting, and we have Rummaging.
Loot: Draw a card, then discard a card.
Rummage: Discard a card, then draw a card.
Though similar, these affects end up playing out differently due to the timing of the discard.
Given that merchant navy is the “economy” faction of sorts, I felt rummaging was a great effect for them to have as a primary part of their toolbox. Rummaging Searat should do wonders for improving hand quality for Merchant Navy. I know this card isnt a hex mechanic, but I did want to include it in todays article.
Towns Guard
Stonewall breaker
Towns guard
4
⅘
If I kill something, the tile they are standing on becomes impassable terrain.
Good ol’ 4 mana 4/5 with a class defining effect.
Wyvern rider
5
5/5
Airborn, ranged
I can move 4 hexes at a time.
I wanted a high end finisher. The problem with late game cards in the current board state is they need a lot of time to get moving. Wyvern rider gets an extra point of movement which should help out a bit. I am introducing Airborn as a mechanic, which functions like flying or elusive. It can only be attacked by other airborn or ranged units. Airborn units are also uneffected by land effects.
Arcane Institute:
Sanctuary:
Faction: Arcane Institute:
Type: Spell
Effect: Turn a circle of 7 hexes into holy panels. (units on holy panels take 50% damage rounded up) (or down if your a psycopath)
Golems Meditation:
Arcane institute
Spell
Cost: 3
Draw 2 cards and gain 6 life.
I wanted to make a good draw 2 spell for arcane institute. I believe to have a good card draw spell in Aradena it needs to come with significant life gain, since taking a turn off to draw cards means you are behind on board, and Golem damage.