Burning Bog Blog 8: Back to Work!

## Welcome to the Eighth Burning Bog Blog!

And a big welcome back to the Scourge Brawl universe! We took a small personal break and have returned working harder than ever on producing cards and other aspects to the game. This installment of the Burning Bog Blog will update you on everything we have been working on in the past weeks, including a brand new expansion, secondary hero portraits and on-going powers, a balance update, updates on how certain cards interact, and an upcoming discontinuation of old cards. Enjoy!

### Lost in the Wastelands Balance Update

Before we get to all of our new cards, let's talk about the ones currently in the game. We are pleased to say that LitW has been our most powerful expansion to date, as intended. We wanted these cards to push the limit for Scourge Brawl without overdoing it. We are generally happy with the current meta, but want to fine tune some specific cards that either have poor interaction glitches or are simply too overpowered. We have not yet begun the process of updating the following cards, however we have generated an official list that we would wish to share with you. Here are the cards that we plan on balancing and a brief reasoning behind our choices (we've bolded some popular interaction glitches for you):

 Mighty Trampler
 Crystal Dragmire
 Unseen Reviver
 Outlooker
 **Calm Demon** | Tribe should be "Demon."

Although we previously stated that we have not yet begun balancing these cards, we still plan on releasing this balance update on Friday, December 13, 2019.

### Interactions Update

Also releasing on Friday, December 13, 2019 along with the LitW balance update will be an update to our interactions code. As more and more interesting cards release, the interactions between them get weirder and weirder. Here's our added points to the code, which you should apply to your game on the previously stated date:

* Minions with 0 scare no longer block initiations from your hero.
* For clarification purposes, minions with Hidden or Shroud also do not block initiations from your hero.
* A minion with 0 scare and Barrier WILL block initiations from your hero.
* On the other hand, a minion with Hidden or Shroud and Barrier will NOT block initiations from your hero.
* If you use **Xilstah's Reach** when you have no cards left in your deck, nothing will happen.
* Frightened effects trigger in order of play, not in order from left to right or right to left, when using **Infused Rockbiter**.
* If your Hero is **Archmage Siritas**, you can no longer go above the 5 energy bar limit. Previously, **Ghastly Conjure** would be able to give you 6 energy bars, but this is no longer the case.

## Blackblade

### Expansion or Set

Artifact Hunt

As a refresher, a long time ago we brought up the idea of a rotation cycle. Once we hit a Basic and Special Set plus 4 hero and 4 team specific expansions, we would discontinue all cards from the 2 oldest hero and the 2 oldest team specific expansions. With the release of our fourth team specific expansion coming soon, the rotation cycle has finally approached.

When the fourth team specific expansion releases, all cards from the Void expansion, Jungle expansion, Battle over Garagzhan expansion, and the Elemental Overload expansion will be discontinued. This will leave a Basic and Special set, the Spirit of the Battle expansion, the Lost in the Wastelands expansion, the Sector 6 expansion, and another team specific expansion. Speaking of that...

### Wondrous Treasures are Afoot in the Artifact Hunt Expansion!

Our next team specific expansion is titled "Artifact Hunt." A museum filled with treasures and an archaeological dig site are where our champions have travelled. And to do what more than bask in the glory of all its potential worth! Here are some of our favorite upcoming features from this gold-ridden expansion:

## Runic Spell Book

### Expansion or Set

Artifact Hunt

Weapons are a new type of card that can be described as a minion that does not take up space on the board. Above is an example of a weapon for Numana: "Blackblade." All weapons have an energy cost, which works the same way as a spell or a minion. In the bottom left is a number in front of two swords. This is your "Attack" value, similar to a scare value. On the right is a number in front of a shield. This is your "Durability" value, similar to a health value. Now, let's go over how weapons work and how you can use them to work through a battle!

1. When you play a weapon card, your hero "equips it." You will place your weapon next to your hero.
2. Weapons give your hero the ability to initiate die rolls like a minion. Once a weapon is equipped, a hero can immediately initiate on an enemy minion. Like a normal minion, however, you can only initiate with a weapon ONCE per turn! Also similar to a minion, your Attack value on your weapon is exactly like a scare value on a minion. You will have advantage if your Attack value is greater than the scare value of the targeted minion (i.e. Blackblade's 5 attack means you would have advantage over a minion with 4 scare or less).
3. After you initiate with a weapon, you lose 1 Durability. Once your Durability hits 0, your weapon "breaks," and is put in a new discard pile exclusively for weapons.

## Legacy Defense Shield

### Expansion or Set

Artifact Hunt

1. Lastly, if you take a look at Blackblade, you will notice that weapons can still have card text and keywords.

When Blackblade breaks, you get to trigger a random friendly minion's Frightened effect!

#### Astounding Artifacts

Take it all in: the artifacts, the glory, the potential money that could be gained from stealing it all! However, a lot of these artifacts have minds of their own. Take a look at Runic Spell Book, or Legacy Defense Shield!

#### Contents

Each team will be receiving 4 cards:

* 1 Common
* 1 Rare
* 1 Epic
* 1 Legendary

Of these cards, one will be a minion, one will be a legendary minion, one will be a spell, and one will be a weapon.

## Veragonda Incarnate

### Expansion or Set

Secondary Hero Portrait

Keep an eye out for new card reveals on the Discuss tab! Artifact Hunt, team specific expansion, will be releasing Saturday, December 21, 2019, alongside our first rotation cycle.

### Secondary Hero Portraits

Lastly, we want to give a reward for players who love to play their one favorite hero. Introducing secondary hero portraits. These cosmetic card skins add a new element of flavor to your favorite hero, changing the portrait art and the on-going power art. Our first set of secondary hero portraits will release alongside our Artifact Hunt update on Saturday, December 21, 2019. Here is a sneak preview of one of these secondary heroes.