Duration and Timing of Effects

[Typherion]

I've been trying to think about durations of effects recently and I just wondered if others were thinking about it, too.

What is the best way to organise triggers and durations of effects?

For example, in many games effects often trigger or expire at the start of the turn or at the end of the turn. Is this neccessary or is it possible to unify the mechanics under either one?

In Magic, many effects such as pump spells last until the end of the turn because otherwise they wouldn't be able to save creatures from damage. However, there are (almost?) no effects in Magic that last for a fixed number of multiple turns...Why is this?

By contrast, Shadow Era has almost every pump spell last more than one turn because that game has no instants, so longer duration pumps work to not only boost a creature's attack, but also help it to survive the opponent's next turn.

I believe the WoW TCG has tried to unify effects to mostly use one method, but I'd have to research it more before I could say for sure.

Also, what is the best way for wording an effect that lasts for multiple turns? If you just say it lasts for 3 turns, then there can be confusion as to whether it means 3 of your turns only, or 3 turns counting each player...

Would it help to adopt the term "round" in addition to "turns" ? Am I the only one thinking about this stuff?

[yudencow]

You can have a token step were people activate effects and remove tokens. If the effects is for 3 turns, plae 3 tokens or place a die on a token signifying how much left.

[Dragoon]

You can have a token step were people activate effects and remove tokens. If the effects is for 3 turns, plae 3 tokens or place a die on a token signifying how much left.

This.

The reason why magic has no multiple turn effects is because they make it hard to remember what is in effect or easier to abuse.

[Typherion]

I was just checking over some WoW cards and it seems like they have designed the game so that almost all effects trigger at the start of the player's turn, with exceptions where the effect makes more sense to have an end of turn trigger.

For example, there are many ongoing damaging abilities, but they all trigger at the start of their controller's turn.

I believe this is a really good system, because having a player's effects trigger at the start of that player's turn makes it easy to remember because you only have to keep track of stuff during your own turn and it all triggers at the same time.

Also, I just recalled that Magic does have some effects that last a fixed number of turns. There are several effects that tap an opponent's creatures, and then cause them to stay tapped during the opponent's next turn.

This effect is simple enough, but what if they made cards stay tapped for 3 turns? It might get messy. I suppose you could say "those permanents do not untap during their controller's next 3 turns".

I also recall the vanishing mechanic that Magic had which kind of makes effects last for fixed durations. However, it was only used on one card that wasn't a creature - Reality Acid - an enchantment used as removal.

You can have a token step were people activate effects and remove tokens. If the effects is for 3 turns, plae 3 tokens or place a die on a token signifying how much left.

I guess you mean counters? Yes, but the question is when is the best time to do this - at the start of the turn, or the end of the turn?

[yudencow]

Doesn't matter.

I prefer in the beginnig of the attacked turn to give a last chance of survival, but it is a question of taste.