MArcomage

i just got a idea, i know it currently is not possible to use it like this and probably no one likes it anyway... actually i somewhat dont like it either =) but since i had the idea i thought i'd share it with you.
the idea came because it is somehow just not fun, beating the crap out of your enemy but loosing in the end just because he got one lucky card and you dont.

the effect cooldown would be a new feature to stop overpowered cards being overpowered and it would also add some more strategical thinking to the game.

what i mean with cooldown is, that any new card you get in your hand will be unuseable for a set period of turns.
how long a new card is unusable will be desided by its rarity and overpoweredness. so, common would be usable the instant you get it, uncommon would be off for one turn and rare for two turns.
cards like prince of thieves or order of the white lotus will get an extra +1 turn off, while weaker cards like manticore get a turn less off.

your starting hand does not have a cooldown.
if you steal a card, it will get an additional cooldown of 1 turn (additionally to the cooldown already set for a card).
the cooldown counter will be reduced by one at the end of enemy's turn.
an example: i just recieved prince of thieves after playing tribute (cooldown 3) the opponent black market it to his hand (cooldown 4) my turn, i do nothing (cd 3), enemy neither, i do nothing again (cd 2) enemy neither, i black market prince back to my hand (cd 3). and so on.
like this it is actually possible to never be able to play the card that is swiched all the time.

thats about it. i wonder how you think about haveing to wait till you can use that awesome card you just recieved instead of hitting your enemy where it hurts most the instant you can.

I think that powerful cards having high cost or odd conditions are enough to prevent their overuse.

i think a better solution is to just make overused cards less powerfull lol

prince of thieves is clearly an extremely overpowered card....

i say at least make the "minimun" robbery to 1

I like the strategical implications of this cooldown, but I think that the game is already well balanced (with few exceptions).
Also we already know that the next post will be from mojko saying: "not implementable".

Nope, I won't say not implementable :D

But I don't think this is a good way to balance cards. Additionaly we would have to display cooldown for each card to inform players, which adds unwanted game complexity.

I think a better way to do this is to balance cards the old fashion way - with their cost or/and effect.

Anyway if a feature like this could be implemented we can use it to create new fancy cards. for example:

Lazy lion (beast, charge) (uncommon)
Cost: 12 recruits;
Attack 8;
charge 12;
this card can't be used if you draw it last turn (cooldown 1).

(I've wright the first thing that has come to my mind but it's seems a nice card)

Easiest version of cooldown would be the newcard flag. Cards that has effect based on whether they have new card flag or not could be implemented right away and there's no need to change the current game system.

The qeustion is, if we really want such cards...

would be interesting to have something like that.
so you could have cards that kinda force you to use them as soon as you get them or alternatively, make some useless if they are just new.

an example would be:
pallisade wall (free, common)
wall +2
if new: stock +2

or: prince of thieves (1 R, rare)
if new: only enemy stock is lowered (1-20).
else: steal stock (1-20)

actually i like the idea of the "if new" condition
this could add some strategy to the game....

don't make the card unplayable like OP sugested but maybe sometimes make the cards better when new

good idea about the if new condition, it will make a new way of strategy and balance, and the game it self is not modified at all.