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Simple "escalation" mechanic

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Tue, 08/24/2021 - 16:26
questccg
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Okay I am posting this because I am considering using it (Maybe)! I'd just like to know what other Game Designers think about this Simple "escalation" mechanic:

Quote:
When you have a Player's Deck and a Discard Pile for cards that are removed from the game (supposedly because they were ALREADY used), you can introduce an "escalation" mechanic much like in Pandemic by SHUFFLING the Discard Pile AND placing it on the TOP of your Deck.

Why does this work? Or How does this work?

Well it's pretty simple. Basically means that instead of waiting until the entire deck is "exhausted" (All cards played), if you (at any point) place the shuffled version of the Discard Pile... It's like a 2nd REACTION or a chance to "repeat" successful actions.

It also makes it a bit TOUGHER too (ergo the "escalation) because in most cases your Discard Pile contains cards you USED against your opponent already. This is like a DOUBLE-BANG and allows you to re-use some of your earlier strategy against your opponent for a "second time".

I'm wondering if I should use a SIMILAR mechanic in one of my own designs.

Note #1: Also you might use an EXILE Pile to PERMANENTLY discard cards from the game. If a card goes into the exile is it removed for the duration of the game (until the game ends).

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Tue, 08/24/2021 - 17:23
#1
Stormyknight1976
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Joined: 04/08/2012
That all depends

That all depends if you want your opponent to have that "Ah-Ha" moment at some point in your game.

The "ah-ha" moment is when your opponent cleverly waits for the opportunity to strike back (a catch up mechanic) or use the power struggle / tug of war mechanic to out think, out wit and out strategically over come the odds of allowing you or the other opponent to make a beat down to win the game in the third round of attack.

In my game Dymino Monsters: I have 4 cards that 1: Leave No and Never Return. 2:Fight from off the Grid. 3: Lost Card 4: From The Beginning.

1: Leave Now and Never Return: You can put this on any card. No matter the card your opponent owns, The card leaves and never returns. Even if the opponent buys another pack, they can never receive another one in game play. It's a very mean card but it makes sense for my game.

2: Fight from off the Grid: When a card is out of play, the Fight from off the Grid can attack or defend from off the grid. There are a few ways to retrieve the card off the grid, but the players will have to figure that out. There are more than a dozen ways to activate and achieve ways to retrieve the card from off the grid or allow combat and defense from off the grid.

3: Lost Card: if Lost card has been drawn, you can put this on any of your cards on the play field, discard pile or draw pile, pick up the card and shuffle it back into discard pile or you can put this on your opponent side and say aloud, "Lost Card". I'm just now thinking of another way to use Lost Card, but there are a few other ways this card can be used strategically and tactfully.

4: From The Beginning: When this card is drawn : All opponents retrieve their draw pile and put them in Alphabet order.

These cards may sound and look weird and how they work for Dymino Monsters is that "everything connects for a reason".

Jesse

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Tue, 08/24/2021 - 17:53
#2
let-off studios
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Limitations

questccg wrote:
Well it's pretty simple. Basically means that instead of waiting until the entire deck is "exhausted" (All cards played), if you (at any point) place the shuffled version of the Discard Pile... It's like a 2nd REACTION or a chance to "repeat" successful actions.
Personally, were I to consider this I'd only allow this if it were an action on a card in your hand that you could play like any other action card. The discard pile is reclaimed, then the "reclaim" action card is added to the discard (it starts the next discard pile).

Leaving the reclaim action open to choice would not only put an additional layer of decision-making into play, but also leaves the maneuver open to abuse. I'd view both of those things as undesirable.

By making it an action played via card, it take 1+AP to play, and it is only considered if it's in the player's hand, just like any other action.

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Tue, 08/24/2021 - 22:27
#3
questccg
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I appreciate both your input

Stormyknight1976 wrote:
...In my game Dymino Monsters: I have 4 cards that 1: Leave No and Never Return. 2:Fight from off the Grid. 3: Lost Card 4: From The Beginning...

TBH the only card that I find remotely interesting is "Lost Card". But I would make the Action something like:

Quote:
When you activate this card EXILE both this card and an opponent's card of your choosing.

This way the card is removed "from play" and you get to also impact your opponent too... Something like that.

Your "1: Leave Now and Never Return" is a little too drastic. At least for my game(s). Your "2: Fight from off the Grid" is something specific to YOUR game (Dymino Monsters) and same goes for "4: From The Beginning".

But I like the concept of #3. But I would simply exile both cards and that would be that.

How about your general thoughts about the "escalation" mechanic presented here???

let-off studios wrote:
By making it an action played via card, it takes 1+ AP to play, and it is only considered if it's in the player's hand, just like any other action.

Yes much like the "exiling" a card Action... This specialized re-shuffle is also an Action and when used the card is "exiled".

Also making the card a UNIQUE card, means that there is only ONE (1) instance of this card in a player's deck...

But I 100% agree with you: once per player per game...

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