I have just started playing Aristeia! I have only used the characters from the starter box so far, but my opponents have used the ones from the extension. The game obviously suggests that one character is just as powerful as any other, they just have very different skill sets. This seems to be very hard to balance for the game designers. How do experienced players think about this? Are the characters all truly equal? Is there any character that you always take or would never take? So far, I think the characters are all fine. I would always take Gata. Mortair seems to be very strong, but I don't think there is reason to complain looking at Musashi. Last game, my Musashi has sent Mortair to the infirmary twice.
Try Bixié and you can go without a scorer like Gata. Or play WITHOUT a fast scorer but with solids characters... I tried Kozmo and it was love at first sight. I hate 8-Balls, but i know that he is often used. It is more your choice than real power of the different Aristos
I think all characters are viable, but team composition will make some characters stronger than others. To expect equal parity is just expecting disappointment.
Definitely some characters help others, especially with the (my opinion) weaker characters like 8-Ball. But I don't think there are any bad characters.
How is 8-Ball weak? He’s literally one of the best supports/brawlers with insane cards. Are you using him as a dps or something?
I find he doesn't get enough done. He's a blend of multiple character types and doesn't excel in one particular area, which is why I find him weaker than others. I still use him a lot though, love him in King of the Hill.
I believe all the Core Aristos are solid. And they have to be; its a core set and any beginner should have strong options to start with before delving into the expansions. All the expansions seem to be even more specialized with their team. I don't think Murtair is bad. He seems like his strength is to tie up Ranged units or hunt down Scorers. A tricky piece to use compared to Musashi, which is the premiere CC specialist and in the core set.
I personally always struggle with 8 Ball. He's average speed, and his abilities are short ranged, I constantly find myself 1 space short of him being where I need him. He's also very die dependant he eats cards or you need a bit of luck to get the switches he needs. That said I typically play a lot of assult with new players and I think he's weaker in that particular scenario. Scoring zones are more fluid so it hard to figure out where his slowish short ranged butt needs to be. He's still one of my favorites, I just struggle with him.
Same impression I've had with him (and 8-ball) so far, although for some reason my friend absolutely destroys me with Murtair, especially with displace 3 spaces and use all remaining points on main attack. Although I'm not sure if that's because I mainly play control teams and most control characters suck at defense. I can't get him to work though, he seems too akward for me to use and I hate his initiative/wound mechanic.
I agree with your assessment, regarding the assault scenario. Often I find that 8-ball likes to go for center and support/disrupt anything that moves inbetween in a predictable pattern, like Scorched Earth and Conquest. Still I tend to find he has some of the most game breaking cards in the game and he can support almost anyone with them.
ATM the only Hero that for me need a rework is Murtair. I found him really weak. The only thing he can do is killing and he is not so good at it.
Romaji are bad, please don't :P Back to OP, I have too few games under my belt to say something meaningful. I'll just say that I harldy see myself assembling a team without Hexx3r. She's insanely good. She can Freeze for 2and Displace for 1. Her cards are good, too. She can really screw your opponent's plans. She dies easily though...
