As we prepare for the launch of Conclave Arcana, an important update is on the horizon—adjustments to Brawl frays to accommodate this new set. Splinterlands is facilitating external community testing of the Conclave Arcana cards before release. As part of that testing process, we need to update frays to properly reflect this exciting addition.
Three Proposed Approaches
After gathering feedback from multiple guilds, I have drafted three potential proposals for updating Brawl Frays. Each proposal focuses on different priorities, and I’m eager to hear what the broader community thinks before finalizing any changes.
Proposal 1: Modern First Approach
This approach is designed to motivate players to acquire and use Conclave Arcana packs by adjusting frays to prominently feature the new set. By doing so, we aim to maintain a fresh and evolving competitive landscape while ensuring that new content remains relevant in guild battles.
Proposal 2: Expanding Fray Diversity
This proposal focuses on creating a broader range of fray options, including opportunities for older sets like Chaos Legion (CL) and other Wild-format cards to remain impactful. Some frays under this approach would feature no Modern cards at all, following a community suggestion that this could make for a unique and fun experience.
Proposal 3: Simplified Modern vs. Wild Approach
Based on additional community feedback, this third proposal takes the simplest route by dividing frays into either Modern or Wild without additional set-based restrictions. This approach minimizes complexity while ensuring players have clear choices in their preferred competitive environment.
Key for the following tables:
A - Alpha
B - Beta
U - Untamed
Cl - Chaos Legion
R - Rebellion
Ca - Conclave Arcana
The Caps have the following Summoner limits:
| Common | Rare | Epic | Legendary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novice | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Adept | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Intermediate | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Advanced | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Expert | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
Tier 1
In my initial version, I set Fray 3 as Rebellion-only in Proposed 1. However, @vugtis and @warrentrx both asked that I change it to Modern to make the fray more accessible to new players.
| Fray | Caps | Current | Proposed 1 | Proposed 2 | Proposed 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novice | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 2 | Novice | ABUClR | Modern (RCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 3 | Novice | R | Modern (RCa) | Modern (RCa) | Modern |
| 4 | Novice | RCl | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 5 | Adept | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 6 | Adept | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 7 | Adept | R | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 8 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 9 | Intermediate | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 10 | Intermediate | R | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 11 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 12 | 🪙Adept | 🪙R | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 13 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ClR | 🪙Ca | 🪙Ca | 🪙Modern |
| Tier 1 | Fray Counts | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
| Wild Frays | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | |
| Modern Frays | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
Tier 2
On my first iteration, I had Fray 9 as Rebellion only in Proposed 1.
| Fray | Caps | Current | Proposed 1 | Proposed 2 | Proposed 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novice | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 2 | Novice | R | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 3 | Adept | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 4 | Adept | RCl | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 5 | Adept | R | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 6 | Adept | ABU | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 7 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 8 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 9 | Intermediate | R | Modern (RCa) | Modern (RCa) | Modern |
| 10 | Intermediate | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 11 | Advanced | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 12 | Advanced | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 13 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 14 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 15 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 16 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| Tier 2 | Fray Counts | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
| Wild Frays | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| Modern Frays | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
Tier 3
| Fray | Caps | Current | Proposed 1 | Proposed 2 | Proposed 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adept | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 2 | Adept | ClR | Ca | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 3 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 4 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Modern(RCa) | ABUCl | Wild |
| 5 | Intermediate | ClR | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 6 | Intermediate | UCl | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 7 | Advanced | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 8 | Advanced | ABUClR | Modern(RCa) | ABUCl | Wild |
| 9 | Advanced | UCl | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 10 | Advanced | ClR | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 11 | Advanced | ABU | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 12 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 13 | Expert | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 14 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 15 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 16 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 17 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 18 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| Tier 3 | Fray Counts | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
| Wild Frays | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | |
| Modern Frays | 8 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
Tier 4
The current Tier 4 Fray 5 is currently Intermediate and not Advanced.
| Fray | Caps | Current | Proposed 1 | Proposed 2 | Proposed 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 2 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 3 | Intermediate | ClR | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 4 | Intermediate | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 5 | Advanced | UCl | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 6 | Advanced | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUCl) | Wild |
| 7 | Advanced | ABUClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 8 | Advanced | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 9 | Advanced | ClR | R | R | Modern |
| 10 | Advanced | UCl | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 11 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 12 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUCl) | Wild |
| 13 | Expert | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 14 | Expert | ClR | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 15 | Expert | ABU | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 16 | 🪙Adept | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 17 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 18 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 19 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 20 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 21 | 🪙Expert | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| Tier 4 | Fray Counts | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
| Wild Frays | 13 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| Modern Frays | 8 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
Tier 5
In Tier 5, you'll notice that Frays 17 and 18 were out of order. I moved them up to align with the summoner cap sequence.
| Fray | Caps | Current | Proposed 1 | Proposed 2 | Proposed 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intermediate | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 2 | Intermediate | ClR | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 17 | Intermediate | UCl | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 18 | Intermediate | ABU | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 3 | Advanced | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 4 | Advanced | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 5 | Advanced | ABU | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUCl) | Wild |
| 6 | Advanced | UCl | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 7 | Advanced | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 8 | Advanced | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 9 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 10 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild |
| 11 | Expert | ABUClR | Wild (ABUClRCa) | Wild (ABUCl) | Wild |
| 12 | Expert | ABU | Modern(RCa) | Wild (ABUCl) | Wild |
| 13 | Expert | UCl | Modern(RCa) | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 14 | Expert | ClR | R | Modern(RCa) | Modern |
| 15 | Expert | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 16 | Expert | ClR | Ca | Ca | Modern |
| 19 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 20 | 🪙Intermediate | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 21 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ABUCR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 22 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| 23 | 🪙Advanced | 🪙ABU | 🪙Ca | 🪙Ca | 🪙Modern |
| 24 | 🪙Expert | 🪙ABUClR | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild (ABUClRCa) | 🪙Wild |
| 25 | 🪙Expert | 🪙ClR | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern(RCa) | 🪙Modern |
| Tier 5 | Fray Counts | Current | Proposal 1 | Proposal 2 | Proposal 3 |
| Wild Frays | 16 | 9 | 12 | 12 | |
| Modern Frays | 9 | 16 | 13 | 13 |
Community Input & Poll
I invite the community to engage in an open discussion about these two proposed paths—or to suggest alternative approaches that we may not have considered. Once we've had the opportunity to explore these ideas together, I will create an SPS poll to gather player preferences and guide the final decision.
Your input is crucial in shaping the future of Brawl frays, and I encourage everyone to share their thoughts. Let’s collaborate to ensure we make the best possible choice for the game and its players!
While the above proposals were crafted with compromise in mind, there are additional ideas worth discussing that could influence future fray structures. Here are a few:
- I would like to suggest a rotating fray format that changes quarterly—for example, featuring ABU one quarter, ACl another, and BU in the third UCl in the 4rth. This could add variety and strategic diversity over time.
- Another idea put forward is reevaluating Gold Foil frays, with some advocating for their removal or the reduction of one GF fray per tier.
Let the discussions begin! 🔥⚔️