Turn Dijkstra into a counter-espionage card

[EmperorZorn]

Turn Dijkstra into a counter-espionage card

I've read that a lot of users were disappointed with how the Dijkstra card had (d)evolved during the beta,
and with Nilfgaardian spy decks becoming more and more popular I'd suggest to add some counter-espionage
mechanic to cards like Dijkstra instead.

What do you all think about that ?

I'm not very good at balancing, but I'd suggest playing Dijkstra to destroy all spy cards on your side (you'd lose their points of course),
and gain strength or another bonus based on the number of cards destroyed.

The idea is to prevent Nilfgaard from withdrawing the spies to their side.

Of course I'm certain there are better ways to make Dijkstra useful against spies,
but I wanted to get this discussion started somehow ~

 

[SkippyHole]

Revert him back to how he was. It was a great mechanic, just needed a bit of a buff (turning your cards away from gold needs a good upside).

 

[Archpriest]

Revert him back to how he was. It was a great mechanic, just needed a bit of a buff (turning your cards away from gold needs a good upside).

A bit of a buff? You mean NR isn't buffed enough at the moment?

 

[EmperorZorn]

A bit of a buff? You mean NR isn't buffed enough at the moment?

You are right ~
But I think he was talking specifically about the Dijkstra card, which could use a buff of some sort to become viable again.

 

[Archpriest]

You are right ~
But I think he was talking specifically about the Dijkstra card, which could use a buff of some sort to become viable again.

Dijkstra became a very strong and interesting card.

 

[4RM3D]

EmperorZorn Because spies is mostly a NG thing, it would be weird for NR to have a specific counter for it. Imagine Morenn in a non-ST deck.

Anyhow, the new Dijkstra is pretty interesting. I like him more than the old one.

 

[Lexandre]

having -1 gold card for NR is a serious set back imo and the reason why Philippa never made it back into any NR deck while she was still a spy once the strategies evolved and people started building smarter decks

in his current state Dijkstra wouldnt be played even if he was a loyal 1 strength card I believe

 

[frbfree]

having -1 gold card for NR is a serious set back imo and the reason why Philippa never made it back into any NR deck while she was still a spy once the strategies evolved and people started building smarter decks

in his current state Dijkstra wouldnt be played even if he was a loyal 1 strength card I believe

Uhhh...I run Dijkstra with great success. Dijkstra is an amazing card. He automatically doubles your chances of pulling Shani, or as I prefer him, Dijkstra -> Philippa -> Promote in a Henselt deck. He's way better than he used to be, and the way he used to be was often dependent on RNR.

 

[TV_JayArr]

[...]
I'd suggest to add some counter-espionage mechanic to cards like Dijkstra instead. [...]

I pretty much like that idea, it would perfectly fit to Dijkstra lore-wise and I think that mechanic would be intriguing. Although I think that Dijkstra is quite fine atm.
The issue I see with that idea is, that there would need to be a bigger surrounding for this. The amount of spies would need to grow significantly and Dijkstra couldn't be the only one with this ability balancing-wise.
I would love to see such a mechanic in the later stages of the game, with more cards added to provide the needed environment for counter-espionage-mechanic.

counter-espionage could be for instance:
-kill spies
-force spies to betray there side (turning them into your spies)
-weaken spies
-reveal & interrupt spies (prevent or weaken a spies effect - difference between gold/silver spies e.g.)
-reveal & lock spies (make them lose there spy-tag)
-gain information from spies through torture/investigation (make the opponent reveal cards gained from spies)

Just some ideas at short notice.

May contain spoilers!

Spoiler

Unfortunately i lost there names, but the investigator couple from the books, whom get killed(?;not quite sure anymore) by Bonhart, would fit into that mechanic. There should be some neutral ones for that mechanic anyways, because you can simply hire them.

 

[zantclick]

I would just like a card that can remove the "Spy token". What I mean to say is that a Prince Stennis or Cantarella on your side could then lose its Spy status, allowing you do interact with them as non-spies. Foltest for instance, could copy Bronze spies. You could use it on Letho to keep him on your side before your NG opponent has a chance to Treason... the only drawback with all this spy-countering is that it hurts NG the most and even after this last patch, it's not so overpowered as to require a demolishing.

Lorewise it would fit in with getting yourself caught while spying and being trapped behind enemy lines.

 

[Guest 3973540]

Dijkstra became a very strong and interesting card.

Well, how do you guys use him? What kind of decks, what other gold cards exactly?
I tried a dozen matches with him. Only once did he draw Triss-butterflies in the 1st round. He was a useless -1str (-3 against NR, -4 if Roach etc) a few times. His anti-record was -9 against a Henselt, I guess. And NR are not infrequent opponents now.

I liked the previous one a lot (esp. after the buff to +2 for each card). Very surprising to the opponent, high strength if comboed with Aeromancy.

I would just like a card that can remove the "Spy token".

Nice idea too. We can remove any token but this one.

Btw Succubus is another problematic card. Not only can it be locked for -7str, but it also turned out it makes the stolen unit to a spy, for the NG to steal back.

 

[frbfree]

Well, how do you guys use him? What kind of decks, what other gold cards exactly?

Dijkstra doesn't need a combo. Dijkstra is a spy like any other, with less power, that automatically draws a gold. Rather than Prince Stennis, who gives your opponent 12 and draws a random card, Dijkstra gives him 1 (or 3) and guarantees you a gold card you might not draw. He essentially doubles your chance of drawing another gold card. Especially useful if you need a Gigni in a hurry.

Dijkstra -> Philippa -> Promote = A bonus Gold for Marguerita or Towers, plus a 1 card thin.
Dijkstra -> Shani -> Marguerita = A second round of Adept spam.

In my Henselt Deck, I play Dijkstra, Shani, Philippa, and Yencon.
In my Foltest Deck, I play Dijkstra, Shani, Baron, and Yennifer.
In my Radovid Deck, I play Dijkstra, Shani, Yencon, and Gigni.

Also, as HenryGrosmont has already pointed out in other threads, Dijkstra would have been infinitely better (potentially game breaking) had they not nerfed Johnny.

 

[Guest 3973540]

In my Henselt Deck, I play Dijkstra, Shani, Philippa, and Yencon.

Thanks. I have only tried Henselt in the new patch. Why Yencon and not Unicorn Yennifer, if you don't mind the question? 2 golds and significant chances of either outspam (before PFI promote) or underspam (after promote) the opponent would suggest preference for the unicorns.

I wonder then what's wrong with my deck. I find it quite hard to get the power and the right draw with Henselt. Having to watch out for drawing correct gold cards looked too much for me.

 

[frbfree]

Thanks. I have only tried Henselt in the new patch. Why Yencon and not Unicorn Yennifer, if you don't mind the question? 2 golds and significant chances of either outspam (before PFI promote) or underspam (after promote) the opponent would suggest preference for the unicorns.

I wonder then what's wrong with my deck. I find it quite hard to get the power and the right draw with Henselt. Having to watch out for drawing correct gold cards looked too much for me.

YenCon serves one main purpose in my deck. And that's to bait my opponent into D-Shackling her before I play Marguerita, thus sparing me the effort of having to unshackle the big combo maker. But, if I got round one easy, and I have a decent hand for round three, I may drop YenCon on the opening play of Round 2, as a feint, or to force an opponent to waste 2 cards to take Round 2.