Priest is probably tied for my favorite mage.  I felt the same as others here ("his abilities are useless") until I realized/tried a few things:

1).  Dropping HA on a big creature early on is not a good idea.  The extra hp you get from HA does not change with level, so the smaller creatures actually make for better and more efficient HA's.  Asyran Clerics and now Asyran defenders are hands down the best targets for HA.  No other card/ability in the game (iirc) can get you that much extra health on a creature for that little mana (2/3mana for 5 hp).  If you need a big creature, like a Knight, just summon one.

2).  I've learned that the best initial strategy is to bind pillar of light to a elemental wand (which is easy with a forge).  It's very non-commital, and rushing your opponent in the typical way is not a good idea, from my experience.  Rather, open him up with buffed Pillar's from dawnbreaker ring and pay 1 mana for malakia's fire each time.  Once your opponent drops an interceptor or a Cloak of Shadows (to prevent your ranged pillars), that's when you drop your staff and prepare for the smackdown, warrior of light style  . (Obviously you'll have to dissolve the cloak before you hit him).  If he drops armor, acid ball and keep going.

3).  Things you don't need: Unicorns (definitely not multiples anyway), Rajan's, Maim Wings, Eagle Wings, Moonglow, Mage Wand.  Things you should definitely consider: Gray Angel, Royal Archer, Blinding Flash, Elemental Wand, Fireball, and definitely multiples of Asyran Clerics and (now) Asyran Defenders.  (Clerics and Defenders are your go to meatbag guards.  Also, you don't need to maim wings or Eagle Wings anything, you're in the holy school)

That's all I have for now because I'm packing boxes  , but I hope it helps some.  Believe me when I say I thought the Priest was bad until I realized how powerful HA and Malakia's Fire could be; they just need to be used correctly (which can be hard to do).

[quote author=silverclawgrizzly link=topic=14258.msg38290#msg38290 date=1403835014

Arlemus I was dubious of the two spawn points, still am even, but it's been working so far so we'll see.
[/quote]

When I tried double spawnpoint I always tried to recover the costs with med amulet, but your build is making me think it might be better to just continue without meditating...

Hey guys, I'm looking for more people around Pittsburgh that would be up for meeting up at one of the various game stores around.  More specifically, I'm located on Pitt's campus so if anyone frequents Phantom of the Attic, Games Unlimited (in Squirrel Hill) or even Mr. Nice guys out in Monroeville I'd most likely be down to come by.  Maybe we could even start a league?  I figure since Oakland is a college town there's got to be more people playing MW here than I know about, lol.

(This comment is about the Live Play Video)

Just so you guys know, when you bind a spell you don't have to reveal it until you actually use it.  The bound spell comes into play face down under whatever you bound it to, and only gets turned up after you use it.

Also, you have to assign whatever you deploy during your planning phase and place it face down near the spawnpoint (ie you cant just pick whatever you want during deploy).

Other than that it was probably the best "live play" type video I've seen so far 

This is not fast enough for a 3 round Warlock Lord of Fire opening......

Well, it's not fast enough against a lot of things it seems.  It simply takes too much investment to get rolling, and even by the time you do your back is already against the wall doing damage control.

I really wish it worked, but it's just too expensive to recover from.

Double spawnpoint with the Warlord had always been in the back of my mind, but I didn't think it was possible to make that costly of an opening work so I never tried it.  However, last night I had a chance to give it a go, so I modified my Warlord book and this is what it ended up looking like:

