Let's talk Skellige - what's wrong with this faction?

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... No other faction has such strong synergies... They have super cheap cards which bring a lot of value due to synergy with their archetype... All faction had got their fair share of good cards (regarding costly gold cards) from CC, and SK got two high tempo proactive cards...
The bold line is the biggest problem. They have so many good AND cheap cards, while familiar cards from other factions get some restrictions or are a point or couple of PP more expensive. You have even two of those that free you 2 more PP and it is big. You have 4, 5, 6 as SK does and it becomes a nightmare. Like, why was the Svalblod Priest buffed the last patch? An instant 5 points BRONZE engie - what other faction have this? How many resources should I spent to deal with just this card alone? Than you add the dude that halves a unit's STR and deals damage equal to those points, saving you points from tall unit removals.

And more and more and more. It's like the devs are adding stuff only to one faction. It's mind boggling.
 
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All faction had got their fair share of good cards (regarding costly gold cards) from CC, and SK got two high tempo proactive cards (proactive with SvalBlod). I hate SK but some of your points are not logical even to my most SK hating mindset.

Well, no worries, it's just my view, my take on it and my feelings about the issue, and I'm no expert, just a player and an observer.

Yes, last patch brough two tall units to SK. The totem and Vildkaarl .

And disgraced brawler and its cheap synergies.
 
Lot of SK hate here. Almost as if you can randomly throw a deck together, give it a SK leader, and it's all insta-win from there. Everyone finds something to complain about with Gwent, yet first faction to get nerfed is always SK. SK is by no means the sole repository of Gwent's overtuned cards. Just look at the auto-include neutral cards in many decks. Cleaver, even with an adjustment this update is still auto-include for many decks just because his removal value is so good. It's not team SK's fault that the other factions are still being carried by neutrals (a problem since early on in open beta).
 

rrc

Forum veteran
...Everyone finds something to complain about with Gwent, yet first faction to get nerfed is always SK. SK is by no means the sole repository of Gwent's overtuned cards. Just look at the auto-include neutral cards in many decks. Cleaver, even with an adjustment this update is still auto-include for many decks just because his removal value is so good. It's not team SK's fault that the other factions are still being carried by neutrals (a problem since early on in open beta).
The only problem is, when SK gets a nerf, there are 3X buffs to other cards which makes the newly buffed cards replacing the nerfed cards. If one leader gets nerfed some other leader will be buffed. When one card gets nerfed (or given the appropriate provision/power) many other cards will be buffed. Just see the changelogs and you will see this pattern.

You either face all Brans or all SvalBlod or all Crach or all Eist (or mixtures of these depends on the meta)

Never was once SK weak. SK always always dominate the pro rank because it has insanely cheap strong cards which would have had at least +1 or +2 provisions of they were in other factions.
 
... yet first faction to get nerfed is always SK...
SK is problematic since Closed Beta. They constantly had broken mechanics that needed adjustments. Also they've been 90% of the time with a deck in the T1 position, with something that is preposterously OP (the Dorregaray meta, the forever GS meta, there was a QG meta for a while, that HORRID Morkvarg strengthening meta etc. etc.).

It gets tiresome.
 
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Yeah, point taken, lads. Play SK for the insta-wins and bitch like mad that your preferred faction sucks balls anytime it comes up against SK. It's not like MO, for instance, have cheap cards and for a long time drove the meta.
 
Yeah, point taken, lads. Play SK for the insta-wins and bitch like mad that your preferred faction sucks balls anytime it comes up against SK. It's not like MO, for instance, have cheap cards and for a long time drove the meta.

Sadly, now Skellige also have more tall unit cards than monsters. That's ofcourse in addition to all their supercharged cards (partly by default, partly as synergy with new CC added cards). Basically SK has tall units (some immortal ones actually) and you cannot play any tall units against them.

Creates great balance.

Don't forget to play Nilfgaard to try to counter this. You can bring both Leo and Geralt, and renew for either one of them to remove 3 tall units. Choose Emhyr if you want to play Leo a 2nd/3rd time to make it 4 overall. Then we just need one more renew Leo/Geralt to make that 5 to deal with all the tall units of Skellige.

