# Dear Devs: Please change the meta
**URL:** https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242
**Category:** Gameplay Chat (PC/Mobile)
**Created:** [September 13, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242 "2017-09-13T14:17:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Trajic](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Trajic)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/21 "2017-09-13T23:35:51Z")
@Lyya
> [@Welcome to Nimhain's Lair: May 21st](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/welcome-to-nimhains-lair-may-21st/24478/1):
>
> We’re also going to give players a means to counter his Mana drain at a later date (more on that further below).
The further below states:
> [@Welcome to Nimhain's Lair: May 21st](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/welcome-to-nimhains-lair-may-21st/24478/1):
>
> Finally, as I said earlier we’ve been looking at better means of offering counter play to Famine + Mana drain in general. With that we’re looking to change the Mana Shield trait to also gain immunity to Mana drain. Now this seems like an obvious solution so why didn’t we do this earlier?
Nim then said the problem was problems with the Adobe Air client, that’s why he said your quoted part of “before we start investigating if this is possible.”
That’s true. It was said in the original thread it’s not a 100% promise. However, they DID say we are going to get a counter to mana drain. Then, they speculated on mana shield being the way, which might not work due to technical difficulties and bugs it might bring.
It doesn’t change a fact they DID promise a counter to mana drain.
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### Author:  [@Lyya](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Lyya)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/22 "2017-09-13T23:37:10Z")
I stand corrected. Thank you!
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### Author:  [@Trajic](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Trajic)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/23 "2017-09-13T23:40:27Z")
Actually, the thanks comes from me to you.
… I completely missed they said Mana shield is only one suggestion on the counter and might not get implemented in the end.
I love how communication always wins the day. Cheers! 😉
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### Author:  [@turintuor](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/turintuor)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/24 "2017-09-13T23:45:55Z")
What’s the problem with Mana Drain? Do we really need a counter to a counter? Counterception? 🙂
Even if devs modify Mana Shield, I don’t see how it changes anything as it will concerned less than 20 troops…
Moreover, if they do that, it will an immunity which is super different than a counter.
Aside Famine and maybe Khorvash I don’t see another problematic troop with Drain… It should be easier to nerf these troops better than mana drain 😉 .
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### Author:  [@Strawnyy](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Strawnyy)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/25 "2017-09-13T23:47:18Z")
Psion, Fox, Moloch, there is a good amount of them 😃
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### Author:  [@Trajic](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Trajic)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/26 "2017-09-13T23:47:41Z")
Especially Psion.
You could put troops like Valkyrie up front for GW days.
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### Author:  [@Esoxnepa](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Esoxnepa)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/27 "2017-09-13T23:48:03Z")
When people wonder why many of us feel the feature is promised, it is that direct statement of “Looking to Change” being a course of planned action.
“Looking to change” and “looking into it,” are really completely different in English.
Looking to change, directly implies an intended course of action.
Looking into it, is a statement of investigation.
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### Author:  [@Lyya](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Lyya)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/28 "2017-09-13T23:51:33Z")
I don’t make as much a distinction out of it as you do, perhaps – I know how easy it is for nuance of phrase to give the wrong impression. Regardless, I think there’s plenty of wiggle room here for them to change their minds – which is not to say that I’d be anti-immunity. Why not? We have plenty of less-useful traits.
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### Author:  [@turintuor](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/turintuor)
#### Post date: [September 13, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/29 "2017-09-13T23:52:56Z")
Moloch is fine, he does his job.
Fox drains only 7 mana so I don’t see the problem (and if there is a problem it’s his true damage).
The problem with Psion is not that much his spell but his 3rd trait which steal mana so it’s even not drain. → even if you give counter to drain Psion’s 3rd trait will not be concerned.
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### Author:  [@Delinquent](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Delinquent)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/30 "2017-09-14T00:00:35Z")
I think Psion is frustrating b/c a lucky skull drop can ruin multiple turns of careful planning, and even be utterly defeating. Stealing all the Mana is rough, especially if he then AoE drains everyone else. And it only takes 1 lucky skyfall. Psion strikes me as a perfect example of an overly-RNG friendly troop.
