I can't get my head around this card. Is it meant as a buff? A debuff? A situational card that you include 2x and hope you don't draw it until that moment when you absolutely need it?
Easy decisions really, if you care about your cosmetics collections, you'll buy Khadgar. If you don't care about premium cosmetics at all, forget it all.
There's even a small chance in the future that they'll give it for free. (Who knows? *shrug*)
I'm honestly not a fan of any part of the current reward system, and I'm actually thrilled to see the cracks are showing. I mean, their heart is in the right place by not selling randomized packs, but it still needs a lot of work.
If they believe their own statement about making every card playable
While this game is much more generous than Hearthstone, it's still a gacha system at its core. Eventually your rewards are going to max out and you won't have any choice other than your weekly vault, which is basically nothing, even at three diamonds. When more sets come out, you will have to spend money to keep up.
It's obviously not the same balance team as League, but that's all we have to go off for now. They said that exact thing, word for word, about League, and that's the furthest thing from the truth possible.
I wonder if Riot is going to reset the rewards when the game officially launches, after the first season, next year, or if at all. My guess is not at all
There's a new premier event starting Feb. 28 in TESL. Details below.
February is almost over, but there’s still time for The Elder Scrolls: Legends’ premier event: the Grand Melee! Bring your best deck and take on all challengers in one of the most competitive events Legends has to offer!
Grand Melee: February 28 – March 2
There are no special deckbuilding rules for the Grand Melee. Players battle with their strongest constructed decks available until they achieve either nine wins or three losses. Entry into the Grand Melee costs six (6) Event Tickets or 1,000 Gold, up to three maximum runs allowed.
For every entrant in the Grand Melee, we're giving away the Cadwell card back. This reward will be given to all participants, regardless of win count!
For the top 1,000 players during this Grand Melee, we'll also be giving out a premium Mages Guild card back!
The Grand Melee begins Friday, February 28 at 12pm ET and closes at 12pm ET on Monday, March 2. Events in The Elder Scrolls: Legends change regularly, so check in often to see what new challenges await!
From a blog post today, the folks at Mythgard are teasing their first upcoming expansion for the game. The don't give any details but only provide artwork from illustrators. I'm not sure if any of these pieces will be included in the set, but they look pretty cool!
Hey everyone, we are currently working hard on our first expansion for Mythgard! We aren’t quite ready to release any details about the expansion's theme or cards but what we can share is some of the amazing artists that will be bringing the world of Mythgard to life!
We are extremely excited to work with such talented illustrators and hope you guys are excited to see their take on our world.
Elysian formats have been a problem lately and you can expect some changes starting tomorrow. See details below.
Since the release of Echoes of Eternity, Time has dominated both Throne and Expedition in a number of forms —especially various Elysian decks. When we see such high win rates across such heavy representation, we look carefully to see what changes might be appropriate to increase diversity, balance, and counterplay, while reducing the risk of highly repetitive game states. We also reviewed Draft, but found that the diversity and balance of strategies there were well into a desirable range.
Throne
Even-Elysian decks have had a warping influence on the Throne format since the addition of Echoes of Eternity. They were by far the most represented strategy at this past weekend’s ECQ, with over 40% of players in the top 64, continuing a trend of high performance in the Throne queues. We are glad to see a deck built around the novel “even-only” restriction find success, but the Even Elysian deck has proven too efficient at accumulating resources and overwhelming opponents.
While Even-Elysian failed to reach the finals of the ECQ, we still found the strategy too big a factor in determining the range of viable strategies, with far too much representation in the metagame. We are closely monitoring Evenhanded Golem, but believe it would be more desirable to target some of the most efficient cards around it that contribute to the limiting of the format. We reviewed the powerful mix of 4-cost options available to the deck, but believe it is more effective at this time to target cards lower on the curve. We are also watching how the metagame adapts to combinations involving cards like Touch of Battle, but have no changes planned at this time.
Sodi’s Spellshaper – Now 3TP (was 2TP)
Sodi’s Spellshaper is a card that is both generically powerful and particularly effective against the kinds of larger units that could otherwise help players stabilize against Even-Elysian’s more modestly-statted units. We also believe Sodi’s Spellshaper has grown problematic in Expedition and wanted to slow it down.
Teacher of Humility – Now 3/2 (was 3/3)
Teacher of Humility has been a major player since its release, suppressing both draw-heavy strategies and faster, smaller aggressive units. Torch becoming slow has led to a (much-needed) decline in its popularity, but one consequence has been a meaningful increase in the number of games defined by playing an early Teacher. To increase the range of possible cards that can block or interact with her, we are reducing her health from 3 to 2.
