Patch Notes 11.9

[RyanSchou]

Update 11.9 is coming tomorrow, and with it, the last card drop for GWENT.

We truly hope you enjoy these 12 cards and are excited to see, what you create with them.

We are also making changes to existing cards to support the new card drop, as found below.

For a rundown of the most important balance changes check out the latest Developer Update:
New Features
Heritage - Just as we must accept the hands we're dealt in life, so must we also be mindful of what it is we leave behind.

Our final card drop introduces two new legendary cards for each playable faction.
ChangesNeutral
Ale of the Ancestors - Ability changed to:

Resilience.

Zeal. Order: Boost a unit by 3 and Infuse it with "Whenever this unit is targeted by Mahakam Ale or Golden Froth, boost self by 2".

Cooldown: 2

Colossal Ifrit - Ability changed to:

Zeal. Order: Damage 3 units on the opposite row by [0]. Increase this value by 1 for each Construct you played this game.

Cooldown: 3

Cyprian Wiley - Power limit of the target changed from 3 to 4.

Enraged Ifrit - Ability changed to:

Deploy: Damage an enemy unit by [5]. Increase this value by 1 for each Construct you played this game.

Eskel: Pathfinder - Power changed from 7 to 4.

Provision cost changed from 9 to 10.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Destroy an enemy unit with a primary category that is not in your starting deck.

Frenzied D'ao - Ability changed to:

Deploy: Play [1] Rock Barrage(s) from your deck. Increase this value by 1 for each Construct you played this game. If no Rock Barrages are available, move an enemy unit to the other row instead.

Geralt: Aard - Power changed from 3 to 4.

Provision cost changed from 10 to 9.

Gregoire de Gorgon - Deathblow boost changed from 5 to 8.

Ivo of Belhaven - Power changed from 5 to 1.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Boost self by 0. Increase this value for each card you played this round.

Marlene de Trastamara - Ability changed to:

Doomed.

Order: If not Doomed, gain Resilience.

Nivellen - Power changed from 5 to 8.

Provision cost changed from 6 to 8.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Move all units on an enemy row to the other row.

Primordial D'ao - Ability changed to:

Shield.

Deploy: Boost self by [0]. Increase this value by 1 for each Construct you played this game.

Regis: Bloodlust - Power changed from 4 to 20.

Ability changed to:

When you lose a round while this card is:

On the battlefield - Banish your deck.

In your hand or deck - Banish self.

In your graveyard - Banish the top 3 cards from your deck.

Tainted Ale - Ability changed to:

Zeal. Order: Damage a unit by 2 and Infuse it with "Whenever this unit receives a boost, damage self by 1".

Charges: 3

The Last Wish - Provision cost changed from 8 to 6.

Armorer's Workshop - Ability now includes:

If you have Armorer's Workshop in your graveyard, boost 3 adjacent units by 3 and give them 3 Armor instead.

Inspirational Ballad - Ability changed to:

Give Vitality (6) to a random allied Witcher, Dwarf, Human, and Vampire.

Oxenfurt Scholar - Power changed from 3 to 4.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Boost self by 1 for each card with a provision cost of 11 or higher in your starting deck.
Monsters
Adda: Striga - Power changed from 5 to 6.

Provision cost changed from 7 to 9.

Ability changed to:

Zeal. Order (Predator): Consume a Token. If it was allied, double the boost from it.

Alpha Werewolf - Now has the Cursed tag.

Power changed from 6 to 4.

Provision cost changed from 6 to 8.

Ability changed to:

Deploy (Melee): Boost a Beast in your hand by the number of cards in your hand.

Deploy (Ranged): Boost all allied Beasts by 1.

Mourntart - Armor changed from 4 to 0.

Provision cost changed from 7 to 10.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Banish all units in your graveyard, then boost self by 1 for each.

Plague Maiden - Ability now includes:

Order: Destroy a Rat, then Poison an enemy unit.

Cooldown: 1

Cockatrice - Power changed from 4 to 2.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Boost self by 2 for each adjacent Beast.

Predator: Also Poison an enemy unit.

Werewolf - Now has the Cursed tag.

Power changed from 5 to 4.

Ability changed to:

Deploy (Predator): Boost self by an enemy unit's power.
Nilfgaard
Vilgefortz - Melee Deploy ability changed to:

Destroy an enemy unit, then your opponent Summons the top bronze unit from their deck to a random enemy row.

Deithwen Arbalest - Power changed from 3 to 4.

Ability changed to:

Whenever an enemy unit gains a status during your turn, damage it by 1.
Northern Realms
Ban Ard Tutor - Power changed from 2 to 4.

Provision cost changed from 4 to 5.

Ability changed to:

Whenever you play a unique special card, boost self by 2.

Kaedweni Sergeant - Number of Charges changed from 2 to 3.

Reaver Scout - Provision cost changed from 5 to 6.

Temerian Infantry - Ability changed to:

Formation.

