When I originally read the update that nerfed potions I wasn't super happy about it, but @Jelly explained the rational behind it and it makes more sense! My input on this is-

1. Rarity Excluders

I'm not a big fan of them just being straight nerfed. For regular players that make them on occasion (ie for me, when my one voxel plant produces) I think they're fairly balanced since I usually get a starter egg or a non-legendary. I think they'd work even better if the game gets more pixpets that are 30% rarity or lower in the future. Also I think they work just fine with decoration potions.

I like the idea of them being a prize! My only issue with that is I think it would be a huge bummer to get one as a prize for a contest or event, and to get a starter egg, since those seem pretty common even without any potions. Maybe the rates could be adjusted so you're at least finding something like an Owluck or something around that rarity and lower? This would only be with the idea that it's an event/prize only item and cannot be made.

I also like @Chicken_Raptor 's idea of splitting up rarity excluders for what they effect. Maybe this could be combined with the prize idea? Players can make rarity excluders that would still work for decorations, and only the event/prize excluders effect eggs. Would suggest a rename on the event/prize potion, tho.

My other idea would be that the potion requires a very rare item that can only be found on hoards. So it continues to be a valuable item, but not one that is extremely easy to obtain if you've planned out your plants in a certain way. I think this would work better with my suggestion down below about PPT and SPC so one can't spam hoards endlessly to get it.

2. Other Hoard Improvements

[li]I've mentioned this before in the suggestion thread, but I think it's a bummer that you can only get one decorative capsule per hoard as your pet gets to the upper levels and takes longer to come back/rest. Maybe this could (reasonably) increase either per a pixpet's level or with higher grade decoration potions? This amplifies I think if rarity excluders are permanently nerfed, sending a pet on a 2 day hoard and getting a common item you don't need is a bummer!

I think part of the issue with legendary pets seeming too common is in part due the SPC system. As much as I love being super impatient and blowing my PC on instant hoard return potions, I think being able to do this (and specifically being able to turn PPT into SPC) escalated the issue of an overabundance of legend eggs. I think it would be healthy for the game to not allow instant hoard returns and rest potions to be obtained with IRL money aka PPT (or to allow PPT to be traded for items as you can spend money to buy instant returns, and food basically).

For later game players I feel like hoard times get to be a bit overwhelming. I'm super cool with sending all my pets on hoard (especially now that I have a big house) and coming back to check on them later, but at this point almost all of my pets take 15+ hours to return and I'd like more to do. I am completely fine with sending things on hoard and only visiting the site semi-regularly but I have to start stressing about my plants AND I wanna be on the site more!

I also kinda wish there was incentive to hatch and "train" (aka send on hoard) pixpets that you may already have hatched previously, besides to get different colours. At this point I think there are enough pets that cover the colour ranges (and especially going forward when more pets are added) that it isn't a necessity to really hatch much after you've already hatched one of a pet. Unless you're collecting, but I'm referring to the general player base.

Random but I wish you could evolve a pet while it's resting, this is a very small thing but when my pet comes back from hoard and is fiiiiiinnalllyy high enough I wanna evolve it asap, and having to wait another 12+ hours is a bit of a sad trumpet noise.

EDIT: Thought about this after I posted! Another idea regarding PPT and SPC - If we don't want to completely disallow the purchase of instant return/rest potions with PPT (because PPT can be converted to SPC), perhaps there can be a limit on how many you can buy within a certain time period? To discourage the ability to spend IRL money on endless hoarding or legend hunting.