Ok, I hope all is well. I’ll stop derailing the thread now. 
This endeavor took a lot of effort and deserves to be discussed.
Faction Concept: The U'ami Coven (Full Set Project)
2 Likes
It’s been 2 days now, so I thought I’d address the poll results thus far. So far it seems that, surprisingly, the Basic Artifact “Blue Eyes Trident” is an objectionable design, so I’ve been thinking of potential replacements. Keeping in mind Basic Artifacts are supposed to be simple supplements to a faction’s most basic playstyle, being mostly stat sticks with the exceptions of Bloodrage Mask and Horn of the Forsaken, I’ve compiled a poll of possible substitutes. Have a look:
- 0 Mana When this Artifact is destroyed, draw 1 card.
- 1 Mana Your General and nearby friendly minions may move 1 additional space.
- 1 Mana Friendly joined minions have +1/+1.
- 5 Mana Your General has +5 Attack.
- 6 Mana Your General has +6 Attack.
0 voters
This is the best I could come up with on my own, but I’m sure you guys have some better ideas. If you do, please tell me below!
BTW, I’m feeling a few changes. How does everyone feel about the following?
Tritonite Racer: 5/3 -> 4/3
- Good Change: The statline was too much with that effect, even for a faction minion.
- Bad Change: The statline was appropriate for a faction minion, even with that effect.
0 voters
Bouncing Beam: Deal 3 damage to all joined enemies. -> Deal 3 damage to all joined enemy minions.
- Good Change: The ability to hit face and deal huge aoe damage was too much for the cost.
- Bad Change: The ability to hit face made the spell worth using, now its too hard to hit more than one minion.
0 voters
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you guys later 
1 Like
Why didn’t I see this sooner. I haven’t even gotten to the core cards and I’m already in love with your faction design. Your attention to detail really brings your faction to life, especially with the added lore! One question though: how does Yoanna’s BBS work/function?
I will probably add a second comment later about the core set, but I’m really looking forward to how you design future sets for the faction!
2 Likes
Thanks for joining us, great to have so many Design Gods in the thread 
Yoana’s current BBS deals 2 damage to any enemy that is joined to your General by a chain of units. It’s basically a True Strike that can go face but has positioning restrictions. Right now I’m considering a buff, since it seems a bit below average compared to other BBSs.
I’m looking into some alternative BBSs for both Generals right now, so look forward to some theorycrafting on those.
edit: spontaneously decided to make it work on any unit, not just enemies. will make it feel less clunky and allow more flexibility
2 Likes
Is warbird below average tho!
1 Like
That’s exactly what I compared it to: Warbird goes face AND might hit enemy minions AND does not require joined units.
2 Likes
TODAY’S UPDATE: Some reworks have occurred, so check them out in the Changelog.
I’ve been considering the Bloodbound Spells of the Generals, and I think there’s definitely room for improvement. Choose your favorites!
- Give a friendly unit Flow. If it has Flow, give it +2 Attack.
- Reduce the cost of the highest cost minion in your Action Bar by 1.
- Give all minions in your Action Bar +0/+2.
- Give all joined friendly minions +1/+1.
- Conceal a friendly minion.
- Return a friendly minion to your Action Bar and give it Conceal.
- Deal 2 damage to ANY joined unit.
- Move an enemy unit by 1 space.
0 voters
That’s all I’ve got so far. Thoughts?
1 Like
Since the Lore section was more of a summary of the faction’s history and Art Direction was a combined lore and art department, I decided to rename the two to more accurately reflect their purpose. Lore and Art are always updating, so check 'em out if you like that stuff 
1 Like
Great work on the art direction! I’m starting to really see how The U’ami would be played and look like on the board! CPG better take notes!
1 Like
Conceal a minion sounds more like a spell then a bbs
1 Like
True, it is already in the faction’s core set as Waterweave, a spell that I am reconsidering as a cantrip. I was just wondering if a Concealing General could work.
1 Like
If it cantripped it would be a better aegis barrier. And if it was a BBS it would bassically be a cantripped as it doesn’t use a card in hand.
