Below I list some cards that I think are slightly problematic in the new set and I will propose some possible modifications. I will also have a look at some cards from the first set. It is well worth pointing out that I think that the new set is, overall, very good and that jed has made a marvellous job coming up with all these cards! So, as always, this is a post that is intended to express some love

Shield Generator
I suggest that instead of giving Armor (2) to all ‘contiguous’ Figures, it gives it to all ‘adjacent’ Figures instead.
- Why? Simply because it invites those kinds of building decks that are more or less impenetrable if you don’t have very big creatures out or, alternatively, have destructive spells such as Volcano and Tremor. I think giving armor to ‘adjacent’ Figures is still very good for defensive purposes (such as having Osin Faith Healer and/or Abrixian Sparker next to your base)

Mana Dome
I suggest that the Mana Dome itself should be targetable.
- Why? Mainly because the obvious combo of Shield Generator and Mana Dome is otherwise too powerful. This will still make Mana Dome superior to, for instance, Null Stone and it will in all respects still also be a very good building.

Acmar’s Stabilizer
I suggest that Acmar’s should have either an increased Flux cost or, perhaps better, it should be a 3 level domain requirement.
- Why? The simple reason here is that it is too cheap for what it does. It can, on its own, effectively, undermine whole strategies for next to no cost to the caster.

Char
- Char was boosted just a couple of days ago and I suggest that it should be slightly nerfed. I have used it in a DL and Chaos deck but I think that the boosts it received made it perhaps too strong.
Why? It is costly to play both in terms of levels of domain and in terms of Flux, but if it is allowed to be in played (i.e., not negated, lysised (spelling?!)) it is extremely powerful with its special ability, move, health and vision. I suggest to either reduce movement from 5 to 4 or vision from 3 to 2 (preferably the former, I think).

Creeping Gloom
- I suggest that Creeping Gloom is either reshuffled into caster’s deck (rather than returning to hand) or that it should cast 2 levels of domain to cast.
Why? The fact that you can kill off early scouts such as Thistle Falcons and other things so easily and have it returned to your hand is making it hard to counter for many decks. It is the fact that you can do this again and again that makes it hard to deal with (especially if the opponent has 2 of them).

Here are some cards from the old set that I think are slightly problematic, many of which have been extensively discussed before.

Ord Beast
I have won with and lost to this card more time than I can remember and I have observed countless such games as well. It obviously goes well with Ord Stone and the Ragnarok + Plasma combo. Anything that generates a great deal of flux is great with the Ord Beast. I think it is a very interesting card but I would like to see it changed somehow. Not sure how though. If the cost of using the ability was 3 Flux, would that make it useless?


Ord Stone
This is a card that I have had my doubts about more or less since I started playing. It is simply a great card but you also know that if your opponent manages to get two of them out in round 2, you are probably doomed. Again I don’t have any exact proposal for a change, but I think something is needed. (See more about this below under Hadarck’s Throne.)

Negate
Negate is a great spell and every deck that has MF should have 3 of it. I suggest a Flux increase so that it costs 2 flux instead. This way you will have to plan a bit more carefully when to play with it and it takes some pressure off of you when you play against it.

Fissure
The faith of Fissure is still undecided, I think, and it is hard to evaluate it without knowing exactly what the new Autodraw Rule will amount to. As it is now, it is clearly too good and those proposed changes (that it should give opponent 4 Glory or that it will cost 4 Glory to cast) would probably be good enough changes. Still, I think the verdict of this have to wait until the new Autodraw Rule is fully implemented.

Training
People’s favourite card to love and hate! It needs a change, for sure. How about giving it one less Health and/or giving it a Lifespan (3)? It would still be good but it would be as good as it is now.


Hadarck’s Throne
So much of the meta-game seems to be connected with what will happen to this building. It seems as if it will be M4 and that might be a good change. Some have expressed doubts about the fact that we will see loads of mono MF decks if this change is implemented. I think so too, but I am not that worried about it. If some or possibly all of the ‘standard’ (Training, Negate, Fissure) MF cards are nerfed, MF might need something else to pride itself of. I have expressed my view elsewhere that if the Throne is such a big problem then maybe it should simply be taken out. There will, of course, be all kinds of administrative problems with that. After all, it is the most expensive card in the game. But the pains of dealing with that are, I am sure, worth it if it makes the general game-play better overall.


I have not seen the following two cards in play other than the games in which I have used them myself (which is, I think, something like 3 games so far). I think they are potentially very problematic and all I am urging at this point is that people pay some special attention to them. I am thinking of:
- Eminent Domain
- Agitator


A final note. How do people feel about spells such as Soul Plague and Earthquake? Since they obviously target both players they are not as nasty as, say, Fissure. But then again, you wouldn’t play a Soul Plague if you had ten creatures out or an Earthquake if you had no other means of securing Glory. I personally hate playing against them, but that is just me (I guess). Opinions please

Cheers!

Nice write-up Voices!

I think you have some great ideas and a nice summary of many of the longer forum discussions on certain cards.

I still don't want to see Throne nerfed, but agree with you on most of the other suggestions.

