What are effects? In GoL an effect is a character's special ability. These abilities can give you an edge on the battlefield in several ways. The outcome of effects depend on the respective effect types and behaviours.
There are 3 different effect behaviour:
One time effect - This effect can be used once per game.
Permanent Effect - This effect remains until the end of the game. Can only be cancelled by another effect or by defeating the respective unit.
Trigger Effect - This effect is triggered by a specific action. The effect is either a one time or permanent effect.
Effect Types Effects differ in their characteristics and are therefore assigned to one of 5 types. The 5 effect types are:
Enhancement - Battle - Alteration - Tactics - Support
Enhancement
Effects of this type improve one of the 4 core values of allied character cards. All equipment cards fall into this effect type.
Lets take Faskor Eph as an example. He is a legendary blacksmith with the following ability:
Effect Type: Enhancement
Effect Behaviour: One-time-effect
Effect Name: Forge
Effect: Faskor improves the attack value of an adjacent friendly melee unit by 2.
Battle
Effects of this type have several possible outcomes. Battle Effects allow you to: - attack multiple enemy character cards at the same time - attack certain targets mutliple times consecutively - get stronger over the course of the game through a certain condition. This happens thorugh a systematic increase of the values up to a limit. - strike back when being attacked by your opponent. This happens automatically during your opponents turn. - only be attacked under certain conditions
Lets take Frallga the seawoman as an example: She is the captain of a larger fleet of ships and knows exactly how to wrap men around her fingers:
Effect Type: Battle
Effect Behaviour: Permanent-Effect
Effect Name: Seduction
Effect: Frallga can only be attacked by female character cards or male character cards of level master or higher.
Alteration
Effects of this type have several possible outcomes. Alteration Effects allow you to: - change (reduce or swap) one or more values of enemy character cards. - affect the battlefield. Individual or several fields are either made impassable or are influenced in a way that cards on these fields change
(reduce or swap) values
Lets take Radiana Lyra as an example. A powerful hermiticist who is capable of mind control.
Effect Type: Alteration
Effect Behaviour: One-Time-Effect
Effect Name: Mind control
Effect: Radiana can take one action with an enemy character card of Level Pioneer or lower which is located in the neutral zone.
Tactics
Effects of this type have several possible outcomes. Tactic Effects allow you to: - influence actions which take place in the active phase (own turn). Active actions include - attacks and movements. Influencing means improving the actions. - change the deck composition of your own deck. - influence your own or the opposing drawing phase.
- influence the Starting-5 selection.
Lets take Ruutik Eph as an example. An experienced strategist who has fought numerous battles and enjoys a great reputation among warriors.
Effect Type: Tactics
Effect Behaviour: One-Time-Effect
Effect Name: Reinforcement / tactical advantage
Effect: Ruutik allows you to take 4 masters in your deck.
Support
Effects of this type have several possible outcomes. Support Effects allow you to:
- cancel / block other effects. - influence passive actions (actions during your opponent's move). This includes defending from enemy attacks through parrying or deflecting. - affect the playing field. Individual or multiple fields can be protected. This means they are either invulnerable or the attacks are deflected.
Lets take Tapeesa as an example. She is a very powerful hermeticist who is capable of protecting others from attacks.
Effect Type: Support
Effect Behaviour: Permanent-Effect Effect Name: Barrier
Effect: Tapeesa can protect an adjacent friendly unit from all attacks.
Which cards do have effects and how many of them will exist?
All heroes, guardian and masters have effects. Only a few of the other character cards have effects also. Effects of heroes and guardians will be more impactful than the effects of cards of other levels. The number of effect of lower Level Cards will be quite modest.
How are the effects typified?
Effect types are declared in such a way that you always take the outcome of the effect as the basis for the assignment. One could easily assign an effect to a wrong type based on its description.
Why this approach?
Balancing. A good card game can only last long if it is well balanced. As with all other values, it was important to us to create a solid foundation for the effects which helps us to integrate this great game element. Before a new effect even makes it into the game, it has to go through an verification process, which guarantees that everything stays within the foreseen framework that was built especially for it.
What do you guys think about the effects and our approach? Let us know in the comment section.