Eternal Live Balance Patch 5/12

In their most recent brandishing of the nerf hammer, Direwolf Digital announced on Monday that they would be implementing a live balance patch on the following day. Here’s what they hit:

Evenhanded Golem

Evenhanded Golem is now a 1/1 instead of a 2/2

Quick Impressions:

This was a long time coming, and DWD finally went straight for Golem rather than nerfing support cards, which they have done in the past. I suspect that the card will still be powerful and probably still played a lot, it just happens to now be a temple scribe that draws you two.

Nahid’s Distillation

Distillation now costs 7T instead of 6T

Quick Impressions:

As opposed to Golem, which may still see significant margins of play, this will probably be the end of competitive play for Distillation, especially now that it can’t be slotted into even decks. 5 cost draw three probably won’t make the cut in most decks unless they are truly desperate for card draw.

Kato, Arena Herald

Kato now takes twelve units to make an 8/8 and has Corrupted 2 instead of 10 and 1 respectively

Quick Impressions:

I think that this is the right call for a Kato nerf, and will certainly impact the card quite a bit. I will need to do some testing to see if Kato is still a viable option, though I remain hopeful, because it is still a good play, early and late, he will just take a little more set up.

Unfamiliar Interloper

Interloper is now a 1/1 instead of a ½

Quick Impressions:

Though the card seems meek upon first glance, it was a true workhorse in decks with greedy influence requirements, and just so happened to be excellent in sacrifice decks, making me think that making it a little bit less powerful was the right call.

Rectifier

Rectifier is now a 3TT 1/1 instead of a 3T 2/1.

Quick Impressions:

I was surprised by this one, though DWD gave some solid reasoning as to why their nerf was justified. I suspect we will still see the card in expedition formats moving forward as a utility card for time decks in need of a silence effect.

Eremot’s Machinations:

Now 6TTSS instead of 5TS

Quick Impressions:

Well, we can put this card in even handed decks now. I’m kidding, but I think this card is probably just ok now. You end up ahead on cards, but at parity on power cost, so it seems significantly less good. This may still end up as a 2 or three of in certain grindy decks that want to make the game go long, though the influence requirement will make it hard to simply slot into three faction decks.

Blazing Salvo

Now deals 2 damage to a unit and yourself

Quick Impressions

Wow, this was a big one. I think the card will see roughly the same rate of play in aggressive fire-based decks due to the powerful 2-cost options available. It was always a bit of a feel bad for your opponent to be able to play two removal spells for 3 power with almost no draw back, especially when they could chuck dead cards into their market. I was surprised at first, but overall, I think that this was a good change.

Ark Of Sol

Now costs 2T instead of 1T

Quick Impressions:

Not surprised here, this card was absurd, and is still quite good, but less of an auto include in literally any deck with Kato in it. I suspect that more heavy-cultist decks will want this despite the cost increase.

Buffs and Other Changes

Kira, the Prodigy – Now 2/3 (was 2/2)

Heirloom Blade – Now 4/4 (was 3/3)

Aerial Battle – Now fast and deals 7 (was slow and deals 5)

Staff of Stories – Now 0/5 (was 0/4)

Statuary Maiden – Now 2/4 (was 2/3)

Midnight Gale – Now 4/4 (was 4/3)

Purgedriver – Now 3/2 4JJJ (was 2/2 4JJ)

Two-Face – Now 2/1 Corrupted 1 (was 2/2 Corrupted 2)

Quick Impressions:

Maiden is back to her former glory (finally). As a long time fan of FJS and Stonescar deck, I am quite excited for this change. Aerial Battle as a fast spell seems quite powerful as well, though will likely end up as a market card only.

Draft Pack/Expedition Changes

https://direwolfdigital.com/news/draft-packs-card-list/

If you check out the link above, you can see a full list of the cards, which includes over 70 commons and uncommons. NotoriousGHP created a spreadsheet to show what cards will appear more or less often this patch which can be found here.

Some notables that could impact the meta game in a significant way (in no particular order):

• Chairman’s Contract

• Gift of battle

• Smugglers stash

• Eilyn’s Choice

• Slay

• Lightning Storm

• Combrei Healer

• Display Of Honor

• Display of Ambition

• Display of Instinct

• Display of Vision

• Display of Knowledge

You can look forward to brewing with these cards and playing within the new world of the balance patch tomorrow, Tuesday the 12th of may! What do you think about these changes? Let us know in the comments below or on the official Backlash Twitter!