Balance out of boredom - "what if it was PURPLE" edition
obligatory point of reference for the title (mild nsfw)
hello. i've noticed that "CVH" and "purple" or "blue" have absolutely no common letters despite the fact that CVH's favorite class is sorcerer
disclaimer: this isn't meant to be taken as hate post of any kind, i like the meta we're in (for the most part at least). I'm trying to remain as unbiased as I can throughout all this. Never going to suggest implementing all these changes at once 'cause that's just absurd. Also, if you have played dota pretend i'm icefrog trying to buff/nerf most of the cards and
previous posts:
General change: Regenerate HEALS YOU FROM CURSES COMPLETELY. Curses are used rarely for general trading purposes. This should be the ultimate anti-finish off mechanism. Currently Curses (or debuffs, w/e) can only be fixed by silencing and Regenerate is really only important on whopping two cards. One of them is very good (Whiterun Protector) and the other one is very good in 1/100 matches (Oldgate Warden). That should fix it a bit.
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Deathless Draugr: From 1/1 to 1/2 - I think even as a 1/1 this card has a lot potential, but it's really missed. Maybe with the comeback of Corsair Ship and other supports it's gonna be played and in that case the buff shouldn't even be considered at all. As of right now, the 1/2 isn't too out of the ordinary to think about imho.
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Dragon Cult Ghost: Additional text: Gain an extra +1/+1 if there's a friendly Dragon on the board - it's a DRAGON CULT ghost. You'd think the name isn't there just for show.
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Elixir of Vigor: Cost changed to 1. Buff changed from +0/+1 to +0/+2 - thanks to my friends for suggestion, this looks much better (EDITED)
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Fharun Defender: Additional text: +1/0 if there's more creatures on enemy lane - You see, most of these are gonna be "I'm not sure about this change", because... god damnit half of these cards are really balanced and tapping them either way is going to make them either a bit too good now or absurd in near future. But yeah, I'm adding that because right now the card sees borderline no play and I wouldn't say it has a real good niche.
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Stormhold Henchman: Buff from +2/+2 to +3/+2 - This is such a weird card. Why have an early-game card that is better late, but better by an inch (compared to what you can get from 7 magicka onward). So what bumped into my head was pure madness... called mid-ramp. While you're playing these somewhat powerful cards on curve you also add ramp to make your early game progress much better into late-game. This is the kind of deck I could see that in and this is what I want to try and improve.
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Wrothgar Kingpin: From 1/1 to 0/2 - I find this card really, really cool, but even in a dedicated orc deck incredibly underwhelming. And that's why I decided to make this small shift in stats that makes it hella tanky, but less capable offensively, making the Kingpin a figure that gets progressively harder to take down the later the game goes. This is also a silent buff to a certain card.
If I had a chance to make my previous thread somewhat more updated I'd change Wood Orc's cost to 6 magicka to accomodate for this change a bit. Also because right now midgrorrior's insanely good mid-late valor is getting a part of your sick reach from Jarl. You can get T6 Jarl into T7 Wood Orc + Orc Clan Captain. -1 for either one or even both of them with ring. So yeah...
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Yew Shield: gives +0/+1 along Guard - This is another card that I think is in a decent place but doesn't see any play. So we buff it a tiny bit.
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Blackrose Herbalist: From 2/4 to 2/5. Healing also counts towards curses (only health) - Direwolf. I shouldn't be buffing this card. It should be like that from the get go. Healing creatures is a VERY minor effect that almost never is going to do anything. I think an added niche is going to improve it as well as this one other card no one remembers.
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Brassilisk: Has Summon: Gain Regenerate or +0/+1 - I remember when Clockwork City was revealed and this card was one of the first things we saw. "Man, this looks so weak. Maybe they're gonna add some new potent self-pings?" Nah. With that in mind I don't see a reason for this card to be just a 2/2. Also, small wink to how Factotums have their Assemble.
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Hackwing Feather: From +1/+3 to +1/+2 and Summon: Heal this creature - Along with how the Regenerate works this should enable more guard-centric decks. On top of that, it's a tiny merric buff, tiny Battlefield Scrounger buff, etc.
