To start this thread I want to first say, that this isn't the place to discuss the number of rows. Instead this thread should only focus on the question how much rows do matter in Homecoming and discuss suggestions to improve this.
With Homecoming placing units on rows was supposed to matter more and with row-dependent abilities and reach two mechanics were added to support this, even if only a small percentage of cards has such effects.
And in my opinion there definetly was some kind of impact that came from these changes. In most games that I experienced, players choose to play cards on the ranged row to protect them at least a bit from Reach abilities. At the other hand the huge downside of this is that there is hardly any reason to place cards without reach on the melee row, as long as the ranged row isn't too full. And that is something that should be improved for sure.
Therefore I'd like to suggest giving a lot of units higher reward abilities for being played on the melee row. I'd suggest doing this inparticular for low provision units as those are the ones that else will be mulliganed anyway if there isn't a play that generates more value:
With Homecoming placing units on rows was supposed to matter more and with row-dependent abilities and reach two mechanics were added to support this, even if only a small percentage of cards has such effects.
And in my opinion there definetly was some kind of impact that came from these changes. In most games that I experienced, players choose to play cards on the ranged row to protect them at least a bit from Reach abilities. At the other hand the huge downside of this is that there is hardly any reason to place cards without reach on the melee row, as long as the ranged row isn't too full. And that is something that should be improved for sure.
Therefore I'd like to suggest giving a lot of units higher reward abilities for being played on the melee row. I'd suggest doing this inparticular for low provision units as those are the ones that else will be mulliganed anyway if there isn't a play that generates more value:
Peasant Militia: Melee: Boost self and adjacent units by 1. Ranged: Boost an ally by 2.
If you place the unit on the safe ranged row there is not much difference, but if you take the risk of placing two more units on the melee row already, you get 1 more point out of the unit.
Lyrian Cavalry: Whenever you play a unit with Order, boost self by 1. Melee: Boost all other Lyrian Cavalry on the board, deck or hand by 1.
The player gets rewarded for playing the Lyrian Cavalry less safe by making all other safer. Also if both are played on the melee row in the same turn, it gives both a nice bonus, in contrast to the current version where it is really bad to play both in the same round.
Heymaye Protector: Whenever an adjacent unit takes damage, boost selfby 1. Melee: If this card is placed next to a dmaged unit boost self by 1.
With this change you can place the card one round later on the melee row without loosing value and being safer.
Heymaye Herbalist: Melee: Every turn on turn end, heal all other allied units on this row by 1. Ranged: Heal an ally by 2 then boost it by 2.
Playing Herbalist on the melee row should be a powerful move and requires the enemy to interupt the Herbalist, which shouldn't be that difficult with a base strength of 2.
Kaedweni Seargent: Order: Boost an ally on this row by 1. Charge: 3. Melee: Gain Zeal
On the ranged row the Seargent is a lot safer such that he is more likely to stay alife until the next turn and doesn't need Zeal that much. On the melee row he is a lot easier to remove and therefore gains Zeal such that he is able to support other units on this row immediantly.
Ice Troll: Every turn on turn end, if you have less units than your opponent, boost self by 1. Melee: If this unit is the highest unit on the board boost by 1.
Compared to other units that are able to generate points every turn the Ice Troll isn't that good in my opinion. In particular as he is a card that has no effect in the first turn elsewise.
Concerning Reach, I'd suggest giving basically all bronze cards that target enemies and don't have any reach yet, Reach 2.
So far, for most artifact that I have seen, the positioning didn't matter at all, because they neither had any reach or row limit, nor is there any row restriction for artifact removal cards. Therefore I'd suggest adding some restrictions to artifacts that affect either the players or the enemies positioning, such that there are other ways except artifact removal to play around those:Mastercrafted Spear: Zeal. Order: Damage a unit on the melee row by one. If the enemy doesn't have any units on the melee row, damage a unit on the ranged row instead. Cooldown: 1
The damage output stays the same, but the enemy can protect his units on the ranged row by playing units on the melee row.
Wyvern Scale Shield: Zeal. Order: Boost a unit at the end of a row by 1. Cooldown: 1
Now the player using the Shield has to plan beforehand which units he wants to boost and where he wants to play them. Also the enemy can interact with the shield by moving units around or targeting units at the end of a row.
Incinerating Trap: Restrict the ability to the opposite row.
This allows the enemy to avoid that row on purpose if he thinks that there is an incinerating trap. Moreover that works great with crushing trap, because it forces the enemy to play cards only on one row.
Thunderbolt: The ability should only affect units on the same row.
Sihil: The Order damage should only be increased, if an enemy on the opposite row is destroyed. Sihil can nonetheless still target any enemy.
What do you think about these suggestions? Which units should also get more row specific effects?