Unless waterweave is 2 mana
1 Like
Another really interesting mechanic you could try, would a mechazor/doom style win condition. something that caps off at maybe 5-6 mana, has like maybe three cards, which gives you either a spell or some sort of conceal+flow minion? My idea:
Kua’lu’ki
4 mana basic minion
Flying
Whenever this minion moves, Move all other minions around it as well.
Stats: 2/9
Craftable spells
- Delirious mists of Kua’lua’ki (legendary)
- Spell- 1 mana - the next minion you summon this turn has ranged till your next turn. Put a Kua’lu’ki’s Delirium in your action bar
- Raging rivers of Kua’lua’ki(epic)
- Spell - 2 mana - move a minions with flow in your action bar rush. Put a Kua’lua’ki’s rage in your action bar.
- Hidden paths of Kua’lua’ki(rare)
- Spell - 5 mana - Reactivate a friendly concealed minion. Put a Kua’lua’ki’s trail in your action bar.
Token spells and Minions
Kua’lua’kis’s Delirium
0 Mana.
Give Kua’lua’ki and all surrounding minion(enemy too) provoke
Kua’lua’ki’s Rage 1 mana
Give Kua’lua’ki +1 attack for each minions around it.
Kua’lua’ki’s Trail 0 mana
Give kua’lua’ki and all surrounding minions(enemy too) flow.
That side, on some more notes, consider weakening Polluted Nymph. It essentially shuts down swarm abyssian. The closest other competitor is spirit harvester, and that’s 5 mana. How bout give all enemy minions -1 attack. A bit more reasonable.
Lastly, a more interesting though it about ancient bonds. I’ve always felt that warmasters have never really been in the spotlight much. How about reducing the arcanyst theme, and try going for a warmage theme, with several warmaster minions. A few interesting bond effects and more could easily make the faction very interesting, and provide tons of ramp possibilities with underused minions such as skywing.
BTW, We need a grandmaster!
How bout grandmaster Arou’gia
give the enemy general’s mana is reduced to 4.
2 Likes
I’m a bit skeptical of your designs, not because they’re impossible to implement or uninteresting/not fun but because they go against a lot of important pillars of design.
Kua’lua’ki shouldn’t be a basic minion because of how complex it is and how strong it is against new players. Delirious Mists works only with Rush minions. Raging Rivers is extremely limiting for the design of Flow minions in the future. Delirium, Rage, and Trail ONLY function with Kua’lua’ki on the board, and they aren’t exactly game ending cards like you want them to be. What they DO do is turn all the Kua’lua’ki spells into pseudo-cantrips.
I’m all for alternate win conditions though, so keep the concepts coming!
Imo, the problem with using Warmasters as Bond targets is that each Warmaster represents a very different playstyle. Playing a Warmaster deck means trying to shove Provoke, Flying, Dying Wish and Ranged synergies into one deck, none of which are big keyword themes in the U’ami Coven.
Finally, the Grandmaster. I find this sort of design objectionable because it is incredibly frustrating for the opponent. It is also a card that can flat out end the game against decks that don’t have removal or strong minions below 5 mana, not pushing a board state, but limiting their resources for maximum un-fun-ness.
I’ll still keep your ideas in the back of my mind when designing the next expansion. Keep working on your concepts, you’ve got some great imaginaton! 
3 Likes
It’s been a while. More polls on card changes. What do you think of the following?
Polluted Nymph: Opening Gambit: Give all joined enemy minions -1/-1. -> Opening Gambit: Give all joined enemy minions -1/0.
- Good Change: This card punished swarm playstyes too much / was too strong for its cost.
- Bad Change: The U’ami are supposed to be strong against joined swarms.
0 voters
Waterweave: 1 Mana -> 2 Mana
- Good Change: Conceal is too powerful an ability to hand out for 1 mana, especially on a cantrip.
- Bad Change: 2 Mana is too clunky to ever see play and reduces its playability with more expensive minions.
0 voters
Waterweave: Give a friendly minion Conceal. Draw a card. -> Give a friendly minion Conceal.
- Good Change: Conceal is too powerful an ability to cantrip, especially for 1 mana.
