Throwing Out Ideas. Enjoy!

[menace64]

Now that I've decided to go ahead with a set, I'm trying to inject a favorable bunch of new keywords and mechanics into the mix. I spent a while at work tonight brainstorming... Let me know if any of these are horrible.

Dominate. (An opponent's character skirmishing this character can't use special abilities.) --- I wanted something that shows a person that is so intimidating in battle that his or her opponent is just scared into inaction.

Pillage X. (When this minion is assign to a skirmish, the Free Peoples player discards X cards from hand and you draw X cards.) --- Most likely needs tweaking, since if the number gets too high it would be overpowered. In fact, I think it's only balanced if you can only discard 1 and draw 1. Think so?

Rampage. (At the start of this character's skirmish, you may play a skirmish event from your discard pile. Then remove that card from the game.) --- Represents a character so lusting for battle that he swings right away.

Raze. (When this character wins a skirmish, discard a card (except a character) of the losing character's culture.) --- Pretty straightforward.

Scout. (When you play this character, you may look at the top 3 cards of any draw deck.) --- I'm considering making this variable, since Aragorn or Faramir is obviously a better scout than, say, a random no-name companion who happens to have the keyword as well.

Stronghold X. (While there are at least X tokens here, conditions of this card's culture may not be discarded by an opponent's card.) --- I've always been a big fan of this keyword representing something "better" than a fortification, and since strongholds are all about protection and defense, this ability seems natural.

[AgentDrake]

Now that I've decided to go ahead with a set, I'm trying to inject a favorable bunch of new keywords and mechanics into the mix. I spent a while at work tonight brainstorming... Let me know if any of these are horrible.

Dominate. (An opponent's character skirmishing this character can't use special abilities.) --- I wanted something that shows a person that is so intimidating in battle that his or her opponent is just scared into inaction.

Seems like something that shouldn't be overly common... certainly not common enough to create a keyword for it. One or two cards with text like that (ie, Faramir, SoD) is fine, but more than just a few would potentially screw the other cards too much. I know this keyword doesn't prevent events, but still....

Pillage X. (When this minion is assign to a skirmish, the Free Peoples player discards X cards from hand and you draw X cards.) --- Most likely needs tweaking, since if the number gets too high it would be overpowered. In fact, I think it's only balanced if you can only discard 1 and draw 1. Think so?

Interesting... like you say, could be too OP if it goes above 1. Maybe have it somehow deal with exertions rather than discarding FP cards, or something... maybe an either-or thing, which lets the FP choose to exert or discard cards. I dunno.

Rampage. (At the start of this character's skirmish, you may play a skirmish event from your discard pile. Then remove that card from the game.) --- Represents a character so lusting for battle that he swings right away.

Not a bad idea, but not sure it quite fits the keyword. Maybe something else as the keyword for that ability would be better. Somehow when I think of a rampage, it'd be something more like "Rampage - X (Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may exert this minion X times to assign it to skirmish another companion not assigned to a skirmish.)" Note another companion, so it can't just fight the same guy over and over and over.

Raze. (When this character wins a skirmish, discard a card (except a character) of the losing character's culture.) --- Pretty straightforward.

Simple... works.

Scout. (When you play this character, you may look at the top 3 cards of any draw deck.) --- I'm considering making this variable, since Aragorn or Faramir is obviously a better scout than, say, a random no-name companion who happens to have the keyword as well.

Nice... and definitely make it variable.

Stronghold X. (While there are at least X tokens here, conditions of this card's culture may not be discarded by an opponent's card.) --- I've always been a big fan of this keyword representing something "better" than a fortification, and since strongholds are all about protection and defense, this ability seems natural.

Maybe make it "other conditions of this card's culture" that way, the SH player can discard the stronghold itself (unless you're making them all possessions) so it doesn't get OP.

[sickofpalantirs]

wheres a france keyword? it had what, 3 votes?

Now that I've decided to go ahead with a set, I'm trying to inject a favorable bunch of new keywords and mechanics into the mix. I spent a while at work tonight brainstorming... Let me know if any of these are horrible.

Dominate. (An opponent's character skirmishing this character can't use special abilities.) --- I wanted something that shows a person that is so intimidating in battle that his or her opponent is just scared into inaction.
fine

Pillage X. (When this minion is assign to a skirmish, the Free Peoples player discards X cards from hand and you draw X cards.) --- Most likely needs tweaking, since if the number gets too high it would be overpowered. In fact, I think it's only balanced if you can only discard 1 and draw 1. Think so?
yeah I think just pillage, and 1. otherwise way OP way fast. maybe a card at random?

Rampage. (At the start of this character's skirmish, you may play a skirmish event from your discard pile. Then remove that card from the game.) --- Represents a character so lusting for battle that he swings right away.
sure

Raze. (When this character wins a skirmish, discard a card (except a character) of the losing character's culture.) --- Pretty straightforward.
make the freeps discard a card, otherwise, to OP

Scout. (When you play this character, you may look at the top 3 cards of any draw deck.) --- I'm considering making this variable, since Aragorn or Faramir is obviously a better scout than, say, a random no-name companion who happens to have the keyword as well.
yeah I'd say make it scout X.

