How does everyone else handle promo use in their game groups? In the future I will likely be an ambassador and as prize support will be giving out promo cards to my players. That being said I know there is a stigma associated with using promo's for a lot of players. How do you guy's regulate their use? Would seem silly to right out ban them if that is the reward for showing up to events.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Knightmare[/spellbookname]
[mage]Warlord[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA02]1 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFA02]1 x  Hurl Rock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA04]2 x  Hurl Boulder[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a08]1 x  Geyser[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWJ04]2 x  Garrison Post[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ04]1 x  Armory[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ03]1 x  Barracks[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWC05]2 x  Goblin Grunt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC12]1 x  Talos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC15]4 x  Skeletal Minion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC14]3 x  Skeletal Knight[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c22]3 x  Knight of Westlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC06]4 x  Goblin Slinger[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e27]1 x  Marked for Death[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE04]2 x  Brace Yourself[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE09]1 x  Standard Bearer[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ05]2 x  Harshforge Plate[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ04]1 x  General's Signet Ring[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i02]2 x  Battle Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI02]1 x  Conquer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]2 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i20]1 x  Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKI02]1 x  Akiro's Battle Cry[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]1 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI03]2 x  Disarm[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI06]2 x  Defend[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI10]1 x  Whirling Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i23]1 x  Rouse the Beast[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

The goal of this book is to hit very hard very fast to overwhelm the opponent. This book is fairly flexible but once you commit to an opening you have to stick with it. If possible always let your opponent start with initiative if you want to do the aggressive opening so they have initiative when you want to spring Akiro's Battlecry. That way if they plan to move their mage it may happen before you commit the mana where as if you go first and cast it they will for sure move their mage to safety. If the opponent ever decides that you should go first after winning the die roll for initiative I would use the conservative opening by default.

Skeletal Minions should always be used in preference to Goblin Grunts unless you need the extra 1 mana for something else. Unlike the Goblin Grunt they can statistically survive a single attack from most sources, the psychic/poison immunity is a small bonus.

My aggressive opening is:
Turn 1- Prepare Generals Signet Ring and any other spell.

Move to near center. Play Generals Signet Ring.

Turn 2- Prepare Knight and Rouse the Beast (Brace for impact against Forcemaster/Necromancer).

Summon a Knight depending on opponent type (Skeletal knight against Forcemaster or Necromancer, Knight of Westlock against most other books). If you played the Knight of Westlock AND the opponent moved anything into your zone quickcast Rouse the Beast and attack. Otherwise do not quickcast and conserve the mana.

Turn 3- Prepare another Knight and Rouse the Beast OR if opponent has a conjuration (ie. spawnpoint) that is vulnerable to a Conquer you wish to be rid of prepare Conquer and Force Push.

Have your original knight guard right away. If opponent entered your zone attack instead. Summon a Knight reserving Rouse the Beast for if your opponent has minions in your zone to attack.

If you are going for the Conquer strategy and have the requisite mana you could instead have your original knight move to the conjuration in question. Use the force push to get enemy creatures out of the space or to give an extra zone of movement if needed. Cast Conquer.

Turn 4- If opponent creatures are not in your zone prepare another knight and Rouse the Beast. If opponent creatures are already in your zone  your prepare Battle Fury and Hurl Rock. If you cast Conquer previously prepare Skeletal Minion and Brace Yourself.

If you prepared the Knight this turn cast it now and reserve Rouse the Beast for if the opponent enters your zone.

If opponent was already in your zone this turn use Battle Fury and Hurl Rock to deal as much damage as possible. Attack with Knights. The damage race has begun so use mana for support or attack spells with the goal of killing the enemy mage from this point forward.

If Conquer was cast last turn summon a Skeletal Minion. Reserve Brace yourself for if you need to go on the defensive otherwise do not cast it to conserve mana for next turn. Have original Knight Guard for you. At this point your future turns will be dependent on what you opponent does. I would summon a knight turn 5 if able preferably with Rouse the beast. Attack enemy mage as soon as you can as aggressively as you can from this point forward.

Turn 5- Prepare Akiro's Battle Cry and Battle Standard. If opponent is in your zone instead prepare Battle Fury and Hurl Rock.

If opponent is not in your zone cast "To Battle!" Warlord order as your first full action. Assuming the enemy mage stays in range of Fast creatures and does not move into your zone quick cast Akiro's Battle Cry right before a knight acts and charge with your knights. If opponent moved into your zone this turn cast and reveal Battle Standard instead. If the knights successfully charge this turn they each get Charge +3 on their attacks for 24 dice of damage.

Turn 6-  Prepare Battle Fury and Hurl Rock. If armor is a concern prepare Disarm or Acid Ball in place of a Battle Fury.

Attack with everything using Battle Fury and Hurl Rock for 10 additional dice of damage this turn. Assuming you have 3 knights out and successfully used Akiro's battle cry last turn you have dealt a total of 49 dice of damage on turn 5 and 6 alone. If your opponent did not build up his defenses sufficiently it may be enough for a decisive victory.


My conservative opening
Turn 1- Prepare Barracks and Garrison Post.

Move towards non starting corner on starting side and cast Barracks in non starting corner on starting side. Quick cast Garrison Post near center.

Turn 2- Prepare Armory and Brace Yourself.

Quickcast Armory into starting corner. Move to Garrison post and take a Guard action.

