Relaying Ray & Maelstrom
DISCLAIMER: You’ll need an understanding of how to play Stoicheion: Elemental Clash to fully enjoy this article.
The first article I posted on this blog was about Ray (an element from our game Stoicheion) and the trouble it was causing us from a design standpoint. Sad to say, that was not the end of its troubles – though the bigger mischief maker was truly one step over.
Since the game’s inception, Maelstrom has retained the same effect and role as probably the most powerful element in Stoicheion. Hands are a player’s most vital resource: they store your scoring cards, fuel your card effects, and hide away resources from your opponents. Maelstrom’s ability blows all of that away.
“Discard this Card: Swap a Card in your Hand with one in another player’s Hand.”
The ability to steal a player’s point cards, give them junk, or grab cards for your own use are all incredibly powerful, so Maelstrom defines its section of the Leyline. This is compounded by the presence of Catalyst, which gives complete access to the discard pile, one of the two other places where you can attempt to “hide” cards from your opponents. Effectively, a player at Maelstrom or Catalyst can access almost any card, anywhere, at relatively low cost.
Ray’s low power-level was less a nerf to this power-combo of card effects as it was the lack of an additional boost. We couldn’t make it better without seriously tipping the balance of the Leyline top-heavy. So, we went back to the drawing board on both elements.
Limiting the card values or colors that Maelstrom could swap certainly would reduce its power, but this line of thinking led to heady use-cases or wordy text boxes. After more consideration, the problem seemed to stem most from the unilateral decision making of the player using Maelstrom. The other players have the private space of their hands violated without recourse. Furthermore, the Maelstrom player controls the interaction entirely. So, we created solutions for both halves of that problem.
Maelstrom Effect 1: An Equitable Trade
“Discard this Card: Choose an Opponent. They take a Card from your Hand. Take one from theirs.”
With this effect, the opponent gets to choose what they take from your hand. They regain some level of agency. However, you still get the ultimate say. Did they take something you can’t afford to lose? Just steal it right back. Maelstrom keeps its breezy swapping flavor, but with an air of fairness to it. Testing showed this version of Maelstrom as both a strong early-game card and a powerful catch-up tool for trailing players. It’s difficult for a player in the lead to use it effectively, but it has multiple times encouraged more table talk to help level the playing field.
Maelstrom Effect 2: Spin-to-Win
“Discard this Card: Choose a card from each Player’s Hand. Shuffle them and randomly return one to each Player.”
A suggestion from discord user M0xes yielded an effect put a fun spin on Maelstrom’s swapping power. The Maelstrom player still has complete control over what cards are affected, locking opponents out from counterplay that might “waste the action.” However, the outcome is ultimately random: everyone at the table can leave with an altered board state. This added “RNG”-aspect gives Maelstrom the flavor of fickle weather, while channeling some of the excitement found in elements like Continuum. It’s been a blast to use since, and is pretty much my front runner for the official effect. Still, there’s been complaints; an ultimate solution may yet be in grasp.
Ray Effect Redo:
But with some pressure taken off of Ray, what can we do with its effect? I asked the Diceratops Discord server to help brainstorm. We saw effects that would shock/flip the mana pool, making it inaccessible until it was refreshed/unshocked. We tried discarding more cards from the mana pool. Taking more cards from the mana pool. Drawing cards and only keeping a few. Any change to name or effect that might create a more flavorful space to play in. After some careful thought, I settled on this:
“Discard this Card: Draw a Card off the top of the Deck. You may take another Elemental Action.”
I wanted to channel the idea of an electric signal: a chain of lightning that could change direction at a moment’s notice. Not as much causing a massive ripple in the board state, but instead sparking the opportunity for something new. That felt electric to me, and I settled on a name not-too far from its predecessor: Ray would now be Relay.
Testing Relay and the new Maelstroms in conjunction, we found that Relay is both great for scoring in itself, but is even better for a late-game pivot. Sure, its effect may not be outright as useful as other elements, but that potential to dig up a card you do need makes it worth a player’s while. We went from rarely using Ray to almost always using Relay. That felt like a better state for the game.
Will these changes stick? God I hope so. I’d like to stop iterating on these card designs and come to a resting point, but good game design demands occasional balancing. Which versions of these effects have been your favorites?
