Arcane Wonders Forum
Mage Wars => Spells => Topic started by: Stormmaster on August 09, 2013, 02:21:04 PM
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Mana Crystal vs Mana Flower ???
If you aren’t playing Arcane or Nature which do you generally choose?
I like the regen on Mana Flower but I like the armor on Mana Crystal so I can't decide which is best. Let's assume you don't know which mage you are playing against so the fire/water vulnerability isn't a factor.
I generally put 2 of these in every deck I play. If you had to put TWO in would you use…
A. 2 Mana Crystals
B. 2 Mana Flowers
C. 1 Mana Crystal + 1 Mana Flower
D. Other? (less/more other?)
So far in every book I have played regardless of Mage I play:
Mana Crystal OR Mana Flowers
1 Moonglow Amulet
1-2 Harmonize
The purpose of this is I generally try to keep my channeling min of 2-4 mana higher than my opponent the entire game (more if I can). I did just have a game where I was regenning 14 mana per turn and my opponent was getting 6 mana per turn with upkeep costs. An extra 8 mana per turn really helps stack the deck in your favor!
I find mana suppression/advantage techniques work well for me since my play style and opponent both generally favor longer matches. But I’m also trying to balance it (as has been discussed action advantage vs mana advantage). I know mana alone won't win me a game, it is what I do with it that counts too. So far I have found regenning more mana to be hugely beneficial though so I'm trying to refine that part of my game.
Thanks in advance, I am a new mageling and appreciate any advice guidance on mana advantage (or any advice) you have. You guys are all so awesome and helpful in these forums, it is a great resource and community especially for people like me new to the game to learn and grow so I can become a master mage like you guys.
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It depends on the mage. The Warlock should probably use Mana Crystals so that he doesn't have to worry about burning down his conjurations just because he wants to cast Ring of Fire. Warlord should probably use Mana Flower because it's cheaper for him to include. For Priestess, Priest, and Forcemaster, I don't think it makes much of a difference. I would probably go with 1 of each.
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i would use moonglow amulet because equipment cards have to be within range of 1 to destroy. harmonize i would use more if i was a wizard otherwise i would only run 1. shift enchantment is novice and i find that moving it is easier than mage binding it. As far as crystal and flowers go I think 1 each JIC.
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Crystal is more durable than flower in my experience. Both are vulnerable to one-shot kills, but crystal slightly less so. And with or without regeneration, the second attack will probably kill the flower.
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The only strength flower has over Crystal is the 1 spellbook point for BM. That's actually it. Crystal is better in every other case.
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It's also 1 less spellbook point for the Warlord...
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I prefer the Crystal over the Flower as it is not subject to Flame Attacks....
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I would love for my opponents to waste a flameblast on a mana flower.
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Even if the Flameblast comes from a Wizard's tower? Genuinely curious.
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Yeah, as that is one more attack that isn't being used on me. And if they have a wizard's tower that close to my starting corner, I should be in a good position in the first place.
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And if they have a wizard's tower that close to my starting corner, I should be in a good position in the first place.
What do you mean by that one? That they may have rushed too early, and unsupported, perhaps?
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I would love for my opponents to waste a flameblast on a mana flower.
Destroying a Mana Flower with a Flameblast isn't a bad play. It's not like you use every attack spell in your book every game.
In fact, it's a pretty good play, depending on the match-up. If you're playing aggressively, you should have no shortage of attack spells or dice in general anyway, but you will be short on mana, and removing the Flower closes the mana gap.
Destroying that Flower could mean the difference between fizzling out too early and lasting later into the game.
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Thanks for the advice folks. Looks like Mana Crystal is slightly preferred over Mana Flower. So when in doubt I will add an extra Mana Crystal instead of Flower. That actually helps a lot since the other purpose of me asking this question is to continue my pursuit of developing a 'base' spellbook. One that I can have preassembled with the necessary basics and just add to it depending on the Mage I choose and strategy I wish to employ. So this is one more piece to that puzzle. Thanks! :)
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If water based attack spells ever come into style (or are fleshed out a bit), the Hydro Immunity on Mana Flowers might make them more popular. But right now, theres more threat from fire damage than from Gysers and Surging Waves.