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Imperial Armor: From +0/+6 to +1/+5 - I realize how insane this can be with Ring of Imaginary Might, but... let's face it, it's two items you need to get to do it, so... yeah... Instead, I'm opting to make it a little bit better standalone item with this miniscule instant use.
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Innkeeper Delphine: From 2/3 to 2/5. Grandmaster Delphine cannot at all be affected by shouts - For an unique legendary, she's... alright, but nowhere near amazing. At 2/3 I'd expect her to be just a legendary card, definitely not unique. Her condition is somewhat harder to trigger than Pit Lion's. With that said, her Grandmaster form is great, but comes with some really iffy wording. Both Drain Vitality lv 3 and Unrelenting Force lv 3 affect her. This change makes it so that... well, what I think initial intention of this card was, is stronger.
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Soul Tear Level 1: Now only can revive a creature that costs only 4 or less.
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Soul Tear Level 2: Can revive any creature, gives it Last Gasp: Banish this creature.
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Soul Tear Level 3: On top of previous stuff also buffs the creature by +4/+4.
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Soul Tear cost from 3 to 2 magicka. - So basically I think that Soul Tear at 2 magicka was amazing in more things than just ramp. That should, in my humble opinion, be brought back. However a constant access to a 6 cost 7/7 charge drain is slightly annoying. We can change it at least this way.
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Young Mammoth: Remove Breakthrough - It's very inappropriate for a mammoth to not have breakthrough, it's arguably anti-intuitive. This change, however, makes Stalking Shadowscale more in-line while keeping the whole "purple's gimmick is overstatted" in-tact. Several cards benefit off making Mammoth stronger - aforementioned Shadowscale, Wrothgar Artisan, Mistveil Warden... the list goes on.
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Angry Grahl (and Cave Grahl): From 2/4 to 3/3 - Between making Regenerate an actual keyword that matters a bit more and equalizing every slot separately, Grahl looks above average. I still think it would be really fringely played in midrange if anything. Should that happen we can make it a +2/+3 buff.
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Black Marsh Warden: From 2/2 to 2/3. Card looks like a sick control token thing, but it just dies too fast. This is another one of these "mid-ramp" cards I could see getting big, but the value is just underwhelming right now as, at best, 4 cost 5/5. You know we do have that... in one card... with an upside...
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Bleakcoast Troll: Slay from +1/+1 to +1/+0 - This is a very careful change to stickiness of the creature. It's a 4 cost 5/5 already, therefore I don't think he should have that strong of an upside, even though it's already not as important. The fact that Endurance has an access to several separate 5/5s is probably good for the SMOrc-y niche it fills, because it lacks in pings, hard removal... basically any way to get rid of stuff other than... creatures, essentially. It's the name of the attribute - you're supposed to endure your opponent's attack and still live.
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Corrupted Shade: From 5/5 to 5/4 - Given how it has Ward this sounds fair. In mid sorc, where it's primarily used, this means a surprise way of keeping the shade alive, by Shadowfenning it the turn later after the ward was broken, is less ideal than ever, 'cause the shade can still be bolted and die.
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Emperor Titus Mede II: From 1/4 to 3/4 - Thatta large buff! As a unique legendary the card should be strong. This change would make it an instant 4/5 with potential for big things. Not to mention the lad deserves more for being so chill in Skyrim. Wish I could have a beer with him.
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Frost Troll: From 1/6 to 2/6 - EEC decks are a secret 8th world wonder. Frost Troll sounds like an ideal candidate for these, with Regenerate and high health, gaining damage as the game progresses. But nah, for right now the other, Bleakcoast Troll, does his job far better as an even bigger wall and one that is instantly available. Therefore, at 3/7 and Curse being that bit less impactful, the card should be in a better spot.
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Gloom Wraith: From 3/3 to 2/4 - Now this one may sound really weird, but I have used this card in purple midrange. It's yet to be anything else than a 5/5 onwards. Right now. With midrange purple decks filled with trolls. Purple-centric midrange is a beast, so this is more of a prevention change for what can happen in future.
