Calandra and Grissel 1 Nerfs Suck

Quick reaction shot:

I’m just going to repeat myself a bit, so here’s the FB post first:

My grain of salt…. Overall, a pretty good update… just a couple things that bug me: Grissel1 and Calandra nerfs (hoof it and befuddle) due to being caught up in the merc crossfire. Battle Engines got an unexpected buff, because Befuddle doesn’t affect them anymore. Derp turtles (Skorne battle engines) were a good reason to take Calandra, and now she can’t rely on Befuddle to keep them from charging. Guess some tactics will have to change. Hopefully some time in 2021, I’ll get to try some new stuff on my locals.

Analysis

Hoof it! – I can live with this.

I get it. It’s not fun watching a warjack or battle engine stomp into battle and walk up to 7″ away. Nobody complained much when Grissel did it with the War Wagons (at least not to me), and it would sometimes win me a game, but I see where people are coming from in assuming that it might be bad with Malvin and Mayhem, or some of the new battle engine junior warcasters. It wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for Boomhowler 3, and maybe they should have just not given it to him. Hoof it was one of the things that set Grissel 1 apart, and helped make up for her lack of a world changing feat. Maybe Privateer will upgrade her later to make up for the nerf.

Befuddle – I hate this change.

Here’s the change for those who haven’t caught up:

Calandra Truthsayer, Oracle of Glimmerwood

  • Change Befuddle spell text to:

An enemy non-warcaster, non-warlock, non-infernal master model hit by this attack can be pushed up to 3˝ in any direction. A model can be pushed only once per turn as a result of Befuddle.

First off, as I pointed out in my quick shot, this no longer affects battle engines, since battle engines have the rule that says they can’t be affected by a push. My trick with Calandra used to be taking battle engines and turning them so that they couldn’t charge me anymore. Now, that’s impossible, because the facing piece of Befuddle is gone.

Someone pointed out that Befuddle also won’t be usable against the Morrowan Archons, which I haven’t seen much of since Covid, but still… they can’t be turned around, so their defense buff will still be pretty problematic.

Additionally, anything that is resistant to a push (and sometimes it feels like there’s a lot of those models), will just ignore befuddle.

Privateer’s reason for the change is: Befuddle has proven to be a problematic spell. While there are other spells like it that allow a player to change the placement and facing of an enemy model, Befuddle also triggered “advance into” and “end movement” abilities on the enemy model after the spell resolved, which could lead to devasting countercharges and other effects. Thus, we’ve toned Befuddle down while retaining its cheap casting cost.

Okay, I’m guilty of stacking countercharging models if possible. In the past, I used the counter-shot from the minion snake with Befuddle. When Storm of the North came out, and Valka came into play, I Befuddled a model into his charge range more than once. If they’re worried about Fiona (again, thanks to Covid, never played into her) in some build, or Calandra with Bumbles, Boomhowler 3, and Valka (a real long-shot to set up, by the way), I get that. So why not change Befuddle to only handle the problem area?

The right way to fix Befuddle

On a hit, you can immediately advance target enemy non-warcaster, non-warlock, non-infernal master model up to 3″. Affected models cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement, or trigger effects caused by this movement. A model can move only once per turn as a result of Befuddle.

Done. Short and simple. This fix keeps all the good things about Befuddle, and eliminates the stated problem area.

Also, confirmed on FB.

How do we move on?

Despite whatever grievances we may have with the changes, we have games to play. Gut-shot is to play a different warlock. But what if we never played Grissel or Calandra before, and want to give the warlocks a chance with all the other positive changes that happened to the faction?