I do wonder, though, about the "faith of Fissure". Are you being converted to a new religion spawned from The Far Wilds? Has the game already risen to such heights as to brainwash the masses? What will be the fate of the faith of Fissure's followers be should the card be nerfed?

_________________

Altren wrote:

I agree with Keyser, and that's what I'm planning to implement actually.

|| The Rise of the DCC | Plasmatium Netherious | Tastes Like Chicken | The Astridian Conspiracy ||

Guild -> | Platypus Rising|

Faith of fate, fate of faith.

Awesome abundant alliteration abounds ...

_________________

Altren wrote:

I agree with Keyser, and that's what I'm planning to implement actually.

|| The Rise of the DCC | Plasmatium Netherious | Tastes Like Chicken | The Astridian Conspiracy ||

Guild -> | Platypus Rising|

Training: I have expressed elsewhere, that in my opinion, raising the flux cost isn't the best solution. 2 should be large enough a health gain. Does it make sense that some weenie can after training withstand 3 attacks, each of which would have been deadly before? But lifespan 3 would be overdoing it in my opinion. I'd make it so that it can target only creatures at 1 or more health. The thing that has always bugged me most about training is lethally wounded creatures suddenly starting training and becoming instantly as tough as freshly cast Gribralnocks!

If someone is saying that "soul plague isn't that great because it kills the caster's creatures too", I would say he is missing the point. It's easy to get an advantage worth at least 4 simultaneous lysises with it, if you plan your deck and play with this card in mind. I don't think earthquake is as problematic (assuming at least the now betatested autodraw will stay, if not it will be troublesome as an equivalent of a nuke for domain denial), because it's very hard to cast an earthquake without buildings, but basic stuff to cast soul plagues without creatures.

I don't have a problem with soul plague. Like most other game altering cards, it has a very high cost. Creatures that are game-altering also tend to have the same high cost.

That makes it fair imo.

_________________

Altren wrote:

I agree with Keyser, and that's what I'm planning to implement actually.

|| The Rise of the DCC | Plasmatium Netherious | Tastes Like Chicken | The Astridian Conspiracy ||

Guild -> | Platypus Rising|

I think I agree on mostly all of your suggestions, especially the fact that Ord Stone could use some nerfing. Putting one out round one is one of the easiest way to win. I think it would be good for the game if all flux acceleratin cards were nerfed/taken out.

I would like rather see it giving armor only to buildings. I don't like to play against a Faith Healer with 2 armor.



IMO all the games need Soul Plague. It is hard to play against, especially when you don't know it's coming. But it is hard to set up. Fine card.
I don't know Earthquake well enough to tell anything about it.


I agree with all of your other suggestions. (I told my opinions before in other threads too).

You did a nice job explaining your reasoning. Good card discussion.

Shield Generator
I agree, as long as Generators can give each other armor again.

Mana Dome
Once again I agree. The more I see this card played, the more I realize how powerful it is. However, similar to Shied Generator, I think that with this change double Mana Domes should be able protect each other.

Acmar's Stabilizer
Agreed.

Char
Agreed. This makes Barkskin Dragon look pretty bad. 5 speed with Aloft is a bit too much, especially on a 9 health creature with range.

Creeping Gloom
Shuffling into the deck wouldn't be very good. I can see this costing 2 domain though.

Ord Beast
I'm pretty sure that making the ability cost 3 flux would make it next to useless. I do see your point about how strong it is. It has the stats as if it's ability were a drawback, but really it's a beneficial ability in disguise. However, Ragnarok + Plasma combo will soon be gone, and you suggest nerfing Ord Stone. Without those cards would it still be as good? I dunno.

Ord Stone
This is one of those cards that is really easy to justify in writing. Afterall, it's next to worthless late game, and in the early game you're spending flux that the enemy could be spending to capture a flux well. In actual play, though, the advantage it brings is huge. I think something as easy as "Spawn on Flux Well." could make it more fair. It would still be a strong turn 1 play, but there's no back-to-back Ord Stones on turns 1 and 2. Also, you become more susceptible to Desolation Totem by not building your base on the flux well. And you can be screwed if both starting flux wells are on water. I think this can be justified from a flavor perspective also; Ord Beasts spawn by Flux Wells, I guess it makes sense for Ord Stones to spawn on Flux Wells.

Negate
Agreed

Fissure
Agreed. Waiting on the Autodraw rule.

Training
I don't really like the idea of Lifespan for this card. The fact that it's a permanent buff is part of the appeal. I think it should give 1 less Health or cost 1 more Flux, whichever would make the card decrease in value less.

Hadarck's Throne
Again, waiting on the Autodraw rule.

Eminent Domain
I have very little experience with this, but from what I've seen it looks fine. It costs 3 domain and 6 flux, it should have a big effect.

Agitator
I've only seen this played in 1 game, and that was against you the other day. It was highly frustrating to play against, but that could have been due to my relatively creature-light deck, or my inexperience against the card, so I don't want to immediately say that it's problematic. It's definitely worth watching though.

Soul Plague/Earthquake
Like PredatORC, I think that these cards are a necessary evil. Yeah, Soul Plague will give you a big advantage, but for 6DDX you should get a big advantage.