I think Famine is mostly still strong b/c of other reasons (namely exploders, spawning, and such), but it is similarly susceptible to being a complete game changer with one cast of a spell.
I think GW magnifies this b/c teams tend to be less “perfect”. Worse generators, lots of color overlap, etc. means they’re more susceptible to disaster.
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### Author:  [@Trajic](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Trajic)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/31 "2017-09-14T00:04:31Z")
I would say it does drain the mana and then gives the same amount of mana to you.
From the perspective of the code. It’s my guess, though. I don’t think they would write a completely new mechanic just for the purpose of his trait.
But your concern is right. We don’t know. It’s my pure guess.
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### Author:  [@BOOMHEADSHOT](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/BOOMHEADSHOT)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/32 "2017-09-14T00:55:41Z")
I miss Manticore and Bone Dragon. They got nerfed so hard that they are completely useless.
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### Author:  [@Esoxnepa](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Esoxnepa)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/33 "2017-09-14T01:11:13Z")
I feel like Manticore’s issue is that Spirit Fox is just so much stronger with the cascade situation.
I still use Bone Dragon, but right now skull damage seems a bit weak. I haven’t really figured out why it feels that way.
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### Author:  [@dreadzz](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/dreadzz)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/34 "2017-09-14T01:18:26Z")
I lost 20% win rate since the AI update, losing against an AI is sucking the fun out of the game, I would not complain if I was playing against real players but as it stands the game is unfun and worth less of my time every single day that passes.
If I want to play coin flip I can do it with a simple coin and I will have the same results…
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### Author:  [@jeno](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/jeno)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/35 "2017-09-14T03:43:00Z")
manticore only got a small reasonable nerf. however, it got replaced by a better griefer, wraith, hence its scarcity in defense meta.
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### Author:  [@Arelana](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Arelana)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/36 "2017-09-14T03:50:09Z")
> [@dreadzz](#):
>
> I lost 20% win rate since the AI update
Ironically, I’m noticing an almost 20% lower win rate this week compared to pre-3.1. Last week I was only running around 5% lower than before, so I’m not sure what changed.
There’s a reason where I’m not playing nearly as much this week. It’s not fun to lose 1 in 4 battles for days at a time. It’s not even cases of me making bad moves and costing myself a match…it’s the AI just curbstomping everything I put against it.
I’m guessing the AI RNG was “tweaked” again. I wish they’d tell us what the ideal win rate is under this “fairer to the AI” RNG so we can at least know how bad it’s supposed to be.
Also, Bonestorm seems to be back with a vengeance.
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### Author:  [@Venar](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Venar)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 11:29am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/37 "2017-09-14T11:29:24Z")
I don’t see the problem with mana drainer either.
I drain troop and see them filled up the next turn.
Computer troops fill so fast it feels like cheating. Spirit Fox is currently a waste of a turn.
_hey, let me drain 7 mana so you can get 25+ next turn_
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### Author:  [@Delinquent](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Delinquent)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/38 "2017-09-14T13:22:24Z")
Spirit Fox seems extra strong on defense right now. I suppose it’s the fact that the “new RNG” means she can really help with looping. Plus she’s still an Empowered, True Damage, Drainer…
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### Author:  [@Taransworld](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Taransworld)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/dear-devs-please-change-the-meta/30242/39 "2017-09-15T15:23:56Z")
I have to post here because I am very, very close to leaving the game. The simple fact is this game is no longer strategic. I am losing so many games now without a chance I feel like throwing my tablet across the room. I am a high VIP level and have been playing every day for the last year and a half but the game is beyond maddening now. Losing a fight in the first one or two turns is ridiculous and is happening way too often. The Devs keep putting new troops out which break the game even more. Goblins that once the go off you don’t get another turn, WISP that can win the entire game in a single turn, Famine that can get up in one turn and continue to keep you from ever getting a turn, Psion who gets skull it’s out of the blue the entire game never allowing your top trop to get up. This isn’t fun. As so many people above have said I’m staying for my guild but every day when I play and get this pissed at the game is a day closer to quitting. Devs better fix this quick or many more will quit.
Note, I am also a guild leader in a top 15 guild and we have been losing 1 to 3 people a week because of the recent changes. We have never lost this many people in the guild before. Take a hint, please.
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