That’s an interesting idea. With the haste or without?
Seems like without would be best, with haste that’s kind of hilariously good. “What’s that, you thought you had patrollers? I’ll just play a bunch of units that say no to that.”
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I am publishing version 1.3 here. In this post I will detail the changes I have made so far.
In post #36 above, I detailed several changes I am considering making. Some have been made in the “Changes & reasons” section below. Others are still under consideration in the “Balance thoughts” section below.
Print-and-Play
I am making a full print-and-play set of tomorrow of v1.3. I used Microsoft Excel and made the card very similar in formatting and appearance to the original Codex cards. I will not publish my PnP set, since I pirated all the art for personal use. I bought extra Codex books from the Sirlin website to put my brown set in (using the Black binder since it is closest in appearance to Brown, also that got me an extra blue Codex, and my physical binders have been used so much that they are all falling apart.) PM me interested in a look.
Initial Feedback (short)
So the most common feedback thus far is that the starter deck is a little bit too weak. In combination with the heroes, it does not pose enough aggressive threats, nor have strong defensive power. I intentionally tried to not go over-the-top on the power-level of the first draft. However, due to this feedback, I have made several small changes to the starter deck that should help Brown to be a little more stable early game and have more threats the opponent must play around.
An additional comment was that the Evolution Tech 1’s were a bit too slow to bring about real value. As such, those cards have been modified slightly. I really like the idea of Evolution’s Tech 1’s both being upgrades that synergize with the hero (Abathur’s) top-band ability.
Changes & Reasons (long)
The new PDF at the bottom of this post has a column on the right that notes the changes from the previous version. Additionally, from a formatting perspective, I added horizontal lines, so that the cards taking up more than 1 line are not confused with the cards above or below them. I will go through them each, individually here, top-to-bottom.
Creep Tumor - For thematic reasons, this has been changed to a 1 HP, invisible building. Also, due to recent suggestion, rather than giving Haste to all Zurklings, it now gives “Deals damage to a patroller: Sideline that patroller.” In my mind, this is a slight nerf. Previously, the aggressive threat from Brown in the early game was being able to spawn a lot of hasted 1/1 Zurklings. Now that they are less hastey, that opens up room for adding a little more aggressive potential to the rest of the early game cards. (Don’t worry, I did not go over-the-top on the buffs.)
Rapid Expansion - Previously, this was a 3 cost building that tried to represent an economic expansion. I wanted it to have a similar effect to Rich Earth, but do so in a different way. Due to changing Creep Tumor into a building, I did not want to have 2 buildings in the starter deck, so this has been converted into a spell. This card WILL need testing, and if it is found to be WAY too powerful (winning >60% of games where it is used in turns 1-2, it could be nerfed by increasing the cost to 3. However, since this card requires having a Queen or hero in play, and in multi-color play it may already have a +1 cost tax applied, I think it bears testing it out at the 2 cost slot.
Heroic Calling - I have removed the previous card “Inject Larva” from the starter deck. Inject Larva represented investing early game into a later-turn’s explosion. In Codex mechanics, this meant a 1 cost ongoing spell that was not attached or channeling (quasi-upgrade, with requirement for a Queen or hero to cast.) This card is a functional reprint of Rampant Growth, and gives the Brown starter deck the potential for a more aggressive early game.
Zurkling Rush - Due to Zurklings no longer getting haste from Creep Tumors, I think they are a little bit weaker now in the early game. Previously, this card summoned two 1/1’s for 3 gold, equivalent to Summon Skeletons. However, the base Zurkling token (and unit) has the drawback (without a Creep Tumor) of not gaining patrol bonuses. Due to that change, I feel comfortable increasing the number of tokens summoned to three, for testing. I realize that this is slightly stronger than the previous version, but the previous version of the starter deck was a little lacking, so I feel like the 4 changes above, in combination, all slightly increase the overall early game options for Brown.
Adrenaline Boost - This was previously just a copy of “Rampant Growth”, which has now been working into the starter deck. The new card is intended to be a flexible buff that can fill both the offensive and defensive roles.
Evolve Baneling - The cost of this upgrade was dropped from 1 to 0, and the upgrade was given haste. It still costs 1 gold to activate, and has to exhaust to activate (limits it to once-per-turn), but it allows Brown to get out slightly earlier Banelings. Banelings are not immediate threats, in that they are 3/1’s, without haste. They still require sacrificing a Zurkling as part of the cost as well (representing the thematic evolution of a Zurkling into a Baneling.)
