Empire of Glass Balance Changes
December 10, 2020The next Eternal® set, Empire of Glass, is days away, releasing December 14th. We’ve been carefully monitoring the Throne environment in the wake of our 2020 World Championship. We’re announcing one nerf today targeted at that format.
Nerfs:
- Ice Elemental (made by Emblem of Linrei) – Now 2/1 (was 3/1)
With the nerf to Blightmoth, one of the strongest safety measures for reining in Skycrag Aggro took a major hit and Skycrag Aggro has definitely risen to the occasion. To that end, we’re reducing the strength of one of their lowest opportunity cost Aegis threats
For our other formats, a major set release means our Expedition and draft refresh. The new draft format will be:
Empire of Glass / Eternal Draft Pack / Eternal Draft Pack / Empire of Glass
The Eternal Draft Pack will be updated for this new format and will now include every card from the previous major set, Argent Depths.
For Expedition, another new set release means a refresh to this format focused on our most recent sets. In the new Expedition, Empire of Glass will be joined by the Eternal Draft Pack as well as all cards released since Argent Depths. This means promo cards like Tayana, the Mender and Celebration. As well as our recent campaigns like Bastion Rising and Awakening. For more details on what’s in the new Expedition and draft formats, look for an update to this page when the new set drops and the Draft Pack updates with it.
Buffs:
We have a few buffs to announce aimed at the upcoming Empire of Glass draft formats.
- Frostbite Chrysalis – Now “When you play an attachment, stun an enemy unit.” (was “When you play a relic, stun an enemy unit.”)
- Wind Cloak – Now “Pay 4 to give a unit Flying this turn.” (was Pay 4 to give one of your units Flying this turn.)
- Mighty Strikes – Now Amplify 2 (was Amplify 3)
- Mask Maker – Now 3-cost (was 4-cost)
The Inner Fire cycle from The Dusk Road are essentially Amplify cards but were made before the mechanic’s debut. With the mechanic’s return as a major mechanic in Empire of Glass, we’re updating this cycle to use the Amplify UI and a few are getting a buff to their costs as well.
- Inner Fire – Now “Amplify 1: Exhaust a Grenadin to play an additional Infernus.” (was “For each of your Grenadin, you may pay 2 and exhaust it to play another Infernus.”
- Stirring Sand – Now “Amplify 2: Exhaust an Explorer to play an additional Sentinel from your void exhausted.” (was “For each of your Explorers, you may pay 2 and exhaust it to play an additional Sentinel from your void exhausted.”)
- Curfew Enforcement – Now 1-cost (was 2-cost) also now “Amplify 1: Exhaust a Valkyrie to give enemy units an additional -1 strength.” (was “For each of your Valkyrie, you may pay 2 and exhaust it to give enemy units an additional -1 strength.”)
- Snow Pelting – Now “Amplify 2: Exhaust a Yeti to deal 2 damage to an additional enemy.” (was “For each of your Yeti, you may pay 2 and exhaust it to deal 2 damage to an additional enemy.”)
- Deadly Confrontation – Now “Amplify 1: Exhaust an Unseen to kill an additional enemy unit.” (was “For each of your Unseen, you may pay 2 and exhaust it to kill an additional enemy unit.”)
Unit Type Updates:
Finally, we are also going to be updating a handful of older units to have new unit types.
The following units will change type:
Name |
Updated Unit Type |
Aamri, Dragonbane |
Minotaur Soldier |
Albon Roa of the Order |
Soldier |
Albon, Fallen |
Soldier |
Alhed Ascending |
Soldier Dinosaur |
Alhed, Mount Breaker |
Soldier Scorpion |
Ancient Machinist |
Explorer Soldier |
Arcanum Elite |
Mystic Soldier |
Auric Official |
Minotaur Soldier |
Auric Record Keeper |
Minotaur Soldier |
Auric Sentry |
Minotaur Soldier |
Bazaar Trickster |
Mage Rogue |
Bouldergate Guard |
Bird Soldier |
Champion of Progress |
Minotaur Soldier |
Copperhall Elite |
Minotaur Soldier |
Copperhall Recruit |
Minotaur Soldier |
Courier Albatross |
Bird Soldier |
Emerald Maw |
Now creates a Justice Sentinel (Used to create an Illusion) |
Court Mage |
Mage Soldier |
Frontline Volunteer |
Soldier |
Gate Guardian |
Bear Soldier |
Gear Master |
Explorer Soldier |
Greenstretch Empath |
Druid Soldier |
Guardian of Spring |
Mandrake |
Harga, Armory Warden |
Minotaur Soldier |
Iceberg Shineefinder |
Yeti Explorer |
Kosul Brigade |
Exile Soldier |
Leyline Tracer |
Mage Soldier |
Maveloft Huntress |
Elf Soldier |
Minotaur Ambassador |
Minotaur Soldier |
Minotaur Grunt |
Minotaur Soldier |
Minotaur Platemaker |
Minotaur Soldier |
Mischief Yeti |
Yeti Rogue |
Overlook Spotter |
Elf Explorer |
Seasoned Drillmaster |
Minotaur Soldier |
Shield of the Line |
Minotaur Soldier |
Sirocco Elementalist |
Mage Soldier |
Slope Sergeant |
Yeti Soldier |
Svetya’s Faithful |
Soldier |
Titan (Created by Call the Ancients) |
Mandrake |
Towertop Patrol |
Mystic Soldier |
Treasury Guard |
Minotaur Soldier |
Venom Rider |
Soldier Scorpion |
Wren, Traditionalist |
Mage Soldier |
Yetipult |
Yeti Soldier |
We’re excitedly looking forward to a big shake-up to Throne and a brand-new Expedition format with the release of Empire of Glass.
Pre-orders are available for a few more days, so don’t miss out!
Finally, here’s one of the new soldiers you can get from it to add to your army when Empire of Glass releases next week: