Phase Shift

[Drac]

Name:  Phase Shift
School:  1 Air/1 Mind
Type:  Enchantment
Mana Cost: 2 Cast/5 Reveal
Range: 0-2
Target:  Non-Mage Corporeal Creature

Text:  Creature gains Incorporeal and loses Resilient.  Creatures do not lose Living due to this effect.  Phase Shift cannot be destroyed due to the target no longer being Corporeal.


I feel that this card opens up interesting tactical lines of play.  It can be used defensively to weaken an incoming blow.  It can be used offensively to soften up heavily armored targets such as Iron Golem and Zombie Brute.  It also invalidates enchantments that target Corporeal Creatures.

Enchantments removed include:
Block,
Circle of Fire,
Circle of Lightning,
Force Orb,
Force Sword,
Maim Wings,
Nullify,
Plagued,
Retaliate,
Reverse Attack,
Reverse Magic, and
Turn to Stone.

Let me know what you think?

[ACG]

I am concerned about the interactions of this spell with creatures that have large amounts of life. Imagine an earth elemental with the incorporeal trait. Of course, killing those is already pointless, but what about something like a hydra or a gorgon archer? Currently, incorporeal creatures are carefully balanced so that their low health offsets their considerable ability to ignore damage. As far as softening up creatures goes, incorporeal is generally far superior to armor.

I would recommend that this be made a 1-use defense. The name "phase shift" brings to mind a creature shifting slightly into another dimension to let an attack pass through, but not staying there. Something a little like block, but that works on unavoidable attacks as well (and does not prevent all damage/effects, since it is only granting temporary incorporeality).

[Drac]

If it is an issue, it can always be dispelled or nullified.  The point is to make an emphasis on ethereal damage in a tactical manner.  As long as there is sufficient ethereal damage, there will not be much use of this defensively.  Also, an upkeep may be just the balancing factor.

[Drac]

Oh... I see where the problem arises.  The problem arises with Togoroh and the interceptors.  If they were to have incorporeal, it could be a bit too easy, especially with the free burnproof.

I do see merit in allowing it to only target enemy corporeal creatures instead though.

The point of this card from a gameplay perspective is to have some way to reliably kill creatures that have too much armor or have resilient.  It also greatly helps mages that are presently underpowered like the priest, priestess, and forcemaster.  It does not help a fire mage at all, nor does it help the necromancer much.  Even the warlord could potentially take advantage of it with divine might.

By the way, I am horrible at naming things.  What I wanted was a persistent effect, but I like your one-shot idea for a defensive version of the card.  Maybe it is best to separate them out after all.