We'd like to address the current state of the game, and talk about some general changes you can expect in the near future.
State of the game
Faeria’s gameplay has come a long way since the beginning of Early Access, thanks in large part to what our playerbase has helped us learn. Faeria remains an extremely complex mechanism, and over time we have become more aware of what the correct buttons are to press when it comes time for balance adjustments and gameplay tweaks. However, sometimes we press that button just a bit too hard - or sometimes not enough. Come to think of it, we should really stop using pressure-sensitive buttons.
When we introduced 10 new cards to the game late last year, we intentionally pressed a lot of buttons. Most of the 10 new cards were deliberately geared to shift the meta toward a more interactive level of gameplay. Releasing tame new cards is generally not a problem in regards to balancing workload, but releasing powerful cards is much more risky. We’re happy with the general changes in direction these cards have brought us, but recognize a few problems have emerged. We’ve addressed a few of these problems in subsequent patches, but are now comfortable enough to consider some further adjustments after having made many more observations.
The current power of rush decks
One core issue we have wrestled with for quite some time has been the perceived power level of rush decks versus their actual power level. At entry levels of play, rush strategies can appear absolutely overwhelming. It can sometimes be very difficult for new, or even mid-level players to pick up on how to properly deal with an all-out assault on their orb. At high levels of play, on the other hand, it has been routinely demonstrated that this is not the case at all, barring a few instances when some cards were temporarily way out of line.
It’s also important to keep in mind that since rush decks inherently end the game faster, they are therefore encountered much more commonly in the ranked ladder than their power level alone would demand. Many players seek as many ‘games per hour’ as they can possibly attain, and playing a rush deck is one of the best ways to accomplish that - even if their win-rates are not necessarily as high as with “slower” decks. It is expected that rush decks will always have a strong presence in the ladder, but we are always monitoring things very carefully for when we believe the presence may be just a bit too strong.
With all of that to consider, we are left in a tight spot with very little clearance in many directions. We need to maintain rush decks at a power level that is tolerable to newer and mid-level players, yet strong enough to compete at the highest levels of play in order to police the overall balance of the game and maintain a general level of deck sanity.
This is a very delicate line that we have always walked, but we’re prepared to try on some new shoes.
With our goals for the viability of aggressive decks still in mind, we do believe at this point in the game that rush decks in general are stepping over the line of their appropriate power level across all formats.
In regards to solving this issue, we feel there is some room to expand a player’s options for dealing with aggressive decks in general. We want to allow players more answers to aggressive decks, particularly against Yellow. This will likely involve redesigning a few cards, and we plan on doing this soon.
Slam
When we introduced the Slam keyword, we knew the results would be somewhat unpredictable.
While we’re happy with the explosive potential it unlocked for Green, we’re not entirely pleased with how it can often feel for the defending player. Balance aside, it can place the defender into situations that can make one feel as if they lack any great answers, particularly when combined with the new mobility potential that has been recently introduced to green.
This isn’t how we want players to feel when enjoying Faeria.
Without getting into too much detail yet, we’re looking at a suitable solution here, and expect to share it with you soon.
Green’s mobility
We want to address some of the recent changes we’ve made to Green, specifically in regards to its “color pie”, or general scope of abilities.
We’ve seen some confusion recently in the community over Green’s identity and where we are going with it- and we don’t blame you. Seems a little weird for Green to have Jump, Dash, and “Teleport” now after so long, right? We’ve touched on this before, but believe it worth mentioning again in case we weren’t clear.
The short answer is that we have gradually come to the conclusion that no movement tricks at all in Green does not lead to a fantastic gameplay landscape. Green’s lack of mobility didn’t pair well with their lack of board removal. We’ve therefore shifted design in such a way that leaves Red as the only ‘immobile’ color, which it compensates for with its multitude of direct and indirect damage options. Green has now become the master of using its creatures to solve problems. Now that Green’s creatures have more capability to travel across the board, we feel the color both now plays better and has had a healthy design space opened wide for future additions.
You can expect this new mobility potential to remain part of Green’s new identity for the future.
Next balance patch
So, where does all that leave us?
The next balance patch is on its way soon, and should contain the last major adjustments before release. We’re not quite ready to announce a date for it, but know that it’s actively in the works.
As always, thank you for your continued feedback - both balance related, and otherwise.
New Discord channel: #boards
With the help of community architect Tidwell, we've put together a channel in our Discord server which provides a live-feed to our official forums, allowing you to easily click on any topics that interest you and weigh in as you wish.
While Discord discussions can be very productive, we feel there is no replacement for the more permanent posting and thoughtful discussion environment that our boards provide, and would like to direct as many there as possible.
Let us know what you think, or mention anything that can be improved on either our forums or Discord server.
Weekend events
Monthly Cup qualifier
The next wave of Monthly Cup qualifiers begins tomorrow, January 21st!
- Register here for Monthly Cup qualifier #1 - Saturday, 6pm CET.
- Watch them live on MetagamingTV, casted by Scream and Crow.
Noaphiel's King of the Hill
Current "king" littlenooby looks to maintain his place at the top of the pile for the third consecutive week in a row. This time, he'll have to defeat Modgnik, who only recently lost his first Monthly Cup in 3 months.
Have a great weekend!
- The Faeria Team