Jade Edict Beta Update 1
It’s been a few weeks since we released the Jade Edict Beta. Since then many games were played, and we received a lot of feedback. We thank all who took time to play and even more those who took the time to talk about their perceptions on the game. We release now the first update on the Jade Edict Beta. We still consider the Edict to be in beta test, and in the coming weeks we plan to release an updated edict focused on balance adjustments. But we already had enough testing and enough time to find an approach to fix a shortcoming in the first beta release.
We’re talking about Rally. Our first step was to ban all cards that had the keyword. It was a shortcut we took to be able to release our project faster. We understood that would be a weakness in the initial release, but between news of the game’s fate and leaks of the list we were studying, our hand was forced to action. The shortcut served its purpose, but a long lasting road must be put in place, and we must stick to our defined Principles, namely Principle #7:
Cards Want to Be Played: if choosing between removing one card or a set of two cards, remove one card. The fewer cards in binders the better.
Having 26 cards out of the game due to one bad word on them was not a long-term strategy. Now we fix that.
Back to the Front: the end of Rally
A few months after Rally got released, the cracks on it already started to show. Debates about powerful cards that on top of its power had rally. Others raised how the different quality of rally cards between clans was yet another large source of imbalance as, by their nature as auto-include, the clans with the weaker cards lost so much more than if they were just another normal bad card. Plus issues with damaging deck diversity, or bringing exaggerated consistency, as we discussed previously.
We considered multiple approaches, and ultimately settled on the simplest most straightforward approach: establishing a ruling that overwrites the definition of Rally.
Rally becomes just a blank keyword. The cards are not errataed themselves, the ruling changes directly the definition of the Rally. Rally is a blank keyword. When a card with Rally is revealed, absolutely nothing different happens. When a card with rally is included in a deck, absolutely nothing different happens.
It follows the spirit Principle #7: attack the source of an issue, and leave other cards (and other rules) clean and untouched. Other approaches were considered: some failed by making the rules more complicated, others failed making deck building more complicated. We chose simplicity and efficiency: removing Rally solves the problem, without creating new problems.
There are plenty of rally cards that are solid enough on its own to see play. We expect the majority of them to find decks.
Field of Broken Swords: not all Rally comes back
Unfortunately, a few Rally cards are still too powerful, even without rally.
Lost Papers
The Imperial Law bans Lost Papers. We wholeheartedly agree with that. Even without rally, the effect is still too powerful for its cost. It attacks the Principle #4 Rewards Are Balanced by Cost and Risk. Lost Papers stays banned.
Ikoma Tsanuri
Tsanuri’s ability is very strong considering its solid stats and low cost. Also, there are multiple cheap ways to ready her: Elegant Tessen, In Service to My Lord, Hayaken no Shiro, plus whatever “harder” ways the Lion player chooses to use. Those elements combined, almost guarantee the non-existence of Provinces when Tsanuri hits the table. Anti-province effects are more common now, but Tsanuri’s efficiency at that is still unparalleled and overwhelming. It attacks the Principle #4 Rewards Are Balanced by Cost and Risk, and it also demands action due to Principle #5 Balance is Required as it is clear that Lion is still a very powerful clan in Jade Edict (more now with Honored Veterans). Ikoma Tsanuri 2 stays banned.
Contested Countryside
Still a very powerful card, even after losing Rally. It affecting multiple conflicts in the same round makes its payoff very large, raising a flag on Principle #4. Further, by being a Battlefield it gives extra value for the Lion Clan, raising a flag on Principle #5. All considered, its power can be balanced with an extra deckbuilding cost. Contested Countryside is restricted.
Edict of Judgment: the compiled list
Banned cards | Restricted cards |
---|---|
Neutral
|
Neutral
|
Servitors of Stone: roll the credits
This Jade Edict was elaborated in appreciation for the game and respect for the community, by the Magistrate Team:
DirtyDeeds#9918, jmart#6576, Notfragile#7860, Siri#3954, Usagi#0328, zarzuckett#6853
With the invaluable playtest and council of the Councillors:
- Crab: Enegon#8434
- Crab: Daigotsu Kaikou#8609
- Crane: Jeremey#2822
- Crane: Erik#2965
- Dragon: Arash#3491
- Dragon: Komhl#7296
- Lion: Holyfield#7822
- Lion: Handsome_Dan#8310
- Phoenix: Algahra#6531
- Phoenix: fleepa0#6482
- Scorpion: Poogin#4183
- Scorpion: ZELOisBack#2201
- Unicorn: Nomadic#4292
- Unicorn: Yoritomo Alex#4401
We also counted on the playtest of the Ronin:
- Enrique_#6541
- suburbaknght#4584