TrompeLaMort's balance patch (NR, ST, and NG)
So we got a nice discussion on my first thread about balance changes, and I even changed my mind regarding Yoana (no buff needed) and Eist (+1 is probably alright). (But on the other points I still remain with my original opinion.) So let's continue and talk about NR, ST, and NG!
Again, as the game is in a good state right now, balance-wise, there are fewer changes than most people would expect.
Northern Realms
Philippa Eilhart: +2 power.
Philippa is one of those cards that just got left behind when the power level of the game increased. With +2 power, she is a 18 point play, which is basically a Keira Metz, but only in best case scenario. It is common for her to be "bricked" by low strength units, and 5 point of damage rarely counts as removal, so I think she will still be a weak to acceptable choice even with this buff.
Kiyan: +2 power.
I understand that Kiyan is probably not meant to be very competitive, but let's not humiliate him by leaving him almost strictly worse than Burza. (Nothing against Burza, of course!)
Vandergrift's Blade: Deal 10 damage (instead of 9).
At least make the silver card kill something that a Bronze couldn't already kill.
Reaver Hunter: +1 power.
Right now, you need to play three Reaver to get a 12 point bronze. (First one buffs each for 1, second buffs each for 2, third buffs each for 3.) That is way too much effort to get a Bearmaster. Giving them +1 power, at least you get some reward for your effort. (Of course, playing 4 RHs will be, and already is, quite strong, but you need to consider the 5 point play from Operator, the silver slot, it is easily disruptable, you need to play around scorch, etc.)
Ban Ard Tutor: +1 power.
The effect is so conditional, that I feel he deserves a more competitive power level. And it would help Foltest swarm decks.
Scoia'tael
Brouver Hoog: +1 power. Play a silverunit or bronze dwarf from your deck.
The fact that Brouver, who should be a dorf leader, is being played even in elves, should be highly concerning balance-wise. Removing the pocket spy is a must, but I personally believe that he shouldn't be able to play non-dwarves at all. (It also makes him more flavorful, I guess.)
Zoltan Chivay: +1 power.
There was a time when a 14 point gold was quite fearsome, but now there is not much left of that world. Moving units is obviously strong, but giving Zoltan a vanilla Geralt power-level can never risk making him too strong.
Elf Scout: 1 strength, disloyal. Create an elf unit not from your deck, and boost it by 2.
So, the time has arrived to take out the big guns. Elf scout must go. How can we make a 1 strength unit weaker? I could make it damage the unit created, but self-damaging is not really a ST thing, and it would be awkward with 1 strength units. So better make it disloyal and boost. Then we might as well boost it by 2, since it won't put 2 units on board anymore. (Could also be more flavorful, since the scout "works behind the enemy lines".)
Mahakam Defender: +2 armor.
The problem of Mahakam Defender is that it is simply too fragile. 6 power for a resilience unit is good, but while Barbegazi can consume units for a bit more protection, Defender can't do so. Giving him 2 armor will never risk making him too strong, since he still dies to bolt, but at least can't be countered anymore by bronze units like panther, which was a complete blow-out.
Dol Blathana Bomber: +1 power.
Bomber is a cool card, but right now you need a high level of row-stacking for her to be even viable. Besides, it is disruptable with things like Vilgefortz, etc.
Vrihedd Vanguard: +2 power.
This is mostly to compensate the nerfs to elf scout and half-elves, so it doesn't totally kill the elf swarm archetype. (Although usually you don't want to be actually playing your vanguards much.)
Half-elves: 5 strength. Spawn a doomed default copy of this unit and strengthen it by 1.
This is a sad change, because it completely removes the symmetry of the half-elves. But what can we do? 12 point is way too strong for a vanilla card on two bodies and with tribal synergy. And 10 point would make them quite useless. (Although I'm not sure I would mind that as much as the other way around.) I tried to make it so at least with Iorveth they remain symmetric, but CDPR could do it the other way around.
Hawker Support: +1 power.
The idea is to make hand-buff more viable. It would make it a 11 point bronze, which is the norm.
Nilfgaard
Slave Driver: Spawn the highest strength bronze unit in your opponents starting deck.
So the most hated card in the game. How can we utterly destroy it? (JK.) I feel that with this change, SD can be played around, removes the RNG, but keeps him as a good (and interesting!) pick for arena. No more will the opponent get a Greatswords (+1 point) and then a Longship (+1 point) and be able to outvalue your own engine deck.
Impera Enforcers: Pre bug-fix.
Spies has always been an advanced and cool deck, and the way enforcers worked with emissaries made it a really fun and skill-intensive deck to play. And also important, made it different from just being exactly the same as any other engine in the game.
Alba Spearman: +1 power.
Drawing cards is such a rare effect, that they can be vanilla priced without it.
Nilfgaardian Knight: -2 armor.
With these balance changes, the Knight is already the highest power bronze unit in the game. (Which is alright, since revealing your own hand is supposedly a drawback.) But the armor is just a bit too much.
So these are the changes I propose. What do you think of them? What else would you like to see balanced? With these balance changes, I feel the game will continue to be balanced, but with a higher focus on engine and interesting decks, instead of just point-slamming cards that are overpowered just now.
