I am happy with some ST changes and very sad that Neophyte didn't get any buff

[rrc]

Building deck with ST doesn't feel like shite any more or at least not as much as it was before. I couldn't believe that Isengrim got such a nice buff; now all cards have stronger bodies, Isengrim may at last be a strong card and it is an indirect buff to Aelirenn too. The buff to Malena was my most favorite. Since more row locks are going to come, and since ST's one of the archetype is movement, ST may be strong in the future and Malena will be the key card to do that. (I tried a casual game with Malena and Brigade and it was awesome). Matreon can at last break even on deploy or even come with +ve if a Sentinel survived the round before.

Overall, I feel happy about the changes to ST. But there is one card, a single card which makes me very very sad. To quote my favorite idiom, it is like a slap to the ST players on their face. Neophyte. Neophyte is now the one and only 4P card which is neither an engine and nor has any additional ability. He is weaker than most of the neutral 4P cards. And on top of that, he is a juicy feeder for all "deal 2 damage and on deathblow get additional benefits" cards. It is heartbreaking to see ST is the only faction which still has a 4P card which is plain horrible. Before you say "but he can pull Aelirenn and hence he is good", I want to stop you right there. He is a feeder for most of the death blow cards and is just plain bad. The worst part is, with the buff to Isengrim, which would support elf swarm archetype, the key card for that is Neophyte and he was just left to rot in the old horrible state. It was like CDPR thought 'with the changes to Isengrim and Malena ST players will be very happy, so, lets just make fun of them with Neophyte'.

I know I am over reacting. It is just one card. If it is bad (and sure it is) I can always not use that card. But to see it whenever I build deck is saddening. I sincerely hope that Neophyte gets changed in the future; something like "Boost self by 1 and spawn and summon the base copy to the other row". Or even make him 5P (or even 6P) and 3 point body. Please don't leave Neophyte like this. There are a few more cards I am very sad about, but I may create threads later for them after playing more games.

Thank you CDPR for the a few changes which seemed generous for ST which always gets the small end of the stick. I wish you rework on ST in the future with more emphasis to Movement and Handbuff and elf/dwarf swarm archetypes. Before anything you do with ST, please please change Neophyte.

 

[FG15-ISH7EG]

With all the row locked engines movement ST became a ton stronger and more useful. I lost a game to Brouver earlier with NR, where the game was decided by him moving 2 of my key engines, which were even shielded to the other row.

Neophite seems pretty bad from your description. I guess the reason is that they couldn't change him to a better version with just power and provision changes, which is the treatment they gave most other changed cards outside NR.
ST just needs to get the NR treatment in the future to tie up loose ends and in particular add some more keywords to the faction. But there is only so much that can and should be done in a single update, and I guess ST will get its rework sooner rather than later.

And as a NR I'm extremly happy with the patch. The game seems to revolve a lot more around countering the key units of the enemy instead of just removing everything. Let's see how the meta will settle.

 

[4RM3D]

I know I am over reacting.

Eh, it's fine to be disappointed because Neophyte didn't get a buff. However, saying:

I am happy with some ST changes and very sad about the update overall.

...is indeed overreacting. One card is not the overall update being bad. I would suggest you to change the topic of the thread to better reflect its content.

On a side note, CDPR mentioned they are planning on changing every faction. NR was first, but ST's time will come.

 

[Riven-Twain]

One card is not the overall update being bad.

I'm inclined to agree.

I sincerely hope that Neophyte gets changed in the future; something like "Boost self by 1 and spawn and summon the base copy to the other row". Or even make him 5P (or even 6P) and 3 point body. Please don't leave Neophyte like this. There are a few more cards I am very sad about, but I may create threads later for them after playing more games.

Perhaps you should focus on your suggestion for improving this, rather than criticising the entire update because of one card?

 

[BrokeCiri]

Just want to remind you that Neophyte is not the worst 4 provision card, Tuirseach Skirmisher is. Sure it's a discard tempo, but it's a 2:4 that can easily brick without a discard unit or outside of King Bran.

 

[KoncertMajstor]

One month at a time. NR needed the rework first. I doubt they'd fundamentally change NR and mo St ng all in one patch.

 

[rrc]

Eh, it's fine to be disappointed because Neophyte didn't get a buff. However, saying:



...is indeed overreacting. One card is not the overall update being bad. I would suggest you to change the topic of the thread to better reflect its content.

On a side note, CDPR mentioned they are planning on changing every faction. NR was first, but ST's time will come.

Yes, I know ST's time will come; at least I believe so and when it comes, I want Neophyte to be changed and strongly support Elf Swarm archetype. I am sorry for the misleading bad title. I have changed it.

I'm inclined to agree.

Perhaps you should focus on your suggestion for improving this, rather than criticising the entire update because of one card?

It was late at night I was pretty tired and sleepy when I created the post. I agree that the title was a horrible mistake; as much as CDPR's mistake of leaving Neophyte alone . I have changed the title.

Just want to remind you that Neophyte is not the worst 4 provision card, Tuirseach Skirmisher is. Sure it's a discard tempo, but it's a 2:4 that can easily brick without a discard unit or outside of King Bran.

I wouldn't even say he is bad. He has his place on Bran's list. Skald who usually discards him got the buff. So, he indirectly got the buff. Anything more for a 4P card would be too much. Any thinning tempo card has nearly 2x provision penalty (Morkvarg, Aerline). But, why did SK even need that much buff? Isn't the overall balance update planned because of SK? SirPumpkn even joked that "Skellige; the faction because of which this update was necessary" when he was going through the list of changes.

 

[BrokeCiri]

Y
I wouldn't even say he is bad. He has his place on Bran's list.

Have you tried bricking or playing Tuirseach Skirmisher from hand? Feels terrible. At least Neophyte doesn't brick and plays for 4:4 with two bodies on board.