Mixing Decks

Hey guys, long time lurker, first time poster.

While I realize Sentinels presents a ton of possibilities for mixing and matching decks to create unique games (even if some result in oddball matchups like facing the chairman in a ancient tomb or a drug-using serial killer in space), I've been thinking about more ways to create more custom fun without going to the length of creating new cards. 

Has anyone experimented with mixing decks?  The obvious choice here would be mixing various environment decks, but maybe other possibilities exist which I havent thought of.  It's kind of fun to think about the ways certain mechanics would be broken or enhanced with different combinations. A few starters:

Time Cataclysm x Realm of Discord: These just seem well suited thematically to me.

Putting minions from other decks into Final Wasteland for even more target-intensive fun.

Cannibalizing Time Cataclysm to place all the cards which are clearly "from" other environments back into those environments.

Thoughts?

I have made my own environment decks, but the problem with that is if you have a bunch of decks involved it becomes pretty easy to guess what that top card is.

Say for the point of entertaining the idea you have sleeves with black backs. 

I have also played with the idea of mixing hero decks.  For a one player game, you could put three character cards in front of you, then mix those three decks.  Draw whatever number of cards seems fair (and wouldn't be too overwhelming for the player as far as options) to create a hand.  The reason I say this is that having 12 cards in my hand would paralyze me with options…  Villian and environment decks are the same as regular play.  Then play whatever 3 cards you like, use whatever 3 powers you like, draw 3 cards. 

The above setup would favor one-shots, or tend to build one character at the expense of others depending on how you'd like to strategize.  Search cards would become super valuable.  You think that would work or do you think it would be far too easy?

I've had this idea.  The Enviro decks are painfully small, so in some cases it would definitely help, although some of the more thematic ones like The Block and Silver Gulch would only be diluted by adding cards which don't have the proper subtypes.  I also think there could be some potential to create new "heroes" by mixing and matching cards from existing decks (such as combining Argent Adept with Unity to create a Green Lantern-esque multipurpose hero).  Villain remixing would be extremely difficult, and it's not like the number of villains available is small, but there might be some potential there as well.

I do not recommend the three player deck-mixing you suggest.  I play a lot of solitaire, and keeping cards in the proper decks is vital to balancing things out.  Sometimes the result can be frustrating, but the way you suggest would utterly melt my brain.  Very many potential ways that could go pear-shaped; I don't think it'd be worth trying.

you certainly could redo hero decks if you used sleeves, you could create a super power machine of doom by swapping say, Decommissioned Hardware and Auxilary Power Source for Micro-Targetting Computer and Impromptu Invention.  I don't see playing games just by flat out mixing decks together, I don't think that would work.

There was an idea from BGG that I like a lot for two hero games:  take the remaining hero character cards and make a support deck, that support is counted as a third hero, since you need (H)=3 anyways.  Each round you use a different cards incap ability to help the two in the fight.  Kind of like the heroes have Tachyon in a control room directing the fight.  Have each hero select one (use two of them) for a more fair feel, or just use one for a bit more challenge.

It is really fun, and lets you explore some of the great 2 hero teams out there, while also letting you challenge the stronger heroes to a tougher fight.

One thing you could do, if you wanted to do color-coded sleves instead of clear, is take all the cards from the Time Cataclysm and put them in the decks they are associated with.

I've wanted to make a Dinosaur invasion environment deck, some contrived scenario where Ambuscade somehow lets loose tons of Dinosaurs in Megalopolis where you could mix those decks together and play two each environment turn.

That could be really fun.  Too bad the Velociraptors can't eat the Paparazzi, maybe I should house rule them into having 1hp but be immune to hero or villain damage for that scenario.

Obviously you'd need to remove the plants, Volcano, Lava, and obsidian field from Insula.  Two cards a turn would be really tough to deal with, so it would be great for a weak villain.

I do really like that idea! 

Yeah, I guess mashing all the hero decks together does destroy the framework of turns where you'd have to find an arbitrary time for seeing when the "start of turn," "play phase," and "power phase" effects and actions happen to each character card.  Would make things more difficult than mashing them together simplifies.

It makes me think about how The Sentinels team might work, actually.  Like how does that deck deal with the fact that there are four targets upon which equipment need to be placed?  Could you build up one member with equipment to the detriment of others?  Are you ever really hurting to find the one-shot that corresponds to the character card that is built up with said equipment? I know this is no mystery to the playtesters though.  Maybe all the one shots and equipment are placed on the team generally, but i'd consider that a squandered opportunity to add complexity.

Yeah, but there's also the aspect of theme to think about. True, there are 4, but they are very different; they aren't just 4, bland heroes. They each have their own roles, abilities, and disadvantages. If you made them each customizable, it would kind of betray the theme of both this hero group AND the game as a whole; the heroes are not supposed to be customizable. They are pre-made, with their own personalities. As I'm sure people have figured out, Medico is the healer of the group. All cards associated with him heal, and that's about it. If you could give Mainstay all the healing, then make Idealist the tank of the group, and make Medico the striker -- or worse, give one hero ALL of the abilities -- then what's the point of having 4 of them?

Plus, that would kind of go against the mechanics of the entire game. You don't play equipment cards ON heroes; you just play them, and their effect HAPPENS to target that specific hero, because it either mentions them by name (increase damage dealt by Ra by 1) or addresses the player directly (YOU may use an additional power during your power phase.) Cards are played by players, not heroes. Powers are used by players, not heroes. It just doesn't fit the mechanics of the game.

Actually, that may be kind of cool for a later hero. Have certain pieces that can be swapped out that give constant abilites, but you can only have like 3 out at a time, so you can custom-build the hero on the fly. Maybe like a Gundam-themed robot or something, with switchable parts. Then you could give it shields, an auto-repair, and a gun, or maybe scrap the first two and go ALL GUNS.

Actually, now that I think about it, that kind of sounds like the Scholar, but I was thinking have a BUNCH of parts to choose from, with a bunch of weird, varied, but synergistic effects. Maybe they get stronger if you pair certain ones together, a la Citizens Blood, Sweat, and Tears?

I'd argue customization of equipment happens in literally every game… You mentioned the scholar, but bunker (modes), Omnitron X (plating), and others I'm forgetting do the same.  Even if it is over time, say you are only able to get one gun out on Expatriatte and be able to use it effectively in a couple turns, while another sits unused in your hand.  The new shapeshifting character looks to be more "modal" gameplay.

So really what makes this situation unique is that there are four character cards.  They could accomplish forcing choices (with meaningful consequences) by simply having every equipment card in the deck have a different listed effect for whatever hero you equip it on, and it may only apply to that hero.

*edit: looking at the last paragraph, this is vague.  I mean, for example: an equipment card like a generic power ring would have text like this:

"If played on medico, this card grants him the ability to heal another character +2,

If played on Mainstay, this card grants him 2 point damage reduction,

If played on Writhe, this card allows him to redirect one point of damage from any other Sentinels hero to another"

I hesitate to push you further on the topic because I think you are implicitly giving away what is and isn't true in the new decks. Check yoself. lol jk. 

He already ruined my idea of how they worked when he stated that Medico has his own power.

Can't tell if you are being facetious here or not.  I've already picked up that they have separate character cards somewhere else, so I would guess they have their own powers.  Again, assuming, but I would think you must choose one character's power each turn.

So I guess we can eliminate the mechanic I described above from the possible ways to handle equipment cards for the team.  They must either have equipment that applies to everyone (most likely, given the description), or character specific equipment (an entire equipment card devoted to each character.)

One of my custom heroes is like that.

I definitely did not mention that Medico has his own power.