My concern with GMAOT (Gem-Match Activated Offensive Traits)

1

Always loved this game.
Why? Match-3 with a brain.
Loved it since the old Puzzle Quest series.

One thing i always loved is that a player could overcome very difficult odds because humans can make better decisions. So using lower, more common troop could still win because of the choice you make.

Even with all mana for all troops filled, there is usually some decisions:

  • What spell do i cast?
  • When do i cast it?
  • Choosing a target or color.

Now, with times, Legendary and Mythic cards have been getting GMAOT (gem-match activated offensive traits).
So, special abilities that hurt or affect the opponent just by matching gems, no spell needed.
You find these on cards like Korvash, Kraken, Mab, Sylvanimora, Elmaugrim, Plague, etc…

These traits are very strong, because there is no decision, no choice. If you had a spell that said: Stun an opponent, then you’d need to think about when to use it, and on who. And thus, makes the player smarter than the computer.
But if you just stun on a match of gems, well, it just happens, right? No brain used here.
Technically, you could just match gems to get mana and extra turn, and magically stun, freeze, damage and entangle all opponents.

Nice right?

Well, the problem is, with the current state of GMAOT, you can pretty much win games without using any spells.
Just match gems. Come on guys, be honest. Well all have our version of the Kraken Fest, where we just spawn gems and win under 10 seconds at x4 speed.

From there, well, since all that is needed is matching gems, the player loses his edge. The computer is as good, or even better sometimes, at matching gems then players. By removing the decision process, you just made the AI equal to us, and create a situation where an underdog team cannot win against super-decks.

By making GMAOT so strong and dominant, 2 things happen:

1- The only cards worth playing are either cards with GMAOT or Gem generators. Thus removing the vast majority of the collection from the playing field.

2- Since we can now destroy about anything just using a GMAOT deck, then we only need to focus on creating and matching gems. Gems of Wars is turning into Bejeweled Blitz.

So, do i want the devs to nerf every cards with GMAOT?
Nah, it’s too late now.
But i’d advice against: constantly adding strong cards with GMAOTs, give more little common cards the ability to stun, and make stun stick longer.
Side note, that would require a Korvash adjustement…

Anyways, i was wondering what people think about these ridiculous traits. I know my meta is filled with GMAOT abuse decks, like Kraken Fest and Justice-League, that just wins without you OR THEM really playing Gems of War.
As much as i use them, there is a part of me that wish these traits never existed, and just that devs had just stuck with GMADT (defensive traits, like health, barrier, enchant) to make cards special.

Feel free to share you opinion, good of bad, of GMAOT here.

7 Likes
2

Agree - when the AI goes Trolling through the Forest and Sea and finds a couple of Krakens things can get nasty very quickly, if you aren’t able to get a freeze out.

Especially, as I found out, when Impervious is still glitched out! :dizzy_face: The Krakens are hungry!

No thought required even in human hands. Just get the masher out!

1 Like
3

Yeah, the GMAOTs are nice here and there but they have gotten to common.

And as they pointed out it can be incredibly nasty and no strategy just rapid gem collection.

And I think a good solution is to make it so it just status effects with GMAOTs and not damage, becuase that limits it to the point where you cant kill with just gem match, other than skulls.

4

Removing damage affect Kraken, Plague, and Moloch. Am i missing someone?

5

they are fun to play with.

2 Likes
6

Well we are trying to find a good way to balance them/ make it so they don’t take away fun from the game, becuase, for the most part, a lot of things can just be "just ignore it/don’t use it if you don’t like it.

7

I agree. I don’t see a problem with gem activated powers doing damage as long as the numbers remain small. For example, Kraken’s tentacle trait matches the creature he is supposed to represent. So, it makes perfect sense in his case.

With that said, it should remain a rare ability.

1 Like
8

The problem is 2 or 3 krakens, and the damage stacking with multiple match.
A lucky 4 gems random cascade should not inflict 18 damage to all…

Yes, it’s fun. I do it myself. But there is a danger there to corrupt the core of the gameplay if casting abilities becomes an afterthought…

9

they should not. no wonder you complain. you should file a bug report. kraken was suppose to only do 3 damage each. at most it will be 12 to all.

10

That’s a good point. However, that is actually a bigger issue that doesn’t just concern gem match traits. To me, the problem goes back to having duplicates of some troops. There are many traits that can be listed as being unbalanced when you have duplicates of the troop in use.

1 Like
11

If you spawn many gems, like, fill the screen with a troll, you will do way more then 12.
If it’s a bug, it’s being used a lot, about 50% of my PVP is against Kraken fest.

Also, I think it makes it difficult for devs to create content.
People complain that the new dungeon is too easy.
Well of course, with a Kraken Feast, everything is in easj mode!