8 Sun. Win the Game
Tenet #1: there are two ways to win any strategy card game. 1) Through tempo advantage (Read: Blitz, Red Deck Wins, etc.) or 2) Card advantage (Read: Control).
Tenet #2: plants have a much easier path to the control build, because of a type of card advantage that has nothing to do with drawing cards.
I’m talking about area damage. The classic “board wipe;” in this case dealing damage or causing death in multiple lanes at the same time, trading one card for multiple cards already used. Zombies have a total of 9 cards that can do it, 6 of which are in the Crazy class. Plants have 22. If you don’t believe me, I’ve compiled a list sorted by cost of playing. E means “requires evolution.” You can let me know if I’ve left anything out.
Zombies:
Space Ninja
B. of Deadbeards
Fireworks Zombie
Gizzard Lizard (E)
Weed Spray
The Chickening
Zombot Plankwalker
Zombot 1000
Gargantuar’s Feast
Plants:
Galacta-Cactus
Lightning Reed
Strawberrian
Grave Buster (E)
Snapdragon
Shrinking Violet
Sour Grapes
Doom Shroom
Gloom Shroom (E)
Melon-Pult
Threepter
Shooting Starfruit
Loco Coco (E)
Cherry Bomb
Tricorn
Winter Melon
Cob Cannon
Tactical Cuke
Three-Headed Chomper
Dark Matter Dragonfruit
Walnut Bowling
Cornucopia
Conclusion: Zombies are usually better off playing the quick game. Blitz over Control. Tempo over Card Advantage. If the game goes long, plants have two many ways of resetting the board with their hands full.
So, good. So, what? Here’s what, I’m tellin’ ya’...
So two of the best one-drop zombies in the game were just nerfed, whereas none of these mirad of control cards (on either side) were affected. Snapdragon is stronger! Double Sunflower is stronger! The signature brainy environment got hit, for no apparent reason! And the plants got a card that makes it nearly impossible to Blitz Rose. But that card is only the second worst offender.
Offender #1: Shrinking Violet.
To underestimate Shrinking Violet is to see the tree and miss the forest. I made the argument already that zombies want to Blitz in the current environment; now we just have to decide whether to do it with big zombies or small zombies. Rose doesn’t let you go big, because literally 1/2 of her superpowers are going to turn the first threat you play into something that is only going to trigger the other 1/2 of her superpowers. 3/4 of her superpowers are probably going to nuke the first zombie you play. But, oh well. You have to start somewhere. You go small and fast.
Then Rose hits you with a Shrinking Violet on turn 3. Turn three? Yes, because through environment or good old-fashioned sunflower Rose has already managed to rack up her sun beyond your ability to keep up. Now she trades 1 card for 3, your momentum is dead, and she has team up plants to play behind.
I thought shrink was a Zombie Landscaper thing, but apparently plants can do it more efficiently, wothout the ability to respond, before combat is initiated. Gosh darn.
How to fix the card? You can’t get rid of the kill, because then Rose just laughs as you literally can’t play anything in three lanes. You can’t get rid of the shrink, because that’s kind of the whole point. So I think you have to make it more expensive. I don’t love plants getting a Rustbolt superpower trick, least of all in the Smarty class, but if they must have it I think its 3-for-1 power level matches Cherry Bomb. It should be costed appropriately.
Offender #2: Dark Matter Dragonfruit
So. This card is stupid good.
Everyone knows it. It’s the emblem for Ultimate League! Noobies concede when they see it. Zombies concede when they see it played.
That’s because it literally cannot be played around unless you happen to be sitting on a Zombot 1000. But even if you are, Rose probably sprung it on you turn 6 or 7, and you’re dead before you can see it die.
Let’s compare it to other LEGENDARY plant cards. Just for some perspective.
Brainana. Fair card. 6-sun. Zombies can’t play tricks this turn. Amphibious. That’s annoying. Clears maybe one lane. 4/3 body. Not too strong.
Three-Headed Chomper. Fair card. 6-sun. Tricks are fine. Can be bounced, killed, moved. 6/6 body. Stronger. But no amphibious. Clears three lanes, but only if it survives battle.
Dark Matter Dragonfruit. 8-sun. Zombies can’t play tricks for the rest of the game. Don’t worry - the game won’t last much longer. 6/6 body with amphibious. Does not have to survive battle to clear three lanes.
Back to card advantage: that’s an auto 3-for-1 that negates 1/2 of the cards a zombie’s hand and deck. There is no good way to trade with it, and if you have the audacity to try, this is what happens (see photo). 8-cost instead of 6 and you get a permenent Brainana? An improved, amphibious, and untrickable Three-Headed Chomper? In my time, I have conceeded to 15 consecutive Dark Matter Dragonfruits. I counted. I have not once beaten this card.
