Update 6.1 Patch Notes

[Burza46]

Update 6.1 is coming and packs a lot of awesome stuff, including 6 new leader abilities, a new keyword: Initiative, and multiple balance changes! Full list can be found below!

Changes

• From now on the most progressed daily quest will be expanded by default on mobile Welcome Screen.
• Numerous bug fixes for Ornament Selection
• Spare cards will now be milled after entering Deck Builder. Cards that can be transmuted won't be milled.
• Coinflip: inviting player will always go first in friend matches.
• Leader ability can now be activated by drag and drop or double tap
• Your deck and the graveyard can now be opened by tap and hold or double tap
• Android: vibration is toned-down and set to off by default.
• Android: the game will now allow downloading missing files over cellular connection.

New Features

• Six new leader abilities added to the game - one per faction (details below).
• New audio-visuals when shield and poison status is applied.
• Card Tooltip have been improved - dynamic values for Hoard/Tribute.
• Social media channels are now available in the Main Menu.

Neutral

• New Keyword: initiative - trigger ability if using this card is the first action during your turn.
• Geralt: Igni ability changed to:
• Deploy, Initiative: destroy the highest power unit(s) on an enemy row with a total of 20 or more power. Geralt: Igni provision changed from 11 to 10.
• Scorch ability changed to: destroy the highest power unit. Initiative: destroy all highest power units instead. Scorch provision changed from 13 to 12.

Developer comment: Scorch and Geralt: Igni are both really important cards to have in the game, as their mere existence makes players think twice before committing to the most optimal plays that would leave them vulnerable to either. We very much like the impact on the metagame they have, but lately, it has been increasingly difficult to play around both of them. By saving couple of order effects, players could effectively remove their opponent's agency over playing into or around those punishing effects.

Following a community's suggestion, we have decided to limit those powerful effects to the first action you take in any given turn. If your opponent plays recklessly, there is no change. If you have means to align their units to be more vulnerable to those cards, the opponent will have at least one turn to respond before being pushed out of the round with fire. This should promote an interaction between the players, bluffing and exciting back and forth, instead of total blowouts that were hard or impossible to play around due to the reach.

• Hanmarvyn's Blue Dream ability changed to: play a unit from your opponent's graveyard with provision cost 9 or less and give it Doomed. Hanmarvyn's Blue Dream provision changed from 13 to 12.
• Renew ability changed to: play a unit from your graveyard with provision cost 9 or less and give it Doomed. Renew provision changed from 14 to 12.

Developer comment: Renew and Hanmarvyn's Blue Dream are very difficult cards to balance as the only way to do so was not making powerful gold units. We have introduced a provision cap for their effects so the cards themselves can become more predictable, which lets us interact more with their provision cost. The numbers might have to be tweaked again in the near future, but we believe this is a much healthier direction for those cards.

• Chironex provision changed from 9 to 8.
• Garrison provision changed from 11 to 10.
• Germain Piquant power changed from 4 to 5.
• Golden Froth provision changed from 5 to 4.
• Unicorn provision changed from 9 to 8.

Developer comment: Some Neutral cards require a small point adjustment to keep up with all the changes that keep happening all around them.

Monsters

• New leader ability: Overwhelming Hunger: Order: Destroy an allied unit, then Spawn an Ekimmara in its row and boost it by destroyed unit's power. Charge: 3. This ability adds 13 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Alpha Werewolf power changed from 4 to 5.

Developer comment: Alpha Werewolf has followed his New Year's resolution and hit the gym, so his power has gone up a bit.

• Old Speartip provision changed from 14 to 13.

Developer comment: Old Speartip has followed his New Year's resolution and lost some weight, so he should be easier to fit in your deck now.

Skellige

• New leader ability: Blaze of Glory: Order: move a Skellige unit from your deck to your graveyard, then damage an enemy unit by its power. This ability adds 15 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Cerys an Craite ability changed to: Deploy (Melee): spawn a Drummond Shieldmaiden in this row. Deploy (Ranged): spawn a Drummond Queensguard in this row.

Developer comment: Cerys now does not require you to keep either of the cards that she summons to her aid in the deck. This change should make her much more powerful and a little less brickable tempo play.

• Crow Clan Preacher ability changed to: whenever you play an Alchemy card, boost self by 1. Bonded: boost self by 2 instead.

Developer comment: Previous Bonded ability did not make much of a difference in how you played with Crow Clan Preacher, or against it. With this change playing with the Bonded part of the ability should be much more rewarding and denying it, much more important.

