[Design Journal: Mega Man TCG - Classic Set 5] On Your Mark, Get Trapped, Go!

Recently, I had the privilege of taking the lead in designing the newest set of cards for the Mega Man Trading Card Game. The set is called Classic Set 5, and it is based on the fifth game in the classic Mega Man video game series. I’m now posting some Design Journal articles that will discuss some of my process in creating these new cards for the game, and offer previews of some of the new cards. This is the second of those articles. You can read the first article here.

Expanding the Marked and Trapped Mechanics

Classic Set 2 introduced Trap Tokens, and Classic Set 3 introduced Marked Tokens and the Marksman keyword. Trap Tokens are placed on enemy units and are triggered for various effects by your cards. Marked Tokens are placed on enemy units and grant extra Power to an attack made by one of your units with the Marksman keyword against that enemy. Among all of the cards available right now, there are only ten cards that interact in any way with Marked Tokens and Trap Tokens. Classic Set 5 will double that number by adding ten new cards that make use of Marked Tokens or Trap Tokens. You’ve seen one example of these all ready, in Apache Joe (Set Classic 5, #13), previewed last week. I’m going to preview two more examples now.

Bomb Thrower (Set Classic 5, #16) and Rock Thrower (Set Classic 5, #45) are like two halves of a whole. In the classic video game they behave almost exactly alike, so when I was creating their TCG iterations I knew I wanted them to be mechanically similar, but complementary. I was also looking for opportunities to add more uses of Marked Tokens and Trap Tokens.

Both minions have a Cost of 2, 2 Hit Points, a Power of 6, and a Speed of 1. They both put a token on an enemy unit that they attack. Bomb Thrower places Trap Tokens, while Rock Thrower places Marked Tokens. Bomb Thrower has the Marksman keyword, so that he can benefit from the Marked Tokens Rock Thrower is doling out, and Rock Thrower has a special ability that grants him an equivalent bonus from Trap Tokens.

You’ve seen just three examples so far of how the use of Marked Tokens and Trap Tokens are being expanded. There are other new cards in Classic Set 5 that make use of these interesting mechanics. Wave Man (Set Classic 5, #8) can use Trap Tokens to flood an area card. Two minions place Trap Tokens on enemy units to inflict a negative effect on them when these minions are defeated. Another minion allows Trap Tokens to benefit your units with the Marksman keyword. And there are other examples, besides these.

I hope you enjoyed this preview. I’ll be posting a third preview next week. I’d like to make the next preview a reader request. Let me know what specific character, minion, card type, or concept you would like to see previewed.