I ended up going with a different card, as people seemed divided on whether Northshire Steward was balanced or not, and the other card wasn't as well liked.
@Cursed Parrot The second artwork is much better. I also recommend you checking this one out (I found it when searching for images for my own cards).
I'm not completely sold on your cards this time around.
The main issue I have with them is that they don't explore too much the design space opened by Overheal. I mean, you could easily reword them to use the phrasing "if they're at full Health".
That said, I think I like Void Tear a little bit better.
Demonxz95
Well, I don't know the theme beforehand and I'm always one of the first to answer, if that calms your anxiety a little bit lol
Regarding your cards:
Scarlet Bishop is too dangerous, IMO. If you have a wide board and a big AoE healing (like Divine Hymn), you can easily one-shot your opponent. I really like the creepy artwork you used, though.
Embodiment of Light is cool and pretty well balanced. I think DS + Lifesteal combo feels quite realistic for it, as minions with Cost reductions are usually pretty vanilla. I don't mind DS in Priest too much, btw.
Watcher of Ancients is probably my favorite card, I like that the Overheal has an extra condition to balance the strong effect. The art is also very cool. I'd probably change the word "Ancients" in its name, as that seems to imply it has something to do with Ancients.
CursedParrot
Redeem in the Light is my absolute favorite card of this thread, as the flavor is amazing and Overheal is a very good fit for Quests. However, it has some polish to do:
The reward feels a bit weak and Rush isn't a mechanic Priest usually uses. I'd change it to a stat buff (around +3/+3) or a cost reduction (around 2), along with the Lifesteal.
The artwork should probably feature an Undead instead of a Draenei.
Lightborn Surveyor isn't bad, but I don't like it as much and it's a bit too similar to Demon's Embodiment of Light.
anchorm4n
Interesting card, but I think the "Can't attack" bit makes the card too weak, so I'd, buff its Health by 1 or 2 points. Besides that, I'd change the watermark, as the card has nothing to do with music.
Dolphinslayer
I like it, it has very interesting gameplay and the flavor works well. I don't think it's OP, as it hasn't an immediate effect. In fact, I'd buff its Armor to 5. Finally, the Hero Power needs to say "Passive Hero Power" bolded.
BasilAnguis
I'd probably change the watermark, as they are too complex for the Core set, IMO.
Regarding the cards themselves, I think Fergus the Reedemer is by far the best card. I wouldn't change too much about him, besides the fact there needs to be a colon after the word "dies".
Neoguli
My second favorite card of the thread, although it would make more sense as a spell. Also, you should clarify if the effect counts all game or just after the moment you play the card (adding "all game" or "from now on" at the end of the text would do the trick).
It's pretty wild that it almost took a miracle for me to reach the finals (one person was DQd; if they hadn't, I would've been out) and then ended up winning. The votes of these comps are something else 🥴
Northshire Steward is just a Taunt that can get bigger. A pretty obvious design, but I think it can be a useful tool for Control/Midrange decks with lots of healing.
Undercity Acolyte rewards you for having healing of different amounts, allowing you to snipe specific minions. Its low Cost is justified by the fact it can kill itself with the Hero Power.
I finally sat through the whole set and I wanted to congratulate you.
The decision to make your own art was a pretty bold (and, I'm sure, time consuming), but it gave you a lot of creative freedom and it shows.
The overall flavor is great. I like that you didn't over-rely on sci-fi tropes besides the mothership and instead chose to focus on astronomy and Warcraft lore, it really makes the expansion feel a lot more realistic. I must say I really liked the name/flavor of Red Giant and Tardigargantuan, among others.
Card effects are also pretty bold and insteresting while also not stepping outside class identity. The Curiosity keyword is also very cool and flavorful. It's a shame you didn't participate on the keyword comp we had last week, because it would've been a very strong contender IMHO.