• Dracoturtle ability changed to: whenever Dracoturtle loses Armor, boost it by the amount of Armor lost. Barricade: at the end of your turn, gain 1 Armor. Dracoturtle power changed from 6 to 5. Dracoturtle armor changed from 6 to 5. Dracoturtle provision changed from 11 to 10.

Developer comment: Now Dracoturtle will continuously regenerate it's shell unless it's stripped off completely. Change to power matches the lowered provision cost and it's initial Armor value will be the same at the end of the turn. This extra ability should make it easier to use the turtle in longer rounds when it can either supply Armor indefinitely or set up huge swings when left undisturbed.

• Drummond Shieldmaiden ability changed to: whenever this unit takes damage, Summon all copies of it from your deck to this row.

Developer comment: Shieldmaiden's effect was changed to be consistent with other similar effects.

• An Craite Warcrier power changed from 3 to 4.
• Bear Abomination power changed from 5 to 6.

Developer comment: Change to Bear Abomination token makes a couple of less used Skellige cards and Leader Ability more powerful. It should help the Svalblod cult catch up to the rest of Skellige faction.

• Heymaey Skald provision changed from 5 to 4.
• Vabjorn power changed from 5 to 6.

Developer comment: Those tiny tweaks should bring the cards closer to their more competitive counterparts.

Northern Realms

• New leader ability: Uprising - Order: boost an allied unit by 1. Charge: 4. Once all Charges are used up, Spawn and play Lyrian Scytheman. This ability adds 14 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Reynard Odo ability changed to: Deploy: Boost adjacent units by 1. Whenever you play a unit, boost it by 1.

Developer comment: Reynard was one of many high-end Northern Realms engines that was both locked to a row and at its best when played first in the round, which usually meant that if opponent had any answers, he would be an easy target. This change should make him harder to answer and also make the decision when to play him during the round a bit more open ended.

• Cintrian Envoy power changed from 3 to 4.
• Cintrian Royal Guard power changed from 4 to 5.

Developer comment: With this tiny bump, the Guards should be closer to the value you'd expect for 5 Provisions even if you did not draw well enough for them to take over the round.

• Donimir of Troy power changed from 6 to 7.

Developer comment: Purifying Donimir's Defender status also gets rid of his Shield. We have adjusted his base power so he can at least trade even on points if he gets answered with new Caretaker.

Scoia'tael

• New leader ability: Mahakam Forge - Order: spawn and play Tempering. All Dwarfs in your starting deck get 1 Armor. This ability adds 15 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Miner ability changed to: Order: boost an allied unit by 2. If it's a Dwarf, also give it 2 Armor. Miner power changed from 3 to 5. Miner provision changed from 5 to 4.
• Paulie Dahlberg ability changed to: Deploy (Melee): move an allied unit to other row. Deploy (Ranged): give an allied unit 2 Armor. Paulie Dahlberg provision changed from 8 to 6.
• Pyrotechnician ability changed to: Order: damage a random enemy unit and self by 4. Pyrotechnician power changed from 3 to 4.
• Sheldon Skaggs ability changed to: Deploy (Melee): damage an enemy unit by the amount Sheldon is boosted. Sheldon Skaggs power changed from 3 to 6. Sheldon Skaggs provision changed from 9 to 8.

Developer comment: Making Sheldon damage units based only on how much he is boosted and not his total power makes it easier for him to have a stable point floor, without fundamentally changing how the card operates. It also makes it easier to tweak his numbers, so he will enjoy a small provision buff.

• Xavier Moran ability changed to: Melee: whenever you play a Dwarf, gain 1 Armor. Barricade: at the end of your turn, boost self by 1. Xavier Moran power changed from 4 to 5. Xavier Moran provision changed from 9 to 7.
• Yarpen Zigrin ability changed to: Deploy: damage an enemy unit by 3. Barricade: at the end of your turn, lose Armor and boost self by that much. Yarpen Zigrin power changed from 3 to 5. Yarpen Zigrin provision changed from 8 to 9.
• Zoltan ability changed to: Resilience. Deploy: boost adjacent Dwarfs by 2. Zoltan provision changed from 9 to 10. Zoltan armor changed from 0 to 4.
• Dwarven Mercenary ability changed to: Deploy: damage self by 1 for each non Dwarf unit in your hand. Dwarven Mercenary power changed from 3 to 7.
• Dwarf Berserker power changed from 2 to 3. Dwarf Berserker provision changed from 4 to 5.
• Munro Bruys power changed from 7 to 6. Munro Bruys provisions changed from 11 to 12.

