Now, after I tried out all the new mechanics a bit I want to ask your which is your favorite faction concerning the last PoP update?
My ranking is a as follows:
1) NR
I really like the new Patience key word. Gerhart of Aelle is really fun to play and Band Ard Student + Aretusa Adepts + Necromancy + Casting Contest are great combos. Did not really try the cooldown archetype already but in total I think it´s a good replacement for charges.
Downside: Istredd. I tried an all-in Snowdrop + Istredd + Pincer Maneuver deck but did not really succeed. His patience ability can maybe include a big decree of consistency but is to my mind not the best fit into this archetype.
2) MO
The new Sabbath key word is awesome and playing around with Gan Ceann also offers huge carryover potential.
Downside: Witch Apprentice: From my perspective 4 power units which can regulary increase by 4 are a bit too much. Also do not like the Viy interaction. Would add the following: If Sabbath is not achieved damage self by one instead.
3) SK
They created something great for weather. Now we have weather conditional graveyard interaction and weather transformation (Fulmar). Also strong support for the whole druid archetype (Gedyneith) and beast synergies for Axel Three-Eyes.
Downside: From my perspective all these druid focused Range of the Sea deck are currently not competitive (and probably not even close to the top SK decks). Maybe giving another passive ability to Melussine Cultist (like damage a random opponent unit in the opposite row if there is weather) can help.
4) SY
I like the overall bounty support but consider it to be very strong, maybe even too strong.
Downside: SY removal was already dominating before PoP 1. Maybe some cards should be slightly nerfed (they already did for Professor).
Same ideas for nerfing some of the strong cards:
Whoreson Junior: Devotion (Melee): Boost an opponent unit by 1 and then damage by 6 instead if its boosted. (Actually would appreciate if SY Cutups get a boost-opponent units archetype)
Witchfinder: Reduce power to 6
5) NG
Unlike many other players I consider Rience to be a wonderful card. He can offer huge value and there are so many synergizing cards interacting with the top 3 of your deck + Rico. Also you can use him in various strategies (Hyperthin, Mill, Snowdrop).
Downside: The other 3 cards I consider to be a disappointment. The bronzes (11 for 9 + 2 thinning) are too strong and have almost no downside. Dead Man´s Tongue is okish but can so easily run into tall punish that its only valid usecase I consider to be is Hyperthin.
6) SC
Biggest disappointment. Francesca is comparable to old mystic echo but she has some use cases. Vanadain is completely unplayable currently. Whisperer of Dol Blathanna is very comparable to Symbiosis 3 and Sorceress of Dol Blathanna is also ok (from my perspective even the best SC POP card) but honestly there is no card I am hyped about.
Probably the idea of the deck is to make as many specials as possible and have one big Gord in the end. Hope that PoP 2 and PoP 3 offer more creative tools, cards, key words, strategies for SC. When you read "Wield a superior elven magic and unleash a torrent of spells on your opponent!" you expect really more than just synergizing with special cards, creating special cards or transforming cards to special. Untill now we do not have 1 SC spell.
My ranking is a as follows:
1) NR
I really like the new Patience key word. Gerhart of Aelle is really fun to play and Band Ard Student + Aretusa Adepts + Necromancy + Casting Contest are great combos. Did not really try the cooldown archetype already but in total I think it´s a good replacement for charges.
Downside: Istredd. I tried an all-in Snowdrop + Istredd + Pincer Maneuver deck but did not really succeed. His patience ability can maybe include a big decree of consistency but is to my mind not the best fit into this archetype.
2) MO
The new Sabbath key word is awesome and playing around with Gan Ceann also offers huge carryover potential.
Downside: Witch Apprentice: From my perspective 4 power units which can regulary increase by 4 are a bit too much. Also do not like the Viy interaction. Would add the following: If Sabbath is not achieved damage self by one instead.
3) SK
They created something great for weather. Now we have weather conditional graveyard interaction and weather transformation (Fulmar). Also strong support for the whole druid archetype (Gedyneith) and beast synergies for Axel Three-Eyes.
Downside: From my perspective all these druid focused Range of the Sea deck are currently not competitive (and probably not even close to the top SK decks). Maybe giving another passive ability to Melussine Cultist (like damage a random opponent unit in the opposite row if there is weather) can help.
4) SY
I like the overall bounty support but consider it to be very strong, maybe even too strong.
Downside: SY removal was already dominating before PoP 1. Maybe some cards should be slightly nerfed (they already did for Professor).
Same ideas for nerfing some of the strong cards:
Whoreson Junior: Devotion (Melee): Boost an opponent unit by 1 and then damage by 6 instead if its boosted. (Actually would appreciate if SY Cutups get a boost-opponent units archetype)
Witchfinder: Reduce power to 6
5) NG
Unlike many other players I consider Rience to be a wonderful card. He can offer huge value and there are so many synergizing cards interacting with the top 3 of your deck + Rico. Also you can use him in various strategies (Hyperthin, Mill, Snowdrop).
Downside: The other 3 cards I consider to be a disappointment. The bronzes (11 for 9 + 2 thinning) are too strong and have almost no downside. Dead Man´s Tongue is okish but can so easily run into tall punish that its only valid usecase I consider to be is Hyperthin.
6) SC
Biggest disappointment. Francesca is comparable to old mystic echo but she has some use cases. Vanadain is completely unplayable currently. Whisperer of Dol Blathanna is very comparable to Symbiosis 3 and Sorceress of Dol Blathanna is also ok (from my perspective even the best SC POP card) but honestly there is no card I am hyped about.
Probably the idea of the deck is to make as many specials as possible and have one big Gord in the end. Hope that PoP 2 and PoP 3 offer more creative tools, cards, key words, strategies for SC. When you read "Wield a superior elven magic and unleash a torrent of spells on your opponent!" you expect really more than just synergizing with special cards, creating special cards or transforming cards to special. Untill now we do not have 1 SC spell.
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