But then they will play that cheap 7 point brawler and you'll need to waste your assasination on that too, you certainly can't use that on Olaf or Svalblod Champion anyway.

Ooh, and be sure to have your 4-5 Leo/Geralt charges ready in each round, as you might need to play them all in the same round.

Good luck.
 
Yeah, point taken, lads. Play SK for the insta-wins and bitch like mad that your preferred faction sucks balls anytime it comes up against SK. It's not like MO, for instance, have cheap cards and for a long time drove the meta.
MO was at least addressed, while SK was always lurking shortly behind them and it got even worse when they kept giving the faction more and more tools, while other factions were either forgotten or completely overhauled.

This is a main reason why a lot of people are annoyed.

Also, let me give you a current example of the SK Provisions adjustments favoritism: Svalblod Priest is 5P and on deploy it needs 2 turns to break even. On himself, without synergies. Problem is it synergyzes way, way too good with cards like Harald. On top of everything, it is instant 5 STR body on the board. Show me other engine that does that. Let's take the 4P NG Magne Division. It is 2 points on deploy with a condition, but let's say it is 3 points. Than its condition just twists your arms into a knot. Nauzicaa Sergeant is 3 on deploy and needs condition to start getting points. NG is forced to use those cards cause they have like, nothing else better that can generate points in the 4P department. Even in the 5P department. Do they have in the 6P department (I can't remember off the top of my head)? Maybe in the 7P department with the Slave infantry.

Can you see the Provision Points difference and where it tips the scales?
 
Sadly, now Skellige also have more tall unit cards than monsters

Why are you so bothered by these "tall units". Like I explained before, Vildkaarl transformed to Champion of Svalblod is the same as Toad Prince and Neneke. The only difference is the point distribution (damage, boost, or all points to self).
 
Show me other engine that does that. Let's take the 4P NG Magne Division. It is 2 points on deploy with a condition, but let's say it is 3 points. Than its condition just twists your arms into a knot. Nauzicaa Sergeant is 3 on deploy and needs condition to start getting points.

Forget it, those are even easy targets for Sweers or Ardal, and it takes quite some time to get them beyond that reach. Svalblod priest require Muzzle immediately or Thunder immediately or Assasination. Alternatively a lock, but that's still 5 points already.

A lock on Magne or Sargeant will most likely stop them at 3. Ooh, and many units have 3 damage, or even some with 4. None of those can stop Svalblod priest, but both can stop Magne or Sargeant or even Tridam or even gold Anna.
 
Why are you so bothered by these "tall units". Like I explained before, Vildkaarl transformed to Champion of Svalblod is the same as Toad Prince and Neneke. The only difference is the point distribution (damage, boost, or all points to self).
Even.

More.

Tools.

Which is good, don't get me wrong. It is good when you give of those tools and to the other factions too.

@mzeebra that was what I was pointing.
 
Why are you so bothered by these "tall units". Like I explained before, Vildkaarl transformed to Champion of Svalblod is the same as Toad Prince and Neneke. The only difference is the point distribution (damage, boost, or all points to self).

Nice that you mention NR which have absolutely no tall units. Boost then, surely! Yeah, with gold cards that are easily shut down. SK can do the same thing with bronzes that are harder to shut down.
 
Nice that you mention NR which have absolutely no tall units. Boost then, surely! Yeah, with gold cards that are easily shut down. SK can do the same thing with bronzes that are harder to shut down.

SK have the most coherent archetype design this is why the synergy among cards "looks" strong but in reality, it's just a normal well designed faction. This is what Gwent factions should look like. CDPR should step up their game and quickly adjust other factions to this level.
 
Which is good, don't get me wrong. It is good when you give of those tools and to the other factions too.

Or perhaps not. Imagine if all factions had these overpowered tools and units. It would require special solutions ALWAYS and make everything alot more unpredictable and out of balance. I don't like that thought, I'd rather just Skellige be toned down than all factions be supercharged.

I have my issues with other things as well, among them Eithne control decks which I personally have a hard time to play against. I don't really mind it generally, but it creates a bit of personal frustration and personal dislike for this deck.

