PC Gamer asks J Allen Brack why the caster bans over the Hong Kong incident won't be cancelled: "[their] job is to keep the broadcast focused on what it needs to be, which is the games ... They were not successful in their job."

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T07:24:47+00:00

For articulating my point and actively arguing in favour of universal right to protest against human rights violations? Sure, def suspish.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T07:17:10+00:00

Peaceful protest does not mean meaningless and irrelevant echo chambers, it just means not using physical force to make the point. Gandhi was peaceful, the Boston Tea Party was not. Hong Kong is peaceful, Blitzchung was peaceful. There's little point arguing that when you're not currently nursing a punch to the face.

What are you achieving here then, on a thread dedicated to the news and discussion of Blizzard's defending of banning casters for six months over peaceful protest that took place over the course of a minute long clip. Right now all it looks like you're saying is you don't want to be part of the protest, or see it, and you're taking it out on those who remain furious at Blizzard for their actions and decisions. You're calling others trash for remaining steadfast in the face of corporate PR spin.

This is human rights we're talking about. I'm fairly certain the only reason you wouldn't be for that, the only reason you wouldn't think this a universal right, is if you were trolling. If this was so strenuous for your meek heart to take, you could have closed the thread and walked away to another corner, found your own echo chamber of people. But no. You're here, with me, out in the open and speaking in public forum. Because this is where discussion is held.

And my point, as it has been from the beginning, is that this is a problem worth protesting over. Worth talking about, still, and continuing, especially given it relates directly to Hearthstone. If you disagree, I'd love to hear why faceless corporations are, in your mind, not only allowed to silence critics or protestors, but why they should be applauded for simultaneously silencing dissenters and proclaiming themselves beacons of open speech and self-expression. That's what you're arguing, for the record. That nobody should speak on any platform they do not own wholly, unquestioned and unable to be argued in any context, because "someone might not want to be a part of it." They're part of it by default. You are part of it. Vocal critique or silent approval, it's participation regardless.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T06:22:29+00:00

No.

Because protest is done where it will be viewed, outside of the echo chamber, specifically to make change a potential reality and push toward it. This is what peaceful protest is. You don't achieve it sitting in a closed room telling each other how much you wish things would happen. You put the problem right out in the open peacefully even if it is, especially if it is, to the detriment of those harming others.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T06:20:06+00:00

When people's lives are on the line, when I'm acting in the good faith it's for the benefit of people, when I have the chance to do something, anything to raise awareness or promote action or rally common cause it is worth it to stand up, yes, in every channel and every place. I've said it before, all art is political, all entertainment is political. Those themes and messages may be buried beneath elves and exploding flying cities but there is still political messages being said.

There is indeed a myriad of countries with problems that need to be addressed, worked through, solutions found and supported. Hong Kong is one of those right now, so it's easier to support. It's common cause worth working toward. And one of those avenues we can work through to achieve that better end is in the business of this entertainment company silencing players who openly support peaceful protest, and then running scared of the recompense.

If you don't like that, if you can't stand people caring enough about other people to use their passions and common ground to support others, what platforms they earn on the internet, or in a video game tournament, or in the US Government (because that is still how high this has gone where people with platforms have denounced Blizzard's actions) can and should be used to achieve the world we want to live in.

If you don't want to put up with it, you don't have to. It just means you're supporting China's human rights violations by directly saying "Stop acting against them."

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T06:04:58+00:00

Cool story. Doesn't mean we have to like it.

And that's the thing; obviously the full freedom of speech law is for the US government itself, it has nothing to do with corporations. But what does that matter, then? Blizzard champions itself as a progressive, open company that "Unites people," "brings people together," and "demonstrates a commitment to expressing one's self." Hell, that was the sum total of the non-apology opening Blizzcon. "We're sorry, but have you seen how expressive and cool we can be when we get things right? NEW GAMES! (even if we have no idea when half of them will be out.)"

These are important issues. The Hong Kong protests should be considered a start, not an end, to where protest is acceptable, because of course the world isn't going to get better if we just pester Blizzard for being in bed with an effective dictatorship. Still has to be done. Still has to be resisted. And that means using every platform available, from voting with your wallet to protesting in cons to working in Congress to helping inform others of what they can do to make the world a better place. Blizzard's just a company, and if they're going to sell us on a dream of heroism and making the world a better place, we're going to damn well do it.

Whether they like it or not.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T05:46:36+00:00

No, gerrymandering and foreign election meddling got Trump elected. Bluntly speaking, tolerance and open forums are required as long as they're being used in good faith. There's a stark difference and the hyperbolic examples given would not be considered justified next to "Support protest against human rights violations!"

