Here's a simple truth of spellbook design:

A well-rounded spellbook will and should defeat a myopic one every time. There are so many ways that you can "change" the flow of this game that I might just be inclined to argue that nearly every card is a "game-changing" card. It all depends on the circumstances.

Here's a few:

Teleport: The ability to throw something wherever you want it is incredibly strong. The ability to do it as a quick action is devastating.

Dispel: The ability to tear down enchantments is a cornerstone of balancing enchantments. When played on the right enchantments at the right time, Dispel is easily in the top 3 for the "game-changer" category.

Cheetah Speed: Giving Fast to your Mage or one of your creatures can completely throw off another player in terms of positioning, or surprise an opponent at an opportune time. It can be used to facilitate your Mage's escape from a bad spot, or it can be used aggressively. It is similar to Teleport in these regards.

Poisoned Blood: As someone else pointed out, it can seal the deal in games during the late game. Most Mages will include at least a few "Oh SHIT!" Healing Spells in their spellbooks, and if you drop this on a Mage when you're close to victory, they have to waste a precious action on Dispelling it (if they have one left) or be doomed. Either way, it's a strong play and can definitely change games, if not outright win them.

Seeking Dispel: While it's a shot in the dark, Seeking Dispel is incredibly cheap, both for spellbook inclusion and for casting. It can cheaply pick away carefully laid defenses or traps. The obvious fear is that you might hit a Decoy, but it's a risk worth taking more often than not.

Any quick action attack spell that hits 2 or more squares away and has the opportunity to Stun, Daze, or Push an enemy. Timing is everything, and if you pull of a lucky shot on one of these it can DECIMATE a player's carefully laid plans for an entire turn.

Reverse Magic: It's expensive, but it can ruin the day for your opponent if they throw a particularly bad spell your way. It can change games.

And the list goes on ad infinitum. There are just SO many ways to "change" the game that it's almost easier to pick out the spells that are not game-changers in one way or another...

-nihil

@ghbell: Your rabbit hole into playstyle and general play strategy was not an address to cost v. effect, and not withstanding to my comments at all. You are factually wrong to say that there is not an implicit advantage to a proactive card over a reactive card. Start debating the actual argument at-hand. All you actually said in those prosaic paragraphs is "there is strategy in the game," which isn't something that was being debated in the first place.

It is, in fact, true that a proactive equipment will yield a greater or equal cost:effect ratio than a purely reactive equipment destruction card, because the best case scenario for the caster of the destruction card is that he/she expended equal resources to destroy the item, and did so prior to any gains from the item coming into play.

You are trying to argue against points that I did not make by utilizing theory that does not apply to my argument.

-nihil

Got it. Great. Thank you.

-nihil

Action advantage is the core reason to use spawn points. The trick is though a spawn point burns an action to cast it. So the first creature you summon still has you down an action. The second creature you summon breaks you even on actions. When you get to the third creature and beyond that is when you start get an advantage on actions. If I do not plan on having more than 3 creatures in play over the course of a match. It is hard to justify the spawn point.

That said in swarm books it is easy to gain action advantage for even one spawn point in play.

That's only one perspective:

It's always action advantage, because regardless of whether you are "breaking even" on actions over the long-haul, you are immediately not having to use precious actions from your Mage to create creatures.

That said, there is some severe discrepancy between the effectiveness of spawn points. Look at Gate of Voltari vs. the imminently crappy Warlock options, for example.

-nihil

Finished with the gluing process. The board folds very nicely and smoothly. There's a bit of extra base on the sides in certain locations that I will sand down so that everything is flush. It's coming together.

You'll see that what I couldn't before describe very well (the hinges) are now properly done, hidden in the frame so that only the small tubular "bump" is present/visible when the board is open. I have to allow the wood glue to fully set for 24 hours or so before I can staple/screw the frame solidly into place. Once stapled/screwed, the frame will be fully prepared, and I can begin the work of laying the tiles etc.

More pictures!

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I'll be setting the frame and possibly getting as far as the elmers/water pour over the cracked tiles, today. I'll post updates this evening with results. Cross some fingers for me.

-nihil

Haha - thanks for your patience Nihil. My guys are working right now to restore the old posts and post counts. We'll find a way!

Am I the only one who finds it odd that apparently the only person who isn't even remotely "fixed" is the board administrator?  :whistle:

-nihil