Hey everyone!
While the first card-drop of 2023 is only one more month away, we are introducing some keychanges with Update 11.3, specifically to Draft and bandits like Gascon!
Before jumping into the update, make sure to check out our Developer Update for more thoughts on the changes.
Changes
Draft Mode: GWENTFINITY update - Introducing several key changes to future-proof Draft Mode, and make the experience more distinct overall:
-The drafting process has been changed. After drafting the leader ability, players draft packages of three cards, eight times, and then draft their stratagem. Players will receive the option to add, and then remove a single package after each match.
-The packages are no longer manually built, but randomly generated from the ownable card pool. Each package is assigned a faction faction, and has a total provision cost ranging from 20 to 26.
-The in-game timer has been reduced from the usual 60 seconds to 25 seconds.
These changes aim at making Draft a more varied environment and to future-proof the game mode in the context of GWENTFINITY. The change of the turn timer also aims at making matches quicker, further differentiating Draft mode from standard matches. For more info, tune in to the developer's video!
Neutral
Angoulême - Provision cost changed from 10 to 11. Ability changed to: Deploy: Create and play an artifact from your opponent's starting deck. If your opponent has no artifact in their starting deck, boost self by 6 instead.
Free Company - Armor changed from 1 to 0. Provision cost changed from 8 to 10. Ability changed to: Order: Choose an allied Bonded unit, then play its top copy from your deck. Cooldown: 3
Gascon - Power changed from 1 to 2. Ability changed to: When in hand, deck, or on the battlefield, whenever you play the second copy of a Bonded unit this match, boost self by 3.
Gimpy Gerwin - Power changed from 3 to 5. Armor changed from 0 to 1. Provision cost changed from 7 to 9. Ability changed to: Whenever you play another unit, damage all enemy units with the same provision cost by 1.
One-Eyed Betsy - Power changed from 4 to 7. Provision cost changed from 10 to 8. Ability changed to: Deploy: Draw up to 2 Bonded units, then shuffle the same number of cards back into your deck. Order: Replay an allied Bonded unit.
Renfri, Renfri's Gang - The Deploy abilities now also trigger when all cards in the deck are units. This is a change for Draft Mode, where the starting deck size is reduced to 24.
Bomb Heaver - Provision cost changed from 5 to 4.
Cutthroat - Power changed from 3 to 5. Provision cost changed from 4 to 5. Ability changed to: Deploy: Destroy an enemy unit with 2 or less power. Bonded: Destroy an enemy with 4 or less power instead.
Highwaymen - Power changed from 4 to 1. Provision cost changed from 4 to 5. Ability changed to: When you play a Bonded unit that you already control a copy of, Summon self from your deck to your Melee row. Exposed: Move self to the top of your deck.
Iron Falcon Infantry - Power changed from 4 to 3. Ability changed to: At the end of your turn, boost self by 1 if this is the only card on its row. Bonded: At the end of your turn, boost self by 1 instead. Iron Falcon Knife Juggler - Power changed from 2 to 4. Provision cost changed from 4 to 5. Ability changed to: Zeal. Order: Damage an enemy unit by 1. Bonded: Also give it Bleeding (1). Whenever you play a Bonded unit, refresh the Order. Iron Falcon Troubadour - Ability changed to: Deploy: Spawn a 1-power Locked copy of a Bonded unit from your starting deck on this row.
Sapper - Bandit tag changed to Soldier. Power changed from 5 to 2. Armor changed from 0 to 2. Provision cost changed from 5 to 6. Ability changed to: Deploy: Play a Bomb from your hand, then draw a card. Barricade: Whenever you play a Bomb, damage a random enemy unit by 1.
Scout - Power changed from 5 to 4. Ability changed to: Deploy: Move a unit to the other row.
Strays of Spalla - Provision cost changed from 5 to 4. Ability changed to: Deploy: Shuffle a gold card from your hand to your deck, then draw a bronze card and boost self by 4. Bonded: Boost self by 4 instead. Wagon - Power changed from 4 to 5. Armor changed from 0 to 3. Provision cost changed from 4 to 6. Ability changed to: Deploy: Banish the bronze unit to the right, then gain Resilience. Order: Transform self into a base copy of the Banished unit. Exposed: Purify self.
Monsters
Carapace, Caranthir Ar-Feiniel, Lilit's Omen, The Manor's Dark Secret, Witches' Sabbath - Ability restrictions changed from Monsters to non-Neutral.
Plumard - Ability changed to: Deploy: Give an enemy unit Bleeding (2). Bonded: Give an enemy unit Bleeding equal to its base power instead.
Skellige
Blaze of Glory, Eist Tuirseach, Fucusya, Magic Compass, Sigrdrifa's Rite, Svanrige Tuirseach, Tyr: Master of An Skellig, Freya's Blessing - Ability restrictions changed from Skellige to non-Neutral.
Northern Realms
Inspired Zeal, Pincer Manoeuvre, Stockpile, Amphibious Assault, Ildiko, Viraxas: Prince, Viraxas: Outcast, Viraxas: King, Queen Adalia - Ability restrictions changed from Northern Realms to non-Neutral.
Scoia'tael
Harmony, Call of the Forest, Dana Méadbh: Provider, Dana Méadbh: Caretaker, Dunca, Ithlinne Aegli, Mysteries of Loc Feainn, Pavko Gale, Saskia: Commander, Circle of Life - Ability restrictions changed from Scoia'tael to non-Neutral.
Nilfgaard
No changes.
Syndicate
No changes.
Game Fixes
Certain players are no longer blocked from creating decks with specific leader abilities (mainly from the Monsters faction).
The deckbuilder search bar now recognizes all special characters. Certain diacritics were previously unrecognized.
Guillaume de Launfal no longer ignores the self boost by the number of allied Knights, if there is no enemy target available.
Traveling Priestess' Order no longer becomes temporarily disabled when being boosted from an injured state to another non-boosted power level.