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Grim Champion: From 2/2 to 3/2 - On the other side of the spectrum we have Grim Champion. The card looks like an ideal token spellsword material, but it's not helped by the fact it's... well, an endurance card, a 4 drop and is board reliant. Probably a win-more card as well. That should make it a considerable option for midrange decks on top of a solid token bomb.
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Northpoint Captain: From 4/2 to 3/2.
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Northpoint Herald: From 0/4 to 1/5 - Minor change here to make the token a bit more relevant and the card altogether more evened out. Also super secret buff to Ulfric's Uprising.
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Restoration Tutor: From 3/4 to 3/6 - Big buff to a very slept on creature. Slept on for a good reason, granted, but slept on nevertheless. That gives it a bit more mileage tho.
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Stonetooth Scrapper: From 4/5 to 4/4. Now gives all Orcs +0/+1 - Ever since SirChoate mentioned it once, I'm thinking control orcs should be somewhat more viable. Hell if I know what else could be done if not start a bit more of an option.
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Cave Bear: From 5/6 to 5/5. Now has Summon: Battle an enemy creature if your opponent damaged you last turn - Cave Bear has been outclassed by so many things in just two smaller expansions, so we might as well give the creature a... different niche. Still gonna be a valid EEC target, but on top of that it's also an absolute unit. Should this turn out to be too much, it can be changed to 6 magicka.
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Stampeding Mammoth: Buff from +2/0 to +3/0 - With Hulking Fabricant becoming an absolute unit since Clockwork City at 5 magicka, this thing's pretty underwhelming. On top of that we can assume Mammoth is going to either be powercreeped at one point or straight up nerfed, therefore the buff is more than deserved honestly.
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Watch Commander: From 4/4 to 4/5 - Guard decks are slowly approaching, especially now that control mage is probably weaker than people remember it, specifically on ladder. Something that is essentially a global buff shouldn't get the buff increased even further, so let's make the creature slightly more worth playing. Very slightly. It only made Brynjolf playable.
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Cicero the Betrayer: From 1/6 to 2/6 - Poor, poor Cicero. In Skyrim he's misunderstood to the point of being a straight up woobie at times... A guy you'd hug with a knife at bay but still. Anyways, as is his effect is really powerful, but because he can be neutralized by a single curse, I wouldn't say he's worth the 6 cost slot. So yeah, we can mend that a bit.
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Mountain Tyrant: From 6/6 to 6/7 and gains Breakthrough - Another card that is kind of made to be evened out with the whole above-average curve thing.
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Night Predator: From 5/6 to 7/6 - Pretty self-explanatory as well.
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Stonehill Mammoth: From 5/7 to 6/5 and Breakthrough - In my opinion its current statline hardly works anywhere. Besides, it's a mammoth. Give it a breakthrough. I know I just took it away from a Young Mammoth but it's young. Its tusks are still very flimsy aren't they.
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Ironscale Dragon: From 7/7 to 9/5 - So the poor dragon is really only a good EEC fodder. Mediocre dragon to include in a dragon deck, its only niche is regenerate and this is probably the way to go. With a statline like this you have a potent bomb that doesn't just die to a lightning bolt.
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Lowland Troll: Cost from 7 magicka to 6. Stats from 4/8 to 3/6. Now has an active effect that gives a creature +2/+2 every time that creature gets healed - This card in its initial state was beyond redemption. EEC-wise it was outclassed by Ironscale Dragon and needless to say it has not many other uses. But now we get a brand new archetype that can start a Regenerate-focused and healing focused deck. Self-harm warrior is on the map boys.
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Swamp Leviathan: From 8/8 to 8/9 - More even-ing out.
i think that's it
comment, rate changes, do whatever you want to
sorry if I disappointed somewhere
huge shoutout to szotymag for being a real good man and answering my concerns
Posted Mar 12, 2018, 9:26 PM UTC · edited