This inevitably leads to a 'meta'—a dominant strategy that everyone must either play or specifically build to counter.

If a game's meta remains stagnant for too long, the player base quickly becomes bored of seeing the exact same decks.

The Nerf and Buff Cycle

A nerf usually involves slightly reducing the unit's hitpoints, decreasing its attack speed, or increasing its mana cost.

A slight increase in range or damage can instantly transform a forgotten, useless troop into the centerpiece of a new meta deck.

• Sometimes, a nerf to one card is an indirect buff to another.
• Developers rely heavily on win-rate data from top-tier esports matches.
• You might discover an overpowered combo before the rest of the community catches on.

Surviving Patch Day

This is why building a deck based on fundamental synergies rather than exploiting one overpowered card is so important.

Once the dust settles and the new dominant strategies emerge, tweak your deck to ensure you have the appropriate counters.

The Constant Evolution

While having your favorite strategy nerfed can be painful, it is a necessary sacrifice for the long-term health of the game.

The game is alive, and that is what makes it beautiful.