Card Development Questions

[Chris H.]

Wow! The pace of development has been astounding!

`
Agreed. One third of the cards are from the new set MBS.

[jeffwadsworth]

Ill-Gotten Gains...well, this thing could possibly work if each of its steps resolved before going to the next one. Any way to do this script-wise?

Code: Select all

Name:Ill-Gotten Gains
ManaCost:2 B B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$ ChangeZoneAll | Cost$ 2 B B | ChangeType$ Card | Origin$ Hand | Destination$ Graveyard | Defined$ Each | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZone | SpellDescription$ Exile CARDNAME.  Each player discards his or her hand, then returns up to three cards from his or her graveyard to his or her hand.
SVar:DBChangeZone:DB$ ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | ValidTgts$ Card.YouCtrl | TargetMin$ 0 | TargetMax$ 3 | TgtPrompt$ Choose up to three cards from your graveyard. | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZoneAI
SVar:DBChangeZoneAI:DB$ ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | ChangeType$ Card.YouDontCtrl | ChangeNum$ 3 | Defined$ Opponent | SubAbility$ SVar=DBExile
SVar:DBExile:DB$ ChangeZone | Origin$ Stack | Destination$ Exile | Defined$ Card.Self
SVar:RemAIDeck:True
SVar:Rarity:Rare
SVar:Picture:http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/ill_gotten_gains.jpg
End

[friarsol]

Ill-Gotten Gains is a Discard, then a ChangeZoneAll (Or two). Did you try it that way?

[jeffwadsworth]

Ill-Gotten Gains is a Discard, then a ChangeZoneAll (Or two). Did you try it that way?

A ChangeZoneAll? I do not see how that works here once the discard is done. I can not get the AI to grab up to 3 cards from its graveyard. Latest version.

Code: Select all

Name:Ill-Gotten Gains
ManaCost:2 B B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$ Discard | Cost$ 2 B B | Mode$ Hand | Defined$ Each | SubAbility$ SVar=DBExile
SVar:DBExile:DB$ChangeZone | Origin$ Stack | Destination$ Exile | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZoneChoose
SVar:DBChangeZoneChoose:DB$ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | TargetMin$ 0 | TargetMax$ 3 | TgtPrompt$ Choose target creature card in your graveyard | ValidTgts$ Card.YouCtrl | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZonePC | SpellDescription$ Return up to three target cards from your graveyard to your hand.
SVar:DBChangeZonePC:DB$ ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | ChangeType$ Card.YouDontCtrl | ChangeNum$ 3 | Defined$ Opponent
SVar:RemAIDeck:True
SVar:Rarity:Rare
SVar:Picture:http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/ill_gotten_gains.jpg
End

[friarsol]

Ill-Gotten Gains is a Discard, then a ChangeZoneAll (Or two). Did you try it that way?

A ChangeZoneAll? I do not see how that works here once the discard is done. I can not get the AI to grab up to 3 cards from its graveyard. Latest version.

Sorry I meant it's a Discard not a ChangeZoneAll.

I'm pretty sure it can be done, just not 100%. The trick to Ill-Gotten Gains is that it's not Targeted and you need to use the Hidden$ True flag (which I did make a small note about) since Hidden chooses cards on Resolution, and Known targets them on casting.

Try something like this:

Code: Select all

A:SP$ Discard | Cost$ 2 B B | Mode$ Hand | Defined$ Each | SubAbility$ SVar=DBExile
SVar:DBExile:DB$ChangeZone | Origin$ Stack | Destination$ Exile | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZoneChoose
SVar:DBChangeZoneChoose:DB$ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | ChangeNum$ 3 | ChangeType$ Card | SubAbility$ SVar=DBChangeZonePC | Hidden$ True
SVar:DBChangeZonePC:DB$ ChangeZone | Origin$ Graveyard | Destination$ Hand | ChangeNum$ 3 | ChangeType$ Card | Defined$ Opponent | Hidden$ True


[jeffwadsworth]

@Sol, that worked perfectly. I did note the Hidden$ but in my testing, it was removed while I tried different variations. Thanks. This will also help me with Curfew. Thanks.

[Jaedayr]

Working on the card below and I saw various existing cards with similar effects coded in a few different ways so I am not sure if this is the latest and greatest way to code it or not. It works, but the prompt on the stack says to Target a Creature.nonBlack.

Also the Picture link does not work but I do not know where else are valid places to look if wizards.com does not have a pic.

Advice on these is appreciated before I commit it.

