[Feedback] Upcoming Balance Change MEGATHREAD

Well, we'll have another 3DC fest I fear. The best 3 ways to counter 3DC are being HEAVILY nerfed: FS, Nimble Strike and WW/WWe. Meanwhile, the only 3DC part being nerfed is SPR (and Trembling Staff I think, from what I heard), but this build will be perfectly capable of dealing with everything else now, even without SPR. The combination of Encumbrance+Wall of Fire+Winds of War or Improved TK (+ Toughness for defense, it's unbelievable that this card hasn't been nerfed yet) will be extremely strong, stronger than ever due to all the good counters being nerfed.

Encumbrance not stacking anymore is supposed to favour elves and human over dwarves, but even elf warriors will have a tough time getting close if all the step attacks are useless while you are encumbered. The elf dash racial movement will be bigger now, that is true, but kind of irrelevant anyway when you will be facing 3 wizards stacking encumbrance and WoW or ITK. We'll have to see if push movements as Team Run are enough to get the job done, but I seriously doubt it. We may see more move cards such as Charge or Brutal Charge now.

As for the FS nerf, it wasn't op at all, but it's true that as it happens with WW/WWe it's a card that doesn't care for positioning, and that is one of the main reasons of this big balance change, to make positioning relevant again, so I guess it goes well in accordance with the rest of the changes. Think about all the leagues where WW and FS were the easy way out, now hopefully we'll see much more variance in all of those leagues. The bad thing is SP though. Farming will become much more tedious. And of course, this added to the Randimar's change will persuade more players to put money in the game in exchange for gold to buy that amazing legendary they have that week (something very probable with 10 legendaries and epics per week).

 

Just for the record:
• Winds of War is being nerfed.
• Vulnerable is being nerfed.
• Shredding Strike is being buffed to Sundering Strike, which is also getting an environmental boost in the form of stacking harnesses—so Toughness will have more answers.
• Encumber is being nerfed directly (and buffed indirectly via the step nerfs, but still!).

 

I knew about the first 3 and didn't think they were relevant, but I didn't know about Encumber being nerfed too. If that's true, that changes everything.

 

Yes, but only slightly, and Improved TK now does exactly what WoW used to do, just at a slightly shorter range. I essentially see this as more control cards to choose from, even if slightly weaker.

Which only matters to a control wizard if they can be attacked.

The only nerf for encumber is that it doesn't stack, but it was rare that stacking was needed in a 3DC build, so I'm not sure this loss is significant, whereas the - step nerf, WW nerf, FS nerf - indirect buff combined - is a huge boon to 3DC.

Add to this I can now put impassible terrain between me and my opponent that I can still shoot over but they can't cross without scarce cards, and I don't know how 3DC doesn't rule. And while maybe there will be a few decks that compete, I expect them to be very few and I also expect that it will be nigh impossible to make a deck that can compete that has no wizard in it.

The only thing I see as being a possible counter to 3DC is the harness addition, but people are already crying for the rescinding of that, so I don't know if it'll stick.

 

I hope that it gets tested before rescinded

 

I'd like to see what an elf all buffed up with harnesses will be able to do in SP. Guess it's time to make a test realm account.

 

Overall, I'm very excited about the changes, as it's not clear exactly how the meta will end up as a result, which is a sign of some depth there. It makes a lot more items viable, providing all the fun of a new expansion with far less of the design work!

I agree that the harness change looks a change to the meta, rather than OP at first sight. It means we'll see more Boiling Armor and acid.

 

Next to hunting down Flax fairies Randimar resets are the thing I look forward to most in the game. I think having it reset daily will trivialize it, especially with the guaranteed rarities. Am I wrong in thinking this is too much of a good thing?

 

Oh! That changes things a lot. I'm not sure what I feel about this yet.

Aranak currently has 3x Chain Harness, and I thought you didn't want to change item levels.

 

This times 100. I also don't like that the items will be the same across all accounts. I like reading the Rate my Randimar's thread and if it's all the same... meh.

Edit: To expound: To me Randimar's is opening my weekly "pack of Cardhunter" items. And when you do that in a group, you look at each other's packs and say "What did you get? Oh, that's nice. Check out what I got." It takes the fun out of it for everyone to be "opening the same pack."

 

I'm not sure I agree that this opens up a ton of items to new usage in MP. The meta will be explored, but once it settles down I expect it'll just be a different set of top tier equipment.

First guess, I'd say Encumber Wizards will be a real thing and if nothing can challenge encumber than wizards win. The only thing I can see that will challenge that would be some type of Elven Warrior build or maybe a stronger Wizard build. A stronger (3 Dwarf) Warrior build would be stronger than then either of those but would be a lot weaker to encumber. The real question to me is can the meta settle into a 3+ deck balance, or will one of them end up better than the others.

The item choices will just settle down to optimal options for whatever the new builds are.
-I expect that Arrogant Armor, Team Run and push moves will once again define the warrior selections.
-I don't think wizards will change a huge amount, less tremoring staff due to the changes, more Staff of Winter. A lot less whirlwinds builds but a lot more dedicated encumber builds.
-Priests... maybe a bit more of the encumber removal items, but even that feels like a stretch.

 

clap... clap... clap, clap, clap CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Well done BM, well done.

The only thing about these changes that leaves me sour is that its taken this long to implement! I was worried when I didn't see encumber effects listed with the changes, after reading the previous comments though - not being able to stack encumber is a huge step in the right direction imo.

In regards to the 1hp quests, yes they may be more difficult now (perhaps an understatement) but when you consider that the backbone of this game is/should be/will be multiplayer, ask yourself what is more important? It has to be done. Once the dust has settled from the biggest changes a new challenging quest line can take its place (1/2 health instead of 1hp? - just my first thought).

I think the changes to firestorm specifically are fantastic. The old Firestorm made grinding for gear WAY too convenient, a mindless task really. Now that it will require a bit more effort perhaps there will be a little less incentive to grind SP and more incentive to farm in MP.

Shaking up the meta a bit? Yes please.

Reducing the effectiveness of high powered strategies that have little to no counter-play and are not fun to play against in general? Thank you sir!

Making the game less about the have and have-nots and more about actual skill and decisions made during play? Hell YES.

I think more could still be done and I hope that as time progresses you don't hesitate to make other small adjustments to ensure MP is as fun as it could be. All in all I think these changes are a MUST for creating a healthier MP experience.