Most Broken Cards in the Game

[Khrest]

It isn't that broken, In my opinion smaller deck strategies are more consistant. The flamethrowers power suffers from needing cards in the discard pile and while you can highlight the turns where he steam rolls in with 100 + damage, that is because you forget the turns where he only has ammo x10 or worse still a set of weak opening hands every time he shuffles. Granted the strategy was only really made plausible in your last set up BECAUSE of raccoon city police department and Tear gas otherwise it wouldn't have been anywhere near as potent.

What is broken is custom inventories. The sets have a power creep so you will find some custom inventories in the latter sets much more powerful than the previous sets.

I know what you going through because my play group had a phase where billy coen + flamethrowers were considered too strong but things have changed and there are just faster and more robust ways to tackle the mansion now.

[135forte]

Last night takes the cake! My buddy used four Flamethrowers to win and I finally said "Ok, you're getting cheap and stale, let's do a game without flamethrowers" So, then we did character draft and he gets Billy Coen. *rolls eyes*

So, he starts with a flamethrower and my character starts with a gun requiring 50 ammo (IE: Impossible to use in the first couple of turns, because you'll only get 40 ammo).

So, flamethrower isn't useful to him at first because of his small deck, so he fills it with Raccoon City Police departments so that he can add to his discard pile while looking for the flamethrower. Of course, once he gets to level two, Billy's ability let's him put ANY card from the discard pile into HIS HAND. This is insane to me; It isn't even an expensive ability. Absolutely broken. He gets a guaranteed 50 damage (10 cards or more being in discard pile) without having to spend ANY ammo. That's just one card. If he actually gets an ammo and a gun or has a decent deck, he's going hunting for 220 sometimes. (IE: You can beat anything-No fun for anyone)

I just sit and watch him count up Tear Gas discards, then count his discard deck, all to go hunting for a tiny zombie. (We were also playing Majini Rock, so the mansion kept adding extra cards to our decks)

Then my turn comes and it's a quick buy, just a handgun, then it's over. Worst game ever. I'm not normally a sore loser either, but he just dominated ridiculously quickly and I had nothing to keep him down except to give him my ammo x10's which, of course, makes him stronger by adding fuel to his flamethrower.

I was so bored and frustrated and his turns took forever.

It made me really frustrated at the company that made this game because I know it was play tested, but the errors and stuff that snuck through is astounding. The very idea that ANY gun could do 5 times the discard pile (for free) PLUS be paired with an ability that essentially let's you sleep with it, is absurd and horribly game breaking. It even seems like it was designed that way on purpose, which makes me wonder if they ever played "the weekender" or just tested with speed games.

We actually had quite a fight about it because he refuses to think the card is OP. I think the card should read "Does 10 damage for every five cards in your discard" or maybe it should be linked to your inventory instead because of the multitude of things that let you "discard until..."

Well, it's too late now and this rant is in full swing. I hate the idea of changing card functions with house rules, but I guess I have to, but my buddy is actually all butt-hurt, refusing to see why last night was no fun. I'm the kind of winner that, if I dominate, I don't have fun. I'd rather lose in a close game than dominate.

I want to just toss Josh Stone and Billy Coen into a volcano. And I wouldn't miss the flamethrower if it went in there too.
I know it will NEVER happen, but it would mean a lot if this company cared enough to reprint some of their mistakes.

If this were a video game, it would have been patched by now.

TLDR: Summary in Bold

Bear in mind, when the Flamethrower came out it was pretty much the only viable large deck strategy, then came Nightmare. Further more, the 'patch' of which you speak is came in the form of two different Infected, the Reinforced Licker and the Shield Monks, not to mention if he's spamming Tear Gas, the Nostivisadors could have also put him in his place.

[Demicrusaius]

The problem was more in the fact that we were playing Majini Rock and Tribal Technology mixed together with random infected from all other sets. It was huge. I favor quick small decks and do very well with them (I won once with a deck of 11 cards. My proudest moment.) when you mix everything together it doesn't work as well long term. The few infected you mentioned (Some of which were from "The cult" and not included) barely make a dent. And since the game mode "weekender" is actually a suggestion (and a really cool idea) the Flamethrower may have even came with additional text either "Does damage equal to five times the number of cards in your discard pile up to 20" (for a max damage of 100) OR "Does damage equal to five times the number of cards in your discard pile. If the number of cards exceeds 20, discard flamethrower" or "Does 10 damage for every five cards in your discard pile" also seems reasonable.

[Khrest]

My play group usually randomizes mansions of around 40 or so cards, including every infected in the game. small inventories of even 7 or 8 cards are usually the result by the end of the mansion. If you end up playing a mansion any larger than 40, Cards like flamethrower that have ridiculous end game potential will eventually become stupid and the game turns into just steam roll the mansion all day everyday.

Most of the excitement comes within setting up your deck and out pacing your opponents, the most satisfying kills are the earliest ones when you are struggling to get decorations and to level. any mansion larger than 40 cards will see the game drag on far too long and players stuck in the rut will feel super oppressed, Don't want to play but don't want to sit out. Where as players thhat are just steam rolling look as entertained as they would be if they were watching another rerun of the simpsons.

I have tried my hand at card eretta but honestly they are fine, its just the game balance changes drastically when you do a weekender mansion.

[Demicrusaius]

I have tried my hand at card eretta but honestly they are fine, its just the game balance changes drastically when you do a weekender mansion.

Yes, you're right, and I could accept this as a reality if it weren't for the fact that they recommend the weekender as an entertaining option, indicating that they mix together well, when, they don't do so great unless you meticulously decide "Not you combat knife, not you venomous snake, you're good desperate escape, get back in there mansion halls..."

That's why I think the Flamethrower should stop working after your discards have more than, say 30. It does good damage before you get it too high, but after you discard passed a certain number you'll have to wait until you can use it again. Not just summon it with Billy. This would add more strategy to that card.

Maybe there should be more options for other players to hold their opponents down. Like Uroboros Injection, only useful.
Steal weapons, trash other people's good cards, let you look at their hand and discard one or something. Not just sit there and watch them eat your family. Or add more cards that have multiple uses depending on modes or situations.

[Khrest]

Well if your interested in ruining the game for them try Sheva with all the single shot rifles. There is a good handful of griefing cards out now such as;
Mind control, The Mercenaries and The Gathering Darkness for hand control of Actions, Weapons and Ammo respectively.
Uroboros Injection, Struggle for Survival and Fight or Flight to block opponents explores.
Master of Unlocking to steal small deck weapons.
Backstab can steal exp and force a discard, though the discard is there choice.
Grenade for small but cumulative damage that can blow up in the right sort of set ups, ie gathering forces
Custom Pump-Action Shotgun can Give players cards when you kill infected.

In addition to buyable cards there are also Characters like Premier Wesker.

The mansion has alot of Options as well especially in the mercenaries set So there is plenty of choices to do what you want to do but will locking out your friend make them want to play with you anymore?