The point is that the tribute leader is already horrible and right now Fallen Rayla is a reason for even Tribute focused decks to turn their back on that leader ability.
I am not saying it is Invigoration yet, however what this card does is that Off the Books (relative to all other SY leader abilities) got a lot worse.
And if Tribute focused decks would not even use it, then which decks would ?
While I fully agree with your analysis, let's be realistic here - Rayla alone would not have helped this leader back to spotlight, ever. As she profits from the final 2 plays in your deck with she being the 3rd last (classic R3 play), this alone would never persuade me to invest into this leader, no matter if she would profit from the max value of tribute costs. As it was noted before, this card is best with high coin-generating abilities and the inclusion of a few Tribute finishers (Tinboy, Savolla, etc.).
My thoughts on the expansion so far (43/75 revealed cards).
Disclaimer: I am not a top tier player. I am a good player with about 8 months experience and still a very limited card pool. I always create my own decks with a creative twist (rather than netdecking). I generally do not craft cards -- I make do with those cards I have obtained through play. Hence, even the best decks I could create will be below meta quality. I dabble with all factions, having neither favorite nor unfavorite. I consider myself very objective.
Overall Impressions: I like the support for the witcher archetype, and I like the relatively large number of cards that feel unique with interesting and potentially impactful play. Adrenaline gives me mixed reactions. It adds some strategic complexity (especially in deck building) and has considerable balancing potential. On the other hand, it is one more tedious condition to keep track of. I do not like the inconsistencies between factions -- it seems like almost all the interesting cards have gone to SK and ST. NR has gotten good but boring cards. I will withhold judgment on MO and SY pending other card reveals, but especially SY does not look promising. NG got junk (again).
Neutral cards:
Witchers -- The witcher archetype support cards are very appropriate -- so far the best neutral cards.
Triangle -- OK, but I would expect more consistent performance at lower cost from Rockslide, Dark Mirror, or even Pact.
Meme Cards (Cosmo, Alzur) -- with high RNG cards like these, CDPR has certainly created interesting and fun looking cards to try. But there is a narrow window for such cards. If their average performance is not measurably less than the average performance of similar provision cards in well constructed decks, they make the game all about RNG. If their high-roll performance is not at least as good as similar provision cards, they become unusable. And if their high-roll performance is so good it auto wins rounds (or their low roll so bad it auto loses rounds, but this would be rare), again too much RNG is introduced. I think judgment is still out on these cards.
What I would like to see -- more solid but interesting basic bronzes that support all factions but support purely neutral archetypes.
Monsters:
Bronzes -- very nice, interesting, and balanced support for multiple archetypes -- exactly what I like to see in an expansion. Phooca has been criticized, but it is relatively cheap and could useful support for a thrive archetype in short rounds.
Insectoids -- heavily focused upon insectoid and spawn archetypes, pretty useless in other decks. Time will tell whether these cards can move insectoid spawn decks to high tier level.
What I would like to see -- support for vampire archetype, better control options for non-vampire archetypes, and more gold cards with interesting effects that work across archetypes.
Nilfgaard:
General Impression -- This expansion is disastrous for a faction that already lacks decent game play. Nilfgaard presently must rely on the game's most ruinous cards (Masquerade Ball, Yennefer's Invocation, Cahir, etc.) for very limited success. It's archetypes have virtually no cross synergies. Its bronzes, are often individually good, but are so narrow they work only in one archetype while being junk in other archetypes (with insufficient bronzes to support any single archetype). None of these issues are addressed. Instead, NG is given a new archetype that appears unable to be competitive and does not synergize with anything else; NG loses its unique hold on a witcher archetype, while its hope for making its witcher archetype viable is smashed by totally useless cards; and NG gets more trash bronze cards while other factions' bronze card pools improve.
Reverse Mill Archetype -- Gimmicky, unreliable, anti-synergistic, are the best adjectives I have to describe this. Let me expand by discussing individual cards.
