LE Runes and Availability

So, I finally got a chance to catch up on the last Q&A with @Gedden, and I was left scratching my head on one part.

This weird hang up he seems to have on LE runes being really super hard to acquire. Not that I have a problem with that in particular, it's more that I get this vibe that he feels that some runes should be kept in purely hard/impossible to obtain forms. (i.e-Harbies).

Now, I'm pretty sure this horse I resurrected to whip is the same one I've beaten before, but I'll harp on the point one more time.

If we're going to see Pox eventually make it's 'big break' into more mainstream venues, it's probably a good idea to get a firm stance on this availability vs usability topic.

As it is right now, viable, unviable, reasonably attainable or not, it doesn't really quite matter, in MTG terms, the only format we have access to is Type 1. There's a reason that the fewest number of people play in that format. It's not that they're afraid of the 'creative expansiveness' of using absolutely any card printed ever, it's the lack of access to absolutely every card printed ever.

And I'm already burning up attention spans, I'm sure, so succinctly;

Either things need a reasonably attainable version, or there needs to be a restriction in 'official' formats on the use of LE runes.

Likely it's not fair to bring this up in the wake of the ginormous revamp, but it's an issue I feel strongly about.

--And in case I can't respond in a reasonable manner, yes, I understand some of the things that are hard to get are garbage pieces, but that's not the underlying point here. Viable or not, new people coming in that are likely to stick around are not your average casual, attention span lacking gamer. It's people who have the time, intelligence (arguable with some, I'm sure), and inclination to get into an in-depth, complex TCG/Board Game in a digital format.

These people that hopefully come in and stick around are going to research and learn the ropes. Some to lesser extents than others, but I guarantee that most are going to try and get an idea of what shiny things they can do as they become established. And one thing they're going to realize (likely before learning what's viable), is that some things are going to be unobtainable, and shortly after, that restriction of availability doesn't hamper someone's ability to use them in a BG (i.e.-Harbies and the recent injection of Renovators)

Thanks for taking the time for this wall of text,

Sincerely,

Mercer 'succinctly' Skye

 

Buff harbs

 

Buff them, nerf them, set them on fire. I don't really care in either direction to be honest.

But if they're going to stay LE, they need to stay out of ranked (Whether they're being played right now, ever, or never will be again).

 

you have a great way with words.

 

Thank you very much. As someone aspiring to be a professional writer, that means the world to me.

 

I cant see any good reasons at all not to introduce them into packs/boxes, their own packs or sale as gold runes.
It is one of the major points that will drive new players away. If they see a rune they want to be able to play and aquire, but are told taht it is virtually ungetable unless you have spare bodypart to trade with, they will be disgruntled and might leave. Besides ther eis no reason to keep suporting the trade vultures who hoard the rare runes and then try to suck people dry in trading.

 

Right now, getting the LEG you want is not "that" hard. With a bit of luck, you get a LEG from your box, wich you trade for the LEG you want and job done.

 

Limited is a different story though.

 

I like the "collectable" aspect of the game and would like to keep it.

When I was new to Pox Nora I pretty quickly learned that Pox Harbingers were incredibly rare and had to realize that unless I spend 200 bucks on one I'm never going to have one. And that was during a time when Initiative was probably the most broken ability in the game and everyone who could run Harbingers did so. That didn't stop me from playing. And now that they are more in line with the rest of the runes in game I don't really see why not having an easy access to a Harbinger would stop or hinder anybody from enjoying Pox Nora.

Also I generally don't like comparing Pox with MtG. Magic is a static game where the only form of balance is to rotate out cards while bringing in new ones. I guess they also ban cards from time to time if they really messed up and printed something way above the current power curve. Pox Nora doesn't need that. It's a more dynamic game where balance can change at any point, as seen by a recent revamp. Which is also why it doesn't suffer under the same problems as MtG does. For example, if you'd force me to play a round of MtG without any form of card restrictions against people who have a wide sortiment of cards my biggest problem wouldn't be that it's expensive or hard to get the required cards to complete with them. I think the reason that would turn me away is that games that are decided in the first turn stop to be fun rather quickly. And MtG sure has enough of cards that can be combined to archive that: a first turn victory. Well or a third turn victory if you like to play slow.

