Cactus Game Design Message Boards

I like limiting territory class Enhancements to 1 per turn. That's something we've discussed as far back as pre-Nationals 2021. But with rotation and the delay to the Reserve forthcoming we decided that a limit on TC would be too much at once. Even then I fully expected that to be the next major change we need to make.

Just a hard limit to 1 TC enhancement per turn is definitely easier to implement. While not my ideal change I like it very much.

Great post, thank you for testing it!

I like # 2 but not #1.

I don't like #1 because it forces a ban of a card that would otherwise not be ban worthy (unless it is, but I don't feel like it is). I feel like it makes more sense to ban the cards like Numerous, Denarius, Four-Drachma, etc... that make it so easy to draw 10% or more of your deck in one phase (let alone 1 turn). These cards create the same disproportional card advantage on later turns/rounds as they do on first turn. Granted, the impact of first turn is definitely greater than later turns.

I still feel like strategic card bans/rotation is the way to go and would make #2 unnecessary even though I think it would also work.

I appreciate all the discussions happening regarding the health of the game and respect those who have contributed their thoughts. Josh P, Jay C, John H, and Jared S in particular are some of the finest minds in the game. I do think something needs to change but personally I would vouch for a more conservative approach. I have said already and will repeat: the rules of Redemption have gone under more changes in the past year and few months than had happened in many years before it. This past year has seen the implementation of Rotation, the Reserve rule, the new rule on determining who goes first, and the rule limiting ability activations to four per turn. Many seem to feel these changes are not enough and the game still is not at a healthy spot. I hear terms like "Solitaire" being used to describe game play that occurs at the top levels. All that to say I do not believe the culprit is the current set up of the rules but rather a few specific cards that enable bonkers amounts of speed. I truly believe if Numerous as the Stars is banned, Star of Bethlehem is banned, High Places is banned, and Denarius is banned we arrive at a place in the game where there is far more balance due to the already implemented rule changes. Bottom line: when a card is able to net more than four cards in one fell swoop that is super powerful. This is why Mayhem has been and continues to be such a good card. That being said Mayhem is capped at 6 and often does not get there due to cards being in hand you do not want to burn. Numerous as the Stars, Star of Bethlehem, and The First Combo net 5+ cards with ease on a regular basis. If one of these is dealt with the other becomes the dominant speed engine in the meta. I believe if these three bonkers speed engines are dealt with we arrive at a spot in the game where there is far more balance.

The reason is without these ways of generating huge card advantage you are left with Mayhem, 4DC, and then tutors that get one card. You can have a TC heavy deck but the result is something like my Once Upon a Time in Zion build that is in reality a glass cannon. It does not run many counters and has no defense. It becomes much harder to both lock down the board and generate a strong rescue suite together when you do not have absurd ways to get 5+ cards in one fell swoop. Pair that with the rise of Salty and running a TC heavy deck becomes far more risky. The reason TC heavy strategies have been so strong for a while is they get you to a way to multiple ways to generate 5+ cards with ease and blitz through your deck. If Numerous, Star of Bethlehem, and The First Combo are eliminated there is no way in the game to net more than 6 cards in one fell swoop. Mayhem becomes the card that can net the most card advantage and then 4DC behind it. 4DC requires Peter being in play and therefore is much more situational. Mayhem is a fantastic card but it has proven in years past to be balanced and not to shift the game too far in the advantage of the user as it also resets the opponents hand giving them a chance to get resources. This is particularly risky against a Salty deck for instance. I do advocate for Denarius being banned since it has become the new Endless Treasures and works on its own without needing other cards to draw. Matthew is strong but limiting brigade count and cards like Crowds LS do hurt him a fair amount. I have spent many hours deck building and playing the game since August of this year post-Nationals. I really do believe the existing rule changes made in the last year are enough and we just need to ban some busted cards that create excessive card advantage. Once that is done the game I truly believe will be in a wonderful spot.

I just had another idea that I've not heard previously.

New rule: Any cards drawn during the preparation phase may not be played from hand in that same preparation phase.

Quote from: Sean on November 30, 2022, 01:52:12 PM

I just had another idea that I've not heard previously.

New rule: Any cards drawn during the preparation phase may not be played from hand in that same preparation phase.

While the thoughts of this are solid, in function this simply won't work. We are at the mercy of people being honest here. Generally speaking you will have no idea what was in my hand and what I drew, so the honor system is king. While this game has always been based on that, recent rulings have taken steps to make this less of a necessity. Not because no one can be trusted, but mostly because certain people in certain circumstances will simply be tempted to cheat, so we want to avoid putting people in that position as much as possible.

I did not think of it in that way but I would definitely put a high value on limiting temptation. Your logic is solid.