Transmute is super cool, yet i think 2 mana and just common quality is too low. 3 mana and at least rare or even epic should be better i think. Roar of Time's "bad effect" is barely noticeable as at 6 mana very rarely you can even do something else that turn.
Thanks for your feedback, Basil! I'll probably submit Transmute, but still thinking on whether the card should be 2 or 3 Mana, which people seems to be divided on.
However, I also wanted to comment on your feedback the rarity, because I'm not sure what it should represent. As I understand it, cards should have high rarity when they're complicated or when their effect is very synergistic/build-around. However, many people (like you) also think it's a matter of power, but I'm not really sure.
I don't know if this is the best place to talk about this (maybe a dedicated thread would work better?), but it's a question that has been in my head for some time.
Anyways, more feedback:
BasilAnguis
"Fresh" Ingredients seems to be the preferred option, so I'd recommend going with it. I'd probably slap a Nature tag on it, though, as it seems to imply the minion is attacked with poison.
I also wanted to say that I really enjoy EXTINCTION, it's a very funny card :)
linkblade91
I like the new version of Fan the Hammer, it's more polished than the original, even if the crammed text isn't great. Still, one of my favorite cards of the thread.
Living Flame is also cool, but I prefer the other card.
Demonxz95
I'll list your cards from most favorite to least (although I'm pretty divided between the first two options).
Spectacular Entrance: I've grown to appreaciate this card. At first, I didn't realised how well all three effects fit into Mage, and it has aged very well since DJ Manastorm was revealed, as it's a relatively big spell and leans a lot into the early-2010s DJ vibe Mage seems to be going for.
Volcanic Cataclysm: Very creative and flavorful card. Maybe the effect is a bit outlandish, but it's part of the appeal, IMO.
Fireblade Spin: Solid card, but I prefer the other two.
Crystal Blast: Not a bad card, but I find it a bit boring.
Dolphinslayer
I'd say it doesn't count, but a Gain Attack + Savagery effect would be more or less the same thing and would definetly count. The name should definetly change, though.
It's a very cool card, but also very hard to balance. I think 3 Mana is appropriate, but it's one of those cards that would probably get nerfed or buffed one month after its release, as it's very hard to tell how good it is.
Demonxz95
I like the card, but it's hard to tell how balanced it is. As Neoguli said, it kinda feels a bit weak in modern HS, but making it 5 Mana might be too much, especially for Arena.
BasilAnguis
I'd probably drop the Dormant, as it's pretty pointless. I mean, the minion is gonna die anyways, so I'djust make it a Silence + Corruption.
Besides this, I think it could easily be 1 Mana. Corruption has never been good, so a slight buff won't break the card.
Neoguli
I think the card is balanced enough, as it requires you to commit to Frost pretty hard.
What I would probably change is the art; I'd recommend just using a regular artwork instead of an AI generated one.
Finally, I'm not sure if everyone will respond well to your use of Twinspell. I personally don't mind it, as we've just seen how Reborn and Tradeable have become evergreen, but I just wanted to warn you.
I didn't end up using the keyword Transmute in the last comp, so here's a card with the same name (and also another one).
Jokes aside, Transmute is based on the ultimate ability of WC3's Alchemist, which turned an enemy unit into gold. There's not much to explain here, as it's pretty straightforward.
Roar of Time is a hard AoE removal that prevents you from building your board afterwards. I made a similar card in the past that only removed one minion, but I think the drawback is more meaningful for an AoE.
Let me know which card you prefer and whether the Cost is appropriate (I thought about reducing the Cost of both by 1 Mana).
EDIT: I finally made Transmute2 Mana (down from 3).
I'll probably go with Gunslinger, as it's the generally preferred option. People seem to be very divided regarding its flavor, so here are two alternate names for it:
Quick Draw is a middle ground that keeps some wild west flavor while also being more generic than Gunslinger.
Swift, on the other hand, goes all the way in the flavor-agnostic direction.