I'm more worried about a few cards. I think it was great they "fixed" Saesenthessis, but there are still some issues with certain cards, which I among others have discussed in other threads. Like auto include Cleaver, auto include Sheldon Skaggs and even Gimpy Gerwin. I'm not a big fan of the great oak either, but it's not really something I see as a huge issue, aside from including another giant unit.

But then again, this is a non-issue for me compared to Skellige. It's not a generic faction issue, rather some discussion about specific cards. CDPR have already addressed these specific cards several times, and I think the debate is ongoing. Cleaver is not even a Scoia'Tael card, he is neutral, so is Gerwin.

If anything, despite my personal dislike for the great oak, I think it's inclusion is good as it made ST stronger as a faction, something that was much needed.
 

rrc

Forum veteran
Why are you so bothered by these "tall units". Like I explained before, Vildkaarl transformed to Champion of Svalblod is the same as Toad Prince and Neneke. The only difference is the point distribution (damage, boost, or all points to self).
@BrokeCiri how are you claiming that Vildkaarl is a 9 for 9? He is 12 for 9 with Svalblod. or 5 for 9 if he gets locked before activating his ability (and this has NEVER EVER happened.. not even once.. he always comes as 12 point card on the board for 9 provisions). IIRC, in one of your previous posts also you mentioned him as 9:9 which didn't make sense for me and I thought it was a typo. Now that you are saying it again, I am curious.
 
SK have the most coherent archetype design this is why the synergy among cards "looks" strong but in reality, it's just a normal well designed faction. This is what Gwent factions should look like. CDPR should step up their game and quickly adjust other factions to this level.

Please explain to me exactly, "what is the concept of Skellige", and I will point to you tons of cards that are outside that concept. Piling on new concepts on one faction doesn't make any sense. And by "concepts" I also include such things as "tall units" and even the disgusting Slave Infantry copy card.

It's well and good to have archtypes and a concept, unless a bunch of non-related things is added too that unnecessarily.

At this point in time, I think the more pressing question is, "what is is that Skellige cannot do, that other factions can", rather than the opposite. Or what is unique with other factions that Skellige does not have or cannot do?

Certainly is not:
- Boosting
- General damage (bronze damage, faction gold regular damage)
- Variable big damage
- Giant killing
- Graveyard interaction
- Locking
- Tall units
- Simple engines
- Advanced engines

Let's try to reconsider the question a bit. What exactly is Northern Realms good at that Skellige is not good at? Just as an example.
 

rrc

Forum veteran
Nice that you mention NR which have absolutely no tall units. Boost then, surely! Yeah, with gold cards that are easily shut down. SK can do the same thing with bronzes that are harder to shut down.
NR has the new Prince who is easily 10 point swing. Don't just look at "Tall Units" as a unit with big point on the board. Always look at how much point it brings on the board and how easily (deploy or order or engine). In all my NR decks I add the drummer and Ves and mostly (I would say 95% of the time) I play Prince for 10 points swing on the same turn.
 
@BrokeCiri how are you claiming that Vildkaarl is a 9 for 9? He is 12 for 9 with Svalblod. or 5 for 9 if he gets locked before activating his ability (and this has NEVER EVER happened.. not even once.. he always comes as 12 point card on the board for 9 provisions). IIRC, in one of your previous posts also you mentioned him as 9:9 which didn't make sense for me and I thought it was a typo. Now that you are saying it again, I am curious.

Well, not if you trigger him with engine cards, if you use Svalblod priest, he is what, 15 for 9? And then beyond that you can tick him all the way down to 5-7 with the same lazy engine and heal and make that into a massive engine for what, 9+5?
 
@BrokeCiri how are you claiming that Vildkaarl is a 9 for 9? He is 12 for 9 with Svalblod. or 5 for 9 if he gets locked before activating his ability (and this has NEVER EVER happened.. not even once.. he always comes as 12 point card on the board for 9 provisions). IIRC, in one of your previous posts also you mentioned him as 9:9 which didn't make sense for me and I thought it was a typo. Now that you are saying it again, I am curious.

12 - 3 (self-wound damage required to transform) = 9
same as Frightener
12 - 3 or higher number (destroyed allied units required to transform) = 9 +

This is an isolated analysis. Now with Leader or card synergies in the equation, it's a different thing.
 
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