Have I mentioned recently that James Hata is awesome?

new.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp

Things that make me happy:

1. I REALLY like how James has standardized the usual Ranged and Throw text by making them keyword abilities.
2. I REALLY like how Terrains work now. It makes so much sense, and I think they'll see a lot more play now.
3. I like the new Combo ability a great deal.
4. I like the simplified Breaker ability, and the clarified Desperation ability.

Things that make me sad:

1. There was nothing added to the Reversal ability to clarify this with the phrase "play as a Reversal." I hope there is something to differentiate between the two (or state that they are the same) in the rules.
2. There was nothing about Stance similar to Terrains. When Stances make as much sense as Terrains now do, I'll be quite happy.
3. There was nothing about ability-limiting keywords that appear before abilities, with the exception of Combo's second part. I.e., there was nothing about character-only, symbol-only, license-only, or desperation-only restrictions. I'd also REALLY like to see simplified ability-limiting keywords for common restrictions, such as a before-the-ability bolded "1/Turn" or "1/Game."

Still, you'll note that all my gripes are things that didn't happen and still could. Everything that _did_ happen is frickin' sweet.

ARMed_PIrate said:

There was nothing about Stance that warrants it being put onto a card is what you mean. It's a relic of Set 1 and hasn't been seen since.

Homme Chapeau said:

True, but it had serious potential, seeing as how many other "stance" cards they've come out since not using it as a keyword. What a shame...

As for Terrain, I have mixed feelings. It makes sense, but it totally nukes my whole idea of spamming out Bath House in my future Water builds. =/

But yes, people as a whole will be thrilled with Breaker being active even with the Breaker card removed from the card pool. And Hooligan Throw's worth playing (in a Legacy build)! With the Combo keywords, I'd have to see more examples of cards and see them in action before giving any final impressions.

Off-topic: ARMed, you totally need to toss in your 2 cents on the Double Dragon topic: http://new.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=26&efcid=5&efidt=84553

Trying to make a quick reference guide for commonly seen terms and their translations when used in a multiplayer format, and I figured you'd have quite a bit to contribute.

AP -

The majority of the stuff you're talking about in your disappointment (stance excluded) are not core keyword mechanics, and are more items to be clarified within the "tournament rules"

The tournament rules are still being worked on, and are undergoing a major revision to fall inline with the rest of the changes.

Bullcrap the keyword thing just make Bitter rivals stupidly Stupid. I mean hardly any attack is safe anymore. This was a bad call IMO. I mean seriously that is DUMB. OMG I am so mad about this...Bitter needs errata or banning now...

I mean I get why what was done was done and I like it. If it wasn't for bitter rivals I would say that it was a good call. Thank god they aren't abilities that are played or Silver Spoon would make so many things useless...

Anyways on to the good stuff...I love Combo..And the previews are cool. Finally good answers to life gain. Though life gain decks might just run Terrians purely in order to discard yours.

Sol Badguy said:

So... let me confirm what you're saying here...

The rules change is good. You like the rules change.

However you feel that Bitter Rivals is overpowered with this new change.

So... after the first spoiler, you're pressing the panic button.

Go back to the spoiler. Re-read it. Examine it.

Look carefully.

Within the spoiler there is an answer to Bitter Rivals.

There are also another 286 cards to discover.

Step away from the Panic Button.

I love James Hata and I'm very excited about the new set.

I really like the terrain idea as it gives the game a sweet flavor to it and makes perfect sense. Oh well, there goes my deck with multiple Cage Arenas. I would like to see something new with stances in the future as well, I think it would be a great addition.

I can't wait to see some amazing combo abilities. All amazing attack abilities should have other cards as prerequisites, but at the same time those prerequisites are not necessary to simply play the attack itself. The addition of comboes would be a very useful gaming mechanic in this game. Plus, I think it encourages people to place more attacks in their decks and I love action-pack battles.

Antigoth said:

I don't feel like going back and reading the spoilers so could you please tell me what exactly was an answers to Bitter Rivals? Also I already felt that Bitter Rivals was a tad overpowered before I saw this spoiler....the adding of 5 MORE keywords that it can hit just makes it BROKEN.

Hmmmm we are getting close to the release of a set that has been causeing quite an uproar. I think I will add my two cents.