Viper Witcher Adept -- The only decent NG card in the expansion so far. It has decent engine value, may help NG with blue coin play in almost any archetype except for mill.
Coated Weapon -- Simply horrible. One usually plays removal to eliminate dangerous engines. The last thing you want if for them to re-appear in the opponent's deck. The only way this is helpful is if you can play or steal that card, which defeats the purpose of anti-mill.
Viper Witcher -- This card has the same issues as coated weapon, but also plays for too little value. Even at 4 provisions, it would be marginal. Its only possible value is flexibility to place a high provision unit for Viper Witcher Mentor, but this is really only safely done in round three by which time, one hopes to hold better cards.
Viper Witcher Mentor -- A generally awkward card which can be used with or without adrenaline. To use it with adrenaline virtually forces it to be used as a closer, but it even under best of circumstances is hardly strong enough to be a closer. Moreover, by the time adrenaline 2 is established, the opponent likely has no high provision units in deck. Ii is likely more useful prior to adrenaline 2 being established if set up by Viper Witcher (or other less reliable cards), but I don't know that it is worth the cost of setup. It is very match-up dependent and vulnerable to tall punishment.
Kolgrim -- I absolutely hate this card already. It promotes more tutoring to thin decks (already an abused mechanism). It punishes deck types that already struggle (such as decks with more than 25 cards) but should be promoted to increase variety. And it is very match-up dependent. It is also very RNG, promoting still more removal and tall punish (which are already excess in the game). It's one positive is that it decreases the value of card advantage (double final say), which could be interesting.
Ivar -- an interesting card, at least as good as Enraged Ifrit. Makes an interesting use of adrenaline and shows how the latter can effectively balance a card. I don't know how playable this card will be, but I like its concept.
Northern Realms:
General Impression -- Nothing here really adds variety to existing Northern Realms strategy. The new cards (except possible for Coen) are usable but not inspiring.
Griffin Witcher Adept and related cards -- Time will tell, but at this point there is insufficient ability to generate convertible cards to be worth including. However, there is great potential for this card to become too powerful if Witcher Students can be easily generated. In general, I dislike two point per turn engines.
Griffin Witcher -- This is a card I would consider badly overpowered. Too strong on its own, another ping engine to support revenants, and a nice adrenaline option. The only thing missing is a soldier tag! Otherwise, it offers nothing really new or interesting.
Griffin Witcher Mentor -- Ho hum.
Coen -- an interesting card that could be very powerful, but definitely one that will be hard to navigate. I don't think I can evaluate it at this point. Undoubtedly my favorite NR card of the expansion so far.
Scoia'tael:
General Impression -- every new card is interesting. Provides much needed support for a movement archetype, but many cards useful with other archetypes as well. The cards seem well-balanced. In my opinion, the best designed faction cards in the expansion. I especially appreciate the within-row movement, even if not widely used, these cards give especially NR and SK something to play around. With these comments, I feel no need to address specific cards.
Skellige:
General Impression -- Except for Bear Witcher Mentors, I love the unique effects of these cards. While they best support self-damage and bloodthirst archetypes, they are useful across archetypes. Unfortunately, I agree with the popular assessment that the cards are both individually and collectively over-powered.
Bear Witcher Adept -- My favorite power of the expansion in any faction. I love the many potential synergies. But the card is clearly over-powered for 4 provisions. This card is stronger and less conditioned than Drummond Villager, which is still considered one of the strongest 4 provision cards in the game. When it inevitably gets nerfed, I hope it is reduced to strength 6 (a card which generally will still play for very good value), rather than having all interesting features destroyed (as in the nerf to Drummond Berserkers).
Bear Witcher Mentor -- I don't appreciate the virtual duplication of Giant Boar, and I don't think we need two more cards (if two copies are chosen) of this type card.