Grissel 1

Grissel, thankfully, doesn’t change that much. Hoof it on a battle engine or warjack was a clutch move, and her ability was more often used with troops anyway. Play her as you would have in the past. She has a good home in Kriel Company, Band of Heroes, Storm of the North, Vengeance of Dhunia, and there’s even this crazy Runeshaper Power of Dhunia list that has legs (it’s a well known list; look for “john jr henry” in the Trollbloods facebook group). Point is, with Calamity, she’s helping the army hit harder. Boundless Charge still makes battle engines, tanks, warbeasts, warjacks threat farther, Guardian Protector gets a warbeast up the board quicker, and Rift actually is a great spell when your opponent doesn’t have pathfinder. Rift, by the way, is kind of what I think the Barrage Team should be doing. I digress. Grissel has threat extenders, buffs to hit and damage, defensive control type spells all on one card. Then there’s her fell calls, which can neutralize magic, make things attack more often, or position aggressively or defensively as needed. She is an awesome package, which is why her feat is often poked at as being weak. Secret: it isn’t weak. Doing all of her Fell Calls and also benefitting from two fell callers in the list is super crazy. I’m sure the new Boomhowlers will fit in just fine. Too bad you can only play one at a time. Enough about Grissel 1; she’s awesome. What about one of my former favorites, Calandra?

Moving on with Calandra

I posted a list in each theme earlier last month in anticipation of the new Trollblood world. Not much changes for me in reality. Some strategy does. Vengeance of Dhunia can evidently take Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew now, so I could reduce the Krielstone by 2 and take the crew for some high def zone sitting. Kriel Company can trade out the Highwaymen for some of those Barrage Team guys. Not very exciting game play, in my opinion, but they do more work than the Highwaymen all day, even if all Calandra does is sit back and run Starcrossed all game, letting her dudes re-roll dice. Power of Dhunia isn’t her best list by far, but it doesn’t change for her. Storm of the North had potential, but with the Befuddle change, what would have been her biggest strength is now gone. The models in the list benefit from her spells and feat, but I think Madrak 3 does it better. For reference, the lists are below.

Vengeance of Dhunia
Calandra 1 +27
-Pyre Troll (8)
-Earthborn Dire Troll (14)
– Troll Basher (7)
Trollkin Champion (16)
Trollkin Champion (16)
-Skaldi Bonehammer (5)
Trollkin Champion Hero (5)
Boomhowler 3 (8)
Gudrun 2 (5)
Dhunian Archon (6 – free)
Dhunian Archon (6 – free)
Dhunian Knot (6 – free)
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (7)
-Stone Scribe Elder (3)
Farrow Valkyrie (8)
Calandra – Kriel Company
Calandra 1 +27  
-Trollkin Runebearer (5)  
-Storm Troll (9)  
-Dire Troll Brawler (16)  
-Dire Troll Mauler (15)
Boomhowler, Solo Artist (6 – Free)
Braylen Wanderheart, Trollkin Outlaw (5 – Free)
General Thunderstone Brug (4)
Gremlin Swarm (3)
Trollkin Gunnery Sergeant (3)
Trollkin Highwaymen (15)  
-Trollkin Sorcerer (3)
Pyg Bushwhackers (13)  
-Pyg Bushwhacker Officer & Mortar (5)
Sons of Brag (9)
Pummeler Crew (6 – Free)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (2)
Power of Dhunia
Calandra 1 +27
Trollkin Runebearer (5)
-Swamp Troll (8)
-Storm Troll (9)
-Dire Troll Brawler (16)
-Earthborn Dire Troll (14)
Dhunian Knot (free)
Dhunian Archon (6 – free)
Dhunian Archon (6 – free)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (2)
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (5)
-Stone Scribe Elder (3)
Trollkin Runeshapers (8)
Trollkin Runeshapers (8)
Trollkin Runeshapers (8)
Horgle 1 (4)
-Pyre Troll (8)
Janissa Stonetide (4)
Storm of the North
Calandra 1 +27
Trollkin Runebearer (5 – free)
-Winter Troll (8)
-Troll Basher (7)
-Earthborn Dire Troll (14)
Valka Curseborn (6 – free)
Trollkin Champion Hero (5)
Bumbles (6)
Boomhowler 3 (8)
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (7)
-Northkin Elder (3)
Trollkin Champions (16)
Trollkin Champions (16)
-Skaldi Bonehammer (5 – Free)
Northkin Bear Handler & Battle Bears (10)
Whelp x2 (2)
Four Lists during CID

Conclusion

The change to Grissel 1 is minimal. The change to Calandra hurts. I believe Calandra needs a little work now that Befuddle isn’t that helpful to her.


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