Developer comment: Dwarves started in Homecoming as one of the Scoia'tel tribes, sporting a lot of utility for the faction and spread out over multiple archetypes. Over time they have became more and more of their own camp, playing more defensively than offensively. This bunch of changes is meant to re-introduce couple of Dwarves back to their own archetype, with emphasis on Armor, boosting and sticking to the board.

• Isengrim power changed from 6 to 4.

Developer comment: Isengrim is both a finisher and an engine in one. Lack of apparent weaknesses combined with how much easier we have made to get Elves on the board fast has made it necessary to lower his base power, both to make it harder for him to completely overpower opponents with points and make him more vulnerable when played earlier to become an engine.

• Ele'yas ability changed to: Deploy: destroy an allied unit, then Spawn 2 Elven Deadeyes in this row. Ele'yas power changed from 5 to 6.

Developer comment: Ele'yas has fallen quite a bit behind due to his nature as a finisher you want to play after your finisher, that is additionally quite disruptable. We have changed him to match more with current identity of Elves and left buffing his kin to Isengrim.

Nilfgaard

• New leader ability: Imposter - Order: lock an enemy unit, then spawn its base copy in the opposite row and boost it by 2. This ability adds 13 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Damien de la Tour ability changed to: Order (Melee): re-enable your Leader's ability.

Developer comment: Damien De La Tour and Stefan Skellen are now locked to the opposite rows. This change will make playing a Defender more of a choice and give the opponent another way to interact with their powerful abilities.

• Stefan Skellen ability changed to: Order (Ranged): spawn and play a copy of the last Tactic card you played this round.

Syndicate

• New leader ability: Hidden Cache - Order: Gain 3 Coins. On round start, refresh this ability. Your Hoards require 3 less Coins to trigger. This ability adds 15 provisions to your deck's provision limit.
• Salamandra Assassin ability changed to: Intimidate. Order (Ranged): damage an enemy unit with a Bounty by 2.
• Payroll Specialist ability changed to: Intimidate. Tribute 2: move a unit to the other row. Payroll Specialist power changed from 3 to 5.

Developer comment: Changes to both Salamandra Assassin and Payroll Specialist are meant to make them more of engines for Intimidate with extra tools than cards that happen to have Intimidate.

• Keeper of the Flame power changed from 3 to 4.

Developer comment: We are rising the value floor for Keeper so it's easier for him to keep up with the other 5 provision options even if you could not create the best case scenario for him.

• Sir Skewertooth provision changed from 8 to 7. Sir Skewertooth armor changed from 0 to 1. Sir Skewertooth Tribute changed from 4 to 3.

Developer comment: Sir Skewertooth had a hard time keeping up with similar engines because it's condition is a little trickier to play with. It should feel a lot more competitive with it's Armor and lower provisions. We have also adjusted the tribute cost so situations in which you have to play your crimes before Sir Skewertooth happen less often.

• Tatterwing provision changed from 8 to 7.

Developer comment: Tatterwing's unique ability is hard to utilize for big values so its cost is going down.

Game Fixes

• Fixed broken currency symbols in the shop
• Fix an issue with assimilate not triggering properly for cards on Playstack after cancelling and playing them again
• Fixed an issue whereby Yghern did not destroy itself upon having its armor removed by cards such as Iris: Shade or Sappers

 

[ReaperTek]

Developer comment: Renew and Hanmarvyn's Blue Dream are very difficult cards to balance as the only way to do so was not making powerful gold units. We have introduced a provision cap for their effects so the cards themselves can become more predictable, which lets us interact more with their provision cost. The numbers might have to be tweaked again in the near future, but we believe this is a much healthier direction for those cards.

Can't you add a provision limit to Bribery too?

 

[rrc]

#JusticeForHattori When? 6 Provisions, 3 Power, Order: Play a bronze artifact from graveyard. Officially, now Hattori is the worst pathetic horrible card in the entire game (ever existed). May be he being shown in the main menu is enough for him? The only place anyone can ever see him? Seriously, I am very disappointed that he was not changed.

Rest of the changes look good. With so much buff to SK, I think SK will become top tier most oppressive faction again. Changes to NG is welcome, but bribery change would have been nice. We will need to wait and see how things go.

[Food for thought: Dwarven Agitators were like 4 for 4 with a condition that if they boost Sheldon - that is, if you had drawn both-he could be considered as 6 for 4. But now, he is just plain 4 for 4, putting 2 points on board. So, may be Hattori is for Gold what Agitators are for Bronze? #PieceOfCrapCardsInEntireGame. BTW who is going to boost Sheldon? Agitators PoS?]

