In this article, we have the summer update for the Emerald Edict and the last batch of updates to the Core Set. We believe this is the last touchup we do on the Core Set, as the design team already started working on the next set. As for the Emerald Edict, the changes are small, and we are a few days late for this update; so let’s jump into it!
Emerald Edict – Updates to the Restricted List
The aggregated results of online games and the Kotei Nuremberg ‘24 display a well balanced meta, with diverse strategies and good potential for all clans. The only clan that lags behind is Dragon, and to a lesser extent Unicorn.
We are freeing Centered Breath (it was on the ban list before). We hope this card will give a push into monk archetypes, both in Dragon and in Phoenix. It’s an old card from UFL, that didn’t see much play as it hit the ban list already during the times of the Jade Edict. The game and meta were different then, and we believe that this card should not cause problems in the current environment. As we do with cards that we bring back from the ban list, we will keep a close eye on it, to see if something degenerate comes up.
Command the Tributary is free. With this Meishodo back into the wider card pool we hope to give some extra gas to Unicorn Shugenja, and also strengthen Unicorn’s mid game.
Shoshi ni Kie is banned. This card was always a problem, it was banned years ago, then moved to the splash ban list. We tried having it free for a while, but ultimately the card is flawed at the core. It’s cost of “reveal a province” acts as an additional effect, as it triggers the effects of “on reveal” provinces. That effect on its own is fit to be a separate card, but in Shoshi ni Kie it comes with a ready effect. This combination delivers a card that is extremely unbalanced at 0 fate cost, and that it is not even vulnerable to event cancels, because the province reveal is a cost. It is time to ban it.
Lay of the Land is restricted. It joins with Shoshi ni Kie in reducing the potential for province reveal abuses, both in Unicorn and in other clans via splashing. Its restriction also counterbalances the return of Command the Tributary, when they interact together with Shiro Shinjo.
Core Set Touch-ups
A few cards in the core set were worded as Interrupt abilities in ways that made their interaction unintuitive. Those card were planned to be used both reactively to deny opponent plays, but also to allow proactive usage with minor combos. Having them worded as Interrupt made those interactions hard to understand and even harder to spot for new players. We are rewording those cards into Reaction to make their usage and potential combos clearer. Those cards are:
- Diligent Chaperone
- Keeper of Inner Peace
- Supporting Cast
- Enlightened Warrior
- Liaison to the Ancestors (this one also has changes in their conditions, to make it easier to manage in paper-play)
Other cards received adjustments to improve their usability or simplify their wording, those changes can affect some edges cases in play, but should not change much in how the cards are used:
- Chronicler of Calamities
- Methodical Secretary
- Patron of the Trading Council
- Greater Understanding
- Akodo Asuka
- Wise Quartermaster
- Spiderweb Passage
Foregate Village has their province strength reduced to 2. The flip in conflict type should still make conflicts at that province easy to defend, but reduction of strength makes it harder to ignore those conflicts without assigning any defenders.
Drawing the Void becomes a complete new card. We believe this new version offers higher playability and still fits the concept of the Void element well. The Void will offer knowledge to the Phoenix, while consuming the essence of their enemies. This card should be especially fun in multiplayer games.
And that’s all for today. What do you think? Do you like the changes of the Emerald Edict? Let us know in the comments, on facebook, on reddit or on discord!
