Hello Casters!
We’re here with a scheduled update for the Divine Champions — Sunstrike format. This is a little earlier than we intend to do for future expansions, but Sunstrike has a number of unusual factors that have led to us selecting an earlier post-release timeline for adjustment.
The actions we announce today will become effective on Saturday, June 27th, just in time for the Premier on Sunday, June 28th. We’re doing this now to ensure we have a second chance to adjust things before the arrival of Snowshade, coming later this year.
This second window for adjustment will come after we have more data on the updated meta, which will likely be released in late August or early September.
To be clear - we hope that the changes we announce today are the only ones we need for Sunstrike. We’re leaving a window for changes just in case, but we’ve been so impressed by how you’ve all adapted to this meta and we hope that the community continues to innovate.
Additionally, Sunstrike is the last release with two scheduled banned+limited adjustment windows. Starting in Snowshade, we’re returning to a single Banlist per expansion that will take place after 4 Premiers have been played on the new set.
We have the logistics out of the way, so let's talk about why we're making these changes. Since the release of Sunstrike, we've seen some potent play patterns and high power level cards warping the format and setting up problems in the future. This Banlist is meant to address both.
Decks are being built specifically around interacting with wide boards and extremely fast threats. To give an example, look at how many more Pandora's Boxes are being added in main decks compared to prior sets. While we’re impressed with how well players have adapted, we want to create a format with more room for different types of decks and strategies, and would like to not see games come down to "do you have it?" early on.
As mentioned in prior videos, we're recommitting to respect for the Normal Action and we want Spirits to feel like they really matter over the course of the game — not just as fuel for turbo threats or oppressive answers. Our approach had shifted while Sunstrike was in production. The most significant hits we’re announcing today are the ones most out of step with the new direction.
Our goal here is to allow organic format development and growth. We love seeing the new creativity that comes with the release of Divine Champions - Sunstrike, but there are some clear signs of a warped format. We believe that with precise adjustments, we can create a wider metagame with more opportunity for player creativity and experimentation.
We have two primary steps that we’re taking towards this goal:
- Mitigate the power and frequency of early game explosive board states and their enablers.
- Similarly reduce the power and frequency of efficient removal tools.
The circumstances are similar to when we needed to take action in January - The Elestrals Trading Card Game currently has too much focus on hyper-efficient threats vs hyper-efficient answers. The Sunstrike format is heavily focused on “do you have the answer” in a very small window to keep up, and while there’s still opportunity for skill expression with smart deckbuilding and play, this isn’t the gameplay experience we’re trying to create.
In addition to these goals, we have a few “next-level” adjustments to limit the potential for resource landslide game states after the dust settles from our main targets. (For those of you who remember the April Temporary Banlist, these may look familiar.)
As a reminder, here’s how we define what we do with cards that are deemed problematic:
- A card is subject to be Banned if it has a powerful, game-warping effect when naturally drawn, AND if it’s highly powerful when searched. These cards are often unhealthy game pieces that cannot be modulated in a healthy way. (Cards that are banned this way will be marked as candidates for an “Escaped From Tartarus” titled cards in the future, however, not all cards will receive this title.)
- A card is subject for a Limit if it’s part of a game piece that aids healthy gameplans as a singular card, but has too much of a compounding advantage when up to 3 can be applied. We expect players to include cards like this in their strategies as search targets and they shouldn’t be game-defining when drawn naturally over the course of a game.
- A card is subject for a Semi-limit if it’s disproportionately impactful only when played with multiple copies. Semi-limits are unusual and no cards are receiving this treatment today.
Please keep these goals and this logic in mind for all 10 card changes we’re announcing today. We do have a bit more context in the YouTube announcement HERE, and our Director of Play Experience, RidiculousHat will dive further in with Swolelax during a live interview on Saturday June 20th at 2pm ET! Set your calendars and bookmark the Elestronauts YouTube page HERE.
SENT TO TARTARUS:
Bag of Winds Back in the Bag, Tower of the Winds, Cirrucoon Champion of Aeolus
Sunstrike introduced a strategy revolving around quickly resolving Stratomoth Champion of Aeolus, often on turn 1. The resulting board states were staggering and very hard to counteract - and if dealt with, it was often possible for players to get a second Moth down within a turn or two. We’ve discussed our shift in design direction multiple times this year with an increased desire towards preserving the integrity of the Normal Action - but unfortunately, that design shift happened after Sunstrike went to print. Moth and its enablers are a remnant of a different set of goals and the consequences have been felt.
After extensive testing, analysis, and feedback, the hardest question was determining which avenue of the deck to address. There are multiple powerful components here:
- Stratomoth Champion of Aeolus itself is an extremely powerful threat that can search out utility cards such as Peagust, Windjinn, or Nemisail to solve any problem you could think of.
- Nimbug Champion of Aeolus is both a search aid and a Nexus enabler, allowing players to facilitate ascensions or Wind receive triggers with ease.
- Bag of Winds Back in the Bag is an encapsulation of the problem in a single card, allowing players to bypass Counter Runes and freely exchange Spirits for Specials at an overly efficient rate.
We tested a variety of configurations, but all of our piecemeal approaches to narrow the deck’s power felt unsatisfying and didn’t result in major shifts to how Moth won or how people had to prepare for it. After additional deliberation and analysis, we made the call to focus all of our hits on the enablers that efficiently allow a 3-drop to be played on turn 1. When you get Stratomoth Champ in play, you’ll still be able to do powerful things, but the amount of effort required to do this should increase significantly. The increased time cost also means that players have to manage their Spirits and board development more in the meantime, creating a much wider window for counterplay.
