Shard of Focus | Shard of Focus

[Absol]

This card should still not even be in the game.  While a round of vulnerability helps, something like this should always be the result of something in-element.

Then again, so are most (read: all) shards (about being in-element).

[Mithcairion]

Then again, so are most (read: all) shards (about being in-element).

Yes, but this thread is about SoFo, so that's why I referenced that card.  Many of the shards are at least workable to be used by any element, but SoFo is horrific.

[furballdn]

Much better. Makes first turn focus shield impossible, and even a second turn focus shield much weaker.

[dragonsdemesne]

I definitely approve of this change; the card was simply broken.  Hopefully this will weaken it enough to be balanced, although even in this form it's a pretty good card, and it will obviously still see use.  I hope that the vulnerability on the first turn keeps it under control; I think this should be enough of a nerf, but we'll see.

[CasualFriday]

I find it impossible to beat this card. Like, my opponent gets three out by turn 5, destroys all of my pillars, then black holes me. Does anyone else find this card to be "not fun"?

I would rather play against false gods than plats because most plats use this strat.

[atom9]

I'm with the guy above me. I post rarely because it takes a good deal to get under my skin, but this shard, along with most of the other 'new' ones, is too imbalanced to make playing against it fun. I've 'donated' what I feel is more than a fair amount of $$$ but I can't help feeling like the introduction of these cards is a ploy to make more, since you can't be competitive without them, especially this one in particular.

[Naesala]

I'm with the guy above me. I post rarely because it takes a good deal to get under my skin, but this shard, along with most of the other 'new' ones, is too imbalanced to make playing against it fun. I've 'donated' what I feel is more than a fair amount of $$$ but I can't help feeling like the introduction of these cards is a ploy to make more, since you can't be competitive without them, especially this one in particular.

I do not think zanz is that greedy. Zanz recently nerfed this shard quite a bit, and all shards are available by grinding. Also, most if not all organized pvp on the forums have shards banned at the moment.

[atom9]

I do not think zanz is that greedy. Zanz recently nerfed this shard quite a bit, and all shards are available by grinding. Also, most if not all organized pvp on the forums have shards banned at the moment.

Meh, even nerfed once, it's still pretty devastating at any point in the match. Perhaps another nerf is coming, which I hope. It's still way too powerful with very little to counteract it unless you're counting on facing it heavily, which usually backfires for me. Maybe others have more success against it...

I'm not saying dude is greedy, I'm saying he wants to make money, which he should for the amount of work this game likely takes to keep going. I'm just saying that the new shards are a bit over the top and you pretty much have to buy them or grind to get them, the latter removing the fun from the game. I like to have fun, which is the main reason I play this game, but it's not fun to HAVE to win 300 times to get one card or lose repeatedly when said card is played against you.

As to organized PVP... I confess my ignorance... It's been fun enough playing the 'regular' game the last couple years that I haven't gotten terribly involved with the forums or any of the 'league' stuff I see here.

[OldTrees]

@atom9
You are under the understandable delusion that shards are often obtained through donation. This is not the case. More often rare cards are obtained through grinding or events (depending on the rarity). Please do not cast doubt on Zanz's character as a result of this delusion.

[atom9]

@atom9
You are under the understandable delusion that shards are often obtained through donation.

Again, I'm not casting any aspersions on his character. This game is his creation, yes? Not the rules of play, but this unique iteration. Within this particular game there is a sort of fixed set of resources (cards) and then supply and demand are manipulated through the creation, alteration, and removal of the resources. You are seriously implying, that within a week of introduction of new resources, people are grinding and winning various events fast enough to have multiples? I don't have any stats at my disposal, but I'd be willing to hazard a guess that a fair number are bought through donation. And that's not a bad thing. I'm sure the hosting and whatever else goes into making this game work takes some dough, and if there's enough dough left over after the game's bills are paid for him to pay some other bills, great. I hope he's paying all the bills with some left over for a healthy pot and junk food habit, but that doesn't change the fact that the newer shards imbalance the game enough to where you either have them or lose a whole lot more than before they were part of the game, so you get them by the most efficient means possible, which for a lot of the players here, I imagine, is $5 each. If anything, I applaud his methods. There's nothing wrong with money. Overall, there's an impressive amount of market management and balance in this game. The new shards irritate me is all.

[atom9]

In fairness, I have re-read my original post and I understand why I came across the way I did. I chose my words poorly.

[justaburd]

What do you mean you need shards to play competitively? I sure don't toss shards in decks left and right. In fact, I would think I was stupid if I put SoSac in rainbow, for example.