Augments are probably the single most important addition to TFT that weren’t in the original game. They provide the game to game variance that TFT needs to be replayable for hundreds of games each set, and create narratives around each experience for the player.

As a designer, the most interesting thing about the augment space is that it’s essentially a blank canvas for design space. Literally anything you can think of could be an augment. Pretty much every other set mechanic, if it hasn’t already, can fit into the augment space. There’s just no limit! An augment that says “Now dragons show up in your shop”? Sure why not! That elegance of the “Pick one of 3” space combined with any modification to the existing core TFT game really is something we can build on forever.

However with infinite possibilities comes the need for rules, limitations, and restrictions. TFT is a game that continually needs to innovate and push the limits of its own rules, but in the augment space that hasn’t always been crystal clear where the line is, and to keep innovating we need to keep pushing that line.

Sometimes when a design is presented to me, it’s obvious it will be a big success. Augments like Golden Egg and Built Different promote unique play patterns and provide new high moments, that as long if balanced properly, are shining examples of what can be done in the augment space.

On the other hand, sometimes I have to shoot down designs that are just clearly not right for TFT. I’ve talked about the augment “Rushdown” before (Your team gains 80% attack speed for the first 8 seconds of combat) and how it just accelerated combats in unhealthy ways. It was pretty easy to shoot this one down.

But sometimes, it’s not perfectly clear. Augments like Think Fast and Blank Slate are augments that the conservative side of me knows the risks and could easily just block, but the side of me that is searching for that innovation in the space, decides to give it a try to see how players will react. Because they are both clearly FUN…but sometimes the power masks the actual levels of fun. They are risks that I sign off on, and that’s on me when they don’t end up healthy for the game.

Now here’s the moral of the story. It’s VERY easy to see a bunch of new augment pitches, put on my conservative high level player hat and say “Nope, too risky” and shoot down these proposals. Saying something won’t work is easy, costs nothing, and statistically you’re probably right. Most ideas and creations are bound to not work. Shooting down ideas and being right, doesn’t make you smart. The hard part is taking an idea, seeing the potential, and helping it rise to success. You take the risk and put your judgement on the line to prop something up and get it out for people to enjoy. THAT’S the hard part of being a leader.

This lesson can be applied outside of game design as well. It’s easy to claim things are bad and predict they won’t work out, and you’ll probably be right. That’s just how making things works. But it’s also just the easy way out.

TLDR – Making new augments is fun. Can’t wait to show you more! Until then, take it easy 🙂