Syndicate keyword "insanity" ignores armor

[Hegulaattori]

Hi!

Question: When giving armor to a unit with insanity, and using the ability without coins, the insanity damage ignores armor and goes straight to the card strength (wounding the card). Is this intended or not?

Long story: So I was trying to make an armored Syndicate deck, when I realized that it would be awesome to give cards like Whoreson's freak show and bloody good friends armor which they can use to control the board. Do my dismay both abilities ignored the armor and just wounded the unit itself. Maybe this interaction needs to be fixed or the insanity keyword reworded to: "If you have no coins, damage this units strength value (ignoring armor) etc." It is true that many armor cards get more value if that armor is turned into random pings or bleeding. But does anyone even play Wagenburgs, Armories, and Armorer's workshop at their current values?

 

[Rattenkopf]

I think it works fine since Insanity clearly points out "Damage this Unit..." which would not happen, if only armor is deducted (=not damaging the unit)
There are plenty of uses for armor generating units, but you are right - their purpose is not significant for now, unless you play 2 copies (of e.g. Wagenburg) in a round which might form interesting outcomes (depending on your cards and your opponents cards)
Let`s see what the future brings

 

[BartonFink]

Hi!

does anyone even play Wagenburgs, Armories, and Armorer's workshop at their current values?

Before I quit playing Nor because I kept getting hammered once I reached about Rank 19, I'd play Wagenburgs. That has great synergy with that 10 power unit which is only armour! But before I had that card, I used these armour applying units to provide protection for my units. Then again, I'm not a great GWENT player though!

 

[Raziel_888]

I noticed the same trying to give Igor armor. I don't believe it's working as intended OR the phrasing should be changed to 'sacrifice/pay x life'. If you write 'damage the unit by x', armor should absorb damages. Shield also prevents the effect, as Sukrus does. Although I'm glad Sukrus does otherwise it gets out of control.

Shield and Sukrus can be understandable since both clearly 'prevent damage' so you could argue the damage is not taken, but armor 'absorbs x point of damage'. It would also give insanity some boost.
But then it's the greater brother that would need to be rephrased

 

[Hegulaattori]

Thanks for the answers! Here are my comments on the discussion:

I think it works fine since Insanity clearly points out "Damage this Unit..." which would not happen, if only armor is deducted (=not damaging the unit)

This made me test units from another faction, skellige. Cards like Heymay spearmaiden, Tuirseach veteran and Dimun light longship use the armor they have been given from Ironfalcon trubadur and other cards. It seems insanity is just a special case in case of damaging, which is fine as a mechanic.

Before I quit playing Nor because I kept hammered once I reached about Rank 19, I'd play Wagenburgs.

This is also my card with most success, although I would play Mantlet in a lot more decks.

I noticed the same trying to give Igor armor. I don't believe it's working as intended OR the phrasing should be changed to 'sacrifice/pay x life'.
But then it's the greater brother that would need to be rephrased

Yeah the phrasing is a bit off. Although we would not have cards like Greater brothers if the mechanic would not be there : )

All in all, if we wish the game to be consistent on cards that do damage (to self or others) insanity should be rephrased. 'Cause after this I do not believe that the Insanity ignoring armor is a bug, more like worded strangely.

 

[BartonFink]

Thanks for the answers! Here are my comments on the discussion:


This is also my card with most success, although I would play Mantlet in a lot more decks.

So what faction are you playing currently? When I reached Rank 19 I just kept getting constantly hammered by other factions playing as Nor or Mon or Nil. Syn seemed one of those decks which would beat me a lot too. For whatever reason, once I reached Rank 16, I've been winning more games now, but the decks I'm playing don't seem as strong as the ones I kept getting beforehand.

I noticed that there's been some sort of update to the game today. My Nil deck and others were disabled due to some changes made by the game. Not sure how people are viewing those changes. Your Syn deck affected if you play that?

 

[Draconifors]

Update 5.1 confirms that this is intended behaviour, and Insanity's in-game tooltip now states it as well.