v1.0.8: Seeking Balance

Theme Update

Classes are being renamed to mage schools, as follows:

Antimage -> Abjurer

Chronomancer -> Chronomancer

Warlord -> Banisher

Evoker -> Evoker

Illusion -> Illusionist

Cleric -> Restorer

No class players are hereby refereed to as Elementalists.

Statistics and Base Set Update

F +010 -001 -017 +005 +020 +001 +002 -003 -003 -009 -002 -007 
W -068 -002 -015 +032 -005 +029 -001 +021 +001 +039 -006 -028 
A -010 -004 +020 +010 -004 -011 -020 +004 +002 +018 +007 -009 
E -008 +003 +013 -006 -019 +012 -016 -001 +036 +022 -016 +032 
First Player: 1614/3120 (51.7%)
Games / Basic: 2985.145833333334
σ: 0.009151393460080058
Average (RMS):  1.52σ
Meditate, Bas: -3.32σ
Astral       : -3.23σ
Elder        : +3.11σ
Water Element: +2.48σ
Deluge, Basic: +2.43σ
Phoenix      : -2.34σ
Arc Lightning: +2.33σ
Hermit       : -2.32σ
Tornado, Basi: +1.97σ
Earth Element: +1.97σ
Berserker    : +1.90σ
Master Healer: -1.88σ
Disciple     : -1.88σ
Giant Spider : -1.88σ
Blizzard     : +1.83σ
Stone Rain, B: +1.83σ
Apostate     : -1.81σ
Hydra        : +1.61σ
Rejuvenate   : +1.53σ
Natural Fury : +1.43σ
Bolt Strike  : -1.27σ
Apprentice   : -1.16σ
Sage         : +1.15σ
Goblin Berser: +1.10σ
Fire Elementa: -1.07σ
Titan        : -1.01σ
Healer       : -0.97σ
Dragon       : -0.86σ
Air Elemental: +0.76σ
Master       : -0.72σ
Forest Sprite: -0.65σ
Drake        : +0.60σ
Griffin      : -0.48σ
Fence        : -0.45σ
Burst Lightni: +0.45σ
Inferno      : -0.42σ
Balrog       : -0.34σ
Healing Circl: +0.27σ
Ice Warrior  : -0.24σ
Spiked Starfi: -0.21σ
Cloud        : +0.19σ
Armageddon   : -0.19σ
Commander    : +0.19σ
Flame Wave, B: +0.15σ
Turtle       : -0.14σ
Troll        : -0.14σ
Wall of Fire : -0.11σ
Overlord     : +0.09σ

Meditate lifegain: 1->2

Elder hp: 9 -> 8, no longer loses 1 life when played.

Astral attack: 1 -> 2

Update: When testing AI vs AI with no lookahead, water 8 is severely overperforming, which mirrors human experience with the card. (An early and unexpected W8 can end the game as early as turn 2.)

In addition, playtester feedback has said the meta is "too wipe-heavy", and as such I believe its only appropriate that the strongest wipe in the basic cards has its power level adjusted down.

Deluge, Basic: attack 1+ -> 0+

In addition, Berserker (F5) is overperforming in this environment. With lookahead, the bots can play conservatively (such as by using W1) when the opponent has Berserker. I believe the environment with no lookahead is more reflective of actual gameplay. As such, the power level of F5 is being adjusted down.

Berserker: hp 16 -> 15

(A few hundred bot vs bot games later.)

In playtesting, Elder is still overperforming. As such, it's statline has been adjusted from 2/8 to 1/10.

Rules Change

First Player: 1860/3583 (51.9%)

51.9% might not look like much, but with this many games, it is statistically significant. In addition, the asymmetric mana start felt a bit off-putting to me.

From now on, white will use the same mana generation algorithm as black. They will start the game with the coin in play, in their last lane:

Wild Magic does not function while you have the coin in play.

Another Update

F +004 -001 -025 +005 +067 -017 +002 +006 -002 -009 -006 -006 
W -039 -011 -012 +019 +000 +007 -008 +032 +009 +027 -004 -018 
A -010 -003 +014 +012 -008 -015 -012 +017 -008 +005 +006 +002 
E -016 +007 +016 -015 +003 +020 -019 +000 +026 +011 -019 +030 
The Coin: 941/1803 (52.2%)
Games / Basic: 4062.2916666666665
σ: 0.007844846558018016
Average (RMS):  1.72σ
Berserker    : +4.47σ
Natural Fury : +2.82σ
Meditate, Bas: -2.82σ
Hydra        : +2.81σ
Water Element: +2.71σ

Turns out Berserker overperforms when Elder has 1 attack. In addition, The Coin is doing very well, and I imagine it only becomes better with a Berserker nerf.

Berserker: hp 15 -> 14

The Coin: Life payment 1 -> 2

Removing Keywords

To ease the learning curve, Bloodcost and Boonproof are being removed as Keywords. Emrakul is now banned with E6, and the vampire cards are removed.

Free Spells Update

The level 5 free spells are available this update.

F5: 38

W5: 39

A5: 40