As much as you have a point I refuse to agree that we've done a full circle to beta Gwent and it is even WORSE judging by your words, let me make some points and maybe have a nice conversation:
- SirPumpkn showed and proved that Dana in some cases is even BETTER than Franchesca, so that comparison is out the window, about CoF, I agree that now is a plain and simple card, however it is a part of a base set and if CDPR wants every faction to have that kind of tutor, I don't see the problem, we are 1 expansion into the game and I hope to see old effects to be introduced in a better fashion and to be more reliant (I don't count SY since it doesn't provide anything to the other factions)
- You are contradicting yourself, at one point you are complaining about "brainless tutors" and consistency on the second note you are talking how randomness is "swinging" the tide of the battle (set up your mind) also the randomness is SOOO negligible that you've gotta be the luckiest MF to change the game with an RNG play!
- We lived in a meta where control was everywhere, I vividly remember how every single person was complaining all day and night that they can't play engines or interact with their opponents' board
- Every faction having 1-2 tutor cards is more than necessary for future expansions and card design because this allows you to make the combos that are going to be introduced work more fluently and overall to have a better experience with the new cards!
- Final thing, the meta is shaping up to be quite diverse, Fran, Svalblod, AQ, Meve, Calanthe being the "hard engine decks" and on the other side Ardal, Emhyr , Eithne, from SK Crach and Harold, almost every SY deck (except Hemmelfart and sometimes Gudrun) that interact more with their opponents board and disrupt strategies "control decks" Detlaff being the middle ground.
All in all, that's IMO, this is the best patch we've seen since the start of HC, a lot of viable decks, the power level between faction is not one universe apart from each other and even though there are clear winners *cough* Franchesca *cough* hyper thin, the other decks could counter them or win by playing better value cards. For example, Fran is losing to AQ hard! Hyperthin loses to tall removal HARD! It's not close to the insanity Foltest and DJ were the last patch, and we can be a little grateful for that! Also this opens up for a very interesting Challanger decks!