While Viy is discussed — often extensively in other threads — I find the card noisome enough to merit a separate thread. I wish to open this thread by explaining why I believe Viy must not merely be nerfed, but must be totally revamped.
My argument is twofold: first, that the card is just bad for the game, and second, that no amount of tweaking or rebalancing in its current form will make the card a positive contributor to the game. Please note I am not arguing that the card is overpowered per say, but rather that it’s power reduces the quality of Gwent in general.
So why is VIY so bad for the game? The big issue is that decent and well played VIY decks can ony be defeated by deck design measures that, against normal decks, are just bad. It is no coincidence that most competitive decks all of a sudden are packing two or even more tall punish cards — even though generally multiple tall punish cards are anti synergistic as using one reduces the probability of another having value. And it is also no surprise that as play rates of VIY decks increase, play rates of lockdown decks (the only real alternative to multiple tall punish vs. VIY) are also very high. Moreover, as Viy is basically untouchable by its opponent, there is no opportunity for interesting play and counter play. There may be deck building challenges, but there is no challenge to game play. And as it seems that very few build original decks anyway, the deck building challenge in Viy decks does not make Gwent interesting. Finally, as VIY decks must almost always push round two (usually leading to a 2-0 unless a deck is designed against Viy), it is really inappropriate on casual play.
No tweaking of values will change these fundamental flaws with Viy — as long as it is strong enough to regularly win against normal decks, players will have to take measures that would generally be poor deck design to compete with it. And as soon as normal decks are able to successfully compete with Viy, there will no reason to play Viy.
I can live with Lippy decks having 60% win rates and ST movement not far behind; these decks can be countered by good play with well designed decks. Viy cannot: hence it must go.
My argument is twofold: first, that the card is just bad for the game, and second, that no amount of tweaking or rebalancing in its current form will make the card a positive contributor to the game. Please note I am not arguing that the card is overpowered per say, but rather that it’s power reduces the quality of Gwent in general.
So why is VIY so bad for the game? The big issue is that decent and well played VIY decks can ony be defeated by deck design measures that, against normal decks, are just bad. It is no coincidence that most competitive decks all of a sudden are packing two or even more tall punish cards — even though generally multiple tall punish cards are anti synergistic as using one reduces the probability of another having value. And it is also no surprise that as play rates of VIY decks increase, play rates of lockdown decks (the only real alternative to multiple tall punish vs. VIY) are also very high. Moreover, as Viy is basically untouchable by its opponent, there is no opportunity for interesting play and counter play. There may be deck building challenges, but there is no challenge to game play. And as it seems that very few build original decks anyway, the deck building challenge in Viy decks does not make Gwent interesting. Finally, as VIY decks must almost always push round two (usually leading to a 2-0 unless a deck is designed against Viy), it is really inappropriate on casual play.
No tweaking of values will change these fundamental flaws with Viy — as long as it is strong enough to regularly win against normal decks, players will have to take measures that would generally be poor deck design to compete with it. And as soon as normal decks are able to successfully compete with Viy, there will no reason to play Viy.
I can live with Lippy decks having 60% win rates and ST movement not far behind; these decks can be countered by good play with well designed decks. Viy cannot: hence it must go.
