The Top Balance Changes that I Would Make During 2023

Personofsecrets

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I think I have a pertinent quote about early game cards from a thread I made earlier about the issue.

spartaxoxo wrote: »

Being able to predict the winner isn't the same as it being a foregone conclusion. I'm not saying it's impossible to win, I am saying that the odds are disproportionately in favor of whoever got the better cards in the early game, making it fairly simple to predict the results. I have certainly turned around games plenty of times, but it's more likely than not that the game was already decided early on. That most of the changes have centered around early game cards should demonstrate pretty easily that this is correct.

Early Game Cards (5 coins or less) changed

1) Scratch
2) Ceporah's Insight
3) Psijic Insight
4) Prescience
5) Time Mastery
6) Prowling Shadow
7) Jeering Shadow
8) Midnight Raid
9) Armory (now a mid game card)
10) Siege Volley
11) Grand Larceny
12) Conquest
13) Warrior Wave
14) Maormer Boarding Party
15) Serpent Guard Rider
16) Summerset Sacking

Mid-Late Game Cards changed (6 or more coins)

1) Hireling
2) Oathmen
3) Jarring Lullaby
4) Shadow Slumber
5) Rally
6) Currency Exchange
7) March on Hattu
8) Hira's End
9) Snakeskin Freebooter (is now an early game card on PTS)

Note that I defined "Early Game" as 5 coins or less, but it could easily be argued that 6 coin cards are also early game because they can be bought on player 2's very first turn.

If it's defined as 6 coin cards, then that list skews even further toward early game receiving the most balance changes.

Hireling, Oathmen, Rally, March on Hattu, and Hira's End can all be purchased turn 1 of the second player.

That so much of the balance changes have centered on early game would indicate the devs are aware of the issue and are making minor adjustments to fix it.

I remember the Scratch change and immediately had to wonder why they didn't change Luxury. Under combo conditions, scratch makes 3 gold and 2 power, but also comes with a downside of non-combo conditions. Luxury can't generate power, but always has the important factor of gaining 3 gold and since luxury only costs 2, players can regularly boost their economy the same turn that they buy it via use of the treasury or purchase of another cheap card. Sort of silly.

ZOS_Icy

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