Balance Patch Speculations

[Draconifors]

Nice, I can get started on updating the Glossary before the patch comes. If I want to, and I just might.

Reset being removed as a keyword I guess means they've replaced "Reset" with "reset" on cards that have that in their ability text.

 

[ReaperTek]

Might go to a self damage SK deck if spies become too common.

Probably not the worst idea especially with Artis on Board.

 

[InkognitoXI]

I honestly really like the Crimson Curse rework and from someone who wanted that card to be playable since its expansion this feels pretty good.
Crimson Curse is an immediate 4 for 10 with an ability that can be worth up to 10 points, yielding a 14 for 10 at best, which is very optimistic, given how the weather works, however being a 10 for 10 is hardly difficult and the additional Vampire bodies and continuous bleeding (of practically guaranteeing on average 1 bleeding) gives a slightly increased boost to Orianna (while the additional Vampires allow Orianna to bleed something on the other row for 2 more turns).

Also I really like the design change with regard to binary effects like weather clear (and maybe some day artifact removal).
Weather finally feels a lot more like how it should always have been.
(Also the price reduction on weathers, making them less of a commitment of the top end to run).

 

[jed9653]

I'm excited for a Wild Hunt deck, even if it isn't top tier.

 

[irrrregular]

No Yennefers Invocation nerf

 

[jed9653]

No Yennefers Invocation nerf

Maybe they thought with all the spies that it would see less play? Who knows. Now that they can add the spy status to multiple units, and then seize all spies back.

 

[Barracuda88]

Developer comment: Tactics created by Stefan Skellen are now going to be banished after use to stop him from taking advantage of Echo mechanic. The ability did not change functionally and you are still likely to see nothing but Bronze cards when copying Bribery.

Except, this only prevents him from creating another Echo card and placing it on top of the first one in the deck. He will still be able to replay it. And "STILL likely to see nothing but Bronze when copying Bribery" is just a bundle of laughs.

 

[Philido]

Developer comment: Tactics created by Stefan Skellen are now going to be banished after use to stop him from taking advantage of Echo mechanic. The ability did not change functionally and you are still likely to see nothing but Bronze cards when copying Bribery.

Except, this only prevents him from creating another Echo card and placing it on top of the first one in the deck. He will still be able to replay it. And "STILL likely to see nothing but Bronze when copying Bribery" is just a bundle of laughs.

No idea why they refuse to balance that card. They're aware of its inconsistency and still like it the way it is.

 

[ReaperTek]

Developer comment:
"ability did not change functionally and you are still likely to see nothing but Bronze cards when copying Bribery.

You didn't pay attention it's likely that you will only see Bronze Cards when you use Bribery.

They just forgot to mention that you're Opponent will usually high roll into 2 Oak's, Ozzrel's or Vernossiel's

Putting the Temerian Drummer with 3 power into Sweers range is kind of annoying too.

 

[Balgar-bard-slayer]

You didn't pay attention it's likely that you will only see Bronze Cards when you use Bribery.

They just forgot to mention that you're Opponent will usually high roll into 2 Oak's, Ozzrel's or Vernossiel's

Putting the Temerian Drummer with 3 power into Sweers range is kind of annoying too.

I read through that whole thing to see if they were going to fix bribery.

To include that comment about bronzes is just a FU to the community.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Also I enjoyed the little #lore about the Wild Hunt. #spoilingyourowngames

What a bunch of [...]s

 

[Sj8407]

We will see how Veil will affect poison. All factions got access to good engines with Veil. Thaw will provide cheap (4 p) Veil, albeit it also buffs the unit by 4 (hello Yrden and GIgni). We haven't seen all changes yet. Maraal is now rowlocked, so movement can counter him.

Viel is too slow mechanics and a brick in no locks/poisons matchups. Therefore I that it won't change strengh of locks/poisons, unless the players will include some viel in deck only because popularity of ng poisons in meta. Viel on caretaker could be reasonable solution as a counter to poisons/locks, but of course it wasn't done

 

[Baton55]

balance is broken. Using Harmony is not getting even enough points to fight thrive, and with new cards it got more powerfull. Harmony units do not grow up if you do not use on the same row. How about thrive? Why not equal all cards. This month will be difficult and less interest to play. Also if you use old deck, cause you can not afford new evolving cards means that you loose every game. I am android user and I did not collect all cards from moment game appear on platform. Now even worse I should loose a lot of game just to get new evolving cards cause otherwise now chance to give a fight to new decks. What is the reason of new cards if we have to ignore old cards. Where is promised balance?

