Foltest vs Dennis Cranmer

[sbxsat]

Foltest vs Dennis Cranmer

Foltest
Faction: Northern Realms
Leader (Gold)
Power: 5
Spawn: Foltest
Deploy: Boost all Loyal Bronze and Silver units in your Hand and Deck by 1

Dennis Cranmer
Faction: Scoia'tael
Dwarf (Silver)
Power: 8
Deploy: Strengthen all other Bronze and Silver Dwarves in your deck, Hand and on your side of the Board by 1

I feel that Dennis Cranmer is way too strong for a silver. It is an auto-include if you play ST dwarf. There isn't a ST card that buffs elves specifically. Did someone on the development team like dwarves so much that they made an entire archetype based on it whilst neglecting the other half of ST?

Also, Strengthen cannot be removed, unlike Boost. Granted, Foltest's ability affects the entire NR faction compared with Dennis Cranmer that only affects half the ST faction (dwarves) but one is a gold card whereas the other is a silver and this itself is huge.

Foltest's design is extremely poor as well. Play on turn 1 or if you intend to use a spy, then play on turn 2. This requires zero thinking.

Dennis Cranmer also affects the Board unlike Foltest that only affects Hand and Deck.

Some ill-thought suggestions to change Foltest to:
Power 5
1) Deploy: return all machines to hand and play them
2) Deploy: return two bronze units to hand and play them
3) Deploy: boost 3 units by 2 and add 1 armour to them

Dennis Cranmer to:
Power 8
1) Boost all Loyal Bronze dwarf units in your Hand and Deck by 1
2) Boost adjacent dwarf units by 2
3) Move two dwarf units to this row and boost them by 1


As an aside, Redanian Knight is a hard counter to weather! This unit effectively heals and boost itself every turn when hit by weather. Learned it the hard way

 

[AlkamlBan]

The thing is Foltests current design actually REALLY help my deck. Playing Machine NR I find it hard to start a game because if I don't get a Kaedweni Siege Support I either have to start with Geralt (which I might want to keep for later on) or have to play a Machine (or other card with an ability which I won't be able to use because I go first) and lose the damage I could deal. For my deck it serves as a perfect opener helping in beginning the match and later on due to the +1 boost.

I don't know I Dennis, I mean yes from what you say he seems a bit strong but I haven't played anything else other that Machine NR since the beginning of OB and I don't see many ST players when I play so I can't give you input on that.

 

[KasumiGoto]

I actually think both of these are fine. Dennis needs whole deck to be built of dwarves, while Foltest boosts anything you have.

 

[Zer033x]

I got Dennis and some other options in a keg. I didn't choose Dennis and I play only Scoia'tael. Maybe I should have, but I think I chose some marching card instead that pulls lowest card from deck and plays it then buffs by 2. I use that and Dudu so I can have more chance of a copy opponent strength card.

 

[ThreePi]

I actually think both of these are fine. Dennis needs whole deck to be build of dwarves, while Foltest boosts anything you have.

Building a whole deck of dwarves is very easy. Plus it buffs base strength, plus it buffs units on the field. Cranmer is a better card than Foltest, straight up.

Foltest is bad, lazy design. There's no tactical consideration of when to play it.

 

[Ignotas]

It may be easy to build a deck full of dwarves but it's not very viable. My deck has 8 dwarves and 5 elves. Dennis helps sometimes but usually he's not even on the board.

Your suggested buffs to Foltest are wayyy overpowered.

Dennis changes are also not really viable since 1) you can pull him with Hoog and he would do the exact same thing as he does now, 2) bad version of Mahakam Guard (bronze), 3) almost same as Dwarven Mercenary (bronze). Imo he is fine as it is.

 

[ThreePi]

It may be easy to build a deck full of dwarves but it's not very viable. My deck has 8 dwarves and 5 elves. Dennis helps sometimes but usually he's not even on the board.

Your suggested buffs to Foltest are wayyy overpowered.

Dennis changes are also not really viable since 1) you can pull him with Hoog and he would do the exact same thing as he does now, 2) bad version of Mahakam Guard (bronze), 3) almost same as Dwarven Mercenary (bronze). Imo he is fine as it is.

Except that Brouver -> Cranmer with 8 Dwarves is 4+8+8 into 20 strength. Versus Foltest with 13 units is 5 + 13 for 18 strength. Then you factor in the 1 card deck thinning, the fact that its a base strength buff, and that you get the extra strength on resilient Mahakam Defenders and Yarpin. On top of that, if you draw Cranmer into your hand, you can use Brouver on another important silver card. And, when played with Saskia and Roach you have a very high-tempo opening.

As it stands, Foltest is bad compared to Brouver + Cranmer. There's really no two ways about it. Its more value and more versatility.

 

[rolandhsu]

I felt that Foltest should at least boost the units already on the board.
As it is right now he is required to be the first card played in a match, no flexibility at all.

 

[jamai36]

You have to remember that because Dennis is focused (only dwarves) - it puts extreme control over the deck archetype that he is useful in and makes it a case of apples and oranges.

Dennis could give all dwarves in your deck +3 power and CDPR could simply retool the dwarves around this card to balance it, and it would be balanced, even if it was an auto-include.

As for Foltest, Foltest is the leader of an entire faction, of which you have two others to choose. It is MUCH harder to control the power level of all NR cards in relation to the other leaders and Foltest. Thus Foltest is going to have to be powered in relation to the rest of his faction, which makes it unsurprising that he is a little weaker individually than Dennis.

