Duelyst Forums

Suggest new Keywords or abilities

#1

Hi guys.

Since we are having new expansion again in a few months maybe we can suggest new keywords and abilities that will make the game more exciting and fun to play. These are my few suggestions:

Keywords:

Hit and run - can move again after attacking.

Rock throw - can’t attack adjacent enemies. Can only attack an enemy two spaces away in horizontal or vertical line. (Maybe give this exclusively to Golem type minions so that we can see them in play)

Halo / Curse - revert damage you receive to a friendly minion. (Minion w/ Halo will choose a friendly minion when it enter play, the chosen minion will get Curse keyword and all damage the Halo minion gets will be dealt to the Curse minion instead)

Moonwalk - after moving regains health equal to distance covered. (Moving in one tile recovers 1 health, moving in two tiles recovers 2 health, and so on)

Dash - can move up to three spaces. Can only move in a straight line.

New Abilities:

After receiving damage gains a random keyword. (Good for counterattacking minions. Minions will gain a keyword before counterattacking)

After receiving damage, half of damage received will be added to own attack. (Good for counterattacking minions. Minions will increase attack before counterattacking)

Dying wish: Re-summon this minion under your opponent’s control. (Might be interesting in certain minion or strategy)

Going to add more later when a light bulb hits me. Anyone of you guys has other ideas you are welcome to share it here.

#2

there are already some threads about this

#3

This sounds fun :upside_down:.

Here is a keyword that hanged in the back of my mind for some time while reading the lore on Aesteria and its decadent nobles depleting their stat-crystals:

Decadence: When this minion is played, it expends all your mana. Trigger this ability once for each mana crystal spent in excess of its cost.

Example:

Highborn Captain (EDITED):
3 Mana
2/2
Decadence: deal 1 point of damage to a random enemy minion or general.

Arrogant Scholar:
5 Mana
3/4
Decadence: draw a card.

Shining Warlady:
5 Mana
6/4
Decadence: Give this minion +1 Health and give your general +1 Attack.

The idea behind the keyword is a variation of Opening Gambit that allowed the cards with it to scale in power as the game goes, while also adding an strategic component by making you have to spend all your mana on one card for it if you want to see its maximum potential.

6 Likes
Mechanics that may be interesting
#4

I love the idea, but the captain seems busted af.

#5

It was just an example. The idea behind the ability is what counts. Plus, I wanted to avoid making a 2-drop that can be topdecked for almost the same damage as a Spiral Technique have too good a body. But I admit may have overdone it.

#6

I dont want to see captain printed xD It will actually replace saberspine seal Kappa

But this actually sounds amazing, if you do open up a topic on this, i’ll definitely show some support. And the keyword doesnt sound blatantly overpowered too since you sacrifice potential power plays for value at times, and some value for doing more things on the same turn it’s played.

Thought of one, Lousy Siphon (Vetruvian Spell), 0 mana: Dispel an enemy minion nearby your general. Increase the tile range by 1 for each excess mana spent. Kappa

1 Like
#7

So the captain is too strong? I thought the “random” element would make it less reliable.

EDIT: And “lousy” siphon would be a buff to the faction at this point.

#8

Early turns usually play 1-2 minions. And if this card is played on let’s say turn 2 for player 2, It can potentially kill off a 2 drop with ramp, or deal damage to a minion to trade stuff off. As for lategame topdecking, it might actually be able to one shot provoke minions to nail the coffin if the aggro player is ahead on board. Maybe make it more of a midrage-control minion like dancing blades would be better, like the game doesnt have enough aggro cards already :stuck_out_tongue:

#9

Good point, but the point was designing keywords, not cards, and it was just an example, so I will only make a really minor edit to its mana cost and stats.

#10

Yeap, it sounds good, I look forward to see something like this in game.

1 Like
#11

I still think Lyonar should have Gratitude: Whenever any minion is healed, activate an effect. There’s enough minions that use this that are exclusive to the faction that it should just be a keyword.

Here’s another one: Survivor: Whenever this minion survives damage, activate an effect.

And another: Legion (X): Gain an effect when surrounded by X friendly units.

#12

Imagine legion in abyss swarm decks.
Legion(5):your minions do not take spell damage
Legion(8):when an enemy minion attacks, destroy that minion.
Legion(3):nearby minions gain +2/2

And putting survivor on lantern fox is the Nerf it deserves.

songhai (and neutral) has enough cards that activate with spells that it could be a keyword.
Spellwatch: activates when you cast a spell.

A cool keyword would be aura:effects nearby minions. It would work like a reverse zeal.

For example
Aura:at the end of your turn heal friendly minions by 2
Aura:minions cannot be targeted by spells.
Aura:give friendly minions flying.
Aura:give friendly minions +2 attack

1 Like
#13

It should be said that any keywords should exist for the sake of simplifying card text or creating additional synergies between minions with the same keywords. For example: Killing Edge and Shadow Waltz have specific synergies with Backstab minions, and the Backstab keyword is long enough to warrant a specific keyword.

Dash seems a little bit too specific to be a keyword on its own, since it likely can’t work for multiple differently purposed minions. Aura, in my opinion, is also a little too simple to be a specific keyword, since it can be replaced by “Nearby friendly minions”. Decadence is the most interesting idea so far that I can see working for multiple different effects.

1 Like
#14

Banish: Banished units can only attack or be attacked by other banished units.
This would mostly be an effect that would be given to something with an ability rather than being having it when summoned, something like

Banisher 3 mana 2/2
Opening gambit: Banish 1 enemy minion and 1 friendly minion, other than this one.

3 Likes
#15

That sounds like an interesting skill, but unless it was temporary it could be hard as hell to balance, due to effectively making some minions immune to the damage of most others unless your opponent also has “banish” cards.

1 Like
#16

Basically the same as Quartermaster Gauj’s effect. Problem is, imagine Quartermaster Gauj’s effect on any other minion besides his stupid 6 mana 5/2 body. Yeah, this might get very broken very quickly.

#17

The ideas I’ve given before

Glory - gains bonuses when near the opposing general
Example:
Knight of Honor
4 mana
4/3
Glory: Cannot be targeted by enemy spells or Opening Gambits.

Duelist - gains bonuses when only one enemy is next to it
Example:
Wizened Combatant
5 mana
5/2
Duelist: Take no damage from counterattacks

Brotherhood - gains +x/+x for each other friendly minion with Brotherhood
Example:
Guild Recruiter
3 mana
2/3
Brotherhood: +1/+1

Sloth - Cannot move or attack for (x) turns.
Example:
Giant Koala
2 mana
6/6
Sloth: (3)
Note: The turn it is played counts as the first turn.

#18

does sloth include counterattacks?

#19

No, it can still counterattack. I figure it shouldn’t be 100% defenseless.

#20

Well, unless people like dispelling themselves or playing rok, I don’t think anyone would play anything with the sloth keyword. Though to be fair, it could give a serious surprise with dispel + lots of buffs.