Things i like about the set and the previews.

1. It has tira.

2. Answer to life gain (seriously we really needed this but I hope there is more then one card)

3. It has Tira

4. The rules clarifications. Making things easier to understand is always good.

5. tra la la la la it hash Tira

6. The new keyword is probably the second thing im most excited about (can you guess the first?) This is something the game needed and im happy that its something that every fighting game fan can recognise.

Things im unhappy about.

1. When I looked at the new attack from shadow war I thought it was a throw instead of a throw being required for its combo ability. Not sure if its just me or if I was just overly excited about the previews but I found it kind of confusing.

2. Although there are answers to bitter rivals (the one in the preview being an UR not really helping)we should watch it carefully as with the new ruling made it that much stronger.

3. There is another ban thread already in the forums -.- the peace was nice while it lasted.

Other then that im pretty happy with everything. Fight on everyone =3

Command The Sandstorm would be a really nice counter to Bitter Rivals if Bitter Rivals didn't get rid of it before you could play it. You'd need to play a throw to unlock the combo ability, right? Well, surely, during that Throw, Bitter Rivals could trigger and make you drop Command The Sandstorm?

I love the new keywords, the clarification on the ruling of our existing keywords (yay for Cleansing Nirvana ) and I adore the two cards previewed (looks like Ivy might actually be PREVENTING life-gain this time round as opposed to doing nothing but gain life ). However, I do agree that Bitter Rivals is a little over the top now.

Also, how would one trigger Silver Spoon on a Throw? If throw is a static ability, would I be correct in saying that it wouldn't be able to stop it at all?

Also, does this clarify the ruling on Response negating/Keyword negating on a Reversal? Seeing as you've ATTEMPTED to play a reversal once by paying the cost and revealing said Reversal from your hand, if it's stopped, does that mean you can't try again?

Solstice said:

Haha I seriously hope that he was not talking about the UR in the preview being an answer to Bitter Rivals...The only way you get to use the effect of that card is by playing a throw into your card pool first...Now guess what is going to happen?

Player A plays throw

Player A Enhances or passes Enhance

Player B E:'s with Bitter. Sees the combo card...Calls keyword...discards it...

Yeah how they heck was that an answer? Bitter Rivals makes combo such an awful keyword. You have to attack with a different attack first to use the combo and bitter discards the card before you get to use it. So yeah I still am waiting for that Previewed answer....

Sol Badguy said:

I'm sure that's the only card out of the 288 cards in the set that has that type of an effect. [/sarcasm]

Also... this is the set where the revised rarity kicks in. UR's are not going to be as hard to track down anymore.

Please go read the 2 comments above your post then please come back and show me this answer you speak of.

288 cards in the set.

Rashotep apparently has a spoiled "Blanking" mechanic.

Please do not assume that Command the Sandstorm is his only blanking ability.

I love you guys.

First it's "ZOMG! Bitter can now target all the cards in your hand!"

Now that I point out that there's a card that can stop it, you only have one key word in hand, and it's going to be auto fragged by bitter.

It's clear that right now you guys are dead set that bitter rivals is broken. There is nothing I can say that will cause you to part from this stance. I get it.

I'm just going to slink back into my corner, and wait for the other 286 cards to be spoiled and see what comes up.

I didn't say that CtS was the only answer. I said it was an answer. Oh... and CtS shares a symbol with the following card:

Here bitter bitter bitter....

::slinks off into the corner::

Antigoth said:

Oh, I totally agree, but I can see why people would jump to said conclusion, but I have faith in the fact that the FFG team more than likely thought of Bitter Rivals while they were changing the Keyword rulings, so there's more than likely going to be more ways to stop it, I was merely pointing out that Command The Sandstorm alone probably wouldn't do the job. But then, since when do people only run one counter to their weaknesses?

I'm more interested in how Reversal negating works now than anything else, as that is possible now without having to wait for the set to pop up.

Dont u kno bitter doesn't have 2 call keyword..?

I am sure that there are going to me more blanking effects. Answers to a problem do not fix the problem they only help you counter it and if there was no problem in the first place people wouldn't have to run counters to it and could run whatever the hell they want. Bitter Rivals can now discard 11 different types of cards.