Order: Boost an allied unit by 2 for each remaining Charge of your leader ability.
Scoia'tael
Vrihedd Saboteur - Ability changed to:

Deploy: If you control an artifact, Spawn an Elven Deadeye on this row.
Skellige
Udalryk an Brokvar - Power changed from 4 to 8.

Ability changed to:

Order (Berserk 7): Set an enemy unit's power to match own power.

Dimun Pirate Captain - Ability changed to:

Deploy (Bloodthirst 2): Gain Zeal.

Order: Damage a unit by 1.

Charges: 3

Disgraced Brawler - Bloodthirst requirement changed from 3 to 1.
Syndicate
Hvitr and Aelydia - Power changed from 5 to 6.

Provision cost changed from 8 to 6.

Ability changed to:

Hoard 6: At the end of your turn, damage a random enemy unit by 2.

Deathblow: Gain 2 Coins.

Tamara Strenger - Power changed from 5 to 6.

Provision cost changed from 7 to 6.

Wheel of Fortune - Provision cost changed from 5 to 6.

Ability changed to:

Damage an enemy unit by 0. At the end of your turn, while in hand or deck, change this value to a random number between 1 and 10.

Arena Endrega - Power changed from 6 to 4.

Provision cost changed from 5 to 4.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Gain Coins equal to the amount an allied unit is damaged.

Mutant Killer - Power changed from 3 to 4.

Ability changed to:

Deploy: Boost self by 1 for each Poisoned unit on the battlefield.
Game Fixes
Certain leader abilities, such as Pincer Maneuver and Invigorate, no longer become deselected after using up two Charges.

The Training Versus AI Mode no longer becomes stuck when the AI runs out of row space.

Bearification can now correctly target face-down Traps.

Dagon: Promised's Infusion is now cleared from units whose Deathwish ability takes them immediately back to the battlefield.

Falibor no longer converts the total boost spread across the board into damage.

King Demavend III's selected cards are now shown correctly in the preview screen.

Quarixis finally sounds the way he was intended to.

Temple of Melitele: Congregation now shows its Spawned cards in the preview screen.

The opening game in the Tutorial no longer skips the pop-up message about the deck and graveyard.

 

[Barracuda88]

Um, ok... For 7 provisions, Frenzied D'ao plays for 15 points, 8 of which is damage, moves 2 units, and thins 2 cards?

 

[Slizzl]

I would've preferred it if Tamara got a devotion ability that makes her start in your hand.
A problem with decks like Witch Hunters is that they are balanced around being powered up by one other card, and if you don't play it early you are screwed.

 

[rrc]

ST players who are looking for the ST changes, please look carefully. There is a section for it. It is hard to find, but it is there.

True ST players won't be disappointed with the amount of attention ST got from Devs this patch as they are used to it. But real true hardcore ST players would actually be happy that ST didn't get nerfs this patch.

 

[Euan_Davidson]

First impressions - it's the usual mix of changes nobody was asking for, and refusal to make changes everybody was asking for.

The one which really leaps out at me is the Regis rework though - this looks like one of the most stupid cards I've ever seen in the game. It might turn out to be too high-risk to see much use, but still, no card should ever, EVER have a base power of 20. Ignatius Hale is bad enough at 18. It's too easy to find some way to bypass the drawbacks.

 

[InkognitoXI]

These all look very interesting, especailly the Construct reworks to turn them into an actually strategy.

What I regret about these changes though is that we will likely never see an adjusment to Count Reuven's Treasure to give back 2 coins at the end of each turn, which would be necessary to make that card viable.
And just reducing that card to something like 8-10p in Gwentfinity for it to be playable is hardly an exiting prospect.

 

[Qzman]

Really liking many of these changes, some of which, like Marlene and Regis: Bloodlust, to name just a few, are really flavorful.

 

[DRK3]

Definitely some interesting reworks there, especially for neutrals and MO. Some could even say some of these are more exciting than some of the new cards.

Curious to see if whole decks can be built around humble bronzes like oxenfurt scholar or temerian infantry.

 

[D.Neto_FrontLine]

Marlene de Trastamara - Ability changed to:

Doomed.

Order: If not Doomed, gain Resilience.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Why change Marlene? We need VEIL not Doomed or Resilience

 

[DrShoe_Gwent]

The (long & welcome) list of changes to MO cards just shows how neglected this Faction has been now, for so so long.

I foresee some interesting decks popping up here as a result - likely not competitive but certainly interesting & fun - so good on CDPR for addressing the neglect.

 

[IvarVonEverec]

First impressions - it's the usual mix of changes nobody was asking for, and refusal to make changes everybody was asking for.

The one which really leaps out at me is the Regis rework though - this looks like one of the most stupid cards I've ever seen in the game. It might turn out to be too high-risk to see much use, but still, no card shou

Marlene de Trastamara - Ability changed to:

Doomed.

Order: If not Doomed, gain Resilience.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Why change Marlene? We need VEIL not Doomed or Resilience

They changed her because nobody played her before.