 

[DRK3]

I'll insert here what i wrote on the stream thread, since people are more likely to comment on the changes here, for those that didnt follow the stream.
Also, props for sharing the developer commentary on these changes.

- First of all... WTF is that with Cerys? I guess that must have been the day's day joke in the stream, even Slama and Burza gave hints they realized how freakin OP that was, but laughed it off. Instant 15pts with just 1 ping of Svalblod's, divided on 4 bodies and with 2 card thinning?
I really like Cerys, it was one of my favourite cards on betas, but i dont want to see her super broken, everyone using it and everyone else hating it. Why not prevent this type of shitstorms before they happen?

- The changes to ST will put the final nail on Handbuff and Traps archetypes. Fortunately Isengrim got a much needed nerf, but i think Elves will still be really good, just not used much in the first few days because everyone is using the dwarves.

- The change of Damien and Skellen into row locked units was brilliant, and i had never seen them suggested before. Since these are two of the most hated cards of the past 4 months, im expecting everyone will be teching at least one movement unit.

- In SY, some changes seemed a bit off, like that salamandra bronze and the movement bronze. And where the HELL is the nerf to Luiza+Savolla? It is probably the most OP combo in the game right now, and like 50% of why SY is top dog in the current meta.

P.S.- did i get this right - the new leader abilities wont have mastery (100 wins) contracts right away? So everyone will be using them but those wins wont count until a simple contract (that only requires naming as an effort) is added?

 

[Pacifixer]

I'm mildly optimistic about this update

MO - disappointing, i expected some nerfs to Yghern, Larva and ARush.
SK - over the top, i'm getting major "IJ on release dwarves" vibe.
NR - don't buff defenders omg.
ST - looks good, we'll see.
NG - FINALY!
SY - i hope it works, i wan to play more than one SY deck.

Officially, now Hattori is the worst pathetic horrible card in the entire game (ever existed).

Two words: White Frost
But yeah, Hattori sucks.

 

[InkognitoXI]

#JusticeForHattori When? 6 Provisions, 3 Power, Order: Play a bronze artifact from graveyard. Officially, now Hattori is the worst pathetic horrible card in the entire game (ever existed). [...]

No, that title goes to the current form of Epidemic.
If the opponent is drunk and does not know what they are doing Hattori could revive a Thunderbolt and be a 9 for 6.
Epidemic is just an insult to one's eyes and unworthy of wasting space in the deckbuilder.

Renew and Blue Dream should honestly go to 10 provisions, I understand why they are hesitant, however as they currently are they were not played and now even less so.

 

[Bleach25]

Honestly hoped Nilfgaard would get some reworks and buffa where due. Sadly it didn't happen, they Just nerfed the Tier 2 faction.

Dwarves and Cintran Guards have potential, I'll try them for sure

Also Skellige getting buffed Is just bad. Most people dislike Nilfgaard, but I think that Skellige takes the cake as the most annoying faction

 

[ReaperTek]

P.S.- did i get this right - the new leader abilities wont have mastery (100 wins) contracts right away? So everyone will be using them but those wins wont count until a simple contract (that only requires naming as an effort) is added?

I think Slama already said in the Merchents of Novigrad Stream that they will add the contracts later.

No, that title goes to the current form of Epidemic.
If the opponent is drunk and does not know what they are doing Hattori could revive a Thunderbolt and be a 9 for 6.
Epidemic is just an insult to one's eyes and unworthy of wasting space in the deckbuilder.

Let's don't forget the Witcher Trio

Renew and Blue Dream should honestly go to 10 provisions, I understand why they are hesitant, however as they currently are they were not played and now even less so.

I understand why they did it they probably want to avoid something like old Caretaker when they add new powerful Gold Units, but it makes both Cards kind of useless, in renew's case you can at least still plan which Card you want to renew but getting decent targets for Hanmarvyn's will be very hard

 

[cubelith]

One simple thing: please give us back Yarpen's ability. It was really unique and cool to play with (I used it in Traps), I'd hate to lose it completely. I'm overjoyed to see Dwarves get some resilience back though!

Also improving Hattori wouldn't hurt... Also maybe adding some new trap? For example let's have "Boost the next unit you play by 3 and give it 3 armor (before it's Deploy)", as it fits multiple archetypes at once

 

[Qzman]

I expected Second wind would get at least a minor nerf as it's one of few most cancerous abilities but oh well...

