6 replies to this topic

[SlaaneshDevotee]

So it turns out that the new product announcement is a big box with a bunch of cards for all clans. That's fine by me but a more narrative based box would have been cool I reckon.

Anyway, the preview article on the FFG website showcases a new mechanic called composure. Cards that have an ability activated by composure are active so long as your honour bid is lower than your opponent's.

I mainly play Honourable Lion, so bidding low is my main function. Because of this, I excitedly used Test of Courage in my deck for a while. This is an event that you can only play while your bid is lower than an opponent's, mimicking the composure requirement.

I can tell you that it was almost never able to be used. After I had bid low once, the cat was out of the bag and my opponent would match bids with me. So if there is a card on the table that says "get an ability by bidding low"?

Basically, unless there are a whole lot of incentives to bid high as well, or manipulate your opponent's dial, I am thinking Composure will be largely ignorable.

[Severijn]

The other item in the big box are cards that are all about dueling between characters. More dueling creates more windows for composure to matter. You do have the issue that you then would need to lose the duel, or you do a duel where both sides bid 1 and you contingency plan yourself to 0. Now, losing the duel might be worth it, when you see honest challenger go from a 2 cost 2/2 to a 2 cost 4/2 when you met the composure requirement. As long as the pay-off is big enough, this might work out. They have also shown a new card that prevents your opponent from bidding 1 in such duels, which could be more of a thing if it weren't a 2 cost attachment in a world where let go exists. I imagine this will not be the only card that will enable composure.

[Ignithas]

Contingency doesn't change the dial, only the value of your bid. The only way to change dials are duells and Maze of Illusion.

[stevecat]

I don't think more duels are going to cause that great of an impact. I don't expect the dueling meta to ever move beyond only initiating bully duels that you have no chance of losing; at that point both players will have 1 on their dial. If anything, I think composure will make that more likely, because nobody gets composure if you're tied.

[Ignithas]

I don't think that we will only see bully duells, because str. is often a lot. From practice with Raitsugu you often initiate duells with difference 2 or 3 to either gain honor or if your honor isn't threatened.

[Ultramarines]

I don't think Composure should be used to "trick" your opponent into bidding high.  The point is to put him in a dilemma.  Should he bid high to make sure he wins (and giving you honor in the process) or should he bid low so that you don't get the bonus from Composure?  If he chose the former, your honor Lion will be that much closer to honor victory while he may have trouble bidding 5 again when his honor dips into dangerous territory.  If he chose the latter, then think of it like bully dueling, where you will win the duel no matter what.  

[SlaaneshDevotee]

Composure and Duelling will need some quite strong effects, to actually create a dilemma over whether winning more cards/the duel is better then turning off composure/keeping the honour.

It's possible, but I don't necessarily think that this box will get the balance just right. 

Also, is anyone else not thrilled about the idea of this big box and clan packs seeming to further replace the dynasty pack concept? If L5R becomes big box and one or two bigger packs, I'll not be happy. Can they just go back to proper monthly dynasty pack style and actually try it out?