Shmod: Apocalypse - Dawn of Armageddon

Naardaas · Shmod: Apocalypse - Dawn of Armageddon

Shmod: Apocalypse

Dawn of Armageddon

It has been eons since the demise of man. The world has been cast into shadow, and all evidense of human civilization are long since gone. Within this ruin, there exists a power beyond comprehension, which rules this land. Below it exist many creatures, ruled over by a steel-taloned Dragon. Armageddon has dawned.

Card Breakdown:
Common: 24
Uncommon: 11
Rare: 4
Secret Rare: 1 (Dreadscythe Harvester)

(Level Four) Dreadscythe Harvester (Dark)
Category: Skeleton - Undead - Demon
Effect: ???
ATK/ 3000
DEF/ 3000

(Level Six) Chaos Manticore (Dark)
Category: Naga - Beast
Effect: ???
ATK/ 5750
DEF/ 5000

(Level Six) Rootwater Leviathan (Water)
Category: (C) Swamp Beast
Effect: ???
ATK/ 5200
DEF/ 4400

(Level One) Exploder Reaper (Dark)
Category: Skeleton - Undead - Humanoid
Effect: If this card is destroyed in combat by your opponent's attacing monster, destroy the monster that destroyed it and scrap your opponent's top card.
ATK/ 0
DEF/ 0

(Level One) Immortal Reaper (Dark)
Category: Skeleton - Undead - Humanoid
Effect: If you control another Skeleton, this card cannot be destroyed in battle.
ATK/ 1700
DEF/ 0

(Cost Two) Buster Wrath
Trap
Vanish 6 Unique MetaDragons from your Graveyard with [Alchemy Seal] in play. Play 1 [Titanium Dragon] from your Deck or Graveyard as though it was played by its own effect. It gains 1000 STK/GRD, and for this turn it has Immunity to Traps.

(Level One) Dragoon the Alchemy Dragon (Colourless)
Category: Dragon
Effect: If this card is Scrapper by a Spell Card, charge it. Only 1 [Dragoon the Alchemy Dragon] per turn can use this effect. During the End Phase, Vanish it.
ATK/ 1000
DEF/ 1000

(Level One) Hellfire Dragon (Fire)
Category: Dragon
Effect: This card cannot attack unless you control another dragon.
ATK/ 2100
DEF/ 1000

(Level Two) Vanguard Dragon (Dark)
Category: Dragon
Effect: During your End Phase, if this card destroyed a monster by Battle, tribute this card and play 1 [Brigadier Wyvern] from your Hand or Deck.
ATK/ 2300
DEF/ 1400

(Level Three) Brigadier Wyvern (Dark)
Category: Dragon
Effect: If this card was played with [Vanguard Dragon], during your End Phase, if this card destroyed a monster by Battle, tribute this card and play 1 [Warlord Dragon] from your Hand or Deck.
ATK/ 3400
DEF/ 2100

Tokens

Aarikku

Neat. You really gonna be doing the art for 30 cards? I've got like... 5 or so. Another thing I find kinda funny is how you plan on only having 3 Rares, when nearly every decktype in Apocalypse has at least one Level 4+ monster.

I'd guess Warlord Dragon, Chaos Manticore and Rootwater Leviathan.

Naardaas

You got it Aarikku. Chaos Manticore, Warlord and Leviathan are the rares.

Oh, and until I have the art, I'll do a manjyomethunder.twoday.net style spoiler. I'll start that as soon as I straighten out a few things. One thing I can tell you is Deadsctythe has changed since it appeared in Chapter 2.

On another note, I have a large-scale sketch of Aarmahs, the third Post-Apocalyptic Dragon, but I'm having trouble scaling it down. I'll let you know when I finally get it right.

Aarikku

Wait, you mean like revealing names and hiding the effects? But we - meaning me, since I dunno how often Pyrah's in the Spoiler list forum - already know the effects. Except Dreadscythe, since you changed it. And I already know, for the most part, what cards are in it, since you've been emailing me the pictures.

Naardaas

Who says I haven't changed several other cards' effects? This is the kind of thing I mean. Since I wrote the cards into existence, I can change any of their effects to anything I want. I run it by you of course, but that's basically beside the point.