Keep in mind I still plan for all the cards to be wild west themed (I designed it as an expansion exclusive keyword, after all)
I'm still not sure which keyword I'll go with, but I've updated Deputy Instructor to fit the criteria, as you guys pointed out.
Feedback + tooltips for those who don't have one:
linkblade91
It's a shame you can't submit Burden, because it's absolutely brilliant (I remember it from years ago, btw). I don't like the other two
Among your other ideas, I think I prefer Encore. My main issue is the fact you have to submit several cards of the same class to showcase how it would play out, but that also makes it so that we can't see what other classes would do. If you end up going with it, change E.T.C by another card, since they've just announced another version of this character (I don't mind the overlap of expansion themes too much, but another E.T.C. is where I draw the line).
Launch seems to be the preferred option, and I also like it. I agree with Anchorman that Booster Rocket would be more interesting in Rogue (also, it's kinda like a Sap effect, so it still makes sense for the class).
Demonxz95
A pretty cool twist on the Quest formula.
Among your cards, I think Assemble an Army is my least favorite card, but all four are solid.
anchorm4n
The theme of the expansion is very strong, but I'm not a fan of the keyword itself, as needing a minion to survive several turns is very unreliable.
I'd probably make it like a Battlecry that happens some turns later. This would work very well with all your cards except The Prismatic Disk, but you can always change its effect.
AeroJulwin
Now that they've introduced Overheal, Scrap feels like something we might get in the future.
I'm a pretty big fan of the mechanic itself, and both Law of Equivalent Exchange and Oddity Trader are very interesting uses of it (Unstable Void is also good, but not as creative).
My main advice is to use different watermarks to showcase it being evergreen, like Overheal. Of course, LoEE needs to keep the Alchemy watermark, but the other two cards can use different ones.
Also, here's your tooltip :)
Dolphinslayer
I don't know, I think it's a pretty solid keyword. I like the effect of both cards. My main issue would be the art, as the draenei in the Priest card is clearly an Arcane Mage and the Mage card doesn't have a very hearthstone style (also, it feels pretty complex for a common).
Your tooltip:
Matthieu
Welcome abroad!
The effect is pretty cool, but I'd probably change the name, as the new expansion just introduced Harmonic spells, which are a totally different thing.
Deja Vu is a very natural name for such an effect, but you can use Chorus or something similar if you want to keep the music theme. I'd probably go with Deja Vu (which would need to completely change the flavor and art of Pogo-Hip-Hopper, but the other two cards just need a change of name).
CursedParrot
Maddened is interesting, as we've never had a negative keyword, but it's too wordy right now. Also, your Yogg can't participate because it uses token cards, which is a shame because it's the best card.
I have two keywords I made for the custom Alchemist class and for a wild west expansion.
Transmute is a pretty handy keyword that allows you to get rid of cards you don't need to draw cards that you want. I'm not 100% on it, because such a small effect feels better as a Class keyword instead of an expansion one.
Other Transmute cards
Gunslinger is like MTG's First Strike. It's kinda like a Divine Shield that only works for trading, but it also has some appliances that can't be done with that keyword, as shown by all three showcased cards.
It seems I'm the only one who prefers Recycling Bin over Defiling Accusation, so I'll go with the later card applying all feedback you guys gave me. Thanks everybody!
Feedback for the two people that didn't receive it:
CursedParrot
I must agree with everyone else: Glaciate Un'goro is your best card and Ahune needs better art, an Elemental tag and to say "Elemental" capitalized.
Besides this, I'd also change its name to Bring the Ice Age or something like that, as this would reflect the "prehistoric" feel of Journey to Un'goro better.
BloodMefist
Both are solid, but I like Corpse Conjurer a bit better. I agree with CursedParrot that it'd work better as a 1/2/2.
I like the Battlecry a lot and the art is very cool. I agree with your take about its balance compared to the Priest Galakrond.
Demonxz95
I'm not a fan of C'thun's Envoy, since its effect could be any class, which goes against the point of the comp IMO.
