Keeper of the Cards

Card Building Examples (13^th Edition)

This page is a supplement to the Card Building Guide. It goes over how to recreate specific examples of cards from the starter decks, starting with the least complex and gradually moving upward in complexity.

Contents

Minion: Velociraptor

This is a simple minion with no abilities. The following steps recreate this minion:

1. Begin with the minion's level set to 0.
2. Choose the minion's SP. You can choose any number. In this case, we choose 2.
3. Add the minion's SP to its level, bringing it to 2.
4. Choose the minion's HP. You can choose any number, but a multiple of 2 is recommended. In this case, we choose 4.
5. Take the minion's HP and divide it by 2. Add the result (2 in this case) to the minion's level, bringing it to 4.
6. The minion's final level in this example is 4.

Spell: Antibiotic

This is an example of the simplest possible spell, composed only of a single effect. The following steps recreate this spell:

1. Begin with the spell's level set to 0.
2. Choose the effect you want from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “x-dice-heal yourself.”
3. Since the effect has a variable x, replace that variable with a number. In this case, we choose the number 2. This gives us: “2-dice-heal yourself.”
4. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $x\text{.}$ Replace the variable x in this formula with the number chosen in the previous step; in this case, 2. Since the formula is only a simple variable, we add the number (2) to the spell's level.
5. Since the spell has no target selection, the sub-ability text is just the effect text. Since the spell has no activation condition and no activation cost, the ability text is just the sub-ability text. This gives us: “2-dice-heal yourself.”
6. The spell's final level in this example is 2.

Spell: Asteroid Impact

This spell is slightly more complex than Antibiotic, but still fairly simple, composed of a single target selection and a single effect. The following steps recreate this spell:

1. Begin with the spell's level set to 0.
2. Choose the effect you want from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “destroy the targets.”
3. Since the chosen effect does something with targets, we must include a target selection for this to do anything. Choose the target selection you want from Card Building Guide: Target Selections. In this case, we choose, “Target up to x in-play cards;”
4. Since the target selection has a variable x, replace that variable with a number. In this case, we choose the number 4. This gives us: “Target up to 4 in-play cards;”
5. Check the target selection's formula for the variable t. In this case, the formula is $t=x\text{.}$ Replace the variable x in this formula with the number chosen in the previous step; in this case, 4. Doing so, we get $t=4\text{.}$ Therefore, the variable t is set to 4.
6. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $2t\text{.}$ Replace the variable t in this formula with the number calculated in the previous step; in this case, 4. Doing so, we get $2\times 4\text{.}$ We can now solve the level increase formula; doing so, we get 8 and therefore add 8 to the spell's level, bringing it to 8.
7. The spell's sub-ability text is the target selection followed by the effect. In this case, we get: “Target up to 4 in-play cards; destroy the targets.”
8. Since the spell has no activation conditions and no activation costs, the ability text is just the sub-ability text. This gives us: “Target up to 4 in-play cards; destroy the targets.”
9. The spell's final level in this example is 8.

Spell: Thunderstrike

This lower-level spell is made in almost exactly the same way as Asteroid Impact. The following steps recreate it:

1. Begin with the spell's level set to 0.
2. Choose the effect you want from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “destroy the targets.”
3. Since the chosen effect does something with targets, we must include a target selection for this to do anything. Choose the target selection you want from Card Building Guide: Target Selections. In this case, we choose, “Target up to x in-play cards;”
4. Since the target selection has a variable x, replace that variable with a number. In this case, we choose the number 1. This gives us: “Target up to 1 in-play cards;”
5. Check the target selection's formula for the variable t. In this case, the formula is $t=x\text{.}$ Replace the variable x in this formula with the number chosen in the previous step; in this case, 1. Doing so, we get $t=1\text{.}$ Therefore, the variable t is set to 1.
6. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $2t\text{.}$ Replace the variable t in this formula with the number calculated in the previous step; in this case, 1. Doing so, we get $2\times 1\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 2 and therefore add 2 to the spell's level, bringing it to 2.
7. The spell's sub-ability text is the target selection followed by the effect. In this case, we get: “Target up to 1 in-play cards; destroy the targets.”
8. Since only 1 card can be targeted by the spell's sub-ability, following the card building guide's recommendations, we remove the words "up to" and change the plural “cards” to the singular “card” in the target selection, and we change the plural “the targets” in the effect to the singular “it”. This gives us: “Target 1 in-play card; destroy it.”
9. Since the spell has no activation conditions and no activation costs, the ability text is just the sub-ability text. This gives us: “Target 1 in-play card; destroy it.”
10. The spell's final level in this example is 2.

