Dev Blog - Homefront Balance Patch

Hello friends!

The Homefront expansion is in the homerun for its release next Thursday, November 27th. In addition to the 87 new cards and the 24 returning cards (several of them reworked), we are also doing balance tweaks on 8 cards - 4 nerfs and 4 buffs. We want to give Homefront a fighting chance to change the meta - it is in need of some shifting and we want to help it along. Without further ado, let’s get to it, starting with the four nerfs.

Nerfs

BUFFS

This is a pretty significant nerf to Buffs, it retains its buff ability, but in a nerfed form so buffing Buffs is not as strong as the buffing possibilities were before Buffs was nerfed. While not as explosive without the Fury, it does now have an operation cost of 0, meaning there is one less hoop to jump through to get it going. The highroll shenanigans possible with the old version were becoming a bit too popular, creating a frustration around this fringe deck and we want it put to bed with Homefront.

KM TIRPITZ

The KM Tirpitz was a bit too efficient at 4k, so we are moving it to 5 while retaining its effects. It is still a potent threat, but it is now harder to maintain a strong tempo with it. Whether the increased cost will lead to the card sinking remains to be seen, but don’t be surprised if it remains afloat. 

108. PANZERGRENADIER

Players frequently have a devil of a time dealing with the 108. Panzergrenadier, what with its cost of 6 and a 6/6 body. Following its hellish deployment effect it could come crashing at you like the Prince of Darkness himself was breathing down your neck. We are disrupting these infernal machinations by increasing the cost to 7 and lowering the attack to 5, providing a clean slate free of any evil taint.    

175th INFANTRY REGIMENT

The 175th Infantry Regiment has never quite managed to live up to the expectations heaped on its shoulders upon its arrival, but it has still found a decent living in the fringe space between top tier ranks and the scrub tier. Especially at lower ranks it can be a menace to deal with, so we have hit it with a defense reduction. It still serves its role as a big, early beat-stick, but can now be dealt with slightly more easily than before.

Buffs

CREEPING BARRAGE

We were a bit too cautious with this one last year, fearing some all-mighty pin machine might emerge. No pin in sight so far this year, so we are going to try this out as a 2k. Who knows, perhaps we are creeping closer to the elusive pin deck after all.

FRONTIER FORCE

Frontier Force is one of these cards that was borderline playable, but never managed to force itself fully to the front. An extra defense may not seem like much, but survivability is a very important factor for fury units. At the very least it improves the Frontier’s Psyche.

KV-1 1939

Speaking of units that have been borderline playable, then KV-1 1939 is not one of them and never has been. It can be a decent roadblock in the early stages of a Kards gamer’s career, but is quickly outmatched once players progress further up the ranks. With the KV-1 1941 leaving for the reserve pool, its older sibling feels it needs to step up its game, especially now that a combat keyword deck might be on the horizon that it might fit into.

SEABORNE INVASION

Seaborne Invasion has been as fickle as tidal waves since its original inception, having undergone numerous adjustments. The changes it is undergoing now are soft compared to many older ones and brings it into the ‘mildly titillating’ category of cards to fool around with. Time will tell how many actual playable decks it will invade this time around.

That is all for the changes coming with Homefront. We want all expansions to shake up the meta in a meaningful way and Homefront is no different. What exactly the meta will look like remains to be seen and will be determined by the hard work and diligence of you, the community. The Worlds is coming up in December and it will be interesting to see what the contestants will bring to the table. Chaos could ensue! Make sure you get into Homefront on the front foot next Thursday and grab your 2 free Homefront packs when you login. Keep your eye out for the full patch notes as well and continue to give us your excellent feedback. See you on the battlefield, commander!