So we got a nice discussion on my first thread about balance changes, and I even changed my mind regarding Yoana (no buff needed) and Eist (+1 is probably alright). (But on the other points I still remain with my original opinion.) So let's continue and talk about NR, ST, and NG!
Again, as the game is in a good state right now, balance-wise, there are fewer changes than most people would expect.
Northern Realms
Philippa Eilhart: +2 power.
Philippa is one of those cards that just got left behind when the power level of the game increased. With +2 power, she is a 18 point play, which is basically a Keira Metz, but only in best case scenario. It is common for her to be "bricked" by low strength units, and 5 point of damage rarely counts as removal, so I think she will still be a weak to acceptable choice even with this buff.
Kiyan: +2 power.
I understand that Kiyan is probably not meant to be very competitive, but let's not humiliate him by leaving him almost strictly worse than Burza. (Nothing against Burza, of course!)
Vandergrift's Blade: Deal 10 damage (instead of 9).
At least make the silver card kill something that a Bronze couldn't already kill.
Reaver Hunter: +1 power.
Right now, you need to play three Reaver to get a 12 point bronze. (First one buffs each for 1, second buffs each for 2, third buffs each for 3.) That is way too much effort to get a Bearmaster. Giving them +1 power, at least you get some reward for your effort. (Of course, playing 4 RHs will be, and already is, quite strong, but you need to consider the 5 point play from Operator, the silver slot, it is easily disruptable, you need to play around scorch, etc.)
Ban Ard Tutor: +1 power.
The effect is so conditional, that I feel he deserves a more competitive power level. And it would help Foltest swarm decks.
Scoia'tael
Brouver Hoog: +1 power. Play a silver
The fact that Brouver, who should be a dorf leader, is being played even in elves, should be highly concerning balance-wise. Removing the pocket spy is a must, but I personally believe that he shouldn't be able to play non-dwarves at all. (It also makes him more flavorful, I guess.)
Zoltan Chivay: +1 power.
There was a time when a 14 point gold was quite fearsome, but now there is not much left of that world. Moving units is obviously strong, but giving Zoltan a vanilla Geralt power-level can never risk making him too strong.
Elf Scout: 1 strength, disloyal. Create an elf unit not from your deck, and boost it by 2.
So, the time has arrived to take out the big guns. Elf scout must go. How can we make a 1 strength unit weaker? I could make it damage the unit created, but self-damaging is not really a ST thing, and it would be awkward with 1 strength units. So better make it disloyal and boost. Then we might as well boost it by 2, since it won't put 2 units on board anymore. (Could also be more flavorful, since the scout "works behind the enemy lines".)
Mahakam Defender: +2 armor.
The problem of Mahakam Defender is that it is simply too fragile. 6 power for a resilience unit is good, but while Barbegazi can consume units for a bit more protection, Defender can't do so. Giving him 2 armor will never risk making him too strong, since he still dies to bolt, but at least can't be countered anymore by bronze units like panther, which was a complete blow-out.
Dol Blathana Bomber: +1 power.
Bomber is a cool card, but right now you need a high level of row-stacking for her to be even viable. Besides, it is disruptable with things like Vilgefortz, etc.
Vrihedd Vanguard: +2 power.
This is mostly to compensate the nerfs to elf scout and half-elves, so it doesn't totally kill the elf swarm archetype. (Although usually you don't want to be actually playing your vanguards much.)
Half-elves: 5 strength. Spawn a doomed default copy of this unit and strengthen it by 1.
This is a sad change, because it completely removes the symmetry of the half-elves. But what can we do? 12 point is way too strong for a vanilla card on two bodies and with tribal synergy. And 10 point would make them quite useless. (Although I'm not sure I would mind that as much as the other way around.) I tried to make it so at least with Iorveth they remain symmetric, but CDPR could do it the other way around.
Hawker Support: +1 power.
The idea is to make hand-buff more viable. It would make it a 11 point bronze, which is the norm.
Nilfgaard
Slave Driver: Spawn the highest strength bronze unit in your opponents starting deck.
So the most hated card in the game. How can we utterly destroy it? (JK.) I feel that with this change, SD can be played around, removes the RNG, but keeps him as a good (and interesting!) pick for arena. No more will the opponent get a Greatswords (+1 point) and then a Longship (+1 point) and be able to outvalue your own engine deck.
Impera Enforcers: Pre bug-fix.
Spies has always been an advanced and cool deck, and the way enforcers worked with emissaries made it a really fun and skill-intensive deck to play. And also important, made it different from just being exactly the same as any other engine in the game.
Alba Spearman: +1 power.
Drawing cards is such a rare effect, that they can be vanilla priced without it.
Nilfgaardian Knight: -2 armor.
With these balance changes, the Knight is already the highest power bronze unit in the game. (Which is alright, since revealing your own hand is supposedly a drawback.) But the armor is just a bit too much.
So these are the changes I propose. What do you think of them? What else would you like to see balanced? With these balance changes, I feel the game will continue to be balanced, but with a higher focus on engine and interesting decks, instead of just point-slamming cards that are overpowered just now.
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It is actually the only rework that leaves the card almost untouched, still as useful as it is in Alchemy decks AND makes it far less annoying. +1