 

[4RM3D]

How about thrive? Why not equal all cards.

Because Harmony and Thrive are not equal to begin with. Harmony used to be easier to trigger than Thrive.

 

[Sailears]

I haven't had a chance to think deeply about ST possibilities yet, but I agree with those saying the Harmony change seems a bit excessive, when Harmony archetype if played with any other leader than Mystic Echo is not that crazy.

Mystic Echo should just have been changed to something else that supports a special/spell archetype - eg Sages/Farseers/Johnny/Sarah/Gord... that type of deck is not great and could benefit from Mystic Echo eg "boost a unit by X whenever a you play a special card", Y charges, or something like this that works around special cards but not doubling their effects...

But anyway, what's done is done - I'm wondering if Symbiosis can be used to support Harmony eg it essentially does a similar process in terms of gaining points for other units with the symbiosis, just happens to spread these points onto a separate token instead of boosting the same card as Harmony does. May be room to experiment with some cross overs.

On a separate note I like the few things thrown to Handbuff. Sure Filavandrel (Invigorate) still could do with a buff/change, but there might be some interesting possibilities now.

And I like the increased number of treants, especially low provision, and more nature cards - will play around with Call of Harmony and see what can be done here now (I still love the Etriel+Muirlega CoH combo too much).

And FINALLY - Saskia gets a change!! Been so sad to not use this card for so long, though not sure if the change is worse or better... might see what can be done with it now. Just please give back the old awesome premium Saskia with better fire effects.

 

[Aris_Tarkus]

Well, I have had a few runs with a Symbiosis deck so far and can state the following...

Symbiosis is a fun set to play full on, but the set up takes much longer than Harmony, and there are pretty high risks. The NG decks I've played tore it apart with that bloody Mage Infiltrator (took out the Young Dryads real fast). The Wild Hunt deck I faced was an entirely different fiasco. Facing frost on both rows for much of the 2 long rounds made it hard to get anything going.

The output from my typically strong harmony deck is down roughly 55%. This was just to much of a change.

 

[Barracuda88]

I read through that whole thing to see if they were going to fix bribery.

To include that comment about bronzes is just a FU to the community.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Also I enjoyed the little #lore about the Wild Hunt. #spoilingyourowngames

What a bunch of [...]s

Case in point, had Bribery played at me literally 3 times today in ranked so far: draws Eithne twice (the highest-provision unit in my deck) and then low-rolls it, poor guy, into a Freixenet. Confirmation bias!

 

[Balgar-bard-slayer]

Case in point, had Bribery played at me literally 3 times today in ranked so far: draws Eithne twice (the highest-provision unit in my deck) and then low-rolls it, poor guy, into a Freixenet. Confirmation bias!

Oh tell me about it. I faced bribery once since the patch, and it drew ozzrel for the win, consuming my Yghern. It's daily bullcrap with that card. But they won't listen. Because we haven't performed a scientifically controlled study.

Heads buried in the sand on Bribery. Or they know it's a broken card and they are trolling the community. After their comments in the patch notes, I'm leaning toward trolling.

 

[Sj8407]

@Philido @rrc - How are You're "probably best echo card introduced" Amphibious Assault and other's great new NR cards going so far? Great, isn't it? Especially in Skellige matchups, huh? :/

 

[rrc]

@Sj8407, dude, I still think it is the strongest echo card, but SK as a faction had got ridiculously powerful cards all around and is shitting on all factions on all rank ranges which is overshadowing and killing other archetypes.. if/once/when this is (hot)fixed, we can feel the raise of other factions.

 

[Philido]

@Philido @rrc - How are You're "probably best echo card introduced" Amphibious Assault and other's great new NR cards going so far? Great, isn't it? Especially in Skellige matchups, huh? :/

I mean if you still don't see how amazing this card is then nobody can help you to do so. SK is obviously broken, very bad to take this as an example.