First of all, thank you for underdog challenge, I really appreciate what you did with it.
What other challenges would you like to see in GWENT?
Now to your question, I would like to give idea for a bit more meaningful competition, where not just number of faction supporters matters... (I have feeling, that so far all faction challenges were decided by number of supporters, rather than performance in duels.) That is very delicate matter, which does not have simple solution and could be sensitive to keep balanced, but I will risk it and try.
Phase 1) My suggestion is to have one week long "registration" before actual faction challenge happens. During that one week, all players could "register" for following faction challenge and when challenge itself will start after one week, there will be no more new participants accepted. "Registration will consist of player announcing his interest to participate and making preference list for which faction he would like to participate. Let me make an example. 1 - Scoia'tael, 2 - Monsters, 3 - Northern Realms, 4 - Nilfgaard, 5 - Skellige
Phase 2) After one week, "registration" will be closed and challenge will happen. Total number of all interested participants will be divided by 5 and resulting number will be increased by 1 to get limited number of spots reserved for each faction. Then players will be assigned to support factions according to their preferences with model "first come, first served". If reserved number of spots for faction has still free places, player will be assaigned to their 1st prefered faction, if not, repeat step check for his 2nd prefered faction, etc.
Phase 2.5) Kegs of winning faction will appear in shop same way like it is now, however increased XP will not be granted after challenge. Increased XP will be granted to every player participating in faction challenge during its duration, regardless of which faction they support. In other words, if you participate in challenge, every challenge duel for supported faction will grant you extra XP. EDIT: Immediate extra XP will also function as kind of motivation to play challenge matches even if player will not be assigned to his the most prefered faction (because of limited number of spots). In general, I think, this model would mean more intense faction challenge experience and it would be more beneficial to play challenge duels even with not the most prefered faction, rather than play non-challenge duels with the most prefered faction.
Reasoning
I see 2 problems with current format of faction challenges, which I personally find rather hurting than helping. I try to address those 2 problems with my idea. Those problems are:
- Faction challenges do not feel like being decied by performance rather than by number of participants.
- Faction challenges affect season way too much by having 1 week faction challenge and 1 reward week extra XP. That means, player is "bound" to play certain faction for almost half of season, which I personally find to be too much limiting.