Besides, several of Marcel's cards don't have their effects listed, such as Chaos Raven and Chaos Scorpio (not a scorpion).

Aarikku

Fair enough.

But Scorpio should be a Scorpion, if it looks like one.

Naardaas

That's not what I meant. It's not part of the Scorpion archetype, and it's part Demon instead of part Desert.

Care to guess which cards make the cut and which don't?

Aarikku

Meh. Not really.

Naardaas

I didn't think you did.

Oh, and your comment from Chapter 2, where you said Immortal and Exploder Reaper had cheap effects... well they're in here with more balanced effects.

Aarikku

Good.

Naardaas

Yes, I'm glad you think so.

To review the scorpions, check their spot in CaC, the pormanteau'd "Scorpion Arachetype".

Aarikku

Didn't notice you put stuff here. Lessee... my main concerns are with the new Skeletons. Perhaps Shadow Necromancy is more of the problem, but just make sure you keep an eye on how powerful your Level One Skeletons are.

I was concerned about Buster Alloy, but... nah. It's 3 cards from the hand - two of which have to be specific - for an extra Mana. But I do worry that your MetaDragons are becoming more based around discarding them than actually playing them.

Aarikku

Hey, on a completely random note, if the 3 Rares are Warlord Dragon, Leviathan and Manticore, where does Imperial Dragon go?

Naardaas

In set 002, along with its Evolved form, provided I can decide what I want that to be. No, it won't be an O.N.D.ish creature.

Aarikku

Splitting up the Fusion from its components? That's just bizarre.

Naardaas

Well, I'm planning on giving Imperial Dragon a [play only by Combination Summon] drawback and an effect to go with its status, but again I have a dilema on deciding what that is.

On another note, would it be bad to make Imperial Dragon an Emperor as well as Dragon?

Aarikku

I'd rather not. I wanted to keep them non-Combination monsters so I could make deck searchers and whatnot.

Why the drawback? Are you adding more effects?

Naardaas

Yes I am. An effect befitting royalty. And besides, If it's not as such, then Full Moon Howl can play it with easy, less ease than Phoenix Rebirth.

And the Emperor thing, you'd rather not... is that a flat-out no? Or are you just reluctant? And if it's a (C), it doesn't need searching.

Aarikku

Let's just say a flat-out 'no'. 6500 ATK or whatever it is might be a bit too high for use with [Strike of the Emperor].

Naardaas

That is a bit high isn't it... I just thought that a name like [Imperial Dragon] would be better as an Emperor - Dragon than a Dragon. After all, you made O.N.D a Deity; while that's not the same, it does make a point.

Aarikku

Buster Alloy suffers from the same problem as all your MetaDragon support cards: Scrapping them is NOT a Cost anymore.

Naardaas

It's basically there to drain the hand of the user. And besides, with how slow they are, they need some way to speed themselves up.

Aarikku

I agree with that. However, considering you start with 8 cards in your hand (7 initial draw, 1 draw phase), draining your hand would actually be difficult. And if you keep making [Scrap a Metadragon] cards, all of the MetaDragons besides Titanium Dragon will just be useless blobs to throw in the Graveyard. This is not what a theme should do.

Naardaas

After those two cards are made, they cease to use that cost. The only two remaining supports right now, [Buster Wrath] and [Orichalcum Wing], don't use this cost.

And you only have 8 cards if you go second. According to the rules, the first player skips their Draw Phase.

Aarikku

That's really not the point. Let's see...

4 Buster Alchemy
4 Buster Alloy
4 Steel Lung
4 Buster Mining
4 Shrodinger's Blood
4 Hell Mulligan

24 cards. I know you're not always going to max out on all of them, but that's TWENTY-FOUR cards that can bypass the whole 'playing a monster' mechanic. Most players would just rather scrap six MetaDragons than bother playing them.

Naardaas

Alright, then let's change up the Buster cards.

(Cost Two) Buster Alchemy
Spell
Mana tapped for this card must be METAL. Play 1 [Alchemy Seal] from your Deck.

(Cost One) Buster Alloy
Spell
Charge 1 MetaDragon from your hand. It comes into play tapped and cannot be tapped, except for a MetaDragon.

Aarikku

I'd recommend changing "Scrap 1 MetaDragon" to "Activate only if you control a Level (blah) or higher MetaDragon". Kills two birds with one proverbial stone.

