Hello guys. After I've been subjected to four worst Seasonals back to back, I wanted to make a post talking about them, to protect my sanity. Order is from worst to best. Feel free to shit on my arguments because I'm sure I'll outright forget some crucial points.
Trial of the Grasses (1/10)
The Skellige or lose mode. Actually, a specific Skellige deck or lose mode. I think it still exists because either Gwent devs don't give a flying fuck about seasonals, or because they think it's alright. Both cases are frightening.
How to fix:
Change appear to deploy, then maybe we have a mode. A very weak maybe. Also Syndicate has no witchers, nothing will fix that. Removing the mode with extreme prejudice is easier.
Irresistable Attraction (2/10)
The Sweers mode. I know some people like it, but it's not even Gwent. I don't know why I'd play Gwent checkers instead of actual checkers. And I hate checkers.
How to fix:
Maybe a seize power ceiling, so you'd need to damage stuff before yoinking? Yoink resets power? Maybe it triggers only once per turn? Maybe I just play Draft? Who knows.
Seesaw (3/10)
Barely a mode. Few units interact with the mechanic, and the ones that do, make it even more boring. Anyone who's not a Kerack City Guard would skip the Seesaw week entirely.
How to fix:
Replace it with a mode that changes all artwork to random Jeff Goldblum faces.
Switcheroo (3,5/10)
The Battle of Verdun mode, minus the Germans. You put Roach, Knickers, a faction deck summon (think Hubert), Shupe and Radeyah together, fill the rest with junk. Hope the match takes less than three months. That's literally the mode.
How to fix:
I don't know, it's flawed at the core. We'll switch hands, obviously I'll fill mine with shit, knowing you'll do the same. Maybe double the provision limit for the mode and switch to golds only? At any point it'd require a rework.
Plus One (4/10)
The Humans to the sea! mode. Not really playable for any faction but Scoia'tael. Though I witnessed a Nilfgaard player smashing Idarran on the board, then self-Samum to move two of them back next turn. I let the entire thing happen for the sheer meme value. It's that desperate.
You may try to eliminate Idarran. You may even succeed. But you won't win against hordes of engines that boost each other to oblivion. Not even Yrden can save you.
How to fix:
A ban or restriction on Idarran would be a gigantic step, removing the Snowdrop idiocy. Though the question of Why play anything other than Movement ST? would still remain, since the only thing that comes even remotely close, is Aretuza Adept spam. Which requires Patience units on board. Which don't stick, because Cat Witchers.
Entrench (4/10)
The purification mode. Not horrible, but it's entirely up to you to make it interesting. Otherwise it's an engine fest. It's similar to Momentum, not exhilarating but playable enough. If the very obvious answers are not played against you.
How to fix:
More RNG (give Resilience to a random unit every two turns) could make it more fun. Could also make the entire mode obsolete. Siegfried can also make it obsolete. Also Spring Equinox… Caretaker to a degree…
Just change resilience with "every played unit gets 20 vitality" or something. At least some would get value. Props to Gwent guys for making a mode that can be nullified with a single card.
Momentum (5/10)
Can also barely be called a mode, but still better than some others. Having no middle ground makes it more intense than standard. Things either won't stick at all, or grow taller than Petronas Towers. Yrden is your friend.
How to fix:
I mean (if the Thirsty Dame thing is fixed properly now) it's fine. Nothing too exciting, but fine. Not much can be done without replacing the entire thing.
Banished (5/10)
The anti-Roach mode. Favours (Tibor/Golem/Vilgefortz/Yenvo) Nilfgaard heavily. Other than that it's not too interesting. At least matches are not long.
How to fix:
There's nothing malleable in there to apply a fix to. Combining this with Patience is a Virtue could result in a very interesting seasonal though.
Power Shift (7/10)
The Geralt: Sign mode. Fine as is for most factions, since big plays are usually neutrals. Though it's pretty much permasabbath for Monsters (12 power Yaga and Mammuna ayy lmao). Nilfgaard has nice tricks too. Theorycrafting would've been fun with this mode, if we had a much larger pool of cards.
How to fix:
Nothing to fix really. Neat mode. Maybe add something like Devotion: At the start of the game, raise the base power of all your units by 1.
Patience is a Virtue (7/10)
The Jim Carrey of seasonals. Matches take around two lunar years to complete. Almost all players construct their decks under 10 provs and no duplicates. Because Shupe/Radeyah/Ciri:Nova.
How to fix:
Change cards in deck too, and shorten the clock, then we're looking at true shithousery. Shortening the clock would also test your practical knowledge on all cards.
Double Down (8/10)
Another engine fest, but at least it's fun for pretty much all factions, and nets you truckloads of XP. Not much to complain about. Remember though, Nilfgaard can always ruin your day.
How to fix:
Make it Triple Down. (I need the XP)
Dual Casting (8/10)
Surprisingly enjoyable. Though looks Scoia'tael oriented, all factions can do absurd stuff with this. Double Yenvo, Coup, Bone Talisman, Scorch with the Initiative change, whatever you can think of. Yeah I couldn't really think of much. But you can!
How to fix:
Make it Triple Casting. (keanu_cyberpunk_yeah.jpg)
Battle Rush (10/10)
The Battle Rush. It's Alpha and Omega. It's Napoleon against the Third Coalition. It's Jerusalem of seasonal modes. Just make it a permanent mode at this point.
How to fix:
Roach Journey.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/gwent/comments/smw7a9/a_subjective_evaluation_of_seasonal_modes_and/