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Double Spawnpoint Warlord (pre-FiF)[/spellbookname]
[mage]Warlord[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWA03]1 x  Hail of Stones[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWA04]1 x  Hurl Boulder[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWW01]1 x  Wall of Pikes[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ04]2 x  Garrison Post[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ03]1 x  Barracks[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j04]1 x  Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWC05]4 x  Goblin Grunt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC15]1 x  Thorg, Chief Bodyguard[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC14]1 x  Skeletal Knight[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNC15]1 x  Skeletal Minion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC07]1 x  Dwarf Panzergarde[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC11]3 x  Orc Butcher[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC06]3 x  Goblin Slinger[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC07]1 x  Grimson Deadeye, Sniper[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWE09]1 x  Standard Bearer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]1 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e09]1 x  Agony[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e29]1 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE06]2 x  Fortified Position[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e31]1 x  Poisoned Blood[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWQ08]1 x  Ring of Command[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x  Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ05]1 x  Helm of Command[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ09]1 x  Wand of Healing[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ07]1 x  Veteran's Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q16]1 x  Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q06]1 x  Dragonscale Hauberk[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ06]1 x  Horn of Gothos[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ10]1 x  Meditation Amulet[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i02]1 x  Battle Fury[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i26]1 x  Sleep[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i20]1 x  Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i17]2 x  Minor Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i12]1 x  Force Push[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i25]1 x  Shift Enchantment[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i07]1 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i04]2 x  Charge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i19]2 x  Piercing Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI06]2 x  Power Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNI03]1 x  Reassemble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI08]2 x  Sniper Shot[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i18]1 x  Perfect Strike[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

Obviously I haven't worked every kink out (probably don't have room for Grimson, etc) because I've only played it once, but I was surprised how good it felt.

My initial turns went like this:

Turn 1: (19 mana) Move, QC barracks in corner, Final QC Garrison Post in NC
Turn 2: (12 mana) QC battleforge in my mages zone, Final QC Garrison Post in left zone (0 mana)
Turn 3: (9 mana) Deploy Slinger (enemy mage was in range), Deploy Amulet, QC Command ring, Meditate (4mana)
Turn 4: (13 mana) etc etc

I really like how the opening went.  It fit perfectly into 2 turns, gave max channel on the barracks, and got out all the action providers/mana makers.

I like even more how it felt to have access to battleforge and barracks at the same time.  I never liked having to use actions to bring out the helm, horn, etc, because there was no immediate effect and if i wanted to use them the same turn it would take all my actions that turn (qc it, qc its effect).  With the forge, it was MUCH more manageable (obviously).  What was even better was the ability to stack armor on my mage at the same time as bringing out relevant soldiers.  I had always felt pressured action-wise trying to support my troops through commands while trying to buff myself at the same time, and battleforge feels like the missing link to solve that problem.

The great part about battleforge + barracks is that, even if some does go hyper aggro on you, you can easily drop armor on yourself and bring out a guard without having to spend any actions, which leaves you open to freely meditate and command your troops.  Without battleforge, you can't give yourself armor, support your troops, and meditate without giving one of them up (and its usually the armor).

All in all, I really liked it.  I know it wasn't the same start as yours, but I think it was a little cheaper and close enough to playtest. 

Disclaimer: the friend I played against has only been playing for a few months, so she doesn't play optimally, but I pull tons of punches when I play against her to even things out.

can ranged attacks against walls be intercepted?

Seems like the logic to me would be:

1).  Intercept: "if a ranged attacked targets a non-flying object in the same zone"

2).  Codex (pg.18): "Walls do not occupy a zone"

3).  Since the ranged attack is being made against the wall, and the wall isn't in a zone, you can't intercept it.

You're worried about promoting degenerate play in a game where the goal is to kill the opposing mage? I'm sorry. I just don't get that. I understand putting errata on a card if there's a major issue with the balance it cause. Teleport is so far from causing issues with balance though, I can't believe this is a thought. If you're so worried about teleports being a factor on your mage, add more nullifys or add your own teleports. I just think people want changes based on their own experiences whether or not they make sense to the game as a whole.

By that logic they should never do any errata.  I don't mean degenerate in the sense of being a jerk to the other mage.  Go ahead, kill them in the best way possible; but I think teleport opens up situations where the best play is itself degenerate, especially against new/mid level players, and has an overall negative impact on the game that doesn't need to be there.

The whole reason changes are made is because "people want changes based on their own experiences" and many people have those same experiences and opinions.

I'm not personally worried, I usually only ever run 1 nullify.  I'm worried, as are others, that a certain aspect of teleport (ie teleporting enemy mages) has a negative impact on the actual play of the game and it doesn't need to be that way.