Implementing new Ability Factories and Card Support Code

[Agetian]

Does have the potential to do multiple colors? Like for Soul Burn

Yes, I'm sure it can be expanded for that as well, I'll see what I can do about that. As of right now, for some reason I'm experiencing a strange bug with the current implementation which I can't fix quite yet - the effect works for the first mana tapped (so, for the first land tapped, the limitation works fine), but if you tap a black land first, then you can pretty much tap any land after that... I'm trying to figure out what's up with that.

EDIT: I think I fixed it.

P.S. Is it possible to limit the damage to creature's toughness or player's life total in script?

- Agetian

[Agetian]

Some updates on this feature: a couple bugs are fixed, and multiple types of colors (e.g. SVar:XColor:BR) are confirmed to work now, e.g. for Soul Burn (so that you can spend black or red mana).

- Agetian

[Agetian]

Further update: for testing, submitted the Consume Spirit card, which is the simplest card among the kind. My tests indicate that it works fine, I also tested some other cards with normal X costs (Fireball, Blaze, etc.) to ensure I didn't break anything inadvertently, seems like it's fine, but who knows what might be up... please test and feel free to fix/change/etc. as necessary. Would be happy to know if any other cards would now be implementable from the "spend only specific color(s) of mana when paying X" kind (not sure if Drain Life would be doable now, no idea how to limit the total damage dealt per its description :\ ).

P.S. Consume Spirit is marked as RemAIDeck, no idea if the AI can already handle it or if some modifications would be necessary.

- Agetian

[friarsol]

I would think Atalya, Samite Master Crypt Rats and Crimson Hellkite would all be scriptable now.

[moomarc]

I think Drain Life might actually be possible using StoreSVar and then using LimitMax math function on the gain life's count method. Would need two StoreSVar abilities with conditions to differentiate whether a player or creature was targeted.

[Agetian]

I would think Atalya, Samite Master Crypt Rats and Crimson Hellkite would all be scriptable now.

This is good news!

I think Drain Life might actually be possible using StoreSVar and then using LimitMax math function on the gain life's count method. Would need two StoreSVar abilities with conditions to differentiate whether a player or creature was targeted.

This is good! Sadly, I looked around for StoreSVar examples but only found two cards in the current implementation of Forge that utilized it, and neither of them featured the use of LimitMax that would be based on the result of the StoreSVar... I'll check out the wiki to see if I can learn how to work with StoreSVar. EDIT: Nope, no information on the wiki.

By the way, a rule-related question: for Drain Life, should it be legally possible to declare X more than the creature's toughness (but it'll be constrained at the value of the creature's toughness) or should it even not be possible to declare X more than that? (basically, if I use Drain Life on a 3/3 creature, should it be possible for me to declare X=5, in which case it would simply still drain only 3 life?)

- Agetian

[friarsol]

By the way, a rule-related question: for Drain Life, should it be legally possible to declare X more than the creature's toughness (but it'll be constrained at the value of the creature's toughness) or should it even not be possible to declare X more than that? (basically, if I use Drain Life on a 3/3 creature, should it be possible for me to declare X=5, in which case it would simply still drain only 3 life?)

Of course you can. If the limitation was on X itself the rules text would be different. "X cannot be greater than <blah>." Winter's Chill uses this exact text (X can't be greater than the number of snow lands you control.)

It thematically works with the card, but it is a cumbersome rule.

[Agetian]

Thanks for confirming, Sol!

Unfortunately, couldn't find any information on StoreSVar/LimitMax on the wiki... If anyone has a bit of time for it, can you please demonstrate how StoreSVar and LimitMax can be used together to limit the X? Thanks in advance!

- Agetian

[moomarc]

Thanks for confirming, Sol!

Unfortunately, couldn't find any information on StoreSVar/LimitMax on the wiki... If anyone has a bit of time for it, can you please demonstrate how StoreSVar and LimitMax can be used together to limit the X? Thanks in advance!

- Agetian

LimitMax is a math function for the counting methods. So in Ana Sanctuary for instance you have SVar:Y:Count$Valid Permanent.Blue+YouCtrl/LimitMax.1 and in Nameless Race I used this sequence to limit the maximum available choice for the life payment:

Code: Select all

SVar:X:XChoice/LimitMax.Limit
SVar:Limit:SVar$Active/Plus.Buried
SVar:Active:Count$Valid Permanent.White+nonToken+OppCtrl
SVar:Buried:Count$ValidGrave Card.White+OppCtrl

For Nameless Race I had to add a slightly modified version to XChoice in life payment, so not sure if the standard one allows a variable for the limit.

