When i look at my increasing list of phobies i realise there are a bunch i have never used, many I’ve tried once, some I’ve even upgraded but never brought to the fight. For me it makes sense for units that get buffed by others (they’re just weak without their buddy), but for many i just feel they’re not good enough (or i don’t know how to use them).
It would be cool to encourage selection of these neglected phobies with an in game bonus. Maybe a stat bonus (temporary level boost), so they twinkle like shiny cards in real world collector games, or maybe they just get a slowly increasing one off tears/coffee/fears bonus to encourage you to consider them, and remind you that you’ve been ignoring them. Give the border of the phobies in the in game selector an effect, so you know there’s a bonus.
You probably have to play them in your first 3 turns to get the bonus, or you’d just throw them in at the end when you know you’ve already won/lost. Also i think it should be limited to your bottom 10% of phobies.
Then even my red speedola might see the light of day while he waits for blue to turn up.
There’s already rewards for using certain phobies such as attacking with them, freezing enemy phobies, pushing enemy phobies into lava, and poisoning, killing certain types of Phobies with a specific one, and passing disease to enemies as well.
are you talking from the daily exp missions? otherwise i’m highly interested to know more
Look through your list of phobies, and think to yourself "when was the last time i played that? " and for the set that is basically never, ask “In what situation would i use it?”. E.g. for me Jill is never used because i don’t have Ted, similar to red speedola, because i don’t have blue. But there are others, i never use oopsie baby. It’s just too slow for me, similar issue with snappy and badside manners. Moley Bully seems okay, but in game i always want something else (even if that is just to save some credits).
I think it is summed up for me by the tier lists of phobies some people have done. Different people and play styles have different lists but there’s always a list, and there’s always plenty in the bottom half.
My idea is there is some kind of temporary bonus that gives these low tier units a boost, until you think “actuality that’s a pretty good unit now” and put it in a fight.
I have a ton of phobies that I never use, like Jill, Ted, and Red Speedola, but it’s not that they’re bad, it’s just that they don’t get along with my attacks and a defenses. Rockus, is good, but I’m only going to use them on maps with a bunch of pits or escalators because their ability takes numbers away from their stats. Also, you can re-roll the quests.
I see what you mean about the quests, they do serve to encourage certain types of phobies into play, and i agree that certain phobies are quite situational. However there are many that remain unloved, collecting dust.
I still think some kind of in game bonus on specific cards to encourage their use would add something interesting to the game without affecting balance. Like a little devil on your shoulder
- “bonus 5 coffee if I play Honey Bear in the next 3 turns, I can make that work”
- “Jill with an extra 100 attack, nearly as good as having Ted, maybe she likes being single”
- “Psyclops, and I’m gong to get an extra 1000 fears. Why don’t I play this more often?”