I understand balancing and other locations have yet to be released, but I'd just like to share my displeasure with the locations. They alter the existing basics of the game. Going to try to be as short and to the point as possible.

In one of the spoiler articles it says "To keep it fair to players who are not running locations, we have two features built into the non-controller part of this one. Firstly, the opponent gets a strong alternate hero ability to use themselves" was in reference to a specific card but I'd like to point out "keep if fair" and "strong alternate hero ability" nothing about most of the locations is fair, and the description of strong is exaggerated.

All favor the one who played it. If not giving the player an op ability, the "strong" counter ability costs you valuable se. Se is not easy to come by, few cards add se.

So now I am forced to do one of a few things, play locations, play location removal, or play cards that influences se. If I don't I am forced to overspend my se on getting rid of a card that cost my opponent absolutely nothing. And some times spending it doesn't solve my problem or give me much of anything. In fact valley of doom, kristans ridge, trading port, and lightning quarry are built for the player to potentially use both abilities.

Why is all of this significant? Never has a new card ability been released that forces all decks to account for it. The high se cost for counter abilitys takes away from the existing hero ability system that the entire game is based on. Having so few yet powerful locations will reduce the meta to a handful of play styles and remove some styles completely. Adding free cards to a game that had previously been based on careful spending of resources seems to contradict the very basics. To ever make locations balanced there would need to be locations for every potential play style with a counter ability that favors the one who doesn't play it. The counter ability should not cost se. A free card should have major draw backs.

I'm not angry or quitting, I'm concerned and willing to help. I think locations could work but balancing starts with strengthening the counter abilities.