Naardaas

Did you even read what I posted?

Anyway, let's see how this works out...

(Cost One) Buster Alchemy
Spell
Activate only if you control a Level 3 or higher MateDragon. Play 1 [Alchemy Seal] from your deck.

(Cost One) Buster Alloy
Spell
Activate only while you control a Level 3 or higher MateDragon. Charge 1 Level 3 MetaDragon, or one with a lower Level than the one you control, from your hand.

Actually, I like these.

Aarikku

'Course I did. My plan just solves the problem better. I dunno if you'd want to limit it to Level Four or higher - that only leaves five MetaDragons that it can work with, including Titanium. I'd make it Three or higher, even if that only adds one monster.

Naardaas

I'm fine with that.

Aarikku

Ta-da.

Naardaas

Nice.

Anyway, I'll try to see if I can get an art for Buster Wrath today, and possibly Orichalcum Wing.

Aarikku

'Kay. Orichalcum Wing sounds cool.

Naardaas

You might wanna see the effect before saying that.

Aarikku

...Why? Does the effect suck?

Naardaas

No, but you might not like it.

Aarikku

Uh oh.

"Scrap 3 MetaDragons from your hand, destroy all cards your opponent controls."

Or.

"Activate only if you control a [Titanium Dragon]. Vanish all Virtual, Knight, Tadpole and Frogs your opponent controls or in their deck."

Naardaas

No. It's a Item Spell.

(Cost Two) Orichalcum Wing
Item Spell
Effect: Equip only to a MetaDragon. The equipped monster gains 800 STK. By sending this card to the Graveyard, prevent the equipped creature being destroyed during one battle.

Aarikku

The last effect is dumb. If a monster has negative effects (like a few of your MetaDragons), it's for a reason.

Naardaas

Y'know what, I've decided I don't even like that effect. I'll swap it around a bit.

Aarikku

'Kay.

Naardaas

Is that all? Are you gonna express an opinion on it? 'Cause if you look closely, I've put the new effect where the old one was.

Aarikku

Uh... it seems all you did was delete the bad effect, give it 200 more ATK (1000 might actually be a bit much. I was contemplating making [Jade Fist] a Level 2) and restrict it to MetaDragons only.

Naardaas

Okay then. You shout out an idea for Orichalcum Wing, and I'll contemplate it.

Aarikku

I'm saying it's fine. Just lower the ATK boost.

Naardaas

I don't want a card that's fine, I want one that's good. In every other game, he GOOD cards get use and the FINE ones get thrown in shoe boxes. Only difference here is that these cards are immaterial.

Aarikku

-_-; *Sigh*

Naardaas

Fine then.

Naardaas

Okay, before I post Nightmare Harvester's effect, I wanted to get your feedback. This is what I was thinking.

(Level Four) Nightmare Harvester (Dark)
Category: Skeleton - Undead - Demon
Effect: You can tribute unique Skeletons you control to lower this card's cost by the same amount. When you play this card, you can destroy all other cards on the field. This card gains 200 STK for each card destroyed. This card cannot attack that turn if you use this effect.
STK/ 3000
GRD/ 3000

Aarikku

No dice - it's too easy to play, has a ridiculously powerful effect and supports the theme with the best support card in the game.

Naardaas

Well... what of the effect (if anything) would you be willing to leave if I changed the rest of it and/or the Categories?

Aarikku

Probably almost zilch. Destroying all cards on the field is something that shouldn't be used so often.

Naardaas

Well, I can't use the original effect (which, FYI, I thought of before I saw Gaap of Wrath) because that's not really better. I'm just not sure what other effect you give a giant draconian reaper. WWED?

Aarikku

You mean demonic? 'Cuz combining skeletons, dragons and reapers sounds like an overcomplication waiting to happen.

It should definitely involve the Graveyard, that's for sure.

Naardaas

Draconian doesn't prefer to Dragons per se. It's dragon-like demons. Think Yubel, but not a hermaphrodite.

And a Graveyard effect doesn't help me. Too inspecific.

Aarikku

You might want to make this set a bit bigger. Or include less in this one and start planning the second Apocalypse set. 'Cuz you seemed to want to make three Post-Apocalyptic Dragons (two Rares, one Secret?), the Warlord Dragon theme, Foxes, Rootwaters, extra MetaDragon support and more dragons.