Armor Up, Bear Witcher -- both interesting and reasonable cards with decent balance
Gerd -- An 8 point body and row damage seems a bit much, but adrenaline 4 pretty severely limits the usefulness of the row damage. Still a very useful card to win round 1 (which is hugely valuable to most SK decks). Probably not worth its provision cost after round 1 although it still has point-slam value.
Junod -- It's nice to have old Vabjorn back, but at 9 provisions, I don't think the card will see play -- there are too few units that have sufficient value after being damaged to justify the investment. This power on a 4 strength body at 7 provisions might see play, but even then SK probably has better options.
Arnaghad -- I think this is a really neat card, but the broken interaction with Sukrus must absolutely be fixed. Even without Sukrus, the card may be OP. I like the possibility of shutting down certain closing plays -- this creates strategic challenges. But the card must be meaningfully limited by the damage it takes itself. I suggest limiting its initial armor to 4. As it is, it is autowin against many decks unless it can be locked.
Syndicate:
General Comments -- I am generally not a syndicate player, but I am not a big fan of poison (whether self-poison or otherwise). So far, SY cards are disappointing.
Self-poison cards -- no synergy with other SY archetypes, and an archetype too weak on its own. These cards are useless.
Mutagens -- seems OK but really only obtains decent value if you control the Salamandras, which pretty severly limits this card's use.
Fallen Rayla -- does not really support the currently successful SY archetypes, and is unlikely to generate enough value to justify its cost in any archetype. It certainly doesn't carry enough value to carry an archetype.
Disclaimer: I am not a top tier player. I am a good player with about 8 months experience and still a very limited card pool. I always create my own decks with a creative twist (rather than netdecking). I generally do not craft cards -- I make do with those cards I have obtained through play. Hence, even the best decks I could create will be below meta quality. I dabble with all factions, having neither favorite nor unfavorite. I consider myself very objective.
Overall Impressions: I like the support for the witcher archetype, and I like the relatively large number of cards that feel unique with interesting and potentially impactful play. Adrenaline gives me mixed reactions. It adds some strategic complexity (especially in deck building) and has considerable balancing potential. On the other hand, it is one more tedious condition to keep track of. I do not like the inconsistencies between factions -- it seems like almost all the interesting cards have gone to SK and ST. NR has gotten good but boring cards. I will withhold judgment on MO and SY pending other card reveals, but especially SY does not look promising. NG got junk (again).
Neutral cards:
Witchers -- The witcher archetype support cards are very appropriate -- so far the best neutral cards.
Triangle -- OK, but I would expect more consistent performance at lower cost from Rockslide, Dark Mirror, or even Pact.
Meme Cards (Cosmo, Alzur) -- with high RNG cards like these, CDPR has certainly created interesting and fun looking cards to try. But there is a narrow window for such cards. If their average performance is not measurably less than the average performance of similar provision cards in well constructed decks, they make the game all about RNG. If their high-roll performance is not at least as good as similar provision cards, they become unusable. And if their high-roll performance is so good it auto wins rounds (or their low roll so bad it auto loses rounds, but this would be rare), again too much RNG is introduced. I think judgment is still out on these cards.
What I would like to see -- more solid but interesting basic bronzes that support all factions but support purely neutral archetypes.
Monsters:
Bronzes -- very nice, interesting, and balanced support for multiple archetypes -- exactly what I like to see in an expansion. Phooca has been criticized, but it is relatively cheap and could useful support for a thrive archetype in short rounds.
Insectoids -- heavily focused upon insectoid and spawn archetypes, pretty useless in other decks. Time will tell whether these cards can move insectoid spawn decks to high tier level.
What I would like to see -- support for vampire archetype, better control options for non-vampire archetypes, and more gold cards with interesting effects that work across archetypes.
