It takes hours to level a class up. Players put hours into the Sunspear class solely because of that storm every turn. There are plenty of other classes with that firestorm at the start of battle that we could have used instead, but we CHOSE the every turn version of the storm because it is better. We CHOSE to go through levelling an entirely new class, because of that firestorm every turn. It makes the whole class a worthy class option.
RIP Sunspear. Sometimes I feel like you guys don’t actually PLAY this game.
12 Likes
Yeah, hopefully before this change solidifies into permanence, I hope this can be addressed. There are a number of setups that either need to go beyond the fourth turn to win or need the firestorm (to steal the storm from other storm creators) to work. There aren’t that many of them, but they include most practical applications of certain mythics (not just Phoenicia). Those teams are basically dead now. Not that +2 red doesn’t give rise to some other setups, but those are likely existing setups that work better, not unique setups that need a permanent firestorm to work.
This was brought up by a lot of people when it was previewed on stream already, but the new event stuff looks interesting… except for some of the restrictions. Having the hero slot unrestricted to play with to ensure my team always has whatever missing role (not just color) is an essential part of team building for events. Restricting color to the same color already on your team is pretty close to what guild wars already does, so I already know the pace of matches this kind of setup encourages… its not that bad with an enchant and explode with certain setups. However, restricting weapons to a those from a certain kingdom sounds absolutely miserable. So does playing an event without access to certain roles (both the in game “roles” and the troops intended purpose within your team), especially generator. If the paces of the matches because of these restrictions turns into basically nickel-and-diming the enemy with whatever damage source you have available, that is regress, not progress, a similar style of gameplay most common before there were even color converters for every color or in arena. Restricting tools in this manner also brings forth the possibility of “stat checking”, ie, setting up a situation where you can’t use your tools to effectively punch up, which is probably intentional (hence event medals being a multiplier on effective stats and not adding to it) but it also represents a big chunk of what most people dislike about high level pure faction delve runs (being completely at the mercy of whatever RNG mechanics and starting board you have forced onto you without a semi-consistent way to set up a win condition, thus often being in the situation where you are playing defensively trying to avoid skull skyfalls to plink the enemy to death).
The other thing I think might have missed the mark here is having post-event medals convert into an epic rarity medal. Within a few of these events, the threshold to get enough of these medals to use will have already been crossed, leaving the main incentive for event participation medals that still can’t be effectively used where they are needed. The “collectible factor”, the very driving force at the core of the game, seems to be missing from the event entirely both short term (beyond the initial 3 seasons medals, which have nice stat boosts, but are still just stat boosts and don’t affect progress at all) and long term (no Zuul-like incentive to keep the rewards relevant). Slapping any new weapon into the shop will ensure people keep putting in the 250 gems (or however many it is with these new events, hopefully nothing too oppressive or else I’ll be encouraged to ignore the event entirely and just soulforge it), but it may be underestimated just how much of a draw the troop was (even with its “filler” nature, being a potential progression block) for some people. Maybe the event participation rewards are otherwise amazing? I can hope, but historically they generally don’t add up to the amount of gems you have to buy in for. By my calculation using speed farming estimates, farming an epic medal takes about 2.5 hours in explore (and yields other medals and large amounts of gold in the process) so hopefully the rewards for the event are structured with that in mind given there are additional costs other than just time associated with the event.
And since we are still discussing Sunspear after I wrote this post, I’d also like to say that I’d like Sunspear trait restored regardless of what happens to Phoenicia. Phoenicia should have always had an “any storm” double damage condition in my opinion, even now with medal stacking to boost her damage. I still need Sunspear for most my Champion of Gaard setups so he doesn’t fall flat if he misses a cast. The change to Sunspear still seems in the territory of “feedback gone wrong” (its been brought up a few times on the forums about firestarter doing the “same thing” as the class trait, usually by people suggesting the firestarter talent be changed, with people explaining why that wouldn’t happen.) I don’t think anybody honestly requested that Sunspear lose the permanent firestorm outside of maybe people spitballing in the release thread.
24 Likes
It’s a deception. What is stated in the patch notes isn’t the way it was.
“Because the Sunspear has access to the Fire Talent Tree, it’s Legendary Trait is the same as the level 20 Fire Talent – Firestarter”
This is a lie.
Are we supposed to be fools to believe they were the same?
15 Likes
I searched this whole thread for any mention of the switch update? Where? When?
Didnt you guys specifically say you would do better communcating w the switch player base?
Not always true, and I use Hierophant for bonuses with Bright Forest and 3 red mana. AI overwrites red storm regularly when exploring.
The below are very common in explores.
Stringfiddler
Qilin
Skadi
Harpy Mage (doesn’t start with dust storm but may as well)
Harpy
Elywyn
Unberwolf
All with starting storms without casting. Overwriting Hierophant’s red storm.
2 Likes
WHY did ANYONE think changing Sunspear’s trait was a good idea? I’ve just about had it with this kind of idiocy.
I had this spreadsheet up an entire year ago, with actual good ideas to make unplayable classes useful, and we get this silliness instead. What an actual slap in the face!
Also patch during GW week, can’t wait to see how that unfolds…
35 Likes
I’m already pot committed, being #1 on pvp leaderboard with my once beloved sunspear phoenicia team. I’ll think of you every time I retreat because my firestorm was overwritten.
1 Like
@Hoots711 we don’t have a date to announce for the 4.8 update on Switch yet sorry but when we do it will have its own separate official news post and patch notes.
It should have been changed with this update. You cannot expect anyone to believe you aren’t calling us idiots when you left that and changed something that didn’t need to be touched.
@BaghdadBob aka @kafka “Propaganda Minister”
2 Likes
Sorry, internally it’s called a Legendary Trait
I have more 25000 renown and my tracking achievement shows 12% as well
I get some new renown and it doesnt change anything
Yep, GW week too. Great timing to kill a class and all associated teams.
5 Likes
You changed Sunspear, a RAKSHA troop class, meanwhile Stormcaller still has Storm Soul: Conjure a Lightstorm when my turn begins and Stormcaller is a STRYX troop class.
Meanwhile… PHOENICIA deals double damage during a Firestorm, and is a STRYX… one might think you could use her, you know, with your Stormcaller hero, but noooo, you can’t, BECAUSE IT’S ALWAYS A LIGHTSTORM.
How daft are you developers?
9 Likes
Don’t bring stormcaller into this, theyll kill it too.
5 Likes
Ah, reminds me of someone foolish enough to expect a decent update on all gnolls after waiting for two years. Now that was one dumb son of a beach… 
2 Likes
you may need to gnollify your expectations on this one 
3 Likes
Blockquote
I literally created this account to voice my unhappiness with the Sunspear “change”.
Perhaps a better direction would have been to lift up the corsair so it isn’t useless instead of bringing Sunspear down. This change completely devalues the uniqueness that the class brought to the table.
21 Likes
Just want to say for @Kafka personally, I like the new 3rd trait, I think its gonna open up the class more in other ways.
But I am annoyed at the changing of the 3rd trait, while ignoring the 2nd trait that is identical to the talent, which is why the 3rd was changed.
I know you said it might be changed later, but please talk to the devs about changing it faster. I think it would go a bit of the way to making people a bit happier. I know I would be at least lol
5 Likes
Just a reminder:
I understand many of you are upset but swearing still isn’t allowed on the forum and posts violating community guidelines will be deleted.
Please also don’t make posts calling out players who asked for the changes as I feel the only thing it will do is incite a witch hunt which is not in the spirit of our great Gems of War community!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion whether you agree with it or not, please be respectful to one another.
16 Likes