So, yeah. Devs. Hear me. Make up you mind. Maybe the Dragonfruit stops tricks (less completely, please). Maybe it does area damage. It can’t do both, this well.
Tenet #2: plants have a much easier path to the control build, because of a type of card advantage that has nothing to do with drawing cards.
I’m talking about area damage. The classic “board wipe;” in this case dealing damage or causing death in multiple lanes at the same time, trading one card for multiple cards already used. Zombies have a total of 9 cards that can do it, 6 of which are in the Crazy class. Plants have 22. If you don’t believe me, I’ve compiled a list sorted by cost of playing. E means “requires evolution.” You can let me know if I’ve left anything out.
Zombies:
Space Ninja
B. of Deadbeards
Fireworks Zombie
Gizzard Lizard (E)
Weed Spray
The Chickening
Zombot Plankwalker
Zombot 1000
Gargantuar’s Feast
Plants:
Galacta-Cactus
Lightning Reed
Strawberrian
Grave Buster (E)
Snapdragon
Shrinking Violet
Sour Grapes
Doom Shroom
Gloom Shroom (E)
Melon-Pult
Threepter
Shooting Starfruit
Loco Coco (E)
Cherry Bomb
Tricorn
Winter Melon
Cob Cannon
Tactical Cuke
Three-Headed Chomper
Dark Matter Dragonfruit
Walnut Bowling
Cornucopia
Conclusion: Zombies are usually better off playing the quick game. Blitz over Control. Tempo over Card Advantage. If the game goes long, plants have two many ways of resetting the board with their hands full.
So, good. So, what? Here’s what, I’m tellin’ ya’...
So two of the best one-drop zombies in the game were just nerfed, whereas none of these mirad of control cards (on either side) were affected. Snapdragon is stronger! Double Sunflower is stronger! The signature brainy environment got hit, for no apparent reason! And the plants got a card that makes it nearly impossible to Blitz Rose. But that card is only the second worst offender.
Offender #1: Shrinking Violet.
To underestimate Shrinking Violet is to see the tree and miss the forest. I made the argument already that zombies want to Blitz in the current environment; now we just have to decide whether to do it with big zombies or small zombies. Rose doesn’t let you go big, because literally 1/2 of her superpowers are going to turn the first threat you play into something that is only going to trigger the other 1/2 of her superpowers. 3/4 of her superpowers are probably going to nuke the first zombie you play. But, oh well. You have to start somewhere. You go small and fast.
Then Rose hits you with a Shrinking Violet on turn 3. Turn three? Yes, because through environment or good old-fashioned sunflower Rose has already managed to rack up her sun beyond your ability to keep up. Now she trades 1 card for 3, your momentum is dead, and she has team up plants to play behind.
I thought shrink was a Zombie Landscaper thing, but apparently plants can do it more efficiently, wothout the ability to respond, before combat is initiated. Gosh darn.
How to fix the card? You can’t get rid of the kill, because then Rose just laughs as you literally can’t play anything in three lanes. You can’t get rid of the shrink, because that’s kind of the whole point. So I think you have to make it more expensive. I don’t love plants getting a Rustbolt superpower trick, least of all in the Smarty class, but if they must have it I think its 3-for-1 power level matches Cherry Bomb. It should be costed appropriately.
Offender #2: Dark Matter Dragonfruit
So. This card is stupid good.
Everyone knows it. It’s the emblem for Ultimate League! Noobies concede when they see it. Zombies concede when they see it played.
That’s because it literally cannot be played around unless you happen to be sitting on a Zombot 1000. But even if you are, Rose probably sprung it on you turn 6 or 7, and you’re dead before you can see it die.
Let’s compare it to other LEGENDARY plant cards. Just for some perspective.
Brainana. Fair card. 6-sun. Zombies can’t play tricks this turn. Amphibious. That’s annoying. Clears maybe one lane. 4/3 body. Not too strong.
Three-Headed Chomper. Fair card. 6-sun. Tricks are fine. Can be bounced, killed, moved. 6/6 body. Stronger. But no amphibious. Clears three lanes, but only if it survives battle.
Dark Matter Dragonfruit. 8-sun. Zombies can’t play tricks for the rest of the game. Don’t worry - the game won’t last much longer. 6/6 body with amphibious. Does not have to survive battle to clear three lanes.
Back to card advantage: that’s an auto 3-for-1 that negates 1/2 of the cards a zombie’s hand and deck. There is no good way to trade with it, and if you have the audacity to try, this is what happens (see photo). 8-cost instead of 6 and you get a permenent Brainana? An improved, amphibious, and untrickable Three-Headed Chomper? In my time, I have conceeded to 15 consecutive Dark Matter Dragonfruits. I counted. I have not once beaten this card.
So, yeah. Devs. Hear me. Make up you mind. Maybe the Dragonfruit stops tricks (less completely, please). Maybe it does area damage. It can’t do both, this well.
