So I've been thinking about how Card Hunter might work at higher levels (after 18). After seeing the chart for power tokens on the wiki, I noticed that the number of tokens a character has increases past the 8 available in mp after level 18. Personally, I don't like the idea of "epic level" characters just using token items for more of their slots, and thus not having as much use for low level items, so I was thinking that at level 19 and at some levels after a character should gain access to some additional item slots to spread the additional tokens a little thinner. So lets say at level 19 or 20 you can pick a specialization. Maybe it can be changed outside of fights, or maybe it's based off an item (maybe there's an "epic skill" item slot, and equipping one gives you some cycling cards to combat the larger deck size, and gives you an extra item slot). So using the "Epic skill" idea, lets say that you gain the Epic skill slot at level 19, when you have 9 tokens. That extra slot would compensate for the extra power token (9 tokens for 13 slots). At level 20, that Epic skill would grant you another slot, and you'd be at 10 tokens (10 tokens for 14 slots). I made sure all of the bonus slots only take one power token, to ensure consistent deck size. Epic Warrior Specializations: Paladin: Divine Item slot (gain a divine weapon slot at level 31 instead of a regular weapon). Bulwark: Armor slot Barbarian: Racial Skill slot Epic Wizard Specializations: Sorcerer: Racial Skill slot Archmage: Helmet slot (Gain a weapon slot at level 31 instead of a staff) Warlock: Arcane Item Slot Epic Priest Specializations: Templar: Arcane Item slot (gain a staff slot at level 31 instead of a divine weapon) Zealot: Racial Skill slot Bishop: Divine Item slot Bonus Racial Specializations (just for fun): (Human) Half-Elf: Elf Skill slot (Dwarf) Mul: Human Skill slot (Elf) Dwelf: Dwarf Skill slot At level 31-32 (when the next batch of tokens is gained, bringing a character to 12 tokens), a character could also gain an additional weapon slot. This would just be the class weapon (weapon, staff, divine weapon). However, some of the specializations could substitute one of the other classes weapons (paladin, archmage, templar), for a kind of multi-classing mechanic. The advantage to something like this would be allowing more item use without having to make up new item slots (except with the "epic skill" idea). And of course, retaining use for low level items. Without something like this, a level 32+ character would have 12 tokens for 12 slots, which means it'd be unlikely for them to use any low level items. And that's not very cool. Thoughts?
You could also introduce new token variety. Move away from having the character "own" X blue and X gold tokens. Instead you just have a Token Quota. Using a Blue Token item consumes 1 Quota, using a Gold Token consumes 2 Quota. Now invent more colors for larger quota consumption. So at level 18 you have 12 Quota you can spend on items. This means equip 12 Blue tokens, or 6 Gold Tokens or 3 Fuschia Tokens (whatever new color is worth 4 per...). So now even at level 50 with 44 Quota, you have some value for no token items, if you happen to be attempting to use some very powerful token items in some slots, consuming your quota quickly. Or more conservative players who want constant output can spread their quota more evenly and have no slots without token, but also no slots with the highest ranking token.
Having more slots for diversity is fine. However, the problem with more slot is that it increase the deck size. As deck get bigger and bigger, the reliability of your deck decrease. Each card feels less impactful. Since you only draw 2 card per turn, the chance of screwing up your hand is very high. So does the chance of wiping your opponent during the first turn. Deck size should always be around 30-40 for this kind of draw. For your suggestion, these slots must be exchanged for a normal slot, thus increase the character building potential. Then again it makes the system overly complicated rather than simply adding a new class to the game.
The main reason I was toying around with the idea was to find some way to avoid non-token items becoming useless at higher levels (assuming that wiki chart is accurate); the multiclass/specialization was just an idea for adding more item slots, and thus countering the additional tokens gained. Increasing deck size does have it's problems though. Now that I think about it, why not just have higher level items use more tokens than the 1 or 2 token items we have at this point? Along the lines of what Xienwolf said (although changing the system probably isn't necessary), we could just have 2 token regular items and 3 token weapons. For example: Adamantine Staff Sun-Tipped Flail Dragonsfoot Boots Demilich Skull And of course maybe swap some of those tokens for higher level ones seen on the wiki. This is a much less convoluted system than the one I proposed in my first post, not sure why it didn't occur to me in the first place. This pretty neatly solves the no token items at epic level problem, I think.
Yes, the only difference in what I said and what you say is display really. Well, and refunds. My move to Quota instead of raw tokens was a way to get back that one blue you are "owed" when you use a gold token to equip a blue item. But there is some design intent behind making it only possible to equip 8 total tokens, regardless of specific token value on each, so I understand the current model.