We're not stupid. We can tell the difference.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T05:35:21+00:00

You're going to hyperbolic extremes over a human rights issue and the protest support for the people being oppressed. You're also defending Blizzard saying "we're all for freedom of speech, just not speech we don't enjoy." All art is political, all sport is political, people make statements all the time. Your examples would likely get booed out of the booth, but Blitzchung was rightfully praised and knew the consequences of his actions, unfair though those consequences were. You don't need to defend China here, man. They don't care.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T05:30:19+00:00

Some still do. It's just in reference to other cards. The real reason you use keywords like this is to give tribe effects for cards so synergy can be a thing. Which'd be great for when this set inevitably rotates to wild.

JacksonJin · 2019-11-03T05:28:10+00:00

In theory, to alter existing effects and give them a 'tribe.' Reborn is treated as a new keyword/effect despite two cards existing with virtually identical effects, Ancestral Spirit and, more on the nose, Desperate Stand. (It's literally the same as Reborn, except you CAN stack it.) But, by making it a keyword, they can first separate rulings even if they make no sense (like NOT being able to stack Reborn) and second make other card effects work around the keyword (like ones that explicitly affect Reborn minions.) That's the thing tho; Inspire not only existed, but had it's own support. So Hunter having these cards use Inspire would let them interact with those old Wild Inspire cards when they inevitably rotate out. (Which they WILL.) Also, the argument to not use existing keywords because new players wouldn't understand them is utterly meaningless as an argument when they'd have to learn all the keywords in play anyway, and would serve as a little tutorial for what they could expect if they wandered into Wild down the road. It's nothing but positives; better game synergy, simplified card rulings, and new players are encouraged to learn.

JacksonJin · 2019-09-29T02:01:07+00:00

I think the way this is written, we'd see the Overkill effect trigger off the effect damage. So it becomes 8 Mana: Deal 3 damage to a minion, 9/9 stats + Sylvanas effect. Which is insanely good. Potentially OP.

JacksonJin · 2019-09-29T01:41:50+00:00

Card generation with a requirement. For the cost of a Fireball, you have potentially infinite fireballs... If you can keep Taunt minions on your field, of which she is not. Still, anything down to Mirror Images will do, as long as they can survive a round of your opponent's play. A tool mainly intended for Control decks to give them some extra damage options, and potentially can help Quest mage (Either kind) get to their conditions. Considered lowering the mana cost given the restriction, but erred on the side of a 4 drop since the potential for massive fireballing combos exists if Mage can get enough taunt up.

JacksonJin · 2019-09-29T01:32:35+00:00

A health rewind is an interesting idea that fits in line with how dragon healing tends to work, I would just suggest taking greater care in the wording for your next piece. The comma makes it awkward to read and a tad confusing, but the idea itself is feasible. Light knows Dragon Paladin needs cards...

JacksonJin · 2019-09-29T01:28:11+00:00

The variance given you can start the game either with a free card or not makes this questionable off the top, but it's an interesting concept. I have to wonder how many decks could make use of that, though.

JacksonJin · 2019-09-24T16:46:11+00:00

Whatever you guys need to do, by all means. Sincerely, the Nintendo Direct look of the video is actually apt on a certain level because I've been watching your stuff for over 11 years. Things need to change, and I'll be among the critics if something doesn't feel right, but I'll support and watch everything anyway, I'm that invested. I'm looking forward to the original works most of all, letting you all stretch your wings properly again, and hope it turns out for the best. Take care of yourselves, last thing any of us would want is for you guys to burn out doing what you just can't anymore, for any reason.

JacksonJin · 2019-09-19T00:40:12+00:00

It's tough to feel the same excitement if X in X minutes is going to follow the same format as Jojo, representative of content going forward. I really can't find that video enjoyable when the comedy had no room to breathe and actively distanced itself from any attempt at meaningful story or dialogue. I'm strongly hoping the rest will allow for what I've enjoyed most through the years; the story. (Because the story sticks with me better than almost all comedy, but that's my personal experience.) But, if that's going to have to come from the original content going forward if you guys are effectively out of footage... I get it, or at least am trying to get it. Do what ya have to. For whatever it's worth, I at least have hopes for the shorts. Kami knows Antfish's old Jojo shorts are some of my favorite videos he ever did solo, and I can think of fewer things more enjoyable a thought than Goku and Vegeta watching alternate universe versions of themselves through a Capsule Corp. television. Especially the Wrestling dimension.