Turn 3- Prepare Generals Signet Ring and a Knight if opponent has demonstrated aggression OR Goblin Slinger x2 if they are keeping their distance.

If opponent is demonstrating aggression and moving towards you the Knight is the choice you should have went with. Deploy the Knight at the Garrison Post and quickcast the ring. Take a defense action with your mage.

If opponent has not demonstrated aggression by moving towards you instead choose the 2 Goblin Slingers. Deploy a Goblin Slinger onto the Garrison Post. Summon an additional Goblin Slinger on the Garrison post.

Turn 4- Prepare a Knight and Defend if opponent has demonstrated aggression. If not Prepare Goblin Slinger x2

Just as turn 3 you will deploy the knight. Use your other knight and mage to Guard. Defend will not be used unless you feel very threatened and choose to abort your deployment step.

If opponent is still not aggressive deploy a Goblin Slinger. Use previous 2 Goblin Slingers to target enemy creatures if able. Target Enemy conjurations if not. Summon the other Goblin Slinger with your mage. Remember the Armory gives them all piercing 1.

Turn 5 Onward- Keep deploying Knights if desired. If not Deploy Grunts/ Skeletal Minions and use remaining mana for other spells. If you have 4 Goblin Slingers up remember to use your Warlord command spell to give them all +1 ranged attack dice every turn. 16 dice with piercing 1 and a range of 2 every turn is nothing to joke about. Remember to cast your Generals Signet Ring first opportunity if you have not already done so. If your opponent mage ever stops 1 space away from your zone of creatures make sure you prepare and quickcast force push at the first opportunity to move him a zone away. All full zone attack spells I know of are range 1 and a full action to cast. Do not be afraid to mix it up with Hurl Boulder or Force Hammer in addition to your Goblin Slingers.

If Thorg is adjacent to a zone with a victim of Quicksand and taunts them are they able to use a quick action to attempt to escape? I know if he is in their zone they have to attack Thorg. Adjacent they have to move to his zone if taunted but as they are unable to does that free them up to attempt escape from the Quicksand?

I just love the mental image of Thorg taunting something and pushing their head beneath the sand schoolyard bully style. Please tell me this works. lol

I have been toying with the concept of a Druid or Straywood Beastmaster running 5 mana Skeletal Minions and/or 4 mana Zombie Crawlers for feeding them to Kralathore every turn to give him growth tokens. Once he is large enough (3 tokens or so) send him out to feed on the enemies minions. This would be a swarm deck concept most likely using small creatures summoned by the beastmaster's quick action or the druids seedling pods to stall the enemy mage until Kralathore is ready. He could also feed on your own wounded minions if needed for more growth tokens. He does not appear to have an upward limit on growth tokens which paired with his regeneration would make him scary to deal with to mages that like to wall up or against enemy swarm decks. I feel the concept is vulnerable to control and action as well as mana inefficient but I think it would be fun to try out. Any thoughts?

In a lot of meta-games there is not a whole lot of time for build up before the enemy mage and possibly a few creatures are in your face. So inspired by walls and the card Gravikor I have come up with this play variant. The basic lure of this variant is that the wall has to be destroyed before you can attack the other mage. This gives extra time to establish infrastructure for a more epic battle when the two mages eventually collide. As the wall has no armor swarm books and large creature books are equally viable for it's destruction. WARNING This variant will extend average play time considerably.

TOTAL WAR - THE GREAT WALL OF ETHERIA

Both players start in their respective corners as normal following all normal rules of play for the basic game.

There will be 3 walls bisecting the arena into two equal sides. The walls are conjurations of the Arcane school and will have no armor but will each have 20 life. The effective spell level will be 10 and the effective mana cost will be 30.

This wall has the added text that it blocks passage and line of sight for all traits that would circumvent them (ie. creatures with the flying trait, climbing trait, or anything else that may come out in the future).

The walls are unable to be affected by any enchantments, incantations, or creature abilities (ie. no using cards or creature abilities to modify its values or repair it). Special note: Effect rolls on attacks still function normally (ie. Burn).

Attacks and effects with the indirect trait cannot be targeted at opponent controlled objects or effects on the opposite side of the wall (No using Archers Watchtowers or similar effects for early game aggression).

Upon being destroyed the wall is instead Obliterated (no effects will be able to ever bring it back from the discard pile).

At least one segment of the wall must be destroyed before a mage or an object or spell they control can effect, damage, or cause loss of life to the enemy mage or any objects or spells under their control (ie. Alter of Pestilence or Mordoks Obelisk have no effect on enemy controlled cards until a segment of wall is destroyed).

OTHER VARIANTS

1. Have a turn timer and obliterate the wall when the pre-agreed upon turn concludes. (ie. After the second players turn ends on turn 5).

2. When one section of the wall is obliterated obliterate the remaining sections as well.

3. Modify the health value of the wall lower or higher as agreed upon before a match. I like 20 because a lucky roll from a big creature or attack spell will not destroy it in one attack. Keep in mind both sides will likely be attacking it.

4.Modify the walls abilities for a play-style you desire. Want it to be a normal wall that flyers and indirect attacks can bypass? No problem! Want spells and conjurations that effect the arena to effect mages and creatures on the other side? No problem! It is your game after all feel free to change it to suit you.