Hello everyone,
David Bachmann aka WQB, a new member of the Global Operation Team’s Card Committee, here. We keep a close eye on the meta and try to keep our favorite game as balanced as possible. We try to bring the perfect meta for Stahleck!
Today we’re releasing the next update to the game’s Joust and Melee Restricted List!
These changes will take effect on Monday, October 16, 2023.
JOUST
BARATHEON
We still see no need to adjust the Baratheon portion of the Restricted List. However, we will continue to keep an eye on the interaction between Traitor To The Crown and Storm’s End (BtB)…
LANNISTER
The last Restricted List addressed shadow interactions by restricting Clever Feint. However, Lannister decks continue to perform above the curve. A significant reason for this is the potent interaction between the locations Casterly Rock (BtB) and The Red Keep (R). Casterly Rock (BtB), even on its own, is a formidable economic tool which additionally offers the distinct advantage of easily reloading Bestow cards, enhancing their utility in gameplay. Meanwhile, The Red Keep (R) serves as a powerful control element, allowing players to cancel abilities of attachments, characters, or locations. But when combined with Casterly Rock (BtB), The Red Keep (R) can be ready during any phase of the game. This synergy leaves opponents with little to no counterplay options. To address this issue, a new Pod has been created that includes both Casterly Rock (BtB) and The Red Keep (R). Furthermore, Casterly Rock (BtB) has been added to the Restricted List.
MARTELL
Pod 9 from the last Restricted List addressed the tools why Martell was performing above the curve. Since then, we have seen Martell in a balanced situation in the meta.
This time there are no changes for Martell.
TYRELL
Overall, we have seen Tyrell in a balanced situation in the meta. If there wasn’t a card… We already restricted Golgengrove in the last Restricted List. Unfortunately, there are still absurd combinations, and it feels like more interactions are being found every month. 20 gold in the marshalling phase while 15 minutes of play have passed… That’s not good for our favorite game. We didn’t make the decision easy, but Goldengrove has been Added to the Banned List.
NIGHT’S WATCH
At this time, we see no need to adjust the Night’s Watch portion of the Restricted List.
GREYJOY
We’re still trying to balance Greyjoy. The Restricted List 1.7 weakened Greyjoy so much that Greyjoy’s best place at the Online World Championship was only 23rd place. The Restricted List 1.8 has once again made Greyjoy too strong… There were various considerations, and we decided on one result: Pyke (BtB) has been added back to the Restricted List.
TARGARYEN
Although Targaryen doesn’t get the most pavilion points, the performance in 8 Regents was impressive. At the end of the day, we decided that nothing needs to change with Targaryen this time. However, we will continue to keep an eye on Khal Drogo (Core) and Ser Barristan Selmy (FtR)…
STARK
Like Lannister and Greyjoy, Stark also performs above average. It was very difficult to nerf the most common Fealty and Crossing deck types without making other agendas “unplayable.” The cost of Greywind (FtR) for the cancel seems fair. But with Summer (Core) on the board there’s no real cost because you like to bounce Summer back to your hand. This interaction can easily be achieved with A Time For Wolves.
For that reason, a new Pod has been created adding Greywind (FtR) and Summer (Core).
NEUTRAL
The Father is both: An econ plot AND a control card. The low reserve doesn’t balance that issue. Because of the high power level, The Father has been added to the Restricted List.
Many attrition decks have both Valar Morghulis and The Stranger in their plots. It seems sufficient that control decks only have one reset. There are also other “soft” resets like First Snow Of Winter, Valar Dohaeris and Duel around… We have decided that the two most effective resets cannot be played together. A new Pod has been created adding Valar Morghulis and The Stranger.
MELEE
We already decided in the Restricted List V1.8 that Queensguard is restricted, but we actually forgot to mention that… Now let’s do that. Queensguard has been added to the Restricted List.
Renown Knights are still very strong in Melee and they need to be balanced.
For that reason, Ser Boros Blount has been added to the Restricted List.
We also took some pods from the Joust Restricted List. That seems to make sense.
A new Pod has been created adding Aloof And Apart, At The Gates and Gulltown.
Another new Pod has been created adding Saltcliffe Sailor, Someone Always Tells, A Mummer ´s Farce and The Smith.
The new “Mummers-Pod” doesn’t solve all the problems with Martell. You can still gain 15 power in one turn. Because of that, To The Spears! has been added to the Restricted List.
In Melee, we made a different decision than in Joust, as there are three opponents who can do something against combos. Goldengrove has been added to the Restricted List.
The Card Committee will carefully observe the result of the World Championship in Stahleck. As always, we welcome your feedback and hope you’ll join our Discord group for conversation and engagement with our favorite game.
Take the sword, melt it down and add it to the others. You paid the iron price for it.
