If we must be saddled with all these awful, overpowered scenario cards, can we at least get some varied (and interesting) counters instead of only Heatwave?
At present, the only really viable way to deal with scenarios is either Heatwave, or bleeding to force them to be used in rounds where they are either ineffective or overkill. Uncountered (either tactically with Heatwave or strategically), they outperform virtually anything when combined with other synergistic cards.
The problem with this approach to countering is that it cripples the game in other aspects.
For example, Heatwave trades down (sometimes badly) to scenario, which then also forces high tempo inclusions in the deck. Moreover, Heatwave is very binary (one player draws scenario, the other misses Heatwave).
Presently, every viable deck runs either a scenario, or some nearly as brokenly powerful card like Renfri, Nekker, Sihil or the like. (I guess I should be grateful that at least scenarios can be tactically countered.) But that means Heatwave is also endemic — and that is a double hit to any deck which relies upon graveyard tactics or upon any lynchpin card (e.g. Artis or Royal Griffin).
In addition, because Heatwave, despite usually being necessary against scenarios, still trades down significantly, and because scenarios are best deployed early in a round, almost every match up now encourages bleeding — dry passing is almost never as effective against scenario and is already discouraged by other broken combinations (e.g. Simlas or Witches Sabbath). This all but eliminates one of the most important strategic considerations from the game (never choose to dry pass). And it narrows further the range of viable decks as all decks now need sufficient tempo in expendable cards to carry round one and sufficient engine value to force out meaningful cards early in a round 2 bleed.
In an ideal game, as I have suggested in another thread, all these highly powered, remove or lose, nonstrategic, binary cards would be removed. But as they now number well over 100, this is not likely feasible. Perhaps the next best thing would be access to a sufficient number of varied, but tactically and strategically interesting counters (in the same 10 provision design space as Heatwave). Let me suggest some ideas (which could be tweaked for balance):
- A card that steals an artifact from an opponents board and allows you to play it
- A card that removes the highest provision artifact from an opponent’s hand (replacing it with a draw) if played melee and from the opponent’s deck if played ranged. (A card with the same effect on specials would also be beneficial to the game — but that’s a whole other topic).
- A card that “locks” artifacts as well as units
- A card that sends any unit played or spawned the previous turn to the graveyard
- A card that duplicates all special card, artifact card, or order effects on a random unit, row, etc. on the opposite side of the board
Of course, these might not all balance adequately; they are certainly not a complete list of possibilities. But I hope they convey the essence of my thoughts on Heatwave alternatives.