Stronghold X. (While there are at least X tokens here, conditions of this card's culture may not be discarded by an opponent's card.) --- I've always been a big fan of this keyword representing something "better" than a fortification, and since strongholds are all about protection and defense, this ability seems natural.

fine...though you could just modify fortification

[Thranduil]

Dominate. (An opponent's character skirmishing this character can't use special abilities.) --- I wanted something that shows a person that is so intimidating in battle that his or her opponent is just scared into inaction.

How about a variable dominate - Dominate - , for example, making your opponent add/remove in order to use special abilities? That could prevent it from becoming too OP, and you might be able to include events as well.

Pillage X. (When this minion is assign to a skirmish, the Free Peoples player discards X cards from hand and you draw X cards.) --- Most likely needs tweaking, since if the number gets too high it would be overpowered. In fact, I think it's only balanced if you can only discard 1 and draw 1. Think so?

Maybe lose some of the flavour to give you a choice whether you draw X cards or make your opponent discard X cards which might make it more balanced.

Rampage. (At the start of this character's skirmish, you may play a skirmish event from your discard pile. Then remove that card from the game.) --- Represents a character so lusting for battle that he swings right away.

I'm not feeling rampage with skirmish events. Something like AD was suggesting appears to be a better representation of the keyword.

Raze. (When this character wins a skirmish, discard a card (except a character) of the losing character's culture.) --- Pretty straightforward.

I think it should perhaps not discard artifacts either. I might just specify "condition, possession or follower".

Scout. (When you play this character, you may look at the top 3 cards of any draw deck.) --- I'm considering making this variable, since Aragorn or Faramir is obviously a better scout than, say, a random no-name companion who happens to have the keyword as well.

Variable keywords are normally more fun!

Stronghold X. (While there are at least X tokens here, conditions of this card's culture may not be discarded by an opponent's card.) --- I've always been a big fan of this keyword representing something "better" than a fortification, and since strongholds are all about protection and defense, this ability seems natural.

I don't think such a massive and powerful blanket is necessarily the way to go. Perhaps having X tokens on it allows you to remove tokens to prevent your cards from being discarded? Or I'd go with AD's idea allowing the Stronghold to represent a wall that the Shadow players have to penetrate first before getting to your other cards.

Thranduil

[AgentDrake]

...Or I'd go with SoP's idea allowing the Stronghold to represent a wall that the Shadow players have to penetrate first before getting to your other cards.

Thranduil

Erm... that was MY idea. MINE!!!!
 

[Thranduil]

...Or I'd go with SoP's idea allowing the Stronghold to represent a wall that the Shadow players have to penetrate first before getting to your other cards.

Thranduil

Erm... that was MY idea. MINE!!!!
 

Quite right. Sometimes I mix up "sickofpalantirs" with "AgentDrake" - they're very similar words

 



Thranduil

[Gate Troll]

Now that I've decided to go ahead with a set, I'm trying to inject a favorable bunch of new keywords and mechanics into the mix. I spent a while at work tonight brainstorming... Let me know if any of these are horrible.

Dominate. (An opponent's character skirmishing this character can't use special abilities.) --- I wanted something that shows a person that is so intimidating in battle that his or her opponent is just scared into inaction.

I'd make it variable. For example: Dominate 7, may only use this ability on characters with 7 or less strength.

Pillage X. (When this minion is assign to a skirmish, the Free Peoples player discards X cards from hand and you draw X cards.) --- Most likely needs tweaking, since if the number gets too high it would be overpowered. In fact, I think it's only balanced if you can only discard 1 and draw 1. Think so?

No, I think you could probably keep it a variably, just make the 'X' a low number otherwise it could become insane.

Rampage. (At the start of this character's skirmish, you may play a skirmish event from your discard pile. Then remove that card from the game.) --- Represents a character so lusting for battle that he swings right away.

Neat idea.

Raze. (When this character wins a skirmish, discard a card (except a character) of the losing character's culture.) --- Pretty straightforward.

Yikes. I'd add a few more modifiers because that is one heck of an ability.

Scout. (When you play this character, you may look at the top 3 cards of any draw deck.) --- I'm considering making this variable, since Aragorn or Faramir is obviously a better scout than, say, a random no-name companion who happens to have the keyword as well.

Maybe top 2 cards? Otherwise, pretty good.

Stronghold X. (While there are at least X tokens here, conditions of this card's culture may not be discarded by an opponent's card.) --- I've always been a big fan of this keyword representing something "better" than a fortification, and since strongholds are all about protection and defense, this ability seems natural.
Now that I've decided to go ahead with a set, I'm trying to inject a favorable bunch of new keywords and mechanics into the mix. I spent a while at work tonight brainstorming... Let me know if any of these are horrible.

Sweet.

I like 'em menace... ... keep them coming. 

[menace64]

I've had a long time to think about it, but I think I'm gonna replace Rampage with Prowess. I still like the idea of fighters gaining special access to strength pumps in the discard pile and prowess makes more sense and it doesn't have a FP or SH connotation.

 Scout X. is best although I doubt it'd be very useful.