Hello! This is the second part of the analysis on the January 2023 FAR and Errata. If you haven’t yet, go check out Part 1 for more information on what this is. This part will contain the 5 new restricted faction cards, so I’ll start!

Gnarlspirt Pack (GSP)

Well Rewarded – This card is strong, yes. However, there are stronger objectives, such as Oath of Fortitude. And Divine Attention exists (yes, it’s only if you play them all in the same phase but still pretty similar). I think that GSP players will just not run this card and instead run Divine Attention (assuming they want this card), but we’ll see.
Grade: C

Trophy of Strength – I don’t know who thought printing this was good. “GUYS! Let’s give them a card allowing them to give out consistent 3 damage attacks! Oh, let’s make it able to be played for free!” Great Strength exists, but at least now they won’t be one-hitting large fighters consistently.
Grade: A

Trophy of Fortitude – GSP didn’t have many wounds, but they can take the following defensive cards:
– Great Fortitude
– Weighty Blessing
– Gifted Bulk
– Trophy of Fortitude
– Preternatural Senses
– Brute Resilience
And more! ‘Just’ these 6 on Beast-Gorl turns him from a 2 Block 4 Wound pebble to a 3 Block/Dodge + Reroll 7 Wound MOUNTAIN, and Lupan will probably be supporting him. With Gifted Bulk and Trophy of Fortitude restricted, this is much less likely to happen (hopefully).
Grade: B

Hexbane’s Hunters

Proof of Guilt – This was an extremely easy card to score and will probably be taken even if it is restricted. There really isn’t an alternative to this card, and for 2 glory it is powerful.
Grade: A

Charmed Horseshoe – My favorite thing about Hexbane: obliterating someone with a 3 damage attack and 5 dice. Sadly this will be harder to achieve now, thanks to this card being restricted. An alternative WOULD HAVE been Lurking Horror; however, it isn’t exactly legal now. Another reason it’s a good restriction is that it had no range limit, meaning the chances of you getting randomly pinged for 2 damage by a 4-dice attack while minding your own business on an objective were not low.
Grade: A

Analysis

Gnarlspirit Pack

These restrictions will definitely tone down the GSP, especially when combined with the universal restrictions and erratas. First of all, they will likely be much less accurate, thanks to Ferocious Bite and Lurking Horror being gone.

Another thing I have noticed while playing on Vassal is that GSP players became much less aggressive in Round 1 (or they are just scared of Skittershank’s Clawpack, I don’t know). Usually, they used to deploy 3 fighters as close as possible to my territory and Lupan in the back. Now, they put most of them somewhere near the middle. This is probably due to the Spirit Counter generation being changed, as most of them became much less scary early game.

Third, they will be MUCH easier to kill with 2/6 of the defensive cards I mentioned being restricted. If they want to keep using Trophy of Strength and other good restricted cards, they will be forced to pass on at least one of those defensive upgrades which got restricted.

Overall, I think that the GSP will drop from S+ tier to around A+ to B- tier. They seem to still be pretty powerful. However, they are no longer as overpowered as they were before. And you can always choose to not run the Beta Rule.

Hexbane’s Hunters

Hexbane will also be toned down but for different reasons. GSP had innately good stats (4 dice Grievous Scything attack at first activation seems fairly balanced, as well as 6 move and flying), while the Hunters have most of their power in their cards (and the ability to score more glory while dead than most people do while alive).

I haven’t played against any Hexbane since the FAR dropped, however, I can guess that if they are not running Pure Carnage anymore, they will be playing much less YOLO style, as they aren’t rewarded as much for dying.

An advantage their opponent gets is not having to perfectly position fighters to deny Proof of Guilt. You can now play slightly more freely instead of being like, ‘Ok, on the last activation I got to move my leader into his territory. Oh wait, he gets a move counter, then I have to use this guy…’ only to realize that you scored 6 objectives. There is always I chance you are wrong though and they are running this card.

Third and something MAJOR: you won’t get bullied from 3 hexes away by Hexbane spamming a 4-5 dice attack anymore, since Lurking Horror got Forsaken and Lucky Horseshoe got restricted.

Overall I think Hexbane will drop from an S-Tier warband to an A to B+ tier warband. He wasn’t hit by the fighters like the GSP, meaning he can still choose to run these restricted cards. This is a major advantage over them.

One more thing, please keep in mind the analysis might not apply to everyone. Some players might take these cards and lose out on other Restricted cards!

And that’s it! Thanks for reading, and I hope this article was useful and not boring. You can contact me on Twitter or Discord (VintroV2#0001) for feedback. Once again, thanks, and I hope to see you again soon!