Borderlands Lookout – Now a 0/2 with +1 strength for each type of influence the enemy player has (Was a 0/1, +1/+1 for each type of influence the enemy player has)
Even Elysian is part of a larger trend of unit-heavy Time aggro and midrange decks pushing most 3-faction decks and non-Time aggressive strategies out of the format. Borderlands Lookout has been notably stronger than other 1-drops, while being particularly hard to answer efficiently. By tweaking the card to only scale strength, we hope to preserve it as a hard-hitting option while also making it a bit easier to bring down (though still with more survivability than many 1-drops).
We also reviewed the various Kindling Carver sacrifice decks that have emerged, but so far these decks have not proven too rampant or dominant. We will be keeping an eye on them and how the format unfolds.
Expedition
In the early days of Echoes of Eternity Expedition, we’ve seen a great variety of new strategies catch on. Among those, Elysian Fliers has risen to fairly unprecedented levels of win-rate and popularity. While we’re happy to see this new take on aggro gain success, it has proven incredibly resilient and a bit too fast. We have seen a wide range of cards used effectively in these decks, and are making changes to several cards to ensure better balance at all ranks. While Majestic Skies has been instrumental in the strategy’s ascent, we generally like the definition it gives the strategy, as well as the range of possible counterplay (once the strategy is slowed down a little and some of its interaction is a little more limited).
Expedition Nerfs
Sodi’s Spellshaper – Now 3TP (was 2TP)
As discussed above, we believe Sodi’s Spellshaper to be a little too omnipresent, and the snowballing advantages it can lead to were happening a little too often. In reducing its efficiency, we hope to increase the viability of higher cost units, and make a room for other options in Fliers decks.
Skyrider Vanguard – Now 5P 3/1 (was 3P 2/1)
Skyrider Vanguard promotes a kind of all-in play pattern where the goal is to spread the stats across as many fliers as possible, rendering most forms of interaction largely ineffective. The card has been around for a long time without being a problem, but that’s because it never had enough support. Now that there is such a vast and robust assortment of fliers and flier support, the card is the single biggest contributor to the raw speed and lethality Elysian Fliers has become known for.
Daring Gryffyn – Now 3/1 (was 3/2)
In addition to being too fast, players have found Elysian Fliers builds with interaction that has proven too warping on the format. Daring Gryffyn is one such tool: powerful on its own, and can give the strategy too much resilience against countermeasures. We hope that this change preserves the card as a powerful option against sweepers and other high impact spells while reducing the quantity of games in which it makes a flying threat unassailable by damage. This will also increase the options available for getting it off the table without playing a spell.
Edict of Grodov – Now 4T (was 3T)
The Edicts were designed to help stabilize metagames that have gone too far. Like Shavka’s Edict before it, Edict of Grodov has proven too efficient in the “worst case scenario”. Its widespread usage has had a chilling effect on expensive Primal and Shadow cards, and it is a card that we have been watching closely in both the previous Expedition and in Throne.
Entrancer – Now silences a unit in the enemy hand with cost 3 or less. (Was 4 or less)
Entrancer efficiently negates a wide range of potential units, and was a major factor in limiting which units were seeing play. While it does provide valuable counterplay to Summon abilities, we decided it was appropriate to return the card to its original form: hitting units that cost 3 or less.
Grodov’s Stranger – Now 6/6 (was 7/7)
Makkar’s Stranger – Now 4/3 (was 5/3)
Despite the warping influence of the aforementioned Elysian decks, Strangers have proven themselves serious players in a wide variety of forms, most commonly revolving around Grodov’s Stranger and Makkar’s Stranger. While we are excited to see such a variety of Stranger decks (both those heavy on Strangers and those with only a few), we determined that the already dangerous levels of two were too much for the format; particularly once Elysian Fliers is brought back into line.
We anticipate that both Grodov’s Stranger and Makkar’s Stranger will remain powerful and impactful, but by reducing the raw stats they bring to the table, the decision to use them versus other options has more meaning.
Expedition Buffs
Kodosh’s Armor – Now 4 to give a single-faction unit +5/+5 this turn (was 5 to use)
Makkar’s Quiver – Now Spellcraft 1 (was Spellcraft 2)
While we had to pull back on a couple of the Strangers devoted to the Ancestors, we thought we could put a little extra juice into a couple of the Ancestor’s relics that had not yet found wide adoption.
Reducing the cost of Kodosh’s Armor speeds the card up considerably, making it a higher impact threat at a more convenient place on the curve.
