Artifact Fix: Introduce Unit Formations

[Sprinkles29]

So let's say here is an empty board

_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _


Here is a board with 1 gold, 1 bronze in melee, and the CURRENT CARD IN QUESTION in ranged

G B _ _ _ _ _
X _ _ _ _ _ _


Let's say we give Poor Fucking Infrantry the following card text:

"Gain Power + 2 and Immunity to Artifacts while in Formation"
_ _ X G X _ _



Basically this means that if you play Two Poor Fucking Infrantry on either side of ANY UNIT gold card, then the entire formation listed on the card gains + 2 power and immunity to artifacts.

Now I'm not particularly attached to the Immunity to artifiacts effect. But what I am advocating here is the idea that a player is able to gain an advantage in battle by placing their units into a specific formation on the board. Why? Because in a game about armies, it doesn't make sense to open up your round by playing artifacts. So if you choose to play artifacts, yes your opponent loses the oppurtonity to interact with your units, but at the same time YOU are losing the race to establish advantages via formations.

The side effect of a change like this is that artifacts don't have to be neutered anymore since relying on them too heavily will already put you at a tactical disadvantage due to the existence of formations. Also, the so called rubbish bronze units in the game could benefit substiantially from this conditional method of making them more effective as I believe in general bronze cards should be the benefactors of formation abilities.

 

[sfruzz]

To me this is not an artifact fix, but simply an idea of bringing more depth to the game. Everything that goes with positioning or "formation" is welcomed.
It reminds me of an old thread...

Spoiler

https://forums.cdprojektred.com/index.php?threads/gwent-tactics.10105581/

Formations are a synergistic effect that would make the game more diverse. I'd like to see this kind of mechanic implemented, even if with only 2 rows there is less room open for design...

 

[4RM3D]

This sounds familiar. Oh wait a minute... it's like the old Crewman ability pre-Homecoming. Or going even further back, the Bonding ability of the Reaver Hunters. In short, we need more interesting abilities. An army formation would be one of those.

 

[_Kili_]

I like the idea, or rather I'd love for (a lot) of new mechanics being (re)introduced, but I don't have high hopes, given that the devs have stated multiple times they do not want a lot of tags to exist and card effects to be too long so as to not overcomplify the game.
Just look at reach, the mechanic might as well not exist...and now think of what it could be if we still had a 3rd row and a bit of creative card design.

 

[Restlessdingo32]

To me this is not an artifact fix, but simply an idea of bringing more depth to the game.

Going to have to second this statement. This proposal for an artifact fix doesn't appear to address artifacts beyond the possible addition of artifact immunity from the formation concept. That, by itself, is unnecessary. It could just as easily be accomplished by making formations apply immunity, not artifact immunity. There are all manner of potential problems with doing that as well.

In terms of these suggestion threads... Bear in mind the fix approach appears to revolve around using the least effort possible to solve problems. It's why the provision system exists . In other words, as good as it is to toss out suggestions to make the game more better, or less bad, it's probably not going to be a real thing unless it's easy to implement. This proposal is hardly simple. So... yeah.

 

[Sprinkles29]

Well I consider it a fix for artifacts becasue it applies an oppurtunity cost to playing them. Artifacts in your hand will interfere with potential formations you might have drawn instead. And also slow down your ability to make formations in a timely manner AND ALSO if you play your formations first, then the artifacts are going to be hella delayed and therefore less meaningful. So I really think formations would actually push artifacts to a point where most people would use them for specific synergies only rather than because an artifact is considered generally good. And most of all no more playing multiple artifacts the begining of a round because your round, potentially at least.

Anyway, you guys I'm still convinced provisions are brilliant. And that they would fix just about every PvP game out there. Like CDPR better hope HS doesn't get smart and replace their current Wild format with provisions. Because that would probably revitalize that game. Even Street Fighter as I said. Suddenly there would be a reason to practice the worst characters in every fighting game! To learn how to exploit the cards with the lowest power levels! Because it let's you build a better roster/deck if you become flexible and open minded and stategize off the beaten path. Anyway, yeah I love provisions. It's one source of optimism I have directed at GWENT.

CDPR, can u hear me

 

[Restlessdingo32]

Well I consider it a fix for artifacts becasue it applies an oppurtunity cost to playing them.

It also means to use the formation concept you need to draw all the relevant cards together. There is a reason most 3+ card combos don't see play right now.

In terms of artifacts themselves, there are a lot of ways to solve problems associated with them. Many of which involve artifacts exclusively. Most of those are simple, thus easier to implement. I'm not trying to shoot down your idea. I just find it better as a general purpose recommendation instead of an artifact solution.

Anyway, yeah I love provisions. It's one source of optimism I have directed at GWENT.

You've made this clear in the past. I'm still convinced the provision system was advertised as another balance tuning dial when in reality the primary motivation was to streamline, or simplify, the balance process. Card A sees too much play, jack it up to 15 provisions. Card B doesn't see enough, reduce the provision cost slightly. Card C is unplayable because the design behind it is absolute shit so make it more economical to pretend like you care. Unfortunately, card A sees too much play because it's busted, card B doesn't see enough because it sucks and card C is still unplayable. Why? Because of the way the cards are designed.

You could redesign a busted, overpowered card to not be busted and overpowered. You could also change a single number to make it harder to fit it into a deck. One of these options is more effective. One of them is less effective but a hell of a lot easier. Do the math.