Nilfgaard:
General Impression -- This expansion is disastrous for a faction that already lacks decent game play. Nilfgaard presently must rely on the game's most ruinous cards (Masquerade Ball, Yennefer's Invocation, Cahir, etc.) for very limited success. It's archetypes have virtually no cross synergies. Its bronzes, are often individually good, but are so narrow they work only in one archetype while being junk in other archetypes (with insufficient bronzes to support any single archetype). None of these issues are addressed. Instead, NG is given a new archetype that appears unable to be competitive and does not synergize with anything else; NG loses its unique hold on a witcher archetype, while its hope for making its witcher archetype viable is smashed by totally useless cards; and NG gets more trash bronze cards while other factions' bronze card pools improve.
Reverse Mill Archetype -- Gimmicky, unreliable, anti-synergistic, are the best adjectives I have to describe this. Let me expand by discussing individual cards.
Viper Witcher Adept -- The only decent NG card in the expansion so far. It has decent engine value, may help NG with blue coin play in almost any archetype except for mill.
Coated Weapon -- Simply horrible. One usually plays removal to eliminate dangerous engines. The last thing you want if for them to re-appear in the opponent's deck. The only way this is helpful is if you can play or steal that card, which defeats the purpose of anti-mill.
Viper Witcher -- This card has the same issues as coated weapon, but also plays for too little value. Even at 4 provisions, it would be marginal. Its only possible value is flexibility to place a high provision unit for Viper Witcher Mentor, but this is really only safely done in round three by which time, one hopes to hold better cards.
Viper Witcher Mentor -- A generally awkward card which can be used with or without adrenaline. To use it with adrenaline virtually forces it to be used as a closer, but it even under best of circumstances is hardly strong enough to be a closer. Moreover, by the time adrenaline 2 is established, the opponent likely has no high provision units in deck. Ii is likely more useful prior to adrenaline 2 being established if set up by Viper Witcher (or other less reliable cards), but I don't know that it is worth the cost of setup. It is very match-up dependent and vulnerable to tall punishment.
Kolgrim -- I absolutely hate this card already. It promotes more tutoring to thin decks (already an abused mechanism). It punishes deck types that already struggle (such as decks with more than 25 cards) but should be promoted to increase variety. And it is very match-up dependent. It is also very RNG, promoting still more removal and tall punish (which are already excess in the game). It's one positive is that it decreases the value of card advantage (double final say), which could be interesting.
Ivar -- an interesting card, at least as good as Enraged Ifrit. Makes an interesting use of adrenaline and shows how the latter can effectively balance a card. I don't know how playable this card will be, but I like its concept.
Northern Realms:
General Impression -- Nothing here really adds variety to existing Northern Realms strategy. The new cards (except possible for Coen) are usable but not inspiring.
Griffin Witcher Adept and related cards -- Time will tell, but at this point there is insufficient ability to generate convertible cards to be worth including. However, there is great potential for this card to become too powerful if Witcher Students can be easily generated. In general, I dislike two point per turn engines.
Griffin Witcher -- This is a card I would consider badly overpowered. Too strong on its own, another ping engine to support revenants, and a nice adrenaline option. The only thing missing is a soldier tag! Otherwise, it offers nothing really new or interesting.
Griffin Witcher Mentor -- Ho hum.
Coen -- an interesting card that could be very powerful, but definitely one that will be hard to navigate. I don't think I can evaluate it at this point. Undoubtedly my favorite NR card of the expansion so far.
Scoia'tael:
General Impression -- every new card is interesting. Provides much needed support for a movement archetype, but many cards useful with other archetypes as well. The cards seem well-balanced. In my opinion, the best designed faction cards in the expansion. I especially appreciate the within-row movement, even if not widely used, these cards give especially NR and SK something to play around. With these comments, I feel no need to address specific cards.
Skellige:
General Impression -- Except for Bear Witcher Mentors, I love the unique effects of these cards. While they best support self-damage and bloodthirst archetypes, they are useful across archetypes. Unfortunately, I agree with the popular assessment that the cards are both individually and collectively over-powered.