Code: Select all

Name:Soul Shred
ManaCost:3 B B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$DealDamage | Cost$ 3 B B | ValidTgts$ Creature.nonBlack | NumDmg$ 3 | SubAbility$ SVar=DBGainLife | SpellDescription$ CARDNAME deals 3 damage to target nonblack creature. You gain 3 life.
SVar:DBGainLife:DB$GainLife | LifeAmount$ 3
SVar:Rarity:Common
SVar:Picture:http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/soul_shred.jpg
SetInfo:POR|Common|http://magiccards.info/scans/en/po/35.jpg
End

[friarsol]

"TgtPrompt$ Select target nonblack creature." gives a custom prompt instead of the default "built" target prompt that is just "Target a <ValidTgts>"

No Portal cards are linked on Wizards site. I forget what the newest place we've been using is.

[Chris H.]

Working on the card below and I saw various existing cards with similar effects coded in a few different ways so I am not sure if this is the latest and greatest way to code it or not. It works, but the prompt on the stack says to Target a Creature.nonBlack.

Also the Picture link does not work but I do not know where else are valid places to look if wizards.com does not have a pic.

Advice on these is appreciated before I commit it.

Code: Select all

Name:Soul Shred
ManaCost:3 B B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$DealDamage | Cost$ 3 B B | ValidTgts$ Creature.nonBlack | NumDmg$ 3 | SubAbility$ SVar=DBGainLife | SpellDescription$ CARDNAME deals 3 damage to target nonblack creature. You gain 3 life.
SVar:DBGainLife:DB$GainLife | LifeAmount$ 3
SVar:Rarity:Common
SVar:Picture:http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/soul_shred.jpg
SetInfo:POR|Common|http://magiccards.info/scans/en/po/35.jpg
End

`
Try this minor edit of your card file:

Code: Select all

Name:Soul Shred
ManaCost:3 B B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$DealDamage | Cost$ 3 B B | ValidTgts$ Creature.nonBlack | TgtPrompt$ Select target nonblack creature | NumDmg$ 3 | SubAbility$ SVar=DBGainLife | SpellDescription$ CARDNAME deals 3 damage to target nonblack creature. You gain 3 life.
SVar:DBGainLife:DB$GainLife | LifeAmount$ 3
SVar:Rarity:Common
SVar:Picture:http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/soul_shred.jpg
SetInfo:POR|Common|http://magiccards.info/scans/en/po/35.jpg
End

`
The addition of a TgtPrompt$ may help to improve the prompting.

[Jaedayr]

Thank you Sol and Chris. You are both correct, as usual!

[SoulStorm]

: Vein Drinker

I'm contemplating how to code this card. Seems that one could use Spikeshot Elder as a template, then add a SubAbility to damage self.

Since the variable X is already used for SVar:X:Count$CardPower to define the damage cause by Vein Drinker, one can't use the variable X for SVar:X:Targeted$CardPower to define the damage caused to Vein Drinker. So can one use Y instead or does the code not support this?

I'm assuming the latter since I've never seen Y used, but I thought I'd ask anyway. If one can't use Y, is there another way to do this, or is it impossible to do through text alone currently?

[friarsol]

I think Vein Drinker can't be done correctly until we get something that sets the DamageSource. By default it would be the card doing the damage, but in cases like this the SubAbility needs the Targeted Creature to be set as the DamageSource. Once DamageSource is written we can do most/all of these Arena-like cards properly.

To answer your quesiton about variables, you can use other variables for damage as long as there is an SVar set for that variable. X is just the most common.

[lazylockie]

: Vein Drinker

I'm contemplating how to code this card. Seems that one could use Spikeshot Elder as a template, then add a SubAbility to damage self.

Since the variable X is already used for SVar:X:Count$CardPower to define the damage cause by Vein Drinker, one can't use the variable X for SVar:X:Targeted$CardPower to define the damage caused to Vein Drinker. So can one use Y instead or does the code not support this?

I'm assuming the latter since I've never seen Y used, but I thought I'd ask anyway. If one can't use Y, is there another way to do this, or is it impossible to do through text alone currently?

You can use any variable. X, Y, Z, XMom, XDad. As long as it's clear that you use both when you call (on AB$ and on SVar)

[SoulStorm]

K, thanks, let's see how this goes then.

[SoulStorm]

I think Vein Drinker can't be done correctly until we get something that sets the DamageSource. By default it would be the card doing the damage, but in cases like this the SubAbility needs the Targeted Creature to be set as the DamageSource. Once DamageSource is written we can do most/all of these Arena-like cards properly.

To answer your quesiton about variables, you can use other variables for damage as long as there is an SVar set for that variable. X is just the most common.

Sorry Sol, I didn't see your post until after I read Lazylockie's. I thought Targeted$CardPower set the damage source, but if I understand you correctly, Targeted$CardPower only looks at the power of the targetted card but doesn't make the targetted card the source of the damage. I noticed Kiku, Night's Flower was added so I assumed otherwise, oh well...