The Hunger ruins game for Axiom(S&O)

[sliph1251]

(Basically a Sierra & Oddball only player from the start)

I hope Equinox will change their mind about this card. Matchup is utterly ruined when going up against this card as an Axiom player, particularly Sierra & Oddball. In this game S&O play tends to build up for late game power, delaying opponents early to swing the game back in her favor gaining value from permanents over later days, sacrificing the early days. Already she had a rough early game versus Yzmir and Bravos historically and it came down to securing strong value through permanents and reserve. As it is now, these two factions can just easily win the early game and when Axiom permanents finally start to pick up steam, they can just drop The Hunger and send the Axiom player back to the stone age. A single half of their card to remove all Axiom permanents (often including 1-2 Brassbug Hives), reserve, play. The kicker is that afterwards these Hunger players will have 3-4 cards still in hand while the Sierra & Oddball now has nothing, maybe 1 card in hand if any and certainly loses the current day if not also the next on a double-progression from opponent which usually closes out the game.

Should Yzmir & Bravos be able to win early, middle, and late game versus Axiom(S&O) so easily? Why? Why did they need this card? I'm very disappointed with this design and it feels bad losing to it and I'm sad it's in so many decks. It feels like there isn't any answer to the impending The Hunger card coming in the matchup. If you don't play your hand, you'll lose early-mid, if you play for late-game value, you'll lose to The Hunger. Banking on your opponent not having The Hunger doesn't feel like strategy and also is unlikely given how many cards these factions are able to draw (and keep in hand). I don't see the counter-play one is supposed to enact to go around the card. Really removes the fun from the matchup for a Sierra & Oddball, a hero who was already struggling to stand on her own.

[Nylenne]

Actually, we are in a kind of meta that beat every big cost of cards. I'm a Sierra main (undefeated in two AQZ Blitz tournament with Sierra) and the next week, everybody knew how to counter it fast.

You talk about the Hunger but it's not the worst: All the 3 mana cost remover. Every faction have it (except us, we have boom that need a sacrifice, yay) and play it. For now, Sierra is not viable to play in a competitive way.

[adinx]

Yes, I confirm Sierra is not the best in the removals.

I play hungry bravos and I hardly ever lose to Sierra, it's too destructive.

[Suna-Rano]

To my mind, they should integrate some "Hero cards", only playable by 1 hero and 1 hero of the other faction (in order to keep the alteration system of rare cards).

Indeed, Atsadi cannot exist without The Hunger, so errate or suspend it would be very hard for him... But the card is also over played by Kojo and Basira, and so the card is over present in the meta and so very frustrating... That can be applied for a lot of cards which have already been suspended or errated, often for issues relating to a single hero..

What do you think about that idea ? Do you think this deserves a separate topic?

Thanks

Have a great day all.

[BWAT - Padawan]

I don't like the idea of limiting cards to certain heroes. It adds unnecessary constraints to the game.

If you want to limit the inclusion of hunger in Kojo/Basira decks, you can increase its mana cost to 9/6, as said recently by a strong atsadi player.

[frogmonarch]

Yeah, it’s an impossible match up for Sierra, unfortunately since she’s one of my favourite hero.. the problem is that she wants to build a board that can you give value turn by turn, but the landmark barely stays on board for a turn or two.. and when finally she reaches the goal of a strong end game plan, hunger just destroys everything.. every time I see a bravos deck (since all bravos deck plays the hunger), I know I will lose 100%.
I don’t want the hunger to be banned, since I think it’s a great designed card, but sometimes must be given to the deck to constrast her.. maybe something like floreal tend, but for landmark? That could be a solution where everyone can be happy about it

[emooma]

totally agree with you,
Hunger must be nerfed.

[sliph1251]

Actually, we are in a kind of meta that beat every big cost of cards. I'm a Sierra main (undefeated in two AQZ Blitz tournament with Sierra) and the next week, everybody knew how to counter it fast.

You talk about the Hunger but it's not the worst: All the 3 mana cost remover. Every faction have it (except us, we have boom that need a sacrifice, yay) and play it. For now, Sierra is not viable to play in a competitive way.

I think we agree that we cannot Boom! a The Hunger if he just removed all our options to sacrifice.
If S&O is not viable in a competitive way, why was it necessary to print a card that ultra-hates on her in the most powerful way, further reducing her viability? This is what I wonder.

Yes, I confirm Sierra is not the best in the removals.

I play hungry bravos and I hardly ever lose to Sierra, it's too destructive.

You're spot on.

To my mind, they should integrate some "Hero cards", only playable by 1 hero and 1 hero of the other faction (in order to keep the alteration system of rare cards).

Indeed, Atsadi cannot exist without The Hunger, so errate or suspend it would be very hard for him... But the card is also over played by Kojo and Basira, and so the card is over present in the meta and so very frustrating... That can be applied for a lot of cards which have already been suspended or errated, often for issues relating to a single hero..

What do you think about that idea ? Do you think this deserves a separate topic?

Thanks

Have a great day all.

Hero-Only cards might be interesting, assuming there are only a few of them. Games like Flesh & Blood have certain cards that can only be used by certain heroes, since they are their "signature" cards. It could also alleviate some of the issues you mention, really might be a thing for developers to try.

I don't like the idea of limiting cards to certain heroes. It adds unnecessary constraints to the game.

If you want to limit the inclusion of hunger in Kojo/Basira decks, you can increase its mana cost to 9/6, as said recently by a strong atsadi player.

I personally don't feel like that change would help the match up. Perhaps if instead of destroying everything, it destroyed all of the player's choice: expeditions, reserve, or landmarks. Perhaps even two of the three options. Everything at once is just too much for a now undefeatable character (to the Axiom/S&O opponent with no more answers) who is coming back next turn to win both sides.

Yeah, it’s an impossible match up for Sierra, unfortunately since she’s one of my favourite hero.. the problem is that she wants to build a board that can you give value turn by turn, but the landmark barely stays on board for a turn or two.. and when finally she reaches the goal of a strong end game plan, hunger just destroys everything.. every time I see a bravos deck (since all bravos deck plays the hunger), I know I will lose 100%.
I don’t want the hunger to be banned, since I think it’s a great designed card, but sometimes must be given to the deck to constrast her.. maybe something like floreal tend, but for landmark? That could be a solution where everyone can be happy about it

We agree 100%, cheers S&O brethren. Without repeating my previous fix for The Hunger and to build off what you mentioned: perhaps some form of Landmark/Permanents protection given to Axiom? Or even grabbing Landmarks back from discard. Maybe instead of destroying all landmarks and reserve he just exhausts all of them and they don't ready at the next morning, shutting them down for a full turn (while still boosting him). I'm not sure the answer, probably too little either way. The real issue is losing 6+ cards to one card that then moves them forward three times. It is a super anti-climactic finisher that I personally believe requires little thought to play (in the match up).

totally agree with you,
Hunger must be nerfed.

Nerf!

[fevA1]

100% Agree, nerf!

[C4CTU5]

I agree with everything said above, and I add that The Hunger is participating to the decrease in player base and killing the game.
And it's not even on the watchlist lol