Evolve Ravager - Several Codices represent having a 3/4 creature and those often with extra abilities to boot. So the nature of the Evolution Tech 1 being an upgrade that requires a turn to activate and then a creature to sacrifice was a little too slow to be valuable. In this current iteration, I have added +1 HP to the Ravagers, to make them a 3/5 unit, which is still slow to get out. That makes them a pretty big body on the board, with in-spec synergy with Abathur, but still a little slow. If they prove too weak as-is, I would toy with making them a 3/3 long-range, or giving the upgrade itself haste.
Sequence Morphology - This card felt a little too weak in its previous version, so instead of just giving +1 armor to all units and heroes, I changed it to a Tech 2 upgrade that gives +1 ATK, +1HP, and +1 armor, which feels appropriate for Evolution, but may need balancing in some sense.
Dehaka - His initial version was a 2/4 at level 1 and has been dropped to a 2/3 with “Attacks: Gain 1 armor this turn.” This makes him slightly weaker early game, but slightly stronger late game once his mid and max band abilities come online and has additional synergy with his spell Adapt Mutation, to make him an aggressive threat. Overall, I like this change, as it gives him a more unique feel.
Evolve Husk - This Tech 2 Primal upgrade was tweaked slightly to now give -1 ATK to all heroes and units that attack a building you control. The prior version only affected units. It is still a low-cost upgrade with a marginal defensive effect, in an otherwise aggressive spec. Overall, I feel like this is still adequately balanced and provides a more unique and potentially usable option.
Swarm Attack - Due to Zurklings no longer getting haste from Creep Tumors out of the starting deck, this card needed a slight rework. I tossed around several ideas. Previously it summoned four 1/1’s for 5 gold, which would likely have haste. Now it summons only three 1/1’s for 5 gold, but also gives all of your Zurklings haste. On its own, this card is weaker than it was before. Even in combination with the new Creep Tumor, I think this card is weaker than the old Swarm Attack was with the old Creep Tumor. That said, this is now a niche card with some potentially power synergy / combo power with a high level Abathur, Zagara, or Tech 3 Evolution Broodmother. This card may be a little weak in its current form, but I would consider it worthy of testing as it.
Infestor - This card, as a Tech 2 Swarm unit, is Brown’s only response to opponent Upgrades or Buildings (Might of Leaf and Claw, Jail, Censorship Council, Flagstone Garison, Morningstar Pass, etc.) As such, in its previous iteration, it was a bit lacking as a counter-play option. So in the revised version, it now has stealth, which means your opponent has to play around this counter-play. I do not think it makes this card too strong, but it does add a bit more balance to the overall Brown strategy options.
Nydus Worm - As a clarification, I added that this unit cannot attack. This Tech 3 card for the Swarm spec is a pinch weak, at the moment. It is a 0/8 creature that is untargetable, but can’t attack, for 5 gold. However, it gives all Brown units unstoppable when attacking buildings. The design intent here is to represent an end-game, all-in attack option. Thematically, if this card is a bit too weak, I see two options: either reduce its cost, or add the flavor ability “Whenever you damage an opposing base: Trash a worker at that base.” Either option could increase the late game effect of this card. I think it is good enough to test, as is, but probably is a lower-tier Tech 3, without either of the above changes.
Balance Thoughts (future ideas / feedback welcomed)
First thing’s first… the starter deck needed a slight boost in power before addressing the overall Tech 1’s, 2’s and 3’s.
However, I also made a few critical changes to some of the non-starter deck cards. Most of these I feel are not substantial changes, but will help Brown to better fit into the overall meta.
Cards that may likely need future reworks:
- Corruptor - a bit weak for a Tech 2 flier
- Changeling - may better fit as a 1 cost 2/2 than 2 cost 2/3.
- Hydralisk - a bit weaker than the other 2 cost 3/3 anti-air units.
- Mutalisk - too powerful, or perfect as is?
- Ultralisk - is he “ultra” enough?
- Swarm Attack - how does this fit with the changes to creep tumor?
- Swarm Host - should this creature be weaker and summon more tokens?
- Broodlord - should this creature be weaker and summon locusts, like the Swarm Host??? (fits the Swarm Spec theme)
- Nydus Worm - see the thoughts in the section above
Faction PDF: Zurk Collective, version 1.31
Other notes:
- I have played well over 100 games, probably somewhere around 200, in the past 6 months with my girlfriend (VERY casual games… we each random a spec from our codex, and play with a random map card).
- I also have 2 nerdy board-game bro’s I play with occasionally (at a more competitive level.)
- Today, we all did a proof-read of my PnP mock-up and they gave me some initial thoughts on balance.
- However, tomorrow I will proxy up this set as linked above and start playing out some games.