Minion: Thor

This minion has an ability which is almost identical to the Thunderstrike spell, but includes an activation condition as well. The following steps recreate this minion:

1. Begin with the minion's level set to 0.
2. Choose the minion's SP. You can choose any number. In this case, we choose 4.
3. Add the minion's SP to its level, bringing it to 4.
4. Choose the minion's HP. You can choose any number, but a multiple of 2 is recommended. In this case, we choose 6.
5. Take the minion's HP and divide it by 2. Add the result (3 in this case) to the minion's level, bringing it to 7.
6. Choose a name for the minion's ability. It can be anything you want, but must be in all capital letters. In this case, we choose “THOR'S HAMMER”. Its level starts at 0.
7. In this case, we want to include an activation condition in THOR'S HAMMER. Select the desired activation condition from Card Building Guide: Activation Conditions. In this case, it's: “When this card attacks, after Attack Formation (ghost-play):”
8. Choose the effect you want for THOR'S HAMMER's sub-ability from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “destroy the targets.”
9. Since the chosen effect does something with targets, we must include a target selection for this to do anything. Choose the target selection you want from Card Building Guide: Target Selections. In this case, we choose, “Target up to x in-play cards;”
10. Since the target selection has a variable x, replace that variable with a number. In this case, we choose the number 1. This gives us: “Target up to 1 in-play cards;”
11. Check the target selection's formula for the variable t. In this case, the formula is $t=x\text{.}$ Replace the variable x in this formula with the number chosen in the previous step; in this case, 1. Doing so, we get $t=1\text{.}$ Therefore, the variable t is set to 1.
12. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $2t\text{.}$ Replace the variable t in this formula with the number calculated in the previous step; in this case, 1. Doing so, we get $2\times 1\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 2 and therefore add 2 to THOR'S HAMMER's level, bringing it to 2.
13. Add THOR'S HAMMER's level (2) to the minion's level, bringing it to 9.
14. THOR'S HAMMER's sub-ability text is the target selection followed by the effect. In this case, we get: “Target up to 1 in-play cards; destroy the targets.”
15. Since only 1 card can be targeted by THOR'S HAMMER's sub-ability, following the card building guide's recommendations, we remove the words "up to" and change the plural “cards” to the singular “card” in the target selection, and we change the plural “the targets” in the effect to the singular “it”. This gives us: “Target 1 in-play card; destroy it.”
16. THOR'S HAMMER's ability text is its name (“THOR'S HAMMER”), followed by a colon, followed by its activation condition, followed by its sub-ability text. In this case, we get: “THOR'S HAMMER: When this card attacks, after Attack Formation (ghost-play): Target 1 in-play card; destroy it.”
17. The minion's ability text is the ability text of all abilities (THOR'S HAMMER in this case), each on a separate paragraph.
18. The minion's final level in this example is 9.

Minion: Camelus Bactrianus

This minion has no SP or HP, but has two abilities, one of which has a non-standard activation condition and an activation cost. The following steps recreate this minion:

