Balancing the Defected cards

[eidolon232]

• Cold Snap
  I like the card, but why does it deal less dmg than Ball Lightning?
  
• Coolheaded
  This is just so much worse than the other cold orb cards. Maybe let it draw an additional card (and move to uncommon)?
  
• Buffer
  As a one time effect, this feels more like a skill to me.
  
• Claw
  Could we get another Claw card?
  
• Consume (base version)
  2 Energy is a lot, especialy when since you sometimes already have an orb in the slot you are about to sacrifice.
  
• Storm
  Dealing 3-8 dmg (without additional focus) and potentially drawing cards in the process whenever you play a power is just too good for 1 energy.
  
• All For One
  This can deal way too much dmg when Mind Blast stays at 0 Energy.
  
• Echo Form
  I am relatively unsure whether I should upgrade this card or not: permanently losing the best card of your deck on a bad draw is super annoying, on the other hand given that 3 mana cards are already relatively situational, not getting any cheaper on upgrade feals like I could do better than that.
  
• Fusion
  I never really pick this card, this just seems underwhelming outside of a combo deck and even then you have to upgrade it first.
  
• Hyperbeam
  Nice card, but with all the orb synergies losing 2 focus would still be OK.
  
• Seek
  Compared to Secret Weapon/ Technique it is obvious that the card needs to be nerfed. Maybe lose the exhaust, but restict it to 0 Energy cards to help the archetype?

[Paranoia]

Escrito originalmente por eidolon232:

• Cold Snap
  I like the card, but why does it deal less dmg than Ball Lightning?
  
• Coolheaded
  This is just so much worse than the other cold orb cards. Maybe let it draw an additional card (and move to uncommon)?

I must say that I disagree with this sentiment, since I find them already plenty strong. Cold Snap causes causes less damage than Ball Lightning because it is better than Ball Lightning. Coolheaded is less useful than Ball Lightning (a bit of an apples vs oranges, given that they are for different Decks), but still plenty good. Better than most of Defects actual Block Cards.

Escrito originalmente por eidolon232:

Dealing 3-8 dmg (without additional focus) and potentially drawing cards in the process whenever you play a power is just too good for 1 energy.

I, on the other hand, have found Storm to not be all that useful, given that Powers are a single shot deal (and before someone reminds of the infi-Power generation: I am aware, I have found that to just be underwhelming too, clutters too much).


Fusion, agreed. In general, it seems that Plasma-generation is overvalued a bit (looking at you, meteor).


The rest, ambivalent about. Seek mayhaps disagree with. Buffer has to be a Power, since it is a multiturn Buff.

[eidolon232]

I am not comparing Coolheaded to Ball Lightning, but Cold Snap. There are enough situations where you have to kill one of the enemies asap and 6 dmg gets me there faster than a random card.

As for Storm: You don't really need to try to combo off with it, Storm already payed off if you get 2 triggers out of it and with Creative AI you get to cast multiple powers/ turn.

Maybe it's just my experience with other tcgs that makes Seek look so completely wrong to me: for example in Magic you rarely see cards that cost more than 4 and that kind of effect would cost you 7 mana...

[Sinsling]

If you want to try and compare seek to mtg effects, there are "find x card" effects for next to nothing. Plus, seek removes itself from play and the only card that can currently bring it back into play is not a normal option for the defect.

If cool-headed is bad to you then your decks obviously aren't built to benefit from frost orb and drawing. It also becomes exptionally powerful with prime active. To compare to a similar card, look at escape plan for silent. Escape plan costs 0 for 1 draw, with a conditional 3(5) block. Cool-headed is a draw 1(2), gain a frost orb which is a base of 2 block, and a potential evoke. It is a more than fair competitor in its' category and should not be under-valued.

[itssirtou]

Seek is op compared to the neutral options because THEY ARE NEUTRAL OPTIONS. And aren't they innate as well?

Cold Snap is a hybrid offense/defense tool, along the lines of Iron Wave. Cool headed draws 2 cards when upgraded making it a relevant cycle tool (but yeah when not upgraded it is pretty bad).

Fusion is amazing in a Focus/Orb deck. It single-handedly fills the roll of generating orb slots. In Dark decks it is a guaranteed trigger on your Dark orb, or multiple copies of the orb.

Storm relies on A) being drawn early enough to get in before you get all your powers and B) that you have a lot of powers to abuse it with. If its last in your deck and you were able to play most of your powersit is almost dead. Or it synergizes with Creatitve AI, but then you run the risk of getting expensive powers.

Consume is amazing because it is replayable. It was the biggest player in my first win with Defect. While it ISlame that it kills the orb rather than evoking it, repeatable Focus gain is very much worth the cost.

