Contrary to the claims otherwise, the patch focuses on other factions more than NR. ST also came out poorly this patch. Single most disappointing realization for myself as a NR main.
I don't see how the balance patch will move the needle much in regards to the meta. The only significant buffs seem to have gone to MO weather. The only significant nerfs, to NG's ball, and SY safecracker. Honorable mention to Coral, who I think might be a good flex card now and Meve, who becomes a credible more resilient threat.
Its aggravating that the provisions of both Double Cross and Lined Pockets were not touched. Even if CDPR plans to buff other leaders in the coming patches, those two leader abilities are dominating their factions, and in my opinion deserve provision nerfs, as CDPR was quick to give to NR's shieldwall and even uprising. Double Cross is, if I'm not mistaken, the only leader that still plays two cards in one turn not including a token or spell. Lined pockets was buffed prior to the SY crime buffs as a whole, so is supercharged.
On a positive note, nice flavor added to some cards. Particularly to Iris Companions and Dandelion Vainglory. Don't see them entering the competitive meta, but do see them being played once in a blue moon now.
The leader card balancing still needs some work. They nerf cleaver in one of the weakest ways possible by removing the armor, but buff Junior to broken territory. He needed a buff, but giving him 6 unconditional removal with insanity is too much and ironically means he pretty much deletes all other leader cards in one turn. Foltest certainly didn't need the power nerf. I would've preferred he stay at 7 power outside of most single card removal range, and cost 12 provisions. His new ability is buff enough to justify the cost in my opinion. Eldain's ability needed to be capped to affect 3 traps at most, with a devotion boost of maybe 1-2 more artifacts. Eist's could have remained at bloodthirst 2, but what really needed to be changed is his ability text to "first time each turn a SK unit enters the graveyard" preventing single turn double proc with blaze of glory.
Finally, I'm disappointed that many cards remained untouched. Among others: Coup has for a while now been very powerful. I think its fair its provision buff was reverted back to 10 or better yet its damage reduced back down to 2, so its deathblow is something you have to work for outside of devotion. For having made such a big deal of not being able to play gold cards above 9 provisions more than once, with changes to Renew and Blue Dream, Joachim (10 prov) remains an exception, with double, triple, maybe even quadruple Joachim' being played, in the same round no less. Nice consistency there. Drill could at least have been row locked to benefit from crownsplitter adjacency damage (so it could still be played on range, but at 1 damage per fee). Traps' spring abilities should be conditional on having a unit on the battlefield (particularly for Serpent, which on first play is a predatory dive with order right now).