[Balance] Card Discussion

Because right now those cards are all okay. Changing things to be more rational is a noble goal—but in terms of doing work, it doesn't make sense when the cards you're modifying aren't problem cards. I think I explained this on page 1 or 2 of this thread

 

Drawing cards is very powerful. Even modo in CH, where the decks are smaller than in something like Magic. Especially since the PCs can use all their cards, not like the minions in SP.

Hey, @Flaxative, have you guys thought about cards with that as a drawback? Like an exhausting blow our something, where the PC would grey out after using the card?

 

Haha that could be interesting.

 

OK so veering off-topic here, I think that I can agree with the whole spark/fire trait thing being a thing. A thing that won't be changing even if it is a fairly good, noble thing.

Also veering away from a new card that effectively Stuns you after you play it. As described by Bluemage. Cool.

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Cards of the Day: Illusion Wall & Illusionary Barrier
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Note that Barrier is actually a silver + on items.

Some say Walls are too weak, some say Barriers are too strong. Who is right?

 

I find it a bit confusing that these are two separate cards. Obviously barrier is much stronger than wall; but they are both range 8, both 3 squares, both silver; and they have similar names. I struggle to remember which is which. When I first saw Illusory Barrier I just thought that Wall Of Illusion had been buffed. I didn't realise that it was an entirely different card...

In any case, Illusory Barrier is very strong. I wouldn't say it is too strong, but it is definitely strong. Fortunately, it doesn't win games on its own. It can be used to make the enemy waste their cards; and it can be used defensively - but it can't kill anyone on its own - and it can be removed by other terrain attachments and by cleansing. So that effectively puts a cap on how powerful it can be - and I think that's a good thing.

Meanwhile, Wall Of Illusion is very rarely useful. The fact that it only lasts 1 turn means that it's very difficult to use it effectively. (I don't think I need to describe why it's difficult.)

In my view, these cards should either be merged into a single duration 2 card. Or alternatively Wall Of Illusion should be tweaked so that it is more useful and less similar to Illusory Barrier. For example, it could be changed to target 1 or 2 squares instead of 3, and buffed to duration 2 or 3.

 

Wall of Illusion can be helpful to replace difficult terrain in a pinch. So it's not completely useless.

 

Just add 1 to the duration of Wall Of Illusion, or replace Wall of Illusion with Illusory Barrier completely. Pin Of The Painful Mirage is like a lesser Phantom Pain. No one would like to use the lesser form. I generally stay away from Wall of Illusion due to it being very weak.

Alternatively, the quality rating of Wall of Illusion can be reduced to bronze so that Pin of the Painful Mirage will be a lesser Phantom Pain but without the token cost. That would also be neat. In line with this, Wallbuilder's Staff could cost 2 minor tokens and the Maze could be replaced with Telekinesis. That would make it a viable control staff like Illusion.

 

What about making it burst 1?

 

Making Wall of Illusion into Box of Illusion? Illusion Sphere? Illusion Burst? Sounds cool!

I also suggested making illusion walls 5 adjacent squares. Seems like some cool ideas here.

 

Wall of Illusion is poor because of the duration, just a Barrier is strong due to the duration. I like the burst idea, but I think that would make Wall too powerful, other than smoke bomb (which affects both teams equally and does no damage) there are no terrain attachments (usable by players) more than 3 squares. But I think there is a logic to differentiate it from Barrier... Make it function like Cleansing Presence. It gives more protection or overwriting of terrain, but since you can't target it, the extra protection is not as strong. Would still need to be duration 1 because a square of stop terrain is a lot to go through.

 

Wall is shinier for a weaker effect. That always annoyed me xD

Barrier is great indeed.

Wall is.. a cleansing that can occasionally be used to moderately annoy a wizard? Eh?
I guess making the wall longer would help differentiate it from other cards besides being a strictly worse barrier. 4 or 5 squares would be cool.

 

Hmm, I always think that Barriers have Stop, while Illusion Walls only stopped enemy Line of Sight. Should an Illusion really stop you from Charging straight through into an enemy wizard?

I think that you could reduce Barrier down to duration 2, and give Wall a size increase and a duration increase to 2 but remove the Stop. That would make Wall into a smoke bomb-esque terrain that only you can see through.

 

Illusory Barrier is fine where it stands. Nerfing it is a bad idea to me since it already has several drawbacks to its great power (no actual damage, must need LoS to squares to block, comes in only a few items which are control-focused, etc.)

Illusion Wall is the only card that has a problem for me, imho. Making it Burst 1 (and changing the name to Box of Illusion) sounds really neat, since you can use it to trap an enemy warrior, instantly make a protective box on your wizard, or just block opponents more. I'm just not sure that having it Burst 1 will make it have really meaningful differences over Illusory Barrier (I'd still take Illusory Barrier over it any day). You rarely have a situation that will need more than 3 squares of Illusion terrain.

PS: When's the card of the day going to be changed?

 

Whenever I feel like it.
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Card of the Day: Impenetrable Nimbus
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Alright, I opened up the can. You guys go at it!

Spoiler: My suggestions. Don't read this until after you've thought about this a little.

Nah, I'll post my suggestions later. Hehe.

 

I like nimbus.
Takes skill to use it right.

 

Nimbus is fine where it stands. My only problem with it is if my opponent draws double.

 

Re: Impenetrable Nimbus
For whatever it's worth, there are four new warrior weapons in EttSC that have Purging Strike. Two of them are Peasant-legal; one of them has two copies; none of the four suck.

There're also more answers to attachments being printed, all of which are "main-deckable."

But that's enough spoilers from me—don't any of you try to get more out of me.

 

I think nimbus is fine as it is. While very powerful, it only last for one turn and even if you have multiple,you need priority to ensure safety.
Paper-quality Purge get rid of it,along with other attachments.
Personally, I prefer martyr's blessing because it last for 2 turn and nobody with half a brain attack a martyr unless they can reliably kill it really fast.

 

I've always liked the idea behind IN and have never agreed with the ideas to make in not totally prevent all and any damage for the round unless removed/purged away.
With Elven Maneuvers all around the place purges see a lot of play too atm but if IN proves to be too troublesome later on, its range can be lowered I guess.

 

Eh, I think Nimbus is fine as it stands. It wears off every turn.