Breaking the Events

I just came back from the French Championship, which incidentally I won.

During the 2 days of the tournament, I met several Gehenna decks. And I am
now convinced that something must be done. I'm not talking ban here. But a
really playable card that could break an event (maybe just a Gehenna, there
can be one later for Governments), and that can has an alternate use in case
there is no Gehenna (or you don't want to break it).

There might be a restriction of sorts. But there are a number of reasons why
I really find it necessary at that point :

- Anthelios + Parthenon / Anson / both is of course the main reason. I've
been toying with recursivity for a while now, using Carlotta when she was
the best way to do it, and I know how nice it can be when it taps a vamp, or
requires that you're Anarch, or makes you use a few cards each time. But
Anthelios is pure evil :

* Anthelios + Fear of Mekhet, and you can never pull out another Justicar.
In the finals I escapte that fate because my pred discarded a Fear before I
had finised to influence my Justicar (Maris) ; in the prelims I didn't.
* As pointed out by a friend, Jake Washington + Anthelios blocks one rush
without stealth per turn. Add Unmasking or Maris and even stealth is
blocked. At no cost at all, and even if using 2 MPA per turn is bothersome,
I'm sure any good AAA will rather do that than get rushed by Theo Bell once
a turn. Of course, when a Have Uncovered or a Bum's Rush for another minion
comes, there is still Obedience, Majesty...
A two-cards combo that "kills" a valid strategy can't be good for the game.

- Other events are played massively, and more so since Imbued. I met 2 in
the prelims on the day of the FC, as opposed to : never before in a big
tournament ! The bad consequences were : games going closer to Time Limit,
players getting warning upon warning because of Veil of Darkness, and maybe
the worst consequence : randomness all over the place !! In my second game
the deck (no imbued) is just plain disruptive and doesn't win ; in the third
game the deck (imbued) is bothering everyone, locking the game for a long
time, and then dies and things can go much faster.

So, as I'm no big fan of banning (except, you know, that one card...), I
find it really necessary to propose soon enough a card that can give an
alternative to players once a Gehenna in in play, and a valid one (BH Ritual
isn't a good one in my book, nor is Not To Be).

But maybe my prayers are already fullfilled and there is such a card in 3rd
Edition ?

--

Orpheus
-----------------------
I'm dead serious ! Well, mostly dead...

Orpheus wrote:

> I just came back from the French Championship, which incidentally I won.
>
> During the 2 days of the tournament, I met several Gehenna decks. And I am
> now convinced that something must be done. I'm not talking ban here. But a
> really playable card that could break an event (maybe just a Gehenna, there
> can be one later for Governments), and that can has an alternate use in case
> there is no Gehenna (or you don't want to break it).
>
> There might be a restriction of sorts. But there are a number of reasons why
> I really find it necessary at that point :
>
> - Anthelios + Parthenon / Anson / both is of course the main reason. I've
> been toying with recursivity for a while now, using Carlotta when she was
> the best way to do it, and I know how nice it can be when it taps a vamp, or
> requires that you're Anarch, or makes you use a few cards each time. But
> Anthelios is pure evil :
>
> * Anthelios + Fear of Mekhet, and you can never pull out another Justicar.
> In the finals I escapte that fate because my pred discarded a Fear before I
> had finised to influence my Justicar (Maris) ; in the prelims I didn't.
> * As pointed out by a friend, Jake Washington + Anthelios blocks one rush
> without stealth per turn. Add Unmasking or Maris and even stealth is
> blocked. At no cost at all, and even if using 2 MPA per turn is bothersome,
> I'm sure any good AAA will rather do that than get rushed by Theo Bell once
> a turn. Of course, when a Have Uncovered or a Bum's Rush for another minion
> comes, there is still Obedience, Majesty...
> A two-cards combo that "kills" a valid strategy can't be good for the game.
>
> - Other events are played massively, and more so since Imbued. I met 2 in
> the prelims on the day of the FC, as opposed to : never before in a big
> tournament ! The bad consequences were : games going closer to Time Limit,
> players getting warning upon warning because of Veil of Darkness, and maybe
> the worst consequence : randomness all over the place !! In my second game
> the deck (no imbued) is just plain disruptive and doesn't win ; in the third
> game the deck (imbued) is bothering everyone, locking the game for a long
> time, and then dies and things can go much faster.
>
> So, as I'm no big fan of banning (except, you know, that one card...), I
> find it really necessary to propose soon enough a card that can give an
> alternative to players once a Gehenna in in play, and a valid one (BH Ritual
> isn't a good one in my book, nor is Not To Be).
>
> But maybe my prayers are already fullfilled and there is such a card in 3rd
> Edition ?
>

I can't say that I have had an experience like that with other events
than Anthelios in tournaments, but then again I don't play a lot of them.

The Red Star, however, have had me raving for months after its release.

The Fear of Mekhet is one thing. Same problem with with Golconda, the
non-unique haven, Sudden Reversals, DIs ... grr .. the list goes on and
it quite frankly feels like that other game.

Imo Anthelios is just too easy. Too hard to stop or remove. I agree with
you there. Nowadays i try to defend myself against Partheons with my own
copies or some anti location tech. Anson can be killed although he might
be slippery.

HOWEVER, Maris is a bitch and if anyone deserves chained Fear of Mekhet
she certainly does. And somehow you managed to win no? congrats

Frede