Powerful
Multiple
Reversal
Stuns
Desperation
Breaker
Throw
Ranged
Terrain
Unique
Combo

That is a LOT of targets. Majority of them being Attacks. The only attacks that are safe are Punches, Kicks, and Weapon attacks.

I am saying that regardless of what is coming out in this set Bitter Rivals is going to make the game less about Attacking with mutiple attacks which is what I though the game was supposed to be moving back towards. I don't want to have to run answers to a problem just tocompete I want the problem to not exist...

interesting stuff, always thought that the key words needed clarity, now we have it and people moan, what a suprise.

what to moan about today spike, defender,bitter rivals, chun li omg the long list i know lets bring back j talbain and moan about him please moaning is so much fun look i'm doing it now and loveing the game so much more for it please everyone help me moan.

on the plus side previews = YAY

confused...

I understand throw and ranged are keyword abilities now. To me an ability is something you "play". Do you have to E: to make a throw deal half dmg if blocked or do you have to R: when playing a ranged card as a +0m?

Its early and i just dont understand exactly what is going on...in the past i alway in my hand differientated Keywords (punch, kick, throw, etc) from Keyword abilities by wether they were "static" or you had to "play" them

Smazzurco said:

Eh, Bitter Rivals has always been a little over powered. When it was released it followed the trend of releasing problems to fix problems.

But yea, the new previews look goood, and i do like the clarification on all the keyword 'traits' / abilities. I'm excited to see the revised rules

Sol Badguy said:

seriously now did you read what you posted before posting? if you did after saying that then you might be playing the wrong game since I don't know any card game that you can play without running answers to what your opponent plays other than you know, old maid or go fish with regular heart/spade/club/diamond decks or uno, well maybe not uno since there are command cards that can make you draw or miss turns.

use cards that commit bitter rivals before it gets used, chinese boxing, program malfunction, experianced combatant, omnidirectional clusterbomb, both sides of psycho style, megalomania, manifest destiny, olcadamns mentoring, stun, double gale fist, evil illusion slam, raising storm, prankster, evil doer destroyer, no memories, pieces of eight, shadow exit, breathern of the coast, pieces of eight form, dark chichiushi, imeru shikite, rare Rera, bringing the master to his knees, alluring beauty, chesters backing, dan's dragon punch, darkness blade, great gerdanheim, looks that kill, heel snipe, mega spike, might launcher, searching for a place in the world, roam the world, trade your passion for glory, self sacrifice, shadow blade, start over, infiltration, begin anew, soul absorbtion, without a care, miser, chichiushi {fatherbull} if your playing the new nakoruru, promo nakoruru if you play block 2 or legacy (toss in yogurt mastery,lost memories, ring veteran, impetuous, hibernation for legacy off the top of my head), hack the check when they attempt to play it, a beautiful nightmare when they play it, marksman when they attempt to play it, commit it then clean freak it (then soul harvest all copies out of play) and these are just off the top of my head for ways to deal with bitter rivals.

now for productive comments, the fact that lynnette's shop becomes an interesting terrain killer, opponent plays something that hurts your deck (like say ice coffin of the ancients, and you have lots of lifegain), copy the terrain, opponent's terrain goes away, then bounce lynnette's back to your hand since it becomes a blank asset (or use it with any of those cards that have destroy an asset: destroy up to 2 assets).

as for combo, it seems like a tricky thing to pull off, since the combo ability says immediately preceding, so if your opponent blocks, and reversals, you either need to block with whichever card the combo gains its ability from, block and then clear whatever you block with, or you eat the reversal damage and then continue on with your turn. will be intresting to see more of the combo abilities.
why do I suddenly think there is going to be a combo card with it being something silly like:
Combo (Punch High) Combo (Punch Mid) Combo (Kick Low) Combo (Kick Mid)
Combo E: this attack is unblockable and gets +x damage. X equals half the combined printed damage of the preceding cards.

Glad that someone else caught onto big cyclone being discarded by bitter rivals now. and fio's ranged stuff (and big cyclone) can now +0 mid block other ranged attacks.

I suppose the Terrain thing makes sense from a practical standpoint (you can't be in more than 1 stage at a time, after all) but I think it's silly to have two "unique" keywords in the game.

And yay for the Ranged and Throw keywording. About time, really.