GOSU is broken.

[knarf]

Whoever goes first has an unfair advantage in the game as long as they simply draw 3 cards and pass. I just played 6 games in a row going second, and only won 3 of them because my opponent played a card other than avenger round one. (Dropping from 2445 elo to 2338)

Please, adjust the ELO so the player going first does not lose as much if he loses. Plus, if a player going second loses, he deserves to lose more. The tricks of using avenger to trap your own guys, or single drawing via tokens to stall aren't working anymore because players are smarter. This game is 99% luckfest when players reach a certain skill threshold; I have learned the game entirely on this site, and at this point of my game skill & knowledge I can comfortably say that if my opponent goes first & doesn't draw Kameo & Labdad among some other decent draw cards, I will win.

I can't expect draft helping that much considering all a player needs to do is simply DRAW 3 AND PASS turn one to secure losing (winning) round one if going second. If anything, it'll make it worse since the player can hate draft the counters required to win 3-0!

It took nearly 200 games, but it's fair to say this game is broken competitively and needed more testing before publishing (unless they decided to neglect a design flaw). For further proof of this, I'm all willing to play Zoondo 10 games, each of us going first 5 times. Without a first turn kill, chances are extremely high it'd be split 5/5. Why? Because when two players reach a certain skill threshold, the result of every game is determined by who starts off going first, or lucks out and draws the perfect cards.

And as for fixing the game, the designers really needed to just add some cards that gave your opponent the advantage token. Voila, and going first is somewhat fixed! The fact this doesn't exist makes me thing
A) None of them were playing the game on the level that players currently are.
B) They decided to release a broken game so they can release it in a expansion. chances are good, if they do release it in an expansion it's because they realized how they messed up. Just compare Trsck and Dalister(worst level 2 in the game, only good when you desperately need a card destroyed or when you mutate him in to destroy an opponents card and/or your own farve and silend...which still doesn't make the card worth it).

I have yet to see any of the cards for the expansion, but if it doesn't have a level one that traps itself and gives the opponent the advantage card, the developers really needed to play the game more.

End rage article.

[Lukasaurus]

I agree, nearly every game I have played online has had the person without the advantage token simply draw 3 and pass, gaining a massive bonus for round 2. It makes the game predictable and reduces a lot of the fun that I had when people actually partook in the first round instead of passing to get massive draw and destroy bonuses during round two.

I don't know what could be done. I think a simple rule change such as "At the beginning of the game, randomly decide a starting player. Set the advantage token aside. The first person to pass receives the advantage token unless it has already been claimed".

This simple rule change would instantly put to death that ridiculous and predictable (and game breaking) tactic of draw 3 and pass. Because it then gives the other player the opportunity to simply pass as well and destroy your tactic, or play on. As it stands, there is no defense or way to undo their draw 3 and pass tactic.