Please:
I happily welcome and humbly request any balance feedback, especially from the more-experienced competitive player here (you know who you are, <3).
I am just trying to come up with a fun, but thematic new Faction to add in for more diversity, with my physical deluxe copy.
Given how David Sirlin incorporated the Protoss feel from Starcraft into the Purple Codex, I felt like there was a gap, for a Xenomorphic Codex representing the Zerg.
Thanks!!!
5 Likes
This faction is good balanced? I want to Pnp that, but i wondering about balance issue and combos when i play multicolor
You edit this faction after this time? I think a little bit about mutalisk and corruptor(i think he uselles) and maybe it go well with just flying, or deals 3 damage to enemys and etc without flying, and so mutalisk maybe 2/2, or 3/2 with only flying and haste
So maybe hydralisk 3/3 → 2/3 lonr range and antiair
Or maybe boost for this card
I think corruptor can be only with flying but have boost effect like pay 1 and deal 2-3 damage once per turn
@Qwzmda Thanks for pulling this up, was not aware of it.
No, it is not balanced. Whole Codex is not balanced (which is not possible with such kind of games), but it is not bad. Even after such a long playing time, new OP strategies are appearing.
But if you like it, just use the faction. I think (after the first short look) you can play a too strong strategy with it. Have fun finding it out. (I would not worry about hydralisk or corruptor that is not the main thing).
Hi, @Moby_Dick thanks for the answer, I’m glad I’m not alone here. I thought and played a few games with inserts in the protectors, the primal and swarm factions are quite playable, I came up with some changes that can work well without breaking the game, Hydralisk can have ranged combat, which makes it a unique unit of tech 1, and corruptor increases damage by 1 once or twice a turn According to the target you are going to attack, this will make it a more useful unit and add versatility to the evolution faction. What do u think
So now, my test games are Green growth, balance vs brown swarm. I just steal molac and win after 2 turns.
Black vs brown 0/2, bcs i try evolution, i think evolution is most situation spec, so if i try primal or swarm it can be good game vs black
This is an interesting thought about the inbalance of the whole game, but what I like about the codex is that if you find a strong strategy, then the enemy can find a strategy that will destroy you and you will have to look again and again for new strategies, new styles of play, etc
Therefore, I am interested to know if each faction can resist the brown one. So that this faction does not go beyond the reasonable, so to speak
Cerebrate is gona legendary building for not so op i think and so, searm ultimate very strong for long long long game but its no so hard to kill swarm hero, maybe it can be 4-5 damage to remove and its go so good
Maybe, It’s certainly brazen if you could, u can say me suggest cards of this deck that look unnecessarily strong, how could you improve it…
There some other players, but mainly busy with the tournament and balancing the core codex. Seems brown never got popularity.
In my oppinion Codex is not a game where you can really counter strategies from your opponment. With a good read you can make small advantages. But for some decks I can give you my strategy and tech choices in advance, and you would struggle to win a game. It is more about pushing your strategy through via good tactical decisions. There no real hard counters in the game. That makes it a bit the problem with brown, Discord will be a major problem.
If you have the ambition to really balance it, I would try to figure out first, if flooding the board with Zurklings is behaving. Might be OP. Most of the games are already decided prior tech2. Zango is currently looking for play by forum games. I am sure he would make a match. His deck is pretty strong and probably you have to agree on playing without discord in beginning. I would combine brown with other colors to get a strong deck.
If you want to do a pbf play test, I’m fine with playing anything else, don’t have to go for the deck I proposed in the other thread
Yes, I think I would like to try, just figure out how to play on the forum, can i use my physical copy for a draw and disc, its ok, yeah?
Please just check any of the recent tournament games for getting a feel of how to apply the cited “proper way” to play by forum. If you prefer to do the drawing manually, why not. But the sheet makes life actually simpler, once you get used to it.
2 Likes
Ok, can u give me a pbf empty form like cams23 final pls, i dont find it, and we gonna try
And, I don’t know, are we going to test the balance around the codex balance on the forum or physical copy? If according to the forum rules, where can I read everything, or does it make no sense, because everything is written during the game?huh
Link to the relevant post for the spreadsheet
Obviously the brown faction has to be added first, I’m currently on vacation for another week and with smartphone only I’m not going to add it 
About the balance changes currently underway in the forum, see for example here
Thank you very much, then I’ll try to add it myself and write to you, see you soon
Its ok if i write stats of card in note, cost after name, bcs we dont have links for cards, its comfortable for u?I just don’t know how else I could prescribe their stats
And I seem to have learned how to use google spreadsheet
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I think you can take a look and tell me if something is wrong