SC
Until now, the patch appears to use existing mechanics to buff underperforming archetypes (NR soldiers, NG knight/opponent buffing). From my perspective symbiosis was already kind of competitive. Nevertheless, CDPR tries to buff it.
Currently I see 4 different symbiosis strategies:
- Symbiosis + cards benefitting from full rows (e.g. Gezras and Great Oak)
- Symbiosis + Spellatel cards (Simlas, Sorceress, Seer, Bountiful Harvest and to a lesser extent Whisperer)
- Symbiosis + new naiad cards
- Hybrid stategies
The success of an Symbiosis + Naiad strategy probably depends on whether you can play Aucwen in round 1 (and in best cases get some value out of her passive ability). Hybrid strategies might be limited with the new naiad cards as playing Aucwen and the four 5 provision naiad cards already costs 33 provisions.
Evaluation: 6,5 out of 10
Naiad pondkeeper:
Honestly, I also see limited usecases for that´s cards deploy ability. Using its Melee is a 6 for 5 with removal potential. You must be lucky to have tall enough treants when you need to remove a powerful opponent card. It´s ranged is just a worse Duen Canell Guardian or Hamadryad.
Most, of the value comes from the Naiad tag allowing this card to be infused with nature and making this card to be an additional symbiosis benefitter.
Evaluation: 6,5 out of 10. Can fit into all in symbiosis strategies
Naiad fledgling
Comparing to the existing symbiosis cards this card appears to be interesting. It can be translated into symbiosis 2. Why? She gives vitality (2) to the left unit when symbiosis is triggered. This vitality can have additional benefits for Hamadryad and Freixenet. One time in the game she can translate not used vitality into own boost. This can make her vulnerable to tall removal
Of course additional value comes from the naiad tag.
Evaluation: 9 out of 10 being both a vitality giver and a vitality benefitter she can be a strong tool in all-in symbiosis decks
Frog Mating Season
On paper this is just a 12 (2 x 4 vitality and 2 frogs) for 9 nature card. I am not quite sure what vitality triggering means. Is all of the vitality translated into boost or is just vitality triggered twice. The frogs can have devasting effects on cards like Freixenet and Hamadryad. Furthermore, there is a huge risk of overflooding your board (Something Symbiosis is already struggling with).
Depending on the definition of vitality triggering this card synergizing nicely with Prism Pendant
Evaluation: 5 out of 10.
Aucwen
You probably want to play her in round to get 4 additional nature cards via her deploy. Her passive ability´s value is difficult to judge. Maybe combined with the frogs on the right of the board she can boost the treants fastly but getting huge value out of her passive appears to be challenging (as it was for the NG and NR legendary). Also she has with a body of 5 huge removal risk.
Evaluation: 7 out of 10