1. Begin with the minion's level set to 0.
2. Choose the minion's SP. You can choose any number. In this case, we choose 0.
3. Add the minion's SP to its level, bringing it to 0.
4. Choose the minion's HP. You can choose any number, but a multiple of 2 is recommended. In this case, we choose 0.
5. Take the minion's HP and divide it by 2. Add the result (0 in this case) to the minion's level, bringing it to 0.
6. Choose a name for the minion's first ability. It can be anything you want, but must be in all capital letters. In this case, we choose “CARAVAN”. Its level starts at 0
7. Choose the effect you want for CARAVAN's sub-ability from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “bounce the targets.”
8. Since the chosen effect does something with targets, we must include a target selection for this to do anything. Choose the target selection you want from Card Building Guide: Target Selections. In this case, we choose: “Excavate x cards and target up to y excavated cards;”
9. Since the target selection has the variables x and y, replace those variables with numbers. In this case, we choose the number 6 for x and the number 1 for y. This gives us: “Excavate 6 cards and target up to 1 excavated cards;”
10. Check the target selection's formula for the variable t. In this case, the formula is $t=\frac{x+4y}{5}\text{.}$ Replace the variables x and y in this formula with the respective numbers chosen in the previous step; in this case, 6 for x and 1 for y. Doing so, we get $t=\frac{6+4\times 1}{5}\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 2. Therefore, the variable t is set to 2.
11. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $2t\text{.}$ Replace the variable t in this formula with the number calculated in the previous step; in this case, 2. Doing so, we get $2\times 2\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 4 and therefore add 4 to CARAVAN's level, bringing it to 4.
12. Add CARAVAN's level (4) to the minion's level, bringing it to 4.
13. CARAVAN's sub-ability text is the target selection followed by the effect. In this case, we get: “Excavate 6 cards and target up to 1 excavated cards; bounce the targets.”
14. Since only 1 card can be targeted by CARAVAN's sub-ability, following the card building guide's recommendations, we remove the words "up to" and change the plural “cards” to the singular “card” in the target selection, and we change the plural “the targets” in the effect to the singular “it”. This gives us: “Excavate 6 cards and target 1 excavated card; bounce it.”
15. CARAVAN's ability text is its name (“CARAVAN”), followed by a colon, followed by its sub-ability text. This gives us: “CARAVAN: Excavate 6 cards and target 1 excavated card; bounce it.”
16. Choose a name for the minion's second ability. In this case, we choose “LAST STRAW”. Its level starts at 0
17. In this case, we want to include an activation condition in LAST STRAW. Select the desired activation condition from Card Building Guide: Activation Conditions. In this case, it's: “When this in-play card is destroyed (ghost-play):”
18. Choose the effect you want for LAST STRAW's sub-ability from Card Building Guide: Effects. In this case, it's: “sheathe the targets.”
19. Since the chosen effect does something with targets, we must include a target selection for this to do anything. Choose the target selection you want from Card Building Guide: Target Selections. In this case, we choose: “Excavate x cards and target up to y excavated cards;”
20. Since the target selection has the variables x and y, replace those variables with numbers. In this case, we choose the number 11 for x and the number 1 for y. This gives us: “Excavate 11 cards and target up to 1 excavated cards;”
21. Check the target selection's formula for the variable t. In this case, the formula is $t=\frac{x+4y}{5}\text{.}$ Replace the variables x and y in this formula with the respective numbers chosen in the previous step; in this case, 11 for x and 1 for y. Doing so, we get $t=\frac{11+4\times 1}{5}\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 3. Therefore, the variable t is set to 3.
22. Check the effect's level increase formula. In this case, the formula is $t\text{.}$ Replace the variable t in this formula with the number calculated in the previous step; in this case, 3. Doing so, we get 3. Since the formula is only a simple variable, we add the number (3) to LAST STRAW's level, bringing it to 3.
23. LAST STRAW's sub-ability text is the target selection followed by the effect. In this case, we get: “Excavate 11 cards and target up to 1 excavated cards; sheathe the targets.”
24. Since only 1 card can be targeted by LAST STRAW's sub-ability, following the card building guide's recommendations, we remove the words "up to" and change the plural “cards” to the singular “card” in the target selection, and we change the plural “the targets” in the effect to the singular “it”. This gives us: “Excavate 11 cards and target 1 excavated card; sheathe it.”
25. In this case, we want to include an activation cost in LAST STRAW. Select the desired activation cost from Card Building Guide: Activation Costs. In this case, it's: “self-exhaust x resources→”
26. Since the activation cost has a variable x, replace that variable with a number. In this case, we choose the number 4. This gives us: “self-exhaust 4 resources→”
27. Check the activation cost's level decrease formula. In this case, the formula is $\frac{x}{2}\text{.}$ Replace the variable x in this formula with the number chosen in the previous step; in this case, 4. Doing so, we get $\frac{4}{2}\text{.}$ We can now solve the formula; doing so, we get 2 and therefore subtract 2 from LAST STRAW's level, bringing it to 1.
28. Add LAST STRAW's level (1) to the minion's level, bringing it to 5.
29. LAST STRAW's ability text is its name (“LAST STRAW”), followed by a colon, followed by its activation condition, followed by its activation cost, followed by its sub-ability text. In this case, we get: “LAST STRAW: When this in-play card is destroyed (ghost-play): self-exhaust 4 resources→ Excavate 11 cards and target 1 excavated card; sheathe it.”
30. The minion's ability text is the ability text of all abilities (CARAVAN and LAST STRAW in this case), each on a separate paragraph.
31. The minion's final level in this example is 5.