Naardaas

Actually, I'm making this set, cards in the Apocalypse Structure Deck, and Possibly some Duelist Pack-ish stuff for a few characters. And probably at some point there will be another set.

Aarikku

That's a whole lot of stuff. Can't you just focus on the sets?

Naardaas

I'll find a way, don't worry.

Aarikku

I'm not worried about you being able to do all that, I'm worried about flooding the Spoiler List forum with reprint sets.

Naardaas

For repeated cards, I'd just type the names, not post the card images. Unless they've been redone. But for now I'll avoid the Player Packs.

Aarikku

That's for the best.

Naardaas

Alright.

Oh, one thing. Think you can post the two scorpion cards you've held onto? 'Cause I'll have a few cards for the set to you soon. Plus the Hallowe'en card I said I was making.

Poltergeist Possession.

Aarikku

Ta-da:

Naardaas

An effect that's good, but not broken. And my own art for it. Everyone's happy.

Aarikku

Well, it is harder to tell what's going on in it when it's shrunk into card format. Little too much green.

Naardaas

Dude, please don't start this. Even you think it looks good, and it's not overly difficult to distinguish. Besides, snakes are green.

Aarikku

Start what? Criticism used to help the artist improve?

Naardaas

I get it. You're not overly ecstatic with my art style. Either it's too complex, or it's a mess of colours. And I appreciate the criticism. I just don't want it right now.

Aarikku

Whatever.

Aarikku

Here's those foxes:

Could you stop arcing their tails? I keep telling you foxes don't do that.

Naardaas

Yeah, I'm done arcing the tails. Besides, there's only 1 or 2 actual Foxes left.

EDIT: Oh, BTW, thanks for the Avatar!

Naardaas

News: A few additions to the set to be made in terms of archetypes. I've decided not to make the scorpions for awhile; instead, I'm focussing on supporting existing archetypes.

Also, I'm trying this for Nightmare Harvester:

(Level Four) Nightmare Harvester (Dark)
Category: Undead - Demon
Effect: You can tribute monsters to decrease this card's Mana Cost by 1 for each monster. This card gains 200 ATK for each Dark monster in your Graveyard. When this card destroys a monster by Battle, discard the top 3 cards of the opponent's deck.
ATK/ 3000
DEF/ 3000

Aarikku

'Kay. I'm not a huge fan of the ATK boost. Dark's a very varied type in Shmod. Nightmare Harvester (did I ever mention how cool of a name that was?) combos scarily well with Shadow Necromancy - which is already ridiculously good.

Buuut... Shadow Necromancy does cost half your hand, and Harvester has to be good to be a 3000/3000 Level 4. So sure, that'll do.

Naardaas

No, you never mentioned liking the name. Now that I know that, I can create a cool picture.

Aarikku

The word 'Harvester' just sounds evil. 'Specially when it's combined with something like "Nightmare" or "Soul", for Jack.

Naardaas

Yeah. It implies a scythe is involved. What better for a Reaper?

jadecavy

Hey Greg F-... I mean, Genma, I swear that I've seen this circle used over and over multiple times:

Where could it be from? Perhaps you've just been hearing about too much Fullmetal Alchemist? Anyways, great drawings, you guys really have the skill that I lack in visual art, at least free hand.

Aarikku

Holy snap! A new person!

Welcome aboard, Jade. That circle you're asking Genma about is [Alchemy Seal] from Force of Dragon.

jadecavy

Ok, thanks! The fact that that is a really common symbol is all I really was getting at, however. Nice site, by the way!

Aarikku

Thanks. Welcome aboard.

Naardaas

You know my name. That means you must know me.

And actually, I've not yet Fullmetal. A friend of mine is a fan, but I designed this before meeting him.

jadecavy

Really? That's pretty intense. That must have been a while ago. And yes, I know you. That "friend" informed me of the site.

Naardaas

Have you explained who you are to Aarikku? He likes to know who's getting involved in his work.

jadecavy

Alright, I am a friend of Greg's, I know him from school. My real name is Scott, however I go by Jade online. Jade is the name of my guinea pig.