Also, if there was to be...some sort of plant themed mage.., Mana Flower's "plant" subtype might give it an extra level of value to such a spellcaster. Hypothetically speaking, of course.
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Ya I was thinking that. Maybe Mana Flowers that grow and multiply. Maybe the Druid can do something with plants in the future who knows. That would be cool.
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I would love for my opponents to waste a flameblast on a mana flower.
Destroying a Mana Flower with a Flameblast isn't a bad play. It's not like you use every attack spell in your book every game.
In fact, it's a pretty good play, depending on the match-up. If you're playing aggressively, you should have no shortage of attack spells or dice in general anyway, but you will be short on mana, and removing the Flower closes the mana gap.
Destroying that Flower could mean the difference between fizzling out too early and lasting later into the game.
Yeah I'm going to have to disagree with that. You may not use every attack spell you play, put you will use every action you have, especially if you are playing aggressively, to efficiently kill the opponent. I would rather flameblast the opponents face in order to get burn on, than removing something that won't benefit them for long enough to make a difference.
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Yeah until that dang dwarf or angel Intercepts that blast and the mage you are playing is going to make the game go a bit longer than you planned and with that "Mana Crystal" that you are ignoring is going to out channel you by two or three points. Not so rosy now!
To me the big difference is the (other than book cost) which is more difficult to one shot? The flower has the regen capabilities but no armor. So it has to survive the single attack with no Armor and Flame +2. OTOH with the same life and 2 Armor the crystal is much more (though not impossible) difficult to one shot.
Now I am not saying that you should or shouldn't attack the Crystal or Flower (as the Dude says) but if the question comes down to which one I would put my spell book and hope that it survives, the Crystal is superior. One caveat the Warlord, Mana Flowers all the way.
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I'm not saying you should actively TRY to destroy mana conjurations, but given the opportunity, like if I can't get at the opposing mage, and I prepped a Flameblast, I really don't see the problem with it. And unless you can destroy the enemy mage in 5 turns, I don't see how a turn 1 Mana Flower isn't going to pay off.
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With the intro of CoK into the game and Intercept, I see dropping two crystals/flowers round one as a very strong play. Now on the other side is it worth taking one or two of these out? If you (or a creature you control) lands in a zone with a Crystal/Flower of the opposing mage and have an attack that would otherwise go to waste that is a no brainer.
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Destroying mana conjurations is the topic of an old thread. Back then I posited that there was value in attacking mana conjurations depending on the need at the time, and I still believe this. In regards to the circumstances discussed here as I understand them, I have to side with The Dude. I'm having a hard time imagining when it would be the right time for an aggressive build to attack mana conjurations. If an aggressive build is attacking mana conjurations it is far afield from its strategy and must be in desperation mode or it lost focus on its purpose.
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Using a creature to destroy mana conjurations is one thing. Using a spell is quite another, if I spend 5 mana on casting flameblast on your manaflower I've just spent the same mana that you cast on the damn thing in the first place and an action and unless you just cast the mana flower that round you've already gotten some mana back from it. A cheap creature on the other hand could potentially sneek behind your lines and destroy both of your mana conjurations before engaging the enemy and even if he doesn't succeed he could potentially distract you making you misallocate your resources to deal with him.
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Using a creature to destroy mana conjurations is one thing. Using a spell is quite another, if I spend 5 mana on casting flameblast on your manaflower I've just spent the same mana that you cast on the damn thing in the first place and an action and unless you just cast the mana flower that round you've already gotten some mana back from it. A cheap creature on the other hand could potentially sneek behind your lines and destroy both of your mana conjurations before engaging the enemy and even if he doesn't succeed he could potentially distract you making you misallocate your resources to deal with him.
Yes, exactly, and at this point in the game an aggressive build should have used its mana reserves and probably can find way better uses for 5 mana.