Bear Witcher Adept -- My favorite power of the expansion in any faction. I love the many potential synergies. But the card is clearly over-powered for 4 provisions. This card is stronger and less conditioned than Drummond Villager, which is still considered one of the strongest 4 provision cards in the game. When it inevitably gets nerfed, I hope it is reduced to strength 6 (a card which generally will still play for very good value), rather than having all interesting features destroyed (as in the nerf to Drummond Berserkers).
Bear Witcher Mentor -- I don't appreciate the virtual duplication of Giant Boar, and I don't think we need two more cards (if two copies are chosen) of this type card.
Armor Up, Bear Witcher -- both interesting and reasonable cards with decent balance
Gerd -- An 8 point body and row damage seems a bit much, but adrenaline 4 pretty severely limits the usefulness of the row damage. Still a very useful card to win round 1 (which is hugely valuable to most SK decks). Probably not worth its provision cost after round 1 although it still has point-slam value.
Junod -- It's nice to have old Vabjorn back, but at 9 provisions, I don't think the card will see play -- there are too few units that have sufficient value after being damaged to justify the investment. This power on a 4 strength body at 7 provisions might see play, but even then SK probably has better options.
Arnaghad -- I think this is a really neat card, but the broken interaction with Sukrus must absolutely be fixed. Even without Sukrus, the card may be OP. I like the possibility of shutting down certain closing plays -- this creates strategic challenges. But the card must be meaningfully limited by the damage it takes itself. I suggest limiting its initial armor to 4. As it is, it is autowin against many decks unless it can be locked.
Syndicate:
General Comments -- I am generally not a syndicate player, but I am not a big fan of poison (whether self-poison or otherwise). So far, SY cards are disappointing.
Self-poison cards -- no synergy with other SY archetypes, and an archetype too weak on its own. These cards are useless.
Mutagens -- seems OK but really only obtains decent value if you control the Salamandras, which pretty severly limits this card's use.
Fallen Rayla -- does not really support the currently successful SY archetypes, and is unlikely to generate enough value to justify its cost in any archetype. It certainly doesn't carry enough value to carry an archetype.
Correct me if I'm wrong but she has Adrenaline 3 which means you can play her as the 4rd last Card (only 3 Cards left in hand)
I don't think that you will be able to generate enough coins for multiple high Tribute Card's most likely it's best to use two Card's that pay for their own tribute like Jaques, Azar (well in his case it doesn't exactly make much sense playing him in the end of a round), Professor or if they should add another Card that pays for it's own Tribute with the expansion followed by a Tinboy or Savolla.
Not saying she will be strong or anything, I kind of like her and will try to build a Deck around her but I don't think she will find a place in competitive Decks, especially at 11 provisions there isn't exactly much of a reason to run her when Bincy requires a lot less setup.
This card looks really OP — especially for NR. If played early first round (which is highly likely given possible tutors), it can proc cards like Anna, protect cards like Frigate from cheap removal and easily brings 25 points of value. Moreover, if not destroyed, it brings huge reach — virtually guaranteeing winning on even if given red coin. There is a little RNG (it has much less value if not drawn first round), and the card can’t both boost allies and itself, but the option to do either is pretty overwhelming.
The card allows an NR player to contest for round 1 in a serious way. The NG player in me is kinda jealous, haha. It supports the boost archetype and cards with formation. In a 25 card deck the order to boost itself is worth 15 points on a 4 power card if you used the order without thinning and if that didn't work you'll have all those boosted creature cards. There is some great value here. I wonder if Fuchcia Briefs is gonna Syanna this one.
LOL....this card is basically a NR leader ability in card form. Beyond broken with or without Adrenaline. Even on red coin this will almost guarantee a win in boost decks.
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For anyone who doesn't want to see the video and just the card:
I don't understand how this card is broken or OP. (I am an ST player. Please don't assume I am an NR fanboy). How is this card OP? In which situation this card can be played and considered as OP?