- Bad Change: Waterweave is not overpowered. It is a cheap, balanced cantrip.
0 voters
In addition, the Denizens of Shimzar expansion will be arriving in the city of Ala’i soon, bringing with it new Conceal/Flow synergies, plus Battlepets and an 8 Mana spell! All the other cards are more or less prepared right now, but that 8 Mana spell is yet to be decided on. I decided the decision might as well come to the community again, so here’s what I’ve got so far:
- Storm Premonition / 8 Mana / Transform all enemy minions into Rainsprites. Restore 8 Health to your General.
- Hoku’ala’s Archive / 8 Mana / Draw 3 cards. All minions in your Action Bar gain +2/+2. Gain 6 Mana.
- Doppel Experiment / 8 Mana / Summon copies of all friendly minions nearby your General with +2/+2.
0 voters
If you’ve got your own ideas, add them below, and we’ll see what gets the best response
That’s all for now. Until next time!
1 Like
Looking back on the Basic Artifact poll, I realize I might need to add another poll. Which Artifact do you like best?
- Memoriam Locket / 0 Mana / When this Artifact is destroyed, draw a card.
- Breacher’s Trinket / 1 Mana / Your General and nearby friendly minions may move 1 additional space.
0 voters
1 Like
And one more poll for the 8 Mana spell. Our “Patch” is “dropping” tomorrow! 
- Storm Premonition / 8 Mana / Transform all enemy minions into Rainsprites. Restore 8 Health to your General.
- Hoku’ala’s Archive / 8 Mana / Draw 3 cards. All minions in your Action Bar gain +2/+2. Gain 6 Mana.
- Doppel Experiment / 8 Mana / Summon copies of all friendly minions nearby your General with +2/+2.
- Eight Bells Harmony / 8 Mana / Restore 1 Health to your General for each joined unit, then destroy all nearby minions.
- Fathoming Chant / 8 Mana / Summon 2 copies of the highest cost minion from your deck nearby your General.
- Assemble the Coven / 8 Mana / Summon 2 5/5 Witches with Conceal nearby your General. Stun all nearby minions.
- Atmos Breach / 8 Mana / Your General disappears then reappears in a target space at the start of your next turn.
- Illuminate the Depths / 8 Mana / Draw a card. If it is a minion, summon it in a random space and recast this spell.
0 voters
2 Likes
EXPANSION TIME
Denizens of Shim’Zar
Shim’Zar brings a number of new tools to the U’ami, many of which center around supporting control decks and patching up certain weaknesses. As usual, all cards are subject to change.
Monsoonsayer / Common Minion / 2 Mana / 3/2
Has Forcefield on your opponent’s turn.
- Purpose: An early body blocker much like Crystal Arbiter, great for taking early board control and dissuading enemy advances in the later turns.
Drifting Mystic / Rare Minion / 3 Mana / 2/3
Flow, Whenever this minion is moved, restore 1 health to your General.
- Purpose: A healing value minion that has to dance on the frontlines (keep in mind moving on one’s own is mechanically distinct from BEING moved).
Lost Seascroll / Epic Structure / 1 Mana / 0/3
Dying Wish: Draw a card.
- Purpose: Another cantripping body, driving home the theme of controlling and cantripping one’s way to late game bombs.
Prismarine Locksmith / Epic Minion / 4 Mana / 2/7
Enemy minions joined to this minion cannot move.
- Purpose: A powerful body for keeping a large swarm in check. Very strong next to a Structure or Stunned minion. Forces heavy positioning play from both players.
Magaari Runecarver / Legendary Minion / 6 Mana / 8/2
Conceal, Takes no damage when attacking from Conceal.
- Purpose: A concealed assassin, weaker than Kalkadann but better at trading up.
Flo / Common Battlepet / 2 Mana / 3/3
Flow, Opening Gambit: Give a nearby friendly minion Flow.
- Purpose: A great flow enabler and strong early body. Drags all his friends around willy nilly.
Ebb / Rare Battlepet / 1 Mana / 1/1
Forcefield, Dying Wish: Your General has Forcefield until the end of your next turn.
