Banning specific character combinations

By TylerTT, in Star Wars: Destiny

Destiny is an interesting new format for a card game and so we have an interesting new problem.

what if they could ban specific character combinations. So if "Poe+Maz" is a problem just say you can not play both of them together.

Will problematic decks in destiny always be hallmarked by a specific character combination? maybe not, but they already use errata so why not add a tool to use when errata won't work?

I'd prefer this to errata. Poe and Maz would both see plenty of play independently. Poe/Snap and Han/Maz are definitely more thematic and what were intended by the designers. Maybe some day we'll be restricted to mono-color decks (i.e. 6 factions like in the Star Wars card game).

and i'm not even sure that poe maz should be illegal. thats a choice for the game designers.

This follows FFGs 'restricted list' practice for some of their LCGs. I could see them implementing this in lieu of errata and I much prefer it.

Ban that Palpatine pairing!

32 minutes ago, RJM said:

Ban that Palpatine pairing!

Palpatine can't be paired with himself.

I think Destiny already has so many things happening that some form of ban-list is inevitable - even if this is just a speeding up of the rotation (which I would be against)

2 hours ago, RJM said:

Ban that Palpatine pairing!

Obviously it can't solve every problem.

2 hours ago, The Penguin UK said:

Palpatine can't be paired with himself.

I think Destiny already has so many things happening that some form of ban-list is inevitable - even if this is just a speeding up of the rotation (which I would be against)

25 minutes ago, TylerTT said:

Obviously it can't solve every problem.

I feel like maybe my internet sarcasm button wasn't working properly today...

3 hours ago, RJM said:

Ban that Palpatine pairing!

Again...

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It is a top tier deck, but not unfair or unbeatable.

25 minutes ago, Stone37 said:

Again...

It is a top tier deck, but not unfair or unbeatable.

Neither of which are the only measurements you have to take into account when trying for a broadly balanced game. It narrows the field of other competitively playable choices by a lot more than I think most people would prefer. And it's decidedly not very fun or interactive to play against. I don't think it's burning the game to the ground or anything, but it's also not really bringing much positive to it either.

5 minutes ago, RJM said:

It narrows the field of other competitively playable choices by a lot more than I think most people would prefer.

Not entirely in disagreement with what you are saying, the problem is will fixing the problem that is Poe/Maz fix the problem or will just one of the decks that do well against it just become the "next worst thing"?

1 minute ago, Amanal said:

Not entirely in disagreement with what you are saying, the problem is will fixing the problem that is Poe/Maz fix the problem or will just one of the decks that do well against it just become the "next worst thing"?

Yeah, that's always the tricky part most people gloss over when calling for a fix/ban etc.

There's always going to be a best deck. Or perceived deck to beat, whatever you want to call it.

That said, I don't believe it's specifically Poe or Maz or any one single card. ...Well, it is the most possible it's actually Fast Hands in broad terms, but that's a slightly different discussion.

Fast decks are fine, decks resilient to control are necessary for balance. But so are things like player agency and interactivity, and negative play experiences.

I think the key part of the deck is Maz's Focuses.

Thus, I think a softer fix that may be more fun, is the ability to remove dice before they are rolled in, say something like Prized Possession as an example.

Although maybe something cheaper and less reliant on colour, maybe a Battlefield or event?

21 minutes ago, Amanal said:

I think the key part of the deck is Maz's Focuses.

Thus, I think a softer fix that may be more fun, is the ability to remove dice before they are rolled in, say something like Prized Possession as an example.

Although maybe something cheaper and less reliant on colour, maybe a Battlefield or event?

You mean like the Carbon Freezing Chamber? I played against a deck with Snap and that battlefield - nasty combo. That might really take down Poe/Maz.

The game has a fast release cycle and rotation. Unless something is *completely* busted ('play this, play a hard counter or lose' busted, backed by significant tournament results) I very much doubt we'll see anything like this implemented. Either new cards will come out to help counter issues, or cards will rotate out.

But yes, FFG has used a restricted list in other games, one of the uses is to break up power combos without banning cards.

Don't worry. An eratta will happen. And when it does, the cumunity will probably whine on. As an veteran xwing player, I'm very familiar with whats gonna happen.