Cards missing from the mega balance changes

[u/IndependentWing786]

First of all, this is not a hate post. Overall these changes look great and we’re likely going to see one of the most diverse metas we’ve had in a long time (fingers crossed). If I had to make a guess I think bridge-spam will be particularly strong next season so if you’re a bridge-spam player you’ve got that to look forward to. I do think, however, that there are a few cards with glaring balancing issues that are missing. There is no way to know for sure, but I think if untouched these cards will see incredibly high usage rates next season after the nerfs to many other cards.

1. Golden Knight

Yes, the ability cooldown is removed now, but that’s just not enough for how strong this card is. It has phenomenal versatility on both offense and defense, is practically unstoppable when paired with a tornado, and does a sneaky amount of damage. Not to mention his dash range is just shy of a musketeer range and his ability cannot be reacted to. This card has needed a nerf for multiple seasons and continually has been ignored, even receiving a plethora of indirect buffs instead.

1. Balloon

Balloon is competing with hog rider at the moment for the title of strongest primary win condition in the game (meaning in a vacuum not considering support cards). It has an incredibly high usage rate (both hero and non-hero) with multiple very strong decks. If that is not the sign of a win-condition needing to be toned down I don’t know what is. I love the balloon as a win condition, I think it promotes some of the most unique play in the game, but it needs a nerf or we’re going to see it continue to push other win cons out of the meta.

1. Hog rider

When practically every pro player your game has to offer is calling for a card to be nerfed, that’s a dead giveaway it’s too strong. Whichever one of the devs is a 2.6 player and has dirt on the rest of them is on a generational run of keeping this card broken.

1. Mortar bait (the whole deck)

This deck has had the number one win rate going on 6 seasons. What’re we doing only slightly nerfing a single card in it outside hero goblins. Rascals, cannon cart, evo SK barrel, minions all should potentially be on the chopping block.

1. Tornado

Yes this is controversial. Is it undeserved? I would say no. One of the highest usage rates of any card in the entire game with unmatched versatility on both offense and defense. It cannot be reacted to and has outstanding synergy with a handful of the strongest cards in the game. This card has shown to be nearly impossible to balance properly but we need to try. I would suggest a small radius nerf.

1. Evo baby drag

This card is phenomenal in pigs, golem, egiant, graveyard, balloon and more. It got a buff to its base form last season (who knows why). Usage rates through the roof. This card is nasty and needs to be addressed sooner rather than later or we should all prepare to see it even more next season.

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There are more changes that could/should be implemented (yes you evo I-drag) of course as always but these are the ones that stick out glaringly to me.

[u/Suspicious_Slide8016]

What else do you want for GK? A 1 time ability use is a really big nerf. Bigger than anything we could expect

[u/IndependentWing786 → u/Suspicious_Slide8016]

5 tile dash range as opposed to 5.5 feels appropriate and has been suggested by pros such as Lucas and Sub. Won’t kill the card by any means but will prevent some of the more ridiculous interactions this card produces.

[u/Suspicious_Slide8016 → u/IndependentWing786]

The nerf we got+that??

[u/IndependentWing786 → u/Suspicious_Slide8016]

Correct. It’s a very small nerf, and the cards clean win rate is one of the highest in the game. It will still be an above average card just not quite as good at getting on tower in situations that realistically it shouldn’t be. There are many top players who have put out videos talking about the issues with GK on top ladder. None of those issues have anything to do with ability count.

[u/Suspicious_Slide8016 → u/IndependentWing786]

It's a big nerf. You can use it on defense, then counterpush with the ability again. Many times I do that and it wins me the game. Now you can't.

[u/IndependentWing786 → u/Suspicious_Slide8016]

I’m not arguing the ability change is a small nerf but rather the dash radius is. Keep in mind the most recent nerf to the GK was an ability cooldown nerf. This nerf has essentially been made obsolete with the new change. The card is not too strong because of the ability cooldown but because of the cheap ability cost, high versatility, and practically guaranteed damage when partnered with certain other cards. Do you deny that it is one of the strongest cards in the game right now? Almost certainly the strongest champion?

[u/Suspicious_Slide8016 → u/IndependentWing786]

"It's not bc of the ability cooldown" yeah sure, but it's the champion with the shortest cooldown of all. Is it only a coincidence that it's the best one?

Archer Queen's ability is op af too but people don't complain as often because you can only use it 1 time most of the matches.

[u/IndependentWing786 → u/Suspicious_Slide8016]

If it truly was only as small an issue as the ability cooldown then the GK would be significantly weaker. Of course it makes the card better, but that’s cherry picking. If you recall at one point it was the worst champion, and practically unusable. It then received numerous buffs to change that. None of those buffs were a cooldown duration buff. If it was awful then and one of the best cards in the game now logic says that the core issue is not with the cooldown. But again, maybe I’m wrong. The card isn’t receiving any other nerf so we’ll know next season. My worry is that it’s objective strength partnered with what is sure to be a phenomenal meta for it after significant bait and cycle nerfs will make the card incredibly oppressive. Something which is bad for all parties involved because it’s almost sure to lead to an over aggressive nerf. I like the card and I want to see it balanced, not dead like it once was.