Furthermore, you talk about the Unicorn combo, but that's not limited to Skellige. And the combo isn't even particularly more synergistic or stronger in Skellige.
4RM3D, if you think a little deep, you can understand your statement is false. UnicornChiro combo is not limited to SK, but you know what? ONLY the SK can guarantee that they can always get 20 points out of them. Every single time. That gives them incredible (and unfair) advantage. If you deny that, I can't argue anymore.
Skellige's ability to thin a deck to zero cards. This by itself is not enough to win games
(&Later in another post):
But the remainder of the Skellige cards aren't particularly strong, which means that thinning to zero isn't that big of a deal
Again Dear 4RM3D, you are missing a key point. They just don't thin to 0 with no other synergies. They have that Skirmisher, An Crait Warrior, Morgvag, Cerys, Jutta (with summon). That is 7 cards that benefit from Discarding, giving incredible tempo that can't simply be matched by other factions (except the Big MO).
If none of the above cards exist, then I agree, thinning is not that strong as they lay down low points. Also they can have the An Craite Marauder (who by the way keeps thanking God every second 24X7X365 because he was NOT in ST) which is easy 6 points with 4 point removal. And heck, if they can't use him (going first), they can always do what? Yes, discard him. Super convenient, right?
Let's take an example: Skald discarding Morgvag. He generates 9 points. Now tell me which 5 provision bronze card can do that without any setup or any condition on board? Now you can't argue that 'what if the opponent doesn't draw them both?'. Right? That is the argument for any broken card in the game. 'What if they don't draw the cards that synergizes with it? It is a waste, right?' But that argument doesn't apply to SK.
Another example: SK can always include Bekker's Mirror. It is an 18 point card (for Eyst in a single turn). Play Jutta from GY and do Bekker's Mirror. Every single time I faced Eyst that is the last play. Every single time. How the hell is it is not a problem? All your argument of thinning to 0 is not a problem or not strong is wrong. There are so many cards which synergizes with discard that they are never the points they are meant to be (either immediately) or for later.
I wonder if this is the blind eye CDPR also has about discard. They simply don't realize it. Probably there are few frustrated developer or tester goes and says 'come on guys. Lets fix this Discard' and others (who secretly love SK) say 'None of the discard cards are strong. Thinning to 0 is not strong. You see Derren is 8 provisions and 4 point on board. All is fine.' Then the other persons think 'When was Derren just 4 points card? You know what? Screwit. They are not going to do anything. Let me go and do my job'. May be.
Another argument people give is: 'Just tech against them' So, Big MO and SK can play their game, come with a plan (or manual) and just execute it step by step and win most of the times, while every other factions should tech against them? I want to play an Elf or Dwarf deck, but I have to add Yarden or Regis just to tech against them? How is that fair to others?
This is the thought process when I try to build a deck:
1) I have to add W3
2) I have to have at least one lock
3) I have to have at least one artifact removal
4) I have to have Yarden or Regis to counter MO and SK (and after a few games realises that with the [Nope]ing tempo they generate in R1, I can't have the last say and those cards are not winning me games. In games I can go last, I already don't need them. What do I do now? Remove them or keep them?
5) Screw this. Just play with your present deck for dailies.
While probably an SK deck builder goes and does this (I never built an SK deck, but I am pretty sure this is their thought process)
Irrespective of the leaders
1) Add Derren, Birna, Skald, Skirmishers, Morgvag, Cerys
2) Add Unicorn/Chiro
3) Add Marauder. If I can't go first, I can discard him (and does an evil laugh)
4)
If Eyst, add Jutta and Bekker for winning and some fillers
If Crach, add couple of Spears and Bloodthirst units
If Bran, add beasts and beastmaster
If Herald, add Two Blades, GS and some fillers
5) Back and Play Ranked
There is another argument. Its a Tier 1, let it be. Eithne was a Tier 1, what happened to her? Reveal was Tier 1, what happened to it? Wasn't Discard meant to be Bran's archetype? When did you last see Bran? All we see is Eyst and Crach using Discard. Come one 4RM3D.. don't say none of their other cards are strong. It simply isn't true. They simply don't want to make any other combo because this is just super convenient, super easy, super strong and super consistent all because of these discard cards.
I rest my case. If anyone can't see how and why Discard is broken and they truly believe that it is not strong, there is nothing more I or anyone can say.