Regarding your other cards, both are pretty good, but I'm not sure which one I prefer. I'd probably slap an Unholy Rune or two to Strik, as its power level seems a bit strong for TGT.
anchorman
Pretty solid card and artwork, although it's a bit similar to Deliverance. If you decide to go with it, I'd recommend making it a Shadow spell.
Dolphinslayer
I like the idea, but I'd suggest dropping the runes, as these sort of archetypical legendaries (like Loas, Boomsday spells, etc.) should be universal. This is my opinion, of course, as we don't have any examples of this sort of cards in the game.
Now I'm curious to know what would the Spirit of the Spider do haha
Amazing work!
I regret not making it a dual Warlock-Rogue Shadow spell, but it went well anyways :)
I find the text of Jazz Bass very funny.
I ended up going with a different card, as people seemed divided on whether Northshire Steward was balanced or not, and the other card wasn't as well liked.
@Cursed Parrot The second artwork is much better. I also recommend you checking this one out (I found it when searching for images for my own cards).
As a choir singer, I love these cards.
The main issue I have with them is that they don't explore too much the design space opened by Overheal. I mean, you could easily reword them to use the phrasing "if they're at full Health".
That said, I think I like Void Tear a little bit better.
Regarding your cards:
Lightborn Surveyor isn't bad, but I don't like it as much and it's a bit too similar to Demon's Embodiment of Light.
Regarding the cards themselves, I think Fergus the Reedemer is by far the best card. I wouldn't change too much about him, besides the fact there needs to be a colon after the word "dies".
Thanks, everyone!
It's pretty wild that it almost took a miracle for me to reach the finals (one person was DQd; if they hadn't, I would've been out) and then ended up winning. The votes of these comps are something else 🥴
My first two ideas:
Northshire Steward is just a Taunt that can get bigger. A pretty obvious design, but I think it can be a useful tool for Control/Midrange decks with lots of healing.
Undercity Acolyte rewards you for having healing of different amounts, allowing you to snipe specific minions. Its low Cost is justified by the fact it can kill itself with the Hero Power.
I finally sat through the whole set and I wanted to congratulate you.
The decision to make your own art was a pretty bold (and, I'm sure, time consuming), but it gave you a lot of creative freedom and it shows.
The overall flavor is great. I like that you didn't over-rely on sci-fi tropes besides the mothership and instead chose to focus on astronomy and Warcraft lore, it really makes the expansion feel a lot more realistic. I must say I really liked the name/flavor of Red Giant and Tardigargantuan, among others.
Card effects are also pretty bold and insteresting while also not stepping outside class identity. The Curiosity keyword is also very cool and flavorful. It's a shame you didn't participate on the keyword comp we had last week, because it would've been a very strong contender IMHO.
Thanks for your feedback, Basil! I'll probably submit Transmute, but still thinking on whether the card should be 2 or 3 Mana, which people seems to be divided on.
However, I also wanted to comment on your feedback the rarity, because I'm not sure what it should represent. As I understand it, cards should have high rarity when they're complicated or when their effect is very synergistic/build-around. However, many people (like you) also think it's a matter of power, but I'm not really sure.
I don't know if this is the best place to talk about this (maybe a dedicated thread would work better?), but it's a question that has been in my head for some time.
Anyways, more feedback:
I also wanted to say that I really enjoy EXTINCTION, it's a very funny card :)
Living Flame is also cool, but I prefer the other card.
Feedback:
Besides this, I think it could easily be 1 Mana. Corruption has never been good, so a slight buff won't break the card.
What I would probably change is the art; I'd recommend just using a regular artwork instead of an AI generated one.
Finally, I'm not sure if everyone will respond well to your use of Twinspell. I personally don't mind it, as we've just seen how Reborn and Tradeable have become evergreen, but I just wanted to warn you.
Congrats, Wassculaire!
