Episode 111: A Bronzedragon Conversation

Episode 111: A Bronzedragon Conversation

The People's Guild: A Splinterlands Podcast

Check Out Our Episodes

• Check us out on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify & anywhere else you may get your podcasts

Welcome back to the People's Guild. In this one, we sit down with the one & only @bronzedragon.

We welcome BD back to the show for the first time and chat through a bunch of the new Reward cards, the new meta, what's to come with Chaos Legion's impending exit from Modern and much, much more.

Enjoy the show!

Revisiting Episodes and Splinterlands Discussion

Hepthorn and Bronzedrag0n decided to revisit a previous episode's format for their podcast, "The People's Guild," and welcomed back co-host, Hep, who had been absent for a few episodes. The discussion centered around Bronzedrag0n's experience and growth with his YouTube channel, his foray into Splinterland, a crypto-based card game, and his interest in the collectible card game genre. They also discussed the evolution and potential issues of the Magic the Gathering and Splinterlands card games, with Bronzedrag0n expressing concern about Magic the Gathering becoming overly complicated and losing its appeal. The conversation concluded with a discussion on the complexities and potential strategies in the Splinterlands card game, the impact of new sets of cards, and the performance of a character named Cryptic in the leaderboard for dual summoners.

Game Changes and Reward Cards Discussion

The team discussed potential changes to the game, including the addition of new powers, ability cards, and skins. Concerns were raised about the need for careful planning and testing to ensure balance and value, and the team agreed that further thought and consideration would be required before implementing these changes. The team also shared their experiences with various reward cards and discussed the potential of these cards in different rule sets. Lastly, they reviewed several notable cards, highlighting their unique abilities and potential strategies for use.

Reward Cards, Game Balance, and Factions

The team discussed the new set of reward cards, focusing on their potential to generate revenue and their impact on the game's balance. Concerns were raised about the lack of opportunities for weapons training and the potential for these cards to be used as support cards. The team also discussed the performance of other cards, with a focus on those benefiting life and water, and acknowledged the strong showing of the 'Rebellion' and specifically the 'Life' element in the game. Lastly, they deliberated on potential issues with some of the Epic cards, the possibility of changes to the game, and the idea of balancing the game by introducing new elements.

Mimic Ability Balance and Olivia Strategies

Hepthorn, Bronzedrag0n, and Bjangles discussed the balance and potential issues with the Mimic ability in their game. They agreed that Mimic should only be able to gain one ability at a time and that previously acquired abilities should be replaced rather than stacked. The team also debated the effectiveness of different strategies against Olivia of the Brook, a character with high sustainability due to her life team and ability to gain new abilities. They considered the use of scatter shot, thorns, and the Dumacke Orc with Grandmaster Rathe as potential counters, but acknowledged that these strategies would rely on random chance.

Game Balance and Accessibility Discussion

The team discussed the current state of the game, focusing on the health and abilities of certain cards. They expressed concerns about the effectiveness of countering cards like Mimic and suggested the need for a more balanced and fair system. The team also discussed individual cards, such as the Wingbreak and the Dragon epic, acknowledging their power and potential for strategy. They considered the prevalence of Chaos Legion cards in the game and their potential impact on the value of other cards. The team agreed that the game's overall direction is to make it more accessible to new players, and any changes to the format should be considered in light of this goal.

Game Costs, Liquidity, and Marketing Strategies

Hepthorn and Bronzedrag0n discussed the high cost of entry into the game and the potential for exclusion of those unwilling or unable to invest a significant amount of money. They also addressed issues of match liquidity and the need to attract more players, particularly in light of Chaos Legion's departure and the unwillingness of the community to lower pack prices. The team deliberated on the upcoming marketing push, the delay of the next core set, and the proposed mini set, as well as the marketing strategy for Chaos Legion. They also speculated on the potential impact of the completion of the last airdrop on market liquidity and the strategy of buying low and selling high.

Tofu, Game Complexity, and Splinterlands

Hepthorn and Bronzedrag0n discussed their concerns about the high prices and limited availability of tofu cards, with Bronzedrag0n sharing his own experiences with the Drath Risqurel card. They also discussed the increasing complexity of the game due to the introduction of new abilities and reward cards, with Bronzedrag0n expressing his belief that the game is nearing a point of being overcomplicated. The conversation touched on the potential of reaching out to MtG player and pop chart superstar, Post Malone, to discuss his involvement in the Splinterlands game.

Discussing Extreme Scarcity and Card Value

The team discussed the concept of introducing extreme scarcity into the game by limiting the production of certain cards to 100 copies each. They also explored the idea of minting numbers on cards to increase their rarity and value, and the topic of unbinding soulbound cards. The team shared their experiences with unlocking cards and buying a gold foil sentry, and discussed the high costs and scarcity of certain cards, particularly the gold foil rewards cards from the Chaos Legion and Rebellion sets. The team also debated the value of unlocking these cards, considering the potential future demand and the high initial cost, and discussed the potential for these cards to be rented or sold at much higher prices in the future.

Rebellion Announcement and Core Set Debate

Hepthorn and The discuss the surprise mini set announcement by Rebellion. Bronzedrag0n predicts it will be well-received but suggests a low print run. They discuss the recent Rebellion pack sale with millions burned. The idea of breaking the core set into smaller themed sets over 16-24 months is debated, with concerns about workload and perception of financial instability. The concept of variable, limited-time cards weaved into a storyline is positively received as a way to encourage active market participation.

Game Updates, Bug Fixes, and Community Tone

Bronzedrag0n expressed satisfaction with the changes Matt has implemented this year, including improvements in the game's entrance procedure, and anticipated the upcoming marketing push for the new player experience launching in the fall. The team discussed the ongoing 'enraged' bug issue causing glitches, but Nate was confident a solution was coming soon after eight months of development. Participants noted a slight improvement in the tone of content on platforms like YouTube and Discord due to an increase in SPS value. The group discussed their personal approaches to discussing the game's pros and cons, with Bronzedrag0n emphasizing the importance of balancing negative and positive aspects. Hepthorn shared observations about negativity surrounding rewards, cards, and the unlocking fee, but expressed hesitation to speculate on DEC and SPS.

Strategies for Rewards Cards and SPS Increase

Hepthorn and Bronzedrag0n discussed their strategies for acquiring rewards cards and increasing their in-game SPS. Hepthorn was hesitant to invest more money due to current conflicts and high prices, while Bronzedrag0n shared his approach of buying a little at a time and focusing on increasing his SPS. They also discussed the significant earnings of other players, with Hepthorn approaching 100K and Bronzedrag0n continuing to accumulate SPS. Additionally, they touched on Bronzedrag0n's brewing endeavors and the benefits of wildflowers for bees. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the People's Guild and their experiences with the ghost card challenges.

Welcome to the People's Guild

We are always looking to hear personal journeys through Splinterlands & Hive. Whether you've got questions, comments, suggestions, epic battles or you just want to say hello, drop us a line at [email protected] or Twitter.

YGGSPL