Post automatically merged: Sep 11, 2023

Post automatically merged: Sep 11, 2023

 

[Jason.chef]

I see that Nilfgarding flanking units and cards which spam 2 OP engines each turn don't need nerf. As expected, devs prove that they love NG and wanna people hate NG more and more, when we eventually stop playing because of 70% games vs NG. "Great Sun to piss them all"

 

[Gemueseknolle]

reading these notes, i have some very, very evil deck in my mind.
fear me, we will see each other on the battlefield in ranked. hehehehehee!

 

[Bez_Imena]

Regis: Bloodlust - Power changed from 4 to 20.

Ability changed to:

When you lose a round while this card is:

On the battlefield - Banish your deck.

In your hand or deck - Banish self.

In your graveyard - Banish the top 3 cards from your deck.

[...]

Seriously, tho, anyone from CDPR remember Ring of Favor? Anyone remember the dev talk, about "we dont want opponent to chill on a 30 point card and win R1 playing it after opponent passes"..... did the intern who did these sanity checks resign or someting?!
Also rumor on twitch is VigliF*** melee deploy was changed especially for this card., even tho a change has been asked for since forever... shouldn't it be an indication if such card design should even exist?

We all know this will end in cheese decks where we have to get through defender (+mandrake now, thanks for making it cheaper) to even have the slightest chance of whatever nonsense is hiding behind it.
As a kind reminder, ladder isnt only 64-200 playing people with open decks. There still a few who play on ladder and even outside of pro rank (tho seems CDPR is doing their best to chase them away) and we'll soon know the added joy of:
-20 points cursed knights: + megascopes, revivals, pavetas, New Ada (coz why not?)
-Renegades throwing regis in your graveyard to banish your top decks
-I dont play cheese decks, anyone who has more ideas please complete the list

Sadly still no sign of a fix for the usual draw your answer or lose cards, Gwent is looking more and more like a slot machine
When every twitch streamer claims they would gladly help CDPR balance the game... shoot them a message already, or if they refused to do it and claim otherwise let us know who is of bad faith.

Cheers!

Btw, if by any chance, the big secret strategy is to make Gwent high RNG based to appeal to the Asian market, guess what... i see people play all sorts of stuff on this side of the globe, but never seen a random gwent player outside of ladder

 

[LeticiOrel]

ST players who are looking for the ST changes, please look carefully. There is a section for it. It is hard to find, but it is there.

True ST players won't be disappointed with the amount of attention ST got from Devs this patch as they are used to it. But real true hardcore ST players would actually be happy that ST didn't get nerfs this patch.

Count me in...

 

[Euan_Davidson]

Yeah, so that Regis card is even worse than I feared. Just lost an insane match to it. I ducked out early in round 1, but my opponent kept playing cards. Couldn't figure out why at first, but here it is:

He plays Dol Dhu Lokke to get Regis on top of his deck, then Ofiri Merchant to put it in mine. Plays Golyat, consumes it with OH leader ability to get Regis on my field. Then finally passes, banishes my deck and I lose, even with three-card advantage.

This is absolutely appalling. The ability to pass whenever you want to is supposed to be an important tactical feature of this game, but this deck built around this stupid new card completely ruins that. No strategy in which you deliberately give the opponent three-card advantage after round 1 should ever work.

When will the developers get into their heads that adding more and more gimmicky cards just makes the game worse and worse?

 

[Schildhexerei]

When will the developers get into their heads that adding more and more gimmicky cards just makes the game worse and worse?

Obviously never

 

[Bakaaraloca]

Omg Vilgefortz finnaly got nerfed, i can't believe,
Well still need to be 10 provision cost at least but this can be done later
Thank you anyway

 

[VyjpCarnal]

Regis blood lust is just silly. You literally cannot pass. Opponent slides this card into your deck and you are a prisoner. Wheres the strategy in that? I'm supposed to heatwave my own 20p card? God forbid when it summons it to my field. It's insta loss. Banishing my whole deck.

 

[DRK3]

So yesterday i learned the hard way Adda's ability triggers on BOTH turns...

My opponent played immune Adda (i knew he was devotion before, cuz he used that NR devotion bronze).
It was 5pt, on the front row, adjacent to a 2pt token. I thought of a solution - gonna play Renfri, go for '6dmg, deal excess dmg to adjacent units' + 'deal 6 pings after leader is used' (i had used RuneMage so its more likely to get the options i want).
I was so proud of my plan, surely Adda was going to be removed, but as im about to pop the Renfri ability, Adda boosts out of reach, because Renfri too is cursed

That is not even the worst part, the worst was that my opponent had played temple R1, and i saw on the tooltip what he got - no Adda, but he got a Ravanen Kimbolt - so i assumed his deck was built to give Adda a lot of value and i focused completely on countering her... NOPE, he got 0 value from her after my Renfri was played and i would have won if i had just countered Kimbolt as soon as he's played instead...