Does anyone else think this card is a bit too much with the new JAMES HATA? He already is butsted as is, but slashing this card against any other deck isnt remotely fair. If you commit a card for +1 speed by the time you are done with hata's response the attack gets +4 speed and +1 damage. Worst case senario its used with this....

Then if you threw a mid 3 speed for 3 damge it becomes a mid 7 speed for 6 damage for commiting one foundation.... Since in my area all people use are throws it will end up becoming a 7speed for 8 damage.

I personally think something needs to be done with the character or answers to speed and throws, since quest for souls gave very little in this area, im leaning toward the character just getting banned. What do you guys think? Is this acceptable in a game with diversity?

Considering that this can only be run off Air with Hata, I don't think it's completely terrible, as Air is seen as something of an underdog really, so if anything, it encourages a different style of play than the Fire Hata's we've all seen before. It's also pretty intensive on the requirements you need to have all the stuff out to make this work really effectively, by which point you should be getting decent pumps out of it. Also, if the speed bumps are being put onto throws, surely it doesn't make too much difference seeing as it's a throw, so going out of your way to block it when you'll take half the damage anyway isn't advisable?

Hall Of The Warrior God is also a Terrain, and given how good the majority of the Terrains in this set are (Pavilion, Ostreinsburgh Castle, I'm looking at you), there's a pretty big chance Hall'll get blown up by a change of scenery. So I'd say it was powerful, certainly, but fallible.

I don't think Hata needs banning at all, he's a glowing example of what a human character should be. I hope mine is as decent as his is when it's released next year. He's getting played a lot, which I think is a big part of what the prize should be, but then, I could be wrong

So you are saying Squirrels are broken and that when combined with other squirrels you can turn squirrels sideways for more pumps?

Smazzurco said:

This. Because it's funny. And, yea, i can't see the intended artwork either...

Viewtiful_Joe said:

I don't think Hata needs banning at all, he's a glowing example of what a human character should be. I hope mine is as decent as his is when it's released next year. He's getting played a lot, which I think is a big part of what the prize should be, but then, I could be wrong

Honestly, his effects are extremely vanilla but absolutely powerful in their application.

I'd ban a lot of other things before Hata though.

Also, Hata transforms his R into a +2/+1 - I still fail to see the problem.

Okay i fail to see how a terrain and a speed boost = +4/+1 is balanced or fair in a format with diversity. Guess I'm on the outside looking in on this one.

Homme Chapeau said:

Viewtiful_Joe said:

I don't think Hata needs banning at all, he's a glowing example of what a human character should be. I hope mine is as decent as his is when it's released next year. He's getting played a lot, which I think is a big part of what the prize should be, but then, I could be wrong

Honestly, his effects are extremely vanilla but absolutely powerful in their application.

I'd ban a lot of other things before Hata though.

Also, Hata transforms his R into a +2/+1 - I still fail to see the problem.

Also this is splashable in fire

rulemonkey said:

No, it's not! Seen many cards with Air/Fire other than Temujin cards (which Hata doesn't care to use)?

This isn't exactly game-breaking, really. But I suppose only time will tell.

It has air which means you can splash it. If it had fire it wouldnt be splashable it would just be played.

I'm not sure how people can consider Hata a balanced card, it confounds me. He is overpowered... but nothing will ever happen to this card. Why, you ask. Well, let me think... who is the card designer? Oh yeah, he will never ban or errata his own character card. And the shameless kissing up in hope that your character will turn out good because of it... just wow...

James is only as overpowered as every other character who wins tournies, really. I mean, seeing as how thus far, characters such as King, Paul, Astrid, etc, have a much better track listing, I mean...

Yeah he's powerful, but once again, he's only as top tier as the rest of the other top tier crew.

Ender Dragon said:

Ok... that stung slightly. I'm not sure I deserved that. In no way was that sucking up, considering the man doesn't even read the forums and that I genuinely believe he is't overpowered. I said he was glowing in his example, as are Omar and Jon Herr, by the way, because they are examples of what character cards should be: Simple, yet effective. And forgive me for being a little worried about flying under the radar.

rulemonkey said:

I don't even see the +4/+1 - What, you use the ability on it? It becomes +4/+1? Okay.

All that tells me is that we have an inability to deal with massive speed attacks in the current block. Because a paltry +1 damage does not break any attack.

Hata is the designer, yes.

I am pretty sure steve still makes the decisions on bans/erratas.

I am also pretty sure Hata 2dot was created before Hata had a hand in creating sets. (so he didnt create his card to take advantage of what is to come)

If Hata was overpowered, steve would step in and do what needs to be done.

Lots of cards are strong, and even stronger when you combine them.

For example King's F is really good. PotM is really good. Spamming your card pool then using king's F then using path is just lol.

Does this mean King should be banned? No.

Does this mean PotM should be banned? No. (ok, subjective. But plenty of ways to answer to assets IMO)

also um....if hata is THAT powerful, then basically decks built around him will rely on him. So...um...side in rasho, commit hata, or something.

Hata is a very playable strong character. Not at all broken.

And hall is a terrain. PLenty of ways to take care of that. A certain box topper that puts a terrain into play from your discard pile comes to mind....

Smazzurco said:

Not only that, but Hata really just underlines the bigger problem - lack of reliable way to deal with speed buffs.

aye. Paid to protect should be a card of the month, promote sales and remove the biggest "problem" with the format right now.

Smazzurco said:

Who said anything about P2P?

I was sincerely expecting some sort of speed nerf or ways to deal with excessive speed buffs on attacks in the set. Now I find out we won't get any until the next base set, IF that.

paid to protect deals with speed.

Everyone wants four and would buy 6 packs if it meant they got a p2p.

?????.

Profit.

Smazzurco said:

My name is "I don't play Earth/Fire/Void".

Sisters of Battle is a more conditional answer, but an answer nonetheless. So add Good and Order to the list of the protected ones.

LordAggro said:

It's VERY conditional on either a mirror match-up or your opponent fielding a character with attacks from your symbols. It's a considerable nerf to speed which is great, but... yeah. Conditional speed nerf is very conditional.

...Actually, it nerfs speed if the attack shares 2 symbols with your OPPONENT'S character, so yeah, not so conditional, considering most folks run their own attack support.

LordAggro said:

I'm gonna have to re-read it again, but if that's the case then yes, it's not too shabby.

Together Again is also a card that helps you block somewhat. And personally I do not want to many answers to speedpumps.. Speed should still be the safest way of pushing in damage in a a fight. (I hate the fact stun and discard is so much more effective )

Mordai

In an article I posted a while back, I'd stated that speed pumps (as you also stated) need to be the PREMIER way of pushing attacks through (or raising block modifiers, but IMO not to the extent of Throne Room), and that due to that, speed pump hate (be it reduction, negation, committing speed pumps, etc) needs to also be around to some extent.

When it comes to damage pumps, pumps should be limited to the extent of: Brooding, For Justice, Merciless Fighter, King of the Ring, basically themed or costed damage pump. "Universal" damage pump (as in, "this attack" as opposed to "this WEAPON" attack or w/e) is simply unsafe, and has lead to a bit too much "simple" aggro. Heck, even Astrid, who is amazing, is pretty much limited to only running Weapon attacks.

Also, a glaring fact of Hall keeps it balanced:

it's a Terrain (meaning it's basically Unique, and can be destroyed by other Terrain/anti-asset cards), something Astrid SHOULD have gotten the same treatment with