Makkar’s Quiver costing just 1 to Spellcraft improves its ability to help keep Cultists, Totemites, and Humbugs from getting out of hand.
Willbreaker – Now 1/2 (was 1/1)
While not the flashiest change, we determined that the second point of health would be especially valuable on Willbreaker. This greatly improves its ability to disrupt flier-heavy strategies by increasing the window in which you can potentially use Willbreaker Shade’s ability. This also increases its ability to attack profitably into the fliers it has cursed.
These balance changes will go live tomorrow (2/27), in order to ensure players competing in the Expedition Spring Challenge on March 6th have time to prepare.
The first Mythic Point Challenge of 2020 starts this Saturday, 2/29/20. If you're eligible to compete in the event it will start showing up in your client tomorrow. Sadly, this event won't be broadcast anywhere, so we'll have to wait until after it's finished (or catch someone playing in the event who is streaming it) to get any video. Read all the details below.
The first Mythic Point Challenge of 2020 is this Saturday, February 29—and MTG Arena’s best will be ready to battle for Mythic Points as the 2020 partial season marches on.
Who Can Compete?
Beginning tomorrow you’ll be able to see the Mythic Point Challenge event in your MTG Arena client if you’re eligible to play. In addition to the members of the Magic Pro League and Rivals League, the top 1,200 Mythic-ranked players in either Constructed or Limited during Thrones of Eldraine Season 1 (October 2019), Season 2 (November 2019), Season 3 (December 2019), or Theros Beyond Death Season 1 (January 2020) will be competing.
Every Mythic Point players earn contributes to their 2020 partial season standings as MPL and Rivals players look to elevate their status, or competitors looking to make it into the league rank up for end-of-season invitations. Additionally, Mythic Points matter for top non-league leaderboard competitors in the first quarter of 2020 who are looking to qualify for Mythic Invitational Ikoria later this May.
Match wins are what matter most:
Match Wins
Mythic Points
10
6
9
5
8
4
7
3
6
2
5
1
Competitors also receive gems awarded by their match wins:
Match Wins
Gems
10
3000
9
3000
8
2400
7
1800
6
1200
5
1000
4
800
3
600
2
400
1
200
Where Can I Watch?
Streamers and other players planning to share their Mythic Point Challenge journey will be found under the Magic: The Gathering game section of Twitch throughout the event. Some players may also produce additional VOD and YouTube content to share after the live event has completed.
Ask your favorite player to see what they have planned!
What's the Format?
All matches will be a best-of-three Standard, with up to 15 card sideboards available. The same deck will be used throughout the event so players will be unable to switch decks after submitting their deck choice.
The top 1,200 Mythic ranked competitors from Theros Beyond Death Season 2 (February 2020)—the current season until this Saturday, February 29—will qualify for the Mythic Qualifier in March; and the top 1,200 Mythic ranked competitors from Theros Beyond Death Season 3 (March 2020) will be eligible for the Mythic Point Challenge this April.
People are forgetting how brokenly powerful a golden Brann or Baron can be late game. The idea that you can be Reno and save his power for one of them is crazy. I know getting Brann or Baron are rare in the first place but still...
Is it just me or has anyone else had trouble getting the Hearthstone client to launch on Android after the patch today? Tried multiple times but the game freezes at the title screen or immediately thereafter. Uninstalled and reinstalled with no change. Hoping it's not just me because I'm about out of troubleshooting ideas.
Phone updates always come out later than the desktop ones. You'll probably have to wait a few hours at least before Apple and Google validate and get the update through.
Spend $10 on cosmetics on a game I'm waffling on come April ... (like occasional Battlegrounds, Priest getting comeback in this meta and Big Druid; dislike aggro, Galakrond and Lackey BS)
or
Save $10, eke out 250 more wins on wild ladder on Highlander Control/Anti-OTK Mage deck of mine, get 1K Jaina for free.
/I got Blizzard live event card backs, so Khadgar's is kinda tame in comparison. But hey, good for those who already had him
Hextech Transmogulator
I can't get my head around this card. Is it meant as a buff? A debuff? A situational card that you include 2x and hope you don't draw it until that moment when you absolutely need it?
Legends of Runeterra Popular Decks from Top Streamers and Content Creators
That Hecarim + The Harrowing combo is pretty broken. Expect lots more Will of Ionia and Detains incoming.
Khadgar Hero Skin Returns to the Hearthstone Shop for a Limited Time
Easy decisions really, if you care about your cosmetics collections, you'll buy Khadgar. If you don't care about premium cosmetics at all, forget it all.
