Creator Response Dark Shrine Epic Item

[Matmatics]

Are you really supposed to be able to use Dark Shrine multiple times? Not even restricted to a gift trigger?
In a playthrough where you don't have the Make Friends objetive up, it seems like a really broken way to complete bundles. Especially when compared to the Junimo Hut Epic Item, which needs a gift to be triggered and is also discarded upon use.
Also, it's really easy to exploit this in a coop game, since one player can repeatedly make one friend and discard them for the effect, which basically translates into 1 action per bundle completion regardless of how many players there are in the game.

Dark Shrine - Discard all your friends to complete a revealed bundle (must discard at least 1)
Junimo Hut - Gift: May discard to complete any revealed bundle.

 

[Valimure]

Interesting catch. My interpretation had been to discard after using it but you're right, there's nothing that says to discard it on use.

I supposed it *is* an epic item but that does seem a little too powerful. Cole will have to weigh in on this one.

 

[Colito]

If you were in a game where the "Make Friends" goal is not present and you managed to get this card early enough, it could be immensely powerful. In playtesting we found that to be a rare scenario. Usually Epic Items come out later in the game, when only ~2 bundles remain. So you might argue its better than the Junimo Hut, however it does require a (sometimes not optimal) sacrifice. Please check my math but if Friends goal is present 50% of the time, after drawing lets say 2 Epic Items you chance of this strategy being available is around 5%. So if it does occur, you got very lucky!

 

[Matmatics]

Yeah I had not taken into account the fact that we usually only get epic items much later in the game. Maybe that fact alone makes the card balanced enough.

Maybe I've also just been too lucky with the "Gain an Epic Item" Mine Event xD

 

[Colito]

Yeah, I mean, it's absolutely possible something mega powerful drops in your lap early and you steam roll everything haha. But ideally the rarity of that event makes it an exciting moment and doesn't feel cheap or game-breaking. I have had some great strokes of luck that weren't enough to win, and sometimes managed to pull through some very bad luck. These are moments I really enjoy.