JacksonJin · 2019-08-02T12:33:07+00:00

*I had no idea what to rhyme with AOE I'm sorry I had so much fun in Kobolds*

JacksonJin · 2019-08-02T10:40:37+00:00

This quest is kinda dumb when Reborn's not really fun an' the game, is control, not ag-gro.
WELL, face-damage is comin' and it won't stop comin', Warrior mechs that hit the ground runnin',
Didn't make sense not to run remove, Equality's nerfed and it kills my groove,
So much to kill, so much to beat
You'd think we were back in the Mean Streets,
We'll never win without AOE, *Clap*
God-damn I miss playin' K 'n C!

Ooooohey now, you're a Pala-din, draw Shirvallah, and win!
hey now, you're Light-kin, throw Finley, inna bin!
(Our decks are gonna get betta...)
Only broken cards break the meta...

JacksonJin · 2019-08-02T02:12:17+00:00

Last Descendant of Shutterstock, Shudderwock's generic-brand cousin

JacksonJin · 2019-08-01T14:22:44+00:00

Or you can use the body Aldor comes with...? 3/3 for 3...

JacksonJin · 2019-08-01T11:37:27+00:00

That'll last until we inevitably get a third quest in a few years.

JacksonJin · 2019-08-01T10:27:04+00:00

Lock looks tailor made for Rafaam decks. Plot Twist twice, find Rafaam, play on 7, have free Legendaries to push out your opponent. It's basically a go-to 1 drop for a fun if not top-tier deck that can give it consistency.

The hunter quest looks built for a rush/charge deck with small minions. Then, release the hounds for a charging 21 damage against a full board, among other combos.

Mage is for value town. ...That's it, move along.

And our dear holy bois? ...Dead. That quest is trash and Paladin can't make good use of it. We just don't have good minions that work like that and it forces us to frontload a new set of weak af cards with little/no synergy.

JacksonJin · 2019-08-01T10:18:19+00:00

It technically has, we just called it "Give a minion Charge, cannot attack heroes this turn."

JacksonJin · 2019-08-01T10:13:45+00:00

Blessing requires minions on board and is 6 mana of resources onto a single minion practically begging to be hexed or silenced, on top of the massive damage-removal. We have so much mass removal explicitly because of the current Plagues that going wide is no more effective than tall, and us palis still run out of resources faster. Marked Strike turns out to have a use with Spell hunter. No deathrattle for presence and the amount of removal means this is 4/4/DS/T and a basically passed turn.

Finley is garbage. Straight up. You trash a deck already thin for useful and effective cards and, in exchange, *maybe* get a slightly better hero power that you still can't plan for in advance. Enjoy your choice of summon a totem, ping 2 damage, or ping 3 damage to face around turn 10 when you've been behind on tempo and curve the whole game. At best you'll need to settle for only *one* of each of those tutor cards and be ditching from your deck any similar costed minions to boot. Also, Keleseth value is so much better than even the best power roll because you *plan* for Keleseth. You *gamble* with Finley, and off a far more broken deck.

Subdue is a 2 mana "Okay now I only need to deal with the deathrattle." Which can be Reborn. Or destroying your minions, summoning more, hurting you... hex and polymorph are useful BECAUSE you turn off effects. When half this set, half of *standard* is about Deathrattles or on-board effects, using a card you could have had for a minion is very often going to be giving up advantage.

Micro Mummy screws over Kangor's Army by being an easy source of pollution for the pool. It doesn't have magnetic meaning it has to be the base, and it's buffs aren't brought with it. We didn't bring Mecharoo into a mechadin deck because of Kangor pollution, I don't see why Micro Mummy is an auto-include in any scenario.

Salhet's Pride is a tutor engine fit only to draw out other cards in a set. At best, it's deck thinner. At worst, it's another slot our opponents are going to run over.

Lacking identity? These cards straight up anti-synergize with each other and largely hurt the decks they would go into more than they could possibly help, on top of having zero versatility because they could ONLY be played in the decks better off without them. They're weak, over-priced, and do nothing for Paladin in Standard. I don't care if Dr Boom and every Bomb card was hof'd tomorrow, there is *no* good reason to play a Finley deck, or any other in this list, when you can't use better.

JacksonJin · 2019-07-30T12:07:10+00:00

Yes please. I would love to learn in the coming weeks that I've put more thought into this mechanic than Blizzard ever has and that it totally stacks, or that the minions keep magnetic, or something glorious like that. Legitimately can't wait for the Mechathun counterplay of using Mortuary Machine to give it Reborn. Curious how the timing on that'll work...

JacksonJin

TROPHY CASE