From CCG to RPG: Brainstorming... Part 1!

Note: This is a random and convoluted article that requires both an understanding of collectible card games, specifically Magic: The Gathering and conventional online RPG's.

One of my most major desires is to experienced a skill system in an RPG that is complex and customizable to me. I am a Johnny/Spike, which means I like to win (Spike) and I like to find interactions and explore dynamics so that I can express my creativity through the system (Johny.)

One thing I've noticed is that Collectible Card Games speak to the imagination of us all. If only there was a way to take gaming card concepts and have a RPG skill system that would capture it...
...so you know what, I'm going to try. I'll take each mechanic I can think of and turn it into a skill that you might find in an online massive multiplayer RPG.

1. CCG - Kindle: "Deal 2 + X damage to target creature or player, where X is the amount of cards named Kindle in the graveyard."

What is a graveyard in an MMORPG? A Graveyard in the CCG represents a list of spells cast and a list of spells that have no effect anymore. Therefore, the easiest way to think about it is that the graveyard is a way of keeping track of spell history. Therefore...

RPG - Kindle: Deals 2 flame damage to a target. You gain 1 bonus damage to every Kindle spell cast until you exit combat. This bonus stacks up to X times.

Fairly straightfoward, I think. Each time you cast Kindle, your Kindle spells are more awesome until you finally kill the thing you were trying to kill. It doesn't capture the interaction of when other players cast Kindle, thus boosting your own Kindle. We could do this by changing the spell slightly.

RPG - Kindle 2: Deals 2 damage to a target. Then, each creature or player within 30 meters is afflicted with 'Scorched' status which increases damage they receive from Kindle by 1. This effect lasts until end of combat.

This isn't quite as elegant as the previous incarnation, but it does capture more of the original interaction.

2. CCG Discard Spell - Target Opponent discards two cards (at random)

What is a card in the MMORPG sense? It is something like a skill or ability. Therefore, the most elegant way I can turn this is...

RPG Discard Spell - The next two skills that the target attempts to start using become disabled for 30 seconds. (Or, two random skills from the target become disabled for 30 seconds.)

While at first glance, this seems a little weird, I think it captures the feeling of discard pretty well. There's some timing interactions to this that could be bad, but on the whole, it captures the feeling of discard in a way that I need for the next interaction..

3. CCG Madness - When this card is discarded, you may play it for madness cost instead.

See where I was going?

RPG Madness - If this skill is disabled, you may still use this skill except that its cost is now its Madness cost instead. You may only use this ability once for each the time the skill is disabled.

Given better templating, I'm sure it would sound nice and even.

4. Flashback - You may play this card from your graveyard for its Flashback cost. If you do, remove it from the game.

Nice. What's worse than having a spell in the graveyard? It not being in the game at all. What's a game in RPG terms? One combat. What does it mean for something to not be in the game? Not being relevant to combat ever, any longer.

RPG Flashback - You may play this skill while it is temporarily disabled or cooling down for its Flashback cost. If you do so, the skill becomes permanently disabled until end of combat.