If you don't play Echo Form the first time you see it you probably won't play it in that round again anyway.

[Sinsling]

Seeks are not innate. They are search 2(3) for 0 and exhaust. Although if you manage to bottle or draw it turn 1...

[eidolon232]

Escrito originalmente por itssirtou:

Seek is op compared to the neutral options because THEY ARE NEUTRAL OPTIONS. And aren't they innate as well?

Cold Snap is a hybrid offense/defense tool, along the lines of Iron Wave. Cool headed draws 2 cards when upgraded making it a relevant cycle tool (but yeah when not upgraded it is pretty bad).

Fusion is amazing in a Focus/Orb deck. It single-handedly fills the roll of generating orb slots. In Dark decks it is a guaranteed trigger on your Dark orb, or multiple copies of the orb.

Storm relies on A) being drawn early enough to get in before you get all your powers and B) that you have a lot of powers to abuse it with. If its last in your deck and you were able to play most of your powersit is almost dead. Or it synergizes with Creatitve AI, but then you run the risk of getting expensive powers.

Consume is amazing because it is replayable. It was the biggest player in my first win with Defect. While it ISlame that it kills the orb rather than evoking it, repeatable Focus gain is very much worth the cost.

If you don't play Echo Form the first time you see it you probably won't play it in that round again anyway.

The "neutral option" don't have innate.

I think you are confusing Fusion (1 Plasma Orb for 2 Energy) with Fission.

You don't have to rely on drawing Storm early, since when you upgrade the card, it comes with innate.

[Drecon]

Have you tried Fusion? It's actually incredible in the right deck. Getting to deal 40 damage and gain 40 block in a single turn can be insanely good.
Fusion belongs in the +Focus deck and pretty much nowhere else though. You can't just slap it in any deck and expect it to perform.

Also, don't underestimate Coolheaded. It's already decent as it is and upgaded it draws 2. I think it's great as a common.

[eidolon232]

@Drecon: You are the second person that is talking about Fission instead of Fusion:
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/918049876795096952/B06F0B5B7635C5277B4B181F1A53C68D3757699C/

[Effluvial Kraken]

Consume is insanely good. If you keep a small deck, have some frost cards, and have a way of getting more orb slots, then it eventually renders you nearly invincible. Even if you only have an extra 2 orb slots from Capacitor and eat both of them with Consume+, that's +6 focus. More than enough to kill anything that moves. 2 energy is very reasonable.

[itssirtou]

Escrito originalmente por eidolon232:

The "neutral option" don't have innate.

I think you are confusing Fusion (1 Plasma Orb for 2 Energy) with Fission.

You don't have to rely on drawing Storm early, since when you upgrade the card, it comes with innate.

True, true, and half-true, but you still have to get them early if you don't want to upgrade it, because other cards have higher priority (Hologram, Defrag, Capacitor, etc).

[lil_bastrd]

hyperbeam is the only case where I feel you hit a bullseye. it's not useable in most builds due to the focus being such an important role.
Claw is common but I rarely seem to find them, strange RNG love I get.
Echoform is good enough that I struggle NOT taking it on picks but I don't upgrade them.
All for one is a truly terrifying card when you put madness on 2 of them at same time.

[Serell]

Cold Snap - is bad. Worst frost generator. But I'll take it if I really need frost and have to settle on a coolheaded that doesn't draw. Cold Snap isn't supposed to be a good card. It's supposed to be a bad pick that you sometimes have to take.

Coolheaded - is good. It already draws an additional card on upgrade. Good draw, good frost generation.

Buffer - is great. It is a power because it applies a lasting effect. Skills only apply an effect for the current turn or the next turn, ex. Conserve Battery only lets you conserve your energy for the next turn, Outmaneuver gives you energy for the next turn. Buffer gives you an effect that stays with you until the enemy knocks it off. It is a power. It is a great power.

Claw - is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ nuts. Perhaps OP. It's really not uncommon to make Claw deal over 20 damage in the right build even with just one copy.

All For One - busted
Echo Form - busted

Fusion - is fine for build that want plasma orbs. It serves its role.

Hyperbeam - is fine for builds that don't use orbs. It serves its role.

Seek - comparison to Secret Weapon / Secret Technique is not fair. Secret Weapon and Secret Techique can be upgraded to remove exhaust. You cannot remove exhaust from Seek.

[eidolon232]

When you get the right conbination of cards, you dont have to cast it more than once: Just think of something like Turbo Amplify and Echo Form or 2* Hologramm + the Card that gives you the 0Energy cards Back.