I design games with RMXP, GM7 and Flash, and use Gimp. I also use HTML, mostly with notepad but sometimes with Dreamweaver. I can script RGSS, C++, XHTML, HTML, GM7 and Actionscript 3.0. There is not much more to say.

Aarikku

'Kay.

Naardaas

Scott! Alright, glad to see Nick convinced someone to join, unlike someone else I tried to persuade. *coughDominickcough*

What made you decide to join Shmod?

jadecavy

Well, I liked the look of it as well as the art. I also have never been on a forum where I have physically known someone, so, here I am! And why won't Dominick join? Too busy with AMV?

Naardaas

'Cause he's too lazy to do anything that involves this level of thought and decication (that isn't anime).

Well, like I said, I hope you enjoy our forum.

Naardaas

Well Jade, now there's another card with that symbol.

It's one of my favourite symbols.

jadecavy

I've noticed.

Naardaas

Yeah, I guess it's not that hard to.

Naardaas

A few Trap Cards for Dragons to be added. The first was used in Chapter 5 of Apocalypse.

(Level One) Dragon Pride
Trap
Activate only During the End Phase if all monsters you controlled this turn (at least 2) were destroyed this turn. Play 1 Dragon from your Graveyard with a Level equal to, or lower than, the combined levels of the destroyed monsters.

These 2 were to be used in a later Chapter, before I definitively ruled it was pointless to write if the only person commenting didn't like it.

(Level Two) Dragonic Wrath
Equip Trap
Equip only to a Level 3 or higher Dragon. Once per turn, if it battles a monster with a higher Level and a higher ATK, you can make its ATK equal to the opposing monster's ATK +500. When the equipped mobster is destroyed, take damage equal to its Level. When just this card is destroyed, take 2 damage.

(Level Two) Prideful Gust
Trap
Activate only during the Battle Phase. Up to twice this turn, if a Dragon you control battles, destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card.

As usual, open to negotiation.

Aarikku

I like Prideful Gust, but the other two don't seem particularly useful. Note that Traps in general in Shmod aren't very useful, since they're slow. Dragonic Wrath suffers from tricky limitations, and most Level 3 or higher Dragons won't encounter a stronger foe. It's an odd card, though, because the payoff is really good. It can't die by battle. So it's perfectly balanced, but I don't think it'd get played anyway. Dragon Pride's very conditional, which hurts it, and far less reliable than, say, any of the Level 2 revival spells.

So, about Apocalypse... should I remove its section from the boards?

Naardaas

Well that depends. Is it worth it for me to continue to post on it?

For Wrath, you said it's perfectly balanced. So I've done with it what I'm supposed to do. Whether it gets played or not is a matter of personal taste for future players, and out of our hands.

Gust I can make a bit easier to play.

(Level Two) Dragon Pride
Trap
Activate only when you control no monsters. Play 1 Level 3 or Lower Dragon from your Graveyard.

We can tweak it a bit more, but that's playable.

Aarikku

With that, it'd need a Level cap.

First turn, charge a card, play Hell Mulligan, scrap 2 big dragons. Second turn, charge a card, set it. Opponent tries attacking, you pull out something that could be as high as 4500, turn two.

You could also make the Level higher... three should do it.

EDIT: Oh, and for Apocalypse, if you're not gonna post any more chapters, it's just wasted bandwidth. Personally, I don't think I'd read any more of it.

Naardaas

I'll fix the card a bit.

And I think I have an idea for Apocalypse. Give me a couple more days and I'll make a Chapter I think you might like. I'd planned on making this longer, but now I'll compress it. Don't worry; no mysticism from here on out.

Aarikku

...You've already had possession and cards coming to life. I don't think there's a way to say "Oh, none of that was mystical." Look, if you're not happy with how things turned out, changing the rest of your story to one person's liking is not the answer.

My suggestion is to scrap it, start writing something else, and if you want to try writing another Shmod story, feel free. Writing takes a lot of practice, young padawaan.

Naardaas

First of all, please stop calling me that. I like Star Wars, but I'm not that big of a fan.

Second, I WAS happy with how it turned out. YOU weren't. And being your subordinate, I have to please you. And I already have an explanation for how things have unfolded. Or should I say, two.

Aarikku

You asked my opinion. Don't bite my head off if it's not the same as yours.