Hello Psycogs!
Here is the next balancing patch that will be live on Wednesday, October 4. As usual, here are a few words from the Dev team to find out more, as well as the list of Buffs and Nerfs.
Let's dive right in!
Objectives
2023’s season 2 was far more balanced, at least in terms of deck diversity. However, Zoo decks (and at a lesser scale, Tech decks) still have a dominating presence in the PvP scene over the others, and Mystic decks are the least favored child.
Downward balancing (Nerfs)
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- The Zoo Psycore based on the Beast starter keeps on being the most played Starter since season 1. Its ability do deal damage on the opposing battlefield (even if a bit unreliably) makes it often a first choice starter, overshadowing most basic Zoo mutants. We chose to weaken it by making it far more random and risky, in the line of Zoo’s randomness.
When this mutant enters play/evolves, it deals [1-1-1-2-3] damage to a random opposing entity.
AFTER
When this mutant enters play/evolves, it deals [1-1-1-2-3] damage to another random entity on your or your opponent’s battlefield.
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Scrap-Metal Cannon
- The Scrap-Metal Cannon is too efficient in its ability to target and destroy the opposing Psycore, bypassing Guardian Buildings and Mutants. To limit that card’s power in PvP and Siege battles, we make it able to target only Mutants.
Discard any number of Tech mutants or Parts cards. Deal 2 piercing damage to target entity for each discarded card.
Discard any number of Tech mutants or Parts cards. Deal 2 piercing damage to target mutant for each discarded card.
Note : The Scrap-Metal cannon still works on the Battle Simulacrum, as it’s a Mutant.
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- The Laser Printer is a very effective Building to fill your board with Starter mutants. We limit its long-term generation so that the Old Printer remains a viable alternative.
New stats : HP reduced from [3] to [2]
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Upward balancing (Buffs)
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- Cerberus was lightly understatted, we upped its ATK in consequence.
New stats : ATK increased from [1-3-4-6-7] to [2-4-5-7-8]
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- We determined temporary ATK penalties were not as powerful as we expected them to be, so we make them permanent.
When this mutant enters play/evolves, inflict -[1-2-2-3-100] ATK on a random oppposing mutant until the end of turn.
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- As per Dilophoraptor, we make its ATK penalty permanent, without changing its stats, while adjusting the ability power at Platinum rank, as this one was already permanent.
Action - The target enemy mutant and all mutants on the same battlefield are inflicted with -[1-1-2-2] ATK until the end of turn.
Platine : Action - The target enemy mutant and all mutants on the same battlefield are inflicted with -[2] ATK.
Action - The target enemy mutant and all mutants on the same battlefield are inflicted with -[1-1-2-2-3] ATK.
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Wrath
- Wrath was lightly understatted, and had a low survivability in most cases. We increase its HP at all ranks.
New stats : HP increased from [2-3-5-7-9] to [3-4-6-8-10]
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Stealth Bot
- This mutant had a very situational ability. We decided to add it a small Stasis effect at Basic and Bronze ranks to both align it with other ranks and make its evolution more understandable.
- The Backstab and Electric Backstab abilities are merged into one.
Action - Deal [1-2-2-3-4] and Stasis [0-0-2-2-2] to target mutant. Stealth-Bot loses Evasion until the beginning of your next turn.
Action - Deal [1-2-2-3-4] and Stasis [1-1-2-2-2] to target mutant. Stealth-Bot loses Evasion until the beginning of your next turn.
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Set Ablaze
- Even though that card’s power level on the long term was quite correct (6 damage over 3 turns), the card suffered greatly in comparison with all other forms of single-target direct damage or destruction. We increased its offensive ability to give it the ability to exert long-term pressure on powerful mutants.
Discard a Mystic Mutant: Inflict Burning 3 to target mutant.
Discard a Mystic Mutant: Inflict Burning 4 to target mutant.
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The Forgotten One
- This Heroic Necro mutant has been part of the forgotten ones (pun intended) during this ranked season. We decided to improve it by simplifying her Eternal Despair ability, which now applies both stat increases when a mutant is destroyed, and we gave her a brand new effect. We adjusted its stats accordingly.
New Stats: HP reduced from [9] to [8]
BEFORE
Whenever a mutant you control is destroyed, this mutant has +1 ATK. Whenever an opposing mutant is destroyed, this mutant has +1 HP.
Whenever another mutant is destroyed on your or your opponent’s battlefield, this mutant has +1 ATK, +1 PV and your Psycore is healed by 1.
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Mechanical changes (Reworks)
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- Monocerus has been part of the most played mutants since the first ranked season, despite a first modification of its ability. Given the huge number of Zoo/Tech Basic mutants, we decided to change Monocerus to an advanced mutant, in order to balance the distribution of such mutants. Its stats have been rebalanced according to the new design.
Mutant Subtype: Basic → Advanced
EVO given on destruction : Increased from [1-2-3-4-6] to [2-3-4-6-9]
ATK: Reduced from [2-3-5-8-10] to [2-3-4-6-8]
HP: Increased [2-3-6-9-11] to [3-5-7-10-12]