Elemental Summaries

I've recently typed up a few sentences for each element to assist new playtesters in understanding what I'm trying to accomplish within each element, as well as bring them up to speed with what each element typically does.  This isn't meant to be the hard and fast truth, as there are always gong to be exceptions to the rule, but this is a good jumping off point.  Since I typed it up for the playtesters, I've decided to share it with whomever reads this blog as well.



Air
The element of Air is focus on small constructs and cycling cards.  It is an easy element to grasp the concept of, but a hard one to really master.  Their Awakened have less essence to work with than the other elements, balanced with the fact that they draw more cards, and have alternative costs in the form of discarding cards from their hand for a benefit.  Ideal play with Air will be spending your essence drawing and discarding lots of cards while still manifesting constructs and bolstering them with special cards that have discard effects.

Earth
The element of Earth is focused on Growth and Combat.  The entire game is about combat, but Earth is just better at it.  Their cards are straightforward, adding essence to Constructs in play, and getting bonuses when they attack or even additional attacks.  Any construct under an Earth Awakened is a potential force to be reckoned with.  Ideal play with Earth will be manifesting a few constructs, and bolstering them with additional spells and effects to create unstoppable constructs in combat.

Fire
The element of Fire is focused on Essence Removal and Rebirth.  Their focus is on removing the Essence from opposing constructs through the liberal use of spells and powers, along with playing cards directly from the discard pile.  Ideal play with Fire will be utilizing a combination of spells and constructs to remove essence from the opposing constructs in play in an efficient manner.  To go with their efficient essence removal, they are also able to replay their cards from the discard pile which allows them to use their cards more times than another element would be able to do.

Water
The element of Water is focused on Control and Big Constructs.  Their Awakened have the most Essence in the game, and their cards allow them to steal opposing Essence and Constructs, manipulate attacks, and generally make it hard for their opponents to do exactly what they want to do.  Ideal play with Water will be controlling your opponent's every move, making them do what you want them to do even though they might not even know it.

Shadow
The element of Shadow is focused on manipulating the Aether Stream and Exiling cards to the Nether.  They run a fine line between control and chaos for both themselves as well as their opponents.  They are a very interesting element in that they are the only ones that interact with the Aether stream and the cards that are removed from the game.  Ideal play with Shadow will be Exiling your own deck to be able to use the Nether as an extension of your own deck while at the same time denying your opponent the cards that they want from the Aether.