There's even a small chance in the future that they'll give it for free. (Who knows? *shrug*)
Guaranteed method of specific Champion/Epic drops?
While this game is much more generous than Hearthstone, it's still a gacha system at its core. Eventually your rewards are going to max out and you won't have any choice other than your weekly vault, which is basically nothing, even at three diamonds. When more sets come out, you will have to spend money to keep up.
It's obviously not the same balance team as League, but that's all we have to go off for now. They said that exact thing, word for word, about League, and that's the furthest thing from the truth possible.
Your region progress
SI and P&Z done
Everything else is at 8
I wonder if Riot is going to reset the rewards when the game officially launches, after the first season, next year, or if at all. My guess is not at all
Hearthstone's 6th Anniversary is Getting an In-Game Event - Free Packs, Tavern Brawls, Card Back
Wow, changes are coming my friend.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends - Grand Melee
There's a new premier event starting Feb. 28 in TESL. Details below.
Legends of Runeterra Popular Decks from Top Streamers and Content Creators
Wheres the Rally Fearsome? its SI and Damacia. the new version uses 2 Harrowing
Mythgard - New Expansion Tease
From a blog post today, the folks at Mythgard are teasing their first upcoming expansion for the game. The don't give any details but only provide artwork from illustrators. I'm not sure if any of these pieces will be included in the set, but they look pretty cool!
Eternal - Balance Changes 2/26/20
Elysian formats have been a problem lately and you can expect some changes starting tomorrow. See details below.
MTG Arena - Mythic Point Challenge: Ikoria
The first Mythic Point Challenge of 2020 starts this Saturday, 2/29/20. If you're eligible to compete in the event it will start showing up in your client tomorrow. Sadly, this event won't be broadcast anywhere, so we'll have to wait until after it's finished (or catch someone playing in the event who is streaming it) to get any video. Read all the details below.
Mobile Issues Following Patch?
Finally got in. Hoping it was just a minor server side issue. We'll have to see how it goes.
Dragons Have Made Their Grand Entrance into Hearthstone's Battlegrounds! 7 New Heroes, 18 New Cards, and More!
People are forgetting how brokenly powerful a golden Brann or Baron can be late game. The idea that you can be Reno and save his power for one of them is crazy. I know getting Brann or Baron are rare in the first place but still...
Hearthstone Launches the Mage Bundle - 5 Packs Containing Mage Cards from Standard
I don't understand the pricing.
The pricing for normal card packs is $10 for 7 packs, this is $10 for 5?
Mobile Issues Following Patch?
Same here...
Mobile Issues Following Patch?
I'm also having issues, not sure what's wrong but hopefully they are fixed soon.
The Spirit of Competition, Hearthstone's 6th Birthday Event - Datamined Legendary Quests
I wonder if this means we will only be getting the packs from the dailies, not gold.
Hearthstone's Tavern Brawl is Closed for Renovations - Is a Client Patch Coming?
If you install the 16.4 patch, the brawl is available--it's Shiftcon West.(your deck is full of Shifter Zerus and Shifting Scroll).
Mobile Issues Following Patch?
Is it just me or has anyone else had trouble getting the Hearthstone client to launch on Android after the patch today? Tried multiple times but the game freezes at the title screen or immediately thereafter. Uninstalled and reinstalled with no change. Hoping it's not just me because I'm about out of troubleshooting ideas.
Khadgar Hero Skin Returns to the Hearthstone Shop for a Limited Time
Raven motiff is on Medivh cardback
The Spirit of Competition, Hearthstone's 6th Birthday Event - Datamined Legendary Quests
Its really great to know about this stuff ahead of time!
Khadgar Hero Skin Returns to the Hearthstone Shop for a Limited Time
Phone updates always come out later than the desktop ones. You'll probably have to wait a few hours at least before Apple and Google validate and get the update through.
Khadgar Hero Skin Returns to the Hearthstone Shop for a Limited Time
Decisions, decisions ...
Spend $10 on cosmetics on a game I'm waffling on come April ... (like occasional Battlegrounds, Priest getting comeback in this meta and Big Druid; dislike aggro, Galakrond and Lackey BS)
or
Save $10, eke out 250 more wins on wild ladder on Highlander Control/Anti-OTK Mage deck of mine, get 1K Jaina for free.
/I got Blizzard live event card backs, so Khadgar's is kinda tame in comparison. But hey, good for those who already had him
Dragonsgrounds
Arena rotation will be good, they have had way too many expansions active at once in recent rotations.
Khadgar Hero Skin Returns to the Hearthstone Shop for a Limited Time
Is the iOS patch not out yet? I don't see Khadgar in the shop