We understand that these changes will heavily reshape the Aeolus/Stratomoth Champion deck and do not make these changes lightly. However, we believe that these changes are necessary in order to allow breathing room for this format as well as future ones.
This is the only other ban we’re announcing today. While Phosvocell Ultracharged decks didn’t have dominant results in early Sunstrike events, the problems around the experience remain the same and it would be very easy for this strategy to fill the gap that Moth leaves behind. Anocell only exists to serve as a speed bump on the way to a powerful 3-cost Elestral with inherent protection and destruction effects - and much like Stratomoth Champion of Aeolus, Phosvocell Ultracharged frequently showed up on turn 1. Even if it’s possible to respond to the card, the need to account for a 3-drop on turn 1 with this level of reliability puts pressure on the format that we do not want.
LIMITED TO 1 COPY
Eruption Hephaestus’ Jealousy is an extremely powerful card for Fire decks, giving them the ability to globally destroy nearly any face-up card on the field. However, the efficiency of this card combined with its near-universal application led to an environment where players were discouraged from investing into setup cards. Jealousy makes sense in a metagame where a prompt answer is needed for prompt threats, but with the above bans as context, it’s possible for removal to create an equally stifling environment of its own.
From what we’ve observed, Jealousy is particularly powerful when drawn naturally and played in multiples, but a single copy as a search target allows for a different gameplay experience. Allowing a single copy to remain keeps the exciting new synergies from Hephaestus Champions alive while providing the player a compelling skill check for deciding when and where to use the removal. We’re hopeful that a single copy provides a good balance.
Ectopossum Champion of Artemis
Speaking of efficient global removal that’s stifling in multiples, we have to mention the star of the third metagame pillar that’s formed after our initial Sunstrike premiers. Ectopossum Champion of Artemis pairs with Hypnossum Champion of Artemis to provide a “free” threat, a combat trick, and global removal all in one. We like Lunar having access to efficient tools like this that work in a distinctly Lunar-feeling way and we like that Hypnossum encourages different solutions both inside and outside the battle step, but we don’t like that the best approach is specifically to get multiple Ectopossums and then deploy them all at once to dominate the board state out of nowhere. A limit here will give space for Lunar to explore other synergies while retaining Hypnossum into Ectopossum as a strong one-time line of play.
While we’ve seen “Bear Bomb” strategies since this card was released in Firestorm, the new tools in Sunstrike have supercharged the strategy, particularly Ursmog Champion of Hestia. While players in the past were able to assemble a relatively quick search for a Majursa Champion of Hestia, new builds of Bear Bomb are capable of pulling out multiple Mama Bears in the same turn with frightening ease. We’re okay with players working for a Majursa and we’re okay with it happening once, but twice in a row is beyond what we’re willing to allow. Much like Phosvocell, this strategy hasn’t performed in premiers yet, but we’re concerned about the risk that would be posed when other adjustments leave space for problems that are lurking near the front lines of the metagame.
Apheros (Base set), Avialith Champion of Hermes, Novacore Champion of Apollo,
We made temporary adjustments in April of this year due to the delayed release of the Sunstrike expansion and all three of these cards were included. These adjustments were lifted with the release of Sunstrike and the dramatically different shape of the format has prevented any of these from seeing significant competitive results, but with the other 7 changes noted in this list, we want to make sure that we’re not simply reverting to the Worlds metagame. All of these cards are simply too efficient in terms of what you spend vs what you get in return and we expect the format to be more diverse with them at 1 instead of 3.
While Apheros was banned back in April, we’re choosing to limit it at this time. We expect the increased options of the Sunstrike format to make it easier for players to remove a single Elestral on demand and allowing Apheros to exist as a 1-of creates an opportunity for players to experiment with a modified “Fish” strategy. Ideally, this limit will add options to the format instead of removing them.
This concludes the changes. Since this list is focused on making some pretty significant changes quickly, we’re not making any Un-limits or changes to foundational cards like Omni's at this time. We do still have a few cards we’re keeping a close eye on for short or long-term adjustments. But don’t worry, we’re not sitting on a pile of bans waiting to happen.
From here, the path we take will be driven by the natural development of the metagame and you as players.
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This list will take effect on June 27th, 2026, after the Sunstrike Set Celebrations conclude, and ahead of the next Premier on June 28th. As we mentioned, we’re doing this early list with the hope that it’s our ONLY list for Sunstrike - but we’re leaving ourselves a window later in the set to make sure that the runway is clear for Snowshade to hit just right. We’ll continue to monitor upcoming Premier events, along with the Sunstrike Store Championships, and give ourselves the chance to make further adjustments if needed.
We’re hoping our balance changes will shrink in scope as we return to one adjustment window per set, and new expansions released every 4 months. We’re encouraged by how effectively players have maneuvered Sunstrike’s initial format and we’re hopeful to see more player-driven adaptation with time and effort.
We have an exciting series of events and set releases coming to the second half of this year, and we cannot wait to see how the meta evolves.
Check out the Interview with Swolelax and the Elestronauts!
On behalf of the entire Elestrals team, we want to thank everyone for getting involved and getting us closer to the game we want to be for our community.
Thank you for reading!
