v1.6.2: Indestructible

Indestructible

This patch features the return of the Indestructible keyword. The rules regarding Indestructible:

- Indestructible is the 5th creature keyword (sweep, double combat, lifelink, shrapnellink being the previous ones). As a creature keyword, it can be magnetized and the like.

- An indestructible creature cannot be removed from the board, EVER. Once it's on the board, it's there for the rest of the game.

- If an effect instructs you to destroy an indestructible creature, the destroy part of the text has no effect. All other parts of that card function as usual.

- If an indestructible creature is reduced to 0 or less life, it will remain at 0 or less life and not be destroyed.

- While at 0 or less life, a creature can still take damage, reducing its life further.

- Deterministic bombardment and eclipse effects will not hit creatures with 0 or less life. Darts other than weakening will miss creatures with 0 or less life.

- Shrapnel will stop being unloaded if all enemy creatures are at 0 or less life. Rune of siphoning will not steal life from creatures at 0 or less life. A creature at 0 or less life can be healed as usual.

- If a creature at 0 or less life stops having indestructible, it will immediately die the next time the game is ticked.

- If (A7) Phoenix gets indestructible, no damage is considered lethal, so its ability won't trigger.

- If (A7) Phoenix loses indestructible at 0 or less life, its ability will immediately trigger, if the fire requirement is met.

- As an aside, Phoenix still reborns if its reduced to 0 or less life due to life loss. This is intended, but the wording isn't great at communicating this.

- Ulamog and Saitama (but not Phoenix Hydra) have been updated to say indestructible. Phoenix hydra now starts with 30 lives and the * counts lives short of 30. Reborn Sliver no longer has a cap. Extra lives granted to Indestructible creatures are redundant.

New Cards

Rattlegore, Rank 8 has been removed from the game. Rattlegore, Rank 9 has been renamed Rattlegore.

Old-time players of aethermancer may be familiar with two old cards, being reintroduced to the game this patch.

Darksteel8 (8)

Indestructible.

6/6

Darksteel9 (9)

Indestructible.

9/9

Darksteel8 has been nerfed from 7/7 to 6/6 due to balance reasons, though my bots are admittedly not great at playing with indestructible, so this is subject to change.

Quintessence (6)

Target ally. Modify it with Indestructible.

This card might be cheaper than you expected it! The reasoning is that indestructible usually isn't useful into your opponent's turn, unlike most keywords that are useful right away. In some cases, your creature can be killed before you can quint it. Still, it's very satisfying to quint something like a W11.

Indestructible Magnets

Indestructible magnetic creatures are a design challenge. A magnetic creature needs to be playable on their own, and if it has less than 6 power, it tends to lead to board stalls vs E11 and E2. As such, they have to cost 9 or more.

Darksteel Piston (9)

Magnetic. Double Combat. Indestructible. I have +4 power.

0*/4

Dev Comment: This weird wording is so that the creature only gets +4 power if its not magnetized.

Darksteel Leech (Restorer 10)

Magnetic. Lifelink. Indestructible. I have +6 power.

0*/6

Darksteel Engine (11)

Magnetic. Sweep. Indestructible. I have +4 power.

0*/4

Sliver Hivelord (9)

Aether creatures you control have Indestructible.

8/8

While the hearthstone players are waiting for across the timeways to release, I'm dropping a preview card here, with some balance changes for aethermancer.

Murazond, Unbounded (7)

R: Set my base power to 99.

11/11

7 cost aethers are the most expensive cards that are allowed to die cleanly to Tornado. They have to be very powerful to make up for it, and perhaps this will attract your attention. Of course, the base attack couldn't be 999 because there are cards in this game that grant haste.