[FEEDBACK] Monster Hunt (League)

Chupas only have one ranged attack (Spear of Darkness) that I added at the very last stages and considered removing. The thing about the design of the game is that it has to be super well balanced to work -- you don't want both people to get on the VP squares and it be a passing fest as the archer and/or polearm just slowly walk up and attack. But at the same time you don't want Chupas being monsters that the hunters fear and try to run away from. It is a very difficult balancing act between the two to work.

I'd like to see more games end in ways other than the hunters dying so easily and more with people trapping the Chupas and killing them.

 

The hunters are anything but slow. If you want to remove the ability of the enemy to score with the victory tiles, you can get to the victory area with your hunters before enemy chupas can.

 

At the moment, this can turn into a pass fest, as it's too weighted towards "he who moves first, loses" when the parties encounter each other in the middle of the field. I find it leads to frustrating play against good opposition as every position is a 'trap' for the opponent, and you have to avoid moving rather than overcommit too often.

 

Pretty much this.

In addition, think I've played over 20 games or so this league and I can recall exactly 1 where it ended with a chupa on the vp point. Every other one the strategy for a win is to kill a hunter and a chupa. Its the same in almost every game, sometimes its kill 2 hunters or both chupas, but the vp's are, for the most part, inconsequential.

 

Yeah, I had a feeling it might devolve into that as people are afraid to move. I'm not sure it is as bad as you're saying it is in that it is just a huge pass fest and whoever moves first loses, but I do see that a lot of people will cycle draws to get better hands.

Suggestions for fixes?

 

Good question. Don't have the answers but I will say getting that infected bite on a hunter is nearly 1/2 way to winning right there. Truthfully I'd like to see a priest as the spear hunter or give us some way to heal/purge. Its a bit of a stinker when it turns out to be a close match but you know you lose next round anyway because of that bite.

 

Well, I have a few minor balance changes planned that should help. I'm just curious what other suggestions were out there for balancing.

 

Hi everyone. At first, thanks Stexe for that league, the idea is really great!
I played 22 matches for now and in my opinion you should add 2hp to archer and spearmen and change for dwarf Hack on Dancing Cut Charge on Brutal Charge and, maybe, dismiss Barge

 

I think those changes are a bit drastic as Dancing Cut would let the Dwarf move and attack a lot. But it is close to the line of thinking of what I want to do. Right now I have the following changes planned:
+1 HP to all Hunters.
Archer: -1 Run; +1 Blunt Missile
Dwarf: -1 Hack; +1 Strong Chop

I'm considering changing Charge to Brutal Charge as well due to the risk of using a movement card from Mind Muddle and the short distance of the map it should give the Dwarf more damage.

 

The charge is quite hard to get to use for damage because of the locations of the difficult terrain, so I don't know if making it Brutal would make that much difference.

 

Yeah, but it might help slightly. The game is already really tight from my experiences and watching.

Do you have any ideas for improving the league?

 

I haven't gotten to play as much as I would have liked due to my own constraints, but I will note that when it has come up, barge has had the capacity to be a very useful way to avoid Maze of Mind (or whatever the MH version is called).

 

Yes, I really like what Barge brings to the game -- definitely not removing it. You can use it for ignoring Mind Muddle, pushing enemies into allies, pushing allies into enemies, and for pushing allies to catch up to enemies. I would add another, but I think that would reduce the Dwarf's damage by too much.

 

Barge has always been a dead card to me as my hunters are always scaterred around the width of the map so that if the chupas move, I'll have at least one guy in range. Usualy I draw barge (or armor or charge or things like that) after I could come in close range with the dwarf against two chupas out of movement, beat them up and sacrificing something for the priority caus one of the chupas has 3hp left and my dwarf is still on close range. Depressing (but not as much as when the spearman die from two attacks because the two blocks in his hands can't trigger).

 

I dunno, my experience with Barge is a lot different. Also, if your hunters are scattered around then you're definitely prone to dying from Chupas ganging up.

Hunters together should be able to kill a Chupa before it kills them, but otherwise will die and lose out to lifesteal healing the Chupas. It is a really tough balancing act on both parts, I think it is nearly there but giving the Hunters another HP should help.

 

I HATE MONSTER HUNT

 

I mean something like this: x_x_x
Not just next to each others (which would leave a highway to the victory squares to the chupas)
They still can defend themselves.

And I agree that the poisoning attack of the chupas is too deadly (12 damages on 16 HP units).

 

I actually enjoyed this more in the pre-release version I played with you. At the moment, it's quite a crapshoot whether he has a 5 or 10 point chop when the dwarf reaches you, and that's a crucial difference. Likewise with a 4 or 8 point stab. And likewise with the "do they have mind muddle or not?" issue.That's my main problem with the scenario as it stands: it's too much of a crapshoot about which cards the oppo actually holds. You make a play, and if they hold one card you're fine, if they hold the other, you lose. And that's why passing till they reveal their hand is the best strategy.

It's almost like a middle ground of variance that's worse than both extremes: in a totally consistent deck, the best play will win, or a stalemate will ensue. In a more random deck, you win or lose a few games to great draws, but overall you can play the odds. The current distribution favours neither of these.

 

Well, that's fine as it isn't for everyone, but constructive feedback on WHY you hate it would be useful.