- Purpose: Oni is a great Battlepet and I like its design a lot. This is Oni plus an extra surprise.
Spiremaster Circlet / Legendary Artifact / 6 Mana
Whenever your General damages the enemy General, your General gains Conceal.
- Purpose: A janky lategame artifact. Difficult to remove and difficult to proc. Functions extremely well with A’u’ala’s Prod.
Reserve Mana / Common Spell / 1 Mana
Summon a Mana Orb on your starting column. Draw a card.
- Purpose: A ramping cantrip.
Baleful Liquefy / Common Spell / 5 Mana
Transform an enemy minion into a 0/2 Rainsprite with “Dying Wish: Your opponent draws a card.”
- Purpose: Another 5 mana removal spell and pseudo-cantrip.
Teleswap / Rare Spell / 1 Mana
Your General swaps spaces with a friendly joined minion.
- Purpose: A General mobility spell that can traverse long distances and evade aggro decks with some clever positioning.
Artificial Evolution/ Epic Spell / 3 Mana
Place a random Battlepet into your Action Bar. Give it +1/+1 for each friendly minion.
- Purpose: A method for making bulky battlepets in pet decks. Great with Oni, Ebb, and Sol.
Hoku'Ala's Archive / Legendary Spell / 8 Mana
Draw 3 Cards. Give all minions in your Action Bar +2/+2. Gain 6 Mana.
- Purpose: A sort of second wind, simple yet threateningly effective end game spell. It refuels your hand and raises the value of all minions you draw, and the 6 Mana return allows you to bounce all that value right back to the board.
that is all
2 Likes
EXPANSION TIME
Rise of the Bloodbound
This expansion gives the U’ami another big minion to ramp out, another small minion to sneak by, and an intelligent newcomer who can make it all happen. More support for all archetypes and some cool new tools to build around.
Managlow Student / Common Minion / 3 Mana / 3/4
Bloodsurge: Reduce the cost of the most expensive card in your action bar by 1.
- Purpose: A steady supply of value and ramp for those really late game decks.
Eureka / Rare Minion / 2 Mana / 1/4
When a friendly unit exits Conceal, give it +1 Attack.
- Purpose: Works on Generals too, so General Conceal can be a source of infinitely stacking value. The buff triggers before the Attack goes through, so this is like giving every friendly Conceal minion +1 Attack.
Grandmaster Mau’ala / Legendary Minion / 9 Mana / 10/10
Conceal, Your General has Conceal and cannot attack.
- Purpose: A heavy late game minion that will save your life from almost any targeted assault.
Current Control / Common Spell / 1 Mana
Move your General 1 space. Give your General +1 Attack this turn.
- Purpose: An early tempo card for maneuvering around and eliminating key targets, as well as gaining board control and positioning advantage. And all for one mana!
Plunge / Rare Spell / 3 Mana
Stun all units. Draw a card.
- Purpose: A crazy board stall that shuts off the game for one turn. Will affect you on your next turn, so get your movements in and plan ahead.
Covet Wonders / Epic Spell / 6 Mana
Return ANY minion to your Action Bar.
- Purpose: Steal your opponent’s minions, especially if they have an Opening Gambit, just to reuse them again! What a steal!
5 Likes
Fathoming chant, as great as it is, really doesn’t do very well, especially if it summons mau’ala, or blood taura. Both of which are annoying. (It’s a cantrip edition of apex…) You only need a single taura/mau’ala in your deck, and unless your opponent has aperion’s claim, they’re in trouble. Baleful Liquify should be 4 mana. THe closest competitor would probably be thumping wave, and since liguify actually benefits the opponent, it probably should be at 3 mana(considering that its about as good as onyx bear seal). pricing it at the same cost as dark transformation is a little overboard… Hoku’ala’s archive is great, but i don’t really get the “Get 6 mana” bit… IT seems rather pointless(or even a bit too overpowered considering it’s essentially a huge 2 mana spell…) Current control should be at about 2 mana(bout the same as vaaths brutality) Seascroll should be a 0/4.(it may be a bit underpowered…)
1 Like