Summary: It doesn't really matter how powerful Dennis is or isn't, because the decks he must be used in are so self-contained that it is no way an accurate comparison to Foltest, who is the leader of a faction and provides the bonus to a MUCH larger set of cards.

 

[Iuliandrei]

Cranmer is fine, he must buff the board aswell cause you may draw it late.

Foltest however should be changed, he should be the siege leader, that's his thing. I don't know why they changed his last ability, it could have worked well with machines, however at the very least he should be the Eredin equivalent for machines. It may not be original but it fits Foltest very well, there are 5 bronze NR machines in game, making his ability quite versatile.

 

[DRK3]

Damn, i hadnt noticed Cranmer strengthened instead of boosting. Switching that, to boost like Foltest would be enough of a nerf imo, while still keeping him really useful

 

[Firekangaroo]

I'm fine with Dennis Cranmer's effect, but you don't lose any tempo by playing him, unlike other setup cards like draig bon-dhu, and he can be played turn 1/2 consistently with brover hoog. That's just a little too much imo

 

[Zefyris]

Except that Brouver -> Cranmer with 8 Dwarves is 4+8+8 into 20 strength. Versus Foltest with 13 units is 5 + 13 for 18 strength. Then you factor in the 1 card deck thinning, the fact that its a base strength buff, and that you get the extra strength on resilient Mahakam Defenders and Yarpin. On top of that, if you draw Cranmer into your hand, you can use Brouver on another important silver card. And, when played with Saskia and Roach you have a very high-tempo opening.

As it stands, Foltest is bad compared to Brouver + Cranmer. There's really no two ways about it. Its more value and more versatility.

Wait, you can't count broover's strnength in that calculation because broover would bring that strength for another silver even if you don't use him for cranmer, so that's like adding +4 str to any ST silver when you compare them "just because they can be played with your leader". That's just not right. and you can't count the deck thining , for the same reason. Mentioning that broover allows for 100% play of that card just like foltest is 100% is a good point, but those 4 points have nothing to do here. So that's 16 for Cranmer and 18 for foltest in your example.


As for the topic, Foltest is fine ImO. Cranmer's body may be a bit too high for such a strong effect. if you lower his strength then ST lose pretty much its only unit that synergies with Milva though. At this point they should completely rework Milva if they do that. Nerfing (and without refunding too) heavily Sheldon this patch removed Milva's synergy with him, so only Cranmer remains right now.

 

[Vladi999]

Broover hoog is worse then a silver NR card reinforcement.
A faction leader is worse then a silver card if you dont count the points of broover himself.:scared:

 

[ThreePi]

Wait, you can't count broover's strnength in that calculation because broover would bring that strength for another silver even if you don't use him for cranmer, so that's like adding +4 str to any ST silver when you compare them "just because they can be played with your leader". That's just not right. and you can't count the deck thining , for the same reason. Mentioning that broover allows for 100% play of that card just like foltest is 100% is a good point, but those 4 points have nothing to do here. So that's 16 for Cranmer and 18 for foltest in your example.


As for the topic, Foltest is fine ImO. Cranmer's body may be a bit too high for such a strong effect. if you lower his strength then ST lose pretty much its only unit that synergies with Milva though. At this point they should completely rework Milva if they do that. Nerfing (and without refunding too) heavily Sheldon this patch removed Milva's synergy with him, so only Cranmer remains right now.

But its not just about comparing two cards, its about comparing the manner in which they're played. Both cards are typically played, and best served, as an opener. So I think its absolutely pertinent that you look at the leader's strength as well. And if you happen to have Cranmer in your hand to open the game, you still have the added versatility of being able to use Brouver on another silver unit.

 

[Zefyris]

But its not just about comparing two cards, its about comparing the manner in which they're played. Both cards are typically played, and best served, as an opener. So I think its absolutely pertinent that you look at the leader's strength as well. And if you happen to have Cranmer in your hand to open the game, you still have the added versatility of being able to use Brouver on another silver unit.

That's broover 's versatility, not Crammer's. So no, you don't count the STR or thinning effect from broover, that's illogical.

 

[ShuyiNMetroiD]

Dennis Cranmer is very limited with only 4 bronze dwarves to target (compared to 15 elvish bronze units).

This also is a kind of tell for your opponent.

Playing Brouver Hoog + Saskia + Dennis Cranmer is strong, but it also loses a lot of power for round 2 and 3.

Same as arguing that Decoy + Dennis Cranmer would double Foltest's effect, but this just loses a lot of power and versatility.

Barcley Els, Dennis Cranmer & Yarpen Zigrin are the heart of the dwarf deck. Without them there would be not enough power/synergy.

---

So there are a lot of differences between Foltest and Cranmer so they can't really be compared directly.

 

[xDivinity]

If you decoy Dennis you can double buff your dwarves which is pretty damn good.Foltest on the other hand is a leader card and while most ppl use him as an opener i dont.I try to use my Operator first to get my 4rth Reaver Hunter in hand.Then i use Foltest.And follow with Sergeants/commandos for deck thinning+buffing my RH by +2 on the 2nd and 3rd Sergeant. So yeah both have their own uses.The more units in deck the more value these cards give you .

 

[smergalaev]

Both cards are fine. Foltest is just ~20 str gold card. Very good compare to Radovid for example.
Cranmer only plays in 1 deck type that currently isnt OP. CDPR can balance it in any time.