Night Crew Games
@nightcrewgames.bsky.social
That's it for today's mega thread!
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
That's it for today's mega thread!
And here’s the part I think is the coolest: the system I just gave you is good for balancing… but even that heuristic might be completely wrong for your group or your deck.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
And here’s the part I think is the coolest: the system I just gave you is good for balancing… but even that heuristic might be completely wrong for your group or your deck.
Because if card evaluation is always easy, it’s not interesting. When it’s easy you lose all the fun of making an interesting choice or debating it with your friends.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Because if card evaluation is always easy, it’s not interesting. When it’s easy you lose all the fun of making an interesting choice or debating it with your friends.
We want to give you the opportunity to grow as a player and get the satisfaction of knowing you’re better at the game then you were last session.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
We want to give you the opportunity to grow as a player and get the satisfaction of knowing you’re better at the game then you were last session.
Disarming Smile is clearly more powerful, but it doesn’t feel that way until you really get a handle on the cards. And this is good. We want there to be hard choices. We want there to be things that are subtle.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Disarming Smile is clearly more powerful, but it doesn’t feel that way until you really get a handle on the cards. And this is good. We want there to be hard choices. We want there to be things that are subtle.
Disarming Smile has 2 numbers (1 point), 3 suits (2 points), -1 damage (-1 point) and the two numbers are in a row (1 point) for a total of 3 points (1+2-1+1).
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Disarming Smile has 2 numbers (1 point), 3 suits (2 points), -1 damage (-1 point) and the two numbers are in a row (1 point) for a total of 3 points (1+2-1+1).
Sparring has 1 number (0 points), 1 suit (0 points), 1 damage (1 point) for a total of 1 Point (0+0+1).
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Sparring has 1 number (0 points), 1 suit (0 points), 1 damage (1 point) for a total of 1 Point (0+0+1).
Now this clearly doesn’t take into account special rules text, but right now it’s good enough for our purpose. So let’s use this system to evaluate the two cards we have.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Now this clearly doesn’t take into account special rules text, but right now it’s good enough for our purpose. So let’s use this system to evaluate the two cards we have.
+1 point for each damage +1 point for each number after the first +1 point for each suit after the first +1 extra point for each number in a row +1 extra point for each duplicate suit on the card
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
+1 point for each damage +1 point for each number after the first +1 point for each suit after the first +1 extra point for each number in a row +1 extra point for each duplicate suit on the card
As a very rough, super simplified version of how I measure the power level of cards when creating them, I assign each card a point value using the following rules:
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
As a very rough, super simplified version of how I measure the power level of cards when creating them, I assign each card a point value using the following rules:
Having multiple numbers or suits on a card can, in some ways, be thought of as translating into free actions.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Having multiple numbers or suits on a card can, in some ways, be thought of as translating into free actions.
Plan Size +1 = Action Economy On A Roll! But it takes a bit for players to realize that that is functionally no different than having one player play a card with a 4 AND a 5 on it, instead of having two players each play one card with a 4 OR a 5.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Plan Size +1 = Action Economy On A Roll! But it takes a bit for players to realize that that is functionally no different than having one player play a card with a 4 AND a 5 on it, instead of having two players each play one card with a 4 OR a 5.
Very early on players come to value cards that give Plan Size +1 because those just straight up give you an extra play, which is awesome.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Very early on players come to value cards that give Plan Size +1 because those just straight up give you an extra play, which is awesome.
because they don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re going to hit.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
because they don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re going to hit.
You get 5 cards to meet the To Hit requirements of an Obstacle and deal damage to it. If you can spend one less card meeting the To Hit requirements it means someone else has a chance to do something big and flashy and pile on the damage...
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
You get 5 cards to meet the To Hit requirements of an Obstacle and deal damage to it. If you can spend one less card meeting the To Hit requirements it means someone else has a chance to do something big and flashy and pile on the damage...
But what was really fascinating to me was watching when the lightbulb turned on for players as they played. Because you can sort of distill Cyberpunk Legends down into an action economy:
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
But what was really fascinating to me was watching when the lightbulb turned on for players as they played. Because you can sort of distill Cyberpunk Legends down into an action economy:
By scenario 3 I rarely see people make “wrong” choices. They may choose slightly less powerful cards at times, but they do so because those cards better fit their style of play rather than because of misevaluation. Which is awesome, that type of learning is what keeps things engaging.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
By scenario 3 I rarely see people make “wrong” choices. They may choose slightly less powerful cards at times, but they do so because those cards better fit their style of play rather than because of misevaluation. Which is awesome, that type of learning is what keeps things engaging.
2. People learn to evaluate Legends cards as they go, but even veteran CCG players don’t always come in with the tools to do so because the game is so different...
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
2. People learn to evaluate Legends cards as they go, but even veteran CCG players don’t always come in with the tools to do so because the game is so different...
1. People like to create decks that feel fun for them to play instead of hardcore optimizing, which is good. The optimizers among us have plenty of opportunity in Legends to min-max, but not having that be the only path to win is a win to me.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
1. People like to create decks that feel fun for them to play instead of hardcore optimizing, which is good. The optimizers among us have plenty of opportunity in Legends to min-max, but not having that be the only path to win is a win to me.
I’m pretty sure that if you're looking to maximize power, this is objectively wrong...but it’s great! It means two things:
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
I’m pretty sure that if you're looking to maximize power, this is objectively wrong...but it’s great! It means two things:
When it comes time for people to upgrade their decks and swap out cards, this is often one of the first cards to go. I frequently see Disarming Smile tossed while Sparring stays in the deck:
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
When it comes time for people to upgrade their decks and swap out cards, this is often one of the first cards to go. I frequently see Disarming Smile tossed while Sparring stays in the deck:
This is reasonable. It’s the only card that provides negative damage. It can feel bad to drop this down and take damage away from your team.
November 20, 2025 at 6:33 PM
This is reasonable. It’s the only card that provides negative damage. It can feel bad to drop this down and take damage away from your team.