I didn't end up using the keyword Transmute in the last comp, so here's a card with the same name (and also another one).
Jokes aside, Transmute is based on the ultimate ability of WC3's Alchemist, which turned an enemy unit into gold. There's not much to explain here, as it's pretty straightforward.
Roar of Time is a hard AoE removal that prevents you from building your board afterwards. I made a similar card in the past that only removed one minion, but I think the drawback is more meaningful for an AoE.
Let me know which card you prefer and whether the Cost is appropriate (I thought about reducing the Cost of both by 1 Mana).
EDIT: I finally made Transmute 2 Mana (down from 3).
I ended up going with Gunslinger. Sadly, I couldn't implement most of the feedback you guys gave, as I don't have much time this week.
I'll probably go with Gunslinger, as it's the generally preferred option. People seem to be very divided regarding its flavor, so here are two alternate names for it:
Quick Draw is a middle ground that keeps some wild west flavor while also being more generic than Gunslinger.
Swift, on the other hand, goes all the way in the flavor-agnostic direction.
Keep in mind I still plan for all the cards to be wild west themed (I designed it as an expansion exclusive keyword, after all)
I'm still not sure which keyword I'll go with, but I've updated Deputy Instructor to fit the criteria, as you guys pointed out.
Feedback + tooltips for those who don't have one:
Among your other ideas, I think I prefer Encore. My main issue is the fact you have to submit several cards of the same class to showcase how it would play out, but that also makes it so that we can't see what other classes would do. If you end up going with it, change E.T.C by another card, since they've just announced another version of this character (I don't mind the overlap of expansion themes too much, but another E.T.C. is where I draw the line).
Launch seems to be the preferred option, and I also like it. I agree with Anchorman that Booster Rocket would be more interesting in Rogue (also, it's kinda like a Sap effect, so it still makes sense for the class).
Among your cards, I think Assemble an Army is my least favorite card, but all four are solid.
I'd probably make it like a Battlecry that happens some turns later. This would work very well with all your cards except The Prismatic Disk, but you can always change its effect.
I'm a pretty big fan of the mechanic itself, and both Law of Equivalent Exchange and Oddity Trader are very interesting uses of it (Unstable Void is also good, but not as creative).
My main advice is to use different watermarks to showcase it being evergreen, like Overheal. Of course, LoEE needs to keep the Alchemy watermark, but the other two cards can use different ones.
Also, here's your tooltip :)
Your tooltip:
The effect is pretty cool, but I'd probably change the name, as the new expansion just introduced Harmonic spells, which are a totally different thing.
Deja Vu is a very natural name for such an effect, but you can use Chorus or something similar if you want to keep the music theme. I'd probably go with Deja Vu (which would need to completely change the flavor and art of Pogo-Hip-Hopper, but the other two cards just need a change of name).
Like other people, I'm not a fan of Fatal Flaw.
Here are your tooltips:
Wow thanks!
I have two keywords I made for the custom Alchemist class and for a wild west expansion.
Transmute is a pretty handy keyword that allows you to get rid of cards you don't need to draw cards that you want. I'm not 100% on it, because such a small effect feels better as a Class keyword instead of an expansion one.
Gunslinger is like MTG's First Strike. It's kinda like a Divine Shield that only works for trading, but it also has some appliances that can't be done with that keyword, as shown by all three showcased cards.
It seems I'm the only one who prefers Recycling Bin over Defiling Accusation, so I'll go with the later card applying all feedback you guys gave me. Thanks everybody!
Feedback for the two people that didn't receive it:
Besides this, I'd also change its name to Bring the Ice Age or something like that, as this would reflect the "prehistoric" feel of Journey to Un'goro better.
Early feedback:
Regarding your other cards, both are pretty good, but I'm not sure which one I prefer. I'd probably slap an Unholy Rune or two to Strik, as its power level seems a bit strong for TGT.
Now I'm curious to know what would the Spirit of the Spider do haha