Playing him R1 is where he can play for a big value as there will be many cards in the deck. But when he plays, he plays for 4 points and on Order can go very tall. If you don't use the order (because the opponent passes) he plays for a shitty value. If you use the order, he takes away all the boosts and he is just a point slam (and not carry-over). Without the immunity, he is going to be locked or killed or banished. If you are going to get immunity you should play him when you have 4 cards in hand. At that point the opponent can even pass and make just a point slam card.
Using him in R3 may not bring a lot of value as you may have 6-8 cards in the deck and one or two may be specials.
So, playing him in R3 is utterly useless. Playing him in R1.. the opponent can pass (which can force the opponent to pass and make way for a long R3, but is it worth it)? Even if the opponent passes, you are going to benefit +6 points by carry over (as you draw the boosted units).
What am I missing? How is he a broken or OP card? Where and how do you plan to use him?
Just use him as the first card R1, if the opponent passes decoy him. I don't think even 4 power is low enough tempo for how strong his ability is.
NR gets countless benefits from just being boosted alone. If the opponent continues playing you have a bunch of boosted units now to help you catch up again.
Petri's+Syanna is also another thing to combine with Erlend.
Playing as the first card in R1 can be killed in a million different ways. With inspired zeal, you can immediately activate and get a HUGE value, but then without immunity, the tall card can be killed in another million different ways. I don't think anyone would do that. On read coin, using IZ you can abuse using this card to win on even. But without immunity it is vulnerable. If you don't immediately trigger his Order, he is useless. The carry over is not going to be huge as it is going to be +6 in 2 rounds.
I don't know. I don't see him being like broken or OP. 12P with a condition that he has to be played in R1 and being useless in R3.. I don't know..
Oh Geezis... Make me wanna take bets how soon they'll have to hotfix all of that. Also nice going for NG. Not a single card that's unquestionably good. All of them are iffy and optimistic and/or only work once you already have a big advantage. WIll total NG winrate fall beneath 40%? Who's bettin'? 
There is no way he can play for 13 points in R3. That assumes that there was 0 thinning (not even Natalis or AA). In most cases cases NR has 6 or 7 cards in R3 and in which case, he will play for 10 or 11 for 12 provisions. That is ST Legendary standard.. far below NR's.
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Slama had mentioned that some big buffs coming to NG. So, hopefully it will be good. As for WotW, I agree, except The Evil Eye, others cards are not as impressive or interesting as other faction cards. Lets see how it goes. The main issue of NG's new set of cards is, it will suck against other NG who also wants to put more cards in opponent's deck.. or both going for hyperthin, etc.Oh Geezis... Make me wanna take bets how soon they'll have to hotfix all of that. Also nice going for NG. Not a single card that's unquestionably good. All of them are iffy and optimistic and/or only work once you already have a big advantage. WIll total NG winrate fall beneath 40%? Who's bettin'?
If you think about it, this card in R3 is a counter to NG's 'fill opponent deck with more cards'
. But he will suck in R3 otherwise, playing for a very less value. He is like Oneiromancy, even worse. If you don't get him in R1, he is utterly useless. At least Oneiromancy is useful in R2 and even in R3 it is not bad.Playing him with Syanna or Decoy or beyond meme worthy. Syanna and him alone costs 25 provisions. You have to save Syanna and him (other cards that are used with Syanna get immediate use on deploy so, you don't have to save the card you use Syanna for. With him, you have to save him too. In R1, imagine playing Syanna for 3 points and then him for 4 points and then get huge value. The opponent would have passed two turns before
). May be once in 20 games you can pull it off. Overall, I don't consider him OP or Broken. His carry-over sucks. He is pure point slam with a big condition that he can only be played for a big value in R1 and without getting immunity, he will be dealt with easily. To put it otherwise, if he was an ST card, I would be terribly terribly disappointed