Blog #14: Sanctum improvements, Spotted: Makeshift Shiv

Sanctum is still the most discussed topic on Discord. Lots of people don't like it and think its unbalanced or destroys the game. Recently, a change to the Favor system was added. Now you also gain Favor when being attacked and defeating the enemy creature, as long as your creature stays alive. Still, slayer war aggro is the most commonly played deck and the meta therefore seems quite boring.

How can the Sanctum be improved?

I feel like mighty removal spells like Hunting Trap are much too cheap, and the first one to grab them off the Sanctum always gains a huge advantage. Removals do not only kill creatures, they also give you board control and hinder your opponent to earn favor themselves.Removals are currently priced at around 10 Favor. But their effective price is is lower, because by killing a creature, some Favor is instantly regained.
But even the removals that are already in your deck now have a higher value, because they generate Favor. At the same time, weak creatures (that might have fun or interesting effects) have been devalued, because they are easy to kill and your opponents want the potential Favor.
The whole game experienced a change in balance. And while I like the Sanctum itself, I feel like not all the consequences of implementing it were thought of. There are basically two ways to start a match right now: either by removing every creature your opponent plays with a spell, or by playing super aggro. Even though the Favor system was implemented with the intent to make the game more skill-based, the opposite is the case. But careful balancing might adjust this issue. Here are some improvements from the top of my head:

• make removals more expensive and/or don't let them generate Favor
• give Slayer Blitz instead of Godblitz
• generate less Favor in the first few turns of the match, making it less appealing to instantly destroy weak creatures

I would love to hear what you think about these changes in the comments!

Spotted: Makeshift Shiv

One of the cards that got significantly improved by the Favor system is Makeshift Shiv. With it's 5 durability it can earn you up to 15 Favor, while simultaneously improving your board control and/or doing damage to your opponent. With Godblitz and Flank it can also be very surprising to your enemy. As an additional effect, your opponent might waste their relic removals like Iron-Tooth Goblin, so that you can use your Slip Blade twice later on. And all for only 1 Mana!