I imagine you would use something like:

Code: Select all

...DB$ GainLife | Defined$ You | LifeAmount$ DrainedLifeCard | Condition$ *Targeted a card* | SubAbility$ *Drained from player...
SVar:DrainedLifeCard:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitC
SVar:LimitC:Targeted$CardPower
SVar:DrainedLifePlayer:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitP
SVar:LimitP:TargetedPlayer$LifeAmount *Can't remember the correct function

[/spoiler]

[Agetian]

Hmm for some reason, the following crashes Forge, referring to the "X" part of the cost - I thought that maybe it had something to do with my color-limiting code, but no, even if you take out the "XColor" SVar, it still crashes:

Code: Select all

Name:Drain Life
ManaCost:X 1 B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$DealDamage | Cost$ X 1 B | Tgt$ TgtCP | NumDmg$ DrainedLifeCard | SubAbility$ DBGainLife | References$ DrainedLifeCard
SVar:XColor:B
SVar:DBGainLife:DB$GainLife | Defined$ You | LifeAmount$ DrainedLifeCard | References$ DrainedLifeCard
SVar:DrainedLifeCard:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitC
SVar:LimitC:Targeted$CardToughness
SVar:DrainedLifePlayer:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitP
SVar:LimitP:TargetedPlayer$LifeAmount
SVar:RemAIDeck:True
SVar:Rarity:Common
End


Can you please tell me what I'm doing wrong?
P.S. The subability to drain from the player isn't plugged in yet, so DrainedLifePlayer and LimitP are not used in any way yet.
Thanks a lot in advance!

- Agetian

[moomarc]

Hmm for some reason, the following crashes Forge, referring to the "X" part of the cost - I thought that maybe it had something to do with my color-limiting code, but no, even if you take out the "XColor" SVar, it still crashes:

Code: Select all

Name:Drain Life
ManaCost:X 1 B
Types:Sorcery
Text:no text
A:SP$DealDamage | Cost$ X 1 B | Tgt$ TgtCP | NumDmg$ DrainedLifeCard | SubAbility$ DBGainLife | References$ DrainedLifeCard
SVar:XColor:B
SVar:DBGainLife:DB$GainLife | Defined$ You | LifeAmount$ DrainedLifeCard | References$ DrainedLifeCard
SVar:DrainedLifeCard:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitC
SVar:LimitC:Targeted$CardToughness
SVar:DrainedLifePlayer:Count$xPaid/LimitMax.LimitP
SVar:LimitP:TargetedPlayer$LifeAmount
SVar:RemAIDeck:True
SVar:Rarity:Common
End


Can you please tell me what I'm doing wrong?
P.S. The subability to drain from the player isn't plugged in yet, so DrainedLifePlayer and LimitP are not used in any way yet.
Thanks a lot in advance!

- Agetian

I'll sort out the script, but for your reference here's the few small issues. Firstly, the X cost has to have a plain SVar:X:Count$xPaid which is what was causing the crash. Then the damage itself isn't limited, just the life you gain from it so the DealDamage would reference the X svar. There was also no SpellDescription so no text showed up in the card info panel. Lastly, it seems I was right in thinking that the LimitMax param only takes integers in the default method. I'll fix that up then get the script committed.

I have noticed one oversight in your new code while testing this script. You can use any mana in your mana pool to pay X, not just the specified color. Great work though. A LOT of people (and Gos's decks) have been waiting for Consume Spirit and friends. (Consume Pirit seems to top the list of cards most used by Wizards precons, appearing in 8 decks. If I recall correctly the next was a paltry 5).

[Agetian]

Thanks for your help and testing, moomarc! Would be glad if you could help out with Drain Life! In the meantime, I'll work on limiting the mana pool, thanks for catching that one!

- Agetian

[jeffwadsworth]

You can bet that Mike Long has been chomping at the bit for it also.

[Agetian]

Hehe
Got the bug fixed, by the way, the mana pool should now be restricted properly too!

- Agetian

[moomarc]

Hehe
Got the bug fixed, by the way, the mana pool should now be restricted properly too!

- Agetian

In that case I give you Drain Life. Tested in single and multiplayer, targeting creatures and players.