In Pox Nora that isn't going to be an issue, ever. If something is incredibly broken it gets changed. If something is considered mandatory for X faction or Y deck it either gets changed or a suitable alternative it eventually added to the game. That's why I don't see a reason why Limited Edition runes can't be limited. It gives collectors something to enjoy while not hindering anybody else from also enjoying the game in a competitive fashion.

And to drop a line about the "underlying point": I'm sure that some people will have a problem with that, yes. There'll be people who'll want something "shiny" no matter if it's good, bad or easily replaceable with something commonly available. I'm not really sure if that is an audiance that I'd want Pox Nora to care for, though. They sound a lot like spoiled kids to me who cry because they got the wrong kind of chocolate... :/

 

Everyone should eventually have every rune in the game,and it shouldn't take years either..... Having access to every rune when trying to make a bg of any faction or split is important

 

I disagree, that eliminates the TCG aspect of the game. Having access to every meta rune I think is a reasonable expectation. Something like a Harbinger that is hardly a game winning rune, should remain limited. Angels, which prior to the revamp were powerful, I felt should have had a legendary equivalent, which DoG did do. They just haven't been out long enough for the market to fill up yet.

 

I think leg angels should be re-colored so that they are different than LE's. Just my three cents

 

IMHO Limited Edition runes should only consist of reskins… period.

You could go down the road of making unique LE playable only in Player vs Environment and not in ranked/tourneys but it still leaves the main issue of playibility/accessibility.

The LEG reskinned/recolors of the angels and 150ks are a step in the right direction but they need to go farther (looks at barbs-dooms-those liluns you won from tournaments like Haunting spirit and BoghopZombie).

 

Limited Edition runes are not meant to be accessible and I really think you lot do not understand what LIMITED edition means. There is however a reason as to why almost all LE runes are utter trash and/or over costed, it's to compensate for their rarity. I dont see the problem with useless collectors runes, being hard to get.

 

You look at how many times the game, regardless of ownership, undercut rarity in one form or another. The game agreements allow them to do pretty much anything for any reason which takes care of breach of contract or acting in bad faith. In fact, even the "rightness" of these individual decisions isn't the issue; I am sure you can find people arguing both sides each time. The fact is that anybody who was collecting with an eye towards a stable investment lost faith a long ago. If you haven't lost faith, it's my sad duty to inform you that, like one's belief in the tooth fairy, it's time to put on your big boy pants and/or big girl panties and deal in the real world.

Once you accept that, it's a really easy discussion inside OWL headquarters (which is coincidentally in the same tree as the Keebler elves). Make as many "special" limited runes as you want. Heck, I like my limited mage and lots of other scarce runes and they do mean something to me. However, then make an exotic copy of every single freaking limited and legendary rune so that we can just move on from the freaking logjam. Or just freaking give players the option to buy individual limited and legendary runes. We aren't supposed to be buying and selling offsite but the economy that exists basically demands it. It makes everyone in the game wonder if any of the Owls actually stayed awake in their business and economics classes. You literally hamstring the game, increase its "cost of ownership" and receive a fraction of the investment from new players to satisfy some irrational concept that this is still a collectible card game.

 

My issue is what happens when legendary and limited runes aren't trash but very attractive runes to have. I wanted to try playing some seeker of the source stuff and I am still waiting. Ditto for Marshall Vicar, Enforcer of the Circle and a few other legendaries that all have potential worth in the game.

 

Why are you listing legendaries? Im almost certain the discussion and title of the thread is the mention about accessibility of LE runes. However futher your topic about LEG runes, they are obtainable in boxes and over time will become more common. We just have to wait until we get a new flow of players or the opportunity to buy boxes (Sales, double credits, or double gold etc).

But for LE runes there are near to none LE runes that are runnable even if just for aesthetics. The only LE's I believe should be re skinned as of right now are Doombringers and Grimlic of K'thir. I mean do you guys really want DoG to waste their time making C/UC versions of rocklings, meat pies, baby furbulls, vampyr bats etc, rather than preparing for the next expansion or futhering the revamp?

 

It doesn't take an arm and leg to get legendaries.. (Ignore Bloodguard)

 

Reskins cost a lot of work and time, and I heard some people don't like the new skins (besides me ).

My fast and easy suggestion is to make limited versions exactly the same as the legendaries, but with a Taunt included (Taunt: "DOOOOM", etc). That adds great value for collectors IMO.

 

The reskins should be uglier