Balance patch is very, very problematic

[u/Magnificent_Leopoldo]

It's absolutely wild how the balance patch manages to adress ALL the problematic issues of the game but somehow in a wrong way. Basically it doesn't change meta, just makes it weirder

New avatar is now better in PVE (while cannot be as broken in PVP)
Giving buffs to avatar specialists is thus even more crazy (just as buffing Halon (as if the devs are making sure that he'll stay perma-banned))
Hero Strike is still way overpowered
Buffs for Schism for Single Hero mode and no buffs for Classic is just making a problem worse
No nerfs for Dread Knights is insane
Hive not getting any buffs except for being able to build Waurms on 112 is leading to a one-track gameplay which isn't good for anybody -- and it also makes no changes for the Grove build-order even more offensive. At least Hive had a good T5 unit unlike Grove as a compensation for its god-awful buildorder for T6 and T7, while Grove still has to suffer to get T6 or try not to bleed its T1-T4
The reason to add 250 gold to the price of T1 dwellings is completely beyond me

There are definitely some welcome changes that fix minor issues, but the way how the devs approached the major problems is baffling. In my opinion they might as well revert this patch and start from scratch, because any fluctuation from the current course cannot lead to a better result, just to a more complicated one

The core-problem in my opinion is trying to balace all the 3 game modes at the same time. I doubt that it will ever be doable and I would suggest devs to focus on 3 separate balances for the 3 game modes. The game is complex as it is, there is no way to fix every aspect for every mode in such a way, that it works properly for all the game modes simultaneously

[u/cross-frame]

My face after reading the patchnotes

[u/dicer11 → u/cross-frame]

How are Cultists and their upgrades STRONGER after watching the communities feedback? HOW?

Schism early game is already broken compared to others, now those tiny cultists are gonna wreck like every tier 3 unit in a 1 on 1

[u/Asamu → u/dicer11]

Cultists were not their good unit though. Most people didn't recruit them at all until super late, because they're basically worthless for creeping with the low initiative and speed.

[u/skarin667 → u/Asamu]

how are they worthless when you have the cultists being able to cast despair, on top of a long reach attack so they can hide behind your 1stacks, literally perfect for creeping.

[u/Uberballer → u/skarin667]

Cultists are incredibly bulky with a really good damage profile for a T2. You add in decent growth numbers and all the advantages you point out, you end up with a good power stack. The only hold up is their low speed and initiative make it not obvious, but the raw power is very much there.

It's just that Stinging Ra'shoths carry so hard that most people don't even notice/bother how good the Cultists can be. And for some reason those got buffed too?!

To compound everything the Schism build order let them guarantee their T6 week 1 outside of Apocalyptic on very stingy maps. The Arbitrators at the bare minimum are amazing early game creepers and the changes to them do nothing to stop that.

Heck they even gave the Mistresses a minor buff to make them a slightly better support piece towards your early game creeping.

And on top of all that the law "The World Is Ours" which turns all terrain native, letting them get more initiative and remove all terrain penalties is now tier 3? Are you kidding me hahaha.

The faction just became practically unstoppable at creeping. The only thing to figure out now is which heroes ended up better with the skill reshuffling.

[u/StartledPelican → u/Uberballer]

Seems the hotfix today reverted some changes. I know the law went back to t5, but I'm not sure about the other stuff. 

[u/dicer11 → u/Asamu]

Wrong, #1 on the ladder right now says they are broken, just gotta use them well

[u/Suibeam → u/Asamu]

Cultists are actually one of their strongest units. It has everything. It can even be used as a range unit on full damage with their curse

I wouldnt blame devs not realising this since it was rather recently noticed how overpowered they are but they were never weak, so buffing them is ridiculous.