Today we’ve applied a balance patch addressing some key cards in the current meta, as well as a few smaller changes.
##Balance changes
Zealous Crusader
- Stats reduced to 2/2 from 3/3.
Animated Banquet
- Stats reduced to 1/1 from 2/2.
Radiance, Scourge of the Oversky
- No longer prevents creatures from attacking.
Underground Boss
- Stats increased to 3/5 from 3/4.
Weeping Idol
- Land requirement reduced to F from FF.
UI Improvements
- The “New” tag on cards in your library has been improved
- Dragon’s Lair banner should now be more readable.
- Banon now has an animation if he successfully triggers
Designer commentary
We’ve been keeping an eye on the meta, and know that there are some very passionate thoughts from our players on what cards should be adjusted, and how.
Today’s patch addresses a few of the key cards we’ve been watching closely. We’d like to observe the effect of these subtle but impactful changes and carefully consider the results.
The “Steve” in the room
For whatever inexplicable reason, our community has taken to calling the card “Radiance, Scourge of the Oversky” - Steve. This would normally be seen as a term of endearment, but in this case we realize that a great many of you dislike Steve’s strong presence in the current meta. In an effort to make this powerful card a little easier to defend against, we are removing the ability for it to stall out any counter-attacks.
Over time, Zealous Crusader has received multiple new enablers that allow it to scale in power more quickly than we’re comfortable with. Lowering the base stats will now make it less valuable in the earlier turns of the game where it often matters most.
These two cards remain on the “watch list,” and we may change them further if these adjustments prove to be insufficient.
Other changes
The decrease in stats for Animated Banquet means that it must now be chained successfully in order to generate value, and is easier to punish as a more fragile body.
We’re now confident to return Underground Boss to a previous stat-line, now that Gift of Steel is less punishing to play against.
Weeping Idol also received a small land reduction in order to make it just a little easier to play along with the masochistic cards present in other colors.
We realize a lot of players are hungering for more changes, but we want to approach the major issues we’re seeing carefully and take whatever steps are needed to achieve the best result for the game in the end - a well-balanced meta where a variety of decks are not only playable, but competitive. Thank you for your continued feedback.