 

[TigersEye120]

#JusticeForHattori Officially, now Hattori is the worst pathetic horrible card in the entire game (ever existed).

My vote goes to Wyvern Scale Shield.

Renew and Hanmarvyn's Blue Dream are very difficult cards to balance as the only way to do so was not making powerful gold units.

Why not just have powerful gold units you can play twice? As long as the units are balanced in terms of their provisions and can be countered, I don't see a problem.

But if you are limiting these cards to revive 9 provision units, why not make them 9 provision cards in return? I don't see why the mere act of playing a card from the graveyard should justify any additional provision cost.

 

[Lantea]

"Social media channels are now available in the Main Menu. "
Really hate this for the PC version of Gwent, makes it look like a cheap mobile game.

Did not notice any powder change in the notes, does that mean powder is staying the same for now?

 

[DRK3]

I forgot to comment on the Renew and Blue Dream change on my previous comment. It really is one of the dumbest changes this patch.

They were both barely played. Now even less, with the provision cap at 9pts.

Most of the cards you want to replay are 10-11provisions. I remember using Renew to replay Geralt Ignis and Yrdens, mostly on seasonals, but what cards could warrant a 12prov cost? Maybe current Isengrim, considering how broken he is, but if that wasnt used before, it wont be used after patch.

 

[ReaperTek]

Did not notice any powder change in the notes, does that mean powder is staying the same for now?

They said they post a info about powder changes (tomorrow?) and that we have 2 weeks to react before the changes are going live.

 

[FG15-ISH7EG]

I forgot to comment on the Renew and Blue Dream change on my previous comment. It really is one of the dumbest changes this patch.

They were both barely played. Now even less, with the provision cap at 9pts.

Most of the cards you want to replay are 10-11provisions. I remember using Renew to replay Geralt Ignis and Yrdens, mostly on seasonals, but what cards could warrant a 12prov cost? Maybe current Isengrim, considering how broken he is, but if that wasnt used before, it wont be used after patch.

Being able to replay a gold card should be at least worth 1 provision. Add to that the chance to choose which card from the graveyard makes it probably +1 more provision. Might not guarantee 12 provs, but I would argue that 11 is a price that doesn't seems that off.
Concerning possible targets, defenders would be definetly possible. We know how strong it is to replay a defender. And at least for NR there are some other great targets. Dandelion, Priscilla, Vysgota, Reynard, Foltest Pride, Black Rayla, Shani. All of them are 8 or 9 provision engines, which can a lot more value than their provision costs if they stick to the board and are therefore often removed quite quickly. In this case it can be worth to replay them, in particular if the enemy doesn't have much control and might not counter them twice.

Blue Dream should be a bit cheaper than Renew. But not too cheap or it would become an autoinclude in Assimilate decks.

And if their provision is reduced a bit, I'm pretty sure they will both see more play than before.

 

[AMANiac21]

The only thing I hate about this patch is the fact that they took away harmony from dwarves. The number of cards with Harmony is now too low and most of them are dryads.
We can have 5 dryads, 2 elves, 2 beasts, 1 gnome and 1 treant. No harmony for Humans, dwarves, dragons and machines. I wish they'd increased the provision cost on miner and left harmony in there. If they had to remove harmony, maybe try reworking Sirissa which is a crap card for what it costs and instead give harmony to a dwarf gold card instead.

Another card that'll need a nerf in the near future would be the payroll specialist. It is now cheaper than Malena, has more power than Malena, and you can have two of them in your deck, so that's just not the right balance in tradeoff. The row movement cards can be devastating given how many units are row locked and for 5 provisions and bronze value, that's too OP of a card now.

 

[GammaOmegon]

Hey....just confirming.

This is not an IN-season April Fool's joke right?
(I mean, Stefan and Damien are being row locked! Yay!)

 

[AMANiac21]

Hey....just confirming.

This is not an IN-season April Fool's joke right?
(I mean, Stefan and Damien are being row locked! Yay!)

They all sound realistic changes. The row-lock is a great solution to help counter NG hiding behind defenders. The one other thing that they changed on Damien was that previously it would unlock leader ability if it was locked. Has that also been removed? Its not clear

 

[LightMidnight]

The entire set of Scoia'tael buffs must be rolled back. This is beyond absurd.

 

[WW0805]

I'm very new to this game, however, am I understanding this correctly? In an effort to prevent defender from protecting both Stefan and Damien together both cards are now vulnerable to any bronze card that can move them to another row (drowner)? If so, I think that may make those cards far too easy to counter. Just one novice's opinion.